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The Valentinetti Crime Family #1
Giovanni
My name is Giovanni Valentinetti.
I am the head of the Valentinetti Family.
I rule my family, my city, and all that I see with an iron fist.
My word is law, and no one tells me what to do.
War is coming, and I will do anything to protect my family.
Wanting an alliance with the Golden Skulls, I don’t pass up the opportunity when one arises.
My family is everything to me, and when two of my family members ask for help, I do so gladly.
However, I wasn’t expecting the woman they brought with them.
She is beautiful and damaged.
She desperately needs my help, and I feel compelled to help her.
Only she isn’t what I expected.
Danger surrounds her at every turn.
Helping her also opened my world to a new set of possibilities I never thought existed.
Lies will be exposed.
Friends will become foes.
The truth of who she truly is shakes me to my core.
Choices will need to be made, but my decision is already made.
She is mine.
And God help anyone who harms what is mine.
I am the head of the Valentinetti Family.
I rule my family, my city, and all that I see with an iron fist.
My word is law, and no one tells me what to do.
War is coming, and I will do anything to protect my family.
Wanting an alliance with the Golden Skulls, I don’t pass up the opportunity when one arises.
My family is everything to me, and when two of my family members ask for help, I do so gladly.
However, I wasn’t expecting the woman they brought with them.
She is beautiful and damaged.
She desperately needs my help, and I feel compelled to help her.
Only she isn’t what I expected.
Danger surrounds her at every turn.
Helping her also opened my world to a new set of possibilities I never thought existed.
Lies will be exposed.
Friends will become foes.
The truth of who she truly is shakes me to my core.
Choices will need to be made, but my decision is already made.
She is mine.
And God help anyone who harms what is mine.
335 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 16, 2021
88 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 2, 2025
5⭐
5🔥
5🌶️
In a word, PERFECT.🖤🖤🖤 I would also like a man who will take you to some island.🤭🤭 But we still have a lot of questions but few answers. And interesting new characters have appeared.
5🔥
5🌶️
In a word, PERFECT.🖤🖤🖤 I would also like a man who will take you to some island.🤭🤭 But we still have a lot of questions but few answers. And interesting new characters have appeared.
May 27, 2025
3.5 stars. This is an interconnected series with The Golden Skulls series. Layla and Giovanni. Layla is the half sister of Dylan aka Bullseye. Giovanni is the mafia Don of a prominent family in Chicago. He's also the cousin to Player and Massacre who are members of The Golden Skulls. So much going on here that it's too much to spoil. But the men who were terrorizing Layla are now dead. Well hopefully. I've read spoilers of people coming back to life in later books. But not Kitty 😭. As her heart is in Bullseye. Layla turns out to be a mafia princess. Half Italian and Russian. Both sides involved with the mafia. I don't have much to say about her character as a whole. She was shallowly written to be honest. I did like Gio. He was the right amount of controlling at the same time passionate. He loves his family dearly which was nice to read about. More lies and revelations come to light here. Backstabbers galore with people getting killed left and right. The next story in the reading lineup is Player's book. So far I like this series. But like I said before it's not an easy read, and you can't get too attached to any of the characters, but you can tell at the same time who this author favors the most. I would say this story ends with HFN with this couple. One thing that had me scratching my head was the mention in the beginning of a woman Gio meets at the cemetery. She doesn't show back up until the very end for reasons I don't know. We find out her name is Grace. I imagine she will come later. Why I don't know yet. But she really wasn't added in smoothly that's for sure.
August 19, 2024
Bella farfalla
Ratings: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pacing: Fast-Burn
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Character Development: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Storytelling: ✅ HIGH FOCUS with many subplots.
Sexual tension: 🧨 🔞
Sex scenes: 🥵
Story ending: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When I pick up a book by Rebecca Joyce, it’s a rollercoaster of emotions that sends me spiraling through anticipation, dread, and sheer exhilaration. I cuss and sometimes invent new cuss words, I scream out loud, and laugh too—just the way I like it!
“Giovanni” did not disappoint! I swear, with almost every chapter, I was on the brink of a mini-heart attack, shouting at the pages, praying for my favorites to survive this wild ride. Seriously, I could barely handle the suspense!
The story dives deep into the world of Layla, so masterfully woven through the first three Golden Skulls books. Finally, we get her POV, and wow, does she bring a thrilling twist! Layla, who was once trapped in a nightmare orchestrated with the Black Vultures MC and the sinister Darrin Reynolds, evil sperm donor Sebastian Capribella.
Layla is now under the watchful eye of Giovanni Valentinetti.
Talk about a shift in luck! ! I mean, who doesn’t love a good plot twist that adds layers and layers to the chaos?
The chemistry between Layla and Gio is electric and palpable, made all the more intense by Layla’s fierce determination to protect herself and those she cares for. When she , I could feel the tension thickening in the air. Rebecca has this incredible knack for creating a web of intrigue and betrayal that keeps you guessing until the very end.
And oh, the betrayals! They come rushing at you, one after another, leaving you reeling and begging for more. Just when I thought I could finally relax and breathe, Rebecca yanked the rug right from under me again! But that’s the magic of her storytelling. She somehow manages to make everything feel graceful—with a few punches to the gut, of course. Making me want to raise a cold one in honor of beloved characters we lose along the way? Absolutely!
The banter continued with Reginald and Dwayne making me laugh so hard throughout... .
Giovanni is not just a book; it’s an experience filled with heart, suspense, and unforgettable twists. Rebecca Joyce has done it again, capturing my heart (and my sanity) with a story that brims with emotional depth and thrilling revelations. If you’re not reading this, what are you even doing? Don’t miss out on this whirlwind adventure!
Ratings: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pacing: Fast-Burn
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Character Development: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Storytelling: ✅ HIGH FOCUS with many subplots.
Sexual tension: 🧨 🔞
Sex scenes: 🥵
Story ending: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When I pick up a book by Rebecca Joyce, it’s a rollercoaster of emotions that sends me spiraling through anticipation, dread, and sheer exhilaration. I cuss and sometimes invent new cuss words, I scream out loud, and laugh too—just the way I like it!
“Giovanni” did not disappoint! I swear, with almost every chapter, I was on the brink of a mini-heart attack, shouting at the pages, praying for my favorites to survive this wild ride. Seriously, I could barely handle the suspense!
The story dives deep into the world of Layla, so masterfully woven through the first three Golden Skulls books. Finally, we get her POV, and wow, does she bring a thrilling twist! Layla, who was once trapped in a nightmare orchestrated with the Black Vultures MC and the sinister Darrin Reynolds, evil sperm donor Sebastian Capribella.
Layla is now under the watchful eye of Giovanni Valentinetti.
Talk about a shift in luck! ! I mean, who doesn’t love a good plot twist that adds layers and layers to the chaos?
The chemistry between Layla and Gio is electric and palpable, made all the more intense by Layla’s fierce determination to protect herself and those she cares for. When she , I could feel the tension thickening in the air. Rebecca has this incredible knack for creating a web of intrigue and betrayal that keeps you guessing until the very end.
And oh, the betrayals! They come rushing at you, one after another, leaving you reeling and begging for more. Just when I thought I could finally relax and breathe, Rebecca yanked the rug right from under me again! But that’s the magic of her storytelling. She somehow manages to make everything feel graceful—with a few punches to the gut, of course. Making me want to raise a cold one in honor of beloved characters we lose along the way? Absolutely!
The banter continued with Reginald and Dwayne making me laugh so hard throughout... .
Giovanni is not just a book; it’s an experience filled with heart, suspense, and unforgettable twists. Rebecca Joyce has done it again, capturing my heart (and my sanity) with a story that brims with emotional depth and thrilling revelations. If you’re not reading this, what are you even doing? Don’t miss out on this whirlwind adventure!
July 21, 2022
Not sure how I feel about this book. Too many characters and too much going on; a lot of loose ends and the sudden way the MCs fell in love. One minute Layla was just a beautiful woman under his protection and the next he was desperately in love. Layla was supposedly so strong with no concerns and able to deal with her past and suddenly she was so frail and slept for 3 days with no food or water and begging Geo to make her forget. I didn’t like her much and I couldn’t figure why Grace was introduced to us at the beginning. Gio had her followed and watched and mentioned that he couldn’t stop thinking about her and the next minute he was intrigued by Layla, and completely forgot about her. He sees her again at the end but says nothing to her. Not a bad read but not great.
February 19, 2023
Do you guys remember the carnival ride called The Rotor? It was this huge open topped cylinder that would spin very fast and then the bottom would fall out. You would scream and silently pray the G-force would actually hold you to the wall so you didn’t fall to your death. After it was over you would shakily get off, get a coke, a funnel cake and then do it all over again. They finally got rid of that ride because it was deemed too dangerous.
***THIS IS EXACTLY HOW I FEEL WITH EVERY BOOK IN THE GOLDEN SKULLS AND THIS CROSSOVER WITH THE VALENTINETTI CRIME FAMILY! ***
I scream. I pray no one dies or when/if they do it is a minor player. I feel like I am gonna puke. I throw very bad language at the author as I scream how much I don’t trust her. I tell myself that when I finish this book, if I survive, I’m not going to read the rest of the series because my heart can’t take it. Then I get a glass of wine or a vodka/soda instead of the coke and cheese and crackers instead of the funnel cake and grab the next book.
Please send help! Brilliant series… ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
***THIS IS EXACTLY HOW I FEEL WITH EVERY BOOK IN THE GOLDEN SKULLS AND THIS CROSSOVER WITH THE VALENTINETTI CRIME FAMILY! ***
I scream. I pray no one dies or when/if they do it is a minor player. I feel like I am gonna puke. I throw very bad language at the author as I scream how much I don’t trust her. I tell myself that when I finish this book, if I survive, I’m not going to read the rest of the series because my heart can’t take it. Then I get a glass of wine or a vodka/soda instead of the coke and cheese and crackers instead of the funnel cake and grab the next book.
Please send help! Brilliant series… ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 3, 2025
Another great book, but yet again a female character that really REALLY annoyed me. She keeps secrets and then blames everyone else. I feel for what she went through, but she caused that all on her own. Instead of plotting with Kitty and hatching the plan (a HORRIBLE one BTW) they could of gotten help from people they knew they could trust (cuz they had a list and all) they could have put some safety nets in place. Causing other people heartache. She claimed to love her brother, and that he was/is always there for her, yet she continued to allow him think she was randomly kidnapped, and tortured him emotionally. He at least would of known she was there on her own and could of looked after her. Her and Kitty did more damage to the club, and more so to Bullseye than the bad guys did and are doing. The 2 people he loved the most in the world, BOTH deceived him and crushed his heart. Now he is going to go through much more and worse I have a feeling in his next book. XD
June 30, 2023
Ok - the overarching story is gathering pace now. I feel like Giovanni is the first book where the editing issues finally start to take a back seat to the action.
We’ve heard about Layla throughout the first three Golden Skulls books. She’s Bulleye’s sister - trafficked and held captive for years. Subjected to god knows what kinds of torture.
Finally safe, she’s hidden amongst the Italian mafia - where one Giovanni Valentinetti vows to protect her, and in doing so, also falls deeply in love.
The betrayals come thick-and-fast in this story. Remember - don’t get attached! One thing Rebecca loves to do is pull the rug right from under you.
We’ve heard about Layla throughout the first three Golden Skulls books. She’s Bulleye’s sister - trafficked and held captive for years. Subjected to god knows what kinds of torture.
Finally safe, she’s hidden amongst the Italian mafia - where one Giovanni Valentinetti vows to protect her, and in doing so, also falls deeply in love.
The betrayals come thick-and-fast in this story. Remember - don’t get attached! One thing Rebecca loves to do is pull the rug right from under you.
August 24, 2023
When Giovannis cousins phoned needing help the only reason he agreed was they would give him an in with the Golden Skulls. What he hadn't expected was Layla the woman they needed to protect would come to mean so much more to him, but her past is about to bring trouble to his families door. Can they make it through the trials awaiting them and the Golden Skulls, as more details come to light on the clubs past where will it leave them all? This is another rip roaring twist filled roller coaster ride you don't want to miss! The action and drama continues with steamy moments, loyalties are tested to the max!
September 10, 2023
Awesome series
How much more can the Golden Skulls and now the Valentinetti family take emotionally. What Layla and Kitty set in motion they never truly realized how it would affect their lives and those of their family.
Giovanni is helping Layla because his cousin asked but he did not realize how profoundly it would affect him and his family. Layla is going through what she did at the hands of her biological father would give anyone nightmares. As the mystery continues to unravel we learn more of the evil in the world.
How much more can the Golden Skulls and now the Valentinetti family take emotionally. What Layla and Kitty set in motion they never truly realized how it would affect their lives and those of their family.
Giovanni is helping Layla because his cousin asked but he did not realize how profoundly it would affect him and his family. Layla is going through what she did at the hands of her biological father would give anyone nightmares. As the mystery continues to unravel we learn more of the evil in the world.
August 24, 2024
Giovanni and Layla
Even though I read this out of order it was still a good book. I got to see how they got together and learn more of their characters. Before I only new of them through the Golden Skull and other books.
Layla has a colorful family background and both side are just as bad. Evil even. You have to just love Gio however he is very hard on himself. It was said about the other Don and his Mom.
Even though I read this out of order it was still a good book. I got to see how they got together and learn more of their characters. Before I only new of them through the Golden Skull and other books.
Layla has a colorful family background and both side are just as bad. Evil even. You have to just love Gio however he is very hard on himself. It was said about the other Don and his Mom.
January 11, 2023
Giovanni
A beautiful story, loved Giovanni and Layla’s relationship ❤️❤️❤️ he has found he’s one. I’m sure there is more drama to come for them. 100% recommend this book to everyone ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A beautiful story, loved Giovanni and Layla’s relationship ❤️❤️❤️ he has found he’s one. I’m sure there is more drama to come for them. 100% recommend this book to everyone ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 24, 2023
Oh wow!
Mafia is not my thing. BUT the way this mixed itself with the MC was brilliant.
There are so many wtf moments in here I could hardly keep up, and I'm still not sure if I missed anything, only time will tell.
Hi ho, hi ho, off to the next book I go!
Mafia is not my thing. BUT the way this mixed itself with the MC was brilliant.
There are so many wtf moments in here I could hardly keep up, and I'm still not sure if I missed anything, only time will tell.
Hi ho, hi ho, off to the next book I go!
March 13, 2023
Mafia + MC!!
Other than some editing issues this was full of twists and turns and I really enjoyed it.
MMC & FMC were great and the secondary characters had great personalities. Interesting storyline and some shocking revelations and scenes.
Other than some editing issues this was full of twists and turns and I really enjoyed it.
MMC & FMC were great and the secondary characters had great personalities. Interesting storyline and some shocking revelations and scenes.
August 2, 2023
Great Book
This was another Great Book. 💓 the twists and turns. This book was Great. Going back to the other series now, to read Player story. This book is going to be good. You need to read it in order. Still taking notes, that way I don't forget. Great Book .
This was another Great Book. 💓 the twists and turns. This book was Great. Going back to the other series now, to read Player story. This book is going to be good. You need to read it in order. Still taking notes, that way I don't forget. Great Book .
December 31, 2021
Jesus I can't wait for more
October 6, 2022
Love this series!! Action and steamy what more could you ask for.
March 22, 2023
Good story.
August 17, 2023
Absolutely loved it. Player's next, can't wait to read what he had in store for us.
August 30, 2023
Really enjoyed Giovani story’s
June 26, 2024
whoa
I was mesmerized by the sheer beauty of this book. All things seem to have closure. Gio and laya are soul mates. An incredible read.
I was mesmerized by the sheer beauty of this book. All things seem to have closure. Gio and laya are soul mates. An incredible read.
September 9, 2025
Very good if you follow the storyline.
Very complicated AND if you havent read the ones before you will be lost, although Miss Joyce does an outstanding job explaining.
Very complicated AND if you havent read the ones before you will be lost, although Miss Joyce does an outstanding job explaining.
January 14, 2024
So good
April 26, 2023
All I can say is wow.
This cross story not only shows the building relationship between Giovanni and Layla but the suspense of what is happening with the Golden Skulls that has drawn in the Valentinetti family.
As always keeps you on the edge of your sheet. Can't wait to read the next in the series.
This cross story not only shows the building relationship between Giovanni and Layla but the suspense of what is happening with the Golden Skulls that has drawn in the Valentinetti family.
As always keeps you on the edge of your sheet. Can't wait to read the next in the series.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews