Mafia romances to keep you warm this winter...
There’s a lot of discourse in Romancelandia about things in romance novels that you would NOT be down with IRL. Often-times what I read (and respond to) would never work for me in the real world. Ever. As documented, I’ve read a significant amount of romance novels this year, and I’m here to share some Mafia Romances that are SURE to keep you warm this winter.
As I was compiling this list, I realized how little I got into the conventionally popular mob movies and shows over the years.
I never really got the allure of Goodfellas (cinema internet don’t come for me), and couldn’t get into the Soprano‘s (I’m fragile, don’t get mad at me!). So entering into the genre I had a sense of what the tenets would be, but gosh y’all these made men really speak to some part of me. Also, we’re not bringing it up in therapy, so don’t start.
Some of these deal with darker themes (e.g. dubious consent), and are rife with Stockholm syndrome adjacent feels, so like go-off I guess? Check the trigger & content warnings and as always be cautious with what can bring up anything traumatic for you.
The Sweetest Oblivion By Danielle Lori (Free on KU)
We can thank the lovely humans over on r/romancebooks for this recommendation. This was another 2021 first, a mafia romance!
I didn’t have the slightest idea of what a mafia romance entailed but I went into it expecting some potential darker themes, and maybe cheating? What I did find is a deeply compelling power dynamic between a young woman and a man not used to being in a partnership or any give-or-take dynamic.
Okay these two with their tension-filled-hate-sex all over this book is truly unhinged and, you know what I 👏 was 👏 here 👏 for 👏 it. This was a debut adult romance novel for Danielle and the first in a slightly interconnected series (Made Series). If you want something darker, full of tension with a legit plot and great spice, this one will not disappoint.
Little Dove by Layla Frost (Free on KU)
’Connected’ and made-adjacent Vegas real-estate development boss and scary crime daddy Maximo takes Juliet as payment when her confirmed piece of sh*t dad fails to deliver. This one came out of left field for me, in the best way. This is quick, smutty, delicious read that (surprise!) has major Daddy kink. 🥵✌️
FYI, there is a significant age gap between our two mains, which Maximo respects until his Little Dove is of the age of ‘consent’. Lots of other things to love about this one: Vegas as a background, seeing Juliet work through her substantially terrible childhood, the protective nature of our man Maximo, including wanting big life moments for Juliet, great smut, and some obligatory danger. This one was an easy 4/5 stars and is Free on Kindle Unlimited.
Crow by A. Zavarelli (Free on KU)
We get to travel to the seedy organized underworld of Boston in Crow. The first of a multi-book series that weaves together the Irish and Russian Mafia factions. In this one, we meet Lachlan, head of the Irish Mob and feisty Mackenzie, who is relentlessly searching for her missing best friend. She decides to start in the last place her friend was seen: Lachlan’s strip club.
Taking a job as a stripper to ferret out information goes pretty much exactly how you would expect it to go. Boss takes a shine to the new girl, forbids any other men to look at her. Has private dances. It’s smutty, with a great story (and plot that goes through the first three books in the series), hot and again can’t believe it’s free on Kindle Unlimited.
Ruthless Creatures by J.T. Geissinger (Free on KU)
Ah J.T. Might have written some of my absolute bangers of mafia men this year. This is the first in her Monsters & Queens series and follows Bratva enforcer Kazimir (Kage) and suburbanite (with a missing fiancé) Natalie. Assigned to kill her (only after torturing her for information, of course) Kage finds a woman that he is instantly protective of, and obsessed with.
The mystery of Natalie’s missing fiancé, is woven throughout and absolutely improves the over all story and darn it if you wont just fall immediately in love with gruff, scary Kage and how much he comes to love and cherish Natalie.
Carnal Urges by J.T. Geissinger (Free on KU)
This is the second book in the Monsters and Queens book, has us falling in love with Declan who we meet in book 1 and Natalie’s BFF Sloane. Sloane, oh girl, you are a trip. Fast talking, man-eating Sloane who turns poor Declan’s life completely upside down. And, in turn, deceptively deep and mysterious Declan is the only one who can really break through all the bravado and find her well protected heart.
There are so many twists and turns in this one, that fully moves the connected story along without sacrificing any romance, smut and goodness fans of JT have come to love. I feel like a broken record, but these are such great stories and are FREE with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.
Beautifully Cruel by J.T. Geissinger (Free on KU)
This one canonically (and chronologically) pre-dates the Monsters & Queens series and includes some characters that cross over, into those stories, so, reward yourself by reading this one (and its duology partner Cruel Paradise) first for better world-building and context.
Pretty much from the first page I was HOOKED. We have waitress and law student Truvy Sullivan and the big bad wolf. A big, scary looking (read: extremely hot) man who comes into her diner, sits in her section and watches her. Liam Black is a scary man, as head of the Irish mob he’s used to darkness and loneliness, never wanting anything for himself. That is, until he finds his other half in Tru.
AGAIN, HOW IS THIS AMAZING SH*T ON KINDLE UNLIMITED (I am screaming).
The Professional by Kresley Cole
I burned through 14 Immortals After Dark books this year, and Kresley is one of my all time faves, of course the Professional (the first book in the Game Makers series) is no different. Be forewarned this extremely smutty read is *sotto voice* erotica. So do what you will with that information.
Russian mafia enforcer and BDSM enthusiast Aleksandr has one job: pick up the mark, not fall in love with her. A escalating Bratva turf war ratchets up the drama and danger and pretty soon our two main characters (who kinda hate-love-love-hate) each other are running for their lives across Europe. Single bed madness ensues.
Bound By Honor by Cora Reilly (Free on KU)
East coast really runs the whole made-men scene, and in Bound by Honor we are in New York with the Italian mob. This is kinda marriage of convenience, meets mafia romance, but I digress. Capo Luca Vitiello, is wed to Aria Scuderi to force a truce between two warring families.
Oof, guys this one starts out rough, we get small glimpses of Luca’s kindness toward Aria, but most of that goodwill building Cora forces on us, is erased pretty shortly after that. And Aria, our sweet, girl who just wants to be loved. Being married to Luca who is seemingly not built for that life. How are these two going to get past the hurt, and back to a place built on trust, respect and love.
Brutal Prince by Sophie Lark (Free on KU)
Found Sophie on TikTok, promoting her books with her IRL husband and I was hooked immediately. These are quick, enjoyable smutty AF reads all free on KU (again, this isn’t a sponsored post but might as well be I stg).
Warring Irish and Italian mob families decide to ‘fix the feud’ by marring off eldest And most ambitious Irish son Callum with Italian tomboy and only daughter Aida. This one is kinda lite on the whole traditional mafia romance vibes. Not a load of violence, or darker themes in this one, but it’s very smutty and focuses on Callum accepting Aida as his wife and Aida finding her place and voice among “the enemy”.
There you have it. Kidnappings, arranged marriages, dubious consent, lots of BDSM themes, Daddy kink and smut that will warm your heart, minds and bodies all winter long.