It was supposed to be business.
Two families, one wedding, zero emotion.
My father’s mafia outfit had saved my life.
I owed them everything.
An arranged marriage was hardly a sacrifice when I would have already been long dead had it not been for them.
I would give up my independence for the Lucciano Family.
I would bind myself to the man whose family tore my life to pieces.
Matteo De Luca was … pieces.
Matteo De Luca was vicious claws sheathed in refinement and class.
He saw my untamed independence as a challenge.
I saw his alluring authority as a threat.
There was a ruthless storm that raged in his oceanic gaze. A majestic tidal wave of temper and domination looking to break on my rocky shores.
He would annihilate me.
Rip open my layers until all my pretty secrets were scattered at his feet.
The worst part? I wanted to experience whatever it was Matteo had to offer, and I hated myself for it.
I wanted to launch myself at him.
To kiss him. To kill him.
To end the debilitating torture of the unknown.
The moment our paths collided, our lives were altered irrevocably.
Taking us from enemies allied by a strategic marriage to something dark and consuming.
Something that tasted like obsession.
Blood Always is book 3 in The Five Families Series but can be read as a standalone.
Warning: There is a very small trigger warning on this one. If you are a highly sensitive reader, this one might not be for you.
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I love this book!! Am now working by way though the whole series!!! So good!
Rating:
Maria is not your standard mafia Princess!
I liked this new and different take on the old standard mafia romance trope where the daughter of one mafia family gets forced into an arranged marriage by her father who is a mafia Kingpin in order to settle some sort of debt or to keep the peace between two families by uniting them in marriage. In this case it is the latter and Maria Genovese isn’t exactly forced into the marriage, she is loyal to her family and will do what is asked of her.
Though Maria does hate everyone in the Gallo family including her intended husband, the underboss for the Gallo family Matteo De Luca, even prior to meeting him. Maria’s feelings stem from the fact that the Gallo family was responsible for the murder of her brother ten years ago. She is even more worried about the marriage when Matteo informs her that they will be living at the home of his boss Anthony in the Hampton’s. Everyone knows that Anthony is crazy and volatile. He once suspected his wife of cheating and chopped her head off with an axe.
One thing I really liked about this book was that Maria was not one of those mafia princesses that we usually see in romance novels that are saved as virginal daughters for their marriage and abused by their fathers only to come into their marriage like frightened little kittens. She is also not one of those spoiled mafia princesses like we see on TV from New Jersey, though she does go to Vegas with her sisters and cousins and they seem just like those girls, “Oh – my – Gawd!”
Maria changed when she was little and after her brother died, she couldn’t get out of her loneliness and depression and her father got her into Krav Maga. He found her a very skilled instructor and it helped her. She eventually became one of the few made women in the mafia and she is a killer and a total firebrand. She can take care of herself and win fights with people much larger than herself. She always carries multiple weapons and is ready for anything.
Maria and Matteo can’t help but be attracted to each other from the start but they don’t trust each other. Though they both promise to give each other a chance and they both know that in their world divorce is not an option so once they commit to each other it is for life. I love a book with a strong female character but she is vulnerable as well. It was a terrific book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Blood Always, is an Arranged Marriage Mafia Romance that will get you hooked right from the start. This is the third book into The Five Families series, and as the previous installments, it’ll keep you turning the pages until the very end.
Maria Genovese is the oldest of the Genovese children, and she is bestowed to marry Matteo De Luca, the underboss of the Gallo family. They both know this is a marriage of convenience an nothing more.
Maria and Matteo’s journey is intense, intriguing, enthralling, fill with lust, passion, distrust, hate and much more. Their story has everything you love in a well-built mafia romance that is absolutely fantastic.
I don’t like spoilers, so I won’t go into detail, just know that I highly recommend this fabulous series!!
An arranged marriage. A mafia arranged marriage. There will never be love right? Not with Maria and Matteo. Right?
Matteo wants more. Can he scratch that tough skin and make his mark?
I am a big fan of mafia romance and have never read Ms. Ramsower, but I can tell you, I’m TBR’ing this series!!!
I received an advanced reader copy, and this is my honest and voluntary review.
