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The Valentino Family #1

On Hands and Knees

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Nicolai Valentino is the almost perfect heir to the Valentino Family—impeccably dressed, devilishly handsome, impossibly cold, and absolutely dedicated to a family that scorns his very existence. Born to the infamous Boss and a Japanese woman of no consequence, Nico must fight for respect in a blood-thirsty world that would be much happier to see him with a hole in his head.

Blood runs thick in the Valentino Family. To them, Nico's little better than water.

Gabriel Delatto is Nico's right-hand man, his childhood friend, and under the darkness of their ruby red sheets, his lover. But more than that, Gabriel holds the secret to unlocking who Nico really is—the true Nico, not the mask beginning to crack around the edges.

But there is a pleasure in that pain, he knows. There is only ever pleasure when it comes to Nico, even if it comes from the crack of a whip or on the edge of a blade.

But there's someone lurking in the darkness, something that neither Nico nor Gabriel truly understand, But there is one thing they do know—

It isn't afraid to bite.

Author Note: Please be advised that there are sexual scenes of explicit graphic nature, including spanking, within the following story. These are done in a fully consensual manner between two parties over the age of 18.

232 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2018

19 people are currently reading
178 people want to read

About the author

Sai Fox

6 books20 followers

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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for Trio.
3,648 reviews212 followers
May 28, 2019
After finishing Sai Fox’s On Hands and Knees I have two things to say: yikes that’s some cliffhanger, and I hope I don’t have to wait long for the next installment of The Valentino Family series!

On Hands and Knees hooked me from the very first scene and I don’t think I took a full breath till I was finished. There’s so much going on beneath the surface, this is one unpredictable story. Between the various relationships, the criminal aspects of the Family, and the secrets these two men are hiding, you’ve got to follow this one closely. I ended up reading it through a second time and I’m glad I did.

This is a romance with kinky sex and desperate lovers. It’s a mafia story with violence and double dealing. But most of all, On Hands and Knees is a mystery. This is where the story gets intriguing, and Sai Fox’s writing really shines. Sure, I’m looking forward to learning more about the lovers and the Family, but I truly can’t wait to find out how this one ends!

Best friends and lovers, Gabriel Delatto and Nicolai Valentino grew up together. Trapped by their obligations to the Valentino Family, Gabriel and Nico have different visions of what their future will look like. Nico, who has been groomed to take over as the head of the Family, is resigned that he will eventually marry and produce an heir. Gabriel, though longing for a very different life, promises to stand by Nico as his second in command and never leave, come what may.

Told from Gabriel’s perspective we only know Nico through his eyes. Gabriel is head-over-heels, and it seems as though Nico is just as enthralled. As the plot progresses and things are revealed, Gabriel gleans another side of Nico. It’s definitely not clear to me whether Nico is on the level, or a victim, or just playing Gabriel for a fool. How wonderful!

There are signs throughout that there is a very disturbed man underneath the facade Nico shows the world. Is Nico living some kind of double life? Regardless, Nico is so good at what he does, I don’t think Gabriel’s even sure he knows Nico by the end of this story.

Gabriel is such an engaging and likeable character. Between his unquestioning devotion to Nico, his interesting past indiscretions, and his rough and gloriously kinky sexual practices, he makes a mighty fine new book boyfriend. I want everything to work out for Gabriel and for him to get his happy ending. If it turns out Nico is a dirty, double crossing, ass I will not be held accountable for my actions.

Sai Fox doesn’t waste words and that makes for a fast moving, engrossing story. As each new character is introduced, we find out more about what’s really going on… though we end up with more questions than answers, the mystery just gets more intriguing.

I’m so glad I gave On Hands and Knees a try. I admit the author’s note at the bottom of the blurb is what initially drew me to read this one, but the ‘spanking’ disclaimer could really just be covered with a BDSM tag. If you’re a fan of this genre, you won’t be shocked or offended in any way. There are promising signs (fingers crossed) of more kinky fun for Gabriel and Nico, and I’m counting on several more installments in this addictive new series.
Profile Image for True Loveislovereview.
2,914 reviews1 follower
March 11, 2019
4.5 stars Nico and Gabriel

Nico is son and heir of Giovanni Valentino head of The Valentino Family. That name says already what to expect, and it will not disappoint!
Nico is vicious, beautiful from combined features of his Japanese mother and Italian father.
Walking in Armani, as if he owns the world. His right hand is Gabriel, friends for ever, lovers for years, secretly of course. Nico has to held up his hard posture to the world. They have a very special dynamic. If the world only knew!

There are secrets and possible to do with Nico his origins. There is danger and it’s approaching. Gabriel has to keep Nico safe that’s his first life purpose!
But life has other plans.

A wonderful read!
Nico and Gabriel were stunning. Highly sensual when they made love, erotic as hell when they fuck. Gabriel knows what Nico needs and when. Their bubble is delicious to watch.
The environments are dark and gritty. It’s a capricious and unpredictable story. It was convincing as it took place in the underworld. It is the first installment of a series so the revealing of a total picture will not be found. There are unclear facts and that’s awesome, the end of this story made me anxious and so excited to read the next one!
Is it May already?
Profile Image for JustJen "Miss Conduct".
2,403 reviews156 followers
June 10, 2018

Nicholas and Gabriel have been friends since childhood when Gabriel was taken in by Nicholas’ family. They’ve been best friends and much more to this day. Gabriel is the only one who sees Nicholas in ways no one else ever sees. Nicholas is being poised to take his place as the head of the Family and Gabriel is his right-hand man and the only one Nicholas truly trusts, in more ways than one.

On the outside, Nicholas must keep up a facade, be strong and not show any weakness to be respected. With Gabriel, he can put that all aside for a bit. Gabriel can give him what he dare not allow himself to experience anywhere else – giving up control. For those same reasons, the two much hide their relationship. Both are happy existing in their own bubble, so long as they can be there together.

But, there are some shady things afoot, and before you know it, the story is turned on its head with many questions as to what direction things are taking. There are a few twists, but even in the end, Gabriel seems to be as much in the dark as we are. This was an interesting start to the series that really picked up steam by the end, but be warned, it ends on a pretty big cliffy. This is a new-to-me author, and I liked the style and edgy feel this had. I was not ready for it to end when it did, but I will definitely be ready to jump right into the next one as soon as it’s ready.

Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.
Profile Image for ⚣Michaelle⚣.
3,662 reviews234 followers
June 20, 2018
3.7 Stars

Well, damn. That was one hell of a cliffhanger!
See other reviews for a more cogent opinion...I liked the D/s aspects, and I loved the world-building, but there were some typos and continuity issues that bugged me and threw me out of the scenes. Sign me up for the sequel though because, while I sort of saw that "ending" coming, I still want to know how it all works out.
Profile Image for Ky.
589 reviews92 followers
April 18, 2019
Sai Fox is a new to me author but after reading the blurb for "On Hands and Knees" I was intrigued and decided to give it a try.

At first I wasn't very impressed with the story or the plot. The first few chapters consisted mostly of sex scenes and after a while it became very repetitive. The whole story took place in only a few days, I think they were two be exact but I'm not 100% sure. I'm usually not a fan of stories developing in such a short time but here the characters were in an established relationship, they knew each other, loved each other and were connected to each other. The feelings were already there when the story started, Gabriel and Nico knew each other since they were kids and were already a couple for five years, they were committed and happy together, so the small timeframe of the story didn't bother me.

What I did have a problem with was that everything the characters did was extremely detailed. For instance, if they wanted to open a bottle of wine the process dragged on for a few pages and we got told every little thing and movement that is necessary to open a bottle. And to get the negatives out of the way, the book needed another round of editing. There were some missing words, one time Gabriel's name got switched with Nico's (who wasn't anywhere near where the scene happened) and some sentences were structured in a way that made it difficult to understand their meaning.

With all that said, let's move on to the positives. After the first few chapters, I think it was around the half point, the story picked up - that's not to say that I didn't like the first half, it just had a different vibe than the rest of the story. Maybe it was the author trying to introduce us to the characters and set the background for the story. Anyway, after that point something happened and the story became intense, interesting and a bit angsty.

We never quite get to know Nico as we only see him through Gabriel's eyes. It's obvious that he loves him very much and would always do whatever he can to protect him and keep him safe. Everyone around him see the worst in Nico, they see a bloodthirsty and unstable man, they see someone without any compassion who is capable of the worst thing that can cross their minds. Gabriel sees a troubled young man, soft on the inside and worth fighting for. He sees the person he loves most and for whom he would do anything for. We're left wondering whose view of Nico is the right one, but my guess is that it's Gabriel's.

It was captivating to see how completely Nico transformed whenever it was just him and Gabriel. He let his walls crumble and his soft side came out to play. Gabriel is the only one allowed to see him like that. When there are other people around them he's cold, stone faced and doesn't mess around. He won't stop at anything and doesn't allow anyone to view his as weak. Gabriel is the only one privy to the other side of Nico, the one enjoying a relaxing night on the couch, watching movies and cuddling with his boyfriend.

Nico is a complex character with many secrets and I look forward to figuring them all out along with Gabriel. The book ends leaving everything in the air with Nico on an unknown mission and Gabriel scrabbling to follow him. We're left wondering who the Kuromiya guy was, what's the significance of spider lilies, who really was Nico's mother, who really is Nico, what would happen with Nico and Gabriel?

There are so many questions left unanswered at the end of the book but luckily the next part is coming out soon so I hope we'll get some answers there.



*An ARC of this book was kindly provided to me in exchange for an honest review. *
Profile Image for Gabi.
705 reviews112 followers
July 1, 2018
I craved dark chocolate, instead I got vanilla.

This mafia story was definitely on the lighter side so far, maybe in the next installments, it gets heavier. We'll see.

I expected it to be a lot darker; depraved; I expected on-page BDSM; kink; blood and gore. There was only mention of these things, except some spanking right at the beginning.

Nico is the Boss's son, the heir to the Italian mob in New York, and he acts like it too. Not that we saw anything of it. But he's supposed to be ruthless and cruel in front of the Family.
But in private with his right-hand man and lover, Gabriel, he's the exact opposite. He needs the pain. This is the part where we supposed to see the S&M stuff. That did not happen, instead there was some sweet lovemaking.
They do make a good team though, and it's clear that Gabe loves Nico. Unfortunately I can't say the same about Nico. I didn't catch the same strong feelings from him.
Oh yeah, we only got Gabe's POV, which shouldn't have been a problem, but Nico felt detached to me, and maybe if I got a glimpse into his thoughts I would understood him better, or would have felt some connection to him.

Honestly I'm not sure I minded the lack of darkness, but that was what I expected (based mostly on the cover), so it fell a bit flat. But I liked it regardless, and I'm definitely going to read the second book.
But I'm hoping to see some flashbacks to the boys past, how they met as kids and grew up together, how they fell in love, I missed that part.
And give me blood, give me gunfights, fistfights, rough sex, desperation and devastating love. More, give me more! If you decide to write a dark story, then don't stop just before opening that door, but step through the threshold and bask in the darkness. Let Lucifer whisper in your ear.

Especially the first half of the book would've needed more boost, a bit more exploring, more details. Maybe it would've helped if the whole story wouldn't have played out over the span of only two days. It could've been a bit longer.
I hope in the coming books we'll get more.

All in all, the series has potential, and I'm not giving up on it just yet.

Oh and I forgot to mention the secondary characters. Connor, the Irish mobster... well he's actually a club owner. And Paul, Gabriel's ex-boyfriend. They're both great. Can't wait to see more of them. :)
Profile Image for Russel D. (The Book Swain).
37 reviews2 followers
June 13, 2018
4.5 Stars!

Nico and Gabriel grew up together and had been friends since they were a kid. They know each other’s past and secrets and they have come to learn one’s guilty pleasures. Even if Nico is an heir to the Valentino’s and that Gabriel is his right-hand, it did not stop them from developing a profound love and connection. But they don’t fathom what future that lies ahead of them. And they definitely don’t know what their past can do to ruin that future.

Neither do I.

But boy, this book is one hell of a spank! That's the only thing I know.

It came to me as a huge surprise. The author was not lying when she informed me what Nico and Gabriel’s story is all about. It is indeed, a romance spiced with exciting thrills and sweet submissions.

Truth is, there is so much more to it than I have anticipated. There is even more yet to be revealed. I don’t want to lie about being left in suspense after finishing the story. When I noticed there are only three pages left after Nico disappeared, I know I am at the edge of a cliff. Nevertheless, I have indeed enjoyed it!

Nico reflects an intriguing character. How he wears a mask to defend himself is clever. Contrary to how he’s been called by the people who nothing but saw him as soulless, he is an absolute teddy bear when alone with Gabriel. Gabriel, having the same training as Nico, also shares the same personality that I truly admire as a reader. The characteristics they both possess represent those of most people, but how their demeanor complement each other unconditionally made their characters outstand, totally made the story more enticing.

The author carries out a fantastic job conveying images, and I could clearly imagine how the characters may look like. The way she describes places and furniture and how she gives details on one character’s appearance are just few of the things I truly admire on her writing.

Speaking or writing, it is hard to comment on it with this book since the format was spectacularly ruined by the epub format (absolutely my fault.) Though the awesomeness of the story made me disregard grammars, punctuations, dic— who am I kidding? As if I am in any position to comment on those given that my grammar is a total mess.

But the sex and the spanks? I can absolutely comment on them!

They are hot, hot, and hot! Hot! Ho— I couldn’t wait to see the ropes being used. And what is that spreader stuff they just purchased? I can't wait to see that being a part of the action too.

Oh. By the way. Who’s on that cover? Is that Paul? Because I don't like Paul.

If you are looking for romance with a bit of darkness on the characters and do not mind a suspenseful ending, you will definitely enjoy this story! Otherwise, you might want to wait until Sai Fox grants us the HEA.

But again, totally recommended!

***ARC copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**

For more of my reviews, please visit RS Book blog
Profile Image for ~nikki the recovering book addict.
1,248 reviews2 followers
March 18, 2019
4 cliffhanger stars!

OMG!! There’s a cliffhanger! How long away is May 11?!?? I need the next book NOW! I feel like adrenaline is coursing through my veins. Argh!!!

There are a lot of questions in this book, as in, a lot of things happening behind the scene that we aren’t privy to. But I’ll give the author props for handling the confusion well such that while I’m a little confused about what’s going on, I’m more intrigued than frustrated.

I need more!! 😫
Profile Image for Karen.
1,860 reviews91 followers
mm-read
April 21, 2019
I've definitely got some thinking to do on this one...so...full review and rating to follow soonish!

This one intrigued me when I read the blurb...

It struck me as being on the darker side. Growing up as the heir to the Valentino family a powerful family in the Italian Mafia/Mob/Mafioso doesn’t exactly leave a man living in a gay friendly environment, much less allow for being in a relationship with a strong D/s influence. But for Nicolai and Gabriel this is the world they have always lived in.

Raised in the same house as Nicolai after the death of his family Gabriel and Nicolai grew up as friends and over the years their friendship became more and now Gabriel is Nicolai’s right-hand man during the day and his partner and lover at night when they are behind closed doors.

Nicolai and Gabriel are doing a fairly, good balancing act when it comes to their lives or they were until someone comes along who has an agenda that doesn’t include a happily ever after for these two men.

So yes, if you’re going to read this one you need to be prepared for the ending…it’s going to leave you peeking over the edge of a rather high cliff which I have no problem with, I’ve read more than a couple of series have had me sitting at the cliff’s edge between books and if I’m enjoying the story I’ll sit at the edge of that cliff and wait…not a problem.

There’s a lot going on here and I’m good with that I like a story that’s got things happening and we’ve got a romance with a touch of kink, we’ve got men who live life on the wrong side of the law and the beginnings of a mystery so on the plus side there’s no time for boredom to set in. For the most part we get to see things from Gabriel’s perspective and in the case of this story I think that’s probably a good thing because jumping back and forth between character perspectives can get confusing if it’s not well done so I’m good with having the chance to get a solid feel for the character of Gabriel and hopefully we’ll get the same chance to see things from Nicolai’s perspective in a future book. I have to admit my feelings about Gabriel went back and forth…at times I liked him and at other times I just wasn’t quite sure so for me when it comes to Gabriel I have to say ‘the jury’s still out’ and as for Nicolai at this point I can’t say that I like him but I’m also not writing him off yet either. So, if the jury’s out for Gabriel when it comes to Nicolai, I’m still working on jury selection but who knows that could change it’s happened before with other characters…so, never say never.

Overall I was definitely ok with the author’s writing style and found it fairly easy to settle in to the story making for an essentially pleasant reading experience…however, I did have one niggle and it was a bit of a biggie for me and probably the biggest contributor to why this was only a 3 star read for me. I knew this one ended with a cliff-hanger and as I said earlier it’s not really an issue if I’m enjoying the story no what bothered me and kept me from really getting involved in the story was the fact that this is a story with an established couple and while we did get enough information to give us a general idea of how these two men came to be involved with each other it was meted out in bits and pieces throughout the story leaving me feeling like I got dropped into the middle of a conversation and spent most of the rest of my time playing catch up when a bit of a prologue could have given me enough detail to draw me into the story and give me a bit of a connection to Nicolai and Gabriel as a couple so that when I encountered that first scene early on in the story between them that was not only intense but very intimate I would have been more solidly drawn into the story.

I’ve pondered this one for a few days and I think in fairness to the story, new to me author, Sai Fox and myself, I’m going to stick with the series for at least one or two more books. I’ve been left with a few questions that I’d really like the answers too and this wouldn’t be the first series that while I wasn’t 100% sure of at the start by the end, I was 100% hooked so for me opportunity’s still knocking and I’m willing to answer the door.

*************************

An ARC of ‘On Hand and Knees’ was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Doreen Frantz.
328 reviews6 followers
August 1, 2018
The book was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review via the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love Program.

Loved the realism in this book. The story starts on a strong sexual note that was so real and attention grabbing. This is carried through out the book. Loved Nicolai and Gabe. Loved that there was insight into their background (would love to have more but feel this is probably going to be developed in the next book), and what makes them who they are now. Its in a tough world that they have chosen to not only have a gay relationship but a BDSM one too. It was fast paced and kept me hooked. Loved the suspense as well as the hot sex scenes! I can't wait for the next installment.
Profile Image for Tanja OMGReads.
2,522 reviews56 followers
March 11, 2019
This story had me laughing, crying and blushing all at once. I loved the friendship between MC's and how they relationship worked for them. I loved how Gabe was a shoulder for Nico to lean on.

I think I need to be more informed when I pick up books that end with chliffies - my Kindle almost flew across the room when I reached the end off this book. It's understatement that book 2 can't come soon enough.

**Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog**
5,704 reviews40 followers
March 5, 2019
this was really interesting.. the realistic feelings was amazing.. fast paced and ends with a cliffhanger... very good story and good characters.. i liked it a lot
Profile Image for Joyfully Jay.
9,202 reviews521 followers
April 5, 2019
A Joyfully Jay review.

3 stars


This is a dark story taking place within the shadowy underworld of the mafia. There are graphic moments, such as a sex worker being mutilated and mentions of horrific murders. None of these scenes are actually portrayed, but they are there and sensitive readers may not find them to their taste.

Nico straddles two worlds as the son of a powerful Mafia leader. Not the worlds of good and evil, or even the worlds of law an order, but the worlds of blood and power. His father is Italian from a long line of powerful and violent men, while his mother was a Japanese woman who died when Nico was quite young. He has to work twice as hard to gain respect, and even now the men who come to him for favors or forgiveness will call him a “half-breed.” Needless to say, Nico’s temper is almost always in evidence and many within the Valentino crime network fear for him, and fear for Gabriel’s life.

Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.

Profile Image for Maddiy.
156 reviews16 followers
July 24, 2018
A free copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

"You can either choose to enjoy [it] for the perfectly fine piece of entertainment it is or live out the rest of your existence as a miserable killjoy who slogs through life recoiling at anything remotely joyful or upbeat in the world. Your choice." - Peter Rosenthal, in his critique of Mama Mia! Here We Go Again

Rosenthal says it all, about every piece of entertainment you have ever felt guilty to enjoy, and about this book.

You see, I could sit here and talk about loose-character consistancy, disconnect between perception and reality, or any other thing that wasn't technically perfect--the thing is though, when I don't critique this book with a cinical red pen in hand, I love this book. Now, I'm not saying that a red pen is never necessary when reading, but that at a certain point, one has to put the pen down--or, at the very least, put the cap on.

Read on, then, with the knowledge that red pen has no place in the rest of my review.

I should start by saying that this right-hand-man/boss pairing is one that had me singing praises for this book before I even began reading. What's exciting though, is that I continued to sing praises as I began to read. Sai Fox, in my non-red-pen opinion, does an excellent job of building a dynamic that is, as the novel claims, both known and unknown. The very plot of the first book is dependent upon Gabe and Nico's dynamic being not what any one character believed it to be. Even Gabe, in his unyielding love and faith for Nico, begins to feel the ground shake beneath him toward the end of the novel.

Let it be known, too, that Sai Fox has managed to avoid the worst caveat in m/m fiction (especially ones that fall on the shorter length as this one does): under-development. That's not to say that there was no part in this book that could have stood a little more time at the board, but that there was no point in reading where I felt bogged down by a rough-draft feeling. Too often I find myself writing reviews that say something along the lines of, "I wish there was more time spent on ___," or, "It felt a little rushed to me when ___." Too often, authors in this genre try to fit an expansive story into just over a hundred pages, and it just ends up with a slightly sloppy effect--usually due to trying to fit in a decent smut-to-plot ratio and falling short of understanding. Sai Fox, however, has taken the time to pace and lend their story to the genre in true fashion.

My last note of praise has to go to Fox's portrayal of Nico and Gabe's relationship. I have never been a fan of BDSM relationships--the power dynamic rubs me the wrong way (this is in part, I'll admit, to poor representation)--and in the past haven't really enjoyed m/m books because of their depiction of a BDSM relationship. Sai Fox though, has managed to change my mind. It's not only that Nico and Gabe are only depicted in the first novel with light BDSM (an intro course, if you will), but the way they get into Gabe's head and methodologies. This is truly the first time where the power dynamic didn't feel all sorts of disproportional in a BDSM relationship to me. Sai Fox depicts Nico and Gabe's relationship as more than a give-and-take, almost monetary exchange--in a way I was not before familiar with.

To put a bow on it all, I was extremely pleased with this book. I went in with nothing but excitement and came out with even more; I am now more than a little on edge waiting for the next book in the series to come out.

Do yourself a favor: put a cap on the red pen, and read this book.
Profile Image for Maggie.
Author 26 books341 followers
April 1, 2019
On Hands and Knees is a look into a forbidden relationship between the heir-apparent, Nico, of the Valentino crime family, and his right-hand man and childhood friend Gabriel Delatto. Told entirely through Gabriel’s POV, the duo know their relationship is sitting on borrowed time, because Nico will have to eventually marry and produce an heir, as is the Family tradition. Gabriel reluctantly accepts this. He even mentions to himself that he’ll also marry. Although they won’t be together in the way they wish, they’ll still “see” one another after they marry others.

But there’s something lurking in the past that’s bothering Gabriel. He talks about “Jersey” a lot, and how it’s changed Nico.

The plot moves slowly at first, for about the first three-fourths of the novel. It focusses on Nico and Gabriel’s relationship, with musings from Gabriel, and how he “calms” Nico through the sex Nico craves. I waited for this “darkness” but it never happened. So I’m assuming it’ll happen in the next novel. There is a glimpse of what Nico needs, but because the two are never truly alone, the sexual scenes happen when they only have maybe ten minutes to spare.

The writing is strong, except for when the author shifts into the “other man,” “the blonde,” and other author intrusion narration that takes us out of Gabriel’s POV, but she did a great job keeping me reading up until the end. Well done.

