From Top 20 bestselling author Parker S. Huntington comes a steamy, slow-burn love story full of unexpected love and banter.It started with my bladder.I didn’t mean to witness a shady deal in the restroom hallway.I didn’t think twice when I called the cops.And I certainly didn’t know who the club belonged to.Asher Black.Former mafia hitman.Billionaire CEO.New York’s most eligible bachelor.When he … hitman.
Billionaire CEO.
New York’s most eligible bachelor.
When he shows up at my college, looking for the girl who called the cops on his business, I know I’m as good as dead. What I don’t expect is his offer–he’ll pay for my tuition, set me up with a cushy job after I graduate, and all I have to do is… be his fake fiancée.
Asher Black is a 90,000-word standalone novel in The Five Syndicates mafia romance series.
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“Name: Asher Black.
Favourite Colour: Black.
Childhood Pet: Black Pitbull terrier names Dog.
Beverage of Choice: Water or Black Tea.
It’s very subtle, but I think Asher really likes the colour black.”
I can not thank @ReadingAboutLove enough for recommending this book to me, it was awesome! I read it in less than two hours! It was such an amazing take on a Mafia style book and the characters were so original and refreshing! I adored Lucy’s spunk and Ashers teddy bear personality.
I also loved Aimee she was hilarious and I’ve got my fingers crossed for a book for her.
I love this authors style of writing, it was glorious, and for being my first time reading books by Huntington, it was a great first impression and this definitely won’t be my last book I read by her! This book is part of a series so I can not wait to smash the hell out of it!
Overall:
“I woke up that morning to a gorgeous, well-groomed Asian man pressing measuring tape around my breasts. The first words out of his mouth “Girl, I wish I had tits as big as your.”
#parkershuntington #parkershuntingtonbooks #parkershuntingtonauthor #mafia #mafiaromance #asherblack #lucyives #newyorkcity #newyorkcity #nyc #engagementring #cookies
Bookstagramer all_you_read_is_love
Whew! This book is so delicious and so good. Ok Asher Black has earned him a seat up there with Christian Grey and Gideon Cross for me! The story was excellent the characters drew me in and Lacy Laurel did an excellent job of bringing this story to life for me. I had my headphones on to keep listening even when the kids came home from school. This was a GREAT book. I can’t wait to get my hands on book 2!
This was the debut novel by Parker S. Huntington and the first I have read! I loved it!!! I will be checking out all her books now!
Lucy and Asher seem like total opposites, her with a foster system upbringing and who is now in college barely scraping by and him a multi-million dollar CEO with Mafia connections. When extenuating circumstances put Lucy on Asher’s radar, they agree to a fake engagement to help Asher keep control of his company.
These two have chemistry that sizzles and have a lot more in common than you might think. As they live together and become closer, their feelings for each other also become more intertwined. Danger lurks as a hit is placed on the couple and Asher’s assistant’s jealousy causes turmoil. The excitement builds to a wild climax as a HEA is finally reached.
This book is so well written and engaging that I hated for it to end. There is a book following this with Nick’s story that I will be diving right into.
This is the first book I have read by this young author. I find it hard to believe that this is her debut book because it is seriously good. Asher Black is a swoon worthy former fixer for the Romano crime family. He now owns a club, where he meets Lucy, a college student. Everyone is afraid of Asher’s reputation, including Lucy. He insists that an error of judgement on her part results in Lucy owing him a favour. It’s a huge ask, but Lucy is up to the challenge. Lucy is strong, intelligent, and she’s got Asher’s back. She also has a great friend in Aimee, a wonderful secondary character. Great characters, strong plot, a perfect debut. I look forward to more by this talented new author.
I am voluntarily leaving my opinion of a review copy of this book.
I love Lucy, she is kinda awkward, quirky, doesn’t make friends easily and she is kinda manic. Asher is holy hell hot, demanding, pure alpha oh and he’s in the mob. The chemistry is there between them and it’s super hot. One small lapse in judgement has Lucy owing Asher, which is the last place anyone wants to be in. Unless it really is where u want to be. And these two seem to be way more alike than they thought. Love the way Lucy stands her ground, doesn’t fall for every word Asher says and gives as good as she gets.
Loved every page in this book, captured my attention and didn’t let it go till the very last page. This is my first book by this author and won’t be the last.
Levi was a real prick to begin with. We don’t learn too much about Jazzy right away either other than she’s been through Hell and back. Levi doesn’t seem to want to change his prickish ways. Jazzy soon shows her strong character and I began to like her. Levi started to warm my heart toward him when he made Jazzy coffee before going fishing. He showed me he was capable of sweetness.
Then we were shown the twist in Jazzy’s past and I have to admit that I was glued to this book from there on out. There’s something about discovering a strong character’s weakness and seeing the guy come to the rescue that draws me in. Readers need to be warned that there are trigger elements contained within this book.
I’m sad to see these stories end. There’s still things I want to know about the futures of the characters. I know there’s another book, but I don’t know how much of their stories we’ll get in it.
