What do you think?
Rate this book
Reckless Need
MARCO
I was given one order—watch her.
Not want her. Not touch her.
Definitely not make her mine.
But Elena Messina is a beautiful disaster—sharp-tongued, reckless, and hiding secrets that could destroy us all.
She slips past my men like smoke, plays games she doesn't understand, and walks straight into danger with those caramel eyes wide open.
My job is to uncover her secrets.
To keep her from becoming a threat.
But the more I watch her, the more I crave her.
I'm not her savior. I'm her shadow.
The consigliere who's seen too much blood to pretend I'm anything but deadly.
And I'll protect her from the Irish, her father's debts, and every threat that comes her way.
Even if the most dangerous thing in her life… is falling for me.
ELENA
I’ve lived my whole life under surveillance, waiting for the Rosso men to decide I’m just like my father—a traitor.
Maybe they’re right.
Maybe I’ve inherited more than his debts.
Now Marco Conti, the Consigliere himself, has moved into my world.
Brooding, relentless, devastatingly handsome.
He treats me like a problem to solve.
A responsibility.
But I see the way he kisses me against my door.
Like he's already lost.
Because I might be his assignment, but I'm the one he can’t seem to escape.
I was given one order—watch her.
Not want her. Not touch her.
Definitely not make her mine.
But Elena Messina is a beautiful disaster—sharp-tongued, reckless, and hiding secrets that could destroy us all.
She slips past my men like smoke, plays games she doesn't understand, and walks straight into danger with those caramel eyes wide open.
My job is to uncover her secrets.
To keep her from becoming a threat.
But the more I watch her, the more I crave her.
I'm not her savior. I'm her shadow.
The consigliere who's seen too much blood to pretend I'm anything but deadly.
And I'll protect her from the Irish, her father's debts, and every threat that comes her way.
Even if the most dangerous thing in her life… is falling for me.
ELENA
I’ve lived my whole life under surveillance, waiting for the Rosso men to decide I’m just like my father—a traitor.
Maybe they’re right.
Maybe I’ve inherited more than his debts.
Now Marco Conti, the Consigliere himself, has moved into my world.
Brooding, relentless, devastatingly handsome.
He treats me like a problem to solve.
A responsibility.
But I see the way he kisses me against my door.
Like he's already lost.
Because I might be his assignment, but I'm the one he can’t seem to escape.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 18, 2025
9 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 19, 2025
This was my first book by Ms Vox and I found myself engaged with the mob story of Marco Conti and Elena Messina. Granted, this is Book 3, I believe of the series, but I wasn't completely lost as I was introduced into a world full of secrets, action, defending in the name of family and love, betrayals, and a couple trying to navigate an attraction that has placed them both in close living proximity. Her apartment to be exact.😂 Get ready for OTT teasing, ridiculous cat and mouse playing, secrets that Elena keeps holding back, looks that betray secret wants, and tension for about half of the book.💋💋💋 And some mob underworld happenings.
Marco has become a bodyguard, a protector, tracker of Elena, as a favor to Vito. Don Vito knew Elena's mother who had already passed, but exiled her father for his past indiscretions to the family. There has been a war between the Italians and the Irish families for a long time. Does Marco want to be near the flirty woman who keeps ignoring the protection that has been assigned to her? Yes. And no. See the very tall and extremely attractive man with black hair and green eyes ((he's a devoted hottie ya'll😘)) was invested in Elena. Secretly. He was older, 39 to her 23. But that man was nothing but caring, over-protective, smart, touch her and see what happens to you in the next 5 seconds type of alpha male.💣💣💣💣 He commands the space without being a jerk about it. Well, Elena may beg to differ.hehe I loved the guy. This man lit up the story every time he was on the page.🥰 Go Marco. Gooo!! Resilient and dedicated with his entire being. But you would never know it! He was a quiet storm.🤣🤣🤫
I had a problem with Elena. I get she had her reasons for doing what she was doing, taking on problems that have fallen to her b/c of her father. I won't spoil all of what that was here. But the things she would do got annoying.😒😮💨 Yes, she was 23, but the risks, the audacity to keep walking a fine line that kept putting her in perilous situations, where Marco kept rescuing her from, was overly done. Once. Twice. Okay. Three. Four. Can we not! But to keep stating she could handle it, uhhh gurll, who are you trying to fool here. You need to wake up!!! This was some shady 💩 situations in a world that will destroy you and then spit you out without a second thought. What are you doing?!!! But Elena had no concept of it or she thought she was above it. She was immature, a brat at times. Kept repeating: I'm just a job for you, Marco but desperately would sway her hips to get his attention. Game playing.🙄 She can't even take care of a knife wound that happened. Marco did that for her. I expected more from her instead of this girl playing a game of high stakes with a man that doesn't play games. Forget about your plants. Wait a day. That move played exactly as expected. Ohhhh by the way!!!!
