The Maddest Obsession by Danielle Lori

The Maddest Obsession by Danielle Lori is the second book in the Made series featuring Christian and Gianna. I thought their love story was so special, heartbreaking, and romantic. The longing, angst, and unrequited love that they had for each other was everything I wanted and more. From the very first moment Christian met Gianna all those years ago, he intrinsically knew that she was his little star but didn't come to realize how much she meant to him until later on. When we first met Gianna in Nico and Elena's book, I thought Gianna was flighty, self-absorbed, and broken. While she is certainly broken in a sense, Gianna was strong in the face of so much hardship and heartbreak. I loved her wit and sense of humor. She was always teasing Christian in the "games" that they liked to play with each other. As for Christian, he had such a cold exterior and kept so many secrets. Gianna was the only who could "soften" him. If I could describe Christian Allister in words it would be intense, obsessive, jealous, passionate, and ruthless.

"He'd never look at me this way, with such a soft, consuming desire in his eyes, like he'd never seen a woman before. Like I was everything."

Spanning a total of eight years, the book interweaves between the past and present with events that took place in The Sweetest Oblivion. I was amused by Gianna and Christian's thought process during Nico and Elena's courtship because let's face it, the man was obsessed with her from the get-go and they could both see it. At times, I was frustrated by Christian and Gianna because of their own stubbornness, pride, and miscommunication. They kept missing each other for years because Gianna was considered "unstable" if left unmarried and even though Christian had every intention of making her his… circumstances always came up between the two. That's why I was so incredibly happy when they both finally acted on their attraction for each other. There's no denying that Christian and Gianna have incredible chemistry with each other and the sexual tension was thick. I loved their romance and the fact that there was a sprinkle of angst and longing made it all the better.

"Because you're the only woman who's ever tempted me… because you love it… because every part of you is mine."

In the end, Christian and Gianna's tumultuous and angst-filled romance left me with tears and such a happy smile on my face. If anyone deserved a happy ending, it would be these two. I know it doesn't make sense, but they were complete opposites from each other yet they fit each other perfectly. The love and obsession that Christian had for Gianna was my favorite part of this book and he is my favorite hero that Danielle Lori has created so far. For someone so ruthless and cold, I never expected him to be so passionate. This is my second book by Danielle Lori and I have become such a big fan of her writing style and characters. I highly recommend this series and book to those who love the mafia romance trope with a multi-faceted hero who is extremely possessive and obsessive over his heroine.

Rating: ★★★★★

The Sweetest Oblivion by Danielle Lori

The Sweetest Oblivion was my first book by Danielle Lori and it was a fantastic one, especially if you love the "enemies to lovers" trope in a mafia romance. The sexual tension and chemistry between Elena and Nico was absolutely fire. I found their interactions to be completely electric and interesting from beginning to end! There was also a forbidden element to their relationship because Nico was engaged to her sister. However, there was no love lost between Nico and Adrianna since she was in love with somebody else. Nicolas Russo was possessive, dominant, controlling, and passionate whereas Elena was sweet, innocent, courageous, and a secret romantic. I loved watching these two fall in love and resolve their misunderstandings about each other.

"He was an infatuation, a craving, a need, and I was sure it was unrequited."

Although this was a mafia romance, Elena and Nico's burning need for each other is the heart of this story. One would even say that it was lust and love at first sight. Over the course of the book, their many interactions were teasers to their eventual coupling. At one point, I wanted to lock these two in a room together because they were killing me with their chemistry! Misunderstandings would, however, eventually get in the way of their happy ending. Despite being frustrated by Elena because she was keeping some major secrets from Nico, without that guilt, he would have never found out or believed the truth behind what happened to her six months ago.

"Every time I saw her, my blood burned hotter, searing the word mine into my chest."

In the end, I loved this story and I'm really curious about Christian and Gianna's book. Elena and Nico were excellent characters, despite some frustrations, and I simply adore them as a couple. They were incredibly sexy and even angsty together. Every single interaction left me wanting more—which is a good thing! I would love a book for Tony and/or Benito, Elena's brother and cousin. I found them endearing and charismatic. Overall, if you're in the market for a mafia romance that focuses more on the romance with an over-the-top but sexy and possessive hero who will do anything for his heroine, then I highly recommend this book!

Rating: ★★★★★