Sara's Review: The Sweetest Oblivion (Made #1) by Danielle Lori
APC PUBLISHER: Danielle Lori RELEASED: June 20, 2018 GENRE: contemporary romance LENGTH: 380 pages FORMAT: ebook, paperback
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She’s a romantic at heart, living in the most unromantic of worlds . . .
Nicknamed Sweet Abelli for her docile nature, Elena smiles on cue and has a charming response for everything. She’s the favored daughter, the perfect mafia principessa . . . or was.
Now, all she can see in the mirror’s reflection is blood staining her hands like crimson paint.
They say first impressions are everything . . .
In the murky waters of New York’s underworld, Elena’s sister is arranged to marry Nicolas Russo. A Made Man, a boss, a cheat—even measured against mafia standards. His reputation stretches far and wide and is darker than his black suits and ties. After his and Elena’s first encounter ends with an accidental glare on her part, she realizes he’s just as rude as he is handsome.
She doesn’t like the man or anything he stands for, though that doesn’t stop her heart from pattering like rain against glass when he’s near, nor the shiver that ghosts down her spine at the sound of his voice.And he’s always near. Telling her what to do. Making her feel hotter than any future brother-in-law should. Elena may be the Sweet Abelli on the outside, but she’s beginning to learn she has a taste for the darkness, for rough hands, cigarettes, and whiskey-colored eyes. Having already escaped one scandal, however, she can hardly afford to be swept up in another.
Besides, even if he were hers, everyone knows you don’t fall in love with a Made Man . . . right? FIVE BOUNDLESS STARS
I accepted a copy of The Sweetest Oblivion (Made #1) in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own. This is the first book I’ve read from Lori and based on how much I loved it; it won't be my last. This is a character-driven story, which surprised me since it is set in a mafia world, I was expecting a more plot based romantic suspense, it's not. There isn’t a lot of action or suspense, but the brilliant writing and character interaction are all that is needed. Elena is the favored daughter of a mob boss; she has been raised to be sweet, polite and submissive. Nicolas is the boss of the Russo family and is set to marry Elena sister since Elena has been pronounced ruined. Yet Elena is all Nicolas really sees, and Elena is instantly attracted to Nicolas. There was so much sexual tension and heat built up between Elena and Nicolas it was almost impossible to put the book down. I was up reading late into the night. “He was everything my body thought it needed and everything my brain knew it didn’t.” Elena and Nicolas’s story is tumultuous and never what I expected. Their feelings and depth kept me wanting more and more. “He was an infatuation, a craving, a need, and I was sure it was unrequited.” Lori’s ability to bring realism and depth to characters is phenomenal. I knew these people if felt their emotions. And not just the two main characters, I knew the secondary characters as well. The Sweetest Oblivion is an extraordinary story about two unlikely people falling in love in a world that love doesn’t happen. I loved it, and I can’t wait to read more in this series. I was sad to say goodbye to Elena and Nicolas; I didn’t want the book to end. So, of course, this is getting no less than 5 Boundless Stars.