There were always whispers about my roommate at Hillcrest Academy.The wealthiest of the wealthy sent their kids to our boarding school, and Brooke Bennett had been at the top, though I never quite knew why. She was fun and outgoing, but she kept quiet about her family. The only things she showed me were photographs of her brothers.I became fascinated with her second-oldest brother. Kai Bennett.He … second-oldest brother. Kai Bennett.
He was the most of them all. Smoldering. Hypnotic. Alluring.
Kai had eyes that pulled me in and a face that haunted my dreams.
Then I met him.
He came to our school with their father, and that’s when I learned what kind of family Brooke came from. They were mafia, and Brooke’s oldest brother was dead. Her father said accident, but Brooke said murder.
Three months later, her father died, and Kai became the head of the Bennett Family. Brooke left Hillcrest for good, and that was the last time I saw her.
Fourteen years later, I’m staring at her face on the television. Brooke is missing.
Two days later, Kai Bennett kidnaps me.
** This is a 120k full-length standalone.
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Tijan has written pure gold with this one! Its dark, its gritty but its also filled with lots of love and emotions!
Its no secret I’m a huge lover of Tijan and her writing as I always get super giddy and excited when she is releasing a new book and she DID NOT disappoint me with this one!
Soon as I started this book I was absolutely hooked and did not want to put it down! In my heart I know I should hate Kai but you just can’t!! Its like a moth to a flame, he pulls you in whether you want to go or not.
Kai is quite dark, he’s brooding, tough and strong. He’s had to be, being the head of the Bennett Mafia family. His family and his men rely on him. Riley is the complete opposite to him, she’s the light to his dark, his conscience, she brings the good out in him.
I so loved Riley, she was feisty and kick ass considering she has been kidnapped. Probably what makes her appealing to Kai, she stands up to him when she can.
I am also completely addicted to the other Bennetts and even though this being billed a standalone am I seriously hoping we get to see more of them and their stories.
Tijan has given us another phenomenal read
ARC received in exchange for an honest review from the author
I received an ARC in return for an honest review. Wow that was soo good!! Not only was I drawn in to the build up between Riley and Kai, the plot had me hooked too. A lot of times authors think it’s just about the sex scenes. I appreciate when a romance novels has a true story that draws me in too! I loved these two characters and wish we could have more! Tijan kept me on the edge of my seat. It was thrilling, suspenseful and at times gut-wrenching! I just want to know if there are more Bennett stories coming. Paging Dr. Bennett!!
Bennett Mafia has just moved to a TOP SPOT on my favorites list!
Bennett Mafia is Tijan’s new contemporary, mafia romance! I have read almost everything Tijan has out and I’ll tell you now that I didn’t see half of what’s in this book coming! From the blurb, I had my guesses of where the book was going, I was wayyy off base! Bennett Mafia exceeded ALL of my expectations and then some!
This will be my hardest review to date, there is just sooo many twists and turns and surprises and I don’t want to give ANY of it away! Trust me, when you start this book be prepared to read until you finish, you will NOT be able to put it down!
Fourteen years ago Riley was sent to Hillcrest Academy where she meets her roommate, Brooke Bennett. The girls are fast friends and even though there are rumors, Riley doesn’t know just how powerful Brooke’s family is until one day she’s standing on the steps with Brooke waiting for a caravan of SUV’s to pull up.
That’s the first time Riley meets Kai.
She’s hated him ever since.
“He was the most of them all. Smoldering. Hypnotic. Alluring.
Kai had eyes that pulled me in and a face that haunted my dreams.”- Riley
Three months later Brooke gets pulled from Hillcrest Academy. and that’s the last time Riley sees her. Until Blade (one of Riley’s roommates) turns on the T.V and there is Brooke, the mafia princess was missing.
Two days after that, Kai Bennett has Riley kidnaped.
Kai wants Riley’s help finding Brooke and he will go to whatever ends he has to for that to happen.
