Dangerous and feared. Those words describe my future husband. Who just so happens to also be my ex-boyfriend. It’s complicated. Two years ago, he broke my heart when he left me to do his father’s bidding. After months of crying, I finally accepted he was gone and wasn’t going to look back. That maybe he’d never loved me at all. I never wanted to see Luca again. Now a cruel twist of fate has … cruel twist of fate has signed me over to him in a heartless deal. I’m his. He thinks he did me a favor, but I feel like I’ve been given a death sentence. He doesn’t want to get married because he still loves me. No, he did it for money. More power.
I’m going to be a mafia wife. And there’s only one way out of it. Death.
But as it turns out, someone else doesn’t want me to marry the ruthless Luca Bianchi. And if he has his way, I’ll see that early grave.
Due to mature content and themes this book is recommended for readers aged eighteen and over. Code of Silence is an arranged marriage and a complete standalone. This novel may contain triggers.
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Code of Silence is a dark and twisted arranged marriage mafia read. Haven and Luca were in love as teenagers and then their relationship ended when Luca up and left Haven one day after saying they would run away together.
Now, many years later, Haven is shocked to learn she will be married to Luca under horrible circumstances, in which she was deeply betrayed, and that there is nothing she can do about it.
Code of Silence is full of suspense, manipulation and betrayal. While Luca and Haven’s marriage comes about seemingly out of the blue, there are a lot of wheels in motion and a lot of parts at play that will be uncovered throughout the book. And while it is an arranged marriage, it is very clear that Luca loves Haven deeply and will do anything to protect her.
At times I felt like maybe there was a little too much happening or too many characters to try and keep track of, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I think this was a great start to what will be Shantel Tessier’s Dark King series, which involved several characters mentioned in Code of Silence.
HOLY HOTNESS!!!!
Code of Silence is everything a mafia book should be!
*Arranged marriage
*blood, torture, and murder
*Extortion among tons of other illegal activities
*Sex, drugs and alcohol
*HOT SEXY MEN!!!
The men in this book are dark and twisted. These guys OWN what they are and make no apologies. I freaking love that.
Luca Bianchi is everything a mob boss is supposed to be and he wants a Queen by his side; ultimately he’ll do anything to make sure it will be her. WHATEVER IT TAKES! She doesn’t get a choice in the matter! Once upon a time this was all that Haven ever wanted, his ring on her finger, her in his home but then he broke her heart.
The twists in this one will have your jaw dropping, you’ll never see it coming. Shantel is amazing for her ability to darken the world she’s writing in; you have absolutely NO IDEA what to expect from her! I LOVE IT!!! It’s just one thing that makes her one of my top authors!
Wow. This was a roller coaster ride of heat and tension and suspense. I loved every single word. Luca was the best kind of bad boy. He and Haven were perfect for each other. The secrets and twists and turns just kept coming. The plot was fast paced. The characters were extremely well developed. I can’t wait to read more from this world!
HOLY BLUE BLAZES!! I have the sudden desire to become the arranged wife of a mafiaoso! Luca is strait up licious! Haven is gorgeous and sassy. But she’s brewing so much anger at him she remains caught between toeing the line of loathing him and loving him while he can’t decide whether to make her bend to his will or just bend her over his desk. This fantastic book packs punch after punch to keep you on the edge wondering WTF is happening?!?! This book has it all. Really let’s just call this a “ménage à genre” because it has elements of many amazing genres all in one. All of my favorites y’all!! Right here in this perfect package of a book that you won’t be able to put down until you have devoured every single word!! Shantel Tessier left me sweatin’ it out in Sin City in shock and awe, chapter after chapter! I was blown away, breathless and then hot and panting. In.the.hottest.flippin.way!!
Luca Bianchi was Las Vegas Mafia Royalty, with plans to be the Mafia King one day. Be bigger, greater and more powerful than his father. Haven had always had his heart, but he was forced to make decisions that were difficult to protect those he loved the most in the world. He broke her heart and left her devastated only to return two years later with a plan. He decides that he is going to make her his wife. He wants to ensure that all the plans for the future they talked about when they were in college will be carried out whether she likes it or not. He had his reasons for wanting things this way. I loved, loved, loved Luca’s character. You know those frustratingly sinful ones you really want to hate, but love em’ anyway? You start out semi-despising them?! That’s him. He is unapologetic for who he is and he’s alpha! He’s dangerous and borderline cruel to Haven at times to punish her for her disobedience and for not just accepting things as he’s said they are going to be. He wants to own her in every way, and he will!
