Luciano

by Kate Oliver

Fallon
There’s nothing better than taking a baseball bat to my cheating ex’s car.
I’m tired of the men in my life disappointing me, so I’m swearing them off for good.
Then I find out that the car I vandalized isn’t my ex’s.
It belongs to a dangerous man.
One with icy blue eyes and a jawline to die for.
He’s overbearing, bossy, and a walking red flag.
He also continues to surprise me at every turn.
And when he calls me princess, I truly feel like one.
Suddenly, I’m starting to wonder if a man like Luciano Ricci might be worth trusting after all.

Luciano
She’s reckless and wild.
A fighter.
Someone who doesn’t shrink for anyone, including me.
She destroyed my car, challenges me every chance she gets, and yet, I can’t walk away.
I never thought I was missing anything in my life until Fallon Davis showed up.
And now I can’t get her out of my head.
She doesn’t make it easy. Not at all.
The thing she hasn’t realized yet is that when a man like me decides something belongs to him, he never lets it go.
And I’ve decided that Fallon is mine.

Genres: Mafia Romance, Dark, Dark Romance

229 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 22, 2026

About the author

Kate Oliver has aspired to be an author all her life. From the time she was known as "that girl who always has her nose stuck in a book", Kate Oliver has wanted to be a writer. Currently, fetish romance is her favorite for both reading and writing. Kate has been a part of the fetish community for many years, and strives to write stories that realistically reflect that lifestyle. Her favorite part of writing her own books is dreaming up the hot and steamy, yet loving and strict, Daddies that Littles dream about.


To contact Kate, you can Email her at: kateoliverstories@gmail.com.

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Reviews

[Brittany (Brit.tea.reads)]

💙Luciano & Fallon🖤

Fallon finds her boyfriend screwing his secretary, so she takes a bat to his Range Rover and goes to town. Only it's not her cheating ex's car; it's Luciano Ricci's car, and instead of getting mad at her, this man goes above a beyond to track her down and take care of her! 🖤

🖤He calls her good girl & princess
💙Protective, obsessive, possessive & jealous
🖤Wants to be her daddy
💙Wants to take care of her
🖤 Hates when she talks down about herself
💙 Fixes her car
🖤 Gets her ex to pay her back in full
💙 Loves spoiling her
🖤 Wants the names of all the men who’ve hurt her

As much as I enjoyed the story, I wish there were more spice. I mean, she gave us the daddy kink and all (which I love), but the spice just felt like an afterthought; it was a tease like wham, bam, thank you, ma’am. I don't roll like that; I want all the dirty, filthy spice, so that definitely was a bummer. 🫤

[Soft Nectarine ~]

Mafia Daddy falls in love with a girl VANDALIZING HIS CAR 🚗🔨🖤 She hates all men (fair!) & he takes that challenge PERSONALLY!

“She needs a man who will show her that she’s safe. She needs a Daddy. She needs me.”

Fallon is so SICK OF ALL MEN! In the throws of her feminine rage she smashes up her cheating ex’s car…but oopsies she mistakenly vandalizes a mafia Daddy’s Range Rover 👀 Instead of being pissed Luciano is enamoured with her fiery rage & feisty personality! He restores her trust in men by spoiling her with food, spankings & orgasms 🖤 and she slowly accepts her new Daddy!

I’m firmly convinced this is not a mafia syndicate but actually a Daddy Dom support group! There’s no hiding the daddy kink as it’s literally dripping off the page & I love that for me 💦 There’s definitely a focus on Luciano’s caretaking ways and clear communication of Daddy expectations. He’s PEAK Daddy because:

🖤 she vandalizes his car but he’s more scared she’ll hurt herself doing it

💎 he calls her Princess!!

🖤 spanks her when she talks bad about herself

💎 first man that has ever made her cum *classic*

I WISH IT WAS SMUTTIER! The story did such great work really outlining the Daddy kink beyond the purely physical connection. He LOVED SPOILING HER! With the addition of the age gap & mafia tendencies Luciano’s personality was perfectly engineered for Daddy Dom smuttiness. But when it came to the spice scenes they ended too fast! I wish the book was longer with some additional smuttiness…and if that makes me a slut then so be it!!!!

4.5 ⭐️

mafia romance
protective mmc
age gap
fiery & independent fmc
daddy dom kink
spanking
sick bed
found family
HEA


Thank you so much to The Smuthood for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Kursed Reads]

When Fallon Davis accidentally takes her aggression out on the wrong Range Rover, she lands herself directly in Luciano Ricci’s crosshairs. On her own since she was sixteen, Fallon works at Lux Salon & Spa and is about as independent as they come.

As the underboss and second-in-command of the Italian mafia’s U.S. syndicate, Luciano tolerates absolutely no disrespect. But his Princess is one brat he’s more than ready to tame, and nothing short of having her splayed across his lap for punishment will do.

This was the perfect mashup of steam and fluff. It’s not particularly plot-heavy, but it is the epitome of a one-handed read. And with an age gap, playful banter, a relentless Daddy, and a mafia backdrop? So many of my favorite things rolled into one.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Format: 📱

🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): Dark-ish, New Adult

Ending: 💗 {HEA}
Length: 📚📚
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual | Present}
Emotions: 🫣😬🫣🥵😍
Darkness: 🩶🩶
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Pacing: 🏃‍♀️ {Moderate}
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Vibe: Fluffy, Swoony

✨ Tropes: Age Gap (23/x), Billionaire, Heroine in Danger, Insta-Obsession, Mafia/Bratva/Organized Crime, Rich Boy x Poor Girl
 
💫 Microtropes: Boy Obsessed, Caretaker/Protective MMC, Caveman/Bridal Carry, Curvy Woman, “Good Girl”, He Falls First, Pet Name (Princess), Sassy FMC, Tattooed MMC

🔆 Character: Hairdresser, Illegal Enterprises

💋 Kinks: Brat, Daddy, Discipline/Punishment, Domination, Finger Licking Good, Power Exchange, Spanking

🤰🏻 Pregnancy: n/a

🚩 Red Flags: Dominant MMC, Jealous/Possessive/Obsessive, MINE!, Touch-Her-and-💀

⛔️ Safety Squad: Assault (Not by MMC), Unaliving, Violence, and other potentially triggering elements. Triggers may appear both on- and off-page, in the past and/or present, and to main and/or side characters. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!

📍 Setting: Seattle, Washington 🇺🇸

📣 Type: Luciano is the first book in the Italian Syndicate Kings series of interconnected standalones.

⚠️ Warning: This sweet and steamy read will leave your panties damp and your cheeks flushed.

🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.

[Kate]

3.5 stars!

This was cute. I liked that it was Daddy kink without the age play piece. Age play weirds me out🤷🏻‍♀️. I liked the FMC. She was strong but yielded in sweet ways. I liked the MMC. He was dominant and possessive without being overbearing.

Cute story, decent smut. Looking forward to more in this series. Enjoyed it.

[Ash]

This was fun but I wish it was a little bit longer😫 and I can’t wait to see who is next!

[Cass | readsinsteadofsleeping]

Well hello there Luciano! Kate warns you right off the bat when you open this book that the word Daddy is in the book 70 TIMES. If you aren't into the "Daddy" dynamic, skip this one. Luckily for me, I'm totally into this trope. The beginning of this book is hilarious, when Luciano finds Fallon hitting his car with a baseball bat he's immediately intrigued by her. He's determined to protect her and make her life easier. She's been through so much and he wants to lighten her load. He's the perfect mix of dangerous and sweet. Loved this book and can't wait to read more in this series!

Tropes
- Mafia leader
- Touch her and cease to exist
- Obsessive OTT MMC/Daddy
- Brat FMC/Good girl
- Age gap

Thank you to The Smuthood for the advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

[Nicoletta Tompros]

THE FIRST LINE and I already knew FALLON WAS MY GIRL. 😂👏🏻 This woman will throw ANYTHING she can get her hands on and I was immediately obsessed.

Fallon catches her boyfriend cheating and decides to take a baseball bat to his Range Rover. Honestly? She had a plan. Except… WRONG. FREAKING. CAR. 😭😂 Because the Range Rover actually belongs to Luciano Ricci the underboss of the American Italian Syndicate. And THAT is how we meet our almost-20-years-older, dangerous, possessive mafia man. 😮‍💨🖤

But underneath all of Fallon's sass and bratty attitude is a woman who is a SURVIVOR. My heart genuinely hurt for everything she had been through. She has every reason not to trust easily, but she's still feisty, defiant and ready to fight anyone who gets in her way.
And Luciano?! DADDY LUCIANO HAS ENTERED THE CHAT. 🫠 This man never believed love was meant for someone like him... until a five-foot-tall blonde absolutely DESTROYED his car with a baseball bat. 😂

From that moment, he is DONE FOR. Protective. Possessive. Obsessive. And very much giving touch her and cease to exist energy. The dynamic between these two was SO GOOD. Fallon pushes every single one of his buttons, and Luciano basically looks at this tiny ball of chaos and decides, yep, she's mine. 😂🖤

And Kate WARNED us about the Daddy kink in this one... she was not kidding. Add in the mafia + almost 20-year age gap and I was eating this up.

🖤 Mafia Underboss
🔥 Almost 20-Year Age Gap
🖤 Touch Her & Cease to Exist
🔥 Obsessive/OTT MMC
🖤 Daddy x Brat
🔥 Protective & Possessive
🖤 Survivor FMC
🔥 Sassy/Feisty FMC

Fallon and Luciano were CHAOTIC in the best possible way, and I loved every second of it.

[Cheryl]

I have read a few "Daddy" books, and I got to say that this one is my favorite. The way that Luciano just wanted to protect and care for Fallon is very endearing. Fallon deserved to have a man like Luciano take care of her. Her ex-boyfriend is a douche. He asked for everything that happened to him including if Fallon had smashed up his car. Only Fallon made the mistake of smashing up the wrong car. If she hadn't, she never would have met Luciano.

Seeing the pure joy in Fallon's eyes with everything that Luciano did for her, made me smile. He is morally grey but has green flags. You won't see his bad side unless you upset him or treat women with disrespect. All of the other men "ribbing" Luciano is entertaining.

This book is a must not miss read! If you love a man that treat's his woman like a princess, then, you need to read this book. If this is your first time reading a "Daddy" book, learn what it is all about and maybe fall in love with a new trope.

[Hayley Edwards]

I have found a new daddy and this one absolutely blew me away. Luciano is in a Mafia syndicate and the daddy Kink these men have.. Holy smokes

This book is literally dripping with daddy Kink on each page - Kate does warn you.. I was here for all of it add in age gap and Mafia I was literally melting in my seat while reading.

Luciano is a perfect mix of dangerous and daddy and Fallon was bratty and fiesty and defiant and Luciano was the perfect daddy for her.

This was a super hot book which I read in one sitting.
I can't wait for more in the series.

[Jenn]

I love a good dark mafia romance, so when I saw that Luciano was described as being heavy on the Daddy kink, I figured, why not give it a try?

Well. I apparently had no idea what Daddy kink actually meant.

I thought I did. I did not. There is apparently an entire world out there that I knew absolutely nothing about, so I guess you really do learn something new every day.

That part may not have been completely my thing, but I had a lot of fun with the rest of the story. I especially loved Fallon. She’s feisty, reckless, stubborn, and has a complete don’t-give-a-crap attitude that made her so entertaining to read. The fact that she meets Luciano after taking a baseball bat to what she thinks is her cheating ex’s car, only to discover she destroyed the wrong car, was a pretty perfect introduction to her personality.

I also really enjoyed watching Luciano fall completely and ridiculously fast for Fallon. He is possessive, bossy, and very much the dangerous mafia man you expect, but Fallon refuses to shrink herself for him. Their back-and-forth was one of my favorite parts of the book.

So, have I discovered that I’m secretly a Daddy’s girl? Not at the moment.

But if Daddy kink, mafia romance, an age gap, feminine rage, and some serious touch-her-and-die energy are your thing, this one was basically made for you.

As for me, I’ll just be over here happily continuing my research for literary purposes, obviously.

Thank you to Smuthood for the ARC!

[Khou Yang]

2.5 stars. I liked it, but there was nothing that stuck out to me that gave me a wow factor.

Kate Oliver is the daddy queen. But I think when you write one main thing all the time, each book needs something different to make it stand out. Unfortunately, this one seemed to blend with all her other ones. I love that Luciano showed Fallon what it felt like to be taken care of since she never had that. Beyond that, this book is pretty forgettable. This is meant to be a brat/daddy book, but Fallon was not my vibe. The book wasn't extremely spicy either. I don't know if I would recommend this, but if you need a short read, this one would work.

Thank you to The Smuthood for the ARC in exchange for a review.

[alexis]

Mafia DADDY and an absolute hilarious FMC = HAPPY ME

This was so much fun, Luciano is this big bad mafia daddy and Fallon is this bratty, HILARIOUS and feisty girl just trying to survive life.

She finds her boyfriend cheating on her so takes revenge on his car but she accidentally got the wrong one, it’s such a fun scene and really sets the pace of the book.

Luciano is the typical Daddy/service Dom, he falls hard for Fallon and wants to take care of her. Fallon is reluctant as everyone has let her down constantly.

Overall, a great, fun and hot ready!

🖤 Age Gap
🖤 Mafia
🖤 Daddy/Service dom
🖤 Protective MMC
🖤 Found family

[Cat H]

3.4 stars.
Ok so, I loved Luciano. And I adored Fallon’s fight, and the little bit of psycho she has going on.
But this did feel like only the first third of a much longer book, the way it ended so abruptly.
I have a feeling that maybe the next book is happening simultaneously or something..?
I know some authors prefer to not double write scenes and end up ending things kind of in the middle when that’s the case.
I don’t know🤷🏻‍♀️ I guess we’ll see.

[Caitlin Nelson]

Cute, Short Instalove!

I enjoyed it and loved that it opens with a bang - quite literally. The cheating ex trope was a great kickstarter. Luciano is over the top and a Daddy capital D. Not as much smex as you’d expect from a spice forward novel but it gave a bit of balance. Overall, I enjoyed it.

[Fiatgal]

Kate Oliver books are always a fun read. For some reason, this book doesn’t live up to her earliest series. I’m not sure what’s missing, the only thing I can think of is charm and humour. Also, unless you’ve read the previous books, you would miss some of the richness, and depth.

[Jenna Lundberg]

🖤 She Smashed the Wrong Car and Found the Right Daddy 😂
⭐ 4 Stars | 🌶️ 3 Chili Peppers

Nothing says “I'm done with men” quite like catching your boyfriend cheating, grabbing a baseball bat, and going to town on his Range Rover. 😂 Unfortunately for Fallon, there is one tiny problem with her revenge plan.

Wrong. Freaking. Car.

And not just anyone's car. She has managed to destroy the Range Rover belonging to Luciano Ricci, underboss of the American Italian Syndicate. You'd think this would be a very bad day for Fallon. Instead, Luciano takes one look at this tiny, furious ball of chaos and basically decides she's his now. 🖤😂

Fallon was easily one of my favorite parts of Luciano. She's feisty, stubborn, reckless, and definitely not afraid to throw whatever happens to be within reach. 😂 But underneath all that sass is a woman who has survived being hurt and disappointed by people who should have treated her better. She has every reason to be finished with men, which makes it even more entertaining when Luciano refuses to be intimidated by her walls.

And Luciano? Well... Daddy Luciano has entered the chat. 😮‍💨🖤

This man is protective, possessive, obsessive, jealous, bossy, and completely OTT when it comes to Fallon. He wants to fix her problems, spoil her, take care of her, and apparently collect the names of every man who has ever hurt her. 😂 He fixes her car, makes sure her cheating ex pays back what he owes her, and absolutely hates hearing Fallon talk down about herself.

I especially loved that Luciano never wanted to extinguish Fallon's fire. She's a fighter who refuses to shrink herself for anyone, including a dangerous mafia underboss, and that's exactly what fascinates him. She pushes his buttons, challenges him constantly, and makes him work for every inch she gives him.

Their Daddy/brat dynamic was definitely a BIG part of their relationship. 😂🔥 Add in an almost twenty-year age gap, “good girl,” “princess,” touch-her-and-find-out energy, and a man who very much enjoys being called Daddy, and you should have a pretty good idea what you're signing up for with this one.

Luciano also surprised me with how sweet he could be underneath all that danger and dominance. Fallon is so accustomed to men disappointing her that she doesn't quite know what to do with someone who genuinely wants to make her life easier. I liked watching her slowly realize that accepting someone's care doesn't mean giving up the strong, independent parts of herself.

My one little disappointment was actually the spice. 🌶️ With SO much buildup surrounding their Daddy/brat dynamic, I expected the steamier scenes to have a little more time to breathe. What was there definitely worked, but sometimes it felt like we got all that delicious teasing only for the payoff to be over a little too quickly. I wanted more! 😂🔥

Still, Luciano was such a fun read. Fallon brought the feminine rage and chaos, Luciano brought the obsessive mafia Daddy energy, and together they gave me plenty of banter, possessiveness, sweetness, and entertainment.

Apparently smashing the wrong man's Range Rover isn't always a mistake.

Sometimes it's how you find the dangerous mafia man who's going to call you princess, fix your problems, spoil you rotten, and make it very clear that he's never letting you go. 😂🖤

Thank you to Kate Oliver and The Smuthood for the gifted advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Vic]

Luciano is the first book in the Italian Syndicate series. We first met Luciano in Savage Ties and I fell for him. In his book, we see him enjoying dinner with two of his friends and when they leave, he is shocked to find a beautiful woman destroying his SUV. The minute he sees her, he wants her. He has never felt anything like this. He has had plenty of women but he has never been enchanted with someone. The way she is destroying everything mesmerizes him. When he sees her trying to climb up the suv, he is worried about her safety and yells at her to stop. She freaks out and realizes it’s the wrong vehicle and runs away. His men chase her but she fights them and gets away. Now, he wants to find her and is determined to make her his. He doesn’t know what it is about her. All he knows is that when he finds her, he wants to protect her and keep her safe. He also wants to spoil her and make her feel desired and wanted. He will destroy anyone who ever hurt her. She’s extremely stubborn and refuses to make it easy for him. He is willing to be patient as long as she gives him a chance.

Fallon just had a really horrible night. She caught her boyfriend cheating and in her grief-stricken rage, took a bat to his SUV and destroyed it. She finds out it’s not his SUV when a gorgeous man yells at her to stop. She must’ve confused the vehicle and is now scared he’s going to hurt her. She freaks out and runs. She is stopped by his men but fights her way out and gets away. When Luciano finds her at her apartment, he offers to help her. She’s hesitant but he’s extremely persistent. They have chemistry and he’s extremely kind. I mean how do you turn down a beautiful man like him. She’s too hurt over what her ex-boyfriend did. She doesn’t know who to trust. She’s also out of options so she takes him up on his offer to take her somewhere to stay while she figures out what she’s gonna do. He keeps showing up and helps her. He just tries to make her day better all so he can see her smile. She notices him every time he is around and her walls are starting to fall. She definitely likes him but is scared. Will she give him a chance?

Kate Oliver had me falling even more in love with Luciano. I loved his protective as well as his unhinged side. That man was obsessed since the beginning. All he had to do was lay his eyes on her, and he was hooked. He didn’t care that she destroyed his suv, he was more worried for her safety. That made me swoon. Not only does he want her, but he also wants to protect her and make her feel safe. I loved their chemistry and their scenes together. They were so hot. I felt so bad for Fallon. She just can’t catch a break. Her boyfriend broke all her trust and now she doesn’t trust anyone. Even with Luciano being friendly, kind, and a wonderful gentleman, she doubts his intentions. I loved the side characters as well as the wonderful cameos. This was an emotional roller coaster. It was filled with drama, danger, humor, action, and heartbreaking moments. I’m so excited for the next book.

[Victoria]

You know when you see an ARC sign-up and something in your brain goes, Yep. That one. We need that one!

That was me with Luciano. Another new-to-me author, another completely reasonable decision made because a blurb caught my attention... and apparently another rabbit hole for me to fall into.

Fallon was probably the character I connected with most. I completely understood that need to prove you can do everything yourself while simultaneously being the person who will drop everything to help someone else. She’ll be there for everyone, but actually letting someone be there for her is a whole different story.

Which makes Luciano a particularly interesting man to throw into her life.

He wants to take care of her, while Fallon is very much accustomed to taking care of herself. That push and pull was what worked for me most because underneath the mafia element, their relationship is really about Fallon learning that accepting someone’s care doesn’t automatically mean giving up her independence.

And then there’s the Daddy Dom dynamic.

Apparently 43 years on this earth and books are still finding new things for me to discover about myself because... who knew this might be a kink I could get behind 😂

I did go into Luciano expecting something darker and spicier than what I ultimately got, so that was probably the biggest thing holding this back from a higher rating for me. There are still some potentially triggering themes, though, so definitely check the content warnings before diving in.

But as an introduction to Kate Oliver? Well, I’m intrigued.

This is the first book in the Italian Syndicate Kings series and I’m already curious about where the rest of it is going. More concerning is the growing suspicion that I now need to investigate Kate Oliver’s entire backlist... preferably with some sort of colour-coded reading-order chart beside me.

Because apparently I needed another author rabbit hole. 😂

If fiercely independent heroines, protective mafia men and a very definite Daddy Dom dynamic are your thing, put this one on your radar.

Thank you so much to Kate Oliver & The Smuthood for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Rondi]

Luciano and Fallon.

First of all, let’s just get this out of the way: I am a Kate Oliver fan, and there will never be anything she writes that I won’t read. HOWEVER, I will put a little disclaimer out there: if you are not into any sort of Daddy kink - and I don’t mean like she just calls him Daddy - I mean it is HEAVILY Daddy kink … this may not be the book for you. And that’s exactly why we love Kate. She makes absolutely no apologies for it, and you know what? That is exactly the way we should all feel. Whatever your kink is, specifically, it’s fine. You are normal. I mean, there are probably some unnormal ones too, but that’s okay. You do you!

One thing that is always very present in Kate’s books is that her female main characters may feel a certain type of way about their bodies, while the male main characters are VERY adamant that they are perfect. It makes them irrationally angry when the women talk about their bodies not being perfect because they genuinely love them exactly as they are. And I absolutely love that.

The coolest thing about Kate’s books is that these men fall hard and fast, but they’re also very outspoken about saying, “I am concerned about your safety, and you may think I’m a great man, but I’m not. I’ve done a lot of shitty things in my life.” They don’t walk around with this aura of being perfect, and I really appreciate that about them.

The one thing about this book that absolutely cracks me up is Fallon’s DEFIANCE. I love it. It makes me so happy!

This book was super fun, super hot, and I already cannot wait for the next one in the series. I have no idea if Kate is going back to the Savage Sin series or continuing with this one, and honestly, I kind of love that we don’t know. She writes wherever her brain takes her, and we don’t find out what’s next until Kate herself announces it. It’s fun!

This book was easily 5 stars for me. But let’s be honest … every book Kate Oliver has written is normally a 5-star read for me, so once again, she absolutely nailed it

[Emily Buchanan]

I truly do love all of Kate’s books, but there was something about this particular MMC, Luciano, that just made me fucking swoon. My God, I don’t know if it was the persistent caring, if it was the knowing of what she needed before she did, or whether it was how much he thought about her and her needs. Whatever it was, had me barking like a dog.

Our MMC is second in command of the Italian mafia in Seattle and spent most of his days doing mafia related jobs and taking care of his cousin Lacey. We met Lacey in a previous book about the Savage Brothers, and now that she is married and living in Vegas, he finds himself a little lonely. As he’s finishing up a meeting, he walks out of the restaurant and sees a gorgeous, spitfire, very enraged woman taking a baseball bat to his car…. And he’s never been more turned on in his life.

Fallon is heartbroken after finding out that her boyfriend, who she lives with, has been cheating on her with his secretary and probably multiple others. And a bit of rage, she buys a baseball bat and takes it to what she thinks is his car. What she finds instead is a man who loves her Fire and thinks that she’s the most precious princess in the whole world.

Luciano is loyal, indulgent, and loves Fallon for who she is (baseball bat and all). It was so endearing to watch him. Try to figure out the right moves. I also really appreciated that in this one he didn’t try to change her to fit in with what he expected or what he thought she needed. Sometimes in these daddy, kink style books, you have an FMC who just gets railroaded and forced into taking on a lifestyle or a dynamic that takes away her autonomy. Kate’s books don’t really do that and this one was no exception.

This book does have a heavy daddy kink and is fairly spicy. I would say 🌶️🌶️ 🌶️ . This book is also relatively short and makes a really nice break if you’re reading something super heavy. It does deal with some hard themes of child abandonment/abuse/repeated adult trauma. So definitely make sure that you check your triggers if you need to.

Overall, this was a four out of five for me and I hope that if this is your jam, you pick it up!

[Pamela Noseworthy]

Peppers - 3
Stars - 4
Hearts - 3

ARC: Yes
Format: eBook
Recommended: I really enjoyed it.

Thropes
Mafia Romance
Age Gap
Independent FMC
Spanking
Found Family
Protective MMC

Luciano is second in command of the Italian mafia in Seattle, and he spends most of his days doing mafia-related jobs and taking care of his cousin Lacey. We met Lacey in a previous book about the Savage Brothers. Now that she's married and living in Vegas, he feels a little lonely. After finishing a meeting, he leaves a restaurant and sees a stunning, fiery woman angrily hitting his car with a baseball bat… and he's never felt more turned on in his life.
Fallon is heartbroken after discovering that her boyfriend, who she lives with and has been cheating on her (with his secretary and maybe others too). Filled with anger, she buys a baseball bat and goes to what she thinks is his car to confront him. But instead, she finds a man who loves her fiery spirit and thinks she’s the most precious girl in the world.
Luciano is devoted, caring, and loves Fallon just as she is, baseball bat and all. Watching his patience and affection was really sweet. He tries to understand and respect her choices. I also appreciated that he doesn’t try to change her or force her into a certain mould. Sometimes, in books about dominant-submissive or daddy-style relationships, the female character can be pushed into a lifestyle that takes away her independence. Kate’s stories usually avoid that, and this one was no different.

Thoughts
Kate did a fantastic job creating a strong FMC. She knows how to make you want to become submissive to a powerful MMC!!!! Did I mention that Kate can bring out a "daddy kink" in you that you didn’t even know you had? I thought this was a really good book! The story has themes that might not be for everyone, so check your triggers, but I loved the exciting chase between this big mafia man and the sassy woman.

Quote(s)
“Not one person will hurt you in this life again and survive me. I don’t play about what's MINE.”

[Riche]

I devoured this book in one sitting!!! It was such an easy, engaging read! Fallon was so freaking sassy and unhinged!!! I loved her from basically the first chapter. Like, who in their right mind takes a baseball bat to somebody’s car?! And then casually reminisces about throwing a plugged-in toaster at someone while they were showering because they wronged her?! I love her SO much. 😂

And him… honestly, he was such a green flag, but like, a tough green flag because he’s still a freaking mafia boss. 😂 You absolutely do NOT want to cross him, but when it came to her, everything was about taking care of her, trusting her, supporting her, and basically being there for her from the moment he laid eyes on her while she was smashing his car.

The tension was there from the very beginning. It was quick, but it worked, and I loved how he was constantly affirming her and reminding her how strong she was. She had been through so much, and honestly, if that happened to me in real life, I would have completely broken down, but she just kept going. She was strong, she was a fighter, and he never tried to take that away from her.

My only thing is that I wish the book was a little longer. I think it would have given more time to explore the tension between the two syndicates, and more of what happened with Fallon andd her POS ex. I think having more detail there would have made the story even better.

And yes, the daddy trope is heavy, but honestly? I didn’t really feel like it was an actual daddy kink. It felt more like a pet name, and it was done so tastefully and respectfully. He never diminished her or babied her in that stereotypical way. He was just a freaking supportive, affirming, green-flag mafia daddy.

She was strong. He was obsessed. The chemistry was there. It was hot. And clearly, I devoured it in one sitting, so that probably tells you everything you need to know. 🖤

Note: if you absolutely hate pet names, this is not gonna be for you. Because Daddy loves her princess 😉😏

[Vanessa Ortiz]

✨️ Thanks to @kate.oliver.books and @thesmuthood for the ARC

🔥 “I want to punish you when you’re naughty, and I want to reward you when you’re my good girl.”

🔥 “I like your fire, princess. It’s my favorite thing about you.”

🔥 “Who said you’re my Daddy?”

🔥 “I want to take care of you. In every single way possible.”

Fallon Davis has been a fighter her entire life. When she catches her boyfriend cheating on her, she doesn’t break down in tears; she exacts her revenge by trashing his precious car. There’s just one small problem: she may have picked the wrong vehicle. Luciano Ricci, second-in-command of the American Italian mafia, is shocked to find a petite woman destroying his car. The spitfire provides a challenge he isn’t quite used to yet he can’t keep her off his mind. Fallon may have sworn off all men but Luciano has decided she is his and he won’t let her go. He’ll stop at nothing to prove that he’s worthy of her trust.

The dynamic between Fallon and Luciano made it hard to put this book down. Seriously, I finished it in 24 hours. Fallon is a strong, independent woman and I loved that Luciano never tried to change her. He truly was there to care for and support her. Although he was obsessed and possessive, he still gave her the space she needed to come to terms with their evolving relationship. You gotta love a mafia man with a sweet, caring side and Luciano checks all those boxes. Kate is the queen of the daddy kink and this book was no exception. And with the added age gap? Perfection. I am so eager for the rest of this series, and it better include Alessandro and Paige’s story.

💙Daddy Kink (heavy)
🖤Mafia
💙Age gap
🖤Feminine rage
💙Touch her and die

⚠️Content Warnings:

Daddy Kink
Assault
Murder
History of abuse (off page)
Neglect of a parent (off page)
Spanking

[Dayna]

Arc review


📖 Luciano by Kate Oliver

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

⚠️‼️ Please check trigger warnings before reading! ‼️⚠️

Tropes:
🖤 Daddy Dom
🖤 Mafia
🖤 Age Gap
🖤 Stubborn FMC

The SECOND I saw Kate Oliver was releasing a new book, I knew I needed it. Immediately. No questions asked. 😂 Kate is basically the queen of Daddy books, and honestly… every book I read by her makes my Daddy obsession worse. 💖🫠

And then there’s Luciano. 🥵

Fallon is stubborn, independent, and apparently has a personal goal of putting herself in danger every chance she gets. 🤣 Enter Luciano, who takes ONE look at her and basically decides, “Yeah… you’re mine to protect.” 👀

But what I really loved was that he never forced anything. Knowing Fallon’s history with men, he lets her decide if she wants to explore their dynamic. No pressure. No pushing. Just Luciano patiently waiting for her to realize how damn good it feels to finally let someone take care of her. 🥹🩵

And watching this woman who is so used to doing EVERYTHING herself slowly realize she doesn’t have to? Inject that straight into my veins. 😭🖤

Now, Kate… respectfully… I needed MORE spice. 🌶️👀 Because Luciano was giving 🥵🥵🥵 and I was READY. The few spicy scenes we did get, though? 🔥🔥🔥 Absolutely delicious. I may or may not have been sitting there thinking, “Okay Fallon… I’m happy for you, but I’m also extremely jealous.” 😂😉

And when he calls her “baby”?

Yeah. That’s it. I’m done. 🫠💀

There is just something about a terrifying mafia man who is ruthless to everyone else but turns into a complete soft, protective, obsessed man for his woman. Give me that every. damn. time. 🖤

Luciano had the mafia, the possessiveness, the caretaking, the Daddy energy… and just enough spice to leave me wanting more. 🥵📚💖

[Shanaé]

⭐⭐⭐.✨ (3.5/5)
🔥🔥🔥 (3/5)

Fallon takes a baseball bat to her boyfriend’s car after catching him cheating after hours—or so she thought. Turns out, the car belongs to Luciano, a high-ranking member of the Italian mafia. Before his people can catch her, she gets away, but not without doing some damage to two of his men. Intrigued by her, Luciano sets out to find her, leading to a story full of hilarious banter, heavy spice, and premium daddy vibes.

Fallon, a fiery hairdresser with a horrible history with men, learned how to fight back at a young age. She is easily the backbone of this story. Her personality, humor, and attitude carry so much of the book, and she was by far the most memorable part for me.

Luciano, an Italian mobster and Daddy Dom, is a man who avoids attachment and complications until Fallon completely throws him off balance. I liked him most when he was trying to prove to her that he was genuine because it gave him more personality beyond the typical possessive mafia MMC. His Daddy Dom energy is a huge part of his character, and while he can be over-the-top, it works with Fallon and their dynamic.

The plot includes cheating (not by the MMC) and a fairly familiar mafia storyline involving someone crossing the wrong person. The plot itself didn’t stand out as much for me, but Fallon and Luciano’s chemistry and banter kept the story entertaining.

This is very much instalove/instalust and, at around 270 pages, it moves quickly from beginning to end. The spice works for their dynamic, though it didn’t stand out for me.

Read If You Enjoy
Mafia Romance
Obsessive/Possessive MMC
Feminine Rage
Touch Her and D*e
Instalove/Instalust
High Spice
Dom/Sub Dynamics
Forced Proximity
Daddy K*nk
Praise K*nk

[ANA GARCIA]

No surprise here, but as always happens with Kate Oliver’s books, I absolutely loved this one!
We met Luciano in *Savage Ties*, but this time we finally get his story — and his turn for a happily ever after.
Luciano never believed someone like him would find love. He didn’t believe he was worthy of it and certainly didn’t think there would ever be a woman for him.
Then his car got totally smashed by a 5-foot-tall blonde wielding a bat.
Fallon thought she was trashing her cheating boyfriend’s car.
She was very, very wrong.
And that’s how it all begins.
Fallon is wary of men, trauma-ridden, and carrying a whole lot of trust issues. She has very little money, nowhere to stay, and has just destroyed the car of the number two man in the American syndicate of the Italian mafia — not that she realizes any of that until she Googles him.
Luciano, meanwhile, knows almost immediately that Fallon challenges him and calls to something in him: the need to protect, punish, and cherish her.
And wow… what a wild ride their story turns out to be.
I really loved watching these two navigate their own issues and slowly find something neither of them thought they deserved. After getting to know Luciano in *Savage Ties*, it was especially satisfying to see him finally get his HEA.

Kate Oliver once again gave me the combination I love in her books: strong but vulnerable characters, plenty of heat, emotional baggage, protective men, and a relationship that develops into something much deeper than either character expected.
And, of course, an HEA that leaves me completely satisfied.

Another book I know I’ll be rereading multiple times.

[Talesa Hardaway]

I love a mafia daddy.

Give me a big, dangerous man who can terrify everyone in the room and then completely melt for his woman?

Yes, please.

And then give that man a woman who takes a baseball bat to a car because she thinks it's her cheating ex's?

Well, well, well...

Hello, Fallon.

I adored this woman from the start.

Fallon is a badass. She's stubborn, wild and absolutely not someone you cross. She gives Luciano a hard time at every opportunity.

And honestly, I loved watching her do it.

Hell, even I wanted to spank Fallon a little.

And Luciano?

God, I love this dude.

He's big. He's dangerous. He's bossy. He's overbearing.
Basically, he's a walking red flag with a mafia empire.

But then Fallon comes crashing into his life and...

He melts.

This man met his match.

She ignites something in him that had been dead for a long time and I loved watching him realize just how much she affects him.

And I really loved the way he slowly becomes someone Fallon can trust.

Because Fallon doesn't just need a man who can protect her.

She needs someone who won't disappoint her.

Luciano gives her that safety while still letting her be the wild, stubborn woman she is.

And the “princess” thing?

Yeah.

I see you, Luciano.

The relationship progression was probably my favorite part. These two challenge each other, push each other's buttons and somehow make this whole mafia daddy meets feminine rage situation ridiculously fun.

The daddy kink is heavy, the touch-her-and-die energy is strong and Fallon is absolutely not going quietly into anyone's plans.

Which is exactly why Luciano is so much fun.

He's used to being the dangerous one.

Then Fallon shows up with a baseball bat.

Good luck, sir.

Luciano gave me a mafia daddy who falls hard, a woman who refuses to be handled and a relationship that had me smiling more than I expected.

I enjoyed the hell out of this one.

Read it. Listen to it. Come scream with me afterward. 💜
— Naughty Book Nook

[Jaqueline]

Thank you to Kate Oliver and The Smuthood for allowing me to read Luciano and Fallon’s story.
ARC REVIEW

I have read Kate Oliver's books before, but I haven't reviewed them publicly or done an ARC review for her. I have noticed a pattern, though: a lot of her endings feel rushed. I enjoyed the book, and the characters were all amazing, but once again I do wish the ending didn't feel so rushed.

Fallon is a strong, independent young woman going through a terrible breakup. In the midst of that chaotic sequence of events, she meets Luciano.

Luciano is part of the Italian syndicate, and we can tell from the beginning that he wants love; he needs it, and he's searching for it, but he thinks it's never coming and never will happen to him. However, fate has a different plan for him, and he does meet the FMC.

Luciano immediately falls for Fallon, and he is doing everything within his power to be in her life, but not in a morally gray type of MMC vibe. He's very straightforward with her. He tells her who he is, what he does, and he doesn't want any obstacles to later come up that would prevent her from choosing to be with him.

And I love that. Sometimes you just need a story that's straightforward. Now Fallon is a very fiercely independent woman, very chaotic, very strong-willed, but the moment she meets Luciano, she lets all her guards down. And she allows herself to be taken care of without making her feel weak.

Trigger warning/ tropes
daddy kink
spanking
mafia
age-gap
feminine rage
touch her and die
violence
assault
murder
history of abuse
neglagent parent
Hea
spice 3/4

[Keneisha]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 5/5
🌶️ Spice: 2.5/5

I received an advance copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Okay, so we have a Daddy Dom and his brat… who technically does NOT start off as his brat. 😂

Sooo, let’s get into it…

Luciano and Fallon meet completely by chance when Fallon accidentally takes a bat to his car.

Yes, you read that correctly.

She was SUPPOSED to be bashing her ex-boyfriend’s car, but instead, she hits the wrong one and suddenly finds herself in a very interesting predicament. Because now she has a handsome mafia man who is completely intrigued by her….and before she knows it, that intrigue turns into obsession.

And Luciano? Oh, he definitely falls first. 👀

All this man wants to do is take care of Fallon, but there’s one small problem: Fallon has basically sworn off men. After dealing with her ex, the last thing she expects—or necessarily wants—is another man coming into her life.

But Luciano is something completely different for her, and somehow, Fallon turns out to be exactly what he needs too.

I really enjoyed watching their dynamic develop, especially with the Daddy Dom/brat energy mixed into the mafia romance. Luciano’s possessive and protective side definitely worked for me, especially because underneath all of that, you could tell he genuinely wanted to take care of Fallon.

Overall, this was such an enjoyable mafia romance. Give me an obsessed mafia man, a Daddy Dom, a FMC who can give that energy right back, AND he falls first? Say less. 😂

I’ll definitely be reading more from Ms. Kate Oliver!

Thank you to Smuthood and Kate Oliver for giving me the opportunity to read Luciano and Fallon’s story.

[Jaclyn]

This was my first book by the author and it was a quick read that I gobbled up in just a few hours. Fallon, a 23 year old woman who found out that her boyfriend is cheating on her, buys a bat and decides to get out all of her anger by destroying his Range Rover that parked in a parking garage. This girl gets out all of her rage and I was here for it. Luciano, twenty years her senior and a higher up in the Italian mafia, is coming out from a restaurant with other members and witnesses this rage… but it’s actually his car that she is doing this to. Somehow this short and sassy woman gets away from them, but can you really escape a man with connections?

Luciano falls fast and wants to make Fallon his, and take care of her, but knows he has to convince her of this. Surprisingly he is so gentle and gives her the space… well, sort of, but to be fair, I thought he would be way more overbearing so it was kind of nice to see him work on her timeline. Fallon is way younger than he is, but she has come from such a bad childhood and he hopes that she sees how wonderful she truly is, and to stop all of the negative speak about herself.

I thought this was a good book! I felt the first half of the book was a bit stronger than the second, but it still had me wanting more. The themes are definitely not for everyone so check your triggers, but I loved the chase of this big mafia man for this sassy woman. This book definitely had some spice, but it happened more towards the middle to end of the book. I am not usually one for a huge age gap, but this book actually worked it well!