Muse

by Diane Portman-Ray

I wear the ring they all bow to kiss, but not her. Never her.The Nucci family had a lot of sins and Muse was one of them. When my father trashed our name, she was collateral, and now I have to make sure the past doesn’t destroy us. I will do everything in my if she wants revenge, I’ll write it in blood for her, but if she wants my heart she’s going to be left empty handed…because I don’t have one. I didn’t go to her, she came to me. Her picture ended up in my hands and it was game over. All I knew was that she had to be mine and I didn’t care how hard she tried to fight it. A Nucci always gets what he wants. I took her from the stripping pole and made her my queen. Muse and I were inevitable, doomed to burn together. But fire turns into ash. And ash gets lost in the wind.

Genres: Mafia Romance, Romance

320 pages, Paperback

Published May 14, 2021

About the author

I never chose to be a writer... Writing chose me. In Romania, we have a popular tradition for when a child's hair it's cut for the first time. Friends and family gather to celebrate the future of the child and the little one is given a tray full of objects. Now, on this tray, you can place anything from money, car keys to food, and pets. Every object is a symbol and it's said that the first three things the child would pick will determine his or her path in life.

My loves, I picked red lipstick, a pencil, and a glass full of whiskey...I picked the romance writer's starting pack.

I was fortunate enough to put my work out into the world, become an author, and share this incredible and uplifting journey with each and every one of you.

Welcome to my universe, and Thank You for being here!

Get in touch to discover more about my books, writing process, and future endeavors

Reviews

[ApoorvaReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 or 4 stars ⭐️

"Pardon me, Muse, maybe I haven't made myself clear. I don't want you as my mistress. I want to make you my queen."

This was my first book by Diane and i really ENJOYED it! I don’t know if its the psychopath in me who craves for blood and mafia but i really can’t let go of mafia books and Diane had me playing w my feelings in this one.

”Muse - her name suited her. She was transcendental, inspiring and just like a piece of art; it had no value until someone looked at it, and now that was my job.”

Muse Iacobelli is the kind of character you will love in a minute and hate the next lol and i love books which make me feel even if i want to slap the characters into oblivion. What i liked about her was her ability to love. I adored her strength and how she literally gave up everything to provide for her brother. She literally devoted her days and nights to him just so he could be happy and pursue his love for soccer which i loved😭😭 What i hated about her was her stubbornness🤦🏼‍♀️ I swear to god, after meeting Gino there were so many times, i wanted to scream at her cause she was annoying me but i still loved her.

Brutality in man’s form; that was what he was. A man who danced a tango with death every day, and he was here, which meant he never lost, and still, my heart beats were singing his name. I was a wreck for him.

Gino Nucci is the character i really don’t know what to make of him. I don’t want to love him and I don’t want to hate him. Its clear that I’m still pretty much fucked up by this book🤷🏼‍♀️ So, this guy doesn’t know anything but giving orders which made me so mad but i LOVED how he cared for Muse😭 i mean the guy gifted her teeth (and no not animal teeth but real people) i mean helloo ?? and they say romance is dead😩

How am I supposed to love him when he says stuff like this-
”You heard your brother; he wants to give you your life back. Muse, I can make it happen”. ”Why?” [....] “Because I want to fuck you, God damn it!”

But then how am I supposed to hate him when he says stuff like this-
”I don’t have a heart, sweetheart; it was sold to the devil before I was born, but if I had one, I would have carved it out and served it to you on a silver platter.”

The thing was there were pages where i was legit like “I’m done with this guy” but then after few pages i was like “ omg, i love him”. There are so many reasons why i should hate him but GOD HELP ME I CANT! He’s crazy, he’s possessive with a capital P and he’s an asshole but god, I cant get myself to hate him😭
it’s time to go to therapy, apoorva🥰

The thing is I actually get that the things i hated would have to be there like how Gino kept Muse in the dark abt his work and stuff because this is a historical mafia romance and we all know that in past times women were not to be involved in any business and shit so i get this but i really hated that but it had to be done ugh.

”How could something so vile and barbarous make me feel so tranquil? He promised me death, and my chest constricted with happiness. It was sick and abnormal, but it felt right-minded for us.”

In short words, i loved how this book played with my feelings cause i went from mad to double mad to love to double love. Yeah, you get where I’m going with this. So I’ve blabbered a lot but i would recommend this to you if you like mafia, you’re fine with asshole guys who are crazy and possessive and bossy and who make you want to throw your kindle in exaggeration.

“You will be my muse to kill.”

***ARC provided in exchange for honest review***

[Dora Koutsoukou · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 💘💘💘⭐️s❣️

I liked it. It’s not often that misunderstandings or ow/om drama etc do not occur in stories.
In this case it was just romance without extreme complications!

Gino, a mafia don, wanted Muse and he just did everything to capture her heart!
Both characters were amazing, feisty and intriguing and their chemistry and connection were beautiful!
The mafia aspect was very light, it was very well written and had dual pov, yet the ending was a little rushed.

Fantastic cover!!! 🤩

[Darlene I read WAY to many books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I totally forgot to write this review!!! I read this at midnight and I'll be honest I was sucked in!! Its rare for me to read a 90s(I'm hope im right) mafia romance book.

And I loved it!! Muse had a tough life now shes working 2 jobs trying to keep herself and her brother afloat, until she finds out her brother was beaten up and been secretly working for Nucci family as a messager boy. She's pissed and annoyed that her brother would do that now shes trying to work harder but she caught the eye of Mob boss Gino Nucci and what he wants he fully goes in. We the two butt heads few times and the sexual tension heat up but Muse does not want anything to do with Gino because of who he is. And she knows if they do it be a one time thing. Even if Gino has stated over and over She's his now and forever.

Lots of sass and drama and tension... we also have few side characters that are awesome I wanna read the sisters book if she gets one but I don't want her hero to be Hugo (he a manwhore)

But it also made me cry.... if you read it you'll know.

Tiny tiny op drama (a ex club manager and ow drama nothing to serious) No cheating, Drama, slight secondary character, sexy times, no virgins (he was a past playboy/manwhore)

Recommend-maybe
Cover-⭐⭐⭐
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶

Prologue
Slowburnish
Push away from h
No condom
Drug use
Violence
Hea
Epilogue

[Avery · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐

I'm always up to read anything Diane writes because she crafts up these worlds so beautifully that it's hard to not get lost in them.

Muse is set in 90's New York, and for a mafia book in the 90's Muse is a very well-researched book with such vivid descriptions that it pulled me right into it. Muse has quite a slow start (for world building I believe) but I really enjoyed the book a lot.

Muse has had a hard life to say the least, but her resilience is amazing, and Gino is well a don(a hot one at that) and I quite liked him from the start. It's hard not to feel the connection between them as it's been so well developed, not to mention the drama closer to the end kept me at the edge of my seat until it ended!

I'm really excited for all the other stories in this series because all of the characters have managed to steal my heart one way or the other and I can't wait to know more them.

𝐀𝐫𝐜 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

[ReadingInPyjamas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another wonderful read from Diane Portman-Ray . I'm always on the lookout for new mafia romances, and the blurb of this book immediately caught my attention.

The story is told from the perspective of both protagonists, which made it even more entertaining. I loved the interactions between Gino and Muse. She went through a lot growing up, and raising her baby brother alone was no simple task. She's a tough cookie, hardworking and strong-headed, but she has a hard time trusting people until Gino bulldozes into her life. In his presence, her walls always come down. I loved how they interacted. All their banter and taunting were delightful, and their chemistry was palpable. Gino was determined to protect Muse at all costs and make her his queen. It was very heartwarming. The action was fairly paced, with enough angst and plot development to keep my interest until the end.

Muse is an enduring mafia romance. A well-scripted and easy to follow story with engaging and interesting characters. I definitely recommend this book!

[shereads.pang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an arc for a honest review.

I literally just finished reading the book, and I NEED MORE!!!!

When Diane first announced this book/series, I was so excited for it. I 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐃 the 𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘦 immediately. When I saw the 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳, I 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃 IT!!! Lol If you love a 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘰𝘣𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 hero, look no further!!! 𝐆𝐢𝐧𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐧!!! Ugh. I loved him so much!! It's a dark romance so definitely there were triggers. ⁣
⁣
Muse and her brother, Enzo, ran away from home after their mother died, and their dad became a jerk. Muse worked two jobs, a waitress and a stripper, to help them with the bills. Her brother secretly works for the Nucci to help out Muse, but he ended up getting beat up. Muse was furious with him. When Gino Nucci heard about the situation, him being the Don, was not happy that they roughed up his worker. He then met Muse, and the rest was history. Lol⁣
⁣
Omg! 𝐆𝐢𝐧𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞!! There were some 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘴 that I couldn't put the book down. It kept me at the 𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘵. I have to say though....𝐈 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝. I was not expecting it. 😭 But ugh. It was so good!!! 𝐈 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞!!! 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦!! Can't wait for more of this world!! I Highly, highly recommended!!!⁣

[Lια ☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 "I ADORE THE GROUND YOU WALK ON" STARS!!!

