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Beautiful Lies: A Dark Romance for Christian Women
I was walking home from Bible study when I witnessed the murder of a teenage boy. That night, my life changed forever.
I was supposed to go into witness protection but in a lawless city, who can keep me safe except the one man who lives above the law? His name is Luca Vittore. He’s the underboss of the Italian mafia and the older brother of Mario Vittore, the boy whose murder I witnessed. Luca wants to keep me safe because if I die, the people who killed his little brother will never be brought to justice. Right now, my life is in Luca’s hands. I have agreed to stay with this dangerous man until the trial so I can safely testify in court. I’ve agreed to his protection. I’ve agreed to his hospitality.
What I didn’t agree to is everything else.
The way he looks at me. The sound of his voice when it’s soft as a whisper. Or even his curiosity about my faith. What do I do when Luca Vittore asks me if murderers go to Heaven? What do I tell him when he asks if God could love a sinner like him?
I thought Luca wanted to see justice done for his brother’s murder, but it seems he’s after something else instead. I think he wants my heart, and I cannot resist him forever.***WARNING/DISCLAIMER***Beautiful Lies is a dark romance written for adult Christian women. There is no foul language or graphic love scenes in this book. Sensitive readers are advised to proceed with caution and read the author's note before moving forward. This book is intended for audiences 18+
I was supposed to go into witness protection but in a lawless city, who can keep me safe except the one man who lives above the law? His name is Luca Vittore. He’s the underboss of the Italian mafia and the older brother of Mario Vittore, the boy whose murder I witnessed. Luca wants to keep me safe because if I die, the people who killed his little brother will never be brought to justice. Right now, my life is in Luca’s hands. I have agreed to stay with this dangerous man until the trial so I can safely testify in court. I’ve agreed to his protection. I’ve agreed to his hospitality.
What I didn’t agree to is everything else.
The way he looks at me. The sound of his voice when it’s soft as a whisper. Or even his curiosity about my faith. What do I do when Luca Vittore asks me if murderers go to Heaven? What do I tell him when he asks if God could love a sinner like him?
I thought Luca wanted to see justice done for his brother’s murder, but it seems he’s after something else instead. I think he wants my heart, and I cannot resist him forever.***WARNING/DISCLAIMER***Beautiful Lies is a dark romance written for adult Christian women. There is no foul language or graphic love scenes in this book. Sensitive readers are advised to proceed with caution and read the author's note before moving forward. This book is intended for audiences 18+
359 pages, Paperback
Published December 26, 2023
396 people are currently reading
1915 people want to read
About the author
Valicity Elaine
36 books639 followersI love fantasy and magic and quirky high school stories. Writing is my passion, Jesus is my life.
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June 28, 2024
Would I recommend it?
Yes, I would recommend this book to Christians, but it definitely isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Some people prefer slower and ‘clean’ books. Although this is clean, it is not wholesome. I would warn people who are sensitive to sexual content. There are no explicit scenes but there are descriptions of lust filled kissing, male erections, tongues in peoples mouths, bathing together and even a scene of a woman about to give oral sex. Although it doesn’t happen, the description of the kissing, sighing and leaning back ect … was hard for me to read without feeling uncomfortable. It did feel like it was trying to tempt me to use my imagination a bit which I did not enjoy. And the mention of sex, or some kind of sexual image like a pole dancer, are consistent throughout the book.
Keep in mind this book is meant for newer Christians or non-christians. So there were definitely a fair amount of seeds planted throughout this book and the faith content was just as consistent as the ‘graphic’ content (which was both sexual and violent). I think this would be a good book to have discussion of what God’s word says on the topics in this book (which is the entire plot) and also a good reminder that there is no sin too great for the Lord to forgive. I will definitely be reading more of Valicity Elaine’s books because she has different genres under her name that are intended for mature christians, so I am hoping there isn’t as much ‘stuff’ in those books. But if you are looking for a fast paced book that has high faith content, and a strong plotline and strong characters, I would recommend this book.
Plot [⅘]
The main characters are Effervescent Storm (Effy) and Luca Vittore. A grown woman who has known nothing but a life on the run and rejection as a constant orphan who never got adopted, and a Mafia underboss who holds warped social values with high family values. When his brother Mario is murdered and Effy is the only witness, their lives collide for better or for worse and ends with a highly anticipated romance and dedication to Christ.
The premise is that Effy is a new christian, I think this was taken to make the liberty of her falling for a mafia boss more realistic and to justify (plotwise) the mistakes that Effy makes, and some of her lingering crude language and unfiltered thoughts. Although the ‘unfiltered thoughts’ were an asset when Effy asked hard questions to God about her faith, how God could love a wretch like her or just expresses insecurities.
On the other hand is Luca, who carries the burden of wanting to always be enough, despite being proven time and time again that he isn’t enough, starting with the death of his baby brother who he swore to protect and be enough for. This causes him to spiral into a ravenous and never ending pit of vengeance that can only be slowed down at best through the ‘light’ that Effy carries. Despite being told by Effy that it isn’t her that is the light but the Holy Spirit inside of her that he is seeing, he refuses these notions because he sees that this conviction from the mentioning of God puts his desire for revenge to honor his brother Mario at risk. While avoiding these convictions he finds himself attracted and slowly falling in love with Effy while exposing her to the darkness of his mafia underworld.
The character development really did drive the plot, there were some parts in the book when I wasn’t sure if a character would survive or Luca and Effy would even get together simply because “that’s how the book is supposed to go”. It was nice to feel this way and really kept me on edge, regardless of the decisions I made. It really did feel like a real life situation. Unfortunately I think this tripped up Valicity (the author) a bit during the second half of the book when there should be a fair amount of chemistry between the main characters. This will be expanded on when I speak more on the character specifically, but plotwise, it was odd to see Effy and Luca feel so strongly for one another when they had only spoken to one another two to three times (briefly) beforehand. The first discussion was when Effy is . The second encounter is more or less the same, Luca tells Effy to describe Mario’s death again, and the third time is when Luca makes the same request but She says no and decides to tell him the truth about his burden and how God can alleviate it. This leads to him wanting to have sex and Effy saying no and they cuddle instead and she wakes up alone in the bed. (There is more that leads up to this moment, but it is based around what was happening to Luca specifically and not what the two of them were doing together).
Without going into spoilers, there were A LOT of plot twists in this story that really kept you going, especially layered plot twists that tricked you once you think you’ve figured everything out. The plot twists also weren’t just based on mafia betrayals and lies, it also had to do with spiritual plot twists. .
There were some downfalls though, the plot was rushed in the end. I think this is because, even though there was a fair amount of faith content and prayer in this book, it was not evenly balanced. As a result, Luca’s conversion felt like it was pushed by the writer’s hand rather than a natural conversion of the Characters own free will. And the romance also felt forced. I think this was easier to overlook because the personal development of the characters was done really well. There is also the point made in the synopsis that Luca wants Effy’s heart but her heart belongs to the Lord. I was interested in this aspect of the plot, but it was not present in the book at all. Yes Effy is a Christian but her love for Luca wasn’t forced. She did seem to be convicted at some points but there was no scene of Luca demanding love from Effy or even wanting to force himself on her (although this topic was explored it was not in the context of actually rapeing anyone). Luca did have some interesting moments of conviction but as a whole it wasn’t more than maybe 4ish chapters of Luca’s that had the conviction on his heart, so when he does end up giving his life to the Lord it was definitely forced.
