I’ve inherited my sister’s fiancé.She had him first. Alessio Salvatore. Charming, gorgeous, and completely off-limits. I watched him propose and counted myself lucky when my sister said “yes” to the notorious gangster. I have plans for my life. None of them involve sleeping with the enemy, even if it’s to broker peace between our families.But when my sister mysteriously dies, my life turns … mysteriously dies, my life turns upside-down. I’m now the heir of my father’s assets, and without an arranged marriage, our families are on the brink of war.
Until my father gives Alessio an offer he can’t refuse.
Me.
——–
ALESSIO
I need Mia to understand three things:
1. We are getting married in a month.
2. I demand loyalty.
3. I want kids. Now.
I was meant to walk her sister down the aisle. A relationship with Mia would’ve been unforgivable. She was persona-non-grata forever until her old man gave me her hand in marriage.
How could I say no?
But wrangling the boss’ daughter is more trouble than I thought. When she’s not fighting her feelings, she’s fighting me. Never mind that we have more fireworks than dynamite. Or that we’re perfect together. Or that we’re marrying in a few weeks.
She hates me.
Too bad.
She’ll have to get used to me.
Author’s note: This is a dark, mafia arranged marriage, standalone romance. A young woman desperate to leave a life of crime and violence fights her arranged marriage to her late sister’s fiancé, a ruthless mob boss who demands three things from her: marriage, loyalty, and a baby.
As their wedding date approaches, Mia struggles with a decision that once seemed easy–escape his control or surrender to her heart?more
This books was vastly different from other Vanessa Waltz books I’ve read, still a great read and I will be reading the rest I the series. I had all the emotions on this one….I hated Alessio, then I liked him and eventually I was smitten. Mia was great and I was gratefully she wasn’t a high maintenance whiner. These two are great together once they get over and out of the mob.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Excellent mafia romance!!
This is a wonderful story and I love the characters. Mia thought she would get away with not having to marry a made man, cause that’s what her father promised her. Then her sister dies and all of the sudden she is now the fianceé to Alessio Salvatore, her dead sister’s fiancé. Mia doesn’t want this life, it doesn’t matter that she has secretly harbored a crush for Alessio since before her sister was engaged to him, he is off-limits in her mind out of respect for her sister. Alessio needs Mia to understand that no matter what they will be married and he expects children soon. This is a twisted mafia romance that will draw you in and keep you turning the pages to the very end. It’s a great read and I highly recommend it!
She inherited her sister’s fiancé.
Mia is mourning her missing sister. She’s been declared dead, but no body, so you do the math.
Carmela was engaged to marry Alessio in a mob merger.
He hasn’t been celibate at all. But he expects three things from Mia.
Marriage. Loyalty. And a baby. In that order.
So, while he works to woo her, Mia is focused on her pain.
It’s one crisis after another that has Alessio running around to do a beat down.
Tons of mob drama. And ghosts come back to haunt them. And more heat downs.
I liked that Mia finally took care of business on her own.
Recommend.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It had been a long time since I read a book by Vanessa Waltz. I must have been missing out if her prior books were as good as this new read. Arranged was fabulously written with no full moments. The characters were well thought out and kept me engaged. I will now have to go back and read all the books I’ve missed from Vanessa Waltz.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Love the multi mafia family involvement, the intense drama and excitement of this story. I highly recommend this story.
This was a good book. I enjoyed the characters and the plot. Waltz is very good with portraying the way we perceive mafia to act. I mean who else would force a sister to replace her deceased sister in an arranged marriage? As the story unfolds, Alessio has his eye on Mia originally, but her father wouldn’t offer her. Mia and Alessio had a tough road to travel, but they were able to work through it and get an HEA.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It has been several months since Mia Rizzi’s sister Carmella has been buried. Mia and her family are still in mourning over her death. Mia is well aware of the life regarding organized crime. Her father and Nico Costa decided to create an arranged marriage between Underboss Alessio Salvatore, and Naz Rizzi’s first born Carmella to merge the families and create better opportunities and peace among the territories.
However when Carmella disappearance is found to be a homicide, Alessio is now promised Mia in Carmella’s place. Alessio confronts Mia outside her home, and lets her know 3 things: Mia will be his wife. He knows about David, her on-again, off-again fling, and she will not see him again. Thirdly, once married, he wants kids and will start right away. The wedding will be in a month, so Mia needs to move in with Alessio, right away. Her father agrees to this arrangement, so he can keep up on his side of the bargain.
Mia is NOT happy over the decision to marry Alessio. She has heard he is a heartless, violent, dark man. She knows being raised in the “Family” that trying to get away is not an option. Once in the “Family” always in the “Family”. However, Mia had a crush on Alessio when she was younger. Alessio had a fondness for Mia years ago too.
She knows Alessio’s reputation, but he begins to show her the real side of him slowly. She begins to realize he is not just a monster, but a man as well.
When an incident almost ends Mia’s life, Alessio begins to realize, just how much Mia is beginning to mean to him. He wants to protect her, and they begin a HOT/Cold relationship. When it is HOT, it is off the charts. When it is cold it is Antarctica
This is a dark, steamy roller coaster ride of a story. Once you get hooked, hang on! You are in for a wild, crazy, HOT, and emotional ride! Once I began the book, I could not put it down! Strap on your seatbelt, and hang on! You are in for a ride of a lifetime ! .
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Spectacular story
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book going in and after reading the blurb I was ALL IN. Mia’s sister goes missing and now Mia is expected to pick up where she left off….marry some mobster to solidify an alliance between families…oh and the mobster is her sister’s fiancé
This story had more twists and turns than I ever expected but each was handled amazingly well. The characters were well developed and the storyline sucked me in completely to the point where I could not put it down (*cough cough* didn’t want to put it down more like it) and now I’m intrigued to see what else this author has in store for us in this series
I received an advanced copy via Booksprout and I voluntarily leave my honest review
It was a pretty typical mafia story with all the ups and downs. I did not like her very much, because she found him attractive and dreamt of him when she was younger, than she feared him, than she wanted to try a honest relationship, than he is the devil again. She was kind like a fickle. That was the first half, the second half was more action, but still she was kind of weak with all the crying. I like the author, but this book was not for me, she was 23 in the book, but acted much younger. And I did not like the end very much, so out of the blue and all is forgotten. But did I mentioned I like the author very much
I received an ARC for an honest review
I thoroughly loved reading the phenomenally extraordinary dark mafia romance. Because Mia’s sister is presumed dead, Mia is to wed the unbelievably handsome second in command, Alessio Salvatore. Mia’s feelings for Alessio are confusing, and she tries to fight her overwhelming attraction and feelings for him. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, captivating and engaging, riveting that reader from the first page of the story until the last page of the story.
Take Mafia Famiglia, intertwine an arranged marriage, disappearing acts, peacekeeping, blood, pain, love, loss, lust, and everything in between, and you’ve got all-consuming guts to glory mafia romance between Alessio Salvatore and Mia Ricci. They may be doing this for the sake of their families, but that doesn’t mean the underboss and the princess won’t help each other find what they’ve been missing along the way!
Stellar, swoon-worthy blood lust to love Mafia romance I could not put down- Vanessa Waltz struck 5 stars with this one!
Mia is devastated by the mystery surrounding her sister. Stepping in and taking her place is what is expected of her but she doesn’t know if it is something she can even go through with. Being with Alessio wasn’t suppose to feel so right but it does. When someone from the past returns to warn Mia, everything changes… This was a really entertaining read. Characters had good chemistry and the story is well written with plenty of suspense and drama. Great read, definitely recommend
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I was so excited to get my hands on a copy of this arc. I am currently loving all things dark and savage. Honestly this could have been darker, way darker. There was a lot of great detail in the inner workings of mob life. Even times of truly despicable acts of humanity were portrayed. Yet it wasn’t gripping enough for me. Like I said, I’ve been on a dark read bender and this was dark-lite. So if you’re a bit squeamish about violence of all sorts, you’ll be able to read this.
I’m only giving this a 3.5 because I felt like there were some inconsistencies in the earlier part of the story. I’m not sure if it was done on purpose to make me doubt the narrator or if those were mistakes. Also the huge plot twist was something I saw coming since chapter one. Also, I hated that Mia wasn’t more kick@$$ to begin with. But that’s her character. She’s against all violence and truly wants to see the good in everyone. That was not working for me. She felt like too much of a victim to me. Everything was happening to her. She wasn’t proactive enough. I hated that she was celibate for six months and that the entire time Alessio was trying to get her to go along with the engagement and pending marriage he was still out hooking up. Thankfully no details or ow drama ensued. But he complained about not getting any for three weeks!!! I was like how long has she been living under his roof again? He better not be cheating!!! I wasn’t a huge fan of Alessio to say the least.
