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The Con
Delilah. The Blue Jay.
World class con artist. Charismatic. Cunning. And she’s back in New York City. Though she manages to swindle the wrong man, one tied to a ruthless mafia boss at war. What she thought was a simple con turns into a fatal mistake, because not only is he out to get even. He’s obsessed. And now? He makes the rules.
Caught in a game of deceit and rivaling minds, Delilah navigates New York's wicked underbelly and the monsters that threaten to pull her and those she loves into it. The only thing she can't seem to con her way out of, are her feelings and dark desires for her new Boss.
Blaine. The Boss.
Head of the Maw. Calculated. Unforgiving. And mercilessly taking his city back, one body at a time. And now? He’s found his newest fixation. He demands retribution, only it takes the form of luring, trapping, and exploiting a little con’s skills to infiltrate a rival mafia family and a secret society of New York elite as repayment for her indiscretions.
As Blaine struggles to keep a firm grip on his control over his territory, Delilah is the only one that can lead him straight to the source of his sabotage. Could a pretty little con truly be the one to save his empire, or will his lust and obsession be his greatest downfall?
World class con artist. Charismatic. Cunning. And she’s back in New York City. Though she manages to swindle the wrong man, one tied to a ruthless mafia boss at war. What she thought was a simple con turns into a fatal mistake, because not only is he out to get even. He’s obsessed. And now? He makes the rules.
Caught in a game of deceit and rivaling minds, Delilah navigates New York's wicked underbelly and the monsters that threaten to pull her and those she loves into it. The only thing she can't seem to con her way out of, are her feelings and dark desires for her new Boss.
Blaine. The Boss.
Head of the Maw. Calculated. Unforgiving. And mercilessly taking his city back, one body at a time. And now? He’s found his newest fixation. He demands retribution, only it takes the form of luring, trapping, and exploiting a little con’s skills to infiltrate a rival mafia family and a secret society of New York elite as repayment for her indiscretions.
As Blaine struggles to keep a firm grip on his control over his territory, Delilah is the only one that can lead him straight to the source of his sabotage. Could a pretty little con truly be the one to save his empire, or will his lust and obsession be his greatest downfall?
497 pages, ebook
Published May 18, 2026
About the author
G.R. Persik
2 books14 followersGabriella is a an avid dark romance lover and author who crafts stories with unapologetically strong, layered women who rival the men obsessed with them. As a devourer of all things dark and deliciously forbidden, she loves exploring how characters navigate their own inner struggles and turmoil while being drawn into a dangerous, all-consuming romance they know they shouldn't want but crave anyway.
Once you taste the forbidden fruit, there's no going back.
She lives with her husband and two cats and calls home anywhere the leaves start to fall. When she's not burning the midnight oil writing, she can be found playing in the snow on either a board or skates.
Once you taste the forbidden fruit, there's no going back.
She lives with her husband and two cats and calls home anywhere the leaves start to fall. When she's not burning the midnight oil writing, she can be found playing in the snow on either a board or skates.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
May 24, 2026
I love a high tension forbidden Mafia Romance but this one was a whole other level!
I think this one is the first book to make me cry in a while. These characters go through quite a bit.
Our MFC is a world wide con known under many names. She comes back to the only place she's known as home to complete a new task that could earn her quite a pay out. Our MMC is a Mafia boss who has discovered what she has been doing and wants to use her talents for personal gain, even if that means keeping her closer to him than either of them were prepared for!
The storyline for this book ended up being one of the best ones I've read in a while. There are high tension moments where I had to take a short break from reading so please make sure you check triggers for this book. It has A LOT.
I loved that this book had more than one couple being mentioned. If a second book comes out, I already know who I want it to be about! 😂
Six Stars! Highly recommended for the Mafia Romance lovers.
I received an ARC of this book through Iris and am leaving my review voluntarily.
I think this one is the first book to make me cry in a while. These characters go through quite a bit.
Our MFC is a world wide con known under many names. She comes back to the only place she's known as home to complete a new task that could earn her quite a pay out. Our MMC is a Mafia boss who has discovered what she has been doing and wants to use her talents for personal gain, even if that means keeping her closer to him than either of them were prepared for!
The storyline for this book ended up being one of the best ones I've read in a while. There are high tension moments where I had to take a short break from reading so please make sure you check triggers for this book. It has A LOT.
I loved that this book had more than one couple being mentioned. If a second book comes out, I already know who I want it to be about! 😂
Six Stars! Highly recommended for the Mafia Romance lovers.
I received an ARC of this book through Iris and am leaving my review voluntarily.
June 5, 2026
4.5🌟, 3🌶️
I flew through this book in a single sitting and couldn’t put it down.
The story throws Delilah, a talented con artist, into a dangerous game she never wanted to play, and pairing her with the cold, obsessive Blaine made for an addictive read. The dark themes definitely earn their warnings, but they also add so much weight to the story.
What drew me in was the dynamic between Delilah and Blaine. Delilah’s confidence is challenged in ways that make her growth incredibly satisfying, while the tension between them is impossible to ignore. Their shared history adds depth to every interaction, and even the side characters felt memorable enough to leave me wanting more from this world.
This was an impressive debut that delivered high-stakes drama, emotional twists, and a slow-burning obsession that felt completely earned. It’s the kind of story that keeps your heart racing while still hitting hard emotionally.
I absolutely can’t wait to see what comes next.
~~~~
Huge thank you to G.R. Persik & Luna Literary for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨
I flew through this book in a single sitting and couldn’t put it down.
The story throws Delilah, a talented con artist, into a dangerous game she never wanted to play, and pairing her with the cold, obsessive Blaine made for an addictive read. The dark themes definitely earn their warnings, but they also add so much weight to the story.
What drew me in was the dynamic between Delilah and Blaine. Delilah’s confidence is challenged in ways that make her growth incredibly satisfying, while the tension between them is impossible to ignore. Their shared history adds depth to every interaction, and even the side characters felt memorable enough to leave me wanting more from this world.
This was an impressive debut that delivered high-stakes drama, emotional twists, and a slow-burning obsession that felt completely earned. It’s the kind of story that keeps your heart racing while still hitting hard emotionally.
I absolutely can’t wait to see what comes next.
~~~~
Huge thank you to G.R. Persik & Luna Literary for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨
June 1, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶️🌶️🌶️
This debut was everything!!!!!
This is a book where the plot completely pulled me in and I was stuck!! This book is a thicky and I eye ball read the whole thing quick!!!! During eyeball reading slump I may add!
His nicknames for her were everything!!!!
Delilah is a queen of an fmc and I need more fmc leads like her!!! She handled business and knew what she was doing in a world ran by men!
That plot twist though!!! Pulled at my heart and emotions for no freaking reason!!!!!
And now I need the book for Delilahs best friend and Blaines brother!
What to expect
Dark mafia romance
Con Artist x mafia don
He falls first
Forced proximity
Thank you GR Persik and Luna Literary for the opportunity to read this as an ARC💛
This debut was everything!!!!!
This is a book where the plot completely pulled me in and I was stuck!! This book is a thicky and I eye ball read the whole thing quick!!!! During eyeball reading slump I may add!
His nicknames for her were everything!!!!
Delilah is a queen of an fmc and I need more fmc leads like her!!! She handled business and knew what she was doing in a world ran by men!
That plot twist though!!! Pulled at my heart and emotions for no freaking reason!!!!!
And now I need the book for Delilahs best friend and Blaines brother!
What to expect
Dark mafia romance
Con Artist x mafia don
He falls first
Forced proximity
Thank you GR Persik and Luna Literary for the opportunity to read this as an ARC💛
May 29, 2026
✨✨✨
Jane’s Review💚🇬🇧
At the start Delilah’s so self absorbed it’s off putting. She literally thinks she’s gods gift or something, there’s a difference between confidence and arrogance. Which is why I was so happy that she found someone to deflate her head but also put her skills to good use.
Blaine appears in a cloud of smoke, well cigarette smoke but still! He’s cold, unapproachable, unbelievably handsome and built himself up from nothing, nothing can make him lose focus. Until a certain woman is brought to his attention, all it takes is one look from a security camera and his interests are piqued.
Delilah loves to play the game and never loses! She prides herself on her skill of being a con woman and uses her assets to her advantage. But she stole from the wrong guy, when he rings up the mafia and puts her on their radar.
That one moment ricochets events that change her life forever. As everything unfolds, who knew her ties to Blaine run deeper! After all her ‘father figure’ saved the young man as a teen! This is full of action, love and twists that are thrown at you. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to the story being continued!!!
✨✨✨
Jane’s Review💚🇬🇧
At the start Delilah’s so self absorbed it’s off putting. She literally thinks she’s gods gift or something, there’s a difference between confidence and arrogance. Which is why I was so happy that she found someone to deflate her head but also put her skills to good use.
Blaine appears in a cloud of smoke, well cigarette smoke but still! He’s cold, unapproachable, unbelievably handsome and built himself up from nothing, nothing can make him lose focus. Until a certain woman is brought to his attention, all it takes is one look from a security camera and his interests are piqued.
