Kathy Coopmans blows me away with this dark and emotional mafia romance novel, the first book of her “Diamond Empire” series, a series of standalone novels. The story grabbed my attention right from the start and held it captive the entire time, it also tugged on my heartstrings like no other. This book is a spinoff of an existing world, a world I am new to, but I had no problem jumping in, never felt lost or like I was missing something. I am not sure how I missed the earlier series, I only know I am looking forward to checking them out soon. This book is Victoria Hughes and Seth Mitchell’s story and wow, what a story it is. Victoria and Seth were both born into a dangerous world of power. Although Victoria wants nothing to do with it, it’s in her blood and can’t be avoided, especially if Seth has a say. Seth moves to New York to be closer to Victoria and to be an enforcer for the Diamond Empire. There was a hit on Victoria’s family, she and her father were spared because they were not home at the time, both are suffering from heartbreak and survivor’s guilt. How does someone come back from such a gut-wrenching loss? Seth and Victoria have known each other for years, but she despises him, at least that is what she thinks, and Seth is determined to prove otherwise. He is also determined to find out who was behind the attacks and who is trying to take the empire down. The chemistry between these two was undeniable, and Victoria could only deny herself for so long before finally giving in to it. The story is cleverly plotted with non-stop drama, angst, thrilling suspense, heartfelt emotions, and steamy romance. Kathy Coopmans, thank you for this great story and emotional rollercoaster ride. 

🎧📚🎧  And for the fantastic narration, Alexander Neal and Lynn Barrington were the perfect cast to bring these characters to life and they did so with a complete understanding of who they were portraying, giving each a voice that was fitting to that character’s persona and were believable in every role they played. They set the perfect tone for the story, captured all the characters’ emotions and had you feeling every single one. These entertaining storytellers are versatile voice artists and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another excellent listen.