Black Skies Riviera

By: Catherine Wiltcher

Narrated by: Elizabeth Russell, Gregory Salinas

Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's Summary

Top 100 international Amazon best seller

Issa Dubova is the queen of cloudy diamonds: a Bratva princess.

My reluctant new wife.

A pretty bargain in exchange for the names of the men who killed my father.

I'm a black suit of spades: determined to bury both her and my demons.

I never asked to see the shape of her heart.

I never asked for her to fill the blank spaces of mine.

But the mafia wants her secrets.

I'm not the first she betrayed.

And Issa? Sweet, not-so-innocent Issa?

She's now a debt no sinner can pay.

Black Skies Riviera is a heart-stopping arranged marriage mafia romance set on the French Riviera with NO cliff-hanger and a guaranteed HEA. For mature listeners only.

©2020 Catherine Wiltcher (P)2021 Pink Flamingo Productions, LLC

FIVE GLEAMING GOLD STARS

When you start a new book by an author you haven’t met before there’s a crossing of fingers and high hopes that the story is going to be a good one.. and wow this story was way better than just good.. it was great.

Aiden and Issa’s turbulent and treacherous road to their happily ever after didn’t quite go the way either one had cunningly planned with their webs of secrets and lies. But thankfully, after the friction, flames and fireworks of their relationship.. after the twists, bloodshed and revelations.. and, after all the snarky, sneaky and sinister monsters of the suspenseful plot got what they deserved, there is a HEA for this arranged match. It starts with a contract.. it’s volatile through the sizzles and sex.. and it’s an action-packed swim through shark infested waters.. but thankfully the Epilogue holds nothing but happiness.

Worth a credit? Yes, it’s a well-written web of everything I love in a good Mafia/Bratva story and the pace, rewards and revelations of the plot was perfect. The other thing that was perfect was the dual POV narration by Elizabeth and Gregory.. Gregory you had a few accents to do and, IMO, you rocked each one.

Captivating!

This is my first book by tgis author and I'm completely blown away.

This story is a dark romantic suspense!
The twists abd turns the plot took was unpredictable and had me at the edge of my seat.

The narration was on point. Both the narrators performed a fantastic audio delivery and narration.

I'll definitely be Re-listening to this one-time soon!


If you are looking for a dark, dangerous romance, with angst and suspense this is for you

A Profoundly Awesome Story! Excellent Narration🎧

This is my second book written by Catherine Wiltcher and she blew my mind once again with another amazing story. She is a gifted author with an impressive and creative mind, her store swept me write in, it captivated my attention for the entire book. It is the type of book that you can not put down because you need to know what happens next. This romantic suspense is dark and twisted, it takes you to the edge of your seat at times and there are several mind-blowing twists that you never see coming nor would have ever guessed. Aiden Knight’s parents were murdered when he was 16, he turned to the one person who can help him find the killers and get revenge. Tommaso Zaccaria is the head of the Zaccaria family, a powerful mob family. But he does not give with out getting so Aiden needs to make a deal to get what he wants, that entails devoting 14 years of his life to Zaccaria. The story fast forwards 14 years, Aiden has done very well for himself, owning several businesses including a casino. He has connections and business dealings with several mob families, including the Italians and the Russians. He is at the cusp of getting his revenge for his parents murder but he has to do one more thing, which is to marry Ielena “Issa” Dubova, the daughter of a Russian Bratva boss. He was not expecting this development but has to go along, he is not happy about it, nor is he happy about how it come into play. Issa was not the intended bride but she too had no choice, she is protecting her sister and doing her duty as a Bratva Princess. Issa and Aiden first meet as strangers to each other, the meeting did not go well at all and impressions of each other were not good at all. So when it came time for them to officially meet a crappy situation got even crappier. Issa thought she was marrying a Zaccaria and did not know what to make of the change, Aiden started to put more of the pieces together when he found out it was that it was the sister who was the intended. The chemistry between Aiden and Issa was explosive, the dialogue and back and forth banter was amazing, Issa could give as good as she got. While Aiden could be ruthless but he had a soft side he seldom showed anyone. I loved how everything played out in this book, the story is cleverly plotted, with plenty of drama, angst, twists and turns, mystery, thrilling suspense, heartfelt emotions and some hot romance. Catherine Wiltcher, thank you for another awesome story and emotional rollercoaster ride, I loved every minute of it.

🎧📚🎧 Elizabeth Russell and Gregory Salinas were the perfect cast to bring these characters and their story to life. They were awesome at portraying the characters, giving each their own distinct voice, accents included. They had a complete understanding of each character they played, I loved how they took each role and made it their own, sounding believable and just as I pictured the character to sound. Gregory Salinas played Aiden masterfully and Elizabeth Russell did the same for Issa. Both were awesome playing the secondary characters as well. They set the perfect tone for the story, captured all of the characters emotions which was reflected into their performance. These two talented voice artists are entertaining storytellers and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another awesome listen.

Thank you PinkFlamingoProductions AudiobookObsession TheFlock AudiobookObsessionReviewer🎧

A Dark Mafia Romance!

This is a beautifully written enemies-to-lovers dark mafia romance. Aiden and Issa's story is intense, suspenseful, and captivating, filled with danger, secrets, betrayal, and twists and turns. Aiden is the perfect antihero, dark, ruthless, and revengeful. Issa is strong, and smart. I loved to see again the characters from Hearts of Darkness, the first book in The Santiago Trilogy. Elizabeth Russell and Gregory Salinas did a great job with the narration. If you like dark mafia romance, this audiobook is for you. #PinkFlamingoProductions #TheFlock #AudiobookObsession

WOW!!! Great Mafia Romance

I received this audiobook free for an honest review as a member of the Pink Flamingo Productions review team. This was a great story. The author brings in the listener/reader and doesn't let go. Couldn't put it down. Love this story that is complete with an HEA. The cast of characters are very diverse. British, French, Russian, Italian. All of the nationalities and mafias. Aiden and Issa are very different yet both are intelligent, beautiful people. The author gives us a very creative, thorough, professional story. Looking for more stories by this author. The narrators were excellent with the different characters and the different accents. Really enjoyed this audio book.

The Raven meets all the colors

What a wonderful. mafia romance! In my opinion this was perfection. Well written, perfectly narrated (love a dual narration) with excellent accents, smooth tones that not only bring these characters to life but capture them in a way like no other. Wiltcher delivers a romance that is perfectly balanced with mafia "good to be bad" suspense, action, betrayal, twists and turns, danger, sweet and steamy chemistry and so much more. This is the kind of book that you can't wait to see what happens next but you never want it to end!

I received a free copy of this book at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

Freaking awesome

I love this book! Love their chemistry and love that even thou the heroine is innocent, she’s also strong. Elizabeth Russell and Gregory Salinas did an amazing job at narrating

Black Skies Riviera so amazing

What did I just listen to! It was spectacular with twists and turns that shocked and surprised.This was a genre bending mafia suspense story where you weren’t sure who was the good guy,the bad guy or something in between. Catherine Wiltcher is an extraordinary voice in suspense constantly creating more and more of an outstanding world where only gray exists and female characters are just as strong as the men.In this story Aiden is a fixer who thinks he works independent for everyone.But he’s saddled with a vision of revenge.Issa is a bratva daughter caught in the middle of a power play between sides.They collide with violence and secrets. He’s younger than I expected late fifties or there about.He’s not as kingly or as gentrified as Hollywood would make you believe expected when he’s pointing his empty gray eyes at you like the twin barrels of a loaded gun.He looks like the skinny old uncle who everyone’s afraid of.The one who never married and who enters a room under a cloud of suspicion.There’s no throne of bones for him either just a cracked wooden chair with a missing spool that creaks whenever he shifts positions.the narrateds did a wonderful job telling this story. They brought the characters to life. I highly recommend everyone to check this book out.

second book/audio by author

This story started a bit slow for me but when it got going it was insane with loads of twists, turns and the emotions i felt for both characters with the narrators brining it to a realistic energy I found myself screaming for them to just stop and realize the traps before them only for me to be fooled by the hidden realities i did not account for.

