Black Skies Riviera

Cristo Sinners World #1

by Catherine Wiltcher

A brand new standalone mafia romance.

Welcome to Black Skies Riviera...
Where the good die young, and the bad live forever.

They call this place the Billionaires’ Playground.
I, Aiden Knight, staked my claim the minute I arrived.
I crossed every line.
I painted their Rococo ceilings with blood.
Now my casino is the hottest church in town,
And vice is the only confession required.
My house.
My rules.
Until the past comes calling with an offer I can’t refuse:
One week to seduce and break her.
All this for the name of the man who killed my father.

Issa Dubov is the queen of cloudy diamonds:
She’s a hard truth concealed beneath a pall of lies.
I’m an Armani black suit of spades:
Determined to bury both her and my demons.
I never asked to see the shape of her heart.
I never asked for her to fill the blank spaces of mine.

But the mafia wants her secrets.
I wasn’t the first she betrayed.
And Issa? Sweet, not-so-innocent Issa?
She’s gone and left me with a debt no sinner can pay.

COMING JULY 28

Genres: Enemies To Lovers, Romance, Mafia Romance, Dark Romance, Dark, Marriage Of Convenience, Contemporary

363 pages, Paperback

First published August 19, 2020

About the author

Sign up to her newsletter for giveaways and Santiago exclusives —> www.catherinewiltcher.com/newsletter

Catherine Wiltcher is a USA Today and Amazon Top 15 bestselling romance author. Her books include The Santiago Series and the Cristo Sinners World.

In 2017, Catherine wrote her first book while undergoing cancer treatment. These days, she writes flawed and dangerous characters who always fall hard for their women, whatever the cost.

She lives in the U.K. with her husband, their two young daughters, and their crazy spaniel, Bella.

Insta: @catherinewiltcher
TT: @catherinewiltcher
F/B Group: Dante's Devils

SANTIAGO READING ORDER

Santiago World:
The Santiago Trilogy Collection:
-Hearts of Darkness
-Hearts Divine
-Hearts on Fire
The Grayson Duet Collection:
-Shadow Man
-Reckless Woman
Devils & Dust
Lovers & Liars (coming soon)
Rush & Ruin, Parts 1 & 2

Cristo Sinners World:
Black Skies Riviera
A London Villain
The Viper (coming soon)
TBAT (coming soon)

The Castillo Empire:
(coming soon)

Corrupt Gods World/Next Generation:
Born Sinner
Bad Blood
Tainted Blood
City of Thieves
Rush & Ruin, Parts 1 & 2

Reviews

[Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars...

...For now...I can actually see this being one of those ones I end up re-reading later on, perhaps over and over again, in fact; but until then, this is a strong four stars for me.

This hit my radar after I saw my buddy Ashleyjo five star smash this thing (and she's as stingy with the five stars as I am). I've tried reading this author twice before without success (one effort resulted in a two star read and the other a DNF), but this blurb hit so many of my personal kryptonites (mafia, arranged marriage) that said blurb, coupled with Ashleyjo's review, compelled me to give this a go.

And I'm glad I did as I really enjoyed this.

Was the romance perhaps a tad too quick (it's basically a week)? Sure.
Were there a couple other little niggles that kept this from being a five star? Yes.

But all in all I really enjoyed this. Despite the rapidity of the romance, I thought the chemistry between the H was palpable enough to offset it a bit. And if you follow my reviews at all, you know that chemistry between the main leads is a HUGE factor in what makes me love a romance/smut book or not.

I also really liked Aiden. He was my favorite brand of asshole.

And I'm always a sucker for a good arranged/forced marriage situation.

I will probably attempt another of this author's books. Hoping there in more mafia to be had...

[⚔Irunía⚔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything is not what it seems and I loved how this story proved it to be true. It kept me wondering till the end...

This book is a perfect combination of a dazzling passion filled romance and a gripping plot laced with hidden motives and secrets to uncover.

Perfect!!! 🖤

[Flor ❁ (HIATUS) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5✨

why didn't i like this book? is it because everything happened in a week, i mean, enemies to lovers in a week? or is it because all the twists that happened in the end? I don't know.

and I feel kinda bad cuz some of my GR friends enjoyed this one, but it just didn't work for me.

[EmBibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

“You sent sunshine into my Black Skies Riviera. You sent hope to a broken raven, and she took its pain and unclipped its wings.”

