Dance of Defiance by Jagger Cole

It took me a bit to decide what to write about DANCE OF DEFIANCE because Jagger teased us about both Roman and Val separately in prior books, but as is usually the case, his characters are worth waiting for when it becomes their turn to shine. I was up all night reading this early copy of the book to provide some insight for their readers contemplating it.

It’s gritty, steamy and unabashedly works to defy the rules of dark mafia romance with Roman and Val. No breathless ingenues rescued by men of unimagined power and control. Instead Roman and Val each chased by life’s demons and not exactly choosing how they’ll cope, but finding what could have been doomed ways to survive and then finding each other.

Vows of Blood & Betrayal by E.L. Blue

VOWS OF BLOOD & BETRAYAL is an age gap forced proximity mafia romance full of intense moments. The romance ignites early and reluctantly on both parts. Anthony is immediately embroiled in a mafia war on several fronts and we witness the lengths the family goes through to protect its own.

What I particularly liked about the book was the details about some of the rituals and traditions of the mafia family. The interactions between the enemies in the boardroom, the battle area, the warehouses, etc. made the story feel tense and authentic. I knew when I chose to read this advance copy that it ends on something of a cliffhanger, but the author still leaves the reader satisfied with the temporary conclusion.

Dark Desires by K.C. Crowne

<strong>Good story</strong/>

I wanted to read DARK DESIRES because I like the arranged marriage mafia romances with the guy having to marry a woman that is a close relative to the woman that really turned his head.

It’s overall a good story. I found the FBI connection a little weak, and it does come to a conclusion although there are some unresolved issues for secondary characters.

Twisted Trust by Ajme Williams

TWISTED TRUST was full of suspense, secrets and surprising turns of events. I’m usually able to see where the plot twists are heading, but I was pleasantly surprised with more than one of the interesting twists in this story.

Dealing with past misunderstandings, feelings of betrayal, and present day threats to all three - Levi, Maeve and young Scott - made for a riveting mafia romance.

Taken by the Bratva by Rebecca Gannon

Saying TAKEN BY THE BRATVA is steamy is an understatement. Be prepared for our main characters to be engaged in activities of this nature frequently and intensely. The story is pretty much driven by a possessive, obsessive man taking a willing captive.

Porcelain Lies by Lisa Lovell

I knew there would be a cliffhanger, but I don’t have to like it. PORCELAIN LIES has it all - betrayal, jealousy, murder, secret lives, explosive reveals, and families torn apart. You’ll enjoy it.

The Mafia’s Quintuplets by Bella King

I got immersed in THE MAFIA’S QUINTUPLETS right from the start. The five baby thing was different, but what kept me turning the pages was the mafia part. We have a brooding hero that fell for a woman who could not accept the threat associated with being with him, so he had to do something about it.

King of Depravity by Tammy Andresen

It starts out stalkerish and descends into he falls first, hard and without any filters. Chloe seems an unlikely match making the story between an assassin and an innocent that gets swept up in his dangerous family business a real page turner.

Dance of Madness by Jagger Cole

Only The Stag intrigues me more than The Wolf, so DANCE OF MADNESS was much anticipated since Nero has been likened to a psychopath. We finally find out the roots of his darkness and are not disappointed in how Milena is woven into his past and present.

But it took time for Milena to stop fighting with herself. To keep things interesting, her father is encouraging an arranged marriage, it’s not Nero, it would never be Nero, and as possessive as Nero is, it would also never be anyone else, either.

So I enjoyed reading the early copy of this book to see how this would play out. The steamy scenes are dark and depraved, the suspense palpable. Enjoy it.

Tormented Oath by Demi Ryder

I liked a lot about TORMENTED OATH - the long time pink g of unrequited love, the reunification with secrets and loyalty issues, and the obsession and possessiveness Stefano had over Ava. 

But about half way through, the book lost some of its polish. There was a lot of repetition (especially the “Monster of Chicago” references). There were missing pieces of the story that had me scrolling back to see if I missed something.

