Dom's Ascension

Mariani Crime Family #1

by Harley Stone

Steamy mafia romance, 18+ for language and sexual situations... The Mariani family has one shot to take over the Las Vegas crime syndicate, and it begins with an elaborate dinner designed to impress their allies. When their head chef disappears, Dominico Mariani is tasked with guarding the new hire, a striking spitfire with a tendency to speak her mind. Annetta Porro is thrilled to land her dream job at a five-star Italian restaurant, even if her new boss seems overly concerned about her safety. With a chivalrous, handsome bodyguard by her side, she may keep her life only to lose her heart. His decision could destroy an alliance, but her sacrifice will shape the future of a city. Full-length novel, no cliff-hangers, no cheating, happily ever after ending.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

188 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 28, 2017

Reviews

[Aղցela W.]

Review Coming

[Kim Brewing]

I really enjoyed this. I absolutely loved that it was based in the 90's - you know before cell phones and messaging....I actually remember having a pager for work.

What is life like growing up as the son in a mafia family? Are you choices your own? What if you find love? This is Dom's story upon meeting Annetta. I loved the "test" his mom gave her. Overall a great read with interesting characters that kept me entertained.

[Darcy]

I read other series by this author and have liked them, so I looked forward to reading this one. Sadly this one didn't work out for me. I couldn't buy a 21 year old, with no work history would be even contemplated for a chef job in a starred restaurant. Maybe for the lowest level chef, but not the one running the place and coming up with their own recipes. I kept trying, but I just couldn't get past this. This one wasn't for me.

[Jennifer]

I'm usually not a big reader of Organized Crime or mafia books, simply because of the line of work I'm in. (I'm a dispatcher, and work with Law Enforcement, so it's a huge no-no for me!) However, I've read other books by Harley Stone, loved them, and these were promised to be different than the normal mafia books. So, I decided to go in with an open mind, and give it a chance.

Dom is the second son in an Italian Mafia family, in Las Vegas, NV. Right from the beginning, his dad and brother rubbed me the wrong way. Family doesn't treat family that way, no matter what. But Dom seems to be different. He doesn't like the way his father and brother act in certain situations. This gives me hope for his character! On the other side of the story, Annetta is a good girl. She is a hard worker, and everyone loves her. She loves her dad, even though he has problems. She is smart, supportive, and strong. When she and Dom meet for the first time, there is a connection between them that neither can deny. Throughout the many things that try to keep the two of them apart, that connection never wavers for either of them.

This book was a really great read. I loved the sparks that flew between Dom and Annetta, and how amazing they were together. I loved how supportive she was, and how determined he was. This book was a great beginning to this series, and I'm looking forward to reading the next story.

[Trudy Dowling]

OMG!!! I loved Dom's Ascension. I devoured it. I delayed shopping to finish Dom's story. I usually don’t read the Mafia Genre. Most of the books, I have read in the past, were over the top. They concentrated on the violence and criminal factor. I want a story that concentrates on romance and love and the challenges of being part of the mafia.

Dom's Ascension concentrates the struggles of being part of a mafia family--not being your own person, not being able to choose who to love, always being at someone's beckon call. Within the story a member of the “Family”, Dom, falls for an outsider. Unforbidden love—-just WOW!!! The author knows how to write it!!!

Dom found love and her name was Annetta. She was a chef, not part of a mafia family. He was not supposed to fall for her. He would have a wife created by an arranged marriage. All Annetta could be was a mistress, a fling, a passing fancy. That wasn't good enough.

Dom tried to walk the fine line but could he do it? I really liked Dom in this book. He knew how to love. He made my heart skip a beat. Dom tried to do the right thing. He tried to protect Annetta. He had my respect. The turning of each page had me wondering if this would be the page that everything falls apart creating an amazing page turning adrenaline rush.

Even better the second time around. Woozers!!!

[Sherry Molock]

So-so

I didn’t really enjoy this book and was disappointed because I liked the Dead Presidents MC series so much so I had high expectations for this series. The plot and the characters are really under developed and almost read as caricatures rather than as real people you want to invest in as readers. Everything is “insta”: insta-love between Dominico and Annetta, his rise to bring the head of his mob family (really unbelievable), the relationship between Dominico and his brother Michael - they sound like they’re 12-13 years old in much of their dialogue, their relationship with their father, again, they don’t act like and are not treated like they are adults. I don’t know why Annetta fell in love with or married Dom, he wasn’t his own man so I couldn’t figure out the appeal. I will continue to read the MC series but I’m out in terms of this series, so disappointed I almost didn’t finish it.

[Kat Cup of Tea Bookblog]

This is a great Mafia Romance! I am new to this author and decided to give her a chance and I am so glad that I did! I am a huge Mafia fan and this book did not disappoint. This book has a great balance of all the Mafia elements family, alpha males, strong women and action. Annetta is recent cooking school graduate looking for a job and ends up falling for the bad boy Dom. Sounds like a simple plot right... well what makes this book great is that it is so much more. The struggle that Dom feels about bringing Annetta into his life adds a depth to the story. Annetta is a strong heroine who is the prefect match to challenge Dom. Harley does a great job weaving romance and the mafia world together for a great book. If you are looking for a book with action, steamy romance, page turning suspense and just enough angst then this is your next read!

[Stacy Dow]

An amazing read that has romance, action and suspense. Both Dom and Annetta are likeable well developed characters that come across as a believable couple. Due to who Dom is it was great to see him take his time to decide if the attraction toward Annetta was worth perusing, knowing it could course problems for him if his father found out. Loved the Annetta had a backbone and would say what was on her mind. Overall a great read that I will read again and again, a brilliant thing the author has done is the story is set in the early 90's which gives plenty of room for more stories set in the future.

[CeeJay Daisy]

♥️🌼🔥ALL MOBSTERS AREN’T BAD!!!♥️🌼🔥
I loved this book and can’t wait to read the rest of this series....DOM’S ASCENSION is about the Mariani crime family...the good, the bad and the ugly...♥️🌼🔥
Dom Mariani is the 2nd son in line to be the the head of “the family”, and with his older brother, ready, he’s not expected to lead the family....When Dom meets Annetta Porro, the new chef for the family restaurant, he questions his life and his path.....After both joy and tragedy strikes, Dom finds himself where he never expected to be....He is a different type mobster...But just because he has a heart and compassion, doesn’t mean he’s not dangerous.....♥️🌼🔥

[Tricia]

Can’t wait for the 2nd book

Annetta falls for bad boy Dominico Mariani when she sees him when she goes to an interview for a chef’s job, and he falls for her, too. But this isn’t a simple romance story. Well, it wouldn’t be when Dom’s father is head of a mafia mob. When they do get together things sizzle between them – hot and spicy! Annetta has an inner strength that she needs to cope with the Mariani family and all that that entails. This book is set in 1992 and I can’t wait to see what happens in future years with this series.

[Gwen]

This is a solid 4 star read. So after 100+ mafia books the story line itself isn't that special but the storytelling was superb. The chemistry between the H and h was amazing. Harley really pulled me into the story of Dom and Net. I loved the details of the story, they were just right. Not too much to overwhelm me but enough to paint the setting. What an unexpected great read.

On a side note: I read the sequel Making Angel which features the couple's grown son and it's too bad the great chemistry between the MCs isn't continued.

[Shelley C]

The Mariani Crime Family is at war. In an attempt to make alliances, Dom’s father has started marrying off his children to ensure a leg up. When a cook disappears, they put out advertisements and finally hire Annetta. Dom is to ensure she is safe but he develops feelings for her and even though he knows he’s supposed to marry someone else, he continues to see her secretly.

Thank you to Harley for this copy of Dom’s Ascension, for which I leave my honest review voluntarily! Looking forward to more in this series😀

[Carrie]

I like Annetta & Dom, individually & together. I like the progression of their relationship & the premise of the story. I did not like the mob storyline itself, but I'm SUPER picky about those. Everything is written really well, and if you like stories where the mob aspect is more front & center, you will enjoy this story a lot, I think! It just wasn't the right mix for me. LOVED how the wrap ups play out, tho! : )

[Bethani Carter]

This book is set in 1990s and its Annetta and Dominicos story. They fall for each other when Annetta comes in to interview for a Chef job. However things are complicated due to Dom being the son of the head of the mob. They have to overcome a lot to deal with the Mariani family. This is Stone’s first book and was wonderfully written. Mob books typically aren’t my forte but this one was awesome!!

[Latifa Morrisette]

This book was so good. I absolutely loved Dom and Annetta's story. I was hooked from the first page. When Annetta land's her dream job as a chef she's on cloud nine until she hears about the disappearance of the chef before her. Enter Dominico, her personal bodyguard with a secret. Will her sacrifice everything to be with her or will it destroy them both? This book is a must read. I highly recommend it to everyone!

[Laura Green]

Wow... Dom and Annetta were the perfect mix of the right kind of wrong. I was very pleased with how well the story flowed. Harley really kept me on my toes with this one. The fact that it is set in the "past" (it's set in the 90's and I grew up during that time so I don't consider it the past) was a brilliant move in my opinion. That way she has tons of room to grow the series. Overall I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for more from her in the future.

[Andi]

4.5 stars. Wow. This book provides a fun, intense, sexy, wild ride. I loved the characters and the story is full of suspenseful twists and turns. The heroine is strong and sassy and gives her alpha man a run for his money. They are a great match because it's going to take a woman with a backbone to survive this criminal world. The secondary characters are great as well and add a lot of value to the story. I am really looking forward to book 2.

[Carrie Austin-Malone]

I was surprised when I realised this book was going to be set in 1992, and back then I was around the same age as Annetta.

Annetta wants to prove her skills in the Kitchen and Dom just want to get to know the new chef, his dad has told him to look after. Annetta is little naive, but soon gets with the program.

This was an enjoyable read, I liked the plot it was fast paced, moved nicely and was entertaining, the time setting was a great idea.

[Holly]

Putting It all on the Line for Love

Dom"s.life is not his own as the second son of a mafia bods but he can't forget about chef, Annetta some the moment they met at her interview. The more time they spend together the more.he falls for her. When Annetta ends up.pregnant Dom knows he won't give her up and enlists he mother help so they can be together but fate has even more in store for them in this engaging read.

[Shelly]

Flashback

So I was both pleased and taken back by the fact this book is set in the 90s. It took a little getting in to but I am truly enjoyed this book. I'm not much of a Mafia romance reader, but I have to say good job to the author. I do love them bad boys....and Dom is definitely a bad boy.

[April]

Good read.

I’ve done a lot of mediocre book picking lately so I went in with low expectations. However, this book was so good. A leader with a bit of heart, but still a badass. Then the h was just the right amount of good girl mixed with a hold her personality. Just an overall good cast of characters and a well written enjoyable story.

[Cedate]

Not normally a big fan of Mafia stories, but I LOVED this! Dom and Annetta are a great couple who prove that, while not always the easiest path, you should always follow your heart. A fantastic debut. I look forward to more from Harley Stone!

[Jessica Gorgen]

Enjoyed it

Mafia books aren’t my favorite since there’s nefarious stuff and torture, but gave this a try since I loved the author’s MC books. I like the connection between Dom and Annette, the chemistry was believable. And I loved Mama Mariani.

[Sarah]

While not a genre I usually read, I really did enjoy this story.

[Brandy Glaser]

What a great story. Ms. Stone really showed the chemistry of Dom and Annetta.
Dom's mom gets my vote for best supporting character.

Received a copy at no expense from author.

[Michele Del Rey]

This was my first book from this author. I really enjoyed it and could not put it down. The story was well written and the characters had such chemistry. Loved it.

[Izzie d]

I loved this story.
It's a prequel to the series and sets the scene for Angel's story in the next book.
It sets up the feud and politics behind the series.
There is no cheating and a HEA.

[Rebecca Bistel]

Great Read

Loved this book. Nothing happened like I thought it would but I loved every minute of it. Annetta was such an awesome chick.

[Tabitha Schmer]

This book is a must read, even if you are not a fan of mafia/organized crime books. The story is engaging, believable, and well written.

[KDLediting]

Back in time

I enjoyed the trip down memory lane to begin this series, now I'm excited for more! Thanks for always giving me something good to read Harley Stone!