I liked how well balanced this was between the romance and the whole mafia action thing. The writing and the story building were good. Books with the arranged marriage trope are always kind of a smash for me. My only issue is that I felt that the romance was a little bit rushed? and I like to take my time and to feel all the tension! They fell in love within a week. Yup, only a week and I just could never accept that.

[Dora Koutsoukou · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ❤️🔝💙🔝🖤🔝💙🔝❤️⚡️🇬🇧 💥 🇷🇺 ⚡️🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟s❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️

Catherine Wiltcher, Take Another Little Piece Of My Heart❣️❣️❣️


This was an astounding mafia story, I am still wondering what hit me...
A great solid and vivid plot with spectacular characters, having my adrenaline levels skyrocketed to great heights!
The development had depth and there were great moments with epic twists and turns.
The writing was flawless, thorough and absorbing, vigorously paced, pulling me severely in this sinful and powerful mafia world.

In all that chaos where loyalty, lies, betrayals, dark transactions and backstabbing had a front row seat, there was Aiden Knight. The Raven. The British casino owner... and more.

“I’m the fucking Raven, remember? I circle darkness. I feast on it. I grow stronger on it.
Never, ever, am I the victim of it.” Aiden

Issa Dubova, Russian mafia princess, was forced in marriage with Aiden. What a pair!!!

“She shines like an angel and she fucks like a queen, and I want to fall to the ground and worship her.” Aiden

I will not spoil anything, if you like greatly written mafia stories you may want to check these skies of Riviera...

[NMmomof4 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Overall Opinion: This was a fun surprise! Though not really tbh. When a fellow stingy GR rater (😘) friend gives this puppy 5 stars, I knew I had to jump right in. I really enjoyed both characters, their back and forth banter, their hot sexual chemistry, and the overall premise! I appreciated the fact that the author didn’t overload the book with mob drama, which seems to often happen in these books. I thought Ms. Wiltcher did a great job in balancing all of the suspense, back story and plot, and the romance. I look forward to reading her works in the future! I couldn’t quite give it 5 stars after that ending…but hey! 4.5 from this even stingier rater is pretty darn good!

Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Issa and Aiden’s story. Aiden gets stuck in the mafia life for 14 years after his parents are murdered when he is 16 and he is on the road for revenge. He is unhappy that he finds himself now ordered to marry a mafia princess for a big deal. Issa has to step in her older sister’s place for this arranged marriage after she disappeared. After butting heads and lots of back and forth, they each start to break down the other’s walls and see each other in new lights. There is some crime family drama, some suspenseful scenes, some big secrets revealed, and some hot sexy times…and they get a HEA ending.

Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Issa and Aiden’s POV.

Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.

Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings. Maybe even hate to love… but I think they always enjoyed their arguments deep down, so I don’t think so 🤔

H (Hero) rating: 4.5 stars. Aiden. He was hard to like at first but I ended up really liking him in the end. He was loyal, smart, and pretty darn sexy!

h (heroine) rating: 5 stars. Issa. I loved her! She was a great big f you to the stereotype they tried to raise her as. I loved her strength and her smarts.

Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed

Push/Pull: Yes They both push away with their secrets and they both pursue the relationship at times

Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.

Descriptive sex: Yes

OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No Just mild jealousies

Sex scene with OW or OM: No

Cheating: No

Separation: Yes They are separated for ~8 weeks (only physically), and there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time.

Possible Triggers: Yes Violence/assault/attempted rape/murder/criminal activity (on page), loss of loved ones (off page), alcoholic mother (off page), the h was a virgin (on page), and the H was ~9 years older than the h (21 and 30 I think?)

Closure: This ends in a good place for the couple and with what I would call a HEA ending they’re still married and she knows she’s pregnant…but 🙈 I still had many unanswered questions (that I’m guessing will be addressed in the rest of the series) and I wanted much, much more! It’s that greediness talking 😏

Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers

- Does Not have cheating
- Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
- Does have both the h and H pushing away
- Does have a (physical) separation between the h and H
- Does Not have abuse by mcs
- Does have a HEA ending

[Giorgia Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I quite liked the idea for this book and I'll admit it wasn't entirely predictable. There were some twists and turns I really didn't anticipate.

