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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Swirling maelstrom of betrayals and Double-crosses, blood and mayhem and in the eye stand Luca & Haven. Bound by love then by the Mafia code
“My father is A mob boss who runs the South Side of Las Vegas. And I’m engaged to my ex, who just so happens to be his enemy. My life is shit.”
It’s rapid fire in pace, things happen at warp speed. Lovers meet, strengthen, are forced apart and then tied with a forged document and life comes full circle as they desperately search for deeply buried emotions in their hearts for the rosy days gone by.
“We’re the Bianchis, the Italian-American Mafia who runs most of Las Vegas. We’ve all got bounties on our heads and are always a target. If you don’t take out your enemies, they will take you out first.”
Luca was an admirable character, Haven poor victim. Just a pawn in the big game of mafia chess, used by EVERYONE.
Mateo didn’t get too much chance to shine. The Dark Kings are pretty interesting and I’d love to read more about them and Oliver Nite.
It’s not easy on the mind. There’s lot of gore and torture. Shantel doesn’t pulls back from punching you straight in the face with some very gruesome details. I wouldn’t say it’s super dark, cause at the heart is a love story which didn’t get time to blossom. And by the time it does, there’s thorns sticking out instead of roses
My first book by Shantel. She writes pretty slick and I liked the tone of the story
4stars for A Luca & A Mateo
While mafia books aren’t near the top of my preferred genre list, Code of Silence by Shantel Tessier drew me into the world of manipulation, greed, death, destruction and lost loves – just to name a few.
There are twists and unexpected events that keep you turning the pages and wanting more.
I’ve read a few books from Shantel and can’t wait for her next series, which will (YAY!) include our favorite mafia son, Luca Bianchi.. Bring on the Dark Kings!
Ugh! This was so freaking good! I devoured this book in less than 5 hours! No breaks even as I ate I was reading!
Luca and Haven are a perfect match and they belong together, I’m hoping we see more of them in the books about the Dark Knights!
Book review breakdown:
Plot~ 5/5
Character depth ~ 5/5
Pacing ~ 5/5
Multiple POV ~ Yes!
Hero(es) ~ 5/5
Heroine~ 5/5
Emotion felt by reader ~ 5/5
Angst ~ 5/5
Sensuality, Passionate ~ 5/5
Se(xxx)y time(s) ~ 4/5
Book Cover ~ 5/5
Code of Silence by Shantel Tessier is a standalone dark mafia romance that is somewhat of a prequel and/or introduction to her new Dark Kings series, unofficially. This is the story of a mafioso’s son, Luca Bianchi, and the woman that won his heart but didn’t realize. Starting with their college days and jumping ahead to after their separation and right into the “purchase” of Haven as Luca’s wife this book holds back nothing.
Dark mafia romance, questionable motives for ALL characters, and at the heart of it all – love! There is something about dark and gritty romances that have been my favorite as of late. This one definitely fit the bill. No holds are barred in the details of mafia business being conducted and with a dual POV and a wavering timeline, you slowly get a whole picture of the relationship between these two characters. Loved it! Enjoy!
This was my first read by Shantel, and it was a stunner, I loved it….. dark, twisted, hot, violent and sexy mafia read!! I couldn’t put it down once I had started, loved the dark plot line, it keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the read.
Luca is the son of a mafia boss, being raised in their world and by their rules, he has no say in the matter, it was what he was born to do. This doesn’t mean he agrees or likes everything that goes on in his world. He met Haven at college and they have been together since having fallen in love with each other. Haven suspects he is involved in the mafia family business, but is not sure just how involved. Haven offers herself to him, for them to run away together and forget about the world he is involved in, but he knows there is no escaping the mafia for him. He ends up promising her everything she wants to here, and then breaks her heart by leaving her and not telling her.
Luca returns after two years away, with a marriage contract for her, done by striking a deal with her father. Haven now has no choice in the matter, she loves him, she hates him, she is going to make him work for it……..
I loved this, its a stunning read, but it’s not sweet and light, it is definitely dark, dirty and very
violent, but if this is up your street you will love it!! Luca and Haven have a love/hate relationship, but in reality Haven has always been the one for him, he protects her at all costs, even when it appears he is doing the exact opposite. Their chemistry is off the chart and the bedroom scenes are scorching!
I loved the Kings who Luca is involved with as both friends and business partners and can’t wait to read about them in future books! Highly recommended reading.
Luca Bianchi’s father, John, is the Don of the Italian-American Mafia who taught Luca that even family is not to be spared when they turn into snitches. Luca learned that he needed to be brutal and cruel when he had to be in order to be feared so that no one would mess with him.
Haven Knowles dated Luca in college and was in love with him to only have him break her heart and then disappear until he suddenly appears back in her life with a deal with her father to make her his bride.
Haven wants nothing to do with Luca after what he did to her 2 years ago and when she sees the cold man he has turned into she knows she needs to do whatever it takes to escape from the upcoming marriage. Can Luca show Haven that there is nothing he won’t do to make her his wife?
I loved this book and I think it is so important to finish the whole thing before making judgments as there was so much more involved that isn’t revealed until towards the end and it makes everything make so much more sense!
I felt terrible for Haven that she was being forced to marry her ex-boyfriend, Luca after he left her two years ago and broke her heart. So I think it’s important to remember that Haven and Luca have a past together and it was clear that they both loved each other until Luca split with her. It was also clear that Luca was determined to marry Haven so I thought that there could have been more that happened in the past that we weren’t aware of.
Luca was so cruel to Haven at the beginning but I wondered if some of it was show for his dad as it was evident how cruel his dad was and how focused his dad was on being powerful. I had no doubt that Luca would do whatever he could to keep Haven safe from his enemies with the number one enemy being Alberto Rossi.
The past between Luca and Haven allowed for me to believe the hatred between the two of them but also the sexual pull and chemistry between them as well. Luca said awful things to Haven at the beginning of the book and I think it was truly needed to show the hatred that Haven had towards Luca in front of everyone so it showed how she was truly being forced to marry Luca.
When Luca forces Haven to Italy she realizes how different things truly are from what she thought and from that point on things begin to change. Haven learns the truth about a couple of key things and from that her attitude changes.
The unknown caller for Haven changes everything again and I was shocked at what was revealed and how that threw a twist into things. I was mad at Haven for risking things herself but I was glad that she finally told Luca what happened and what she learned. I was so mad when Haven realized her mom was gone and how she devised a plan on her own knowing it wasn’t going to turn out well for her.
I was so thankful for Luca and the Dark Kings and I loved the interactions that they had throughout the book. I really can’t wait for more of them!
The end was awesome and I really can’t wait for what comes next!
***3,5 “Dick whipped!!!” stars***
Marriage into the Mafia is like being born into the Mafia. There is no escape other than death.”
This was a good read… and i enjoyed it a lot!!!
The truth is that in the beginning something was kicking out for me… I felt that things were too rushed and i couldn’t feel connected with Haven…
But then the story picked up and it catched me by surprise!!!
This was my very first book of Shantel Tessier and it was very promising!!!
“The Mafia takes their code of silence very seriously.
You don’t fucking talk. To anyone, about anything.”
Haven and Luca used to be a couple… Then out of nowhere, Luca left Haven behind alone and heartbroken…
After two whole years, a big surprise is awaiting Haven.
Luca is back and she is discovering that she is sold to him as his bride…
Of course, she can’t do much about that, but she is determined to fight every step the guy that she used to love and now hate with everything in her…
“He doesn’t love me. He never did. He just wants to use me.”
Luca was a very interesting character…
He had so much depth and he knew how to play the game…
Haven is his only weakness in a world that he can’t afford to have any…
He is about to become the leader of Mafia and he needs a wife by his side… But not any woman, just a certain one who never stopped wanting….
