Malice. Mafia Tom 1

Malice Mafia #1

by Coralee June

Malice. Mafia Tom 1

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Romance, Why Choose, Mafia Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary

334 pages, Paperback

First published May 6, 2021

About the author

Author Coralee June has always been passionate about storytelling and impressed by the influence it has on people and the decisions they make in life. She loves engaging with the projects she works on, diving headfirst into developing real, raw, and relatable characters that are equally flawed and beautiful. Coralee lives in Dallas, Tx with her husband and two daughters. She's been known to frequently indulge in boxed red wine and day-old pizza. When she's not writing, June is reading or substitute teaching at the local middle school.

Reviews

[Crystal (Crystalreads2) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

I am very much conflicted with this review. I was very excited about this book and all the hype surrounding it, It has tremendous potential, and I like the storyline. It has my name written all over it. However, it just fell flat, so here goes my unpopular opinion.

What I liked about this Malice is the connection between two friends, both dealing with grief that brought them together with an unconventional friendship. Juliet is a strong young woman, and I love her character growth and development. I didn’t like Vicky from the beginning, and as you may have felt sorry for her, I thought she was selfish and would do anything to get what she wanted. After an event went wrong enters Vicky’s Brothers Nicolas, aka Malice, William, and Anthony. All toured souls in one way or another. All handsome, and at first, you may hate Or love them.

Here is my concern, I was bored most of the book. It dragged in several parts of the book. I didn’t feel like the author wrote with many emotions and felt she took a step back in her writing. The brothers are supposed to be complex characters, especially Malice, and I didn’t feel it. At times the writing seemed choppy. Don’t get me wrong, some parts are good, just not fantastic, and I know I have read better books from the author. Also, I would have loved to read the brother's POV. Ninety-nine percent of the book is written in Juliet's POV.

For some, Malice is probably black or pitch black. I love my books dark. The darker, the better, so for me, it is Gray on my dark scale. Overall I liked the storyline and The female protagonist development. Don’t let my review discourage you. You could love this book and be your five-star.

[Kursed Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malice is a dark mafia romance with a diverse and interesting cast of characters.

While working at Dick’s Diner, Juliet unwittingly befriended the Kansas City mafia boss’ little sister, Vicky. As Malice is in the midst of an internal investigation to find a rat within the organization, when he discovers the unauthorized relationship, Juliet is caught in the crossfire.

"Does that even matter? If you want to live, I’m your family. I’m your law. I’m your everything."

As she navigates this foreign world, she becomes submerged in the family’s business and in Malice’s life as well as that of his two brothers, William and Anthony. As feelings grow, tempers flare, moves are made, lines are drawn.

This newfound place among the Civella family doesn’t sit well with Vicky, creating animosity between them. This division went sideways a little quicker than I would have preferred. Having some additional on-page interaction chronicling the build-up would have made the ensuing events a bit more realistic.

Overall, I loved it. All of it! Beyond the nonstop action, hot-as-hell scenes, and well-paced character growth, there are a number of perfectly peppered laugh-out-loud moments! Malice has so many elements I crave wrapped up in one deliciously dark story.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
Heat: 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

🗂 Genre: Dark Romance

✨ Tropes: Mafia, Reverse Harem, Kidnapping/Captive

⛔️ Warning: This book/series may cause blushing, squirming, combusting panties, and/or self-care. It’s definitely NSFW or with a kiddo by your side. In fact, I would highly recommend you read this one after dark to avoid side eye or awkward conversations.

⚠️ Safety Squad: Violence, Mild Blood/Knife Play

📣 Malice is the first book in the Malice Mafia series.

[Melanie (mells_view) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Welcome to the family, Juliet. There are perks for selling your soul to the Devil.

A mafia RH. I don’t think that this was a BAD read, I just didn’t really connect that well with the characters. Like am I crazy, how can I connect to mafia brothers and the woman they love, yes, I realize that sounds silly, but if you’re a reader then you know what I mean. All that said I read every single page of this book, and as much as I didn’t connect I was still perplexed by so many of the things that happened.

Like Anthony, sweet anything. I don’t even know what to say there lmao. He inspired some wild convos with friends, and yeah. Ok anyway. If you want a mafia RH that really doesn’t hold back on some of the kink and gore, then you will enjoy this story!

[Miftahul · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wth, like what did i just read. Ok let me just tell that the last 70% was horrible but 90% was just let me put bleach in my brain to forget what i read. Literally what the hell is this. This is supposed to be a standalone? A dark rh? 😶 gurl....i would rather read that book..that one * sprinkles holy water before taking the name* den of vipers * sprinkles holy water again, god protect me* 100 times then think or even read this book. I- like..i. What the actual hell. * takes a deep breath* ok so first of all, what the hell. Let me just start with the heroine, what the hell. I know i am repeating wth but i am just like...what the hell. Seriously. No ok yeah the heroine Juliet..what the hell...ugh ok ok, so this freaking idiot just ruined her friendship with Vicky, the girl who was always there for her, for her 3 brothers whom she barely knows. What the hell. Like Vicky did some stupid shit at the end but i felt so bad for her cuz she lost her parents, her brothers hate her, and her bff betrayed her. Vicky literally did everything to protect Juliet from her “mafia” brothers but Juliet was such a bitch to her, she literally used Vicky. I couldnt connect with Juliet’s characters, she was strong but what the hell. She has no personality, at first she is scared of the 3 bros and then suddenly she is killing ppl, then again she says she hates it and cant kill ppl and then suddenly she is happy with her life in the mafia... like girl do u hate the killing and fucked up shit or not? It was like she has split personality disorder even tho she didnt and that alone was annoying af. I say she ruined Vicky’s relationship with her brothers even tho they hated her but Anthony is the one who loved Vicky but he chose Juliet over her. Vicky was always there for Anthony and Juliet both but they both hurt her. I felt so bad for this girl. Anthony is crazy but i didnt feel any connection or chemistry between him and Juliet, they were better as friends cuz the story focused more on Nick aka Malice. William one being in her harem was in the background, i almost forget he existed. The rh concept of this book was so forced and the whole romance was rushed up af. One moment Malice is ignoring Juliet and then the next day he is declaring his love. Like actually, what the hell. 74% was so fucking rushed. Again, I felt like Juliet was a greedy idiot who is so into crimes that she thinks she has personality disorder ( she doesnt). She is an idiot.

The brothers hate each other and the excuse for hating is not that reasonable it’s just stupid like juliet. I dont have a problem with them hating each other but there was no connection between them. There was no connection between any of the characters or chemistry, it was so dull, mostly cuz William is like a background tree, Anthony loves his dead bodies more then Juliet, Malice likes controlling ppl more than his siblings and Juleit, Juliet is an idiot who betrayed her bff for dudes she barely know and claimed to hate. Yeah she literally says she hates them but then they are fucking and she loves them, then she says she hates their world but then she is saying she is like them. MAKE UP UR MIND! Even Hale the creepy pervert had more personality than all of these characters, like at least i know he is a rat who has a weird fetish, but these main characters are so confusing. The only good character was Vicky, her brothers did bad to her seriously especially Anthony even tho Vicky was the one who loved him the most but at the end they all chose Juliet the idiot. Ugh. What the hell!

Me saying what the hell is annoying right?... yeah i felt same about the book... i want ppl to get annoyed for a sec so i dont feel alone.

[Sonya ♕Chatterbooks book blog♕ · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know when you open the first page of a book and you immediately get the feeling that it's going to be a good one? That’s how I felt ten times over!!! I was giddy, nervous and I had this level of excitement over a story that in all honesty, I’m not really a fan of. Malice exceeded my expectations when it came to the portrayal, the setting and the taboo aspect of the story. This was a dark,cunning, seductive ride and I’m so glad that I was on board for this journey.

Life has not been easy for the past few years for Juliet. Taking care of her grandmother and working herself to the bone as a waitress while trying to figure out her future plans, has taken a toll on her. But she has a bright spot and that’s having a best friend who’s always there for her. Despite the secret friendship and limited quality time, Juliet wouldn't trade that bond for anything in the world but little does she know that very same friendship is going to thrust her into a dark criminal world where survival is your only hope.



I don't want to go too much into detail with this story but I will say that I enjoyed all of the characters. It was so hard to choose which one was my favorite but I quickly realized that they all were! Everyone brought something different and that is what I loved most about it. If I wanted a little bit of humor, I looked to one person. If I wanted to skirt around with danger, someone else would be there. And if I wanted to see a true fire blazing passion, then my goodness I was getting it and then some!!



This story was brutal at times and so dark that I wondered if I needed to have my head checked out but you know what? I loved it and I regret nothing. The darkness, the humor, the passion is what makes this story worth reading. If you love forbidden and dark romance, then this one's for you.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review -
4.5 darkest desire and sin stars!!

𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐩. 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬. 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬. Be still my little wicked 🖤 heart 🖤

This book HAD IT ALL!! It was so dark, so twisted, so depraved, so gritty… Also funny and oh so sexy as well. It was everything you have come to love in Coralee June books! I couldn’t put it down! It had a bit of a Bullets feel to me, which I loved! I knew from page one that I was a goner. Such an intense ride!! Not for the faint of heart though for sure.

There was so much depth to each and every character in this book. You felt the fear, anguish, heartbreak, love, desire, anger, brokenness.. Your mind and heart will have a emotional rollercoaster!! Juliet and the Civella brothers were pure fire!! They were each strong in their own ways, but together - they took sinful to an entire different level. I can't decide which brother did me in more. Can't I just have all 3?!

I don’t want to go into much of the story and ruin it for you because you need to read this one for yourself. If you are into RH reads, hot alphas, mafia and just pure darkness… You want to snag this one up! Don’t wait!! Get your little black heart ready!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a fan of the Madison Kate series or the Hades series by Tate James, you have to pick this book up. The heroine finds herself thrown into this mafia world with the three brothers of her close friend. One is the head of the mafia, one is super overprotective, and one has a very traumatic past, so he is quite dark and damaged. This was so entertaining and I loved how the heroine started falling for all three brothers and had such different relationships with them. There was a lot of intrigue and suspense in this one too, which kept me reading and wanting to know more. After that ending, I'm really excited to continue on in the series and get to book two next!

[currently being delulu · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another tik tok rec gone wrong



I’m sorry but Juliet has to be the dumbest bitch I have ever read



Really thought this was going to be maybe a two star read

But I just can’t the writing was so bad like the cringe was real here


I was promised a sexy reverse harmed and this was some of the most awkward sex scenes like I can’t


I felt like this was written by a 13 year old on wattpad



Your telling me this malice dude is supposed to be big and feared and the be all and end all?


But he can’t figure out that one if his body guards is a rat?



Uh huh sure.

[The Romantic Rush Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, twisted, and deliciously depraved, Malice is Coralee June’s most evocative and wickedly consuming work to date. As savage as it is seductive, this is a story that hooks you from start to finish and sticks with you long after you’ve turned the final page.

Fans by now should know to expect the unexpected when it comes to CLJ’s storytelling-this is not an author that conforms, plays to cliches, or rehashes tried and true trope contrivances. CLJ is a rule breaker- she subverts and deconstructs common themes and tropes and rearranges them into the beautiful masterpieces, into something reborn, all with the ease and gusto of a delightfully mad scientist. And Malice is perhaps the best articulation of her artistic point of view- nothing about this book is what you expect. Nothing is conventional. The harem, the villain, the character arcs, even the plot construction and narrative structure- all beat to the brilliant drum of Coralee June, and that drum alone.

There’s not much I can say about the content of this story without spoiling it- it’s meant to be jaring, shocking and unsettling- and going in as blind as you can will ensure you experience this world right alongside our heroine. Even speaking about the characters themselves could spoil the unique and interesting facets of their dynamics- so I’ll be as vague as possible. But, know this- this is definitely Cora’s most dark and depraved story yet. Cora isn’t just dabbling her toe in the dark, she’s basically somersaulted off the high dive straight into the darkest depths and is now gleefully doing the backstroke though degenerate and debauched waters. And I am here for all the wickedness! A few images I may never forget- not only because of Cora's gutsy and unapologetic dark prose but also because of my own conflicted and debauched response, finding myself both chuckling and swooning at some of this book’s most haunting moments. Such is the charm of Coralee June.

The heart of this story, though, is an emotional character journey. Sure, we have some mafia intrigue, ample steam and plenty of violence, but the life’s blood of Malice (and Cora’s story telling in general) comes down to emotional growth and acceptance. The story of a lost, detached, and broken girl who finds herself at the mercy of three men who share blood and legacy, and an interest in parts of her. And Cora really leans into the emotional explorations, giving us a story that is more psychological than anything- a story that is meta and emotive and meant to be FELT above all else.

What I love most about Malice’s characters are that they share one core central tenet- BAGGAGE. These are all characters who are broken in some way- in some cases from pain and trauma, in other cases with intentionality- but each has emotional, invisible scars that manifest in different ways as they cope within their dark lifestyle. We have our book’s namesake, Nick- a dark, twisted, emotionless man whose only vulnerability is his focus on protecting his family, as toxic as they may be. He expresses his baggage in control- the ways in which he manipulates and ruthlessly annihilates any obstacles. We have the observant and more refined William, the classic middle brother with a chip on his shoulder over being the back-up leader. He weaponizes his mystery and his subtle defiance to handle his anger, just a manifestation of his longing. And then we have the scene-stealing and entirely unhinged Anthony- the baby brother with perhaps the most complicated scars, but somehow the most emotionally available. He copes by finding connection in ways we might not understand- but ways that keep him safe emotionally. He’s the most demented, but the sweetest, too. And, of course, we have our heroine Juliet- the girl so desperate for connection she’ll take it in it’s most bare form- a girl just desperate enough to lean into some twisted dynamics just to feel wanted. To feel chosen. I loved watching all of their baggage collide- and collide it does. Their relationships are messy, turbulent and chaotic, and confusing. Those collisions and emotional tension comprise the central and most compelling part of this story- and make for a dynamic and unforgettable read. While facing down other dangers, these broken souls have to confront the real villain- facing their own CRAP. And then we see them start to break more, before they are reconstructed anew. More open, more aware, and more whole- individually annd as a family. We get to watch three men find peace with themselves all because of the love they have for a girl, and we get to watch our heroine finally find herself- and embrace the parts of herself she’s repressed, not only her darkness, but her strength, her vulnerability, and her pain. She faces down the largest of her demons, and in doing so she conquers not only these three powerfully dark and depraved men, but she also frees herself.

The harem is NOT the usual one- and that is why I love this story. The power dynamics are not equal, the relationships each vastly different between Juliet and her men. And while we have some other external fodder, this story is really about the evolution of this harem. HOw these characters confront themselves and each other- figure out how to live with themselves first so they can live with each other. Cora so brilliantly helps Juliet find herself by giving her men that represent VERY divergent parts of her personality. In discovering them, she discovers herself, but to choose between them would also be closing herself off to parts of her and her different needs. Each relationship is constructed and developed differently, each one playing to different needs. And that is real- and exactly the spirit of this book. The dark, depraved, and turbulent tone is mimicked in the relational chemistry of the harem- it’s complicated, visceral and volatile , and oh so deliciously interesting.

And, like everything else about Malice, our story unwinds in a climax both unexpected and unusual. But a conclusion befitting the true heart and soul of these characters- of this story. Even in the darkest of dark, Cora finds a way to unleash the full breadth of humanity, to explore the complexities of the human heart and mind- even if here the hearts and minds are perhaps irreparable broken. Turns out, sometimes to face your damage all you need is for someone else to see it and accept it, too. And that is the beauty in the dark.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

***AVAILABLE NOW***

3 STARS

This one fell short for me, and I’m not sure if it is because I had it hyped up in my own head or not but it just lost steam.

I was really loving the first chunk of the book. The characters, particularly Malice and Anthony were intriguing. Their characters drew me in and I understood the attraction of Juliet to them and even William at the beginning. William, though, fell flat for me as the story went on. I understand that these men appealed to a part of her, but he just came across as too weak, especially for a high ranking mafia official.

I feel like that was ultimately the problem. Three mafia men sharing, all brothers. Anthony made sense for his background, but William never did and the boundaries set up for the RH group just didn’t feel right to me. Now, I’m not an RH expert, but the ones I’ve read had natural flow and boundaries and they were a group and unit who need each other to survive. This wasn’t that. I honestly would have loved this book more if it was just Anthony and Malice or devoured it from cover to cover if it was just Malice. The dynamics of the group were just off for me, ultimately.

