Closer than Blood

Book 4 of Switchblade Romance by Jayne Lockwood/Lady Jaguar.

Before everything, let's appreciate this cover, and the model who beautifully personifies Richard. 😍❤️🌶️❤️‍🔥

I’m baffled, speechless, and sad! Let me explain. Baffled, because the story is brilliant. Speechless, because the characters blew me away. Sad, because even though the book is a standalone, I should have known better and started from the beginning! Ties that Binds is a mafia romance that gets darker with every page you turn, keeping you captivated and on your toes. It’s written in 4 POVs. Each has their own strong voice, making it impossible to get lost between switches.

Richard Mason is now my favorite book boyfriend, badass, alpha CEO billionaire. He’s a cold-hearted, ruthless to the core, and sarcastic man, but underneath all that rough façade, there’s a volcano of emotions ready to explode. Lots of regrets and dreams dwell in him, and now that his life as a mobster gave him a break, his demons resurfaced mercilessly, taking him into a road of self destruction, self doubt, and fears, even though he’s surrounded by people who love him.

Tino, his husband, is the sweetest man ever, but a force to reckon with. He is there for Richard, body, heart, and soul. He knows his needs, which buttons to push, and holds him tight when he crumbles. There is also Pagan, Richard’s ex, a woman with a lot of strength, an excellent mother with a caring nature. Marcus, her husband, loves her dearly, but holds a crush for Tino. He’s assertive, he doesn’t back down, and fights for what he wants and his family. And there’s also Gino, Pagan and Richard’s son. A cute 7-year-old with a heart of gold, and sometimes the adult in the middle of the chaos.

It’s a beautiful read with strong and well-built characters. A solid plot with lots of twists you don’t see coming, and if you don’t start with book one, it will really blow your mind. Their polyamorous relationship is passionate, with plenty of smut and BDSM, but it’s also a bucket full of gore, self-harm, breakdowns, and drug addiction. A wild ride into the bowels of human nature and mental health. In the end, it shows us how we can come back from hell when you have the right supportive people on our side, people who love us regardless of our faults, granting us the redemption we need.

Dive into this tale of darkness, angst, and self destruction when the only road to salvation is to trust your loved ones and forgive yourself. Ties that Bind is the last book of Switchblade Romance. The story is a standalone, but do yourself a favor and go for the entire saga. You won’t regret it.