Will I read and review the next novel? Yes, because I enjoyed this book and the characters. For those craving something darker, it doesn’t happen. But if you are looking for forbidden love, it’s offered up nicely, with a great cliff-hanger ending. There is suspense, violence, love, angst–all that great stuff I enjoy.
Profile Image for Kera’s Always Reading.
2,091 reviews81 followers
March 21, 2019
Omg!!!!!!! I need more! This book was great! I am in love with Nico and Gabriel! My heart is breaking for how lost Nico seems to be, wrapped up in all the pain he think he deserves to feel.
I don’t even know what to say about this book. From the first chapter I was hooked. Nico is the son of an Italian crime boss, but he is the product of an Italian father and Japanese mother, so he has had to earn respect in a different way: brutality... Gabriel is the only one who knows the real Nico, having been best friends since they were kids. Now they are lovers trying to keep it a secret from Nico’s father.
Nico is wrapped up in something, though... and Gabriel is trying hard to find out what it is before it’s too late. I really cannot say more because I don’t want to give anything away. It was fast paced and exciting, with intense heat and quite a bit of mystery.
I cannot freaking wait for the next book in this series!!!
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review
Profile Image for Mary.
4 reviews
June 5, 2019
I liked the second book more but this one was good too.
Profile Image for Josh Dale.
225 reviews5 followers
Read
March 31, 2019
This book is about Nico the heir to the Valentino Mafia family. He is as ruthless as you’d imagine him to be when dealing with business.
Gabriel is Nico’s Childhood friend, righthand man in the business and his lover. The story revolves around Nico’s and Gabriel’s relationship and how they have their unique way of taking care of each other.
We follow them dealing with the messy business with brutal force, and Gabriel unique and brutal use of BDSM as a form of releasing Nico’s stress and to keep Nico’s aggression under control. It is interesting to see how such a powerful man can surrender control to his lover and for a while have peace in his life.
The book is a gritty and authentic mafia story, where reputation means everything. And living in constant fear of being attacked they must navigate their way in life. There is also someone out to get Nico and Gabriel will do everything he can to save his lover, including giving his life if he must.
The author did a good job of balancing out the gritty scenes and the vivid BDSM, with softer moments for Nico and Gabriel.
I really enjoyed the book and hope to read more from these boys.
Profile Image for Gema Rodríguez.
Author 6 books3 followers
March 20, 2019
I really liked how the storyline was unfolding until the final cliffhanger. Besides it has great characters, though primarily we know Gabriel since the Nico we know is seen through Gabriel's eyes and that may not be the real one. In all, it was a very good read.
Profile Image for Sharita Lira.
127 reviews5 followers
August 13, 2018
The writing style and pacing was good. Hated the cliffhanger but I am looking forward to the next one.
499 reviews7 followers
March 20, 2020
Was just ok

I thought the book would’ve been a little darker but it’s just ok. You start off reading about Gabe and nico together already so you don’t get to read how they came together or get that feeling inside of you. I wasn’t a fan of how Gabe cheated on his boyfriend to get with nico it seemed shallow. There is this weird bdsm thing going on but understandable. What I don’t like was how the book kept talking about Jersey how it messed up nico but they don’t go into any sort of depth with it. Gabe talks about how much he loves nico but plans to one day leave him and find a nice Italian women to carry on his families name. Thought the book would’ve been darker and if not at least had a build up for the romance. Even though this was book 1 it felt more like a second or third book to the series. Book 1 could’ve been about Gabe first coming into nicos life after he lost his parents and the training Giovanni had put them through growing up. For a notorious monster family Giovanni and others seem to be ok with homosexuality which I find strange. There are a lot of gay characters and everyone seems ok with it but in reality that shouldn’t be true.
Profile Image for Nikki.
112 reviews1 follower
November 9, 2019
This was an average read. The writing left much to be desired. I also felt that it needed to be edited. Much of the main storyline was heresay...we are told about "jersey" numerous times throughout the novel..yet nothing is clear at the end. Meh. Talk about a buildup with no climax. Nothing much happens in this book though....if I can summarize it..its about a couple who indulge in some light bdsm and then throw in the ex and a long lost brother and that's it.
3 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Barbara.
360 reviews9 followers
Read
May 20, 2019
Sooo... I tried... like really hard... and even got to 36%... 😩

I gave it a good... 11 hours and 30 minutes, but here is where I call it quits.
The story is taking FOREVER to begin.
The writing just doesn't work for me... I think it's the sentence structuring.

case and point.

So, I'm calling it quits.

I think there might be a good story somewhere in there, and maybe someday I'll try to push through to get to it, just not today. 🤷🏽‍♀️
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