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Ours To Rule: A Mafia Why Choose Romance
When Ardelisa Vinelli’s father crosses the wrong men, she becomes collateral. A bargaining chip in a war between the Italian mafia and the Russian Bratva.
Torn from the husband arranged to protect her, she falls into the hands of the Markov brothers.
Max is calculating.
Oskar is impossible to resist.
And Luca Longari wants his wife back.
What begins as strategy turns into something more dangerous because Ardelisa is done letting men decide her future.
As enemies close in and loyalties sway, the line between protection and possession begins to blur.
In a world built on honor, power, and bloodshed . . .
Will she be theirs to rule or hers?
Torn from the husband arranged to protect her, she falls into the hands of the Markov brothers.
Max is calculating.
Oskar is impossible to resist.
And Luca Longari wants his wife back.
What begins as strategy turns into something more dangerous because Ardelisa is done letting men decide her future.
As enemies close in and loyalties sway, the line between protection and possession begins to blur.
In a world built on honor, power, and bloodshed . . .
Will she be theirs to rule or hers?
- GenresWhy Choose
290 pages, Paperback
Published November 5, 2026
About the author
Alyssa Martin
7 books54 followersAlyssa Martin adores love stories in every form—from candlelit ballrooms to modern locker rooms. She writes both historical and contemporary romance, inspired by her studies in 18th and 19th century literature. She holds a BA in Education Studies and English Literature, an MA in English Literature, and is currently pursuing her PhD at the University of Winchester. Whether she’s writing about rakes or basketball players, she’s always looking for her next book boyfriend.
Connect with Alyssa:
TIKTOK & INSTAGRAM: alyssatheauthor_
FACEBOOK READER GROUP (Fluffy Spice Society)
Connect with Alyssa:
TIKTOK & INSTAGRAM: alyssatheauthor_
FACEBOOK READER GROUP (Fluffy Spice Society)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
October 15, 2026
ARC Review — 15.10.26
There's more or less spoilers in this review. So if you plan to read this book and don't want to be spoiled, don't read the review!
A big part of this review has been written while I was reading. So it is normal if some parts feel like I’m reacting specifically to a certain event.
* why choose
* Russian/Italian Mafia
I don't like to be the first "bad" review of an ARC. I don't like to not like a book like I do right now. But I can't lie, I review my book based on how I felt while reading them.
But I'll start by saying that the biggest issue for me was the story in itself and the plot. Not the writing. The writing style was pretty good. It's just the story that needed a lot more for me to enjoy it. This review is not a hate review towards the author, nor do I want it to be perceived as mean. So I hope my writing will point out what - from my point of view - needs more shaping. And if not, I'm sorry.
Unfortunately, right from the first chapter I knew that this book wasn't for me.
I know the urgency of the situation made it the way it was but I hoped for more of everything. More background, more world building, more feelings and tension, more time, more gentleness. The fact that this book is only 290 pages may be the issue too.
The father does a shit job, he has to run and protect his daughter. So he marries her off to Luca, someone she knows since she's a child and someone she has feelings for.
Luca feels very patriarchal in his way about Ardelisa's virginity and all. He wants to show her what HE likes, not something she might like or even something they might enjoy together.
So yeah, the first chapter felt so rushed. Not enough details, not enough easing us into the story. We don't really have much on their shared history, or their supposedly feelings for each other. I've read the first pages like someone was handing me a report with only factual events.
For I'd say, 40% of the book, Ardelisa seems to have no bone in her. She's just here and moved through the story like a puppet because we need a character like her for this type of story. A FMC, fragile, always at the hands of men, not thinking enough.
She has been kidnapped, and the first thing that happened the next morning is her ogling Oskar's dick and him wanting to fuck her ??? Just adding the fact that it's the same man who vocalized the possibility of raping her in front of her father. (But yeah, supposedly he doesn't force women............).
And of course, Ardelisa fantasize about having two men for herself. Of course she imagined doing it with her husband and her captors.
I'm not shaming her for wanting this, that's not the point nor the problem, the issue is that there's too much at once and nothing at all at the same time.
She's married to someone she's supposed to have feelings for, and instantly she's feeling something for her captors. There's no real internal conflict about the why choose/morality aspect of all the situations.
We have a poor "this is wrong" lacking in conviction and then she fucks the first brother.
There's regret after but it feels so pointless and empty.
She had been kidnapped for what ? A week at most and she fucks Oskar. We don't have to read about a true relationship forming. It just happens. Their attraction to each other didn't make se se to me, but hey, the guy is more experienced than her husband. And really, at that point it's more cheating than a why-choose.
It baffled me how the whole point felt like Ardelisa was cheating on her husband. And mind you, she justified it (her fucking the two captors) because yeah, she might die soon (by the hand of said captors), so why not fuck them and enjoy her last days on Earth that way.
The more I was reading, the more it amazed me - in the worst way possible - how everything happened so fast, without depth.
Ardelisa accepts to be their woman, just like that. Luca, the husband, still isn't in the picture and long gone is the little guilt she may have felt.
They sign a paper and right after she asks which one of the two will fuck her ???
“He’s not a monster.” I hold his gaze. “None of you are monsters. You’re just men doing what you have to do to survive.”
Like come on, really ?
Then, Mr. husband finds his wife naked, in a bed with her captors and nothing logical happens ? Sure he tries to "retrieve" her. But a few lines after he's made captive and accepts the situation right away. He even sees his wife being fingered by his enemy and somehow he's turned on ? It's a why choose, it can make sense, but here ? It doesn't. There's not enough content for it to make sense.
After this part, I stopped writing my review while reading. I didn't want to dissect any more than I already had and honestly it didn't go better for me.
It could have been a great story. The writing was here, but the plotting wasn't.
I must say though, that I liked seeing Ardelisa gaining independence. Sure her knowledge of shipping and all came out of nowhere but still, she had the chance to prove herself and run a company. So that counts a little.
She even has the chance to choose for herself what she wants to do with her relationship with Oskar and Max, and later Luca.
So in the end, this book had potential.
But to me, my expectations were not met.
I saw that some people enjoyed and loved this book, and I'm glad for them. We need a bit of everything for everyone. Maybe I'm too severe with this book, I don't know. But this review contains my feelings about it.
Again, I'm not hating on the author or the book. It was a bad book for me, but I understand it can be a good book for others.
There's more or less spoilers in this review. So if you plan to read this book and don't want to be spoiled, don't read the review!
A big part of this review has been written while I was reading. So it is normal if some parts feel like I’m reacting specifically to a certain event.
* why choose
* Russian/Italian Mafia
I don't like to be the first "bad" review of an ARC. I don't like to not like a book like I do right now. But I can't lie, I review my book based on how I felt while reading them.
But I'll start by saying that the biggest issue for me was the story in itself and the plot. Not the writing. The writing style was pretty good. It's just the story that needed a lot more for me to enjoy it. This review is not a hate review towards the author, nor do I want it to be perceived as mean. So I hope my writing will point out what - from my point of view - needs more shaping. And if not, I'm sorry.
Unfortunately, right from the first chapter I knew that this book wasn't for me.
I know the urgency of the situation made it the way it was but I hoped for more of everything. More background, more world building, more feelings and tension, more time, more gentleness. The fact that this book is only 290 pages may be the issue too.
The father does a shit job, he has to run and protect his daughter. So he marries her off to Luca, someone she knows since she's a child and someone she has feelings for.
Luca feels very patriarchal in his way about Ardelisa's virginity and all. He wants to show her what HE likes, not something she might like or even something they might enjoy together.
So yeah, the first chapter felt so rushed. Not enough details, not enough easing us into the story. We don't really have much on their shared history, or their supposedly feelings for each other. I've read the first pages like someone was handing me a report with only factual events.
For I'd say, 40% of the book, Ardelisa seems to have no bone in her. She's just here and moved through the story like a puppet because we need a character like her for this type of story. A FMC, fragile, always at the hands of men, not thinking enough.
