The Lawyer

by Jeannette Elizabeth

Finding out you have a brother is all fun and games until you need to marry his best friend.
Vanessa
All I want is for this to be worth it, from becoming a nurse to moving to New York. I moved here for my father, and he still hasn't shown his face since I arrived. One night in the hospital changes everything; I have a brother, a brother no one told me about, and he has a best friend I can't keep my eyes off of. Diving right into my father's business will be more than I ever thought.
Mateo
My best friend is going to get me killed. I became a lawyer to help him run his business and not to become his second in his New York Mafia syndicate, but that is exactly what I have become. Finding out he has a sister is just icing on the cake. Luckily, she seems to know more about our lives than we thought she did. But now I need to marry her for her protection, and the big question is, will she agree?

Genres: Romance, Mafia Romance

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 27, 2026

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has potential

This mafia arranged marriage romance is a pretty solid debut. Some parts are pretty abrupt and felt forced. I feel like the second half sped up substantially, almost like there was a rush to get to the end. Over time, fluidity and pacing will improve. What the book gets right is some solid characters and a decent plot. It’s worth checking out to support a new author.

This is a slow burn, open door romance. The story does include a surprise pregnancy and contract marriage, as well as conflicting feelings over parents.

[Lovelettelore · Rating 3 out of 5]

⚖️🩸 A secret daughter, a dead don, and a marriage decided by the mafia—not love.

📖 The Lawyer by Jeannette Elizabeth
⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️
Mafia Romance

Tropes:
⚖️ Lawyer x Nurse
🤝 Brother’s best friend
🏠 Forced proximity
👨‍👩‍👧 Found family
💍 Arranged marriage
🤰 Surprise pregnancy

Vanessa has spent her entire life hidden away—her existence kept secret to protect her as the daughter of a powerful mafia don. After graduating school, she moves to New York under the assumption that her father will reunite with her once it’s safe. What she doesn’t know is that he died the same week she graduated. Two years later, she finally learns the truth—and discovers she has an older brother who has taken over as Don. Once the mafia world becomes aware of her existence, pressure mounts to secure her future through marriage. To honor a deal her father put in place, her brother marries her off to his best friend and trusted lawyer, Mateo.

This book wasn’t as long as I expected. The beginning started off strong and felt well-developed. I was genuinely interested in where the story was heading. Unfortunately, after the halfway point, everything began to feel rushed and underwhelming, like the story was trying to wrap itself up too quickly.

I also struggled to connect with Vanessa and Mateo as a couple. Their chemistry didn’t fully land for me emotionally. I understood the forced proximity and arranged marriage aspect, but their feelings felt more assumed than built. It leaned into insta-lust territory without enough emotional groundwork for me to really buy into their connection.

That said, the book definitely had potential. I truly didn’t see the twist coming, which I appreciated, and it kept me entertained overall. This leans more toward a very light dark romance. There isn’t much moral grayness, and the plot stays fairly surface-level. While that made it an easy, quick read, I do wish the story and character dynamics had been explored more intricately.

Thank you Jeannette Elizabeth for this ARC.

[Chyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as an ARC from Jeannette. I really enjoyed it. I loved the found family moment of Vanessa and Gino learning they are siblings and very quickly creating that sibling bond. I also loved the quick burn to Vanessa and Mateo's romance. Definitely a good book to read if you want a fast burn Mafia romance. I can't wait for the second book to get Gino's love story.

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶️🌶️.5

Jeannette is stuck with me and she knows it and before I go into the review of this book you all need to know Alonso is mine!!!!

I devoured this book in one sitting but I wasn’t sitting. I was pacing and jumping around on my bed

This is a plot that is not done enough!!!!! And done so perfectly!!!!! I can give you no detail because it will just spoil it all!!!

All the side characters are perfect and a great addition and can’t wait to see who is getting their own books!!!

And this is a book that made me love the unexpected/surprise pregnancy trope

What to expect
Dark mafia romance
Arranged marriage/ marriage of convenience
Brothers best friend
Unexpected pregnancy

[LeeAnn Hynden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as an ARC and I absolutely loved it. Vanessa is a secret daughter of a mafia don and she finds herself thrown right into the mafia life when she meets Mateo and it turns out that there is a contract for an arranged marriage between the two things quickly take a turn and Mateo and Vanessa‘s lives are both turned upside down.

