Consumed by Desire

Iron and Lace #2

by B.B. Hamel

I don’t want a wife. I want to own her.

As the new Don of the Bruno Famiglia, I expect complete obedience.

Except my future bride Olivia isn’t interested in a dominant, controlling husband.

But there’s no going back the moment her father drops her at my doorstep with a handshake a marriage contract.

I expected a docile, loyal princess, and instead was given a feisty, rebellious woman with curves that make me want to settle down for the first time in my life.

I love to tease that gorgeous girl. It kills me how much I want her, and I hate how badly I need to make her all mine.

But the Famiglia is under attack, and my new wife is in danger. If she can’t learn to follow my every command, we might have problems. And I don’t do problems.

My wife will submit. She will learn to love my rough hands. And in return, I’ll give her everything she might ever need.

Consumed by Desire is a full-length standalone romance! It’s an enemies-to-lovers story with twists and turns and plenty of steam. It features a strong alpha hero, no cliffhanger, and a guaranteed HEA. Enjoy!!

Genres: Dark Romance, Second Chance, Enemies To Lovers, Smut, Contemporary, Dark, Mafia Romance

314 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 3, 2022

About the author

I'm a long time reader, writer, and lover of Romance! Writing is my dream and my passion, and I want to share my stories with you.

I live in the Philadelphia area with my husband and two dogs.

Website: http://www.bbhamel.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bbhamelwriter

Check out my mailing list for updates, giveaways, and more! http://bbhamel.com/signup

Reviews

[Grecia Robles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arranged Marriage
Enemies to Lovers
Mafia Romance
Second Chance

Olivia está de regreso a USA después del exilio de su familia por parte de la mafia italiana, su padre pertenece a un cártel mexicano, el cual estuvo en guerra con los italianos que tuvo graves consecuencias como la muerte de su hermano mayor y que los echaran.

Ahora su padre a arreglado su matrimonio con Casso ahora Don con los que tuvieron su pleito y archienemigo y bully de Olivia, pero ella no puede hacer nada más que casarse y saber por qué y quien mató a su hermano.

La verdad es que me gustó más el libro anterior, pero éste también estuvo entretenido y tuvo más escenas hot.

[literaryelise · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting plot but i didn’t particularly like Casso

[Ruth♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

[Raecharmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia's father springs an arranged marriage on her and doesn't tell her who she is to marry. Once they arrive on her husband to be's estate its not long before she realizes its Casso that she's to marry. Casso and Olivia have a history that isn't good so things don't start off on the right foot. However, with his family making him spend time with her has them getting to know each other better. Olivia wants to know who killed her brother and this leads her to discover that everyone involved in the explosion that killed her brother and a few others have been led astray on the who did it. Will her digging into this cause trouble in her marriage? Can they find a way to put the past behind them?

This is an amazing story that once I started it I couldn't put it down. This is a well written and very entertaining story. I would recommend this book to any book lover.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jo Bennesch · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5⭐️

Tenía mucha expectativa con este libro después de leer el anterior. Pero, si bien me gustó, no superó a la historia de Kara y Nico.
Amo los libros de segunda oportunidad, y espero el momento en que los malos entendidos se aclaren, la culpa aparezca y la declaración seguida de un gran gesto, se hagan presentes. Bueno, me faltó todo eso.
Casso es bastante imbécil todo el tiempo, tanto en el.pasado como en la actualidad.
Olivia me gustó mucho mas, pero quería ver como le ponía los puntos al marido y nop...
La historia en sí no esta mal. Es entretenida fácil de leer y muy ágil. Pero al romance le faltó ese arrepentimiento x parte de él protagonista.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buckle up this is a wild ride, dangerous men, alpha personified, possessive, oh, so gorgeous, brooding all the makings of a deliciously dark story 😊. There will be suspense, arranged marriage neither of them wants, hope, forgiveness, and love.
By the time you’ve figured out who is who and what is what, you’re already hooked, and you may as well give up the fight and prepare yourself for an all-nighter!
Can’t say I didn’t warn you.
Olivia is one of the strongest never a dull moment with/around her, she is the cartel princess who stands up for herself and usually do not back down so timid, submissive isn’t any of the words anyone would use to describe her. Casso sexy as all get out Don of the Bruno family not wanting a wife, but it is needed ever since high school he wanted to get to know the cartel princess better, but they always had a love/hate relation and as they say it is a thin line between love and hate these two prove it to be true. Olivia do not want to marry a Bruno especially after his family killed her brother or so she believes so her grudge against them runs deep and being forced to marry isn’t going to work out well for either of them regardless of the insanely intense attraction and the more time the spend around each other the stronger the magnetic pull between them becomes but with her fighting him every step of the way isn’t getting tiring but Casso is someone we learn to love along the way but can he get Olivia to listen, get her to do what is asked of her following his demands before danger heads their way, will she find out how her brother died and can they find happiness in something that is forced upon them?.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just not feeling this one..

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia is not happy about the arranged marriage her father agreed to, she is fighting Casso every chance she gets. Casso is the new Don of the Bruno Famiglia and doesn’t plan on having a rebellious bride, he will make Olivia submit to keep her his and keep her safe. Fast-paced mafia read with loads of drama, suspense and steam. Great characters with lots of depth and emotion and sizzling scenes. I liked it.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 2 of the Iron and Lace series follows Casso and Olivia. Their families has been at odds for years. Casso used to bully Olivia when they went to school together both because of who her family is and because he wanted her when he felt he shouldn’t want her. Years later, in an attempt to garner more power and financial stability, Olivia’s father promises his daughter to Casso. Olivia never forgot the things that happened between she and Casso nor the fact that her brother died mysteriously during the war between the families. Trapped, she vows to find out how and why her brother died if she is forced to be married into a family she hates.

Casso and Olivia are not quite as interesting as Nico and Karah from the first book. Also, this entry felt like it meandered a lot! It was still an okay read though!

Check your triggers!

Onto the next!

[Magali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story and excellent characters
It's an excellent romance in which beyond the criminal context that weighs on the characters, the hatred between Olivia and Casso is as powerful as their attraction. The story is unpredictable, each believing the other responsible for her misfortune for ten years, and it does not go better when Olivia is forcibly brought back to the United States to be married to Casso, her ex-bully from high school, to create agreement.
This episode of the series is still bloody while remaining scorching from start to finish.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Consumed by Desire is a full-length standalone romance! It's an enemies-to-lovers story with twists and turns and plenty of spice and steam. It features a strong alpha hero and sassy heroine, no cliffhanger and a guaranteed HEA. An arranged marriage romance, hate-to-love vibes story. Casso Bruno was the new Don for famiglia. He was twenty seven years old with a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders with a potential war on the horizon with the Russian Bratva. With an imminent war on the horizon There was an arrangement with the Cuevas Cartel Don Gerardo Cuevas for an arranged marriage with princess Olivia Cuevas to help strengthen the two organizations in the event of war with the Russians. The deal is made and Olivia's father dropped her off at Cass doorstep with a handshake and a marriage contract. There's no going back now. The thing is Cass doesn't want a wife, he wants to own her.
Cass had been grooming all his life to take over the Bruno organization so when his father died he became the new Don. Twenty five year old Olivia is beautiful, fiesty, and challenging. Although she was groomed for this purpose as a mafia princess. She was livid when she found out that new her husband would be Casso Bruno her old high school bully. Casso made Olivia life a living hell in school both psychologically, mentally and emotionally that he had crush on. But when Olivia's brother got murder under mysterious circumstances she thought that Casso was the culprit and vow revenge. The Cuevas family flee to Mexico because of the fued with the Bruno family.
Casso is goregous, possessive dominant, and controlling. He expected complete obedience from his new wife but instead she got rebellion at every turn. The familigia is under attack and his wife is in danger. If she continues to rebel against him she may not survive. Olivia is tease Casso with her sexy curves. He long to dominate her and for to submit to him. Their chemistry is electrifying and sizzles. There are so many complexities swirl through out these characters. Consumed by Desire is filled with violence, heat, tension, lies, rivalry, lust, passion, love, betrayal, enemies, suspense, dominance, grudge, spanking, revenge, retaliation, revelations, angst, drama, danger, twists and turns, mob war, secrets, murder, anger, pain, loss, action, and trust issues. The story was undeniably addictive and beautifully written with well developed characters. It was easy to follow with wonderful characters.


I received an advanced copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a honest review.

