GabrielaStefan Sabbioni showed up uninvited in my bedroom on my sixteenth birthday. He stood in the shadows smelling of whiskey and death and wrapped a broken, blood-crusted necklace around my neck. I thought he’d strangle me with it.That night, he left a message for my father. He said he’d be back to take something precious.I never delivered that message, though. I wonder if things would be … though. I wonder if things would be different if I had because now, two years later, he’s back. And he’s not hiding in any shadows.
He’s come to make good on his promise.
He’s back to take that something precious.
Me.
Stefan
Marchese is the manipulator of my family’s tragedy. I won’t just bring him to his knees. I’ll bury him for what he did.
Taking his daughter is only the beginning. I’ll do it knowing I’m starting a war. I’ll do it knowing my enemies will become his allies. They’ll stop at nothing to destroy me and he’ll stop at nothing to get her back.
I’ve never shied away from war, though. I’m not one to play nice and I don’t share my toys. I’ll demolish you if you touch what’s mine.
And she is most definitely mine.
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This is the first book in a duet where Gabriella daughter of Gabriel Marchese is blackmailed into Handing over his only daughter to Sicilian Mobster Stefan Sabbioni for marriage.
At the tender age of eighteen, Gabby is a strange mix of innocent and naive but also somewhat worldly to the ways of monsters a side-effect of her unconventional upbringing and life-experiences and her fathers less the loving attentions.
Stefan, much older at twenty-nine and with an agenda of vengeance that puts Gabriella in the crosshairs of himself and her father.
An innocent pawn caught in a war, not of her making where she could very easily become collateral damage herself.
The dynamic between Gabriella and Stefan in this first instalment to me was very much one of control on his behalf and petulant half-grown woman on hers.
The initial chemistry here more of a custodian exerting his will and power over the much younger and sometimes childish Gabby who often thinks and acts before she has engaged her brain.
As I said shes on the awkward cusp of adulthood where she seems to be straddling a line with a foot on either side.
I actually really liked Stefan a lot and despite his flaws, he was still essentially very kind towards Gabby and I felt that he had a lot of patience with her acting out which she seemed to do a lot of the time.
As he informed her on numerous occasions she didn’t have to be his enemy.
I actually gave her somewhat of a pass with her acting out just because of her young age and also I did feel that her upbringing itself had shaped her moulding her distrust and suspicious nature.
I don’t think she gave Stefan much of a chance: measuring his worth by the standards she had come to expect from her father which was hardly fair.
Combine this in with her illogical choices well let’s just say I am hoping that come the next book Gabby opens her eyes slightly and quits burying her head.
This is very much slow-burning where the tension is subtly adjusted ramping up the tension and heat along the way this worked so well especially considering Gabriella’s age and sometimes immaturities.
Told from dual POV my favourite this gripped me almost instantly.
It was well written and I sped through this in one sitting.
My only gripe here was Gabbys herself as I said earlier her behaviour could be slightly irritating at times.
This was a great read and I am looking forward to concluding this story in book two which is out in October so not a long wait at all thankfully.
This gets a thumbs up from my camp folks.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Collateral.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
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Natasha Knight has, once again, delivered an INCREDIBLE, EMOTIONAL and GUT-WRENCHING story of betrayal, loss, pain and HOPEFULLY a love story that will mend my shattered heart!!! Stefan and Gabriela have such incredible chemistry, like off-the-charts kind of chemistry…even IF this “arraigned” marriage (more like Stefan is trying to destroy Gabriela’s father, Gabriel) is the LAST thing that Gabriela wants she still feels the magnetic pull to Stefan, who holds her future (and her heart?) in his hands.
I fell soooooo hard and soooooo fast for the ALpha and swoon-inducing Stefan and Gabriela is so perfectly feisty and somehow innocent, despite growing up with a cold-hearted and despicable father…she captured my heart and my imagination! I feel like there is so much MORE to this story that has yet to be told!
I devoured this first book in this duet and I can’t WAIT to see what happens in the conclusion!!! Thankfully it won’t be a long wait because Damage will be here in a few short weeks! Will Stefan and Gabriela overcome the legacy of murder, death and destruction that is their birthright and find their HEA? Stay tuned to find out!!!
What can I say! As soon as I read the blurb I was hooked. Waiting with great anticipation for it to land on my kindle, I couldn’t contain my excitement when it finally arrived. One of my favourite genres.
