Forbidden Bride: Marco

Bellanti Brothers, Book 4

By: Stella Gray

Narrated by: Vanessa Edwin, Teddy Hamilton

Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

I was promised to a man my uncle chose…but I ran away with the enemy.

In this valley, my family name means something.
To some, protection. To others, destruction.
When a Bellanti stole my heart, he started a war.

A ring on my finger put a target on his back.

I hardly know the man I threw my life away for.
He looked like I imagined Mr. Darcy would.
He wrote me poetry.

But he’s locked me away exactly the way my uncle had.
Choosing him was my last taste of freedom.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire….

He will burn me alive either way.

©2022 Paige Press, LLC (P)2022 Paige Press, LLC

BELLANTI Vs BRUNO.. A GOOD MAFIA ROMEO & JULIET

I’m all in when it comes to the Bellanti brothers.. and youngest brother Marco’s trilogy doesn’t disappoint when he meets another man’s intended bride. Karina Rossi is a pawn given to someone she loathes in the Bruno family.. until she meets dashing handsome Marco and it’s instant irresistible destructive attraction on both sides. And this sets the stage for an addictive journey that builds and twists and teases over the trilogy as emotions run high between all concerned.. and as the Bellanti brothers are drawn back into a dangerous world they thought they’d escaped.

Book 1 is only the warmup to the rollercoaster relationship between Marco and Karina and their story hooked me into a phenomenal journey with steam, suspense, Mafia mayhem, danger, relationship angst, surprises and character growth. And Marco, and his possessive alpha feelings, was deliciously brought to life by Teddy with Vanessa giving a strong performance too with the hurdles, heartache, love lows and passionate highs this love story deliciously contained.

Worth a credit? Yes I love Stella Gray’s romances.

Mafia Meets Romeo and Juliet

Two dueling families, two lovers. There's going to be carnage. The series was well done, great narration by Teddy & Vanessa.

An excellent start!

Forbidden Bride was a fantastic start to Marco’s story. I loved how Stella wove the Romeo and Juliet story into the love story of a sheltered and quiet girl who is a true romantic at heart. Karina is the niece of the Bruno family patriarch and has lived her life as a pawn to her uncle’s whim. Punished for stepping out of line, her entire life has been controlled. When she grasps at a little rebellion and freedom, she is punished. But Marco ends up being too great a temptation to give up and when he becomes her knight in shining armor, she takes a leap of faith. I loved how even though she is a weak character by design, she quietly rebels against the walls she finds herself in.

Karina has been groomed all her life to be a good mafia wife. Stay quiet and do what you’re told. But a true romantic at heart, she quietly pushes against the walls of her cage when she can. All that changes when she falls for Marco, and runs away with the enemy and starts a war. Their passion is heated, their love is a thing of stories, but when reality comes crashing down, Karina finds herself in another gilded cage not knowing what is truth and what is lie.

This story ends in a cliffhanger and what a cliffhanger it is! Wow! I immediately started Forbidden War. This first book sets up so much intrigue and tantalizing story lines. I can’t wait to find out how Marco and Karina find their HEA. I listened to this and the narration by Teddy Hamilton and Vanessa Edwin were perfect for these characters and story. I loved how this trilogy seems to have a little more grit than Dante’s story. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Great book!

This is a really good book. I hope the others are Judy as good. The narrators are also really good for these characters.

Boring

Nothing exciting happens is this book and they could have probably put two books together to make one. Very dull.

MAFIA ROMANCE

Marco Bellanti of from the Bellanti Crime family and Karina Rossi from the Bruno Crime family. Fall in love. The Bruno family had Marco's father murder, so the families are stark enemies. Making their lives and romance hard for Marco and Karina. They struggle to keep their marriage together.