Review by Ronny
Married to the Mafia is a fun, dangerous mafia romance.
Favourite Quote:
She tried to pull her face from my grip, but I constrict my hold and refuse to let her move. “Don’t run from me,” I warn her. “If you run from me, I will follow. There is not a place on this Earth that you can run to that I would not find you. Now, what’s wrong?”
Book Synopsis:
Daisy Turner is a broke, single, recent college graduate who would say yes to just about anything if it helps her climb out of the pile of debt she’s in. Which is why she agrees to fill in for her roommate as a waitress catering a high-end private wedding. Her expectations are low—at most she’ll get a small stack of cash and a free meal, right? Wrong. Bad luck has a way of finding her, and so it’s no surprise that she would become an accomplice to a murder. Okay, not an accomplice but definitely a witness.
Turns out the wedding is an arranged marriage between two rival crime families, and the woman who died was supposed to be the bride. As the sole witness and the only living, breathing woman within feet of the angry and ruggedly handsome soon-to-be husband, Daisy knows she has to do something. Unfortunately offering to bake him a sympathy casserole isn’t what he was looking for. Sorry for your loss, also not good enough. She’s sure he’ll kill her on the spot but instead he shakes his head and gives an ultimatum.
Death or marriage.
Of course Daisy chooses to marry the man. Marriages can be annulled, but there’s no coming back from death…
Review:
This book was wild and bonkers. Something I should have expected when I read the author’s note at the beginning of the book, which said she wrote it while off her ADHD meds. The manic inner dialogue that was going on in Daisy’s head was absolutely unhinged. I’m not entirely sure if I liked it. I didn’t mind how unhinged her inner dialogue was; what I did mind was how much space it took up on the pages. I found it dragged on and on at times. Besides the unhinged dialogue going on in Daisy’s head, this book has a more comedic mafia romance vibe. It’s definitely not a dark romance. Yes, there is violence on the page, and yes, the characters in this book operate in that morally gray zone, but I wouldn’t classify this book as a dark romance. Dark humour is woven throughout the story, and it kind of reminds me of Tourist Season.
I enjoyed the story. It’s fast paced and kind of has this pretty women vibe to it. Daisy, who is drowning in student debt and unable to land that first “real adult” job, finds herself thrown into the world of the elite, uber rich mafia. I am ashamed to say that I always love it when the FMC finds herself being pampered and spoiled by the MMC in the same way Julie Roberts was in Pretty Woman, aka the clothes-shopping scene. Setting aside all the pampering, there is that traditional element of danger and violence that often comes with reading a mafia story. As I mentioned before, there is violence on the page, and it is semi-graphic in nature. The danger/violence, romance, and comedy elements are all really well balanced out. The story unfolding on the pages is bursting with “romance reasons” events that help it unfold the way the author wanted. I don’t mind a bonkers unrealistic romance, so I enjoyed the wild ride this book had me on. The author also sets us up for the next book in the series that focuses on Daisy’s best friend, who I adore.
The romance was fun, flirty, and swoony. It’s spicy but not overly spicy. Mafia romances can tend to push that spice element, often venturing into many taboo kinks, but that doesn’t happen in this book. I liked the chemistry between these two. It’s always enjoyable watching the two MCs surprise, befuddle, or outsmart each other. There is something so delicious about two characters that are forced to be together, especially when they have a very strong dislike for each other. I actually have to say that I appreciated the fact that these two didn’t fall into bed with one another right from the start. I loved that build-up in tension because you know when that dam finally breaks, you are in for a wild and lusty ride.
Married to the Mafia is a fun and wild mafia romance with a comedic twist.
