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The Malvagio Duet #1
Forbidden Mafia Prince
“What are you going to do with me?”
“Whatever the hell I want.”
In Manhattan, tensions are rising.
In a play for power, the Rossetti family has made a decisive blow, crippling their rivals—an act that has forced the Fiores to make a desperate move to maintain their supremacy.
Many miles away, Luca Davis, a young medical student, has no idea his life is about to change.
No idea that everything he’s been told about his life has been a lie.
Enter Domenico Rossetti, the ruthless Mafia prince. Powerful and unforgiving, he’s a savage in a suit—and the one who holds the cards when it comes to his new captive.
But when the war escalates and both are forced into seclusion, the two men are faced with a new threat: the rising sexual tension between them.
You don’t fall for the one person you’re supposed to hate, but it’s a temptation neither can resist.
Because falling in love with the enemy isn’t only wrong—it’s forbidden.
And the cost for defying everyone will be their lives.
Forbidden Mafia Prince is the first book in USA Today Bestselling Authors Brooke Blaine and Ella Frank's M/M mafia romance duet.
“Whatever the hell I want.”
In Manhattan, tensions are rising.
In a play for power, the Rossetti family has made a decisive blow, crippling their rivals—an act that has forced the Fiores to make a desperate move to maintain their supremacy.
Many miles away, Luca Davis, a young medical student, has no idea his life is about to change.
No idea that everything he’s been told about his life has been a lie.
Enter Domenico Rossetti, the ruthless Mafia prince. Powerful and unforgiving, he’s a savage in a suit—and the one who holds the cards when it comes to his new captive.
But when the war escalates and both are forced into seclusion, the two men are faced with a new threat: the rising sexual tension between them.
You don’t fall for the one person you’re supposed to hate, but it’s a temptation neither can resist.
Because falling in love with the enemy isn’t only wrong—it’s forbidden.
And the cost for defying everyone will be their lives.
Forbidden Mafia Prince is the first book in USA Today Bestselling Authors Brooke Blaine and Ella Frank's M/M mafia romance duet.
244 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 25, 2022
446 people are currently reading
2660 people want to read
About the author
Brooke Blaine
62 books2,420 followersBrooke Blaine is a USA Today Bestselling Author best known for writing romantic comedy and M/M romance. Her novels lead with humor and heart, but Brooke never shies away from throwing in something extra naughty that will scandalize her conservative Southern family for life (bless their hearts).
She’s a choc-o-holic, lives for eighties bands (which means she thinks guyliner is totally underrated), believes it’s always wine o’clock, and lives with the coolest cat on the planet—her Ragdoll/Maine Coon mix, Jackson Agador Spartacus.
She’s a choc-o-holic, lives for eighties bands (which means she thinks guyliner is totally underrated), believes it’s always wine o’clock, and lives with the coolest cat on the planet—her Ragdoll/Maine Coon mix, Jackson Agador Spartacus.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 563 reviews
August 7, 2022
yaaaaaas keep giving us nothing girls
February 1, 2025
- This book took the wrinkles from my brain, and ironed them.
- I think if you google “mid book recs” this book would come up as a suggestion.
- This book will be good for you, if you think pepper is spicy.
Thank you.✨
- I think if you google “mid book recs” this book would come up as a suggestion.
- This book will be good for you, if you think pepper is spicy.
Thank you.✨
July 21, 2022
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.***
Forbidden Mafia Prince is an enjoyable mafia captor/captive romance that focuses heavily on the enemy aspect with lingering feelings between both Dom and Luca. Throughout this story I was feeling so bad for Luca who was literally plucked from his life and thrown into an intense mafia war between two families and unbeknownst to him he is at the center of it.
Dom is Luca's kidnapper and holds a huge grudge against Luca due to family of origin, which leads to many prickly conversations, which I found very entertaining.
Overall this is a great first part of the Duet that leaves you on a cliffhanger that leaves many questions unanswered. Luca and Dom do have an instant attraction to one another, but due to all of the outside factors makes their pairing utterly impossible. I am curious to see how they get their HEA because at this point it seems rather bleak.
Forbidden Mafia Prince is an enjoyable mafia captor/captive romance that focuses heavily on the enemy aspect with lingering feelings between both Dom and Luca. Throughout this story I was feeling so bad for Luca who was literally plucked from his life and thrown into an intense mafia war between two families and unbeknownst to him he is at the center of it.
Dom is Luca's kidnapper and holds a huge grudge against Luca due to family of origin, which leads to many prickly conversations, which I found very entertaining.
Overall this is a great first part of the Duet that leaves you on a cliffhanger that leaves many questions unanswered. Luca and Dom do have an instant attraction to one another, but due to all of the outside factors makes their pairing utterly impossible. I am curious to see how they get their HEA because at this point it seems rather bleak.
July 20, 2022
As is the norm with these two writers when we get a duet, this is only the first half of the tale and it ends with a humdinger of a cliffhanger.
The romance itself isn't usual though, it's not really a romance at all in this first book, very much a case of enemies full of lustful passion and a need to consume the attention of the other.
