Scarred Regrets: A Dark Mafia Romance (Bellandi Crime Syndicate Book 5)

I’d have to say that this one is my favorite out of the Bellandi crime syndicate series! Adelaide ties a lot of emotions and mental health aspects in this book and it just makes the book come to life! It reminds us that even those who are broken still deserve to be loved! At this point in the series though, there are so many roles and characters that it can get confusing at times- because there are like 6 main characters each with their own story! This book was well written but I would have liked to hear more about Scars childhood! He touched on it in the book, but to involve the readers emotions even more, i would have wanted to feel the heartache, brokenness, and contentment scar felt from his childhood and scratching that last name on his red list off.

I absolutely LOVE this story line! The highs and lows were all so perfectly timed! I was recommended from Booktok, and I’ve never had a better recommendation in my life!

Scarred Regrets by Adelaide Forrest is the fifth standalone in the Bellandi Crime Syndicate. Again these absolutely need to be read in order. This was I probably the darkest book out of these so far. So please check your triggers if needed. This one follows the journey of Scar and Irina. Their story isn't always easy. There are lots of ups and downs and battles they have to overcome. These characters are real and raw and pull you in from the start.

Scar & Irina’s. WOW, each of them had great disappointment young in their e life. Irina with her mother walking out of her life she felt unloved even tho her father was there for her when he could. She began hurting herself to feel. Scar the pain of the lost of his sister and living on the street doing what he can for them to survive. Scar wanted Irina but felt dirty and would not commit but would watch over her. Irina took that she could not be loved even from Scar which made her more depress. The hurt and pain between them brought tears but could not stop reading and hoped for the best. There is a HEA but with pain.

This is part of the Bellandi Chicago Crime Family series. (Not the first book, but each is a stand-alone story of a Bellandi or one of the crime family members). This is Scar (Paolo) and Irina's story.This is probably one of the most brutal, violent and bloody mafia romances I've ever read. The prologue gives you the history of the physical and sexual abuse the H suffered as a child and what he went through after his parents were murdered when he was 7. The book doesn't give you the abusive aspects in real time; rather it gives you specifics/details of past abuses so you know what's happening in this particular event depicted in the prologue, but it fades to the aftermath rather than giving you the abusive details in real time. That history sets the stage and gives you an understanding of the man he ultimately becomes. Either way, it's all pretty ugly, so if you have triggers, you might want to stay away.Likewise, though the h's youth wasn't as tragic, she did have her own isues. An overly emotional child who felt things to an extreme level that she didn't know how to deal with. Unloved by a mother who eventually abandoned her at a young age, along with other factors, she has always believed she is unworthy of love.This is the story of two broken people who learned to hide their emotions one way or another, finding each other, but to afraid to feel. Events will eventually make them realize that their jagged, broken pieces fit perfectly together...two halves of a whole. But they will have to defeat the enemy before they can be safe and find their HEA.This story grabbed you and held your interest, a lot going on. But as I said, it is brutal ... scenes of torture, assault, abuse, murder...lots of violence. I give this one 4.5 star and will very likely read the other stories in the Bellandi crime family series.

Scarred Regrets is book five in the Bellandi Crime Syndicate by Adelaide Forrest, and it does not disappoint! It’s a stand-alone within an interconnected series.Paolo “Scar” De Luca and Irina Ryan havebeen on a collision course for years though neither is prepared for what happens when they finally connect. Both have childhood traumas which continue to affect them years later, but only Scar knows that he had a hand in Irina’s trauma.When Irina and Scar meet, she’s enthralled, but his past keeps him from pursuing anything with her. Even though Scar won’t allow himself to get involved with Irina romantically, he is obsessed with making sure she’s protected until someone he deems suitable comes along for her.A tragic, dangerous turn of events thrusts Scar and Irina into close quarters, and as they grow closer, Irina is still threatened by an insidious outsider. Scar is committed to protecting her at all costs. The events leading to the story’s end will put the entire Bellandi family in peril.While both Scar and Irina believe themselves unworthy of love, each has what the other needs to shine a light on their own value. As they deal with the aftermath of a horrific event, Scar helps Irina find her own inner strength so that she is able to stand up for herself. She’s not just a stereotypical helpless female. There are elements of the story dealing with mental health and suicide ideation which the author deals with adeptly, but be careful if these things might be triggering for you.I recommend this book wholeheartedly- it’s an action-packed, epic love story. Be sure to let me know what you think of you read Scarred Regrets! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a dark book and the characters are morally gray. Irina and Scar are tortured souls, who fill each other's broken parts. The book is tensed but I liked it. I give it 3.5 stars.

I liked everything. I was kind of put off with some of the harsh sex scenes, but by the end of book all the pieces fit together.

I was waiting for this book for quite some time. By how the main storyline of Bellandi Crime Syndicate developed throughout previous books, I knew it would be rough read. But I wasn’t ready for what Ms Forrest prepared. This book is emotional, heartbreaking and shattering. Despite all the wrongs, all the hurting and suffering, its beautiful and moving love story. It touched me deeper than I anticipated. It's not happening often for me to share tears already in chapter one. The level of abuse, cruelty, violence, brutality and inhuman treatment those two received either in early stages of their lives or later as adults, is unbearable. And yet still trying to build so called lives for themselves, find positive sides around them, do good for others.Scar and Irina are the perfect match, and yet there is so much insecurities between them, fear of being rejected, fighting the past that still affects them. The constant pull to each other, and at the same time push away, making them lose so much precious time together. And when finally realizing what’s on stake, what is really desired, only makes them scared that it might be too late…

4.5⭐️Okay so this is the first book I have read by this author, at the time I didn’t realise it was part of a series but I am thankful I didn’t have to read others to know what’s going on in this one… I will a 100% be reading the others in the series now!If you are looking for a light hearted romance then run, this book is not for you! It was totally for me though, it’s brutally dark, twisted, HOT, dangerous and down right deadly! So please my lovelies, READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS at the start of this book!Our two leads are Paolo “Scar” De Luca and Irina Ryan, let me tell you these two are freakin’ explosive! They are both damaged, broken, powerful and damnnn dirty and that on their own put them together = it’s beautifully brutally!Scar who has went through a childhood that no one every should have to even have nightmares about is closed off, doesn’t like to be touched, doesn’t open up to anyone and likes to be in control! He is possessive, obsessed, hot and dangerous! He sees Irina at first he thinks she’s tried to play him, he thinks she’s a stuck up princess only to discover that is furthest away from the truth and once he sees that he can’t stay away!Irina who was abandoned by her mother at a young age is just as broken as Scar, only difference she knows how to hide it better. To be strong in front of others and hurt herself mentally and physically behind closed doors. She is beautiful inside and out, the shinning light for children and teens who don’t have a good life or are just having a hard time.Scar pushes Irina away at every turn, until a tragic, awful even happens to Irina that thrusts them into close quarters and he isn’t prepared to let her go!I think there definitely should have been more grovelling from Scar at one point or another within this book but I can’t help but love his dark twisted self!!Highly recommend!!

This book is possibly my favourite in the series. It's definitely on par with book 3 and Rafael and Ida's story!Throughout the book my heart was pounding!! I could not put it down and I devavoured it!This book has many DARK moments, but god is it worth it.Scar we have already established a relationship with as he's been with us for such a long time, and we knew he had scars. But how deep they really were, and his past?Blew. my. Mind.Irina is possibly my new favourite female heroine in history.I loved her, and to see her overcome everything after being so broken, to become my kind of heroine, she reminded me a little of Isa and what I loved about Isa I love about Irina.They are both willing to swing the axe and bathe in the blood of vengeance. Just... Pure chef's kiss that!I really can't wait to read Calix book, I feel we've been teased for ages haha. And it was nice to see Ifa again (yes I'm just gonna write it how it's pronounced haha) and their book I can imagine will be when hopefully the war with the Irish in Chicago comes to an end.You could FEEL it coming in this book, and it's pure adrenaline.I can't recommend this book enough.This whole series has kept me reading and on my toes full out.

Another great but emotional read from this series. This story was very emotional and very violent(including violence against both woman and men/children, so there are triggers). However the story is intriguing and the characters are an interesting pair. The abuse that they have both gone through is absolutely heartbreaking, but also pulls them together. A truly emotional read.

Scarred Regrets is Scar and Irina's story in the Bellandi series and what an incredible, emotional, gripping, hard hitting and ultimately beautiful journey it is. I was gripped from the first page - as I always am with anything written by Adelaide Forrest - and didn't want it to end! I can't wait until the next in the series and can't recommend this book and the entire series highly enough. Another 5* read for me.