First, the narrator in book 1, 3, and 4 is different than #2. I am glad they selected the narrator they did for #2 bc there were so many characters which needed the exceptional talent of the narrator of #2. It made it slightly distracting to go back to Joel, but since it was primarily Mel and Liam it works itself out. This is the first mafia series I’ve read (listened on audible) and I enjoyed that the cruelty wasn’t downplayed bc the “ruthlessness” of organized crime are not watered down. Truth: I love mafia TV series; sons of anarchy, peaky blinders, Yellowstone, and this book filled a gap for me since there are no new seasons. SPOILER Book 3 was the season of “turn,” that part in the story where you’ve fallen in love with their sexy, funny, angsty worlds and now you have to watch/read them take the turn to have much more tragedy. I have to say, I always dread this with any of my mafia media. I like new and sassy, where the lead “villain(s)” turns into the “hero(s)” and they’re only really fighting themselves. But when the story turns to their battle with the world, I HATE watching someone get “just desserts” when you’ve spent 2.5 books learning and rooting for them – it isn’t enjoyable. For me, this book was that turn. This book, like the first two, is SPECTACULAR story telling (and I couldn’t put it down) but #3 is also depressing. I didn’t end the book, like it did #1 and #2, dying to get my hands on the next book. It ended after epilogue and I sat and processed what I had just read debating on when/if I should start #4 knowing that if I feel this way after #3 what is it going to be at the end of the series. I don’t enjoy my entertainment to be drawn-out depressing, where the death of characters seems imminent. It’s fiction, so in many ways, I wish the final down turn of these characters was in the last book of the series, so I could have enjoyed the happy fantasy a little longer. SPOILER: I really don’t like flash forwards!! And the book having not one but two bummed me out. I would have almost preferred to hear all about Mel’s journey back and the family’s journey with out the bosses, rather than the ending setting up 8 years later with kids. AMAZING series, 5-stars, and spectacular story telling.