And lastly although this isn’t technically part of the plot, the epilogue was so good that I have to mention it. I would love to see a follow up on Mario going to the Heights and Shadows university. Mario was developed so well in that small epilogue. The terror of having a well developed child who still has doubts and questions of faith and his parents past. It was all too good and I hope it is followed up, if the second book was out I would buy it, it was that good. And given that this would take place in a university and not the actual mafia, hopefully there will be less sexual content which would make this book a dream to read.
Profanity [3.5/5]
There wasn’t any profanity in this book, however, there was still some harsh language. For example on pg 26 the use of piss and crap was used. Even though those aren’t curse words I still personally wouldn’t use them. There was also the word whore in the book. If you read KJV you are used to it, I personally think this word should be used sparingly and not part of day to day christian language because of how serious of a word it is, but it can also be sensitive to some people so be aware of that, since it isn’t used respectfully and I definitely think used closer as a profanity than a ‘matter-of-fact’ harsh word.
However, it wasn’t the use of these words that made me uncomfortable. It was the vulgar and sensual language that made me uncomfortable. This was also made even worse because of the continual emphasis on all things sensual. The beginning of the book Luca is waking up with three women in his bed. Then he is looking at nude pictures that women have just sent to him. Then he is having more sex with women, describing the way he lets out a deep breath as she goes lower ect … then there are the strippers he is looking at, then there is the way he pounces on his secretary (his longest relationship) … There always seems to be something sexual going on. Even on Effy’s part in the beginning, somehow she is still talking about sex in some way. About how she isn't willing to go that far, or that Travis has only stolen a kiss and put his hand up her skirt. All of this was there while also reading things like “It isn’t the first time I’ve had to sleep off a stiffy”, magnifying the crudeness of this dark world unnecessarily. Obviously I understand that it has to be realistic, but because of this I found it a bit annoying and like the intended audience was left behind a bit. It is for new Christians transitioning over, but it was still way too much and I think that is because the author was trying to overcompensate a bit by emphasizing on things that a secular audience likes and put it in the correct light, but as a result, made the story come off a bit too crude.
And last but not least, the use of the Lord’s name in vain. I think this is first seen in chapter 5 when Luca says the Lord’s name (Jesus) in a derogatory manner. This is continued through the book sparingly but the fact that it is still there was disheartening. Realistic or not, I don’t think that kind of language ever needs to be used, especially since characters cursing under their breath is described exactly like that (ex: I cursed under my breath). It is even more surprising because Effy (the christian character) also used the Lord’s name in vain [pg 62]. At the very least the same courtesy could have been used with the Lord’s name or even better, not used at all. I think this was a major compromise between Christian and Secular that is worth mentioning.
Faith [⅗]
The faith content is very mixed here. Clearly the gospel is shared and the emphasis is that there is no sin that is too great for the Lord to forgive. The unique angle is the raw truth of how a sinner who has been newly saved or has been a christian for a while can have thoughts, questions and doubts of their own life circumstances, self worth or their hearts desires that they feel embarrassed to give to God. The whole book focuses on the importance of letting go and that God never stops loving us and instead loves despite our continual sin, and how he makes good out of all things, especially our mistakes.
There were also bible verses mentioned and stories to justify why Effy was thinking a certain way or why she made certain decisions. And Just verses she brings up to check herself and see if what she is thinking truly aligns with what the Lord says in His word.
But there were also some things added that made me think - is she (Valicity) using the correct context? For instance she makes very bold statements that seem to be powerful and could technically be true, but still questionable and could only be corrected or taken correctly if you know your Bible. And because this is intended for ‘baby christians’, that is a bit problematic.
Page 127 Effy and Luca are talking:
“What would your God say about all of this?” (Luca asks)
“That’s the funny thing about God [...] He doesn’t say much.” (Effy continues to explain) “In the book of Samuel, the Bible says the word of the Lord was rare. That means it’d been quite a while since God had spoken to anyone, even though there were priests and prophets dedicated to worshiping His Name.” (Effy continues) “Sometimes we focus on the wrong things. As Christians, we desperately want to hear God’s voice because He’s God. When He speaks, mountains fall down. Our problems run away [...] But the amazing thing about God isn’t that He talks to us, It’s that He listens”
(Effy Continues) “Most of the time, God doesn’t speak because we already know the answer to our problems. He doesn’t need to tell you, yet again, that you shouldn’t use foul language. That you shouldn’t [..] we already know this. We already know right from wrong. But we do wrong anyway and then beg God to talk to us because we feel guilty about it.”
Effy then continues to say “God knows we know better” and then ends the long explanation with that he has written all He has to say in His word and it is a shame we don’t read it as much as we ought to.
All in all, the message seems sound enough, but there was a lot of emphasis on man already knowing right from wrong, ‘knowing better’ which the Bible doesn’t say, it actually says the opposite, that the heart is painfully sick and who can trust it. We don’t know right from wrong anymore since the fall of man, that is why God gave us his word. And yes of course it is amazing that the Lord wants to hear our prayers and listen to what we have to say and have a relationship with us. But all of these things are meant ot be understood with reverence and thanksgiving to the Lord which wasn’t emphasized, so how would a baby christian know that.
The referral to 1 Samuel as well, when I was reading it. I know what she was referring to but it seemed a bit off, and that is because the context wasn’t fully conveyed. The Word of the Lord was rare because “of the hardness of heart among the people of Israel and the corruption of the priesthood. God will speak, and guide, when His people seek Him, and when His ministers seek to serve Him diligently.” (Enduringword.com)
These were dark spiritual times which is why God isn't speaking. And I think had this context been emphasized more it would have been a great symbolism / parallel to Luca’s softened heart and blindness when he continued to harden it.
There are other moments like this in the book that weren’t bad, they just require more research and unfortunately I am not going to do that research while reading the book.
Other aspects of faith in the book that were good in my opinion was the continual prayer. Some were longer than others, but seeing how Effy and sometimes Luca would pray to God when they were confused, in danger or just broken and not sure what to think, they prayed. That is an aspect of faith that I wish was in more Christian fiction because it is true to Christians everywhere who put their faith in God and is relatable. It’s a great example of what we are commanded to do, which is to pray without ceasing. I know when I was younger and heard this I had no idea how to pray all day everyday and do all the other stuff I am supposed to, because I was taught to pray bowing on my knees, putting my hands together and closing my eyes. I still thinks bowling down to the Lord while praying is good and humbling and allows us to have that awe and reverence for our Lord and Saviour, but while I am out working or cleaning, I had no idea how to pray to the Lord and continue that relationship with Him until I learned that I can pray at all moments of the day and my prayers won’t be rejected because I am unable to stop walking at work, or bow down outside of home. So seeing this as an example I think was great, especially for new believers who don’t fully understand what prayer is meant to look like.
The topic of God is also great to see continually, it wasn’t all ‘preachy’ (honestly none of it was preachy even when bible verses were mentioned). It was nice to see a lot of internal dialogue of having questions about faith, how it works, asking what to do and sometimes just brainstorming as a human would before remembering that we can bring all of our thoughts to God. This was also nice to see.
