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Underboss Insurrection #2
Nicky the Driver
He can't take his eyes off me.
I remember Nicky Biancolli from junior high. Back then, he was always staring. My cousin warned him off, and after that, he faded into the background.
Now, ten years later, he's in my mother's kitchen at two in the morning, and there's a dead man in a pool of blood on the floor. Lucca Corso-the rat who killed my father-says that if I don't marry Nicky to make peace between our families, the little brother I raised is next.
I don't have a choice.
I have to go with the man who looks like he wants to eat me alive, and I have no idea whether this is about following orders or something much darker.
All I know is that Nicky isn't stalking me anymore. He owns me now, and no one is going to stop him from taking what he wants.
Nicky the Driver is a dark mafia romance. It's the second book in The Underboss Insurrection series, but it can be read as a standalone. Intended only for adult readers. HEA guaranteed.
*** This special edition paperback contains a bonus epilogue! ***
This story contains scenes that may be difficult for some readers. Please check the Look Inside or visit the author's website for details.
I remember Nicky Biancolli from junior high. Back then, he was always staring. My cousin warned him off, and after that, he faded into the background.
Now, ten years later, he's in my mother's kitchen at two in the morning, and there's a dead man in a pool of blood on the floor. Lucca Corso-the rat who killed my father-says that if I don't marry Nicky to make peace between our families, the little brother I raised is next.
I don't have a choice.
I have to go with the man who looks like he wants to eat me alive, and I have no idea whether this is about following orders or something much darker.
All I know is that Nicky isn't stalking me anymore. He owns me now, and no one is going to stop him from taking what he wants.
Nicky the Driver is a dark mafia romance. It's the second book in The Underboss Insurrection series, but it can be read as a standalone. Intended only for adult readers. HEA guaranteed.
*** This special edition paperback contains a bonus epilogue! ***
This story contains scenes that may be difficult for some readers. Please check the Look Inside or visit the author's website for details.
406 pages, Paperback
First published September 2, 2022
657 people are currently reading
3379 people want to read
About the author
Cate C. Wells
28 books3,093 followersCATE C. WELLS writes gut-wrenching paranormal and contemporary romance. Whatever the world, readers can expect character-driven stories that are raw, real, and emotionally satisfying. Cate's into messy love, flaws, long roads to redemption, grace, and happy ever after, in fiction and in life.
As well as books, Cate has collected a husband, two daughters, and a cat along the way. She lives in Baltimore when she’s not out exploring with the family.
Want a heads up on new releases and bonus content? Sign up for Cate's newsletter at catecwells.com
Facebook: @catecwells
IG: @authorcatecwells
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Threads: @authorcatecwells
Bookbub: @catecwells
As well as books, Cate has collected a husband, two daughters, and a cat along the way. She lives in Baltimore when she’s not out exploring with the family.
Want a heads up on new releases and bonus content? Sign up for Cate's newsletter at catecwells.com
Facebook: @catecwells
IG: @authorcatecwells
TT: @authorcatecwells
Threads: @authorcatecwells
Bookbub: @catecwells
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 661 reviews
September 17, 2022
3 Stars
I loooooved Run Posy Run. Loved it. And when I saw there was a book two to this series?
My expectations were high. And for a while the book seemed to be meeting them. Nicky was super obsessed with Zita and that ingredient alone is probably what kept this from being two stars for me. It was delicious and I was on board. In fact, despite a somewhat rough start, I was riding a 4-star high throughout the middle of this.
But then some very not mafia things started happening in this so-called mafia book. In fact, there really wasn't much mafia in this to speak of in general. And that's not a deal breaker for me necessarily...I just didn't really like what Wells did with Corso's character and his and Nicky's relationship.
Also, the ending of the book felt VERY rushed and kind of out of left field. I just didn't love it and it REALLY affected by enjoyment.
Like I said, however, the chemistry between Zita and Nicky was delicious and definitely kept me invested. Outside of that, this just wasn't a win for me. I still liked it...I just didn't really, really like it.
I also want to mention a massive trigger warning for anyone who struggles with an eating disorder or related issues. Zita struggles hard with this and it's a MAIN focal point of the story. Depending on where you are - or aren't - in your recovery, I caution anyone with those struggles against picking this up.
I loooooved Run Posy Run. Loved it. And when I saw there was a book two to this series?
My expectations were high. And for a while the book seemed to be meeting them. Nicky was super obsessed with Zita and that ingredient alone is probably what kept this from being two stars for me. It was delicious and I was on board. In fact, despite a somewhat rough start, I was riding a 4-star high throughout the middle of this.
But then some very not mafia things started happening in this so-called mafia book. In fact, there really wasn't much mafia in this to speak of in general. And that's not a deal breaker for me necessarily...I just didn't really like what Wells did with Corso's character and his and Nicky's relationship.
Also, the ending of the book felt VERY rushed and kind of out of left field. I just didn't love it and it REALLY affected by enjoyment.
Like I said, however, the chemistry between Zita and Nicky was delicious and definitely kept me invested. Outside of that, this just wasn't a win for me. I still liked it...I just didn't really, really like it.
I also want to mention a massive trigger warning for anyone who struggles with an eating disorder or related issues. Zita struggles hard with this and it's a MAIN focal point of the story. Depending on where you are - or aren't - in your recovery, I caution anyone with those struggles against picking this up.
September 7, 2022
3.5 stars
Nicky catching Zs at the most appropriate times is why I'm rounding this up.
Nicky after murdering a man so he can break into Zita's bedroom and take a nap:
I love this man so much😭😭 The story felt incomplete though. First time ever I wish a book was longer, so I can read more about Nicky sleeping, Nicky eating, Nicky stalking, and Nicky chugging down 2% organic milk every day.
Nicky catching Zs at the most appropriate times is why I'm rounding this up.
“Is this when you rape me?” I squeeze my balled fists tighter, so hard my knuckles ache.
He rolls onto his back and stares at the ceiling, his mouth twisting in the corners. “Not tonight. I got a headache,” he says.
And then he closes his eyes and doesn’t say another word.
“What did you do?”
He stares me straight in the eye while he says, “I looked through your stuff. Laid in your bed. Took a nap.”
“You took a nap?”
“Yeah.”
Nicky after murdering a man so he can break into Zita's bedroom and take a nap:
I love this man so much😭😭 The story felt incomplete though. First time ever I wish a book was longer, so I can read more about Nicky sleeping, Nicky eating, Nicky stalking, and Nicky chugging down 2% organic milk every day.
With Nicky, there’s no polite way to put it. I’m fucking and feeding my captor until he likes me enough to bust me loose.
September 4, 2022
5 All This Is Because of Me Stars ⭐
I never wanted this book to end. If I thought Run Posy Run was good, then I was overwhelmed with Nicky The Driver. This story felt ambiguous in the beginning so I wasn’t sure the direction it would head in. A mafia princess in a forced marriage with her stalker. It was crazily good.
What if I look inside, and he’s not a monster. What if he’s not so different than me?
What does that make me?
A young woman living a life that’s not her own. Zita has only known violence, obedience and loyalty. When we first meet her, she’s in a stable relationship with the ideal man. The one that helps keep all her jagged pieces intact. Yet as a mafia princess, not much goes according to plan. You can dream, but that's all it is. And suddenly she’s engaged to Nicky The Driver.
With Nicky, there’s no polite way to put it. I’m fucking and feeding my captor until he likes me enough to bust me loose. I think I’m supposed to feel ashamed. After all, a whore is the worst thing a woman can be, right?
Nicky Biancolli is an enigma. For a person supposedly low in the mafia ranks, he certainly has pull. Where once he was the poor, neglected kid who followed Zita around obsessively, now he has the upper hand. And what he wants, is everything. Zita as his woman, his lover, his wife, his forever. Damn it was complicated and so fucking romantic.
“It’s no big deal. I’m fine.” She can lie to me if she wants. I’ll listen. I’m not gonna believe her, though.
“I mean look at me—” Her voice cracks. “I look fine.”
More than fine. She’s beautiful. Her smile fucks my heartbeat up. Her body haunts my dreams. I know she doesn’t see it that way, though.
You’ll not meet such broken but lovable characters. Essentially two people who have never experienced unconditional love. Now you have a woman who harms herself and a man driven by desperation because of what he wants. Sometimes two wrongs do make a right. This may be a mafia romance, but it takes a backseat to this unconventional love story. Just when I thought this author couldn’t get better, she goes and wrecks me!!
I never wanted this book to end. If I thought Run Posy Run was good, then I was overwhelmed with Nicky The Driver. This story felt ambiguous in the beginning so I wasn’t sure the direction it would head in. A mafia princess in a forced marriage with her stalker. It was crazily good.
What if I look inside, and he’s not a monster. What if he’s not so different than me?
What does that make me?
