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Gangsters paradise #8
Game On: A Reverse Grumpy Sunshine, Hilarious Female Stalker, Suspense Spicy Romance Trilogy
When the hunter falls for her prey, things go from deadly to downright ridiculous.
Danika Smith is a hitwoman with a flawless record, a sharp sense of humor, and the patience of a saint—unless you annoy her, in which case, good luck.
Her latest job? Take down the father of Emilio De Luca’s unwanted, arranged fiancée.
Her method? Stalk the big, sweet mafia man until he unknowingly leads her right to her target. Easy, right?
Well, it was easy… until Danika got to know Emilio.
Sure, he’s built like a tank and technically terrifying on paper, but in reality? The guy’s more teddy bear than grizzly. Between his soft heart, slightly-too-liberal whiskey habit, and tendency to rescue stray cats like it’s his side hustle, Danika is starting to have a hard time remembering she’s supposed to be using him—not liking him.
And liking him is dangerous. Almost as dangerous as Emilio trying to cook dinner.
Now Danika’s in a bit of a
Her mission? Falling apart faster than Emilio’s last attempt at fixing an over cooked turkey dinner.Her target? Still not found (annoyingly).Her heart? Apparently not as bulletproof as she thought. As Emilio bumbles his way closer to discovering her identity and secrets—and Danika finds herself enjoying his company—she’s faced with a terrifying she might be willing to put a man's needs above her own revenge mission.
Worse, she might actually be falling for the big guy in question.
Game On is the first book of three following Danika Smith, a recently retired hitwoman who needs a mark to stay sane, and Emilio De Luca, a sweet and soft mafia man, who's currently pretending to be in charge of his family of menaces. This story, is hilarious, slow burn spicy, and thrilling. It follows Danika as she seeks revenge against an old enemy, whilst Emilio does whatever he can to get out of his unwanted arranged marriage, to that same mans daughter. Expect lots of fun flipped tropes, in this found family and female stalker story with mild forced proximity & strangers to friends to lovers. In a MF, romantic comedy & suspense trilogy.This series is full of interconnected standalones, duologies, trilogies, and more — a world of powerful families, deadly rivalries, and unforgettable love stories. Each character in each main family (and the fun side characters) gets their own story with a complete ending but I think it's more fun to read them all and see all the great cameos and shenanigans that occur.
Danika Smith is a hitwoman with a flawless record, a sharp sense of humor, and the patience of a saint—unless you annoy her, in which case, good luck.
Her latest job? Take down the father of Emilio De Luca’s unwanted, arranged fiancée.
Her method? Stalk the big, sweet mafia man until he unknowingly leads her right to her target. Easy, right?
Well, it was easy… until Danika got to know Emilio.
Sure, he’s built like a tank and technically terrifying on paper, but in reality? The guy’s more teddy bear than grizzly. Between his soft heart, slightly-too-liberal whiskey habit, and tendency to rescue stray cats like it’s his side hustle, Danika is starting to have a hard time remembering she’s supposed to be using him—not liking him.
And liking him is dangerous. Almost as dangerous as Emilio trying to cook dinner.
Now Danika’s in a bit of a
Her mission? Falling apart faster than Emilio’s last attempt at fixing an over cooked turkey dinner.Her target? Still not found (annoyingly).Her heart? Apparently not as bulletproof as she thought. As Emilio bumbles his way closer to discovering her identity and secrets—and Danika finds herself enjoying his company—she’s faced with a terrifying she might be willing to put a man's needs above her own revenge mission.
Worse, she might actually be falling for the big guy in question.
Game On is the first book of three following Danika Smith, a recently retired hitwoman who needs a mark to stay sane, and Emilio De Luca, a sweet and soft mafia man, who's currently pretending to be in charge of his family of menaces. This story, is hilarious, slow burn spicy, and thrilling. It follows Danika as she seeks revenge against an old enemy, whilst Emilio does whatever he can to get out of his unwanted arranged marriage, to that same mans daughter. Expect lots of fun flipped tropes, in this found family and female stalker story with mild forced proximity & strangers to friends to lovers. In a MF, romantic comedy & suspense trilogy.This series is full of interconnected standalones, duologies, trilogies, and more — a world of powerful families, deadly rivalries, and unforgettable love stories. Each character in each main family (and the fun side characters) gets their own story with a complete ending but I think it's more fun to read them all and see all the great cameos and shenanigans that occur.
418 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 11, 2025
165 people are currently reading
399 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
March 19, 2026
Guys stop I got a copy of this from the Author and I gotta say I am obsessed! Chomping at the bit to get more of this author and their writing.
I’m not always a fan of reverse grumpy/sunshine. I’m also not always a fan of dark rom/coms. But this? This right here was fantastic! Easily my me of my favs for those tropes.
I also wanna say this book had a lot of microtropes I enjoy.
“Who touched/hurt you?”
Medical/PCOS rep
He begs her. She calls him “good boy” 🥵
She’s his stalker
Seriously I don’t wanna give too much away but this was an amazing mafia stalker moment. There was humor. Spice. Yearning. Groveling. There was blood and violence in a delicious way. Manners with a healthy dose of respect to women 🙌
Chefs kiss! Immediately starting this series from the beginning!
I’m not always a fan of reverse grumpy/sunshine. I’m also not always a fan of dark rom/coms. But this? This right here was fantastic! Easily my me of my favs for those tropes.
I also wanna say this book had a lot of microtropes I enjoy.
“Who touched/hurt you?”
Medical/PCOS rep
He begs her. She calls him “good boy” 🥵
She’s his stalker
Seriously I don’t wanna give too much away but this was an amazing mafia stalker moment. There was humor. Spice. Yearning. Groveling. There was blood and violence in a delicious way. Manners with a healthy dose of respect to women 🙌
Chefs kiss! Immediately starting this series from the beginning!
March 20, 2026
I will always love a book that has me nodding along to the most morally questionable behavior like it’s completely reasonable—and Game On delivered exactly that.
Murder, breaking and entering, stalking… all things that should absolutely be red flags, and yet I found myself fully on board the entire time. The author does such a great job of pulling you into the characters’ mindset that everything somehow feels justified in the moment.
If you love morally gray characters who make bad decisions that you can’t help but support, this one is definitely worth the read.
March 15, 2026
"If I’d had a dick, it would have been hard because women making men feel like shit made me so happy inside."
— Danika.
💚 A retired hitwoman stalking her prey
💚 A cat dad mafia don
💚 First person multi POV
💚 Touch my family and 💀
💚 He’s engaged to ... Another woman?!
💚 Likes-to-whimper is basically his middle name
💚 A judgmental cactus bestie
I have to admit, I went into Game On expecting to be disappointed. March has been a terrible reading month for me. If this month had legs, it would’ve kicked me straight in the ass. Five books in, and four were DNFs. That has literally never happened to me before, so at this point I’m almost ready to call an exorcist, either something is haunting me while I read, or something possessed my TBR 😬
But Game On is actually written really well, and it surprised me. Within the first few chapters I thought, wait a minute *insert that legend kid's voice* maybe this isn’t going to be another DNF? 👀
The FMC, Danika, calls kids “pet sperm” which immediately made me chuckle. Her character is quirky, a little homicidal, completely badass, and apparently ✨ kills men ✨ as a hobby. Exactly the kind of energy I needed right now. Who wouldn’t love a stalker who leaves you motivational quotes and steals your clothes as souvenirs?
Emilio certainly didn’t mind.
Emilio, our MMC, is described as ridiculously tall, so tall he could probably walk into an NBA audition just by breathing. He would've scared me as pixie sized girl 💀 At the start of the book he’s struggling with alcohol ... And also with his uncles, but that’s a whole separate problem. Oopsie.
Unlike the typical mafia boss stereotipe, Emilio is deeply lonely. Sure, he can handle a gun like his Italian mama handles spaghetti, but every night he comes home to his cat (who wears an expensive necklace) and an empty bed. It was honestly refreshing to see this kind of MMC in a mafia romance.
Normally I couldn’t care less about mafia drama (I'm here for the role reversal helloooo 🙂). Most of the time it’s so OTT that it makes me laugh. But somehow this book just worked for me??? Ofc there’s still some OTT action, but ughhh, what’s a mafia story without a little chaos, right?
Emilio has a thing for scary, murderous women.
Danika is a scary, murderous woman.
They’re perfect for each other.
Bonus points: the spice in Game On is scorching hot. Lava level hot. I??? loved??? it??? 😭 I expected some noncon or at least dub con given the genre, but the scenes are actually very consensual. And Danika taking control? Yeah, I’m on my knees 🧎♀️🧎♀️🧎♀️ This book proves you can write dark romance without leaning into abuse and still make it incredibly 🔥
Add in a chaotic family with sociopathic uncles who love sticking their noses into everyone’s business, a stressed out bride, and a dash of revenge, and you get this unhinged, weirdly sweet, and deadly love story.
Okie, maybe not love.
Danika would probably throw up if she read that.
Maybe mutual liking? 😏👍
Either way, both MCs are incredibly fun. I had zero complaints about them. Their POVs had so many lol moments that I was wheezing. Emilio especially feels very himbo coded. The man has absolutely no thoughts in his pretty little head whenever Danika is around. Also, did I mention that he whimpers? 😩 That’s SSSSSEXY with extra s!! He’s such a good boy that I didn’t even mind that he’s bald (sorry, Emi 😭).
