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His Ruthless Claim
In the deadly world of the mafia, love is a dangerous game—one that only the brave can survive.
Lia Sutton thought she left chaos behind when she moved to Paradise Valley for a fresh start. But her world shatters when she meets Alexander Vitale, the notorious and magnetic mafia king, who lives by a code of power, wealth, and violence. Drawn into a world where loyalty is bought in blood and betrayal can strike from the shadows, Lia’s quiet life is turned upside down in an instant.
In Alexander’s world, desire is a risk. But from the moment he sets his eyes on Lia, he’s determined to make her his—no matter the price. Their chemistry is explosive, each touch pulling them deeper into forbidden territory. Yet, as passion consumes them, the dangers around them grow. With every kiss, Lia is drawn deeper into a world of influence, desire, and danger—one that could destroy her if she isn’t careful.
While Alexander will stop at nothing to protect her, his refusal to walk away from his mafia throne leaves Lia with a retreat to the quiet life she longs for or place her trust in a man whose enemies lurk around every turn. But in a game where weakness means death, trusting the wrong person could be their greatest mistake.
Seductive and thrillingly intense, His Ruthless Claim pulls you into a world of power and obsession, where love is the ultimate risk—and surrendering to it might just be deadly.
Lia Sutton thought she left chaos behind when she moved to Paradise Valley for a fresh start. But her world shatters when she meets Alexander Vitale, the notorious and magnetic mafia king, who lives by a code of power, wealth, and violence. Drawn into a world where loyalty is bought in blood and betrayal can strike from the shadows, Lia’s quiet life is turned upside down in an instant.
In Alexander’s world, desire is a risk. But from the moment he sets his eyes on Lia, he’s determined to make her his—no matter the price. Their chemistry is explosive, each touch pulling them deeper into forbidden territory. Yet, as passion consumes them, the dangers around them grow. With every kiss, Lia is drawn deeper into a world of influence, desire, and danger—one that could destroy her if she isn’t careful.
While Alexander will stop at nothing to protect her, his refusal to walk away from his mafia throne leaves Lia with a retreat to the quiet life she longs for or place her trust in a man whose enemies lurk around every turn. But in a game where weakness means death, trusting the wrong person could be their greatest mistake.
Seductive and thrillingly intense, His Ruthless Claim pulls you into a world of power and obsession, where love is the ultimate risk—and surrendering to it might just be deadly.
- GenresSuspense
319 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 28, 2025
64 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Mercy McBride
3 books2 followersMercy McBride fell hard for romance as a teen, sneaking Harlequin novels like they were contraband. Her mother tried (and failed) to curb the obsession, but some love stories are just meant to be—especially the ones Mercy now writes.
These days, she crafts romances that are swoony, steamy, and packed with the kind of chemistry that makes hearts race. Expect medium-to-heavy spice love stories with relatable characters, irresistible tension, and all the feels.
When she’s not writing, Mercy is happily lost in her other passions—her amazing husband and adorable toddler, binge-watching way too many Asian dramas, and hoarding books she swears she'll read someday.
Join her love-filled journey! Find her on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @mercymcbrideauthor or sign up for her newsletter at http://mercymcbrideauthor.substack.com for the latest updates and an exclusive bonus short story.
These days, she crafts romances that are swoony, steamy, and packed with the kind of chemistry that makes hearts race. Expect medium-to-heavy spice love stories with relatable characters, irresistible tension, and all the feels.
When she’s not writing, Mercy is happily lost in her other passions—her amazing husband and adorable toddler, binge-watching way too many Asian dramas, and hoarding books she swears she'll read someday.
Join her love-filled journey! Find her on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok @mercymcbrideauthor or sign up for her newsletter at http://mercymcbrideauthor.substack.com for the latest updates and an exclusive bonus short story.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 13, 2025
Tropes: Mafia Romance, Opposites, Unworldly heroine, dark romance
His Ruthless Claim: A Spicy Mafia Romance Novel (Ruthless Hearts Mafia Book 1) by Mercy McBride appears to be the second novel by this author. I categorized this story as a dark romance and while it has some dark elements, I don’t consider it “down in the cypress swamp” dark but more like a “cloudy day” dark 😊. Ms. McBride gives her readers a well-written book with interesting characters and some unexpected twists. Liliana (Lia) is a young artist going to school and working in a coffee shop when she comes under the scrutiny of Alexander Vitale. Alexander controls Paradise Valley and is respected and feared. He steps in when one of his men is too zealous in his job as a collector. Alexander is jaded and sophisticated but there is something about Lia’s combination of strength and innocence that appeals to him in ways that even he can’t understand. Lia is equally intrigued by Alexander, but she is aware of the danger his lifestyle brings, and she can’t compete with the women he usually dates. However, Alexander is nothing if not persistent and wears her down, just in time to make her a target for his enemies! Will she be able to fit into his world or will loving him cost her everything?
Conclusion:
As noted, this is an easy-to-read book and has an entertaining plot with both emotional elements and action-driven scenes. Dante and Enzo (two members of Alexander’s inner sanctum) are intriguing, and I think they could be leading men material. The point of conflict/villain for the story was well-developed with a twist I kind of expected but discounted because I thought that it was perhaps a red-herring, well surprise, surprise. Good solid story.
Favorite Lines:
That she was here. That she was—His.
Her usual guarded mask briefly fell away, revealing a quiet, almost childlike astonishment that stopped him in his tracks.
He didn’t take hints. Instead, he simply waited—unshaken, undeterred—like a storm lingering just beyond the horizon, inevitable.
Waiting for her to let him in. Waiting, something he usually despised, now felt strangely exciting.
“Remove your hand.”
But instead, she felt safe. Sheltered. Like as long as she was in his arms, nothing could touch her.
Clad in a navy suit that fit him like sin, he looked both out of place and completely in control—like a king surveying his kingdom.
My choices, my voice—they have to matter.”
I would still choose you—every single time.”
https://theretiredreader.com/f/his-ru...
His Ruthless Claim: A Spicy Mafia Romance Novel (Ruthless Hearts Mafia Book 1) by Mercy McBride appears to be the second novel by this author. I categorized this story as a dark romance and while it has some dark elements, I don’t consider it “down in the cypress swamp” dark but more like a “cloudy day” dark 😊. Ms. McBride gives her readers a well-written book with interesting characters and some unexpected twists. Liliana (Lia) is a young artist going to school and working in a coffee shop when she comes under the scrutiny of Alexander Vitale. Alexander controls Paradise Valley and is respected and feared. He steps in when one of his men is too zealous in his job as a collector. Alexander is jaded and sophisticated but there is something about Lia’s combination of strength and innocence that appeals to him in ways that even he can’t understand. Lia is equally intrigued by Alexander, but she is aware of the danger his lifestyle brings, and she can’t compete with the women he usually dates. However, Alexander is nothing if not persistent and wears her down, just in time to make her a target for his enemies! Will she be able to fit into his world or will loving him cost her everything?
Conclusion:
As noted, this is an easy-to-read book and has an entertaining plot with both emotional elements and action-driven scenes. Dante and Enzo (two members of Alexander’s inner sanctum) are intriguing, and I think they could be leading men material. The point of conflict/villain for the story was well-developed with a twist I kind of expected but discounted because I thought that it was perhaps a red-herring, well surprise, surprise. Good solid story.
Favorite Lines:
That she was here. That she was—His.
Her usual guarded mask briefly fell away, revealing a quiet, almost childlike astonishment that stopped him in his tracks.
He didn’t take hints. Instead, he simply waited—unshaken, undeterred—like a storm lingering just beyond the horizon, inevitable.
Waiting for her to let him in. Waiting, something he usually despised, now felt strangely exciting.
“Remove your hand.”
But instead, she felt safe. Sheltered. Like as long as she was in his arms, nothing could touch her.
Clad in a navy suit that fit him like sin, he looked both out of place and completely in control—like a king surveying his kingdom.
My choices, my voice—they have to matter.”
I would still choose you—every single time.”
https://theretiredreader.com/f/his-ru...
February 2, 2026
Mr. Vitale if you’re nasty…
This was a solid dark mafia romance with just the right mix of tension, power plays, and emotional push-and-pull. Alexander is very much the “boss of bosses” type, but what really made this work for me was Lia—she doesn’t fold easily, sets boundaries, and makes him earn her trust instead of handing it over.
I liked watching the dynamic shift from control to mutual respect. The romance builds through moments of restraint, temptation, and learning how to coexist in dangerous spaces rather than rushing into blind devotion. There’s plenty of external conflict to keep things moving, and it never forgets the emotional stakes underneath the chaos.
Overall, this was a strong, entertaining read with a capable FMC, a morally gray MMC learning new rules, and enough intrigue to keep me turning pages. If you enjoy mafia romance where the heroine isn’t just claimed but chooses, this one is worth checking out. 💅📖
This was a solid dark mafia romance with just the right mix of tension, power plays, and emotional push-and-pull. Alexander is very much the “boss of bosses” type, but what really made this work for me was Lia—she doesn’t fold easily, sets boundaries, and makes him earn her trust instead of handing it over.