A young woman living a life that’s not her own. Zita has only known violence, obedience and loyalty. When we first meet her, she’s in a stable relationship with the ideal man. The one that helps keep all her jagged pieces intact. Yet as a mafia princess, not much goes according to plan. You can dream, but that's all it is. And suddenly she’s engaged to Nicky The Driver.
With Nicky, there’s no polite way to put it. I’m fucking and feeding my captor until he likes me enough to bust me loose. I think I’m supposed to feel ashamed. After all, a whore is the worst thing a woman can be, right?
Nicky Biancolli is an enigma. For a person supposedly low in the mafia ranks, he certainly has pull. Where once he was the poor, neglected kid who followed Zita around obsessively, now he has the upper hand. And what he wants, is everything. Zita as his woman, his lover, his wife, his forever. Damn it was complicated and so fucking romantic.
“It’s no big deal. I’m fine.” She can lie to me if she wants. I’ll listen. I’m not gonna believe her, though.
“I mean look at me—” Her voice cracks. “I look fine.”
More than fine. She’s beautiful. Her smile fucks my heartbeat up. Her body haunts my dreams. I know she doesn’t see it that way, though.
You’ll not meet such broken but lovable characters. Essentially two people who have never experienced unconditional love. Now you have a woman who harms herself and a man driven by desperation because of what he wants. Sometimes two wrongs do make a right. This may be a mafia romance, but it takes a backseat to this unconventional love story. Just when I thought this author couldn’t get better, she goes and wrecks me!!
March 29, 2023
3,5 stars
I loved a lot of things about this book (like the writing) but unfortunately by the time I reached the end I didn’t feel like I got to read the story as a complete journey. Meaning there were a lot of pieces missing. Not plot wise necessarily (although the ending did need more plot and explanation) but more in the sense that those two needed to communicate more.
I felt like a lot of what they “communicated” was implied, or was thought about but never discussed. A lot of it was glossed over because the characters “figured it out” on their own without the input of the other person etc.
They just never had a honest, open conversation. Just a lot of stilted dialogue after which they kind of went over it again in their heads and “realised stuff”. And while that’s fun to read when we begin a book, if we reach 90% and they’re still doing that, I’m not satisfied.
On the surface I liked the idea: a man obsessed, a girl who hates the life and body she inhabits, both with psychological issues of some kind - hers with the eating disorder and his with the unhealthy obsession he has with her.
I don’t really like that he had nothing else to identify him by other than his absolute obsession with Zita. He became obsessed with a girl he knew nothing about and for years he observed her as much as he could. Now, this is a romance book and so it’s not that bad but realistically speaking, he spent his formative years making up this idea of her in his head and seeing her as perfect in spite of her flaws. He worked towards everything he has just so he could one day get the girl. And fine, it doesn’t sound that bad. But I would have loved to know Nicky as a person individually. What he would want despite Zita. How he thinks, how he sees his life going. What kind of passions would he develop? I don’t know, it felt very much like his whole life he had nothing so he hung on to the idea of Zita like she was his personal God and he prayed as her altar and not in a romantic but in a rehearsed way. He was clearly smart, ambitious, capable, handsome and I could go on but I felt like he didn’t see any of those things.
As for Zita, I don’t blame her for being reticent and cold towards him. That whole situation she was in, plus her life so far really taught her to hate and distrust the men in her life and really, the situation with Nicky only reinforced that idea. I mean, the guys in the organisation and her own cousins, used her in order to make Nicky do their bidding. They were literally actioning off details about her life, about her likes, dislikes, comings and goings, like she was an object under the microscope, all so that they could make use of Nicky. I would have probably been even more enraged that Zita was. And it wasn’t like Nicky communicated that much either. He knew her, knew about her but I don’t think he really knew her and the worst is that he didn't realise this. She would throwaway such a comment but he didn't really give it value because he thought he knew everything of importance about her.
Her deep hatred of that life in the mafia, of being used, of not having value. That was at the core of her eating disorder as well and the way he went about it, it really drove the point home that she was an object to barter and her value was ornamental or transactional. The way Luca spoke to her like he owned her. Threatened her family if she didn’t whore herself out basically. And the man who started all this - was Nicky. He wanted her but he didn't understand how much was tearing her down by playing the mafia system to get her instead of just trying to win her as a man outside of it. His obsession only made her a target, a chess piece to move on a board. I understood her rage so well. Her doubts, her struggles. Having someone obsessed with us is not the same as feeling loved and cared for and understood and I think that’s where this book failed to make the distinction.
Another major issue I had is that Nicky didn't give Lucca his due. Yes, Zita put a bullet in him (non fatal) but it didn't satisfy me, I still felt like Lucca won. For years he used Nicky and Zita and in the end he still won. I wanted to serve him some humiliation. I wanted him to get his empire taken from him. I wanted him to experience on his own skin how it feels to be truly helpless.
And what I didn’t get about that whole Lucca situation is the fact that in the first book he appeared to be smart and cunning so how did he figure that it was alright to do what he did to Zita and that it would be fine with Nicky? I didn’t get that and it’s a major plot hole.
I understand Lucca is going to have a book with some girl named Sara and Tomas, an MMF situation of sorts. And while I would usually love to read further in the series and to see villains change their ways and repent some of their actions or at least understand their actions, I don’t think I wanna read about Lucca.
I don’t know what it was, but I didn’t like him much in the first book and I abhorred him in this one. As opposed to Dario, who would have no compulsion about doing the same things as Lucca, with him it’s just worse because it’s not clinical, or analytical or unfeeling. Lucca did that disgusting shit because he could use a random, innocent girl to further his ambitions. And while Dario (from the first book) would have no problem hurting and using women, he is just smarter, more capable and wouldn’t need such tactics- that’s for weak men.
Men who do that are beyond disgusting and irredeemable. You think yourself powerful and intelligent and yet you can’t do more than intimidate, abuse and use a young girl so that you can line your pockets!? Bleah. What kind of mafioso are you?
So all this to say, I’m not gonna touch his book unless maybe a few years go by and my rage dissipates enough to let my curiosity win over.
I loved a lot of things about this book (like the writing) but unfortunately by the time I reached the end I didn’t feel like I got to read the story as a complete journey. Meaning there were a lot of pieces missing. Not plot wise necessarily (although the ending did need more plot and explanation) but more in the sense that those two needed to communicate more.
I felt like a lot of what they “communicated” was implied, or was thought about but never discussed. A lot of it was glossed over because the characters “figured it out” on their own without the input of the other person etc.
They just never had a honest, open conversation. Just a lot of stilted dialogue after which they kind of went over it again in their heads and “realised stuff”. And while that’s fun to read when we begin a book, if we reach 90% and they’re still doing that, I’m not satisfied.
On the surface I liked the idea: a man obsessed, a girl who hates the life and body she inhabits, both with psychological issues of some kind - hers with the eating disorder and his with the unhealthy obsession he has with her.
I don’t really like that he had nothing else to identify him by other than his absolute obsession with Zita. He became obsessed with a girl he knew nothing about and for years he observed her as much as he could. Now, this is a romance book and so it’s not that bad but realistically speaking, he spent his formative years making up this idea of her in his head and seeing her as perfect in spite of her flaws. He worked towards everything he has just so he could one day get the girl. And fine, it doesn’t sound that bad. But I would have loved to know Nicky as a person individually. What he would want despite Zita. How he thinks, how he sees his life going. What kind of passions would he develop? I don’t know, it felt very much like his whole life he had nothing so he hung on to the idea of Zita like she was his personal God and he prayed as her altar and not in a romantic but in a rehearsed way. He was clearly smart, ambitious, capable, handsome and I could go on but I felt like he didn’t see any of those things.
As for Zita, I don’t blame her for being reticent and cold towards him. That whole situation she was in, plus her life so far really taught her to hate and distrust the men in her life and really, the situation with Nicky only reinforced that idea. I mean, the guys in the organisation and her own cousins, used her in order to make Nicky do their bidding. They were literally actioning off details about her life, about her likes, dislikes, comings and goings, like she was an object under the microscope, all so that they could make use of Nicky. I would have probably been even more enraged that Zita was. And it wasn’t like Nicky communicated that much either. He knew her, knew about her but I don’t think he really knew her and the worst is that he didn't realise this. She would throwaway such a comment but he didn't really give it value because he thought he knew everything of importance about her.
Her deep hatred of that life in the mafia, of being used, of not having value. That was at the core of her eating disorder as well and the way he went about it, it really drove the point home that she was an object to barter and her value was ornamental or transactional. The way Luca spoke to her like he owned her. Threatened her family if she didn’t whore herself out basically. And the man who started all this - was Nicky. He wanted her but he didn't understand how much was tearing her down by playing the mafia system to get her instead of just trying to win her as a man outside of it. His obsession only made her a target, a chess piece to move on a board. I understood her rage so well. Her doubts, her struggles. Having someone obsessed with us is not the same as feeling loved and cared for and understood and I think that’s where this book failed to make the distinction.
