La Famiglia

Fated #4

by H.L. Packer

Elena
The Academy.
The most prestigious school around, with the biggest price tag to go with it.
It was a dream. Until it became a nightmare.
One moment. One person.
That’s all it took to bring my entire world crashing down around my ears.
A world I’m not sure I’ll be able to put back together.

Anton
Anger bubbles beneath the surface.
A constant simmering rage that can never be sated.
It’s been like this for a long time. As long as I can remember.
And now she’s here. Under my feet and under my nose.
Poking the bear and kissing the damage.
But I don’t know how to reconcile the hatred with what it’s becoming.

The past is out to get us.
A ticking clock that neither of us can outrun.
Will we burn when the world crashes around us? Or will we rise like the Phoenix?

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance

342 pages, Paperback

Published October 26, 2021

About the author

HL Packer is a busy bee!

An avid reader from childhood she went from a reader to a reviewer and then from a reviewer to a blogger. The exciting world of Romance books opened her eyes to book boxes and all the amazing goodies that come with them and her search for a UK one led to the creation of Romance Readers Book Box UK.

Celebrating the first year of RRBB brought her to collating an anthology and beginning to create her own stories and world. Her first novella released in Dec 2020 and is hopefully the first of many to come.

Reviews

[Shawna Jimenez more.books.forever · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anton and Elena Holy Mother of all thing HOT AF!!!! These two are fire and so addicting I seriously could not get enough. These two were once childhood friends that would meet in secret until one day Anton just stopped coming. Now Elena shows up at the Academy and Anton while he instantly hates her they are completely drawn to one another like a moth to a flame but there are some deep dark secret that lay just below the surface that Elena knows nothing about. There is so much hurt between these two. Prepare yourself for one wild ride this book was an emotional roller coaster and ride doesn’t stop…. Then that ending WTF!!! I will impatiently be waiting for the next book because I need to know what is going to happen next because right now my heart is a bit crushed.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received this book as a gift in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wait? What? Who is this author and how is this the fourth book in the series and I'm just now only reading this one?!!!! Ugh....

Well, let me first start by mentioning that I had NO IDEA that this was a serial. It read like a standalone to me, which should say something. So, that being said, my review is based solely on this book and not the character relationships that may have come from prior installments.

Elena is the odd girl out. What do I mean? Well, she's the newest scholarship recipient at the prestigious Academy which basically caters to the wealthy, or in this case, La Familia. Not only is she trying to figure out how to fit in with the new kids, she's run in to the one person she thought she'd never see again. The one boy who captured a part of her heart when she was just a little girl, only to have him disappear without a word. Funny that her memories are good ones, because he sure seems to hate her the moment he sees her.

Anton isn't exactly the son the boss, he's the nephew. But that doesn't seem to make a huge difference when it comes to La Familia. Family is family and he's basically his cousin's second hand man. Growing up in La Familia, he's had his fair share of having to grow up. But running in to the one person he's hated for years wasn't something he thought would happen. Especially not at his school. Getting rid of her isn't exactly easy and now that he's paying attention to her, she's not so bad...right? But...

The build up in this story was great. I loved how we got to build in to not only their current relationship, but their past as well. I'm not a huge fan of cliffhangers but this one has an epic one. One that I'm already chomping at the bit to get my hands on. Wow!!!! Oh man, I hope I don't have to wait too long for the next one...

[Lindsey Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oof.

Welcome to The Academy.

Anton and Elena... HOT DAMN!!

This book is amazing! Light on the bully and heavy on the mafia, this book was so addictive!
This couple were childhood friends but no one knows. And when we get to the present day, we find out just how much their feelings run deep whilst trying to appear unaffected on the outside.

I devoured the pages.
MORE PLEASE!!

Five delicious, dangerous and devilish stars!

[✨✨ Claire✨✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I was coming close to finishing this book, I was very disappointed and was only going to award between 1 and a half to two stars. The ending saved it, and gained it an extra star.

This is I think better suited to the higher end of the YA audience. There was minimum fighting and strong language, with no sex scenes and barely any romance.
The story flowed however it lacked substance.
The main FMC, Elena, wins a scholarship to a hoity toity school called The Academy. (No idea how or why). We assume she is in someway connected to a mafia syndicate but it isn't clear who or why.

What is refreshing is the lack of harsh bullying. Yes there is a mean girl but she only picks on Elena a few times as she blames her for our MMC, Anton, losing interest in her. When it becomes clear it wasn't her fault, she was left alone. It was refreshing to not have money and the divide it can cause not being an issue here.

Anton, we know a little more about, with him being in la Famiglia. His uncle Luca is the boss and his cousin is next in line to be boss. There are just a few instances to do with mafia jobs with some fights and strong language but nothing overtly terrible.