The only downside was that there were some parts of the book that went a little too long without mentioning God. I could read six chapters in a row at points and there doesn’t seem to be any faith involved or even Christian conviction on Effy’s part. It didn’t break the book, but it was definitely noticeable. And then there was a brief mention of the use of tongues (in the babeling way) that I don’t agree is biblical but again it is only mentioned once, I just rolled my eyes and kept reading.And there was also the use of the sinner’s prayer which I also didn’t think was necessary or Biblical since Luca had already given himself to God and then Effy comes in with the sinners prayer to ‘solidify’ the conversion. These two incidents are further at the end of the book, but still worth mentioning.
There was nothing heretical in this book though.
Morals [5/5]
From the start I knew there would be a lot of adult stuff going on in this book. But I was surprised to see that everything was written in the correct light for the most part. Gray areas, like Effy falling for Luca in the first place after already saying that she knew she wasn’t meant to be unequally yoked, were handled tastefully.
Luca also had a lot of conviction with what he was doing and was very aware that he was running on vengeance and rage. He went on to describe how he didn’t know what he would be like without the darkness and explains the secular perspective of the ‘light’ God offers as a burning sear to the corrupt instead of a light of hope, warmth and safety. It was interesting for mature christians to see and understand that perspective that is often forgotten or overlooked (I definitely am one of those people who needed that reminder of what the light can look like to the lost)
There were no blurred lines between right and wrong, even when characters made sinful decisions and chose to stick with them. A unique approach to this book was how the decisions of the characters were described in depth enough that I found myself stopping to see if I agreed with what the characters did or not, and why that was. I was definitely encouraged to continually keep God in mind and His ways. It was definitely a fun thought exercise that added additional depth to the experience of it all.
REMAINING REVIEW IN COMMENTS BELOW
Yes, I would recommend this book to Christians, but it definitely isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Some people prefer slower and ‘clean’ books. Although this is clean, it is not wholesome. I would warn people who are sensitive to sexual content. There are no explicit scenes but there are descriptions of lust filled kissing, male erections, tongues in peoples mouths, bathing together and even a scene of a woman about to give oral sex. Although it doesn’t happen, the description of the kissing, sighing and leaning back ect … was hard for me to read without feeling uncomfortable. It did feel like it was trying to tempt me to use my imagination a bit which I did not enjoy. And the mention of sex, or some kind of sexual image like a pole dancer, are consistent throughout the book.
Keep in mind this book is meant for newer Christians or non-christians. So there were definitely a fair amount of seeds planted throughout this book and the faith content was just as consistent as the ‘graphic’ content (which was both sexual and violent). I think this would be a good book to have discussion of what God’s word says on the topics in this book (which is the entire plot) and also a good reminder that there is no sin too great for the Lord to forgive. I will definitely be reading more of Valicity Elaine’s books because she has different genres under her name that are intended for mature christians, so I am hoping there isn’t as much ‘stuff’ in those books. But if you are looking for a fast paced book that has high faith content, and a strong plotline and strong characters, I would recommend this book.
Plot [⅘]
The main characters are Effervescent Storm (Effy) and Luca Vittore. A grown woman who has known nothing but a life on the run and rejection as a constant orphan who never got adopted, and a Mafia underboss who holds warped social values with high family values. When his brother Mario is murdered and Effy is the only witness, their lives collide for better or for worse and ends with a highly anticipated romance and dedication to Christ.
The premise is that Effy is a new christian, I think this was taken to make the liberty of her falling for a mafia boss more realistic and to justify (plotwise) the mistakes that Effy makes, and some of her lingering crude language and unfiltered thoughts. Although the ‘unfiltered thoughts’ were an asset when Effy asked hard questions to God about her faith, how God could love a wretch like her or just expresses insecurities.
On the other hand is Luca, who carries the burden of wanting to always be enough, despite being proven time and time again that he isn’t enough, starting with the death of his baby brother who he swore to protect and be enough for. This causes him to spiral into a ravenous and never ending pit of vengeance that can only be slowed down at best through the ‘light’ that Effy carries. Despite being told by Effy that it isn’t her that is the light but the Holy Spirit inside of her that he is seeing, he refuses these notions because he sees that this conviction from the mentioning of God puts his desire for revenge to honor his brother Mario at risk. While avoiding these convictions he finds himself attracted and slowly falling in love with Effy while exposing her to the darkness of his mafia underworld.
The character development really did drive the plot, there were some parts in the book when I wasn’t sure if a character would survive or Luca and Effy would even get together simply because “that’s how the book is supposed to go”. It was nice to feel this way and really kept me on edge, regardless of the decisions I made. It really did feel like a real life situation. Unfortunately I think this tripped up Valicity (the author) a bit during the second half of the book when there should be a fair amount of chemistry between the main characters. This will be expanded on when I speak more on the character specifically, but plotwise, it was odd to see Effy and Luca feel so strongly for one another when they had only spoken to one another two to three times (briefly) beforehand. The first discussion was when Effy is . The second encounter is more or less the same, Luca tells Effy to describe Mario’s death again, and the third time is when Luca makes the same request but She says no and decides to tell him the truth about his burden and how God can alleviate it. This leads to him wanting to have sex and Effy saying no and they cuddle instead and she wakes up alone in the bed. (There is more that leads up to this moment, but it is based around what was happening to Luca specifically and not what the two of them were doing together).
Without going into spoilers, there were A LOT of plot twists in this story that really kept you going, especially layered plot twists that tricked you once you think you’ve figured everything out. The plot twists also weren’t just based on mafia betrayals and lies, it also had to do with spiritual plot twists. .
There were some downfalls though, the plot was rushed in the end. I think this is because, even though there was a fair amount of faith content and prayer in this book, it was not evenly balanced. As a result, Luca’s conversion felt like it was pushed by the writer’s hand rather than a natural conversion of the Characters own free will. And the romance also felt forced. I think this was easier to overlook because the personal development of the characters was done really well. There is also the point made in the synopsis that Luca wants Effy’s heart but her heart belongs to the Lord. I was interested in this aspect of the plot, but it was not present in the book at all. Yes Effy is a Christian but her love for Luca wasn’t forced. She did seem to be convicted at some points but there was no scene of Luca demanding love from Effy or even wanting to force himself on her (although this topic was explored it was not in the context of actually rapeing anyone). Luca did have some interesting moments of conviction but as a whole it wasn’t more than maybe 4ish chapters of Luca’s that had the conviction on his heart, so when he does end up giving his life to the Lord it was definitely forced.
And lastly although this isn’t technically part of the plot, the epilogue was so good that I have to mention it. I would love to see a follow up on Mario going to the Heights and Shadows university. Mario was developed so well in that small epilogue. The terror of having a well developed child who still has doubts and questions of faith and his parents past. It was all too good and I hope it is followed up, if the second book was out I would buy it, it was that good. And given that this would take place in a university and not the actual mafia, hopefully there will be less sexual content which would make this book a dream to read.
Profanity [3.5/5]
There wasn’t any profanity in this book, however, there was still some harsh language. For example on pg 26 the use of piss and crap was used. Even though those aren’t curse words I still personally wouldn’t use them. There was also the word whore in the book. If you read KJV you are used to it, I personally think this word should be used sparingly and not part of day to day christian language because of how serious of a word it is, but it can also be sensitive to some people so be aware of that, since it isn’t used respectfully and I definitely think used closer as a profanity than a ‘matter-of-fact’ harsh word.
