They met under summer showers ...

Vera Markovic only wanted a vacation away from New York where everyone knows her as a Russian Mafiya printsessa of the Markovic Bratva. She didn’t expect to find something worth remembering. And definitely not a man like Alfie Shelby.

They fell in love when the leaves changed colors ...

As New York City’s notorious fixer, Alfie Shelby always gets what he wants—and when he sets his eyes on Vera, he’ll do anything to keep her ... even if she’s not sure she wants to be kept.

And they nearly lost it all when the snow started to fall ...

She wants nothing to do with a gangster.
A life of crime is all he knows.
But neither can deny what they have, even when forces beyond their control try to keep them apart.

coz-en (kuz-uhn)
verb
1. trick or deceive.
• obtain by deception.

She was named most appropriately.

Cozen Taylor has more than earned her place as one of North America’s most successful thieves. Her name is whispered amongst criminal elite as the go-to thief when someone needs a heist.

She has never failed.

A call from the Miami-based Astor family could change all that with a job that seems almost impossible to complete. The mark should be simple—a stolen family heirloom, the man who has kept it hidden for over twenty years, and six months to return the piece to its rightful owners.

Nothing is ever that easy.

Three-hundred million for a successful heist. No smart thief would turn the offer down. Cozen didn’t expect a complication like him to put a kink in her plans, though. Sargon Makri—tall, dark, gorgeous, and entirely dangerous. For her life, her heart, and for the success of the heist.

The last thing Cozen needs to be thinking about is Sargon, and how she can get him into her bed … especially when he just happens to be her mark’s bodyguard. The thrill of the job has never been more addicting to Cozen, and she will risk everything to make the heist a success.

But at what cost?

***

From author Bethany-Kris comes a whole new world. A North American network full of criminals battling to stay on top, and painting the streets red in war as they dabble in the game of betrayal. Malicious, cunning, forbidden, and violent—welcome to The Empires and Badlands.

Amazon | Goodreads

My Review

I think this will be the simplest review I’ve ever written for a book I’ve read by Bethany-Kris. If you haven’t read anything of hers before, this is a perfect example of her exemplary prose and a wise choice to get your feet wet with. And if you’re a mega fan like me, you’ll love how seemingly flawless her segue from mafia romance to plain old romantic suspense is.

Cozen is a thief looking for her last job and it happens to land in her lap at just the right time. Her skills are highly sought after because she doesn’t just steal what you’re looking for. There’s no smash-and-grab. She has the unique ability to insert herself into her target’s life, identify the mark, take the mark, and exit without anyone being the wiser. Perfect. And her tactics should have worked just as effortlessly as ever before except for one snag - an irresistible man named Sargon. While trying to seduce her target, she was also seducing him, and from first sight, she was seduced by him. And it was sexy, incredibly hot, and absolutely beautiful.

I loved so much about this story and I wish it didn’t have to end. I loved Sargon’s frustration over Cozen’s pretense. I loved how Cozen couldn’t help herself when it came to Sargon. And I loved the twists and turns that this author fed me right up until the end. I admit that I was pleasantly surprised that I was intentionally left in the dark about so much and yet I felt that the surprises only validated how much I loved these characters.

San Francisco is going to burn if the coveted princess of California’s criminal underworld isn’t returned to her family in one piece…

Avery Capulet is missing.

Taken by a madman. Kept in the dark.

She might not survive.

He’ll use her body. Destroy her mind. All before he ever lays a hand on her.

******

Rome Montague is a drug dealer. A criminal. A thief.

And he needs the secrets Avery and her family are keeping – even if it means cutting them out of her pretty Capulet flesh.

Rome Montague is missing – but nobody will miss him.

Not that it matters; After the things he’s done to this girl, he doesn’t deserve to be found.

* * * * * * *

Prepare to step into the dark and bloody underworld of California, as Lili St. Germain brings you a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet, in the same vein as her bestselling Gypsy brothers series.

The CALIFORNIA BLOOD series, set in the criminal underbelly of San Francisco, follows two warring families who are ruled by blood, power and twisted desire.

Verona Blood is the first book in the series.

Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.
That was how it all started.
With my father. Her father.
Their sins. Our sins.
The sins of our past.

Our love could break us.
Their power could destroy us.
But I would die trying.
She would die fighting.

The men who took her would pay.
Blood would be spilled.
Lives would be shattered.
I vowed to end them.
All of them.

Available NOW: https://amzn.to/2rAiCeC

Once upon a time, I fell in love with a blue-eyed boy who promised me forever.
We fell hard and fast, even though our relationship was forbidden.
Loving Angelo Morelli wasn’t my first sin.
It wouldn’t be my last.

Our families were friends before they were enemies, fighting for power in the city.
I was their bargaining chip, a pawn to be used by the most powerful men in Philadelphia.
I just didn’t know it.

Angelo was my white knight in a world full of darkness.
But someone had to pay for the sins of the past.
Too bad that person was me.

I’m a man who has it all: power, love, and wealth.
I’m a man who always needs to be in control.
I’m a husband.
I’m a murderer.
I’m the underboss of the Chicagoan mafia.
I keep the world that Fallon and I have created in our home safe, and I’d sacrifice anything or anyone to protect the woman I love and my high ranking position without an ounce of remorse.
Until my worst nightmare comes true and I lose control over my home and myself, posing a challenge neither Fallon nor I ever anticipated.
And I fear that being a good husband and being a good Mafioso might get one of us killed.

A standalone novel from the Chicago Syndicate world. It's not necessary to have read book 1 and 2.

A romantic suspense in dual point of view.

Find it here: https://amzn.to/2qAgkvA

Siena Calabrese is no longer the prized daughter of la famiglia. Her transgressions against her brothers and family have stained more than just her reputation. Her best chance at keeping breath in her lungs would be to sit down and shut up like she was taught to do. She definitely shouldn't be feeding information to her family's enemies. And yet, she is still willing to risk it all for a chance at forever with Johnathan Marcello. After everything, how could she not?

The disgraced one …

Johnathan Marcello’s life and secrets have now been put on display for everyone to see. There's no hiding the things he's tried to keep hidden, but maybe that's the best thing that could have happened. Now he's about to walk straight into a war between rival mafia families, and he's got choices to make. His love is on one side, he's on the other, and everybody is playing for keeps. He'll play the game just as dirty as anyone else to get what he wants, even to the detriment of himself. For her, how could he not?

The shamed one …

It's time that the forgotten king takes back his throne. It's already been too long since it was taken from him.

But when has anything in this life been easy?

This Mafia Romance is available now! https://amzn.to/2qult7B

Fresh out of prison after serving a three-year sentence, Johnathan Marcello wants to get back to normal business as a mafia capo. The rules set out for him are clear—keep out of trouble, maintain a low profile, and stay stable. But stability is a delicate balance for a man like John, and shaky ground is only a single step away.

A chance encounter with a blue-eyed woman might just change his whole world.

Siena Calabrese’s life revolves around cooking numbers, and scrubbing books clean. After all, a girl is only useful to men in the mafia, if she isn’t totally useless. As long as she does what they want, then she can maintain the illusion of freedom. But illusions are only delusions in the grand scheme of her life, and reality is far more dangerous.

A man with secrets might just be the one thing she didn’t know she needed.

In this life, family is everything. Or, that’s how it should be.

Distrust.
Love.
Betrayal.
Loyalty.

Mix it all together, and it makes for a volatile city.

A war is coming.

The Vasiliev name is a powerful one.
We rule with an iron fist and we do it well.
Being the eldest, I am Father’s best hope at keeping us at the top of the food chain.

Everything I do has purpose.
Everything I do has reason.
Until her.

I play my games thinking several moves ahead.
Power. Power. Power.
Until her.

The next move requires I marry and soon.
This will strengthen us and secure our position.
But I am not to marry her.

I am to wed the eldest Volkov.
Problem is, her younger sister is the one who awakens my dead heart.
It is her I want in my bed and by my side forever.
Her. Her. Her.

In this game, though, it’s not about what I want.
But maybe it can be about what she wants.

I am Vlad.
Vile. Vicious. Villainous. Vasiliev.
And I will win eventually.

Consequence, the conclusion to Sayer and Caroline’s epic love story

Five years ago, I escaped a dangerous life I had always wanted to leave. I got away. I found freedom. But it cost me the love of my life.

For five years I lived in hiding, protecting my most valuable secret while Sayer Wesley sat in prison paying for both our sins. I promised to love him forever. I promised to never leave him.

I broke my promises.

Five months ago Sayer found me.

Five weeks ago, I was forced to face my past.

Five days ago, someone took my daughter. They kidnapped her in order to make Sayer and me suffer. I will do anything to get her back. Even if that means coming clean to Sayer, letting him into my life and introducing him to our daughter.

All I wanted was to protect her from this life and now she’s right in the middle of the chaos. Sayer is the only one that can help me. He’s the only one that can get her back.

But it might mean losing him again.

Fifteen years ago, I fell in love with Sayer Wesley. Now I must pay the consequences for falling in love with a con man.

Fifteen years ago I met Sayer Wesley. I fell in love with him. I promised I would never leave him. I swore nothing could break us apart.

Five years ago I broke my promise. I ran away. I took the one secret that could destroy us both and disappeared.

Five days ago I thought I saw him.

I knew it was impossible. Sayer was locked away, serving a deserved sentence in federal prison. He couldn’t find me.

He wouldn’t find me. I was too good at hiding. Too good at surviving.

Because if Sayer ever found me, there would be hell to pay for a plethora of sins. The worst of which, he didn’t even know about.

Five hours ago, I told myself I was crazy.

Five minutes ago, I saw him again.

Five seconds ago, I was too late.