Tag Archives: mafia

Review – The Mafioso’s Promise by Jade Styles #jadestyles

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

She walked into the room…the boxing gym…and it would change their lives forever.

Lucas’ mother had done everything she could to keep him free of the mafia that surrounds him, but he will sacrifice everything for Serafina. His father remains a mystery, but I had a pretty good idea

I wondered how things would work out for Lucas, but he is quick on his feet and determined to sever the ties that bind him, since he traded his freedom to be near Serafina. The machinations he goes through while striving for a happy ever after are life threatening. After all, the mafia has a saying, ‘once you’re in you’re never out.

Serafina has her doubts about Lucas, but she cannot quash the love she has for him, no matter how many times he lets her down.

There was much that was predictable in The Mafioso’s Promise, but it, also, had it’s share of mystery. I felt for Lucas, the choices he would have to make and the price he would pay to have Serafina. We do have a mafia war going on, but Jade Styles does not go in depth with the bloody details, though many bodies will fall. She concentrates more on the romance and everything Lucas and Serafina will have to go through to be together.

The Mafioso’s Promise by Jade Styles is the first book in The Fallen Angel series, so I foresee more problems popping up in the future for Lucas and Serafina.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The moment the seductive mafia princess stepped into my boxing gym, I knew I was done for.

The closer we got, the deeper I fell under her spell.

And when she confessed her desire to leave her sinister life behind, I vowed to protect her at all costs.

Even if it meant trading in my boxing gloves for a gun.

Even if it meant putting everything I held dear on the line.

Even if it meant breaking the promise I made to my dying mother and unleashing the darkness within me.

She never expected me to keep her in the dark for as long as I did.

I never expected her to hate me for it.

But every lie and secret was worth it.

Because for Serafina, I would do anything – even descending into the depths of hell itself.

Now, as she stands before me as my arranged bride-to-be, will she ever forgive me for the monster I’ve become?


Publisher’s Note : The Mafioso’s Promise is the first book in the Fallen Angels Alliance series. Each book is a standalone with no cheating, no cliffhangers and a satisfying happy ever after. Expect the following tropes in this

spicy dark mafiaenemies to loversoff-limitsarranged marriagemulticulturalsportssecond chance romance This story features a beautiful curvy FMC and a grumpy possessive MMC. Violent scenes and lots of angst are included. Please buy this book only if you are comfortable with such content.

  • 286 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published September 16, 2024

ABOUT JADE STYLES (from Amazon)

Jade Styles is a contemporary romance author specializing in the following tropes:

* Multicultural

* Billionaire

* Enemies to Lovers

* Mafia

Jade loves to dream up billionaire bad boys who only kneel to their ambitious and passionate beauties.

Her stories are full of heat and unexpected turns, and a happily-ever-after is guaranteed every time.

She currently resides in Seattle, Washington, and when she is not dreaming up the latest romance she can be found either nursing her tropical plants or traveling with her green-eyed husband.

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Review – Of Vows And Betrayal by R G Angel #rgangel #midnightreaders

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I’ve read a couple of R G Angel’s books, so when I was offered a chance to read Of Vows And Betrayal, I jumped on it. I love the Mafia and revenge stories.

Fifteen minutes. From the time Javier said I do, to the moment his wife’s heart stopped beating, his world fell apart, and Ophelia’s father was at fault. He’d waited fifteen years to make him pay. Too bad Ophelia had to pay the price for Javier’s revenge on her father.

After the death of her mother, Ophelia came under the control of her father, a member of the Gambino crime family. She was the result of an affair her mother had and now she is under his care. He keeps a tight rein on her, controlling her every action…or so he thinks. Even with a bodyguard dogging her every step, she still manages to visit her mother’s closed flower shop, her church and some of her friends. She doesn’t fit in with the rest of the ‘family’, and that’s just fine with her.

As Ophelia and Javier draw closer, the line between crime boss daughter and bodyguard becomes blurred. Javier’s desire for revenge becomes more complicated.

I’m was about halfway through before it really got going for me and Javier and Ophelia came together in some sizzling hot lovin’ that’s burning up my reader.

But life is never that simple and Ophelia was presented with an offer she couldn’t refuse. From here on, it was a total surprise to me. R G Angel made it impossible to look away. BUT, the story isn’t over and I look forward to seeing Ophelia come into her own. I have a feeling she won’t be sitting around letting others make life decisions for her.

