Trapped

This is the 2nd Anna Ray book I have read and she is definitely becoming one of my favorite authors. I liked this book better than the first in the series (Tempted). This one was longer which was better for me. All of the books in the Mafia Sinners Series can be read as standalones.
I was able to see the relationship between Massimo and Alessandra start and blossom into what it is now. I really enjoy a mafia romance that focuses equally on the mob side of things as well as the relationship aspect. I can not wait to read the next book Collided when it comes out next week.

*this was sent to me via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Trapped is book two in the Mafia Sinners series by Anna Ray. Were introduced to characters Massimo Accardi and Alessandra Giuliana who just seem to have a spark, even though they don’t meet under the best of circumstances. Massimo has been looking for the killer of his family for years, but when he finds out that Alessandra’s father could have something to do with it, he is not only going to make him pay, but also her. Here we have a dark and brooding character, met with a fiery and sassy woman who wants to get out from under her father rule.

This was a wonderfully written, mafia romance, which has enough action and sexy scenes to make you keep turning the pages. We see the development of Massimo and Alessandra’s relationship as more secrets come to light and both of them are left questioning their role in their respective families. Alessandra isn’t your typical mafia princess and definitely has her own will and mind. I liked that she told Massimo exactly what she thought and even though she was nervous, told her father what she thought.

I also liked that Massimo wasn’t that mean at all to Alessandra and tried to make her as comfortable as possible as he plotted and planned.

Overall, a good, light mafia read by a new author for me.

ARC received for a fair, honest and sometimes long review. All opinions are my own. 😊

More of my reviews can be found on my blog: http://thehotmesslibrary.blogspot.com

Let me start by saying that this in the second book in the series. I do wish I had read book one first - mainly because I am a series girl - but this book also works well as a stand alone.

I haven't had the opportunity to read too many mafia books but I am in love.

I kind of laugh when I say there is a kidnapping in this story - it's just it's not initially realized and when it is, it's really not even an issue - so, there's that. Possibly a trigger warning for some, but with the way it's done...I'm not certain. Use your own judgement.

A story of a man seeking revenge for the death of his family...the daughter of a mafia boss...the plus? Alessandra isn't your typically portrayed movie/television mafia princess - thank goodness. There are plenty of twists and turns in this book and i did read it in one night.

If you are looking for action, loyalty (which as a prison wife is a HUGE thing for me), family, drama, something that veers from the traditional read...this book is for you. Let me know what you think in the comments:)

This was a new author for me and my least favourite trope- I don't like mafia romances, I read it for book challenge.
I liked the writting style, I was intrigued by the story, which was high paced and captivating.
I was glad there wasn't too much violence, and there was high level of love aspect.

I really liked this mafia romance. The characters were developed enough to keep me reading about them, and the plot was interesting. I just felt there was something missing. I wanted more, more plot and character development and more suspense.

I really loved this book. I do not know why I love the Mafia Romance Genre so much but it's really something that I am enjoying and with books like this it will be something really easy to continue into the future.

First things first: it has a great story with lots of twists. I enjoyed it so much that I finished it in one day. I just couldn't stop reading it even though I have to get up really early in the mornings.

Massimo is intelligent, attractive, smooth talking, a gets what he wants and he knows it kind of guy. Even though you don't want to be attracted to a guy like this you always end up being so just simply because of his charm. It just goes to show you that charm is a dangerous thing indeed lol. He's a second in command to one of the top mob bosses in Chicago and does a dang good job at it. He's had a very tragic last ten years because of something that has happened in his past so it makes it very hard for him to trust people. Especially women. You just never know what their true intentions for being with him are.

Alessandra is a somewhat spoiled mafia princess who isn't like most of the other mafia princesses but yet at the same time has no problem in throwing her father's name around when she's threatened. However, being somewhat spoiled aside, she's also clearly compassionate, intelligent, witty, and does have some common sense.

Massimo and Alessandra do not meet in the normal way of things and she especially doesn't for-see what the future immediately lies for her when dealing with Massimo. However, sometimes life is all about baptism by fire and that is exactly what ends up happening with these two.

I really enjoyed the first book and I really really enjoyed this one. My one and only complaint (not really a complaint, should say it's just not my preference) are the love scenes. I am not into being made to play a submissive during making love and I am not a fan of seeing that in books. Like I said, just my preference so not going to knock it because of it. Other than that, super hot, I loved the story. I enjoyed it immensely and I actually cannot wait for the next book to come out.

I think it's well written and it has enough twists and turns to keep you from getting bored. Highly highly enjoyable. I could not have been more pleased. This is starting to really become one of my favorite romance genres.

I was given this ARC to read and to review by NetGalley. All opinions are honest and of my own volition.

This was the first for me in the series. We get Massimo and Alessandra who are children of Chicago’s mafia bosses. Massimo isn’t really the heir but was taken in when his family was murdered. Now a revenge plot, kidnapping, secrets, lies, and love make this really interesting and I consumed it in one sitting reading well into the night. The dark and twisted worlds hood all the nasty dark things but sometimes can lead to better and light at the end of the tunnel. I really enjoyed their love story and respected it. I was scared it was gonna be a weird Stockholm Syndrome thing but it wasn’t. Like it a lot!

