What do you think?
The Greatest Mind
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 14, 2026
About the author
A.A. Marie
1 book34 followersA.A. Marie is your go-to author for morally gray, swoon-worthy characters, especially in the dark romance and mafia space.
She adores writing those misunderstood men that you end up falling in love with, and fiery female characters with a truly soft center. You can expect her books to bring a healthy dose of love, craziness, darkness, and light.
On the rare occasion she isn’t writing, A.A. Marie can be found in her home catching up with her very long TBR list, or ensuring her crazy kittens don’t end up destroying her home!
She adores writing those misunderstood men that you end up falling in love with, and fiery female characters with a truly soft center. You can expect her books to bring a healthy dose of love, craziness, darkness, and light.
On the rare occasion she isn’t writing, A.A. Marie can be found in her home catching up with her very long TBR list, or ensuring her crazy kittens don’t end up destroying her home!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
July 15, 2026
It’s a shit show a semi good shit show but a shit show nonetheless.
Like the brothers, the plot, the story was just all over the place I was getting whiplash. Was the story of the couple good yes, I’d wish to see them with a child but apparently the characters had sworn off children. The whole brother and Creasre ark was confusing. He’s a serial killer who fell in love and then almost kills the fmc but is also the brother of my mmc and is mental. How he is more crazy than Milan I don’t understand. The whole story was giving mental illness. I think the other brothers stories would’ve been interesting on there own, however the author didn’t do that, which is fine however with the level of plot she aimed to convey was not enough for the pages she wrote. Like this could’ve been a duet. Fml almost dying then walking up and forgiving her bil was just what the fuck!?? Ugh this book has me fucked up in ways I can’t explain. And why is there so much sexual tension between all the boys and girls like. She’s painting her best friends fucking, and calls her Princess (I don’t think he has a name for his own girl) but there like siblings ya ok. She then begs him to save her and is like he feels like home and is homesick and mentions him before mentioning her best friend. HUH ARE YOU CLOCKING THIS. and then wants to paint the Fran and Adrian bc she’s like imagine them fucking okay weirdo. BTW Matteo (aka besties man) is her muse, her naked male muse. Oh but wait she also has pics of her bff bf in paintings her husband looks at. And let’s not forget he watches (maybe not watches but waits? idk in there room) while his second in command aka best friend/found family brother is getting fucked and is like odd usually when we’d fuck girls tgther (aka threesome) he wasn’t submissive but now he’s just taking it. Okay so ur like mentally broken but have threesomes with your gay bestie. Okay ya makes sense, not.HELLLOOOOOOOOOOO. LIKE are we not alarmed wtf is this book. This had me spinning, spiralling, stumbling in confusion.
Honest to god this book feels like a fkn fever dream. There were so many points i wanted to give up, I’m glad I didn’t but I’m also sad I wasted hours reading this book bc it felt like a messy Wattpad written by a young person w some obsession of voyeurism that was writing a book for the first time.
Like the brothers, the plot, the story was just all over the place I was getting whiplash. Was the story of the couple good yes, I’d wish to see them with a child but apparently the characters had sworn off children. The whole brother and Creasre ark was confusing. He’s a serial killer who fell in love and then almost kills the fmc but is also the brother of my mmc and is mental. How he is more crazy than Milan I don’t understand. The whole story was giving mental illness. I think the other brothers stories would’ve been interesting on there own, however the author didn’t do that, which is fine however with the level of plot she aimed to convey was not enough for the pages she wrote. Like this could’ve been a duet. Fml almost dying then walking up and forgiving her bil was just what the fuck!?? Ugh this book has me fucked up in ways I can’t explain. And why is there so much sexual tension between all the boys and girls like. She’s painting her best friends fucking, and calls her Princess (I don’t think he has a name for his own girl) but there like siblings ya ok. She then begs him to save her and is like he feels like home and is homesick and mentions him before mentioning her best friend. HUH ARE YOU CLOCKING THIS. and then wants to paint the Fran and Adrian bc she’s like imagine them fucking okay weirdo. BTW Matteo (aka besties man) is her muse, her naked male muse. Oh but wait she also has pics of her bff bf in paintings her husband looks at. And let’s not forget he watches (maybe not watches but waits? idk in there room) while his second in command aka best friend/found family brother is getting fucked and is like odd usually when we’d fuck girls tgther (aka threesome) he wasn’t submissive but now he’s just taking it. Okay so ur like mentally broken but have threesomes with your gay bestie. Okay ya makes sense, not.HELLLOOOOOOOOOOO. LIKE are we not alarmed wtf is this book. This had me spinning, spiralling, stumbling in confusion.
Honest to god this book feels like a fkn fever dream. There were so many points i wanted to give up, I’m glad I didn’t but I’m also sad I wasted hours reading this book bc it felt like a messy Wattpad written by a young person w some obsession of voyeurism that was writing a book for the first time.
Did Not Finish
July 6, 2026I DNF’d this. I tried to push through but I just didn’t like the writing. The setting didn’t match the MMC, and I just personally couldn’t get into it. I do hope others will give it a try bc it has gotten great reviews.
September 12, 2026
Doskonałe. Tęskniłam za tak dobrymi romansami mafijnymi
July 16, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 Stars
I genuinely don't know how to explain my experience with this book without sounding completely unhinged, because by the time I finished it, I felt like I had been dragged through three generations of family trauma, seventeen mafia wars, six mental breakdowns, and approximately forty unnecessary misunderstandings. 😭💀
This book stressed me out.
Not in the "I can't stop reading because it's so good" way.
In the "I need aspirin, water, a nap, and possibly therapy" way. 😵💫😂
Going into The Greatest Mind, I was excited. The premise sounded interesting, the hype surrounding it was impossible to ignore, and I was expecting a dark romance with emotional depth and strong character development.
What I got instead felt far more like a family drama fueled by generations of trauma than an actual romance.
And honestly?
By the end, I'm still not entirely sure when the main couple fell in love. 🤷♀️
❤️ **The Romance... Or Lack Thereof?**
This was probably my biggest issue.
The book constantly tells us these characters are deeply connected, but I never truly felt that connection myself. Their relationship develops amidst so much chaos that the romance often feels like it takes a backseat to everything else happening.
There were moments between them that I enjoyed, and I did like them together more than I liked most of the surrounding drama. But when I finished the book, I found myself asking:
"Okay... but where exactly did they fall in love?"
Because somewhere between all the family secrets, betrayals, side plots, murders, trauma, and emotional explosions, I feel like the actual romance got lost.
💥 **The Family Drama Never Ends**
When I say everyone in this book needs therapy, I mean EVERYONE.
Every chapter felt like another disaster waiting to happen.
This book honestly feels like the definition of:
✨ Parents make terrible decisions.
✨ Children suffer the consequences.
✨ The children become emotionally damaged.
✨ Then somehow everyone around them suffers too.
The amount of generational trauma packed into this story is honestly impressive. 😭
At one point I was literally yelling at the characters.
Not because I hated them.
Because nobody would simply SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION.
Seriously.
Half the problems in this book could have been solved if these people spent ten minutes communicating instead of making dramatic decisions based on assumptions.
But apparently being dramatic is a family tradition. 💀
🎭 **The Side Plots Had Me Spinning**
There were so many storylines happening simultaneously that I genuinely started experiencing plot whiplash.
One moment we're focused on the main couple.
The next we're dealing with family politics.
Then a serial killer.
Then forbidden love.
Then another family crisis.
Then another secret.
Then another betrayal.
Then another traumatic event.
Then another person making the worst possible decision available to them.
I was exhausted. 😭
Some of these storylines honestly felt like they deserved books of their own because there simply wasn't enough room to fully explore everything that was happening.
🎨 **The Painting Situation**
One storyline that immediately made me uncomfortable involved Sicily painting her best friend Elena and Matteo during an intimate moment.
I understand what the author was trying to do artistically.
I still didn't like it.
It felt awkward and strange to me, and it was one of several moments where I found myself questioning what exactly I was supposed to feel about the situation.
That being said...
I won't lie.
The tension between Elena and Matteo definitely caught my attention. 👀
If there is a forbidden love story brewing there, I actually think that storyline has potential.
🚩 **Adriano's Storyline**
This storyline absolutely sent me.
Learning that Adriano was secretly in love with the Capo dei Capi of the Chicago Outfit should have been one of the most emotional revelations in the book.
Instead I spent most of the time frustrated.
The situation surrounding that relationship left me completely confused emotionally, and certain decisions made by the characters made it very difficult for me to root for them.
Rather than feeling romantic, it often felt messy and painful in ways that didn't work for me personally.
😬 **Some Scenes Just Weren't For Me**
There were several moments throughout the book that simply weren't my thing.
One particular scene involving Sicily going to retrieve her sister from a party left me deeply uncomfortable.
I generally enjoy dark romance.
I enjoy spice.
But I personally prefer when those romantic and intimate moments remain focused on the central couple.
Some of the situations and imagery in this book crossed into territory that simply isn't my preference as a reader, and I wish there had been a clearer indication of some of those themes beforehand.
That doesn't automatically make the book bad.
It just means certain elements weren't for me.
🤦♀️ **The Characters Made Me Lose Years Off My Life**
There is one scene where a character's reaction during a serious situation was so bizarre that I literally laughed out loud.
Not because it was supposed to be funny.
Because I genuinely couldn't believe what I was reading.
That became a recurring theme throughout the book.
Every time I thought:
*"Surely nobody would do that."*
The characters immediately proved me wrong.
😭
By the end I wasn't even surprised anymore.
I had simply accepted that chaos was the natural state of existence in this universe.
👧 **Sicily's Sister**
I tried.
I really did.
But Sicily's sister got on my nerves throughout most of the book.
I'm not completely writing her off because future books could absolutely change my opinion.
Characters can surprise me.
But in this book?
She tested my patience more than once. 😂
📖 **The Good Things**
Despite all my frustrations, there were things I genuinely appreciated.
The concept itself is interesting.
The world has potential.
The side characters are memorable.
The author clearly isn't afraid to tackle complicated themes.
I also appreciated the inclusion of a neurodivergent male main character, which helped make the story feel different from many others in the genre.
There are plenty of ideas here that could lead to fascinating future books.
I just wish some of them had been given more room to breathe.
🏁 **Final Thoughts**
Reading *The Greatest Mind* felt like being trapped on a rollercoaster designed by emotionally unstable mafia families. 🎢💀
One minute I was invested.
The next I was confused.
Then frustrated.
Then intrigued.
Then angry.
Then laughing.
Then staring at the page wondering if I had somehow skipped three chapters.
This book gave me a headache.
It stressed me out.
It had me yelling at fictional characters.
It had me questioning everyone's decision-making abilities.
And somehow... I still finished it.
For me, the biggest issue is that the romance never felt as strong as the family drama and trauma surrounding it. I wanted to feel the love story at the heart of everything, but too often it felt buried beneath layers of chaos, secrets, and unnecessary drama.
If you're someone who loves complicated family dynamics, dramatic reveals, interconnected storylines, and characters who make catastrophically bad decisions, you may absolutely love this book.
As for me?
I'm walking away confused, emotionally exhausted, mildly traumatized, and still trying to figure out what exactly happened. 😂📚💀
I genuinely don't know how to explain my experience with this book without sounding completely unhinged, because by the time I finished it, I felt like I had been dragged through three generations of family trauma, seventeen mafia wars, six mental breakdowns, and approximately forty unnecessary misunderstandings. 😭💀
This book stressed me out.
Not in the "I can't stop reading because it's so good" way.
In the "I need aspirin, water, a nap, and possibly therapy" way. 😵💫😂
Going into The Greatest Mind, I was excited. The premise sounded interesting, the hype surrounding it was impossible to ignore, and I was expecting a dark romance with emotional depth and strong character development.
What I got instead felt far more like a family drama fueled by generations of trauma than an actual romance.
And honestly?
By the end, I'm still not entirely sure when the main couple fell in love. 🤷♀️
❤️ **The Romance... Or Lack Thereof?**
This was probably my biggest issue.
The book constantly tells us these characters are deeply connected, but I never truly felt that connection myself. Their relationship develops amidst so much chaos that the romance often feels like it takes a backseat to everything else happening.
There were moments between them that I enjoyed, and I did like them together more than I liked most of the surrounding drama. But when I finished the book, I found myself asking:
"Okay... but where exactly did they fall in love?"
Because somewhere between all the family secrets, betrayals, side plots, murders, trauma, and emotional explosions, I feel like the actual romance got lost.
💥 **The Family Drama Never Ends**
When I say everyone in this book needs therapy, I mean EVERYONE.
Every chapter felt like another disaster waiting to happen.
This book honestly feels like the definition of:
✨ Parents make terrible decisions.
✨ Children suffer the consequences.
✨ The children become emotionally damaged.
✨ Then somehow everyone around them suffers too.
The amount of generational trauma packed into this story is honestly impressive. 😭
At one point I was literally yelling at the characters.
Not because I hated them.
Because nobody would simply SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION.
Seriously.
Half the problems in this book could have been solved if these people spent ten minutes communicating instead of making dramatic decisions based on assumptions.
But apparently being dramatic is a family tradition. 💀
🎭 **The Side Plots Had Me Spinning**
There were so many storylines happening simultaneously that I genuinely started experiencing plot whiplash.
One moment we're focused on the main couple.
The next we're dealing with family politics.
Then a serial killer.
Then forbidden love.
Then another family crisis.
Then another secret.
Then another betrayal.
Then another traumatic event.
Then another person making the worst possible decision available to them.
I was exhausted. 😭
Some of these storylines honestly felt like they deserved books of their own because there simply wasn't enough room to fully explore everything that was happening.
🎨 **The Painting Situation**
One storyline that immediately made me uncomfortable involved Sicily painting her best friend Elena and Matteo during an intimate moment.
I understand what the author was trying to do artistically.
I still didn't like it.
It felt awkward and strange to me, and it was one of several moments where I found myself questioning what exactly I was supposed to feel about the situation.
That being said...
I won't lie.
The tension between Elena and Matteo definitely caught my attention. 👀
If there is a forbidden love story brewing there, I actually think that storyline has potential.
🚩 **Adriano's Storyline**
This storyline absolutely sent me.
Learning that Adriano was secretly in love with the Capo dei Capi of the Chicago Outfit should have been one of the most emotional revelations in the book.
Instead I spent most of the time frustrated.
The situation surrounding that relationship left me completely confused emotionally, and certain decisions made by the characters made it very difficult for me to root for them.
Rather than feeling romantic, it often felt messy and painful in ways that didn't work for me personally.
😬 **Some Scenes Just Weren't For Me**
There were several moments throughout the book that simply weren't my thing.
One particular scene involving Sicily going to retrieve her sister from a party left me deeply uncomfortable.
I generally enjoy dark romance.
I enjoy spice.
But I personally prefer when those romantic and intimate moments remain focused on the central couple.
Some of the situations and imagery in this book crossed into territory that simply isn't my preference as a reader, and I wish there had been a clearer indication of some of those themes beforehand.
That doesn't automatically make the book bad.
It just means certain elements weren't for me.
🤦♀️ **The Characters Made Me Lose Years Off My Life**
There is one scene where a character's reaction during a serious situation was so bizarre that I literally laughed out loud.
Not because it was supposed to be funny.
Because I genuinely couldn't believe what I was reading.
That became a recurring theme throughout the book.
Every time I thought:
*"Surely nobody would do that."*
The characters immediately proved me wrong.
😭
By the end I wasn't even surprised anymore.
I had simply accepted that chaos was the natural state of existence in this universe.
👧 **Sicily's Sister**
I tried.
I really did.
But Sicily's sister got on my nerves throughout most of the book.
I'm not completely writing her off because future books could absolutely change my opinion.
Characters can surprise me.
But in this book?
She tested my patience more than once. 😂
📖 **The Good Things**
Despite all my frustrations, there were things I genuinely appreciated.
The concept itself is interesting.
The world has potential.
The side characters are memorable.
The author clearly isn't afraid to tackle complicated themes.
I also appreciated the inclusion of a neurodivergent male main character, which helped make the story feel different from many others in the genre.
There are plenty of ideas here that could lead to fascinating future books.
I just wish some of them had been given more room to breathe.
🏁 **Final Thoughts**
Reading *The Greatest Mind* felt like being trapped on a rollercoaster designed by emotionally unstable mafia families. 🎢💀
One minute I was invested.
The next I was confused.
Then frustrated.
Then intrigued.
Then angry.
Then laughing.
Then staring at the page wondering if I had somehow skipped three chapters.
This book gave me a headache.
It stressed me out.
It had me yelling at fictional characters.
It had me questioning everyone's decision-making abilities.
And somehow... I still finished it.
For me, the biggest issue is that the romance never felt as strong as the family drama and trauma surrounding it. I wanted to feel the love story at the heart of everything, but too often it felt buried beneath layers of chaos, secrets, and unnecessary drama.
If you're someone who loves complicated family dynamics, dramatic reveals, interconnected storylines, and characters who make catastrophically bad decisions, you may absolutely love this book.
As for me?
I'm walking away confused, emotionally exhausted, mildly traumatized, and still trying to figure out what exactly happened. 😂📚💀
July 9, 2026
ARC Review - The Greatest Mind by A. A. Marie
Rating - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Spice - 🌶️🌶️
Check your TW because this book is dark!!
I absolutely DEVOURED this book in one sitting!!
This was an absolute ride! I was not expecting how dark this book would be. Holy crap!! The past of the brothers is gutting! The trauma, the ptsd, the hidden secrets and hard childhoods of each of them! I do hope we get a book for each of the brothers. And for Adriano and Francesco!! Ugh, they’re my favorite!!
Milan was definitely a new type of MMC. I have not experienced his kind of mental health issues from an MMC before, but also how he viewed the world and functioned within, what he knew, as the social norms and work rules. His trauma and ptsd were navigated beautifully and his brothers Cesare psychosis was also done extremely well! With so much tact and respect. It shows the author either has personal experience with this or did their research very well and has an incredible ability to put it in word!!
I loved Sicily! She’s my type of FMC. Loud and opinionated and stands up for what’s right!! Her desire to make the mafia shake off their dusty old belief that women are objects to own and men can only bed women was my favorite part of her! She was not afraid to say what she felt, and she felt a lot.
I was also not prepared for all the action and the blood and the killing! Ian action girlie for sure, and love me some action scenes, revenge scenes! Yes, please!! And when the spice hit! Mmmm I do wish there had been just a little bit more spice, kind of at the end. But, that’s the only note I have. This book was great!!
I so hope this can get a duet audio, because I know it would be even more delicious!!
Rating - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Spice - 🌶️🌶️
Check your TW because this book is dark!!
I absolutely DEVOURED this book in one sitting!!
This was an absolute ride! I was not expecting how dark this book would be. Holy crap!! The past of the brothers is gutting! The trauma, the ptsd, the hidden secrets and hard childhoods of each of them! I do hope we get a book for each of the brothers. And for Adriano and Francesco!! Ugh, they’re my favorite!!
Milan was definitely a new type of MMC. I have not experienced his kind of mental health issues from an MMC before, but also how he viewed the world and functioned within, what he knew, as the social norms and work rules. His trauma and ptsd were navigated beautifully and his brothers Cesare psychosis was also done extremely well! With so much tact and respect. It shows the author either has personal experience with this or did their research very well and has an incredible ability to put it in word!!
I loved Sicily! She’s my type of FMC. Loud and opinionated and stands up for what’s right!! Her desire to make the mafia shake off their dusty old belief that women are objects to own and men can only bed women was my favorite part of her! She was not afraid to say what she felt, and she felt a lot.
I was also not prepared for all the action and the blood and the killing! Ian action girlie for sure, and love me some action scenes, revenge scenes! Yes, please!! And when the spice hit! Mmmm I do wish there had been just a little bit more spice, kind of at the end. But, that’s the only note I have. This book was great!!
I so hope this can get a duet audio, because I know it would be even more delicious!!
July 30, 2026
wow. 600+ highlights later and i’ve finished this beautiful book. i haven’t enjoyed a book (not including rereads) this much in months!
once i discovered this book, it was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. i could not have predicted that it would have come to mean THIS MUCH to me. TGM has a firm place in my top 5 favorite books/couples of all time. both of the characters were so thoroughly written. i absolutely adore sicily and her fierce, but sweet attitude (of course all the pink too). i found myself relating to milan in some ways throughout the book. it was so refreshing to have a book that was not overwhelmed with an unnecessary amount of spice chapters, though the spice chapter that it did have was not boring to me at all. trust, it was VERY much enjoyed 🙂↕️ milan and sicily have such a pure and adorable way of loving each other that i couldn’t help but go “happy highlighter,” hence why i have over 600…
i also loved the side characters. i am so ready for adriano and francesco to get the happiness that they deserve :( & i am very intrigued about his brothers, and her sister. i was back and forth with how i felt about milan’s brothers but they ended up winning me back at the end.
i’m upset that i have to leave this universe now, but i’m looking forward to seeing all of these precious babies again 🥹
milansicily have my heart 🩷🗝️
once i discovered this book, it was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. i could not have predicted that it would have come to mean THIS MUCH to me. TGM has a firm place in my top 5 favorite books/couples of all time. both of the characters were so thoroughly written. i absolutely adore sicily and her fierce, but sweet attitude (of course all the pink too). i found myself relating to milan in some ways throughout the book. it was so refreshing to have a book that was not overwhelmed with an unnecessary amount of spice chapters, though the spice chapter that it did have was not boring to me at all. trust, it was VERY much enjoyed 🙂↕️ milan and sicily have such a pure and adorable way of loving each other that i couldn’t help but go “happy highlighter,” hence why i have over 600…
i also loved the side characters. i am so ready for adriano and francesco to get the happiness that they deserve :( & i am very intrigued about his brothers, and her sister. i was back and forth with how i felt about milan’s brothers but they ended up winning me back at the end.
i’m upset that i have to leave this universe now, but i’m looking forward to seeing all of these precious babies again 🥹
milansicily have my heart 🩷🗝️
August 21, 2026
2.5 ⭐️
Really good up until about 60%, then the storyline kinda jumped the shark after that. The sibling subplot was way too much and also confusing (that contract situation didn't make a lot of sense to me). The main couple storyline was really good though, and the book should have focused mainly on them. I actually really liked the MMC; his inner monologue kept me hooked until all the other things took over.
I also thought most of the story was going to stick to the FMC helping to make real changes for the women in the organization (according to the blurb), but that plot was pretty much nonexistent.
Just when you think the twists couldn't twist anymore, they somehow did continue twisting. 😅😬
Really good up until about 60%, then the storyline kinda jumped the shark after that. The sibling subplot was way too much and also confusing (that contract situation didn't make a lot of sense to me). The main couple storyline was really good though, and the book should have focused mainly on them. I actually really liked the MMC; his inner monologue kept me hooked until all the other things took over.
I also thought most of the story was going to stick to the FMC helping to make real changes for the women in the organization (according to the blurb), but that plot was pretty much nonexistent.
Just when you think the twists couldn't twist anymore, they somehow did continue twisting. 😅😬
July 21, 2026
READ ASAP❤️❤️❤️❤️
This book was incredible , it’s been a while since I’ve read a book that I never wanted to end !! I cannot wait for books that are to come , this book was precious and the mmc and fmc are perfect in every way which is so rare in mafia romances , the found family is off the charts and the only complaint I have is that there weren’t another 200 pages of epilogue , everyone please read this book !!
This book was incredible , it’s been a while since I’ve read a book that I never wanted to end !! I cannot wait for books that are to come , this book was precious and the mmc and fmc are perfect in every way which is so rare in mafia romances , the found family is off the charts and the only complaint I have is that there weren’t another 200 pages of epilogue , everyone please read this book !!
July 14, 2026
I want to start by saying thank you so much to A.A. Marie for sending me an ARC of this book at the very last minute.
I discovered this story completely by accident while scrolling through TikTok, desperately trying to find a great mafia romance because nothing I found was giving me what I wanted. Then I stumbled across one of the author’s first videos about this book, posted around one or two years ago. I immediately went through her account, hoping she had finished writing it, only to discover that not only was the book finished, but she was already sending out ARCs.
Unfortunately, I found out extremely late and thought I had missed my chance. Somehow, despite the timing and everything happening around the release, she still made it possible for me to read it, and I am so grateful she did.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this is a six-star read. Not five stars. Six !!!
Mafia romance is one of my favourite genres in the world. I am a fantasy and dark romantasy girl at heart, but mafia romance is my comfort genre. It is always the genre I return to. I have been there since the OG Wattpad mafia days, and the Made series remains one of my favourite series of all time. Since reading it, I have found other incredible mafia romances, but I have constantly been chasing the feeling those books gave me.
I am genuinely emotional to say that I finally found it again.
