This is a spoiler-free review! Savage Royals is currently available for free on iBooks and Kindle.
I am an absolute sucker for an arranged marriage trope, even more so when it's a mafia book. With both of our main characters being involved in different mafia families, I knew the tension would be off the charts. And this book absolutely delivered. They are shooting at each other one minute and screwing each other the next, and I ate it up.
The dynamic between Dante and Sienna is fantastic -- both of them do not want to be married to each other, but they have no say in the matter as their fathers have decided it would be best for them to get hitched in an effort to unify their families. Each having their own agenda, they are already at each other's throats from the moment they first met, and it keeps getting better once they are wed.
"She's my wife" Oh I am literally doing somersaults across the room. Absolutely love how much Dante was defending and protecting Sienna despite the fact that neither of them wanted to be married to each other. Even though they can barely keep their hands off of each other -- whether that be because they're fighting or screwing -- their obvious attraction keeps them on their toes. I loved reading Dante's POV because we were able to see how much he cares for Sienna and how much she infuriates him in the best way possible. He had so many fun one liners and great dialogue that made him an excellent main character alongside Sienna.
We do have some mentions of side characters here and there throughout the book -- Sienna's friends and Dante's younger brother, Killian -- but they do not have too much involvement in the plot, with the small exception for Killian, who is usually getting into trouble. There are definitely more interactions with side characters in the beginning of the book compared to the end, but I think that was just the right amount of involvement before it was able to overshadow Sienna and Dante's relationship.
Sienna is much more involved in her family's affairs compared to Dante, and we see that a lot when Dante's father continues to keep him at a distance when it comes to business, whereas Sienna's father has her in the know about everything that is going on between families. The difference in their own family dynamic definitely is reflected in their relationship once they are married -- Sienna seems a little more open to having Dante know some things about her, whereas Dante is much more reserved and always thinking that Sienna is hiding something from him.
The smut scenes were great and were almost always following a scene of Dante and Sienna going at each other, usually because Sienna was trying to kill Dante over something. They fell into the plot well and did not seem out of place or just there for shock factor, and had me giggling and kicking my feet as I read them.
I really like the way that Sienna and Dante team up somewhat against their better judgement in order to solve the situation that arises after they are married. Both were so convinced that they would not get involved with the other and work on their own plan, but of course they would end up teaming up in the end.
Fans of When it Raynes by Montana Fyre and mafia romance readers will definitely enjoy this fast-paced first installment in the Bloody Kingdom series.
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