However, it wasn’t the use of these words that made me uncomfortable. It was the vulgar and sensual language that made me uncomfortable. This was also made even worse because of the continual emphasis on all things sensual. The beginning of the book Luca is waking up with three women in his bed. Then he is looking at nude pictures that women have just sent to him. Then he is having more sex with women, describing the way he lets out a deep breath as she goes lower ect … then there are the strippers he is looking at, then there is the way he pounces on his secretary (his longest relationship) … There always seems to be something sexual going on. Even on Effy’s part in the beginning, somehow she is still talking about sex in some way. About how she isn't willing to go that far, or that Travis has only stolen a kiss and put his hand up her skirt. All of this was there while also reading things like “It isn’t the first time I’ve had to sleep off a stiffy”, magnifying the crudeness of this dark world unnecessarily. Obviously I understand that it has to be realistic, but because of this I found it a bit annoying and like the intended audience was left behind a bit. It is for new Christians transitioning over, but it was still way too much and I think that is because the author was trying to overcompensate a bit by emphasizing on things that a secular audience likes and put it in the correct light, but as a result, made the story come off a bit too crude.
And last but not least, the use of the Lord’s name in vain. I think this is first seen in chapter 5 when Luca says the Lord’s name (Jesus) in a derogatory manner. This is continued through the book sparingly but the fact that it is still there was disheartening. Realistic or not, I don’t think that kind of language ever needs to be used, especially since characters cursing under their breath is described exactly like that (ex: I cursed under my breath). It is even more surprising because Effy (the christian character) also used the Lord’s name in vain [pg 62]. At the very least the same courtesy could have been used with the Lord’s name or even better, not used at all. I think this was a major compromise between Christian and Secular that is worth mentioning.
Faith [⅗]
The faith content is very mixed here. Clearly the gospel is shared and the emphasis is that there is no sin that is too great for the Lord to forgive. The unique angle is the raw truth of how a sinner who has been newly saved or has been a christian for a while can have thoughts, questions and doubts of their own life circumstances, self worth or their hearts desires that they feel embarrassed to give to God. The whole book focuses on the importance of letting go and that God never stops loving us and instead loves despite our continual sin, and how he makes good out of all things, especially our mistakes.
There were also bible verses mentioned and stories to justify why Effy was thinking a certain way or why she made certain decisions. And Just verses she brings up to check herself and see if what she is thinking truly aligns with what the Lord says in His word.
But there were also some things added that made me think - is she (Valicity) using the correct context? For instance she makes very bold statements that seem to be powerful and could technically be true, but still questionable and could only be corrected or taken correctly if you know your Bible. And because this is intended for ‘baby christians’, that is a bit problematic.
Page 127 Effy and Luca are talking:
“What would your God say about all of this?” (Luca asks)
“That’s the funny thing about God [...] He doesn’t say much.” (Effy continues to explain) “In the book of Samuel, the Bible says the word of the Lord was rare. That means it’d been quite a while since God had spoken to anyone, even though there were priests and prophets dedicated to worshiping His Name.” (Effy continues) “Sometimes we focus on the wrong things. As Christians, we desperately want to hear God’s voice because He’s God. When He speaks, mountains fall down. Our problems run away [...] But the amazing thing about God isn’t that He talks to us, It’s that He listens”
(Effy Continues) “Most of the time, God doesn’t speak because we already know the answer to our problems. He doesn’t need to tell you, yet again, that you shouldn’t use foul language. That you shouldn’t [..] we already know this. We already know right from wrong. But we do wrong anyway and then beg God to talk to us because we feel guilty about it.”
Effy then continues to say “God knows we know better” and then ends the long explanation with that he has written all He has to say in His word and it is a shame we don’t read it as much as we ought to.
All in all, the message seems sound enough, but there was a lot of emphasis on man already knowing right from wrong, ‘knowing better’ which the Bible doesn’t say, it actually says the opposite, that the heart is painfully sick and who can trust it. We don’t know right from wrong anymore since the fall of man, that is why God gave us his word. And yes of course it is amazing that the Lord wants to hear our prayers and listen to what we have to say and have a relationship with us. But all of these things are meant ot be understood with reverence and thanksgiving to the Lord which wasn’t emphasized, so how would a baby christian know that.
The referral to 1 Samuel as well, when I was reading it. I know what she was referring to but it seemed a bit off, and that is because the context wasn’t fully conveyed. The Word of the Lord was rare because “of the hardness of heart among the people of Israel and the corruption of the priesthood. God will speak, and guide, when His people seek Him, and when His ministers seek to serve Him diligently.” (Enduringword.com)
These were dark spiritual times which is why God isn't speaking. And I think had this context been emphasized more it would have been a great symbolism / parallel to Luca’s softened heart and blindness when he continued to harden it.
There are other moments like this in the book that weren’t bad, they just require more research and unfortunately I am not going to do that research while reading the book.
Other aspects of faith in the book that were good in my opinion was the continual prayer. Some were longer than others, but seeing how Effy and sometimes Luca would pray to God when they were confused, in danger or just broken and not sure what to think, they prayed. That is an aspect of faith that I wish was in more Christian fiction because it is true to Christians everywhere who put their faith in God and is relatable. It’s a great example of what we are commanded to do, which is to pray without ceasing. I know when I was younger and heard this I had no idea how to pray all day everyday and do all the other stuff I am supposed to, because I was taught to pray bowing on my knees, putting my hands together and closing my eyes. I still thinks bowling down to the Lord while praying is good and humbling and allows us to have that awe and reverence for our Lord and Saviour, but while I am out working or cleaning, I had no idea how to pray to the Lord and continue that relationship with Him until I learned that I can pray at all moments of the day and my prayers won’t be rejected because I am unable to stop walking at work, or bow down outside of home. So seeing this as an example I think was great, especially for new believers who don’t fully understand what prayer is meant to look like.
The topic of God is also great to see continually, it wasn’t all ‘preachy’ (honestly none of it was preachy even when bible verses were mentioned). It was nice to see a lot of internal dialogue of having questions about faith, how it works, asking what to do and sometimes just brainstorming as a human would before remembering that we can bring all of our thoughts to God. This was also nice to see.
The only downside was that there were some parts of the book that went a little too long without mentioning God. I could read six chapters in a row at points and there doesn’t seem to be any faith involved or even Christian conviction on Effy’s part. It didn’t break the book, but it was definitely noticeable. And then there was a brief mention of the use of tongues (in the babeling way) that I don’t agree is biblical but again it is only mentioned once, I just rolled my eyes and kept reading.And there was also the use of the sinner’s prayer which I also didn’t think was necessary or Biblical since Luca had already given himself to God and then Effy comes in with the sinners prayer to ‘solidify’ the conversion. These two incidents are further at the end of the book, but still worth mentioning.
There was nothing heretical in this book though.
Morals [5/5]
From the start I knew there would be a lot of adult stuff going on in this book. But I was surprised to see that everything was written in the correct light for the most part. Gray areas, like Effy falling for Luca in the first place after already saying that she knew she wasn’t meant to be unequally yoked, were handled tastefully.
