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Review: The Mastermind by Zara Cox
The Mastermind
Zara Cox
Mafia Rivals Series, Book 2
344 pages, Kindle Edition
July 8, 2025, by Boldwood Books
Dark secrets, fast cars, filthy lust…your new mafia romance obsession 🖤🏎️ Ruthless Underboss. Clever Mastermind. Sworn Rival.
Just a handful of reasons why I should hate Cesare Salvatore, heir to the Salvatore Sicilian mafia throne. Other reasons? His insanely gorgeous face. How hot he looks in his Formula One race suit. The feral look in his eyes when he’s pounding his enemy into the ground… But as a Mancinelli, I abide by one family Stay away from the Salvatores.
Betrayal. Forbidden Attraction. Vendetta Ignited.
Cesare believes there’s a traitor in his crew…put there by me. He’ll uncover the truth by any means, including blackmailing me into his bed. What he doesn’t know is I’ve crushed on him since high school; have craved his blood-stained hands on me since one mistake sparked a lust-hate relationship. Discovering he’s equally hot for me risks re-igniting a family vendetta and unearthing brutal decades old secrets many have been killed for. Can we stop before sparks turn to inferno? Because if it does? Forget Romeo & Juliet. Our forbidden attraction will destroy empires.
An enemies-to-lovers dark mafia story full of dark secrets, fast cars, filthy lust and deceit. Perfect for fans of Kylie Kent, Sadie Kincaid and Penelope Sky.
4 Stars
I am a sucker for a good mafia romance. Always have been and always will be. Zara Cox definitely caught my attention with The Mastermind.
We may start off a little bit on the slow side, but let me tell you, we definitely pick it up for a fast pace edge of your seat story. Mafia meets Formula One racing. Not only are they rivals by their family names, they’re arrivals on the track as well. Cesare Salvatore is a race car driver and the heir to his family legacy. Maddelena Mancinelli is the daughter Mancinelli family head and over sees the running of their racing team. The two arrivals by birth, but yet have this crazy irresistible attraction to one another. Their relationship borders on hate and lust. When they find out, they have a mole on their team, Cesare goes to every length to get to the bottom of what is going on. Even if that means taking the one person that he feels, he can get the answer answers from. Maddelena is one tough cookie, she will see toe to toe with the best of them. yet she has two weaknesses, one feeling things for a man that she should never want to and something completely beyond her control, which could totally destroy her family.
I really enjoyed The Mastermind. Zara Cox puts a nice twist on the typical mafia romance. The addition of F1 racing almost made this book move at break next speed once we got going. It’s a darker modern day inspired by Romeo and Juliet type of story that caught me off guard in the best possible way.
Review: High by Zara Cox
High
Zara Cox
Indigo Lounge Series, Book 1
Welcome to The Indigo Lounge, the scandalously sexy sky-high playground where anything can happen…
Flirty, dirty and utterly delicious, HIGH is the perfect next read for lovers of the internationally renowned This Man series from Jodi Ellen Malpas & Sylvia Day’s Crossfire series.
Zachary Savage is a man accustomed to getting whatever and whoever he wants. He’s buried his demons and risen from the ashes to become the playboy owner of the internationally renowned Indigo Lounge, a fleet of ultra-exclusive sky-high pleasure palaces.
He has everything he wants, until he sets eyes on Bethany Green. One look is all it takes ~ she has to be his.
Bethany Green has endured the worst year of her life; bad luck and heartbreak at every turn. Karma swings wildly in her favour when a money-can’t-buy golden ticket lands in her lap – an invitation to experience the scandalously sexy Indigo Lounge for herself.
Green by name and green by nature, is she brave enough to accept the hottest ticket in town?
One glimpse of Zachary Savage is enough to convince her that she isn’t cosmopolitan enough to play in his glamorous, sinfully sexy world. But they’re already in the air, and reality is a long way behind them. The only way is up.
The Indigo Lounge. Step aboard and check your inhibitions at the door.
3.5 Stars
Zachary is a luscious, semi recluse billionaire. Hes got the money and power. The means and knowledge to get what he wants, when he wants it. Dominate and commanding, with a caring side that gives this powerful man a touch of a sweet side with his madden passion.
Bethany is a sweet woman embarking on a wicked adventure. She surprised me with her wild side lurking beyond the surface. She learns that instance, intense, chemistry can make a girl go weak, keep her head fuzzy and fall fast and hard. Giving all of herself has her wanting a bit more than pleasure.
High leaves readers with a major cliffhanger. Just when you think your going to get what you want to know, bam! Leaves you hanging with your jaw dropping. I didn’t see a real conclusion to this part of the story. Add in the leaving reader where the author did, I took away a star from this highly erotic read.
Coffee Books Life 