I absolutely loved the chemistry between Vanessa and Mateo from the start. She is such a strong and independent female main character, but also just wants true love and trust and wants people to be honest with her for the first time in her life.

“Good girl” 🤤
“Baby” 😍
“Sweetheart” 💕

This whole book was wonderful and I found myself hooked from the start!
Thank you Jeannette Elizabeth for the ARC and I can’t wait to see what’s next!!

[darkreadswithnalieee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lawyer is an emotional mafia romance that blends marriage-of-convenience, family secrets, and unwavering devotion in a way that really pulls at your heart.

Vanessa moves to New York chasing a future she hopes will finally be worth the sacrifices she’s made, only to discover her life is far more complicated than she imagined. Not only does her father still remain distant, Vanessa’s world is shaken when her father’s best friend—the man who has quietly looked out for her since she was little—reveals a life-altering truth: she has a brother she never knew existed. Even more dangerous? His world is deeply tied to the mafia. Enter Mateo—her brother’s best friend, a lawyer who didn’t just advise the business, but became deeply entangled in it.
Mateo is protective, controlled, and already carrying the weight of responsibility when circumstances force him into a marriage with Vanessa for her safety. What starts as necessity quickly turns into something much deeper. Their connection feels intense and genuine, especially as Vanessa proves she’s far stronger and more aware of their dangerous world than anyone expects.
The most gut-wrenching part of the book comes when Mateo leaves for what should be a short business meeting and never returns. He’s drugged, kidnapped, and brutally tortured for a year. While Mateo endures unimaginable pain, what keeps him alive is Vanessa—her strength, her love, and the family he hopes to return to. Meanwhile, Vanessa discovers she’s pregnant just days after he disappears and refuses to give up on finding him, even as time passes and hope fades.
When Mateo is finally rescued, the emotional payoff is huge. Learning he has twins waiting for him is powerful, and watching him adjust to fatherhood after everything he’s endured is surprisingly tender. The later chapters focus on healing, rebuilding, and the quiet strength of a family formed through trauma and love. Their story continues to grow as they expand their family even further, reinforcing the theme that survival and love can coexist.
The Lawyer is emotional, painful, and deeply satisfying. It’s a story about endurance, loyalty, and choosing love even when everything is stacked against you. If you enjoy mafia romance with high stakes, emotional suffering, and a rewarding family-centered ending, this one is worth the read.

[Mache · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lawyer by Jeannette Elizabeth is a gripping mafia romance that blends danger, devotion, and emotional depth in a way that feels both intense and heartfelt. From the start, the story pulls you into a world where loyalty and protection come at a high cost, and where love is often found in the most unexpected circumstances.

Vanessa is a standout heroine. She is smart, determined, and fiercely independent, shaped by her career as a nurse and her deep desire to belong. Her move to New York and the sudden revelation that she has a brother she never knew about changes her life in ways she never could have imagined. Watching her adapt to a dangerous reality while still holding onto her compassion and strength made her incredibly easy to connect with.

Mateo is just as compelling. As a lawyer tied closely to the mafia through his best friend, he walks a careful line between legality and criminal life. His longing for stability, family, and children contrasts sharply with the world he is trapped in, adding depth and vulnerability to his character. His relationship with Vanessa sparks instantly but develops at a steady pace, allowing their bond to feel natural, genuine, and emotionally grounded.

The marriage of convenience element is well executed and grounded in necessity rather than convenience alone. The stakes surrounding Vanessa’s safety are clear, and the found family aspect of the story adds warmth and support during the darker moments. The emotional weight of separation, endurance, and resilience is handled well and gives the story a strong emotional core.

My only reason for rating this book slightly below five stars is the lack of transparency regarding certain fated situations. While the intent to protect Vanessa from additional stress is understandable, withholding information from her for such an extended period felt unfair, especially given her strength and resilience. Even so, this did not significantly detract from my enjoyment of the story.

Overall, The Lawyer is a well written and engaging mafia romance with strong character development, heartfelt chemistry, and meaningful emotional stakes. I thoroughly enjoyed Vanessa and Mateo’s journey and am eagerly anticipating the next book in the series.

Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ✨(4.5/5)

[Namretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

📖 The Lawyer by Jeannette Elizabeth
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️,5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️,5
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tropes:
* Lawyer x Nurse
* Found Family
* Brother’s best friend
* Arrange Marriage
* Surprise Pregnancy

Vanessa has been kept hidden by her father for most of her life, only seeing him once a year. After graduating, she moves to New York to reunite with him — but instead, she uncovers the truth about his past. She learns that she has a brother, and suddenly becomes part of a world she never knew existed. Determined to protect her, her brother assigns his best friend and lawyer, Mateo, as her protector. Soon, they discover that Vanessa’s father had arranged a deal long before his death, a deal that will change everything.

This book was shorter than I expected, and I finished it in one day. From the very beginning, I was intrigued and eager to learn what had truly happened to Vanessa’s father. I suspected early on that he might have had another family, which made the reveal satisfying rather than predictable.

While I enjoyed the story, I felt that the pacing became rushed halfway through. I would have loved more depth in the relationship between Vanessa and Mateo, as their connection was one of my favorite parts of the book.

Overall, this book has a lot of potential. The plot twist genuinely surprised me, and I am very interested in continuing the series. I am especially looking forward to reading Gino and Juliet’s story.

Thank you to Jeannette Elizabeth and her team for providing me with this ARC.

[Ashleexcellent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for granting me an ARC of this work!

⭐️⭐️⭐️2.75 stars rounded to 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

While I think this had an interesting foundation, this book just wasn’t for me. I tried SO hard but didn’t connect with the characters. Vanessa gives pick-me energy (and is also often infantilized) for the majority of the book, and I didn’t understand why Mateo was so deeply entrenched in the Italian mafia as a lawyer. The insta-love trope was challenging (immediate platonic love between the siblings, and romantic attraction between the FMC and MMC) especially paired with a frequent hot/cold back and forth. The tone/exchanges didn’t always feel believable, and a lot felt overly explained/details felt excessive. There were plot holes throughout that left me with questions.

I enjoy mafia romances and I think this one had quite a few moments that were compelling. I enjoyed that Vanessa really wanted to keep her job, and that she was good at it. I truly loved her character arc because I do think she grows beautifully from start to finish in this piece. I also really enjoyed Juliette as a character. The found family trope was incredibly sweet here overall. I think this would be a good place to start for someone interested in getting into the genre.

[Tiffany Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as an ARC read from Jeannette Elizabeth. I really enjoyed this book, finished in one day. Vanessa moves to New York with the understanding that she will work for her father. She has been kept in the dark other than knowing her father was in the mafia but she didn't know how high up he was. Two years later, she learns that he has passed away and she has a secret family. After demanding that she know everything, she was still missing details and figured now was the perfect time to seek answers. She learns that Gino's, her brother, didn't know of her existence either. Gino feels like she is in danger and needs a "bodyguard" and puts Mateo by her side for the foreseeable future. Little does she know that it's because her father and Mateos's father made a deal for a arranged marriage to take place. Mateo has to go close a deal but ends up being tortured for a year before he is found by his brothers. When he returns home he realizes how much he missed when he finds out he has twins. They got their HEA and I can't wait to see what comes next.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vanessa + Mateo

This is the first in The Brotherhood Book series. When the book starts we meet our FMC, Vanessa who is about to graduate from college and she really wants her dad there, but unfortunately he can't be.. which we find out why much later.

Mateo shows up after she finds out that she's got a brother she knew nothing about... This is where things get sticky. Vanessa's dad was up higher than she realized in the mob.. yes, the mob, the mafia.. & her life might be in danger because she is of value in their world.

I really enjoyed the character arc for Vanessa as she has to change her plans due to circumstances out of her control. The only thing I didn't like is how long Mateo was gone. For plot I understand why but just felt like they didn't get a lot of time to develop as a couple before diving into a marriage as well as kids. So, I am hoping that in the other books we will get a glimpse of these two as their marriage evolves.

