Shotgun Spin

Blades of Havoc #1

by Eva Chance, Harlow King

Raised to rule the criminal underworld... Born to skate her heart out.

As heir to my family's mafia throne, I've learned to threaten, torture, and kill. But the only place I really feel at home is on the ice.

So when Mom has my coach murdered to end my figure skating dreams, I know it's time to run. With my hot but off-limits bodyguard by my side, I flee to a little town where she'll never find me.

All I want is to lie low and perform in secret at the local rink. But a chance meeting with two passionate, damaged men seeking their own healing on the ice opens up new possibilities—both for my skating and my heart.

They have no idea who I really am. And with a gang terrorizing my new neighbors and a stalker leaving me gruesome gifts, I don't know how long I can keep my violent history in the past.

Can I defend my new life without turning into the brutal mafia princess I never wanted to be?

* Shotgun Spin is the first in a new mafia romance series from bestselling author Eva Chase (writing as Eva Chance) and Harlow King. It includes M/M content. Prepare for thrills on the ice, in the streets, and between the sheets with four hot, passionate men and a heroine who refuses to play by the rules.*

Genres: Sports, Dark Romance, Romance, Why Choose, Sports Romance, Contemporary, Crime

306 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 7, 2023

About the author

Eva Chance is a pen name for contemporary romance written by Amazon top 100 bestselling author Eva Chase.

If you love gritty romance, dominant men, and fierce women who never have to choose, look no further.

Eva is a life-long Canadian and lives in Toronto with her husband, kids, and one very snuggly cat. As Eva Chase, she also writes fanasy and paranormal romance.

Fun Facts:

Fave colors: Green, blue, violet

Fave foods: Green curry chicken, California rolls, pizza

Fave vacation spots: Cancun, Japan, Scotland

Fave animals: Dolphin, wolf, raven

Website: https://evachase.com/

Reviews

[Tyla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I had had higher expectations for this one, one’s higher than it was.
An ice skating heir to the mafia that escapes to the middle of nowhere so she can skate and ends up being a vigilante of sorts sounded incredible.

It fell short for me, it was a really quick and easy read which I appreciated. I enjoyed the build up between love interests and the detail in the skating I loved but the rest of it just didn’t seem to mesh well for me and it ends on a cliffhanger but not one that has me excited for the second book.

[lianna · Rating 2 out of 5]

[arc review]

i’m just–idk, disappointed? but this isn’t a 1⭐️. let me explain.

the plot was good! i could see where this was going. obviously, luciana is a mafia princess who has left home to skate her heart out so this was her plan to break the pattern of succeeding her mother now that she’s old enough to. but the blurb lead me to believe i’d see more of her internal conflict of keeping her real identity a secret from the people she met and i hardly saw that.

rafael, jasper, and niko were just okay. i didn’t find them to be anyone special. luciana is pretty badass, i’ll give her that.

my real issue though, is with the major plot hole involving the gang. luciana wants to push them out of hobbs creek, which is understandable because she left a life of violence and didn’t want to be around that kind of activity any more. but how does she come to the conclusion that they’re the ones leaving her the “gruesome gifts” mentioned in the blurb? where was that thought process? did i somehow miss it? because she keeps reiterating how the gang is made up of a bunch of idiots that don’t know what’s good for them, so by that logic, how would they know luciana is the one trying to push them out of town? and when she really pissed them off, they’re terrorizing the town asking “where is she” because they don’t know it’s luciana and all the information they have is that a woman fucked with their shit. THIS IS THE WHOLE GANG PLOT. i’m actually so confused.

will i read the following book? maybe. we’ll see how intrigued i am when it releases.

[smuttyaudiophile · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️ 2 🌶️

I’ve read and really enjoyed some of the monster fantasy series by this author under her other pen name, however this new contemporary series didn’t do it for me. The synopsis definitely sounded interesting - I love reverse harem, and I definitely haven’t seen mafia romance paired with figure skating. I think my biggest problem was the character development and connections between characters. The FMC, who is a mafia princess, seems somehow sheltered yet also very exposed to criminal ways. She is naïve and has this sense of bravado that just seemed off to me. She was supposed to be smart and strategic yet seemed to make rash decisions.
I didn’t really feel like there was a believable connection between the characters beyond physical. There seemed to be very little dialogue outside of skating practice for them to build that romantic relationship.
There is an MM relationship within the harem that is being hinted at but hasn’t gone anywhere yet.
Overall I just didn’t connect with the characters or understand what motivated them which led to some of their actions just not making sense to me.
With that said, this is the first book in a series and the characters are just being introduced. I would fully expect to get to know them and their drives better as the series progresses. If you love why choose and figure skating with a little taste of criminal underworld, this might be right up your alley!

[Esmeralda · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ - 3.75
🌶 - 4

❄️ Please Note:
I was given an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review by peachykeenas. My review will be 100% honest.

🥀 - Short Sum-Up Review:
The book itself is good. If you want a good good with plot and steamy-ish smut scenes then i'd recommend picking it up. I would like to warn you that it does end in a plot twist though. Have fun reading!

🖤 Lengthy Review:
As you all can see on goodreads I gave this book a 4 star rating but as seen beside the star emoji I gave this book a 3.75. With that being said, I'm tied between giving this book a 3.5-4 star rating and here's why.

The book itself has a good overall plot to it. Luciana (Lue) is a mafia princess but unfortunately due to a certain thing that happened (due to her mom) she's forced to leave her home. In the process her trusty guard Raphael decides to go with her. (I figured it was because he liked her and I was in fact correct.) They end up going to Hobbs Creek.

⛸ - Favorite Scene/Favorite Quotes:
“I don’t know. A lot of me wants to whisk you away from everything and claim you all for myself. But you’re not a woman who can be claimed. I realize that. I’d like—I’d like to see what we could be even with them in the mix, if you want that too.” - Rafael
“Oh, believe me, I do.” - Lou

[Kelly Eudy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5⭐️
2/5🔥

RH/multi POV/mafia/med burn/murder/violence/gore

This is the first book of The Blades of Havoc series. This does end on a cliffhanger.

Lou is a mafia princess who flees from her current lifestyle after she finds her long time ice skating coach dead. She is the daughter of the notorious 'Deadly Rose' mafia queen. Lou believes her mom had him killed since she feels her interest in skating to be useless. Her trusted longtime bodyguard Rafael goes with her as well. When she finds her self in small town Hobb County... she also meets two fellow figure skaters, Niko and Jasper, who are also kind of hiding out in the small town trying to rebuild Jasper's confidence in his skating. When Lou finds a local gang scaring and tormenting the towns people, she has to decide if she can actually put the mafia life behind her or if she's willing to go to bat for her new town to run the gang out. But when threatening 'gifts' of a deadly nature start showing up at her rink and at her home... will she still be able to outrun her past lifestyle?


While this book was label as mafia, it was hard to actually perceive it as mafia. I really would have love to see more 'mafia' type things. The main focus here is definitely Lou's climb in her skating career and Lou trying to scare off the local gang without actually tapping into her full 'mafia princess' potential and lorddd I really wish we would have got to see the full extent of the badassery (yes it's a word) I'm sure Lou can bring. Also, there's still a lot of relationship building, so while this is to be a reverse harem in the long run, there only MF scenes in this book. There's a past history between Niko and Jasper that I'm ready to see further explored and I liked all the support they all showed each other on the ice. I'm also ready for Rafael to finally dive into his feelings for Lou. I did enjoy this book enough to wonder what happens next but I wanted to like it more and just wished there was a little more to this story.

-ARC Review-
(𝘗𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘺 𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘈𝘚)

[Lisa Maher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved listening to this first book in a new series. It is an interesting change from what I have read from these authors before. The mafia link is there, but a figure skater is not something you usually read about in a novel and that made it all the more interesting. I can't wait to see what happens next in this series.

[TheBookishHen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Luciana runs from her family after her mother has her skating coach killed. She wants no part in the family business.
After finding herself in a small town in Canada with her bodyguard, she begins to skate at a small rink there. Where she finds 2 skaters who need her as much as she needs them. 
I will admit this was not a favorite read for me. The story was all over the place. I'm confused as to why Luciana was so quick to go after the gang after wanting nothing to do with the way her family lives. The chemistry between everyone seemed off. 

