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Promised in Blood #1
First Comes Blood
Four ruthless men. A virgin mafia princess to unite them. But first, there will be blood.
On my seventeenth birthday, I learn a terrible secret about my family. My future is in the hands of four brutal men, and what awaits me at their hands is too terrible to imagine. Four men who desire me. Four men who vow to possess me. Four men who think they can destroy me.
As the only daughter of Coldlake’s mayor, I should be kept far, far out of their reach. Instead, I’m being thrown to them as a sacrifice. My father insists only one of them can marry me, but all of them vow to secure my promise. A promise in blood.
They take. I bleed. Happy birthday to me.
Author’s note: First Comes Blood is the first book in the Promised in Blood series and ends on a cliffhanger. These books contain dark themes, violence, and a romance with one woman and four ruthlessly possessive men where she never has to choose. The story is dark, dirty and delicious, so please read at your discretion.
On my seventeenth birthday, I learn a terrible secret about my family. My future is in the hands of four brutal men, and what awaits me at their hands is too terrible to imagine. Four men who desire me. Four men who vow to possess me. Four men who think they can destroy me.
As the only daughter of Coldlake’s mayor, I should be kept far, far out of their reach. Instead, I’m being thrown to them as a sacrifice. My father insists only one of them can marry me, but all of them vow to secure my promise. A promise in blood.
They take. I bleed. Happy birthday to me.
Author’s note: First Comes Blood is the first book in the Promised in Blood series and ends on a cliffhanger. These books contain dark themes, violence, and a romance with one woman and four ruthlessly possessive men where she never has to choose. The story is dark, dirty and delicious, so please read at your discretion.
328 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 21, 2021
1721 people are currently reading
9975 people want to read
About the author
Lilith Vincent
22 books2,730 followersLilith Vincent is a steamy mafia reverse harem writer who believes in living on the wild side! Why choose one when you could choose them all.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 762 reviews
August 3, 2021
DNF
Where do I start? This isn't really dark. It's flat out abusive, but the FMC is attracted, so it's apparently okay. I tried. I really did. I started skimming at 73%, and gave up at 76%.
The FMC is beyond naive, she's a stupid idiot. Apparently the author is trying to show she has a backbone?? But she's seriously an idiot who doesn't learn and does literally nothing worthwhile to get out of the arrangement. The MMCs are awful with literally no redeeming qualities and rapey pedophilia vibes.
I honestly should have known better, but I tried it anyway. Shame on me...
Where do I start? This isn't really dark. It's flat out abusive, but the FMC is attracted, so it's apparently okay. I tried. I really did. I started skimming at 73%, and gave up at 76%.
The FMC is beyond naive, she's a stupid idiot. Apparently the author is trying to show she has a backbone?? But she's seriously an idiot who doesn't learn and does literally nothing worthwhile to get out of the arrangement. The MMCs are awful with literally no redeeming qualities and rapey pedophilia vibes.
I honestly should have known better, but I tried it anyway. Shame on me...
September 23, 2022
23/09/22 - This was, honest to God, a shit show of a book. Like I can't believe that this is the author who wrote the Pageant Duet (which was amazing btw)! Chiara is spineless and whining all the time and then all of a sudden she's attracted to all these men who have played her and treated her like shit. MISS MAAM WHERE’S YOUR BACKBONE??? WHY ARE THINGS CHANGING SO ABRUPTLY?!?!? The pacing was??? I just don't get it y'all lol. I still stand by the fact that the MMCs are straight up abuse, pedophiles and manipulators. It's disgusting and sad honestly. Fuck me for thinking that I should give this a chance. So not it besties🥲🔫
Edit: Idky but I feel like giving this book a second chance since I liked other books by this author. Sometimes I start doubting my own reviews lol. Guess we'll find out how I feel about this book the second time around.
*proceeds to take a deep breath*
Okay. Fucking hell no. This book is so not it. Miss author needs some therapy and needs to get checked. How tf do you think it's okay for 4 grown ass men in their thirties to manipulate and groom a fucking 17 year old?!?!? Like are we seriously fucking glorifying abuse now???? I never thought I could hate any book more than Bound by Honor by Cora Reilly but this one exceeded my expectations in terms how horrible it was.
Also *spoiler* but one of the FMC's future potential husband kills her mother. Her mother who actually stood up for her daughter and didn't want her to be sold like some object at an auction. I don't think I've ever used this word ever to describe a book, but this one was pure shit - sorry not sorry. I might sound harsh but I'm paying to read these books so I might as well express my opinion. DNFed at chapter 8 because I actually couldn't take it.
P.S. One of the men also talk about "beating" the smartness out of her. So what, like now we're actually glorifying domestic abuse/violence????🥴
Edit: Idky but I feel like giving this book a second chance since I liked other books by this author. Sometimes I start doubting my own reviews lol. Guess we'll find out how I feel about this book the second time around.
*proceeds to take a deep breath*
Okay. Fucking hell no. This book is so not it. Miss author needs some therapy and needs to get checked. How tf do you think it's okay for 4 grown ass men in their thirties to manipulate and groom a fucking 17 year old?!?!? Like are we seriously fucking glorifying abuse now???? I never thought I could hate any book more than Bound by Honor by Cora Reilly but this one exceeded my expectations in terms how horrible it was.
Also *spoiler* but one of the FMC's future potential husband kills her mother. Her mother who actually stood up for her daughter and didn't want her to be sold like some object at an auction. I don't think I've ever used this word ever to describe a book, but this one was pure shit - sorry not sorry. I might sound harsh but I'm paying to read these books so I might as well express my opinion. DNFed at chapter 8 because I actually couldn't take it.
P.S. One of the men also talk about "beating" the smartness out of her. So what, like now we're actually glorifying domestic abuse/violence????🥴
July 22, 2021
Genre: Dark Romance
Type: Book 1 of 3 from Promised in Blood series
POV: First Person - Multiple
Rating:
Chiara Romano was supposed to celebrate her seventeen birthday being young and free. But the life as she knew it practically over the moment her dad revealed the plan he had for her. The plan involving four men vying for something she couldn’t even imagine.
While Salvatore was a standout in half of the book, he’s not my type. Cassius had some qualities I liked and saw potential in him. Vinicius’ charm and playfulness drew me in and the “just the tip” scene was everything I expected of him. However, the man for me was hands down Lorenzo who caught my attention the moment he appeared in the book. As for Chiara, let’s just say I'll gladly be in her position lol!
I enjoyed the overall storyline and interested to see how Chiara will evolve throughout the series. What intrigues me the most about reverse harem story is the dynamics between the characters with the female and each other. In this one, they were connected by a cause, which I’m looking forward to knowing more about in the next book.
First Comes Blood is a story of vengeance and perception. It would appeal to readers who enjoy a dark reverse harem Romance.
Books in the series:
🌹🔪🌹 . . . (F)BR With Twinsie CC . . . 🌹🔪🌹
For more reviews/interviews/promo visit:
Type: Book 1 of 3 from Promised in Blood series
POV: First Person - Multiple
Rating:
Chiara Romano was supposed to celebrate her seventeen birthday being young and free. But the life as she knew it practically over the moment her dad revealed the plan he had for her. The plan involving four men vying for something she couldn’t even imagine.
While Salvatore was a standout in half of the book, he’s not my type. Cassius had some qualities I liked and saw potential in him. Vinicius’ charm and playfulness drew me in and the “just the tip” scene was everything I expected of him. However, the man for me was hands down Lorenzo who caught my attention the moment he appeared in the book. As for Chiara, let’s just say I'll gladly be in her position lol!
“You’re full of fear. Full of hate. Full of ambition. There isn’t room for love in your heart with all that crowded inside.”
I enjoyed the overall storyline and interested to see how Chiara will evolve throughout the series. What intrigues me the most about reverse harem story is the dynamics between the characters with the female and each other. In this one, they were connected by a cause, which I’m looking forward to knowing more about in the next book.
First Comes Blood is a story of vengeance and perception. It would appeal to readers who enjoy a dark reverse harem Romance.
Books in the series:
🌹🔪🌹 . . . (F)BR With Twinsie CC . . . 🌹🔪🌹
For more reviews/interviews/promo visit:
July 7, 2021
First of all, I sat up way past my bedtime to read this book, and I do not sit up past my bedtime for anything. Second of all, Lilith I’m going to need the rest of this series ASAP.
This book was dark, delicious & downright sinful. I fell in love with every single one of our heroes (well, all but one). This is a slow(er) burn considering the heroine is 17 when she is promised to our heroes.
I can safety say there is no sex between the heroine and any of the heroes until she is of age, but there is some spicy scenes that happen prior to her birthday.
Lilith did not disappoint when it came down the smut either. None of the spicy scenes felt like they were added just for the sake of sex (which I do feel happens sometimes with RH), and every single scene was hotter than the last. I cannot wait to see where this story goes. I am already so in love with every single character and can get behind all of their motivations.
Also can we please talk about how freaking ADORABLE the relationship between the men is? Like they have a group chat and I am dead. It was sweet and precious but also very I will burn down the world for you. I loved it.
Be warned there is a cliffhanger, so we do not get a HEA or a HNF in this book.
CW: Gun play, knife play, impact play, dub con, murder, violence, man handling the heroine while underage
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was dark, delicious & downright sinful. I fell in love with every single one of our heroes (well, all but one). This is a slow(er) burn considering the heroine is 17 when she is promised to our heroes.
I can safety say there is no sex between the heroine and any of the heroes until she is of age, but there is some spicy scenes that happen prior to her birthday.
Lilith did not disappoint when it came down the smut either. None of the spicy scenes felt like they were added just for the sake of sex (which I do feel happens sometimes with RH), and every single scene was hotter than the last. I cannot wait to see where this story goes. I am already so in love with every single character and can get behind all of their motivations.
Also can we please talk about how freaking ADORABLE the relationship between the men is? Like they have a group chat and I am dead. It was sweet and precious but also very I will burn down the world for you. I loved it.
Be warned there is a cliffhanger, so we do not get a HEA or a HNF in this book.
CW: Gun play, knife play, impact play, dub con, murder, violence, man handling the heroine while underage
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 21, 2022
Edit: My initial 4 stars was too generous. I wanted to like this book sooo badly, and while I did like it, the author had huge holes in characterization and pacing issues that is not up to her usual standard (Lilith Vincent is not a debut author, but an experienced one, I've enjoyed many of her books under her Brianna Hale pen name). I expect more attention to character development from this author.
Mixed feelings is what I have about this book, but the author managed to squeeze a 4 star out of me by the end. Reverse harem & mafia are not my favorite genres. Never in a million years would I have imagined myself going for a combo - reverse harem mafia, but here I am. Since reading and enjoying Lords of Pain & Lords of Wrath I've been slowly going through the Goodreads list for reverse harem mafia books...and not having much luck. When I found out one of my favorite authors, Brianna Hale, was trying her hand at the genre under a new pen name I knew I had to give it a try. This is not anything close to LoP & LoW, but Brianna Hale has a strong author voice and I knew she'd put her own spin on the genre.
I don't feel up to writing a full, cohesive review so I'm just going to do a bullet point list of pros & cons.
Pros:
✨The writing style
Brianna Hale has a lovely author voice that I recognize in all her books. Idk what it is, but her writing is just pleasant to read. She is one of the rare authors who writes contemporary romance I enjoy almost every time. While this book has dark themes: there is so much humour it lightens the book for me. I was mainly chuckling while reading, though there were definitely some jaw dropping moments of violence.
✨The erotica
It was hot :P Sensual, I love the way this author describes scenes. Not just the sex scenes, but small personal interactions the characters have together in stolen moments. There's this great combo of emotion & the physical. For a large part of the book I was tempted to rate 3 stars, but the erotica was a solid 4 the entire time.
✨The guys
There are 4 men in this reverse harem, and they all have unique personalities! In so many of the reverse harems I've recently read, I've already completely forgotten about the guys. I couldn't tell you the name of a character or any personality traits. The guys here are memorable and unique. 4 is stretching it, I probably would have preferred Brianna nixing Lorenzo (my least favorite) and going for 3 guys, but that's just me nitpicking.
We have:
1) Salvatore - Hot, with a mean streak. Casino owner in town. Mainly that's his cover business, how he pays taxes to the fed :P
2) Cassius - Surly exterior/soft interior. Nightclub & strip club owner.
3) Vinicius - Involved in money laundering somehow. I guess that makes him an entrepreuner/investor?
4) Lorenzo - Scary hot. "Psychopath" (I inwardly groaned at this while reading - I'll go into it with my cons list). Involved in drug trafficking.
✨The reverse harem set-up
For being this author's first reverse harem I thought she balanced the time with all the guys very well. I like that this is going to be a series that gives the reader more time to get to know all the characters vs. trying to cram everything into a standalone. I like how the guys are being open about wanting a poly relationship, it was clearly well-thought out by the author and helped me suspend disbelief. I'm also so relieved they aren't actually brothers. I can't believe how common that is in RH.
Random notes:
Cons:
lol I can't really think of enough to create a list. This is the first pro/con list I've tried to write in a review for awhile. Mainly I'm thinking of how Lorenzo and Salvatore's characterization felt slightly off.
**I'm redoing my con list and treating it like how I would give beta feedback to an author. I've decided to stop doing this in my reviews since I think it's a waste of time, but I like this author so I'm taking the time to do it.
✨Lorenzo's characterization & the bet
Lorenzo at the beginning reminded me of an H Brianna Hale wrote in Lap of Luxury. He was proported to be psychopath, and he was not my favorite H. Idk but "psychopaths" feel old to me now. They're never written as real psychopaths, and just end up feeling meh to me. Brianna saved the day when Lorenzo ended up BUT the downside to this little twist is it makes his characterization rocky & not solid. If he was just joking, he took things wayyy too far. Idk how I feel about it. During the time he was "pretending" I was just groaning thinking Brianna was trying to write another Damir from Lap of Luxury.
Now, with that said, I do find it realistic these guys would fuck with heroine (I mean sort of pull her leg). Lorenzo joking about being involved in organ harvesting was funny. The bet on the It didn't completely make sense to me. I'm not sure how Lorenzo won that bet. The execution of that felt completely off to me.
feedback for the execution of the bet:
✨Salvatore's characterization
Salvatore won my affections over as a potential favorite anti-hero when he told the heroine how it would be with him, laying down the law. I'm all for that. I really loved his mean dialogue. As the book progressed he started to show more sympathy for what the heroine was going through and then *boom* he would lose his temper and say the meanest thing he could to the heroine. While I actually liked that mean dialogue, the transition from him showing sympathy to the heroine to being mean to her seemed abrupt. I think if the author had given us more of Salvatore's POV to show that inward transition, the characterization wouldn't have felt so bumpy. Now, I don't like it when the author's try to spell out things to the reader using the H's POV, but in this specific case I think a tiny bit of his POV would have helped. Or something to make the transition of him seeming more humanistic to the reader , showing sympathy the the heroine, to being just mean to her.
feedback:
✨Occasional OTT moments that took me out of the story
Another thing is that when Brianna Hale goes "dark" it just never feels dark to me. I'm a huge dark lover, but I oddly prefer her contemporary romances. With that said, she includes so much humour, her characters have so much personality, I still enjoy reading her "dark" books.
