Diving into "Bloody Heart" by Sophie Lark was like being swept into a tumultuous sea of passion and conflict. The story of Simone Solomon, trapped in the confines of wealth and obedience, took an unpredictable turn the night she was abducted by Dante Gallo, a mafioso with the presence of a beast but a heart that beats fiercely for his accidental captive.

Their love story, forbidden and fraught with class divides, captivated me. It was a narrative where love dares to cross the lines drawn by society, and the lengths Dante is willing to go for Simone are the stuff of dreams. His honor amidst the world of the mafia, and his unwavering stand for Simone, painted a portrait of a hero who is as endearing as he is strong. The flashbacks, neatly laid out before the current timeline, set the stage for a love that could weather nine years of separation and the trials of life.

However, Simone's secret—a child borne from their love, hidden from Dante—cast a shadow over their reunion. The burden of her choices, the years Dante missed with his child, stirred a turmoil within me. Despite the tenderness of their romance, the weight of Simone's decisions lingered, prompting questions of what true love requires of us.

This narrative is a testament to the complexities of heart and the unpredictable ways of love, compelling and rich in its exploration of sacrifice, honor, and the courage to stand for one's heart's desire

Dante only meant to steal a car. He didn’t know he was stealing Simone with it. Or that she would have the most beautiful face. Or that she would kiss him... Nine years later, he thought he moved on. Until he saw her again.
This dark, mafia, second chance romance is book 4 in Brutal Birthright series. I loved that Dante fell first and hard. I liked the "before" part more than the "9 years later" part. There was lots of angst and action. I absolutely adored Dante; Simone? Not so much. I thought she was weak and painted as a victim most of the time. And I thought Dante forgave her to easily without her having to so any groveling. I definitely felt the chemistry between the characters, but other then that, the connection came out of thin air and the relationship didn't seem to be anything more than physical to me. All that being said, the spice was great.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

IM OBSESSED with this series and this book made me so emotional!!! I absolutely love this author and know this book is a must read for her!

Wow. I had no idea what to expect going into this book. I absolutely loved this. The characters, the action, the spice! This book had it all! Fast paced and just pulls you in and doesn't let go until the end.

Thank you to Net Galley, Bloom Books and Sophie Lark for the opportunity to read an ARC for Bloody Heart. This is my honest and unpaid review of the book.
I didn't realize when I requested to the book that it was part of a series but that didn't really seem to matter in the end. A few times I could tell by the way the author talked about some of the other characters that there was more of a story to them but it didn't take away from the main characters' stories in the least.
When I started the book I wasn't sure I thought about Dante & Simone but I really did like them by the end! It was nice to see their characters mature as they aged in the book while they faced new challenges and gained new perspective. The author really cuts a clear picture of Dante's character and physical command that does not disappoint in the romantic parts of the book. I will search out the rest of the author's books!

Sophie Lark always delivers a solid romance, no matter what trope she decides to write in. Bloody Heart doesn't disappoint in its angst filled, second chance emotional story

Dante, the eldest Gallo son is dark, broody and passionate. He longs for the one that got away, Simone. This is where Ms. Lark shines in her storytelling, I felt the pain the characters were feeling.

There is a 9 year separation between the main characters. Their journey to am HEA is painful, heartbreaking, yet satisfying.

This book was unputdownable. It made for difficult adulting the following day, but completely worth it.

This series continues to get better and better. Loved this book so much & the characters! They have me in an absolute chokehold & Sophie does an incredible job at writing characters that have such an intricate story but she does a fantastic job at weaving the plot through all of it and hooking the reader on every chapter she gives us.

Loved this book so much!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have been looking forward to this book! We’ve known Dante to be this brooding grumpy older brother in the Gallo family. Finally we’re getting a good look into his past which has made him every ounce of who he is now. We also get to see more of who he has become in the now. Dante loves hard, fast and fierce. Above all else he’s insanely protective over those he loves.

Simone, when we first meet her is so young and sheltered. Dante literally comes crashing into her life at the perfect moment and changes everything for her. I think he helps change who she is as a person too. Her family constantly is holding her back though and forces her into make rash decisions that she loves to regret for years.

Their love story was epic! They were soulmates even before they met, brought together like magnets. Them apart is heartbreaking. They bring out the absolute best in each other and love each other so fierce.

I swear Sophie’s books just get better and better. There’s steam near from the get with this one. But not just that there’s real love written into the pages that you can feel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sophie Lark for an ebook in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: 4.5/5

Wow! This one is definitely my favorite out of the series so far. I loved every second of it! The action is amazing, the angst is to die for… Incredible!

