Review - By Any Other Name (Forbidden #1) by J.M. Darhower

By Any Other Name

(Forbidden Series Book One)

By

USA TODAY Bestselling Author

J.M. Darhower

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release Date: February 23rd, 2015

Buy Links:

Amazon: myBook.to/ByAnyOtherName
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1AofQHO
B&N, iBooks, & paperback links coming soon.

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.

Teasers:

*ARC was provided by author in exchange for honest review*

REVIEW:

Wow, when a book starts out with a bang, you know it's going to be good, and I wouldn't expect anything less coming from J.M. Darhower!

Eighteen year old Genevieve (Genna) Galante, has always been a bit of trouble seeker. She steals a car with her boyfriend, gets arrested, and has to go to court.

On the way out of the courtroom, she's in an elevator and it gets stuck. Only she's not alone in the elevator, there's a guy there too. Since they're trapped, Genna and Matty get to talking and flirting ensues.

They're digging each other, and after some time passes, they learn who each other truly are.

Their father's are archenemies. Like hate-each-other-I-wish-you-were-dead type of hate. Both Matty and Genna are in the middle of a war they do not want to be apart of.

But what happens when it was instilled in you from a young age, to HATE the rival family? How can Genna and Matty make things work?

The angst they both deal with is high, but are the feelings they feel for each other higher?

This was one of my favorite parts of the book:

"Feels different, doesn't it?" he asked.
"It does," she agreed, suddenly queasy as she admitted it out loud. "I feel kind of like Julia Roberts."
"Pretty Woman?"
"Sleeping with the Enemy."
He let out a light laugh, gazing down at her. "Ah, it's not that bad."
"No?"
"If anything, I'd go with 'I Love Trouble'. Because you, princess, are undoubtedly trouble."

Darhower's characters are amazing! The mafia world she writes about, is one she seems to excel in writing about, and I LOVE the stories she tells.

There is love, hate, revenge, death, and J.M. Darhower captures all if these emotions and takes the reader through an emotional journey, just as her characters go through.

*Side note* I love the mention of 'The DeMarco Family' and "Mr. Eyes On Fire!" Only true fans of J.M. Darhower's would get the references!

I cannot wait for book two of 'The Forbidden Series,' and I give "By Any Other Name" by J.M. Darhower my 6-star rating!

= Equivalent to a 6-Star Rating.

For those books that were extra special for me.

Sometimes they moved me emotionally or made me think deeply about a topic.

Sometimes they were beautiful stories. Most of the time they were the books that I need to own and will reread over and over again because I love the characters and story.

About the Author:

J.M. Darhower is a USA Today bestselling author, best known for her Mafia romantic suspense novels. She lives in a tiny town in rural North Carolina, where she churns out more words than will ever see the light of day. She has a deep passion for politics and speaking out against human trafficking, and when she isn't busy writing (or being a fangirl) she's usually ranting about those things.

Author's links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jmdarhower
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JMDarhower
Website: http://www.jmdarhower.com