The Fiercest Vow

Blood & Besa #1

by Sienna Marchetti

She wrote her own marriage contract. He signed it in blood.

Elira Hoxha is a criminal defense attorney with a stress-baking habit and a mouth that's gotten her out of — and into — more trouble than any courtroom. When an Albanian mafia boss offers to erase her dead father's debts in exchange for marriage, she does the only logical she drafts a forty-seven-page contract with rules, clauses, and a favor economy that would make a corporate lawyer weep.

Arben Dushku doesn't negotiate. He commands. But the woman who just rewrote the terms of their arranged marriage in red pen while eating his mother's baklava is making him reconsider every rule he's ever set — starting with the one about never letting anyone close enough to matter.

She's looking for her missing mother. He needs her family's territory. Neither planned on the flour-dusted kitchen counter that changes everything.

The Fiercest Vow is a full-length Albanian mafia romance with an arranged marriage, a heroine who argues in her sleep, a hero who adjusts his cuffs when he's losing control, and enough heat to warrant a fire safety disclaimer.

521 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 4, 2026

Reviews

[Lyndi (mibookobsession)]

Elira lost her mother at the age of twelve, all of her possessions gone without a trace, except for a single earring. Since she never took those earrings off, Elira suspected her disappearance wasn't by choice. Her father wouldn't tell her anything, and now he's gone, passed away never having told Elira the truth.
Alben Dushku thrives on control. As heir to the Bronx Albanian mafia, he needs it to survive. So when he approaches Elira with an offer of marriage to settle her father's debts and give him control of the Queens property, he never expected a 47 page marriage contract written personally by her. He also never expected her to change his home or his life, or how much he would miss her new and chaos when it was gone. In order to keep her, he'll have to learn to give up control and let go.
I enjoyed seeing strictly controlled Arben slowly start to loosen up. The little acts of love he shows Elira even from the beginning of their arrangement just melted my heart. And fiercely independent Elira learns to give up control of some things while standing up for what she wants with others. And with his brothers, she finally has a family. I loved the ending and their HEA, and especially the hints at the next book featuring quiet, enigmatic Dritan. The only thing I didn't like was the repetition of certain scenes or phrases, sometimes within the same chapter or even page. I get it, those parts were important to the story and the understanding of the characters, but I didn't need them drilled into my head so often. I'm hoping this gets better in the rest of the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

[Tracy Kemp]

Elira isn’t your average public defender; she’s a sharp-witted legal shark who navigates the grimy underbelly of the justice system with surgical precision. Haunted by her father’s spiraling debts and the cold trail of her missing mother, she’s a woman fueled by desperation and a razor-sharp intellect.
Enter Arben, the formidable head of the Albanian mafia. He doesn't just want power; he wants Elira’s family territory to cement his empire. His solution? A cold, calculated proposal of marriage.
Arben expected a submissive pawn. Instead, he’s met with a powerhouse who treats his "proposal" like a hostile takeover.
This is a masterful blend of dark romance and thrilling suspense. If you crave a story where the "mafia bride" is just as dangerous as the boss, this is your next obsession.

[Johanna]

Book 1 of the Blood & Besa series. And a FANtastic start it is! Look forward to more from this world.

'The Fiercest Vow is a full-length Albanian mafia romance with an arranged marriage, a heroine who argues in her sleep, a hero who adjusts his cuffs when he's losing control, and enough heat to warrant a fire safety disclaimer.'

The characters were very complex and compelling and complicated and perfectly steamy together. Plot was intriguing and intense and well paced. World building was excellent and solidly drawn. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend!

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jenni]

Elira is a defense attorney who definitely knows her way around the courts and criminals, needing to pay of her fathers debts and search for her missing mother, when Albanian mafia boss Arben needs her families territory for expansion he offers her a deal a proposal of marriage only he didnt expect to get a highly detailed contract in return nor fall for his wife! Well written engaging steamy desires drama action and more.

[Sheila]

4 stars for Fiercest Vow by (new for me ) author Sienna Marchetti

This is a slow build between the main characters of Elira and Arben.

What you will find:

Albanian mafia - loved the mention of food & customs

Contract marriage where FMC writes the contract

Dual POV

Slow Burn

Very strong MFC

Catching feelings

Good story ! I will definitely check out more of this authors work !.

I received a
copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Narelle]

Usually it's the Italian, Irish or Russian mafia, sometimes Greek or a even a cartel from South America. This series we get the Albanians in New York. Elira is a tough defense attorney who is set to marry Arben, an Albanian mafia boss. There are secrets, lies and betrayals, family drama, steamy passion, burn the world feelings, and contracts and rules, all set against the backbone of an arranged marriage.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[The Book Ssirren]

This was awesome. Loved the contract that Elira drew up in order marry Arbon. He doesn’t negotiate, but she’s got him rethinking this. I loved the baking, and the back and forth between these two. I thought this was sweet and fun and even fierce. It was dark and spicy. Elira and Arbon were great characters. Both strong and stubborn. I had the best time reading this one.

[Melanie Purcell]

Elira and Arben are both brilliant and disciplined. Their chemistry and partnership is excellent. I enjoyed his learning to loosen his control and her adventure piecing together the past. His brothers are great characters and the Albanian cultural elements are beautiful, can't wait to read more.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.