Katee Robert's Dark Succession delivers a scintillating contemporary romance that intertwines passion, secrets, and unexpected alliances. Set against the backdrop of corporate intrigue and family dynamics, this novel weave a captivating story that keeps readers hooked until the very end.

Teagan Michaels, a savvy businesswoman, finds herself in a dire financial situation, threatened by her family's crumbling business empire. Enter Aiden Blackstone, a powerful and enigmatic billionaire, who proposes a marriage of convenience to save Teagan's family legacy while securing his own interests. Their union is a business deal on paper, but as emotions become entangled, lines blur, and sparks fly.

The chemistry between Teagan and Aiden is electric, and the author delivers on the promise of steamy romance that will leave readers fanning themselves. The intimate moments are tastefully written, adding to the allure of their connection without overshadowing the plot.

At the heart of Dark Succession lies a tale of family bonds, loyalties, and betrayal. The intricacies of corporate power struggles and the machinations of the wealthy elite add depth and suspense to the narrative. Robert skillfully navigates through the twists and turns, creating a storyline that keeps readers invested in the outcome.

The only minor criticism is that some elements of the plot may feel familiar to fans of the marriage-of-convenience trope. However, Robert's unique voice and well-executed twists make Dark Succession stand out from similar stories.

It is cool to see Katee Robert in this stage of her writing. It is a lot tamer than I am used to from her. That being said it is still quite spicy. The plot here is decent, which was cool and unexpected. I am curious about the next in the series.

Plot - 3
Writing and Editing - 4
Character Development - 3
Personal Bias -3
Final Score - 3.25

Thank you Katee Robert and Net Galley for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

This one was really good, so happy for the new release of this ! The characters are great and the story was super spicy! Katee has done it again!

I will truly read anything by Katee Robert. I really thought I didn't care for mafia romances, but Katee proved me wrong. One thing that did surprise me though, is the Harry Potter reference? I know that Katee updated some language in this book to be more suited to 2023, so I'm surprised she kept that in, especially since it was in reference to the goblins which we know are a very anti-Semitic portrayal. Otherwise, I loved all the action in this, I seriously never knew where the plot was going, which is really what I look for when reading.

Not sure how I feel about this book. It’s a contemporary/mafia romance. It had quite a beginning but then kind of dragged until you got the the last few chapters. She usually has more spice in her books but I understand why these didn’t. I like the spicy so I think I was missing that part. The story it’s self is good. I will be reading the follow up to this book since I did like Carrigan and James. I have a feeling I’m really going to like their chemistry.

Probably shouldn’t be shocked that a book with ‘dark’ in the title was dark but this was too dark for me, too much power struggle, too much political manipulations. Just didn’t love it

Mafia/Crime Boss stories are not my typical read but Katee Roberts is a name i cannot resist. This book is FIRE! Molten. It was very interesting that both MCs are more human than you anticipate based on their families. However, when forced together they realize the power of themselves as a unit vs individuals. Wild story with wild families, fights and gun battles but hot haha. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series!

Since I was already well into my romance era, I decided to try something with a little more spice and a little bit of crime tossed in, so I picked up Dark Succession* by Katee Robert.

There's a lot going on in this book, and I first picked it up one (early) morning when I couldn't sleep, but it ended up being more than my 2 a.m. brain could handle. Thankfully on my second attempt (during normal hours), I was happy to discover it all made complete sense. There are a lot of characters, but I feel I have a good grasp on who everyone is, and what family they belong to at this point.

This is the first of this type of romance I have read, both in terms of arranged marriage and mafia families - so I went in really not knowing what to expect. I enjoyed both Teague and Callista, but their instalove felt too fast, and I sadly didn't feel any chemistry between them. As for the crime aspect to this book, it's right in line with the other crime thrillers I've been reading lately, but having the added aspect of a romance was a bonus that made this book stand out! There were some steamy scenes, and those seemed very appropriate for this genre of book!