My main issue with Game On is how deeply connected it is to the author’s other series. The author listed them, and apparently there are like, nine books before this one, oof 🤯 The characters already have a lot of shared history and past events, which made things confusing, even though the author tried to help by summarizing some important characters at the beginning.
It was hard to care about certain moments when I didn’t really know the people involved. For example, the scene between Danika and her brother could’ve been intense. But for me it just felt like a normal conversation because I didn’t have enough context. I was told he betrayed her, but it wasn’t really shown, only mentioned through Danika’s words. A short flashback would’ve helped new readers like me feel the weight of that betrayal 👌
Things also get more complicated because there are so many characters involved. I didn’t even try counting Emilio’s siblings, but there must be around ten of them, and that’s not including the in-laws 👁️👄👁️ There are so many people that I couldn’t keep track of their ages or who was who half the time. Danika was right about one thing: the women in that family need a hobby, and the men need their dicks chopped off.
I’m not going to tell an author how they should write their story, but I personally would’ve loved this book more if it focused more tightly on the main couple instead of expanding the universe. The pacing also could’ve been tighter. The story kind of lost me in the middle, and it only really picked up again around the last 20%. I needed that momentum much earlier.
It makes me sad that I can’t rate this book higher, because I genuinely love the main couple. And Yakov the cactus. And Juno the cat. But honestly, Game On put me into a bit of a slump 😔 It took me ten days to finish, when normally I could’ve already read two books in that time. I kept debating whether to give it three or four stars. The author was incredibly sweet and said she didn’t mind a late review, which I really appreciated. But four stars felt a little too generous, while three felt too low.
This book made me realize that maybe Goodreads really does need half star ratings, because 3.5 would be perfect 🤔
Huge thanks to Tierney Storer for the free copy. I’d still read the sequel and happily come back for Danika and Emilio :))
— Danika.
💚 A retired hitwoman stalking her prey
💚 A cat dad mafia don
💚 First person multi POV
💚 Touch my family and 💀
💚 He’s engaged to ... Another woman?!
💚 Likes-to-whimper is basically his middle name
💚 A judgmental cactus bestie
I have to admit, I went into Game On expecting to be disappointed. March has been a terrible reading month for me. If this month had legs, it would’ve kicked me straight in the ass. Five books in, and four were DNFs. That has literally never happened to me before, so at this point I’m almost ready to call an exorcist, either something is haunting me while I read, or something possessed my TBR 😬
But Game On is actually written really well, and it surprised me. Within the first few chapters I thought, wait a minute *insert that legend kid's voice* maybe this isn’t going to be another DNF? 👀
The FMC, Danika, calls kids “pet sperm” which immediately made me chuckle. Her character is quirky, a little homicidal, completely badass, and apparently ✨ kills men ✨ as a hobby. Exactly the kind of energy I needed right now. Who wouldn’t love a stalker who leaves you motivational quotes and steals your clothes as souvenirs?
Emilio certainly didn’t mind.
Emilio, our MMC, is described as ridiculously tall, so tall he could probably walk into an NBA audition just by breathing. He would've scared me as pixie sized girl 💀 At the start of the book he’s struggling with alcohol ... And also with his uncles, but that’s a whole separate problem. Oopsie.
Unlike the typical mafia boss stereotipe, Emilio is deeply lonely. Sure, he can handle a gun like his Italian mama handles spaghetti, but every night he comes home to his cat (who wears an expensive necklace) and an empty bed. It was honestly refreshing to see this kind of MMC in a mafia romance.
Normally I couldn’t care less about mafia drama (I'm here for the role reversal helloooo 🙂). Most of the time it’s so OTT that it makes me laugh. But somehow this book just worked for me??? Ofc there’s still some OTT action, but ughhh, what’s a mafia story without a little chaos, right?
Emilio has a thing for scary, murderous women.
Danika is a scary, murderous woman.
They’re perfect for each other.
Bonus points: the spice in Game On is scorching hot. Lava level hot. I??? loved??? it??? 😭 I expected some noncon or at least dub con given the genre, but the scenes are actually very consensual. And Danika taking control? Yeah, I’m on my knees 🧎♀️🧎♀️🧎♀️ This book proves you can write dark romance without leaning into abuse and still make it incredibly 🔥
Add in a chaotic family with sociopathic uncles who love sticking their noses into everyone’s business, a stressed out bride, and a dash of revenge, and you get this unhinged, weirdly sweet, and deadly love story.
Okie, maybe not love.
Danika would probably throw up if she read that.
Maybe mutual liking? 😏👍
Either way, both MCs are incredibly fun. I had zero complaints about them. Their POVs had so many lol moments that I was wheezing. Emilio especially feels very himbo coded. The man has absolutely no thoughts in his pretty little head whenever Danika is around. Also, did I mention that he whimpers? 😩 That’s SSSSSEXY with extra s!! He’s such a good boy that I didn’t even mind that he’s bald (sorry, Emi 😭).
My main issue with Game On is how deeply connected it is to the author’s other series. The author listed them, and apparently there are like, nine books before this one, oof 🤯 The characters already have a lot of shared history and past events, which made things confusing, even though the author tried to help by summarizing some important characters at the beginning.
It was hard to care about certain moments when I didn’t really know the people involved. For example, the scene between Danika and her brother could’ve been intense. But for me it just felt like a normal conversation because I didn’t have enough context. I was told he betrayed her, but it wasn’t really shown, only mentioned through Danika’s words. A short flashback would’ve helped new readers like me feel the weight of that betrayal 👌
Things also get more complicated because there are so many characters involved. I didn’t even try counting Emilio’s siblings, but there must be around ten of them, and that’s not including the in-laws 👁️👄👁️ There are so many people that I couldn’t keep track of their ages or who was who half the time. Danika was right about one thing: the women in that family need a hobby, and the men need their dicks chopped off.
I’m not going to tell an author how they should write their story, but I personally would’ve loved this book more if it focused more tightly on the main couple instead of expanding the universe. The pacing also could’ve been tighter. The story kind of lost me in the middle, and it only really picked up again around the last 20%. I needed that momentum much earlier.
It makes me sad that I can’t rate this book higher, because I genuinely love the main couple. And Yakov the cactus. And Juno the cat. But honestly, Game On put me into a bit of a slump 😔 It took me ten days to finish, when normally I could’ve already read two books in that time. I kept debating whether to give it three or four stars. The author was incredibly sweet and said she didn’t mind a late review, which I really appreciated. But four stars felt a little too generous, while three felt too low.
This book made me realize that maybe Goodreads really does need half star ratings, because 3.5 would be perfect 🤔
Huge thanks to Tierney Storer for the free copy. I’d still read the sequel and happily come back for Danika and Emilio :))
March 16, 2026
When the hunter falls for her prey, things go from deadly to downright ridiculous.
Danika Smith is a hitwoman with a flawless record, a sharp sense of humor, and the patience of a saint—unless you annoy her, in which case, good luck.
Danika’s latest job? Take down the father of Emilio De Luca’s unwanted, arranged fiancée.
Her method? Stalk the big, sweet mafia man until he unknowingly leads her right to her target. Easy, right?
Well, it was easy… until Danika got to know Emilio.
Sure, he’s built like a tank and technically terrifying on paper, but in reality? The guy’s more teddy bear than grizzly. Between his soft heart, slightly-too-liberal whiskey habit, and tendency to rescue stray cats like it’s his side hustle, Danika is starting to have a hard time remembering she’s supposed to be using him—not liking him.
And liking him is dangerous. Almost as dangerous as Emilio trying to cook dinner.
Now Danika’s in a bit of a bind
Her mission? Falling apart faster than Emilio’s last attempt at fixing an over cooked turkey dinner. Her target? Still not found (annoyingly). Her heart? Apparently not as bulletproof as she thought. As Emilio bumbles his way closer to discovering her identity and secrets—and Danika finds herself enjoying his company—she’s faced with a terrifying she might be willing to put a man's needs above her own revenge mission.
Worse, she might actually be falling for the big guy in question.
Game On is the first book of three following Danika Smith, a recently retired hitwoman who needs a mark to stay sane, and Emilio De Luca, a sweet and soft mafia man, who's currently pretending to be in charge of his family of menaces. This story, is hilarious, slow burn spicy, and thrilling. It follows Danika as she seeks revenge against an old enemy, whilst Emilio does whatever he can to get out of his unwanted arranged marriage, to that same mans daughter. Expect lots of fun flipped tropes, in this found family and female stalker story with mild forced proximity & strangers to friends to lovers. In a MF, romantic comedy & suspense trilogy.
YOU'RE MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!!! Please read and pay close attention to the trigger warnings at the beginning of this book. There is some content and scenes in this book that may not be suitable for all readers and could be triggering for others. Always remember that your mental health comes first at all times.
Tropes: Suspense, Funny, Mafia, Flipped Tropes, Found Family, Female Stalker, Mild Forced Proximity, Strangers-to-Friends-to-Lovers, MF Romantic Comedy, Suspense Trilogy, Powerful Families, Deadly Rivalries, Unforgettable Love Stories, Great Cameos, Shenanigans, Dark Rom-Com, Hitwoman FMC, Mafia Boss MMC, Reversed Grumpy x Sunshine, She is the Stalker, Funny FMC and MMC, Revenge, Unwanted Arranged Marriage, Slow-Burn, Black Cat FMC, Golden Retriever MMC, Masks, Diverse, Hilarious Rom-Com, Medium Heat, First Person, Past Tense POV, Bisexual FMC.
Game On is the 8th book in the Gangsters Paradise Series, it is A Reverse Grumpy Sunshine, Hilarious Female Stalker, Suspense Spicy Romance Trilogy by Tierney Storer. This series is full of interconnected standalones, duologies, trilogies, and more — a world of powerful families, deadly rivalries, and unforgettable love stories. Each character in each main family (and the fun side characters) gets their own story with a complete ending but I think it's more fun to read them all and see all the great cameos and shenanigans that occur.
Danika/Star: She is this awesome, strong, intelligent, capable FMC. She’s an ex-member of The Company (this secret criminal organization), a stalker, a hitwoman, and a cactus mom.
She doesn’t know who her parents are, but she is the older paternal half-sister to Atlas/Wraith. (Yes, that Atlas/Wraith from Wraith and Wrath.) Danika knows that she’s of Russian decent and her primary language is Russian, but she also speaks English, Spanish, German, Arabic, Italian, Hungarian, Romanian, French, and even Sign Language.
Danika has a guilty pleasure of sour candy, black clothing, finding plants that she can use to poison others. And she loves cupcakes even though to those around her she pretends she doesn’t.
Danika is a retired hitwoman for hire with a flawless record, even though she’s a little quirky, definently more than a little homicidal, a complete demon, has a flawless record, she has a sharp sense of humor, and she has the patience of a saint – that is unless you annoy her – annoy her and all I’ll say is good luck.
Danika is broody, deadly, a stalker who only knows how to take her job seriously. We get peaks into her tragic past and we realize that makes her more than just this chaotic cutthroat. She is sunshine balanced with grumpiness perfectly.
Emilio: He is a member of the De Luca family; which is an Italian Mafia family. He is the new and current leader of the family. He is the second born son of Francesa and Giorgio De Luca. Sadly, both of his parents have passed away.
Emilio is the new head of the family, he honestly just wants to be left alone to do his job, his uncles though have other plans and will not allow him to just be left alone to do his job. Emilio knows that the power and responsibility he has were never supposed to go to him and with all his uncles’ threats, the chains he feels around his neck just keep tightening.
Emilio isn’t alone though, he has an older brother Giovanni (Yes Giovanni aka Reaper) (28), younger brother Raphael (23), younger sister Arabelle (20), younger sister Idalia (18), younger sister Aurora (17), younger brother Dante (14), younger sister Mariella (10), and younger sister Violetta (9) and Emilio is cousin to Dominico De Luca, Caro De Luca, Romeo De Luca & many more.
Emilo speaks fluent English, Italian & sign language. He’s this honorable and sweet man. I loved his obsession with cats, the way he had absolutely no ability to cook to save his life. He had his own sweet tooth and he remained a charming optimist.
I thought that I loved my men unhinged, man have I learned my lesson. I actually love my FMC’s unhinged and genuinely antagonistic, and my oh my does Danika fit that bill and do I just adore her.
I have always enjoyed Tierney’s writing and I’ve always found it enjoyable. I found the notes that Tierney added through this story made for a unique touch and an interesting read, although I did find that using images for them made the Kindle experience feel a little bit muddled.
Once again, I love the way that Tierney wrote this story and flipped all the tropes on the normal Mafia tropes. I really loved the way our FMC is the dominant one in this story and watching her tie up our MMC was so much fun. We get some fun spicy scenes that are descriptive and yet Tierney didn’t make them overly explicit.
I have to say that I loved the inclusion of the adorable cat. (I am a cat person, I have several cats and they are my fur babies and I don’t know what I would do without them.)
The cliffhanger is harsh, I can’t wait to see where this world is going to go. I just need the next book please.
Some of my favorite quotes are:
‘The pressure building inside me didn’t ease. It only tightened like a noose around my lungs.— it was all just a reminder of what I was about to become.
A prisoner in my own life.’
“Marriage isn’t supposed to feel like this,” I muttered under my breath. “I’m supposed to be in love. The kind of love I’d kill for. Not the sort I’d kill myself to prevent.”
'I was only partially [screw]ed up. She was operating on a whole different level.'
An exciting and suspenseful read. I loved the two of them together- the dynamic between them, the banter, and their chemistry.
'I was only partially [screw]ed up. She was operating on a whole different level.'
Danika Smith is a hitwoman with a flawless record, a sharp sense of humor, and the patience of a saint—unless you annoy her, in which case, good luck.
Danika’s latest job? Take down the father of Emilio De Luca’s unwanted, arranged fiancée.
Her method? Stalk the big, sweet mafia man until he unknowingly leads her right to her target. Easy, right?
Well, it was easy… until Danika got to know Emilio.
Sure, he’s built like a tank and technically terrifying on paper, but in reality? The guy’s more teddy bear than grizzly. Between his soft heart, slightly-too-liberal whiskey habit, and tendency to rescue stray cats like it’s his side hustle, Danika is starting to have a hard time remembering she’s supposed to be using him—not liking him.
And liking him is dangerous. Almost as dangerous as Emilio trying to cook dinner.
Now Danika’s in a bit of a bind
Her mission? Falling apart faster than Emilio’s last attempt at fixing an over cooked turkey dinner. Her target? Still not found (annoyingly). Her heart? Apparently not as bulletproof as she thought. As Emilio bumbles his way closer to discovering her identity and secrets—and Danika finds herself enjoying his company—she’s faced with a terrifying she might be willing to put a man's needs above her own revenge mission.
Worse, she might actually be falling for the big guy in question.
Game On is the first book of three following Danika Smith, a recently retired hitwoman who needs a mark to stay sane, and Emilio De Luca, a sweet and soft mafia man, who's currently pretending to be in charge of his family of menaces. This story, is hilarious, slow burn spicy, and thrilling. It follows Danika as she seeks revenge against an old enemy, whilst Emilio does whatever he can to get out of his unwanted arranged marriage, to that same mans daughter. Expect lots of fun flipped tropes, in this found family and female stalker story with mild forced proximity & strangers to friends to lovers. In a MF, romantic comedy & suspense trilogy.
YOU'RE MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!!! Please read and pay close attention to the trigger warnings at the beginning of this book. There is some content and scenes in this book that may not be suitable for all readers and could be triggering for others. Always remember that your mental health comes first at all times.
Tropes: Suspense, Funny, Mafia, Flipped Tropes, Found Family, Female Stalker, Mild Forced Proximity, Strangers-to-Friends-to-Lovers, MF Romantic Comedy, Suspense Trilogy, Powerful Families, Deadly Rivalries, Unforgettable Love Stories, Great Cameos, Shenanigans, Dark Rom-Com, Hitwoman FMC, Mafia Boss MMC, Reversed Grumpy x Sunshine, She is the Stalker, Funny FMC and MMC, Revenge, Unwanted Arranged Marriage, Slow-Burn, Black Cat FMC, Golden Retriever MMC, Masks, Diverse, Hilarious Rom-Com, Medium Heat, First Person, Past Tense POV, Bisexual FMC.
Game On is the 8th book in the Gangsters Paradise Series, it is A Reverse Grumpy Sunshine, Hilarious Female Stalker, Suspense Spicy Romance Trilogy by Tierney Storer. This series is full of interconnected standalones, duologies, trilogies, and more — a world of powerful families, deadly rivalries, and unforgettable love stories. Each character in each main family (and the fun side characters) gets their own story with a complete ending but I think it's more fun to read them all and see all the great cameos and shenanigans that occur.
Danika/Star: She is this awesome, strong, intelligent, capable FMC. She’s an ex-member of The Company (this secret criminal organization), a stalker, a hitwoman, and a cactus mom.
She doesn’t know who her parents are, but she is the older paternal half-sister to Atlas/Wraith. (Yes, that Atlas/Wraith from Wraith and Wrath.) Danika knows that she’s of Russian decent and her primary language is Russian, but she also speaks English, Spanish, German, Arabic, Italian, Hungarian, Romanian, French, and even Sign Language.
Danika has a guilty pleasure of sour candy, black clothing, finding plants that she can use to poison others. And she loves cupcakes even though to those around her she pretends she doesn’t.
Danika is a retired hitwoman for hire with a flawless record, even though she’s a little quirky, definently more than a little homicidal, a complete demon, has a flawless record, she has a sharp sense of humor, and she has the patience of a saint – that is unless you annoy her – annoy her and all I’ll say is good luck.
Danika is broody, deadly, a stalker who only knows how to take her job seriously. We get peaks into her tragic past and we realize that makes her more than just this chaotic cutthroat. She is sunshine balanced with grumpiness perfectly.
Emilio: He is a member of the De Luca family; which is an Italian Mafia family. He is the new and current leader of the family. He is the second born son of Francesa and Giorgio De Luca. Sadly, both of his parents have passed away.
