Christmas Mafia Prince

The Naughty List

by K.A. Merikan

Christmas break in Aspen. Married to a mafia hitman who hunts people for sport.

Damen

All I want is to join my family for their annual Christmas hunt. But no, because that’s apparently only for married men. Like I need a ring on my finger to shoot a man in the back.



Oh, yes, the tradition is hunting people. We keep some enemies alive and let them think they can escape. It’s just a bit of festive fun, really, so it infuriates me that I, their best hitman, can't take part.



If my homophobic father thinks I’ll marry a woman to qualify, he’s delusional. This year, I’m coming home with a husband. And the perfect disaster of a man literally falls into my lap.



Green hair, tattoos, piercings, ripped jeans, and kohl-rimmed eyes. He’s loud, drinks too much, and has no manners.



My father will hate him.



Killian

My type? Hot, toxic, and guaranteed to ruin my life. I’ve been cheated on, stalked, blackmailed, and I am so done. When my latest ex corners me at a bar with his signature mix of lies and threats, I ask a hot guy in a sharp suit to pretend he’s my boyfriend.



He agrees, but asks me to be his fake husband at his family Christmas in return.



Free booze, a vacation in Aspen, and drama? Where do I sign up?



Only it turns out he’s a mafioso, his family hunts people for sport, and if I don’t play my cards right, I might end up on their trophy wall.



To survive the holidays, I just need to make sure I don’t fall for my rich, gorgeous, and psycho fake husband. Easy-peasy.



Have I mentioned he’s a millionaire, speaks French and f*cks like a demon?



★★★★★★★★★★



“Christmas Mafia Prince” is a standalone M/M dark romance where a mafioso makes a stranger his fake husband for the holidays, but then falls for him hard and fast amidst a Christmas from hell adorned with mayhem, murder, and mistletoe.

Themes and abduction, fake relationship, wedding fever, fish out of water, opposites attract, cinderfella, size difference, hitman, possessive hero, dark humor, morally gray heroes, family drama, millionaire, my boyfriend is a killer!

Violence, strong language

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Christmas, Dark, Dark Romance, Holiday, Contemporary

283 pages, Paperback

Published November 21, 2025

About the author

(Goodreads profile run by Kat)

K. A. Merikan is a duo of queer writers who don’t believe in following the well-trodden path. In their books you can dip your toe into dangerous romance with mafiosi, outlaw bikers and bad boys, all from the safety of your sofa. They love the weird and wonderful, stepping out of the box, and bending stereotypes both in life and in fiction. Their stories don’t shy away from exploring the darker side of M/M romance, and feature a variety of anti-heroes, rebels, misfits, and underdogs who go against the grain.
Be prepared for shocking twists, dark humor, raw emotions, and sizzling hot scenes.

K.A. Merikan also writes steamy M/M romcoms as Devon Doe.

e-mail: kamerikan@gmail.com

More information about ongoing projects, works in progress and publishing at:
K.A. Merikan’s author page: http://kamerikan.com
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kamerikan

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

He might be a fake husband, this might end after the holidays, but for now, in this moment, I’ve caught lightning in my hands, and I’ll hold it even if it burns.

Another delightfully unconventional romance from K.A. Merikan, with a cozy Christmas vibe. Killian and Damen strike a bargain to pose as fake husbands so Kill can dodge his ex boyfriend and Damen can convince his family to allow him to join the annual hunt. Insta-love ensues and they both feel quite motivated to keep the charade going to get to know each other better. But when Killian finds out what the family actually hunts, will he decide he can't handle Damen's lifestyle?

I need him to choose me for real. Choose the Damen no one else knows, the gay man who happens to be a member of an old family that made its fortune in organized crime.

Killian and Damen have both lived unusual lives- Damen as the hitman for his generational-wealth mafia family, and Killian with a terrible upbringing and multiple abusive, cheating exes. Both have trust issues and want to be loved for who they are at heart, not for their outward appearance, family's assets or willingness to tolerate mistreatment. Although they meet due to a chance encounter, their jagged edges line up perfectly and they quickly realize that there's something special between them. I enjoyed reading about how they formed a unit and fought for each other. While instalove is not my favourite trope, it was necessary for a plot like this where the 2 MCs need to bond quickly.

