Poisoned Promise

Mafia Lords of Sin

by Ajme Williams

My teenage son stole the wrong car…
Now the mafia king I ran from is standing at my door.



Fourteen years ago, I vanished without a trace.
Changed my name.
Buried my past.
And hid the secret growing inside me.



Because Felix Donizetti was never just my first love.
He was the ruthless heir to a mafia empire.
The only man who ever ruined me…
And the only man powerful enough to destroy me.



Now he’s back.



Older. Colder. More dangerous.
Draped in tattoos and ruthless power.
And he has no idea the reckless boy tearing through New York…



Is his son.



But that’s not even my worst secret.



Before I became a single mother…
I was the assassin they called Nightingale.



And the man Felix still mourns?

I killed him.



Now I’m trapped in his penthouse…
Watched. Controlled. Claimed.
Touched like he never stopped wanting me—
While he swears he’ll burn the world down to protect what’s his.



But the moment he learns the truth about his heir…
And what I really did all those years ago…



The man who once loved me won’t just hate me.



He’ll own me.
Break me.
And make sure I never escape him again.



Reader’s

Expect a dark, addictive mafia romance featuring a silver fox mafia king, secret son, second chance romance, forced proximity, touch her and die obsession, possessive antihero, mafia assassin heroine, hidden identity, enemies-to-lovers vibes, who hurt you energy, kidnapping/protection, penthouse captivity, secret past, revenge, betrayal, found family, he falls first harder, morally gray characters, high-stakes mafia war, protective father energy, obsessive hero, and a heroine dangerous enough to burn his empire to the ground.

Expect steam, angst, violence, emotional damage, and a hard-won HEA.

Genres: Second Chance, Mafia Romance, Surprise Pregnancy, Dark, Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance

346 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 12, 2026

About the author

Ajme Williams - mother, wife, daughter, dreamer, an avid reader and a writer.
When she's not writing romance, Ajme can be seen sipping coffee, gorging on dark chocolate, exercising, or travelling with family and friends. Cooking is therapeutic for her and she drools over Italian food...and men.
What to expect from her books?
Ajme loves variety, so expect a lot of second chances, secret babies, office romances, big fat fake weddings, curvy heroines and alpha heroes. HEA? Always, baby!
If you're a fan of emotional angsty contemporary romance, then you'll enjoy Ajme Williams.

Reviews

[kymagirl]

She buried the truth. He came back for everything.

Dove builds a quiet life out of fake names, locked doors, and survival discipline. For fourteen years, she keeps her son safe by staying hidden and pretending the woman she used to be is gone. Then Alex steals the wrong car, and her past comes straight to her door.

Felix is older now, colder, and far more powerful than the man Dove once loved. He mourned her, hated the world for taking her, and never stopped wanting her. Finding her alive should bring peace, but Dove carries secrets that could wreck them both.

Their reunion isn’t clean. It’s anger, hunger, grief, and years of unfinished need crashing together. Felix wants to protect her and keep her close enough that she can’t vanish again, while Dove wants freedom, safety for her son, and the strength to resist the one man who still knows how to reach her.

But the deeper Felix digs, the more dangerous Dove becomes. She was never just the woman he lost. She’s a mother, a survivor, and a weapon powerful men still fear, and when the truth breaks through, love becomes the risk neither can control.

Dove built survival around secrecy, then slowly lets love, desire, and trust back in without surrendering who she is. Felix moves from grief-fueled obsession into devotion, where protecting Dove means learning to trust her choices. Their relationship shifts from betrayal, rage, and unfinished desire into a volatile second chance shaped by intimacy and hard-won trust.

An ultra-steamy, dark, second chance, secret baby mafia romance filled with obsession, forced proximity, hidden identity, touch her and die devotion, betrayal, revenge, and morally gray love. It’s about survival, motherhood, trauma, power, trust, grief, loyalty, and the cost of running from a life that never lets go.

The Elevator Pitch: A hidden assassin turned single mother is dragged back into the mafia world when her teenage son steals the wrong car. The man she once loved returns with power, obsession, and a claim on the life she built without him. As old betrayals rise and buried truths threaten their fragile reunion, love becomes both the danger and the only way out.

Heat Level: 🔥🔥🔥 Ultra-Steamy / Erotic Romance

[Erika]

Dove and Felix were in love. He was the mafia heir and she was an assassin. Outside forces caused major issues that made her run. Fourteen years later, they are brought back to each other. This time she will not get aways so easily. This is a great mafia read.

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

[Nicole]

Poisoned Promise is a full-length standalone novel and part of the Mafia Lord of Sins Series. A former assassin reunites with the mafia king she fled from fourteen years ago when their secret son steals, his car forcing her to confront buried secrets and deadly betrayals. Here's what readers expect to learn in this story: Expect a dark, addictive mafia romance featuring a silver fox mafia king, secret son, second chance romance, forced proximity, touch her and die obsession, possessive antihero, mafia assassin heroine, hidden identity, enemies-to-lovers vibes, who hurt you energy, kidnapping/protection, penthouse captivity, secret past, revenge, betrayal, found family, he falls first harder, morally gray characters, high-stakes mafia war, protective father energy, obsessive hero, and a heroine dangerous enough to burn his empire to the ground.
Expect steam, angst, violence, emotional damage, and a hard-won HEA. Captivating. Darkness. Compelling. Irresistible. Twisted. Delicious. Sinful.
Tropes:
⚫️⚫️Dark Romance
✅️Hate-to-love Vibes Story
💀💀Mafia Romance
✅️Enemies-to-Lovers Romance
👰💍🤵‍♂️Forced Marriage Romance
✅️Enemies-to-lovers Romance
👨‍🦳👨‍🦳Silver Fox Romance
✅️Forced Proximity Romance
🫃👶Secret Baby Romance
✅️Contemporary Romance
👩👩Women's Fiction Story
✅️Second Chance Romance
✅️Protective Alpha Hero Story
✅️Romantic Suspense Story
✅️Second Chance Romance
💸💸Billionaire Romance
☠️☠️Organize Crime Story
Irish mafia princess Dove Healy as suffered a devastating loss after the death of her entire family. She was in a relationship with Felix Donizetti, but when she lost everyone and everything that's dear to her she thought that he was involved. In fear of her life and the life of her child she fled pregnant and grieving the lost of her family and the love of her life. Fourteen years ago, she flee from Felix and vanished without a trace. She had to changed her name to Dove James, buried her past, live in the shadows and hid the secret that's growing inside of her. taking care of her son looking over her shoulders. She had been raising their son Alex quietly and never thought that she would ever see Felix Donizetti again until her son stole the wrong persons car bringing her face-to-face with a her pass.
Felix is more dangerous, colder, powerful, and older. He was the ruthless heir to the Donizetti empire fourteen years ago, and now the Don. Draped in tattoos and ruthless power. And he has no idea that the reckless boy tearing through New York that brought him to her doorsteps was his son. He was the only man powerful enough to destroy her. For years he mourned the loss of her and never stopped hoping to find her. The news of his heir wasn't even her worst secret. Because before she became a single mom. She was a brutal, calculated and dangerous assassin known as the Nightingale. And the man Felix still mourns she was the one who killed him. This reunion wasn't a happy one. It was filled with anger, grief, longing and years of unfinished business between them. Dove wants to be free but Felix is not having none of that. He wants her close to him so that she can't get out of his sight again.
Now she's trapped in his penthouse where she's being watched, controlled and claimed. He touched her like he never stopped wanting her. Felix as tried to move on over the years and have even engaged in relationship with other partner. But no one has ever managed to fill the void because he gave his heart to her years ago and never got it back. Felix swears that he'll burn the world down to protect what’s his. But the moment he learns the truth about his heir. And what she really did all those years ago, the man who once loved her won't just hate her. He'll own her. Break her. And make sure that she never escapes him again. But the more he digs into her background, the more he learn that she was never the just the innocent girl who he had lost. She was a weapon of destruction, a trade assassin, the ghost a single mother and a woman who was feared by most men and still does. She was the ghost that story whispered about with families in the underworld. They rekindled their relationship. Felix was unaware that there was a traitor in his organization until it was too late and they were abducted. This led to them working together fighting for their lives to get back to his home to destroy the perpetrator. And once they defeated the enemy they were able to get back to their life that was cut short years ago.

