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    SERIES REVIEW: Mafia Bound Books 1 & 2 by K.M. Neuhold

    Mafia Bound: Deadly Little Sparrow – K.M. Neuhold

    Is there such thing as love at first bar fight?

    I may be small and pretty, but what I lack in intimidation factor, I make up for in violence.I made a vow five years ago that the motorcycle club responsible for my brother’s death would pay the price, and I’m finally ready to collect. May God have mercy on the men who hurt my brother, because I don’t plan to.

    Accidentally breaking the nose of the deadliest man in the city wasn’t my best move. Xaviaro Saviano, trigger man for the Moretti Crime Family… and now my own personal stalker. But if I have to go through him to deliver well-deserved justice, so be it.

    As strange as it sounds, Xaviaro seems to want to help me more than he wants to hurt me. I can’t shake the man no matter what I do. Threatening him feels like foreplay, tying him up only turns him on… I could play nice, but that’s never been my strong suit.

    I’d be lying if I said he wasn’t starting to grow on me, especially when he calls me his Deadly Little Sparrow from his knees. I’ve never met a man who could handle me, let alone one who can’t stop begging me for more.

    Can love and revenge live in the same heart? I guess there’s only one way to find out…


    Rating:
    3.5 Stars – that place between like and love

    Soundtrack: Submit
    Artist: Brek Milo
    Album: Submit


    Mafia Bound: Beautifully Savage Butterfly by K.M. Neuhold

    Being savage in the ring is one thing. The way Elio Moretti craves my violence outside the ring is another.

    I feel like I’ve been fighting my whole life, and tapping out has never been an option.

    I can live with owing money to the Morettis. I can even live with the constant guilt that my brother is the one paralyzed in a hospital bed while I live his dream. What I can’t live with is Elio Moretti, second in command to the infamous crime family, showing up to all my fights, sitting in the front row, watching me like he can’t look away, and barging into the locker room to patch up my wounds and invade my space.

    The Morettis are monsters. Vicious, brutal sociopaths. So, why is Elio so eager to get on his knees for me?

    He’s as desperate to give up control as I am to take it, but is giving in to these primal urges enough of a reason to sell my soul?

    He claims there are worse people in this city than his family, and the deeper I get dragged into his world, the more true that’s starting to seem. Can I really fall in love with a Mafia underboss? Is it even possible to walk away?


    Rating:
    4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits

    Soundtrack: Blow
    Artist: Ghinsu
    Album: Blow


    Mafia Bound by K.M. Neuhold is a dark, gritty mafia romance series that dares to put mafiosos on their knees.

    Deadly Little Sparrow opens the series with a revenge story and an unlikely romance between the avenger and the hitman stalking him. Sparrow, real name unknown, is out to exact vengeance against members of the motorcycle club who abused and murdered his brother.

    Xaviaro Saviano, the most notorious hitman of the Moretti Family, spotted him at a bar and, after getting off the wrong foot, began stalking the smaller man. Partly as part of Moretti business crossing with the targeted MC, partly due to his strange but undeniably strong attraction to the deadly little Sparrow.

    The plot didn’t delve deeply into the characters’ backstories. There is just enough barebones information to give credence to how Sparrow went from a former billionaire’s son to a highly skilled killer able to take down dangerous men twice his size.

    Xaviaro was already established as not only the top hitman but also Enzo Moretti’s best friend and one of the Moretti boss’s inner circle. The thing to know about Xaviaro, he’s feared on the streets, submissive in the sheets. And he was quick to recognize the dominance of the smaller man. Sparrow took unholy glee in topping from the bottom.

    The story did its best to be consistently intense. There’s a lot of focus on the kink and while the dynamics were enjoyable, there were moments that I tuned out because they were too blah.

    Beautifully Savage Butterfly is Elio Moretti, underboss to the Family, obsessing over undefeated MMA fighter, Orion Barros. Orion couldn’t understand why one of the top Morettis kept coming to his locker room after his fights until Elio showed how willing he was to get down on his knees for him.

