Grab your diamonds, get your revenge playlist ready, because Blood in the Water is a pulse-pounding mafia romance that slaps you with betrayal, betrayal, and… did I mention betrayal?!

Leona, our fierce mafia princess, has had her whole life flipped upside down after being gifted diamonds—not a proposal—by her lifelong love, Maximiliano Volpe. But instead of planning a wedding, she’s planning his downfall. And trust me, you’ll be cheering her on every step of the way.

Leona is done being the good little mafia girl. After Max’s ultimate betrayal (oh, and did I mention he took out her father?!), she’s out for blood. She’s not just angry—she’s on a mission, and revenge never looked this good.

Enter Caspian, her brooding, protective bodyguard who’s been secretly in love with her for years. He’s ready to follow her into the fire, but the girl needs more than one man to take down a mafia kingpin. That’s where the Shadows come in—four elite assassins who can make anyone disappear… for the right price.

But of course, Leona’s pockets are empty. Not a problem, though. She doesn’t just want their help; she wants them. All of them. 😉

Let’s just say, the heat is off the charts as Leona navigates her revenge plot while getting tangled up with each Shadow.

These men? Let’s break it down: they’re dangerous, mysterious, and each brings a different flavor to the table. Their chemistry with Leona will have you screaming, fanning yourself, and then asking, “Can I get the sequel NOW, please?”

The action? Non-stop.
The twists? Buckle up, because you won’t see them coming.

Just when you think Leona’s got everything under control, boom, Max is ten steps ahead, and you’ll be left gasping at the cliffhanger. Yeah, it’s that kind of ending.

And can we just take a moment to appreciate Leona’s journey? She starts off broken, betrayed, and running for her life, but by the end, she’s a full-blown queen. The Shadows may be the deadliest team in town, but it’s Leona who binds them together in a way that makes her one of the fiercest heroines in mafia romance.

If you’re craving a fast-paced, heart-thumping mafia story with a fiery, take-no-prisoners heroine and a scorching hot “why choose” romance, Blood in the Water is the book.

Drama, danger, banter, and a whole lot of steam—this story has everything. It’s a whirlwind of emotions and action that will leave you desperate for the next book.

Perfect for fans of mafia romance with edge, sass, and just the right amount of spice. Leona’s coming for Max, and you won’t want to miss the fireworks. 💎🔥

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

sorry that im late with this. I personally loved the book. It was an enjoyable read. I loved the characters and how the plot developed. The mc was relatable and funny at times. The MC was a likeable character. I loved the setting and the plot was unique.

Tense, addictive, and scorching in more ways than one. Mafia wars, takeovers, betrayals, and passions explode on each page. Strong and complex plot and more substance than your average mafia tale. Highly recommended - it does end on a cliff ...

I personally really enjoyed the book. This is my first why choose/ reverse harem so I went in not knowing what to expect. I figured I would be rooting for one guy the whole time but that wasn’t the case. I liked all the guys but two definitely stand out above the rest. Upon recapping this book/ suggesting to my roommate she told me about an amine she watched with a very similar plot. So if you have watched Yona of the Dawn you are gonna get severe deja vu. Despite all this I look forward to book two!

This book everyone!!
There's not much to say without spoiling but if you like spicy romance, mafia and a reverse harem you need to pick up this book.
It ended on a cliffhanger and let me feel all the emotions so beware of that!

This was surprisingly the least spicy why choose mafia romance book I have read - and I found it quite refreshing. Don’t get me wrong, there still is spice, but the focus is more on the relationships between the main characters and the plot, which helped the reader connect more with the characters.

The story surrounds Leona, a mafia princess who experiences a horrendous betrayal and a great deal of trauma, resulting in her seeking refuge with her broody bodyguard among a group of assassins. What I loved most about this book was that despite you thinking you knew what was going to happen, plot twist by plot twist, the author keeps you on your toes. Also, each of the main characters were perfectly crafted, with so many layers to each of them. I loved watching their characters evolve over the course of the book, especially our beautiful Leona growing into the badass woman we see at the end of the story - and that quote that led to the title of the book - YASSS QUEEN! 👑 But be warned by the cliffhanger at the end of the book - I am itching to read the next book in The Shadows Syndicate to see what happens next! 🖤

Not sure where to start for this book.
I struggled to get into it at first and found it didn't seem to drag me in as much as I'd hoped.
Would give the a 3⭐️ just because I felt something was missing.

this book had me HOOKED omg. I absolutely loved the characters and their interactions. The book was filled with betrayal and angst and I need the next book!!! That cliffhanger has me on the edge of my seat!

Thank you Netgalley for this copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
TW: explicit violence, brief mentions of torture and trafficking, explicit sex scenes.
Tropes: why choose MMFMM, found family, mafia, bodyguard, childhood friends to lovers, he falls first, syndicate men, virgin FMC.

What I loved: I absolutely loved how fast paced this was, there was very rare times I was bored while reading it. I was expecting a lot more spice from this book than what was delivered but I found that I really liked that the spice doesn’t start till about the middle of the book and remains pretty light (in my opinion) up until the end, so we got to focus a bit more on the chemistry and Leona’s feelings that are growing with each individual man. I also loved how she would meet some of them not realizing they were apart of shadows and their chemistry was immediately off the charts. I also absolutely loved what a bad bitch Leona was and that she kept proving everyone around her wrong.

What I didn’t: I hated how Leona’s father pretty much let her be defenseless and an easy target, especially with all of the dangerous work he and their family are involved in. He even explains to her that she was at higher risk of being kidnapped and put into things such as the skin trade so It just didn’t make logical sense that he wouldn’t have his mafia princess train to defend herself from that type of future. I also wish we got some more of her and Obi, cause his chapters were some of my favorites.

Blood in The Water by R.E. May
Rating: 4/5
Publication Date: 8 April 2024
Tropes: Mafia, Why Choose, Found Family, Bodyguard/Client.

What a book!

Leona, the epitome of a mafia princess wants nothing more than to marry her best friend, Max. But life always throws you a twist one way or another and on her 21st birthday, Max’s actions lead her straight into the arms of her loyal bodyguard, Caspian.

Blood in the Water is full of twists and turns that kept you turning page after page, and let’s not even speak about that ending.

I highly recommend Blood in the Water, it packs a punch with non stop action.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Rachel May Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Bring on book 2!

Blood in the Water is book one in The Shadows Syndicate series by RE May.
I love me some mafia romance! And RE May has written a damn good one!
I can’t wait for the second book. Which means I’m going to have to keep my eyes glued to NetGalley so I don’t miss it!
This entertaining, dark why choose mafia romance was so captivating.
I loved everything about it.

Thank You NetGalley and Rachel May Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Really loved this book! Leona was such a strong, powerful and intelligent female main character. I admired her being unapologetically herself and the journey she went on throughout the book. Perfect mix of spicy and sweet, just wish there was more as I loved the relationships so much, more Caspian next time please. Definitely did the mafia romance justice and what's better than 1 man? 5! Loved the plot and the twists and turns of the book, just wish I didn't have to wait for the next installment but I'm sure it will be well worth the wait!

I devoured this book in 2 days!!! This was my first Mafia-romance/why choose book. It's hard to believe this will be the authors first published work. Her writing is exceptional and comes through as if its from a seasoned author. The only thing I would add to the book is a pronunciation page. Some of the names and other languages were hard for me to get. I loved the FMC and her journey into her power. I'll be waiting in pins and needles for the next book in this series.

- Leona is a mafia princess, daughter of Don Luciano. She's been infatuated with Max since she was a kid, but her bodyguard, Cas, is in love with her.
- during Leona's 21st birthday party when she goes looking for her father and Max so they can be there for the birthday cake cutting, she discovers the ultimate betrayal.
-In the chaos that follows, Caspian (Cas) has one goal... Get Leona out of there and keep her safe. When he realizes the other Italian families might be involved he has no choice but to call in a favor to the Irish mafia.
-Leona and Cas make out to Philadelphia and plan to catch a plane to the west coast but when Cas gets shot at the airport it sparks a determination in Leona to get revenge for Max's betrayal.
- Leona decides to contract a group of assassins to kill Max but when Cas is taken and tortured she teams up with the assassins to rescue him.
- Leona goes from being a overly protected princess to a powerful woman who isn't afraid to get her hands dirty and i loved every bit of it! The way she is on a mission to take back what's hers and isn't afraid to claim what she desires easily has made her one of my favorite book characters ever.

4.5 stars
4 spice

DUDEEEEE! This book was so good. It had my attention from the very first chapter and really drew me in. Hands down this is too 5 in my list of mafia romances!!!
And the ending…..ughh I love it.

Omg… wow… amazing. Totally 11/0 no more!

The story follows Leona (FMC) a Mafia Princess journey from being a spoilt princess into a true badass Queen. Leona’s life did a complete tuen when her close friend and crush of many years, Max, murders her father at her 21st birthday party. Her bodyguard (Cassian) and her escape to temporary safety. Leading her to The Shadows - a team of highly skilled assassins and the plan to take revenge of her father’s murder.
This spicy why choose Mafia romance definitely had me sitting on the edge of my seat and at times taking a few calming breaths when it got steamy.
So if you are after a Why choose Steamy Mafia Romance which is full of drama, that is action packed, then this is the book for you!
The twists in the story and the cliff hanger at the end!
I can’t wait for the second book as see how the relationships between all the MMCs and Leona.

This was a definitely a good book. You have a sheltered 21 mafia daughter, Leona, who is about to have her world fall apart. Her bodyguard Cas is definitely going to win the battle to save her life and to win her love. Will they both make it out alive together or will things change?

This book enraptured me from the very beginning! I couldn’t put it down! I loved the pace of the story and felt like it was realistic. This is going to be a series and I love when why choose romances are multiple stories because then it really gives the time for all the relationships to develop in a way that feels natural. All of the MMCs in this book were amazing and well thought out. I loved learning about each characters backstory and why they became who they are. Caspian was my absolute favorite but I related most with Ciel! The plot twist really threw me for a loop because even though I kind of saw it coming, the characters didn’t react the way I thought they would and I loved that! The way this book ends has me anxious to read the next book and I cannot wait for that to release!

Okay but why was I literally in TEARS not even half way in to the book???? Idk what RE put in this book to make me so attached to the characters buuuut I am obsessed. However.. the cliffhanger.. not cool! lol