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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
Was this kinda toxic af? Yes.
Did I eat this up? Also yes.
Do we all need a Nicolas Russo in our lives? 100%, yes.
Did I eat this up? Also yes.
Do we all need a Nicolas Russo in our lives? 100%, yes.
Czy chcialabym byc w takiej relacji? Absolutnie nie
Czy swietnie bawilam sie czytając ją? Tak
Czy swietnie bawilam sie czytając ją? Tak
if you like dark haired, dominate, tattooed guys then this is your book. nicolas russo is ultimate boyfriend material. he will stop at nothing to get what he wants, and want he wants is elena abelli.
nicknamed "sweet abelli" - elena is everything that a guy wants. she's timid, sweet and drop dead gorgeous. the only guy she finds herself being her true self around is nico. the two have amazing chemistry. i mean, c'mon. the banter is everything in this book. i loved her at times, hated her at others. she's a very wish washy main character, who could solve a lot of her problems if she just actually communicated.
the feminist in me wants to hate nico, but i truly cannot. i mean, hello?! he is everything i look for in a book boyfriend. he is grumpy, dominate, tattooed and will do whatever it takes to protect who he loves.
the writing is there. i loved the writing - the only reason it's rated a 4 is because it was a little too long. It could have deff been atleast 50 pages shorter. I think the whole thing at the end with Elena didn't really add anything to the story.
overall, i recommend this book. it is cute, fast paced, and good characters. if you're looking for more mafia books, or grumpy mc's then pick this up.
nicknamed "sweet abelli" - elena is everything that a guy wants. she's timid, sweet and drop dead gorgeous. the only guy she finds herself being her true self around is nico. the two have amazing chemistry. i mean, c'mon. the banter is everything in this book. i loved her at times, hated her at others. she's a very wish washy main character, who could solve a lot of her problems if she just actually communicated.
the feminist in me wants to hate nico, but i truly cannot. i mean, hello?! he is everything i look for in a book boyfriend. he is grumpy, dominate, tattooed and will do whatever it takes to protect who he loves.
the writing is there. i loved the writing - the only reason it's rated a 4 is because it was a little too long. It could have deff been atleast 50 pages shorter. I think the whole thing at the end with Elena didn't really add anything to the story.
overall, i recommend this book. it is cute, fast paced, and good characters. if you're looking for more mafia books, or grumpy mc's then pick this up.
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
dark
medium-paced
Out of all the dark romances I’ve read this has to be the worst male MC I’ve ever met. He purely lusts after the main girl and they have little to no chemistry
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Basically if Hallmark tried mafia romance.
Let me start by saying: this book was a slow burn for me personally—not because of the romance, but because I needed to warm up to the writing style. Something about the rhythm and voice felt off early on (Elena’s inner monologue wasn’t giving), and it took me a while to care about the characters. But once the tension kicked in… I stayed for the sexual angst, not the plot, okay?
What I liked:
💥 Elena & Nico’s tension: From the “totally platonic” kiss (sure, Jan) to that alley scene with the phone—the chemistry was absolutely there. Their push-pull dynamic, the “we won’t kiss because it means love” thing? Straight-up romance catnip.
🔥 The spice: When it was good, it was really good. That first time? Se la rifaron. Wow.
Nico’s “erase all her past” obsession was insane and lowkey hilarious considering she’d only slept with one guy. One time. Seven months ago. 🤡
💀 Mafia drama lite: Let’s be honest, the mafia plot is background noise. It's really just an excuse for jealous outbursts, arranged marriages, and shirtless gun violence. But like... aesthetic.
🎠 The softboi underneath the cold don: The man kills people but also wants you to have a whimsical fairytale moment. We love layers.
What made me roll my eyes:
😬 Elena’s secret: Girl. Just. Tell. Nico. The whole “I’m going to ruin everything because I have a heart and tried to give money to the family of the guy my family murdered” felt unnecessarily dramatic. There was no actual threat, just vibes.
🤦♀️ The misunderstanding trope™: I panicked when she ran away, but I LOVED that it got resolved fast and without bloodshed. Nico actually let her talk once he calmed down?? Growth, king.
🧊 More Nico POV pls: I needed more brooding inner turmoil. More violent yearning. The male POV is where all the flavor lives!
Final thoughts:
I wasn’t immediately hooked, and I wouldn’t call this a favorite, but by the end, I enjoyed it. It’s got spice, soft angst, a morally gray MMC who’s actually a romantic, and a mafia backdrop that’s just threatening enough to raise the stakes without making you too nervous.
Let me start by saying: this book was a slow burn for me personally—not because of the romance, but because I needed to warm up to the writing style. Something about the rhythm and voice felt off early on (Elena’s inner monologue wasn’t giving), and it took me a while to care about the characters. But once the tension kicked in… I stayed for the sexual angst, not the plot, okay?
What I liked:
💥 Elena & Nico’s tension: From the “totally platonic” kiss (sure, Jan) to that alley scene with the phone—the chemistry was absolutely there. Their push-pull dynamic, the “we won’t kiss because it means love” thing? Straight-up romance catnip.
🔥 The spice: When it was good, it was really good. That first time? Se la rifaron. Wow.
Nico’s “erase all her past” obsession was insane and lowkey hilarious considering she’d only slept with one guy. One time. Seven months ago. 🤡
💀 Mafia drama lite: Let’s be honest, the mafia plot is background noise. It's really just an excuse for jealous outbursts, arranged marriages, and shirtless gun violence. But like... aesthetic.
🎠 The softboi underneath the cold don: The man kills people but also wants you to have a whimsical fairytale moment. We love layers.
What made me roll my eyes:
😬 Elena’s secret: Girl. Just. Tell. Nico. The whole “I’m going to ruin everything because I have a heart and tried to give money to the family of the guy my family murdered” felt unnecessarily dramatic. There was no actual threat, just vibes.
🤦♀️ The misunderstanding trope™: I panicked when she ran away, but I LOVED that it got resolved fast and without bloodshed. Nico actually let her talk once he calmed down?? Growth, king.
🧊 More Nico POV pls: I needed more brooding inner turmoil. More violent yearning. The male POV is where all the flavor lives!
Final thoughts:
I wasn’t immediately hooked, and I wouldn’t call this a favorite, but by the end, I enjoyed it. It’s got spice, soft angst, a morally gray MMC who’s actually a romantic, and a mafia backdrop that’s just threatening enough to raise the stakes without making you too nervous.
Took me a while for some reason.. but my first Mafia book was a success