3.5 stars, rounding up.
Warning this ends on a huge cliffhanger, fortunately the next book is due out September 22nd.
Mixed feelings is what I have about this book, but the author managed to squeeze a 4 star out of me by the end. Reverse harem & mafia are not my favorite genres. Never in a million years would I have imagined myself going for a combo - reverse harem mafia, but here I am. Since reading and enjoying Lords of Pain & Lords of Wrath I've been slowly going through the Goodreads list for reverse harem mafia books...and not having much luck. When I found out one of my favorite authors, Brianna Hale, was trying her hand at the genre under a new pen name I knew I had to give it a try. This is not anything close to LoP & LoW, but Brianna Hale has a strong author voice and I knew she'd put her own spin on the genre.
I don't feel up to writing a full, cohesive review so I'm just going to do a bullet point list of pros & cons.
Pros:
✨The writing style
Brianna Hale has a lovely author voice that I recognize in all her books. Idk what it is, but her writing is just pleasant to read. She is one of the rare authors who writes contemporary romance I enjoy almost every time. While this book has dark themes: there is so much humour it lightens the book for me. I was mainly chuckling while reading, though there were definitely some jaw dropping moments of violence.
✨The erotica
It was hot :P Sensual, I love the way this author describes scenes. Not just the sex scenes, but small personal interactions the characters have together in stolen moments. There's this great combo of emotion & the physical. For a large part of the book I was tempted to rate 3 stars, but the erotica was a solid 4 the entire time.
✨The guys
There are 4 men in this reverse harem, and they all have unique personalities! In so many of the reverse harems I've recently read, I've already completely forgotten about the guys. I couldn't tell you the name of a character or any personality traits. The guys here are memorable and unique. 4 is stretching it, I probably would have preferred Brianna nixing Lorenzo (my least favorite) and going for 3 guys, but that's just me nitpicking.
We have:
1) Salvatore - Hot, with a mean streak. Casino owner in town. Mainly that's his cover business, how he pays taxes to the fed :P
2) Cassius - Surly exterior/soft interior. Nightclub & strip club owner.
3) Vinicius - Involved in money laundering somehow. I guess that makes him an entrepreuner/investor?
4) Lorenzo - Scary hot. "Psychopath" (I inwardly groaned at this while reading - I'll go into it with my cons list). Involved in drug trafficking.
✨The reverse harem set-up
For being this author's first reverse harem I thought she balanced the time with all the guys very well. I like that this is going to be a series that gives the reader more time to get to know all the characters vs. trying to cram everything into a standalone. I like how the guys are being open about wanting a poly relationship, it was clearly well-thought out by the author and helped me suspend disbelief. I'm also so relieved they aren't actually brothers. I can't believe how common that is in RH.
Random notes:
Cons:
**I'm redoing my con list and treating it like how I would give beta feedback to an author. I've decided to stop doing this in my reviews since I think it's a waste of time, but I like this author so I'm taking the time to do it.
✨Lorenzo's characterization & the bet
Lorenzo at the beginning reminded me of an H Brianna Hale wrote in Lap of Luxury. He was proported to be psychopath, and he was not my favorite H. Idk but "psychopaths" feel old to me now. They're never written as real psychopaths, and just end up feeling meh to me. Brianna saved the day when Lorenzo ended up BUT the downside to this little twist is it makes his characterization rocky & not solid. If he was just joking, he took things wayyy too far. Idk how I feel about it. During the time he was "pretending" I was just groaning thinking Brianna was trying to write another Damir from Lap of Luxury.
Now, with that said, I do find it realistic these guys would fuck with heroine (I mean sort of pull her leg). Lorenzo joking about being involved in organ harvesting was funny. The bet on the It didn't completely make sense to me. I'm not sure how Lorenzo won that bet. The execution of that felt completely off to me.
feedback for the execution of the bet:
✨Salvatore's characterization
Salvatore won my affections over as a potential favorite anti-hero when he told the heroine how it would be with him, laying down the law. I'm all for that. I really loved his mean dialogue. As the book progressed he started to show more sympathy for what the heroine was going through and then *boom* he would lose his temper and say the meanest thing he could to the heroine. While I actually liked that mean dialogue, the transition from him showing sympathy to the heroine to being mean to her seemed abrupt. I think if the author had given us more of Salvatore's POV to show that inward transition, the characterization wouldn't have felt so bumpy. Now, I don't like it when the author's try to spell out things to the reader using the H's POV, but in this specific case I think a tiny bit of his POV would have helped. Or something to make the transition of him seeming more humanistic to the reader , showing sympathy the the heroine, to being just mean to her.
feedback:
✨Occasional OTT moments that took me out of the story
Another thing is that when Brianna Hale goes "dark" it just never feels dark to me. I'm a huge dark lover, but I oddly prefer her contemporary romances. With that said, she includes so much humour, her characters have so much personality, I still enjoy reading her "dark" books.
3.5 stars, rounding up.
Warning this ends on a huge cliffhanger, fortunately the next book is due out September 22nd.
July 16, 2021
4.5★
On her seventeenth birthday, Chiara Romano learns a family secret and the role her father requires her to fulfill. Upon meeting four potential suitors, Chiara realizes her options are dangerous and she must act to change her fate.
From the beginning, I liked Chiara’s determination, but with Salvatore Fiore, Vincius Angeli, Cassius Ferragamo and Lorenzo Scava, the stakes are high with these sexy and very different men. Vying for her trust, each man has his own talents leading to dark and steamy scenes. Let me say, I am definitely team
First Comes Blood is a dark romance setting the stage for a delicious reverse harem. This book will appeal to those seeking a mafia romance full of deception. With an explosive cliffy ending, I am so curious to read how the story continues.
Series:
An ARC was provided in exchange for a review.
*This was a (F)BR with Twinsie Hawkey!*
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
On her seventeenth birthday, Chiara Romano learns a family secret and the role her father requires her to fulfill. Upon meeting four potential suitors, Chiara realizes her options are dangerous and she must act to change her fate.
“This is your life, Chiara. You want something changed, you fix it yourself.”
From the beginning, I liked Chiara’s determination, but with Salvatore Fiore, Vincius Angeli, Cassius Ferragamo and Lorenzo Scava, the stakes are high with these sexy and very different men. Vying for her trust, each man has his own talents leading to dark and steamy scenes. Let me say, I am definitely team
First Comes Blood is a dark romance setting the stage for a delicious reverse harem. This book will appeal to those seeking a mafia romance full of deception. With an explosive cliffy ending, I am so curious to read how the story continues.
Series:
An ARC was provided in exchange for a review.
*This was a (F)BR with Twinsie Hawkey!*
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
March 5, 2024
DNF'd at 15%
I'm instantly OUT the moment one of the supposed Heros talks about beating her up to make her obey them.
Fuck that shit and fuck him too.
I'm instantly OUT the moment one of the supposed Heros talks about beating her up to make her obey them.
Fuck that shit and fuck him too.
October 30, 2021
This baby was a emotional book for me... idk who to trust.. I think the only one I trust is Chiara.. shes being used as a pawn by her father.. but to these 4 men its a game since shes underage at the start (no sex happens but Heat and punisnent does) but the drama hits hard when Salvador ends his friendship with the guys because he wants Chiara for himself... the tension is high because Chiara doesn't know who to trust and the mind games these men play.