As Riley grows closer to Kai she fights with herself over and over again. He’s a bad guy, the leader of the mafia, how can she be falling for this man? The better question is how can she not! Slowly but surely the walls come down around Kai and Riley begins to see another side of him. Kai is a bad guy, he’s ruthless, conniving, he’s a killer, he’s all the things Riley already knows about him but he’s also… more.
Kai and Riley are so different but yet so alike that they are perfect together, Riley isn’t afraid to go toe to toe with Kai, she fights him and he loves it. Riley is the light to Kai’s dark, Kai is the dark to Riley’s light. Riley is headstrong, stubborn, and loyal. Kai is a cold, calculating, and ruthless man but yet fiercely loyal to his family. Riley is calculating as well, but Kai is always ten steps ahead.
As the end game grows closer Riley has to decide, does she go back to her life in the shadows or does she stay and stand at Kai’s side as his mafia queen?
This book sucked me in right from the start and I was on the edge of my seat until the very last page! These characters blew me away, not just the protagonists, but all of the Bennett’s and Riley’s friends. The dialogue throughout the story, I could just picture it all playing out perfectly. Tijan did a truly amazing job on this one!
I’m really, REALLY wishing that Bennett Mafia wasn’t a standalone! I’d absolutely love to see more of the Bennett siblings, Tanner with his playboy ways, Jonah trying to be a part of the family AND complete med-school and still date someone, even Brooke who falls in love every 5 minutes (the epilogue hinted at what happens with Brooke but I would LOVE to read the lead up) I just want MORE of the Bennett’s!
There is soo much to this storyline! You are in for a ton of surprises that you will NOT see coming. Suspense, drama, steamy sex scenes, heartbreak, love, this book has EVERYTHING!
I received an ARC from the Author/Publisher for my honest review.
So I spent the day yesterday reading this book & ignoring all adult responsibilities because I needed to find out what happened next! So many twists, turns, secrets, more secrets, lies all wrapped up into one epic read that is unlike any other Tijan book to date
Kai is the leader of the Bennett Mafia and man does he lead…with his family by his side he doesn’t want or need anything else. So when a series of events begins to unfold and Riley re-enters his life; very much his equal…their connection…their chemistry was simply unexpected. The slow burn with these two… So when sparks finally ignite Riley and Kai are just WOWZA! I do have to say I was hoping for bit more with these two..more emotional less physical. Their connection was so intense; so on the emotional end of things..I felt a bit gypped. (Runs & Hides) #dontjudgeme
All in all this book was amazing! Literally didn’t know what was coming next and once you think you have it all figured out BAM Tijan throws another plot twist at you that you just don’t see coming. Bennett Mafia will keep you on the edge of your seat & have you burning through the pages in the best possible way. I most definitely recommend this book to any and everyone
***ARC provided in exchange for an honest review- Megan/Scandalous Book Blog***
WOW! What a thrilling ride! I had no expectations of this book – which was my second from this author – but it exceeded everything I thought it would be. It was a captivating, unputdownable twisted story and I want to read it again and again.
Everything you’re looking for in a book was included here. Love, heartache, friendship, family, pain, betrayal, care, destruction, death, mercy; it was an emotional rollercoaster and a story with a lot of twists and surprises.
There was a sizzling chemistry between the characters and the push and pull between them was just crazy. I never knew if they wanted to jump each other’s bones or kill each other.
This was way more than just your typical mafia romance. It was complex and so intriguing.
Kai Bennett was mafia boss and head of the Bennett family. This guy was such a genius with how he operated. He had it all figured out. I loved how inscrutable he was, always calm and collected, though when you looked closely you could notice that he cared deeply for the ones he loved and he would raise hell over those trying to hurt them. He loved fiercely (not just in bed!! *fanning myself*) and there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for the safety of his siblings.
Kai was cold, calculating, and the best at what he did. He did everything with determination and well thought through plans that only he knew of. Every move was planned into the tiniest detail and I really underestimated how very efficient he was. His actions always had reasons and he was honest and fair in his way.