Overall, I had a good time with it, but if I were to take it apart for the details and the characters, then that would be another story. I can't say that I liked Aiden. I'm not against cold, manipulative and slightly assholish behaviour if it really fits with a character and situation. But in my opinion, he had no reason whatsoever to be so cruel and insulting towards her from the very second he met her. That kind of attitude, speaks volumes about someones personality and it doesn't project a strong, capable individual but rather the opposite. The heroine was quite resourceful and brave but there was something missing from making me really like her.

I'd say that I enjoyed this and the writing was good as well as the story building, I just didn't fall for the characters and their connection.

[ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

the best mafia book ive ever read...?

this is how you write a mafia romance😏 everyone else needs to take notes.

time truly escaped me while reading this. i didn’t realise how late in the day it was. the story had me hooked from the get go. mainly bcos of Aidan— he was unpredictable. i didn’t trust him... but then id be desperately clinging onto any humanity and kindness he flashed Issa. i wanted to see the good in him beneath all the layers of debauchery and blood. his manipulation was a double edged knife— it kept me on the edge of my seat bcos it was just so entertaining while making me constantly doubt him and causing a whirlwind of conflict inside my head.

I close the distance between us and hook a finger under her chin, forcing her to look at me. I can’t stop staring at her fucking eyelashes, and how dark and thick they look all soaked in tears. There’s a wildfire raging in her soft brown eyes and it’s spreading all the way to front of my pants.

it was the perfect example of what i crave from a mafia romance. the perfect balance of a ruthless, demeaning and violent hero with no regard for anyone but himself and who didn’t hesitate in his cruelty towards the heroine, while simultaneously respecting her and obsessing over her.

just bcos they started to feel things for each other didn’t automatically mean they dropped all of their vendettas and agendas, and completely opened themselves up to the other person. a pet peeve of mine in mafia romances is when the MCs lose all sense of reason that originally drove them to the person they are just bcos they fell in love with the other character. neither one compromised their morals or their beliefs for the other.

that being said... every time Issa played right into his hands, i wanted to reach inside the book and chokehold that bitch. she’d tell him something and id literally have to put the book down, shaking my head and muttering what a dumb bitch. but i still loved her🤷🏻‍♀️ sue me.

bcos she was still a badass, honestly. she was resilient, intelligent and downright sneaky at times. she had an innocent veneer but was a subtle bad-arse bitch underneath. she was the perfect balance of what i want in mafia heroine, too. she wasn’t this demure, fragile girl of piety and naïveté. she was smart enough to pick and choose her battles, to sacrifice her own heart for the people she loved but wasn’t an over the top caricature of badassery. she was flawed and human. and i loved her.

We're bound by lies, by depravity, by injustice. But we’re also bound by two souls that fit together perfectly in the heat of these moments, when all the other bad stuff falls away.

it was the perfect balance of hatred, angst and lust that i crave from an enemies to lovers. none of this watered-down, half arsing enemies to lovers. it was full throttle. and it lasted a good chunk of the book. i loved how just bcos they’d started to fall for one another that the underlying viciousness and animosity didn’t dissipate. they continued to use and manipulate one another (im looking at you Aidan, my boy) and it was gut-wrenching to read since we knew that the other character had began to open up to them. it was this back and forth ‘Wimbledon’-effect as Aidan liked to call it. totally kept me enthralled— considering i read this in one sitting.

Men like him aren’t supposed to hate kiss like that, shooting sparks into places they have no business being. I felt it all, from the heat of his possession to the lust in his touch. They call him the Raven, but really he’s a wolf—a living, breathing predator dressed up in Armani, with lawlessness dripping from his jaws.

Aidan’s devotion to Issa too was ✨delicious✨ like this big dumb fuck acted like she wasn’t the love of his life and it was funny af to read. i love watching a big ole alpha with possessive and toxic tendencies unravel at the soft smile of the woman he’s falling for. ahhhhh it truly never gets old.

and even amongst his degradation and domineering nature... i still liked him? he wasn’t over the top in his monstrous behaviour, it was subtle and predatory with his sneering and coldness. he wasn’t one of those heroes who has to keep telling you he’s bad. you could just feel it.

also the writing in this was stunning. like truly *chef’s kiss* so it just heightened my emotions the entire time.

Ielena doesn’t do ‘pretty’. She doesn’t do ‘beautiful’, either. To be honest, I don’t know what the hell she is.

Not pretty… Not beautiful… She’s something even better.