I liked watching the dynamic shift from control to mutual respect. The romance builds through moments of restraint, temptation, and learning how to coexist in dangerous spaces rather than rushing into blind devotion. There’s plenty of external conflict to keep things moving, and it never forgets the emotional stakes underneath the chaos.
Overall, this was a strong, entertaining read with a capable FMC, a morally gray MMC learning new rules, and enough intrigue to keep me turning pages. If you enjoy mafia romance where the heroine isn’t just claimed but chooses, this one is worth checking out. 💅📖
March 5, 2025
disappointing
I was expecting a mafia book and instead it was very rame. The whole damsel in distress trope is tiring. Instead of having Lia fight silly jealousy battles, if we wanted an strong heroine, it would have been better if Alex taught her how to protect herself. Also, it was frustrating to have Lia being so naive with Alessia. Again Lia wanted total openness with Alex but she never told him that it was his sister planting the seeds of mistrust. As for Alex, his blind spot for his sister was ridiculous and it’s unbelievable that Enzo his right end couldn’t see it either. Lastly for someone who is supposed to be calculated, the final battle didn’t make any sense
I was expecting a mafia book and instead it was very rame. The whole damsel in distress trope is tiring. Instead of having Lia fight silly jealousy battles, if we wanted an strong heroine, it would have been better if Alex taught her how to protect herself. Also, it was frustrating to have Lia being so naive with Alessia. Again Lia wanted total openness with Alex but she never told him that it was his sister planting the seeds of mistrust. As for Alex, his blind spot for his sister was ridiculous and it’s unbelievable that Enzo his right end couldn’t see it either. Lastly for someone who is supposed to be calculated, the final battle didn’t make any sense
March 12, 2025
This was a really good story with a mafia component. It's well-written and well-paced. It's not dark but it will keep you just as interested. Alex and Lia are perfect for each other. He's a grump to everyone but her. They have a couple of issues, but what I loved was that these characters would talk to each other and communicate. It may not have been an immediate remedy but the dialogue was open, the characters pushed through and disagreements were rectified because of it and without being drawn out for long periods of time. All-in-all, I enjoyed this story immensely and I'm hoping that future books are about Enzo, Dante and Tori.
November 9, 2025
Love it!!
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I am thoroughly impressed with her writing style. I was hooked from the very beginning and couldn’t put the book down. The action, the anticipation, the betrayal and drama. It’s all written beautifully. I love how the MMC protected and opened up his heart to the FMC. I like how the FMC spoke her mind when it came to things she didn’t like. Really enjoyed this book. Will be reading more!
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I am thoroughly impressed with her writing style. I was hooked from the very beginning and couldn’t put the book down. The action, the anticipation, the betrayal and drama. It’s all written beautifully. I love how the MMC protected and opened up his heart to the FMC. I like how the FMC spoke her mind when it came to things she didn’t like. Really enjoyed this book. Will be reading more!
November 25, 2025
His Ruthless claim
I liked how he took their relationship on a slow pace, no forcing her and he listened to what she had to say.
His sister was a true villain, goes to show you are looking out for them but, they are trying to destroy you.
This was a gripping story that kept me reading until I reached the end.
I liked how he took their relationship on a slow pace, no forcing her and he listened to what she had to say.
His sister was a true villain, goes to show you are looking out for them but, they are trying to destroy you.
This was a gripping story that kept me reading until I reached the end.
January 12, 2026
This reads like your average Wattpad book but it was good, I like how Alex wasn’t super toxic and controlling like how it is in most Mafia books. Predictable plot but a good read nonetheless. Spoiler: I don’t usually like the pregnancy trope but I feel like it was the perfect ending for this book. I’m happy that they’re happy and I wish that this would stay a standalone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2025
Loved Lia and Alex
First book I've read by this author and I must say it was written well! I fell in love with both Lia and Alex storyline! Alex progection over her was for sure knightly and swoon worthy! Overall a really good read! Can't wait to read more from.this author!
First book I've read by this author and I must say it was written well! I fell in love with both Lia and Alex storyline! Alex progection over her was for sure knightly and swoon worthy! Overall a really good read! Can't wait to read more from.this author!
December 15, 2025
Cutesy mafia read. Nothing too crazy but still worth a read if you wanna be comforted by a devoted mafia man
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews