-4 stars?-
This is a hard book to review… I really love Cora Reilly’s mafia books and being brought back into this world when I open her books just makes me feel so good and happy.

Let’s start with the good things because I still enjoyed this book and recommend it.

Maddox (Mad Dog? This nickname is brought up but we don’t have any attachment to it really) is in love with Marcella from the beginning to the end of this book. It’s comforting to know you can rely on no readers hearts being hurt throughout.
Marcella She is Gianna reincarnated. She’s bold, sassy and will always go her own way. She briefly wants to “use” Maddox but there is also love at first sight and throughout.

I liked the characters and that their love didn’t really include any games or back and forth. They protected each other and are a cute couple. Amo is really enjoyable throughout this book and I’m extra looking forward to his story now!

Sorry, that review feels dull. I just don’t know what else to say, and it’s not because I think the book is bad it’s just disappointing and not what I expected.

Now allow me to share my dislikes, but I will remind you I still love all of the authors books and recommend them 100%.

This should have been an enemies to lovers story, but it was not. It was “hey your dad killed my family and now I want revenge. But I’m a softie so I changed my mind and you can take this leash and let me get that cream from you”. This book was very repetitive, I read the same thing so many times I had to confirm my kindle didn’t have a blip. This is very unusual in my opinion for a CR book. What is not unusual are the editing fails, which are few in this one but still there. When you add the editing misses, the repetitions, and the way these character are simply a swing and a miss it just makes me feel like the book was rushed or forcibly dragged out beyond what was necessary.
Marcella was extremely unlikeable! She is a spoiled little brat. Her acting proud, brave, sassy, and independent just doesn’t read right or should have been written differently. Maddox is supposed to bring some MC trope into the series but this doesn’t read as a MC book at all. He is not the tough and powerful character I was looking for, and should have been killed on site by Daddy Luca. His brother Gray is such a toddler (constant cringe reading “Earl Gray” ☕️ ), but Maddox isn’t much of an improvement.

I’M SORRY IF THIS REVIEW WAS HARD TO READ.

I stand by my 4 ⭐️ rating, and will continue on with the series. On to part 2 of this book.

3.75⭐️

We have Marcella Vitiello’s story!
This is a enemies to lovers romance with kidnapping trope. While Cora Reilly is probably best known for her mafia romance, this one is heavily plotted around a Motorcycle Club.
Marcella Vitiello (age 19) is Luca Vitiello daughter, Capo of the Italian mob on the East Coast.
He, many years ago decimated an MC - killing everyone in sight, and left a small child to witness everything who was the son of one of the MC members.
Fast forward to the child, Maddox-Mad Dog- White- who is now an adult(age 25) is seeking revenge for his father is brutal death.
And that is the basis of this story.

▪️Enemies to Lovers
▪️Mafia Vs MC
▪️Virgin h/Experienced H
▪️Dirty talking H
▪️Pierced

I love mafia romances and I love MC romances, but when you put them together...Holy cow!!!!!  

When a mafia princess is kidnapped for vengeance upon her father, the bond between captor and captive leads to an uncompromising sacrifice that neither of them imagined.

I wished I could be like that, not giving a damn about what people thought of me, but that was a luxury I couldn’t afford, pretty much the only one.

Marcella Vitiello is the ultimate spoiled mafia princess who loves her family and she has a target on her head. Being kidnapped and thrown into a dirty dog kennel with a bunch of bloodthirsty dogs is bad enough, but it's the hatred and revenge in the eyes of the bikers that have her blood going cold. All, except Maddox White. She sees more in his gaze. An attraction that will be her saving grace and her downfall.

It was ironic that it fell upon me to protect my worst enemy’s offspring.

Maddox has hated Luca Vitiello most of his life after seeing him slaughter Maddox's father and other Tartarus MC members when Maddox was only a child. When he agreed to kidnap Marcella Vitiello he expected to exchange her for her devoted father. But Maddox's uncle has other nefarious ideas for Marcella meaning Maddox will have to protect her with his life. Will he go against the club to save her or will his revenge for her father choose her fate?

Marcella is a strong, arrogant warrior who is ballsy as hell! Her dignity is savagely tested by Maddox's uncle and president of the MC, but her bravery is unwavering as the mafia queen she was raised to be. In fact, her test for Maddox's devotion to her after he sacrifices everything to save her from being tortured is shocking and one of the most outstanding gestures of love I've ever seen. Maddox is an antihero who has a perfectly good reason to hate Luca Vitiello after he massacred his father, but he's adamant that Marcella doesn't deserve to be harmed because of her father's choices. His respect for her courage and her strength as well as his willingness to lay down his life for her is commendable. I do have a problem with Maddox's character though. He's not rough enough for the MC life and he falls way too fast for the "beautiful princess". It is hard to see how he could fit into her life. Their worlds are so different. Just when it looks promising, there is a cliffhanger. Sigh!  

There are great supporting characters apparently from books in the Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles including Marcella's parents Luca and Aria, her Uncle Matteo, and enforcer Growl. In addition, Maddox's brother Gray plays an important in the story.

I recommend this unique and dark revenge romance filled with kickass characters, extreme sacrifices, and forbidden love.  I can't wait to read the conclusion to their story.

Thank you to Ms. Reilly for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.