"This was the dolce vita we were living, in the greatest time in our history, in the greatest city in the world. A city that I was holding in my palm."

Since the first day I heard about this book I was so excited for it, so when it arrived on my kindle I forgot about any other book and jumped in straight away and I was not disappointed at all. This was a well researched Italian Mafia romance set in the 90's and I loved the whole atmosphere the author created, her attention to details was truly amazing.

"When did life turn so miserable for us?"

Muse. When we start the book she isn't in a great place, she is struggling to take care and provide for herself and her younger brother. Her devotion and love for him was so incredible to see, she would do anything to make his life and future easier. She was such a hardworking woman. She was confident, stubborn, frustrating sometimes too, not gonna lie. But what I loved about her was that she didn't let Gino take over her life, she stood up for herself when it was needed and definitely kept him on his toes. I also loved that she didn't swoon at his feet at first sight, she made him work for it and I was proud.

"I never chased, and I never groveled, but here I was obsessed with a woman who was set to not have anything to do with me and my world."

Now, she may not have fallen in love with him straight away, but I certainly did. Gino!!! Gosh, he was truly perfection in my opinion. With him I truly felt like we got the best of both worlds. His italian side made him be a well mannered and respectful gentleman and his male side made him be an over the top alpha who was extremely jealous/protective/possessive of his woman. It only took a folder and some pictures and he was done for, Muse was it for him since the moment he saw her and there was no going back. When it came to her he was forward but respectful too, he was the one doing the chasing but he was never forcefull, he let her set the pace and I loved that so much. He would literally do anything for her, that's how devoted he was. I could write a book about everything I love about him, that's how amazing he is.

"I don't want you to be my woman. I can have a new woman every day of the week from now to next June if that's what I want, but it's not. I want you to be my queen. Am I clear?"

Outside of all the many amazing characters we get to know in this story, one of my favorite things was that it wasn't a book full of drama. It had very little angst for most of it and I loved that, because it allowed for the author to focus on developing their relationship and the world they were in. But don't be mistaken this isn't an angst free book, closer to the end we are hit with a lot and even though I wish some things were different I understood where everything was coming from and I truly loved the ending. Muse was such a great book and I can't wait for the next in the series since I'm already obsessed with the next couple. This book was my first by the author but I will definitely be reading all her other ones.

"It wasn't love; it was beyond it. I worshiped Muse."

*𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

[Nagma (Take A Look At My Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muse was my first book by Diane and from the moment I saw the teasers I knew I had to read it!

Muse is the first book in the Malavita series and it is based in New York in the 90s. Muse Iacobelli is a strong, independent, and hardworking twenty-four-year-old Italian woman who is working two jobs to provide for her younger brother. Gino Nucci is the feared Don who rules New York. Circumstances arise causing Gino and Muse to cross paths; the attraction and chemistry between the two are intense.

Muse, fierce, stubborn Muse has not had the easiest life, and her past trauma still affects her. Gino is sexy, protective, possessive, and intimidating, but when it comes to Muse, he can’t control himself. Gino is the type of man who can get any woman and he wants Muse. Gino will go to any lengths to convince Muse they should explore their attraction. I loved how their relationship developed and how Gino and Muse helped each other heal with love, trust, and understanding. Their relationship was not smooth sailing, there were misunderstandings, heartbreak, secrets, but underneath it, all was Gino’s desire to protect the woman he craves.

I enjoyed this book more than I expected. I laughed and cried. My heart broke for Muse and I shed tears for all she had to deal with. The book was well researched and gave a bit of insight into the Italian mafia in the 90s, but mostly revolved around Gino and Muse’s love story. The start of the book was a bit slow for me, but there was enough drama to keep my attention throughout the book. There was one specific thing I wasn’t sure about, but I can see why the author included this in the book. There’s a lot of foreshadowing for the supporting characters in this book and I can’t wait to read their stories!

Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Hana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Muse is the first book that I have read by Diane Portman, so I didn't know what to expect. Surprisingly, this book is wayyy better than I could have ever expected. It was a total page-turner and I couldn't stop myself from finishing this entire book within a day.

Basically, the whole story is about a woman named Muse who was struggling in life trying her best to take care of herself & her brother. She was forced to work as a waitress & a stripper in order to find extra money that can help both of them. Until one day, her brother got beaten up because he got involved with the mafia, which brings her to meet Gino Nucci.

