Book Review: Urgent Vows by Lucy Monroe

Urgent Vows is the second novel in Lucy Munroe’s mini series Syndicate Rules. The mini series is based around Mafia storylines so expect lists of explicit violence, language, domestic violence and sexual scenes.

Catalina is forced by her father, Francesco Jilani, to marry Svereu Genovese, a New York Mafia Don when her sister Madonna Carlotta runs out on her wedding day. The wedding goes ahead as planned and storyline shows how their characters develop as their marriage progresses.

I have read all of Lucy Monroe’s Mills & Boon Modern novels. The last few seemed forced, as though she wasn’t really enjoying writing them. The storyline/ writing style in this book seems more relaxed, slightly freer and more explicit than M&B offer. It seemed as though she really got behind, understood and carefully crafted the characters’ development. I don’t normally enjoy novels which flit between telling the storyline from the main characters point of the view, in the first person but I really enjoyed this novel and I am am looking forward to the publication of the other two books in the miniseries.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Book Review: Convenient Mafia Wife: Mafia Romance Series Prequel

Convenient Mafia Wife is the prequel in the Syndicate Rules mini series written by Lucy Monroe. This new series marks a new era in Lucy Monroe’s vast array of novels, her most popular being Mills & Boon Modern. These new novels focus upon characters from the US mafia cartels. They are much more explicit, raw and graphic in terms of violence, language, scenes of a sexual nature and storylines. 

The prequel is setting the scene/ characters for the next three books in the series. The storyline set in New York sets the scene for the first novel in the series,  Urgent Vows. The Jiliani and De Luca (The Genovese) families attempt to strengthen their hold on the city with a marriage arranged between Severu, the Don, and Madonna Carlotta, the daughter of his consigliere, Francesco Jiliani. The marriage ceremony doesn’t go to plan and is left on a cliffhanger, will Carlotta step into her sister’s shoes and marry Sev? setting the scene for book 1. 

The second storyline is based in Las Vegas. Giulia De Luca and Raffaele Mancini, the underboss of the Cosa Nostra territories. His father, Patrizio is the boss. The marriage was an alliance between the two families but slowly Giulia has fallen in love with her family. They have one son but unbeknownst to Raf she has been using contraception to prevent another pregnancy. He and his father send her to see a fertility specialist without consulting her and everything explodes from there. Being left on her own during their honeymoon, his father’s interference. All the past resentments bubble to the surface. Finally Raf realises he need to work on his marriage as he cannot let her go. 

The writing style, genre and storyline are a step away from her more popular Mills & Boon Modern novels. The storylines and language are more graphic, explicit and sexual. As the novels focus upon members of the mafia violence/ torture is not skimmed over but has its place in the story. I would have preferred two separate short stories within the prequel rather than the chapters jumping from one storyline set in NYC to another in Vegas. The prequel can get slightly confusing and disjointed with the different characters and storylines, even though they are interlinked and set the scene for the next 3 books in the series. 

I purchased this novel myself and the views expressed in this blog are my own.

Book Review: Demanding Mob Boss by Lucy Monroe

Demanding Mob Boss is the third in Lucy Monroe’s mini series Syndicate Rules. All four of the novels are centred around Mafia mob boss enforced proximity romance. 

Anna is neurodiverse. She cannot cope with excessive noise or stress. Cian Doyle is the boss of the Chicago Irish mob, Doyle and Byrne. He is a psychopath and has a dark personality although he is loyal to his family and those he loves, some may say excessively so. 

Surprisingly Anna feels that she has found the perfect job/ relationship working for and living with Cian. She slots right in and his family love her. Rightly so her friends try to persuade her to distance herself from his influence but she is determined to stay with him despite being harassed by the police and drawn into the murky underworld. 

Cian ruthless is when it comes to protecting and expanding his empire and family. Now he is obsessed with and by Anna. She brings calm and love into his life. Finally he has found his version of happiness and she enjoys being under his protection, even though at times it is rather excessive!

I enjoyed the interaction between the pair and the emphasis placed on neurodiversity. I didn’t enjoy all the secondary characters, found them confusing and felt that they cluttered up rather than enhanced the storyline.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Book Review: Urgent Vows: An Age Gap Forced Marriage Mafia Romance by Lucy Monroe

Urgent Vows is the first in Lucy Munroe’s mini series Syndicate Rules. The mini series is based around Mafia storylines so expect lists of explicit violence, language, domestic violence and sexual scenes. 

Catalina is forced by her father, Francesco Jilani, to marry Svereu Genovese, a New York Mafia Don when her sister Madonna Carlotta runs out on her wedding day. The wedding goes ahead as planned and storyline shows how their characters develop as their marriage progresses.

I have read all of Lucy Monroe’s Mills & Boon Modern novels. The last few seemed forced, as though she wasn’t really enjoying writing them. The storyline/ writing style in this book seems more relaxed, slightly freer and more explicit than M&B offer. It seemed as though she really got behind, understood and carefully crafted the characters’ development. I don’t normally enjoy novels which flit between telling the storyline from the main characters point of the view, in the first person but I really enjoyed this novel and I am am looking forward to the publication of the other two books in the miniseries.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.