This story starts by delving into the past to give us a glimpse of what happened and where the story is going to take us and the reasons why. It’s not going to be pretty, but you’re going to love it as much as I.
Stefan Sabbioni. Tall, dark and handsome with a commanding presence. I guess being a member of the Sicilian mob will do that to you. Wealthy and powerful and hell-bent on revenge. The reason? This is the part where I urge you to read the book, so you can find that out for yourself. Sorry lol
Gabriela Marchese. Beautiful, wilful, scared and sometimes terrified, she’s the daughter of a powerful man who practically held her prisoner. Educated at home, she has no friends and lives her life in a gilded cage. Physically and mentally abused by the one person who should have been there to support her, guide her, love and look after her. Her father.
Her mother died in an accident and her brother’s in a care facility. She’s all alone apart from the one friend she has.
When these two characters first met, only one of them knew what’s going to happen. The future is planned, and it isn’t going to be all sunshine and roses. Revenge, not a pretty word. Both come with emotional baggage, something they have in common.
Using Gabriela meant that she left one prison for another. The only difference was geography. Packed off to a palatial property in Palermo Italy, awaiting the arrival of her fiancé soon to be husband, she swapped one monster for another. But is he? Being in close proximity to each other means that they both spend more time in each others company. Are you wondering what is coming next? Where this story is going?
Even I can’t tell you. All I know is I see past the hard and evil facade Stefan presents to the world. Especially when it comes to Gabriela. She may say she hates him, but as a woman, I know different. Haha! Their story continues in the next book by this author which will be coming to you soon. All I will say is… Wow! I for one, cannot wait.
A note for the author. I can honestly say it’s been a while since I’ve read a book that hooked me, reeled me in and held me captivated from start to end and then left me wanting more. Congratulations to you. A well-deserved 5 stars.
An amazing story, I just devoured it!
This is a fighting mafia family’s story. The King Pin from one family, Stefan Sabbioni is out for revenge on Gabriel Marchese, a rival family who had done him wrong. And his daughter Gabriela becomes the pawn as Stefan takes her as payment to wed.
A thrilling story, it’s a slow progress to a very intense relationship.
I loved it and can’t wait for more!!!!
Oh, you’re all gonna want this one if you’re a mafia romance lover! Stefan Sabbioni wants something so precious from his enemy. First an arrangement to wed the mafia boss Gabriel’s daughter, Gabriela Marchese. Then he wants to seek his vengeance and he will do anything to get it! Two very powerful families at war with each other and she is the pawn. This is a wonderfully dark, mafia romance with twists. Stefan and Gabriela’s chemistry together is amazing and I can’t wait to see what happens. I could not put this book down and I loved Gabriela’s feistiness! Told in Dual POV and ends in a major cliffhanger.
What can I say this book grabbed me from the start and I can’t still let it go, what an amazing arranged marriage mafia story. The characters are amazing, Gabriela and Stefan are a match. Gabriela is a strong woman on the outside, but she has been burned in so many ways her bravado is making Stefan question what has she really gone through. You will be dragged throughout all the emotions you can imagine and then get yourself ready to start begging for the next one. I strongly recommend you read this one. Natasha Knight I can only say bravo, you got yourself a 5 star review and on my Top 2019 book list.
Out of they frying pan into the FIRE!!! This duet stucked you into it immediately… Gabriella daughter of Gabriel Marchese is blackmailed into giving his only daughter to Sicilian Mobster Stefan Sabbioni for marriage. Gabriel believes Sicillan are beneath him and hate Stefan. So you know what Stefan has on Gabriel must leave him no other choice. On Gabriella 16th birthday Stefan leaves Gabriella a message to deliver to her father with a trinket with dried blood all over it, however Gabriella never delivers the message nor the trinket. That is until the tender age of eighteen when Stefan comes to collect his debt. Gabriella is a strange mix of innocent and naivety but also have learned to deal with ways of monsters. Being raised by her father and life-experiences and her fathers abusive & aggressive ways, Gabrielle has learned to hide how she feels around her father.
Stefan Sabbioni will take everything Gabriel Marchese took from him, starting with the precious daugher, she’s just a pawn in his plan for the ultimate revenge. Gabriela’s father took something from him. Now Stefan is willing to return the favor. This time he plans on taking EVERYTHING including Gabriel’s daughter because now she belongs to ME. I’m not one to play nice and I don’t share my toys. I’ll demolish you if you touch what’s mine.
And she is most definitely mine. love it!!!
Another enthralling book that keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting for what craziness happens next. Who is the lesser of evils, Gabriela’s father or the man he signed her life over to? Her journeys will keep you questioning that as well. The cliff hanger is a killer and I must move on to the next book!
Arranged Marriage Mafia Romance…book 1 in the duet and it was good…just good. I can’t quite put my finger on why I’m not completely obsessing over this one. It has everything I enjoy in mafia romances! Fiesty Mafia Princess forced out of her home and thrust into the hands of a rival Mob Boss who is sexy, dangerous, and domineering. Plus, I’m truly a sucker for the arranged marriage trope, especially when both characters are already affiliated with the criminal world and mob politics are involved. This book was set up to be my CATNIP, but unfortunately, a lot of the interactions between the H and Hr fell flat for me when they should’ve been sizzling. The plot is interesting enough and the cliff hanger has me diving into book 2 tonight. Here to hoping book 2 hits that magic sweet spot!
This is a stunningly dark compelling story. It is written so well that you get dragged into the intrigue straight away and it doesnt let you go. The characters are so well written it adds to the believability of this thrilling read.
Loved it! Cant wait to read the next book.
Highly recommended.
oh man this was good. great mafia arranged marriage plot. the reasoning behind stefans action greatly depicted in the beginning so hes the arse you cant help but be hopeful for. gabriellas innocence but knowledge of that life, i found was a cute personality on her. the things she went through contributing to how she thinks just makes everything realistic. loved her flaws and loved how stefan was able to see reason once he thought about things. great freaking story!
I don’t know where to begin. I loved this book. I was hooked to this book. The storyline will have you grasping for more. Not wanting to put the book down for anything mundane. I am so thankful I came across Natasha Knight.
Gabriela Marchese is the daughter of crime boss Gabe Marchese. Having been sheltered her whole life and every moment monitored. She is surprised to see a man in her room on her 16th birthday. A man who states he will come back and take something precious of her fathers. Now two years later, she never told her dad what happened and instead is signing a contract to marry said man who was in her room.
Stefan Sabbioni is the head of the Sicilian mafia and has vowed to redeem his dead brother and father. Having come back to the house where he left a message for the daughter of the crime boss he wants to exact revenge on, he forces a signed marriage agreement. Back in Sicily he is determined to make Gabi his in every way possible. Though the more he learns about Gabi, the more he wonders she is an innocent or an accomplice to her fathers dealings.
Will Gabi be able to get her freedom and break free from yet another? Will Stefan be able to keep Gabi safe while trying to keep his budding feelings for her in check? Will Gabi’s father get his daughter back once and for all?
You guys!!! OMG!!! I have missed mafia romance. I loved reading this book and loved the fact that I was also tortured with having to wait for book two to come out. Yea I know it’s weird that I like a cliffhanger, but I can’t help it. I am on the edge of my seat like a kid waiting to see Santa Claus.
Gabi is one strong willed woman. I can’t imagine going through life without having access to certain things or being secluded like she was. I am so excited at the possibility of what she may overcome even more in book two.
Stefan….oh my Stefan. Poor guy has no idea what Gabi has been through and how the cards have been dealt or should I say handled with her. He really has no idea how little control of her life she has. I loved reading the little things he would do and how patient he was in the ending of book one. I also loved how he wasn’t afraid to find out the truth about a certain someone who was in Gabi’s life.
I highly recommend this book. I loved this book and don’t regret one bit taking a chance on this author and on this book.
This book had me on the edge of my seat pretty much the whole way through. It’s gripping, captivating, suspenseful, angsty, fast paced and a great read! I love it!
This book definitely deserves 5 HolyMolyHoldMeBeforeIPassOut stars! I just can’t get over the way they met each other! I loved the idea, I loved the angst and the aim for revenge. I was always on edge of every end of every chapter.
The heroine is a strong, hotheaded, persistent, broken young lady with deep trust issues, fierce love in her heart and a mouth she cannot control and those features made this book 10x better. Gabriela’s and Stefan’s fights and arguments were always so EERRRGGHHH and I was I always wanted more of them I feel like I didn’t get enough of them in this book but that’s just because it’s never enough lol. This book was so amazing it doesn’t even matter, not just them but everything in general!
In a world full of betrayal, blood and death, Gabriela found herself struggling to come to terms with her future husband. She was a prisoner in a place where she was unwanted and yet the way they acted around each other was so intriguing and I always wanted more of them together. Every time there was some sexual tension I got so excited and I was like aaahhh yes yes yes! I loved their behavior towards each other. They were enemies, she wanted it to stay that way, but he wanted them to be allies.
I loved how you could really see how he ever so slowly started to care for her in his own ways. Stefan protects what’s his and Gabriela is his.
This is the first book I read of Natasha Knight and I must say it will not be the last. I loved the other characters too in this book everything was written very good. The author didn’t write anything unnecessary and everything was straight to the point.
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WOW!!! What A Page Turner!!! I didn’t want to put it down for a second. Well written and kept my attention. Fabulous
Part of a duet… “Collateral” begins as a story of revenge. Stefan Sabbioni is hell bent on exacting justice for his brother’s death, and what better way than to force his enemy’s hand to an arranged marriage between the feuding families. Gabriela is the innocent pawn, trying to escape both her father’s plans and her new captor’s mysterious motives. There is a slow build to the story, as Stefan discovers the truth behind all that Gabriela has endured, and in turn, Gabriela sees for herself not everything or everyone is what they seem to be. And although this is a mafia “romance”, there are only a few scenes between the two where an intimate moment occurs and an attraction starts to bloom, so we will have to wait and see how this love story transpires in book two. For now, we are treated to layers of angst, deception and suspenseful action that lead to a climactic cliffhanger that will leave you on the edge of your seat.
Listened to on audio: Mackenzie Cartwright and Wen Ross are so captivating in their performance. They were the perfect duo to bring these characters to life, giving strength and tenacity to Gabriela, and the total alpha badass and swoon factor for Stefan.
#AudiobookObsession
This story is so intriguing! Mystery, mafia, darkness. Gabriela grew up in the Marchese family Mafia. She’s seen so much violence in her 18 years.
Stefan Sabioni makes a contract with her father to marry Gabriela . She doesn’t know if her life is going to be worse or would she be better off staying with her abusive father. This is so intense . It’s like a cat and mouse game, Stefano and Gabriela feeling each other out. What makes each other tick. Natasha Knight has written a story that kept my attention but what a cliffhanger . Wen Ross and Mackenzie Cartwright narration was very intense and emotional, they kept me so involved in the story. audiobookobsessionreview
This book hooked me from the beginning! I loved the writing style and the story. The mafia leader Stefan has revenge in mind the first time he meets with Gabriella. He is there with a message that she never told anyone about. A couple years later he is back to take her. She is an 18 year old now. She is young and doesn’t want to follow what fate has brought her. What follows is a lesson in obedience, dominance, and learning to navigate in a new world. Stefan is hard and sees Gabriella as a pawn in his game to end her father.
Collateral is Book One in this duet, no worries because Damage is out now, too! Right from the beginning, Collateral pulled me in and I spent half of my day in Stefan and Gabriela’s world. The author’s writing is superb! Collateral is everything you could ever want from a Mafia Romance. Arranged marriage, deceit, betrayal, slow burn, hatred and revenge. The plot has so many twists and turns, I didn’t come for air until the end.
You start reading a book like this and wonder how you are going to feel about the Hero. Stefan is ruthless and cunning. But he also has a heart,and he loves hard, he just doesn’t show that side to anyone. Needless to say, I feel for him in the beginning.
Stefan is also as broken as they come. Gabriela, too. The best part of this book to me, is being able to feel every emotion from all of the characters. There is SO MUCH emotion in this book! I’m still feeling it now…hours later.
Gabriela is the pawn. There’s no other way to say it. She’s innocent, yet has the price for her father’s actions. But, who is going to catch her when she falls? Who can she trust? Whose betrayal is going to cut the deepest?
This one ends on a cliffhanger, and I have soooo many more questions I need answered! I have my theories. Whether I’m right or wrong, I still can’t see it all ending well.
Wow. I don’t quite know what to say other than this book is amazing and I am so glad the second book is already out because with that ending I don’t know how long I would be able to wait! Such strength and pain and twists in this book that you can’t put it down until you have devoured it all. I’m off to start the next book now!