Book Review: Bound by Duty by Cora Reilly

Book 2/7, and should be read in order

I liked the first book, but not as much as this book. Bound By Duty is my favorite book in the Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles. I really like the plot and the characters. 

Summary: 

    Dante Cavallaro's wife died four years ago but her memory still haunts him. On the verge of becoming the youngest head in the history of the Chicago Outfit, Dante needs to remarry or risk appearing weak. Valentina is chosen for the role. She, too, lost her husband, but her first marriage has always been for show. Even after her husband's death, Valentina carries the weight of his secrets with her--to protect the honor of a dead man and herself. With her wedding to Dante, her castle of lies threatens to crash. Valentina fears the wedding night might reveal her secret, but her worries prove unfounded when Dante ignores her. Soon, her fears turns to confusion and anger. Valentina is tired of being ignored. She's determined to get Dante's attention and desire, even if she can't get his heart that still belongs to his dead wife. She wants to capture his cold heart but she may have to settle for his desire.       -Goodreads

Review:

    The summary makes it seem that this book is just about the romance, which is not the case. There are many different story lines and plots within. I love the story line between Valentina and Bibi. I loved how that ended. It shows how strong these characters are.

     I usually do not enjoy insta-love books, but I was fine with it in this case, because the relationship did not seem insta-love. The main characters get married, but their relationship progresses in a realistic way. It wasn't too fast, or too slow. There were ups and downs for these characters which is completely normal. 

Characters: 

    Valentina; I really like Valentina. I like how she tries to be there for her husband, and supports him. At times I feel really bad for her, and her situations. Then at other times, I am a little upset with how she handles certain situations, or lack thereof. I would have liked to see Valentina not so dependent on Dante, which starts to happen towards the end, but I wished for more. Overall, she is a good character and protagonist. 

    Dante: I was ok with Dante. He seems like a big Debbie-Downer. hehhe Dante is very closed off, aloof, and cold, which is fine in a character, but this time I just felt like I didn't really know him. I read about him, and his actions, but I didn't connect to him in the way I am able to connect with others. I really like the idea of having his POV in the next book. (If there is a next book with these two characters) 

Plot: 

    I actually really like the plot. It is very fast-paced and attention grabbing. At some points I was a little confused abut what was happening, but other than that is was really good. There were some twists and turns I didn't see, especially at the end, which made me like the book even more. I loved the epilogue and I hope I get to read more of these two in the future. The plot wasn't all about their relationship. It was about the mafia, and the secondary characters a lot. There were some underlying themes which is why I recommend reading the first book. 

Chemistry: 

    The chemistry was meh. It was good, but I didn't feel a real connection. The s*x scenes seem a little forced, and the relationship seems mostly physical for a good portion of the book. The build up and tension was good, but it wasn't very long. As the novel continued, the relationship grew and so did my feelings. I liked the book a lot more towards the end. However, Dante just seems really closed off, and emotionless, even at the end. He doesn't share his feelings or thoughts really at all. 

    But I really like their growing relationship. In the beginning, it was just a marriage of convenience, but towards the end it turns into something more intimate. They make a really good couple, and I really like their scenes together. 

Rating: 

    I contemplated between a 3.5 and a 4, but ultimately decided on a 4. I liked this book, but it wasn't my favorite. I am really excited to read Gianna's story though. I hear really good things about this. I ended up giving this book a 4 because I liked the writing, and the plot. The characters were good, but they weren't great. I like the series though, which is why I rounded it up. I recommend this book if you like mafia romances.