A Paranormal Women’s Fiction for anyone who feels like age is just a number and midlife still has magic!When 49-year-old Belladonna Barrone’s mobbed up husband does her the favor of dying in a car accident, she thinks she’s finally free of the crime family she unwittingly married into. Then the boss tells her that she has to complete her husband’s last job before that freedom is truly hers.No big … truly hers.
No big deal, she figures. Until things go south in ways she never imagined. Suddenly she’s thrust into a whole new world that makes the mob look like kindergarten. Vampires and werewolves are real? How is that freaking possible?
Her dreams of a new life disappear faster than wine at book club as more problems arise from her husband’s dark dealings and the unbelievable complications caused by her supernatural entanglements. Only her strength and determination (and some wild new friends) will see her through this next chapter, but the odds are against her.
How much more can her life suck? She’s about to find out…
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Finally free
What an amazing experience with this author and this new PWF collection. This book has some of my favorite elements in it, the mafia, paranormal, the unexpected, all things designed to reel you in and keep you enchanted to the very end. I wasn’t really sure where the paranormal was going to come into play when I first started reading, but I really didn’t have to wait long. Once it did the book really took off. This book is full of humor and drama and just all of the things that you expect, well I suppose want to find in a mature woman’s life. And it all started with being free from a marriage that was the image of everything that could go wrong. I enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to reading more by this author.
I love everything Kristen Painter writers, and Sucks To Be Me is no exception. Run don’t walk to your nearest ereader for this one.
I will read anything Kristen Painter writes! Don’t miss this one. It’s FANTASTIC!
Sucks To Be Me is the first book in the new series by Kristen Painter, First Fangs Club. Which life is harder to navigate? Being married to the mob or the ins and outs of being a new vampire? Belladonna Barrone’s introduction into the lifstyle had some perks (see what I did there) as her body transformed from middle-aged to early 20’s fit. Add some wise guys, a werewolf and a nun in the mix, oh and don’t forget the fanged support group. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am ready for FFC2
This is the first in a new series featuring Donna, a middle aged mob wife turned vampire. The book has a few kick ass moments as well as some humor and drama. Loved it and can’t wait til the next.
This was such a wonderful book. I love how it was written. It draws you in to Donna’s life as the wife of a bigwig in the mob. Things didn’t start out like this for her when they were first married. She is in her late 40s and her children are grown so she is now working with the FBI to bring the Family down. How else will she ever escape? Before this can happen, her husband is in a car wreck and killed. Now, the head man says she has to do an unfinished job of her husband’s before she can be free. A simple drop off. What could go wrong? So this sounds like a suspenseful married to the mafia romance, right? Well, it kind of is. But what I meant about liking how it’s written is it seems like it has no paranormal, then when she visits the grave before the job, she is attacked by a guy and bitten. This is the beginning to a whole new life for her. Nothing has changed as far as she knows. Until she is attacked during the last job. It was a lot of fun to watch her learn and experience everything. And I laughed so hard during a lot of it. All the characters are well written. Donna is such a lovable character. And I loved the two possible love interests. Dang it, Kristen writes these characters so well it makes me wish she would turn it into a reverse harem series lol. I also have to add that I think this author writes the best bad guy mob characters. I’m secretly waiting for her to write a dark romance with mafia characters.
Middle Age Women Rock!
Belladonna Barrone (Donna) spent most of her life married a man who was far from honest. All she wants now that her children are grown and moved away is her freedom. She had her plan in place to be free from the Mafia but plans changed when she became a widow instead of an informant for the FBI.
Another “family” member approaches her and offers her a life without the mafia in exchange for her finishing her late husbands last job. Just a delivery, nothing else then she would be free at last.
On the way to the drop off she decides to stop at the cemetery to have some words for her lying, cheating, lousy late husband before she gets her new start in life.
Her visit gets her the new beginning just not exactly the one she was hoping for when she is attacked by something that just can’t be real or is it?
This is a wonderful start to a new series centering around kick arse middle age heroines. Lots of great and interesting characters added to make this a series I can not wait to read more of.
“Spectacular and fun! Sucks To Be Me is a thoroughly entertaining read. Kristen Painter writes with the perfect mix of humor and action. I want more!”
2 stars – It was ok
When Belladonna Barrone’s husband finally does her a favor by dying in a car accident, she thinks she is finally free from the mob family she unwittingly married into. Unfortunately, when doing one last job for the boss she finds herself attacked and turned into a vampire.
So this book didn’t really work for me, which is very sad because I have loved every book from Painter I have read. I didn’t really like Donna. From the very first chapter she is constantly obsessing over her body and other women’s bodies. Yes, I get she is a 50 year old woman and isn’t happy about aging but when she started shaming the other mob women’s bodies for having crows feet or wrinkles, I quickly disliked her. And her obsession with her body’s image is a constant throughout this book.
For the overall story, I think the vampire council and community was interesting. I liked the First Fangs Club and how friendly and helpful everyone was. The whole giving up info on the mob angle felt like it was important at first but quickly got pushed aside for all the vampire stuff. It doesn’t get resolved in this book though. Also, I feel like this book hints at a possible love triangle in the future between Donna, Pierce, and Rico, which I am not a fan of.
Overall, this was ok. I don’t think I will read any more of the series.
Content warnings: Discussions of dieting, food intake, Botox, and body modification for beauty. Body shaming other women for their aging.
Great beginning to a new series.
The mafia and the supernatural, not two things you think of going together but Sucks To Be Me not only makes it work but does it in a way that makes sense to the story. Belladonna (Donna) wants out of the mob life, the crazy rules and her family being in danger have come to an end, or so she hopes. Things don’t go as planned & she’s thrown into a whole different world she never knew existed with, you guessed it, plenty of rules. She thinks any upcoming life changes will have to do with menopause. Not only is she in for a shocking life change but she’s about to shock herself when she realizes how strong she really is.
I gave this rating as again never judge a book by the first few pages. Always give it a go. I read a few pages then got bored so I started to read another PWF book but ending up coming back to this book. Im so glad I gave it a chance because it was excellent.
Such great characters, cant wait to drive in straight away to the next book
This is a new one. I like it. I love all of Kristen Painters books. This is the first one she’s written for older women and the story is fantastic. Can’t wait for the the third installment.
Unique take on the Paranormal Women’s Fiction genre. Loved the first two books and can’t WAIT for book 3.
This was a fun read, very enjoyable. A little action here and there, and interesting storyline with a little bit of tension. Overall a light, easy read.
A paranormal vampire story of a new style. Easy and entertaining. Donna is your everyday woman with typical everyday thoughts. With the small matter of mob family and drama in the mix.
Loved this book! Mafia, but with vampires too?!
When Donna’s husband passed away she thought she’d be free of the Mafia life, but she was informed that she’d have to finish the job her husband now couldn’t, and only then would she be free.
Of course nothing goes to plan, and everything Donna thought she knew about her life, and the world in general, is completely wrong.
I loved the characters in this book, and enjoyed reading how Donna navigated this new life of hers. After that ending I am excited to see where the next book goes! Great read!
I really loved this book. I really hope we get more of the main character. I want to see how she grows now that she’s immortal and find out what happens as she discovers the paranormal world. I fully connected with the characters. The new series is one I will follow fully.
I absolutely loved this book! The characters are well developed and written, The scenes have wonderful detail and the story moves along at a good pace.
Belladonna the main character is an over forty woman who is married to a Mob man she isn’t happy and has been looking for a way out. When her husband ends up dead she is saved from filing for a divorce and going in to the witness protection program. Things are looking up well sort of. Then some strange things happen to her as she handles one last job for her recently deceased husbands boss, a simple job. Nothing is simple with the Mob.
Belladonna stops by the cemetery on her way to make a delivery and that is where her life takes a strange turn. Things will never be the same and that might not be such a bad thing.
I highly recommend this one for anyone that likes paranormal and a strong female lead.
I love Kristen’s stories. I was very excited when this new series came out. I am very much looking forward to book two.
What a great book! Here, I have to confess that I almost gave up at the very beginning because I’m not a fan of mafia books at all. How glad I am that I remembered that this should be a paranormal story and I continued reading!! Paranormal aspect of the story was incredibly amazing and I’m absolutely hooked up now! Brilliant characters and great world building, story line action packed with many twists – what’s there to not to fall in love with?
Belladonna is already strong woman but with her new supernatural abilities, her morality and a sense of righteousness she is going to be unstopable with her new amazing friends, sister and two hot men by her side. I really want to know who she chooses and can’t wait until second book releases.