I have been looking forward to this book! We’ve known Dante to be this brooding grumpy older brother in the Gallo family. Finally we’re getting a good look into his past which has made him every ounce of who he is now. We also get to see more of who he has become in the now. Dante loves hard, fast and fierce. Above all else he’s insanely protective over those he loves.

Simone, when we first meet her is so young and sheltered. Dante literally comes crashing into her life at the perfect moment and changes everything for her. I think he helps change who she is as a person too. Her family constantly is holding her back though and forces her into make rash decisions that she loves to regret for years.

Their love story was epic! They were soulmates even before they met, brought together like magnets. Them apart is heartbreaking. They bring out the absolute best in each other and love each other so fierce.

I swear Sophie’s books just get better and better. There’s steam near from the get with this one. But not just that there’s real love written into the pages that you can feel.

Dante Gallow is my new book boyfriend. Bloody Heart was a captivatingly dark romance. It was also enjoyable getting to catch up with previous characters in this book. Second-chance romance isn't usually my go-to trope, but it was so well done that I was rooting for them the entire time!

Lark is always a great read. Enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more. I just reviewed Bloody Heart by Sophie Lark. #NetGalley

DNF at 40%
I don't feel the need to pick up this book back up every time I put it down, so I just think I'm going to leave it this time.

I just couldn't get into this. The insta-love was not for me and it meant that I just couldn't buy into Dante and Simone's relationship.

I loved how easy to read Lark's writing is, but this time around it felt kind of juvenile. I understand that Simone and Dante are young, but their voices were just not in-line with their ages, especially for someone as hardened by life as Dante.

I do want to continue reading Lark's writing, but I just can't continue with this specific book.

I love this book series so much! As I read the next book in the series I always think the couples can’t get any better but I am having a terrible time choosing which couple is my favorite! They just get better and better. I also love that you get to see the characters you know and love from the prior books.

Dante and Simone are a second chance love story. I love this illustrated version of the book! I love getting a better idea of what the characters look like. This story began so heartbreaking but ultimately my heart has been mended. Cannot wait to read the last 2 books in this series! So good!

4⭐, 2.5🌶️

"Wherever you go, whatever you do, you have my heart in your hands."

I was SO excited to get to Dante's character! The surprise of his past relationship with Simone and their son was such an exciting plot for D to have - BRING ON THE SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE! Simone is just *chef's kiss*​ fancy and a beautiful character, and the added excitement and mystery of this book had me HOOKED!

Lastly, CONGRATU-FREAKING-LATIONS to Sophie Lark for these indie books all being traditionally published!

Thank you NetGalley and and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for an eARC copy of Bloody Heart, by Sophie Lark! This is my free and honest review.

Okay so the past couple of Sophie Lark books I got I didn’t enjoy. I happened to request them all at the same time based off of the covers. Even though I didn’t like those I still gave this one a try. I definitely enjoyed this one more than the others.

I love this series, I don't usually read many mafia romances but I do want to read every Sophie Lark book she writes.
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It was difficult for me, for the first chapters, to understand that the third book begins nine years after the previous ones and it took me a long time to connect with Simone, I don't like her personality and I expected her to grow as the nine years went by, but that is not the case. And kill a little the history for me.
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I really liked Dante, at first he seems super tough but then he shows other facets and he is the kind of morally gray hero that I like and deserved a better heroine.
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Secret pregnancy, it is a difficult topic and there are very few writers who manage to make keep loving the characters after something like that. I couldn’t pass it.
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The plus part, I was able to read all the adorable characters from the previous books and I loved the series more. The steamy scenes and the action packed parts are my favorites and of course they are magnetic, the reason why this book had me glued to it page after page, even though I didn't like the heroine or the plot twists that she had to do with it. Four stars are all for Dante and the Gallo´s family and I still think that this is a must read for every mafia romance fan
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Thanks to Sophie Lark and Sourcebooks Bloom for give me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion

Was I just not paying attention or did that nine-year prior section of the book go over anyone else head? I genuinely did not know that it was set in the past tense. I love this series and this family, and was very excited to read Dante's story.

Now the whole Simone hiding her pregnancy and ghosting him isn't my favorite.... but I get it, Italian mafia and all. Overall, I enjoy the story, and I do like a good mafia family series.

4 stars! love me some sophie lark book since it is always a spicyyyyyyyyy book! enjoyed this one but hoped there was more dept with the characters but it did what it had to do

I think I need to read the other Brutal Birthright books to really get into this. It was fine a standalone you get dropped right in; although to be fair the main couple is in it from the get go too. Steam and spice and a good coupling from the get go. It's not necessarily the book I normally go for, but this is paced well.