I received an advanced copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[ashley ✨]

REVIEW // poisoned promise by ajme williams
— ( 🧷 ) first read
★★★★✰

౨ৎ ⋮ “some promises were always meant to be broken.”

ᝰ.ᐟ tropes:
⤷ dark romance
⤷ mafia romance
⤷ arranged marriage
⤷ enemies-to-lovers
⤷ family rivalry
⤷ possessive hero

— TW: violence, murder, organized crime, kidnapping, graphic content

poisoned promise was everything i want from a mafia romance—dangerous, addictive, and impossible to put down. the tension between the main characters had me hooked from the beginning, and every interaction felt like a battle for control. ajme williams does a great job balancing the romance with the mafia politics, making the story feel high-stakes without losing the emotional connection.

the chemistry was easily my favorite part of the book. the push and pull between them created so much tension, and i loved watching their relationship evolve through betrayals, secrets, and impossible choices. the hero was possessive and ruthless, but there were moments where his softer side slipped through that made me completely understand the obsession.

while some of the plot twists were predictable, the pacing kept me invested and i flew through the pages. the drama never felt forced, and there was always something happening to keep the story moving.

ᝰ.ᐟ plot summary:

caught between loyalty and survival, the heroine finds herself trapped in a dangerous arrangement that ties her future to a powerful mafia family. surrounded by enemies and buried secrets, she quickly learns that trust can be just as deadly as betrayal. as feelings begin to develop where hatred once lived, she must decide whether to follow the promises made for her—or risk everything for the man she was never supposed to love.

overall, poisoned promise delivered exactly what i was looking for: angst, danger, chemistry, and enough mafia drama to keep me turning pages. if you love dark mafia romances with possessive heroes and plenty of tension, this one is definitely worth adding to your tbr.

[Lenna Wright]

Triggers galore!!

This story delivers everything I love in a dark mafia second‑chance romance — danger, heartbreak, loyalty, and a love that refuses to die even after fifteen years of blood and betrayal.

Dove Healy—now living as Dove James—is the last surviving member of her Irish mafia family, wiped out by the villain who shaped her entire life. At twenty, pregnant and grieving, she fled believing the man she loved, Felix Donizetti, played a role in her family’s slaughter and the murder of his best friend, Nico. Now thirty‑five, she’s a single mother to a fourteen‑year‑old who is repeating his father’s teenage mistakes, right down to stealing a car, crashing it, and leaving her to answer a hospital call in the middle of the night.

But Dove was never just the daughter of an Irish Captain. She was his trained assassin, the ghost story whispered across families — the Nightingale — and the life she tried to outrun was never going to let her go.

Felix has spent fifteen years mourning two losses: his best friend and the only woman his heart ever claimed. He tried to move on, even took another woman as a partner, but it was nothing more than scratching an itch. No one could ever stand beside him the way Dove once did. When his boss sends him to track down a woman and her teenage son after a crash involving cartel product, the trail leads him straight to the apartment of the woman he thought was dead — his Dove.

And when his boss discovers the fugitive is the Nightingale, every rat in Felix’s crew sees an opportunity to drag her in for revenge. What they don’t understand is that Felix has already chosen his side. Dove has always been his obsession, his weakness, his only truth.

But the past is a blade, and when he learns she was involved in Nico’s death, the question becomes:
Will he protect her… or break under the weight of the truth?

This story is packed with tension, emotional wreckage, loyalty tested to the bone, and a reunion that feels both inevitable and explosive. A gripping, addictive read from start to finish.

[Korkoi]

Fighting for their Second Chance -
Dove didn’t expect her actions to clean up her son’s mess would come back to bite her in the backside, but she knew she was wrong when she opened her door expecting a pizza delivery and instead found Felix at the door. Felix had grieved Dove’s death for years, so discovering g she wasn’t dead and actually lived in the same State as he was, really shook him to the core. Even though Dove denied her involvement in the mess Felix was investigating, he didn’t expect his decision to cover for her would caused them immensely.

Unfortunately, Dove’s carefully crafted new life came unravelling not long after she reunited with Felix, but they tried everything possible to fight back. Nevertheless, Dove and Felix didn’t realise they had a traitor in the midst until they were kidnapped, which led to them fighting for their lives to get back their freedom and destroy the perpetrators. Luckily, Dove and Felix were able to get a chance to build the life that they previously missed out on and get the happily ever after they deserved.

I just had a really amazing reading experience, as I enjoyed the intense chemistry between the characters, the action-packed moments, the steamy encounters and the twists in the story, that had me at the edge of my seat, eagerly turning the pages. All I can say at this point is Ajme Williams, you have successfully produced a masterpiece, that deserves to be recommended to anyone looking for a great mafia romance story to read.

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

[Darkromancearabia Jin]

Some authors I adore and Ajme Williams is one of them. Her stories are always packed with my favorite tropes, and this one had everything I love: a strong, capable heroine, a second-chance romance, a secret child, and dark mafia drama with all the tension. Dove is intelligent, resilient, dangerous, and fully capable of protecting herself and those she loves. She was once the assassin known as Nightingale. Felix is powerful, protective, possessive, and completely devoted, having mourned Dove for fifteen years before discovering she was alive. Their reunion was filled with tension, emotion, and enough pent-up feelings to set the pages on fire... hot, hot, hot! Alex, their son, is a typical teenager acting out, which felt normal considering who his parents are and the fact that she “trained” him for emergencies. Alex actually plays a key role in bringing them back together through his actions. Add in family secrets, betrayals, shocking revelations, nonstop suspense, and an action-packed plot... It was one of those books where I desperately wanted to know what would happen but also never wanted it to end. If you love dark mafia romances with strong heroines, protective alpha heroes, secret children, second chances, danger, loyalty, and emotional drama, pick this one or any of Ajme’s books. You won’t be disappointed. (ARC).

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

[Clara Atkinson]

Poisoned Promise is part of the Lords of Sin series and is a standalone. It follows
Dove Healy aka Dove James and Don Felix Donizetti.
It been 15 years since Dove changed her name and left her life behind in order to protect her unborn child. Now everything she ran from ends up on her doorstep when her 14 year old son Alex goes for a joyride in a stolen car. In order to protect her son from a dangerous threat she dips into her old life as the assassin Nightingale and eliminates the threat or so she thought. What she didn't expect was it would result in Felix the man she ran from showing up at her door.
Felix has mourned the love of his life Dove since she died in a fire that took her whole family. So when he was sent to find the kid who stole the car and his mother he never expected it to be his Dove that answered the door.

Hold on tight as this one has some unexpected twist, turns, danger, shocking revelations and unimaginable betrayals. Oh and of course there's steamy passion and undeniable chemistry that leads to so much more.
While this story was worth the read I found it odd that Felix was presented as a powerful Don yet he acted like a lapdog and did whatever he was told to do by another family. There was a few other things that personally bugged me but that one really just stood out.

I received a free ARC through Booksprout an I'm voluntarily leaving my review.

4 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

[Marie]

Dove has been hiding for fifteen years. Built a life for her and her son. Ok maybe it's not the rich powerful world she grew up in, but it was away from the dangers living in that world brought with it. Or so she thought. She was hiding not only a son, but who she was and what she was capable of before she left. Now her son is in hospital after stealing a car from someone connected to her past. Felix has spent the last fifteen years mourning his best friend Nico and the only woman he has ever loved. Now he's no longer just an Enforcer. Now people do what he wants. Still it isn't enough. He'd give it all up if he could bring them back. His whole world changed in one week. Now he was being asked to find the boy who'd stole a car. What he doesn't expect is for his whole world to crash when she opens the door. She died fifteen years ago, with the rest of her family. Then the boy calls her mom, and now he needs to know why. This story is brilliantly written. Suspense, tension, lies, hurt, betrayal, steam, love and loyalty, it has it all. But just how far will Dove go to protect her son. What will happen when lies are uncovered and not all the truth is good. As always Ajme has given is a complicated story that just keeps unravelling with each turn of the page. I can't wait to see what comes next

[Judy]

This is a great addition to the Mafia Lords of Sin Series with a 2nd chance at love, a baby with a dark mafia story with secrets and dangers from the past. Dove better known at the assassin Nightingale was a force to be reckoned with then one day she’s threaten by Felix’s father the Don that’s she’s to disappear or he’ll end her. Dove’s world ends days later when her family home is destroyed and her family is killed. When her son Alex at 14 takes a joy ride and gets caught Dove’s past collides with the present. Meanwhile Felix has turned into someone with no heart and dedicated to the family business. When Felix discovers that Dove is alive with a kid he becomes protective of her and takes over believing she has another man’s child. These two crash into one another and find themselves in bed never dealing with the past as Dove continues to hide her part of what her life was and knows one day she’ll pay the price and Felix will be done with her. When their lives are threatened does the truth unravel and those he’s trusted are truly the enemy and how to survive will keep them running to find Alex even when Dove has trained him through childhood games. It’s amazing to see how an unexpected alliance jumps in to help Dove fight against those out to destroy her and those she loves!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Debbie Lyon]

Nothing is boring about this story!

This story has you on the edge of your seat from the first page till the last and I enjoyed it a ton.Dove and her son Alex is just trying to live normal lives until Alex and his friend Michael steal a car and go hot riding with it and crash it and now the life that Dove tried so hard to hide away is now slapping her in the face,because the car belong to some mafia man and he is out for blood and the person's responsible ten feet under! While waiting for her son to be release she is threatened by some fake cop and now Dove is on edge and pack up and run but she has some things to handle. Meanwhile Felix has a job he has to do and he chases down his prey to Dove's house and she opens the door thinking it's the pizza guy but instead it's her lost Love who thinks she is dead.This story has a lot of twists and turns,greed and friends you can't trust but it makes a great story.Its filled with second chances and trust that needs to be earned and listen to all the facts!

[Cindy Jones]

Poisoned Promise is the fifteenth story in the Mafia Lords of Sin series. It is a second chance story and emotional.

Dove has left her old life behind. She wanted to protect her unborn child. Now her son Alex has left in a stolen car. She wants to protect him and goes back to what she was before, an assassin. She thinks the threat has been taken care of. What she doesn't think about is when a man comes to her door. Felix is back in her life.

Felix thought Dove was dead and has been in mourning. He thought a fire took her life and all of her family. He was sent to find the person who stole the car and comes face to face with Dove.

I loved how Dove was willing to do what it took to save her unborn child. She was a strong person. I loved how Felix felt when he thought she was dead. Their story is filled with chemistry and danger. I look forward to the next story.

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

[Michele]

Dove and Felix are young and in love but keep their relationship a secret. But jealously by people close to them cause them to separate, for 15 years, through murder, manipulation, and mayhem.

When they meet again through a freak incident, all the misunderstanding from before gets in the way, especially since Felix had thought Dove was dead all along. Compounding that is the fact that Alec, Dove's son, is also Felix's son.

Their HEA is hard fought because they have to work through all the betrayal of those they thought were friends. And the amount of abuse that Dove has to endure to try to keep herself and her son safe is unbelievable, but she perseveres.

Not to worry, those that betrayed the couple get their comeuppance.

[Sheila]

This book was action-packed! I love the female hero. She was bad as a lady but also gentle as a mother. I loved the love she had for Felix and her protectiveness of what they shared. Sometimes circumstances in life makes us misjudge a situation without knowing all the information up front. We make assumptions and assumptions are not always the right ones. But I like how in the end those assumptions were cleared up and the right choices were made from being able to be informed correctly about past mistakes. I love that! In the end the family unit was created and nurtured and prevailed and I would love to see what happens as Alex grows up. Love this read!

[Merry Jelks-Emmanuel]

Fifteen years ago, Dove left her life behind to protect her so after losing her family. She thought everything was good until her son steals a car bringing the past she left behind to her doorstep. Felix thought he had lost her when everyone was killed but imagine his surprise when she opens the door. Their reconnection is intense and the secrets that she is hiding brings everything into the light. This is an intriguing story filled with suspense that grabs you in the first chapter.

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

[Pamela]

Dove ran away from her life as an assassin in the mafia to protect her unborn son, Alex. Now fourteen years later, a joyride in a stolen car by her son and his friend will leave her in the crosshairs of the man she loves and Alex father, Felix. Dove will do anything to protect her son even if it means her life. Felix thought Dove was dead along with her family. He was heartbroken and became cold after losing her. Now he finds out she's alive and was carrying their son when she left. A crazy, wild ride for everyone in this story.

I received a copy of this book via Booksprout.

[Jenni]

Dove escaped 15yrs ago believed to be dead but instead she left to protect her son and her secret identity, but when her son steals a car that belongs to the one man she didnt want to see, her past and present collide. Felix mourned the loss of his best friend and the woman he loved but when Dove opens the door and the boy who stole his car calls her mum everything changes, but can they weather the storm thats ahead. Well written engaging steamy desires drama action and more

[GKP2460]

Poison Promise is a beautifully written full of emotion. It's angsty, heartbreaking and intriguing and every single emotion is felt deeply. Dove and Felix and their story will absolutely captivate readers in a fantastic, unexpected way and doesn't let go long after their book ends. Aa always this author brings us another incredible story full of twists, turns, surprises and drama that kept me glued to the pages from beginning to end.

[J]

This is a part of Williams' Mafia Lords of Sin series. A wonderful addition to the series, this book features main characters Dove Healy aka Dove James and Don Felix Donizetti. Williams delivers a well written and captivating mafia romance with sweet, steam, suspense and more! Amazing twists and reveals along with danger, betrayal, passion and more. I loved it and can't wait for more!

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

[The Book Ssirren]

I loved Dove. She did what she thought was right fifteen years ago. She ran, pregnant and trying to find a quiet life. But when her son Alex is caught stealing a car, things take an abrupt turn. Felix walks into her life. Mr. Mafia himself. The one she ran from. But it isn’t the same anymore. And Alex is his. This story was wild. It was intense and chaotic. Twists and turns that kept me turning the pages. An amazing read.

[CJ]

The author has given us a dark story that pulls us into the lives of Felix, Dove and her son, Alex. The heart pounding story keeps us turning the pages with connection, secrets, escape, the return of the past, revelations and steam.

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

[good_girls_read_romance]

I loved every minute of this book.

Dove is a force not to be messed with; Felix is a strong alpha male who isnt afraid to get his hands dirty protecting those he loves, but also allows Dove to be herself and take action.

I will definitely be picking up more of Ajme Williams work asap!

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

[Narelle]

Dove knew Felix years go, loved him fiercely, but things happened. With her son Alex in tow there is plenty of drama and danger, reunions, secrets, lies and betrayals, second chances and more in a dark mafia read that will keep you reading to the end to find out all of the answers. Loved it.

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

[Amy Jones]

WOW!!
Loved reading Poisoned Promise, this book was so freaking good and was incredibly addictive. Fully action packed with so many twist and turns. The chemistry between Dove and Felix was extremely hot and I loved their story and didn’t want it to end because it was so freaking good!!

[Christine]

Arc review I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Dove and her son Alex have been in hiding for 15 yrs now the past has come calling and the love of her life is not stopping to claim her again. Awsome story lots of action

[Gaynor Jones]

Holy Crappola!!!❤️❤️❤️

What an emotional roller coaster! So many secrets, twists and turns, dark histories, lies, betrayal, danger, desire, hidden child, lust, love and new beginnings!

[Sandy]

I had a hard time with this book. The way Dove mothered Alex… well it was enabling a fourteen year old kid to get away with no accountability for his actions. Stealing a car, sneaking out at night, setting a fire. Dive just kept on with its not your fault. Of course it’s Alex’s fault. Make sure the teenager accepts his path in this. I just couldn’t get past this. It made the book not worth reading.

[Nate]

I enjoyed poisoned promise which was Felix and Dove’s story. It was an intense and intriguing read. And voluntarily leaving my review.

[Sarah Nguyen]

Secret child 14 years old. She is pulled back into mafia world. A bit toi much for me

[Rue]

i had to sneak in a mafia book, but wasn’t a fan of the book