Another major issue I had is that Nicky didn't give Lucca his due. Yes, Zita put a bullet in him (non fatal) but it didn't satisfy me, I still felt like Lucca won. For years he used Nicky and Zita and in the end he still won. I wanted to serve him some humiliation. I wanted him to get his empire taken from him. I wanted him to experience on his own skin how it feels to be truly helpless.
And what I didn’t get about that whole Lucca situation is the fact that in the first book he appeared to be smart and cunning so how did he figure that it was alright to do what he did to Zita and that it would be fine with Nicky? I didn’t get that and it’s a major plot hole.
I understand Lucca is going to have a book with some girl named Sara and Tomas, an MMF situation of sorts. And while I would usually love to read further in the series and to see villains change their ways and repent some of their actions or at least understand their actions, I don’t think I wanna read about Lucca.
I don’t know what it was, but I didn’t like him much in the first book and I abhorred him in this one. As opposed to Dario, who would have no compulsion about doing the same things as Lucca, with him it’s just worse because it’s not clinical, or analytical or unfeeling. Lucca did that disgusting shit because he could use a random, innocent girl to further his ambitions. And while Dario (from the first book) would have no problem hurting and using women, he is just smarter, more capable and wouldn’t need such tactics- that’s for weak men.
Men who do that are beyond disgusting and irredeemable. You think yourself powerful and intelligent and yet you can’t do more than intimidate, abuse and use a young girl so that you can line your pockets!? Bleah. What kind of mafioso are you?
So all this to say, I’m not gonna touch his book unless maybe a few years go by and my rage dissipates enough to let my curiosity win over.
September 2, 2022
You better believe I gobbled this up as soon as my kindle let me open the book 🥺
I must admit it wasn’t what I expected at all, deals with some heavy stuff not easy to read about and least of all, understand if you’re not there, but it was dealt with very well (in my humble and not at all expert opinion) and I loved every minute of it.
It was beautiful and heartbreaking, and horrible and precious, all at the same time. And I wanted to kill them and cuddle them forever. That kind of book, people.
So yes, same as with Run Posy Run, which spoke to my soul, I guess this book won’t be for everybody, but Cate C Wells did it for me again. So thank you for taking your time to write about Zita and Nicky’s story which may not be the most romantic, flawless and perfect love story, but it was beautiful nevertheless ♥️
I must admit it wasn’t what I expected at all, deals with some heavy stuff not easy to read about and least of all, understand if you’re not there, but it was dealt with very well (in my humble and not at all expert opinion) and I loved every minute of it.
It was beautiful and heartbreaking, and horrible and precious, all at the same time. And I wanted to kill them and cuddle them forever. That kind of book, people.
So yes, same as with Run Posy Run, which spoke to my soul, I guess this book won’t be for everybody, but Cate C Wells did it for me again. So thank you for taking your time to write about Zita and Nicky’s story which may not be the most romantic, flawless and perfect love story, but it was beautiful nevertheless ♥️
September 8, 2022
Nicky 🖤💦🥵🤤🤤
The ending seemed a bit anti-climactic but Nicky's worth everything. And the smut ya'll ☻
I don't think i can stomach Lucca's book, if it ever comes out 🤕
And NICKY trumps Dario every freaking day 🤤🤤
The ending seemed a bit anti-climactic but Nicky's worth everything. And the smut ya'll ☻
I don't think i can stomach Lucca's book, if it ever comes out 🤕
And NICKY trumps Dario every freaking day 🤤🤤
avoid
September 5, 2022Self note
She wrote run posy run.(awesome book)
This author is not safe. She has Cheating books.
Will need safety info first.
Spoilers
- h has an eating disorder. (Not my jam- might avoid this book now. The h is insecure about her body, constantly counts calories)
- no cheating between the MCs.(but he might’ve cheated at the end after a fight, if the h hadn’t gone to the strip club to stop him.
She walked in to see him watching a naked girl, then stood there while the naked girl was rubbing all over him. He saw that the h was there and didn’t stop the stripper. Only got up when the h started removing her clothes.🙄).
- the heroines ex fiancé/Om is cheating/cheated on the h.
- H went to a strip club towards the end (possibly intending to cheat, why else do you go to a strip club alone?).
-no virgins. The h had 1 other lover. (Why does it matter how many lovers the h had? Why do we even need to know this info when the Hs lover counts are never mentioned.🙄).
- raved by arc reviewers (liars), non arc reviews mostly 3 stars.
Hummingbird has full spoilers.
She wrote run posy run.(awesome book)
This author is not safe. She has Cheating books.
Will need safety info first.
Spoilers
- h has an eating disorder. (Not my jam- might avoid this book now. The h is insecure about her body, constantly counts calories)
- no cheating between the MCs.(but he might’ve cheated at the end after a fight, if the h hadn’t gone to the strip club to stop him.
She walked in to see him watching a naked girl, then stood there while the naked girl was rubbing all over him. He saw that the h was there and didn’t stop the stripper. Only got up when the h started removing her clothes.🙄).
- the heroines ex fiancé/Om is cheating/cheated on the h.
- H went to a strip club towards the end (possibly intending to cheat, why else do you go to a strip club alone?).
-no virgins. The h had 1 other lover. (Why does it matter how many lovers the h had? Why do we even need to know this info when the Hs lover counts are never mentioned.🙄).
- raved by arc reviewers (liars), non arc reviews mostly 3 stars.
Hummingbird has full spoilers.
August 14, 2022
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: forced marriage, stalker
Angst: 😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥
*This is based on a Beta read
Zita Graziano is a hot fucking mess who is frantically trying to get her life under control. She found a "normal" guy, Paul. He's not the best, but he's not mafia and that's what she's looking for. Normalcy. Something that will help calm the self-hatred and self-worth issues that refuse to stay on lockdown. And it works... a little. Until Lucca Corso and Nicky Biancoli change everything. Luca demands she marry Nicky, the weird guy who used to follow her around as a kid, and if she doesn't, he's going to kill her brother. What Zita doesn't know is that his has been the works for a while. Zita has been an integral part of Nicky's life, whether she knew it or not, and now Nicky intends on paying it forward regardless of whether Zita wants him.
Nicky the Driver is fan-fucking-tastic! Probably my favorite of Cate’s books so far and that’s saying a lot, lol. The storyline is great and it's just so well written. There is just so much packed in every chapter. Not necessarily action packed, but rather emotionally packed, all the words are purposeful, have meaning, and need to be there - no filler. I absolutely love Zita and all her flaws, she's just so relatable. She's got a pretty good bead on herself, but just can't seem to get her shit together. But she's brave and a fighter and she'll do anything for the people she loves. I ADORE Nicky. Total stalker level: expert, lol, and he just tore me up, but in the best of ways. He's completely addicted to Zita and he tries so hard to give her everything she wants or even thinks she wants. I love how he calms her crazy brain and loved all his behind the scenes preparation to get what he wanted: Zita. So much push and pull between the two of them. So many things are said without being spoken. Gaaahhh! It just really was fantastic!
Anyone who reads my reviews knows I love Cate's writing. Some examples why below:
1) I read a TON and had to look up a couple words. Yeah, haven't seen obsequious used for a while, lol
2) Quotes like these:
“𝑴𝒚 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒊𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒎𝒆. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝑰 𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒕, 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒐𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒅𝒆𝒍 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆.” The depth of this comment is easier to see in context.
“𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏’𝒕 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔, 𝒎𝒂𝒏. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆 ‘𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒃𝒐𝒙”. 😂😂😂 Nicky don't play with shaming ❤️.
Nicky the Driver is the second book in the Underboss Insurrection by Cate C. Wells. It is a standalone and told in first person, from dual perspective. It would be best enjoyed after Run Posey Run.
⛔️ My bookshelves can sometimes contain spoilers
Trope: forced marriage, stalker
Angst: 😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥
*This is based on a Beta read
Zita Graziano is a hot fucking mess who is frantically trying to get her life under control. She found a "normal" guy, Paul. He's not the best, but he's not mafia and that's what she's looking for. Normalcy. Something that will help calm the self-hatred and self-worth issues that refuse to stay on lockdown. And it works... a little. Until Lucca Corso and Nicky Biancoli change everything. Luca demands she marry Nicky, the weird guy who used to follow her around as a kid, and if she doesn't, he's going to kill her brother. What Zita doesn't know is that his has been the works for a while. Zita has been an integral part of Nicky's life, whether she knew it or not, and now Nicky intends on paying it forward regardless of whether Zita wants him.