[The_Book_Brat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saucy skaters & security 😍
*why choose
*contemporary
*multi-POV
*mafia
*ice-skating
*runaway FMC
*building harem (3)
*fast burn 🔥
*1/?
A great start to this series - there’s plenty of action and steam occurring throughout this book!
Lou is a mafia princess who hates her life and after drastic actions by her mother is forced to abscond in pursuit of her dreams, and generally having control over her own life 😬 knowing her mother is extremely unlikely to let her go Lou finds herself across the border and in a tiny little town with her bodyguard in tow….and well let’s just say she’s certainly found her place and feels protective over her new found home 😃
The rink brings its own chaos to her life with the famous top of his tier skater whose also a mega grump Jasper and his soft-hearted champion coach Niko who have enough tension between them to 🔥 and then with Lou added to the mix, a confident lady whose not afraid to go for what she wants it’s sizzling 🥵 putting Jasper and Lou together on the ice brings a whole new dynamic but Lou had to be careful none of this feeds back to her matriarch!! Not only that but there’s some sinister threats occurring enough to worry her bodyguard Rafeal whose known her since she was tiny and is struggling to deal with how he now feels about her as a women….queue some serious angst 😳 can Lou work out whose behind the threats before her newfound life comes crashing down around her?!?

[ashlee ❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

-collectors edition whychoose
-secret identity
-mafia
-sports romance

Luciana is a mafia princess running away from her illegal life to try to continue on as an ice skater. She finds herself in a small town & runs into some of her idols. There’s a lot going on that melds all together in a way that works, yet it’s still pretty busy. Luciana seems very quick to hop in bed with the guys though but we still get a slow burn for another.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think of this book as one which establishes characters, the beginnings of relationships, and the start of an unfolding storyline as I didn’t get more from it than that or get caught up in the connections between the characters and trying to figure out what would happen next.

Luciana/Lou is an interesting heroine; she is certainly a badass and very headstrong but there seems to be a naivety to her which she is unaware of, and I can see it causing a lot of problems in the future. Niko and Jasper, our two figure skating heroes, were also interesting but I feel like we’ve not got to know them much and it’s only in the next book and as the romantic relationship between them develops that will we learn more about them. Rafael was the most intriguing character for me, he is every bit the mysterious bodyguard, and whilst it is obvious that he would be Luciana’s safe space due to years of protecting her you don’t find out much more. It isn’t until we get to see his POV that you get a sense of who he is, and I think it was the vulnerability and emotion that came from those scenes where he thought about his feelings for Lou that made him my favourite character.

I was intrigued by the combination of mafia romance and sports romance tropes, shown best through Luciana herself as she goes from being the embodiment of grace and elegance whilst skating to a mafia princess causing violence and chaos through the actions that she takes. Though I think this combination of tropes is going to get more interesting as the story progresses and Niko and Jasper are brought into the world that Luciana and Rafael have always known.

This hasn’t been my one of my favourite reverse harem romances, but it is interesting. The storyline which is clearly going to dominate the next book only truly comes to light in the final pages, so I look forward to seeing how that unfolds. As well as seeing how Lou is going to navigate a relationship with three men, how Niko and Jasper’s relationship may develop and finding out more about Rafael. Hopefully the next book is filled with lots of character development and scenes which make the chemistry crystal clear.

[Tamarra Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC for an honest review

Once you pick this book up, you won’t want to put it down.

Luciana is a mafia princess, she is forced to live a life that she doesn’t want, her passion ice skating, but her hand is forced by her mother, she makes the decision to abscond, with her bodyguard in tow, to follow her dreams.

When Luciana is on the ice, nothing else matters. Then she meets Jasper and Niko, and for the first time ever she has hope for herself, and her future.

When Niko suggests pairing her and Jasper together as skating partners, they’re both hesitant at first, but once they work out there strengths and weaknesses, they come together like magic.

But something is happening in the town that she and Rafael are living in, a local gang is causing trouble and Luciana won’t have it. She goes on the defensive, handling the situations , just when she thinks she has a handle on everything, she receives messages that tell her otherwise.

As Luciana gets to know Niko and Jasper, feelings begin to develop, something she thought would never happen for her, and they reciprocate her feelings in return, each giving her a piece of themselves in a night of pleasurable passion, only then does Rafael begin to realise the depth of his feelings for her, that he shares the truth with her, and she him, and then they come together, only to have their moment ruined with another message, which has them on the offensive.

Luciana will do anything and everything in her power to protect the men she loves.

This story is told from multiple POV, it is a why choose romance, with fast burn romance, dominant alpha female who knows what she wants, three men who are falling for the same girl, touch her and die vibes, revenge, vengeance, violence, defiance, deception, adrenaline seeking suspense, jealousy, twists and truths.

And those MF s*x scenes, were steamy, yet sensual and physical, it had all the pleasure and passion one would except including all of the feels.

Waiting in anticipation for what happens next in there story

Highly recommend this book and author!

[Paula Sabol (Never Choose Fantasy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shotgun Spin: Book 1 of 2 Blades of Havoc by Eva Chance and Harlow King is an exciting contemporary mafia why-choose romance novel.  Luciana is heir to a ruthless crime boss. She's trained to be brutal to lead in a world run by men. However, Lou has other dreams. When Lou discovers her mother murdered her ice skating coach to make her step up and run more of the family business, it has the opposite effect.  With nothing left to lose, Lou runs, only to find her bodyguard Rafael ready to give up everything to follow and protect her.  They head hours away to a small town across the border with a decent skating rink.  However, her first visit to the rink results in her training with two famous figure skating stars she could have only dreamed of meeting, let alone skating alongside.  When someone starts threatening her fresh start in her new home, will she be able to keep herself and her men safe?

      I loved the characters in this book.  Lou is strong, caring, and an overall beautiful person, but she also has a fire with training to back it up.  I love that her mom's plan backfired and made her run. Now she's free and living her dream. The men in her life are all very different. Jasper is the grump, Niko is the sweet, easygoing guy that is happy most of the time, and Raphael is the intense alpha.  I loved the added story of Jasper and Niko's origin and how Lou pushes them to explore their feelings toward one another. The little battle Lou starts with the local small-time gang adds a layer of excitement to the story.

    I rated Shotgun Spin 4 out of 5 stars. I loved the characters, and the story kept me engaged.  There were a couple of spicy scenes to keep the romance moving forward. I have to admit there were a few scenes that felt unrealistic.  I don't want to spoil anything but the best I can say is that a few small parts didn't feel authentic, but overall the story was beautiful. I've never considered figure skating outside of watching it at the Olympics, but it was an exciting aspect of the story.  If you like slow-burn, mafia romance with some grumpy sunshine characters in a reverse harem romance, this figure skating romance story will steal your heart!

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eva and Harlow's new series stars Luciana Cordova, daughter of the Deadly Rose. Though her mother had ensured that she was trained in various kinds of combat, all Lou really wanted to do was ice skate. Her coach never seemed to be satisfied with her progress, but she only really felt like herself when she was on the ice. When her coach is mysteriously killed, Lou realizes that she will never be able to do what she really wants to do as long as she stays under her mother's thumb. Time for plan B. She has already researched where she wants to go (surprise! they have an ice rink) and has managed to buy a car that her mother won't be able to trace. She has also stashed away some money and even found a rental house. The only thing she hasn't planned for was her bodyguard, Rafael, catching her as she was leaving and insisting that he join her. From Austin, Texas to small-town Canada, here they come.

Hobb Creek is the perfect place to hide out and skate. It gets even better when she discovers that two world-class figure skaters are already living there. Jasper St. Pierre had disappeared from competition for unknown reasons, his grandparents lives in Hobb Creek and Niko Okabe followed him there and offered to be his coach to get him back on the circuit. Niko is a bold skater, unafraid to try different things in his routines. After seeing Lou skate he offers to coach her too, for free, just like Jasper. Lou can't believe her luck, though Jasper does seem a little put out.

