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Filthy Marcellos #2
Giovanni
An alternate cover edition can be found here.
Giovanni Marcello lives life by his own terms and has no intention of changing. As a Capo and the son of a mob boss, he knows what is and is not acceptable conduct. That doesn’t stop him from doing whatever he wants, whenever he wants to do it. The one thing he would never do is disobey the principles of La Cosa Nostra. That is, until he spends a night with a beautiful stranger.
He’ll break every rule for her.
Kim Abella has made some mistakes—no doubt about it. She’s paying for them by a forced marriage she doesn’t want to a man who suffocates her with his demands and abuse. After everything, she knew better than to get mixed up with another family, especially their youngest son. Then again, when she’s with him, he reminds her of who she is beneath the control that’s slowly killing her.
She just can’t leave him alone.
Being spoken for by a made man means Kim is off-limits, but Giovanni doesn’t play nice when it comes to taking what should be his. The only thing that might save them both from a bullet and a makeshift grave for what they’ve done are the very same rules they already broke.
Sometimes, love has to start out a little filthy.
Filthy Giovanni can be read as a standalone in the series.
***Please note, adult situations including sexual encounters, minor drug use, and scenes of violence not intended for audiences younger than 18 years of age.
Giovanni Marcello lives life by his own terms and has no intention of changing. As a Capo and the son of a mob boss, he knows what is and is not acceptable conduct. That doesn’t stop him from doing whatever he wants, whenever he wants to do it. The one thing he would never do is disobey the principles of La Cosa Nostra. That is, until he spends a night with a beautiful stranger.
He’ll break every rule for her.
Kim Abella has made some mistakes—no doubt about it. She’s paying for them by a forced marriage she doesn’t want to a man who suffocates her with his demands and abuse. After everything, she knew better than to get mixed up with another family, especially their youngest son. Then again, when she’s with him, he reminds her of who she is beneath the control that’s slowly killing her.
She just can’t leave him alone.
Being spoken for by a made man means Kim is off-limits, but Giovanni doesn’t play nice when it comes to taking what should be his. The only thing that might save them both from a bullet and a makeshift grave for what they’ve done are the very same rules they already broke.
Sometimes, love has to start out a little filthy.
Filthy Giovanni can be read as a standalone in the series.
***Please note, adult situations including sexual encounters, minor drug use, and scenes of violence not intended for audiences younger than 18 years of age.
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2015
160 people are currently reading
2756 people want to read
About the author
Bethany-Kris
108 books4,257 followersThe author of too many novels to count, Bethany-Kris is a Canadian, lover of much, and mother to four sons, a glaring of cats, and a pack of dogs. A small town in Eastern Canada where she was born and raised is where she has always called home. With her boys under her feet, a snuggling cat, barking dogs, and a spouse calling over his shoulder, she is nearly always writing something ... when she can find the time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 298 reviews
April 1, 2015
5+ STAR CROSSED LOVE STARS
Giovanni's book completely surprised me, I mean it was angsty, I had some really good feels while reading it but I also had some pretty sad feels too!
Giovanni, is the youngest Marcello son. Unlike his two older brothers Lucian and Dante he didn't follow the plans that were set out for him by their father. He dropped out of college and the one thing he does that affects his family the most is that he uses. He's either drinking or doing drugs, probably both. Chasing the ultimate high, constantly wanting to feel.
There were only a few things he truly enjoyed in life. Fucking, fighting, running his narcotics on the streets, shooting guns, and being the Skip. A capo for his father's Cosa Nostra.
One thing I need to stress about the Marcellos is that they are Made Men who enjoy what they do. I mean this isn't a series about three brothers born into the Mafia and trying to get out of the life. They do what they do to make money, and they enjoy it. Be it money laundering, distributing drugs on the streets, owning legit businesses and killing people, they embrace it as part of their lives. I don't think anyone embraced it more than Giovanni though, there's nothing more important to him than his Family and what he does for it.
Which brings us to the moment he meets Kim, he has no idea how she'll change his life when they meet at hotel for (all intents and purposes)a one night stand. Imagine Gio's shock when he realises the woman he spent one night with, the woman he can't get out of his head is fiance to a rival Boss's son. The son he can't stand, the son he feels like killing every time he sets on eyes on him. Franco Sorrento. Let's not forget that Kim's father is Nunz Abella who is Gio's father's sworn enemy. A relationship between Gio and Kim would mean guaranteed death for Gio but the heart wants what it wants.
"I should have never have approached you in New York," Kim said, wishing she hadn't dragged him into her screwed up life.
I'm so fucking glad you did."
Kimberlynn Abella, made a mistake the night she slept with Giovanni Marcello but before that night she made an even bigger mistake. She was caught counting cards at a Casino owned by the Sorrento family, on any other day being caught stealing money from a Mafia family would mean death but her she's given an alternative. Marry Franco Sorrento and be the perfect wife and your family won't be shamed and you'll also get to keep your life. Guess what she chooses?
Christ. It was beautiful... in a way that made her ache. A thought passed though her mind so fleetingly she almost missed it. Almost.
What would it be like to be only his?
At first Gio sees what's on the surface. A spoiled rich Mafia princess, who thinks she can have whatever she wants, consequences be damned. But as time goes by, he sees the dark and lonely existence that Kim lives. The unwanted daughter, a pawn in her father's schemes to better himself in the Cosa Nostra.
I'm a romantic at heart and Gio and Kim's story seriously tugged my heart strings in the perfect way. Sweet without being fluffy, and just the right amount of danger for me not to forget that these are Made Men. Oh man what do I say?! Young love. Flawed. This couple is far from perfect, they made some serious mistakes, but their love was enough to pull them through.
"You know, I learned a long time ago breathing didn't make a person feel alive. But you knock the air right out of my lungs, and it's never felt more real."
ARC kindly provided by author in return for an honest review
Giovanni's book completely surprised me, I mean it was angsty, I had some really good feels while reading it but I also had some pretty sad feels too!
Giovanni, is the youngest Marcello son. Unlike his two older brothers Lucian and Dante he didn't follow the plans that were set out for him by their father. He dropped out of college and the one thing he does that affects his family the most is that he uses. He's either drinking or doing drugs, probably both. Chasing the ultimate high, constantly wanting to feel.
There were only a few things he truly enjoyed in life. Fucking, fighting, running his narcotics on the streets, shooting guns, and being the Skip. A capo for his father's Cosa Nostra.
One thing I need to stress about the Marcellos is that they are Made Men who enjoy what they do. I mean this isn't a series about three brothers born into the Mafia and trying to get out of the life. They do what they do to make money, and they enjoy it. Be it money laundering, distributing drugs on the streets, owning legit businesses and killing people, they embrace it as part of their lives. I don't think anyone embraced it more than Giovanni though, there's nothing more important to him than his Family and what he does for it.
Which brings us to the moment he meets Kim, he has no idea how she'll change his life when they meet at hotel for (all intents and purposes)a one night stand. Imagine Gio's shock when he realises the woman he spent one night with, the woman he can't get out of his head is fiance to a rival Boss's son. The son he can't stand, the son he feels like killing every time he sets on eyes on him. Franco Sorrento. Let's not forget that Kim's father is Nunz Abella who is Gio's father's sworn enemy. A relationship between Gio and Kim would mean guaranteed death for Gio but the heart wants what it wants.
"I should have never have approached you in New York," Kim said, wishing she hadn't dragged him into her screwed up life.
I'm so fucking glad you did."
Kimberlynn Abella, made a mistake the night she slept with Giovanni Marcello but before that night she made an even bigger mistake. She was caught counting cards at a Casino owned by the Sorrento family, on any other day being caught stealing money from a Mafia family would mean death but her she's given an alternative. Marry Franco Sorrento and be the perfect wife and your family won't be shamed and you'll also get to keep your life. Guess what she chooses?
Christ. It was beautiful... in a way that made her ache. A thought passed though her mind so fleetingly she almost missed it. Almost.
What would it be like to be only his?
At first Gio sees what's on the surface. A spoiled rich Mafia princess, who thinks she can have whatever she wants, consequences be damned. But as time goes by, he sees the dark and lonely existence that Kim lives. The unwanted daughter, a pawn in her father's schemes to better himself in the Cosa Nostra.
I'm a romantic at heart and Gio and Kim's story seriously tugged my heart strings in the perfect way. Sweet without being fluffy, and just the right amount of danger for me not to forget that these are Made Men. Oh man what do I say?! Young love. Flawed. This couple is far from perfect, they made some serious mistakes, but their love was enough to pull them through.
"You know, I learned a long time ago breathing didn't make a person feel alive. But you knock the air right out of my lungs, and it's never felt more real."
ARC kindly provided by author in return for an honest review
April 11, 2015
4.5 Tesoro STARS
“I swear my breath, blood, and being to Cosa Nostra, la famiglia – our thing.”
