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Giovanna
Overlooked as her father’s heir, Giovanna dedicates herself to supporting her hedonistic playboy brother as the new mafia boss. Loyal and stoic, Giovanna puts the famiglia before all else, but when she meets the woman her brother is being forced to marry it feels like fate is screwing her again. Torn between commitment to her family and an all-consuming obsession with her brother’s reluctant fiancée, Giovanna is faced with the temptation to put herself first for once...
Sent away to the other side of the world by parents who didn’t know how to deal with her trauma, Francesca is summoned home eight years later and told she is to marry Sydney’s new mafia boss. Devastated at the prospect of the arranged marriage and her fiancé’s philandering reputation, Francesca turns to her soon-to-be sister-in-law. It’s been eight years since she saw Giovanna but she is no less incurably infatuated with her than when she was shipped off at sixteen. The famiglia ’s mafia power struggles are nothing compared to the battles Giovanna and Francesca wage internally over their feelings for each other. Giovanna proves time and again that she will do anything to protect her brother’s fiancée but is she willing to take what’s hers?
TW: sexual assault (not described), violence, torture, explicit spice (1 MF and multiple FF), profanity.
Sent away to the other side of the world by parents who didn’t know how to deal with her trauma, Francesca is summoned home eight years later and told she is to marry Sydney’s new mafia boss. Devastated at the prospect of the arranged marriage and her fiancé’s philandering reputation, Francesca turns to her soon-to-be sister-in-law. It’s been eight years since she saw Giovanna but she is no less incurably infatuated with her than when she was shipped off at sixteen. The famiglia ’s mafia power struggles are nothing compared to the battles Giovanna and Francesca wage internally over their feelings for each other. Giovanna proves time and again that she will do anything to protect her brother’s fiancée but is she willing to take what’s hers?
TW: sexual assault (not described), violence, torture, explicit spice (1 MF and multiple FF), profanity.
397 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 17, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
July 10, 2023
The Don of the Marino mafia family is retiring. His eldest son, Elio, is all about parties and women in his bed. Giovanna, his eldest daughter has been at his side learning the family business from an early age. Yet there is no way Giovanna could become the head of the family because of the old world misogynistic views held by those in power. The only answer is for Elio to marry and settle down into his role as the puppet Don and have Giovanna pull his strings and run the business. The only problem is that Francesca, the chosen wife to be, has been secretly in love with Giovanna since she was a child. After an extended absence, Francesca returns to the family home a grown women. Giovanna falls heads over heels for Francesca but holds herself back for the sake of the family.
As a first novel from Victoria Arrow, Giovanna hits all the right notes for a mafia romance. Family power plays, politics and murders are combined with a slow burn romance which will set your hair on fire. I could not put this novel down. My issues are a little bit of story repetition when the plot moved into romance mode near the end of the novel and the over use of the word cunt to denigrate a person. But besides this, the action is nonstop with multiple plot twists. Giovanna is an exciting and entertaining read.
I received an advance review copy from BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
As a first novel from Victoria Arrow, Giovanna hits all the right notes for a mafia romance. Family power plays, politics and murders are combined with a slow burn romance which will set your hair on fire. I could not put this novel down. My issues are a little bit of story repetition when the plot moved into romance mode near the end of the novel and the over use of the word cunt to denigrate a person. But besides this, the action is nonstop with multiple plot twists. Giovanna is an exciting and entertaining read.
I received an advance review copy from BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 20, 2023
Absolutely fucking fantastic debut novel !!!!
Raw dark, action packed sexy AF, hot Mafia
romance🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Giovanna …..sweet Jesus 🥵
Love the Marino Famiglia.
Francesca And G’s intense connection ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Highly recommend!
Raw dark, action packed sexy AF, hot Mafia
romance🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Giovanna …..sweet Jesus 🥵
Love the Marino Famiglia.
Francesca And G’s intense connection ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Highly recommend!
May 14, 2023
Mamma Mia! What a ride.
Between sexual tension, power play, trauma, action, violence, and sex, this book is just a page turner.
The flashbacks of some key moments of both Giovanna and Francesca's lives helped us understand better both women.
I really love first person point of view that makes it more immersive to me. I really felt Francesca distress of being just a powerless pawn in her own life, the only thing giving her some peace is Massimo, her best friend, and being able to navigate in Giovanna's orbite.
I also felt the weight of responsibility on Giovanna's shoulders : she puts her families and her responbilities first, even if being a woman prevents her from taking what is supposed to be hers. Arrow really wrote well the turmoil, and the lost of control she feels with this magnetic attraction she has with Francesca. She is ruthless and charismatic.
Be warned, this book is not the fluffy kind, characters have blood on their hands as it should be in a mafia family.
If that doesn't make you shy away, let Arrow take you on that tornado, where passion, love and violence merge in a feral and raw way.
Transitions between scenes were sometimes not clear enough for me and I had to double read but overall this debut novel is a great one.
It's the first of a serie with four books. The ending gives you a closure. The others will be centered on Giovanna's brothers and I will definitely read them even if they aren't sapphic (yes I am that hooked).
Trigger warning: sexual abuse, violence
Between sexual tension, power play, trauma, action, violence, and sex, this book is just a page turner.
The flashbacks of some key moments of both Giovanna and Francesca's lives helped us understand better both women.
I really love first person point of view that makes it more immersive to me. I really felt Francesca distress of being just a powerless pawn in her own life, the only thing giving her some peace is Massimo, her best friend, and being able to navigate in Giovanna's orbite.
I also felt the weight of responsibility on Giovanna's shoulders : she puts her families and her responbilities first, even if being a woman prevents her from taking what is supposed to be hers. Arrow really wrote well the turmoil, and the lost of control she feels with this magnetic attraction she has with Francesca. She is ruthless and charismatic.
Be warned, this book is not the fluffy kind, characters have blood on their hands as it should be in a mafia family.
If that doesn't make you shy away, let Arrow take you on that tornado, where passion, love and violence merge in a feral and raw way.
Transitions between scenes were sometimes not clear enough for me and I had to double read but overall this debut novel is a great one.
It's the first of a serie with four books. The ending gives you a closure. The others will be centered on Giovanna's brothers and I will definitely read them even if they aren't sapphic (yes I am that hooked).
Trigger warning: sexual abuse, violence
June 7, 2023
From the get go you are immersed in the machinations of a mafia family. the power grabs, deals with officials, debt settling, death, darkness, cruelty and family honor. The power behind the Marino Famiglia (as bestowed by the Don) is daughter Giovanna who lives and breathes famiglia and all it entails. Her playboy brother Elio, the designated Don is but a male figurehead. To strengthen ties between the Marino family and their consigliere, Francesca Rossi is promised to Elio as his bride. The families have been close for years and therein lies the pull of attraction, lust and then love between Giovanna and Francesca.
This is a fast paced, raw storyline with sex, vengeance and retribution intertwined with family honor and the eventual rise of a new Don.
A bit of back and forth with the time line but it didn't affect the plot for me.
This is a fast paced, raw storyline with sex, vengeance and retribution intertwined with family honor and the eventual rise of a new Don.
A bit of back and forth with the time line but it didn't affect the plot for me.
July 16, 2023
Typical Mafia story with lots of family loyalty and violence. But this one has a strong, bad ass female Don. Good debut book by a new author. I’ll be reading more of her work in the future. And I look forward to the next installment on the Marino family.
July 10, 2023
4 Stars - decent queer mob romance
Not perfect but there are so few sapphic mob stories that I will take any I can get and this one is pretty good. The smokin' chemistry between the leads worked for me. I thought all their scenes together were hot.
If you are a deep thinker while reading this book might start to drive you a little crazy, but if you can skim along and accept with is happening it's an enjoyable dark/action/romance. I will say that using poor Francesca repeatedly as the damsel in distress for Gio to save got a bit old. I do enjoy that trope but it was a lot.
Also, it's the mafia so be prepared for patriarchy, toxic masculinity, and men being protected at the expense of women. We do get justice in the end but it takes a bit to get there.
All in all I enjoyed this book and would 100% read another book by the author.
Not perfect but there are so few sapphic mob stories that I will take any I can get and this one is pretty good. The smokin' chemistry between the leads worked for me. I thought all their scenes together were hot.
If you are a deep thinker while reading this book might start to drive you a little crazy, but if you can skim along and accept with is happening it's an enjoyable dark/action/romance. I will say that using poor Francesca repeatedly as the damsel in distress for Gio to save got a bit old. I do enjoy that trope but it was a lot.
Also, it's the mafia so be prepared for patriarchy, toxic masculinity, and men being protected at the expense of women. We do get justice in the end but it takes a bit to get there.
All in all I enjoyed this book and would 100% read another book by the author.
January 10, 2024
This is the first in a series of siblings. Elio’s book is most likely gonna be a heterosexual (idk maybe not) relationship but I definitely need to know who tamed him because damn he was wild in this book.
Oh I definitely recommend this book. Very tamed mafia book in my opinion, nothing too crazy, good writing, it didn’t try to be something that it wasn’t.
Shocked this was a debut by how smooth it ran
Oh I definitely recommend this book. Very tamed mafia book in my opinion, nothing too crazy, good writing, it didn’t try to be something that it wasn’t.
Shocked this was a debut by how smooth it ran
June 25, 2023
I read this book when I was in Sydney for work this week. It felt like the perfect accompaniment, seeing as though it is also set in Sydney. Although I was crazy busy with work commitments, I couldn't help but try to carve out as much time to read Giovanna as possible. I was completely absorbed in this crazy underground Mafia world where Giovanna and Francesca are star crossed lovers. It was intense to say the least!
This book is a debut and although it's not perfect, it is completely engaging from start to finish. Both characters have so much depth to them and the storyline had so many twists and turns. Also, the intimacy scenes are amazing and also unique. A hard feat in lesfic I think!
Just a word of warning - this book has some seriously heavy topics and I highly recommend reading the content/trigger warnings before picking this one up. Also, if you aren't into violence - then this wouldn't be for you.
Hats off to Victoria Arrow for a great debut. I'll be reading her next one for sure!
Many thanks to BookSirens and Victoria Arrow for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a debut and although it's not perfect, it is completely engaging from start to finish. Both characters have so much depth to them and the storyline had so many twists and turns. Also, the intimacy scenes are amazing and also unique. A hard feat in lesfic I think!
Just a word of warning - this book has some seriously heavy topics and I highly recommend reading the content/trigger warnings before picking this one up. Also, if you aren't into violence - then this wouldn't be for you.
Hats off to Victoria Arrow for a great debut. I'll be reading her next one for sure!
Many thanks to BookSirens and Victoria Arrow for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
August 11, 2024
4 Stars
I enjoyed the Australianess of the book, the little bits here and there, it made me smile while reading.
I appreciate the deep dive in the family dynamics of the Marinos. I think it was carefully written, highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of Giovanna, Francesca and Elleo so that the reader could see all of them and not just the negative side of the character. The author didn’t shy away from what that lifestyle entailed - torture, intimidation, murder, rape. It was nice not to be sheltered as a reader.
As Mafia stories go, Giovanna was entertaining and memorable for me.
I enjoyed the Australianess of the book, the little bits here and there, it made me smile while reading.
I appreciate the deep dive in the family dynamics of the Marinos. I think it was carefully written, highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of Giovanna, Francesca and Elleo so that the reader could see all of them and not just the negative side of the character. The author didn’t shy away from what that lifestyle entailed - torture, intimidation, murder, rape. It was nice not to be sheltered as a reader.
As Mafia stories go, Giovanna was entertaining and memorable for me.
January 1, 2024
3 ★ | My favourite sapphic mafia romance to date. This being the only one I’ve read. Anyway, I digress.
First of all, I DO NOT think the sexual relationship between the MF was necessary and it slightly ruined my investment in G and Fran. Your brothers had sex with your girlfriend / future wife. Is it just me or???? Something isn’t right there. It just doesn’t make sense why it was included? In my opinion it just wasn’t necessary. And I didn’t like it. AT ALL.
Furthermore the relationship Fran and G had when they were younger was VEEEEERY SUS. To say the least. As in, call the police sus. She used to baby sit her???? Like…. I was knocked for six when I heard that. Not only that but that Fran saw her use a strap on some woman when she was a kid? Give me strength! What an earth was the author thinking?! It came across predatory and as if there was a power imbalance due to idolising a caregiver.
Francesca goes through a lot of trauma and dark topics. It’s an angsty book for sure. The chemistry is there, but the arranged marriage gets in the way indefinitely. And once given a chance to flourish without obstacles, the love Fran and G share is beautiful. Worth a read and finally has a HEA.
First of all, I DO NOT think the sexual relationship between the MF was necessary and it slightly ruined my investment in G and Fran. Your brothers had sex with your girlfriend / future wife. Is it just me or???? Something isn’t right there. It just doesn’t make sense why it was included? In my opinion it just wasn’t necessary. And I didn’t like it. AT ALL.
Furthermore the relationship Fran and G had when they were younger was VEEEEERY SUS. To say the least. As in, call the police sus. She used to baby sit her???? Like…. I was knocked for six when I heard that. Not only that but that Fran saw her use a strap on some woman when she was a kid? Give me strength! What an earth was the author thinking?! It came across predatory and as if there was a power imbalance due to idolising a caregiver.
Francesca goes through a lot of trauma and dark topics. It’s an angsty book for sure. The chemistry is there, but the arranged marriage gets in the way indefinitely. And once given a chance to flourish without obstacles, the love Fran and G share is beautiful. Worth a read and finally has a HEA.
July 19, 2023
Look I get it,we don't get a lot of Sapphic dark romances books,even less mafia books.But do we have to hype everything up now?😭(if you liked it that's fine,I just can't understand how)
I've read a lot of mafia books,and this was like my least favourites things all going on a book.
This book is sapphic but felt homophobic 💀it gived me so many straight vibes.
I literally hate the way they were trying to put down the other people in the LGBTQ community because "omg stereotypes " ,stfu you aren't better because you don't have blue hair🤦♀️(*I don't have blue hair*)
But besides how this made my eyes roll at the representation ,it wasn't the only time.
The nerve of Francesca to talk about self respect in the beginning of the book,but then literally proving the opposite is concerning.
I can't find their relationship romantic most of times because it's still hard to get used to the idea that Giovanna was there seeing Francesca as a BABY and had a role in her growing up,and now what?!?!they're soulmates?!?
Francesca needed to get the fuck out of that country run for her life from everyone in that book
Also as if everything wasn't bad already, the fact that Giovanna didn't even growled after messing it up so bad it's unsettling 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️💀💀💀💀💀🙏🙏🙏🙏
I've read a lot of mafia books,and this was like my least favourites things all going on a book.
This book is sapphic but felt homophobic 💀it gived me so many straight vibes.
I literally hate the way they were trying to put down the other people in the LGBTQ community because "omg stereotypes " ,stfu you aren't better because you don't have blue hair🤦♀️(*I don't have blue hair*)
But besides how this made my eyes roll at the representation ,it wasn't the only time.
The nerve of Francesca to talk about self respect in the beginning of the book,but then literally proving the opposite is concerning.
I can't find their relationship romantic most of times because it's still hard to get used to the idea that Giovanna was there seeing Francesca as a BABY and had a role in her growing up,and now what?!?!they're soulmates?!?
Francesca needed to get the fuck out of that country run for her life from everyone in that book
Also as if everything wasn't bad already, the fact that Giovanna didn't even growled after messing it up so bad it's unsettling 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️💀💀💀💀💀🙏🙏🙏🙏
Shelved as 'dnf'
April 4, 2024DNF. I’m sorry but the writing in this is so bad. Amateurish and awkward prose with run-on sentences, shoddy punctuation and repetitive phrasing that is also being expository as fuck. Not for me, sadly—if the writing quality (or lack thereof) keeps taking me out of the story when I’m trying to be immersed, then I can’t finish it. I don’t want the writing to be some literary masterpiece, I just want it to be readable enough 😔
January 4, 2024
I was going to give this 3-stars but then realised I was being a hypocrite. I’m always saying if you read the blurb and don’t like the content, don’t read it and then take that out on the book. I don’t care for mafia stuff but the book was recommended so… The characters were well-drawn and they had their HEA. It was set in Sydney, had a solid plot and was well-written. And it certainly was ‘mafia of the very genuine variety’. If you like mafia stories I’m sure you’ll enjoy this book.
December 29, 2023
I got this book as a Christmas gift and I DEVOURED it in a day. This is the debut novel from Victoria Arrow and I'm absolutely blown away by this story. I love a good dark romance and this was one of my first sapphic mafia romances and the bar has been set very high going forward.
Francesca has been obsessed with Giovanna since she was a child and Giovanna was a teenager. There's a 14-year age gap between the two. When Franchesca is brought home by her father to marry Elio, Giovanna's brother, sparks fly- but not between the betrothed couple. As soon as Giovanna sees Francesca all grown up - she's drawn to her- but in no way like a sister-in-law.
This book was intense from beginning to end. The chemistry between Giovanna and Francesca was explosive. Franchesca is at the mercy of her family's decisions and is still a firecracker. Arrow wrote a wonderfully complex character with so many layers that emerge throughout the book. She's precious but fierce. Giovanna is oh my god hold me tight and never let go hot. JEEEEEZZZZ. Her discipline and dedication to her family (even as they oppose her desires) are incredible. She puts up a pretty good fight on her attraction and pull to Francesca, the weight of her family on her shoulders.