I don't want to ruin it for you. Lou is attracted to Niko and Jasper, as well as Rafael. I will let you imagine where that might lead. She also finds out that there is a gang of hoodlums in the area who are harassing the locals and feels she is just the person to send them running. Everything will not go according to plan.

I can't wait to see what happens next. I was given an advanced copy of this book by the authors. My review is voluntary.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lou escapes her mother and starts fresh in a small town. She is passionate about her dream of iceskating, and shares this dream with she meets Nico and Jasper, both renowned figure skaters. She also has a good heart, and steps up when gangsters terrorize the small town residents. Lou also is spunky, clever, and bold.

Nico is walking sunshine. He gives off carefree vibes but deeply cares about others. He coaches both Lou and Jasper and wants to push both of them forward. He also is the most willing to share his thoughts and feelings (though he needs a push from Lou in one instance).

Jasper would be considered the grump of the guys and sometimes find it hard to express himself. He tends to be in his head a lot, but he also is a perfectionist and wants to elevate the skating experience, spreading the art and his message across. While he can be gruff, he also has a kind heart and picks up on things.

Raphael has been Lou's bodyguard since she was ten and has stuck by her side since. He has had growing feelings for her but kept her at a distance. He is very loyal and protective and wants nothing more than Lou to be happy. He also joins in on some of her schemes and is the only one she is able to share her mafia side to.

The four of them make up a diverse cast and one I look forward to getting to know better. The storyline focuses much on the local gang and Lou and Jasper preparing for a local competition, but there is also some suspense surrounding who is targeting Lou and whether her mafia past will catch up to her. I wouldn't consider this book as dark as other mafia romances I've read, but it was still enjoyable as it had a good mix of figure skating and action involved. I look forward to seeing what's next!

[Eunice Hayward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hey Lovelies

First things first, thank you to Eva Chance and Harlow King for allowing me to read this wonderful book.

This is the perfect book if you are looking for a slow burn and twists and turns. I was amazed at how the flow of the book was done. It kept my attention, and I enjoyed it a lot. Not to mention that ending, I knew something was up and it was suspicious. The spice in this book was perfect, not wild and I appreciated the break from spice-heavy books. I cannot wait for the 2nd book if there is going to be a book 2.

As for the characters, Lou was badass, and I loved the independence and that all her men allowed her to explore that freedom and independence. She grew as a character from the start to the end of the book. Rafael is my kind of guy, broody, protective, and grumpy. I also appreciated the fact that it took him a bit longer to realize what he felt for Lou. Jasper, I thought was the mysterious guy for a hot second but alas nope he was the moody, yet thoughtful and misunderstood jock. Which is fine if you are into that. (Always remember you do you boo!). Niko was our little ok maybe a not little ray of sunshine; he was a whole lotta sunshine. I loved his outgoing personality and that he liked to push both Lou and Jasper to be the best that they could be. I do hope that should we get book 2, Niko and Jasper get a skating scene together.

I really enjoyed this book and I hope you do too.

Xoxo
E

[vic · Rating 2 out of 5]

lo empecé porque vi un video que lo promocionaba como un mafia romance de mafia princess + su bodyguard.... imagínense mi cara cuando de repente lo más importante del libro era PATINAJE SOBRE HIELO y su relación con su coach y su compa de patinaje !??! NO ME LO VI VENIR (porque soy una pelotuda y no investigué lo suficiente, claramente)

dicho sea esto, a pesar de que no era lo que quería, la lectura no estuvo mal. se pasó rápido, estuvo entretenido y aunque me molestaran sus actitudes de "yo me las sé todas", me dio risa que fuera ella la que básicamente se los chamuyó a todos jsjdskjsj go girll

lo que no me gustó: el age gap entre el guardaespaldas y lou. ella tiene DIECINUEVE y rafael creo que 30? 32? como fuere- ES UN MONTÓN!!! y cuando al final él dice que la ve como MUJER y que hace años se sentía atraído etc ???????? TIENE DIECINUEVE AÑOS LA NIÑITA LITERALMENTE TIENE UN 1 ADELANTE DE SU EDAD !!! TODAVÍA ES ADOLESCENTE !!!!!!!! ayyñ ya es legall, LAS PELOTAS. perdón pero no hay chances que pueda ver a una nena de 19 con un tipo grandote de 32 dale cldo buscate a una de tu edad es asqueroso q admitas que hace AÑOS te atrae

las 2.5-3 estrellas son porque no pasa nada con rafael hasta literalmente el último capítulo así que todo ok, y porque me gustaron las interacciones con niko y jas.

[Teresa Juckett (Love Dark Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first read the blurb for this book I knew I had to get my hands on it. For one it has ice skating which I love, why choose with 3 hot guy's and suspense all the thing's I love to read about, so yeh, I had to read it.

Luciana (Lou) Cordova is the heir to one of the deadliest crime family’s in Texas known as the Deadly Rose. Her mom being the crime boss. All this girl has wanted in life is to ice skate, but her mom wants her to give it up and step into the family business, but when something bad happens Lou realizes she's not safe and has to run and ends up taking her bodyguard Rafael with her. They end up in Hobb Creek Canada where she meets Niko and Jasper, and a gang who's set on causing problems for the town and it's people, but she soon realizes that they may not be the one's who's been leaving her gifts that there might be someone who's stalking her.

Niko has flown across the country to coach Jasper to get him back into ice skating and out of the slump he's going through. When they see how good Lou is on the ice Niko has an idea of them doing pairs skating and maybe Lou can drag Jasper out of his head. The more the 3 work together the more they become attracted to her.

From page 1 to that cliffhanger ending this book had me flipping pages to find out what happened next. It does get a lil slow but picks up as thing's start to happen in the book. I cannot wait for the next book in this new series.

[•Cici• Theory of A Dreamer Book Blog♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read this duo's work before i've been wanting to check out more of their books. As soon as i stumbled across the synopsis for this one it caught my eye and i knew i had to read it. I picked it up and got right into the Blades of Havoc world. I enjoyed this first installment!

This first installment in Lou's journey captured my attention. Something happens which shakes up Lou's world. With her bodyguard Rafael in tow she seeks somewhere new which has her life colliding with two others. Can she tackle everything thrown her way?

I really liked how the ball got rolling quickly with this story. I didn't know what all to expect in this first installment. I enjoyed the way all the characters had me feeling many things with them throughout. This story kept me on my toes for sure.

With Shotgun Spin, Eva Chance and Harlow King have created a dark and good read that was a different kind of reading experience for me! I'm looking forward to more with the second installment, Pivot Point!


*I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book from Peachy Keen Author Services / the authors*

[Gemma Kitchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mafia/ Sport (Ice skating)
Strong FMC
Bodyguard
Male skaters
Reverse Harem

What more can you ask for??????

This is book 1 of ? and it does not disappoint from page 1.
Luciana runs from her family home as she doesn’t want to be in the ‘family’ business, wanting to concentrate on her passion skating. Her bodyguard decides to go with her and they end up in a small town were she meets and starts to train with another skater and his coach.
The story develops throughout the book and develops each character as it goes through the multi-point of view of each character. Each male character gives Luciana something she needs and their relationship develops from here. The bi-sexual coach, the broody skater and the bodyguard (will any more be added to her harem.)
Within the story we get to see what our fmc is truly capable of when dealing with a gang that is terrorising her town and her but is the personnel vendetta against her them or someone else.

Such a great read and can’t wait for book 2.

[Michelle Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. I'm still fairly new to these authors, having only read 1 other book by them. This book introduces us to Luciana. She's an aspiring figure skater who ran away to Canada with her bodyguard. She's the heir to a Crime Family, her mom is the head leader. But all Lou wants to do is skate, not head a Mafia syndicate.

When she starts skating at the local rink, she meets Jasper another fellow figure skater, and his coach Niko. Super hot. Jasper would be the grump, he's an a$$ at times, he gets stuck in his head, and honestly thinks a little too much, but his emotions are there. Niko, is the carefree, happy go lucky type. Feelings develop between these two like instantly.

Really enjoyed the plotline to this. A bit slow at times, and I felt the action and mafia aspect was a bit glossed over to do more detailed focus on the skating. Not a bad thing, because you don't see figure skating as a prevalent point in a book that's connected to mafia. All in all, enjoyed it and I want see what happens in book 2.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot is there to be a great read, a mafia princess who loves to ice skate. Gives up the pampered life of her family in texas and moves to a really small town to pursue skating. Enter in some former and current Olympic male skaters.

Color me intrigued! And the making of what could be her why choose moment, in her partner, not-quite coach, and her bodyguard? Yes! Training for a pairs competition? Also, yes!

But where I really struggled was the small town gang. She left a life of violence to pursue her passion and has to keep her head down as to not alert her mother to where she is, because the family business is so far reaching. But in a little town in Ontario, Canada, she starts blowing up cars belonging to local thugs and escalating from there because they are hustling residents and business owners. Possibly leaving gruesome gifts for her? That was where I couldn’t get on board with her behavior and laughed at how juvenile it was.

Maybe this one wasn’t for me, but I really liked the idea behind it.

Plot 3/5
Spice 2/5

I was provided an ARC of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Angela Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heat on the ice

Love all Eva and Harlows collaboration books and this is another good one. The premise is unusual with an ice skating Mafia princess escaping her ruthless Mafia boss mother, sounds a bit implausible but nevertheless the story is an entertaining read.
I wondered what Lou and her bodyguard Rafael were doing for money as it would be easy for her mother to track her this way.
The skirmishes she has with the local gangsters was hilarious to read, love the tricks she played on them.
The relationship between Lou, Niko and Jasper is developing nicely, always thought with such a hands on close contact sport it must lead to some heated moments. The boys are certainly very different in personality and build but both oh so hot, looking forward to some MM action in the next book. I reckon eventually end up with all three guys in her harem
A fun quick read and a good start to a new series.

[m · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I first saw this I thought: Mafia, reverse harem, and ice skating?! This is going to be wild.

Unfortunately it was actually kind of boring. A lot of time was spent on the ice practicing or in internal dialogue. I didn’t really feel like I got to see much interaction with the guys so the relationships felt meaningless. Jasper went from being grumpy all the time to suddenly falling in love with her? Niko was nice but bland. And Raphael was correct, lusting after the 19 year old that you’ve known since she was 10 is gross and weird.

It was also super obvious that the local thugs weren’t the ones sending her gruesome messages but she doubled down on making their lives hell despite wanting to distance herself from mafia life and needing to keep a low profile.

The concept seemed fun and parts of the book were good but overall it was a bit of a mess.

I received a free copy as an ARC - all opinions are my own.

[Jessica The Ink Spell · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
È un buon inizio, ma penso che avrebbe potuto essere gestito meglio.
I rapporti amorosi li ho trovati un po' forzati. A parte quello con Rafael, quello con Niko e Jasper non hanno sostanza, si basano sul niente. Ok, capisco l'attrazione fisica, ma come può Luciana dire di provare qualcosa per loro quando di fatto non sa nulla di queste due persone?
E anche Luciana, come protagonista, non mi ha convinta molto: è un po' troppo piena di sé per i miei gusti - tant'è che trae conclusioni affrettate in più di un'occasione.
In compenso, ho adorato il worldbuilding, la novità del mondo del pattinaggio sul ghiaccio e di una figlia della mafia che non vuole essere parte di quel mondo.
Rafael è sicuramente il personaggio che più ho preferito, nei pochi momenti dedicati a lui l'ho percepito completamente.
Lo stile è superscorrevole, la lettura si divora pagina dopo pagina senza sentire alcuna fatica.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was SOO excited to read this story! I've always loved to ice skate, and I fantasized about being an amazing figure skater. I love that we're familiar with the mafia aspect of this world, but we get a bad*ss FMC, and she is wanting her own life. Lou is multi-talented, and she has a few secrets after going on the run with her bodyguard. She's also running from the one person you'd think would be on her side, her mom.