Ten years ago Massimo lost his father, mother and sister and has been seeking revenge ever since. Acting as the second in command to one of the biggest mob bosses in Chicago he finally gains confirmation that a rival mob boss killed his family. Whilst his father was playing both sides and arguably deserved the hit, his mother and sister were innocents and they deserve revenge.

Alessandra lives her life under the ever-watchful eye of her father and his many guards. Attempting a slice of normality she heads to a club with her best friend where she meets Massimo and they get chatting. Drugging her and kidnapping her back to a secure home his plan for revenge is starting to fall into place. With the daughter of his families killer under his protection, all he needs is for her father to take the bait and answer the ransom demand.

Weeks pass as Alessandra and Massimo live side by side in the house. Waiting for her father to agree to the demands. An unlikely friendship and love forms between them. Making Massimo question his revenge plot - but his mother and sister deserve to be avenged. How can he do this without losing Alessandra?

Trapped is a "dark" mafia romance, that could have gone a little darker for my liking. Although Massimo kidnaps Alessandra as revenge against her father, he is actually a rather considerate captor and goes out of his way to make her comfortable and ensure she enjoys her stay with him.

On the whole, I really enjoyed this book. I found the writing style to be fast-paced and engaging. The plot had plenty of intrigue and the ending took me by surprise, in a good way. I did find Massimo's character bounced around quite a bit. His switch from being caring and compassionate, to proposing a sexual relationship with himself as Alessandra's master, felt a little bit forced and I would have liked slightly more overlap between the two sides of his personality. Still, I really enjoyed watching the two characters' relationship develop and thought the overall story was entertaining.

Everyone who loves romance loves a mafia romance right? I know I do which is why I snapped at the chance to read this book. I went in expecting it to follow the typical kidnap mafia romance trope but was pleasantly surprised that it differed in ways.

The book is set in Chicago where Massimo is essentially a co-Don of the mafia along with his godfather after his entire family where murdered 10 years before. After discovering it was their rival, Giuliani, who murdered his family and that he has been hiding a daughter, Alessandra. Massimo decides to kidnap and ransom her in order to draw Giuliani out.

Usually at this point you get the usual tortured hero and indifference to the kidnapped heroine, but Anna Ray flipped that by showing us that Massimo wasn't all that in love with his current life and Alessandra is actually a pretty normal 21-year old who loves Marvel movies and watching TikToks (who else can relate?). Once they start spending time together doing normal things, their relationship evolves beyond that of a typical 'stockholm syndrome' trope so often seen in these kinds of stories.

I really enjoyed this book for a quick and nice read. Although you typically associate the mafia with dark elements, this book was a lot lighter which I liked. The relationship between Alessandra and Massimo was also well developed and made sense, rather than just becoming a 'situationship'. Alessandra was a strong independent heroine who didn't just submit to the will of the men around her which I love to see in romance books. There was also a bit of a twist at the end which made the HEA all the more nicer!

Complementary copy given for honest review and opinion from NetGalley. Everything isn’t at all what it seems with this book. It’s a wonderful mafia romance with a happy ending, maybe not the way you expected but it was a great book and I loved the mystery following it.

I received a complimentary copy of Trapped; A Dark Mafia Romance in exchange for an honest review. I read this is as a standalone even though it's part of a series. I really enjoy Anna Ray's writing style. The storyline was intriguing, and well written with a good pace. Ms. Ray did a great job of not over embellishing the mafia angle which was a nice deviation from traditional mafia romance books. I enjoyed seeing Massimo and Alessandra's relationship develop against all odds, and nothing felt forced or rushed even though I anticipated that would be the case since Alessandria was being held against her will. Overall, this was a good read that I would recommend to friends and family.

I loved that this book can be read as a standalone. Massimo and Alessandra won me over from the first page to the last! A great mafia romance. Anna Ray is becoming an author that I think I could get lost in her created worlds any day of the week.

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

I received this arc for an honest review.
This is book two in this author’s series but has nothing to do with the first book. In this book, Massimo is looking for the person who killed his family when he was younger. Now believing that Alessandria Giuliana's father was the person who did the killing he has decided to kidnap her for revenge and ask for a ransom. The problem comes when her father does not call back after receiving his terms.
Now the two of them are together and Massimo has started to like her and after some time she has begun to like him as well. Later you find out that her father was not behind his family’s death but you do find out who was. Who also gets to see how everything ends for that person and whether the two of them will stay together? Overall an okay book.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC. I wasn’t sure if this book was going to be a continuation of the previous one but i was glad it wasn’t. I liked this couple a lot. Their story seemed to flow. Of course them getting together was predictable but i still loved it!

Although this is part of a series, its a standalone. I haven't read any of anne rays previous books and found this an easy and enjoyable read.

Although it was slightly predictable it didn't take away from the enjoyments, and seeing how things played out. I read this in a day as it was well written, fast paced, the violence wasn't to much (given some mafia books there can be a lot) and was more romance/love and the building of a relationship and the sex was steamy but showed trust.

I certainty will be looking to read more of anne rays books as i do like a mafia romance read.

Thank you to Netgallery and the publishers for providing me with a copy to give an honest review