Forbidden Freedom by Jasmin Miller

Forbidden Freedom Reviews

• 
  Carol [Goodreads Addict]

  RATING 4.5 STARS
  
  Forbidden Freedom is a stand alone mafia romance by Jasmin Miller. I love Jasmin’s books and as soon as I heard about this, I was all in. I love mafia romance and this did not disappoint.
  
  
  
  Gemma Fiore, twenty years old, is the only child of Lorenzo Fiore. She lives under the thumb of her father, leading a very structured life. To her father, she is only a possession to be used for his own gain which brings us to the start of the book, Gemma’s wedding day to a man twice her age, an arranged marriage. And a kiss from a stranger that would change her life. Her wedding day was full of surprises, especially the fact that she was a widow before the day was over.
  
  
  
  Matteo Santarossa has been obsessed with only one goal, to find the killer of his cousin. But when he saw her for the first time in her wedding dress, he was drawn to her and he couldn’t resist. Later, a lead to finding his cousin’s killer brings him once again to Gemma’s presence. And once again, he is drawn to her. Only this time, he ends up having to save her.
  
  
  
  Is it kidnapping if you went willingly? Is it kidnapping when you like your kidnapper? Matteo has taken Gemma to his mountain cabin to take care of her. The more time they spend together, the closer they become and the more Matteo knows, he’s not going to be able to ever let her go.
  
  
  
  When I first met Gemma, I have to admit that I wasn’t sure if I liked her. Her sarcasm bothered me a little bit. But as I got to know her, as I learned more of her life and watched her grow and blossom while with Matteo, I fell in love with her. And Matteo? I love him! A bad guy? Perhaps. But this man had a huge heart and his heart belonged to Gemma. I loved the way he cared for her, the way he just seemed to know what she needed. And together, these two were scorching!!! By the half way point, I couldn’t put this down. And wow, what an ending! This was such a good book. If you enjoy mafia romance, you’re not going to want to miss this one!
  
  “He said I’m his, but he’s mine too.”
  
  For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
  
  https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
  
  
• 
  NMmomof4

  3 Stars
  
  Opinion Breakdown
  The Good: The premise and the side characters.
  
  The Not-So-Good: The h. She was portrayed as this strong under the surface chick, but I didn't like how she completely checked out multiple times. Especially with her dad! It was kind of annoying tbh even though in the end she did what she needed to.
  
  The Bad: The lack of conflict. They have outside forces causing conflict, but as for their relationship it was pretty smooth sailing throughout (even thought the h pushed away very little at one point). I think this made it a little too fluffy for me, especially considering this was a mafia romance.
  
  Overall: This was alright. I liked their overall connection, but I think it needed that conflict between them because it was too easy.
  
  Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Gemma and Matteo's story. Gemma just got married to one of her father's business associates when she meets Matteo and they kiss. When her new husband ends up dead the same night as her wedding and her family is making a new announcement, she is shocked that it is her cousin and best friend that is now being married off but this time to Matteo. When her cousin gets taken captive, Matteo takes Gemma captive in exchange. There are some lines that are crossed, some personal growth, and some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
  
  Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Gemma (mostly) and Matteo's POV.
  
  Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
  
  Instalove: Not really. Instalust for sure, but they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
  
  H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Matteo. I liked him. I appreciated how he didn't hide how he cared for the h.
  
  h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Gemma. I liked her, but then I didn't (see above).
  
  Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
  
  Push/Pull: Yes The h pushes away for a while after his engagement to her cousin, and I'd say that the H is the main pursuer of the relationship
  
  Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
  
  Descriptive sex: Yes
  
  OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes The h is married to OM shortly, there is someone stalking her, and the H is engaged to her cousin/best friend
  
  Sex scene with OW or OM: Not in the typical sense Attempted rape scene
  
  Cheating: Yes, technically The h is married to OM when she meets the H and kisses him. The H is engaged to OW (h's cousin and best friend) as a business arrangement while with the h (never is with the OW)
  
  Separation: No
  
  Possible Triggers: Yes Violence/murder/assault/attempted rape (off and on page), loss of a parent (off page), and the h is a virgin (on page)
  
  Closure: This ends in a good place with what I would call a HEA ending they get married again and she's pregnant
  
  Safety: This one is probably Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences
  