I love the guys that we've met so far, Rafael is her bodyguard, and he's a stoic man, he's been by her side (obviously) the longest, and is her safe place for her mafia side to come out. He's kept his distance because of who he is, but since they're away together, I'm happy they've got each other. The two new guys that enter Lou's life are Niko & Jasper. Niko is our sunshine guy, he cares very deeply about others while acting carefree. He is Lou & Jasper's coach for the competitive skaters and is ready to push them to meet their goals. Jasper is a bit of a grump with a kind heart and is observant. He is a complex man, and I can't wait to see more of his personality come out.

I honestly can't wait for the rest of this series. The storyline is interesting, and I like that Lou is the one set to take over the family business. Even though she's more interested in competitive ice skating, she still has all of the training stored in her mind. The cliffhanger isn't too bad, and I am curious as to who is after her.

[Rheanna]

4⭐
2.5🌶

𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤:
▫ Sports Romance
▫ Mafia
▫️ Reverse Harem/Why choose?
▫️ Bodyguard

💬 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨:

Lou, a mafia princess, unhappy by being under her mother’s thumb finally finds the courage to run away, with the help of her bodyguard Rafael.

All she wants to go is skate, so she finds a small town, with a good ice skating rink to call home. While practicing, she runs into Jasper, a fellow ice skater and his coach Niko. They soon start training together and the relationship between all 3 of them grows.

Growing up as a mafia princess, Lou is tough and can definitely take care of herself. Rafael is the protective bodyguard, who you would always want on your side. Jasper is the grump with the tortured past and Niko is the sweetheart of the three!

I am very intrigued with the story so far and can’t wait to see where it goes in book 2.

[Desirae Bartlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC for an honest review so here it is: I really enjoyed this book! It includes: Grumpy/Sunshine, Age Gap, LGBTQ+ Representation, POC, Mafia, Spice. Different background than what I am used to picking but it hooked me from the beginning. The FMC Lou has a background that she would like to stay hidden and even though she is smart and strong, she has insecurities that she has to overcome. The man she has in her life (Rafael) and the two other men that she meets along the way (Niko and Jasper) help her to see that she is that fierce, independent, talented woman. The book pacing was great and I read it in a day. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series and the continuation of Lou’s story as it was left on a mystery cliffhanger. Also, as a bonus, I learned about figure skating too! Perfect mix of violence, spice, and a dash of mystery.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is a new take on mafia and it was original, I was completely enthralled!

As heir, Lou has many expectations but all she wants is to follow her dreams, ice skating. After her coach is mysteriously killed, she leaves her home with her bodyguard to a place where no one could find her and where she can pursue her dreams.

She meets another skater Jasper and his coach, Niko and they learn to share the ice rink in order to better themselves. Along with her newfound freedom, she learns more about the small town and has grown protective of it.

This book is mainly focused on her new life along with her relationships. The relationships were built in a naturally and at their own pace. There is some mystery happening around town and you don’t know if it’s the local gangs or if she’s been found by her old life. I really liked this book and can’t wait for more!

[Laurenloveslit81 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 3.5⭐️

I was really intrigued by the idea of a mafia/ice skating crossover story. It worked better than I expected but there were a few things that made it less enjoyable for me.

The first issue for me was the fact that the pacing of the story was a bit off. Some things felt glossed over while others seemed to be dragged out. My other issue was the way the authors described things. At times their descriptions were very unique, which is usually a good thing, but it this instance it was a bit nonsensical.

There were some good things though. I did find the characters very likable and the angst between the FMC and her bodyguard, as well as between 2 of the male MC’s, are what made the story good. For those reasons, I will give the series another shot and hopefully those issues will be ironed out in the next book.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luciana has kept a foot out of her mother's underworld through skating, but her coach's removal shows how far her mom is willing to go to end her freedom. Lou has been planning for this day and now is committed to running. Interestingly, there are two skaters that also are hiding out in Hobb Creek as well. This makes for some steamy times on and off the ice.

I enjoyed Lou's sass and determination to protect her newly adopted hometown from local thugs. Weird presents are also showing up.

I have loved other stories in this world. This was my first one where I had an inkling Lou's plan would not work out as well as she thought.

I enjoyed getting to meet the characters and how they start to circle around Lou. Interested in seeing where this story goes in book 2.

I received an advanced copy of this story and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.