Wow, this is my first book by Ivy Fox and she completely blew me away with this impressive story that is original, with interesting storylines that are captivating from start to end. There are a lot of Mafia books out there, but none quite like this one, and I loved how went about preventing future Mafia wars. In a Mafia world where men rule and treat their women as a commodity, it is a way of life for them, a way to bind or strengthen the family’s power in the Mafia world. A woman born into their family knows it is her duty, she can only hope her father chooses not only what is good for the family but for her as well. But Ivy Fox puts a unique spin on the arranged marriages in this book all for the sake of keeping the peace amongst the six ruling families from around the world who do business in the States. This first book of the series of interconnected standalone novels is Rosa Hernandez, daughter of the Mexican Cartel in Mexico City, and Tiernan Kelly, the son of the Irish Mafia in Boston. Their marriage was arranged for them ten years ago, but that does not make it any easier for Rosa, who is leaving her life and family behind, to live in Boston. Her husband to be has no interest in her, which makes matters even worse and that does not change after the wedding. Luckily, some of the Kellys were more welcoming and even friendly to her. And then Tiernan does the unthinkable, he treats her like crap and then pawns her off to his brother and cousin, Shay and Colin who are sympathetic to her. Rosa is not a doormat and pushes back, Tiernan has met his match in this woman, he just doesn’t know it yet. I loved how everything played out in this book, it is a brilliantly plotted story with plenty of drama, angst, some twists and turns, thrilling and suspenseful moments, heartfelt emotions and steamy romance, reverse harem style. Ivy Fox, thank you for this amazing story and emotional rollercoaster ride.
🎧📚🎧 And for the fantastic narration, Alexander Neal and Maeve York were the perfect cast to bring these characters and story to life. They are talented narrators and versatile voice artists who had a complete understanding of the characters they were portraying, giving each a voice that suited that character’s persona and was believable in every role they played. Maeve York nailed it as Rose, grasping all sides of her personality, including her sass and strength. Alexander Neal cover the male roles with perfection and his take was spot on, from Tiernan’s broody alphatude to a more somber Colin to a cocky yet softer Shay. Both were great at performing the roles of the secondary characters as well. They set the perfect tone for the story, captured all the characters’ emotions and projected them into their performance and had you feeling every single one. These entertaining storytellers are a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for this amazing listen.