Lucy and her new roommate at Wilton, Aimee, were excited to be at Rogue, the hottest club in New York. A tall blonde approaches the stairway to the guarded VIP section and walked right past the guards, followed by a very handsome man with striking blue eyes who looked like he didn’t want to be there. Lucy finally decides to step outside into the alley for some air. After a few minutes the door opens – and the blue-eyed man smiles at her. He was so different from the cold, calloused look he had inside. They ended up kissing and enjoying each other until he seemed to be talking to himself. She realized he had a small device in his ear and was talking with someone. Then he just walked away with no goodbye and re-entered the club. After settling her rage, she re-enters as well preparing to leave. She passes the blonde from earlier arguing with a man in the hallway. Lucy darts into the restroom to avoid them, but as she is ready to leave, the arguing is louder and closer to the restroom door. Fearing for the woman, Lucy calls 9-1-1. Then “Blue Eyes” walks down the hall and the “attacker” addresses him as boss! The woman calls him Asher! So this must be Asher Black, the owner of the club! And he was just told by his men that the police had been called! When she found Aimee and her boyfriend, she found out how bad her situation really was – she had interrupted mafia business and called the cops on the Romano family!! She was truly in danger now if they identified her.
I really enjoy this author’s writing. Not only is her book really good, drawing the reader in and touching emotions, but the courage quotes and such throughout were really inspiring. The book has an amazing plot, suspenseful and intriguing from beginning to end! The twists and turns keep the reader eagerly reading and wanting more. It contains drama, danger, and romance. I like the strong yet realistically vulnerable characters. I’m eagerly looking forward to the next book from this author.
Asher Black is a dark mafia bad boy tale worth reading.
Lucy, a student with secrets, goes out on the town with her roommate where she encounters Asher, a fixer for the Romano family. As the story unfolds they become entangled in even more secrets while trying to keep their own as well. There are a number of events that will cause your heart to race from excitement, betrayal, friendship and love. I am eagerly looking forward to reading more in The Five Syndicates series.
I received a free copy of the novel from the author via Booksprout. I had the opportunity to review or not.
AND IT’S A GRAND SLAM!!!
Talk about hitting one over the fense, down the next 6 blocks, over a freight train at maximum speed and finally into a tunnel wall. This is one interesting, page turning bombshell that sets the bar higher for any other author in the same genre. I was hooked from the start and reeled in for the duration. All the twists and turns abound with enough excitement, action and drama that totally rocks this bad boy through and through. The characters are complex and well developed with such depths it’s easy to get carried away. Their personalities are unique, vast and varied with qualities and traits that balance out perfectly. The scenes are so graphic and descriptive it paints a magnificent backdrop that really makes the storyline pop. The chemistry between the two main characters were off the charts, white hot and explosive as they come together beautifully. Parker did an excellent job bringing this read to life flawlessly. Fantastic job Parker, thanks for sharing this awesome read with us.
I loved this novel. Asher Black was an action-packed, captivating, page-turner and I was hooked from start to finish. The storyline was at times intense, at other times amusing, the characters were complex yet very much likable and there was an element of suspense that made the story so much more exciting.
I listened to the audible version of this novel and I loved it. Lacy Laurel did an amazing job with the narration. She was able to give life to the different characters and made the story much more enjoyable. This was my first Parker S. Huntington novel but it wont be my last. This was a phenomenal read and I would highly recommend it.
I liked this book so much and I totally recommend it! This was my first Parker S. Huntington’s book and I can’t wait to read/listened the second book in the Series or any book she’ll write! As I understand, this is her first book. Amazing! The official Asher Black Audiobook Trailer is also very good! This book is about the story of Asher and Lucy. The two of them are so attractive. The story is captivating and very well written. The narration is so great. This is my first listen to Lacy Laurel. She has a sweet and a beautiful voice. She has the perfect voice for this narration and this is a perfect match story / narration! I’ve read/listened this story.
Asher Black, is considered the first book in The Five Families Syndicate. While each are standalone, together they created/paint the picture of the rival, ruling families of America.
New York’s most eligible bachelor, Asher Black, former mafia hitman turned billionaire CEO. One business of his, Rogue,a trendy nightclub where collegiate, Lucy, mistakenly calls all his attention directly to her.
The lines of their relationship are continuously blurred as his corporate world paints a target on her back. Not much steam between the sheets type of romance read. More of an insta-lust with slow burn build-up. One thing that did get me though is that the entire book was written in Lucy’s POV. Would have been nice to have some in his.
While standalones, they are interconnected via the following:
Asher Black
Niccolaio Andretti
Ranieri Andretti
Bastiano Romano
Renata Vitali
Damiano De Luca
Marco Camerino
Rafaello Rossi
This is one of the best books I have EVER read! No kidding! The humor, the angst, the snark – all pure girl power! The best of us in spite of the spiraling downward slope of self-doubt we try to sabotage ourselves with. That was Lucy, our main take-no-prisoners, protagonist. She was a hoot! of a character. Wow! and her love story with Asher was beautiful to see unfold. And it wasn’t even that she was damaged or he was damaged, or that they found each other along the way. It was all just the pure writing genius of Ms. Huntington.