Thank you to the author for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vanessa and Mateo.
This story was really good. Most mafia books start and end the same this one was a bit different from what I have read. In most cases the woman gets kidnapped and is saved in a few days in this story there’s a twist and it last for over a year! Vanessa finds out that her dad dies and that she has a half brother who took over the family business. Gino and his best friend Mateo decide they want to get away from the shady side of business their fathers were into, in enters Vanessa, who had no idea her father promised her to Mateo. Their story was so well written and not your typical macho mafia book where the guy forces the girl. Mateo actually tries to get her to trust him before the marriage is pushed due to some safety threats on Vanessa’s life! The end up falling in love shorty after the wedding!
For such a short read this story had a lot of building into this world! I can not wait to see what happens in the next book!
Thank you for this arc opportunity I really enjoyed this book.

[OooLaLa Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy Dark Read

Alright besties… if you love a brother’s best friend + arranged marriage moment wrapped in mafia chaos, "The Lawyer" is going to pull you in. 👀

Vanessa moves to New York chasing a fresh start, only to find out she has a secret brother… and his dangerously tempting best friend, Mateo. And when “marry me for protection” enters the chat? Say less. The mafia tension, lawyer x nurse dynamic, and found family vibes kept me hooked from the start. It’s definitely a solid opening to the series.

That said, the writing felt a bit surface-level emotionally. Vanessa’s reactions came off younger than 24 at times, and I wanted more depth and maturity in the character development. The plot itself? Interesting concept.

Overall, I’d call this a cozy-dark romance... low angst mafia with some spice and drama, but not emotionally devastating. Still a fun, suspenseful read.

My Ratings:  ⭐ 3.5/5  ▪︎  🥵 2/5

🥀 For my rating scale breakdown, head over to my Goodreads &/or Amazon profile! 🖤

[Andrea Hendry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC. I really enjoyed reading it. Vanessa has spent her entire life left in the dark. Her identity kept secrets as a way to protect her since her father was a powerful mafia don. She graduates and moves all the way to New York in hope of finding her father. Two years later she finally gets the answers she has been looking for. She also finds out she has an older brother who doesn’t even know about her either. Mateo is Vanessa brother right hand man. Mateo becomes protected over Vanessa. Unforeseen circumstances happens and Mateo is gone for a year only to return to find out his life will change forever. His love for Vanessa was the only thing that kept him going. This book wasn’t as long as I was hoping it would be. It started off strong but halfway through I felt like Mateo and Vanessa story was rushed. The twist I didn’t expect at all. It was a really quick read and i enjoyed every minute of it.

[Michelle Mason · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Are you going to ask my wife what she wants?”
Okay, HELLO sir. I love a good “my wife” moment.

This debut is a mafia romance with rom-com flair and I genuinely ate it up. Mateo is the sweetest cinnamon-roll-but-mafia husband, and Vanessa deserves the world. The big Italian family dynamics are perfection, and I’m obsessed that the next couple is already teed up for book two.

Tropes I loved:
• Brother’s Best Friend
• Mafia
• Arranged Marriage
• Surprise Pregnancy

Spice: Medium (cute). As someone who eats up dark taboo romances, this did leave some areas to be desired.

I did get a little lost towards the end of the book, and felt the relationship between Vanessa and Mateo could have been a bit more developed.

However, if you like mafia romance without heavy darkness, paired with humor, family banter, and a sweet MMC, you’ll want this on your KU TBR. Congratulations to Jeannette Elizabeth on such a charming debut.

[Priscila Aramburo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I loved the found family element in it. And brother’s best friend is one of my favorite tropes. I love how Gino and Vanessa practically accepted each other as siblings right away and both parties wanted to develop a close bond with each other. You could really see how they both put in an effort and how much Vanessa appreciated having someone in her life who actually was making an effort to be in it. Mateo was such a sweet and protective MMC. I love him, and I love his friendship with Gino. I loved seeing Gino go all protective big brother on him and Mateo just brushing him off because he knew that even if Gino was his big Mafia boss, that he wouldn’t hurt him because he knew that Mateo wouldn’t hurt his sister. I love Alonso’s friendship with Vanessa. And the little teasers of tension we get with Gino and Juliet. Ugh I cannot wait to read their book!

[Kayla Erdmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author Jeannette Elizabeth for selecting me to review her book. These opinions are my own.

