ARC provided by LoveNotes PR in exchange for honest review.
Heir of Fire tells the story of Finn Kingsley, reluctant heir to the Kingsley mafia empire, and Gianna Moretti, dancing prodigy and Finn's sister's best friend. When Finn is dragged back into the family fold after months of self sabotage, he sees Gianna in a very different light. She knows he's trouble, that them being together will cause family drama, but she can't stay away. Can they sneak around forever without the family finding out? Or will they have to face the music and fight for each other?
This is a very character and relationship driven novel - whilst there is plot, it very much feels secondary. I'm not objecting to it, I think it works well in this spicy mafia romance - but I can see why some readers may be put off by that. Both Finn and Gianna are battling their demons - him, the death of his abusive father and having to face picking up the reins of the empire, and her, passing her dance recital and wishing that her flighty mother would leave her life for good. They recognise the similarities in their trauma, and it helps bond them together. Finn is everything Gianna shouldn't want, but she can't resist him. He knows she should be off-limits, but she's his Princess. Their initial chemistry leans towards enemies-to-lovers, but they quickly move past that - maybe a little too quickly. I'd like to have seen a bit more development of the love story, but it burns bright and hot, very much like the characters. The "F*** it" moment is *chef's kiss* (I am a SUCKER for those moments) and it ignites the spice which is a medium-high heat.
Something I feel that Lejla Muric represented well was the mental pain that both characters experience, particularly Gianna. Her panic attacks are described well, and if you have been on the unfortunate end of one, you can absolutely empathise with Gianna's experience. Her dancing until she blots out her mental pain with physical pain is also relatable. It is very well written.
I haven't read book one in the series, so admittedly I was at a disadvantage coming into this book with previous events impacting the storyline. However, I did feel it was relatively easy to pick up the threads and it didn't feel like it had any effect on my enjoyment of the book. This is on the lighter side of the mafia romance genre, with far more love story than gangster dealings, which was unusual but not at all unpleasant. I believe book one to be much the other way, and I look forward to reading it before book 3 comes out!
Overall, this was an enjoyable, spicy mafia romance. If you're looking for the more violent side of mafia romance, this is not the book for you. If you like character driven romance, with a sense of jeopardy and trauma, dive right in!
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book!