Broken Crown (Mafia Royals 5) by Rachel Van Dyken-Review Tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 1, 2022.

Jamais Vu.

When you see something, you should know but don’t remember or recognize.I felt this my entire life when I looked in the mirror. A boy growing into a man who’s supposed to fill the shoes of his father, follow in his footsteps without question.And lead the Five Families.

It’s not the pressure that gets me.It’s the fact that I’m not him. And I don’t have someone by my side to help me lead.So when a powerful mafia family from Italy gives us no choice but to join families by way of an arranged marriage…I say yes.

But that’s not where my story begins.Because I saw her.I fell for her.Long before they ever made the arrangement.

She loves someone else.I love her.So I go along with it in order to keep her by my side, knowing she’s seeing him.Touching him.Loving him.Tolerating me.

Our love story is complicated.I give her everything in hopes that one day she’ll give me a smile, a hug, something…Soon I’ll be the most powerful man in the Cosa Nostra. I have everything but her until the tide shifts, and I have to rescue her from the very family who promised her everything.

I used to be afraid of my namesake.Of my future.But now?Now, I’m giddy as hell to rain destruction on the families who oppose my rule. Who oppose what we represent.

I’ll destroy what I love most before I let them destroy her.My crown was broken, singed, and torn the minute I was told she was promised to someone else before me, and I’ll die before letting him have her.

You want broken? Come at me.I dare you.

••••••••

REVIEW:BROKEN CROWN is the fifth (and final?) instalment in Rachel Van Dyken’s contemporary, new adult MAFIA ROYALS dark, erotic, Mafia romance series-a next generation series and spin off from the author’s Eagle Elite series. This is heir to the throne, and Tex and Mo’s (Elicit) son King Campisi, and Del Buratti’s story line. BROKEN CROWN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

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

Told from three first person perspectives (King, Del, Roman) BROKEN CROWN follows the building relationship and arranged marriage between Mafia heir King Campisi, and Del Buratti. King Campisi has been in love with Del Buratti for as along as he can remember but Del Buratti is in love with someone else. In an effort to reinforce their control, merging with another powerful underworld family, King Campisi is forced into an arranged marriage with the woman he loves, and only has seven days to prove he is worthy but just days into their honeymoon, King and Del are called back home when disaster strikes at the top, and our couple are caught in the direct line of fire as everything spirals out of control. What ensues is the building relationship but ‘reluctant’ marriage between King and Del, and the potential fall-out as a fight for control turns dangerous, leaving King unable to trust family or friends, including those closest to our story line couple.

Del Buratti is in love with Roman, a made-man in the Buratti family but a man beneath our heroine in status and wealth. In the wake of her father’s death, Del’s Sicilian uncle has offered our heroine’s hand in marriage to King Campisi, a marriage of unrequited love for our story line hero. King has loved, and is in love with Del Buratti, and in an effort to keep her close, offers up a ‘loveless’ marriage and Roman on the side but King isn’t willing to sit back and watch from the sidelines, and wants seven days before walking away. Del Buratti knows her rightful position is beside the King, a position that proves she is worthy of the title of Queen, when she is willing to sacrifice her life to save the man in charge.

The relationship between Del and King is that of a love triangle, as Roman is assigned bodyguard and protector of our story line heroine, the woman he loves. Watching and waiting, Roman will come to the conclusion that Del belongs at King’s side, a conclusion that offers Roman a new position within the Family. As King seduces the woman both he and Roman love, Del quickly discovers that her heart has always belonged to the man who would one day sit on the throne. The $ex scenes are aggressive and spirited but I felt little passion or warmth-it was more of a claiming and ownership.

There is a large and familiar secondary and supporting cast of colorful and energetic characters including all of the previous story line couples, and several Eagle Elite couples. In the wake of threats against his life and that of the life of the woman he loves, King is unable to trust anyone, even suspecting those closest to our couple, people he calls family and friends.

BROKEN CROWN is an emotional story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, death and destruction, sacrifice, tragedy and love. The character driven premise is captivating, gritty and sensitive; the romance is heart breaking and impassioned; the characters are broken and desperate yet taking control. Although this is the final instalment in the Mafia Royals series, the story line is left open ended with the possibility of another chapter in the lives and members of the Seven Families-hint hint-Roman needs to find his own HEA.

 

Reading Order and previous reviews
.5 Royal Bully
1. Ruthless Princess
2. Scandalous Prince
Destructive King
Mafia King
Fallen Royal

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Haven’t started the MAFIA ROYALS series?

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Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.

She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!