She has been kidnapped, and the first thing that happened the next morning is her ogling Oskar's dick and him wanting to fuck her ??? Just adding the fact that it's the same man who vocalized the possibility of raping her in front of her father. (But yeah, supposedly he doesn't force women............).
And of course, Ardelisa fantasize about having two men for herself. Of course she imagined doing it with her husband and her captors.
I'm not shaming her for wanting this, that's not the point nor the problem, the issue is that there's too much at once and nothing at all at the same time.
She's married to someone she's supposed to have feelings for, and instantly she's feeling something for her captors. There's no real internal conflict about the why choose/morality aspect of all the situations.
We have a poor "this is wrong" lacking in conviction and then she fucks the first brother.
There's regret after but it feels so pointless and empty.
She had been kidnapped for what ? A week at most and she fucks Oskar. We don't have to read about a true relationship forming. It just happens. Their attraction to each other didn't make se se to me, but hey, the guy is more experienced than her husband. And really, at that point it's more cheating than a why-choose.
It baffled me how the whole point felt like Ardelisa was cheating on her husband. And mind you, she justified it (her fucking the two captors) because yeah, she might die soon (by the hand of said captors), so why not fuck them and enjoy her last days on Earth that way.
The more I was reading, the more it amazed me - in the worst way possible - how everything happened so fast, without depth.
Ardelisa accepts to be their woman, just like that. Luca, the husband, still isn't in the picture and long gone is the little guilt she may have felt.
They sign a paper and right after she asks which one of the two will fuck her ???
“He’s not a monster.” I hold his gaze. “None of you are monsters. You’re just men doing what you have to do to survive.”
Like come on, really ?
Then, Mr. husband finds his wife naked, in a bed with her captors and nothing logical happens ? Sure he tries to "retrieve" her. But a few lines after he's made captive and accepts the situation right away. He even sees his wife being fingered by his enemy and somehow he's turned on ? It's a why choose, it can make sense, but here ? It doesn't. There's not enough content for it to make sense.
After this part, I stopped writing my review while reading. I didn't want to dissect any more than I already had and honestly it didn't go better for me.
It could have been a great story. The writing was here, but the plotting wasn't.
I must say though, that I liked seeing Ardelisa gaining independence. Sure her knowledge of shipping and all came out of nowhere but still, she had the chance to prove herself and run a company. So that counts a little.
She even has the chance to choose for herself what she wants to do with her relationship with Oskar and Max, and later Luca.
So in the end, this book had potential.
But to me, my expectations were not met.
I saw that some people enjoyed and loved this book, and I'm glad for them. We need a bit of everything for everyone. Maybe I'm too severe with this book, I don't know. But this review contains my feelings about it.
Again, I'm not hating on the author or the book. It was a bad book for me, but I understand it can be a good book for others.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Oskar and Maxim are night & day in personality, but Oskar? That man was off his rocker, and I adored him! Every time he opened his mouth, I laughed at whatever came out. Maxim? That man can boss me around any day. Wink, wink. He's all business, and that doesn't change in the bedroom. Then there's Ardelisa, who marries Luca. These two have a history that made their relationship special. Watching Ardelisa grow into something more was one of my favorite parts. She proves she's more than just a woman meant to be a trophy. The title may say Ours to Rule, but she definitely ruled them! This story has a little bit of everything that made it a great Why Choose read: tense moments, betrayals, and plenty of spice mixed in with all the mafia/bratva drama.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book was SO DAMN GOOD! Mafia romance? YES PLEASE! Why choose? HELL YES! 🔥
Definitely one of my favourite mafia reads this year!
Ardelisa is the Capo’s daughter, and thanks to her father’s poor decisions, she’s now in need of protection. So, it’s arranged that she’ll marry her childhood best friend, Luca.
But Ardelisa’s life takes a very unexpected turn when two Russian mafia men enter her father’s home intending to kill him. To save her father, she offers herself as collateral to these dangerous men.
And of course, things don’t exactly go as planned when she starts catching feelings for her captors.
Oskar and Maxim are also completely unprepared for how much this woman is about to change their lives!
I absolutely loved Oskar! Yes, he technically takes Ardelisa captive, but this man is such a sweetheart and would do absolutely anything to make her happy.
Maxim, on the other hand, takes a little longer to love. This man is all tough exterior and tries so hard to push away any feelings he develops. Unfortunately, that means he can be pretty mean to Ardelisa and says some things that definitely had me wanting to smack him! But if you love a mean, grumpy man who’s secretly a softie underneath it all, Maxim is your guy. 🖤
And then we have Luca, the husband desperately trying to find not only his wife but also his childhood best friend. This poor man is just trying to do what’s best for Ardelisa while being completely clueless about her feelings.
And Ardelisa?! I absolutely loved this woman!
She’s spent her entire life being kept in the shadows, taught to be the obedient daughter and future wife. But underneath all that, she’s clever, intelligent and has plenty of fight in her!
I loved watching her slowly discover what she actually wants from life and become determined to get it. No more living for everyone else. It’s finally her time to shine!
Honestly, the chemistry between all these characters was INSANE! I’m so glad this was a why choose romance because there was absolutely no way I could have picked which man should get the girl in the end.
And the spice?! SO DAMN HOT! 🥵🔥 I absolutely ate it up!
The romance, the mafia drama, the chemistry and these incredible characters made this book impossible to put down.
I loved this book so much! Definitely a must read if you love mafia romance, especially with a why choose twist! 🖤
✨ What to expect:
⚔️ Enemies to Lovers
❤️🔥 Why Choose
💕 Friends to Lovers
💍 Arranged Marriage
⏳ Age Gap
🏠 Forced Proximity
🔐 Captor x Captive
🖤 Mafia Romance
Spice Rating: 5/5 🌶️
Definitely one of my favourite mafia reads this year!
Ardelisa is the Capo’s daughter, and thanks to her father’s poor decisions, she’s now in need of protection. So, it’s arranged that she’ll marry her childhood best friend, Luca.
But Ardelisa’s life takes a very unexpected turn when two Russian mafia men enter her father’s home intending to kill him. To save her father, she offers herself as collateral to these dangerous men.
And of course, things don’t exactly go as planned when she starts catching feelings for her captors.
Oskar and Maxim are also completely unprepared for how much this woman is about to change their lives!
I absolutely loved Oskar! Yes, he technically takes Ardelisa captive, but this man is such a sweetheart and would do absolutely anything to make her happy.
Maxim, on the other hand, takes a little longer to love. This man is all tough exterior and tries so hard to push away any feelings he develops. Unfortunately, that means he can be pretty mean to Ardelisa and says some things that definitely had me wanting to smack him! But if you love a mean, grumpy man who’s secretly a softie underneath it all, Maxim is your guy. 🖤
And then we have Luca, the husband desperately trying to find not only his wife but also his childhood best friend. This poor man is just trying to do what’s best for Ardelisa while being completely clueless about her feelings.
And Ardelisa?! I absolutely loved this woman!
She’s spent her entire life being kept in the shadows, taught to be the obedient daughter and future wife. But underneath all that, she’s clever, intelligent and has plenty of fight in her!
I loved watching her slowly discover what she actually wants from life and become determined to get it. No more living for everyone else. It’s finally her time to shine!
Honestly, the chemistry between all these characters was INSANE! I’m so glad this was a why choose romance because there was absolutely no way I could have picked which man should get the girl in the end.
And the spice?! SO DAMN HOT! 🥵🔥 I absolutely ate it up!
The romance, the mafia drama, the chemistry and these incredible characters made this book impossible to put down.
I loved this book so much! Definitely a must read if you love mafia romance, especially with a why choose twist! 🖤
✨ What to expect:
⚔️ Enemies to Lovers
❤️🔥 Why Choose
💕 Friends to Lovers
💍 Arranged Marriage
⏳ Age Gap
🏠 Forced Proximity
🔐 Captor x Captive
🖤 Mafia Romance
Spice Rating: 5/5 🌶️
Review of advance copy received from Author
If you are looking for a spicy, fast paced book and dont really care about the actual story of the book then you will absolutely love it.
Unfortunately, this book isnt for me. I like a more immersive story with logical succession of events.
I felt like the arranged marriage and her first sexual experience were very rushed and it seemed like Luca didn't even really care about her during that. He acted like she should be grateful towards him for 'going slow'.
Then within a week of being kidnapped she sleeps with her captures and gets a signed contract to be shared by them. Lisa kinda seemed to be going through the motions and was very nonchalant about it even though she was so sheltered in her life.
The story didn't seem to makes sense to me personally but I was happy it was HEA.
Again, this is just my personal opinion. Not every book is for every reader and it is nothing against the author!
Unfortunately, this book isnt for me. I like a more immersive story with logical succession of events.
I felt like the arranged marriage and her first sexual experience were very rushed and it seemed like Luca didn't even really care about her during that. He acted like she should be grateful towards him for 'going slow'.
Then within a week of being kidnapped she sleeps with her captures and gets a signed contract to be shared by them. Lisa kinda seemed to be going through the motions and was very nonchalant about it even though she was so sheltered in her life.
The story didn't seem to makes sense to me personally but I was happy it was HEA.
Again, this is just my personal opinion. Not every book is for every reader and it is nothing against the author!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
DNF
Sadly I couldn't push through this book and DNF at 54%.
The FMC is a doormat and she had no backbone and no moral compass and I couldnt relate to her, definitely didnt like her and there was no depth or strength to her character.
Sadly, the cheating was not written well, as she had no regrets, no concerns, and she was very selfish- a but like her own father as we establish at the start of the book. The storyline lacks imagination or detail, its fast paced, but in a way that its way too quick for her to jump between dicks considering the one she has no hesitation with is the one that threatened to r@pe her- so trying to make that something dreamy, is not likeable in my books.
If you love plenty of smut, and not interested in the plot- you may enjoy this one.
Sadly I couldn't push through this book and DNF at 54%.
The FMC is a doormat and she had no backbone and no moral compass and I couldnt relate to her, definitely didnt like her and there was no depth or strength to her character.
Sadly, the cheating was not written well, as she had no regrets, no concerns, and she was very selfish- a but like her own father as we establish at the start of the book. The storyline lacks imagination or detail, its fast paced, but in a way that its way too quick for her to jump between dicks considering the one she has no hesitation with is the one that threatened to r@pe her- so trying to make that something dreamy, is not likeable in my books.
If you love plenty of smut, and not interested in the plot- you may enjoy this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2026
What a spicy read! Wow! I honestly wasn’t expecting it to be so hot! The plot was so interesting and I truly didn’t know how it was all going to work out until the very end. This was just such a fun read. And I can’t tell you my favorite parts because it absolutely gives too much away, but go get this book!
💙forced proximity
🛥️why choose
💙kidnapped
🛥️childhood friends to lovers
💙forced marriage
🛥️mafia wars
Storyline:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Song: the love you want - Sleep Token
💙forced proximity
🛥️why choose
💙kidnapped
🛥️childhood friends to lovers
💙forced marriage
🛥️mafia wars
Storyline:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Song: the love you want - Sleep Token
November 6, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Italian Mafia x Bratva
Why Choose
Enemies to Lovers
Arranged Marriage
Age Gap
Virgin FMC
Friends to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Captor x Captive
Cheating
*spoilers below*
As an ARC reader I try to always align myself with books that I believe I’ll enjoy. Based on the tropes I saw on social media, I agreed to read. Upon starting the book I read the TW/content warnings which included cheating. Now, usually I’m not a fan of this trope but I wanted to see how it would play out (if the MC is horrible or abusive sometimes I can understand the cheating trope) so I continued on.
MCs:
Ardelisa- FMC who’s been sheltered by her Capo father and is forced to abruptly marry her childhood beating Luca in order to protect her.
Luca- taken in by Adelina’s father and raised like a son to him and taught how to run the her father’s shipping empire.
Oskar- Bratva, rival to the Italian mafia. Takes Ardelisa a a bargaining chip with his brother. Golden retriever vibes
Maxim- brother to Oskar and mastermind behind their Bratva empire. Cold, calculating and dominating.
After the first chapter I struggle to connect to Ardelisa and Luca. I needed more history and backstory with them. It just kind of starts with them having to marry quickly for her protection. The wedding night kind of put me off. She’s a virgin which she tells him and he claims he’ll be gentle with her and that lasted all of about 10 seconds. I dunno just made me not really like him, in that moment he made it about his needs.
Then the brothers pay Ardelisa’s dad a visit to collect their lost guns. When they notice a picture of his daughter they threaten to 🍇 her in front of him. She ends up offering herself as collateral. They end up taking her as a bargaining chip to regain their lost products from her father.
Luca is on a mission to find his wife and the Don is of no help. Ardelisa begs the brothers not to kill Luca. A confrontation happens and Luca ends up shooting Oskar and gets away.
While she’s their captive Oskar is quickly taken with her. He is overly flirty and eventually wears her down and they become intimate. (19% in) I understand she doesn’t have a lot of life experience but she gives in to him rather quickly.
Then Max strolls in and Oskar as him if he wants to join to which she agrees the after has a freak out. She knew it was wrong then tried to act like he seduced her after. Like no girl, you gave consent “say yes” “ tell me to stop”… “yes” “okay”.
After this she makes an escape attempt but fails and somehow still ends up back in bed with them. Now with an agreement in place, she agrees to be theirs and she gets as much freedom as they can offer. Max lets her run his shipping company going her a sense of control that she would have never had under the rather or with Luca.
I did enjoy how Max and Oskar appreciated her intelligence and supported her. Oskar was always cooking for her and buying her clothes, he just wanted to make her happy.
Now there is no denying the chemistry between Oskar, Ardelisa and Max. The spice is well written and insanely hot.
When Luca re-enters the picture by trying to rescue her she begs the Brothers not to hurt him and they end up keeping him as their captive too. She convinces them to let him stay in the main house and Luca walks in on Oskar finger banging her in the kitchen and then Ardelisa suggests they need to take it upstairs. *I’m sorry but this is where I really struggled.. like girl that is your childhood friend, your HUSBAND that you’ve admitted you love and you just walk past him and go upstairs and get railed, screaming out another man’s name… no absolutely not. This is where the cheating trope gave me the ick. If she had no feelings for Luca and it was just an arrangement l could have gotten past it.
I’ll wrap it up.. Luca eventually joins the fold after the brothers proposition him knowing he can’t return to the Italians so they give him a job with them. There is some suspense with Ardelisa being kidnapped again and it resolves itself pretty quickly with the brother and Luca coming to the rescue. The mafia aspect of the plot I enjoyed. I also enjoyed seeing the brothers support her love of writing. I just really struggled with the whole cheating aspect and how she could “love” Luca and still go through with all of that. Again the spice and the group scenes were hot and I did enjoy them. I really wanted to love this book but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me. The writing style was good but I just need more connection to the characters. Just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it isn’t for someone else. If you want a spicy, why choose, mafia x Bratva plot, arranged marriage and are okay with cheating then you’ll likely enjoy this book.
Thank you to author Alyssa Martin for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Italian Mafia x Bratva
Why Choose
Enemies to Lovers
Arranged Marriage
Age Gap
Virgin FMC
Friends to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Captor x Captive
Cheating
*spoilers below*
As an ARC reader I try to always align myself with books that I believe I’ll enjoy. Based on the tropes I saw on social media, I agreed to read. Upon starting the book I read the TW/content warnings which included cheating. Now, usually I’m not a fan of this trope but I wanted to see how it would play out (if the MC is horrible or abusive sometimes I can understand the cheating trope) so I continued on.
MCs:
Ardelisa- FMC who’s been sheltered by her Capo father and is forced to abruptly marry her childhood beating Luca in order to protect her.
Luca- taken in by Adelina’s father and raised like a son to him and taught how to run the her father’s shipping empire.
Oskar- Bratva, rival to the Italian mafia. Takes Ardelisa a a bargaining chip with his brother. Golden retriever vibes
Maxim- brother to Oskar and mastermind behind their Bratva empire. Cold, calculating and dominating.
After the first chapter I struggle to connect to Ardelisa and Luca. I needed more history and backstory with them. It just kind of starts with them having to marry quickly for her protection. The wedding night kind of put me off. She’s a virgin which she tells him and he claims he’ll be gentle with her and that lasted all of about 10 seconds. I dunno just made me not really like him, in that moment he made it about his needs.
Then the brothers pay Ardelisa’s dad a visit to collect their lost guns. When they notice a picture of his daughter they threaten to 🍇 her in front of him. She ends up offering herself as collateral. They end up taking her as a bargaining chip to regain their lost products from her father.
Luca is on a mission to find his wife and the Don is of no help. Ardelisa begs the brothers not to kill Luca. A confrontation happens and Luca ends up shooting Oskar and gets away.
While she’s their captive Oskar is quickly taken with her. He is overly flirty and eventually wears her down and they become intimate. (19% in) I understand she doesn’t have a lot of life experience but she gives in to him rather quickly.
Then Max strolls in and Oskar as him if he wants to join to which she agrees the after has a freak out. She knew it was wrong then tried to act like he seduced her after. Like no girl, you gave consent “say yes” “ tell me to stop”… “yes” “okay”.
After this she makes an escape attempt but fails and somehow still ends up back in bed with them. Now with an agreement in place, she agrees to be theirs and she gets as much freedom as they can offer. Max lets her run his shipping company going her a sense of control that she would have never had under the rather or with Luca.
I did enjoy how Max and Oskar appreciated her intelligence and supported her. Oskar was always cooking for her and buying her clothes, he just wanted to make her happy.
Now there is no denying the chemistry between Oskar, Ardelisa and Max. The spice is well written and insanely hot.
When Luca re-enters the picture by trying to rescue her she begs the Brothers not to hurt him and they end up keeping him as their captive too. She convinces them to let him stay in the main house and Luca walks in on Oskar finger banging her in the kitchen and then Ardelisa suggests they need to take it upstairs. *I’m sorry but this is where I really struggled.. like girl that is your childhood friend, your HUSBAND that you’ve admitted you love and you just walk past him and go upstairs and get railed, screaming out another man’s name… no absolutely not. This is where the cheating trope gave me the ick. If she had no feelings for Luca and it was just an arrangement l could have gotten past it.
I’ll wrap it up.. Luca eventually joins the fold after the brothers proposition him knowing he can’t return to the Italians so they give him a job with them. There is some suspense with Ardelisa being kidnapped again and it resolves itself pretty quickly with the brother and Luca coming to the rescue. The mafia aspect of the plot I enjoyed. I also enjoyed seeing the brothers support her love of writing. I just really struggled with the whole cheating aspect and how she could “love” Luca and still go through with all of that. Again the spice and the group scenes were hot and I did enjoy them. I really wanted to love this book but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me. The writing style was good but I just need more connection to the characters. Just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean it isn’t for someone else. If you want a spicy, why choose, mafia x Bratva plot, arranged marriage and are okay with cheating then you’ll likely enjoy this book.
Thank you to author Alyssa Martin for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (JUST)
🌶🌶🌶🌶
I love a why-choose romance, and throw in a mafia plot and I’m there in a heartbeat, but this didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I can forgive a weak plot for a healthy dose of smut if I love the characters, but I struggled to connect with them.
My issues started with Ardelisa and Luca. We’re told they’ve always loved each other, but I never felt that connection and wanted more of their backstory. They’ve been married 5 minutes, Ardelisa loses her virginity to Luca, gets kidnapped and then agrees to be shared with Oskar and Maxim because she believes she might die. There wasn’t enough build-up or push and pull for the instalust to work for me.
Ardelisa also lacked personality and fire for much of the book. Her first real glimpse of a backbone came when she attempted to escape, driven by guilt over cheating on Luca, but she seemed to accept her situation rather quickly afterwards. I did appreciate seeing more independence later, when negotiating her salary and being honest about not wanting children. I just wish we’d seen more of that stronger, self-assured woman throughout.
Luca was the character I struggled with most. I never got why he loved Ardelisa I wanted more of his POV, especially while he was trying to get her back. His jealousy over Oskar and Maxim teaching her things he hadn’t, and his struggle to accept how much she’d changed, frustrated me. He didn’t seem to appreciate the woman she was becoming.
Oskar and Maxim, however, were highlights for me. Despite holding her captive, they encouraged her independence, gave her opportunities to run a shipping company and pursue her writing, and allowed her to make her own choices. They seemed far better at recognising her potential than the husband who had supposedly loved her all her life.
Luca did earn some redemption towards the end, when he realised Ardelisa had never really chosen to marry him, and that he didn’t want to force her to return. Recognising that Oskar and Maxim could offer her freedoms he couldn’t was a step in the right direction.
Not a book I hated, but one that had the potential to be so much better.
🌶🌶🌶🌶
I love a why-choose romance, and throw in a mafia plot and I’m there in a heartbeat, but this didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I can forgive a weak plot for a healthy dose of smut if I love the characters, but I struggled to connect with them.
My issues started with Ardelisa and Luca. We’re told they’ve always loved each other, but I never felt that connection and wanted more of their backstory. They’ve been married 5 minutes, Ardelisa loses her virginity to Luca, gets kidnapped and then agrees to be shared with Oskar and Maxim because she believes she might die. There wasn’t enough build-up or push and pull for the instalust to work for me.
Ardelisa also lacked personality and fire for much of the book. Her first real glimpse of a backbone came when she attempted to escape, driven by guilt over cheating on Luca, but she seemed to accept her situation rather quickly afterwards. I did appreciate seeing more independence later, when negotiating her salary and being honest about not wanting children. I just wish we’d seen more of that stronger, self-assured woman throughout.
Luca was the character I struggled with most. I never got why he loved Ardelisa I wanted more of his POV, especially while he was trying to get her back. His jealousy over Oskar and Maxim teaching her things he hadn’t, and his struggle to accept how much she’d changed, frustrated me. He didn’t seem to appreciate the woman she was becoming.
Oskar and Maxim, however, were highlights for me. Despite holding her captive, they encouraged her independence, gave her opportunities to run a shipping company and pursue her writing, and allowed her to make her own choices. They seemed far better at recognising her potential than the husband who had supposedly loved her all her life.
Luca did earn some redemption towards the end, when he realised Ardelisa had never really chosen to marry him, and that he didn’t want to force her to return. Recognising that Oskar and Maxim could offer her freedoms he couldn’t was a step in the right direction.
Not a book I hated, but one that had the potential to be so much better.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
Arc reviewer
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Finished in less than 24 hours in a few sessions.
Spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🤌🏼💥
I liked the general plot and enjoyed the writing style.
Spoilers possible ahead…
If you are looking for a quick read with Mafia and why choose tropes, this is it.
I enjoyed the characters but I will say I wish we had a little more background on each of them.
Would love a little more history on Ardelisa’s parents. She seemed to love and worship her dad at the beginning but ended up despising him without more context (without the given) And nothing more on her mom other than just disappearing or other family history. Or how they came to be involved in the Italian mafia.
Same with Maxim and Oskar, not a lot of history noted just very brief statements. More details on their dad or how he went to prison?
Could have developed with more pages.
Or even how Luca came to be so close to Ardelisa and her dad?
Loved the spice. It felt real. The scenes where hot!
It only felt forced her first time with her captors because there wasn’t anything built prior to their first time. Which I craved at the time. The build up.
I was also craving a little more depth between Luca, Oskar and Maxim. Even a brotherhood or more understanding or acceptance even? I don’t know what but I wanted more from them as a harem.
I was almost mad when you didn’t give us the three on one at once scene that you were teasing… must read the epilogue!
Overall if you like a quick moving read this is for you!
If you want more tension and depth you may not feel enough with this.
I would read this again. And I would read the next book if there is one! We want to see where this story goes? A family?!?!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Finished in less than 24 hours in a few sessions.
Spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🤌🏼💥
I liked the general plot and enjoyed the writing style.
Spoilers possible ahead…
If you are looking for a quick read with Mafia and why choose tropes, this is it.
I enjoyed the characters but I will say I wish we had a little more background on each of them.
Would love a little more history on Ardelisa’s parents. She seemed to love and worship her dad at the beginning but ended up despising him without more context (without the given) And nothing more on her mom other than just disappearing or other family history. Or how they came to be involved in the Italian mafia.
Same with Maxim and Oskar, not a lot of history noted just very brief statements. More details on their dad or how he went to prison?
Could have developed with more pages.
Or even how Luca came to be so close to Ardelisa and her dad?
Loved the spice. It felt real. The scenes where hot!
It only felt forced her first time with her captors because there wasn’t anything built prior to their first time. Which I craved at the time. The build up.
I was also craving a little more depth between Luca, Oskar and Maxim. Even a brotherhood or more understanding or acceptance even? I don’t know what but I wanted more from them as a harem.
I was almost mad when you didn’t give us the three on one at once scene that you were teasing… must read the epilogue!
Overall if you like a quick moving read this is for you!
If you want more tension and depth you may not feel enough with this.
I would read this again. And I would read the next book if there is one! We want to see where this story goes? A family?!?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2026
We are thrown right into the action when the story begins. I was a bit lost wondering what was going on, but it made sense once the dust settled. Ardelisa's dad was in a panic, there was chaos for the families involved, and the feelings I felt reading matched what was happening.
I didn't like Luca in the beginning, I finally liked him towards the end. He was supposed to be Lisa's lifelong friend and even claimed he married her for protection, but he came off as selfish. Unfortunately, I think he was just as lost. He didn't know how to step up and be himself when he was trying to please those around him. Once he let go of expectations he thrived.
I liked Oskar once the story unfolded. He was introspective and wanted Lisa to be happy. He showed he cared by taking care of Lisa, once he quit being just the flirt and recognized he actually liked her. He was also more honest with her initially, even if it was brutal.
Max was standoffish and I wasn't a fan of his for half of the story. Once he realized there was more to Lisa than his assumptions his behavior changed. I gave him a brief pass as the grumpy leader, and recognized his desire to make sure he nor his brother were hurt if things ended poorly with Ardelisa.
Ardelisa was also not my favorite FMC. She was sheltered and underestimated, so I did give her a break for some of my judgments. Once she realized she could speak up, watching her grow was rewarding.
I didn't connect with these characters in the beginning of the story, which made it hard for me to finish it. Once I was about halfway through, the characters began to win me over and I was glad I stuck with it to see the ending.
I didn't like Luca in the beginning, I finally liked him towards the end. He was supposed to be Lisa's lifelong friend and even claimed he married her for protection, but he came off as selfish. Unfortunately, I think he was just as lost. He didn't know how to step up and be himself when he was trying to please those around him. Once he let go of expectations he thrived.
I liked Oskar once the story unfolded. He was introspective and wanted Lisa to be happy. He showed he cared by taking care of Lisa, once he quit being just the flirt and recognized he actually liked her. He was also more honest with her initially, even if it was brutal.
Max was standoffish and I wasn't a fan of his for half of the story. Once he realized there was more to Lisa than his assumptions his behavior changed. I gave him a brief pass as the grumpy leader, and recognized his desire to make sure he nor his brother were hurt if things ended poorly with Ardelisa.
Ardelisa was also not my favorite FMC. She was sheltered and underestimated, so I did give her a break for some of my judgments. Once she realized she could speak up, watching her grow was rewarding.
I didn't connect with these characters in the beginning of the story, which made it hard for me to finish it. Once I was about halfway through, the characters began to win me over and I was glad I stuck with it to see the ending.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review!
Thank you to the author for the book!
Overall I enjoyed the book. I read 70% of it in one day. I do love a good Why Choose Mafia Romance. That being said I do think the story was lacking in some places. We’re told at the very beginning that Luca and Lisa are childhood best friends. But we don’t get to see any of that relationship. The beginning of the book felt extremely rushed. They’re immediately married and sleeping together and then she’s taken. We don’t see anything from Luca until about 60% through the book. I would have liked to have seen more of their relationship prior and of him trying to get his wife back. When it comes to Ardelisa her internal conflict with wanting the twins but being married feels… lacking. She inevitably gives in and sleeps with Oskar and there’s really no real remorse since she continues to do it. For me, cheating is a big no, even though knowing that all of the characters end up together, it doesn’t sit well with me. When Luca does finally find her the reunion is lackluster. He finds her in bed with both brothers, has a mild reaction, try’s to convince her to leave with him, and then ends up in a fight with the brothers before being held in a room as a captive. Luca is offered to stay with them and join the arrangement, and expresses conflict but we never really see that internal struggle. I think this book had the potential to be great, but there was just a lot that was missing. The spice in the book was written really well and I enjoyed the authors writing style I just would have liked more from the plot.
Thank you to the author for the book!
Overall I enjoyed the book. I read 70% of it in one day. I do love a good Why Choose Mafia Romance. That being said I do think the story was lacking in some places. We’re told at the very beginning that Luca and Lisa are childhood best friends. But we don’t get to see any of that relationship. The beginning of the book felt extremely rushed. They’re immediately married and sleeping together and then she’s taken. We don’t see anything from Luca until about 60% through the book. I would have liked to have seen more of their relationship prior and of him trying to get his wife back. When it comes to Ardelisa her internal conflict with wanting the twins but being married feels… lacking. She inevitably gives in and sleeps with Oskar and there’s really no real remorse since she continues to do it. For me, cheating is a big no, even though knowing that all of the characters end up together, it doesn’t sit well with me. When Luca does finally find her the reunion is lackluster. He finds her in bed with both brothers, has a mild reaction, try’s to convince her to leave with him, and then ends up in a fight with the brothers before being held in a room as a captive. Luca is offered to stay with them and join the arrangement, and expresses conflict but we never really see that internal struggle. I think this book had the potential to be great, but there was just a lot that was missing. The spice in the book was written really well and I enjoyed the authors writing style I just would have liked more from the plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Alyssa Martin delivered agaaaaain with this one! Honestly, as soon as we got friends to lovers turned marriage of convenience, I was already sold… and then getting kidnapped by two delicious Russians on top of that????! Tell me more!!!!!!
Luca and Lisa’s relationship was honestly so sweet from the very beginning. Going from childhood friends to a marriage of convenience while still genuinely loving and caring for each other made their bond feel so real and grounded before all the chaos went down. And then enter the Markov brothers!!!! The contrast between Oskar and Maxim was soooo good. Oskar was sweet and charming right from the start, while Maxim was a total shell so serious, calculating, and cold. Watching Maxim slowly thaw and start seeing Lisa as an actual person instead of just a bargaining chip was chef’s kiss
Hands down my favorite part of the book, though, was Lisa’s character arc. After her father spent her whole life telling her she wasn't capable, watching her step into her own power, realize her strength, and accept how independent she really is was just amazing to read
My only tiny critique is that I wish we had gotten a little bit more closure with the Russians’ dad, but overall? An absolute banger of a read. Super fast paced, high stakes, and top tier character growth. Alyssa Martin never misses!
