This book was just beautiful and one I really enjoyed. I will for sure will be sharing this with others and hope people read this because the story was so well told and written. It flowed perfectly and I didn’t want to put it down.

Honest Feedback

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

| mafia romance | contemporary romance | dual POV | work in progress | eARC | netgalley | marriage of convenience | arranged marriage | one night stand | family drama | trauma | drug use | insta love |

I hate writing bad reviews, so instead, I want to take this opportunity to provide some honest feedback that can hopefully be taken as constructive criticism. I think this story has massive potential; however, not only does it need another round of editing, but I have some issues with the story, the development of the characters and their backstories, and the overall outcome.


This story started strong; it was laid out nicely, and the meet-cute was executed with finesse. However, the timeline that followed was disconcerting. The characters have their one night stand, and then as they are looking back on their time together, there are details about the night prior that are shared, which felt like they would have been more relevant in the moment versus in memory.

As the story continues, the characters express and strengthen their opinions on not wanting to be in a committed relationship while simultaneously dealing with the reality that there are deeper feelings attached to the agreed-upon one-night stand. This escalates as there is an arranged marriage between the MMC and the sister of the FMC. However, this does not last long, and I think it was just too perfect. It makes the impact on the characters seem inconsequential because the arrangement does not last long before it is restructured to be between the MMC and the FMC.

Just in terms of believability, there are issues for me with the fact that these two characters know of one another by family name, however, their paths have never crossed. For this to be feuding rival families, you would think there would be more knowledge about the other. At the bare minimum, you would think that the families would know how many children their rival family has and most likely their genders, as crime families are passed from father to son. This can easily be explained by the FMC's father keeping the women in his family "in the dark;" however, the FMC is described as somewhat of a wild child who doesn't fit into the confines of her delegated role. From the way the FMC thinks, behaves, and feels, it is hard for me to imagine that she would be so content with being kept in the dark. Her entire personality feels rebellious, and she wants to be part of her family's organization, whether that's known or in secret.

In line with this, the FMC has very strong feelings about arranged marriages, female roles within her family's organization, and the idea of being in a committed relationship in general. It was so unbelievable to me that she just accepted an arranged marriage, even if it was with someone she knew she liked. Due to her nature, I expected a lot more fight from her just for being put in that position, regardless of who the marriage was to.

I also feel that to keep the story dramatic, there were several moments of whiplash where things happen that don't last very long. One such instance is the arranged marriage between the MMC and the sister of the FMC, as mentioned earlier, but there are a few other instances. One such instance is the surprise pregnancy and the themes of addiction and drug use that came out of nowhere. As someone who has addicts in her family, it is unrealistic to me that someone who had to go to such extensive lengths with rehab would drink so freely. As alcohol goes hand in hand with the use of other substances, someone who overdosed and went to rehab and is now drinking alcohol after 6 or more months so casually seems very unlikely to me.

One other thing I want to mention before I get into how the story ends is that throughout the story, there are people being spoken about, introduced, and referenced often. I found that there were so many names, people, and associations that just weren't necessary and diluted the strength of the story. As characters came and went, some played a role, and then their role basically vanished. For example, Bella, the FMC's sister. She played a major role at the beginning of the story, but as our own FMC's story progressed, Bella was completely excluded from the story. Not to mention that Bella's entire personality changed the last time she interacted with our FMC. Bella felt malicious toward our FMC without any explanation or further resolution. As a reader, when this occurred, it felt like the author was leaving herself a window to continue writing in this world, and if that is the case, I do not think this was executed in a way that was conducive to either story.

Lastly, as the story ends, we are given an epilogue where the couple has decided to adopt a child after the loss of their own child. This is explained in one sentence as the MMC's mother was adopted. If this is going to be the basis of their choices, aside from losing a child of their own, it should have been a more discussed point earlier in the book or a part of the plot in the story rather than a single mention in the epilogue. Suprise. They adopt a child, but she's already pregnant with a child of their own. This choice is messy, and it does not contribute to or strengthen the story in any way. Losing a child is traumatic, and on top of all the other trauma happening, I don't think that adoption would truly be the peace these characters needed to move past it.

I do hope the author never has to read this, but these are my honest opinions, and in no way should my words dissuade you from reading this story if you are truly interested. Overall, regardless of the issues, I did like the story. I just personally think it may need to be reworked and strengthened before publishing.

Happy Reading, Friends xx

Ties that Bind by Nicole Knight is the gripping debut in the Caponelli saga, drawing inspiration from the timeless Romeo and Juliet. The story revolves around Nick (Romeo) and Ava (Juliet), who embark on a remarkable journey that's as passionate as it is explosive.
As soon as I met Ava, I was captivated by her fiery persona. Whenever she crosses paths with Nick, there are sparks flying. The dual POV narrative enriches the story, particularly when we see their initial meeting from Nick’s perspective. I felt more connected to the chemistry created by describing their connection and attraction from each of their POVs. As a result, I eagerly anticipate their next meeting.
As fate brings them together, things get complicated when Ava discovers Nick is the sworn enemy of her mafia family. When her father insists Nick marry her sister for the sake of the family business, chaos ensues. Nick’s determination to prove his love for Ava is the quintessential Romeo move.
The twists and turns are riveting and could make you pissed off at the same time, especially with Ava's sister's involvement in the club scene (you'll understand once you read!).

Thank you, Nicole, for kickstarting this thrilling Mafia Romance series. I can’t wait to see where the saga takes me next.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this book!!

What a great book! I really enjoyed this book. I couldn’t put it down. The author has such a good writing style. This was a first for me by this author but will not be my last! I enjoyed the characters. They had good chemistry.

The whole premise of the book is what drew me in, after that I was disappointed. The writing style felt mediocre at best unfortunately. It was riddled with spelling issues that the more I caught, the more I noticed. The formatting made it difficult at times to tell who was saying what line and I found myself having to read parks multiple times just so I can figure out what was going on. There was also time skips that would not be obvious until after you had already started them. You would be in the middle of a conversation or seeing and then it would be anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks later.

Overall, I did enjoy the banter, but for families that are supposed to be so badass and scary they were sweet (except Ava’s dad) it felt like everything that was a problem would resolve itself way too simply and it felt like more of a soap TV show that a book.

Overall not a terrible book but could use some work.


2.5/5 stars
3/5 spicies

I didn’t realize this was a mafia romance, which normally I don’t really like. This was pretty good, lots of twists and turns and keeps you on your toes.

Long story short: read this book if you want to be swept up in an enjoyable love story that has the twists and turns of mafia life woven into it. I would reread this just to enjoy it all over again.

This is what I would call a mafia romance beach read, meaning you can buckle in, and enjoy the ride and be throughly entertained with all the twists and turns while being swept up into the love story at the heart of it all. I really enjoyed this book, I couldn’t get enough of Ava and Nick from the very beginning. I was intrigued by the mystery man that Ava can’t get out of her head and thought it was endearing that Nick was equally impacted by her and doing everything he can to find out who his mystery woman is. They had such an undeniable magnetism towards each other, you could feel it coming off the pages every time they were together.

There wasn’t much about this book that I didn’t enjoy, apart from the true bad guy (unnamed to prevent spoilers). Ava had been through so much trauma and didn’t feel she deserved the intensity of Nick’s love for her. He truly did everything to protect her and I loved the contrast of how his family was with her, compared to her own family. Everything that they went through eventually made them so much stronger together.

I was hooked from the first chapter, I became more and more invested in Nick and Ava's story. A beautiful love story, entwined with a world of crime and violence, kept me turning pages far into the night.
Absolutely recommend. you want and need to read this

an emotional roller coaster that drew me in on page one.
It kept me guessing, and I am so glad that I got to read this.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy!

3.5⭐️

I had the pleasure of reading Ties That Bind Us through NetGalley, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to dive into this Mafia romance. The story centers around Nick and Ava, two intriguing characters whose paths cross in a world where secrets and danger lurk at every corner.

The initial meeting between Nick and Ava was captivating, and I appreciated how their identities were hidden from each other, adding an element of mystery and tension. Their relationship starts off on a suspenseful note, which had me hooked from the very beginning. As they come together once again, their connection deepens, leading to the development of a complex romance filled with emotional highs and lows.

Nick, the Mafia don, embodies every expectation of that role. He’s powerful, commanding, and has that irresistible charm that draws you in. His character fits perfectly within the dark and dangerous world he inhabits. On the other hand, Ava’s backstory is rich with history and layers, which, while adding depth to her character, left me somewhat conflicted. Her past shaped who she is, but there were moments where I wasn’t fully sure how I felt.

The plot of the story itself was solid, and it had a good mix of drama, suspense, and romance. There were ups and downs for both Nick and Ava, each facing their own challenges and obstacles, which kept the narrative dynamic and engaging. Their chemistry was undeniable.

Overall, Ties That Bind Us is an engaging Mafia romance with compelling characters.

I read this title when it first appeared on Wattpad, so reading it as a published book was so nostalgic! This read is on the lighter side of a mafia romance, great for those wanting to dip their toes into that specific genre! The romance was super cute!

Originally a 2.5 star read (but rounded up to 3 since I really liked Nick)

While I loved the chemistry and the banter between Ava and Nick, and I found this story to be quite cute; a part of me was honestly left disappointed. While I could get past some of the grammatical errors (barely), I found the character inconsistency quite frustrating; like, Ava was really into Nick in the beginning and then it kind of goes back and forth with her being into him to not wanting him, back to wanting him and then doubting if she should be with him (it honestly kind of gave me a headache). But I honestly think the biggest issue I had was that it was pretty predictable and at times pretty cringy, I had to kind of force myself at times to continue reading. No hate or anything to this book or to the author, the story was good and kept me hooked at times, there was just a lot of things going on and a lot of things that I felt were off or unnecessary.

Overall, it was a cute read, but it simply wasn't for me.

This was a fun, quick read. It was a little bit predictable, but I think that's because I've read so many mafia romances before. I would still recommend this book; it's well-written. The editor could have corrected a few grammatical errors, but other than that, it's a solid book!

This was a fun twist to arraigned marriage.

Having a one-night stand only to find out they are your future spouse!

There is so much Chemistry between Ava and Nick. I really loved Ava as a strong and feisty female not the damsel in distress. But it is nice seeing the two sides of her.

While I want to love every single ARC I get, I sometimes don't. Unfortunately this book was not for me at all. I think a lot of it was just the writing style. I however did finish this book which I was surprised since I am quick to set down books I am disliking so I can move on to others I love.

Its a good story that will make you escape from the real world but it felt a lot superficial. The couple fell in love quite easy and it wasn't enemies to lovers as it was marketed. There were so many elements that it felt like all of them were plot fillers.

I loved Nick for how he was as a man and didn't really have a mafia vibe around him!! Ava could have acted as a grown up a lot of times. I didn't like how addiction was shown and there should have been more focus and attention to that as well!!

All in all it was a single time read for me.

2.5 ⭐️ (round up to 3)

I love a good mafia romance and this one had some good points. It had classic scenarios of arranged marriages and family tiffs. Nick has a history with Ava’s late brother that is a bit heartbreaking.

The writing just wasn’t for me. There was a lot of cliches that simply did not work. It often would say that these families were big and bad but it was never shown. In fact, they were nicer to each other most families I know. Whenever there was a conflict created the author resolved it almost immediately and it didn’t allow for them to have any sort of turmoil or really develop their character.
The way things were worded sometimes didn’t feel like natural conversation and instead felt more like a fanfic or an early draft. But the part that got me the most was the lack of consistency between the characters. She really liked him in the beginning and as soon as she discovered she was marrying him she didn’t want him (even though she knew she would have to marry). And the way both of their dads just agreed to his plan so quickly was…. Odd.

I’ll end my thoughts here to remain spoiler free.

All in all, it was not a bad book. It was just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Ties that Bind Us by Nicole Knight
To me, the book was very interesting. Who doesn't like an arranged marriage that has Mafia Romance included with it. Loved the beginning of the book and the introduction of the main characters. Loved Nick and Ava. Overall, the book was predictable , but it was an entertaining read. Definately for those who are into this type of Mafia Romance.

I just want to give a big Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!!!]

thank you netgalley and wattpad for the free arc, but at what cost??? bc i ended up paying for it. i did not enjoy myself one bit. i couldn’t even find some laughs and joy in a hate read, which i shockingly did not set out to do this time. and this is how i'm rewarded for my good faith??

besides the really weird formatting issues (going to assume that’s just what the arc is like and it’ll be fixed) and the misspellings and incorrect word choices (also going to hope that these will be fixed) and the terrible writing (not as hopeful about this one), this was just so generic

i am so convinced this was written by ai bc as the book went on, it was just hitting bingo spot after bingo spot of melodramatic events that happen in soap operas and stories set in ~mafia romances~. unfortunately, i don't think the model was fed enough data about mafia stories even, bc the mafia portion was SO BAD LOL it wasn't even salad dressing; it was like ordering fresh orange juice and being served la croix

every single ‘issue’ is swiftly dealt with - as in, in a few sentences or paragraphs, it would be resolved, so there were 0 stakes even though they live in such a ‘dangerous crime filled mafia world.’ and as a result, nothing hit! they would also contradict themselves almost sentence to sentence. they would say one thing, and their IMMEDIATE action would be so incongruous to what they just said, i was getting whiplash

the thing that annoyed me most, though, if i really had to rank them, was that a major plot point was that ava's twin andrew's death led to the fallout between the spaghettis and macaronis, but for some reason, it felt like only ava was affected by his death?? she has all these other siblings, but they barely mention him outside of one conversation in the beginning of the book

i can’t tell you anything specific about nick or ava, but i guarantee they are exactly the stereotype you already have in your head about them. like, i'm not going to think their love is so strong and enduring if you keep throwing plot points and obstacles every few paragraphs to fill in the bingo spot

spoilers (but are they really?) but all the bases are covered here: death of a sibling, controlling parent, addiction, relapse, ava is shot, surprise pregnancy and swift car accident resulting in miscarriage, they go through a hard time, dad was involved in nefarious plot, she is lured away by rival mafia family, nick is shot, adoption, pregnant again, the end! keep in mind that none of these topics were dwelled on in any meaningful way. i think we’ve all seen this film before, and i didn’t like the ending, which was me being baffled, flabbergasted, feeling like a silly annoyed goose

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this ARC. I was excited because I love mafia stories, and the book started off great with Nick and Ava’s meeting and their fun “cat and mouse” game. But I had trouble enjoying it because of grammar mistakes and a messy plot. After the wedding treaties part, the story got confusing and didn’t focus enough on the mafia drama. The ending felt too rushed after Ava was rescued and Nick woke up, and the adoption storyline didn’t make sense after everything they went through.