If I had to recommend any book by this author it would definitely not be this one. Luckily she has so many other stories that are worth it that for one that does not reach her usual level it is not relevant.

This time, the story stars an undercover agent and a lawyer for a family of gangsters, mainly related to illegal alcohol. The agent is Royal, a typical butch who has been on a mission for some time and she has just come out of it quite hurt, in every way. The lawyer is Siobhan, an orphan woman, daughter of a servant of the mafia family she works for, the Mancuso family. She has grown up in the house of the rich ones, she has studied her career thanks to the help of the rich ones, but she is not part of the family and she knows her place, although she is well considered thanks to her work.

Royal must now infiltrate the illegal network of the Mancuso family and in doing so will discover things that could put Siobhan in danger. But the danger is not clear where she is really going to come from. And who else will be in danger is also unclear.

Siobhan may have been a bit of a difficult character for me to appreciate and that has weighed my overall assessment. The truth is that other stories similar to this one have interested me more and I have also appreciated them more at the end.

This is a very clever, well written book where Ms Taite wanders into the world of gangsters and organised crime. She succeeds beautifully in creating the atmosphere and tension of her world. Royal is an undercover agent who is tasked with getting close to the right hand woman of a big boss. The woman is a lawyer who has been “adopted” by the gangster and she works for him along with his daughters.

Royal is a nicely drawn character who doesn’t see black and white and as the story develops she starts to see everything in shades of grey. She starts to question her life and career and her brother is used as a foil to help her see the emptiness. He also helps her solve the biggest problems in her life and the investigation. No spoilers here.

Siobhan Collins is aware of how lucky she is but also how empty her life is - her visit to the clothing store is entertaining… The lead pair spar nicely and eventually find a way through all the mobster activity to find a peace and common goal. I love Carsen Taite and how she creates her novels and this one succeeds for me.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

My favourite Carsen Taite books are usually the ones with lawyers and courtroom scenes but this one comes close.

Royal Scott is an FBI agent specializing in undercover operations. At the beginning of the story, she gets pulled from a job and immediately sent to another one, spying on the Mancuso family, and, more precisely, on the don’s consigliere, Siobhan Collins. As she finds herself falling for her mark, Royal can’t shake the feeling that nothing is quite as straightforward as it seems.

In the acknowledgements, Carsen Taite mentions getting help from lesfic’s mafia expert Ali Vali. While I’m not a huge fan of Vali’s Cain Casey’s series, it has nothing to do with her talent (for me to enjoy books with morally grey characters, I need to love said characters absolutely and Casey never did it for me). I don’t know whether Taite and Vali had long work sessions on this or if it was just a couple of tips over the phone but the result is awesome. What I usually care most about in a book is the characters but what I’ll probably remember about this book is the atmosphere, this impression of a dark shadow, the sense of foreboding.

Which doesn’t mean I didn’t like the characters. Both Royal and Siobhan are captivating and complex. Siobhan is uncertain of her place in the family, Royal isn’t so sure she loves her job anymore. They’re both willful and reluctant to admit they deserve better, a situation made even more complicated by Royal’s undercover mission since she can’t be entirely truthful about who she is. Siobhan and Royal have wonderful chemistry from the first time they meet. Carsen Taite writes the irresistibility very well, the powerlessness of the head over what heart and body desire.

Among the secondary characters, my favourite is Royal’s brother Ryan and Siobhan’s bodyguard Neal. I was also very pleasantly surprised to see one of Ali Vali’s characters (Muriel Casey) get a cameo.
The tension keeps growing in a thrilling way but it’s resolved in a twist that feels a tad anticlimactic. For the author to give the readers a happy ending, there was only one way the story could go, and I didn’t mind that the ending was unsurprising because it made complete sense, but I would have liked the getting there to be more elaborate.

Carsen Taite is always a sure bet, her stories always entertaining. This one is no exception.

ARC provided to Les Rêveur for an honest review.

I have heard that authors should write about things they encounter in life. That would be helpful when creating a story and doing all the necessary research to write a solid, well planned novel. Ms. Taite has done this with everything she has written. She is an attorney and spins her tales around the legal environment.

In this book we have romance and suspense. The two main characters are Siobhan Collins and Royal Scott. Siobhan is an attorney for the powerful Mancuso mob family. She was raised in the family along with the Don’s two daughters. The Don has funded her legal education with the purpose of having her as his consigliere. She excels in this position. Siobhan never knew her father and her mother died when she was a child. Over the years she has grown to care deeply for the Don.

Royal is an FBI agent. She has done undercover work for years and wishes to move away from this type of job, settle down and get into a relationship. Unfortunately, this will not happen soon. Royal has been assigned to an undercover position with the instructions to infiltrate the Mancuso family.

I love these two characters! Not only has Ms. Taite created likeable characters, but ones that readers would enjoy in future books. The story is also professionally researched and created with a story line that will hook readers from the get-go. My only complaint is that it ended too quickly. I wanted to share the characters’ adventures for a few more chapters.

For a fast-paced thriller, I highly rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review "Her Consigliere".

I always look forward to reading a new Carsen Taite novel. She has a way of wrapping narrative and characters together in authentic settings that add to the realism of the storyline she skilfully crafts. There were a lot of positives to this novel, but in some ways it missed the mark for me.

The main characters of Royal and Siobhan are well defined and appear to fit well in their roles and the secondary characters especially those of Ryan and Neal offer a good supportive role to propel the narrative forwards.

But for me the storyline was more of an outline rather than a complete and satisfying read. I just wished there was more depth to the promising storyline. It could have been a 5* read and initially I had hopes that it would be, however it was all a bit incomplete. There was no real depth to the different scenes. Everything somehow fell short and appeared rushed. Just when things picked up and got going, a pivotal character died and the subsequent ending, although plausible, just felt incomplete and conveniently wrapped. 3.5*

I think it's honourable that Carsen Taite decided to branch out and write a romance featuring a mobster's dirty lawyer and an undercover agent. Although Siobhan is a lawyer, there's no courtroom drama within the novel, as the drama happens later on in the book once the romance has been established between these two very different main characters who lead completely different lives. Regardless of these differences, Her Consigliere has a great resolution for our MCs, and for me it felt like the novel and romance were both perfectly concluded.

In saying that, I would've liked to have heard a little more from Siobhan, as I feel as though there could've been more explanation to a few aspects of the family's operations but maybe that's just me wanting a bit more of the mobster side of the story.

Another great read from Carsen Taite who is well and truly one of my favourite lesfic authors.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Carsen Taite, the uncrowned ruler of lesfic stories with lawyers, when you put that together with some mobster inspiration and advice from Ali Vali you are sure you have a winner on your hands.

Taite knows how to write a lawyer character and in this case even a lawyer who might be on the wrong side of the law, but it extremely likable. Siobhan is an attorney, or consigliere, for a mob boss in Dallas. She is as much a part of the family as his two daughters are, but she does feel like an outsider at times. Royal is an undercover FBI agent who we meet on a different op first, a chance meeting with Siobhan and a new assignment later the two are together more often than not. But where do their allegiances lie? Royal wanted out of undercover work for a bit but now she is in and with Siobhan, she doesn't know what to do anymore. Both characters are strong and have their own personality. Personalities that don't seem to match separately, but when you put them together there are slight changes and they are a perfect fit.

The little gift Ali Vali gave Taite is super nice and makes me wish there was more. I actually would like to see much more about Siobhan and Royal. Maybe Royal can get a name change in a next book. A next book I am not expecting I might add. It seems like this won't be part of a series. But I wouldn't be mad at Taite if it were to become one. Someone who writes attorney types as strong as she does and mixes it with the mob and FBI, sure winner. Maybe Ali Vali and Carsen Taite can work on a book together, that's a dream book I think. I can already picture it, here's to hoping my dream becomes a reality someday

It's a solid read, with good characters, the mob angle could have been a bit stronger, but it's a good read overall. So what is there complain about really? There is one thing that is revealed towards the end of the book, I saw it coming from chapter 3 onwards I think. It's fine, nothing too mind-blowing, but predictable. It would have been nice if a book that strays from the lesfic formulaic pitfalls to have a revelation that would blow your mind as well. As they say you can't have it all...
It's a strong Carsen Taite book and I hope to see more mob-inspired stories by this author.
4.25 stars

Carsen Taite always writes great books - page-turners that involve interesting legal cases. I've read them all and it's hard to remember details, but Her Consigliere is my new favorite. First of all, that title is a bold choice, but I love it.

This is an opposites attract story between an undercover FBI agent who ends up falling for the very person she's charged to get to know. Royal and Siobhan each have their reasons for shying away from a relationship, and it really worked for me. The appearance of characters from my all-time favorite series certainly didn't hurt.

My only complaint is that the book just ended. Bam. I choose to think that was a calculated decision and these characters will be back in some way. Five unputdownable stars.

I love Carsen Taite's stories usually but this one was just so so. Royal is a FBI agent and Siobhan is an attorney for Don Carlo's organization. (I had to email Ms Taite to find out how to pronounce Siobhan........it's shivon) Royal's job is to infiltrate Don Carlo's organization. I'm not going to say much more about the story, there is not a whole lot of story to tell. Siobhan and Royal get very close and the big question is....how can their relationship work? The 1st 75% of the book is interesting but the last 25% I started reading faster to find out how it was going to resolve. Unfortunately it just sort of.....worked out and ended.
I missed the usual court room drama, mystery that Ms. Taite usually blesses us with. Maybe leave the under world to Ali Vali.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

NetGalley Review:

I am so happy that Carsen Taite went in a new direction. The crime family/undercover cop plotline was super fun and I enjoyed every minute! It was a little rushed at the end and things were tied up a bit too nicely with a bow, but the ride was fun. I would be happy to read more of this sort of thing from Carsen Taite in the future.

Her Consigliere by Carsen Taite follows undercover FBI agent Royal Scott as she attempts to infiltrate the infamous Mancuso mob family. The point of vulnerability in the family is the mob's personal lawyer, Siobhan Collins, who has a particular weakness for women who look like Royal.

This was my first Carsen Taite book and I can see why readers like her. I found the atypical dirty lawyer route interesting and I would read more along those lines. Taite included a lot of intrigue and twists. I'm just personally not the biggest fan of cop books, so I think that was where the disconnect was for me. I also just found it a little expected and guessed a lot of where the plot was going before the action really started. That being said, it was still a solid story and enjoyable, just not my preference for my favorites shelf.

Tate has done it again with yet another phenomenal book. This is an intriguing thriller romance about a high power lawyer named Siobhan who is the consigliere to mafia Don Mancuso. She encounters Royal an undercover agent who is sent undercover to find evidence to put away Mancuso.
Great dialogue with gorgeous, strong, independent, fully developed main characters with amazing chemistry. They secondary characters also played their part flawlessly. I was beyond myself when a small appearance from two characters of my favorite series popped up.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and strongly recommend. Well done Carsen Tate, A must read.!!
5stars.

received an ARC copy from the publisher Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley for my honest review.

Carsen Taite consistently delivers well written stories with complex characters and believable world building.

Royal is a Bureau undercover agent who is questioning her life's work after a too close brush with death.

Simone is a savvy, sharp legal counsel to one of the most powerful mafia families in Texas.

Their paths cross at a time when both women are vulnerable to uncertainty and danger in their lives.

The plot and chemistry between characters move quickly. The women are smart, self aware, loyal and open to possibilities of growth.

I highly recommend Carsen Taite's books.

With Consigliere, Carsen Taite has ventured into mobster territory. I normally expect her stories to revolve around lawyers, court fights, and the law. One of the main characters in this book (Siobhan Collins) is a lawyer, but her only client is the head of the Mancuso crime family. She is the consigliere or counselor to Don Carlo Mancuso. FBI agent Royal Scott is inserted into the family business to try and get evidence through Siobhan to take her and the entire Mancuso family down. Problems occur, though, when Siobhan and Royal connect in ways that have nothing to do with business.

Ms. Taite is excellent at creating strong, independent, and intelligent characters which is perfect for those of us who are character-driven readers. With Siobhan and Royal, she has delivered once again. Even the secondary characters, both good and bad, are well-developed and fit their roles in the tale.

The story is thrilling and intriguing. I figured out where the plot was going as I read, but I still enjoyed reading the whole story. I also noticed a few elements in the tale that reminded me of another series by a fellow BSB author. In fact, thanks to that author, there is a cameo appearance of a favorite character of mine from that other series. I squeed when I found that out. If this novel turns into a series, I would love to see more of that. Perhaps these two authors could write a novel together. I’m just wishing here.

Consigliere is a very enjoyable thriller/romance with intrigue, well-developed characters, and a beautiful love story. I had a lot of fun reading this book, and would love to see more of these characters.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

Carsen Taite is one of my favourite authors, her knowledge of all things legal brings a depth to her stories that makes them all the more enjoyable to read. Siobhan and Royal's world's are completely opposite. Siobhan, attorney, for her surrogate mafia family, the Mancuso's and Royal, working as an undercover detective is determined to bring the Mancuso family down. As Siobhan and Royal work together their attraction for each other grows which puts them both in danger.
There's elements of Carsen's books that she's so solid with, great dialogue, georgeous leads characters, loads of chemistry and thrilling storylines. This book is no different. Once again a great read.

A good edition to a gangster/the mob collection. Here focusing on the ‘legal’ lawyer side of things. The story has great pace. You know the obvious question of ‘whose the daddy’ very early on and way before the characters seem to, but that doesn’t matter as the focus is on the romance between the two leads. I’m not convinced that keeping an unusual name like ‘Royal’ is a good idea for someone working undercover, but it is lighthearted fiction so I shouldn’t be picky. Overall the story lacked a bit of menace. I get the feeling that the author is far too nice to write about a dark side. There is a threat of death, but it doesn’t feel that threatening. I’m ok with that because the book is a nice read and the inclusion of some crossover mobster friends was a lovely surprise.

Carsen Taite never disappoints with her books and while this is a slight deviation from her book situated in the courtroom I loved this one about Siobhan, a lawyer but also consigliere to Don Carlo, the man that took her in after her mother was killed when she was a young girl.
Royal is an undercover cop who infiltrates the family through Siobhan in order to get enough evidence to bring down the Mancuso family but she didn't expect to develop real feelings.
As in Ali Vali's books (hard not to compare especially with a certain guest character in this book) Taite manages to humanize the members of the mob and shows us there are shades of grey in a world that could be viewed as black and white. As it turns out there's trouble brewing with the ranks and Siobhan gets caught in the middle as a target by a rival Don which lead Royal to evaluate her options and what is important for her in life.

I'm on the fence when it comes to the romance part, but I often am in Taites books, I love the way she writes and really liked this book based on the storyline yet the romance wasn't quite there. I missed a connection between Royal and Siobhan aside from attractiveness although I did get glimpses of it here and there. And I actually do hope there will be a follow up book with all the loose ends at the end of the book since I enjoyed the read.

*** An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. ***

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Siobhan owes her life to the Mancuso family they were there for her when she needed them the most. She a accomplish attorney who also a consigliere for the family.

Royal who is undercover agent who just about to take a long needed vacation is called into work. She task to find evidence on the Mancuso family and gets a opportunity when she saves Siobhan from getting hit.

Siobhan is torn between her loyalty to the family who help her and the attraction she feels for the woman who there to help take the family down.

This was a good read. It’s sometimes hard to do the right thing when it possibly lose the people you love.

Siobhan Collins is an accomplish attorney and the consigliere of the Mancuso family, who she owes her life. However, her loyalty is put to a test when the woman she has fallen for has deceived her and her only goal is to bring down the family Siobhan has pledge to protect. Royal Scott is an undercover FBI agent who is ready for a long awaited vacation and leave undercover work behind. Instead she is given the assignment to infiltrate the Mancuso family and get any useful information to stop their illegal empire. Although, Royal knew of the family's consigliere, she was not prepared to fall for her.

This is by far one of the best books of Carsen Taite. The story was catchy and intriguing from the start. While both characters where great and well developed, it was Siobhan's character which made this book soo good!! She was sexy, complicated, loyal but also a rule-breaker, confident but at times insecure. I feel like in every of Siobhan's scenes you learned so much more about the character and what made her so special and memorable. The chemistry between both women was off the charts and makes me wish the book was longer so I could have keep reading about them.

Overall, this was a great book! A page turner! One I will be re-reading and recommending to fellow readers.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am always a Taite's fan and even though I really like her court rooms, it was good to read her last two books, Spirit of the Law an this one - Her Consigliere. In the Spirit one there is a change, but with the Consigliere we have a real shift with the mafia and its fights. It is a very dynamic book and the chemistry between the protagonists is incredible. I like when an author reinvents herself and is still good at the end of a new book.