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MILO
Though Kiara Payne may be a genius when it comes to languages, what she knows of the real world largely comes from books and movies. But after foiling a robbery on her first day as a bank teller, Kiara finds herself thrust into a world of danger, her life resting in the hands of the infuriatingly sexy Italian mafia boss Milo Di Vaio. In exchange for her safety, Kiara agrees to serve as Milo's translator, accompanying him across Europe as he tries to clean up the mess his late brother left behind and save the reputation of the Di Vaio crime family.
Cold, ruthless, and sinfully beautiful, Milo is hard to resist but even harder to love. As tensions rise and secrets are spilled, Milo and Kiara are both forced to question everything they thought they knew.
Does love outweigh loyalty? And if so, is it worth dying for?
Content warning: Contains mature themes and violence
Cold, ruthless, and sinfully beautiful, Milo is hard to resist but even harder to love. As tensions rise and secrets are spilled, Milo and Kiara are both forced to question everything they thought they knew.
Does love outweigh loyalty? And if so, is it worth dying for?
Content warning: Contains mature themes and violence
ebook
Published June 5, 2021
841 people are currently reading
4160 people want to read
About the author
E.L. Lewis
8 books259 followersE.L. Lewis has always been a die-hard romantic. Born in Ukraine and raised in Canada, she grew up devouring love stories in every form she could find—and now she writes her own. A multi-genre romance author, she brings readers tales filled with sugar, spice, and heart, ranging from dangerous mafia romances to laugh-out-loud rom-coms. Between the pages of her books, readers will find first loves, last loves, and the epic journeys in between.
Her heroines are complex, confident, and unforgettable—and her love interests? The kind who would walk straight into hell if it meant winning their girl’s heart.
When she isn’t dreaming up new characters and plots, E.L. is living her own happily ever after in Orange County with her husband and their pup. She spends her days listening to Taylor Swift, cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs, and showing up to airports far earlier than necessary.
Her heroines are complex, confident, and unforgettable—and her love interests? The kind who would walk straight into hell if it meant winning their girl’s heart.
When she isn’t dreaming up new characters and plots, E.L. is living her own happily ever after in Orange County with her husband and their pup. She spends her days listening to Taylor Swift, cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs, and showing up to airports far earlier than necessary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 545 reviews
October 11, 2024
I am so immensely honored for the opportunity to read this as my very first ARC! Everything about it was just amazing. The tension, the banter, the slow burn, and Milo 😩🫣 I seriously had such an amazing time reading this.
If you’re looking for a smart, sexy and strong FMC with a touch of a grumpy mafia leader MMC this book is definitely for you.
Now I know I usually don’t write summaries for books, but I’d just be scrambling on about how much this book was just fantastic so this summary is most likely the shortest review I could have written lol
SUMMARY
When a robbery goes horribly wrong, Keira is faced with an impossible choice: aid a disturbingly handsome Mafia boss or risk losing her life. For someone who has always drawn a clear line between right and wrong, her world is upended when he enters her life. Despite knowing it’s a dangerous mistake, Keira finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. As she delves deeper into his world, the lines between ally and enemy blur, and she begins to question everything she thought she knew. In a world where trust is fragile and motives are murky, Keira must navigate the grey areas of life, where nothing is as black-and-white as it seems.
If you’re looking for a smart, sexy and strong FMC with a touch of a grumpy mafia leader MMC this book is definitely for you.
Now I know I usually don’t write summaries for books, but I’d just be scrambling on about how much this book was just fantastic so this summary is most likely the shortest review I could have written lol
SUMMARY
When a robbery goes horribly wrong, Keira is faced with an impossible choice: aid a disturbingly handsome Mafia boss or risk losing her life. For someone who has always drawn a clear line between right and wrong, her world is upended when he enters her life. Despite knowing it’s a dangerous mistake, Keira finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. As she delves deeper into his world, the lines between ally and enemy blur, and she begins to question everything she thought she knew. In a world where trust is fragile and motives are murky, Keira must navigate the grey areas of life, where nothing is as black-and-white as it seems.
September 7, 2024
This book had so much potential, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The story felt rushed, and some of the characters were just all over the place.
Kiara’s witty remarks was fun at first, but she became more annoying as the story went on and stayed that way. On the flip side, she’s still a total badass, while Milo, is... well, he's probably my least favorite MMC.
The chemistry and spice between them were solid, though, which kept things interesting. Overall, it was a fun ride, just not a great one.
Kiara’s witty remarks was fun at first, but she became more annoying as the story went on and stayed that way. On the flip side, she’s still a total badass, while Milo, is... well, he's probably my least favorite MMC.
The chemistry and spice between them were solid, though, which kept things interesting. Overall, it was a fun ride, just not a great one.
August 15, 2024
I don't know how you feel about the Mafia Romance Trope but, man oh man do I love it!
Emilio Di Vaio and Kiara Payne you had me from page 1 and might I say that is not an easy feat anymore.
