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Fiori del Cuore #1
Snowflake and the Snake
An alternative cover edition for this ASIN can be found here.
Rival mafia princes forced into an arranged marriage must put aside their differences in order to survive a threat against their families.
Nicolò Moretti appears to have it all as the privileged only child of a New York City Mafia family with a massive social media following.
But in this cutthroat world of smoke and mirrors, appearances can be deceiving. Out and proud, he tries to rebel against his father’s iron will and tyrannical control by refusing an arranged marriage to the Mafia princess of a rival family. But in doing so, he inadvertently sets off a chain of events that threatens to topple the precarious hierarchy of power and influence within the seedy underbelly of the City’s Dons and Capos. And in his world, a man must always pay the debts for his wrongdoings, one way or another.
Gianluca d'Ambrosio is the overlooked problem child and youngest son of Manhattan’s oldest and most powerful Mafia family.
When chaos erupts over the failed arrangement between his sister and the Moretti family’s son, Luca seizes on the chance to step into the spotlight and make his father proud. If the little Mafia prince refuses to marry a woman, it seems only logical for Gianluca to finally come out and take his sister’s place to ensure that the alliance is made. Eager for recognition and recklessly impulsive, he moves from the sidelines and into the center of one of the most pivotal unifications in the history of the mob.
But putting two rival Mafia princes together is like trying to mix oil and water, and the tension soon reaches a flashpoint.
As the pressure and strain of their unconventional relationship grow, so too does the unrest on the streets, inviting a host of rival groups to strike while the iron is hot. With threats on the rise and the discovery of deception from within, Luca and Nico are forced to stop fighting one another and focus on the bigger threats before they both pay the ultimate price for their family’s sordid, bloody history. And with chemistry as volatile as theirs, they soon realize that the enemy of their enemy is sometimes much more than a friend.
SNOWFLAKE & THE SNAKE is the first book in the Fiori del Cuore series, a dark m/m mafia romance trilogy following the enemies-to-lovers story of Nicolò and Gianluca. This collection must be read in order of appearance to fully understand the journey of their relationship as well as the complex workings of the mafia families they belong to. These stories are intended for an adult audience and are extremely dark in nature, so reader discretion is highly advised. Please consult the author’s website for a comprehensive reader advisory.
Rival mafia princes forced into an arranged marriage must put aside their differences in order to survive a threat against their families.
Nicolò Moretti appears to have it all as the privileged only child of a New York City Mafia family with a massive social media following.
But in this cutthroat world of smoke and mirrors, appearances can be deceiving. Out and proud, he tries to rebel against his father’s iron will and tyrannical control by refusing an arranged marriage to the Mafia princess of a rival family. But in doing so, he inadvertently sets off a chain of events that threatens to topple the precarious hierarchy of power and influence within the seedy underbelly of the City’s Dons and Capos. And in his world, a man must always pay the debts for his wrongdoings, one way or another.
Gianluca d'Ambrosio is the overlooked problem child and youngest son of Manhattan’s oldest and most powerful Mafia family.
When chaos erupts over the failed arrangement between his sister and the Moretti family’s son, Luca seizes on the chance to step into the spotlight and make his father proud. If the little Mafia prince refuses to marry a woman, it seems only logical for Gianluca to finally come out and take his sister’s place to ensure that the alliance is made. Eager for recognition and recklessly impulsive, he moves from the sidelines and into the center of one of the most pivotal unifications in the history of the mob.
But putting two rival Mafia princes together is like trying to mix oil and water, and the tension soon reaches a flashpoint.
As the pressure and strain of their unconventional relationship grow, so too does the unrest on the streets, inviting a host of rival groups to strike while the iron is hot. With threats on the rise and the discovery of deception from within, Luca and Nico are forced to stop fighting one another and focus on the bigger threats before they both pay the ultimate price for their family’s sordid, bloody history. And with chemistry as volatile as theirs, they soon realize that the enemy of their enemy is sometimes much more than a friend.
SNOWFLAKE & THE SNAKE is the first book in the Fiori del Cuore series, a dark m/m mafia romance trilogy following the enemies-to-lovers story of Nicolò and Gianluca. This collection must be read in order of appearance to fully understand the journey of their relationship as well as the complex workings of the mafia families they belong to. These stories are intended for an adult audience and are extremely dark in nature, so reader discretion is highly advised. Please consult the author’s website for a comprehensive reader advisory.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2024
151 people are currently reading
461 people want to read
About the author
Jay Leigh
15 books96 followersJay Leigh is an author (duh) as well as a voracious reader of primarily M/M romance novels filled with all sorts of goodies like action, suspense, emotions, and spice. Lots of spice.
Plot twist: It’s actually just three mischievous raccoons in a trench coat fueled by levels of caffeine known to cause cancer in the state of California. Good thing they live in New York!
Plot twist: It’s actually just three mischievous raccoons in a trench coat fueled by levels of caffeine known to cause cancer in the state of California. Good thing they live in New York!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
November 20, 2023
I LOVED this book so much.
I’ve really enjoyed all of Jay’s books, but I think this is my favorite. It just ticked all the boxes for me.
Highly recommend!
Full RTC.
I’ve really enjoyed all of Jay’s books, but I think this is my favorite. It just ticked all the boxes for me.
Highly recommend!
Full RTC.
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December 14, 2023
MM Romance
Mafia Arranged Marriage
3 Stars ⭐️
This one is hard for me to review because I’m unsure how I feel about it but what I can say with 1000% sincerity is I absolutely adored Nico and Luca as a couple. Nico and Luca aren’t couples goals but they have that intense, obsessive possessiveness that I just eat up books like this. They are the definition of dysfunctional but when it comes to anyone fucking with their man? Watch out because shit is going to get bloody. They couldn’t be more different but they work perfectly together. The sex scenes were hot between them (praise kink!) and the care they had for each other made me swoon. The fact Nico would sleep on top of Luca because his weight settled him or Nico’s voice was the only one Luca could hear when he spiraled or the way Luca tucked Nico into bed to keep him warm each time he got up earlier than him. I just loved them so much!!! All those “touch him and die” vibes.
”His hand dragged a slow path from my mouth, over the side of my face, and into my hair before twisting into a fist. I gasped as he yanked my head back to speak the next words against the pulse pounding in my neck. “Mine. Where I go, you go. What I say, you do. And anyone who dares lay a finger on you? I’ll fucking murder them.”
HOWEVER, I was not a fan of the actual story and even though the writing was quite addictive, I struggled to get through it. I expect a lot of crazy in mafia plots but FFS 🤦🏻♀️ this one was ridiculous. The number of times these guys almost died became humorous and there was a crazy plot twist around 80% that didn’t make much sense but just made me roll my eyes. 🙄 There was a crazy miscommunication around 70% but that paled in comparison to all the other crazy things happening before and after that. I dont know if anything I say will make sense but here’s a spoiler free overview.
Let’s start with the fact this is supposed to be a trilogy but because this had a HFN, I’m not sure if all 3 books will be about this couple or some of the others we met. This is not a cliffhanger because everything is resolved with the main couple but it did leave some unanswered questions about Nico’s family. I think. I did start skimming this at various points so maybe I missed something? Anyway, this is an arranged marriage between rival mafia families. It’s supposed to be between Nico and a girl from the rival’s family but shit goes down in chapter one that has her brother Luca taking her place. This is not a gay for you type story as Nico is gay and Luca is bi. Although Luca offered to step in for his sister, he’s not happy about it and has a lot of opinions about Nico based on his social media and what just happened. Nico has the typical violent and cruel mafia family whereas Luca’s is strangely fluffy for a book like this. While they have guns and people die, Luca is a mama’s boy, who is into farming and loves animals. He also has undiagnosed ADHD or something similar that makes living with him a total nightmare for Nico. Anyone who loved Cora Rose’s Emery (the character), will probably adore Luca. I couldn’t stand Emery (book) but I found Luca quite endearing especially when Nico learns how to calm his storm. Luca is passionate and he will protect Nico until his dying breath so the intensity between them is everything.
I don’t consider this enemies to lovers but they don’t “hate” each other for long anyways. It’s more of a forced proximity, arranged marriage with someone you don’t necessarily want but end up falling for. Despite Luca’s crazy, I probably would have fallen for him too. As for the title, Luca is the snake and Nico is the snowflake. Honestly, I’m not even sure why they have these names. Luca’s boys refer to him as Snake but like I said, for a mafia boy he’s quite fluffy and a better name might have been “kitten”. Adorable until someone fucks with him or Nico and then he turns vicious. Luca refers to Nico as a snowflake originally as an insult because he finds him too delicate but it somehow turns into a pet name. I do however LOVE this cover especially Luca’s snake tattooed hand gripping Nico’s throat, a common occurrence in this book. So sexy!
I’ve reread this review and it still doesn’t translate into why I didn’t care for it. I guess this felt like I was reading two different books. There’d be murder and mayhem but then Luca would be watching mini cow videos and trying to figure out how to convince his grandma to get one. There was also a huge amount of crying in this. For mafia men, they were such crybabies and I’m all about men crying and showing emotion but it’s kind of hard to beat the shit out of someone when you are wailing and sobbing, you know? So, expect hitmen, blood and torture but with a weird side of overprotective mamas, mini house cows and chicken coops. On one hand I kind of liked the fluffiness but then they’d be getting shot at in the next scene and I’d get whiplash. I don’t think this review makes a lick of sense but that’s exactly how I felt reading it.
My entire rating is for my boys even though I kept messing up their names because they are so similar so it took me ages to even write this review. 😂 And as much as the story didn’t appeal to me I’ll probably read the next installments if they are about Nico and Luca. That’s how much I love them. 😍
Mafia Arranged Marriage
3 Stars ⭐️
This one is hard for me to review because I’m unsure how I feel about it but what I can say with 1000% sincerity is I absolutely adored Nico and Luca as a couple. Nico and Luca aren’t couples goals but they have that intense, obsessive possessiveness that I just eat up books like this. They are the definition of dysfunctional but when it comes to anyone fucking with their man? Watch out because shit is going to get bloody. They couldn’t be more different but they work perfectly together. The sex scenes were hot between them (praise kink!) and the care they had for each other made me swoon. The fact Nico would sleep on top of Luca because his weight settled him or Nico’s voice was the only one Luca could hear when he spiraled or the way Luca tucked Nico into bed to keep him warm each time he got up earlier than him. I just loved them so much!!! All those “touch him and die” vibes.
”His hand dragged a slow path from my mouth, over the side of my face, and into my hair before twisting into a fist. I gasped as he yanked my head back to speak the next words against the pulse pounding in my neck. “Mine. Where I go, you go. What I say, you do. And anyone who dares lay a finger on you? I’ll fucking murder them.”
HOWEVER, I was not a fan of the actual story and even though the writing was quite addictive, I struggled to get through it. I expect a lot of crazy in mafia plots but FFS 🤦🏻♀️ this one was ridiculous. The number of times these guys almost died became humorous and there was a crazy plot twist around 80% that didn’t make much sense but just made me roll my eyes. 🙄 There was a crazy miscommunication around 70% but that paled in comparison to all the other crazy things happening before and after that. I dont know if anything I say will make sense but here’s a spoiler free overview.
Let’s start with the fact this is supposed to be a trilogy but because this had a HFN, I’m not sure if all 3 books will be about this couple or some of the others we met. This is not a cliffhanger because everything is resolved with the main couple but it did leave some unanswered questions about Nico’s family. I think. I did start skimming this at various points so maybe I missed something? Anyway, this is an arranged marriage between rival mafia families. It’s supposed to be between Nico and a girl from the rival’s family but shit goes down in chapter one that has her brother Luca taking her place. This is not a gay for you type story as Nico is gay and Luca is bi. Although Luca offered to step in for his sister, he’s not happy about it and has a lot of opinions about Nico based on his social media and what just happened. Nico has the typical violent and cruel mafia family whereas Luca’s is strangely fluffy for a book like this. While they have guns and people die, Luca is a mama’s boy, who is into farming and loves animals. He also has undiagnosed ADHD or something similar that makes living with him a total nightmare for Nico. Anyone who loved Cora Rose’s Emery (the character), will probably adore Luca. I couldn’t stand Emery (book) but I found Luca quite endearing especially when Nico learns how to calm his storm. Luca is passionate and he will protect Nico until his dying breath so the intensity between them is everything.
I don’t consider this enemies to lovers but they don’t “hate” each other for long anyways. It’s more of a forced proximity, arranged marriage with someone you don’t necessarily want but end up falling for. Despite Luca’s crazy, I probably would have fallen for him too. As for the title, Luca is the snake and Nico is the snowflake. Honestly, I’m not even sure why they have these names. Luca’s boys refer to him as Snake but like I said, for a mafia boy he’s quite fluffy and a better name might have been “kitten”. Adorable until someone fucks with him or Nico and then he turns vicious. Luca refers to Nico as a snowflake originally as an insult because he finds him too delicate but it somehow turns into a pet name. I do however LOVE this cover especially Luca’s snake tattooed hand gripping Nico’s throat, a common occurrence in this book. So sexy!
I’ve reread this review and it still doesn’t translate into why I didn’t care for it. I guess this felt like I was reading two different books. There’d be murder and mayhem but then Luca would be watching mini cow videos and trying to figure out how to convince his grandma to get one. There was also a huge amount of crying in this. For mafia men, they were such crybabies and I’m all about men crying and showing emotion but it’s kind of hard to beat the shit out of someone when you are wailing and sobbing, you know? So, expect hitmen, blood and torture but with a weird side of overprotective mamas, mini house cows and chicken coops. On one hand I kind of liked the fluffiness but then they’d be getting shot at in the next scene and I’d get whiplash. I don’t think this review makes a lick of sense but that’s exactly how I felt reading it.
My entire rating is for my boys even though I kept messing up their names because they are so similar so it took me ages to even write this review. 😂 And as much as the story didn’t appeal to me I’ll probably read the next installments if they are about Nico and Luca. That’s how much I love them. 😍
November 28, 2023
3.5 stars
Slump-wrecker!!
Luca aka Gianluca, Gian - tattooed, ADHD, praise kink, momma’s boy, loves animals and Toaster Strudel, mafia prince
Nico aka Nicolo - tired boi with daddy issues, loves cars, eats like a bird, just needs to feel wanted, mafia prince for “rival” mob
These boys are the epitome of chaos twins. I became addicted to them.
They were nothing what each other wanted (arranged marriage) but they were everything each other needed.
This was not a perfect book (I don’t even want to list all the reasons why) but for a mafia romance it was cute, cute, cute.
The characters had distinctive, real personalities which is my number one expectation right now in books that I don’t DNF.
Check the CWs, peeps.
Slump-wrecker!!
Luca aka Gianluca, Gian - tattooed, ADHD, praise kink, momma’s boy, loves animals and Toaster Strudel, mafia prince
Nico aka Nicolo - tired boi with daddy issues, loves cars, eats like a bird, just needs to feel wanted, mafia prince for “rival” mob
These boys are the epitome of chaos twins. I became addicted to them.
They were nothing what each other wanted (arranged marriage) but they were everything each other needed.
This was not a perfect book (I don’t even want to list all the reasons why) but for a mafia romance it was cute, cute, cute.
The characters had distinctive, real personalities which is my number one expectation right now in books that I don’t DNF.
Check the CWs, peeps.
dnf
May 3, 2024dnf @ 49% - gianluca was a mess lmao but as soon as the praise kink came into play, i loved him😂 but before that he was out here calling nico “used goods” like sirrrr????😭😭 and he also called nico snowflake and it was giving very much republican🥴 later, the nickname’s meaning changed to beautiful and delicate but damn, the initial part of the book was hell to get thru bc even some of the dialogue was cringe….when it came time to sex, there were no blow jobs/handjobs/frotting or build up, it went straight to anal, which is fine except when the anal is literally just bend over, pull down ur pants, spit on cock, immediately push thru asshole…..spit for lube with no prep???😭😭😭😭 and luca never touched nico’s cock….it was basically ruined for me after that, but i’m like ok lemme read till the next sex scene, maybe that was a one off or sum…..next time anything sexual happens, it’s literally the same thing: bend over, pull down ur pants, lube on cock this time, immediately push thru asshole “in one swift thrust”😭😭😭😭 um i don’t think so baby….and there was no one touching nico’s cock…..OR his asshole to prep it….and the first time nico was all like “make me yours, prove it” and they fuck and the second time nico was like “fuck me like u want me, i need it” and gianluca was like “i do, ur mine remember?” and nico was like “prove it” and they fuck😂😂😂 idk it’s so wattpad….the main reason why i had to stop tho is bc i was getting extreme MF vibes from this…..i think you could literally swap nico out with a woman and it would read exactly the same🤕 no thank u!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2024
Žiauriai sunku vertinti, nes, viena vertus, pagrindiniai veikėjai Luca ir Nico labai cute pora, tobulai tinkantys vienas kitam, ir aš mėgstu santuokos iš reikalo tropą, be to, labai gerai pavaizduotas ADHD ir nerimo sutrikimas.
Bet kaip mafijos romanas... Nežinau, man trūksta žodžių. Siužeto virsmai dramatiškumu ir nelogiškumu pranoksta indų serialus. Kaip tie mafiozai išvis dar gyvi? Gal aš supainiojau žanrus, gal čia fantasy buvo? Ir tos ašarų upės - aš vien už tai, kad vyrai verkia, bet čia tas masinis raudojimas galėtų sukelti pasaulio tvaną. Ir cukraus į pabaigą tiek papilta, kad apsėmė dantis. Dar niekad taip ilgai neskaičiau 30 puslapių, bet kai knyga įveikta 91% net ir man, DNF karalienei, gaila numesti.
Bet kaip mafijos romanas... Nežinau, man trūksta žodžių. Siužeto virsmai dramatiškumu ir nelogiškumu pranoksta indų serialus. Kaip tie mafiozai išvis dar gyvi? Gal aš supainiojau žanrus, gal čia fantasy buvo? Ir tos ašarų upės - aš vien už tai, kad vyrai verkia, bet čia tas masinis raudojimas galėtų sukelti pasaulio tvaną. Ir cukraus į pabaigą tiek papilta, kad apsėmė dantis. Dar niekad taip ilgai neskaičiau 30 puslapių, bet kai knyga įveikta 91% net ir man, DNF karalienei, gaila numesti.
November 19, 2023
Easiest 5*!
It's not your typical mafia book and that's the good thing! I'm sorry for shouting but I really really loved it.
Nico's and Luca's story captivated me from the very beginning. Both babies, despite being mafia princes, are so broken and how could you not love them?! They are completely different and that's why they compliment each other so well (eventually).
Exploration of mental health, a superior found family trope - you can trust Jay on doing them right. Yes, there is mafia stuff happening, but the softness in it all (weird sentence? huh) wins everything.
Can't wait to see what Jay has planned for our boys in the future!
**This is an ARC review.
It's not your typical mafia book and that's the good thing! I'm sorry for shouting but I really really loved it.
Nico's and Luca's story captivated me from the very beginning. Both babies, despite being mafia princes, are so broken and how could you not love them?! They are completely different and that's why they compliment each other so well (eventually).
Exploration of mental health, a superior found family trope - you can trust Jay on doing them right. Yes, there is mafia stuff happening, but the softness in it all (weird sentence? huh) wins everything.
Can't wait to see what Jay has planned for our boys in the future!
**This is an ARC review.
November 29, 2023
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
As bizarre as it was, turning myself into Gianluca's personal weighted blanket worked wonders for both of us.
There is a lot to love in this book. I normally don’t read the ‘arranged marriage’ trope, but I loved how it was written here. The relationship is a *smidge* unconventional and dysfunctional, but both men are so loveable and sweet in their own ways. You wouldn’t think it, but they really are perfect for each other, even though how they get together is the opposite of what the start of a new and loving relationship should be. They might actually be one of my new favorite couples this year, I loved them together so much.
“I said DON’T!” Shrieking like a banshee, Nico whipped the door open and stepped out before muscling it closed. I knew from experience that the desire to slam doors was severely inhibited when dealing with sliding ones.
I *love* suspense and external trauma/drama, so this book was pretty much perfect for me. Jay Leigh writes this sort of action exceptionally well, and I’m very much looking forward to whatever they write next. The violence, action and the relationship itself was top tier in this book, but there were a couple of… not plot holes, but places where I felt something was missing? A better resolution to a relatively serious misunderstanding (just a short conversation about it would’ve helped), and an update on Nico’s family at the end. Other than that though, I thought it was a fabulous read, and Jay Leigh has cemented themselves as one of my favorite authors this year. Highly recommend if you enjoy the mafia trope at all. Maybe try it even if you don’t!
“My Nico.” He kissed my right cheek. “My Snowflake.” He kissed my other cheek. “My sweetheart.”
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Mafia
Arranged marriage
Forced proximity
Size difference
Tattoos
Erratic-ball-of-energy MC
Praise kink
Human weighted blanket
Possessive
No-lube shenanigans
Eating pie
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
A detailed list of content warnings can be found in the front of the book.
* Physical assault
* Graphic violence
* Vomiting
* Nonconsensual porn (not done by one MC to the other)
* Gun violence
* Underage drinking
* Hospitalization
* Stab wound
* Lack of lube and prep
* Unsafe sex
* Death of side characters
* On-page killing
* Car accident
* Attempted murder
* Theft
* Physical abuse by parent
* Kidnapping
* Hostage situation
* Drugging
* Explicit sexual content
* Mentions of sexual situation with dub-con
* Mentions of surgery
* Strong reaction to pain medication
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Mafia romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
MCs age: 20 and 22
If he truly had nothing and nowhere, I would do whatever it took to become everything.
“Mine. Where I go, you go. What I say, you do. And anyone who dares lay a finger on you? I'll fucking murder them.”
“You probably shouldn’t tune out important conversations about life and death matters, baby.”
As bizarre as it was, turning myself into Gianluca's personal weighted blanket worked wonders for both of us.
There is a lot to love in this book. I normally don’t read the ‘arranged marriage’ trope, but I loved how it was written here. The relationship is a *smidge* unconventional and dysfunctional, but both men are so loveable and sweet in their own ways. You wouldn’t think it, but they really are perfect for each other, even though how they get together is the opposite of what the start of a new and loving relationship should be. They might actually be one of my new favorite couples this year, I loved them together so much.
“I said DON’T!” Shrieking like a banshee, Nico whipped the door open and stepped out before muscling it closed. I knew from experience that the desire to slam doors was severely inhibited when dealing with sliding ones.
I *love* suspense and external trauma/drama, so this book was pretty much perfect for me. Jay Leigh writes this sort of action exceptionally well, and I’m very much looking forward to whatever they write next. The violence, action and the relationship itself was top tier in this book, but there were a couple of… not plot holes, but places where I felt something was missing? A better resolution to a relatively serious misunderstanding (just a short conversation about it would’ve helped), and an update on Nico’s family at the end. Other than that though, I thought it was a fabulous read, and Jay Leigh has cemented themselves as one of my favorite authors this year. Highly recommend if you enjoy the mafia trope at all. Maybe try it even if you don’t!
“My Nico.” He kissed my right cheek. “My Snowflake.” He kissed my other cheek. “My sweetheart.”
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Mafia
Arranged marriage
Forced proximity
Size difference
Tattoos
Erratic-ball-of-energy MC
Praise kink
Human weighted blanket
Possessive
No-lube shenanigans
Eating pie
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
A detailed list of content warnings can be found in the front of the book.
* Physical assault
* Graphic violence
* Vomiting
* Nonconsensual porn (not done by one MC to the other)
* Gun violence
* Underage drinking
* Hospitalization
* Stab wound
* Lack of lube and prep
* Unsafe sex
* Death of side characters
* On-page killing
* Car accident
* Attempted murder
* Theft
* Physical abuse by parent
* Kidnapping
* Hostage situation
* Drugging
* Explicit sexual content
* Mentions of sexual situation with dub-con
* Mentions of surgery
* Strong reaction to pain medication
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
OM/OW drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Genre: Mafia romance, M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
MCs age: 20 and 22
If he truly had nothing and nowhere, I would do whatever it took to become everything.
“Mine. Where I go, you go. What I say, you do. And anyone who dares lay a finger on you? I'll fucking murder them.”
“You probably shouldn’t tune out important conversations about life and death matters, baby.”
February 11, 2024
Murder & Mayhem, Mafia Style
A viral explicit video ends the plans for two Mafia families to remove fences between them. Nicolo Moretti’s cruel father had arranged a marriage for him with Selena d’Ambrosio, the daughter of a rival Mafia family.
All plans fell apart when Selena and everyone else viewed a video of Nicolo in a very compromising scene with other males. Both their father’s needed this marriage to strengthen their families against the Bratva, the Russian Mafia. Moretti Senior had practically beaten Nicolo to death when he saw the video.
Gianluca d’Ambrosio, the youngest son of Mafia Boss, Damiano d’Ambrosio, displays ADHD behaviour, but always tries to please his father and gain his trust and praise for his work. So he steps up and says he will marry Nicolo Moretti. Just to please his Dad.
Neither Nico nor Luca really wanted the marriage but being the sons of their father’s the wedding was held post haste at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC, with bells ringing out in celebration. Several weeks later, Luca and Nico both have secret feelings growing between them. Luca is pledged to protect Nico at all costs.
What follows is probably normal Mafia shenanigans, murder and mayhem when a Bratva Gang try to move in on both the families territories. Murder, kidnapping, shootouts. But, all is not at it seems.
Luca d’Ambrosio’s family are brilliant, supportive, and adore their children, Marco, Selena and especially Luca. Slowly they enclose Nico in their affectionate family.
Luca and Nico are so adorable, their love for each other leaps off the pages with Luca smothering Nico with affection at every opportunity. Both depend on each other for different reasons, Nico calms Luca when he become hyper, and Luca gives Nico the affection and security he needed, after his own horrible family life.
I loved their story, and of course Noona on her farm, and her collection of animals just to please her favourite grandson, Luca, who spent a lot of time there as a schoolboy.
Mafia Family lifestyle does not appeal to me at all, too much violence and bloodshed, and there is plenty of that here in this book, so be warned in advance. It was the Cover Artwork that attracted me and I just had to download it.
However, I managed to get through those parts asap and concentrated on the development of genuine love between Luca and Nico.
This is book 1 in a series and I do want to read more of Nico (Snowflake) and ‘The Snake’ Luca, but I need to pace myself before I read of their lifestyle as Mafia family members.
Rounded up to 3.75 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ . 💫 for Luca and Nico
but would have given 4, but disliked all the onpage violence, but that is just a me issue. Probably par for course to explain Mafia lifestyle, not a reflection on the authors writing skills.
A viral explicit video ends the plans for two Mafia families to remove fences between them. Nicolo Moretti’s cruel father had arranged a marriage for him with Selena d’Ambrosio, the daughter of a rival Mafia family.
All plans fell apart when Selena and everyone else viewed a video of Nicolo in a very compromising scene with other males. Both their father’s needed this marriage to strengthen their families against the Bratva, the Russian Mafia. Moretti Senior had practically beaten Nicolo to death when he saw the video.
Gianluca d’Ambrosio, the youngest son of Mafia Boss, Damiano d’Ambrosio, displays ADHD behaviour, but always tries to please his father and gain his trust and praise for his work. So he steps up and says he will marry Nicolo Moretti. Just to please his Dad.
Neither Nico nor Luca really wanted the marriage but being the sons of their father’s the wedding was held post haste at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC, with bells ringing out in celebration. Several weeks later, Luca and Nico both have secret feelings growing between them. Luca is pledged to protect Nico at all costs.
What follows is probably normal Mafia shenanigans, murder and mayhem when a Bratva Gang try to move in on both the families territories. Murder, kidnapping, shootouts. But, all is not at it seems.
Luca d’Ambrosio’s family are brilliant, supportive, and adore their children, Marco, Selena and especially Luca. Slowly they enclose Nico in their affectionate family.
Luca and Nico are so adorable, their love for each other leaps off the pages with Luca smothering Nico with affection at every opportunity. Both depend on each other for different reasons, Nico calms Luca when he become hyper, and Luca gives Nico the affection and security he needed, after his own horrible family life.
I loved their story, and of course Noona on her farm, and her collection of animals just to please her favourite grandson, Luca, who spent a lot of time there as a schoolboy.
Mafia Family lifestyle does not appeal to me at all, too much violence and bloodshed, and there is plenty of that here in this book, so be warned in advance. It was the Cover Artwork that attracted me and I just had to download it.
However, I managed to get through those parts asap and concentrated on the development of genuine love between Luca and Nico.
This is book 1 in a series and I do want to read more of Nico (Snowflake) and ‘The Snake’ Luca, but I need to pace myself before I read of their lifestyle as Mafia family members.
Rounded up to 3.75 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ . 💫 for Luca and Nico
but would have given 4, but disliked all the onpage violence, but that is just a me issue. Probably par for course to explain Mafia lifestyle, not a reflection on the authors writing skills.
December 27, 2023
This book... This book was everything. I had high expectations and it didn't disappoint. What a wonderful masterpiece this author created here. It's a mafia romance and so much more.
Luca is a bit of a mess (well, let's say he's a huge mess), as the son of a mob boss he's always tried to help the family and make his dad proud but he feels a failure. That is what makes him take his sister's place to marry Nico, another mob boss's son, in order to forge an alliance between the two families..
Nico has never been or wanted to be involved with his father's business. He's tried to make a living on his own but that all finishes when a video of him goes viral. His father is ashamed of him and pushes Nico to marry someone from the other family he wants to be allies with..
The beginning of this book was tough. Both Luca and Nico found themselves married, they didn't know each other and they were very different. Nico went into the marriage feeling exhausted, hurt, and physically and emotionally drained. Luca wanted to do things right, but his neurodivergent brain wouldn't allow him to get things sorted.
I loved every single page of this book. It was emotional and beautiful, there was danger and so many difficult situations that Luca and Nico got involved in, not surprising seeing what families they were part of.
Luca's possessiveness melted my heart because it came from a good place. He just wanted to keep Nico safe because, for Luca, it was one of the few things he was good at. Nico couldn't help falling in love with his husband, despite Luca being a disaster he was also caring and gentle, and Nico just wanted to be loved for who he was and not what he could bring to the table for the benefit of others.
Both MCs stole my heart and Luca became someone I could relate to. I understood him perfectly because I know what ADHD is like. The author did an amazing job with this character, his messy brain playing up all the time while having a heart of gold.
This is probably one of my best reads of this year, just when it's about to end I come across such a fabulous book. It's heartwarming, beautifully written, packed with perfectly described emotions and feelings, and overall, just a fantastic book. The MCs were intense but adorable, with real life struggles. The story made me feel so much in a good way, it was about unconditional love and accepting others the way they are and helping each other when life got difficult.
I truly recommend this book. Like I said, one of the best reads of this year for me.
Luca is a bit of a mess (well, let's say he's a huge mess), as the son of a mob boss he's always tried to help the family and make his dad proud but he feels a failure. That is what makes him take his sister's place to marry Nico, another mob boss's son, in order to forge an alliance between the two families..
Nico has never been or wanted to be involved with his father's business. He's tried to make a living on his own but that all finishes when a video of him goes viral. His father is ashamed of him and pushes Nico to marry someone from the other family he wants to be allies with..
The beginning of this book was tough. Both Luca and Nico found themselves married, they didn't know each other and they were very different. Nico went into the marriage feeling exhausted, hurt, and physically and emotionally drained. Luca wanted to do things right, but his neurodivergent brain wouldn't allow him to get things sorted.
I loved every single page of this book. It was emotional and beautiful, there was danger and so many difficult situations that Luca and Nico got involved in, not surprising seeing what families they were part of.
Luca's possessiveness melted my heart because it came from a good place. He just wanted to keep Nico safe because, for Luca, it was one of the few things he was good at. Nico couldn't help falling in love with his husband, despite Luca being a disaster he was also caring and gentle, and Nico just wanted to be loved for who he was and not what he could bring to the table for the benefit of others.
Both MCs stole my heart and Luca became someone I could relate to. I understood him perfectly because I know what ADHD is like. The author did an amazing job with this character, his messy brain playing up all the time while having a heart of gold.
This is probably one of my best reads of this year, just when it's about to end I come across such a fabulous book. It's heartwarming, beautifully written, packed with perfectly described emotions and feelings, and overall, just a fantastic book. The MCs were intense but adorable, with real life struggles. The story made me feel so much in a good way, it was about unconditional love and accepting others the way they are and helping each other when life got difficult.
I truly recommend this book. Like I said, one of the best reads of this year for me.
January 17, 2024
3/5 stars
November 20, 2023
Damn Jay did it AGAIN
If you know me, you also know that I love a good romance. And I love my friends. So when my friend Jay told me she was writing a mafia romance,,, I squealed in delight.
Jay is literally a super heroine, SHE PUT OUT 4 books WITHIN a year. And all of them are BANGER.
Let’s talk about Snowflake and the snake.
We follow Nico and Luca, two sons of big mafia families who ends up in a marriage of convenience.
On one side we have Nicolo, disgraced son of the Moretti family. He lived through hell before ending up married to Luca. And you neeed to read thoroughly the trigger warning before reading this one because Nico suffered A LOT.
He’s also a sarcastic baby and I would kill for him 🥰.
On the other side, Luca, our favourite mess. But what a lovely mess. He has adhd and he tries so hard to please his family, thus why he ends up volunteering to marry Nico without thinking too hard about it. Damn. I love Luca so much.
Their story is chaotic, messy and defy the odds. In the midst of everything they find solace in each other and they complete each other so well.
I won’t say anything else, you just need to know that this might be my favourite release from Jay yet, and if you enjoy codependency, the « who did this to you » trope and an unhealthy amount of possessiveness… I have great news for you.
Jay if you read this, I LOVE YOUUUU, YOU’re amazing and I’m forever impressed by everything you accomplish.
If you know me, you also know that I love a good romance. And I love my friends. So when my friend Jay told me she was writing a mafia romance,,, I squealed in delight.
Jay is literally a super heroine, SHE PUT OUT 4 books WITHIN a year. And all of them are BANGER.
Let’s talk about Snowflake and the snake.
We follow Nico and Luca, two sons of big mafia families who ends up in a marriage of convenience.
On one side we have Nicolo, disgraced son of the Moretti family. He lived through hell before ending up married to Luca. And you neeed to read thoroughly the trigger warning before reading this one because Nico suffered A LOT.
He’s also a sarcastic baby and I would kill for him 🥰.
On the other side, Luca, our favourite mess. But what a lovely mess. He has adhd and he tries so hard to please his family, thus why he ends up volunteering to marry Nico without thinking too hard about it. Damn. I love Luca so much.
Their story is chaotic, messy and defy the odds. In the midst of everything they find solace in each other and they complete each other so well.
I won’t say anything else, you just need to know that this might be my favourite release from Jay yet, and if you enjoy codependency, the « who did this to you » trope and an unhealthy amount of possessiveness… I have great news for you.