Classic Dark Enemies To Lovers

Hi really enjoyed this one as it is an example of the classic dark enemies to lovers trope. Aiden hates his bride he is forced to marry just because of who her family is and his belief that she wants the marriage. He treats her so badly in the beginning until they both succumb to the heat between them and he learns she didn't want the married either.

After that they are all heat and chemistry. They need to be a united team because they face danger that they never saw coming and they will learn that love is the best thing ever worth fighting for.

Really good narration by Elizabeth Russell and Gregory Salinas.

This audiobook is definitely worth a credit!

#AudiobookObsession #VipFlock

I expected a dark romance but got so much more

This is the first book by this author I have listened to, I wanted to listen because I love the mafia/bratva and enemies to lovers genres and this book fits neatly into both of those. I was expecting a dark romance but what I got was so much more. Aiden and Issa's story is about an arranged marriage between two people who have secrets and who really don't want to marry but who are forced together for reasons even they are unaware of. The characters are so well defined you can't help but be drawn into their story. It's a story that is full of suspense and has so many twists and turns happening, I found myself on the edge of my seat wondering where the author would take the story next and who was good, bad or something in between?
Where would the author take the story next?

Aiden's arrogant and can be evil but I found myself enthralled by him, I fell a little in love with his character which is so different from Issa's. She's strong and feisty when she needs to be and yet possesses such a gentle nature, I loved the way she showed an unshakeable loyalty to her family. You wouldn't think to put these two together yet their chemistry is palpable and so hot! The emotions evoked by their story broke me at times, so many lies as well as murder, and tragedy I had no idea how things would end for them but thankfully the author made everything right, in my eyes anyway, before the end of the book.

This author's descriptive writing style is excellent, she made me feel like I was there, her world-building and the way she described each character, each scene all added immensely to my enjoyment of this story. A story which was brought to life so well for me by the narration of Elizabeth Russell and Gregory Salinas they did a wonderful job, and I have to say being English I thought his English accent was so well done.

If you, like me, enjoy stories about the criminal underworld, Mafia/Bratva as well as arranged marriages with a HEA then download this book, sit back and enjoy!

I was given this audiobook as a gift and am voluntarily writing my review.

Aiden and Issa!

Aiden is not a good man and has never and will never claim to be one. He has spent the last 14 years preparing for the day when he will finally be able to exact the vengeance he needs, however he now finds out for that to happen he not only needs to marry Issa but get something from her that she doesn’t want to give up.

Issa has her own reasons for agreeing to the marriage however her reasons come from love rather than vengeance. She is no meek mafia princess but a strong woman who isn’t about to let anyone stand between her and what she wants and that includes Aiden.

Two people who find themselves on opposite sides take us on a journey filled with secrets, suspense and steam as under the direst of circumstances realize they are destined to be much more than enemies. 🎧 Audiobook Obsession

Intense and ooh so hot

I loved every minute of this story. A story so intense and dark with a happy ending to boot. so well narrated.

flove

absolutely floved this. wish it didn't ever end. it's been so long that I have loved a book this hard!
the narraters did amazing with all the different accents!!!!

gripping mafia romance

I loved this audio! Catherine Wiltcher writes such great dark romances. I loved the hate, angst and lust between Aiden and Issa. Gregory and Elisabeth played their parts so well and sold them for me. I loved the entire mafia/casino/enemies to lovers french riveria feel and even though this is a standalone I hope for more books in this world!

Fantastic

I received this audiobook at my request via promo code from The Flock and this is my honest voluntary review.

I loved this dark romance set in the French Riviera, it involves an arranged marriage between Casino Underworld wildcard, Aiden Knight and Issa, the disgraced second daughter of a Bratva Kingpin. Their union is as much a punishment to Aiden as it is an insult to her father, seems some of the higher powers dont quite trust the independent Fixer. What starts as a simple path to revenge for Aiden goes much deeper than either of them could have realised when their connection ignites. Issa had been working on a plan of her own to help escape the dark world that had engulfed most of her life, even if meant double crossing her husband. I'm not going to give out too many spoilers but if you love high stakes drama with hot steamy scenes then Elizabeth and Gregory's performance is not to be missed.

Amazing story!

Mafia romance. It punches all my buttons for a good listen. Suspense, romance, alpha male, strong female and a story to keep my interest. This is my first Catherine Wiltcher book and she punched all the buttons for me! Aiden knight is seeking revenge for the murder of his parents. He learned from the best, aligning himself with the unsavory mafioso, but he had a debt to pay first, and an arranged marriage to endure prior to getting his justice. Issa is Bratva, so now with the pairing of Mafia and Bratva, we have a powerhouse pairing. But what isn't counted on is the bond these two form. It's fast, it's passionate and unbreakable. Will these two be able to see what is coming? I know I didn't. Wiltcher has woven this story in the French Riviera. Her imagery is gorgeous creating scenes from a movie in our minds. Casinos, danger, passion, this slow burn to explosion romance had unexpected twists and turns keeping me on the edge of my seat. Issa is my favorite. Quite the feisty woman, she holds her own with her new husband. Smart, beautiful and courageous, she took chances to gain the life she wanted. Don't get me wrong, I loved Aiden too. Alpha male, he definitely knows what he wants and is willing to do whatever it takes. This is a great listen and highly recommended.

Bringing this to life is Elizabeth Russell and Gregory Salinas and I cannot say enough about how much I loved their narration. This one is not easy! It has back to back changes in accents, from French to Russian to English and they nailed it! Keeping the suspense high and passion burning, I enjoyed each scene and together these two made the book even better!

Aiden and Issa. #14

Wow that was an action packed, mafia whose who thrilling listen!

This is just my second book by Catherine Wiltcher and she writes amazing twisted and suspenseful stories.

It starts with a shocking marriage between Aiden and Issa and wow everything that is exposed while we are taken along are shocking. You don’t see the deception with all the players. Exciting book, smouldering chemistry between Aiden and Issa that makes following along so it leaves you not able to do anything else but finishing up the book.

The narration was amazing. I haven’t heard Elizabeth much but really got carried away in her performance of Izza. Issa is so strong and fierce with her protectiveness of her sister. Innocent yet emotionally strong. The match up of her with Aiden is so, so sexy. There a lot of wow moments that really showed she was a whole lot more than I originally thought.

Aiden played by Gregory Salinas is swoon worthy. That British accent is soooo dreamy. Aiden is a complex man hunting for revenge for his slain parents and it’s been 14 years and he wants to have that revenge so he can finally start again especially now that he has found Issa.

Awesome audiobook produced by Pink Flamingo Productions.

#AudiobookObession
#TheFlock 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧

Really liked this one

First time reading this authors work, but I really loved it. Aiden was an asshole, but a cheeky one and I liked that. I'm in awe of Issa's strength, she's naive but incredibly strong at the same time. The chemistry between the two is raw, scorching hot and off the charts.
I loved every plot-twist and turn, very intricately weaved by the author.
The narrators complemented each other well and suited the characters.

H-E-L-L-A HOT!!!!

Swoon!!! Oh wow, there are not enough words to say how much I loved this book. I was captivated from the get go. I cannot believe how good the narration was. It was on point and so very good. The characters and the storyline are amazing. I bought the book so I could have both!! Definitely worth a credit.

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