CHARMING VILLAIN (The Terlizzis 3) by Cora Kent-review

CHARMING VILLAIN (The Terlizzis 3) by Cora Kent-review

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 20, 2025

I don’t want a wife. But in the mafia, marriage isn’t about love—it’s about power.

When the Family demands I marry Giovanni Lucatello’s sheltered daughter, I drown my frustration in whiskey and meet a woman who’s everything I shouldn’t want- bold, sharp-tongued, and tempting as sin. One night with her is unforgettable. But by the next morning, she’s gone. Or so I thought.

When I walk into my engagement meeting, I see her sitting there, looking like innocence itself. Gianna Lucatello. The woman I’m bound to marry.

I’ll make her regret what her father did to me. I’ll make her pay for the Lucatello crest burned into my chest. I’ll punish her in ways that leave her breathless and begging for more.

Because the more I make her suffer, the more I crave her—and the more I realize that beneath her defiance is a woman I’ll burn the world down to protect.

Gianna isn’t just going to be my wife. She’s my obsession. And I’ll stop at nothing to keep her.

•••••

REVIEW: CHARMING VILLAIN is the third instalment in Cora Kent’s contemporary, adult THE TERLIZZIS dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is Mafia princess Gianna Lucatello, and Luciano Terlizzi’s story line. CHARMING VILLAIN 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 WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Gianna and Luciano) CHARMING VILLAIN focuses on the arranged marriage and tempestuous relationship between our story line couple. Luciano Terlizzi is expected to marry the daughter of the man who tortured him years before but a one-night stand before facing his doom ends when he wakes up alone, without knowing the who, how or why. Meeting his intended for the first time, Luciano will discover his ‘fiancee’ is his one-night stand, a woman he believes is a liar, and has betrayed his family by their secret rendezvous. Determined to break our story line heroine, Luciano does his best to humiliate and destroy the woman he is supposed to marry, a woman who has already been broken by the man in charge. Frightened for the future, Gianna makes plans for her escape, only to come face to face with the past, a past that is determined to destroy them all.

The world building follows Gianna as she struggles to come to terms with a future out of her control-from the frying pan into the proverbial fire, Gianna finds herself submitting to the emotional abuse she has suffered for so very long. Luciano Terlilzzi is struggling to accept his fate, betrayed by the father of his intended bride but our ‘hero’ refuses to bow down, and sets into motion a plan to fracture the heart and mind of the woman he will purposefully reject.

The relationship between Gianna and Luciano begins as a one-night stand that quickly turns turbulent and acrimonious. Luciano wants nothing to do with our story line heroine, a young woman who has been victimized and broken by her own father. As the days turn into weeks, Luciano’s back and forth, up and down, threaten to crush what’s left of Gianna’s heart, a heart that is willing to run to escape a life of hate and pain. The $ex scenes are passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The secondary and supporting characters are aggressive and dynamic. We are introduced to Gianna’s controlling and abusive father Giovanni Lucatello, as well as the return of Dante and Adaline Terlizzi, and Saverio Castiglione and Lucia Terlizzi.

CHARMING VILLAIN is a story of betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, power and control, family and relationships, forgiveness and love. The character driven premise is dark, dramatic and edgy; the romance is heart breaking and traumatic; the characters are broken but struggling to heal.

Reading Order and previous reviews
.5 Simple Pleasures
Corrupt Saint
Ruthless Sinner

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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WICKED DESIRES(The Terlizzis 2) by Cora Kent-review

WICKED DESIRES/ Simple Pleasures (The Terlizzis 2) by Cora Kent-review

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

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 16, 2024

Marked by vengeance, branded as mine—Lucia Terlizzi will be the key to my revenge.

Dante Terlizzi has to pay.
Two years ago, he broke his betrothal to my sister.
Two months ago, his brother stole the bride meant for my best hitman.
There’s an unwritten rule about family members and children…
But f*ck the rules.

Lucia is the baby of the Terlizzi family.
Now I’m going to put my baby in her.
We’ll see how Dante likes it when I take what’s his.
I’ll dress his pretty little sister in the finest clothes.
I’ll shower her in diamonds and jewels.
I’ll make Dante regret ever double crossing me.
And in the process, I will make my heir.

All I need is a bouquet of roses, a bottle of bourbon, and a good girl to bend to my will.

••••••

REVIEW: WICKED DESIRES is the second full-length instalment in Cora Kent’s contemporary, adult THE TERLIZZIS dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is primary school teach Lucia Terlizzi, and head of the Castiglione Crime Family Saverio Castiglione’s story line. WICKED DESIRES can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

For backstory, I recommend reading the FREE prequel to Saverio and Lucia’s story-SIMPLE PLEASURES

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

Told from dual first person perspectives (Lucia and Saverio) WICKED DESIRES follows the acrimonious relationship between our story couple. Saverio Castiglione has claimed the right to marry our story line heroine but in the face of betrayal Saverio is determined to make the Terlizzi family pay for the sins of the past by destroying their only sister, bringing shame and embarrassment to everyone involved but Saverio struggles with his attraction to the woman who calls to his heart, a woman who is hiding a secret that haunts from the past. As Saverio continues to seduce the woman with whom he is falling in love, our hero must join forces with the Terlizzi family in an effort to protect our story line heroine.

The world building focuses on the back and forth relationship between Saverio and Lucia but a night out for drinks forces Lucia to reveal the truth, a truth that threatens the peace between our story line couple. And Saverio reveals his large extended family few people knew anything about. On that note, the blurb is a little misleading, so be aware.

The relationship between Lucia and Saverio is an age-gap, arranged marriage in the face of a prior betrayal. Dante refused the betrothal to Saverio’s sister Lucrezia, a woman with a questionable direction, and in doing so set into motion Saverio’s need for vengeance against the Terlizzi family. As Lucia continues her back and forth attraction to the man in question, all is not as it appears to be when Lucia’s past is connected to the man with whom she is falling in love. The $ex scenes are provocative and passionate.

The colorful secondary and supporting characters include Lucia’s twin brother Luciano, Niccolo, Dante, and Salvatore; Saverio’s right hand man Raffaele; several of Saverio’s half siblings, as well as Lucia’s co-worker and best friend Brooklyn.

WICKED DESIRES is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, madness and jealousy, power and control, acceptance and love. The premise is dark and dramatic but not as dark as the previous instalment. The characters are determined and energetic; the romance is provocative and intense.

Reading Order and previous reviews
Corrupt Saint
Ruthless Sinner
SIMPLE PLEASURES (see below)

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

______

SIMPLE PLEASURES
Terlizzi Family Prequel)
by Cora Kent
Genre: adult, contemporary, dark,erotic, Mafia romance

FREE prequel short story Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 29, 2024

Love is found in the darkest of places. I met the love of my life at a funeral.
She was darkness surrounded by light.
And I knew from that moment on she was the only one for me.

Simple Pleasures takes place in the years before Wicked Desires, featuring the blossoming relationship between Saverio Castiglione and his dandelion, Lucia Terlizzi.

•••

REVIEW: SIMPLE PLEASURES is a prequel short story in Cora Kent’s contemporary, adult TERLIZZI FAMILY dark, erotic, Mafia series. SIMPLE PLEASURES introduces Saverio Castiglione, and Lucia Terlizzi.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Saverio and Lucia) SIMPLE PLEASURES reveals some of the background and introduction of our story line couple who met at the funeral for Lucia’s baby brother Gianluca. Lucia was only fourteen years old, and Saverio was twenty six. Ten years would pass before Lucia and Saverio would meet once again, this time at the funeral for Lucia’s father, wherein Saverio and Lucia’s hidden relationship is about to be revealed.

SIMPLE PLEASURES is a fast paced, quick read with a determined crime boss, and a stubborn heroine who gives as good as she gets. The premise is engaging; the characters are determined and defiant.

Own a copy

reviewed by Sandy

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Ruthless Sinner (The Terlizzis 1) by Cora Kent-review

Ruthless Sinner (The Terlizzis 1) by Cora Kent-review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au / B&N paper /

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 27, 2024

I was born to inherit the family business. Father braided darkness into my soul before I spoke my first word.

Adalina Martinelli is collateral.
At first, I take her because her father is in debt to mine.
But after one night together, she becomes my prisoner.
Locked in a gilded cage, I set forth to transform her.
Father wants me to marry, and I’ve found the perfect wife.