  - Does technically have cheating (see above)
  - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
  - Does have the h pushing the H away
  - Does Not have a separation between the h and H
  - Does Not have abuse by mcs
  - Does have a HEA ending
• 
  A.BookNerd.Bookseller&Bibliophile.Blog

  I loved this mafia romance! I felt it was a lot light hearted than most mafia romances I’ve read…but there was a lot of hot and heavy scenes and I was totally there for it! Matteo and Gemma are fire together! I loved reading about how Gemma changed as the story went on. She went from insecure and hesitant about herself to an absolute force not to be messed with by the end! Not only that but she had such an influence on the other characters, not only Matteo but also Ash and Zeno. I hope Jasmin Miller writes more about some of the characters in this book and creates more steamy mafia romances!
  ~Alexis 💜
• 
  Vee

  3,5 stars
  
  Tropes : mafia romance, marriage of convenience
  Ending : HEA (with pregnant h)
  Triggers : violence, attempted sexual assault, death of parents
  Spice : 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
  Angst : 🔥🔥🔥/5
  OM/OW drama : yes (a little OM although it was pretty innocent but the H still got jealous)
  Celibate : sort of implied
  Kink : no condoms but the h had IUD, a little choking, possessive H, virgin h
  
  Hero : Matteo Santarossa
  Heroine: Gemma Fiore
  
  An okay mafia romance books and for me an average angst and could be considered low. The mafia aspect wasn’t explored that much, the main focus was the romance between the MCs.
  
  The ending was… I mean it might happen in real life too and the weaker person might get a beginner luck in fighting like david and goliath but it was still sth.
  
  The ending was pretty okay with the heroine pregnant.
• 
  Yesmina

  I'm tired of predictable mafia romances ....
• 
  Annesa

  I had to DNF at 60% dialogue seems immature. The FMC had no personality ,boring
• 
  Gabriella

  The first like 12 chapters were good and fine but then it just got really annoying. The main character was really annoying and immature. I liked Matteo though. I skimmed the last 4 chapters
• 
  Courtney-ReadonReader

  I am obsessed with this and would gladly volunteer to be Matteo's "passerotta" any day!! Seriously this story is the perfect mix of emotions full of mafia suspense, hot as h3ll steam, and a guy that tops all book boyfriends. Mrs. Miller has outdone herself with this story because not only am I in love with Matteo our main guy, but also Gemma is starts out as this fragile thing only to become this fierce queen. In the mafia world most marriages are arranged, and women are treated as bargaining chips to further the family names and Gemma’s father is the worse when it comes to pawning his only daughter off. Gemma deep down wants and craves the freedom she knows she will never have, but she also has never had the chance to stand her ground until fate starts to intervene in the form of Matteo. When these two first meet the attraction is instant, but Gemma is already promised to another and yet in her heart this guy has turned her life around. Matteo is this intense mafia guy that is alpha, incredibly hot, and loyal to those he cares about. When things hit the fan and Matteo gets a chance to exact his revenge plans, he wasn’t prepared for Gemma to be caught in the way, but he doesn’t hesitate to make it his job to protect and take care of her. The more time they have together, Gemma knows she should fight her attraction to him for many reasons, but the twists and turns have their bond becoming so much more. Matteo and his mouth had me falling for him well for the steamy moments but when he said something he meant it and when he would build Gemma’s confidence up when she would have moments of doubt. Gemma went from a fragile little bird to flying her cage that her father held her captive into this strong woman who wanted and took control of her own life. With so many turns the story takes I was held captive and never wanted it to end, but this will be one that I read repeatedly.
  “He’s a breathtaking masterpiece in a gray suit.”
  “He’s every I shouldn’t want; everything forbidden and wrong, yet here I am, aching for his touch like I’ve never ached for anything else in my life.”
  “…she’s a force to be reckoned with. I was sure of it before but watching that fiery side of her come to light today, breaking out of that shell she’s built around herself, was a sight to behold. And I’m going to feed that fire as much as I can, so it can continue to grow.”
• 
  Naaytaashreads

  "Promise, passerotta. No one messes with what’s mine and gets away with it still breathing."
  
  This was not my favourite as compared to her writing for Fresh Meet.
  However, I still think that the reading was enjoyable.
  Something about Jasmin Miller's writing makes it enjoyable. Not just the content of the book but the reading experience.
  