For once, I don’t feel alone and adrift, fighting for my survival like some street cat. I’ve been chosen, and it’s the sweetest feeling.

Rating: 4
Angst: 3.5/5
Steam: 4/5

I received an advance copy of this book and this is my honest review

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4 stars ⭐️

🎧𝚂𝙾𝙽𝙶 𝙼𝙰𝚃𝙲𝙷 — 𝙳4𝙼𝙱 𝚋𝚢 𝙿𝙻𝚅𝚃𝙸𝙽𝚄𝙼🎧
// Touch you in public, exhibition
Everyone knows just who my bitch is
I might be borderline possessive
But I know that you like when I put my name in diamonds on your necklace //

To survive the holidays, I just need to make sure I don’t fall for my rich, gorgeous, and psycho fake husband.
Easy-peasy.

A chaotic, over-the-top holiday romance with a fun dark twist. Christmas Mafia Prince was maybe a tad ridiculous, but I can’t help but have fun with whatever KA Merikan come up with.

I’m probably just a novelty, but who cares? For a guy like him, I’ll be on my knees the moment he points to the floor.

Goth alt twink vs mafioso killer, a crazy Christmas hunt, a fake marriage but very real feels, touch-him-you-die possessiveness, insta-lust that makes you wild, AND big scary killer mafia man FALLS HARD.

I wanna be his pillow all night long, and all the way till January.

Was the drama OTT, the plot a little cuckoo, the romance a bit fast? Yes, yes and yes, but I still ate this up and enjoyed every second.

This was a fun, no-thoughts ride and I really need the next book, because Corvus sounds like a moody boy and I love him already.

This isn’t love-bombing. It’s a nuclear-level threat, and I’m powerless against it, so I might as well close my eyes and let it radiate through me.

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.

CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Violence/murder
- Homophobia
- Mention of family abandonment (past)
- Instalust
- Top/bottom
- Spanking
- Toys
- Semi-public sex
- Car sex (bonus short)
- Blindfold (bonus short)

[Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damen + Killian 🖤
Fake husbands | Love starved

"Were I your first, your heart would have never been broken.”




⚠️potential spoilers below in detailed tropes, content and warning lists






Tropes/content:
Mafia
Fake husbands that feel real from the start
Love starved
Damen has Kill pretend to be his husband to piss off his family and get them off his back about marrying a woman
Opposites attract
Was that a fake kiss because it felt real
Kills for him
Private jet blow job
Spoils him with luxury items
When boutique employees judge Kill based off his looks, Damen chews them out and swears to never do business there again
Kill has never had anyone stand up for him before now
Spanking
Glass dildo
Gold collar necklace with hidden tracker
Hurt/comfort
Horse back riding
Carousel 🎠
Light primal play indoors
Sex next to human skulls
Sex on family antique pool table
Home library spanking and BJ
Damen speaks French and says spicy and sweet things to Kill
"mon chéri" (my darling)
Epilogue 1 year later where they get married for real
Strict roles
No cheating or sharing



Warnings:
Murder
Killian didnt always have food as a kid
Damen drugs Killian to get him on a private flight
While Kill is drugged, Damen has his blood drawn and tested for STDs
Questionable consent with the first spanking. Was never agreed upon or discussed prior to "the need for punishment" and the relationship was fake and new. But Kill ended up with a major boner
Killian falls into a literal trap where he almost dies and rightfully flips the fuck out. Damen takes great care of him and respects his boundaries but ups his game to try and win him over.
Panic attack
Violence between brothers
Damen'a creepy homophobic cousin got caught watching them in the home library. He was already in there but he didnt make his presence known and just got off to it until he was caught by them after they finished
This family hunts bad people. It's a yearly tradition. Like drugs them and sends them out to be chased and shot like the animals that they are. They get held in a prison down in a hidden basement before the hunt.
Killian is kind of forced by Karl (the dad) to kill a prisoner in front of everyone to prove his loyalty to the family. Damen says its not necessary and was preparing to opt out of the hunt he's been looking forward to so Kill doesnt have to do that but Kill does it for Damen.
Damiens brother tries to get Killian killed two different times
Kill gets shot by a bow

[Jane aka Coughy019 (Safety info included) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes: age gap, size difference, dark romance, fake dating, rich/poor
Feels: 3/5
Steam*: 3/5
Kinks: sex in risky places, accidental exhibitionism,
Angst: low
HEA: HEA
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings/representation: homophobia, transphobia, murder, gore, abduction by MMC
Cheating between MCs: No
Any cheating: No
Other person drama: there's a sprinkling of them talking about their past exes, but neither of them have any interest in anyone else from the moment they meet.

4 stars

Killian is 21. He was kicked out from his abusive/neglectful home at 16 because he's gay. He throws himself into relationships but ends up cheated on and hurt often. He dumped his latest ex, Happy, two weeks ago for cheating. He's trying to get him back, for the third time, and Killian is not interested. He runs into Damen at a gay bar while trying to evade his ex, and has him pretend to be his new boyfriend. Damen agrees, but in turn he wants Killian to pretend to be his husband so that he can participate in a holiday tradition his family has that only allows married men to participate. He wants to come out, and Killian is wild, with his green long hair, tattoos, alternative style, he will be a fun surprise for Damen's family.

Damen is almost 30, from a family of killers. He kills Happy on his way out of the bar, because Happy takes a bat to Killian. Killian is scared, freaks out a little, so Damen drugs him and he wakes up on a private jet. Damen is Rich and he proceeds to spoil the ever-loving s*** out of Killian. They spend a few weeks together, getting to know each other, getting physical, and despite each other's faults, they can't help but kind of be perfect for each other. Killian knows all Damen's secrets and accepts him, matches his freak. Both want to make this permanent and real, but his family interferes a bit.

I really enjoyed this book. It was wildly funny at times. The way that Killian was on a slippery slope, rationalizing all the crazy things that Damen does, because he's so dick-matized and enamored with him. Lol. Their banter was great. Killian was an awkward, spunky, hot mess of a character, and I found him really lovable. I liked the obsession that they both had with each other. And it wasn't just an attraction, there was real romance there too. They saw each other as life partners, they wanted an emotional connection, commitment, cuddling. They put each other first.


Some notable moments:

"“I can be your boyfriend tonight, but only if you do something for me too,” he says, and I try to rein in my excitement. Will it be a BJ? Or does he want me to clean his apartment while naked? I’m quite good at that after taking that kind of gig a few times before. “Listen,” I put my hand on his thigh. “You’ve helped me so much. Say the word, and it’s yours. Just no piss play.” Though I’d probably let him. Maybe not on the face. “It’s good to have boundaries,” my dark prince says, cradling my jaw in his hand"

I am weak for cuddling! The vulnerability here. "“Can we cuddle a little?” I whisper."

"Kill smiles at me and winks. “Will you get jealous if I sit next to the pilot?” I snort. “Not at all. You may even give him a blowjob,” I say, very satisfied with myself. He walks in silence for a few seconds, then gives me the side eye. “You’re the pilot, aren’t you?” I don’t answer, just offer him a wide smirk"


*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.

**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars (rounded up because I love K.A. Merikan)

This fell a bit short for me. It kind of felt like they met and then they were fake married and it was like WHAT IS HAPPENING?! I missed seeing more of them interacting to grow the feelings that they had. I know it is instalove and that is fine by me, but it felt more like we were dumped into a relationship with no background and they didn't really know each other.

Anyways, all that being said, I am very excited to read Corvus' book, as he was one of the more interesting side characters in this story. I also was immediately drawn by the concept of the story and I am intrigued to read more about this mafia family!

ARC provided by GRR.

[Ninni · Rating 3 out of 5]

This authors "cosy-christmas-killing-books" aren't among my favourites but to my surprice I found myself liking this one. All the stars to Nathan Kelly - the narration is amazing. Not sure I would have like it as much if I had read it. 2.5 ⭐⭐⭐

[⋆｡°✮ Lucy InTheSky ✮°｡⋆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one annoying, terrible mafia family. They're not even mafia, they're just pretentious, classist idiots and even if the premise does sound intriguing and Killian and Damen aren't garbage material (not quite), I still can't seem to like this book.

