Coveted (Men of Mayhem Book 2)

This is the second in the Men of Mayhem series and the non-stop action just keeps going. This time it’s Antonio/Ant who ends up meeting Julia in the airport lounge. Not his usual type but something about Julia pulled to him… could be how she threatened him that very first meeting. They only spent an hour together, but they both walked away feeling as if they were making a mistake in not pursuing something more. When Julia is abducted, Ant and Tommy are called in to rescue her, for Ant this is a chance to get her back and maybe not let this opportunity pass him by, but that’s only if he can get her out alive.

Ok, so this was a bit better than the first book, the story kind of sucks you in from the first icky encounter with Elia. Once again, not really sure about these guys, they aren’t like a typical Hero, but maybe that’s what the author is going for, the imperfect Hero? I can see that angle working; in any case once again we have an imperfect Hero but it wasn’t horrible. These are turning out to be ok stories and I give this 4 stars.

BOOM! Coveted starts off running with your emotions. The writing is so spectacular, you won’t be able to put it down. Julia and Antonio have a connection neither one of them have felt before. Their meeting is brief, but life changing. Not long after Julia gets home, her life is forever changed. The traumatic events that follow are hard to read and may be a trigger.
Written in multiple POV’s. Coveted can be read as a standalone and has a HEA.

Julia is a talented woman who never takes for granted the opportunity given to her growing up by her parents and the sacrifices they made to let her achieve her dream. She’s talented and giving. She gives that talent back as well as makes it possible for other children to achieve their dreams even if their parents can’t afford to help them.

Antonio has a chance meeting with a beautiful woman who steals his heart and his mind. When she tells him that they can’t be together, he takes it hard, but he abides her wishes. That is until he finds out who she really is and that she is in danger. Now he’ll everything in his power to save her and make sure that no harm comes to her ever again. He’s ruthless, dangerous, and determined to take out those that want to hurt her further.

I am loving this series just as much as I did the Severinov Bratva Series. The Marcone’s are just as dark, deadly, and dedicated to their family as the Severinov’s are and they will get the woman that has their heart and they will protect them for life. This story is action packed, a bit disturbing, and so well written. I give this story a 5-star review and highly recommend Ms. Luciani’s Severinov Bratva series as well the Men of Mayhem series, I can promise if you like action, Alpha males, tough heroine’s, mafia, and dark stories, you won’t be disappointed in this series.

This was a great read. There is such a variety of character types and attitudes. The ability of Kristen Luciani to create individuals who express a wide spectrum of emotions and then include a lunatic in need of serious intervention is amazing. This story is so much more than a Mafia romance. I was enmeshed in the emotional journey that was going on with individual characters and then with the way they shared their range of family tied emotions. This is probably the most emotionally charged Mafia romance I have ever read. I hope to see more like this. As usual Kristen brought her A game to this book too.

I think Kristen Luciani has brought me over to the dark side. I was never a fan of mafia romance but this one thoroughly engrossed me. Julia has led her life in the spotlight so that she might entertain the world with her elegant violin music. She had finally earned a break and was stuck in an airport awaiting her flight home. Antonio was mafia royalty and a sworn playboy. He was never going to settle down. Their chance meeting in an airport lounge is about to change their lives forever. The emotional and suspenseful highs and lows in this story will pull you in and you will never want to leave. Are you ready for this action packed thriller?

A great dark mafia romance. All the twists and turns. Great sex senes . Can’t wait for the next book to come out.

What a captivating story and amazing characters.!!! Julia is a violinist going on a break from touring and she has a chance encounter with Antonio. He is fascinated and enthralled by the young woman who he will later need to help. The story is twisted and dark and you will not be able to put it down. I honestly volunteered to review this arc.

This author has excellent world building and character development abilities. This is another read that I hate to see end. Julia is a choreographed violin performer, and also the daughter of a Mafia leader. Antonio, the son of another previous Mafia boss, serendipitously meets Julia and is attracted to her. The third major character is Elia, son of another Mafia boss, who has been physically tortured by him. Elia is convinced that Julia is his and kidnaps her. This is book two of the Men of Mayhem Series and if you haven’t started reading it, you are missing an excellent series!
I am voluntarily reviewing this ARC.

Antonio And Julia’s Endearing Love At First Sight Story Has Sizzle And Suspense When Julia Is Held Hostage In This Plot-Driven Action-Packed Mafia Novel About The Sicilian Marcone Family.

Although part of a series, this book reads perfectly as a stand-alone. It is book two of the Men of Mayhem series which follows the powerful Marcone family of the Sicilian mafia. The series is a spin-off of the Severinov Bratva series about the Russian mobster Severinov family. The families intersect in books three and four of that series, with Tali Severinov marrying Cristian, the loose canon of the Marcone family, in book three, while the emotionless Russian mob boss Alek finally gives in to his feelings for young Gianna Marcone in book four. The fathers in each family were murdered, leaving their children scrambling to take control of the resulting chaos. This book is Antonio Marcone and Julia Graziani’s story. Fans will enjoy cameos by favorite characters, including Diego and Alek.

There is a short prequel to this series, Mayhem, which is not necessary to have read first, but it is a very quick read and sets up book one of this series.

The Marcone family, a Sicilian powerhouse, has worked for three years to rebuild their family empire following their father’s murder. Vince, thirty-nine, took over as boss. He doesn’t trust anyone. He sees the big picture and runs a tight ship. Cristian, twent-six, went to Monaco to run the highly prized shipping business alongside Alek Severinov following Alek’s father’s murder, who was their partner in the business. Ant and Tommy, the barbaric brothers – probably mid-twenties, run the specialty foods company as well as the imports and exports to sustain it in addition to nightclubs and bars. Finally, there is Diego.

In the first book of the series, Wanted, Diego Marcone, twenty-seven, was groomed to be the floater in his family’s crime empire. He is the enforcer that ensures business runs smoothly. In the wake of their father’s death, he fell into a pit of anger and guilt for failing to prevent his father’s death. He and Cristian thought they got the person responsible for their dad’s murder, but he soon discovered there were many more involved. One by one he quietly took the men responsible out. He decided to put his anger behind after falling into Via Fortunato’s trap. He began Eventi-X, an event production company that became an instant success and money-maker for his family. Serena Vitale, about twenty-four, is a mafia princess and fashion icon. Diego and Serena’s story took off when their families pulled together in a crisis instigated by Nic Fortunato and his daughter Via. Via is taken out by Antonio, but Nic gets away.

In this book, Antonio Marcone’s life is irreversibly altered one day when he picks up his brother Tommaso at the airport. Entering the VIP lounge, he has a run-in with a woman that has him questioning everything about himself and his lifestyle. But she sees right through him – or rather the old him – and he reluctantly returns to his life and his club. Vivere is the hottest club in Catania, Sicily. Women throw themselves at him two and three at a time. It was a good life until he met Julia Loren. He’d had everything under control, the way he liked it. Nothing deep or messy.

Julia Loren Graziani, twenty-four, is taking a hiatus from her world tour and returning home to Rome. As much as she loves playing and dancing on stage every night, the world-famous violinist is ready for some time off to visit with her parents and do some charity work. But the man she met at the airport has her second guessing her priorities for the first time ever. Perhaps she does need a social life sooner rather than later. But her homecoming is cut short when her mafia father discovers that her Uncle Enzo has gotten the family embroiled with Nic Fortunato, and Nic plans to hold Julia hostage until all accounts are settled.

Antonio and Julia’s love at first sight story of opposites attracting is super sweet amidst a world of violence and crime. Julia – conservative and intelligent, innocent yet sophisticated – is an unassuming natural beauty that is nothing like Antonio’s usual style, yet he is immediately smitten. Julia doesn’t trust that the super sexy stranger, over whom all the women have been drooling, could seriously have eyes for her. But she can’t shake the feeling that she has made a huge mistake when she turns him away. Soon fate brings the strangers together again when Alek Severinov pulls Ant and Tommy in to help his friend Giacomo Graziani find his daughter.

Antonio and Julia’s chemistry is fantastic. Aside from the mafia storyline and Julia’s captivity (which is gritty), their story is super sweet. They both have been impacted by loss. And although they initially seem so different, they are perfect together. The couple eventually finds their happy ending.

There are some issues that merit mention. First, it states that Antonio’s father grew up with his business partner – but his partner was from Russia so it seems unlikely. Second, Julia was unbelievably reckless in her reactions to Elia, whom she knew to be unhinged. Third, Nic intended to lure the Marcones in by taking Julia, but that could hardly have been a certainty at the time Nic planned it. That Giacomo Graziani would turn to Alek, who would then involve the Marcones, was only a chance. Despite these points, it is still a great story about family and love.

Antonio and Julia’s endearing love at first sight story has sizzle and suspense when Julia is held hostage in this plot-driven action-packed mafia novel about the Sicilian Marcone family. As usual, the Marcone family sticks together in a crisis. This book is complex and plot-driven. The characters are nicely developed. It is written in first person. The POV alternates between Antonio and Julia, but it has a few scenes in Elia Fortunato’s POV as well as a glimpse of the next story in the series from a new character’s POV – Gemma. I rate this book four stars.

I received a free advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Elia is all things frightening. His insanity is off the charts. He is the boogey man and Joker rolled into one intensely cracked personality. You could envision him laughing and letting all the pain roll off his shoulders.
The Marcone brothers are the flip. They are loyal, intense and ones you want in your corner. This is a series that you want to read and learn more about. All the men have a story to tell and I want to know more about them. Alex too.

I read and reviewed a copy of this book.