Once you’re in, you’re never out, so stick around for what comes next.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In a world where loyalty is rare and trust is easily broken, can love rise from the ashes of vengeance?

Javier
Fifteen minutes. That’s all it took for my world to shatter. From the moment I said ‘I do’ to the moment her heart stopped beating, my happiness turned into a relentless nightmare. Fifteen years of meticulous planning have led to this moment—my chance for revenge against the man who destroyed my life by killing my wife. But protecting his daughter was never part of the plan, and now everything is more complicated than I ever imagined.

Ophelia
Living under my father’s oppressive rule feels like a prison. My world is turned upside down when Javier Vargas, a brooding and enigmatic bodyguard, is assigned to protect me. Little do I know, his true mission is darker and more personal than I could ever imagine. As forbidden desires ignite and hidden truth unravel, can we overcome the tangled web of our pasts to find a future together?

  • Genre: Billionaires Romance, Mafia, Millionaires Romance, Romance
  • 350 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication September 23, 2024
  • Series: Corrupted Dynasties, #1

ABOUT R G ANGEL

On top of being an International Bestselling Author, I’m a trained lawyer, world traveller, coffee addict and cheese aficionado.

When I’m not busy doing all my lawyerly mayhem or writing Contemporary Romance with heart, heat and a little darkness, alpha heroes and strong heroines and because I’m living in rainy (yet beautiful) Britain, I mostly enjoy indoor activities such as reading, watching TV, playing with my crazy puppies.

I hope my stories will make you dream and will bring you as much joy as they brought me by writing them.

If you want to know any of the latest news join my reader group R.G.’s Angels on facebook or subscribe to my newsletter!

Website / Facebook / Bookbub / Instagram

MY R G ANGEL REVIEWS

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’s talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Cover Reveal – Of Vows And Betrayal by R G Angel #rgangel #midnightreaders

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📚✨ Cover Reveal & Blurb Alert! ✨📚

I’m beyond excited to finally reveal the cover for Of Vows and Betrayal, the first book in the Corrupted Dynasties series! 😍🔥

Each book in the Corrupted Dynasties series is a standalone, but they’re all set in the same dark and twisted world.

Get ready to dive into a world of secrets, power, and forbidden love with this contemporary romance that has just the right hint of Mafia intrigue.

✨ Blurb Reveal:

In a world where loyalty is rare and trust is easily broken, can love rise from the ashes of vengeance?

Javier:

Fifteen minutes. That’s all it took for my world to shatter. From the moment I said ‘I do’ to the moment her heart stopped beating, my happiness turned into a relentless nightmare. Fifteen years of meticulous planning have led to this moment—my chance for revenge against the man who destroyed my life by killing my wife. But protecting his daughter was never part of the plan, and now everything is more complicated than I ever imagined.

Ophelia:

Living under my father’s oppressive rule feels like a prison. My world is turned upside down when Javier Vargas, a brooding and enigmatic bodyguard, is assigned to protect me. Little do I know, his true mission is darker and more personal than I could ever imagine. As forbidden desires ignite and hidden truth unravel, can we overcome the tangled web of our pasts to find a future together?

#preorder here: https://mybook.to/Corrupteddynasties1

#ARC sign up: https://forms.gle/3hHofo85skyfsDnK7

MY R G ANGEL REVIEWS

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – Cusp Of Darkness by Olivia Preya @XpressoTours @olivia_preya

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Cusp of Darkness
Olivia Preya
(The Cusp Series, #1)
Publication date: January 20th 2023
Genres: Adult, Mafia, Romance

Valerius Cafarelli
In my world, we live and die for our family. We brand our skin with symbols of loyalty and rank that bind us together. It’s time to step from behind the scenes and claim my birthright, leader of the Cafarelli family. But the mafia is nothing if not set in tradition. Marriage is the only way to claim what’s rightfully mine.
When the angel I’ve protected from a distance suddenly needs me as much as I need her, I make an offer she can’t refuse.

She is a candle in the night.
She is a prayer to the gods.
She is the knife that brings me to my knees.

