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Maura Quinn #1
Embrace the Darkness
I should warn you, I'm not a good person.
I tried to be good... normal.
But the darkness can’t be suppressed forever.
Six years ago, I walked away from the family. Now, I must go back. I have no choice. But things will be different this time. I’m stronger, smarter, and I refuse to submit in a world ruled by dangerous men.
My name is Maura Quinn. I'm the Banphrionsa—Princess in my father’s dark kingdom of crime. Everyone has a story. Even the bad guy. So proceed with caution because this is my descent or my rise. It depends on how you look at it. But most of all, this is how I embrace the darkness.
*** Warning: This is a dark and twisted tale with violence, foul language, and sexual content. May contain triggers. This is also a slow build MFM menage romance.***
I tried to be good... normal.
But the darkness can’t be suppressed forever.
Six years ago, I walked away from the family. Now, I must go back. I have no choice. But things will be different this time. I’m stronger, smarter, and I refuse to submit in a world ruled by dangerous men.
My name is Maura Quinn. I'm the Banphrionsa—Princess in my father’s dark kingdom of crime. Everyone has a story. Even the bad guy. So proceed with caution because this is my descent or my rise. It depends on how you look at it. But most of all, this is how I embrace the darkness.
*** Warning: This is a dark and twisted tale with violence, foul language, and sexual content. May contain triggers. This is also a slow build MFM menage romance.***
435 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 22, 2020
1479 people are currently reading
7789 people want to read
About the author
Ashley N. Rostek
10 books3,246 followersAshley N. Rostek is a wife and mother by day and a writer by night. She survives on coffee, loves collecting offensive coffee mugs, and is an unashamed bibliophile.
To Ashley, there isn’t a better pastime than letting your mind escape in a good book. Her favorite genre is romance and has the overflowing bookshelf to prove it. She is a lover of love. Be it a sweet YA or a dark and lusty novel, she must read it!
Ashley’s passion is writing. She picked up the pen at seventeen and hasn’t put it down. Her debut novel is Embrace the Darkness, the first book in the Maura Quinn series.
For updates and sneak peeks on her upcoming projects, follow her on social media. Links below.
https://www.facebook.com/ashleynrostek/
https://www.instagram.com/ashleynrostek/
To Ashley, there isn’t a better pastime than letting your mind escape in a good book. Her favorite genre is romance and has the overflowing bookshelf to prove it. She is a lover of love. Be it a sweet YA or a dark and lusty novel, she must read it!
Ashley’s passion is writing. She picked up the pen at seventeen and hasn’t put it down. Her debut novel is Embrace the Darkness, the first book in the Maura Quinn series.
For updates and sneak peeks on her upcoming projects, follow her on social media. Links below.
https://www.facebook.com/ashleynrostek/
https://www.instagram.com/ashleynrostek/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 560 reviews
May 25, 2023
REREAD:29/05/21
4.5 stars
HANDS DOWN MY FAVOURITE MAFIA SERIES!
Maura Quinn is my all-time favourite FMC. She is just amazing at anything and everything she does. The Banphrionsa of the New England Irish mob; her aura exudes confidence. The mind games and tests she has with Stefan are the most entertaining to read about.
I love the close-knit relationship between her and Jamie and Louie. It's great to read through the book and slowly see the shift from childhood friends to something of greater substance. Maura's interactions with the 'goons' are hilarious. I hope Maura will be able to achieve her HEA in the future books to come.
4.5 stars
HANDS DOWN MY FAVOURITE MAFIA SERIES!
Maura Quinn is my all-time favourite FMC. She is just amazing at anything and everything she does. The Banphrionsa of the New England Irish mob; her aura exudes confidence. The mind games and tests she has with Stefan are the most entertaining to read about.
I love the close-knit relationship between her and Jamie and Louie. It's great to read through the book and slowly see the shift from childhood friends to something of greater substance. Maura's interactions with the 'goons' are hilarious. I hope Maura will be able to achieve her HEA in the future books to come.
January 12, 2021
Book: Embrace the Darkness
Author: Ashley N. Rostek
Type: Maura Quinn #1
POV: First Person - Maura
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 4 Stars!
Age: Maura Quinn - 24, Jameson Coleman - 28.
Triggers: Violence, Murder, Torture, Sexual Assault, Rape, Castration.
Okay, POP QUIZ TIME.
Question : If you find your boyfriend (say Tom) cheating on you with one of your friends (say Tina) and badmouthing you, what would you do?
Choices :
A. Break up with him.
B. Try to mend your relationship.
C. Break up with him AND break off your friendship with Tina.
D. Shoot him in the knee, then repeatedly shoot his dick until it's in pieces then strangle and kill Tina with one of your cheating boyfriend's neck tie.
E. Give him a chance to... Wait, whhhaat?!
And the correct answer is...
DING, DING, DING! YOU GUESSED IT!
Of course, it's the one which will have every male trying to protect their prime jewels and having nightmares.
(P.S. This does not categorize as a spoiler because it literally happens in the first ten pages.)
Maura kinda reminded me of Psycho Lana in that way. There was even talk of nicknaming her Dick-Crusher. Poetic, really.
Was her action a little extreme? Maybe. Did I care? Absolutely Not. Because after her dick-shooting episode, we get introduced to two very fine specimens, namely Jamie and Louie.
Jameson - the brooding head enforcer of The Irish Mafia and one of Maura's best friends.
And Louie - one of the most trusted goons of Stefan Quinn, the Boss of Irish Mafia and her other snarky and beautiful best friend.
But was that all? NO.
no because as the story progresses, we also get to meet
Nicoli De Luca - the devastating rival boss of the Italian Mafia
Dean - the grumpy but hot personal bodygaurd for Maura
And Asher - the hunky lumberjack head-of-security hired to protect Maura.
Do you see why I was bewitched? But alas, it's NOT a reverse harem. (YET, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW)
I so badly wanted this to be a RH, because how can you choose between all those beautiful specimens? The correct answer is, you can't. In the first book of Maura Quinn series, we get a mostly monogamous relationship between Maura and Jamie. By 'mostly' I mean there are some OM scenes, but if I say any more, it's a spoiler for the next book. So, my lips are shut.
Embrace the Darkness was fast-paced, action-packed and full of triggers. But whew, the steam was off-the-charts. Maura was an amazing heroine, complex, strong yet with a vulnerable side. She's the kind of character that gets you to root for her even if what she's doing is totally wrong. One thing I had trouble with was 'her darkness'. It's so cliché. Basically, whenever the darkness took over, she starts to feel stabby and someone ends up dead.
This is a great beginning to what I’m sure is going to be a totally twisted story. Full of action, drama, passion and a stabby heroine, it was exactly my cup of tea. The end of the book was a very cruel cliff-hanger. I cannot believe that it stopped like that. Why do I do this to myself? Now I have to wait till all the books are out and god knows I have very little patience.
Embrace the Darkness is well written with fast steamy action and likeable characters. If you love a strong, take-no-shit heroine and some really good eye candy, you gotta check this out.
Follow my blog for more reviews: Crazy, Candid Chattering
Author: Ashley N. Rostek
Type: Maura Quinn #1
POV: First Person - Maura
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 4 Stars!
Age: Maura Quinn - 24, Jameson Coleman - 28.
Triggers: Violence, Murder, Torture, Sexual Assault, Rape, Castration.