Nicky the Driver is fan-fucking-tastic! Probably my favorite of Cate’s books so far and that’s saying a lot, lol. The storyline is great and it's just so well written. There is just so much packed in every chapter. Not necessarily action packed, but rather emotionally packed, all the words are purposeful, have meaning, and need to be there - no filler. I absolutely love Zita and all her flaws, she's just so relatable. She's got a pretty good bead on herself, but just can't seem to get her shit together. But she's brave and a fighter and she'll do anything for the people she loves. I ADORE Nicky. Total stalker level: expert, lol, and he just tore me up, but in the best of ways. He's completely addicted to Zita and he tries so hard to give her everything she wants or even thinks she wants. I love how he calms her crazy brain and loved all his behind the scenes preparation to get what he wanted: Zita. So much push and pull between the two of them. So many things are said without being spoken. Gaaahhh! It just really was fantastic!
Anyone who reads my reviews knows I love Cate's writing. Some examples why below:
1) I read a TON and had to look up a couple words. Yeah, haven't seen obsequious used for a while, lol
2) Quotes like these:
“𝑴𝒚 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒊𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒎𝒆. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝑰 𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒔𝒕, 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒐𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒅𝒆𝒍 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆.” The depth of this comment is easier to see in context.
“𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏’𝒕 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔, 𝒎𝒂𝒏. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆 ‘𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒃𝒐𝒙”. 😂😂😂 Nicky don't play with shaming ❤️.
Nicky the Driver is the second book in the Underboss Insurrection by Cate C. Wells. It is a standalone and told in first person, from dual perspective. It would be best enjoyed after Run Posey Run.
⛔️ My bookshelves can sometimes contain spoilers
September 18, 2022
This had so much potential but had quite the anticlimactic ending (as many of the reviews I read also pointed out).
The Hero, Nicky, was laser-focused on Zita, and had been basically for all his life. Everything he ever did, including becoming a mafia hitman, was so he could eventually be in the position to be with her. I found him very endearing and he was the most obsessed, attentive and protective man ever. He really knew her to the bone and accepted and loved her, even tho by the end I love yous were never exchanged aloud and I was a little disappointed about that:(
Zita was a product of the violent and dangerous environment she grew up with. She had a messed up family and past and heavily struggled with an ED disorder. It was largely descriptive throughout her chapters and it was difficult and hard to read (beware of this trigger if you know it might bother you!!! it is very extensive) It was a real shame because aside from her ED, feeling constant pressure to abide societal norms and looking pretty and thinking about escaping with her brother Mattie/Maddie I never really felt her thoughts were ever dedicated to Nicky and falling for him. In my opinion there wasn’t a clear moment she acknowledged nor verbalized her feelings and still thought about escaping until almost the end.
There was also a scene towards the end after they have a fight Nico goes to a strip club and she sees him while a stripper is dancing in front of him and grabbing him and it pissed me off to no end. He didn’t try to push her away either. I’m sorry but it was fucking unnecessary and so out of character for him and thank God I knew about it beforehand bc of reviews so I was able to stomach it. But it still very much sucked to read about it and it totally ruined Nicky who had been the perfect Hero up until that point. I’m not the forgiving type so that plus the incredibly rushed and abrupt ending that felt very inconclusive I’m taking away at least two stars :(
The Hero, Nicky, was laser-focused on Zita, and had been basically for all his life. Everything he ever did, including becoming a mafia hitman, was so he could eventually be in the position to be with her. I found him very endearing and he was the most obsessed, attentive and protective man ever. He really knew her to the bone and accepted and loved her, even tho by the end I love yous were never exchanged aloud and I was a little disappointed about that:(
Zita was a product of the violent and dangerous environment she grew up with. She had a messed up family and past and heavily struggled with an ED disorder. It was largely descriptive throughout her chapters and it was difficult and hard to read (beware of this trigger if you know it might bother you!!! it is very extensive) It was a real shame because aside from her ED, feeling constant pressure to abide societal norms and looking pretty and thinking about escaping with her brother Mattie/Maddie I never really felt her thoughts were ever dedicated to Nicky and falling for him. In my opinion there wasn’t a clear moment she acknowledged nor verbalized her feelings and still thought about escaping until almost the end.
There was also a scene towards the end after they have a fight Nico goes to a strip club and she sees him while a stripper is dancing in front of him and grabbing him and it pissed me off to no end. He didn’t try to push her away either. I’m sorry but it was fucking unnecessary and so out of character for him and thank God I knew about it beforehand bc of reviews so I was able to stomach it. But it still very much sucked to read about it and it totally ruined Nicky who had been the perfect Hero up until that point. I’m not the forgiving type so that plus the incredibly rushed and abrupt ending that felt very inconclusive I’m taking away at least two stars :(
October 4, 2022
Edit: I've decided it feels more accurate to bump this to an unenthusiastic 4 vs a strong 3. I'm not mad, I'm disappointed.
Cate C. Wells speaks my language— Run Posy Run resonated with me on another level. I know not everyone loves or gets that book... but those of us who do, really do. Talk about a nuanced, perceptive understanding of human behavior.
Nicky the Driver had the same potential, but it just never really got there for me.
Zita felt very... cold. I have an extensive history with ED and as someone who so uniquely understood her headspace and reality, I should have felt more of a connection to her character… but there was just nothing to connect with. Who even was she? And the way she spoke about needing Nicky to get her and Maddie 'out of this life' felt entitled and unjustified to me. Why does he owe you that, again?
In the end, this was really just a story about a completely stuck, passive girl who got extremely lucky to have an obsessed, adoring, capable man show up out of the blue and provide her with a sense of purpose, human connection, stimulation, impetus, encouragement, assistance, etc. I sympathized with her but I didn't feel like she had a shred of self-awareness at any point in her character arc.
And don't get me started on that ending— that final confrontation with Lucca Corso and subsequent escape for freedom was so silly and inconsistent. Respectfully... that was dumb.
Ultimately, it didn't feel like a satisfying, complete story. I really liked the individual elements, but the whole was not greater than the sum of its parts.
Cate C. Wells speaks my language— Run Posy Run resonated with me on another level. I know not everyone loves or gets that book... but those of us who do, really do. Talk about a nuanced, perceptive understanding of human behavior.
Nicky the Driver had the same potential, but it just never really got there for me.
Zita felt very... cold. I have an extensive history with ED and as someone who so uniquely understood her headspace and reality, I should have felt more of a connection to her character… but there was just nothing to connect with. Who even was she? And the way she spoke about needing Nicky to get her and Maddie 'out of this life' felt entitled and unjustified to me. Why does he owe you that, again?
In the end, this was really just a story about a completely stuck, passive girl who got extremely lucky to have an obsessed, adoring, capable man show up out of the blue and provide her with a sense of purpose, human connection, stimulation, impetus, encouragement, assistance, etc. I sympathized with her but I didn't feel like she had a shred of self-awareness at any point in her character arc.
And don't get me started on that ending— that final confrontation with Lucca Corso and subsequent escape for freedom was so silly and inconsistent. Respectfully... that was dumb.
Ultimately, it didn't feel like a satisfying, complete story. I really liked the individual elements, but the whole was not greater than the sum of its parts.
August 29, 2022
*Thank you to the author for an ARC of this title.*
I am happy to say that one of my most anticipated books of this year was a win. I had no idea where this twisty mafia tale was going to go, and with this author, I never try. I just let the ride go where it will take me, and with Nicky the Driver, I was in the perfect seat for it.
This book takes on some heavy topics, it wasn't comfortable, and it didn't have some of the lightness that I find in other books by Wells. However, that was not a detriment in my opinion, I just wasn't expecting it.
Zita is carrying some heavy burdens and Nicky is ready to claim her and take some of that. But will she give him a chance to love her, when all she's known is manipulation and darkness? I wasn't so sure.
I really enjoyed this book, even the hard parts. I was rooting for this couple SO MUCH. I loved how Wells slowly revealed parts of Nicky and his past. I loved how he noticed things about Zita, yet still had so much to learn. Their intimate moments were very effective and steamy. I was riveted all the way through.
I look forward to many more stories by Wells.
5 stars
4 on the spice scale
TW: instances of binge eating and unhealthy eating and exercising habits. Proceed with caution if you struggle with any of those things. Also violence, gore, and transphobia (not by MCs)
I am happy to say that one of my most anticipated books of this year was a win. I had no idea where this twisty mafia tale was going to go, and with this author, I never try. I just let the ride go where it will take me, and with Nicky the Driver, I was in the perfect seat for it.
This book takes on some heavy topics, it wasn't comfortable, and it didn't have some of the lightness that I find in other books by Wells. However, that was not a detriment in my opinion, I just wasn't expecting it.
Zita is carrying some heavy burdens and Nicky is ready to claim her and take some of that. But will she give him a chance to love her, when all she's known is manipulation and darkness? I wasn't so sure.
