mustreadsapphic 's review for:

Rubies and Revenge: A Cardinal Families Novel by Lexie A. Lynn

4.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy of Rubies and Revenge! As always, all opinions are my own and this review is being left voluntarily. ✨

✨ Sapphic Adult Romance

✨ First Person, Dual POV

✨ 3.5/5 Spice Level

✨ Mafia Romance

✨ Fake Engagement

✨ First in a Series

✨ Rep: Filipino MC, Lesbian MC, Nonbinary SC

> micro-tropes and content warnings after review

I have not read a lot of mafia romances and they have historically been a bit of a challenge for me to get into. I think the language can come off corny which is hard for me. That was not the case with Rubies and Revenge. I was hooked so quickly… so many of the tropes were exactly what I am drawn toward. Escaping an arranged marriage via a fake engagement? Sign me up! (Also the micro-tropes for this book are... soooo check those out if you don’t mind s*xy spoilers…)

I really enjoyed the characterization of both main characters, and I especially loved their dynamic. It was so hard to put down… I’m not actually sure I did put it down. The worst part was the cliffhanger at the end… I actually had to drop into the author’s DMs because I was just so devastated. On the bright side? The next book is coming out later this year, so I do not have to wait long. Thank goodness because I 100% need to know what happens next. This might just be the sapphic Mafia romance that gets me into Mafia romances.

(beware potential spoilers below)

Micro-tropes

✨ Power Dynamics

✨ Teasing

✨ Semi-Public

✨ M*sturbating (on the other side of the door)

✨ “Good girl”

✨ “Use your words.”

✨ Face f*cking

✨ Bondage

✨ Aftercare

✨ Overstimulation

✨ Sp*nking

✨ Topping the Top

Content Warnings

(may not be all inclusive)

arranged/forced marriage (lesbian to a man), racism, s*xism, homophobia, s*xual harassment/as*ault, violence, s*xually explicit content, kidnapping