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Club Velvet Petal #1
King of Power
A SVU meets The Sopranos dark mafia romance
One night at Club Velvet Petal was all it took to destroy everything I'd built. Now, I'm forced to marry the very man who ghosted me a year ago—a decision that could either save my life or end it.
As a SVU detective, I'm used to putting criminals behind bars, not sleeping with them. But Ezekiel King isn't just any criminal. He's a former mafia enforcer with a reputation that makes hardened men tremble. He claims this marriage will protect me from a local mafia lord who wants me dead, but I can't shake the feeling that I'm trading one form of danger for another.
The worst part? My body betrays me every time he's near. His commanding presence and dominant nature awaken desires I thought I'd buried long ago. Each heated glance, each possessive touch, reminds me of the passion we once shared—before he vanished without a trace.
But when the unthinkable happens, I'm forced to confront the brutal reality of Zeke's world. Now I must choose—maintain my integrity as a detective, or surrender to the darkness that surrounds him to save the only family I have left.
With rival mafia families closing in and threats lurking in every shadow, my heart and my badge are on opposite sides of a war I never wanted to fight.
In Zeke's world, love isn't just dangerous—it's deadly. And I'm beginning to fear it might be exactly what I need to survive.
In this game of shadows, will love be enough to save us, or will it cost me everything?
Author’s Note: This is Ezekiel and Evelyn’s story. A forced marriage, enemies to lovers, second chance, age gap, touch her and perish, emotional, angst-filled, dark mafia romance between a morally gray, possessive, former mafia enforcer turned vigilante and a strong-willed, independent SVU detective who’s struggling to regain her life after a failed, abusive marriage.
Trigger warnings can be found at the beginning of the book, before the start of chapter one. Please read before proceeding.
One night at Club Velvet Petal was all it took to destroy everything I'd built. Now, I'm forced to marry the very man who ghosted me a year ago—a decision that could either save my life or end it.
As a SVU detective, I'm used to putting criminals behind bars, not sleeping with them. But Ezekiel King isn't just any criminal. He's a former mafia enforcer with a reputation that makes hardened men tremble. He claims this marriage will protect me from a local mafia lord who wants me dead, but I can't shake the feeling that I'm trading one form of danger for another.
The worst part? My body betrays me every time he's near. His commanding presence and dominant nature awaken desires I thought I'd buried long ago. Each heated glance, each possessive touch, reminds me of the passion we once shared—before he vanished without a trace.
But when the unthinkable happens, I'm forced to confront the brutal reality of Zeke's world. Now I must choose—maintain my integrity as a detective, or surrender to the darkness that surrounds him to save the only family I have left.
With rival mafia families closing in and threats lurking in every shadow, my heart and my badge are on opposite sides of a war I never wanted to fight.
In Zeke's world, love isn't just dangerous—it's deadly. And I'm beginning to fear it might be exactly what I need to survive.
In this game of shadows, will love be enough to save us, or will it cost me everything?
Author’s Note: This is Ezekiel and Evelyn’s story. A forced marriage, enemies to lovers, second chance, age gap, touch her and perish, emotional, angst-filled, dark mafia romance between a morally gray, possessive, former mafia enforcer turned vigilante and a strong-willed, independent SVU detective who’s struggling to regain her life after a failed, abusive marriage.
Trigger warnings can be found at the beginning of the book, before the start of chapter one. Please read before proceeding.
- GenresRomance
466 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 17, 2025
70 people are currently reading
677 people want to read
About the author
Aleia Kane
4 books34 followersDark gritty mafia romance
Aleia Kane writes gritty, emotionally charged mafia romance with lots of spice, humor, drama, and big feels. Readers love her work for her engaging storytelling, relatable characters, steamy romance, and emotional depth. She has a soft spot for angst-filled, forbidden romances, second chances, and dominant, grumpy bad boys with sweet centers that are impossible not to love.
She lives in Florida, with her two kids, her cat, and a large collection of houseplants.
Aleia Kane writes gritty, emotionally charged mafia romance with lots of spice, humor, drama, and big feels. Readers love her work for her engaging storytelling, relatable characters, steamy romance, and emotional depth. She has a soft spot for angst-filled, forbidden romances, second chances, and dominant, grumpy bad boys with sweet centers that are impossible not to love.
She lives in Florida, with her two kids, her cat, and a large collection of houseplants.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
August 17, 2025
3.5/5
King of Power is a dual POV mafia romance story that features marriage of convenience (forced marriage), lovers to enemies to lovers. The FMC, Eve, is an SVU detective who is the sole guardian to her nephew, Leo; the MMC, Ezekiel King, is a former mafia enforcer turned vigilante when he moved from NY to Columbus. After a night out with her friends at Ezequiel's nightclub, Eve's cover is blown as she is recognized by the local mafia lord that is responsible for one of the most gruesome crimes being handled by the police department in Columbus. In order to protect Eve and her family, Eve marries Ezekiel. This arrangement ignites the feelings they each had for each other and makes Ezekiel feel a way that he never thought he would.
The first half of the book was very slow paced and it caused confusion as we were introduced to so many characters at once; however, by the second half, the story was much more fast-paced and action-packed. The main characters in the story were very well written and developed and loved that the characters were able to overcome their past traumas. Will definitely be continuing this series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
King of Power is a dual POV mafia romance story that features marriage of convenience (forced marriage), lovers to enemies to lovers. The FMC, Eve, is an SVU detective who is the sole guardian to her nephew, Leo; the MMC, Ezekiel King, is a former mafia enforcer turned vigilante when he moved from NY to Columbus. After a night out with her friends at Ezequiel's nightclub, Eve's cover is blown as she is recognized by the local mafia lord that is responsible for one of the most gruesome crimes being handled by the police department in Columbus. In order to protect Eve and her family, Eve marries Ezekiel. This arrangement ignites the feelings they each had for each other and makes Ezekiel feel a way that he never thought he would.
The first half of the book was very slow paced and it caused confusion as we were introduced to so many characters at once; however, by the second half, the story was much more fast-paced and action-packed. The main characters in the story were very well written and developed and loved that the characters were able to overcome their past traumas. Will definitely be continuing this series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 25, 2025
This book sucked me in immediately. Probably the first 5-10% and I was buckled in for the ride. Not only is this focused on the romance but it also focuses on the actual conflict at hand.
This book revolves around a love that’s not supposed to be. Eve is an SVU detective looking into mafia related crimes. Zeke has a long history with the mafia and once you’re in you’re never really out. Eve is forced in to a marriage that will either save her life or end it…
🖤Touch her and die… literally
🥃Age Gap
🖤Strong FMC
🥃Found Family
🖤Forced Marriage
This book revolves around a love that’s not supposed to be. Eve is an SVU detective looking into mafia related crimes. Zeke has a long history with the mafia and once you’re in you’re never really out. Eve is forced in to a marriage that will either save her life or end it…
🖤Touch her and die… literally
🥃Age Gap
🖤Strong FMC
🥃Found Family
🖤Forced Marriage
Read
June 17, 2025DNF at 51%
I really really wanted to enjoy this book. But in all honesty, it was not for me and I was ready to put this down days ago.
There are a few problems I have with this book:
1. In the beginning, it feels like I should already know all the history between Eve and Zeke, and all that happened with Eve and her ex-husband. All that history is talked about like I should know it by now. I feel like this is a book written like the 2nd or 3rd book in a series, rather than the 1st.
2. The entire aspect of their jobs. Eve is an SVU detective but yet she is on a case surrounding the mob. Yes, some of the mobsters are suspects but it seems like her outlook is just into the wrong doings of the mob rather than her ACTUAL CASE. Then there is Zeke. How is he an ex-mobster???? Not saying I know everything about the mob/mafia, but I don't think you can just leave the organization....
3. The relationship/dynamic. I honestly did not feel or see any chemistry between Eve and Zeke. it felt purely sexual and nothing more. From what I read, they didn't talk much let alone see each other, but yet they wanted to get in bed as soon and they were in the same room. There was one case where they were *together* and Zeke was asking her if she would "submit" to him and let him "dominate her completely." I can't lie...I got the ick.
This may be harsh to some people but these are my true thoughts and opinions. There are other things I could mention, but these were the main things I could not stand. I thank the author and Grey's Promo for the ARC, but this book just was not for me.
I really really wanted to enjoy this book. But in all honesty, it was not for me and I was ready to put this down days ago.
