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Sins & Deceit #2
Because I Need You
From New York Times best-seller Claire Contreras comes a new, sexy stand-alone mafia romance novel . . .
Isabel Bonetti –
One minute I’m mourning the sudden death of my father, and the next, I’m getting calls from a lawyer saying they needed to read me my father’s will.
As far as I know, my father didn’t have much to leave. He was a blue-collar worker, through and through.
Or so I thought.
Everything topples down at once, the inheritance I’m left with and the truth about what my father did, but the biggest shock of all was finding out he’d married me off to a complete stranger without my consent.
By the time I show up at my supposed husband’s nightclub, I’m determined to leave with divorce papers signed, but nothing can prepare me for the man that awaits me on the other side of those doors.
Giovanni Masseria –
My father has done a lot of messed up stuff, but marrying me off to Charles Bonetti’s daughter, a complete stranger, may take the cake. I didn’t even know old Bonetti had a daughter and I want nothing to do with her or this marriage, until I’m told what staying married to her would mean for the empire I’m slowly trying to build. There’s no harm in staying married a little longer if it means I’ll cash out on those promises. I decide that I’ll cut ties with her as soon as that’s done.
That is, until barges into my office demanding a divorce.
I wasn’t sure what I’d expected her to be like, but it certainly wasn’t . . . this.
A week ago, I didn’t know of her existence, and now, I can’t seem to escape her presence anywhere I go.
She doesn’t belong in this world and I know this won’t end well for either of us, but I can’t seem to stop reminding her who I am.
Her husband.
Isabel Bonetti –
One minute I’m mourning the sudden death of my father, and the next, I’m getting calls from a lawyer saying they needed to read me my father’s will.
As far as I know, my father didn’t have much to leave. He was a blue-collar worker, through and through.
Or so I thought.
Everything topples down at once, the inheritance I’m left with and the truth about what my father did, but the biggest shock of all was finding out he’d married me off to a complete stranger without my consent.
By the time I show up at my supposed husband’s nightclub, I’m determined to leave with divorce papers signed, but nothing can prepare me for the man that awaits me on the other side of those doors.
Giovanni Masseria –
My father has done a lot of messed up stuff, but marrying me off to Charles Bonetti’s daughter, a complete stranger, may take the cake. I didn’t even know old Bonetti had a daughter and I want nothing to do with her or this marriage, until I’m told what staying married to her would mean for the empire I’m slowly trying to build. There’s no harm in staying married a little longer if it means I’ll cash out on those promises. I decide that I’ll cut ties with her as soon as that’s done.
That is, until barges into my office demanding a divorce.
I wasn’t sure what I’d expected her to be like, but it certainly wasn’t . . . this.
A week ago, I didn’t know of her existence, and now, I can’t seem to escape her presence anywhere I go.
She doesn’t belong in this world and I know this won’t end well for either of us, but I can’t seem to stop reminding her who I am.
Her husband.
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 8, 2022
About the author
Claire Contreras
57 books17k followersClaire Contreras is a New York Times Best Selling Author. Her books range from romantic suspense to contemporary romance and are currently translated into over fifteen languages. When she's not writing, she's usually lost in a book or hanging out with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 538 reviews
May 26, 2022
1.5 stars
Tiktok made me read this book and damn was I bored
spoilers ahead
plot
The book starts off with Isabel’s father unexpectedly dying. She then gets a call from his lawyer who drops some major bombs that rock her world apart. Literally one of the bomb does physically rock her world later on. Repeatedly.
💣 1 Charles Bonetti, the father of Isabel Bonetti did not actually paint houses and drive a beat old truck, nai nai, he used to paint human bodies in red color, if you know what I mean 😉 and owns millions of dollars/investments that now all belong to Isabel.
💣 2 Isabel is actually a love child, her mother was Charles mistress.
💣 3 Isabel got married to Giovanni Masseria when she was 18. Her having no idea who he is which shocked everyone she asked, ”like you don’t know who THE Giovanni is?” Nope sorry, I mean why would she? She is a middle school teacher by day and a dutiful, loyal mayor’s girlfriend by night, why would she know about some money laundering criminal.
“I’m a middle school teacher. My father owned a painting company. My mother worked at restaurants most of her life, and now you’re telling me that my dad left me millions of dollars and investment properties, when he drove the same beat-up truck for ten years?”
I stared at him. “Do you understand why I’m having a very difficult time wrapping my head around all of this?”
“I know it’s a lot to take in,” he said calmly. “I think the second marriage license is probably the worst of it.”
“The worst of it?” I barked out a laugh. “Living a lie my entire life isn’t the worst of it? Being the product of an affair? Finding out my father had a whole other family?”
Read the room lawyer dude.
Anywayyyy after asking around she finds Giovanni at his club and goes to confront him about their marriage. Let’s rewind a little bit to Giovanni’s reaction to all of this.
So Giovanni, is the son of one of the five bad guys club seat owner, yes seat owner, because god did they take an ENTIRE chapter to just talk about who will take over Charles seat since he is dead and only men can sit on the damn seat.
Seat word count in chapter 2 24
Do you know how frustrating it is to read the same word again and again!?
Anyway then he gets to know Charles has a daughter he is married to and is also shocked since he didn’t know about it either but decided to stay married until he gets some documents from Isabel.
Giovanni and Isabel’s first time meeting
The chair swiveled around quickly, his dark eyes landing on mine and narrowing instantly. I stopped breathing for a moment. For the sake of my own sanity, I tried very hard not to find him attractive. I tried, and failed, because the man sitting in front of me, claiming to be my husband, was by far the most attractive man I’d ever seen in person. The internet pictures definitely hadn’t done him justice.
I wasn’t expecting her to be drop dead fucking gorgeous, with golden skin, light brown hair that hit her at the elbows, and eyes that nearly matched the shade. I definitely wasn’t expecting her to be funny or sarcastic or a teacher. A fucking teacher. How could Nadia have left that part out of her one sentence pitch? That was my fucking fantasy growing up and my teachers looked nothing like Isabel Bonetti.
I mean atleast Giovanni did not have a almost cliche reaction right?
They stay married until Giovanni could find some keys/documents for the warehouses Charles owned and also something related to the bad boy club seat, Idk everything was going over my head with so much information and honestly it was boring so I lost interest in the part of the plot. What I do recall is that Isabel got attacked in the start because other people were also now after Charles stuff, then she started staying with Giovanni for safety, then we get to know she was raped at one point in her past and then towards the end she gets kidnapped by Giovannis mother again who doesn’t want to have a “seat” but wants control and is saved by Giovanni and they live happily ever after.
I was hoping Giovanni and Isabel would make it a fun read for me but sadly no. They tried though, there were moments but they didn’t last long. I skipped a lot after the 50% mark just to finish the book.
Side Note They both are with other people at this point, Giovanni breaks up with Natasha early on because she was getting clingy and Isabel breaks up with Will later on (around 44% into the book)
I frowned at that. Natasha was the woman I’d been seeing for six months now. Six months was a big deal for me. She’d met my sisters. On purpose. Not some run-in at a dark club or restaurant. That was a bigger deal. So, yes, I was worried about Natasha’s feelings.
But of course it wasn’t serious lol
“Was Natasha in Turks & Caicos all week?” Nadia asked. I glared at her.
“You know she wasn’t.”
“My point exactly. The minute Natasha had to fly to Paris, you had a replacement waiting for you in the lobby.”
“It’s not my fault women want me,” I said, eyes narrowed. “You act like I had someone flown in or something. How’d you find out about that anyway?”
So Giovanni wasn’t serious so it was fine but Isabel….
I swallowed, nodding as he swiped another tear and dragged his thumb down to my bottom lip, pressing it there. My pulse zapped, desire washing over every inch of my body as I searched his eyes. He searched mine, his thumb still on my lip. I wasn’t sure why I did it, but I snuck my tongue out to touch the pad of his thumb with it. His eyes seemed to darken more as he pressed his thumb farther into my mouth, so far that I had to bite down on it. He hissed, eyes darkening furthermore, and my heart launched against my chest as if looking for a safe place. There would be none. Not with this man. I knew that as well as I knew my name. And yet, something about him was magnetizing. Something about him made it impossible to look away. He seemed to remember something and instantly shut down the lust that had just filled his eyes, the longing. He took his finger out of my mouth and straightened, going back to business Giovanni as he backed away from me.
I walked closer to her, but away from the view of the camera. Her eyes were squeezed shut, but when she opened them and saw me, she gasped loudly. William thought it had something to do with him and told her to keep doing that, but her eyes were on me. I braced myself for her to end the call, for her to sit up and tell me to leave. When she didn’t, I walked closer to the pillow where the phone was propped up, testing, waiting, but she did nothing, just stared with a look of awe on her face. William barked out an order, for her to move her fingers inside of herself. She complied, looking at him briefly, before meeting my eyes again. I felt my lips move into a smile. This was completely unexpected and sexy as fuck. She was going to get off to me, not him. I knew it from the way her eyes hooded and her fingers moved faster. I brought a hand down and closed it around her ankle, squeezing hard. She gasped loudly, back arching, fingers now moving over her clit. From the strain in William’s voice, I figured he was seconds from spilling his load. Fuck him for coming before making sure she did.
“Just say the word and my mouth will be on that beautiful pussy,” I said, licking my lips as I imagined what she would taste like, my cock pulsing in my slacks.
“Say the word.”
“I can’t.” She inhaled sharply and shook her head. “You can’t touch me.” I gave a nod. I figured as much. It was the right call, too, because I knew myself. If I tasted her, I’d want all of her, and she wasn’t mine to have. Yet. “You want me to touch myself while you touch yourself?” I raised an eyebrow. She bit her lip and nodded her head eagerly.
“Fuck, Isabel,” I groaned. I was about to say more, when her phone started buzzing again, a FaceTime call from William no doubt. She looked at it and looked back up at me, still wordless, not moving.
I should have been pissed off at him for walking in on me like that, but instead, I’d welcomed it. And he wasn’t wrong. I would have never gotten myself off if I’d continued with Will’s suggestions. I would’ve never gotten off without seeing him touch himself. God. He’d been so hard, so big, so incredible. I should’ve been burning with shame from merely remembering it, but I wasn’t. I felt alive. I felt unstoppable. Sex-timing was something we did often when Will traveled, and every time I’d have to wait until we ended the call to get myself off. Even if Giovanni had just stood there, not touching me at all, just watching me through those dark hooded eyes, I would have come, but he’d touched my legs, and then he’d touched himself. And it was so good. Too good.
I mean it’s funny how she draws the line with Giovanni touching her but is okay with him watching her touching herself while HER BOYFRIEND is video chatting with her and asking him to touch himself too LOOOOL.
And of course the cliche I never had an orgasm before the H walks in. God forbid if the other man is ever good at something 😂
Listen i might have been okay with this if they had amazing chemistry from the start and had that sexy tension between them that you could just feel by reading but unfortunately they didn’t, they met, it was lust at first sight and the rest was history.
Tiktok made me read this book and damn was I bored
spoilers ahead
plot
The book starts off with Isabel’s father unexpectedly dying. She then gets a call from his lawyer who drops some major bombs that rock her world apart. Literally one of the bomb does physically rock her world later on. Repeatedly.
💣 1 Charles Bonetti, the father of Isabel Bonetti did not actually paint houses and drive a beat old truck, nai nai, he used to paint human bodies in red color, if you know what I mean 😉 and owns millions of dollars/investments that now all belong to Isabel.
💣 2 Isabel is actually a love child, her mother was Charles mistress.
💣 3 Isabel got married to Giovanni Masseria when she was 18. Her having no idea who he is which shocked everyone she asked, ”like you don’t know who THE Giovanni is?” Nope sorry, I mean why would she? She is a middle school teacher by day and a dutiful, loyal mayor’s girlfriend by night, why would she know about some money laundering criminal.
“I’m a middle school teacher. My father owned a painting company. My mother worked at restaurants most of her life, and now you’re telling me that my dad left me millions of dollars and investment properties, when he drove the same beat-up truck for ten years?”
I stared at him. “Do you understand why I’m having a very difficult time wrapping my head around all of this?”
“I know it’s a lot to take in,” he said calmly. “I think the second marriage license is probably the worst of it.”
“The worst of it?” I barked out a laugh. “Living a lie my entire life isn’t the worst of it? Being the product of an affair? Finding out my father had a whole other family?”
Read the room lawyer dude.
Anywayyyy after asking around she finds Giovanni at his club and goes to confront him about their marriage. Let’s rewind a little bit to Giovanni’s reaction to all of this.
So Giovanni, is the son of one of the five bad guys club seat owner, yes seat owner, because god did they take an ENTIRE chapter to just talk about who will take over Charles seat since he is dead and only men can sit on the damn seat.
Seat word count in chapter 2 24
Do you know how frustrating it is to read the same word again and again!?
Anyway then he gets to know Charles has a daughter he is married to and is also shocked since he didn’t know about it either but decided to stay married until he gets some documents from Isabel.
Giovanni and Isabel’s first time meeting
The chair swiveled around quickly, his dark eyes landing on mine and narrowing instantly. I stopped breathing for a moment. For the sake of my own sanity, I tried very hard not to find him attractive. I tried, and failed, because the man sitting in front of me, claiming to be my husband, was by far the most attractive man I’d ever seen in person. The internet pictures definitely hadn’t done him justice.
I wasn’t expecting her to be drop dead fucking gorgeous, with golden skin, light brown hair that hit her at the elbows, and eyes that nearly matched the shade. I definitely wasn’t expecting her to be funny or sarcastic or a teacher. A fucking teacher. How could Nadia have left that part out of her one sentence pitch? That was my fucking fantasy growing up and my teachers looked nothing like Isabel Bonetti.
I mean atleast Giovanni did not have a almost cliche reaction right?
They stay married until Giovanni could find some keys/documents for the warehouses Charles owned and also something related to the bad boy club seat, Idk everything was going over my head with so much information and honestly it was boring so I lost interest in the part of the plot. What I do recall is that Isabel got attacked in the start because other people were also now after Charles stuff, then she started staying with Giovanni for safety, then we get to know she was raped at one point in her past and then towards the end she gets kidnapped by Giovannis mother again who doesn’t want to have a “seat” but wants control and is saved by Giovanni and they live happily ever after.
I was hoping Giovanni and Isabel would make it a fun read for me but sadly no. They tried though, there were moments but they didn’t last long. I skipped a lot after the 50% mark just to finish the book.
Side Note They both are with other people at this point, Giovanni breaks up with Natasha early on because she was getting clingy and Isabel breaks up with Will later on (around 44% into the book)
I frowned at that. Natasha was the woman I’d been seeing for six months now. Six months was a big deal for me. She’d met my sisters. On purpose. Not some run-in at a dark club or restaurant. That was a bigger deal. So, yes, I was worried about Natasha’s feelings.
But of course it wasn’t serious lol
“Was Natasha in Turks & Caicos all week?” Nadia asked. I glared at her.
“You know she wasn’t.”
“My point exactly. The minute Natasha had to fly to Paris, you had a replacement waiting for you in the lobby.”
“It’s not my fault women want me,” I said, eyes narrowed. “You act like I had someone flown in or something. How’d you find out about that anyway?”
So Giovanni wasn’t serious so it was fine but Isabel….
I swallowed, nodding as he swiped another tear and dragged his thumb down to my bottom lip, pressing it there. My pulse zapped, desire washing over every inch of my body as I searched his eyes. He searched mine, his thumb still on my lip. I wasn’t sure why I did it, but I snuck my tongue out to touch the pad of his thumb with it. His eyes seemed to darken more as he pressed his thumb farther into my mouth, so far that I had to bite down on it. He hissed, eyes darkening furthermore, and my heart launched against my chest as if looking for a safe place. There would be none. Not with this man. I knew that as well as I knew my name. And yet, something about him was magnetizing. Something about him made it impossible to look away. He seemed to remember something and instantly shut down the lust that had just filled his eyes, the longing. He took his finger out of my mouth and straightened, going back to business Giovanni as he backed away from me.
I walked closer to her, but away from the view of the camera. Her eyes were squeezed shut, but when she opened them and saw me, she gasped loudly. William thought it had something to do with him and told her to keep doing that, but her eyes were on me. I braced myself for her to end the call, for her to sit up and tell me to leave. When she didn’t, I walked closer to the pillow where the phone was propped up, testing, waiting, but she did nothing, just stared with a look of awe on her face. William barked out an order, for her to move her fingers inside of herself. She complied, looking at him briefly, before meeting my eyes again. I felt my lips move into a smile. This was completely unexpected and sexy as fuck. She was going to get off to me, not him. I knew it from the way her eyes hooded and her fingers moved faster. I brought a hand down and closed it around her ankle, squeezing hard. She gasped loudly, back arching, fingers now moving over her clit. From the strain in William’s voice, I figured he was seconds from spilling his load. Fuck him for coming before making sure she did.
“Just say the word and my mouth will be on that beautiful pussy,” I said, licking my lips as I imagined what she would taste like, my cock pulsing in my slacks.
“Say the word.”
“I can’t.” She inhaled sharply and shook her head. “You can’t touch me.” I gave a nod. I figured as much. It was the right call, too, because I knew myself. If I tasted her, I’d want all of her, and she wasn’t mine to have. Yet. “You want me to touch myself while you touch yourself?” I raised an eyebrow. She bit her lip and nodded her head eagerly.
“Fuck, Isabel,” I groaned. I was about to say more, when her phone started buzzing again, a FaceTime call from William no doubt. She looked at it and looked back up at me, still wordless, not moving.
I should have been pissed off at him for walking in on me like that, but instead, I’d welcomed it. And he wasn’t wrong. I would have never gotten myself off if I’d continued with Will’s suggestions. I would’ve never gotten off without seeing him touch himself. God. He’d been so hard, so big, so incredible. I should’ve been burning with shame from merely remembering it, but I wasn’t. I felt alive. I felt unstoppable. Sex-timing was something we did often when Will traveled, and every time I’d have to wait until we ended the call to get myself off. Even if Giovanni had just stood there, not touching me at all, just watching me through those dark hooded eyes, I would have come, but he’d touched my legs, and then he’d touched himself. And it was so good. Too good.
I mean it’s funny how she draws the line with Giovanni touching her but is okay with him watching her touching herself while HER BOYFRIEND is video chatting with her and asking him to touch himself too LOOOOL.
And of course the cliche I never had an orgasm before the H walks in. God forbid if the other man is ever good at something 😂
Listen i might have been okay with this if they had amazing chemistry from the start and had that sexy tension between them that you could just feel by reading but unfortunately they didn’t, they met, it was lust at first sight and the rest was history.
May 24, 2022
4 stars
Claire Contreras writes romantic suspense so well! I was in the mood for a mafia type book and this one really hit the spot. It has enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, the best alpha hero, and a heroine who knows how to protect herself.
This story starts off with Isabel losing her father and finding out she's.... married? She had no clue and neither did her husband, Giovanni. I remember reading Because Your Mine and wanting a Gio book so badly- I'm glad we got it!
I loved both Isabel and Giovanni. I loved their banter, they had the best chemistry and attraction, and you could just tell they were meant to be. This was an addicting book I didn't want to put down!
Claire Contreras writes romantic suspense so well! I was in the mood for a mafia type book and this one really hit the spot. It has enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, the best alpha hero, and a heroine who knows how to protect herself.
This story starts off with Isabel losing her father and finding out she's.... married? She had no clue and neither did her husband, Giovanni. I remember reading Because Your Mine and wanting a Gio book so badly- I'm glad we got it!
I loved both Isabel and Giovanni. I loved their banter, they had the best chemistry and attraction, and you could just tell they were meant to be. This was an addicting book I didn't want to put down!
May 24, 2022
***COMING SOON***
5 STARS
Ahhhh! I loved being back in this world with these characters (standalone in the same world as Because You’re Mine)
What I loved:
1. Giovanni was so perfect. I loved how possessive and protective he was, but he was also so open and caring for those he loved.
2. Isabel was a great heroine. She has a lot of layers to her character, and I loved her part in the ending.
3. These two are magic together - great banter and physical connection. What really solidified my love for them, though, was how open and vulnerable they are with each other.
4. The cannot get enough of this mafia crew. Claire, through Gio, really gives an updated version of this mafia family and I was here for it.
5. The mafia storyline was very interesting, making their tie in and meet-cute interesting. It ties them together in a way that gives them time to fall in love with each other.
If you like mafia romances (and maybe are unsure about darker ones) this is for you. It has all of the mafia goodness but is more mild on the dark themes and activities.
Because I Need You is a great tale of love, family and finding the person worth changing for, worth fighting for, and worth sacrificing for.
ARC review
5 STARS
Ahhhh! I loved being back in this world with these characters (standalone in the same world as Because You’re Mine)
What I loved:
1. Giovanni was so perfect. I loved how possessive and protective he was, but he was also so open and caring for those he loved.
2. Isabel was a great heroine. She has a lot of layers to her character, and I loved her part in the ending.
3. These two are magic together - great banter and physical connection. What really solidified my love for them, though, was how open and vulnerable they are with each other.
4. The cannot get enough of this mafia crew. Claire, through Gio, really gives an updated version of this mafia family and I was here for it.
5. The mafia storyline was very interesting, making their tie in and meet-cute interesting. It ties them together in a way that gives them time to fall in love with each other.
If you like mafia romances (and maybe are unsure about darker ones) this is for you. It has all of the mafia goodness but is more mild on the dark themes and activities.
Because I Need You is a great tale of love, family and finding the person worth changing for, worth fighting for, and worth sacrificing for.
ARC review
June 2, 2022
5 "I Want Everything" stars!
(ARC provided by author/Valentine PR)
Isabel Bonetti is a middle school teacher living in New York. She decides to spend her summer break with her dad and heads to Chicago where everything starts to unravel. When her father suddenly passes away she's devastated. He'd always been her rock and the only person she truly trusted, but she soon discovers she never really knew him at all. It turns out her loving dad wasn't the man she thought he was. As she listens to the reading of his will more secrets and lies are revealed, including the bombshell that apparently she was married off without ever knowing. She's thrown into the deep end as her world gets complicated when she meets her supposed husband. He's easily the most attractive man she's ever laid eyes on. She's at his nightclub to ask for a divorce so she can move on, but she gets a whole lot more than she bargained for with Giovanni Masseria.
As the first born son of Joseph Masseria, Gio lives an extravagant lifestyle. He has a reputation as a playboy, but family means everything to him. He is focused on the business and being one of the powerful five families. He lives in an environment that is ruthless and unpredictable, but nothing compares to his father's latest secret. He learns he's married to a stranger who might be the key to making all his wishes come true. What he didn't expect was the connection they would share or how bad he would want her to be his.
Because I Need You by Claire Contreras is a sexy, standalone, arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, mafia romance with secrets, lies, mystery, intrigue, suspense, undeniable chemistry and fabulous banter. I was so excited to finally get Gio's story. This man was alpha to the extreme, and I loved every moment. It was addicting, consuming and unforgettable! This is one of my favorites of Claire's books and I need more from this world!!! <333
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/3t0eowD
(ARC provided by author/Valentine PR)
Isabel Bonetti is a middle school teacher living in New York. She decides to spend her summer break with her dad and heads to Chicago where everything starts to unravel. When her father suddenly passes away she's devastated. He'd always been her rock and the only person she truly trusted, but she soon discovers she never really knew him at all. It turns out her loving dad wasn't the man she thought he was. As she listens to the reading of his will more secrets and lies are revealed, including the bombshell that apparently she was married off without ever knowing. She's thrown into the deep end as her world gets complicated when she meets her supposed husband. He's easily the most attractive man she's ever laid eyes on. She's at his nightclub to ask for a divorce so she can move on, but she gets a whole lot more than she bargained for with Giovanni Masseria.
As the first born son of Joseph Masseria, Gio lives an extravagant lifestyle. He has a reputation as a playboy, but family means everything to him. He is focused on the business and being one of the powerful five families. He lives in an environment that is ruthless and unpredictable, but nothing compares to his father's latest secret. He learns he's married to a stranger who might be the key to making all his wishes come true. What he didn't expect was the connection they would share or how bad he would want her to be his.
Because I Need You by Claire Contreras is a sexy, standalone, arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, mafia romance with secrets, lies, mystery, intrigue, suspense, undeniable chemistry and fabulous banter. I was so excited to finally get Gio's story. This man was alpha to the extreme, and I loved every moment. It was addicting, consuming and unforgettable! This is one of my favorites of Claire's books and I need more from this world!!! <333
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/3t0eowD
May 23, 2022
AHHHHH!! Claire Contreras has officially made my year. Not only has she written a followup story to one of my favorite mafia stories EVER, Because You're Mine, but she completely rocked my world with Because I Need You! Gio and Isabel were AMAZING. The passion between them was FIRE but the banter was NEXT LEVEL!!! I LOVED this story soooo much!
Gah! I literally finished this story 10 minutes ago and I can honestly say that I miss them. I miss Gio's fiery protectiveness, I missed his husband kink (IYKYK) *fans self* and Isabel's strong and sassy personality. They were the perfect match for one another and just so addicting! You will be consumed!!!
All in all, this is my FAVORITE series from Claire Contreras and highlights her incredible raw talent and writing ability! Don't sleep on this series! It is truly incredible and nothing short of 5 star GOALS!!! Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula
Gah! I literally finished this story 10 minutes ago and I can honestly say that I miss them. I miss Gio's fiery protectiveness, I missed his husband kink (IYKYK) *fans self* and Isabel's strong and sassy personality. They were the perfect match for one another and just so addicting! You will be consumed!!!
All in all, this is my FAVORITE series from Claire Contreras and highlights her incredible raw talent and writing ability! Don't sleep on this series! It is truly incredible and nothing short of 5 star GOALS!!! Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula
June 10, 2022
I really enjoyed this story and I look forward to read more stories from Ms. Contreras. 😊
***ARC provided by Valentine PR & Literary Management.
***ARC provided by Valentine PR & Literary Management.
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May 26, 2022I wasn't keen on this.
I felt the blurb gave the impression, to me anyway that once she turned up, they met, he was all in.
But in reality she was a fascination but he wasn't interested in anything long term for a while.
She has a boyfriend, he had a girlfriend when they discover the marriage.
No intimate scenes as such, bit of voyeurism, sort of about phone sex with her and her boyfriend.
He mentions a few times his current girlfriend being great in bed or along those lines.
I felt the blurb gave the impression, to me anyway that once she turned up, they met, he was all in.
But in reality she was a fascination but he wasn't interested in anything long term for a while.
She has a boyfriend, he had a girlfriend when they discover the marriage.
No intimate scenes as such, bit of voyeurism, sort of about phone sex with her and her boyfriend.
He mentions a few times his current girlfriend being great in bed or along those lines.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2022
“…losing is the price you pay for falling in love with anyone, regardless of what they do for a living.”
I have been wanting to read more in this world since I reached The End on book one four years ago! The wait was worth it because Gio and Isabel were everything I need and love in a contemporary mafia read. The tension. The slow burning heat between them. The fact that they aren’t supposed to have such chemistry and yet they do. I truly enjoyed this book. The heat level is mild in my opinion, but honestly I just love the classic mafia romance dynamics that I think have sort of been lost in the darkness some other books try to play up when writing this genre. There are some dark/heavy themes discussed in this book, but I still feel like the focus is evenly split between the love story and the mafia plot.
All in all this was a great read. Can’t wait for book three.
Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTdWXaDNm/?k=1
I have been wanting to read more in this world since I reached The End on book one four years ago! The wait was worth it because Gio and Isabel were everything I need and love in a contemporary mafia read. The tension. The slow burning heat between them. The fact that they aren’t supposed to have such chemistry and yet they do. I truly enjoyed this book. The heat level is mild in my opinion, but honestly I just love the classic mafia romance dynamics that I think have sort of been lost in the darkness some other books try to play up when writing this genre. There are some dark/heavy themes discussed in this book, but I still feel like the focus is evenly split between the love story and the mafia plot.
All in all this was a great read. Can’t wait for book three.
Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTdWXaDNm/?k=1
May 27, 2024
I had a whole review but I accidentally swiped down omg-
—
I was in a reading slump so I decided to read a dark romance and I found this on my “want to read “ shelf.
Isabel (Jule.thi on IG)
She honestly annoyed me. Like I get why she had the opinion but I read too many mafia romance. She wanted to see the good in people which is a no for me.
Giovanni (fc: Pedro Soltz)
Honestly he wasn’t the morally gray character I thought he would be. He was too possessive like damn nobody gonna take her from you. What is up with him and his teacher fetish-
—
This book felt long. There were parts where I was getting bored and the book was loosing me.
I felt like I should’ve read the first book even though this series can be read as a standalone.
There were too many characters and it was honestly hard to know who is who.
THIS HAS CHEATING!!! When I read Isabel had a boyfriend it threw me off. I hate when the mc have significant others before the romance start if you get what I mean. The thing is Isabel’s boyfriend was a good guy and not a trashy dude or wait-
The writing style and grammar was hard to read and I had to go back a re-read it to understand.
—
Overall 3/5 stars. This book wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good. I just wanted to read a dark romance.
I will probably read the first book since the fmc is a ballerina and I know the book will be good when it’s a ballerina romance.
I need to a silly romcom. I need a break from dark romance in the mean time.
—
I was in a reading slump so I decided to read a dark romance and I found this on my “want to read “ shelf.
Isabel (Jule.thi on IG)
She honestly annoyed me. Like I get why she had the opinion but I read too many mafia romance. She wanted to see the good in people which is a no for me.
Giovanni (fc: Pedro Soltz)
Honestly he wasn’t the morally gray character I thought he would be. He was too possessive like damn nobody gonna take her from you. What is up with him and his teacher fetish-
—
This book felt long. There were parts where I was getting bored and the book was loosing me.
I felt like I should’ve read the first book even though this series can be read as a standalone.
There were too many characters and it was honestly hard to know who is who.
THIS HAS CHEATING!!! When I read Isabel had a boyfriend it threw me off. I hate when the mc have significant others before the romance start if you get what I mean. The thing is Isabel’s boyfriend was a good guy and not a trashy dude or wait-
The writing style and grammar was hard to read and I had to go back a re-read it to understand.
—
Overall 3/5 stars. This book wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good. I just wanted to read a dark romance.
I will probably read the first book since the fmc is a ballerina and I know the book will be good when it’s a ballerina romance.
I need to a silly romcom. I need a break from dark romance in the mean time.
June 5, 2022
Lots of “I’m not your boyfriend, I’m your fucking husband” I liked their relationship for the most part. CW for rape, death of parents, verbal abuse, sexual exploitation of a minor, cheating. The side characters felt very flat. Lots of typos (wrong word used), sometimes it would switch between first person and third person pov in the middle of a scene. The plot was not great with lots of plot holes and loose ends. The healing of physical injuries timeline made no sense. The third act break up thing was dumb and it would tick me off to no end because if someone is healing they don’t need heartbreak too. All of those cons to add, I did enjoy it.
May 23, 2022
Lord have mercy, I have a new kink!!
July 3, 2022
4 ⭐'s
Isabel's dad passes away and that's when Isabel realizes she had no clue who her father really was. Her eyes are opened even more when the will is read and when she finds out about his other life. The most jarring thing was finding out that she's been married for the last ten years to a stranger.
Deciding that's a good place to start, she goes about locating her husband who just happens to be Gio, Cat's brother from the first book. Gio is just as shocked but understands all the implications this could have.
He decides to watch over her and get to know her. They are both in relationships so that is a bit of a hiccup.
When people break into Isabel's father's house while she's there, Gio moves her into his house. Things get even more complicated when he walks in on her one night.
The mafia theme is a bit more prevalent in this book but for some reason I didn't mind it. It was intriguing how the younger guys were moving towards a certain outcome.
I loved getting more Lorenzo and Cat but my heart really went to Gio and who he really is. It was also great seeing how his relationship with Isabel evolved.
There are some crazy events at the end but of course, that's not "the end". I don't know whose book is next but I'm still reading it. Because I Want You is up next coming out August 17, 2022.
Isabel's dad passes away and that's when Isabel realizes she had no clue who her father really was. Her eyes are opened even more when the will is read and when she finds out about his other life. The most jarring thing was finding out that she's been married for the last ten years to a stranger.
Deciding that's a good place to start, she goes about locating her husband who just happens to be Gio, Cat's brother from the first book. Gio is just as shocked but understands all the implications this could have.
He decides to watch over her and get to know her. They are both in relationships so that is a bit of a hiccup.
When people break into Isabel's father's house while she's there, Gio moves her into his house. Things get even more complicated when he walks in on her one night.
The mafia theme is a bit more prevalent in this book but for some reason I didn't mind it. It was intriguing how the younger guys were moving towards a certain outcome.
I loved getting more Lorenzo and Cat but my heart really went to Gio and who he really is. It was also great seeing how his relationship with Isabel evolved.
There are some crazy events at the end but of course, that's not "the end". I don't know whose book is next but I'm still reading it. Because I Want You is up next coming out August 17, 2022.
June 17, 2022
Soapy, not satisfying
Have you ever read a book, and you know it's not very good, but it's exactly what you're in the mood for that day? That's where I'm at with this one, or at least where I was while reading the first half. I was in the mood for some mafia goodness, so I decided to check this out - and the soapy, fast-paced storyline had me reading the first half before I knew it. Then I set it down... and didn't go back to it until I noticed it on my Kindle two weeks later. I'd completely forgotten about it, and once I picked it up again, I realized how little emotional investment I had in the relationship. And the second half certainly didn't do much to improve that. So, this wasn't terrible - it actually has some very good moments and a highly bingeable quality - but it also wasn't great either. With a stronger finish, it would've been a solid 3-star read for me... but the lackluster ending moves this closer to a 2.
The story follows Isabel, a teacher who discovers that she's married to a stranger after the reading of a will. Turns out, they were both conned into signing the paperwork without their knowledge, and they've been secretly married for years. When Isabel goes to confront her husband, she learns that Gio is manhoe who is in the mafia. Not exactly marriage material. That's not a problem though, because both Isabel and Gio are in relationships with other people, and the marriage is just an inconvenience. Unfortunately, things don't go exactly as planned, and Isabel soon finds herself looking to Gio for help. While Gio has no time or patience for a wife, he's drawn to Isabel in a way that he didn't expect. As the two continue to spend time together, their relationship shifts.
I love a good mafia romance, and I don't mind when they're over the top. So I was looking forward to this one - the idea of a man who is immediately hooked on his wife the moment he meets her was too good to pass up. That's... not how it plays out though. Gio might think Isabel is hot, but he has no interest in her for awhile. Plus, they're both in relationships with other people for a decent amount of the story, and that made for some uncomfortable moments. Sexy, yes. Bingeable, yes. Emotional cheating (at least), also yes. Add in the fact that they spend a lot of time apart, and this certainly wasn't giving me a case of the swoons. There are also SO MANY things that are glossed over or stereotypical, with sensitive content that wasn't handled with the care it deserved (child prostitution/rape/trafficking among them). It's like this follows the template of a good mafia romance, but it gets the details wrong. Still easy to binge in one sitting, but you might not be satisfied when you're done.
Have you ever read a book, and you know it's not very good, but it's exactly what you're in the mood for that day? That's where I'm at with this one, or at least where I was while reading the first half. I was in the mood for some mafia goodness, so I decided to check this out - and the soapy, fast-paced storyline had me reading the first half before I knew it. Then I set it down... and didn't go back to it until I noticed it on my Kindle two weeks later. I'd completely forgotten about it, and once I picked it up again, I realized how little emotional investment I had in the relationship. And the second half certainly didn't do much to improve that. So, this wasn't terrible - it actually has some very good moments and a highly bingeable quality - but it also wasn't great either. With a stronger finish, it would've been a solid 3-star read for me... but the lackluster ending moves this closer to a 2.
The story follows Isabel, a teacher who discovers that she's married to a stranger after the reading of a will. Turns out, they were both conned into signing the paperwork without their knowledge, and they've been secretly married for years. When Isabel goes to confront her husband, she learns that Gio is manhoe who is in the mafia. Not exactly marriage material. That's not a problem though, because both Isabel and Gio are in relationships with other people, and the marriage is just an inconvenience. Unfortunately, things don't go exactly as planned, and Isabel soon finds herself looking to Gio for help. While Gio has no time or patience for a wife, he's drawn to Isabel in a way that he didn't expect. As the two continue to spend time together, their relationship shifts.
I love a good mafia romance, and I don't mind when they're over the top. So I was looking forward to this one - the idea of a man who is immediately hooked on his wife the moment he meets her was too good to pass up. That's... not how it plays out though. Gio might think Isabel is hot, but he has no interest in her for awhile. Plus, they're both in relationships with other people for a decent amount of the story, and that made for some uncomfortable moments. Sexy, yes. Bingeable, yes. Emotional cheating (at least), also yes. Add in the fact that they spend a lot of time apart, and this certainly wasn't giving me a case of the swoons. There are also SO MANY things that are glossed over or stereotypical, with sensitive content that wasn't handled with the care it deserved (child prostitution/rape/trafficking among them). It's like this follows the template of a good mafia romance, but it gets the details wrong. Still easy to binge in one sitting, but you might not be satisfied when you're done.
May 29, 2022
2.5⭐️
The plot was ehh.
-
“She was pure, despite the fire that lurked inside.
She was good. She was a helper.
And that was the problem.
I was a sucker for helpers because they rarely had people
who helped them in return.”
;
"Still think you can be a better
boyfriend?"
'I don't have to be a better boyfriend.I'm your fucking husband."
;
“I don't have a marriage kink. I have an Isabel kink.”
TW: rape; kidnapping; death of a parent; murder; knife use; forced marriage
The plot was ehh.
-
“She was pure, despite the fire that lurked inside.
She was good. She was a helper.
And that was the problem.
I was a sucker for helpers because they rarely had people
who helped them in return.”
;
"Still think you can be a better
boyfriend?"
'I don't have to be a better boyfriend.I'm your fucking husband."
;
“I don't have a marriage kink. I have an Isabel kink.”
TW: rape; kidnapping; death of a parent; murder; knife use; forced marriage
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2022
Let's not get into tropes bc Imma little angry with heroine but lemme tell you anyway.
- forced arranged marriage
-mentioned he has a teacher kink, and she is a teacher
-suspence mob-rom
It was good until Isabel decided to be a stubborn, stupid, annoying woman.
Look, I understand PTSD, I understand trust issues, I can even understand that she either share her secrets (trauma) or her body. It's ridiculous but I understand.
But I can NOT understand when she goes a game with her ex-boyfriend because Gio is not home dealing with business and she wants him to come however she does not tells this to him or anyone who can let him know, meanwhile she keeps demanding her 'no touching' rule (cuz she shared her past).
What the bloody fuck woman.
You don't even wanna talk with him, you keep telling 'i dont wanna be in your world', you insist on your rule, WORSE you question him if there is other women when he is doing 'business' (for ur safety), WORST OF WORST despite Gio is a I-do-not-kill kind of man he kills your rapist, you insult him as a killer and call him liar.
Are you fucking kidding me.
I think she can be the only human being in the whole universe sulk over this.
If he is anything, Gio is a great man.
- He breaks up w/ his so-called girlfriend much before realizing his real feelings.
- He kills her rapist.
- He keeps his no-touching promise n' by touching he mean hugging, cuddling, holding,,, not just sex.
- He don't 'seduce' her when he saw sadness in her eyes.
- He keeps reminding 'his wife' that they are married, with a secret pleasure.
- He asks permission and don't push/force her.
- He is so open; tells his thoughts, his desires, his wants.
HE WANTS EVERYTHING.
At least, at the end she don't persist on her behavior and goes to him, when he let her go in the thought of for her sake. So on Gio's part everything is great; his patient, his love, his need; when it comes to Isabel I can almost say it's just lust.
I think the teacher kink was so unneeded, shouldn't mentioned at all, there was no role-play (okay, lets say I loved it wasn't cheapen), no kinky-fuckery scenes, no point. However there was a real potential bc both of them r hungry for love, n lonely in the inside.
The mafia affairs is good, I liked the pace but the plot is meh.
There are little details or moments or words makes me melting all over; this is why I will keep reading Contreras, she can manage to be unlike in cliché. Otherwise my rating would be straight two stars.
Trigger it was hot as fuck and I love every second of it.
- forced arranged marriage
-mentioned he has a teacher kink, and she is a teacher
-suspence mob-rom
She smiled wide, a beautiful smile that reached her eyes and hit me right in the groin. God damn. She was going to fucking kill me.
It was good until Isabel decided to be a stubborn, stupid, annoying woman.
Look, I understand PTSD, I understand trust issues, I can even understand that she either share her secrets (trauma) or her body. It's ridiculous but I understand.
But I can NOT understand when she goes a game with her ex-boyfriend because Gio is not home dealing with business and she wants him to come however she does not tells this to him or anyone who can let him know, meanwhile she keeps demanding her 'no touching' rule (cuz she shared her past).
What the bloody fuck woman.
You don't even wanna talk with him, you keep telling 'i dont wanna be in your world', you insist on your rule, WORSE you question him if there is other women when he is doing 'business' (for ur safety), WORST OF WORST despite Gio is a I-do-not-kill kind of man he kills your rapist, you insult him as a killer and call him liar.
Are you fucking kidding me.
I think she can be the only human being in the whole universe sulk over this.
“I want you to fuck my mouth like this,” he said, voice low and gruff.
If he is anything, Gio is a great man.
- He breaks up w/ his so-called girlfriend much before realizing his real feelings.
- He kills her rapist.
- He keeps his no-touching promise n' by touching he mean hugging, cuddling, holding,,, not just sex.
- He don't 'seduce' her when he saw sadness in her eyes.
- He keeps reminding 'his wife' that they are married, with a secret pleasure.
- He asks permission and don't push/force her.
- He is so open; tells his thoughts, his desires, his wants.
HE WANTS EVERYTHING.
At least, at the end she don't persist on her behavior and goes to him, when he let her go in the thought of for her sake. So on Gio's part everything is great; his patient, his love, his need; when it comes to Isabel I can almost say it's just lust.
I think the teacher kink was so unneeded, shouldn't mentioned at all, there was no role-play (okay, lets say I loved it wasn't cheapen), no kinky-fuckery scenes, no point. However there was a real potential bc both of them r hungry for love, n lonely in the inside.
The mafia affairs is good, I liked the pace but the plot is meh.
There are little details or moments or words makes me melting all over; this is why I will keep reading Contreras, she can manage to be unlike in cliché. Otherwise my rating would be straight two stars.
He lowered his face to my breasts, breathing, not licking, not touching, just breathing against the middle of my chest.
Trigger it was hot as fuck and I love every second of it.
I'm twenty-eight and lonely too :(
xoxoxo
iko
June 9, 2022
I honestly read the first 50% of this thoroughly then skimmed the last 50%.
This book needs an editor, a formatting review, and edits.
It has a decent story line but there’s was way too much internal dialogue, unnecessary information, and there wasn’t much chemistry between the main characters.
There were several moments where quotes could be formed because of how good the dialogue was in that specific moment, but for the most part, this book just fell flat for me unfortunately.
There’s also cheating, where the FMC touches herself with the MMC in the room (not touching one another) while she’s on the phone with her boyfriend. I’m not a cheating trope fan at all.
This book needs an editor, a formatting review, and edits.
It has a decent story line but there’s was way too much internal dialogue, unnecessary information, and there wasn’t much chemistry between the main characters.
There were several moments where quotes could be formed because of how good the dialogue was in that specific moment, but for the most part, this book just fell flat for me unfortunately.
There’s also cheating, where the FMC touches herself with the MMC in the room (not touching one another) while she’s on the phone with her boyfriend. I’m not a cheating trope fan at all.
December 23, 2022
3.75 stars
this was a solid read, but i dont particularly remember why it was so. its been seven months since i read it. 😬 the beginning was interesting because the H & h were married to by their parents without their consent. they only found out after the h’s father passed away and left this little detail in his will.
the h went to the H to ask for divorce but he refused because there was something he hoped to achieve by staying married to the h. they agreed to stay married for a period of time. i dont remember whats in it for the h, but throughout the book she found out that her father wasnt the man she thought he was.
i think one of the reasons i liked it so much was the H, but im drawing blank on what kind of man he was. 👀 there were some problems with the villain and some action. this is a useless review, but i just wanted to say that i had a good time reading this book (which i read as a standalone) while i was at work.
this was a solid read, but i dont particularly remember why it was so. its been seven months since i read it. 😬 the beginning was interesting because the H & h were married to by their parents without their consent. they only found out after the h’s father passed away and left this little detail in his will.
the h went to the H to ask for divorce but he refused because there was something he hoped to achieve by staying married to the h. they agreed to stay married for a period of time. i dont remember whats in it for the h, but throughout the book she found out that her father wasnt the man she thought he was.
i think one of the reasons i liked it so much was the H, but im drawing blank on what kind of man he was. 👀 there were some problems with the villain and some action. this is a useless review, but i just wanted to say that i had a good time reading this book (which i read as a standalone) while i was at work.
April 18, 2024
4.0 ★★★★☆ | Gioisabel ⋆.ೃ࿔*
“I’m so in love with you that it hurts. It physically hurts to think about you. So in love with you that being without you feels worse than death. On a scale of one to five, it’s a ten.”
I actually enjoyed this one more than the first book, Dominic book next 🤭💫
“I’m so in love with you that it hurts. It physically hurts to think about you. So in love with you that being without you feels worse than death. On a scale of one to five, it’s a ten.”
I actually enjoyed this one more than the first book, Dominic book next 🤭💫
May 29, 2022
this is the best mafia book i've read in a while. AND THE TENSION? PLEASE GOD YESSS
May 30, 2022
I couldn’t stand reading this book… at certain points it was like racial stereotyping popped out at times where Contreras was trying to make the book more diverse. “Both big ass black dudes that looked like they belonged on a field” huuuh? Could’ve easily said they were big guys without the last part. Also the main character Gio is both unhinged and unlikable. Choose one. I seek out possessive male characters in the books i read but his jealously and entitlement grossed me out. The only redeemable quality was Isabel’s character but Gio completely ruins it. He needs to seek help. Also, the scenes with back and forth dialogue go on for waaaay to long. The opening scene in the office? Wtf was that. Why was i bored like 10 pages in. There was no reason for that much dialogue at once. Anyways…
February 16, 2023
This book has the perfect amount of action and romance. The plot was interesting and Giovanni & Isabella had good chemistry. It was long but quick paced. Also, intense, dark, twisted, entertaining and had all the right feels. But I wasn't satisfied with the epilogue and felt like some things still weren't cleared up. Though it has a good storyline and I liked the conversations that Gio & Isabella had. Overall it was great and a page turner!
ARC received in exchange of an honest review
ARC received in exchange of an honest review
May 24, 2022
DNF
I gave up after the info dump. Too many people out of the scene with too many God knows what plans. I'm probably missing another book because when the hero got introduced, I kept skipping whatever his lil band of mafia folks are upto. I'm probably being petty but I gave up after not being able to keep up with too many names. My short attention span was definitely not happy.
I gave up after the info dump. Too many people out of the scene with too many God knows what plans. I'm probably missing another book because when the hero got introduced, I kept skipping whatever his lil band of mafia folks are upto. I'm probably being petty but I gave up after not being able to keep up with too many names. My short attention span was definitely not happy.
November 24, 2022
5 GIO AND ISABEL STARS!! I freaking loved this book....I never wanted it to end. Their story was on fire with so much chemistry and had me wondering what next. As always this author gave us readers a phenomenal story....you must read this book.
May 30, 2022
DNF. Expected too much. Expectations not met.
The writing didn’t “wow me”.
The writing didn’t “wow me”.
June 11, 2022
I have fallen in love with this series. Alpha men who fall for strong women, just the right amount of smexy times, intrigue, humor and the darkness that reading a mafia romance comes with. I love that while the story has a lot of moving parts, the actual romance doesn't get lost. There is a lot of time where Giovanni and Isabel are actually together and talk to each other, like get to know each other talk. Something that seems to be missed in many romances I've read lately.
Giovanni intrigued me in Because You're Mine, I totally fell in love with him in this book. A notorious playboy who found what he didn't know he needed in Isabel. Their chemistry is there from the start and it never goes away.
There are definitely some twists and turns in the book and it kept me reading non-stop. I love this world the author has created and cannot wait for Gio's sister's book to come out in August, I hope it's not the last of the series because there are a several secondary characters who I would love to see books for.
I read this via Kindle Unlimited but I will be purchasing all the books in the series.
Giovanni intrigued me in Because You're Mine, I totally fell in love with him in this book. A notorious playboy who found what he didn't know he needed in Isabel. Their chemistry is there from the start and it never goes away.
There are definitely some twists and turns in the book and it kept me reading non-stop. I love this world the author has created and cannot wait for Gio's sister's book to come out in August, I hope it's not the last of the series because there are a several secondary characters who I would love to see books for.
I read this via Kindle Unlimited but I will be purchasing all the books in the series.
May 25, 2022
Almost 4 stars. Claire Contreras is one of the authors that got me into reading. I binged her entire backlist back in 2019, and basically awaited every book release from her. However, her last few books have been more miss than hit… they just didn’t work for me. Because I Need You felt closer to the Contreras books that I’ve known and loved, and I couldn’t be happier. With that said, BINY wasn’t perfect… but I did ultimately end up enjoying it. If I’m honest, I did find a lot of the story/ back history a bit confusing, largely because I read the preceding book when it first released, which was several years ago. This is billed as a standalone, and while that’s true, I would have enjoyed this much more if I remembered anything from the previous book beyond that one of the characters was a ballerina, and the other in the mafia. I think most readers would enjoy this more if they read the previous book first, and read it recently. I think that would have helped mitigate some of the confusion I was feeling. Also, it’s not something that bugged me terribly, but there were a fair few typos in this (I read the kindle unlimited version). I always knew what the author meant, but if that’s going to bug you, just be aware.
As far as the relationship between Gio and Isabel, it was pretty steamy. Gio and Isabel had great chemistry and there was even some humorous banter which I enjoyed. Gio was pretty swoony, if I’m honest. It took him a second to get used to the idea of being married to Isabel, but once he did, he loved to remind her that he was her husband. And he def gave our major “touch her and I’ll kill you vibes” which I kind of love. This is an arranged marriage romance, but it read differently that many of the other arranged marriage books I’ve read in the past… perhaps in large part because it took the pair a significant chunk of time to even live together. All in all, I’m happy that Contreras is finding her stride again. I def think this series has a lot of potential, as there are other side characters whose stories I’d be interested in reading. And like I said, I think some of my issues with this one would have been mitigated by re-reading book 1.
As far as the relationship between Gio and Isabel, it was pretty steamy. Gio and Isabel had great chemistry and there was even some humorous banter which I enjoyed. Gio was pretty swoony, if I’m honest. It took him a second to get used to the idea of being married to Isabel, but once he did, he loved to remind her that he was her husband. And he def gave our major “touch her and I’ll kill you vibes” which I kind of love. This is an arranged marriage romance, but it read differently that many of the other arranged marriage books I’ve read in the past… perhaps in large part because it took the pair a significant chunk of time to even live together. All in all, I’m happy that Contreras is finding her stride again. I def think this series has a lot of potential, as there are other side characters whose stories I’d be interested in reading. And like I said, I think some of my issues with this one would have been mitigated by re-reading book 1.
May 25, 2022
This was really good! I loved both Gio and Isabel. Both of them were strong people with lonely childhoods that made them a little vulnerable. The tension between them burned the pages up as they navigated the situation they were forced into. Claire did an amazing j8b balancing them falling in love with the action. This is something I would read again.
May 25, 2022
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars! Mafia romance. The last time I was in this story line it was Gio’s sister Cat and Loren’s book, this was just as good, very addictive read. Loved their chemistry and looking forward to more books in this world.
May 26, 2022
Gio and Isabel are pure perfection! This story was so addicting!
I absolutely loved everything about this book! The characters, the originality of the story line and just the writing overall was out of this world!
Most of all I really enjoyed how these two grew together! How they bonded and learned about each other! Claire really gave us great insight on both Gio and Isabel to where you felt apart of it all!
Another phenomenal Claire book and a high recommended book!
I absolutely loved everything about this book! The characters, the originality of the story line and just the writing overall was out of this world!
Most of all I really enjoyed how these two grew together! How they bonded and learned about each other! Claire really gave us great insight on both Gio and Isabel to where you felt apart of it all!
Another phenomenal Claire book and a high recommended book!
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