Jay if you read this, I LOVE YOUUUU, YOU’re amazing and I’m forever impressed by everything you accomplish.
April 25, 2024
Awwwh, Gianluca, and Nicolo are the goofiest and most adorable couple I've ever read about, it's just two cinnamon rolls high up on sugar one of whom happens to have a gun in his back pocket.
I really liked how funny Luca is, he had the funniest comments and thoughts and he is delightful and endearing
But romance aside, I am conflicted on how to rate this.
It would have been an easy 5-star if not for three things
1-
I personally take offense on that one.
2- The got a bit boring at the end, I mean we could have stopped at chapters 37-38, but the author added three more just to make the book look bigger in paperback form because there was nothing of substance.
3- Why can't we just call things how they are? Why do we have to tip toe?I mean, I appreciate the neurodiversity representation, and while I understand that ADHD is a spectrum, I think that whatever Gian's type was, the symptoms were just way overexaggerated, ADHD on steroids if you may. It was like his whole identity revolved around his neurodiversity.
It was to a point where Gian was just a child in the body of a 22-year-old mafia prince, he was acting like a child, throwing tantrums and things at Nico. I mean the symptoms were there and there were A LOT of them ALL THE TIME (the author can't seem to let us forget it for one page), and somehow his family - the very tightly knit family who loves him and cherishes him - can't even guide him to seek help from a specialist about it, no they thrust a gun into his hands push him into the outside world. Even Nico noticed after spending just one week with him, but for some reason, he chucked everything aside as some goofy and cute personality trait except for the messiness which he tried to help him with.
Honestly, as someone with ADHD myself, I'd be wary of neurotypical folks reading this book because it might give them the wrong idea, and it could make someone with undiagnosed ADHD feel like their symptoms aren't significant enough to seek help.
I really liked how funny Luca is, he had the funniest comments and thoughts and he is delightful and endearing
Nothing else made sense through the fog, but his hand in mine made perfect sense
"I watched that shit on repeat, and I definitely screen-recorded it for my private spank bank"
But romance aside, I am conflicted on how to rate this.
It would have been an easy 5-star if not for three things
1-
Dogs were better pets than cats."
I personally take offense on that one.
2- The got a bit boring at the end, I mean we could have stopped at chapters 37-38, but the author added three more just to make the book look bigger in paperback form because there was nothing of substance.
3- Why can't we just call things how they are? Why do we have to tip toe?I mean, I appreciate the neurodiversity representation, and while I understand that ADHD is a spectrum, I think that whatever Gian's type was, the symptoms were just way overexaggerated, ADHD on steroids if you may. It was like his whole identity revolved around his neurodiversity.
It was to a point where Gian was just a child in the body of a 22-year-old mafia prince, he was acting like a child, throwing tantrums and things at Nico. I mean the symptoms were there and there were A LOT of them ALL THE TIME (the author can't seem to let us forget it for one page), and somehow his family - the very tightly knit family who loves him and cherishes him - can't even guide him to seek help from a specialist about it, no they thrust a gun into his hands push him into the outside world. Even Nico noticed after spending just one week with him, but for some reason, he chucked everything aside as some goofy and cute personality trait except for the messiness which he tried to help him with.
Honestly, as someone with ADHD myself, I'd be wary of neurotypical folks reading this book because it might give them the wrong idea, and it could make someone with undiagnosed ADHD feel like their symptoms aren't significant enough to seek help.
December 28, 2023
What a lovable and supportive crime syndicate the D’Ambrosio family is. I’ve never read a spicy mafia romance that I would consider kind of cute and fluffy as far as the genre goes…but here it is. I absolutely loved Luca and Nico, even if they were frustrating as hell at times. Do they develop a potentially problematic codependency on one another…yes…are they cute as hell while it happens…also yes…
I was very impressed by the authors ability to portray neurodivergent characters. I felt everything the characters were experiencing within themselves and each other. It’s been a long time since I read a book where I felt as though I was experiencing all the mania, anxiety, frustration, exhaustion, depression, joy, and relief that the characters were feeling…especially our sweet, chaotic, mildly murderous Luca. God bless it was overwhelming being in his head and watching him through Nicos eyes. Also watching Nico learn he’s so loved and safe all while balancing and tethering Luca was just so swoon
I only gave it 3 stars because I felt like some of the situations and plot twists did not make much sense or line up with what had already happened in the book. However, I also felt this was such a character driven story that it didn’t really take much away from my reading experience since I still enjoyed reading about Luca, Nico, and the D’Ambrosio clan.
I was very impressed by the authors ability to portray neurodivergent characters. I felt everything the characters were experiencing within themselves and each other. It’s been a long time since I read a book where I felt as though I was experiencing all the mania, anxiety, frustration, exhaustion, depression, joy, and relief that the characters were feeling…especially our sweet, chaotic, mildly murderous Luca. God bless it was overwhelming being in his head and watching him through Nicos eyes. Also watching Nico learn he’s so loved and safe all while balancing and tethering Luca was just so swoon
I only gave it 3 stars because I felt like some of the situations and plot twists did not make much sense or line up with what had already happened in the book. However, I also felt this was such a character driven story that it didn’t really take much away from my reading experience since I still enjoyed reading about Luca, Nico, and the D’Ambrosio clan.
January 2, 2024
This wasn't as dark as I had imagined it would be. Admittedly, there's a lot of violence, both characters suffer with health problems but it read quite like YA to me. There were a lot more sweet moments between Nico & Luca than I had expected. The start was rocky but after Luca finding out what had happened to Nico, there was little talk about it. In general, there was never a lot of communication, even if there was a lot of inner dialogue. And never an explanation about why Luca is the way he is. But it was absolutely sweet how Nico just knew how to handle him.
For a mafia family, Luca's was just too sweet, and I mean that in good way. I thought it was so cute and the way they accepted Nico. Swoon!
Overall, I expected more conflict but can't say it bothered me because Nico and Luca are too sweet together. I think quite some things are unresolved but I really hope those will be fleshed out in the rest of the series (I have no idea how many books are planned). Definitely will keep reading.
And also, that cover! So pretty!
For a mafia family, Luca's was just too sweet, and I mean that in good way. I thought it was so cute and the way they accepted Nico. Swoon!
Overall, I expected more conflict but can't say it bothered me because Nico and Luca are too sweet together. I think quite some things are unresolved but I really hope those will be fleshed out in the rest of the series (I have no idea how many books are planned). Definitely will keep reading.
And also, that cover! So pretty!
November 8, 2024
Love the premise and it’s probably because of the timing but I was bored for the middle 30%. It felt unnecessary. They went through 7 life changing events in a month and somehow also fell in love? Idk. It kind of felt like the author had an idea for a 5 book series but crammed those plot lines into one book.
Again, it’s probably just me and the unfortunate timing. 😔
Again, it’s probably just me and the unfortunate timing. 😔
November 19, 2023
I never thought I'd love a mafia romance.
But here we are.
I'm not surprised though, it's Jay Leigh.
Her writing is magical and addictive.
But here we are.
I'm not surprised though, it's Jay Leigh.
Her writing is magical and addictive.
November 23, 2023
oh such a silly goofy book smh
December 9, 2023
DNF at 37%, at 23 rich and independent you'd think bro would seek out some help with his ADHD but nah he acts like a baby. I'm all for raising awareness as someone who has siblings who struggle with ADHD but this was awful, besides the fact that dude acts like a child all the time, the dialog was cringe and further cements my no mafia books rule, this was an exception and I regret the time lost.
November 29, 2023
Mafia romances are a favourite genre for me, they tend to have intensely loyal, hurting, morally grey characters that will do anything for those they love and Luca and Nico are all of that and so much more. Nico who wants to belong, so betrayed and hurt and Luca the chaotic whirlwind of energy who loves and protects intensely and wants to be praised and understood. They are amazing, loveable, resilient, layered characters that will stay with me a for a long while.
This book is absolutely phenomenal and I loved it, it isn’t a typical mafia romance and while it does have the morally grey and darker themes we expect from this sub genre, it’s tone felt a bit lighter and it’s filled with sweet moments.
Being forced into a last minute marriage to salvage an alliance between rivals is a rocky start for our MCs relationship but these two don’t do anything by half measures and speed towards falling in love with everything they’ve got. There is action, intrigue, violence and drama swirling all around them as the bratva is making a play for territory and other enemies are making moves, all of it picking up pace and crashing into a nail biting, gasp out loud, edge of your seat ending.
Yet, the story is also so emotional, heart wrenching, steamy and swoony, as these two build bonds and challenge each other on their way to a hard won HEA.
I also loved Nonna, the D’Ambrosio clan, Essa and Henny and I’m intrigued by the Gendry brothers and I cannot wait to read what comes next.
Expect:
* Mafia romance
* Violence, murder
* Mental health rep
* Miniature cows and some chickens
* Forced marriage
* Found family
* Hurt comfort
* Praise kink
* Tattooed MC
* Lots of “you’re mine” possesive vibes
* Protective MC
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Swoon: ♥️♥️♥️♥️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥.5
Angst: ❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹.5
Humour: 🤣🤣
This book is absolutely phenomenal and I loved it, it isn’t a typical mafia romance and while it does have the morally grey and darker themes we expect from this sub genre, it’s tone felt a bit lighter and it’s filled with sweet moments.
Being forced into a last minute marriage to salvage an alliance between rivals is a rocky start for our MCs relationship but these two don’t do anything by half measures and speed towards falling in love with everything they’ve got. There is action, intrigue, violence and drama swirling all around them as the bratva is making a play for territory and other enemies are making moves, all of it picking up pace and crashing into a nail biting, gasp out loud, edge of your seat ending.
Yet, the story is also so emotional, heart wrenching, steamy and swoony, as these two build bonds and challenge each other on their way to a hard won HEA.
I also loved Nonna, the D’Ambrosio clan, Essa and Henny and I’m intrigued by the Gendry brothers and I cannot wait to read what comes next.
Expect:
* Mafia romance
* Violence, murder
* Mental health rep
* Miniature cows and some chickens
* Forced marriage
* Found family
* Hurt comfort
* Praise kink
* Tattooed MC
* Lots of “you’re mine” possesive vibes
* Protective MC
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Swoon: ♥️♥️♥️♥️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥.5
Angst: ❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹.5
Humour: 🤣🤣
January 3, 2024
I liked this one. The obssession and the possessiveness was everything. Gianluca was obssessed with Nicolò, that kind of love is so much more. They protected each other and were there for each other. Nicolò didn't believe someone could love him until Gianluca showed him his love. I can't wait to read more about them
November 21, 2023
Jay starts off this new series with her own twist on Mafia romance. You definitely get everything you want in a Mafia romance, but you also get some lighter, sweet moments between the MCs. It all kicks off with Nico being set to marry Luca's sister, but that is not what happens. So, to save the arrangement between the families, Luca steps right in to fix the problem without giving it much thought. Gianluca and Nicolò are both Mafia princes, but they both have their own issues to work through. The difference between their families plays into how they grow together and also some of the issues that arrive during the beginning of their marriage. I feel that this is also why they work so well together once they begin to understand each other. Luca is our chaotic mess who will do absolutely anything to protect his family and those he loves. He just has this way of making you love him, and his new husband is no exception to it. He will always protect what is his, and no one will keep him from doing so. Nico has not had the same loving family and just needs someone to stand beside him and show him just how much he deserves to be loved. I absolutely love how he is able to ground Luca when his thoughts spiral. But to also see Nico begin to feel stronger and fight for himself is so beautiful. This story is not all sweet romance, and there are many times that you will want to cry and rage about what they endure. But it is so worth all of this to see them in the end. Plus, did I mention that there may be a chicken and a house cow. Oh, we can't forget Luca's dog Essa Principessa.
Jay takes us on a ride with this mafia romance with thriller vibes. Because they are both from big mafia families, they are never safe. In true Jay Leigh style, she throws a few twist that you don't see coming and also takes on a journey as these boys navigate their mental health. I love a good hurt/comfort read, and this one hits all the emotions for me. This one also includes found family, betrayal, friendship, touch my person and ☠️ vibes times 2, and above all love. I can't wait to see what is in store for us next in this Mafia world. If Jay does a brilliant job of showing us what both boys deal with as far as Luca dealing with his undiagnosed ADHD and feeling like he is always messing things up. Then Nico, with learning that not everyone is like his family and he doesn't have to be alone.
I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Jay takes us on a ride with this mafia romance with thriller vibes. Because they are both from big mafia families, they are never safe. In true Jay Leigh style, she throws a few twist that you don't see coming and also takes on a journey as these boys navigate their mental health. I love a good hurt/comfort read, and this one hits all the emotions for me. This one also includes found family, betrayal, friendship, touch my person and ☠️ vibes times 2, and above all love. I can't wait to see what is in store for us next in this Mafia world. If Jay does a brilliant job of showing us what both boys deal with as far as Luca dealing with his undiagnosed ADHD and feeling like he is always messing things up. Then Nico, with learning that not everyone is like his family and he doesn't have to be alone.
I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 21, 2023
Admittedly I am a fraidy cat when it comes to the really dark books, which is where mafia stories seem to thrive. I’m aware this doesn’t make me the *ideal* reviewer for a mafia romance, but I knew I had to give this book a try because I’ve yet to read anything by this author that I haven’t enjoyed.
(Check your CWs)
Mafia prince and family pawn Nico has an arranged engagement to the daughter of a rival family, but when a tape of him at a Halloween party with a guy that was definitely not her leaks that plan screeches to a halt. Luckily (?) her brother Luca has a real ‘I volunteer as tribute’ moment where he both outs himself as bi and offers to take her place in a new arrangement. However, the union that was supposed to bring the families together in a show of force has some cracks and violence escalates.
These two feel impossibly soft for each other, rocky patches and all. Deep feelings turning a hasty arrangement into more. Oranges as a love language, praise…appreciation, mini cows, pilfered cookies and borrowed sweaters are just the tip of the iceberg as they connect and struggle to understand how the other works.
But at heart they are still a product of their Family Backgrounds, and calling them fiercely protective is an understatement. Brutal fighting and death is a way of life, retaliations both swift and final. Eespecially towards those who put one of them in danger.
(I may have surprised myself with bloodthirsty approval a couple times…)
I might still be too soft for most mafia stories - I was an anxious mess by the end fight - but I am hopelessly obsessed with Nico and Luca and would absolutely be in for more of them and their crew.
(Check your CWs)
Mafia prince and family pawn Nico has an arranged engagement to the daughter of a rival family, but when a tape of him at a Halloween party with a guy that was definitely not her leaks that plan screeches to a halt. Luckily (?) her brother Luca has a real ‘I volunteer as tribute’ moment where he both outs himself as bi and offers to take her place in a new arrangement. However, the union that was supposed to bring the families together in a show of force has some cracks and violence escalates.
These two feel impossibly soft for each other, rocky patches and all. Deep feelings turning a hasty arrangement into more. Oranges as a love language, praise…appreciation, mini cows, pilfered cookies and borrowed sweaters are just the tip of the iceberg as they connect and struggle to understand how the other works.
But at heart they are still a product of their Family Backgrounds, and calling them fiercely protective is an understatement. Brutal fighting and death is a way of life, retaliations both swift and final. Eespecially towards those who put one of them in danger.
(I may have surprised myself with bloodthirsty approval a couple times…)
I might still be too soft for most mafia stories - I was an anxious mess by the end fight - but I am hopelessly obsessed with Nico and Luca and would absolutely be in for more of them and their crew.
February 4, 2024
Loved it
Easy read, some minor points I didn't love, but overall really enjoyed the story. Luca is intense and clearly the author is insinuating that he has ADHD or something similar, so the way he is written is in that style which can be chaotic to read. But she dealt with it nicely, there is no fixing or curing a person like that, but there are steps you can take to make their life easier, and the same with Nico's eating, they checked in, asked if there was an issue and then just committed to cooking more of the foods he enjoyed. Btw these are both reasonably minor points in the book, but they stayed with me. The relationship flows well and matches the description of the characters it was messy and immature just like them and i thought it worked well. Honestly really loved it.
Easy read, some minor points I didn't love, but overall really enjoyed the story. Luca is intense and clearly the author is insinuating that he has ADHD or something similar, so the way he is written is in that style which can be chaotic to read. But she dealt with it nicely, there is no fixing or curing a person like that, but there are steps you can take to make their life easier, and the same with Nico's eating, they checked in, asked if there was an issue and then just committed to cooking more of the foods he enjoyed. Btw these are both reasonably minor points in the book, but they stayed with me. The relationship flows well and matches the description of the characters it was messy and immature just like them and i thought it worked well. Honestly really loved it.
June 29, 2024
I was having fun until I wasn’t. Which was about the 60% mark when things started going downhill. The author decided to throw several cliché 3rd act twists at us and I got more and more frustrated. Ended up skimming the last 20%
April 20, 2025
I am once more begging goodreads to give us half stars. This book is…. Bad. It’s just bad. There’s no way around it. I’m being nice and rounding up to three, but…. Dear god. This feels like it came out of a 14 y/o wattpad girlie who figured out the plot of the story as the chapters went on 😭😭
November 21, 2023
Mafia Romance
This is a good start to this new series. I enjoyed the mafia romance along with the thriller story in this. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
This is a good start to this new series. I enjoyed the mafia romance along with the thriller story in this. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
November 26, 2023
This was so good
Possesive, protective, explosive goodness I really enjoyed this and want more of them! Big bad mafia prince is a softy when it comes to his animals and his husband and I am here for it 🥰
Possesive, protective, explosive goodness I really enjoyed this and want more of them! Big bad mafia prince is a softy when it comes to his animals and his husband and I am here for it 🥰
February 11, 2025
how are the both mafia heirs when they are so meh
November 25, 2023
I loved these two sweethearts! It will be an interesting ride to see where the next two books take these boys! I have to note though that Luca needs some dang ADHD meds lol, he was all over the place and I’m not sure if Nico has enough sticky notes.
December 13, 2023
This book was perfect - arranged marriage, mafia, neurodivergent rep, touch him and you die, hurt/comfort and soooo much snuggling!
Nico is the gay son of the infamous Moretti mafia boss and has been promised in marriage to the daughter of a rival boss, head of the d’Ambrosio family. Before they can say ‘I do’ however, a sex tape of Nico and a masked man at a Halloween party goes viral and suddenly Nico’s future is thrown into disarray. His furious father beats him within an inch of his life, before sending him to fulfil the wedding that was promised.
Luca d’Ambrosio, after watching a viral sex video of the man his sister is supposed to be marrying, admits to his family that he is bisexual and volunteers to take his sister’s place. Faced with a man who looks like he’d rather be anywhere but at his own wedding, Luca isn’t sure he’s made the right choice… however the more he gets to know Nico, the more he realises that they might actually be perfect together.
Luca and Nico are absolutely obsessed with each other and honestly I loved it; so much cuddling and hurt/comfort. Luca is neurodivergent (reads like ADHD, but isn’t named on-page) and often finds himself overwhelmed. I liked that Nico’s presence didn’t miraculously heal Luca, but that’s Nico actually has to work out ways to soothe and support his husband. Likewise, Nico suffers from severe anxiety which causes disordered eating, and Luca has to work with him to find ways to help him get through. This journey of learning and supporting was absolutely gorgeous to read. I also enjoyed the found family aspect of the book, in Luca’s friendship group and his own family.
What I felt let it down a little was the overall ‘big bad threat’ in the book… it just came a little out of left field and I found it a bit jarring. I’m not sure, maybe it’s just me but it felt a bit clunky. But other than that, this book was a great read and a must-read for fans of mafia MM!
Nico is the gay son of the infamous Moretti mafia boss and has been promised in marriage to the daughter of a rival boss, head of the d’Ambrosio family. Before they can say ‘I do’ however, a sex tape of Nico and a masked man at a Halloween party goes viral and suddenly Nico’s future is thrown into disarray. His furious father beats him within an inch of his life, before sending him to fulfil the wedding that was promised.
Luca d’Ambrosio, after watching a viral sex video of the man his sister is supposed to be marrying, admits to his family that he is bisexual and volunteers to take his sister’s place. Faced with a man who looks like he’d rather be anywhere but at his own wedding, Luca isn’t sure he’s made the right choice… however the more he gets to know Nico, the more he realises that they might actually be perfect together.
Luca and Nico are absolutely obsessed with each other and honestly I loved it; so much cuddling and hurt/comfort. Luca is neurodivergent (reads like ADHD, but isn’t named on-page) and often finds himself overwhelmed. I liked that Nico’s presence didn’t miraculously heal Luca, but that’s Nico actually has to work out ways to soothe and support his husband. Likewise, Nico suffers from severe anxiety which causes disordered eating, and Luca has to work with him to find ways to help him get through. This journey of learning and supporting was absolutely gorgeous to read. I also enjoyed the found family aspect of the book, in Luca’s friendship group and his own family.
What I felt let it down a little was the overall ‘big bad threat’ in the book… it just came a little out of left field and I found it a bit jarring. I’m not sure, maybe it’s just me but it felt a bit clunky. But other than that, this book was a great read and a must-read for fans of mafia MM!
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