I really enjoyed this book, even the hard parts. I was rooting for this couple SO MUCH. I loved how Wells slowly revealed parts of Nicky and his past. I loved how he noticed things about Zita, yet still had so much to learn. Their intimate moments were very effective and steamy. I was riveted all the way through.
I look forward to many more stories by Wells.
5 stars
4 on the spice scale
TW: instances of binge eating and unhealthy eating and exercising habits. Proceed with caution if you struggle with any of those things. Also violence, gore, and transphobia (not by MCs)
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August 30, 2022
⤅ 3.5 stars, rounded down mostly for the abrupt and weirdly shallow ending.
I will say Wells has definitely improved as an author over the course of her last few books; the first book in this series left me fairly cold, but this one did keep me hooked until it suddenly petered out.
24-year-old Zita Graziano is mid-level mafia nobility. Her father was recently murdered in a takeover (happened in the last book, though I don't remember too much of that) and now she's trying to keep her head down and plan a wedding to her perfectly normal fiancé, Paul.
When her brother Tony falls afoul of their new mafia overlord, Lucca Corso, Zita gets told she'll have to marry Nicky Biancolli to keep her family safe. He's an old secondary school classmate she hasn't thought of in years, but it doesn't take Zita long to realise that he's still absolutely obsessed with her.
So: I loved Nicky's character. He's presented as the strong, silent Italian type, who's been idolising Zita since they were children and would do anything she asks of him. While this characterisation could easily have become perilously shallow, I think Wells adds enough depth to make it work.
Zita has by far the strongest characterisation, though. She's basically a ball of nerves, knowing her life is balanced on a knife edge. She also has an eating disorder, which combines with the general stress of her life to produce some really emotional chapters. It's pretty relatable if you've ever had an unhealthy relationship with calorie counting (which I did a little bit as a teenager).
While I thought the ED stuff was depicted well, a lot of Zita's apparent motivations revolve around her younger brother Mattie, who's basically just a plot moppet. She constantly tells the reader that he's her only love in life and everything she does is for him, yet she barely sees him after moving into Nicky's flat, and their main interactions are when he contacts her.
Later in the book, Mattie (who likes wearing makeup) also tells Nicky that he wishes to come out as trans. This whole plotline seems to rely heavily on reductive gender stereotyping: Mattie likes makeup and girly mermaid soft toys, but instead of being told that liking those things doesn't make you less of a man, it's associated with being a woman. That just reinforces gender binaries and clichés. The implication becomes 'anyone who likes makeup and pink is a woman', rather than 'liking makeup doesn't mean you can't be a man'.
The ending is also super abrupt. It's like, Nicky and Zita are just knocking along in their little flat - not much of a plot really, but fine. THEN everything suddenly goes from 0-100 in about ten seconds flat.
The book finishes so quickly that none of these questions are really addressed, which is a shame because until like 80% in, I was enjoying it a fair bit. Then it suddenly turned into a novella, with relationship development on fast forward and meaningless drama thrown in. Like come on Nicky, dude, there was no reason to THAT VERY NIGHT, and you ended up making mistakes which just made you look sloppy.
Also it's not really explained what Nicky does with the mafia (the Driver appellation isn't even from his own men, it's a throwaway Russian nickname nobody ever calls him) which really cuts down on the realism. It's hard enough making a mafia book sound realistic without skimping on character detail.
January 14, 2026
I don't know if the Author aimed for a slow burn but it felt uneventful af. It was like a loop for a good chunk of the story, like repeating the scene over and over again but with different words.
September 9, 2022
Whew!! This story was......
Wells has definitely NOT lost her magic-this story was brilliant! I loved this entire story so much and I especially loved Nicky. Such a scary badass, but also a sweet protector, who has secretly been obsessed with Zita for most of his life. The slow build of their relationship was entirely believable. It was nice experiencing Zita work through her issues, and It was fun discovering the enigma that IS Nicky. Oh, and the sex between these two was SMOKING HOT!!!
CCW has such a true gift of storytelling, and I LOVE how her stories all have this believable quality to them, like they were written about people she knows in real life. And even though I usually go for the angsty goodness in stories, this story didn't really have any angst or drama, but it was a fantastic story anyhow. I enjoyed every single second of this unique story, and I am completely bummed to finish it. This one is definitely going on my re-read list.
September 5, 2022
*long, slow exhale of a whine*
That's my review. Okay, fine. I'll also say this: are these character mentally well? No. Does this book wrap up a smidgen too quickly leaving me *slightly* unsatisfied? Yeah. Do I wish Nicky was stalking me? Yes. Will I read it over and over again? Yup.
Best stalker book I've ever read. Read the trigger warnings.
That's my review. Okay, fine. I'll also say this: are these character mentally well? No. Does this book wrap up a smidgen too quickly leaving me *slightly* unsatisfied? Yeah. Do I wish Nicky was stalking me? Yes. Will I read it over and over again? Yup.
Best stalker book I've ever read. Read the trigger warnings.
November 19, 2022
My love affair with Cate C. Wells is officially on!
September 6, 2022
HOW DID I NOT KNOW THIS WAS HAPPENING!!! THIS IS LIKE CODE LEVEL RED!!!
Edit 9/6 after reading
FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!
So I waited a couple of days to review “Nicky the Driver” because I have a tendency not to say much besides “THIS BOOK IS FUCKING AMAZING” when I rate a book 5 stars. And while it is true that this book was fucking amazing it was also deeply emotional and romantic.
While I was driving home from work today the Pre-Cana scene was playing in my head where Nicky and Zita play the newly wed game and Nicky gets every question right and ZIta gets every question wrong. And I kept thinking about how Nicky wasn’t even fazed by the epic fail that was their score because Nicky doesn’t really care that Zita knows shit about him, he just wants to show Zita how amazing she is and how fucking worthy she is of greatness. The whole book Zita wants to feel like she belongs somewhere and Nicky shows her over and over again that she belongs with him.
If you want an “it’s always been you book” this is that book without a doubt.
Edit 9/6 after reading
FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FUCK THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!
So I waited a couple of days to review “Nicky the Driver” because I have a tendency not to say much besides “THIS BOOK IS FUCKING AMAZING” when I rate a book 5 stars. And while it is true that this book was fucking amazing it was also deeply emotional and romantic.
While I was driving home from work today the Pre-Cana scene was playing in my head where Nicky and Zita play the newly wed game and Nicky gets every question right and ZIta gets every question wrong. And I kept thinking about how Nicky wasn’t even fazed by the epic fail that was their score because Nicky doesn’t really care that Zita knows shit about him, he just wants to show Zita how amazing she is and how fucking worthy she is of greatness. The whole book Zita wants to feel like she belongs somewhere and Nicky shows her over and over again that she belongs with him.
If you want an “it’s always been you book” this is that book without a doubt.
September 9, 2022
This was short. Nicky was obsessed with her since they were eight and Zita was his reason to live and her’s was to protect her little brother.
“I mean look at me—” Her voice cracks. “I look fine.”
More than fine. She’s beautiful. Her smile fucks my heartbeat up. Her body haunts my dreams. I know she doesn’t see it that way, though.
Nicky really did protect her little brother,how precious. He knew how important he is to Zita. 😭
“Want to go anyway?”
“Well, yeah.” His lips curve, and there he is.
My partner in crime. I do a U-turn, and Mattie begins to fiddle with the radio until he finds the most garbage Top 40 station.
I exhale, loud, and that makes him smile so his teeth show.
“If Zita doesn’t want your crazy, stalker ass, can we still have this?” he asks.
“Yeah.”
“Big brother?” he says.
“Yeah.”
He first called me that when I picked him up soaking wet and wasted at a convenience store all the way in Shady Gap.
The bond he developed with Zita’s brother is so sweet.
Nicky bought her to a favorite park and had picnic with her,so sweet and romantic. He’s fiercely protective of her, respects her and knows she’s in complete control.
“I mean look at me—” Her voice cracks. “I look fine.”
More than fine. She’s beautiful. Her smile fucks my heartbeat up. Her body haunts my dreams. I know she doesn’t see it that way, though.
Nicky really did protect her little brother,how precious. He knew how important he is to Zita. 😭
“Want to go anyway?”
“Well, yeah.” His lips curve, and there he is.
My partner in crime. I do a U-turn, and Mattie begins to fiddle with the radio until he finds the most garbage Top 40 station.
I exhale, loud, and that makes him smile so his teeth show.
“If Zita doesn’t want your crazy, stalker ass, can we still have this?” he asks.
“Yeah.”
“Big brother?” he says.
“Yeah.”
He first called me that when I picked him up soaking wet and wasted at a convenience store all the way in Shady Gap.
The bond he developed with Zita’s brother is so sweet.
Nicky bought her to a favorite park and had picnic with her,so sweet and romantic. He’s fiercely protective of her, respects her and knows she’s in complete control.
