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Dark and Mafia Romances | Mini Romance Reviews

Dark and Mafia Romances | Mini Romance Reviews

December 23, 2021 Posted by angelreads Book Reviews 1 Comment

I haven’t posted reviews in a little while so I thought I would share some mini-reviews on recent romances that I have read. Today I’m sharing my thoughts on Liars (The Triad #2) by Dana Isaly and The Sweetest Oblivion (Made #1) by Danielle Lori.

I really enjoyed both of these books a lot.  They both have similar vibes but are also quite different from one another and that is why I really enjoyed them. 

Please check triggers for each of these books. They are both dark mafia romances and each has their own trigger warnings. Some include; kidnapping, murder, gun and knife violence, graphic sex scenes, dark violence and more.  

Liars (The Triad #2) by Dana Isaly

Pages: 208
Publish date: December 10th 2021
Publisher: –
ASIN: B094R92GLX
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU 

My boys found me, but a rift has formed.

Weeks ago I was steadily gaining their trust, finding my place in their lives and their beds. Now, it seems I’m the wedge driving the three of them apart.

I’ve been beaten, starved, and kept in the dark. All to come back to three men who can’t agree whether I’m an ally or a mole. But we have bigger problems to solve.

There’s a new player in the game.

The latest contender for the Dulca throne just so happens to be my favorite cousin. He was my best friend, my partner in crime. If I can get my boys to trust me long enough to keep them from starting a war, my family’s secret weapon could end up being the key to bringing our organizations together.

But I have no clue what Motshan is hiding up his sleeve, and we might not be able to come back from the carnage it could cause.

Liars:

I received an earc of Liars by Dana Isaly for review in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings. 

I didn’t know what to expect when I picked this one up. The first book finished on a cliffhanger and I didn’t know where the story was going to be taken. And it started with a bang. After Scarlet is kidnapped, her boys need to work together more than ever to figure out where she is. And when they find her, there are lots of things that are different. And some things that are very much the same.

Scarlet is still as fierce and sassy, but I really wished that we got to see her more vulnerable. It was like she recovered very quickly. We saw a few hints of it here and there. But I really wanted some more of it. But that wasn’t a major deal for me.

Sebastian, Tristan and Elliot are all very different and I think we really were able to see that again in Liars. Sebastian while a goff ball at times, is… I don’t even know how to say it. But I wouldn’t want to meet up anywhere. Tristan is calmer and you are able to see how much he does care for Scar. And then were is Elliot, who intrigued me from the get-go. But we really get to see more of him in this book and I kinda loved it.

The plot for this one was really interesting. And while for the most part I really did enjoy it, I just wanted a little more. I was just sitting on that edge and never really went all the way.

Overall I enjoyed reading Liars. I think it was a great sequel and I am so not ready for the next book, I want it already. But I am also so not ready for what is going to happen. If you are looking for a new dark mafia romance series, give this one a go. 

The Sweetest Oblivion (Made #1) by Danielle Lori

Pages: 384
Publish date: June 20th 2018
Publisher: –
ISBN: 9781721284443
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

She’s a romantic at heart, living in the most unromantic of worlds . . .

Nicknamed Sweet Abelli for her docile nature, Elena smiles on cue and has a charming response for everything. She’s the favored daughter, the perfect mafia principessa . . . or was.

Now, all she can see in the mirror’s reflection is blood staining her hands like crimson paint.

They say first impressions are everything . . .

In the murky waters of New York’s underworld, Elena’s sister is arranged to marry Nicolas Russo. A Made Man, a boss, a cheat—even measured against mafia standards. His reputation stretches far and wide and is darker than his black suits and ties. After his and Elena’s first encounter ends with an accidental glare on her part, she realizes he’s just as rude as he is handsome.

She doesn’t like the man or anything he stands for, though that doesn’t stop her heart from pattering like rain against glass when he’s near, nor the shiver that ghosts down her spine at the sound of his voice.

And he’s always near. Telling her what to do. Making her feel hotter than any future brother-in-law should. Elena may be the Sweet Abelli on the outside, but she’s beginning to learn she has a taste for the darkness, for rough hands, cigarettes, and whiskey-colored eyes. Having already escaped one scandal, however, she can hardly afford to be swept up in another.

Besides, even if he were hers, everyone knows you don’t fall in love with a Made Man . . . right?

The Sweetest Oblivion:

This book has been on my tbr for a while now. And I finally got around to it recently. The Sweetest Oblivion follows the daughter of a mafia head. But her sister is engaged to be married to Nicolas Russo, her life is once again thrown about. 

I enjoyed this more than I was planning on liking it. While I say this, I was expecting it to be a little darker. It’s a mafia romance and there are a lot of questionable things that do happen. It just wasn’t as dark as I heard it would be. I think the later books get a little darker. I’m really intrigued and cannot wait to read more. 

The romance in this one is intense but also so addicting. Elena and Nicolas are like fire and ice and it just works so well. I liked that there was heaps of tension between them, but it wasn’t instant love, attraction yes, love no. It really worked in this novel so well. 

I also enjoyed both Elena and Nicolas as characters. I didn’t fall in love with them, but I really enjoyed getting to see them fall for one another. Elena comes across as innocent at first, but she has been through and seen a lot. And she doesn’t take shit from anyone. She is just very sly about it and she works up to it slowly. Nicolas is harsh and tries to hide what every he is feeling, but he would do anything for Elena. And I mean anything. 

I’m really excited to continue with this series and read everyone else stories. I know they are going to be as intense, and excited as this one. Overall The Sweetest Oblivion was a great read. The romance was intense and hot, the plot made me want to keep on reading. And I am left wanting more from this world. While not as dark as some other mafia books I’ve read, it does have its triggers. 

And there we go. Those are my thoughts on recent dark, mafica romances that I have read. Have you picked up these books yet/ Are you planning to? What are some books that you’ve read recently and enjoyed? Let’s Chat!  

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  • taylor @ readwithtay
    · Reply

    December 24, 2021 at 4:34 AM

    Ahhh The Sweetest Oblivion is sooo high up on my TBR! I’m really hoping to get to it in 2022, I haven’t read a dark romance/mafia book before so I’m excited. Loved this post! 😊

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book blogger 💻| romance books 💜| bookseller 📖
💌 angel@angelreads.com
📚53/150

April was a very good reading month for me, especi April was a very good reading month for me, especially after last month. I had some really fantastic reads in April. I did do a lot of re-reading this month but I had such blast. I re-read Caught Up and Play Along and the first 4 books in the Ironside Academy series. 📚

I read some books that I’ve been waiting for including the new book from Kels and Denise Stone, as well as the new Tessa Hale. ✨

Overall it was such a good month, lots of binge reading series and starting on some new authors. I’m so excited to see what May brings. 🖤

What was your favourite book that you read in April? 

🏷️ 
#romancebooks #bookstagram  #romancereads #angelreads #bookblogger #spicybooks #romancereader #romance #smut #recentreads #aprilreads #aprilwrapup
IT’S RACE WEEK! 🏎️ If you didn’t know al IT’S RACE WEEK! 🏎️

If you didn’t know already I love F1, have ever since I was younger and decided that this year it would be fun to combined my love for F1 and reading together. 📚

After a week off we are back at it. We are in Miami this week’s and things are only just heating up. This week I’m reading Falling Off the Cliff  Kanitha P.

…

Formula 1 legend in the making and rising star Thiago Valencia is chasing redemption as well as his second World Champion title. With a tarnished reputation and an undetermined future in F1 that hangs by a terribly loose thread, he can’t afford to lose his seat. Thiago is ready to do anything to redeem himself and erase his past mistakes. When a mysterious woman intrudes on his private party in Monte Carlo, he is certain the universe has brought his polar opposite into his life as salvation. He is sunshine, she is moonlight; he is a bright star and she is a moonbeam.

Destiny takes the wheel, steering Kamari into Thiago’s orbit, but her open disdain and closely guarded heart warn her to stay away. Enchanted by her charms, Thiago is intent on melting her freezing barriers and tearing down the walls shielding her heart.

When Kamari agrees to help him save his future by being his fake girlfriend, the unexpected happens, triggered by a game of lies, secrets and desire.

As they plunge towards the finish line, the race veers offtrack and neither of them are ready to fall off the cliff.
… 

How Race Week Reads Will Work 

On Monday of race week I’ll announce the book I’ll be reading for the week, then throughout the week I’ll be posting stories and my thoughts. And then on Sunday, race day my review and final thoughts will go up.

🏷️ 
#romancebooks #bookstagram  #romancereads #angelreads #bookblogger #spicybooks #romancereader #romance #f1 #formula1 #ausgp #raceweekreads #f1romance #sportsromance #fallingoffthecliff #kanithap #fullthrottle
A little late but I am finally getting to share Ra A little late but I am finally getting to share Race 5’s Race Week Reads review. This week I read, Downforce (Pit Lane #1) by Hannah Lily.

🏎️ Review 🏎️

I had so much fun reading this book. I knew I was in for a ride as soon as I started Downforce. It was entertaining, fun, and I just had a good time reading it. And while it does explore some heavy topics, I don’t think it took away from the fun nature of the book.

Right from the start, we can see the tension between F1 Presenter, Olivia Fraser and F1 Driver, Jonah Scott. And while silly at times, it was fun seeing them interact together. Both really didn’t like each other. They both had said things about and to one another that sometimes it caused chaos. And I was here for it.

I did find that at times, just silly things happened. I am not a massive rom-com reader, and there was a lot of falling into one another, and arguments stemmed from nothing. This is honestly just because I don’t like these types of scenes, but it didn’t really make me dislike the book at all.

I loved the whole road trip aspect of the book, it’s different from other F1 books I’ve read so far this year and just made for some interesting banter and lust. I do wish that the road trip was a little longer than it was because I did feel like the romance moved pretty quickly here, but again, it didn’t really affect how much I was enjoying the book.

The romance was this combination of being slow burn and full of angst right at the start, to the road trip happening and then bam. But I loved it, though. The banter between Olivia and Jonah was fantastic. I loved seeing them grow not only with one another but with themselves as well.

Overall, I had a great time reading Downforce and will be continuing the series for sure when the other books come out. The romance was angsty and just felt right. The found family aspect really worked well here, and the F1 aspects were pretty okay. Not the best I’ve seen, but not the worst either. If you are looking for a fun read that has a great romance and a little rom-comy, then pick this one up.
I’ve already had a pretty amazing reading year. I’ve already had a pretty amazing reading year. There have been so many books that I have enjoyed but there are some that I have just loved. 🖤

I didn’t realise before I put this post together that all of these books are from authors I’ve read and loved before. There hasn’t been a Rebecca Yarros book that I haven’t rated under 4 Stars. Elsie Silver is just making me love everything that she writes. Wild and Wrangled may be my favourite in the series. 📖

Three rereads also made it to this list. Binding 13 still makes me gasp and smile all at the same time. And Caught Up and Play Along just hit every time. 📚

I’ve honestly had a great year so far and since making this post a few more books I’ve read I’ve ended up loving. It’s going to be hard to pick my favourites at the end of the year that is for sure. ✨

What books have you loved reading this year? Are any books that made my list on yours? Let me know! 

🏷️ 
#romancebooks #bookstagram  #romancereads #angelreads #bookblogger #spicybooks #romancereader #romance #smut #recentreads #2025favourites #onyxstorm #wildside  #binding13 #caughtup #wildandwrangled
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