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Shattered Hearts
Irish Kings · Book 1
Renee Parker
★★★★☆Synopsis
Riley When I left my life as the daughter of the most powerful mob family in New York City, I never imagined I'd be forced to marry my identical twin sister's fiancé. Even if he's Finn Gallagher, the family's heartless, handsome, and intimidating top enforcer. And the only man I've ever wanted. But when my sister disappeared on her wedding day, my father demanded I impersonate her. If I refused, I'd endanger the lives of everyone. If I agreed, I'd be putting myself back into the hands of the Gallaghers, the family that betrayed me. Nothing could be more dangerous. Then he kissed me. And I knew I was wrong. Finn The last thing I wanted to do was marry Harper Brennan. Been there, done that. One woman's death on my conscience is enough. But when I lifted her veil, I found Harper's twin sister Riley, the disgraced and exiled daughter. One scorching kiss and I knew I'd been engaged to the wrong twin. I can't fall for her. I'm a brutal murderer. The villain. And villains don't get the girl. But for her, I would do anything.
The protagonists
RILEY BRENNAN
THE TWIN WHO COMES BACK
She escaped the mafia life and spent years rebuilding herself far from all of it. When her sister disappears on her wedding day, Riley has to go back, put on her veil, and marry the only man she's ever wanted.
FINN GALLAGHER
THE BROKEN ENFORCER
The most lethal enforcer of the Gallaghers, weighed down by guilt and walls. When he lifts the veil and finds Riley instead of his fiancée, something inside him breaks — or rather, something already broken starts to heal.
My review
Shattered Hearts hooked me with exactly the trope I love: the twin who has to replace the sister who ran away. It's a cliché, yes, but the kind that never disappoints when it's well executed. Riley putting on Harper's veil and marrying the man she's always secretly wanted is an opening that grabs you immediately. Finn is the kind of broken hero who carries too much, and while that makes the pacing feel a little heavy in some stretches, the book manages to find its rhythm again and deliver a satisfying close. The chemistry between them is there from the start — tense and complicated — and that's what keeps you reading when the story slows down. I finished it wanting to know what happened to the sister who ran, and I'll definitely be continuing the series.
Who is this for?
Fans of dark romance who love it when the heroine has to step into a role that isn't hers and ends up discovering herself in the process
Readers who love the twin swap trope and want it executed with real tension and genuine missteps
Anyone looking for a broken, possessive hero who has to learn to deserve the woman standing in front of him
Where to buy it?
AmazonReading with Matcha · Made with love by Ari