  Forbidden Freedom came in fast from the first chapter.
  It went straight in, the plotline can get quite a cliche, but it was straight to the point and had no pitstop.
  
  The spicy scenes were wow. EXTRA SPICY.
  The chemistry and attraction were explosive. I love Matteo, of course; he is a sweetheart but a freak in the sheets.
  There wasn't a lot of character development, and focused on Matteo.
  We didn't get much of both character chemistry, however, the focus was Gemma.
  I wish there were a balance of that in writing.
  
  Overall, it was an enjoyable reading experience!
  
  "Fuck me, this woman.
  My beautiful wife slayed her dragon and bathed in his blood."
• 
  Priscilla

  Gemma first met Matteo at her wedding and they shared her first kiss. They meet three weeks later, Gemma now a widow and Matteo engaged to her cousin. This book was well written and the characters were well rounded. Gemma, being a sheltered mafia princess, didn't come across as a spoiled brat and it was nice to see her grow. If this is a series, I look forward to the next book.
  
  I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
• 
  Shawna Jimenez more.books.forever

  Ma’am!!! I freaking love Matteo and Gemma!!! You are a new to me author and damn am I glad I got an arc of this bad boy! Matteo is life and Gemma is a freaking baddie! Their chemistry is off the charts and while I may have wanted to punch him in the throat a few times he seriously won me over. I love how Gemma never really backs down and gives as good as she gets. These two complete one another. The spicy scenes are chefs kiss hot and the side characters are freaking brilliant I need stories for them all but especially Zeno and Luna omg. The action the drama the twists and turn were perfect you truly have create a great story with even more amazing characters!! Loved it!! 
• 
  Mel (whilemelwasreading)

  "Talk to me."
  
  Three words. It only takes those three words for moisture to build in my eyes. I inhale deeply and shake my head. "It's nothing, I promise."
  
  "I want your nothings just as much as everything else."
  
  What You'll Find:
  ✔️Dark Mafia Romance
  ✔️Forced Proximity
  ✔️Forbidden Vibes
  ✔️Suspense & Steam
  ✔️Dual POV
  
  Gemma meets Matteo at her wedding when she thinks she's alone and in the process of cutting herself out of her wedding dress. They even share a secret kiss. Weeks later, her husband is dead, and Matteo is now engaged to her cousin. But when shots are fired, it's Gemma who is whisked away and kidnapped by Matteo.
  
  I really enjoyed this story. It had me captivated from the start, turning the pages for more. It has a ton of spice, a splash of emotion and some great suspenseful action. It features a broody dirty talking hero, and a mafia princess heroine who's just learning to find her backbone. They show much growth, but more importantly these two certainly know how to light up the pages!! There was a bit of a lull for me in the middle, hence the rating, but overall, I thought this was such a great read. I loved all the supporting characters that only added to this story. I truly hope there is much more to come, I would definitely read more if it were to become a series!
  
  *Thanks to the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and given freely.
• 
  Kate

  DNF I need to stop picking books based on covers
• 
  Briana Mae

  She was his Passerotta, a caged bird at her father’s hand. He was her liberation, an escape nurtured by the chilling, yet tender, embrace from which she found her wings. A forbidden freedom restored with a blaze of fury. And I freaking loved it!
  
  Miller strayed from all expectations to craft this suspense infused, steamy narrative about an alpha male set on helping his woman become her own hero and identify her own strength. With its stellar cast of characters and stimulating emotion, I was enthralled as I watched Gemma find her voice and fire, standing for what she wanted. The whole display was riveting and I hung upon every word. And Matteo - that man could talk dirty to me any day! 🔥 The brother-sister chaos between Matteo and Luna was top notch, and I am desperate for more Luna goodness. And Zeno. I just want more from these characters, period.
  
  By adding their own spin on a well loved trope, Miller captures a compelling opening that thrusts you deep into the conflict and fragile state that is Gemma’s fight or flight with her feelings and Matteo’s obsession, as an undeniable sexual tension sweltered between them and these two unravelled. The bounty of growth exhibited by both was naturally conveyed and I loved watching them fall in love with one another and interact with those around them, in every beautiful and ugly way.
  
  Delicious, dirty, and deviant, Gemma and Matteo elevated the standards for mafia romance and delivered tension and chemistry by the bucketful. There is nothing typical, and everything to love, about this latest hit from Jasmin Miller!
  
  🖤 forbidden romance
  🖤 only one bed
  🖤 forced proximity
  🖤 mafia tension
  🖤 a broody hero
  
  I received an advanced copy thanks to the author, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
• 
  Kim Lewis

  Gemma and Matteo are my new favorite couple! This was the first book I read by Jasmin Miller and it was a good one. I loved watching Gemma come out of her cage throughout the book. There’s really nothing better than watching a FMC bloom into such a fierce woman. And can we talk about the spice?! Perfection!
• 
  Muna

  It was just so boring and predictable
  
  Also no way I’ve read this author before. I never woulda guessed it until I saw she added a preview of her less dark books at the end of this one
• 
  Tristin Booth

  The plot was ehh and it really wasn’t anything special tbh, the only good thing is the character development for the girl main character gemma
• 
  lowkeyreader

  This is the first mafia romance by Jasmin and it was just as wonderful as her romcoms. Gemma and Matteo captivated me right from the start but I couldn't put it down even if I tried. For me, it's a different kind of storyline than other mafia romances I've read. And that's why their story is so interesting. These two are just so freaking delicious! I couldn't get enough. I absolutely loved this book. I hope Jasmin is going to write more mafia romances. I'm looking forward to it.
• 
  Alé the feral reader

  5⭐️
  4🌶️
  
  Trope: mafia romance, “good girl,” touch her and you’re dead, one bed trope, male simp behavior
  
  Triggers: mafia, emotional abusive parents, manipulation, attempted r@pe, mürder, sh00ting
  
  This was my first mafia romance book and like HOT. FUCKING. DAMN. The plot (bit cheesy sometimes)✅ The MFC✅ The mafia love interest man✅ The action✅ The smut✅✅ Like all other mafia romances have some shoes to fill cause I loved this book. I legit got sucked into it. It’s not a literary masterpiece but I enjoyed it sm. It more progressive than I would’ve expected from mafia and I loved it. A major plot point was that the MFC (Gemma) wanted to gain independence and become her best self and the MMC (Matteo🥵😋) encourages her and creates opportunities to be that. (While also being a lil sexy, possessive piece in the bedroom zooo-weee-mama😮‍💨)
  
  So basically Gemma is the daughter of an important Italian mafia man and marries an old man for her dad’s gain. On the night of her wedding, she comes across Matteo, her new husband gets murdered, and her life takes a complete 180.
  
  The beginning was a little rushed but I was okay with it cause I like jumping right into the story. I like the way Gemma is written cause it sounds like how I think and talk (aka lots of back and forth and sarcasm).
  This book is hot. Matteo is a manly man in every way but boy does he love worshipping his lady. Not only that, he encourages her to be her best self. HOT. But like he also gets sexily possessive and I legit wanna die cause it’s sooo hot. I just enjoyed this sm. Guess she’s a mafia romance girlie now😇
• 
  Sofie Sehested

  I give this romance 4,5 stars and clap my little hands for an amazing first mafia romance from Jasmin Miller.
  
  I loved this semi kidnapping, very suspenseful plot driven and very steamy mafia romance where I sat on the edge of my seat the whole time and didn’t want to put it down.
  The only problem was that there was a bit too many long spicy scenes when I wanted the suspense so I skipped some of them. Now don’t get me wrong Jasmin Miller can write spicy scenes and I had to fan myself several times. There was just too many of them so it dragged the book a little.
  
  The heroine Gemma was such a strong character who just wished to be free of her father’s tyranny but she was stuck and couldn’t escape until Matteo kind of kidnap her. By that point on she was feisty, funny, sensual and was not afraid to be emotional. Matteo got her to open up about her life and made her feel free and protected and I loved that she asked the big mafia man Reno to teach her to protect herself and Matteo to teach her how to fight with knives and guns.
  
  Matteo was amazing as the hero. He was the man who said touch her and you die, say bad things about her and you get shot in the leg. He was so protective of her and I loved the caretaking scenes where he did everything to help her and take care of her. Normally around other people he was this stoic quiet angry man with a very bad temper but around her he was soft and sweet and funny and I loved him.
  
  The plot was amazing and it had all these twists and turns that confused me so I didn’t know who the real bad guy was. Everything was connected by some way or form and I actually recommend reading it blind so you don’t get spoiled by the synopsis.
  
