“Hey, kid,” he said tenderly, “don’t be afraid. I’m going to take care of you.”
New to the city of Olympus, Cora runs from a stalker straight into the clutches of mob boss Marcus Ubeli. Wealthy and powerful, the handsome business man sweeps her off her feet in a dizzying romance. But as she falls deeper under his spell, she begins to discover the truth of the city’s criminal underworld. Can she … underworld. Can she truly love a man who will never let her go?
Cora is the innocent maiden Persephone and Hades is a mob boss in this dark romance and modern retelling of the Greek myth.
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A modern retelling of a Greek myth/tragedy, and I have to give it to Lee Savino and Stasia Black for this intriguing book. Though it has an ending you know there’s more to this story; I didn’t realize that until the very end and found out it’s a trilogy. So I’m looking forward to seeing what these ladies do with our anti-hero, Marcus Ubeli (Hades) and our protangonist, Cora Vestian (Persephone). She’s the young farm girl, away from her sheltered home for the first time in her life, while he’s the Lord of the Underworld in ficticious big city, New Olympus. It’s funny, because I know Lee Savino as a paranormal writer, so I kept trying to find the supernatural in this story! At times I thought Marcus was a bit vampir-ish. Once I realized the Greek undertones, it began to fall into place for me.
The formatting and editing in this book left a lot to be desired, but I received an advanced copy, so I’m hoping the bugs will be worked out before it’s final release.
Terrific Story & NarrationDark, Twisted & Intense!
Innocence
Dark Mafia Romance, Book 1
By: Stasia Black, Lee Savino
Narrated by: Jack Calihan
This book blew my mind, it is dark and twisted and I enjoyed every word of it. The storylines and characters are interesting, I was completely engrossed by it and could not put the book down, I needed to know what happened next. The characters are complex and well developed, my heart went out to Cora, she had a rough life, kept sheltered from the world. I give her a lot of credit to up and leave her home situation and try to make it on her own. Unfortunately she lands herself in other bad situations. Running away from one she lands herself in to Marcus’s club. Unknowing to her Marcus is the leader of an organized crime family and he takes her into his protection. She falls for Marcus and she is shocked to find out he is not who she thought he was, though a part of her thinks she did see the real Marcus, the one she fell in love with not the one he claims to be. I loved how well plotted this book is, he story is flowing in one direction then bam, the authors throw in that twist sending your head into a spin. There is plenty of drama, angst, some more great twists and some hot scenes. I liked setting of the story and the world dynamics I am looking forward to learning more about it and what comes next for Marcus and Cora. Thank you Stasia Black & Lee Savino for this great story and emotional rollercoaster ride.
I listened to the Audible edition, narrated by the talented Jack Calihan. He does an awesome job performing the voices for all the characters, giving each their own distinct sound making it easy to follow who is who. He sets the perfect tone for this story, captures Marcus’s alpha attitude perfectly as well has Cora’s naivety and vulnerability. He is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another great listen
Thank you @AudiobookObsession #AudiobookObsession #AudiobookObsessionReviewer
Best book I have read this by far, let’s just say I couldn’t put it down was understatement. I need to know what happened next! When I said I can’t wait for the next one I really mean it. Brilliant job Lee Savino and Stasia Black
Trying to catch my breathe….WOW! The story has it ALL and then some! You want suspense? You want mystery? You want a story that is fast paced and filled with the unexpected? You want a book that has explicit BDSM elements, sexy, HOT scenes and romance? Then “INNOCENCE” should be your next romance purchase! Lee Savino and Stasia Black are amazing authors who know when to deliver the shocker that has you bound and tied to continue reading! This one is dark, an extremely well written romance with many twists and turns with plenty of deceitful acts that you can’t put the book down.
Don’t wish to spoil the surprises for you so I will only say a few words about the story. Our hero and heroine are Marcus and Cora and they do have flaws. 🙂 Cora flees from an emotionally void and difficult life with her Mother to find herself in the arms of the Big Bad Wolf, as Marcus describes himself to her. She refuses to believe that the warm, caring and loving man she knew, no longer exists. Lee Savino and Stasia Black are formidable, as they show us, her continued faith in herself and in him and her growth into a strong woman. His life has made him hard, Cora understands this but believes she can reach into his “cold, cold heart and find the warmth that he showed her was still there. The story is well developed, the characters have depth, we care and worry about them. I was astonished how enraged I felt for Cora, I became concerned and shared in her confused feelings. She is perplexed when her entire being responds to Marcus both physically and emotionally. This story shows us how trust and belief in others and love can help people grow and not fear change. The story is about betrayal, revenge and is also a love story. It isn’t quite a stand alone, more like a chapter has ended and now I wait impatiently for the next chapter! Thank you for a most AMAZING read
Steamy read.
This is a fast-paced, sexy read. It has mystery, intrigue and plenty of heat. It is book 1 of 3. 1 can’t wait to see what happens next.
This book pulls you in from the first page and keeps you enthralled until it ends. Marcus and Cora are a cross between Romeo and Juliet and The Taming of the Shrew. They are destined to be together but fear and history get in their way, to say nothing of Cora’s mother! Just when you think you know what is going to happen the author changes direction and leaves you wondering again. The next book cannot come soon enough!
This was a fast paced, easy read that kept me enthralled and entertained. Her characters, with their flawed personalities, are relatable. A retelling of Persephone and Hades, can you imagine? It’s sexy, intimidating, intriguing, and mysterious. I’m looking forward to book two, “Awakening”.