Deathless & Divided

The Chicago War, Book 1

By: Bethany Kris

Narrated by: Roberto Scarlato

Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

Lies and love. This is how a war starts.

A life for a life. That's the mafia way. Damian Rossi owes his life to a man who is ready to collect. That payment comes in the form of an arranged marriage to the daughter of another leading family in the Chicago Outfit. He's ready to follow through, even if that means making sure Lily knows she's his.

Lily DeLuca isn't being given a choice. Forced home to marry a man she doesn't know and back into a life she'd rather forget, her world is full of half-truths, buried pain, and uncertainty. But Damian is nothing like she expects. His motives aren't clear. Her beliefs are being tested.

When it comes to this world, no man can be trusted. Someone is ready to flip the Chicago Outfit on its side all for the promise of something better. But no one runs a clean game and these men play for keeps. When blood begins to paint Chicago red, four families will be divided by loyalty, hatred, and revenge. There is no hiding. There is no safety.

No one is deathless.

No one.

©2015 Bethany-Kris (P)2016 Bethany-Kris

This Book Blew Me Away

Deathless and Divided is the story of Damian Rossi. He is a man who owes his life to a man who is ready to collect. The payment though is an arranged marriage. to the daughter of another leading family in the Chicago Outfit. Lily Delcua just so happens to be this daughter and the poor girl is not being given a choice. She is being forced to get married to Damian, a man that she doesn't know and that will throw her right back into a life that she wants absolutely nothing to do with. Lily is really the only good thing left in the DeLuca family and her brother Dino is well aware of this fact. This is a family waiting on the war that is coming and he wants more than anything for Lily to be kept safe and as far away from the coming war as possible. He has learned the hard way that family means nothing to his uncle Don who is the underboss and that money and wealth are everything to him. This book is filled too with a lot of characters which is great and your able to keep them straight because Bethany-Kris has this way in each of her books of informing you of who everyone is and ways to remember them that don't read like a history lesson in mafia famlies. The narrator did a great job on this book. I really liked listening to him. This book kept me entertained for hours. It never got boring and it sure held my attention in a time in my life when nothing else was able to keep it. If you love mafia romances then your going to love this book. Bethany-Kris is one of the most amazing mafia story tellers out there today.
I reviewed this book for #audiobookobeseeion

***4.5 Stars Great Mob Romance***

Lily Deluca got away from the mob family she despises as soon as she could. She escaped to Europe and spent 3 years backpacking, stalling from the reality she is trying to escape back home in Chicago. Her brother tells her she must return and she knows she can no longer elude the destiny she has been avoiding all these years. Upon her arrival she is told by her brother she must marry a made man that she has no desire to share her life with. Damian Rossi, her intended owes her brother a great dept and when he is informed that its time to pay up and marry Lily. Damian is ready to do his duty but is not much more excited about it then her.

In the Italian mob one thing is supposed to be more important then anything else...La Familia. What happens though when la familia is infected? Greed, resentment, and retribution have run rampant through this Gang. It all starts to fall apart, people are dying and everyone begins to pick sides. Lily and Damian must turn to each other if they are going to make it to the alter in one piece. When anyone and everyone could be an enemy, how can they possibly trust each other? They are practically strangers and reluctantly betrothed, but they may find common ground in their pasts and that could be a start.

I defiantly enjoyed this book! there were a few twists I did not see coming. The narration was also good. I absolutely recommend this book!

I was provided a copy of this audiobook free of charge from the author/narrator/publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Deathless & Divided

What does Roberto Scarlato bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He brings the characters to life .


Lily is a strong female character and Roberto does her justice.

Its not easy being a Mafia Princess with all the expectations and sacrifices Lily has to make. Despite everything , Lily managed to stay true to herself. She didn't quietly and obediently agree to marry Damien.

I loved her talks with Damien . They both entered the relationship knowing its all about power and has nothing to do with love.

But as they got to know one another, feelings developed and their relationship transformed into a thing of beauty.

Damien was a great hero. He listened and talked with Lily. He knew she was independent and strong willed, and wouldn't like the idea of marriage as a power play.

He was honest with her and hid (almost) nothing from her. I like a man who gives power to his woman, especially in mafia romance. Usually the women have little to no power and her subjected to the men's rule.

This wasn't the case in Deathless & Divided.

Bethany Kris wrote a good book with strong characters and entertaining plot.