Emilio is the new head of the family, he honestly just wants to be left alone to do his job, his uncles though have other plans and will not allow him to just be left alone to do his job. Emilio knows that the power and responsibility he has were never supposed to go to him and with all his uncles’ threats, the chains he feels around his neck just keep tightening.
Emilio isn’t alone though, he has an older brother Giovanni (Yes Giovanni aka Reaper) (28), younger brother Raphael (23), younger sister Arabelle (20), younger sister Idalia (18), younger sister Aurora (17), younger brother Dante (14), younger sister Mariella (10), and younger sister Violetta (9) and Emilio is cousin to Dominico De Luca, Caro De Luca, Romeo De Luca & many more.
Emilo speaks fluent English, Italian & sign language. He’s this honorable and sweet man. I loved his obsession with cats, the way he had absolutely no ability to cook to save his life. He had his own sweet tooth and he remained a charming optimist.
I thought that I loved my men unhinged, man have I learned my lesson. I actually love my FMC’s unhinged and genuinely antagonistic, and my oh my does Danika fit that bill and do I just adore her.
I have always enjoyed Tierney’s writing and I’ve always found it enjoyable. I found the notes that Tierney added through this story made for a unique touch and an interesting read, although I did find that using images for them made the Kindle experience feel a little bit muddled.
Once again, I love the way that Tierney wrote this story and flipped all the tropes on the normal Mafia tropes. I really loved the way our FMC is the dominant one in this story and watching her tie up our MMC was so much fun. We get some fun spicy scenes that are descriptive and yet Tierney didn’t make them overly explicit.
I have to say that I loved the inclusion of the adorable cat. (I am a cat person, I have several cats and they are my fur babies and I don’t know what I would do without them.)
The cliffhanger is harsh, I can’t wait to see where this world is going to go. I just need the next book please.
Some of my favorite quotes are:
‘The pressure building inside me didn’t ease. It only tightened like a noose around my lungs.— it was all just a reminder of what I was about to become.
A prisoner in my own life.’
“Marriage isn’t supposed to feel like this,” I muttered under my breath. “I’m supposed to be in love. The kind of love I’d kill for. Not the sort I’d kill myself to prevent.”
'I was only partially [screw]ed up. She was operating on a whole different level.'
An exciting and suspenseful read. I loved the two of them together- the dynamic between them, the banter, and their chemistry.
'I was only partially [screw]ed up. She was operating on a whole different level.'
August 7, 2025
I love my FMCs unhinged and genuinely badass, and Danika fits the bill. I adored her. But I felt like I had to wait quite a while for anything fun to happen. It took over a quarter of the book for the FMC and MMC to "meet." The author says at the beginning that this story accidentally turned into 3 books. I can’t help but feel like splitting this story wasn’t the best choice over a strong edit. Maybe the other two books are tighter.
So, overall, my biggest issue was that the book overall felt long‑winded. The descriptions were long and detailed. They weren’t bad, but I tend to enjoy a snappier pace, especially as things are getting started. There were a ton of characters, too. I know this is part of a broader universe, but it’s said multiple times (description, front matter) that it can be read as a standalone. I actually felt like I was missing things.
The writing voice is enjoyable, but the FMC and MMC sounded identical. There’s also a repetitive pattern of “Short pointless question? Short answer for emphasis.” that started to grate on me. The notes throughout the book were a unique touch, but using images for them made the Kindle experience feel disjointed.
When it picks up, it picks up fast. I liked how the story flipped the script on the usual mafia tropes. I can say that the more dominant FMC tying up the MMC isn’t my personal cup of tea, but I know other readers enjoy it and there’s not a lot of it out there. The spicy scenes were descriptive but not especially explicit.
Also, there’s a good cat.
Finally, aside from the story itself, the beginning of the book also has way too much front matter. Like pages listing the author’s other books, and then a couple more links scattered throughout the book itself. Maybe that helps with sales, but it’s too much for me. Reading is one of my few respites from the constant advertising of life, so this really rubbed me the wrong way.
3/5 for me. I don't think I'll read more of the trilogy but I don't regret finishing this one.
Note: I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
So, overall, my biggest issue was that the book overall felt long‑winded. The descriptions were long and detailed. They weren’t bad, but I tend to enjoy a snappier pace, especially as things are getting started. There were a ton of characters, too. I know this is part of a broader universe, but it’s said multiple times (description, front matter) that it can be read as a standalone. I actually felt like I was missing things.
The writing voice is enjoyable, but the FMC and MMC sounded identical. There’s also a repetitive pattern of “Short pointless question? Short answer for emphasis.” that started to grate on me. The notes throughout the book were a unique touch, but using images for them made the Kindle experience feel disjointed.
When it picks up, it picks up fast. I liked how the story flipped the script on the usual mafia tropes. I can say that the more dominant FMC tying up the MMC isn’t my personal cup of tea, but I know other readers enjoy it and there’s not a lot of it out there. The spicy scenes were descriptive but not especially explicit.
Also, there’s a good cat.
Finally, aside from the story itself, the beginning of the book also has way too much front matter. Like pages listing the author’s other books, and then a couple more links scattered throughout the book itself. Maybe that helps with sales, but it’s too much for me. Reading is one of my few respites from the constant advertising of life, so this really rubbed me the wrong way.
3/5 for me. I don't think I'll read more of the trilogy but I don't regret finishing this one.
Note: I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 17, 2026
Game On by Tierney Storer
Thank you to the author and BookSprout for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I went into this expecting chaos, and what I got was chaos… but like, curated chaos. Weaponized chaos. A retired hitwoman stalking a soft, cat-loving mafia man should not be this funny and this weirdly heart-melty, and yet here we are.
Danika is unhinged in the best way. She is sharp, hilarious, a little homicidal, and completely committed to her bit. Watching her try to stay focused on her mission while slowly getting emotionally derailed by Emilio is peak entertainment. And Emilio? That man is not built for the life he is in. He is soft, sweet, slightly pathetic in a way that makes you want to protect him, and somehow still manages to hold his own. The dynamic is immaculate.
This is very much a flipped grumpy sunshine, but darker and funnier. She is the danger. He is the golden retriever with mafia responsibilities he did not ask for. The stalking element leans more dark romcom than thriller, so if you like your romance a little unhinged but still fun, this absolutely hits.
The writing is fast paced and super easy to get pulled into. I flew through it. The banter is strong, the humor lands, and the tension builds into a slow burn that actually feels earned. There is spice, but it is balanced with humor and character work instead of overpowering the story.
Tropes and vibes:
reverse grumpy sunshine
female stalker FMC
mafia romance
slow burn
forced proximity
strangers to friends to lovers
found family
dark romcom energy
touch her and you die energy
he falls first and harder
Danika completely carries this book. She is chaotic but intentional, and her voice makes the entire story feel alive. Even when she is being objectively unhinged, it works.
Overall, this was a fun, addictive read that surprised me in the best way. If you want something that will make you laugh, raise your eyebrows, and still deliver on romance and tension, this is a great pick.
I will definitely be continuing the series.
Thank you to the author and BookSprout for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I went into this expecting chaos, and what I got was chaos… but like, curated chaos. Weaponized chaos. A retired hitwoman stalking a soft, cat-loving mafia man should not be this funny and this weirdly heart-melty, and yet here we are.
Danika is unhinged in the best way. She is sharp, hilarious, a little homicidal, and completely committed to her bit. Watching her try to stay focused on her mission while slowly getting emotionally derailed by Emilio is peak entertainment. And Emilio? That man is not built for the life he is in. He is soft, sweet, slightly pathetic in a way that makes you want to protect him, and somehow still manages to hold his own. The dynamic is immaculate.
This is very much a flipped grumpy sunshine, but darker and funnier. She is the danger. He is the golden retriever with mafia responsibilities he did not ask for. The stalking element leans more dark romcom than thriller, so if you like your romance a little unhinged but still fun, this absolutely hits.
The writing is fast paced and super easy to get pulled into. I flew through it. The banter is strong, the humor lands, and the tension builds into a slow burn that actually feels earned. There is spice, but it is balanced with humor and character work instead of overpowering the story.
Tropes and vibes:
reverse grumpy sunshine
female stalker FMC
mafia romance
slow burn
forced proximity
strangers to friends to lovers
found family
dark romcom energy
touch her and you die energy
he falls first and harder
Danika completely carries this book. She is chaotic but intentional, and her voice makes the entire story feel alive. Even when she is being objectively unhinged, it works.
Overall, this was a fun, addictive read that surprised me in the best way. If you want something that will make you laugh, raise your eyebrows, and still deliver on romance and tension, this is a great pick.
I will definitely be continuing the series.
March 10, 2026
I loved reading this book. I was laughing pretty much the whole book. I also got mad for the situation that the MMC is in(I hate his uncles). The characters were funny and the side characters were very involved in the book. the FMC and the MMC’s dynamic in this book makes me want to read more of there story and see were it goes from here. I will say that this book is a little long winded but it needs to be for the development of mainly the FMC and the emotions that she is feeling for the MMC that she has never felt before. The MMC is pretty much obsessed with her from the beginning(which I love)he loves a woman that can kill him. this was the first book I’ve read from this author and I’m definitely going to read more especially the gangsters paradise series(can’t wait to read some of the side characters stories).
This book is about Danika and Emilio’s story. Danika is a hitwoman that loves twisted games. She is calculating and patient, unless you annoy her. She starts stalking Emilio to get to the evil father of his arranged fiancee. Until Emilio starts playing her game and Danika starts to get to know him and she starts to feel emotions she has never felt before. Emilio is a Mafia boss that is forced into an arranged marriage that he doesn’t want by his uncles. He Is miserable while trying to keep his secrets. That’s when he finds out he has a stalker(Danika) so he starts playing her game. He is immediately obsessed with her. When he finally convinces her to reveal herself to him and tell him her secrets he realizes that they want some of the same things so they start planning to stop Emilio’s marriage and Danika getting her revenge on Emilio’s arranged fiancee.
Some of my favorite tropes:
-Dark RomCom
-Hitwoman FMC
-Mafia Boss MMC
-Reversed Grumpy x Sunshine
-She is the Stalker
-Funny FMC and MMC
-Revenge
-Unwanted arranged marriage
-Slow burn
-Found Family.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book is about Danika and Emilio’s story. Danika is a hitwoman that loves twisted games. She is calculating and patient, unless you annoy her. She starts stalking Emilio to get to the evil father of his arranged fiancee. Until Emilio starts playing her game and Danika starts to get to know him and she starts to feel emotions she has never felt before. Emilio is a Mafia boss that is forced into an arranged marriage that he doesn’t want by his uncles. He Is miserable while trying to keep his secrets. That’s when he finds out he has a stalker(Danika) so he starts playing her game. He is immediately obsessed with her. When he finally convinces her to reveal herself to him and tell him her secrets he realizes that they want some of the same things so they start planning to stop Emilio’s marriage and Danika getting her revenge on Emilio’s arranged fiancee.
Some of my favorite tropes:
-Dark RomCom
-Hitwoman FMC
-Mafia Boss MMC
-Reversed Grumpy x Sunshine
-She is the Stalker
-Funny FMC and MMC
-Revenge
-Unwanted arranged marriage
-Slow burn
-Found Family.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 12, 2025
'The pressure building inside me didn’t ease. It only tightened like a noose around my lungs.— it was all just a reminder of what I was about to become.
A prisoner in my own life.'
I loved this book. It was such a fun romance and a bit of an adventure. While I love the plot of an assassin falling for their target, or falling for someone they are using to get close to their target, this story feels unique because it's a hitwoman, and the mafia man is a sweet cinnamon roll. Danika is awesome and I love a strong, capable heroine. I also loved Emilio. He was honorable and sweet when it came to Danika. He had power and responsibility that was never supposed to go to him and the chains around him only kept tightening under his uncles' threats. I was hooked to the story from the start. By the blurb, I thought I'd be more interested in Danika, but Emilio hoarded my attention whenever he was on page.
“Marriage isn’t supposed to feel like this,” I muttered under my breath. “I’m supposed to be in love. The kind of love I’d kill for. Not the sort I’d kill myself to prevent.”
An exciting and suspenseful read. I loved the two of them together- the dynamic between them, the banter, and their chemistry.
'I was only partially [screw]ed up. She was operating on a whole different level.'
I also love the bonuses the author decided to include- character guides and Emilio's apartment layout.
I couldn't wait to see where this would go. That cliffhanger! Book two now please! 5 stars
A prisoner in my own life.'
I loved this book. It was such a fun romance and a bit of an adventure. While I love the plot of an assassin falling for their target, or falling for someone they are using to get close to their target, this story feels unique because it's a hitwoman, and the mafia man is a sweet cinnamon roll. Danika is awesome and I love a strong, capable heroine. I also loved Emilio. He was honorable and sweet when it came to Danika. He had power and responsibility that was never supposed to go to him and the chains around him only kept tightening under his uncles' threats. I was hooked to the story from the start. By the blurb, I thought I'd be more interested in Danika, but Emilio hoarded my attention whenever he was on page.
“Marriage isn’t supposed to feel like this,” I muttered under my breath. “I’m supposed to be in love. The kind of love I’d kill for. Not the sort I’d kill myself to prevent.”
An exciting and suspenseful read. I loved the two of them together- the dynamic between them, the banter, and their chemistry.
'I was only partially [screw]ed up. She was operating on a whole different level.'
I also love the bonuses the author decided to include- character guides and Emilio's apartment layout.
I couldn't wait to see where this would go. That cliffhanger! Book two now please! 5 stars
March 19, 2026
ARC review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Game On is the perfect mix of chaos, comedy, and unexpected heart like watching a deadly game of cat and mouse turn into “wait…why are they flirting?” and somehow loving every second of it.
Danika is an absolute gem of a heroine. A hitwoman with a sense of humor? Yes please. She’s sharp, capable, and fully in control until she’s not. Watching her go from cool, calculated hunter to internally spiraling because her target-adjacent teddy bear is making her feel things? Pure entertainment.
And Emilio? Oh, he steals the show. This man is supposed to be intimidating mafia material, but instead he’s rescuing stray cats, drinking a little too much whiskey, and failing spectacularly in the kitchen. He’s soft in all the ways that matter, and that contrast makes the dynamic between him and Danika absolutely irresistible.
What really makes this story shine is the tone. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s where the magic is. The mission falling apart, the slow realization that feelings are getting involved, and the constant “I should not like him but I really, really do” energy keeps things fun, light, and addictive.
If you love grumpy/sunshine flips, hitwoman x soft mafia man, humor mixed with romance, and chaotic slow-burn feelings, Game On is such a fun ride. It’s sweet, a little ridiculous, and full of charm basically the kind of book that makes you grin like an idiot while reading.
Come for the murder plot; stay for the man who can’t cook and will absolutely steal your heart anyway.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Game On is the perfect mix of chaos, comedy, and unexpected heart like watching a deadly game of cat and mouse turn into “wait…why are they flirting?” and somehow loving every second of it.
Danika is an absolute gem of a heroine. A hitwoman with a sense of humor? Yes please. She’s sharp, capable, and fully in control until she’s not. Watching her go from cool, calculated hunter to internally spiraling because her target-adjacent teddy bear is making her feel things? Pure entertainment.
And Emilio? Oh, he steals the show. This man is supposed to be intimidating mafia material, but instead he’s rescuing stray cats, drinking a little too much whiskey, and failing spectacularly in the kitchen. He’s soft in all the ways that matter, and that contrast makes the dynamic between him and Danika absolutely irresistible.
What really makes this story shine is the tone. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s where the magic is. The mission falling apart, the slow realization that feelings are getting involved, and the constant “I should not like him but I really, really do” energy keeps things fun, light, and addictive.
If you love grumpy/sunshine flips, hitwoman x soft mafia man, humor mixed with romance, and chaotic slow-burn feelings, Game On is such a fun ride. It’s sweet, a little ridiculous, and full of charm basically the kind of book that makes you grin like an idiot while reading.
Come for the murder plot; stay for the man who can’t cook and will absolutely steal your heart anyway.
March 17, 2026
Hilariously dark, chaotic, and completely addictive
I loved this book. Game On kicks off Danika and Emilio’s trilogy, and even though it’s part of a wider series, it stands perfectly on its own. Tierney Storer blends violence, trauma, humour, and longing into something that feels both unhinged and unexpectedly tender.
Danika is a gun‑for‑hire raised to be a weapon, not a person. Sold as a child, shaped into a killer, and fuelled by vengeance, she’s spent her life hunting Sergio Romanov — the man who murdered her mother. Instead, she stumbles into the orbit of his daughter’s fiancé… Emilio.
Emilio, poor man, is drowning under the weight of a Mafia legacy he never wanted. Forced into an engagement, grieving his father and brother, and trying to hold a crumbling empire together — the last thing he needs is a stalker.
Unfortunately for him, Danika is exactly that. She messes with his things, leaves IOUs, and slowly steals his heart.
Their dynamic is pure chaos: two broken, dangerous people circling each other with equal parts suspicion, desire, and reluctant fascination. They shouldn’t work… but they absolutely do.
There are heavy triggers throughout, so readers should go in prepared. But if you love flawed characters, dark humour, and a romance that feels like a knife fight and a hug at the same time, this book delivers.
And that cliffhanger? Savage. Thank god the next two books are already out — I’m diving straight in.
I loved this book. Game On kicks off Danika and Emilio’s trilogy, and even though it’s part of a wider series, it stands perfectly on its own. Tierney Storer blends violence, trauma, humour, and longing into something that feels both unhinged and unexpectedly tender.
Danika is a gun‑for‑hire raised to be a weapon, not a person. Sold as a child, shaped into a killer, and fuelled by vengeance, she’s spent her life hunting Sergio Romanov — the man who murdered her mother. Instead, she stumbles into the orbit of his daughter’s fiancé… Emilio.
Emilio, poor man, is drowning under the weight of a Mafia legacy he never wanted. Forced into an engagement, grieving his father and brother, and trying to hold a crumbling empire together — the last thing he needs is a stalker.
Unfortunately for him, Danika is exactly that. She messes with his things, leaves IOUs, and slowly steals his heart.
Their dynamic is pure chaos: two broken, dangerous people circling each other with equal parts suspicion, desire, and reluctant fascination. They shouldn’t work… but they absolutely do.
There are heavy triggers throughout, so readers should go in prepared. But if you love flawed characters, dark humour, and a romance that feels like a knife fight and a hug at the same time, this book delivers.
