As an enforcer for the Pagano Brothers, Tony Cioccolanti’s life is steeped in violence. For the most part, he feels no burden on his soul for the blood he spills or the pain he inflicts. He is a soldier, and blood and pain are the wages of war.Yet one terrible mistake haunts him, in his dreams and in his waking hours.Billy Jones has moved to Quiet Cove, the place of her happiest memories, to … place of her happiest memories, to start a business and fulfill a dream. Having summered in the Cove through most of her childhood, she understands about the Pagano Brothers and their control of the town. Their interest in her nightclub doesn’t surprise her—nor does the “protection” payment they demand. The glowering goombah who visits her club regularly, however—he surprises her plenty.
She was not prepared for the attraction between them.
As Tony and Billy draw closer, Tony’s violent life, and the Pagano Brothers’ brutal world, explodes on the streets of the Cove.
War has come, and its wages are due.
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I have a soft spot for dark and flawed heroes and that’s exactly what Tony is. He’s an enforcer for the Pagano Brothers. He tortures and kills for his “second family “ and accidentally kills a seven year old boy in a crossfire. That has left a profoundly mark on him and his conscience. As dark as Tony is there’s also good in him. Billy the night club owner sees that but she has to show Tony she doesn’t take his bullying or crap. Their chemistry jumps off the pages.
Billy is pretty kickass and strong. Her family is wealthy and she’s rebelled against them cause she want to do her own thing.
Tony finds calmness in Billy and so does she in him. Their relationship is not easy when one is part of the famous, and powerful mafia of Quiet Cove.
I really enjoyed Accidental Evils. This is dark and gritty mafia romance with interesting and compelling characters. The other characters from the previous books appear such as Don Nick Pagano, his underboss Donnie “The Face” and Trey Pagano. Based on the epilogue there’s still so much story to be told and I can’t wait. I’m ready for Angie Corti!
5 Shark Stars
4.5 stars. I have to admit that I didn’t think about this book too much going into it. Now, I always expect wonderful books from this author but I was already looking past this book to Angie’s book (which I still can’t wait for) and I didn’t know much about Tony. But, as usual, Ms Fanetti just pulled me all in to the story and had me loving Tony just like I do all the Pagano men. Billy was great and I liked her story and history. Overall a solid addition to the series and I can’t wait for more.
A beautifully profound mafia romance that articulates the meaning of consent
This is book #3 in the Pagano Brothers series and it is Tony and Billy’s story. If you are familiar with the work of Susan Fanetti you will be relieved to learn that nobody important (meaning nobody who has been a main protagonist in a previous book of the series) gets whacked, which is quite a relief, as Fanetti notoriously only guarantees HFN (Happy For Now) endings.
As with most mafia romances violence is an integral part of the story. Usually violence in Fanetti’s writing is distinguished by its visceral quality, which I felt was less the case in this book. At times the violence committed by the (anti-)hero seemed almost game-like, in part because of the type of training he did in order to excel at his job as an enforcer for the Pagano crime family.
Tony, our hero, has had quite a traumatic childhood where he was physically abused by his father over a long time. Out of those feelings of helplessness he then early on aspired to become a member of Nick Pagano’s outfit, so that he could never be made to feel like a victim again, but he is still carrying the scars of his past, both physical and psychological. His precarious state of mind is compounded by the fact that on a recent job a child was killed in the crossfire through his mistake. Nevertheless he has been steadily rising in the ranks and has been given additional responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is collecting protection money from the newly opened club in town and making sure things run smoothly there. Naturally his frequent visits to the club are purely professional and have nothing to do with his fascination with the club’s new owner, Billy.
Billy grew up on the fringes of a very rich family. Her mother is a socialite butterfly who has never learnt to fend for herself and thus is always dependent on the goodwill of her family, only the money never comes without strings attached. That’s not the life that Billy envisions for herself, so after getting a useless degree in French lit and working as a bar manager, she decides to buy a club of her own, which is made possible when she rather unexpectedly receives an inheritance after her grandfather’s death. She is not overly daunted by the fact that the club lies smack in the middle of Pagano territory. But she is increasingly disturbed by Tony’s frequent appearances in her club, and not only because he spells trouble, but because she feels inexplicably drawn to him.
Many (or even most) mafia romances I have read to date play on the trope of dubious consent, forced consent or even non-consent; what makes this story so special and stand out is that Fanetti goes exactly the opposite route. Of course Tony tries to intimidate Billy in the beginning, but when he crowds her bodily, she sticks a letter opener in him. How they negotiate their (intimate) relationship after that initial incident really should be required reading for anybody that doesn’t understand how consent works. Because they do have rough, wild and passionate sex that leaves bruises, but only when Billy is also on board with the idea. And strangely (or maybe not so strangely, considering his history) it’s not only Billy who doesn’t want their romantic relationship defined by violence. In a sense Tony maybe needs the tranquility of a safe heaven from his works that his relationship with Billy provides even more.
Just as they are negotiating their feelings and the parameters of their relationship, real life intrudes as violence erupts in Quiet Cove as a result of the turf war the Pagano Family has been embroiled in with the Ukrainian Bratva. Although the immediate fallout has been resolved and Billy and Tony are in a good place at the end of the book, the war is far from over and there seem to be some rather dark clouds on the horizon for the Paganos. I hate being a Cassandra but I feel some trepidation at the very open ending and I sincerely hope Fanetti is not going to “pull a Havoc” on Tony in the next installment, which is going to be Angie’s story…
Fanetti never disappoints, so no need to stress how much I loved this book. 5 shining stars.
Another Susan Fanetti, Pagano Brothers series release. Another Susan Fanetti story that absolutely slayed me. I have read this book a few times and each time my eyes are wide open, my heart is pounding, and I’m bracing the edge of my seat. From start to finish Accidental Evils feels dangerous and edgy. The intensity of the passion is sexy.
Tony Cioccolanti feels brilliantly menacing in the best way as he grapples with his own demons and discovers new caveats to himself. Bily Jones provides the perfect match with her ambition, forthrightness, independence, and understanding. What I absolutely loved about these two is that they seem a little bit unmatched but really (and as usual), Susan Fanetti digs so deep into her characters so flawlessly it turns out they’re are, without a doubt, the best match.
Also, with the Pagano Brothers in such a precarious state the entire feel of the novel dances with danger. It’s gripping what’s going on in Quiet Cove and the flow of the brilliant story telling leaves no room for fanciful fluff.
I loved every word. This book perfectly showcases what this series, The Pagano Brothers, and Fanetti couples are made of in remarkable ways. Fanetti’s writing once again proves to be limitless, direct, honest, and hopeful in her own signature way of story telling. A brilliant addition to a thrilling series. I can’t wait to find out what’s next.