Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Reviews By Any Other Name, Forbidden series by J.M. Darhower





Title: By Any Other Name
Author: J.M. Darhower
Series: Forbidden
Release Date: February 23rd 2015

 Synopsis

A deadly rivalry.
Two families at war.
Nobody is safe, not even the innocent.
Especially the innocent.
Blood will be spilled.

Genevieve "Genna" Galante knows a thing or two about causing trouble. After all, it's engrained in her DNA. As the only daughter of Primo Galante, notorious boss of the Galante crime family, her life is dictated by a certain set of rules… rules Genna was never very good at following.

Matteo "Matty" Barsanti never wanted anything to do with the family business, but as the first-born Barsanti son, certain things are expected of him. It's his duty, according to his father, to help take down the enemy... even if that enemy means something to him.

A chance encounter on an elevator changes the course of lives, causing the biggest trouble of Genna's young life. The only good Barsanti is a dead Barsanti. She's heard it said time and time again. So what happens when she falls in love with one of them?

The story of star-crossed lovers caught in the middle of the biggest rivalry New York has ever seen, determined to make it… if only they can survive their parents' feud.


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Reviews



1. Ms. Darhower has become a favorite of mine. I mean really, have you met Naz and Corrado? No? What are you waiting for?
2. This is a modern-day Romeo and Juliet-like story, that takes place in New York. Several families run different grounds, but only two of those families are the most powerful.
3. The prologue was a big boom, so I knew it would be a good one.

I loved our heroine, Genna. She's a rebel, that one. She's the Ice Princess, a Galante that some fear, while others despise.

I also loved Matty, since he's not like his family, he wants nothing to do with the business. He's also a Barsanti that Genna should hate. Except, she doesn't.

"I didn't think you could be more beautiful," he said, "but then you went and screamed my name."
Hoo boy, that Matty! Sure knows how to sweet talk a girl, heh.

Ah, I also liked Dante, Genna's brother.

Annnnd I need book two! 'Cause that ending, really? Oh, the many things that could happen! It will keep you on your toes, make you chuckle or fan yourself. Ms. Darhower seems to have an MO 'cause I went through all of the above mentioned while reading her other books.

5 stars for my Barsanti love.

***I was lucky enough to have received a copy in exchange of honest review. Thank you***








 
By Any Other Name (Forbidden, #1)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Nobody does organized crime like J.M. Darhower. Good lord! Amazing story. I'm so emotionally wrung out now.

So obviously I loved it. BAON is about two kids from opposing crime families. They weren't always this way. Once they were very close. Both family's histories are super intertwined. Many things have happened that can't be taken back. Each act builds causing a snowball effect, more pain, more drama, more death and so on.

One thing that I want to point out for those that loved the Forever/Sempre series is Gavin (from Sempre:Redemption, the one that overran the construction site and watched over Haven for Corrado) is in this series. The DeMarco family of Chicago is mentioned by name and references are made to Haven and Corrado. Gavin Amaro is in one of the five families in New York. I expect we will see more of him in future books of this series. He is one of the first to know of the affair going on between Matty and Genna.
"Look, Matty, I'll tell you what someone told me once, a few years ago, when I got curious about a girl...don't plant your seeds in someone else's garden or you're liable to get buried sex-feet under with fertilizer."


Genna is different than any female lead I can remember Darhower doing before. She is a wild child. She isn't virginal and sweet sitting at home while the boys play. She isn't involved in the family business either. So while they're all busy, she's off getting drunk, screwing around and stealing cars.

Matty has never been a part of the family business. He was shipped off as a boy. Now after getting a college degree he has returned home to take care of his dying mother. He's a good, sweet guy.

Needless to say, these two have no idea who the other is when they meet. Both have been raised to stay clear of anyone with the other's surname, but without knowing this about each other, they immediately hit it off. While everyone around them is preparing for war, they're beginning to fall for one another.
He'd bought her an abundance of drinks and followed it up with even more orgasms. The boy was a giver, for sure.


Be prepared for lots of emotions. There are deaths and heart moments. It's a very easy story to get caught up in. It's heavy in sibling love, forbidden romance and decisions that change everything.



***Copy given in exchange for an honest review***







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