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kellieh's review against another edition
5.0
The Capo...
Mac is the eldest son of the Scarpone family; the next in line take over the family "business". But his father thought he was too pretty to be the hardened mob criminal he would need to be to lead the family. So, naturally, his father set him up to be killed so his younger brother could step in to take his place. Plot twist #1: He didn't succeed in killing him.
After the failed assassination attempt, Mac went into hiding and begun to slowly build up his own mafia empire; he became "The Ghost".
Mari has lived a hard life; both parents were killed when she was a child and she is barely scraping the bottom the survival barrel to make it through life. Through a series of events, she came into possession of a certain party invitation that would eventually lead her into the arms of Mac. He needs a wife and she needs a roof over her head and 3 steady meals a day.
Plot twist 2: Mac knows Mari and is involved in the murder of her parents and the only reason why Mari survived.
They have navigate the dangers of the mafia world together as Mac slowly and methodically brings down his father's reign. When his father realizes that Mari is really the long-lost (and supposedly dead) daughter of the family he ordered a hit on, her life is on the line. Mac must carefully orchestrate everything just right to ensure his father is eliminated and he saves his wife's life.
Mac is an alpha introvert extrovert (yep, I typed that right). He wants the control but he is a leader that is okay with staying in the shadows. Mari is a strong-willed woman that takes crap from no one. Mac and Mari together is nothing short of extraordinary. Their chemistry in and out of the bedroom is commanding and dramatic.
As one of my all-time favorite dark mafia books, I have read Mac more than once. It was my first taste of Bella Di Corte's work and I was hooked! Highly recommend!
Mac is the eldest son of the Scarpone family; the next in line take over the family "business". But his father thought he was too pretty to be the hardened mob criminal he would need to be to lead the family. So, naturally, his father set him up to be killed so his younger brother could step in to take his place. Plot twist #1: He didn't succeed in killing him.
After the failed assassination attempt, Mac went into hiding and begun to slowly build up his own mafia empire; he became "The Ghost".
Mari has lived a hard life; both parents were killed when she was a child and she is barely scraping the bottom the survival barrel to make it through life. Through a series of events, she came into possession of a certain party invitation that would eventually lead her into the arms of Mac. He needs a wife and she needs a roof over her head and 3 steady meals a day.
Plot twist 2: Mac knows Mari and is involved in the murder of her parents and the only reason why Mari survived.
They have navigate the dangers of the mafia world together as Mac slowly and methodically brings down his father's reign. When his father realizes that Mari is really the long-lost (and supposedly dead) daughter of the family he ordered a hit on, her life is on the line. Mac must carefully orchestrate everything just right to ensure his father is eliminated and he saves his wife's life.
Mac is an alpha introvert extrovert (yep, I typed that right). He wants the control but he is a leader that is okay with staying in the shadows. Mari is a strong-willed woman that takes crap from no one. Mac and Mari together is nothing short of extraordinary. Their chemistry in and out of the bedroom is commanding and dramatic.
As one of my all-time favorite dark mafia books, I have read Mac more than once. It was my first taste of Bella Di Corte's work and I was hooked! Highly recommend!
fsmeurinne's review against another edition
4.0
Mariposa and Capo Machiabello's story is yes a mafia romance, new series Gangsters of New York, the story was engaging, the characters definitely had a lot going on at once, I reviewed the audiobook, the narrators Kae Denino and Armen Taylor did a good job, the editing was good and their performance was good based on what the story had to offer.
barbistull's review against another edition
4.0
If you are thinking about reading this book--do yourself a favor and listen to the audiobook. These narrators are AMAZING! I do love a good mafia romance--and this fit the bill for certain. There was a lot of action and emotions tied up in this book.
Mariposa has had a rough life in her short 20-something years. She went through the foster care system and ended up homeless. With a chance to better her life popping up in an unexpected way, Mariposa changes her future for the better.
There is a lot of history tied up in this book, but it is an emotional adventure roller coaster you won't want to stop! I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
Thanks to NetGalley for the audio ARC.