Quite often with an enemies to lovers romance there's not really much in the way of enemies, more a strong dislike. Not here, this is absolutely hatred at first on the part of Mafia Prince Domenico Rossetti when he gets his hands on Luca Davis.
Poor Luca, I felt so badly for him, he has no idea who he really is, he's grown up in a normal family, away from the violence and corruption of the New York mobster life. When he's taken captive by Dom he's terrified.
However, as the situation between the families escalates, Luca and Dom slowly begin to connect, albeit in arguments and outbursts of defiance. When things get even more heated, the passion between them explodes.
Don't expect Brooke and Ella's usual swoony romance though, this is brutal, harsh, unforgiving and incredibly hot and powerful.
The final chapter did have me questioning Dom's position as ultimate Mafia Prince because he makes a ridiculously stupid mistake which felt a bit like it was there to push the plot along.
But, it works and it's not too far from the bounds of possibility given the circumstances and it sets up the delicious second entry which I cannot wait for.
#ARC kindly received from the authors via Valentine PR in return for an honest and unbiased review
The romance itself isn't usual though, it's not really a romance at all in this first book, very much a case of enemies full of lustful passion and a need to consume the attention of the other.
Quite often with an enemies to lovers romance there's not really much in the way of enemies, more a strong dislike. Not here, this is absolutely hatred at first on the part of Mafia Prince Domenico Rossetti when he gets his hands on Luca Davis.
Poor Luca, I felt so badly for him, he has no idea who he really is, he's grown up in a normal family, away from the violence and corruption of the New York mobster life. When he's taken captive by Dom he's terrified.
However, as the situation between the families escalates, Luca and Dom slowly begin to connect, albeit in arguments and outbursts of defiance. When things get even more heated, the passion between them explodes.
Don't expect Brooke and Ella's usual swoony romance though, this is brutal, harsh, unforgiving and incredibly hot and powerful.
The final chapter did have me questioning Dom's position as ultimate Mafia Prince because he makes a ridiculously stupid mistake which felt a bit like it was there to push the plot along.
But, it works and it's not too far from the bounds of possibility given the circumstances and it sets up the delicious second entry which I cannot wait for.
#ARC kindly received from the authors via Valentine PR in return for an honest and unbiased review
August 12, 2022
***2.0 rating***
Not even sad, just disappointed.
🤡 🤡
Not even sad, just disappointed.
🤡 🤡
August 12, 2022
"Mine," Dom muttered to himself, and Luca's cock jerked. "Mine to do what the fuck I want with".
When Brooke Blaine and Ella Frank get together, you know they are going to produce a great book.
Now usually, their books are cute and snarky and steamy and low angst and downright adorable.
Forbidden Mafia Prince is different. It's darker and rougher and dirtier. These are mafia families and they are at war.
Dom is the heir to the Rossetti family business and he believes in getting his hands dirty. He doesn't play nice, he takes what he wants and he demands obedience. He kidnaps Luca Davis - a naive young med student, with his whole life ahead of him - who has no idea that the life he has been living is based on a lie.
Dom has no intention of letting Lucas live beyond his usefulness to the Rosetti family, but he didn't plan on the sparks that start to fly between them, and Lucas isn't averse to taking what he wants too.
This is a forced proximity, enemies to more, opposites attract, "mine", mafia dark MM romance. And because this is book one in a Blaine and Frank duet, you just know there's going to be a killer cliffhanger.
Don't say you weren't warned!
4.5 steamy AF stars 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
When Brooke Blaine and Ella Frank get together, you know they are going to produce a great book.
Now usually, their books are cute and snarky and steamy and low angst and downright adorable.
Forbidden Mafia Prince is different. It's darker and rougher and dirtier. These are mafia families and they are at war.
Dom is the heir to the Rossetti family business and he believes in getting his hands dirty. He doesn't play nice, he takes what he wants and he demands obedience. He kidnaps Luca Davis - a naive young med student, with his whole life ahead of him - who has no idea that the life he has been living is based on a lie.
Dom has no intention of letting Lucas live beyond his usefulness to the Rosetti family, but he didn't plan on the sparks that start to fly between them, and Lucas isn't averse to taking what he wants too.
This is a forced proximity, enemies to more, opposites attract, "mine", mafia dark MM romance. And because this is book one in a Blaine and Frank duet, you just know there's going to be a killer cliffhanger.
Don't say you weren't warned!
4.5 steamy AF stars 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
August 5, 2022
this was meh overall but the readable kind so i don't hate it that much.
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September 4, 2024
MM Romance
Mafia Mayhem
Duet Part 1 of 2
2.75 Stars ⭐️
🎵Narrated by Aiden Snow🎵💗💗🥵🥵
I was looking for something mindless when I picked this up last month and I got my wish. It’s amazing I remember anything about it off the top of my head because it’s so mid but I even remember their names. 🤷🏻♀️🤭 Luca is in med school and about to do his hours at a hospital when he gets kidnapped by a man named Dom who is part of the mafia and has been looking for Luca for years to fulfill his revenge plot. Luca thinks they have the wrong guy because he knows nothing about the mafia and just wants to be a doctor but as it turns out Luca is NOT the wrong guy and Dom is about to blow up Luca’s life as he knows it.
