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Melissa, Book Boyfriend and Husband Make Three's Reviews > Ciao Bella
Ciao Bella (The Rise of the De Langes Book 1)
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Melissa, Book Boyfriend and Husband Make Three's review
bookshelves: 2024-arc, 2024-reads, 2024-top-reads, all-consuming, all-the-feels, angsty, angsty-af, anti-hero, binge-worthy, close-proximity, college-romance, dark-romance, dark-twisty-romance, enemies-to-lovers, extra-witty-banter, feels, forced-marraige, forced-proximity, laugh-out-loud, mafia-romance, mind-fuck, new-adult-romance, romantic-suspense, sassy-heroine, slow-burn, sparked-a-tear, twists-turns, ugly-cry, unputdownable-2024
Jun 20, 2024
bookshelves: 2024-arc, 2024-reads, 2024-top-reads, all-consuming, all-the-feels, angsty, angsty-af, anti-hero, binge-worthy, close-proximity, college-romance, dark-romance, dark-twisty-romance, enemies-to-lovers, extra-witty-banter, feels, forced-marraige, forced-proximity, laugh-out-loud, mafia-romance, mind-fuck, new-adult-romance, romantic-suspense, sassy-heroine, slow-burn, sparked-a-tear, twists-turns, ugly-cry, unputdownable-2024
It's probably going to be at least 10–15 business days and an appointment with my therapist before I'm able to wrap my head around all of the emotions I just experienced.
Am I okay? No. Did I consider calling my therapist for an emergency appointment because my mind is so blown? Yes. Has my heart been beaten and battered? Yes (x♘♘♘♘). Did I ugly cry? Yes, multiple times—and this is only based on the first 10%.
If you love mafia romance, ‘enemies to lovers’, angst, forced proximity, suspense, and found family... one-click Ciao Bella and come back and thank me!!
It’s so much more than I could have imagined. In a word, it’s brilliant. The best book I’ve read all year. A top-three favorite in the Eagle Elite world. The magic that was part of the original series becomes more intense with every book. The introduction to this brand-new series set inside the Eagle Elite world is no exception—yet it’s completely different. It’s RVD mafia to the nth degree. When it comes to kicking off a new series, ‘Ciao Bella’ is beyond compare. It was epic in every way: tears falling, lives ruined, blood shed, laughter, and above all, the love and loyalty intricately woven into every character. The Eagle Elite is so much more than a mafia family; they are ALL family.
(One sentence of this is a variation on a Veronica Mars quote.)
As soon as I opened ‘Ciao Bella,’ it felt like going home, and what could possibly feel more like the comfort of home than a family dinner, mafia style? The tumultuous hate and underlying love between Ivan and Bella added fuel to their fiery chemistry. The passionate way they fought over the years, and then being in forced proximity, became a slow burn of literary edging proportions.
I adored Bella. She’s completely different from her sister. It was as though she saw everyone else’s strengths while not seeing her own. She’s the youngest and Nixon’s baby. As the baby of my family, I can say that sometimes comes with being babied far beyond the baby stage. When others are always there to hold you up, you don’t always recognize your own strength. Ivan not only saw it; he nourished it. He helped her build an arsenal so she had the knowledge to be her own hero. After all, how could a De Lange be anything but a villain?
Ivan had so many layers, and each one was more complicated than the last. The way he ended up alongside some of the most notorious members of the Cosa Nostra left niggling thoughts in the back of his mind that he would never be one of them. How do you make peace with your past when you feel like you’re staring at it every day? He was a force to be reckoned with, but could he be the rise of the De Langes without leaving the Families in a pile of ash? So many questions, and all I can say is… Take a deep breath and dive in. Hide in the bathroom and lock the door. Do whatever is necessary to avoid real-life interruptions because they will come at the absolute worst time.
Saying that ‘Ciao Bella’ captivated me would be a vast understatement. The storyline seized my attention in the first few words, and from there, every thought and emotion was completely at the mercy of the words on the pages. Every word was emotionally charged, whether it was because of Ivan being a grade-A a-hole or a million other reasons; you feel every emotion. Every tear you shed, every muttered ‘WTF,’ and all the laughs are how the characters in this world become branded on your soul.
RVD writes in a way that pulls you in so deeply, you feel as much a part of the world as the fictional characters. Whether it’s a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy or a dark mafia tale that makes you laugh, cry, and throw things, her writing is unparalleled. And her mafia series are unequivocally the most intricately woven, mind-blowing, and enthralling stories my eyes have ever seen. Nothing will ever convince me that the EE books aren’t magical. RVD’s writing is exceptional and never ceases to take my breath away.
Ivan and Bella’s story is an emotionally riveting, epic start to the ‘Rise of the De Langes’ series. It’s a tumultuous enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, mafia romance teeming with suspense, clever banter, and witty threats like only the EE characters can pull off. RVD’s writing, especially her mafia series, has the ability to take my breath away.
The insanity of two generations of mafia families offers me hours of escape the stress of real life. From the OG series to this brand new one, every character has left an imprint on my heart and soul. These characters have made such a huge impact on me that I have not one, but two tattoos that are due to my love of the magic I feel every time I’m able to get lost inside the Eagle Elite world. This is what people are referring to when they use the phrase ‘books are the greatest escape.’ You don’t want to miss out on everything these series have to offer.
Am I okay? No. Did I consider calling my therapist for an emergency appointment because my mind is so blown? Yes. Has my heart been beaten and battered? Yes (x♘♘♘♘). Did I ugly cry? Yes, multiple times—and this is only based on the first 10%.
If you love mafia romance, ‘enemies to lovers’, angst, forced proximity, suspense, and found family... one-click Ciao Bella and come back and thank me!!
It’s so much more than I could have imagined. In a word, it’s brilliant. The best book I’ve read all year. A top-three favorite in the Eagle Elite world. The magic that was part of the original series becomes more intense with every book. The introduction to this brand-new series set inside the Eagle Elite world is no exception—yet it’s completely different. It’s RVD mafia to the nth degree. When it comes to kicking off a new series, ‘Ciao Bella’ is beyond compare. It was epic in every way: tears falling, lives ruined, blood shed, laughter, and above all, the love and loyalty intricately woven into every character. The Eagle Elite is so much more than a mafia family; they are ALL family.
(One sentence of this is a variation on a Veronica Mars quote.)
As soon as I opened ‘Ciao Bella,’ it felt like going home, and what could possibly feel more like the comfort of home than a family dinner, mafia style? The tumultuous hate and underlying love between Ivan and Bella added fuel to their fiery chemistry. The passionate way they fought over the years, and then being in forced proximity, became a slow burn of literary edging proportions.
I adored Bella. She’s completely different from her sister. It was as though she saw everyone else’s strengths while not seeing her own. She’s the youngest and Nixon’s baby. As the baby of my family, I can say that sometimes comes with being babied far beyond the baby stage. When others are always there to hold you up, you don’t always recognize your own strength. Ivan not only saw it; he nourished it. He helped her build an arsenal so she had the knowledge to be her own hero. After all, how could a De Lange be anything but a villain?
Ivan had so many layers, and each one was more complicated than the last. The way he ended up alongside some of the most notorious members of the Cosa Nostra left niggling thoughts in the back of his mind that he would never be one of them. How do you make peace with your past when you feel like you’re staring at it every day? He was a force to be reckoned with, but could he be the rise of the De Langes without leaving the Families in a pile of ash? So many questions, and all I can say is… Take a deep breath and dive in. Hide in the bathroom and lock the door. Do whatever is necessary to avoid real-life interruptions because they will come at the absolute worst time.
Saying that ‘Ciao Bella’ captivated me would be a vast understatement. The storyline seized my attention in the first few words, and from there, every thought and emotion was completely at the mercy of the words on the pages. Every word was emotionally charged, whether it was because of Ivan being a grade-A a-hole or a million other reasons; you feel every emotion. Every tear you shed, every muttered ‘WTF,’ and all the laughs are how the characters in this world become branded on your soul.
RVD writes in a way that pulls you in so deeply, you feel as much a part of the world as the fictional characters. Whether it’s a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy or a dark mafia tale that makes you laugh, cry, and throw things, her writing is unparalleled. And her mafia series are unequivocally the most intricately woven, mind-blowing, and enthralling stories my eyes have ever seen. Nothing will ever convince me that the EE books aren’t magical. RVD’s writing is exceptional and never ceases to take my breath away.
Ivan and Bella’s story is an emotionally riveting, epic start to the ‘Rise of the De Langes’ series. It’s a tumultuous enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, mafia romance teeming with suspense, clever banter, and witty threats like only the EE characters can pull off. RVD’s writing, especially her mafia series, has the ability to take my breath away.
The insanity of two generations of mafia families offers me hours of escape the stress of real life. From the OG series to this brand new one, every character has left an imprint on my heart and soul. These characters have made such a huge impact on me that I have not one, but two tattoos that are due to my love of the magic I feel every time I’m able to get lost inside the Eagle Elite world. This is what people are referring to when they use the phrase ‘books are the greatest escape.’ You don’t want to miss out on everything these series have to offer.
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Reading Progress
June 20, 2024
–
Started Reading
June 20, 2024
– Shelved
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
2024-arc
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
all-the-feels
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
all-consuming
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
2024-top-reads
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
2024-reads
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
close-proximity
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
binge-worthy
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
anti-hero
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
angsty-af
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
angsty
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
extra-witty-banter
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
enemies-to-lovers
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
dark-twisty-romance
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
dark-romance
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
college-romance
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
mafia-romance
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
laugh-out-loud
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
forced-proximity
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
forced-marraige
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
feels
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
slow-burn
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
sassy-heroine
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
romantic-suspense
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
new-adult-romance
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
mind-fuck
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
unputdownable-2024
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
ugly-cry
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
twists-turns
June 20, 2024
– Shelved as:
sparked-a-tear
June 20, 2024
–
Finished Reading