Mariposa has had a rough life in her short 20-something years. She went through the foster care system and ended up homeless. With a chance to better her life popping up in an unexpected way, Mariposa changes her future for the better.
There is a lot of history tied up in this book, but it is an emotional adventure roller coaster you won't want to stop! I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
Thanks to NetGalley for the audio ARC.
amandabooks17's review against another edition
4.0
I am not one to typically go for a “mafia” type book, but after reading this one, I truly liked it. I liked the story line that went into this book, the characters. Capo, had such a big past that it was interesting to see how he went about life and not truly loving someone. However in my eyes the true star of the book war Mariposa, she had an even harder path and had to survive most of her life. She fought to be where she was and found safety in Capo. There are twists and turns that play an exciting role while reading. This book has mystery to it so if you enjoy reading that, I recommend this for you!
romancebookaddict's review against another edition
3.0
I didn’t really like the heroine in this book, I got bored a lot after they got married. Up till then I was hooked. After there was just so much inner dialogue that I skimmed through. And I honestly didn’t feel the chemistry between the characters. Sorry
hijinx_abound's review against another edition
3.0
This book happens to fall into the category of I usually don’t like this but….
Age gap/mafia/marriage contract
Capo is an interesting character. I did not quite buy his ability to hide in plain sight. One would have to throw away the aspect of mafia that claims to be a small world connected families. Since this is fiction, perhaps one can.
Mariposa is a survivor, barely. She trusts few people and refuses to accept help.
The connection between these two was strong but tempered by the past that Mari does not recall.
I honestly can’t tell you why this book was a good read. It had a lot of elements that I typically hate but here we are.
Age gap/mafia/marriage contract
Capo is an interesting character. I did not quite buy his ability to hide in plain sight. One would have to throw away the aspect of mafia that claims to be a small world connected families. Since this is fiction, perhaps one can.
Mariposa is a survivor, barely. She trusts few people and refuses to accept help.
The connection between these two was strong but tempered by the past that Mari does not recall.
I honestly can’t tell you why this book was a good read. It had a lot of elements that I typically hate but here we are.
nataliecummings's review against another edition
5.0
- Arranged marriage
- Age Gap
- Mafia
- poor girl/ rich guy
Mariposa is down on her luck. No money. No job. No place to live when she runs into Capo “Mac” Macciavellio outside his restaurant. When she goes in place of her bestfriend’s roommate to an elusive club she runs into Mac again. Soon he proposes an arranged marriage. They have history from when she was young. They’re instantly drawn to each. Capo needs a wife before his grandfather passes.
I love the dynamic of their relationship that they have history before. There’s feeding mafia families. Some other man drama. And a possessive mafia man who only wants her.
The connection between the characters is so good and I love seeing how much they openly love each other even if they are afraid to tell each other.
4.5/5 ⭐️
3/5
- Age Gap
- Mafia
- poor girl/ rich guy
Mariposa is down on her luck. No money. No job. No place to live when she runs into Capo “Mac” Macciavellio outside his restaurant. When she goes in place of her bestfriend’s roommate to an elusive club she runs into Mac again. Soon he proposes an arranged marriage. They have history from when she was young. They’re instantly drawn to each. Capo needs a wife before his grandfather passes.
I love the dynamic of their relationship that they have history before. There’s feeding mafia families. Some other man drama. And a possessive mafia man who only wants her.
The connection between the characters is so good and I love seeing how much they openly love each other even if they are afraid to tell each other.
4.5/5 ⭐️
3/5
bibliophile90's review
4.0
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
Machiavellian is the debut novel of Bella Di Corte, and I enjoyed this mafia romance a LOT! The more I read of a (sub)genre/trope the pickier I get. The littlest things can annoy and make me give up on a book, so a good strong start is very important. The first few pages are important in dragging the reader in and intriguing them enough to continue. For me this is even more the case when I am reader a book by a new author. The first thing that draw me in was the cover of this book. I am going to be honest and say that I don't care about a cover if the book is by an author I am familiar with, but the cover is the first thing that needs to attract me when it is a new author. Bella Di Corte did a great job in making me notice her debut novel. After that, I read the blurb, and decided to give this book a chance. I just have a weakness for the arranged marriage trope, and especially if it is a mafia romance.
