Man with the Mafia by Debra J. Falasco
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4 1/2 Stars

Man With the Mafia is the second book in the Man With Series by Debra J. Falasco. This was my first book by Ms. Falasco, so I wasn’t sure of what to expect going in. I love a good mafia romance, so I was won over by the blurb, and the beautiful cover. What I found between the covers was a wonderful story, which had me hooked quite quickly. I loved it, and became quite intrigued about the other (recurring) characters, so I went back and one-clicked it to read too.
Deidre Collins is new to the neighbourhood, having left her home and great friends behind at Virginia Beach to get a fresh start. She’s a romance writer approaching thirty, who has quite a bit of baggage from her previous relationship which ended badly. She just wants to get on with her life, settle in, make friends, and write her stories. She’s definitely not interested in another relationship. So, why does a certain man make her swoon whenever he’s near?
Vincent Manetti is an attorney who grew up in the neighbourhood. He works hard, and is very good at what he does. He looks after his own, but plays everything quite close to his vest. He doesn’t do relationships, and isn’t looking for love. But he is soon questioning his stance when a beautiful woman keeps falling into his path. Vincent is more than intrigued, he can’t stop thinking about her, fantasizing about her- and has an overwhelming urge to protect her . She’s got a definite good-girl vibe, so why then does he keep seeing a naughty twinkle in her eyes. He’s determined to find out, and he soon realised that when it came to Deidre things were not going to be easy.
With her issues, and Vincent’s secretive side and a foot in two different worlds, will Deidre ever be able to give her trust completely? When danger threatens, will Vincent be able to keep her safe? As the game of cat and mouse intensifies, how much more can Deidre take before she breaks, completely? Will the pressure pull them together, or break them apart, forever? Some secrets can never be revealed, so will she understand, or will it erode any trust between them? And what happens when they’re forced to flee? The answers to these questions, and so much more can be found between the covers of this fantastic story. So, do yourself a favour and grab a copy today.
This is a mafia romance, with a bit of a twist. There is suspense, drama, secrets, misunderstandings, doubts, trust issues, danger, intrigue, hidden agendas, charged chemistry, passion, and insta-love. The characters are all really well developed- and are quirky, interesting and multidimensional. I really loved Deidre and Vincent- they were really easy to get invested. The secondary characters also added to the storyline, especially Deidre’s friends, and the (quirky) neighbourhood residents. I think Carlo needs his own story- and Vincent’s brother has me intrigued too.
The story is told from several Points of view, which made for some really great reading. It has a smooth flow and is very easy to read. I devoured it in a few hours. The story unfolds along the same timeline as the first book- but you don’t need to have read that book before starting this one- they can both be read as standalones.
The only ‘issue’ that I have is that the story felt quite rushed at the end, and some of the ‘threads’ weren’t completely tied up. For me there seemed to be a few unresolved issues that were a little skirted over and not fully addressed. And what happened to the kitten? Was he left out at the cabin to fend for himself? Yes, I am worried about a fictional Kitten, don’t judge. And then there were a few minor inconsistencies in the storyline, such as this- (At the beginning of chapter 11): “Open the door, Deirdre.” It was the first time I’d ever said her name. It felt like honey on my tongue. Thick, rich, sweet honey………. BUT way back at the end of chapter 5 we already read this: “I’m not going to call you Dee, especially if the other men in your life did. And yes, Deirdre, we are going to be friends. Very good friends.”
But, having said that I really did enjoy the book and will definitely be stalking Ms. Falasco in future so I can keep up with all her new releases when they happen. Can’t wait to read book #3- Man With A Castle.

Thank You, Ms. Falasco!

Reviewed by @angelahayes

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