No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
She has friends that literally have her back. I was hooked on this book. Had a lot of twists and turns. She ends up being lucky who she marries. She also escapes the clutches of her so called father.
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I read two books this week and they were the two best books that I have read for a long time. The first of these was the excellent No Way Out by Amy McKinley (the other being Unsettled Scores by Kel O’Connor). I have been a huge fan of Amy McKinley for a couple of years now and she never fails to deliver and with No Way Out she has taken the bar to a whole new level. I was totally grabbed by this book and just didn’t want to put it down.
No Way Out is the first book in the Mafia Elite Series. I do love a mafia story and this is one of the best mafia stories that I have ever read. When I read mafia stories I always find myself thinking ‘are there really people that live like this?’
Amy McKinley is a master at writing the most amazing characters and wonderful storylines. She has certainly excelled herself with No Way Out. Max and Liliana are two amazing characters that I could have read about for hours and hours and never tired of them.
The storyline to this book is really gripping and has many twists and turns. Typically with a mafia story there is much drama, danger and intrigue and Amy McKinley takes you on an amazing journey that you won’t want to end.
I absolutely adored this book and can’t wait to read more from this series. 100% recommend.
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I cant even put into words how much I loved this book. Im afraid of even giving a little bit away so I will just praise the author here on her amazing talent to write an amazing story. I have read a lot by this author and this by far is way up in my top 5 (and thats saying a lot). I couldnt read this fast enough as I wanted to know what happened next.
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
No Way Out by Amy McKinley was an intriguingly, intense book. The story of Max and LIliana is intense and full of action. The story starts with Max blowing up Brambilla’s warehouse like it is nothing. BAM! That is just the opening move in a story full of danger, thrills, action, drugs, cartels, bad deals, and any other bad things you can think of. Brambilla thinks nothing of using his daughter, Liliana, in these deals. She’s just property to him. Maxi is out to rescue her. Keep in mind, there may be more than the eye can see. The story is so good that it was like reading a mafia film on paper. I could picture this in my head (that’s the sign of a good book.) The characters were so well written. Your sleaze-bags like Raphe, etc. left you feeling like you needed a shower just after reading about them. This book was so very good. The action just continues until the very end. I cannot wait to read Book 2 in this series. I highly recommend you read this one.
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a way to start off this series! No Way Out is Book 1 of the Mafia Elite. Lilliana and Max are amazing. Life as a Mafia princess is as perilous as walking a tightrope. Can Lilliana trust Max? All she wants is freedom, can he give her that or is it just anther cage? Definitely can’t wait for the next book.
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow, what a great start to this series. I was pulled in right from the beginning. It’s been awhile since I’ve had a good mafia read and this one does not disappoint.
Liliana was a great strong character. Her father is the head of the mafia. She returns from college and things start to get dangerous for the family business. Her father brings in a hitman, Max to take care of things.
Max was great, you could feel the connection coming off the pages between these two. He was hired for a job but he also has his own plans. Will he be successful?
Overall this was a really great read. We get several twists and turns that added a great element to the story. The characters added a great element to the story. We get danger, secrets, and so much more in this book. I look forward to reading more from this series. 1-click and get started today.
Reviewed by @mab54615
View all my reviews
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
No Way Out (Mafia Elite #1)by Amy McKinley
5 out of 5 stars
I have read a few of Ms. McKinley’s books and she hasn’t disappointed me yet. The characters are strong they have to be in their world. I love the little quirks and the way they play off each other makes them some what real. This book had it all action, tension, betrayal, romance.
Max infiltrates a vital part of the Chicago Mafia to protect his Sicilian mentor’s granddaughter, Liliana, from her dangerous father under the guise of assassin Matteo Trambino.
Liliana Brambilla was born into one of the most powerful families in the Cosa Nostra, she is a pawn in her father’s bid for power the only way to escape is to marry the man her father picks.
Liliana’s father assigns her a new bodyguard, Matteo (aka Max) she doesn’t trust him and she thinks he is the enemy since he works for her father. But the truth is since the came face-to-face, he realizes he can never walk away.
Can Liliana escape her father with the help of Max? Will Max be-able to punish those who have wronged him and take back what’s rightfully his? Can these two over-come their pasts to have a future?