“No, she’s not pretty.” He finally opens both eyes and blinds me with calm seas and clear horizons. “She’s so beautiful she’ll make a man forget why he was fighting so hard to push her away in the first place.”

Aidan’s lack of fucks to give also sent me and made him 100000x more attractive. even with ten guns pointed at him, this bitch still had the audacity to laugh. i mean Aidan’s exchange with Issa’s toxic, abusive father was enough to send me:

”Welcome to my casino,” I say, slipping into Russian. “I trust you’ve been made to feel welcome in my absence? I apologize for the delay. I was unexpectedly detained.”
“Nothing too taxing, I hope?” he says gruffly, sounding like a Moscow-vodka-bar-drinking-fifty-pack regular.
“Taxing in the best of ways.” I toss him a smirk. “I was busy fucking my wife for the third time today. You know how demanding new brides can be.”
The sly smile drops from his face. His hand follows suite.
Suck my dick, you bastard.

the only problem i did have with the book was the timescale. these two go from enemies to lovers within the span of a few days. while the enemies to lovers serve was angsty and satisfying af, and took up quite a lot of the book, it was still unbelievable that in the span of about three days they go from vicious hatred to Issa handing her virginity to him on a silver platter.

but it wasn’t enough to bother me too much. i was too caught up in the tangled web of lies, betrayal and lust to care all that much.

”You taste of color, Aiden Knight.”

now i think im off to go read the Santiago trilogy??🤔 i need more of this author’s amazing writing.

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately I thought the story superficial, the characters didn’t have the deepest connection. Everything so fast...

[Ainhoa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've spent my days thinking I wasn't big fan on mafia but I just hadn't found the right books to love it...

This book was so good, like really really good, like I don't want it to finish so I can savor it good. It was a perfect mix between romance and tension and mafia.

I loved the characters, I loved Ielena, her strengh and loyalty to her sister, her determination and will to make sacrifices. But obviously most of all, I fell for Aiden Knight, his banter made me want to slap him sometimes, but he was tormented just the right amount to make him the perfect mix between being an ass and being almost sweet with Ielena.

I saw the plot coming and knew the outcome from 60%, but it was still great to keep reading and discovering how it untangled itself. I won't give it 5 stars because I found the whole thing was rushed, but overall I loved it so much I would start again reading it right now.

[lakshmi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This just changed my mind about all Mafia romances. I did not know I needed this. So ; to all the 5 star reviews on this book : thank you🙏

[Em Lost In Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5*

[❤️Court - Villains Do It Better❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars!

Really liked this one, and definitely better than the Santiago trilogy. Catherine's writing has obviously improved, and knowing that it has gotten better, actually makes me want to go back and finish the Santiago trilogy, even though I had DNFed it.

I really liked Aiden, though he was pretty immature at times, it actually became kind of funny. The heroine was just okay to me though. I felt like her character was all over the place between super naive and innocent, to maybe trying too hard to be tough and deceiving but never really followed up on it. But she did improve as the book went on, so there's that.

It was a bit insta love but it didn't bother me because it is a shorter boo, and I did like them together so that was a plus. The ending was a bit rushed though with some things left too unexplained and vague for me, such as the heroine's parent's marriage and Maria. I also wish we would have gotten more of an epilogue, but I think there will be another book with them in it so maybe we will just get more of them there. But overall, I did enjoy this book and it kept me interested the whole time, and it wasn't annoyingly angsty either so again, another plus. Will definitely read this author again.

Safety:

Virgin h / non-virgin H

Hero's sex past is cloudy, but I don't think* he was a manwhore, and not too many mentions of past OW he has been with

No OW/OM drama

No Cheating

[Amy Estridh · Rating 4 out of 5]

If there’s a trope I would die for, it’s horny, angry enemies to lovers

Hate-sex energy
is
everything

I knew I was falling for Aiden when he threatened to go all rapey-dapey on Issa if she gave herself an orgasm 🤌🏻 😌 but if you’re not into that you can chill bc he’s actually a softie and would literally never force her. We have a half-psychopath killer who respects consent even if he thinks it’s a dirty word 🥰

Aiden is HILARIOUS. He was just so fucking fun and impulsive and how he managed to hold that empire for so long was a mystery to me.