Let me tell ya that I seriously love all the characters in this story. Muse is such a wonderful heroine that I couldn't help but adore. She was very independent, strong, kind, sweet, and so much more. Whereas for Gino, I never met someone who is more obsessed & possessive when it comes to the woman that has captured his heart. Like seriously, his persona in this book is just *chef kiss* and I'm pretty sure that readers will absolutely love him. Moreover, I seriously love the chemistry & the connection that these two have for one another. You can truly feel the desire that they both shared.

Overall, this book is very enjoyable for me and I can't wait for the next book to be released. I think Diane has done a great job in delivering this story. Therefore, I highly recommend for everyone to try out this book!

~ ARC provided in exchange for honest review ~

[Ellie Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book review - Muse (ARC) - Diane Ray Portman - ★ ★ ★ ★

I was super excited to get an arc to this as I’ve had my eye on it since Diane first teased us with it. Mafia romance is one of my favourite genres so I had to have a copy of Muse!

Muse is our fc, she’s broke, in every way possible, trying to make ends meet for her little brother Enzo. Enzo gets caught up in some criminal activity and low and behold Don Gino Nucci is brought into the picture.

One thing this book had that was different to other mafias is you don’t really get Gino’s mafia side to things much. We know he kills and scares the living daylights out of everyone, but aside from that there’s not a lot mafia action’. We see a different side to the Don and we get a man who is fully consumed by Muse and we see all his walls crash down through his ‘love’ for her.

Don’t get me wrong there is some action in here, but Gino is the ‘nicest’ mob leader I’ve ever read, when it comes to his woman. So many mafia romances are enemies to lovers but with Gino and Muse it’s a straight up raw connection, with a man chasing after his girl. And I’m a sucker for a lil romance.. maybe that’s the old YA in me haha.

I loved this story and was very eager to get back to it when I wasn’t reading! I am very upset that it’s over.. no not because it’s the end of the book but because Diane decided to rip my heart out instead 😭 I may have shed a few tears! It’s an ending that I didn’t see coming but also could have anticipated.. if that makes any sense.

The only thing I have to say is there were a few English/ grammar errors but nothing to take away from my reading experience at all! There was also an ‘age gap’ trope towards the end that made me feel a little weird, but I spoke to Diane about this and she totally gets it but also explained her point.

I loved this book and the characters and I cannot wait for Cat and Hugo’s story!!!

[LianaReads blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where are my dark romance/mafia romance lovers?

This book is definitely for you!

I love everything about the 90s and Diane nailed it in Muse.

From the title to the cover blurb and all the teasers that I’ve seen around, this story had me intrigued with every page turned throughout the book.

I loved the banter, chemistry and all the difficulties moments that Muse and Gino have to go through in this behind the scenes of New York’s Italian mafia world.

It’s dark, delicious and so good that I can’t wait to read the next books in the series.

[Lizzie H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just starting the book and you immediately know it's so good. Gino and Muse's background had me very intrigued. Muse is an amazing girl, all the stuff she does for her and her brother is next level, she deserves the world, luckily Gino is there to do that. Gino will have you falling for him so easily or at least I did. I was like "Why do I like him already when I barely met him!?!?!." 🥰🥰🥰. I know this story takes place in the '90s but I keep thinking its in the present 🤣, then I read about old stuff thats not around anymore and it kills me. The side characters are also so damn great and I can't wait for their stories. This story was an amazing read, gives u a bunch of feels, makes you not want to put it down and wish there was more!

[Vea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I just say? This is the type of mafia romance that I LOVE!

Oh Gino you big sweetheart. I went into this book thinking, alright mafia romance so it’s probably going to be pretty dark. It honestly wasn’t. There’s definitely some darkness sprinkled throughout but it wasn’t overwhelming. It was more of a love story between two people from opposite ends. Kind of like Cinderella and Prince Charming but our prince is a sexy, possessive, intimidating, powerful, but most of all dirty taking mafia boss. Really, it’s a perfect combination. 😉 But there’s also this attractiveness about him that you just can’t ignore. This man is so good for woman’s ago. I mean he can charm and sweet talk you into pretty much anything and you’d happily follow along. I didn’t expect to laugh as much as I did in this book, but this man is something else. His confidence is bordering on cockiness, but he just does not give a f* about what comes out of his unapologetic mouth. 😂 Loved. Him.

And then there’s Muse. She’s a 24 year old stripper and waitress trying to support her 17 year old brother. They’ve been on their own since they ran away from her awful father when she was 19. Muse experienced some pretty severe trauma when she was a teenager that she’s trying to move on from. She loves her brother more than anything else in the world. Everything she does is for him, so that he could have a better life than she ever did. I love their relationship, love, and understanding of each other.

When Muse meets Gino, she is skeptical about this “thing” between them and about his true intentions. He has the whole city in the palm of his hand, and it’s difficult for her to trust someone in that position. But this man, I can’t even explain it... you just have to read it. He will do anything to convince her otherwise and to right all the wrongs committed against her. It’s really just a great love story, but definitely with some twists you don’t see coming that might make you shed a few tears. Oh and the sexy scenes are so steamyyyy and 🔥🔥. I absolutely loved the side characters, especially Gino’s sister Cat!!! I can’t wait for her book.

[angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“My last thought before breaking the kiss was ‘I found her,’ and I was pretty fucking pleased with that.”

This was my first book by Diane Portman Ray and I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised. There was something very different about this book compared to other mafia romances.

I loved every character and as I was reading I just kept wishing for every side character to get their own book because I seriously wanted to know more about everyone.

“I guess you didn't understand me, Muse. I want you, and I will have you, on your own time but on my fucking terms."

Gino is a possessive mafia boss and he instantly becomes obsessed with Muse and continuously goes after her which I LOVED. There’s so many books where the hero pushes the heroine away or tries to hide how much they like their SO but not Gino. From the start he knew he wanted Muse and he knew he would have her.

“She looked like a fucking model. Expensive. Elegant. She looked like her last name should have been Nucci.”

Muse was honestly amazing. Her character was so strong and beautiful. I loved her. She was such a broken soul yet she did everything for her brother, Enzo, all in the hopes of him having a good future and a better life than their current low status. Their relationship was everything! And every time she called him puppy or they had little talks I wanted to squeal. They had such an amazing big sister-little brother dynamic.

I also loved Cat and am really looking forward to her book because she’s such a rebel and I loved the way she defied Gino all the time even though he’s the big scary boss to everyone, yet to her he’s just her overprotective older brother.

The ending was so unexpected I literally bawled my eyes out in the shower. I couldn’t stop thinking about it days after which was crazy! I hadn’t had a good book cry in a while and was definitely not expecting a cry fest.

I loved the flow of the book from start to finish and felt the pace was perfect since there was a good amount of drama, romance, possessiveness, sexy scenes and tearjerker moments.

I am SO looking forward to the next book in the series!

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.*

[Emily Kurosawa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muse is a dark mafia romance set in the 90s. It's a standalone and book #1 Diane Portman-Ray's Malavita series. As soon as I read Muse's blurb, the plot intrigued me and I couldn't wait to read it! In turn, I had high expectations of this book, and it did not fail me! I really enjoyed reading Chicago Code Blue (my first read by this author). I mean, who doesn't like a twist of Grey's Anatomy in a book. Besides enemies to lovers, my other two favorite tropes/genres are medical and mafia romances. Muse is not a light read, there are certain triggers. Hence, some readers may find it a bit unsettling to read.

The heroine, Muse's life isn't easy. She doing her very best to make ends meet; trying to provide for her younger brother Enzo. Muse has a heavy heart and burden on her shoulders. She most certainly lived through a lot. But she's a fighter; she will do everything in her power to protect and ensure her younger brother has a better life. I truly admire her strength and resilience. Gino (hero) is the new Don of the Nucci empire/mafia. And as soon as he laid his eyes on Muse, he wanted her. And will not stop until he has her. Danger oozes out of Gino, after all he is the King of the "underworld". Yet, he will never harm Muse.

The storyline is incredible! It definitely transported me to the 90s. Diane Portman-Ray did an outstanding job by bringing this plot to life. Throughout the book, Muse's character developed amazingly! Muse had such a negative view of herself, and Gino was the only one to show her that she is enough, in every way. Overall, it's great read! If you like to read dark mafia romances, I highly recommend it! Can't wait for book #2!


When Muse's brother Enzo mixes with wrong people, her already unstable life is about to get a whole lot more complicated. She was barely holding on to a thin rope, when her path crossed Gino. No matter how much she fights it, she can't avoid Gino, its inevitable. He is hell bent on making her his Queen.