The pull between these two is tangible and so incredibly hot.
This is a book with some really heavy topics. The author outlines them at the beginning of the book so if there's a trigger warning that concerns you, pay attention. There's violence and death with mention of sexual assault (not featured on the page).
Arrow takes you on a wild ride through Sydney's dark side, a very complex mafia political power dynamics, and the concept of family honor and following your heart.
This is the first of the series. It looks as though it'll go through each of the Marino siblings. I'll definitely be reading them (even though I think this will be the only sapphic one) when they're released. The story just grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go.
Francesca has been obsessed with Giovanna since she was a child and Giovanna was a teenager. There's a 14-year age gap between the two. When Franchesca is brought home by her father to marry Elio, Giovanna's brother, sparks fly- but not between the betrothed couple. As soon as Giovanna sees Francesca all grown up - she's drawn to her- but in no way like a sister-in-law.
This book was intense from beginning to end. The chemistry between Giovanna and Francesca was explosive. Franchesca is at the mercy of her family's decisions and is still a firecracker. Arrow wrote a wonderfully complex character with so many layers that emerge throughout the book. She's precious but fierce. Giovanna is oh my god hold me tight and never let go hot. JEEEEEZZZZ. Her discipline and dedication to her family (even as they oppose her desires) are incredible. She puts up a pretty good fight on her attraction and pull to Francesca, the weight of her family on her shoulders.
The pull between these two is tangible and so incredibly hot.
This is a book with some really heavy topics. The author outlines them at the beginning of the book so if there's a trigger warning that concerns you, pay attention. There's violence and death with mention of sexual assault (not featured on the page).
Arrow takes you on a wild ride through Sydney's dark side, a very complex mafia political power dynamics, and the concept of family honor and following your heart.
This is the first of the series. It looks as though it'll go through each of the Marino siblings. I'll definitely be reading them (even though I think this will be the only sapphic one) when they're released. The story just grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go.
January 1, 2024
What a pleasant reading. Yes, it has angst but keeps you hooked always eager for more.
Fantastic
Fantastic
June 18, 2023
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Great story, good writing, and a very interesting plot. The story revolves around the Australian Mafia and tells of love and conflict in the world of the familgia. Giovanna and Francesca have grown up in this intense criminal world all of their lives but who will Giovanna choose the familgia or the love of her life?
If you liked The Godfather then this sapphic version is well worth the read.
Great story, good writing, and a very interesting plot. The story revolves around the Australian Mafia and tells of love and conflict in the world of the familgia. Giovanna and Francesca have grown up in this intense criminal world all of their lives but who will Giovanna choose the familgia or the love of her life?
If you liked The Godfather then this sapphic version is well worth the read.
December 16, 2024
Right, so this 5 star rating is heavily influenced by the fact that I stayed up all night reading this and am currently slightly delirious due to sleep deprivation
I was looking for a smutty fem4butch novel with a semi high stakes plot to keep my attention and boy did this deliver!!
It’s a maffia romance starring a hot butch lesbian- I just couldn’t resist ok??
There’s definitely some things that I didn’t love (for one, there’s a FxM sex scene that in my opinion could’ve just not happened) and the age gap power imbalance relationship between the two main characters is a bit questionable at times, but it’s a dark romance and it’s something I’m willing to overlook bc apparently I have no morals (when it comes to sapphic maffia romance).
Anyway if anyone has any recommendations for books like this please let me know😂
I was looking for a smutty fem4butch novel with a semi high stakes plot to keep my attention and boy did this deliver!!
It’s a maffia romance starring a hot butch lesbian- I just couldn’t resist ok??
There’s definitely some things that I didn’t love (for one, there’s a FxM sex scene that in my opinion could’ve just not happened) and the age gap power imbalance relationship between the two main characters is a bit questionable at times, but it’s a dark romance and it’s something I’m willing to overlook bc apparently I have no morals (when it comes to sapphic maffia romance).
Anyway if anyone has any recommendations for books like this please let me know😂
May 7, 2023
Firstly thank you Victoria for the opportunity to read this ARC, it was an honour. 😍
Wow, just wow, what an amazing book! The whole book was addictive and I couldn't put it down! The chemistry between Giovanna and Francesca was undeniable, they are drawn to each other and so fucking HOT when they finally get together.
I LOVED the story, the whole mafia family and bower dynamics in the Famiglia are palpable and hugely entertaining, I loved all the characters in the book they have their own individual troubles but as a family, they stick with each other, and have each other backs they only get when you are as close as they are.
Such an epic book there are so many words to use to describe the book but Absolutely fucking EPIC is definitely how I would describe it. I can't wait to read more from the Marino Famiglia!
I highly recommend this book.
⚠️Trigger warnings: Sexual Assault (no details). Violence. Death. Guns. Knives. Bloodshed ⚠️
Star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating. 🔥🔥🔥
Wow, just wow, what an amazing book! The whole book was addictive and I couldn't put it down! The chemistry between Giovanna and Francesca was undeniable, they are drawn to each other and so fucking HOT when they finally get together.
I LOVED the story, the whole mafia family and bower dynamics in the Famiglia are palpable and hugely entertaining, I loved all the characters in the book they have their own individual troubles but as a family, they stick with each other, and have each other backs they only get when you are as close as they are.
Such an epic book there are so many words to use to describe the book but Absolutely fucking EPIC is definitely how I would describe it. I can't wait to read more from the Marino Famiglia!
I highly recommend this book.
⚠️Trigger warnings: Sexual Assault (no details). Violence. Death. Guns. Knives. Bloodshed ⚠️
Star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating. 🔥🔥🔥
June 15, 2023
Listen! This book has it ALL! You want mafia boss, mafia brat, love, angst, family, dark romance? This is your book! I devoured this book in a couple days, it keeps you on the edge of what will happen next, you lose time reading it. I would definitely check trigger warnings before reading because it does touch on a few dark subjects. Highly recommend you put this book on your TBR!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank You BookSirens!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank You BookSirens!
June 27, 2023
Victoria Arrow has written an incredible first book in the Marino Famiglia series. It’s deep, dark, raw, and powerful. Our main characters Giovanna and Francesca’s present are interwoven with flashbacks to the past which helps readers more fully understand who they are. It’s not often you come across a book that is told from three characters’ first-person points of view and with this one, Arrow expertly crafts this tale through their experiences. Arrow’s descriptive details are pivotal to grasping the full picture of life in a mafia family. There were scenes that actually left me breathless and I found myself constantly hanging on every word. Immersed isn’t a strong enough word to describe how invested I was with Giovanna and Francesca’s heartwrenching story.
Check out my full review at www.thelesbianreview.com
Check out my full review at www.thelesbianreview.com
June 12, 2023
I really enjoyed this! This is a sapphic mafia romance set in Australia and it definitely met all my expectations. The setting was great, and the characters were all fun and I loved reading their relationships. Even the side characters were really great and interesting. This was so filled with angst, excitement, and drama I couldn’t put it down. This is definitely one of my favorite reads this month.
June 1, 2023
A mafia patriarch retires to allow his two children to succeed him. His son is the figurehead, while his daughter pulls the strings. In order to cement their legacy, the father arranges a marriage between his playboy son and the daughter of his closest associate. Emotions run high when neither wants the marriage. The young woman is forced into an engagement she doesn't want, and to top it off, her lifelong crush is her soon-to-be sister-in-law.
From beginning to end, this book was a wild ride, and I loved seeing how Giovanna and Francesca's relationship grew; even when it was falling apart. I appreciated the flashbacks to add context, and they really tied the story together nicely.
Overall rating:���️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: 5/5
Prose: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I received this as an ARC, and I'm voluntarily leaving this review.
From beginning to end, this book was a wild ride, and I loved seeing how Giovanna and Francesca's relationship grew; even when it was falling apart. I appreciated the flashbacks to add context, and they really tied the story together nicely.
Overall rating:���️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: 5/5
Prose: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I received this as an ARC, and I'm voluntarily leaving this review.
Want to read
June 26, 2023I really want to read this, but i kinda wanna wait for the rest of the series 😭😭.
November 30, 2023
One word for Francesca: Run
Expectations:
* Sweet story about people who deal with violence and crime falling in love.
* Possibly a friends-to-lovers but within the very patriarchal structures of the mafia
* A reasonable age gap, hero worship turns to love
What I got:
* Francesca being treated like an object to be passed around between this one mafia family with the intended love interest doing literally nothing about it, despite having a large amount of power and influence within the family and basically heading it in the shadows
* Literally no actual problems with a female lesbian head of the Mafia family so no conflict, despite it being treated as something that couldn't possibly be changed
* Francesca being subjected to literally every possible kind of emotional and physical abuse or the threat of it to move the plot along. Genuinely, around the 70% mark, I nearly DNF this book because . At this point the constant threats to Francesca's safety and autonomy just devolve into trauma porn for the sake of eliciting emotions from other characters, including her love interest who inflicts some of this emotional trauma and stands by doing absolutely nothing unless her life is in danger.
* An incredibly unsatisfying love story because Giovanna treats Francesca incredibly poorly on purpose and Francesca immediately forgives her and falls into her arms every time the opportunity comes up. Absolutely ridiculous the amount of abuse this poor girl puts up with.
* The age gap is significant, which is not a deal breaker in itself (Gio is sixteen when Francesca is a toddler, and in the present day Giovanna is nearly forty while Francesca is twenty-four), but we have multiple flashbacks of Gio taking care of the kids, which includes Francesca since she's legally an adult in her twenties. It feels weirdly groomer-ish when this actual child you took care of when you were an adult hero worships you and then wants a relationship with you, and you're interested because they're an adult now and hot. Very iffy dynamic.
Anyway, not my bag at all, unfortunately.
Expectations:
* Sweet story about people who deal with violence and crime falling in love.
* Possibly a friends-to-lovers but within the very patriarchal structures of the mafia
* A reasonable age gap, hero worship turns to love
What I got:
* Francesca being treated like an object to be passed around between this one mafia family with the intended love interest doing literally nothing about it, despite having a large amount of power and influence within the family and basically heading it in the shadows
* Literally no actual problems with a female lesbian head of the Mafia family so no conflict, despite it being treated as something that couldn't possibly be changed
* Francesca being subjected to literally every possible kind of emotional and physical abuse or the threat of it to move the plot along. Genuinely, around the 70% mark, I nearly DNF this book because . At this point the constant threats to Francesca's safety and autonomy just devolve into trauma porn for the sake of eliciting emotions from other characters, including her love interest who inflicts some of this emotional trauma and stands by doing absolutely nothing unless her life is in danger.
* An incredibly unsatisfying love story because Giovanna treats Francesca incredibly poorly on purpose and Francesca immediately forgives her and falls into her arms every time the opportunity comes up. Absolutely ridiculous the amount of abuse this poor girl puts up with.
* The age gap is significant, which is not a deal breaker in itself (Gio is sixteen when Francesca is a toddler, and in the present day Giovanna is nearly forty while Francesca is twenty-four), but we have multiple flashbacks of Gio taking care of the kids, which includes Francesca since she's legally an adult in her twenties. It feels weirdly groomer-ish when this actual child you took care of when you were an adult hero worships you and then wants a relationship with you, and you're interested because they're an adult now and hot. Very iffy dynamic.
Anyway, not my bag at all, unfortunately.
Shelved as 'dnf'
June 4, 2023i understand this is a ff book with bi and lesbian representation, and being attracted to men doesn’t make bi/pan women any less valid in their queerness. my issue is that this romance is marketed as sapphic which entails our experience, our community as women who love women and other identities who relate and identify with womanhood. therefore, for there to be a mf smut scene in it and the way that encounter came to happen triggered me.
June 17, 2023
Writing this (my very first) book was such a learning experience for me but I enjoyed every moment of it. I hope my readers enjoy reading it at least half as much.
Available from: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0C44DL5R1
Available from: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0C44DL5R1
January 19, 2024
i felt a little grooming energy here and i did not like that… however very fanfic type of book
October 16, 2023
Ahhh what an amazing steamy, thrilling, contemporary lesbian mafia romance!!
I am obsessed with the titular protagonist Giovanna. She's an eldest daughter of a mafia family, a butch lesbian, smart and ruthless and perfectly in control. In fact, she would be the perfect choice for the next Don if only she weren't a woman... that's why her younger brother inherits the seat instead. Her younger brother who's a total playboy, who doesn't want this position, and who basically relies on her for everything... oh, and he's in an arranged marriage with Francesca, a girl who's been in love with Giovanna since she was a kid.
Admittedly the beginning was very slow and overly focused on the over the top family slash relationship drama (Francesca's fiance literally thinks with his dick. The man has no proper brain), but I had a lot more fun once the actual dark mafia subplots came in and Giovanna showed off her violent, badass, protective nature ❤️ This book is so well-written... Even all the smut scenes were great.
