Her Consigliere by Carsen Taite is a romantic crime thriller set in the world of the Dallas mafia.
Siobhan Collins is one of the top attorneys in all of Dallas. She’s also the devoted consigliere to Don Carlo Mancuso of the Mancuso crime family. Her mother was the family’s cook and after her untimely death, Siobhan was raised with the Mancuso daughters, enjoying all the privileges they were afforded. Upon graduating from law school, she set up her own law firm to serve one client – the Mancuso family.
FBI agent Royal Scott has spent so many years working undercover she’s lost track of who she is when she’s not on a case. She’s ready to retire when her boss convinces her to take one more assignment. She’s to infiltrate the Mancuso family empire and figure out a way to bring them down.
Royal has faced countless situations requiring her to think on her feet, but when she meets the captivating Siobhan Collins, she’s found her match. After seamlessly inserting herself into the family business, Royal and Siobhan begin spending time together despite knowing it’s best not to mix business and pleasure. It’s not long before Royal finds out truths about Don Carlo and the rest of the Mancuso family that threaten Siobhan’s life.
As Siobhan’s world starts to unravel, Royal blows her cover. Siobhan must decide if she can trust the woman who’s been lying to her or risk ending up as the last casualty in a power struggle for Dallas’s criminal underground.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
Everything about Her Consigliere is shiny and appealing – slick and sexy main characters, an exciting world of waring crime lords, family drama, and a compelling romance. Taite’s pacing and attention to detail makes for a polished story. The book played out in my mind like a big budget film. I like smart, capable women. Siobhan and Riley certainly measure up, but when it comes to love their hearts overrule their heads. Now that’s relatable.
Cons And Heads Up
I always find it hard to believe a highly competent law enforcement official could fall for the criminal she’s investigating. She’s the best at what she does, yet she’s willing to compromise her career for a beautiful woman? Once I center myself in the storytelling and the romance, my head eventually stops questioning what would and would not happen in real life. It’s fiction, Victoria. Fiction.
The Conclusion
This is a fun and fast paced romantic crime thriller. Siobhan and Royal are a striking couple that make getting caught up in this story very easy. The action, the suspense, the intrigue, and oh yes, the sex make for a powerful combination. I know Siobhan is a morally gray character, but I was 100% rooting for her to get a happily-ever-after. I’ve never read anything by Carsen Taite before. (I know, I know!) Her Consigliere made me a fan.
Excerpt from Her Consigliere by Carsen Taite
She barely typed three words before a loud shout and the roar of an engine revving jerked her attention from her phone, and she gasped at the sight of the SUV barreling straight toward her.
“Stop!”
She whipped her head around and saw a woman in a suit gesticulating wildly in her direction. She took a step back, but her heel caught on a grate. The woman stopped waving her arms and started running as the SUV bore down. Siobhan heard the screeching of tires and a second later, had the breath knocked out of her as hands grabbed her from behind and slammed her to the ground.
She lay quietly for a moment, in the arms of a stranger, struggling to process what had just happened.
“Are you okay?”
She turned to face her savior, surprised to see the person who’d rescued her was a woman. Her face was drawn in concern, her blue eyes both piercing and kind. “I think so.” She shifted so she could sit upright. “What happened?”
The stranger reached over and brushed off her shoulders. “Not sure. Either that SUV had a very bad driver or he was trying to run you over.” She pointed down the street. “Either way, he’s gone.”
Loud footfalls sounded on the pavement, and Siobhan saw Neal running toward her. She made a subtle motion with her hand, signaling for her to slow her approach. She turned back to the stranger, who had risen to a crouching position and was holding out a hand. She slipped her hand into the woman’s, momentarily distracted by her warm hands and strong grip. She started to say something when she caught the woman grinning at her, and she couldn’t help but grin back while she struggled to her feet, trying to balance on one heel.
“I think it’s a goner.” The woman pointed at the grate where her shoe was still wedged in the bars and bent at an angle that confirmed her analysis.
“I know I should be grateful just to be alive,” Siobhan said, “but that’s a vintage Louboutin, circa 1999.”
“I have no idea what you just said.” She pulled out her phone. “But we should call nine-one-one so you can file a report.”
Siobhan shook her head. “I’d just feel stupid. Other than a broken shoe and feeling silly for not paying attention, there’s been no harm.”
The woman examined her closely before slipping her phone back into her pocket. She looked at Neal, who stood nearby. “She a friend of yours?”
“Yes.”
“Then if you’re okay, I need to go.”
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Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 9781635559248
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
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