Sergio Abandonato is not really living anymore. He is angry, lost, broken, and numb. He lost his wife and now he has another obligation to the family to take on another one. This girl has been hidden from the mafia life. Her name is Valentina and her whole stable world is about to be turned upside down.

Their initial interactions are awkward, stilted, and intimidating. She is nineteen, sheltered, sweet, and completely unaware of the lifestyle and how she fits in. 

He is fighting demons and his attraction to Val. He tries to keep her at arm's length and scared of him, but it is hard to maintain. They are about to face some serious changes--marriage, family dynamics, enemies, and threats. And they are two people that are thrust into these situations together, but neither are emotionally ready to handle them.

I love that all of the guys and girls are back...Nixon, Trace, Chase, Mil, Tex, Mo, Phoenix, Bee, and Frank. They completely crack me up with their fun banter and threats to each other. They definitely add comic relief with their own brand of humor. Frank is also a big presence. We meet Val's twin Dante and her three overprotective uncles as well. Andi's presence was also still felt in this one.

Sergio seems to always have something he is fighting. This time it is himself, his feelings, his memories, his friends, and Val. He knows if he lets her in then it might overshadow his memories or make him forget Andi. He is full of guilt and self hatred for developing feelings. And Val is young and inexperienced and she feels like she is a poor stand-in for his true love and will never measure up.  She just needs attention and even a bit of kindness. But Sergio finds it hard to tame his beast. In order to move on he would have to let go and really let her in. 

But through this series we have seen so much growth and chance in Sergio. He started out with questionable loyalties and intentions. He  found love and friendship when he was not looking and was terrified of the consequences. His emotions are strong and swing to extremes. But he has a way of turning off his feelings, avoiding, and pushing people away. It will take  strong motivation, a special person, and maybe some outside interference to get Sergio back on a path towards healing and living life again. And he can be one stubborn man. And even though Val was a bit shy and unsure, I liked that she does have a backbone and also has opportunities for growth as she becomes more immersed with the crew.

There are some other hidden agendas in the background and the big picture is not always what it seems. I liked some of the surprises and how some of the story elements unfolded.

I love this series. They suck me in. They are comfy reads for me even with uncomfortable subject matter. The characters are flawed and over-the-top, but I can't help but love these crazy mafia families. This one was  emotional, passionate, dangerous, suspenseful, and romantic.  I have become so attached to Sergio throughout this series. He broke my heart and made me want to slap him, but I had faith that the sweet, loving Sergio would find a way to make an appearance. I actually loved how Elude and Empire flowed together to give us Sergio's journey. I am looking forward to learning even more about Dante in the next book. 

I was gifted a a copy in exchange for an honest review. 

This is the story that Sergio needed. Or that I needed for Sergio. It was not an easy read, not when he is still grieving the loss of Andi, but continues Sergio's story perfectly. The flow from Elude to Empire is seamless. 

 

Though she has been gone for two months, it is almost as if Sergio is a ghost himself. But even if he isn’t ready to let Andi go, he has a destiny to fulfill. He must marry again.

In some ways this was a case of deja vu. Sergio faces yet another arranged marriage, though his soon to be wife could not be any different from his first wife. Naive, young, and quiet, a strong wind would knock Val over. And what’s more -- she has no idea what’s in store by marrying an Abandonato, nor does she even know her true family name.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I love Sergio. His loyalty to the families knows no bounds, and once again he proves he will do anything to help his family. Though he struggles with his promises to Andi, and the desire to never forget anything about her, he can’t help but feel protective of Val.

Val had to grow on me a little. Like Sergio, I was still grieving, to a certain extent. Knowing he needed to move on or risk losing himself completely, I found a faster road to falling for Val. She won me over with a tenacity and stubborn streak that really showed up when faced with so many life changing situations so quickly.

I loved the orchestrating that went on behind the scenes. Between the mysterious letters and presents, and the striking coincidences, it wasn’t difficult to connect the dots to the puppetmaster, but my prediction only made me love that aspect of the story even more. 

This particular addition to the Eagle Elite series introduced several new characters, including Val’s twin brother, Dante, and the uncles who raised them. Dante will be featured in the next Eagle Elite book, Enrage, and he promises to be yet another fiery character. 

 

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.