He says I owe him a debt. And he’s come to collect what he’s owedWhen you’re young, anything is possible.Love is pure magic and time seems to stand still.I remember those days like I remember seeing my first rainbow.When the sky was bleak, he painted it full of color.We came from different worlds.We had no business ever interacting.He was the wolf with glowing eyes and a cocky grin.I was the … interacting.
He was the wolf with glowing eyes and a cocky grin.
I was the innocent sheep that he wanted to eat up.
I knew he was trouble, but then he went and saved my life.
I was in the wrong place at the right time.
Or so I thought.
I didn’t realize that he was the leader of the pack.
He saved me from himself.
Only young love never lasts. Sometimes you grow up and move on.
That’s what I did.
But now he’s back. Meaner. Stronger. Full of darkness instead of light.
This time he’s not here to save me. This time he’s here to make me pay.
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5 STARS for When We Were Us
ARC received from author in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own and have not been influenced in any way.
Ms Cooper is a favorite author I’m use to her Rom Coms but so glad she has ventured into the Mafia “genre” because she nails it – Loved this read !!
Loved the cover and book blurb would “one click “ – the cover model is spot on for Luca
Age Gap
First love / second chance romance
Great characters in Luca and Annabel
Betrayal and deception
Great plot and storyline
Realistic with things being not as they seem
Ultimately HEA
I read this book in one sitting because I could not put it down. This is a darker romance but loved all that was portrayed with the characters in the storyline.
I highly recommend When We Were Us – GREAT READ !!!
“When We Were Us: A Dark Mafia Romance” (Alpha Boyfriends Book 3) by J. S. Cooper is a good read. I enjoyed Luca and Anabel’s story. This was a nice addition to this series, packed with romance, passion, drama, suspense, twists and turns, and more. Recommend to fans of dark romance, and series.
In this story, Luca and Anabel fell for each other when she was 17 and he 20 years old. It was basically love at first sight. They had an intense connection and their hot chemistry led to a whirlwind romance where they both became each other’s firsts. An incident involving Luca gave Anabel a glimpse into his other life, which she did not like so she fled, leaving Luca heartbroken.
Eight years later when they see each other again, a surge if feelings come running back. While Anabel feels guilt and regret, Luca still remembers the good times, until he remembers what she did. That’s when revenge sets in. He wants her to hurt the way he did but before he can do anything, someone takes her. While he should feel relief that she will be punished in some way, he knows that the enemy will go too far and he can’t in good conscience, let that happen.
So what happens next? Will Luca find Anabel before it’s too late? Will they be reunited as lovers once again? Will she learn the truth about his real life?
This was a great story and I enjoyed all the drama, suspense and violence.
Luca and Anabel, met each other when they were young. Life happened and it never grew to something bigger. Later on they get a second chance.
I loved the tone and phase in the story. The characters were loveable, but in the end of the story they changed a bit and seemed a bit to naive.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Book 3 in the Alpha Boyfriends series and it was a great addition. This is Anabel and Luca’s story but you will see her best friends, Charlotte and Emily and their alpha men as well. A great second chance/mafia romance that will suck you in from page one and you won’t be able to put it down. Loved Anabel and Luca together. The chemistry that they shared 8 years prior was still there if not even hotter when they meet up again. Loved this book and this series.
We first met Anabel and Luca in About Last Night (Alpha Boyfriends Book 2). Anabel is warning her friend, Emily, about her new boyfriend. She warns her friend that he is a dangerous man and is involved in the Mafia. Her friend is confused how sweet naive Anabel knows so much about the Mafia. Anabel tells her friend that she saw a report on the TV about the Mafia but in reality she was sharing her story. Anabel gets sucked back in to a life where Luca exist. She has been hiding from him for years. If you love dark Mafia books then get ready for a great ride. I loved the twist and turns that this story takes. Absolutely loved it.
Gotta love mafia and second chances. And here we are, with Luca and Anabel. They have a past, and are once again in each other’s orbit. But with his darkness and her light, will it work? This was filled with drama, suspense, twists & secrets. And there is definitely some steaminess going on here too. You basically get it all.
Charlotte, Emily and Anabel are best friends who met at Columbia University their freshman year. Eight years later, they are still together, but one by one they’re finding their “one.” Charlotte has Max Parker, a billionaire whose path had crossed hers in a most surprising way. Emily has Matteo, a former mafioso who has walked away from that life because of his love for Emily. Anabel is the secretive one, the one who has her head down, reading a book as she walks down the street. The secret she carries is one of a pure love that she had with Luca Cattaneo, the capo of Brooklyn. Back then, when he was 20, he set his sights on a beautiful girl who walked right past him, as usual, her head stuck in her book. He took one look at Anabel and he was a goner! They were each other’s first and they had an exciting future ahead of them. But when Luca’s “business” came calling, in the form of a rapist and a traitor, he did what he had to do and killed him…right in front of Anabel! There’s so much more to that story, but Anabel didn’t hear anything else as she ran. Luca watched as his future ran from him, turning him cold, cruel. But now, eight years later, he sees her once again, but this time he wants revenge and he is going to ruin her. He makes a plan with his underboss, Giorgio, to kidnap her and bring her to him but, before that can happen, Anabel’s kidnapped by Enzo, an enemy mafioso. Luca doesn’t want to go after her, he hates her, after all, but knowing what Enzo could be doing is enough to make him come for her. Once at Enzo’s, the emotions erupting around them are almost palpable. It’s then that you know that Luca never has stopped loving Anabel but, to keep her safe, he has to act as if he couldn’t care less. When Luca tells her the rest of the story, I have to admit that I certainly didn’t see that coming! It’s a touchingly sweet story, tinged with violence, that brings the love story of Anabel and Luca to a temporary close. Although the ending is wonderful, I’d like to see an epilogue to bring about full closure. A terrific series!
Gripping. Intense. Unexpected.
Luca and Annabel very turn … I find my self holding my breathe whats going to happen next.
The twist is so unexpected. I enjoyed reading this book it’s a 4.5 star for me.
In About Last Night we got a glimpse into Luca and Anabel coming face to face again after years of being apart. In When We Were Us we get the full story of Luca and Anabel, from how they meet to what made her run and what they do when they come face to face again. Anabel and Luca’s story did not disappoint! Luca was instantly captivated with Anabel and had been following her around when he finally gets his chance to make his move he never want to let her go. Anabel runs when she finds out the truth about him and has spent years hiding. Anabel and Luca’s story kept me captivated from beginning to end so many twist and turns. The book jumps from past to present in dual point of views. A dark second chance romance. Can be read as a standalone.
“ARC provided in exchange for an honest review”
I love second chance romance, mix that with dark mafia alpha male, you get an amazing book. This is book 3 of this series, you hear about Luca and Anabel’s past relationship in book 2 which made me want to read this book even more. The twist and turns kept me wanting more. A must read.
Wow, this story kept me on my toes from start to finish. I loved getting to dig in to Anabel’s story as I’ve been very curious about her since we first met her. She and Luca are very intense together. There’s a lot of heat, mixed in with some darker themes, nail biting moments and a flow that kept me pulled in. I enjoyed the characters and getting to dig in to their beginnings as well.
Anabel and Luca dated when she was a young innocent seventeen and he was a older dark man but when she finds out that he is involved with the mafia she could not get away fast enough. Years later they run into each other but this time he is out for revenge against her for breaking his heart all those years ago. This book is filled with suspense mystery and romance and characters that keep you guessing what they will do next.
Loved this series. And the relationships between the three girls and their chugs. Each had their own story with their own love interest and it was building to Annabel with Luca. It was mentioned in the previous book with Emily and Matteo when it was brought to our attention that basically in another life they were together and they broke up. Essentially breaking both their hearts. It was sad and both loving because you could see how much they both cared and loved one another in their own ways. So many Homs dropped. So much drama. Then at the end another bomb! And the reasoning behind all the lies and betrayals. But both characters grew and became better individuals than they were before being in a solidified couple. Great story.
Magnificent Dark Romance. I received this book free and I am voluntarily leaving a review. Damn talk about emotional! Her hurting broke MY heart! This is one h*** of a good book. Characters are made for one another. Dark mafia romance/second chance. Must read!
by brandy f. on December 2, 2020
Amazing second chance romance! Luca and Anabel dated when she was just a naive 18 year old and he was 20. He was young in the Mafia and she didn’t fully understand his role. She flees when she sees something she isn’t suppose to! When they reconnect years later by happenstance a whole lot of emotions happen in hours. Can they rekindle what they had in the past? If they do will it be better or worse? You won’t regret grabbing this Mafia romance it will suck you in and keep you turning those pages until you get to the end!
After all the years apart Anabel and Luca still had a sizzling connection. Even though they claimed to hate each other as we all know there’s a fine line between love and hate. Luca tried to protect Anabel years ago but she didn’t know that. Assuming things will lead you down a wrong path as it did the two of them. But when he is suddenly back in her life Anabel can’t deny her true feelings even though she knows it’s wrong. As events unfold and secrets come out, one of the most shocking secrets almost gets Anabel, Luca and her friends killed. If not for Matteo exposing Giorgio things may not have turned out so good.
Mafia rules to live by
This series gets better and better, it’s sexy, hot and still full of intrigue. The book was fast paced intense and suspenseful. The story begins eight years previously when Anabel and Luca first meet but things ended up badly between them. Now eight years on Luca a now powerful mafia boss, sees Anabel but it’s not passion that’s driving him this time it’s revenge. What happens when the truth and lies come to the surface?? Will they be able to salvage what they once had and get there HEA?? What’s the secret Enzo his arched enemy and Giorgio his under boss are hiding maybe Matteo his estranged cousin knows more than he is letting on?? Just when you think you have figured the plot out Jaimie hits you with another curveball. I definitely recommend this book, not one to be missed. I was given this as an ARC by the author in exchange for a voluntary honest review which I was totally happy to provide.
What a great end to this series about 3 woman friends and the men that change their lives.
Standalone with no cliffhangers.
Anabel has kept a large part of her past from her best friends, but now her past has come back into her life in a big way. She gets kidnapped, and has her life threatened more then once. All with Luca looking hotter then ever, why can’t she stop loving him.
Luca has never forgotten Anabel and the hurt she has caused him. Now he will do anything to have her feel the same pain.
Then everything goes wrong.
This is a great book, lots of twists and turns with betrayal and lies. How could love ever happen in a situation like this.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
First and for most, I received an ARC copy of this book from the author. This is my complete honest opinion.
If you’ve read Charlotte and Emily’s books, then you’ve met Anabel and know only very little about her past. You also know she is fierce and loyal to those she loves. If not, no worries you learn everything in this book. For those of you wondering, yes you could read this book as a stand alone, but I suggest reading the other two books first.
This stories time line is fast. There is a lot going on in a short amount of time. I really enjoyed this book. I didn’t feel like it was over kill in anyway. Sometimes I feel like there is too much rambling or that the author is trying to fill in gaps, but I didn’t feel that way this time. There wasn’t a laps in where the characters were or how they got there. I loved that Anabel stayed true to herself through everything she learned about her family, Luca, and their past. Luca learned a lot about his relationship with Anabel, his family, and what he really wants with his life. Like I said there’s a lot these characters go through in a short amount of time, but it’s definitely a quick read. I couldn’t put it down.
Anabel is not only a loyal friend, but she is a strong independent woman. She doesn’t hold back in any situation. Luca is her mafia boss ex-boyfriend. After seeing her Luca for the first time in years she can’t get him out of her head and doesn’t know what to do. Her friends know nothing of their relationship and she did this to protect everyone. But she needs their support now more than ever before. This means she needs to come clean. Before she can do that she is kidnapped and held hostage by Luca’s enemy. She doesn’t know what will happen to her, she just hopes someone will save her. Luca planned to kidnap Anabel himself for reasons of his own. Now that she’s in danger he needs to decide if he is going to listen to his head that says he hates her or his heart that still loves her. There are things from their past they will both learn about that will change everything. Luca and Anabel have to work together to get out of the mess their in, but they can’t do it alone. They need the help of her friends and his cousin. Now everyone just need to stay alive and safe as events unfold before them.