Bound in Debt/Bound in Promise by Josephine Jade-reviews

BOUND IN DEBT
Bound #1
by Josephine Jade
Genre: adult, contemporary, Mafia, romance
Release Date: August 23, 2024

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

I’ve always been a walking contradiction. After all, how many people do you know who are a violin maestro AND a mafia member?
Trying to distance myself from my past mob life, I’ve accepted an artist-in-residence position at Thronewood University.
Teaching privileged, barely-adult brats isn’t my idea of fulfilling, but at least it won’t end me back in the hospital or prison.
Been there. Done that.

But there’s something going on at this school that isn’t right. A chance meeting with one of my students, Victoria Waldorf, confirms it.
She’s beautiful, but not vain. She’s innocent, but not naïve.
And she’s a pawn in a game she’s not even aware exists.

I’m the last person on earth who should be protecting her. I’m too hard, too cold… hell, too old to even breathe the same air as her.
Not to mention my past is right in the middle of this mess.
But I’m not going to let anything happen to her.
Keeping her safe means keeping her close. And like it or not, the only way she makes it out of this alive is with my ring on her finger.
A vow I take seriously.

•••••••

REVIEW:BOUND IN DEBT is the first instalment in Josephine Jade’s contemporary, adult BOUND dark, Mafia, erotic, romance duet focusing on former Mafia assassin turned college music professor Dante Moretti, and twenty-one year old, student Victoria Waldorf.

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

Told from dual first person perspectives (Dante and Victoria) BOUND IN DEBT follows in the aftermath of the death of Dante’s brother. Dante has been hired as the artist in residence at Thronewood University but is about to come face to face with his future in the guise of student Victoria Waldorf, his nephew’s girlfriend, and a woman who is about to become payment for sins of the past. Forced into an arranged marriage she does now want, Victoria believes she can escape the inevitable until the local mob takes aim at our story line heroine forcing Dante Moretti to make a deal with the devil, a devil who is determined to get his due. What ensues is the acrimonious relationship between Dante and Victoria, and the fall-out when desperation threatens our story line heroine.

The world building focuses on the secrets and lies that have spiralled threatening everyone involved. In an effort to ‘protect’ his family, and our story line heroine, Dante is willing to go back to a life he no longer wants any part of.

The relationship between Dante and Victoria is a teacher / student, age-gap relationship in which Dante makes Victoria an offer she should not refuse . Victoria comes from a wealthy, prominent family, and in this, Victoria has been targeted for who she is. In an effort to protect Victoria from the sins of the past, Dante offers up a solution that places Victoria in the direct line of fire. The $ex scenes are intimate.

We are introduced to Dante’s sister in law Marissa, and his nephew Liam, as well as Victoria’s best friend Ellie, and Mafia boss Angelo Lombardi.

BOUND IN DEBT is a story of secrets and lies, power and control, betrayal and trust, desperation and determination. The premise is dramatic and intense; the romance is limited ; the characters are desperate and charismatic. BOUND IN DEBT ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

________

BOUND IN PROMISE
Bound #2
by Josephine Jade
Genre: adult, contemporary, Mafia, romance
Release Date: August 23, 2024

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

ABOUT THE BOOK:

I made Victoria Waldorf my wife even though she was too young, too innocent and too kind for the likes of me.
I did it to protect her.
I never planned to fall in love.

But the truth that a former mob enforcer’s weakness is his young bride has brought enemies I never even knew I had to the surface.
They’re out for blood.
If they can’t have mine, they’ll take hers.
Over my dead body.

•••••••

REVIEW:BOUND IN PROMISE is the second instalment in Josephine Jade’s contemporary, adult BOUND dark, erotic, Mafia romance duet focusing on former Mafia assassin turned college music professor Dante Moretti, and twenty-one year old, student Victoria Waldorf. BOUND IN PROMISE should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up after the events and cliff hanger of book one BOUND IN DEBT. If you have not read book one, there may be spoilers in my review.

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

Told from dual first person perspectives (Dante and Victoria) BOUND IN PROMISE follows in the wake of the abduction of Victoria Waldorf-Moretti. Dante is desperate to find his young wife, a woman who is now payment for a debt. Calling in help from an old friend, Dante is determined to end the lives of everyone who has targeted our story line heroine but Victoria struggles with her lack of freedom, placing herself and the man that she loves in the direct line of fire. The past refuses to let go, and Victoria’s future plans to walk when everything is done.

The world building continues to focus of payment for a debt, a debt owed by someone else but our couple have become fodder for a man more powerful than most. Victoria’s need to run threatens everything Dante has put into place, and in doing so, their lives are at risk, every step on the way.

The relationship continues to be acrimonious. Dante married Victoria to keep her safe, and Victoria known their time together comes with an expiry date. Refusing to fall in love, Dante finds himself losing his heart to a woman meant for someone else. The $ex scenes are intimate and provocative.

Once again, we are reintroduced to Dante’s sister in law Marissa, and his nephew Liam, as well as Victoria’s best friend Ellie, Dante’s ‘fixer and friend’ Enzo, and Mafia boss Angelo Lombardi.

BOUND IN PROMISE is another story of betrayal and vengeance, power and control, secrets and lies, obsession and madness, acceptance and love. The character driven premise is dark and gritty; the romance is challenging and seductive; the characters are determined and dynamic.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy