I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

Main characters
MJ Rouleau (FMC/24) | Luc Castelli (MMC/26)

Troupes/themes
🎨 enemies-to-lovers
🎨 mafia romance
🎨 forced proximity

Review
'Luciano Castelli' is the first book in the series, so it doesn't come as a surprise that the book is quite introductory to the world and all the characters. However, the book is lengthy and I personally found some scenes unnecessary. I also didn't feel any chemistry between the main characters. That being said, MJ and Luc's dynamics were interesting and original for a mafia romance. The plot was well-written and developed, which I enjoyed.
I recommend this book to mafia romance lovers but keep in mind that it starts off slow and is quite long.

Romance: 5/10
Tipo de relación: F/M
Spice level: 5/10
Violencia: 5/10
Trama: 7/10

My thanks to the author Anna Ray, BooksGoSocial, and NetGalley for the opportunity to get this ARC for an unbiased review.

Lots of twists and turns in the plot, but great chemistry between the main characters. Also, what is not to love about a bad boy biker who also has a super close and protective family. Now I want to know what happens to Silvia as we are left hanging at the end.

Wow! This book took me surprise! This is a great mafia story jam packed with action and suspense, it definitely kept me on my toes.
It’s a very long story, it’s a slow burner but it’s hot! The writing and storyline were well done and the characters were well developed. I can’t wait to see what else is to come, I’m hooked.

To be honest, I wasn’t expecting to like this as much as I did seeing as how I’ve never read this author before! I was happily surprised.

I immediately connected with both characters and found them very easy to read. The chemistry between Luciano and MJ was palpable.

So good!!

Luciano Castelli was a slowburn read.

It had everything a mafia romance needs and that's fantastic.
It has the hate to love trope.
It has the failing in love.
It has the danger of loving someone in that world.
It has the romance between two people from different worlds that shouldn't be together.

Great start for the Dangerous Mafia Royals series. Can't wait to read more.

Complementary copy given for my honest review and opinion. Copy provided by NetGalley.
Talk about steamy mafia forbidden love and hate romance! This book is a page turner. Start to finish!

This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Man it’s either hot or cold with this author, either amazing smut and no plot or a decent plot and fade to black. While this book was unnecessarily long, the plot was pretty good. I’m such a sucker for mafia romances and this one had such strong potential with the slow burn enemy to lovers romance. I was all for it and when the two finally did the deed, it was FADE TO BLACK?!? In a mafia romance? No no, if this had mixed amazing smut with this plot and shorter, this book would have been amazing. That being said, I freaking LOVED Luc and MJ, their hate, their friendship, their pining ugh so good. I enjoyed reading this book and it crushed me at parts. Just wish there had been more smut.

DNF 14%, which was at chapter 14 and 2.5 hours into the book. The plot was supposed to be enemies-to-lovers mafia romance, but between the female mc’s constant starting and overly descriptive internal ramblings, and the male mc’s childishness, I just could not get invested in seeing whether or not they work out. Luc mentioned his cousin forcing him to take on cats one too many times, and what I am guessing was supposed to be his sense of humor was just not funny.

Hopefully this gets fixed for the final release, but the formatting of the book made it difficult to read, but as long as it is, it would be even longer if they had not crammed so many words on a page.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really wanted a good enemies to lovers dark mafia romance but this just didn’t do it for me.
Maybe I’m reading too many but it just felt unoriginal and not very engaging. I didn’t love the characters and found them rather bland but the book was quick and easy to read if not too enjoyable.

LUCIANO CASTELLI is the first book in Anna Ray’s contemporary, adult DANGEROUS MAFIA ROYALS Mafia romance series. This is twenty-six year old, heir to the Castelli family Luciano Castelli, and twenty-four year old artist Marie-Joelle ‘MJ’ Rouleau’s story line.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Luc and MJ) following several intersecting paths, LUCIANO CASTELLI focuses on the enemies to lovers relationship between twenty-six year old, heir to the Castelli family Luciano Castelli, and twenty-four year old artist Marie-Joelle ‘MJ’ Rouleau. Luciano Castelli knew the moment he met MJ Rouleau, the stubborn woman at the neighbourhood café all bets were off until a chance encounter at a political fund-raiser resulted in a six-week, parental enforced ‘volunteer’ working arrangement wherein our couple will work side by side both in and out of their volunteer duties. Luciano Castelli had rattled the ire of a deviant politician, and was thusly serving penance at Whippenhouse Hall, and our heroine was about to pay the price for Luc’s desperate attempts to take down the man he verbally attacked at a media affair. As Luc and MJ’s relationship turns personal, our couple find themselves targeted by the man in charge, and in an effort to protect the woman with whom he is falling in love, Luc is willing to sacrifice himself, taking the blame for everything and more. What ensues is the slow building romance and relationship between Luc and MJ, and the potential fall-out as a politician on the take, takes aim at our story line couple.

Meanwhile, MJ’s best friend, and Luc’s cousin Silvia Solarino is battling between head and heart knowing her best friend is falling for the son of a Mafia Don. Silvia has reason to ‘hate’ the Castelli family, but her current employer is forcing Silvia into a corner, and Silvia is desperate to keep secret sins of the past. At the same time, businessman and MJ’s friend Knox Hargreave is fighting demons of his own as he begins an investigation into political corruption, an investigation that reveals a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Knox’s connection and relationship with MJ is disquieting and concerning.

The relationship between Luc and MJ begins acrimoniously as our couple spit fire and fury within minutes of their first encounter. MJ is an artist who refuses to tow the proverbial line where her father is concerned, and Luc has pushed the buttons of head of the family, one too many times. Forced to work together, Luc and MJ find themselves in the unenviable position to ferret out the who, how and why, but by doing so place a target on their backs, and quite possibly, a target on the charity where they have ‘volunteered’ to work. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.


There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters including MJ’s father Rupert Rouleau; Luciano’s father Vico Castelli; cousins Tulio, and Ciro; MJ’s best friend attorney Silvia Solarino, and businessman Knox Hargreave; Illinois state Rep Eamon Dempsey, and his nephew Gilroy, as well as a large assortment of people coming in and out of our couple’s lives. Knox and Silvia’s storyline is next.

LUCIANO CASTELLI is a lengthy and protracted story line of family and friendships; betrayal and vengeance; secrets and lies. The premise is entertaining and captivating; the slow building romance is impassioned; the characters are dynamic, lively and spirited. The world building (including family history) and character building are detailed and extensive (secrets are revealed) as a considerable amount of time focuses on the couple. This is not the typical Mafia romance storyline-the majority of the action and conflict takes place in the final third of the book. In my opinion, LUCIANO CASTELLI would have been better suited as a trilogy, and not as one single, lengthy and expanded story line.



THE READING CAFÉ: http://www.thereadingcafe.com/luciano-castelli-dangerous-mafia-royals-1-by-anna-ray-a-review/

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4023691461


AMAZON. COM: https://www.amazon.com/review/R36GR21XFWWKUN/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B093QSDMMZ

BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/1561703786

Buckle up for an in-depth journey with Luc and MJ (Marie-Joelle) meeting for the first time at the Coop (a coffee shop in Wicker Park). They both are having bad days despite being first thing in the morning, neither making a great impression on each other. Luc attempting to flirt and get under her skin whilst MJ channels her rebellious side, rebuffering his charm. Each having their own issues with their fathers, something that comes out as they end up at the same charity gala that evening and both volunteered to work on a charity event together.

Following them battling their own demons as well as overcoming obstacles and chalks thrown in their paths. Attempting to get over their first impressions of each other and form a friendship. Slowly acknowledging their feelings for each other, a slow-burn romance that has you rooting for them but also wishing that they would just get together already. With a bigger picture scam happening Luc is willing to do anything to protect his family and most importantly MJ.

I have received a digital advance review copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a slow burn enemies to lovers story and I honestly thought that I was not going to like the slow burn part, but all the details that we got made up for it. I loved the way that MJ and Luc where introduced and the dynamic between them was amazing.
This is the first book of Anna Ray that I have read and I have to say that I like her writing style. There were many spelling errors, which was a bit annoying at first but then I managed to ignore it and it didn't bother me as much.

This book was a roller coaster! And like a roller coaster I loved every minute of it! This book starts of slow at first but gradually gets more intense and sucks you in. This is a different version of Mafia Romance than readers are used to but it was so beautifully written.
The loyalty between Luciano and MJ is something we all hope to have in our lives with the people closest to us. The story between these to characters and the growth between them and as individuals was what made this book such a good read and so hard to put down.
This book is 18+ because of its little bits of intimate scenes

Before I tell you what this book is about I am just gonna reveal to you that it is about 900 pages long so if you like detailed long story this will be a good fit for you. :)

It's an early morning when two of Coop's caffe regulars, desperate for a cup of liquid hug, wait in line seeing each other for the first time.A quick conversation between them and you can see sparks fly- it's definitely from the banter between them.
When soon after that attend the same event and are forced to work together, artist MJ and mafia prince Luc find themselves growing closer. But with their wealthy families and corrupt politician(s), their relationship isn't the only thing  keeping them occupied.

This book is different to the one's Anna Ray wrote and I read of her before this one. It is a much more detailed story, the characters are more complex and you really get to see what they are thinking. And even though the book is told by Mj's and Luc's perspective and it's about their story, you get to see some side characters and the more you read the more you get invested in them and their lives as well. I found it really cleverly written, and if the author continues writing more books about the Castelli's this book will work as a really well introduction story. Plus I think that the ones who already read this one are looking forward to more of these family stories .

The story is interesting, the characters are relatable and enjoyable and you get the feeling of being there with them. Even though that this was a good story I wish it was shorter.

*Thank you NetGalley, Anna Ray and BooksGoSocial for a free ARC.

A delicious read. I enjoyed this book, although I did feel that it really came in to its own in the second half, by then I couldn’t put it down. Look forward to reading more in the series.

Wow this was an unexpected but deliciously good read! An enemies to lovers mafia romance with so much steam just leaping of the pages. Luciano and MJ have such sizzling chemistry! I laughed, I cried and I found myself falling in love with the characters. This book is not what you would expect from the typical mafia romance. Luciano & MJ can't stand each other when they meet but you can feel the tension hovering on the surface. Probably one of my favorite reads from Anna Ray. I will defintely be reading more of her books!
Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this book!

This was a love-to-hate relationship story. I found the dialogue to be long-winded and immature. Unfortunately, the plot has been done many times over. The character and story were just OK.

Aside from the numerous spelling and grammatical errors, this story pulls you in. MJ and Luc aren’t the usual pair you’d find in any run-of-the-mill Mafia story. The deep of the plot and the slow burn style of romance sets this apart from all the rest. The length was also very unexpected from this author and while the story became slow in some places, it was worth it. I look forward for more of this series!