He just had to leave her behind and there isn’t a moment that he didn’t regret this decision…
Now, he is determined to make her his and to learn to love him again, as she used to do back then…
“It doesn’t matter if she’s always loved me, or if she now hates me. It’s business. My life has always been that way, and I’m not about to change now. Not when my family needs me, plus it gets me what I want. Her.”
Well, the idea of the book is ticking all of my boxes!!!
In the romance part, i was a little bit lost, even though the flash backs were leading somewhere…
But i think that our heroes had too many troubles to face and the romance part was taking a backseat…
In a way, Haven was pissing me off with all this negativity, but Luca was a man that had stolen my heart!!!
“That’s the scary thing about love; it blurs the lines of right and wrong. You choose to ignore what you should question because it’s dangerous and thrilling at the same time.”
Honestly, i dont know why, but there were many secondary characters in here that had stolen my heart more than the main couple…
The Kings, and especially Bones, Emilee, Jasmine and Nite intrigued me very much and i want more of them…
I know that we will take the Kings’s stories, but hell, I NEED Nite’s as well!!!
“I can’t wait to watch a King fall.”
***I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review***
This is a heart-pounding and thrilling story which has me on tenterhooks throughout. This is the son of a mafia boss Luca and Haven’s story. This is a well written story which is dark, and action packed and filled with drama, twists, lies, secrets, and love. I was completely hooked throughout this fast-paced roller coaster ride, and I cannot wait to read more from this gifted author whose work I highly recommend for all.
All she wanted was him, no matter who his family were, but then with a promise from his lips to truly be hers, he was gone.
He was forced to leave, but thought he was doing the right thing giving her the chance for a better life, for freedom from all that he brings to the table.
But now hes back, and she is his no matter what…
Oh my gosh what a read!!
Luca is everything I love! he’s dark and dangerous, whilst sensual, rough and delicious too. He’s not someone you want to anger that’s for sure!
Haven is a delight. She’s feisty and fierce as she tries to protect herself, but underneath she’s desperate to be loved.
The storyline is fast paced and deadly! The violence is inventive and the passion is off the scale hot hot hot!
Mafia reads dont usually appeal to me but this had me sat on the edge of my seat giddy with excitement from start to finish!
I dont know what I expected from this, but I do know I certainly got more than what I bargained for!
I loved the introduction to the dark kings and their dealings, and I cant wait to dig into Titan I just know it’s going to be an extremely addictive read!
I absolutely loved this.
This is my first read by this author although I have two other books by her on my immediate TBR.
It certainly didn’t pull any punches but the writing pulled me in and didn’t let me go until the last word.
I’m so incredibly ready for Titan.
I received an ARC of this for review. My opinion is my own and has not been influenced.
Within the first chapter I was squeamishly looking away like my book was a movie and I could watch through my fingers. LOL.
Seriously though, Shantel held me in the grip of her hand on what I was walking into next – would I be reading through the cracks of my fingers the entire book? I’m not going to spoil that.
But I will say, even I had to know what was going to happen and how the book would end!
Luca was born into the mafia, a family you don’t just walk away from. You grow up seeing and doing wicked, horrible things. It truly is a life of “it is what it is” and the only way out is death. So when Luca falls for Haven and she doesn’t want that life things get tricky.
Code of Silence is a dark, second chance, meet all the players of the Dark Kings and mafia family romance. It is not for the faint of heart, but it is for those who love a true love story twisted in with a good mafia Romeo/Juliet vibe.
Luca and Haven were supposed to be together and Luca promised that they would be together forever. Luca left without a reason on left Haven with a broken heart. Luca and Haven are reunited again after an arrangement was made between there fathers. Lies, broken promises, heartbreak, and betrayal will get in the way of Luca & Haven’s relationship and leave them both wondering who they can trust. This was a great mafia romance with so many twists and turns along the way. By the time I was done reading this book I was ready for the next book. This was a great book and it deserves more than 5 stars.
Code of Silence
I’m a new conversion to Shantel Tessier and I’m sticking around for the journey!
Code of Silence is the most amazing ride into the world of mafia intrigue and romance. Luca and Haven’s story has more twists and turns than I expected and I enjoyed each and every one of them. Kept me up reading until 3 am, it is one of those can’t put it down kind of books!
Looking forward to reading Titan, this is series I’m defiantly adding to all my TBR lists!
Luca and Havens story was filled with chaos and misunderstanding. Throw the mafia and their families into it and you have a story that is explosive and filled with violence.
I loved this story!
Haven is a feisty heroine who feels betrayed when Luca disappears suddenly from her life as though he never existed at all. Luca is a lot of things and almost none of them can be perceived at first glance. One thing is true though, he loves Haven. All his maneuvering has been to position himself for the day he could get her back. Now, it’s a matter of keeping her. With enemies at the doors, he’s got a group of loyal friends who are willing to fight by his side. Winner will take all, and they’re not afraid to get their hands dirty.
In these friends, Shantel has created an amazing brotherhood and I’m dying for each of their stories. Here Shantel kills it with this fast paced story of a mafia prince and the love of his life.
This story is very raw and very intense. One thing I have learned from Tessier, is her stories take unique turns and keep you fully engrossed. Code of Silence does just that when things are a whirlwind between Luca and Haven. Honestly, my heart shattered for everything that Haven went through in this story but having Luca, even if it didn’t seem like it, wanted to keep her safe, no matter what. There are some crazy twists and turns that keep you fully engrossed in this story and your jaw on the floor. I loved this story and highly recommend it if you want something a little darker but oh so sinful!
I devoured this book within a day!
Damn what can I say? This was some hot story
It is about Haven and Luca who were once lovers. After Luca left her, Haven has been a mess. Years later he reappears back in her life and a marriage has been arranged.
Luca is one of the heirs of a powerful American mafiaboss and is filling in his father’s footsteps. Kinda
When he’s doing mafia business he’s that cruel guy that has not even an ounce of heart in him. But when he’s talking about Haven you’ll see from the start that he is deeply, madly in love with her and would do anything for her. Even though he acts controlling and cruel in the beginning.
Haven on the other hand is a stubborn woman and “hates” her husband to be and her new life as a mafia bride I loved how she didn’t give a damn in the beginning and raised hell. She didn’t want to be just another one of Lucas pawns.
After a Rocky start they started working together and trusting each other again and fight against their enemies.
This book was just so good! I usually don’t read mafia romances but damn, this book… I’m so glad I didn’t miss out on it!! I’m excited to find out what is yet to come in this series
I can recommend this book to you to one hundred percent!
This book is what my soul needed and I’m itching for more!!
This book was full of so many unexpected twists and turns that I was constantly on edge and unable to put this book down. #thesuspence
Mafia romance is one of my favorites and Shantel knocked it out of the park !! Luca and Haven’s chemistry was off the charts and I was begging for it not to end. “ I would spread my legs for him like an avid reader would turn the pages of a book”
I highly recommend this book. I honestly need a beyond 5 stars button because 5 just isn’t enough !!
This is the first book I have read by this author and it definitely won’t be the last. I was pulled into this book from the beginning. Luca and Haven have a complicated relationship. So many twists and turns that held me captivate. I read this book in one sitting. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!
This is my first from Shantel Tessier and my first Mafia genre. Can honestly say it won’t be my last. I read this book in one sitting, I ignored everything I wanted to get done that day, skipped chores and made the husband made supper. I wanted more with every chapter.
Luca, son of a Mafia Boss, is born and raised into the Mafia. He meets Haven in college. They fall in love, when he leaves and breaks her heart, she’s finally getting her life together Luca comes back. With a marriage contract. Does she get what she finally wants or?