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    REVIEW: His Lethal Desire by Leighton Greene

    West Coast Mobsters: His Lethal Desire – Leighton Greene

    Thereโ€™s nothing more lethal than a hitman in love.

    Johnny โ€œJackโ€ Jacopo was once the Castellani Familyโ€™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 actressโ€™s twin brother. Miller Beaumont is charming, gorgeous, flirtyโ€ฆand heโ€™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 itโ€™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 heโ€™d never do.

    Heโ€™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 wonโ€™t give a damn about anyone until suddenly you do, and thatโ€™ll be it. Forever. Even if they leave, even if they die. Youโ€™ll still love them, and you can try with someone else, even make it work for a while, but it wonโ€™t be the same.

    One shot at love, Johnny. Itโ€™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 โ€“ 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: Beloved By The Boss by Leighton Greene

    Morelli Family: Beloved By The Boss – Leighton Greene

    M/M Mafia Romance

    Itโ€™s good to be the Boss. Thatโ€™s what I thought my whole life.

    Now I am the Boss. Iโ€™ll shoulder that responsibility with my beloved husband beside me. As long as I have Finch, I can handle whatever life throws at me.

    But what they say is true: Be careful what you wish for.

    My Family has been decimated. My allies are few. Iโ€™m holding onto power by a thread.

    And the truth is, my husband is more vulnerable than ever. Heโ€™s always been a lost soul, and now heโ€™s suffered yet another crushing loss.

    I canโ€™t protect him from Fateโ€™s cruel blows. But Iโ€™m determined to protect him from our enemies, no matter what it takesโ€”as soon as I get my own house in order.

    Because Iโ€™m starting to wonder if thereโ€™s a traitor in the Morelli Familyโ€ฆ

    If I can’t even trust my own men, how can I keep my beloved safe?

    Beloved by the Boss is the sequel to Married to the Mobster, and is the second book in the Morelli Family Mafia Romance series.


    My mafia romance streak continues with Leighton Greene‘s Morelli Family. This series has one of my all-time favorite couples, Luca and Finch.

    Married To The Mobster, Book 1 of the series, was released in 2020, and since then, I’ve been waiting for the audiobooks. It wasn’t until last year that the author announced none other than the great Michael Ferraiuolo would be narrating, and I was ecstatic because his style suits the characters to a T!

    And it was a spot-on performance for Beloved by the Boss!

    In the first book, Luca was forced to marry Finch to save the young man’s life. Unknown to the mobster who forced the marriage, the two had a meet disaster that ended in a magical night and a separation of 5 years. Majority of the book, we see Luca putting Finch at arms length despite obviously worshipping the ground he walks on.

    Beloved by the Boss takes a 180-degree turn. Luca, now smarter and with his priorities straight, is the new Don Morelli struggling to gain the respect of his capos and other families. Finch is the center of his universe, and the two have Friday date nights and open communication. Luca is committed to putting Finch first, consequences be damned! And boy, were there consequences!

    The Commission, an organization overseeing all the Families, is calling Luca to explain Don Augustino Morelli’s death, along with the death of a made man from the rival Fuscone Family. The Morellis also had to find out who is snitching on them to the Fuscones. As if there’s not enough on their plate, the Donovans’, the Irish mob headed by Finch’s sister Maggie, appears to be working with their rival family.

    What I remembered most about Finch is that he is a fun character. He’s a sassy twink and a spoiled rich kid who “wilted like a lettuce left out the fridge” when he was forced to slum it (at that time, Luca was just a regular mafioso and wasn’t rich yet). Now, he’s still sassy and spoiled, and uses his considerable smarts as the unofficial consigliere.

    And because the humor was what I remembered most, I forgot how gritty this series could be. The story is told in dual POV. Luca’s POV showed his struggles as the new Morelli boss dealing with one major loss after another. Finch’s POV is all fun and games until the twists and turns slammed in! It was betrayal and death at every turn!

    It’s heart-breaking because most of the deaths and betrayals are connected to him directly and they hit him hard! Finch wasn’t just there to make saucy comments. He was also a grieving son, a reformed drug addict, a vulnerable target, and a mob boss’s husband trying to roll with the punches life and mobsters threw at him.

    Luca and Finch don’t know who to trust, not even those related by blood. I loved how the two went from strength to strength, working as a team because

    โ€œWhen you want something done right–โ€
    โ€œDo it with your husband,โ€ I finished for him.

    Their romance is still as sizzling as ever, the chemistry even better now that Luca reveals an unexpectedly poetic side with his swoony lines. And it tickles me pink every time I hear him call Finch “baby bird” or “angel.”

    And it’s not just the chemistry. I also loved how they grew as a couple and as individuals. The scene where Luca surprised Finch at the wake spoke volumes about how well they knew each other and how far Luca will go just to be there when Finch needed him.

    I love reading about mafia politics and it was fascinating to see the Commission in action or the divide between the west and east coast families. The writing struck a good balance between humorous and dark, and between the action, romance, and suspense.

    The supporting cast stood out as well. Frankie and Celia have always been there, so I hope to see them in future books despite what happened (It was tragic and bittersweet). I’m excited for Angelo’s book and Aiden’s, too. One casualty gutted me because he was such great character, and I’m sorry we won’t be seeing him again.

    Beloved by the Boss is a compelling story of two men deeply entangled in marriage and the mafia. It is an almost perfect sequel to an entertaining mafia romance. I took away half star because it went on a bit too long. Overall, emotional, thrilling, and hella swoony!

    Rating:
    4.5 Stars โ€“ perfection is only half a step away

    Soundtrack: Fire On Up
    Artist: Paper Kings
    Album: Look At Me Now

    P.S.

    Morelli Family should be read in order. Witness the meet-disaster and Luca’s pining for his “baby bird” in Married To The Mobster.

    Also, the book models are perfect as blue-eyed devil Luca and golden-haired Finch!


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    REVIEW: Say I Do by Brea Alepou & Skyler Snow

    Vitale Brothers: Say I Do – Brea Alepou & Skyler Snow

    What do you get when you mix a mobster with the son of the yakuza?

    A marriage bathed in blood.

    I never expected to be getting married, but when a business opportunity lands in my lap, I know I have to take it. After all, my family means the world to me. Iโ€™ll do anything to keep them safe, even if itโ€™s entering a marriage thatโ€™s nothing more than convenience so I can pop out an heir.

    However, thatโ€™s not what happens. The Hayashiโ€™s pull a fast one and Iโ€™m left with a snarling godd*mn hellhound on my hands. Harlow is nothing like the demure, sweet woman I signed up for. No, heโ€™s got teeth and he knows how to use them.

    Thereโ€™s no going back.

    Iโ€™ll either fall in love or bury another lover.


    When I started the Vitale Brothers series, I loved the cover of Take Me Apart but didn’t put much meaning to it. It wasn’t until the second book, Paid In Full, that I sat up and took a closer look at the cover because, holy hell, the scene connected to it slayed me!

    And DAMN! Benito’s book is a killer, too! That cover is perfect, right down to the turtle tattoo!

    Say I Do is the marriage between a monster and the devil. You can bet it’s one hell of a wedding night!

    And did I say they’re marrying each other, TWICE!

    Seriously, do we expect anything less from the merger of the head of a notorious mafia family and the son of the yakuza boss? It is as feral as it fiery, the bloodlust as intense as the passion! The hatefucks are so nuclear they set the standard for my other reads!

    The opening scene set the tone with Harlow Hayashi strapped to a gurney and gagged, ala Hannibal Lecter, because our boy is too deadly. He was wheeled into his wedding to Vitale Family head, Benito, after his twin sister became unsuitable for being pregnant with another man’s child.

    Surprised by this turn of events, a.k.a. shitty move by the Hayashis, but unwilling to break the fragile peace, Benito went through with the wedding ceremony. Not knowing what to do with a groom and claiming to be straight, Benito was quick to realize his life not only turned upside down, it got whole lot bloodier too.

    Please check the trigger warnings before diving in. There are instances of pedophilia, trauma, death, grief, and a lot of morally grey, if not down right criminal actions.

    There is also graphic domestic violence here, and by that, we have Benito and Harlow going at it like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt discovering they’re both spies. It’s not pretty, but just like Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Mr. and Mr. Vitale couldn’t resist the magnetic pull and soon channeled their aggression into a more steamy exchange of body fluids. It happens every time buttons are pushed because these two just loved pushing.

    Mostricio, non nascondetevi da me. Non eri quello che cercavo, ma sei tutto ciรฒ di cui ho bisogno
    “Monster, don’t hide from me. You weren’t what I was looking for, but you’re all I need”

    The tumultuous romance blossomed while Benito is tasked to uncover who is snitching on the Vitales to a reporter. Harlow, recognizing his stake in the marriage and the Vitales, uses his skills and contacts to help gather intel on the snitch.

    This brought him to an old lover, the head of the Chinese triad, who declares ownership of Harlow. Even as a child, the young man was nothing but a bargaining chip to his father who handed him over to the triad. Benito’s not having any of the triad leader’s crap and took matters in his own hands.

    This series rarely pulled its punches, and Benito’s story did some heavy hitting, as well. This book is the perfect balance of sex, violence, and FEELS so swoony, the boutique scene melted me into goo! Add to that a gripping plot, and writing that keeps the tension tightly wounded until it exploded into a glorious red wedding climax.

    To top it off, another brother was introduced! The mysterious Gianpaolo, Gin’s twin, sacrificed his life for the family to become an FBI agent. He’s going to be paired with his boss! Can’t wait to see how they make this work!

    Say I Do blew my expectations out of the water! It is what a proper enemies-to-lovers romance should be, where real hate burns like fire of a thousand suns and the love it forges is true and unbreakable. This 3rd book of the series cements the Vitale Brothers as one of the most memorable mafia romances I’ve read this year!

    Rating:
    5 Stars โ€“ absolutely perfect

    Soundtrack: To Be
    Artist: The Irrepressibles
    Album: Nude

    P.S.

    Vitale Brothers is best read in order because these brothers are pretty special. Meet Enzo who likes ’em bloody and neat in Take Me Apart. Meet Gin who likes a toppy twink in Paid In Full.


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    REVIEW: Paid In Full by Brea Alepou & Skyler Snow

    Vitale Brothers: Paid in Full – Brea Alepou & Skyler Snow

    Iโ€™m used to my life being insanity. A family of a-holes, being locked up, and a few loose screws? Yeah anyone would go crazy. (Not that I am. Iโ€™m different, thatโ€™s all). My brothers say Iโ€™m the loose canon of the family. The truth is that Iโ€™m the life of the party!

    The party comes to a screeching halt when I meet Ash. Shy, younger, virgin. Heโ€™s everything Iโ€™m not attracted to. Give me an experienced partner anyday.

    But thereโ€™s something about him that makes me want to keep him. Maybe I want to stoke that fire I see in his eyes. Or maybe Iโ€™m just lonelier than I thought.

    Either way, heโ€™s mine. Nobody, and I mean nobody, will take Ash away from me.

    (Blurb may change)
    Gritty M/M romance.


    Look at that cover and know that it is perfect. Wait till you get to the part why!

    Paid in Full is the second book of Vitale Brothers, a mafia romance series that stays true to its gritty promises. This stars Giancarlo Vitale, a.k.a. Gin, the next older brother to Enzo, the youngest and MC of Take Me Apart.

    While Enzo’s appeal lies in his eerie calmness and neat freak ways, Gin is the ex-con, the wild child, the life of the party, and the insatiable playboy who can charm the pants and panties off anyone. For some reason, the narrator, Declan Winters, gave him an accent (Bostonian? New York? Not sure) while his brothers speak in what to me is the standard American accent (sorry, not an accent expert). It might be confusing at first, but I loved how it suits Gin’s personality to a T.

    Initially, I considered the second book kind of a necessary hurdle to get to Benito’s book, which I am super excited about. But Gin and Ash surprised me, and I was completely hooked from the get go!

    The opening chapters immediately grabbed interest with Gin at a black market auction masquerading as a charity event. Up for auction is the wide-eyed, virgin son of a man who owes the Vitales money. Just to teach him a lesson, Gin bought Ash and let Ash’s abusive father pay the price to cover what he owed.

    Ash didn’t know what to do with his new owner because, frankly, the guy is crazy! The least he expected was an offer to let him buy his freedom through sex. But first, Gin has to teach him how. Our boy is a fast learner!

    Ash has been through the wringer, enduring beatings, forced to watch other people being abused as psychological torture, and always been told he was good for nothing so he might as well be sold as a slave. Most of the sexual abuses weren’t graphic and are off-page, but the violence and torture are on-page (check the trigger warnings).

    Here comes Gin, an unlikely comfort and a giver of tough love who challenges Ash to be angry, to stand up for himself, to be himself. He is exactly what Ash needs. The best part is when Ash harnesses his big dick energy, and yes, you can take that literally, and unleashes his inner beast.

    I totally didn’t see this dynamic coming, but OMG, they’re fantastic! Gin and Ash were fun and amusing together. Gin is full of stupid jokes and dumb ideas. He made me laugh! He’s big, dominant and possessive, and lets Ash go to town on his ass. Ash is an endearing cinnamon roll, innocent as a puppy, as Gin likes to call him, and always eager to please. Then a switch flicks, and our boy is in control!

    One of Gin’s ideas:

    โ€œGin, Iโ€™m ready to go.โ€

    โ€œI can practically see a tail wagging.โ€ Ginโ€™s dark brown eyes lit up. โ€œAsh, pull your pants down and wag your dick for me.โ€

    โ€œWhat? No.โ€

    It’s not all fun and games. There are demons to conquer. Blackmailing fathers, evil human traffickers, PTSD, panic attacks, and massive trust issues create conflict and drive wedges, leading to one of the most heart-breaking scenes in the series. That’s why the cover slays!

    Paid in Full is a story of dysfunctional families, complicated relationships, unspeakable crimes and invaluable lessons on how to grow a spine. The uncommon dynamics, the humor and heart-warming moments balance out the darker, bloodier scenes. Overall, intense, wild, and totally worth it!

    Rating:
    4.5 Stars โ€“ perfection is only half a step away

    Soundtrack: Worth the Fight
    Artist: Broods
    Album: Conscious

    P.S.

    Vitale Brothers books can be read as standalones but why miss out on the Vitale charms? Let Enzo Vitale show you how to own a cop and keep him too in Take Me Apart.


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