🚩🚩 Read the TWs. This wasn't an overly dark mob story, well, not till the end, so be aware there are situations that might be triggering for some readers. I wasn't expecting that ending.🤯 Uh. So there's that.🚩🚩
I enjoyed it but then....🤐 This does move quickly. Sometimes it lagged or got repetitive when sentences that one chapter stated, repeated again in the next one. The spice was medium.😙😙😙 The world building was there. The characters were interesting. Elena. I don't know how to feel about that situation or character. Was it a wake up call? A lesson for her? I don't know.🔪 I wasn't expecting revenge and destruction would lead to sudden healing and desire. It left a weird feeling to the story imo. I think Marco deserved better. It's a toss up between HFN to HEA.🤷🏻 If you like mob stories with a twist then you should check this one out. I like the book cover with 'Marco' on it. Happy reading. *•>§<•*❤️❤️❤️
💁♀️🤵🏻Thank you to Ms Vox and Midnight Readers PR for an early book. The opinions shared here are my own.🤵🏻💁♀️
Marco has become a bodyguard, a protector, tracker of Elena, as a favor to Vito. Don Vito knew Elena's mother who had already passed, but exiled her father for his past indiscretions to the family. There has been a war between the Italians and the Irish families for a long time. Does Marco want to be near the flirty woman who keeps ignoring the protection that has been assigned to her? Yes. And no. See the very tall and extremely attractive man with black hair and green eyes ((he's a devoted hottie ya'll😘)) was invested in Elena. Secretly. He was older, 39 to her 23. But that man was nothing but caring, over-protective, smart, touch her and see what happens to you in the next 5 seconds type of alpha male.💣💣💣💣 He commands the space without being a jerk about it. Well, Elena may beg to differ.hehe I loved the guy. This man lit up the story every time he was on the page.🥰 Go Marco. Gooo!! Resilient and dedicated with his entire being. But you would never know it! He was a quiet storm.🤣🤣🤫
I had a problem with Elena. I get she had her reasons for doing what she was doing, taking on problems that have fallen to her b/c of her father. I won't spoil all of what that was here. But the things she would do got annoying.😒😮💨 Yes, she was 23, but the risks, the audacity to keep walking a fine line that kept putting her in perilous situations, where Marco kept rescuing her from, was overly done. Once. Twice. Okay. Three. Four. Can we not! But to keep stating she could handle it, uhhh gurll, who are you trying to fool here. You need to wake up!!! This was some shady 💩 situations in a world that will destroy you and then spit you out without a second thought. What are you doing?!!! But Elena had no concept of it or she thought she was above it. She was immature, a brat at times. Kept repeating: I'm just a job for you, Marco but desperately would sway her hips to get his attention. Game playing.🙄 She can't even take care of a knife wound that happened. Marco did that for her. I expected more from her instead of this girl playing a game of high stakes with a man that doesn't play games. Forget about your plants. Wait a day. That move played exactly as expected. Ohhhh by the way!!!!
🚩🚩 Read the TWs. This wasn't an overly dark mob story, well, not till the end, so be aware there are situations that might be triggering for some readers. I wasn't expecting that ending.🤯 Uh. So there's that.🚩🚩
I enjoyed it but then....🤐 This does move quickly. Sometimes it lagged or got repetitive when sentences that one chapter stated, repeated again in the next one. The spice was medium.😙😙😙 The world building was there. The characters were interesting. Elena. I don't know how to feel about that situation or character. Was it a wake up call? A lesson for her? I don't know.🔪 I wasn't expecting revenge and destruction would lead to sudden healing and desire. It left a weird feeling to the story imo. I think Marco deserved better. It's a toss up between HFN to HEA.🤷🏻 If you like mob stories with a twist then you should check this one out. I like the book cover with 'Marco' on it. Happy reading. *•>§<•*❤️❤️❤️
💁♀️🤵🏻Thank you to Ms Vox and Midnight Readers PR for an early book. The opinions shared here are my own.🤵🏻💁♀️
December 11, 2025
✦ 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 5✨
✦ 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 - Dec 18, 2025
✦ 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 -
• mafia romance
• bodyguard
• opposite attraction
• slow burn
• strong fierce FMC
• obsessed hero
• dangerous villains
✦ 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 -
Marco is assigned to watch Elena Messina — not want her, not touch her, just watch. But Elena is sharp, reckless, and fearless, slipping past his men and walking straight into danger. Marco, the deadly consigliere, has to protect her from her father’s debts, the Irish, and every threat around her. The more he watches, the more he craves her. Elena has lived under surveillance all her life, unsure if she’s a traitor like her father. But when Marco steps into her world, treating her like a responsibility, the sparks between them are impossible to ignore. What starts as a job becomes a dangerous, irresistible attraction.
Marco is literally the perfect combination of brooding, deadly, and oh-so-hot. Elena is fierce, sharp, and doesn’t back down even when surrounded by danger. The chemistry between them is unreal, the tension kept me hooked, and omg the action scenes were. I loved how Marco didn’t leave Elena’s side no matter how risky it got that loyalty felt so real and made me emotional 😭.
This book is everything I wanted from a mafia romance. The villains were truly dangerous, and the stakes were intense, which made every chapter edge-of-your-seat thrilling. Elena’s strength and courage, despite everything she’s been through, made her such a relatable heroine. Marco’s protective yet conflicted nature gave me all the heart-eyes moments.
The slow burn between them was perfect - it wasn’t rushed, every glance, every moment, every touch was building into something unforgettable. The bodyguard + mafia romance vibe is my absolute favorite, and Lena Vox executed it flawlessly. I laughed, I swooned, I cried a lot in last few chapters and I could not put it down.
Highly recommend this to all my mafia lovers and anyone who enjoys bodyguard & forced proximity with high tension, steamy moments, and dangerously complex characters.
Thank you so much midnight readers for the free ARC!
✦ 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 - Dec 18, 2025
✦ 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 -
• mafia romance
• bodyguard
• opposite attraction
• slow burn
• strong fierce FMC
• obsessed hero
• dangerous villains
✦ 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 -
Marco is assigned to watch Elena Messina — not want her, not touch her, just watch. But Elena is sharp, reckless, and fearless, slipping past his men and walking straight into danger. Marco, the deadly consigliere, has to protect her from her father’s debts, the Irish, and every threat around her. The more he watches, the more he craves her. Elena has lived under surveillance all her life, unsure if she’s a traitor like her father. But when Marco steps into her world, treating her like a responsibility, the sparks between them are impossible to ignore. What starts as a job becomes a dangerous, irresistible attraction.
Marco is literally the perfect combination of brooding, deadly, and oh-so-hot. Elena is fierce, sharp, and doesn’t back down even when surrounded by danger. The chemistry between them is unreal, the tension kept me hooked, and omg the action scenes were. I loved how Marco didn’t leave Elena’s side no matter how risky it got that loyalty felt so real and made me emotional 😭.
This book is everything I wanted from a mafia romance. The villains were truly dangerous, and the stakes were intense, which made every chapter edge-of-your-seat thrilling. Elena’s strength and courage, despite everything she’s been through, made her such a relatable heroine. Marco’s protective yet conflicted nature gave me all the heart-eyes moments.
The slow burn between them was perfect - it wasn’t rushed, every glance, every moment, every touch was building into something unforgettable. The bodyguard + mafia romance vibe is my absolute favorite, and Lena Vox executed it flawlessly. I laughed, I swooned, I cried a lot in last few chapters and I could not put it down.
Highly recommend this to all my mafia lovers and anyone who enjoys bodyguard & forced proximity with high tension, steamy moments, and dangerously complex characters.
