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Penelope Black

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Gilded Princess: A Dark Mafia Romance (Five Families Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Penelope Black (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.3 3,576 ratings

Book 1 of 4: Five Families

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★☆ AN AMAZON TOP 400 BESTSELLER ★☆

When I was little, I was obsessed with fairytales. My dad told me the stories of the stars and white knights who rescue princesses. I’d wear a silver plastic crown and stare at the sky, waiting for the day my knight in shining armor would come.

Then my dad died, my crown broke, and my mom shipped my sister and me off to boarding school.

And then I met them.
My knights.
Only they’re nothing like the fairytales I grew up on. They’re wrapped in sin and shrouded in darkness. Bossy, protective, alphaholes.

And heirs to the Italian mafia.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B091BFKGXJ
Publisher ‏ : ‎ (July 14, 2021)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 14, 2021
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 971 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 298 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #22,917 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #320 in Enemies to Lovers Romance eBooks
- #1,211 in New Adult & College Romance (Kindle Store)
- #1,497 in Billionaire Romance

Customer Reviews:
4.3 3,576 ratings

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Penelope Black

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Penelope lives in the Midwest with her husband and two tiny humans and enjoys over-the-top action movies, iced chai lattes, and soaking up the sun in her backyard.

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4.3 out of 5

3,576 global ratings

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Kindle Customer

Holy smokes!!!

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2024

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In "Penelope Black's Gilded Princess," readers are taken on a thrilling journey through the world of dark mafia romance. The story unfolds with multiple love interests, a captivating mob boss character, and intense romantic scenes that leave a lasting impression. As the plot thickens, the book skillfully keeps readers on the edge of their seats, culminating in a cliffhanger that leaves them yearning for more. Penelope Black's masterful storytelling weaves together complex relationships and a steamy atmosphere, making this a must-read for fans of passionate, suspenseful romance tales.

One person found this helpful

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Alicia S

HOLY CLIFFHANGER BATMAN!

Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2023

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Gilded Princess (Book 1 of An Italian Mafia Romance) by Penelope Black

4/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️

HOLY FREAKING SSHHHHHHHHH

This book was a roller coaster. At first I wanted to DNF, then something would happen and I’d be hooked and wouldn’t be able to stop reading, then I would want to DNF and then it would happen again.

I am a huge fan of reverse harems and very happy with how this book is set up. I knew that the men in this book were linked somehow, and there were some hints that you may forget - and then the final sentence (a cliff hanger) literally had me GASPING. I audibly gasped.

I truly love that the main female lead is a redhead. I love feeling that I am represented in some form in a book so that it’s easier for me to envision that I could be her. Maddie is strong, fierce and she truly took my breath away. I rooted for her for taking her sexuality into her own hands and not letting primal men tell her what she could and couldn’t do with it.

The twists and turns of this book made it SO worth the read. The only reason I deducted the star rating was because of the roller coaster of wanting to DNF and the storyline taking a bit to take form. I’m also not sure if I started a new series off of the back of another but Lainey’s story line seems to come from another series and it is truly confusing to me, so I think that’s why I had to deduct the star.

📚

7 people found this helpful

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SHAWNA JIMENEZ More.books.forever

Another Winner & Great Start to New Series

Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2021

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Gahhhhh Penelope Black what are you doing to me!!! Once again you blow my mind with not only your amazing characters but your amazing storylines!

Italian Mafia ✔️
Reverse Harem ✔️
Fierce FMC ✔️
Sexy AF Mafia Men ✔️
Mystery ✔️

I am so excited we are getting Maddie’s story she is honestly a true romantic and her and Matteo have a past and her hurt her. Now they are thrown back together and of course the sparks are still there but enter Dante and Leo… along with our mystery man Aires! Maddie has attraction to them all and why the heck not! This is just the beginning of this new series and I feel like we have barely scratched the surface with what is going on. The chemistry between all these characters the sexual tension and the push/pull is phenomenal. I love that we get all the action, drama and mystery to keep us guessing and on the edge of our seat from the very beginning. I cannot wait for the next book In The series because that freaking Cliff hanger was a shocker I never saw coming! Highly recommend you grab this one and if you haven’t read The Brotherhood Series grab that too!!

4 people found this helpful

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Kristin

Not the best but I did finish it

Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2021

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While I did finish the book and will attempt to finish the second book - I really struggled with what to rate this book, especially given the high ratings it already has.

First, this book has characters from another series and references them quite a bit so definitely read at least Lainey’s story before this one. If you don’t, you’ll feel just as confused as I was. While I wait for the second book to come out, I’ll probably read those and hoping it puts some of my issues with this book to rest. I do believe this shouldn’t be read as a stand alone right now though.

Im not sure how I feel about the FMC. I like her personality. She seems like the high society version of girl next door. A romantic who is kind to everyone. I get her cousin has a harem so it’s not a totally new concept to her, but Maddie going from a die hard romantic looking for her knight to talking about having a harem of her own doesn’t feel authentic. I get her wanting to make changes to how she’s lived her life… not wanting to just date one person… but the references to making her own harem like her cousin just felt rushed. And then her reaction to Leo’s mob confession.

I also want to like the troupe that’s building… Dante, Leo, Matteo and Aries. But again, there are some issues here. Leo’s actions and words when he sees Maddie at Matteo’s are easily forgiven under the circumstances. So far, he’s my favorite of all the guys. Matteo definitely gives off stalker vibes with having her followed and updates on her for two years after he broke up with her. Don’t know enough about Dante or Aries to really have an opinion, but Dante giving in to physical temptation with his “best friends girl” after a few days when he’s been insistent for years that Matteo can’t keep her… without his POV - it doesn’t feel right.

- If you take out the excessive descriptions of places and clothing that have no bearings on the actual story and the incessant inner dialogue that repeats the same thing over and over again - you are left with a bare minimum story. Most of the actual dialogue doesn’t happen till the end.

- Despite having her followed and “protected” for two years, the two times anything major happens to Maddie - no one is there to help her? And maybe her kidnapping is explained in the second book or another characters series but so far it feels so far out of left field and is explained away simply as having to do with Lainey’s issues.

If you think you can get past all that because you’re here for the steamy scenes mentioned by other reviewers, know that you’ll read more about the dress she wore to lunch and what that place looked like that she went to one time than you will read about all the steamy scenes combined. Most just get interrupted before it moves past kissing and grinding.

Maybe I’m being to harsh with his review. I did finish the book which says something because I rarely finish books where I have to skip through excessive descriptions and repetitive inner dialogue, especially when that inner dialogue happens during interactions with other characters and interrupts the flow of verbal dialogue. But at the same time, I don’t understand why it has such high ratings. I had such high hopes because of those and I was let down big time.

46 people found this helpful

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aj

Great read

Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2024

Verified Purchase

I'm really enjoying these books I like that they seem intertwined. Only thing that is frustrating is that the female main characters name is not in the description. I've been trying to figure if Mary get a book it seems like the author set it up for that but I can't find them over figure out what they are.

Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2024

Verified Purchase

this ends in a cliffhanger!! I usually don't read stories without a happy ever after but the story is short enough I'll just read the second one after. it doesn't have much plot but it's interesting and kept me wondering what was gonna happen next.

One person found this helpful

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bbsbookreviews

so good

Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2024

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It’s three in the morning and I want to keep reading but I need to go to bed. I’m going to have to read at least little bit of the next book because I need to what-happened. So be warned! Get the book but know u can’t put it down.

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TT

a series I come back to

Reviewed in Canada on March 11, 2024

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Love this series. Penelope writes such delicious characters and I find myself coming back and reading again and again. Great book and well written. Definitely recommend

Kels

𝓦𝓮𝓵𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓯𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓯𝓪𝓶𝓲𝓵𝓲𝓮𝓼...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 7, 2021

Verified Purchase

𝐀𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬...Lets start at the end. what in the loving hell... 𝐌𝐘 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐆... actually 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬.

The mystery that laces the pages of this book will leave your heart fluttering. The chemistry, passion & desire is unfrigginreal add in the twists and turns and holymotherofgod you'll be reeling for more.

"𝐌𝐲 𝐤𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬.
𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐈 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐧. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬. 𝐁𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐲, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐚𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬."

Seeing Maddie's character grow and develop and ultimately exploring her own true self is beautiful and real. Maddie has always captivated as a character but damn she is fire.

"𝐒𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐮𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐦, 𝐫𝐚𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐳𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫."

Aries, the mysterious man and element to this is breathtaking. I LIVE for this encounters which are utterly mesmerising! Leo, Dante & Matteo gahh leave you panting for more. They are utterly gorgeous men. But my lips are sealed.

Penelope has absolutely knocked it out the park for the first book in this series and i am left in book hangover mode!

2 people found this helpful

Catherine Leigh

Great read

Reviewed in Australia on September 22, 2021

Verified Purchase

I enjoyed this book, it’s really intriguing- lots of suspense and unknown and also hot AF tattooed mafia men.
I couldn’t put the book down, just had to find out what was going to happen.
Overall a great book that I throughly enjoyed.

One person found this helpful

Marisa

Great start to a new series

Reviewed in Canada on October 18, 2021

Verified Purchase

Firstly, I didn’t realize that this was a shared world with the author’s other series. This book/series can be read separately but I think reading the first one would be beneficial. After reading this book, now I want to read the first series. There’s some references but I don’t think it makes a big difference.

This book started off a bit slow as we are introduced to the characters. I like the little bit of mystery of who exactly the men were and how they were connected. Some were a little obvious, some not so much. I did like the ending because it was kind of like two cliffhangers into one. Pretty creative.

While there’s some events that I believe connected to the other series, this book has it’s own conflicts and drama. There are also a few crossovers/mentions in what I’m going to assume the third series will be about. I like how these are interconnected and give you just a little bit of a tease. Now I know I’ll be stuck reading all of the books.

I wasn’t sure initially how I felt about the book but as it went on it became faster paced and the ending has me wanting to know more.

One person found this helpful

ACE

Gets you hooooked

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 19, 2023

Verified Purchase

Loved this entry to Maddie’s story, can’t wait to read more… like, it’s 2am and I’ve just downloaded the next one more…

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Gilded Princess: A Dark Mafia Romance (Five Families Book 1) Kindle Edition

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Penelope Black

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