Idk what guy I love or dislike.. Vin and Cass are for sure Love.. Lorenzo and Salvador are in the idk how I feel those 2 are more fked up and sneaky on mind games... and the way Lorenzo is playing to get that vcard... that bet was messy but that ending.. idk what to believe... Salvador better have some explaining 😒
Low Angst, no ow/om drama, slight secondary character, drama, sexy times, virgin gal and no manwhores
Recommend-yes/maybe
Cover-⭐⭐⭐
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶🌶
Slowburn
Older/younger couple
17(at the start turns 18)/30sH
Knife play
Gun play
Violence
Murder
Tiny Abuse (roughed up by few of the guys)
Abusive parent
Pubishments
Dub-con
Cliffhanger
Epilogue
Idk what guy I love or dislike.. Vin and Cass are for sure Love.. Lorenzo and Salvador are in the idk how I feel those 2 are more fked up and sneaky on mind games... and the way Lorenzo is playing to get that vcard... that bet was messy but that ending.. idk what to believe... Salvador better have some explaining 😒
Low Angst, no ow/om drama, slight secondary character, drama, sexy times, virgin gal and no manwhores
Recommend-yes/maybe
Cover-⭐⭐⭐
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶🌶
Slowburn
Older/younger couple
17(at the start turns 18)/30sH
Knife play
Gun play
Violence
Murder
Tiny Abuse (roughed up by few of the guys)
Abusive parent
Pubishments
Dub-con
Cliffhanger
Epilogue
dnf
April 14, 2022DNF @ 17% - 4 sadistic mafia asshats (all in their 30s) salivate over abusing a 17-year old girl who is being forced, by her politician father, to marry one of them. They make it clear they plan to share her. This is all revealed within a few minutes of meeting her. She’s a sheltered catholic school girl. They each talk to her individually and each one seems worse than the last. One spanks the heroine. This creepy man who just she laid eyes on for the 1st time 15 minutes prior. Why? Because she’s not properly submissive as soon as she’s informed of her fate, while they all leer at her like creeptastic pedos. I love spanking in my romances… but this is not it. 😐
The worst part though? We’re inside their heads. And one of these hardcore badasses admires her “chiffon gown” in his head….. 👀🙈🙄 Look. Male POVs are tricky, I get it, but I’d bet all my money that mafia jackasses aren’t going to be evening gown fabric experts. 🙄🙄🤣🤣🤣🤣 This *might* have been good if we weren’t in their heads.
They just seem like immature out of control sadistic monsters.
Not my jam. 🤷🏼♀️
The worst part though? We’re inside their heads. And one of these hardcore badasses admires her “chiffon gown” in his head….. 👀🙈🙄 Look. Male POVs are tricky, I get it, but I’d bet all my money that mafia jackasses aren’t going to be evening gown fabric experts. 🙄🙄🤣🤣🤣🤣 This *might* have been good if we weren’t in their heads.
They just seem like immature out of control sadistic monsters.
Not my jam. 🤷🏼♀️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2022
4 Stars ⭐️
Wow
That was an experience Jesus Christ.
It’s like a more fucked up version of DOV!
I’m not gonna lie, I was gonna dnf at the beginning because of the dub con and the fact she was 17 and they’re 28-34 but I thought I would give it a go as they don’t have sex until she’s 18.
So we have..
Chiara- I love her! I feel so sorry for her, she’s been through so much shit. She’s sweet, understanding and has a backbone.
Salvatore- I have very mixed feelings. He’s the leader, bossy and demanding.
Lorenzo- my psychotic baby, reminds me of Diesel from DOV
Vini- He lies about everything but I feel like he’s the most sane. Kenzo vibes
Cassius- Manipulative and cold but has a soft spot for Chiara.
Triggers- Dub Con, knife play, gun play, death of a loved one, physical/emotional/verbal abuse, degradation, humiliation.
Wow
That was an experience Jesus Christ.
It’s like a more fucked up version of DOV!
I’m not gonna lie, I was gonna dnf at the beginning because of the dub con and the fact she was 17 and they’re 28-34 but I thought I would give it a go as they don’t have sex until she’s 18.
So we have..
Chiara- I love her! I feel so sorry for her, she’s been through so much shit. She’s sweet, understanding and has a backbone.
Salvatore- I have very mixed feelings. He’s the leader, bossy and demanding.
Lorenzo- my psychotic baby, reminds me of Diesel from DOV
Vini- He lies about everything but I feel like he’s the most sane. Kenzo vibes
Cassius- Manipulative and cold but has a soft spot for Chiara.
Triggers- Dub Con, knife play, gun play, death of a loved one, physical/emotional/verbal abuse, degradation, humiliation.
November 27, 2021
Everyone single person that rated this book 5 stars is sick in the head.
If it was possible to rate this less then one star i would.
WARNING TO ALL FUTURE READERS: this book is not enemies to lovers. It is pure evil.
This book starts when Chiria the main character is 17 AND BARELY EVEN ITS STARTS ON HER BIRTHDAY. Not only does she get threatened and humiliated by 4 different men, she gets non consensually touched with a knife & told if she screams that her rescuer will be murdered. Then someone who is going to be her future lover KILLS HER MOTHER. Honestly this book was so cruel COULDNT read it.
If it was possible to rate this less then one star i would.
WARNING TO ALL FUTURE READERS: this book is not enemies to lovers. It is pure evil.
This book starts when Chiria the main character is 17 AND BARELY EVEN ITS STARTS ON HER BIRTHDAY. Not only does she get threatened and humiliated by 4 different men, she gets non consensually touched with a knife & told if she screams that her rescuer will be murdered. Then someone who is going to be her future lover KILLS HER MOTHER. Honestly this book was so cruel COULDNT read it.
July 27, 2021
"If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, it’s yours forever. If it doesn’t… Then you need to go and get it."
First Comes Blood is explosive from beginning to end. It's everything I like to read in a dark story. It's dangerous, raw, sexy as hell, completely addictive.
Lilith Vincent plunged me in a maddening world of corruption, greed and power. The atmosphere is somber, with lot and lot of tension and mystery.
The young Chiara sees the life she knew put to an end on her seventeenth birthday. From then on, it's a whirlwind of action, seduction and mind games. And I must admit it's my favorite part. Not knowing what the four men, Salvatore, Cassius, Vinicius and Lorenzo have in mind sent me reeling. I succumbed to their ming games. And they are so good at it! I'm staying vague, here, I know, but truly you don't want anything spoiled.
Told from multiple points of view, the storyline utterly gripped me. The author perfectly painted her characters' emotions She captured their different personalities with brio. Loving them felt amazing, and wrong felt so wonderfully right!
“You’re full of fear. Full of hate. Full of ambition. There isn’t room for love in your heart with all that crowded inside.”
I just finished devoring this baby and I want to scream and beg for book #2. I am so glad this series is a trilogy because I won’t get enough of this illicit deliciousness anytime soon.
Dark romance fans, you need this book, it will leave you a hot mess, I promise. My mind is blown. And this is only the beginning!
Ps: Those notes!
First Comes Blood is explosive from beginning to end. It's everything I like to read in a dark story. It's dangerous, raw, sexy as hell, completely addictive.
Lilith Vincent plunged me in a maddening world of corruption, greed and power. The atmosphere is somber, with lot and lot of tension and mystery.
The young Chiara sees the life she knew put to an end on her seventeenth birthday. From then on, it's a whirlwind of action, seduction and mind games. And I must admit it's my favorite part. Not knowing what the four men, Salvatore, Cassius, Vinicius and Lorenzo have in mind sent me reeling. I succumbed to their ming games. And they are so good at it! I'm staying vague, here, I know, but truly you don't want anything spoiled.
Told from multiple points of view, the storyline utterly gripped me. The author perfectly painted her characters' emotions She captured their different personalities with brio. Loving them felt amazing, and wrong felt so wonderfully right!