Issa was a typical meh heroine for me until the mini-psycho twist revelation, had to love her after that. She made sure to be beaten up and branded to be seen as "damaged goods", love me a manipulating heroine

So my biggest problem with this book is the pathetic time frame. I didn’t realize it until pretty late, so that was a cold shower. I am therefore extremely generous with my rating today, but there's been too many 1's and 2's lately so I'm trying to force a positive vibe 😌

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

Mine.” He groans it into the kiss, and I swallow down every drop of his possession like it’s my favorite poison.

This book has been on my TBR since release. I've been itching to read it but also putting it off. I tend to stay away from books with Russian speaking characters because if I get one more dose of google translate, I may lose it. I'm nitpicky, ok? And it's a rare occurrence when a foreign language is done correct and not half assed in an indie published book. Le sigh. Let's just say I have PTSD when it comes to this. But I digress. After a week of struggling through indecisive readerdosis (that's the medical diagnosis for can't pick a fucking book to save my life"), I settled on this one. And was immediately hooked!

With his broad shoulders, solid muscularity, and black ink crawling out from underneath the cuff of one wrist, he looks like a fallen angel on a trajectory straight to hell.

The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my absolute favorite stories. So any book with a nod to it will immediately hold my attention.

Fourteen years of anger and revenge driven planning. An arranged marriage of power and deception. A seemingly innocent Bratva princess and the fixer for the mob who picks no side but the one that brings him money. Yes please and thank you.

This was a story that was full of twists and turns, and while the ending was a touch predictable, it still had me at the edge of my seat.

Aiden is a ruthless business man with ties to everyone and no one. He's given fourteen years of his life to man who helped solidify him into the brilliant criminal his is today for the promise of revenge. Two names. Two names that have kept him going and are now just one grasp away...but come with a new caveat. A marriage he doesn't want to a woman he doesn't know.

Issa has grown up in glass cage and had it shared when she finds out the man her father really is; the brutal head of the Bratva and a cold blooded killer. But she'll do anything to protect her sister and her secret, even if it means paying the price of her sister's disappearance with a marriage to a man she never saw coming.

I was immediately sucked into the story, though I did feel in times the pacing was a touch off. It was ether too quick or too slow and descriptive. But the story telling itself was gripping and well written, so it didn't bother me much. The romance was deliciously wicked and I loved seeing the layers peeled back on both Aiden and Issa. There's some secondary characters mentioned who I will be immediately grabbing the books for The Santiago Trilogy and A London Villain.

Sadly for the little Russian there was here, it was incorrect, though in the grand scheme of things, it didn't bother me much because at least it was close enough. I'm just being nitpicky and it won't even faze most readers.

If you like deliciously layered dark mafia romance, you need to read this one. I for one will be immediately grabbing the majority of this author's backlist.

Find me on:

[Elle ♡ [semi-hiatus]]

DNF @ 38%... for me this writing is the definition of trying too hard, to the point that a lot of the time I just don't even know wtf she's trying to say. The plot is somewhat intriguing and sometimes I can power through bad writing just to know what happens, but idk I'm pausing here.

[Sammy ❤️Just Let Me Read Blog ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catherine Wiltcher gives readers a seductive and enthralling arranged marriage mafia romance that grabs ahold of the reader and doesn't let go. Black Skies Riviera is a brilliantly written and emotionally captivating tale of lust, betrayal, and explosive twists and turns.

"He's a wolf-a living, breathing predator dressed up in Armani, with lawlessness dripping from his jaws."

Wiltcher does emotional depth so well with her characters, and in such a compelling way. She somehow manages to merge that element with the grit and violence of the mafia world so flawlessly. This story has unforgettable characters that drew me in from the very first pages. Aiden Knight is by far one of the best heroes I have ever read. An unapologetic criminal, he is one of those characters that is simultaneously alluring and intriguing. His past molded him into the person he is today: ruthless and ambitious, with a single-minded desire for revenge. Being thrown together with Issa is unexpected for him and its a bumpy road for the both of them. Issa is such a pillar of strength in difficult circumstances, and I loved how she remained strong while still maintaining her inherent softness and vulnerability. The two of them together were like fire and ice, and their own hidden agendas kept each other and the reader guessing the whole time.

"I can't seem to rebuild my defenses around him. Just when I think I have a new foundation laid, his vicious words tear it down again."

These two had a raw sexual chemistry that only got stronger as the story progressed. The push and pull between them was deliciously sexy, and their banter was so entertaining. There's nothing I love more than two people forced together who battle each other hard, and the author tackled this trope so well. Even as they grew closer, the tension and uncertainty was always present between them, and that's what held my attention the whole way through.

