Title: Mafia Casanova
Author: Rachel Van Dyken & M. Robinson
Release Date: November 17, 2020
Length: 314 pages
Genre: Dark Romance
**** My Review ****
The greatest love has the greatest power to hurt, to pierce your heart and kill all hope… one thought, one wish, one decision…it’s for the best. Well, don’t they say that the road to hell is paved with the best intentions? All efforts are in vain, the torn souls are still bleeding, yet traces of hope sparkle hidden behind the pain…
This captivating story of sacrifice and love that was created by M. Robinson and Rachel Van Dyken should come with a fair warning: “Be prepared for a real roller-coaster of emotions that will leave you wrecked.’ It is a perfect mixture of action, heartbreak, death, pain and love that will capture your attention from the first lines.
Eden De Rossi and Romeo Sinacore – two friends who share much deeper emotions than they even admit. They are more than aware of the environment that surrounds them, the rules that must be obeyed, she – the daughter of a made man in the Bartollo family and he – underboss of the Sinacore family, a hitman. As the desire pulls them towards each other, the circumstances separate them. He is a cold-blooded killer, and she deserves a devoted husband, she deserves a fairy tale and happily ever after, she does not deserve a husband who gets Intel by seducing women, fucking and killing them….she does not deserve a husband who will return home with traces of lipstick on his collar. Wanting to protect her, he hurts her, twisting the knife with the cold-hearted lies, crushing her heart and pushing her in the embrace of the man who loves her and will cherish her the way she deserves, the only man he trusts, his own brother…. But does fate have the same plans? The days go by, some things change, some stay the same … one tragedy, and they are next to each other again …. But is he ready to let her go this time?
This was my first experience with these authors and had no idea what to expect but the hottie on the cover caught my eye right way and I decided to give it whirl….One of my best decisions ever! I received the ARC copy on my kindle just before bedtime, and I decided to read the first few pages, you know, just to see what is it about. And few pages turned into few more and few more…..and the last few early in the morning. I literally couldn’t put the darn book down.
Mixing parts of the past and the present, the authors didn’t spare their words, nor their gifts to make the story gritty and real. It was disturbingly detailed, utterly emotional , and filled with twists and turns. It was perfectly paced to hold the attention till the very end, and gritty enough to force readers to turn the pages, eagerly wanting to find out what happens next. Both Romeo and Eden were complex , well developed characters.
Romeo was a character that had me on the edge of my seat, and made me feel a storm of emotions. I was disgusted and appalled by him and his actions half the book, while the other half I was swooning. I didn’t know whether I wanted to kiss him or punch him in the gut at times. He is dark and dangerous, sexy, cocky, and alpha all the way. Through much of the book, he is a total asshole to Eden. Just when you think he won’t be able to redeem himself in your eyes, he does.
Eden won my heart from the minute she was presented as a character. She is a spit fire that stands up for herself, and demands respect. She tries to fight for what she wants, only to be hurt and thrown into the arms of another man. And she does not crash, instead she’s brave enough to try and build her life with the man she though was one of her best friends.
Mafia Casanova was a real page-turner, because there was so much more going on than I had originally anticipated. It kept me on the edge of my seat. It was emotional, twisted, steamy, suspenseful, with loads of twists. I highly recommend this one to readers who love the mafia-genre.