Delilah loves to play the game and never loses! She prides herself on her skill of being a con woman and uses her assets to her advantage. But she stole from the wrong guy, when he rings up the mafia and puts her on their radar.
That one moment ricochets events that change her life forever. As everything unfolds, who knew her ties to Blaine run deeper! After all her ‘father figure’ saved the young man as a teen! This is full of action, love and twists that are thrown at you. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to the story being continued!!!
✨✨✨
May 8, 2026
ARC Review - Book received from author G. R. Persik <3
Please check trigger warnings before reading.
The Con completely swept me away. From the plot to the characters to the gritty mafia world, I was hooked from page one.
Our FMC, Delilah — “The Blue Jay”, is a world‑renowned con artist who is brilliant, charismatic, and always in control. I was in constant awe of her. There’s a scene with a cirque headmaster that had me genuinely impressed by just how sharp and capable she is.
Our MMC, Blaine, is a mafia boss with a cold, calculated exterior and layers of secrets beneath it. The moment he sets his sights on Delilah, everything shifts. The tension, the chemistry, the obsession — I devoured every bit of it.
I also have to shout out Jeremiah, who is utterly unhinged in the most entertaining way. He instantly became one of my favorite side characters.
G.R. Persik delivers a strong debut dark mafia romance filled with compelling characters, immersive world‑building, and twists that keep you turning the pages. If you enjoy high‑stakes tension, morally gray leads, and a romance that burns hot, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
Please check trigger warnings before reading.
The Con completely swept me away. From the plot to the characters to the gritty mafia world, I was hooked from page one.
Our FMC, Delilah — “The Blue Jay”, is a world‑renowned con artist who is brilliant, charismatic, and always in control. I was in constant awe of her. There’s a scene with a cirque headmaster that had me genuinely impressed by just how sharp and capable she is.
Our MMC, Blaine, is a mafia boss with a cold, calculated exterior and layers of secrets beneath it. The moment he sets his sights on Delilah, everything shifts. The tension, the chemistry, the obsession — I devoured every bit of it.
I also have to shout out Jeremiah, who is utterly unhinged in the most entertaining way. He instantly became one of my favorite side characters.
G.R. Persik delivers a strong debut dark mafia romance filled with compelling characters, immersive world‑building, and twists that keep you turning the pages. If you enjoy high‑stakes tension, morally gray leads, and a romance that burns hot, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
May 20, 2026
Woahhhh this book!! It was a new concept (con artist) for me and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!! So refreshing for a mafia book and the tension, mmmmmm!! The details and trust issues made this story feel so real. Also being from NY, it was nice to relate to locations. I’m excited to see where book 2 takes us!
May 28, 2026
About the book:
Delilah is a con artist who just got back to New York and quickly pulls a job on some entitled rich men. Unfortunately, those men have ties to one of the biggest Mafia groups in the city, and Delilah is quickly backed into a corner by Blaine, the Boss. He's immediately enraptured when he watches the security footage of her working, and thinks she would be the perfect asset to help him pull off the biggest con imaginable - get all the dirty details on the rival Boss so that Blaine can claim the whole territory. Offered a job she can't refuse, Delilah must use all of her wit and skills to survive and escape. The only question is.. will Blaine ever let her go? And does she really want him to?
Points of interest:
Mafia
City setting
Underground fight ring
Found family
Obsessive/possessive
BDSM/kink
Questionable use of a knife
He falls first and hard
Forced proximity
Morally grey
Touch her and ☠️
Thoughts:
Delilah is quick, sharp, adaptable, and confident. Raised by an ex-mafia hitman in a bar she can throw hands and knives as easily as sharp looks and sly words. She's been away, gaining notoriety as the Bluejay, running cons worldwide. She's returned to New York, her old stomping grounds, and has her eyes on a new challenge. Unfortunately, she's been lured into a trap, and Blaine has no intention of letting her go. She's the perfect person to help him infiltrate the rival Boss who is causing trouble in their territory.
From the moment he saw her on the security footage, he was hooked. His yearning and obsession was immediate. Blaine is used to being in control but Delilah pushes him, challenges him, and really just refuses to yield. I like how confident Lilah is, refusing to allow Blaine to dictate every aspect of how she runs the con for him. She knows her worth, her strengths, and she refuses to be trampled by Blaine and his rules.
Found family is strong in this story and I liked that Lilah had people in her corner that didn't belong to Blaine. Sydney is a true ride or die friend that I'm excited to see more of in the next book. I'm also looking forward to seeing the dynamic shift now that Lilah and Blaine are on the same page working together in earnest.
Delilah is a con artist who just got back to New York and quickly pulls a job on some entitled rich men. Unfortunately, those men have ties to one of the biggest Mafia groups in the city, and Delilah is quickly backed into a corner by Blaine, the Boss. He's immediately enraptured when he watches the security footage of her working, and thinks she would be the perfect asset to help him pull off the biggest con imaginable - get all the dirty details on the rival Boss so that Blaine can claim the whole territory. Offered a job she can't refuse, Delilah must use all of her wit and skills to survive and escape. The only question is.. will Blaine ever let her go? And does she really want him to?
Points of interest:
Mafia
City setting
Underground fight ring
Found family
Obsessive/possessive
BDSM/kink
Questionable use of a knife
He falls first and hard
Forced proximity
Morally grey
Touch her and ☠️
Thoughts:
Delilah is quick, sharp, adaptable, and confident. Raised by an ex-mafia hitman in a bar she can throw hands and knives as easily as sharp looks and sly words. She's been away, gaining notoriety as the Bluejay, running cons worldwide. She's returned to New York, her old stomping grounds, and has her eyes on a new challenge. Unfortunately, she's been lured into a trap, and Blaine has no intention of letting her go. She's the perfect person to help him infiltrate the rival Boss who is causing trouble in their territory.
From the moment he saw her on the security footage, he was hooked. His yearning and obsession was immediate. Blaine is used to being in control but Delilah pushes him, challenges him, and really just refuses to yield. I like how confident Lilah is, refusing to allow Blaine to dictate every aspect of how she runs the con for him. She knows her worth, her strengths, and she refuses to be trampled by Blaine and his rules.
Found family is strong in this story and I liked that Lilah had people in her corner that didn't belong to Blaine. Sydney is a true ride or die friend that I'm excited to see more of in the next book. I'm also looking forward to seeing the dynamic shift now that Lilah and Blaine are on the same page working together in earnest.
May 5, 2026
THE LAST TWENTY PERCENT OF THIS BOOK HAD ME ON THE EDGE OF MY GOD DAMN COUCH FREAKING OUT. There was a lot of internal swearing going on.
Needless to say, this book pulled me in from the very first chapter. I was dying to jump into this world with Delilah and Blaine. The amount of detail, the plotting, the planning, the deception, the spice, the connections, the emotions, the secrets—every bit of this was utter perfection. Lilah is such a badass Woman. Not only is she unbelievably deceiving but she looks good doing it. A true Queen to her craft. And she’s lethal. I wouldn’t want to be on her pissed off side, that’s for sure. In any case—how can I be her? She’s awesome. Blaine being Big Boss Mafia Man, knows how good she is at her job and can’t help but lure her in. However, he’s dark and mysterious, cold and calculating. But the moment he sets his mind to something—it’s his. There is no getting out of it. But to be fair—would you want to if you were in his proximity? I wouldn’t. 😉 Their chemistry from the start was THICK. The amount of snarky comments, banter, the tension, the slow burn between them—10/10. I couldn’t stop the blushing of my cheeks and feet kicking.
With all of that, it didn’t stray from the story that was built—brick by brick by the way. I didn’t want to stop reading because my heart was racing with every sentence. Not only did I absolutely love Lilah and Blaine, but also Jeremiah, Sydney and Don. I don’t think those characters could have been better. Their part in this story was just as important—as was another character. Only this one—I have “words” for them. It’s a love/hate situation.
I lost myself in this book, in a good way. From start to finish it kept flowing, kept getting more intriguing and more deep throughout. Ending on a cliffhanger for me is always a push and pull. I hate that it leaves me in the wind but the anticipation of more to come always outweighs that feeling. I cannot wait to continue on in this mysterious world with these amazing characters.
••••••••••
I received this as an ARC from @grpersikauthor and I am grateful for the opportunity to read and review prior to the release.
Needless to say, this book pulled me in from the very first chapter. I was dying to jump into this world with Delilah and Blaine. The amount of detail, the plotting, the planning, the deception, the spice, the connections, the emotions, the secrets—every bit of this was utter perfection. Lilah is such a badass Woman. Not only is she unbelievably deceiving but she looks good doing it. A true Queen to her craft. And she’s lethal. I wouldn’t want to be on her pissed off side, that’s for sure. In any case—how can I be her? She’s awesome. Blaine being Big Boss Mafia Man, knows how good she is at her job and can’t help but lure her in. However, he’s dark and mysterious, cold and calculating. But the moment he sets his mind to something—it’s his. There is no getting out of it. But to be fair—would you want to if you were in his proximity? I wouldn’t. 😉 Their chemistry from the start was THICK. The amount of snarky comments, banter, the tension, the slow burn between them—10/10. I couldn’t stop the blushing of my cheeks and feet kicking.
With all of that, it didn’t stray from the story that was built—brick by brick by the way. I didn’t want to stop reading because my heart was racing with every sentence. Not only did I absolutely love Lilah and Blaine, but also Jeremiah, Sydney and Don. I don’t think those characters could have been better. Their part in this story was just as important—as was another character. Only this one—I have “words” for them. It’s a love/hate situation.
I lost myself in this book, in a good way. From start to finish it kept flowing, kept getting more intriguing and more deep throughout. Ending on a cliffhanger for me is always a push and pull. I hate that it leaves me in the wind but the anticipation of more to come always outweighs that feeling. I cannot wait to continue on in this mysterious world with these amazing characters.
••••••••••
I received this as an ARC from @grpersikauthor and I am grateful for the opportunity to read and review prior to the release.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Con by GR Persik
ARC REVIEW
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“A con artist who never loses…until she meets the one man she can’t outplay” 😏🙂↕️
What to expect:
💋 Con Artist FMC
🔪 Mafia Boss MMC
🏠 Forced Proximity
🚬 He Captures Her
♠️ He’s Obsessed With Her
🗽 NYC Setting
OMG, what a book this was! The fact that this was a debut novel is insane to me. The storyline’s were jam packed and had so many twists and reveals which had my jaw on the floor! From the 80% mark it gets hella intense and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time 😮💨 Where’s a brown paper bag when you need one? 😅
The tension between the two main characters from the start was off the charts. Their banter was top tier and had me laughing and sweating at the same time…these two had instant chemistry and my my they were incredibly hot 🔥
The smoke scene 😏🚬🌶️ I freaking love a mafia book, especially where he’s in suits and is hella possessive. This scene delivered in my wants and wowwww this’ll live in my head rent free. The diamond scene 👀 I didn’t even know that was possible and could these two get any hotter?!??? Safe to say the spice delivered in this book and didn’t take away from the story at all.
Delilah the FMC. Gosh she’s a character that will live in my mind with me forever. She’s so strong and such a badass! She knows what she’s doing and I loved watching her do her craft with ease. I love it how Blaine the MMC knew how good she was and used it to his advantage 😏 I’m obsessed with this man and what a boss he is. The things that were revealed at the end almost had me teary…in a good way because what a man 🥹
I enjoyed every minute of this book and was hooked right from the first page. The pacing, plot, spice, relationships, characters, secrets and emotions was done perfectly. I never found myself bored reading this and that’s something I admired how this author wrote this book. The way this book ended…ahhhhh it sets it up for a continuation which i’d like now pretty pls 😆
Thankyou to the author @grpersikauthor for the ARC! What an honour to read your first book early. If you’re a mafia lover and enjoy those tropes then you’d love this book 🙂↕️❤️
ARC REVIEW
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“A con artist who never loses…until she meets the one man she can’t outplay” 😏🙂↕️
What to expect:
💋 Con Artist FMC
🔪 Mafia Boss MMC
🏠 Forced Proximity
🚬 He Captures Her
♠️ He’s Obsessed With Her
🗽 NYC Setting
OMG, what a book this was! The fact that this was a debut novel is insane to me. The storyline’s were jam packed and had so many twists and reveals which had my jaw on the floor! From the 80% mark it gets hella intense and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time 😮💨 Where’s a brown paper bag when you need one? 😅
The tension between the two main characters from the start was off the charts. Their banter was top tier and had me laughing and sweating at the same time…these two had instant chemistry and my my they were incredibly hot 🔥
The smoke scene 😏🚬🌶️ I freaking love a mafia book, especially where he’s in suits and is hella possessive. This scene delivered in my wants and wowwww this’ll live in my head rent free. The diamond scene 👀 I didn’t even know that was possible and could these two get any hotter?!??? Safe to say the spice delivered in this book and didn’t take away from the story at all.
Delilah the FMC. Gosh she’s a character that will live in my mind with me forever. She’s so strong and such a badass! She knows what she’s doing and I loved watching her do her craft with ease. I love it how Blaine the MMC knew how good she was and used it to his advantage 😏 I’m obsessed with this man and what a boss he is. The things that were revealed at the end almost had me teary…in a good way because what a man 🥹
I enjoyed every minute of this book and was hooked right from the first page. The pacing, plot, spice, relationships, characters, secrets and emotions was done perfectly. I never found myself bored reading this and that’s something I admired how this author wrote this book. The way this book ended…ahhhhh it sets it up for a continuation which i’d like now pretty pls 😆
Thankyou to the author @grpersikauthor for the ARC! What an honour to read your first book early. If you’re a mafia lover and enjoy those tropes then you’d love this book 🙂↕️❤️
May 31, 2026
This book completely blindsided me. It gives beautiful disaster movie vibes.
I went into it expecting a mafia romance and came out with one of the most unique stories I’ve read in a long time. The FMC is a talented con artist known as the Blue Jay, and from the very first chapters I was hooked by her confidence, intelligence, and ability to stay ten steps ahead of everyone around her. Watching her navigate elaborate cons while being surrounded by an underground fight club, found family dynamics, and criminal organizations made it impossible to put down.
What really surprised me was how much I loved the characters. Delilah felt fresh and different from a lot of romance heroines. She’s clever, capable, funny, stubborn, and never loses herself. The banter throughout the book was fantastic, and the found family aspect completely stole my heart. Don, Sydney, Jeremiah, and the rest of the crew felt like real people rather than side characters existing only to support the romance.
And then there’s Blaine.
The obsession. The tension. The slow burn.
The chemistry between these two was electric from the moment he became fascinated by her. Their relationship develops through power struggles, mind games, mutual respect, and undeniable attraction. Neither character ever feels weak, and that made every interaction between them feel explosive. The push and pull was addictive.
The plot also deserves recognition because this wasn’t just romance. There were cons, secrets, betrayals, investigations, underground fighting, mafia politics, and enough twists to keep me invested all the way through. Every time I thought I knew where things were headed, something new happened.
The spice is intense, the tension is incredible, and the emotional payoff felt earned. By the end I was completely invested in both the romance and the found family surrounding them.
This is one of those books that leaves a mark. I’ve honestly never read anything quite like it, and it now owns a little piece of my heart.
I went into it expecting a mafia romance and came out with one of the most unique stories I’ve read in a long time. The FMC is a talented con artist known as the Blue Jay, and from the very first chapters I was hooked by her confidence, intelligence, and ability to stay ten steps ahead of everyone around her. Watching her navigate elaborate cons while being surrounded by an underground fight club, found family dynamics, and criminal organizations made it impossible to put down.
What really surprised me was how much I loved the characters. Delilah felt fresh and different from a lot of romance heroines. She’s clever, capable, funny, stubborn, and never loses herself. The banter throughout the book was fantastic, and the found family aspect completely stole my heart. Don, Sydney, Jeremiah, and the rest of the crew felt like real people rather than side characters existing only to support the romance.
And then there’s Blaine.
The obsession. The tension. The slow burn.
The chemistry between these two was electric from the moment he became fascinated by her. Their relationship develops through power struggles, mind games, mutual respect, and undeniable attraction. Neither character ever feels weak, and that made every interaction between them feel explosive. The push and pull was addictive.
The plot also deserves recognition because this wasn’t just romance. There were cons, secrets, betrayals, investigations, underground fighting, mafia politics, and enough twists to keep me invested all the way through. Every time I thought I knew where things were headed, something new happened.
The spice is intense, the tension is incredible, and the emotional payoff felt earned. By the end I was completely invested in both the romance and the found family surrounding them.
This is one of those books that leaves a mark. I’ve honestly never read anything quite like it, and it now owns a little piece of my heart.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Review of advanced reader copy sent by the Author
⭐⭐⭐⭐
What to expect
⁜ Con artist x Mafia boss
⁜ Obsessive/Possessive
⁜ BDSM
⁜ Forced proximity
⁜ Kidnapping/captivity
⁜ Hand necklaces
⁜ "good girl"/"good little con"
⁜ Found family
⁜ NYC setting
This book was so good.
We follow our FMC Delilah 'The Blue Jay' a world class con artist. She is a total package, she is clever, ruthless, cunning and beautiful.
I loved Delilah she is confident, knows exactly who she is and what she is willing to do to protect the people close to her.
She unfortunately manages to swindle the wrong man; one tied to the ruthless mafia boss.
Enter the MMC Blaine 'The Boss' Head of the Maw. Now he is calculated, ruthless and unforgiving.
He finds out what Delilah has done and wants her brought to him. And once he sees her, he can't let her go he has to have her.
So he blackmails her into helping him win his city back from a rival one body at a time.
The chemistry and tension 🤌and this book is spicy.
Loved the character progression of the MC's.
"Because even then, I knew. I would give you anything in the world if it meant that I got to see the real you."
"The world doesn't stop for anyone, but you, Deliliah, know how to bend it to your will. Just as you have with me."