Allowing the darkest part of myself to take the reins by suppressing everything else that made up my soul took a lot out of a girl. Sure, it made things a lot easier, definitely more enjoyable when toying with the enemy. In fact, I fucking loved every minute of it, but the aftermath…when my emotions surfaced, I became unsettled.
Okay, POP QUIZ TIME.
Question : If you find your boyfriend (say Tom) cheating on you with one of your friends (say Tina) and badmouthing you, what would you do?
Choices :
A. Break up with him.
B. Try to mend your relationship.
C. Break up with him AND break off your friendship with Tina.
D. Shoot him in the knee, then repeatedly shoot his dick until it's in pieces then strangle and kill Tina with one of your cheating boyfriend's neck tie.
E. Give him a chance to... Wait, whhhaat?!
And the correct answer is...
DING, DING, DING! YOU GUESSED IT!
Of course, it's the one which will have every male trying to protect their prime jewels and having nightmares.
(P.S. This does not categorize as a spoiler because it literally happens in the first ten pages.)
Maura kinda reminded me of Psycho Lana in that way. There was even talk of nicknaming her Dick-Crusher. Poetic, really.
You ever reach the point of hunger where you’d stab someone for a cheeseburger? Well, gentlemen, I’m starting to feel stabby.
Was her action a little extreme? Maybe. Did I care? Absolutely Not. Because after her dick-shooting episode, we get introduced to two very fine specimens, namely Jamie and Louie.
Jameson - the brooding head enforcer of The Irish Mafia and one of Maura's best friends.
And Louie - one of the most trusted goons of Stefan Quinn, the Boss of Irish Mafia and her other snarky and beautiful best friend.
But was that all? NO.
no because as the story progresses, we also get to meet
Nicoli De Luca - the devastating rival boss of the Italian Mafia
Dean - the grumpy but hot personal bodygaurd for Maura
And Asher - the hunky lumberjack head-of-security hired to protect Maura.
Do you see why I was bewitched? But alas, it's NOT a reverse harem. (YET, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW)
Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. It was a magical concoction I wholeheartedly believed was the cure for bitchiness and homicidal tendencies when Aunt Flow came to visit.
I so badly wanted this to be a RH, because how can you choose between all those beautiful specimens? The correct answer is, you can't. In the first book of Maura Quinn series, we get a mostly monogamous relationship between Maura and Jamie. By 'mostly' I mean there are some OM scenes, but if I say any more, it's a spoiler for the next book. So, my lips are shut.
Embrace the Darkness was fast-paced, action-packed and full of triggers. But whew, the steam was off-the-charts. Maura was an amazing heroine, complex, strong yet with a vulnerable side. She's the kind of character that gets you to root for her even if what she's doing is totally wrong. One thing I had trouble with was 'her darkness'. It's so cliché. Basically, whenever the darkness took over, she starts to feel stabby and someone ends up dead.
My father was Stefan Quinn. He'd taught me that you could be just as intimidating on your knees. As long as you had the confidence of a king, oozed the essence and mystery of a killer, people would think twice before fucking with you.
This is a great beginning to what I’m sure is going to be a totally twisted story. Full of action, drama, passion and a stabby heroine, it was exactly my cup of tea. The end of the book was a very cruel cliff-hanger. I cannot believe that it stopped like that. Why do I do this to myself? Now I have to wait till all the books are out and god knows I have very little patience.
Embrace the Darkness is well written with fast steamy action and likeable characters. If you love a strong, take-no-shit heroine and some really good eye candy, you gotta check this out.
Follow my blog for more reviews: Crazy, Candid Chattering
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March 27, 2021
⤅ Some good ideas, but the heroine annoyed me.
I'm probably alone in feeling that way. I'm sure most people will love Maura, who's the redheaded Italo-Irish daughter of a mob boss and is filled with simply bucketloads of sass. But I think she was just... too much. I don't mean the way she's all over the place emotionally; I'm more than happy with damaged heroines. Her entire attitude however, and the way she tries to infiltrate the all-male ruling coterie of the mob, grates on me. She's an extremely dramatic person and I just wasn't into it.
I'm also not sure if this is meant to be an RH or not. This book only has one lover, but there are signs more might be added. Reviews for book 2 suggest it turns into an MFM, but I prefer to know romantic details in advance so I'm not blindsided, and I wish just a little more information had been given.
Other than that - pretty solid. The writing isn't spectacular, but it got the job done. The hero was okay, and the plot is fine. I just don't know if I'll ever bother with the sequel - it's already been five days and I have no desire to read it.
I'm probably alone in feeling that way. I'm sure most people will love Maura, who's the redheaded Italo-Irish daughter of a mob boss and is filled with simply bucketloads of sass. But I think she was just... too much. I don't mean the way she's all over the place emotionally; I'm more than happy with damaged heroines. Her entire attitude however, and the way she tries to infiltrate the all-male ruling coterie of the mob, grates on me. She's an extremely dramatic person and I just wasn't into it.
I'm also not sure if this is meant to be an RH or not. This book only has one lover, but there are signs more might be added. Reviews for book 2 suggest it turns into an MFM, but I prefer to know romantic details in advance so I'm not blindsided, and I wish just a little more information had been given.
Other than that - pretty solid. The writing isn't spectacular, but it got the job done. The hero was okay, and the plot is fine. I just don't know if I'll ever bother with the sequel - it's already been five days and I have no desire to read it.
April 6, 2021
I don't think I have ever been this surprise over someone's debut work. Like, OMG. Usually, I would've found something wrong here and there. But in this one, again OMG.
I LOVE IT. I FREAKING LOVE IT.
The rush that ran through me while reading this book. I cannot tell you how I need this escape from lily-ass-white heroine with her morally and politically correct standpoint. Maybe, sometimes you need to let that darkness comes out, you know. In case, of what happened in this book.
Maura Quinn is the daughter of an Irish mafia group. She ran away from her past and her fucked-up (but weirdly endearing) family but one incident put her back into the grasp of her family. Now, she needs to find her own place, as the Banphrionsa of the family, and damn if she didn't make a theatrical spectacle out of it.
Going into this book, I expected the badassness that happened earlier in the book would not be consistent throughout of it, because you know, books tend to that for me. Badass characters tend to turn wimpy after sometimes and I hate it when that happened. So yeah, Maura was consistent as fuck. Man, I love her outbursts.
Did it have some issues? Hell yeah. These people murdered other people left and right. Maura was definitely mental at times. But, do I care? Nope. It was mindlessly entertaining. Hence 5 STARSSS! Oh and, it ended on a BIG CLIFFHANGER.
Some additional info for your consideration:
Trigger warning?
Other man action:
Cheating?
Torture porn?
I LOVE IT. I FREAKING LOVE IT.
The rush that ran through me while reading this book. I cannot tell you how I need this escape from lily-ass-white heroine with her morally and politically correct standpoint. Maybe, sometimes you need to let that darkness comes out, you know. In case, of what happened in this book.
Maura Quinn is the daughter of an Irish mafia group. She ran away from her past and her fucked-up (but weirdly endearing) family but one incident put her back into the grasp of her family. Now, she needs to find her own place, as the Banphrionsa of the family, and damn if she didn't make a theatrical spectacle out of it.
Going into this book, I expected the badassness that happened earlier in the book would not be consistent throughout of it, because you know, books tend to that for me. Badass characters tend to turn wimpy after sometimes and I hate it when that happened. So yeah, Maura was consistent as fuck. Man, I love her outbursts.