September 4, 2022
3 STARS
I became instantly obsessed with this world when I first read Run Posy Run. And when I saw that it will be a series? Sign me up immediately!!! And when I read the blurb to this book, I had to have it! I love me a good stalker, and beyond the cold blooded killer for hire persona, Nicky is a dang cinnamon roll. He's completely and entirely obsessed with Zita beyond all reason, and when I tell you I was here for it, I mean I WAS HERE FOR IT. Oh and an arranged marriage? Yes please!
Zita is a mafia princess who grew up in the life and no stranger to the darkness of it. After the death of her cold and brutal mafia boss father, she's still dealing with the fall out. Her only desire is to keep her family safe, especially her younger sibling. She's happily engaged to her high school sweetheart, but the sins of her father still hang over her family. So when their life is on the line and she has the choice to keep them safe in exchange for marrying her stalker from school, she's not thrilled, but she agrees.
I loved the build up of this book. I loved how obsessed Nicky is with Zita yet he handles her with kid gloves. He will literally do anything for her and my heart swooned. Zita in turn took a bit to warm up to. She's a complex character and watching her deal with her ED was very painful, particularly when you see how aware she is of the toll it takes on her and yet unable to stop. At times I wanted to scream at her for the way she pushed Nicky even though you can see the man would sell his soul for her. But given that she was happily engaged and forced into the marriage, I understood it too.
Up until the end this was a solid 4 star read for me. But then the lackluster rushed ending brought it down. It felt like there should have been half a book left when I finished. It didn't feel satisfying nor complete. We literally go from 0 to 60 to come a screeching halt to 0. There was so much that was left unresolved, but the main part was the relationship. I just didn't buy it. They spend the entirety of the book with Zita pushing Nicky away. We don't get the satisfaction of seeing her fall for him. We didn't get the satisfaction of the love. It just felt very surface level. I also felt like for the big chunk of the book that Zita's ED made up, it was also left not dealt with. I did see that Cate will have a bonus epilogue in her newsletter, but I can't help but feel this book needed more. It could have easily been twice longer and not suffered for it. I would have loved more of these two and felt so much was left unresolved by the time we hit the end, that I couldn't felt a pang of disappointment.
Did I enjoy the story? Absolutely! Was it my favorite, not quite, but you can't love them all. Ultimately this was one of those middle of the road reads that I enjoyed but just didn't love.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
Some men have Jesus. God and country. A dream. Ambition. I have Zita.
I became instantly obsessed with this world when I first read Run Posy Run. And when I saw that it will be a series? Sign me up immediately!!! And when I read the blurb to this book, I had to have it! I love me a good stalker, and beyond the cold blooded killer for hire persona, Nicky is a dang cinnamon roll. He's completely and entirely obsessed with Zita beyond all reason, and when I tell you I was here for it, I mean I WAS HERE FOR IT. Oh and an arranged marriage? Yes please!
He rolls onto his back and stares at the ceiling, his mouth twisting in the corners. “Not tonight. I got a headache,” he says.
Zita is a mafia princess who grew up in the life and no stranger to the darkness of it. After the death of her cold and brutal mafia boss father, she's still dealing with the fall out. Her only desire is to keep her family safe, especially her younger sibling. She's happily engaged to her high school sweetheart, but the sins of her father still hang over her family. So when their life is on the line and she has the choice to keep them safe in exchange for marrying her stalker from school, she's not thrilled, but she agrees.
I loved the build up of this book. I loved how obsessed Nicky is with Zita yet he handles her with kid gloves. He will literally do anything for her and my heart swooned. Zita in turn took a bit to warm up to. She's a complex character and watching her deal with her ED was very painful, particularly when you see how aware she is of the toll it takes on her and yet unable to stop. At times I wanted to scream at her for the way she pushed Nicky even though you can see the man would sell his soul for her. But given that she was happily engaged and forced into the marriage, I understood it too.
Up until the end this was a solid 4 star read for me. But then the lackluster rushed ending brought it down. It felt like there should have been half a book left when I finished. It didn't feel satisfying nor complete. We literally go from 0 to 60 to come a screeching halt to 0. There was so much that was left unresolved, but the main part was the relationship. I just didn't buy it. They spend the entirety of the book with Zita pushing Nicky away. We don't get the satisfaction of seeing her fall for him. We didn't get the satisfaction of the love. It just felt very surface level. I also felt like for the big chunk of the book that Zita's ED made up, it was also left not dealt with. I did see that Cate will have a bonus epilogue in her newsletter, but I can't help but feel this book needed more. It could have easily been twice longer and not suffered for it. I would have loved more of these two and felt so much was left unresolved by the time we hit the end, that I couldn't felt a pang of disappointment.
Did I enjoy the story? Absolutely! Was it my favorite, not quite, but you can't love them all. Ultimately this was one of those middle of the road reads that I enjoyed but just didn't love.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
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December 13, 2022
This author is a favourite of mine but this is definitely not my top read by them. It was as expected well written but for me, Zeta basically spoilt the whole story. I have no idea what her appeal was to Nicky as she literally had zero self-identity and the personality of a cardboard box and I thought she initially came across as very superficial extremely manipulative and bland basically forgettable.
Other than being forced to marry Nicky she was treated well by him and he seemed to have the patience of a saint. In return, Zita behaves like a petulant child and at times the mean girl was so visible in her she could be incredibly nasty and vicious to Nicky. Her own self-worth is so damaged here it’s like she needs to feel superior or appear perfect to those around her. I also get the impression it was the perceived safe escape that her ex offered and now potentially Nicky that was their main appeal so in that respect she appeared a bit of a user. Nicky, I adored yeh he’s a bit of an obsessed stalker but he’s also so attentive and considerate and loyal. It’s just a shame the object of his attention was too shallow to appreciate it.
The ending was definitely mega-rushed and I never felt that feelings other than the physical were addressed especially from Zita’s side. I also hated the scene in the club and felt it was totally out of character for Nicky and then add in this is meant to be a mafia-type romance which i usually adore well this doesn’t seem to have much of that going on either. Finally Lucca came across here in such a negative light he was bloody awful and I didn’t like him one bit.
I will say this had definite chemistry and that part of this worked well but I wanted some actual romantic declarations included as well as there wasn’t any. Overall I’m disappointed as this showed so much early promise I adored run posy run but for me, this didn’t measure up to anywhere close and without Nicky, I would have rated this even lower than I have.
Trigger warning for eating disorder and exercise addiction that actually features very prominently throughout this. I will keep reading this author's work as I usually rate them high but for me, this one didn’t quite work.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/63435390
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July 25, 2022SMACK MY ASS LIKE A DRUM
March 17, 2025
i still don’t get the name & title of nicky the driver, i mean Luca did explained it, but im still sorta lost so the author must have done a bad job at explaining also.
September 7, 2022
⚠️⚠️⚠️ SPOILERS GALORE ⚠️⚠️⚠️
Proceed at your own caution. I am not leaving many pieces of the story unturned. The chemistry was soooooo lacking in this book, I skipped ALL the SMUT scenes. Usually I love a good stalker/obsessed romance but this... this is not only that but it also rubbed me the wrong way. Book was released today and I finished it today... clearly I have no life. This book is good for angst-lovers.
Smut: 1🔥/5
Chemistry: 0/5
Grovelling: H: 4/5 ⚡️ h: 0/5
Cheating: No
OW: Yes- a small bit. Another review mentioned that the H is free to pursue that OW if he wants.. I just want to clarify that he is in fact NOT FREE to pursue that OW.
OM: Yes- the h is engaged to OM in the book. He makes a decent bit of the story.
Miscommunication: Yes and No. Whilst this doesn't cause any big conflicts within the story... THIS ALSO PREVENTS the main characters from developing any real connection. It is so frustrating that it makes you want to pull your hair out.
TW: E@t!ng D!sorder
1) The story opens to the first scene where the H and h are meeting again after knowing each other throughout their childhoods but only from afar. The h is being blackmailed into marrying the H. This story seems so diff from book 1 that it almost feels like a diff person wrote this story. The H is and has always been obsessed w the h. He has stalked her throughout her life till the time they are forced together.
2) Nicky is a kid from the wrong side of town. So basically he has to 'earn' her. But why? See Lucca enlists Nicky into his organization when Nicky was a teenager (bcoz he saw Nicky's potential and Lucca has leverage over Nicky- Zita. If Nicky did what Lucca asked, Lucca would give Zita to Nicky. But why? She is not his to give?) Nicky only wanted to be close to Zita. But throughout it is never clearly mentioned why he had to do this? She was set to marry someone else... she didn't live under the organization's thumb... why should he have to 'earn' her? Even Tomas once mentioned that Nicky could just taken her and no one would say anything. Regardless of how he could've approached her, he didn't need anyone's permission (imo) to approach her and get her. but throughout the story it is made to seem like he needed Lucca to get her. Why?