I don't even know how to rate it. Story-wise it's hardly a 2.5⭐, but it does contain some good sex and rags to riches for Killian, some comfort and intimacy that could've been really good if a little more effort had been put into it.

🟣 A secret society sort of mafia family, very upper class
🟢 A jobless, working class emo twink / a hitman for his family
🔵 Both gay
🟡 Size difference
🟢 Age gap 21/29
🟠 Rags to riches
🟣 Fake relationship to real marriage
🔵 I wouldn't call it a dark romance
🌶️ Some sex, not a lot, but it's good; oral, spanking, kissing, cuddling, public sex (caught), penetrative; a few seconds of primal play; excl t/b

I actually wanted to read Poisoned Heart, but a reviewer mentioned that it’s best to read this book first, so here I am.
I got a sense of this world and how everything works, and I liked Corvus a lot in this book. I really hope his book is better than this one.

The premise sounded promising. Killian is a young man living alone, abandoned by his family and stuck in one terrible relationship after another with scumbags who hurt him. One night out at a bar he meets Damen, who saves him from his toxic ex and Killian agrees to be his fake husband for Damen’s family's annual Christmas party. The party includes a manhunt that Damen has never been allowed to participate in before, since he isn’t married.

I did enjoy the idea of Killian getting a hot, rich boyfriend who spoils him rotten and ends up being exactly the kind of man Killian has always wanted, a very toxic, red-flag guy, but in a good way. He could even be a killer, as long as he’s extremely devoted to Killian, and I really loved that aspect. I liked Damen too.



They look like a power couple, right?

However, Damen's position in the family was a bit murky. The authors describe him as this important, dangerous killer, yet when he brings Killian to the family home, their reaction is terrible. They’re hateful, obnoxious, and dislike Killian on sight. On top of that, they resent the fact that Damen brought a man.

One would think that such a worldly, powerful family, one that kills for fun no less, would be more open-minded, but okay.

Their relationship could have used more development to make it believable and satisfying, and most importantly, enjoyable to experience on-page. Damen supposedly found his soulmate, but that emotional intensity was missing, at least for me.

The whole Christmas holiday was miserable, and I never felt that Killian and Damen were truly welcomed. Dark elements tried to sneak into the story, but they didn’t quite work.
Every single side character was awful and annoying. And if Damen really were such a badass, he should have actually hurt someone substantially during the book, but instead, he mostly just existed, so, pretty as hell and a criminal by reputation only.

Titus, Damen’s older brother, should have died. If Damen were truly what the book was so desperately trying to convince me he is, Titus would be a dead man, and the entire family would be anxious and trembling for even attempting to hurt Killian.

I like that Killian experienced Paris in the bonus chapter. He experienced it from the rich side, which means no bad smell and litter on the streets, he's being spoiled and I love that for him.



Don’t expect much. The book has no edge and it feels like the authors should have let it stew for a few more months and put more thought into it.

Aspen and Remo sound promising, but Aspen's character needs to be more fleshed out and I'm having very high hopes for Remo.

[Mad Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at about 3/4, couldn’t make myself finish it. I feel like the book was missing the first 10 or so chapters, it went from 0 to 100, they meet in a bar and they next day they’re on a plane to a play fake husbands during family vacation, and the whole Damien murders someone and then literally kidnaps Killian but Killian waves it off and oddly brushes off the countless red flags, but in a very needy, immature way? I may have liked this book more if I read it like a year or two ago when I started reading more but the writing in general just wasn’t for me unfortunately :/ 2 starts bc I skimmed the spice bc duh and it seemed decent

Thanks GRR for the ARC

[Zainab · Rating 1 out of 5]

i'm sorry but what in god's name was this catastrophe? reading it truly felt like my adhd somehow developed its own adhd. it was 250 pages of punishment and call me a masochist for sitting my ass down to finish it in one setting

[Zee]

This is a 5 ⭐️ no complaints here 🫱🏻‍🫲🏽
Killian and Damon are the embodiment of “bad bitch murder husbands” and I love it ❤️‍🔥
Killian is like a bloodhound for red flags, and he fell for the biggest one of them all.

If I were a Christmas garland I’d be adorned with bad choices, cat hair, and broken dreams.

I don’t have the energy for much, but I kiss his neck. Did this gentleman really abduct me? I could consider it more of a misunderstanding at this point.

But I mean come on, we are talking about protective, devoted, beautiful, sexy, possessive, “whatever you want mon chérie” Damon, so if he’s a red flag, I am a freaking bull. 🤌🏻
We always see this “predator” that characters usually try to portray, but Damon is actually the perfect representation of a predator, and I loved that 😩

He knows what I am. Not only did I tell him, but he saw me kill a man. A man he knew. And still, no matter how monstrous I am, his breath settles, and he falls asleep, like he trusts me to be his shepherd. I never felt like this before. No man before him saw all of me.

This book was funny, sexy, witty, and emotionally deep (not too deep as in angsty or something, but there is a level of depth nonetheless).
I loved loved LOVED how vulnerable and straightforward they were 🥹 From the beginning, they were clear with what they wanted, and they wanted each other. This, coupled with a slightly poetic writing, URGHHH chef’s kiss ⬇️

"It's a threat. I will kill you. You will have that petit mort inside me, and I will absorb it. I will drink your death off your trembling lips.” Even my cynicism is melting away like the snow outside. I might be helpless if he chooses to snap my neck, but I don’t care anymore. I’m not afraid of him. He needs to know how serious I am about wanting a love that’s all-consuming. My hole throbs with heat when he settles on top of me.
“Oh, but wouldn’t that be a beautiful death?” he whispers…

The heat was heating 🥵 but the passion behind it was what sealed the deal ❤️‍🔥
I loved this book. And I loved how this relationship unfolded 👏🏻 I LOVED CORVUS, even if that library scene threw off some people, I find him mysterious and charming. I can’t wait for his book “Poisoned heart”.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book.

There wasn’t anything I hated about it except that the villain didn’t get what he deserved. If I’m gonna read about morally grey characters I need the villains to get what’s coming to them!!

Anyway I adored both of these characters. They were great, seperately and together. Damen was so good to Killian and killian was so good for Damen. Loved the mutual insta they had.

There was some cousin incest going on. Damen admitted to having a crush on his cousin Corvus and Damen other cousin Aspen asked Killian how Damen was in bed. But hey I read…certain books so I’m not judging.

Very interested in Corvus’ book especially since his love interest is one of the prisoners.

No cheating, op drama or third act break up. Violence and lots of murder. HEA.

[Showarst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas Mafia Prince by K.A. Merikan was freaking amazing! I loved every single thing about this one. I really adored Killian and Damen. The way they fought for each other and realized that they were just perfect for one another. The family was crazy and the idea of a Christmas hunt was interesting. I certainly hope to see more of these characters in the future even for just a glimpse of seeing Killian and Damen again. I will definitely be rereading this one again. So much fun!

I received an ARC from GRR for my honest review.

[Amanda Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
Get Your Copy November 21st.

Firstly, the blurb for this book was awesome. In my mind, I heard Damen say this line starting out just in a mocking tone and then ending in an indignant one. “But no, because that’s apparently only for married men. Like I need a ring on my finger to shoot a man in the back” And just like that I was ready to get into this book. If you love dark humor, fake relationships, family drama, possessive mafia men and Christmas, you are going to need this book.

This book is very quotable with some of my favorite things said. Some very good spice is also to be had within, with a little bit of unhinged thoughts thrown in at the same time. Killian is my favorite of our two main men, mainly due to some of the things he just kind of goes with. “I whimper and nod as much as he allows me, just so he knows he hasn’t pushed any of my boundaries. At least sexually, because I thought dating a murderer was a hard limit, yet here we are.”

There was a small amount of miscommunication and some consequences of that, but what I like is it is not a main focus of the book, but it is there to really force some sort of realization of what the characters want. Killian and Damen both have some hurts in their past relationships that they both kind of have to overcome in order to make their relationship with each other work. I mean relationship issues are the last thing they need while also dealing with family drama.

Craziness definitely ensued in this book and I 1000 percent enjoyed it. There were so many things going on with different members of the family and our boys. What I loved most, besides the relationship, was the chaos.

I love, love and their relationship is so sweet and so spicy and so unhinged and they are obsessed with each other. “That’s how I feel about him now, and this compulsive need to protect him is not a fantasy nor a lie. Do I really have to be reasonable?” Also while I appreciate a slow burn just fine, if that is what you are looking for, this book is not that. They fall hard and fast and I am here for it.

Honestly there isn’t anything that I didn’t like about this book. K.A. Merikan is just one of those authors for me that I am always going to pick up their book and within the last couple of years I have devoured what I like to call their holiday murder books. So if you love the standalones in the Murder and Mistletoe series, you are going to love this book. I am just going to leave you with this and it is probably my favorite thing Killian thought.

“I’ll be attending a family Christmas where he intends to come out by introducing me as his spouse? What could go wrong? Everything. But I don’t care.”

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little Christmas story! 😊

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was SO fun, especially after the letdown of Festive Fugitive - I kinda hoped FF would be similar to this one, so yeah. This was really just a fun read - it was of course instalust, instalove with our important miscommunications trope for some drama, a walking hot red flag, some (more) murder and just unhinged shit - also Killian is questionable at best with his decisions, but honestly ...
If some handsome, filthy rich hot guy kills my abuser, promises me the world, gives me present andw ill protect me with his life? Duh, hook line sinkers, whatever.

The whole idea of the book is of course a wild ride. It's so over the top, it's hilarious funny.
A Mafia family that goes on a christmas hunt for sport, but only married men are allowed - and of course we're hunting people not animals. But only bad people ;D we can't be TOO unhinged *snigger*.
(I mean, im honest, I'm pro vigilante, so...)

The whole book was bordering on 4 stars at first, but the unhinged (and cute and bloody) ending made it to 5 stars.

Also:
I really, really want a little one shot about Damens mafia cousin, who is cat sitting Killians cat Whiskers. Because.

[Catalina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

[Caroline Forrester · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

[Maggie May · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of the parts of this book were good. The obsessive romance, the blood crazed family, the intrigue, the steamy sex, and characters you wanted to reach that HEA with.

[m (voidxrat) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars because this was an OTT mafia romance with fake marriage and Hallmark Christmas movie of ridiculousness.

It’s such a vibe! Like we start off with Killian literally falling into Damen’s lap. Damen scaring off K’s shitty ex and then when said ex comes back around in a dark alley he quickly takes out the trash. Killian immediately realises he’s bitten off way more than he can handle but he’s along for the ride now!!

Then a Pretty Woman esque shopping/makeover montage complete with a “Big mistake. HUGE.” moment. I loved it.

And then it’s time to meet the whole murderous family 🥰

Bonkers interactions, drama, all while K & D are navigating their attraction and ~feelings~

I just had the best time reading this. It’s silly in a fun way and dark and sexy. Pure KA Merikan Christmas ❤️

[NitaBee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rtc

[Cara · Rating 1 out of 5]

How to throw this book out completely: if the family opposed the "marriage" so much, and was furious they "eloped" they would ask for the marriage certificate. But they don't making this entire book seem dumb af.

Killian? Whiskers? Happy? Wtf is with the pathetic names? Like, screams no effort.

I miss the older works by these authors. The new ones are dropping so bad in quality. Like alot of authors, seems like ai prompts with barely minimum effort.

Gotta love how Damon says "he's so funny" when, he hasn't even spoken a true word fmto him.
Gotta love the "I had your bloods done while you were asleep, we can do it without condoms" omg...how cliche!!
Gotta love Killian is from abusive relationships but 100% fine and accepting of this "fake" love with no complaints or issues. Even when Damon says "I kill people" and he's just like "okay cool" so fking boring.

God Killian is described as an absolute feral. green hair, black nail polish, nose ring, tattoos up his neck, skinny, ripped jeans and studded jacket...YUK
And how he has an issue with a man treating him right but when one spends $1000s on him with no guilt.

I miss the authors old dark romance. These last two releases have been pathetic.
One murder and they're now saying it's dark romance. Nah. It's dull and boring.
"Please leave this store sir, (you look like a druggy homeless man)"
Damon: freaks the fuck out "I'll burn this place down!!! (Whinge, whine, yuk)

Their first time at the boutique was just weird...yeh no prep again (these authors imagine all asses are just vaginas) but they used lube which was a shock with these authors. The toy is glass which is weird as it seems to change to silicon etc. But hey, they leave the store magically cleaned up, considering the feral "flooded his jockstrap" and for chapters, never swapped or cleaned his undies.

30% in and Killian is mentioning over and over how they're fucking...um...no they're not. They've never had sex. Where did that come from?

The book is terrible and so painful to read. Don't bother. I miss older works by these authors and not this pink fluff.

[iam · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a while since I read a K.A. Merikan book, and "Mafia dude looking for a fake husband so he's allowed to participate in the Mafia family traditions" sounded like the perfect silly romance setup to jump back into their catalogue.

Christmas Mafia Prince was exactly what I expected. Damen, a Mafia hitman, saves Killian from his abusive ex, and in return asks Killian to pretend to be his husband over the family Christmas party, in exchange for luxurious shopping sprees, and, if he wants, great sex. Killian, for his part, is totally down, and very eager as he would have taken the deal even if the money wasn't on the table.

I expected the insta-lust and can see past it, and while it wasn't insta-love, it got pretty close. The two only know each other for a few days (if that) when they first have throughs of devotion and forever.

Sure, there are some extreme situations (from Killian's perspective) that tie them together, and this is the other iffy part. There is a definite power imbalance, with Damen killing someone right in front of Killian with no warning, and then, when Killian tries to run, Damen abducts him. The whole "and if you tell someone about this I will kill you" is sort of glossed over in favour of "oh but the guy who kidnapped me is hot and has a big dick." There is also unnegotiated BDSM (not super extreme, but still) that is sprung on Killian with (presumably) no option to refuse it.

Ultimately Killian is fine with it all, enjoys the kinky aspects, and of course falls in love with Damen. And Damen, for all his faults, makes it very clear multiple times that he does not care for a unconsenting partner, and would not rape Killian. I still would have preferred for the narrative get past the "btw I kill people for a living" without the abduction and initial indirect blackmail, and established the kink in a consensual manner.

Writing wise, I was a bit exasperated by the lack of clear communication that seemed to almost deliberately be skipped/omitted to a) put more focus on the sex scenes, and b) cause more drama or tension down the line. While I can respect such narrative choices, to me it also made conversations feel incomplete. It just didn't make sense for the characters to drop conversations that they seemingly were still in the middle of, and it broke my immersion and suspension of disbelief.

Lastly: another reason I reached for this was the promised large family shenanigans. Damen has a big family, and the family interactions were enjoyable! If anything, I would have loved even more characters and complicated family dynamics. At least one family member is getting their own book, and I am looking forward to that.

I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this one. Reading the blurb already made me excited!

Damen Van der Horn is a millionaire, and he’s gay, something his family, especially his father, doesn’t accept.
The Van der Horns family Christmas hunt is approaching, and only married men can play.
One night in a bar, an extraordinarily tiny guy ends up in Damen’s lap, asking him to play along as his boyfriend, because his ex is playing mean. That gives Damen a splendid idea.

Killian can’t shake off his ex, the guy is mean and violent. Killian ended up in the lap of a massive beautiful man. His looks are expensive, with hazel eyes that he could drown in. Killian asks him if he could please pretend to be his boyfriend, so his ex will back off.
Damen accepts, on one condition, that Killian has to travel with him to Aspen, to the Van der Horns Christmas gathering as his fake husband, with the best food and drinks, and the promise of hot dicking.

That same night Killian understands Damen is a killer, but super protective of Killian. Why does he like this so much?
What could go wrong, a few weeks with the most handsome super-rich man and his family?

Spoiler, everything goes wrong, except the possessiveness of his fake husband.

What a super duper captivating read this was. It was extremely entertaining. All excellently written.
There’s hot sex, dark humor, a sinister family, a hunt on… read yourself, there’s violence and a lot of family drama. I couldn’t get enough of this story!

Review and reviewed for Love Bytes LGBTQIA reviews

[Jacqueleen the Reading Queen♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"𝙷𝚎 𝚌𝚞𝚙𝚜 𝚖𝚢 𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚞𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚔𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚜 𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚏 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚎. 𝙸'𝚖 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚜."

OMG. This newest Murdery Christmas installment from K.A. Merikan had me laughing my ass off. The entire premise is just absolutely bananas but I admit I loved every second of the crazy. And though Killian protested quite a bit about the predicament he found himself in, he eventually succumbed to the charm that is Damen Van der Horn.

"𝙸 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝙸 𝚍𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚞𝚙 𝚑𝚊𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎."

I really enjoyed how sweet Damen could be with Killian. Yes they got up to some pretty rough playtime, but outside of that it was obvious how much Damen adored his boy. His family may have all objected the match, but watching the two men together it was pretty clear Damen wouldn't be letting Killian go without a hell of a fight.

"𝙸'𝚟𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚗."

The epilogue was a cute ending for the couple if you can believe it. I loved seeing them a year later, still blissfully obsessed with one another. I also totally agree with the authors that Corvus is definitely too lonely and am excited to see how his story turns out this January!

[Raven || The Reader Identity · Rating 4 out of 5]

okay, what i didn't like?

it felt a bit TOO over the top. the amount of times Killian got hurt? and in a christmas romance? excessive and a lil bit annoying.

more angst than i expected. it felt insta in ways but also incomplete. Damen's character arc was weird. a big bad mafiosa but he was...almost normal? i dunno, it was odd.

now what i liked?

the spice was pretty good. lots of passion. i really enjoyed the emotions in those scenes. i felt like those were the main points in the story when you could REALLY sense their connection.

the setting was SO fun! imagine a giant property in the middle of a snowy forest filled with traps and secret rooms. OBSESSED.

the romance! while it felt disjointed at times, it was genuine. Damen was all in. he just wanted to be true to himself and he found that in Killian. of course everything tried to keep him from having his baby boy but in the end i was so happy!

[Cynthia M Brow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas Mafia Prince is part of the multi author The Naughty List series. Each book can be read as a standalone but why not enjoy the whole series. This is the story of Damen a mafioso and Killian the guy who has agreed to be his fake husband for a family holiday vacation. These two are like puzzle pieces that are just perfect for each other because they just fit. It was fun watching these two overcome the obstacles between them. This story had me laughing at the dark humor used in it. I love K.A. Merikan's take on dark holiday romance. I would definitely recommend this book.
received a free review copy

[❥ Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.. the romance I liked ok but I especially loved the atmosphere of the secluded mansion, opulently decorated for the holidays. Then the juxtaposition of the cheerful decorations and the dark “Christmas hunt”. KA Merikan have a vivid imagination and can write such a gorgeous, immersive setting. I’m very intrigued by the goth mafioso cousin, Corvus and I’m excited to read his book coming out next year 🖤

[Tate Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mean, who doesn’t want a dark billionaire prince to swoop in, save the day, and fall in love with you?

The tension in this book was perfect and it had just enough BDSM to add to the spice without making the book all about á D/s power exchange (which I also love it had a good balance).

I REALLY loved how Damen didn’t change Killian during his makeover, he upscaled it.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Dark Upside Down World That I Loved!

OMG! I loved this story from start to finish. A sweet story of love? NO! A story where the good guy would usually be the villain. No! Oh, but what a sexy, rich villain! Add a street wise, mouthy young man dressed to stand out and not blend in while always picking the wrong guys. Can a villain also be a hero? Maybe, but not in the usual sense. Can a gay on the streets not only survive but flourish?

I love this book. I love this upside world that the author created. A world where bad is good. Where murder is sport and family is business. Yet a world where there might be love.

[Karina Liebiedieva · Rating 2 out of 5]

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