**I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review

[LuLu.booknook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is why I love mafia and dark romances!
An incredible surprise from an author very dear to my heart!
Muse is set in the 90s and the atmosphere Diane managed to portray was spot on. I don't think I've read many books that are set completely in the past( I mean yeah flashbacks to years prior to the actual story) and it was very satisfying to get lost into another world so to speak.
This is the story of Muse, who is struggling through life taking care of her younger brother and Gino, the new Don of the Nucci family.
I admire Muse so much for the woman she is and all the sacrifices she makes to support her little brother Enzo( every time she called him puppy I melted and had the urge to call my little brother🥺). She is fierce and independent and of course she doesn't trust Gino in the beginning being who he is.
Gino is the "big bad wolf" of the mafia world, a possessive alpha through and through. I loved how he went after Muse as soon as he realised she was his endgame. He might seem a bit too controlling in some instances but the dynamics between these 2 and the way Muse stands up for herself and dishes out her own sass, shows just how perfectly they complement each other.

This book had everything: darkness, passion ( oooh the passion and sexy scenes were "chef's kiss"😜), banter, heart-warming and heartbreaking moments, OMG moments and of course the twists that had my jaw dropping.

Bravo Diane for writing this incredible book and thank you for gifting me an arc of your baby🥰
Can't wait for the next one!

[Marla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the couple, who they are, what they are fighting for, how they love one another, and how they have SEX!

Muse is the first book in the Malavita Series. I think what really enhanced this book too was the 90’s references. The music, what was on tv, sexuality, fashion, what the vibe was in New York City. I was into so many of those details and I know I will read more of the author’s work because I love when I FEEL a book with my heart and loins ! Ahah I need more than words, those words have to bring me there and I really think that Muse did just that!

Let’s start with Muse. She is a stripper and waitress. I felt her energy. That maybe she was quiet for so long because she wanted the very best for her brother Enzo. I understood her stubbornness and Gino brought that fight out of her. I felt her pain of not recognizing herself anymore, because she has been fiercely living life for her brother.

Loving is really living, and loving Gino was a life she was making for herself. She was so deserving, beautiful inside and out, almost like art, but so warm and caring, not to just be looked at but to be touched and held on to. Anddd man did Don Gino Nucci want to do that and more. He wanted his hands all over her, he wanted his mouth all over her, his cock inside of her, and he was one sensual lover. What makes it better is when his woman was up for it, teasing him for it and aching for it.

We get the family aspect of the mafia, the roles, its established how powerful Gino is. The way he talks, dresses, the way he handles his business. The secrets. He is the type of man that takes care of it. He may wear a suit and fedora, but doesn’t mean he won’t get blood on him when needed. He absolutely loves Muse, it maddens him, it drives him, and posses him.

It’s a mafia family, full of love, heartache, (trust me with that!) and great secondary characters that I am looking forward to. Gosh I didn’t want to leave Gino and Muse.

(Side note its a lighter version, its not overly violent, but carries a bite of violence)

[kally · Rating 1 out of 5]

so, the last reading month of ‘23 didn’t start very well.

this was marketed as a ‘90s old school mafia book and this was why i picked this one up since i’m a sucker for New York during that time period and it’s been a long while since i read the word “Don”.
it’s going to be a while until i read it again.

if you are here for the amazing aesthetic don’t even bother.
apart from the fact that nucci had a fancy phone with an antenna and some mentions of madonna there was absolutely no atmosphere to speak of.
there wasn’t enough to speak of about this as a whole.
at first, this seemed like those old school wattpad “the gangleader and me” stories, with the overdone stripper trope; cringey lines, no backstory, just passing time. but it did have some catchy lines.
that changed fairly quickly.
let’s sum this up quick and easy.
terrible dialogue,
juvenile writing
no plot to speak off,
close your eyes from cringe smut,
no chemistry to speak of,
no hint of personalities in absolutely no characters
pls ban the word sis and bro from books yesterday

the only good thing i have to say is that the fmc did have her moments when she was thinking quite logically for entering the mafia at her own will and that chapter in which he gave her coke and fucked on it was not hot BUT it was a breath of fresh air for me since not a single one has ever indulged with the significant other into what their business sells.
a pleasant surprise in a beyond unpleasant book

[M Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muse was a really great female character to read about. She works herself so much just to provide for her brother; and his affection for her and need to help her was a super sweet surprise, and it did get her involved with the man she comes to love.

Don Gino Nucci is a typical mafia man I think, whilst we have minimal of his mafia life, the reader knows he is dangerous, made of money and has the ability to kill if necessary, it would have been nice to see him within the mafia lifestyle a little more. He makes good on his promise to take care of Muse and Enzo and it was an extremely romantic connection.

That ending though, I'm not sure I can forgive Diane for that. Ouch! Unexpected, and super sad! On the bright side, I really enjoyed the connection between this couple and am glad I stumbled on this book!

[Mar · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

Okay... as an overall I really enjoyed this book.
I liked the pacing and the chemistry between the main characters.
I really liked Muse. She was a great female lead. I adored that she didn't let anyone manhandled her (especially Gino (at least for most of the book))
Gino, he was fun to read because although he was a bit of an arse, he was also very caring and protective without being overbearing.
Now... why not a higher rating if I liked both MCs and the plot?
Because some decisions in the last few chapters kinda ruined this for me.
There was one particular *kitchen* scene that I wish it was edited out of the book because I felt it was unnecessary and it ruined both main characters for me.
Also... Enzo... why? Why?
But anyway... as I said this was a very good read with very real and very raw characters, and I can't wait to read more of this world!

[Trac · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I think this would have been a solid 5 stars if the ending was not so rushed . She barely grieved and for all her strength and sass , she was still a coward in her confrontation with her father . It made her character even worst since I didn’t like her wishy wasn’t back and forth all book and her stubbornness. I think if she was written with any sense of fight instead of saying a few things and cowering, I would have given thjs story a 5 star .

[Kota.readsx · Rating 5 out of 5]

i absolutely loved loved loved this!!
muse and gino were everything; i have no words it was really amazing

[freyleyce]

This is a good ole DNF

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

This was a new author for me and now I can’t wait to read more!

Muse is a light mafia romance set in 90s.
Muse definitely hasn’t had an easy life. Left with taking care of her brother, she’s working nights and days so she can provide for them both. She was kind, caring and hardworking woman who is prepared to do everything to give her brother a chance for a better life.
Gino wasn’t used to people saying no to him, but Muse stood her ground and didn’t just let him take over her life. As much as she frustrated me with how stubborn she was at times, I liked that she really made him work for it.

I instantly fell in love with Gino. He was over the top possesive, jelous and obsessive alpha hero that made me swoon so bad! As soon as he set his eyes on Muse he was done for. I loved that as much as he was obsessed with Muse, he was still respectful and didn’t push or force her. Their chemistry was just amazing! And steamy scenes and Gino’s dirty mouth were super hot!

The plot was pretty light on drama and mafia, it mostly focused on main couple and their relationship. There was one twist that took me by surprise and I’m still heartbroken about it, but I understand why it needed to happen.

You also get to meet a few interesting side characters and I can’t wait to read more about them! Hugo and Cat’s story cannot come soon enough!

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new take on mafia romance

I loved this booked, plain and simple. Let me tell you I was in the biggest book slump of my life and this book brought me out of it!! I LIVE for the 90’s and to have a mafia romance take on this era was such an exciting and different idea. Also, the spice 🌶🌶 LOVE. Please read this book, you will not regret it! I’m just hoping to see the Nucci family grow in the series...

[c a r í · Rating 4 out of 5]

🚬🚬🚬

"𝑰'𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒂 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒊𝒏 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒓."

𝓡𝓔𝓥𝓘𝓔𝓦

𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗲 is the first book in 𝘿𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝙋𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙍𝙖𝙮 brand new mafia series set in the '90s. This is the romance of 𝐆𝐢𝐧𝐨 𝐍𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐢 and 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢.

I have very mixed opinions about this one, don't get me wrong I enjoyed the first 70% mark of the narrative, yes it was a bit of insta lovey primarily on Gino's part. I appreciate how Muse did not get it on with it, how she weighs the pro's and con's of the occurrence that she was in.

I love reading as well the sibling dynamic between her and Enzo, I think it's one of the highlights of the story, of course, the top will be Gino's proving his intent is genuine.

I mentioned that I like Muse as a sister, but not so much as a love interest, Ngl her disposition is a bit annoying. She's the queen of push and pulls for no reason.

My other issue with the book was I am not understanding why it needed to happen with Enzo's character, it felt abrupt and so out of the blue, I was expecting that he will get his book in the series. I'm a bit sad cuz I truly loved Enzo and I think his character had so much potential, but that's just my two cents 😌.

Regardless, I still very much enjoy reading Muse, I like how the storyline is a bit unusual from the other Mafia romance book that I have read. It's a breath of fresh air for me. Also, I am obsessed with Gino Nucci, @author_dianeportmanray, can you tell me where can I find my Gino?🥺

𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒇𝒊𝒂 𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 with a touch of uniqueness to it and the right amount of steam. Then read 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗲!