Any additional comments?

“I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.”

An Interesting and Enjoyable audio

What made the experience of listening to Deathless & Divided the most enjoyable?

It’s about 20 hours worth of narrations, narrated by Roberto Scarlato who has the type of voice that makes chills run up and down your spine as he reads along the book, making you want to keep going even when the book is over.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Deathless & Divided?

So full of drama, suspense and action, Bethany-Kris’ newest release will absolutely make you rethink what Mafia life really is.

What does Roberto Scarlato bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Deathless & Divided is an intense novel that Roberto Scarlato easily conveys, revolving around the mafia lifestyle, following Lily as she’s given to a man as a bride that’s she’s never met.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Deathless & Divided was my first audiobook experience and I have to say it was an interesting one. It’s a different experience from when I’m reading since I can’t see the words, but instead I have to hear them, which is why it took two tries for me to finally get what’s happening – let me be clear though, I’m more of a visual person and not as much an auditory person, which absolutely impacted the time it to go through the novel

Great Mob story

What made the experience of listening to Deathless & Divided the most enjoyable?

Narrator was great

What was one of the most memorable moments of Deathless & Divided?

Not just one

Have you listened to any of Roberto Scarlato’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No

Any additional comments?

4.5 stars

Mob ties run deep in Chicago. So does loyalty.

Dino DeLuca is calling in a favor that is owed to him by Damian Rossi. Damian is indifferent to the request as he knows what Dino did for him in the past, he owes him this. He is treating it just like any other business deal.
But then he meets Lily and it just might be more than that for him.

Lily DeLuca maybe part of the family by blood, but she isn't part of the outfit. She is being called back by her brother Dino. She has been able to spread her wings and travel for the last 3 years, but enough is enough. She wasn't expecting what Dina had to say......

Dino needs to make sure his sister is safe from their late parents past and the only way is by having her married to another family.

Is Dino's plan for all the right reasons Can Damian be trusted to keep Lily safe as he promised DIno? Or will Lily be in more danger than before.

This was a great audio book and the narrator did a great job!

very good

Loved it !! this story. the narrator is so fantastic it's like your really there!! good overall

Good start to the Chicago War series

I love mafia romance and this was a really good book. Damon was such a nice guy even though he was a killer. Lily's brother, Dino, was a piece of work. He arranged for Damon to marry Lily. Lily was vehemently opposed to the marriage. Damon treated Lily really well so it is no wonder she fell in love with him. Roberto Scarlato did a great job with the narration. He was really good with the female voices.

awsome

love it. romance with a dark side can't trust anyone. Hate and love very strong emotions. A war was started to protect fueled by revenge.

Great story and narration. 4.5 stars!

Where does Deathless & Divided rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I would rank it in the top 5.

What other book might you compare Deathless & Divided to and why?

Any kind of crime/mobster book because of the mob family that is central to the book.

Have you listened to any of Roberto Scarlato’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Not sure.

Any additional comments?

Deathless and Divided is book one in the Chicago War Series by Bethany-Kris. Narrated by Roberto Scarlato. I'll start off my audio book review with saying that if you like mobster type books, you will love this one.

Book - 4.5 stars
Lily has been forced to come home, but what she doesn't know is that an arranged marriage awaits her. When Damian agrees to marry her, he wasn't expecting to feel such attraction for her. Neither one of them do. The story focuses on the couple, however, you also get to see the intricacies of the world Bethany-Kris has created. I loved the writing style and all of the characters. There were a couple of parts that I felt lagged here and there, but those were few and far between. I absolutely loved this story and will be searching for more books from the author.

Narration - 4.5 stars
A good narration can make or break a book, and this was one spot on. Roberto Scarlato was able to bring each character to life, making them each sound unique, which only enhanced the already wonderful story. I loved it. Many times a narrator will put in weird pauses and sound bland in spots, and while there were couple of pauses, they did not distract and I think I only heard one or two. Definitely one of the better narrators I've listened to.

Overall - 4.5 stars
The narration was wonderful, the story was exciting and full of action plus love (seriously, with that combo, how can you go wrong?), and you can tell the author has done her research. One click this story in either book or audio today! You won't be disappointed.

Beginning to the Chicago War

Enjoyed listening to this one! The narrator did a fantastic job with each different character. The story itself is an action packed opening to this series. Can’t wait to read or listen to the rest!