The pacing in this was fantastic, it never lets up. Extreme high stakes in this one.
The world building was great. We are thrust into the dark wicked underbelly of New York.
There are some wonderful side characters in this book. I loved Sydney and Don. And Jeremiah, he is totally unhinged and I loved him 😂
I loved the found family element of this book.
The last like 20% of this book was ACTION PACKED! Wow so much went down at the end.
"As far as I'm concerned, little bird, it will never be over."
Cannot wait for the next one.
Thank you to the author and iris for sending me a copy of this book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
What to expect
⁜ Con artist x Mafia boss
⁜ Obsessive/Possessive
⁜ BDSM
⁜ Forced proximity
⁜ Kidnapping/captivity
⁜ Hand necklaces
⁜ "good girl"/"good little con"
⁜ Found family
⁜ NYC setting
This book was so good.
We follow our FMC Delilah 'The Blue Jay' a world class con artist. She is a total package, she is clever, ruthless, cunning and beautiful.
I loved Delilah she is confident, knows exactly who she is and what she is willing to do to protect the people close to her.
She unfortunately manages to swindle the wrong man; one tied to the ruthless mafia boss.
Enter the MMC Blaine 'The Boss' Head of the Maw. Now he is calculated, ruthless and unforgiving.
He finds out what Delilah has done and wants her brought to him. And once he sees her, he can't let her go he has to have her.
So he blackmails her into helping him win his city back from a rival one body at a time.
The chemistry and tension 🤌and this book is spicy.
Loved the character progression of the MC's.
"Because even then, I knew. I would give you anything in the world if it meant that I got to see the real you."
"The world doesn't stop for anyone, but you, Deliliah, know how to bend it to your will. Just as you have with me."
The pacing in this was fantastic, it never lets up. Extreme high stakes in this one.
The world building was great. We are thrust into the dark wicked underbelly of New York.
There are some wonderful side characters in this book. I loved Sydney and Don. And Jeremiah, he is totally unhinged and I loved him 😂
I loved the found family element of this book.
The last like 20% of this book was ACTION PACKED! Wow so much went down at the end.
"As far as I'm concerned, little bird, it will never be over."
Cannot wait for the next one.
Thank you to the author and iris for sending me a copy of this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
(4.5 stars)
Thank you, G.R. Persik and IRIS for the ARC (available May 18).
This is the first mafia book that I’ve ever read, and boy was it a banger!!!
Delilah is the ultimate con woman. She’s cunning and great at manipulating her surroundings to get what she wants. However, even the best con woman can find herself in the wolves den eventually. After returning home to NYC after a three year long absence, she gets herself involved with something much bigger than she ever anticipated. Enter Blaine, head of the Maw, one of the most infamous and most powerful mafia factions of NYC. He has his eyes set on Delilah, and while it might start as just appreciation for her skills, it quickly turns into so much more. 👀
This was a fast paced read full of action, comedic moments, and plenty of HOT spicy scenes 🥵 I really liked that the writing style wasn’t overly complex. Since this was my first mafia book, I wasn’t super familiar with some terms and concepts, but they were explained in a way that made it easy to understand, even for a beginner!
One of my favorite aspects was the beautiful found family Delilah has. You can really feel the love they have for one another and it’s so sweet 🥹 While their circle is small, they are fiercely loyal and will go to the ends of the Earth to protect each other. And the same can be said for Blaine and his inner circle. And the devotion he has for Delilah?! He’s just a teensy bit feral for her lol 😮💨
I really enjoyed reading this book! It’s perfect for people who love morally gray characters, dark romance, deadly secrets, an MMC who is lowkey (highly) obsessed with the FMC, and a bit of dom/sub vibes 😉 I will say that you should definitely check the content warnings for this one though! It’s got a lot of dark themes that may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
Thank you, G.R. Persik and IRIS for the ARC (available May 18).
This is the first mafia book that I’ve ever read, and boy was it a banger!!!
Delilah is the ultimate con woman. She’s cunning and great at manipulating her surroundings to get what she wants. However, even the best con woman can find herself in the wolves den eventually. After returning home to NYC after a three year long absence, she gets herself involved with something much bigger than she ever anticipated. Enter Blaine, head of the Maw, one of the most infamous and most powerful mafia factions of NYC. He has his eyes set on Delilah, and while it might start as just appreciation for her skills, it quickly turns into so much more. 👀
This was a fast paced read full of action, comedic moments, and plenty of HOT spicy scenes 🥵 I really liked that the writing style wasn’t overly complex. Since this was my first mafia book, I wasn’t super familiar with some terms and concepts, but they were explained in a way that made it easy to understand, even for a beginner!
One of my favorite aspects was the beautiful found family Delilah has. You can really feel the love they have for one another and it’s so sweet 🥹 While their circle is small, they are fiercely loyal and will go to the ends of the Earth to protect each other. And the same can be said for Blaine and his inner circle. And the devotion he has for Delilah?! He’s just a teensy bit feral for her lol 😮💨
I really enjoyed reading this book! It’s perfect for people who love morally gray characters, dark romance, deadly secrets, an MMC who is lowkey (highly) obsessed with the FMC, and a bit of dom/sub vibes 😉 I will say that you should definitely check the content warnings for this one though! It’s got a lot of dark themes that may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
May 20, 2026
۶ৎ 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙣 𝙗𝙮 𝙂.𝙍. 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙠
#arcreview
ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ★★★★★
Tropes- dark mafia romance, con artist x mafia boss, he falls first, forced proximity, secret society, capture, found family
—
These cliffhanger endings lately been having me at the edge of my seat and this one was definitely one of them. I need book 2 immediately and yes the couple together in the end but the suspense for what’s next is going to have me going cray cray. These two had me foaming out the mouth they’re are such a sexy couple have a twisted love but it’s still so beautiful
Delilah is a world class con artist and a bad ass fmc oh how I freaking love her she’s so smart and captivating and definitely going on my book girlfriend list cause why not!? She thought this was suppose to be con but it definitely was not there was so many things she didn’t know and now she caught right in the middle.
This book is filled with spicy scenes, plot, and definitely a lot of twists and turns you probably won’t see coming cause I lowkey didn’t. I ate this book up like it was no tomorrow, I enjoyed myself so much and don’t even get me started on the side characters hehehe.
Blaine is a mafia boss and he’s morally grey, calculated, and does what he has to do and he’s obsessed with his blue jay Delilah, is he a walking red flag? Yes but I love him real bad. He’s trying to take back his city from his rivals and he will do anything to achieve that.
Delilah and Blaine chemistry is so freaking good I couldn’t get enough of these two and how they so obsessed with each other. If you love the movie ocean 8 and a mafia romance then this is definitely for you the vibes in this book had me hooked even though I went through a lot of emotions but so worth it
Thank You So Much for giving me this incredible arc !💐🖤
#arcreview
ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ★★★★★
Tropes- dark mafia romance, con artist x mafia boss, he falls first, forced proximity, secret society, capture, found family
—
These cliffhanger endings lately been having me at the edge of my seat and this one was definitely one of them. I need book 2 immediately and yes the couple together in the end but the suspense for what’s next is going to have me going cray cray. These two had me foaming out the mouth they’re are such a sexy couple have a twisted love but it’s still so beautiful
Delilah is a world class con artist and a bad ass fmc oh how I freaking love her she’s so smart and captivating and definitely going on my book girlfriend list cause why not!? She thought this was suppose to be con but it definitely was not there was so many things she didn’t know and now she caught right in the middle.
This book is filled with spicy scenes, plot, and definitely a lot of twists and turns you probably won’t see coming cause I lowkey didn’t. I ate this book up like it was no tomorrow, I enjoyed myself so much and don’t even get me started on the side characters hehehe.
Blaine is a mafia boss and he’s morally grey, calculated, and does what he has to do and he’s obsessed with his blue jay Delilah, is he a walking red flag? Yes but I love him real bad. He’s trying to take back his city from his rivals and he will do anything to achieve that.
Delilah and Blaine chemistry is so freaking good I couldn’t get enough of these two and how they so obsessed with each other. If you love the movie ocean 8 and a mafia romance then this is definitely for you the vibes in this book had me hooked even though I went through a lot of emotions but so worth it
Thank You So Much for giving me this incredible arc !💐🖤
Review of advance copy
Thank you to G.R. Persik for the opportunity to read The Con.
Before going into this book, I definitely recommend checking the trigger warnings if you are newer to dark romance or sensitive to darker themes.
That being said… I was honestly obsessed with this book.
This mafia romance completely pulled me in with the tension, power dynamics, obsession, manipulation, and dangerous chemistry between Delilah and Blaine.
Delilah — “The Blue Jay” — was such a strong FMC. She’s brilliant, calculating, confident, and constantly trying to stay one step ahead as a con artist who refuses to lose control of any situation. I loved how intelligent and capable she was throughout the story.
Then there’s Blaine…
Cold, dangerous, secretive mafia boss MMCs will always get me, and Blaine absolutely delivered. The moment he truly notices Delilah, it honestly feels like game over for both of them.
His obsession?
The tension?
The chemistry?
Absolutely yes for my toxic mafia book man 🖤
What I loved most was how intense their dynamic felt the entire time. Neither of them fully trusted the other, but the attraction, manipulation, power plays, and obsession kept pulling them together anyway.
The atmosphere throughout the book felt dark, seductive, dangerous, and addictive in the best way possible for dark romance readers.
If you enjoy:
🖤 Mafia romance
🖤 Morally grey MMCs
🖤 Obsessive heroes
🖤 Strong and intelligent FMCs
🖤 Dangerous chemistry
🖤 Dark romance tension
🖤 Manipulation and power games
then this is definitely one to add to your TBR.
⭐️ 5/5
🔥 5/5
🌶️ 5/5
💧 4/5
Before going into this book, I definitely recommend checking the trigger warnings if you are newer to dark romance or sensitive to darker themes.
That being said… I was honestly obsessed with this book.
This mafia romance completely pulled me in with the tension, power dynamics, obsession, manipulation, and dangerous chemistry between Delilah and Blaine.
Delilah — “The Blue Jay” — was such a strong FMC. She’s brilliant, calculating, confident, and constantly trying to stay one step ahead as a con artist who refuses to lose control of any situation. I loved how intelligent and capable she was throughout the story.
Then there’s Blaine…
Cold, dangerous, secretive mafia boss MMCs will always get me, and Blaine absolutely delivered. The moment he truly notices Delilah, it honestly feels like game over for both of them.
His obsession?
The tension?
The chemistry?
Absolutely yes for my toxic mafia book man 🖤
What I loved most was how intense their dynamic felt the entire time. Neither of them fully trusted the other, but the attraction, manipulation, power plays, and obsession kept pulling them together anyway.
The atmosphere throughout the book felt dark, seductive, dangerous, and addictive in the best way possible for dark romance readers.
If you enjoy:
🖤 Mafia romance
🖤 Morally grey MMCs
🖤 Obsessive heroes
🖤 Strong and intelligent FMCs
🖤 Dangerous chemistry
🖤 Dark romance tension
🖤 Manipulation and power games
then this is definitely one to add to your TBR.
⭐️ 5/5
🔥 5/5
🌶️ 5/5
💧 4/5
May 3, 2026
Abso-freaking-lutely INCREDIBLE!!! I don’t have a single negative thing to say about this book. Just WOW WOW WOW! The character development was spot on, the banter witty, the suspense flawless!
Love that it ended on a cliffhanger…but now I NEED more!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you G.R. Persik for my ARC!!
Delilah. The Blue Jay.
World class con artist. Charismatic. Cunning. And she’s back in New York City. Though she manages to swindle the wrong man, one tied to a ruthless mafia boss at war. What she thought was a simple con turns into a fatal mistake, because not only is he out to get even. He’s obsessed. And now? He makes the rules.
Caught in a game of deceit and rivaling minds, Delilah navigates New York's wicked underbelly and the monsters that threaten to pull her and those she loves into it. The only thing she can't seem to con her way out of, are her feelings and dark desires for her new Boss.
Blaine. The Boss.
Head of the Maw. Calculated. Unforgiving. And mercilessly taking his city back, one body at a time. And now? He’s found his newest fixation. He demands retribution, only it takes the form of luring, trapping, and exploiting a little con’s skills to infiltrate a rival mafia family and a secret society of New York elite as repayment for her indiscretions.
As Blaine struggles to keep a firm grip on his control over his territory, Delilah is the only one that can lead him straight to the source of his sabotage. Could a pretty little con truly be the one to save his empire, or will his lust and obsession be his greatest downfall?
Love that it ended on a cliffhanger…but now I NEED more!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you G.R. Persik for my ARC!!
Delilah. The Blue Jay.
World class con artist. Charismatic. Cunning. And she’s back in New York City. Though she manages to swindle the wrong man, one tied to a ruthless mafia boss at war. What she thought was a simple con turns into a fatal mistake, because not only is he out to get even. He’s obsessed. And now? He makes the rules.
Caught in a game of deceit and rivaling minds, Delilah navigates New York's wicked underbelly and the monsters that threaten to pull her and those she loves into it. The only thing she can't seem to con her way out of, are her feelings and dark desires for her new Boss.
Blaine. The Boss.
Head of the Maw. Calculated. Unforgiving. And mercilessly taking his city back, one body at a time. And now? He’s found his newest fixation. He demands retribution, only it takes the form of luring, trapping, and exploiting a little con’s skills to infiltrate a rival mafia family and a secret society of New York elite as repayment for her indiscretions.
As Blaine struggles to keep a firm grip on his control over his territory, Delilah is the only one that can lead him straight to the source of his sabotage. Could a pretty little con truly be the one to save his empire, or will his lust and obsession be his greatest downfall?
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book had me completely under its spell. Entrancing doesn’t even begin to cover it. I was feeling every single emotion possible while reading.. I was stressed, obsessed, heartbroken, feral, emotional. Crying for characters I wish existed in real life while simultaneously wanting to be part of a world I know would take me out within seconds.
As someone who will devour a good mafia romance every single time, this book absolutely hit the jackpot. The tension, the obsession, the manipulation, the danger.. every move felt like a high-stakes poker game where nobody was bluffing and everyone was willing to bleed to win. Delilah and Blaine were magnetic together. Their dynamic was sharp, addictive, and impossible to look away from. She’s clever enough to survive in a world built to destroy people like her, and Blaine? Ruthless, possessive, calculating perfection.
The atmosphere of New York’s criminal underworld mixed with high stakes, secret societies, and mafia politics was so immersive that I genuinely forgot reality existed while reading. Every chapter pulled me deeper into the chaos.
And that ending??? The second I saw “to be continued,” a piece of my soul left my body. That cliffhanger was brutal in the best possible way and perfectly set up what’s coming next. I need Sydney and Jeremiah’s story immediately because I already know it’s going to consume my entire personality once it’s released.
Thank you so much G.R. Persik for allowing me a sneak peek into this world. I am obsessed. And patiently waiting by my inbox for the next book!
As someone who will devour a good mafia romance every single time, this book absolutely hit the jackpot. The tension, the obsession, the manipulation, the danger.. every move felt like a high-stakes poker game where nobody was bluffing and everyone was willing to bleed to win. Delilah and Blaine were magnetic together. Their dynamic was sharp, addictive, and impossible to look away from. She’s clever enough to survive in a world built to destroy people like her, and Blaine? Ruthless, possessive, calculating perfection.
The atmosphere of New York’s criminal underworld mixed with high stakes, secret societies, and mafia politics was so immersive that I genuinely forgot reality existed while reading. Every chapter pulled me deeper into the chaos.
And that ending??? The second I saw “to be continued,” a piece of my soul left my body. That cliffhanger was brutal in the best possible way and perfectly set up what’s coming next. I need Sydney and Jeremiah’s story immediately because I already know it’s going to consume my entire personality once it’s released.
Thank you so much G.R. Persik for allowing me a sneak peek into this world. I am obsessed. And patiently waiting by my inbox for the next book!
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Con by The Con by G.R. Persik completely pulled me into its dark and dangerous world from the very first page. Delilah is the kind of FMC you instantly become obsessed with. She is smart, fearless, witty, and always ten steps ahead until she crosses the wrong man and everything spirals into chaos. Watching her try to outplay Blaine while also fighting the intense pull between them had me hooked the entire time.
Blaine was absolutely ruthless in the best possible way. He is possessive, calculated, powerful, and completely unhinged when it comes to Delilah. The chemistry between these two was explosive and full of tension that practically bled off the pages. Every interaction felt like a dangerous game where neither of them truly had the upper hand.
What I loved most was how layered this story felt. It was not just dark romance. It was mafia politics, manipulation, obsession, secrets, betrayal, and survival all wrapped together in this gritty New York underworld. The secret society aspect added such an addictive twist and kept me constantly wanting more.
The pacing was incredible and the tension never let up. I kept saying “just one more chapter” and suddenly half the night was gone. This book was dark, seductive, thrilling, and impossible to put down. If you love morally gray characters, obsession, dangerous games, and a romance that burns hot while surrounded by chaos, you need this book on your TBR immediately.
Easy 5 stars from me. I already need more.
Blaine was absolutely ruthless in the best possible way. He is possessive, calculated, powerful, and completely unhinged when it comes to Delilah. The chemistry between these two was explosive and full of tension that practically bled off the pages. Every interaction felt like a dangerous game where neither of them truly had the upper hand.
What I loved most was how layered this story felt. It was not just dark romance. It was mafia politics, manipulation, obsession, secrets, betrayal, and survival all wrapped together in this gritty New York underworld. The secret society aspect added such an addictive twist and kept me constantly wanting more.
The pacing was incredible and the tension never let up. I kept saying “just one more chapter” and suddenly half the night was gone. This book was dark, seductive, thrilling, and impossible to put down. If you love morally gray characters, obsession, dangerous games, and a romance that burns hot while surrounded by chaos, you need this book on your TBR immediately.
Easy 5 stars from me. I already need more.
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.5 stars.
G.R. Persik's "The Con" is a dark mafia romance with lots of twists and turns, spice, and "touch her and d1e" vibes. I enjoyed the main characters, Blaine and Delilah. Delilah is quite the strong female main character, and Blaine is sooooo down bad for her! It was fun watching Delilah use her craft in the first few chapters to con gross men, and it was entertaining seeing her put in various different perilous situations sprinkled throughout the story. Blaine is a morally grey MMC with soooo many red flags, but we love a bad boy, don't we?! He essentially k1dnaps Delilah and forces her to work for him/The Maw, but it becomes so much more than just taking back their city. These two have terrific chemistry and banter with one another. I *loved* the spicy elements of this book. They are very, very well written and fan-yourself-worthy. My chief complaint is that this book is a little too long. There are also a lot of moving parts and people in this story, so if you get lost once, you might stay that way if you don't correct it. Keeping everything straight in my head took a bit of time, but I eventually got there. The ending.... ahhh, the ending! I think I will likely read the next installment in this series just to see what happens after the cliffhanger!
Thank you to G.R. Persik and Luna Literary for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
G.R. Persik's "The Con" is a dark mafia romance with lots of twists and turns, spice, and "touch her and d1e" vibes. I enjoyed the main characters, Blaine and Delilah. Delilah is quite the strong female main character, and Blaine is sooooo down bad for her! It was fun watching Delilah use her craft in the first few chapters to con gross men, and it was entertaining seeing her put in various different perilous situations sprinkled throughout the story. Blaine is a morally grey MMC with soooo many red flags, but we love a bad boy, don't we?! He essentially k1dnaps Delilah and forces her to work for him/The Maw, but it becomes so much more than just taking back their city. These two have terrific chemistry and banter with one another. I *loved* the spicy elements of this book. They are very, very well written and fan-yourself-worthy. My chief complaint is that this book is a little too long. There are also a lot of moving parts and people in this story, so if you get lost once, you might stay that way if you don't correct it. Keeping everything straight in my head took a bit of time, but I eventually got there. The ending.... ahhh, the ending! I think I will likely read the next installment in this series just to see what happens after the cliffhanger!
Thank you to G.R. Persik and Luna Literary for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Now this one was a ride!! This book is dark, calculated, suspenseful, emotional, spicy, and overall, A PAGE TURNER! Yes, absolutely yes!
There is so much depth and backstory to many of the characters, beyond just the main two and it adds such an immersive and enveloping atmosphere to the book where you can almost feel like you’re getting to know the characters and become a part of their world through the story!
Delilah had my interest piqued instantly and I knew she was going to be a phenomenal FMC! She is strong, smart and unbelievably clever, sarcastic in the best ways, and knows just how to push all of the right buttons when it comes to Blaine. She will defend what she cares for until the very end! Blaine had me confused and intrigued in the beginning and I liked him instantly. He most definitely gave me emotional whiplash throughout this book and I happened to trust him from beginning to end! I had a lot of fun reading his perspectives! I deeply enjoyed Sydney, Jeremiah, and Don throughout this book as well! Amazing characters!
Everything about this book was so captivating. The amount of times that I audibly gasped and shouted, “WHAT?!”, while reading this is honestly a new record! There were so many surprises that I never saw coming! The spice, the banter, the confessions all had me wanting more! I was hooked reading this book and that need for the next page never let up. I was desperate for more until the very end! Absolutely recommend!
There is so much depth and backstory to many of the characters, beyond just the main two and it adds such an immersive and enveloping atmosphere to the book where you can almost feel like you’re getting to know the characters and become a part of their world through the story!
Delilah had my interest piqued instantly and I knew she was going to be a phenomenal FMC! She is strong, smart and unbelievably clever, sarcastic in the best ways, and knows just how to push all of the right buttons when it comes to Blaine. She will defend what she cares for until the very end! Blaine had me confused and intrigued in the beginning and I liked him instantly. He most definitely gave me emotional whiplash throughout this book and I happened to trust him from beginning to end! I had a lot of fun reading his perspectives! I deeply enjoyed Sydney, Jeremiah, and Don throughout this book as well! Amazing characters!
Everything about this book was so captivating. The amount of times that I audibly gasped and shouted, “WHAT?!”, while reading this is honestly a new record! There were so many surprises that I never saw coming! The spice, the banter, the confessions all had me wanting more! I was hooked reading this book and that need for the next page never let up. I was desperate for more until the very end! Absolutely recommend!
May 27, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 5/5
🌶️ Spice: 4/5
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was my first read from G.R. Persik, and I can honestly say she had me HOOKED. Between work and sleep (sadly), I was READING! Her writing style was incredibly engaging and pulled me in from the very beginning.
Now, getting into the book…
We have Delilah, a con artist also known as Blue Jay, and let’s just say...she is GOOD at what she does. Then there’s Blaine, the mafia boss of The Maw, one of the Italian families in New York.
Blaine basically falls in love at first sight after witnessing one of Delilah’s cons and decides he needs to capture her. And honestly, what’s the easiest way to catch a con artist? Create the perfect con for her.
These two spend most of the book butting heads, working together, denying feelings, and creating absolute fireworks every time they interact. The tension between them was SO good.
There are definitely trigger warnings I’d suggest checking beforehand, but just know this book delivers:
* spice 👀
* conflict (my favorite)
* and banter for DAYS
Not just between Blaine and Delilah, but with the side characters too—who I already need more of in future books.
This book is part of a series and DOES end on a cliffhanger (😭), which means G.R. Persik now has me in a chokehold because I’ll absolutely be refreshing nonstop waiting for the next book.
And honestly? Worth it
🌶️ Spice: 4/5
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was my first read from G.R. Persik, and I can honestly say she had me HOOKED. Between work and sleep (sadly), I was READING! Her writing style was incredibly engaging and pulled me in from the very beginning.
Now, getting into the book…
We have Delilah, a con artist also known as Blue Jay, and let’s just say...she is GOOD at what she does. Then there’s Blaine, the mafia boss of The Maw, one of the Italian families in New York.
Blaine basically falls in love at first sight after witnessing one of Delilah’s cons and decides he needs to capture her. And honestly, what’s the easiest way to catch a con artist? Create the perfect con for her.
These two spend most of the book butting heads, working together, denying feelings, and creating absolute fireworks every time they interact. The tension between them was SO good.
There are definitely trigger warnings I’d suggest checking beforehand, but just know this book delivers:
* spice 👀
* conflict (my favorite)
* and banter for DAYS
Not just between Blaine and Delilah, but with the side characters too—who I already need more of in future books.
This book is part of a series and DOES end on a cliffhanger (😭), which means G.R. Persik now has me in a chokehold because I’ll absolutely be refreshing nonstop waiting for the next book.
And honestly? Worth it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy
This is a 6 star read for. Thank You G.R Persik and Luna Lit for the ARC
First I must say this book had me staying up hours after my bedtime and continuing to read after I kept telling myself one more chapter. I never wanted to put it down
The characters are fantastic!! Delilah is a BADASS female conwoman, with a troubled past and was taken in by a retired mafia hitman, Don. With that past and what she learned from Don,she made a spot for herself in the world and became a notorious con artist. She is fierce, loyal, brave, cunning and not someone to be messed with. Blaine Matthew's is the head of the Maw, at war with another faction of Rossi mafia called the Rinnegatto. He also has a trouble past, a shady present and a future that is questionable.
The setting is perfection! Set in New York City with the Rossi mafia crime family split in 2, the Maw and the Rinnegattos. There is violence, torture, death, lies, betrayal, drugs, weapons, human trafficking, you name it, its there.
The spice is slow burn with forced proximity/kidnapping type of burn, were talking toe curling, make you blush, say give me some water type burn
Found family, emotional ending, with twists I didnt see coming and a cliff hanger that will make you scream for more
I am so excited to see whats to come for G. R Persik!
First I must say this book had me staying up hours after my bedtime and continuing to read after I kept telling myself one more chapter. I never wanted to put it down
The characters are fantastic!! Delilah is a BADASS female conwoman, with a troubled past and was taken in by a retired mafia hitman, Don. With that past and what she learned from Don,she made a spot for herself in the world and became a notorious con artist. She is fierce, loyal, brave, cunning and not someone to be messed with. Blaine Matthew's is the head of the Maw, at war with another faction of Rossi mafia called the Rinnegatto. He also has a trouble past, a shady present and a future that is questionable.
The setting is perfection! Set in New York City with the Rossi mafia crime family split in 2, the Maw and the Rinnegattos. There is violence, torture, death, lies, betrayal, drugs, weapons, human trafficking, you name it, its there.
The spice is slow burn with forced proximity/kidnapping type of burn, were talking toe curling, make you blush, say give me some water type burn
Found family, emotional ending, with twists I didnt see coming and a cliff hanger that will make you scream for more
I am so excited to see whats to come for G. R Persik!
Review of advance copy received from Author
“She is my sun, and I will gladly burn for her.”
📖The Con
By G.R. Persik
∆Rate⭐⭐⭐⭐
∆Tropes
° Dark Mafia Romance
°Con artist x Mafia Boss
°Forced proximity
°Kidnapping
°Found family
°Touch her and 💀
°He falls first
°Spicy
I LOVE when a man who underestimates a woman just for her to absolutely destroy him later. 😉
That scene? Yeah I ate that up.
I love a powerful woman and she was EVERYTHING. Smart, dangerous, always calculating and somehow ten steps ahead of everyone around her. Watching people think they could outsmart her only for her to completely prove them wrong was SO satisfying.
And him??? Oh he was DOWN BAD.
“She is my sun, and I will gladly burn for her.”
Yeah… I had to physically put my phone down after reading that.
The tension between them was actually unreal. Every conversation felt layered with teasing, power plays, hidden feelings and that “someone is about to lose control” energy. I was giggling, stressing and kicking my feet at the same time.
The obsession.
The chemistry.
The banter.
The emotional damage.
Everything about this story pulled me in deeper chapter after chapter and I genuinely did not want it to end.
Thank you so much @grpersikauthor for the ARC because this book officially owns a part of my soul now. Can’t wait for the next part.
📖The Con
By G.R. Persik
∆Rate⭐⭐⭐⭐
∆Tropes
° Dark Mafia Romance
°Con artist x Mafia Boss
°Forced proximity
°Kidnapping
°Found family
°Touch her and 💀
°He falls first
°Spicy
I LOVE when a man who underestimates a woman just for her to absolutely destroy him later. 😉
That scene? Yeah I ate that up.
I love a powerful woman and she was EVERYTHING. Smart, dangerous, always calculating and somehow ten steps ahead of everyone around her. Watching people think they could outsmart her only for her to completely prove them wrong was SO satisfying.
And him??? Oh he was DOWN BAD.
“She is my sun, and I will gladly burn for her.”
Yeah… I had to physically put my phone down after reading that.
The tension between them was actually unreal. Every conversation felt layered with teasing, power plays, hidden feelings and that “someone is about to lose control” energy. I was giggling, stressing and kicking my feet at the same time.
The obsession.
The chemistry.
The banter.
The emotional damage.
Everything about this story pulled me in deeper chapter after chapter and I genuinely did not want it to end.
Thank you so much @grpersikauthor for the ARC because this book officially owns a part of my soul now. Can’t wait for the next part.
May 18, 2026
✨ ARC REVIEW ✨
The Con by G.R. Persik absolutely consumed me. This dark mafia romance had me hooked from the very first chapter and I genuinely could not put it down. Huge thank you to G.R. Persik for the ARC copy.
First of all… Delilah??? ICONIC. Our FMC is clever, manipulative, fearless, and always ten steps ahead of everyone around her. Watching her work a room and outplay people so effortlessly was honestly addictive. She gives dangerous mastermind energy and I ate up every second of it.
Then we have Blaine… cold, ruthless, possessive mafia man perfection 🥵 The tension between these two was insane. Every interaction felt sharp, intense, and full of that delicious obsession we dark romance girlies crave. The chemistry was THERE.
And can we talk about Jeremiah for a second because this man was absolute chaos in the best possible way. Every time he appeared, I just knew something entertaining was about to happen.
What this book delivered:
🖤 Morally grey characters
🔥 Obsessive chemistry
🔪 Mafia tension and power plays
🃏 A smart, dangerous FMC
🥀 Possessive MMC energy
👀 Twists that keep you hooked
✨ Dark romance vibes from start to finish
If you love gritty mafia romance with tension, obsession, and characters that completely take over your brain, this one needs to be on your TBR immediately.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Con by G.R. Persik absolutely consumed me. This dark mafia romance had me hooked from the very first chapter and I genuinely could not put it down. Huge thank you to G.R. Persik for the ARC copy.
First of all… Delilah??? ICONIC. Our FMC is clever, manipulative, fearless, and always ten steps ahead of everyone around her. Watching her work a room and outplay people so effortlessly was honestly addictive. She gives dangerous mastermind energy and I ate up every second of it.
Then we have Blaine… cold, ruthless, possessive mafia man perfection 🥵 The tension between these two was insane. Every interaction felt sharp, intense, and full of that delicious obsession we dark romance girlies crave. The chemistry was THERE.
And can we talk about Jeremiah for a second because this man was absolute chaos in the best possible way. Every time he appeared, I just knew something entertaining was about to happen.
What this book delivered:
🖤 Morally grey characters
🔥 Obsessive chemistry
🔪 Mafia tension and power plays
🃏 A smart, dangerous FMC
🥀 Possessive MMC energy
👀 Twists that keep you hooked
✨ Dark romance vibes from start to finish
If you love gritty mafia romance with tension, obsession, and characters that completely take over your brain, this one needs to be on your TBR immediately.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wheewwww... The Con was soooooo good!!
Delilah, con-artist
Blaine, mafia boss
This story had all the key components of a good mafia read and had me hooked from start to finish. Delilah is a master con-artist who falls on Blaine's radar after fooling one of his 'contacts' in one of his establishments. She finds herself forced into working with/for Blaine and both fight HARD on the pull that neither can deny is there. It is a bit of a slow burn for them to get down and dirty, but when the spice hits, it hits GOOD. There is fighting, thieving, turf wars and endless banter that had me inhaling this book. Delilah is such a strong FMC from start to finish and stays true to herself the entire book which is hard to find and I loved it. All of the side characters were great as well, building a hopeful continuation of this series as it did end on a 'to be continued' and I will for sure be adding to my TBR ;)
Full Disclaimer; Be sure to read the trigger warnings, entirely. There are certain events/situations in this book that may be hard to read and get through but I assure you it all works out in the end.
So thankful for the ARC for this one and highly recommend anyone needing a good dark mafia book fix :)
Delilah, con-artist
Blaine, mafia boss
This story had all the key components of a good mafia read and had me hooked from start to finish. Delilah is a master con-artist who falls on Blaine's radar after fooling one of his 'contacts' in one of his establishments. She finds herself forced into working with/for Blaine and both fight HARD on the pull that neither can deny is there. It is a bit of a slow burn for them to get down and dirty, but when the spice hits, it hits GOOD. There is fighting, thieving, turf wars and endless banter that had me inhaling this book. Delilah is such a strong FMC from start to finish and stays true to herself the entire book which is hard to find and I loved it. All of the side characters were great as well, building a hopeful continuation of this series as it did end on a 'to be continued' and I will for sure be adding to my TBR ;)
Full Disclaimer; Be sure to read the trigger warnings, entirely. There are certain events/situations in this book that may be hard to read and get through but I assure you it all works out in the end.
So thankful for the ARC for this one and highly recommend anyone needing a good dark mafia book fix :)
June 1, 2026
This book is dangerous, addictive, and absolutely overflowing with obsession, deception, and mafia chaos 👀🖤🔥
A world-class con artist FMC? A ruthless mafia boss MMC? A scam gone VERY wrong that turns into obsession instead of revenge??
Yeah… I was hooked IMMEDIATELY.
Delilah is SUCH a fun FMC 👀🔥
Smart. Charismatic. Resourceful. The kind of woman who can talk her way into almost anything… and usually back out again.
Usually 😂🖤
Because this time she cons the wrong man.
And that mistake leads her straight into Blaine’s world.
And WOW.
Blaine is cold, calculating, possessive, and completely obsessed from the moment Delilah catches his attention.
The dynamic between them was SO addictive because neither one ever truly has the upper hand.
She’s constantly scheming. He’s constantly manipulating. And both of them are trying to stay one step ahead of the other.
Meanwhile New York’s criminal underworld is exploding around them, rival mafia families are closing in, and secrets keep getting darker the deeper they dig.
And honestly?? The tension was INSANE 👀🔥
✨ If you love: • mafia romance • morally grey characters • con artist FMCs • obsessive MMCs • dangerous cat-and-mouse dynamics
This one is chaotic, addictive, suspenseful, and packed with obsession-fueled tension 🖤🔥
A world-class con artist FMC? A ruthless mafia boss MMC? A scam gone VERY wrong that turns into obsession instead of revenge??
Yeah… I was hooked IMMEDIATELY.
Delilah is SUCH a fun FMC 👀🔥
Smart. Charismatic. Resourceful. The kind of woman who can talk her way into almost anything… and usually back out again.
Usually 😂🖤
Because this time she cons the wrong man.
And that mistake leads her straight into Blaine’s world.
And WOW.
Blaine is cold, calculating, possessive, and completely obsessed from the moment Delilah catches his attention.
The dynamic between them was SO addictive because neither one ever truly has the upper hand.
She’s constantly scheming. He’s constantly manipulating. And both of them are trying to stay one step ahead of the other.
Meanwhile New York’s criminal underworld is exploding around them, rival mafia families are closing in, and secrets keep getting darker the deeper they dig.
And honestly?? The tension was INSANE 👀🔥
✨ If you love: • mafia romance • morally grey characters • con artist FMCs • obsessive MMCs • dangerous cat-and-mouse dynamics
This one is chaotic, addictive, suspenseful, and packed with obsession-fueled tension 🖤🔥
June 18, 2026
The Con is the first book in The Shadow Syndicate series. This story is absolutely phenomenal.
Delilah is a con artist who just recently conned the wrong man. He has ties to a ruthless mafia boss, Blaine, in the midst of a war and now he wants revenge. He is obsessed and traps her into helping him infiltrate a rival mafia family and secret society using her con skills. Neither one of them expected to the feelings that they started to feel.
The plot sucked me in!! When I tell you I couldn't see the pages because my eyes were so full of tears during the auction. They were so young. Delilah did what she could to save them and my heart hurt thinking about the ones that she never got to save. I also knew there had to be much more to Blaine than meets the eye. The ending and learning about the facility and the way it's used made me feel elated. Yes, he isn't a good man. He does do bad things. But he does it in a controlled way, where people can stay safe and it's profitable which I'm sure helps him in other endeavors.
Overall... this story was compelling, heartbreaking, and satisfying. I highly recommend giving this one a read. I really look forward to the next book in this series!!
Delilah is a con artist who just recently conned the wrong man. He has ties to a ruthless mafia boss, Blaine, in the midst of a war and now he wants revenge. He is obsessed and traps her into helping him infiltrate a rival mafia family and secret society using her con skills. Neither one of them expected to the feelings that they started to feel.
The plot sucked me in!! When I tell you I couldn't see the pages because my eyes were so full of tears during the auction. They were so young. Delilah did what she could to save them and my heart hurt thinking about the ones that she never got to save. I also knew there had to be much more to Blaine than meets the eye. The ending and learning about the facility and the way it's used made me feel elated. Yes, he isn't a good man. He does do bad things. But he does it in a controlled way, where people can stay safe and it's profitable which I'm sure helps him in other endeavors.
Overall... this story was compelling, heartbreaking, and satisfying. I highly recommend giving this one a read. I really look forward to the next book in this series!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book was provided to me as an ARC and this is my honest review!
This book is my first ever romantic thriller as I would call it. My emotions were EVERYWHERE! The suspense was unreal while also being a true dark romance.
BLAINE OMG- we need more MMC’s like him in the book world. He gives off dark and emotionless vibes but you def better not mess with his girl.
And DELILAH! If I was going to be a con- id want lessons from her. I was so fascinated by the cons she did.
I would say the spice is 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 and the scenes are entertaining. A little kinky business happening here too during those scenes.
- I love that this book is written in plain language as in- does not require a dictionary to comprehend and is written in 1st person.
- My only complaint is the length of this book- i feel that it could have been in the 350-400 page range rather than right at 500. Some paragraphs were a bit wordy but it didn’t take away from the story.
- The beginning is a bit slow moving but the real fun starts about half way through and it just grows in suspense from there!
- This story does end on a cliff hanger
VERY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT FOR THESE CHARACTERS!
This book is my first ever romantic thriller as I would call it. My emotions were EVERYWHERE! The suspense was unreal while also being a true dark romance.
BLAINE OMG- we need more MMC’s like him in the book world. He gives off dark and emotionless vibes but you def better not mess with his girl.
And DELILAH! If I was going to be a con- id want lessons from her. I was so fascinated by the cons she did.
I would say the spice is 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 and the scenes are entertaining. A little kinky business happening here too during those scenes.
- I love that this book is written in plain language as in- does not require a dictionary to comprehend and is written in 1st person.
- My only complaint is the length of this book- i feel that it could have been in the 350-400 page range rather than right at 500. Some paragraphs were a bit wordy but it didn’t take away from the story.
- The beginning is a bit slow moving but the real fun starts about half way through and it just grows in suspense from there!
- This story does end on a cliff hanger
VERY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT FOR THESE CHARACTERS!
Review of advance copy received from Author
First I’d like to thank G.R. Persik and the iris influencer society for the gifted eARC of The Con to read and provide my honest and spoiler free review!
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Thoughts:
Delilah and Blaine brought so much to the table with this story! I loved seeing Delilah as the con artist as I feel like female mc’s aren’t always given that role. She is such a strong and brave character that played some of the most interesting cards to pull these cons off the way she did. I’m not sure how she does it, but she definitely knew her stuff when it comes to that, especially to be able to swindle Blaine, who is definitely the wrong person to swindle, as we soon found out.
Blaine was such a morally grey character that soon demands retribution from what Delilah did to him. Making Delilah work for him seems like a good idea especially since he is trying to take over the city. However, he soon becomes attracted to her which made for a lovely Segway into their banter. I loved the tension between these two and seeing them go from enemies to lovers was such a fun time. Add in some fun side characters and I was left wanting to know what’s going to happen next!
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Thoughts:
Delilah and Blaine brought so much to the table with this story! I loved seeing Delilah as the con artist as I feel like female mc’s aren’t always given that role. She is such a strong and brave character that played some of the most interesting cards to pull these cons off the way she did. I’m not sure how she does it, but she definitely knew her stuff when it comes to that, especially to be able to swindle Blaine, who is definitely the wrong person to swindle, as we soon found out.
Blaine was such a morally grey character that soon demands retribution from what Delilah did to him. Making Delilah work for him seems like a good idea especially since he is trying to take over the city. However, he soon becomes attracted to her which made for a lovely Segway into their banter. I loved the tension between these two and seeing them go from enemies to lovers was such a fun time. Add in some fun side characters and I was left wanting to know what’s going to happen next!
May 14, 2026
The Con by G.R. Persik ARC Review
Delilah
A total force with razor sharp boundaries and zero tolerance for nonsense. You genuinely do not want to end up on her bad side.
She’s intelligent, always ahead of everyone else, and playing a game no one else even realizes they’re part of. Nothing about her is predictable, and that’s exactly what makes her so impossible to put down.
And the fashion… absolutely iconic. The red lips alone deserve their own fan club.
Blaine… where do we even start
Possessive. Yes.
Calculated. Always.
Completely unhinged over Delilah. 1000 percent.
And somehow I was still sitting there rooting for him the entire time.
The chemistry between them was unreal. The tension in some scenes was so thick I swear the book might’ve caught fire. Every interaction felt like a high stakes chess match where neither of them ever truly played fair.
At this point I can’t even tell if Blaine is the red flag… or if I’ve just lost all sense of color entirely.
This book is set to release May 18, so keep an eye out for it.
A huge thank you to the author for letting me be part of the ARC team—it means so much to get an early read.
Rating: 4 stars
Delilah
A total force with razor sharp boundaries and zero tolerance for nonsense. You genuinely do not want to end up on her bad side.
She’s intelligent, always ahead of everyone else, and playing a game no one else even realizes they’re part of. Nothing about her is predictable, and that’s exactly what makes her so impossible to put down.
And the fashion… absolutely iconic. The red lips alone deserve their own fan club.
Blaine… where do we even start
Possessive. Yes.
Calculated. Always.
Completely unhinged over Delilah. 1000 percent.
And somehow I was still sitting there rooting for him the entire time.
The chemistry between them was unreal. The tension in some scenes was so thick I swear the book might’ve caught fire. Every interaction felt like a high stakes chess match where neither of them ever truly played fair.
At this point I can’t even tell if Blaine is the red flag… or if I’ve just lost all sense of color entirely.
This book is set to release May 18, so keep an eye out for it.
A huge thank you to the author for letting me be part of the ARC team—it means so much to get an early read.
Rating: 4 stars
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Con is a book of Mafia tension, push and pull with great banter between the FMC and MMC, a found family dynamic, and a great deal of suspense to balance it all out.
Delilah is a con artist who ends up on the radar of Blaine, a Mafia boss, when her latest con is connected to him unbeknownst to her. When she ends up stuck with Blaine to clear her debt, the outspoken Delilah refuses to do as she's told and does not make it easy on him.
I enjoyed seeing their strong personalities challenge each other since I didn't feel like one overpowered the other and they balanced each other out well. It also let their intense physical attraction brew, and seeing Blaine as a possessive and protective MMC with dark tendencies reminded me why I love Mafia romances.
The Mafia storyline was full of mystery from the enemies connections, to Blaine's childhood and his business, and how Delilah's found family was connected. It kept me guessing and I adored the prominent side characters that left me craving book 2!
Thank you, IRIS Influencer Society and G.R. Persik, for sending me a free copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Delilah is a con artist who ends up on the radar of Blaine, a Mafia boss, when her latest con is connected to him unbeknownst to her. When she ends up stuck with Blaine to clear her debt, the outspoken Delilah refuses to do as she's told and does not make it easy on him.
I enjoyed seeing their strong personalities challenge each other since I didn't feel like one overpowered the other and they balanced each other out well. It also let their intense physical attraction brew, and seeing Blaine as a possessive and protective MMC with dark tendencies reminded me why I love Mafia romances.
The Mafia storyline was full of mystery from the enemies connections, to Blaine's childhood and his business, and how Delilah's found family was connected. It kept me guessing and I adored the prominent side characters that left me craving book 2!
Thank you, IRIS Influencer Society and G.R. Persik, for sending me a free copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
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