4⭐️
2.5🌶

A mafia romance unlike anything I've read by Katee Robert, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Teague O'Malley not only has an excellent name, but a delicious demeanor that had me anticipating every one of his next moves. His relationships with his siblings and the dreams he has for the future rounded out the feisty, possessive man. And Callie, ever the do-gooder, has a fierceness all her own. The way these two paired up was fun to read and in true Katee Robert fashion, the spice was delectable.

I recommend Dark Succession to anyone looking to branch into mafia romance. The love story is great, the setting (Boston) is beautiful, and the plot is intriguing without being overwhelming and complicated. There's action, family rivalries, love, loss, and a set up for the rest of the series that I can't wait to dive into.

Thank you to Katee Robert, NetGalley, and Forever for a copy of Dark Succession in exchange for my honest review!

I received an eARC from NetGalley and Forever in exchange for an honest review. Callie Sheridan has been told she's marrying someone, not of her choice, but to secure an alliance between the two families. Since her brother died, she is now the next in line to lead the family. She wants to make their businesses legitimate, but now she has a fiancé to deal with. Teague O'Malley wants out of the family business, so when his family comes to him and asks him to marry for an alliance, he wants no part of it. But it wasn't so much an ask as a demand. Now he's met her and has an attraction he can't deny, but will she understand his want to leave the business behind?

This is a rerelease of The Marriage Pact, the first book in the O'Malley series. This book had me from the start! Enemies to lovers plus marriage of convenience? Yes please! Callie is an amazingly strong and intelligent woman who has been underestimated by almost everyone around her. There are so many side characters and everyone is so fleshed out you feel like you're in the world of mafia Boston. And the introduction to the next HEA in the middle of the book has me wanting to start the next one asap! I would recommend this to fans of enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, mafia, and steamy romance.

I would read Katee's grocery list if she published it so of course I had to read this one. Thank you to Forever Publishing for an early e-copy and a gifted finished copy. Fun fact, when I was younger, I used to make up stories in my head about being a mafia don's daughter and taking over his empire but also he wasn't like other mafia dudes and he actually loved his girl child. And then this book popped up and brought all teenage me's day dreams to life. And I'm here for it. Anyway, I can't wait for the rest of the series, especially the one about Carrigan.

The tension and chemistry between Callie and Teague was just amazing!! From the beginning I was drawn into the story and into their relationship - just from that very first kiss! Unfortunately, the rest of the book was a little bit clunky for me. There were too many POVs and some of them felt a little bit pointless (I think setting up future books in the series, but that could have been done just with Teague and Callie's POV), and the point of views changed mid chapter and some what sporadically. And then the middle dragged a little while the ending wrapped up way too quickly. Overall it was a fun read, but not one that will stick with me forever.

my god I’m just completely obsessed with katee robert and everything that she writes!!!

teague and callista were everything I wanted in a couple - enemies to lovers, “who did this to you” trope, revenge plot … what can I say, I just love a good dark and broody MMC

katee’s writing is absolutely addicting. the way that the plot unfolds is so meticulous and exact that it feels 100% natural - like I’m watching this happen in real life. I would seriously read anything katee writes!!!!

thank you to netgalley and katee for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This book further proves to me that I love everything Katee Robert does. While I was first sucked in by the Dark Olympus series, everything I've read of hers since has been just as engaging, spicy, and all-consuming, and Dark Succession is absolutely no exception. The tension and chemistry was fantastic, a new favourite mafia book.

This was a really quick read for me. I enjoyed the mafia romance aspect though it was much tamer than I’m used to. The hostility between families and marriage of convenience aspected I enjoyed.⁣
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Even though Teague and Callista were a little insta love for me their connection felt real and strong and I enjoyed watching them fight for each other and care for each other. The tension and chemistry with these two was on fire. ⁣
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Callista was a strong female leader for her family and I always love when the FMC does what she needs to, to survive.⁣
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I’m looking forward to Carrigan’s story.⁣
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed this I love Katee roberts Books this is very enjoyable I liked the mafia element of it I didn't read mafia romance before ever reading Katie Roberts and I feel like this is a great introduction to mafia romance if you’re interested in trying it.

Three mob families. Some murder. Some arranged marriages.

Some fall in love. Some get killed.

So many secrets. So many lies.

And obviously KR gave us the spicy scenes we all are looking for!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever (GCP) for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was pleasantly surprised by this! I don't usually read a lot of Mafia romance, but seeing it was Katee Robert, I decided to take a chance and I'm glad I did. The plot is exceptional, the spicy scenes are super steamy, and the whole "family" aspect is really well done. Dark Succession is different from most arranged marriage books I've read and I love that! Teague was definitely a curve-ball Callie didn't see coming her way. But despite everything, they had a strong connection. I loved the tension between them and their chemistry was crazy. Even from their first meeting, you knew that their were sparks. I also loved how this book set up future books for the rest of the siblings. It makes me excited for those to come out.

The way I was blushing the entire time should not be legal hahahaha. I love all things Katee Robert and am so glad this series is having its moment.

Katee Robert always hits it out of the park! I absolutely loved this mafia romance. It was different than the rest of her books that I’ve read but still carried that Katee Robert flare! The pacing was really good. I was hooked right from the beginning. The plot was good as well. I enjoyed how it was the perfect mix of suspense and romance! I definitely will recommend to any romance reader!

Dark Succession appears to be a re-release of The Marriage Contract. I'm a fan of a good mafia romance and this one fit right into my niche.

Our main characters, Teague O'Malley and Callista Sheridan come from different mafia families. When they are betrothed to one another in a sign of goodwill between their families, all hell breaks loose with another local mafia family that is slighted by Callie's quick engagement after her former fiancé, their son, was recently murdered. The Hallorans won't rest until they discover who murdered the oldest son of their family. Teague and Callie both move forward with meeting one another to commit to the engagement as a power play but when they meet one another , it's obvious there is more there. They actually have a true attraction to one another. But they each have a secret that they're keeping and secrets are dangerous.

I really found the mafia dynamic was done well and kept me engaged. There is so much potential for the rest of this series and I really look forward to it.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

I trust Katee Robert with my life, and that will always include her backlist. God I haven't read a mafia/crime family romance in a hot minute and Dark Succession was exactly what I needed it to be. Delicious, devourable, and devious just enough to make my heart beat a little faster. Katee has never steered me wrong and this re-pub is no exception.

Where there’s mafia romance, there’s bound to be arranged marriages and abductions and bloodshed, and we get a bit of it all in this book. Teague and Callie are made for each other, in that I’ve never seen two people make a series of bad decisions one after the other like these two. Instead in trying to be noble, they both just end up being foolishly destructive. I initially thought it was only Teague getting on my nerves with his holier than thou attitude and consequent half baked plans, but turns out Callie matched him idea for idea and they both really just needed to chill. Even though I get that they each had pressured that they were dealing with in their own way.

The best part of this book, hands down, is the O’Malley siblings and their complicated relationships. Aiden and Carrigan are clearly the superior O’Malleys so far. While Callie and Teague were mostly meh, the romance set up for the next book at the back end of this one is already more promising and more explosive than these two were in their own book. The action kicks into high gear in the second half of the book, and the stakes get unexpectedly higher too, so that overall this feels like more of an origin story of the O’Malley series rather than a true first book and I’m excited to see what comes next.

Looking for a steamy read that's more than just sexy times? Look no further than this mafia romance by Katee Robert! 

The O'Malley family is wealthy, powerful, dangerous, and bursting with scandal. And Teague O'Malley, the rebellious black sheep, is about to stir up some serious trouble.

Teague never wanted anything to do with his family's name, but when he's forced into a business alliance with the beautiful and mysterious Callista Sheridan, he sees an opportunity to finally break free. But Callie isn't just any love interest. Oh no, she's got secrets that could put them both in grave danger. Think witness protection program-level secrets. And if Teague wants to get out of the family business alive, he's going to have to help her.

But it's not just about the romance - this book has it all, from gangster politics to familial responsibility and just the right amount of suspense.

I absolutely loved reading this book - the writing was fantastic, the characters were engaging, and the plot was full of twists and turns that kept me hooked from start to finish. However, there is one aspect that left me feeling disappointed. While I understand that sometimes characters need to die for the sake of the plot, it felt like this death was done solely for shock value. It was a tactic that left me feeling cheated and frustrated. Despite this flaw, I still highly recommend the book - just be prepared for a heartbreaking loss that may leave you reeling.

With a modern twist on the classic marriage-of-convenience trope, it's a marriage of convenience that's about as convenient as a horse's head in your bed.  And let's be real, the plentiful and hot sexy times are just the cherry on top.

Dark Succession is the first book in the O'Malleys series and I enjoyed it. Its a mafia/ arranged marriage tale that held my attention from start to finish. Teague and Calle were wonderful characters and I enjoyed seeing them get to know each other. They had an instant connection and great chemistry from their first meeting. I liked that she was strong determined heroine and I loved Teague's possessive protective nature. They were well suited for each other inspite of the fact that they were entering into an arranged marriage.
The conflict/war among the families gave the novel a suspenseful element and it added lots of drama and conflict.
The story was fast paced and I was able to read it in one sitting. I loved the set up for Carrigan's story and I can't wait for more in this series. I enjoyed this novel and would definitely recommend it.

I am sooo obsessed with the O'Malley series from Katee Robert. It's like re-visiting old friends. Teague and Callie were fantastic. I loved the drama of three mafia families at each other's throats. I am obsessed! Now I have to read Carrigan and James Book! 4 stars! ~Ratula

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of Dark Succession!

There were a lot of things I liked about this book. I thought the mob characters were really interesting, and I found the plot line about the three warring families engaging. I also really liked the two main characters! They were both morally gray, which I'm a total simp for in every book. The book also gives insight into the other characters' thoughts and actions, though, and I think that did a good job to set up the subsequent books in the series.

That being said, the ending was incredibly rushed, and I didn't buy in to how neatly it was tied up in a bow. I also felt like the ending left me with a lot of questions that were unanswered about these main characters. I know there are other books in this series (It is a re-released series), but I'm not in a rush to read them right now sadly.

Overall, this was an engaging, moderately spicy romance. If you're a fan of Neon Gods etc, though, this one is way lower on the spice level.

Rating: 3⭐️

Katee Roberts definitely knows how to write a spicy book and Dark Succession is no exception. The arranged marriage plotline for this story is a lot of fun to read and is unique compared to other books with a similar trope. There was a lot of tension and the chemistry between the main characters was incredible. I haven't read many mafia romances before so I didn't really know what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised. I look forward to reading more by Katee Roberts in the future!