4.5 stars

There is a reason that this author is a favorite of mine. After the whopper of a cliffhanger, in both books one and two, I was ready to get answers. Boy, was I ready. This book gave me those answers and then some.

Through this series, the author has left me gobsmacked by her ability to create a mafia-inspired romance full of traditional and modern elements. In addition, there was just the right amount of suspense, mystery, chemistry, and steam. In the first book, Santino stole the show. He was delicious in all the ways one would expect from this author. In a nutshell, he was mesmerizing. In book two, it was the combination of Violetta and Santino that held the allure of keeping me captivated. In this book though, Violetta owned the story in a way that I was not expecting. She went through so much hell, physically and mentally. I felt her heartbreak and confusion. There was nothing weak or tenuous in this book. I loved watching her soar. Factor in the connection that these two have together and the way that their love has forged a bond that I am not sure even the hottest of fires could melt and it was the perfect conclusion to this story.

There were a few parts of the story, mainly about the crown, that I struggled with but other than that, this was a trilogy that is fantastic. I highly recommend this trilogy for anyone that is looking for a book that is filled with a love story that defies the odds. There is a reason that this author is a favorite. ( )