Charity Ferrell is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, #1 Amazon, and #1 Apple bestselling author.
She resides in Indianapolis, Indiana. When she’s not writing, she’s hanging out with her dog, on a Starbucks run, shopping online, or spending time with her family.
When her sister runs, Liliya Morozova is forced to walk down the aisle in order to fulfill the family’s contract with the Lombardis.
Emilio Lastro, capo for the Lombardi family knows Dasha would have been the safe Morozova sister to wed because she doesn’t set his blood ablaze like his new wife does. As much as he might want to tame her, he also is drawn to her feistiness.
I think Emilio might be my new favorite MNC from the series. Scratch that, he definitely is. For all his faults and underhanded decisions, he is obsessed with Liliya in the best way. Their banter is top tier, the chemistry is off the charts, and watching this walking red flag of a man fall - hard - is the crack we all crave.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Burn: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Darkness: 🖤 Heat: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Range of Emotions: 😬🙄🥵🫠😍 Ending: 💗 {HEA} POV: 👫🏻 {Dual | Present}
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance 🗂️ Subgenre(s): Dark, New Adult
⚠️ Warning: This steamy read will leave your panties damp and your cheeks flushed.
🚩 Safety Squad: Unalìvíng, Violence, and other potentially triggering elements. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📣 Type: Sinful Hearts is part of the Lucky Kings series of interconnected standalones, but can be read as a standalone. While no other books need to be read in order to follow the story, reading prior books may enhance the experience.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
Günahkar Kalpler aka Boşver bebeğim ben seni üzerim ❤️🔥
Yazarın şu serisini beğenmiştim Gorgeous Monster, yine aynı tayfayı görmek iyi geldi. Emilio bir gelin satın almıştır ama yemin etmeye gelen gelin başkası çıkar ve olaylar gelişir. 😚 Beklediğimi aldığım bir mafya okuması oldu (cümleye gel)🤓 Aşağıdakileri seviyorsanız okuyunuz. 🤤
Anlaşmalı Evlilik ✅ Yanlış Gelin ✅ Düşmandan Sevgiliye✅ Mafya // Bratva✅
** O bir oda dolusu kırmızı bayrak, ben ise beyaz bayrağımı sallamak üzereyim. **
“Kill me or f*ck me, Liliya.” His intense stare is locked on mine. “Put me out of my misery either way.”
I mean. There are many great mafia romance authors in the world, but there’s just something special about Charity Ferrell for me. I pick up one of her books and I legitimately have a hard time putting it down to do anything else. Sinful Hearts was definitely one I could not stop reading.
In Sinful Hearts Liliya’s sister is set to marry Emilio as contracted between the mafia and the Bratva. Unfortunately Dasha is a run away bride, and in order to save her family Liliya is made to step up and take her place. Let’s just say she is less than thrilled about it and while Emilio tries to seem affronted by the bride switch up, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find out why he’s so bothered.
I enjoyed Sinful Hearts and would honestly recommend it to anyone who enjoys classic arranged marriage mafia romance books. The tension between Liliya and Emilio is fire from the very start. She pushes back and he honestly doesn’t even know how to handle it. When they fall though, do they fall. Charity’s writing is hard to put down and will leaving you asking for what she has coming next!
Liliya is getting married. Beautiful, right? Wrong. She's the wrong bride. After her sister (the real bride) runs off, her brother demands she puts on the dress and takes her place.
Let's just say Emilio isn't pleased. Drawn to Liliya but definitely not wanting to go there, he wanted Liliya's sister. Less trouble, less drama in his mind.
I love the arranged marriage trope but with the twist this one presented was so much more angsty. And it was a slow burn too! It was fantastic that we got to delve into their growing relationship and nothing about it was rushed.
Emilio was cold, mysterious and it wasn't hard to fall for him. Liliya was saucy and definitely not a wallflower bride.
If you haven't heard me say it, Charity has made some fantastic mafia stories. If someone is asking for mafia recs I point them her way. Its some of the best I've read!
Sinful Hearts by Charity Ferrell is a spicy and intense mafia romance filled with layers of betrayal, family secrets, and sizzling chemistry. The story centers on Liliya, a feisty and outspoken woman forced into an arranged marriage with Emilio, a brutal and feared mafia capo known for his deadly reputation. The dynamic between Liliya and Emilio is explosive, filled with hilarious banter and heady tension as their relationship evolves from forced proximity to something deeply charged and complex.