Luca also had a lot of conviction with what he was doing and was very aware that he was running on vengeance and rage. He went on to describe how he didn’t know what he would be like without the darkness and explains the secular perspective of the ‘light’ God offers as a burning sear to the corrupt instead of a light of hope, warmth and safety. It was interesting for mature christians to see and understand that perspective that is often forgotten or overlooked (I definitely am one of those people who needed that reminder of what the light can look like to the lost)
There were no blurred lines between right and wrong, even when characters made sinful decisions and chose to stick with them. A unique approach to this book was how the decisions of the characters were described in depth enough that I found myself stopping to see if I agreed with what the characters did or not, and why that was. I was definitely encouraged to continually keep God in mind and His ways. It was definitely a fun thought exercise that added additional depth to the experience of it all.
REMAINING REVIEW IN COMMENTS BELOW
June 25, 2025
So, I need to clarify first of all, I'm not hating but sharing an honest review.
It's my first Christian romance and I was really intrigued by Christian + Mafia + Romance. So my opinion is based on this book only.
I'm rating this 3 because I read it pretty fast.
Reading this book just made me realize the definition of lukewarm. I felt this book, and myself being lukewarm. I totally get this author wants and thinks about glorifying God and helping dark romance readers, I do. But unfortunately, the mafia romance part wins. I've already some of them and I can tell no real difference. I felt like it's rather read or stop, not add a Christian tag on it (talking to me).
I was told on social media the intimate scenes were closed doors. But it doesn't fade to black. Actually it's just not detailed but we're still there. I felt quite disappointed about it because, if we can still imagine what's happening with words, then is it really modesty?
Unfortunately, this is the first time while reading a double pov I found myself confusing voices in my head. Luca's pov felt too feminine. It's hard to write fictional spiritual transformation, but this one needed to be worked on. Most of the Christian thoughts, sentences, were too fictional, not naturally there. Sometimes, it was difficult to overlook the cheesy Christian parts.
Again, I'm sure I would have done the same. I appreciate the work this author made. It's huge to finish a book like this, try to honor God and bring people to read these ones and no more the toxic darker ones. Yet, I want her to improve so here my thoughts.
Lukewarm can't be good for no one. That's why few scenes are not hot, not cold.
All the best.
It's my first Christian romance and I was really intrigued by Christian + Mafia + Romance. So my opinion is based on this book only.
I'm rating this 3 because I read it pretty fast.
Reading this book just made me realize the definition of lukewarm. I felt this book, and myself being lukewarm. I totally get this author wants and thinks about glorifying God and helping dark romance readers, I do. But unfortunately, the mafia romance part wins. I've already some of them and I can tell no real difference. I felt like it's rather read or stop, not add a Christian tag on it (talking to me).
I was told on social media the intimate scenes were closed doors. But it doesn't fade to black. Actually it's just not detailed but we're still there. I felt quite disappointed about it because, if we can still imagine what's happening with words, then is it really modesty?
Unfortunately, this is the first time while reading a double pov I found myself confusing voices in my head. Luca's pov felt too feminine. It's hard to write fictional spiritual transformation, but this one needed to be worked on. Most of the Christian thoughts, sentences, were too fictional, not naturally there. Sometimes, it was difficult to overlook the cheesy Christian parts.
Again, I'm sure I would have done the same. I appreciate the work this author made. It's huge to finish a book like this, try to honor God and bring people to read these ones and no more the toxic darker ones. Yet, I want her to improve so here my thoughts.
Lukewarm can't be good for no one. That's why few scenes are not hot, not cold.
All the best.
March 15, 2024
*big sigh*
It's basically Withered Rose..... um. I was excited for another mafia romance and was expecting something different. It was almost literally copy and paste from Withered Rose, and Withered Rose is better! I'm disappointed.
It's basically Withered Rose..... um. I was excited for another mafia romance and was expecting something different. It was almost literally copy and paste from Withered Rose, and Withered Rose is better! I'm disappointed.
July 11, 2025
dnf. bro what kind of name is effervescent storm 😭😭
November 29, 2024
3.5 I enjoyed reading Christian Mafia, it was new and encouraging to find Christian related books that are fiction. Some of the lines were a bit corny or wouldn’t be said that way in a biblical sense to non believers. Also couldn’t connect to the characters too much as scenes were rushed and their relationship dynamic happened too quickly with no real reason to why. A lot of the dialogue was in their thoughts but they didn’t have an impactful interactions with each other for them to be attached that quickly.
The story was an interesting concept and I enjoyed the overall read. But just some things weren’t hitting right, the emotional impact didn’t reach me in the way it should have been. But it was still enjoyable to read.
The story was an interesting concept and I enjoyed the overall read. But just some things weren’t hitting right, the emotional impact didn’t reach me in the way it should have been. But it was still enjoyable to read.
August 15, 2024
Repetitive
This book started off so well, and then this area of where she started to have feelings for Lucas without even really knowing her. Same with the Lucas. There is a lot of repetitivness. Like what his brother said before he died, and just Lucas replaying everything in his head. I get it, but the book was starting to get boring. I was able to predict what was doing to happen. Towards the end I was skimming the book.
Overall... I wouldn't read the book again.
This book started off so well, and then this area of where she started to have feelings for Lucas without even really knowing her. Same with the Lucas. There is a lot of repetitivness. Like what his brother said before he died, and just Lucas replaying everything in his head. I get it, but the book was starting to get boring. I was able to predict what was doing to happen. Towards the end I was skimming the book.
Overall... I wouldn't read the book again.
August 13, 2025
It's a no from me. Maffia romance isn't my genre, but Christian maffia romance is somehow worse. The proselytizing at the most random moments, Luca being a terrible person and the weird power dynamics are not my thing. The epilogue was also really random.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2024
Would give this like 4.8. The plot twists are crazy a lot happens which keeps the book interesting buttt I wish there was more romance shown between the main girl and guy!
July 16, 2025
Reads like an “edgy” church girl wrote it.
As a deconstructed evangelical Christian who grew up homeschooled, conservative, etc. there is so much wrong with this book. I wanted to like it, I really did. I’m open-minded when it comes to books, but I read to the end purely out of spite because it would have easily been a DNF for me.
The writing isn’t bad—it’s actually fairly good—but the random fourth wall breaks were awkward and disrupting to the story, as were all the mini sermons/bible verses throughout. I’ve read countless books in the Christian fiction and Christian romance genres and none of them have had nearly as much preachiness in them. It felt off—and not just because it was theologically bonkers—it was simply out of place in a dark mafia romance, even being a “Christian” book.
I didn’t realize how high my hopes for this book were until they were dashed to pieces on the same kind of Bible-thumping, God’s-word-used-as-a-weapon rock that is destroying the Christian witness for the church. As much as this books preaches about love, mercy, and grace, it reeks of condemnation and judgement. Plus the suspended belief aspect was completely impossible to get over. Absolutely nothing in this book was remotely comparable to reality. The Romance genre sells over-the-top fantasy as a rule, but this was too problematic to hold up even under a Christian label. I think the author’s heart was in the right place, but she’s trying too hard to force her narrow view of the world into a genre it doesn’t belong in. Hard pass.
As a deconstructed evangelical Christian who grew up homeschooled, conservative, etc. there is so much wrong with this book. I wanted to like it, I really did. I’m open-minded when it comes to books, but I read to the end purely out of spite because it would have easily been a DNF for me.