Part 1 had a lot of mafia things happening even if they were pretty dumb at times especially the way this book ends. It took awhile for Luca and Dom to even get physical with each other and I enjoyed the build up. I can’t say this was a riveting read but Aiden Snow has a sexy af voice and he reeled me in like a fish and I stayed firmly attached to his hook the entire time.
So basically, go in with low expectations and you’ll probably have a good time.
Mafia Mayhem
Duet Part 1 of 2
2.75 Stars ⭐️
🎵Narrated by Aiden Snow🎵💗💗🥵🥵
I was looking for something mindless when I picked this up last month and I got my wish. It’s amazing I remember anything about it off the top of my head because it’s so mid but I even remember their names. 🤷🏻♀️🤭 Luca is in med school and about to do his hours at a hospital when he gets kidnapped by a man named Dom who is part of the mafia and has been looking for Luca for years to fulfill his revenge plot. Luca thinks they have the wrong guy because he knows nothing about the mafia and just wants to be a doctor but as it turns out Luca is NOT the wrong guy and Dom is about to blow up Luca’s life as he knows it.
Part 1 had a lot of mafia things happening even if they were pretty dumb at times especially the way this book ends. It took awhile for Luca and Dom to even get physical with each other and I enjoyed the build up. I can’t say this was a riveting read but Aiden Snow has a sexy af voice and he reeled me in like a fish and I stayed firmly attached to his hook the entire time.
So basically, go in with low expectations and you’ll probably have a good time.
August 26, 2022
I really liked this book, the plot is very interesting with the captive trope and a real insta connection
I really love the mafia books!!
Lowering my rating
I really love the mafia books!!
Lowering my rating
June 12, 2024
3.5*** stars
audio: 5+ stars
I’d say… listening to Aiden Snow for 12hrs was (almost) worth it. It’s also the only reason I caved and picked it up.
Splitting this story into two books and cashing in twice was as unnecessary as always, tho. The plot was lame and rather simple, the characters bland.
My verdict: pretty uneventful for a mafia romance (if not to say boring) and overall forgettable. *yawn
**************
The Malvagio Duet
Book 1 - Forbidden Mafia Prince - 3.5 stars
Book 2 - Sinful Mafia Prince - 3.0 stars
audio: 5+ stars
I’d say… listening to Aiden Snow for 12hrs was (almost) worth it. It’s also the only reason I caved and picked it up.
Splitting this story into two books and cashing in twice was as unnecessary as always, tho. The plot was lame and rather simple, the characters bland.
My verdict: pretty uneventful for a mafia romance (if not to say boring) and overall forgettable. *yawn
**************
The Malvagio Duet
Book 1 - Forbidden Mafia Prince - 3.5 stars
Book 2 - Sinful Mafia Prince - 3.0 stars
August 28, 2024
Audio 5 Stars
Story - 3.5 Stars
Story - 3.5 Stars
December 11, 2022
I just cant fathom how this was written by the same authors who wrote my beloved Halo and Viper?!?
I usually avoid mafia type books because they're so stereotypical and OTT but I had high hopes for this because I usually really like these authors.
The thing that threw me off straight away is it's not first person, which I expect with Ella Frank but not the duo together.
We also don't get to know anything about Luca and Dom before the kidnapping, and I just didn't care about either because there was no time spent building a connection to the characters for the reader at all. The feud also wasn't explained at all so it just felt pretty pointless and quite frankly I just kept imagining an Austin Powers character, it felt like that much of a caricature 😂
This had literally every stereotype of a mafia goon and the small minded mentalities to go along with it. The only reason I'll be reading part 2 is because the last chapter was slightly more interesting and I hate not finishing a series.
What was super weird is the way they go from hating each other to wanting each other so quickly, I felt like I'd missed something because I just didn't feel any connection or chemistry between the two MCs whatsoever.
Hopefully the second book will be better but I won't be holding my breath 🤷🏼♀️
I usually avoid mafia type books because they're so stereotypical and OTT but I had high hopes for this because I usually really like these authors.
The thing that threw me off straight away is it's not first person, which I expect with Ella Frank but not the duo together.
We also don't get to know anything about Luca and Dom before the kidnapping, and I just didn't care about either because there was no time spent building a connection to the characters for the reader at all. The feud also wasn't explained at all so it just felt pretty pointless and quite frankly I just kept imagining an Austin Powers character, it felt like that much of a caricature 😂
This had literally every stereotype of a mafia goon and the small minded mentalities to go along with it. The only reason I'll be reading part 2 is because the last chapter was slightly more interesting and I hate not finishing a series.
What was super weird is the way they go from hating each other to wanting each other so quickly, I felt like I'd missed something because I just didn't feel any connection or chemistry between the two MCs whatsoever.
Hopefully the second book will be better but I won't be holding my breath 🤷🏼♀️
Read
March 21, 2023DNF @38% (about page 85)
For a first book in a duology, this was boring... not a lot happened for a mafia or at least it felt boring and not even the sexy voice of Aiden Snow could help get me to want to finish this book.
i think its a mood, which like the weather in SoCal these days, is crappy. so hopefully both turn around and i get out of this slump that is so rudely taking over my life haha.
For a first book in a duology, this was boring... not a lot happened for a mafia or at least it felt boring and not even the sexy voice of Aiden Snow could help get me to want to finish this book.
i think its a mood, which like the weather in SoCal these days, is crappy. so hopefully both turn around and i get out of this slump that is so rudely taking over my life haha.
February 21, 2023
OTT and little else.
For me this was a bit ridiculous.
Come on: a controlling mafia boss named Dom? Please.
Much too much posturing with little substance.
I won’t be reading the next book in the series.
For me this was a bit ridiculous.
Come on: a controlling mafia boss named Dom? Please.
Much too much posturing with little substance.
I won’t be reading the next book in the series.
December 10, 2024
[This review covers both books of The Malvagio Duet]
You know how they say if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all? Well, I'm going to say one nice thing first and then it's going to be fair game because I feel like I lost brain cells reading this 🫠 There will be spoilers below, but believe me they are pretty inconsequential because literally nothing worth spoiling happened in this series 💀
Nice thing:
Aiden Snow. He was the only reason I suffered through this story. My ears felt happy, but my brain turned to mush and leaked out my ear in the process 🙃
Not so nice things:
- Plot, what plot? I mean, there was one, but it went something like this:
Two rival mafia families, one captures the son of the other, BUT the captured one doesn't know he's from the other family bc he was raised by adoptive parents who loved and cared for him. Soooo captured son literally has no beef with the people that captured him for any other reason than "wtf guys?! I was just living my life. Can I go back to that please?"
Luca literally dgaf that Dom's family wanted to destroy his bio family because he just found out about them. I'm honestly not sure what the point of any of it was. There was no tension in relation to the rival mafia family aspect. Sure, there was some killing of no one you care about and a whole "revenge" plot for prior murders of no one you're actually invested in, but that was it. It ultimately had little to no bearing on the romance plot. This was the least "mafia" mafia book I've ever read. This could have been any other forced proximity book and it wouldn't have made a difference.
- The spice was meh at best. But wait! How can that be? Book two's cover looks so pretty with a guy holding a whip on the front!
It's giving all the 🔥SPICY TIMES🔥 energy, right? Somebody's getting whipped, right?
WRONG. You know what's getting whipped? A FLOWER STEM 🌹
"You're not gonna hit me with it, are you?"
"Luca. Shut up."
Dom lifted the whip, snapping it by his side with a crack that made Luca jump. Then he circled it over his head, focusing on his target, and snapped the whip forward-slicing the head of the flower clean off.
I don't know about you, but if I'm putting a whip on the cover of my book called Sinful Mafia Prince, there's going to be some whipping of a mafia prince 🙄 Anyway, I digress. At the end of the book, once Luca and Dom are back in the states, Luca asks Dom to have his sister mail him the whip, so idk maybe he's going to get his kink on after all. Guess we'll never know 🤷🏼♀️
Long story short, if you want an actually decent series from this author duo, go read The Elite instead. It was so much better on so many levels.
You know how they say if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all? Well, I'm going to say one nice thing first and then it's going to be fair game because I feel like I lost brain cells reading this 🫠 There will be spoilers below, but believe me they are pretty inconsequential because literally nothing worth spoiling happened in this series 💀
Nice thing:
Aiden Snow. He was the only reason I suffered through this story. My ears felt happy, but my brain turned to mush and leaked out my ear in the process 🙃
Not so nice things:
- Plot, what plot? I mean, there was one, but it went something like this:
Two rival mafia families, one captures the son of the other, BUT the captured one doesn't know he's from the other family bc he was raised by adoptive parents who loved and cared for him. Soooo captured son literally has no beef with the people that captured him for any other reason than "wtf guys?! I was just living my life. Can I go back to that please?"
Luca literally dgaf that Dom's family wanted to destroy his bio family because he just found out about them. I'm honestly not sure what the point of any of it was. There was no tension in relation to the rival mafia family aspect. Sure, there was some killing of no one you care about and a whole "revenge" plot for prior murders of no one you're actually invested in, but that was it. It ultimately had little to no bearing on the romance plot. This was the least "mafia" mafia book I've ever read. This could have been any other forced proximity book and it wouldn't have made a difference.
- The spice was meh at best. But wait! How can that be? Book two's cover looks so pretty with a guy holding a whip on the front!
It's giving all the 🔥SPICY TIMES🔥 energy, right? Somebody's getting whipped, right?
WRONG. You know what's getting whipped? A FLOWER STEM 🌹
"You're not gonna hit me with it, are you?"
"Luca. Shut up."
Dom lifted the whip, snapping it by his side with a crack that made Luca jump. Then he circled it over his head, focusing on his target, and snapped the whip forward-slicing the head of the flower clean off.