Haven’s character is amazing. I love the fight in her and she is gonna fight him every step of the way because of the hurt he caused when he left her. She knows he’s hiding things from her and she also knows he thinks her life could be in jeopardy just by being with him, but she thinks her death warrant was signed anyway when he took her to be his wife. So what’s she got to lose, right? She may know she has no say in what happens to her, but she sure isn’t going to make it easy on him. I loved that she was a kickin’ character and a risk taker and had no problem popping off at the mouth at Luca. She wasn’t going down without a fight. Everyone knows there is only one way out of a Mafia marriage and it ain’t a divorce.
*I voluntarily reviewed an advanced complimentary copy of this book!
My cr8zysockbookblock blog wrap up for this book!- GAAHHH!! All the amazing secondary characters and I’m hooked and can’t wait for all the King’s books. Shantel gives just enough backstory on each of these bad boys that I’m dying for their stories. I.Can’t.Even!! Can one die of anticipation?!?! BTW, I want them all. Every Sinfully Sexy one of them. I’m not choosing so I’m laying it out there now that I’m an unashamed dirty girl and they are all MINE!
All the Stars in the Sky for this book!
– GAH!! Words are failing me here my friends, which doesn’t happen often. But yeah!! Hot Smokin’ Hell!
Cliffhanger Warning-No cliffhanger! However, Shantel Tessier has set us up for all the King’s books and I cannot wait!!
Trigger Warning-This book does have some scenes that could be considered triggers for some, but what you would expect from a Mafia Romance. They are fairly graphic. If you have concerns you can PM for more information.
I don’t know what to write in this review because I feel like everything I want to say is a spoiler.
I liked this book a lot but it was different than Shantel’s other books.
I think I was hoping for steamy scenes and there are some don’t get me wrong but I felt there was a disconnect with the characters. There were her scenes and there were his scenes and when they were together they were hardly together. If that makes sense.
He was doing things to protect her and she felt like he was keeping secrets.
Like I said I did like this book. There was a twist I didn’t expect and the writing was superb likely always.
I just didn’t feel the love of the two main characters.
“Marriage in the Mafia is like being born into the Mafia. There is no escape other than death.”
Shantel Tessier is a 1-click author for me so when I saw that she was writing a Mafia story, I was all over that!
Shantel pushes you with every book she writes and I knew that as soon as I read the prologue that I was in for a bumpy ride. But I ate up every word and read it in one day. I just couldn’t get enough of Luca and Haven.
“Nothing about our lives has ever been clear. Or morally right.”
The thing that I loved most about this book, more so than the whole we are the Mafia and we are going to mess you up element was the Dark Kings. I need their series now. I am so intrigued it’s not even funny. I would sell my soul for their stories right now.
One thing that I would’ve liked to see more of was the romance between Luca and Haven. We had an amazing plot, the sexual chemistry and the broody alpha ness were off the charts but their love connection could have been stronger for me.
Overall Shantel wrote another epic story with Code of Silence and it’s one that I won’t be forgetting.
Mafia- check
Lots of stomach churning scenes- check
Sizzling sexual chemistry- check
A bunch of broody, mysterious alphas- check
Warning: Do not eat when reading if you have a weak stomach
You want mafia? You want arranged marriage? You want second chance? You want danger? You want hot sexual tension? You want an alpha male? Code of Silence has it all.
We follow Haven who finds out rather suddenly that she has been betrothed to Luca. Who happens to be her ex-boyfriend that left her without a goodbye two years ago. While she never recovered from their breakup, she has no desire to marry the man who broke her heart. The fact that he’s heavily involved in the mafia only adds fuel to the fire that is her refusal. But, what Luca wants Luca gets.
I definitely recommend this standalone from Shantel Tessier, along with any of her other books.
5 STARS
My first Shantel Tessier book was Slaughter, witch is actually a mafia romance and a second chance love. I don’t enjoy mafia romance or second chance romance, but I LOVED Slaughter, and now Code of Silence.
