Runaway Bride

Bombshell Brides #2

by Cassie Mint

Yesterday I was a mafia princess, powerful and beloved.

Today I’m crawling through a bathroom window in a wedding gown.

Look, I know how this works. Crime families war until there’s a ceasefire, then arranged marriages keep the peace.

But my marriage? To that Palladino psycho? To the man who killed his own father and brother; the man who looks at me like a three course meal?

Hell no. I’m not an idiot, thank you, and I’m nobody’s sacrificial lamb.

I’m outta here, veil and all.

And Palladino? He’ll catch me if he can.

Runaway Bride is a short and steamy instalove story, starring an obsessed mafioso and the bride who can run but can’t hide.

Genres: Romance, Novella, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Mafia Romance, Enemies To Lovers, He Falls First

64 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 28, 2022

About the author

Cassie writes outrageous, OTT insta-love with tons of sugar and steam. She loves cookie dough, summer barbecues, and her gorgeous cat Missy.

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Reviews

[Анастасія ꒰⁠⑅⁠ᵕ⁠༚⁠ᵕ⁠꒱⁠˖⁠♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Головна героїня вирішила втекти від свого нареченого, але не продумала свій план, її одразу ж і зловили, ну він цього не показав, але він одразу ж знайшов куди вона пішла. Я очікувала, що Лео Палладіно буде якимось дияволом, бо ну чогось вона там тікає, це як одна з причин. Але ні, він виявся милим, особливо з його «я не торкнусь тебе, поки ти не дозволиш цього».

[*˚Remnant Light ‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

**3/5 stars**

Mia is a mafia princess who is engaged to the kingpin of the family rival to hers. She is reluctant, but still willing to meet with him, in hope of a truce that will stop the bloodshed. When she arrives on peaceful ground to meet with her fiancé, another man is waiting for her; Leo, the fiancé's brother who announces to Mia that he is dead and that she is now engaged to him. A few weeks later, just before the ceremony, Mia runs away to start a new life elsewhere, somewhere she won't be told what to do. Leo on the other hand is determined to marry this girl, and chases after her.

I really liked Leo, especially at the start. He was willing to kill (and did) to have Mia for himself. He was obsessed and possessive and completely besotted with her. My only issue is that he had a sort of 'switch' in the middle of the story where he became rational, where he was willing to let her go if she didn't want him. I know, respect is always good in a relationship but when I see an obsessed hero in fiction, I can't help but want him to be over-the-top the whole way through. I want him to be selfish and determined to get what he wants. Therefore, he kind of lost his appeal in the second half of the story because of that.

I didn’t scheme and plot and drench my hands in blood to be with her, all for her to up and leave. Fucking hell.-Leo

As for Mia, I found her to be a bit irritating at first. Her mafia princess side came off very rude and not really desirable. She was a bit too indecisive too for most of the story. I wanted her to be reluctant, to fight Leo who was trying to force a marriage on her. Just like Leo, she sort of had a 'switch' at midpoint. Something I dislike is when the feisty heroine comes crawling back to the hero when he decides to give her space. Other than that, she was okay. Nothing really memorable about her.

There is no way on earth I can marry this man. He’d break me. And I’m afraid I’d like it.-Mia

Their chemistry was a bit strange to me. I liked it up until the 'switch' happened. Afterwards, it was a bit boring, no real spark, tension or passion. I would've rated this novella much higher if this couple had kept the same energy the whole way through.

✔️HEA Epilogue: 5 years later, they are married and have a daughter
✔️Novella
✔️Dual POV
✔️Age gap The MC's age isn't mentioned but it seemed to me that there was an age gap between them.
✔️Arranged marriage
✔️Obsessed/Possessive H
✔️Virgin h
✔️No OW/OM
✔️No cheating
✔️Safe
🔥 Steam level: 2/5 short scenes...They were okay
⚡Content warning No condom/ No safety talk/ No mention of birthcontrol. Foreplay/ Oral sex/ Biting/ First time/ Outdoor

Would I recommend this novella? Overall, it was a nice story. A bit on the average side but still an enjoyable and fast read.

**Note that I do not rate novellas and full-length books by the same standards**

Bombshell Brides Series
(Series Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ /5)
1. Woke Up Wed 2. Runaway Bride** - 3. Mail Order Vow - 4. Fake Fiance

[Milica's Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a sweet novella with a mafia vibe and MMC is OTT for our heroine. ♥

[*CJ* · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Runaway Bride" is the story of Mia and Leo.

Heroine is promised to a big bad mob boss, when her groom's brother decides to take his place. Our hero is obsessed with the heroine, and everything he does is for her.. until she decides to run away on her wedding day.
We get a cat and mouse chase, with small moments of angst- where the hero decides to let her go but the heroine realizes his feelings and the book ends in a HEA.

Safe
3.5/5

[Jen ♥ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't work for me, the fmc is indecisive and she's difficult for the most part. I didn't like the mmc either, because at the end he let her go. But thanks to the indecisiveness of the fmc, she realized she wants him to stay, so she made him chase her again. 🤷‍♀️

Book info:
- Novella
- Mafia-ish romance
- Virgin FMC, No info on MMC
- Runaway bride
- HEA

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Manic Mafioso.

I’m not a reader of mafia romances, they just aren’t my thing, but I’ve been on a big Cassie Mint kick lately and this was the next book in the series.

I was surprised by how much I loved it. I think because Leo was so devastated and ready to let her go if that’s what she really wanted. It wasn’t nearly as dark as most mafia books and it was right up my alley.

[AvidReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 to 3 ⭐️.

[Inna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars. Just ok again. I keep reading novellas by this author. They are light and easy to read, and that's what I've been in the mood for. Was this some great love story? LOL definitely not. But it wasn't bad. I do wish that the author would give more background to these two MCs. Supposedly the hero has loved the heroine for years but we really get the bare minimum of information about all that time, and I felt like she could have written a few pages about why he was so obsessed with her or the steps he took to have her. Something.

Safe; virgin heroine, no info about hero, no om/ow, no cheating, heroine pushes away quite a lot, hero pursuer.

[sil ♡ the book voyagers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look I saw that they were both from rival mafia families and were going to get married to bring peace between them, but on the day of the wedding she runs off - I wanted to read it. He has been obsessed with her since day one, so it sure made this ten times better.

I love that she made him realize that the thing she dislikes about this arrangement is that they, everyone, decided for her - about the marriage and the wedding. She does like him and finds that she might want to spend the rest of his life with him, but she wanted to do it on her own terms. So!! I love that he's like alright, I'll wait for you, I'll be here for whenever you wish to find me again. They even have this deal that he won't touch her until she tells him it's okay, that she consents and wants him to touch her. It's a pretty good and fun novella!!

[RachelReadsandSings · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mafioso who has been pining after a mafia princess for years and will do ANYTHING to have her? YES PLEASE. Leo and Mia were so freaking perfect for each other and I was obsessed with the cat and mouse dynamic they had going on. So good.

[Anna Whin · Rating 4 out of 5]

AWH this one was SO CUTE! i loved how obsessed the Hero was and how miserable he was when he thought he couldn’t do anything to make her love him as much as he loves her. he was absolutely miserable and I LOVE WHEN MEN SUFFER <3

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

It's fun but it's so shallow, I am not totally satisfied.

[RLbooks (in and out) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a light, quick read with an obsessed H and an uncertain h. Their marriage is arranged but the H killed others in his family so he’d be the groom since he’s loved her since first sight. That said, the mafia element is tangential since he’s now the kingpin and she’s a princess of a rival family, but the story’s focus is on them. Then she runs away and he chases her. I liked that he was so focused on her feelings and whether she felt, or didn’t feel, their connection. It’s a totally safe read, told in first person, dual pov. Virgin h, no history mentioned for the H, and bc not used or discussed. Sweet epilogue five years out with their HEA.

[Averie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leo will do anything to make Mia his- including unalive his own father and brother. Leo has now made his way up in the mafia world & is deemed mafioso. Because of his station, he now gets to marry the daughter of his rival, Mia. Leo has been in love with her since he laid eyes on her. But what happens when his dream girl jumps out of the church window minutes before their wedding ceremony?

I loved Leo!! He will literally do ANYTHING to make Mia his. Mia is resistant to this marriage arrangement simply because she had no say in it. But she realizes very quickly that she made a huge mistake running from this man. A highly entertaining Cassie Mint for sure! :)

TROPES: kindle unlimited, mafia, "mine", possessive, runaway bride, novella, weddings

[hea booktubes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes I like. Very fun novella.

[Drasevia · Rating 4 out of 5]

„Do I seem like a weak bitch to you? Open up.”- Go read it now! Because of this scene it’s really worth it. Believe me. 🔥 8,5/10.

[hanawesternberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

CASSIE MINT NEVER DISAPPOINTS.

FIVE STARS FOR THIS

I love every single bit of this book. Everything is just 🤌🏻✨

Leo Palladino and Mia Serpico belongs to differents gangs of mobsters - enemies. But they were set to marry for alliance.

On the day of the wedding, she ran away.

Mannn the way Leo was all determined to find her and when he did, he was all calm and composed like the kingpin he is. He chased her all the way to the train, and then sat with her through the night. And he DID NOT EVEN TOUCH HER. Because Mia made him promise not to touch her without her consent. And he actually follows it.

MAN OF WORDS ??? HELLO ??

Leo is just so ughhh i like his character. He is so in love and obsessed with Mia he was ready to let her go. He puts Mia first then him. My heart was in painn.

But damn these two are such 🔥🔥. Leo is a hottie and Mia is such a badass mobster princess. When Mia gave him a note at the end and Leo thought she ran away from him ??? That was 😮‍💨😮‍💨

the plot was so so good. The writing is as usual, so well-written. The characters ; Mia & Leo are so well crafted. And the tension between them are just FIREWORKSSSS


• kingpin - mobster princess arranged marriage
• runaway bride
• lots of chasing
• sexual tensionnn
• HOT AS FCK KINGPIN LEO PALLADINO
• HEA
• epilogue ✨✨

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mia and Leo

Leo is a Kingpin that even kills his brother so he can marry Mia. However, Mia doesn't like when she's not given a choice so she runs. Then it's a game of Cat and Mouse. Can't believe he just gave everything up usually you're not able to leave, only in death.

[Oriana Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet and kind of OTT romantic 😍😍 Mia has to marry the boss of another crime family.... But the guy she meets is the new boss and the younger brother. But Leo has his work cut out for him..... His new bride runs.😉 What Mia doesn't know is, that he was in love with her for years and would chase her around the world if necessary 🥰🥰🥰 Insta attraction, sweet, steamy, romantic and safe with a sweet HEA and no OP drama and a great chase 😍😍😍

[Guilty Pleasures · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mia & Leo

I don’t know. I’m probably not made for dark romances. Not that this is one, no. It very much is not. But there were themes in here that were darker than your usual romance novella.

Mia runs. Tells him several times she does not want to be wed to Leo — but he doesn’t get it into his thick skull. He does not understand that she doesn’t want to be pawned off like cattle even tho she very clearly tells him so.

And when he does realise that she does not want to marry him, he completely collapses into himself, making Mia feel guilty.

I almost cried out of sheer frustration that he found her and was so absolutely shook by her denial.

He seriously though that this was some kind of cat and mouse game and that she ran for him to catch her. Talk about delirious.

See? For a lot of people that sequence was probably the amazing part. It is marketed in the book as the amazing part.

For me tho? I don’t understand why Mia gave in so quickly. At the end I was rooting for them to *not* be together.

Don’t get me wrong, I love mafia romances and dark themes and stuff — but if your bride is actively running from you. Take a hint.

I think I only was able to enjoy the last two (?) chapters or so. Which is why this is not a 1★ review. It kind of redeemed itself a little bit.

But yeah. At the end of the day, not my cup of tea.

ALSO; we never find out how these two begin their new life. We don’t get to see if and how their families react to their departure. Surely not positively — but that is never even once uttered. It’s only stated that they made good financial investments (with what money? Money from the family? So they stole it? I’m sure the family would be fiiiine with it. Not) but it’s not explained at all.

[atomickitten · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ dreamy stars

A hero who worships the heroine, secretly pining over her from afar for a long time?

Yeah, that.

I think I'm in love with Leo Palladino.

And add the steam to that?

Boy-oh-boy, I think I'm in trouble. lol.

[ziyuan ʚɞ Reads Dark Smut. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Annoying heroine.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Runaway Bride bk 2 [Bombshell Brides series]
These are short novella stories about big hero's, romance and more..

This book follows Leo and Mia's story.. It was a good romance with steamy parts, sweet, Mafia Romance, Runaway Bride, Virgin Trope, Hero falls first, fast read and more..

Leo is part of the mafia family, He is smart, sassy, funny, kind, caring and knows what he wants, He has been in love with Mia for a good while now and always making sure she is safe from the shadows, He saved her from his brother and father because they were bad people and he did not want to see her get hurt, So now that he is the head of the mafia family he has to get married to Mia and he is happy to have her in his life but then she runs and it makes him sad, He falls hard for Mia

Mia is part of the mafia family, She is smart, sassy, kind, caring and knows what she wants, Her family do not treat her right and makes her marry into Leo's family, She finds out that the guy who she was to marry is dead and that she has to marry Leo which makes her pissed off because she does not like to be bossed around, She says what she thinks to Leo but then is scared what he will do but she comes to find out that he would never hurt her, She falls hard for Leo

This book is packed full of:
⦁ Awesome characters
⦁ Mafia Romance
⦁ Runaway Bride Trope
⦁ Arranged Marriage
⦁ Virgin Trope
⦁ Content: Mafia theme, A wee bit of outdoor play and some drama
⦁ Hero falls first
⦁ Hero takes care of his woman
⦁ A bit of steam and A bit of outdoor play
⦁ Possessive Hero/Touch her and you die Trope
⦁ Sweet Hero
⦁ Fast Read

I really liked the way Leo always watched out for her even when she did not see him do it, I like the way he takes good care of her and makes sure no one hurts her which i think is sweet.. It's nice to see the hero fall first and try's to show Mia how much he wants her without touching her..

I really liked the relationship between Leo and Mia because the romance was sweet and It's nice to see that everything worked out and they got a happy ending

[KMH · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I loved the mafia crime family element and whilst I'm used to quite intense mafia romance, I was satisfied with this one. The mafia vibe was more pushed to the back and it focuses on the dynamic of the two main characters relationship and emotions towards each other. Most of the book is them both expressing and working through their feelings. I liked the runaway element and I found that to be kind of hot but I think the book changed direction during and after the train carriage scene and I felt that the male character almost changed personality, as I said before he began feeling emotions he was unsure about and working out hie he felt about that, but I can say that his feelings towards the female never once wavered. The female did come across slightly unfeeling where the male was concerned as most of the time she was thinking about her own situation and thinking for her own future but I was glad that she did soften towards the male and eventually figure out that she had feelings for him. Now I wasn't really a fan of their last scene leading up to their happy ending as I don't know, it didn't feel rushed but it also didn't give me that satisfying feeling that I normally get from this author when it comes to the characters finally expressing their love for one another but I can say the ending or final chapter more than made up for that. I loved seeing their happy ending and you could feel their love in every sentence.

[Jules M. Swyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exceeded Expectations

I picked this up for a reading bingo prompt (same title as a movie), and since it was short, I figured I’d just knock it out.

This is a book with no fewer than ten tropes packed into it, and somehow it still works.

What I liked most is that it gives her agency, which this trope usually does not. She’s not just stuck going along with everything—she runs, she questions it, and she’s the one who ultimately decides what she wants. That whole “catch me and I’ll stay” moment? That’s the book right there. She’s choosing him just as much as he’s choosing her, and that made a big difference.

Leo was the stronger character for me. He could’ve easily gone full “you’re mine now,” but he doesn’t. He actually backs off and lets her decide, which made him way more likable.

Mia was fine. I didn’t dislike her, but she didn’t stand out as much.

There were also a few moments that were actually funny—like her trying to escape the train multiple times and him just… bringing her back like it’s a normal Tuesday. It gave it a little personality.

The ending is exactly what you think it’s going to be. Time jump, kid, everything wrapped up nicely. But it fits, and it ties the whole “chasing” thing together, so I didn’t mind it.

This isn’t anything special, but it was a solid, quick read that did what it needed to do.

3 stars (but honestly closer to a 3.5).

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting mafia romance! I loved this story that was packed full of everything you expect to get in a full length novel. Mia is a mafia princess being used by her family to bargain a peace agreement with another mafia family. She and Leo meet once before their wedding. Leo is a sexy mafioso who has done terrible things, but when it comes to Mia, he is an obsessed, protective hero who has done everything so he can make her his. The plot and characters are developed surprisingly deeply in a short story. The last chapter before the epilogue even contained a surprise ending. This is a story with plenty of action, romance and a hea and you can have it all in an afternoon's read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mia, the female lead, is determined not to be a possession moved from one mafia house to another. On her wedding day, she runs, even though she attracted to Leo, the male lead.

Leo has schemed and plotted to ensure that he is Mia’s groom and he’s devastated when she runs and continues to rebuff him - he thought they were playing a game. Now he has to convince her he really wants her and he’ll do whatever she needs him to…

This short story is dual POV, well written, and a cute, over-the-top, steamy mafia tale. I appreciated Mia’s determination to make her own decisions and Leo’s persistence and willingness to prove he really wanted her as a person, not a possession.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cyn's Bookshelves · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love an obsessive MMC that wants nothing but to make his woman happy by doing anything for her. Leo protects Mia in such a way that she didn't even know she needed it. His father wants her for himself, Leo stops him, in the permanent way. She's to marry the heir, which is Leo's deceptively cruel brother, he eliminates that threat to her safety, too. Mia doesn't handle the change of bridegroom well. She felt she had a say in the original negotiations, she didn't, but she thought she did, which made all the difference to her pride. Once she realizes that her pride is no substitution for the life that she could have made with a man who worships her, she has to lead Leo on another chase, only this time, she actually wants to be caught by him.

[Bego · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mafia arranged marriage

Mia and Leo are from rival mafia families, and their families arranged a marriage between them as a cease fire. The day they are getting married, she runs away and Leo follows her.
Mia doesn’t like the arrange marriage, doesn’t want to marry for obligation but be asked. Leo has been in love with her for 3 years, waiting his opportunity to claim her.
There’s some drama (h pushing H away) but they get their HEA.

Details:
- No OW drama.
- Virgin h, nothing on H.
- Epilogue 5 years later.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sam Perez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mia & Leo

I think this one would've been a lot better if Mia and Leo had more time to interact before the wedding or if we got to see more of what Leo has done to get closer to Mia. This one was like 30% Mia running from Leo and Leo rubbing his chest because he can't believe Mia, a girl who does not know anything about him beside he killed his brother to be with her, would run away from him. Mia's a smart little lady. I do like that Leo was prepared to let her go once he knew that keeping her the way he was going to would've caused her pain. I also enjoy that they ghosted the mafia! I feel like you can't do that and live happily ever after but I support their decision lol