Dante and Valentina are both widowers, set to wed in a marriage of convenience. Dante hasn't gotten over the death of his first wife but needs a spouse as Capo of the Chicago Outfit. Valentina just wants a real husband as she covered for her gay spouse and is still a virgin.
This should have been a good premise for a story, but I found both characters more like cardboard cutouts than actual people. I could see the twist coming a mile away, and the story just seemed kind of blah. ( )

Loved this one! ( )

3.5 stars

For some reason I expected this to be grittier and darker than it was. Unfortunately, it wasn't. That is the reason that I love mafia. I want to see the criminal underbelly mixed with the loyalty and love. This one didn't give me that.

Even though I didn't connect with the characters or story, I still appreciate this author and her dedication to her craft. ( )

Dante and Val. ( )

This is the second book in the "Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles", about a group of young women (all friends or sisters) who are thrust into arranged marriages. These women are strategically matched to their spouses to gain more power and status in the Chicago Outfit and bring peace between the rival faction, the New York Famiglia.

The head of the Outfit, Dante Cavallaro, lost his wife four years ago. Valentina is a widow whose husband was a mafia soldier but their marriage had secrets. From the first night together, Valentina realises that her husband has no interest in any sort of sexual relationship with her. This is very disappointing to Val who has long hoped for a husband and children.

Each of the books in this series are stand-alones so it's not necessary to read them in order. I felt like threads of the past and future books are woven together so that it's more enjoyable if you already are familiar with the main characters.

There’s quite a bit of sex and violence in each book. And there are always rats to be dealt with. And I don't mean actual rats. ( )