Tag Archives: BB Hamel

Dirty Legacy (Dark Mafia Romance) by BB Hamel-review

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Dirty Legacy (Dark Mafia Romance) by BB Hamel-review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 16, 2026

I sent filthy selfies to my boss by mistake.
Now he’s calling me into his office.

I’m about as close to rock bottoms as it gets. I pay my mother’s rent, work a dead-end job, and my boyfriend of two years just dumped me by text.

So when the CEO of my company Connor Maguire replies to my email with come to my office, I know you’re still here, I assume I’m about to get fired.

Instead, he says he has an hour free in his schedule, and asks if I’d like to recreate one of my filthy poses for him.

Connor Maguire is viciously handsome with green eyes, ink up to his throat, and the body of a god. He’s cocky, powerful, and unhinged enough to make my toes numb.

Good girls say no. Good girls walk out.

I stay and make the best mistake of my life.

Until six weeks later I’m holding four positive pregnancy tests.

And two hours after that, Connor is standing in my mother’s living room with a priest, a wedding suit, and a diamond ring that was very obviously bought for somebody else.

Because it turns out, he runs the Maguire crime family, and he was supposed to marry another woman this afternoon.

And now her family is coming for us.

I’m trapped between a mafia war and a controlling, obsessive demon, and I don’t know which will break me first.

•••••

REVIEW: DIRTY LEGACY by BB Hamel is a contemporary, adult dark, Irish Crime family, erotic, romance stand alone . This is Connor Maguire and Angelina Bellandi’s story line.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for mores sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Angie and Connor) DIRTY LEGACY follows the building romance and forced marriage between our story line couple. Angelina Bellandi accidentally sent her boss Connor Maguire a computer file containing several personal images and nude selfies. One night together would result in an unexpected pregnancy but Connor has been betrothed to Sinead Gallagher, a betrothal meant to strength and align two powerful Irish Crime families. Angie’s pregnancy announcement finds Connor demanding they marry but the marriage is about to cause a war between families. Keeping his family safe forces Connor to take steps in a war he doesn’t want but the Gallagher family was humiliated when Connor married someone else, a humiliation that is about to place everyone in the direct line of fire.

The world building follows Connor as he finds himself on the outside looking in having defied the man at the top. As The Gallagher family take aim, Connor must circle the proverbial wagons as he struggles to protect the people he loves.

The relationship between Connor and Angie begins as boss and employee that turns into a one afternoon together resulting in an unexpected pregnancy. Angie is willing to raise the child on her own but Connor is determined to claim Angie as his wife, betraying the people at the top. Connor has a secret, a need for Angie she knew nothing about but a need that reveals an obsessive love predicated on events from the past, The $ex scenes are provocative and intense.

The secondary and supporting characters are engaging and interesting. We are introduced to Connor’s father Cathal, his wife Danielle, and Connor’s Half-sister Rowan; Connor’s men including his cousin Deck, Marcus, and Colm, as well as Declan,Fergus and Sinead Gallagher, and Angie’s mother Dawn Bellandi, a woman who was more of a clown and a distraction.

DIRTY LEGACY is a story of betrayal and vengeance, power and control, secrets and obsession, family and relationships, acceptance and love. The character driven premise is entertaining, dramatic and edgy but there is a different feel to the author’s style of writing, a change that did not feel cohesive or serious. The characters are determined and desperate yet often immature; the romance is seductive and needy. I am a big fan of BB Hamel’s stories and series but I struggled with this latest release.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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DAMAGED BEAST (Corsetti Mafia 2) by BB Hamel-review

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DAMAGED BEAST (Corsetti Mafia 2) by BB Hamel-review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 19, 2026

My boss caught me with my hand between my legs… Saying his name.

Prime Spadaro is the worst boss in Philadelphia. Arrogant, demanding, dangerous, and so gorgeous it should be illegal.
He’s a notorious playboy with a famously busy bedroom.

When he blackmails me into house sitting on my weekend off, I decide to de-stress with a little special self-care.

