Although mainly told from Ethan and Ivy’s POV’s, this suspensful story was told from multiple POV’s. He was each and every character, he played their parts beautifully and the conversations flowed easily. He switches genders, dialects, ages and nationalities with ease making each exciting chapter unstoppable.

but it’s Joel Froomkin who brings it all to life with his endless acting abilities that’s probably spoiled me for all time. This gifted author isn’t afraid to deliver painful punches, she knocks you sideways with unseen twists, her dark scenes are chilling, the drama is thrilling and she has you gripped to every single climactic word. and, when Ivy’s approached with an offer she can’t refuse, Ethan’s manoeuvring and manipulation of players across his Mafia power board will eventually end in a brutal bloodbath.

The reasons why Ethan chose Ivy will eventually become clear. a feisty jailbird who has already served seven years of a long sentence for a murder she didn’t commit. no, it’s got to be rough around the edges Ivy. Ethan is cold, structured and he’s a genius at forward planning, he uses his intelligence rather than his emotions, he’s very much in charge of all things ‘family’ and now he wants a wife. and c) it sets the pace for the continuation of the Callahan dynasty in this new series. b) because it gives you the groundwork of the characters. but I hope and urge you to because a) you’ll be missing out on an awesome epic dark yet humorous series.

You don’t HAVE to listen to Ruthless People before this. but they’ve each got very different attitudes and ambitions. The sibling dynamics are still there between Ethan, Wyatt and Donatella. the dynasty that Liam and Melody left behind after their bloody bitter battles were finally over and they both paid the ultimate price. Nearly two decades have passed since the end of the last series and now it’s 28 yr old Ethan who is the Ceann na Conairte of the Irish Callahan/Italian Giovanni Mafia dynasty that rule Chicago. even if it did have more or a melancholy feel rather than a humorous one. This is an entertaining spin-off series from the absolutely spellbinding Ruthless People Mafia series and, although I didn’t enjoy this book quite as much as its predecessors, it was everything I’d hoped it would be. A SEAMLESS SPIN-OFF THAT KICKS-STARTS THE NEW ERA

Aphrodite and the Duke by J.J. McAvoy