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4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
215 global ratings
5 star
77%
4 star
11%
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4%
2 star
7%
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Kindle customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Not a romance novel!
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2019
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If I had read reviews before purchasing this online at 3am I would have never done so. I don't care for romance novels, which it appears is this author's stock and trade. But I will have to give her at least one more try.

I moved to the Greater New York area upon graduation during the early '70's and married into an off the boat Italian family that, while not in the LCN, had some level of association with some of them.

After reading this book and thinking about the stories revealed over years, both by my father-in-law and my wife, I have pause to thank my lucky stars. Despite my business and finance degree I would have never been good enough had several decisions been different.

It is amazing to me that a romance novelist could get the character of people in this era, in this local and with these associations so close to what I believe is accurate. She must have done a lot of research and have an incredible feel for the human psyche.

While my father-in-law was not a high finace businessman like Oren, his devotion to family, wife, work ethic and self sacrifice was comparable (without the occasional fling) and similarly unappreciated by many of the beneficiaries of it. Yet he continued his self sacrifice to his dying day. I greatly admired the man.

Family dynamics were so on target. From the volatile bouncing from arguments to making up, to the difference between how boys and girls were treated. These things were, if anything, understated.

I never thought I would read anything that came as close to those people, in that time, as The Godfather. But Aleatha Romig has done it, in my opinion.

So I will have to do some careful reading of reviews, hoping to find more of her works that, for me, hit it out of the ball park.
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Robin Segnitz
5.0 out of 5 stars Mysterious, romantic and suspensful - a mafia story with the right tone and authentic characters!
Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2018
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As I read the final pages of Aleatha Romig’s Infidelity series, it occurred to me just how much I had fallen in love with one of the secondary characters over the course of five novels. His name is Oren Demetri, and what I learned about Oren in the Infidelity series is only the tip of the iceberg! Respect is a spinoff novel of the Infidelity series. It can either be read before or after you read the series, OR it can be read as a novel standing by itself. It’s an epic tale of love that is both courageous and bittersweet.

During his time as a student at NYU, Oren falls in love with Angelina. But when he learns her last name is Costello, Oren walks away. When their paths cross five and a half years later in Manhattan, Oren realizes that he’s given a second chance. He’s never forgotten Angelina; the feelings are still there. No matter who her family is, he decides she’s absolutely worth the risk. From the moment Oren asks Carmine Costello for permission to marry his niece, he never looks back.

Aleatha Romig thoroughly fleshed out Oren’s character. He’s multi-dimensional, flawed, and one of the more complex characters that I’ve run across in a contemporary setting. When he marries Angelina, he accepts a lifelong obligation to the Costello family. Inherently a good human being, Oren struggles between wanting to give Angelina her heart’s desires and the need to protect and keep her safe. His attention is constantly tugged in three different directions: his wife (love and devotion), Demetri Enterprises (drive for professional success), and Uncle Carmine (duty to family).

I’m an old pro at reading novels written by Aleatha Romig. Romig tends to write in layers, thereby creating a great sense of mystery for her readers. She laid excellent groundwork for the plot in Respect. Carmine purposefully shelters Oren from the darker Costello family dealings. Because Respect is narrated from Oren’s first person point-of-view, he’s uncertain about much of what is taking place during a very dangerous time for his family. As a reader, I felt his confusion and fear build while being kept in the dark. Those layers and clues? I was able to look back and see clear indications of what had been amiss when Oren is finally told about events that occurred.

I LOVED so many of the secondary characters in Respect – Carmine, Rose, Silvia, Vincent, and Testa, just to name a few. Having read the Infidelity series, it was intriguing for me to catch a glimpse of Lennox Demetri as both a child and teenager. Seeing the relationship develop between Oren and Lennox helped me gain a better understanding of their relationship later on in life. It gave me a whole different outlook on Oren’s actions during the Infidelity series!

Mafia reads are some of my favorites. It was obvious Romig thoroughly researched the mafia/Cosa Nostra before writing this book. She mixed good research with great creative writing. What resulted is a mafia story with the right tone and characters who feel authentic. Respect is mysterious, suspenseful, and Oren held my interest throughout. I’m delighted to give Respect a 5-star rating. It’s also the first book on my list of 2018 favorites!
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RomanticAtHeart1
5.0 out of 5 stars LOVE LOVE LOVE! So worth it!!!!!!
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2018
Verified Purchase
It is through blurry tear filled eyes that I write this review. It is rare when an author can take you through a journey such as this and, written so eloquently, leave you with so much emotion that you could burst.
Ms. Aleatha Romig is one such Author. She is exponentially talented in her writing and writing style. This story is a Stand Alone, and could be read as such, but if I could suggest - READ THE SERIES!!!! It is soooo worth it! The entire Infidelity Series is an amazing read with so much packed in it! Just like Respect, so full of twists, turns, love, hate, action, seduction, just everything that makes a story memorable and amazing!
So much insight to Oren & Angelina that melts and breaks your heart all at once!!!
I now understand more of Lennox's estranged relationship with his father and how Sylvia was introduced.
I usually move on from one book to the next, but just as with the rest of the books I've read by Aleatha Romig, I need some time <3
Well worth every moment spent reading this wonderful masterpiece! Thank you for your writing and I very much look forward to reading what you have in store for us next!
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Top reviews from other countries

Marian Chawner
5.0 out of 5 stars with little or no love or respect for others
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 31, 2018
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What an incredible haunting storyline. Having met Oren Demetri in the previous infidelity series of novels, my opinion of him then, was a hard callus person, with little or no love or respect for others, he loved, family, friends or lovers. How wrong I was. Oren had to make choices from an early time in his life. He struggled when his parents died young. Through hard work and stubborn determination he went to Uni.Got an empire.His first love, was his eternal love, Angeline, for whom he sacrificed a terrific amount, but together their one wish of breaking the family mould survived. At a great lonely sad lose. Aleatha knows how to write emotional termoil, she knows how to write distrust, and commitment, loyalty and love. Induring sadness, happiness, and tears are just a few of the feelings the reader encounters whilst taking this literal journey. A stand alone it could be, but together with the other books of this series, it explains so much. It explains the reasons for Lennox, and his behaviour towards his father,and his love and loss of his mother. A fabulous read. One extremely difficult to forget. A must.
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Jedz
3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 27, 2018
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This is the first three star review I have ever given this author nothing less than four stars previously. Not sure why but I found it hard to connect with the characters, although I was not fond of Oren as a character in the Infidelity series my opinion of him softened some what towards the end. However I found it difficult to associate the person that I was reading about in this book. Angelina was demanding self centered in my opinion not very understanding seeing she was brought up in the family and Oren was doing everything asked of him by that family, It just did not seem plausible that Oren would not have at least pointed this out to her. I ended up feeling sorry for Oren which detracted from my assumptions I had made from the Infidelity series.
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MO
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 30, 2018
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What a story. Althea wites so beautifully It was hard to put this book down.
This story of Oren and Angelina takes us from their first meeting at college and through their married life and is a beautiful love story that is entwined with all the danger, death and stranglehold of being part of, and owned by, the mafia.
There is so much love but also pain, disappointment and heartache which erodes the things Oren holds most dear as he strives to give the loyalty and respect demanded by his Mafia family at the ultimate expense of his own self respect and home life
This never happens but I admit to a tear or two by the end. A recommended 5 stars from me.
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Sarah T
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved learning about Oren!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 18, 2018
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I love all of Aleatha's books and I really enjoyed reading about Oren and his life with Angelina. Reading how they met, how they grew, about all of their family and Lennox as a boy. The story had so much depth to it, I learnt alot about the characters and how it all intertwined together. The story had so many emotions in it and many parts that I didn't expect, as Aleatha does so well. I can't recommend this book enough and to those that haven't read the Infidelity series yet I strongly recommend reading that too! Another great book from Aleatha and I can't wait for more!
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Unputdownable read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 29, 2019
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I never thought I would say that the price of honour is up there with The Godfather series I loved every page and look forward to reading many more books by this author I will next try Betrayal..
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