"We're bound by lies, by depravity, by injustice. But we're also bound by two souls that fit together perfectly in the heat of these moments, when all the other bad stuff falls away.

This book had everything. Sizzling hot sex. Action and suspense. Tension between mafia families. Secrets, lies and betrayal. All wrapped together in an unbelievably spellbinding storyline that does not quit until the very last words. The cameos from some of the characters from the Santiago world were pure gold. The ending was one mind-blowing revelation after another, and I love the way everything wrapped up for this fantastic couple. I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys sexy and suspenseful mafia romance!

[Syndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Skies Riviera is a sexy as it can be. The story of mafia romance is hot. What I like about it is the chemistry between the characters.
The story starts with a marriage of convinience and quickly escalates to romance.

Miss Wiltcher gives an extra kick on the sizzling department with a sexy and lingering banter. The chemistry builds very good. This is my first read by Miss Wiltcher. And I am lookong forward for her next book.

4 stars

[Mahima · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!WOW!!WOW!!

I completed it last night but was too emotionally messed up due to this hurricane of a story✨

I was blown away with the writing. First time with the author, but I am impressed 💝
Every point of story made my toes curl. The anticipation of 'what will happen' was too much to bear.

Aiden is a bastard with so hard emotions and feelings. He is so head strong and want everything in his control. He's lead by the need to take revenge from the people who killed his parents. I never thought a man this emotion-less could fall in love so hard that he'll consider that love more than his revenge.

Issa is a very strong yet naive girl. I love the way she loves people. She's lost alot even when she had it all.
Her strong façade made her even more attractive.

The way mysteries unfold made me realise how cruel this World could be. I never knew this much of cruelty. To abandon your own family then see them getting destroyed. To see your loved ones being ruined from the hands of the ultimate devils.

I love every concept...plot...twist and everything about the story ❤️❤️

[Tzelina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.... I'm literally speechless!
That was a perfect mafia read.....it was fucking amazing!!
I am so happy because sometimes a book is so unexpectedly perfect!!
I had so many feelings while reading it!! It was a captivating, powerful love story!!

Isaa aka Ielena  was such a fierce, strong character!!! Raven what a Alpha male, a fucking amazing badass, I loved him from the first chapter!! Their chemistry was mind blowing! Excellent read .... I totally recommend it!!
A huge Bravo to the author!!

5 "halfway" 🌟!!

[❀ Rose ❀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5-3 stars

Alright, quick review for this one:
〰 I was able to detect many grammatical errors that were overlooked (which usually annoys me) so I would say that this book could have done with another round of editing.

〰 The main characters fall for each other in a week. Literally... one week. So if you go into this just beware that although it’s marketed as an “enemies to lovers” mafia romance, the whole “enemies” part lasts about two days max.

〰 The Hero is VERY alpha male and although that bothered me in some instances, it didn’t really hinder from my overall enjoyment. However, I know that a lot of people hate when the male MC is extremely possessive and controlling so please know before going into this that Aiden can be pretty damn sexist at times and that he normally has the “i’m the man of the house so you will do as I say” kinda mentality.

〰 For God’s sake... you mean to tell me that you have the most powerful/ dangerous men in the entire world sitting in one room and none of them thought to check if the newcomer had a listening device on?

〰 the writing style was pretty good and I definitely do think that the author has a lot of potential. However, I had one too many issues with this which prevented me from giving it a higher rating.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time reading this authors work. Part romance, part thriller and I never guessed the ending which is always good.

Aiden was a great asshole and I liked that he was still a cheeky asshole right till the end, although maybe he should think about joining AA cause I felt drunk just from reading the amount of booze he polished off.

Issa was also a great h who didn't bow down to whatever was thrown her way.

Why not 5 stars? Sometimes I found the style of writing to be overly descriptive. I don't need every item, scene or thing that the characters encounter to be described like a poem, even the way they spoke to each other sometimes felt unnatural and overly flowery/poetic.

Also, it wasn't as steamy as I expected...I know, I know! I'm a pervert but there was at least 2 good opportunities to give us some excellent and filthy sex but it was just mentioned as a "we woke up after.." kind of deal. I mean Aiden had a filthy mouth, I just wish it had been used in the bedroom more is all I'm saying.