The second book in the Filthy Marcellos series is Giovanni Marcello’s story. He’s the youngest Mafia Prince; the troubled one, the black sheep. He is lawless and reckless. It’s his way or no way.
Gio is searching for something, chasing something that has him using all the vices available to someone with no boundaries and a limitless supply of cash.
Gio meets Kim, a beautiful mystery woman, at his oldest brother’s wedding. They have a memorable one night stand...
and their paths don’t cross until months later when fate deals them a dangerous blow.
Gio and Kim’s story is a slow simmer. Theirs is a forbidden attraction that betrays La Cosa Nostra...
“Nothing says I love you like spilled blood.”
...and could end in more than just broken hearts.
Their attraction is real and volatile. They take stupid risks and tempt fate countless times.
“You do that to me, too, Kim. Get me high. Stupid. Reckless. You make me think I’m going crazy.”
“Loving you is going to kill me, Gio.”
Gio and Kim are intense and this is an emotional journey for both. When with Kim, Gio no longer is seeking anything; he's at peace and for Kim, Gio is the one person who wants nothing from her but to make her happy.
Gio is completely different from Lucian, in the first book and that is what I liked the most about it. Yes, they are both La Cosa Nostra. Each of them has the power, the danger, and the ruthlessness that the Mafioso have ingrain in them yet their souls are unique and so are their loves.
There's lot of tradition and knowledge of the Mafia in these stories and their way is very much the silent storyteller as this love and the danger it brings unfolds.
“Respect danced hand in hand with fear.”
“Quiet men were dangerous men. Below their surface, a volatile rage simmered, waiting to flare. A hard coldness saturated them...violence and viciousness were their drugs of choice.”
I'm really looking forward to the third and final book about Dante. Both books have hinted at Dante's situation and the ending of this book shares with us some of Dante's fears and just how big those pressures are upon him.
This was a BR with my mafia sisters, their reviews:
Sasha
Shanny
Snow
Guest reviewer for SlutSistas Book Blog. For more reviews and blog posts.
“I swear my breath, blood, and being to Cosa Nostra, la famiglia – our thing.”
The second book in the Filthy Marcellos series is Giovanni Marcello’s story. He’s the youngest Mafia Prince; the troubled one, the black sheep. He is lawless and reckless. It’s his way or no way.
Gio is searching for something, chasing something that has him using all the vices available to someone with no boundaries and a limitless supply of cash.
Gio meets Kim, a beautiful mystery woman, at his oldest brother’s wedding. They have a memorable one night stand...
and their paths don’t cross until months later when fate deals them a dangerous blow.
Gio and Kim’s story is a slow simmer. Theirs is a forbidden attraction that betrays La Cosa Nostra...
“Nothing says I love you like spilled blood.”
...and could end in more than just broken hearts.
Their attraction is real and volatile. They take stupid risks and tempt fate countless times.
“You do that to me, too, Kim. Get me high. Stupid. Reckless. You make me think I’m going crazy.”
“Loving you is going to kill me, Gio.”
Gio and Kim are intense and this is an emotional journey for both. When with Kim, Gio no longer is seeking anything; he's at peace and for Kim, Gio is the one person who wants nothing from her but to make her happy.
Gio is completely different from Lucian, in the first book and that is what I liked the most about it. Yes, they are both La Cosa Nostra. Each of them has the power, the danger, and the ruthlessness that the Mafioso have ingrain in them yet their souls are unique and so are their loves.
There's lot of tradition and knowledge of the Mafia in these stories and their way is very much the silent storyteller as this love and the danger it brings unfolds.
“Respect danced hand in hand with fear.”
“Quiet men were dangerous men. Below their surface, a volatile rage simmered, waiting to flare. A hard coldness saturated them...violence and viciousness were their drugs of choice.”
I'm really looking forward to the third and final book about Dante. Both books have hinted at Dante's situation and the ending of this book shares with us some of Dante's fears and just how big those pressures are upon him.
This was a BR with my mafia sisters, their reviews:
Sasha
Shanny
Snow
Guest reviewer for SlutSistas Book Blog. For more reviews and blog posts.
February 11, 2019
Re-read February 2019 and enjoyed it more the second time around so 4.5 stars
I'm not a fan of reading about drugs/substance abuse so went into Gio's book dragging my heels. If it wasn't for my-read-every-book-in-the-series-in-order OCD I probably would have skipped this, and I'm so glad for my OCD because colour me surprised! I ended up loving Gio and Kim. Gio was so very much more than I expected him to be, in a good way.
I'm not a fan of reading about drugs/substance abuse so went into Gio's book dragging my heels. If it wasn't for my-read-every-book-in-the-series-in-order OCD I probably would have skipped this, and I'm so glad for my OCD because colour me surprised! I ended up loving Gio and Kim. Gio was so very much more than I expected him to be, in a good way.
February 24, 2016
4,5 STARS!!!
"The strongest people are the one who fight and win wars no one else ever gets to see."
Gio is the youngest son of mafia boss, Antony.
Gio was the trouble one. The black sheep. He was lawless and mostly, he loved it. Often times he didn't think things through, but he was cunning as hell got himself out of most bad situations he ended up in.
On his brother's wedding day, he meets Kim.
Who was this fucking girl?
They spend night together.
Few months later, Antony sends Gio to Las Vegas.
There he finds Kim. Kim is engaged to mobster son Franco.
Who was she? Since when had she become such a doormat that man like Franco had this kind of awful effect on her? She had always been independent and proud of it, but now she felt weak. She couldn't imagine being married to him for the rest of her life.
It was a damn shame. This girl...this crazy, beautiful girl who was the first person to really make Gio feel like he was alive in long time, looked crushed. Pain thumped with the beats of his heart.
It is forbidden to touch the women of another made man. So why can't he stop?
Fuck the rules. They never made a damn difference to him when he wanted something before. Gio wanted Kim. That's all there was to it.
"Falling in love is scary shit", Lucian said,
"Especially for men like us."
Fallin in love with her was easy, like blinking and breathing.
Overall,
modern day Romeo & Julia + mobsters = PERFECT BOOK
"The strongest people are the one who fight and win wars no one else ever gets to see."
Gio is the youngest son of mafia boss, Antony.
Gio was the trouble one. The black sheep. He was lawless and mostly, he loved it. Often times he didn't think things through, but he was cunning as hell got himself out of most bad situations he ended up in.
On his brother's wedding day, he meets Kim.
Who was this fucking girl?
They spend night together.
Few months later, Antony sends Gio to Las Vegas.
There he finds Kim. Kim is engaged to mobster son Franco.
Who was she? Since when had she become such a doormat that man like Franco had this kind of awful effect on her? She had always been independent and proud of it, but now she felt weak. She couldn't imagine being married to him for the rest of her life.
It was a damn shame. This girl...this crazy, beautiful girl who was the first person to really make Gio feel like he was alive in long time, looked crushed. Pain thumped with the beats of his heart.
It is forbidden to touch the women of another made man. So why can't he stop?
Fuck the rules. They never made a damn difference to him when he wanted something before. Gio wanted Kim. That's all there was to it.
"Falling in love is scary shit", Lucian said,
"Especially for men like us."
Fallin in love with her was easy, like blinking and breathing.
Overall,
modern day Romeo & Julia + mobsters = PERFECT BOOK
April 12, 2015
4.5 stars
Another Mafia book I enjoyed, SHOCKER I know!! I came to the conclusion that I'm a Mafia addict!
Anyways the second book focuses on Giovanni ,the youngest brother in the Marcello family and Kimberlynn Abella. Who is not only the daughter of Nunz Abella an enemy of the father Anthony Marcello, but who is also engaged!
I really enjoy reading a forbidden love story, and that is what their story is!
Gio knows he is not suppose to want or go after Kim, but does the heart listen to the brain, nop!
It wasn't easy for them to get their HEA. But that was the great part of the book, reading about their mistakes, the way they help each other and how they made each other better!
Bring on Dante's book!
Be sure to check these FANTASTIC reviews done by these sexy mafia ladies!!
- Sasha
- Snow
- Suzanne
Another Mafia book I enjoyed, SHOCKER I know!! I came to the conclusion that I'm a Mafia addict!
Anyways the second book focuses on Giovanni ,the youngest brother in the Marcello family and Kimberlynn Abella. Who is not only the daughter of Nunz Abella an enemy of the father Anthony Marcello, but who is also engaged!
I really enjoy reading a forbidden love story, and that is what their story is!
Gio knows he is not suppose to want or go after Kim, but does the heart listen to the brain, nop!
It wasn't easy for them to get their HEA. But that was the great part of the book, reading about their mistakes, the way they help each other and how they made each other better!
She’s intelligent and beautiful.” Gio sucked in another breath, feeling the weight in his chest start to bear down again. “She’s Italian through and through. She’s crazy sarcastic when she’s bored, independent as hell, and she doesn’t take any shit from me. She’s so good for me, too.” “Good how?” Antony asked. “She keeps me clean.”
" She had no self-control, and the closer she was to Giovanni, the more she felt like herself."
Bring on Dante's book!
Be sure to check these FANTASTIC reviews done by these sexy mafia ladies!!
- Sasha
- Snow
- Suzanne
June 3, 2015
4 "from lust to love" stars
BR with my gals, Irish, Shanny and Suz
Done with the second brother, ready for the third and the last one of the Filthy Marchellos :)
Review to come... and here it is on April 11th
This was a lustfull story, a forbidden pull and a passionate take on love…when you at least want it, when you don’t even search for it and it hits you right between the eyes…
The second of the Marcellos is “Giovanni David Marcello!”
Gio was a good capo. One of the highest earners in their Cosa Nostra family.
But other than his excellence in Mafia’s business, and being a Mafia Prince - he was lost, in constant search for smth more, smth worthy of effort, a greater high, a greater experience and escape from the emptiness, from the privilegeness… however ungrateful that sounded…
“What was it like, growing up as a Mafioso prince?”
Giovanni rolled his eyes, smirking again. “Like my life was already well planned out before I even knew my name.”
And then at his older brother’s (Lucian) wedding, he meets her – Kim, a blonde blue eyed beauty
and not knowing anything else about her apart from the short name she gave him he stumbles and takes up her invitation for one night of passion, no questions, no past, just here and now, just two consenting people indulging in their desires…
Three months passed and business takes Gio to Las Vegas and he never expects the surprise – Kim is actually Kimberlynn Abella, a Las Vegas made man’s daughter, and even worse, another Mafia Prince’s promise…
And all his thoughts gather around this…
”I don’t know what the fuck it is with you, but I can’t get you out. I tried. You’re still there. I stay in my own head, and I like it there just fine. You knock me right out of it in a heartbeat. That’s trouble.”
And that is to put lightly… haha – cause not only is she trouble, she’s a forbidden fruit, a dangerous path of breaking the most important of all the rules, the Cosa Nostra rules)
but he won’t let her go…he can’t…he tries…but she’s worse than a drug to him, she’s stronger than any substance he’s ever tried and even more addictive… and she feels the same pull towards Gio…but she’s in quite a mess…she’s done smth against those same Mafia rules and is paying for it…
at first it’s only the carnal, the inevitable pull between them that scorches them both…
the second time…
the third time…
and the fourth…
Wait, wait…damn…I stopped counting…
But just one more… or two…
This is only for those who are old enough to know what they are doing by clicking on the spoiler, so don’t say I didn’t warn you LOL
Snap, snap…back to the story…
where were we…ah yes,
Gio and Kim - they don’t really know what this thing between them is, what it is called or should it be labeled by name at all…
they don’t really know anything about each other, other than they fit together…
“And you don’t expect or want anything to happen between us?” Kim pressed.
“Should I? Kim, I don’t know you. I mean, I know you,” he said, a smirk forming. “Know things a lot of people probably won’t ever know, but I don’t really know who you are. Your favorite color, animal, or season. Those sort of things are small and insignificant to other people, but I want to know them.”
“What else do you want to know?”
“Everything,” Giovanni murmured, the sound making Kim’s skin tingle. “I’ll settle for whatever made you smile a minute ago.”
And he f*cking knew better…yeah, he did but that was smth that was greater than himself and he f*cking chose to let go, never having the chance against it, in the first place…
They hide their passion, they steal the moments of sweet pain that tortures them both…just waiting for the moment of truth to open the gates of hell for them… cause this love between them means death for both of them….
But Gio is determined and ready to act upon it…
“No, I meant it as I said it. I won’t keep hiding this. We shouldn’t have to.”
“It’s not that easy, Gio.”
“It’s going to have to be, or a hell of a lot of people are going to get hurt otherwise. I won’t just burn the city to the ground because you marry him; I’ll burn it down to get you out, too. That’s all there is to it.”
But only if she wants it as bad as he does, only if she thinks him as worthy of it…
“if it’s me you want, we’ll figure it out, Tesoro.
Even the the greatest loves have their doubts, hide their frears…
“I love you and you don’t even care,Tesoro. About me, you don’t. I keep thinking it’s there for us, and it’s been the only damn thing keeping me here, but you don’t care a bit.”
“I do care about you,” Kim breathed. “I just …”
“What?” Giovanni asked. “Tell me. Give me something that makes me think I’m not wasting my time here or that all of this craziness is worth it.”
“Loving you is going to kill me, Gio.”
“I do want us,” Kim whispered against his cheek.
“I’m going to give you us,” he promised.
And the blood gets spilled, after all
And yes, their love is against ALL ODDS, against ALL RULES, against ALL SANITY, against COMMON SENSE…and yet there are NO REGRETS
“You know, I learned a long time ago breathing didn’t make a person feel alive. But you knock the air right out of my lungs, and it’s never felt more real.”
“I should never have approached you in New York,” Kim said, wishing she hadn’t dragged him into her screwed up life.
“I’m so fucking glad you did.”
They fight hard for each other… and although it seems like they make decisions rashly and hastily – it’s based on such a strong worthy stone and there’s no place for mistake!!!
Cause all the sacrifices are worthy of the notion of EVER having that EMOTION near and being the ONE to make it happen for the OTHER makes it all worth it, even dying for!
This was actually the story of GROWTH, as strange as it sounds, but we’re talking about two young people who are achieving smth so grand that many don’t even find during their lifetime…and giving them the benefit of a doubt they both, Gio and Kim learn how to be together, and what being together really means – it’s not about the label, it’s about the core…their essence.
“Ti amo tanto, Tesoro.”
Kim’s smile was radiant, her words breathless. “I love you, too.”
Maybe you are wondering why I gave it 4 stars then?
Besides, if my man Lucian got 6 stars, well then, I have to make room for the third brother, for f*ck sake!
And don’t be judgmental, either, cause this is a very hard job to do, you know!!!
hahah! I did it! Thank you Irish, my gal, for the LIGHT! :D
these are my gals - MAFLUTS' reviews
Irish
Suz
Shanny
BR with my gals, Irish, Shanny and Suz
Done with the second brother, ready for the third and the last one of the Filthy Marchellos :)
Review to come... and here it is on April 11th
This was a lustfull story, a forbidden pull and a passionate take on love…when you at least want it, when you don’t even search for it and it hits you right between the eyes…
The second of the Marcellos is “Giovanni David Marcello!”
Gio was a good capo. One of the highest earners in their Cosa Nostra family.
But other than his excellence in Mafia’s business, and being a Mafia Prince - he was lost, in constant search for smth more, smth worthy of effort, a greater high, a greater experience and escape from the emptiness, from the privilegeness… however ungrateful that sounded…
“What was it like, growing up as a Mafioso prince?”
Giovanni rolled his eyes, smirking again. “Like my life was already well planned out before I even knew my name.”
And then at his older brother’s (Lucian) wedding, he meets her – Kim, a blonde blue eyed beauty
and not knowing anything else about her apart from the short name she gave him he stumbles and takes up her invitation for one night of passion, no questions, no past, just here and now, just two consenting people indulging in their desires…
Three months passed and business takes Gio to Las Vegas and he never expects the surprise – Kim is actually Kimberlynn Abella, a Las Vegas made man’s daughter, and even worse, another Mafia Prince’s promise…
And all his thoughts gather around this…
”I don’t know what the fuck it is with you, but I can’t get you out. I tried. You’re still there. I stay in my own head, and I like it there just fine. You knock me right out of it in a heartbeat. That’s trouble.”
And that is to put lightly… haha – cause not only is she trouble, she’s a forbidden fruit, a dangerous path of breaking the most important of all the rules, the Cosa Nostra rules)
but he won’t let her go…he can’t…he tries…but she’s worse than a drug to him, she’s stronger than any substance he’s ever tried and even more addictive… and she feels the same pull towards Gio…but she’s in quite a mess…she’s done smth against those same Mafia rules and is paying for it…
at first it’s only the carnal, the inevitable pull between them that scorches them both…
the second time…
the third time…
and the fourth…
Wait, wait…damn…I stopped counting…
But just one more… or two…
This is only for those who are old enough to know what they are doing by clicking on the spoiler, so don’t say I didn’t warn you LOL
Snap, snap…back to the story…
where were we…ah yes,
Gio and Kim - they don’t really know what this thing between them is, what it is called or should it be labeled by name at all…
they don’t really know anything about each other, other than they fit together…
“And you don’t expect or want anything to happen between us?” Kim pressed.
“Should I? Kim, I don’t know you. I mean, I know you,” he said, a smirk forming. “Know things a lot of people probably won’t ever know, but I don’t really know who you are. Your favorite color, animal, or season. Those sort of things are small and insignificant to other people, but I want to know them.”
“What else do you want to know?”