There were other things that grated on my nerves, like the insistent miscommunication between them all the time!!! But overall it gets better. I really did love how protective they were about each other. And Ms. Waltz does a great HEA.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
*SPOILERS*
This line hooked me: “Men like him didn’t answer prayers. Men like him were the reason we needed them.” Wow. Alessio is more than meets the eye. Reminds me to never judge a book by its cover, unless it’s this one! Mia is the woman whom you’ll want to be. Vivacious and determined. She gets her man, every single inch! Being Italian, I could relate to the family dynamics. Nice HEA, too. Superbly written.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Exciting and unpredictable
It’s an excellent romance, a constant battle between trust and manipulation. Some parts are scorching, full of twists, unpredictable, twisted and sometimes hard to read.
The characters are very good, torn apart from the beginning by the world in which they live.
Mia is forced to get engaged and then marry Alessio, her sister’s former fiancé. Her sister would be dead, and Mia is struggling to recover from it, as well as wanting to leave this mafia world in which Alessio is the heir of choice for a Boston family. Mia’s hatred for Alessio is as confused and powerful as the attraction to him that she also experiences when she wouldn’t want to experience it. At the same time, the mafia family is under constant attack, mistreating the coming and going relationship of Mia and Alessio.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book
Waltz doesn’t disappoint with this dark mob romance. Her descriptions are superb and uniquely detailed.Very hot sex scenes!! Mia has a touch of innocence and naivete, yet understands the dangers involved with her family’s lifestyle. Alessio is the epitome of Alpha male mobster–tall, dark, handsome, but treats Mia like a queen. Mia has a privileged life–very few worries other than whether or not her father will be murdered, arrested, or worse. The man promised that she would never be forced into any type of relationship. He kept his promise–until six months after her sister’s death. Mia’s worst fear has become a reality–an arranged marriage.
Alessio, an underboss for the Costa family needs to marry a member of the Ricci family namely Mia. The girl he’s lusted after for ages. Nothing ever goes according to plan especially after numerous fights with other gangs and his future wife. He needs to convince Mia how capable they are together. No way she can she deny the chemistry they share. Alessio also has issues within the Costa family to deal with as well.
Intense…One of my favorites this year.
You will devour this book. Absolutely loving the writing of Vanessa Waltz!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Wow!
Let me start with how I read this book all in one in night. I started it after work, around midnight and could not put it down until I was finished.
So as not to spoil the story, the premise of the story is regarding families with mob ties and what must be done to protect the families. Alessio is rising to be the 2nd hand in the Costa family. He is told he has to marry the eldest Ricci family daughter in effort to bring peace.
After Alessio and Carmela are engaged, she disappears and is declared dead after her blood is found.
In effort to continue the peacemaking, a wedding must be completed. Alessio is then promised Mia, Carmela’s younger sister.
Mia wants out of the life, wants to escape the deaths and horror not be tied inevitably to the life she wants to leave. She is afraid of her feelings for Alessio and tries to ignore their chemistry.
Ms. Waltz weaves a story so enchanting that you feel as if you are intertwined in the story yourself. I kept reading in effort to see what happens next and wanting to see the HEA (which this has). I want to know more about Mia and Alessio and others they are involved with.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Mob Life
Multiple beatings, kidnappings, murder and arranged marriages are all part of every day life in the Mafia. Mia wants no part of any of it, yet her dad has arranged for her to marry Mob Boss Alessio Salvatore. She wants out. He wants her. Sparks fly and tempers explode as these two both try to get what they want. Vanessa has a way of writing that sucks you in from page one, making you feel like you are right there with the characters.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
An extremely captivating, dark and steamy mafia romance story with an amazing storyline, great characters and the perfect amount of suspense, drama, danger, mystery, twists, heartache, grief, sizzling chemistry, secrets, and plenty of heat.
I volunteered to review an advance reader copy of this book.