You need to read this great story…
Tracy
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I thought this was a great start to a new series. I loved this book from the very beginning. The only down side for me was the character list. I found it hard to keep the families apart. With that being said, I had a few favorite characters and there were some shady ones also. Liliana is a mafia princess who is a huge asset to her dad. She has people assigned to protect her but she can handle herself in some situations. Just ask some of her dads guards. Sam Caruso has a long well thought out plan that involves Liliana. This book has lots of action and suspense that will leave you guessing what’s going to happen next. Definitely liked this book and cannot wait for more in this series.
review by @xchellex
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
No Way Out is the first book in this new series by McKinley. The story line in this book is good. The characters are awesome. I loved Max’s type of alpha. He was not out of control with his love and protectiveness. I loved the way Lil feels about Max. She loves him but isn’t so lost in him that she can’t function. She is strong in her own right. And of course, there are the characters that are easy to hate like Lil’s very own father.
The only concern I have with this book is there seemed to be a lot of references to the past. Almost as if there was a book before this one. I wasn’t confused or lost while I read this story but it felt as if I was missing another story. I was able to read and enjoy this book with ease.
Overall, the writing is really good and I am, as always, looking forward to what comes next for this family.
Reviewed by @shannonlovesbooks
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Amy McKinley has done it again. I loved her other series Deadly Isles Special Ops so when I saw this book I was intrigued. It definitely did not disappoint me at all. I love the plot and how she knew how to make the characters and details work for the story. This book has kept me on the edge of my couch and kept me intrigued the whole time. I couldn’t put it down and I honestly want more. Max and Liliana are just perfect, the mafia princess and the body guard. Hands down a great book to read! Now one of my favorites.
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Amy McKinley sold me from the preview of the book! No way out was an excellent read! Thrilling, sad, sexy and everything else you could want from a mafia book! I will be doing my research to get more from her! This story is a must read!
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
No Way Out is a great start to a new series, which is no surprise. Amy McKinley knocks it out of the park with each new series. I am already hooked and cannot wait to go on to book 2 and see what this series has in store. This book is action packed, with a good balance of romance, and keeps us guessing. I kept waiting for Max to turn out to have some dark past, and was worried to like him too much. But the story is perfect, and had a big screw you to the “bad guys” and has a huge reveal that makes the match between Max and Liliana that much more perfect. I love McKinley’s characters, because the women are always strong tough women, who don’t need to rely on the men in their lives. I love Liliana and her friends stick up for each other, and take care of business attitudes. I hope they each get their own story in the series! Highly recommend this book, and cannot wait for the next book.
Reviewed by @way2gosmartguy
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Amy McKinley really freaking served with this one. A little slow moving at first, then it all unfolded. Beautifully written characters, an intense plot and really paved the way to a series I can’t wait to continue.
I feel like recently the leading ladies in books have been a little disappointing, but that was NOT the case with Liliana. She was so much more than a mafia “princess”. She showed strength even through fear, and I loved her for that. And Max? *swoon* Max was the alpha male you expect in books like these, but he wasn’t JUST that. Which is why I loved this book so much. It was complex, it was steamy, it was full of drama and danger and twists. I can’t wait for the next one!
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow, where to start… I suppose with two of my favorite things in one place, mafia romance, and Amy McKinley. Boom, pretty sure you have the makings right there for a fab read, so it was a no-brainer for me to just one-click this read the moment I saw it. I am so glad that I did and cleared my evening because this book consumed me. Max and Lilianna quickly became one of my absolute favorite book couples that I have read of 2021 and I was hooked on the chemistry that they slowly and painfully built up on my kindle. I love how McKinley does that and she really did a wonderful job of it in No Way Out. I am so excited to see that this is the first of a series and that we will be getting more of this deliciousness on our kindles hopefully in the near future. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of Max and Lilianna either even though I loved how Ms. McKinley tied this book up.
Review by @lizaileen
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No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Liliana is a mafia princess in a gilded cage waiting to be used as a pain to help her father. But when she gets a new guard, that all soon changes.
From the very first chapter you are drawn in and getting the POV of both Liliana and Max keeps you reading non stop. Liliana is not a helpless princess but quite the opposite. She and her best friends, Em and Sofia really steal the show and I can’t wait to read their stories.
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
No Way Out: An Arranged Marriage Mafia Romance (Mafia Elite Book 1) by Amy McKinley
She did it again, she got me hooked from the very beginning and refused to let me go until the book was done.
I read this book in the car as we drove out of town, read it while I was at a book signing (taking a much needed break from peopling) and finished it instead of watching football.
I was instantly drawn to Matteo/Max, but not sure what it was. Yeah the bad boys are hot but it wasn’t it. Something about him spoke to me and I couldn’t learn enough about him.
Liliana is not someone you want to mess with and we got acquainted with the reasons pretty quick.
There are twists and turns, romance and of course suspense. I have read several books by Ms. McKinley and have yet to be disappointed. I don’t know if I will be patient while waiting for the next book to be released.