"𝐼'𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐼'𝑚 𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢. 𝑇𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑚𝑒 𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡, 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑚𝑦 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒."

[The Romantic Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

📖 𝑅𝐸𝒱𝐼𝐸𝒲📖
Muse by Diane Portman Rey

Delicious mafia book in a new world with a super possessive alpha hero.

“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙛𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙛𝙚.”

Trope: mafia
HEA: Yes
Cliffhanger: No
POV: Dual
Book Score: 4.5

Review
————————————
New author for me and I’m so glad I found Diane. I really enjoyed this book and will be reading the next in series for sure. Muse was a delicious mafia book set I the 90s and that played right into my obsession with bloody, brooding alpha possessive guy with dirty mouth.

Muse was such a kind hearted, hard working girl who just hasn’t had the best of luck. You can’t help but love her. She was giving Gino such a hard time in the beginning, not letting him take over or push her around. I really enjoyed that. He pursued her relentlessly, given that is not used to asking twice.

“𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙤𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙛*𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙨."

Gino Nucci ugh he stole my heart. He was everything you want in a mafia guy. From the moment they meet it’s fireworks and awesome banter. Too many swoony and steamy scenes to even count them.

“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙙, 𝙈𝙪𝙨𝙚. 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”

The plot was interesting with no crazy drama or cheating, but it packs a lot of angst towards the end. I was not ready for the heartbreak Diane put us through. I’m not over it! The side characters were all complimentary, with lots of funny moments with Gino’s guys. I can not wait to read more about them. Hugo and Cat are like a ticking time bomb. And Roman seems to be hiding quite an interesting story there. This is a first book in a series but each one has a different couple it’s focused on.

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diane did it again. She wrote yet another remarkable book!
This book was such a page-turner, with a lot of suspense.

Gino Nucci was such a different character in EVERY WAY possible. I've rarely read such a character. He had his priorities straight and He ALSO knew what he wanted, and it was Muse Iacobelli. Unlike other Mafia books I've read in which the Hero internally battles with himself and is stuck between whether he loves the heroine or is it JUST lust, Gino was NOT like that. Like at all. And he definitely did not want only want to "fuck her out of his system." Gino was an Alpha-hole through and through. At first, all he did towards muse was order her around because......well Muse is stubborn AF. BUT, DON GINNO NUCCI CAN I HAVE YOU IN MY LIFE?😩

Muse Iacobelli, was a frustratingly different character. She was quite peculiar.

BUT, what I loved about muse the most was her ability to love a person endlessly. She had been through some tough shit in life YET she did not waver. She was such a fierce character and SHE KNEW how to stand up for herself. She devoted almost half of her life to her brother. She worked day and night for him so he could pursue his love for soccer and I ADORED her for that. This was definitely one of my favorite reads so in this year. If you love A HOT and DOMINANT Alpha-hole who is a Don/ Capo YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY READ THIS!

[S⋆｡°✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.

I was super excited to get an ARC for this book ever since I saw its cover. Usually, stripper x mafia boss isn't my type, but I'm glad I gave this one a try.

Muse is such a beautiful character, and I felt for her from the start of the book. She was trying to move on from her past and take care of her brother, working several hours. Her selfless nature instantly drew me in.

One brilliant thing about this book was the MMC, Gino was such a sweetheart. I loved how he pursued Muse, trying to show her his soft side. Their encounters were so steamy; together they are fire.

Although I prefer having more action scenes, the angst in this book still made me shed a few tears. I can't wait for Catherinelle's book.

Diane has done an amazing job in portraying a 20th century's mobster's life. I would strongly recommend this to someone who loves light-hearted, steamy mafia romances.

[Donna reads Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY WOW!!!

One of my book friends told me that I would love this book and she nailed it!!
From the moment you start reading Muse you will be consumed by this story and the characters. It’s HEART-GRIPPING, HEART-SHATTERING and HEARTWARMING. It’ truly a triple threat. I definitely ugly cried through one of chapters because my heart was breaking into a million little pieces.
Gino and Muse are so incredibly engaging, highly passionate and captivating characters with a STUNNING, DEEPLY INTENSE and INVITING storyline.
The love Muse has for her brother is so precious and special.

From the beginning to the very end you will DEVOUR this book its’s so REMARKABLE.

This is the first book by Diane that I have read and it won’t be the last!

Congratulations Diane🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻This story is PHENOMENAL and MEMORABLE.