Did it have some issues? Hell yeah. These people murdered other people left and right. Maura was definitely mental at times. But, do I care? Nope. It was mindlessly entertaining. Hence 5 STARSSS! Oh and, it ended on a BIG CLIFFHANGER.
Some additional info for your consideration:
Trigger warning?
Other man action:
Cheating?
Torture porn?
September 5, 2025
I’m so frustrated 😭 I loved the beginning of this book, I definitely jinxed it by saying I loved the FMC way too soon 😭
Before the liked and disliked list, I want to add that this is an MFM series, even tho I’m not the biggest fan of MFM, I decided to give this one a chance because it was advertised as having an unhinged FMC and that’s one of my favorite things to read about… alas… 😪
Things I liked:
1 - The FMC (at times). Even with all the things I disliked about her, she wasn’t a meek little shit most of the time. That’s appreciated.
Things I didn’t like:
1 - The FMC. There were times I liked her a little bit, but most of the time I didn’t like her at all…
2 - Louie (MMC2) as a love interest. I just don’t see it. If I didn’t feel they had any chemistry in this one, I doubt that would change in the next books. He’s that “funny” side character I’d want his own book with another FMC but not this one. Zero chemistry, zero tension. All their interactions felt completely forced imo.
3 - Jamie (MMC1). I kept looking around trying to find this dude’s personality 😴 brooding is most definitely not a personality trait, BUDDY.
4 - The lack of female characters/presence. The FMC had one girlfriend who betrayed her, of course. No other girlfriends are mentioned. The FMC saw women as either a threat: “young and beautiful” or not a threat: “ugly and old” (her words). She gave off “I’m one of the boys” vibes. She’s always referring to other women with some derogatory term. There’s even a rule in her house that to be hired the person has to be a man. If it’s a woman, she has to be “old and ugly” and if she’s young, she has to be “ugly.” There’s a “young and beautiful” woman who was hired while the FMC was away and the woman was very rude to the FMC and also slept with MMC2 and was eyeing MMC1. Of course all that had to happen in order to justify hating her so much 🙄
5 - The sex. FMC lost her virginity when she was 17, when she was raped... Idk what’s worse, a virgin FMC or a non virgin FMC who’s only not a virgin because she was raped…
“What we'd just done had been absolutely perfect. It had never been like this with Tom. Hell, he'd barely gotten me to orgasm each time we'd had sex”
What’s funny is that this scene wasn’t even good lol it was super lackluster. It makes me think authors write virgin FMCs or FMCs who’ve only had bad sex because they don’t trust their MMCs to actually be good in bed. That way, when the MMCs do the bare minimum, it feels amazing by comparison and they get treated like sex gods. Meanwhile, the MMCs always have a history of great sex with every other woman. Make it make sense. Also: “Louie had watched Jamie have sex with another woman in the past.” And then MMC2 proceeded to explain in great detail to the FMC how he and MMC1 fucked the other woman together LOL 🙄
I was watching Thunderbolts the other day and I’d die to read a book with an FMC inspired by Yelena 😩
Her being some type of vigilante or something, someone who grew up to be a killing machine. Nothing about superheroes tho, no supernatural or fantasy aspects, just her being unhinged with a sense of humor hehehe I’d fall in love I think. And if the MMC matched that energy? UGH HEAVEN.
Anyway, I’m not gonna go into details on everything I didn’t like. These were the main ones. But so many other things didn’t add up or make a lick of sense. I’m actually surprised how and why I didn’t DNF this. I won’t be continuing this series. I saw some spoilers, and most of the things I didn’t like don’t change, so I won’t waste my time.
Apparently I’m in my write-long-reviews era these past few days (and having ADHD doesn’t help), sorry 😭 and thank you if you read it all 💜
1st person - fmcs pov only
no virgins
no condoms
no sharing
owd/omd
no cheating technically but some things rubbed me the wrong way
3rd act breakup
cliffy
Before the liked and disliked list, I want to add that this is an MFM series, even tho I’m not the biggest fan of MFM, I decided to give this one a chance because it was advertised as having an unhinged FMC and that’s one of my favorite things to read about… alas… 😪
Things I liked:
1 - The FMC (at times). Even with all the things I disliked about her, she wasn’t a meek little shit most of the time. That’s appreciated.
Things I didn’t like:
1 - The FMC. There were times I liked her a little bit, but most of the time I didn’t like her at all…
2 - Louie (MMC2) as a love interest. I just don’t see it. If I didn’t feel they had any chemistry in this one, I doubt that would change in the next books. He’s that “funny” side character I’d want his own book with another FMC but not this one. Zero chemistry, zero tension. All their interactions felt completely forced imo.
3 - Jamie (MMC1). I kept looking around trying to find this dude’s personality 😴 brooding is most definitely not a personality trait, BUDDY.
4 - The lack of female characters/presence. The FMC had one girlfriend who betrayed her, of course. No other girlfriends are mentioned. The FMC saw women as either a threat: “young and beautiful” or not a threat: “ugly and old” (her words). She gave off “I’m one of the boys” vibes. She’s always referring to other women with some derogatory term. There’s even a rule in her house that to be hired the person has to be a man. If it’s a woman, she has to be “old and ugly” and if she’s young, she has to be “ugly.” There’s a “young and beautiful” woman who was hired while the FMC was away and the woman was very rude to the FMC and also slept with MMC2 and was eyeing MMC1. Of course all that had to happen in order to justify hating her so much 🙄
5 - The sex. FMC lost her virginity when she was 17, when she was raped... Idk what’s worse, a virgin FMC or a non virgin FMC who’s only not a virgin because she was raped…
“What we'd just done had been absolutely perfect. It had never been like this with Tom. Hell, he'd barely gotten me to orgasm each time we'd had sex”
What’s funny is that this scene wasn’t even good lol it was super lackluster. It makes me think authors write virgin FMCs or FMCs who’ve only had bad sex because they don’t trust their MMCs to actually be good in bed. That way, when the MMCs do the bare minimum, it feels amazing by comparison and they get treated like sex gods. Meanwhile, the MMCs always have a history of great sex with every other woman. Make it make sense. Also: “Louie had watched Jamie have sex with another woman in the past.” And then MMC2 proceeded to explain in great detail to the FMC how he and MMC1 fucked the other woman together LOL 🙄
I was watching Thunderbolts the other day and I’d die to read a book with an FMC inspired by Yelena 😩
Her being some type of vigilante or something, someone who grew up to be a killing machine. Nothing about superheroes tho, no supernatural or fantasy aspects, just her being unhinged with a sense of humor hehehe I’d fall in love I think. And if the MMC matched that energy? UGH HEAVEN.
Anyway, I’m not gonna go into details on everything I didn’t like. These were the main ones. But so many other things didn’t add up or make a lick of sense. I’m actually surprised how and why I didn’t DNF this. I won’t be continuing this series. I saw some spoilers, and most of the things I didn’t like don’t change, so I won’t waste my time.
Apparently I’m in my write-long-reviews era these past few days (and having ADHD doesn’t help), sorry 😭 and thank you if you read it all 💜
1st person - fmcs pov only
no virgins
no condoms
no sharing
owd/omd
no cheating technically but some things rubbed me the wrong way
3rd act breakup
cliffy
May 21, 2020
Riveting first book of this series which promises to be a jaw dropping, adrenalin fueled, blood soaked dark romance.