Unfortunately my least favorite part was her love interest Francesca... the girl was so annoying... I know she's traumatized and forced into a marriage she doesn't want but holy shit her whininess drove me insane lol.
Giovanna: Ok we'll sleep together but I'm sorry, we can't actually be together tomorrow morning
Francesca: that's okay
Giovanna, the next day: we can't actually be together
Francesca: you lying bitch!!
Girl, Giovanna spends the entire book warning you lmao and you refuse to listen... then she does some Really Dumb Stuff and turns into a damsel in distress... drove me insane
Despite that, this is an excellent book. Sapphic mafia romance is so rare... I am appeased.
I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I am obsessed with the titular protagonist Giovanna. She's an eldest daughter of a mafia family, a butch lesbian, smart and ruthless and perfectly in control. In fact, she would be the perfect choice for the next Don if only she weren't a woman... that's why her younger brother inherits the seat instead. Her younger brother who's a total playboy, who doesn't want this position, and who basically relies on her for everything... oh, and he's in an arranged marriage with Francesca, a girl who's been in love with Giovanna since she was a kid.
Admittedly the beginning was very slow and overly focused on the over the top family slash relationship drama (Francesca's fiance literally thinks with his dick. The man has no proper brain), but I had a lot more fun once the actual dark mafia subplots came in and Giovanna showed off her violent, badass, protective nature ❤️ This book is so well-written... Even all the smut scenes were great.
Unfortunately my least favorite part was her love interest Francesca... the girl was so annoying... I know she's traumatized and forced into a marriage she doesn't want but holy shit her whininess drove me insane lol.
Giovanna: Ok we'll sleep together but I'm sorry, we can't actually be together tomorrow morning
Francesca: that's okay
Giovanna, the next day: we can't actually be together
Francesca: you lying bitch!!
Girl, Giovanna spends the entire book warning you lmao and you refuse to listen... then she does some Really Dumb Stuff and turns into a damsel in distress... drove me insane
Despite that, this is an excellent book. Sapphic mafia romance is so rare... I am appeased.
I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 17, 2023
What an outstanding debut novel. So incredibly well written and completely consuming.
“Overlooked as her father’s heir, Giovanna dedicates herself to supporting her hedonistic playboy brother as the new mafia boss. Loyal and stoic, Giovanna puts the famiglia before all else, but when she meets the woman her brother is being forced to marry it feels like fate is screwing her again.
Torn between commitment to her family and an all-consuming obsession with her brother’s reluctant fiancée, Giovanna is faced with the temptation to put herself first for once...”
This is the type of book you find yourself frantically turning pages at 3am cause you can’t put it down. Perfect balance of spice, action and drama while giving you amazingly clear descriptions and making you care about every single character (even seemingly small side characters were interesting). Particularly the members of the Marino family.. I can’t wait to read all of their stories when they’re told.
The author has the ability to really draw you into this world and you find yourself really rooting for the characters, including those who are clearly flawed. I’ll be waiting/hoping for their redemption arc..! She paints an undeniably clear image of who these characters are (physically, morally, psychologically and emotionally) and I could easily create a picture of who I was reading about.
If this is the authors first novel I am so excited to see what’s to come. Absolutely 100% 10/10 recommend reading this book and following this authors literary journey.
“Overlooked as her father’s heir, Giovanna dedicates herself to supporting her hedonistic playboy brother as the new mafia boss. Loyal and stoic, Giovanna puts the famiglia before all else, but when she meets the woman her brother is being forced to marry it feels like fate is screwing her again.
Torn between commitment to her family and an all-consuming obsession with her brother’s reluctant fiancée, Giovanna is faced with the temptation to put herself first for once...”
This is the type of book you find yourself frantically turning pages at 3am cause you can’t put it down. Perfect balance of spice, action and drama while giving you amazingly clear descriptions and making you care about every single character (even seemingly small side characters were interesting). Particularly the members of the Marino family.. I can’t wait to read all of their stories when they’re told.
The author has the ability to really draw you into this world and you find yourself really rooting for the characters, including those who are clearly flawed. I’ll be waiting/hoping for their redemption arc..! She paints an undeniably clear image of who these characters are (physically, morally, psychologically and emotionally) and I could easily create a picture of who I was reading about.
If this is the authors first novel I am so excited to see what’s to come. Absolutely 100% 10/10 recommend reading this book and following this authors literary journey.
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