[Sandy S · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75stars—CONSUMED BY DESIRE by BB Hamel is a contemporary adult, stand-alone dark, Mafia romance story line focusing on twenty-seven year old Don Casso Bruno, and twenty five year old Cartel princess Olivia Cuevas’ story line. CONSUMED BY DESIRE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Olivia and Casso) CONSUMED BY DESIRE focuses on the enemies to lovers, arranged marriage between twenty-seven year old Casso Bruno, the new Don of the Bruno Famiglia, and twenty -five year old Cartel princess Olivia Cuevas. Casso Bruno was and has always been a bully, and as such made our heroine’s life miserable throughout high school, both physically and emotionally abusing the young woman that called to his heart but the murder of Olivia’s brother, and Casso’s father ten years earlier, pushed the Cuevas family back to Mexico where Olivia bided her time until her father arranged a marriage with Olivia’s sworn enemy. Casso Bruno needed a wife, and marrying Olivia Cuevas merged two powerful families in the face of a potential war with the Russian Bratva but Olivia was desperate to uncover the truth about her brother’s murder, and Casso was but a means to an end for our story line heroine. What ensues is the building but acrimonious relationship between Casso and Olivia, and the potential fall-out as Olivia becomes a pawn in a war between the Bratva and the Mob.

Casso Bruno has always been attracted to Olivia Cuevas for as long as he can remember but life in the Mafia was never conducive to a romantic relationship. Anger about his father’s death, his expulsion from school, and his obsession with our story line heroine followed Casso into his position as the new Bruno Don but a potential war is on the horizon, and Olivia is about to be caught between the present and the past. Olivia has been led to believe the Bruno family killed her brother Manuel but secrets and betrayal are about to reveal the truth behind the murder of the brother she still loves.

The relationship between Olivia and Casso is an enemies to lovers, arranged marriage relationship meant to merge two powerful families but both Olivia and Casso despise one another, a hate that barely masks a palpable sexual attraction between our leading couple. As Olivia slowly succumbs to her husband’s seduction, the past is determined to claim what doesn’t belong. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense.

CONSUMED BY DESIRE is a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, obsession and acceptance, family and love. The premise is intriguing and captivating; the romance is provocative with some scenes of discipline and spanking; the characters are charismatic but broken and trying to heal.

Www.thereadingcafe.com

[Tanmai · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 2nd story in this series. In this story we find the new Don of the Bruno Mafia Family, Casso who makes a deal with the Cuevas Cartel Family which means he’ll marry Olivia for her fathers help. These 2 know one another from high school and they had a love/hate relationship with a wicked past that neither really knew the truth making mixed emotions hanging around 10 years later. The families were involved in a war 10 years ago when Manuel, Olivia’s brother is killed. When Olivia is driven to an unknown man who she’ll marry for the family and discovers it’s the Bruno family but not sure which brother her fears get to overwhelming. When a classmate shows up there are many questions and he brings some unexpected danger their way. There are secrets, pain, drama and hate with passion they will either bring them together or tear them apart. They both struggle with the business decisions that have been made and how they learn to trust and fall in love for the right reasons is an amazing and beautiful love story. I look forward to reading about the other brothers and their journey to finding love! I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Claudia, Cmarie927 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olivia and Casso have a twisted and entangled past, and this story should be read after "Broken by Sin", where Karah and Nico meet up. (I really didn't appreciate Karah in that one, but it was nice to see a change in her in this one.)

This is very entertaining and hard to put down once it's started. There are many steamy parts in this one, as well as the betrayals, violence and drama we love from this author. I look forward to the next one.

I recommend this author and book. It was easy to read this free ARC from Booksprout, and I am voluntarily leaving my review.

[Amber · Rating 1 out of 5]

I must admit to primarily skimming the pages after the 45% mark. Olivia’s repetitive internal dialogue is insufferable. “I hate Casso! I want revenge for my dead brother! I’m attracted to Casso, but he’s a bastard!” Literally three quarters of the book is some variation of that. There’s also a very thin subplot involving a weird, angry teenager managing to blow up two gangsters with a car bomb, but the book is almost entirely Olivia’s conflicted thought process regarding Casso. Seriously, without the endless back and forth it could’ve been much shorter.

Also annoying was the casual mention of Nico murdering Don Bruno. Somewhere between the first book and this one Casso found out, and now everyone knows, and they’re all just fine with it? I understand Karah’s willingness to forgive him because it made sense, but the author spends a lot of time explaining that the Bruno family is hardcore mafia. They’re all about power and respect. Even if Casso didn’t have a good relationship with his father, the man he believed was his loyal best friend spent years working for the family with the hidden agenda of destroying them. That seems like the kind of thing brutal mobsters who demand respect would not simply forgive. But that’s what happens. The reason it’s so damn frustrating is because the author tries to create drama with Olivia and Casso to make the story interesting and only succeeds in making it annoying AF. It would’ve been way more interesting for Casso to struggle with that betrayal.

I really, really did not like this. I also don’t understand why all the relationships in this series have to be based on hatred initially. Nico and Karah make sense - he hated her whole family, and she hated his mistreatment of her. Casso and Olivia’s mutual dislike seems much more contrived and juvenile. They hated each other because he bullied her in high school, but obviously not enough to avoid sleeping together, and even though it’s been ten years and they’re both adults in a brutal, violence-based existence, they’re still hung up on that? And the blurb for the next book, based on Fynn, somehow has his physical therapist hating him? If it’s anything like this garbage, it’ll be: “I hate Fynn because he’s a bad man from a bad family who does bad things! But he’s so hot! But I have to do my job and help him recover! But he’s a jerk!”

There, maybe I saved a couple of people some time.

[Jill Haworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Casso is now Don of the Bruno familiglia, working with his brothers Fynn and Gavino. His most trusted enforcer and best friend Nico is now married to his sister Karah and they have a little boy, Antonio. Elise their stepmother still lives at their compound.
When Olivia Cuevas discovers that her father has married her off to Casso she is distraught and feels nothing but betrayal. Their families were at war for a long time and it not only resulted in them having to flee Arizona and go to Mexico, it also cost her Manuel, her brother.
Casso used to bully Olivia all through school, until a night at a party changed things between them and Olivia betrayed him in the worst way. Olivia hates Casso with a vengeance. She’d literally rather put a gun to her head than go through with this marriage, but she gets no say at all. She does want to find out who killed her brother, so that’s the only thing that matters to her now.
We first met Casso, Nico and Karah in Broken by Sin. This well written book continues the Bruno families story seamlessly, (although it can also be read as a standalone).
There’s a nod to Roman the oligarch which made me smile.
Filled with angst, feistiness, and plenty of passion, this story doesn’t disappoint. There are new players in town causing them problems, which is costing them money and men. The couple have to put aside their bitterness and work together. Superb.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Consumed by Desire” is a dark mafia romance by BB Hamel. This story features Don Casso Bruno, age 27, and Cartel princess Olivia Cuevas, age 25. The book is told from dual POV, so as readers we have first-hand knowledge of what the main characters are thinking and feeling. There’s a previous story about the Bruno family, but you need not have read it in order to enjoy this one.

Casso and Olivia overlapped in their attendance at an exclusive private high school. While they were both there, he bullied her mercilessly. Coinciding with the end of that time, Olivia’s older brother was murdered under mysterious circumstances. A war between the Bruno and Cuevas families resulted, and Olivia and her family were pushed back to Mexico. A decade later, Olivia is forced to return to America and told she will be marrying to form an alliance that will benefit her family. Her anger and hurt at being nothing more than a pawn becomes rage when she finds out that Casso, her nemesis from long ago, is going to be her husband. As the story progresses, more and more about the past is revealed – and the present becomes increasingly complicated.

The connection between Casso and Olivia is intense, in all its forms. They hate with a passion, they love with a passion … nothing between them is ever lacking in fervor. They’re both frustrating at times and you want to shake them to get them to see what’s right in front of them. I liked the secondary characters, particularly his family members, and especially Elise. I thought the ending was nicely done. I’m looking forward to learning more about his family,

[Linda Whitacre · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Don of the Bruno Famiglia out of Phoenix Arizona is Casso Bruno. He’s looking for a wife. An old rival who wants to make nice and get back to a working agreement between the two families has a daughter who will do nicely. In fact, Casso and Olivia Cuevas went to school together 10 years ago. THEY HATE EACH OTHER, but her father doesn’t care and Casso will enjoy the torture.
Olivia hates that she has no control over her life. She is going from living under her mob father’s tight rein to living under a mob husband’s tight rein.
In school ten years ago Casso was a bully to Olivia. He did terrible things to her, to embarrass her but Olivia always held her own and got even with him. So when Casso was expelled he assumed it was because of Olivia and has carried a grudge since then. Leaving school, and not going to college changed his life. He had dreams and they were destroyed. Now he's the Don.
Olivia has fixated on her brother’s murder ten years ago. She thinks maybe Bruno Famiglia did it.
Casso and Olivia butt heads over everything and she hates living in his family home surrounded by the Bruno siblings. There is added tension with a Bratva organization trying to take over the Bruno territory. There is just so much going on. The only constant is the rivalry between Casso and Olivia. But It does end happily. Casso is a hot hunk of a guy who finally wins over Olivia. I received a free advanced copy of this story from Booksprout. This is my honest review. Linda

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Consumed by Desire is a steamy, not too dark, violent but not overly graphic, mafia romance centering around Casso, new Don of the Bruno famiglia, and his reluctant arranged marriage bride, Olivia Cuevas. These characters have a brutal and complicated history but the spark of desire still remains, even though neither welcomes it. However, the truth about the past will change everything.

BB Hamel is one of my favorite mafia romance writers. Her stories are compelling, sexy, page turners which are as much about the chemistry between the leading characters as they are about the plot. I appreciate that she doesn't pad or fill her stories with a lot of superfluous information that would turn a one book story into two or three. This keeps my attention 100% on the story and eager to see what happens with every turn of the page.

I also highly recommend Broken by Sin, the story of Casso's sister, Khara, and his best friend Nico. It is not necessary to read prior to Consumed by Desire but it's a really great, sexy romance in it's own right and provides some background history for the Bruno family. I loved both books.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Korkoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taking A Risk For Truth And Family

Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bravo B. B. Hamel, you have successfully blown my mind again. I was so engrossed in the story, that I even let a call on my mobile phone ring through to my voicemail. The twists and turns in the storyline, kept me on the edge of me seat, but the action-packed moments and scintillating sexual encounters, took me on one heck of a ride and left me in awe when I reached the end. You can tell an author is a talented storyteller, when you can visualise the scenes in each page turn and the characters feelings comes through the pages. I am sure you will enjoy this gem just as much as I did.

Believe me when I say, I the blurb didn’t do the story justice, so I urge you to put this book on your must read list immediately. I used to think books with ‘dark mafia’ in the title, would be filled with violence and gore, but I was proven wrong once I read my first B. B. Hamel book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cherise Traum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anytime I read a book that is a romance tied to a cartel or mafia familia it is always interesting to see how the romance will be defined. In the case of so many of these relationships they are prearranged or as in the case for Olivia she was much more than a prearrangement, her marriage agreement was more part of a negotiation in a trade offer as part of business deal. Let’s just say she is not thrilled to find that she has pretty much just been sold off as part of a business deal that her father has made. But can the heart resist attraction? Olivia and Casso both seem to have their differences of opinions however as time passes they seem to find a neutral footing. Sometimes love makes the most amazing team. I found as I continued to read Olivia and Casso’s story that not only was there a good suspense story to keep the anticipation on edge with story but it also was an epic love story. You will definitely not be able to put this one down once you start reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Debbie Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Casso Bruno I don’t want a wife. I want to own her. He has always had a fascination and a hate/love relationship with high school classmate Cartel princess Olivia Cuevas. When he decide he needs to marry for an alliance he also sees his chance to own her for real now. His hatred is strong, his attraction is too. I love this arrogant Mafia Don he’s intelligent and compassionate. A captivating story as these two fight and the sexual tension his high as hate turns to passion. We see where their story started in high school and how it all plays into what’s happing now ten years later. His family run hers out of town, killed her brother and now he wants everything from her, her loyalty, her trust and her heart. I know you’ll love this enemies to lover story as the mystery unravels to really killed Olivia’s brother. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Consumed by Desire intertwines the arranged marriage, second chance, and enemies-to-lovers tropes in an interesting way. And if you’re okay with more telling than showing, you will thoroughly enjoy this book.

I found the premise interesting, but wanted the tension and the conflict between the two protagonists to breathe a bit more. I enjoyed the fact that author BB Hamel didn’t immediately dive into the deep end of steaminess, but I needed to feel that attraction and connection a little more. I also think that a few well-placed flashback chapters could have added a layer to the story and further cemented the attraction and connection between Casso and Olivia. I also would have loved a little more insight into the antagonist’s motivations.

In all, this was an entertaining and quick read, and the universe is interesting.

Thanks to the author for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[CherylB · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book features Casso Bruno. The new Don of the Bruno family in Phoenix Arizona. I met him in Broken by Sin where his sister and best friend found their Happily Ever After. He has arranged a marriage to his long time rival’s daughter, Olivia. She has always hated him for torturing and teasing her in high school. She is also trying to find out how and why her brother died 10 years ago. She assumes it was someone in the Bruno Famiglia since they were at war. And he has hated her in return for ruining his chance to escape the mafia life. But they are also attracted to each other. Can Olivia overlook their past? Can Casso forgive her treachery? Will Olivia stick to the contract or will she runaway? Their story is full of ups and downs, passion and pain, honesty and betrayal. BB Hamel has created a rich engaging world with her Dark Mafia books. I look forward to where she will take us next. I did receive an advance copy via Booksprout for my review.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved This Dark Mafia Romance
Casso, Don of the Bruno Famiglia, and Olivia Cuevas, Cartel Princess, have history from ten years ago. They are enemies for multiple reasons. Now Casso and Olivia’s father have made a deal. The two families will form an alliance and Olivia will become Casso’s wife. Casso still hates Olivia, but he plans to own her. Olivia hatred consumes her and she fights Casso’s every step. Despite Olivia and Casso’s faults I fell in love with their strong characters and was full of empathy for them both. This is a well written enemies-to-lovers dark steamy romance. The drama, mystery and suspense through this novel take many captivating twists and turns. B.B. Hamel’s mafia stories are always intriguing and this one has extra intrigue. I did not want to put it down till the last page and now I cannot wait for B.B.’s next book,.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brandi-Lynn Weiser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Consumed by Desire is a mix of arranged marriage, second chance, and enemies-to-lovers!!! Olivia & Casso knew each other from high school, he was her bully but had feelings he hid because of family obligations. Until one night at a party when they each cross a line and she runs and something happens that makes him think she’s betrayed him in the worst way and has ruined his future. They both spend the following 10 years hating each other and blaming each other for things that the other person didn’t do.

I enjoyed the love/hate relationship between the two and slow burn at the beginning between Casso & Olivia. I loved it when they finally let the walls down and let each other in.

I wish the book was longer, I felt the ending was rushed. I would’ve liked to have seen more of a HEA style ending. It just kind ended abruptly. But I’m guessing that’s where the next book comes in to play. I just wasn’t ready to end the focus on Olivia & Casso!!

[Nari · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Mafia tropes, grab a copy of Consumed by Desire: A Dark Mafia Romance Kindle Edition by BB Hamel. The continuation the Bruno Famiglia's story with Casso Bruno and Olivia Cuevas. As these two struggle to overcome their past to create a future together an old acquaintance is lurking in the background to cause trouble. This well-written story is filled with twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this is the second book in the series I didn’t feel like I missed anything by not reading it. Plenty of details were included to give me the big picture of the family. I like that Casso wasn’t really stubborn and denying his feelings for Olivia. For someone in his position it would’ve been easy to write him as someone who pushed her away and was only using her. There were a few weird spots like his anger and reaction to what he perceived as her asking about her own brother during a family crisis. Also his conflicting reactions when she goes to find out answers. I’m not keen on the family running drugs and indiscriminate killing. The relationship between Casso and Olivia was enough to keep me from only thinking about that. Loved Elise!

I received a copy of this book through Booksprout for an honest review.

[lf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arranged marriage with some dark and smexy desires

Consumed by Desire is the second book in the Iron and Lace series which is about the Bruno "family". This darker arranged marriage story is about Casso Bruno, the twenty-seven year old Don of the family, and Olivia Cuevas, the twenty-five year old not so willing bride from another family. They may be a couple years apart in age but they still knew each other when they were at a private high school. It was not a good experience for Olivia as Casso was very big bully towards her. Now she finds herself married to him and she is not about to let him bully her once again, and she is feisty enough to put him on his heels more than once. But Casso is the Don and he likes all his orders to be followed, no matter who he is giving them to. A battle of the wills results which leads to some desirous situations between them.