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I rather enjoy a good mafia romance. This book is a fun read. The story was fast-paced and action-packed. Max and Lil are so cute together. The plot kept me entertained without the book. McKinley created a great world that I look forward to seeing expanded on.
Reviewed by @awesomelyamber
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
When I began No Way Out by Amy McKinley, the family tree in the beginning intimidated me with the number of characters in these mafia families. I was nervous I would not be able to keep up with character transitions. Thankfully, I only had to maintain a handful of them to follow this storyline. I did enjoy this story but it was not a favorite from this author, as I’ve read several of her books. The main characters were just both ok to me while I was more intrigued with Liliana’s best friends and Max’s cousins. Hopefully we get more details from these supporting characters in future installments of this series. This was a fast paced story that kept you involved to the end. I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one of this series.
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
No Way Out (Mafia Elite, book 1) by Amy McKinley – Review by Barbara Stegall
I so enjoyed getting to know Max and Liliana. They make a great power couple. Liliana and her friends hiding places for the items they feel they need to have on their person in order to protect themselves is amazing! Amy McKinley created a special world for this series. I can’t wait to get the next book. I hope the others get their HEA!
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was there to protect the main man’s daughter but in the end I could not just walk away when it was over.
Max is a bad a## assassin and has a plan but putting that plan into place could be tricky, but Max never thought his plan would come unstuck by a woman. Although by the end Lily is not just any woman she is the one who holds his heart.
Lilliana is a princess in a world of pain and horror, she is only a possession to her father and a pawn in his deadly game within the mafia. She is determined to leave but under the rules of the group she has to be released and that normally means trading one prison for another prison but in walks Max as her bodyguard but can he be her escape?
I love this author, there is nothing this woman writes that does not have you eagerly turning the pages to read what will be uncovered within the story. I feel that all her female characters have this air of vulnerability but also underneath the surface is a strong, powerful characters which Lilliana is definitely. With the chemistry between the two main characters just jumps off the page and you are willing them through the distractions that come up in the book along the way.
The story is a powerful one and the way Amy weaves through all the horrors and tension to create a love story is brilliantly and a is a great addition to the new series.
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
No Way Out is another fantastic read by Amy McKinley! I enjoyed this book and could not put it down. Liliana is seen as just an object for her father and is to be used to strengthen his mafia connections. Max was sent by her grandfather to rescue her and falls in love with her. Max is not who Lily thought he was. Can she forgive Max when she learns the truth from him? Read the book to find out!
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
No Way Out
An Arranged Marriage
Mafia Romance
Mafia Elite Book 1
By Amy McKinley
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Be ready for this high action Mafia meets possible Romance. No Spoilers Found here.You will have to read it to believe me! So here goes. Max has many roads to take, but this one is what needs to be done. He wants his life back and takes back what he has earned. But first he has to take the Mafia down. In the process he has to keep Lilian Brambilla safe. Lilian was promised to another, another prison that is, can she get out? Or will she fight for her own freedom? Will Max get the girl?
Amy McKinley has started this series with a bang! The story is well written, and the rollercoaster of action starts on page one. I could not put this one down and I can’t wait to dive into book 2. The characters make the story come to life. At times I felt so emotional, and even cried ugly tears. Followed by other emotions. Great Author, Great characters and most of all great action. Well Done Amy McKinley! Well Done! ! !
Review@Cinful
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
No Way Out by Amy McKinley a strong five-star read. This is number one in the Mafia Elite series, and it shows us what a great author we have here and also what a great series this promises to be. Liliana what a great character she is, but she has her own surprises, one being the strength of character she shows, but she has more that just her strength. Max was sublime, he also has surprises and secrets, this took me a while to get properly stuck into, but my goodness once I was stuck, I couldn’t be separated from this story. I was so gutted when this ended, I was sat wishing there were a hundred more pages as I wasn’t ready to say goodbye just yet.
Review by @saraoxo
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was my first ever mafia romance book. I loved it. It not only gave me a glimpse into the mafia world, but it also made me want to read the rest of the series. Liliana is a mafia princess whose dad views her more as property than his daughter. Max is a bodyguard who wants to protect her full-heartedly. No Way Out is a good intro to mafia romance.
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Liliana is a mafia princess. Her dad is the boss, her mom dead. Dad only sees Liliana as a pawn to get what he wants and to further his buisness holdings. When Matt (Max) comes on to dad’s employ, he works to get LIliana out. Matt is really under the employ of Liliana’s grandfather who desperately wants her away from her dad and returned to him.
Opinion
In the beginning of the book was a family tree (of sorts) to all of the mafia’s in Chicago. There are five. While this is extremely helpful for the book, I was daunted reading it before I even read any of the book. I did refer back to it from time to time to help me get some perspective.
Liliana also alludes to the death of her friend, Marissa. She does it often enough that I checked to see if there was another book in the series. I did not find one and believe that McKinley was just offering a back story. I personally would have preferred a prelogue because I was a bit confused as to whether I should already know it or not.
The book itself was fast paced and kept me on the seat of my pants wondering what was going to happen next. There was plenty of action for what you would expect of a mafia novel as well as angst and love. I truly enjoyed reading this book.
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
No Way Out (Mafia Elite, book 1) by Amy McKinley – Review by Allyson Ware
I have never read a Mafia type or related book before. I never would have even considered it, but this drew my attention the minute I read the description. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. Liliana is not what you expect out of a Mafia boss’s daughter, she’s better. She’s who I want to be when I grow up. She’s confident, intelligent, and just downright sexy.
Then you meet Max, her bodyguard. There is something about him that you cannot help but trust from the first time you meet him. As you make your way through the book, you realize your instincts are correct about Max. If you’re like me, you end up falling for him; possibly harder than Liliana does. Trust me, there’s No Way Out of staying up all night to finish this book.
Reviewed by @aware
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Amy McKinley is my favorite author right now!! Everything she writes is just amazing. She has a way to write a story that is just relatable, steamy, and just gives you all the feels. No Way Out is a mafia romance between Max and Liliana, two opposing mafia families. Liliana, at the beginning, is a pawn in her father’s mafia ways, but Max eventually comes to her rescue. Max is a son of a mob boss, who was thought to have died. Both characters have been betrayed by their families, but find it among themselves to unite together, safeguard each other, and find true love through the craziness of their mafia lives. I cannot wait till this October when the next book comes out!!!
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Mafia action and romance
What a thrilling ride this book was. I could not put it down and ended up reading until the early hours – so be warned. Amazing writing, characters and what a world!! My heart raced, stilled and melted as I read Liliana and Max’s story. Did not want the book to end and I can’t wait to continue what I know will be an amazing series.
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Amy McKinley’s No Way Out is one of the most character intense stories I have ever read. The story of the Chicago’s Italian-American Mafia families showed how they had their own political agendas. Lilianna Brambilla’s role as a Mafia “princess” made her an asset to her father. Benito Brambilla’s power was crumbling from the destruction of several warehouses he used to store drugs. The Council of the Mafia frowned upon drug dealings, but Benito did not care.
Max Caruso’s, along with his cousins, directions are to protect Lilianna and to reintroduce her to her Grandfather VIncenzo. After her mother had died, Benito refused to allow any contact with VIncenzo. Max infiltrates Benito’s home as Matteo “Matt” Trambino, with a reputation for being a hitman for the original families that never failed to get a job done. Benito assigns Matt to guard Lilianna. After a dinner with the Mexican cartel and Matt protecting Lilianna from the unwanted attention of an ambitious youngster, she begins to trust him. She also feels something different about Matt, but dismisses her underlying feelings, knowing her father would never allow her to date an employee. Little does she know, but Matt has grown a much larger attachment to her and intends to get her out of the prison life she lives. When Antonio Caruso strikes a deal with Benito, Lilianna goes into panic mode. She was to marry the oldest son of the Caruso family, Tony. Suspected of killing his previous fiancé, Tony is despised by Lilianna. She fakes her escape and finds herself losing her thoughts of control when Matt foils her plans.
This is a stellar 5-star thrilling romance. The alternating narrative between Max and Lilianna is seamless. I loved how McKinley was able to bring the characters alive with rational thoughts and how easy it was to connect with them. The outward appearance of Lilianna was a farce of someone that feared nobody, but underneath she ran on fear. The amount of weaponry she carried with her everywhere was overkill, which in her shoes, I probably would have done the same. Living in a house where your mother died, and being treated as property by your father, would break just about anyone. The ending of this book fits and doesn’t feel rushed like other romance novels tend to be.
No Way Out by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book absolutely blew me away! Amy McKinley is such a talented author. Liliana and Max are both extremely multi-dimensional characters and I really enjoyed getting to read the story from the view point of each of them. Liliana comes across initially as a cool and indifferent, but a total kick-butt woman that takes crap from no one. However, as the story develops, you get to see a completely different side of her-a side that is scared and lonely and craving a sense of belonging. Then there’s Max. He turns out to be so much more than just a hunky, muscular man that won’t let anyone stand in the way of his end goal.
Max and Liliana bring out the best in each other and I was rooting for them the whole way! This book truly has a little bit of something for everyone-romance, suspense, action and heat. I can’t wait to see what the author has in store for the next book in this series.
