Tag Archives: Kristen Luciani

The Mafia Marriage Contract by Kristen Luciani & Autumn Archer

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The Mafia Marriage Contract by Kristen Luciani & Autumn Archer

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 6, 2025

Marrying the enemy was never part of my plan.
I came to America to escape the shackles of my family’s criminal empire. To carve my own path, far away from the blood-soaked legacy of the O’Callaghan name.

But when my father makes a deal with the devil himself—Kingston Viacava—I’m the pawn sacrificed to cement an alliance. Kingston is everything I despise. Arrogant. Ruthless. A man born and bred to rule the underworld. He wears power like a second skin, commanding loyalty with a single look. And now, with this ring on my finger, he thinks he owns me.

But he’ll learn soon enough—I bow to no man.

Our wedding is nothing but a spectacle, a performance to unite our warring families against an even deadlier enemy. But behind closed doors, it’s a battleground of sharp tongues, venomous threats, and a dangerous attraction I can’t fight. He’s my captor, my tormentor. The man who promises to break me.

But when a bullet rips through the night and the enemy strikes, I realize something far more terrifying… Kingston may be the only man who can keep me alive.

••••••

REVIEW:THE MAFIA MARRIAGE CONTRACT is the first instalment in the contemporary, adult BLOOD DEBT BRIDES dark, erotic, Mafia romance series co-authored by Kristen Luciani and Autumn Archer. This is Irish Mob princess Olivia O’Callaghan, and heir to the Viacava Mafia family Kingston Viacava.

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 Kingston) THE MAFIA MARRIAGE CONTRACT focuses on the arranged marriage between Irish Mob princess Olivia O’Callaghan, and heir to the Viacava Mafia family Kingston Viacava. Forced into a marriage neither one wants, Olivia and Kingston will become pawns for an underground organization known as the Red Tribunal, a group that likes to play games with life and death. Belligerent and feisty, Olivia refuses to obey, and in this, orders from the Red Tribunal take aim at the people she loves but all is not as it appears to be, and the reality of their forced marriage is about to antagonize those waiting in the wings.

The world building is complex and multi-layered. Friends will becomes enemies, relations and family members are but a breath from betrayal, and in the end, choosing death may be the only option.

The relationship between Olivia and Kingston is acrimonious and tempestuous. Olivia refuses to accept Kingston as her husband, a man who is willing to die to protect his wife but someone else is taking aim, determined to claim Olivia as his own, and our couple will pay the price for someone else’s sins. The $ex scenes are erotic and intense.

The energetic and questionable secondary and supporting characters include Olivia’s bodyguard Roman Keane, and her parents Corma c and Fiona O’Callaghan, as well as Kingston’s brother Bronx, and their father Lorenzo Viacava, as well as several members from the Red Tribunal.

THE MAFIA MARRIAGE CONTRACT is a story of secrets and lies, power and control, betrayal and vengeance, dysfunctional family values, desperation and sacrifice, acceptance and love. The character driven premise is dark, complex, gritty and dramatic; the romance is edgy and seductive; the characters are desperate , determined and charismatic. THE MAFIA MARRIAGE CONTRACT ends on a bit of a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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The Mafia Enforcer’s Temptation by Kristen Luciani-review tour

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The Mafia Enforcer’s Temptation (Mafia Obsession 3) by Kristen Luciani-review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 13, 2025

I’d rather burn than belong to him. Too bad fate—and the Irish mafia—have other plans. Seamus Murphy is everything I was raised to destroy. Irish. Brutal. Unshakable. He killed my cousin. Stole my future. And now? He’s the man I’m being forced to marry.

It started with a heist. One second I was stealing back my family’s crest— The next, I was face-first in the dirt, pinned beneath a man who should’ve put a bullet in my skull. But Seamus didn’t kill me. He watched. He followed. He touched.

Now I’m his wife in name only— A pawn in a twisted truce I never agreed to. He wants answers. I want vengeance. And neither of us can stop pushing the other to the edge.

I swear I hate him. I bite. I run. I lie. And every time, he finds me.

Every time, he pulls me back in. He kisses like he’s claiming me. Fights like he owns me. And touches like he knows I’ll eventually beg for more.

But if I fall for him… If I let my heart slip even an inch…

He won’t just ruin me. He’ll own what’s left.

•••••

 

REVIEW:THE MAFIA ENFORCER’S TEMPTATION is the third instalment in Kristen Luciani’s contemporary, adult MAFIA OBSESSION dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is Irish Mobster Seamus Murphy, and Hair to the Romanov Bratva Ava Romanov’s story line. THE MAFIA ENFORCER’S TEMPTATION 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 (Seamus and Ava) THE MAFIA ENFORCER’S TEMPTATION focuses on the search for the truth. Ava is determined to regain control of the Volkov Bratva, in the wake of her father’s death but someone else is taking the reigns, and our heroine is desperate to take back control. Determined to win, Ava needs a favor from the Irish mob, a favor that involves the man she blames for the death of her cousin. A marriage of convenience to assume the mantel of Pakhan but not everyone is on side with a woman in control, and Ava refuses to step aside for the sake of appearances or anyone else.

The world building follows several intersecting paths as Ava is caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Someone she loves has been threatened but her place at the top is where she believes she can do the most good. Often TSTL, placing herself in danger, our heroine continues to push all of Seamus’ buttons, buttons that may trigger an organized crime war.

The relationship between Seamus and Ava is a marriage of convenience predicated upon a fight for power but Ava needs Seamus in order to reach the top, never intending to yield to her marriage vows, or the man with whom she will fall in love. Often placing herself in the direct line of fire, immature and arrogant, Ava refuses to follow, threatening any semblance of peace between the crime families, and the man with whom she is falling love. The $ex scenes are erotic and provocative.

There is a large ensemble cast of diverse and questionable secondary and supporting characters including Seamus’ extended family, and several members of the Russian Bratva.

THE MAFIA ENFORCER’S TEMPTATION is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, family and relationships, forgiveness and love. The character driven premise is dark, dramatic and edgy; the romance is raw; the characters are charismatic, desperate and dynamic.

 

Reading Order and Previous reviews
Mafia Heir’s Obsession
Mafia Assassin’s Redemption

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

FOLLOW: Website / GOODREADS / Facebook/ Twitter / Instagram/ YouTube / Bookbub/
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Kristen Luciani is a USA Today bestselling author of steamy and suspense-filled romance. She’s addicted to kickboxing, Starburst jelly beans, and swooning over dark, broken anti-heroes. Kristen is happily married to her own real-life hero of over 20 years. In addition to penning spicy stories, she also has a part-time job as her three kids’ personal Uber driver, which she manages to successfully juggle along with her other tasks: laundry, cleaning, laundry, cooking, laundry, and caring for her adorable Boston Terrier puppy.

Mafia romance is her passion…and her poison.

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The Mafia Assassin’s Redemption by Kristen Luciani-review tour

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The Mafia Assassin’s Redemption (Mafia Obsession 3) by Kristen Luciani-review tour

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Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 18, 2025

I spent twelve years plotting his murder. Marrying him wasn’t part of the plan.
Torin Murphy pulled me from the flames that consumed my family when I was only ten years old. The Irish assassin with midnight blue eyes stole everything I loved. So I’ve built my entire life around one goal: making him pay.

But now there’s a hit on my head, and the only way to survive is a blood marriage to the man I’ve sworn to destroy.

He thinks he’s my savior. But I know what I saw…death and destruction in his wake, my parents’ blood on his hands.

Now I’m trapped in his world, bound by mafia law to a man who makes my body burn with unwanted desire. The ruthless head of a powerful crime family who kills without mercy, but touches me like I’m precious.

He sees through my hatred. He knows exactly how to break down my defenses with his dark games. The way he looks at me, like he wants to equally cherish and dominate me, makes me forget I’m supposed to hate him.

But the deeper I fall into his dangerous world, the more the truth about that night threatens to surface. And when ghosts from his past come looking for me, I’ll have to choose between the revenge that’s defined me and the man who might be my salvation.

I wasn’t supposed to end up in his bed. I wasn’t supposed to fall for my enemy.
And I definitely wasn’t supposed to discover that everything I believed was a lie.

•••••

REVIEW: THE MAFIA ASSASSIN’S REDEMPTION is the second instalment in Kristen Luciani’s contemporary, adult MAFIA OBSESSION dark, erotic, Mafia romance. This is Irish mobster Torin Murphy, and twenty-two year old, Clarita Harriet ‘Harry’ Federici, aka Hazel White’s story line. THE MAFIA ASSASSIN’S REDEMPTION 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 including violence and Dom/sub situations, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Harry and Torin) THE MAFIA ASSASSIN’S REDEMPTION follows the blood marriage between our story line couple. Approximately twelve years earlier Harriet Federici lost her parents to an assassin’s bullets and subsequent fire , and our heroine blames Torin Murphy for their demise. Fast forward to present day, having promised to avenge the murder of her parents, Harry aka Harriet will discover there is a price on her head, and a marriage to Torin Murphy should ensure her future protection but all does not go according to plan, as Torin becomes guardian and protector as our heroine continues to plan her escape and the end of our story line hero.

The world building follows several paths including the search for the truth. Harry is determined to destroy the man she believes destroyed her life, as Torin must struggles to uncover the person(s) responsible to taking aim at our story line couple.

The relationship between Torin and Harry is tempestuous at best. Harry wants nothing to do with a marriage or our story line hero, as Torin battles his need to Dominate a woman who refuses to back down. Harry pushes back at every opportunity, reminding Torin of the betrayal and loss of her family. The $ex scenes are erotic, and intense but I did not feel the any palpable sexual attraction or need-the relationship felt more like jailer and prisoner.

The colorful secondary and supporting characters include Torin’s brothers Callan and Lucia, Declan, their mother, Harry’s uncle Anthony, and Father Luigi. The requisite evil has many faces.

THE MAFIA ASSASSIN’S REDEMPTION is a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, family and relationships, acceptance and love. The premise is dramatic and edgy; the romance is limited but provocative; the characters are desperate and determined.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one THE MAFIA HEIR’S OBSESSION

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

FOLLOW: Website / GOODREADS / Facebook/ Twitter / Instagram/ YouTube / Bookbub/
Facebook Reader Group/

Kristen Luciani is a USA Today bestselling author of steamy and suspense-filled romance. She’s addicted to kickboxing, Starburst jelly beans, and swooning over dark, broken anti-heroes. Kristen is happily married to her own real-life hero of over 20 years. In addition to penning spicy stories, she also has a part-time job as her three kids’ personal Uber driver, which she manages to successfully juggle along with her other tasks: laundry, cleaning, laundry, cooking, laundry, and caring for her adorable Boston Terrier puppy.

Mafia romance is her passion…and her poison.

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The Mafia Heir’s Obsession by Kristen Luciani-review tour

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The Mafia Heir’s Obsession (Mafia Obsession 1) by Kristen Luciani-review tour

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Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 5, 2025

He was never supposed to touch her. Now he’ll burn the world to keep her.
Callahan Murphy is a ruthless Irish mafia boss with blood on his hands and vengeance in his veins. When he strikes a power deal with a New York crime family, marriage to the Don’s daughter is just another strategic move—until everything goes to hell.

Because the bride he’s promised? Vanishes. And her younger sister is offered in her place.

Lucia de Rosa is untouched, unwilling, and unprepared for the savage man who now claims her as his own. She thought this arrangement was temporary—a mistake that could be undone once her sister returned.

She was wrong.

When a violent night in Queens ends with her pinned beneath Callahan, gasping for breath and drowning in pleasure, she realizes her life will never be the same. He’s her father’s ally, her family’s nightmare, and her most dangerous mistake.

But Lucia isn’t the submissive bride Callahan expected. She fights him at every turn, challenging his authority and igniting a possessive hunger that threatens to consume them both. Every moment of defiance makes him want her more. Every touch makes her crave the very man she should fear.

He swore he’d never let her go. But when family secrets unravel and blood debts come due, their arranged marriage becomes a battlefield where love and loyalty collide.

In his world, she’s not just a woman—she’s a weapon, a weakness, a wife. And he’ll kill anyone who touches her.

But when enemies close in and the past refuses to stay buried, Callahan will have to choose: protect his empire or save the woman who’s become his everything.

Obsessive. Possessive. Unforgiving. Some marriages are made in heaven. Theirs was forged in blood.

••••••

REVIEW:THE MAFIA HEIR’S OBSESSION is the first instalment in Kristen Luciani’s contemporary, adult MAFIA OBSESSION dark, erotic, Mafia romance series focusing on the Murphy siblings. This is thirty-two year old Irish Mob boss Callahan Murphy, and twenty-one year old, Italian Mafia princess Lucia De Rosa’s story line.

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

Told from dual first person perspectives (Callahan and Lucia) THE MAFIA HEIR’S OBSESSION focuses on the marriage of convenience between thirty-two year old Irish Mob boss Callahan Murphy, and twenty-one year old, Italian Mafia princess Lucia De Rosa. In an effort to stabilize power, Callahan Murphy is expected to marry the daughter of Mafia boss Vincent De Rosa but Callahan is shocked when he discover his impending bride is a woman he rescued the day before. When Viviana De Rosa ran away with her boyfriend, Lucia found herself the next in line to do her father’s bidding but from the outset nothing made sense, and Lucia’s life was about to spiral in the wake of secrets and lies that will leave our heroine wondering where everything went wrong. Unable to trust the men in her life, Lucia reconsiders her path moving forward, a path that no longer includes the man with whom she was falling in love.

The world building follows Callahan and his brothers as they struggle to uncover the truth. Someone is determined to take control of the city, and our hero now has a target on his back but when Lucia becomes fodder in a much bigger game including the Russian Bratva, Callahan goes on the offensive to protect the woman he loves.

The relationship between Callahan and Lucia begins as a rescue then quickly turns into a forced marriage arrangement. Lucia struggles in the face of perceived betrayal but her anger should be directed at someone else. The $ex scenes are provocative and intense; the language is foul, and the constant use of a certain four-letter word was unnecessary.

We are introduced to Callahan’s brothers: Second in command Torin, Declan and Seamus, as well as Lucia’s sister Viviana, and their father Vincent De Rosa. The requisite evil has many faces.

THE MAFIA HEIR’S OBSESSION is a story of secrets and lies, power and control, betrayal and vengeance, dysfunctional family dynamics, acceptance and love. The premise is dramatic, edgy and heart breaking; the romance is seductive; the characters are determined and charismatic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

FOLLOW: Website / GOODREADS / Facebook/ Twitter / Instagram/ YouTube / Bookbub/
Facebook Reader Group/

Kristen Luciani is a USA Today bestselling author of steamy and suspense-filled romance. She’s addicted to kickboxing, Starburst jelly beans, and swooning over dark, broken anti-heroes. Kristen is happily married to her own real-life hero of over 20 years. In addition to penning spicy stories, she also has a part-time job as her three kids’ personal Uber driver, which she manages to successfully juggle along with her other tasks: laundry, cleaning, laundry, cooking, laundry, and caring for her adorable Boston Terrier puppy.

Mafia romance is her passion…and her poison.

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The Truths That Deceive by Kristen Luciani-review tour

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The Truths That Deceive (Obsidian Knights Secret Society #4) by Kristen Luciani-review tour

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Add The Truths That Deceive to Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/tttdgr

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 14, 2024

My beautiful captive played the wrong hand when she tried to escape me… My latest assignment should have been easy. Find ex-hacker/rogue CIA agent Calista Price and hand her over to the US government for treason. But Calista is nothing like the desk jockey I expected. She’s a wild card, fiery, seductive, and she feeds into every one of my primal play urges.

Chasing her is addictive. Wrong. She’s young enough to be my daughter, and my mission is to capture her, not ravage her.

None of that stops me from craving her at my deepest levels. Calista infects my blood. She’s got an appetite for the same dirty, twisted games that I do. And she loves being hunted.

But time is short with my shiny new toy. She’s a target for more than just the CIA and others are closing in fast. At the end of the line, there are only two outcomes for Calista.

Prison…or death.

As we fall deeper into our dark, depraved games, I know I can’t give her up. I want all of her – body, mind, and blackened soul that matches my own.

And I’ll destroy anyone who tries to take her from me.

••••••

REVIEW:THE TRUTHS THAT DECEIVE is the fourth instalment in Kristen Luciani’s contemporary, adult OBSIDIAN KNIGHTS SECRET SOCIETY dark, erotic, romance series focusing on a secret society of billionaires and assassins. This is thirty-eight year old, former CIA operative Smith Hunt, and twenty-four year old CIA hacker Calista Hendrix’s story line. THE TRUTHS THAT DECEIVE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary . Smith Hunt is Dakota Hunt’s estranged father (The Desires That Burn).

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise including light Dom / sub and graphic violence, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers. The author includes a list of TW in the book.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Calista and Smith) THE TRUTHS THAT DECEIVE focuses on the hunt and take down of our story line heroine. Calista Hendrix is on the run having uncovered some information on the dark web. The CIA believes Calista is a traitor, and Smith Hunt is tasked with bringing her home but all is not as it appears to be when the truth reveals a much darker scenario including a need for vengeance for our story line heroine.

Once again, the world building is comprehensive and intricate. Calista is keeping the truth of her ‘supposed betrayal’ in the hopes of destroying the people who destroyed her life. As Smith struggles to keep Calista under control, our heroine refuses to sit back watching the world go by. At every opportunity Calista attempts an escape, often placing both of their lives in the direct line of fire.

The relationship between Calista and Smith begins as an assignment but Calista refuses to go quietly, and within hours is forcing Smith’s hand. Calista is not naïve to the in which she works and is currently under watch but she refuses to remain safe when the bad guys are always getting away. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic, and provocative but I dislike the use of a certain four-letter word liberally throughout.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and questionable secondary and supporting characters including many of whom we met in the previous instalments: Mercer, Orion, Malone, Black Widow and Jones, as well a number of CIA operatives and mentors who actions and roles are ambiguous and dubious.

THE TRUTHS THAT DECEIVE is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, exploitation and trafficking, acceptance and love. The premise is detailed, dark, dramatic and intriguing; the romance is aggressive and steamy; the characters are desperate, determined and energetic.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
The Secrets That Kill
The Desires That Burn
The Sins That Ruin

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

FOLLOW: Website / GOODREADS / Facebook/ Twitter / Instagram/ YouTube / Bookbub/
Facebook Reader Group/

Kristen Luciani is a USA Today bestselling author of steamy and suspense-filled romance. She’s addicted to kickboxing, Starburst jelly beans, and swooning over dark, broken anti-heroes. Kristen is happily married to her own real-life hero of over 20 years. In addition to penning spicy stories, she also has a part-time job as her three kids’ personal Uber driver, which she manages to successfully juggle along with her other tasks: laundry, cleaning, laundry, cooking, laundry, and caring for her adorable Boston Terrier puppy.

Mafia romance is her passion…and her poison.

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The Sins That Ruin by Kristen Luciani-review & excerpt tour

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The Sins That Ruin (Obsidian Knights Secret Society #3) by Kristen Luciani-review & excerpt tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date: JUNE 27, 2024

To save her father’s life, she will wear my ring.
Scarlett Hanlon is the epitome of temptation, beautiful chaos wrapped in obsession…and my enemy’s daughter.

Fate offers me a chance to destroy her father and the beautiful and feisty Scarlett is my only way into his inner circle.
 So when she comes to me for help, I give her an ultimatum.

Marry me…or else.



It’s the perfect plan.

I’ll use my fake fiancé as a pawn, a bright and shiny toy that will sweeten my quest for revenge. I will flaunt her, use her, and then break her when the job is done.

But Scarlett isn’t one to be possessed and discarded. She’s got an appetite for my kind of filthy, depraved, and twisted games, making my blood burn hot and setting off all kinds of fires.



When my plans for revenge implode and dark truths are revealed, I realize Scarlett’s the real chaos I crave above all else. But once all sins are revealed, it may be too late for me to save her.

•••••

REVIEW:THE SINS THAT RUIN is the third instalment in Kristen Luciani’s contemporary, adult OBSIDIAN KNIGHTS SECRET SOCIETY dark, erotic romance series focusing on a secret society of billionaires and assassins. This is thirty-three year old businessman Malone West aka JM Malone, and twenty-three year old Scarlett Hanlon’s story line. THE SINS THAT RUIN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary .

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise including Dom / sub, bondage and discipline, child trafficking, and graphic violence, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers. The author includes a list of TW in the book.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Malone and Scarlett) THE SINS THAT RUIN follows in the wake of threats against the Hanlon dynasty. In an effort to secure help in ferreting out the threats against the Hanlon family, Scarlett Hanlon is ‘sold’ to Malone West, a man whose dealings are dark and illegal. Posing as Malone’s fake fiancé, Scarlett is paraded through countless illegal dealings and questionable sexual encounters by a man who is using Scarlett to get what he wants but all is not going according to plan when secrets reveal a past connection, a connection that threatens our story line couple. What ensues is the building but tempestuous and questionable relationship between Scarlett and Malone, and the potential fall-out as the truth reveals a deeper betrayal than they could have ever imagined.

The world building follows several paths as Malone and several members of the Obsidian Knights struggle to uncover the truth but the deeper they dig, the darker the results, and Scarlett’s cousin Amelia is about to fall victim to the ultimate betrayal.

The combative relationship between Scarlett and Malone begins as an arranged and forced fake engagement in which Malone is often cruel and demanding of our story line heroine. Malone refuses to reveal the truth about his work, his life, and his need for Scarlett, and in this, Scarlett is unable to truth the man with whom she is falling in love. The $ex scenes are intense, and provocative, and not without some questionable consent.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters, most of whom are problematic, controversial and bordering on sociopathic. We are introduced to Scarlett’s father Dale Hanlon, her uncle Grant, her cousin Amelia as well as the return of fellow Knights Mercer, Orion, Jones and Smith. The requisite evil has many faces.

THE SINS THAT RUIN is another dark, intense, dramatic and heart breaking story of power and control, violence and invasion, secrets and lies, dysfunctional family values, acceptance, forgiveness and love. The premise is raw and tragic; the romance is erotic and provoking; the characters are determined, aggressive and quarrelsome.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
The Secrets That Kill
The Desires That Burn

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

SCARLETT HANLON DOESN’T BELONG.
That much is obvious.
Orchid Lane is hard-core BDSM, leather, chains, and latex. Piercings everywhere. Whips and Saint Andrew’s crosses. And she…Christ, she’s no breath of spring, either.
No, she’s something else entirely, born of a different part of hell. Temptation wrapped in an air of innocence no doubt carefully curated from the moment she was born, the type where the girl’s been kept under the right kind of shelter where she’s groomed for the right role.
The kind of girl who’s usually bartered for something by whoever controls her.
In this case, her fuck of a father.
Her river of thick black waves stands out, shining and loose, not twisted up or slicked back and made for a man to manipulate her head, to angle it just how he might want it.
Even the red dress that skims her curves is seductive in the hint at what lies beneath. And it works. It’s a turn-on over all the naked and tightly bound flesh surrounding her. Right now, her back’s to me, but I can imagine her eyes as she takes everything in. Wide, probably more than a little shocked.
She’s not even in the heart of the place. Where she’s standing is surface-level respectable, at least for this club. The BDSM crosses and whips are part of the décor. The music’s got a deep, hypnotic beat. The steel and wood bar in the center of the space is crowded by those dressed for hard play in the lower levels, along with those who like to dabble, and others… the ones looking for thrills.
No, she’s not even in the heart of Orchid Lane but—I’ve read her history, seen her pictures—someone like Scarlett, with her pampered upbringing, should be running screaming, horrified, from this place.
Something electric like excitement spins down my spine.
Because I don’t think she will.
And that… fuck, I can use that.
I watch her through the cameras in my office, not bothering to switch angles as I tap a ringed hand on the back of the black velvet low-slung sofa.
Scarlett fucking Hanlon, daughter of the mark, one half of Hanlon Shipping, whose inner circles I’m looking to infiltrate for a client seedier than most. The pay’s huge and it came to me through the Obsidian Knights. It’s a job I’d have taken on regardless, just to get to her father, but the fat paycheck and white-hot daughter only make my objective more delicious.

FOLLOW: Website / GOODREADS / Facebook/ Twitter / Instagram/ YouTube / Bookbub/
Facebook Reader Group/

Kristen Luciani is a USA Today bestselling author of steamy and suspense-filled romance. She’s addicted to kickboxing, Starburst jelly beans, and swooning over dark, broken anti-heroes. Kristen is happily married to her own real-life hero of over 20 years. In addition to penning spicy stories, she also has a part-time job as her three kids’ personal Uber driver, which she manages to successfully juggle along with her other tasks: laundry, cleaning, laundry, cooking, laundry, and caring for her adorable Boston Terrier puppy.

