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Kings of Mafia #9
Vicious Devil
From USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author Michelle Heard comes a new STANDALONE, full-length MAFIA ROMANCE novel.
At the lowest point in my life, I walk into the busiest club, hoping to get a job. Somehow, I end up on stage, being told to strip, and before I can even decide if I’m desperate enough, a terrifying man orders me to leave.
I do my best to ignore my fear as I follow him to his office, not knowing it’s about to cost me everything.
Turns out I’m more desperate than I thought, and I swallow my pride and beg.
But Adriano Rizzo doesn’t offer me employment.
Nope, he makes me a deal that’s hard to refuse.
I tell myself I can handle whatever he demands of me.
Boy, am I wrong.
Hidden in the fine print, I didn’t bother to read, is a clause I never saw coming.
Marry him. Or I walk away with nothing and end up back on the streets.
While I’m still trying to decide, he changes the rules, and before I know it, I’m saying my vows to a man I barely know. To make matters worse, just as we leave the church, he pulls out a gun and empties it into some poor soul. Right in front of me!
That’s when I learn the truth…
Adriano Rizzo isn’t just some heartless, filthy-rich club owner.
He’s a boss in the Cosa Nostra, and I’ve just married into a world that’s violent, ruthless, and deadly.
STANDALONE: A Standalone Mafia Romance.
At the lowest point in my life, I walk into the busiest club, hoping to get a job. Somehow, I end up on stage, being told to strip, and before I can even decide if I’m desperate enough, a terrifying man orders me to leave.
I do my best to ignore my fear as I follow him to his office, not knowing it’s about to cost me everything.
Turns out I’m more desperate than I thought, and I swallow my pride and beg.
But Adriano Rizzo doesn’t offer me employment.
Nope, he makes me a deal that’s hard to refuse.
I tell myself I can handle whatever he demands of me.
Boy, am I wrong.
Hidden in the fine print, I didn’t bother to read, is a clause I never saw coming.
Marry him. Or I walk away with nothing and end up back on the streets.
While I’m still trying to decide, he changes the rules, and before I know it, I’m saying my vows to a man I barely know. To make matters worse, just as we leave the church, he pulls out a gun and empties it into some poor soul. Right in front of me!
That’s when I learn the truth…
Adriano Rizzo isn’t just some heartless, filthy-rich club owner.
He’s a boss in the Cosa Nostra, and I’ve just married into a world that’s violent, ruthless, and deadly.
STANDALONE: A Standalone Mafia Romance.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 28, 2026
About the author
Michelle Heard
96 books13.2k followersMichelle Heard is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon #3 Bestselling romance author.
She writes emotional heart-shattering stories with a whole lot of Mafia & Romance that will leave you smiling with satisfaction. Every book has an unexpected twist that will show the strength of the characters.
Before becoming an author, Michelle had a career in banking. She lives in South Africa with her son, Sheldon, who's also her right-hand man when it comes to all things publishing, and her daughter-in-law, Tayla, who's her best friend.
Reading Order on AMAZON
STANDALONE NOVELS:
***Mafia & Bratva Romance (in order)***
THE SAINTS SERIES:
Merciless Saints - Damien Vetrov
Cruel Saints - Lucian Cotroni
Ruthless Saints - Carson Koslov
Tears of Betrayal - Demitri Vetrov
Tears of Salvation - Alexei Koslov
THE SINNERS SERIES:
Taken By A Sinner - Nikolas Stathoulis
Owned By A Sinner - Liam Byrne
Stolen By A Sinner - Gabriel Demir
Chosen By A Sinner - Luca Cotroni
Captured By A Sinner - Viktor Vetrov
THE CORRUPTED ROYALS SERIES:
Destroy Me - Misha Petrov
Control Me - Nikolai Vetrov
Brutalize Me - Armani De Santis
Restrain Me - Maxim Levin
Possess Me - Alek Aslanhov
SERIES (In Order):
ENEMIES TO LOVERS SERIES:
***College & New Adult Romance***
Heartless - Carter & Della
Reckless - Logan & Mia
Careless - Jaxson & Leigh
Ruthless - Marcus & Willow
Shameless - Rhett & Evie
TRINITY ACADEMY SERIES:
***College Romance***
Falcon - Falcon & Layla
Mason - Mason & Kingsley
Lake - Lake & Lee
Julian - Julian & Jamie
The Epilogue
THE HEIRS:
***College & New Adult Romance***
Coldhearted Heir - Hunter & Jade
Arrogant Heir - Jase & Mila
Defiant Heir - Kao & Fallon
Loyal Heir - Forest & Aria
Callous Heir - Noah & Carla
Sinful Heir - Tristan & Hana
Tempted Heir - Christopher & Dash
Forbidden Heir - Ryker & Danny
SOUTHERN HEROES SERIES:
***Suspense Romance***
The Ocean Between Us – Aiden & Emma
The Girl In The Closet – Cole & Birdie
The Lies We Tell Ourselves – Alec & Reece
All The Wasted Time – Wyatt & Scarlett
We Were Lost – Zac & Chloe
OTHER STANDALONE NOVELS:
Not My Hero - Dark YA Romance
She writes emotional heart-shattering stories with a whole lot of Mafia & Romance that will leave you smiling with satisfaction. Every book has an unexpected twist that will show the strength of the characters.
Before becoming an author, Michelle had a career in banking. She lives in South Africa with her son, Sheldon, who's also her right-hand man when it comes to all things publishing, and her daughter-in-law, Tayla, who's her best friend.
Reading Order on AMAZON
STANDALONE NOVELS:
***Mafia & Bratva Romance (in order)***
THE SAINTS SERIES:
Merciless Saints - Damien Vetrov
Cruel Saints - Lucian Cotroni
Ruthless Saints - Carson Koslov
Tears of Betrayal - Demitri Vetrov
Tears of Salvation - Alexei Koslov
THE SINNERS SERIES:
Taken By A Sinner - Nikolas Stathoulis
Owned By A Sinner - Liam Byrne
Stolen By A Sinner - Gabriel Demir
Chosen By A Sinner - Luca Cotroni
Captured By A Sinner - Viktor Vetrov
THE CORRUPTED ROYALS SERIES:
Destroy Me - Misha Petrov
Control Me - Nikolai Vetrov
Brutalize Me - Armani De Santis
Restrain Me - Maxim Levin
Possess Me - Alek Aslanhov
SERIES (In Order):
ENEMIES TO LOVERS SERIES:
***College & New Adult Romance***
Heartless - Carter & Della
Reckless - Logan & Mia
Careless - Jaxson & Leigh
Ruthless - Marcus & Willow
Shameless - Rhett & Evie
TRINITY ACADEMY SERIES:
***College Romance***
Falcon - Falcon & Layla
Mason - Mason & Kingsley
Lake - Lake & Lee
Julian - Julian & Jamie
The Epilogue
THE HEIRS:
***College & New Adult Romance***
Coldhearted Heir - Hunter & Jade
Arrogant Heir - Jase & Mila
Defiant Heir - Kao & Fallon
Loyal Heir - Forest & Aria
Callous Heir - Noah & Carla
Sinful Heir - Tristan & Hana
Tempted Heir - Christopher & Dash
Forbidden Heir - Ryker & Danny
SOUTHERN HEROES SERIES:
***Suspense Romance***
The Ocean Between Us – Aiden & Emma
The Girl In The Closet – Cole & Birdie
The Lies We Tell Ourselves – Alec & Reece
All The Wasted Time – Wyatt & Scarlett
We Were Lost – Zac & Chloe
OTHER STANDALONE NOVELS:
Not My Hero - Dark YA Romance
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 575 reviews
May 30, 2026
On today’s episode of When the Side Piece Becomes the Main Meal.
And no, this is NOT dating advice, nor is it a sign from heaven 😭 You deserve better. GET OUT NOW.
Forgive me, I play too much 🙈😭
So this was supposed to be the appetizer before Fiona and I started our buddy read of Frozen Heart. Turns out it was the main course all along.
I loved every suffocating moment of this book. And suffocating it was. The suffocator? Adriano. The suffocatee? Depending on how you look at it, either the heroine or me, because I could feel the heat all the way from my cozy bed.
I’ll be honest this isn’t the most groundbreaking book you’ll ever read. In fact, it’s very basic. But so am I, so YASS.
There isn’t much of a plot beyond Laurie healing, learning to trust again, and Adriano dedicating his entire existence to serving her like the goddess he believes she is. This man put the insta in insta-love.
I’m not going to say what I really want to say because I’m not ready to get cancelled yet, but I will say this was a fever dream. Adriano is a special kind of crazy. This man is OBSESSED. No. This man is POSSESSED by the spirit of devotion itself.
He isn’t above deceiving her into marriage (you know, typical mafia energy). He wants Laurie from the moment he sees her, and from that point onward, his life philosophy becomes: If Laurie wants it, she gets it. If Laurie’s hurting, he fixes it. If Laurie has an enemy, suddenly he has a hobby 🔪 If Laurie wanted the moon, this man would be outside arguing with NASA. The caretaking was scholarly level. We need to enroll some of these MMCs in the school of Adriano.
❝ Laurie, this isn’t me getting carried away after a couple of days. You are a fucking goddess, and I count myself fucking lucky that I found you before some asshole got it in his head to put a ring on your finger.”
“You belong at my side, Laurie. Spoiled. Protected. Worshiped. You will never want for anything again.”
“People don’t just decide to marry someone after a few days.”
“I do.” I lift my hand to her face and notice how she tenses before forcing herself to relax.
I hate it. I want her to need my touch more than the air she breathes.
“You’re trying to understand this logically when there’s nothing logical about what I feel for you. ❞
Look. I’ve got problems because some of this is objectively alarming, yet my only thought was yes, terrify me with your love, Adriano 😍
I really love that despite how fast-paced the romance is and how intense Adriano is, they don't become intimate until around 77%, and there are only a couple of spicy scenes in the whole book, about two? Don’t quote me on that though. I might’ve been in a haze while reading 🤭 Going in, I thought smut was going to be our diet, so that was a pleasant surprise.
If you’re looking for lots of mafia action, this is NOT the book. The focus is 100% on the romance. It was so cozy and perfect for a lazy Saturday morning spent in bed, sipping juice, eating chips and trying not to get crumbs all over my bloody sheets.
I think we made a mistake, Fiona, because this should’ve been the main meal. But whatever our current buddy read is, I’m happy to be doing it with you, pookie. Always 💕
And no, this is NOT dating advice, nor is it a sign from heaven 😭 You deserve better. GET OUT NOW.
Forgive me, I play too much 🙈😭
So this was supposed to be the appetizer before Fiona and I started our buddy read of Frozen Heart. Turns out it was the main course all along.
I loved every suffocating moment of this book. And suffocating it was. The suffocator? Adriano. The suffocatee? Depending on how you look at it, either the heroine or me, because I could feel the heat all the way from my cozy bed.
I’ll be honest this isn’t the most groundbreaking book you’ll ever read. In fact, it’s very basic. But so am I, so YASS.
There isn’t much of a plot beyond Laurie healing, learning to trust again, and Adriano dedicating his entire existence to serving her like the goddess he believes she is. This man put the insta in insta-love.
I’m not going to say what I really want to say because I’m not ready to get cancelled yet, but I will say this was a fever dream. Adriano is a special kind of crazy. This man is OBSESSED. No. This man is POSSESSED by the spirit of devotion itself.
He isn’t above deceiving her into marriage (you know, typical mafia energy). He wants Laurie from the moment he sees her, and from that point onward, his life philosophy becomes: If Laurie wants it, she gets it. If Laurie’s hurting, he fixes it. If Laurie has an enemy, suddenly he has a hobby 🔪 If Laurie wanted the moon, this man would be outside arguing with NASA. The caretaking was scholarly level. We need to enroll some of these MMCs in the school of Adriano.
❝ Laurie, this isn’t me getting carried away after a couple of days. You are a fucking goddess, and I count myself fucking lucky that I found you before some asshole got it in his head to put a ring on your finger.”
“You belong at my side, Laurie. Spoiled. Protected. Worshiped. You will never want for anything again.”
“People don’t just decide to marry someone after a few days.”
“I do.” I lift my hand to her face and notice how she tenses before forcing herself to relax.
I hate it. I want her to need my touch more than the air she breathes.
“You’re trying to understand this logically when there’s nothing logical about what I feel for you. ❞
Look. I’ve got problems because some of this is objectively alarming, yet my only thought was yes, terrify me with your love, Adriano 😍
I really love that despite how fast-paced the romance is and how intense Adriano is, they don't become intimate until around 77%, and there are only a couple of spicy scenes in the whole book, about two? Don’t quote me on that though. I might’ve been in a haze while reading 🤭 Going in, I thought smut was going to be our diet, so that was a pleasant surprise.
If you’re looking for lots of mafia action, this is NOT the book. The focus is 100% on the romance. It was so cozy and perfect for a lazy Saturday morning spent in bed, sipping juice, eating chips and trying not to get crumbs all over my bloody sheets.
I think we made a mistake, Fiona, because this should’ve been the main meal. But whatever our current buddy read is, I’m happy to be doing it with you, pookie. Always 💕
May 29, 2026
4 ⭐️
This book had absolutely no business working on me as well as it did.
A mafia boss becomes instantly obsessed with a woman, pays her millions, slips a marriage clause into a contract and proceeds to bulldoze his way into every aspect of her life.
Objectively? Ridiculous.
Subjectively? I WAS THRIVING.
After a couple of mafia romances that left me cold, I picked this up on a whim because I wanted something short, entertaining and a little unhinged. Keeping my expectations low turned out to be the best thing I could've done because while this wasn't perfect, it delivered exactly what I needed: emotional satisfaction, immediate payoff and an aggressively devoted husband who treated every inconvenience in the heroine's life like a personal emergency.
What Worked For Me
(aka: where the emotional payoff lived)
The caretaking.
No really.
The caretaking IS the plot.
The mafia storyline exists. There are guns, enemies, revenge, kidnappings and enough criminal activity to remind you what genre you're reading. But the emotional core of the book is watching Laurie discover what it's like to have someone consistently show up for her.
Adriano doesn't just tell Laurie he cares - he proves it. He notices when she's overwhelmed, anxious, grieving or struggling and instead of offering empty reassurances, he does something about it.
At some point, I realised the reason this relationship was working for me wasn't because Adriano was rich or obsessed.
It was because he paid attention.
Whether he's making coffee, solving a problem, showing up when she's hurting or simply bringing tissues to a funeral, his care is demonstrated in a hundred small ways. Those moments hit far harder for me than the money, the grand gestures or even the obsession itself.
I also appreciated that Laurie didn't immediately fall into blind trust or instalove despite the absolutely bonkers circumstances surrounding their relationship. She spends much of the book trying to understand Adriano and slowly accepting that maybe this ridiculous man actually means everything he says.
The relationship progression ended up being surprisingly satisfying because the book actually gives them time together. They talk, spend time together, learn each other's habits and insecurities and build genuine comfort.
For someone who constantly complains about books skipping emotional development, I was ecstatic to see the relationship given room to develop on-page.
And unfortunately for my objectivity, Adriano worked on me.
The man is completely unhinged. His obsession arrives fully assembled, his emotional volume never drops below eleven and yet Michelle Heard commits so fully to the fantasy that I eventually stopped questioning it and simply accepted that this man had built an entire religion around his wife within forty-eight hours of meeting her.
Respect.
Where It Lost Me
(aka: excuse my honesty)
The Mafia Plot Was Mostly Decorative
This ended up feeling much more like a relationship-focused romance than a mafia romance.
Which worked for me.
However, readers looking for intricate mafia politics, power struggles or a strong criminal underworld storyline may find themselves underwhelmed.
The mafia elements often felt secondary to the romance and sometimes existed primarily to create opportunities for Adriano to take care of Laurie.
Subtlety Was Found Dead In A Ditch
This book has all the subtlety of a brick through a window.
The obsession is immediate.
The declarations are enormous.
The emotions are dialed all the way up.
If you're someone who prefers nuance, slow emotional revelations or complex character psychology, this probably won't be your book.
I personally found the sheer commitment to the bit entertaining but there were definitely moments where I had to simply accept the chaos and move on.
Repetition Creeps In
Laurie and Adriano occasionally revisited the same emotional ground which made parts of the middle feel repetitive.
Her confusion is understandable given the circumstances but there were moments where it felt like the relationship was circling rather than progressing.
The book also isn't especially deep when it comes to character complexity or plot sophistication.
The emotional fantasy is strong.
The overall story is relatively straightforward.
Final Thoughts
I think what surprised me most is that this wasn't really a mafia romance for me.
It was a romance about a woman who spent most of her life feeling like an afterthought finally becoming the center of someone's universe.
Everything else was just packaging: the money, the mafia, the obsession, the marriage contract.
Every time Laurie needed someone, Adriano showed up.
And after a string of romances where I kept asking "But where is the emotional payoff?" this one delivered it over and over again.
Final Verdict
Was it ridiculous? Absolutely.
Did I spend most of the book eating it up anyway? Also absolutely.
4 ⭐️ - This was mafia-lite, husband-heavy, emotionally satisfying nonsense and I ate it up.
Turns out my ideal mafia romance is 20% mafia and 80% aggressive caretaking. Who knew?
**And finally, thank you to Minne for buddy reading this with me. The research-based discourse on caretaking was especially insightful. Our extensive analysis concluded that the caretaking was, in fact, the plot. Further peer review is not required. 🫠💀 Don't let go yet pookie...Frozen Heart just dropped 💕
Tropes and Vibes:
• Mafia romance (Lite edition)
• Marriage contract
• Touch her and die / "My wife" energy
• Aggressive acts of service
• Caretaking hero / Protective husband
• Instant obsession
• Possessive but devoted
• Found family vibes
• Rich billionaire doing billionaire things
• Problem-solver MMC
• Emotional support husband
• Domestic intimacy
• Immediate emotional payoff
• Unhinged but surprisingly sweet
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Pre-read:
Marriage contract ✔️
Mafia husband ✔️
Murder before the reception ✔️
Hallmark could never 💀
This book had absolutely no business working on me as well as it did.
A mafia boss becomes instantly obsessed with a woman, pays her millions, slips a marriage clause into a contract and proceeds to bulldoze his way into every aspect of her life.
Objectively? Ridiculous.
Subjectively? I WAS THRIVING.
After a couple of mafia romances that left me cold, I picked this up on a whim because I wanted something short, entertaining and a little unhinged. Keeping my expectations low turned out to be the best thing I could've done because while this wasn't perfect, it delivered exactly what I needed: emotional satisfaction, immediate payoff and an aggressively devoted husband who treated every inconvenience in the heroine's life like a personal emergency.
What Worked For Me
(aka: where the emotional payoff lived)
The caretaking.
No really.
The caretaking IS the plot.
The mafia storyline exists. There are guns, enemies, revenge, kidnappings and enough criminal activity to remind you what genre you're reading. But the emotional core of the book is watching Laurie discover what it's like to have someone consistently show up for her.
Adriano doesn't just tell Laurie he cares - he proves it. He notices when she's overwhelmed, anxious, grieving or struggling and instead of offering empty reassurances, he does something about it.
At some point, I realised the reason this relationship was working for me wasn't because Adriano was rich or obsessed.
It was because he paid attention.
Whether he's making coffee, solving a problem, showing up when she's hurting or simply bringing tissues to a funeral, his care is demonstrated in a hundred small ways. Those moments hit far harder for me than the money, the grand gestures or even the obsession itself.
I also appreciated that Laurie didn't immediately fall into blind trust or instalove despite the absolutely bonkers circumstances surrounding their relationship. She spends much of the book trying to understand Adriano and slowly accepting that maybe this ridiculous man actually means everything he says.
The relationship progression ended up being surprisingly satisfying because the book actually gives them time together. They talk, spend time together, learn each other's habits and insecurities and build genuine comfort.
For someone who constantly complains about books skipping emotional development, I was ecstatic to see the relationship given room to develop on-page.
And unfortunately for my objectivity, Adriano worked on me.
The man is completely unhinged. His obsession arrives fully assembled, his emotional volume never drops below eleven and yet Michelle Heard commits so fully to the fantasy that I eventually stopped questioning it and simply accepted that this man had built an entire religion around his wife within forty-eight hours of meeting her.
Respect.
Where It Lost Me
(aka: excuse my honesty)
The Mafia Plot Was Mostly Decorative
This ended up feeling much more like a relationship-focused romance than a mafia romance.
Which worked for me.
However, readers looking for intricate mafia politics, power struggles or a strong criminal underworld storyline may find themselves underwhelmed.
The mafia elements often felt secondary to the romance and sometimes existed primarily to create opportunities for Adriano to take care of Laurie.
Subtlety Was Found Dead In A Ditch
This book has all the subtlety of a brick through a window.
The obsession is immediate.
The declarations are enormous.
The emotions are dialed all the way up.
If you're someone who prefers nuance, slow emotional revelations or complex character psychology, this probably won't be your book.
I personally found the sheer commitment to the bit entertaining but there were definitely moments where I had to simply accept the chaos and move on.
Repetition Creeps In
Laurie and Adriano occasionally revisited the same emotional ground which made parts of the middle feel repetitive.
Her confusion is understandable given the circumstances but there were moments where it felt like the relationship was circling rather than progressing.
The book also isn't especially deep when it comes to character complexity or plot sophistication.
The emotional fantasy is strong.
The overall story is relatively straightforward.
Final Thoughts
I think what surprised me most is that this wasn't really a mafia romance for me.
It was a romance about a woman who spent most of her life feeling like an afterthought finally becoming the center of someone's universe.
Everything else was just packaging: the money, the mafia, the obsession, the marriage contract.
Every time Laurie needed someone, Adriano showed up.
And after a string of romances where I kept asking "But where is the emotional payoff?" this one delivered it over and over again.
Final Verdict
Was it ridiculous? Absolutely.
Did I spend most of the book eating it up anyway? Also absolutely.
4 ⭐️ - This was mafia-lite, husband-heavy, emotionally satisfying nonsense and I ate it up.
Turns out my ideal mafia romance is 20% mafia and 80% aggressive caretaking. Who knew?
**And finally, thank you to Minne for buddy reading this with me. The research-based discourse on caretaking was especially insightful. Our extensive analysis concluded that the caretaking was, in fact, the plot. Further peer review is not required. 🫠💀 Don't let go yet pookie...Frozen Heart just dropped 💕
Tropes and Vibes:
• Mafia romance (Lite edition)
• Marriage contract
• Touch her and die / "My wife" energy
• Aggressive acts of service
• Caretaking hero / Protective husband
• Instant obsession
• Possessive but devoted
• Found family vibes
• Rich billionaire doing billionaire things
• Problem-solver MMC
• Emotional support husband
• Domestic intimacy
• Immediate emotional payoff
• Unhinged but surprisingly sweet
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Pre-read:
Marriage contract ✔️
Mafia husband ✔️
Murder before the reception ✔️
Hallmark could never 💀
May 27, 2026
As capo of the Costa Nostra, Adriano Rizzo is expected to marry and sire the next generation. Difficult when no woman has caught his attention for longer than a night. All that changes after a chance encounter outside his club.
Broke, desperate, and out of options, Laurie Barnes finds herself stepping on the stage at Fallen Angels. Before the can even finish her audition, a twist of fate sets Laurie up to fall directly into Adriano Rizzo’s grasp with an offer she can’t possibly refuse.
I had forgotten how much I enjoy Michelle Heard’s style of MMC’s. But had also forgotten that they’re on the mafia light side and that the spice is more steam. Still a wholly enjoyable read and I fully intend to continue the series with Enzo and Rosie’s.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: 📱
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): New Adult
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual | Present}
Emotions: 😩😊🥺🫠😍
Darkness: 🩶🩶
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
✨ Tropes: Age Gap (11), Billionaire, Contractual Relationship, Forced Marriage, Forced Proximity, Found Family, Instalove/Insta-Obsession, Kidnapped/Captive, Mafia/Bratva/Organized Crime, Rich Boy x Poor Girl, Stalker (Mild)
💫 Microtropes: Boy Obsessed, Caretaker/Protective MMC, Caveman/Bridal Carry, “Good Girl”, He Falls First, He Falls Harder, Lap Sitting, Pet Name (Little Butterfly), Tattooed MMC
🔆 Character: Blue Collar, Homeless (Briefly), Illegal Enterprises
💋 Kinks: n/a
🤰🏻 Pregnancy: Epilogue
🚩 Red Flags: Bulldozer MMC, Dominant MMC, Jealous/Possessive/Obsessive, Manipulation, MINE!, “My Wife”, OTT Hero, Touch-Her-and-💀, Tracking/Spying
⛔️ Safety Squad: Unaliving, Violence, and other potentially triggering elements. Triggers may appear both on- and off-page and in the past and/or present. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📍 Setting: New York City, New York 🇺🇸
📣 Type: Vicious Devil is part of the Kings of Mafia series of interconnected standalones. While no other books need to be read in order to follow the story, reading prior books may enhance the experience.
⚠️ Warning: This sweet and steamy read will leave your panties damp and your cheeks flushed.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
Broke, desperate, and out of options, Laurie Barnes finds herself stepping on the stage at Fallen Angels. Before the can even finish her audition, a twist of fate sets Laurie up to fall directly into Adriano Rizzo’s grasp with an offer she can’t possibly refuse.
I had forgotten how much I enjoy Michelle Heard’s style of MMC’s. But had also forgotten that they’re on the mafia light side and that the spice is more steam. Still a wholly enjoyable read and I fully intend to continue the series with Enzo and Rosie’s.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: 📱
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): New Adult
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual | Present}
Emotions: 😩😊🥺🫠😍
Darkness: 🩶🩶
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
✨ Tropes: Age Gap (11), Billionaire, Contractual Relationship, Forced Marriage, Forced Proximity, Found Family, Instalove/Insta-Obsession, Kidnapped/Captive, Mafia/Bratva/Organized Crime, Rich Boy x Poor Girl, Stalker (Mild)
💫 Microtropes: Boy Obsessed, Caretaker/Protective MMC, Caveman/Bridal Carry, “Good Girl”, He Falls First, He Falls Harder, Lap Sitting, Pet Name (Little Butterfly), Tattooed MMC
🔆 Character: Blue Collar, Homeless (Briefly), Illegal Enterprises
💋 Kinks: n/a
🤰🏻 Pregnancy: Epilogue
🚩 Red Flags: Bulldozer MMC, Dominant MMC, Jealous/Possessive/Obsessive, Manipulation, MINE!, “My Wife”, OTT Hero, Touch-Her-and-💀, Tracking/Spying
⛔️ Safety Squad: Unaliving, Violence, and other potentially triggering elements. Triggers may appear both on- and off-page and in the past and/or present. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📍 Setting: New York City, New York 🇺🇸
📣 Type: Vicious Devil is part of the Kings of Mafia series of interconnected standalones. While no other books need to be read in order to follow the story, reading prior books may enhance the experience.
⚠️ Warning: This sweet and steamy read will leave your panties damp and your cheeks flushed.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
June 7, 2026
Como ocurre con los últimos libros de Michelle, es una lectura entretenida de las que no fallan pero que tampoco destaca. Tiene un poco de todo y esa fórmula no falla.
Adriano se obsesiona completamente con sólo dos vistazos. Laurie no ha tenido suerte ni con la familia ni con su pareja y está en un momento desesperado, así que conoce a Adriano en el momento oportuno.
Lo mejor del libro es toda la familia y la familia encontrada, los amigos y los momentos que pasan juntos. Por lo demás, no pasa nada, sólo hay una pequeña trama, es una historia más de esta segunda generación.
Adriano se obsesiona completamente con sólo dos vistazos. Laurie no ha tenido suerte ni con la familia ni con su pareja y está en un momento desesperado, así que conoce a Adriano en el momento oportuno.
Lo mejor del libro es toda la familia y la familia encontrada, los amigos y los momentos que pasan juntos. Por lo demás, no pasa nada, sólo hay una pequeña trama, es una historia más de esta segunda generación.
May 29, 2026
3.5 ⭐
It's Insta-obsession turned Insta-love at its finest, and I'm here for all of it. 😅
It's Insta-obsession turned Insta-love at its finest, and I'm here for all of it. 😅
June 4, 2026
3,2 ☆ || EN EFECTO, MI TIPO DE MIERDA 🚬 🚬 🚬
Antes que nada, alguien más cree que MH está a nada de comenzar a escribir a cambiaformas que encuentran a su pareja predestinada, pero versión mafiosa??? Es que de tantos gruñidos de los protas y menciones de conexión, lazos, almas y destino entre las parejas (más de ellos al verlas a ellas por primera vez) me hace pensar que podría suceder JSKAHSKJAS juro que si Adriano hubiera dicho que era un lobo le habría creído al toque 😔🤚
Oigan, no, yo honestamente venía con toda la intención de odiarlo ya que había visto la ilustración que la autora publicó en su insta y dije mhmmm no lo sé. Pero luego lo comencé, aún reacia, y me fue entretenido poco a poco. Y para ser el libro del hijo de mi segunda pareja favorita de la primera generación estuvo muy bien 🤌
Obvio que no es un libro que te cambie la vida, pero la pasé increíble leyéndolo ☝️. Lo admito, Adriano es un poco muy espeluznante, pero de alguna manera funciona a la perfección. Él era lo que Laurie necesitaba. Quién diría que Adriano era todo un romántico (algo creppy, pero romántico al fin y al cabo) 🛐🛐🛐
El último 40% del libro es definitivamente mi favorito!!! Sobre todo las escenas familiares 😭💖 fueron muy lindas. Eso era justo lo que quería leer en los libros anteriores. Si bien no fue gran cosa, aquí lo disfrute mucho más.
El como Tori y Angelo acogieron a Laurie desde el principio me encantó. La amistad de Adriano, Georgi y Augusto me mató de la risa. Rosie llamando gruñón a Adriano y burlándose de todos solo para molestar, la amo jskajs. Y Little Ricky, Big Ricky y Tiny fueron un excelente plus, me tenían riendo un montón JSKAJSKA
Ese epílogo!!! Amé 🗣️🗣️🗣️
⚠️SPOILER: Que Adriano guardara la bala que Rosie recibió por él y lo mandara a hacer collar para usarlo como recordatorio de que lo ama y tenerla siempre cerca ME PARECE LA PICK DEL ROMANCE 🚬🚬🚬🚬
P. D. La verdad sí me emociona mucho el libro de Rosie y Enzo. Me da curiosidad ver como se va a desarrollar. Y tengo la sensación de que el problema de las otras familias no se resolvió del todo y, basándome en la sinopsis de su libro, podrían ser los que causen problemas ahí.
Antes que nada, alguien más cree que MH está a nada de comenzar a escribir a cambiaformas que encuentran a su pareja predestinada, pero versión mafiosa??? Es que de tantos gruñidos de los protas y menciones de conexión, lazos, almas y destino entre las parejas (más de ellos al verlas a ellas por primera vez) me hace pensar que podría suceder JSKAHSKJAS juro que si Adriano hubiera dicho que era un lobo le habría creído al toque 😔🤚
Oigan, no, yo honestamente venía con toda la intención de odiarlo ya que había visto la ilustración que la autora publicó en su insta y dije mhmmm no lo sé. Pero luego lo comencé, aún reacia, y me fue entretenido poco a poco. Y para ser el libro del hijo de mi segunda pareja favorita de la primera generación estuvo muy bien 🤌
Obvio que no es un libro que te cambie la vida, pero la pasé increíble leyéndolo ☝️. Lo admito, Adriano es un poco muy espeluznante, pero de alguna manera funciona a la perfección. Él era lo que Laurie necesitaba. Quién diría que Adriano era todo un romántico (algo creppy, pero romántico al fin y al cabo) 🛐🛐🛐
El último 40% del libro es definitivamente mi favorito!!! Sobre todo las escenas familiares 😭💖 fueron muy lindas. Eso era justo lo que quería leer en los libros anteriores. Si bien no fue gran cosa, aquí lo disfrute mucho más.
El como Tori y Angelo acogieron a Laurie desde el principio me encantó. La amistad de Adriano, Georgi y Augusto me mató de la risa. Rosie llamando gruñón a Adriano y burlándose de todos solo para molestar, la amo jskajs. Y Little Ricky, Big Ricky y Tiny fueron un excelente plus, me tenían riendo un montón JSKAJSKA
Ese epílogo!!! Amé 🗣️🗣️🗣️
⚠️SPOILER: Que Adriano guardara la bala que Rosie recibió por él y lo mandara a hacer collar para usarlo como recordatorio de que lo ama y tenerla siempre cerca ME PARECE LA PICK DEL ROMANCE 🚬🚬🚬🚬
P. D. La verdad sí me emociona mucho el libro de Rosie y Enzo. Me da curiosidad ver como se va a desarrollar. Y tengo la sensación de que el problema de las otras familias no se resolvió del todo y, basándome en la sinopsis de su libro, podrían ser los que causen problemas ahí.
May 28, 2026
Michelle Heard benim için bu kitapla birlikte bitmiştir, Craving Danger için dayandım ama no..
Kanal 7 dizileri bile bu kitaptan daha öngörülemez ve daha heyecanlıydı.. 10 günde 1 kitap çıkarması da ayrı.. Bir sonraki kitap olan Rosie ve Enzoyu okumak isterdim ama onları hayallerimde yaşatacağım..
ay çok kötü çooooook!!!!
Kanal 7 dizileri bile bu kitaptan daha öngörülemez ve daha heyecanlıydı.. 10 günde 1 kitap çıkarması da ayrı.. Bir sonraki kitap olan Rosie ve Enzoyu okumak isterdim ama onları hayallerimde yaşatacağım..
ay çok kötü çooooook!!!!
June 28, 2026
Unfortunately boring!
Did Not Finish
May 29, 2026I’m very disappointed…
If my little niece wrote this, it honestly would’ve been better than whatever this book was. One of the worst books I’ve ever tried to read. I couldn’t even finish it because it was so boring and completely pointless.
The characters had no personality, no dignity, and absolutely no chemistry. I read almost 250 pages, and all it focused on the female lead’s miserable life and the male lead money... let’s talk about her first She dated a lazy man for six years, cleaned after him like a maid, worked while he sat around playing video games, and she still stayed with him …he even order food so he can eat it or keep little slice of pizza on open air while the fly over it for her so she can eat it …iam sorry but how could she stay with him I was mad really mad I mean does she have any dignity at all !!! While though she had feelings that he was cheating on her but she stayed with him!! Just because she had nowhere else to go
She let them both her bf and his sister insult her and throw her out.. anyway now let’s talk about the male lead who sees her once, decides he’s in love with her, and wants to marry her and he decides to stalking her. Why? Because she was pretty and he loved her from the first sight just like that ? That’s not romance, that’s nonsense. It made absolutely no sense to me how someone could fall in love that fast or become obsessed with a woman just because he saw her walking down the street.
The entire book felt like a bunch of nonsense dragged across pages. Honestly, if I had forced myself to finish it, I would’ve given it a negative ten not even a zero. What a complete mess.
What makes me even more upset is that the author is actually amazing and usually knows how to write great books… so what the hell was this?
If my little niece wrote this, it honestly would’ve been better than whatever this book was. One of the worst books I’ve ever tried to read. I couldn’t even finish it because it was so boring and completely pointless.
The characters had no personality, no dignity, and absolutely no chemistry. I read almost 250 pages, and all it focused on the female lead’s miserable life and the male lead money... let’s talk about her first She dated a lazy man for six years, cleaned after him like a maid, worked while he sat around playing video games, and she still stayed with him …he even order food so he can eat it or keep little slice of pizza on open air while the fly over it for her so she can eat it …iam sorry but how could she stay with him I was mad really mad I mean does she have any dignity at all !!! While though she had feelings that he was cheating on her but she stayed with him!! Just because she had nowhere else to go
She let them both her bf and his sister insult her and throw her out.. anyway now let’s talk about the male lead who sees her once, decides he’s in love with her, and wants to marry her and he decides to stalking her. Why? Because she was pretty and he loved her from the first sight just like that ? That’s not romance, that’s nonsense. It made absolutely no sense to me how someone could fall in love that fast or become obsessed with a woman just because he saw her walking down the street.
The entire book felt like a bunch of nonsense dragged across pages. Honestly, if I had forced myself to finish it, I would’ve given it a negative ten not even a zero. What a complete mess.
What makes me even more upset is that the author is actually amazing and usually knows how to write great books… so what the hell was this?
Did Not Finish
June 2, 2026DNF 22%
Don’t like the FMC, one second she’s scared bambi and literally the next one she’s trying to act tough (while failing miserably)
She couldn’t give a peace of mind to her cheating bf and his bitchy sister for treating her like absolute garbage, but is snapping at person who’s clearly powerful - the mmc and his man - seconds after she begged him not to kill her?
She agreed to his deal, while pleading on her knees for his help, and then she’s throwing a fit about it?
Really?
Don’t like the FMC, one second she’s scared bambi and literally the next one she’s trying to act tough (while failing miserably)
She couldn’t give a peace of mind to her cheating bf and his bitchy sister for treating her like absolute garbage, but is snapping at person who’s clearly powerful - the mmc and his man - seconds after she begged him not to kill her?
She agreed to his deal, while pleading on her knees for his help, and then she’s throwing a fit about it?
Really?
June 1, 2026
"El poder que mi pequeña mariposa tiene sobre mí debería aterrarme, pero en cambio me hace jurarle devoción. Ella es el único ser que fue creado para mí. Mi persona. Mi verdadero amor"
Adriano realmente fue un hombre obsesivo y enamorado de Laurie y fue lo que ella necesitaba para sentir por primera vez en su vida amada y protegida por una persona que realmente valoraba su presencia y le dió una familia. Todo muy lindo entre ellos y siempre soy fan de las venganzas 🧚🏻♀️
Adriano realmente fue un hombre obsesivo y enamorado de Laurie y fue lo que ella necesitaba para sentir por primera vez en su vida amada y protegida por una persona que realmente valoraba su presencia y le dió una familia. Todo muy lindo entre ellos y siempre soy fan de las venganzas 🧚🏻♀️
May 30, 2026
“because since I laid eyes on you, I’ve been fucking obsessed. Nothing on this planet will stop me from having you.”
throw me in a room with him, I'LL EAT HIM UP
throw me in a room with him, I'LL EAT HIM UP
June 4, 2026
Laurie is in a relationship and stuck in it because if she says anything or does anything wrong she loses her job, house and she'll be homeless. 😡😡😡 so she's ignored underappreciated, being bullied by her bf and his family. She knows something is up. But she has to suck it up. She meets Adriano from far away. But nothing happens on her side. Little did she know she caught a stalker in him lol. He follows her around buying his time. He almost missed his mark when she was about to strip on stage when she was broken up, kicked out of her apartment.
Things went 0 to 100 when he offered her money but secretly it was a deal. Be at his Beck and call and get 10 mill. To good to be true. But what's alittle lie lol. Marragie in there and a fresh newbie into there world. Laurie doesn’t know anything about there world. So it's new but shes loved strong by everyone in that household.
Drama is there not between them just the mafia world. Laurie fits in perfectly. The spice was good the characters were amazing.
No ow/tiny om, no cheating, secondary characters, drama, sexy times, no virgins
Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶
Slowinsta
36H/25h
Graphic murder
Cheating (not between mains)
Verbal abuse
Violence
Forced marriage
Praise kink
No condom
Torture scenes
Mental abuse (not by the mmc)
Homeless fmc
Degradation
Hea
Epilogue
Things went 0 to 100 when he offered her money but secretly it was a deal. Be at his Beck and call and get 10 mill. To good to be true. But what's alittle lie lol. Marragie in there and a fresh newbie into there world. Laurie doesn’t know anything about there world. So it's new but shes loved strong by everyone in that household.
Drama is there not between them just the mafia world. Laurie fits in perfectly. The spice was good the characters were amazing.
No ow/tiny om, no cheating, secondary characters, drama, sexy times, no virgins
Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶
Slowinsta
36H/25h
Graphic murder
Cheating (not between mains)
Verbal abuse
Violence
Forced marriage
Praise kink
No condom
Torture scenes
Mental abuse (not by the mmc)
Homeless fmc
Degradation
Hea
Epilogue
May 31, 2026
Dnf
فيه شي غلط عجست اكملها فكرة ان البطل حبها وصار مهووس فيها من نظره وحده بالشارع وهي تمشي مو مقنعة وبعدين تعاملها وشخصيتها حسيت فيها شي غلط فيها لانه جدا غريب تعاملها مع البطل و اول مره اشوف بطلة تفرح لما تحصل فلوس وبعد ومافيها شي يشد الانتباه اني اكملها😭
فيه شي غلط عجست اكملها فكرة ان البطل حبها وصار مهووس فيها من نظره وحده بالشارع وهي تمشي مو مقنعة وبعدين تعاملها وشخصيتها حسيت فيها شي غلط فيها لانه جدا غريب تعاملها مع البطل و اول مره اشوف بطلة تفرح لما تحصل فلوس وبعد ومافيها شي يشد الانتباه اني اكملها😭
June 5, 2026
It pains me to say that it was just okay. I don’t mind the insta love- OTT obsessive MMC (here for it) …
June 5, 2026
»You belong at my side, Laurie. Spoiled. Protected. Worshiped. You will never want for anything again.«
★ ★ ★
❥ 𝑳𝒂𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒆 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
I really liked her. She‘s strong, open minded and adapts quickly to her new situation.
❥ 𝑨𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒐 ⋆✮
He‘s the typical red flag mafia boss but in a good and protective way. Well written man.
✥ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
I enjoyed this book but it didn‘t hit as hard as previous books by the author. I don‘t know if it was the right decision to continue this universe instead of starting a new one. Normally I love reading about the children but these books aren‘t quite hitting the right spot. They feel overly dramatic and at the same time like very other book. I can‘t describe it but the special something is missing.
Laurie and Adriano are cute and it was insta obsession turned to insta love. I had fun and a good time. I wish they would‘ve got more time to actually fall in love but it is what it is.
So overall not a bad book but not one of the best from the author.
𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?
Maybe.
𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝟓 ׂㅤ𐙚 ࣪ ⭒
plot: 3/5
spice: 3/5
humor: 4/5
couple/tension: 4/5
world building: 4/5
happy end?: yes
𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 ₊ ⊹
possessive and protective hero, forced proximity, dark romance, italian mafia, morally dark mmc, kidnapping, captive x captor, he falls first and harder, found family, slow burn, touch her and die, forced marriage, instant obsession/love
★ ★ ★
❥ 𝑳𝒂𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒆 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
I really liked her. She‘s strong, open minded and adapts quickly to her new situation.
❥ 𝑨𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒐 ⋆✮
He‘s the typical red flag mafia boss but in a good and protective way. Well written man.
✥ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
I enjoyed this book but it didn‘t hit as hard as previous books by the author. I don‘t know if it was the right decision to continue this universe instead of starting a new one. Normally I love reading about the children but these books aren‘t quite hitting the right spot. They feel overly dramatic and at the same time like very other book. I can‘t describe it but the special something is missing.
Laurie and Adriano are cute and it was insta obsession turned to insta love. I had fun and a good time. I wish they would‘ve got more time to actually fall in love but it is what it is.
So overall not a bad book but not one of the best from the author.
𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?
Maybe.
𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝟓 ׂㅤ𐙚 ࣪ ⭒
plot: 3/5
spice: 3/5
humor: 4/5
couple/tension: 4/5
world building: 4/5
happy end?: yes
𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 ₊ ⊹
possessive and protective hero, forced proximity, dark romance, italian mafia, morally dark mmc, kidnapping, captive x captor, he falls first and harder, found family, slow burn, touch her and die, forced marriage, instant obsession/love
May 29, 2026
a man completely obsessed
This was a good one. I always love Michelle Heards books. This wasn’t my favorite of the series though. I did love how much Adriano was absolutely and completely obsessed with Laurie. How he made her feel like she was special when she had never had anyone who loved her so completely. That was super cute. I enjoyed the characters and story more from some of the earlier books in this series. But Michelle always delivers a good mafia romance
This was a good one. I always love Michelle Heards books. This wasn’t my favorite of the series though. I did love how much Adriano was absolutely and completely obsessed with Laurie. How he made her feel like she was special when she had never had anyone who loved her so completely. That was super cute. I enjoyed the characters and story more from some of the earlier books in this series. But Michelle always delivers a good mafia romance
September 2, 2026
más flojo que los anteriores
May 28, 2026
Meh better than the last one tho!
Safety
No v’s h only been with 2 people, not a lot on history about H, I highlighted when it was mentioned
Safety
No v’s h only been with 2 people, not a lot on history about H, I highlighted when it was mentioned
June 4, 2026
3.75🌟!
Enjoyable read.
KU, TW, safe and recommended.
Enjoyable read.
KU, TW, safe and recommended.
June 3, 2026
***4 "La mia farfalla!!!" stars***
"She's the one being who was made for me. My person. My true love."
Like father, like son!!!
And that's the reality here, you guys!!! Adrianno bypassed his father by long time!!!
Yes, he was unhinged and dangerous, but for Laurie... he was becoming a different man, a tender one... and I loved that!!!
I like the second generation of the 'Kings of Mafia' series and I am over enjoying their stories... But honestly, I am always enjoying Michelle's books, no matter what she deals with in them... She is my guilty pleasure!!! Always emotional, fast paced and with turns that you could not see!!!
In here, we were more forcused on the healing and romance part and the action was very tamed, but I had no problem with that!!!
"Just like my fathe, I'll take what I want."
Adriano Rizzo was the eldest of the five capos of the Nostra Cosa and the most protective of the rest of the gang!!!
A glare to an unknown woman, that he just saw out of his club, turned him to an unreasonable and possessive man with stalking tendencies!!! And from the moment he decided that this woman would be his, he was determined to steal, lie and cheat to have her!!!
Laurie had nothing to do with this world, but her life had become a nightmare...
When she found herself broke, homeless and betrayed, she made a suprising move that turned her world upside down...
Now, she is under Adriano's thump and she doesn't know how to deal with him...
She is bound legally to him and he is determined only for death to do them part!!! So what will she do???
"Mine. All. Fucking. Mine."
Laurie broke my heart in here... Everyone was treating her so poorly and I was mad on her behalf... This girl was thirsty to belong somewhere and to be loved....
In her surprise, in the most unexpected place, her wish would come true...
Adrianno was obsessed with this woman, but in a beautiful way... Yep, he tricked her, but he was determined to give her the world and not only in material ways, but in emotional ways too... This man was so dreamy from that aspect and I have loved him fiercely!!!
"Give me a chance, Laurie. I promise you won't regret it."
Of course, I liked seeing the rest of the bunch in here...
And I loved Tori and Angelo as parents....
And now, I can not wait for Enzo and Rosie's story!!! I am so excited!!!
**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**
"She's the one being who was made for me. My person. My true love."
Like father, like son!!!
And that's the reality here, you guys!!! Adrianno bypassed his father by long time!!!
Yes, he was unhinged and dangerous, but for Laurie... he was becoming a different man, a tender one... and I loved that!!!
I like the second generation of the 'Kings of Mafia' series and I am over enjoying their stories... But honestly, I am always enjoying Michelle's books, no matter what she deals with in them... She is my guilty pleasure!!! Always emotional, fast paced and with turns that you could not see!!!
In here, we were more forcused on the healing and romance part and the action was very tamed, but I had no problem with that!!!
"Just like my fathe, I'll take what I want."
Adriano Rizzo was the eldest of the five capos of the Nostra Cosa and the most protective of the rest of the gang!!!
A glare to an unknown woman, that he just saw out of his club, turned him to an unreasonable and possessive man with stalking tendencies!!! And from the moment he decided that this woman would be his, he was determined to steal, lie and cheat to have her!!!
Laurie had nothing to do with this world, but her life had become a nightmare...
When she found herself broke, homeless and betrayed, she made a suprising move that turned her world upside down...
Now, she is under Adriano's thump and she doesn't know how to deal with him...
She is bound legally to him and he is determined only for death to do them part!!! So what will she do???
"Mine. All. Fucking. Mine."
Laurie broke my heart in here... Everyone was treating her so poorly and I was mad on her behalf... This girl was thirsty to belong somewhere and to be loved....
In her surprise, in the most unexpected place, her wish would come true...
Adrianno was obsessed with this woman, but in a beautiful way... Yep, he tricked her, but he was determined to give her the world and not only in material ways, but in emotional ways too... This man was so dreamy from that aspect and I have loved him fiercely!!!
"Give me a chance, Laurie. I promise you won't regret it."
Of course, I liked seeing the rest of the bunch in here...
And I loved Tori and Angelo as parents....
And now, I can not wait for Enzo and Rosie's story!!! I am so excited!!!
**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**
June 3, 2026
3.5
Me gustó bastante, pero me faltó venganza
Me gustó bastante, pero me faltó venganza
May 31, 2026
Sorry, este libro no fue para mi. Siento que realmente no sucedió nada en toda la historia, me ilusionó pensar que sería como la historia de Tori y Angelo, pero no. Creo que la química de los personajes estuvo muy forzada.
May 31, 2026
ꍏꋪꏳ ꋪꏂ꒦ꀤꏂꅐ
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨 - 𝖠𝖽𝗋𝗂𝖺𝗇𝗈
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐞 - 𝖫𝖺𝗎𝗋𝗂𝖾
4.5 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐎𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧
If you thought Angelo Rizzo was a man obsessed and 100% possessive of his woman. Well, this is the 2.0 version of him, and it's his son, Adriano Rizzo.
When we started this series, we didn't know much aside from the fact that he is the eldest from all the OG's kids, and I loved every second of his book.
Laurie, from page one, she doesn't get a break. She puts everything into her job, she gives her fullest to her relationship, only to be betrayed and threatened.
She tries her best to find a job, only to be turned away, and when she makes the ultimate sacrifice and enters a strip club to work, it comes to a screeching halt.
Adriano, he is one of five Capo's in the Cosa Nostra, he is just as ruthless and feared, but loyal and protective of his loved ones. He is the eldest, brother and cousin (pseudo) to everyone and though he isn't the Capo De Capi, he has a sense of responsibility when it comes to the ones younger than him...and I loved it.
When he sees Laurie for the first time he becomes a man possessed...and he will make her his...
The fourth book in the second generation, and I couldn't get enough. Michelle, knows how to hit every emotion when writing and just when you thought everything will be okay, she hit you with something else 💔
Adriano's feelings were instant, he was possessive, obsessed & oh so jealous.
Laurie, it had to take her time to trust but her connection to the Rizzo family. Loved it. ❤️
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨 🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐞 💋💋💋💋💋
𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 🥵
𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 📚📚📚📚.5
𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 💧💧
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨 - 𝖠𝖽𝗋𝗂𝖺𝗇𝗈
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐞 - 𝖫𝖺𝗎𝗋𝗂𝖾
4.5 𝘋𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐎𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐧
If you thought Angelo Rizzo was a man obsessed and 100% possessive of his woman. Well, this is the 2.0 version of him, and it's his son, Adriano Rizzo.
When we started this series, we didn't know much aside from the fact that he is the eldest from all the OG's kids, and I loved every second of his book.
Laurie, from page one, she doesn't get a break. She puts everything into her job, she gives her fullest to her relationship, only to be betrayed and threatened.
She tries her best to find a job, only to be turned away, and when she makes the ultimate sacrifice and enters a strip club to work, it comes to a screeching halt.
Adriano, he is one of five Capo's in the Cosa Nostra, he is just as ruthless and feared, but loyal and protective of his loved ones. He is the eldest, brother and cousin (pseudo) to everyone and though he isn't the Capo De Capi, he has a sense of responsibility when it comes to the ones younger than him...and I loved it.
When he sees Laurie for the first time he becomes a man possessed...and he will make her his...
The fourth book in the second generation, and I couldn't get enough. Michelle, knows how to hit every emotion when writing and just when you thought everything will be okay, she hit you with something else 💔
Adriano's feelings were instant, he was possessive, obsessed & oh so jealous.
Laurie, it had to take her time to trust but her connection to the Rizzo family. Loved it. ❤️
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨 🔫🔫🔫🔫🔫
𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐞 💋💋💋💋💋
𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 🥵
𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 📚📚📚📚.5
𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 💧💧
September 9, 2026
This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review. Also my tags may have spoilers in them so be forewarned before checking out full review.
Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨
First Impressions
Vicious Devil is the ninth book in the “Kings of Mafia” series, and this is the second-to-last book in the series, and this features Adriano’s book. Adriano is best friends with the two heroes from the two previous books, so it was so much fun to get to see his story come to life here. This will easily be a story that will hook you pretty quickly. Michelle Heard has such easy writing that is very compelling. Vicious Devil has its own dark elements, but I appreciated how it was handled. It’s been a while since I have read a mafia and a homeless or poor heroine. This style of dynamics doesn’t tend to get written as much as it used to. In reality, the rags-to-riches trope isn’t really touched on too often, but I really appreciated how Heard blended this all into such a powerful evoking story. It’s not perfect, but it’s a solid read and kept me hooked from beginning to end.
The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Adriano
The Heroine: Laurie
What I Loved
Vicious Devil is the ninth book in the “Kings of Mafia” series, and this is the second-to-last book in the series, and this features Adriano’s book. Adriano is best friends with the two heroes from the two previous books, so it was so much fun to get to see his story come to life here. This will easily be a story that will hook you pretty quickly. Michelle Heard has such easy writing that is very compelling. Vicious Devil has its own dark elements, but I appreciated how it was handled. It’s been a while since I have read a mafia and a homeless or poor heroine. This style of dynamics doesn’t tend to get written as much as it used to. In reality, the rags-to-riches trope isn’t really touched on too often, but I really appreciated how Heard blended this all into such a powerful evoking story. It’s not perfect, but it’s a solid read and kept me hooked from beginning to end.
What I Struggled With
Not much to be honest. I felt like the beginning was a bit sluggish in its moments, and it takes a while before we truly see Adriano and Laurie come together. It could have happened a bit more quickly. And the marriage scene seemed rushed and I would have preferred that to be more drawn out than their meet-cute was. However, other than that, once they are actually married, the book was perfection for me.
Overall View
I found Vicious Devil to be a powerful, invoking romance that melted my heart, tore through my emotions, and delivered a swoony romance readers would die for!
Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Dark Romance
Character Types: Mafia, Morally Grey, Billionaire/Mr. Moneybags, Abused FMC/Softer Heroine
Themes: Tear Jerker, Forced Marriage
Tropes: Marriage of Convenience, Instant Love Connection, Forced Proximity
Book Perspective
Duo POV
Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Both
If you like these authors, I recommend This Book
Cora Reilly
Neva Altaj
Gabrielle Sands
Recommendation For Reading Order
Yes
Steam/Spice Explanations
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.
I have updated the links for my graphics to my blog
June 2, 2026
My rating is mostly for the first 1/2. I laughed a lot at the heroine’s POV. (Possible spoilers ahead) The MMC was down bad for the heroine. It’s was INSTA everything, full speed ahead.
FULL SPEED
I’d consider this mafia-lite.
I was surprised the spice didn’t really happen until over 70% in. But then I had to remind myself the MCs only knew each other for about a week at this point. 😂
If you’re into to OTT/P and controlling insta love MMC who yell out MINE MINE MINE while they burn the world down for their FMC, then you’ll probably like this one. Is it believable? Heck
No but it’s fun.
I thought after the wedding, the funny parts disappeared and the heroine became kind of boring. It was like she was begging everybody to love her.
Since I haven’t read other books in this series, I was a little lost when we started to meet more characters from previous books.
Little Ricky had me 😂😂😂
“I don’t want to destroy you.” Lifting his head, he takes my wide eyes captive. “I’m fucking obsessed with you, Laurie. I want to own every single part of you.”
He’s giving me the same vibes as Joe from You. The psychopath who stalked women, became obsessed with them, then ended up killing them”
FULL SPEED
I’d consider this mafia-lite.
I was surprised the spice didn’t really happen until over 70% in. But then I had to remind myself the MCs only knew each other for about a week at this point. 😂
If you’re into to OTT/P and controlling insta love MMC who yell out MINE MINE MINE while they burn the world down for their FMC, then you’ll probably like this one. Is it believable? Heck
No but it’s fun.
I thought after the wedding, the funny parts disappeared and the heroine became kind of boring. It was like she was begging everybody to love her.
Since I haven’t read other books in this series, I was a little lost when we started to meet more characters from previous books.
Little Ricky had me 😂😂😂
“I don’t want to destroy you.” Lifting his head, he takes my wide eyes captive. “I’m fucking obsessed with you, Laurie. I want to own every single part of you.”
He’s giving me the same vibes as Joe from You. The psychopath who stalked women, became obsessed with them, then ended up killing them”
August 4, 2026
This book was, unfortunately, really disappointing. I absolutely love the entire Casa Nostra universe and have been devouring every book, so when I picked this one up, I thought the series couldn’t possibly get any better. Instead, this ended up being my least favourite by far.
The entire premise made me feel incredibly uncomfortable. He essentially forces a broken, traumatised girl into a relationship, has her sign a legally binding marriage contract, and then repeatedly tells her that she has no choice but to fall in love with him. Even his parents were completely supportive of it, which surprised me because I absolutely loved their book. Not to mention all of the other characters were like “finally!” 👀 what do you mean finally…
What made it even harder to believe was how quickly she gave in to him. One moment she was terrified that he was going to kill her because he was a criminal, and then only a day or two later she was already falling for him. The emotional progression just didn’t feel believable to me.
Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me.
The entire premise made me feel incredibly uncomfortable. He essentially forces a broken, traumatised girl into a relationship, has her sign a legally binding marriage contract, and then repeatedly tells her that she has no choice but to fall in love with him. Even his parents were completely supportive of it, which surprised me because I absolutely loved their book. Not to mention all of the other characters were like “finally!” 👀 what do you mean finally…
What made it even harder to believe was how quickly she gave in to him. One moment she was terrified that he was going to kill her because he was a criminal, and then only a day or two later she was already falling for him. The emotional progression just didn’t feel believable to me.
Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me.
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