Man oh man I'm going to have one serious book hangover after this unique, gripping, powerful and suspense filled story that centres around a Mafia princess who slowly loses the love of her life.. but finds her soulmate instead. Molly McAdams has written a heartbreaking yet beautiful story of first love gone terribly wrong through tragic circumstances and forever love found through secret liaisons, unspoken truths, bloodshed, rival families, betrayal and sworn revenge.
Lily's meant to be dead.. but she's been hidden away by her Mob Boss father for four long years for her own protection but she sits in her room disillusioned, heartbroken and tormented because the love of her life is slowly suffocating her and slipping further away and, despite her gut-wrenching emotional pleas, he's become remote, distant and secretive. He's smothering her with his over-protective closed-off attitude and Kieran, the Mafia Assassin working for her Boss father, won't listen, won't understand and won't see the cracks in their relationship until it's too late. Because, by then Lily will have met and fallen hopelessly in love with Dare who had, for two years, been a nameless stranger in a coffee shop who set her soul on fire every time she escaped her prison. Both Lily and Dare could feel the powerful electricity that sizzled between them.. but when they eventually touched and talked there's a soul-to-soul connection neither one could deny.
But Fate and Destiny were playing a wicked trick on these two soul mates.. because initially neither one knew who the other one was, Lily had a disguise and Dare was really Demitri Borello.. head of the Borello family, their families were enemies, her brother's masked killers and Dare had sworn to kill the Boss' princess daughter in revenge for a life brutally taken. And, when all the truths are finally revealed - the guns and knives put away - the bloodshed, threats and malicious words said - and the last of the twists have been heard - who will be left standing?.. Will it be Lily the Mafia Princess who is willing to sacrifice herself for love. Will it be Kieran the obsessed over-protective Assassin who never wanted to let the love of his life go.. or perhaps it will be Dare the avenging anti-hero who must choose revenge or forgiveness. And who, out of all the secondary characters, will be standing next to them.
In this dual POV story there was a wonderful slow build to the romance, suspense, thrills, some sex, twists, reveals, emotional angst and drama as each character fought themselves and each other for revenge.. for 'the family'.. for forgiveness.. and for love. This author's talents at weaving a plot of rival Mafia families around two very different love stories - a love that was dying day by day and a love that was blossoming day by day - was so remarkable. The touching fizzle as one love ends and the climactic sizzle as another springs to life was well written and I felt the heartache, the pain, the passion, the pleasure, the anger, the nail-biting anxiety, the lost hope.. and the overwhelming redemption when love was chosen over hate. Great narration too.
Worth a credit? This is the second time this talented author has blown me away with a powerful Redemption story, I'll listen to both stories again.. and yes another creditworthy 5 star listen from Molly McAdams.. and I can't wait for book 3.