LUST AND HONOR: A Dark Mafia Romance

by Lia Lamar

Maxim
I don’t do love. Only lust. I don’t do mercy. Only blood. And I sure as hell don’t do second chances.

But then she walked into my club, all innocent red hair, freckles, and trembling lips. I took her because I thought she was an escort sent for me. She wasn't.

One night. One mistake. She disappeared from my bed before sunrise.

Three years later, she's standing in front of me with something she's been hiding all these years.

Something with my dark eyes and her red hair.

Now she's under my roof, under my protection, and under my skin.

She hates me. She wants me. She fears me. And I... I'm obsessed with every damn inch of her.

I'll destroy anyone who tries to take them from me, even if the biggest threat is the monster I see when I look in the mirror.

Welcome to my world, little strawberry. There's no escaping it.
***
LUST & HONOR is a dark, scorching standalone mafia romance featuring a ruthless, possessive antihero, a secret baby, forced proximity, and the woman he refuses to let escape twice. No cliffhanger. HEA guaranteed.

Genres: Mafia Romance

400 pages, Paperback

Published August 25, 2026

Reviews

[addictedtodarkromance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full RTC

Spice/Heat Intensity: 4.5 out of 5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
Main Characters: Maxim & Ava
Nickname: Strawberry
Darkness: 5 out of 5 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Type of book: MF, Dual 1st Person POV
Reading Order: Standalone with Interconnected Characters throughout the series
Title: The Honor Series- Lust and Honour: Book 3
Epilogue: Yes
Ending Type: HEA

[Erin Ellison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one just became my favorite in the series! Holy smokes! I love the first two but this one blew my mind! I've also been waiting for Maxims story since book 1 so there's that 🤣 the secret baby trope was executed perfectly. I'm usually a little iffy when it comes to that and I can pretty particular on execution but I thought Lia did a fantastic job with the entire premise.

Maxim is so intense, and possessive. Lia knows how to write an alpha Mafia MMC. He had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. As for Ava I loved her character. You're rooting for her the entire time especially when you learn about her past, her thought process when it came to Aurora and everything about her as a person and her actions make total sense.

I always enjoy the faster pace of this authors stories. There's never a dull moment, full of action, something is always going on that has you screaming into the void because WTH.

I totally devoured this one in record time and highly recommend! 🖤🖤

Dark mafia romance
Possessive MMC
Innocent FMC
Age gap
Secret baby
Forced proximity
High spice

[Brooke Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

So we have a few things going on here that I want to call out first:

Dub-con
Secret Baby
Forced Proximity
Touch her and ☠️
Age Gap
Mistaken identity
Off page SA and threat of CSA

Okay, if you’re still with me then I’m going to go ahead and share my thoughts. First off: I don’t like secret baby tropes, specifically where the FMC hides the baby from the ‘evil’ MMC. But this one is done so well. I understood why Ava didn’t come to Maxim about the baby. I would’ve made the same decision.

Anyway. We have some craziness straight away with Maxim expecting a new ‘girl’ at the ‘club’ and Ava showing up at the wrong time. Should she have clarified she wasn’t a SW? Probably. But she has her reasons for not speaking up and I mean who hasn’t found themselves forgetting all reason and logic in the presence of intense lust?!

When shit hits the fan and Ava and Maxim are unexpectedly thrown back together it’s not Maxim’s finest hour in how he deals with the sudden revelation that he’s a father. It’s kind of hard not to hate him. That happens a couple times through the story. But as we get to know him better we see he isn’t as bad as he acts.

Ava doesn’t have an easier back story. While this contributes to moments of miscommunication as neither her nor Maxim trust the other to divulge this information right away. Eventually they do come to trust one another. But not until something tragic happens to make them realize life is too short for this nonsense.

I cannot stress this part enough: if you like a good eye-for-an-eye revenge this is for you. Think Dante by Sadie Kincaid. I would’ve appreciated a bit more of the revenge scene but just knowing what was coming for them was good enough.

Very good read. Highly recommend.

[Sydney Wampler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received by NetGalley.

Thank you to the Author and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this creation.

Ohhh how I love a good dark mafia romance!

What to expect:
- Fancy brothel scenes & vibes
- Single mom & Mafia beast god
- Broken pasts & trauma
- Violence & suspense ⚔️
- Touch her & DIE
- SPICE 🌶️🔥
- Check TWs!

I read this as a standalone as the series is interconnected standalones, and I would totally venture into the rest of the series to get a view of the other characters’ stories.

In this story we have an FMC and MMC with tragic and traumatic pasts that connect to the mafia and dark underworld pits. The FMC seeks out the MMC after he saves her from an almost horrific encounter at the hands of a family member, and wants to thank him… But also she sees him as a ‘knight in shining armor’ persay. Upon meeting the MMC, her mind changes based on the circumstances of the club, but the MMC is taken with her. Hence an unfolding of their complicated relationship involving multiple factors, suspenseful pot twists, and a HEA tying it together.

The FMC allows herself to let go of the past and be vulnerable and protected, while the MMC learns to let go of his past tendencies and falls in love with one woman and her child completely 🖤

[Alva Schwung · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨✨ARC review✨✨

so here’s the thing, it was a good book. super easy to get sucked into and I really liked the premise. I am, however, a little confused, and most of that has to do with the language. it genuinely felt like there was a language barrier between me and the author. I don’t know if English is her first language, but as the annoying little bitch that I am, I do have a hard time overlooking language when there are this many issues with it🫠

BUTTTT it was also good enough that I kinda didn’t give a fuck??? 😭 like I was invested enough that I just kept reading and enjoying myself. BUT I also can’t write an honest review without mentioning it.

as for the actual story, I really liked it because uhhhh... I fucking LOVE a secret baby trope, I love a possessive daddy, etc etc etc🤷🏼‍♀️🫦 the plot moves pretty quickly too, and for once I’m actually grateful for that.

I would’ve LOVED more Aurora though because??? best character. spoiled little menace 😭👑

anyway, I’m gonna stop yapping now!

thank you for letting me read this🫶🏼 I will absolutely need to read everything else she’s written because apparently I have a new author to obsess over💅🏼📚

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When we first introduced to Maxim in the book, he is know as a manwho$e. He never has a relationship and sleeps with everyone. He is also s man on revenge mode

When he spends the night with Ava, who he mistaken for a prostitute, he can't forget her.

Forewind to 3 years later when Ava, running away from her past is working as a nanny for Don Carlo, Maxim friend. And she has a daughter...whom Maxim later finds out that he is the father.

This book is also about the relationships between
Maxim and Ava
Father and son [ Maxim and his father]
Father and daughter [Ava and her father]
Father and daughter[Maxim and Aurora]
Friends [ Maxim and Carlo]

There is also Maxim who after finding Ava and his daughter....saying he will never let them go and doing everything to show he is the man who you must listen to.

And there is action....

This book had it all and I enjoyed it

[Martina Peeva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow, what a ride!

I’ve been impatiently waiting for Maxim’s story ever since the very first book in this series, so I was so excited to finally get my hands on this one and it definitely didn’t disappoint!

I absolutely love the way Lia writes her MMCs. They’re super masculine, intense, possessive, total mafia alpha males. On the surface, you could say they’re all made from the same mold, but somehow she manages to make each of them feel completely different and give them their own personality. And I love that!

The story itself is incredibly fast-paced. There’s constantly something happening, which makes it almost impossible to put the book down. It’s one of those books you could easily finish in one sitting because you simply don’t notice the time passing.

I waited a long time for Maxim, and his story was absolutely worth the wait!

Definitely recommend!

[Maria Case · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review - Received the book from the Author

I had been waiting on this book since Carlo and Emily's story came out. I knew Maxim would be a total man whore but I didn't think he would do what he did to Ava. There were parts of the story that i felt was not believable but they were small. Like Carlo's 4 year old son's vocabulary in talking.

I loved the back and forth with Luca and Aurora. I can see a second generation book out in the future with these two. Especially after they were caught under the table playing house.... everyone set your mind out of the gutter, they are babies!

I put the book down at one point to allow it all to sink in. I was glad I did. I was able to pick it up the next morning and continue and finish with a smile on my face. Lia did it again.

I know this just came out but I'm waiting on your next story!

[Chelsey Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love mafia romance majority of the time. This fell short for me because of the MMC. I honestly was absolutely horrified at how they spoke and treated the FMC. I have absolutely read secret baby trope books set in mafia settings done well. Most of the time the MMC is upset but understanding to why she didn't tell him. Maxim used double standards alot here. Even Carlo also seemed to be way wrong with his words. Ava was treated wrong by people left and right. Emily was the voice of reason when it came to the men. If there is going to be situations where men do what they want or say what they want... the women characters should not have to put up with it. In this type of story if these situations were to happen then I expect groveling to prove he was wrong. I don't enjoy a FMC essentially letting it go and forgiving the people who didn't deserve it.

[Milena Vasileva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had noticed Lia Lamar when she was first introduced in the series, but it so happened that I am only now reading her as an author for the first time. I am pleasantly surprised by this advance copy, because in my desire to discover new authors for myself, I have been disappointed lately. I intend to catch up on the stories I missed, because this one grabbed me very quickly. The writing style is wonderfully clean, the narrative flows smoothly despite all the elements of irritation that keep the plot tense. The spicy scenes are excellent - the great chemistry between the main characters is conveyed, in my opinion 3 hot peppers. The mafia elements are believable although not intrusive. I really have nothing to give as criticism, I recommend this reading.

[Lacey Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only gave 3.5/4 starts because double standards give me the ick

The book had me in a chokehold. I couldn’t put it down finishing it in about 24 hours.
I’m glad the book ended the way it did, but there were so many times I wanted to throw hands. 🥊 when a main character has the audacity to have double standards😤

This was an arc copy I received. I hadn’t read the first couple books of the series but now I’m going to. As much as I wanted to punch the main character, I’m glad I read this book. Main character is probably why the title says lust* 😅

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ava and Maxim both have a complicated past, both heart breaking. He's the absolute man wh@r€ and part of the Mafia and she's as innocent as they come. These two collided in one explosive night that was a complete misunderstanding, that night produces a beautiful baby girl. Years later in a completely different circumstance these two meet up again and holy explosive is light for what id call them. There was a few times my eyes leaked for what she went through dealing him Maxim and his old ways, there were some days he definitely was not a nice person.

[Reba Densley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed this. I jumped in and now I plan on going back and reading book 1 and 2 so I can get more back story on Carlo and Emily's story. Ava is strong and is a take no nonsense. She's had a rough go but her little girl keeps her going. Maxim well I wasn't sure I would like him as he's a jerk to Ava but well you gotta read and determine for yourself. Its good drama with spice.

[Melissa Gringo242424 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book in this Mafia series. Maxim is a man who doesn’t do romance or relationships. Until he meets Ana one night….then stumbles into her several years later. Life is complicated as he is a mafia man and she is a sheltered woman running from her evil father. She also hid the child they had together from him. A great read lots of layers and plenty of spice.

[Christine Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is saved by him and she reappears years later. He thinks that she is his new toy. She disappears and keeps secluded for a few years. She has been a nanny for his friend and mafia Don she is put in the hospital for a cyst. The dons wife takes care of her daughter. She feels some familiarity with him. Something happens and they are rescued. It it a great book. And it is hiw as beep

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very thrilling, emotional, jaw dropping book to say the least. Kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I felt anxious and angry and fascinated the whole time. Couldn't put it down. Would recommend the read for sure!

[Mic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! This was my first Lia Lamar book and it won’t be my last. If you love a mafia romance this is perfect for you. Secret baby, possessive dad, strong females. Literally couldn’t put it down. If you have trigger warnings though make sure to check those before reading.

[Crystal Harbour · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another great read by Lia Lamar. Sweet HEA. Spicy, but a bit too much questionable CNC. #ARC

[Chrystal Erickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! Could not put this book down ! This book has everything you’re looking for, Mafia , spice , a twist and more. The author really makes you feel like you’re in the story . Loved it!

[Melissa McIntyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maxim and Ava have a complicated story. But a story that ultimately brings them together. Great read!#lialamar

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very entertaining to read and I was hooked from beginning to end !

[Reader Maty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ho letto per la prima volta due libri di Lia Lamar: ho amatola storia di Emily e Carlo, spicy, coinvolgente e molto romantico, mi ha preso dal primo capitolo all happy ending story🥰❤️🍀 non vedo l’ora di finire anche la storia di Lucia e Tony😉😉😉😉