Blood Always: An Arranged Marriage Mafia Romance by Jill Ramsower is book Three in The Five Families series. This is the story of Maria Genovese and Matteo De Luca. I have read and Loved!) the past books, which did help me to enjoy this one. But I did feel you could make this a standalone book if you wish to do so. Maria isn’t your typical Mafia Princes. Maria has a role in the family business, knows how to defend herself and is a strong women who doesn’t back down. But she too also knows that an arranged marriage is part of her life to help build and keep her family safe. But of course she doesn’t like or trust who she is to marry. A lot changed for Maria when her brother was killed years ago and trust was one of the things she lost. Matteo too knows that its his place to marry to help with his family and growth too but he also doesn’t trust Maria but that doesn’t stop him from wanting her.
Their emotions run fast and furious between them. There is a trigger issue in this book that may not be for all especially very sensitive readers. But for me I enjoyed reading their page turning story.
A fantastic book that grabbed at page one and I had me hooked. Great story writing, passion and pain. I loved it.
Much violence and many evil people. . . not much of a story.
She really poured her dark side out and I loved it alllllll! GREAT read, love Maria even more now than I did before.
So much emotional upheaval. Loved the story. We got to see behind the curtain that is Maria Genovese. To see how she ticked and operated. And family was always first. Even when she didn’t have the best relationships with her sisters she was fiercely protective of them. Loved Matteo. He was that mafia bad boy who held the air of suave confidence. Loved his dominance of Maria and how he got her to open up. Maria was frustrating and it was annoying that she didn’t try harder with Matteo, but when you learn why you heart breaks. And that was also the reason behind her fear of being a mother. Not being able to protect her child. I loved how Matteo raged for Maria and in her defense. It was painfully beautiful. That he would go to such lengths. They hadn’t meant to fall in love and that’s exactly what happened. But let me just tell you how she finally got her revenge and justice was perfect.
I received a copy for an honest review.
The Five Families is where it’s at! Maria and Matteo couldn’t be more perfect for each other!! But holy shit, the bombshells that were dropped! And the epilogue wasn’t enough!!! At first I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about Maria, but her strength is one of the things I loved best about her! And Matteo was such the possessive Alpha Asshole, but the things is is willing to do for Maria….. I can’t wait to continue this series!!
Loved the whole series.
I received an ebook ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Okay, so first: everyone read books 1 & 2 because book 3 will NOT disappoint!
I have been a huge fan of Jill since the very beginning, and I have to say, this is by far the best one I’ve read! Mafia, romance, suspense, lies, secrets, blood, arranged marriage – it’s all there and it’s everything I hoped it would be! If you’re a fan of mafia romance, you do NOT want to miss out on this one.
Maria is a strong, beautiful woman who takes shit from absolutely no one. She is independent and can 100% handle her own. Matteo is a sexy, brooding storm who knows exactly what he wants. These families are wonderfully and meticulously created to draw you in and make you want to stay in their world forever.
Best of the best, hands down.
After having read the first book about Alessia and Luca, I thought it was good. I must admit that this one is so much better. There’s a lot to the story and the characters are drawn with such precise, bold lines. I would even go so far as to say read this one first and then go back to the beginning. Maria and Matteo are just that great.
5 Stars for Blood Always ( The Five Families Book 3 )
ARC received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own & have not been influenced in any way.
LOVED THIS BOOK & new to me author’s writing style !!
First let me start by saying how awesome is this cover – perfection as Matteo Deluca.
This is Book 3 in The Five Families – it can be read as a standalone but if you are like me you will then want to dive into the remaining books to read more on these fabulous characters.
I’m relatively new to the mafia genre for romance but this book at least for me has it all …
Arranged marriage
Great characters in Maria and Matteo
ABSOLUTELY LOVED MARIA !!!
Strong heroine
Great plot twists that I did not see coming
Mutual attraction with sizzling chemistry
HEA
What a story line – could not put Blood Always down & read in one sitting.
I love when Netgally introduces me to new authors who’s work I just know I am going to become a HUGE fan of ..
Highly recommend this book & series !!
ARC won from author
I swear this series keeps getting better and better! Matteo and Maria are everything.
I’m such a sucker for arranged marriages and this one was done so right. Maria agrees to marry Matteo since she is loyal to her father and his mafia family. Matteo is related to her kid brother’s killer, so already she is not planning on a love match. She’ll marry him, live with him, but not tolerate him. They have a couple of run-ins before the wedding and this is already where they start to fall in love.
Maria is strong for a mafia female. She doesn’t listen to the whole man vs woman power dynamic. She kills, fights, and plans alongside her family. Given Matteo’s position, this is exactly what he needed in a female, even if he didn’t know it. Her strength drew him to her. His kindness warms the idea of marriage to him for her. So by the time they have the wedding, they’re insanely attracted to one another and halfway in love.
I think the sex scenes – although there were not many – were done wonderfully. They’re always my pet peeve when they’re not, and the author hit these two on the head. Their attraction for one another melted off the pages.
While falling more in love with each other, the truth of her brother’s death comes to light and Matteo takes care of it for her.
Other than being a mafia arranged marriage, I just love these two’s chemistry. You could say they fell in love fairly quickly, but it really worked for them. I didn’t feel rushed through their romance at all. It was such a sweet and heartwarming story blended with a sizzling, edge of your seat concept.
I can’t wait to read more of this world!
I was so excited to start this book. I love this series. And this book did not disappoint. Holy smokes it was hot. I love a good enemies to lovers story and this is now at the top of my list. Maria and Matteo are from separate mob families. They agree to marry to create an alliance and stop the blood shed. Matteo doesn’t have any ill feelings toward Maria. Maria had plenty against Matteo because of the family he works for. She blames them for the death of her brother 10 years before. Now they are in a marriage they need to make work. They struggle with trust and fighting the chemistry they have. Then secrets are exposed and they both find out they might need each other and maybe even have genuine feelings toward each other. Their assumptions just may be totally wrong. Can we talk about hot? I swear I needed a fan throughout this book. Matteo is the ultimate alpha bad boy. And Jason Clarke as his voice was perfect. I already was a major fan of narrations. Maria is a bad ass female. She is totally the perfect female heroine. Jo Raylan has the perfect voice for her. It was strong. It held emotion and I felt like she was really her. All around this is amazing book and throw in the narrations, made it that much better. I can’t wait to jump into the next book in this series. This is a must read for mafia romance fans.
Blood Always by Jill Ramsower is a mafia romance that I listened to on audio narrated by Jo Raylan and Jason Clarke. This is the third book in The Five Families Series but each book can be read as a standalone.
I absolutely love Jill’s books they grab me from the very beginning and I always have to know how they are going to end. I loved the chemistry between Matteo and Maria. I cannot wait until the forth book in the series Impossible Odds is released on October 21, 2020.
Jo and Jason did an amazing job on the narration. They really know how to bring a story to life.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves mafia romances.
This is the third book in The Five Families Series, a great arranged marriage mafia romance. Matteo and Maria’s story is captivating! Matteo De Luca is a powerful man, ruthless, mysterious, handsome, and protective. Maria is beautiful, strong, warrior, and sassy. They are perfect together, and they share an undeniable chemistry. The storyline is intricately well written, heart-wrenching, and intriguing, filled with secrets, and twists and turns. Jo Raylan and Jason Clarke did an amazing job with the narration. They are perfect as Maria and Matteo. I enjoyed it. I need more! I highly recommend this Series.
I recieved a complimentary copy of this on audiobook from the author and her team.
I have read a lot of mafia stories. Therefore I have read a lot of stories about arranged marriages. But it seems like only lately, with this and one other book, that I’m reading stories about made women as well as made men.
Usually (granted not always, but a lot of the time) female characters in mafia stories are weak and virginal and spineless. Not so on any front with Maria. She was a BAMF of her own making and I loved her character.
Matteo is your typical mafia hero. Alpha and secretive and strong. I really enjoyed how he was always chasing Maria and not the other way around.
This is my second Jill Ramsower book and I am already hungry for more.
Jill Ramsower has become an author I love and she did not disappoint with this novel. Blood Always is the 3rd book in The Five Families series and I loved it. This novel included arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, age gap and Mafia romance tropes all into one engrossing story. From the start I was hooked and could not put it down as the story was well-paced and flowed smoothly. The main characters were perfect together, I could not get enough of them and enjoyed their back and forth banter. Matteo and Maria had such chemistry and their every scene together was sizzling and intense. I loved that they were both two strong characters and I enjoyed going on this journey with these two and seeing their relationship blossom.
Blood Always was a gritty, emotional page-turner with just the right amount of action, suspense, violence, steam, swoon and some unexpected revelations. So far this is the best book in the series and I would highly recommend it to all mafia-romance lovers.
I listened to the audiobook version of this novel which was narrated by Jo Raylan and Jason Clarke. These two were were absolutely the best choices to narrate these characters. They embodied the characters perfectly, adding the right emotions as needed. Their voices were clear and understandable and they brought this story to life. It was a pleasure listening to them narrate this novel.