And that cliffhanger? Savage. Thank god the next two books are already out — I’m diving straight in.
March 14, 2026
I had a lot of fun with Game On. Tierney Storer kicks off this reverse grumpy sunshine trilogy with pure chaos, dark humour, and a romance that’s way more entertaining than it has any right to be.
Danika is a retired hitwoman who is grumpy, meticulous, and just a little unhinged in the best way. She has that “I need a target to stay sane” energy, so when she chooses sweet, sunshiney Emilio as her next mark, things spiral into complete chaos.
The dynamic between them is perfect. Danika is the broody, deadly stalker who takes her job very seriously, while Emilio is the charming optimist who somehow keeps flipping the situation on its head without even trying. Their banter is great, the tension builds nicely with the forced proximity moments, and the whole “is she actually going to go through with it?” suspense keeps you hooked. When the spice hits, it’s steamy and well timed.
I also liked that the story still gives the characters some depth. You get glimpses of Danika’s tragic past that make her more than just the chaotic assassin, and Emilio’s sunshine personality balances her grumpiness really well. The mafia adjacent world and found family hints add some extra layers without taking over the story.
If you like reverse grumpy sunshine, chaotic female assassins, laugh out loud moments, and plenty of heat, this one is a really fun read.
Danika is a retired hitwoman who is grumpy, meticulous, and just a little unhinged in the best way. She has that “I need a target to stay sane” energy, so when she chooses sweet, sunshiney Emilio as her next mark, things spiral into complete chaos.
The dynamic between them is perfect. Danika is the broody, deadly stalker who takes her job very seriously, while Emilio is the charming optimist who somehow keeps flipping the situation on its head without even trying. Their banter is great, the tension builds nicely with the forced proximity moments, and the whole “is she actually going to go through with it?” suspense keeps you hooked. When the spice hits, it’s steamy and well timed.
I also liked that the story still gives the characters some depth. You get glimpses of Danika’s tragic past that make her more than just the chaotic assassin, and Emilio’s sunshine personality balances her grumpiness really well. The mafia adjacent world and found family hints add some extra layers without taking over the story.
If you like reverse grumpy sunshine, chaotic female assassins, laugh out loud moments, and plenty of heat, this one is a really fun read.
March 23, 2026
This book is deeper into the series and kicks off a trilogy within it. It can be read as a standalone, but honestly, I think it would hit better if you start from the beginning. This was my first book by this author, and at the beginning I felt like I’d just been dropped into the middle of everything. Like there were people, relationships, and past events I was supposed to already know. I’m sure reading the previous book would’ve made the family dynamics and overall situation a lot clearer.
That said… I love a good mafia/organized crime romance, and this one felt a little different from the super alpha-heavy ones I usually pick up, and I actually liked that. It took me a minute to get into the writing style and to really click with Danika and Emilio, but once I did, it was a quick, easy read.
I had fun getting to know them, and their inner thoughts had me laughing a few times. Emilio is basically a big teddy bear, and I’m not gonna lie - I love a softie MMC, so he totally worked for me.
It does end a little cliffhanger-y, which has me curious to see where things go next. Overall, I enjoyed it and I’ll definitely be continuing Emilio and Danika’s story. I’ll probably go back and start the series with book one so I can fully catch up on this world.
Thanks to Booksprout and Tierney Storer for the ARC!
That said… I love a good mafia/organized crime romance, and this one felt a little different from the super alpha-heavy ones I usually pick up, and I actually liked that. It took me a minute to get into the writing style and to really click with Danika and Emilio, but once I did, it was a quick, easy read.
I had fun getting to know them, and their inner thoughts had me laughing a few times. Emilio is basically a big teddy bear, and I’m not gonna lie - I love a softie MMC, so he totally worked for me.
It does end a little cliffhanger-y, which has me curious to see where things go next. Overall, I enjoyed it and I’ll definitely be continuing Emilio and Danika’s story. I’ll probably go back and start the series with book one so I can fully catch up on this world.
Thanks to Booksprout and Tierney Storer for the ARC!
March 13, 2026
Game On by Tierney Storer
4 out of 5 stars
ARC
Thank you, Tierney and Booksprout, for this copy. All parts of this review are of my honest opinion 💚
Game On is a great mix between dark and a romcom though I did find the darker bits a bit better for my own personal preferences 💜 Our FMC, Danika, is an unhinged stalker and hitwoman. She's patient, cold, and calculating which kinda goes out the window with our MMC, Emilio. Our killer, mafia man decides he wants to play her little game. This creates a chemistry filled relationship with distance and eventually up close. I enjoyed reading about these two and their little notes.
My only true dislike that made this less than 5 stars was the details in terms of making it a standalone. The other characters mentioned and details given about them had left me feeling like I was missing something. Like I needed to read another book or two to really understand why things were a certain way.
Overall, I did enjoy the vibes of this book. The two main characters complimented each other well and I think they were the perfect creations for this book. I wouldn't want to imagine it without these two 🥰
If you’re looking for a book that blends dark romance and romcom, go ahead and put this one in the running to read 💜
4 out of 5 stars
ARC
Thank you, Tierney and Booksprout, for this copy. All parts of this review are of my honest opinion 💚
Game On is a great mix between dark and a romcom though I did find the darker bits a bit better for my own personal preferences 💜 Our FMC, Danika, is an unhinged stalker and hitwoman. She's patient, cold, and calculating which kinda goes out the window with our MMC, Emilio. Our killer, mafia man decides he wants to play her little game. This creates a chemistry filled relationship with distance and eventually up close. I enjoyed reading about these two and their little notes.
My only true dislike that made this less than 5 stars was the details in terms of making it a standalone. The other characters mentioned and details given about them had left me feeling like I was missing something. Like I needed to read another book or two to really understand why things were a certain way.
Overall, I did enjoy the vibes of this book. The two main characters complimented each other well and I think they were the perfect creations for this book. I wouldn't want to imagine it without these two 🥰
If you’re looking for a book that blends dark romance and romcom, go ahead and put this one in the running to read 💜
March 9, 2026
I absolutely LOVE a good stalker romance, and this has a strong MFC stalker, making it tick all the right boxes!
Having read Tierneys' novella about the De Luca family and learning about The Company, I was really excited to read this. It did not dissapoint! A super strong MFC and the new head of the De Luca family, an arranged marriage and god awful family, this book was full of mayhem and murder. Danika/Star is on a mission, with a heart of stone that is impossible to break, bringing sass, sarcasm, and the prickly Yakov.
Emilio, the MMC, new head of the De Luca family, just wants to be left alone to do his job, shame his uncles won't allow that though.
Their development is pure cuteness, I love the humour intertwined within the seriousness of the plot. If it was just pure doom and gloom, which to be fair, could have easily have been the case, I know I would never have finished it at all.
Worst thing about this book? It is left on a cliffhanger with a surprising addition to the characters, but I will just have to girl up and read the next book because I need to know what happens now!
Having read Tierneys' novella about the De Luca family and learning about The Company, I was really excited to read this. It did not dissapoint! A super strong MFC and the new head of the De Luca family, an arranged marriage and god awful family, this book was full of mayhem and murder. Danika/Star is on a mission, with a heart of stone that is impossible to break, bringing sass, sarcasm, and the prickly Yakov.
Emilio, the MMC, new head of the De Luca family, just wants to be left alone to do his job, shame his uncles won't allow that though.
Their development is pure cuteness, I love the humour intertwined within the seriousness of the plot. If it was just pure doom and gloom, which to be fair, could have easily have been the case, I know I would never have finished it at all.
Worst thing about this book? It is left on a cliffhanger with a surprising addition to the characters, but I will just have to girl up and read the next book because I need to know what happens now!
March 17, 2026
Absurdly funny
This was another win for me in the dark rom-com genre. Tierney Storer absolutely nailed this one with both hilarious MCs and plot that had me thoroughly entertained. With the reversal of roles and flipped tropes, I couldn't get enough of Emilio and Danika's dynamic. I really enjoyed the slow-burn build-up and suspense. I loved that it's not your usual mafia romance and kept me guessing.
If you haven't read any of the previous books, I have no fear going into the series in this book. The author has a short intro that helps introduce us to the world and some of the players.
This book was so much fun. I didn't want it to end. I'm looking forward to the next book in this trilogy. I have so many questions.
Tropes:
Mafia
Reverse Grumpy + Sunshine
Golden retriever MMC
Black cat FMC
PCOS rep
Hitwoman FMC
Stalker FMC
Slow-burn
Masked
Found family
Forced proximity
Dual POV
Check TW
This is book 12 in Gangsters Paradise series and is the start of a trilogy within the collection that can be read without reading the previous books, though I recommend reading them all.
This was another win for me in the dark rom-com genre. Tierney Storer absolutely nailed this one with both hilarious MCs and plot that had me thoroughly entertained. With the reversal of roles and flipped tropes, I couldn't get enough of Emilio and Danika's dynamic. I really enjoyed the slow-burn build-up and suspense. I loved that it's not your usual mafia romance and kept me guessing.
If you haven't read any of the previous books, I have no fear going into the series in this book. The author has a short intro that helps introduce us to the world and some of the players.
This book was so much fun. I didn't want it to end. I'm looking forward to the next book in this trilogy. I have so many questions.
Tropes:
Mafia
Reverse Grumpy + Sunshine
Golden retriever MMC
Black cat FMC
PCOS rep
Hitwoman FMC
Stalker FMC
Slow-burn
Masked
Found family
Forced proximity
Dual POV
Check TW
This is book 12 in Gangsters Paradise series and is the start of a trilogy within the collection that can be read without reading the previous books, though I recommend reading them all.
March 25, 2026
Sit down, shut up, and buckle in for a chaotic ride that you won't soon forget! What happens when a female ex-assassin with a penchant for pointy things stalks a mafia boss/ adorable cat dad that enjoys being tied up and bossed around? This book.
Look, when I say this book had me laughing out loud, I was laughing OUT LOUD.
I thoroughly enjoyed Game On. I needed something light and fun, and this book is just that. All of Storer's books are just such a good time. The stories are over the top, the women are badass, and the men are simps. What's not to love?
Despite being considered book 12 in the Gangster Paradise series, this can easily be read without reading any of the other books. It's the first in a spin off series within the same world. I might want to read Wrath and Wraith and the two following books first to provide some context, but it's not necessary. I will admit that I haven't finished the Giovanni/Atlas/Heaven story, but was able to jump right in without issue.
I can't wait to continue Emelio and Danika's story in Push Me. Thank you to the author for the free ebook. All thoughts are my own.
Look, when I say this book had me laughing out loud, I was laughing OUT LOUD.
I thoroughly enjoyed Game On. I needed something light and fun, and this book is just that. All of Storer's books are just such a good time. The stories are over the top, the women are badass, and the men are simps. What's not to love?
Despite being considered book 12 in the Gangster Paradise series, this can easily be read without reading any of the other books. It's the first in a spin off series within the same world. I might want to read Wrath and Wraith and the two following books first to provide some context, but it's not necessary. I will admit that I haven't finished the Giovanni/Atlas/Heaven story, but was able to jump right in without issue.
I can't wait to continue Emelio and Danika's story in Push Me. Thank you to the author for the free ebook. All thoughts are my own.
March 15, 2026
3.5 ⭐
This authors writing is hilarious. The first line of the book being “It was hard to care about anything a man under five-foot-seven said.” 😂😂😂
I loved this book so much more than ‘Wraith & Wrath’
Danika was possibly one of my favourite FMCs ever 😂 hilarious, absolutely mental & unhinged. I loved it.
Emilio was slightly boring. And the relationships with the other characters got a bit confusing at times there was so many and so many siblings and friends I couldn’t keep up 😂
I didn’t realise this was going to be a trilogy but after that ending I think I need to read book two! Like WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED.
The flow of the chapters sometimes gets a bit lost. Like it feels like you’re missing chapters a lot when you’re reading. It goes to different POVs and then back and you’re completely lost at where you are and what happened in that last persons POV you feel like you’ve missed stuff? It could be easy to DNF this at the start but being an ARC I didn’t & I’m so glad! Not the best writing ever, but it’s a total vibe. It’s smutty, it’s deranged & strangely funny.
This authors writing is hilarious. The first line of the book being “It was hard to care about anything a man under five-foot-seven said.” 😂😂😂
I loved this book so much more than ‘Wraith & Wrath’
Danika was possibly one of my favourite FMCs ever 😂 hilarious, absolutely mental & unhinged. I loved it.
Emilio was slightly boring. And the relationships with the other characters got a bit confusing at times there was so many and so many siblings and friends I couldn’t keep up 😂
I didn’t realise this was going to be a trilogy but after that ending I think I need to read book two! Like WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED.
The flow of the chapters sometimes gets a bit lost. Like it feels like you’re missing chapters a lot when you’re reading. It goes to different POVs and then back and you’re completely lost at where you are and what happened in that last persons POV you feel like you’ve missed stuff? It could be easy to DNF this at the start but being an ARC I didn’t & I’m so glad! Not the best writing ever, but it’s a total vibe. It’s smutty, it’s deranged & strangely funny.
March 14, 2026
if I could wish upon a star to lose my memory of this book so I can read it again for the first time, I'd agree quicker than Emilio agrees to anything his Star says.
Danika has a past of damage and horror, she is a mindless killer who gets hers rocks of by causing chaos and fear.
Emilio is the Mafia Don, thrown into situations he can't refuse, and stalked by a pretty lady who would kill him in a heartbeat, and he would gladly let her.
Together they are ruthless and will stop at nothing to reach their goals.
I love that each character POV felt different in writing style.
It sucked me in! After that cliffhanger, I immediately went to download the sequel for this Trilogy and saved the remaining in the Ganstas Paradise series.
Thank you Tierney Storer for the ARC from Book Sprout, I'm so glad to have come across this series!!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Danika has a past of damage and horror, she is a mindless killer who gets hers rocks of by causing chaos and fear.
Emilio is the Mafia Don, thrown into situations he can't refuse, and stalked by a pretty lady who would kill him in a heartbeat, and he would gladly let her.
Together they are ruthless and will stop at nothing to reach their goals.
I love that each character POV felt different in writing style.
It sucked me in! After that cliffhanger, I immediately went to download the sequel for this Trilogy and saved the remaining in the Ganstas Paradise series.
Thank you Tierney Storer for the ARC from Book Sprout, I'm so glad to have come across this series!!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 20, 2026
Rating: 4/5⭐️
Spice: 2/5 🌶️
Romance: 4/5 💜
Suspense: 4/5 🔪
Comedy: 4/5 🤡
“Marriage isn’t supposed to feel like this,” I muttered under my breath. “I’m supposed to be in love. The kind of love I’d kill for. Not the sort I’d kill myself to prevent.”
Tropes:
💜Dark RomCom
🖤Hitwoman FMC
💜Mafia Boss MMC
🖤Reversed Grumpy x Sunshine
💜She is the Stalker
🖤Funny FMC and MMC
💜Revenge
🖤Unwanted arranged marriage
💜Slow burn
🖤Found Family
Think Lights Out, but instead of the MMC as a stalker, it's the FMC...who also happens to be a hitwoman.
I love a good unhinged FMC that is strong and capable...but like Emilio stole the show for me. The big bad Mafia man was such a sweet cinnamon roll. Man was over here just rescuing stray cats, drinking a little TOO much, and trying (failing) at cooking.
I loved Danika and Emilio's dynamic. It helped the story flow and kept me invested.
Check your triggers.
This book also ends on a cliffhanger.
Spice: 2/5 🌶️
Romance: 4/5 💜
Suspense: 4/5 🔪
Comedy: 4/5 🤡
“Marriage isn’t supposed to feel like this,” I muttered under my breath. “I’m supposed to be in love. The kind of love I’d kill for. Not the sort I’d kill myself to prevent.”
Tropes:
💜Dark RomCom
🖤Hitwoman FMC
💜Mafia Boss MMC
🖤Reversed Grumpy x Sunshine
💜She is the Stalker
🖤Funny FMC and MMC
💜Revenge
🖤Unwanted arranged marriage
💜Slow burn
🖤Found Family
Think Lights Out, but instead of the MMC as a stalker, it's the FMC...who also happens to be a hitwoman.
I love a good unhinged FMC that is strong and capable...but like Emilio stole the show for me. The big bad Mafia man was such a sweet cinnamon roll. Man was over here just rescuing stray cats, drinking a little TOO much, and trying (failing) at cooking.
I loved Danika and Emilio's dynamic. It helped the story flow and kept me invested.
Check your triggers.
This book also ends on a cliffhanger.
March 21, 2026
I really enjoyed Game On and had a great time reading it. The story is dark, spicy, and surprisingly funny, and I especially appreciated the unique dynamic between the characters. The female lead felt refreshingly different — chaotic in an entertaining way but still emotionally engaging — and the chemistry between the main characters kept me turning the pages.
While mafia romance isn’t usually my preferred genre, I can absolutely see why readers who love it would adore this book. The darker themes and suspense elements were well balanced with humor and romance, which made the story stand out for me even outside my usual comfort zone.
My 3.5⭐ rating reflects more my personal genre preference than the quality of the writing itself. If you enjoy dark, spicy romance with strong personalities and a touch of chaos, this is definitely worth picking up.
Overall, a fun, bold, and memorable read that fans of mafia romance will likely love.
While mafia romance isn’t usually my preferred genre, I can absolutely see why readers who love it would adore this book. The darker themes and suspense elements were well balanced with humor and romance, which made the story stand out for me even outside my usual comfort zone.
My 3.5⭐ rating reflects more my personal genre preference than the quality of the writing itself. If you enjoy dark, spicy romance with strong personalities and a touch of chaos, this is definitely worth picking up.
Overall, a fun, bold, and memorable read that fans of mafia romance will likely love.
March 17, 2026
The FMC in this book is a lot of things. She is hilarious, talented and definitely not boring. The MMC is placed in a predicament he does not want to be in. He is super tall, good looking and the Don. Their paths cross but not the way you might expect-not in a conventional way. There is so much to this book. Love and family is abundant. Betrayal is big and happens to a few people throughout the book. Parts were so exciting, and there was plenty of action, especially near the end. I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what was going to happen next. This was definitely a page turner and was really easy to read. It moved at a good quick pace. I loved the two main characters and also the secondary characters. There was plenty of spice and it was so, so good. I would definitely recommend this novel.
March 17, 2026
I received this book as an ARC read.
Tierney StorerGame On was an interesting read with a unique twist on the dark stalker romance genre. I loved that the female main character was the one doing the stalking, which felt fresh and different from what I usually see in this sub-genre. However, I found myself struggling with the male lead. He’s supposed to be next in line for his family’s Mafia legacy, but I just didn’t see that tough, intimidating presence you’d expect. Instead, he came off as a bit too soft for my taste. I get that it’s a nice change from the typical macho Mafia figure, but it just didn’t quite work for me.
The plot was good overall, though I did feel like the first half of the book was a bit slow, with not much happening to really move the story forward. Once things picked up, it became more engaging, but it took a while to get there.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who’s just starting to dip their toes into dark stalker romances, as it’s a more accessible entry into the genre.
Tierney StorerGame On was an interesting read with a unique twist on the dark stalker romance genre. I loved that the female main character was the one doing the stalking, which felt fresh and different from what I usually see in this sub-genre. However, I found myself struggling with the male lead. He’s supposed to be next in line for his family’s Mafia legacy, but I just didn’t see that tough, intimidating presence you’d expect. Instead, he came off as a bit too soft for my taste. I get that it’s a nice change from the typical macho Mafia figure, but it just didn’t quite work for me.
The plot was good overall, though I did feel like the first half of the book was a bit slow, with not much happening to really move the story forward. Once things picked up, it became more engaging, but it took a while to get there.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who’s just starting to dip their toes into dark stalker romances, as it’s a more accessible entry into the genre.
March 24, 2026
Game on is a dark, mafia, romance, rom com with a hilarious female stalker.
Danika and Emilio are such great characters. In this story, Danika is a hit woman who never misses her mark. To find her current target, she decides to follow mafia man Emilio De Luca with the hopes of him leading her right to her mark. Her mark is the father of Emilio's unwanted arranged fiancé. Her plan was to stalk to him until he leads her to her target but once she gets to know the sweet, soft hearted man he really is, she loses focus on what her mission is. She was supposed to use him. Not like him.
This story has a good mix of suspense and thrills, but the comedic relief Danika brings to the story ties the whole thing together so well. This was such a fun read and I can't wait to get into the next one!
Danika and Emilio are such great characters. In this story, Danika is a hit woman who never misses her mark. To find her current target, she decides to follow mafia man Emilio De Luca with the hopes of him leading her right to her mark. Her mark is the father of Emilio's unwanted arranged fiancé. Her plan was to stalk to him until he leads her to her target but once she gets to know the sweet, soft hearted man he really is, she loses focus on what her mission is. She was supposed to use him. Not like him.
This story has a good mix of suspense and thrills, but the comedic relief Danika brings to the story ties the whole thing together so well. This was such a fun read and I can't wait to get into the next one!
March 24, 2026
AHHHHH¡¿?!
I absolutely cannot get over the reverse grumpy x Sunshine, it is so much fun w the banter between the two of these criminals. Who would have thought that the emilio would be taken down with a roughly worded Good boy. Let alone by the crazy black cat Danika who finally fell head first into this labyrinth love story. Arranged mary mary marriage mafia, ties, guns, blood and gore? Oh my 😱 i definitely cannot wait to read more inside of this shared world and the other characters who are slightly unhinged and definitely all crazy. Maybe they all need group therapy? But that is my favorite type of book and I congratulate Tierney on the absolute chef's kiss, that is this world building!
I absolutely cannot get over the reverse grumpy x Sunshine, it is so much fun w the banter between the two of these criminals. Who would have thought that the emilio would be taken down with a roughly worded Good boy. Let alone by the crazy black cat Danika who finally fell head first into this labyrinth love story. Arranged mary mary marriage mafia, ties, guns, blood and gore? Oh my 😱 i definitely cannot wait to read more inside of this shared world and the other characters who are slightly unhinged and definitely all crazy. Maybe they all need group therapy? But that is my favorite type of book and I congratulate Tierney on the absolute chef's kiss, that is this world building!
March 27, 2026
Tierney Storer is single handedly redefining what it means to be a mafia/gang boss. All of their "notorious and vicious" gang bosses are actually super sweet and more teddy bear than a wild animal.
Strong, unhinged FMCs are rare and Danika is exactly this. As much as I loved Heaven from the previous trilogy, strong FMCs just hit different. Combined with Emilio and his hidden sweetness as a cat/cactus dad you get a great reverse grumpyxsunshine story.
The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because it was a little slow in the beginning and it may have been confusing for readers that haven't read Heaven's story prior to this one as there was a lot of reference towards her hatred to Wraith.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Strong, unhinged FMCs are rare and Danika is exactly this. As much as I loved Heaven from the previous trilogy, strong FMCs just hit different. Combined with Emilio and his hidden sweetness as a cat/cactus dad you get a great reverse grumpyxsunshine story.
The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because it was a little slow in the beginning and it may have been confusing for readers that haven't read Heaven's story prior to this one as there was a lot of reference towards her hatred to Wraith.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 18, 2025
At first it was hard to get into. Too many descriptions… if that’s even a thing. But slowly I came to like the writing style and overly detailed scenes. Danika is a tough cookie who can take care of herself. Emilio is a mob boss but also has a soft spot for cats and doesn’t like treating women poorly. Overall I’m really enjoying the book (shh I haven’t finished it yet).
I got this book for free from Tierney Storer and had to read it through book sprout because it wouldn’t let me add it to my kindle. That’s really the only con. I don’t even know what page I’m on in the book because on book sprout it’s one long chapter where you just scroll up until the chapter is done.
I got this book for free from Tierney Storer and had to read it through book sprout because it wouldn’t let me add it to my kindle. That’s really the only con. I don’t even know what page I’m on in the book because on book sprout it’s one long chapter where you just scroll up until the chapter is done.
June 24, 2025
It was a freebie on stuff a kindle day. So my expectations weren't that high to begin.
It was an okay read, but it had me questioning a lot if I would continue.. I read this, but it ended on a cliff, but that's not enough for me to continue this series and to read more.
I liked that Danika was e hit woman with a crazy mind of her own. But I read so many dark mafia books that it sounds very very strange how this mafia boss handles everything.. Like he didn't even sound like a mafia boss and didn't really act like it, but that's part of the charm in this book I guess.
I will go on to the next freebie and hope for the best.
It was an okay read, but it had me questioning a lot if I would continue.. I read this, but it ended on a cliff, but that's not enough for me to continue this series and to read more.
I liked that Danika was e hit woman with a crazy mind of her own. But I read so many dark mafia books that it sounds very very strange how this mafia boss handles everything.. Like he didn't even sound like a mafia boss and didn't really act like it, but that's part of the charm in this book I guess.
I will go on to the next freebie and hope for the best.
December 18, 2025
DNF 36%
I was excited for the story, but the only thing I like so far is her beating people up.
There are a lot of grammatical and punctuation errors.
What else lead to not finishing? It's 36% and they have not met yet. He's done absolutely nothing of interest. A stalker breaks into his house, twice, and he does nothing to figure out who it is - just leaves her another note. Can't figure out why he would think it was a woman. Surely, if a man was stalking him he'd do something.
Now she's added new characters and a new POV.
The book is just not speaking to me - maybe I'll pick it back up again later.
I was excited for the story, but the only thing I like so far is her beating people up.
There are a lot of grammatical and punctuation errors.
What else lead to not finishing? It's 36% and they have not met yet. He's done absolutely nothing of interest. A stalker breaks into his house, twice, and he does nothing to figure out who it is - just leaves her another note. Can't figure out why he would think it was a woman. Surely, if a man was stalking him he'd do something.
Now she's added new characters and a new POV.
The book is just not speaking to me - maybe I'll pick it back up again later.
March 6, 2026
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
This is a dark, fun, easy read. I would recommend starting at the beginning of the series instead of starting in the middle like I did. You'd have a lot more understanding of the other characters. Even as a start of it's own trilogy, I was able to get into it and enjoy it for the story it was. I love a strong FMC, and this did NOT disappoint. Make sure to check trigger warnings. I didn't find it overly graphic or cringy in any way. If you're looking for a dark rom-com, check this series out!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a dark, fun, easy read. I would recommend starting at the beginning of the series instead of starting in the middle like I did. You'd have a lot more understanding of the other characters. Even as a start of it's own trilogy, I was able to get into it and enjoy it for the story it was. I love a strong FMC, and this did NOT disappoint. Make sure to check trigger warnings. I didn't find it overly graphic or cringy in any way. If you're looking for a dark rom-com, check this series out!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 20, 2026
Sunshine mafia don and mostly unhinged grumpy assassin male an unlucky pair. A little light stalking turns into post it notes, stolen clothes, showers and breakfast money. It’s normal to finance your stalker right? Danika lives in her car with her pet cactus named Yakov and that’s all she needs, or is it? Her stalking turns to something else when she gets more involved with Emilio, her stalkee. He becomes obsessed with his little Star and wants to burn the world for her. She for sure doesn’t need any saving but she’s willing to help save him. Carved up bodies and all!! Nothing says wedding present like a dead body. Enjoy the ride.
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