There are a few problems I have with this book:
1. In the beginning, it feels like I should already know all the history between Eve and Zeke, and all that happened with Eve and her ex-husband. All that history is talked about like I should know it by now. I feel like this is a book written like the 2nd or 3rd book in a series, rather than the 1st.
2. The entire aspect of their jobs. Eve is an SVU detective but yet she is on a case surrounding the mob. Yes, some of the mobsters are suspects but it seems like her outlook is just into the wrong doings of the mob rather than her ACTUAL CASE. Then there is Zeke. How is he an ex-mobster???? Not saying I know everything about the mob/mafia, but I don't think you can just leave the organization....
3. The relationship/dynamic. I honestly did not feel or see any chemistry between Eve and Zeke. it felt purely sexual and nothing more. From what I read, they didn't talk much let alone see each other, but yet they wanted to get in bed as soon and they were in the same room. There was one case where they were *together* and Zeke was asking her if she would "submit" to him and let him "dominate her completely." I can't lie...I got the ick.
This may be harsh to some people but these are my true thoughts and opinions. There are other things I could mention, but these were the main things I could not stand. I thank the author and Grey's Promo for the ARC, but this book just was not for me.
June 17, 2025
I must confess that age gap is not my first choice when choosing my next reading but this is the magic with this system. I try things new to me and discover new authors.
This mafia romance is fast-paced and has a great balance between the romance and the thriller part of the plot.
This book is about Eve and Zeke. They are meant to be enemies, she’s a SVU detective and he’s, well he’s what he’s. At first they were stubborn but Zeke is determined to take care of her. She has some scars from a past abusive relationship. And with his help and his caring, Eve is healing. I really like this healing part.
Tropes you can find in this book:
- Second Chance
- Age Gap (32,52)
- Single Mom to nephew
- Mafia Romance
- Touch her and die
- Mafia Romance/Suspense
- opposites attract
This book is clearly an open door one. When the spicy part arrives, it comes with dirty talk.
My ratings:
3,5/5⭐️ 2/5🌶️
I’ve received this book as an ARC and I’d like to thank Aleia Kane and her team at Grey’s Promotions for letting me read this book in advance and allow me to give my honest opinion.
This mafia romance is fast-paced and has a great balance between the romance and the thriller part of the plot.
This book is about Eve and Zeke. They are meant to be enemies, she’s a SVU detective and he’s, well he’s what he’s. At first they were stubborn but Zeke is determined to take care of her. She has some scars from a past abusive relationship. And with his help and his caring, Eve is healing. I really like this healing part.
Tropes you can find in this book:
- Second Chance
- Age Gap (32,52)
- Single Mom to nephew
- Mafia Romance
- Touch her and die
- Mafia Romance/Suspense
- opposites attract
This book is clearly an open door one. When the spicy part arrives, it comes with dirty talk.
My ratings:
3,5/5⭐️ 2/5🌶️
I’ve received this book as an ARC and I’d like to thank Aleia Kane and her team at Grey’s Promotions for letting me read this book in advance and allow me to give my honest opinion.
June 9, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
🌶🌶🌶
💣Mafia Romance/Suspense
🫦Age Gap (32,52 but not focused on)
❤️🔥Enemies to Lovers
👶Single Mom (to Nephew)
☠️Touch Her and D1e
A well balanced romance with mafia suspense elements, I quite enjoyed this couple. I really dug the latter portions of suspense especially, excellent tension. The FMC kind of frustrated me in the beginning because I felt like she wasn't really hearing what Zeke was saying. He's very clear in his feelings to protect her and his caring. I think this stems from her trauma though. I think Eve would be better with a one on one therapist like Zeke is doing since she has abusive ex trauma that requires a more direct touch. The girl support group she has is great though too!
I really liked the mafia drama element in this one, it felt more real and not "recycled" and thin like some other mafia romances. I get a sense that Zeke is very much a man in charge and takes on a lot of responsibility. He's a very highly capable, dangerous but very loving silver fox of a man. Spice got extra spicy only a few times and the dirty talk isn't quite for me (repetitive sometimes and lots of "mine").
I was surprised that considering it's a 20 year age gap it's never a point of angst or contention. In fact he only mentions his age once and she only mentions his salt and pepper beard twice, and it's a 440 pg book. I'm hoping we get the angst with Micah and Naomi's story (wink wink). So there's no awkwardness in this particular age gap if you're worried (I love age gaps).
I felt i hit my sweet spot with them as a couple around 40% and just really liked Zeke and his complexity and the mafia suspense elements. Always love a good shoot out and wound tending! Excellent debut and thorough found family development. Solid debut and anxious to see the author grow. I'm definitely in to read more from the series.
Side characters I'd like to see more of/spin off..Naomi and Micah (a forbidden angsty , age gap love) but I think Seb/Olivia are probably next? But I REALLY want Micah and Naomi...I was hooked on their small interactions and her speaking about how he saved her! Naomi seems so sweet and Micah, such a gentle protective (and very capable) giant.
🌶🌶🌶
💣Mafia Romance/Suspense
🫦Age Gap (32,52 but not focused on)
❤️🔥Enemies to Lovers
👶Single Mom (to Nephew)
☠️Touch Her and D1e
A well balanced romance with mafia suspense elements, I quite enjoyed this couple. I really dug the latter portions of suspense especially, excellent tension. The FMC kind of frustrated me in the beginning because I felt like she wasn't really hearing what Zeke was saying. He's very clear in his feelings to protect her and his caring. I think this stems from her trauma though. I think Eve would be better with a one on one therapist like Zeke is doing since she has abusive ex trauma that requires a more direct touch. The girl support group she has is great though too!
I really liked the mafia drama element in this one, it felt more real and not "recycled" and thin like some other mafia romances. I get a sense that Zeke is very much a man in charge and takes on a lot of responsibility. He's a very highly capable, dangerous but very loving silver fox of a man. Spice got extra spicy only a few times and the dirty talk isn't quite for me (repetitive sometimes and lots of "mine").
I was surprised that considering it's a 20 year age gap it's never a point of angst or contention. In fact he only mentions his age once and she only mentions his salt and pepper beard twice, and it's a 440 pg book. I'm hoping we get the angst with Micah and Naomi's story (wink wink). So there's no awkwardness in this particular age gap if you're worried (I love age gaps).
I felt i hit my sweet spot with them as a couple around 40% and just really liked Zeke and his complexity and the mafia suspense elements. Always love a good shoot out and wound tending! Excellent debut and thorough found family development. Solid debut and anxious to see the author grow. I'm definitely in to read more from the series.
Side characters I'd like to see more of/spin off..Naomi and Micah (a forbidden angsty , age gap love) but I think Seb/Olivia are probably next? But I REALLY want Micah and Naomi...I was hooked on their small interactions and her speaking about how he saved her! Naomi seems so sweet and Micah, such a gentle protective (and very capable) giant.
June 19, 2025
King of Power is about a cop and a mafia boss getting into an arranged type marriage in order to protect her and her nephew after her cover is blown and mafia families are now out to get her, the best part..they have a past…a past that the mafia boss Zeke had to walk away from due to his connections in the mafia. Eve struggles throughout the book with her morals because well, of course, she’s a cop, and he’s, well, not exactly on the side of the law. On top of the moral struggles, we’ve got Eve’s trauma from an abusive ex-husband who really did a number on her. What I loved most about this story is that Zeke was always about protecting Eve and Leo with no hesitation and finally came to his own terms that he could not possibly live without her. The tension between the two of them was INTENSE and fireworks were definitely being set off when they finally gave in.
June 30, 2025
I read this two days ago and I could not tell you what it was about.
June 24, 2025
“ 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬. 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐬.”
Now…you guys KNOW how much I love Mafia romances. I can eat them up for breakfast lunch and dinner. That’s why I was so sad that I didn’t love this as much as I was hoping I would. It was good, but wasn’t great. The plot had potential but it just didn’t come together for me the way I hoped it would.
This is the first book in the Club Velvet Petal series…but it felt more like I had missed something. The book is centered around Eve, an SVU detective and single mom to her nephew, and Zeke…an ex? Mafia member turned vigilante and club owner. These two dated before but we don’t get much info about that…and that’s kind of where things got off on the wrong foot for me. Immediately we are thrown in and it feels like we are revisiting a couple we’ve known forever, but we know nothing about them. So it was a little confusing to get into the swing of what was happening in the book.
Eve and Zeke dated a year before the story starts…Zeke abruptly leaves her in a way to protect her from the mafia which he was a part of. Here again is where I’m confused. Never in the history of anything Mafia has anyone walked away…witness protection? Yes. Unaliving ? Absolutely yes. Opening a club and becoming a vigilante against the mafia ? Nope. I know I know…it’s fictional. But even in fiction some things can be a little unbelievable and take you out of the story and this was one of those things.
Zeke and Eve run into each other again when Eve shows up to his club undercover…investigating a mob related case…AGAIN…WHY?!? She’s SVU…I’ll leave it at that. Either way she’s immediately made…and Zeke proposes a fake marriage to keep her and her nephew safe.
Listen. It wasn’t a bad book but I needed more. There was never a discussion as to why Zeke left…they just tore each others clothes off and went for it. And that was kind of the vibe of their relationship for me. I didn’t feel a lot of chemistry…beyond sexually.
Eve was strong but girl was definitely dealing with her issues one martini at a time. I was very very concerned. And it was never addressed.
Again. This book wasn’t my cup of tea. It wasn’t bad, just hard for me to really get into it…but…it might work for you! So defined give it a try if the tropes are up your alley 💜
Thank you so much to Aleia Kane and Grey PR for the opportunity to ARC read this book 💜
⛓️Dark Mafia Romance
💜SVU Detective FMC
⛓️Mafia Turned Vigilante MMC
💜Forced Marriage
⛓️Single Mom (to nephew)
💜Second Chance
⛓️Age Gap (20 years)
💜Possessive MMC
⛓️Strong FMC
💜Touch Her and 💀
⛓️Suspense
💜Enemies to Lovers
⛓️Forbidden
💜Dual POV
⛓️HEA
Now…you guys KNOW how much I love Mafia romances. I can eat them up for breakfast lunch and dinner. That’s why I was so sad that I didn’t love this as much as I was hoping I would. It was good, but wasn’t great. The plot had potential but it just didn’t come together for me the way I hoped it would.
This is the first book in the Club Velvet Petal series…but it felt more like I had missed something. The book is centered around Eve, an SVU detective and single mom to her nephew, and Zeke…an ex? Mafia member turned vigilante and club owner. These two dated before but we don’t get much info about that…and that’s kind of where things got off on the wrong foot for me. Immediately we are thrown in and it feels like we are revisiting a couple we’ve known forever, but we know nothing about them. So it was a little confusing to get into the swing of what was happening in the book.
Eve and Zeke dated a year before the story starts…Zeke abruptly leaves her in a way to protect her from the mafia which he was a part of. Here again is where I’m confused. Never in the history of anything Mafia has anyone walked away…witness protection? Yes. Unaliving ? Absolutely yes. Opening a club and becoming a vigilante against the mafia ? Nope. I know I know…it’s fictional. But even in fiction some things can be a little unbelievable and take you out of the story and this was one of those things.
Zeke and Eve run into each other again when Eve shows up to his club undercover…investigating a mob related case…AGAIN…WHY?!? She’s SVU…I’ll leave it at that. Either way she’s immediately made…and Zeke proposes a fake marriage to keep her and her nephew safe.
Listen. It wasn’t a bad book but I needed more. There was never a discussion as to why Zeke left…they just tore each others clothes off and went for it. And that was kind of the vibe of their relationship for me. I didn’t feel a lot of chemistry…beyond sexually.
Eve was strong but girl was definitely dealing with her issues one martini at a time. I was very very concerned. And it was never addressed.
Again. This book wasn’t my cup of tea. It wasn’t bad, just hard for me to really get into it…but…it might work for you! So defined give it a try if the tropes are up your alley 💜
Thank you so much to Aleia Kane and Grey PR for the opportunity to ARC read this book 💜
⛓️Dark Mafia Romance
💜SVU Detective FMC
⛓️Mafia Turned Vigilante MMC
💜Forced Marriage
⛓️Single Mom (to nephew)
💜Second Chance
⛓️Age Gap (20 years)
💜Possessive MMC
⛓️Strong FMC
💜Touch Her and 💀
⛓️Suspense
💜Enemies to Lovers
⛓️Forbidden
💜Dual POV
⛓️HEA
September 10, 2025
4 Stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
King of Power was such an entertaining read! I loved that nothing felt purely black and white. Eve and Zeke are layered, messy characters and the age gap romance really worked for me. What stood out most was how Zeke never made Eve feel “less than” because of her infertility, which her ex had weaponized against her.
What didn’t work as well was being thrown straight into their reunion without really seeing their past. This kind of felt like a second-chance romance and I wish there had been a prologue of their first time together. Also, the mafia aspect wasn’t always believable and Zeke having “left” the mafia didn’t really fit when he still acts like he’s in.
Still, the chemistry, tension, and action had me hooked, especially in the second half! I’ll definitely be continuing this series!
King of Power was such an entertaining read! I loved that nothing felt purely black and white. Eve and Zeke are layered, messy characters and the age gap romance really worked for me. What stood out most was how Zeke never made Eve feel “less than” because of her infertility, which her ex had weaponized against her.
What didn’t work as well was being thrown straight into their reunion without really seeing their past. This kind of felt like a second-chance romance and I wish there had been a prologue of their first time together. Also, the mafia aspect wasn’t always believable and Zeke having “left” the mafia didn’t really fit when he still acts like he’s in.
Still, the chemistry, tension, and action had me hooked, especially in the second half! I’ll definitely be continuing this series!
June 13, 2025
Not a very good police department if they don't protect undercovers. Usually undercover don't go to the police station and they literally live their undercover life while the case is still going on. That's not written very logically or realistic. And the fact that there is literally no ex-mafia anything. You are in for life unless you turn snitch and then live in witness protection for life. Idk if I'm gonna find this book. Not very realistic 😒 SVU literally stands for Special Victims Unit unless it’s a s3x crime it wouldn’t have anything to do with a mobster in the water unless he has signs of being s3xually assaulted 🤷🏻♀️Eve is kind of annoying saying the events that happened wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t married Zeke….like her being solo could have stopped it when him and his army couldn’t 🙄🤣 She’s constantly throwing herself a pity party. Page 298 and all the 💩 hitting the fans and they think s3x is a good answer, oh and let’s not forget about all the gin martinis Eve keeps drinking 🙄 Yea I probably should have DNF this book. I definitely won’t be continuing this series. Even if I did finish this book, it was definitely a struggle. Zelle was meh. Eve was annoying. The only one I was interested in was Seb. Sorry not sorry but maybe there is a reason Eve wasn’t able to have kids 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️ Picks horrible times to get freaky 🙄🤮
🌶️⭐️⭐️
🌶️⭐️⭐️
Read
August 19, 2025Eve hated the meetings she was forced to attend if she wanted to keep her job. She had been attending them for about six months and they weren't getting any easier. Telling strangers about her life and abusive ex-husband. Memories she wants to forget. Especially since having a mental break wasn't what she needed as a detective.
Olivia and Lydia beg her to come out with them for a drink to celebrate another meeting being over. They had heard of the Club Velvet Petal but hadn't been. A night out dancing wasn't what she wanted, but the girls finally got her to agree when she couldn't find an excuse they would accept especially since they knew that her nephew was having a sleepover and she wasn't needed at home.
They are heading for a table tucked away in the corner when a tall man steps in their way, demanding they follow him. He refused to answer why and what they had done wrong since they had just walked in the door. The bouncer escorted them to a room down a narrow corridor and shut the door, locking them in.
She has to step back from the door she had been banging on when another man steps in the room. He is slightly older and a very handsome man. A memory tugs at her when she realizes she knows him. And then it hits her. She had gone on several dates with him before moving to Columbus. More confusing than seeing a man who had ghosted her months before was Olivia's response to seeing him. Nervously telling him that she didn't want any trouble and wouldn't have come if she knew it was his club.
Ezekiel was looking at the last one he wanted in his club. The woman he disappeared on as soon as he realized she was a cop. Having her in his club puts her in danger and he needs to make sure to get her out before his clientele see her and she finds out the reason he ghosted her.
I loved this book! It is very well written and the characters are fully developed and relatable. Eve moved to another town to escape an abusive ex and take care of her orphaned nephew. Never expecting to run into the man who had ghosted her after their amazing time together. Now her life is in more danger when she is recognized as an undercover detective.
This book is action-packed and full of danger. Ezekiel is trying to keep Eve safe without her finding out about his criminal life. Despite their burning chemistry having her in his life can mean nothing but danger for Eve. Highly recommend this dark romance.
Olivia and Lydia beg her to come out with them for a drink to celebrate another meeting being over. They had heard of the Club Velvet Petal but hadn't been. A night out dancing wasn't what she wanted, but the girls finally got her to agree when she couldn't find an excuse they would accept especially since they knew that her nephew was having a sleepover and she wasn't needed at home.
They are heading for a table tucked away in the corner when a tall man steps in their way, demanding they follow him. He refused to answer why and what they had done wrong since they had just walked in the door. The bouncer escorted them to a room down a narrow corridor and shut the door, locking them in.
She has to step back from the door she had been banging on when another man steps in the room. He is slightly older and a very handsome man. A memory tugs at her when she realizes she knows him. And then it hits her. She had gone on several dates with him before moving to Columbus. More confusing than seeing a man who had ghosted her months before was Olivia's response to seeing him. Nervously telling him that she didn't want any trouble and wouldn't have come if she knew it was his club.
Ezekiel was looking at the last one he wanted in his club. The woman he disappeared on as soon as he realized she was a cop. Having her in his club puts her in danger and he needs to make sure to get her out before his clientele see her and she finds out the reason he ghosted her.
I loved this book! It is very well written and the characters are fully developed and relatable. Eve moved to another town to escape an abusive ex and take care of her orphaned nephew. Never expecting to run into the man who had ghosted her after their amazing time together. Now her life is in more danger when she is recognized as an undercover detective.
This book is action-packed and full of danger. Ezekiel is trying to keep Eve safe without her finding out about his criminal life. Despite their burning chemistry having her in his life can mean nothing but danger for Eve. Highly recommend this dark romance.
June 11, 2025
King of Power by Aleia Kane is the 1st book of the Club Velvet Petal series following Ezekiel King and Evelyn Landry. This is a Dark Mafia Romance with lots of violence, please check the content warning to make sure nothing risks triggering you.
Detective Evelyn Landry, our FMC, survivor of domestic violence and a detective in the SVU unit working cases like what she was once a victim of. She’s sassy, independent and a badass FMC. She is raising her nephew and the love and care she has for him is so beautiful, despite her trauma and her heartache she makes sure he’s aware of how much he is loved and wanted regardless. After walking into the popular Club Velvet Petal with her friends she never imagined she’d be running into the man who ghosted her a year ago.
Ezekiel King, our morally grey MMC, owner of Club Velvet Petal and leading a crew of vigilante’s who are working on clearing out the Mafia families from the city. He moved to Columbus from NYC after being part of the Mafia as THE enforcer and protege of the Mafia leader, Nicolo Moretti. Imagine his surprise when the beautiful Evelyn walked into his club knowing it isn’t safe, he knew he had to work fast on getting her out of there. He stopped dating her a year ago, without notice by the way, to keep her safe. He discovered she was a detective and knew that because of the people he was associated with, it could potentially get her hurt or worse get her killed. However, that proves to be moot once she is made by one of the members of the Mafia, so his solution to protect her is to marry her.
Detective Eve keeps the men in this book on their toes and I am here for it. I love her relationship with her nephew and friends and how much she cares for them. Her past trauma broke my heart but the way Zeke makes her feel special and loved (even though he struggles to say the words) was so beautiful. I want to take a quick moment to talk about the crew…I really hope Sebastian, Eli and Micah each get a book. They are all such interesting characters in Zeke’s life, I look forward to seeing how everything unfolds. This is such a great Dark Mafia book; I really enjoyed it and if you like reading Dark Mafia Romance I think you will enjoy this book too 💫
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Detective Evelyn Landry, our FMC, survivor of domestic violence and a detective in the SVU unit working cases like what she was once a victim of. She’s sassy, independent and a badass FMC. She is raising her nephew and the love and care she has for him is so beautiful, despite her trauma and her heartache she makes sure he’s aware of how much he is loved and wanted regardless. After walking into the popular Club Velvet Petal with her friends she never imagined she’d be running into the man who ghosted her a year ago.
Ezekiel King, our morally grey MMC, owner of Club Velvet Petal and leading a crew of vigilante’s who are working on clearing out the Mafia families from the city. He moved to Columbus from NYC after being part of the Mafia as THE enforcer and protege of the Mafia leader, Nicolo Moretti. Imagine his surprise when the beautiful Evelyn walked into his club knowing it isn’t safe, he knew he had to work fast on getting her out of there. He stopped dating her a year ago, without notice by the way, to keep her safe. He discovered she was a detective and knew that because of the people he was associated with, it could potentially get her hurt or worse get her killed. However, that proves to be moot once she is made by one of the members of the Mafia, so his solution to protect her is to marry her.
Detective Eve keeps the men in this book on their toes and I am here for it. I love her relationship with her nephew and friends and how much she cares for them. Her past trauma broke my heart but the way Zeke makes her feel special and loved (even though he struggles to say the words) was so beautiful. I want to take a quick moment to talk about the crew…I really hope Sebastian, Eli and Micah each get a book. They are all such interesting characters in Zeke’s life, I look forward to seeing how everything unfolds. This is such a great Dark Mafia book; I really enjoyed it and if you like reading Dark Mafia Romance I think you will enjoy this book too 💫
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 19, 2025
3.5 Stars
King of Power begins with Evelyn and her friends leaving a meeting for survivors of abusive relationships. When one of her friends suggests they go out, Evelyn tries to get out of it but then decides to join Lydia and Olivia at a club.
Once they arrive at the club, it does not take long for Evelyn to figure out that this is the last place she should have come to. Once they are escorted to a back room, despite her protests, the one person whom she trusted and then ghosted her walks in.
Evelyn had trusted Ezekiel (Zeke) with her backstory, finally feeling free enough to tell him why her marriage failed and what she endured. She never heard from him again. To see him walk into the room was something she never expected. She also does not understand why Olivia seems to know more than she is willing to share.
Evelyn makes it clear to Ezekiel that she wants nothing to do with him ever again and finally leaves. She has her job and her nephew to raise and a few friends and that is all she needs. Then, she goes back to the club with her friends a few weeks later and is “made” by a member of a mafia family member, one she had gone undercover to try and get information on.
Zeke never thought he would see Evelyn again and he knew that would be safer for her. She has no idea about his past and his current endeavors, but when a threat is made against her, he does the only thing that will keep her safe: he tells the guy who “made” her that she’s, his fiancé. And she is not happy about that.
When threats are made, Evelyn has no other recourse other than to accept his protection for herself and her nephew. Their attraction to each other was never the problem, nor is it now. The real problem is that one skates the law while the other is sworn to uphold it.
King of Power is a nicely written story. The two main characters are relatable and their backstories believable. But, if I am being honest, their connection was a little off for me. I truly did love them together but at times, it felt stilted. It really picked up for me a little over halfway through. The secondary characters were very well written. King of Power is a story of power, betrayal, redemption, and family. I look forward to the next installment. Well done, Aleia Kane!
King of Power begins with Evelyn and her friends leaving a meeting for survivors of abusive relationships. When one of her friends suggests they go out, Evelyn tries to get out of it but then decides to join Lydia and Olivia at a club.
Once they arrive at the club, it does not take long for Evelyn to figure out that this is the last place she should have come to. Once they are escorted to a back room, despite her protests, the one person whom she trusted and then ghosted her walks in.
Evelyn had trusted Ezekiel (Zeke) with her backstory, finally feeling free enough to tell him why her marriage failed and what she endured. She never heard from him again. To see him walk into the room was something she never expected. She also does not understand why Olivia seems to know more than she is willing to share.
Evelyn makes it clear to Ezekiel that she wants nothing to do with him ever again and finally leaves. She has her job and her nephew to raise and a few friends and that is all she needs. Then, she goes back to the club with her friends a few weeks later and is “made” by a member of a mafia family member, one she had gone undercover to try and get information on.
Zeke never thought he would see Evelyn again and he knew that would be safer for her. She has no idea about his past and his current endeavors, but when a threat is made against her, he does the only thing that will keep her safe: he tells the guy who “made” her that she’s, his fiancé. And she is not happy about that.
When threats are made, Evelyn has no other recourse other than to accept his protection for herself and her nephew. Their attraction to each other was never the problem, nor is it now. The real problem is that one skates the law while the other is sworn to uphold it.
King of Power is a nicely written story. The two main characters are relatable and their backstories believable. But, if I am being honest, their connection was a little off for me. I truly did love them together but at times, it felt stilted. It really picked up for me a little over halfway through. The secondary characters were very well written. King of Power is a story of power, betrayal, redemption, and family. I look forward to the next installment. Well done, Aleia Kane!
December 23, 2025
King of Power is the first book in Kane's Club Velvet Petal series. This forced marriage, second chance, age gap, dark mafia romance features Evelyn (Eve) Landry and Ezekiel (Zeke) King.
Evelyn is a Columbus SVU detective who is investigating violent crimes related to the mafia. She became guardian to her 7-year old nephew Leo, after both his parents died. Her last relationship ended poorly when her partner walked away after she learned she couldn't have kids. She doesn't have a big social circle but she has two amazing friends, Lydia and Olivia. When the three of them head to Club Velvet Petal for a night out, Evelyn bumps into Ezekiel, not knowing he was the club's owner.
When Evelyn recognizes him, she was pissed. The two were briefly (and passionately) involved but he ghosted her. He has a relatively good reason, but not one he could share. Ezekiel was an enforcer for the NY mafia and he had learned she was a police officer. He wanted to keep her out of his world and away from harm.
When Evelyn is recognized as an undercover cop by a member of the mafia, Ezekiel knows one thing - he will do anything to protect her. He therefore claims her as his fiancée as only family is considered off limits to fellow mafia men, and even then so not always. She is forced to marry him to protect herself and her nephew. While the threats on her life persist, her underlying feelings for him continue to grow while living under the same roof.
I enjoyed the twist in this book. Rather than the usual mafia man, Ezekiel was a former mafioso turned vigilante. While it may not be the first time in this genre, it was a first for me, as was having the female lead be a police officer. While at a glance these two would be on opposite sides, they really are opposite sides of the same coin, both fighting injustice in their own way. Evelyn and Ezekiel, while presenting differently, shared other similarities such as their desire for family. These two had sizzling chemistry and when allowed to burn, burned bright. Both were very strong characters who made space for the other, accepting and loving them as they were.
As expected, there were some twists and turns, and I enjoyed the ride. The characters captivated me and the drama kept me engaged in the storyline. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.
As a side note, I had to include my favourite line from the book: "Welcome to the sisterhood of survivors, where we turn out scars into strength and our pain into power." I love it so much!
Evelyn is a Columbus SVU detective who is investigating violent crimes related to the mafia. She became guardian to her 7-year old nephew Leo, after both his parents died. Her last relationship ended poorly when her partner walked away after she learned she couldn't have kids. She doesn't have a big social circle but she has two amazing friends, Lydia and Olivia. When the three of them head to Club Velvet Petal for a night out, Evelyn bumps into Ezekiel, not knowing he was the club's owner.
When Evelyn recognizes him, she was pissed. The two were briefly (and passionately) involved but he ghosted her. He has a relatively good reason, but not one he could share. Ezekiel was an enforcer for the NY mafia and he had learned she was a police officer. He wanted to keep her out of his world and away from harm.
When Evelyn is recognized as an undercover cop by a member of the mafia, Ezekiel knows one thing - he will do anything to protect her. He therefore claims her as his fiancée as only family is considered off limits to fellow mafia men, and even then so not always. She is forced to marry him to protect herself and her nephew. While the threats on her life persist, her underlying feelings for him continue to grow while living under the same roof.
I enjoyed the twist in this book. Rather than the usual mafia man, Ezekiel was a former mafioso turned vigilante. While it may not be the first time in this genre, it was a first for me, as was having the female lead be a police officer. While at a glance these two would be on opposite sides, they really are opposite sides of the same coin, both fighting injustice in their own way. Evelyn and Ezekiel, while presenting differently, shared other similarities such as their desire for family. These two had sizzling chemistry and when allowed to burn, burned bright. Both were very strong characters who made space for the other, accepting and loving them as they were.
As expected, there were some twists and turns, and I enjoyed the ride. The characters captivated me and the drama kept me engaged in the storyline. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.
As a side note, I had to include my favourite line from the book: "Welcome to the sisterhood of survivors, where we turn out scars into strength and our pain into power." I love it so much!
June 16, 2025
Reviewed by Robyn for Saucy Reviews on Kinky Korner
For a debut novel, this blew me away with its great plot and fabulous characters. I love how this story is quite different from most mafia stories, too. I will admit I feel the story could have been told in a slightly shorter version as the pace slowed in some of the scenes.
This is Ezekiel and Evelyn’s story, both total opposites in nearly everything. Zeke is a former mafia enforcer who was allowed to leave the mafia, which is very unusual in itself, and Eve is a detective. Black meet white, cold meet hot, day meet night! But… their chemistry is super-charged and there are plenty of steamy scenes. He ghosted her a year ago so as you can imagine Eve does not want to have anything to do with Zeke. Things don’t always go the way you want them to, though.
At first, I thought Eve was a bit of a maudlin character, I know, I know she’d been through a lot, but still I am being honest because I grew to like her fairly quickly. She has such a beautiful heart and loves her true friends and family unconditionally.
Zeke came across as a little arrogant but also a little terrified for Eve. I think it is easier to like him faster because he understood what was at stake and genuinely tried to help Eve. That came across clearly, however, his way of doing things might have been a tad bossy. He too, has a heart of gold, and the more I read about him the more I liked him.
The situation they both found themselves in is one that was quite a predicament and what follows is action-packed and excitement plus. The intensity of the second half of the book is riveting reading. I look forward to reading more from this author.
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review*
For a debut novel, this blew me away with its great plot and fabulous characters. I love how this story is quite different from most mafia stories, too. I will admit I feel the story could have been told in a slightly shorter version as the pace slowed in some of the scenes.
This is Ezekiel and Evelyn’s story, both total opposites in nearly everything. Zeke is a former mafia enforcer who was allowed to leave the mafia, which is very unusual in itself, and Eve is a detective. Black meet white, cold meet hot, day meet night! But… their chemistry is super-charged and there are plenty of steamy scenes. He ghosted her a year ago so as you can imagine Eve does not want to have anything to do with Zeke. Things don’t always go the way you want them to, though.
At first, I thought Eve was a bit of a maudlin character, I know, I know she’d been through a lot, but still I am being honest because I grew to like her fairly quickly. She has such a beautiful heart and loves her true friends and family unconditionally.
Zeke came across as a little arrogant but also a little terrified for Eve. I think it is easier to like him faster because he understood what was at stake and genuinely tried to help Eve. That came across clearly, however, his way of doing things might have been a tad bossy. He too, has a heart of gold, and the more I read about him the more I liked him.
The situation they both found themselves in is one that was quite a predicament and what follows is action-packed and excitement plus. The intensity of the second half of the book is riveting reading. I look forward to reading more from this author.
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review*
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June 16, 2025
I wrote this review for Saucy Reviews on Kinky Korner.
For a debut novel, this blew me away with its great plot and fabulous characters. I love how this story is quite different from most mafia stories, too. I will admit I feel the story could have been told in a slightly shorter version as the pace slowed in some of the scenes.
This is Ezekiel and Evelyn’s story, both total opposites in nearly everything. Zeke is a former mafia enforcer who was allowed to leave the mafia, which is very unusual in itself, and Eve is a detective. Black meet white, cold meet hot, day meet night! But… their chemistry is super-charged and there are plenty of steamy scenes. He ghosted her a year ago so as you can imagine Eve does not want to have anything to do with Zeke. Things don’t always go the way you want them to, though.
At first, I thought Eve was a bit of a maudlin character, I know, I know she’d been through a lot, but still I am being honest because I grew to like her fairly quickly. She has such a beautiful heart and loves her true friends and family unconditionally.
Zeke came across as a little arrogant but also a little terrified for Eve. I think it is easier to like him faster because he understood what was at stake and genuinely tried to help Eve. That came across clearly, however, his way of doing things might have been a tad bossy. He too, has a heart of gold, and the more I read about him the more I liked him.
The situation they both found themselves in is one that was quite a predicament and what follows is action-packed and excitement plus. The intensity of the second half of the book is riveting reading. I look forward to reading more from this author.
June 17, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
This book gives us the story of Eve our badass Detective FMC that survived domestic violence in her first marriage and how she handles the moral dilemma between working as law enforcement and getting tangled up in a relationship with Zeke our Club Owner/Vigilante who tries to fight against the local Mafia in his City (Columbus) after leaving the Mafia live as an enforcer and protege to the leader in NYC behind.
They both had a short string of dates and probably were at the beginning of a relationship after Eve’s divorce but he ghosted her for her own safety after he found out that she was a cop. One year later they both meet again at his Club Velvet Petal and immediately we get to feel the tension between those two. She is investigation a series of assaults and gets in the crossfire of mafia business. He steps in to keep her safe and proposes a marriage of convenience to keep both her and her nephew safe. Staring from this point we get to see how she is torn between her live as a detective but also her desire to keep her family safe and her feelings for Zeke.
The drama and the spice in this book is top notch. It was not too much and executed very nicely. I did enjoy the mafia aspect of the book and how they tried to solve their problems. I’m curious how this series will progress with further installments. I hope we get so see some of the side characters and how their love story evolves. And also I’m curious how the past will come back to them 👀👀👀
Tropes:
💜 Enemies to Lovers
🥀 Forced Marriage
💜 Second Chance
🥀 Age Gap
💜 Single Mom/Guardian
🥀 Morally Grey Hero
💜 strong Heroine/Protective Hero
🥀 Touch her and Perish
Thank you Aleia Kane and Grey’s Promotion for sending me this ARC.
This book gives us the story of Eve our badass Detective FMC that survived domestic violence in her first marriage and how she handles the moral dilemma between working as law enforcement and getting tangled up in a relationship with Zeke our Club Owner/Vigilante who tries to fight against the local Mafia in his City (Columbus) after leaving the Mafia live as an enforcer and protege to the leader in NYC behind.
They both had a short string of dates and probably were at the beginning of a relationship after Eve’s divorce but he ghosted her for her own safety after he found out that she was a cop. One year later they both meet again at his Club Velvet Petal and immediately we get to feel the tension between those two. She is investigation a series of assaults and gets in the crossfire of mafia business. He steps in to keep her safe and proposes a marriage of convenience to keep both her and her nephew safe. Staring from this point we get to see how she is torn between her live as a detective but also her desire to keep her family safe and her feelings for Zeke.
The drama and the spice in this book is top notch. It was not too much and executed very nicely. I did enjoy the mafia aspect of the book and how they tried to solve their problems. I’m curious how this series will progress with further installments. I hope we get so see some of the side characters and how their love story evolves. And also I’m curious how the past will come back to them 👀👀👀
Tropes:
💜 Enemies to Lovers
🥀 Forced Marriage
💜 Second Chance
🥀 Age Gap
💜 Single Mom/Guardian
🥀 Morally Grey Hero
💜 strong Heroine/Protective Hero
🥀 Touch her and Perish
Thank you Aleia Kane and Grey’s Promotion for sending me this ARC.
June 17, 2025
A dark mafia age gap romance between two characters who should’ve automatically been enemies given their backgrounds. Ezekiel King, owner of Club Velvet Petal, a former mafia enforcer and Evelyn, a detective with the SVU. Knowing the trouble she could be in if her career choice became known to his mob friends for her own protection Zeke had ghosted Evelyn after they had spent only one night together at his club. But like most secrets hers leaked out and the mafia know who she is leaving her in danger and to save her only family she finds herself in the position of having to marry Zeke to protect her nephew.
The Club Velvet Petal is a new dark mafia series with all the spice, drama, and suspense you could possibly want. The blurb for King of Power had me intrigued right from the start with its two unlikely protagonists, the morally grey Zeke and Evelyn, herself an abuse survivor but still strong. They had nothing in common other than one passionate encounter that neither had forgotten. Till a threat towards Evelyn forces Zeke to make a move. One thing I really hate in a book is when they say its age gap but its only a handful of years. Sorry but for me, for the gap to count, the hero should at least be old enough to have fathered the heroine, and Aleia Kane definitely ticks that box with Evelyn thirty-two to the Zeke’s fifty-two totally making him a silver fox of a hero. Age really was just a number here and it didn’t really impact on their relationship especially as the dominant Zeke seemed to have the stamina of a younger man but with all the experience. The chemistry between him and Evelyn was scorching and the overall plot engaging. Overall, an exciting and gripping read and definitely a series I’m interested to read more from.
The Club Velvet Petal is a new dark mafia series with all the spice, drama, and suspense you could possibly want. The blurb for King of Power had me intrigued right from the start with its two unlikely protagonists, the morally grey Zeke and Evelyn, herself an abuse survivor but still strong. They had nothing in common other than one passionate encounter that neither had forgotten. Till a threat towards Evelyn forces Zeke to make a move. One thing I really hate in a book is when they say its age gap but its only a handful of years. Sorry but for me, for the gap to count, the hero should at least be old enough to have fathered the heroine, and Aleia Kane definitely ticks that box with Evelyn thirty-two to the Zeke’s fifty-two totally making him a silver fox of a hero. Age really was just a number here and it didn’t really impact on their relationship especially as the dominant Zeke seemed to have the stamina of a younger man but with all the experience. The chemistry between him and Evelyn was scorching and the overall plot engaging. Overall, an exciting and gripping read and definitely a series I’m interested to read more from.
June 29, 2025
This book has potential but there were some inconsistencies in it for me there were some really good parts though so I still gave it 4 stars. Things I liked the chemistry between Zeke and Eve was there the relationship between Eve and her nephew and her group of friends. The plot is interesting and did keep ingaged with the story line my issues were mainly with how the story started and there seemed to be plot issues with Eve and her job and some things she did that didn't make here career choice seem realistic. I wish there had been more backstory between Zeke and Eve revealed though.
Eve is a Detective with the SVU (Special Victor's Unit) she's dealing with the loss of her sister, a marriage that turned into a nightmare so now she's divorced and raising her nephew all while going to counciling and it's that counseling and group of friends that lead to her running into Zeke again at a club he owns he's not happy to see her but why. Zeke came to Columbus from New York to run from his past with his brother and bodyguard and the thing he ran from his connection to organized crime has evaded his life again he's trying to do write get rid of the corruption in his new city but when Eve is recognized at his club he has to protect her by marriage. Eve is not happy she had one unhappy marriage and doesn't want anyone controlling her also the man who ran out on her is now back and his secrets have caught up to both of them there will be death and vengeance for both of them.
I was allowed to read and advance copy of this book and this is my honest review.
Eve is a Detective with the SVU (Special Victor's Unit) she's dealing with the loss of her sister, a marriage that turned into a nightmare so now she's divorced and raising her nephew all while going to counciling and it's that counseling and group of friends that lead to her running into Zeke again at a club he owns he's not happy to see her but why. Zeke came to Columbus from New York to run from his past with his brother and bodyguard and the thing he ran from his connection to organized crime has evaded his life again he's trying to do write get rid of the corruption in his new city but when Eve is recognized at his club he has to protect her by marriage. Eve is not happy she had one unhappy marriage and doesn't want anyone controlling her also the man who ran out on her is now back and his secrets have caught up to both of them there will be death and vengeance for both of them.
I was allowed to read and advance copy of this book and this is my honest review.
July 29, 2025
ok this was actually really good LOLL. it took me sooo long to read cause idk ive been in a slump but then i think back on it, it was a good book. she’s like a single mom to her sisters kid cause her sister died and she’s also a detective. he’s a mafia man obv. well basically it’s like second chance and their first chance was after she got out of her abusive relationship she got with him and then he ghosted her. but it makes sense why bc he thought he was protecting her from his mafia stuff. and then the second chance was him forcing her to marry him cause she was in danger for being recognized as an u recover cop🙁 but yeah it was a cute book and i loved our guys cause he loved her. and she bothered me sometimes like when she got drunk at their wedding…. like girl but she was also really strong. another thing that bothered me is when her nephew got taken and obv she was looking for him but they just didn’t seem panicked enough. which both our mc are smart so they like knew panicking wasn’t gonna do anything but i felt like our nephew was kidnapped for too long. like they were fucking instead of looking for him.. in that bothered me but besides that it was a good book. sometiems her pov got me confused. also just found out this is her first book which makes a lot more sense now why the writing was a little confusing sometimes. also it’s very smutty. like the book is filled with smut which like bruh lets calm it down. like i get it’s called spicy books for a reason but i don’t wanna read them fucking every minute.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2025
Rating 3.5 stars. Received as an ARC and leaving my honest review voluntarily. This story was just okay for me. Whilst I liked the mafia angle with the suspense and action, there were too many unbelievable parts in the plot that pulled me out of the story. Eve and her two friends belong to a support group, but throughout the story, you never hear from the others in the support group which felt really strange. The shift from one scene to the next was a little abrupt and at times, it felt like some time had passed/skipped forward when it was just the next chapter. Eve is supposed to be a SVU Detective but she goes undercover in a mob hangout, that didn't feel believable. She also doesn't seem to display much wits as a detective and to me, it felt like she was a functioning alcoholic with the way she used copious amount of alcohol to cope with everything. Zeke and Eve is supposed to have some history but he ghosted her, yet when they meet, instead of hashing things out, they jump into bed and it was borderline bdsm. That just bothered me as I was expecting her to push for answers and honesty, given her profession and her past so it felt like abnormal behaviour. The story ends with an 'all is well for now' vibe but it also felt deliberately unfinished somehow. I'm glad I downloaded the epilogue which is a glimpse about 10 years into the future and it was a touching and heartwarming HEA.
June 24, 2025
This is the first book in the Club Velvet Petal series.
I love mafia romance. This just wasn’t a strong hit for me. It seems like the reader has to make a lot of assumptions about Zeke and Evelyn’s past. There is a huge age gap I couldn’t get over. In addition, a lot qof things didn’t make sense as the story played out. For instance, how is Zeke still living if he is no longer in the mob. Don’t you only leave in a pine box?!!!
Evelyn is a cop and Zeke is the owner of the club Evelyn just happens upon with members of her domestic violence abuse survivors. He is the absolute last person she expects to see.
Zeke ghosted her a year ago and now, she wants absolutely nothing to do with him. She has herself and especially her nephew to think about first and foremost. She knows his world fringes on the dangerous now. Information she didn’t know before. He is everything she is against.
While investigating a series of assaults she finds herself back in Zeke’s club. She is trying to infiltrate a former rival mafia of Zeke’s. To protect her, Zeke claims she is his finance. This is where the story went off the rails for me. Too much didn’t make sense.
Despite my impression of this book, I’m hopeful for an angsty read about Micah and Naomi.
Thank you to Grey Promotions and Aleia King for an ARC.
I love mafia romance. This just wasn’t a strong hit for me. It seems like the reader has to make a lot of assumptions about Zeke and Evelyn’s past. There is a huge age gap I couldn’t get over. In addition, a lot qof things didn’t make sense as the story played out. For instance, how is Zeke still living if he is no longer in the mob. Don’t you only leave in a pine box?!!!
Evelyn is a cop and Zeke is the owner of the club Evelyn just happens upon with members of her domestic violence abuse survivors. He is the absolute last person she expects to see.
Zeke ghosted her a year ago and now, she wants absolutely nothing to do with him. She has herself and especially her nephew to think about first and foremost. She knows his world fringes on the dangerous now. Information she didn’t know before. He is everything she is against.
While investigating a series of assaults she finds herself back in Zeke’s club. She is trying to infiltrate a former rival mafia of Zeke’s. To protect her, Zeke claims she is his finance. This is where the story went off the rails for me. Too much didn’t make sense.
Despite my impression of this book, I’m hopeful for an angsty read about Micah and Naomi.
Thank you to Grey Promotions and Aleia King for an ARC.
June 27, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️
This was a great debut from this author and a fantastic Mafia romance.
I love a good Mafia romance with all the forbidden tropes, tension and all the actions. This had it all.
Zeke is well geared but had left the mafia life behind (no one really leaves that lifestyle).
Evelyn is a detective investigating the Mafia world. So they're totally off Limits. They do have a large ae gap (20 yrs) but I loved that, it wasn't a main issue with either of them.
Evelyn has trauma from her abusive ex and now has her nephew Leo in her care. She is somewhat broken but yet so strong in continuing in her job.
Zeke is dominant, in control, protective, Possessive and really cares.
When her life is in danger he returns in her life and offers marriage in protection for her and Leo's life from the other Mafia's that are after her.
She is in conflict but her heart knows what's the right thing to do.
I loved how their relationship was strong and they were equal. Their chemistry was on fire and so was the spice.
Evelyn finds herself in a position where she can choose her career or walk over to the grey side which feels like the right thong to do.
Loved the group of friends, the drama, all the action, suspense, emotions, love and spice.
Look forward to reading more from this author.
🌶️🌶️🌶️
This was a great debut from this author and a fantastic Mafia romance.
I love a good Mafia romance with all the forbidden tropes, tension and all the actions. This had it all.
Zeke is well geared but had left the mafia life behind (no one really leaves that lifestyle).
Evelyn is a detective investigating the Mafia world. So they're totally off Limits. They do have a large ae gap (20 yrs) but I loved that, it wasn't a main issue with either of them.
Evelyn has trauma from her abusive ex and now has her nephew Leo in her care. She is somewhat broken but yet so strong in continuing in her job.
Zeke is dominant, in control, protective, Possessive and really cares.
When her life is in danger he returns in her life and offers marriage in protection for her and Leo's life from the other Mafia's that are after her.
She is in conflict but her heart knows what's the right thing to do.
I loved how their relationship was strong and they were equal. Their chemistry was on fire and so was the spice.
Evelyn finds herself in a position where she can choose her career or walk over to the grey side which feels like the right thong to do.
Loved the group of friends, the drama, all the action, suspense, emotions, love and spice.
Look forward to reading more from this author.
July 19, 2025
Aleia Kane's "King of Power" plunges readers into the mafia world and all that encompasses
At its heart, "King of Power" appears to explore themes of family ties, danger, romance, age gap, responsibility, and recovery. . Readers can anticipate encountering complex characters and unexpected allies as they navigate the intricate society of the New York and Columbus Mafia rings that Kane has meticulously crafted.
The story follows Evelyn, a Detective and Ezekiel, a ex NY mafia now Columbus Nightclub owner whose journey is defined by overcoming past heartaches and learning how to navigate a world where Eve wants to follow the rules of the law yet she is in love with Zeke who is on the other side of the law. . Along the way, they must confront betrayal, personal demons, recovery from abusive relationships, and family drama ultimately leading to a HEA ending (although it’s left open where more of their story may be seen in other books).
For those who enjoy mafia romances, age gap romances, men who love their women fiercely, and the bad guy getting the girl, then "King of Power" promises a reading experience you don’t want to miss. This book had me captivated audiences with its characters, world building and plot and left me eagerly hoping for more of Eve and Zeke’s story!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
At its heart, "King of Power" appears to explore themes of family ties, danger, romance, age gap, responsibility, and recovery. . Readers can anticipate encountering complex characters and unexpected allies as they navigate the intricate society of the New York and Columbus Mafia rings that Kane has meticulously crafted.
The story follows Evelyn, a Detective and Ezekiel, a ex NY mafia now Columbus Nightclub owner whose journey is defined by overcoming past heartaches and learning how to navigate a world where Eve wants to follow the rules of the law yet she is in love with Zeke who is on the other side of the law. . Along the way, they must confront betrayal, personal demons, recovery from abusive relationships, and family drama ultimately leading to a HEA ending (although it’s left open where more of their story may be seen in other books).
For those who enjoy mafia romances, age gap romances, men who love their women fiercely, and the bad guy getting the girl, then "King of Power" promises a reading experience you don’t want to miss. This book had me captivated audiences with its characters, world building and plot and left me eagerly hoping for more of Eve and Zeke’s story!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 15, 2025
this was such a fun mafia read. I don’t think I’ve ever read a mafia romance where the fmc is a single mom, well actually she’s not the biological mom she’s the kids aunt and legal guardian. The last time I read a mafia romance with the marriage of convenience where it’s because the fmc needs protection, I loved it so much and I spent ages looking for something similar. And I’ve finally found it, this was amazing. This is a second chance so they dated before, but it’s that typical “I left you to protect you” crap. No offence it’s great but I think authors need to think of more reasons for couples to break up. This plot was great, it was exciting and no none of the plot twists really got me, but I was still hooked. Our mmc Ezekiel or Zeke is great, but unlike most mafia romance mmc, he’s more morally grey than black. He’s a vigilante, doing questionable things for justice and he technically left the mafia to take them down. But like all mafia men he’s the “touch my family and you die” type and I love it. I also loved our fmc, she’s a domestic abuse survivor and it always warms my heart when I read how survivors of abuse find that person who makes them feel safe. This was such a fun read, I loved the characters and the plot and give this 4.5/5
June 19, 2025
This entire cast of characters have stolen my heart, and now I'm stuck waiting for book two to show up! This Mafia romance is very well done, and actually possesses a very clear set of moral conflicts - something that can be very hard to find. With Eve being a SVU detective raising her nephew to the best of her ability, and Zeke having ties to mafia bosses, their struggle to find the balance is a key part of the book. Zeke and Eve compliment and complete each other really well. Eve and Leo provide Zeke with the realisation that he's still very human; Zeke provides Eve with a found family after she's lost most of hers. Their chemistry and spice.... very very nice!