My main issue I think, is I really just didn't know what was really going on! We were told that Anton and Elena had crossed paths as kids and stopped. Then she suddenly starts at the school with a scholarship that we don't know from where or how and anton is angry and considering their connections can't get rid of her.

They do seem to have a connection but I'm not sure if it's a good one or strong enough. I liked matteo and when elena discovers dancing I would have loved something to have happened there as he seemed nice!

At the cliffhanger we're not sure how it's going to go and it's purely for that reason I'll be picking it up. Whether I'll stay invested in the story after that....I'm not sure!

I'm sorry I couldn't give more stars for the review this time!!!

I received a copy of the ebook in return for an honest review

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh am I in trouble! I read the blurb for this book and this new to me author! This is the genre/trope, I love to read!

This addition made my heart beat fast!

I was drawn into Elena and Anton's story! What the heck happened to these two secret friends?

I cannot wait for more, and oh, BTW, I now have to go back and read the other books in the series!

Happy Days!!!!

[Books, Pjs, · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!!
I absolutely loved Heather's latest book, I just could not get enough!
I'm a sucker for a bit of high school bullying and loved the mafia side of it too 😍
I love Elena and Anton and was on the edge of my seat throughout it all!
That ending though has left me craving more 😬
You're cruel woman 😂
Can not wait to read the next book, I know I'm going to absolutely love it!
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

[Fay (Funkybooklover78) Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I just say Bravo Heather,
La Famiglia sucked me in from the first page..

If you like your stories with a dash of academy light bully and a side of mafia , your gonna love this.

LF is book one of Anton’s and Elena’s story..
This starts off when she attends the prestigious Academy…
Anton and Elena were once childhood secret friends, meeting in the park across from Elena’s home. One day he just stops coming.
Fast forward to now and she’s the new kid…attending his academy .

On sight he hates her…
But he can’t seem to stay away.
Secrets are revealed and so much hurt lingers between them both.

Gah I loved every second of this book, but that ending 😲

Guys you are in for a treat ..

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I seriously can't get enough of this couple . Both characters , Anton and Elena ,appeared in the book before this , called Amore, but La Famiglia is the start of their own explosive story.

Anton's life is full on , family is everything, that was taught from birth , you fight to protect them , & what is yours , but the family had enemies, enemies that will change Anton's life .

The life that Elena knows changes over night . She doesn't understand what happened, she just knows that her father is no longer with them , & her mother is no longer the loving mother she remembers.
Plus the boy she thought was her friend , is now her enemy .

This is such a brilliant read . 100% must read

[Liz (LoverOfBooks80) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy wow! What a Read.

I was engrossed from the beginning and totally sucked in! This grabbed me in, chewed me around and spat me out at the end - cause wow that ending! I need MORE!

I loved the secrets, the build up, the angst, the drama the pull they have too each other!

Such a brilliant read x

[syn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Overall, disappointing. This book was all over the place- disjointed and boring. Both the FMC and the love interest were bland and uninteresting. I can't recall whether I even finished it (but obviously if I did it didn't leave much of an impact on me). It's a no from me.

[Sillyb00k · Rating 2 out of 5]

nothing much happends in this one. i was expecting a lot more.

[Tiffany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book was slow moving. The angst was difficult to believe. Having a hard time convincing myself to read the 2nd book.

[Gin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mysterious, sexy, and emotional. The story starts out with the mystery of Elena’a acceptance to the exclusive academy with all the rich mafia teens. She’s the lone scholarship student and even though Elena is Italian it’s unclear if she’s mafia like her school mates. Another mystery is the end of her childhood relationship with one of the guys she goes to school with. Anton knows what happened but keeps it a secret until the end of the story and it’s quite a twist. It’s obvious Elena and Anton still have a connection even though he seems to hate her most of the time. It’s a friends to enemies to maybe lovers story with dark undertones as Elena navigates her new reality while dealing with her sad home life. I liked this group of teens and the dangerous mafia element. Anton best friend and cousin Carlos is the Don-in-waiting to take over from his father. It looks like Anton will be his second in command and their friends are backup. The story started out with the mafia intrigue, the teens becoming acquainted and the budding romance between Elena and Anton. It was a little slow for me and it took the whole book to reveal the reason for Anton’s hate. It’s a doozy and Anton’s response to telling Elena left a cliffhanger with their relationship up in the air. There’s a sweet secondary romance between Elena’s bestie Bria and Anton’s bestie Tino. This is my first read by this author and I liked her writing and storytelling. There were a few scenes with dangerous mafia action. Not a lot of romance just the old feelings and new lust between Elena and Anton. It’s teens so it has some dirty talking, hormonal antics typically with this age group especially since these kids don’t hear no often and they’re grown beyond their years. I look forward to the next installment. Worth the read!

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

You will be taken on a roller coaster ride with this mafia romance! There is mystery, romance, light bullying, slow burn, the list goes on. Elena and Anton meet when they are about 9 years old. His uncle and her Grandma meet up in a park to talk every so often, though we don't know about what, and Elena and Anton hang out in the treehouse in the park until they are done. This goes on for a bit, until one day, Anton and his uncle stop coming around and Elena is left wondering what happened to her friend.
 
Fast forward some years and Elena gets a scholarship to a school with a bunch of rich kids and runs into Anton there. He hates her and she has no reason why since she hasn’t seen or even spoken to him, since they were kids in the park. We do know that he blames her family for something that happened in his family. And even though he hates her, he is drawn to her. They have an undeniable chemistry, no matter how much either of them try to fight it. I love this story because Elena is not alone and left to be bullied by the guy she thought of as a friend. She finds great friendships and Bria and even Tia, Anton’s cousin.
 
Eventually, secrets are revealed and we are left with one hell of a cliffhanger!! But when the dust settles, will either of them be able to move forward? Dive into The Fated Series volume 2, to find out!! I just love Elena and Anton and can't wait to see where their story goes!!

Happy Reading!!

[Joy Avery Lovesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐
     La Famiglia stoked a fire in me that needed answers. This is my first book by this author and she definitely has me intrigued. This is a bully romance with a side of the mafia and adds in friends to enemies to lovers but without actually making it to lovers. With all those tropes, the angst was high and fed my addiction nicely. 
     When Anton and Elena were little, they used to meet at the park until one day he stopped coming. Years later, Elena wins a scholarship to The Academy. This is a school that mostly the wealthy attend including the mafia. Anton hates Elena on site and she doesn't understand why but their chemistry burns bright whether he wants it to or not. 
     This book is nowhere near as dark as most books within these tropes. It also reads more for youths because there aren't any sexy times and my adult self really needs that which is the only reason I didn't give five stars. It ends in a whopping cliffhanger so be prepared. I am so curious how the author will finish their story. I need answers. This is my honest opinion, freely given. 

[Angels · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a brand-new author for us, and we have to say we really enjoyed our first read by them. Loved the character, both good and bad. Anon acted like a bully most of the time, but, he had his moments where he could at least be civil.

Elena was our favorite character, she was just a sweetheart with a bit of fire and sass. For a girl with such a hard life, she remained strong and determined.Bria was Elena's savior, and we loved that she had someone in her corner until Tia came along.

No matter how much of a douche Anton was to Elena, there was always this underlying chemistry, and we loved that made things interesting and what is more they have a history. No child should have to pay for the sins of their parents.


Overall, this was a quite enjoyable read. A twist in this mafia world /La Famiglia, where the children in the Academy are already being groomed to take over key positions at such a young age. We couldn't put the book down, loved the characters, they were all so engaging.

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 4th in this phenomenal series, and this is Anton and Elena’s story. These two were childhood friends who met in secret, until one day Anton disappears. Now Elena is the newest scholarship recipient at a prestigious academy, and she cross’ paths with Anton, who she though she would never see again, but he hates her now. Anton grew up in the La Famiglia and was brought up believing family is family, and he is now a second-hand man to his cousin. Anton has hated Elena for years, and the last place he expects her to turn up at is the academy. But he cannot help but be attracted to her. This is a well written story which is an emotional roller coaster, and with secrets, twists, enemies, and is a riveting page turner, which had me on tenterhooks throughout. After that epic cliffhanger, I cannot wait to read the next book in this series, and I highly recommend this talented author work.

[Michelle Schwartz Engaging Secrets · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talk about a roller coaster ride of emotions! La Famiglia is book 5 in the Fated series, although you wouldn’t know it if you started here. This is my first book by H.L. Packer and it flowed as if it was book 1 in the series. Very well written and you can tell that she did her research while writing this book. Real situations, real characters and amazing back stories.

Anton has an intense hatred for Elena and she can’t figure out why. They were childhood friends until he disappeared and he no longer considered them friends. A scholarship landed Elena at the Academy and not coming from money, she feels so out of place. Thank God for Bria who she made quick friends and protector with. Anton wants her gone, but there is nothing he can do about it, but grin and bear it. The story unfolds and keeps you on edge, until that final cliffhanger. Ugh!!!! At least we have something to look forward to. Book 6, The Ties That Bind, comes to us early next year. Happy reading!!

[Owella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by H.L Packer and I really enjoyed it!

