Her Consigliere

With this sexy lesbian romance take on the mobster genre, Taite (Best Practice) brings savvy, confidence, and glamour to the forefront without leaning into violence. Undercover FBI agent Royal Scott is convinced to take one last case. She’ll use an upcoming wedding as an opportunity to infiltrate the Mancuso crime network as part of the staff and exploit her likely romantic appeal to Siobhan Collins, legal counselor and right hand to Don Carlo, as a path to insider info. Turns out, the women have met before: Royal protected Siobhan from being hit by a car without knowing who she was. When Siobhan learns that the beautiful stranger who saved her life is now managing liquor for the wedding, she pulls Royal in for a larger, and more personal, role in the operation. Flirting with Siobhan is a job perk, but Royal’s growing connection to her may jeopardize her mission. Taite’s protagonists ooze competence and boldness, with strong female secondary characters including bodyguard Neal and ambitious Mancuso daughter Dominique adding to the femme power aesthetic, though less developed male characters stray close to stereotype. The plot twists required to extricate the couple into a happily-ever-after are set up well enough throughout to allow readers to suspend disbelief and enjoy. This is sure to please. (June)