Maura is everything I love in a FMC. She's brash, brutal, unapologetic, and slightly unhinged. She also can read people in a way that saves her and others a lot of time and stress. I adore her.
What I didn't like about this book is Jamie. I never really connected with him. He's actually the only one I didn't like if the male characters. Jamie's best friend... love him. Dean, yes. Thor the coffe bringing giant, hell yes. The Don of the rival mob, a thousand yeses. But Jamie? Um, just no.
Why? I get he's supposed to be all alpha and whatever. But, I didn't buy into him at all.
Also, aside from Jamie, there's only one thing that could have made this book better. RH. Maura with all the guys mentioned, I'd love it even more. Also, then I may not be as opposed to Jamie.
I realize this will most likely be an unpopular opinion and that's fine. I guess his actions make sense for his character. Just prefer every one else except him.
Anyway, triggers! Lots of blood, violence, sex, torture, dismemberment of *ahem* male body parts, discussion of previous rape and subsequent PTSD, and other fun stuff.
This does end on a whammy of a cliffhanger, but since we know this is a series and the title of series is the FMC's name... I'm not too worried. Plus she's quite talented and can handle whatever gets thrown at her.
Will I read the next book? You better believe it. Highly recommend for lovers of dark mafia or mob romance.
Maura is everything I love in a FMC. She's brash, brutal, unapologetic, and slightly unhinged. She also can read people in a way that saves her and others a lot of time and stress. I adore her.
What I didn't like about this book is Jamie. I never really connected with him. He's actually the only one I didn't like if the male characters. Jamie's best friend... love him. Dean, yes. Thor the coffe bringing giant, hell yes. The Don of the rival mob, a thousand yeses. But Jamie? Um, just no.
Why? I get he's supposed to be all alpha and whatever. But, I didn't buy into him at all.
Also, aside from Jamie, there's only one thing that could have made this book better. RH. Maura with all the guys mentioned, I'd love it even more. Also, then I may not be as opposed to Jamie.
I realize this will most likely be an unpopular opinion and that's fine. I guess his actions make sense for his character. Just prefer every one else except him.
Anyway, triggers! Lots of blood, violence, sex, torture, dismemberment of *ahem* male body parts, discussion of previous rape and subsequent PTSD, and other fun stuff.
This does end on a whammy of a cliffhanger, but since we know this is a series and the title of series is the FMC's name... I'm not too worried. Plus she's quite talented and can handle whatever gets thrown at her.
Will I read the next book? You better believe it. Highly recommend for lovers of dark mafia or mob romance.
December 1, 2025
Kaip aš buvau pasiilgusi tokio gero Dark Romance 🖤🫠
Belenkaip badass FMC, o MMC gryna kopija Azriel iš Acotar'o (mano fav) 😭 Draugei rašiau kas skyrių klykaudama nuo mini plotwistų, spice pirmą kartą laiku ir vietoj, nuo kurio neteko vėmaliot 🤣
O gale toks cliff hanger'is, kad iškart ėmiau sekančią skaityt 🫢 Max rekomenduoju, žiauriai geras mafia dark romance! 🖤
Belenkaip badass FMC, o MMC gryna kopija Azriel iš Acotar'o (mano fav) 😭 Draugei rašiau kas skyrių klykaudama nuo mini plotwistų, spice pirmą kartą laiku ir vietoj, nuo kurio neteko vėmaliot 🤣
O gale toks cliff hanger'is, kad iškart ėmiau sekančią skaityt 🫢 Max rekomenduoju, žiauriai geras mafia dark romance! 🖤
September 6, 2023
I’m starting to find that all the books I’ve read from Ashley N. Rostek are so binge-able and perfect if you’re in a reading slump! It’s not going to blow your mind, but it’s entertaining.
As the series title would suggest, it follows Maura Quinn, the princess of the Irish mob. After spending six years in college, she’s returning to the family life and business.
On the one hand, I love Maura’s character; she’s bold, unapologetic, terrifying at times and funny. One of my favourite parts is seeing her navigate the complicated relationship with her father through their many ups and downs - I look forward to all their interactions!
Unfortunately, I feel like Maura is hypocritical. She’s trying to be accepted and taken seriously as a woman. She fighting not to be belittled or underestimated based on her gender. She’s "supposedly" this badass feminist, yet she doesn’t have a single female friend. For her entire life, she failed to make even just one good female friend. I can pretend that her mob life has prevented her from finding meaningful female friendships, but with every woman she comes into contact with, she either hates, ignores, uses or kills them. The only woman she has a conversation with longer than two sentences is her aunt. She treats every single woman the same way her male counterparts would, yet she is adamant that she deserves to be treated better and with more respect. I guess I have to expect misogyny in mafia books, and I can appreciate that Maura is a product of her environment so I’m holding out for some personal growth.
The synopsis says that this is an MFM story, and so far, we have one love interest, Jamie, with lots of other options. I’ve not warmed to Jamie yet - I wish he’d show another side of himself that isn’t just the cold-brooding guy. However, Louis, Dean, Asher and Nicoli are all intriguing prospects.
I did honestly enjoy reading this book. Some parts made me genuinely sad for Maura and others had me kicking my legs with excitement, and then there were parts where I rolled my eyes and sighed in heavy disappointment. Still, I’m looking forward to starting the second book.
As the series title would suggest, it follows Maura Quinn, the princess of the Irish mob. After spending six years in college, she’s returning to the family life and business.
On the one hand, I love Maura’s character; she’s bold, unapologetic, terrifying at times and funny. One of my favourite parts is seeing her navigate the complicated relationship with her father through their many ups and downs - I look forward to all their interactions!
Unfortunately, I feel like Maura is hypocritical. She’s trying to be accepted and taken seriously as a woman. She fighting not to be belittled or underestimated based on her gender. She’s "supposedly" this badass feminist, yet she doesn’t have a single female friend. For her entire life, she failed to make even just one good female friend. I can pretend that her mob life has prevented her from finding meaningful female friendships, but with every woman she comes into contact with, she either hates, ignores, uses or kills them. The only woman she has a conversation with longer than two sentences is her aunt. She treats every single woman the same way her male counterparts would, yet she is adamant that she deserves to be treated better and with more respect. I guess I have to expect misogyny in mafia books, and I can appreciate that Maura is a product of her environment so I’m holding out for some personal growth.
The synopsis says that this is an MFM story, and so far, we have one love interest, Jamie, with lots of other options. I’ve not warmed to Jamie yet - I wish he’d show another side of himself that isn’t just the cold-brooding guy. However, Louis, Dean, Asher and Nicoli are all intriguing prospects.
I did honestly enjoy reading this book. Some parts made me genuinely sad for Maura and others had me kicking my legs with excitement, and then there were parts where I rolled my eyes and sighed in heavy disappointment. Still, I’m looking forward to starting the second book.
December 6, 2020
“Besides, having a vagina is empowering. It can handle whatever a man can give, and it pushed all of you out into this world. Not to mention most men can’t live without it. Some even pay for it, right, Uncle?”
Now that's my kind of mafia princess!
Now that's my kind of mafia princess!
February 20, 2021
All the stars!
I was rec'd this book by a friend and it did not disappoint. If anything, I was surprised at how much i loved it! Even better being a debut book, I love when an author surpasses expectations with their first book.
I'm a mafia lover, sometimes they blend together. This stood out. One of the reasons being Maura the heroin. What a staunch bad ass bitch she is.
Having left the family 6 years earlier to assume a "normal" life, circumstances change and she has found herself back home in the lifestyle she was trying to escape. She's different now though, stronger, darker and showing no mercy, ready to take her place at the table.
I love how not only was she strong when she needed to be, leading and giving out orders, she was also vulnerable at times, suffering with anxiety and past trauma. She does not fit in any one box.
There are 2 male interests, no triangle or cheating but I can definitely see more to these 3 in the next book. Or I'm just hoping... because mmf is my fckn jam.
Cliffhanger... but book 2 is available so no biggie!
If you're a lover of mafia, like your romance dark and dick dismembering sits okay with you then this is a winner!
I was rec'd this book by a friend and it did not disappoint. If anything, I was surprised at how much i loved it! Even better being a debut book, I love when an author surpasses expectations with their first book.
I'm a mafia lover, sometimes they blend together. This stood out. One of the reasons being Maura the heroin. What a staunch bad ass bitch she is.
Having left the family 6 years earlier to assume a "normal" life, circumstances change and she has found herself back home in the lifestyle she was trying to escape. She's different now though, stronger, darker and showing no mercy, ready to take her place at the table.
I love how not only was she strong when she needed to be, leading and giving out orders, she was also vulnerable at times, suffering with anxiety and past trauma. She does not fit in any one box.
There are 2 male interests, no triangle or cheating but I can definitely see more to these 3 in the next book. Or I'm just hoping... because mmf is my fckn jam.
Cliffhanger... but book 2 is available so no biggie!
If you're a lover of mafia, like your romance dark and dick dismembering sits okay with you then this is a winner!
May 9, 2024
No strong representation of diverse characters or minority identities.
Overall: 4-stars
Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions
Possible Triggers: Yes
Ending:
Overall: 4-stars
Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions
Possible Triggers: Yes
Ending:
November 3, 2021
Perfect if you’re in a reading slump, at least it worked for me! It’s not mind blowing but it was very entertaining! I like the MCs and the intrigue. Great
December 3, 2020
Ah Le Mafia.
I don't like to read about them because the misogyny is enough to make me gag. Alas, I found one that seemed to go against the norm and I'm sad to say it was very bleh.
Quinn's darkness made me chuckle every time I read it, it's just means she's unemotional as she kills, eh, after a while it got boring. I needed more and unfortunately this book did not deliver.
I don't like to read about them because the misogyny is enough to make me gag. Alas, I found one that seemed to go against the norm and I'm sad to say it was very bleh.
Quinn's darkness made me chuckle every time I read it, it's just means she's unemotional as she kills, eh, after a while it got boring. I needed more and unfortunately this book did not deliver.
October 15, 2021
Was this the author's first book??? Because, damn..the woman can write!
RTC
RTC
November 5, 2022
While I waited for the next book in the WITSEC series, i decided to check out Ashley N. Rostek's other books...and i am so glad I did!
I loved the 2 books and the novella from this series so much!
I think I might like it more than the WITSEC series! Yup. I said it.
I am dying to read book 3.
I loved the 2 books and the novella from this series so much!
I think I might like it more than the WITSEC series! Yup. I said it.
I am dying to read book 3.
April 21, 2020
Oh my gosh you guys, what an emotional ride Ashley N. Rostek author gave me with this story that I don't even know where to begin with. Embrace The Darkness sucked me in completely and I was wrecked afterwards.
If you think you've already read all about mafia romances and nothing will ever surprise you again, you're wrong!! Because here comes the new level of dark, gritty, raw and provocative mafia romance and even more.
We are stepping out of the comfort zone and have a female as a strong, fearless and unpredictable heroine born into a mafia world. She is not a typical princess not to mention her smart, sassy mouth will keep you entertained.
Maura Quinn, beautiful redhead Irish girl, was a daughter of the most savage and cruel MOB. She went through a lot in her childhood but all of this made her strong and bold.
She was torn between the new life she wanted to start and the mafia life she escaped, but the darkness constantly called her out to return. Suddenly her fate round a circle and she's stood in the middle of crossroads. What path she'll choose?? Her actions will shock you!
The cherry on the top was the romance part in this book. OMFG! I freaking love this couple. It was slow burn romance and author painfully slow warm us up with feelings between main heroes and when it exploded with full force I was engrossed by them completely.
I won't tell you name of male hero because I want you to have the same reading experience as I had, but he is my new book boyfriend. He was dangerously tough, reliable and devoted to the Mafia. With all the tattoos printed on his gorgeous body he was every woman wet dream. My heart was galloping hundred miles an hour every time they were close to each other with their lust, desire and sizzling sexual tension.
The darkness of this story consumed me in the best way possible and I can't believe that this is author's debut book. It's damn well written story with a lot of moving parts, complicated relationships, family business, secrets and OMG moments. Yep, this book has it all and it was one helluva great read.
Dark stories are my jam and for these moments and emotions like in Embrace the Darkness books is worth to read. And surprise! The end of this book will crush you even more with mind blowing cliffhanger and you'll be dying for book two as I do right now.
ARC generously provided by author in exchange for an honest review
If you think you've already read all about mafia romances and nothing will ever surprise you again, you're wrong!! Because here comes the new level of dark, gritty, raw and provocative mafia romance and even more.
We are stepping out of the comfort zone and have a female as a strong, fearless and unpredictable heroine born into a mafia world. She is not a typical princess not to mention her smart, sassy mouth will keep you entertained.
Maura Quinn, beautiful redhead Irish girl, was a daughter of the most savage and cruel MOB. She went through a lot in her childhood but all of this made her strong and bold.
She was torn between the new life she wanted to start and the mafia life she escaped, but the darkness constantly called her out to return. Suddenly her fate round a circle and she's stood in the middle of crossroads. What path she'll choose?? Her actions will shock you!
The cherry on the top was the romance part in this book. OMFG! I freaking love this couple. It was slow burn romance and author painfully slow warm us up with feelings between main heroes and when it exploded with full force I was engrossed by them completely.
I won't tell you name of male hero because I want you to have the same reading experience as I had, but he is my new book boyfriend. He was dangerously tough, reliable and devoted to the Mafia. With all the tattoos printed on his gorgeous body he was every woman wet dream. My heart was galloping hundred miles an hour every time they were close to each other with their lust, desire and sizzling sexual tension.
The darkness of this story consumed me in the best way possible and I can't believe that this is author's debut book. It's damn well written story with a lot of moving parts, complicated relationships, family business, secrets and OMG moments. Yep, this book has it all and it was one helluva great read.
Dark stories are my jam and for these moments and emotions like in Embrace the Darkness books is worth to read. And surprise! The end of this book will crush you even more with mind blowing cliffhanger and you'll be dying for book two as I do right now.
ARC generously provided by author in exchange for an honest review
December 27, 2022
The reviews for this had me excited, but this was a huge disappointment for me.
For one, the writing didn't do anything for me. Long and rambling monologues both spoken and inner. Cliches abound. A fairly obvious plot that dragged on.
Second thing I just didn't wrap my head around: how does a girl who was raped by one man while held down by another feel suddenly super comfortable with men constantly in her presence and in close proximity at nearly all times? And making explicitly sexual comments in front of them constantly at that. Yet one run in with a bulky man triggers a trauma response with flashbacks to said rape and she kills him? It didn't add up for me.
I found Maura extremely annoying, hot and cold and all over the place. It seemed to be her personality and not some result of her past trauma. But even worse was Jamie with zero personality. How can I root for a hero who hardly speaks and is only described as broody, expressionless, and seems to lurk around unknown.
It was over emphasized that Stephan rejected emotions yet there was no such indication at all.. if the book is anything to go by this is a world of men whose emotions are constantly being suppressed and catching a glimpse of them is a 'slip'... a common trope however this must have been repeated over 20 times in the book. It was an overused description imo and yet everyone seemed to be popping off with emotion regularly.
I won't be continuing with the series.
For one, the writing didn't do anything for me. Long and rambling monologues both spoken and inner. Cliches abound. A fairly obvious plot that dragged on.
Second thing I just didn't wrap my head around: how does a girl who was raped by one man while held down by another feel suddenly super comfortable with men constantly in her presence and in close proximity at nearly all times? And making explicitly sexual comments in front of them constantly at that. Yet one run in with a bulky man triggers a trauma response with flashbacks to said rape and she kills him? It didn't add up for me.
I found Maura extremely annoying, hot and cold and all over the place. It seemed to be her personality and not some result of her past trauma. But even worse was Jamie with zero personality. How can I root for a hero who hardly speaks and is only described as broody, expressionless, and seems to lurk around unknown.
It was over emphasized that Stephan rejected emotions yet there was no such indication at all.. if the book is anything to go by this is a world of men whose emotions are constantly being suppressed and catching a glimpse of them is a 'slip'... a common trope however this must have been repeated over 20 times in the book. It was an overused description imo and yet everyone seemed to be popping off with emotion regularly.
I won't be continuing with the series.
November 16, 2020
Wow!
What an ending that was! I need book 2 ASAP for sure. I cannot wait to see what happens next. This book had me hooked from the very first words and now I just need more. Amazing first book to what I hope will be an amazing series!!!
What an ending that was! I need book 2 ASAP for sure. I cannot wait to see what happens next. This book had me hooked from the very first words and now I just need more. Amazing first book to what I hope will be an amazing series!!!
October 19, 2023
Addictive
I really enjoyed this book. It has a good story and it also has spicy.
I got stressed in some parts of the book, but that only means that it is good and worth it to read.
I really enjoyed this book. It has a good story and it also has spicy.
I got stressed in some parts of the book, but that only means that it is good and worth it to read.
May 25, 2020
Mixed feelings about this one.
On the one hand I loved Maura’s character; she was bold, unapologetic, terrifying at times and funny. She always stands up for herself and has allowed the horrible things that have happened to her mold her into this tower of a person.
I equally loved seeing her trying to navigate her complicated relationship with her father through their many ups and downs.
I loved how the story progressed from a girl afraid of being back home to a woman who knew how to handle herself.
Now for the parts I hated.
I felt like she was a bit hypocritical. She was trying to be accepted and taken seriously as a woman. She fought not to be belittled or underestimated based on her gender. She was “supposedly” this badass feminist and yet she didn’t have a single female friend. Her entire life and she failed to make even just one good female friend???? Really???? Okay. Let’s say I pretend to believe that her unfortunate circumstances have prevented her from finding meaningful female friendships.
But every woman she has come into contact with, she has either completely hated, ignored, used or killed. Angela, Becca, Tina, The cook. The only woman she has a conversation with longer than two sentences is her aunt! She was treating every single woman she saw in the exact same way her male counterparts would and yet she deserved to be treated better and with more respect??why??
The second thing I disliked (and this won’t be popular) was Jamie. Yes okay he was hot and tattooed and had this bad boy allure, other than that? Was he funny? Nope. Kind? No Really smart?? Not that I saw. Extremely caring? No to that too. Louie, Dean, Nicholi and even Thor the coffee bringer has more personality than him! And yet Jamie was the love of her life because?? She’d known him a long time? Okay sure.
I did honestly enjoy reading this book. There were parts that made me genuinely sad for Maura and clap with excitement for her and then there were parts where I rolled my eyes and sighed in heavy disappointment.
On the one hand I loved Maura’s character; she was bold, unapologetic, terrifying at times and funny. She always stands up for herself and has allowed the horrible things that have happened to her mold her into this tower of a person.
I equally loved seeing her trying to navigate her complicated relationship with her father through their many ups and downs.
I loved how the story progressed from a girl afraid of being back home to a woman who knew how to handle herself.
Now for the parts I hated.
I felt like she was a bit hypocritical. She was trying to be accepted and taken seriously as a woman. She fought not to be belittled or underestimated based on her gender. She was “supposedly” this badass feminist and yet she didn’t have a single female friend. Her entire life and she failed to make even just one good female friend???? Really???? Okay. Let’s say I pretend to believe that her unfortunate circumstances have prevented her from finding meaningful female friendships.
But every woman she has come into contact with, she has either completely hated, ignored, used or killed. Angela, Becca, Tina, The cook. The only woman she has a conversation with longer than two sentences is her aunt! She was treating every single woman she saw in the exact same way her male counterparts would and yet she deserved to be treated better and with more respect??why??
The second thing I disliked (and this won’t be popular) was Jamie. Yes okay he was hot and tattooed and had this bad boy allure, other than that? Was he funny? Nope. Kind? No Really smart?? Not that I saw. Extremely caring? No to that too. Louie, Dean, Nicholi and even Thor the coffee bringer has more personality than him! And yet Jamie was the love of her life because?? She’d known him a long time? Okay sure.
I did honestly enjoy reading this book. There were parts that made me genuinely sad for Maura and clap with excitement for her and then there were parts where I rolled my eyes and sighed in heavy disappointment.
October 8, 2020
I'll admit I don't usually pick up mafia/mob books with a lot of enthusiasm. I'm not a big fan of THAT type of "dark" romance because the alpha males and demure princesses make me roll my eyes.
But y'all. That was NOT this book. After the first chapter I was a goner. I knew this was going to be a 5 star read and I was NOT disappointed.
Holy shit. 🤘
Maura wasn't just a princess. She was a Banphrionsa. That girl was fierce. From the moment you meet her you can sense her strength and the darkness she so effortlessly hides. She's spunky, confident, strong, magnetic, and so damn smart. But she's also damaged and slightly psychotic. The title to this book explains everything. Maura must embrace her darkness to establish her role in the family and solidify her strength as a woman in a man's world.
And I loved EVERYTHING about her and this story. I mean from the action to the steam to the dialogue...from the storyline to the writing...everything, and I mean everything, was flawless executed!
I'm not going to say who her love interest is because you just need to read about it. She gives just as much as she takes and she NEVER cowers before men and refuses to let them overrule her, even her lover. I am literally in awe after reading Maura's story because it's so rare to read about an independent, smart, confident, slightly deranged FMC in a mafia/mob book. That was so refreshing!
And that cliffhanger??? I NEED Endure the Pain, like now. K? Thanks.
May 2, 2025
4.75⭐️
GIVE ME 14 MAURA QUINN’S RIGHT NOW!!!👏👏👏
Miss Ashley N. Rostek has done it again and served a why choose series that has me absolutely frothing at the mouth🤤 This introduction into the series was just immaculate and I am obsessed with everything about it. This is definitely going to be a slowww burn because I’m only 100% positive of 2 men in Maura’s ‘harem’, but the other prospects are also looking promising😉 I can’t get enough of Maura though. She just IS that girl, it’s her world and everyone else is just living in it. I knew from the get go when she started off with killing her cheating boyfriend and his mistress that I was in for a ride. If you love mafia romances, or why choose romances this series is super underrated and IMMEDIATELY needs to be added to your tbr.
