I picked up THIS DAY by Blanka Lipinska purely to know what happens next, having watched the popular Netflix movie, 365 days, which is the basis of the first book in this trilogy by the Polish author, 365 DAYS.
THIS DAY follows Laura and Mafia Don Massimo while they plan their marriage and settle down in his mansion in Sicily. Because my interest in this novel was to find out more about the cliffhanger the Netflix movie ended on, with Laura's vehicle being attacked. Much to my surprise, that particular scene isn't mentioned anywhere and I grudgingly understand that the scene happened in the movie and the books were written a bit differently. The movie was sensational with sex, stunning Italian locations, and sparkling chemistry between the characters who were easy on the eyes and hot enough.
After reading the author's bio where she touches upon being able to openly talk about sex, I understand that that is what the primary focus of the story is. Underneath the story of a mafia don kidnapping a girl he sees in his dreams, making her fall in love with him and marrying her, is a story of sex, lust, and danger. Keeping aside the shadow of the movie, I found THIS DAY to be another mafia story where there is less love, equal partnership, and more so men doing their business and women shopping and preening for when the men want to get laid.
The storyline in THIS DAY is one akin to old school mafia stories where the roles designed for men and women are clear and very two-dimensional. Having read Mafia stories where love and romance are the focal points despite the crime and danger, I was underwhelmed with this story. If you are picking up the story after watching the Netflix movie, I am afraid it will not provide you with the same satisfaction.
However, since this is a trilogy, I am giving the book some benefit of the doubt and will wait to see if the story redeems itself in book three. Additionally, the original books were written in Polish and this is a translation. That said, the crux of the story is the same and some might dismiss it saying it is typical Stockholm syndrome. Unless book three has an unexpected twist, I am not entirely sure THIS DAY is worth the hype.
The steamy and thrilling story of Laura and Massimo continues in this unputdownable sequel to the international bestseller 365 Days—the inspiration behind Netflix’s blockbuster movie.
Laura Biel’s new life in Sicily looks like the perfect fairy tale: a grand wedding, a wealthy and devoted husband, a baby on the way, and lavish luxury complete with servants, extravagant cars, and seaside palazzos. Yes, all of this would be perfect, except for the fact that Laura is constantly surrounded by gangsters as the threat of her kidnapping looms large. Laura is about finally discover what it means to be married to the most dangerous man in Italy.
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