The Merciless Mafia Boss's Princess

by Ashlie Silas

The plan? Leave the mafia life behind.
Become a teacher. Date a nice, safe guy.

What actually happened?
I had a one-night stand with a man in a mask...
and he turned out to be my brother’s best friend—
one of the most feared mafia bosses in New York.

You know that tall, sinfully handsome man you see at a party and instinctively stay away from
because you just know he could ruin your life?
Yeah. That’s him. Luca Manchetti.

He’s terrifying to everyone else.
But to me, he’s gentle. Protective. Consuming.
When he claimed me, he didn’t just take my body…
He took every piece of me I thought I’d hidden.

Now, another man wants to claim me as his wife.
But Luca doesn’t negotiate when it comes to me.

He said no one touches what’s his.
And when a mafia boss makes a promise like that...
You believe him.

But I’ve been keeping a secret, and I can’t figure out how to tell the Merciless Mafia Boss.
He’s going to be a girl's dad.

Genres: Romance

289 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 30, 2025

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

okay

The story line is decent, if you can overlook all of the errors and inconsistencies. This is the first book I’ve read by the author, so I don’t know if this is an anomaly or the norm. Not sure I’ll brave another in order to find out.

[Trisha Kane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have made it to page 116, due to work and life responsibilities, but I am definitely finishing this book. The book plays out like a well watched movie so far. I'm liking the story line of the mafia enforcer and the boss's sister. The way they end up together works so well to start off this risky relationship. The conflict of the "business" with the love these two have for each other, and the secret that is bound to come out soon in the next pages of the book are working for me. I absolutely enjoyed the surprise meeting of Luca's plaything at the restaurant while eating with Sofia. Her anger could have been a little more in that moment, though I did like the verbal banter between the three characters. Can't wait to see where the story goes.

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

[Ms. Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luca Manchetti has been best friends with Damien Luciano for almost thirty years. Damien is the Don of La Cosa Nostra in New York. Luca has been the enforcer for the family all this time. When it comes to business ventures, Damien and Luca have always been equal partners.

Damien sends Luca to a charity masquerade to gather some information. Sofia Luciano and her friend Jess are teachers. They were sent to the masquerade gala to represent their school. No one knows that Sofia is actually a Mafia Princess. She purposely keeps her life as a school teacher separate from her family life. She has spent four years building her life as a teacher away from the family.

Sofia’s eyes meet with a mysterious man across the room. The man approaches Sofia and asks her to dance. He seems familiar to Sofia. After the dance, they are talking when a man bumps into Sofia. She spills her drink on her white blouse which is now see through. Sofia tells Jess that she has to leave. The mystery man offers Sofia a ride home. In the car, Sofia flirts with him. He pulls into a private parking garage and they start to have sex in his car. She pulls off his mask and gasps because the mystery man is her brother’s best friend and enforcer, Luca.

Luca knows that Sofia is off-limits, but it doesn’t stop him from thinking about her and that night. He has a meeting in Damien’s office. It is Luca, Damien, Dante who is Damien’s younger brother and the Don of Los Angeles, Rafael, who is Damien’s brother-in-law and enforcer and Enzo who is Dante’s right-hand man and cousin. They are having problems. Marco Russo was spotted in New York. Marco is trying to rebuild his father’s empire after Damien and Dante destroyed it. Also, they found out that two weeks ago at the gala, donations were made on behalf of the five families. The donations were $50,000 each and were made from shell companies that supposedly are owned by the Luciano/Moreno family. None of the other family heads know anything about it. Someone is trying to set up the family. They are all on high alert and trying to get more information.

I wondered how long Luca and Sofia could stay away from each other and when her family would find out. Also, I wanted to know what Marco Russo was really up to and who was backing him. Another interesting story.

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

[Amie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding story about two people who meet at a masquerade gala. At the time the two didn’t know who the other was but they knew from first sight that they had feelings for one another and before the night ended they found out who the other was.
The couple couldn’t stop thinking about one another even though they decided that they couldn’t be together due to her family and him being best friends with her brother as well as him working with the best friend. Even though they decided against it they wound up coming together, their feelings for one another getting stronger day by day.
A member from a family that was taken down years ago shows up taking an interest in the woman and not long after they find out that the guy wants to make a deal. The deal that has been brought to them almost breaks the family but they wind up letting what happened in the past stay in the past.
The woman finds out with the help of her friend a secret that she keeps from the man. One of the woman’s friends talks to her about keeping the secret so she decides that she will tell the man but before she can the two are summoned to the family for an update about the guy.
The family finds out about the two being together and the man protects her from her brothers, the woman faints. While recuperating they find out that the family has tracked down the whereabouts of the guy so the man goes with them. Not long before the man bought a ring for the woman which he has in his jacket when they leave.
They get what the guy took but the guy gets seriously injured while doing it. Even while hurt the man tends to the guy. Before the man is taken to the hospital the man gives his best friend the ring he got for the woman.
The man has had several surgeries and is in a coma, doctors don’t think he will pull out of it but the woman won’t let her hope die. Weeks pass with no hope inside until she has her ultrasound done in his room and the man wakes when he hears what they are going to have.
Months later the two get married and on their wedding night the woman goes into labor.
Three years later they are happy with their family and with each other and they are still in love.

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

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sofia is the don's little sister and strictly off limits. Luca, the don's enforcer an best friend, knows this, and he doesn't touch her. He DOES touch a masked woman at a party, and that's when the entire story gets going. Throughout the whole book they know the rules but break them anyway. And every time a piece they have tried to keep hidden comes out, the drama is REAL. I loved all the twists and turns in the book and the real emotions you can feel from the characters who have to come to terms with the choices they have made that come back to bite them.
My favorite part of this story is the push and pull of the things that you know and the things the characters *should* know. You know why they don't always share, but it grips you to the edge of your seat EACH and EVERY time the truth could come out, but doesn't. I couldn't put it down because there are no parts where you say "ok I can stop here"; the whole thing is excellent.

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

[Karen Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark mafia/age gap/forbidden romance-I’ll take it! From beginning to end, I was hooked. Sofia and Luca have basically known each other forever. He’s her brother’s best friend. Therefore she is off limits. Lots of secrets are revealed. Especially a certain member of Sofia’s family not being dead. What happened there and will that person be found alive?

When their chemistry sparks at an event-both are wearing a mask, they are in for a rude awakening. Sofia and Luca don’t know it’s the other person under the masks. From there it’s definitely on, but is a relationship worth the risk they are taking being together. Luca becomes very protective of Sofia, especially when a certain individual is bound and determined to make her his wife. Can Luca make sure Sofia doesn’t fall into his hands? Wait til you find out! Also, when a certain something happens to Luca, will he survive? After all, Sofia is hiding something from him. What could that be? In the end, is there a happy ending waiting for Luca and Sofia?

[Sarah S · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ho hum....snore....boring...

I feel like that basically sums up this entire book. I completely lost interest after chapter 1.

So she's a teacher who grew up a mafia princess yet miraculously doesn't recognize anyone from the mafia at her school's benefit fundraiser. So she has sex in a car with some guy from the fundraiser who drives her home and then is like - omg, it's you! and he's like, yes and omg - it's you, too! wow - who knew.

now let's just sneak around and act awkward for no reason while you pretend to struggle with what again? I already forgot. Oh right, being attracted to a mafia dude even though she said she would leave the mafia.

c'mon!

1. This is totally unbelievable. I mean, all mafia romances are but this was just so silly with her supposed moral dilemma, I just couldn't get into it.

2. The fact that she had a one-night stand kinda says it all. Just let it go and move on with your life.

3. And I just didn't care what happened to any of these characters.

TLDR - It was just B O R I N G

[Catherine Budd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sofia is the sister of Damian Luciano the Don. She has tried to carve out a life as a teacher outside of the family business. She attends a masquerade charity gala where she attracts the attention of handsome man. She accepts a ride home from him, but they detour are intimate and discover their identities. They agree it is a one-time event as he is the enforcer for her brother.
Neither can deny the attraction but know they have to keep their relationship a secret.
Their relationship is revealed when Marco Russo decides to target their family.
The resulting manipulation and secrets exposed makes for a compelling tale with a tortuous complication.
This is a compelling story with a great plot, characters and twists. There is a HEA ending but both Sofia and Luca have to suffer for their relationship.

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

[Nathalie DeSousa · Rating 5 out of 5]

BE ready for a great love story, a twisty plot, suspense, action, passionate encounters, steam, love, and a consuming chemistry.

Sofia is the sister of a powerful Don, but chooses her life outside of the mafia as a teacher. She attends a masquerade only to attract the interest of a tall and masked man who offers her a ride home, a passionate unforgettable night, until she discovers her masked man is Luca, her brother's best friend and mafia enforcer, And the story goes from there

Between rules and secrets, they will forget about the lines that they have set in place, the drama, action, suspense, passion will take you through the entire book. There is so much to love in this book, that you will devour it!!.

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

[Renee Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

True Love Can Be Bittersweet

Falling for the mafia princess is wrong on many levels so Luca has kept his distance over the years but when he attends a masquerade party, he unwittingly falls for Sofia as he doesn’t recognize her with her transformation. When she takes his mask off, the shock is immediate but this doesn’t stop their secret taboo meetings. Not all is rosy being involved in the mafia life as Sofia realizes being with Luca will bring dangerous situations to her doorstep.

A tender love story where the heart grows fond for Luca & Sofia being together until the painful truth of the past surfaces. A novel packed with so much emotion, keeping you riveted to crave more but you can’t stop yourself to put this book down. A must-read mafia romance story.

I received an ARC of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kaytlin]

DNF at page 104.

I literally could not take the egregious writing anymore. As soon as I overlooked 1 thing another one immediately popped up. It was exhausting trying to pick through the grammar mistakes to find the plot.

I very rarely challenge writing in books, but the structures of sentences, the absolute tragedy of the grammar and the overlooked mistakes…
Examples:
One second she said she made waffles, the next it’s pancakes…
One second they explain a situation that happened and then a few pages later they explain the same situation, as if it was not mentioned before…
There are multiple dialogues going on in one paragraph…
There isn’t enough separation sometimes to understand who is talking…

This book needs a serious editor and to be honest, should NOT have been published in the state it’s in.

I could not get into anything going on plot wise or romance wise.

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sofia is the Don’s younger sister, and mafia princess, while Luca is the Don’s enforcer and best friend, and he knows she is strictly off limits. Sofia just wants to escape the mafia lifestyle, and become a teacher, and when she meets a man at a masquerade ball, the sparks fly, only to find out he is Luca. The only person Luca is gentle and protective over is Sofia.
This is a well written action packed, emotionally charged story, with family, friendships, secrets, danger, suspense, intrigue, an age gap, touch her and die vibes, revelations, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, dark mafia romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually finished this, although it was touch and go. The story is good, the characters have potential, but I honestly can't tell that it received any editing at all. Besides the appalling punctuation, homographs and homophones, the continuity errors were unbelievable. We are at the park on a Thursday morning, but suddenly it's Saturday, but we are still at the park. The doctor is female...no, male...no, female all in the space of a paragraph. Also, perhaps a little research into explosive vests would have been helpful. I think this author has a lot of potential, but a proper edit is not optional. I will NOT be reading or buying any more of this author's books.

[Merry Jelks-Emmanuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story ad my emotions running high and my adrenalin all jacked up. He lived in the shadows until a masquerade party changes everything. When he connects with a woman, he had no idea it was Sofia until he was committed to the act. Now she is his and their path begins in this thrilling story that is filled with more twists and turns that had me gasping and holding my breath as I cheered this couple on to getting their chance for happiness.

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

[judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart is still beating fast from this action packed dramatic love story. Luca is an enforcer and best friend with the Don. Sofia is the mafia princess and forbidden fruit but the heart and the body knows what they want. The mind has to make it happen. This is an action packed mafia love story. It has so many emotions that makes this book very compelling. The characters are well written the storyline is fascinating. I throughly enjoyed reading this book. I would give it more tha 5 stars if possible.

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

[Hilda Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started to read this book, I found it difficult to continue after a few chapters. The story begins fast-paced and very, very sweet. Completely different from your usual Mafia romance.
That took some adjusting. When I finally began to read further, the story gripped me.
I loved the main characters and their true genuine love for each other. The last chapters made me cry, and fear for a very sad ending. Luckily, everything ends good, and I closed the book with good positive feelings!.

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

[Molly Sachs · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good but had some issues

The story line was good however there were constantly plot holes and inconsistencies in the writing. Like when Cassie is trying to convince Sofia to go to the park she says it’s Thursday not Friday, but then later in that same day when Luca shows up Cassie says it’s such a coincidence for him to be near that park on a Saturday. Plus in certain areas they threw in info that was brought up once, never fully fleshed out and never brought back up like Dante’s father not being the same as Damian’s and Sophia’s.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sofia goes to a masquerade and is talking to Luca when she gets bumped and her drink goes all over her blouse. Luca offers to take her home and things get steamy on the way. They realize that they know each other and it can't ever happen again. Sofia is his best friend's sister, and he is her brother's enforcer. What will happen next in this age gap story?

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

[Renee Ferritto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Thrilling mafia story about Luca and Sofia
Excellent read. Sofia is stalked by a rival mafia man, Marco Russo, hoping for an alliance through marriage. Luca, the Luciano enforcer, has already staked his claim to Sofia’s heart. Marco, not to be thwarted, finds and kidnaps Carina Luciano, Sofia’s thought to be deceased mother.

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

[Thea Kubicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Merciless Mafia Boss's Princess

Luca and Sofia

Luca, Damian's enforcer, has always felt something for Sofia, Damian's sister, but never felt he was worthy. When a chance encounter at a masquerade charity event brought the two together, their chemistry exploded. Secrets, friendships, surprises, and dangerous encounters makes this a story that you won't want to miss.

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

[Danee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masked ball and a forbidden fruit, and Luca discovers too late that he robbed Sofia, a mafia princess, of her innocence until it was too late. But once he's tasted her, he won't let her go, no matter what his best friend, and also her brother, says or thinks. A steamy story with a good plot, connection, attraction, desire, and much more. I enjoyed their journey together.






I received an Advance Reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sofia is off limits as a mafia princess, but one masquerade ball, one hidden identy leads Luca to taking her innocence, her brothers best friend, and now he wont be letting her go despite being twice her age! Well written engaging steamy desires drama age gap and more.

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

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story! The characters were so very appealing and complex, compelling and completely perfect together. Plot was intriguing, exciting and deliciously drawn. World building was excellent and expertly handled. Enjoyed immensely and highly recommend.

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.

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

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

You’re not going to just like Sofia and Luca in this mafia romance book you are going to LOVE them. This is a wonderful way to make your day by reading this 5-star book by Ashlie. Holy Cow her true talent at writing engaging stories comes full circle with this book. So, get ready to sit and read this book that has your full attention right away.

[Jackie Harding · Rating 5 out of 5]

This put you in all your feels. Sofia and Luca has got to be one of the best mafia couple I’ve read about. They went for what they wanted even knowing how her brothers was going to react. Not going to lie, I was a bit upset and sad for them but it all ends up with a great HEA. Definitely worth the read.

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

[Abby Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best mafia romance books I have read this year! I was obsessed with this story and could not put it down. Phenomenal story and the characters were amazing. Definitely a must read if you love romance! I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tiffany Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotionally powerful – couldn’t put it down!

This book was absolutely incredible. It brought tears to my eyes at several points, and the emotional depth kept me hooked from start to finish. I truly could not put it down until I reached the very last page. I loved every minute of it—highly recommended!

[Amy Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!
OMG, Loved reading The Merciless Mafia Boss’s Princess. Sofia and Luca’s story was action packed, emotional, steamy hot and so many twist and turns but so freaking good I loved every second of this book!!

[Bren · Rating 5 out of 5]

It kicks off at a masquerade ball and because they have mask on Luca and Sophia don't realize they know each other and they have a romp in the car Oh Boy! that's trouble in the making. What draws me to this book is the taboo, danger, drama, fiery passion and a ending that brought tears to my eyes.

[CJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has given us a heart pounding story that pulls us into the lives of Sofia and Luca. The emotional story keeps us turning the pages with connection, secrets, danger, action and steam.

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