Filthy Promises by Nicole Fox

In FILTHY PROMISES, we watch Rowan and Vince almost switch personalities as they navigate a relationship between the woman that wants a normal life and the Bratva leader/boss she’s longed after for years and gets mixed up with for good.

Breathtaking by Bella Matthews

Second chances, pining, accidental baby, royalty, and a touch of mafia? What more could a romance lover ask for? BREATHTAKING has the steamy, protective, and tender hero and smart, strong, yet conflicted heroine. How they navigate what is clearly a years long unrequited romance is why we read romances.

King of Envy by Ana Huang

This is the first book of Ana Huang’s I have read and I found it to be well written and have a lot of interesting story elements that broke the mold found in usual mafia type dark romances. I enjoyed the unique personality the Vuk had. His ability to have this unwavering loyalty and character on one hand, and have all the trappings of a brutal assassin on the other. Great plot twists, energy, and steam.

The Sweetest Oblivion by Danielle Lori

I don’t know why I had this book in my list so long without reading it, because it checks all the boxes as far as what I enjoy in a romance. The pull between Nico and Elena starts early and is smoking hot. The obstacles keeping them apart seem insurmountable yet they can’t help themselves. It is not only a satisfying story, but it is also very well written.

Dance of Ruin by Jagger Cole

I love this series and DANCE OF RUIN fits in so well with the decadence, debauchery and “good girl” getting caught up with a really “bad boy".

The part of the book that kept me reading was the wait for that inevitable moment Nico is going to realize what he got wrong and how he will react. Every page and every encounter just adds to the pressure of this bubble that will eventually burst. 

I have been able to read an advance copy of this ballet/mafia series and admit that I want more of The Black Court. I want more of the ties to the ballet families, but I truly keep reading for the Barones. When they run out of brothers, what will be next? 

Dangerous Deception by Ajme Williams

DANGEROUS DECEPTION is full of action with rival mafias, kidnapping, entrapment, arranged marriage, mourning past loves and unraveling dangerous betrayals. The romance rings true and is steamy. Raeffelle and Adelina find themselves in a match they did not expect to enjoy.

The Hermit by Michelle Heard

What you would call the meet cute for Grace and Dominik would make a great opening for a 007 movie, except for the fact that Dominik is an assassin and illegal arms dealer.

I really liked almost everything about the story as it does it’s job to be an intense protective alpha love story but also start an overarching story line of this criminal alliance building its sanctuary on a remote island off the coast of South America. 

THE HERMIT title suits Dominik well. There are some lose threads at the end that don’t qualify as a cliffhanger, but are enough of a tease to interest me in the next book.

Possession by Lisa Lang Blakeney

The series started really strong and I was ready to read the early copy of POSSESSION but spent some time reviewing the first two books in the series again to get the feel and energy of the characters again.

POSSESSION has a lot going on not only with Hunter and Megan, but with a number of the secondary characters. Some of them really surprise us. Others disappoint us. From a series standpoint, it gets high marks for steam, betrayal and characters. I can say some of the twists I saw a mile away. Others caught me off guard.

I have to say, though, that Hunter disappointed me in that it seemed like he lost that dark, dangerous mojo I love in a MMC. Being vulnerable about your woman is one thing, but Hunter dropped the ball too many times in the “I’ll keep you safe” arena. 

Submission by Lisa Lang Blakeny

SUBMISSION is book 2 of the series, and I had high hopes for Megan and Hunter. Hunter meets or exceeds those hopes in that I like a possessive “I’ll do anything for her” MMC. Megan I’m often finding my self saying “What are you thinking, girl?”, because clearly she is not learning from past mistakes.

But, as the story unfolds, I am once again drawn into the drama that surrounds these two while wanting Megan to do better, so I keep reading to see what she gets snapped up in because of her relationship with this man with a lot of power, and the rivals that comes with it.

I’m in solidly until the end now, having read this advance copy and now eagerly awaiting the conclusion.

Hidden Heir by Ajme Williams

The plot of HIDDEN HEIR is pretty good. In reflecting after reading, I realized just how much ground the story covered. There are rival mafias, terrorizing, torture, steam, criminal activity and the secret child. What I didn’t like were the spicy parts. Too long.