He wanted everything. He could have my nothings too.My whole life, I’ve been running, living just under the radar. The day I arrived on the East Coast, looking for a new start, I found an end instead. One careless night landed me in the hands of a dark mafia boss, who wanted nothing more than to render me a number—to eviscerate my identity with his brutal mind game. 327.That’s what he called me. …
327.
That’s what he called me. That’s all I was to him.
At least at first, before Breaker Beneventi told me all his family secrets, trickled his way into my heart, and then ordered my death. He set me free, knowing the butcher would find me.
Now, I’m the girl who escaped. The one with the power to destroy his organization. And he’s relentlessly searching for Lyla Vaughn all over the country, spilling the blood of innocents and losing his control.
But he’s not going to find me. Because that’s not my name.
From Bestselling author Sonya Jesus comes “Brutal and Raw” a psychological thriller romance full of plot twists, interwoven with dark mafia romance. Breaker’s world is not light-hearted.
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Brutal and Raw is not a read for the meek.
‘Dark’ doesn’t even begin to describe this story. It’s gross and gory and evil and so twisted, I believed someone lied and there was no way this is a romance.
But I kept reading. (What does that say about me?)
Breaker Beneventi is the new head of his Mafia family. There may be crime families that deal in drugs, prostitution, and extortion… but this isn’t one of those families. His family’s enterprise is evil… and has a human cost. This is how “Lyla Vaughn” aka 327 becomes one of his latest captives.
The story alternates between Breaker and Lyla’s POV, but regardless, I still found myself stopping mid-scene and asking myself, “What am I reading?”
And I kept reading.
There are no good guys in this story. Kidnappers, assassins, and butchers, oh my! I felt a few pangs of empathy here and there, but they were gone by the end of the scene.
What this story does have is two strong lead characters who truly are the sum of their experiences, and none of those experiences were good. Despite being the captive twice, Lyla has a core strength opposite of the weakness in Breaker, but neither of them considers themselves redeemable. They could be right. This isn’t your typical “Stockholm syndrome” romance.
The plot twists and reveals were like WHOA! Thought I had things figured out but NOPE! And no way was I ready for that ending.
Strong writing and well-developed characters helped to make this a one-sitting read for me. Will I read the next book? Don’t know—not sure if my heart can take it! However, I definitely recommend this read!
Enjoy!
Brutal & Raw: Mafia Romance & Psychological Thriller (Beneventi Family Book 1)
By Sonya Jesus
5 out of 5 stars
The story Brutal & Raw: Mafia Romance & Psychological Thriller (Beneventi Family Book 1) by Sonya Jesus is a dark and thrilling book that had me wondering what was going to happen next. It is a story that had me on the edge of my seat. It is the story of Breaker Beneventi and the one he calls 327. It is an emotional journey that includes twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. Will Breaker find the girl that has escaped and could destroy his organization? Read this book to find out. This story pulled me in from the very beginning and didn’t let me go until the final page. There are many different characters that are introduced besides the two main ones. They range from helpful to the downright dangerous. Some of them you have to wonder about their motivations, and some are only out for themselves. I found myself reading far into the night to find out the ending. The author did an amazing job of making me feel like I was there with the characters. This is the first book in a series and after reading it I can’t wait for the next one.
This book shows promise and can not wait to read more. The author Sonya Jesus made sure to drag you into the characters life. I will honestly say the reason I gave this only three stars is I found it difficult at the beginning to fall into. Normally not my cup of tea in style but the ending did make up for the difficulty of the beginning. Brutal & Raw does have some scenes that may be triggers for certain situations so please be aware. I do feel the ending left you hanging which is why I cannot wait for the next in the series so I can keep up with the characters.
BRUTAL AND RAW brings the definition of secrets and family drama to depths you can’t even fathom.
It came full throttle right from the first sentence and took me on a white-knuckled ride. The twists, trust issues that will form, jaw-dropping moments and family drama are just some of what you will encounter.
327 has a bucket full of secrets and even though she tried to not, her connection to Breaker is not as simple as you think when you read the blurb. Breaker is evil but the questions are how and why? Get ready to have a mind blowing experience.
This one is DARK, messed up and twisted into the point of shocking the reader with the possibilities of people like this might actually even exist.
The romance side might even surprise the reader too. Fans of dark, suspense and action that twists more and more as you are in it’s grip will love this one hard.
There is a cliff. It’s got me hooked and I need my fix. I received an ARC for an honest and voluntarily review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Dark, full of heat and raw emotion. This is one of those books that you will stay up until you reach the end. You feel everything the characters are feeling. The emotions become yours. This book will leave you craving more from this author. Five stars is not enough!
Sooo much like the title of the book, this story is shocking. There are some scenes which will be shocking to most readers so don’t expect any redeemable characters here at all. From the start we are thrown into the deep end, alternating from Lyla’s to Breaker POV. I didn’t like either character or the people around them, and nothing that he did especially in the business he was in could make me understand why she would fall for him..but then she seemed to think she was nonredeemable too. So a match made in the cells of Breakers world i guess.
Everyone’s a psycho here i guess.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I’m still not sure what to think of this book! I got this book blindly in saying that I only got These words to know what is was about -billionaire, mafia , suspense and thriller, I love mafia books but this is definitely brutal and raw and dark, I was expecting a light book should I say, which is what a lot of them I have read been. In saying that I mean they don’t go into as bad or depraved as this one does go, I was a bit sick in what was happening and thought there was no way I could of liked breaker but he was rubbing off on me in the end. 327 I’m still not sure about her she is strong and brave and silly is a polite word but she feels how she does and really my feelings changed as well towards the end.
All the other characters are described really well I could picture them, well including the whole book which is why this book is so brutal !
I’m still not sure how to articulate my words for this book I think as it was not what I was expecting, but it still captivated me to read, if I can articulate this book better later I will amend my review and maybe give This book another star to 5. I was not happy it ended on a cliffhanger and will now have to read the next book.
One of the most gripping and compelling books I have read in a while, although the specifics so traumatized me I couldn’t sleep that night. I like dark suspense romance but there was very little romance if at all. This book will keep you up til the wee hours. Definitely a rollercoaster ride and an edge of your seat read. This story is about Breaker and the women he refers to as 327. The torture scenes are had to stomach. This is an emotional but gritty read with unexpected twists and turns. This is not for the faint of heart, this is a dark read and there were times I had to set it down and take a breather for a few minutes. This is the first book in the Beneventi series and it’s off to a Big Bang!
Never read a book as heavily loaded as this book before. So intense and dark.
The kidnapping of 327, the choices she has to make and always goes for the less worse of the worst. But is it less worse when you fall in love with your kidnapper? Must face all the gory atrocities to save your own life? And then she is released, but is she also free? Frightful moments keep coming back in her head, not a day without panic attacks. And the realization that you can’t forget the man who did all this to you, you still see something good in him.
Such a bizarre turn in the end. When you think the story ends there is a cliffhanger !!
I would like to give the book 327 stars !! Highly recommended for people with a strong stomach
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a great story. It was well written and fast paced. The chemistry between the characters was sizzling hot. This book has everything you need to keep you turning pages hot sexy men, steamy scenes and some conflict thrown in. I cannot wait for what this author writes next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a very dark read and I loved every second of it. This is brilliant and has left me longing for book 2.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book was gripping, well written & the chemistry between the characters sizzled throughout this wonderful read.
Well done. I look forward to more!
So I will start off this review by saying that I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book. Once I started however it was hard to put it down. Sonya Jesus has this uncanny ability to really put you into the book and make you feel like you’re right there with the character as she winds down a path you don’t really see coming. It’s such an intense read that is a little messed up in the best possible way if that makes sense. I hate horror movies but this was a fascinating read!
This book was described as “a psychological thriller romance full of plot twists, interwoven with dark mafia romance.”
A total mind f*** this is what i would describe this book as….they make horror movies on tv out of these stories..
Definitely a dark mafia read..stillooking for the romance part im trying to wrap my head around it……finishes on a cliffhanger which pisses me off slightly…
An absolutely shocking tale of the dehumanization , degradation and torture of women at the hands of emotionless human traffickers who see the women as a number and part of the herd.
Breaker is searching for one of the ” heifers ” that got away and escaped from “The Farm”…!!!!! Breaker Beneventi is trying to secure his place as the head of the mafia after killing his father and also hunting down 327……she needs to be put down as she knows too much about him…..
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Brutal and Raw: Mafia Romance and Psychological Thriller by Sonya Jesus is a dark thriller that had me on the edge of my seat. Right from the beginning, it brings angst and a lot of intense situations.
Breakers character is twisted and evil and brings out the worst is your mind. You want to love him and hate him at the same time. He manipulates and does exactly what he wants to do. 327 is strong willed and proves she can survive anything. However she struggles with the fact that she wants to be free of Breaker and within his clutches at the same time. A type of Stockholm Syndrome.
Sonya Jesus does an amazing job at portraying these characters. All their strengths and flaws as humans. She makes you want to love the characters and hate them. A battle while your reading.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first read this. I was looking for a dark bully romance. And instead I got so much more. This book twists you in all different directions.
Very intense.
Brutal & Raw was a great very dark 5 star read and book one in the Beneventi Family.
All I can say is this title was perfect for this story, it was brutal and raw and I loved it! I was pulled in right from the beginning.
She was known as 327, they never called them by their names because they didn’t want to humanize them. But there was something about 327 that drew Breaker in, he spent time with her specifically and told her things about the family. Knowing that she was getting too close to him and he was feeling things he shouldn’t Breaker had Butcher do his thing, BUT she got away. She wasn’t supposed to get away and now she knows things that could destroy his family.
Now she’s on the run and afraid he will find her, BUT the name he has isn’t really who she is. Trying to find her is bringing up more questions than answers. The longer it takes to find her the bigger the risk. Who is this woman that has captured his attention? Will Breaker find her before she tells anyone about the family secrets and destroys him?
Overall this is a very dark mafia read that could have big triggers for some. There were some scenes that had me cringing and pushing my boundaries to a new level. I loved hating Breaker but there was a little part of me that felt for the man. He is as dangerous as they come and doesn’t hesitate to show who the boss is. 327 has seen something in Breaker as well, something that was good and called to her. The secondary characters were great. There are several shocking twists and turns. If you like dark reads than this is a MUST READ for you, it’s hard to find authors that are willing to really push the boundaries and Sonya Jesus is one of them. I can’t wait to read more from this author and series.
This book centres around the Beneventi crime family and their leader’s obsession with a girl that escaped him. This is a very dark book and not for the faint hearted, the subject matter is at times really gruesome and graphic and the concept of “the farm” is a bit disturbing. However, it is really well written and hopefully in following books the romance will come out a bit more.
The central story focuses on Breaker Beneventi and his, somewhat distorted, view of love for a girl he refers to as 327, a prisoner who he had developed feelings for (after kidnapping her) and then subsequently released. 327 (or Lyla) has found a safe-haven and is trying to move on with her life however this does not go to plan. I would like to learn more about Lyla’s past and see how this story develops as well as learning more about the other Beneventi siblings.
Brutal and Raw by Sonya Jesus was very difficult for me personally to read. It was very well written and a very entertaining story, but there should definitely be a trigger warning involved for some readers. The characters were very well developed, and the story does grab you and hold you. There was drama, romance and suspense, and for that and overall writing style I’m giving this novel 4 stars. Just personally, this wasn’t the novel for me. I will read more from this author though in the future.
Brutal and Raw by Sonya Jesus a five-star read that will bring out the rawest emotions. This is the first novel in the Beneventi Family series, and I can’t wait for more. This will keep you hooked and won’t let up until the last pages, its dark and thrilling and will truly keep you on the edge of your toes. The characters in this story are some that will challenge you, the feelings and emotions this story will bring up can be difficult to handle at times, but my goodness they will hook you. Breaker almost broke me, but in the end that went to 327. This has the makings of a great series and an author I will be keeping my eyes open for as what amazing writing.
Brutal & Raw: Mafia Romance & Psychological Thriller (Beneventi Family Book 1) by Sonya Jesus – Review by Gail Guerrero
Four Stars
I’m in tears after reading this story. It was too much to handle. I can’t really understand Lyla’s point of view. I have read where women fall for their captors but this is a new level of it. The brutality felt through every page. The pain and fear dripped from the authors words. I was in shock. The story was not bad I just can’t find the good stuff. I can’t give it away because that would be pointless. But to read what these women are going through and for her to love him anyway is a hard pill to swallow. Lyla is a brave woman to try and escape and survive. I understood her confusion when it came to Breaker. Through the whole story I disliked him. He never had any redeeming qualities. I applauded his actions toward the end. I say before you read this story prepare your heart for the tragedy. It was an interesting read because it’s a life I couldn’t ever imagine. It was a story I wouldn’t wish on any enemy.