Thank you so much midnight readers for the free ARC!
December 22, 2025
This wasn’t your typical mafia romance book - I appreciated that.
What I really appreciated was Marco - the vision in my head had me calling him daddy 😂😂 idk he just seems like an eye candy! He also seems sensible and loyal to a t. He was doing a job - at some point the lines blurred between it being a job and being his biggest desire.
Elena, Elena, Elena…I’m all for being a bada** FMC but also, how many times are you going to put yourself in the same situation essentially. Here you have this man - willing to burn the world down for you if you just let him in. Her situation was forced upon her due to a gambling debt from her father - with the rival family (Irish mob). She’s always handled everything herself and she plans to keep it that way - she just doesn’t quite realize how dangerous a game she’s playing.
I do think the tension between Marco and Elena kept things interesting but I really wanted him to just say f it earlier! Elena takes the lead and makes the first move - she definitely doesn’t care about the age difference or “being a job” - though him continually saying that is hurtful.
The twist at the end was surprising for sure! Head the trigger warnings though! Overall, it was a good story…it’s book 3 in the series I believe so just take that into consideration. Thank you to @lenavox and @booksprout for the early read - all opinions are my own.
What I really appreciated was Marco - the vision in my head had me calling him daddy 😂😂 idk he just seems like an eye candy! He also seems sensible and loyal to a t. He was doing a job - at some point the lines blurred between it being a job and being his biggest desire.
Elena, Elena, Elena…I’m all for being a bada** FMC but also, how many times are you going to put yourself in the same situation essentially. Here you have this man - willing to burn the world down for you if you just let him in. Her situation was forced upon her due to a gambling debt from her father - with the rival family (Irish mob). She’s always handled everything herself and she plans to keep it that way - she just doesn’t quite realize how dangerous a game she’s playing.
I do think the tension between Marco and Elena kept things interesting but I really wanted him to just say f it earlier! Elena takes the lead and makes the first move - she definitely doesn’t care about the age difference or “being a job” - though him continually saying that is hurtful.
The twist at the end was surprising for sure! Head the trigger warnings though! Overall, it was a good story…it’s book 3 in the series I believe so just take that into consideration. Thank you to @lenavox and @booksprout for the early read - all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The TENSION!! Lord, the tension between Marco and Elena had me breathless and gasping. This book is well done, perfect balance romance, mafia chaos, betrayal, emotion, found family, and healing from trauma.
Now these two are perfect for each other. And I loved how age gap didn't deter Elena from pursuing Marco to have her, because she knew he wanted her as much as she wanted him.
Talking about Marco, I swear that man HOT! His aura, his confidence, the way he talks especially when flirting had me melting, squealing and spiralling in the best way🫠.
When he said "Not too bad for an old man, huh?" I turned into a puddle. He's everything!
Elena is a soft, badass queen and I loved how she took revenge for herself. No one saw that coming and it was a badass move. She and Marco nicely and beautifully complement each other.
🎀Fav Quotes:
✨️"Not too bad for an old man, huh?" - caption
✨️"I like you on your knees before me,"
✨️"You're mine to protect. And I will burn down every Costello operation in this city before I let them hurt you."
✨️"It means you're mine to protect. And I don't walk away from what's mine."
♥️Tropes:
☆Dark Mafia Romance
☆Age Gap - 16yrs
☆Her Bodyguard
☆Grumpy/Sunshine
☆Forbidden
☆Forced Proximity
☆Found Family
☆Possessive MC
☆Overprotective MC
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.⭐️(4.5/5)
Spice Level: 🌶🌶
Now these two are perfect for each other. And I loved how age gap didn't deter Elena from pursuing Marco to have her, because she knew he wanted her as much as she wanted him.
Talking about Marco, I swear that man HOT! His aura, his confidence, the way he talks especially when flirting had me melting, squealing and spiralling in the best way🫠.
When he said "Not too bad for an old man, huh?" I turned into a puddle. He's everything!
Elena is a soft, badass queen and I loved how she took revenge for herself. No one saw that coming and it was a badass move. She and Marco nicely and beautifully complement each other.
