REVIEW: Alliance by Natalia Lourose

Book Review

"π‘Ίπ’•π’†π’‚π’π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’ƒπ’“π’Šπ’…π’†," 𝑰 π’‹π’π’Œπ’†.

π‘³π’‚π’–π’ˆπ’‰π’•π’†π’“ 𝒃𝒖𝒃𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒔 π’‡π’“π’π’Ž π’‰π’Šπ’” 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒕. "𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 π’ƒπ’†π’π’π’π’ˆπ’†π’… 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’ˆπ’“π’π’π’Ž," 𝒉𝒆 π’”π’‚π’šπ’”.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: πŸ”₯πŸ”₯πŸ”₯
Tropes: Forbidden relationship, mafia, mafia princess/mafia soldier, arranged marriage (not between the love interests)
Series: Sinners of New Orleans #1
Triggers: Violence, mentions of suicide, suicidal ideation, domestic violence, and depression

*Please check triggers before reading*

This was a journey that I wasn't sure was going to have a HEA. I know the description said it would, but I was getting more nervous the closer I got to the end and the issue still hadn't been resolved. This is a great first start to the series and I'm intrigued about the next one. Honestly, I really want book four because I liked Sam a lot and I want to see his story.

This story follow Lana and Naz, a mafia princess and mafia soldier, forbidden to be together. Lana is part of the Costello Famiglia. She has done everything she's supposed to do, something that she thought would save her, yet it doesn't. She is viewed as nothing more than a bargaining chip for her parents to use in their lust for power. They don't care about her and the only two people that did have died, leaving her alone.

Naz is a mafia soldier. He is a dealer for the famiglia and is trying everything to earn his spot as a made man in the family. Naz is a drug dealer for the family, and although he hates what he does, he knows he has to do it to become made. Naz has more than just himself to take care of. He has a mom, sister, and nephew that he helps. He remembers growing up poor and doesn't want his family to live that life any longer.

Lana and Naz are never meant to be together. They meet during a tragedy for the Costello family, then meet again three years later at funeral of Lana's grandfather. From there, they meet at a bar by happenstance and spend the night together. Seems like no big issue, right? Wrong. The problem is that Lana is engaged to someone else. Someone that's mean, angry, and takes everything out on Lana. Naz and Lana want to be together, but forces from within her family make that impossible. They are a mafia version of Romeo and Juliet.

I felt so bad for Lana the whole time. She was clearly screaming for help and no one cared except for her cousins. Her mom is TRASH and if I could write myself in the story to fight her, I totally would. Lana tried to stand up for herself, but she was only met with pain in doing so. I wish she would've had more fight in her, but I also understand she was pretty much powerless. I enjoyed her connection with Naz a lot and was rooting for them the whole time.

My sweet Naz. I enjoyed Naz and only wanted good things for him. You could tell he was battling with himself at every turn because he wanted to help his family, but he didn't necessarily want to do illegal things to do so. I loved how much he cared about Lana, even if it almost got him killed several times. Naz made her feel safe when quite literally everyone else didn't, and it was so nice to see. I liked getting to see his lighthearted moments with her and his speech about always loving her no matter what was beautiful.

The reason this isn't a five star read for me is because part of the beginning confused me a little bit. It felt like I was thrown halfway into a story. I don't know if that's because of how things moved, or how it was written, but it threw me off a little bit. Also, I didn't get the Lana and Naz connection at first. They met twice and then they hook up, but there were intense feelings right away? It just threw me a bit, but once the story progressed and they were together more, I felt their connection. 

The spice is okay in this novel. I expected it to be spicier given the forbidden aspect of the story. There's no denying that Lana and Naz have chemistry, I would've just preferred a little more out of those scenes. They did have my heart break a few times for them throughout the novel. I really was worried they weren't going to find a solution so they could get their HEA.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. I look forward to seeing how the overarching plot plays out given there are so many players involved. I look forward to reading John's story!

Book Information

Release date: May 5th, 2021

Description:
*The description comes directly from the Amazon's website*

A sinner met a saint, two worlds collided, and everything burned.

Lana

I've done everything right.
Playing the part of the demure famiglia daughter,
And hiding my pain beneath makeup and pretty dresses.
But marrying a man ten years my senior?
Whose words cut like knives,
And taste like poison.
This is one thing I can't do.

Naz

I've done nothing right.
I'm not a virtuous man, 
I balance on the line between light and dark.
My past is littered with sins, 
Each of them is haunting me.
I'm not worthy of the angel with long hair and hazel eyes.
And yet, I'd burn the city to the ground to hold her in my arms.

What's a sinner to do?

Nat's Notes:

This is the first book in my Sinners of New Orleans series and I think it really sets the scene of the famiglia war that's kicking off in NOLA. Lana and Naz are an unlikely pair each weighted down by family expectations. I really wanted to encapsulate that feeling of falling in love and ignoring the rest of the world and I think these two are a perfect representation.

"Alliance" is the first book in the Sinners of New Orleans series. It is a full length forbidden/arranged mafia romance with spicy scenes and an HEA. This series is best read in order. While Lana and Naz's story will have an HEA and conclude in Alliance, there is an overarching plot that will continue in future books.

Alliance contains themes of violence, explicit language, depression, and suicidal ideation. Please take caution when reading.

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