Readers looking for an exhilarating, steamy, and gritty romance will get all that (and a bit more) with this debut novel hitting shelves. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of The Prince by Amber Allee, along with getting my impressions of this debut novel, then add this first installment in the Las Vegas Mafia Series to your bookshelf too!
Luca Falcone has been groomed to be the next Don of his mafia family in Las Vegas. His entire life has been about becoming the man his father can be proud to hand his legacy to. The one rule to survive: leave no witnesses. But what happens when Luca breaks that rule? That choice alters the course of his life and puts his entire future at risk. Can he leave his family's legacy behind, or will the mafia catch up to him and threaten the new future he is trying to build?
Gemma Barone has been dealt a horrible hand in life, but during the spring break of her senior year in college, she meets a man who changes everything with a whirlwind romance. As she settles into her new relationship, ugly truths and haunting mysteries are revealed about the man she now can’t live without. Will she be strong enough to survive the lies and betrayals of what she thought was her fairy tale love story, or will life, once again, deal her a losing hand?
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
As a debut novel there was much about this book that had a familiar feel, much about the storyline that had a "been there, done that" vibe. The beginning part felt especially cookie cutter-ish, but with each turn of the page the author gained confidence. While the early chapters felt a bit rough around the edges, the later chapters felt more polished and definitely pulled me in wholeheartedly. By The End, I was left breathless from all the twists and turns permeating the world this couple existed in.
Gemma and Luca are opposites in many ways, but their time growing up was rocky for both of them. For Gemma Barone the hardships and heartaches only made her stronger, made her unwilling to back down when her relationship with Luca hit some roadblocks. She's the kind of heroine you look up to and root for throughout the story to reach her richly deserved HEA.
Luca Falcone was born into the Mafia world and from an early age saw things that a young boy shouldn't see. Being born into a world of blood, bullets, and secrets has hardened him throughout the years and it's all something he wants to keep secret from Gemma the moment they meet. This duo crackled from the very start and steamed up the pages in scorching encounters. Though Luca tried to keep the truth about himself private, his secrets and his past soon caught up to him and Gemma, and put both of them in danger. From that moment on there's twists and turns, entanglements coming from every direction and cleverly woven into the story by Ms. Allee. Throughout the story, Luca's a sexy beast! He's also weighed down by all the secrets that make up his life and they've given him a raw edge. He has a dark nature, is a bit obsessive early on with Gemma, but I was still drawn to him and the moments of tenderness and sweetness occasionally on display amidst the steam.
On a whole, this was an entertaining tale. Though it was fueled by a familiar storyline, it kept me glued to all the action happening both in and out of the bedroom. This was a formidable pairing and I look forward to where life takes them next. Alongside this memorable main couple was an equally entertaining cast of secondary characters. Of this secondary cast, it's Luca's mother that was a standout for me. She was larger than life, bold and brash, and a strong role model for Luca on how to survive in their world. Though this is Ms. Allee's debut novel, it definitely won't be her last, and it's with bated breath that I start the countdown to when we get to revisit this gritty and suspenseful world!
My rating for this is a B+
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
Amber Allee is a brand-new author with her debut novel The Prince out in early 2024. She started writing in 2015 but finally pulled the trigger to publish recently. Amber loves to write about romance, drama, and suspense along with hot alpha heroes.
She lives in the great state of Texas in the same town she grew up in. She lives there with her husband and two kids. When she isn’t writing, Amber can be found under blankets reading or playing games with her family. She loves to travel and shop. She is the lover of wearing animal print and everything bling!
