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The Con
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Expected 18 May 26Delilah. 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
Expected publication May 18, 2026
21 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
G.R. Persik
1 book8 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 - 19 of 19 reviews
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 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.
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
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
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.
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 :)
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 10, 2026
ARC received from Author, G.R. Persik.
This one sucked me in completely and was absolutely worth every minute from the first page. Lilah is a world-renowned con artist and is always in control of herself and the cons she leads. She is fully confident in herself; however, at times she may have some self doubt, but she gives herself the small pep talk she needs and keeps going. She doesn’t put up with anyone’s BS. Her respect and relationship with DON are so touching, especially considering their history, which drew me in even more.
Blaine, our mafia boss, is layered with secrets, tension, and obsession. He always has to be in control until he meets Lilah. Eventually, those layers get stripped one by one. Jeremiah, I loved him and how unhinged he was, the best protector and enforcer. I need more of him.
Umm... when will we get book two? Because I already want to read it.
This one sucked me in completely and was absolutely worth every minute from the first page. Lilah is a world-renowned con artist and is always in control of herself and the cons she leads. She is fully confident in herself; however, at times she may have some self doubt, but she gives herself the small pep talk she needs and keeps going. She doesn’t put up with anyone’s BS. Her respect and relationship with DON are so touching, especially considering their history, which drew me in even more.
Blaine, our mafia boss, is layered with secrets, tension, and obsession. He always has to be in control until he meets Lilah. Eventually, those layers get stripped one by one. Jeremiah, I loved him and how unhinged he was, the best protector and enforcer. I need more of him.
Umm... when will we get book two? Because I already want to read it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
First of all, thank you to G.R. Persik for the chance to read an ARC copy of this book!
I’m usually very picky when it comes to reviewing books, but I can say that I really enjoyed this one!
The main character, Delilah, is a professional con artist who returns to New York. By a twist of fate (or perhaps not), she robs a mafia boss’s underling, and this is what changes her life, because now the game will no longer be played by her rules.
Meanwhile, Blaine, that very same mafia boss and head of the Maw, is reclaiming the city in a mafia war. He forces Delilah to work for him, but what will become of his obsession with this woman?! You’ll find out all this and more in the book.
I’d also like to mention the incredible scenes with these two, and when I saw one of the author’s spicy art pieces on Instagram... THIS BOOK WAS SIMPLY SOLD TO ME!!!!
I’m usually very picky when it comes to reviewing books, but I can say that I really enjoyed this one!
The main character, Delilah, is a professional con artist who returns to New York. By a twist of fate (or perhaps not), she robs a mafia boss’s underling, and this is what changes her life, because now the game will no longer be played by her rules.
Meanwhile, Blaine, that very same mafia boss and head of the Maw, is reclaiming the city in a mafia war. He forces Delilah to work for him, but what will become of his obsession with this woman?! You’ll find out all this and more in the book.
I’d also like to mention the incredible scenes with these two, and when I saw one of the author’s spicy art pieces on Instagram... THIS BOOK WAS SIMPLY SOLD TO ME!!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I really liked Delilah as a character, she was a strong con woman who knew her stuff and only got caught due to a split second delay, without that she would have been living ber best life, although she wouldn't have blaine.
What a guy. He saw her once and wanted her, even when he was saying he only wanted to use her, we all could tell that he acc wanted her.
The vibes between them 2 was amazing, they were either having <5 arguments a day or could feel the tension between them and no in between.
I liked the plot too. I liked all the side characters such as Sidney and Don etc and how all of these characters had their own distinct personalities.
Overall a fun read
What a guy. He saw her once and wanted her, even when he was saying he only wanted to use her, we all could tell that he acc wanted her.
The vibes between them 2 was amazing, they were either having <5 arguments a day or could feel the tension between them and no in between.
I liked the plot too. I liked all the side characters such as Sidney and Don etc and how all of these characters had their own distinct personalities.
Overall a fun read
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.5 only coz of that ending haha why!!
hopefully i get all my answers in book 2 haha <3
its a long read but worth it!!
my heart why do Don dirty like that!!!
yes there is kind of a 3rd act brake up....
trigger/tropes
mafia x con artist
he falls first
morally grey mc's
touch her die
matching weapons
found family
graphic violence
torture and death
heavy on the human trafficking and yes young KIDS!!
drug and substance use not by mc's
mentions of rape not mc's
bdsm
spanking
lots of hand necklaces
chocking in bedroom and out
knife play
dub-con
bodily fluids
hopefully i get all my answers in book 2 haha <3
its a long read but worth it!!
my heart why do Don dirty like that!!!
yes there is kind of a 3rd act brake up....
trigger/tropes
mafia x con artist
he falls first
morally grey mc's
touch her die
matching weapons
found family
graphic violence
torture and death
heavy on the human trafficking and yes young KIDS!!
drug and substance use not by mc's
mentions of rape not mc's
bdsm
spanking
lots of hand necklaces
chocking in bedroom and out
knife play
dub-con
bodily fluids
Review of advance copy received from Author
yall i’m on someone’s favorites list bc i keep reading some banger debuts 🥰
i'm at a loss for words so here lies some of my emotions (in no particular order): intrigued, excited, happy, teary-eyed, confused, betrayed, etc..
Lilah is definitely a fav fmc of the month, Sydney was an adorable side character, and I need more from Jeremiah. Blaine.. i was there questioning myself but a good time was still had.
also, cliffhanger.. i need to know what happens with our runaway
read via early access
Thank You to Luna Literary & G.R. Persik
i'm at a loss for words so here lies some of my emotions (in no particular order): intrigued, excited, happy, teary-eyed, confused, betrayed, etc..
Lilah is definitely a fav fmc of the month, Sydney was an adorable side character, and I need more from Jeremiah. Blaine.. i was there questioning myself but a good time was still had.
also, cliffhanger.. i need to know what happens with our runaway
read via early access
Thank You to Luna Literary & G.R. Persik
Review of advance copy received from Author
✨ARC Book Review✨
This book had so many twists😅👏🏻
I thought it was about a skilled pickpocket, but dang, it developed into so much more 👀
Delilah is the definition of a cool girl. She was so sassy and such a skilled manipulator. But oh my God, once we meet Blaine! That man was scary and hot all at once. Once his attention fell on Delilah, it was on. Seriously, that man was intense in the best ways🔥
The chemistry between them was absolutely insane, and the tension kept me hooked the entire time. And the plot… definitely deeper and more twisted than i expected!
This book had so many twists😅👏🏻
I thought it was about a skilled pickpocket, but dang, it developed into so much more 👀
Delilah is the definition of a cool girl. She was so sassy and such a skilled manipulator. But oh my God, once we meet Blaine! That man was scary and hot all at once. Once his attention fell on Delilah, it was on. Seriously, that man was intense in the best ways🔥
The chemistry between them was absolutely insane, and the tension kept me hooked the entire time. And the plot… definitely deeper and more twisted than i expected!
May 5, 2026
ARC Review
OhhMyGod!! I loved every single second of this book!! It was a wild rollercoaster and while I’m edge bc of the cliffhanger I’m also really happy with the way it ending we got.
The amount of character development and depth this story had was AMAZING! The spice was spicing! The banter was perfect. I laughed, cried, screamed and laughed some more. I can’t wait to see what happens next!!!
Dark Mafia Romance
Good little con
He’s obsessed!
OhhMyGod!! I loved every single second of this book!! It was a wild rollercoaster and while I’m edge bc of the cliffhanger I’m also really happy with the way it ending we got.
The amount of character development and depth this story had was AMAZING! The spice was spicing! The banter was perfect. I laughed, cried, screamed and laughed some more. I can’t wait to see what happens next!!!
Dark Mafia Romance
Good little con
He’s obsessed!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Let me preface with I am so incredibly happy that I came across this book. If I could give a higher rating than a 5, I 10000% would. The character development alone warrants a 5+ star review. I am a sucker for a badass FMC and strong MMC combo and this book certainly delivered. Everything about this book was simply perfectly. I cannot wait until the next book in the series! I hope we get to see syd and Jer’s relationship unfold!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book is everything I expected and more, keeps you on the edge of your seat with unexpected twists and turns as well as plenty of spice. Great storyline. If you're looking for something to read that you won't want to put down, this is definitely the book for you. I think we'll see a lot more from this author. I would definitely recommend purchasing it. It's a great read.
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