TWILIGHT MASK by BB Hamel-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 7, 2024

“Take off your mask, little demon.
Show me everything.”

I first meet the masked man at an art gallery opening where he nearly drops me off a roof.

Now I can’t stop obsessing over his thrill-seeking games, and I fall hard for the way he makes me feel alive.

Except the man behind the mask is Marco Vitale, former Capo of my family’s greatest enemy. He’s back from the dead to get revenge for his fallen Don.

Marco’s gorgeous and brilliant, and we spend our nights hiding who we are and playing twisted games of sin and pleasure together.

Until we can’t stay in the shadows any longer, and all our truths and all our lies come out into the light.

My father ruined his life, and now he wants to ruin mine.

We’ll have to decide between family, revenge, lust, and honor.

And I’m not sure I’ll survive when my masked man takes what he wants.

••••••

REVIEW: TWILIGHT MASK is the first instalment in BB Hamel’s contemporary, adult, dark, erotic, Mafia romance series, a spin off set in the author’s Bianco Crime family world. This is twenty-eight year old, artist/sculptor Laura Bianco, and the former Capo of the Santoro Crime family Marco Vitale’s story line. TWILIGHT MASK can be read as a stand alone but for back story and history regarding Laura Bianco, I recommend reading the Bianco Crime family series.

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

Told from dual first person perspectives (Laura and Marco) TWILIGHT MASK follows the forbidden relationship between our story line couple. the Bianco Crime Family and the Santoro Crime family are at war; enemies in the wake of a fight for power, and the murder of several high ranking family members on both sides. Laura Bianco is a recluse; an talented artist whose family but especially her brother Don Simon Bianco is pushing Laura outside of her comfort zone with a series of of gallery displays and art sales but the push backfires when Laura comes face to face with her future at a masquerade art sale, where she will meet a man she only knows as the Jackal. Enter the former capo of the Santoro Crime family Marco Vitale, the man with whom Laura will fall in love. Marco’s obsession with Laura is dark and dangerous; their relationship hidden in dark rooms and secrets rendezvous, an obsession that will threaten everyone concerned. With revenge at the forefront of the Santoro war with the Bianco Crime family, Laura will be caught in the middle between family and love.

The world building follows the forbidden and highly sexual relationship between our story line couple, and the ongoing war between the Santoro and Bianco Crimes families. The Santoro family is amassing a contingent of supporters , families who have been attacked or targeted by the Bianco family, and in the, Marco must choose sides if he expects to continue his relationship with the woman he loves.

The relationship between Marco and Laura is one of the forbidden. Laura is unaware of Marco’s true identity, and in this, the titillation factor is palpable. For years Laura has locked herself away from the outside world but a little bit of freedom pushes Laura to cross a line of no return with her family’s enemy. Marco is a man on a mission-his need for Laura borders on obsession but blood will be shed, and Marco is caught in the middle. The $ex scenes are provocative and intense but I question Laura’s easy acceptance of Marco/Jackal in life under the circumstances and her over ten years of self-imposed seclusion.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and familiar secondary and supporting characters including the return of Laura’s brother Don Simon Bianco (Stolen Sin 2), Elena Bianco (Brutal Power 3), Davide Bianco (Cruel Tyrant 1), as well as the introduction of several crime lords, and Marco’s best friend Valentina Santoro.

TWILIGHT MASK is a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, obsession and relationships, family and love. The character driven premise is dark, dramatic and impassioned; the romance is seductive; the characters are desperate, dynamic and charismatic .

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy