Nikki Ash blew me away with this dark and twisted mafia romance, a story like no other and one that captivates your attention and tugs at your heartstrings the entire time. Giovanni was born into the mafia and is running one of the family’s businesses, a bordello, and after taking it over, he made it even more successful, making it a high-end private club. He is protective of his workers and when one of his girls gets roughed up by a client, a senator, who owes him money, he sets him straight and then pays him a visit, and something or rather someone caught his attention there. Unable to do anything about it then, he did not forget her. Aria’s life took a turn for the worse after her mother died, held captive in a basement and forced to do unspeakable acts. Then she saw him, begged to be saved, but he left her there, and her speaking out cost her another beating. Then he comes back and saves her, brings her back to his home and nurses her back to health. Giovanni does not do romance or relationships, but there is something about Aria that penetrates the walls around his heart. He knows she is too good for his world, a world that would only bring more danger in her life, and that it does. It was great to watch these two interact and get to know each other as he keeps her safe. There is never a dull moment in this cleverly plotted story, a story with non-stop drama, angst, twists, thrilling suspense, heartfelt emotions, and steamy romance. There are some intense scenes that may take some out of their comfort zone, so it may be best to check with the author if you have any triggers. “Finding Beauty in Darkness” is a very fitting title for this story and Nikki Ash does just that. Thanks for another amazing story and wild ride.
🎧📚🎧  Cecily Foster and Christian Leatherman did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life, giving each a voice that was fitting and was believable in every role. I loved how they took each role and made it their own, while grasping every aspect of their character’s personality and demeanor to deliver a perfect portrayal of each. Leatherman nailed it as Giovanni, playing the perfect alpha boss, also showing his softer side, which he hid well from others. Foster was just as fabulous as Aria, brought out her fierceness and strength, also nailing her fear and torment. Both were fantastic performing the roles of the side/secondary characters too. Their pacing and tone were right for the story, and they captured all the characters’ emotions and had you feeling them all. These two made a great team, with voices and talent that complemented each other and a riveting performance that keeps you glued to the story. They are entertaining storytellers and a pleasure to listen to.