She may be younger than me…
She may be the daughter of our enemies…
She may need stern convincing…
But I will bend and break her until she agrees to my twisted guarantee of safety.

•••••

REVIEW:RUTHLESS SINNER is the first instalment in Cora Kent’s contemporary, adult THE TERLIZZIS dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is heir to the Terlizzi throne, thirty-one year old, Dante Terlizzis , and twenty-one year old Adalina Martinelli’s story line.

NOTE: There is a FREE prequel CORRUPT SAINT that introduces some of the history and background of our story line couple. (see review below)

WARNING: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Dante and Adalina) RUTHLESS SINNER follows the building but contemptuous relationship between our story line couple. Adalina Martinelli is hoping for one night of freedom on her twenty-first birthday but never expected to become a prisoner in a gilded cage, trading one captor for another. Having spent all of her life as a target of her father’s anger, Adalina battled between head and heart with the prospect of jumping from the proverbial frying pan into the fire but Adalina’s father owes a debt to the Terlizzi family, and Adalina would become a pawn and payment for sins of the past. What ensues is the building relationship between Adalina and Dante, and the potential fall-out as Adalina’s father takes aim at the Terlizzi family.

The world building reveals the power and control held over Adalina by her abusive father and the men who he commands; the building relationship between Adalina and Dante, as well as Dante’s confusion about his attraction to a woman he was going to destroy but Dante’s future belongs to someone else, and Adalina struggles with her attraction to a man who is both protector and jailer.

The relationship between Dante and Adaline is an enemies to lovers; forced proximity; captive and jailer. Adaline is a prisoner of our story line hero, a man whose almost bi-polar attitude and actions goes from aggressive and rage filled to loving and protective. The $ex scenes are provocative and intense.

We are introduced to Dante’s security specialist and friend Enzo; Dante’s brothers Niccolo, Salvatore and Luciano, their father Fausto, Dr. Silas Stone, and Adalina’s father Tommaso Martinelli. The requisite evil has many faces.

RUTHLESS SINNER is a story of power and control; betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies,torture and abuse, acceptance and love. The premise is dramatic, raw and intense; the romance is fated and seductive; the characters are desperate and dynamic. RUTHLESS SINNER ends on a happily ever after-for now.

-> HEED the TRIGGER WARNINGS-they are numerous, graphic and dark

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

______

CORRUPT SAINT
(The Terlizzis .5)
by Cora Kent
Genre: adult, contemporaray, erotic, Mafia, romance

FREE ebook or 99¢ in AU Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /B&N /

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 21, 2024

My father wants to cement my future reign with a marriage.
But I am not a man who follows paths laid out by others.
I will carve my own legacy. I will write my own history.

Corrupt Saint takes place months before the start of Ruthless Sinner, with haunting flashbacks into Dante and Adalina’s dark past.

When revenge collides with coincidence, no one is safe.

•••••••

REVIEW:CORRUPT SAINT is a short story, a few chapters focusing on the players in Cora Kent’s contemporary, adult THE TERLIZZIS dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is Dante Terlizzis, and Adalina Martinelli’s introduction.

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

Told from dual first person perspectives (Dante and Adalina) CORRUPT SAINT focuses on the early years and events that shaped our story line couple . Adalina has been used and abused by her father and his men: Dante has been raised as the heir to the Terlizzis Crime Family .Forced to marry someone he doesn’t want, Dante makes the decision to claim our story line heroine.

CORRUPT SAINT is a fast paced, short story focusing on two people raised by violent men: one forced to submit, the other forced to take charge. The premise is dark and dramatic; the characters are desperate and broken.

Reviewed by Sandy

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Social Media: Amazon Author / Goodreads / Website / Facebook / Instagram /

Cora Kent’s first love was Scar and she was devastated when he didn’t get a happily ever after. That’s why all her books feature villains, dark romance, and a hint of the forbidden.

Ever since she was a kid, Cora has rooted for the bad guy. If the Big Bad Wolf ate out Little Red Riding Hood, it would have made for a better story–which is why all her books have a happily ever after for the morally grey anti-hero who will move heaven and earth for his woman.

When Cora isn’t living out her fantasies through writing, she’s hanging out with her cat, drinking margaritas, and reminding her husband that the trash goes out on Sunday nights.

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