One part of the book that I really enjoyed was the representation of recovery and trauma done to women who had been abused. The sisterhood between Olivia, Lydia, Eve, and Naomi was very welcoming. I believe Aleia Kane did a great job showing just how much women who have survived this rely on each other, and lift each other up when they're able to.
Tropes:
💜 Second Chance
💜 Marriage of convenience
💜 Age Gap (She's 32, He's 52)
💜 POSSESIVE MMC
💜 Touch her and actually die
💜 STRONG, incredible FMC
4.25 stars!
4 flames!
One part of the book that I really enjoyed was the representation of recovery and trauma done to women who had been abused. The sisterhood between Olivia, Lydia, Eve, and Naomi was very welcoming. I believe Aleia Kane did a great job showing just how much women who have survived this rely on each other, and lift each other up when they're able to.
Tropes:
💜 Second Chance
💜 Marriage of convenience
💜 Age Gap (She's 32, He's 52)
💜 POSSESIVE MMC
💜 Touch her and actually die
💜 STRONG, incredible FMC
4.25 stars!
4 flames!
September 5, 2025
Review King of power
rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Wear it when we go out, when you want to remind the world that you're Mrs. King. The rest of the time, knowing you're mine is enough. "
Tropes:
Age gap (±20 years)
Enemies to lovers
Forced marriage
Second chance
Single mom/aunt
I read this book because I signed-up for the arc of King of praise, and am I glad I signed-up!!. I enjoyed it so much.
I love a book with a good age gap and single mom in it, those tropes just go so amzing together. I loveeed all the characters in this book so much. I think Evelyn is such an amazing woman, the way she protects Leo with everything she has is so admirable!.
The three of them are SO adorable, the way Zeke immediately treated Leo was the sweetest. That's why I love a single parent so much in books, seeing Zeke and Leo bond was MELTING me down!!. You could just see how much he wanted this, never having had a child of his own and now having Leo I think meant so much to him and it showed.
I cannot wait to see what more this series has in store for us and seeing some peeks at this couple in the future!.
If you love a good age gap romance with a single mon/aunt than you should definitely read King of power!.
rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Wear it when we go out, when you want to remind the world that you're Mrs. King. The rest of the time, knowing you're mine is enough. "
Tropes:
Age gap (±20 years)
Enemies to lovers
Forced marriage
Second chance
Single mom/aunt
I read this book because I signed-up for the arc of King of praise, and am I glad I signed-up!!. I enjoyed it so much.
I love a book with a good age gap and single mom in it, those tropes just go so amzing together. I loveeed all the characters in this book so much. I think Evelyn is such an amazing woman, the way she protects Leo with everything she has is so admirable!.
The three of them are SO adorable, the way Zeke immediately treated Leo was the sweetest. That's why I love a single parent so much in books, seeing Zeke and Leo bond was MELTING me down!!. You could just see how much he wanted this, never having had a child of his own and now having Leo I think meant so much to him and it showed.
I cannot wait to see what more this series has in store for us and seeing some peeks at this couple in the future!.
If you love a good age gap romance with a single mon/aunt than you should definitely read King of power!.
September 11, 2025
Eve is a divorced detective looking to rebuild her life after leaving her abusive ex. On a night out at the club with her girlfriends, she is shocked when she sees Ezekiel, the first man she ever felt whole with, who also happened to ghost her last year.
Zeke left behind the dark mafia world when he left New York, but his determination to keep the same world from infiltrating Columbus means that he is often forced to straddle the line between right and wrong. Which was why he was forced to walk away from Eve all those months ago, because getting close to a cop was too much of a risk.
When one of his associates recognizes Eve as an undercover cop and puts a bounty on her head, Zeke announces that they are engaged in hopes of giving her protection. When that isn’t enough to stop his rivals from coming for her, they both need to make choices to ensure everyone’s safety.
This was a great forced proximity/marriage of convenience story. Given their past relationship, it lacks the awkwardness we sometimes see in these types of stories where people go from strangers to madly in love overnight. The fact that they build on their shared history and attractions makes it a natural progression to romance.
Zeke left behind the dark mafia world when he left New York, but his determination to keep the same world from infiltrating Columbus means that he is often forced to straddle the line between right and wrong. Which was why he was forced to walk away from Eve all those months ago, because getting close to a cop was too much of a risk.
When one of his associates recognizes Eve as an undercover cop and puts a bounty on her head, Zeke announces that they are engaged in hopes of giving her protection. When that isn’t enough to stop his rivals from coming for her, they both need to make choices to ensure everyone’s safety.
This was a great forced proximity/marriage of convenience story. Given their past relationship, it lacks the awkwardness we sometimes see in these types of stories where people go from strangers to madly in love overnight. The fact that they build on their shared history and attractions makes it a natural progression to romance.
June 17, 2025
I enjoyed King of Power. I thought the plot, main characters and overall feel of the book was good. This book sounded like the type of book that i’d usually love, personally whilst i liked it i didn’t love it. Eve was the type of heroine i usually absolutely love however, whilst i liked her i didn’t love her. I liked that she was strong but still vulnerable and i really liked how much she loved Leo and her loyalty to her friends. I think there was times that i just didn’t agree with her and found some things didn’t really gel with her. I also would’ve loved to see more of her job. Zeke was a good hero and i enjoyed how intense and protective he was not just of Eve but of all those he considered family. He was willing to do whatever it took to protect those he cared about and i really enjoyed seeing the different relationships he had with everybody. His and Leo’s relationship was so cute. I do think that some of his plans and the things he was doing were a bit half cocked and didn’t make sense sometimes, i feel there should’ve been more planning. Overall this was an enjoyable read and i encourage others to give it a go and see what they think.
June 18, 2025
“Love won’t save you when Alessandro comes for revenge. It won’t protect Leo from what’s coming. Only power can do that—the kind of power I’m offering you.” “You’re wrong.” I turn toward the door. “Love is the only thing worth protecting.”
This book was on fire!!! (yes, please sing it like Alicia Keys in your head lol!) Holy smokes this book was so, so hot!! I loved every second of it! SVU meets Sopranos was the perfect tag line for this book because that’s exactly what this was!! I love mafia romance books and this one did not disapoint! Seriously hoping for more from this series because there are so many side characters that I can’t wait to hear from!!
If you haven’t added King of Power to your TBR, DO IT NOW!!
“I’m scared out of my mind. But I need you. Not just to find Leo, but,” she swallows hard, “I need you. All of you. The good, the bad, the dangerous parts. Because you’re the only one who makes me feel safe even when everything’s falling apart.” For the first time, I let myself acknowledge the depth of what I feel for this woman. This fierce, beautiful, broken warrior who’s claimed every part of me without even trying.”
This book was on fire!!! (yes, please sing it like Alicia Keys in your head lol!) Holy smokes this book was so, so hot!! I loved every second of it! SVU meets Sopranos was the perfect tag line for this book because that’s exactly what this was!! I love mafia romance books and this one did not disapoint! Seriously hoping for more from this series because there are so many side characters that I can’t wait to hear from!!
If you haven’t added King of Power to your TBR, DO IT NOW!!
“I’m scared out of my mind. But I need you. Not just to find Leo, but,” she swallows hard, “I need you. All of you. The good, the bad, the dangerous parts. Because you’re the only one who makes me feel safe even when everything’s falling apart.” For the first time, I let myself acknowledge the depth of what I feel for this woman. This fierce, beautiful, broken warrior who’s claimed every part of me without even trying.”
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