GIVE ME 14 MAURA QUINN’S RIGHT NOW!!!👏👏👏
Miss Ashley N. Rostek has done it again and served a why choose series that has me absolutely frothing at the mouth🤤 This introduction into the series was just immaculate and I am obsessed with everything about it. This is definitely going to be a slowww burn because I’m only 100% positive of 2 men in Maura’s ‘harem’, but the other prospects are also looking promising😉 I can’t get enough of Maura though. She just IS that girl, it’s her world and everyone else is just living in it. I knew from the get go when she started off with killing her cheating boyfriend and his mistress that I was in for a ride. If you love mafia romances, or why choose romances this series is super underrated and IMMEDIATELY needs to be added to your tbr.
June 1, 2022
Wow!! On the edge of my chair the entire book!
Once I picked up this book, I couldn't put it down. It was all consuming.
The heroine is such a badass, she has amazing survival skills and inner strength. She's courageous and extremely clever. I adored her.
Once I picked up this book, I couldn't put it down. It was all consuming.
The heroine is such a badass, she has amazing survival skills and inner strength. She's courageous and extremely clever. I adored her.
May 26, 2020
Embrace the Darkness was such an awesome surprise. I offhandedly found it in a recommendation thread, and I had some extra time, so I figured why not. One KU click, several hours, and a one-click to purchase later, I'm so invested and want book two now.
Maura is just this flawed dark princess. The Banphrionsa, she's the daughter of the Ri, the leader of the Quinn family- a branch of the Irish mob. She's got enough Daddy issues to fill Dr. Phil's appointment book for decades, and she's had some unrelated traumatic experiences in her past that have put her on a bit of a hair trigger. There's a thirst for violence, a penchant to strike her enemy hard enough that they can't strike back, that makes Maura a bit tougher and just generally more violent than a lot of the FMCs that we see in RH. So, even though she's wounded, she's got some lovely and mind-bending moments of bad*ssery that are just so much fun to read when she leaves the macho men around her gaping.
What I like most about her is that she's imperfect. She has moments of strength, but she also has panic attacks, sometimes forgets to eat, and shows clear signs that she hasn't managed to make peace with what's happened to her. For me, this is a sign of great character writing because the author stays true to the background she's given Maura in all aspects and shows that someone can be wounded but that doesn't make them into a victim.
What I'm not sure about is how the men scenario works out. I found the book in an RH thread, so I'm figuring it's at least a menage, but there are a few different men on the scene that it looks like Maura will be developing some kind of close connection to. How many of them will turn intimate/romantic? I'm honestly notsure yet.
For now, Louie and Jamie are the ones who steal the show. Jamie is the tattooed enforcer who's one of her father's righthand men, and he's also grown up with the Banphrionsa as an honorary member of her household, so there's a deep connection there to explore, and the flames do get fanned in book one. Louie, Jamie's best friend and another member of the "family" is the other primary interest in book one. Not many sparks fly yet, but there are a lot of nudges that point toward a menage in the making. Louie is the jokester, but he has a nice morality that comes through in the way he honors his relationship with Jamie and also seems to cherish Maura.
Honestly, there are some other men that I'm hoping will be included in the relationship, but I'll also be happy if Jamie and Louie are the most we ever get.
Overall, Embraced the Darkness is this delightful bloody romp, and to me, it feels like a "proper" mafia book, surpassing many others that I've read in the RH/Why Choose/Menage world.
*One important note* definitely think the trigger warning could just be a little more explicit- the book contains assault on the FMC and recollections of sexual abuse. I won't go more into detail than that because I don't want to give giant spoilers, but I do know there are a lot of readers out there who need to consider mental health and their needs before they dive into a book.
Maura is just this flawed dark princess. The Banphrionsa, she's the daughter of the Ri, the leader of the Quinn family- a branch of the Irish mob. She's got enough Daddy issues to fill Dr. Phil's appointment book for decades, and she's had some unrelated traumatic experiences in her past that have put her on a bit of a hair trigger. There's a thirst for violence, a penchant to strike her enemy hard enough that they can't strike back, that makes Maura a bit tougher and just generally more violent than a lot of the FMCs that we see in RH. So, even though she's wounded, she's got some lovely and mind-bending moments of bad*ssery that are just so much fun to read when she leaves the macho men around her gaping.
What I like most about her is that she's imperfect. She has moments of strength, but she also has panic attacks, sometimes forgets to eat, and shows clear signs that she hasn't managed to make peace with what's happened to her. For me, this is a sign of great character writing because the author stays true to the background she's given Maura in all aspects and shows that someone can be wounded but that doesn't make them into a victim.
What I'm not sure about is how the men scenario works out. I found the book in an RH thread, so I'm figuring it's at least a menage, but there are a few different men on the scene that it looks like Maura will be developing some kind of close connection to. How many of them will turn intimate/romantic? I'm honestly notsure yet.
For now, Louie and Jamie are the ones who steal the show. Jamie is the tattooed enforcer who's one of her father's righthand men, and he's also grown up with the Banphrionsa as an honorary member of her household, so there's a deep connection there to explore, and the flames do get fanned in book one. Louie, Jamie's best friend and another member of the "family" is the other primary interest in book one. Not many sparks fly yet, but there are a lot of nudges that point toward a menage in the making. Louie is the jokester, but he has a nice morality that comes through in the way he honors his relationship with Jamie and also seems to cherish Maura.
Honestly, there are some other men that I'm hoping will be included in the relationship, but I'll also be happy if Jamie and Louie are the most we ever get.
Overall, Embraced the Darkness is this delightful bloody romp, and to me, it feels like a "proper" mafia book, surpassing many others that I've read in the RH/Why Choose/Menage world.
*One important note* definitely think the trigger warning could just be a little more explicit- the book contains assault on the FMC and recollections of sexual abuse. I won't go more into detail than that because I don't want to give giant spoilers, but I do know there are a lot of readers out there who need to consider mental health and their needs before they dive into a book.
October 31, 2025
I love a good mafia romance and this didn’t disappoint. No notes!! Check your triggers before reading 🖤🖤
July 10, 2020
Everyone needs a little bit of Maura in them
This book was recommended in a group and I thought it sounded intriguing. I downloaded it but I kept putting it off. I started reading it late one evening and I devoured it. I honestly can say that this book is one of a kind. I read and review a lot of books, so books have to blow me away to get 5 stars. This book definitely meets that criteria.
First, the writing is superb. There were times I felt Maura’s emotions so intensely and accurately. Maura feels she is dark and not a good person. I think she is better then she realizes. Her heart draws others in. She is captivating and that alone scares most of the men in her family. Maura gets to do all the naughty things we deny thinking about when others harm us. She gets to exact her revenge. She takes control and she stays strong. She is stubborn to a fault and sometimes it is to her detriment. She hates how her father raised her, but is learning to understand it and accept it as his way of loving her. Maura takes a tragic experience of her youth and redefines what it means to be strong. She thinks she wants normal. She tried it for awhile but accepts that there is a part of her that craves that darkness. She truly shines when she is allowing herself to be who she truly is.
I’ve read a lot of mafia romance books but this one is unique. We get a completely different view. Stefan appears hard ass but I can see his underbelly and his love for his daughter.
Jamie and Louie. Be still my heart. Jamie is the epitome of alpha ahole male. He loves her fiercely but doesn’t know how yet to let her be who she needs to be in his love. He wants to protect her but she doesn’t always need that. Maura can handle herself. She understands the family rules and loyalty. She is craving her place in a mans world. She needs to be supported and allowed to flourish. A man has to be okay with standing in her shadow at times.
Very steamy. Wow those were some hot scenes. I know this will eventually be a ménage but man do I wish it was more of a RH. There are just so many yummy guys who flock to her. Dean. Asher. Nico. The ending though..... I’m not sure who it is coming from unless it’s Samuels people? But man that was a cruel way to end it. Talk about a cliffhanger. So don’t wait like I did. Read this book today. It will be everything you are wanting in a dark gritty romance and so much more. I can’t wait for the story to continue and I have a feeling these characters will stay with me for awhile.
This book was recommended in a group and I thought it sounded intriguing. I downloaded it but I kept putting it off. I started reading it late one evening and I devoured it. I honestly can say that this book is one of a kind. I read and review a lot of books, so books have to blow me away to get 5 stars. This book definitely meets that criteria.
First, the writing is superb. There were times I felt Maura’s emotions so intensely and accurately. Maura feels she is dark and not a good person. I think she is better then she realizes. Her heart draws others in. She is captivating and that alone scares most of the men in her family. Maura gets to do all the naughty things we deny thinking about when others harm us. She gets to exact her revenge. She takes control and she stays strong. She is stubborn to a fault and sometimes it is to her detriment. She hates how her father raised her, but is learning to understand it and accept it as his way of loving her. Maura takes a tragic experience of her youth and redefines what it means to be strong. She thinks she wants normal. She tried it for awhile but accepts that there is a part of her that craves that darkness. She truly shines when she is allowing herself to be who she truly is.
I’ve read a lot of mafia romance books but this one is unique. We get a completely different view. Stefan appears hard ass but I can see his underbelly and his love for his daughter.
Jamie and Louie. Be still my heart. Jamie is the epitome of alpha ahole male. He loves her fiercely but doesn’t know how yet to let her be who she needs to be in his love. He wants to protect her but she doesn’t always need that. Maura can handle herself. She understands the family rules and loyalty. She is craving her place in a mans world. She needs to be supported and allowed to flourish. A man has to be okay with standing in her shadow at times.
Very steamy. Wow those were some hot scenes. I know this will eventually be a ménage but man do I wish it was more of a RH. There are just so many yummy guys who flock to her. Dean. Asher. Nico. The ending though..... I’m not sure who it is coming from unless it’s Samuels people? But man that was a cruel way to end it. Talk about a cliffhanger. So don’t wait like I did. Read this book today. It will be everything you are wanting in a dark gritty romance and so much more. I can’t wait for the story to continue and I have a feeling these characters will stay with me for awhile.
November 5, 2021
4.5 ⭐s rounded up
I tend to stay away from mafia books because of the whole misogyny, damsel in distress, and girl must be a virgin thing. However, every blue moon I'm lucky enough to stumble upon a mafia romance that goes against the norm.
This is my second ever mafia romance book with a dominant female boss and I FREAKING LOVED IT!!!! (my first was Ruthless People which I absolutely adored)
Maura is everything that I love in a dominant female. She is badass, ruthless, a little psycho (ok maybe more than a little), strong, and best of all, she does not fall all over herself over a man - or worse switch into a submissive role when the men show up or raise their voices.
Ps. There was some confusing information in the first 2/3 chapters but other than that... This was *chef's kiss*. Can't wait to get into book 2 and fingers crossed that it doesn't disappoint🤞🏾 - I really want to see the harem come together
I tend to stay away from mafia books because of the whole misogyny, damsel in distress, and girl must be a virgin thing. However, every blue moon I'm lucky enough to stumble upon a mafia romance that goes against the norm.
This is my second ever mafia romance book with a dominant female boss and I FREAKING LOVED IT!!!! (my first was Ruthless People which I absolutely adored)
Maura is everything that I love in a dominant female. She is badass, ruthless, a little psycho (ok maybe more than a little), strong, and best of all, she does not fall all over herself over a man - or worse switch into a submissive role when the men show up or raise their voices.
Ps. There was some confusing information in the first 2/3 chapters but other than that... This was *chef's kiss*. Can't wait to get into book 2 and fingers crossed that it doesn't disappoint🤞🏾 - I really want to see the harem come together
November 24, 2020
4.5 stars
“Such a display of testosterone. The air is making me want to gag.” I chuckled and stepped between them. “You might as well whip out your dicks now and measure them. I have a ruler app on my phone.”
okay so... Maura Quinn is probably my new favourite FMC. She is fierce, funny, stabby, and strong.
I wasn't really sure what to expect going into this book so I was really surprised by how quickly I started to love this book. Maura Quinn is the daughter of the leader of New Englands Irish Mob and after 6 years of being away, she's finally home and ready to learn the ways of the Family.
In the first book, Maura embarks on a romance with her childhood best friend, Jamie but there also little bits of other romances sprinkled in so we really don't know who else she will become involved with.. will it be Jamie's best friend, Louie or will it be another mob boss??? You'll have to keep reading the series to find out.
This book was the perfect mix or darkness, steaminess and humour. Looking forward to reading book 2 ASAP
“Such a display of testosterone. The air is making me want to gag.” I chuckled and stepped between them. “You might as well whip out your dicks now and measure them. I have a ruler app on my phone.”
okay so... Maura Quinn is probably my new favourite FMC. She is fierce, funny, stabby, and strong.
I wasn't really sure what to expect going into this book so I was really surprised by how quickly I started to love this book. Maura Quinn is the daughter of the leader of New Englands Irish Mob and after 6 years of being away, she's finally home and ready to learn the ways of the Family.
In the first book, Maura embarks on a romance with her childhood best friend, Jamie but there also little bits of other romances sprinkled in so we really don't know who else she will become involved with.. will it be Jamie's best friend, Louie or will it be another mob boss??? You'll have to keep reading the series to find out.
This book was the perfect mix or darkness, steaminess and humour. Looking forward to reading book 2 ASAP
September 23, 2021
OMG I don’t even know where to begin. This book is so addictive and I could not put it down.
Maura is a badass heroine. She’s the daughter of the Irish mob boss and has been out of the life for 6 years. She’s thrown back into it after calling for help, and she is dominating the role as heir to their empire.
We meet Jamie and Louie, her best friends before leaving. This book shows the beginning of her relationship with Jamie, and the possibility of more with Louie (cannot wait for that sandwich).
I love Ashely’s writing style, it’s easy to follow and I really felt connected to Maura on such a personal level. F’love this book and can’t wait to find out what happens after that cliffhanger! Do yourself a favor and read 👏🏼 this 👏🏼 book/series 👏🏼.
Maura is a badass heroine. She’s the daughter of the Irish mob boss and has been out of the life for 6 years. She’s thrown back into it after calling for help, and she is dominating the role as heir to their empire.
We meet Jamie and Louie, her best friends before leaving. This book shows the beginning of her relationship with Jamie, and the possibility of more with Louie (cannot wait for that sandwich).
I love Ashely’s writing style, it’s easy to follow and I really felt connected to Maura on such a personal level. F’love this book and can’t wait to find out what happens after that cliffhanger! Do yourself a favor and read 👏🏼 this 👏🏼 book/series 👏🏼.
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