Heartless Sinner by Faith Summers

While HEARTLESS SINNER has many typical elements of a Cinderella-style arranged marriage mafia romance, it is done very well. Micah is the ultimate in tough mafia boss/protective and smitten husband. Scarlett has all the downtrodden, damaged, dysfunctional family and toxic ex that makes a good mafia fake marriage deliver.

Devil’s Kiss by Faith Summers; Khardine Gray

There are unexpected twists and turns around every corner from the very start of DEVIL’S KISS.  In addition to be a dark and suspenseful  series of Bratva and Knights loyalty, family and power plays, it has unrequited love, toxic exes and there is no knowing who can be trusted from one page to the next.

Anastasia and Desmier are volatile and hot together.  Desmier has many talents and skills crafted by a mind forced to be ruthless from his childhood days.

Am I going to read more about the Volkarov family, their enemies, and their loyalists? Yes, I am.

The Player by Faith Summers

We should all be lucky enough to find ourselves a Finn Cavenaugh.  I enjoy a book when a long time player gives up meaningless encounters once smitten with the woman of his dreams.

Ivy does everything expected of her when she meets this gorgeous man she is to find a match.  She’s wary.  She doesn’t trust easily because she’s been burned before, and of course she thinks the worst and can’t believe her own power.

This short story is done very well without seeming rushed or like things lacked proper detail because it was short.  I recommend this if you would like That HEA feeling sooner, rather than later.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Merciless Union by Faith Summers

There are so many surprises in MERCILESS UNION.  We knew there was a big secret that would destroy the Pakhan’s integrity and brotherhood should it be revealed.  While the secret connected many threads in the web, there was no way to predict the level of depravity, betrayal and ruthlessness of the players in the story.

Lucca and Aria start part 2 knowing Jon had betrayed them, but by the middle of the story, so many shady dealings were going on, I could barely even trust myself - and I wasn’t in the book!

What was really worth the read, though, was Aria recovering her memory and especially her memories of Lucca.  It was romantic, steamy, and full of all the top drawer mafia elements.

Merciless Vows by Faith Summers

I usually avoid amnesia stories, but A Faith Summers novel is enough for me to give it a chance and I am glad I did.

The memory loss Aria suffers from even made her lose her ability to play the violin.  Three years after her coma she’s no closer to remembering anything until she sees Lucca at a club.

The story is full of Bratva corruption, revenge, betrayal and other nefarious undertakings.  Aria becomes the bargaining chip in a revenge scheme.  As the plot unfolds it becomes clearer why Aria’s memory recovery is so important.

The cliffhanger is epic and by the time you read this book, the second book should be out, too.

Merciless Hunter by Faith Summers

There is a great captive live story in MERCILESS HUNTER, but what kept me reading is so much more.  The story had great depth and connected to others in The Syndicate with Massimo and Dominic having a role in the intrigue.  

Olivia is a gutsy heroine infiltrating Aiden’s sex club to force an encounter with him. Aiden is a man broken by so many bad turns in his life.  He has that tortured man needs love thing going and is real heavy on the possessiveness.

The dark mafia components are done so well and the adventure and intrigue in the story was page turning.  It does not end in a cliffhanger but does allude to what is going to be part of the next story.  I look forward to it.

Wicked Liar by Faith Summers

I think this was my favorite story in the series because of Dominic returning and why he originally left.  There are many points throughout the story where we come to learn how much Dominic loved Candace and for how long.

If you enjoy stories with a raw, hungry kind of passion, this book is for you.  These scenes are really written well and adds so much to the story instead of just feeling gratuitous.

As with all out dark mafia stories, there is murder, mayhem, things blowing up, lies, betrayal, revenge and tough alpha makes.  In other words, good stuff that will keep your interest until the next story when some more loose ends get tied up.

Dark Captor by Faith Summers

Wow.  This is an intricate and impressive story.  The story of each brother can be standalone, but you really appreciate how well all the elements of mystery and suspense are woven together by reading them in order.

Tristian’s story hit all the high notes on dark mafia - kidnapping, abusive parents, brutal deaths of those dearest, the Russians, the Italians, safe houses, betrayal, and of course romance that “should not have happened”.  The tragedy Tristian suffered was haunting.  It changed him because he couldn’t protect who he cherished most.  He became hard and brutal and bent on revenge.

Isabella was the daughter of a mafia boss and she was being hidden from the world.  She was intelligent, resourceful and didn’t want to live the life she had with guards and under father’s thumb.

I loved how Tristian was transformed and of course, how on one hand he fought his attraction to Isabella, but on the other was very possessive and protective (my favorite hero characteristic).  

The series is really wonderful because the brothers - Massimo, Tristan and Dominic rely on each other and protect each other.  The three of them are very much a part of each story and the last part of this book foreshadows the next about Dominic - and I can hardly wait for that one.  I loved that cameo appearance by The Four, by the way.

Take Me by Faith Summers

Christian is the last bachelor of the Giordano brothers that have their mafia doings and own the Dark Odyssey club.  Lilly is desperate fir money and agrees to dance, be auctioned off each night and do anything the winner wants.

