LUCA (Ruin and Revenge #2) by Sarah Castille-Review, Book Tour & Giveaway

LUCA
Ruin and Revenge #2
by Sarah Castille
Release Date: June 27, 2017
Genre: adult ,contempporary, erotic, mafia romance

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 27,2017

Luca Rizzoli was nearly destroyed by a brutal betrayal that cost him his family. Now a ruthless crime boss in the city of sin, he lets nothing touch his frozen heart–until a smoldering encounter with a beautiful stranger ignites his passion. One night isn’t enough for a man who takes what he wants, but his mysterious temptress has slipped away.

For two years police detective Gabrielle Fawkes has lived for revenge. But a night of indulgence with a sexy stranger changes everything. Powerful, charming, and deliciously dangerous Luca, has his own private reasons for offering to help her pursue the drug lord who killed her husband. There’s a lot Luca isn’t telling her and the more she finds out the less she wants to know.

When Gabrielle becomes the target of the drug lord she has vowed to hunt down, she must do the unimaginable: place her life in a mobster’s hands. To save her, Luca must break his Mafia ties–or risk losing Gabrielle forever.

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REVIEW: LUCA is the second installment in Sarah Castille’s contemporary, adult RUIN AND REVENGE erotic, mafia romance series. This is restaurateur and Toscani family Capo Luca Rizzoli, and police detective Gabrielle Fawkes’ story line. LUCA can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary. Luca was first introduced in book one-NICO.

NOTE: LUCA contains scenes of graphic violence, murder and torture, and may not be suitable for all readers.

Told from several third person points of view including Luca and Gabrielle, LUCA is a forbidden romance between police detective Gabrielle Fawkes, and mafia Capo Luca Rizzoli. Two years earlier Gabrielle’s husband was brutally murdered in a mafia-style hit and our heroine believes the local drug cartel is responsible for his death. In the ensuing time Gabrielle has put all of her efforts into taking down the drug lord she believes is responsible but an on-duty shooting finds our heroine roommates with a dark and sexy man who offers Gabrielle everything and more. Enter Luca Rizzoli, a man who is willing to risk his ties to the mob to save the woman with whom he is falling in love. Several threats against Gabrielle’s life place Luca on the receiving end of more than one attempt at his own.

Loyalty to the family is first and foremost in the world of the Italian mob but Luca’s relationship with Detective Gabrielle Fawkes places our hero in a precarious position as it pertains to his loyalties and support of the man in charge. But Luca is willing to risk his life and his position for the woman that calls to his heart. His over protective, alpha attitude makes for some contentious moments between Gabrielle and himself. Luca’s backstory is emotional.

Gabrielle is desperate for revenge against the man she believes destroyed her life. Her narrow focus, disregarding everything else, finds our heroine facing down a hierarchy at work that is no longer willing to give Gabrielle a chance at revenge. Gabrielle’s inability to let go lands her in trouble on more than one occasion.

The relationship between Gabrielle and Luca is one of immediate attraction. The sexual chemistry is palpable; the $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense. Luca likes to take control and talk dirty in the bedroom.

LUCA is an intricate and detailed novel with several subplots weaving throughout the story-some connected while others focus on secondary characters and their struggle in both their personal and professional lives. There is a twist to the story line that was easily deduced and predictable.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including many members of the Toscani mob family both by blood and by mob association. We are introduced to Gabrielle’s husband’s former best friend police detective Jeff Santos, as well as Gabrielle’s besties Nicole and Cissy. I am hoping for Nicole’s HEA .

Although a well-written and exciting story line I did have an issue with Gabrielle’s inability to see, or lack of awareness as it came to Luca’s connections to the mob. For a detective she is completely oblivious to the who, what and why of the Toscani family, the mob and their dangerous lifestyle. Sadly this aspect leant to some unbelievable moments and shaking of my head.

LUCA is a dark, gritty, emotional and dramatic tale; a mafia romance of forbidden love between two people whose lives will collide in more ways than one. The premise is engaging and energetic; the characters are colorful, tragic and passionate; the romance is intoxicating and provocative.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Sarah Castille is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Redemption Series, Ruin & Revenge Series, Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club series, Legal Heat series and the Club Excelsior series. A recovering lawyer with a fondness for dirty-talking alpha males, she now is a full-time writer, who lives on Vancouver Island. Sarah’s books have been listed as Publisher’s Weekly’s Top Ten Picks and Best Summer Reads, and Amazon’s Best Romance Books of the Year, and have won numerous reader’s choice awards including the Holt Medallion.

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