𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁:

So this was my first mafia/mob read and OMG I was not prepared. I loved the suspense, the action, the intrigue, the power dynamics and all the world fading to black moments. This duo rocked the audio and made you feel all the highs and lows of these characters. This book definitely had a few darker themes so check trigger warnings, but wow I think I may be a mafia girlie now.

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:

Ava is a Moretti, which means she’s expected to play a certain role in life. However who she is doesn’t align with her father’s expectations and he’s constantly trying to extinguish her flame. She’s had a rough year with the loss of her twin brother and in grief turned to drugs and alcohol, but she’s forged her way through and is starting to heal. She is wrapping up law school and just had a fun one night fling, if she does all the right things her dad won’t marry her off or so they agreed. But her father has other plans and uses her as a pawn in his mob business dealings to gain more power.

Nick Caponelli is next in line to be the Don of the family business aka mafia. He is their go to hitman when there is a need but he runs a lot of their legitimate business as his day to day. He was checking out his restaurant when he met the most breathtaking girl. She said one night but that just isn’t enough for him, he can’t get her out of his mind. So when his dad makes the announcement he will be forging an alliance with the Morettis to help defend their territory from a new Russian threat, he isn’t happy but duty comes first. But to his shock the girl he’s been searching for is actually a Moretti, so this is perfect!

Fate definitely has bigger plans for Nick and Ava and they will both be forced to make decisions that will either unite or destroy them all.

𝙁𝙖𝙫 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚:

“Ava, I don’t care about the rules you’re worth breaking them … I’m use to getting what I want Ava and I’m not going to stop until I do.”

𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅:

* Strangers to Lovers
* It was Suppose to be One Night
* Instant Connection - Boy Obsessed
* Arranged Marriage for Alliance Treaty
* She’s in Law School & He Next in Line to be the Don
* Her Dad is a Notorious Mob Boss
* He was Involved in Her Twin Brother’s Death
* Family Drama, Alliances & Secrets
* Suspense, Action w/ Spice
* Set in NYC
* Dual POV

🖤🪦💍🖤 🪦💍🖤 🪦💍

3.5/5

I actually ended up really enjoying this. Was there an excessive use of tropes? Yes. Was it a bit cliche? Yes. Did I have a fun time? Also yes. It was honestly a really fun read. There were a bit too many tropes, and I would have like some things to be fleshed out better. However, I devoured this. It was very dramatic and a wild ride, but I would expect that in a mafia romance. I really enjoyed Nick and Ava’s relationship and the banter. At times Ava frustrated me, but I loved Nick! I also listened to the audio which made things so much better. The narrators really made the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is ACTION PACKED. Traumatizing at times but reading hard things can feel cathartic. Check all trigger warnings thoroughly and buckle up. Lust at first sight done perfectly, the right amount of mafia business and the spice was *chef kiss* great.

The audiobook was really good. But the book was nothing special. It did keep my interest but it was nothing life changing. Pretty basic.

You know I’m a sucker for mafia romance—and this one? Had me hooked. Ties That Bind Us is a steamy, emotional enemies-to-lovers arranged marriage story that had the perfect blend of drama, heart, and slow-burn tension.

Ava is the fiery mafia princess, Nick is the heir to a rival crime family—and after one unexpected night together? Things spiral into forbidden love, dangerous deals, and SO many swoony moments.

The dual POV and audiobook narration? Chef’s kiss. The vibes are very much Romeo & Juliet meets mafia politics with actual chemistry and emotional growth. Nick is a top-tier book boyfriend (yes, I said it) and Ava’s journey, especially dealing with grief and family pressure, was so raw and relatable.

5 stars totally recommend!

Ａｕｄｉｏｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ
🌟🌟🌟🌟.2
"Ties That Bind Us" by Nicole Knight is an arranged marriage story that handles substance abuse and an abusive father, with a dash of enemies-to-lovers. Ava is a headstrong, fiery, mafia princess who pretty much does what she wants. I liked Ava's character; she had depth and struggled a lot with her twin brother's passing. She is a very relatable and likeable character, but she could also be a little annoying. However, I think her character development was good. Nick is a book boyfriend! He wasn't playing games with Ava or around Ava.

The audiobook is dual narration. Jack Calihan and Allie Shae did a good job telling the story and bringing the story to life! They were easy to listen to and understand. I listened at 2x speed.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This was not the book for me. I tried, I read the whole thing but just not for me.
I found the adoption ending cheesy and uncomfortable. It really minimizes the trauma around actual adoptees.

Ties That Bind Us is a fast paced and addicting mafia romance that had me absolutely consumed. Once I started this one I wasn't able to stop. The story just grabbed me right off the bad, the characters, the feuding, the drama, the chemistry. It just had it all for me to make it highly entertaining. The plot unfurled at a great place revealing twists at the appropriate time, keeping me on the edge of my seat constantly. Knight’s writing was easy to follow and just flowed nicely.

Ava & Nick had undeniable chemistry from the start, but the way their relationship evolved and grew into something much more than physical was so heartwarming to see. I loved how they both showed their vulnerabilities to each other and how confident they both were in one another. I loved how the relationship was bumpy, but they never gave up on each other or doubted one another's love. Nick absolutely stole my heart even with his rough exterior, his heart is pure gold for his family. The whole storyline was so intriguing to follow and I just loved it.

Overall, this was a really fun, entertaining and highly addictive mafia romance. Fast, easy to read with a great plot and some nice twists. I will definitely read more by this author!

✨️Thank you to @netgalley & @authornicoleknight for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Nicole Knight for the audio ARC of Ties That Bind Us.

I really enjoyed this Mafia romance. The duet of narration really gave an extra punch to the dual POV of this book.

This story follows Ava (mafia don's daughter) and Nick (rival mafia don's son) ok their wild Romeo/Juliet romance. After a deal is struck to call a truce and merge their mafia families, can the two face the challenges they're up against?

I liked that the author was able to skirt around the miscommunication trope (which i hate) with resolutions rather quickly. I liked the love story that unfolds for Ava and Nick. And boy, do i LOVE nick! Lol Ava was annoying but I also get her little spiral. Towards the end there was a very emotional part for me personally as its something I've struggled with. But I dont want to ruin a plot point for the book.

Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend to others. Especially the beautiful audiobook version.

**Review: *Ties That Bind Us* by Nicole Knight**
**Rating: 3⭐️ (Audiobook Narration: 4⭐️)**

The premise had strong potential—a one-night stand turned arranged marriage between heirs of rival mafia families is the kind of setup that promises tension, drama, and intrigue. However, while the foundation was compelling, the execution leaned more toward soap opera than true mafia grit.

The story lacked the depth and edge I expected from a mafia romance. The emotional beats were there, but the overall plot felt a bit too melodramatic and didn’t quite deliver on the darker, more intense elements often found in the genre.

That said, the dual narration in the audiobook was a highlight. The narrators brought the characters to life and added dimension to the dialogue and emotion, which elevated the listening experience.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 – 4 (Audiobook Edition)
Format: Audiobook

Ties that Bind Us was a pretty good listen overall, landing somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars for me. Story-wise, I’d say it leans more toward a 3.5—interesting enough to keep me engaged, but not exactly earth-shattering or unforgettable.

Where this really shined, though, was the audiobook performance. Allie Shaer was phenomenal. She has one of those voices that’s instantly calming yet expressive, and she brought Ava to life in such a vivid, emotionally grounded way. Her ability to differentiate between characters was impressive, and her portrayal of Ava specifically was a standout—so soft, strong, and real. I could honestly listen to her narrate anything.

The male narrator also did a solid job and had a nice presence, though it was hard for anyone to match the Allie's delivery. She really carried the production, and her performance elevated the entire experience.

Thank you for the Audiobook ARC Netgalley and Dreamscape Media.

I just want to say thank you for letting me read this ARC.

I’ve never really been into Mafia Romances, but after reading the description I definitely had to give this a shot.

Upon Nick and Ava first meeting and giving the fake names of Juliet and Romeo was very foreshadowing especially as neither knew the other was part of a mob family.

While the story was straight and to the point, I was really hoping that there would be more.. everything seemed to work out right away and there seemed to not truly be any major mob wars actively going on from what I could gather. Just Ava’s dad being a snake and trying to essentially just kill his daughter, and that of taking another life as the result of that.

Although I loved how Nick wanted to be there for Ava and I liked their chemistry, it felt like a lot of stuff was continuously repeated with the behavior he stated he’d never put her through.
All in all this book just did not read Mafia to me.