Bound by Duty

As you know, I loved the first book in the series and it was no different with this volume. Entering this world of the Italian mafia is something completely new and maybe that’s why I loved it so much. In addition to containing very hot scenes, we can also see beautiful scenes of romance, overcoming and of course, a lot of blood since every time someone dies (we’re talking about the mafia, helllo!).

I loved the main couple! Val knows what she wants from Dante and does everything he can to notice her, rejection is not an option. He, in turn, is a silent, taciturn man who does things his own way. The rapport and creation of their romance was divine. In this volume we also see issues against prejudice, not only against women, as they treated her as inferior but against homosexuals as well. Unlike the previous book where Aria lives in a glass bell jar, Val enjoys cooking, driving, and especially working, and she goes out of her way to show Dante and the other members of the Chicago Outfit that she is a woman who can really get into it. business world.
In short: the book is wonderful! Seriously, if you haven’t read or know the show yet, take a look because it’s awesome. I was fascinated by the world created by Cora, which at the same time frightens me also makes me reflect on very important issues in our society. A fun, enjoyable book that will make your heart fall in love!

I love this series and the stories never disappoint, they keep being thrilling and surprising, Cora is genius. I experienced a lot of tension in this book and it had a really crazy twist near the end which made the reading extra interesting.

This is the story of Dante, the Capo of the Chicago Outfit, and Valentina. They are both widowers when they marry. They have an awkward and rocky start and it killed me to see how Dante seemed not to care but we have a resilient Valentina here who continues to work through all the obstacles.

I loved Valentina’s determination to keep trying and win over Dante and her loyalty was admirable. I felt for her the entire book, she really struggled and that was quite angsty but she wanted to make a better life for herself and was madly determined and I liked that a lot.

The intimate scenes between them were insanely HOT and I looooooved how their relationship grew and we can finally see the deep bond they end up forming.

Bound by Duty Cora Reilly

I’m hovering between a 3.5/4 star review rating… the story itself is 3.5 for me, but I know I will be thinking of this book and characters for a long time to come so I’ll go with 4 stars.

This is Dante and Valentina’s story, or rather Valentina’s story about her and Dante, told in the First person POV by the heroine.

This book was intense and emotional and I felt deeply for both characters… but I wanted something more. Valentina had more maturity despite what she lacked in experience.

Dante is a man wrapped in heartbreak and there’s a darkness inside him, about him- and so broody!! He is soon to be Capo of the Chicago outfit, since his first wife died he’s required to remarry and produce an heir.
He meets his match in Valentina although I feel she gave way more than she received from Dante. She’s the one that puts in most of the effort although he allows her a level of freedom that most married women in their world don’t have.
Emotionally Valentina have more and left her self more vulnerable than Dante, so for that reason it felt a little lacking in the end. I mean how do you compete or campsite to a perfect albeit dead first wife who is the love of his life? Valentina was always at a disadvantage and I truly felt for her.
Still, I enjoyed this story and I’m looking forward to seeing more of them in the other books to come.

Audio code received for an honest review.

Story: 3.5
Impact: 4
Narration: 5
OVERALL: 4

4/5

First time read 3 stars
Second time read 4 stars
This is my second time reading Bound by Duty and I’m really happy I did. I have a new appreciation for Valentina and Dante. Valentina has always been one of my favorite heroines from Cora because of how strong she is. When she set her mind into something she does everything to make it happened. The fact that she didn’t back down for Dante even when he is her husband and Copa made her so strong in my eyes. She is a female that knows when to stop and when to push it. When I read Bound by Duty for the first time I didn’t really like Dante and I felt like Valentina deserved more. (Which in moment she still does). But after reading Bound by the Past Dante made so much more sense. I feel like their story is so different from the other once’s because of Valentina. She knows when to take control and when to let go. Now that I re-read Bound by Duty I can’t get enough from Dante and Valentina. So thank God they have a second book.

This interconnected series continues with Dante and Valentina. Their both widowers and are arranged into a marriage. Dante is clearly not ready to move on after his wife passing just a few short years ago. Valentina was in a marriage of convenience with her best friend, who she loved but not under normal circumstances. She has a secret she’s holding onto going into this marriage and she terrified of how Dante will react. Dante shows a cold mask to everyone he encounters, he has to in his line of work. Valentina is slowly cracking Dante’s surface. Their story is a dark, hot, and an action packed whirlwind that I was completely caught up in. Mafia romance is my favorite and this author delivers a story and characters that you will never forget. The narrator did a fantastic job and kept me wanting to listen all the way through. Must listen!

4.5 stars!

I probably should’ve written a review a long time ago since I read this book last year in summer (which for me is in january). But I am doing it now for two reasons: 1st: Bound By The Past is coming and is the next book of the chronicles but not only that, but the second book of Valentina and Dante’s story. 2nd: I recently read BBD again and fell in love all over again with Valentina… yes, Valentina and not Dante. I’ll get into that later.

Bound by Duty is a story about how Valentina gets married, again, after her husband died. What is surprising about this is that Valentina didn’t live a normal marriage life with her ex husband, so when she marries Dante, a man that also lost his wife, she is expecting a very different life of what she had before. Not only because her previous marriage was unconventional but because Dante is the capo of the Outfit. Something that is really important in these series. He’s everything and everybody bows to him. which makes him more irresistible, wouldn’t you think? Power, money, an important name, yeah, Dante was a big fish and everybody knew it.

Valentina, a kind woman, super loyal and really really amazing, is marrying a… cold man that doesn’t show an emotion… at all. Dante is a powerful man but so so so cold that even I could feel it through the pages when I wasn’t even holding a book. He is cold, calculous and totally sexy in a way that definitely tells you that Valentina is going to suffer for his love… and she does. Because he was in love with his previous wife and he kinda lost any emotion and feelings when she died.

“Make love to me. Just today. I know you don’t love me. Pretend, just for tonight. Hold me in your arms for once”
Dante didn’t even want to hold her, can you imagine that? Getting out of a marriage which you didn’t get any love but a friend and you get into another in which your husband won’t ever be able to love you because he loves a dead woman? Yeah, Valentina had it bad. Honestly, she didn’t deserve how she was treated most of the time –Not saying that Dante abused her or anything, kinda the opposite since he didn’t pay much attention to her (apparently)– Since the beginning she wanted it to work so she worked hard to make it work, and she kinda got it but at the same time she wasn’t getting something crucial and important to her; Dante’s love.

“I’ll move into the guest room bedroom. There isn’t enough room in our bedroom for me and the memories of your past”

I fell in love with Valentina because she had such strength in her, that it’s admirable, i loved her so much because she was so strong against Dante’s coldness, and so vulnerable as well, something that actually shows strength. I loved Dante too, so much, but that’s because I enjoy cold heros too much, maybe too too much. He was also a good husband in many ways, he protected Val and was possessive as well (something that I also enjoy lol) but a reason why I didn’t give it five stars is because he didn’t say the most important words to Val, even if that was enough for her, it wasn’t for me. Because I wanted to read them for Val, I wanted her to hear them and we didn’t get them. She deserved more than that (see? totally in love with the heroine lol). Maybe he did show that he ‘loved her’, people would say that –Valentina would say that– but still it didn’t feel like enough for me, to me, he cared about Val and he would protect her at all cost because of the man he is, he does those things, so those actions only showed me the kind of man he was, someone worthy of a title as capo. So that’s why I’m looking forward to Dante saying them in BBTP and really really showing his love to Val, without reservations. I was already told it is amazing and we get to learn so much more from him, so I’m really looking forward to that because I want to fall in love with Dante so much as well.

I read the first book in this series late last year, early this year (what even is time anymore) and it was okay. Not great as far as mafia stories go, not the worst thing I’ve ever read.

This…is much the same.

The only difference between Dante and Valentina and Aria and Luca is that both Dante and Valentina are entering into their second marriages and quite frankly neither of them are entirely thrilled with the situation, although granted for different reasons.

Also Valentina has a bit, and I do mean the smallest amount, more of a backbone than Aria.

I’m still unsure about why everyone else seems to love this series and I just can’t get on board. Maybe it’s me. Who is to say?

Dante Cavallaro lost his wife 4 years ago. He is the future Boss of the Chicago Mafia and needs a new wife. Valentina lost her husband and is forced to marry Dante. Dante is still recovering from his wife’s death, and is not interested of any relationship with his new bride.

Dante is a very complicated character. He is very protective of his feelings. He is cold and indifferent towards Valentina. Valentina wanted affection and physical closeness. She was determined to break down Dante’s walls.

There was so much heartbreak, love and loss in this story. I felt really sorry for Valentina, but the pain was finally worth Dante’s love and affection for her. I really loved them as a couple. They were meant to end up together.

Bound by Duty is a very well written book in its entirety like the previous one in this saga. It is the second book in the Born in Blood Mafia Chronicle saga with Dante Mafia Boss as the protagonist who has to marry Valentina. Both of them being very different in character and having totally different previous marriages than everyone thinks.

What I really liked about this book is that Valentina is a different woman who does not want to be a normal mafia wife, but she is also beautiful and brave in more ways than anything, especially loyal to her friend Bibi whom she helps. All this removing Dante from his state of indifference and coldness as a gangster. It is an exciting and entertaining story that you will not regret reading. Thanks to Cora, for creating this wonderful story.

That book was much better than the first one. The main heroine has a past and has a life goal that is clear throughout the book. Then the hero is not that perfect as Luca… which is a good thing. Obviously, Dante is handsome mobster with his monsters, perfect in bed, and so on, and so on, but there is more to his character and I like it.

Valentina is so different than Aria, and it is in a good way. She is a strong woman, who knows what she wants and she will fight for it. That’s real good, if you ask me.

I really like the fact that there is no villain through the whole book. There are some aspects keeping main characters apart, but it’s not someone like jealous ex-lover, which is a complete cliché. Due to that fact, the plot is really interesting with major, outrageous twist.

However, it is still four, as I did not actually like characters that much. I don’t know if you will get me right, but there was something missing. It’s hard to explain clearly, but it is just not enough.