Review: Growing on me
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 8, 2014
Review written March 9, 2013 and transferred from another site.Ok, so a few things. I enjoyed this book the most in the series so far. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and was up until 5am reading this! Even with the flaws, I was drawn in by the twists and turns and even the characters I dislike had redeeming moments.Everyone knows I'm not a Selange fan but, even so, I felt she was done a disservice in this book. The whole Nico/Selange cheating angle isn't plausible to me. There was always an attraction there, but the 'missing my husband' business should have been worked a bit better. It would have made more sense in Book 1 when Selange was really struggling. In this book, Alfonzo is a doting husband and father. Selange is the one who encourages Alfonzo to come out of retirement and claims she's down to ride or die. They're all lovey dovey and 'I love you more than air' and all of a sudden she can't talk to him and say, 'the anniversary of my parents' death is coming up and I need you?' Since when?? Their relationship was going too well for that. I might have given her a pass (MIGHT) if the infidelity was a one-off but the fact that they continued the affair in the light of day? Not buying it. It doesn't match either of their personalities and, like I said, I don't like Selange so me sticking up for her is saying something. Nico is way too honorable to repeatedly cheat with another man's wife, especially Alfonzo's. I don't care how much it was attempted to prove that he was so in love with her; it goes against the very grain of who he is. And Selange was way too in love with her husband to repeatedly disregard his feelings. Sorry, again yo no lo compro! They were both entirely too unapologetic about their cheating to remain likeable characters, and I will really need my hand held and lots of tequila shots to survive Alfonzo forgiving her in Book 5. Not only did she cheat but was dumb enough to so without protection and now everyone has to live with the consequences and Alfonzo is supposed to be ok with that? He is a MOB BOSS. That is a no, no.  Then again, I have never really been convinced that Alfonzo is this multi million dollar business man and feared mob boss. Sorry Alfie. I know you try, but I still see you as a small time street hustler. You've never done anything to prove otherwise. Sure, he's cut a body in half here and there, but it's not ingrained. I kind of indulge him like you would a kid walking around in his father's shoes. If Alfonzo met Giovanni Battaglia or Dmitry Medlov in a dark alley, he would crap himself. This book is completely enjoyable, but more so because of the soap opera, entertainment value. It's light on the true mafia business.As much as Nico disappointed me in this book, if you want to see a true Mafia boss then Nico stands head and shoulders over everyone else in this series and, if Alfonzo went head to head against Nico in a no holds barred match up, Alfonzo would die. Plain and simple. Anything else is pure folly. And it's not because Nico is built like a brick s*** house or trained to be an enforcer, it's because Alfonzo is NOT READY. He is not ruthless enough. Even his reaction to the infidelity is NOT mob boss like. A huge, drunken, public spectacle. 'I trusted youuuuu'. Uh huh. Righttt.Other niggles - What is with the $3 words? I know sometimes authors want to change things up a bit to avoid sounding repetitive, but it shouldn't sound like they're trying too hard. A bullet is a bullet; we don't need to refer to it as a 'projectile'. "Emilio tried to 'tamponade' his relationship with Jessica." What?? That doesn't even LOOK right.Some of the prose got a little too preachy and public service announcement-ish. Yes, there is prejudice in America and it sucks, but the references were a bit heavy handed at times.It sounds like I didn't enjoy this book, but I did. I just need Alfonzo to grow a pair and stop being so p-whipped and to truly step up as a Mob boss. Hopefully, Selange and Nico's betrayal will unleash some fortitude within him, and he will rely more on his instincts and LEAD. I really don't know if I can survive Book 5 if he's all reactionary and allowing Selange to guilt him into forgiveness. Selange actually had the gall to tell Alfonzo he never loved her. I never wanted to kick her in the throat more than I did at that moment. Ray Charles can see how much Alfonzo loves her, but true to form, Alfonzo totally allowed Selange and Nico to punk him.A friend will have to read Book 5 first and tell me yay or nay. I really don't know if I can hack it on my own.