“Everything,” Giovanni murmured, the sound making Kim’s skin tingle. “I’ll settle for whatever made you smile a minute ago.”
And he f*cking knew better…yeah, he did but that was smth that was greater than himself and he f*cking chose to let go, never having the chance against it, in the first place…
They hide their passion, they steal the moments of sweet pain that tortures them both…just waiting for the moment of truth to open the gates of hell for them… cause this love between them means death for both of them….
But Gio is determined and ready to act upon it…
“No, I meant it as I said it. I won’t keep hiding this. We shouldn’t have to.”
“It’s not that easy, Gio.”
“It’s going to have to be, or a hell of a lot of people are going to get hurt otherwise. I won’t just burn the city to the ground because you marry him; I’ll burn it down to get you out, too. That’s all there is to it.”
But only if she wants it as bad as he does, only if she thinks him as worthy of it…
“if it’s me you want, we’ll figure it out, Tesoro.
Even the the greatest loves have their doubts, hide their frears…
“I love you and you don’t even care,Tesoro. About me, you don’t. I keep thinking it’s there for us, and it’s been the only damn thing keeping me here, but you don’t care a bit.”
“I do care about you,” Kim breathed. “I just …”
“What?” Giovanni asked. “Tell me. Give me something that makes me think I’m not wasting my time here or that all of this craziness is worth it.”
“Loving you is going to kill me, Gio.”
“I do want us,” Kim whispered against his cheek.
“I’m going to give you us,” he promised.
And the blood gets spilled, after all
And yes, their love is against ALL ODDS, against ALL RULES, against ALL SANITY, against COMMON SENSE…and yet there are NO REGRETS
“You know, I learned a long time ago breathing didn’t make a person feel alive. But you knock the air right out of my lungs, and it’s never felt more real.”
“I should never have approached you in New York,” Kim said, wishing she hadn’t dragged him into her screwed up life.
“I’m so fucking glad you did.”
They fight hard for each other… and although it seems like they make decisions rashly and hastily – it’s based on such a strong worthy stone and there’s no place for mistake!!!
Cause all the sacrifices are worthy of the notion of EVER having that EMOTION near and being the ONE to make it happen for the OTHER makes it all worth it, even dying for!
This was actually the story of GROWTH, as strange as it sounds, but we’re talking about two young people who are achieving smth so grand that many don’t even find during their lifetime…and giving them the benefit of a doubt they both, Gio and Kim learn how to be together, and what being together really means – it’s not about the label, it’s about the core…their essence.
“Ti amo tanto, Tesoro.”
Kim’s smile was radiant, her words breathless. “I love you, too.”
Maybe you are wondering why I gave it 4 stars then?
Besides, if my man Lucian got 6 stars, well then, I have to make room for the third brother, for f*ck sake!
And don’t be judgmental, either, cause this is a very hard job to do, you know!!!
hahah! I did it! Thank you Irish, my gal, for the LIGHT! :D
these are my gals - MAFLUTS' reviews
Irish
Suz
Shanny
June 4, 2016
In previous books, Gio was described as reckless, careless, fun-loving, irresponsible, etc. He was the one the entire family worried over. In this book, we learn how similar he really is to the other men of the Marcello family. Antony did good. Gio has his own way of doing things and showing the strength of his character. I found that he held honour, respect, integrity, truth, and loyalty in high regard. He just didn't take his life that seriously until he found something (or someone) to be serious about (namely Kim).
Gio and Kim together were combustible. The sex scenes were not only erotic but actually sexy. Their affection and then love always shined through, right from the start. Their love was boundless if not effortless. What they were willing to do for each other was a testament to how much they valued one another.
Gio may have been the youngest son, he may have even once been voted "least likely to succeed", but he definitely proved his worth as a man and as a Capo in la famiglia.
I freaking love these men. I can't wait to start reading about Dante.
Enjoy! xo
Gio and Kim together were combustible. The sex scenes were not only erotic but actually sexy. Their affection and then love always shined through, right from the start. Their love was boundless if not effortless. What they were willing to do for each other was a testament to how much they valued one another.
Gio may have been the youngest son, he may have even once been voted "least likely to succeed", but he definitely proved his worth as a man and as a Capo in la famiglia.
I freaking love these men. I can't wait to start reading about Dante.
Enjoy! xo
January 13, 2018
Adore este libro y me la pase muy bien leyéndolo.
Después de leer el libro de Lucían, termine muy interesada en Gio, y la verdad es que en su libro no defrauda. Con su personalidad relajada y divertida, termino enamorándome mucho más.
Obviamente me gusto todo el drama de las reglas entre Made man, y ver la Mafia de las Vegas, PERO…
Así es, aunque ame el libro, igual tengo un pero, casi no vimos interacciones entre los Marcellos. Que es una de las cosas que mas disfrute de el primer libro, ver a los hermanos juntos, cada uno con su personalidad tan distintiva.
Igual recomiendo mucho este libro, se puede leer es solitario.
PD Me gustaban mas las portadas originales en tonos naranja, las nuevas portadas obscuras me parecen demasiado genéricas.
Después de leer el libro de Lucían, termine muy interesada en Gio, y la verdad es que en su libro no defrauda. Con su personalidad relajada y divertida, termino enamorándome mucho más.
Obviamente me gusto todo el drama de las reglas entre Made man, y ver la Mafia de las Vegas, PERO…
Así es, aunque ame el libro, igual tengo un pero, casi no vimos interacciones entre los Marcellos. Que es una de las cosas que mas disfrute de el primer libro, ver a los hermanos juntos, cada uno con su personalidad tan distintiva.
Igual recomiendo mucho este libro, se puede leer es solitario.
PD Me gustaban mas las portadas originales en tonos naranja, las nuevas portadas obscuras me parecen demasiado genéricas.
Read
April 30, 2016So disappointing.
While there were a couple elements about book one I found subpar, I enjoyed it, especially the characters and the romance. I still have no problem recommending book one as a standalone.
This one, however, is just not to my taste in any way.
1. Romance Does Not Work
They have ONS. She knows who he is, but he doesn't know who she is.. And yes, he asks.
The FMC knew that just being who she was that there'd be deathly consequences to him and her if anyone found out they screwed. She didn't care.
They part ways unceremoniously.
Three months later, they only reconnect out of happenstance. Yet, I'm supposed to buy that no other ever has or will compare and that they've mentally obsessed about each other the entire time but still continue on with the charade they're strangers in front of her fiancé (she's being blackmailed to marry.)
2. Rebel & Victim
I think not. He comes off like a spoiled child, not a rebel. His father sums it up..
He has a family that loves him. No tragedy or discontent with being in the mob. No, he just likes the high and being reckless and out of control.
The FMC likes to play the victim card; after all she is being forced into marrying a man she despises. The problem is that it's hard to be a victim when you make direct choices to put yourself in the situation- stealing from mobsters, screwing a rival mafioso, continuing the affair, overdosing, etc. Empathy? Very, very little if any.
3. Drugs
I don't mind mild drug use in a book, such as was in book one with weed.
This book, however, just crosses my comfort level. Molly this and Molly that. He's an addict chasing a high, doing combinations of blow, Molly, alcohol, and anything and everything else to the point he can't even remember his own name.
Now, I find it hard to believe that he "functioned," much less that a man as concerned with image as his Don father would allow such long-term behavior.
Anyway..
He asks the FMC if she trusts him and then puts drugs (Molly) on her tongue. SHE DOES NOT KNOW HE IS ABOUT TO PUT DRUGS IN HER MOUTH. He didn't know if she'd ever even done that shit before and that's hardly a trust worthy action IN ANY CASE.
Is she mad? Uhm, no. She admits it's stupid, but says she "don't give a fuck."
Yeah, not impressed. This guy is a pimple on his older brother's ass. #growup
Of course, he quits drugs cold turkey because she is now his drug, his high, his love, his crazy.
When Kim runs off and we have an entire chapter devoted to HER overdosing and the aftercare, I just really can't stomach this book any longer.
Bottom Line
Nothing worked for me. I don't like or respect the immature characters. They do absolutely nothing for me at all. I don't like the heavy drug theme. The romance is about as hot and romantic as a cold bath. DNF @55%.
While there were a couple elements about book one I found subpar, I enjoyed it, especially the characters and the romance. I still have no problem recommending book one as a standalone.
This one, however, is just not to my taste in any way.
1. Romance Does Not Work
They have ONS. She knows who he is, but he doesn't know who she is.. And yes, he asks.
The FMC knew that just being who she was that there'd be deathly consequences to him and her if anyone found out they screwed. She didn't care.
They part ways unceremoniously.
Three months later, they only reconnect out of happenstance. Yet, I'm supposed to buy that no other ever has or will compare and that they've mentally obsessed about each other the entire time but still continue on with the charade they're strangers in front of her fiancé (she's being blackmailed to marry.)
2. Rebel & Victim
I think not. He comes off like a spoiled child, not a rebel. His father sums it up..
Anthony: "You're a damn good capo, Gio."
Gio: "Thanks for the memo I didn't need."
Anthony: "But you haven't been a good son in a long time."
He has a family that loves him. No tragedy or discontent with being in the mob. No, he just likes the high and being reckless and out of control.
The FMC likes to play the victim card; after all she is being forced into marrying a man she despises. The problem is that it's hard to be a victim when you make direct choices to put yourself in the situation- stealing from mobsters, screwing a rival mafioso, continuing the affair, overdosing, etc. Empathy? Very, very little if any.
3. Drugs
I don't mind mild drug use in a book, such as was in book one with weed.
This book, however, just crosses my comfort level. Molly this and Molly that. He's an addict chasing a high, doing combinations of blow, Molly, alcohol, and anything and everything else to the point he can't even remember his own name.
Now, I find it hard to believe that he "functioned," much less that a man as concerned with image as his Don father would allow such long-term behavior.
Anyway..
"That was the kind of effect Molly had on Gio. It was probably why he couldn't quite take a break from the bitch for too long. Addictive didn't even come close to the experience he had with the drug. "
He asks the FMC if she trusts him and then puts drugs (Molly) on her tongue. SHE DOES NOT KNOW HE IS ABOUT TO PUT DRUGS IN HER MOUTH. He didn't know if she'd ever even done that shit before and that's hardly a trust worthy action IN ANY CASE.
Is she mad? Uhm, no. She admits it's stupid, but says she "don't give a fuck."
Yeah, not impressed. This guy is a pimple on his older brother's ass. #growup
Of course, he quits drugs cold turkey because she is now his drug, his high, his love, his crazy.
When Kim runs off and we have an entire chapter devoted to HER overdosing and the aftercare, I just really can't stomach this book any longer.
Bottom Line
Nothing worked for me. I don't like or respect the immature characters. They do absolutely nothing for me at all. I don't like the heavy drug theme. The romance is about as hot and romantic as a cold bath. DNF @55%.
Read
November 24, 2016
Filthy Marcellos: Giovanni is live!
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/o6usp5w
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/filt...
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id97...
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/filth...
Be filthy ...
"See, we’re Marcellos, Kim. We’re not dirty, we’re downright filthy."
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/o6usp5w
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/filt...
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id97...
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/filth...
Be filthy ...
January 8, 2019
Estaba bastante indecisa sobre leer este libro, en parte porque Lucian ( el primer libro de esta saga ) no me gusto tanto como esperaba, pero tenia tan buenas criticas que realmente no me pude resistir y lo inicie.
Giovanni no es una mala historia, es entretenida e interesante ademas de estar muy bien narrada, mi problema con estas novelas es que no soy capaz de conectar con la pareja protagonista y eso hace que no disfrute al 100% de lo que leo, en esta ocasion, la relacion de Gio y Kim es totalmente mi estilo pero por alguna razon no consegui que me gustara tanto como esperaba.
Con Bethany - Kris nunca se que esperar, algunas de sus novelas me han gustado muchisimo pero hay otras lecturas suyas que me han dejado bastante indiferente, tampoco ayuda que las dos protagonistas femeninas de esta serie no sean precisamente de mi gusto, no son odiosas ni nada por el estilo, sino que simplemente Jordyn y Kim no han conseguido ganarse mi cariño.
En resumen, Giovanni es un libro que me ha dejado bastante indiferente, aun asi, no digo que no sea recomendable, puesto que soy consciente de que si no lo disfrute no es debido a que sea una mala historia sino por una cuestion de gusto personal.
2.5 Estrellas!
April 1, 2020
Gio es el MEJOR de los hermanos Marcello.
Este libro se disfruta con el simple hecho de tener a Gio como protagonistas, no quiere decir que la historia no sea buena porque si lo es.
Además que vemos las interacciones y las reglas que hay entre las distintas familias y organizaciones.
Pareja de Gio con Kim me gustó más que la del libro anterior.
Me encanta Gio como ama y cuida a su perro.
Lo bueno de esta serie es la Familia Marcello la interacción de los hermanos con su papá que es el Don y su mamá y es lo que le faltó a este libro esa convivencia.
Aunque este libro me gustó mucho sigue sin superar al de Anthony y no creo que Dante lo supere ya que no me agrada tanto.
Este libro se disfruta con el simple hecho de tener a Gio como protagonistas, no quiere decir que la historia no sea buena porque si lo es.
Además que vemos las interacciones y las reglas que hay entre las distintas familias y organizaciones.
Pareja de Gio con Kim me gustó más que la del libro anterior.
Me encanta Gio como ama y cuida a su perro.
Lo bueno de esta serie es la Familia Marcello la interacción de los hermanos con su papá que es el Don y su mamá y es lo que le faltó a este libro esa convivencia.
Aunque este libro me gustó mucho sigue sin superar al de Anthony y no creo que Dante lo supere ya que no me agrada tanto.
February 11, 2018
3 Stars!
I liked it but it was just wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be.
I was looking forward to Gio's story. I really liked him in the previous book and thought his book would be a fun ride. Not so much.
Giovanni is the baby of the Marcello's family and has a lot of lean way when it comes to all of his mess ups. He runs drugs and owns a few clubs and does very well for himself. He also likes to dabble in drugs and is certain he has control over his using and it isn't a problem. His family doesn't agree and is in constant worry about the youngest member of the family. But they give him his space and hope he lands on his feet sober. A meeting with a young beautiful blonde in a hotel room for one steamy night might just make that family wish come true. That is after they find a way to get her away from her mafia fiancé and try not to die in the process.
Kim Abella has found herself in an unfortunate predicament when she is caught counting cards at a powerful mafia family run casino. Franco, the son of the mafia boss and next in line gives her two choices; Marry him or die. Of course she chooses the obvious. But while away at the wedding of Lucian and Jordyn she see's Gio and she thinks one night with him is worth a little risk as long as he's gone by morning. It's not like they live close. She's in Vegas and he's in New York. There is no way their paths will cross again and no way he will find out who she is or who she is promised to. But of course that doesn't happen or we wouldn't have a story. So when Gio is sent to Vegas under the disguise of looking into business dealings with Franco he is stunned to see Kim and then in a rage when he realizes he was deceived and now is in a predicament he can't seem to find his way out of especially since he doesn't want to. Kim is his and he has no intention of going back to New York without her.
I wasn't impressed with this installment. I didn't care for the plot line nor did I like Kim. She was to back and forth for me and I didn't warm up to her at all. Gio was another one I was disappointed by. I really liked him in the first book and was looking forward to his story but he fell flat for me as well. I did really start warming up to him in the end and the face-off at the end with him, Max and Franco really had me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed that part a lot. It was just too bad that was the only time I felt that rush of tension.
Still a solid read. I honestly started this series just to read Dante's story. So I am off to start it now.
Happy reading dolls! xx
I liked it but it was just wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be.
I was looking forward to Gio's story. I really liked him in the previous book and thought his book would be a fun ride. Not so much.
Giovanni is the baby of the Marcello's family and has a lot of lean way when it comes to all of his mess ups. He runs drugs and owns a few clubs and does very well for himself. He also likes to dabble in drugs and is certain he has control over his using and it isn't a problem. His family doesn't agree and is in constant worry about the youngest member of the family. But they give him his space and hope he lands on his feet sober. A meeting with a young beautiful blonde in a hotel room for one steamy night might just make that family wish come true. That is after they find a way to get her away from her mafia fiancé and try not to die in the process.
Kim Abella has found herself in an unfortunate predicament when she is caught counting cards at a powerful mafia family run casino. Franco, the son of the mafia boss and next in line gives her two choices; Marry him or die. Of course she chooses the obvious. But while away at the wedding of Lucian and Jordyn she see's Gio and she thinks one night with him is worth a little risk as long as he's gone by morning. It's not like they live close. She's in Vegas and he's in New York. There is no way their paths will cross again and no way he will find out who she is or who she is promised to. But of course that doesn't happen or we wouldn't have a story. So when Gio is sent to Vegas under the disguise of looking into business dealings with Franco he is stunned to see Kim and then in a rage when he realizes he was deceived and now is in a predicament he can't seem to find his way out of especially since he doesn't want to. Kim is his and he has no intention of going back to New York without her.
I wasn't impressed with this installment. I didn't care for the plot line nor did I like Kim. She was to back and forth for me and I didn't warm up to her at all. Gio was another one I was disappointed by. I really liked him in the first book and was looking forward to his story but he fell flat for me as well. I did really start warming up to him in the end and the face-off at the end with him, Max and Franco really had me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed that part a lot. It was just too bad that was the only time I felt that rush of tension.
Still a solid read. I honestly started this series just to read Dante's story. So I am off to start it now.
Happy reading dolls! xx
January 17, 2019
Reread
Not really a fan of this one unfortunately
Same insta lust with a punch
They spend the night together and weeks later he can't forget her
Because of their reckless, drug using manner I didn't like any of the mcs so I skimmed this one. Gio was as devoted as his father and brother,h was engaged to douchebag, jerk face Franco at one point but it's an arranged marriage.
Not really a fan of this one unfortunately
Same insta lust with a punch
They spend the night together and weeks later he can't forget her
Because of their reckless, drug using manner I didn't like any of the mcs so I skimmed this one. Gio was as devoted as his father and brother,h was engaged to douchebag, jerk face Franco at one point but it's an arranged marriage.
October 29, 2020
Her fiancée treat her very bad and their engagement was not her choice was not a reason to cheating. I really hate cheating story. The reason they got engagement was dumb actually. The heroine was pathetic and the hero was miserable with poor soul.
October 28, 2020
Re-read Oct 2020: 4.5 stars ✰
Oh my goshhh, I think this is the first book I've rated higher after re-reading it!! This was good!! I knew that, but it felt even better the second time around.
Giovanni
Oh my boy. He has always been my favorite Marcello and reading his story again made me love him even more! Once the Marcello men fall in love, they are absolutely consumed by that love and WE LOVE TO SEE IT. I loved getting to know Gio, he definitely had his issues, with himself I mean, but he pulled through and now he is happy. He said " I want her, I love her. I'll protect her, adore her and make her happy, that'll make me happy" and that's basically the book, damned the consequences.
And I loved it! I want a Gio for myself! I also enjoyed his plot or like, his purpose here. It kept me interested. Also, enjoy this little scene of him being perfect:
Kim
She had great GREAT moments. I liked her immediately, but as the story progressed, I felt bad for my boy cause this girl was RESISTING. I get why and everything, it just didn't make me feel good :( That's part of the angst I guess heh. But yeah, she was tough. She needed to be like that to be able to pull through her difficult circumstances. She was definitely a realist and didn't like getting her hopes up, which I totally understand. She made Gio be the sweetest man, so for that I admire her. She is perfect for him.
Other people
Marcello family. They aren't here as much cause most of the book it's in another city, but they are so present throughout it! They are in Gio and in every decision he makes. That's so beautiful. The bit where they intervene and just learn everything is so good. Cause it isn't perfect and it made me believe everything even more!!!
Cosa Nostra: I loved the fact that the Cosa Nostra is more present here and we learn more about the rules and made men. This book is kind of crucial for that. The short talk where they mention the other major crime families had me all like:
CAUSE I MISS THEM ALL AND I WANT TO GET TO THEM LIKE NOW.
Conflict
It may seem a little bit "peaceful", but it totally wasn't. Like, there wasn't a very heavy physical scene like in Lucian's book, but the big climax here was exciting and it hooked me. The angst and the forbidden aspect of the book is dragged for more than half the book and it so so good! Cause it's not exhausting at all, it was just exciting and it was a thrilling journey.
Why not 5 stars?
Not sure lol. It was good. It had everything I look for in a book, but I guess my biggest complain was:
- Lack of depth into Kim's aspirations. She claimed loving school and stuff, but never really said anything about her classes or stuff like that.
- The fact that Gio had a clear problem and it was solved like it was nothing. You'd think these kind of urges would be in his mind for a little bit longer.
Honestly, it never got boring. Just when it was about to become stale, something happened and it kept the pace going, it was great!! I'm so so so soooo excited for Dante's book. I have it as my favorite of the series and istg I don't remember it being THAT good. Let's see if I give it the same rating!!
______
Original rating Sep 2019:4 stars ✰ "This was so sweet, Giovanni is the sweetest, I absolutely adored him!"
Oh my goshhh, I think this is the first book I've rated higher after re-reading it!! This was good!! I knew that, but it felt even better the second time around.
Giovanni
Oh my boy. He has always been my favorite Marcello and reading his story again made me love him even more! Once the Marcello men fall in love, they are absolutely consumed by that love and WE LOVE TO SEE IT. I loved getting to know Gio, he definitely had his issues, with himself I mean, but he pulled through and now he is happy. He said " I want her, I love her. I'll protect her, adore her and make her happy, that'll make me happy" and that's basically the book, damned the consequences.
And I loved it! I want a Gio for myself! I also enjoyed his plot or like, his purpose here. It kept me interested. Also, enjoy this little scene of him being perfect:
Giovanni lifted her, his hands tilting up her head so he could press a soft kiss to her lips. It was so sweet it hurt. Kim melted into the softness of the kiss. When he pulled away, she wanted to yank him right back. “You know, I learned a long time ago breathing didn’t make a person feel alive. But you knock the air right out of my lungs, and it’s never felt more real.”
Kim
She had great GREAT moments. I liked her immediately, but as the story progressed, I felt bad for my boy cause this girl was RESISTING. I get why and everything, it just didn't make me feel good :( That's part of the angst I guess heh. But yeah, she was tough. She needed to be like that to be able to pull through her difficult circumstances. She was definitely a realist and didn't like getting her hopes up, which I totally understand. She made Gio be the sweetest man, so for that I admire her. She is perfect for him.
Other people
Marcello family. They aren't here as much cause most of the book it's in another city, but they are so present throughout it! They are in Gio and in every decision he makes. That's so beautiful. The bit where they intervene and just learn everything is so good. Cause it isn't perfect and it made me believe everything even more!!!
Cosa Nostra: I loved the fact that the Cosa Nostra is more present here and we learn more about the rules and made men. This book is kind of crucial for that. The short talk where they mention the other major crime families had me all like:
CAUSE I MISS THEM ALL AND I WANT TO GET TO THEM LIKE NOW.
Conflict
It may seem a little bit "peaceful", but it totally wasn't. Like, there wasn't a very heavy physical scene like in Lucian's book, but the big climax here was exciting and it hooked me. The angst and the forbidden aspect of the book is dragged for more than half the book and it so so good! Cause it's not exhausting at all, it was just exciting and it was a thrilling journey.
Why not 5 stars?
Not sure lol. It was good. It had everything I look for in a book, but I guess my biggest complain was:
- Lack of depth into Kim's aspirations. She claimed loving school and stuff, but never really said anything about her classes or stuff like that.
- The fact that Gio had a clear problem and it was solved like it was nothing. You'd think these kind of urges would be in his mind for a little bit longer.
Honestly, it never got boring. Just when it was about to become stale, something happened and it kept the pace going, it was great!! I'm so so so soooo excited for Dante's book. I have it as my favorite of the series and istg I don't remember it being THAT good. Let's see if I give it the same rating!!
______
Original rating Sep 2019:4 stars ✰ "This was so sweet, Giovanni is the sweetest, I absolutely adored him!"
March 1, 2016
**Giovanni generously provided as part of the Filthy Marcellos: Complete Collection in exchange for an honest review.**
4 "I'm going to give you us." Stars
Book two of the Filthy Marcellos tackles the youngest brother of the crew and the woman whom catches his eye. Giovanni and Kim have a whirlwind romance I definitely enjoyed reading. The forbidden aspects of it played right into what I love about those types of romances and the passion here was just as great as in Antony and Lucian's stories. There were a few times in the story where I felt the actions of both Giovanni and Kim were a little far fetched however this never detracted from overall enjoyment of their story. There's something about Gio's reckless ways that didn't grab me like I was caught in Lucian's serious web yet the fun-loving brother caught in his own web spun by the fun-loving Kim kept me entertained throughout. Told from the 3rd person points of view like the others, Bethany-Kris easily draws you into her stories.
I plan to write a full review on the series as whole once I've completed the entire Collection.
November 6, 2016
I liked this book a lot but something was missing from the story and I'm not sure what it was. There was drama, action, suspense, the Bethany-Kris stamp on mafia living, and the steamy scenes were hella hot. I didn't care much for Kim and her angsty ways and it took me a while to warm up to Gio, but maybe my reading this series out of order wasn't the best decision. I favored Dante out of the entire Marcello clan and Gio was just okay, though I loved his character growth throughout the story. Cain, the Rottweiler, only appeared at the very beginning and at the very end of the book, and provided a great comedic touch. Overall, a good read.
July 19, 2016
If there was no Dante, Giovanni aka Gio would be my favorite Marcello. As the youngest of the clan, the family always worried about his safety because he never played by the rules. Gio's wild, no hold bars tongue, and fuck you attitude sold me from the beginning. This Capo's honesty and guarded heart will make you fall in love with him at least for me it did.
Gio is a Marcello through and through and lives up to the family name so rest a sure he might be the youngest, but in his young years of running the streets he has seen and learned a lot. This man has a heart of a lion will and take down anyone who stands in his way.
I enjoyed the love Gio finds also. I won't ruin it by telling details but it's explosive.
Giovanni gets 4.5 loving you is going to kill me stars.
Gio is a Marcello through and through and lives up to the family name so rest a sure he might be the youngest, but in his young years of running the streets he has seen and learned a lot. This man has a heart of a lion will and take down anyone who stands in his way.
I enjoyed the love Gio finds also. I won't ruin it by telling details but it's explosive.
Giovanni gets 4.5 loving you is going to kill me stars.
March 1, 2016
“He’s perfect, huh?”
“He is.”
IM CRYING, Its over! That was such an intense read. I literally couldn't put this one down. Omg i cannot begin to describe my love for the characters. Bethany-Kris did a really good job with the plot. It was amazing! Full of suspense, action and romance. ;) Anyways need to hit the sack, lovely read!
“He is.”
IM CRYING, Its over! That was such an intense read. I literally couldn't put this one down. Omg i cannot begin to describe my love for the characters. Bethany-Kris did a really good job with the plot. It was amazing! Full of suspense, action and romance. ;) Anyways need to hit the sack, lovely read!
October 30, 2020
4.5 ⭐
Si pudiera arrancarme el corazón y entregárselo a Giovanni, lo haría sin dudarlo.
No pensé que en su libro lo iban a mostrar tan dulce y comprensivo. Pensé que iba a tener que pasar por más drama por cómo actuaba en el libro de Lucian.
Realmente disfruté muchísimo del aspecto prohibido de su relación. Son hermosos juntos y me hicieron lagrimear en algunas partes.
Sin embargo, me hubiese gustado que el tema de las drogas fuera tratado de manera distinta y por eso no le di 5 estrellas.
Por ahora, este es mí libro favorito. Después de leer el de Dante veremos si lo sigue siendo.
Si pudiera arrancarme el corazón y entregárselo a Giovanni, lo haría sin dudarlo.
No pensé que en su libro lo iban a mostrar tan dulce y comprensivo. Pensé que iba a tener que pasar por más drama por cómo actuaba en el libro de Lucian.
Realmente disfruté muchísimo del aspecto prohibido de su relación. Son hermosos juntos y me hicieron lagrimear en algunas partes.
Sin embargo, me hubiese gustado que el tema de las drogas fuera tratado de manera distinta y por eso no le di 5 estrellas.
Por ahora, este es mí libro favorito. Después de leer el de Dante veremos si lo sigue siendo.
October 29, 2020
This was so good
I have to say that I like more this, than the first one. Gio it's such a good guy aaahhh I love him, all the drugs problems... I don't think that if he has a real thing with that he will be okay just bc he meets a girl and falling in love with her but... It's okay tho
The relationship between the protagonist aaahhh I loved all that steamy and sexy scenes, when they talk in italian ufff so so hot 🤭🤭
I was scared at some point when Gio confront Max and Franco (btw I hate Franco he it's so disgusting) but yeah I was scared but my boy Gio resolved everything and comeback whit his now wifey I love them together they're so perfect for each other🤭🤭
I still have a question ... and it's, what's happening with Dante??? Hmmm I think I have to start to read that right now and figure it out, i have an idea tho... and if it's that poor boy :(
I have to say that I like more this, than the first one. Gio it's such a good guy aaahhh I love him, all the drugs problems... I don't think that if he has a real thing with that he will be okay just bc he meets a girl and falling in love with her but... It's okay tho
The relationship between the protagonist aaahhh I loved all that steamy and sexy scenes, when they talk in italian ufff so so hot 🤭🤭
I was scared at some point when Gio confront Max and Franco (btw I hate Franco he it's so disgusting) but yeah I was scared but my boy Gio resolved everything and comeback whit his now wifey I love them together they're so perfect for each other🤭🤭
I still have a question ... and it's, what's happening with Dante??? Hmmm I think I have to start to read that right now and figure it out, i have an idea tho... and if it's that poor boy :(
May 24, 2015
DNF 40%...
April 11, 2016
I'll just start off by saying I'm so glad you know who got his hands and tongue sliced. ughhh. I liked this book as much as the first. Although i was really anxious while reading most of it, trying to figure out how Gio and Kim would get out of their situaion. It was nice to see Antony and Dante open up a little more in this book too.
March 9, 2016
4.5 stars
*Read thru Kindle Unlimited*
*Read thru Kindle Unlimited*
January 3, 2023
me tardé un pelín más con este libro porque realmente la trama me tenía muy angustiada aunque era obvio que todo terminaría bien.
gio realmente me gustó, fue divertido leerlo aunque también me desesperó un poco 🤏🏻 pero fue genial verlo caer tan mal por kim y se convirtiese en el mayor amor de su vida (aunque qué dolor que caín quedase de segundo lugar 🤧). a su vez, kim me gustó porque estaba dispuesta a sacrificarse por sus errores, pero también que mantuviera sus objetivos claros de lo que deseaba para su futuro.
hablando del romance. gio y kim se me hicieron muy… hot 🥵 o sea, eran demasiado explosivos pero a la vez sus conversaciones me tenían un poco soft 🥺🤧 pero a la vez me gustaba que gio fuese tan comunicativo con lo que quería y que no parase de adorar a kim en cada oportunidad. además me gustó su discurso sobre que él no esperaba más que una esposa que fuese autosuficiente y tuviera su propia vida, que no le molestaba en lo absoluto que no estuvieran siempre juntos porque sabía que ambos tenían diferentes intereses y prioridades (lucian debería aprender más de gio)☝🏻
ahora, la trama era muy OBVIA, pero igual me estresó hasta el final y me hizo pasar un mal rato 🙃🔪
cosas que me gustaron:
-las breves conversaciones no agresivas que tenían gio y anthony 🥺
-que a gio le molestase que le regalaran joyas a kim porque solo él tenía el privilegio
-la breve conversación que tuvieron dante y kim ☝🏻 siento que esos dos podrían ser grandes amigos
-gio adorando a caín y diciendo que era un bebé codependiente 🤭
-ver las reacciones de todos cuando se enteraron que gio se había casado y era en serio
cosas que me dejaron intrigada:
-dante 😳 ya quiero leer su libro, siento que me hará sufrir
en fin, pudo estar mejor este libro, pero también pienso que podría haber estado muchísimo peor y nada, a seguir leyendo 🫡
gio realmente me gustó, fue divertido leerlo aunque también me desesperó un poco 🤏🏻 pero fue genial verlo caer tan mal por kim y se convirtiese en el mayor amor de su vida (aunque qué dolor que caín quedase de segundo lugar 🤧). a su vez, kim me gustó porque estaba dispuesta a sacrificarse por sus errores, pero también que mantuviera sus objetivos claros de lo que deseaba para su futuro.
hablando del romance. gio y kim se me hicieron muy… hot 🥵 o sea, eran demasiado explosivos pero a la vez sus conversaciones me tenían un poco soft 🥺🤧 pero a la vez me gustaba que gio fuese tan comunicativo con lo que quería y que no parase de adorar a kim en cada oportunidad. además me gustó su discurso sobre que él no esperaba más que una esposa que fuese autosuficiente y tuviera su propia vida, que no le molestaba en lo absoluto que no estuvieran siempre juntos porque sabía que ambos tenían diferentes intereses y prioridades (lucian debería aprender más de gio)☝🏻
ahora, la trama era muy OBVIA, pero igual me estresó hasta el final y me hizo pasar un mal rato 🙃🔪
cosas que me gustaron:
-las breves conversaciones no agresivas que tenían gio y anthony 🥺
-que a gio le molestase que le regalaran joyas a kim porque solo él tenía el privilegio
-la breve conversación que tuvieron dante y kim ☝🏻 siento que esos dos podrían ser grandes amigos
-gio adorando a caín y diciendo que era un bebé codependiente 🤭
-ver las reacciones de todos cuando se enteraron que gio se había casado y era en serio
cosas que me dejaron intrigada:
-dante 😳 ya quiero leer su libro, siento que me hará sufrir
en fin, pudo estar mejor este libro, pero también pienso que podría haber estado muchísimo peor y nada, a seguir leyendo 🫡
June 4, 2017
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
I suspect this book is one of those "it's not you, it's me" situations. After loving book 1 of this series, I had REALLY high hopes for this one, so maybe that had something to do with my feelings. I know this book has a few tropes that are like catnip for a lot of romance readers, but I didn't really feel like they worked for me.
Exhibit A: Giovanni, our hero, is pretty fucked up when the novel starts. Drinking, drugs, everything, to the point where Giovanni's father, Antony, is seriously considering forcing him into some kind of sketchy rehab place in Mexico if he doesn't shape up. I knew based on Lucian's book that Giovanni was all kinds of messed up, so it wasn't exactly a surprise for me when I started this book. BUT I was pretty frustrated by the fact that Giovanni's destructive attitude is never explained or even really addressed. He has a family that loves him and wants him to be happy. He IS in the mob, but he loves his job and is good at it. So what's his problem?
It's kind of hinted at that maybe all Giovanni was looking for the whole time was the Love of a Good Woman, which is kind of a cop out when it comes to addiction, IMO. What's even more of a cop out is that once Giovanni gets serious with the heroine, Kim, he basically just sort of stops using. No withdrawals, no rehab, just BAM. Magically cured.
Exhibit B: Kim, our heroine, is also in kind of a tough situation. The daughter of a mob boss, she's being forced into essentially an arranged marriage supposedly due to a mistake she made with her friends one night. While out at a casino, Kim was showing off to her girls and counting cards, not knowing the casino belongs to another Mafia family (how does she not know this??). She gets caught and her punishment is to marry the owner's son. Which, yeah, doesn't make a lot of sense and really isn't supposed to, since we later learn that the son just wants to make a work connection to Kim's dad. (He needs to get LinkedIn like the rest of us.)
What's frustrating about Kim is exactly what frustrates me about most romance novels: she doesn't fucking communicate with Gio for 40% of the novel. Now, once he figures out what's going on with Kim, Gio is still in a pretty tough spot, since she is basically off-limits according to mob law. BUT at least the unnecessary drama finally goes away at the 50% mark, because Gio finally figures out why Kim won't leave her abusive, asshole fiance. (Lots of unnecessary drama in the first half. Lots of it.)
Despite all of my complaints about it, there are a few things that I did love about this book. First, Gio's voice is fucking hilarious:
"Climb down off your high horse. It might be a pretty view, but you’ll break your neck all the same when someone kicks you the fuck off. And I can kick pretty goddamn high, asshole."
Once Gio and Kim actually establish that they want to be together and it's just Gio being Gio and Dealing With Shit, the book gets infinitely funnier and so much better. I kind of wish there was another book about him because if I was just rating the second half of this book, it would be at five stars.
"Do you know how long a person can survive after being gutted? I sure as fuck do. Get away from my wife before you learn, too."
Secondly, I loved the fact that Gio is not a good person. I mean, he's in the mob. He shouldn't be. But since this is a romance series, the hero is inevitably going to be romanticized. Nowhere is this more obvious than in book 1 when Lucian kills the men who beat (and planned to rape) the heroine, Jordyn. Yes, killing is bad, but the reader can be comfortable pretending the hero only kills Bad Men.
With Gio, he kills a more or less innocent man (who is not in the mob) because the man saw Gio and Kim together. If the man had reported what he saw to Kim's fiance, both Gio and Kim would be killed. So Gio hauls off and shoots him pretty much immediately. Which is admittedly all kinds of fucked up, but it fits with the world this story is being told in. So kudos to the author for being willing to make her protagonist more of an anti-hero in this installment.
Looking forward to continuing the series with Dante's book, though I hope to God there will be no more drawn-out miscommunications in that one.
I suspect this book is one of those "it's not you, it's me" situations. After loving book 1 of this series, I had REALLY high hopes for this one, so maybe that had something to do with my feelings. I know this book has a few tropes that are like catnip for a lot of romance readers, but I didn't really feel like they worked for me.
Exhibit A: Giovanni, our hero, is pretty fucked up when the novel starts. Drinking, drugs, everything, to the point where Giovanni's father, Antony, is seriously considering forcing him into some kind of sketchy rehab place in Mexico if he doesn't shape up. I knew based on Lucian's book that Giovanni was all kinds of messed up, so it wasn't exactly a surprise for me when I started this book. BUT I was pretty frustrated by the fact that Giovanni's destructive attitude is never explained or even really addressed. He has a family that loves him and wants him to be happy. He IS in the mob, but he loves his job and is good at it. So what's his problem?
It's kind of hinted at that maybe all Giovanni was looking for the whole time was the Love of a Good Woman, which is kind of a cop out when it comes to addiction, IMO. What's even more of a cop out is that once Giovanni gets serious with the heroine, Kim, he basically just sort of stops using. No withdrawals, no rehab, just BAM. Magically cured.
Exhibit B: Kim, our heroine, is also in kind of a tough situation. The daughter of a mob boss, she's being forced into essentially an arranged marriage supposedly due to a mistake she made with her friends one night. While out at a casino, Kim was showing off to her girls and counting cards, not knowing the casino belongs to another Mafia family (how does she not know this??). She gets caught and her punishment is to marry the owner's son. Which, yeah, doesn't make a lot of sense and really isn't supposed to, since we later learn that the son just wants to make a work connection to Kim's dad. (He needs to get LinkedIn like the rest of us.)
What's frustrating about Kim is exactly what frustrates me about most romance novels: she doesn't fucking communicate with Gio for 40% of the novel. Now, once he figures out what's going on with Kim, Gio is still in a pretty tough spot, since she is basically off-limits according to mob law. BUT at least the unnecessary drama finally goes away at the 50% mark, because Gio finally figures out why Kim won't leave her abusive, asshole fiance. (Lots of unnecessary drama in the first half. Lots of it.)
Despite all of my complaints about it, there are a few things that I did love about this book. First, Gio's voice is fucking hilarious:
"Climb down off your high horse. It might be a pretty view, but you’ll break your neck all the same when someone kicks you the fuck off. And I can kick pretty goddamn high, asshole."
Once Gio and Kim actually establish that they want to be together and it's just Gio being Gio and Dealing With Shit, the book gets infinitely funnier and so much better. I kind of wish there was another book about him because if I was just rating the second half of this book, it would be at five stars.
"Do you know how long a person can survive after being gutted? I sure as fuck do. Get away from my wife before you learn, too."
Secondly, I loved the fact that Gio is not a good person. I mean, he's in the mob. He shouldn't be. But since this is a romance series, the hero is inevitably going to be romanticized. Nowhere is this more obvious than in book 1 when Lucian kills the men who beat (and planned to rape) the heroine, Jordyn. Yes, killing is bad, but the reader can be comfortable pretending the hero only kills Bad Men.
With Gio, he kills a more or less innocent man (who is not in the mob) because the man saw Gio and Kim together. If the man had reported what he saw to Kim's fiance, both Gio and Kim would be killed. So Gio hauls off and shoots him pretty much immediately. Which is admittedly all kinds of fucked up, but it fits with the world this story is being told in. So kudos to the author for being willing to make her protagonist more of an anti-hero in this installment.
Looking forward to continuing the series with Dante's book, though I hope to God there will be no more drawn-out miscommunications in that one.
March 31, 2016
The baby of the family. And as the baby, you get lots of attention no matter your age. Gio is 25 and the one that turns his parent’s hair gray. He's smart and street savvy. He plays hard and he's an impressive Capo. If he could only get his life in order and stop the partying, his family wouldn't have to worry about him.
Gio has a one night stand with a beautiful young woman he meets at his brother’s wedding. He knows he should find out who she is but she is too much for him to resist. Their one night is so memorable that Gio breaks a rule of The Cosa Nostra. One that is punishable by death but one that he had no choice to commit. For love sometimes makes one careless to a fault and her name would be Kim Abella.
Kim and Gio’s journey is dangerous. She is engaged to a mean and nasty made man from another family in Las Vegas. They should run from one another but they can’t. But not running can also kill them. Can they survive their love will be the true test? But of course his family is here and there but this time Gio must be a true man and fix things as only a Marcello can.
Read this while reading an arc of Filthy Marcellos-The Complete Collection
May 15, 2016
Gio's book follows the same 'struck by lightning' insta-lust trope from the first two books in the series... basically the same thing that happened to Michael Corleone in The Godfather.
This was more like a filler sex scene novel than the stories in books 0.5 and 1. I found myself skimming a lot... something that didn't happen in the first 2 books. Not that there's anything wrong with sex scenes, but those books had a better balance of erotica to story line, imho. And, this stuff wasn't anything I haven't read hundreds of times before, so adding more wasn't anything I appreciated. I just don't feel like the author had enough good story, so she filled it with looooong, boring sex scenes and other fillers. A few writers pen incredibly good sex scenes and I read every word of them, but that's not every author by any means.
Also, I didn't find much that was very affirmative about either MC, outside of physical appearance, for much of the book, although Gio redeemed himself mightily for me in the office scene.
This was just mostly a miss for me, but it seems like there's usually one in every series. I actually don't think much would be lost in the series by completely skipping this book.
This was more like a filler sex scene novel than the stories in books 0.5 and 1. I found myself skimming a lot... something that didn't happen in the first 2 books. Not that there's anything wrong with sex scenes, but those books had a better balance of erotica to story line, imho. And, this stuff wasn't anything I haven't read hundreds of times before, so adding more wasn't anything I appreciated. I just don't feel like the author had enough good story, so she filled it with looooong, boring sex scenes and other fillers. A few writers pen incredibly good sex scenes and I read every word of them, but that's not every author by any means.
Also, I didn't find much that was very affirmative about either MC, outside of physical appearance, for much of the book, although Gio redeemed himself mightily for me in the office scene.
This was just mostly a miss for me, but it seems like there's usually one in every series. I actually don't think much would be lost in the series by completely skipping this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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