Los Angeles Review Of Books

She was auctioned like an object, bought like a secret, and caged like a sin. After a brutal betrayal by the people she trusted most, Seraphina Vale is left drowning in debt and despair—until she’s sold at an underground auction to the one man every criminal fears: Lucien Marchesi, the ruthless head of a powerful mafia empire. Cold. Controlled. Deadly. The world assumes she’ll be discarded like the others who came before her. But Seraphina isn't a lamb sent to slaughter. She’s a lioness in velvet chains—calm, calculating, and waiting for her moment. Lucien didn’t expect her fire. She didn’t expect his scars. What begins as a twisted game of control and survival becomes something far more dangerous: emotion. As secrets unravel and obsession burns into something deeper, Seraphina edges dangerously close to what she swore she’d never feel again—trust. Love. Want. But she hasn’t forgotten her mission. Lucien was supposed to be her weapon, not her salvation. And when her revenge explodes into reality, both hearts will shatter under the weight of betrayal. Until he asks the one question that changes everything: “Have you ever loved me?” Chains of Velvet, Heart of Fire is a gripping dark mafia romance about love born from power, loyalty forged in fire, and two broken souls who dared to rewrite their fate. Perfect for fans of morally gray heroes, twist-filled emotional sagas, and heroines who take their power back—beautifully, mercilessly, and on their own terms.

"Ms. Summers, are you sure you want to terminate this pregnancy?" Solana Summers has been lost in thought, but the repeated questioning suddenly snaps her back to reality. She stares wide-eyed, as if she can't believe what she is seeing. When the doctor, Aidan Bates, urges her again, she realizes she has been reborn. In her previous life, it was on this very day that she discovered she was pregnant and made a choice that cost her dearly. Aidan urges her once more. "Ms. Summers?" "Yes!" Solana answers firmly, her voice trembling ever so slightly. This time, she won't make the same mistake again.

[1st Account in the Tale of Shadow's Enigma] Z doesn't sit well in a world where a shadow is manipulated. As someone who has no memory of her past, she can't summon her shadow like others used to. It's a fatal mistake that may as well cost her life. But she can't worry with the facing danger when she's the only one who sees their world becoming undone. The legend of Dark, the only Shadow Wielder able to control time, is resurfacing once again. With a mob of wielders going on a rampage and going missing here and there, Z is losing a battle that haven't even started yet. In her haste, she makes the first mistake of leading her only friend to his death. And commits the second one by signing a deal with Dark himself just so he can be resurrected. Dark sends Z in a prestigious school where she's been thought of as someone she doesn't know. And while she has to endure living a stolen life, listening to a brat's whining, being patient with a maniac's snide remarks, and taking in the dazzling cold stares of an enthralling man whose eyes are only set at her, will she allow the world to crumble in the hands of Dark any further? And sacrifice every wielder alive just for a single friend?

In the ruthless underworld of Los Angeles, an ancient feud between the Moretti and Volkov mafia families has simmered for decades. After a fragile truce is established, Alessia Moretti, a headstrong university student, believes she can escape the criminal life that has defined her family. But when her reckless brother, Lucas, accumulates a five-million-dollar debt with the infamous Nikolai Volkov, everything changes. To settle the debt, Nikolai demands Alessia’s hand in marriage. Forced into a union with the enemy, Alessia finds herself trapped in a dangerous game of power, deception, and forbidden desire. Nikolai has harbored an obsession for her since childhood, and now that she is his, he refuses to let her go. As secrets unravel and long-buried betrayals come to light, Alessia must decide where her loyalties lie. Will she fight for the family that raised her, or will she surrender to the man who has vowed to claim her as his own?

Gordon has fallen in love with Sharon since the first day he met her, even before knowing she is his chosen mate. But a lycan and a human mating has never been heard of and is forbidden, because human are fragile species and he could kill her in mating process but not being with her and loving her is already killing him. ****** Maxwell stay back and look at his son’s dishevel hair and resentful look, he questioned him. “Is she your mate?” “I don’t know” he sigh “I just have the fearful feeling whenever I see her, as if I might lose her.” He slowly places his hand on his shoulder, “Son, don’t take me wrong, but if she is not your mate you have to let her be. Sometime we feel attracted to things that are not meant to be.” He look at his father with painful eyes “What will happen to her when you find your mate, you know we have no control over us at that time. She is so young; you might end up breaking her.” “I have no control over my emotion when it concerns her, dad. I know you are right and I will distant myself from her once she is ok.”

Aurora is a calm and patient girl, incredibly beautiful that her beauty will put the moon to the shame, leaving her life with books and in solitude until she crosses the paths with the devil himself on a stormy night. She helps him not even thinking that it's going to change her life forever. Rafael Delgado! The Spanish mafia kings get captivated by the beauty at first glance and then what, the game of Obsession begins. Will Aurora survive his wicked games or will lose her mind to the devil? Will Rafael change his ways for her or will destroy her like every other thing in his life?

Arohi vashisth is a 24-year-old beautiful girl working in a Advertising agency of Pune. A past tragedy changed her perception of life, she was sure that she will never fall in love again. But little did she know that she will catch the eye of Ranvijay sahay the mafia don of Mumbai. Ranvijay sahay fell in love at first with arohi and now she was his obsession. "I don't care what you think about me, I am not born to impress you?" Arohi vashisth. "If you think I am bad then you are wrong as I am the worst " Ranvijay sahay

Si Tajana Canizales ay apo ng isang tanyag na pamilya sa probinsya. Siya ay kilala dahil sa angkin niyang ganda, talento at talino. Pero sa likod ng perpektong pagkatao niya, walang nakakaalam na siya ay nababalot ng mga sikreto. Ano ang mangyayari kapag nalaman ng pamilya niya ang lahat ng kanyang lihim? Ano nga ba ang mga itinatago ni Tajana? Magawa pa kaya siyang mahalin ng mga tao sa kabila ng kanyang mga lihim? Saan siya dadalhin ng kanyang mga sikreto?

18th birthdays are always a milestone, but I didn’t expect mine to be THIS big of a milestone. Finding out my life isn’t what I thought it was, my parents aren’t who I thought they were, and my whole life got turned upside down. I have more family than I ever knew about, or honestly, I knew about but had my memories of them taken. Everything is about to change as my life fills with people and things I thought only existed in books and movies. Here’s to 18. It’s gonna be a bumpy ride.

Dylan kincziller is a Cruel, Gracious Charismatic Vampire Crown prince, From the most, dominant and formidable"Akeldama" Clan, Lailah Reyes is a cute ordinary college girl who likes to play around. In an incident, she was saved by the vampire lord the next moment she said - Rule#1| Extra love affairs aren't allowed" Rule#2 "You'll only be there for me" Rule#3 "We go on a date twice a month Lailah is fascinated by the fantasy books that she always reads and watches way too many supernatural shows, that evening when she was in grave danger a handsome vampire who had just entered the human realm saved her. She was neither afraid nor she ran away from there, she couldn't believe what she saw Lailah had always wished her life to be like the Female lead in those fantasy novels. In excitement, she quickly set 3 ground rules for him she decided to pursue him no matter what it takes. Let's tag along with them to witness her sweet proposals and his harsh rejections Let's tag along with them to witness her sweet proposals and his harsh rejections follow them in their happiness and grief to express your love and support. The cover picture is not made by me credits go to its owner