From New York Times best-seller Claire Contreras comes a new, sexy stand-alone novel . . . When you grow up in a family like mine, it’s easy to identify the kind of men that are bad news. They’re the ones with experience. The ones with secrets. The ones that exude sex just by saying your name.From the moment I laid eyes on Lorenzo, I knew he wasn’t just bad news. He was the headline.But my head … bad news.
He was the headline.
But my head and my heart are at war.
He’s too mysterious, too gorgeous, too wild, and now, he wants me.
I should run far away. So why am I racing toward him?
I’m totally going to get burned. I know it. A man like Lorenzo won’t leave me unscathed.
He’ll make ashes of me.
*Because You’re Mine is NOT a dark romance! It is a 100% stand-alone novel. NO CLIFFHANGER!*
more
Five Scorching Hot Stars! BECAUSE YOU’RE MINE made me gasp and swoon.
Claire goes back to her mob roots and it couldn’t be better! You’ve gotta read this one!
I’m not gonna lie, this book took me by surprise. I went on an author one-click binge one night recently (I blame the Lunesta and her secret societies books), not even bothering to read the blurbs. I was NOT expecting a mafia book. I mean, where did that come from, right? Of course, I was reading it! The versatility and creativity of this author never cease to impress me. It’s like every book of hers I pick up is glued to me until I finish it. This story was no different.
Cat’s character was, while skirting etiquette boundaries, endearing from the start. Her willingness to help her sister and brother, no matter the situations it put her in, showed how much family meant to her regardless of her feelings toward her parents and their choices. She fought for what she wanted and stood up for herself when the times arose. I love strong, independent heroines, and Cat didn’t fail at all in being just that. And I loved the contrast between her elegance in pointe shoes and sexiness off the stage. Ballet dancers in books are also a favorite of mine.
Loren, oh, Loren… S** on a stick. Refined, sinful exterior with a filthy mouth and a fierceness when it came to Cat. Who wouldn’t find him hot and desirable despite his transgressions? And, while I love seeing characters make grand transformations, in Loren’s case, I’m glad it wasn’t a huge one. His mobster persona fit him and the book so perfectly.
It you’re into mafia-style romantic suspense, this is a book you definitely need to check out. I highly recommend it.
A sexy, fast-paced romance I couldn’t put down. Loved it!
When I saw that one of my favorite authors will be writing a mafia romance, I was all over it like white on rice. I didn’t even bother reading the blurb before adding it. And then when I saw the cover? I was basically frothing at the mouth to get my grabby little hands on it. Admittedly, it’s not often where a book can live up to a ridiculously hot cover for me. But not only did this book do it, it exceeded them!
“Some men pretend they want control. They play with handcuffs and floggers and remind you continuously that you’re theirs. Men like Loren don’t need to play games to remind you that you’re at their mercy.
Because You’re Mine was a page turner from beginning to finish. It was a sizzling, aciton-packed thrill ride full of twists and turns. I was immediately enraptured with these characters and their story.
Catalina grew up in the mafia world, but when tragedy struck, she ran from it. For ten years, she’s run as far as she can from everything to do with it and focused all her energy on her career as a ballerina. With her father still deep in the life, her sister and her brother are the only ones that she has any relationship with. But then a favor for her sister tilts her world on its axis.
“He silences me with a kiss. It’s not a soft kiss that’s asking for anything, but a hard, demanding kiss. One that speaks of a loyalty I haven’t asked for, blood that hasn’t yet spilled.
Lorenzo drips danger from every pore and screams heartbreak waiting to happen. But there’s something about him that draws her like a moth to a flame, and it’s not long before the fiery passion between them begins to consume them both. But they each hide dangerous secrets from each other, and it doesn’t take long before Cat’s past catches up to her in the most deadly of ways.
To say that I devoured this book would be an understatement. Loren was a hero that I was starving for every morsel of information about. There was something just so darkly captivating about him that I couldn’t get enough of. He’s an enigma wrapped in danger and cloaked in erotic magnetism. In a word, he was utterly delicious.
Catalina was a heroine that I clicked with right away. While she has her vulnerabilities, she has a great core of steel to her as well. She has no problem giving as good as she gets, even if she is completely incapable of resisting Loren even when she should.
The romance is wrapped flawlessly around an action packed suspense. There’s secrets to be revealed, revenge, and blood feuds to be paid. I eagerly devoured every page. There’s also a slew of secondary characters that are introduced that were just as captivating; Catalina’s sister and brother being the front runners. And since this looks to be the start of a series, I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on their stories. The foundation for it was already set with this book, and damn does it sound to be a good one.
Suspenseful and sexy, Because You’re Mine was such an enticing read!
Catalina is headstrong. She’s a professional dancer with hopes and dreams. Both her father and brother have strong ties to the mafia and she knows from experience that nothing good comes from that world having escaped the life she inherited by blood… Until she’s thrown back into it head first after meeting one, Lorenzo Costello.
Lorenzo, le #sigh. Tall, dark, handsome, and an enigma, Lorenzo has mesmerizing eyes that penetrate your soul. He too has ties to the mob and is someone who hates secrets, yet has some of his own. With an attraction brewing between him and Catalina, he finds himself unable to fight a relationship between himself and Cat any longer.
Together, Catalina and Lorenzo are fire and ice. They clashed and were drawn into a web of passion and danger they can’t soon escape. Though this novel didn’t quite reach it’s mark for me, it had all the elements of what I love in a good mafia romance. I would have loved for certain scenes and mentions to have been shown rather than just being told from a character’s point of view. Regardless, I was still on edge.
Because You’re Mine is filled with so much lies, deceit, betrayal, and twists that will unravel you and have you shook! Claire Contreras has composed an action packed story that will leave you wanting more!!
P.S. I need Gio’s book, please.
I absolutely loved this book!
It has steam, it has sass, it has everything that will make you stay glued to the pages until you have devoured and inhaled every last word about Loren and Cat. These two have instant, off the charts chemistry and it gets better and better with every page and word.
Loren has secrets and when they make their way to the surface, look out! Cat takes no cr@p from him either, mafia guy or not, and its fantastic, the sass she gives him. I loved it!
I would love to see more of this world, especially Emma…. 😉
This book was very different from the “regular” romance novels I read. It was packed with twists and turns all the way through it. I throughly enjoyed every word. I do hope there will be a follow-up of this family with their own stories.
This story had my pulse pounding in more than just one way. The temperature changed inside the room everywhere I brought this book. The possessiveness of the main character Lorenzo was a little different than what I’m used to reading but it was extremely hot. Catalina seemed to love it as well. Everyone needs a man like Lorenzo; loyal, caring, strong, protective and oh so yummy. Great world building in this book, I saw everything as if it was on my TV screen. Their pasts, which aren’t so much different, bring them together unexpectedly. The reasons were absolutely horrible but the outcome amazing. I really loved the way this book flowed and kept a more realistic aspect. There were a couple twists in the story that you didn’t see coming which was awesome. I would read this one again.
Another classic by Claire!
Claire Contreras knows how to pull at your heartstrings, knows how to keep you hooked on suspense and knows how to write an amazing love story. Absolutely adored Catalina and Loren! The lies, the scandal, the cover ups! Perfectly written.
Wow! What a ride! This latest offering from author Claire Contreras introduces us to a world of mafia politics, revenge, and family. I devoured this book in a day. Full of suspense, mystery, and of course a great romance.
Lorenzo and Cat are our hero and heroine. Cat is a ballerina and I truly enjoyed the scenes describing her work. The tragic death of her fiance in the past is a major factor in her choice to disconnect from her father and his life as a mafia boss. But sometimes, the past will not stay in the past. She meets Lorenzo
( Loren) and their connection is instant and his interest immediate. But Loren is hiding secrets of his own.
Twists, turns and surprises as secrets unfold and motivations are revealed. Revenge is a stimulus for the actions of several characters in the book. But revenge is not always sweet and its repercussions can be devastating.
