“You’re a good-looking A-hole. My wife will adore you. Can you keep an eye on her?”Responding was my first mistake.Bastard hired me to entertain her, but I only wanted him.I hate him.But God, I want him.Let’s be clear, I am not queer.I am as straight as they come. I think.I tell the lies.I keep the secrets.I hide the pain.We tango in the night.Breathe as one in the dark.Where he belongs to me.And I call him mine.We step into the light.Belonging together.Becoming us.In love. And out.On…the other side of unhappy.Every story has two sides.And this is his.
| ASIN | B09671Q4HJ |
|---|---|
| Publisher | The Sugargrove Book Company (June 22, 2021) |
| Publication date | June 22, 2021 |
| Language | English |
| File size | 5807 KB |
| Simultaneous device usage | Unlimited |
| Text-to-Speech | Enabled |
| Screen Reader | Supported |
| Enhanced typesetting | Enabled |
| X-Ray | Not Enabled |
| Word Wise | Enabled |
| Print length | 566 pages |
| Page numbers source ISBN | 1954477074 |
Gina Yingwane –
“You look at me like you’re falling into nirvana,” he whispers….. “You look at me like I mean something to you.” -Chapter 14Lucas Salvatore Raniero. The Dark Prince of Boston.Dante Alonzo Herrera. King of the Cartel. Heir to Immortal.This is their epic love affair. Their stunning fall into love. A lot of the story comes from Dante’s perspective and you will feel like you are falling in love with Sal right along side of him. It’s sweet and dare I say….normal. At least as normal as you can get with a mob boss and cartel king. 😉 Ms. Kailee delivers more of her poetic prose and extraordinary imagery as Sal and Dante take the steps most new couples do. They have history so the chemistry is already there but they are still doing the negotiating thing. There is lots of demon vanquishing and skeletons to overcome but they are incredibly patient with one another as they navigate and forge their own path.”Staring in his eyes, I confess, “You are my infinity.” -Chapter 29You must read this. As Sal says, “Be wild. Live joyously. Find happiness. If it’s lost, keep searching. Don’t quit.” Their story is unique. Its full of ups and downs but in the end, they reach for their happiness and grab hold of one another. You will swoon. You will fan yourself. You will cry. But most of all, you will smile until your face hurts. Read this! It’s a must.
Jayne Gibson –
Kailee Reese Samuels has again given me such an engaging story to lose myself in. I so appreciate her writing. I get to leave the real world behind for a time and immerse myself in her words, so well written, and the story is fascinating.As usual, I must say.Sal, the mobster’s boy and Dante, a cartel son. What an unusual and interesting combination. It’s a MM romance and one I didn’t see coming until the ending of the last book of this ongoing series. I’ve adored Sal from the first book onward; he’s one very sexy man, and I’ve always wanted him to find a more complete and uncomplicated love. Did he this time around? I’m wondering this as I write. But knowing this author like I do, doubt very much that this story is done. And I’m so incredibly happy to think that. I can’t imagine my reading world without these characters and worlds that Ms. Samuels has so expertly created.If you are a fan of dark romance, then KRS is an author you need to discover (if you haven’t already). She pens one hell of a story. She can make you laugh, scowl in anger or cry in heartache. Her words draw you in and hold you tightly until you reach the end of the book. I have never been disappointed in any of her works, and she continues to keep me enamored with her stories. Highly recommended!
Energy Rae –
This story tells Sal’s relationship with Dante from Dante’s standpoint. While we learned a lot about their journey in Forbidden Sins, this takes a deeper delve into how we got to where we are. It’s a beautiful love story, one that should have been Sal’s from the very start. I am digging this new direction Sal’s life is taking. Overall, a touching read that will open doorways in the Juliet world.
Lady Lauren Explorer –
This is different than a normal forbidden romance between two different members of a Underworld organisation! We have very prominent members of the organisation trying to figure out themselves and their love. I liked having both point of use to understand the nuances that we are getting from bts, especially their thought processes of what it means to be with each other. Then you have the fact of them coming out as a gay couple in a world where it’s highly unprecedented to be gay, especially as a leader of an organisation! Yes they’re always be flings on the side but you’ve never had this openly. I liked how real everything was especially for Dante. He didn’t even consider that what he had & is feeling for Sal wasn’t love. Here he is has never been with a guy but he knows he’s in love with Sal. This was very thought provoking and I truly loved it!
Bookish Barbi –
Kailee did such an awesome job with this MM Mafia Romance. It was such a different look and take on what most Mafia related books are, what most MM Romance books are.This book will not just give you a love story, but it will also educate you on how people feel when they are trying to figure themselves out. When they are trying to learn about themselves and what they want to share with others.Salvatore, a member of the Italian Mafia, knows what calls to his heart. It’s forbidden, it’s not accepted. But it is who he is.Dante, a member of the Cartel, married with a family, but isn’t truly happy. He’s different. But is he willing to accept that his differences could cost him everything?Mafia vs. CartelMan vs. ManLove vs. HateLove vs. LoveTwo men coming to terms with so much more than their sexuality. They have been raised to be a certain way, act a certain way….hate a certain way. The book is deep. It takes you through their minds and how they feel. I love books like this. The mafioso part is the side story but coming to terms with their sexuality is forefront.What a perfect release during Pride Month. And true to Kailee’s fashion, her characters speak in Dom/sub. This may not be what’s screaming at us when we read, but I definitely recognize it in her writing. She has so much of my respect for the way she brings it into her stories. Such as the way that Salvatore may describe Dante. Just little nuances that most readers wouldn’t pick up on. “Love doesn’t need to make sense. Love exists just because. LOVE IS LOVE. AND WHEN YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW.”
Angela Thomas –
I tell the lies.I hold the secrets.I hide the pain.This book is special almost magical. It’s not often that we get to see this side of Sal. Literally stripped down, raw, emotional and focusing on himself.Dante comes in sexy, confident and bold. Son of the Cartel a little older but has so much in common with the Dark Prince of the mob. While they slowly navigate the waters in the underworld, they are learning each other and falling in love.Something is happening between us.Something real.He feels it; I feel it.Settle in and enjoy the sexy, emotional, sometimes dark love story of the Dark Prince and the Cartel Son.Be happy, and unapologetically love.
Em Dorsey ~A Darlin Doll ~ –
“With you, I find the freedom in me.”The Other Side of Unhappy was a truly beautiful book. Sal and Dante are freaking volcanic together. I have never seen this version of Sal before. He is a TOTALLY different Sal and it was a sweet and delicious sight to behold. He deserves happiness and someone taking care of him. Seeing him happy was an amazing thing to witness. Getting inside Dante’s head and seeing his perspective was an enticing treat which made me fall a little bit harder for him. Some parts weren’t easy to read and left me a little sad and heartbroken but their love shined through. I’m not sure what the future holds but I can’t wait to find out. Highly recommend!“This love is sacred. Sal and I are a couple—an intimate, bonded-for-life pairing.”
Kindle Customer –
Don’t ever change this cover… it is the sexiest book cover EVER!!!It was amazing living the awakening from Dante’s perspective. This is a loving awakening of who Sal and Dante are individually and as a couple. It is time for happiness and growing up with love and a partner who has your back and front. Time to leave the sadness, darkness and abuse behind and grasp onto a future that is bright and full of light.All about the Sal and now Dante too!
Kmount5740 –
💚KU Read💛I have not read any of the other books involving Salvatore. I have read Beautiful Things Evil People Do (BTEPD) and got a few glimpses of him. I did not feel like I was missing anything while reading this book. I was surprised about his relationship with Deacon. They seemed happy in BTEPD.Salvatore is a Mobsters sonDante is a Cartel sonThey are sworn rivals.Have never liked each other, even though they have known each other most of their lives.Until he hires Dante to entertain his wife IrisStory: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Spice: 🥵🔥🥵🔥Enjoyment: 4/5Dark Level: 3/5Violence: yesSeries: standaloneCliffhanger: NoKU: Yes
S. Abrams –
4.8 stars“I can offer you my hand, my arm, my life…but I can’t make it anymore real for you than it is at this moment. We need time. Time to grow. Time to blossom into something more. To be more than a refraction we need the reflection.”From beginning to end this is one powerful storyline that brings the message of you cannot choose who you love and that it is one strong force that cannot be torn asunder. Dante is the son of a Cartel mobster who has taken a shine to Salvatore (Sal,) The Dark Prince of the Boston mafia. These two characters just permeate your bones as their relationship grows revealing their growing pains and their triumphs. The descriptions painted by the author only add to the heightened anticipation to try and gauge what will happen next. There are some parts that are challenging to read as their journey will leave an ache in your heart and overall, you may feel as if you are on a roller coaster with the emotions that are evoked as the pages turn. If you are looking for a storyline with complex characters and steam that is dark and raw, this is a must read.Also included is a takeaway for living one’s life – “If you do this every day or once a blue moon, I don’t care. I just want you—whole, happy, and true to your colors.”
jc –
“Sometimes we find a light in someone that makes our whole world brighter. You are that light for me.”Lucas Salvatore Raniero and Dante Alonzo Herrera. Two dominant alpha men one steamy, erotic, heartache to healing loving romance.Wow..this one left me needing a minute and time to process. I thought I knew my Sal, I thought I knew where things were headed and who was with him…I WAS WRONG! Once again KRS blew my mind and my heart so much so that I really am speechless. This is true raw emotional heartbreak and healing and coming out your true self with accepting how to be truly happy. Love is never easy especially when it is with someone who is supposed to be your rival enemy and a man. Can Sal really trust to give not only his heart but the two most important things to him, his little girls. Dante, omg where did he come from! Reading this from his pov was what captured my heart and confirmed all of the reasons why I fell in love with him. His patience, nurturing and love for Mae & Ariella was off the charts heartwarming. His total acceptance of a broken Sal and standing by him every step of the way all while Sal was hurting, healing and coming to love himself and Dante was pure love at its finest. Where this journey is taking us next is anyone’s guess but I am strapped in and enjoying one hell of a ride!!❤
Meghan K. (Books2lovenow) –
The Other Side of Unhappy is a great read. Your really exipernce the joy of two men that don’t consider themselves gay coming together and accepting the freedom of living the way you really are.Both Sal and Dante are wonderful characters. Although, both contain parts of stereotypical gal mean in their personalities neither is a stereotypical gay man. In fact, the are written with great depth and nuisance. All sides of their personalities are given a moment to shine in the story and it really added to my enjoyment of the read.Sal and Dante are men that grew up in and are part of the Mafia world, so be warned there is violence, discussions of rape, drug use, and child abuse. Plus both men dealing with prejudice in the Mafia world against gay men but especially with their fathers. The Other Side of Unhappy is not always a comfortable read but that adds to the emotional punch of the story and your joy for Sale and Dante when the get their HEA.One last comment the side characters are incredibly well written from Iris, to Dom, and even Sal’s daughters.This is a book you need to dive into. Give up your preconceived notions of gay relationships and just enjoy Sal and Dante’s journey.I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
Michelle V. –
Wow… Kailee Reese has done it again and given us a heartbreakingly beautiful MM romance with characters to love. I don’t know about the rest of you but I can’t seem to get enough of Sal and Dante and I loved getting to know more about them. These two go on quite a journey of love and what a roller coaster ride of emotions. The Other Side of Unhappy is one of those books that no matter what happens you just keep reading to find out how the story ends. I can’t wait to read the next fantastic book by this brilliant author.
bebea –
This Sal…the pretty boy, sparkly diva, gardener of a daddy. The paradoxes that makes him larger than life and so lovable increase with this new chapter of his life. I have read everything Kailee has written, but this one slapped me in the feels a little bit differently – and it’s all because of how relatable her characters are, even within the grand story that is beautifully woven throughout the Juliette saga. My favorite part of this story is the peeks we’re given into the thought process of Sal – it just served to deepen his character. And Dante!!! Finally a love for Boston that i can like! Ha! And that’s the thing about this entire series – you will find yourself yelling at the pages because of how someone is treating your favorite, crying with or for another, and feeling like this is the world you should be living in instead of your own dreary one.
Jackie –
Y’all this book! This is a MM erotic romance with BDSM notes and the criminal underworld. If that doesn’t suit you, move along.If that sounds interesting to you, dive right into this slightly dark at times, coming into ones own story! If you’ve never read KRS before, understand you are not starting at the beginning, but you can 100% still love this book and it’s characters. It’s Sal’s dynamic world, and you’ll love getting lost in it!For fellow KRS readers, this is a treat! Less game and strategy in exchange for Sal dropping all his emotional walls and laying his soul bare for another. Sit back and enjoy as Dante becomes the best medicine for Sal’s broken heart.
Jenny B –
I loved this book and the insights it provided between the characters and seeing the characters in such a raw and vulnerable way. This is a great MM read packed with all the feels which had me laughing and loving all the heat packed in this read. Truly this was a book about these two characters I wasn’t expecting
75_SweetestBook –
This is amazing dark love story between MM romance. This is about a Dark Prince and the Cartel Son. This was so beautiful written and has you melting into this intense read.
Sara Callaway –
I didn’t know that this was the exact book that I needed. This is a side of Sal that I have never seen before but I love it. In comes Dante and is everything that Sal needs at this time and it was intense and raw. Another great book like always, I can’t wait to read the next one.
Ashley –
WOW!! A stunningly epic love story! Dante and Sal’s tale took me on an emotional roller-coaster ride. I did not want to get off of. This is my first book from Kailee Reese Samuels, and it will definitely not be my last!
Jennifer Zapata –
Another great book from Kailee! This is about Sal and Dante and is absolutely worth reading! You can’t help who you love, and these two are definitely right for each other. Highly recommend reading this book as well as all of her other books!
Jaime Reynolds –
The author shows how brilliant of a storyteller and writer she is. You read with the anticipation of what could happen next. Just when you think one thing, bam she takes you somewhere else and your mind is blown. You become absorbed in these characters and their story that you feel every darn thing. Sal is one complex character that I can never get enough of. The ups and downs keep you interested and guessing till the end. A must read if you ask me.
KC –
Pure romance told in a poignant and beautiful love story. Throw out any preconceived notions of what you think an M/M book should be and just revel in the tale of Sal and Dante’s journey to true love.Guaranteed swooning, laughing, tears, and joy are contained in these pages. Get lost in the brilliant prose and prepare to lose yourself and your heart to Sal and Dante.
Rebecca LMT –
Honestly, Mafia is not my genre. This is more of a behind the scenes love story. And it pulled me in and carried me along. I recommend this book to everyone who wants to believe in the power of love.
Kristina Simkins –
I have been reading Kailee’s books for a while now but with every new release her talent continues to blow me away. I’m totally addicted to Sal’s world – the goods the bad, and the ugly. Her exceptional talent to build a world around him that continues to grow, change, and shock me with each new addition is phenomenal! Thanks for writing this awesome world for us to read.🖤🥀In TOSoU the Dark Prince and the Cartel son take us on an emotion journey with all the feels. Their story isn’t always pretty and gets dark at times with many twists and turns along the way. I could put this book down, once I read the first page I knew I would be reading straight through to the end. And when I reached said ending of Dante and Sal’s story I wanted more! Pretty boy(Sal) has always deserved the world – to be truly happy!! The happiness and honesty about who he his that Dante is able to help him be okay with is beautiful. These two were born to be enemies, but together they SHINE!❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
Stina –
“Do hard things, Lucas Salvatore Raniero,” she coached, not letting my hand go. “Be the captain of your own ship.”The Other Side of Unhappy, is one epic love story, that will take you on a high speed roller-coaster of emotions and acceptance! Acceptance of yourself and opening your heart for love. A journey of finding happiness. A true happiness!”His mere presence fills my heart with an unknown joy I have never experienced.”This author keeps amazing me with her words and how she’s able to create this world that keeps me at the end of my seat.”He was everything I didn’t know I wanted – a d**n white knight on a dark steed.”
Scott Ryan –
Wow. So many scenes from previous books have a far difference yet plausible point of view/feel when knowing what Dante is thinking. And here I had thought he was less trustworthy than Gabe!Sal so needs someone who is totally on his side. It is very important to have someone who cares for you unconditionally!
Liz loves reading 📚 –
Hot, intense and dark
This is my first book by this author, but it won’t be my last.This is a dark, deep intense love story between Salvatore and Dante. They are both heavily involved in the underworld and both have a traumatic past. Their journey towards accepting who they are is not an easy one.No spoilers “Feu de joie”I would recommend this book, such a great read.
Mimiorphee –
Delicious, raw and beautiful
The Other Side of Unhappy… what a title, right? Salvatore Raniero, mafia Capo. Dante Herrera, Cartel son. When everything should oppose them, how do they handle the magnetic attraction they can’t stay away from? Furthermore, as dangerous and feared men, who have been unhappy for so long, will they be able to open their hearts when love comes from one of their greatest opponent, and a man, no less?TOSOU (as the author refers to it), is a true love story. Kailee Samuels sent me onto a raw and beautiful path of self-discovery and acceptance. I already knew the characters, heroes of her other books, but the shift in perspective brought another layer to these enthralling men’ lives. Mrs Samuels mastered their feelings, the tangible emotions, their fears and challenges. I rooted for their love from the first words. I cheered on them.Dante’s patience, control and stability stole my heart in a journey where coming out might be lethal for them. They bear the physical and emotional scars of their past, but their playfulness and priceless banter added an irresistible light to the tale.Sal’s doubts showed a vulnerability and a sensibility that deeply touched me. Their connection, inevitable, deliciously and sinfully sensual swirled, ebbed and flowed. Evolved. Sizzling tension, amazing dynamics, swoon-worthy scenes made me smile, tear up or fan myself. Did I mention how erotic these men were? I could have taken cold showers every two chapters…After reading Forbidden Sins (A Tomb of Ashen Tears, #6) I am glad I got to hear Dante’s point of view on their relationship. Kindness is sexy, forbidden is addictive, I’m telling you!PS: The Other Side of Unhappy is a standalone, but I’m ready for more of them!
Kathleen Selk –
The Other Side of Unhappy
This is a romance book for the ages. It is not defined by gender or social status. You have a cartel legend Dante and the dark mafia prince Sal. Dante fell in love with Sal and will do anything he can to save him from falling back into old habits. Sal shows Dante that love doesn’t get defined by gender. These two make the most loving couple. Add in Sal’s kids and you have the best family. They will do what is needed to make this last. This book is not the usual style for Kailee and I am so glad she took the leap for this one.