mymessytbr's review
2.0
Loved the build up to them getting together but once they did it was just over the top like a soap opera.
elinsophie's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
kfriend's review
5.0
Mafia romance has always been my favorite sub-genre, so pair that with one of my favorite authors of all time and Condemned to Love is literally a dream- I’ve been dying for Siobhan to take a crack at mafia, and she does not disappoint! This is everything I want in a mafia romance! Sexy, dangerous, intriguing, and wildly entertaining- Condemned to Love is the swooniest mafia romance I have ever read. Somehow both dark and sweet, gritty yet emotional, intimate yet action packed, I could not put this story down! I am addicted to Ben and Sierra- I want to live in this mafia world forever.
Like all Siobhan stories, this one is FULL of surprises, this story is action packed with tons of twists, danger, betrayal, and jaw dropping surprises, and I’m not going to give you a single hint! But these characters, I just LOVED them. Siobhan is one of my favorite heroine writers of all time- she brings such nuances and layers of strength to the women in her stories, and Sierra is one of my favorites she’s written. She’s everything I want in a mafia leading lady- she’s tender, empathetic, sweet, exuding a charming vulnerability and open heartedness. She’s the “light” of the story- but she is far from weak. There’s a solid tenacity that underscores her light- this is a woman who won’t compromise on her beliefs, and who refuses to be walked over- she has steel when she needs it, and softness when she doesn’t. I love her contrasts, and I loved her open heart.
But BEN- oh Ben. He’s the swooniest mafia man I’ve ever read. I love how Siobhan constructs him- she lets him have the framings of a mafia boss- the darkness, the possessive alpha dominance, the capacity to do deplorable things- but this doesn’t define him as a character. Because Ben is still a hero-in really nuanced and interesting ways that contrast with the trope standard. AND HE IS SO DREAMY. Sexy, dark, and dangerous- just enough edge to keep us on our toes. But Siohan gives him nuance, makes him more defined than just a “mafia boss” archetype. He’s also incredibly self-aware emotionally, progressive in his leadership, and he loves with a charming romantic streak that has me sighing with delight. Unlike other mafia heroes who lack the capacity to love, Ben has it in spades- he just chooses to repress it, out of stoic responsibility and a grounded understanding of the perils of his life. But his firefly, the sweet little Sierra, arouses his protective instincts, thrusting a man capable of an epic love to confront fate. And when this man's full emotional range is unleashed- HOLD ON TO YOUR OVARIES! Total dark hero dreamboat.
These two are So hot together-and Siobhan so smartly invests in their shared history so we really understand the emotional intimacy between them. They share a solid and enchanting connection that just cannot be severed- irregardless of time, adversity, or difference. They are magic together- there’s a dynamic pull between them that I felt jump off the page, and it is just SO romantic. And so well matched. Sierra just wants to be SEEN, to have a love that is healthy, that is pure- and what irony that she finds herself loving a man who once belonged to another and now has erased love as a possibility. Her capacity to love wholly, nonjudgmentally and unconditionally, makes her the perfect match for our mafia man, Ben- a man who has always seen her for the beautiful creature she is, and a man who makes sacrifices for her in ways no one else will, just when she needs it. AND THEY ARE HOT- sexy, but also really tender and sweet in places. I could not get enough of them and this world- and there are some secondary characters that are just begging to have their own stories- I just want Siobhan to dwell in this mafia world forever.
This story seems to be written with so much thoughtful care- a carefully architected and well paced plot that twisted and turned and had me hanging on the edge of my seat, interesting and unexpected characters whose emotional journeys captured my heart, and intentional, and clearly well researched, mafia world building that consumed and enchanted me. Siobhan Davis and mafia were a pairing clearly meant to be, and I, for one, am desperate for more! Condemned to Love was delicious and delightful romantic entertainment- more more more!
Like all Siobhan stories, this one is FULL of surprises, this story is action packed with tons of twists, danger, betrayal, and jaw dropping surprises, and I’m not going to give you a single hint! But these characters, I just LOVED them. Siobhan is one of my favorite heroine writers of all time- she brings such nuances and layers of strength to the women in her stories, and Sierra is one of my favorites she’s written. She’s everything I want in a mafia leading lady- she’s tender, empathetic, sweet, exuding a charming vulnerability and open heartedness. She’s the “light” of the story- but she is far from weak. There’s a solid tenacity that underscores her light- this is a woman who won’t compromise on her beliefs, and who refuses to be walked over- she has steel when she needs it, and softness when she doesn’t. I love her contrasts, and I loved her open heart.
But BEN- oh Ben. He’s the swooniest mafia man I’ve ever read. I love how Siobhan constructs him- she lets him have the framings of a mafia boss- the darkness, the possessive alpha dominance, the capacity to do deplorable things- but this doesn’t define him as a character. Because Ben is still a hero-in really nuanced and interesting ways that contrast with the trope standard. AND HE IS SO DREAMY. Sexy, dark, and dangerous- just enough edge to keep us on our toes. But Siohan gives him nuance, makes him more defined than just a “mafia boss” archetype. He’s also incredibly self-aware emotionally, progressive in his leadership, and he loves with a charming romantic streak that has me sighing with delight. Unlike other mafia heroes who lack the capacity to love, Ben has it in spades- he just chooses to repress it, out of stoic responsibility and a grounded understanding of the perils of his life. But his firefly, the sweet little Sierra, arouses his protective instincts, thrusting a man capable of an epic love to confront fate. And when this man's full emotional range is unleashed- HOLD ON TO YOUR OVARIES! Total dark hero dreamboat.
These two are So hot together-and Siobhan so smartly invests in their shared history so we really understand the emotional intimacy between them. They share a solid and enchanting connection that just cannot be severed- irregardless of time, adversity, or difference. They are magic together- there’s a dynamic pull between them that I felt jump off the page, and it is just SO romantic. And so well matched. Sierra just wants to be SEEN, to have a love that is healthy, that is pure- and what irony that she finds herself loving a man who once belonged to another and now has erased love as a possibility. Her capacity to love wholly, nonjudgmentally and unconditionally, makes her the perfect match for our mafia man, Ben- a man who has always seen her for the beautiful creature she is, and a man who makes sacrifices for her in ways no one else will, just when she needs it. AND THEY ARE HOT- sexy, but also really tender and sweet in places. I could not get enough of them and this world- and there are some secondary characters that are just begging to have their own stories- I just want Siobhan to dwell in this mafia world forever.
This story seems to be written with so much thoughtful care- a carefully architected and well paced plot that twisted and turned and had me hanging on the edge of my seat, interesting and unexpected characters whose emotional journeys captured my heart, and intentional, and clearly well researched, mafia world building that consumed and enchanted me. Siobhan Davis and mafia were a pairing clearly meant to be, and I, for one, am desperate for more! Condemned to Love was delicious and delightful romantic entertainment- more more more!
mariiiaah's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
ben & sierra
k_gabardi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
fatal_poison_4_u's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kodom251999's review
5.0
This book was amazing! I loved Ben & Sierra. The angst between them in the beginning, and their obvious connection. Some of her family is straight up nuts. I wanted to slap Saskia from the very beginning. This mafia romance was filled with so much action. I was holding my breath at the end. It truly was a great read!