🎀Fav Quotes:
✨️"Not too bad for an old man, huh?" - caption
✨️"I like you on your knees before me,"
✨️"You're mine to protect. And I will burn down every Costello operation in this city before I let them hurt you."
✨️"It means you're mine to protect. And I don't walk away from what's mine."
♥️Tropes:
☆Dark Mafia Romance
☆Age Gap - 16yrs
☆Her Bodyguard
☆Grumpy/Sunshine
☆Forbidden
☆Forced Proximity
☆Found Family
☆Possessive MC
☆Overprotective MC
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.⭐️(4.5/5)
Spice Level: 🌶🌶
December 18, 2025
The tension in this one was addicting! Lena's writing is amazing! This was another perfect dark mafia romance!!
#recklessneed #mafia #italian #irish #tensionfordays #forcedproximity
#recklessneed #mafia #italian #irish #tensionfordays #forcedproximity
Review of advance copy received from Author
Okay - this was actually my first read of Lena's (surprising because this book three) but i definitely didnt need to read the others to follow Elena and Marco.
Let me tell you what. I love when these Mafia men are so obsessed before the FMC even knows what obsessed is! Marco is a man who has always knows what he wants and fought himself tooth and nail until he couldn't stay away anymore.
Not only was this book a mafia romance but the plot was good, not the same plot I've read a hundred times. We really got to have build up to Marco and Elena which with the length of this novel isn't always an easy feat. It didn't feel rushed and it felt very natural.
Marco is this badass older man who keeps a watchful eye on the little minx that is Elena. Elena lives up to the Elena name and is feisty, intelligent, sly & a badass. While she does not have it easy she is fiercely strong and tries to handle things on her own. When she finally leans on Marco its such a gift. Also she is so human. Sometimes its easy to make FMCs not relatable but what she experiences and how she responds is so natural and written with respect and accuracy that I wouldn't want anyone to understand but can appreciate.
Please note - while this is a mafia romance it doesnt seem "that dark" when beginning but it does get darker and there are definitely some triggers. Stop reading if you dont want spoilers but triggers - violence, guns, kidnapped, drugged, rape while unconscious (not the MMC ofc), gambling. Im sure there is more I missed!
Only thing that I would critique is that there were times the book would say the almost exact same sentence in different chapters but about the same moment and it wasnt like for the change in pov. If those lines were removed rather than repeated i think it would make an even stronger story.
I cant wait to see what else Lena has in store for us! **i received an e-arc for an honest review **
Let me tell you what. I love when these Mafia men are so obsessed before the FMC even knows what obsessed is! Marco is a man who has always knows what he wants and fought himself tooth and nail until he couldn't stay away anymore.
Not only was this book a mafia romance but the plot was good, not the same plot I've read a hundred times. We really got to have build up to Marco and Elena which with the length of this novel isn't always an easy feat. It didn't feel rushed and it felt very natural.
Marco is this badass older man who keeps a watchful eye on the little minx that is Elena. Elena lives up to the Elena name and is feisty, intelligent, sly & a badass. While she does not have it easy she is fiercely strong and tries to handle things on her own. When she finally leans on Marco its such a gift. Also she is so human. Sometimes its easy to make FMCs not relatable but what she experiences and how she responds is so natural and written with respect and accuracy that I wouldn't want anyone to understand but can appreciate.
Please note - while this is a mafia romance it doesnt seem "that dark" when beginning but it does get darker and there are definitely some triggers. Stop reading if you dont want spoilers but triggers - violence, guns, kidnapped, drugged, rape while unconscious (not the MMC ofc), gambling. Im sure there is more I missed!
Only thing that I would critique is that there were times the book would say the almost exact same sentence in different chapters but about the same moment and it wasnt like for the change in pov. If those lines were removed rather than repeated i think it would make an even stronger story.
I cant wait to see what else Lena has in store for us! **i received an e-arc for an honest review **
December 22, 2025
The latest instalment of the Rosso Mafia series sees Marco Conti moving in with the feisty Elena Messina, supposedly to protect her as a favor to Don Vito, but really to uncover what secrets she could be hiding. Little did Marco know, Elena's got a knack for attracting trouble like bees round a honey pot, and he's stuck playing bodyguard extraordinaire and having to extract her from danger on a regular basis.
If you're a fan of forced proximity and age gap romances, Reckless Need is the book for you – and if it just so happens to feature a morally grey hero and the girl he's sworn to protect, even if she's convinced she doesn't need saving then bonus points. The age gap between Marco and Elena is just enough to add some spice - we're talking a solid 16 years, which, in my humble opinion, is the minimum required to make things interesting. He’s got to be old enough to have legally fathered the heroine! Elena's behaviour, however, often makes her seem younger and slightly immature, but hey, that's all part of her charm. Enter Marco, the brooding hero who was perfect for Elena - protective without being overbearing, and it wasn’t long before she was more than just a job to him, even though he was still reluctant to act on his feelings. Good thing Elena wasn’t a girl to wait on him to make the first move.
If you're a fan of forced proximity and age gap romances, Reckless Need is the book for you – and if it just so happens to feature a morally grey hero and the girl he's sworn to protect, even if she's convinced she doesn't need saving then bonus points. The age gap between Marco and Elena is just enough to add some spice - we're talking a solid 16 years, which, in my humble opinion, is the minimum required to make things interesting. He’s got to be old enough to have legally fathered the heroine! Elena's behaviour, however, often makes her seem younger and slightly immature, but hey, that's all part of her charm. Enter Marco, the brooding hero who was perfect for Elena - protective without being overbearing, and it wasn’t long before she was more than just a job to him, even though he was still reluctant to act on his feelings. Good thing Elena wasn’t a girl to wait on him to make the first move.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Dark and steamy and utterly addictive. This series omg guys this series really has become one of my absolute faves . What you get with Reckless Need ) 🔥Dark Mafia Romance 🔥Age Gap - 16 yrs 🔥Grumpy/ Sunshine 🔥A Morally Gray Possessive and Overprotective MC , 🔥Forbidden, 🔥Forced Proximity and all the steamy emotionally charged moments you could ever want or need . Marco and Elena wow just wow these two were so freaking hot together. The connection and the chemistry between them just insane , the complexities of their relationship and all the different layers to their characters I just found myself completely invested and craving to learn everything about them . Their journey one filled with so many obstacles and moments that are guaranteed to tug on all your heartstrings and keep you reeling with so many unexpected emotions. I really was just taken on the wildest ride and completely blown away in every way imaginable.
December 21, 2025
Body guard
Slow burn
Forbidden love
Jealous possessive hero
Enemies to lovers
Touch her and d@@
Forced proximity
Grumpy sunshine
Mafia
Age gap
Marco and Elena
Elena had been an interesting character from the beginning. She was always in something outside of the expectations of her family. Daring and a little reckless, but not a bad person. She is the daughter of a traitor and feels like she has to answer for his actions.
Marco is the family’s consigliere. He is supposed to keep an eye on her and protect her. He is not supposed to fall for her. She brings out all his possessive and protective traits.
Their relationship is inevitable. The tension and heat between them is too strong,
They can’t get enough of each other’s energy.
There is plenty of action to keep the reader engaged. Angst, banter and danger are part of their journey.
There are some things that may trigger some people so please be aware.
Slow burn
Forbidden love
Jealous possessive hero
Enemies to lovers
Touch her and d@@
Forced proximity
Grumpy sunshine
Mafia
Age gap
Marco and Elena
Elena had been an interesting character from the beginning. She was always in something outside of the expectations of her family. Daring and a little reckless, but not a bad person. She is the daughter of a traitor and feels like she has to answer for his actions.
Marco is the family’s consigliere. He is supposed to keep an eye on her and protect her. He is not supposed to fall for her. She brings out all his possessive and protective traits.
Their relationship is inevitable. The tension and heat between them is too strong,
They can’t get enough of each other’s energy.
There is plenty of action to keep the reader engaged. Angst, banter and danger are part of their journey.
There are some things that may trigger some people so please be aware.
December 21, 2025
Nothing like a steamy mafia romance….
Two of my favorite tropes in a book is mafia romance and age gap. Reckless Need has both.
Don Vito has asked Marco (MMC who is the family’s consigliere) to be the bodyguard of Elena Messina (MFC who has grown up in a mafia family). Marco is to protect Elena from her father’s debts, the Irish, and every threat around her.
