Ruining Dahlia: Mafia Wars, Book 1

I know the mafia wars are supposed to be standalone novels set in the same universe , but I feel someone needs to have them clearly marked in which order to read. My first was this "Ruining Dahlia" but I'm pretty sure Valentina who was mentioned in this story was probably in another one, I haven't read yet but it involves twins . If its not another story...it should be 😘. So YES THIS STORY WAS HOT HOT HOT !! And yes, dark. But honestly for the darkest parts it didn't feel like it was there for shock value (ok..maybe some of the violence might be gratuitous) But Dahlia and Luciens childhood history was done well . It wasn't as graphic as it could of been , and it was brought into it to move the characters stories . Sure explained a lot. I loved the world, the story, the anti-heros ALL. OF .IT. This book checked off many of my secret kinks lol. and did not have any that I loathe , such as "pets" humiliation forced voyeurism and crazy punishment to tears. Yuck! None of that. I would of liked a better explanation of what happened in the aftermath of when Lucien was gone that 2 weeks, being that Carlo was the head of that family..wouldn't he of been looking for retributIon ? that part didn't seem genuine. Still it has got to be one of the very best, well done reverse harem type books I've read. I didn't read because of that aspect, I read it in spite of it. Ohhh so so good!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️|🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️This story was so beautifully written especially for a dark romance! There was a lot of character development and amazing quality spice throughout the story. After reading the story my love for the boys grew to capacity for how much they were utterly obsessed and in love with Dahlia! There were times I was sad, happy, mad af, and literally laughed out loud reading this story. Kudos to the author C.R Jane! Chefs kiss 🤌🏾💖

So the book, the plot all of it was so good. Some of the loose ties seemed rushed. Part of the book could have easily been a second book to flesh it out more with the uncle and ending which I would have devoured. All in all it was fantastically written and enjoyable for damn sure.

I really liked this book. It was definitely a dark read. If you enjoy those kind of stories you should read this.

Spoilers ahead !!!! Actual rating 3.5/5I wish this book was a duet or trilogy, there’s so much that could be expanded and drawn out. I fell in love with Dahlia and her darkness and first read, and since this book is part of a larger, multi-author series, I feel cheated that we don’t get more time with her as she gets to know Lucian, Raphael, and Gabriel better. There is so much darkness and damage in all of them, and while I think the author did great with a limited book, I secretly wish she could expand this universe to dive deeper into each character’s backstory and resolution of the inner turmoil.I feel cheated that things were tied up so neatly in the last 10% of the book: we find out who’s stalking Dahlia (no surprise) and that person is dispatched too quickly. They deserved a prolonged torture scene with Dahlia leading and Raphael as backup. Lucian finally reveals why he can’t be touched - but why did his father’s men take him and why did nobody notice he was gone for 2 years? What else happened to Raphael to make him so unhinged?I did eventually fall in love with all 3 guys, but Gabriel has to be my favorite. Raphael is next, because I love a good chaotic mess of a man, willing to do anything for his woman. I just felt a bit unfulfilled at the end, especially as I realized the book was quickly ending. I want more steamy times with all the men - I think Dahlia and the reader deserve it after dealing with the crazy brothers (mostly Lucian’s cold shoulder).Overall, I thought this was a good read, but just wish it could be expanded to really dive into things deeper.

1st person - multiple POVSpice - 4/5This book in the Mafia Wars series is a stand out for me. I started it shortly after it was released but life happened and I put it down for a while. When I picked it back up I was kicking myself for putting it down because it was so good! All three of these guys are amazing in their own ways yet they have more in common with each other than I think they realized. The relationship between the brothers started off a little rocky so I wasn't sure how this was going to work out by the end of the story. That was the beauty of the journey though. Not so much the relationship they developed with Dahlia but the way that the relationship with her was changing things between the brothers both good and bad.Now I always have my favorite guy in a RH, and this one is no different, but why is it always the most psychotic one? Maybe I'll bring it up in my next therapy session because boy Raphael turned me into a puddle several times and I couldn't get enough of him! There is just something about that level of crazy that makes my heart flutter lol. There's some good laughable moments in her as well as some pretty heavy moments, as it touches on some pretty traumatic events from the characters pasts. I definitely choked up a few times before the end and my heart was aching for all of them at one point or another. Whether you read the whole series or not I will say this one is for sure one to pick up.**Possible Spoiler**Don't read past this point if you do not want absolutely anything spoiled for you!*******If you are one of those people who want a group scene out of the RH you read or if you expect it then heads up it doesn't really happen in this book. There is a moment where some steamy stuff happens with more than one other person in the room but as far as the whole group together it never happens. For me it didn't make me love it any less but I know some people who prefer to know ahead of time if they are getting that big bonding moment between them all.

This book was brilliant to read. The characters were great and the story was fantastic.Dahlia was a fantastic main character. She was strong considering what she had been through in the past. I loved seeing her tackle her demons in the end. I also loved watching her grow close to the three boys.The boys were great and all so different. Gabriel was such a sweetheart towards her and I just loved him. Lucian was a great character, but I think if it wasn’t for his POV chapters, I would have taken a lot longer to come around to him. He had his demons and unfortunately, he took them out on her at times. Raphael was another broken soul. I liked him, and then I hated him, and then I loved him. These boys just needed to communicate. Even though they were brothers, they didn’t really understand each other as well as they thought.I loved the development of their characters, and their relationship with Dahlia. She seemed to just click with them as the story progressed and I loved watching them accept sharing her. They all saved each other ultimately. They scenes between them were hot as well.Overall, this book was a fantastic addition to the Mafia Wars series. I loved the characters and the storyline. I would definitely recommend it.Jessreviews.co.uk

2.5-3 star 🌟This book just scrapes a 3 star and to be honest that's only because I couldn't put it down. It was like watching reality TV - you know you're not in love with it, you know you have opinions, you also know it isn't great, but you can't stop watching it. 😬I read this because I'd seen it so hyped up. As I love mafia romance and needed a change of pace, I thought this would be perfect.But I was so wrong. The relationships are underdeveloped and I'm not sure I even liked any of the characters. Certain bits are very cringey; particularly the talk of losing her virginity and him hitting her 'barrier'. I definitely didn't 'feel' their romance or love for her. None of it really quite works. 🤷‍♀️But I read it all. Why?! I don't think I'll ever know.I don't normally give negative reviews, I'd normally DNF a book if it was going to be low. I'm really just not quite sure how I feel about this book.

An arranged marriage Mafia romance, with a little extra spice. Dahlia Butcher life has been planned out since she was 8 years old. She is to be married to Lucian Rossi, who will one day become head of the American Mafia family. This had a good storyline, a few little twists and quirks along the way. However I didn’t get a good feeling from Dahlia, she just didn’t do it for me. Raphael and Gabriel, Lucian’s younger brothers both slipped under Dahlia’s spell. They including Lucian would do anything for Dahlia to the point where it just became a bit much. This did have some hot and spicy scenes. If you enjoy Mafia romance this might be for you.

As a big lover of C.R's books, I knew Ruining Dahlia was going to be amazing but I was blown away. From the start I loved Dahlia, she was relatable, sweet and strong and the guys are everything you could wish for. I can't believe how hot this book is, the steamy scenes as well as the not those kind of scenes (I still found extremely hot).I love how the relationships with Dahlia developed as well as their relationship as a group, it was amazing to read. Like with the other books in the mafia wars series, this book is so unlike any I've read before... It's brilliant. If I could give this more than 5 stars then I would. Definitely recommend!

Ruining Dahlia (Mafia Wars World #3)This is my 3rd read in this series. They've all been really good, so far. Each has had dark themes, but this one discussed them a little more! Not to an abhorrent amount, thankfully.The four main characters in this one were each as likeable as each other. Gabriel hadn't had the darkness touch his life like the others, so he was a lighter soul. Dahlia was a bad@ss, strong woman unless a certain set of circumstances occurred, then she froze completely!🥺 Raphael and Lucian, her husband, were both messed up for similar reasons.This has violence, dark themes, and plenty of steam, but there is also a great storyline. The writing and world building are both really good.On a personal note, I live 3 miles away from Lacock village, which is mentioned, which was cool to read.😎 I'm looking forward to the next release in the Mafia Wars World. As I've enjoyed them all so far. I highly recommend them.🌟Debbie, 1970, UK