Defiant Princess by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I read this last in the series. It put everything in perspective. Goes well with the series. Very good book about all the mafia princesses and what they go through. I highly recommend.
Defiant Princess by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I love the Mafia Elite series and this prequel was just as amazing! It was nice to read about the life of the Mafia Princesses when they were attending college and finding their groove and strengthening their friendships. We learn a lot about Marissa and her tragic passing. The characters were relatable and it reminded me a bit of my college experiences making life long friendships.
Defiant Princess by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Defiant Princess
By: Amy McKinley
This book is the prequel to the Mafia Elite series, but it does stand alone by itself. It is the story of college aged girls that are the daughters of the five families. This is where their story begins. They are all princesses to high up mafia families. Their fathers will do anything to protect them. In some of these cases, their lives are completely out of their control.
LIlianna loves college. She is surrounded by other girls who understand and can relate to the life she lives. Her father is super controlling and all she wants to do is taste freedom. However, her father is so concerned for her that she even has a marriage coming up. One that she has not planned, but has been planned for her. She wants to run away, begin a new life away from her father’s control. But will that be possible?
Sofia is absolutely in love with Enzo. She was the one that he wanted and the same goes for him. However, now even though she loves him, she cannot be with him. She would do anything for him, including walk away from him. She needs to keep him safe, and to do that she has to walk away.
Emiliana is also in love. Stefano is her one true love. She would do anything to be back with him. However, they both live under the control of their fathers. Both fathers are incredibly controlling. They have forbidden them from being together. However, they need to be together. They are meant for each other. If only they could convince the rest of the world that what they need is to be together.
Marissa can relate to the arranged marriage that Lilianna is being forced into. She is in the same position. She is determine to make the best of the time she has before she is traded away in the form of this marriage.
These girls are tasting freedom for the first time. And they don’t want to give it up. The question is how far will they go to get their freedom. Are they willing to risk everything to keep their freedom. Or will they submit to to the will of their families.
I loved this story. These girls were written as incredibly complex characters. Their complex situations just dripped off every page. I’m glad to know that there is more to be written about these girls as I want to see how each of their stories develop. I was left wanting more and that’s a good thing, given that there is more to read. I will be starting the Mafia Elite Series right now!
Defiant Princess by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When I saw that Amy McKinley was releasing this book, I knew that I had to preorder it. The mafia elite series has fast become one of my FAVORITE mafia series that I have read to date. Each book is about a specific couple but still goes in order with the underlying theme/story line that is happening, which is a wonderful thing! This book really sets the stage for the series and was a wonderful addition to read. The way that the author wrote these books, weaved the stories, is such talent and I am in awe. I have found myself rereading the series and will add this to the reread list as this story is one that never gets old. I cannot wait to read more books by this talented author!
Defiant Princess by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I truly enjoyed this prequel to the Mafia Elite series. In the series we hear a lot about Marissa but never really got to know her. I enjoyed reading about her and her hopes before tragedy hits along with the other girls. It gave a quick glimpse into their lives before things got complicated. This can be read before the main series as a quick intro to the Mafia princesses or after to experience their college lives. My only complaint, it was too short.
Defiant Princess by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved reading this book. This is the prequel to the Mafia Elite series and what a great start it is. This is an author that I have loved reading from the first book I picked up. I highly suggest reading this series to see what happens to these characters after this book. This is a well written story about Mafia princesses. They have a destiny but it is what they want or is there something more? I had no problem connecting with the characters as they pulled me into their story. They have great growth throughout as well as the plot that made it easy to read. This is a story that you don’t want to miss for sure. It is a fast paced, hard to put down story that I read in one sitting. I highly recommend this book and this author.
Review by @bjwagner
Defiant Princess by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Mafia Elite is one of my all-time favourite series so when I saw this book by Amy, I grabbed it and dove right in. This book tells the story of the Mafia Princesses who had the unfortunate fate of being born into elite Mafia families. Where their lives are already mapped out before them, where secrets are paved, and revenge is ripe and arranged marriages are given and ruthlessness is the norm.
The prequel is captivating, and it is a great insight into the lives of characters when they were younger that we have seen throughout the Mafia Elite series. This intriguing and gripping new book is full of drama, mystery, intrigue and danger, with plenty of heart pounding moments. I was on the edge of my seat whilst devouring page after page of this engrossing read.
Now that I have devoured the prequel I am going to go back and reread the amazing original series.
Reviewed by @jennadb
Defiant Princess by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
An amazing start to a series favorite of mine. Amy McKinley has the ability to create an interesting story full of characters you can’t help to love.
Defiant Princess is a Mafia Elite Prequel that focuses on the females in the five families. Marissa
is officially engaged to Tony Caruso. Emiliana has been rescued from a human trafficking ring
that presumably claimed the life of Elena. Lilliana isn’t promised to anybody yet and is waiting
for her father to destroy her. Sofia has a crush on Enzo but refuses to act on her feelings. Ivan
from the Russian Bratva has appeared and Marissa wants to ask him about her sister Camila.
The group tries to convince her to stay away from him, especially since Tony was known for being
possessive and would act violently out of jealousy.
To avoid spoilers, I can only state that Marissa’s decisions will affect all of the girls. What does she do?
Defiant Princess by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I almost wish I read this before I started the series because it gives a lot of information and to why things are the way they are and how they got there.
This is a great novella that gives plenty of insight to 4 of the most amazing women I have ever read about. They are the Mafia Princesses. They are all In college together sharing a place, they have guards, everyone knows they are off limits / untouchable. Marissa has a mind of her own and doesn’t listen to the other girls or other guys who want to keep her self.
I absolutely love all these characters but Sofia and Enzo are my favorites!!!
Such an amazing series, you definitely must Run…don’t walk…RUN and get your hands on this entire series. You will not be disappointed.
review by @xchellex
Defiant Princess by Amy McKinley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I love this series, and I was so excited for this book! It did not disappoint, and I really enjoyed reading more of the backstories of Liliana, Emiliana, Sofia, and Eva. But it was disappointing that it was so short! Reading about Marissa’s death is important within the scope of the whole series too. Overall, a great read especially if you are reading the series. It would still work as a stand alone book but would leave me anxious to read the other books!
Defiant Princess by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved this book and now we finally have the storyline surrounding Marissa’s death and how she related to the other girls, Lilianna, Sofia, and Emiliana. We have been introduced to Marissa throughout the series by second hand storylines but this is the events leading up to her murder. It was nice to get a peak into the girls lives before their already tumultuous world shattered and how the relationships developed between their future romantic interactions. I absolutely adore this series!
Defiant Princess by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Once again Amy McKinley has outdone herself with this short novella. Defiant Princess follows the Five Families daughters: Liliana, Sofia, Emiliana, and Marissa. This is a prequel to the Mafia Elite series; however, you can read it at any time during your journey with that series. This was a super fast read, but I really appreciate that McKinley provides the insight that she does into Marissa’s murder as it is a catalyst that drives a lot of what happens in the series, especially the first book. I also like that she included snippets of romance between a few of the couples we get to see later on and it’s just nice to know that their romances have been going on for way longer than we thought. Even though it was an insanely quick read, McKinley covered all of her basis and allowed for character development as well as plot development. As I said before, it doesn’t matter when you read this novella, but I highly recommend that you do as it does add integral details to the story.
Reviewed by @meggs1717
Defiant Princess by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The story of Marissa’s murder. This is the prequel to the Mafia Elite series and it is excellent. It answers some questions. I am a big fan of the Mafia Princess Royalty. These ladies are butt kickers and would rather take charge of things for themselves. Lil, Em, Sofia, and the other ladies are dealing with the issues of their fathers arranging their marriages and forbidden loves. Oh, I enjoyed this story so much. I am so sad to see it come to an end. This is a fantastic author. She writes with a contemporary tone that can make you feel like you are right their in the story. This is edge-of-the-seat action. Another winner!!
Defiant Princess by Amy McKinley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a great prequel to an absolutely amazing must read series. It sets up the continuing series so well and lightly touches on a few things to come as you read the series…as always with this author I thoroughly enjoyed it!!!
•*•❥☆ BOOK SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE ☆❥•*••*•❥☆
Our senior year in college was supposed to go out with a bang, and it did, just not the way we’d expected.
Liliana Brambilla
If I could freeze time, I would.
The university my Mafia sisters and I attend is the one place I can get away and feel some sense of freedom—and escape from my father’s control and soon-to-be-announced, unwanted arranged marriage. If I could run away from my future, I would, and I’m not the only one.
Sofia La Rosa
I’ve loved Enzo Vitale all my life.
At one point, he was mine, and I was his. It was an allusion we were blissfully wrapped in. That bubble shattered even before I graduated from high school. The secrets scattered through our past were now like forgotten landmines ready to explode. He still considers me his, and in my heart, I will always be. For his sake, I need to keep him at arm’s length. Otherwise, I run the risk of losing him for good.
Emiliana Vitale
He’s the only man whose touch I crave.
I fell in love with Stefano Rossi before my life imploded, and I was taken from those I love. But our love is forbidden by his ruthless father and discouraged by my family. What they don’t understand is we’re both broken, and only together are we whole.
Marissa Rossi
My life is not my own, but neither are my siblings.
For the moment, I’m free, despite the noose around my neck in the form of an arranged marriage that will happen in a few weeks. That’ll be then, not right now. I still have time, even if it’s limited, to paint to my heart’s content and party all night long. I know the clock is ticking, so I’ll take every advantage of this small window—my last few weeks as a college student rooming with my best girlfriends—and live my life to the fullest.
We were born Mafia princesses, but we might as well be prisoners. As our college years draw to a close, we each have a fate we’re trying to escape. The question is, who will conquer the destiny laid before us or merely survive—and who will not?
Amy McKinley is the USA Today bestselling author of the romantic suspense thriller Gray Ghost Novels, Deadly Isles Special Ops, Covert Recruits, Mafia Elite, Moonlit Destination series, Five Fates paranormal romance series, and several stand-alone titles. Her edge-of-your-seat books are filled with surprising twists and just the right amount of heat and danger. She lives in Illinois with her husband, two daughters, two sons, and three mischievous cats. You can find her at www.AmyMcKinley.com