Enough general stuff, let's get into the story. The heroine Mariposa is practically homeless and is just on the edge of giving up, when a mysterious opportunity opens up. I thought she was crazy at first, because she has no idea what she is getting herself into, but after the life she lived, I can't really blame her. Capo is a ghost (not literally), and has vengeance on his mind. I the connection between these two was strong from the start, and even though there is a 18 year age-gap I didn't really feel it. This is mostly the case because of the hard life Mari has lived, so she had to grow up pretty fast. She still has some of her innocence that she holds on to, which appeals to Capo, who lives in a dark and dirty world. What starts as an arranged marriage, where I have to say that Mari spoke her mind and negotiated pretty well, develops into a beautiful marriage.
I thought these two made a great match, and I saw a lot of growth in both characters. Mari was strong and fierce from the start, and I thought she made a great partner. This book was romantic, suspenseful, and emotional at times. Machiavellian was a well paced plot-driven story with very likable characters. The author gave me more than enough time to connect to the story and characters. I look forward to the next book in the Gangsters of New York series.
Machiavellian is the debut novel of Bella Di Corte, and I enjoyed this mafia romance a LOT! The more I read of a (sub)genre/trope the pickier I get. The littlest things can annoy and make me give up on a book, so a good strong start is very important. The first few pages are important in dragging the reader in and intriguing them enough to continue. For me this is even more the case when I am reader a book by a new author. The first thing that draw me in was the cover of this book. I am going to be honest and say that I don't care about a cover if the book is by an author I am familiar with, but the cover is the first thing that needs to attract me when it is a new author. Bella Di Corte did a great job in making me notice her debut novel. After that, I read the blurb, and decided to give this book a chance. I just have a weakness for the arranged marriage trope, and especially if it is a mafia romance.
Enough general stuff, let's get into the story. The heroine Mariposa is practically homeless and is just on the edge of giving up, when a mysterious opportunity opens up. I thought she was crazy at first, because she has no idea what she is getting herself into, but after the life she lived, I can't really blame her. Capo is a ghost (not literally), and has vengeance on his mind. I the connection between these two was strong from the start, and even though there is a 18 year age-gap I didn't really feel it. This is mostly the case because of the hard life Mari has lived, so she had to grow up pretty fast. She still has some of her innocence that she holds on to, which appeals to Capo, who lives in a dark and dirty world. What starts as an arranged marriage, where I have to say that Mari spoke her mind and negotiated pretty well, develops into a beautiful marriage.
I thought these two made a great match, and I saw a lot of growth in both characters. Mari was strong and fierce from the start, and I thought she made a great partner. This book was romantic, suspenseful, and emotional at times. Machiavellian was a well paced plot-driven story with very likable characters. The author gave me more than enough time to connect to the story and characters. I look forward to the next book in the Gangsters of New York series.
barbistull's review
4.0
If you are thinking about reading this book--do yourself a favor and listen to the audiobook. These narrators are AMAZING! I do love a good mafia romance--and this fit the bill for certain. There was a lot of action and emotions tied up in this book.
Mariposa has had a rough life in her short 20-something years. She went through the foster care system and ended up homeless. With a chance to better her life popping up in an unexpected way, Mariposa changes her future for the better.
There is a lot of history tied up in this book, but it is an emotional adventure roller coaster you won't want to stop! I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
Thanks to NetGalley for the audio ARC.
Mariposa has had a rough life in her short 20-something years. She went through the foster care system and ended up homeless. With a chance to better her life popping up in an unexpected way, Mariposa changes her future for the better.
There is a lot of history tied up in this book, but it is an emotional adventure roller coaster you won't want to stop! I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
Thanks to NetGalley for the audio ARC.