I enjoyed the mix of dark romance with moments of humor, especially Liliya’s fearless personality contrasting Emilio’s sinister yet magnetic demeanor. Ferrell’s writing delivers emotional depth alongside the high-stakes mafia backdrop, making their journey compelling. The romance is tough but beautiful, capturing the push and pull of opposites attracting in the most unexpected ways.
While the story embraces plenty of red flags and danger, the authentic emotional connection and intense passion between the leads keep it engaging. Overall, Sinful Hearts is a solid 4-star read for fans of dark, suspenseful mafia romance with a strong heroine and magnetic anti-hero.
"Kill me or f-ck me, Liliya. Put me out of my misery either way."
Liliya Morozova was never meant to be his bride. But when her sister runs away, she is forced to walk down the aisle.
Emilio Lastro is a brutal Mafia capo for the Lombardi family. He is known as a monster, killing more people then most. When Liliya is forced to marry him after her sister disappears, she is also tasked with the job of killing Emilio by her brother Aleksy. The thing is, while this marriage is not something that either of them asked for, it might just end up being the thing that they both need.
I absolutely love Emilio and did not realize how much I needed his story. While I loved Damien and Julian's stories, Emilio's was something else. He definitely gives BDE and I loved him for it. His is magnetic and charismatic and it was very hard not to fall for him. I loved how protective he is of the people that he cares about and he is not afraid to show it (and most of the time its violently).
Liliya is this feisty, independent woman who is not afraid of Emilio and does not have a problem putting him in his place. She is the one and only person who is able to do this, everyone else who tries usually ends up dead. Watching her be conflicted and having to choose between killing her husband or loving him was so fun. I thought that Charity did an amazing job writing this and I loved every minute of it.
The push and pull between Emilio and Liliya was so good and made the tension that much more. There banter was amazing. They both had me laughing at times because of how their personalities were at war with each other along with the extreme chemistry that they both had for each other.
This book was really good and had me hooked wanting to know what was going to happen. The twist that came in the middle of the book was great and I was really happy for Emilio. I am hoping that we get Leo's story next!
Read this if you like: -Mafia romance -Arranged marriage -Wrong bride -Her plan is to kill him -Touch her and d!e -Forced Proximity -Anti-hero
Thank you Charity Ferrell and Valentine PR for the privilege to read this book early in exchange for my honest thoughts and review.
“She was never meant to be his bride. But when the wrong sister walks down the aisle, their vows become a battlefield.”
This book has all my favorite mafia romance tropes... arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and I ate it up in one day. It was just a damn good time!!! 👏🏽
Emilio is giving serious BDE and I love him for it.. He's very brutal but also magnetic, and that makes it quite difficult to NOT fall for him.. he's also very protective of the people he cares for 🫠and he shows it in some pretty violent ways 🫣🤭... And then there’s Liliya... She's sassy and conflicted, because she's trapped between two IMPOSSIBLE choices😩.. kill her new husband for her family or give in to her heart and be loyal to her new man. The push-and-pull really made for exciting tension between her and Emilio! There banter was amazing. She was not afraid to stick up for herself and he wasn't afraid to put her in her place. I was cackling at these two personalities at war with their circumstances and their intense chemistry😂
In closing I just want to add that I really appreciated that although the violence and danger were always there, Charity never really let the emotional core of the characters slip away.. They're very flawed, but you just still find yourself rooting for them. The romance is as much about survival as it is about surrender, and that made it a hit for me! Bonus points for the mouth on Emilio 🥵
🖤Dark Mafia ❤️Possessive MMC 🖤Touch her and die vibes ❤️Forced marriage 🖤That’s My Wife ❤️Found Family 🖤enemies to lovers ❤️burn the world for her
Sinful Hearts is the 3rd and final book in the Lucky Kings series. Now this can totally be read as a standalone however, I would recommend starting from the beginning or even with the Marchetti series as there is plenty of side characters and discussions that crossover. Sinful hearts we finally get Emilio and Liliya story and boy is it a good one.
Our FMC, Liliya, is the sister of Dasha who is about to marry Emilio in a contract marriage. But on the day of the wedding Dasha runs away and is replaced with Liliya. She expects Emilio to kill her for the betrayal but the opposite happens.
Emilio, known for his cold heart killer statue but deep down loves fiercely and is super protective and would destroy anyone who got in his way to protect what is his. He never wanted to care for Liliya but the heart wants what it wants.
This book was perfect. It was the slow burn and tension that a good mafia romance brings but balanced well with charity’s storytelling that pulls the emotions out.
I loved that Emilio met his match in the sassy and pistol Liliya who was the perfect balance to his character.
I don’t know if anyone will top Damien for me but Emilio comes pretty close.
"He is a room full of red flags, and I'm about to wave my white one."
First of all, I'd like to thank Valentine PR and Charity Ferrell for the opportunity to read the ARC of Sinful Hearts. Don't miss the release on October 8. I enjoyed reading this book. It was so good, and it reminded me that I don't read mafia romances too often, but I should.
"Even the darkest hearts can find their happily ever after."
Emilio is a ruthless mafia capo, and he is known as a killer, someone who rarely forgives, and almost never misses when he wants things done. Liliya becomes his bride when her sister flees her own wedding, and her family basically sell her out to save face.
This story had everything I want in it: enemies to lovers, grumpy x sunshine (or grump-ier), slow burn, arranged marriage. What else is there to ask from it?
I don't want to say something that will spoiler the book for those they haven't read it yet, so I'll just say that I loved it very much and I highly recommend it. It makes he happy that I was lucky enough to witness Emilio and Liliya fall in love and get their happily ever after. And let's not forget the humor, and the sass. Liliya is one of the strongest female characters that exist in books and that's really good to see that she did not have to wield a knife to show how brave she is. And once she realizes she has fallen in love with Emilio, she is ready to have him by her side, forever. And Emilio finds nothing wrong with that.
Truly a story filled with lots of grumbling Emilio, learning how to trust your heart and not preventing it from loving who it wants to love, and lots of humor. And of course, mafia guys doing mafia things.
I hope as many people as possible get to read this book when it publishes. I'll go sit and think about this book for the next 3-5 business days now.
Trouble meets Trouble! Sinful Hearts is the third installment in the Lucky Kings series by Charity Ferrell. Each book can be read as a stand alone but for better clarity it's probably best to be read in order. Mafia, marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers are a few of the tropes to be enjoyed in this book. The witty banter had me LOL and it more than made up for the slow burn spice but the pregnancy epilogue earned another star rating.
TW: Murder, Guns, Knives, Violence, Sexual Assault off page, Tracking, Spying, J/P, Domination.
Emilio Lastro, Capo for the Lombardi Italian Mafia Family is to be married to Dasha, daughter of the Morozova Russian Bratva Family but when he lifts the brides veil he finds the wrong bride.
Liliya Morozova is forced to take her sisters place when Dasha runs away from the church. Liliya doesn't want to marry a cold blooded murderer. She's a nurse, she saves lives...
Emilio forces Liliya to move in with him to fulfill the contract, plus he doesn't trust her. This bride sets his blood on fire and with each smart comment out her mouth he just wants to shut her up with a part of his anatomy shoved down her throat.
Liliya isn't thrilled with her situation but she's been directed to make him happy then unalive him. She's conflicted... does she or doesn't she choose love or death?
This book had everything I love in a mafia romance—forced marriage, a broody alpha anti-hero, a strong (and yes, virgin!) FMC, and enough dark twists to keep me hooked from start to finish.
Forced into marriage by her brother, neither of them wanted to admit how badly they craved each other. The tension between them was deliciously unbearable. Feelings meant heartbreak, but resisting was impossible. I couldn’t stop laughing when he suggested the “game” and she fired back—it was such a perfect mix of banter, sass, and raw chemistry.
The story had the right balance of steamy romance, sharp wit, and darker undertones that make mafia romances so addictive. I loved every single minute of it! By the end, I wasn’t just obsessed with this couple—I wanted to go back and devour all the other characters’ stories too.
If you’re into dark romance, forced marriage, and alpha heroes with sharp edges, this series is a must-read.
This book was full of emotion, tension, and the kind of slow-burn chemistry that makes your heart race and your stomach flip. The characters were flawed and real, and I loved watching them battle between what their hearts wanted and what their pasts tried to hold them back from.
There were moments that had me swooning, moments that broke me, and a few that made me want to scream at the pages — in the best way possible. Charity has such a gift for writing love stories that are messy, passionate, and utterly addictive.
If you love small-town angst, deep emotion, and characters you can’t stop thinking about long after the last page, Sinful Hearts is one you’ll want to add to your TBR immediately.
If you need a good dark mafia romance ooo this is indeed for you! @charityferrell you've out done yourself with this one 🥵🥵 @valentine_pr_ thanks for the amazing arc opportunity SINFUL HEARTS gets a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me Emilio was supposed to marry Lilyas sister instead he got Lilya and the way this man speaks ❤️🔥❤️🔥 Jesus an arranged marriage turns into something more sinister 😈our Fmc has spunk and sass absolutely loved her character! An enemies to lovers and possessive mmc he goes in the Mafia book boyfriend of 2025 list 🥀
this was a good book to get back into my mafia romance era(I HAVE MISSED IT SOOOOOO MUCH, IDK WHY I EVER LEFT) anyways this author was a first timer for me so i wasn't too sure if i would like it or not but i devoured this book!!
liliya is such a sassy brat(same) also i love her name and i'm so glad it wasn't an overused russian name!! and emilio is your typical mafia capo, grumpy and not wanting to show weakness but liliya wears him down eventually.
“They do say the Devil is alluring. It’s how he draws you in.”
Author Charity Ferrell has done it again! Oh mercy, Sinful Hearts had me at the prologue and never stopped ensnaring me. A heady fusion of savage and sweet, this love story enchants from cover to cover. Pure heart-pounding addiction!
An arranged marriage meets mafia romance, Sinful Hearts is the perfect blend of passion, suspense, and danger. Prepare to be wowed by the thrilling, full-throttle plot full of twists and trepidation. The writing is both witty and fiery with bang-up banter, immediately sucking you in and owning every part of you.
The characters are crafted to perfection with depth and strength in spades. A fierce and feisty Russia Bratva heroine is paired with a hardened and intense Mafia anti-hero and it’s magical. Enzo and Lilia are so attuned to each other with an awareness felt everywhere. Together, they are undeniable! I felt their deep connection grab me through the pages.
Sinful Hearts is another gem in Ferrell’s scintillating mafia world. I fell hard for this romance full of intense twists, insane intensity, and unforgettable characters. I felt the combustible chemistry … the deep connection … the family pressure and pain … the fiery angst and the heartfelt adoration … I felt it all! I burned for this book that’s breathtaking and brilliantly told.
This was really good. I liked seeing this one play out. Being forced into a marriage in place of her sister but ending up falling in love with him anyway.
I really liked the storyline. Swapped sister for an arranged/forced marriage?? Yesssss. I like the banter and the running. Each character was easy to read from and it was cute to see how their feelings grew for each other along with their trust for the other. Seriously fun and cute and funny to read
I wasn’t the biggest fan of how this seemed rather flat? Like not multidimensional. As in not a lot of world building, relationship building, etc. some things were described a little more than others but for the most part a lot was not described at depth. Hope that makes sense??
Wrong bride but right one at the same time this was an absolutely delicious mafia romance, with unexpected turns, and wild plot twists. The story line never wavered and it was such an amazing read.
arranged marriage mafia story? yes please. this is the 3rd book in this series and it did not dissapoint. I devoured this story. highly recommended series
Sinful Heartsis the final interconnected Standalone in theLucky Kingsseries by Charity Ferrell. Book 3 has us following Emilio Lastro; Capo to Antonio Lombardi fromGorgeous VillaininMarchetti Mafiaseries. And Liliya Morozova, sister of Bratva boss through their dual perspective.
Seeing as the book was jam packed when it came to the many tropes that made up the story such as Enemies to Lovers, Touch Her and Die, Arranged Marriage, Forced Marriage, Close Proximity, Bratva, Mafia and Dark Romance. Its what made it turn out to be quite an exciting and entertaining read. Especially when it came to seeing how it all contributed into the adventurous journey that was Emilio and Liliya’s story.
I loved that the narrative was thorough in pacing out the development of Emilio and Liliya’s relationship. The fact that it wasn’t rushed in any way, seeing as it took a good amount of time to see bigger and deeper evolving to take place in the changes showcased, making it feel all the more realistic and genuine in my opinion at least. From seeing how Emilio and Liliya came to be in each other’s lives, it was to be expected that their journey would have to overcome hurdles and boundaries, while growing along the way before they truly accepted one another. And that was something author Charity showcased very well in my opinion when it came to the storytelling of the two inSinful Hearts. Particularly due to the character development that played the part into it. By unravelling their layers and learning all about them, their lives as well as their feelings and views to the situation they found themselves in. We got to see a lot more that meets the eye, more so in Emilio's case given from who he was in the beginning, to who he would become in the end.
“My new husband, so hot and cold. So brutal yet tender. It’s like the villain and hero are waging a war inside him.”
As for their Arranged and Forced Marriage, although it caused bumps along the way, due to the ups and downs, going back and forth with all the pushing and pulling. It not only made it entertaining to see, given their banter, particularly Liliya who always gave it back to Emilio given her strong, sassy side. There was an emotional side to see as well, given the suffering, pain and hurt it caused simultaneously too at times.
Just like the previous books fromLucky Kingsseries,Sinful Heartsmade for a filling narrative, considering what was going on and took place all throughout. Yet it was to be expected due to the subplots alongside the main plot line. all of it bringing forth drama, mystery, suspense, action-packed thrills and of course steamy spice. Then again, it wouldn’t be a Mafia/Bratva world if there wasn’t any craziness to ensue given the hatred between the two opposing sides. Something that was very much obvious and presented front and centre, other than when it came from Mafia CapoEmilio being married to a BratvaLiliya. And yet it didn't stop the heat from rising between the two.
“Sex with Emilio wasn’t gentle, sweet, or lovey-dovey. It was messy, chaotic, and fueled with frustration. Just like our marriage.”
With a storyline that was the right combination of all things that make up the Mafia world, alongside the Spicy Romance. Author Charity Ferrell madeSinful Heartsto be a book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. Although I have to say it is bittersweet knowing this is the end to not onlyLucky Kingsseries. But to this Mafia world that I have loved and enjoyed reading.
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tropes: 🖤Mafia romance ❤️Possessive MMC 🖤Touch her and die vibes ❤️Arranged marriage 🖤Wrong bride ❤️Found family 🖤Enemies to lovers ❤️Burn the world for her
It follows the story of Emilio, a ruthless Italian Mafia capo, and Liliya, a daughter of the Morozova Russian Bratva.
I loved it, truly loved it. I have read my fair share of contract marriage books set in Mafia worlds. And I say it again: I loved this one.
Yes, it's raw and unhinged and we know it's wrong. But it's also sooooo funny, and tender in the madness, and hopeful between blood and bullets. And it's wild and has so much chemistry from the push and pull these two live in. Have I said I loved it? Oh, I did.
Thank you to the author and Valentine PR for this amazing ARC.
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some my favorite quotes:
"I didn't wake up today thinking I'd be the sacrificial lamb."
As I slowly lifted my gaze to his, my heart hammered in my chest as my eyes met wicked ones. They were dark and narrow, like he was already reading my soul.
His face was heaven, and his heart hell.
I turn my head, staring at him in shock. "You want me to murder the murderer?"
Silence is our main form of communication. Arguing seems to be the second.
"You're my wife," I say. "And you'll be my wife until the day you die."
"If you want books, I'll have one of my men take you to the bookstore." "With an unlimited budget?" "Sure" "That's a very dangerous statement."
"I won't turn into Prince Charming. I'm the villain, day in and day out. There's no getting rid of the beast inside me."
This new wife will be the death of me. I won't die at the hands of a murderer. It'll be from a heart attack from the stress she gives me.
my mind floods with thoughts of all the ways I could pleasure her. And all the ways I could punish her.
I've never felt a pull like this toward anyone before. It's like I lose all my will power and control around her.
My wife is getting under my skin. She's consuming me in every way.
"They won't admit it, but women love it when you k*ll for them."
"If another man even thinks about touching you, there isn't a single author twisted enough to write the kind of hell I'd unleash on him."
Our eyes meet like a fatal attraction.
He's a room full of red flags, and I'm about to wave my white one.
“Kill me or f*ck me, Liliya.” His intense stare is locked on mine. “Put me out of my misery either way.”
Liliya becomes Emilio’s bride last minute when her sister decides to run away. But what starts off as an arranged marriage between two very different people turns into a battle of wills as they both fight their urges to give their marriage a chance. Love was never a part of the deal…but what if it was?
“That’s all we need. That simple spark, the match, to light our fire.”
Y’all aren’t even ready for this one! What happens when you marry off a firecracker bratva princess and a hardened (yet soft for his wife) capo? Explosive chemistry, that’s what. Going in, I knew the drill...but this one stood out so much cause of how perfect Emilio and Liliya were for each other. They fit together so well, she softens him up, he gives her the warmth she deserves. He doesn’t want to box her into the life of a mafia wife, she wants him to love her beyond what is typical of an arranged marriage.
“I choose you. I will always choose you.”
Emilio was just as dangerous yet hot as his mafia family so of course he didn’t disappoint. From the start, I was kicking and dancing just at how protective and soft he was for Liliya from early on, it really emphasized what a good guy he was. Whether it was working behind the scenes to avenge his wife or openly being there for her, dang this man. He was so guarded from the start (for good reason) but the loving words and softness that came from him was so endearing.
Liliya on the other hand was such a real and relatable FMC. She was an every girl, with her awesome sense of humour and chaotic ways of thinking, I had no problem falling in love with her character. You can best believe I was cackling at her being so happy when getting her entire TBR, the imliterallyjustagirl101 (IYKYK) and how unrefined her thoughts were. She was just a really fun and down to earth character to read, loveable to her core.
“This is the future I want. With you. Forever.”
Most of Charity Ferrell’s books leave me with butterflies in my stomach but this one had me going straight feral. Whether it was the explosive and hot chemistry or the way that our beloved couple let go of their doubts and just fell for each other, every moment felt so special and essential to the strong bond that Emilio and Liliya formed. This book flew by, I couldn’t believe how quickly I finished it and yearned for more. And that epilogue was just chefs kiss, I couldn’t have been happier. I’m not ready to let go of the dangerous yet romantic world of the mafia/bratva families in Charity’s world so I’m really hoping that someday we’ll get to see more to come.
This was my first book from Charity… and now I am officially in my mafia romance era. 😮💨🖤
Okay but, what do you even do when your sister runs off from her arranged mafia wedding and suddenly you have to step in as the bride… and also secretly kill the groom?? 😭 I knew from the first chapter that I was in for chaos, betrayal, obsession, and a LOT of tension and I was so right.
💍 Emilio Lastro is the blueprint for dark, dangerous, morally gray MMCs who pretend to have no feelings… and then fall harder than anyone. The man is an ice-cold killer until he calls her “my wife,” and suddenly he’s down so bad. (And I ate up every second.) 🔥
🖤 Liliya was EVERYTHING. She’s fierce, sarcastic, and so smart — the kind of FMC who doesn’t just survive in a violent world… she claps back at it. The banter?? Sharp. The tension?? Unbearable (in the best way). And watching her slowly catch feelings for the one man she was supposed to destroy? Iconic behavior. 👏
This book had all my favorite tropes:
Arranged marriage (but make it deadly)
Enemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Secret betrayal
The “MY WIFE” microtrope (!!!)
He falls first (and HARD)
Touch her and die energy
A spicy, obsessive, dangerous kind of love that toes the line between devotion and destruction
Even though I haven’t read the previous books in this world yet, I didn’t feel lost, but I did feel intrigued 👀. The side characters are layered and messy in a way that makes me want to immediately dive into every single one of their stories. (And I will.)
If you're a dark romance reader who loves mafia men with killer instincts and soft spots, heroines who fight back, and a romance that burns hot and hits hard Sinful Hearts will leave you breathless.
It’s sharp, sexy, a little unhinged, and SO addictive. 🖤
Sinful Hearts is third book in the Lucky Kings Series by Charity Ferrell. This mafia romance is full of secrets, betrayals, hurts, twists and turns, the original bride runs away before getting to the alter, and lots of killing.
Dasha, who is the sister of the boss of Morozova Bratva, is supposed to be marrying Emilio Lastro (MMC), who is the capo in the Lombardi Mafia Family. However, Dasha runs off 30 minutes before the wedding. Alesky, who is the boss of Morozova Bratva orders his other sister Liliya (MFC) to marry Emilio to the arrangement that they have made with the Lombardi Family. Emilio knows immediately that Dasha is not standing at the altar and has no problem marrying Liliya. Unknown to Liliya Emilio is extremely attracted to her.
The chemistry between Liliya and Emilio hangs heavily in the air. They are both attracted to each other, but they do not trust one another. Throughout the book they test each other to see where they stand. Both are torn to how much they are let their guard down and they both have secrets that they are not telling. This is a slow burn with lots of banter and angst. However, when Liliya and Emilio finally consummate their marriage other things are discovered. The temperature gets really 🔥🔥🔥. The journey to love for these characters is learning how to trust one another and communicate the hard stuff.
This is standalone book but the characters from the first two Lucky Kings Series and Marchetti Mafia Series are in this book.
Story - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Spicy/Steam - 🌶️🌶️.5
❤️🔥 SINFUL HEARTS TROPES ❤️🔥 - Mafia - Arranged Marriage - Touch Her & Die - Forced Proximity - He Keeps Having to Chase Her -Capo MMC -Bratva princess with V-card
Charity Ferrell is one of my favourite dark mafia romance author and she NEVER disappoints! This book was arranged marriage at its finest with the “replaced” bride trope that I just can’t get enough of. This book was intense from start to finish, full of fun violent mafia shenanigans, and a deep enemies to lovers relationship. I’ve heard of mafia bosses picking their arranged marriages because they specifically want that girl as their wife, I’ve never heard of him picking the sister of the girl he actually wants because he doesn’t want to get attached in his arranged marriage, only for the sister to run away and now he’s stuck with the girl he’s actually falling for. It’s so cute! The first half of this book is her being held captive so she constantly pisses him off by trying to run away. Typical mafia romance stuff. I loved this part, it was so fun and you could feel the tension radiating off the page. I also loved what happened after they started getting close. Honestly I wasn’t expecting that little plot twist that brought them together but I loved it! And it shows so much more depth to Emilio’s character. Liliya was strong at heart and fiercely loyal, I loved her and she was a perfect match for Emilio. And Emilio is every bit the ruthless mafia boss and his heart softens for her, but be warned, he’s the “touch her and be tortured brutally until you’re begging for death” type.y favourite scene is when he takes her to the book store cafe and the staff are just soaking up their cuteness. I really enjoyed this, plot was great, but in my opinion characters totally carried this. I give it a 4.5/5
As always her smut always delivers and the breeding kink was so on point.
All the red flags and all the feistiness is written into this spicy third Lucky Hearts book. Sinful Hearts is the mafia version of Beauty and the Beast with the beautiful Liliya forced into captivity by her beasty husband where she loves to enter his library, but gets growled at with snarls and grunts until she turns him into Prince Charming. 😂 Okay...it's certainly more complicated than that and Emilio is no prince or even close to charming...but he's charming in his own way.😏
In all seriousness...Emilio is the man who makes people disappear. He's the monster others fear within the mafia. Hence, Emilio is not a man to cross, but Liliya is also no wall flower. She's feisty and speaks her mind and never has trouble telling her new husband what's on her mind. This makes for one hilarious arranged marriage since normally no one ever back-talks to Emilio, or at least lives to say more than a few words, and his new wife never seems to stop talking. Their banter...hilarious...😂
"Takes me to a bookstore and a good tipper? Don't threaten me with a good time, devil husband."
And this is of course after referencing Emilio being very Beast like and living in a broken down palace. 😂 Liliya doesn't hold back much, whereas Emilio hardly gives up anything.
"My new husband doesn't give words or information freely. Not a great match for a blabbermouth like myself."
Opposites attract, right 😏 Their love isn't easily won, but once they do fall...like all red-flagged men...it's hard and beautiful.❤️