Christian is possessive and protective of Lilly from the start, not even wanting other men to look at her.  She has secrets she keeps from him including the men terrorizing her at her apartment.  

Christian has a lot on his plate doing the hands on work fir the family, but he is mesmerized with Lily from her first performance.  They become a “no strings” couple until they each finally realize that’s not possible.

The steamy scenes are hot, Christian is a hero, Lilly is a broken woman who has live with Christian out her back together.  There’s warehouses, shipments, rival mafias, betrayal, shootings, snipers, family rivalries  and some knife throwing - in other words everything you come to expect from a proper dark mafia romance.  Extra points for a clever way to get rid of the bodies, too.

Ruthless Prince by Faith Summers

A daughter traded in a contract for marriage to her father’s enemy to settle a debt is classic dark mafia romance stuff.  Massimo D’Agostino is the prince of the D’Agostino crime family and he is settling a contract to wed Emelia, the sheltered yet fierce process of a rival mafia family.

Massimo struggles with “punishing” his enemy through his daughter since he’s hot fir her.  They both believe they must not fall in love.  The author does such a great job with this part as they deny themselves their feelings yet the jealousy, protectiveness, and affection they have for one another show something different.

A great part about this book is that it wraps up the conflict with Massimo and Emelia and the danger surrounding them, but then leads into what the three D’Agostino brothers will have to face as mafia leaders in the near future.

There was never a dull moment, so read and enjoy.

Play by Faith Summers

We first met James as Peter’s friend in TEASE and I was a little apprehensive about this story because in TEASE he comes off as more of a player.

But that was two years ago.  Paige and James kissed once years ago and James ended their association because it was forbidden.  But this time they meet while she’s working in the Dark Odyssey - James’ playground.  Paige is desperate for money and the club is a fast way to earn it.

I loved the first time he sees her at the club.  I won’t spoil the moment, but that set things up for the rest of the story for me.  James is not only adventurous and passionate, he treats Paige as though she is something precious to be cherished and protected.  He is completely different and so much more appealing in PLAY.

Both Paige and James are such appealing characters with great chemistry and a special HEA.

Tease by Faith Summers

When Paul broke up with Jia six years ago, he kept secret the reason why.  He told her one thing, but it was another.  Jia was reeling from the effects of a secret of her own that she hadn’t had the chance to share with Paul.  It compounded the hurt and broken trust she had from their parting.

Paul worked for his ex-stepfather, Jia’s dad.  So did Jia. Her dad inadvertently forced them to deal with their past by having them share a building they both wanted.  Once they were forced together, it wasn’t long before their passions had them spending long nights at the Dark Odyssey.

The things that drive Paul to break up with Jia all those years ago hadn’t changed.  The question was if he had changed enough to trust her with his secret.  Or if she could trust him not to leave her again.

I liked the book.  I have read all the Dark Odyssey books and feel like I know my way around the club.  It is always my guilty pleasure to follow the characters and surrounding debauchery.  TEASE does not disappoint in this regard.  The club does play a bigger role in this couples’ past and present.

Tempt Me by Faith Summers

TEMPT ME is Vincent’s story.  He is destined to be the next capo de familia and has hardened himself in every way to meet that role.  The only soft spot in his heart is for Timothy, his 2 year old son.

Ava harbors deep secrets and past evils that haunt her at night.  She is strong for what she has endured and is willing to endure more for her family.

Vincent agreed to take Ava in place of a debt.  The attraction between the two of them is strong but Vincent’s devotion remains with his late wife.

There was so much I liked about this book.  Vincent’s pain showed how deeply and completely he loved.  His struggle to not feel the same for Ava was real.  He kept her at arm’s length as much as he could and would not even let her touch or be with his son.  Ava I got a little annoyed with at times because although she had endured a lot and had the strength of a survivor, she sure cried a lot.

Tempt by Faith Summers

Dante is the ultimate silver fox.  He’s strong, handsome and dominant in business and in the bedroom.  He’s known Rachel since she was born.  She’s now a beautiful, intelligent and often under appreciated woman 20 years younger than Dante.

There are a lot of things I liked about this book starting with Dante and Rachel finally giving in to each other at the Dark Odyssey club, and the role of the subsequent visits to the club in their relationship.  I also liked how quickly Dante would protect her from the unwanted advances from other men.

They both work for her father, Dante’s best friend, who warned Dante to leave his daughter alone.  After deciding they no longer want be a secret, the resulting conflict causes everyone to re-examine their feelings for family, friends, and the importance of letting people live who they choose.

Tease Me - A Dark Billionaire Mafia Romance by Faith Summers

Mia is desperate for money to pay off a loan shark threatening her family because of her brother.  She applies for a job at The Dark Odyssey sex club.  She meets Nick , pone of the owners who is the devil to her angel, but thoroughly mesmerized with her.

The two share a lot of passionate moments with Mia being unsure if this is just “the job” or something more.  Nick admits it is something more but tries to stop seeing her since anything (one) he lives is a target for his rivals.

The book is filled with steam, intrigue, fisticuffs, betrayal and adventure - everything we live in a dark romance.