I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A woman struggling with her growing feelings for a powerful mafia don must traverse the bloody underworld of Chicago in author Nicole Fanning’s “Ignite”, the second book in the Heart of the Inferno series. 

The Synopsis

She never expected to fall in love with a mafia don.

He never expected to fall in love at all.

But will their love be enough?

Four weeks ago, Jaxon Pace, the billionaire “Don Supreme” of Chicago’s underground mafia syndicates, took a bullet.

This bullet was meant for the only girl who stole his heart, the beautiful Natalie Tyler, a simple nurse from Miami.

Overwhelmed by the horrors she witnessed in Chicago, Natalie chose to return home, leaving the broken and brokenhearted Jaxon Pace to recover on his own.

A month after her visit, Natalie’s heart still belongs to Jaxon…And you better believe The Don Supreme is coming to collect HIS woman.

But when he arrives he learns that Natalie has a little surprise for him: She is pregnant.

However, his enemies will give the happy couple no reprieve.

Especially, Jaxon’s presumed-dead ex-girlfriend, Rachel, and her psychotic brother, Michael.

They are the leaders of Chicago’s newest twisted mafia clan, the Two-Headed Dragon.

The Two-Headed Dragon has one goal: the complete destruction of the Pace Family Mafia.

If successful, they will destroy the entire mafia hierarchy that has guided Chicago’s underworld for a century, sending the city into complete chaos.

Will Natalie & Jaxon’s love be enough to defeat the dangers of the present…and the demons of the past?

Filled with exhilarating highs, steamy romance, and heart-pounding suspense, “Ignite” picks up where “Catalyst” left off, and joins our favorite mafia couple as they fight for each other in a world filled with deceit, depravity, and unspeakable darkness.

The Review

This was a truly heated, passionate, and gritty romantic suspense thriller. The way the author was able to weave the tense and engaging romance and heated scenes between Jaxon and Natalie with the haunting action and suspense that the emergence of this Two-Headed dragon gang was so engaging. The fast pace of the narrative will have readers deeply invested in the character’s journey early on. 

What was truly the heart of this read was the amazing character growth and interaction between the main characters. The intimate scenes between the two protagonists were incredibly spicy and the author did a great job of bringing these moments to life on the page. The dual nature that is explored in this book within the characters’ lives is so unique, as readers see the intensity of Jaxon’s mob life clash with his love for Natalie, while Natalie’s caring nature must come to terms with the more violent aspects of Jaxon’s life. It creates some unique drama that pairs well with the suspense of the new gang, led by truly chilling brother and sister gangsters who hold a grudge against Jaxon’s mob family. 

The Verdict

Intense, action-packed, and passionately written, author Nicole Fanning’s “Ignite” is a brilliant must-read romantic thriller! The author’s superb writing style creates engaging and entertaining storylines that help bring this world to life and the city of Chicago feels so gritty and brilliantly realized through the author’s descriptive writing style. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today! 

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Nicole is a smitten wife and super proud dog mom to three rambunctious rescue dogs.

She’s an old-school romantic, with a proclivity for a little mischief, and an obsession with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Her first book, Catalyst-Heart of the Inferno, is an action romance about the terrifying and dangerous mafia lord Jaxon Pace, and Natalie Tyler, the girl who became his only exception.