PRINCE OF HEARTS: NICO & ARI DUET (Verona Legacy #1) by L.A. COTTON

‘We were both pawns. Her unknowing. Me unwilling. Both of us bound by our family’s legacies.’

It’s been a while since we’ve immersed ourselves in a Mafia romance, and didn’t L.A. Cotton provide all those feelings we love to experience with these type of reads. You know the ones? They make our hearts flutter whilst simultaneously leaving them a ragged wreck when the author brings you the angst, intensity and the threatening world of the Mafia forbidden romance theme.

 “I would kill for you, Arianne. That’s who I am. I might not like everything about my life, my legacy, but this life, the codes I am bound to, run through my blood.”

What was different about Prince of Hearts for us, was the setting. It’s s been quite a while since we’ve last read a Mafia romance that was centred on college-aged characters, with the main couple being 18 and 19, and it’s an aspect that really works for us. We felt the innocence from Arianne and the menacing yet vulnerable heart of Nicco. L.A. Cotton certainly knows how to write a fabulous Mafia story!

‘He might have been my enemy by name, but our souls were the same. I would tell a thousand lies if it meant protecting him.’

Eighteen-year-old Arianne Capizola is the heir to the Capizola Empire, her father, Roberto Capizola is the most successful businessman in Verona County. He’s kept the dark side of their business away from his daughter, shielding her in their home for the past five years, finally relenting, and allowing her to experience college life with her best friend Nora. Arianne is oblivious to the dangers she could face as a Mafia princess, and although she is going under an assumed name, Ari is happy to finally enjoy some freedom with her long time best friend Nora.

Nineteen-year-old Nicco Marchetti knows firsthand the violence and danger of being the only son of a New England Mafia boss. Nicco is poised to take over the Dominion, and for him – violence and extortion are a way of life. He lives his life in the frontline of his father’s business.

Upon meeting the innocent and sweet Arianne, Nicco is instantly smitten – Arianne has feelings she has never experienced before, and soon the intensity between them ignites, and wow did we feel the passion between these two, but it wasn’t only that, there was an innocence to their love.

Arianne’s life had been somewhat of a fairy-tale, yet Nicco is no prince. There is a history between the two families and so much bad blood – Nicco and Arianne truly are a forbidden couple in every sense of the word. This is an age-old rivalry that sees no chance of a truce in sight.

So where does that leave these two young lovers? Well, you just wait and see! A horrific event unfolds, that could split their worlds apart, and the suspense of it all had us on the edge of our seat!

‘Nicco was like a storm. He swept in without warning and disappeared just as quickly, with no regard for the wreckage left behind.’

This story was like an intense, intriguing and angsty puzzle piece – every step forward took us two steps back guessing how it was all going to come together – deceit and lies, love and passion, happiness and heartbreak, it was all here, and OMG! We are so ready for more! We cannot wait for the next book, King of Souls! There’s no doubt about it. L.A. Cotton wowed us with this book!

‘Deep down, part of me knew I’d risk it all for her.’