DIRTY SECRETS (Valenti Crime Family ) by Kelsie Calloway -review

DIRTY SECRETS (Valenti Crime Family ) by Kelsie Calloway -review

 

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, 2023

She thinks it’s a marriage of convenience, but I’ve been planning it for a decade.

Wrong place, wrong time—or so Francesca thought.
She doesn’t know that I’m the one that poisoned her husband.
She doesn’t realize that I’m the one that hired the men to attack her.
She just thinks it’s a coincidence that I was there to save her.
Then half a dozen threatening notes show up at her front door.
Someone knows her deepest darkest secret and they’re going to go to the cops.
But if she puts aside her pride and marries me , I can protect her.
Francesca thinks it’s the only solution.
And that’s because I’m hedging all my bets to ensure I get the woman I want.

Dirty Secrets is the fifth book in The Valenti Crime Family series, featuring an obsessed anti-hero that will do whatever it takes to wind up with the woman he loves—even if it hurts a few people. Each book is a standalone and the series can be read in any order.

This is a dark mafia romance containing themes some readers may find unsettling. Caution is advised; unless you’re throwing it to the wind. 😉

••••••••

REVIEW: DIRTY SECRETS is the fifth novella in Kelsie Calloway’s contemporary, adult VALENTI CRIME FAMILY dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is thirty-two year olds Francesca ‘Kessa’ Scot and Cesare Valenti’s story line. DIRTY SECRETS 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 (Kessa and Cesare) DIRTY SECRETS follows the friends to lovers relationship between Francesca ‘Kessa’ Scot and Cesare Valenti. Cesare and Kessa have been best friends for close to eighteen years. Friends to boyfriend/girlfriend back to friends in the face of Cesare’s betrayal of the woman he loved . Kessa would eventually marry someone else, as Cesare watched from the sidelines, still pining after our story line heroine but Cesare would bide his time with a series of ‘incidents’ directed at Kessa and the man she would marry, eventually destroying the woman he loves. As Cesare continues to ‘arrange’ attacks against our story line heroine, Kessa makes plans for the future on her own.

The relationship between Kessa and Cesare is a best friends to ultimately lovers but a relationship predicated upon manipulation, secrets and lies. For eighteen years, Cesare would deceive the woman he loved including poisoning the man she would eventually marry. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive.

The secondary and supporting characters include Cesare’s extended family including Raniero ‘Nero’ Valenti, and Calliope Jackson, as well as Mateo Valenti and Bambi; Luca Valenti and Sloane.

DIRTY SECRETS is a story of secrets and lies, manipulation and betrayal, obsession and love. The fast paced premise is heart breaking and emotional; the characters are deceitful and broken; the romance is predicated upon lies and deceit.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Possessive Captor
Deviant Desires
Filthy Sinner
Savage Prince

Copy supplied by Booksprout

Reviewed by Sandy

Share

Filthy Sinner / Savage Prince by Kelsie Calloway -reviews

FILTHY SINNER / SAVAGE PRINCE (Valenti Crime Family 3 & 4) by Kelsie Calloway

FILTHY SINNER
(Valenti Crime Family 3)
by Kelsie Calloway
GENRE: adult, contemporary, erotic, Mafia romance

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 April 25, 2023

“I can explain.” That’s what everyone says when they’re caught breaking the law.

City Council Commissioner Sloane Bishop is a murderer.
I don’t think she meant to kill her abusive ex.
But when I walk through the door, he’s breathing his last.
I was on my way to do the job myself; too bad she beat me to it .
Now the cops want to know what happened.
They’re sniffing around and asking questions.
Sloane has a choice: marry me or go to prison.
After all, they can’t make your husband testify against you…
We just have to find someone to take the fall.

•••••

REVIEW: FILTHY SINNER is the third instalment and novella in Kelsie Calloway’s contemporary, adult VALENTI CRIME FAMILY erotic, criminal underworld romance series. This is businessman and member of city council Luca Valenti, and city council commissioner Sloane Bishop’s story line.

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

Told from dual first person perspectives (Sloane and Luca) FILTHY SINNER follows in the aftermath of the murder of architect Daniel Prewitt. Daniel had been hired by the Valenti family to design a new home but Daniel sold the plans to the Valenti family rival, plans that would reveal secrets and more. Determined to take down Daniel Prewitt, Luca comes face to face with city councillor Sloane Bishop, who has just killed the man in question. To protect one another, Luca offers up his hand in marriage, a marriage Sloane is all too quick to agree to the terms. As the police investigation begins to target our story line couple, Sloane reconsiders her options going forward when a phone call from Luca has the potential to break our heroine’s heart. What ensues is the quick building relationship between Luca and Sloane, and the potential fall-out as a their marriage of convenience is not necessarily a marriage of love.

The relationship between Sloane and Luca is a marriage of convenience in the wake of the murder of architect Daniel Prewitt. Sloane was being blackmailed by the recently deceased, and her political career was about to take the hit. The Valenti family had been betrayed by Daniel Prewitt, and Luca was desperate to protect the woman that would steal his heart. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate.

The secondary and supporting characters included Luca’s brothers Raneiro and Mateo, as well as Sloane’s parents, and local law enforcement.

FILTHY SINNER is a quick read; a story of family, relationships, blackmail and desperation. The fast paced premise is entertaining; the romance is limited; the characters are determined and desperate.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Possessive Captor
Deviant Desires

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

_______

SAVAGE PRINCE
(Valenti Crime Family 4)
by Kelsie Calloway
GENRE: adult, contemporary, erotic, Mafia romance

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 23, 2023

She’s pregnant with my baby, now she’s on the run.

Nicolette was supposed to be a one night stand.
She’s the daughter of my brother’s sworn enemy .
But a few nights in a fancy hotel room changes everything.
I heard Nicolette left town, running from the man that knocked her up .
Except I’m the only man she’s ever been with .
If she’s going to be the mother of my child , she belongs to me.
I don’t care how long I have to hunt her or what it takes to keep her.
Nicolette Bellini will be mine .

Savage Prince is the fourth book in The Valenti Crime Family series, featuring a morally grey anti-hero that will do whatever it takes to be with the mother of his child —even if it means breaking the law. Each book is a standalone and the series can be read in any order.

•••••

REVIEW:   SAVAGE PRINCE is the fourth novella in Kelsie Calloway’s contemporary, adult VALENTI CRIME FAMILY focusing on the Valenti crime family. This is thirty three year old Stefan Valenti and nineteen year old, colleges student Nicolette Calvino’s story line. SAVAGE PRINCE 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 (Nicolette and Stefano) SAVAGE PRINCE follows nineteen year old Nicolette Calvino, daughter of Mafia boss Nick Calvino as she does her best to act out against her father’s wishes. Nicolette is an immature, spoiled Mafia princess who has been lost since the age of five when her beloved mother said good bye, leaving behind all of her children in the care of their Mafia connected father. Spending evenings in the bars, underaged Nicolette picked up Stefano Valenti for a bathroom quickie but once was not enough for our story line hero. Stefano Valenti wanted Nicolette but was unaware as to her true identity. Upon the discovery of her pregnancy, Nicolette left, looking for the mother she no longer knew, a mother who would explain what happened in the past. Desperate to find the woman with whom he was falling in love, Stefano went in search of the mother of his future child.

SAVAGE PRINCE is a fast paced, quick read focusing on obsession and desperation, heart break and love. The premise is entertaining; the romance is limited to $ex and $excapades in bathrooms and hotel rooms as the story line jumps seven months in which we are unaware of the developing relationship -I was hoping for a little bit more of their story; the characters are desperate and colorful.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Share