Threads That Bind Us by Rae Douglas came to my attention through a Threads post, which has been a steady source of amazing book recommendations lately, and this book wound up being another winner.
Threads That Bind Us is a mafia romance with a bit of a different vibe. The Syndicate of Fate is not your typical crime organization and the male main character has some surprises in store too.
Gwen has been parenting her little sister all on her own for years, but when Ana gets diagnosed with cancer, there’s no way that Gwen can afford the treatments. Distraught, she wanders into a bar, where she stumbles onto the perfect solution.
Charlie not only is smoking hot, but he’s also the second-in-command of the Syndicate of Fate, a powerful criminal organization dedicated to justice. He has near-endless wealth at his disposal and happens to be in need of a wife.
If they enter a relationship, Charlie will pay all of Ana’s medical bills. Since Gwen’s only other option is selling her body for the money, it seems like a pretty sweet deal.
They agree not to complicate their marriage of convenience with anything physical, but as they get to know each other, as Charlie teaches Gwen the family business and unleashes her beautiful dark side, it gets harder and harder to keep their desires locked away.
A simple business arrangement turns into so much more as Charlie and Gwen discover how perfect they are for each other. However, the Syndicate has rules, and they must vote to accept Gwen before she is allowed to marry Charlie. With everything on the line, Charlie and Gwen have to play the game and dance around their growing feelings in the process.
At first, Gwen seems like she’s going to fit the mold of the female main character who is going through it and needs a dominant man to come into her life and take care of her. There is nothing wrong with this trope, in fact, it is often a favorite, but this story turns it around and I love it just as much.
There is amazing LGBTQ+ representation in these characters, with two pansexual main characters and a phenomenal cast of side characters including a trans friend. Not only are the characters themselves lovable and fun to read, but the representation feels natural. This is a world where all of these identities are completely accepted. The characters can just be, and it’s so nice.
This story is a little bit of a contradiction in tone and feeling. It opens with a murder, which is a typical hallmark of the mafia romance genre followed by a brief exploration of the nightmare that is the United States health insurance system. From there, however, it starts to feel more like a romantic comedy, with moments of torture thrown in for good measure. It sounds like it shouldn’t work, but somehow it does.
Threads That Bind Us is a story in which the female partner is the dominant one, which is surprisingly hard to find in romance novels. I’ve read some other great ones, but they are few and far between. More authors should really explore this dynamic because it’s such fun to read.
The romance is a slow build-up. They both want each other, but neither of them can admit it. When they eventually give in, the results are kinky but somehow still so sweet.
Threads That Bind Us is a sweet but vicious, fun, and spicy read that takes the best parts of the mafia romance genre and puts a little twist on them. It’s an easy read, perfect for when you want something that’ll put a smile on your face, of course with a little violent justice for good measure.
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