3.5 Stars

Now that was a good story to listen to, by audiobook. The narrators do a great job of making you feel the emotions or lack of emotions from the characters. Looking for a good mafia story with many twists and turns, many hidden connections, secrets secrets and more secrets. It was not a book to lightly listen to though, you need to follow the story closely to understand. I was hooked to see where the story was going.

Mari starts out living on the streets doing everything she can to make a life for herself without letting life pull her down. A few close friends she considered family who want to help her but aren't really in the place either not that she would take the help. Strong and confident. When an opportunity falls in her lap, she takes it. This is life after all. Will she be able to live with the choices she has made?

Mac is doing what he can to rebuild himself and take the revenge that he seeks from his family that almost to kill him. He is very calculating and emotionless when dealing with things, until he see here again. The one thing that could bring him to his knees. In his signature way, he manages to contract her to him, not willing to let her get away again.

Could Mari be the one thing to bring love back to his life? Will Mari keep her spunk or will the mafia ways drain her of the life she fought so hard for? Will there be a HEA for Mari and Mac?

first of all i am a sucker for mafia and bad boy romance and getting them in audiobook is quiet a delight.

This was a very layered story of forgiveness, revenge, redemption, romance and love. at many points it did seem like any other stories i have read so far but the name hit hard.
honestly even for me, i havent read many books with the female lead called mariposa.

Mariposa is though homeless and on the edge of giving up like any other victim of a female protagonist in many books, when a mysterious opportunity presents itself in the form of Capo Macchiavello. He offers her a deal that could change the rest of her life there comes the marriage. cause even though she is homeless she is still most desirable to a billionaire, i tell you the way of books.

They brought out the best in each other and in the process discovered the power and beauty of love. The pacing was good.

Both narrators delivered great performances. They were new narrators to me and did a great job with the accents, especially the Italian words, infusing the right emotions, pacing and character distinctions.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel via NetGalley.

• Character development- 4☆
• Story Plot- 3☆
• Side characters- 2.5☆
• Flow of the story- 4☆
• Overall - 3.5☆

I received a copy of this audiobook from Netgalley to review.

I hungered to be seen. There were three things I knew about Capo Macchiavello: He was gorgeous. He was reclusive. He was considered one of New York's most savage animals. And he wanted me as his wife. A simple arrangement-you do for me, I do for you. Nothing owed, no exceptions. Except for one: never leave. Life was never that simple though. By the age of twenty-one, I was parentless, jobless, and homeless, and I had to come to learn the hard way that nothing was ever free. Even kindness coming with strings. Capo might've been the only man to ever see me, but I had made a vow to myself: I would never ow anyone anything. Most of all the man I called boss.
I killed to stay hidden.
Mariposa Flores thought she owed nothing to no one, but she owed everything...to me, the ghost the world had once call the Machiavellian Prince of New York.

I listened to this book. The narrators did an amazing job on this one. This is a mob boss book but it deals more with the people involved than it does with the origination itself. I loved these characters too. Machiavellian is a man that is living his life as a ghost. This is a man who is determined to save Mari's innocence from the ugly world that we live in. This may start out as a marriage of convivence with terms that they both agree too because Mac is trying to take back what was stolen from him in the form of revenge. Can these two find their way to love and happiness and a forever? You have to read to find out. I loved listening to this one so much.

This is my first book from this author and so far it left a very good first impression. Yes, I like the story and as I got this as audiobook, I am also impressed with the narrators.
It is your typical gangster story with a hero who is boringly rich, boringly handsome, boringly scary, irrationally possessive. We have a heroine who desperately needed saving, got saved, gets a lot of cash to spend, best friends to everyone, loved by all, and never ever hurts a fly despite surviving the dark alleys of New York and the iffy child services system.
So we have this two people living their second lives in the dark side of New York. Their first meeting over a decade ago was drenched in blood. This time around their meeting will be drenched in sexual tension. Despite my above qualification of the hero and heroine, I enjoyed listening to their story. The author did a good job distinguishing these two characters from the crowd because there really is a story being told. Other books of this kind is 75% sexual encounters but not this one. We saw the main characters met, get to know each other, we see them struggle and we see them overcome.
As for the voice actors...the male narrator is perfect. I could gush about listening to him read grocery list but no. I will just say that his voice fits how the book describes the hero’s voice. I wonder if he ever did an English or Scottish voice?
So yes, read this book because it’s a good story. Buy the audiobook because the hero’s voice is a tempting icing on the good book.

Mariposa Flores is a strong female character. Her parents were killed when she was small and a stranger saved her, however when her foster parents also died and she was then sent to a new home things changed. She found herself fending off the father and decided to take her chances on the street. Always one step away from disaster, one step away from having to sell herself to stay alive. Desperate she finds an invitation to a job event that could change her life. Deciding it may be her last hope she decides she will do whatever it takes to get this job.

Capo was once a prince now he is a ghost. Protected by one of the most powerful mafia families in New York he has made his way in life making questionable decisions but no one seems to know much about him. He becomes enamored of a young homeless woman outside his restaurant one evening but despite feeling a strange pull doesn't engage her he has to keep his mind focused. He needs to take down one of the powerful and ruthless mafia families.

Thrown together by fate Capo and Mariposa's lives are so intertwined its no wonder they are pulled toward each other. This is a good romantic suspense book, with well developed characters and a somewhat realistic story line. I really enjoyed it more than I thought I would.

The narrators were both excellent and kept me engaged.

This is Bella Di Corte's first instalment of the new three-part gangster romance series set in New York. Machiavellian follows the story of down-on-her-luck Mariposa after she agrees to an arranged marriage to the vengeful gangster Capo *there is some back story here that I won't spoil. I am not really a fan of gangster romances so I didn’t know how well this book and I were going to get on, but surprisingly this doesn’t follow the traditional recipe which makes it feel fresher.

Characters: Predictable butterfly heroine and alpha male but what else were we expecting?

Chemistry: The pacing of their relationship feels more natural and thankfully there isn’t any instalove. The arranged marriage was an interesting twist.

Humour & Fluff: Surprising fluffy in places for a gangster romance but I am here for it. Also loved that some of the story took place in Italy with a kinda gangster grandfather.

Sauciness: Definitely more of a slow burn.

Plot: There’s a murder and mystery club at the start that had me reeling from potential but sadly it burned out after the chapter. The plot is pretty original and enjoyable, it doesn't completely rely on the romance to make the story either, there is plenty of murder and betrayal.

Bonus

Voice actors: Both did a really good job acting this, not gonna lie I did cringe at some parts but that was half the fun.

3 stars ⭐⭐⭐

Machiavellian by Bella Di Corte is a mafia romance with a difference.

Mac despite his tough exterior, has a very soft centre and the eventual love story between him and his wife is beautifully sweet with the added spice that mafia romance serves up!

The narration team of Kae Denino and Armen Taylor brought this sometimes violent story to life(or death)!

Thank you to Spectrum Audiobooks for the review copy.

#audiobooklover #Machiavellian #BellaDiCorte #spectrumabooks

This review is for the audiobook Machiavellian

Machiavellian (Gangsters of New York – Book 1) – Audio Book
Book written by: Bella Di Corte
Audio Book Narrated by: Kae Denino & Armen Taylor

“We were once the rulers of the world.”

I had read the ebook earlier this year and was hooked on these characters and this story. Being able to listen to the audio version, WOW! The narrators Kae Denino and Armen Taylor gave life to Mariposia and Cappo, along with the other characters that make this story what it is. Magnificent!

When listening, you are there with them, with Cappo at the beginning then at his rebirth if you would. With Mari when she is at her lowest point yet still she pushes on, my regard for her growing in each chapter. You are immersed in this story from beginning to end!

I always find with audio books the narrators are the ones to take the written words of the books author and bring them to reality. This is exactly what happened. You laugh with Mari, you cry with her, like your beside her, supporting her.
The same holds true with Cappo we can hear it in his words how he cares for her, would die protecting her.

If you have not read the book and are just listening, it will give you the ability to appreciate how Bella Di Corte’s writing is turned into a live version of the Gangsters of New York.

The families, the characters and how everything plays out from beginning to end with the most adorable “Pease momma,” at the end and the knowledge that hopefully we will continue to hear from Cappo and Mari as the Gangsters of New York continue to hold the city in their grips.

Many thanks to #NetGalley for access to this audiobook.

Mariposa and Capo Machiabello's story is yes a mafia romance, new series Gangsters of New York, the story was engaging, the characters definitely had a lot going on at once, I reviewed the audiobook, the narrators Kae Denino and Armen Taylor did a good job, the editing was good and their performance was good based on what the story had to offer. The volume whoever changed quite a bit between characters. The overall experience was good.

Sadly, I couldn't finish this one.

I really tried multiple times, but the narrators didn't do it for me and really just wound up annoying me to listen to their voices. The story has potential and I may end up liking the ebook or something if I read it.

There could be a lot of grit but so far I don't like the characters, and found nothing redeeming about the to really get me invested in their lives.

WOW! What an amazing read! The detail of the story and the back stories of all the characters are amazing. There is so much detail in every part of the book. It was perfect parts romance and thriller to keep me entertained all the way through. I cannot say it enough, this book is so well written and I want more! Not just more of the main characters but more books about the other characters! I would read them all!

Capo and Mariposa in Machiavellian
This was a wonderful audio version. I did not read the written version of the book, was only given the audiobook version in exchange for an honest review by Netgalley. That said I really enjoyed the book. It was long and there were a few parts of introspection I felt might have been left out but otherwise I was pleased by its length. That would be a selling point if I were buying the book. Many of my patrons are looking for longer books to listen to. And myself, friends and family like a longer listen if we are going to shell out the money on Audible or Downpour.
The book featured two narrators. At first I found the voice of Mariposa to be jarringly young. She sounded like a teenager. I realize that the character she portrays is in her early twenties but it still grated.
Capo’s character sometimes sounded like he was whispering in an attempt to have a deeper more mysterious voice. It just sounded like whispering, though.
That said, the two voices did not cause confusion or irritation when they spoke each other’s lines. It was very easy to differentiate characters. In fact, having both narrators added depth.
I would recommend this audiobook to my patrons.

DNF at 30%.

I tried. I really, really tried. There isn't many books that I've DNF but I just couldn't stand this story.
It is BORING, ANNOYING and simply stupid.

It could have been an interesting romance featuring mafia, but after the first few chapters that were OK I had to stop. I thought that I can take a break and keep listening, but unfortunately I couldn't understand MCs and couldn't stand Mariposa. She's not only ridiculously irritating but also her behavior is totally illogical.
Capo's not much better.

There isn't a single thing I liked about this book.

* I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review*

4 Stars
Oh my goodness I don't know where to start with this review.
This is my first book By Bella Di Corte. Thank you Bella Di Corte. This book made me laugh, cry and mad. I love it
A lot of action and love.

Capo Macchiavello and Mariposa Flores relationship started as a simple arrangement, Nothing owed, no expectations. Except for one: never leave.

Thank you NetGalley

Stellar audio on this mafia book. The narrators pull you in and you can't step away. Told in dual POVs and they have you enthralled from the start.

I was glued to this book every spare minute I had to listen.
It's dark, emotional and full of suspense. Capo is an intense character bent on revenge but loyal and loving to those he cares for. I liked Mariposa. She was sweet and innocent with a very strong inner core and a heart of gold. They made a fantastic couple. The suspense, drama and action made this book very exciting and difficult to put down.
I loved the dual narration, especially Capo's voice as performed by Armen Taylor. But, please don't do the Irish accent in the next book.

Normally I start my reviews by talking about the book, then the narration. Not this time.
The narrators for this book just brought it to life for me so much so that I felt like I was watching a movie. Let me start with Armen Taylor, I am in love with this man's voice. The moment he spoke his first word I was immediately drawn into the story. I need this man to read every book to me. He was the perfect fit for Mac, so whoever casted him you deserve a raise!! Don't get me wrong, he wasn't the only star of the show. Kae Denino did an amazing job as Mari. I could feel every emotion Mari was feeling. BRAVO to both of these narrators.
Now, on to the book. The story was amazeballs!!! A beautiful Mafia Fairytale written exquisitely and full of emotion. I felt everything that was written, Mari’s stress at being homeless, Capo’s anxiety when Mari gives him news that feels like déjà vu, the excitement when they were in Italy visiting Nano. This is my first-time reading Bella Di Corte and I was not disappointed. I look forward to reading more by this author.

If you are looking to be drawn in and captivated by a story, then this is the book for you! The first in the Gangsters of New York series, Bella DiCorte has a winner on her hands! A mafia love story, timeless, ruthless, unforgiving, scary, thrilling, exciting, passionate, she weaves a web that is easy to get tangled in. Mariposa is at the end of her line. She is broke with no home, she is desperately looking for something. When an opportunity knocks, little does she know how it will change her life. Capo has had his eye on her for a long time, and knowing her situation gives her an opportunity she can't refuse. Now his wife, she is going to find out exactly who he is. Will she understand? Will they every fall in love? Talk about smart, complex stories. This one has an intriguing plot interweaving family and loyalty. These characters are complex, well thought out and give you an understanding of their life. It's romance and suspense at it's best! I can't wait to see what else DiCorte has in store for us. The narration for this is fantastic. Kae Denino is perfect for the role of Mariposa. She has a young voice, and with Mari being 21, she gives her a street wise sound with a little immaturity and inexperience. You can hear the toughness along with the vulnerability which is perfect! Armen Taylor is new to me, and what a voice he has! Italian accent to melt your heart, he brings Capo to life. With a sternness to run your blood cold to a warmth like melted chocolate, he has it all. This team was well cast and make the listen!

As a child Mariposa endured a tragic loss that has shaped the entire course of her life. She struggles just to survive and is alone in the world except for Keeley, her best friend and her family. When she takes a risk, it leads to an unexpected opportunity that brings Capo into her life.

Capo was born and raised in the mafia and the heir to become head of a powerful family until treachery and betrayal emerged. Since then he is keeping a low profile while he sets his plan for revenge into motion until Mari comes into his life and there isn’t anything he won’t do to keep her.

Capo and Mari’s journey takes us on an intriguing emotional ride. It is a story of deep enduring love between soulmates which when tested proves that they are so much stronger together than apart. I listed to an audio copy of this story and the narrators did a great job of bringing out both the characters and the emotions of this story.

If you are thinking about reading this book--do yourself a favor and listen to the audiobook. These narrators are AMAZING! I do love a good mafia romance--and this fit the bill for certain. There was a lot of action and emotions tied up in this book.
Mariposa has had a rough life in her short 20-something years. She went through the foster care system and ended up homeless. With a chance to better her life popping up in an unexpected way, Mariposa changes her future for the better.
There is a lot of history tied up in this book, but it is an emotional adventure roller coaster you won't want to stop! I can't wait to read the next book in this series.