Mafia romance is her passion…and her poison.

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The Desires That Burn by Kristen Luciani-Review & Excerpt tour

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The Desires That Burn (Obsidian Knights Secret Society 2) by Kristen Luciani-review & excerpt tour

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 18, 2024

I have a weakness for bad boys…and my latest obsession? My father’s best friend.Gorgeous and powerful. Ruthless and deadly. Orion is the threat of death wrapped in a 6’5 tattooed package of filthy intent. He’s my new bodyguard. And my father’s trusted friend and hired gun. Lines quickly blur when he shows up to rescue me from a depraved group called the Collectors. My Internet fame got me caught in their dark and twisted crosshairs. Orion is the only one who can save me. But his method of protection quickly turns into something much more carnal when I call him Daddy.

He demands everything from me. My obedience. My submission. My body. He calls me young and spoiled, swearing he wants nothing to do with me beyond this job. Yet I’m the only one who can make him lose the control he hangs onto so tightly. Each minute we’re together makes him forget why my father sent him. Obligation turns into scorching hot passion that flares out of control. He makes my blood burn hot and passions run wild. Even though we have no future beyond this mission, we can’t stay away from each other. I want him to make me his, to claim me, to own me in every way. But when the Collectors close in to expose my biggest weakness, I have no choice but to go to them. To save my Daddy Orion. The question is, will he be able to save me?

••••

REVIEW:THE DESIRES THAT BURN is the second instalment in Kristen Luciani’s contemporary adult OBSIDIAN KNIGHTS SECRET SOCIETY dark, erotic, romance series focusing on a secret society of billionaires and assassins. This is former US Special Forces/ assassin for hire Jaxson ‘Orion’ Carter, and twenty year old social media influencer Dakota Hunt’s story line. THE DESIRES THAT BURN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary .

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise including Daddy-kink, Dom / sub and graphic violence, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers. The author includes a list of TW in the book.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Orion and Dakota) THE DESIRES THAT BURN follows in the wake of the abduction of our story line heroine. Dakota Hunt is a social media influencer but her naivety is about to place her in the direct line of fire. Believing she has been invited to an exclusive party, our heroine’s ongoing naivety is a bitter pill to swallow. Assigned to rescue our story line heroine from a sex trafficking ring, Obsidian Knight Jaxson ‘Orion’ Carter finds himself on the defensive when he discovers Dakota’s connections to the Obsidian Knights, and his unwanted attraction to a much younger woman who is everything our hero needs and more. What ensues is the building but unconventional daddy/baby girl , Dom/sub relationship between Dakota and Orion, and the potential fall-out as Orion believes himself unworthy of love, and their time together comes to a close.

The world building is detailed and complex as the Obsidian Knights including Mercer and Smith push the proverbial buttons of our story line hero .Orion is a bit of a lone wolf, a rogue with a dark past, but a man who is struggling with his place in the Society. Obedience is rare, and his need to protect Dakota is in opposition to the orders from the people at the top.

The relationship between Dakota and Orion begins as a rescue but a rescue that becomes more dangerous with every move. A pretend Dom/sub relationship in an effort to escape becomes the catalyst that catches the eye of the people in charge.The $ex scenes are erotic, provocative and controversial including Daddy kink, Dom/sub, questionable consent

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including fellow Knights Mercer and Smith, Dakota’s friend Harley, as well as a number of deviant billionaires and businessmen. The requisite evil has many faces.

THE DESIRES THAT BURN is a dark, dramatic and intense story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, violence and aggression, acceptance and love. The premise is gritty and raw; the alternative romance is contentious ; the characters are desperate and charismatic.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one THE SECRETS THAT KILL

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Keep reading for a look inside The Desires That Burn!

