Dante Cavallaro had sworn off love when he lost his first wife, Carla. But Valentina didn’t just win his heart; she became his greatest weakness. But when the deadly blood feud war between Chicago and Las Vegas knocks on Dante’s door, he’s forced to choose between his mafia empire and his wife.
There was no escaping the war; there was only surviving. Can the ice-cold mafia boss break his mob vows to protect the woman he loves? Let’s dive deep into the Bound by the Past novel & its hottest ReelShort adaptation to uncover the answer.
- Part 1: Bound by the Past Story Breakdown: Dante & Valentina’s Love Story
- Part 2: Bound by the Past Chapters Recap: Mafia Love, Rivalry & Action
- Part 3: Is The Viral ReelShort Movie Bound by the Past Based On A Novel?
- Part 4: Where To Watch Bound by the Past Movie Online?
Part 1: Bound by the Past Story Breakdown: Dante & Valentina’s Love Story
Bound by the Past novel is the most anticipated sequel to Cora Reilly’s hit Bound by Duty, part of the Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles Series. This popular mafia romance book is all about Dante and Valentina’s marriage, family secrets, and brutal mafia rivalries where loyalties are tested.
Dante Cavallaro, the capo of the Chicago outfit, was known for his ruthlessness. He was strictly logical to a fault. He was married to Carla, who died of cancer without giving an heir. To take over his mafia empire, he needed a wife.
Instead of picking a virgin bride, Dante chose widow Valentina, who had lost her husband, Antonio. Because the ice-cold mafia leader was still haunted by his first wife’s death and his love for her. He could give Valentina his name, his protection, and his everything except love.
In other words, Dante’s marriage with Valentina was a business decision, a tactical partnership. But Valentina refused to be trapped in a loveless marriage yet again. Hiding secrets of her previous marriage, Valentina married Dante, determined to find love.
Though Dante treated their marriage as a strategic decision, Valentina soon won his heart and ended up pregnant. But in an unexpected twist, Antonio returned. He wanted Dante’s life and was ready to use Valentina as a pawn to get to Dante. To save his pregnant wife Valentina, Dante took a bullet, slipped into a coma, and survived in the Bound by the Past story.
Two months later, Dante finally returned home, eager to find his wife, who had broken his frozen exterior, with his heart beating for her. But instead of Valentina, Dante found a note from his worst rival, Remo Falcone, who had kidnapped his pregnant wife.
Las Vegas mafia boss Remo Falcone held Valentina captive, forcing the defenseless pregnant woman to pay for her husband’s sins. To save Valentina, Dante was forced to take down Remo’s brother in an intense fight. But the nightmare had just begun as the Chicago and Las Vegas mafia entered the war.
Eight years later, Bound by the Past continued with Dante and Valentina now raising their daughter Anna amidst the brutal war. The danger wasn’t over. Dante wanted his daughter to learn how to protect herself.
Despite the tough times, Dante and Valentina had found real love. But when Remo targeted their daughter, the ice-cold leader Dante’s world was shaken, forcing him to make the ultimate choice between his family and mob empire.
Part 2: Bound by the Past Chapters Recap: Mafia Love, Rivalry & Action
Chapter 1
When Antonia returned from the ashes, he was after Dante’s life. He reduced Valentina to his mafia pawn to bring down Dante. But in an intense fight, Dante shot the traitor dead and took a bullet to save his pregnant wife in the Bound by the Past book.
Dante had kept his promise to protect his wife, but he soon slipped into a coma. Luckily, Dante survived danger. Two months later, he was returning home. Pregnant Valentina decided to surprise her husband with a warm welcome to show him how much she missed him. But Valentina didn’t expect to end up in the hands of the enemies.
Kidnapped by Remo Falcone, the Las Vegas mafia kingpin, she was taken away to Las Vegas. Poor Dante came home to find his enemy’s note with his wife missing. Dante would do anything to protect his wife and bring her home. But Valentina, in the hands of the Falcone brothers, found herself and her unborn baby in grave danger, forced to pay for her husband’s sins.
Chapter 5
Dante Cavallaro left Las Vegas in bloodshed to save his pregnant wife Valentina in the Bound by the Past novel. He shot Remo’s brother Adamo and saved his pregnant wife. This only fueled the war between Chicago and Las Vegas.
Remo swore to cover Chicago in blood. He had discovered Dante’s weakness—his wife—and would stop at nothing until vengeance was sought. Amidst the brutal mafia war, Dante and Valentina could only hope to survive the war without losing themselves.
Chapter 7
Eight years after Dante saved his pregnant wife, the powerful couple of Chicago were celebrating their daughter Anna’s birthday. To prepare his daughter to protect herself amidst the ongoing mafia war, Dante gifted Anna a pink gun.
However, Valentina refused to stand and watch her husband fill her daughter’s mind with hatred. Anna wasn’t one of Dante’s soldiers, as Valentina refused to let her mob husband turn their innocent daughter into a killer.
Dante wanted his wife to trust him to protect them. This ruthless Chicago mafia boss was always in control and would do everything to keep his family safe. Because if there was someone Dante would lose control of, then it was his wife, Valentina.
Part 3: Is The Viral ReelShort Movie Bound by the Past Based On A Novel?
Bound by the Past is ReelShort’s latest and hottest adaptation based on Cora Reilly’s novel. This viral mafia drama features Chase Mattson and Casey Schryer in the leading roles as Dante and Valentina.
The story picks up eight years after Dante saved his pregnant wife, taking a bullet from her ex-husband and saving her from the Vegas mafia. If the Bound by Duty movie was all about Dante and Valentina’s arranged marriage, this most anticipated sequel takes us on a high stakes journey showcasing the brutal war between the Chicago and Las Vegas mafia, where Dante and Valentina’s marriage, love, and lives are tested.
With the star studded cast lineup capturing the intensity of Dante and Valentina’s dangerous romance, Bound by the Past movie is fast paced, explosive with immediate drama with jaw-dropping cliffhangers and intense chemistry between the actors that’s addictive and binge worthy.
If you’re a Cora Reilly fan who can’t get enough of her dark mafia romance movies then don’t forget to check out more of her hit novels adapted on ReelShort.
Part 4: Where To Watch Bound by the Past Movie Online?
Bound by the Past is now streaming on ReelShort. From Cora Reilly’s novel to now on ReelShort screens, Dante and Valentina’s love story is adapted into a vertical movie that you need to watch right away.
Download the ReelShort app to enjoy the full episodes of this viral hit in one go.