[Greta · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We're not perfect. We're messy and dysfunctional, driven together by circumstance and linked by forces that ambushed us and caugh us unawares. But we're us. There's an us now."

Black Skies Riviera was perfect.
Seriamente, perfetto. Aveva tutto ciò di cui avevo bisogno in questi ultimi giorni. Partendo dalla storia, inizialmente capiamo che Issa viene data in sposa ad Aiden per compensare lo sgarro che ha fatto sua sorella scappando, non sposando così un italiano di una famiglia mafiosa molto importante. Aiden, essendo legato a questa famiglia, danno a lui l'onere di unire così due potenti famiglie. Ma in cambio vuole i nomi delle persone che hanno ucciso la sua vera famiglia.

BSR è un retelling molto brillante del Conto di Montecristo che io non ho mai letto ma so vagamente la trama e di che cosa tratta, pura e semplice vendetta. E' questo ciò che Aiden aspetta da ben 14 anni. E' disposto a sposare una donna che disprezza pur di avere quei due nomi, e poi tutto sarà finito. Però nemmeno Aiden che è così burbero, sgarbato e antipatico con quelle sue battutine sarcastiche lanciate sempre per ferirti, non si aspettava invece di apprezzare Issa, ogni giorno di più. E ci ritroviamo a vederli insieme, sempre più vicini, che si stuzzicano con le loro battute e io mi ero innamorata da pazzi. Sono davvero bellissimi e perfetti insieme.

Non parlo dei capitoli finali perchè entro in spoiler, però WOW. Ormai avendo letto così tanti libri non ho quasi più l'effetto sorpresa, perchè di solito intuisco tutto quasi subito, ma qui ero totalmente cieca in quanto troppo presa ad ammirare Aiden e Issa e a come si sarebbero incontrati "a metà strada" per tendersi una mano.

Lo ripeto ancora e lo ripeterò fino alla nausea. Catherine Wiltcher è una garanzia, crea storie splendide con personaggi maestosi accompagnati da uno stile di scrittura che ti fanno divorare i suoi libri nel giro di poco tempo.

*ARC provided in exchange of an honest review*

[⋆Lara⋆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5++ stars🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I've said it before and I'll say it again - no one..NO ONE does criminal romance like Catherine Wiltcher! This was by far my best read of 2020!

Black Skies Riviera is a dark criminal romance starring...hold your breaths - Aiden Knight is in the town. And he is officially inducted into my harem of book boyfriends.

Seriously though, I loved this book.

Aiden has been a pawn to Don Zachcharia for too long. As a revenge for his parents murder, he sold his soul to the devil to seek venegence, only he found redemption in the form of a beautiful girl.

Issa Dubova, is not your regular mafia princess. Personally, I loved her character. When she's forced to marry a criminal in order to save her sister's life, she doesn't hesitate to put herself in the danger's path.

But what if the devil she thought she was marrying is not that bad? Maybe he has a chance of redemption.

The characters were totally amazing, as was the plot. I enjoyed it thoroughly! I'm actually at a loss of words here because I don't want to say something to spoil the story. You should definitely go into this blind like I did. And do go for it!

[Amz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a question... WHY are authors OBSESSED with the name AIDEN????? Find some originality, people.

[Lori [semi-hiatus] · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this a while ago but the cover stayed with me. It's just toooo pretty (need this in paperback asap)

[Pisces · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly?
It was a 3 star read if not for the curveball at the end.

[Milica's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I totally enjoyed the story, I didn't even notice how fast the pages fly, it's so good and so full of angst to the last page!

[Sanyah(Taylor’s Version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The skinny straps disintegrate. I rush to catch the material, but not before the top half of my chest is exposed.
“Son of a bitch,” he breathes. “Who did this to you?”

He’s a protector 😏


The mattress dips and ripples as he collapses next to me with a groan. By some miracle, he manages to place the whiskey bottle on the nightstand without spilling it everywhere, and then he’s taking all the spare pillows and lining them down the middle of the bed like the Hadrian’s Wall of anti-seduction.
“What are you doing?”
“Safeguarding your virtue. I won't be held responsible for my actions if I see those legs in the state I’m in. They’re rule breakers, pure and simple.”

Aiden is a gentleman if I ever read one. Building a pillow bridge between them.

This book was filled with (twisted) plots, revenge, and romantic moments I truly appreciated.