3) One of the biggest things I hate in a stalker/obsession book is where a h is unnecessarily cruel to the H. Now we are rooting for the H so we are an unreliable source but.. there is cruelty and then there is this. Zita early on figures out that Nicky would do anything should she only ask. But she never has the guts to ask that she wants to leave the mafia with him and her brother. Why? No reason... she chickened out.
Lucca tries to threaten her brother by saying that he needs Nicky since the organization is still new from the previous coup and he gave Zita to Nicky. Zita is leverage. Nicky would do what Zita asked and Zita would do anything for her brother. He basically tells her to whore herself out to Nicky. Zita is a doormat... but not at the same time. See she blows up on Nicky when Lucca threatens her and leaves... and then all that sass and rage? dissipates when she cannot even ask Nicky to leave with her.
Zita continues to treat Nicky really badly (To be honest- she's really wishy-washy). The angst continues on. She finds out about him stalking her and she has no reaction. None.
The scene that rubbed me off the wrong way was this: the H and the h meet the OM of the h in about the last portion of the book where he is seen with his new girlfriend. Throughout the book (the entire book) the OM is described to us through rose-tinted glasses even though the h knows that he is all but mediocre. She has a bad past where she was abused by her dad and wanted a relationship where she would be loved no matter what size and she met the OM parents and decided he was a safe choice. Here she also realizes he was the wrong choice.
H gets jealous when he comes back and sees them holding hands (nothing happens here- OM only trying to be concerned about the h). They go home. they fu*k. Afterwards the H in a jealous rage shouts bad things at the h like... she doesn't even care who she fu*ks or he knew what he was getting into when he decided to get married to her or she was imagining the OM while they were fu*king. See the thing is... she could've corrected his misconceptions. But she didn't. Why? Who knows...? One conversation could've saved them... but NOOOOOO.
Afterwards he apologizes in bed but she spirals and goes through an episode where she eats all the snacks he brought her. Then she spirals again and counts calories and tries to exercise them on the bike. One hour later the H comes and tries to have a heart to heart with h but she breaks his heart... WHY? WHO KNOWS? She isn't the one who was wronged here (Sure he shouted mean things to her, but he also gave her a sometime to respond before he reacted.).. In fact no one was. He leaves and doesn't come home. His boss Lucca comes and hits the h and threatens to OFF her brother. So she goes to look for him.
⛔️⛔️⛔️⛔️⛔️⛔️⛔️
OW drama description:
When she gets to the strip club she sees him watching a stripper dance. Slowly he sees her approach him and not doing anything to push her (the stripper) away. EVEN AFTER he notices her watching he doesn't do anything. He wants to see her get jealous. He sees her tightened fists and then she decides to strip her clothes which pushes the H into action and they them leave and reconcile. She gives him shit for it... for a bit. and then they decide to leave the city and the mafia. This is all past the 95% mark into the book. They haven't even said "I love you" to each other.
They are married... they are sleeping together. I know some people want there to be an explicit conversation where the H and h make a conscious choice to be monogamous but I am not like that. I think if the h is free to pursue OM then the H is also free to pursue OW. Simple. He would've flipped his shit had she decided to strip in front of strange men.... Oh Wait... he did flip his shit. So then why is his behaviour considered to be ok? Why do people think he is free to pursue it but he chooses not to. WOW.. what a favour. Had she not come when she did, what would've happened? He had no plans on throwing the stripper off of him.
Another thing: maybe people would disagree with me here but I saw Lucca through Zita's eyes here. And I felt like he was a real villain. Whatever respect he had from me from book 1 dissipated when he literally beat Zita. Maybe I am wrong but it felt like a character assassination. When we see Dario and Lucca interact with each other in book 1, we know that they are morally grey. That they are bad people. But there are bad people and then there are BAD people. I never thought Lucca capable of doing that, it only makes me wary of the direction of the story. Is he going to be overthrown as well? Will he get a redemption arc? I hope not.
P.S -> Zita's brother is a trans woman. Everytime I've used the pronouns he/him for her, it is because Marissa (Mattie at the time) hadn't made a conscious choice to be identified as she/her. We are given hints, but we do not really know until she comes out to Nicky privately.
Don't waste your time. I loved book 1. I will pretend that this book doesn't exist.
Proceed at your own caution. I am not leaving many pieces of the story unturned. The chemistry was soooooo lacking in this book, I skipped ALL the SMUT scenes. Usually I love a good stalker/obsessed romance but this... this is not only that but it also rubbed me the wrong way. Book was released today and I finished it today... clearly I have no life. This book is good for angst-lovers.
Smut: 1🔥/5
Chemistry: 0/5
Grovelling: H: 4/5 ⚡️ h: 0/5
Cheating: No
OW: Yes- a small bit. Another review mentioned that the H is free to pursue that OW if he wants.. I just want to clarify that he is in fact NOT FREE to pursue that OW.
OM: Yes- the h is engaged to OM in the book. He makes a decent bit of the story.
Miscommunication: Yes and No. Whilst this doesn't cause any big conflicts within the story... THIS ALSO PREVENTS the main characters from developing any real connection. It is so frustrating that it makes you want to pull your hair out.
TW: E@t!ng D!sorder
1) The story opens to the first scene where the H and h are meeting again after knowing each other throughout their childhoods but only from afar. The h is being blackmailed into marrying the H. This story seems so diff from book 1 that it almost feels like a diff person wrote this story. The H is and has always been obsessed w the h. He has stalked her throughout her life till the time they are forced together.
2) Nicky is a kid from the wrong side of town. So basically he has to 'earn' her. But why? See Lucca enlists Nicky into his organization when Nicky was a teenager (bcoz he saw Nicky's potential and Lucca has leverage over Nicky- Zita. If Nicky did what Lucca asked, Lucca would give Zita to Nicky. But why? She is not his to give?) Nicky only wanted to be close to Zita. But throughout it is never clearly mentioned why he had to do this? She was set to marry someone else... she didn't live under the organization's thumb... why should he have to 'earn' her? Even Tomas once mentioned that Nicky could just taken her and no one would say anything. Regardless of how he could've approached her, he didn't need anyone's permission (imo) to approach her and get her. but throughout the story it is made to seem like he needed Lucca to get her. Why?
3) One of the biggest things I hate in a stalker/obsession book is where a h is unnecessarily cruel to the H. Now we are rooting for the H so we are an unreliable source but.. there is cruelty and then there is this. Zita early on figures out that Nicky would do anything should she only ask. But she never has the guts to ask that she wants to leave the mafia with him and her brother. Why? No reason... she chickened out.
Lucca tries to threaten her brother by saying that he needs Nicky since the organization is still new from the previous coup and he gave Zita to Nicky. Zita is leverage. Nicky would do what Zita asked and Zita would do anything for her brother. He basically tells her to whore herself out to Nicky. Zita is a doormat... but not at the same time. See she blows up on Nicky when Lucca threatens her and leaves... and then all that sass and rage? dissipates when she cannot even ask Nicky to leave with her.
Zita continues to treat Nicky really badly (To be honest- she's really wishy-washy). The angst continues on. She finds out about him stalking her and she has no reaction. None.
The scene that rubbed me off the wrong way was this: the H and the h meet the OM of the h in about the last portion of the book where he is seen with his new girlfriend. Throughout the book (the entire book) the OM is described to us through rose-tinted glasses even though the h knows that he is all but mediocre. She has a bad past where she was abused by her dad and wanted a relationship where she would be loved no matter what size and she met the OM parents and decided he was a safe choice. Here she also realizes he was the wrong choice.
H gets jealous when he comes back and sees them holding hands (nothing happens here- OM only trying to be concerned about the h). They go home. they fu*k. Afterwards the H in a jealous rage shouts bad things at the h like... she doesn't even care who she fu*ks or he knew what he was getting into when he decided to get married to her or she was imagining the OM while they were fu*king. See the thing is... she could've corrected his misconceptions. But she didn't. Why? Who knows...? One conversation could've saved them... but NOOOOOO.
Afterwards he apologizes in bed but she spirals and goes through an episode where she eats all the snacks he brought her. Then she spirals again and counts calories and tries to exercise them on the bike. One hour later the H comes and tries to have a heart to heart with h but she breaks his heart... WHY? WHO KNOWS? She isn't the one who was wronged here (Sure he shouted mean things to her, but he also gave her a sometime to respond before he reacted.).. In fact no one was. He leaves and doesn't come home. His boss Lucca comes and hits the h and threatens to OFF her brother. So she goes to look for him.
⛔️⛔️⛔️⛔️⛔️⛔️⛔️
OW drama description:
When she gets to the strip club she sees him watching a stripper dance. Slowly he sees her approach him and not doing anything to push her (the stripper) away. EVEN AFTER he notices her watching he doesn't do anything. He wants to see her get jealous. He sees her tightened fists and then she decides to strip her clothes which pushes the H into action and they them leave and reconcile. She gives him shit for it... for a bit. and then they decide to leave the city and the mafia. This is all past the 95% mark into the book. They haven't even said "I love you" to each other.
They are married... they are sleeping together. I know some people want there to be an explicit conversation where the H and h make a conscious choice to be monogamous but I am not like that. I think if the h is free to pursue OM then the H is also free to pursue OW. Simple. He would've flipped his shit had she decided to strip in front of strange men.... Oh Wait... he did flip his shit. So then why is his behaviour considered to be ok? Why do people think he is free to pursue it but he chooses not to. WOW.. what a favour. Had she not come when she did, what would've happened? He had no plans on throwing the stripper off of him.
Another thing: maybe people would disagree with me here but I saw Lucca through Zita's eyes here. And I felt like he was a real villain. Whatever respect he had from me from book 1 dissipated when he literally beat Zita. Maybe I am wrong but it felt like a character assassination. When we see Dario and Lucca interact with each other in book 1, we know that they are morally grey. That they are bad people. But there are bad people and then there are BAD people. I never thought Lucca capable of doing that, it only makes me wary of the direction of the story. Is he going to be overthrown as well? Will he get a redemption arc? I hope not.
P.S -> Zita's brother is a trans woman. Everytime I've used the pronouns he/him for her, it is because Marissa (Mattie at the time) hadn't made a conscious choice to be identified as she/her. We are given hints, but we do not really know until she comes out to Nicky privately.
Don't waste your time. I loved book 1. I will pretend that this book doesn't exist.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2022
This was a very entertaining mafia story. I knew there was more to Nicky when he was introduced in Run Posy Run and I was right. He’s a fascinating man. Since he was a kid and met Zita she became his focal point of his life. For wanting more and better for himself. He was her stalker.
When he “gets” her as part of a deal everything is revealed to Zita. How she reacted and how their relationship evolved was what really captured me. This isn’t a romance in my opinion. It’s more about sacrifices and what one will do for the person they love cause Nicky and Zita both have that one person that made them stronger. Risking everything.
Their relationship is another story but equally as interesting. Their chemistry was palpable and so good.
My only issue is the lack of dialogue throughout this story. I know there’s a reason for it but when they did communicate the tension and connection was of the charts. Still was despite it all but it could have done so much more for the story.
Still a fabulous addition to the series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When he “gets” her as part of a deal everything is revealed to Zita. How she reacted and how their relationship evolved was what really captured me. This isn’t a romance in my opinion. It’s more about sacrifices and what one will do for the person they love cause Nicky and Zita both have that one person that made them stronger. Risking everything.
Their relationship is another story but equally as interesting. Their chemistry was palpable and so good.
My only issue is the lack of dialogue throughout this story. I know there’s a reason for it but when they did communicate the tension and connection was of the charts. Still was despite it all but it could have done so much more for the story.
Still a fabulous addition to the series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 14, 2022
Cate C Wells can do no wrong! I was putting off reading this book for some weird reason, possibly because I loved Run, Posy, Run soooo much (despite thinking I wouldn’t), and I was worried this one wouldn’t live up to my hype. This book wasn’t quite as good as Run, Posy, Run, but it was still unputdownable! I loved how angsty it was. The mental health struggles that the heroine goes through are realistically portrayed and so visceral.
Nicky was a little like Dario in the first book, but I didn’t love him quite as much (which makes sense, it’s hard to beat Dario).
I also love, love, loved the subplot with the heroine’s younger sibling. Being LGBTQ+ and in the world of the mafia is very dangerous (and for the reader, so stressful!), and it was portrayed very well. Bah! This was a good book.
Trigger warnings
HEA:
Nicky was a little like Dario in the first book, but I didn’t love him quite as much (which makes sense, it’s hard to beat Dario).
I also love, love, loved the subplot with the heroine’s younger sibling. Being LGBTQ+ and in the world of the mafia is very dangerous (and for the reader, so stressful!), and it was portrayed very well. Bah! This was a good book.
Trigger warnings
HEA:
March 29, 2023
4,5 stars
It was a lot different compared to the previous book but damn, did I need that change of pace and that devotion from the hero.
It wasn't perfect, the ending felt a little rushed, but do I love how this author makes a female character grow a fucking backbone. The way she makes them grow into their perfect selves, building them up piece by piece. And I'm always in for the ride.
I'm off to read something else by her because Wells is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors.
It was a lot different compared to the previous book but damn, did I need that change of pace and that devotion from the hero.
It wasn't perfect, the ending felt a little rushed, but do I love how this author makes a female character grow a fucking backbone. The way she makes them grow into their perfect selves, building them up piece by piece. And I'm always in for the ride.
I'm off to read something else by her because Wells is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors.
September 13, 2022
Maybe my expectations were too high after the first one but this story was all over the place and rushed. I didn’t particularly like the heroine nor did I find the hero very interesting after the first few chapters. I agree with reviewer Val also that considering this was meant to be about the mafia, there was nothing of it really. Too rushed with the characters and plot? I don’t even know what the plot was as again it seemed to be about so many different things but nothing specific. Story felt very unfinished and unsatisfactory.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2024
This contains a spoiler alert as it reveals a trigger warning, I know some like to know triggers, others don't.
Author's Note
This novel contains on-page descriptions of disordered eating, including binging, and references to past incidences of abuse and domestic violence.
This book is a standalone, part of a series but I felt it could be read without reading book 1 if you wanted.
We are introduced to Nicky the driver in book 1, he took a bullet for the heroine, Posy.
Dual POV but the only the occasional chapter from the Hero.
He is a dark brooding type so I think it helps to reveal a bit about him but not too much at a time.
It is close proximity troupe.
Some violence from the outset.
The heroine is offered a deal, her siblings life saved if she marries Nicky, I liked that the couple are interacting from early on in the story.
So she agrees.
That said she doesn't just accept it, she's not very accommodating with Nicky.
The trigger warning shows some of the heroine's issues, this is well written and quite thought provoking.
The calorie counting is offset by exercise rather then details of purging.
Nicky is a complex character, he appears hard and tough and he is but he has an obsession with Zita, but it is revealed that there is a reason why.
Safety info
When the book starts, the heroine, Zita is engaged to another man. They have been engaged for some time and the reader realises that their relationship isn't as the heroine thinks.
No intimate scenes on page other than the Hero and heroine.
Other man drama in the form of the fiancé who becomes her ex, the heroine talks of their relationship including a bit of their sexual history.
This relationship comes to an end very quickly at the start of the book.
Other woman drama, a tiny scene, nothing really happens, an offer is made but the Hero isn't really interested, though technically he is free to pursue it if he wanted.
HEA.
Epilogue, this includes a HEA implied for another issue going on in the book regarding a secondary character.
ARC
Author's Note
This novel contains on-page descriptions of disordered eating, including binging, and references to past incidences of abuse and domestic violence.
This book is a standalone, part of a series but I felt it could be read without reading book 1 if you wanted.
We are introduced to Nicky the driver in book 1, he took a bullet for the heroine, Posy.
Dual POV but the only the occasional chapter from the Hero.
He is a dark brooding type so I think it helps to reveal a bit about him but not too much at a time.
It is close proximity troupe.
Some violence from the outset.
The heroine is offered a deal, her siblings life saved if she marries Nicky, I liked that the couple are interacting from early on in the story.
So she agrees.
That said she doesn't just accept it, she's not very accommodating with Nicky.
The trigger warning shows some of the heroine's issues, this is well written and quite thought provoking.
The calorie counting is offset by exercise rather then details of purging.
Nicky is a complex character, he appears hard and tough and he is but he has an obsession with Zita, but it is revealed that there is a reason why.
Safety info
When the book starts, the heroine, Zita is engaged to another man. They have been engaged for some time and the reader realises that their relationship isn't as the heroine thinks.
No intimate scenes on page other than the Hero and heroine.
Other man drama in the form of the fiancé who becomes her ex, the heroine talks of their relationship including a bit of their sexual history.
This relationship comes to an end very quickly at the start of the book.
Other woman drama, a tiny scene, nothing really happens, an offer is made but the Hero isn't really interested, though technically he is free to pursue it if he wanted.
HEA.
Epilogue, this includes a HEA implied for another issue going on in the book regarding a secondary character.
ARC
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
September 8, 2022why does every “captive/mafia” books like this ive read always have similar predictable vibe to it 😔
ok i didnt get bored coz of that tho love me any kulti-like stuff recycled, this type just isnt my fav
ok i didnt get bored coz of that tho love me any kulti-like stuff recycled, this type just isnt my fav
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