    The MMA fighter is working overtime to pay Moretti debts and earn money to keep his paraplegic brother, Jack, in a good nursing home. When things took a turn for the worse, Orion had no choice but to make a deal with Elio, something he promised his brother he would never do.

    I feel this was better executed than the first story. The backstories were more complete and the various threads were concluded more convincingly, even Jack was given his little HFN. The boss/brat dynamics wasn’t my favorite but Elio and Orion’s chemistry was sizzling!

    This was also pretty intense and atmospheric throughout. You could almost smell the blood and sweat, and images of dimly lit alleys and shaky camera shots come to mind.

    Another compelling part was the Morettis and Orion working together to stop a child trafficking ring. This was resolved in a suspenseful rescue mission while leaving an opening for future installments.

    Mafia Bound is a mixed bag for now, but it’s mostly good. The Morettis as MCs are something I’m really excited about. They are a head-turning bunch, and here are the rest to watch out for:

    Salvatore – I bet he’s next. He was tasked to look after the sassy night club dancer/hacker Dante and they played a significant part in the child trafficking investigation

    Alessio – guy’s flirty with Dante but it’s mostly harmless. Not much is known about him yet other than he’s part of the inner circle and is a cousin

    Enzo – ooh, this one I’m looking forward to the most. The big boss occasionally shows his softer side. There’s a mention of a rival Irish gang leader so hmm….

    P.S.

    Mafia Bound is best read in order. You can read Deadly Little Sparrow and Beautifully Savage Butterfly as standalones but the Morettis are worth knowing from the beginning.


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    BEAUTIFULLY SAVAGE BUTTERFLYKindle I Audiobook

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    REVIEW: His Lethal Desire by Leighton Greene

    West Coast Mobsters: His Lethal Desire – Leighton Greene

    There’s nothing more lethal than a hitman in love.

    Johnny “Jack” Jacopo was once the Castellani Family’s top hitman, but one terrible mistake saw him kicked back down the ladder. So when the Boss orders him to look into the disappearance of a Hollywood starlet, Jack sees an opportunity to rise back up the Family ranks.

    His first move is to question the missing actress’s twin brother. Miller Beaumont is charming, gorgeous, flirty…and he’s the same guy who was hitting on Jack in a bar the night before.

    Jack tries to keep things strictly business, but Miller has access to inside information that Jack needs to solve the case. And it’s just too tempting when Miller proposes that they team up to find his sister.

    As their search leads them into danger, Jack finds he has more to lose than he ever expected. Someone is coming after Miller, and Jack finds himself torn between duty to his Family and his own foolish heart.

    Because despite himself, Jack is making one more mistake, the biggest of them all, the one dumb thing he swore he’d never do.

    He’s falling in love.

    ***

    His Lethal Desire is the first book in the West Coast Mobsters series. Follow the men of the Los Angeles underworld in this page-turning romantic suspense series as they find love, danger and mystery in the most unexpected places.

    Each book in West Coast Mobsters tells the love story of a different couple who find their happy ending, as well as a resolution to the mystery they’re investigating, but there are cliffhangers to the wider suspense plot for the series.


    I picked this up only because I was intrigued by the 5th Book’s premise about a virgin butler framed for murder. And since I always have the compulsion to read a series in order, I have to start here.

    His Lethal Desire, Book 1 of West Coast Mobsters, quickly made me realize it’s more than just a necessary hurdle. It has everything I love about mafia romance!

    The thrill of flirting with danger, the possessive smoldering passion, the intriguing mix of dark and good wrapped in a gorgeous bad boy persona. And if we’re lucky, there’d be a lot of bi-lingual sweet nothings and cusses, too.

    The story also has a bonus twist that caught my attention immediately. Johnny ‘Jack’ Jacopo, formerly top hitman for the Castellanis, was demoted to foot soldier and bar security. It’s rare for me to encounter a demoted mafioso, usually they don’t even get second chances when they fuck up.

    The WCM series is a spin-off of the Morelli Family, and in the last book, a Vegas mob boss put a hit on Jack. Don Ciro Castellani offered protection, so Jack is stuck in LA.

    Jack is in the unique position of being very good at what he used to do to just be thrown away. Also, he saved the Don’s son, Sandro’s life in a way that forced him to do something Sandro considers betrayal. The two used to be close friends, but Sandro has reserved the rights to kill Jack. He’s only alive because of the Don.

    Now, the Don is giving him a chance for a re-promotion. He’s tasked to find a missing actress, Anais Beaumont, and he’s given a lead, the actress’s twin, Miller. The same person Jack’s been eyeing across the bar for weeks. The person who shamelessly flirted and kissed him the night before.

    I’m not too familiar with the technicalities of a story, so I my reviews are just me squee-ing at stuff. But sometimes, I hear people say it’s a character-driven story. Not sure if this book is like that, but I could definitely say Jack is the main driving force for me here.

    He’s your typical mafioso, a bit jaded and too used to violence. But he’s internal dialogues are compelling, showing his vulnerable side, his fears, and sometimes, when he dare hope, his plans to get away from LA.

    And my favorite part about Jack is his loyalty. Even Ciro Castellani recognizes that Jack’s brand of loyalty is not something that could ever be bought by money. That’s why he wants him to guard Sandro, but sure as hell, the two will end up killing each other.

    The best part is when that loyalty shifted to Miller.

    We Jacopos only ever got one shot at love, my father had once told me. You won’t give a damn about anyone until suddenly you do, and that’ll be it. Forever. Even if they leave, even if they die. You’ll still love them, and you can try with someone else, even make it work for a while, but it won’t be the same.

    One shot at love, Johnny. It’s just the way things are for us Jacopos.

    Miller and his sister were child actors. But unlike his twin, who still a star, Miller is mostly forgotten, and he spends his time partying hard to fill the emptiness. He doesn’t do substance abuse, thankfully. Secretly, he’s a talented painter, but years of being belittled did a number on his confidence.

    I didn’t warm up to Miller immediately, but the more I knew about him, the more I learn that he has a big heart. He puts the people he loves first, and it is unfortunate that those people are narcissists. Miller doesn’t deserved how his family treated him.

    From their meet-cute at the bar to the very last page, Jack and Miller’s chemistry is DELICIOUS! Their romance developed organically, not too insta and not too slow-burn. And it’s just FANTASTIC all the way through! Jack’s world is Miller, and our boy Miller, with his selfless heart, deserves all the love in the world.

    Aside from the romance, the rest of the book was a solid read. The mystery was fascinating. There were a lot of clues and personalities involved, and I didn’t put it together until the part Miller saw the USB.

    The action and suspense were engaging, and I loved how the resolution left room for more Jack and Miller in the succeeding book. The only thing I didn’t like was how the thing with Annie was left open.

    There were plenty of secondary characters whom I’m super excited to read about, like Sandro and Teddy, Sandro’s half-brother and resident psycho Julian, as well as Miller’s friend Nate and Jack’s friend Freddy.

    And I really appreciated Leighton Greene‘s writing style. Aside from her well-executed storytelling, she writes in short paragraphs. I hope other writers would keep this in mind because most people read ebooks nowadays. Short paragraphs are easy on weak eyes if you’re reading from a screen.

    His Lethal Desire is a story of dysfunctional families, shifting loyalties and plans gone awry, where a demoted hitman falls in love with a washed up Hollywood star, and the powers that be lay claim to their bodies, their souls, and their lives.

    Overall, squee-tastic like butterflies in the stomach, lethal like arrow straight to the heart.

    Rating:
    4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step away

    Soundtrack: Arrow
    Artist: Teagan and Sara
    Album: Sainthood

    P.S.

    I wanted this so badly in audiobook. This deserves a Michael Ferraiuolo performance!


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    REVIEW: Hitman Vs Hitman by Cari Z & L.A. Witt

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    Hitman Vs Hitman – Cari Z & L.A. Witt

    Ricardo Torralba and August Morrison don’t agree on much besides the fact that they hate each other. According to Ricardo, August is a spoiled brat who really needs to knock off the sass once in a while. August insists that Ricardo needs a sense of humor, a good lay, or a well-placed bullet. Maybe all three.

    Fortunately, the assassin’s profession is a solitary one, and they can go about their lives without getting in each other’s way.

    Usually.

    When a contracted hit turns out to be a setup for both of them, they narrowly escape with their lives. Now, even if they don’t like it (spoiler: they don’t), August and Ricardo have to work together if they want a shot at survival.

    In between firefights and questionable interrogation methods as they hunt down their would-be killer, the cranky assassins discover that under all that mutual loathing is a spark of chemistry they can’t ignore. They want to ignore it, they probably should ignore it, but August can’t help flirting to annoy Ricardo, and Ricardo can think of at least one way to shut him up for a while.

    But they need to focus, damn it, and figure out who’s gunning for them and why.

    Assuming they don’t kill each other first.

    Hitman vs Hitman is a standalone gay romantic suspense featuring two men who’d rather chew glass than fall for each other, a whole lot of inappropriate comments, and some buttons that will need resewing.


    L.A. Witt and Cari Z had wowed me with their awesomely co-written series, Bad Behavior. Their latest book, Hitman Vs Hitman is a fun, explosive romp oozing with USTs between two hired guns who were contracted to take on an assignment that was set up to get them both killed.

    Hitmen all over the world are ranked in a website called Rate My Hit. It’s where clients post reviews worded as satirical comments.

    The #1 hitman according to the website is Ricardo Torralba. He’s a born planner who has a trunk full of props and costumes that lets him slip through security. He’s of Spanish descent but he can change his accent when undercover. He’s a grumpy, taciturn fellow with a drawer filled with burner phones.

    And #2 on the chart is August Morrison, an unlikely person for such occupation. He is publicly known as the son of a billionaire. His mansion is built like Bruce Wayne’s. He loves clothes. Wears designer suits to his assignments. And jeeesus, when is he going to shut up?!

    This book moved fast, much like the way Ricardo and August were constantly on the run from whoever had them in their crosshairs. They paused long enough to come up with a plan to turn things around. Along the way, their combustible combination finally combusted and they discovered, that despite their very obvious differences, they’re really good together in more ways than they expected.

    The chemistry is off the charts! The sexual tension adding piquancy to the already strained interactions of two men on edge. I love the way these two threw off fireworks while constantly bickering. And that they took time before jumping each other’s bones.

    I do think the way their backstories were presented could have been stronger. While we get a good picture of Ricardo’s and August’s personalities, I felt their pasts could have been explored further. We learn more about August and his quirks. Also him with his famous billionaire face, going about his secret missions sans disguise and not recognized is stretching it.

    Majority of the book is spent uncovering the identity of the person who set them up. The mystery wasn’t hardcore mindboggling and you can kind of expect who the bad guy was. Still, it was an intriguing enough plotline.

    We get an HFN that left some things open in case the authors decide to give us a sequel. I wish they would because that conclusion certainly felt like the start of events that will shake up the charts. I liked that Ricardo and August did not retire as is usually the case when assassins are given their happy endings.

    Overall, Hitman Vs Hitman is light, humorous, suspenseful with OTT stunts and a lot of ridiculousness, mostly from August. It might not be a bullseye but it still hit its target.

    Rating:
    3.5 Stars – that place between like and love

    Soundtrack: Bullet
    Artist: Riot Child
    Album: Made For Another Time


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    KINDLE
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