5 stars 🌟

I whole heartedly loved The Lawyer. Who doesn't love a good Dark Mafia Romance x Brothers Best Friend! This book is one of the better dark mafia romance with high stakes. It has a excellent found family feel between her and her brother along with that whole world. This read slightly insta-lusty, but not in a bad way. The plot was fast paced with filled chapters with actually important things going on which always kept me going and the twist surprised me I did not see it coming at all. The Lawyer had me hooked from the beginning and forced me to read it in one sitting which is very rare for me.

I recommend this to anyone who is searching for a mafia romance with a twist. You find yourself falling in love with characters and whole setting.

[Amanda Mae · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Lawyer is the first book in The Brotherhood Book series by Jeannette Elizabeth. This book had many of the tropes that I love in a mafia romance: forced proximity, brothers best friend, found family and arranged. While I enjoyed reading this book, I felt like it didn’t reach its full potential. I really enjoyed the first half of this book. Both Vanessa and Matteo were well written and developed, and I enjoyed reading about Vanessa meeting both Matteo and Gino and developing a relationship with them. But i feel like in the second half of the book the plot wasn’t as well developed and felt rushed at the time. I did enjoy the twist, that did keep me on my edge of my seat. Even with that, I would be interested in continuing with this series. Thanks to Jeannette Elizabeth for giving me an opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Amber Falleaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review

I love mafia books.
Vanessa is the secret daughter of a mafia don. She moves to New York after she graduates nursing school. Two years later she finds out her father is dead and that she has an older brother named Gino.
Mateo a lawyer, her brother’s best friend/ right hand man. Find out his father and Vanessa father arranged their marriage.
They get married and about a week later Mateo has to go to Italy for business. There he goes missing for a year. While he is missing she find out she is pregnant.. TWINS.
He finally returns home to his wife and finds out he has kids. He is happy about being home with his wife and kids.
They have there HEA.
Excited for book 2- Gino and Juliet

[Tracy McDonell · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️
OK… First, The Lawyer was a pretty good, sloooowwww burn, beginning mafia romance. Thank you Jeanette Elizabeth for the opportunity to read your first novel as an ARC. I cannot wait to see your writing get more complex..

The Lawyer was definitely your beginning, mafia readers type of book. The spice was slow burning. The story was not bad. And the characters and their development could use some work. I think if we saw more depth between Vanessa and Mateo, but also Vanessa and Gino.

The Lawyer has potential to be a family base mafia romance, and continue on with the building of the relationship and the connections of the main characters.

I hope this was not a one and only novel for Jeanette Elizabeth… she has great potential.

[Jessica Fahey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mafia, arranged marriage, found family, brothers best friend and right hand man are all part of this great book. If you love any of those, you will enjoy this book! I started and finished this book before I knew it! It keeps you turning the pages. The characters are great. The story is good and interesting.

Vanessa found out her father was part of the mafia when she was 16. She was kept far away from his life. He only came to see her on her birthday and just for the day each year. After she graduated from nursing school, she moved to New York with intentions of working for her father. Two years later, her life changed and she found out so many things were hidden from her.

Check this one out! It’s a great book and you will enjoy it!

[Stephanie Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book and I loved every minute of it. Vanessa moves to New York after she graduated thinking she was going to work for her father, Vanessa was kept hidden from her fathers world but when she was 16 her father told her he was in the mafia. It’s been 2 years since moving to New York and Vanessa hasn’t heard from her dad then she finds out her dad died 2 years ago and she also finds out she has an older brother. Mateo is Vanessa’s brother (Gino) best-friend and lawyer and Mateo becomes Vanessa’s bodyguard. The chemistry between them is off the charts hot and I couldn’t get enough of this book and I highly recommend it and Jeannette Elizabeth did an amazing job with this book. Thank You Jeannette for letting me be part of this ARC team.

[Aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book in one sitting as an advanced reader. While I love the tropes of forced proximity and marriage of convenience which this book has, I felt that it wasn't pulled off as well as it could have been. I felt like it started super strong and fell apart in the last half. The last half of the book felt rushed and undetailed. I felt like the characters were stagnant and contradicted themselves at times from what the reader was told they were supposed to be like. I felt if the second half of the book was paced and given the time it deserved, the book would be a home run. I enjoyed the side characters, the spice and romance, and the golden retriever energy the MMC had.

[Elizabeth Hayman · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I read The Lawyer by Jeannette Elizabeth as an ARC, and it was such an enjoyable read. Mateo was everything I want in a book boyfriend; confident, intense, and completely captivating; while Vanessa was smart, grounded, and easy to root for. Their chemistry built nicely and kept me turning pages.

The pacing was strong overall, and I really liked the balance between romance and plot. A few moments felt a bit predictable, which is why this lands at four stars for me, but it didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the story. Definitely worth the read if you love a lawyer romance with great banter and tension.

[Claire Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy crap!! I absolutely loved this book. The way Mateo cares for Vanessa warms my heart so much! Will definitely reread! Mateo is such a good dad already even when he wasn’t there for a lot of firsts because he had been kidnapped. When the babies were born and Vanessa named the twins the names that Mateo said the one time they talked about it made me so happy. AND their middle names, the fact that they are different versions of the name Mateo makes me even happier!! Jannette you are truly amazing!! I can’t wait to see how the rest of the series goes!! I have a feeling Alonso is going to have his time to shine. He is so sweet! The relationship that Vanessa and him have makes me happy!

[Haley Gochal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the story was good and characters were easy to love. Towards the ending felt rushed and timelines skipped towards the end that I felt were a good spot to add in some more details on the sibling relationship growth.

There were times when the relationship was a bit confusing. Vanessa is told about the plan and each interaction afterwards was a bit confusing. She was rightfully upset but then her actions at times showed she wasn’t? Maybe it’s just my miscommunication hate that is skewing my feelings on it.

However, I loved Mateo and Vanessa though. I really like strong FMC who can hold her own. I always strive to be like them 😆

Thank you for the ARC! 💚

[Theresa Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this expecting a legal drama and was not expecting a mafia romance, but honestly I wasn’t mad about it. This leans hard into tropes (forced proximity, protective love interest, found family) which made it super easy to get into. The writing is really immersive and I flew through it. I was especially into the dynamic between the two leads, it definitely kept things interesting.

That said, the pacing felt kinda uneven. Some parts moved way too fast and I wish certain moments had more time to breathe. The romance was good, but also felt a little rushed/forced at times. Overall though, this was a fun, bingeable read. Not perfect, but if you like mafia tropes, it’s a solid pick.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance copy from author.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

I love mafia and brothers best friends. Also has found family, arranged marriage and forxed proximity.

I enjoyed this book, it was really cute. Started off strong, but felt it was lacking some later. I don't know, I feel lile it could have been more. I still really enjoyed it.

Loved Vanessa and Mateo, they had great chemistry from the start. Vanessa is a strong independent woman. Mateo, can I just ask....can I have one? Lol

Can't wait for the next book!

[caffe.and.books (Aimee) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

This book had a lot of potential, as a dark mafia reader I was eager to read this based on the tropes. I was a bit underwhelmed with the story overall BUT I did enjoy the characters as they were there was just a lot more development that could have been done with them and the story overall.

There was a lot of times that events were underwhelming and I caught myself skimming, there is a decent plot twist at the end but it felt a bit rushed.

I do think this is a good starter book for readers who want to get their feet wet with mafia romance.

[Fatma · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐.5

ARC Review

Tropes:
Brother's Best Friend
Secret Daughter
Mafia Romance
Nurse x Laywer
Arranged Marriage/ Forced Proximity

While I was very excited for this book—and I did enjoy it—I can’t help but feel it could have been better.

Vanessa is the secret daughter of an Italian Mafia boss. Now that she’s finished nursing school, she’s ready to move to NYC and finally take her place in the family business.

Mateo is Gino’s underboss as well as the organization’s lawyer. When Gino discovers Vanessa’s existence, Mateo is assigned as her bodyguard, placing the two in close proximity.

I love a good arranged marriage trope and did like Vanessa and Mateo as a couple, but their relationship developed far too quickly. It leaned heavily into insta-love, with them seemingly falling for each other within days and mistaking physical attraction for genuine love.

I was invested in the story, and the pacing was solid at first, but after about the 40% mark, everything sped up and became somewhat underwhelming. Many aspects of the book felt surface-level, lacking the depth needed to fully connect with the characters or the plot.

I loved the concept behind this book, but I wish the author had added more depth to both the story and the characters.