I don't know about you, but if I'm putting a whip on the cover of my book called Sinful Mafia Prince, there's going to be some whipping of a mafia prince 🙄 Anyway, I digress. At the end of the book, once Luca and Dom are back in the states, Luca asks Dom to have his sister mail him the whip, so idk maybe he's going to get his kink on after all. Guess we'll never know 🤷🏼♀️
Long story short, if you want an actually decent series from this author duo, go read The Elite instead. It was so much better on so many levels.
July 7, 2025
this is my 4th MM and hot damn am hooked 😋 👌 line and sinker 🫦😜
July 25, 2022
Luca + Dom
Luca is 24 years old and very happy in his med-student life.
Until today - when he got kidnapped by this hot mafia guy.
Hot mafia guy Dom is super happy that he finally found Luca -
who's the only son of his family's enemy.
But now dad wants Dom to stay low and hide in their Casino's penthouse.
With the little doc.
LET THE FUN TIMES BEGIN ....
══════════════════
Well. I hate mafia romances. 😂
But this was an Ella and Brooke book, so I had to read it. And it was... well, next to all the bloody and violent scenes... it was cute and sparky and and sexy and so very Stockholm-Syndromy.
That's not really my thing at all. But the two guys were cute.
Tough mafia heir Dom and the cute and adorable med-student Luca.
Cut away all that crime sh*t and it would be an adorable love story.
It got way better and very exciting in the end -
and I can't wait to see how we'll get that happy end in book #2!
I'm also not a fan of turning one normal-length book into two shortish ones.
I hate waiting, I will have forgotten everything once the second book arrives!
Why not just make one amazing book with lots of exicitement and danger and an epic love story?
Anyway - this wasn't bad at all - it's just not my genre and not my kind of reading style - this 2-book thing. But mafia-fans and series-fans will love this!
FORBIDDEN MAFIA PRINCE was a very dangerous and sexy and mafia-ish M/M love story!
💜
💜
November 24, 2022
DNF @69%
I wanted to love and enjoy the whole book and finish it but everything just seem so extra and I’m unable to connect with the both the MCs as well
I wanted to love and enjoy the whole book and finish it but everything just seem so extra and I’m unable to connect with the both the MCs as well
August 30, 2022
⭐︎
3.5 stars rounded up!
⭐︎
There are things these ladies did right in this, and things I wish they had done more of.
The Good:
✦ I was actually expecting these ladies to be a little to "light & fluffy" with the mafia angle in this. I thought they'd be like...mafia-lite, almost.
But actually they did that aspect very well in this. Dom was sufficiently bad ass but also fairly dark. He didn't hold back in almost anything. The only area he was good about was consent, which is a plus. But he was very willing to hurt, maim and kill others, either fast and efficiently or in a very brutal way, depending on his mood.
✦ Dom wasn't immediately taken in by Luca and wasn't immediately like "this one is mine and anyone who hurts him will die" they actually took their time getting him there.
✦ The chemistry was good, it came across well between these two, lust wise.
✦ The plot was interesting and kept me entertained and tuned in for more. I was never bored by what was going on in the story.
✦ While Luca was turned on by some things, he was sufficiently horrified and terrified of things as well, and he didn't just immediately fall for this guy who is, at least on the surface, a horrible monster.
The Not So Good:
✦ The romance was severely lacking in this story. So much so that I didn't feel right tagging this as a romance. I think there's a good balance you can have between the depravity, violence and gore that comes with the mafia territory and the romance, but this story didn't have it. I'm sure that will come, and there very the barest of hints of it as the story progressed, but still it was only the barest of hints of it.
This was my biggest struggle with the book. It took a long time for Dom to even loosen up and start to show a slight vulnerability with Luca and so I wasn't feeling the feelings between these two.
Lust, desire, attraction, yes. Feelings? Not many. I was waiting and waiting for Dom to start to loosen up, but there was such a push and pull, or kind of one, but Dom barely loosened up for there to be a push and pull.
✦ The length of this should be longer. Why they don't just put the two parts together, I have no idea. For the cliffhanger of it all, maybe? (Which, I'm glad I waited for the second to come out with the cliffhanger in this one) But this style is getting kind of annoying. I don't mind it too much, but this being the constant way they format their books/series it getting kind of old. I wish they'd just release a story in one go.
Because these parts are pretty short. Barely over 200 pages, with barely any time for development, and barely any time for sexual things to happen. These two engage in one - hot, yes - blowjob, and then full on sex once. It's not enough.
I get that this is part of a duet, but as this book stands, on its own, there isn't enough of their relationship development in this one, and I could see someone not being arsed to continue the duet because of how little relationship development and romance there is between the two MC's.
✦ I think if the book just had a better balance of the crime plot and the romance, this would have been amazing. If they'd given us a few more soft moments between these two, some feelings starting to really blossom, I would have absolutely adored this.
Instead, by the end, Dom is thinking that Luca is "his" but I'm barely buying it. How did he come to that conclusion when he's still tried to convince himself he hates Luca? That it's just sex and lust? We didn't get the progression of his feelings to him being that invested in Luca and seeing him as "his."
Luca had a better progression, but he still didn't have enough as well, in my opinion. He was held hostage for all of this, hated Dom too at first, was only sexually attracted at first, he literally tried to escape and almost succeeded, etc etc.
There just needed to be more between these two. I get Luca being attracted to Dom, but Dom treats him pretty shittily and doesn't open up all that much - he gives him barely anything - so him having strong feelings for Dom doesn't translate either.
So definitely areas to improve upon in this story, which made me feel like I couldn't give it above 3.5 stars. Giving the 4 full stars didn't feel right, with the extreme lack of romance and balance in this.
But it was still enjoyable, it still kept me interested and invested enough to keep going, and didn't shy away from the brutality that the mafia entails. Those are all a plus for me.
So worth a read, but definitely be reading this with the second one, which I have just started myself. Because this book alone just is missing some big parts to make it amazing.
There are things these ladies did right in this, and things I wish they had done more of.
The Good:
✦ I was actually expecting these ladies to be a little to "light & fluffy" with the mafia angle in this. I thought they'd be like...mafia-lite, almost.
But actually they did that aspect very well in this. Dom was sufficiently bad ass but also fairly dark. He didn't hold back in almost anything. The only area he was good about was consent, which is a plus. But he was very willing to hurt, maim and kill others, either fast and efficiently or in a very brutal way, depending on his mood.
✦ Dom wasn't immediately taken in by Luca and wasn't immediately like "this one is mine and anyone who hurts him will die" they actually took their time getting him there.
✦ The chemistry was good, it came across well between these two, lust wise.
✦ The plot was interesting and kept me entertained and tuned in for more. I was never bored by what was going on in the story.
✦ While Luca was turned on by some things, he was sufficiently horrified and terrified of things as well, and he didn't just immediately fall for this guy who is, at least on the surface, a horrible monster.
The Not So Good:
✦ The romance was severely lacking in this story. So much so that I didn't feel right tagging this as a romance. I think there's a good balance you can have between the depravity, violence and gore that comes with the mafia territory and the romance, but this story didn't have it. I'm sure that will come, and there very the barest of hints of it as the story progressed, but still it was only the barest of hints of it.
This was my biggest struggle with the book. It took a long time for Dom to even loosen up and start to show a slight vulnerability with Luca and so I wasn't feeling the feelings between these two.
Lust, desire, attraction, yes. Feelings? Not many. I was waiting and waiting for Dom to start to loosen up, but there was such a push and pull, or kind of one, but Dom barely loosened up for there to be a push and pull.
✦ The length of this should be longer. Why they don't just put the two parts together, I have no idea. For the cliffhanger of it all, maybe? (Which, I'm glad I waited for the second to come out with the cliffhanger in this one) But this style is getting kind of annoying. I don't mind it too much, but this being the constant way they format their books/series it getting kind of old. I wish they'd just release a story in one go.
Because these parts are pretty short. Barely over 200 pages, with barely any time for development, and barely any time for sexual things to happen. These two engage in one - hot, yes - blowjob, and then full on sex once. It's not enough.
I get that this is part of a duet, but as this book stands, on its own, there isn't enough of their relationship development in this one, and I could see someone not being arsed to continue the duet because of how little relationship development and romance there is between the two MC's.
✦ I think if the book just had a better balance of the crime plot and the romance, this would have been amazing. If they'd given us a few more soft moments between these two, some feelings starting to really blossom, I would have absolutely adored this.
Instead, by the end, Dom is thinking that Luca is "his" but I'm barely buying it. How did he come to that conclusion when he's still tried to convince himself he hates Luca? That it's just sex and lust? We didn't get the progression of his feelings to him being that invested in Luca and seeing him as "his."
Luca had a better progression, but he still didn't have enough as well, in my opinion. He was held hostage for all of this, hated Dom too at first, was only sexually attracted at first, he literally tried to escape and almost succeeded, etc etc.
There just needed to be more between these two. I get Luca being attracted to Dom, but Dom treats him pretty shittily and doesn't open up all that much - he gives him barely anything - so him having strong feelings for Dom doesn't translate either.
So definitely areas to improve upon in this story, which made me feel like I couldn't give it above 3.5 stars. Giving the 4 full stars didn't feel right, with the extreme lack of romance and balance in this.
But it was still enjoyable, it still kept me interested and invested enough to keep going, and didn't shy away from the brutality that the mafia entails. Those are all a plus for me.
So worth a read, but definitely be reading this with the second one, which I have just started myself. Because this book alone just is missing some big parts to make it amazing.
July 29, 2022
This was an amazing start!! I need more of this. Dom and Lucas have my heart.
Excellent mafia romance. I loved how Lucas and Dom completed each other while they are the polar opposites.
There is more to Dom that meets the eye and I love that. Cannot wait for more!!!
Excellent mafia romance. I loved how Lucas and Dom completed each other while they are the polar opposites.
There is more to Dom that meets the eye and I love that. Cannot wait for more!!!
April 12, 2023
sigh. MCs don't have to be muscular and tall to be the main character and i just wish authors understood that. i honestly kept forgetting that Luca was a doctor.
July 21, 2022
Welcome to the Mafia duology by Brooke and Ella. It’s definitely not their normal steamy lover's story, this really is an enemies-to-lovers theme, though book one is probably best described as pure Enemies. And with one doozy of a cliffhanger, we’ll have to wait to see if they manage to make it to the lovers side.
