Pages: 256
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Source: ARC
Also by this author: Fallen Fourth Down, Fallen Crest University, Anti-Stepbrother, Eye Candy, The Boy I Grew Up With, Bennett Mafia, Teardrop Shot, The Insiders, The Damaged , The Revenge, My Anti-Hero
Goodreads
I shouldn’t have remembered him.He was just a guy who walked through a restaurant. I didn't know his name. We never made eye contact. There was no connection between us at all.But I could feel him.The tingle down my spine. The command in his presence. The snap of tension in the air around him. That was the first time I saw him, and I was captivated.The second time was different.He was in the mysterious back elevator of my apartment building. Our eyes met for a fleeting second before the doors closed, and I was staggered. My breath was robbed. My senses on high alert. My body hummed.That was just the beginning.He was the leader of the mafia. I was about to fall in love with him, and his name…Cole Mauricio
I love a good mafia book. Nothing says ‘Bad Boy’ like a mafia man! Cole is the ultimate mafia man because he is in charge! As the head of the Mauricio crime family, he is lethal. Addison has no idea about the mafia. She thinks Cole is just an attractive guy she met in the running track of their building. She feels an immediate connection to Cole and they begin a sexual relationship that first day.
Addison’s a widow. Her husband died in a car accident a year ago and she is trying to move on. An apartment opens up in a building she has always loved, and she decides that perhaps selling the house they shared would be beneficial. Her grief is so evident. Its impossible to not sympathize with Addison. The day to day struggles with the grief are authentic and heartbreaking. While I was a little skeptical of her quickness to hop into bed with Cole, a total stranger, I still loved her as a character. I have no idea what it is like to lose a spouse, so who am I to judge behavior?
Cole is a marvelous character as well. He is a quiet lethal. In control and in charge, he begins the affair with Addison and tells her up front, he cannot disclose much about himself. Addison accepts this and their feelings grow fairly quickly. There are only maybe 2 chapters in the book from Cole’s POV so I had some difficulty connecting and understanding him. I wanted to know how he actually felt about Addison and more about his motivations.
The plot gets super convoluted and connections are discovered between characters that were unexpected and tension filled! If you appreciate mafia romance, romantic suspense, or just a satisfying romantic story, Cole is a great pick. While Carter Reed makes a few appearances, you don’t have to read his book.
- POV: 1st person
- Tears: I cried a few times for Addison
- Trope: mafia
- Triggers: none
- Series/Standalone: stand alone
- Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
- HEA: View Spoiler »
Empire by Rachel Van Dyken, A Love of Vengeance by Nancy Haviland, Fighting for Flight by JB Salsbury…then you will probably like Cole.
I’m reading this now. So far, I’m enjoying it. Totalnya agree with you.
Btw, how’s your vacation? I hope you’re having an awesome time. 😀
Oh we aren’t on vacation yet. I am just trying to save up for it. The trip is in June!
I’ve only read a few mafia romances…I’m not sure why but they just don’t seem to be my thing. I think I’ve only enjoyed one or two that I’ve read. This one is intriguing tho. I really like that cover too! Great review!
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