Elena has just gotten a scholarship to a prestigious academy. Anton is part of La Famiglia and is surprised when Elena turns up at his school. They know each other from childhood and were friends until suddenly one day he stopped turning up. Elena doesn't know why he stopped but has never stopped thinking about him.

This is a light bully romance with a side of mafia. I struggled to put the book down, I loved Anton and Elena's journey and I am excited to see where it takes us in the next book! I loved Bria, Elena's BFF, and Tia who took Elena under their wing. I know Tia has got a book in the first volume so I'll be going back reading that when I'm done with volume 2 😊.

This book ends on a cliffhanger but the next book is out so I'm diving in!!

[whatemsreadingx · Rating 1 out of 5]

I waited as long as possible to write this review because I was so fuming after I finished reading it that I didn't want to sound too pissed off...

I wasted my time reading this book, like yes give us an entire book, keep us hanging on thinking the next chapter will reveal everything, get us invested in Anton and Elena (more on that in a sec) and then give us absolutely bloody NOTHING.

The ending??? Genuinely one of the most annyoing endings ever, up there with the ending of the tv show Dexter...

It was ovbs from the start that Anton and Elena were going to have the hots for each other, and I feel like that was played on a bit too much seeing as we got nothing from it, it felt like we were the ones being lead on.

I really expected more from this and I'm super disappointed.

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

Oh my lord this book from start to finish had me flipping pages as I was glued to the pages as the story unfolded oh man what an intense story, but then I wouldn't expect anything less from a mafia story and this is just Bk1. This is my first book from this arthur and yeh now I'm hooked.
I'm not going to give things away, but know that things are in play in this story that'll have you questioning what's happening next, who's crossing who, but holey moley that ending😱 I did not see that coming. I had my own theories, but nope I wasn't expecting that. Ugh now I have to wait for Bk2.

[Beyond The Covers Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elena and Anton were once childhood friends who would meet at a park occasionally. Two lost and broken children who understood one another and the pain until one day Anton just stopped showing up. Elena was so heartbroken and alone.
Years later Elena attends an academy for the elite beknowst to her the same academy as Anton. He is not happy. He hates her! It's her fault!
Friends to enemies to friends to enemies again?
An explosive cliffy? Can't wait for next installment!!

[Laura Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg! I need book 2 like now! I love a good cliff hanger and that ending certainly left me hanging!

This is my first book by H L Packer and I thought it was brilliant. Anton and Elena’s story is certainly one that will keep you in suspense the whole way through. They are both from different backgrounds yet they are drawn to each other. I absolutely adored Elena’s best friends Bria! She is a fantastic part of the story!

A definite well deserved 5 star read.

[Joyffree · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not what I was expecting -
It read more like an upper YA
Well written - Solid characters that make sense and provide substance to the tone
This was a slow build or maybe a slow reveal is a better descriptor?
The tension is there between our two MC's from the opening scene in which they cross paths
The history between them is exposed via flashbacks throughout the story
Light on the bullying, more a single mean girl who doesn't truly push the envelope
A bit of normal teenage emotional angst

It was a sweet read with a cliffhanger that could go either direction

This is part of a series I guess though honestly no problem reading as a standalone

[Book Lovers Hangout · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first read by H.L. Packer, but I was not lost at all. I enjoyed every minute of reading this story. It pulled me in from page one and did not let up until I finished. It is steamy and angsty. It is suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat. I will definitely be looking for more stories from this author and I can't wait to read more of this series!

[Kelly Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved reading this book. I loved the anger, drama and suspense. I loved the bullying and the romance between the main characters. I couldn't get enough of this book it was really hard to put down. The author really knows how to write to keep u hooked till the very last page.

[Amy Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 1 of the series.
So irritatingly frustrating but so addictive.
The slow pace can be frustrating but the wait was so worth it. Kept me guessing the whole way. The connections between different characters were diverse in every aspect.
The ending was played out perfectly.

[Romaine Heart · Rating 4 out of 5]

See full review of Beyond the Covers Blog here on Goodreads and check us out on Facebook.
http://beyondthecoversblog.blogspot.com

[Ava Boyle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Throughout the book I was piecing together a well thought out review, but after the ending all I can say is wtf - and not in a good way.

[Kristina Simkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anton and Elena take us a wild and emotional roller coaster ride in La Famiglia - the beginning of their story. They were childhood friends but a truth tore them apart. Now back in each other’s present he hates her and she doesn’t know why and when she finds out the truth it changes everything she thought she knew. These two are explosive together with their undeniable chemistry and a past that causes nothing put heartache. And the cliffhanger left me reeling. I can’t wait for the next installment in Anton and Elena’s story.