Life's short. We should only read great books and this my dear Book Buddies is exactly that - sooo great! (she says while making the chefs kiss sign) Ms E. L. Lewis you and I are now friends
It had everything I love in a good book. This book has had millions of reads online. So let's talk about why... I found myself in a bank called Hawthorne International. Just another Tuesday behind the counter in a dead boring job until...he walked in. I nearly exploded. (iykyk)
However you may feel about fate and free will. Somethings just cannot be explained. Kiara saved his life that day and Milo changed her, forever.
I could tell you more but I'll have to kill you. Okay too much Mafia Cece.
Go read it!! Publishing Sept 2 2024.
Love Cece xx
Emilio Di Vaio and Kiara Payne you had me from page 1 and might I say that is not an easy feat anymore.
Life's short. We should only read great books and this my dear Book Buddies is exactly that - sooo great! (she says while making the chefs kiss sign) Ms E. L. Lewis you and I are now friends
It had everything I love in a good book. This book has had millions of reads online. So let's talk about why... I found myself in a bank called Hawthorne International. Just another Tuesday behind the counter in a dead boring job until...he walked in. I nearly exploded. (iykyk)
However you may feel about fate and free will. Somethings just cannot be explained. Kiara saved his life that day and Milo changed her, forever.
I could tell you more but I'll have to kill you. Okay too much Mafia Cece.
Go read it!! Publishing Sept 2 2024.
Love Cece xx
September 27, 2024
This book took me forever to finish. I read like 80% of the book and then took a break, and when I came back to it, I kind of forgot what happened. I felt that the plot was very interesting, but it did not translate easily through the pages, and I was bored. The book kind of dragged on with these random subplots just popping up everywhere. Plus, who the mole was so easy to identify and no surprise. I would have preferred the book shorter with one succinct and detailed plot.
I felt like the characters were barely surface level and I had no connection to them. Also, I was left disappointed because the FMC, Kiara, is supposed to be super smart and speaks multiple languages, and she is kidnapped by Milo to serve as his translator but barely did any translating. I thought that was supposed to be the whole point to the story. Instead, she's just locked away in the house and then they start hooking up. Also, Kiara's mood swings are all over the place, one moment she is upset and the next she is murdering another character in the book. The characters also felt very childish at times, and it seemed Milo did not even trust Kiara, even at 80% of the book, but don't worry they are still in *love*. Ugh so disappointing because I think this could have been a really good book and I love mafia romances but overall, it was just okay.
I felt like the characters were barely surface level and I had no connection to them. Also, I was left disappointed because the FMC, Kiara, is supposed to be super smart and speaks multiple languages, and she is kidnapped by Milo to serve as his translator but barely did any translating. I thought that was supposed to be the whole point to the story. Instead, she's just locked away in the house and then they start hooking up. Also, Kiara's mood swings are all over the place, one moment she is upset and the next she is murdering another character in the book. The characters also felt very childish at times, and it seemed Milo did not even trust Kiara, even at 80% of the book, but don't worry they are still in *love*. Ugh so disappointing because I think this could have been a really good book and I love mafia romances but overall, it was just okay.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2024
DNF. I requested the ARC of this book knowing I love a good dark mafia romance, the more 🌶️ the better. It was the first ARC I’d ever read and was really excited for it, but I just couldn’t get into it. DNFd after the second 🌶️ scene around 46%.
I wasn’t a huge fan of Kiara as an FMC. I liked how her character was set up to be helpful as a polyglot to Milo and his work. It was unique and had a ton of potential. I just didn’t enjoy anything else about her character. The fact that this book is only in Kiara’s POV made it such a struggle for me to read.
I liked Milo as an MMC. I thought he fit the part well. We were getting to learn a lot about him and his past and how it shaped him into the man he is now. I got to know him as the story progressed. His character alone simply wasn’t enough to keep me engaged.
I really was just frustrated that I was almost halfway through this book and felt like the story wasn’t progressing. I got bored and it took effort to pick the book up.
I wasn’t a huge fan of Kiara as an FMC. I liked how her character was set up to be helpful as a polyglot to Milo and his work. It was unique and had a ton of potential. I just didn’t enjoy anything else about her character. The fact that this book is only in Kiara’s POV made it such a struggle for me to read.
I liked Milo as an MMC. I thought he fit the part well. We were getting to learn a lot about him and his past and how it shaped him into the man he is now. I got to know him as the story progressed. His character alone simply wasn’t enough to keep me engaged.
I really was just frustrated that I was almost halfway through this book and felt like the story wasn’t progressing. I got bored and it took effort to pick the book up.
August 26, 2024
As a kid of the 80’s & 90’s I was forced to watch soap operas. It was watching General Hospital and a bad man named Sonny Corinthos that ruined me. All you have to now is give me a morally grey mafia man and I’m in love.