There was also a considerable lack of steam and violence for me. With a RH and dark romance book, I expected more. It was pretty low steam all around. Malice & Juliet had the best moments. The dark part was pretty low for me too. It all was quick shots of steam and violence, over too fast and not enough. It had mafia level violence, not dark romance violence.

The plot was not super developed for the length of story. It needed a lot more details and more development overall. I loved the plot and the pieces that were present. I thought it had great potential, danger, revenge plots, and more. Because there needed to be established relationships with all the couples and the plot and the heroine’s background, it all just felt surface level.

I’m really sad about this one. It had such great potential. I didn’t hate it. I really loved parts of it and was enthralled by two of the three heroes and even Juliet as she came to terms with the darkness inside of her. It just ultimately fell short of my expectations.

Will I read this author again? Absolutely.

[NiCoLeTa E. {Addicted To Books} · Rating 4 out of 5]

***4,25 "Little fighter!!!" stars***

NOW AVAILABLE!!!



"If you want to live...
I'm your family. I'm your law. I'm your everything."

I'm impressed by the world that Coralee June had created in here!!!
It was dark, it was raw and sinister... Full of blood, darkness and death... But with so much passion in it!!!
I have read RH before, but to be totally honest, they are not always working on my favor. I'm too sentimental for this kind of things, but in a strange way, The Civella brothers made me rethink it!!!
This was a story with so many condradictions, but in a way, it was working just fine for me and I was sooo intrigued by the characters and the storyline...

"What was wrong with me? Why was I so drawn to these dangerous men?"

Juliet is not living under the best circumstances. The disappearance of her mother six years ago had left open bleeding wounds inside of her and taking care of her sick grandmother is her only goal.
The only ray of light in her life is her best friend, Vicky. A mafia princess who has put some rules between them in order to keep her protected from her bloody world.
1. Don't ask any personal questions.
2. Don't show up at my house unannounced.
3. Don't ever, ever let anyone know you're friends.
And Juliet had followed all of these rulesnfor three long years, until one fateful night that everything is about to change...

"Welcome to the family, Juliet. There are perks for selling your soul to the devil."

Unexpectendly, she is getting pulled into mafia world and she has to prove her worth to them in a bloody way... Now, she is forced into Vicky's world and she is surrounded by her three brothers.
Three different men between them who are holding all the power over her heart and mind.
Is it impossible to resist to these men and to the darkness that they are pulling out of her???
Is there a hope for her to save her friendship with Vicky??? Or is she about to shackle her life with three monsters???

"He delivered the kiss of death to the last bit of good left inside of me, and I wanted more."

Honestly, this book was crazy from time to time. It was raw and savage and my heart was pounding wildly inside my chest... The mafia world seemed glamorous, but it was anything but that...
And poor Juliet was in the middle of everything with no knowledge of how to handle things...
These three men were getting under her skin, each one of them for different reasons...
I won't deny that Juliet had to do questionable things, but for a reason, I liked her spirit and her witty personality.

"I found pieces of myself within each unique relationship.
Anthony brought out my vulnerable side...
William was my complex analytical side...
And Malice, dark, dangerous Malice. He brought out my inner destructiveness, my power, my deepest, darkest curiosites."

As for the Civella Brothers??? They were all of them perfectly imperfect...
Usually, it's not hard for me to choose one male character that i adore the most, but in here I was having serious problem, cause each one of them was giving something different...
Anthony was the lost soul who was too weird, but who had the ability to make you laugh at the most awkward times.
William was the silent one with ther passionate fire in his eyes. He was the one who would meet every single need of yours and make it happen.
As for Nicholas aka Malice??? I wasn't always a fan of him, but he was raw, unapologetic, magnetic and passionate. He was the most dangerous of the three and he could make your pants catch fire if you were on close proximity...
I just love all three!!! LOL!

"I don't share. I let them have pieces of your dirty, damaged soul but I get your heart."

This was a unique and crazy reverse harem story... It was unexpectedly good and I'm glad that I decided to take a chance on this book!!!
I loved the plot, even though in times was giving me the creeps... And I loved the heroine and her boys... They were unique and unforgettable characters...
I just feel that I needed something more for the end. It left me a little bit unsatisfied!!!
But except that, it was a very good story!!!

"I never wanted this life for you."
"Guess it's too late."

**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**

[Jenny - TotallybookedBlog · Rating 3 out of 5]

“When you cry, is it because you genuinely feel a sense of sorrow? Or do you cry because you feel like you’re supposed to, because the world watches how you respond and you don’t want anyone to know how much of a monster you really are?”

Malice is the first book we’ve read by Author Coralee June. Malice was intense, dark, twisted, hot and violent. Organised crime, vengeance, love and lust, Malice had it all, with Juliet right slam bang in the middle. It was quite the mindf*ck, literally.

“I tried to keep you out of this world. But now that you’re here, I’m going to claim every last inch of you. I have spent the last three years eavesdropping on your soul. Next, I’ll learn your body.”

Whilst we enjoyed Malice, we did have SO many questions after finishing, there were a few lose ends. The story seemed to progress too quickly, and we didn’t really feel we ever reached a great character and story depth. So, whilst we liked it, we didn’t quite love it. It rather scratched the surface of each character without us experiencing the character progression which we love, as opposed to being told, as was the case in Malice. This affected our character connection sadly, and the brother aspect turned us off a bit. Despite these issues we will definitely pick up another book by this Author.

[D. BookAngel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Go read V's review, am too lazy to write my own when she said it all

[BookLover · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mafia Malace

This started off well but then it fell flat for me. Anthony was my favourite character with his messed up weirdness but I couldn’t connect with the other characters and I found the storyline disjointed. The relationship between the three brothers and Juliette was a slow burn but also odd.

The alpha brother, the brother who sort of wasn’t there and the funny weird brother. Juliette the waitress who got dragged into their Mafia world, her best friend and her grandma. A sex club, murder and a hunt for a rat in the organisation.

If you like Mafia, reverse harem and a bit of kink then you might like this. Just an okay for me.

[Abstract ♥ Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS





Star Rating : 4.5/5 Stars

POV : Single

Cliffhanger : None

Hero : Nickolas , Willian , Anthony

Heroine : Juliet

Pace of the story : Moderate

Angst Rating : 5/10

Heat Rating : 7/10

Triggers Involved : Dark Past , Trauma , Kidnapping , Torture scenes

Plot Summary :
Juliet has never had an easy life. Juggling between multiple jobs and caring for her grandmother, she is too busy to ever have something for herself. That is until she meets Vicky. The mafia princess becomes her best friend and they meet on Rare occasions with rules set in place. Vicky has a dangerous family. A family, who if knows about Juliet, will destroy her.

That is until one day a careless mistake makes her come face to face with Juliet's Brothers. The oldest one, Nickolas, is definitely the most deranged man she has ever met. Known as Malice, he definitely lives up to his name. To protect her grandma, she strikes a bargain with the devil, not knowing fully what the consequences will be. Now trapped between three brothers, one who wants to break her, one who cares for her and the last one who is too broken himself to ever save her , she doesn't know what to do anymore.

Overall Opinion :
OMG. This book gave me chills! Like it legit have me goosebumps. Specially all the scenes in which Malice made an appearance. I am not at all exaggerating when I say that Malice was Dark. He was a legit lunatic and sort of unhinged. I loved him for that though.

William was the sensible type brother. He has been watching Juliet for a long time and has always wanted her but now his brother has his sights on her.

Anthony was the broken one. The one who very few understood. He found solace in Juliet. She found Peace with him too. Maybe they both were broken.

I absolutely loved the storyline. The ending felt a bit rushed to me, but I still loved it nonetheless. The book had me going like - Wtf is happening? And that was the best part. I would definitely recommend this one to all the dark romance lovers out there!


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[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started with a bang and then it just went downhill for me.

This is a prime example of why I'm reluctant to read RH books. RH relationships should be equal, they're a unit and basically need each other to be whole. It clearly had one stand out here and he allowed the other 2 to play with his toy when he felt like it. And the lack of steam in this whole book was a let down. Let's be honest.

And what happened to Cora? Did she ride off into the sunset? Or we just make up our own ending for her character? Anyone?

This was lacking darkness, violence and steam.

Alot of ppl love this book and that's great for them. Unfortunately for me this was a big fat miss.

[Priskah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,0 ✨✨✨

(Audiobook)

[Varya · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good read. Sort of.
It was like a wave which has its high and low points. Let me elaborate.


What I loved :

1) It was well written. The writing style was quite impactful.

2) It took off with a great start. There was a bundle of emotions that created a high amount of intensity in the start while reading it! Especially chapter 3 and 4. I think those were my fav chapters from this book.

3) The curling iron scene!! I mean, dayummm Malice is insanely creative😈🔪

4) The individual characters- Malice was a fucking cruel, beautiful and depraved dream🔥 Just wow, the guy gave out all the alphahole signals ever made and then some. I loved him. Anthony was this lethally cute guy who you want to stay with and stay away from, simultaneously. And Juliet was such a quirky chick with her love for true crime, it was refreshing to read.

5) Malice- Just cuz he deserves another mention in the list of things I loved about this book.


What I didn't like:

1) Although this book started off really great, it fizzled off bit by bit and chapter by chapter. Even Juliet, Vicky and William started to look whiny and annoying. I enjoyed the story but if I look at it objectively, there also wasn't much of a plot in this book.

2) William- Talk about a let down. He was an immature, spineless person in a hot body. That's all. 😑

3) Individually, all the characters (except William ofc) were fun but there was no chemistry between them except for Juliet and Anthony. She was a trophy win for William and a fucktoy for Malice. She couldn't handle Malice tbh, she just thought she could.

4) This was an RH relationship and Malice's control over it didn't feel right. It was like the other two were puppies who would want whatever scraps of love, attention and sex, Malice and Juliet felt like bestowing upon them. I want an RH relationship to be equal. 😓

5) Juliet couldn't make up her mind about whether she was a "I am a badass murdering woman, hear me roar" girl or she was a non-psycho human who felt guilty after a killing someone and being okay with the dark parts of the Guys' life. It felt forced.

6) The climax wasn't satisfying... what with Vicky getting the upper hand (the whole Vicky angle at the end threw me off a lot, she was righteously justified in wanting to get away from all of them but hell, she could have just done it quietly) and no revenge scene with Cora.

[Duchess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hold the fuck up! Was this a stand-alone?!! Wait, where is the rest of the fucking story?! You have two individuals that deserve their veins ripped out of their bodies, their eyes squeezed just to know what sound they make if they pop out or ooze and their skin covered in boiling honey before being thrown in a pit with a starving bear. What the actual fuck!?

Outside of that huge fucking blank space that was left for us, the readers, this was an awesome read! The author had no goddamn hesitation in her writing. She created a non traditional world, filled with blood and some hot sex. Omg, the fucking blood. The imaginative murders, holy fucking shit! I only picked up this book cuz a fucking hot ass author mentioned this one and she was not wrong. Once you hit Chapter 3, you're not dropping this fucking book. It escalates and consumes your mind and tries to catch up to your imagination, only to realize this fucker has shattered it and left you notes. It's truly insane and bloody, I fucking loved it!!

Malice was fucking insane in his hunger to own the world, protect what's his and destroy his enemies. He was the perfect alphahole, he knew what the fuck he wanted and took, he did what the fuck he wanted and wiped the blood off, like it's nothing. I want Malice, he's fucking perfect. ANTHONY holy fucking shit, I don't know if I want to hug him, fuck him, help him bury a body, or run far the fuck away from him. This dude is insane, not Malice, insane, no, this dude is infuckinginsane! I loved every fucking word that came out of his mouth. I felt his pain, his fear, his anger and his loss. Goddammit, I loved Anthony. William, what a fucking turd. When you first meet him, he's a fucking dream, big, sexy and quiet and then he opens his mouth and he's a fucking toddler! What a pussified little shit! First off, when he finally started talking, I gotta say, it was fucking cringy and then his jealousy kicked in and I just couldn't with him. Fucking useless paperclip.

All in all, I enjoyed the book, some parts were super dramatic, not the sob story type, the fantastical type, but it somehow worked in this book. The FMC, Juliet, felt real. She was a fucking crime junkie, unafraid of her sexuality, hardworking, protective and perfect. How many times have I been so fucking mad at a FMC cuz she stupidly kept important shit to herself, or reacted like a fucking high school chick, who got dumped prom night but not before giving away her anal cherry?! Juliet was so much better.

[Neelakshi · Rating 2 out of 5]

W-what was this book?
No actually because i did not understand the plot.
This feels like...when you start a story and then something triggers another sub-story so you start telling people that and then something triggers ANOTHER sub-story and you start that and that goes on for a loop and suddenly the main story is forgotten.
Also i was promised a 'very dark and sexy reverse harem'
What was this?

ALSO a big big issue.
When writing a reverse harem it's so so important to have all the boys be different yes but still with the same pull.
A power imbalance in the harem pisses me the fuck off.
The way it had some awkward fucking sex scenes.
I HATE how Nicholas had an upper hand over a POLY dynamic.
I did not like how there was NO chemistry with William and Nicholas.
ZERO.
William was just given a turn to be with her out of pity and she was very much a notch in his belt and a prize to Nicholas.

The fact that this book is titled MALICE (a nickname of one of the men in the harem)
Why should we pick favourites based over who's got the more upper hand over the others.
Which shouldn't be there.
I want to pick favourites over who's the hottest not the one who owns the other boys.

The heroes in this book,
Anthony, Nicholas and William.

I'm crying real tears with their personalities because i KNOW the writer's favourite boy was NOT William 😭

Anthony
(my literal favourite)

"Anthony," I croaked. "What is that—"
"Shhh," he coaxed me. "Don't be loud. You'll wake them up."
"Who?"
Anthony swallowed and nodded to the floor. I looked down and choked on a scream. Disfigured bodies, swollen and in varying stages of decay, surrounded us.
"I sang them a lullaby while waiting for you to wake up," Anthony said while looking at them. "You'll get used to the smell."
"Anthony. Have you seen anyone?" I asked. "Or are we alone?"
"Well, that's rude. My friends are sitting right there, Juliet," he said with a snort. "Say hello to Hank, he's a little shy."

A whole psychopath who befriends the dead and calls them by their names.
He was abducted and put through a week of brutal torture which ended up with him hating physical contact.
He only trusted the dead because when he was beaten and bruised they would put him in a refrigerator with other dead bodies and the only way he could survive and find any heat was by laying under the dead bodies.
I'm so fucking impressed with the way his character was written.
I would recommend this book to people just for them to read Anthony.
The one reason i was sucked into this book was this man.
He had the MOST chemistry with the heroine in the book.
I almost wished this wasn't a reverse harem (can you believe I AM the one saying this?) and it was only Anthony and Juliet.


Nicholas (Malice)

The leader of the crew.
What he said was what happened.
He says and everyone nods their heads.
He saw their parents get murdered. He learnt early in life that people cannot be trusted and built himself up like a leader with a need to always protect his family.
I did not hate him.
He was actually a good character but malice is something i have read in multiple other books. I just didn't feel like he was someone different.
Also you're gonna sit and tell me he's the boss who's meant to be feared and all but he cannot find out his CLOSEST soldier is a rat sksksksk EMBARRASSING

William

He was done SO dirty.
SO fucking dirty
Like i actually feel pity because I'm sorry babes
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA
IM ACTUALLY LAUGHING
This man actually had a personality of a wet paper towel.
He was the spare.
He loved Juliet (the h) and did not want to share but he also did not fight for her and went with the orders.
William is the weakest link here.
Spineless and doormat


Now we talk about the heroine.

Juliet

Oh i liked this whore.
She was a WITTLE WITTLE lame but it's ok
She held her ground where it was needed and that's all i want.
Because the crown of being the lamest goes to William.
Also i wished she'd embrace the fact that she's a killer.
Go and drown in the dark side bestie.
The way she wanted to be this innocent human being with feelings but knew she wasnt it because she had a thing for killing.
Like babes it's ok to be a killer
We love them here.



I will shout it over the rooftops that Anthony owned this book.
Oh he HAD me in his palm.
ALSO
AHAHAHA
I loveee that the Anthony and Nicholas were actual little MENACES to Juliet
One of my top scenes of this book was


"We can be friends, and you’re welcome here anytime you want. But you can’t force me to go along with whatever you say. I’m not scared of you anymore," I lied.
Anthony huffed, Malice looked like he wanted to give me a reason to fear him. "Put her in the trunk," Anthony said in a bored tone.
"Wh-what?" Malice didn’t even stumble. He clicked his keys, and the trunk to his town car popped open. "I’m not getting in that fucking trunk." I eyed it. "There’s a tarp in it. Is this a body trunk? Hell no."
Malice picked me up and effortlessly tossed me into the trunk as if I were a sack of potatoes
Anthony blocked my view. Bending over, he stared at me with his head cocked to the side. "Sometimes, a little fear is good for the soul."
And then, he slammed the trunk shut.

