Book Review – Footsteps (Pagano Family #1) – Susan Fanetti

I’ve been obsessed with this author since I read a couple of books in her Biker Series. The first two books in that series remain my favorite of the year and so when I read that she’d written a mafia series, I couldn’t wait to read it!

Footsteps is the story of Carlo Pagano… of those Paganos as they’re known all over Providence. See, his family is made of two sides, his father who leads a legitimate business and his father’s uncles who are in the Mafia. Carlo is an architect and not involved in either businesses. He has his own firm which is looking to work with the richest man in Providence – James Auberon. However, on the night he meets Auberon, he realises that there is a darker side to him… one connected to how he treats his wife Sabina. Another fateful meeting with the beautiful Sabina and Carlo knows he has to save her, even if he has to involve his uncles to do it.

As I said, I am very addicted to Susan Fanetti’s books at the moment. She is such a natural in the way she pulls you in… the writing is easy and engaging, yet with dark undertones that she does not shy away from. Be it brutal rape scenes or Mafia related activities, the author lays them out for the reader. Yet the dark scenes are surrounded by so much light… so much family, so much positivism. It’s truly beautiful to read.

I immediately rooted for Carlo and Sabina. It was really nice to meet and love the Paganos… it’s in the easy way she describes each character that you feel these people must exist somewhere. I devoured the book… I did. I enjoyed huge chunks of it… BUT… I didn’t fall in love with the book the way I expected to. The sex scenes lacked the heat that I’ve come to associate with this author. They were… sweet. That’s how I’d describe them. Sweet.

The storyline itself was such a gem. I was intrigued by James’ plans for his wife and couldn’t wait to see how it would all be handled. Yet instead of delving deeper into the grit as she did in her other series, the author chose an ‘it’s been taken care off by the uncles’ route. So while the reader finds out what happens, he/she is not a part of the action. It was a classic case of ‘tell not show’ which was disappointing to me.

While her biker books are the best in their genre, her Mafia ones aren’t… at least not judging from book #1. That being said, I’m jumping into the next book. There’s something about how wholesome these books are, how well written, how unassuming they are… there’s just something about them that makes me want to read on.

3.5 stars.

Amazon Buy Link – Footsteps by Susan Fanetti