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taries's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
uehfiwo's review against another edition
4.0
It was pretty good but the story felt out of place. Valentina and Dante felt like such minor characters from the first book. I wasn’t that invested in their relationship but was looking for the connection to the characters from the main family.
cecilielaugesen's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
My main problem with this was Valentina… She was annoying, frustrating, insensitive and delusional.
1. Married a guy she KNEW was gay, because she thought SHE could turn him not gay anymore.
2. Is furious with Dante and keeps saying there is something wrong with him because he can’t just get over his dead wife whom he loved deeply. Again because now he has her, so he really shouldn’t keep dwelling on the dead love of his.
1. Married a guy she KNEW was gay, because she thought SHE could turn him not gay anymore.
2. Is furious with Dante and keeps saying there is something wrong with him because he can’t just get over his dead wife whom he loved deeply. Again because now he has her, so he really shouldn’t keep dwelling on the dead love of his.
3. ALL she thinks about and talks about for the better part of the book is sex. Especially when talking to her best friend who is actively being raped and beaten, Valentine is constantly whining that Dante won’t touch her.
4. She’s oblivious to the (mafia) world around her. But apparently she is so much better and smarter than everyone else, so it doesn’t matter. And while she borderline looks down on all the other women being abused(again because she thinks she’s too strong to let a man abuse her) she caves to Dante SO easily, like????
5. She is very resentful, she has the WORST life ever because she was married to a (gay) man who didn’t love her. - I know that’s not the ideal situation, but again she thinks she has it harder than everyone else, and it’s just not fair….
6. She led them into an ambush, and then SHE is mad that he won’t just forgive her. Without her doing anything whatsoever to earn forgiveness, besides trying to seduce him and have sex.
7. She was a lot more tolerable towards the end, but it felt like it came out of nowhere with no actual character development.
7. She was a lot more tolerable towards the end, but it felt like it came out of nowhere with no actual character development.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual content, Gun violence, Sexism, Murder, Gaslighting, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Misogyny, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence
Minor: Infertility
cala_p's review against another edition
4.0
Doing a reread of the series after so long, and seeing I have no review for this book pains me so here we go:
The first time I read this book, I rated it 3 stars and disliked it. Maybe it was due to being new on the mafia romance train, and coming off of Luca and Aria’s story, this one felt like a let-down. Maybe cause second marriages in romance isn’t a trope I like. Given that so many people enjoyed their story, I always felt like I was missing something, and with the recent sequel from them, they clearly have more to show.
Again, that was my first read. My second read, years later when I’m more appreciative, has shown me how great this book is! Young Valentina, widowed after the death of her gay husband goes into her new marriage to Dante as fresh as her first one. Given the death of his first-wife, he doesn’t take to a new wife easily. Dante is the definition of cold and emotionless. He says he cares, but shows it in very little ways. I admire Valentina for putting up with it for so long. I feel like I would be Gianna and just would have fought him for affection at every turn.
While the book ends on an HEA, I do look forward to the next one because I can see how much story they still have. This ended with the “I will be better”, so now let’s see him be better!
The first time I read this book, I rated it 3 stars and disliked it. Maybe it was due to being new on the mafia romance train, and coming off of Luca and Aria’s story, this one felt like a let-down. Maybe cause second marriages in romance isn’t a trope I like. Given that so many people enjoyed their story, I always felt like I was missing something, and with the recent sequel from them, they clearly have more to show.
Again, that was my first read. My second read, years later when I’m more appreciative, has shown me how great this book is! Young Valentina, widowed after the death of her gay husband goes into her new marriage to Dante as fresh as her first one. Given the death of his first-wife, he doesn’t take to a new wife easily. Dante is the definition of cold and emotionless. He says he cares, but shows it in very little ways. I admire Valentina for putting up with it for so long. I feel like I would be Gianna and just would have fought him for affection at every turn.
While the book ends on an HEA, I do look forward to the next one because I can see how much story they still have. This ended with the “I will be better”, so now let’s see him be better!
junyan's review against another edition
2.0
It would be so much better if we’d gotten Dante’s pov. I cannot figure out what’s going on in his mind, I don’t even know if he love Val or just care for her like she said at the end. Dante’s not a talker, he seldom speaks out or shows his feelings evidently, and the absence of dual povs literally make the whole plot and emotions build more confusing.
xaaam_o's review against another edition
2.0
2⭐️…
Where is the plot?
I thought I would enjoy this book but sadly I just found it boring
Where is the plot?
I thought I would enjoy this book but sadly I just found it boring
laurentalevski's review against another edition
3.0
The book really shows the difficulty for a Capo to love his wife. There is so much responsibility and expectation on their shoulders and in an ethnic family nothing ever comes before family. I really felt for Dante he wanted to change a lot of things but couldn’t without a mafia war.
Valentina and Dante are your perfect Italian mafia family, but Dante is so stupid to think he can’t have feelings and won’t ever have feelings even after having sex constantly! LOL
I cant wait to see their beautiful family in future books. Dante is the definition of the perfect ‘touch her and die’ protective man.
Valentina and Dante are your perfect Italian mafia family, but Dante is so stupid to think he can’t have feelings and won’t ever have feelings even after having sex constantly! LOL
I cant wait to see their beautiful family in future books. Dante is the definition of the perfect ‘touch her and die’ protective man.
dilynnbell's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5