Bennett Mafia by Tijan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

He murdered people. I saved them.

 

There was something in him that beckoned to me. I hated what he did. But I didn’t hate him. I lusted after him. But I loathed his job.

While I am still fairly new to Tijan as a reader, I’ve seen her books on social media for some time, and my first opportunity to include her in my blog schedule presented itself last fall. And I thoroughly enjoyed that book. However, after reading Bennett Mafia? I am OBSESSED!!!! Without question, Bennett Mafia is the single best mafia romance I have ever read, and I don’t make this claim lightly. Since I read a book a day, and I love mafia romance, this is a broad category with a lot of history. Also, I would also tell you this is unequivocally one of my favorite reads in the last several years and I am already trying to get through my Blogs ARCs so that I can reread this book immediately.

Out of their whole family, Kai Bennett was the most. He was the best looking. He had their dark and hypnotic eyes, but they were more with him. More smoldering. More hypnotic. More powerful. More alluring.

This review cannot possibly do justice to Bennett Mafia, and I won’t attempt to spin a version of the blurb to entice you to read this book, because I feel like Tijan did that beautifully. The plot itself was phenomenal. The writing is very fluid with a perfect pace and was so damn entertaining that it reeled me in instantly without losing me at any point. This enemies-to-lovers, best friend’s brother romance was told entirely from Riley’s perspective and literally kept me up all night long, turning page after page until I finished the book. While I prefer dual POV’s as a rule, this was perfection and kept me on my toes… I was absolutely blindsided several times which just strengthened the enjoyment I got out of the story. The unpredictability of the story was cause for celebration—I mean, I often feel that I have read every story there is and yet nothing about this book felt like that. What I gleamed after reading my second book by this exceptionally talented author is that she does NOTHING by half measures. Tijan excels at writing evocative and gritty romances that are emotionally bankrupting. They will leave your thoughts utterly consumed days and days after you’ve finished reading them. At least with two books behind me, that’s where I am at.

His presence was overwhelming. I felt him sliding inside of me, taking over, and I gulped because my body responded to him, to his closeness. He had a hold of me, whether I wanted him to or not. I couldn’t deny it any longer.

Bennett Mafia was extraordinary with a truly evocative storyline. Riley and Kai’s story was absolutely fascinating. These characters are extremely complex, and their love story is one that I will not soon forget. I loved the juxtapose of these characters—they’re truly polar opposites on some levels, but as their characters develop and the storyline progresses, I saw similarities that aren’t readily apparent. I have a huge thing for alpha hero’s that are total assholes and I swear, at first glance, Kai took home the gold in that respect. 😉 Yet, his character is extremely deep, and I discovered that not only is he an asshole, he’s badass, and he has a huge heart. He proved time and again that his family, and those under his protection, absolutely and without exception come first! I can’t tell you how completely under his spell I was by the 70% mark—by the end of the book? Yep, you guessed it, I am completely lost for this hero and I think anyone who reads him will be. Riley is the light to his dark. She’s the one that saves people while he’s the murder. She’s strong, loyal, fierce and overall an outstanding heroine. She’s the girl I would want behind or to be best friends with on every level. Both characters have wrenching pasts that will tear you apart. This is not a pretty romance, this is not a sweet romance, this book is a little dark with regard to various plot points (i.e. abuse, the sex trade, the mafia lifestyle, etc). These gritty topics were skillfully woven into a romance about the most unlikely of couplings. And by the time you read those last words “the end” you will be just as emotionally bankrupt as I was—but in the best way possible. I was moved to tears several times and I ached with what Kai and Riley had survived in their lives—both together and separately. There is NOTHING like a book that reaches you on every level and that’s what Bennett Mafia did for me. Oh, and did I mention how hot this book was? Bennett Mafia was spectacularly hot!! Enemies-to-lovers romances have this push and pull that’s delicious and Tijan took that and amplified it exponentially… I urge readers to buy books often, but rarely to do tell you to buy a book RTFN, but that’s exactly what this review is striving to convey. Don’t make the mistake I did and pass up something but this insanely talented author—I regret it more and more every day!

QUOTES:

I did not want to feel this self-hatred. I was weak. I was an embarrassment to the ideals I’d dedicated my life to: helping others, saving others, protecting others. I was with a man who violated all of those principles, and I should run. I could run now, but I didn’t. I knew I wouldn’t.
—
“I am everything that’s bad in this world. You are everything that’s good, and I am turning you into me.” He choked out, “I hate myself when I look at you. You reflect everything wrong in me, every time I’m inside of you.”
—
I was one of Kai’s —his hostage, his lover, his friend, his confidant, his enemy. I was his, but he was mine too.
—
I wanted this Kai with me at all times— loving, caring, tender. The man who could make me lose my bearings and bring me so much pleasure I almost saw fucking stars, but out there was a different Kai. He would have to be cold, detached, ruthless. A shiver went down my spine. That was my Kai too, but he scared me.

Bennett Mafia is LIVE and FREE in KU!