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To Desire A Devil
She's his past, his pain, his revenge... and his biggest weakness.
Fiero
I’m finally where I deserve to be: Don of the Bellucci mafia family and free of the monster who raised me. They call me the Devil for a reason. I’ve avenged every person who’s ever wronged me, except for one: Pfeiffer McAllister.
Fifteen years after she broke me, her uncle’s debt lands her in my club. I vow to make her remember exactly who I am, and to ruin her the way she ruined me.
But revenge becomes dangerous when obsession takes its place. And the more she trembles beneath my fingers, the more I realize I don’t want her begging for freedom.
I want her begging to stay.
Pfeiffer
One month working for the masked owner of New York’s most exclusive club, and the debt disappears. Simple. Until the mask falls, revealing Fiero Bellucci, the quiet boy my uncle forced me to torment when we were children.
He’s grown into something terrifying—a beautiful monster wrapped in bloodshed and Brioni, determined to ruin me for every scar I inflicted.
But somewhere between his cruelty and possessiveness, I stop wanting to escape. Because the most frightening thing about Fiero Bellucci isn’t that he wants to destroy me.
It’s that I think I’d let him.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author note: This is a standalone dark mafia romance with many of the triggers you would expect from a novel of this genre. Reader discretion is advised.
Tropes: Masked hero - Revenge obsession - Forced proximity - Childhood history - Possessive morally gray MMC - Wounded FMC - Touch her and d!e
Fiero
I’m finally where I deserve to be: Don of the Bellucci mafia family and free of the monster who raised me. They call me the Devil for a reason. I’ve avenged every person who’s ever wronged me, except for one: Pfeiffer McAllister.
Fifteen years after she broke me, her uncle’s debt lands her in my club. I vow to make her remember exactly who I am, and to ruin her the way she ruined me.
But revenge becomes dangerous when obsession takes its place. And the more she trembles beneath my fingers, the more I realize I don’t want her begging for freedom.
I want her begging to stay.
Pfeiffer
One month working for the masked owner of New York’s most exclusive club, and the debt disappears. Simple. Until the mask falls, revealing Fiero Bellucci, the quiet boy my uncle forced me to torment when we were children.
He’s grown into something terrifying—a beautiful monster wrapped in bloodshed and Brioni, determined to ruin me for every scar I inflicted.
But somewhere between his cruelty and possessiveness, I stop wanting to escape. Because the most frightening thing about Fiero Bellucci isn’t that he wants to destroy me.
It’s that I think I’d let him.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author note: This is a standalone dark mafia romance with many of the triggers you would expect from a novel of this genre. Reader discretion is advised.
Tropes: Masked hero - Revenge obsession - Forced proximity - Childhood history - Possessive morally gray MMC - Wounded FMC - Touch her and d!e
366 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 16, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
July 17, 2026
Returning to New York City as her father’s health rapidly declines, Pfeiffer McAllister finds herself at the epicenter of a debt repayment scheme involving the Bellucci family.
Fiero Bellucci has watched and waited for years for the perfect opportunity to get revenge on the woman who shattered his heart. Il Diavolo wastes no time setting his plan in motion, determined to strip Pfeiffer bare - literally and figuratively - and force her to feel a fraction of the pain she caused him and his brothers.
The climax was a little underwhelming, if I’m being honest, but everything leading up to it? I ate it up.
Watching Fiero and Pfeiffer find their way back to each other was easily my favorite part of the book. Their chemistry was undeniable, but the weight of their shared history made every interaction feel that much more emotionally charged.
And can we talk about Fiero’s grovel? Okay, it wasn’t technically a grovel. But the way this man quietly and systematically started removing every burden from Pfeiffer’s shoulders, fixing every problem he possibly could? Sir. That’s the kind of apology that gets the job done.
This was my first book by Victoria Holliday, but I am invested in the Bellucci brothers. Now bring me Remo. I need to see that gruff man brought to his damn knees by his woman.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: 📱
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): Dark-ish, New Adult
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
Length: 📚📚📚📚
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual | Present • Past}
Emotions: 😩🥵😢🫠😍
Darkness: 🩶🩶
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨ Tropes: Billionaire, Blackmail, Debt Payment, Enemies-to-Lovers, Forced Proximity, Heroine in Danger, Hidden Identity, Mafia/Bratva/Organized Crime, Miscommunication, Revenge, Rich Boy x Poor Girl, Workplace
💫 Microtropes: Boy Obsessed, Cinnamon Roll, Curvy Woman, He Falls First, He Falls Harder, It’s Always Been You, Panty Thief, Pet Name (Cucciola), Secrets & Lies, Tattooed MMC, Touch Aversion, Tragic Past, Used as Pawn/Leverage, Virgin FMC, “We’ll Make It Fit”, “Who Hurt You?”, “You Take Me So Well”
🔆 Character: Illegal Enterprises, Nurse
💋 Kinks: Finger Licking Good, Inanimate Object, 🔪 Play, Masked MMC, Power Exchange, Toys as Teammates
🤰🏻 Pregnancy: n/a
🚩 Red Flags: Alphahole, Dominant MMC, Jealous/Possessive/Obsessive, Manipulation, MINE!, Touch-Her-and-💀, Tracking/Spying
⛔️ Safety Squad: CSA, Grooming, and Forced Sexual Exploitation (Not by MMC), Unaliving, Violence, and other potentially triggering elements. Triggers may appear both on- and off-page and in the past and/or present. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📍 Setting: New York , New York 🇺🇸
📣 Type: To Desire A Devil is the first book in The Bellucci Brothers series of interconnected standalones.
⚠️ Warning: The hate-to-want-you in this one will give you whiplash and sticky thighs
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
Fiero Bellucci has watched and waited for years for the perfect opportunity to get revenge on the woman who shattered his heart. Il Diavolo wastes no time setting his plan in motion, determined to strip Pfeiffer bare - literally and figuratively - and force her to feel a fraction of the pain she caused him and his brothers.
The climax was a little underwhelming, if I’m being honest, but everything leading up to it? I ate it up.
Watching Fiero and Pfeiffer find their way back to each other was easily my favorite part of the book. Their chemistry was undeniable, but the weight of their shared history made every interaction feel that much more emotionally charged.
And can we talk about Fiero’s grovel? Okay, it wasn’t technically a grovel. But the way this man quietly and systematically started removing every burden from Pfeiffer’s shoulders, fixing every problem he possibly could? Sir. That’s the kind of apology that gets the job done.
This was my first book by Victoria Holliday, but I am invested in the Bellucci brothers. Now bring me Remo. I need to see that gruff man brought to his damn knees by his woman.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: 📱
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): Dark-ish, New Adult
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
Length: 📚📚📚📚
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual | Present • Past}
Emotions: 😩🥵😢🫠😍
Darkness: 🩶🩶
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨ Tropes: Billionaire, Blackmail, Debt Payment, Enemies-to-Lovers, Forced Proximity, Heroine in Danger, Hidden Identity, Mafia/Bratva/Organized Crime, Miscommunication, Revenge, Rich Boy x Poor Girl, Workplace
💫 Microtropes: Boy Obsessed, Cinnamon Roll, Curvy Woman, He Falls First, He Falls Harder, It’s Always Been You, Panty Thief, Pet Name (Cucciola), Secrets & Lies, Tattooed MMC, Touch Aversion, Tragic Past, Used as Pawn/Leverage, Virgin FMC, “We’ll Make It Fit”, “Who Hurt You?”, “You Take Me So Well”
🔆 Character: Illegal Enterprises, Nurse
💋 Kinks: Finger Licking Good, Inanimate Object, 🔪 Play, Masked MMC, Power Exchange, Toys as Teammates
🤰🏻 Pregnancy: n/a
🚩 Red Flags: Alphahole, Dominant MMC, Jealous/Possessive/Obsessive, Manipulation, MINE!, Touch-Her-and-💀, Tracking/Spying
⛔️ Safety Squad: CSA, Grooming, and Forced Sexual Exploitation (Not by MMC), Unaliving, Violence, and other potentially triggering elements. Triggers may appear both on- and off-page and in the past and/or present. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📍 Setting: New York , New York 🇺🇸
📣 Type: To Desire A Devil is the first book in The Bellucci Brothers series of interconnected standalones.
⚠️ Warning: The hate-to-want-you in this one will give you whiplash and sticky thighs
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
July 17, 2026
I enjoyed this book so much I finished it with in 24 hours or being released 😮💨 the only reason I had to knock a star off was because even though I did enjoy the storyline overall, all the male characters specifically the MMCs brothers were extremely misogynistic if they would have toned down on their hatred for the FMC or honestly had a least a smig of common sense- I could have given this a perfect rating but alas it was an overall enjoyable read
July 15, 2026
★★★★★ | 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
**ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
WOW.
It had been a long time since I last read a dark romance, and I had never read anything by Victoria Holliday before, but girl, consider me your newest and biggest fan.
I read this book in one sitting because I genuinely could not stop. Every character was written to perfection, each one deliciously layered and completely unforgettable. I hated the characters I was meant to hate with my entire heart, cried for the ones who were simply too sweet for this world, and desperately wanted some of them in my real life.
I loved everything about this book.
I am Italian, so discovering entire conversations written in perfect Italian was such a wonderful and unexpected surprise. It added something incredibly authentic and personal to the reading experience for me.
This story is dark, but dark without overplaying it.
It is sexy, sensual, and intensely hot, yet the intimate scenes are written with real beauty rather than feeling gratuitous. There are also deeply sad moments that reflect realities that unfortunately exist, and Victoria handled them with great care. The violence was never romanticised or used simply for shock value.
The characters behaved exactly as I believe people carrying deep trauma often would: imperfectly, defensively, and sometimes painfully. But what I loved most was their capacity to question their own beliefs, recognise their mistakes, and change. That humility made their development feel believable and emotionally satisfying.
I loved the character growth. I loved every chapter. I was not bored for even one second.
Now I desperately need books following the stories of the other brothers. Hopefully, they are coming soon, because I already miss this entire world and everyone in it.
Victoria, I truly hope you are writing, and writing quickly.
Five stars and five chillies from me.
I absolutely recommend "To Desire a Devil" to dark romance readers who love complicated characters, intense chemistry, emotional depth, trauma handled with care, and a story impossible to put down. 🌺
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance reader copy of "To Desire a Devil" in exchange for an honest review.
**ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
WOW.
It had been a long time since I last read a dark romance, and I had never read anything by Victoria Holliday before, but girl, consider me your newest and biggest fan.
I read this book in one sitting because I genuinely could not stop. Every character was written to perfection, each one deliciously layered and completely unforgettable. I hated the characters I was meant to hate with my entire heart, cried for the ones who were simply too sweet for this world, and desperately wanted some of them in my real life.
I loved everything about this book.
I am Italian, so discovering entire conversations written in perfect Italian was such a wonderful and unexpected surprise. It added something incredibly authentic and personal to the reading experience for me.
This story is dark, but dark without overplaying it.
It is sexy, sensual, and intensely hot, yet the intimate scenes are written with real beauty rather than feeling gratuitous. There are also deeply sad moments that reflect realities that unfortunately exist, and Victoria handled them with great care. The violence was never romanticised or used simply for shock value.
The characters behaved exactly as I believe people carrying deep trauma often would: imperfectly, defensively, and sometimes painfully. But what I loved most was their capacity to question their own beliefs, recognise their mistakes, and change. That humility made their development feel believable and emotionally satisfying.
I loved the character growth. I loved every chapter. I was not bored for even one second.
Now I desperately need books following the stories of the other brothers. Hopefully, they are coming soon, because I already miss this entire world and everyone in it.
Victoria, I truly hope you are writing, and writing quickly.
Five stars and five chillies from me.
I absolutely recommend "To Desire a Devil" to dark romance readers who love complicated characters, intense chemistry, emotional depth, trauma handled with care, and a story impossible to put down. 🌺
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance reader copy of "To Desire a Devil" in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It's been such a privilege to be chosen as an ARC reader by Victoria Holliday. I've followed her work for a while and am always excited when I am able to read more of her work.
As always I DEVOURED this book the moment I was able to dive into it. I am absolutely and utterly obsessed with her mafia books because she knows how to hit all the right points to make it addictive as hell. If you're looking for a spicy, dark mafia romance then look no further than the books from Victoria Holliday (although I would recommend starting with the Dark Hearts series before this one).
This book follows Fiero and Pfeiffer who have history and also deep seated past trauma that has affected them since they were children. It's due to this trauma that the two of them find themselves back in each other's lives. The problem is that Fiero and his brothers are hell bent on revenge due what Fiero has suffered and Pfeiffer is the target of that revenge.
Unbeknownst to Pfeiffer, the job she's forced to take to pay off her uncle's debts crash lands her into Fiero's orbit. The instant lust and attraction that these two have are off the charts. Neither of them can stay away from the other for long but Pfeiffer is doing whatever possible to pay off the debt as soon as possible.
That leads to the auction, where of course Fiero cannot let anyone else have her. That would derail his plans for revenge, but soon enough it's seen that Fiero is not so keen on revenge anymore.
"People call him the Devil for many reasons. I call him the Devil for this one- the way he stares at me like he's about to inflict every sinful act of desire on my body."
Throughout the story we see how the characters have reacted from a place of anger and fear, but also how they have worked towards some form of healing. If you're ready for some emotional damage, a little heartbreak and absolute spicy scenes then this book should be right up a reader's alley.
I absolutely cannot wait to get more stories of the Bellucci brothers especially after getting some glimpses of one in the epilogue!
As always I DEVOURED this book the moment I was able to dive into it. I am absolutely and utterly obsessed with her mafia books because she knows how to hit all the right points to make it addictive as hell. If you're looking for a spicy, dark mafia romance then look no further than the books from Victoria Holliday (although I would recommend starting with the Dark Hearts series before this one).
This book follows Fiero and Pfeiffer who have history and also deep seated past trauma that has affected them since they were children. It's due to this trauma that the two of them find themselves back in each other's lives. The problem is that Fiero and his brothers are hell bent on revenge due what Fiero has suffered and Pfeiffer is the target of that revenge.
Unbeknownst to Pfeiffer, the job she's forced to take to pay off her uncle's debts crash lands her into Fiero's orbit. The instant lust and attraction that these two have are off the charts. Neither of them can stay away from the other for long but Pfeiffer is doing whatever possible to pay off the debt as soon as possible.
That leads to the auction, where of course Fiero cannot let anyone else have her. That would derail his plans for revenge, but soon enough it's seen that Fiero is not so keen on revenge anymore.
"People call him the Devil for many reasons. I call him the Devil for this one- the way he stares at me like he's about to inflict every sinful act of desire on my body."
Throughout the story we see how the characters have reacted from a place of anger and fear, but also how they have worked towards some form of healing. If you're ready for some emotional damage, a little heartbreak and absolute spicy scenes then this book should be right up a reader's alley.
I absolutely cannot wait to get more stories of the Bellucci brothers especially after getting some glimpses of one in the epilogue!
July 14, 2026
Wow this book was everything a more in a book it’s a first read by this author and definitely won’t be my last
If you like a mafia romance you must add this to your tbr you won’t be disappointed
Fiero is everything ruthless but caring
Pfeiffer is such an amazing strong a trauma survivor
I just loved these two there connection was so well done
Thank you so much Victoria for sending me an early copy I have to read the next book asap
If you like a mafia romance you must add this to your tbr you won’t be disappointed
Fiero is everything ruthless but caring
Pfeiffer is such an amazing strong a trauma survivor
I just loved these two there connection was so well done
Thank you so much Victoria for sending me an early copy I have to read the next book asap
July 16, 2026
When I tell you Victoria Holliday writes the most DELICIOUS mafia romances, you better believe me. To Desire A Devil is SOSOSOOSOS good; I’m obsessed. Pfeiffer and Fiero’s story completely swept me away from the very first chapter. Everything blended together so perfectly that I was hooked from start to finish/ Every chapter left me wanting more, and I genuinely STRUGGLED to put the book down. Pfeiffer is THE MOST awesome FMC ever; she’s dealing with so much but still manages to show up every day for her father, her friend Hallie, and the people around her. Fiero, the MMC, has such a STRONG bond with his brothers, and watching him slowly fall in love with Pfeiffer with every page was to DIE FOR. The tension and spice throughout was SOO GOOD. Every glance, every conversation, every moment, every THING they shared had me giggling and kicking my feet. If you’re a mafia romance fan, please take it from me and PICK THIS BOOK UP. You will NOT regret it. Thank you so much, Victoria Holliday, for the ARC. I’m forever grateful I got to read such an awesome book early.
July 16, 2026
4.5⭐️ First of all, thank you SO much to the author for considering me for an ARC copy to review! It was the first book of hers I have read and I am definitely impressed! I struggle hardcore with physical books but I ate this up! The tension, the smut, the romance, the plot- it all had me hooked! I really enjoyed learning about the characters and was curious about what it was that made Pfiffer did to leave Fiero wanting his revenge! I am also sold on the brothers and want to see what their stories are (especially a certain brother and friend helllloo?? 👀) this is a solid dark mafia romance!! I kind of wish we got to see more of the past POV of Pfiffer and Fiero because I was so interested in it! That is the only little change I would have loved! Definitely would recommend to pick this book up!!
July 16, 2026
To Desire a Devil is the kind of dark mafia romance that pulls you in with vengeance but keeps you hooked with obsession. If you love morally gray men who blur the line between love and possession, this one absolutely delivers.
Fiero aka Il Diavolo, is a hero who lives up to his nickname. He's ruthless, calculating, and utterly consumed by the past. What starts as a revenge plan quickly spirals into an all-consuming obsession, and watching him struggle between punishing Pfeiffer and protecting her made him a fascinating character. His possessiveness was deliciously over-the-top, especially if you're a fan of the "touch her and die" trope.
Pfeiffer was more than just a victim of circumstance. She's haunted by her own guilt and forced to confront the consequences of childhood choices that were never entirely her own. I appreciated that she didn't feel perfect, and the emotional tension between her and Fiero kept me invested from beginning to end.
The chemistry is intense, filled with power struggles, lingering resentment, and undeniable attraction. Their relationship is messy, toxic, and addictive in all the ways a dark romance should be. Beneath all the manipulation and revenge is a surprisingly emotional story about trauma, forgiveness, and finding love in the darkest places.
The mafia backdrop and exclusive club setting added plenty of atmosphere, even if the romance remained the main focus. There were a few moments where I wanted the emotional healing to be explored a little more, but it didn't stop me from flying through the book.
Overall, To Desire a Devil is a gripping, emotional, and addictive dark romance packed with obsession, revenge, and a hero who falls far harder than he ever intended. If masked heroes, childhood history, possessive antiheroes, and morally questionable love stories are your thing, this is definitely worth picking up.
Fiero aka Il Diavolo, is a hero who lives up to his nickname. He's ruthless, calculating, and utterly consumed by the past. What starts as a revenge plan quickly spirals into an all-consuming obsession, and watching him struggle between punishing Pfeiffer and protecting her made him a fascinating character. His possessiveness was deliciously over-the-top, especially if you're a fan of the "touch her and die" trope.
Pfeiffer was more than just a victim of circumstance. She's haunted by her own guilt and forced to confront the consequences of childhood choices that were never entirely her own. I appreciated that she didn't feel perfect, and the emotional tension between her and Fiero kept me invested from beginning to end.
The chemistry is intense, filled with power struggles, lingering resentment, and undeniable attraction. Their relationship is messy, toxic, and addictive in all the ways a dark romance should be. Beneath all the manipulation and revenge is a surprisingly emotional story about trauma, forgiveness, and finding love in the darkest places.
The mafia backdrop and exclusive club setting added plenty of atmosphere, even if the romance remained the main focus. There were a few moments where I wanted the emotional healing to be explored a little more, but it didn't stop me from flying through the book.
Overall, To Desire a Devil is a gripping, emotional, and addictive dark romance packed with obsession, revenge, and a hero who falls far harder than he ever intended. If masked heroes, childhood history, possessive antiheroes, and morally questionable love stories are your thing, this is definitely worth picking up.
July 15, 2026
ARC Review
Thank you to the author for providing me with an advance reader copy of Desire a Devil by Victoria Holliday. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Desire a Devil is a captivating romance that delivers emotional intensity, undeniable chemistry, and characters whose journeys kept me invested from beginning to end.
From the opening chapters, I was drawn into a story filled with tension, longing, and high emotional stakes. The relationship developed in a way that felt engaging and rewarding, balancing moments of vulnerability with plenty of passion. I especially appreciated that the romance wasn’t just about attraction. It was about trust, personal growth, and learning to let someone in despite past hurts.
Victoria Holliday creates layered characters who feel authentic in both their strengths and imperfections. Their emotional struggles made them easy to root for, and watching them work through their fears and misunderstandings added depth to the romance.
The pacing kept me turning the pages, and the blend of heartfelt moments, romantic tension, and compelling dialogue made this an enjoyable read from start to finish. By the final chapter, I was completely satisfied with the journey these characters had taken.
If you enjoy emotional romance featuring strong chemistry, complex characters, and a love story that balances heart with passion, Desire a Devil is definitely worth adding to your TBR.
Thank you again for the ARC. I truly enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more from Victoria Holliday in the future.
July 13, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for sharing this ARC!
Yes, yes, yes! This book was so much fun, I loved it😊
I absolutely love mafia romances with American-Italian dons. Out of all the mafias they are my favourite, and this book did not disappoint!
Fiero is all I wanted, ruthless but also so loyal and ready to fight for the ones he loves.
His relationship with his brothers is so well done, I can’t wait to read the next books focusing on the rest of the family.
Pfeiffer is also a great character. She’s strong, but she’s also a trauma survivor who’s still dealing with her demons.
I really liked how the author described Pfeiffer’s memory of her trauma, as I find this is a way of dealing with it that is not often represented. We more often have the full on “I’ve overcome all my issues” types, or the “I can’t work through this at all”, more gentle FMCs.
While both are absolutely fair ways of dealing with trauma, I did like Pfeiffer’s duality of being a well functioning adult, while also never having worked on overcoming a fundamental moment in her life.
The uncle is the worst kind of scum, and he deserves everything he has coming.
I may be just as bad as the two main characters, as I didn’t feel bad for him AT ALL.
As the book develops it really is great to see how the two POV converge.
The turning point who shaped both their lives becomes more and more a grey area, and maybe Fiero’s revenge has been misdirected all along?
Overall this was a great mafia romance, with a don who’s already gone for the woman, but just can’t bring himself to come to terms with it😂
Yes, yes, yes! This book was so much fun, I loved it😊
I absolutely love mafia romances with American-Italian dons. Out of all the mafias they are my favourite, and this book did not disappoint!
Fiero is all I wanted, ruthless but also so loyal and ready to fight for the ones he loves.
His relationship with his brothers is so well done, I can’t wait to read the next books focusing on the rest of the family.
Pfeiffer is also a great character. She’s strong, but she’s also a trauma survivor who’s still dealing with her demons.
I really liked how the author described Pfeiffer’s memory of her trauma, as I find this is a way of dealing with it that is not often represented. We more often have the full on “I’ve overcome all my issues” types, or the “I can’t work through this at all”, more gentle FMCs.
While both are absolutely fair ways of dealing with trauma, I did like Pfeiffer’s duality of being a well functioning adult, while also never having worked on overcoming a fundamental moment in her life.
The uncle is the worst kind of scum, and he deserves everything he has coming.
I may be just as bad as the two main characters, as I didn’t feel bad for him AT ALL.
As the book develops it really is great to see how the two POV converge.
The turning point who shaped both their lives becomes more and more a grey area, and maybe Fiero’s revenge has been misdirected all along?
Overall this was a great mafia romance, with a don who’s already gone for the woman, but just can’t bring himself to come to terms with it😂
July 16, 2026
To Desire A Devil by Victoria Holliday came out today (July 16, 2026 happy birthdaytothis book✨️), and I was lucky to receive it in a PR box a week ago(thank you Victoria🤍). I honestly didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did! Pfeiffer and Fiero... omg I'm soo into them.
To be honest it's a fairly classic revenge mafia dark romance, but it's incredibly well written. I'm usually a slow reader when it comes to paperback books—they always take me much longer than ebooks—but I devoured this one in just two days.(shock 🤯)
The story is told by dual POVs and begins with the fmc(Pfeiffer) being forced to work for a mafia don, aka Il Diavolo, also named Devil, in order to repay her uncle's debt... (an uncle she'd happily strangle herself but... yk she can't🥲)
What she doesn't know is that Il Diavolo brought her into his world as part of his own revenge plan.😈
But the Devil himself also about to uncover a few secrets about his «revenge» that will make him see red...💀
🔥And for the record: IT WAS SPICY. like I f mean it, they was doing things through whole book and it was more than good🤌🏻🫦
The romance is easy to get into but not without darker themes and painful events. It flows effortlessly, keeps the tension high, and had me hooked until the very last page.
If you enjoy dark romance, the Italian mafia, morally gray characters, slowly unfolding secrets, and layered, well-developed characters, I definitely recommend giving this book a chance. Looooooved it❕️
To be honest it's a fairly classic revenge mafia dark romance, but it's incredibly well written. I'm usually a slow reader when it comes to paperback books—they always take me much longer than ebooks—but I devoured this one in just two days.(shock 🤯)
The story is told by dual POVs and begins with the fmc(Pfeiffer) being forced to work for a mafia don, aka Il Diavolo, also named Devil, in order to repay her uncle's debt... (an uncle she'd happily strangle herself but... yk she can't🥲)
What she doesn't know is that Il Diavolo brought her into his world as part of his own revenge plan.😈
But the Devil himself also about to uncover a few secrets about his «revenge» that will make him see red...💀
🔥And for the record: IT WAS SPICY. like I f mean it, they was doing things through whole book and it was more than good🤌🏻🫦
The romance is easy to get into but not without darker themes and painful events. It flows effortlessly, keeps the tension high, and had me hooked until the very last page.
If you enjoy dark romance, the Italian mafia, morally gray characters, slowly unfolding secrets, and layered, well-developed characters, I definitely recommend giving this book a chance. Looooooved it❕️
July 13, 2026
*I received a complimentary ARC directly from the author for review consideration. This review reflects my honest opinions, and I received no compensation or incentives beyond the opportunity to read the book early.*
To Desire a Devil by Victoria Holliday was a 5 star ⭐️ read. It had character development, a great storyline, slow burn, yearning, passionate and the dark mafia romance you’re looking for to snuggle up with and get edged on by. Fiero and Pfeiffer had me hooked from the description to the end. I honestly couldn’t fathom what could pfieffer possibly have done to fiero that him and his brothers held this revenge plot for 15 years in the making and I remember seeing I was getting frustrated but that was an emotional connection to the storyline lol 😂 I was yearning to unravel their secrets. Once their secrets were unraveled I was blown away. I already was blown away with their sex and their steamy just passionate intimate connection that Victoria perfectly described and made me feel like I was in The room every time. The pain and hurt and betrayal I felt it with each character in this book but I also felt their joy and passion. Victoria built these characters and their lives from history and present and future at a great pace. I enjoyed this book and it’s out of my normal romance region but it’s still romance 🥰
To Desire a Devil by Victoria Holliday was a 5 star ⭐️ read. It had character development, a great storyline, slow burn, yearning, passionate and the dark mafia romance you’re looking for to snuggle up with and get edged on by. Fiero and Pfeiffer had me hooked from the description to the end. I honestly couldn’t fathom what could pfieffer possibly have done to fiero that him and his brothers held this revenge plot for 15 years in the making and I remember seeing I was getting frustrated but that was an emotional connection to the storyline lol 😂 I was yearning to unravel their secrets. Once their secrets were unraveled I was blown away. I already was blown away with their sex and their steamy just passionate intimate connection that Victoria perfectly described and made me feel like I was in The room every time. The pain and hurt and betrayal I felt it with each character in this book but I also felt their joy and passion. Victoria built these characters and their lives from history and present and future at a great pace. I enjoyed this book and it’s out of my normal romance region but it’s still romance 🥰
July 16, 2026
This is the first story in a new series, and this is Fiero and Pfeiffer’s story.
Fiero is the Don in his mafia family, and he is called the “devil” for a reason, and he avenges every person who chose to wring him, except Pfeiffer, who broke him in high school, but know her uncle’s debt lands at his club. Pfeiffer was forced by her uncle to torment Fiero, and she is now forced to work for a month for a masked owner of a New York exclusive club, and then the debt will disappear. What will happen when Pfeiffer discovers who the masked man is?
This is a well written action-packed story, with family dynamics, friendships, emotions, tension, danger, suspense, intrigue, vengeance, trauma, obsession, touch her and die, forced proximity, humour, witty banter, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, twisted, and unpredictable, dark mafia romance.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
Fiero is the Don in his mafia family, and he is called the “devil” for a reason, and he avenges every person who chose to wring him, except Pfeiffer, who broke him in high school, but know her uncle’s debt lands at his club. Pfeiffer was forced by her uncle to torment Fiero, and she is now forced to work for a month for a masked owner of a New York exclusive club, and then the debt will disappear. What will happen when Pfeiffer discovers who the masked man is?
This is a well written action-packed story, with family dynamics, friendships, emotions, tension, danger, suspense, intrigue, vengeance, trauma, obsession, touch her and die, forced proximity, humour, witty banter, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, twisted, and unpredictable, dark mafia romance.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
July 14, 2026
To Desire a Devil completely consumed me from the very first chapter. Victoria Holliday delivers a dark, addictive mafia romance filled with tension, obsession, and undeniable chemistry that kept me turning pages long into the night.
The emotional depth between the characters is what truly sets this story apart. The push and pull, the longing, and the vulnerability hidden beneath the hard exterior made every interaction feel meaningful. The pacing was fantastic, balancing high-stakes suspense with moments that made my heart ache.
If you love possessive antiheroes, intense slow-burn tension, emotional angst, and a romance that walks the line between darkness and devotion, this book absolutely delivers. The writing is immersive, the character development is excellent, and the twists kept me hooked until the very end.
The emotional depth between the characters is what truly sets this story apart. The push and pull, the longing, and the vulnerability hidden beneath the hard exterior made every interaction feel meaningful. The pacing was fantastic, balancing high-stakes suspense with moments that made my heart ache.
If you love possessive antiheroes, intense slow-burn tension, emotional angst, and a romance that walks the line between darkness and devotion, this book absolutely delivers. The writing is immersive, the character development is excellent, and the twists kept me hooked until the very end.
July 17, 2026
4.5⭐️
✨This Is a story that I’m going to come back to over and over again not only because the romance between Pfeiffer and Fiero was great, but the complications that were intertwined with the progression of their story to me went deeper than just a “Will they, wont they” dynamic.
The trauma that they all share because of horrible adults in their lives made me so angry on behalf of their childhoods. I understand the brothers’ motivation for wanting revenge and I also understand Pfeiffer’s reasoning for what she did.
This book moved me in a way that I don’t usually get in typical romance books. As someone that has loved ones in my life that have blocked hurtful or traumatic memories, and also has people going through the horrible illness that is Alzheimer’s, I couldn’t help but sob at some points in the story. ✨
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2026
His world is gonna burn her up.
I plowed through this story in 2 days, another part of the mafia world our author had created. I love a tortured/grey man and Holliday delivered it with a great balance of criminally, obsessive, passionate love. Our heroine goes through so much in the story. She knows he’s a bad man but she can’t fight the pull toward the masked boss. She’s there to fill his need for revenge, she thinks she’s there to work off a debt. Neither one can keep their eyes off of each other. The tension builds and then it explodes into a fire only a devil can control.
I plowed through this story in 2 days, another part of the mafia world our author had created. I love a tortured/grey man and Holliday delivered it with a great balance of criminally, obsessive, passionate love. Our heroine goes through so much in the story. She knows he’s a bad man but she can’t fight the pull toward the masked boss. She’s there to fill his need for revenge, she thinks she’s there to work off a debt. Neither one can keep their eyes off of each other. The tension builds and then it explodes into a fire only a devil can control.
July 17, 2026
I loved this book. I loved the characters and the character development. Pfeiffer is such a sweetheart, even though she has a whole load on her shoulders she still loves and is there for the people around her, especially her father.
Fiero......... I have no words for that man, like what do you mean he kills Pfeiffer's uncle who assaulted her and fxcks her with the kn1f3, like OMG.
I am a sucker for a good sibling bonds and the bond between Fiero and his brother hit the spot for me. I can't wait for the second book.
Fiero......... I have no words for that man, like what do you mean he kills Pfeiffer's uncle who assaulted her and fxcks her with the kn1f3, like OMG.
I am a sucker for a good sibling bonds and the bond between Fiero and his brother hit the spot for me. I can't wait for the second book.
July 17, 2026
This was good. So good. Fiero wants revenge on Pfeiffer because of what she did to him in the m their childhood. And now that’s she’s working at good club, he plan to exact it. He’s the naked owner and she has no idea it’s him. But suddenly debts are paid and the mask comes off. Sue’s afraid at first, but the more the two of them are around one another, things become more complex. Fiero feels differently, and Pfeiffer doesn’t want to run. They have an undeniable chemistry. This story had me obsessed. Suspense, heat, on the edge turning the pages kind of read.
July 9, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Victoria Holliday for early access to To Desire a Devil.
The book hangover on this book is going to be rough. If you are interested in a spicy, vengeful, mafia romance filled with suspense, amazing characters, and incredible world building, To Desire a Devil is for you.
Victoria Holliday… I cannot WAIT to read Remo’s story. His character interlaced throughout the book was beautiful.
The book hangover on this book is going to be rough. If you are interested in a spicy, vengeful, mafia romance filled with suspense, amazing characters, and incredible world building, To Desire a Devil is for you.
Victoria Holliday… I cannot WAIT to read Remo’s story. His character interlaced throughout the book was beautiful.
July 14, 2026
Whew, this was 🔥. I feel like I was left sweating and dehydrated from the spice in this book. Who knew a whole plot of revenge and edging would be so perfect. This book is dark, emotional, and perfect. This is for those who feel like they need to hide under the covers with one hand, and question their morals at the same time. The characters, their trauma, and reactions felt so genuine and perfectly timed. The dynamic between them was so hot, I need about a hundred more. The plot was fast-paced but descriptive enough to leave you hooked.
Review of advance copy
I love it. I wasn’t expecting to feel what I felt. I felt anger it made me cry. I don’t cry with a lot of books this one did that. What else can I say it has spice. I won’t say a lot since I don’t want to spoil it. But I do have to say that there is knife play a machete to be exact lol. 😂
Because true love doesn’t know how to hold a grudge… Remo Bellucci….said by someone I wasn’t expecting. Once again I loved it. I was so happy to read this as a ARC reader.
Because true love doesn’t know how to hold a grudge… Remo Bellucci….said by someone I wasn’t expecting. Once again I loved it. I was so happy to read this as a ARC reader.
Read
July 11, 2026Fier and Pfeiffer was meant to be since high school . He hated her for reasons out of her control and wanted to ruin her. He became mob boss and she works for him.
Such great writting, I felt like I was in the book. And both of them overcoming the past to be together just wow.
And this is definitely a touch her and die kind of book. Loved it would recommend
Such great writting, I felt like I was in the book. And both of them overcoming the past to be together just wow.
And this is definitely a touch her and die kind of book. Loved it would recommend
July 16, 2026
Oh this was so so good! Fiero and Pfeiffer have an extremely complicated back story. Which makes this story exciting. Love how the we find out slowly what really happened all those years ago and why it is so important today. Beautiful, steamy true love story!
Read
July 14, 202610 out of 10, Could Not put this book down! All the emotions! Cannot wait for the rest of this series!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ever since his life was turned upside down, Fiero has spent years holding onto one thing: revenge on Pfeiffer. So when the time finally comes, he seizes the opportunity and uses a debt to force her to work for him. He's determined to make her pay...until he realizes that the Pfeiffer he's been hating all these years isn't the woman standing in front of him anymore. And while he’s busy trying to destroy the woman he once loved, it turns out that the love was never gone to begin with.
Attention passengers, Victoria Holliday has a new mafia series. Stay calm, everybody, STAY CALM!
Fiero and Pfeiffer's relationship is my new Roman Empire. It honestly felt like their souls recognized each other long before their minds caught up. Life and situations may have pulled them apart and put them on opposite sides, but somehow they still found their way back to each other. And don't even get me STARTED on Chapter 9 because WHAT WAS THAT??? I genuinely think that was one of the hottest technically-non-spicy spice scenes I've ever read. The chemistry between these two was absolutely unreal. It wasn't just attraction, it was tension, longing, years of unresolved feelings...ugh, I was LOSING MY MIND.
“I belong to you”
Pfeiffer stole my heart in this one, she was just SO lovely as the FMC! Our girl carried the weight of the entire world on her shoulders and you could feel it in every decision she made. She felt like such a lost soul at times, but despite everything she'd been through, she never stopped fighting. I loved that she didn't just back down because Fiero was angry or intimidating. She stood her ground, challenged him, and somehow managed to stay brave even when her heart was pulling her in a completely different direction. The attraction she felt toward him was so intense that it constantly battled with her logical side and it really create some dynamics in her character which I enjoyed.
And Fiero…GOOD LORD SOMEONE SAVE ME FROM HOW MUCH I LOVED THIS MAN. My guy was absolutely GONE. DUNZOS. I swear, I love it when a big scary mafia man completely loses his mind over one woman, and that's exactly what Victoria gave us here. Underneath all the anger and revenge was just the sweetest, most caring man who was hopelessly in love. Watching him slowly go from wanting revenge to becoming completely whipped for Pfeiffer was everything.
“Pfeiffer is my girl, my love, my home.”
This book was heartbreaking, emotional, and completely riveting, I could genuinely talk about it for hours cause I loved it that much. Side note, I gonna be real with you for a second and confess that I actually took a personal day from work just so I could read this uninterrupted and honestly? Best decision I've made in a while haha. Everything about it worked for me. The new mafia world, the characters, the pacing, the emotional depth...I was hooked from beginning to end. And seeing some of our favourite characters from previous books pop back up? I was literally yelping every time they appeared (shoutout to the loves of my life Cristiano and Augusto).
Y’all...just go read this one. Trust me. Stop reading this review and just go open this book, okay?
I've said this before, but Victoria Holliday is genuinely such a phenomenal writer. I'm not just saying that because I enjoy her books. She has this incredible ability to write stories that feel emotional without becoming melodramatic, romantic without becoming cheesy, and dramatic without relying on shock value or violence. Her characters feel real (well, as real as mafia characters can be), the spice is intentional and goes beyond physical, and that's what keeps me coming back every single time. It’s a guaranteed good time y’all!
And now...bring on the other Bellucci brothers! I'm excited for all of them, but Remo? Dang, I feel already emotionally attached to him and I know it’s gonna be a really tough read but that’s what 3ply tissues are for and this girl is fully stocked and ready! The Bellucci brothers are going to be my newest book boyfriends and I’m very much here for it.
Attention passengers, Victoria Holliday has a new mafia series. Stay calm, everybody, STAY CALM!
Fiero and Pfeiffer's relationship is my new Roman Empire. It honestly felt like their souls recognized each other long before their minds caught up. Life and situations may have pulled them apart and put them on opposite sides, but somehow they still found their way back to each other. And don't even get me STARTED on Chapter 9 because WHAT WAS THAT??? I genuinely think that was one of the hottest technically-non-spicy spice scenes I've ever read. The chemistry between these two was absolutely unreal. It wasn't just attraction, it was tension, longing, years of unresolved feelings...ugh, I was LOSING MY MIND.
“I belong to you”
Pfeiffer stole my heart in this one, she was just SO lovely as the FMC! Our girl carried the weight of the entire world on her shoulders and you could feel it in every decision she made. She felt like such a lost soul at times, but despite everything she'd been through, she never stopped fighting. I loved that she didn't just back down because Fiero was angry or intimidating. She stood her ground, challenged him, and somehow managed to stay brave even when her heart was pulling her in a completely different direction. The attraction she felt toward him was so intense that it constantly battled with her logical side and it really create some dynamics in her character which I enjoyed.
And Fiero…GOOD LORD SOMEONE SAVE ME FROM HOW MUCH I LOVED THIS MAN. My guy was absolutely GONE. DUNZOS. I swear, I love it when a big scary mafia man completely loses his mind over one woman, and that's exactly what Victoria gave us here. Underneath all the anger and revenge was just the sweetest, most caring man who was hopelessly in love. Watching him slowly go from wanting revenge to becoming completely whipped for Pfeiffer was everything.
“Pfeiffer is my girl, my love, my home.”
This book was heartbreaking, emotional, and completely riveting, I could genuinely talk about it for hours cause I loved it that much. Side note, I gonna be real with you for a second and confess that I actually took a personal day from work just so I could read this uninterrupted and honestly? Best decision I've made in a while haha. Everything about it worked for me. The new mafia world, the characters, the pacing, the emotional depth...I was hooked from beginning to end. And seeing some of our favourite characters from previous books pop back up? I was literally yelping every time they appeared (shoutout to the loves of my life Cristiano and Augusto).
Y’all...just go read this one. Trust me. Stop reading this review and just go open this book, okay?
I've said this before, but Victoria Holliday is genuinely such a phenomenal writer. I'm not just saying that because I enjoy her books. She has this incredible ability to write stories that feel emotional without becoming melodramatic, romantic without becoming cheesy, and dramatic without relying on shock value or violence. Her characters feel real (well, as real as mafia characters can be), the spice is intentional and goes beyond physical, and that's what keeps me coming back every single time. It’s a guaranteed good time y’all!
And now...bring on the other Bellucci brothers! I'm excited for all of them, but Remo? Dang, I feel already emotionally attached to him and I know it’s gonna be a really tough read but that’s what 3ply tissues are for and this girl is fully stocked and ready! The Bellucci brothers are going to be my newest book boyfriends and I’m very much here for it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Chapter 32 broke my heart…
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Tropes: Masked hero - Revenge obsession - Enemies to lovers - Forced proximity - Childhood history - Possessive morally gray MMC - Wounded FMC - Touch her and die
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Triggers & Content Warnings: Past sexual and physical abuse, DubCon, on-page graphic violence, boundary-breaching, and sexually explicit content including knife-play. Gambling and other assorted mafia activities, voyeurism, stalking.
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Synopsis/Blurb: Very dark mafia romance built around revenge, guilt, and the question of whether childhood wounds can ever truly heal.
Years ago, two children found themselves trapped in circumstances neither of them controlled. Fiero Bellucci was an isolated, vulnerable boy living under the thumb of a monstrous father. Pfeiffer McAllister, meanwhile, was being manipulated and abused by her own uncle. Under her uncle's coercion, Pfeiffer participated in something that left Fiero emotionally scarred. As adults, Fiero remembers only the pain she caused him—not the forces that compelled her.
Fifteen years later, Fiero has become the feared Don of the Bellucci mafia family, known as "the Devil." When a debt owed by Pfeiffer's uncle places her in Fiero's orbit, he sees an opportunity to exact the revenge he's imagined for years. His plan is simple: make her suffer as he believes she made him suffer.
Complications arise when the past isn't as straightforward as either of them believes. While Fiero clings to his memories of betrayal, Pfeiffer carries crushing guilt and secrets of her own. As they're forced into close proximity, both begin uncovering pieces of the truth that have been hidden for years, forcing them to confront how trauma, manipulation, and survival shaped the people they've become.
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Quote: “ I broke him; he broke me. And neither of us have won. “
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Review: I was given an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review and I can honestly say this is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Kudos to Victoria Holliday!
I make no secret of my love for dark, mafia themed romance. Morally gray is my favorite color. The Prologue had me intrigued, but at the 20% mark, I was a little concerned my interest may have been misplaced. The Bellucci Brothers’, especially Fiero’s, overwhelming obsession with seeking ugly revenge on Pfeiffer for insulting Fiero during their high school tenure together felt overblown and melodramatic. I kept going, and I’m so glad I did. The breathtaking end justified what felt like a tortuously slow and mysterious beginning.
The characters were believable and relatable, true to the tropes without resorting to stereotypes. The action flowed well, pulling me into the plot more and more as the story progressed. The chemistry between Pfeiffer and Fiero is explosive. The gradual movement from obsessive vengeance to obsessive attraction is acted out perfectly, and makes the third act breakup all the more heartbreaking. Chapter 32 broke me. I ugly cried, which made their HEA that much sweeter.
If you like mafia romance, don’t have a ton of triggers, then this is for you. I strongly recommend and I hope to explore more titles by this indie author. 🖤
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Ratings: Movie NC17, Overall 5/5, Romance 4/5, Violence 4/5, Spice 4/5, Cover Image 5/5
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366 pages, July 16th 2026 Release
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Tropes: Masked hero - Revenge obsession - Enemies to lovers - Forced proximity - Childhood history - Possessive morally gray MMC - Wounded FMC - Touch her and die
******************************
Triggers & Content Warnings: Past sexual and physical abuse, DubCon, on-page graphic violence, boundary-breaching, and sexually explicit content including knife-play. Gambling and other assorted mafia activities, voyeurism, stalking.
******************************
Synopsis/Blurb: Very dark mafia romance built around revenge, guilt, and the question of whether childhood wounds can ever truly heal.
Years ago, two children found themselves trapped in circumstances neither of them controlled. Fiero Bellucci was an isolated, vulnerable boy living under the thumb of a monstrous father. Pfeiffer McAllister, meanwhile, was being manipulated and abused by her own uncle. Under her uncle's coercion, Pfeiffer participated in something that left Fiero emotionally scarred. As adults, Fiero remembers only the pain she caused him—not the forces that compelled her.
Fifteen years later, Fiero has become the feared Don of the Bellucci mafia family, known as "the Devil." When a debt owed by Pfeiffer's uncle places her in Fiero's orbit, he sees an opportunity to exact the revenge he's imagined for years. His plan is simple: make her suffer as he believes she made him suffer.
Complications arise when the past isn't as straightforward as either of them believes. While Fiero clings to his memories of betrayal, Pfeiffer carries crushing guilt and secrets of her own. As they're forced into close proximity, both begin uncovering pieces of the truth that have been hidden for years, forcing them to confront how trauma, manipulation, and survival shaped the people they've become.
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Quote: “ I broke him; he broke me. And neither of us have won. “
******************************
Review: I was given an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review and I can honestly say this is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Kudos to Victoria Holliday!
I make no secret of my love for dark, mafia themed romance. Morally gray is my favorite color. The Prologue had me intrigued, but at the 20% mark, I was a little concerned my interest may have been misplaced. The Bellucci Brothers’, especially Fiero’s, overwhelming obsession with seeking ugly revenge on Pfeiffer for insulting Fiero during their high school tenure together felt overblown and melodramatic. I kept going, and I’m so glad I did. The breathtaking end justified what felt like a tortuously slow and mysterious beginning.
The characters were believable and relatable, true to the tropes without resorting to stereotypes. The action flowed well, pulling me into the plot more and more as the story progressed. The chemistry between Pfeiffer and Fiero is explosive. The gradual movement from obsessive vengeance to obsessive attraction is acted out perfectly, and makes the third act breakup all the more heartbreaking. Chapter 32 broke me. I ugly cried, which made their HEA that much sweeter.
If you like mafia romance, don’t have a ton of triggers, then this is for you. I strongly recommend and I hope to explore more titles by this indie author. 🖤
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Ratings: Movie NC17, Overall 5/5, Romance 4/5, Violence 4/5, Spice 4/5, Cover Image 5/5
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366 pages, July 16th 2026 Release
July 6, 2026
To Desire a Devil by Victoria Holliday is book one in the Bellucci Brothers series. It is a dark mafia romance featuring revenge, childhood trauma, forced proximity, obsessive devotion, and one of my favorite kinds of heroes -- a ruthless mafia man who completely loses his mind over one woman.
Fiero Bellucci has spent fifteen years believing Pfeiffer destroyed his family. Revenge has become his sole purpose. When Pfeiffer unexpectedly lands back in his world, he's determined to make her pay. The problem? The woman standing before him isn't the villain he's imagined all these years. As old secrets begin to unravel, Fiero is forced to question everything he thought he knew, all while fighting an attraction that refuses to be ignored.
I absolutely devoured this book. Victoria Holliday's writing immediately pulled me in and refused to let go. The mystery surrounding Fiero and Pfeiffer's shared past kept me hooked. Long after I should've been asleep, I found myself obsessively whispering, "just one more chapter."
Fiero was exactly the kind of morally gray MMC I love -- dangerous, possessive, overwhelmingly protective, and completely obsessed with Pfeiffer once his walls began to crumble. Beneath all of his anger was a man carrying years of heartbreak. It was incredibly satisfying to watch his thirst for revenge slowly give way to unwavering devotion. Likewise, Pfeiffer was equally compelling. She carried so much responsibility and pain but managed with remarkable resilience. I admired how she maintained her strength and compassion, despite everything she'd endured.
The chemistry between these two was phenomenal. Even before the spice, the tension and longing practically radiated off the page. Then, once they finally gave in to each other... WHEW! Victoria Holliday knows exactly how to write emotionally charged, deliciously sp!cy scenes that had me fanning myself.
What surprised me most was the emotional depth. Beneath the mafia drama and sizzling romance is a story about grief, forgiveness, healing, and letting go of the burdens you've carried for far too long. The final quarter of the book absolutely wrecked me in the best possible way.
Overall, To Desire a Devil by Victoria Holliday was an addictive start to a brand-new mafia series. With compelling characters, addictive suspense, scorching chemistry, and plenty of emotional payoff, Holliday promises to become one of my new favorite mafia romance authors. And after that epilogue? I already need every Bellucci brother's story -- especially Remo's.
A huge thank you to Victoria Holliday for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
TROPES: Mafia Romance, Revenge, Childhood History, Forced Proximity, Morally Gray MMC, Touch Her and Die, Trauma & Healing, Forced to Work for the MMC, He Falls Harder
Star Rating: 4 (out of 5 stars)
Spice Scale: 3 (out of 5 peppers)
Cliffhanger: No
HEA: Yes
POV: 1st person, alternating
Series / Standalone: Interconnected Standalone
INSTAGRAM: @Book.Lover.IRL
STORYGRAPH: @Book_Lover_IRL
GOODREADS: Book Lover IRL
FABLE: Book Lover IRL
Fiero Bellucci has spent fifteen years believing Pfeiffer destroyed his family. Revenge has become his sole purpose. When Pfeiffer unexpectedly lands back in his world, he's determined to make her pay. The problem? The woman standing before him isn't the villain he's imagined all these years. As old secrets begin to unravel, Fiero is forced to question everything he thought he knew, all while fighting an attraction that refuses to be ignored.
I absolutely devoured this book. Victoria Holliday's writing immediately pulled me in and refused to let go. The mystery surrounding Fiero and Pfeiffer's shared past kept me hooked. Long after I should've been asleep, I found myself obsessively whispering, "just one more chapter."
Fiero was exactly the kind of morally gray MMC I love -- dangerous, possessive, overwhelmingly protective, and completely obsessed with Pfeiffer once his walls began to crumble. Beneath all of his anger was a man carrying years of heartbreak. It was incredibly satisfying to watch his thirst for revenge slowly give way to unwavering devotion. Likewise, Pfeiffer was equally compelling. She carried so much responsibility and pain but managed with remarkable resilience. I admired how she maintained her strength and compassion, despite everything she'd endured.
The chemistry between these two was phenomenal. Even before the spice, the tension and longing practically radiated off the page. Then, once they finally gave in to each other... WHEW! Victoria Holliday knows exactly how to write emotionally charged, deliciously sp!cy scenes that had me fanning myself.
What surprised me most was the emotional depth. Beneath the mafia drama and sizzling romance is a story about grief, forgiveness, healing, and letting go of the burdens you've carried for far too long. The final quarter of the book absolutely wrecked me in the best possible way.
Overall, To Desire a Devil by Victoria Holliday was an addictive start to a brand-new mafia series. With compelling characters, addictive suspense, scorching chemistry, and plenty of emotional payoff, Holliday promises to become one of my new favorite mafia romance authors. And after that epilogue? I already need every Bellucci brother's story -- especially Remo's.
A huge thank you to Victoria Holliday for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
TROPES: Mafia Romance, Revenge, Childhood History, Forced Proximity, Morally Gray MMC, Touch Her and Die, Trauma & Healing, Forced to Work for the MMC, He Falls Harder
Star Rating: 4 (out of 5 stars)
Spice Scale: 3 (out of 5 peppers)
Cliffhanger: No
HEA: Yes
POV: 1st person, alternating
Series / Standalone: Interconnected Standalone
INSTAGRAM: @Book.Lover.IRL
STORYGRAPH: @Book_Lover_IRL
GOODREADS: Book Lover IRL
FABLE: Book Lover IRL
Review of advance copy received from Author
I went into this book expecting a spicy, exciting mafia romance and boy did Victoria Holliday deliver. What I didn’t expect was to fall in love with such a beautiful love story. Fiero and Pfeiffer’s connection transcends time, secrets, trauma, and healing, and I fear I’ll be thinking about their story for a long time.
What I liked:
🖤 The character depth. While the characters retained some of the classic mafia-adjacent tropes (dangerous, broody, controlling, tortured, soft, etc.), I felt we got a much deeper look into their heads and hearts than is typical for a mafia romance. Before Fiero was a trauma-hardened don, he was a tenderhearted boy who remained kind through a neglectful upbringing. Exploring that transition was absolutely heartbreaking. Pfeiffer was a loyal, loving daughter just trying to do the decent thing (I would absolutely have let a certain someone burn), even when her adolescent years were a literal living nightmare. I wanted to rage FOR her, because she was just way too good at compartmentalizing. Both of these characters have been through so much, and processed it so differently, it was impossible to not fall in love with them.
🦋 The butterfly effect. Revenge is an integral part to this story - Fiero wants nothing more than to completely break Pfeiffer and leave her ruined for what she did to him and his family. However, in good author form, Victoria edged the f*ck out of us and we don’t actually know what Pfeiffer did to deserve such a fate until well into the second half of the book. But when it’s revealed… 😭 Reading about ‘the incident’ was agonizing on multiple levels, because it was completely influenced by forces neither of the kids had the power to stop and the fallout was truly so, so terrible. It really drives home the lesson: you never know what someone else is going through. One person’s act of salvation can domino into another’s tragic ruin.
❤️🔥 The chemistry. I feel like there’s a level of expectation around the mafia romance subgenre to bring the heat, and the spice in this book was top-tier. More than that, the carnal yearning between Pfeiffer and Fiero during their time together (hell, even when they were across the room from each other), was tangible and electric. Their chemistry defies both Pfeiffer’s perception of right/wrong and Fiero’s revenge mission, and I found myself rooting for them from their very first encounter. I’m not sure how anyone can read this and not get addicted!
If you want a mafia romance that’s deep, beautiful, tragic, and spicy, please pick this up. You get all the qualities you love from authors like SJ Tilly and Sadie Kincaid, with a Nicolas Sparks-level love story.
Thank you to Victoria for the opportunity to ARC-read! All opinions are my own.
What I liked:
🖤 The character depth. While the characters retained some of the classic mafia-adjacent tropes (dangerous, broody, controlling, tortured, soft, etc.), I felt we got a much deeper look into their heads and hearts than is typical for a mafia romance. Before Fiero was a trauma-hardened don, he was a tenderhearted boy who remained kind through a neglectful upbringing. Exploring that transition was absolutely heartbreaking. Pfeiffer was a loyal, loving daughter just trying to do the decent thing (I would absolutely have let a certain someone burn), even when her adolescent years were a literal living nightmare. I wanted to rage FOR her, because she was just way too good at compartmentalizing. Both of these characters have been through so much, and processed it so differently, it was impossible to not fall in love with them.
🦋 The butterfly effect. Revenge is an integral part to this story - Fiero wants nothing more than to completely break Pfeiffer and leave her ruined for what she did to him and his family. However, in good author form, Victoria edged the f*ck out of us and we don’t actually know what Pfeiffer did to deserve such a fate until well into the second half of the book. But when it’s revealed… 😭 Reading about ‘the incident’ was agonizing on multiple levels, because it was completely influenced by forces neither of the kids had the power to stop and the fallout was truly so, so terrible. It really drives home the lesson: you never know what someone else is going through. One person’s act of salvation can domino into another’s tragic ruin.
❤️🔥 The chemistry. I feel like there’s a level of expectation around the mafia romance subgenre to bring the heat, and the spice in this book was top-tier. More than that, the carnal yearning between Pfeiffer and Fiero during their time together (hell, even when they were across the room from each other), was tangible and electric. Their chemistry defies both Pfeiffer’s perception of right/wrong and Fiero’s revenge mission, and I found myself rooting for them from their very first encounter. I’m not sure how anyone can read this and not get addicted!
If you want a mafia romance that’s deep, beautiful, tragic, and spicy, please pick this up. You get all the qualities you love from authors like SJ Tilly and Sadie Kincaid, with a Nicolas Sparks-level love story.
Thank you to Victoria for the opportunity to ARC-read! All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Holy. Fuck.
I started this book today… and I finished it today. That alone should tell you everything you need to know because I literally could not put it down.
Victoria Holliday absolutely fucking killed this book.
First of all, can we please talk about Pfeiffer? I think I finally found a female main character that didn’t piss me off. 😂 I genuinely loved reading her POV, and that’s honestly rare for me. I felt everything she was feeling, and every emotion she went through felt so real. I found myself completely invested in her story, and by the end, I loved her just as much as Fiero Bellucci.
And then there’s Fiero…
Yeah… I’m obsessed.
This man had me hooked from the very beginning. I don’t want to say too much because I refuse to spoil this book, but the way he carried himself, his intensity, and the hatred he had been holding onto for fifteen years completely pulled me in. For fifteen years, he truly believed Pfeiffer had ruined his life. His entire plan was to destroy her. He literally tells himself he’s going to ruin her, and watching him slowly realize he couldn’t do it absolutely wrecked me. Every chapter had me needing to know what happened fifteen years ago, and when everything finally came together… my heart completely shattered.
The chemistry between these two was unreal.
The spice? 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Let’s just say… I had to pause a couple of times because DAMN.
But what surprised me the most was how emotional this story was. I genuinely cried. I wasn’t expecting this book to hit me the way it did. As everything from the past started coming together, I found myself tearing up because I became so invested in these characters and everything they had been through. I don’t want to spoil anything because figuring everything out alongside them is honestly part of what makes this book so amazing.
This is one of those books where you keep telling yourself, “Just one more chapter,” and then before you know it, you’ve finished the entire book.
If you love mafia romance, revenge, incredible chemistry, amazing spice, emotional moments that will have you reaching for tissues, and a story that keeps you guessing until the very end… READ. THIS. BOOK.
Seriously… everybody has to fucking read this book.
I’m so grateful I got the opportunity to read this ARC, and I genuinely cannot wait for everyone else to meet Fiero and Pfeiffer. Victoria Holliday absolutely knocked this one out of the park, and I am SO fucking excited for the rest of this series. If this first book is any indication of what’s coming, we’re all in for one hell of a ride.
Holy. Fuck.
I started this book today… and I finished it today. That alone should tell you everything you need to know because I literally could not put it down.
Victoria Holliday absolutely fucking killed this book.
First of all, can we please talk about Pfeiffer? I think I finally found a female main character that didn’t piss me off. 😂 I genuinely loved reading her POV, and that’s honestly rare for me. I felt everything she was feeling, and every emotion she went through felt so real. I found myself completely invested in her story, and by the end, I loved her just as much as Fiero Bellucci.
And then there’s Fiero…
Yeah… I’m obsessed.
This man had me hooked from the very beginning. I don’t want to say too much because I refuse to spoil this book, but the way he carried himself, his intensity, and the hatred he had been holding onto for fifteen years completely pulled me in. For fifteen years, he truly believed Pfeiffer had ruined his life. His entire plan was to destroy her. He literally tells himself he’s going to ruin her, and watching him slowly realize he couldn’t do it absolutely wrecked me. Every chapter had me needing to know what happened fifteen years ago, and when everything finally came together… my heart completely shattered.
The chemistry between these two was unreal.
The spice? 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Let’s just say… I had to pause a couple of times because DAMN.
But what surprised me the most was how emotional this story was. I genuinely cried. I wasn’t expecting this book to hit me the way it did. As everything from the past started coming together, I found myself tearing up because I became so invested in these characters and everything they had been through. I don’t want to spoil anything because figuring everything out alongside them is honestly part of what makes this book so amazing.
This is one of those books where you keep telling yourself, “Just one more chapter,” and then before you know it, you’ve finished the entire book.
If you love mafia romance, revenge, incredible chemistry, amazing spice, emotional moments that will have you reaching for tissues, and a story that keeps you guessing until the very end… READ. THIS. BOOK.
Seriously… everybody has to fucking read this book.
I’m so grateful I got the opportunity to read this ARC, and I genuinely cannot wait for everyone else to meet Fiero and Pfeiffer. Victoria Holliday absolutely knocked this one out of the park, and I am SO fucking excited for the rest of this series. If this first book is any indication of what’s coming, we’re all in for one hell of a ride.
Review of advance copy received from Author
If you’re obsessed with morally gray mafia men who would burn the world down for one woman… add To Desire a Devil to your TBR immediately.
This is the first book in Victoria Holliday’s Bellucci Brothers series, and it has everything I love in a dark mafia romance: revenge, forced proximity, childhood trauma, family secrets, obsessive devotion, and chemistry that had me kicking my feet one minute and screaming the next.
Fiero Bellucci has spent the last fifteen years convinced that Pfeiffer destroyed his family, and revenge has become his entire personality. But when she unexpectedly reappears in his life, nothing is as black and white as he thought. The more pieces of the past fall into place, the more everything he believed begins to unravel—and watching that journey was SO satisfying.
Fiero was absolutely my kind of book boyfriend. Ruthless? Yes. Possessive? Absolutely. Protective to an almost unhinged level? Even better. But underneath all of that anger was a man carrying years of grief and guilt, and seeing his need for revenge slowly turn into complete, unwavering devotion had me completely invested.
And Pfeiffer? I loved her. She’d been through so much, yet she never lost her strength or her compassion. She wasn’t a damsel waiting to be rescued—she held her own, and that made me root for her even more.
The slow burn was EVERYTHING. The tension was so good that I was hanging on every interaction, and once they finally gave in? Let’s just say Victoria Holliday knows exactly how to deliver spice that’s not only hot but packed with emotion.
What surprised me most was how emotional this story became. Beneath all the mafia drama and romance is a story about grief, forgiveness, healing, and finally letting go of the weight you’ve been carrying for years. By the last quarter of the book, I was completely wrecked in the best way.
I genuinely couldn’t stop reading. Every time I told myself “one more chapter,” five chapters somehow disappeared. This book had me fully in its grip.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you love:
🖤 Morally gray mafia heroes
🖤 Touch her and die energy
🖤 Forced proximity
🖤 Obsessive, protective MMCs
🖤 Family secrets and twists
🖤 Emotional romance with plenty of spice
…then you need this book.
Victoria Holliday has officially earned a spot on my auto-buy author list, and after THAT ending, I’m already desperate for the rest of the Bellucci brothers’ books—especially Remo’s.
Thank you to Victoria Holliday for the ARC! She is amazing!
This is the first book in Victoria Holliday’s Bellucci Brothers series, and it has everything I love in a dark mafia romance: revenge, forced proximity, childhood trauma, family secrets, obsessive devotion, and chemistry that had me kicking my feet one minute and screaming the next.
Fiero Bellucci has spent the last fifteen years convinced that Pfeiffer destroyed his family, and revenge has become his entire personality. But when she unexpectedly reappears in his life, nothing is as black and white as he thought. The more pieces of the past fall into place, the more everything he believed begins to unravel—and watching that journey was SO satisfying.
Fiero was absolutely my kind of book boyfriend. Ruthless? Yes. Possessive? Absolutely. Protective to an almost unhinged level? Even better. But underneath all of that anger was a man carrying years of grief and guilt, and seeing his need for revenge slowly turn into complete, unwavering devotion had me completely invested.
And Pfeiffer? I loved her. She’d been through so much, yet she never lost her strength or her compassion. She wasn’t a damsel waiting to be rescued—she held her own, and that made me root for her even more.
The slow burn was EVERYTHING. The tension was so good that I was hanging on every interaction, and once they finally gave in? Let’s just say Victoria Holliday knows exactly how to deliver spice that’s not only hot but packed with emotion.
What surprised me most was how emotional this story became. Beneath all the mafia drama and romance is a story about grief, forgiveness, healing, and finally letting go of the weight you’ve been carrying for years. By the last quarter of the book, I was completely wrecked in the best way.
I genuinely couldn’t stop reading. Every time I told myself “one more chapter,” five chapters somehow disappeared. This book had me fully in its grip.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you love:
🖤 Morally gray mafia heroes
🖤 Touch her and die energy
🖤 Forced proximity
🖤 Obsessive, protective MMCs
🖤 Family secrets and twists
🖤 Emotional romance with plenty of spice
…then you need this book.
Victoria Holliday has officially earned a spot on my auto-buy author list, and after THAT ending, I’m already desperate for the rest of the Bellucci brothers’ books—especially Remo’s.
Thank you to Victoria Holliday for the ARC! She is amazing!
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