  I can definitely recommend this book.
  
  I got this book by Jasmin Miller and this is my honest opinion and my voluntary review.
• 
  Bonny Read

  Loved both characters and their relationship. Great story!
  
  This is billed as a dark Mafia story, but in truth the only dark is the h's father, and other outside sources.
  
  This is a story about a young woman (Gemma), who lost her mother at a young age and was left alone with her domineering father. Dad has no use for a daughter except for the connection she can afford him through a marriage contract. He has no concern for her safety, well being or happiness. She's just a commodity. Over the years she's found it easier to comply with all his wishes and now finds it hard to stand up to him.
  
  It's about a young woman who finally comes into her own, learns how to protect herself and say no to her father. I love that the H (Matteo) sees the rebellion hidden in her and nutures it; slowly bringing out her inner bada$$. Love how he shows her respect and teaches her to fight, how to shoot a gun and use a knife. And love the way they fall in love.
  
  While all the bad is happening around them, the stuff between Matteo and Gemma is sweet and hot. All the angst comes from outside sources and not the relationship. I love stories like this. And I think you will love both characters.
• 
  morganinpages

  This book is still as good as the first time I read it!! I mean the spice, tension, and just the cuteness was absolutely EVERYTHING! I absolutely love how they literally liked eachother from the very beginning and were honestly just so cute. I loved that Matteo knew he wanted her so he took her. This book honestly had me hooked from the beginning and was just a fun, and cute mafia book overall! I really hope ash has a book!!
• 
  piper 🌿

  4.5
• 
  al

  i had to stop halfway through the book
  it was too cringe-
• 
  Sanya Sadiq

  Book: Forbidden romance
  
  Summary: Gemma catches her new husband cheating on her just an hour after they recite their vows she goes to her hotel room where she notices a stranger in her room who introduces him self as a friend of her husbands. Ohh la la the kiss between them!! Her new husband 🤬 I hate these mafia men who think they can do whatever they want to do even being unfaithful:/ Her new husband is 💀 kinda glad tbh 🤣 is it bad that I’m happy?? She deserved so much better. Should have punched Aunt Maria!! Urghhh I hate when woman try to tear each other down. Matteo 🥰 there’s so much sexual chemistry between these two 🥵 I’m already shipping them together. I love a woman who knows what she wants and she wants Matteo to do something to her 😬🥵. OH NO 🤬 he’s getting married to her cousin!! Him asking for a second round with Gemma hah trust him to say something like that. I’m getting creepy vibes from Frederico. What the hell just happened?? Gemma was shot at. I love how he protected her and not the woman he’s actually going to marry! SHIT her cousins been taken by the Russians. He’s going to keep Gemma around until Ally’s found. By then he’s going to have fallen madly and deeply in love with her. The I’m going to give you a sponge bath scene and her trying to sniff herself was sooo cute ☺️ him caring and looking after her he’s so bossy LOVE IT 🥰 it was nice of Luna to pack a book aswell it’s what Gemma needed an escape into the book world. You can see the care in the little things Matteo does for her cutting up her chicken in small pieces. Her dad is a piece of work 😡 okay what’s going on?? Sneaky Ally was with Nikolai I’m hoping there’s a story for these two I know it’s going to be amazing so many good characters in this book I need a book for them all:) I can’t get over Matteo he is so caring towards her the way he was helping her in the shower 😊 The way he asked her about her scar and what happened so he can find out who it was and 🔪 them for her. Gemma has been through so much her dream about being attacked felt so real until she smelt orange and linked that with Matteo. He was so gentle with her. JEALOUS Matteo I’m loving it!!
  I’m gonna say it again hate her dad :/ I can see Gemma wants more out of life then looking pretty and being a wife. I 🤬 love a jealous man eeeeeeks 🤣 Matteo is jealous with a capital J!! Love that his friends know that he likes Gemma and he doesn’t have a clue 🤣 there’s so much sexual tension between these two I’m all for it. These are 🥵 fanning myself. Matteo’d after Valdamir because he thinks he killed his cousin I wonder how true that is? She loves dirty talk and he has a filthy mouth 😳 Gemma’s friendship with her cousin is really sweet I’m glad they have each other to lean on. I really really like Luna she’s crazy can’t believe she sent Gemma a vibrator 🤣 Gemma made her grumpy man laugh 🥰 and she finds him beautiful. Matteo showing her how to shoot so she can look after her self is the cutest thing I’ve heard. He’s so caring and protective towards her always putting her needs first. Her necklace and the meaning behind it damn you Matteo making me love you more and more with each chapter. What the hell is wrong with her dad? Just selling her off anytime it suits him 🤬 I’m glad she’s with Matteo and he’ll look after her. The little things he does for her that shows you how much he’s gone to care for Gemma 😊 We all know Matteo’s never going to let her marry anyone she’s his. When he told her he’s breaking off the engagement with Ally and asked her to marry him SWOON this man has my heart ❤️ I knew it I knew it!! Frederico gave me the bad vibes at the beginning. He got what he deserved. Gemma was sooooo strong the way she handled him. Kinda glad the Matteo and Zeno trained her up to become this strong version of herself. YES she good up to her dad and hah she 🔪 him he deserved a lot more tbh but you get what you get. Another wedding dad for my baby’s which they deserve 😊 they’re pregnant they’re going to make such good parents my babies I’m so glad they got their happy ending. I need more books!! I need Ally, Luna, Zeno and Ash’s books now!!!
  
