I don't want to give too much away but this book gives Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast and then Hades and Persephone. This was such a fast read and I didn't want to put it down. I don't understand how Hazel is still such a good person after everything she has been through. There are some pure evil characters that hurt Hazel constantly and it was kind of hard to read. We also see some characters that should have stood up for Hazel but never really did, or only did when it was too late. The three most common words I see in a mafia romance books, and let me tell you LP Lovell delivered on all 3. From her morally grey characters, the level of blood and violence, the perfect ratio of steam and suspense; The Kiss of Death embodied everything that a mafia romance should be. An addictive read, it consumed me, I was so invested in this book. There’s a prologue that is unnecessary and contributes only a little to the story. It set a level of expectation for me that didn’t pay off what it promised. Chapter one describes a sting operation on a series of priest-murdering-thugs. This is well written and suspenseful, but once the sting is over, the book dissolves into exposition disguised as dialogue that explains who the main players and their relationships to each other. Too many characters were introduced at one time, and I had to write them down to keep them straight. This is the seventh book in the series, and I understand Finch’s need to describe the players. I wish he’d found a more exciting way to accomplish this. Now Susan Lambert, whose destiny is has been to help in the wage against the evil coming works with her cousin Wendy, a friend David alongside three vampires, Raphael, his sire, Gabriel and their friend Paul to stop Richelieu from obtaining the artifacts and prevent them from obtaining the blood of Jesus Christ. They will use all the weapons necessary to stay alive and stay ahead of the game. There is a diary that Gabriel entrusts to Susan to read that will show them how it had all come to this point and hopefully within its contents, the secret to winning against Richelieu will be revealed.

Nero, I tried to kill you and you got hard for it.” She rolls her eyes. “That is not enchanting, it’s just twisted.” Maggie had planned to devote her February to art lessons in New Orleans, a present from her sweetheart, Bo. But now she has to focus on helping her friend and her mother cross a murder charge off the menu. Meanwhile, Maggie receives a series of anonymous gifts that begin as charming but grow increasingly disturbing. Does Maggie have an admirer--or a stalker? And are these mysterious gifts somehow related to Phillippe's murder? The best bit of the book is the end, not because I was pleased to have finished it but because it was so exciting and it was set in the area of Hertfordshire where I live so I recognised all the roads! The closing scene was a real cliffhanger and I cannot wait to get my hands on Book 8 to find out what happens next! Pity I’ll have to wait a while for this treat! Ok, now that I am over my sadness that the series is over (well sort of over it anyway), this has been one of my favorite series due to the location. I have family that are Cajuns in Louisiana, so many times I felt like this was a glimpse into their lives, well sort of since I don't think they are going around solving murders! But I loved all of the references to cajun/creole food, music, and the history that surrounds that area. i liked the mash up of cinderella, beauty and the beast, with a sprinkling of persephone hades and a bit of acotar - but we only got any of that in the last quarter of the book.It was a good read, suspenseful, detailed. The characters were good, well rounded and as I say, I enjoyed having a police force to get into. I can’t rave about this duet more! One of the best mafia romances I’ve read. It’s absolutely filled with this dark, gripping world that’s so vivid and detailed, which effortlessly teleports you into each scene; each moment. The storytelling is slower-paced but in a good way where there’s a gradual build-up to each scene giving you a picture of the situation. Told from both Nero and Una’s points of view, it couldn’t have been more intense seeing things from both their perspectives (especially when concerns the other). Their lives are supposed to be worlds apart yet they have the same type of darkness surrounding that that ultimately keeps them connected to one another. In both of their stories the tension shivers just below the surface. It's a really intoxicating and thrilling mix that makes for quite a tale. The human characters have that likeability factor that is oh so important but the vampires have that mystique about them. You don't know quite what to make of them. Are they good? Are they evil? Will they find the artifacts or won't they? And most importantly, can they be redeemed? I will be curious to see how this series concludes especially since the final book is titled Kiss of Revenge. That just sounds so chilling, doesn't it? If you're looking for a spooky book to read this weekend I'd definitely recommend the Kiss books! Either way, my life as I know it is forfeit... but at least this way, I'll be able to choose my own fate .

The story line kept me reading, I needed to know how they were going to end the Elite or if they could 🤷‍♀️ Also, I liked seeing Rafael in this one, it made me want to read history, get to know him which is what I shall be doing next 😂 Anna intrigued me too and how her life differed from Una’s. I have always loved my time in Pelican with Maggie and her family at the B&B or at Maggie’s other job at another plantation that is used as a muesuem. I have loved follow along with Bo and Maggie’s relationship and how sweet she has always been to his autistic boy who had a talent for art. Maggie is an artist and seen his great talent and helped him with it. So it was very bittersweet to see this one end, but I have to say I really liked how she ends the series which is why I know for sure it was ending, she had a nice epilogue that if you have read the who series you would know all the characters mentioned, etc. I am also going to miss Gopher and Jolie the dogs! The author has a new series starting next year and I just hope I enjoy it as much as I have this one!

This is one of those books that managed to surprise me, and in a good way. Hazel's story spoke to me and it hurt me to see how she's treated and what she needs to endure. Even though her adventure isn't one well-planned, she's determined to find a way to save her father, whatever the cost. Nero and Una. Two halves of the same soul. A crazy, highly disturbed and merciless soul, but they are the perfect match for each other. Their relationship is explosive from the get go, balancing on a thread of trust and with the threat of violence never falling short. Together, their dynamic is feral, even when they aren’t plotting or committing murder. The unhinged King and Queen of the Italian mafia. Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review. As the Chanson Restaurant is opening, some of the personnel are staying at the Crozat B&B, where Maggie can sense tension among the staff. This is especially true of Philippe's ex-wife Kate - who manages the Chanson group, and Philippe's current girlfriend Becca - who's the sous-chef. The Yes: I appreciate having a dark fantasy that doesn’t have vampires or fae - those are a bit overdone in my opinion. I also appreciated that the FMC isn’t super angsty in second-guessing her decisions - I like an FMC who evaluates the options, makes a decision, and is more or less at peace with it - none of that wishy-washy agonizing over her own choice.