Luca and Lisa’s relationship was honestly so sweet from the very beginning. Going from childhood friends to a marriage of convenience while still genuinely loving and caring for each other made their bond feel so real and grounded before all the chaos went down. And then enter the Markov brothers!!!! The contrast between Oskar and Maxim was soooo good. Oskar was sweet and charming right from the start, while Maxim was a total shell so serious, calculating, and cold. Watching Maxim slowly thaw and start seeing Lisa as an actual person instead of just a bargaining chip was chef’s kiss
Hands down my favorite part of the book, though, was Lisa’s character arc. After her father spent her whole life telling her she wasn't capable, watching her step into her own power, realize her strength, and accept how independent she really is was just amazing to read
My only tiny critique is that I wish we had gotten a little bit more closure with the Russians’ dad, but overall? An absolute banger of a read. Super fast paced, high stakes, and top tier character growth. Alyssa Martin never misses!
Review of advance copy received from Author
🖤 why choose
💀 Italian/Russian mmcs
🌶 Lots of spice
This is spicy! Read TW!
What I liked was the Fmc proving she can absolutely lead and is smart. Luca is the mmc who she marries right before she is kidnapped by the Russian brothers. Luca is her best friend but also they have loved each other for along time. What I found kind of ridiculous is that she is 24 and a virg@n while the man who has been in love with her for along time is experienced. So while she is just told she is going to marry him by her father she is disappointed in why and how it is happening but it is the man she wanted. Oskar and Maxim come in and honestly gave her what she needed which was to be able to make choices. Instead of cooking, having children, and being a wife they saw her potential. That is absolutely not to say they did things right either but honestly Noone in this story was perfect.
I wished that she would have fully understood that her father was abandoning her to the Russians. I also wished that there would have been maybe closure about their father. It felt like he was locked up and kept calling trying to be the boss. Yet I'm unsure what point there was in having him complaining and expecting them to do what could land them in there as well.
Either way if you want spice and you enjoy why choose this could work for you.
💀 Italian/Russian mmcs
🌶 Lots of spice
This is spicy! Read TW!
What I liked was the Fmc proving she can absolutely lead and is smart. Luca is the mmc who she marries right before she is kidnapped by the Russian brothers. Luca is her best friend but also they have loved each other for along time. What I found kind of ridiculous is that she is 24 and a virg@n while the man who has been in love with her for along time is experienced. So while she is just told she is going to marry him by her father she is disappointed in why and how it is happening but it is the man she wanted. Oskar and Maxim come in and honestly gave her what she needed which was to be able to make choices. Instead of cooking, having children, and being a wife they saw her potential. That is absolutely not to say they did things right either but honestly Noone in this story was perfect.
I wished that she would have fully understood that her father was abandoning her to the Russians. I also wished that there would have been maybe closure about their father. It felt like he was locked up and kept calling trying to be the boss. Yet I'm unsure what point there was in having him complaining and expecting them to do what could land them in there as well.
Either way if you want spice and you enjoy why choose this could work for you.
November 7, 2026
This was a quick read for me. I’m always into mafia reads especially why-choose so that’s why I wanted to read this one.
Loved the authors writing style. There are some why-choose elements in the story. Definitely mafia build.
Ardelisa & Luca needed more character build especially since they were supposed to have known one another since childhood and have feelings for one other; however there’s no character build between them.
Maxim and Oskar - brothers and Ardelisas captors
Very opposite personalities. One wants to be with Ardelisa in all ways. The other has not so nice thoughts.
Ardelisa- gave herself up to the captors to “save” her dad just 24 hrs after being wed in an arranged marriage to Luca. She hasn’t been with anyone except Luca on wedding night but finds herself having thoughts of her captors.
The plot is definitely there but there needs to be more character and world building. It has the writing to be a 5 star but it isn’t quite there just because lack of character and world building and the pace is a little too fast. Yes it’s a short book which does explain why it just seems rushed.
Like I said previously I did enjoy the story it was just missing a few things which is why it received 4 stars instead of 5.
Thank you to the author Alyssa Martin for an advance copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Loved the authors writing style. There are some why-choose elements in the story. Definitely mafia build.
Ardelisa & Luca needed more character build especially since they were supposed to have known one another since childhood and have feelings for one other; however there’s no character build between them.
Maxim and Oskar - brothers and Ardelisas captors
Very opposite personalities. One wants to be with Ardelisa in all ways. The other has not so nice thoughts.
Ardelisa- gave herself up to the captors to “save” her dad just 24 hrs after being wed in an arranged marriage to Luca. She hasn’t been with anyone except Luca on wedding night but finds herself having thoughts of her captors.
The plot is definitely there but there needs to be more character and world building. It has the writing to be a 5 star but it isn’t quite there just because lack of character and world building and the pace is a little too fast. Yes it’s a short book which does explain why it just seems rushed.
Like I said previously I did enjoy the story it was just missing a few things which is why it received 4 stars instead of 5.
Thank you to the author Alyssa Martin for an advance copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I got the honor of ARC reading this book pre-release and it was absolutely addicting and delicious. I simply could NOT put it down.
"Ours to Rule" is a dark, high-stakes mafia romance about a woman caught between rival criminal powers, a marriage she didn’t choose freely, and men who all have their own ideas about who she belongs to.
I do not have the words, this book has left me speechless but in a great way. I love mafia books, and so I knew going into this, that I would at the very least, like it. But Ours to Rule supersedes all expectations I had, and then some and I'm not the least bit mad about it either. The plot kept me on the edge of my seat, the characters had me swooning, and the why choose was so hot I feared I would get burns! Not to mention that our beloved, Ardelisa gets to choose her own path and freedom, not the chains and shackles that held her prisoner her whole life.
It was such a privilege to be able to read this book, Alyssa Martin did a phenomenal job and I cannot wait to read more of her work.
If you are looking for your next read, consider "Ours to Rule", especially if you like:
X Steamy Why Choose
X MafiaxBratva
X Independent FMC
X Obsession/protection
X A dark morally complicated romance.
"Ours to Rule" is a dark, high-stakes mafia romance about a woman caught between rival criminal powers, a marriage she didn’t choose freely, and men who all have their own ideas about who she belongs to.
I do not have the words, this book has left me speechless but in a great way. I love mafia books, and so I knew going into this, that I would at the very least, like it. But Ours to Rule supersedes all expectations I had, and then some and I'm not the least bit mad about it either. The plot kept me on the edge of my seat, the characters had me swooning, and the why choose was so hot I feared I would get burns! Not to mention that our beloved, Ardelisa gets to choose her own path and freedom, not the chains and shackles that held her prisoner her whole life.
It was such a privilege to be able to read this book, Alyssa Martin did a phenomenal job and I cannot wait to read more of her work.
If you are looking for your next read, consider "Ours to Rule", especially if you like:
X Steamy Why Choose
X MafiaxBratva
X Independent FMC
X Obsession/protection
X A dark morally complicated romance.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you so much to Alyssa Martin for a copy of Ours to Rule! I enjoyed this book so much that I read the entire thing in ONE day!
The spice starts right away when our FMC, Ardelisa, is rushed into a marriage with her longtime crush, Luca, to protect her from the Russians. When they show up to claim her father’s life, she offers herself up as collateral. While Luca does everything he can to find her, Ardelisa finds herself attracted to her Russian captors, and it seems like no one can keep their hands to themselves. Maxim and Oskar are 🥵🥵🥵 And when Luca finally makes it back to Ardelisa, you’d think things would explode, but somehow, they only get STEAMIER!
The spice is a huge part of the story from beginning to end, but honestly, I loved it! There’s also a solid plot woven throughout, with plenty of danger involving the Italian and Russian mafias. I loved seeing the characters grow, too. Ardelisa finds her independence, Oskar and Maxim find their hearts, and Luca opens his mind to new ways of life.
I enjoyed every minute of this book and highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good, steamy mafia why-choose romance! 🔥
The spice starts right away when our FMC, Ardelisa, is rushed into a marriage with her longtime crush, Luca, to protect her from the Russians. When they show up to claim her father’s life, she offers herself up as collateral. While Luca does everything he can to find her, Ardelisa finds herself attracted to her Russian captors, and it seems like no one can keep their hands to themselves. Maxim and Oskar are 🥵🥵🥵 And when Luca finally makes it back to Ardelisa, you’d think things would explode, but somehow, they only get STEAMIER!
The spice is a huge part of the story from beginning to end, but honestly, I loved it! There’s also a solid plot woven throughout, with plenty of danger involving the Italian and Russian mafias. I loved seeing the characters grow, too. Ardelisa finds her independence, Oskar and Maxim find their hearts, and Luca opens his mind to new ways of life.
I enjoyed every minute of this book and highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good, steamy mafia why-choose romance! 🔥
Review of advance copy received from Author
It was a highly addictive story, where you really don't expect the villains to become the protagonist's love interests, but wow, what a pleasant surprise!
That "enemy to lovers" dynamic was pure fire and the tension of the forbidden quickly grabbed my attention. Combined with the "friends to lovers" trope, wow, I absolutely loved it.
Furthermore, Ardelisa is a strong, fierce, brave, and fearless character who reaches a point in the story where she tires of being a pawn and decides that she will be the one to decide her own future. That was the detail I loved most. Female empowerment was very well developed in the plot.
For their part, Luca, Oskar, and Max were characters who were absolutely devoted to our protagonist (although Max took a while to accept it). Between their protective instincts and their intense, dark jealousy, the tension in the story greatly heightened the excitement of the reading.
It was an excellently brilliant story, and as you read, it became more addictive with each page.
That "enemy to lovers" dynamic was pure fire and the tension of the forbidden quickly grabbed my attention. Combined with the "friends to lovers" trope, wow, I absolutely loved it.
Furthermore, Ardelisa is a strong, fierce, brave, and fearless character who reaches a point in the story where she tires of being a pawn and decides that she will be the one to decide her own future. That was the detail I loved most. Female empowerment was very well developed in the plot.
For their part, Luca, Oskar, and Max were characters who were absolutely devoted to our protagonist (although Max took a while to accept it). Between their protective instincts and their intense, dark jealousy, the tension in the story greatly heightened the excitement of the reading.
It was an excellently brilliant story, and as you read, it became more addictive with each page.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Okay in the rule of being completely honest and transparent with my reviews I have to say that 8% in I knew I wasn’t going to love this book. I felt things were very rushed almost like info was just dumped on us there was no back story no building just ooof you’ve fucked up now I gotta swoop in marry the girl for her protection but it’s okay we love each other so she won’t care if it’s demanded not asked of. Then fast forward she’s threatened w 🍇 in-front of her father but she voluntarily goes with them instead…than after a week sleeps with them. It’s allot. Like I said rushed. No that being said after finishing the book I did like it again not love but I liked it. I love why choose books and also mafia. It’s why it got the stars it did cause those didn’t fail me. Again this isn’t me shitting on the book or author if read another by her just the same but I wish it didn’t feel rushed in the beginning is all.
Review of advance copy received from Author
**ARC Review: Ours to Rule by Alyssa Martin**
This was a fantastic why-choose romance that delivers everything you could want from a mafia read! Tension, betrayals, incredible chemistry, amazing characters, and, of course, SPICE!
I absolutely loved that the FMC was smart, strong, and more than capable of taking the lead. She knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to step into her power. The MMCs each gave her exactly what she needed when she needed it, and I loved the dynamic between them all.
My only criticism was that I wish we had gotten a better understanding of why her father abandoned her to the Russians. I would have loved a little more insight into that part of her story.
Overall, this was a great read that kept me turning the pages!
Thank you to Alyssa Martin for giving me the opportunity to ARC read this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This was a fantastic why-choose romance that delivers everything you could want from a mafia read! Tension, betrayals, incredible chemistry, amazing characters, and, of course, SPICE!
I absolutely loved that the FMC was smart, strong, and more than capable of taking the lead. She knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to step into her power. The MMCs each gave her exactly what she needed when she needed it, and I loved the dynamic between them all.
My only criticism was that I wish we had gotten a better understanding of why her father abandoned her to the Russians. I would have loved a little more insight into that part of her story.
Overall, this was a great read that kept me turning the pages!
Thank you to Alyssa Martin for giving me the opportunity to ARC read this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
November 5, 2026
I really enjoyed this book. It held my interest and I couldn't put put down.
My thoughts below.
Mafia, Age Gap, Sex, Violence, Swearing
Warning - sexually explicit between consenting adults
Fast paced
Character connection and well rounded
Female Lead had good development
Male Leads had good connection with each other and development nicely
I like that there were multiple views of the story.
I would liked to have seen Luca and Ardelisa's marriage develop more before she found herself being captive.
The male Leads were protective
There also didn't seem to be an age gap between Ardelisa and her captors. I do wonder though what the age gap is.
The plot was good. Well balanced.
I could do without some of the sexual content. I personally don't need some of it.
Ours To Rule: A Mafia Why Choose Romance
My thoughts below.
Mafia, Age Gap, Sex, Violence, Swearing
Warning - sexually explicit between consenting adults
Fast paced
Character connection and well rounded
Female Lead had good development
Male Leads had good connection with each other and development nicely
I like that there were multiple views of the story.
I would liked to have seen Luca and Ardelisa's marriage develop more before she found herself being captive.
The male Leads were protective
There also didn't seem to be an age gap between Ardelisa and her captors. I do wonder though what the age gap is.
The plot was good. Well balanced.
I could do without some of the sexual content. I personally don't need some of it.
Ours To Rule: A Mafia Why Choose Romance
November 6, 2026
One of the things I know I am going to get with an Alyssa Martin book is characters that hit me right in my heart place. Here I get an FMC and three MMCs to fall for.
Ardelisa is sweet, smart, and caught up in the middle of a mafia war she doesn't want to be mixed up in because her dad, well, he sucked.
Max and Oskar are her captors. One is charming and congenial. The other is cold and calculating. They like to share.
Luca is her husband and childhood friend, and he will do anything to find her.
The relationships among the four of them are delicious, sweet, hot, complicated, and so much fun to read.
I love me a mafia story. We get intrigue and danger, people playing outside the lines, and men who are always willing to go to the extremes for their women. This gave me exactly what I was looking for with that sweetness I always look to Alyssa for.
When these men melt? Oh man, it's so swoon worthy. Ardelisa is one lucky woman... you know, outside all the violence and stuff.
Ardelisa is sweet, smart, and caught up in the middle of a mafia war she doesn't want to be mixed up in because her dad, well, he sucked.
Max and Oskar are her captors. One is charming and congenial. The other is cold and calculating. They like to share.
Luca is her husband and childhood friend, and he will do anything to find her.
The relationships among the four of them are delicious, sweet, hot, complicated, and so much fun to read.
I love me a mafia story. We get intrigue and danger, people playing outside the lines, and men who are always willing to go to the extremes for their women. This gave me exactly what I was looking for with that sweetness I always look to Alyssa for.
When these men melt? Oh man, it's so swoon worthy. Ardelisa is one lucky woman... you know, outside all the violence and stuff.
October 25, 2026
I enjoyed some of this. It was a very easy read and I liked the why choose aspect of it.
My biggest issue was that the beginning felt a little too rushed. I needed more time with Luca and Ardelisa to build their connection and really root for him to get her back. Instead, we moved straight into her being taken, and I felt like I got to know her captors, Oskar and Maxim, more than I got to know Luca and Ardelisa’s relationship.
I also felt really bad for Luca. He seemed to get a little forgotten about towards the end, and honestly, I think he deserved better than the arrangement he ended up with. I just wanted a little more for him after everything!
Overall, I enjoyed some of the story but I needed more development at the beginning and a little more attention on Luca to feel fully satisfied with how everything played out.
Thank you to the author for the ARC.
My biggest issue was that the beginning felt a little too rushed. I needed more time with Luca and Ardelisa to build their connection and really root for him to get her back. Instead, we moved straight into her being taken, and I felt like I got to know her captors, Oskar and Maxim, more than I got to know Luca and Ardelisa’s relationship.
I also felt really bad for Luca. He seemed to get a little forgotten about towards the end, and honestly, I think he deserved better than the arrangement he ended up with. I just wanted a little more for him after everything!
Overall, I enjoyed some of the story but I needed more development at the beginning and a little more attention on Luca to feel fully satisfied with how everything played out.
Thank you to the author for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sadly, this one just wasn’t for me. From the very first chapter, I had a feeling that something about this book would make it difficult for me to fully enjoy the story.
Dark romance isn’t always my cup of tea, and I think this one might have been a little too dark for my taste. Some scenes genuinely shocked me, and I found it difficult to feel comfortable with certain aspects of the story…
I also think I might have enjoyed it more if Ardelisa had been a stronger, more independent female character.
That being said, this is absolutely no hate towards the author! I genuinely love her writing and her other books. Unfortunately, this particular story just didn’t work for me.
Sadly, this one just wasn’t for me. From the very first chapter, I had a feeling that something about this book would make it difficult for me to fully enjoy the story.
Dark romance isn’t always my cup of tea, and I think this one might have been a little too dark for my taste. Some scenes genuinely shocked me, and I found it difficult to feel comfortable with certain aspects of the story…
I also think I might have enjoyed it more if Ardelisa had been a stronger, more independent female character.
That being said, this is absolutely no hate towards the author! I genuinely love her writing and her other books. Unfortunately, this particular story just didn’t work for me.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ours to Rule was an interesting read and I had fun while doing it. I always love a good why choose mafia romance and this story definitely falls into that scope. I thought the melding of two different mafia factions was interesting but I thought it could have been more rounded out. It felt like the FMC was taken by the Bratva and all of a sudden her husband didn’t exist or her connections to the Italian mafia. And I think that was my biggest issue with this story, was the timeline. It felt like one day, she was yearning for her husband after being taken and the next minute. She’s getting off to thoughts of her captors and getting into bed with them without a second thought of her husband and supposed love of her life.
October 29, 2026
Thank you to the author for an ARC of this book.
I was intrigued about reading a why choose mafia romance. The book was very fast paced and moved quickly from the jump. I like all the MMCs as they each had unique personality’s. Luca, Max and Oskar were all something else. Then you had the FMC who at times felt immature and inexperienced but also had times when she did her thing.
In all, this book was a cute fast paced mafia read. I did like that the characters were fleshed out somewhat with their business and I loved all the spice in the book. I think that made it interesting. I will say that things moved very fast and that the FMC going from being kidnapped to sleeping with her kidnappers was very interesting.
I was intrigued about reading a why choose mafia romance. The book was very fast paced and moved quickly from the jump. I like all the MMCs as they each had unique personality’s. Luca, Max and Oskar were all something else. Then you had the FMC who at times felt immature and inexperienced but also had times when she did her thing.
In all, this book was a cute fast paced mafia read. I did like that the characters were fleshed out somewhat with their business and I loved all the spice in the book. I think that made it interesting. I will say that things moved very fast and that the FMC going from being kidnapped to sleeping with her kidnappers was very interesting.
Review of advance copy
This is my first book by Alyssa Martin book and it will definitely not be my last. I think what makes a Why Choose/RH special is when each of the characters has a distinct personality and special piece they bring to the table. Alyssa gave each of these men a very different personality and they each helped make the relationship what it was. I think the spicy scenes were great, however, the actual romance and relationship building scenes were even better. There is nothing I love more than a man that says "I won't ever fall in love" falling head first face down in love. Perfection. I loved when karma is served and this one is done great. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be back for more.
November 5, 2026
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
What wasn't to love about this book? Mafia men with green flags, amazing tension, fiery passion.
Ardelisa is a not so naive and very smart woman who gets kidnapped the day after her wedding. Confused by her feelings for her captors and wanting to stay loyal to her husband until the classic f-it moment thanks to the teasing from one of them. The brothers are some serious consent kings. Then when Luca comes back into the picture a big decision lies before them all.
The spice never overtook the plot, the plot built up steadily all while giving some amazing spice that left me burning up just from reading it.
What wasn't to love about this book? Mafia men with green flags, amazing tension, fiery passion.
Ardelisa is a not so naive and very smart woman who gets kidnapped the day after her wedding. Confused by her feelings for her captors and wanting to stay loyal to her husband until the classic f-it moment thanks to the teasing from one of them. The brothers are some serious consent kings. Then when Luca comes back into the picture a big decision lies before them all.
The spice never overtook the plot, the plot built up steadily all while giving some amazing spice that left me burning up just from reading it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🍆Like Marmite, you either love it or hate it!🍆
❤️🔥If you're looking for a fast and easy read, that's extremely smutty with less plot this is the book ❤️🔥
Ardelisa is the virgin FMC, forced to marry for protection, kidnapped and decides she likes all 🍆 in all 🕳's.
It's extremely spicy, but I feel disconnected as we've missed her and Lucas back story.
She easily chooses sexual liberation after a Catholic upbringing with little remorse and full enjoyment.
The 'Fluffy Spice' element is still maintained as the guys are caring, consent is King 👑, they support and help Lisa achieve her dreams.
💍 Arranged marriage
☠️ Enemies to lovers
🔪 Kidnappers & hostage
👬 Brothers
🥵 Why choose
🪢 Forced proximity
🖤 Mafia smut
🌶 Spicy
🫶 HEA
🍆Like Marmite, you either love it or hate it!🍆
❤️🔥If you're looking for a fast and easy read, that's extremely smutty with less plot this is the book ❤️🔥
Ardelisa is the virgin FMC, forced to marry for protection, kidnapped and decides she likes all 🍆 in all 🕳's.
It's extremely spicy, but I feel disconnected as we've missed her and Lucas back story.
She easily chooses sexual liberation after a Catholic upbringing with little remorse and full enjoyment.
The 'Fluffy Spice' element is still maintained as the guys are caring, consent is King 👑, they support and help Lisa achieve her dreams.
💍 Arranged marriage
☠️ Enemies to lovers
🔪 Kidnappers & hostage
👬 Brothers
🥵 Why choose
🪢 Forced proximity
🖤 Mafia smut
🌶 Spicy
🫶 HEA
November 6, 2026
Ours to Rule by Alyssa Martin was an absolute blast, and I completely loved how scorching-hot this book was! I know some reviews mentioned parts feeling a bit rushed, but it’s a dark mafia romance—I wasn't looking for a complex plot, I was here purely for the heat, and it delivered 100%.
It nails every single trope you want in this genre: enemies to lovers, why choose, arranged marriage, captor vs. captive, and that deliciously morally wrong mafia edge. Ardelisa was a great FMC, and I loved watching her finally take control of what she wanted alongside Max, Oskar, and Luca. Fast, filthy, and total perfection if you just want pure heat!
It nails every single trope you want in this genre: enemies to lovers, why choose, arranged marriage, captor vs. captive, and that deliciously morally wrong mafia edge. Ardelisa was a great FMC, and I loved watching her finally take control of what she wanted alongside Max, Oskar, and Luca. Fast, filthy, and total perfection if you just want pure heat!
Review of advance copy received from Author
As a newer ARC reader I sometimes feel being rushed to read a book makes me feel different and have to finish. Honestly I didn't hate the book the writing was done well but there just wasn't enough story. I felt like some things were missing or could have been done differently. And sibling sharing isn't my usual go to for why choose stories. If you're looking for an easy read with heat then read and enjoy if you're looking for a solid plot maybe approach with caution
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