  Rating:
  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5
  🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3/5
  
  Trope:
  •Marriage of convenience
  •Mafia romance
  •Age Gap
  •Protective MMC
  •Enemies to lovers
  
• 
  averyyyyyy

  Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
  
  CW: toxic familial relationships, murder, kidnapping, sexual abuse, threats and other kinds of violence
  
  Well, damn. I discovered Jasmin Miller through her Kings of the Water series and fell in love with her stories. So to have Jasmin release a mafia romance and rock my socks off with should have been expected. I don’t read a lot of mafia romances, but I can tell you that I absolutely devoured and loved this one. There were times when I had to force myself to slow down so I didn’t finish it all in one go and then want to read it all over again! Gemma and Matteo, all of the supporting characters—blew me away.
  
  In Forbidden Freedom, you’ll find:
  ✨ a mafia princess with zero freedom
  ✨ a man on a revenge path
  ✨ forbidden romance, obviously
  ✨ forced proximity
  ✨ a very hot and very protective hero
  ✨ a fun group of friends
  ✨ banter and steam
  
  Gemma is the only daughter of a mafia boss and he has spent her whole life grooming her to be the perfect mafia wife. But Gemma wants more. However, every time she fights against her father, he makes her life hell. The book starts with her wedding day, where she meets a handsome stranger who completely knocks her off her feet with one of the hottest kisses of her life. But her father’s plans don’t go as he hoped when Gemma’s brand new husband winds up dead. Weeks later, Gemma is at a family event when she runs into the handsome stranger again and he steals a moment with her in the restroom moments before news about who he is drops in her lap and a firefight breaks out, knocking Gemma down. When she comes to, she’s being taken care of by Matteo, a man promised to her cousin and a man she can’t bring herself to resist.
  
  Seriously, the first few chapters of the book were a great combination of so hot and so stressful. But I loved every minute of it. When Matteo and Gemma are forced into hiding to keep her safe while the mafia figures out how to get back one of their own while also getting revenge, everything starts to change. I loved the push and pull between these characters. I enjoyed watching Matteo fight every bit of attraction he has towards Gemma and how she struggled to make sense of the life she’s been thrust into. They come from different worlds and are complete opposites, but together, they find that sense of comfort and love that neither of them were looking for.
  
  “Grumpy and growly Matteo is a sight to behold and absolute fire, but laughing and happy Matteo is blindingly gorgeous. Whereas the first version of him can get my panties wet with a glance, this new version of him dissolves them into thin air.”
  
  I loved how Matteo encouraged Gemma to be more than she’s always been and I enjoyed watching her unravel him bit by bit. The nicknames and the pining and the mutual appreciation of each other was definitely winning all of the points. I liked that while their relationship is complicated, neither of them care what anyone else will say because their feelings for each other is bigger than everything else. The chemistry, oof. The steam, double oof. All of that was good, but it was the emotional bond and the connection they built together that really did it for me. I loved watching them fall in love, without ever once saying the words. The way they communicated, the conversations they shared and the relationship they built…*chef’s kiss*
  
  I don’t know if this is going to be a series, but Jasmin, I really hope we get a Luna/Zeno story because I am shipping the hell out of those two!