“You’re full of fear. Full of hate. Full of ambition. There isn’t room for love in your heart with all that crowded inside.”
I just finished devoring this baby and I want to scream and beg for book #2. I am so glad this series is a trilogy because I won’t get enough of this illicit deliciousness anytime soon.
Dark romance fans, you need this book, it will leave you a hot mess, I promise. My mind is blown. And this is only the beginning!
Ps: Those notes!
December 17, 2025
Pathetic heroes
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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March 29, 2022
5⭐
First Comes Blood (promised in blood series part-1)
This books ends in a cliffhanger. I can’t wait to start the 2nd part.
Omg! This book fucked up with my brain, literally it did-the way I was having mixed feelings about it, I could say a book which gives u various kind of emotions from love, to hate, to cry, to frustration, to pain, to happy tears, to pleasure (🔥😏) is the best book. This book literally put me on the edge-I was having love and hate relationship with this book, especially our crazy mafia mans, this fucking guys are way more hot, hotter than fire If I say, but with that they’re really a complete assholes too. Like our Heroine Chiara, I was having mixed feelings for this guys-but in the end, I end up liking them again, despite how many times in the book I murdered them in my mind in most barbaric way for how they treated Chiara . It reminds me-Chiara is an amazing FL, she is no damsel in distress even through things goes this way, but she is FL with a backbone, and knows how to fight for what she believes in, she copes with her miserable situation way better than most adults can do-even after the things she went through, I just love her character a lot! It was revolving :D.
My Personal Favorite is Cassius, I can finally see why majority of people loves him-he is really a softie at the end of the book, even through how much he act like a cold jerks at times.
Overall, I freaking love this first book, it was a challenging read for me-it was my first time reading a reverse harem, even though I love this trope before even reading it ever. I just love taboo romances! It makes me feel so many emotions, and I can’t wait to put my hands on the 2nd book (second comes war), the cliff-hanger was overbearing even through it wasn’t deadly like I expected it to be-the last two chapters and Epilogue get me good, It was heart-stopping, and makes me complete the book 4 in the morning today.. 👀 . So many unanswered questions was here which we will get answered in the 2nd book.
happy reading you all :D
First Comes Blood (promised in blood series part-1)
This books ends in a cliffhanger. I can’t wait to start the 2nd part.
Omg! This book fucked up with my brain, literally it did-the way I was having mixed feelings about it, I could say a book which gives u various kind of emotions from love, to hate, to cry, to frustration, to pain, to happy tears, to pleasure (🔥😏) is the best book. This book literally put me on the edge-I was having love and hate relationship with this book, especially our crazy mafia mans, this fucking guys are way more hot, hotter than fire If I say, but with that they’re really a complete assholes too. Like our Heroine Chiara, I was having mixed feelings for this guys-but in the end, I end up liking them again, despite how many times in the book I murdered them in my mind in most barbaric way for how they treated Chiara . It reminds me-Chiara is an amazing FL, she is no damsel in distress even through things goes this way, but she is FL with a backbone, and knows how to fight for what she believes in, she copes with her miserable situation way better than most adults can do-even after the things she went through, I just love her character a lot! It was revolving :D.
My Personal Favorite is Cassius, I can finally see why majority of people loves him-he is really a softie at the end of the book, even through how much he act like a cold jerks at times.
Overall, I freaking love this first book, it was a challenging read for me-it was my first time reading a reverse harem, even though I love this trope before even reading it ever. I just love taboo romances! It makes me feel so many emotions, and I can’t wait to put my hands on the 2nd book (second comes war), the cliff-hanger was overbearing even through it wasn’t deadly like I expected it to be-the last two chapters and Epilogue get me good, It was heart-stopping, and makes me complete the book 4 in the morning today.. 👀 . So many unanswered questions was here which we will get answered in the 2nd book.
happy reading you all :D
February 4, 2023
It pains me to say that not even the smut can save me from the work it took to finish this. And the smut was good too 😭😭😭🙏🏽
It took a couple of tries (I’ve been reading this off and on since 2022!) but I *finally* got into the first meeting of all the love interests. Not a fan of age gap. The adult mafia man wooing the schoolgirl at her private school makes me laugh a little 🙄 I can’t get into this taboo/role play because I always feel like the adult is such a loser for going after an adolescent 😳🫠
Anyways. I got bored but I finally made it through. The ending with all of them together? 👌🏽😚 But the plot itself was not interesting and even a damn good cliffhanger is not going to make me reach for the second book. Not for me, not now.
It took a couple of tries (I’ve been reading this off and on since 2022!) but I *finally* got into the first meeting of all the love interests. Not a fan of age gap. The adult mafia man wooing the schoolgirl at her private school makes me laugh a little 🙄 I can’t get into this taboo/role play because I always feel like the adult is such a loser for going after an adolescent 😳🫠
Anyways. I got bored but I finally made it through. The ending with all of them together? 👌🏽😚 But the plot itself was not interesting and even a damn good cliffhanger is not going to make me reach for the second book. Not for me, not now.
August 21, 2021
I wanted to enjoy this book but I just can’t get over the fact that the heroine is 17. Age gap dark romances are great but there really is no reason to make her 17. Innocence/being a virgin trope can happen at older ages. She is basically a child so a seemingly sexually explicit book centred around a young teenager and men 10 or so years older than her is predatory. Sorry but could not continue.
January 7, 2023
Holy moly- hello hot, mercurial, and dubious alpha heroes! This harem is just deliciously yummy! Dark, mysterious, sensual and sexy- what a great beginning!
The story did start a bit slowly for me with what felt to be a bit of a dragged out exposition, but once we started to get into more interactions between our young heroine and her four anti-hero suitors, I was completely immersed. The characters with their complexity and unclear motives, the sexual tension, the secrecy, so much push and pull with the chemistry- ah, it was enchanting. And Lilith can certainly write some STEAM- holy moly.
I’m picking when it comes to reverse harem, and Lilith really excels a the relationship matrix, diversifying each character with their own unique traits as well as cultivating a chemistry between the guys and Chiara that is individualized and unique. We get a great brotherhood dynamic amongst them as well, and the start of a harem formulation, only one of our guys may just not make the cut. Hoping he can be redeemed. ut the focus is really on developing these characters and their emerging chemistry with our heroine- multiple couplings before we get to a group focus. BUT OMG I loved every one of them- the enigmatic mafia bad guys, but are they really bad? Because they can be OH SO YUMMY as they are controlling and manipulating our heroine- but with some tenderness and swooniness at times. I want to fall deeper into them.
I think some will find Chiara, our heroine, a bit immature and bratty. But I feel like this is part of her character evolution. She’s a very young girl as we start, only 17, thrust into a world she doesn’t understand, outmatched, outsmarter, completely in the dark, and at the mercy of the whims and machinations of very powerful men. So yes, at times she’s petulant, because she’s so trapped, and at times she’s weak, because she’s not yet come into her own. I found her quite endearing- and I understood how she’s fighting the conflicting messages of her mind and body. We start to see her try to take more control of her narrative at the end, and I am here for this little princess growing into a self-possessed queen.
We move at a breakneck pace at the end, and I the pages were furiously turning. We have some twists, a big cliffie, and lots of questions. Just WHAT is everyone up to, and why? Excited for more!
The story did start a bit slowly for me with what felt to be a bit of a dragged out exposition, but once we started to get into more interactions between our young heroine and her four anti-hero suitors, I was completely immersed. The characters with their complexity and unclear motives, the sexual tension, the secrecy, so much push and pull with the chemistry- ah, it was enchanting. And Lilith can certainly write some STEAM- holy moly.
I’m picking when it comes to reverse harem, and Lilith really excels a the relationship matrix, diversifying each character with their own unique traits as well as cultivating a chemistry between the guys and Chiara that is individualized and unique. We get a great brotherhood dynamic amongst them as well, and the start of a harem formulation, only one of our guys may just not make the cut. Hoping he can be redeemed. ut the focus is really on developing these characters and their emerging chemistry with our heroine- multiple couplings before we get to a group focus. BUT OMG I loved every one of them- the enigmatic mafia bad guys, but are they really bad? Because they can be OH SO YUMMY as they are controlling and manipulating our heroine- but with some tenderness and swooniness at times. I want to fall deeper into them.
I think some will find Chiara, our heroine, a bit immature and bratty. But I feel like this is part of her character evolution. She’s a very young girl as we start, only 17, thrust into a world she doesn’t understand, outmatched, outsmarter, completely in the dark, and at the mercy of the whims and machinations of very powerful men. So yes, at times she’s petulant, because she’s so trapped, and at times she’s weak, because she’s not yet come into her own. I found her quite endearing- and I understood how she’s fighting the conflicting messages of her mind and body. We start to see her try to take more control of her narrative at the end, and I am here for this little princess growing into a self-possessed queen.
We move at a breakneck pace at the end, and I the pages were furiously turning. We have some twists, a big cliffie, and lots of questions. Just WHAT is everyone up to, and why? Excited for more!
August 26, 2021
Did I read the same book as everyone else? how the hell this is getting so many good reviews is mind boggling. The four hero’s were so cruel and evil to the heroine, and trust me I love a good enemies to lovers trope but this was just ridiculous. This is a reverse harem book, there are four hero’s total and NOT ONE OF THEM had any good qualities. They physically and mentally abuse the heroine at any chance they get. They constantly lie to her and play games with her head for their own pleasure. AND DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE RAPE. idc what anyone says LORENZO RAPED THIS GIRL. if you don’t get a verbal YES then it’s mother fucking rape it doesn’t matter if the woman’s body is responding, she was literally begging for him to stop. I would give this book less than one star if i fucking could and I plan on never reading another book by this author
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
May 22, 2021
Coming July 21! Get your free copy of the prologue novella: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/jld2isy1l9
August 3, 2021
DNF. I am fine with a dark storyline, but these guys were just too evil for me. She has a one-on-one conversation with each of the 4 guys at the beginning and I quit reading right as the fourth guy was about to talk to the MC. Not for me.
July 21, 2021
****AVAILABLE NOW ****
4 STARS
Reverse Harem is not my typical read. I don’t gravitate to it. It doesn’t really peak my interest; however, there is something about mafia men and reverse harem. The dynamic intrigued me. Alpha men who rule with iron fists wanting to share a women is fascinating, and so when I saw Lilith Vincent, who is a new-to-me author, was writing this story, I knew I needed to read it.
She did not disappoint in character, relationships or storyline. I loved all four of these men. Well, I’m not very happy with one of them, but he may be redeemed in the second book. We shall see. The other 3, loved them. As the story progresses, and the author revealed more of who they are, I loved them even more. Each has their own dynamic with the heroine, and I enjoyed that relationship as well. There were not a ton of group scenes in this one, very few, but I’m not sure what is standard in a RH novel, but I expected more. That being said, I felt like by the end of the novel, readers are really starting to see a relationship evolve differently with each of the men. I can’t wait to see more.
The heroine is pretty weak for most of the book, but she has been raised that way, and acts bratty a lot. Again, she is young and being forced and is acting out. You can see her evolution as the book goes on, and I think she is going to be a mafia queen equal to her men at the end of book 2. It is just a feeling I have.
I really loved the plot of this book. There is a lot of set up to the end and a lot of juggling of relationships and storylines. I felt like a lot of the first book was a set up for the second and the second is going to be filled with steam and action packed. I am so here for it.
I loved this book. I’m here for more. I need more of these men and the heroine as she comes into her own.
Arc
4 STARS
Reverse Harem is not my typical read. I don’t gravitate to it. It doesn’t really peak my interest; however, there is something about mafia men and reverse harem. The dynamic intrigued me. Alpha men who rule with iron fists wanting to share a women is fascinating, and so when I saw Lilith Vincent, who is a new-to-me author, was writing this story, I knew I needed to read it.
She did not disappoint in character, relationships or storyline. I loved all four of these men. Well, I’m not very happy with one of them, but he may be redeemed in the second book. We shall see. The other 3, loved them. As the story progresses, and the author revealed more of who they are, I loved them even more. Each has their own dynamic with the heroine, and I enjoyed that relationship as well. There were not a ton of group scenes in this one, very few, but I’m not sure what is standard in a RH novel, but I expected more. That being said, I felt like by the end of the novel, readers are really starting to see a relationship evolve differently with each of the men. I can’t wait to see more.
The heroine is pretty weak for most of the book, but she has been raised that way, and acts bratty a lot. Again, she is young and being forced and is acting out. You can see her evolution as the book goes on, and I think she is going to be a mafia queen equal to her men at the end of book 2. It is just a feeling I have.
I really loved the plot of this book. There is a lot of set up to the end and a lot of juggling of relationships and storylines. I felt like a lot of the first book was a set up for the second and the second is going to be filled with steam and action packed. I am so here for it.
I loved this book. I’m here for more. I need more of these men and the heroine as she comes into her own.
Arc
August 9, 2021
I want to start off by saying that the author did a good job at writing the book. It was well put together and flowed well.
But.. this was painfully bad. Chiara was dumber than a box of nails. Utterly stupid. She had a year to flee or something but she did nothing. And then time and time again she let them "kidnap" her but then she would fall right into their arms.
These grown men were grooming a 17 year old. The story would have been fine if she was older. I didn't like that.
And they all just treat her horribly and expect submission. Like they don't treat her well, they offer her scraps and then demand devotion.
The whole story was odd and really bad.
But.. this was painfully bad. Chiara was dumber than a box of nails. Utterly stupid. She had a year to flee or something but she did nothing. And then time and time again she let them "kidnap" her but then she would fall right into their arms.
These grown men were grooming a 17 year old. The story would have been fine if she was older. I didn't like that.
And they all just treat her horribly and expect submission. Like they don't treat her well, they offer her scraps and then demand devotion.
The whole story was odd and really bad.
August 31, 2021
I've been trying to find a good reverse harem romance, but the few I've read has such a bad plot, and this one is no exception, ugh I just want to find a good one where I like all the guys sharing the same girl.
October 27, 2021
DNF
I’m all for dark and I almost exclusively read RH. But the description doesn’t say anything about age gap and the FMC is only 17. The MMC are late twenties to 34.
Not for me
I’m all for dark and I almost exclusively read RH. But the description doesn’t say anything about age gap and the FMC is only 17. The MMC are late twenties to 34.
Not for me
dnf
November 2, 2021Just say no. It’s creepy what do 4 grown men see in a 17 year old girl? They are also some of the most immature characters I have ever read.
Just say no
Just say no
January 5, 2024
I honestly don't know what to think about this. I had just finished the Pageant and thought that story was brilliant. This one was written first and you can definitely tell. The characters and their development leave A LOT to be desired. The story didn't grasp my attention, either. I'll try to explain the best I can. You might consider some of it spoiler-ish, but .... you kinda just need to read it.
Chiara (17, virgin, sheltered) is having a party on her seventeenth birthday, except it's being thrown by her father/mother and 4 of his "friends". She's super confused (as are we all). When four sexy known criminals show up, she's even more confused. Turns out - her dad (the mayor) is selling her off to one of these four men in exchange for favors.
Salvatore Fiore (28-ish, casino owner, mean bastard), Vinicius Angeli (28-ish, semi-nicer mean bastard), Cassius Ferragamo (34, nightclub/strip club owner, nicer mean bastard), and finally, Lorenzo Scava (28-ish, meanest of the bastards) all arrive at a special dinner held by the mayor. The guys are allegedly BFFs and they all want to marry Chiara when she turns 18. Obvi, Chiara has a big issue with this. She's been treated like a normal kid until now and thought her dad was an upstanding citizen, just like all politicians. 😐
All four of the guys take her aside and basically tell her what a b!tch she is and they only want to marry her for political gain and to take her virginity. She will only be used for sex and she's to be an obedient and devoted wife. The only one that wants anything different is Lorenzo, only wants to marry her then kill her. Well, before a decision can be made, daddy dearest does something HORRIBLE to her mother and it sends Chiara into a tailspin.
Somehow, Salvatore ends up being betrothed to her, and now he's no longer friends with the other guys. It's unclear how he was chosen or why he suddenly hates his friends now. Salvatore spends the year waiting for her to turn 18. She kind of starts to like being around Salva, but when she turns 18 and they officially become engaged, she talks smack to him and he punishes her. The words he says during the punishment terrify her, so she sends a message to Cassius to come save her.
The three remaining friends end up kidnapping her from her wedding and then sh!t just gets messed up. The guys treat her awful and say they want her to be the one wife shared between them all. Eventually, the virginity is taken. A lot of stupid stuff happens.
None of it really made sense. Every single one of the guys is awful. She's not any better. I get that she's young, but she's also a little annoying. To me, if you're around dangerous people that have proven they'd have no issue with killing you, the best way to respond is to be quiet. Observe, learn, escape. Not mouthing off and pissing them off and getting them to beat you. The FMC in the Pageant series kicked ass and knew exactly how to save herself.
Regarding TRIGGERS there are obvi going to be a lot of people that will have an issue with the age. When she's seventeen, there is kissing and touching. The sexual stuff doesn't happen until her eighteenth birthday. I think the author is trying to give you more ammo to hate the guys, but since there are no redeeming qualities in them - she doesn't really need to add extra. 🤷
It does end on a really stupid cliffy.
This book left me feeling confused and crazy. I'm going to keep reading just because I want to see where this goes.
Chiara (17, virgin, sheltered) is having a party on her seventeenth birthday, except it's being thrown by her father/mother and 4 of his "friends". She's super confused (as are we all). When four sexy known criminals show up, she's even more confused. Turns out - her dad (the mayor) is selling her off to one of these four men in exchange for favors.
Salvatore Fiore (28-ish, casino owner, mean bastard), Vinicius Angeli (28-ish, semi-nicer mean bastard), Cassius Ferragamo (34, nightclub/strip club owner, nicer mean bastard), and finally, Lorenzo Scava (28-ish, meanest of the bastards) all arrive at a special dinner held by the mayor. The guys are allegedly BFFs and they all want to marry Chiara when she turns 18. Obvi, Chiara has a big issue with this. She's been treated like a normal kid until now and thought her dad was an upstanding citizen, just like all politicians. 😐
All four of the guys take her aside and basically tell her what a b!tch she is and they only want to marry her for political gain and to take her virginity. She will only be used for sex and she's to be an obedient and devoted wife. The only one that wants anything different is Lorenzo, only wants to marry her then kill her. Well, before a decision can be made, daddy dearest does something HORRIBLE to her mother and it sends Chiara into a tailspin.
Somehow, Salvatore ends up being betrothed to her, and now he's no longer friends with the other guys. It's unclear how he was chosen or why he suddenly hates his friends now. Salvatore spends the year waiting for her to turn 18. She kind of starts to like being around Salva, but when she turns 18 and they officially become engaged, she talks smack to him and he punishes her. The words he says during the punishment terrify her, so she sends a message to Cassius to come save her.
The three remaining friends end up kidnapping her from her wedding and then sh!t just gets messed up. The guys treat her awful and say they want her to be the one wife shared between them all. Eventually, the virginity is taken. A lot of stupid stuff happens.
None of it really made sense. Every single one of the guys is awful. She's not any better. I get that she's young, but she's also a little annoying. To me, if you're around dangerous people that have proven they'd have no issue with killing you, the best way to respond is to be quiet. Observe, learn, escape. Not mouthing off and pissing them off and getting them to beat you. The FMC in the Pageant series kicked ass and knew exactly how to save herself.
Regarding TRIGGERS there are obvi going to be a lot of people that will have an issue with the age. When she's seventeen, there is kissing and touching. The sexual stuff doesn't happen until her eighteenth birthday. I think the author is trying to give you more ammo to hate the guys, but since there are no redeeming qualities in them - she doesn't really need to add extra. 🤷
It does end on a really stupid cliffy.
This book left me feeling confused and crazy. I'm going to keep reading just because I want to see where this goes.
August 17, 2021
Not gonna lie - when I heard the premise of this book I immediately thought of Den of Vipers. Not that that is a bad thing. I enjoyed Den of Vipers for what it was, but I really didn't need a repeat.
Fortunately this dark mafia, reverse harem romance stood on its own. It may share the same tropes as Den of Vipers but Lilith Vincent made them her own.
On the night of her 17th birthday Chiara realizes that her dad, the mayor of Coldlake, has ties to the mafia. Her birthday party is made up of her evil father, loving mother, and four dangerous men who want to marry her shortly after her 18th birthday. The arranged marriage will ensure her father keeps his position of power.
She has become a player in a game she knows nothing about. She has one year to find an escape route. There nothing Chiara won't do to claw her way out of the clutches of her father; so what happens when your enemies slowly become your strongest allies?
This book is a tad controversial as our heroine is only 17 when these much older men are trying to seduce her. While they do things to her that are sexual in nature, they never do the act until she is of legal age. I get that not everyone is onboard with reading that, so beware.
But if you are able to look past that... be prepared to have your mind blown.
THIS WAS SO FREAKING GOOD!
Chiara is the mouthy heroine every mafia romance needs. She is terrified of these men, and they know it, but she never lets that stop her from standing her ground. And don't get me started on the men! *fans-self* I can't pick a favorite and completely understands why this had to be a reverse harem. 😉
Impatiently waiting for the next book to release in September.
5 stars
Fortunately this dark mafia, reverse harem romance stood on its own. It may share the same tropes as Den of Vipers but Lilith Vincent made them her own.
On the night of her 17th birthday Chiara realizes that her dad, the mayor of Coldlake, has ties to the mafia. Her birthday party is made up of her evil father, loving mother, and four dangerous men who want to marry her shortly after her 18th birthday. The arranged marriage will ensure her father keeps his position of power.
She has become a player in a game she knows nothing about. She has one year to find an escape route. There nothing Chiara won't do to claw her way out of the clutches of her father; so what happens when your enemies slowly become your strongest allies?
This book is a tad controversial as our heroine is only 17 when these much older men are trying to seduce her. While they do things to her that are sexual in nature, they never do the act until she is of legal age. I get that not everyone is onboard with reading that, so beware.
But if you are able to look past that... be prepared to have your mind blown.
THIS WAS SO FREAKING GOOD!
Chiara is the mouthy heroine every mafia romance needs. She is terrified of these men, and they know it, but she never lets that stop her from standing her ground. And don't get me started on the men! *fans-self* I can't pick a favorite and completely understands why this had to be a reverse harem. 😉
Impatiently waiting for the next book to release in September.
5 stars
May 26, 2022
This is a Slow burn RH mafia type book. Chiara is Introduced to 4 men on her 17th birthday. Her Dad the Mayor says she has to choose one to marry. Her Dad is a crook too. She is presented to Salvatore,Cassius,Vinicius and Lorenzo. They are all very bad guys. They each humiliate Chiara on her birthday.Salvatore is chosen to marry her one week after she turns 18. Twisty plot ensues ending with a cliffhanger.
September 5, 2023
3.7 stars. This is a dark mafia RH, arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, age gap.
Chiara (17) is the mayor’s daughter in their fictional city. Her dad is corrupt and involved in organized crime, which she didn’t know. She’s shocked to find this out on her birthday, when 4 of the city’s notorious criminals come to dinner, and her dad tells her that she’ll be marrying one of them in a year. (One of them is 34, the rest are in their late 20s. So, she’s got an age gap with the heroes).
I’ve read this author’s MF books – and I love Brutal Intentions, Laz is a great chaos demon type of hero. But this is my first RH from her. I think she’s better at MF. These guys don’t feel like they’ve got as much depth or pizazz as Laz had. But, they’re decently interesting, and they do feel distinctive enough from each other – especially Lorenzo.
I gave this slightly under 4 stars because Chiara makes some stupid moves and needs more backbone. I’m a little more forgiving than I would be for an older heroine, because she’s young and sheltered. But I can’t say she’s a great heroine. She's not the worst, but she's slightly below average.
The guys are hard to like, they’re very harsh to her. I see some reviews saying "abusive." For me, the way they treat her falls into the realm of what I expect from a dark read like this. And I'm okay with heroes who treat heroine poorly IF they're otherwise compelling. But, your mileage may vary. 1 or 2 of them hits her. So, I understand people taking issue with that. (That's obviously not something I condone in real life! And I wouldn't put up with it in 95% of books. But certain dark reads create a world where I can go with that kind of treatment, within the context of that particular story. Not enjoy it, but not have it be a dealbreaker).
A bunch of grown men being into a 17 year old girl isn't something I condone in real life, or seek out in books, but that's also not a dealbreaker within the context of certain books. Lilith Vincent clearly likes leaning into the over-the-top pervy-ness of this kind of thing, since it's in most of her books (similar to how author QB Tyler also leans into that in her books). But it WAS ridiculous how Salvatore told Chiara that she needed to "grow up." My dude, if you don't want to have to tell your fiancee to "grow up," try dating a woman your age!!
Lorenzo was the worst of the guys. He hit her, bit her, and threatened to kill her. Usually, I hate the hero in an RH who is the meanest to the heroine, and I never come around to liking him. (See all my rant reviews about Nox in the Bonds that Tie series by J Bree). But Lorenzo was entertaining. Honestly, that's the secret: I CAN like a hero who is awful to the heroine, IF he's fun to read about while he’s behaving that way, and the story doesn't try to excuse it! Too many authors make the mistake of making the guy be mean AND bland. Lorenzo is fun while he's being terrible, and although it's hinted at that he's experienced past tragedy to fuck him up, there's no "poor baby" element to let him off the hook. He owns his behavior.
I also hate it when a hero is fake-nice to the heroine, in order to manipulate her into sex (which is why Rath is still my least favorite hero in the Royals of Forsyth University Series, and I'm bewildered why he's the fan favorite. I know a fan of that series has Taste when they like Nick more than Rath). So, I loved that Lorenzo did the OPPOSITE of this. Instead of being fake nice, he was fake mean to Chiara, in order to make her think he didn’t want her at all – – mostly because the scene was so deranged, and so deliciously unhinged from Lorenzo, it left me smiling and shaking my head at author Lilith Vincent and her audacity. Her mind…
Also: these guys' names are too elaborate. Like one of them is named Vinicius. I'm calling him Vin, but nobody else in the book is calling him that! Why doesn't anybody use nicknames?
There was a lot of stuff in this book that I probably wouldn’t have put up with from a different author. But somehow, she writes these things in a way that’s fun. Part of it is that even though her books have dark elements, they don't take themselves too seriously. There's always humor and some intentionally ridiculous moments. All of her books that I've read so far have been enjoyable (even though I liked her MF ones better than this one). I'll definitely read the rest of this trilogy.
Chiara (17) is the mayor’s daughter in their fictional city. Her dad is corrupt and involved in organized crime, which she didn’t know. She’s shocked to find this out on her birthday, when 4 of the city’s notorious criminals come to dinner, and her dad tells her that she’ll be marrying one of them in a year. (One of them is 34, the rest are in their late 20s. So, she’s got an age gap with the heroes).
I’ve read this author’s MF books – and I love Brutal Intentions, Laz is a great chaos demon type of hero. But this is my first RH from her. I think she’s better at MF. These guys don’t feel like they’ve got as much depth or pizazz as Laz had. But, they’re decently interesting, and they do feel distinctive enough from each other – especially Lorenzo.
I gave this slightly under 4 stars because Chiara makes some stupid moves and needs more backbone. I’m a little more forgiving than I would be for an older heroine, because she’s young and sheltered. But I can’t say she’s a great heroine. She's not the worst, but she's slightly below average.
The guys are hard to like, they’re very harsh to her. I see some reviews saying "abusive." For me, the way they treat her falls into the realm of what I expect from a dark read like this. And I'm okay with heroes who treat heroine poorly IF they're otherwise compelling. But, your mileage may vary. 1 or 2 of them hits her. So, I understand people taking issue with that. (That's obviously not something I condone in real life! And I wouldn't put up with it in 95% of books. But certain dark reads create a world where I can go with that kind of treatment, within the context of that particular story. Not enjoy it, but not have it be a dealbreaker).
A bunch of grown men being into a 17 year old girl isn't something I condone in real life, or seek out in books, but that's also not a dealbreaker within the context of certain books. Lilith Vincent clearly likes leaning into the over-the-top pervy-ness of this kind of thing, since it's in most of her books (similar to how author QB Tyler also leans into that in her books). But it WAS ridiculous how Salvatore told Chiara that she needed to "grow up." My dude, if you don't want to have to tell your fiancee to "grow up," try dating a woman your age!!
Lorenzo was the worst of the guys. He hit her, bit her, and threatened to kill her. Usually, I hate the hero in an RH who is the meanest to the heroine, and I never come around to liking him. (See all my rant reviews about Nox in the Bonds that Tie series by J Bree). But Lorenzo was entertaining. Honestly, that's the secret: I CAN like a hero who is awful to the heroine, IF he's fun to read about while he’s behaving that way, and the story doesn't try to excuse it! Too many authors make the mistake of making the guy be mean AND bland. Lorenzo is fun while he's being terrible, and although it's hinted at that he's experienced past tragedy to fuck him up, there's no "poor baby" element to let him off the hook. He owns his behavior.
I also hate it when a hero is fake-nice to the heroine, in order to manipulate her into sex (which is why Rath is still my least favorite hero in the Royals of Forsyth University Series, and I'm bewildered why he's the fan favorite. I know a fan of that series has Taste when they like Nick more than Rath). So, I loved that Lorenzo did the OPPOSITE of this. Instead of being fake nice, he was fake mean to Chiara, in order to make her think he didn’t want her at all – – mostly because the scene was so deranged, and so deliciously unhinged from Lorenzo, it left me smiling and shaking my head at author Lilith Vincent and her audacity. Her mind…
Also: these guys' names are too elaborate. Like one of them is named Vinicius. I'm calling him Vin, but nobody else in the book is calling him that! Why doesn't anybody use nicknames?
There was a lot of stuff in this book that I probably wouldn’t have put up with from a different author. But somehow, she writes these things in a way that’s fun. Part of it is that even though her books have dark elements, they don't take themselves too seriously. There's always humor and some intentionally ridiculous moments. All of her books that I've read so far have been enjoyable (even though I liked her MF ones better than this one). I'll definitely read the rest of this trilogy.
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