—

Adaliya Solarin
I took an oath to save lives, trying to redeem myself from a bloody night where I played judge, jury, and executioner. I worked hard to erase all traces of the night I claimed revenge, but my mind can’t forget the man who ensured I’d never be put away for my crime.

Now I need someone to help me save my father from himself. When I’m left desperate and defeated, the man who saved me once offers one last chance at survival. What can I do but make a deal with the devil?

He is the bump in the night.
He is my darkest temptations come to life.
He is my salvation.

Cusp of Darkness is book one of the Cusp series but can be read as a standalone. It has a guaranteed HEA, swoon-worthy anti-hero, and badass heroine. This is an interracial mafia romance containing explicit sex scenes, graphic violence, and is recommended for readers 18+. Please check the author’s website for the full list of content warnings on the author’s website.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT

Valerius suddenly hiked up a leg, holding it firmly with one hand on my calf and the other discarding the slipper on my foot.

“Hey!” I protested; the motion propelled me back onto my elbows and I scrambled to keep the towel from riding up. I froze, unsure of what he was doing. Unsure of what I wanted him to do. I was hyper-aware of my lack of underwear and his proximity. My mind told me to wiggle my foot out of his hold, but my body wanted to have his hands on me for as long as possible.

Valerius ignored me and inspected the pad of my food intently, stroking his thumb over the sole and narrowing his eyes. A strangled sound escaped my throat as tingles shot straight from his touch to my core. Valerius’s hand was rough and easily clasped my ankle, pulling the entirety of my focus to his touch. I never thought my feet were erogenous zones, but God was I wrong. He flicked his gaze to mine briefly and his bright green eyes were now dark. The cruel, cruel man then suddenly dropped the one foot and picked up the other, repeating the same treatment without a word.

“Listen,” My voice strained too much to sound normal, but I continued anyway. “Foot fetishes are super common, or so I’ve heard. I don’t judge. But I’m not really into that kind of kink.”

“Oh yeah?” His eyes caught mine and he started kneading my foot, hitting a pressure point that made my body simultaneously light up and release pressure at the same time. My head fell back onto the bed, and I stifled a moan. “Then what is your kink, angelo?”

“I don’t have one.” Lies. I had fantasies, don’t get me wrong. But I would never bring them to life. The romance books I read gave me a slew of ideas, but it was one thing to read about bondage and voyeurism and a complete other to act on them.

He stopped his stroking of my sensitive flesh and I almost pouted. Instead, he traced his hand up my calf to bend my knee and stepped into the narrow space between my thighs. He maintained a firm grip on my leg, and I yelped as the towel started to ride up and cool air touched me. I was naked under the towel, and he was getting closer than I should allow. But Valerius kept his eyes on mine the entire time, not once glancing toward my almost exposed pussy. “What did I say about lying?”

I swallowed as he brought his face to mine, balancing his weight on his arm right above my head and fanning his warm breath over me. The position was too close, too intimate. If he lowered himself a fraction more, the length of his torso would press into mine. I bit my lip and turned away, but he caught my chin and forced it back to face him.

“My kinks are none of your business. It’s not like we’re lovers.” I tried to sound matter of fact, but it came out too breathy. His eyes hardened and he dropped my leg before pulling back suddenly.

“Your feet have healed well from when you stepped on glass,” I appreciated him not explicitly referring to the night of Derrek’s death. “But you could have easily torn them again last night without shoes.” Valerius turned away from me and walked to a chair by the window, leaving me to catch my breath on the bed. He was giving me whiplash with this conversation.

“Huh?

“You need to take better care of your body. I will not have you neglect your needs and unnecessarily harm your body.”

“It’s my body.” I huffed. I didn’t intentionally seek to harm myself, but who was he to tell me what to do with my body.

“Wrong. While we are married, it is my body. And you will treat it well.” He sat in the chair and watched me. I clenched my thighs together. Why did my stomach knot and face flush when he said it was his body? That should make me furious. “And you can keep your deepest, darkest fantasies to yourself for now. But I’ll learn them soon enough. And angelo, you’ll be glad I did.”

I scrambled off the bed. The power dynamic seemed too unbalanced with me––vulnerable and on a bed, practically naked and him radiating power and dominance on a chair.

“I told you, I’m not having sex with you.”

“And I told you we wouldn’t until you begged.” He dragged his eyes over my body, and I felt completely naked. Holy mother of God. 


Author Bio:

Olivia Preya is a romance fanatic and author living in Toronto, Canada. She writes about what she loves—love, spice, and panty-dropping men with a soft spot for the love of their lives. When life gets a little tough or bland, she finds that fictional men are the best medicine.

Olivia considers herself to have two personas, like Wonder Woman, but with a pen––corporate marketing specialist by day and spicy romance author by night. She also likes to embrace all forms of sensuality, from pole dancing and erotic novels to good food; she believes that sometimes the best things in life are a little sinful.

Website / Twitter / Instagram / TikTok


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Giveaway – Cusp Of Darkness by Olivia Preya @XpressoTours @olivia_preya

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Cusp of Darkness
Olivia Preya
(The Cusp Series, #1)
Publication date: January 20th 2023
Genres: Adult, Mafia, Romance

Valerius Cafarelli
In my world, we live and die for our family. We brand our skin with symbols of loyalty and rank that bind us together. It’s time to step from behind the scenes and claim my birthright, leader of the Cafarelli family. But the mafia is nothing if not set in tradition. Marriage is the only way to claim what’s rightfully mine.
When the angel I’ve protected from a distance suddenly needs me as much as I need her, I make an offer she can’t refuse.

She is a candle in the night.
She is a prayer to the gods.
She is the knife that brings me to my knees.

—

Adaliya Solarin
I took an oath to save lives, trying to redeem myself from a bloody night where I played judge, jury, and executioner. I worked hard to erase all traces of the night I claimed revenge, but my mind can’t forget the man who ensured I’d never be put away for my crime.

Now I need someone to help me save my father from himself. When I’m left desperate and defeated, the man who saved me once offers one last chance at survival. What can I do but make a deal with the devil?

He is the bump in the night.
He is my darkest temptations come to life.
He is my salvation.

Cusp of Darkness is book one of the Cusp series but can be read as a standalone. It has a guaranteed HEA, swoon-worthy anti-hero, and badass heroine. This is an interracial mafia romance containing explicit sex scenes, graphic violence, and is recommended for readers 18+. Please check the author’s website for the full list of content warnings on the author’s website.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Valerius suddenly hiked up a leg, holding it firmly with one hand on my calf and the other discarding the slipper on my foot.

“Hey!” I protested; the motion propelled me back onto my elbows and I scrambled to keep the towel from riding up. I froze, unsure of what he was doing. Unsure of what I wanted him to do. I was hyper-aware of my lack of underwear and his proximity. My mind told me to wiggle my foot out of his hold, but my body wanted to have his hands on me for as long as possible.

Valerius ignored me and inspected the pad of my food intently, stroking his thumb over the sole and narrowing his eyes. A strangled sound escaped my throat as tingles shot straight from his touch to my core. Valerius’s hand was rough and easily clasped my ankle, pulling the entirety of my focus to his touch. I never thought my feet were erogenous zones, but God was I wrong. He flicked his gaze to mine briefly and his bright green eyes were now dark. The cruel, cruel man then suddenly dropped the one foot and picked up the other, repeating the same treatment without a word.

“Listen,” My voice strained too much to sound normal, but I continued anyway. “Foot fetishes are super common, or so I’ve heard. I don’t judge. But I’m not really into that kind of kink.”

“Oh yeah?” His eyes caught mine and he started kneading my foot, hitting a pressure point that made my body simultaneously light up and release pressure at the same time. My head fell back onto the bed, and I stifled a moan. “Then what is your kink, angelo?”

“I don’t have one.” Lies. I had fantasies, don’t get me wrong. But I would never bring them to life. The romance books I read gave me a slew of ideas, but it was one thing to read about bondage and voyeurism and a complete other to act on them.

He stopped his stroking of my sensitive flesh and I almost pouted. Instead, he traced his hand up my calf to bend my knee and stepped into the narrow space between my thighs. He maintained a firm grip on my leg, and I yelped as the towel started to ride up and cool air touched me. I was naked under the towel, and he was getting closer than I should allow. But Valerius kept his eyes on mine the entire time, not once glancing toward my almost exposed pussy. “What did I say about lying?”

