The calm before the storm….
Tick, Tick, Boom…..
Primo Galante lived for his
wife and kids until one day it all went up in smoke. You hit they hit back. The
Barasantis started it and the Galante’s were determined to finish it. You know
how the saying goes, “an eye for an eye.”
An all-out mafia war ensued between the two
once friends until one day everything changed. What happens when your sworn
enemy becomes the love of your life?
Genna Galante is a
wild-child. Her need to be free and independent has landed her in a bit of
trouble with the law. Her father is one of the Kings of New York and with that
comes certain privileges. Because every action has an opposite reaction Genna
has to face some tough love. Having what she thought was the worse day of her
life changed into a life changing experience. Fate intervened on Genna’s
behalf. Stuck in an elevator with the most hypnotic man she has ever seen. She
is drawn to him and he fits her father’s criteria: Italian.
“Matty” Barasanti the one that got away. He is
a myth in the streets of New York. Leaving the family business behind to attend
college. He is forced to return home and face his demons. Matty never wanted
the life that is imposed upon him. Loosing so much as a child has shaped who is
as a man.
He meets her in an elevator
a friendly wager over a game of pool is made. You can have whatever you like
and Matty choose Genna. She is unlike anyone he has ever meet. Although, their
story is one of insta-love can their love overcome a long standing family feud
written in blood?
J.M. Darhower’s new series By Any Other Name is a spin on Romeo
& Juliet, The Hatfields and McCoys with a mob element thrown in.
Genna came off as very
annoying and entitled. She had no accountability for any of her actions.
Granted she was very young in this story but being who her family was you would
think she would be more cautious. It was as if nothing else mattered besides
her relationship with Matty. For instance, in one scene her brother gets into a
full blown fight with their enemy. They are in enemy territory and instead of
trying to stay to see if her brother is ok she leaves with Matty. It has been
mentioned more than once in this story that loyalty and family is everything.
Genna’s brother Dante is her protector and best friend but to just leave him
was a betrayal. Does she not get that her father is the mob and her boyfriend
is a mob boss son? Were the risks worth the rewards? People paid for their
lives in blood due to the war and their love affair. Did this not affect the
relationship? It was never mentioned in the story. It was a few inconsistences
in this book. The characters actions mainly Genna didn’t add up with what
readers were lead to believe about this mob family.
This book dragged a bit in
certain areas. It was a few editing issues at some points I didn’t know who was
speaking. The fathers were the mob connection for this book. I wish we would
have gotten more of that because for a good portion of the story it felt like a
warped version of a young adult Romeo and Juliet book. I know the author does
use a few quotes from the Shakespearean book but the execution just wasn’t there.
After all the pain and drama
I was looking for more of an emotional reaction. Genna and Matty lost so much
but it just felt like the emotions were swept under the rug and we were reading
the next scene. The parents were more emotionally charged then the kids. I understand
that they didn’t choose this life but they acted as if their actions didn’t add
fuel to the fire. It was no self-reflection i.e. did Matty or Genna have any
doubt about continuing on with their relationship. It was just we are in love
so who cares? It wasn’t much relationship development given. The cat and mouse
game between the two in the beginning was a good chunk of the story. Towards
the end of this story it really turned around and I wanted to know more about
what was going to happen. This author writes really good mob stories that are
gritty and emotionally charged but this story lacked much of that mob element.
I hope the next book in this story focuses more on that versus the teenaged
love affair. I enjoy this author’s work and honestly look forward to the next
book in this series this story just fell a little flat for me. Please judge
this book for yourselves and not based on this one review.