It’s going great until he comes home early. And he sees everything.

I’m ready to quit, change my name, and flee the state. Instead of firing me, he gives me one last chance and an insane new task:

Find him a wife.

Fine. Easy. I’ll marry the handsome monster off, take my double salary, and finally be able to afford my sick father’s care.

Except he hates every woman I choose. And on his wedding day, Prime walks away from the arranged bride…

Because the wife he wants has been holding the clipboard all along. One huge problem: Prime isn’t just a rich developer with a magic touch.

He’s mafia, and he’s obsessed with me. And the ring he slips on my finger? He’s never taking it back.

•••••••

REVIEW: DAMAGED BEAST is the second instalment in BB Hamel’s contemporary, adult CORSETTI MAFIA dark, erotic, Mafia romance series. This is Corsetti Capo and businessman Prime Spadaro, and personal assistant Deanna Esposito’s story line. DAMAGED BEAST can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalment is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Deanna and Prime) DAMAGED BEAST follows Prime Spadaro as his need for vengeance threatens not only his life and his businesses but the woman with whom he will fall in love. In an effort to secure a ‘contract’ with a local crime boss, Prime Spadaro secretly meets with the people in charge but his reputation as a manwh*re threatens any chance to secure more business, and Prime forces his personal assistant to find him a wife. Deanna Esposito has already been caught in a compromising position but she is desperate for money, and losing her job threatens the health of her family. Finding a woman willing to be Prime’s wife is harder than she could have imagined, and in the end Prime makes Deanna an offer she cannot refuse but Deanna quickly discovers Prime’s life behind the scenes, and finds herself a willing partner in Prime’s need for revenge, a revenge that is fraught with mistakes and assumptions.

The world building follows Prime as he sets into motion a plan to take down the people who destroyed his life. Refusing to stop for the sake of his wife, Prime pulls Deanna into his plans, only to discover Deanna is a willing partner in his need for revenge.

The relationship between Prime and Deanna begins as boss and employee, turned questionable business proposal and contracted husband and wife. Both Deanna and Prime are desperate but for different reasons, and Deanna finds herself falling in love with a man who has placed her in the direct line of fire. The $ex scenes are erotic and intense.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, questionable and powerful secondary and supporting characters including the return of Mafia Don Stellan Corsetti and several heads of the Corsetti Crime Family, all of whom Prime has targeted for sins of the past.

DAMAGED BEAST is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, family and relationships, desperation and love. The character driven premise is dramatic and gritty; the romance is provocative and edgy; the characters are desperate, problematic and aggressive.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Broken Mercy (The Brotherhood 4) by BB Hamel-review

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Broken Mercy (The Brotherhood 4) by BB Hamel-review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 22, 2026

I accidentally flashed a brutal mafia beast… And now he’s my future husband.

I only tried to cool off on a steamy afternoon… and ended up giving a gorgeous monster the view of his life.

I’m absolutely mortified, until his peep show turns into something more.

My afternoon delight is Brenden McGrath, a sinfully gorgeous mafia thief with ice in his veins, blood on his hands, and no patience for fools.

I thought it was a one-time mistake until my father informs me that I will be marrying Brenden whether I like it or not.

My new husband’s frozen on the inside but blistering behind closed doors.

He takes me apart but never reveals an inch of himself.

We want nothing to do with each other, right until my younger brother gets in trouble with the Armenian mafia.

Now Brenden’s the only man who can save my family, and I have to convince my impossible, secretive husband to help, no matter what it costs him.

All he asks for in return is my obedience… and my body in his bed every night.

••••••

REVIEW: BROKEN MERCY is the fourth instalment in BB Hamel’s , contemporary, adult, THE BROTHERHOOD dark, organized crime, erotic, romance series. This is Talin ‘Tallie’ Sarkissian, and Brenden McGrath’s story line. BROKEN MERCY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Tallie and Brenden) BROKEN MERCY follows in the aftermath of the arranged marriage between our story line couple.Forced to marry to keep up appearances, Brenden is currently the blacksheep of the family. Brenden is a professional thief, and his talents are about to place both he and Talin in the direct line of fire. Brendan is about to discover that his specific skills will be needed, and his new wife wants in on the job.

The world building is detailed and complex as Brenden is forced to steal from some powerful people but with Tallie as his partner both in and out of the home, Brenden finds himself worried for the woman with whom he will fall in love.

The relationship between Brenden and Tallie begins as a ‘meet-cute’ of a sorts but Tallie is unaware of the family’s plans for her future. Struggling with her duty to the family, Tallie often finds herself alone when her husband must deal with the people in charge. The $ex scenes are intimate and provocative without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of familiar, colorful and often questionable secondary and supporting characters. We are reintroduced to Tallie’s cousin Patron of the Armenian Brotherhood, a powerful crime syndicate based in Baltimore Arsen Sarkissian and Lena,; Alexan and Riley; Talin’s father Haik Sarkissian, and several of her brothers and sisters including Annie, Sam Davit, Gor and Hov.

BROKEN MERCY is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, family and dysfunction, acceptance and love. The character driven premise is dark, dramatic and edgy; thr romance is impassioned; the characters are desperate, dynamic and charismatic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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ARRANGED DEVOTION (Whelan Irish Crime Family) by BB Hamel

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ARRANGED DEVOTION (Whelan Irish Crime Family) by BB Hamel

ebook only 99¢ Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 24, 2026

The mafia boss caught me spray painting my ex’s car… And helped burn it to the ground instead.

I’m at rock bottom: I just caught my ex-fiance cheating on me… In the bed we shared together.

It feels like my life is over when I meet Liam Lankshear.

Liam is living chaos. He’s everything I can’t stand: wild, impulsive, gorgeous, and a vicious underworld thug.

But my ex steals something dangerous from my family… and starts a war I never wanted. Which is how I end up engaged to my worst nightmare.

Liam wants marriage about as much as I do. He’s my opposite, my shadow, and my ruin. I don’t know how someone so attractive can also be so insanely frustrating.

The war turns ugly and death comes stalking, Now Liam’s done playing games.

He says I’m his bride, no matter what. And he’ll burn the city to keep me.

I just have to survive long enough to decide if I want to be saved.

••••••

REVIEW: ARRANGED DEVOTION by BB Hamel is a contemporary, adult, Irish Mafia romance series set in the Whelan Irish Crime family series. This is Liam Lankshear, and CPA Regan Corrigan’s story line. ARRANGED DEVOTION can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspective (Liam and Regan) ARRANGED DEVOTION follows the arranged marriage between our story line couple. Regan Corrigan recently discovered her long term boyfriend was having an affair, and as an act of revenge, decided to damage her boyfriend’s car but Regan found herself with an accomplice in the form of Liam Lankshear, the man with whom Regan would fall in love. A few nights together would end when both would discover they would be forced to marry, a marriage needed to regain power and information from a potential traitor but all was not as it appears to be when the search for the truth reveals a betrayal from within.

The world building follows Regan and Liam in the weeks leading up to, and following their marriage. As Liam and the Whelan Crime Syndicate begin a deep dive searching for the truth, the ultimate betrayal will break the heart of our story line heroine. From the Irish Mafia to the Russian Bratva, no one is immune to the encroaching war.

The relationship between Liam and Regan begins acrimoniously when Regan is discovered in the process of damaging her ex boyfriend’s car but Liam finds himself attracted to the woman that is willing to seek revenge on the people who betray and deceive. Forced to marry for an unwelcome alliance, Regan struggles with her attraction to the man who could break her heart. The $ex scenes are intimate and provocative without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The secondary and supporting characters are familiar and determined. We are introduced to Regan’s ex Kieren Foley; Regan’s brother Luke, and their parents Noreen and Martin Corrigan, as well as the return of Declan, Finn and Cormac Whelan. The requisite evil has many faces.

ARRANGED DEVOTION is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, family and relationships, acceptance and love. The character driven premise is dark, gritty and edgy; the romance is seductive; the characters are desperate, charismatic and animated.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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VICIOUS CONTROL (Dark Mafia Romance) by BB Hamel-review

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VICIOUS CONTROL (Dark Mafia Romance) by BB Hamel-review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 19, 2026

The mafia boss knocked on my door at midnight holding a wedding dress… And said we either get married… or I’d be dead by morning.

Gabriel Russo’s no savior.

He’s a demon in a black suit and his beauty is only matched by his ruthlessness. To him, relationships are nothing more than simple transactions.

Gabe says my family was murdered and marrying him is my only chance at survival, all because I’m somehow the key to his empire.

But if I’m so important, he’d better be prepared when I make some demands of my own.

Now we’re locked in a struggle against each other and the powerful killers intent on bringing us both down.

I’ll wear his ring and pretend to be his dutiful wife… while he burns the world down around me.

Gabe’s a possessive monster, but I like the way his arms feel while they’re pulling me closer in bed…

••••••

REVIEW: VICIOUS CONTROL is the second instalment in BB Hamel’s contemporary, adult DARK MAFIA ROMANCE series, set in the author’s CRUEL SURPRISE world. This is Bratva Pakhan Gabriel Russo, and Veronika ‘Nika’ Kiselyov’s story line. VICIOUS CONTROL can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Gabriel and Nika) VICIOUS CONTROL focuses on the protection of our story line heroine. Veronika ‘Nika’ Kiselyov never met her father or her mother but her father’s Bratva empire and his seat as a Dragon, one of the most powerful men in the world is open for ascension, and the arrival of Pakhan Gabriel Russo leads Nika to believe all is not right in her world. In an effort to protect our heroine, Gabriel demands Nika’s hand in marriage but the marriage is more beneficial to Gabriel than Nika could have ever imagined. With a target on their backs, Nika and Gabriel go on the run, only to come face to face not only with Nika’s past, but a determined number of wanna-be Dragons who take at our story line couple.

The world building is fast and furious. The author pulls the reader into the dangerous world of power and control, underworld crime, and the dysfunctional family dynamics of the people in charge.

The relationship between Nika and Gabriel begins as protection and a forced marriage of convenience. Nika has been target by her father’s enemies, and Gabriel claims he is willing to marry her to protect her life but all is not as it appears to be.As Gabriel prepares to battle for the throne, Nika refuses to stand by and watch the man with whom she is falling in love, place his life in the direct line of fire. The $ex scenes are provocative and passionate.

The secondary and supporting characters are often questionable yet powerful. We are introduced to Gabriel’s right hand man Daniel, Nika’s aunt Yelena as well as several mob bosses, and the return of Massimo ‘Mass’ Cardone, his wife, Gabriel’s sister Allie Russo, and Massimo’s second in command Lucy. The requisite evil has many faces.

VICIOUS CONTROL is a story of secrets and lies, power and control, betrayal and vengeance, dysfunctional family dynamics, acceptance and love. The character driven premise is dramatic, dark and emotional; the romance is challenging yet seductive; the characters are determined, desperate and dynamic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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ARRANGED SCARS (Whelan Irish Crime Family) by BB Hamel -review

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ARRANGED SCARS (Whelan Irish Crime Family 4) by BB Hamel

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 19, 2026

My boss caught me skinny dipping in his pool. Now he says we’re getting married…

My employer Finn Whelan is dangerous. He’s all charming smiles and expensive suits, and there’s something vicious lurking under that beautiful exterior.

Most nights I’m left alone to clean his gorgeous apartment… at least until he catches me dripping wet and naked…

After one stupid, steamy mistake, I find out the real horror: he’s the youngest son of New York’s most ruthless criminal organization and our families arranged for us to get married.

And Finn knew from the start. That’s why he hired me… and why he’s been watching.

Now I’m walking down the aisle with a stalker psychopath, but it somehow gets worse.

On our wedding night, he offers the one sin I’ve wanted my whole life: Help me kill your father. Help me destroy your brothers. And when it’s over, I’ll set you free.

The sick part is, I might say yes… because he’s the only man alive who understands what I’ve been through.

But as I sleep in the monster’s bed… I might be falling for my own ruin.

•••••••

REVIEW: ARRANGED SCARS by BB Hamel is a contemporary, adult dark erotic, Mafia romance storyline set in the dark Mafia romance series focusing on the Whelan Irish Crime family. This is Finn Whelan, and Mafia princess Caroline Flanagan’s story line. ARRANGED SCARS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty .Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Finn and Caroline) ARRANGED SCARS focuses on the deadly need for vengeance by our story line couple. Caroline Flanagan has been sold to the Whelan clan as a means of power and control but unbeknownst to the Flanagan’s Caroline new husband has plans of his own. Caroline has been used and abused all of her life, and Finn Whelan is offering Caroline vengeance as he seeks retribution of his own.

The world building follows Finn and Caroline as they set their plans into motion-the take down of the Flanagan family, one body at a time. Finn is unsure as to how far his new bride is willing to go but a mutual desire to destroy their personal demons means leaving no stone unturned.

The relationship between Finn and Caroline begins as boss and employee but Caroline is unaware of Finn’s future role in her life. Believing she overstepped, Caroline is willing to play along until she discovers their collective ideals as it pertains for their need to avenge. The $ex scenes are provocative and passionate.

There is a large ensemble cast of questionable and determined secondary and supporting characters including the return of Finn’s brothers: Declan (Arranged Addiction) , Cormac (Arranged Obsession) and Seamus (Arranged Control), and their wives Alina, Bianca and Casey; Finn’s lieutenant Liam; Caroline’s brothers Dermot, Malachy, Shane, and Redmond, as well as their Eamon Flanagan

ARRANGED SCARS is a story of power and control, secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, dysfunctional family ideals, acceptance and love. The character driven premise dark, dramatic and heart breaking; the romance is emotional and seductive; the characters are determined, desperate, broken and seeking revenge.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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SATIN HATE (Corsetti Mafia 1) by BB Hamel -review

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SATIN HATE (Corsetti Mafia 1) by BB Hamel -review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 8, 2026

I rejected the mafia boss…
so he bought my apartment building.
Now my rent doubles until I agree to have dinner with him.

I have one goal in life: work myself to the bone so my genius little sister gets into a good college.

I don’t have time for romance… until a brutal, terrifying stranger saves me from a pair of violent drunks.

Stellan Corsetti is a gorgeous nightmare. Beautiful, dangerous, with a cold and ruthless aura—the exact kind of man I should stay far away from.

I think our chance encounter is over until it turns out he owns my apartment building… and he wants to own me next.

He’s completely unhinged. And there’s nothing I can do. Stellan’s rich, powerful, and he won’t back down.

I have one way out: marry him, give him babies, and he’ll make sure my sister has everything she needs.

Except Stellan Corsetti is a beast, and once he has me, he’s never letting go.

••••••

REVIEW: SATIN HATE is the first instalment in BB Hamel’s contemporary, adult CORSETTI MAFIA dark,erotic, romance series. This is thirty-three year old Mafia Don Stellan Corsetti, and twenty-three year old café waitress Kira Santoro.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Stellan and Kira) SATIN HATE focuses on the seductive of Kira Santoro, and marriage of convenience between our story line couple. For weeks Stellan Corsetti has been ‘stalking’ our story line heroine, a woman oblivious to what is happening and why. Stellan is the next in line to head the Corsetti crime family but our hero needs a wife before he can take control. Targeting Kira Santoro, Stellan blackmails then promises everything and more for Kira to stand by his side as he ascends the throne but all is not as it appears to be, the Corsetti crime family is about to go to war, and our heroine will be caught in the middle for sins of the past.

The world building follows several pathways including the search for a key that will unlock power and control for those in charge but as Stellan struggles to protect the woman with whom he is falling in love, our heroine battles between head and heart when she discovers a connection to her past. There is a possibility of a traitor within the family, and as such, Stellan begins to clean house when the truth is revealed.

The relationship between Kira and Stellan is a forced marriage of convenience in the wake of desperation and a need for control. Kira is struggling to keep her sister and herself housed and fed; Stellan is offering a secure future to become his bride. As our couple begin their life together, someone else is taking aim at everyone involved. The $ex scenes are intimate and provocative.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, questionable and determined secondary and supporting characters many of whom are member of the Corsetti Crime Family, as well as the Turkish mob. We are introduced to Kira’s eighteen year old sister Gemma; Stellan’s men Frankie and Prime Spadaro, as well as several territory heads of the Corsetti Mafia.

SATIN HATE is a story of secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, family and dysfunction, acceptance and love. The fast paced, character driven premise is intriguing, dramatic and dark; the romance is passionate and edgy; the characters are desperate, dynamic. and charismatic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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Cruel Surprise (Dark Mafia /Arranged Marriage) by BB Hamel-review

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Cruel Surprise (Dark Mafia / Arrange Marriage) by BB Hamel-review

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / Amazon.au /

Don’t own a Kindle? Download the FREE Amazon Kindle App for your mobile device or pc

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 28, 2025

My one night stand just crashed my wedding…
And put a bullet in my groom.

I got pregnant. Now I’m ruined. At least that’s what my family says.

My only option is to marry a stranger and salvage what’s left of my reputation.

I’m willing to do it… until Mass Cardone decides to take back what’s his.

Mass is a monster ripped from my darkest nightmares. He’s a beautiful beast in designer suits with a body like an athlete and a stare that makes me break. His commands topple governments. His hands are drenched in blood. Every word from those beautiful lips cuts straight to my core.

We spent one night together and he gave me the best gift possible: my daughter.

But I don’t want him anywhere near my baby.

There’s nothing I can do when he drags me to his private island and forces me to be his wife.

Mass is keeping secrets while pulling me deeper into his lair. I’m trapped in his bed, but I can hear screams beneath the floorboards.

If I can’t escape soon, my daughter will grow up in a prison, and I’ll be that psychopath’s plaything for the rest of our days.

•••••

REVIEW:CRUEL SURPRISE by BB Hamel is a stand alone, contemporary, adult, dark Mafia, arranged marriage romance focusing on forty-two year old, underworld crime Lord Massimo ‘Mass’ Cardone, and twenty-three year old, Mafia princess/ single mother Allie Russo.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Mass and Allie) CRUEL SURPRISE follows approximately two years after a one night stand in which Allie was left a single mother, never knowing the truth about the man with whom she would one day fall in love. Fast forward to present day, Mass abducts Allie and her daughter moments before she was about to marry an older man, an abduction that reveals there is more to our hero than anyone could have ever known. Massimo Cordone is one of the five most powerful underworld crime bosses known as the Dragons, a position that now threatens our story line heroine. A private island fortress, personal guards, and a new life find Allie in the middle of a fight for power, a fight that will see the people she has grown to love not only be betrayed but betrayers themselves.

The world building follows several intersecting pathways as Massimo Cordone’s empire is threatened by a ghost, a Russian crime lord who is determined to take his place at the top. With his family and island targeted, Massimo must become the aggressor before he loses everything he loves.

The relationship between Mass and Allie begins as a one -night stand, forced marriage in the face of an upcoming war. Massimo is determined to claim our heroine and his daughter but someone else is taking aim, intending to take down our story line couple. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, powerful and sometimes questionable secondary and supporting characters. We are introduced to Massimo’s housekeeper Satya, his second in command Lucy; Allie’s brother Gabe, and their father Francesco Russo. The requisite evil has many faces.

CRUEL SURPRISE is a story of power and control, secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, family and relationships, acceptance and love. The character driven premise is twisted, dramatic and edgy; the romance is seductive and spicy ; the characters are dark and determined. CRUEL SURPRISE ends on a bit of a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

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Reviewed by Sandy

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