Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read: The Ruined Series Tour and Giveaway

Series Blurb

The Valentino brothers rule the city of Chicago with closed fists and iron wills. But even kings fall. And the curvy women meant for them are about to drop these crime bosses to their knees. All three books in The Ruined Trilogy can be read as standalones. And don't forget to grab Nico's story to meet the brother they risked everything to save from a life shackled to a criminal empire he didn't want.

Physical Science

The Ruined Trilogy: The Beginning

by Nichole Rose

Genre: Curvy Girl Mafia Romance

Love is the final test for this professor and his star student.

Nico Valentino
My brothers are mobsters. Criminals.
They rule their kingdoms with iron fists.
I'm nothing like them.
I'm an astrophysicist. A professor.
My lecture hall is full of laughter.
Until I set eyes on Norah Bishop.
She needs my help, but I need her.
And I'll do whatever it takes to keep her.
Even if it means returning to the family I left.

Norah Bishop
All I've ever wanted was to be a scientist like my dad.
But I stumbled into something I shouldn't have.
Now, the biggest criminal in Chicago is coming for me.
And the only person who can help me is his brother...my new professor.
I don't want to drag Nico into this.
But when he touches me, I lose all control.
He's my professor. I think I want him to be my forever instead.
Loving him comes with a price.
But losing him will break me.

If you enjoy over-the-top nerdy men, curvy heroines willing to risk it all, and forbidden student-teacher romance, you'll love Nico and Norah's sugary-sweet and extra steamy story! As always, Nichole Rose books come complete with a guaranteed HEA. Physical Science is the steamy beginning to the Ruined Trilogy. It can be read as a standalone story.

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"What happened, angel?" I ask, twisting to set the cup on the dresser.

"I shouldn't involve you in this," she mumbles, breaking my gaze to stare at the floor. "He's your brother."

"And you're my…" I almost say future but manage to stop myself. "Student. Let me help you."

She hesitates for so long I think she's going to refuse.

"Please, beautiful girl. Talk to me."

"I saw him kill someone," she blurts out, wringing her hands together.

"What the fuck?"

She grimaces, her face falling again. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said it like that."

"You saw him kill someone?" I say, just to make sure I heard her correctly. Don't get me wrong, I'm not surprised he killed someone. It wouldn't be the first time and I doubt it'll be the last time he drops a body. But the fact that she saw it…that's what's fucking me up. She's too innocent to live with something like that!

She nods miserably. "I was at the harbor, doing some things."

"What things?"

"Just things."

"Norah."

"I was snooping, okay?" she huffs, throwing her hands up. Irritation flashes in her eyes. "I'm nosy and impulsive and I wanted to see what was in all the barrels they keep stored there, so I snuck in to have a look around."

"You're fucking kidding me." She's not kidding me. I can tell by the guilty look on her face that she's being completely serious right now. She broke into the harbor's storage facility to snoop.

"Do you do things like this often?"

"No." She bites her lip, her eyes flitting across my face. "Define often."

"Jesus Christ," I groan, tipping my head back to look up at the ceiling.

"In my defense, I was unsupervised. And bored. And I really, really regret doing it."

I tip my head down to glare at her. "A jury won't care if you're sorry or not, Norah. You committed a felony."

"I know," she admits, her voice small. "But my felony is small fries compared to the other felony that happened while I was there, don't you think?"

Well, she's got me there.

"Tell me what you saw."

"I heard two men arguing by the docks, so I snuck closer to see what was going on. It was your brother and another guy, someone who works for him. He did something that upset your brother. He told the guy that he never should have put his hands on what didn't belong to him, and then he pulled out a gun and s-shot him." She sucks in a deep, shuddering breath. "The man fell into the river."

"Jesus fucking Christ."

"It gets worse," she warns me.

How could it possibly get any worse? She's already admitted to a felony and implicated my brother in a murder. It can't get much worse than that.

"I screamed when the gun went off."

"He saw you?"

She nods again.

Fuck Murphy and her law. Of course it gets worse. Of course it does.

"And I lost my phone when I was running."

"Fucking hell," I swear.

"I didn't mean to!" she cries, tears welling in her eyes.

Poor angel. She's been through hell and back. She doesn't need me cursing at her and making her feel worse. None of this is her fault. It's Rafe's fault. It's my father's fault. It's my fault for not recognizing that her rampant curiosity was bound to lead her into trouble. I should have seen that and done something to protect her.

What am I saying? She isn't mine to protect. She isn't mine, period.

Except…that's not true, is it? Not now. Not anymore. It stopped being true the second she showed up on my doorstep and I carried her inside. She became mine in that moment. If I lose my job for claiming her, so be it. I already decided this semester would be my last because of her. So nothing stood in the way of me claiming her. If I have to fight my brother to keep her safe, so be it. No one is going to harm her. No one.

"I don't know what to do, Nico," she whispers, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I know I shouldn't be here telling you any of this, but you were the first person I thought of. I didn't know where else to go. I can't go to the police."

No, she definitely can't go to them. They'll lock her up for commercial burglary, sealing her fate. If my brother's reach extends anywhere, it's into the heart of every jail and prison cell in this state.

"Hey," I murmur, reaching out for her. This time, she doesn't flinch. I pull her into my arms, holding her. My heart aches as she snuggles into my embrace with a whimper, letting me comfort her as she cries. Part of me, a big part, wants me to be the first person she thought of because she feels the same way I do. The other, more logical part realizes she probably only came here because Rafe is my brother.

I don't suppose her motivation matters either way. She still came here. She still trusted me to keep her safe. She's still mine…and I still have to deal with my brother.

Fuck my life.

Wrecked

The Ruined Trilogy Book 1

One look at his curvy captive and this Mafia boss will risk it all. Even if it means toppling his own kingdom to the ground...

Rafe Valentino
A life in chains was the deal I made with my father to win my twin's freedom.
My soul is black with the things I've done to keep my promise.
I never regretted any of it until now. Until her.
Amalia Santiago's bravado and fierce defiance make me feel alive in a way I never expected.
I was never meant to fall for her.
I don't deserve to put my filthy hands all over her pristine body.
She's supposed to be my prisoner.
But now, she'll become my world instead.

Amalia Santiago
When the devil came for my foster brother, I let him take me in his place.
I swore I'd find a way out of this mess for both of us.
Except Rafe Valentino wasn't supposed to have a heart...
And I wasn't supposed to fall for the ruthless crime boss.
So why do I come alive when he touches me?
Now, I'm one wrong move from destroying everything.
And nothing is what it seems.
How do I sacrifice the man I love to save my brother?

If you enjoy OTT possessive older men with a little bit of darkness in them and sassy, curvy heroines with heart, get ready to fall for Rafe and Amalia in this sweet and extra steamy romance. As always, Nichole Rose books come complete with a guaranteed HEA. Safe read. No cliffhanger. Each book in the Ruined Trilogy features a different Valentino brother and can be read as a standalone story.

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Wanton

The Ruined Trilogy Book 2

Falling for the enemy wasn't part of Luca Valentino's plan. But one taste of his curvy captive will change everything for this mafia boss.

Luca
A life in hell was the sacrifice I made to keep my brothers alive.
There's nothing I won't do to see that job through.
Even if it means seducing the enemy.
But I never intended to fall for Callandria Genovese.
She was supposed to be a means to an end, nothing more.
Now, I've got more to lose than ever.
And the woman who holds the key to my future is in chains in my bedroom.
I need her trust. I want her heart.
One way or another, I will have both.

Callandria
I've been taught to hate the Valentino family since I could walk.
I know they killed my grandfather.
But no one warned me that the real monster of the bunch was Luca Valentino.
They didn't tell me I'd find myself imprisoned in his bed, either.
Or that I'd be so reluctant to leave it.
But that's precisely what happened.
Little by little, he's slipping beneath my defenses and making me feel things I shouldn't.
But which side of him is real?
The wanton man who sets me ablaze...or the ruthless mobster who refuses to let me go?

If you like your OTT possessive older men morally gray and your curvy heroines strong, prepare to fall for Luca and Callandria in this steamy mafia romance. As always, Nichole Rose books come complete with a guaranteed HEA. Safe read. No cliffhanger. Each book in the Ruined Trilogy features a different Valentino brother and can be read as a standalone story.

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Wicked

The Ruined Trilogy Book 3

To win her love, this crime boss will need more than money and power.

Gabriel
They say those with the power make the rules.
They lied.
Genesis Santiago refuses to bend to my will.
I know because I've tried.
She wants nothing to do with me.
That isn't going to work for me.
She's the only thing in this world I need.
One way or another, I'll make her mine.
Even if I have to break her to claim her.

Genesis
I know what people say about Gabriel Valentino.
He's not just a billionaire. He's a criminal.
When he catches me trying to steal from him, I expect a quick death.
Instead, the bossy, arrogant man hires me.
But I won't bow to any man…
Not even the one who owns my soul.
Not even to save my own life.

Warning
When this wicked mob boss finds his curvy girl, he'll do whatever it takes to make her his. If you enjoy over-the-top billionaires, willful heroines, and steamy romance with a touch of darkness, you'll love Gabriel and Genesis. As always, Nichole Rose books come complete with a guaranteed HEA. No cheating. Each book in the Ruined Trilogy features a different Valentino brother and can be read as a standalone novel.

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"What the fuck?"

I yank my hands from the drawer as if burned, spinning with my hand over my heart.

Furious hazel eyes meet mine, anger snapping in their depths.

"You scared me." I lick my lips, trying to work moisture back into my mouth. Why is it so dry? I know instantly which brother he is. Gabriel Valentino, the youngest. I've seen his brothers' pictures in the paper enough to know he isn't one of them.

He looks like them in all the ways that count, but his hair is lighter, his expression darker, harder. Water slicks his overly long hair and drips down the strong planes of his face. It slides down his broad shoulders and defined chest as if flowing along a path carved from muscle.

Save for a towel clutched in front of his groin, he's naked.

"I…um…" I should look away, but I can't. If he's going to kill me for touching the mafia's money, at least I'll die having seen all of him because wow. He may be the single most beautiful man I've ever seen, but there's an unholy darkness to him, as if the scars that crisscross his abdomen and mottle his side also mangled his soul. There are so many scars. What happened to him?

"Are you usually jumpy when you're stealing?" he growls, striding into the office from the attached bathroom as if he's fully clothed.

"Stealing?" I gape at him. "I'm not…I wasn't stealing!"

I wasn't going to take the money…was I?

I don't know how to answer that question, and that shames me.

"You aren't now." He wraps the towel around his waist with a flourish as he crosses the floor to me in four steps. Before I can move, he's in front of me, standing so close I feel the heat of his body against mine.

"Back up," I whisper.

"You should have kept your hands out of the cookie jar, little girl."

I seethe at the name and the way he says it. I seethe even more when he refuses to back up and instead places one arm behind me, blocking me into place between him and the desk. "I have a name, and it's not little girl, Gabriel Valentino."

He laughs abruptly, one brow rising. "You know who I am, and you still decided to try to steal from me?"

"I told you I wasn't stealing from you." I try to slide around him, attempting to put space between us, but the jerk refuses to let me. He blocks me with his other arm, effectively imprisoning me between his body and the desk.

I've been here before, backed into a corner by a man who thought he could control me. Only, this time, terror doesn't clog my throat. A thrill goes through me, and my body reacts, heat pooling low in my belly.

I react to that about as well as I did to the fear. I bring my knee up hard, aiming for Gabriel's groin. He dodges my knee, allowing me to slip around him.

I barely make it a step before he's got his arms around me, hauling me up against his broad chest. "Fuck, you have fire," he growls in my ear. "Keep fighting, little girl. You're only making it harder."

I groan when I feel his erection against my back and realize what he's talking about. His dick. I'm making him harder.