He didn’t plan to be a monster and kill people but he had to take over the helm after his father’s death. He adapted to the situation to keep the family safe and he did a fine job.
Suffice it to say that no matter how bad Kai was, he slowly weaseled his way into my heart.
The story was told from Riley’s POV and jumped back and forth in time for the first few chapters to when she started boarding school and to the present day. On top of that, Riley had flashbacks in the present where she thought about what happened back then. So the timeline is some up and down at first but still easy enough to follow. And everything happened for a reason. Not everything was explained at the beginning, rather a need-to-know basis, but it was revealed to the reader in time, which made it so much more interesting and captivating. I highly recommend this book because everyone needs to meet the Bennett family!
I was completely captivated and intrigued by this heart pounding story.
Riley and Kai May have a connection, but they’re so completely different…these two had a lust/hate like no other! Kai is cold, calculating, ruthless and dangerous, and his motives for kidnapping Riley may have seemed straightforward, but we soon discover that there’s so much more behind everything he does.
The twists and turns in this book are shocking and devastating, the storyline was action packed and suspenseful…there was no way of knowing what would be coming next. The slow burn between Riley and Kai was intense, to say the least, and when they finally gave into the attraction, their heat was explosive! I was hooked from the first words to the last, was sad when it was over, and am now left with a huge book hangover!
More than 5 stars if it was possible, on my top 2019 books for sure. YOU NEED TO READ THIS!!!
I am not sure where to start, writing a review for a book that has blown my mind is not easy. Tijan is a one click author for me, I would read her shopping list if she shared it each week.
Mind blowing, Tijan has taken my heart and mind with this one. I think I became addicted after the first few lines. Kai and Riley took me for a ride, and what a ride. It seems even though it’s already done I will need to get back in line and keep riding. The story, the characters, everything was built to perfection. Kai is mysterious, alluring, sexy and just checks all my list. The drama and suspense grabs you, the emotions you will feel can’t compare. Tijan has kicked the ball out of the park on this book. I will die to get more of this world.
An outstanding ovation for this book, a must read best top book of the year list!
Enter Kai Bennett – my new favourite book boyfriend.
Each book that Tijan writes just gets better and better. I don’t think it’s possible, but she does it every single time. Bennett Mafia may just be her best yet, I truly believe that. Two heroes, yes two, because believe me Kai Bennett was not the only hero in this story, I think Riley may have surpassed him for that title, it was a close call. Action, romance with lots of expected, unexpected twists and turns, because let’s face it, this is a Tijan book we’re reading. Nothing is predictable, and I mean nothing. My heart was in my mouth, I was laughing, I was crying, I was hoping, I was praying. I was completely hooked. Mafia romance at its best. I loved the Bennett family, all of them, even when I didn’t. Kai most of all, he was lethal, he was bad, he was good, he was my perfect mafia hero, one step ahead all the time. Riley was passionate, stubborn and the perfect match for my new favourite book boyfriend. I was hooked from the get-go. Perfect story, perfect writing, perfect everything. I received an advanced review copy of this book. This is my honest review.
Bennett Mafia by Tijan is absolutely phenomenal! I went into this book totally blind, and I’m so glad I did. Tijan knows how to completely captivated her readers and draw them into another world.
Riley is one of those heroines that you want to see succeed. In Every Way.
She has faced so much adversity and seems at times as though she should be lost, but again and again she shows that she is a survivor.
I love that Tijan allows this character to be vulnerable and strong. You can actually feel the emotions as you read.
And Kai. Have mercy, that man will melt your heart and infuriate you all at the same time. He is truly a powerful and ruthless leader.
“Kai was the cliff. I just wanted to fall free. Away from him. To him. In his arms.”
Tijan has given us a book that will want to read again and again.
I truly hope we get more of the Bennett family in the future!
5 Huge Stars