I swallowed as he brought his face to mine, balancing his weight on his arm right above my head and fanning his warm breath over me. The position was too close, too intimate. If he lowered himself a fraction more, the length of his torso would press into mine. I bit my lip and turned away, but he caught my chin and forced it back to face him.

“My kinks are none of your business. It’s not like we’re lovers.” I tried to sound matter of fact, but it came out too breathy. His eyes hardened and he dropped my leg before pulling back suddenly.

“Your feet have healed well from when you stepped on glass,” I appreciated him not explicitly referring to the night of Derrek’s death. “But you could have easily torn them again last night without shoes.” Valerius turned away from me and walked to a chair by the window, leaving me to catch my breath on the bed. He was giving me whiplash with this conversation.

“Huh?

“You need to take better care of your body. I will not have you neglect your needs and unnecessarily harm your body.”

“It’s my body.” I huffed. I didn’t intentionally seek to harm myself, but who was he to tell me what to do with my body.

“Wrong. While we are married, it is my body. And you will treat it well.” He sat in the chair and watched me. I clenched my thighs together. Why did my stomach knot and face flush when he said it was his body? That should make me furious. “And you can keep your deepest, darkest fantasies to yourself for now. But I’ll learn them soon enough. And angelo, you’ll be glad I did.”

I scrambled off the bed. The power dynamic seemed too unbalanced with me––vulnerable and on a bed, practically naked and him radiating power and dominance on a chair.

“I told you, I’m not having sex with you.”

“And I told you we wouldn’t until you begged.” He dragged his eyes over my body, and I felt completely naked. Holy mother of God.

Author Bio:

Olivia Preya is a romance fanatic and author living in Toronto, Canada. She writes about what she loves—love, spice, and panty-dropping men with a soft spot for the love of their lives. When life gets a little tough or bland, she finds that fictional men are the best medicine.

Olivia considers herself to have two personas, like Wonder Woman, but with a pen––corporate marketing specialist by day and spicy romance author by night. She also likes to embrace all forms of sensuality, from pole dancing and erotic novels to good food; she believes that sometimes the best things in life are a little sinful.

Website / Twitter / Instagram / TikTok


GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Review – Nunzio’s Way by Nick Chiarkas

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I won a copy of Nunzio’s Way, by Nick Chiarkas along with the first book in the series, Weepers.

Check out this EXCELLENT COVER. What do you see? Once you read the book, it will become even clearer. Artists at zebradog.com did an amazing job.

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Weepers series by Nick Chiarkas got even better than Weepers, Book I, in Book II, Nunzio’s Way. I have grown to love these characters, no matter what bad things they do. The series raises that age old question, nature or nurture. Are we a product of our environment? I cannot imagine what it would be like growing up in the housing projects, wondering, every time you step out your door, is this the day I die?

The Prologue will give you a glimpse into Nunzio Sabino’s life to catch you up, as told by Father Joe to Father Casimiro, a new man in town. Nunzio had been in love…It is tragic, heartbreaking, and brutal. It also explains why Nunzio trusts few people. He was thirteen and the five of them, Nunzio, Father Joe, Pompeo, George and Nick, meet every Tuesday, even to this day.

“Does Nunzio ever worry about some ambitious hooligan wanting to take over?”

“Nunzio is the top lion. He is constantly watched by the ambitious and the aggrieved. He can’t show weakness. He can’t let a single insult – especially a public one – go unchecked. Continued leadership requires constant vigilance and no margin of error. None.”

Angelo, I have been with him since he was seven years old, struggling to find his place in the violent world he lives in. He will have to fight for it, maybe even kill for it, and everything has a price to be paid.

I do love an author who isn’t afraid to kill off his characters, even some that I have come to care about. He took me by surprise and I was even a little ticked off. Well done.

Nick Chiarkas brings to light many problems that persist to this day. I felt their need to kill or be killed. If you read his biography, I think you will get the same impression I did. That the Weeper series feels all too real. Gang warfare in the 1960s…has it changed?

Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. I knew a lot of the characters from Weepers, so I was already involved in their lives, but Nick Chiarkas too me to a whole new level. The violence, the brutality, the love, loyalty and betrayal, the flawed characters that stole my heart, I will not soon forget.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Nunzio’s Way by Nick Chiarkas.

5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

“In this city, you can have anything you want if you kill the right four people.” ~ Nunzio Sabino

In Weepers (Book 1), Angelo and his gang, with a bit of help from his beloved “uncle” Nunzio Sabino, defeated the notorious Satan’s Knights. Now, in this standalone sequel to Weepers, it’s 1960 and Nunzio is still the most powerful organized crime boss in New York City, protecting what’s his with political schemes and ‘business’ deals.

Against this backdrop of Mafia turf wars, local gang battles, and political power-plays in the mayoral election, the bodies begin stacking up. An unlikely assassin arrives fresh from Naples after killing a top member of the Camorra to avenge the murder of her family. She blends seamlessly into the neighborhood and with the focus on the threat from the Satan’s Knights, no one suspects that Angelo’s father and Nunzio are next on her hit list. Nunzio has lived his entire life by the mantra; Be a fox when there are traps and a lion when there are wolves. Will Nunzio be a lion in time?

ABOUT NICK CHIARKAS

Nick Chiarkas grew up in the Al Smith housing projects in the Two Bridges neighborhood on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

When he was in the fourth grade, his mother was told by the principal of PS-1 that, “Nick was unlikely to ever complete high school, so you must steer him toward a simple and secure vocation.” Instead, Nick became a writer, with a few stops along the way: a U.S. Army Paratrooper; a New York City Police Officer; the Deputy Chief Counsel for the President’s Commission on Organized Crime; and the Director of the Wisconsin State Public Defender Agency.

On the way to becoming an author, he picked up a Doctorate from Columbia University; a Law Degree from Temple University; and was a Pickett Fellow at Harvard. How many mothers are told their children are hopeless? How many kids with potential simply

Website / Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn / Bookbub

MY NICK CHIARKAS REVIEWS

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!

Review – Weepers by Nick Chiarkas @chiarkas

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.

Woo Hoo, lucky me. I won Weepers by Nick Chiarkas…and Nunzio’s Way…in a giveaway.

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

It was 1951. Angelo and his father were walking the snowy streets in a New York City housing project, when his life was changed forever. His father disappeared and the seven year old boy felt he should have done something. This coming of age story kept getting better and better, the more I read.

The boy already knew the first rule of the jungle: If it moves away from you, it’s food: it it moves toward you, you’re food.

“By the time a boy hits his teens, he’s either prey, predator, or he has mastered his environment…respected by the weak and the predators.”

I can’t imagine growing up in such an environment and I can see why a child’s world can become so brutal so early in their life.

A priest, a Mafia boss, a police detective and Angelo, a gang member form an unlikely union.

Weepers made me think of West Side Story. I can see why it was voted best mystery novel. There is so much I would like to share, but I won’t. The more I read, the more involved I became in the characters lives, and I want you to find out about them for yourself. I immediately went into Nunzio’s Way, and………..well, that’s another story.

I checked out Nick Chiarkas’ bio and saw why the story felt so real to me. Be sure and take a look. He knows what he’s writing about.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

BEST MYSTERY NOVEL – JOHN E. WEAVER EXCELLENT READS AWARD & READERS’ FAVORITE WINNER – YA COMING OF AGE CATEGORY
The 1957 murder of an undercover cop in a New York City housing project has unexpected ties to the unsolved disappearance of a young father walking home in those same projects with his son, Angelo, on Christmas Eve six years before. The only witness to the cop killing is Angelo, now 13, while on his way to seek his own revenge in the early morning hours. The killers know he saw them. A series of gripping events forge a union between a priest, a Mafia boss, a police detective, and Angelo, a gang member. In the end, Weepers shows us that the courage of the underdog despite fear and moral ambiguity will conquer intimidation.

Weepers has received finalist status for the Best Novel of 2016 by the Public Safety Writers Association(PSWA), the Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MIPA) best mystery/thriller novel of 2015, the Best Young Adult Novel for 2016 by Bookvana, and the Best Crossover (Mystery & Young Adult) for the 2017 Best Books Award.

ABOUT NICK CHIARKAS

Nick Chiarkas grew up in the Al Smith housing projects in the Two Bridges neighborhood on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

When he was in the fourth grade, his mother was told by the principal of PS-1 that, “Nick was unlikely to ever complete high school, so you must steer him toward a simple and secure vocation.” Instead, Nick became a writer, with a few stops along the way: a U.S. Army Paratrooper; a New York City Police Officer; the Deputy Chief Counsel for the President’s Commission on Organized Crime; and the Director of the Wisconsin State Public Defender Agency.

On the way to becoming an author, he picked up a Doctorate from Columbia University; a Law Degree from Temple University; and was a Pickett Fellow at Harvard. How many mothers are told their children are hopeless? How many kids with potential simply

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Giveaway – A Beautiful Lie by Coda Languez @XpressoTours

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A Beautiful Lie
Coda Languez
(Birth of a Sin, #1)
Publication date: June 1st 2022
Genres: Adult, Dark Romance, Mafia, Romance

Could the love between a Sinner and a Saint only end in flames?

Ira owned the city. As the head of the Dante family, she had the law in her pocket and her red manicured nails in every criminal enterprise.

But when she met Tristan – a man with ocean blue eyes and an angelic smile – it was love at first sight. It didn’t matter that he owned nothing to his name and lived in the worst part of her city. Anything he could desire, she could give him.

There was just a tiny problem.

Tristan was a vigilante. A partner of the hero whose mission was to take down Ira’s empire.

Will their relationship, built on pretty promises and beautiful lies, unravel under his secret, or does that really matter?

Either way, Ira had her eyes set on her prize and she always gets what she wants. Damn his feelings on the matter.

Originally on Kindle Vella!

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT

His lips pressed against her neck, kissing her heated skin, leaving wet petals of heat. She tried hard to fight against the sensation, her fingers gripping an unfinished glass of wine. When he moved to nibble her ear, his breath sending sparks along her nerves, causing a few drops of wine to hit her cherry wood floors as she shivered. She bit her lip, preventing a gasp. “I still need to punish you.”

Tristan cooed softly into her ear, his hand stroking her muscular thigh through that tight skirt. “Why?”

That breath was leaving goosebumps on her skin. She took a deep breath, her eyes shifting to the side, trying to look dismissive. “Because I still waited. All alone, gazing with deep emptiness out into the night…”

He couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking his head as he pressed his forehead against her shoulder, his hand drifting up that skirt, fingers leaving a burning trail against her thigh. “Babe, I’m wounded. Literally. Forgive me?”

She finally released a low moan that time, unable to help it when his touch made her toes twitch. His black shirt clung to his skin, barely hiding that lithe form she currently aching for. He was really distracting. “I will after you are punished.”

He surrendered, kissing her shoulder before giving a little smile. “Okay. What is my punishment, Ira?”

She smirked, setting the glass of wine down on the table before turning to him, her hand pushing his away from her legs. “You can’t touch me.”

He flinched, his brow furrowing as he pouted. “That’s not fair.”

“Now, now, I can touch you. I can do whatever I want to you and trust me there are…” Her eyes looked him up and down, “So many things I want do to you. You just have to lie there…” She leaned her body against his, pushing him down against the couch, his head resting on the soft leather arm, “And let me.”

Some cuts along his back caused him to release a hiss as his shirt rode up. However, looking up into those bright, warm eyes, Ira’s body firmly pressed against him, her powerful hips holding him down. He could not protest. In fact, he was finding her terms more than agreeable. “I can do that.” He moved his hands behind his head, his hips jerking against hers. “I’m your prisoner. Punish me as you see fit.”

Oh, he had to do that, didn’t he? Had to say those words in that husky tone of voice, hips pressing against her. She shuddered, looking forward to the banquet underneath her. Her lips pressed against his, kissing him hungrily, forcing his mouth opened. He groaned in return, kissing her back as deeply as he could, their tongues and taste mingling together. He clasped his fingers tightly together, his face flushed against that messy and passionate kiss.

She cooed as his hips shifted up a bit against hers again. She pulled back from those soft, delicious lips to bite down on his earlobe in a warning, “Don’t move like that. It’s really distracting.”

He flinched at that little of pain before giving a wink, “A beautiful woman is on top of me. I can’t help it.”

She frowned, her mouth moving from his ear to his neck, her teeth pressing down at against the pale skin, “Behave…”

There was more than the pain in that bite, a whimper escaping his lips, “O-Okay…”

That was quite the reaction. Tristan’s voice weakened, a tinge of vulnerability mingling with concern and undeniable lust. She pulled back from his neck, gazing at that hint of red left on his porcelain skin; a tiny rose, budding from a most welcoming place. She moved forward, giving that small bud a lick.


Author Bio:

Coda Languez is a Software Engineer by day and an Artist/Author by night. She is lover of all things anime, horror, and comic related, making her a true geek in all aspects. Heavily influenced by the works of Satoshi Kon, Kouta Hirano, Francesca Lia Block, and Clive Barker, Coda mixes black comedy, horror, magic realism, and dark romance into her works, creating an ‘it’s complicated’ relationship between readers and her anti-heroic, even villainous protagonists.

When she is not programming in her day job or writing psychological terrifying romances and dark action comedies in the night hours, Coda often binges on anime, fantasy, and sci-fi sagas and indulges in competition reality tv (a guilty pleasure). She is the mother of an adorable toddler and his Pembroke Welsh Corgi brothers, and wife to an awesome and often exasperated husband.

For information on Coda’s latest works, visit codemonkeyarts.com or connect with her on social media via @codemonkeyarts.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / TikTok


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Cover Reveal – Cusp Of Darkness by Olivia Preya @XpressoTours

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Cusp of Darkness
Olivia Preya
(The Cusp Series, #1)
Publication date: January 20th 2023
Genres: Adult, Mafia, Romance

Valerius Cafarelli
In my world, we live and die for our family. We brand our skin with symbols of loyalty and rank that bind us together. It’s time to step from behind the scenes and claim my birthright, leader of the Cafarelli family. But the mafia is nothing if not set in tradition. Marriage is the only way to claim what’s rightfully mine.
When the angel I’ve protected from a distance suddenly needs me as much as I need her, I make an offer she can’t refuse.

She is a candle in the night.
She is a prayer to the gods.
She is the knife that brings me to my knees.

—

Adaliya Solarin
I took an oath to save lives, trying to redeem myself from a bloody night where I played judge, jury, and executioner. I worked hard to erase all traces of the night I claimed revenge, but my mind can’t forget the man who ensured I’d never be put away for my crime.

Now I need someone to help me save my father from himself. When I’m left desperate and defeated, the man who saved me once offers one last chance at survival. What can I do but make a deal with the devil?

He is the bump in the night.
He is my darkest temptations come to life.
He is my salvation.

Cusp of Darkness is book one of the Cusp series but can be read as a standalone. It has a guaranteed HEA, swoon-worthy anti-hero, and badass heroine. This is an interracial mafia romance containing explicit sex scenes, graphic violence, and is recommended for readers 18+. Please check the author’s website for the full list of content warnings on the author’s website.

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Giveaway – The Don’s Dilemma by Caprice Langden @XpressoTours

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The Don’s Dilemma
Caprice Langden
(The Calegaris, #5)
Publication date: June 7th 2022
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

As head of one of the East Coast’s most profitable crime families, I keep my real family close…and my enemies even closer.
I had plans for the future. Once my rise was complete, no one I loved would ever have to worry about anything. Ever.

Someone else had other ideas. Someone was trying to bring down my organization from the inside. I could handle them. That’s the world I live in, the world I command. But then they crossed a line. It’s one thing to mess with my business; it’s a different matter entirely to threaten my family.

I launched a preemptive strike with one thing in mind – I needed information I could use against the man who’d recently become the biggest thorn in my side. Under the guise of reconciliation, I welcomed his olive branch, but I couldn’t trust him….or, as it turned out, anyone else.

My plan backfired. Suzanne’s sweetness was more than I could resist. One look into her eyes, and I condemned myself for the crimes I was about to commit. I couldn’t bring an innocent woman into the carnage of those who wronged the name “Calegari.”

My name is Gabriel Calegari. I am a mafia don, a son, a brother… and a lover. I can have no weakness – including her. I will stop at nothing to protect my family from those who are out to destroy me – no matter how much it costs me.

Dive into the dengerous desires of the Calegari world with the rest of the series:
The Virgin Clause
The Virgin Temptation
Princess of Pride
Princess of Passion

Goodreads / Amazon

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Author Bio:

Caprice Langden is a pen name for romance author Debra J. Falasco. Edgier, darker and steamier, Caprice Langden romances feature alpha males and the good girls who bring them to their knees. She lives in a historic home in Colorado with her husband, son and two kitties.

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