The story gripped me and grabbed me and twisted me into a silent laugh on the inside – no less hearty for being hidden. From the first definition of courage: the theme, to every quote on courage, to every plot point demonstrating courage became my master, egging me to keep reading well into the night.
Needless to say, I will be buying up all Ms. Huntington’s books past today, since this brilliant book was her beginning, and thus mine into hers.
This novel was very entertaining and interesting. It was a page-turner. The author’s use of descriptive language created a suspenseful tone. The main characters, Lucy and Asher, had great chemistry. Kudos to the author for giving a shout-out to Dr. Slamon for his work with breast cancer patients! This narrative was a good easy read. I enjoyed reading it
PAGE TURNER!!!!!!
Everyone seems to know who Asher Black is except Lucy, so that is why after going to the bathroom at a club and witnessing a crime she calls the police. Finding out after the fact she knows she has made a grave mistake and believes he is going to kill her. So when Asher shows up days later and confronts Lucy she is ready to meet the maker, but Asher has other plans for Lucy. He needs a fiancée and Lucy will be the perfect woman for that. What Lucy doesn’t plan on is getting attached to the Asher, but could it be possible that Asher feels the same way?
Loved this, I read mixed reviews but I could not put this down. I loved Lucy she is quirky and has a past that is heartbreaking. Asher oozes male dominance and alpha male behavior. Chemistry is off the charts between this couple and I look forward to reading the next book.
It’s always amazing to me how these college students are able to experience all this drama and still be able to go to classes and study and get As. Truly amazing. So, aside from that I totally fell in love with Asher. He’s a bad ass. Seriously bad ass. I liked it. You should read it.
2017published, contemporary, her-pov, m-f-romance, nyc, plot, read, romance, sex
I have never wanted to read a book about the mafia, I like love stories, but I decided to read this book.
First of all, I liked it. not 100%, but I liked it. They built their love through a fake engagement, they learned from each other experience and without prejudice or previous judgment, their love grows.
But, I have missed his point of view. Her mental rambling is boring and confused (I am not an English native reader).
It’s hard to believe some stories, like the murder attempts, the invasion of the apartment, the number of people killed, how many people he killed alone. What? It is strange…
He is an ex-mafia guy, an expert in security and he was not able to find out his assistant and his partner were behind the murder attempts, how?
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked this book up. I’ve never read a Parker S. Huntington book before, and mafia romance, while something I’ve read in fanfic, is not something I normally gravitate too. Probably because it’s really hard to do it right and people get in way over their heads when writing it; that did not happen here. Asher Black is a phenomenal book that now has a place in my favorites list and has made me eager to dive into this world that Parker S. Huntington has created.
Asher Black is a business mogul with ties to the Romano family mafia – never an official member (more of a “contractor”), but he was given a chance at a decent life thanks to them and he considers the Romano man – Vinny – who raised him to be family. He is loyal to him and loves him like a father, and Asher is a man who will do anything to protect those he loves. While Asher is charming and intelligent enough to start an enterprise that is thriving, his board of directors think he is too young and unstable to run it. He needs to prove himself, and to his stuffy board members, stability means being married and putting down roots
Enter Lucy Ives – a former foster kid who spent two years volunteering all over the African continent after she aged out of the system and has returned to the USA to get her degree at one of the most prestigious colleges in the country. On her first night in NYC, she sees something in a nightclub that she THINKS needs police intervention and she calls them for help. It isn’t until after she realizes that the mafia owns the club and they’re likely going to be after her.
Asher, realizing Lucy hadn’t realized she was calling the police on the Romano family, decides that she isn’t an enemy that needs “dealing with” … instead she’ll owe him a favor. That favor ends up being his fake fiancee for the purposes of convincing his board he’s stable enough to remain in charge. In return, she’ll have a financially set for life.
Of course, she has to move in! This brings them into each others’ daily lives and Asher and Lucy find themselves having a blast; their senses of humor really play off of each other and Asher actually opens up to her and lets her get to know him. He knows he cares for her and does everything he can to get a chance with her. In the process, Lucy comes to be a braver version of herself.
I absolutely loved this book! The story was incredible in every way and the book holds up to re-reading exceptionally well. The characters are great, the story has consistent pacing, nothing is too over the top or contrived, and the romance is as realistic as can be expected in a mafia romance. No punches were pulled and that made this story a standout in every sense of the word.
This is a masterful slowburn that keeps the tension building throughout the book without it feeling dragged out or forced. Honestly … there is so much tension and there is a scene in here that will forever change the way you look at glass shower doors and bluetooth headphones!
This is really a 4 1/2 star book. There’s something about Asher and Lucy that you can’t help but fall in love with. Lucy is the perfect mate for Asher, and we see it early on in the story. However, their chemistry, in my opinion, doesn’t boil off the page. I would have liked Asher’s POV to build that chemistry. It’s clear that he’s interested in her, but in this story, when they finally consummate their feelings, it feels a bit underwhelming. That being said, I couldn’t put this book down because I needed to see them through to their happy ending. There is so much to love about the tech and science aspects of this story. And I love Huntington’s intent to show the way in which women are marginalized or muted during these discussions.