Rating: 5 Stars

Publisher: Self-Published

Genre: Gay Romance/MM

Tags: Mafia, Darker Elements, Suspense

Length: 380 Kindle Pages 

Reviewer: Kazza

Purchase At: amazon, author’s page

Blurb:

During a glamorous mafia wedding in the Hamptons, Mob lawyer Carlo Bianchi’s life is turned upside down when he’s targeted by an assassin.

His savior? The last man he should want and the only one he’s been hooking up with lately: Nick Fontana, a merciless Morelli Family mobster with a heart of ice and a body so hot it’s the only thing that can make silver-tongued Carlo speechless.

Nick took a life to save Carlo’s, so in the tinder-box gathering of multiple crime Families, the wisest course of action seems to be to cover it up and keep very, very quiet.

But one lie leads to another.

And another.

And then a blackmailer strikes.

Trapped in their own web of lies, murder, and betrayal, Carlo and Nick set out for answers, their secret trysts threatening to destroy everything they’ve worked for–and Nick must unleash his most brutal skills to protect the only man who’s ever touched his hardened soul.

In a world where love is the ultimate liability, will their reckless affair be the kiss of death?

Review:

If danger could have a scent, it’s what I smell coming off Nick Fontana.

These books just keep getting more layered, and in the best possible way. I love a good world and this Mafia family saga delivers. In this series the romance is always treated with the utmost respect, the characters are addictive, and there’s also action. Greene always makes sure you get bang for your buck, every pun intended. This Mafia Family is intriguing and nuanced and there is always suspense for the MCs. Then there’s the overarching complexity of the Italian Morellis and the Irish Donovans. Plus there’s the Irish terrorist group, the IFF, the Clemenzas, and the Gees all ramping things up. War is on the way. Where New York was previously more settled, now it’s a powder keg. The tension is palpable. That Luca is a younger Don, gay, married to the flamboyant Finch Donovan, well, there are some people looking to test that relationship. 

In this instalment Carlo Bianchi, the lawyer to the Morelli Family, son of the managing owner of the Bianchi law firm, is in the Hampton’s as a last minute wedding invite. Carlo really doesn’t want to be there but all the Families are represented and they’re all big on respect. Things get a lot more interesting when Carlo spots Nick Fontana. Mmm, maybe he can have a bit of fun after all. They do hook up but things take a turn to the murderous. When the groom, Ray Gatti, a Guilano enforcer, turns up in Carlo’s room, Nick Fontana doesn’t like what’s happening – as in Gatti is trying to kill Carlo Bianchi – so he intervenes. Now they have a dead body of a rival Family to deal with. Can you say complications?  

Both of the MCs were so good. This book and the one prior – Seduced by a Sinner – are two excellent series books. I also enjoy seeing Finch with Luca throughout each and every book. However, Luca is in full Mob Boss mode in this book. We don’t get a sanitised version. He didn’t get to the head of the D’Amato Family for no reason. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that there’s a dark side to these Mafia Family MCs. It’s about enjoying the way they look out for their individual love interest. Luca’s love for Finch is a case in point, Nick Fontana’s here, but they’re gritty underneath.

I loved that Carlo was a talker who can literally talk himself into or out of anything. It helps when you’re primarily a criminal defence lawyer for a crime family. It definitely came in handy on occasion in this book. But the Bianchi law firm, which is Carlo’s father’s business, covers all aspects of the D’Amato’s interests. Bianchi Snr has a golden rule – no one in the firm gets involved sexually or romantically with their clients. Hmm, yeah. Okay. 

Power is sexy, after all. But Nick Fontana is powerful with or without a ring, with or without a weapon, with or without a senior Family position.

Nick is well respected within the D’Amato Family. Not only that, he’s liked by Luca D’Amato. They don’t always go hand-in-hand. But then there’s a bit of a hiccup – Nick goes against Luca’s request to stay away from Carlo Bianchi. Their casual arrangement just got more intense courtesy of Nick taking out Gatti. They try to stay away, Nick puts it out there, but they just can’t. Now there’s more feelings getting involved as Nick and Carlo attempt to find out what the fuck Gatti was up to. Was it about Carlo, because he rebuffed Gatti previously, or was it to do with the Morellis? Or another Family?

Nick and Carlo are good in bed with complimentary tastes. Nick has a ‘donkey dick’ – straight from Carlo’s mouth – and knows how to use it, and Carlo knows how to worship the hell out that big boy. They both enjoy some rough play as well.

The first slap of the belt across my ass makes me buck, but not because of the sting, just because I know Nick likes to watch me jump.

This pair is not unlike Luca and Finch. Nick names Carlo Harvard because of his law degree. It’s a common theme throughout the series, there’s a moniker given the love interest of the Mafia MC. Nick doesn’t have designs on being the Don but he’s looking to move up. He’s obviously street smarts and very unflappable. Carlo is quick on his feet, a lot like Finch. Together they make a good partnership. In the beginning Carlo wanted plausible deniability about Morelli business, and Nick was happy to oblige because he doesn’t talk about Family business. However, as they get closer, and Carlo has some realisations, they have a working relationship a lot like Luca and Finch. Being kept in the dark is not always helpful.

The expected Mob politics are ramping up. A few inter and intra Family games are being played. Nick and Carlo keep on track about Gatti, along some adjacent players. And, of course, a really good romance is at the beating heart of it all. I love the Morelli Family Series. I also love the latest Clemenza trilogy, it’s been good getting the lowdown on the Morelli’s for background info for that trilogy For Kissed by a Killer, it’s 5 Stars!