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Brutal Crown: A Possessive Dark Italian Mafia Romance
Not yet published
Expected 21 May 26Dark obsession. Possessive mafia boss. Hidden identity. "Touch her and die." Slow burn.
Sofia Davide (real Scarlett Ezra) has survived eighteen months in witness protection, hiding from a corrupt official who wants her silenced permanently. When her government stipend runs out, she jumps at a job giving historical tours at a luxury hotel in Rome. She doesn't know who owns it. She doesn't know he's already watching.
Dante Vesperi is the head of Rome's most powerful crime family—a billionaire Don who built his empire on control and never forgetting a face. He knows exactly who she is. He had her real name, her secrets, and her entire history before she walked through his door. He should have kept his distance. Instead, he books a private tour. Fixes her apartment. Moves her somewhere safer. Has her followed by people she'll never see. He tells himself it's about control — that a woman with her secrets inside his operation is a liability he needs to manage. He's lying, and he knows it, and he does it anyway.
Every kindness is a chain. Every gift pulls her deeper into a world she can't unsee and a man she can't stop wanting. Dante Vesperi is possessive, patient, and completely unwilling to let her go — and the closer she gets, the harder it becomes to tell where his protection ends and his obsession begins.
But Sofia isn't the only one looking for answers. The man who destroyed her life is getting closer, and the walls Dante built around her won't hold forever. When the truth finally catches up to both of them, Sofia will have to decide what she's willing to risk — and Dante will have to decide how far he's willing to burn to keep her.
Brutal Crown is a dark mafia romance. Book 1 of The Vesperi Empire series featuring a possessive Don, a heroine with secrets, and morally grey decisions that blur the line between protection and control.
Sofia Davide (real Scarlett Ezra) has survived eighteen months in witness protection, hiding from a corrupt official who wants her silenced permanently. When her government stipend runs out, she jumps at a job giving historical tours at a luxury hotel in Rome. She doesn't know who owns it. She doesn't know he's already watching.
Dante Vesperi is the head of Rome's most powerful crime family—a billionaire Don who built his empire on control and never forgetting a face. He knows exactly who she is. He had her real name, her secrets, and her entire history before she walked through his door. He should have kept his distance. Instead, he books a private tour. Fixes her apartment. Moves her somewhere safer. Has her followed by people she'll never see. He tells himself it's about control — that a woman with her secrets inside his operation is a liability he needs to manage. He's lying, and he knows it, and he does it anyway.
Every kindness is a chain. Every gift pulls her deeper into a world she can't unsee and a man she can't stop wanting. Dante Vesperi is possessive, patient, and completely unwilling to let her go — and the closer she gets, the harder it becomes to tell where his protection ends and his obsession begins.
But Sofia isn't the only one looking for answers. The man who destroyed her life is getting closer, and the walls Dante built around her won't hold forever. When the truth finally catches up to both of them, Sofia will have to decide what she's willing to risk — and Dante will have to decide how far he's willing to burn to keep her.
Brutal Crown is a dark mafia romance. Book 1 of The Vesperi Empire series featuring a possessive Don, a heroine with secrets, and morally grey decisions that blur the line between protection and control.
348 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 21, 2026
About the author
Wren Fox
10 books23 followersWren Fox writes emotionally charged romance with a dark, dangerous edge—and just enough hope to leave your heart bruised and begging for more. Her stories dive deep into love, lust, trauma, and survival, all wrapped up in tension you can cut with a knife.
When she's not lost in fictional chaos, Wren is probably hanging out with Grimm, her loyal (and sometimes chaotic) Doberman sidekick, who firmly believes he's the real star of the show. Together, they navigate life one coffee, plot twist, and sarcastic remark at a time.
Wren believes in fierce heroines, broken but beautiful heroes, and that love—even the messy kind—is always worth fighting for.
Connect with Wren:
Newsletter: https://houseofkingpublishing.kit.com...
When she's not lost in fictional chaos, Wren is probably hanging out with Grimm, her loyal (and sometimes chaotic) Doberman sidekick, who firmly believes he's the real star of the show. Together, they navigate life one coffee, plot twist, and sarcastic remark at a time.
Wren believes in fierce heroines, broken but beautiful heroes, and that love—even the messy kind—is always worth fighting for.
Connect with Wren:
Newsletter: https://houseofkingpublishing.kit.com...
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Brutal Crown by Wren Fox is dark, addictive, emotionally intense, and absolutely impossible to put down. This is the kind of mafia romance that pulls you in slowly—through tension, obsession, danger, and emotional vulnerability—until suddenly you realize you’ve been completely consumed by Dante Vesperi and the devastating way he loves.
From the very beginning, the atmosphere of this book feels heavy with secrets and control. Scarlett Ezra, living under the name Sofia Davide, has spent eighteen months surviving in witness protection, hiding from powerful people who want her dead. She’s exhausted, isolated, and trying desperately to rebuild some version of a normal life when she takes a job giving historical tours in a luxury Roman hotel.
What she doesn’t realize is that the man who owns it already knows exactly who she is.
And Dante Vesperi? Absolute obsession in human form.
This man is cold, calculating, terrifyingly powerful, and so deeply controlled that every tiny crack in his composure feels monumental. He knows Sofia’s real identity before she even walks through his doors. He knows her past, her fears, and every danger circling her life. He should stay away from her. Instead, he watches. Protects. Interferes. Slowly wraps himself around every part of her life while pretending it’s simply about maintaining control.
It absolutely is not.
What makes this story so addictive is how blurred the lines become between protection and possession. Dante fixes problems before Sofia even realizes they exist. He moves her somewhere safer. Keeps unseen guards around her. Gives without asking permission. Every action feels both protective and deeply obsessive at the same time, which creates this constant emotional tension throughout the story.
And somehow, despite all his control, Dante feels completely unraveled by her.
The slow burn here is perfection. The chemistry between them simmers beneath every interaction, every loaded conversation, every moment where Sofia starts realizing this dangerous man sees her more clearly than anyone ever has. There’s a constant push and pull between fear and longing, safety and danger, tenderness and obsession that makes their relationship impossible to look away from.
I also loved that Sofia never feels weak despite everything she’s survived. She’s frightened, yes, but she’s also resilient, intelligent, and emotionally strong enough to challenge a man like Dante in ways nobody else can. Watching her slowly navigate this world—and decide for herself what she’s willing to risk for him—gave the romance real emotional weight.
And Dante? This man is the definition of “touch her and die.” Ruthless to everyone else. Patient with her. Completely willing to burn entire worlds down if it means keeping her safe. Underneath all the power and violence is a man who becomes terrifyingly devoted once he decides she belongs to him.
The Rome setting only adds to the atmosphere too. Luxury hotels, hidden danger, old-world power, secrets, wealth, obsession—it all creates this gorgeous backdrop for a romance built on control slowly turning into something far more vulnerable.
If you love dark mafia romance, possessive antiheroes, hidden identities, slow-burn obsession, morally gray decisions, and dangerously protective men who fall completely and irreversibly, Brutal Crown is absolutely worth the read. It’s dark, seductive, emotionally charged, and the perfect start to a series that already feels impossible to stop thinking about.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
From the very beginning, the atmosphere of this book feels heavy with secrets and control. Scarlett Ezra, living under the name Sofia Davide, has spent eighteen months surviving in witness protection, hiding from powerful people who want her dead. She’s exhausted, isolated, and trying desperately to rebuild some version of a normal life when she takes a job giving historical tours in a luxury Roman hotel.
What she doesn’t realize is that the man who owns it already knows exactly who she is.
And Dante Vesperi? Absolute obsession in human form.
This man is cold, calculating, terrifyingly powerful, and so deeply controlled that every tiny crack in his composure feels monumental. He knows Sofia’s real identity before she even walks through his doors. He knows her past, her fears, and every danger circling her life. He should stay away from her. Instead, he watches. Protects. Interferes. Slowly wraps himself around every part of her life while pretending it’s simply about maintaining control.
It absolutely is not.
What makes this story so addictive is how blurred the lines become between protection and possession. Dante fixes problems before Sofia even realizes they exist. He moves her somewhere safer. Keeps unseen guards around her. Gives without asking permission. Every action feels both protective and deeply obsessive at the same time, which creates this constant emotional tension throughout the story.
And somehow, despite all his control, Dante feels completely unraveled by her.
The slow burn here is perfection. The chemistry between them simmers beneath every interaction, every loaded conversation, every moment where Sofia starts realizing this dangerous man sees her more clearly than anyone ever has. There’s a constant push and pull between fear and longing, safety and danger, tenderness and obsession that makes their relationship impossible to look away from.
I also loved that Sofia never feels weak despite everything she’s survived. She’s frightened, yes, but she’s also resilient, intelligent, and emotionally strong enough to challenge a man like Dante in ways nobody else can. Watching her slowly navigate this world—and decide for herself what she’s willing to risk for him—gave the romance real emotional weight.
And Dante? This man is the definition of “touch her and die.” Ruthless to everyone else. Patient with her. Completely willing to burn entire worlds down if it means keeping her safe. Underneath all the power and violence is a man who becomes terrifyingly devoted once he decides she belongs to him.
The Rome setting only adds to the atmosphere too. Luxury hotels, hidden danger, old-world power, secrets, wealth, obsession—it all creates this gorgeous backdrop for a romance built on control slowly turning into something far more vulnerable.
If you love dark mafia romance, possessive antiheroes, hidden identities, slow-burn obsession, morally gray decisions, and dangerously protective men who fall completely and irreversibly, Brutal Crown is absolutely worth the read. It’s dark, seductive, emotionally charged, and the perfect start to a series that already feels impossible to stop thinking about.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy
This is the first of a series, but each book is a standalone, we get to meet different couples in each book. I do enjoy a mafia boss who uses Italian pet names for his woman. I’ve read Wren and Sables books before and do like their writing style, and will defiantly be grabbing books in this series.
Sophia running, running and running some more all because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. 18 months of running and hiding, and her contact is failing miserably getting her back to a normal life. After much running, funds running dry, she takes a job as a tour guide for a very luxurious hotel, and gets swept off her feet (she’s sceptical at first) by Dante, the “manager” of the hotel.
Dante, has fallen for Sophia, but he knows her truth, her real self, mind you it’s all that was written, he never got to know her over/through conversations.
He tells her how its going to be, she negotiates to have a bit of a life, and then thing take a turn, she thinks after Dante has returned home one night, that he might snap and hurt her, so she leaves, only to be thrown into her past catching up to her.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Sophia running, running and running some more all because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. 18 months of running and hiding, and her contact is failing miserably getting her back to a normal life. After much running, funds running dry, she takes a job as a tour guide for a very luxurious hotel, and gets swept off her feet (she’s sceptical at first) by Dante, the “manager” of the hotel.
Dante, has fallen for Sophia, but he knows her truth, her real self, mind you it’s all that was written, he never got to know her over/through conversations.
He tells her how its going to be, she negotiates to have a bit of a life, and then thing take a turn, she thinks after Dante has returned home one night, that he might snap and hurt her, so she leaves, only to be thrown into her past catching up to her.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 13, 2026
I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Dante + Sofia (Scarlett Ezra)
Brutal Crown centers around Dante and Sofia. Sofia has been running for the last year and a half from someone who wants her dead. She was a witness to something she shouldn't have seen and now her life is in danger. Dante spots her and he has to have her, to own her... but she has other ideas.
Soifa pushes Dante and his buttons throughout this entire book. She challenges him and negotiates not only her job description but her security detail. Dante does compromise but only for a few things.
I really enjoyed this book as it was layered in suspense, romance and banter!
Dante + Sofia (Scarlett Ezra)
Brutal Crown centers around Dante and Sofia. Sofia has been running for the last year and a half from someone who wants her dead. She was a witness to something she shouldn't have seen and now her life is in danger. Dante spots her and he has to have her, to own her... but she has other ideas.
Soifa pushes Dante and his buttons throughout this entire book. She challenges him and negotiates not only her job description but her security detail. Dante does compromise but only for a few things.
I really enjoyed this book as it was layered in suspense, romance and banter!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews