Born into Mayhem

by Sonja Grey

One bed. One lie. One time was never going to be enough.


Dario Alessi is twice my age and lethal in all the ways that drive me crazy.
Now that I’m eighteen, the tension between us is impossible to ignore.
When his Italian famiglia needs my help, I jump on the plane without hesitation,
more than ready to prove my worth and finally earn my place in my family’s Bratva.
I didn’t expect to pose as Dario’s wife. I definitely didn’t expect to share a bed.
We tell ourselves it’s just one time.
One time to get it out of our systems.
One time, and then we walk away.
Liar, liar.


She’s eighteen, the daughter of Lev Melnikov, and a violent little thing with a pierced body and a mouth that makes me insane.
The ring on her finger might be for a fake marriage, but it’ll be real soon enough.
I told myself one time would be enough.
But Mia was never a woman you touch once and forget.
She fears a cage more than anything, but I don’t want to tame my little viper.
I want her to sink her fangs into me and never let go.

This is a very steamy, dark mafia romance with a little humor mixed in! It’s the sixth book in the Melnikov Legacy series, but it can be read as a standalone. No cheating, no other woman drama, and an HEA is always guaranteed.
Please see the content warning at the beginning of the book and read responsibly.

Genres: Dark Romance, Mafia Romance, Contemporary, Romance, Dark, Forbidden Love, Family

388 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 9, 2025

Reviews

[Cheesy (Rhysand's wife) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 💫 | Reproduzcan la de «Lobo Domesticado» de Valentín Elizalde.

La neta sí me gustó jsjsjs.

A ver, la vara (para mí) había quedado algo baja con los dos libros anteriores. No por nada en particular, simplemente no los sentí tan entretenidos como los demás.

De todas formas, a esta altura no me importa, los amo a todos 💘 No tengo idea que clase de amarre me hizo Sonja, que les tengo dependencia emocional a esta familia jskajaka 😫

Btw, ahora el libro: obviamente no me super mato, pero me gustó, estuvo re entretenido. Y en cuestión al desarrollo de la pareja, creo que es la mejor que ha escrito hasta ahora 🤌🤌🤌 Todo el tema del enemigo al principio fue super padre, pero luego decayo un poquis en una escena, para luego volver a emocionarme con ese último 30% 💋

Al fin, Mia consiguió lo que tanto quería 🛐🛐🛐 no es mi protagonista fav, pero la tqm💕.

Dario: Otra vez, no es mi protagonista favorito, pero debo decir que no está tan mal. Y si antes no me había convencido, ese último 30% sí, increíble 😩✨

(LUKA, TÚ SIEMPRE SERÁS MI FAV BB 😘)

Man, no recuerdo en que punto fue, pero LLORÉ!!! Jamás había llorado con un libro de esta autora nmms, creo q el temita de Mia si estaba algo durillo 😓 y estoy sensible por q tengo la regla, así quizá sea eso jskajska

Como dijo Sasha: no es lo mismo no querer algo a que te quiten la posibilidad de poder tenerlo (así pa' no hacer spoiler).

Esta vez la familia Melnikov no salió tanto como en, literalmente, todos los otros libros, pero Sasha y Sandro lo compensaron un montón. Sasha porque es el loquito de la familia y hace cada cosa que te deja (?), y Sandro que es una copia un poco más juvenil de Vitaly jsjsjs (si Vitaly me escuchara decir eso, no me compartiría de su comida 😔 yo la menos delulu).

Ya me alargue mucho, pero con estos libros simpre me gusta dejar todo lo que pensé mientras leía so...

Esas escenas extras eran muy necesarias jskajak (solo si sí te gusta la historia). La de Sasha girlsss!!!

El epílogo: esos tatuajes todo que ver, chicos 💋

Ya por último, lo prometo: No sé porqué tengo la teoría de que el libro de Evengy será medio universitario (? Idk a mí me hace sentido, y debo decir que no me molesta. También al libro de Damien hartas ganas help 🙏

Y ya, perdón por tanta biblia 😔🤚

------------------
Pre-read: AAAAHHHHHHH DIOS YA LO QUIERO LEER. ESA SINOPSIS ME MATÓ 😫😫😫
Plis, exijo que Mia sea una completa badass, gracias 🙏💋

(Btw tendré que fingir demencia con la diferencia de edad nmms y ni siquiera es la edad lo que me parece turbio, sino en que punto se conocieron)

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was more of a 3-3.5 for me simply because it kept me entertained. But I didn’t love it.

This one was a lot different than the rest of the series and the series before it. This is not an insta love like the rest. These two are both adamant that it will be purely sexual and nothing more even though we see that Mia would want it to be more but she knows Dario would never want her like that. These two bickered and fought a lot, which was something we don’t see a lot of from this author. Mia was a badass in her own right and I love that she gave Dario a lot of shit. Dario actually ended up being such a softie for her and she was literally his everything. Mia fell first but Dario fell harder.

So this being the 6th book in the series, we have three of the MCs who were virgins and two of them who were experienced but didn’t get around too much. So I cannot express how disappointed I was to find out that Dario was a manwhore. We didn’t get that vibe at all during the series so it was jarring to just have that thrown in our face. To have him say he can’t even remember all the women he’s been with, how’s he’s been sexually actively since he was a teenager and how he has such a high sex drive that of course it just amounts to him being with soo many women…yeah that could have been left out. Mia was the one FMC out of all the girls that could have easily not been a virgin but of course she was made a virgin, never having done anything!! Stop pairing virgins with these manwhores, it’s so annoying. I thought maybe this author did away with the manwhores because a lot of people didn’t want to read a few of the books from her last series because the guys were so bad. Maybe that’s why Dario ended up being a surprise manwhore, so we had no choice but to find out once we read the book. Very frustrating.

Also there was more OW drama than the rest of the series. Drama that honestly was so unnecessary because it didn’t add anything to the book and was there just for the sake of seeing how much the MMC was wanted. OW1 is the first chapter of the book where some girl at the club wants the MMC and won’t take no for an answer, OW2 is the flight attendant showing how very interested she is in the MMC, OW3 is a girl who’s wanted him since he was a teenager, OW4 is his old eff buddy coming up to them at a party and saying something in Italian. That one was probably the most unnecessary because she says something in Italian, he kisses the FMC letting her know he’s not interested and then she stomps away. What did this add to the book? Absolutely nothing!!!

Just like in Mia’s dad’s book, there is so much emphasis put in her damn piercings. Like yes okay we love a pierced character but to bring it up every single chapter was such overkill. For her to get her injury and have to be rushed to surgery and the first thing Dario says to the nurse is to please spare her piercings because she won’t want to get them again was crazy to me. You don’t know if she’s going to live or die and you decide to focus on that? Again such an overkill with the piercing talk, just like in Lev’s book.

Now this next part, like the rest of the review is just my opinion so don’t come for me. I was not a fan of giving the FMC an injury so severe she could no longer have kids. Now we see throughout the whole series that Mia is the one family member who does not want kids. She’s very adamant about it, she says it time and time again. So why can’t we just leave it at her not wanting kids so she doesn’t have them. There are tons of women in this world who don’t want them and that’s perfectly fine. But why make it so she can’t have any? To traumatize this 18 year old that much to justify why she won’t have kids in the future book instead of just making her not have kids because she doesn’t want them?! Idk this just didn’t sit well with them. And again this is my opinion. This is not a spoiler as the author adds it in the TW section before the book.

Also would have loved to see Mia actually do something with the Bratva. We finally get a FMC that doesn’t just sit on her ass all day and yet we don’t even get to see her live up to her full potential. Hopefully we get to see it more in the next book.

Anyway next is the book we’ve all been waiting for!! Sasha!!! I love his unhinged ass and this book made me love him even more. I’m excited to see who he will be paired with and I hope the book doesn’t let me down!

NO CHEATING
OW DRAMA X’s 4 (see above)
NO TRUE OM DRAMA (because of course not)
NO THIRD ACT BREAK UP
AGE GAP 18/36
VIRGIN VS MANWHORE
MURDER
INJURY CAUSING FERTILITY ISSUES

[Eunoia]

ARC Review

Thank you, Miss Sonja and the team for the ARC via booksprout.

This is the book six in the series and it is the story of Dario and Mia.

Dario is Dominic's cousin and Mia is Natalya's younger sister (The FMC and MMC in Born into Sin)

Initially, Dario is training both Mia and Sasha to fight. Training started when Mia was seventeen, it is important to note that He did not have any feelings nor was he attractive to her in any way when she was a minor.

Among Sonja's FMCs, I think Mia is my favorite, she is no pushover nor was she weak. She is strong-minded as well as she is physically strong despite being described as small (she is 5'1 if I remember, btw. And Dario is around 6'4) always ready to fight and never backs out on challenges, she has piercings and tats too, she does not exhibit a lovesick fool behavior like other FMCs despite falling first. She is also mature for her age, and when Dario and her is on the same scene, she doesn't appear to be young. However, when they did get together, she kinda relaxed and got comfy around him, and so her real age got more pronounced.

TBH, romance aside, I really wanted to read more about her adventures joining the bratva and I think what is a bit lacking in my opinion was a much more exploration and focus on her characteristic and growth [I really think I need more of her alone] because of course she is just six months in, of being 18 and I think that the romance and the turn of events is very fast-paced.

Dario did not really stand out for me. He is the typical stereotype of a man who is part of the mafia. I don't really have much to say about him because in my opinion, Mia overshadowed his character for me, she held more appeal to me more than it was equal. It is not insta-love on both parts because they gradually developed feelings with each other; It was just Mia fell first and Dario fell hard too. And although it was not Insta-Love, it felt like it because of the fast-paced turn of events. I am sad about a specific part of the ending because it is unlike the past books in the series but I kinda get it too.

The ending, I think it would be better if there would be more to it.

Overall, I did not expect how Lev took all of these happenings esp it is both of his precious daughters being married to men double their ages lol and cousins at that. I was surprised Lev never asked his daughters if they have some massive daddy issues lmao.

I think Sasha is next, he is definitely a complex and very interesting character to dive into. I am looking forward to his book.



Safety:

• 36H 18h
• Yes to bits of ow dramas
- OW1 a girl in the club flirts with Dario and he never entertained her but she thought he is interested. but I think what he said to her was not necessary ( I will give more details after the book is live as a respect towards the author)
-OW2, during a party, an ex fling showed up and caused a bit of pettiness. he was not interested.
•No OM drama
• Virgin FMC and Manwhore MMC
- He is celibate since FMC turned 18 up until the present (six months celibate)
- he said he has a strong sex drive and has been fcking since he was a teen
- The amount of times that his past was mentioned although idk why it does not bother me that much lol
- He said he never not used condoms before, so when he got with Mia, it is the first time ever going bare.
- Both are faithful and no cheating

I liked how Mia told him off for being a Manho and how it was unfair that she is a v so she asked what if she fck others too so they would be on equal footing LMAO. Although i kinda hate it when she told him that she knows he has a past and she won't hold it against him because she knows he hoed around lol. (like guuurl try to be petty please) Anw, Good for Mia for being open-minded and bad for me as a very petty person lol

HEA

[Deniz · Rating 4 out of 5]

l have enjoyed all of the books in this series, but this was my least fav book by this author. I hated giving the FMC an injury so she could no longer have kids. not my kind of romance novel

[Olga 🌺 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well if you want a morally grey heroine then Mia is your gal.

Usually I detest age gap and there is no way I would read a book where the MMC is twice her age but I just had to see what Mia is up to in her book because she's such a crazy a** firecracker.

Mia is not the type of MFC I would typically like to read. She's too brazen and too shameless. She's easy with her sexuality and a lot rough on the edges. I understand an age gap when a young woman doesn't actually look her age or behaves more maturely but Mia is neither of those things. She's adamant on wearing converse, hoodies and jeans. She acts young and is very stubborn and bratty. And that would make the age difference even more prominent and taboo.
But I love this family and I am intrigued so until the 20% mark I am still ok with it.

I enjoyed this book and I love the banter between the two but I am not going to lie and say that it did not feel weird every time I think about their age difference and how young Mia is.🤦‍♀️ She's still a teenager and he has been training her for a year and a half so the fact that he might have felt lust for her while she was 17 years doesn't make it any easier for me to read.

That's why I don't like age gaps because as much as these two make perfect sense together but he is a full grown man with enough experience in life and with woman (which is another issue I am having in this book- he only just stopped sleeping with other women when she turned 18 -6 months ago. So he was OK sleeping with other women while he had lust, feelings, a crush, whatever on Mia?! Sounds f*cked up to me)

Sonja grey says in a note at the begining of the book that her books don't follow a certain pattern. She is lead by whatever the characters at the time inspire her. And I can fairly say, with this being my fourth book of hers, that at least 3 of the 4 are very different from each other. This one packs sexual tension a bunch. Also, the language is very crass and crude between them.

As much as I like the back and forth, and as much as I like a feisty MFC but I draw the line when she makes it her whole mission to be contrary all the freaking time.

I also dislike it immensely when there are so many ow making the MFC jealous by simply throwing themselves at the MMC while the MFC has to endure it all because for some reason he is an Adonis and the MFC should be thanking her lucky stars that his heart is set on her 🙄🙄 whatever!

I dislike manwhores for a few reasons, first because it is gross, second because it shows that a man is weak to his urges and cannot control himself and third because of the humiliation, jealousy and disrespect that a woman is subjected to everytime she encounters an ex fling, someone talks about his whorish ways or is reminded of how many women has seen him naked and has done to him (and he to them) what he is doing to her.
No woman needs to endure that! especially not a virgin. 🤷‍♀️

The book is good though. I've read enough Sonja grey books to know for sure that I would not rate one of her books less than 3 stars. But it lacked the angst and action the previous two had. And the parts where Mia needed to prove herself as a badass were cut too short.

SPOILERS SPOILERS AHEAD
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I didn’t like what SG made them sacrifice at the end of this book. I know this happens aplenty in real life and that is why I read fiction so that I can avoid these heartbreaking events. I don't need a reminder in the books I read to escape reality. Plus, they made it very definite and permanent when in reality they had choices.
Vasectomy is actually reversible for men so it should have been mentioned.
She can always use surrogacy because she didn't lose her uterus, it just isn't strong enough to carry a fetus. But she can still release eggs and they could have just fertilised his sperm with her egg in a surrogate mother. Especially that both of them are not religious so there is nothing to bind them to boundaries.

Anyway, one last thing I dislike is an*l sex. Yes it might be enjoyable for some men (and fewer women I guess) but imo if a man likes that then he would never be satisfied with the latter because he'd always want the tightness he enjoys from using the back door. And also it is gross. 🥴

Ticking another Fall/Winter 🍁❄️ Bingo square:
13) "Book couldn't find a square for in last Bingo" Big age gap

🔴 | 🔴 | 30 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 20
🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 14 | 🔴 | 🔴
19 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴
🔴 | 🔴 | 12 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴
🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴
🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴 | 🔴

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Sonja for the ARC!!!
⭐️ my review might contain minor spoilers since I included some safety info⭐️

Would I consider this safe: Yes.
Cheating: No
OW/OM drama: a little. One woman has always been in love with him but he was never interested. They run into an ex fb of his and she’s annoying but the drama with her stops there.
Third act breakup/separation: No
History: my least favorite—she’s totally innocent and he’s a manwhore. He’s been celibate since she turned 18 soooo 6 months. Not winning many points with me lol. One of the most unattractive traits in my eyes is a man who treats women like they’re just bodies so it took a while for me to get past it….especially bc his past comes up A LOT.


MMC: Dario. 36 and he is Mia’s trainer. He’s been her trainer since she was 17. He didn’t have feelings for her til she turned 18 which is weird to me. He wasn’t attracted to her when she was 17 but he was when she turned 18? 🤔 I understand trying to make it not weird or creepy but I almost prefer them to meet when she is 18. Dario definitely falls first and needs to put in work to win Mia over, but I did end up falling in love with him. He worshiped her.

FMC: Mia. She’s a total spit fire and a badass chick. She wants to be part of the Bratva. She’s pierced….everywhere. I also love how realistic she was when it came to Dario and his age. She was super jealous of his past. I feel like a normal 18 year old would be! Sometimes in these books the women are like “it’s ok he’s my man now” . Girl no. You know you’re low key jealous. Mia made him work for it. Also I loved loved LOVED her relationship with Sasha.

Even though I was irritated by his manhoe ways and the amount it was brought up, there were a lot of things I loved. My complaint about the last book was that there wasn’t enough focus on the MCs. Definitely wasn’t the issue here! I think the mention of previous characters was done the perfect amount. I truly did love Dario and Mia together. Make sure you check the trigger warnings!!

I cannot wait for Sasha!!! There weren’t any hints as to who will bring him to his knees but I’m here for it!!!

[Vashti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.I loved Dario,Mia took some time for me to get used to as she was an abrasive heroine and I much prefer a more softer fmc.
I do love an age gap romance,mix in Bratva and Mafia tropes and you have me as a reader.
As usual,Sonja Grey delivers in this second gen romance and I am here for the rest.
Sasha's book is next and I can't wait to see who he is paired with.
There was one subject matter that I wasn't happy with,but that is a me thing that completes an HEA for me with my book couples.

[Rosi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc review
Definitivamente, Sonja siempre me sacará de un bloqueo lector😭😩😍

Mia y Dario son demasiado bellos, amo la dinámica y como son tan únicos a su maneraaaaaaa🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹
Y, demasiado bello ver a todos los Melkinovs como siempre son
Me encantó demasiado el libro y, me sacó del bloqueo lector que tenía hace meses🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾 sonja ily!!!

[thebeespot72 · Rating 5 out of 5]

You have been missing out on whether you are a Mafia Romance reader and have not discovered Sonja Grey’s books. She has an extensive backlist of Mafia Romances that are all interconnected standalones. It’s a large mafia universe spanning from a core Bratva group, spinning off to their kids all grown up, to their Italian Mafia associates. It’s a large family.

Sonja Grey writes for the true Mafia Romance fan in mind. Ones that love age gap, spice, snarky banter, fake marriage, and lots of Mafia action. We have Dario and Mia’s story in her latest, Born into Mayhem, Book 6 in the Melnikov Legacy. I loved the big age gap. Mia is 18, and Dario is 36. Mia is trying to earn a place in the family Bratva and has been training with Dario for quite some time. But honing up on her knife skills is not the only thing Mia has been doing with Dario; she’s been doing everything she can to get his attention to show that she wants him. I love Mia’s confidence, not just with her fighting skills, but how she is with Dario. Her cheekiness, teasing about her p!ercings, and Dario’s lasting ability due to his age, were fun to read. I loved the way Sonja weaves this in with an exciting mafia storyline.

Readers will get to see Mia in action, which I loved. There are no weak FMCs here! And Mia’s brother, Sasha. Oh my! I cannot wait for his story! He’s a dark, mysterious person, but you can tell he has a tender heart. I enjoyed Born into Mayhem. It also had the right amount of spice, humor, action, and emotional moments.

[S M · Rating 3 out of 5]

As always, Sonja delivered another captivating read. The chemistry between Dario and Mia was absolutely off the charts!

While this book still featured the signature obsessed and possessive male lead Sonja is known for, it stood out with a refreshing twist: Mia, the FMC, was fiercely independent, strong-willed, and unapologetically against the idea of marriage and children. That was a first for this series and brought a compelling change in dynamic.

My only critique is Dario’s past. I’ve grown so used to Sonja’s “safe” male leads that seeing some glimpses of his womanizing history—and a bit of OW drama—dented his appeal for me slightly. (Even though he only had eyes for Mia since she turned 18, the presence of past flings made it harder to ignore.) For the first time, I actually found myself wishing the FMC wasn’t a virgin, just to balance things out.

That said, the book was still an excellent read, packed with emotion, especially toward the end. I truly loved it and now I’m counting down the days until Sasha’s story!

[bel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high expectations for this book, and I was disappointed. I'm still giving it 3 stars because there were moments I liked. Anyway, I'm looking forward to Sandro and Sasha's book

[Cristina]

Note to self: the h has a freak accident that leaves her without the possibly of getting pregnant.

[Malessa Danner · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

"My little viper will learn to love being my wife. This is just the practice round. Surely by the time this mission is over, she’ll have warmed up to the idea of being Mia Alessi."

Absolutely LOVED everything about Mia and Dario!!! Oh my goodness, I was not expecting to love this book so much, and it is definitely my favorite book of the author's.

I loved how Dario was so supportive of Mia. When it came to her going on a mission, he never tried to push against it. His immediate mindset was that she could handle it because he trained her and was pro her going. I loved it. But he was still possessive and protective at the same time. I love Dario so much. And Mia was such a badass!!! Such a pleasant surprise from all the previous fmcs of this universe!

There was a slight push/pull but didn't last too long, and once Dario realized she was it, he was all in! Like around the 30ish percent mark. He put in the work and chased her down! This book is definition she fell first, but he fell harder. I usually dislike this trope, but it worked perfectly here because she started crushing on him when she was underage, and he started noticing her at 18. Their communication was also fantastic! And so much chemistry and tender moments. I loved them 😭

-trainee x trainer
- age gap (18 year old x 36 year old)
-marriage of convenience
-my wife
-banter! They were so funny 😅
-touch her/him and die
-both possessive!!! It was so hot and added to the chemistry!!
-badass fmc
-ow- lots of mention of his high experience / we meet an ex hook up. But the man is literally 18 years older than her and has been single his whole life with no commitment to a woman before. So it's to be expected and was realistic, in my opinion. Also I usually hate when the h is jealous but it worked so well here because it was more in a possessive way/no one else is allowed to touch him 😅 and he was equally as possessive over her!!
-om: not really. She's 18 and a V. Not my favorite trope. But again realistic when you're talking 18 vs 36 year old.

"She won’t punch me. She might try to stab me, but she won’t punch me."

[Ivana Carreon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Algo tienen estos Alessi que me encanta. En un principio se rehúsan a caer por una mujer y terminan siendo los hombres más enamorados del planeta.

Admito que no sabía que esperar de este libro, los últimos dos no me gustaron nada, era demasiado amor, no me dieron un descanso. Pero en este libro ver a Mia caer con todo y sus locuras, enamoradisima de Darío 🤌🏼.

Sabía desde el inicio de esta serie que Mia sería la mujer perfecta para Darío, la que lo iba a sacar de su zona, la que le iba a mover todos sus planes, jajaja. Y nada mejor que ver a Sandro reírse de todo lo que pasaba el pobre Darío enamorado.

Disfruté muchísimo más este libro que los otros de la serie, creo que casi al mismo nivel que el de Nat y Dominic, me encantó leer a Sasha en todo el libro, esperaba que me dieran una pista de quién va a ser la protagonista, a caso será la enfermera? Alguna italiana? Ya quiero saber!!! 🤯 De verdad Sasha es el mejor hermano del mundo, a pesar de estar tan demente. Lo quiero abrazar, a él y a Chort.

Pobre Lev, otra vez se la aplicaron, y un Alessi le robó a otra de sus hijas, jajaja, ¿que karma estará pagando? Y lo mejor como siempre en esta serie, las apariciones del Vitaly 🫶🏼🤣 lo quiero tanto, es mi personaje favorito, siempre me hace reír con sus comentarios.

[Heidi Badasci · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite author never ceases to amaze me. I am beyond excited to start any of her books. Normally, books in a series are too similar, and I get bored by the 3rd or 4th. Ms. Grey’s series is different. This is the most recent book of a second generation series and I stayed up most of the night reading it. I cannot get enough of these characters. Their characters stay true from the introductions. There’s such a familiarity with each one and I always finish one with great anticipation for the next. I LOVED Mia and Darios’s book, it was everything I’ve come to love from this author. That being said, now I’m impatiently awaiting Sasha’s! I cannot wait to see who catches his crazy heart!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tea · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I have to hear about her piercings ONE MORE TIME

VCH? Cool (but let’s not talk about the fact they are constantly playing with an unhealed piercing bc I’ll get irritated again)
Nipple piercings? Fun
Mentioning them over a hundred times like they’re the main character in the book? SHUT UUUUUUUP

[Belle (on hiatus)]

I was so excited for this book (maybe most of the series since Mia is such a badass) but the manwhore x virgin trope is so exhausting, especially when the author has written wonderful DV romances

[Emely Tavarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC Review*
5/5 ⭐️
3.95/5 🌶️

“Born into Mayhem” was such an amazing book. Mia and Dario’s story is full of spice, angst, humor, adventure.

I was looking forward to how they would unravel as a couple and was not disappointed. Their bond was so intense and addictive.

Mia and Sasha were the most intricate and compelling sibling bond I’ve read. It’s not your typical humorist friendship as brother and sister, but a strange type of connection that gets you obsessed and wanting more as a reader. Especially after reading all the leading up from previous books. He is so gentle and yet harsh with her, sweet but sort of expecting in the way he treats her almost as an equal and because she’s so adamant about rising ranks and joining the family business he has enough confidence in her that he forgets at times she’s this little thing that while not fragile can do with some comfort. He protects and pushes her, he tries to put himself in her shoes when he knows certain reactions might be expected of him but she simultaneously comprehends it’s not normal for him to pick up so easily.

The complexity of Sasha, the darkness within, the psychopathic tendencies, his ability to mask indifference, pretend to be "normal," and look devoid of emotions. He’s an absolute bloody beast one minute and a chameleon the next.

In those moments of pure anguish for Dario, his moment of breaking down for the future stolen was so heartbreaking and beautifully captured, Sonja’s execution of that internal dialogue was oh so raw and depicted with so much substance that it was truly tangible how much he felt, what he lost, his love for Mia.

*SPOILERS*

Vitaly befriending Dario's mom, Dominic baby-talking Enzo and making fun of Dario, Mia's spontaneous org*sms, Sasha's overprotective nature toward Mia and that simultaneous respect to trust her enough to go through with the hard things, Sasha's perceptiveness and observing quirks, Luka's stare at Lara when the mention about boob milk came on!!!! [such a good kink btw, adored that in their book], Sandro being Vitaly 2.0 with the banter and the ladies and the curiosity about Mia's piercings and the making fun of others... it was all so good. So much humor, tension, and angst angst angst. Obsessed with this book and the characters.

Tropes/micro-tropes:
Bratva x Italian Mafia
Age gap mmc 36, fmc 18
Family friends
He trains her, she bites him 🔪
Fake marriage 💍
Stubborn, virgin fmc
❤️‍🔥
-She org*sms while riding his bike
-C*ckwarming
-Breath play 🌊
-69
-Pierced fmc, in multiple places

Epic lines:
💚"He compliments you all the time. He praises you nonstop Mia."
💚"She’s decided she wants you. If you’re smart enough you won’t let my dad find out. He’s already lost one daughter to your family. He's not going to want to lose another."
💚 “He has to let me be who I am. I won’t be put in a cage, not even for him."
💚"Every time you want to yell at me, give it a suck, amore mio."
💚"Remember when you said you didn't want me to make love to you? This is me making love to you, bella mia. You just gave me your virginity, and I just gave you my heart."
💚"I allow myself this one moment, this one time to feel the anguish of never being called dad by anyone, of never holding a baby that she and I made, and of never knowing the joy of raising a child together. I feel every part of that pain, and then I let it go, because I'll be damned if I ever let Mia see even a glimpse of this hurt."
——

Lev's "are you behaving yourself Dario?" when he in fact wasn't— peak humor. A repeat of Dom and Nat. So f*d up and funny. Dario calling Mia a "kinky little thing" ughhh.
And Lev saying he's glad he's got no more daughters to get stolen by the Alessi men was hilarious.