Dom Rossetti has lived his life knowing two things. One day he’ll head the Mafia family, and the Fiore family must fall - at any cost.
Luca Davis has no idea who the Rossetti or Fiore families are. Until he finds himself captive at the hands of one terrifying Dom.
But there’s one thing we all know, plans never to go the way you want when it comes to matters of the heart and you are forced together.
If you love revenge, blood, and hate-sex you’ve come to the right place. It isn’t as dark as I expected, but it’s fast-paced, and the end will make sure you come back for more.
Dom Rossetti has lived his life knowing two things. One day he’ll head the Mafia family, and the Fiore family must fall - at any cost.
Luca Davis has no idea who the Rossetti or Fiore families are. Until he finds himself captive at the hands of one terrifying Dom.
But there’s one thing we all know, plans never to go the way you want when it comes to matters of the heart and you are forced together.
If you love revenge, blood, and hate-sex you’ve come to the right place. It isn’t as dark as I expected, but it’s fast-paced, and the end will make sure you come back for more.
July 25, 2022
Steam 4
Storyline 4.25
Feels 3
Overall Rating 4.25
Kindle eArc provided by Authors
Reviewed by Robin
This was a whole different enemies to lovers than I'm use to reading. Not the grouchy neighbor and the guy next door, NO. ACTUAL enemies where one family wants you DEAD. I felt really awful for Luca because he didn't sign up for any of this. He doesn't even know he's "part" of a family. He's an actual good guy. Dom...in the beginning, I didn't even know how he would be redeemed. He's the classic mafia guy who beats the information out of his victim. When he takes Luca captive, I didn't see how these two could ever come anywhere close to a peaceful co-existence. BUT...slowly they both acknowledge an attraction. Grudgingly. With the twist at the end, I can't wait for the next book with these two. I'm on pins and needles!
Storyline 4.25
Feels 3
Overall Rating 4.25
Kindle eArc provided by Authors
Reviewed by Robin
This was a whole different enemies to lovers than I'm use to reading. Not the grouchy neighbor and the guy next door, NO. ACTUAL enemies where one family wants you DEAD. I felt really awful for Luca because he didn't sign up for any of this. He doesn't even know he's "part" of a family. He's an actual good guy. Dom...in the beginning, I didn't even know how he would be redeemed. He's the classic mafia guy who beats the information out of his victim. When he takes Luca captive, I didn't see how these two could ever come anywhere close to a peaceful co-existence. BUT...slowly they both acknowledge an attraction. Grudgingly. With the twist at the end, I can't wait for the next book with these two. I'm on pins and needles!
April 22, 2025
Ugh...... please save me from boring fics. I DNF'd at 75% because I couldn't take any more of this.
Dom (2nd in command) kidnaps Luca (24, med student) - holding him for some reason, occasionally threatening to kill him. Luca learns that his mom isn't really his mom, but we don't know anything else about this situation.
SEX: What sex?? At least if there was sex, maybe I'd have something to keep my attention. Their first sexual interaction didn't even happen until around the 70% mark. There hasn't been any kissing or touching before that. No flirting. Ugh I was really disappointed on that front. Oh.... one of them came in his pants just from giving the other a BJ, didn't even touch himself. From the MM education I've received from Dan, that's HIGHLY improbable. Even to my straight brain it doesn't even make sense.
AUDIO: If you have more patience than I do, the audio is good. Aiden Snow always delivers on that sexy growl. Yummy. That said - even HE couldn't keep me listening to this.
DNF: It was a combo of no sex and no story progression that made me DNF. Anyway - I have library books checked out and I want to get to those.
Dom (2nd in command) kidnaps Luca (24, med student) - holding him for some reason, occasionally threatening to kill him. Luca learns that his mom isn't really his mom, but we don't know anything else about this situation.
SEX: What sex?? At least if there was sex, maybe I'd have something to keep my attention. Their first sexual interaction didn't even happen until around the 70% mark. There hasn't been any kissing or touching before that. No flirting. Ugh I was really disappointed on that front. Oh.... one of them came in his pants just from giving the other a BJ, didn't even touch himself. From the MM education I've received from Dan, that's HIGHLY improbable. Even to my straight brain it doesn't even make sense.
AUDIO: If you have more patience than I do, the audio is good. Aiden Snow always delivers on that sexy growl. Yummy. That said - even HE couldn't keep me listening to this.
DNF: It was a combo of no sex and no story progression that made me DNF. Anyway - I have library books checked out and I want to get to those.
July 27, 2022
“𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑙𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑔.”
“𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑎 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑜 𝑅𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐽𝑢𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑠, 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦.”
“𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑜 𝑚𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑢𝑝. 𝑆𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑚𝑒 𝑆𝑡𝑜𝑐𝑘ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑚-𝑠𝑦𝑛𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒.”
Oh, Dom... The man does protest too much!!
Luca and Dom's chemistry had me wishing for a whole cacophony of messy love! Brooke Blaine and Ella Frank took away the keys to Dom's kingdom and from that moment I knew neither of these men would be able to resist temptation.
Luca, an innocent and lost Heir to Fiores syndicate.
Dom, second-in-command to Vincenzo Rossetti, Manhattan Crime Lord.
Luca, is the forbidden fruit. Dom, trapped in the penthouse of a high-rise casino. A gilded cage of his fathers making.
Honestly, what could go wrong? Forbidden fruit always taste the sweetest!
I absolutely loved Dom and Luca's story. Dom is such an Alpha male but Luca was no wilting flower. I loved the back and forth between these two. The tension between them palpable and had a brilliant build up to some scorching moments neither could deny or resist. I need book two of the Malvagio duet like there's no tomorrow, that cliffhanger killed me. I need more from Chef and Caterina too.
“𝐿𝑢𝑐𝑎 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑎𝑠 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝐺𝑜𝑑 𝑎𝑠 ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑏𝑒 𝑢𝑝 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒, 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑑𝑛’𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑚 𝑡𝑜 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑧𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑙 ℎ𝑖𝑚𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓.”
“𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑠𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑎 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑜 𝑅𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐽𝑢𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑠, 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 ℎ𝑎𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦.”
“𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑜 𝑚𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑢𝑝. 𝑆𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑚𝑒 𝑆𝑡𝑜𝑐𝑘ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑚-𝑠𝑦𝑛𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒.”
Oh, Dom... The man does protest too much!!
Luca and Dom's chemistry had me wishing for a whole cacophony of messy love! Brooke Blaine and Ella Frank took away the keys to Dom's kingdom and from that moment I knew neither of these men would be able to resist temptation.
Luca, an innocent and lost Heir to Fiores syndicate.
Dom, second-in-command to Vincenzo Rossetti, Manhattan Crime Lord.
Luca, is the forbidden fruit. Dom, trapped in the penthouse of a high-rise casino. A gilded cage of his fathers making.
Honestly, what could go wrong? Forbidden fruit always taste the sweetest!
I absolutely loved Dom and Luca's story. Dom is such an Alpha male but Luca was no wilting flower. I loved the back and forth between these two. The tension between them palpable and had a brilliant build up to some scorching moments neither could deny or resist. I need book two of the Malvagio duet like there's no tomorrow, that cliffhanger killed me. I need more from Chef and Caterina too.
“𝐿𝑢𝑐𝑎 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑎𝑠 𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝐺𝑜𝑑 𝑎𝑠 ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑏𝑒 𝑢𝑝 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒, 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑑𝑛’𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑚 𝑡𝑜 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑧𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑙 ℎ𝑖𝑚𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓.”
July 24, 2022
OMG I'm so excited to tell you this book is excellent! The story, the pace, the chemistry were amazing!
Brooke and Ella did an extraordinary job creating such tense in Dom and Luca's life.
Warning : A major cliffhanger at the end of the book, but it's worth the wait for the second book. You need to read this one ASAP!
So far, this one is easily become my favorite story from Ella and Brooke.
Second book please come sooner!
Brooke and Ella did an extraordinary job creating such tense in Dom and Luca's life.
Warning : A major cliffhanger at the end of the book, but it's worth the wait for the second book. You need to read this one ASAP!
So far, this one is easily become my favorite story from Ella and Brooke.
Second book please come sooner!
July 26, 2022
I really enjoyed this first installment of this duet. The writing was really great and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for crumbs to try and figure out where the plot was going.
These two men obviously from two different worlds put in a very odd situation and fighting for power. I loved the push and pull between. It shifted from fear, hate, intrigue, lust and maybe obsession. I’m interested to see how much they will grow in part two after that cliffhanger.
Loved the spicy bits we got and I hope to see Dom softens up or cracks under pressure in book two.
These two men obviously from two different worlds put in a very odd situation and fighting for power. I loved the push and pull between. It shifted from fear, hate, intrigue, lust and maybe obsession. I’m interested to see how much they will grow in part two after that cliffhanger.
Loved the spicy bits we got and I hope to see Dom softens up or cracks under pressure in book two.
September 11, 2022
So excited about the next chapter about these two!
July 27, 2023
"How do you compartmentalize these things? I'm a human being! You know me! You've been inside me!"
Oh, my sweet summer child.
It's been years since I've read a mafia romance. I thought I'd find it cringey as an adult. Turns out I do not.
""Jesus! Vodka does this?" 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Dom's surprise mirrored my own. Luca let loose once he got drunk and I really loved that entire scene. Dom's so used to unquestioning obedience that he can't believe this kid stands up to him.
There's not much pointing towards love in this part of the duet but.... Dom calling Yale? 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰WHY AM I SO EASILY SCAMMED ? 🙈
Oh, my sweet summer child.
It's been years since I've read a mafia romance. I thought I'd find it cringey as an adult. Turns out I do not.
""Jesus! Vodka does this?" 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Dom's surprise mirrored my own. Luca let loose once he got drunk and I really loved that entire scene. Dom's so used to unquestioning obedience that he can't believe this kid stands up to him.
There's not much pointing towards love in this part of the duet but.... Dom calling Yale? 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰WHY AM I SO EASILY SCAMMED ? 🙈
August 3, 2022
3.5 stars
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