I need this book to become the beginning of a very long series because I am already experiencing withdrawals. I finished it, and I immediately wanted more. More of this world, more of these characters, and more of A.A. Marie’s writing. I am already craving it.
It usually takes me time to become fully invested in a story. Sometimes it takes me three, four, or even six chapters, even with books that eventually become five-star reads. But I was not even halfway through the first chapter of this book when I knew. I knew I was going to devour it. I knew I was going to love it. I knew it was going to leave a mark on me.
The writing is incredible. It feels thoughtful and poetic without ever becoming difficult to read. You can tell that the author took her time with this story and researched its world carefully.
What I love most about mafia romance, when it is done well, is that an author can take something familiar and completely transform it into her own universe. That is something people who dismiss mafia romance do not always understand. Yes, these stories are generally set in the modern world, and yes, mafia organizations may share certain structures, but a talented author can create a system, a family, and an atmosphere that belong entirely to her.
That is exactly what A.A. Marie did here.
I felt as though I were entering a mafia world I recognized while simultaneously discovering something completely new. The organization felt detailed, distinctive, and alive. The story also had a much wider scope than only the central couple and the people immediately surrounding them. We learned about the families, the relationships, the history, the alliances, and the people occupying every corner of this world. It made everything feel enormous and real, and I loved that.
Before I speak about the main couple, I also want to thank the author for the care she put into portraying experiences involving autism, OCD, depression, and PTSD. These subjects were not treated as decorative character traits. They felt present, human, and woven naturally into the characters’ lives. There were several moments in which I felt deeply understood and seen, and that made reading this book feel strangely comforting to me.
Now, Milan and Sicily.
Where am I even supposed to begin?
I could write another five pages about them alone, but I will attempt to control myself.
Sicily is officially one of my favourite FMCs in the world. She is crazy, hilarious, fiery, vulnerable, soft, and an absolutely iconic fashionista. I know I will not be the only reader who sees parts of herself in Sicily.
What I especially loved is that the author never seemed to be trying too hard to convince us that Sicily was funny or badass. Sicily simply is those things. You see it in her reasoning, her decisions, her hobbies, and the completely unexpected things she does. She is not reduced to being loud or sarcastic in order to appear strong. She is also sensitive, affectionate, and incredibly unique.
There are certain details about Sicily, especially what she paints and why she paints it, that I refuse to spoil because every reader deserves to discover them for themselves. It is one of the funniest, most original, and most perfectly unhinged things I have ever read.
One thing that made me so proud of Sicily is that she never lost herself. She becomes part of the famiglia, she becomes part of the mafia, she loves her husband deeply, and she embraces this new part of her life, but she is still Sicily.
She is still the woman who says exactly what is on her mind. She is still the feminist, the fashionista, the woman who loves fiercely, the sister who cares so deeply about Fiorella. She did not have to become someone else to fit into Milan’s world, and I loved that. She did not lose her spark, her personality, or the things that made her special just because she found love.
The only thing, and I truly mean the only thing, where I found myself wishing for a little more was with their mother. And maybe this is just because I am too much of a hopeless optimist and an empath, but I genuinely felt bad for her. (Spoiler warning!) Their father was absolutely despicable, and I hated him. But I also felt like their mother was someone who had been conditioned for years to accept his abuse, his cheating, and the control he had over their family. Because of that, she was not able to protect and look after Fiorella and Sicily in the way they needed her to, and I completely understand why they were hurt and angry.
However, I really hope that we get to see more of that relationship in the future. I hope their mother gets the chance to apologize, to acknowledge where she failed them, and that Fiorella and Sicily can eventually understand that she was also trapped in a situation she had been conditioned to survive. I would love to see them rebuild their relationship and allow her back into their lives.
That being said… I still absolutely hated their father. He deserved every ounce of hate he received.
And now I have a request for the author, in case she ever reads this review.
Please never stop giving us Milan and Sicily.
I desperately hope the other couples we met in this book receive their own stories, and I would happily read about entirely new characters from this world too. But no matter whose book comes next, I need novellas, bonus chapters, Christmas scenes, New Year’s scenes, anything. Give us crumbs throughout the years EVERY YEAR PLEASE. Their story does not feel over. It feels as though it has only just begun, and there is still so much of their life together that I would read without hesitation, FOR FOREVER.
I would read absolutely anything about them. GIVE ME THOSE ONE WEEK IN DECEMBER AND ONE WEEK IN JULY AT THE BAHAMAS HOUSE HAHAHAH PLEASE I KNOW IT WILL BE SPICYYYYYY & FUNNY & HOT AND HILARIOUS AND COZY ! OMG AND SO CHAOTIC !
Milan, meanwhile, is such a strong MMC. He is psychotic, dangerous also, and could come off at first as the typical unfeeling man but that's the beauty of the book II that we see him progress. There are layers to him. There are reasons he became the person he is, and those reasons are revealed gradually throughout the story rather than being delivered through one enormous information dump. I also very much loved that Sicily was his miracle, she's the one who brought those emotions from him and I loved that at the end he hasn't entirely changed. YES, he now feels (for his wife and family (his wife always on top than everyone else) but he hasnt lost the surgical psychotic unhinged confidence / dangerous / different aura that made Milan : Milan. He didn't become a new man who forgot who he was and suddenly became nice to the whole world, its more he's soft for his wife and family only and still the dangerous CAPO DI CAPEI FOR THE WHOLE WORLD. Same thing for Sicily !
I loved being inside Milan's mind. Every time I finished one of his chapters, I found myself hoping the next chapter would be from his perspective too. His thoughts are fascinating, disturbing, emotional, and completely his own.
He is also SOOOO handsome, affectionate in his very particular Milan way, and capable of an intense kind of yearning. I loved watching him slowly recognize what he felt for Sicily. Even while they disliked each other, and while he did not yet possess the emotional understanding necessary to name what was happening, his desire for her continued to grow. He wanted her body, but he also wanted her soul, her thoughts, her attention, and every strange part of her mind. I LOOOOOOOOOOVED THE GARAGE CHAPTER OMG !!!!
He simply wanted her.
And it was so good.
Dare I say that although this book does not contain a huge amount of smut, its major spicy scene was one of the best smut scene I have read all year? The tension, the emotions, the spice, the physicality the characterization, and the intensity of it were perfect. It felt earned, and that made it infinitely more satisfying.
I am not exaggerating when I say I truly, deeply loved this book. I would recommend it to anyone searching for a fresh and distinctive take on mafia romance. Please take a chance on this story. You will not regret it.
I am also begging for something about Brenno and Fiorella because I need to know their entire story. They are both unhinged and soft, and I need to witness the chaos, and the spice, that would come from putting them at the center of a book.
I loved Adriano and Francesco too. They were hilarious, but also vulnerable and emotional in ways that made them feel like much more than entertaining side characters. I can't wait to see more of them and their love story ! Honestly, I loved almost everyone in this book. Every character felt as though they had a life beyond the page.
I have always hated endings. When I love a book, I hate reaching the final page and having to say goodbye to its characters, even after spending three or four books with them. It is why I am always begging authors for novellas, bonus chapters, and continuous glimpses into what happens afterward.
But the final sentence of this book was perfect.
It did not feel like a goodbye.
It felt like a promise that this was only the beginning.
I discovered this story completely by accident while scrolling through TikTok, desperately trying to find a great mafia romance because nothing I found was giving me what I wanted. Then I stumbled across one of the author’s first videos about this book, posted around one or two years ago. I immediately went through her account, hoping she had finished writing it, only to discover that not only was the book finished, but she was already sending out ARCs.
Unfortunately, I found out extremely late and thought I had missed my chance. Somehow, despite the timing and everything happening around the release, she still made it possible for me to read it, and I am so grateful she did.
There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this is a six-star read. Not five stars. Six !!!
Mafia romance is one of my favourite genres in the world. I am a fantasy and dark romantasy girl at heart, but mafia romance is my comfort genre. It is always the genre I return to. I have been there since the OG Wattpad mafia days, and the Made series remains one of my favourite series of all time. Since reading it, I have found other incredible mafia romances, but I have constantly been chasing the feeling those books gave me.
I am genuinely emotional to say that I finally found it again.
I need this book to become the beginning of a very long series because I am already experiencing withdrawals. I finished it, and I immediately wanted more. More of this world, more of these characters, and more of A.A. Marie’s writing. I am already craving it.
It usually takes me time to become fully invested in a story. Sometimes it takes me three, four, or even six chapters, even with books that eventually become five-star reads. But I was not even halfway through the first chapter of this book when I knew. I knew I was going to devour it. I knew I was going to love it. I knew it was going to leave a mark on me.
The writing is incredible. It feels thoughtful and poetic without ever becoming difficult to read. You can tell that the author took her time with this story and researched its world carefully.
What I love most about mafia romance, when it is done well, is that an author can take something familiar and completely transform it into her own universe. That is something people who dismiss mafia romance do not always understand. Yes, these stories are generally set in the modern world, and yes, mafia organizations may share certain structures, but a talented author can create a system, a family, and an atmosphere that belong entirely to her.
That is exactly what A.A. Marie did here.
I felt as though I were entering a mafia world I recognized while simultaneously discovering something completely new. The organization felt detailed, distinctive, and alive. The story also had a much wider scope than only the central couple and the people immediately surrounding them. We learned about the families, the relationships, the history, the alliances, and the people occupying every corner of this world. It made everything feel enormous and real, and I loved that.
Before I speak about the main couple, I also want to thank the author for the care she put into portraying experiences involving autism, OCD, depression, and PTSD. These subjects were not treated as decorative character traits. They felt present, human, and woven naturally into the characters’ lives. There were several moments in which I felt deeply understood and seen, and that made reading this book feel strangely comforting to me.
Now, Milan and Sicily.
Where am I even supposed to begin?
I could write another five pages about them alone, but I will attempt to control myself.
Sicily is officially one of my favourite FMCs in the world. She is crazy, hilarious, fiery, vulnerable, soft, and an absolutely iconic fashionista. I know I will not be the only reader who sees parts of herself in Sicily.
What I especially loved is that the author never seemed to be trying too hard to convince us that Sicily was funny or badass. Sicily simply is those things. You see it in her reasoning, her decisions, her hobbies, and the completely unexpected things she does. She is not reduced to being loud or sarcastic in order to appear strong. She is also sensitive, affectionate, and incredibly unique.
There are certain details about Sicily, especially what she paints and why she paints it, that I refuse to spoil because every reader deserves to discover them for themselves. It is one of the funniest, most original, and most perfectly unhinged things I have ever read.
One thing that made me so proud of Sicily is that she never lost herself. She becomes part of the famiglia, she becomes part of the mafia, she loves her husband deeply, and she embraces this new part of her life, but she is still Sicily.
She is still the woman who says exactly what is on her mind. She is still the feminist, the fashionista, the woman who loves fiercely, the sister who cares so deeply about Fiorella. She did not have to become someone else to fit into Milan’s world, and I loved that. She did not lose her spark, her personality, or the things that made her special just because she found love.
The only thing, and I truly mean the only thing, where I found myself wishing for a little more was with their mother. And maybe this is just because I am too much of a hopeless optimist and an empath, but I genuinely felt bad for her. (Spoiler warning!) Their father was absolutely despicable, and I hated him. But I also felt like their mother was someone who had been conditioned for years to accept his abuse, his cheating, and the control he had over their family. Because of that, she was not able to protect and look after Fiorella and Sicily in the way they needed her to, and I completely understand why they were hurt and angry.
However, I really hope that we get to see more of that relationship in the future. I hope their mother gets the chance to apologize, to acknowledge where she failed them, and that Fiorella and Sicily can eventually understand that she was also trapped in a situation she had been conditioned to survive. I would love to see them rebuild their relationship and allow her back into their lives.
That being said… I still absolutely hated their father. He deserved every ounce of hate he received.
And now I have a request for the author, in case she ever reads this review.
Please never stop giving us Milan and Sicily.
I desperately hope the other couples we met in this book receive their own stories, and I would happily read about entirely new characters from this world too. But no matter whose book comes next, I need novellas, bonus chapters, Christmas scenes, New Year’s scenes, anything. Give us crumbs throughout the years EVERY YEAR PLEASE. Their story does not feel over. It feels as though it has only just begun, and there is still so much of their life together that I would read without hesitation, FOR FOREVER.
I would read absolutely anything about them. GIVE ME THOSE ONE WEEK IN DECEMBER AND ONE WEEK IN JULY AT THE BAHAMAS HOUSE HAHAHAH PLEASE I KNOW IT WILL BE SPICYYYYYY & FUNNY & HOT AND HILARIOUS AND COZY ! OMG AND SO CHAOTIC !
Milan, meanwhile, is such a strong MMC. He is psychotic, dangerous also, and could come off at first as the typical unfeeling man but that's the beauty of the book II that we see him progress. There are layers to him. There are reasons he became the person he is, and those reasons are revealed gradually throughout the story rather than being delivered through one enormous information dump. I also very much loved that Sicily was his miracle, she's the one who brought those emotions from him and I loved that at the end he hasn't entirely changed. YES, he now feels (for his wife and family (his wife always on top than everyone else) but he hasnt lost the surgical psychotic unhinged confidence / dangerous / different aura that made Milan : Milan. He didn't become a new man who forgot who he was and suddenly became nice to the whole world, its more he's soft for his wife and family only and still the dangerous CAPO DI CAPEI FOR THE WHOLE WORLD. Same thing for Sicily !
I loved being inside Milan's mind. Every time I finished one of his chapters, I found myself hoping the next chapter would be from his perspective too. His thoughts are fascinating, disturbing, emotional, and completely his own.
He is also SOOOO handsome, affectionate in his very particular Milan way, and capable of an intense kind of yearning. I loved watching him slowly recognize what he felt for Sicily. Even while they disliked each other, and while he did not yet possess the emotional understanding necessary to name what was happening, his desire for her continued to grow. He wanted her body, but he also wanted her soul, her thoughts, her attention, and every strange part of her mind. I LOOOOOOOOOOVED THE GARAGE CHAPTER OMG !!!!
He simply wanted her.
And it was so good.
Dare I say that although this book does not contain a huge amount of smut, its major spicy scene was one of the best smut scene I have read all year? The tension, the emotions, the spice, the physicality the characterization, and the intensity of it were perfect. It felt earned, and that made it infinitely more satisfying.
I am not exaggerating when I say I truly, deeply loved this book. I would recommend it to anyone searching for a fresh and distinctive take on mafia romance. Please take a chance on this story. You will not regret it.
I am also begging for something about Brenno and Fiorella because I need to know their entire story. They are both unhinged and soft, and I need to witness the chaos, and the spice, that would come from putting them at the center of a book.
I loved Adriano and Francesco too. They were hilarious, but also vulnerable and emotional in ways that made them feel like much more than entertaining side characters. I can't wait to see more of them and their love story ! Honestly, I loved almost everyone in this book. Every character felt as though they had a life beyond the page.
I have always hated endings. When I love a book, I hate reaching the final page and having to say goodbye to its characters, even after spending three or four books with them. It is why I am always begging authors for novellas, bonus chapters, and continuous glimpses into what happens afterward.
But the final sentence of this book was perfect.
It did not feel like a goodbye.
It felt like a promise that this was only the beginning.
July 24, 2026
0⭐️ I would give you a 0, but that's not possible, so I give you a 1.
This was a sh*t book with sh**ty writing, sh**ty characters, and a sh**ty plot.
I read this book because of the hype on insta, and was extremely disappointed when I found out that the "best book of the year" is actually just another piece of Wattpad trash that somehow found its way into mainstream media.
While this is labeled as enemies to lovers, there is absolutely no tension anywhere to be seen. It should've been labeled Sicily never shuts tf up, because if that girl ever listened or had any sense of self preservation we probably could've brung the book down to 150 max.
The characters are EXTREMELY intolerable and typecast. They won't let you forget for a second what the ONE interesting character trait about them is supposed to be. Sicily is a feminist artist, (#notliketheothergirls) Milan is robotic and traumatized, and I'm regretting throwing away $3 in order to read about them.
Milan is autistic to the point of it being borderline offensive. If I had a nickel every time that man said he couldn't "feel emotion" or was being compared to an actual godforsaken robot I'd be richer than all of the mafia combined.
Somehow after 300 pages of angst and god awful writing I still left feeling like I missed multiple character arcs. Insta love doesn't begin to describe the whiplash I received from watching Milan and Sicily get together. Marie literally shoved a square peg into a circle hole in order to get these characters together because the chemistry was NOT there.
All in all this entire experience was a waste of money, and the only reason it wasn't a DNF is because I needed to justify the review I was going to leave behind.
This was a sh*t book with sh**ty writing, sh**ty characters, and a sh**ty plot.
I read this book because of the hype on insta, and was extremely disappointed when I found out that the "best book of the year" is actually just another piece of Wattpad trash that somehow found its way into mainstream media.
While this is labeled as enemies to lovers, there is absolutely no tension anywhere to be seen. It should've been labeled Sicily never shuts tf up, because if that girl ever listened or had any sense of self preservation we probably could've brung the book down to 150 max.
The characters are EXTREMELY intolerable and typecast. They won't let you forget for a second what the ONE interesting character trait about them is supposed to be. Sicily is a feminist artist, (#notliketheothergirls) Milan is robotic and traumatized, and I'm regretting throwing away $3 in order to read about them.
Milan is autistic to the point of it being borderline offensive. If I had a nickel every time that man said he couldn't "feel emotion" or was being compared to an actual godforsaken robot I'd be richer than all of the mafia combined.
Somehow after 300 pages of angst and god awful writing I still left feeling like I missed multiple character arcs. Insta love doesn't begin to describe the whiplash I received from watching Milan and Sicily get together. Marie literally shoved a square peg into a circle hole in order to get these characters together because the chemistry was NOT there.
All in all this entire experience was a waste of money, and the only reason it wasn't a DNF is because I needed to justify the review I was going to leave behind.
July 25, 2026
Mafia romance
Arranged marriage
Dark pasts with secrets to uncover
A feisty, angry spicy artist FMC who loves the colour pink
A neurodivergent MMC who thinks he can't feel emotion
A tragic story between estranged siblings
Quotes
Arranged marriage
Dark pasts with secrets to uncover
A feisty, angry spicy artist FMC who loves the colour pink
A neurodivergent MMC who thinks he can't feel emotion
A tragic story between estranged siblings
Quotes
That was a suboptimal decision to be forced to make. I was not capable of fulfilling a woman’s emotional needs, nor was I able to sustain an emotional connection. I did not feel emotion to be able to connect anything or anyone to it. To have a wife would be cruel, and I was attempting to save women and children from cruelty, but if the Cosa Nostra required this of me, perhaps it was sacrificial to cause one more act of cruelty in my life
One day, somebody would love my chaotically optimistic, powerful heart like Matteo loved Elena’s. I’d asked the universe for it on more than one occasion, but I still remained one of the eldest unmarried children of the five Dons. I liked to believe it was meant to happen, that the world wanted to keep me hidden until the right person could discover me, but belief didn’t always sound logical, and logic was unfortunately favored by our brains.
A few strands of her hair had come loose from the tight fixture throughout the day and were coiling around her head in the wind. I felt the strong urge to keep looking at her, so I did, and when I looked closer, I noted that her skin had prickled. She was shivering. It was late, and the wind had picked up, so it was unsurprising that she was cold. I untucked my arms from my jacket, draping the long material over her shoulders instead.
I did not know how to rectify this situation because I had thought giving her my jacket to prevent further chills was the solution.
Humans were so complex. It made my chest hurt.
“How can you be such an ass and, like, every girl’s dream at the same time?”
I did not understand her question. “I have not committed acts to be deemed those titles.”
. It was too dark to make out who they were, but it did not matter.
I had to protect her. As her husband, that was my duty. As a man, that was my responsibility, and I would not fail again.
I did not want her as my wife, but she could not die. That was non-negotiable.
…
As if he could get away with what he had done to somebody that was mine to protect.
I settled her on the floor, standing with a flicker of something I had not felt in my entire life.
“Milan,” she said in a weak, strained tone. “Can we leave?”
I frowned. Why would we leave when the man who had harmed her was still breathing?
She slammed her eyes shut as she sniffled. “Please?”
Sicily required this to be over, and I did not much appreciate the blood on my clothing either.
She was here. Again.
Then I remembered that she was my wife and sighed. This was an unacceptable arrangement, but one I could do nothing about.
“Keep your head, asshole,” Adriano mumbled. “Don’t assume they’re fucking when she hasn’t given you any indication of that.”
The betting began the moment I turned my body back toward Sicily, our knees colliding again, my arm resting around the back of her seat. I had observed that was what people did to ensure other males knew that a female was his wife
He’s my only male model and even that happened by chance.”
That is unacceptable.”
….some stripping
“I am your model.” He frowned. “You will paint me.”
Obviously, because he wasn’t about to fuck me in my studio, and I definitely didn’t want that.
She was not fit to visit my garage full of men, but the fact that she was here was…pleasing.
My gaze slid over to Lorenzo who was ogling my wife. That was unacceptable.
I slapped the teen over the back of his head as I warned, “Do not look at my wife’s legs.”
“That’s your wife?” he squeaked, gawking at her as though she was a mystical being, a real-life angel perhaps.
I was not convinced that she was not.
Sicily was fascinating. So angelic and unsure of herself. So incredibly angry within. Sicily was unique, and for the first time since the wedding, I was not convinced that I wanted to solve her.
My brain said mine.
Logic said my wife.
I slipped my free hand into my pocket, finding my phone and allowing the camera to click away to capture the beauty I saw.
“What the fuck—”
“Do not say that word,” I scolded, still taking photos of her.
She scowled. That one was my favorite.
“What the hell are you doing?” she hissed.
“You will paint this photograph at your earliest convenience.”
Her face morphed into an expression that I could not name. It was as though she was capable of feeling angered, humored, and disbelieved all at once. I found this to be intriguing, something that required closer study.
“And what will you do with it?” she asked, fighting my hold like a kitten.
My lips twitched. “Hang it in my office.”
“You’re crazy!”
“And you are an anomaly. That means you are exceptional.”
Applying mascara
…
This activity required patience and steadiness, and the car was neither. Her hair got in the way, the car was too fast, and she kept huffing in signs of frustration.
I eased my foot off the accelerator slowly, ignoring the loud beeping from behind us, and reached one hand over to her hair to hold it away from her face. Her curls were smooth and glossy in my hand, and I resisted the urge to pull.
If the car were to speed up, causing me to pull hard and she accidentally ended up with her lips near mine, that would not technically be my fault. If she then felt obliged to touch my skin again, that would also not be my fault
I required my wife.
I could not speak adequately without my wife.
My chest hurt without my wife.
Sicily was a necessary factor of my well-being, but I could not express this to her. I could not speak that need aloud to anyone. She did not feel the same way; she was getting drunk on shots of tequila and glaring at me.
She was problematic and chaotic, and her idea of the school had caused me significant internal malfunction, yet I was incredibly apologetic and would even assist her in her pursuit to fix the world with schools, women, tennis, and even painting sex if she so desired
Everybody seemed to be angry with me, yet I did not understand anger enough to fix it.
Brenno slit a parallel cut beside the first one, only shallow enough to swell with blood. “I should kill you for what you’ve done.”
“I should also kill you for what you have done.”
What was that feeling? The one that was heavy and physically painful, the one that told me I was doing the right thing by not killing them when I was logically aware that I would have punished anybody else for less.
“You’re weak.” Brenno sneered as he cut me again. “You feel nothing.” Another. “That’s why you gave us up. That’s why you made me sign that fucking contract. Reverse it. Now.”
My eyes closed. The pain was overpowering, but his emotional pain was worse and somehow, I could feel it too. That did not make sense, but since Sicily had come into my life, little had
I must use your shampoo otherwise I do not smell you nearly enough in my direct vicinity and it causes my chest to hurt. I must ensure that I swap our pillows routinely each night otherwise I cannot sleep without your scent surrounding me. I must keep my clothes in the same closet as yours because when you dress there, you spray your perfume too many times and it soaks mine and I cannot function without being reminded of you throughout the day. I must not tell you about who I am in case I cannot have you any longer
Is there a term for somebody who surpasses their title?”
Adriano crossed his arms. “What do you mean?”
“Sicily is my wife; this is her title through our marriage.” I swallowed, placing a hand on my chest to rub away the ache. “There is no requirement for a wife to make me experience the sensation that if I had not met her, I would not be…me.”
The silence forced my gaze to find them and their aghast expressions.
“A soulmate, brother,” Francesco said in a hoarse tone.
“Soulmate?” I echoed.
He nodded. “It means someone who was meant for you. Like somewhere in time, the universe decided that Sicily would be your person one day.”
My hand fumbled for my smashed phone as my chest panted, and I brought it to my ear once more and whispered in hoarse pants, “Anything you ask, I will do it, I will do whatever you want. I will find a way to void the contract. I will threaten Diego Sansone’s life. Take all that I have, Cesare, but do not take her. I will give you anything, my territories, my title, my money, my home, just not her.”
My signature scratched onto the paper, and not even the stars above belonged to me anymore, but that was okay, because Sicily did.
Adriano gripped my arm before I could return, his eyes frantically searching mine. “Are you fucking crazy?”
Moved against Sicily’s throat.
She coughed, spluttering at first, her small fingers reaching for everything and nothing, and then she slumped to the gravel, her own blood pouring from her in waves.
Death was what occurred to one’s physical body, but I was certain that my soul died watching the life slip from my love.
August 14, 2026
- First of all, I genuinely think it should be punishable by law to recommend books and market them as if they’re genuinely good books on TikTok and Instagram when they’re actually just poorly written, have a weak plot, and are overall not very good.
- Secondly, can I get compensation for the time I wasted reading this book? Because honestly, I feel like I wasted so much of my precious time on this.
What was this book? What did I just read? It was so, so frustrating. I don’t even think it started that badly, but the entire plot became so messy and felt so poorly thought out.
There was this whole thing about a contract that the plot seemed to revolve around. It was mentioned over and over again, but I never fully understood what kind of contract it actually was, what exactly the problem surrounding it was, or how the whole situation even came about in the first place. There was clearly some kind of misunderstanding between the MMC and his brothers that was connected to the contract, but the whole thing was explained in such a confusing way that I never really understood what had happened or why there was so much conflict between them. And honestly, the entire relationship between the brothers was also very complicated and strangely explained. I kept feeling like I was missing some crucial piece of information.
And then there were the MMC’s brothers and the FMC’s sister. What was going on there? One of the MMC’s brothers literally slit the FMC’s throat, and in that moment, the MMC didn’t think to shoot him or do anything about it. He just let it happen, which honestly made no sense to me. Usually, when the FMC gets hurt by an enemy or someone who is against them, the MMC completely loses it and goes after everyone responsible. So why, when one of his own brothers literally attacked his wife and slit her throat, did he just let it go? I honestly would have expected him to turn against all of his brothers after something like that. Bella as well, and the FMC’s sister.
Because the sister was another character I really could not stand. She literally chose these psychos over her own sister. She betrayed her own sister and basically stood on their side while allowing them to kidnap her, hurt her, and eventually slit her throat. And then afterwards she’s crying, “Oh my God, my sister,” as if she didn’t just choose these people over her own sister and stand by while all of this happened to her. That really annoyed me. And what makes it even more contradictory is that she’s still on the side of this family afterwards. I just couldn’t understand her at all.
I also genuinely cannot get over what the author did to every single character. She ruined every single one of them. It got on my nerves so much.
And then we’re supposed to accept that the brother who slit the FMC’s throat is simply sick. Apparently, he has problems, he’s not doing well, he has PTSD, whatever. I don’t care. He literally tried to kill the FMC. He is a psycho who slit her throat. I’m sorry, but I genuinely don’t care what his explanation is. After something like that, I just could not sympathize with him or understand why anyone would expect the FMC to simply forgive him.
I really wish Milano and Adriano had actually done something about what happened to the FMC instead of everything being forgiven so quickly.
That was another thing I really struggled with: how quickly the FMC forgave everything. Someone literally slit her throat, and somehow the aftermath didn’t seem nearly as serious as it should have been. And when she woke up, she was able to talk so much. Wouldn’t her throat have been extremely sore and painful? I just kept thinking about how difficult speaking should have been after an injury like that.
Honestly, I just don’t think the book was thought through properly. There were so many things that didn’t make sense to me, and so many plot points and character decisions that felt like they were only there because the story needed them to happen.
I really don’t understand how we got from what seemed like a decent beginning to this. Cesare deserved consequences for what he did, and I genuinely wish Milano had actually dealt with him after what happened to the FMC.
- Secondly, can I get compensation for the time I wasted reading this book? Because honestly, I feel like I wasted so much of my precious time on this.
What was this book? What did I just read? It was so, so frustrating. I don’t even think it started that badly, but the entire plot became so messy and felt so poorly thought out.
There was this whole thing about a contract that the plot seemed to revolve around. It was mentioned over and over again, but I never fully understood what kind of contract it actually was, what exactly the problem surrounding it was, or how the whole situation even came about in the first place. There was clearly some kind of misunderstanding between the MMC and his brothers that was connected to the contract, but the whole thing was explained in such a confusing way that I never really understood what had happened or why there was so much conflict between them. And honestly, the entire relationship between the brothers was also very complicated and strangely explained. I kept feeling like I was missing some crucial piece of information.
And then there were the MMC’s brothers and the FMC’s sister. What was going on there? One of the MMC’s brothers literally slit the FMC’s throat, and in that moment, the MMC didn’t think to shoot him or do anything about it. He just let it happen, which honestly made no sense to me. Usually, when the FMC gets hurt by an enemy or someone who is against them, the MMC completely loses it and goes after everyone responsible. So why, when one of his own brothers literally attacked his wife and slit her throat, did he just let it go? I honestly would have expected him to turn against all of his brothers after something like that. Bella as well, and the FMC’s sister.
Because the sister was another character I really could not stand. She literally chose these psychos over her own sister. She betrayed her own sister and basically stood on their side while allowing them to kidnap her, hurt her, and eventually slit her throat. And then afterwards she’s crying, “Oh my God, my sister,” as if she didn’t just choose these people over her own sister and stand by while all of this happened to her. That really annoyed me. And what makes it even more contradictory is that she’s still on the side of this family afterwards. I just couldn’t understand her at all.
I also genuinely cannot get over what the author did to every single character. She ruined every single one of them. It got on my nerves so much.
And then we’re supposed to accept that the brother who slit the FMC’s throat is simply sick. Apparently, he has problems, he’s not doing well, he has PTSD, whatever. I don’t care. He literally tried to kill the FMC. He is a psycho who slit her throat. I’m sorry, but I genuinely don’t care what his explanation is. After something like that, I just could not sympathize with him or understand why anyone would expect the FMC to simply forgive him.
I really wish Milano and Adriano had actually done something about what happened to the FMC instead of everything being forgiven so quickly.
That was another thing I really struggled with: how quickly the FMC forgave everything. Someone literally slit her throat, and somehow the aftermath didn’t seem nearly as serious as it should have been. And when she woke up, she was able to talk so much. Wouldn’t her throat have been extremely sore and painful? I just kept thinking about how difficult speaking should have been after an injury like that.
Honestly, I just don’t think the book was thought through properly. There were so many things that didn’t make sense to me, and so many plot points and character decisions that felt like they were only there because the story needed them to happen.
I really don’t understand how we got from what seemed like a decent beginning to this. Cesare deserved consequences for what he did, and I genuinely wish Milano had actually dealt with him after what happened to the FMC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ genuinely best thing I've probably read, absolutely no complaints and would recommend 100% ˘͈ᵕ˘͈
Thank you A.A. Marie for the ARC, in return I am writing a honest review!
╭┄┄┄┄┄-·-·-·-｡ﾟ･｡ﾟ･
Yall when I say read this book as soon as it comes out I'm being so truthful. I ate this UP. The tropes, the characters, the plot. This author knows how to write so well!! Since this is the first in what seems to be a series you don't need any prep into this world other than jumping right into it! I was literally bawling at one point and I never do that! If you want a peek, look at my shelves below.
Our fmc Sicily is so strong and a loud mouth, she doesn't care who she offends as long as she gets her point across. Especially for this world where the women aren't treated powerful enough to be included and taken seriously. She's damn near clairvoyant and very protective of her loved ones as well as emotional. This is what we need for a fmc!!! She was everything I wanted in a character (except her not knowing how to fight.) Also did someone say a smexy painter? ;)
Then we have our mmc Milan who does not feel emotions. He's just the shell of someone, he doesn't understand the concept of being upset, sad, angry; just nothing. Until he gets married to Sicily. Yall the character development with Milan was insane... I was screaming every pov with him because we as readers got what we needed. I seriously can't even spill to much because he is like the main surprise.
My only two complaints was the lack of the misogyny actually being brought up, while I definitely feel the empowerment and her fighting to be heard, I didn't see much actually being done or changed to fix that issue. Just very few conversations. Then onto the resolution... I always love a good ending guys, but I feel like the things that were done to our mmcs were not forgivable and redeemable. I kind of wish we took a darker turn and took some action or revenge towards that. Tbh I didn't like his family at all LOL.
╰┄┄┄┄┄┄┄꒰꒱₊˚・｡ﾟ･
Anyways this book was seriously amazing and I was sucked into this world immediately. Thank you for reading my review <3
Thank you A.A. Marie for the ARC, in return I am writing a honest review!
╭┄┄┄┄┄-·-·-·-｡ﾟ･｡ﾟ･
Yall when I say read this book as soon as it comes out I'm being so truthful. I ate this UP. The tropes, the characters, the plot. This author knows how to write so well!! Since this is the first in what seems to be a series you don't need any prep into this world other than jumping right into it! I was literally bawling at one point and I never do that! If you want a peek, look at my shelves below.
Our fmc Sicily is so strong and a loud mouth, she doesn't care who she offends as long as she gets her point across. Especially for this world where the women aren't treated powerful enough to be included and taken seriously. She's damn near clairvoyant and very protective of her loved ones as well as emotional. This is what we need for a fmc!!! She was everything I wanted in a character (except her not knowing how to fight.) Also did someone say a smexy painter? ;)
Then we have our mmc Milan who does not feel emotions. He's just the shell of someone, he doesn't understand the concept of being upset, sad, angry; just nothing. Until he gets married to Sicily. Yall the character development with Milan was insane... I was screaming every pov with him because we as readers got what we needed. I seriously can't even spill to much because he is like the main surprise.
My only two complaints was the lack of the misogyny actually being brought up, while I definitely feel the empowerment and her fighting to be heard, I didn't see much actually being done or changed to fix that issue. Just very few conversations. Then onto the resolution... I always love a good ending guys, but I feel like the things that were done to our mmcs were not forgivable and redeemable. I kind of wish we took a darker turn and took some action or revenge towards that. Tbh I didn't like his family at all LOL.
╰┄┄┄┄┄┄┄꒰꒱₊˚・｡ﾟ･
Anyways this book was seriously amazing and I was sucked into this world immediately. Thank you for reading my review <3
September 12, 2026
I wanted to rate this higher simply because I liked Milan so much.
The story had so much potential.it was still good but it just failed to deliver at some point for me.
We had so many different storylines that it kinda got tiring.
It’s as if the author tried to cram as many ideas in one book as they could in order to maybe set up a background story for things that might be coming next.
In my opinion some of these ideas could have been left out.
The book would have worked much better if we just focused on one or 2 plot points more.
We spend so much time going over the past and so on that we don’t get to see the romance develop enough.
It felt abrupt just how in love they were all of a sudden. It wasnt communicated well enough whatever time was passing in between scenes.
Actually the switch from a moment to another was often quite abrupt.
Milan was set up to be so complex and intriguing that it just left me feeling empty when we didn’t get enough of him and how he changes through the story.
As for Sicily , I wish I could say that it was her I liked but it was whatever Milan saw in her that made her more likeable for me.
She had her moments but not enough in my opinion
If anything I liked Adriano more than Sicily. His friendship with Milan was one of my favorites parts of the story.
He was Milan’s actual family everything considered.
I would have rather we had some kind of cliffhanger for a sequel than forcing the ending.
It js felt like it was too neat and too fast.
Not to mention I just couldn’t be as forgiving as the characters.
I was annoyed with how everything ended with everyone being a big happy family when in fact that should have taken so much more work.
Overall the tension and yearning somehow was there between Milan and Sicily enough for me to keep reading.
It js feels like we didn’t get enough of them.
It’s an interesting story but too many things happen for it to be consistent which js disrupts the flow.
The story had so much potential.it was still good but it just failed to deliver at some point for me.
We had so many different storylines that it kinda got tiring.
It’s as if the author tried to cram as many ideas in one book as they could in order to maybe set up a background story for things that might be coming next.
In my opinion some of these ideas could have been left out.
The book would have worked much better if we just focused on one or 2 plot points more.
We spend so much time going over the past and so on that we don’t get to see the romance develop enough.
It felt abrupt just how in love they were all of a sudden. It wasnt communicated well enough whatever time was passing in between scenes.
Actually the switch from a moment to another was often quite abrupt.
Milan was set up to be so complex and intriguing that it just left me feeling empty when we didn’t get enough of him and how he changes through the story.
As for Sicily , I wish I could say that it was her I liked but it was whatever Milan saw in her that made her more likeable for me.
She had her moments but not enough in my opinion
If anything I liked Adriano more than Sicily. His friendship with Milan was one of my favorites parts of the story.
He was Milan’s actual family everything considered.
I would have rather we had some kind of cliffhanger for a sequel than forcing the ending.
It js felt like it was too neat and too fast.
Not to mention I just couldn’t be as forgiving as the characters.
I was annoyed with how everything ended with everyone being a big happy family when in fact that should have taken so much more work.
Overall the tension and yearning somehow was there between Milan and Sicily enough for me to keep reading.
It js feels like we didn’t get enough of them.
It’s an interesting story but too many things happen for it to be consistent which js disrupts the flow.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is a dark, emotionally charged mafia romance centered on Sicily, the fiery eldest daughter of a powerful mafia family, and Milan, a “different,” hyper-literal capo with his own internal rules for survival and control. When their worlds collide through an arranged marriage, what starts as a strategic alliance quickly becomes something far more complicated—full of tension, curiosity, and unexpected emotional awakening.
What really stands out is the dynamic between Sicily and Milan. Sicily is intense, passionate, and fiercely protective of the women around her, constantly pushing against the misogyny baked into her world. Milan, on the other hand, is rigid, misunderstood, and written with a lot of care in how he processes emotion and power differently. Their relationship doesn’t rush into instant transformation—instead, it builds slowly through friction, misunderstanding, and small, meaningful shifts that make the payoff feel earned.
The emotional core is the strongest part of the book. The themes of trauma, control, identity, and learning to accept love in unconventional ways are woven in naturally rather than forced. The family dynamics—especially the sibling tension and loyalty—add extra depth and weight to the story.
In terms of writing style, A.A. Marie does a great job balancing darkness with emotional softness. The tone is immersive and intense, with a strong focus on character psychology. At times, the internal monologues can feel heavy, but they also help ground the reader in Milan and Sicily’s very different minds, which is kind of the whole point of the story.
Overall, The Greatest Mind is gripping, emotional, and addictively readable. It’s the kind of mafia romance that lingers after you finish it—and immediately makes you want the next book. Five stars without hesitation.
What really stands out is the dynamic between Sicily and Milan. Sicily is intense, passionate, and fiercely protective of the women around her, constantly pushing against the misogyny baked into her world. Milan, on the other hand, is rigid, misunderstood, and written with a lot of care in how he processes emotion and power differently. Their relationship doesn’t rush into instant transformation—instead, it builds slowly through friction, misunderstanding, and small, meaningful shifts that make the payoff feel earned.
The emotional core is the strongest part of the book. The themes of trauma, control, identity, and learning to accept love in unconventional ways are woven in naturally rather than forced. The family dynamics—especially the sibling tension and loyalty—add extra depth and weight to the story.
In terms of writing style, A.A. Marie does a great job balancing darkness with emotional softness. The tone is immersive and intense, with a strong focus on character psychology. At times, the internal monologues can feel heavy, but they also help ground the reader in Milan and Sicily’s very different minds, which is kind of the whole point of the story.
Overall, The Greatest Mind is gripping, emotional, and addictively readable. It’s the kind of mafia romance that lingers after you finish it—and immediately makes you want the next book. Five stars without hesitation.
July 14, 2026
The Greatest Mind ARC review!!
Before thinking about starting or not this book, Irecommend to look up at the trigger warnings.. (they exist for a purpose!)
In this case the main ones are: dark content, trauma, violence.
I felt lucky for receiving this ARC and I wanna thanks primarily A.A. Marie for the opportunity!
I have to say that I devoured this book. I didn't expect it to be so dark and loaded. The brothers' past is devastating: trauma, PTSD, secrets and difficult childhoods that hit you straight.
The author managed everything with a lot of respect and you can see that she either did crazy research or speaks from experience.
I appreciated that it wasn't just free spice!!
Here there really is a plot, mysteries and a family tree that makes your head spin. The relationship between Milan and Sicily is a well done SLOW BURN (in cap locks ofc); he is complex, dangerous, but he throws out one-liners that he doesn't even know are funny. She's a FMC I love to read about: strong, straightforward, and tired of the rotten mafia rules about how women should be in their place. I've to say that the way he challenges everything is my favorite piece.
ALSO, the SECONDARY CHARACTERS... stole the scene for me, in a good way obv. Adriano and Matteo are pure gold. The only weak point for me was with Sicily's sister, I didn't get very attached to her.
The action, the blood and the revenge scenes caught me off guard in the best possible way. And when the spice arrived... mmm, I would have liked a little more towards the end, but it's fine.
Overall a great start to the series. It left me with the desire to read the book about twins, about Cesare, and maybe something for Elena too. I can't wait to see where A.A. Marie will lead this family with the other's volumes.
Before thinking about starting or not this book, Irecommend to look up at the trigger warnings.. (they exist for a purpose!)
In this case the main ones are: dark content, trauma, violence.
I felt lucky for receiving this ARC and I wanna thanks primarily A.A. Marie for the opportunity!
I have to say that I devoured this book. I didn't expect it to be so dark and loaded. The brothers' past is devastating: trauma, PTSD, secrets and difficult childhoods that hit you straight.
The author managed everything with a lot of respect and you can see that she either did crazy research or speaks from experience.
I appreciated that it wasn't just free spice!!
Here there really is a plot, mysteries and a family tree that makes your head spin. The relationship between Milan and Sicily is a well done SLOW BURN (in cap locks ofc); he is complex, dangerous, but he throws out one-liners that he doesn't even know are funny. She's a FMC I love to read about: strong, straightforward, and tired of the rotten mafia rules about how women should be in their place. I've to say that the way he challenges everything is my favorite piece.
ALSO, the SECONDARY CHARACTERS... stole the scene for me, in a good way obv. Adriano and Matteo are pure gold. The only weak point for me was with Sicily's sister, I didn't get very attached to her.
The action, the blood and the revenge scenes caught me off guard in the best possible way. And when the spice arrived... mmm, I would have liked a little more towards the end, but it's fine.
Overall a great start to the series. It left me with the desire to read the book about twins, about Cesare, and maybe something for Elena too. I can't wait to see where A.A. Marie will lead this family with the other's volumes.
July 21, 2026
The Greatest Mind By A.A Marie 💍
Spice level: 🌶
🅃🅁🄾🄿🄴🅂
💍 Dark Mafia Romance
✨️ Arranged Marriage
💍 Found Family
✨️ Secrets
💍 Neurodivergent Rep
𝕀 𝕣𝕖𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕞𝕪 𝕨𝕚𝕗𝕖. 𝕀 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕒𝕜 𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕢𝕦𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕪 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕞𝕪 𝕨𝕚𝕗𝕖. 𝕄𝕪 𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕙𝕦𝕣𝕥 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕞𝕪 𝕨𝕚𝕗𝕖.
A.A Marie has written an extraordinary dark mafia romance that has left me speechless!!! Respectfully what the f*ck!!!! How she has written this is something so uniquely different that others need to take notes from and people need to read for themselves. Once again I've found a book that made me feel every emotion possible, I laughed, cried, had moments where my jaw dropped and kicked my legs like a child and I would quite happily go through it all again.
“𝔾𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕘𝕚𝕣𝕝,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕣𝕒𝕚𝕤𝕖𝕕, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕤 𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕒𝕟 𝕦𝕟𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕛𝕠𝕝𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕞𝕪 𝕔𝕠𝕣𝕖. “𝕄𝕪 𝕘𝕚𝕣𝕝. 𝕄𝕪 𝕨𝕚𝕗𝕖. 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕖.”
How the MMC was portrayed, I'm sorry the author needs a standing ovation!!! It felt so realistic, it's outstanding. I've fallen for another fictional man but not only that I've fallen for the FMC as well. How she fights for women was inspiring but not only that how she fell in love with the MMC it was so beautifully done there isn't enough words to describe it! Not only that the emotions you could feel from the side characters, it was hard not to get teary and literally beg for their story next!!!
“𝔸𝕝𝕝 𝕀 𝕒𝕞 𝕚𝕤 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕪𝕠𝕦. 𝕀 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕚𝕟 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕞𝕪 𝕓𝕠𝕕𝕪, 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕚𝕟 𝕞𝕪 𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕕. 𝕀 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕚𝕟 𝕨𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝. 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕞𝕪 𝕗𝕒𝕧𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕖.”
The Greatest Mind is going into my books as one of the greatest books I've read and will be one I will constantly try and get others to read. If I could I'd shout about it, but I can't so instead I'll rave about it every chance I get.
Spice level: 🌶
🅃🅁🄾🄿🄴🅂
💍 Dark Mafia Romance
✨️ Arranged Marriage
💍 Found Family
✨️ Secrets
💍 Neurodivergent Rep
𝕀 𝕣𝕖𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕞𝕪 𝕨𝕚𝕗𝕖. 𝕀 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕒𝕜 𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕢𝕦𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕪 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕞𝕪 𝕨𝕚𝕗𝕖. 𝕄𝕪 𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕙𝕦𝕣𝕥 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕞𝕪 𝕨𝕚𝕗𝕖.
A.A Marie has written an extraordinary dark mafia romance that has left me speechless!!! Respectfully what the f*ck!!!! How she has written this is something so uniquely different that others need to take notes from and people need to read for themselves. Once again I've found a book that made me feel every emotion possible, I laughed, cried, had moments where my jaw dropped and kicked my legs like a child and I would quite happily go through it all again.
“𝔾𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕘𝕚𝕣𝕝,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕣𝕒𝕚𝕤𝕖𝕕, 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕕𝕤 𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕒𝕟 𝕦𝕟𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕛𝕠𝕝𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕞𝕪 𝕔𝕠𝕣𝕖. “𝕄𝕪 𝕘𝕚𝕣𝕝. 𝕄𝕪 𝕨𝕚𝕗𝕖. 𝕄𝕚𝕟𝕖.”
How the MMC was portrayed, I'm sorry the author needs a standing ovation!!! It felt so realistic, it's outstanding. I've fallen for another fictional man but not only that I've fallen for the FMC as well. How she fights for women was inspiring but not only that how she fell in love with the MMC it was so beautifully done there isn't enough words to describe it! Not only that the emotions you could feel from the side characters, it was hard not to get teary and literally beg for their story next!!!
“𝔸𝕝𝕝 𝕀 𝕒𝕞 𝕚𝕤 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕪𝕠𝕦. 𝕀 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕚𝕟 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕞𝕪 𝕓𝕠𝕕𝕪, 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕚𝕟 𝕞𝕪 𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕕. 𝕀 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕚𝕟 𝕨𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝. 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕞𝕪 𝕗𝕒𝕧𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕖.”
The Greatest Mind is going into my books as one of the greatest books I've read and will be one I will constantly try and get others to read. If I could I'd shout about it, but I can't so instead I'll rave about it every chance I get.
August 20, 2026
Story of love and healing
This book popped up as a suggestion, and I am so glad I gave it a chance. This is a moving, emotional story of Milan and Sicily. Milan’s past is nothing short of horrific on top of his having ASD, and his brothers have suffered equally. And in the midst of all this suffering there is so much miscommunication, non communication, and forced lies.
And Sicily gets pulled into all of this by virtue of an arranged marriage. Her reputation is questionable, thanks to her father’s line of work, and she has her own scars. (Although I found this part of her story very nebulous. Her parents didn’t *seem* that bad—just distant.) But, ultimately, she becomes the catalyst for Milan to experience a lot of healing and helping him learn how to navigate emotions and communication. She is wise beyond her years, for sure.
I will say that it was a heavier read than I expected. The story gets messy and chaotic and sad. Also, be prepared for gore—it’s only two (I think) scenes, but they are highly descriptive and violent. At the same time, I feel like they are included to prove a point.
The end is very cathartic and satisfying. I do think there are other stories that could be told, but could be tricky trying to weave them in the events of this book without being repetitive.
I enjoyed the author’s writing style, at times as if the characters are narrating a story to the reader. The characters’ voices are unique, which I have read some books recently where they are not. The spice is low, and I would agree with a previous reviewer who said she wished there had been at least one more scene toward the end of the book. However, the bonus scene does provide that, so be sure to grab that! All in all, I’m glad this book crossed my path, and I hope you give it a read!
This book popped up as a suggestion, and I am so glad I gave it a chance. This is a moving, emotional story of Milan and Sicily. Milan’s past is nothing short of horrific on top of his having ASD, and his brothers have suffered equally. And in the midst of all this suffering there is so much miscommunication, non communication, and forced lies.
And Sicily gets pulled into all of this by virtue of an arranged marriage. Her reputation is questionable, thanks to her father’s line of work, and she has her own scars. (Although I found this part of her story very nebulous. Her parents didn’t *seem* that bad—just distant.) But, ultimately, she becomes the catalyst for Milan to experience a lot of healing and helping him learn how to navigate emotions and communication. She is wise beyond her years, for sure.
I will say that it was a heavier read than I expected. The story gets messy and chaotic and sad. Also, be prepared for gore—it’s only two (I think) scenes, but they are highly descriptive and violent. At the same time, I feel like they are included to prove a point.
The end is very cathartic and satisfying. I do think there are other stories that could be told, but could be tricky trying to weave them in the events of this book without being repetitive.
I enjoyed the author’s writing style, at times as if the characters are narrating a story to the reader. The characters’ voices are unique, which I have read some books recently where they are not. The spice is low, and I would agree with a previous reviewer who said she wished there had been at least one more scene toward the end of the book. However, the bonus scene does provide that, so be sure to grab that! All in all, I’m glad this book crossed my path, and I hope you give it a read!
June 4, 2026
The greatest mind is a wonderfully written, morally Gray mafia romance. You have Sicily, the eldest daughter of one of the five big mafia families. And she truly is the eldest daughter. She carries so much passion and love for her sister, but so much anger. For all the burdens she carries and the way females are treated in the system of the mob.
And then we have Milan, the head of the Lucca family, who is then working on becoming the head of all of the families but he doesn’t function like everybody else. He has a variety of issues. He’s very literal and he was conditioned to believe that everything he did was wrong.
But in order for Milan to become Boss of the bosses, he has to be married. Enter his introduction to Sicily. An anomaly that his brain can’t register, but one that he wants to understand.
This romance is about dealing with your trauma, accepting help, finding and embracing your true self, understanding that anyone is allowed and capable of love and changing the rules. As well as understanding that there is a time where the rules need to change and that’s OK.
I can’t wait for this book to be published, for all the dark romance, mafia girlies to find this author because when I got to the end of this book, I was like wait…..what….I have to wait now?!??! Yet again, I have found another amazing Indie author who writes mafia romance, and I am so happy because mafia romance is one of my favorites. As soon as this book is available for the wide population, prepared to be annoyed with me because I’m gonna keep telling everybody about it. 5⭐️ 2🌶️
And then we have Milan, the head of the Lucca family, who is then working on becoming the head of all of the families but he doesn’t function like everybody else. He has a variety of issues. He’s very literal and he was conditioned to believe that everything he did was wrong.
But in order for Milan to become Boss of the bosses, he has to be married. Enter his introduction to Sicily. An anomaly that his brain can’t register, but one that he wants to understand.
This romance is about dealing with your trauma, accepting help, finding and embracing your true self, understanding that anyone is allowed and capable of love and changing the rules. As well as understanding that there is a time where the rules need to change and that’s OK.
I can’t wait for this book to be published, for all the dark romance, mafia girlies to find this author because when I got to the end of this book, I was like wait…..what….I have to wait now?!??! Yet again, I have found another amazing Indie author who writes mafia romance, and I am so happy because mafia romance is one of my favorites. As soon as this book is available for the wide population, prepared to be annoyed with me because I’m gonna keep telling everybody about it. 5⭐️ 2🌶️
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy of this book so thank you so much to A.A.Marie for that.
I’m going to try super hard here to not give away any spoilers which I always find tricky when leaving a review but here we go.
I am a huge Mafia romance fan it is usually my go to genre for a book so of course I was thrilled for the opportunity to get an ARC for this one, I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed it, A.A. Maria has built a great world for us in this book, we’ve got our MMC Milan who’s a complex and dangerous man but also unknowingly very funny, dropping some great one liners that he’s clearly oblivious to, and then Sicily our FMC who’s trying to get out from under the deep rooted traditions of mafia life for women, she is also funny and their relationship is not an insta love, it’s very much a slow burn and we see that development throughout, what i liked about this was that there wasn’t endless gratuitous spice scenes, there’s more plot and a lot of secrets, throw in a complicated family tree on Milan’s side that plays a big role in Milan’s life and things begin to unravel. I thought the side characters all added great depth to the story and I loved Adriano and Matteo.The only person I didn’t gel with so much was Sicilys sister but I won’t spoil anything. I’d love to see more from the twins maybe a Mafia RH? And possibly a follow up for Elena? Who knows.
Overall I enjoyed it and would definitely pick up another book from this author.
Once again thank you A.A.Marie xx
I’m going to try super hard here to not give away any spoilers which I always find tricky when leaving a review but here we go.
I am a huge Mafia romance fan it is usually my go to genre for a book so of course I was thrilled for the opportunity to get an ARC for this one, I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed it, A.A. Maria has built a great world for us in this book, we’ve got our MMC Milan who’s a complex and dangerous man but also unknowingly very funny, dropping some great one liners that he’s clearly oblivious to, and then Sicily our FMC who’s trying to get out from under the deep rooted traditions of mafia life for women, she is also funny and their relationship is not an insta love, it’s very much a slow burn and we see that development throughout, what i liked about this was that there wasn’t endless gratuitous spice scenes, there’s more plot and a lot of secrets, throw in a complicated family tree on Milan’s side that plays a big role in Milan’s life and things begin to unravel. I thought the side characters all added great depth to the story and I loved Adriano and Matteo.The only person I didn’t gel with so much was Sicilys sister but I won’t spoil anything. I’d love to see more from the twins maybe a Mafia RH? And possibly a follow up for Elena? Who knows.
Overall I enjoyed it and would definitely pick up another book from this author.
Once again thank you A.A.Marie xx
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book had me screaming, crying, and completely hooked from beginning to end. Knowing the inspiration behind why the author chose to write this story makes it even more meaningful and absolutely worth the read.
Milan is the kind of MMC you can’t help but fall for. He’s honest, blunt, protective, and everything you’d want in a dark romance book boyfriend. He completely stole my heart.
And Sicily? I loved her from the very first chapter. She’s strong, fearless, outspoken, and refuses to take crap from anyone—including Milan. As you can probably tell, this book delivers some of my favorite tropes: enemies-to-lovers, arranged marriage, and touch her and die. Those tropes never fail to pull me in.
The tropes in this book were absolutely chef’s kiss. I was invested in this story before I had even finished the first few chapters. Milan and Sicily’s relationship starts as a delicious slow burn before developing into something intense, emotional, and incredibly passionate. The yearning between them was everything. As someone who loves mafia romance, I was completely immersed in the world A.A. Marie created.
There isn’t much else to say except: read this book. Check the trigger warnings beforehand, and then dive in. And all the love to A.A. Marie, who is just as amazing and lovely as her writing. I truly hope this becomes part of a series because I would love the chance to step back into Milan and Sicily’s world again.
Milan is the kind of MMC you can’t help but fall for. He’s honest, blunt, protective, and everything you’d want in a dark romance book boyfriend. He completely stole my heart.
And Sicily? I loved her from the very first chapter. She’s strong, fearless, outspoken, and refuses to take crap from anyone—including Milan. As you can probably tell, this book delivers some of my favorite tropes: enemies-to-lovers, arranged marriage, and touch her and die. Those tropes never fail to pull me in.
The tropes in this book were absolutely chef’s kiss. I was invested in this story before I had even finished the first few chapters. Milan and Sicily’s relationship starts as a delicious slow burn before developing into something intense, emotional, and incredibly passionate. The yearning between them was everything. As someone who loves mafia romance, I was completely immersed in the world A.A. Marie created.
There isn’t much else to say except: read this book. Check the trigger warnings beforehand, and then dive in. And all the love to A.A. Marie, who is just as amazing and lovely as her writing. I truly hope this becomes part of a series because I would love the chance to step back into Milan and Sicily’s world again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I absolutely devoured this book.
Milan had me hooked from the very first chapter. I loved that he wasn't your typical morally grey character—there was something different about him that made him impossible to stop thinking about. He was intense and complicated in all the best ways.
Sicily was equally captivating. Her feminine rage was powerful and so easy to root for. I loved her sass, her courage even when she was terrified, and the softer, more vulnerable side she allowed us to see. She felt strong without being invincible, which made her character feel incredibly authentic.
My favourite part of the book was watching their relationship evolve. The way they slowly learned to understand each other, seeing parts of one another that nobody else ever had, was beautifully written. Their connection felt natural and deeply emotional.
This story is filled with pain, heartbreak, and tragedy, and there were several twists and revelations that genuinely shocked me. I thought I had things figured out more than once, only to be proven completely wrong.
From beginning to end, I was completely invested. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and found myself thinking about the characters whenever I wasn't reading. Emotional, gripping, and full of unexpected moments, this is a book that will stay with me for a long time.
Milan had me hooked from the very first chapter. I loved that he wasn't your typical morally grey character—there was something different about him that made him impossible to stop thinking about. He was intense and complicated in all the best ways.
Sicily was equally captivating. Her feminine rage was powerful and so easy to root for. I loved her sass, her courage even when she was terrified, and the softer, more vulnerable side she allowed us to see. She felt strong without being invincible, which made her character feel incredibly authentic.
My favourite part of the book was watching their relationship evolve. The way they slowly learned to understand each other, seeing parts of one another that nobody else ever had, was beautifully written. Their connection felt natural and deeply emotional.
This story is filled with pain, heartbreak, and tragedy, and there were several twists and revelations that genuinely shocked me. I thought I had things figured out more than once, only to be proven completely wrong.
From beginning to end, I was completely invested. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and found myself thinking about the characters whenever I wasn't reading. Emotional, gripping, and full of unexpected moments, this is a book that will stay with me for a long time.
Review of advance copy
I was really excited about the concept of this book, I have read a fair bit of the dark romance genre specifically the mafia romance and enjoy the occasional formulaic feeling they create. I would like to warn that this is one of my first book reviews so it might be a bit all over the place.
This book was an interesting blend of the classic tropes of the genre and a change of pace. The two most notable examples are the mmc’s neurodivergent and the fact that both he and fmc’s concern for how women are treated in the world they are both apart of, however despite both of them talking about wanting to make changes to how the women around them are treated I don’t feel that there was a lot of concrete changes actually shown to us, the readers. At the end of the book we are told so much has changed but I really don’t see what has actually changed, and I personally would have enjoyed more details on the matter.
That is not to to say the books was bad by any means, I found the side characters enjoyable and plenty of potential for more books within this universe, additionally the romance was well built. It just felt a little like maybe a bit to much was supposed to have happened by the end that it was maybe a bit rushed? overall I enjoyed it, I liked the side characters and the overall story lines.
This book was an interesting blend of the classic tropes of the genre and a change of pace. The two most notable examples are the mmc’s neurodivergent and the fact that both he and fmc’s concern for how women are treated in the world they are both apart of, however despite both of them talking about wanting to make changes to how the women around them are treated I don’t feel that there was a lot of concrete changes actually shown to us, the readers. At the end of the book we are told so much has changed but I really don’t see what has actually changed, and I personally would have enjoyed more details on the matter.
That is not to to say the books was bad by any means, I found the side characters enjoyable and plenty of potential for more books within this universe, additionally the romance was well built. It just felt a little like maybe a bit to much was supposed to have happened by the end that it was maybe a bit rushed? overall I enjoyed it, I liked the side characters and the overall story lines.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was provided an ARC copy by the author.
Oh my gosh. Who knew that stumbling upon the author’s page online would lead me to sob in bed on a friday night after finishing her debut ?
I was hooked since the moment I saw the video months ago about the blurb and I am so, so glad that I get to read this wonderful story by this wonderful person.
Sicily and Milan are opposites and they’re not supposed to work but somehow they do, and that’s the beauty of the story. Love is such a powerful tool when it comes to healing. I felt for both of them so many times and my heart swelled seeing their love grow.
The brothers… Oh where do I even start…
I am a sucker for a good family drama but this? The Lucca brothers had me laughing, scared and ugly crying at various times. They’re such broken souls and it’s love that helped them, but most importantly love for each other.
A. A. Marie does a wonderful job at laying out characters and making them feel so real. The Greatest Mind feels more like an ensemble book than a typical mafia romance, in a very good way. Every character feels tangible, even when they’re not a main. Not every author can do this and A. A. Marie hits this perfectly.
I’m so excited to have this on my shelf, and highlight all the moments where I swooned and audibly laughed. I can’t wait to see more of what our girl has in store for us too!
Oh my gosh. Who knew that stumbling upon the author’s page online would lead me to sob in bed on a friday night after finishing her debut ?
I was hooked since the moment I saw the video months ago about the blurb and I am so, so glad that I get to read this wonderful story by this wonderful person.
Sicily and Milan are opposites and they’re not supposed to work but somehow they do, and that’s the beauty of the story. Love is such a powerful tool when it comes to healing. I felt for both of them so many times and my heart swelled seeing their love grow.
The brothers… Oh where do I even start…
I am a sucker for a good family drama but this? The Lucca brothers had me laughing, scared and ugly crying at various times. They’re such broken souls and it’s love that helped them, but most importantly love for each other.
A. A. Marie does a wonderful job at laying out characters and making them feel so real. The Greatest Mind feels more like an ensemble book than a typical mafia romance, in a very good way. Every character feels tangible, even when they’re not a main. Not every author can do this and A. A. Marie hits this perfectly.
I’m so excited to have this on my shelf, and highlight all the moments where I swooned and audibly laughed. I can’t wait to see more of what our girl has in store for us too!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ARC Review
I absolutely loved The Greatest Mind by A.A. Marie! The arranged marriage premise immediately pulled me in, but it was the characters that made this story unforgettable.
Milan is a neurodivergent mafia don who must marry in order to become the Capo di Capi. He believes he’s entering an alliance by marrying the youngest daughter of another mafia family, only to find himself unexpectedly wed to the oldest daughter, Sicily. From that moment on, the story takes off.
Sicily was such a refreshing FMC. She isn’t quiet or submissive. She’s outspoken, expressive, and unafraid to challenge Milan. Their personalities couldn’t be more different, with Milan being reserved and burdened by years of unresolved trauma. Watching those layers slowly peel back as he learned to trust and love was one of my favorite parts of the book.
What really made this story shine was seeing Milan reshape his entire world to make Sicily happy. His devotion to her felt genuine and deeply moving, and their relationship developed in a way that was both believable and rewarding. Their journey from strangers in an arranged marriage to partners who truly understood each other was beautifully done.
If you enjoy mafia romance with emotional depth, strong character development, and a love story that grows through patience and understanding, I highly recommend The Greatest Mind.
I absolutely loved The Greatest Mind by A.A. Marie! The arranged marriage premise immediately pulled me in, but it was the characters that made this story unforgettable.
Milan is a neurodivergent mafia don who must marry in order to become the Capo di Capi. He believes he’s entering an alliance by marrying the youngest daughter of another mafia family, only to find himself unexpectedly wed to the oldest daughter, Sicily. From that moment on, the story takes off.
Sicily was such a refreshing FMC. She isn’t quiet or submissive. She’s outspoken, expressive, and unafraid to challenge Milan. Their personalities couldn’t be more different, with Milan being reserved and burdened by years of unresolved trauma. Watching those layers slowly peel back as he learned to trust and love was one of my favorite parts of the book.
What really made this story shine was seeing Milan reshape his entire world to make Sicily happy. His devotion to her felt genuine and deeply moving, and their relationship developed in a way that was both believable and rewarding. Their journey from strangers in an arranged marriage to partners who truly understood each other was beautifully done.
If you enjoy mafia romance with emotional depth, strong character development, and a love story that grows through patience and understanding, I highly recommend The Greatest Mind.
Review of advance copy received from Author
5 ⭐
Genre: Dark Romance
Pages: 355
Format: Ebook (Arc)
Tropes:
-Mafia Romance
-Arranged Marriage
-Dual POV
-A Feisty, Angry, Feminist FMC
-Past Secrets And A Dark Past
-Found Family
-Protective FMC and MMC
-Sibling Angst
-A Mafia Boos Who Can't Feel Emotion
-Neurodivergent Rep.
This book is so emotional and it was just amazing. I went from laughing to almost crying and then I was stressed. I was feeling it all during this book. I just read half the book at work and finished because I couldn't stop reading. When it's slow at work I'm able to read so it works out great.
Milan I think is one of my favorite Mmc's and book boyfriend. I loved him so much and I adore Sicily as well. I devoured this book literally and when I had to put it down I was still thinking about it so that should tell you everything you need to know right there because I don't normally think about books when I put them down.
I loved the found family, the writing, all the characters literally everything. My only complaint is I would have loved it to be longer so I didn't have to leave these characters behind so soon but I don't think that's really a complaint. And I want to say again how much I loved Milan, it bears repeating how perfect, hot and adorable I think he is.
Thank you so much A.A Marie for this arc and I can't wait to see what you bring us next.
Genre: Dark Romance
Pages: 355
Format: Ebook (Arc)
Tropes:
-Mafia Romance
-Arranged Marriage
-Dual POV
-A Feisty, Angry, Feminist FMC
-Past Secrets And A Dark Past
-Found Family
-Protective FMC and MMC
-Sibling Angst
-A Mafia Boos Who Can't Feel Emotion
-Neurodivergent Rep.
This book is so emotional and it was just amazing. I went from laughing to almost crying and then I was stressed. I was feeling it all during this book. I just read half the book at work and finished because I couldn't stop reading. When it's slow at work I'm able to read so it works out great.
Milan I think is one of my favorite Mmc's and book boyfriend. I loved him so much and I adore Sicily as well. I devoured this book literally and when I had to put it down I was still thinking about it so that should tell you everything you need to know right there because I don't normally think about books when I put them down.
I loved the found family, the writing, all the characters literally everything. My only complaint is I would have loved it to be longer so I didn't have to leave these characters behind so soon but I don't think that's really a complaint. And I want to say again how much I loved Milan, it bears repeating how perfect, hot and adorable I think he is.
Thank you so much A.A Marie for this arc and I can't wait to see what you bring us next.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I am completely speechless. This book delivers on action, spice, and suspense and then there’s betrayals, secrets, and constant tension that keeps you locked in. It had some pretty heartbreaking moments too. I loved how everything felt a little unhinged in the best way. The characters were messy and flawed, which made the story way more interesting. I literally could not look away.
Milan and Sicily I love them.
The tension??? unmatched. The dynamic??? explosive. Milan was all blunt, sharp edges with dry, unintentional humor that made me giggle and kick my feet. I love how carefully his characters was written. Sicily's personality was on full display. I love how she was so kind, caring and sweet and when time comes she was as feisty and badass.
The side characters!!! Adriano, Sicily, Milan, Matteo, Francesco, Fiore! 😭 I love the depth to these characters. I was giggling non stop for half of the book and the reason were these characters. As I got deeper into story, I got see all of the different layers of them and many emotional tearjerker scenes.
This book took a deep dive into mental illness and emotional and physical abuse. It was dark, dramatic, and super addictive.
Thank you so much for the early copy to read
Milan and Sicily I love them.
The tension??? unmatched. The dynamic??? explosive. Milan was all blunt, sharp edges with dry, unintentional humor that made me giggle and kick my feet. I love how carefully his characters was written. Sicily's personality was on full display. I love how she was so kind, caring and sweet and when time comes she was as feisty and badass.
The side characters!!! Adriano, Sicily, Milan, Matteo, Francesco, Fiore! 😭 I love the depth to these characters. I was giggling non stop for half of the book and the reason were these characters. As I got deeper into story, I got see all of the different layers of them and many emotional tearjerker scenes.
This book took a deep dive into mental illness and emotional and physical abuse. It was dark, dramatic, and super addictive.
Thank you so much for the early copy to read
June 4, 2026
ARC Review:
Milan Lucca is seen as different, problematic, dangerous and defective. He is a neurodivergent Capo who selected the most chaotic, unfiltered woman to be his wife.
Sicily Bianchi wants to change the misogynistic ways of the Famiglia. Forced to marry Milan, she finds herself wanting to try to understand her unemotional husband and uncover his secrets.
The chemistry between Milan and Sicily is off the charts, the friendships that Milan has and that Sicily forms with them was heartwarming. The feeling of safety they bring to each other. Sicily wanting to understand him and Milan trying everything to understand her and his feelings seeing as he deemed himself unable to feel.
“He wanted me despite not being capable of want.
Milan might’ve been king, but he ruled a world being created for me, and that held a place more powerful than any queen.”
The healing that Sicily brings Milan and his brothers, the healing that the whole family goes through, the changes that Milan as Capo would do for Sicily…everything about this book was phenomenal !
“All I am is what I feel for you. I love you in every part of my body, even in my mind. I love you in ways I cannot understand but feel. The world where you are is my favorite place.”
Milan Lucca is seen as different, problematic, dangerous and defective. He is a neurodivergent Capo who selected the most chaotic, unfiltered woman to be his wife.
Sicily Bianchi wants to change the misogynistic ways of the Famiglia. Forced to marry Milan, she finds herself wanting to try to understand her unemotional husband and uncover his secrets.
The chemistry between Milan and Sicily is off the charts, the friendships that Milan has and that Sicily forms with them was heartwarming. The feeling of safety they bring to each other. Sicily wanting to understand him and Milan trying everything to understand her and his feelings seeing as he deemed himself unable to feel.
“He wanted me despite not being capable of want.
Milan might’ve been king, but he ruled a world being created for me, and that held a place more powerful than any queen.”
The healing that Sicily brings Milan and his brothers, the healing that the whole family goes through, the changes that Milan as Capo would do for Sicily…everything about this book was phenomenal !
“All I am is what I feel for you. I love you in every part of my body, even in my mind. I love you in ways I cannot understand but feel. The world where you are is my favorite place.”
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was immediately impressed by the author’s ability to create such a compelling neurodivergent MMC, bringing something truly unique and refreshing to the mafia romance genre.
As the story unfolds, themes of mental health and trauma are woven seamlessly into a heartfelt narrative about family, acceptance, and resilience. The author beautifully explores the complexities of living with mental health challenges, highlighting the lifelong impact they can have when they’re misunderstood, while challenging both societal and family expectations.
This book delivers everything you’d expect from a mafia romance—gore, angst, spice, danger, and love—but what truly surprised me was the pivotal role the FMC and the women around her play in the story. They aren’t simply supporting characters; they’re powerful, capable, and integral to the plot.
Both the MMC and FMC are exceptionally well-developed, with emotional depth that makes them impossible not to fall in love with. Their journey is captivating, heartfelt, and one that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
A powerful and emotionally rich debut that offers a fresh take on mafia romance. I can’t wait to see what A. A. Marie writes next.
As the story unfolds, themes of mental health and trauma are woven seamlessly into a heartfelt narrative about family, acceptance, and resilience. The author beautifully explores the complexities of living with mental health challenges, highlighting the lifelong impact they can have when they’re misunderstood, while challenging both societal and family expectations.
This book delivers everything you’d expect from a mafia romance—gore, angst, spice, danger, and love—but what truly surprised me was the pivotal role the FMC and the women around her play in the story. They aren’t simply supporting characters; they’re powerful, capable, and integral to the plot.
Both the MMC and FMC are exceptionally well-developed, with emotional depth that makes them impossible not to fall in love with. Their journey is captivating, heartfelt, and one that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
A powerful and emotionally rich debut that offers a fresh take on mafia romance. I can’t wait to see what A. A. Marie writes next.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I signed up for this ARC because the premise sounded incredibly interesting, and it absolutely delivered something unique. It is a completely different kind of mafia story than what I’m used to reading, and for a debut novel, the author did a fantastic job bringing this world to life!
What really stood out to me was that many of the critical male side characters were openly expressive and comfortable crying in front of each other. In a genre where the guys are normally stoic, seeing that level of vulnerability was incredibly refreshing.
The autism representation was considerate, accurate, and deeply detailed. It perfectly captured the MMC's overthinking and the heavy mental load of trying to decode other people. While the pacing felt a bit heavy in some of these analytical moments, and a few plot points were glossed over quickly, the overall story kept me hooked.
I loved watching him realize that this was his person, leading to a beautiful happily-ever-after. The found family dynamics and the emotional reunions were wonderful. I am so impressed by this first book and can't wait to see how this series grows with future characters!
What really stood out to me was that many of the critical male side characters were openly expressive and comfortable crying in front of each other. In a genre where the guys are normally stoic, seeing that level of vulnerability was incredibly refreshing.
The autism representation was considerate, accurate, and deeply detailed. It perfectly captured the MMC's overthinking and the heavy mental load of trying to decode other people. While the pacing felt a bit heavy in some of these analytical moments, and a few plot points were glossed over quickly, the overall story kept me hooked.
I loved watching him realize that this was his person, leading to a beautiful happily-ever-after. The found family dynamics and the emotional reunions were wonderful. I am so impressed by this first book and can't wait to see how this series grows with future characters!
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