Lord of Retribution by Piper Stone

Lord of Retribution by Piper Stone is the third book in the series and it features Daniel Thorn—Constantine Thorn's younger brother. I was surprised by this one because it was incredibly fast-paced and not much background information was provided on the characters, specifically Daniel and Margot. The story begins with Daniel and Margot's wedding day, which was a result of an arranged marriage between their families. There is a sense of foreboding between them and readers quickly come to realize that the heroine is keeping a major secret from her intended husband. However, there is no denying the sexual chemistry and tension between them—which certainly made for a steamy first night together. As Margot begins to navigate her new role as Daniel's wife, she must contend with the consequences of her secret and guilt that comes with betraying her husband once he finds out the truth.

“What she did to me was the greatest sin of all. The beautiful woman made me want to be a better man.”

Overall, I enjoyed this book but I did have a few issues with Daniel's relationship with Maria/Margot because of the secret she had kept from him for a majority of the book. As someone who typically does not care for the switching character deception trope, I had a hard time accepting Daniel and Margot's relationship and believing in their love at first. Despite being a ruthless and violent man, Daniel was very forgiving, romantic, and charming towards the woman he loved. He was simply a different man. At the same time, Margot was falling for Daniel. Although she was not his real wife, their relationship was turning into something unexpected for the both of them. Daniel and Margot's lives have become forever intertwined and although she lied to him, he will never let her go. Fans of the character switching trope, arranged marriage, and mafia romance will be sure to enjoy this fast-paced story between a man who never thought he would love anyone until he found it in a feisty and defiant woman.

*This ARC was generously provided by the author for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★☆