Title: Ricardo (The Santini Brothers) Author: Marita A. Hansen
Publication Date: August 14th 2014
Plot: On a Mediterranean Island run by mafia, the Santini brothers are fighting a war against the Landi family, who are targeting their loved ones. After his fiancée is murdered, Ricardo, the eldest of the brothers, starts spiraling out of control, his violent nature leading him down a path that could rip his family apart. But, when two women walk into his life...
His first love—Bianca D’Angelo
And an assassin from the Viper Sisterhood
...he finds himself pulled into a world of espionage, intrigue, and seduction, where he'll win his family's safety and the woman of his dreams—or lose everything.
*Ricardo is Alessandro Santini's oldest brother. Alessandro from My Masters' Nightmare will also get a book.
Book Genre: Dark Romance.
Each book in this series can be read as a standalone.
*There are NO love triangles in this book. This is Ricardo and Bianca's story.
☆✮ My Review ✮☆
☆ I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you SO MUCH hun!! ☆
#A stunning, intricate, action packed masterpiece filled with a wide array of entanglements from: secrets, lies, betrayal, revenge, deception, old and new foes and enemies; as well as love, power plays, seduction, and heart pounding decision making where one mistake could result in blood, loss, ruin, and even... an all out war!
My thoughts: As an entirety, the plot, story line, and characters were well crafted and thought out. There are some issues with cohesiveness and execution in certain significant turning points and character points, but overall, I thought everything to be fresh and to be out of the box compared to a lot of reads I’ve come across in a long time.
++But on a side note: And this is just PURELY a suggestion, but maybe it would have been better to have moved the characters and glossary to the back of the book? I don’t know. For me, it would have relieved the initial tension and anxiety I had when starting Ricardo because opening the beginning pages was extremely frightening and overwhelming. I mean, as a person who knows about 10 words of Italian and to get a crash course of it and 30+ people (from five different mafia families and their backgrounds) was a bit stupefying and mind boggling to say the least. ++
SO, WITH THAT SAID...
All in all, I do recommend this read to those who are looking for a dark mafia romance! But then again, since when are mafia reads ever light? Wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of being in a mafia or reading one of that particular genre in the first place? The build up angst and uncertainty of the situation is what sells it for me. I'm sure it does for you readers as well!
Be prepared for the first in a series guys!! Ricardo's coming to your e-readers August 14th, 2014!
My Rating:
-Overall : 8.75
-Plot : 8.75
-Writing : 8.5
-Characters : 8.75
-Cover : 8.75
☆✮ About the Author ✮☆
NATIONALITY AND CULTURAL CONNECTIONS: I'm a true blue Aucklander, born and bred in New Zealand. I tend to write about cultures I have connections to, such as Croatian and Maori. I would love to visit Croatia again as I have family there.
SPORTS: As a teen my favourite sports were karate, badmington, and running. I also did unarmed combat and played in a touch rugby team (my gym teacher made me do the last one!) Now, I stick to coaching soccer and running. I have completed two marathons, numerous half-marathons and one 30K run.
CAREER PATH: I started off as a Graphic Designer, then went to Auckland University, where I got a BA degree in Art History and Italian Studies and a post-graduate Honours degree in Art History. I worked in the Art History field, then became a full-time artist, doing commissions. I eventually lost all of my senses and gave it up to be a poor, starving writer, smh.
FAVOURITE FOODS: I'm vegetarian. I love pasta based foods, tofu, chocolate mousse and golden queen peaches.
BAD HABITS: I'm a major procrastinator that can't seem to earn money to save myself!
STATUS: Married to my high school sweetheart (which he hates me calling him). We have two kids.
☆✮ Buy Links ✮☆
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Kobo | B & N
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