Do you see why i loved Anthony best?
God if only the plot was something.

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

I like that this book can be read as a standalone. Although it leaves us with some unanswered questions, I'm not bothered about it.
If you love dark romance and aren't easily bothered by some gruesome scenes, it's the perfect read for you. Anyway, everyone should check out triggers before reading.
I love that every character has such different traits that make them special.

[❀ Crystal ✿ - PEACE ☮ LOVE ♥ BOOKS · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book crept up on me and before I knew it my squeamish indifference turned into a creeptastic obsession. Malice really was a dark, twisted and steamy read. This is not a normal hearts and flowers romance or a picture perfect RH relationships. Not all the characters are likable, in fact all are flawed in some way. The relationship is messy, raw and new territory for them all. Even being brothers does not make this easy on anyone and I really loved how imperfect their grouping was, even so much as one of the men (William) really not accepting having to share. None of the characters live the 9-5, 2 kids and a white picket fence life and none ever will. I loved and appreciated how (and I mean this in the nicest way possible) screwed up everyone was, dealing with their own demons & drama while deeply entrenched in the mob lifestyle. It’s funny because for most of the book I just could not find anything I loved about her main man Malice. In her harem of three (Malice and his two bros) Malice is also the leader of the family and his word is law. He’s so gruff, uncaring and off putting….until suddenly he isn’t. What starts off as some major curiosity and jealousy on his part when he learns of Juliet aka his sister’s secret friend, Malice loses it. In his life there are no ‘friends,’ especially when there’s a mole somewhere within his organization feeding his enemies information. Sharing a friendship with his sister does nothing to prepare Juliet for the whirlwind that is Malice. From the moment he spots her, her world is turned upside down, twirled, shot out of a cannon and thrown in a blender on purée. Somehow, though, this innocent diner waitress whose life revolves around caring for her ailing grandmother is just what and who the brothers need. The darkness in the men calls out to hers and I think it’s more than just her obsession with true crime that glues them altogether. I loved her little bit of crazy and how slowly over time she was literally able to disassociate and normalize her new ‘life.’ The twisted side of me is so proud of her for just belonging 😪😈😈 In the end I was a little bummed when I finished only to learn the book is more of a HFN rather than a fulfilling conclusion and HEA. I’m not super mad about it honestly however and as someone who hates cliffys I can honestly say this ends in a good place…. The next book also releases in just two months and I’m silently hoping I can hold out that long! There were certain things like the guys’ family and mob life that I don’t think got explored enough but perhaps will later on it will. Malice is such a crazy (maybe sociopathic) cruel man who always seems to be one step ahead yet he misses one of his top guys being the mole. I mean it took the heroine all of five seconds to know who it was and she’s not the ruthless crime lord he is, it was kinda lame and disappointing she was 100% right. I also found a few things here and there to be a bit unbelievable given the narrative but I’m not one to really nitpick my dark, delicious and naughty fiction so make of that what you will. That blurb on Amazon though for book two. 😱😱😱 Holy shit does it have me all kinds of nervous. I will be devastated if Juliets grandmother is killed but damn if that’s not what it seems like. This girl is already on the edge, this may tip her right over and it won’t be easy for them to bring her back. Certainly not after Vicky’s betrayal. Fingers crossed I’m wrong but 😵😵😵😵

[G.N. Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had been waiting for this one and I was not disappointed!

By the end of chapter 3 I was like 😳😳😳 and ready to devour the book whole. Good lord the tension 🥵 this book was HOT for me!

I loved all three guys but Anthony was absolutely everything for me 🥰🥰 he was just the sweetest little psycho that wormed his way into my heart immediately!!

Malice / Nick was everything I love in my possessive alphahole mmc and his attitude and actions had me squealing in delight

William took the longest for me to warm to. I just felt like he expected that Juliet should be his and only his because he knew her the most but she didn't know him.

My favourite thing about this was the fact that the mystery behind Juliets mother wasn't solved. It was real and authentic and true to real life.

10/10 recommend 🖤

[Mandyloves2read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was dark twisted and so good . I loved the plot the characters the twists and turns there wasn’t as much steam as I expected for a RH but that’s ok it still worked for me . I Loved Juliet and her grams the bond between these two was so heartwarming I loved how Malice Anthony and Andrew all accepted her and she them I loved the suspense and mystery of this story it overall was a fantastic read!

*Arc kindly given for my honest opinion *

[Vicky Sp · Rating 5 out of 5]

RECENSIONE 📚 - MALIZIA - MALICE MAFIA #1 - CORALEE JUNE in collaborazione con @virgibooks che ringrazio sempre per la stima e la fiducia, e la copia digitale in Anteprima
⭐⭐⭐⭐, 5
Malizia è il primo volume di una trilogia Dark Mafia Romance che racconta di come Juliet passa dall’essere una semplice amica quasi anomina di Vicky, al diventare “l’oggetto del contendere” dei pericolosi fratelli Civella, esponenti di spicco della mafia di Kansas City.

Un mondo affascinante per molti versi, col quale la ragazza entra in contatto suo malgrado durante una sparatoria ma che di fatto la spaventa: violenza, soprusi, armi da fuoco e sangue.

E come se non bastasse i fratelli Civella che esprimono potenza e oscurità in ogni gesto, frase o attività che gestiscono, desiderano rivendicarla con esclusività con ogni fibra del loro essere.
Spietati uomini in eleganti completi dallo sguardo letale, che la affascinano e intrigano, stimolando in ogni modo possibile la sua fantasia.
Lussuria e passione.
Questo sono.

🖋️Un libro molto intenso che tratta tematiche che possono essere disturbanti, quindi non adatto a tutti.
Un Reverse Harem accattivante che vi terrà incollati alle pagine perché troverete un ritmo veloce con colpi di scena che vi lasceranno di stucco. Un primo libro anche inquietante devo ammettere, ma al punto giusto a mio parere, per noi lettrici amanti del genere.

I tre personaggi maschili sono ben costruiti e fatti apposta per creare dipendenza, con personalità contorte e deviate che vi ruberanno il sonno e il cuore.
Consigliatissimo 🔥

[c a r í · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is something else. The book opens with a very intense scene and damn, I was instantly enthralled by it. Our heroine Juliet she's a kickass character, even though deep inside she's frightened towards Malice/Nick she didn't cower and I'm digging her disposition.

Malice, William and Anthony are the brothers of Vicky who's the best friend of Juliet, they're part of this mafia/gang. Malice is the leader of the band and I kid you not he's cruel and a true anti-hero, I like how Coralee June characterise every one of the characters in the story. They all bond in one thing which their demons.

Overall I truly enjoyed reading this one, it's bizarre sometimes especially the relationship dynamic between the 4 characters. I highly suggest just read the book with an open mind because the story structure was made for that.

[Ana Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 ⁣
⁣
I need the next (imaginary) installment NOW! Like that's how much I enjoyed this mafia story. I dreamt about the three brothers for two nights after I finished Malice, and that's rare for me. Usually, I'm happy to '𝘩𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘯 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘵' as fast as I can download the next book. ⁣
⁣
Not such scenario with Malice. This story had everything - strong, fleshed out characters, interesting twists and turns, and it set up what could be a fucking phenomonal series if Coralee should decide to run with it. ⁣
⁣
Although, Malice stands on his own, I would read the shit out of future books. Fist bump for you, Ms. Coralee, you did what I 𝘩𝘢𝘥 deemed impossible... you wrote a unique mafia book.

[Cee · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 24%

Ugh I don't know, I feel like at one time I might have liked this? Or hmmm it has a lot going for it that I do or should like, but the execution is done in a way that isn't for me.

[TheBookPlatypus]

I tried.
DNF at 25%
These characters are robotic and bland.
I’m not someone that feels like they need to relate to characters but there’s just something about maybe the writing? I can’t exactly pinpoint it but I just cannot get into the story at all. I couldn’t even tell you anything about the characters that I like or even remember worth mentioning. And I only stopped reading it about five seconds ago.

I think the hype of this book is overhyped by fans. That’s just my little ole’ opinion.
I’m sure there’s plenty of people who would love this book but I just found it to be extremely bland and boring. And I need more out of a book at 25% in.

[BookSmackedMel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Malice landed on my kindle by way of recommendation from a good friend who hasn't steered me wrong before.

I'll start this review off by saying that RH isn't a trope that I typically pick up, in fact there have only been a couple of RH books that I've read previous to this one. I find that when it comes to reading romance, I struggle with having multiple love interests. My heart has given itself to one person completely IRL and I find that I'm the same when it comes to a book I'm reading. That being said, I'm one that will try and read anything even it it's something that might take me out of my personal "comfort zone"

From the very first line of this book I was ready to settle in for what I was hoping would be a read I could get consumed with. I mean seriously the very first line of this book had me saying, well alrighty then, what have I gotten myself into with this one. I love a book that has you guessing where things might go, one that will have you on the edge of your seat with anticipation and Malice quickly became that book for me almost from the get go. This book quickly gets right into the thick of things within the first couple chapters, which if I'm being honest a book needs to capture my attention quickly otherwise I'll tune out.

The storyline is dark, and boy does it have me questioning my moral compass along the way. Our main characters, Anthony, William and Nick are all vastly different in personality. You will love them at times and seriously loathe them as well. I mean it's dark romance, they are in the mafia it stands without reason they will do questionable things. They all intrigued me and I found myself swaying multiple times as this book went along in terms of who I was rooting for, if one should root for a ruthless mob man. Because as I said earlier, I tend to only give my heart to one guy when reading a book. And this is why I loved this book, because June had me swaying, she had me invested in the relationships that were building between these guys and Juliet, individually and more importantly together.

This book is shocking at times and it really had me saying WOAH that's maybe too much for me. But I commend the author for taking such liberties with the story. It's not for the faint of heart by any means. I easily devoured this book, I screamed at it, I even swooned at times. One moment in particular that had me thinking OMG my heart and it's a scene that also had me thinking why do I find this so swoon worthy cause well it was a bit effed up nevertheless it made me feel a certain type of way and it cemented for me that I loved the dynamic of the four main characters.

And I can't continue this review without mentioning the spice, which legit had me hot and bothered. I thought the steamy scenes we got were just the perfect amount, at the right times. Not too much, and eff me hot AF that some of them have burned themselves into my memory.

The only reason that this is not getting a full five star review from me, is because I felt that the last 20% of this book went at warp speed. After a crucial plot twist that happens I needed to see more story than I actually got. I also felt that some relationships were more developed than others between Juliet and each of the guys.

Overall though I loved this book. I would absolutely recommend it to those looking for a suspense story that will pull them in and having them devouring it in one sitting. I look forward to reading more from this author.