#leightongreene

Title: The Beast Who Broke Me (Clemenza Family Book 2)

Author: Leighton Greene

Narrator: Michael Ferraiuolo

Rating: 5/5 stars

Thank you to Leighton Greene for providing me a copy of this audiobook in return for an honest review.

Following straight on from the cliff-hanger ending of book 1 (The Beast who Bought Me) and the little bit of trust that had been built on both sides is now shattered. Caligula Clemenza and Damiano Orsini are forced by circumstance to return to their original arrangement but this time Cal has an ace up his sleeve to prevent Damiano from taking out his planned revenge, or so he hopes.  

Michael Ferraiuolo was, as always, the perfect accompaniment to Leighton Greene’s mafia world.

What I liked:  

Firstly, that double trouble cliff-hanger broke me! The anticipation that was building in my stomach while listening to the final chapters was painful. I’m not sure how I’m going to handle not knowing its resolution until book 3 is released!  But aside from that, this 2nd book of the Clemenza family ticked so many boxes for me, including some dark twisty x-rated scenes I didn’t know I needed! There was a good deal of personal growth for both mc’s, and the rebuilding of their fragile bond was fraught but rewarding. The increase in mafia politics from the previous book was welcome, though also nerve-racking as I had no idea who could be trusted. 

Final thoughts: Another twisting journey of emotions ending in a double whammy of a cliff-hanger!

Who would enjoy this: 

Fans of dark contemporary romance with morally grey characters. Heads up, this book has a cliffhanger ending, but the author has said all books will be out this year.

Note; this is a very dark romance for adult readers. Content guidance can be found at: 

https://leightongreene.com/the-beast-who-broke-me/

Title: His Fatal Love (West Coast Mobsters Book 3)

Author: Leighton Greene

Narrator: Michael Ferraiuolo

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Thank you to Leighton Greene for providing me a copy of this audiobook in return for an honest review.

Castellani assassin, Julian, the psychopathic younger half-brother of the family Don, has been given permission to look into his mother’s murder from when he was a child. Meanwhile, the second son of the Bernardi Family Don, and their enforcer, Leo “The Lion”, has been charged with seducing Julian with the aim of turning him into a tool for the Bernardi’s. As the two men work to outsmart each other while entertaining all of their desires, feelings start to form, but as their families are enemies how can the situation end in anything but heartache?

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Michael Ferraiuolo is fantastic at narrating this world that Leighton Greene has created. 

What I liked:  

Julian intrigued me from when we first met him in “Vow of the Vigilante (Morelli Family book 7)”, and his appearances in the previous two books of this series have been a delight.  Needless to say I was impatient to start this audiobook as soon as it was available to me. Learning more about what makes Julian tick has been an emotional journey, and I’m so glad Leo was deserving of him. Their relationship, while bumpy with misunderstandings, was incredibly sweet. The mystery aspect of the book was as twisty as usual, and while I, again, figured out who did it way too early, the who’s and why’s along the way kept me guessing.

What didn’t work for me: 

Holy heck, one of those spice scenes was way outside my comfort level! I appreciate LG’s ability to cater to a wide range of kinks, but sometimes I’m left shuddering (and not in a good way), this was one of them, even MF’s gorgeous tone couldn’t help. 

Final thoughts:

A captivating addition to the West Coast Mobsters series.

Who would enjoy this:

Adults who read darker romances with a mystery element. To avoid spoilers, read the series in order.

Title: His Brutal Heart (West Coast Mobsters Book 2)

Author: Leighton Greene

Narrator: Michael Ferraiuolo

Rating: 5/5 stars

Thank you to Leighton Greene for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in return for an honest review.

After the shocking conclusion to “His Lethal Desire (West Coast Mobsters Book 1)”, Alessandro ‘Sandro’ Castellani, heir to the Castellani crime family, finds himself needing to solve a murder, while unsure who he can truly trust. When he catches mafia fanatic and owner of the website “Cute Crims”, Teddy MacCallum, spying on him at a crime scene, he takes him prisoner instead of killing him when Teddy promises he can help with Sandro’s murder investigation.

The word “delicious” popped into my head so many times during Michael Ferraiuolo’s narration of this book, with his voicing of Sandro being especially exquisite. The diversity of the other characters' voices was on point too.

Okay, so I did guess the who and why for the main investigation pretty early on, but I did not see the MASSIVE plot twist coming at all! Nor the other curve balls that were thrown at the MCs throughout the story. This was an exciting read, with a brilliant plot and a highly charged chemistry between Sandro and Teddy. I would have happily listened in one sitting if I hadn’t had to “people” halfway through. I am really looking forward to the next book!

Final thoughts: Yes please, and I need more!

Who would enjoy this: Fans of contemporary romances with morally grey characters. I strongly suggest you read “His Lethal Desire” first to avoid spoilers.

Title: His Lethal Desire (West Coast Mobsters Book 1)

Author: Leighton Greene

Narrator: Michael Ferraiuolo

Rating: 4/5 stars

Thank you to Leighton Greene for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in return for an honest review.

After falling from grace in the Castellani crime family, Jacobo is given a second chance to regain his position when his boss assigns him to find a missing actress. His first port of call is her twin brother, Miller, who happens to be the intriguing young man he spent the previous night flirting with. With Miller insisting on helping with the case, the two men find themselves growing closer as the search becomes increasingly dangerous.

Michael Ferraiuolo has a certain talent for making these mobsters utterly desirable. My stomach swooped a number of times when Jacobo “spoke”.  I wasn’t quite as satisfied as usual with his character choices when it came to Miller’s voice, though. It was just a bit too similar to Jacobo's, and I occasionally forgot who was talking. As Miller was raised in L.A., I would have thought a Californian accent might have been a better option.  

What I liked:  

Confession time! I’ve had the ebook of this sitting in my library for a while now, but I was hoping I’d have a chance to hear it first (I really do love Michael’s voice for these books!). So I was a very happy bunny when Leighton’s PA’s email showed up in my inbox the other day!  This was a sublime opening novel to a new mobster series. I adored the slightly silly-serious dynamic between the two main characters. The plot kept me guessing, and while I had correctly surmised a couple of key points, the path to them was a surprise. We’ve met some of the Castellani family in the Morelli family series, and I’m really looking forward to getting to know them better, especially after that plot twist of an ending! 

What didn’t work for me: 

I’m struggling to pinpoint what kept this from being a five-star story for me. I think it just didn’t push my “I have to read that again right now” button the way “Married to the Mobster” did. 

Final thoughts: 

A blast of a first entry to what looks set to be an exciting new Leighton Greene mobster series.

Who would enjoy this: Fans of contemporary romance and mobsters, with a gratifying plot.