The writing isn’t bad—it’s actually fairly good—but the random fourth wall breaks were awkward and disrupting to the story, as were all the mini sermons/bible verses throughout. I’ve read countless books in the Christian fiction and Christian romance genres and none of them have had nearly as much preachiness in them. It felt off—and not just because it was theologically bonkers—it was simply out of place in a dark mafia romance, even being a “Christian” book.
I didn’t realize how high my hopes for this book were until they were dashed to pieces on the same kind of Bible-thumping, God’s-word-used-as-a-weapon rock that is destroying the Christian witness for the church. As much as this books preaches about love, mercy, and grace, it reeks of condemnation and judgement. Plus the suspended belief aspect was completely impossible to get over. Absolutely nothing in this book was remotely comparable to reality. The Romance genre sells over-the-top fantasy as a rule, but this was too problematic to hold up even under a Christian label. I think the author’s heart was in the right place, but she’s trying too hard to force her narrow view of the world into a genre it doesn’t belong in. Hard pass.
August 17, 2025
2.5⭐️I don’t know how to feel about this..
January 6, 2025
4.5⭐️
So when’s Heights and Shadows coming out 👀👀!?!?
I just love all her books. They’re easy to read. I love that there’s an underlying Christian message all wrapped into the romance and thrill of a mafia book 😂
She did say one thing about the Catholic faith that was theology incorrect so I was like 🫤 but other than that I liked this book and want to read Mario and Uwe’s story going to university!
So when’s Heights and Shadows coming out 👀👀!?!?
I just love all her books. They’re easy to read. I love that there’s an underlying Christian message all wrapped into the romance and thrill of a mafia book 😂
She did say one thing about the Catholic faith that was theology incorrect so I was like 🫤 but other than that I liked this book and want to read Mario and Uwe’s story going to university!
May 20, 2024
First read by this author. I've read many mafia romances, but this is the first one that manages to take the glamorous sheen of the lifestyle while still leaving me, hoping that the characters find love and God. Now, I'm not a fan of the FMC's nickname. It had me gnashing my teeth a lil' bit. Especially when she had such a mafia queen like real name, and we never really got to hear it. But I certainly had enough reason to keep reading past it. I was genuinely curious how God would come into play in this, and I found myself excitedly turning the page just to get glimpses of how that strength and love will present on page. It was good. God plays an active (audible) role in this story, and if you're a beginner Christian or just a little more skittish about that kinda thing in books, just be forewarned going into this one. But it's still a very realistic book, and even that part is presented realistically (i think). I was also genuinely disgusted by the mafia life, in the best way. So many of the MMC musings I found genuinely distasteful, cue the HTGWM gif of Viola Davis grabbing her purse and leaving cause that would've me with the whole mafia life during parts of this book. As I said, rose colored glasses are on in some more secular books of this subject. But this book allowed you to be present in the evil, and cheer for them both being better people. By the end, I wanted to see this movie. But it's a no for me on Heights and Shadows. While the academia part has me on the edge of my seat in anticipation. The suburban kids visiting the hood trope, but with mafia is going to grate on me. I just hate when silver spoons glamorize poverty(someone else's pain) and theirs a bit of that peeking through in that epilogue, but of course, with the mafioso theme. But this one was awesome, and I'll check out Withered Rose, too.
September 21, 2025
Overall, this book was an enjoyable Mafia dark romance! It was very interesting how the author incorporated God and faith within the story. The author used Effy’s faith in a way that wasn’t cheesy or unrealistic to the plot of the story.
I enjoyed the development of Luca and Effy’s relationship. In the beginning, it developed faster than I anticipated, but they both grew on me. I think the author needed more time to develop their infatuation for each other given the circumstances of Mario’s upcoming murder trial.
For a Christian dark romance, the author did a great job of showing the reality of the mafia world without it being overly gruesome. She artfully wrote about sex and murder in a way that made sense to the plot without glorifying it as well.
If the author had an extra 100 pages, she could’ve had more time to focus on world building and plot development. Some parts seemed rushed (Effy/Luca relationship) other parts dragged on longer than necessary (over explanation of mafia world).
I noticed the author would also repeat aspects of the mafia world throughout the story, which because slightly annoying after awhile. Mostly in reference to what Effy would or would not be accustomed to. As a reader, it didn’t give us the ability to pick up on context clues. Not everything needed to be spelled out to the reader for the sake of the plot.
I gave this book 3.5 stars because the pacing of the book fell flat toward the end. After Luca started the mafia war, the plot became anticlimactic. I also thought his journey to accepting Christ in his life was very vague. His redemption arc didn’t show a change till the last few chapters of the book. I would’ve loved to read a chapter of him self-reflecting on his actions and choosing to repent from his ways. To me, it felt like he decided to stop his vengeance because he had a child on the way and didn’t want to lose Effy. There wasn’t a lot of emphasis on his newfound faith.
Lastly, I didn’t enjoy the epilogue. The author could’ve kept it. I know that it sets up the next book, but I would’ve enjoyed reading more about Effy and Luca settling into their new life in Portugal. The chapter was a drag and I felt like more energy should’ve been spent closing out the last chapters of the book.
TL;DR - A decent Christian dark romance book! Very entertaining with plot twists I didn’t see coming. It’s an enjoyable read that will keep you entertained.
I enjoyed the development of Luca and Effy’s relationship. In the beginning, it developed faster than I anticipated, but they both grew on me. I think the author needed more time to develop their infatuation for each other given the circumstances of Mario’s upcoming murder trial.
For a Christian dark romance, the author did a great job of showing the reality of the mafia world without it being overly gruesome. She artfully wrote about sex and murder in a way that made sense to the plot without glorifying it as well.
If the author had an extra 100 pages, she could’ve had more time to focus on world building and plot development. Some parts seemed rushed (Effy/Luca relationship) other parts dragged on longer than necessary (over explanation of mafia world).
I noticed the author would also repeat aspects of the mafia world throughout the story, which because slightly annoying after awhile. Mostly in reference to what Effy would or would not be accustomed to. As a reader, it didn’t give us the ability to pick up on context clues. Not everything needed to be spelled out to the reader for the sake of the plot.
I gave this book 3.5 stars because the pacing of the book fell flat toward the end. After Luca started the mafia war, the plot became anticlimactic. I also thought his journey to accepting Christ in his life was very vague. His redemption arc didn’t show a change till the last few chapters of the book. I would’ve loved to read a chapter of him self-reflecting on his actions and choosing to repent from his ways. To me, it felt like he decided to stop his vengeance because he had a child on the way and didn’t want to lose Effy. There wasn’t a lot of emphasis on his newfound faith.
Lastly, I didn’t enjoy the epilogue. The author could’ve kept it. I know that it sets up the next book, but I would’ve enjoyed reading more about Effy and Luca settling into their new life in Portugal. The chapter was a drag and I felt like more energy should’ve been spent closing out the last chapters of the book.
TL;DR - A decent Christian dark romance book! Very entertaining with plot twists I didn’t see coming. It’s an enjoyable read that will keep you entertained.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2025
Idk know where to start. But I will say (to preface) this is my first Christian Mafia romance. So this is solely judging this book and not the entirety of Christian romance books/authors. But his is also my first book from this author so yeah…
With that. I’m a bit confused? Or just I don’t know I know this is supposed to be to be Christian themed but it felt forced? And I know that this maybe an intro to Christianity/faith but it felt lackluster, short and dare I say lukewarm?
I know it’s suppose to be close dork but with words still describing it didn’t feel close door, I felt still there and I fell like that defeats the purposes of being close door let alone Christian romance.
Now with the faith aspect out of the way, the mafia part of this book also just didn’t hit. The whole age gap felt really awkward and forced and disturbing… like how you going to look at your sister and the lipstick stained glass she left and think about another girl wearing the same color? I don’t know the age gap, the way it was written in this story just wasn’t executed well.
I also have some qualms about how Luca’s pov is written in a feminine tone. It totally didn’t give the underboss, don of mafia vibes.
Effy, um can I just say what the heck is her name. Effervescent Storm, Probably the WORST book name I’ve ever come across and I was veryyyyyyy tempted to DNF the book solely because of her name. Anyway besides that I get she’s 19 but really annoying. I get she has been through a lot but with that whole thing and throwing in the faith aspect it just wasn’t done smoothly.
Just I don’t think this was well executed.
With that. I’m a bit confused? Or just I don’t know I know this is supposed to be to be Christian themed but it felt forced? And I know that this maybe an intro to Christianity/faith but it felt lackluster, short and dare I say lukewarm?
I know it’s suppose to be close dork but with words still describing it didn’t feel close door, I felt still there and I fell like that defeats the purposes of being close door let alone Christian romance.
Now with the faith aspect out of the way, the mafia part of this book also just didn’t hit. The whole age gap felt really awkward and forced and disturbing… like how you going to look at your sister and the lipstick stained glass she left and think about another girl wearing the same color? I don’t know the age gap, the way it was written in this story just wasn’t executed well.
I also have some qualms about how Luca’s pov is written in a feminine tone. It totally didn’t give the underboss, don of mafia vibes.
Effy, um can I just say what the heck is her name. Effervescent Storm, Probably the WORST book name I’ve ever come across and I was veryyyyyyy tempted to DNF the book solely because of her name. Anyway besides that I get she’s 19 but really annoying. I get she has been through a lot but with that whole thing and throwing in the faith aspect it just wasn’t done smoothly.
Just I don’t think this was well executed.
June 6, 2025
This is the first book by Valicity Elaine that I've ever read, and I am blown away! I was completely hooked by the end of the prologue and finished the whole book in one sitting.
I love that it is a very character driven story and that the characters, even the Christian ones, aren't perfect. They all have some major flaws, some that they work to overcome and some that they don't, and that adds so much richness to the storytelling. I liked that the Christian themes and mentions of the Bible were constant, and not just a one-time thing, but it also didn't feel overly preachy and in your face. That's a difficult balance to find.
I will say, when the author said "dark Christian mafia romance", she meant it! If you are used to, and prefer, sweet Christian fiction where the worst thing that happens is a car crash, and the most intimate thing that happens is a brief, chaste kiss when the MC's admit their feelings, then this is probably not the book for you.
There's some mild language, torture, murder, death, and brief mentions of rape and drug trafficking. There's also multiple discussions about sexual topics, and 3 or 4 sex scenes that happen on the page. Nothing is graphic. Everything is kept very vague with minimal description, but it is still on the page.
The author does not shy away from these dark topics, but it is well balanced with messages of hope, forgiveness and redemption.
Highly recommend, and I can't wait to read more books by this author.
I love that it is a very character driven story and that the characters, even the Christian ones, aren't perfect. They all have some major flaws, some that they work to overcome and some that they don't, and that adds so much richness to the storytelling. I liked that the Christian themes and mentions of the Bible were constant, and not just a one-time thing, but it also didn't feel overly preachy and in your face. That's a difficult balance to find.
I will say, when the author said "dark Christian mafia romance", she meant it! If you are used to, and prefer, sweet Christian fiction where the worst thing that happens is a car crash, and the most intimate thing that happens is a brief, chaste kiss when the MC's admit their feelings, then this is probably not the book for you.
There's some mild language, torture, murder, death, and brief mentions of rape and drug trafficking. There's also multiple discussions about sexual topics, and 3 or 4 sex scenes that happen on the page. Nothing is graphic. Everything is kept very vague with minimal description, but it is still on the page.
The author does not shy away from these dark topics, but it is well balanced with messages of hope, forgiveness and redemption.
Highly recommend, and I can't wait to read more books by this author.
January 15, 2024
This is the first book by this author that I have read and I have mixed feelings about it.
Overall the book was really good , the plot was good and the characters were well developed. I was a lot more interesting than I had expected. I liked how there was a consistent incorporation of the faith aspect without shying away from the dark parts of the Mafia world.
This is an adult book and something that surprised me was the fact that there were open door sex scenes, although not explicit, they were still descriptive. This is not a criticism, just and observation.
The one thing I did not like about this book was the ending. I feel like there should have been two epilogues. One showing 8 or 10 years later and how they achieved their new life and a glimpse into their relationship after the Mafia and then Mario's epilogue. To me the Mario's epilogue seemed rushed and too compact with so much information.
From Mario's epilogue I got the impression that after they left the Mafia , they had a loveless marriage and were terrible, controlling parents who only had one son who resented them and could not wait to get out. This was very disappointing as that is the case for many kids who grew up in a Christian household, I thought they would have been written as better parents.
Overall the book was really good , the plot was good and the characters were well developed. I was a lot more interesting than I had expected. I liked how there was a consistent incorporation of the faith aspect without shying away from the dark parts of the Mafia world.
This is an adult book and something that surprised me was the fact that there were open door sex scenes, although not explicit, they were still descriptive. This is not a criticism, just and observation.
The one thing I did not like about this book was the ending. I feel like there should have been two epilogues. One showing 8 or 10 years later and how they achieved their new life and a glimpse into their relationship after the Mafia and then Mario's epilogue. To me the Mario's epilogue seemed rushed and too compact with so much information.
From Mario's epilogue I got the impression that after they left the Mafia , they had a loveless marriage and were terrible, controlling parents who only had one son who resented them and could not wait to get out. This was very disappointing as that is the case for many kids who grew up in a Christian household, I thought they would have been written as better parents.
May 31, 2025
I loved this book down! Beautiful Lies had the perfect balance of raw emotion, faith, danger, and redemption. From the very first page, I was hooked—and I couldn’t put it down.
What truly stood out was watching the characters wrestle with the life of being in the mafia—the loyalty, the violence, the secrets, and the deep internal struggle of trying to break free. Valicity did an incredible job showing how trapped people can feel in a life of sin, yet how powerful God’s grace is in setting them free.
The character development was beautiful. Each person was so layered and real. I love how slowly, Luca was being pulled into surrendering his life to Christ. He struggled with forgiveness and accepting the fate of his brother’s demise. I felt his pain, his shame, and desire for a better life. And the central message was unforgettable: no sin is too dark, no past too messy for God to redeem. That truth was woven so naturally through every twist and turn.
I didn’t care much about the mid spice scenes.. if you struggle with lust, then read with caution.
Overall, this story was bold, emotional, and faith-filled. If you love Christian fiction that mixes real-life struggles, complex characters, and powerful spiritual truth—Beautiful Lies is a must-read
What truly stood out was watching the characters wrestle with the life of being in the mafia—the loyalty, the violence, the secrets, and the deep internal struggle of trying to break free. Valicity did an incredible job showing how trapped people can feel in a life of sin, yet how powerful God’s grace is in setting them free.
The character development was beautiful. Each person was so layered and real. I love how slowly, Luca was being pulled into surrendering his life to Christ. He struggled with forgiveness and accepting the fate of his brother’s demise. I felt his pain, his shame, and desire for a better life. And the central message was unforgettable: no sin is too dark, no past too messy for God to redeem. That truth was woven so naturally through every twist and turn.
I didn’t care much about the mid spice scenes.. if you struggle with lust, then read with caution.
Overall, this story was bold, emotional, and faith-filled. If you love Christian fiction that mixes real-life struggles, complex characters, and powerful spiritual truth—Beautiful Lies is a must-read
April 29, 2024
I’m not going to lie - I enjoyed this! I wasn’t sure what to expect with ‘dark romance + christian fiction’ but I was pleasantly surprised. The plot was interesting overall (though a bit slow in some parts & rushed in others) but I was consistently invested & interested the whole way through. Also — I would definitely read the sequel or other related books based on the epilogue!
What was really cool to me was that, though there was a consistent incorporation of the religious aspect, it never shied away from the dark parts of the mafia world or just life & relationships in general. This grittier aspect made it really interesting because there was so much room for growth in the characters. It especially made being in Luca’s head really cool to read & follow along with. There were actually parts of it that were darker than I expected it to be. But also, there was more sex than I expected, open door non-explicit sex scenes, but still descriptive emotionally. Didn’t hate it or mind it, but going in when it said no cursing (which it did) & no sex, I wasn’t expecting it.
What was really cool to me was that, though there was a consistent incorporation of the religious aspect, it never shied away from the dark parts of the mafia world or just life & relationships in general. This grittier aspect made it really interesting because there was so much room for growth in the characters. It especially made being in Luca’s head really cool to read & follow along with. There were actually parts of it that were darker than I expected it to be. But also, there was more sex than I expected, open door non-explicit sex scenes, but still descriptive emotionally. Didn’t hate it or mind it, but going in when it said no cursing (which it did) & no sex, I wasn’t expecting it.
March 21, 2025
First time reading a Christian romance and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. For one, I enjoyed that the intimate scenes did not go into heavy detail, but was still able to portray a steamy scene through expression and emotion. Two, the plot of understanding God’s love to bring about a change in someone’s life is very realistic. It happened in my own life, so it wasn’t far fetched to see how Luca battled with choosing God over the life he has always known. There were very few cringey moments like when Effy would try to present God to him when he was stating his feelings of anger and revenge but the message was clear and I fully understood what the author was trying to relay.
October 13, 2025
I love the concept. I felt like many of the scenes were rushed especially at the end. And I know it's a trope in this particular sub genre but how the hell is it possible that the FMC would discover she's pregnant one week after the wedding? Does morning sickness appear that quickly in real life? It just seemed a bit implausible. Also, not trying to bash Evangelicals but I have an issue with the preachy bits. But that's more of a me problem. I also didn't mind how the intimacy was written. I didn't find it graphic or distasteful and all of it took place after marriage.
I look forward to trying the other books by this author.
I look forward to trying the other books by this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2025
I admit, I DNF this book. I was expecting fade to black and got fade to gray. While I enjoyed the story (as far as I read), and I don't mind *dark*, I felt that the romance scenes were more graphic than necessary, especially for a Christian story. No, they weren't super explicit, but anyone who has ever had sex can tell what's going on, and I did not feel that the details that were added contributed to the story in any way. They could have easily been made fade to black and still conveyed the emotional repercussions. Overall, I wanted to like the story, but couldn't finish because of that.
June 4, 2025
This book was over all inspiring but, on the border of being great. It was for amazing to see an author incorporate Scripture into a book about a mafia under boss and, so cool to see how a good Christian girl would get tangled up in the entire mess but still stand as true to her values as possible. You can tell Luca wants to be good but struggles as most new Christian’s do. Some of the writing was a bit choppy and, the dialogue was just off but overall enjoyed it and, enjoyed the blend of worlds together.
June 19, 2025
It only took me two days to read this book so clearly I was very intrigued! I’ve never read a story like this but I’m not mad at it. The author did a great job giving me a fresh perspective on the concept of God’s grace and mercy in the lives of flawed humans. And I actually highlighted a few quotes to send to a friend. She approached hard topics unapologetically and she gave me a romance I could get behind. I can’t say that I loved the book but again I’m not mad that I read it. For me, three stars is a check that I liked the book but I’m not necessarily running to recommend it to a friend.
July 20, 2025
Very well paced , good romance, made me cry three times, this is my first time reading Christian romance , I was delivered from lust and I’m trying to obey God by staying away from it through my reading as well, since it is also a gateway to sin. I wasn’t so sure going into this if I was going to like it like regular books , but it was so much more than what I was going for , and honestly I felt like God was speaking to me when he was speaking to Luca. May God bless you , keep obeying him and worshiping him with your writing .
September 30, 2025
I always learn a lot from Valicity Elaine's books and still have such a great time. Coming off from the Withered Rose series, I wanted something similar, and I can say I got what I wanted and needed. I really liked the way she incorporated bible verses in the book that fit what was going on at that moment. Also the way she shined light on so many things that gave me a fresh perspective. That was so beautiful.
I'm so excited that there will be more books from the author. I'm such a big fan of her work.
I'm so excited that there will be more books from the author. I'm such a big fan of her work.
November 25, 2025
For a mafia romance with no spice and Christian themes, this was actually very good! I thought at first that the heavy inner monologues about Christ and everything was a bit cliche or overdone, but I actually found some inspiration from Effy. The relationship between the two developed beautifully and I loved the ending. However, I was disappointed in how Mario saw his parents and how it set up for another book series: Heights and Shadows. I might read it depending on how much I enjoy the rest of Valicity Elaine’s books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2025
To be honest, I really wanted to enjoy this book. I’m on a journey to read less raunchy (for lack of better words) books and thought this genre would be interesting enough to transition me from that to different literature. I was sadly mistaken. This was somewhat lukewarm. It barely touches on faith as it claims to and does have scenes that are not the cleanest. Faith intertwined with a mafia romance pulled me in but this book was definitely a disappointment. Did not finish. It was a nice concept but bad execution.
May 22, 2025
I haven't read a lot of dark romance, I've only read three books (counting this one) with a mafia theme.I have to admit that I was really surprised! It's one plot twist after another, you can't stop reading.
One of the things I liked is the use of scriptures from the bible for certain situations in the book, I admit that in some of these moments more than one tear escaped. Hope, faith, redemption...the truth is that it is a fantastic book, I loved it!
One of the things I liked is the use of scriptures from the bible for certain situations in the book, I admit that in some of these moments more than one tear escaped. Hope, faith, redemption...the truth is that it is a fantastic book, I loved it!
June 12, 2025
i enjoyed the scripture and biblical concepts and references throughout the book. it speaks to common struggles people face on their faith journey & questions a lot of people have when it comes to why God does the things He does & His love for us❤️. Luca is unhinged & funny 😂. i will say, though, that the way conflicts are resolved does feel a bit rushed, easy & unrealistic given this is in a mafia setting.
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