"Stop fighting me."

"Then let me go."

"I just caught you trying to steal from me. You aren't going anywhere, piccola fiamma. Not until I decide to let you. Not unless you want to explain to the police why you were in my office with your hands on the cash in a drawer you have no business opening."

I freeze at his threat, the fight draining out of me as fear sets in for the first time since he growled at me. An overgrown bully, I can handle. But there will be no hiding from Alexander if the police show up. They'll lead him right to my doorstep, and I'll be right back where I started a year ago.

I'd rather die first.

"Ah," Gabriel murmurs, his lips so close to my ear I shiver. "She sees reason."

"Go to hell."

"Haven't you heard?" He laughs without humor. "I've helped rule hell for years, piccola fiamma."

"I have a name," I growl. "Learn to use it."

"I can't learn to use it if I don't know it, tesoro." I refuse to be swayed by the gentle rebuke in his tone, as if it's my fault he can't read a nametag.

"That's odd, because you've only looked at my chest about fifteen times. Surely you saw the nametag." I pause for effect. "Or are you telling me that you don't know how to read? Because I have a hard time believing a man who has Voltaire on his shelves can't read a simple five-letter name."

He brings his hand up, wrapping it gently around my throat. "Keep using that smart mouth on me, Genie, and we'll see how well you spit fire at me when you're choking on my cock."

I fight like hell not to tremble in his arms, refusing to admit that his threat turns me on. Refusing to entertain the reality that this man turns me on. Nope. No way. He's bossy, arrogant…rude. And he speaks to me as if he has the right. He may be beautiful, but he's a despot just like any other, using his name and his fortune to get what he wants.

Well, he's not getting me. Hell will freeze over before that happens.

"Let me go."

"No."

"I'll scream."

"Oh, I hope you do." He nuzzles my throat, breathing me in as if he's scenting prey. Is that what I am to him? Prey? Something to hunt? To play with? Well, he's going to be disappointed when he realizes I'm not an obedient little toy. I bow to no man, not even a Valentino. I won't run from one either. "I hope you scream the fucking building down when I'm pleasing you, piccola fiamma. I don't intend to stop until your voice breaks from the pleasure."

"I'm not sleeping with you," I growl, spinning in his arms to glare up at him. I barely reach his chest, which is a whole new level of irritating. He overwhelms me in every way. I'm five-two and curvy, the type of woman men like him step over on their way to the top. And yet he stares at me like he can't look away.

"Not yet." His smile doesn't reach his eyes. I don't think he's smiled in a long time. But they glint with some emotion that makes me shiver. Excitement. Interest. Desire? I don't know. "You will."

"Never."

His smile widens. "You're coming to work for me."

"I have a job."

"Not anymore. As of this moment, you work for me, tesoro. Or…" He lets the threat linger unspoken. I know what he means though. Or he calls the police and we let the chips fall where they may. I think he knows I can't take that risk, though. The bastard knows he isn't really giving me a choice here.

I think he loves knowing I have no choice and no say. I'm his to command, his to control. And part of me doesn't hate it nearly as much as I should. Another part of me wants to hate him for that.

And yet…I don't.

Can you really hate a predator for being a predator? When the lion brings down the gazelle, as much as you hate it for the gazelle, doesn't a small part of you cheer for the lion?

He's a six-foot-three lion. And I think I may be the little lamb to the slaughter.

Nichole Rose writes filthy, feel-good romance for curvy readers. Her books feature headstrong, sassy women and the alpha males who consume them. From grumpy detectives to country boys with attitude to instalove and over-the-top declarations, nothing is off-limits.

She is sure to have a steamy, sweet story just right for everyone. She fully believes the world is ugly enough without trying to fit falling in love into a one-size-fits-all box.

When not writing, Nichole enjoys fine wine, cute shoes, and everything supernatural. She is happily married to the love of her life and is a proud mama to the world’s most ridiculous fur-babies. She and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest.

You can learn more about Nichole and her books at her website or by liking her on Facebook or following her on Instagram.

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