The Brit review: Jodi Ellen Malpas stuns with new mafia story
Jodi Ellen Malpas surprised readers with the release of a new standalone novel, The Brit, and her fans have been thrilled to discover the joy in one of her darkest stories yet.
The Brit is a mafia romance featuring Danny Black, known in mafia circles as The Brit or the Angel-Faced Assassin, and Rose Cassidy, a woman whose existence has always been outside of her control. Rose is the mistress of Danny’s enemy so he takes her captive to send a message to him.
Rose knows she’s a pawn, but in a strange way she’s safer with Danny than she’s ever been. That only makes things worse as she strives to protect her own secret, one that no one can ever know.
For fans who have read other books by Malpas, The Brit features another classically alpha dark hero and a heroine who is actually a lot stronger than he is, in her own way. Together, they’re a dynamic force, but it takes some time for them to see that potential.
If you’ve never read a mafia romance, you might struggle with the concept of a hero whose hands are bloody. In The Brit’s case, they’re very bloody. You don’t rise to the top of a mob family without getting your hands dirty. And Rose has been through more than any woman should ever go through.
The quest for redemption and the desire to rise above the circumstances into which people are born, or into which they find themselves through life’s twists and turns, provide the context for the story. The Brit is relentless, with lots of plot twists that you don’t see coming. Rose has zero reason to trust someone like Danny, whose reputation for violence is legendary, but she soon discovers that there is more to him than meets the eye. He surprises himself by allowing her to see that side of him, and it makes him consider everything he has in his life.
Malpas’ This Man series is currently in development at Passionflix and soon Tosca Musk’s team will start the search for their lead, Jesse Ward. Given the warm reception to Malpas’ new book, it’s not hard to imagine fans hoping that Passionflix options The Brit as well.