Sasha's pep talk to Dario about not letting Mia get away with suppressing her feelings when we learn she won't be able to have babies, my heart was so full because of his ability to care so much for his little sister. Adore Sasha. Also love how we got to see a glimpse of Jolene and Lev's hurt for not getting any grandkids from Mia, but above all, just pain for what their daughter lost.

Also, Sasha inserting himself in the conversation between Lev and Dario, telling him to do the wedding there in Italy? What kind of emotionless monster does that, says something like that? Not a monster that's who. Sasha is everythinggggggg. Loved that nonchalance with which he said it, and how confident he portrays himself, how well he knows Mia.
And Sasha's rampage? Massacring the rival family's men and showing up bloody to the hospital? A masterpiece. Sasha will be the embodiment of Sonja's best work made into ink.

[Caitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.. just wow. Another fantastic read from Sonja Grey!
From the very beginning of the second generation's series I've waited with bated breath for Mia and Sasha's stories. Maybe it's my love of Lev, or maybe it's just because I instinctively knew these books would wreck me in the greatest way possible. I can't wait for Sasha's day, but I am so honored to be able to have read Mia and Dario's love first.
There was so much character growth from Mia in this book. I've read spoilers from other ARC readers saying they felt Mia was immature in the beginning but I didn't get that at all, I read the thoughts of an 18 year old girl, battling with how to stay true to herself and how she thought she wanted her life to go versus how she matured and developed into an amazing woman who's realized she can have it all, the love of a man who wants to keep her safe and breathe solely for her but also be the strong independent woman she knows she's capable of being. The fact that Dario had a hand in helping her become that strong, skilled and capable fighter made the fact that he was able to allow her to be her own woman, that much more believable. Why wouldn't he allow her wings to fly, when he taught her how to use them?
My ONLY regret with this book is that I can't go back and forget everything that happened so I can read it again with new eyes.
Im confident in saying I'll be in a book hangover until Sasha's book is released. Thank you Sonja for giving your devoted fans what they want, always.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️/3🌶️

Damn, this book was so good! We got a femme fatale Bratva princess, a grumpy mafia boss, fake marriage, and yep—one bed! What more could you possibly need?

Usually, when I read one of Sonja’s books, I end up obsessing over the MMC (let’s be honest, she writes them so well). But this time? It was all about Mia. She completely owned this story. She’s a total baddie, fiery, stubborn, and confident, but with just enough vulnerability to make you really root for her. I absolutely loved her.💕

And Dario? He was the perfect match for her - gruff, intense, and loyal to the bone. I don’t think any other MMC could’ve handled Mia the way he did. Their chemistry was explosive, but it was the quiet devotion that got me.

It was also so much fun seeing the rest of the Melnikov family again. Every time they showed up, I had a stupid grin on my face.😁

But the cherry on top? We’re getting Sasha’s story next, and I cannot wait. 🙌🏼

[iari · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
Me gusto, pero no es mi favorito.
Esta relación era algo que se veía venir desde el primer o segundo libro de esta generación, así que no sabía que esperar. Pero igual un par de lagrimas se me cayeron, y obviamente las pocas veces que apareció Vitaly me bastó para reírme 😂🥲
Si espero el siguiente libro que es el de Sasha, quiero ver para donde lo lleva Sonja, porque es un personaje súper complejo.

[saffy reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always Sonja managed to rip my heart into shreds and somehow put it back together with Mia and Dario’s story.

Devoured this book and cannot wait for Sasha’s.

If you enjoy age gap romances, unapologetically protective and dominant men then please do your self a favour and read this now!

As always, a brilliant read, I don’t want to leave any spoilers but get your tissues ready, you will be crying from heartbreak and then again from happiness.

P.s Vitaly’s ever-present sweet tooth is alive and well 😂.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read by Sonja! The spice 🤌🏼,the emotion 🤌🏼🤌🏼, the headstrong badass FMC!!🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼. I wasn’t sure i was gonna like Mia and Dario’s story but I ended up devouring this book! I do feel the sexual tension could have been built up more between these two characters but over all it was soooo good! Can’t wait for Sasha’s!!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vicky Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so happy when I saw this had been released, honestly was worth the wait. It’s so good. Mia is such a great character and Dario is perfect for her. The spice was off the charts too. Definitely would recommend this and I cannot wait for the next one!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was definitely different than Sonja’s other books in the series and unexpected, but it complemented the series so well. I recommend everyone read all of her books. She is a phenomenal writer and this book in particular was amazing.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Севдалина · Rating 5 out of 5]

Дарио Алесси (36) и Миа Мелников (18)

⚜️Получих ранно копие от тази книга, на профила на авторката в Booksprout и това е моето ревю⚜️

📣🚨🛑РЕВЮ СЪДЪРЖАЩО СПОЙЛЕРИ🛑🚨📣



Миа е най-малката дъщеря на Джолийн и Лев Мелников. Наследила буйния характер на баща си, Миа обича пиърсингите, татуировките и моторите. Още преди да стане пълнолетна, тя тренира и се учи как да се бие, с надеждата един ден да стане част от Мелников Братва. Треньорът ѝ по ръкопашен бой и бой с ножове е Дарио Алесси – братовчед на Доминик Алесси, съпруг на Наталия, сестрата на Миа.



Когато ѝ се отдава възможност да замине за Италия и да работи под прикритие заедно с Дарио, за да унищожат врага на фамилия Алесси, Миа не се колебае. Тя е готова да се докаже, но също така е готова най-после да бъде с Дарио, към когото е привлечена от години. Един път в обятията му ще е достатъчен да задоволи желанието ѝ… нали?



Дарио е дясната ръка на братовчед си Доминик и му помага да управлява фамилията. Напускайки Италия с Дом, той се установява в Америка заедно с брат си. Заради близките отношения на Доминик с Мелников Братва, Дарио се съгласява да тренира по-малките брат и сестра на Наталия. Саша и Миа са прилежни ученици и доста добри в това, което правят. Дарио никога не си е позволявал да вижда Миа като жена, но щом тя навършва 18, нещата рязко се променят. Той е на 36 и знае, че няма работа с едно 18-годишно момиче, но Миа го изкушава и предизвиква на всяка крачка.



Едно неочаквано пътуване до Италия ще накара Дарио да осъзнае, че Миа е всичко за него и че един път заедно никога няма да е достатъчен. Сега пред него стои предизвикателството да убеди и самата Миа, че са предопределени един за друг.



ФЕНОМЕНАЛНА 🥰 Тази книга беше самото съвършенство. Обожавам Дарио – толкова загрижен, толкова прекрасен. Обожавам как я наричаше на италиански моя малка вещица, моя малка пепелянка, моя, моя – беше просто толкова страхотен. Той направи бегъл опит да ѝ устои, но просто не можа.

Миа, от своя страна, беше истинска дивачка – от татуировката до пиърсингите. С тях нещата бяха доста забавни и се смях адски много с нея. Тя беше решила да бъде с Дарио, за да си „начеше крастата“, но не искаше обвързване, защото не виждаше себе си като перфектната домакиня, майка и съпруга, каквато се очаква да бъде съпругата на Дарио.

Той пък я боготвореше точно такава, каквато е – с кецове, розова коса и пиърсинги – и не се интересуваше от друго.

Интересен детайл беше, че имаше периоди, в които двамата трябваше да практикуват въздържание, и мъчението им беше така забавно за четене.

Нетипично за мен, няма да пиша спойлери, тъй като авторката помоли първоначалните ревюта да са възможно най-свободни от спойлери, но ще кажа, че краят беше НЕВЕРОЯТЕН – нещо, което определено не очаквах. А действията на Дарио го направиха един от най-любимите ми герои завинаги. Нивото на саможертва, което тези двамата бяха склонни да достигнат заради другият, беше наистина високо и съм толкова щастлива, че те намериха своя щастлив край.

В тази книга имахме доста от Саша – братът на Миа, който всички мислят за „безчувствен убиец“. Саша има чувства, но просто му е трудно да ги показва и изразява. Следващата книга ще е за него и от сега нямам търпение. Той ще е един много сложен и интересен главен герой и наистина искам да намери щастието.

Благодаря на Соня Грей за предоставеното безплатно копие на книгата. Насладих ѝ се невероятно много и с нетърпение чакам следващата книга от тази невероятна поредица.

📹 Виж TikTok видеото тук:
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNdx72ceA/

💫Обобщение: 💫

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

🔢 Част от поредица ли е?
Шеста книга от поредицата "Devil Will Rise: Melnikov Legacy"

📚 Сюжетни линии:
⏳ Голяма възрастова граница
🚫 Забранена любов
🔫 Мафиотски романс
🥋 Учител и ученичка
💎 Героиня с пиърсинги
🔥 Порочен герой
💀 Докосни я и си мъртъв
💪 Силна героиня

💪 Главният герой:Дарио
Част от Фамилия Алесси, братовчед на Доминик Алесси. Силен. Интелигентен. Смел. Защитнически настроен. Сладък. Мил. Грижовен. Порочен. Щом решава, че иска да е с Миа, няма да се спре пред нищо, за да направи своя завинаги.

🎀 Главната героиня:Миа
Част от Мелников Братва. Дъщеря на Джолийн и Лев Мелников. Сестра на Наталия Алесси. Смела. Борберна. Упорита. Забавна. Порочна. Сладка. Мечтае да стане част от братвата на семейството си, където до сега са допускали само мъжете в семейството. Привлечена е от Дарио и не се интересува, че той е 18 години по-възрастен от нея.

🫣 Има ли проблем с друг мъж или жена?
Абсолютно никакъв.

🤬 Има ли изневяра?
Не.

😏 Колко опит имат героите?
Дарио има доста опит, Миа е девствена.

😔/😁 Настроение по време на книгата?
😃😆🥰😍😏🥵😳🫠

🥵 Колко горещи са секси сцените?
🌶🌶🌶🌶 много, много горещи + 👅орално 👁 анално.

💔 Разделят ли се героите за определен период от време?
Не.

😍 Има ли щастлив край?
Много много як край.

⚠️ Списък с предупреждения:

💀 Насилие над трети лица
☠️ Смърт на трети лица
💉 Кръв/наранявания
🏍️ Опасен начин на живот
❤️‍🔥 Горещи сцени
🖤 Голяма загуба и саможертва

⬅️ Предишна книга? ⬅️
"Born into Darkness"

➡️ Следваща книга? ➡️
Книгата ще е за Саша🥰

[Faiza BEGUM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born Into Mayhem

6th book from Devils Will Rise Melnikov Legacy Series.

Story about Mia and Dario.

Mia is a fierce Russian Bratva princess where Dario is Italian Mafia. They both are bold, smart, stubborn, intelligent, strong and what not.

Dario started training Mia since she’s 17 years old. But when Mia turned 18 everything changed for them. They both started getting attracted to each other and having feelings but they both were damn stubborn to accept any of it. They thought they’ll just f*** each other out of their system and go to their separate way but nothing happened as planned. Their feelings go stronger day by day. And cherry on top both went to Italy where Mia had to pretend Dario’s fake wife and share a bed together. Eventually they both gave up and expressed their feelings. Loved that how fierce Mia is. She wasn’t submitting like others and that’s drive Dario crazy and make him fall for her more. She would fight him every chance she got. And Dario would love it. His nickname’s for her was something.

Sasha and Mia’s bond make me so emotional. The way Mia understood him and didn’t even questioned. And Sasha like big protective brother was always there for her and supported her every time. Specially loved where Sasha was talking with Dario about Mia. The way he accepted them. Gosh his craziness when he was on Italy. He just couldn’t control himself and went in feral mode cause they hurt his sister.

Their family reaction on Dario and Mia’s relationship. Lev trying kill Dario and Dominic. Vitaly’s jokes and his love for food. Getting glims of others as well. In short this book is perfect.

This book has everything. Fun, banter, sarcasm, fight, comedy, love, care, emotions, happiness and what not. I just couldn’t stop myself from reading this book and had to finish it in one go. It made me laugh, cry and so emotional. Sonja knew what she’s doing with her book. She delivered more then I could even imagined.

I just can’t wait for Sasha’s book. Gosh that’ll be a total banger. Would love to see who is capable to tame the beast.

[Lucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mia and Dario's story is filled with intense emotions, and I must admit it was fascinating to read how Mia grew stronger and stronger in her quest to earn a place within her family's Bratva. At the same time, her feelings for Dario began to surface. Dario, a man attracted to Mia, resisted accepting his feelings for a time. However, a mission in Italy gave them the opportunity to take their foreplay to the next level and finally accept their emotions.

But love didn't come without risks. Dangers lurk as they nurture their feelings. Dario doesn't want Mia to be in danger, but he also understands that she longs to be free, that she doesn't want to be a traditional wife. He knows Mia is a warrior, and if he wants to have her by his side forever, he must let her be who she is. And so he does: Dario becomes Mia's sunshine, her support, her refuge.

For her part, Mia is afraid to accept what she feels. She worries that this love will trap her, turn her into something she's not, and that Dario wants to change her. But as their relationship builds with sincerity and respect, Mia realizes that Dario loves her exactly as she is, without trying to limit her, supporting her to be free and strong.

I was filled with happiness seeing how their relationship grew stronger despite everything. They both faced the dangers in Italy, proving that together they are stronger. And although in the end there was an event that was painful because it was an imposed loss, not a chosen one, they both managed to move forward. The most important thing is that they were able to be together and, above all, that Mia showed that she is capable of being part of the mafia.

PSD: Sasha may be a little crazy, but I can't deny that when it comes to protecting her family, no one can stop the beast. I'm looking forward to the book. God help the woman whose mission it is to tame Sasha.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Poppy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born into Mayhem

MMC Dario Alessi, 36

FMC Mia Melnikov, 18

When Sonja confirmed that Mia Melnikov and Dario Alessi would be a couple, I was concerned about another large age gap. It is not a favourite trope for me when the age gap is so large, it becomes  a generation gap…but of course nothing would stop me from reading a new Sonja Grey book🤩

Both heroes where introduced in previous books, so i knew a bit what to expect. Dario surprised me in the best possible way. Possessive, alpha, filthy mouthed and an Italian gentleman at the same time 🔥🔥🔥

Mia is a tomboy. Interested in fighting skills, joining the bratva and piercing her little body in some interested places😻😻😻

The heat between them is about to burn them both. They join forces for an operation in Italy on behalf of the Alessi family, under (daddy) Dominic ’s orders. Dario is done playing nice….he is claiming her for himself and the little viper needs to accept it.

Yet another book that is well written and Sonja stayed true to the characters she created. Banter, brotherly love, plot, spice, Melnikov men, Vitaly (he is a category of his own). I laughed so many times but I also cried….this story deals unfortunately with a subject that could be a trigger to some readers, so definitely check this out in advance. Dario and Mia go through a lot but the love they have for each other is the real deal and their HEA is guaranteed ❤️❤️

A 5 star read for me and definitely recommend this to anyone who loves mafia romance and a large family universe with standalone but interconnected books💯

 

[Victoria Scozzafava · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

Born Into Mayhem by Sonja Grey is the sixth book in the Devils Will Rise: Melnikov Legacy series. This series is best read in order but can be read as a standalone. For the ultimate reading experience, I highly recommend you start by reading the Melnikov Bratva series before starting the Legacy (Second Generation) series. I am absolutely obsessed with Sonja Grey’s writing. Her books are all five star reads and Born Into Mayhem is no exception. I read this book in one sitting. It had be laughing, swooning, and crying. The plotline was well paced and kept me engaged the entire story. I literally can’t wait for the next book in this series. I HIGHLY recommend not only Born Into Mayhem but anything from Sonja Grey.

Mia was intelligent, stubborn, and a total badass FMC. I loved how she does what she wants and does not care what other people think. She may be a badass but she was also such a sweetheart. She will do anything for the people that she loves. I loved getting to see the softer side of Mia while she falls in love with Dario. Dario was possessive, protective, morally grey, and I loved him from the beginning. I loved that he never wanted to change Mia or hold her back from her dream of being a part of the “all boys club”. These two balanced one another perfectly. They had great chemistry and totally understood one another. Seeing these two finally realize their feelings for one another was amazing. I enjoyed every single part of this book! The Melnikovs will always hold a special place in my heart! I am so excited for Mia’s brother, Sasha’s book next!!!!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

HAPPY READING