Cat is a great heroine. Beautiful and dedicated to her craft. Trying desperately to forge her own path separate from her family and their reputation. Tall, dark, handsome, and dangerous is our Loren. He seems to good to be true. Maybe he is. We are introduced to some interesting secondary characters who I hope will be getting books of their own in the future ( Gio please?)
This latest from Ms. Contreras was a page turner with a little bit of everything for romance lovers including a heartwarming HEA. I look forward to more from the author set in this world of organized crime and strong family bonds.
Reviewed by: Jamie B.
It’s been a while since I gave up sleep for a book, but I gleefully burned the midnight oil for Claire Contreras’ Because You’re Mine. It sucked me in with its explosive beginning, and I didn’t want to look away from the page until its sigh-worthy, epic ending. Lorenzo and Catalina have a mesmerizing push-and-pull dynamic that is intensified by their insane chemistry, hidden agendas and the dangerous Mafia activities swirling around them, and I was on the edge of my seat and never sure what would happen next. Their happy-every-after is hard-fought and deeply satisfying. Because You’re Mine is a heady blend of drop-dead sexy romance, fast-paced action and unpredictable suspense that will keep you up late into the night. I can’t wait for the next book in this enthralling series.
Recommendation appeared @ USA Today’s Happy Ever After on July 18, 2018
ARC provided, but this review was voluntarily and honestly written.
I love a good mafia romance, and Because You’re Mine did not disappoint. I love this book and did not want it to end!
Lorenzo is everything and Catalina is a strong, independent woman who fights hard to distance herself from her family’s business. Their journey is exciting and kept me needing to know more.
“Loren sees right through me. He reads me the way you read a favorite book, one you don’t even need to open to recite.”
Because You’re Mine was an amazing in depth story of love and sacrifice.
This book had its claws in me and wouldn’t let go. I was captivated right from the start.
I loved Lorenzo, I loved Catalina, and I loved them together.
Catalina was living in London until her sister, Emma, asked for help. Now, she is back home in NYC. Her life is all about the Ballet and the love she has for her siblings.
“Dance, for me, is like breathing. I need it to live and I’m not sure I can without it.”
She wants nothing to do with her dad and the mob, that is the reason why she uses her mum’s surname.
When she meets Lorenzo “the professor” , Cat is straightaway intrigued and attracted to him. The instant attraction is completely overwhelming, even though Catalina tries to ignore it. But it’s hard to ignore a presence like Lorenzo Costello.
“because I know that if I let myself go with him, the fall will be hard. With a man like Loren the aftermath won’t be pretty.”
From the moment he appears in the story, he exudes strength, dominance, and sex appeal. Lorenzo pursues Little Red unrelentingly in a possessive way. Lorenzo is someone who’s accustom to getting what he wants, he won’t take no for an answer.
“He silences me with a kiss. It’s not a soft kiss that’s asking for anything, but a hard, demanding kiss. One that speaks of a loyalty I haven’t asked for, blood that hasn’t yet spilled.”
He knows that Catalina is out of bounds but the attraction is too compelling, and of course they both submit to it. Are they both ready to deal with the consequences? Can Catalina be his?
“Men like Loren don’t need to play games to remind you that you’re at their mercy.”
Claire Contreras has done an excellent job with the characters in this story, bringing them to life and making me love them. I love all the characters and I am fascinated by them all , essentially Gio and Emma. All of them I found to be multi-layered, and they all carry some heavy baggage which in turn effects the relationships that are formed.
This story was BEAUTIFUL, ADDICTIVE… it has it all!! #fivestars
I could not get enough of Cat & Lorenzo’s story!!! It was everything I look for in a book. Excellent plot, passionate, sexy, twisty, and thoroughly entertaining.
OH. MY. GOD. I was not expecting this book. Claire Contreras has fully outdone herself with Because You’re Mine. This book has stayed with me for DAYS and I’m still not sure I can do a review for it justice. But I’m going to try to put into words how wonderful, amazing, and stunning this book is.
