“There is no before me. There is no after me. You. You’re all me.”

I wasn’t really sure how to start this review when I sat down to write it. I had trouble finding the words because this story was so extraordinary. I’m a huge fan of mafia romance but this was on a whole other level. This was dark and rich and raw. There was a perfect blend of thrill and romance that kept you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire book. This story also puts you through the ringer, you become so addicted to these characters that you feel like they are living, breathing humans. I experienced every emotion during the duration of this novel. I cried, I laughed, I got angry and closed my book. I felt EVERYTHING.

If you know me, you probably already know that I’m a huge fan of the grumpy/sunshine trope. I love the strong alphas who protect and defend. Talk about delicious! Capo is exactly that. He was born into the mafia world; that’s all he’s ever known. His first kill was at age fifteen (maybe sixteen). He knows loss better than most. Because of all of this, he has closed off his heart. He is cold and unfeeling most of the time. Mari is the opposite. She feels everything. She’s loud and honest. She’s funny and strong. She meets Capo tit for tat and it’s magical to watch. Now I’m not sure how much detail I can go into about Capo and Mari. I don’t want to risk spoiling anything for any of my readers. Capo and Mari have a past. Capo has seen some sh*t, let me tell you. When I was explaining this book to my fiancé (he’s an avid gamer), his reaction/response to some of the gruesome details was “wow…my games aren’t even that graphic and that’s saying a lot”. So yes, this book is intense. But honestly, it’s nothing I couldn’t handle. But Capo and Mari’s past is haunting, it’s dark and dirty. Capo is significantly older than Mari and there’s a big reason for that which you will see when you read. Everything is intentional. I think that’s what made this book so special for me. There are so many treats throughout that come back later to help move the story along. Rosary. Butterfly. Wolf. Italy. Blood. Journals. Everything has a purpose. Gah! It’s so good!

There’s also SO MUCH beauty in the language and dialogue of this novel. Our author weaves Italian words and phrases throughout the book, giving us even more of a deeper look into the world. Capo and Mari spend time in Italy together, they eat special Italian food, Capo speaks to Mari in Italian many times. I just find it so beautiful when something so unique is included in a story. This novel has a solid foundation but the true beauty of it lies within the magic used to build the world. I will say one last thing – there’s a reason there are so many positive reviews for this book on Amazon. It’s THAT good. If you’re up for a dark, mafia, arranged marriage, age-gap romance, definitely check this book out. I can’t wait to start this next book in the series! 5 stars! 

“Tutto suo. Tutto mio. Per sempre. All his. All mine. Forever.”