I rise slowly, and then I look up.
It’s him. The man who caught my attention on the deck. Up close, he’s older than I thought… or maybe it’s his eyes that are old, like they’ve lived through different lifetimes and personally visited hell. They’re eyes that have stories most don’t want to know, but for some odd reason, I do.
For the first time I wish my talents lay in paint and brush rather than the ability to turn found objects into art.
“I thought I was alone,” I say, the words tumbling from my lips. “I’m Dakota.”
He doesn’t answer. His intense, hard gaze moves over me like he’s grazing my skin. He’s so tall, and I’m not exactly short at five foot seven, but somehow, I feel like I’m barely a foot off the ground. I swallow hard as he moves closer, reaching over the polished wood of the bar for a bottle of rum.
And though he doesn’t touch me, the whisper of air on my bare arm tingles like he licked my skin.
He opens the bottle and silently, I hand him a glass. The clear liquid fills the glass. Then he nods to the one in my hand.
“Jesus,” he mutters. The voice low, rough like gravel, the kind of voice I didn’t know I liked, the kind of voice that finds its way down deep into my soul. “Are you even old enough to fucking drink?”
“Most men here try to ply with me booze, not talk me out of it.” Another mess of words. I shrug. “Age is just a number.”
He raises a brow. I edge out from behind the bar, aware I’m wearing a skimpy bikini Amelia insisted on giving to me. It came in a cute little lacquered bag with the tags still on it, tags she ripped off before I could see the cost. I’m wearing a white gauze lounge top over the suit, and I suddenly feel completely underdressed, like I’ve just stepped into a boudoir.
The man doesn’t comment on it; he doesn’t have to. The dark light in his eyes pulls me to him, makes me want to ask what I should wear because the expression is one of both desire and disapproval. I’m a little shocked by my reaction to him, by my wanting to please him. That’s new.
I start to down my drink when he grabs my wrist.
It’s like the singe of a wild flame, that touch. His hand is huge, tattooed with something that covers the top completely and disappears up his wrist and into his shirt. From the quick glimpse, I think it’s a snarling, fang-baring snake or dragon or beast.
There are thick silver rings on his fingers. The one on his middle finger has a square black stone in the center, and the one on his thumb is inscribed. It doesn’t look like it should belong, but it does, the way he doesn’t seem to fit the vibe on the yacht, yet somehow… he makes it all his own.
“Do you like that? Men ogling, plying you with drinks?”
I swallow. He’s twisting the meaning of the words into something dirty, and a low throb of want that connects to an innate need to suddenly please undulates through me. Because I want to say I’m not the kind of girl he implies that I am.
“I just meant I can drink if I want.” I glare, my words laced with annoyance.
The slightly sullen note hangs in the air, and the look on his face is stern, almost savage, like a predator who needs to eat.
I’m not sure I like him.
But he’s beyond hot.
“You don’t need a drink,” he says.
“Neither do you.”
That earns a very slight smile. “But, little girl, I’m of age.”
Because I’ve had a couple of drinks on an empty stomach, and the courage of booze races through my veins, heating them, I slide a hand up over his chest and oh my God, it is a wall of solid, ripped muscle. I edge closer and press against him.
“I’m not a little girl, I’m not sixteen. In fact…” I don’t have to like him to flirt or to give in to the need to touch that pulsates through me. Test the boundaries. After all, there’s no one here to judge. Except for him. “I’m old enough.”
“I see.” His eyes glitter and then he moves. Fast.
My drink is pulled from my hand and set down, and then I’m flush against him, sandwiched between him and the wall.
He leans in, his tongue tracing the skin of my throat, and then he lifts his head. I’m boneless, a vortex of need that sucks all attention right to the spot where his tongue grazed.
A throbbing sensation hums between my thighs.
And I can barely breathe.
“Be very careful who you say that to,” he says. “Because a lot of the people on this overgrown boat won’t fucking stop there.”
“And you?” I whisper. “Where will you stop?”
“Playing with fire will get you the fuck burned.” He slides a large roughened palm against my cheek.
The heat of his touch burns deliciously deep.
The man licks me again, stopping at my pulse point. He sucks, making a moan slip from my lips.
He narrows his eyes at me, his lips twisting.
“Go. Now. Before…” He releases me and steps back, fire raging in his heavy gaze. “Something happens.”
I suck in a breath, my shoulders trembling. Then I cross the room, twist the door handle, and run like hell just as he commanded me to.

FOLLOW: Website / GOODREADS / Facebook/ Twitter / Instagram/ YouTube / Bookbub/
Facebook Reader Group/

Kristen Luciani is a USA Today bestselling author of steamy and suspense-filled romance. She’s addicted to kickboxing, Starburst jelly beans, and swooning over dark, broken anti-heroes. Kristen is happily married to her own real-life hero of over 20 years. In addition to penning spicy stories, she also has a part-time job as her three kids’ personal Uber driver, which she manages to successfully juggle along with her other tasks: laundry, cleaning, laundry, cooking, laundry, and caring for her adorable Boston Terrier puppy.

Mafia romance is her passion…and her poison.

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The Secrets That Kill by Kristen Luciani-review tour

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The Secrets That Kill (Obsidian Knights Secret Society 1) by Kristen Luciani-review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 15, 2024

When your best friend’s sister becomes your obsession…
When a complicated assassination job comes my way, I finally get the chance to get my revenge on the woman who put me behind bars.

My best friend’s younger sister.

Sweet, naïve, and innocent, Ivy becomes the unsuspecting accomplice in a cruel and twisted game that will destroy her as well as my target.

Only one thing threatens my plan. She makes my blood burn hot, setting off all kinds of fires. One taste, and I’m addicted to the forbidden. Each depraved act draws us further into a dark, sex-soaked world where my objective for revenge becomes blurred by obsession for the girl who ruined me.

She thinks she knows betrayal. She has no idea.

And as Ivy falls deeper under my spell, she doesn’t know that the dark secrets of my past are about to shatter her dreams for the future.

••••••

REVIEW:THE SECRETS THAT KILL is the first instalment in Kristen Luciani’s contemporary adult OBSIDIAN KNIGHTS SECRET SOCIETY dark, erotic, romance series focusing on a secret society of billionaires and assassins. This is billionaire Mercer Vale, and twenty-three year old, college student Ivy Gardner.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise including graphic scenes of BDSM and Dom/sub scenarios, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Mercer and Ivy ) THE SECRETS THAT KILL follows the unconventional and questionable relationship between our story line couple. Mercer Vale blames Ivy Gardner for the implosion of his life, years before. Demanding payment for sins of the past, Mercer takes control of Ivy’s life, forcing our heroine into a world she knows nothing about. As Mercer’s submissive, Ivy is about to become a pawn in a dangerous game of murder and vengeance wherein years of betrayal culminate in the ultimate showdown, and consent is questionable at every turn.

The world building is complex and gritty. Power and vengeance are the focus for one man who is struggling for control of his life. His need to avenge is bred from years of trauma and abuse, and Ivy will become a victim of revenge, jealousy and obsession.

The relationship between Ivy and Mercer is atypical and forced. Ivy will become Mercer’s captive, a sexual slave, a submissive to be used when and how Mercer demands. Consent is questionable from the outset but Ivy will succumb to Mercer’s needs and demands, often instigating and pushing Mercer to the edge of control. The $ex scenes are aggressive, intense and provocative.

There is a large ensemble cast of questionable, controversial and dark characters. We are introduced to a secret society whose members are cruel, and their actions are heinous.

THE SECRETS THAT KILL is a dark story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, domination and submission, acceptance and love. The premise is dark, dramatic and tragic; the characters are desperate and contentious.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

The moment she walks into the party, the air pressure changes.
It becomes thicker, alight with all the dark fucking possibilities that come along with her.
I know, because I can think of things so depraved, twisted, and thrilling even the unrepentant in Hell’s depths would moan with pleasure.
I know, because I’ve done many of those things.
She sets off a vibrating edge, a sliver of excitement. The air sings when she’s near.
I can use that.
And I’m going to.
Just not yet.
Because the wait brings the pitch up to a sweeter level.
I’m also busy watching a dead man walking.
Right now, the poison’s destroyed his liver and kidneys, unraveling his DNA. He’s dead. It just hasn’t come full circle. Even if he was rushed to a hospital, he’d still end up dying.
I spent a long time devising the poison. Tasteless, odorless. Untraceable. Death cap mushrooms are a marvel, my favorite weapon when I’m not working with guns or knives.
But poisons take time. The right approach, the right formula, the right administration. And then they require time to work. Get one thing wrong, rush a step, and it all crumbles.
Patience, they say, is a virtue. And I play that game like a prodigy.
Stone-cold. A killer. These are me. I’m also rich as fuck. So rich my past can’t touch me. That long and scarred path that stretches as far back as I can remember might not have ever been paved with gold, but tools? Things that have enabled me to become who I am? This version of Mercer Vale?
Fuck yes.
Logan Cooke begins to sweat. There’s a flicker of light in his eyes, a sign of things not quite right. But nobody notices.
And no one will.
The people surrounding me are off their tits and balls on coke and drunk on thirty-dollar artisanal cocktails. Not one of them is going to notice until Cooke hits the floor.
I lean against the wall in the shadowy corner of Seven7Seven, a trendy faux secret spot in Tribeca complete with an entry password and a non-descript flight of stairs. They lead to the graffitied door, which opens into a long, tall, black velvet-lined hall that opens up to the bronze door of Seven7Seven’s dark, glamorous interior.
This is the height of the below-Fourteenth Street crowd’s pomposity. As one of the silent, hidden owners, Seven7Seven makes me a shit ton of money, and I can keep an eye on movers and shakers of all kinds.
Some of them I can use.
Some of them I might need to dispose of.
The Barnes and Noble and Japanese convenience store on the ground level don’t even hint at what’s up here. A person has to book a spot weeks in advance or receive a special invite. The place is well-known to its very specific target audience, and entry is highly coveted.
I settle back in the shadows and observe.
I don’t need to be here. Cooke’s demise is a done deal, and glitterati parties are not my fucking jam. With the next job I decided to take on? Let’s just say there are other avenues to get what I need. But there’s a certain symmetry, an air of fate about doing it this way.
Not real fate. This is crafted down to the finest detail of the evening, complete with her arrival on the dot. But like all good artists, it’s going to appear seamless, effortless. A natural occurrence, just like fate. And when she realizes there isn’t a drop of serendipity or chance of any kind involved, her real fate, her future, finite as it is, will be sealed.
But I still refuse to look at Ivy Gardner. Not yet.
I want to time everything perfectly. Cooke, my revenge, my next project⁠—

FOLLOW: Website / GOODREADS / Facebook/ Twitter / Instagram/ YouTube / Bookbub/
Facebook Reader Group/

Kristen Luciani is a USA Today bestselling author of steamy and suspense-filled romance. She’s addicted to kickboxing, Starburst jelly beans, and swooning over dark, broken anti-heroes. Kristen is happily married to her own real-life hero of over 20 years. In addition to penning spicy stories, she also has a part-time job as her three kids’ personal Uber driver, which she manages to successfully juggle along with her other tasks: laundry, cleaning, laundry, cooking, laundry, and caring for her adorable Boston Terrier puppy.

Mafia romance is her passion…and her poison.

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