The writing in this book in phenomenal. I see many more great works coming from E.L. Lewis in the future and I’m here for it! Imagine going through your boring day as a bank teller and a sexy hot bad man comes in just before closing time. Imagine that fine ass man discovers how useful you are and you end up working for him. Under his protection. Who will protect your heart though? Or your lady parts 😉🥵
The writing in this book in phenomenal. I see many more great works coming from E.L. Lewis in the future and I’m here for it! Imagine going through your boring day as a bank teller and a sexy hot bad man comes in just before closing time. Imagine that fine ass man discovers how useful you are and you end up working for him. Under his protection. Who will protect your heart though? Or your lady parts 😉🥵
March 26, 2022
I read this book…
Only to be left on a cliffhanger , bcuz the author removed most of the chapters:/
Only to be left on a cliffhanger , bcuz the author removed most of the chapters:/
November 24, 2024
JFKDJFSK WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN THIS BOOK WAS ONE OF MY BEST MAFIA ROMANCE READS EVER
this book was written so well and i immediately fell in love with the characters. the plot, the characters, everything was so well thought out.
this book was so good, i fell in love with milo 😩
and the main character, kiara is so hot and witty i fell in love with her too 😮💨
i think this book was so good at capturing the complexity of human emotions. what constitutes good and bad? what makes someone inherently evil? it's all so complex and the author's style of writing really threw me into a philosophical loop.
at times i was really frustrated with kiara (as were the other readers on wattpad) but its important to note that the circumstances she's in are really scary she's a human being too and i found that i tended to get mad at her whenever she did something i do irl. in short, if you're reading "milo" and end up frustrated with our amazing mc here, cut her some damn slack. the girl's going through a lot and she's human just like the rest of us. i just felt the need to mention because the comments on the story reflected the same sentiment.
OVERALL, THIS BOOK IS
and for all the horny mfs, the smut is 😳
this book was written so well and i immediately fell in love with the characters. the plot, the characters, everything was so well thought out.
this book was so good, i fell in love with milo 😩
and the main character, kiara is so hot and witty i fell in love with her too 😮💨
i think this book was so good at capturing the complexity of human emotions. what constitutes good and bad? what makes someone inherently evil? it's all so complex and the author's style of writing really threw me into a philosophical loop.
at times i was really frustrated with kiara (as were the other readers on wattpad) but its important to note that the circumstances she's in are really scary she's a human being too and i found that i tended to get mad at her whenever she did something i do irl. in short, if you're reading "milo" and end up frustrated with our amazing mc here, cut her some damn slack. the girl's going through a lot and she's human just like the rest of us. i just felt the need to mention because the comments on the story reflected the same sentiment.
OVERALL, THIS BOOK IS
and for all the horny mfs, the smut is 😳
September 9, 2024
Wow! This was such a great read! I don't typically read a lot of dark romance or mafia but I loved Milo. I found this book to be emotional and written wonderfully. I really enjoyed the plot and the pacing was perfect.
Both Milo and Kiara know loss. Kiara's life is upended after saving Milo's life. Instead of ☠️ her he decides to use her set of skills of being a polyglot. Forced proximity is one of my favorite tropes and this delivered. I really loved both of their personalities throughout this book. Kiara turns into a fierce fmc and Milo is perfectly morally gray.
A great read if you enjoy dark romance and mafia. Thank you @hambright_pr and @ellewiswrites for the gifted copy.
Both Milo and Kiara know loss. Kiara's life is upended after saving Milo's life. Instead of ☠️ her he decides to use her set of skills of being a polyglot. Forced proximity is one of my favorite tropes and this delivered. I really loved both of their personalities throughout this book. Kiara turns into a fierce fmc and Milo is perfectly morally gray.
A great read if you enjoy dark romance and mafia. Thank you @hambright_pr and @ellewiswrites for the gifted copy.
August 18, 2024
I received this book as an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Though Kiara Payne may be a genius when it comes to languages, but after foiling a robbery on her first day as a bank teller, Kiara finds herself thrust into a world of danger, her life resting in the hands of the infuriatingly sexy Italian mafia boss Milo Di Vaio. In exchange for her safety, Kiara agrees to serve as Milo’s translator.
From the first page I really liked Kiara, she is honest and brave, even though she is hurting. She take care of herself and even though she agrees so be Milo’s translator, she does stand up for herself.
“I am offended. Thoroughly, wholeheartedly, undeniably offended. Or at least I want to be.
I should be.”
My heart broke when she said that she is used being alone and don’t have anyone and how she doesn’t dare to let people into her heart because they hurt you anyway. Kiara has lost so much and you just want nothing more for her that she will open her heart and find out that not everybody will leave her.
“The line between passion, pleasure, pain and persecution is thin. So fucking thin. It’s a dangerous tightrope to walk and there’s no net at the bottom to catch me if I fall; there’s only fire, flames, fury.”
Julia and Antonia are such great and sweet characters. It was easy to forget you are reading about a mafia family. Just like Milo, how can I not like Milo…… yes he is a mafia boss, but still you’re gonna love him.
I did missed the fact that Kiara’s changes to get pregnant are under five percent, I don’t know if I missed it or wasn’t mentioned before.
The book was somewhat predictable throughout the end. It also did go a bit fast, I missed the details of the New Year’s Eve mission, there are loose ends there. What happened on that mission and what was the outcome? Nevertheless I still like the ending.
For Milo, I will be strong. I will be tough.
For my child, I will be gentle. I will be warm.
For myself, I will be kind. I will be smart.
And for my new family, I will be ruthless.
I will be a queen.
I really like the different languages in the book and how Milo calls Kiara “tesoro”. The smut was also good.
This was my first book of this author and the writing was good, I couldn’t stop reading.
I will definitely going to read her other books.
Though Kiara Payne may be a genius when it comes to languages, but after foiling a robbery on her first day as a bank teller, Kiara finds herself thrust into a world of danger, her life resting in the hands of the infuriatingly sexy Italian mafia boss Milo Di Vaio. In exchange for her safety, Kiara agrees to serve as Milo’s translator.
From the first page I really liked Kiara, she is honest and brave, even though she is hurting. She take care of herself and even though she agrees so be Milo’s translator, she does stand up for herself.
“I am offended. Thoroughly, wholeheartedly, undeniably offended. Or at least I want to be.
I should be.”
My heart broke when she said that she is used being alone and don’t have anyone and how she doesn’t dare to let people into her heart because they hurt you anyway. Kiara has lost so much and you just want nothing more for her that she will open her heart and find out that not everybody will leave her.
“The line between passion, pleasure, pain and persecution is thin. So fucking thin. It’s a dangerous tightrope to walk and there’s no net at the bottom to catch me if I fall; there’s only fire, flames, fury.”
Julia and Antonia are such great and sweet characters. It was easy to forget you are reading about a mafia family. Just like Milo, how can I not like Milo…… yes he is a mafia boss, but still you’re gonna love him.
I did missed the fact that Kiara’s changes to get pregnant are under five percent, I don’t know if I missed it or wasn’t mentioned before.
The book was somewhat predictable throughout the end. It also did go a bit fast, I missed the details of the New Year’s Eve mission, there are loose ends there. What happened on that mission and what was the outcome? Nevertheless I still like the ending.
For Milo, I will be strong. I will be tough.
For my child, I will be gentle. I will be warm.
For myself, I will be kind. I will be smart.
And for my new family, I will be ruthless.
I will be a queen.
I really like the different languages in the book and how Milo calls Kiara “tesoro”. The smut was also good.
This was my first book of this author and the writing was good, I couldn’t stop reading.
I will definitely going to read her other books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2024
This book hooked me from the start! Kiara Payne finds herself in a dead end job as a bank teller in the middle of nowhere with nothing fun going on. Then within mere minutes of closing for the day in walks Milo Di Vaio and the fun begins!
Kiara unders several different languages and she ends up helping a mob boss and gets hired as his translator!
The banter, the bickering, and the drama between these two characters are everything. I felt on the edge of my seats because Kiara will give you whiplash with some of the decisions she makes.
MILO is one of those cold and tenderhearted mob bosses. Sexy as all get out and I love that he gives Kiara a nickname. I am a sucker for nicknames in books!
Great job and I can't wait to dive more into this author!
Kiara unders several different languages and she ends up helping a mob boss and gets hired as his translator!
The banter, the bickering, and the drama between these two characters are everything. I felt on the edge of my seats because Kiara will give you whiplash with some of the decisions she makes.
MILO is one of those cold and tenderhearted mob bosses. Sexy as all get out and I love that he gives Kiara a nickname. I am a sucker for nicknames in books!
Great job and I can't wait to dive more into this author!
September 8, 2024
disappointment
The beginning of the story was amazing. However at the end, Kiara started to annoy me with her continuous rage and the big mafia king became weak. I really thought I would like this
The beginning of the story was amazing. However at the end, Kiara started to annoy me with her continuous rage and the big mafia king became weak. I really thought I would like this
Read
July 28, 2021✨wtf✨
August 17, 2025
This book is hands down the mildest dark romance I’ve ever read. I came into it after loving Darlin’, so I was expecting another witty, sassy FMC I could root for but nope. I just didn’t click with Kiara. She was more annoying and confusing than anything else, and I found myself side-eyeing her more than cheering for her.
What I did enjoy was the female friendships. Her dynamic with Julia? Adorable. I could’ve read a whole book just about the two of them.
Milo as the MMC was… fine. Not bad, not swoony … just fine. I think part of the problem was the expectation game. It’s marketed as a dark romance, but I’ve read some truly unhinged dark stuff, so this just didn’t scratch that itch.
So here’s my take: if you’re a dark romance girlie looking for grit and chaos, you’ll probably feel let down. But if you treat it as a mafia romance with a lighter edge, you might enjoy it more.
What I did enjoy was the female friendships. Her dynamic with Julia? Adorable. I could’ve read a whole book just about the two of them.
Milo as the MMC was… fine. Not bad, not swoony … just fine. I think part of the problem was the expectation game. It’s marketed as a dark romance, but I’ve read some truly unhinged dark stuff, so this just didn’t scratch that itch.
So here’s my take: if you’re a dark romance girlie looking for grit and chaos, you’ll probably feel let down. But if you treat it as a mafia romance with a lighter edge, you might enjoy it more.
September 10, 2024
This was a new to me author and I feel like I jumped right into it with this one.
Kiara is just starting her joy as a bank teller when she sees something she shouldn't. This leads her to a choice between death or working for Milo Di Valo, a Mafia boss, as a translator. Her skills with languages is her only saving grace. She accompanies him on a trip to Europe while he gets some business done and does his bidding.
They fall in love through the forced proximity and even though this life is nothing she is prepared for. She decides she's willing to conform in order to stay by Milo's side. Eventually anyway.
I was really caught into this in the beginning. I like Kiara and her sassiness. She is fierce even when going toe to toe with this dangerous man. Their chemistry was amazing and I think many will love them together.
It was also a very sexy book, though the intimate scenes seemed pretty repetitive and the heroine used the exact same phase every time she came. It kinda got on my nerves, lols.
Milo was delicious thought and I can understand how he might strike her dumb in the moment. Haha!
I did feel like it drew out too long and I lost some interest from 60-90% of the book.
I would try another book from this author though.
4 stars
4 on the spice scale
CW: Violence, gore, and organized crime
*Thank you to Hambright PR and the author for an ARC of this title.*
Kiara is just starting her joy as a bank teller when she sees something she shouldn't. This leads her to a choice between death or working for Milo Di Valo, a Mafia boss, as a translator. Her skills with languages is her only saving grace. She accompanies him on a trip to Europe while he gets some business done and does his bidding.
They fall in love through the forced proximity and even though this life is nothing she is prepared for. She decides she's willing to conform in order to stay by Milo's side. Eventually anyway.
I was really caught into this in the beginning. I like Kiara and her sassiness. She is fierce even when going toe to toe with this dangerous man. Their chemistry was amazing and I think many will love them together.
It was also a very sexy book, though the intimate scenes seemed pretty repetitive and the heroine used the exact same phase every time she came. It kinda got on my nerves, lols.
Milo was delicious thought and I can understand how he might strike her dumb in the moment. Haha!
I did feel like it drew out too long and I lost some interest from 60-90% of the book.
I would try another book from this author though.
4 stars
4 on the spice scale
CW: Violence, gore, and organized crime
*Thank you to Hambright PR and the author for an ARC of this title.*
November 7, 2025
A hilariously absurd and silly introduction to mob romance.
I’ll never forget the Christmas gift exchange
I’ll never forget the Christmas gift exchange
May 16, 2025
A mafia FMC who has a spine and personality? 11/10 stars
August 31, 2024
***Actual Rating: 3.5/5 Polyglot Stars***
Oh, how I loved morally grey characters! Since this book was all about mafia romance, I was beyond thrilled to have met some unforgettable protagonists with questionable moral, and better yet, even witnessed how the mafia boss, Don Milo, turned the innocent Kiara to one.
From the beginning of the story, Kiara and Milo had been bickering nonstop and shared similar wicked sense of humor, drawing me in all the way through the book. I kept looking forward to their hilarious reactions and smart comebacks even under serious and somber circumstances, like, when someone close to them was murdered. The cherry on top was definitely what a polyglot Kiara was! This was my first time encountering such an intriguing character and I really admired her talent. Besides, it showed how much effort the author had poured into writing this story, making it all the more special.
Another feature of this book that I was thoroughly fond of was the background setting. The story took place all over Europe, from luxurious mansions in Morocco to exotic towns in Italy to icy kingdom in Russia, all of which added even more spice to the already slowly-burning romance between Kiara and Milo. They definitely brought out a completely opposite side of themselves and come to think of it, perhaps a more sophisticated version of them, which was, again, pretty exciting to read about.
Despite the guts-wrenching moments Kiara and Milo shared throughout the book, I had to admit that I was a teeny, tiny bit disappointed in Milo's overall characteristics. Granted, he was THE boss of his mafia family and he had his vendetta against some villains thanks to his late brother, but somehow, he appeared to be a little weak to me. On several occasions, Kiara had to rescue him whether she meant to or not. And then when it came to her destiny, he didn't seem to have much control other than offering her his throne by marrying her, which brought out my least favorite part of her personality because all of a sudden, what she wanted was the fame and title and nothing else.
That being said, this book was still a delightful read to me. The polyglot and strong female main character truly impressed me and the plot twist at the end of the book totally caught me off guard. Even though I would appreciate the book more if Milo showed more power than what he seemed to possess here, I would still recommend MILO to those who were looking for a quick and fun mafia romance novel.
***Thanks to the author and Hambright PR for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.***
I would die a thousand deaths if it meant you'd be able to live just one.
Oh, how I loved morally grey characters! Since this book was all about mafia romance, I was beyond thrilled to have met some unforgettable protagonists with questionable moral, and better yet, even witnessed how the mafia boss, Don Milo, turned the innocent Kiara to one.
"You are not a gambler," he breathes against my parted lips. "And I am a big risk."
From the beginning of the story, Kiara and Milo had been bickering nonstop and shared similar wicked sense of humor, drawing me in all the way through the book. I kept looking forward to their hilarious reactions and smart comebacks even under serious and somber circumstances, like, when someone close to them was murdered. The cherry on top was definitely what a polyglot Kiara was! This was my first time encountering such an intriguing character and I really admired her talent. Besides, it showed how much effort the author had poured into writing this story, making it all the more special.
A puckish grin clips his lips as he lifts up his glass. "To challenging oneself."
"And to knowing one's limitations."
Another feature of this book that I was thoroughly fond of was the background setting. The story took place all over Europe, from luxurious mansions in Morocco to exotic towns in Italy to icy kingdom in Russia, all of which added even more spice to the already slowly-burning romance between Kiara and Milo. They definitely brought out a completely opposite side of themselves and come to think of it, perhaps a more sophisticated version of them, which was, again, pretty exciting to read about.
It's difficult to separate the person from the act. It's hard for me to see the pieces, not just the whole. I hate the whole. It's everything I despise. But the pieces? I'm starting to see the good in the pieces, the tiny flashes of humanity.
Despite the guts-wrenching moments Kiara and Milo shared throughout the book, I had to admit that I was a teeny, tiny bit disappointed in Milo's overall characteristics. Granted, he was THE boss of his mafia family and he had his vendetta against some villains thanks to his late brother, but somehow, he appeared to be a little weak to me. On several occasions, Kiara had to rescue him whether she meant to or not. And then when it came to her destiny, he didn't seem to have much control other than offering her his throne by marrying her, which brought out my least favorite part of her personality because all of a sudden, what she wanted was the fame and title and nothing else.
That being said, this book was still a delightful read to me. The polyglot and strong female main character truly impressed me and the plot twist at the end of the book totally caught me off guard. Even though I would appreciate the book more if Milo showed more power than what he seemed to possess here, I would still recommend MILO to those who were looking for a quick and fun mafia romance novel.
***Thanks to the author and Hambright PR for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.***
September 16, 2024
DNF at 58% The book is dragging, it’s not linear and I have no connection to the characters to draw me back to it. The author really needs to learn to research properly. Xanax is not an opiate.
September 7, 2024
I was provided an arc of this ebook and excited to read a dark mafia romance with a polyglot FMC. As a bilingual person language and the love of language is always appealing to me and the FMCs role as kidnapped woman forced to be an interpreter and spy was an interesting one, laced with sexual tension and banter.
I had a hard time connecting to this FMC, she was emotionally immature but also a survivor of several traumas (so I felt initially understanding), quite young and thrust into a world she did not and could not comprehend. She at times would seem to recognize her errors but then would act in immature and self focused ways. And the initial interpretation and language focus seemed to vanish mid book.
Milo, the FMC was a complicated man and he oozed mystery and sex appeal. I liked him but craved more.
There were countless twists and turns and lots of spice throughout. It definitely had a lot of intrigue, mystery and had me questioning the motives of all the characters.
Therapist Take: all of these characters would have benefited from therapy or some self reflection. Milo was wise and insightful often but, in my opinion, tolerated a lot of unnecessary drama from the FMC. He seemed very aware of grounding skills and PTSD. One of the side characters was a psychologist and I was so hopeful there would be more there with regard to improving mental health and distress tolerance, and I also craved more related to interpretation and language focus. There were many darker themes and lots of missed opportunities for the FMC to gain some awareness and communication skills, so I did find myself frustrated throughout.
A book rating is subjective so it’s hard to really pinpoint for me why something doesn’t hit right, the spice was spicy but I did find myself speed reading through those parts-as references to her twisting uterus and “dirty releases” made me (though scientifically accurate) not so comfy.
I had a hard time connecting to this FMC, she was emotionally immature but also a survivor of several traumas (so I felt initially understanding), quite young and thrust into a world she did not and could not comprehend. She at times would seem to recognize her errors but then would act in immature and self focused ways. And the initial interpretation and language focus seemed to vanish mid book.
Milo, the FMC was a complicated man and he oozed mystery and sex appeal. I liked him but craved more.
There were countless twists and turns and lots of spice throughout. It definitely had a lot of intrigue, mystery and had me questioning the motives of all the characters.
Therapist Take: all of these characters would have benefited from therapy or some self reflection. Milo was wise and insightful often but, in my opinion, tolerated a lot of unnecessary drama from the FMC. He seemed very aware of grounding skills and PTSD. One of the side characters was a psychologist and I was so hopeful there would be more there with regard to improving mental health and distress tolerance, and I also craved more related to interpretation and language focus. There were many darker themes and lots of missed opportunities for the FMC to gain some awareness and communication skills, so I did find myself frustrated throughout.
A book rating is subjective so it’s hard to really pinpoint for me why something doesn’t hit right, the spice was spicy but I did find myself speed reading through those parts-as references to her twisting uterus and “dirty releases” made me (though scientifically accurate) not so comfy.
September 20, 2024
Review 4.5 stars ❤️
I have been in a dark romance mood so I was eager to start this book and it did not disappoint !!!😍🙌🏻 this is a dark MAFIA romance with tons of banter-filled dialogues, a morally grey MMC that would 💀 for her and a smart FMC (she’s a polyglot!).
Kiara is clever, a polyglot that starts a calm job in a small bank. Her life is suddenly turned upside down when she meets Milo, an Italian rich businessman/ mafia boss during a robbery gone wrong! She ends up saving him and he decides to hire her as his personal translator 👀🖤
The attraction between them is strong from the very beginning, and their dialogues full of fun banter! Which I absolutely love 😍 Since I live in Europe, I was super happy to read about all the different European locations as they travel. First to Italy, set in a gorgeous and well detailed villa, then to Madrid, Milan, Monaco and others countries. The story is fast paced and action packed so it’s unputdownable! And there was even a feeling of found family as Kiara was alone after the death of her grandma, but then she connects with his family.
I loved how Kiara gets “corrupted” into this dark mafia life with him (kind of reminds me a bit of the movie 365 days) and ends up even training him to learn self defense.
He made me into a monster, and a monster I shall be. I am not scared of this life anymore.”
The spicy scenes are well detailed and HOT AF🌶️.
What you can expect:
🖤dark mafia romance
🖤Banter-filled dialogues
🖤Enemies to lovers
🖤Morally gray MMC
🖤Classical books quotes
🖤European settings
🖤slowburn to spicy AF
🖤Forced proximity
🖤he is is her boss
I have been in a dark romance mood so I was eager to start this book and it did not disappoint !!!😍🙌🏻 this is a dark MAFIA romance with tons of banter-filled dialogues, a morally grey MMC that would 💀 for her and a smart FMC (she’s a polyglot!).
Kiara is clever, a polyglot that starts a calm job in a small bank. Her life is suddenly turned upside down when she meets Milo, an Italian rich businessman/ mafia boss during a robbery gone wrong! She ends up saving him and he decides to hire her as his personal translator 👀🖤
The attraction between them is strong from the very beginning, and their dialogues full of fun banter! Which I absolutely love 😍 Since I live in Europe, I was super happy to read about all the different European locations as they travel. First to Italy, set in a gorgeous and well detailed villa, then to Madrid, Milan, Monaco and others countries. The story is fast paced and action packed so it’s unputdownable! And there was even a feeling of found family as Kiara was alone after the death of her grandma, but then she connects with his family.
I loved how Kiara gets “corrupted” into this dark mafia life with him (kind of reminds me a bit of the movie 365 days) and ends up even training him to learn self defense.
He made me into a monster, and a monster I shall be. I am not scared of this life anymore.”
The spicy scenes are well detailed and HOT AF🌶️.
What you can expect:
🖤dark mafia romance
🖤Banter-filled dialogues
🖤Enemies to lovers
🖤Morally gray MMC
🖤Classical books quotes
🖤European settings
🖤slowburn to spicy AF
🖤Forced proximity
🖤he is is her boss
September 28, 2024
The banter is gold and the story has me hooked immediately!
MILO is a dark mafia romance following Kiara Payne, who finds herself thrust into the criminal underworld when her knowledge for languages foils a robbery and saves the life of a man who winds up being boss Milo Di Vaio. Kiara is a witness, but instead of offing her, Milo offers her a job as a translator after he realizes she knows really A LOT of languages. Kiara wants to live so of course she accepts, but her new job puts her at very close proximity with a very dangerous and sinfully hot man.
Being bilingual and wanting to learn more languages, I loved that Kiara’s knowledge of languages is how she saved the day at the bank and that this is how her life and Milo’s intersect and how this sets off the whole story. Like I mentioned above, the banter between Kiara and Milo, as well as the tension was amazing! I feel like the pace slowed down a little toward the middle of the book, but then it picked up beautifully with a surprising twist in the final part.
Spice: 3 peppers 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
MILO is a dark mafia romance following Kiara Payne, who finds herself thrust into the criminal underworld when her knowledge for languages foils a robbery and saves the life of a man who winds up being boss Milo Di Vaio. Kiara is a witness, but instead of offing her, Milo offers her a job as a translator after he realizes she knows really A LOT of languages. Kiara wants to live so of course she accepts, but her new job puts her at very close proximity with a very dangerous and sinfully hot man.
Being bilingual and wanting to learn more languages, I loved that Kiara’s knowledge of languages is how she saved the day at the bank and that this is how her life and Milo’s intersect and how this sets off the whole story. Like I mentioned above, the banter between Kiara and Milo, as well as the tension was amazing! I feel like the pace slowed down a little toward the middle of the book, but then it picked up beautifully with a surprising twist in the final part.
Spice: 3 peppers 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.
August 10, 2024
4.5* + fav’s list
• ARC kindly provided by the author •
I read this book many years ago in wattpad and loved every second. So, of course, when the oficial book announced came, I couldn’t wait to get my hands in an advanced copy. Gladly, this new version did not disappoint at all. I’m almost sure that there were just a few adjustments, because this story was already great. I’m so happy to see this great author get published.
The main characters of this are so amazing to me. I still remembered them with fondness even after years. The heroine was strong and resilient in her own way, but also very smart and capable. I loved seeing her arise with the opportunities and stand up for herself. The hero was also one of my favorite mafia bosses, because he was tough and strong, without being an absolute idiot. And I adored how their relationship took some time to develop, being a lot more realistic than normal for this type of genre.
Overall, for me this author deserves the praise for improving her craft and doing the work to get published. I love seeing people who only wrote for fun on wattpad, get their break and receive back for the amazing work they did in their stories. I’m hoping she gets a chance to publish more of her works, because they definitely deserve to be read by the major public.
• ARC kindly provided by the author •
I read this book many years ago in wattpad and loved every second. So, of course, when the oficial book announced came, I couldn’t wait to get my hands in an advanced copy. Gladly, this new version did not disappoint at all. I’m almost sure that there were just a few adjustments, because this story was already great. I’m so happy to see this great author get published.
The main characters of this are so amazing to me. I still remembered them with fondness even after years. The heroine was strong and resilient in her own way, but also very smart and capable. I loved seeing her arise with the opportunities and stand up for herself. The hero was also one of my favorite mafia bosses, because he was tough and strong, without being an absolute idiot. And I adored how their relationship took some time to develop, being a lot more realistic than normal for this type of genre.
Overall, for me this author deserves the praise for improving her craft and doing the work to get published. I love seeing people who only wrote for fun on wattpad, get their break and receive back for the amazing work they did in their stories. I’m hoping she gets a chance to publish more of her works, because they definitely deserve to be read by the major public.
August 15, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed going on the love story of Milo and Kiara. It was a ride. There were a few twists and turns that kept me flipping through pages.
Kiara is an intelligent, strong, and determined FMC. We get to watch Kiara transform from baby bird to a beautiful Phoenix. The way Author Lewis unfolds her character development through very difficult situations was absolutely beautiful.
Milo is a handsome and sexy Italian mob boss. Just the type of man who doesn't mind to see his women be a queen. He was so steamy, and his mouth was the chefs kiss of the story.
Quotes:
•"Faith is louder than fear"
•"Pressure makes diamonds, tesoro"
•"The Devils is not as black as he is painted"
Kiara is an intelligent, strong, and determined FMC. We get to watch Kiara transform from baby bird to a beautiful Phoenix. The way Author Lewis unfolds her character development through very difficult situations was absolutely beautiful.
Milo is a handsome and sexy Italian mob boss. Just the type of man who doesn't mind to see his women be a queen. He was so steamy, and his mouth was the chefs kiss of the story.
Quotes:
•"Faith is louder than fear"
•"Pressure makes diamonds, tesoro"
•"The Devils is not as black as he is painted"
September 2, 2024
I really enjoyed this read. It hooked me from the get go and had a fast pace to start out. As we kept going it did slow a bit but it let us watch the relationship between Kiara and Milo burn and then when that spice hit, did it hit 🥵
Kiara is not the type of woman to bite her tongue and I loved it. The banter between the two from the get go was enthralling and the whole story had me engaged.
Overall
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
August 3, 2024
I’ve first read this book on Wattpad for a few free chapters but I was instantly HOOKED. So I paid for the subscription to finish this amazing book. It instantly became my favorite. Now rereading it makes it seem like the first time again. I checked all the time after reading this if it was available in paperback. Now that it will be in September makes me so happy! I love this book and I can get to read it over and over again. E. L. Lewis has out done herself and I hope she gets picked up by a publisher or a film maker for this book! It’s a must read!!!!
Thank you E. L. Lewis for giving me a chance to be an ARC reader!!
Rate: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Overall: 10/10
Thank you E. L. Lewis for giving me a chance to be an ARC reader!!
Rate: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Overall: 10/10
November 23, 2025
book was very mid if i'm being honest. she forgave him way too fast and the scenes where the FMC could demonstrate that she speaks different languages very few and far between, SO therefore not a fan.
August 18, 2024
I would like to thank the author for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a dark romance, however while it does deal with themes such as a death of parents and family off page, violence, etc, there is very little that explicitly happens on the page. I’m not very well versed in dark romance, but I found this to be a romance with dark themes rather than the romance itself being dark.
I loved the romance between Milo and Kiara. There was a lot of tension, buildup, and banter as they both fought their attraction to each other. I definitely think that Milo fell first and harder. He practically worshiped Kiara.
Another one of my favorite aspects of this book is that Kiara is a highly intelligent character. She speaks multiple languages, is able to learn skills quickly, is knowledgeable about human behavior and literature, etc. Because of this, the author works a lot of facts, phrases and history into the book which I loved!
My only two qualms with this book were that the war with the Russians took place mostly off page, including the finale. I would have loved to get into this plot line a bit more. Secondly, I found Kiara to have a sharp pivot towards the end where she not only accepted the violence and death of the mafia life, but was suddenly physically involving herself in the violence. I found this to be rather jarring considering her reactions throughout the book to that point.
Overall though, this was a sexy romance with dark themes. I flew through it and thoroughly enjoyed!
This is a dark romance, however while it does deal with themes such as a death of parents and family off page, violence, etc, there is very little that explicitly happens on the page. I’m not very well versed in dark romance, but I found this to be a romance with dark themes rather than the romance itself being dark.
I loved the romance between Milo and Kiara. There was a lot of tension, buildup, and banter as they both fought their attraction to each other. I definitely think that Milo fell first and harder. He practically worshiped Kiara.
Another one of my favorite aspects of this book is that Kiara is a highly intelligent character. She speaks multiple languages, is able to learn skills quickly, is knowledgeable about human behavior and literature, etc. Because of this, the author works a lot of facts, phrases and history into the book which I loved!
My only two qualms with this book were that the war with the Russians took place mostly off page, including the finale. I would have loved to get into this plot line a bit more. Secondly, I found Kiara to have a sharp pivot towards the end where she not only accepted the violence and death of the mafia life, but was suddenly physically involving herself in the violence. I found this to be rather jarring considering her reactions throughout the book to that point.
Overall though, this was a sexy romance with dark themes. I flew through it and thoroughly enjoyed!
August 25, 2025
Something was missing but I love a mafia book.
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