Elena is sassy, independent and attractive. Marco is brooding, sexy, and a good shot. She has swag and Marco is attracted to her and all of “her stuff.” This is to a job that is for her protection, however, the sparks, chemistry, and slow burn. 🔥🔥🔥
This story has a good plot with betrayal, discovering who your family is, love, chemistry, and learning their truth.
Story - ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice - 🌶️🌶️🌶️
🖤 Grumpy x Sunshine
🖤 Age Gap (16 years)
🖤 Bodyguard romance
🖤 Forced proximity
🖤 Jealous, possessive MMCs
🖤 Forbidden love
🖤 Trauma and healing together
Two of my favorite tropes in a book is mafia romance and age gap. Reckless Need has both.
Don Vito has asked Marco (MMC who is the family’s consigliere) to be the bodyguard of Elena Messina (MFC who has grown up in a mafia family). Marco is to protect Elena from her father’s debts, the Irish, and every threat around her.
Elena is sassy, independent and attractive. Marco is brooding, sexy, and a good shot. She has swag and Marco is attracted to her and all of “her stuff.” This is to a job that is for her protection, however, the sparks, chemistry, and slow burn. 🔥🔥🔥
This story has a good plot with betrayal, discovering who your family is, love, chemistry, and learning their truth.
Story - ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice - 🌶️🌶️🌶️
🖤 Grumpy x Sunshine
🖤 Age Gap (16 years)
🖤 Bodyguard romance
🖤 Forced proximity
🖤 Jealous, possessive MMCs
🖤 Forbidden love
🖤 Trauma and healing together
Review of advance copy received from Author
Rating 4.5 stars. Received as an ARC and leaving my honest review voluntarily. Note that there is on page violence, death and mention of sexual assault so sensitive readers to please proceed with caution. Marco and Elena's story is a standalone with a HEA but it's part of an interconnected series so the main story arc continues. I didn't read the earlier books and could follow the story well enough but perhaps reading in order might have helped with story flow and identifying who's who. Some parts of the plot felt a little unbelivable and had me re-reading a couple pages/paras just to make sure I didn't miss or had misread something. That said, the story was generally fast paced with enough suspense, steam and character development to keep me engaged.
December 18, 2025
This is the third book in this phenomenal series, and this is Marco and Elena’s story.
Marco is broody, deadly, confident, possessive, and overprotective, while Elena is a fearless, reckless, and strong badass. Marco has been ordered to watch Elena, not want her, and not touch her, and definitely not to make her his, but she has no qualms about slipping past his men, and walking straight into danger.
This is a well written slow burn story, with found family, friendships, emotions, hidden lies, trauma, opposites attract, tension, loyalty, forced proximity, obsession, an age gap, vengeance, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, and thrilling, mafia romance.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
Marco is broody, deadly, confident, possessive, and overprotective, while Elena is a fearless, reckless, and strong badass. Marco has been ordered to watch Elena, not want her, and not touch her, and definitely not to make her his, but she has no qualms about slipping past his men, and walking straight into danger.
This is a well written slow burn story, with found family, friendships, emotions, hidden lies, trauma, opposites attract, tension, loyalty, forced proximity, obsession, an age gap, vengeance, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, and thrilling, mafia romance.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
December 21, 2025
This book hit me right in the chest. Lena Vox delivers an angsty, intimate bodyguard romance where danger and desire blur in the most delicious way. Marco is all restraint, shadows, and “touch her and die” devotion, while Elena—despite being only 23—is written with depth, intelligence, and emotional strength that sets her apart. Her flaw isn’t weakness, but loving too fiercely and believing she can carry everyone’s burdens alone. The portrayal of her trauma is handled with care and respect, and Marco’s quiet insistence that she isn’t broken—only hurt—is deeply moving. Watching them heal together through forced proximity, forbidden longing, and relentless tension made this story feel raw, romantic, and unforgettable.
Thank you for the ARC. This review is only my opinion.
Thank you for the ARC. This review is only my opinion.
December 21, 2025
This is Book 3 of the Rosso Mafia series but can be read as a standalone. The consiglieri and the traitor's daughter he's meant to only watch but he decides she's his. *sigh*
The plot was intriguing and well paced. World building was solidly drawn. The characters were what drove the story and they were so very dark and complex and complicated and perfectly steamy together. All in all a great addition to the series. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this series.
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The plot was intriguing and well paced. World building was solidly drawn. The characters were what drove the story and they were so very dark and complex and complicated and perfectly steamy together. All in all a great addition to the series. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend this series.
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 23, 2025
So good! I have read the other novel in this series and really enjoyed it! This novel did not disappoint. I love a good mafia romance and this novel checked so many boxes for me. From the first chapter this novel sucked me right back into this series. Once I started reading this novel pulled me in and held on tight until the very last page. I loved Marco and Elena. I loved Elena and her spirit. I loved the way she went after Marco despite their age difference. Loved the dialogue and banter. Their chemistry was so good! I loved watching their walls and defenses come down and fall in love with each other. I can hardly wait to see what this author has coming next. So good!
December 23, 2025
I was given this book for my honest review from Lena Lox and Literally Yours PR. I loved this book with the banter between Marco and Elena. They have this love hate relationship from the start of the book. The relationship was naturally building through the book. The characters were at the beginning flat but over the book they grew more rounded. I was able to picture the characters through the book. The plot of the story started slow and it was hard to get into it. But as you read further to give it more time it gets more active and it picks up fast after that. I highly recommend checking out this book and this series.
December 18, 2025
Oh god.. This book left me breathless
The tension between Marco and Elena was HOT
This book has the perfect balance of romance, mafia chaos, betrayal and emotion.
These two are definitely perfect for each one other. I loved how the age gap didn’t deter Elena from pursuing Marco to have her because she knew he wanted her as much as she wanted him.
Marco is a badass older man who has to watch over Elana.
Elana is a feisty, intelligent badass FMC who’s independent and strong.
The chemistry between them is intense and I loved every second of it.
The tension between Marco and Elena was HOT
This book has the perfect balance of romance, mafia chaos, betrayal and emotion.
These two are definitely perfect for each one other. I loved how the age gap didn’t deter Elena from pursuing Marco to have her because she knew he wanted her as much as she wanted him.
Marco is a badass older man who has to watch over Elana.
Elana is a feisty, intelligent badass FMC who’s independent and strong.
The chemistry between them is intense and I loved every second of it.
December 19, 2025
Marco and Elena forbidden by Vito to cross the line. He was just supposed to watch her and keep her safe. But that was easier said then done. Elena is slick about getting away and reckless she underestimated who she was dealing with too many times for my liking. Marco tired to resist his feelings. Trigger warning Elena goes through some trauma but yikes she deals out a heck of a revenge. Elio her dad ugh don't get me started. Book had me invested.
December 10, 2025
Hidden lies, protecting the ones she loves and to carry such a burden from her dad. Marco is a man who fights with himself but when he goes all in, he is all in! Elena is a complete baddie! Hands down, even with the trauma she endured she came out on top and what she did to Ronan was brutal and yet not enough. To say I’m excited for the next one would be an understatement.
December 18, 2025
This is my second story by the author.
I've read the second and now the third in this series.
I have to go back and read the first!
I was drawn in, and didn't want to leave Marco and Elena!
So much suspense, and plenty of steam!
Age-gap, that I love; oh so satisfying!
Most older men just know how to treat a woman, and believe me, Marco does!
I've read the second and now the third in this series.
I have to go back and read the first!
I was drawn in, and didn't want to leave Marco and Elena!
So much suspense, and plenty of steam!
Age-gap, that I love; oh so satisfying!
Most older men just know how to treat a woman, and believe me, Marco does!
December 20, 2025
I had high expectations for this one and let me tell you it didn’t disappoint it was everything I expected and wanted. The characters were amazingly written and their story just perfect. That had me grabbing my attention at every turn definitely perfect. Highly recommended.
December 23, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Some aspects of Elena I just loved like her independence and ability to sneak out. I did find her frustrating regarding other things. Marco and her together had plenty of banter and slow burn.
Some aspects of Elena I just loved like her independence and ability to sneak out. I did find her frustrating regarding other things. Marco and her together had plenty of banter and slow burn.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews