Last Updated on August 20, 2023 by Louisa
We are pleased to be hosting Olivia Preya today on the Xpresso Book Tours, where we will be speaking to the author about her new book Cusp of Darkness.
Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through any of these links.
About the Book:
- Title: Cusp of Darkness
- Author: Olivia Preya
- Genre: Dark Mafia Romance Books
- Release date: January 20th 2023
- Where to find it: Amazon | Goodreads
Synopsis:
Valerius Cafarelli
In my world, we live and die for our family. We brand our skin with symbols of loyalty and rank that bind us together. It’s time to step from behind the scenes and claim my birthright, leader of the Cafarelli family. But the mafia is nothing if not set in tradition. Marriage is the only way to claim what’s rightfully mine.
When the angel I’ve protected from a distance suddenly needs me as much as I need her, I make an offer she can’t refuse.
She is a candle in the night.
She is a prayer to the gods.
She is the knife that brings me to my knees.
—
Adaliya Solarin
I took an oath to save lives, trying to redeem myself from a bloody night where I played judge, jury, and executioner. I worked hard to erase all traces of the night I claimed revenge, but my mind can’t forget the man who ensured I’d never be put away for my crime.
Now I need someone to help me save my father from himself. When I’m left desperate and defeated, the man who saved me once offers one last chance at survival. What can I do but make a deal with the devil?
He is the bump in the night.
He is my darkest temptations come to life.
He is my salvation.
Cusp of Darkness is book one of the Cusp series but can be read as a standalone. It has a guaranteed HEA, swoon-worthy anti-hero, and badass heroine. This is an interracial mafia romance containing explicit sex scenes, and graphic violence, and is recommended for readers 18+. Please check the author’s website for the full list of content warnings on the author’s website.
Interview with Olivia Preya
We spoke to Olivia Preya ahead of the release of Cusp of Darkness. Here’s what she had to say…
1. We are big fans of the dark mafia romance genre, which we’re seeing becoming a more and more popular romance trope. What attracted you to this genre? How did you find inspiration for this topic?
I think it’s the delicious sin of it all that attracted me to the genre. You’ve got a powerful character, an anti-hero, who does things that would never fly in the real world…and throw in a woman he’s obsessed with and will do anything for? Sign me up. I love that in between the pages of a book, you can indulge in the world of crime and have it play out to a happily ever after.
For inspiration, I look to other authors. I don’t tend to follow visual media depictions (i.e., movies like The Godfather), with the one exception of 365 Days on Netflix.
I was (admittedly) obsessed with that movie when it first came out and after an extensive search to find the English version of the book it was based on (but failing), I jumped to other English authors writing mafia romance. Immediately, I realized I wanted to write one of the books I was obsessed with.
2. This is your first book, how do you feel about releasing it? Are you more nervous or anxious, or excited about the reception?
I feel…ready. It’s been in the works for years now, and I’m actually ready to shift my focus to the next one(s). There comes a point when you just have to release one project and get started on the next.
I found myself obsessing over this book, but there came a moment when I realized no matter how many little tweaks or adjustments I make, I’ll always find something else to change. So I am super excited to get this book into the public’s hands and shift my energy to building out the world further in the next book(s).
But, of course, a bundle of nerves and anxiety sits heavy in my stomach. It’s a big thing to publish a book! I think releasing anything is always a little scary, but my excitement definitely overpowers any of the more negative, anxiety-inducing feelings.
3. For those who haven’t read your work, how would you describe it? How would describe your writing style?
I would describe it as introspective. Readers will get to really see inside the minds of the characters and understand their issues, dilemmas, and choices.
As a side note–I also put a lot of effort into building up the chemistry between the characters and making sure the spicy scenes are worth every minute of the wait…we love a good build-up!
4. What motivated you to become an author? Was there a moment, or a person, that inspired you to write?
Even though I can’t pinpoint the exact thing that inspired me to write, I know that it’s always been in me to write. From a young age, I’d spend more time daydreaming than grounded in reality, and I’d write little poems or stories here and there.
But when I graduated from university, I came across some of my favorite authors and heard their stories about their journey from first starting writing to releasing their first book and then releasing their sixth, seventh, etc.
And all I could think about was how I wanted to live out my childhood dream of being an author and hearing about different journeys to becoming one helped inspire me to get started.
5. You plan to release three books in this series, but all can be read as stand-alone novels. Can you tell us a little bit about what we can expect from the other books in this series?
Absolutely! So all three books in this series, the Cusp series, follow different members of the Cafarelli organization introduced in the first book. But of course, the original couple (Valerius and Adaliya) will make an appearance throughout the series.
Each book drags readers deeper into the mafia world; the first book lays a good foundation for what’s to come (and boy, is there a lot). As you mentioned, they are all interconnected standalones, so you don’t need to read them in order but it likely enhances the experience.
But the one thing you can be sure of is that each couple will get their happily ever after.
About the Author:
Olivia Preya is a romance fanatic and author living in Toronto, Canada. She writes about what she loves—love, spice, and panty-dropping men with a soft spot for the love of their lives. When life gets a little tough or bland, she finds that fictional men are the best medicine.
Olivia considers herself to have two personas, like Wonder Woman, but with a pen––corporate marketing specialist by day and spicy romance author by night. She also likes to embrace all forms of sensuality, from pole dancing and erotic novels to good food; she believes that sometimes the best things in life are a little sinful.
Giveaway
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January 24th
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January 25th
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January 27th
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–Daisy Knox’s Tales of Love, Life and Murder >> Excerpt
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through any of these links.
Thanks for hosting today, Louisa!