Although I didn't feel a spark between the love interests in this book, I did feel major sparks between Carrigan and James in their brief encounter - so I'm sure the second book in the series (all about them) will work even better for me!

*Dark Succession was previously published as The Marriage Contract.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the complimentary copy to read and review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating

“You consume me, angel. It's the most welcome kind of distraction, but I can't get through an hour without thinking about you.”

I enjoyed the plot of this book but I feel like it was a little slow. It did pick up pace toward the end up the book and gave us a little action. Katee’s spicy scenes are always great so she definitely didn’t disappoint there. Overall it was a good spicy read!

Boston Mob/Mafia romance with an arranged marriage to top it off. They didn’t want it but found out they have amazing chemistry and learned to trust each other along the way. Teague is a softy for a mafia kid where Callie learns or has to be quick and ruthless for a while. The families are dark and dangerous.

I’ve been meaning to read this series for some time and now I can’t wait to finish it. This is a dark mafia so there are some nasty parts forsure but Robert writes some amazing chemistry for these two. The set up for his siblings was great and I can’t wait for the next one.

4.5 stars - A mafia story filled with action, romance and suspense!

Three families fighting to combine alliances through marriage, but who really ends up on top? This thrilling mafia love story will keep you on the edge of your seat guessing what will happen next!

This series is what got me addicted to Katee Robert, and I haven't stopped since. I'm just as in love with these characters as I was when the story originally published. The families are so well written, you can't help but feel like one of them while reading.

Just imagine if The Sopranos met Romeo and Juliet...still wouldn't touch this series!

This was a cute book. Probably more of a 3.5 but it held my attention with the action and drama. Teague and Callie obviously have chemistry but the relationship needed more depth. Teague is pretty fleshed out: loving overprotective brother, good boyfriend, trying to keep the peace. Callie we get a lot of her grief over her dead brother but that’s about it we don’t know much about her in general. As the first book of the series it did have a lot of backstory that was appreciated for all three mob families. I think the real winner of this book was Carrigan. She was fabulous, sassy, strong and I honestly feel like I know more about her than Callie.

Overall a good quick read.

“𝐒𝐡𝐞’𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐢𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬...𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝. 𝐀𝐥𝐥-𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡, 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐤𝐞.“

Dark Succession is book 1 in the O’Malley Series and follows Callista Sheridan and Teague O’Malley. There’s A LOT to take in in this series opener: Three rival mafia families, arranged marriages, more siblings than you count, feuds, action, and romance. While the story focuses on Callie and Teague, we get POVs from several other characters as well. It took me a little bit to fully get into this one, but once I did , I couldn’t put it down. I loved all the characters, but felt that Callie and Teague’s relationship got lost at times throughout everything else that was going on. Book 2 follows Carrigan and James, who were standout characters in this book, so I’m excited to read their story and see where the series goes from here. 3.75⭐️

𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕋𝕠 𝔼𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕥:
💋Mafia
💋Enemies to lovers
💋Multi POV
💋Arranged marriage

“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥.“

“𝐈 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞, 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐎’𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞.”

this was a spicyyy book! It definitely gave me darker romeo and juliet vibes. It also had marriage of convenience which is one of my favorite tropes. Lots of spicy scenes and an easy fun read!

Dark Succession
By Katee Robert
••• ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• •••
I really enjoyed this mafia story with an instant love connection. It was easy to read and I loved the world that Katee Robert created. There are multiple POV’s which was so fun and made me fall in love with the whole family. The plot and pacing was fast and well done. I enjoyed the characters, it was an easy fun read.

This is the first book in the O’Malley series which follows this family and two other families (Halloran’s & Sheridan’s) in the crime world in Boston. I loved this story, it was just what I needed! And I fell even harder for Carrigan O’Malley and James Halloran, so I was so excited to find out that the second book in the series follows them! So I immediately started reading the sequel a soon as I was done this book.

Teague O’Malley hates the empire that his father created in the crime world. But when his father demands that he marry Callista Sheridan to create a business alliance between the two empires, he couldn’t care less about it. But when Teague meets Callista and sees the bruises on her neck and the kindness in her eyes, he vows he will do anything and everything to protect her.

It’s well know that the O’Malleys have a dangerous reputation in town. And when she feels that instant attraction with Teague, she can’t help but feel guilty for the dark secret that she is keep. It could get them killed.

If you’re new to mafia romances, I would start with this one! It wasn’t that violence, and it had a wonderful plot and pacing. I would check for trigger warnings.

I would like to thank Read Forever Publishing for the opportunity to review. My copy was given to me by Read Forever Publishing and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Romance: ❤️❤️❤️
Spice level: 🌶🌶🌶
Plot points: 💥💥💥💥
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dark Succession by Katee Robert is a thrilling and enticing romantic suspense novel that delves into the intriguing world of mafia families and arranged marriages. This captivating story kept me engrossed from beginning to end, with its well-developed characters, intense plot, and a touch of unexpected romance.

The novel introduces us to the O'Malley family, wealthy and powerful players in Boston's underworld, who have a reputation for danger and scandal. Teague O'Malley, one of the siblings, finds himself thrust into an arranged marriage with Callista Sheridan, the sole heir of another prominent mafia family. While initially resistant to the idea, Teague's perspective changes when he witnesses the bruises on Callista's neck and recognizes the fire in her eyes.

Katee Robert masterfully crafts the dynamics of this forced union, drawing us into a world where alliances are forged through marriage and loyalty to family reigns supreme. The tension between the O'Malleys, the Sheridans, and their rivals, the Hallorans, provides a constant sense of danger and intrigue. As secrets and hidden agendas come to light, the stakes rise, pushing the characters to their limits.

What makes the book stand out is the complex and well-rounded characters. Teague O'Malley is a swoon-worthy hero, driven by a sense of honor and the desire to protect his loved ones. His internal struggle with the violent world he's been born into adds depth to his character, making him relatable and sympathetic. Callista is a resilient and determined heroine, refusing to be defined by the circumstances of her arranged marriage. Her strength and vulnerability are skillfully portrayed, making her a compelling and admirable character.

The chemistry between Teague and Callista is electric, and their romance adds a layer of warmth amidst the darkness of their circumstances. The development of their relationship felt authentic and believable, with their emotional connection feeling natural despite the short timeline.

Katee Robert's writing style is engaging and fast-paced, keeping the reader invested in the story's twists and turns. The suspenseful plot, filled with rivalries, power struggles, and unforeseen alliances, had me eagerly turning the pages. While the book's focus is primarily on Teague and Callista, the author skillfully weaves in glimpses of the supporting characters, hinting at future romances and leaving me eager for the next installment in the series.

My only minor gripe with Dark Succession is that I wished for a bit more resolution and closure in certain aspects of the story. While the main conflict was resolved satisfactorily, a few loose ends left me wanting more answers, but I imagine this will be handled in future books of the series.

In conclusion, Dark Succession is a captivating start to the O'Malley series. It combines elements of romance, suspense, and the intriguing world of organized crime, creating a compelling and entertaining read. With well-drawn characters, a well-paced plot, and a touch of unexpected love, this novel is sure to please fans of romantic suspense and mafia romance alike. I eagerly anticipate diving into the next book in the series to uncover more secrets and delve deeper into the fascinating world of the O'Malley family.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 (4 Stars)
Steam: 🌶🌶🌶/5 (3+ steamy scenes with description)

Happy Release Date!

Thanks to Forever Publishing for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review!

No spoiler review 👇🏻

This was originally the marriage contract but is being republished by forever with new titles and covers!

I love Katee Robert books so I was so excited to read this one! It was a dark steamy mafia romance book.

This book follows Callie, she is part of a mafia family and must marry Teague (from another mafia family) so form an alliance between the two families, at the same time the other mafia families have declared war….while Callie and Teague navigate a war and their wedding gets closer, the realize they have feelings for each other. A bit slow in the middle so overall 4 stars.

It was a steamy marriage of convenience with a dark mafia setting and interesting characters. I look forward to reading more in this series as it gets re-released!

CW: assault, violence, blood, murder

This was my first Katee Robert's book that I've read and I was actually pleasantly surprised.
I was nervous for the spice and in all honesty, it was a bit much for me at some points. However, it was very well done. The plot was good and the family dynamic was also a plus. I'm not sure Katee will be an auto-buy author for me, but I did enjoy the majority of this book. I was captivated the whole time and was never bored. I know a lot of my friends will absolutely love it!

Thank you, NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me to review this book honestly.

I’m a huge fan of this author and this book was no exception. Great writing, perfectly paced, lovable and fleshed out characters. 10/10

I received a copy from Forever through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ever since her brother died, Callie Sheridan has felt the effects of the loss everywhere. Including who she marries. The loss of her first fiancée selected for her didn’t prepare her for who her next fiancée would be: Teague O’Malley. Callie appears to be going from one bad arrangement to another until she realizes she really likes Teague… a man from another opposing mob family. Meanwhile, Teague despises being associated with the O’Malley empire. It’s why he was irritated about being married off as part of a business arrangement. At least that’s how he felt before he met Callie and discovered that she made him feel things he didn’t know existed. Too bad he’s determined to solve a mystery that might prevent a war, which just happens to be Callie’s explosive secret.

I’ve been reading and enjoying the Dark Olympus series, so I decided to start checking out Katee’s other books! We follow Callie and Teague through their rotating perspectives, but we periodically read from the perspective of characters other than them. I actually liked seeing things from the view of supporting characters despite the story mainly following Callie and Teague. I also think it makes things a little more interesting because I know some of these characters will eventually have their own book. It was a nice glimpse into what their books may look like.

As far as the story goes, I thought it was pretty good. Much of the book is about Callie and Teague and their respective family woes. Both come from major families in the mob world and wish to escape that life. For Callie, that dream moved further from reality than ever when her older brother died. As the sole living Sheridan heir, she’s next in line and hopes to completely move the family out of the business when her time comes. Meanwhile, Teague has always dreamt of taking his brothers and sisters and getting the hell out of town. Now that he’s due to marry an heiress, his own dreams have flown right out the window, but it doesn’t matter since he’s more than hot for Callie.

This book sets up the tone for the rest of the series as the Sheridan and O’Malley families prepare to go to war with the Hallorans. Since Brendan Halloran was originally due to marry Callie, the fact that she’s been set to marry someone new so fast is a slap in the face. However, Brendan’s awful reputation precedes him, and anyone who knew of the engagement before its announcement agrees that Callie dodged a bullet. Now the Sheridans and O’Malley’s have to make the appearance of an alliance become reality, which is something that Calle and Teague hope to prevent the war from starting to save countless lives. As I get further and further into the series, it’ll be interesting to see how far things go and how much the Sheridans and O’Malleys are able to form a united front and continue to interact from book to book.

As far as the romance goes, I found it believable that Callie and Teague really fell for each other. I think they’re a good match, but I was initially put off by how Teague was on the possessive side, but I felt better about the two of them when the possessiveness faded over time after she put her foot down. I don’t think their romance was sizzling, but I think that was partially caused by me being taken out of the story every time Teague referred to her as Angel. That just really bugged me because he started calling Callie that right away, so I kept getting taken out of the story every single time he said it. That said, I really do think they’re a good match and find how drawn they are to each other to be very believable.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. I do think that there are some things that don’t make sense, like how Callie makes some decisions without an ounce of common sense but expects her dad to take her capabilities more seriously at a faster rate. There’s also a plot running with Teague that makes me wonder how he truly expected his expectations to become reality for long given how realistic he generally is. Otherwise, I think it’s a great story and I’m really interested in checking out the following book in the series.