Review by Ronny

Series Name: The Kings of Italy, # 1 

Mafia Mistress is a steamy mafia romance that is sure to get your heart racing.

Favourite Quote:

She was supposed to be for my son, the woman who would bear the next generation of Ravazzani leaders. So I had hoped seeing them together today would change my mind. That it would convince me to stay away from her and stick to my original plan of marrying her to Giulia. Rid me of this shameful craving for a girl young enough to be my daughter.

Book Synopsis: 

FAUSTO

I am the darkness, the man whose illicit empire stretches around the globe. Not many have the courage for what needs to be done to maintain power . . .but I do.

And I always get what I want—including my son’s fiancée.

She’s mine now, and I’ll use Francesca any way I see fit. She’s the perfect match to my twisted desires, and I’ll keep her close, ready and waiting at my disposal.

Even if she fights me at every turn.

FRANCESCA

I was stolen away and held prisoner in Italy, a bride for a mafia king’s only heir.

Except I’m no innocent, and it’s the king himself—the man called il Diavolo—who appeals to me in sinful ways I never dreamed. Fausto’s wickedness draws me in, his power like a drug.

And when the devil decides he wants me, I’m helpless to resist him—even if it means giving myself to him, body and soul.

He may think he can control me, but this king is about to find out who’s really the boss.

Review: 

I love a good mafia romance. It’s because the storylines are often bonkers in the most glorious dumpster fire kind of way. I was super keen on reading Mila Finelli’s The Kings of Italy series because the ladies on Fated Mates romance podcast have raved about how great this series is. I’m sad to say that this book is a bit of a miss for me. I have certain expectations when it comes to my mafia romances, and this book didn’t meet all of them. Let’s talk about what didn’t work for me. First, I expect there to be some sort of danger/action element to a mafia plot. There is usually some outside threat or turmoil within the family or just something external that injects a bit of fast-paced (and sometimes violent) action into the plot. This book didn’t have that. The book focuses on Fausto and Francesca’s forbidden, forced relationship. The plot is really relationship/character-driven. The outside world has little involvement in moving the plot along. I found the story a little boring to be honest. I enjoyed the relationship drama and seeing how these not-so-healthy relationships developed as the story progressed. Now, I will say that the last chapter does have a kidnapping, and the book ends with one hell of a cliffhanger. Mila ended this book so well that I needed to get my hands on the second book because I wanted to know what would happen next. 

My second complaint is Francesca as a mafia MC. I did not like her at all. I couldn’t connect with her on any level. I don’t mind if a character operates in that morally grey area or if they are prickly or seen as being unlikable by the world. My problem with Francesca was that she acted like an 18-year-old teenager at times, and that’s because she was one. Be warned you need to like your romances with a questionable age gap. She is 18, and he is in his late 30s. I don’t mind an age-gap romance, but I found Francesca’s character to be immature, and her dialogue often didn’t fit with the mafia vibe. I don’t want my female MC using teenage slang in a mafia romance. It’s off-putting. 

This is a true dark mafia romance. I feel like I need to let bookworms know that there are no healthy relationships in this book.  This book sits smack dab in the middle of the dark romance sub-genre category. You have to like your romances dark, and you have to throw that moral compass out the door when you are reading this book. This is a very steamy and explicit book. Francesca and Fausto have that carnal lust relationship, and they act upon those feelings multiple times throughout the book. Francesca is supposed to marry Fausto’s son, but he realizes that he wants her for himself. Fausto then chooses to make Francesca as his mistress. She wants nothing to do with Fausto, but she cannot deny that she is feeling some pretty lusty feelings for the man. For most of this book, this is purely a physical relationship, and they both use each other to get the release that they want. This kind of develops emotions between them, but that’s not the focus of this book. You will like this book if you like forbidden love, forced proximity, alpha male, age gap, daddy kink, and enemies-to-lovers tropes. 

The Mafia Mistress is a dark and lusty mafia romance.