Catalina and Lorenzo’s story is deeply emotional, wickedly sexy, and breathtaking. They are from the same, corrupted side of life, but whereas Catalina is trying her darnedest to extricate herself from the life she was born into, Loren makes his living in the deep hells of that same world, and thrives while doing it. He is everything she doesn’t want, but as they spend more time with one another their undeniable attraction sparks an out-of-control fire neither one of them can put out no matter how badly they want to.
The problem lies in the past. A complicated web of a past that threatens to suffocate them both when it rages into their present, into their love affair, and into any solid future they could hope to have. Decisions they made in the past, and others made for them, are horrifyingly real and could end the slice of happiness they had found together.
What I loved so much about this book was Loren and Catalina together. Everything stood in their way, and their emotional torture of the past dictates a lot of who they are now, but together they could put all of that aside. They could revel in Loren’s devastatingly alpha tendencies, and Catalina’s sweet, and sassy personality. They could drown in their moments together that seemingly blocked out everything bad in their world. It was a fascinating, and awe-inspiring thing to read their story. I experienced a rainbow of emotions from heart-racing wonderment, to tumultuous passion, to gut-wrenching agony, to blissfulness. This book has it all, does it all, and should be read by all. It’s a hands-down must-read!
Happy Reading!
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*
‘You can’t catch a butterfly and expect to keep it in a glass jar forever.’
This quote may be a bit simplistic to describe the reasons Catalina has stayed away from her father, his last name, his businesses, and the company he keeps, but it does provide insight into the freedom Cat needs and the reasons she’s remained apart from her Masseria family and the dangerous and illegal lives they lead.
Being confined is something Cat has spent her entire adult life avoiding, and she’s done so by refraining from complicated relationships, refusing to reconnect with her father, and focusing solely on her profession as a principal ballerina.
But one favor for her sister complicates every aspect of Cat’s life, placing her in a number of situations that she had no desire to ever experience again and leading her down a path that forces her to face her past and the choices and actions that explain why she currently lives the way that she does.
Because You’re Mine has a complex storyline, and Claire Contreras does a great job illustrating just how interconnected many of the characters are and what that means for all involved, but Contreras makes her readers work for those revelations, constructing a path that twists and turns and poses significant problems for Cat and Loren, and because both of them are concealing pertinent information about themselves and their families, a connection between them seems impossible and only furthers Cat’s resolve to not allow her feelings to control her decisions or get mixed up with another guy she could possibly lose.
I really enjoyed Cat and Loren’s story; it’s angsty, intriguing, suspenseful, and sexy; it’s the kind of text that needs to be read in one seating because readers will desperately want and need to have all of their questions answered, and that won’t happen until the story reaches its resolution.
I’m hopeful that Contreras will continue telling stories in this world because there are several secondary characters who would make fantastic heroes and heroines, and I’m definitely not ready to leave this mafia and dancer setting.
4.5 Poison Apples
What a mob story!!!! I haven’t read a lot of mob stories, but I’m a huge fan of Ms. Contreras and I couldn’t wait to see what kind of world she’d bring me into. As in typical mob fashion, there are a million players that I had to keep track of. Catalina and her sister Emma keep themselves separate from their family, but that doesn’t stop the family from being a part of their lives. Lorenzo is drawnto Catalina like he’s never been drawn to another person. He loved and lost and now didn’t do relationships….until her. She is the game changer.
The writing was fast paced and sucked me into this world. These bad guys have a good side, too. Lorenzo and Cat made me believe in happy endings in this world. There are so many possible stories in this world to come. I can’t wait to see what is next in this world!
Because You’re Mine but Claire Contreras is a five star read! It is a mafia romance. Suspenseful, utterly captivating and oh so steamy and hot! Catalina and Loren will melt your kindles! I love my romance with twists, turns and lots of suspense, so this book was right up my alley. It was very unpredictable and I think that is what I loved about it the most. I could not put this one down. I love an alpha, bad boy with secret and that is Lorenzo! This book will have you on the edge of your seat racing to the end.
This book was exactly what I needed to get me out of my funk. I found myself quickly turning the pages and navigating the twists and turns. Drew me in like a moth to a flame. I couldn’t put it down. Beautifully written. I can’t wait to see what this world brings next!