Machiavellian (Gangsters of New York, #1)

by Bella Di Corte

I hungered to be seen.

There were three things I knew about Capo Macchiavello:

He was gorgeous.
He was reclusive.
He was considered one of New York’s most savage animals.

And he wanted me as his wife. A simple arrangement – you do for me, I do for you. Nothing owed, no expectations. Except for one: never leave.

Life was never that simple, though. By the age of twenty-one, I was parentless, jobless, and homeless, and I had come to learn the hard way that nothing was ever free. Even kindness comes with strings.

Capo might’ve been the only man to ever see me, but I had made a vow to myself: I would never owe anyone anything. Most of all, the man I called boss.

I killed to stay hidden.

Mariposa Flores thought she owed nothing to no one, but she owed everything…to me, the ghost the world had once called The Machiavellian Prince of New York.

Machiavellian is the first of three books set in the savage world of the Gangsters of New York series.

• ISBN13: 9798638202248
• Publish Date: 18 April 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Independently Published
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 454
• Language: English

Reviews

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

Machiavellian by Bella by Bella Di Corte proved to be a delicious treat. I am a huge fan of Mafia romances and I love reading about this world. The fight for territory, the consequences for betrayal, and the thirst for vengeance. In reality, I would not want to live in such a world, but on paper and in my fantasy it’s all good and as long as it remains that way.

Now that being said, this story hit all the right spots for me. I will not be going into what the story is about as I believe readers need to go into it as blind as possible. However, I will say this much Machiavellian is a story of revenge, redemption, forgiveness, healing, love and reinvention.

Mariposa and Capo Macchiavello both captured my heart. He with his wounded and fractured soul and she with her brave, proud and selfless persona. He was the wolf who had his heart set on vengeance and she the pretty and homeless butterfly who had suffered at the hands of those meant to protect her. His thirst for revenge took him on the road destined for destruction but her love and loyalty led him on the path to life. They brought out the best in each other and in the process discovered the power and beauty of love.

This was my first experience with the author, and it will not be my last. I enjoyed her writing, which I found engaging. This was one of those books which can be read in one sitting if you have nothing pressing to do. I had a wonderful time in the world the author created. The world may not have been unique but I enjoyed the way she portrayed her characters, her vivid descriptions which made it easy to visualise every occasion and reactions. There were some tense and suspenseful moments, which had me anxious about the characters.
The story evoked an array of emotions. It broke my heart to see the hell Mariposa went through from such an early age. Despite being considered the Pretty Boy Prince in the mafia world he would taste the bitter pill of betrayal from those closest to him. The story had its share of sadness, which was balanced out with feel good moments. It ended on a fitting note and left me contented and looking forward to the next book in the series.

Conclusion/Recommendation
Machiavellian was a wonderful start to Gangs of New York series. A satisfying read and one I would recommend to fans of Mafia romance.
This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading

 

[Romance Schmomance]

I am so ready for Bella's brand of mafia books, we have book 1 in her new series Gangsters of New York. And I am here for it! I don't normally read mafia romance, but if Bella writes it, I won't be able to resist.

Where do I even begin with Capo and Mari? These two are so dynamic individually and together. Capo's powerful personality was more of one that lies under the wraps until you're staring right in front of it. It sneaks up on you, you can feel his presence as soon as he enters the room. He's not one to be messed with and is always ahead of the game. He's cunning and smart, and strikes when he needs to in all matters of his life. And to me, he was a character that was absolutely intriguing and will pull you in, instantly.

Pair him up with Mari, you've got a perfect match. I loved that she wasn't one to fly off the handle especially with this new life with Capo. If she needed to make a point, boyyyy did she. Plus, when you have a man like Capo, you need a woman like Mari to bring him down to earth sometimes. Dynamic duo, that's exactly what they are.

Bella writes soo beautiful and getting everything down to details. I'm an absolute fan and I can't wait to see what else she has planned for this series.

**BETA read**