Thank you so much @ReadForeverPub for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 09 May 2023)

SYNOPSIS | Boston is run by 3 major crime families (The Sheridans, The O'Malleys + The Hallorans). Callie is the heir of the Sheridan family & in the hopes of uniting themselves with an even more powerful family, her father arranges for her to be married to the eldest son of the Halloran family however his nasty reputation precedes him.

WHAT I LIKED:
- my first introduction to mafia romances

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- the romance. Insta-love was eye-roll worthy & I didn't really feel them growing into their love for each other either.
- there was a lot of characters introduced & I didn't feel particularly connected to any of them
- too much mafia politics that I wasn't invested in (it felt like a lot of set up for future books)
- the stakes didn't feel gritty enough & there wasn't enough tension considering they are on the brink of war

Dark Succession starts off with Callie getting assault by her fiancé (who she hadn’t met previously) and she end up killing him in self defence. The impending fall out has Callie’s crime lord father marrying her off to another powerful family in an alliance.

Having seen the bruises on Callie, Teague is determined to figure out who the culprit is now that they are engaged to be married. Teague exudes “who did this to you” energy making it his mission to get revenge on Callie’s abuser. Little does he know she already has.

As the daughter of a mafia boss, I expected Callie to come off more assertive and independent. Some of her actions show her being a strong FMC like during the first dinner when Teague is being controlling and ordering for Callie she calls him on it and tells him she won’t put up with it. But many times her inner monologue doesn’t show her as strong so I have this mixed imagine of her in my mind.

Katee Robert re-edited this previously published work to remove ableist content. This attention to older work written in a different time and personal growth is something all authors should aspire to do.

Unfortunately this book didn’t hold my attention. I found I took long pauses to read something else and then come back and read a few chapters but at that point having forgot where in the story I was. Details that were meant to be remembered were lost and I was counting on Katee’s writing to remind me why things were important.

Towards the end I kept getting more frustrated with Callie’s inner monologue about how everything was her fault. And how she should just come clean to Teague. It was the only thing that kept the story interesting was anticipating Teague’s reaction to finally hearing Callie admit that she was the one that killed Brendan. And unfortunately it didn’t pay off. Instead of honouring the partnership that they had Callie chose to self sacrifice herself instead of working it out with Teague. The revelation just fell flat and the all the anticipation that was built just seeped away.

This definitely wasn’t the worst Mafia romance book I’ve read but it definitely felt like it was lacking. The romance, though quick, was believable but the characters were not. Callie ended up just grating off my nerves. Though I’m a Katee Robert stan I probably won’t be revisiting this series.

I didn’t think that I was a huge fan of mafia romances - but I guess that’s because I hadn’t read one by Katee Robert! I’m excited these are being re-released. I love the covers. And I really enjoyed Teague’s and Callie’s romance storyline. There’s an element of insta love - but in the context of the story, I thought it worked pretty well. This one is fast paced and had me hooked. And the intro to Carrigan and James’ storyline has me abandoning my original reading plans to pick up their book next. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Katee Robert is an auto buy author for me when it comes to dark romance. The Dark Olympus series are definitely stand out works for me, I loved this mafia romance and loved that the female MC's were such powerful women and I love that that is the case in a lot of Katee's books. Can't wait for what's next from Katee!

I could not finish this book. This surprised me, as I love Katee Robert's work. But I didn't like anything about the characters that made me what to get to know them. I couldn't care less what was going on with them.

Thank you NetGalley. I received a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

It was interesting reading my first Katee novel that wasn’t in the world of fantasy/mythology (Wicked Villains / Dark Olympus), but of mafia romance. Not in a bad way, just a shift.

In true Katee fashion, there is spice but it’s actually tame compared to other things that I’ve read of hers. It has me intrigued enough to want to find out more of how things will net out in this mafia romance series, so looking forward to that.

I don’t consider it a “dark romance” but can see this being a good entry level/introduction if you want to slowly transition into that area of the romance genre.

If you do enjoy mafia romances, I’d definitely recommend to check this book out.

Highlights:
Multiple POVs (mainly FMC and MMC)
Arranged marriage trope
Mafia romance

Spicy and dark... Yes, please!! Katee Robert just knows how to write this kind of romance. Really enjoyed this one and can't wait to read more from her!!

*Thank you @readforeverpub for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.*

Dark. Twisty. Spicy.
Oh boy does Katee Robert know how to straddle the line of dark and too dark. Just wow.

Loved Teague and Callie’s story. When Callie goes to check out her fiancé, things didn’t go well at all! She had to kill him or he would kill her. But is that a secret that might cost her everything ?

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy of dark succession. Anything Katee Robert's writes I love. I am such a big fan and have enjoyed everything by her I have read.

Another solid Katee Robert read.

Robert continuously writes stories that have a good balance of spicy romance, with plot that isn't spice related. They are always relatively quick reads that are enjoyable and make you wish you could be in some of the scenes.

I would still like to see a bit more growth from Robert's writing: stronger plot, and some growth in the writing style/voice.

Any fans of her previous books will love this one as well.

I devoured this book! Such a captivating story and totally loving the characters.
Author Katee Robert keeps surprising me with each book she releases. Can’t wait for the next book!

3.5 stars. Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy of this book.

First of all, love the cover. It definitely gives a dark and mysterious vibe - perfect for this mafia romance. It was fast paced and kept me at the edge of my seat! I liked Teague and Callie a lot - very strong and loyal characters. Despite being set up in an arranged marriage, they fell for each other fast and for me, it worked. I am looking forward to Calligan's story!

Katee Robert's Dark Succession delivers a scintillating contemporary romance that intertwines passion, secrets, and unexpected alliances. Set against the backdrop of corporate intrigue and family dynamics, this novel weave a captivating story that keeps readers hooked until the very end.

Teagan Michaels, a savvy businesswoman, finds herself in a dire financial situation, threatened by her family's crumbling business empire. Enter Aiden Blackstone, a powerful and enigmatic billionaire, who proposes a marriage of convenience to save Teagan's family legacy while securing his own interests. Their union is a business deal on paper, but as emotions become entangled, lines blur, and sparks fly.

The chemistry between Teagan and Aiden is electric, and the author delivers on the promise of steamy romance that will leave readers fanning themselves. The intimate moments are tastefully written, adding to the allure of their connection without overshadowing the plot.

At the heart of Dark Succession lies a tale of family bonds, loyalties, and betrayal. The intricacies of corporate power struggles and the machinations of the wealthy elite add depth and suspense to the narrative. Robert skillfully navigates through the twists and turns, creating a storyline that keeps readers invested in the outcome.

The only minor criticism is that some elements of the plot may feel familiar to fans of the marriage-of-convenience trope. However, Robert's unique voice and well-executed twists make Dark Succession stand out from similar stories.

It is cool to see Katee Robert in this stage of her writing. It is a lot tamer than I am used to from her. That being said it is still quite spicy. The plot here is decent, which was cool and unexpected. I am curious about the next in the series.

Plot - 3
Writing and Editing - 4
Character Development - 3
Personal Bias -3
Final Score - 3.25

Thank you Katee Robert and Net Galley for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

This one was really good, so happy for the new release of this ! The characters are great and the story was super spicy! Katee has done it again!

I will truly read anything by Katee Robert. I really thought I didn't care for mafia romances, but Katee proved me wrong. One thing that did surprise me though, is the Harry Potter reference? I know that Katee updated some language in this book to be more suited to 2023, so I'm surprised she kept that in, especially since it was in reference to the goblins which we know are a very anti-Semitic portrayal. Otherwise, I loved all the action in this, I seriously never knew where the plot was going, which is really what I look for when reading.

Not sure how I feel about this book. It’s a contemporary/mafia romance. It had quite a beginning but then kind of dragged until you got the the last few chapters. She usually has more spice in her books but I understand why these didn’t. I like the spicy so I think I was missing that part. The story it’s self is good. I will be reading the follow up to this book since I did like Carrigan and James. I have a feeling I’m really going to like their chemistry.

Probably shouldn’t be shocked that a book with ‘dark’ in the title was dark but this was too dark for me, too much power struggle, too much political manipulations. Just didn’t love it

Mafia/Crime Boss stories are not my typical read but Katee Roberts is a name i cannot resist. This book is FIRE! Molten. It was very interesting that both MCs are more human than you anticipate based on their families. However, when forced together they realize the power of themselves as a unit vs individuals. Wild story with wild families, fights and gun battles but hot haha. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series!