Bound By Duty (Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles) (Volume 2)

I was so disappointed by this book after waiting eagerly for it to be released.The first in this series was a 5 star read for me and I expected so much more from this one. Dante was no romance novel hero- he was so cold and indifferent and had no problem completely ignoring the h almost till the last few pages.And yet this unemotional cold fish can moon and brood about his late wife for so much of the book and even 93% in can talk about his love for her and still grieve for her more than 4 years later.Makes his character appear so inconsistent and makes him seem like such a weak mob boss. We are led to believe he hides his changing thoughts and emotions but that doesn't work here when we are not given his POV at all. We don't know even at the end if he loves the h and when/if his feelings towards her change- he continues to be closed off and emotionless till the end.

It could have been a really good book if they had resolved their issues sooner ( and we got fewer references to the late wife ) and we actually got to see them happy together but as this book stands they were still strangers at the end and I had a hard time believing in their HEA.I agree with another reviewer that said the book felt incomplete and might need a novella or extra chapters to finish it. To recap - 93% into the book the H is still not in love with the h and is still talking about the late wife. And the h seems to be more in lust with him than in love and who could blame her? Looks like she is just making the best of a set of circumstances she can't change.

This book was on some levels very very different from the 1st book!! I see some people's comments about Dante only "caring very deeply" for Val and being disappointed, but I am not because those are the Val's word to describe his feelings for her not Dante's!! I think he shows his true feeling for her even if he can't put them into words yet
I'm very happy with this book and I can't wait til May 1st for the next book!! Good job Cora Reilly!!

Sooo freaking hottt!!! I read the first book and I was hooked this book was even hotter and better I can't wait for book three!!! Amazing storyline I was on my seat jumping up just to see what happens next! At times I cried you could feel the pain she was going through.

OK book series; however, did these books even pass a final edit for review? Too many grammatical errors, storyline skips. Very distracting while reading. I feel like a refund is due for faulty writing.

When Valentina was eighteen she made the decision to marry her friend to hide the fact that he was gay from the family. For years she lived in a loveless marriage and watched as her husband lived happily with his lover. Then when her husband is killed by the Russian’s she thought that she would finally be able to live on her own. But her and her husband had a childless marriage so her father decides to marry her off again. This time to Dante Cavallaro, the soon-to-be youngest head of a Mafia family in years.

Dante shares the experience of losing a spouse with Valentina, having lost his wife a few years earlier. The difference, though, is that Dante and his wife had a happy marriage and he is still mourning her loss. Taking a wife is expected of him, so he does it, but that doesn’t mean he has to be happy with it or learn to live with his new wife. Valentina isn’t going to give up, though, and is relentless in her pursuit to make her husband notice her.

Cora Reilly knows how to write some pantie melting men! Dante was really closed off and tried to keep his distance from Valentina, but you could tell that he was hiding his feelings and wasn't just an unfeeling idiot. It drew me into him like a moth to a flame and I just wanted more. Dante had this whole tall, dark and deadly thing going on and it made me want to just lick him.

I actually really liked Valentina, which shocked me because I was pretty iffy about her in the first book. She was headstrong and not afraid to go after what she wanted, which I loved. She may have been stuck in the Mafia life but she made the best out of it and didn't just cry over the hand life had dealt her. I was impressed that she actually stood up to Dante and wanted to work and help her friends, something not done by the wife of a Made Man.

I was getting a little frustrated by how long Dante was taking to come to the realization that he actually loved his wife. But in the end it all worked out and i was happy with how the situation was resolved. I am loving on this series so onto Matteo now and just a warning, girls - I have already claimed him!

I'm really enjoying this series! Although this book doesn't have the same drama as the first one, I still couldn't put it down, wanting to know what was going to happen next. Dante isn't one to show or talk about his feelings (they don't call him the Iceman for nothing!) and Valentina is the complete opposite. Yes, they had a marriage of convenience and yes they were both attracted to each other from the beginning, but Dante's first wife (who he loved) died of cancer four years earlier, and Valentina's husband was killed. There's an age gap, but Dante is basically looking for someone to produce an heir, not an emotional connection which he has convinced himself he is unable to have. Valentina finds herself falling in love with her aloof and distant husband, but from the start you can see how protective he is of her (yet, he doesn't seem to realise he is and sometimes seems confused by his actions). Like another reviewer said, he didn't use the words "I love you" to her. But his actions more than showed that he more than deeply cared for her. He didn't have the best upbringing (no, that's not an excuse; just fact) but I think with Valentina, he's slowly learning to open up more and let himself feel (at least with her).
However, to me, the story didn't seem finished (hence the 4 star rating instead of a 5). There is so much more to be explored in their relationship and I hope that we see a bit more of them in the next book (or maybe a novella later??) but it was an enjoyable read and I, too, am awaiting somewhat impatiently for the next instalment :)

Bound By Duty (Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles Book 2) This is book 2 in the series. Dante and Valentina's story. I read some of the other reviews of book 2 saying this story was not as good as the book 1. I would like to disagree with those points a views. Dante and Valentia are older than the first couple and both have been married before. So its not the first flush of love. This couple are mature and lot more in charge of their feelings and emotions.

Again Valentina and Dante are born into the Mafia world so they know how cruel it can be. I loved this book just as much as the first. I enjoyed how calmly and coolly Valentia went after what she wanted which was her husband's heart. The story is again written from Valentia's point of view.

I enjoying this Mafia series unlike a lot of others because the women are born into the Mafia world and so know exactly what to expect but when they want to protect those they love they get their hands dirty too!!! I LOVE THAT ELEMENT OF THE SERIES!!!! I applaud the author for being brave enough to write these females who are able to love and live in the same world as the men they love.

I would highly recommend this series. I am loving it!

This series has bound my heart and soul in romance, the men are dominating, strong, determined and yet passionate, caring and protective of their women. This story again had a strong loving woman and I am beginning to see what binds these women in this series, yes the mafia men are forceful and brutal yet these women entwine themselves within their men, soften their edges and bind them together for a lifetime by standing by them until death.

Now yes each story is a stand alone but do your heart a favour and please start at Bound by Honor as I really feel you will have a stronger connection to each of these characters and enjoy the whole family and mafia code and will understand some of the smaller stories hovering in the background.

Loved seeing the characters from Bound by Honor again in this series and also we caught a scent of what is to come in book three - so bloody excited about Gianna - that book is going to rock our world.

The suspense and mystery of bad elements within the family wanting to take control was exciting and provided plenty of suspense.

I really want Bibi to have a story too, the friendship with Val was supportive and one of fierce protection of each others hearts and lives, the decisions these two women have to make is heart wrenching. I want a man to come and rescue Bibi and hand her love, passion and romance, I want her to have someone amazing crash into her life and take over and make her feel protected and adored for once in her life.

The happiness given to the characters at the end of the story is beautiful - thank you for giving these two characters something to cherish together for a lifetime after both experiencing loss and loneliness.

I loved reading this book. I loved the first book in the series, Bound by Honor, and honestly I wasn't looking forward to reading this book. For one, I was really looking forward to reading Matteo and Gianna's story, so I was just going to skip this one and wait for their story.

I'm so glad that I did not.

I read the reviews, which discouraged me even more, because a lot of reviewers were saying that by the end of the novel Dante is not in love with her, he's too caught up with his deceased wife, etc.

I LOVED that their relationship was a slow build up. It made me savor each sweet moment between them. I thought the book was very realistic. Sometimes I hate to read a book about a cold hearted mafia guy or bad guy, who within a few chapters becomes this sappy, so in love guy. I think that's over the top, so I thought the slow development of their love was sooooo perfect!!!!

Dante and Valentina's story was awesome, I loved all of their love scenes. Like, I re-read each one of their love scenes. Each one. It was so good, because Dante is so cold, so it was good to see his passionate side with her, and by the end, the sweet things he would do for her spoke volumes, because coming from someone like him it was a lot.

I loved this book. I didn't think I would like it as much as Bound by Honor, but I loved it just as much, maybe a tad bit more. :) I'm going to re-read it again in the next few weeks, because I love this book.

I liked Valentina in the previous book 'Bound by Honor' so I was initially pleased that while she was having to marry again so soon she was at least getting a 'good catch' although my enthusiasm did wane the more I actually got to know her intended Dante.
Valentina is easy to like and even after four years with her previous husband Antonio she remains a virgin so along with her I was looking forward to her wedding night.
Dante is conflicted, while he loved his previous wife and I really liked that he did it's so easy in romantic fiction to paint the previous spouse in a bad light to clear the way for the new one and while there's no doubting that it was frustrating at times since I just wanted him to see what was in front of him and move on it was also touching that he didn't want to let his previous wife go and he didn't really want to be married so while I was annoyed that he's giving Valentina the cold shoulder I did try to view it from his side, his POV would have been nice as well so we could have understood him more, but anyway while the men have all the power, like Luca in the previous book Dante is still not free to live his own life and he was obligated to take a wife and produce an heir.
This was a fabulous book and again I loved it all, even the parts I didn't like I liked if you know what I mean, they were necessary and I can't wait for the next book 'Bound in Hatred' which I believe is due out on the 1st May.

It is official I am absolutely addicted to this series! I am so happy that I found these books! This book starts out with the hero and heroine performing their duty in the mafia outfit of getting married. What they don't expect is to find so much more then they ever thought! I just wanted to say that all of these books can be treated like standalone novels and they all have nice endings. Cora Reilly knows exactly what her readers want with her twists, alpha males, and make you melt love scenes! I am going to go start reading Bound by Hatred immediately after posting this review!

Great story. I liked that this one also featured a strategic marriage between Dante, the next Boss in line for the Chicago Outfit and Valentina, new widow and cousin to Aria. Dante's first wife passed several years ago and even though he still mourns her he knows he must remarry and produce an heir. He felt Valentina was a perfect choice.

Their marriage was a bit more realistic. They always had respect and civility and even in the end I believe there was only fondness felt from Dante towards Valentina. So if you're hoping the H falls madly in love you'll be disappointed. Hopefully in the next books we'll see a little more progression. But I still really liked it. And holy cow Bound By Hatred is sure to give me more volatility. I can't wait to dive in. Well done.

*Loaned to me through Kindle's Lending Library*

Being forced to marry someone because of duty to the Family has to be a horrible duty. Sometimes we are left with no recourse other than follow directives for the good of all involved. This is Valentina's predicament.

She has been married before and he was killed in a confrontation with an opposing gang. She married her good friend Antonio to help him cover the fact that he was gay. In the Family, being gay would have meant instant death for him. Antonio and his male lover would have been disposed of as part of protecting the Family and Valentina would have none of that. So she married Antonio and kept his secret even after his death. Now that she was supposed to marry the future Chicago Boss, she has a problem. See, she is still a virgin. How can she keep Antonio's secret while fulfilling her wifely duties?

Dante is a character I will not soon forget. Closed off to the world, no feelings showing, he is the protector of the Chicago Family. Showing feelings shows weakness and he cannot afford to do so. Having lost his wife of many years, he bears the responsibility to ensure an heir is produced that will continue the Family traditions and someday take the helm of control. Although his previous marriage was childless, he has to make an effort to produce an heir. This is a duty he must fulfill. Valentina is pleasant and he appreciates her, but he is still in love with his lost wife and this creates stress in his heart.

The progression of Dante's and Valentina's love affair is like a slow simmer of relentless foreplay. Valentina must loose her virginity (finally) and Dante must have his heir. Along the way, the duties of running the Chicago Family come into play and both Valentina and Dante must hang on to each other, trust and finally move forward.

This book, just like every other book I have read by Cora Reilly, is a well written delight to read. She gently takes you through the foreshadowing and then the story becomes passionate, fast paced and thrilling. It is the change of pace in the her storytelling that lures you in and once you are caught in the web of the story, you cannot escape. You have to continue reading until its conclusion because you are in a fever to know what happens next. I love it! Never a dull moment!

I need to admit, after I have finished first book (Aria's and Luca's story) I was 100% sure that next one will be about Gianna and Matteo, sooo when I saw that second book is about Valentina and Dante I was a little bit disappointed. But when I have read first chapter I wanted to read more about Val. I wanted to know what will happen next. It was really good book! Of course not that good like first one but pretty good too. Also I think that Bibiana needs her own book, I have no idea why but I think that her baby's daddy isn't Tommaso. I really can't wait more from familia!

I m officially addicted to this series,I loved Luca and Aria story,i adore Dante and Valentina story.I liked Dante but Valentina was highlight in the book.Author give us such great heroine who is strong,funny,likeable.Dante was indifferent and sometimes cruel in the beginning but in the end he reedem himself.I was glad that author give us a epilogue,amazing and amazing book, definitely my favorite in the series.

Enjoyed the story of Valentina and Dante even better than book 1. It could be read as a standalone. The story was just a bit more compelling and dramatic than book one. Steamy and angst all rolled up with a mafia flare. Quick read. I would definitely recommend.