My GOD I can’t describe my emotions as I read the book. EXQUISITE. ADDICTIVE.
Luca Bianchi is the mafia prince, his father being the Don. As you know, from the mafia you can’t escape, your only way out is death. In the leading mafia families, the boys have been learning since they were children how to act, to be fearless, ruthless, savage, unforgiven.
Haven has loved Luca since she was a kid, now being in college, her dream came true, they are together and they love each other. Her only problem is Luca’s life style. He lives in danger, fear at every step. She wants to run far away, but Luca knows better.
It’s been 4 years since Luca leaved her heartbroken and Haven hates him with all her heart.
Now after 4 years, Luca is back. He came to get married. He came for his bride. Everyone knows that in mafia, all marriages are arranged. Marriage equals power, money, strengthening relationships.
True mafia fashion way, this story is full of everything : mafia war, power, loyalty, betrayal, lies, secrets, twits and turns, emotions, steam and even funny.
The writing is exquisite, the story, the secondary characters are so good written and trust me they will stole your heart as much as Luca and Heaven.
Shantel Tessier promised an epic 2020 and I can’t wait for it. This characters are mindblowing. They will conquer you instantly.
Cos
Luca and Haven’s story was perfection. I loved everything about it. I’m a fan of mafia books and Shantel did an outstanding job writing this. As usual, Shantel had several twists that were unexpected. I loved that we got to meet the dark king characters of Shantel’s next series. Don’t wait to grab this amazing story. Shantel never disappoints.
Mafia romance at its finest!
Hot, sexy, possessive men. Check.
Danger. Secrets. Lies. Check.
Violence. Blood. Murder. Check.
Shantel doesn’t hold back in her writing and I LOVE IT. It’s dark and dangerous. The scenes are vivid and gory. But that’s what we expect in mafia romance, right? I don’t want an author to play it off like the mafia doesn’t do nasty, dirty business. I want to read all of the details.
The men in this book are EVERYTHING. Luca, Nite, the Dark Kings. Yes, yes, YES. They’re brutal and unforgiving. They’re twisted and dark.
Luca is so much more than the Don’s son. He’s loyal. He’s relentless. He’s selfless. I loved him.. even when I wanted to punch him in the throat.
I really loved this book. The plot, the characters. It had it all. I can’t wait to read more about the Dark Kings. I’ll be waiting, Shantel!
Code of Silence is amazing! Luca and Haven we’re together when Luca left. A few years later he is back and wants Haven. You learn so much about everything that happens and why certain things happened. You go in a little unsure how to feel about Luca but adore him pretty fast! I not only loved these two I also loved Nite who is Luca’s best friend. Both Luca and Haven come from messy families and Luca’s Is in the Mafia. I loved this book and highly recommend it!
Code of Silence is a book that is sure to keep you on your toes! I was fully engaged in this arranged marriage mafia romance right from the beginning and I found myself devouring page after page until the very end. Told from a dual POV, I was immediately drawn towards the characters, the plot, and the suspense.
Luca, the son of a mob boss, was exposed to violence at a young age. Now, he is a powerful member of the mafia who is both cunning and ruthlessness. I wasn’t sure that I was going to like his character as there were times that I wanted to throw my kindle at him. Haven I loved immediately. This little spitfire previously dated Luca in college, but things ended poorly. Now being coerced into a marriage with him, she is reluctant to give Luca a second chance even if he still possesses all of the pieces of her shattered heart. Being thrust into the mafia world, Haven must learn to adapt quickly. As a heroine, I love her sass and spunk and how she doesn’t just let people railroad her completely. Although, there were a few instances that I wanted to shake some sense into her.
Code of Silence is not only a second chance romance, but is also a suspense full of action and intrigue. Luka is the master of manipulation in the series of games he plays and it was entertaining to see how it was all going to unfold. This book had a few twists and turns – a few that I was able to predict and a few that were surprises, thus keeping things interesting. The secondary characters made the book. This author portrays these supportive characters in such a way that you are left begging for their own books. Where I struggled was with Luca and Haven’s relationship. I didn’t feel their connection as much as I usually do with the characters in this author’s other works which is why the 4 star rating instead of 5 stars. Nonetheless, I absolutely enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading more works by this author.