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The Donna
**A Dark Mafia Romance Novel Inspired by The Last Airbender Female Villian Lead—Princess Azula.**
"This particular man stood before me, looking at me with a dark loathing when it should have been unconditional acceptance and loyalty. I felt like a lunatic with the range of emotions that swept through me.
Was I enjoying this?
I was. This was the most fun I've had in a while.
Adrenaline and arousal pumped through my veins, my smile stretching into a smile so big that it’d make the Joker proud. But I had no doubt Oliver Cafaro would be the end of my remaining sanity if I let him. The harsh reality behind the thought scorched my insides, and the fierceness spat into my words.
"Then go ahead and start your fires." I lowered my face to him, matching the forewarning in his eyes. "Let’s see whose flames burn higher and who’ll end up buried under the ashes." I touched my lips lightly on his forehead, catching him by surprise. It just wasn't his day.
"Now, get the fuck out of my house."
"This particular man stood before me, looking at me with a dark loathing when it should have been unconditional acceptance and loyalty. I felt like a lunatic with the range of emotions that swept through me.
Was I enjoying this?
I was. This was the most fun I've had in a while.
Adrenaline and arousal pumped through my veins, my smile stretching into a smile so big that it’d make the Joker proud. But I had no doubt Oliver Cafaro would be the end of my remaining sanity if I let him. The harsh reality behind the thought scorched my insides, and the fierceness spat into my words.
"Then go ahead and start your fires." I lowered my face to him, matching the forewarning in his eyes. "Let’s see whose flames burn higher and who’ll end up buried under the ashes." I touched my lips lightly on his forehead, catching him by surprise. It just wasn't his day.
"Now, get the fuck out of my house."
580 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 28, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 14, 2023
Firstly, fuck the people who said they didn’t enjoy the ending. You’re all delusional, that was literally the only ending that was fit for them. They’re toxic and in love, what else did you guys want 🫢
I don’t even know where to begin 😭
I’d like say a big big big THANK YOU to the author, she kindly reached out to me through tiktok and recommended me her book 🥹💕 ( I’ve never been happier ) this was genuinely one of the best dark romance mafia books I’ve read.
I’m very grateful to of been given this opportunity, the author herself is honestly so laid back and sweet. She’s done such a great job writing this book, I don’t think I have anything negative to say tbh 🤣 there were a few cringy bits/ scenes but that’s pretty normal in books haha.
Both of the main characters, Olivier and Azzurra/ Izzy, are literally the pure definition of obsession and toxicity. Fuck Zade Meadows, Oliver is on a whole different level 😫 with how the author portrayed him and described him. It clearly showed how much he’s solely obsessed and in love with her.
I personally, loved every chapter and every scene. The smut, was just *chefs kiss*. The 🩸 scene, was something else. First time reading a book with that in it ( the readers will understand, I’m trying to not spoil it too much 😂 ) but just wait, THE TENSION. Good lord, if ya’ll didn’t already know. It’s a dark mafia romance, enemies to lovers, taboo romance, bad ass FMC, forced proximity, forbidden love, revenge, broken in some way and honestly so much more. This book had all the types of emotional trauma 🤣
The FMC, Azzurra/ The Donna of New York, I honestly loved her character. She had many flaws, but that’s what intrigued me the most to her. She’s powerful and badass when she wants to be, but she’s also an absolute cry baby who just needs a bit of love in her life 🥹
I could say the same about, the MMC, Oliver Cafaro, he had so many flaws, and his obsession might’ve been a bit over the top but that’s what made it so entertaining and merciless.
Both of their characters had intrigued me and gripped me at the start of the book. I couldn’t put it down, their chemistry at the start honestly had me gobsmacked. It was SO GOOD, the tension of them knowing each other and not being able to do anything genuinely added that extra bit of🌶️.
Overall, I think I cried about 500 times during this book. Both of their trauma, their pasts and them figuring out their relationship genuinely had me so emotional 🤣 it absolutely broke my heart for them. But I wouldn’t have asked for anything better, everything was written the way it should be. There was a bit of OM/OW involved which I wasn’t a big fan of, I was really hooked on both of the main characters being together at the time but I can understand in why the author did that. Had to get Oliver riled up somehow 😏
LA Barren’s writing is to honestly die for, it’s so descriptive and so detailed. I could genuinely imagine the scene in my head 🤣 ( even the 🌶️ ones ).
Oliver’s character had me shocked at times, his obsession had sometimes taken a toll on him which I loved it. It portrayed that underlying, to die for love. Every time the author wrote about Oliver, and him thinking about Izzy. I was genuinely running marathons outside, this women has a way with words. She has me blushing and screaming like a little girl,
“Eternity. That's what I wanted right now. I wanted to live this moment for eternity. I didn't want New York; I didn't want my family; I didn't want the whole fucking Western Hemisphere. My body begged me for her, and her only.”
“Christ, this woman and all her rage and all her beauty. I would take it over everything and anything and let her swallow me whole. She was the one person keeping my head above the water.”
“Christ, how she carelessly ran through my mind inciting destruction of the best sort and causing my insides to scream and wither without her. In her stillness, I felt fixed in the abode of God, and I've never felt more inclined to offer a prayer in my whole life that was how transcendent my love was for her.”
“We all have demons living inside us," he smoothed my hair back, "and I think mine fell in love with how much peace you bring them. I didn't fall in love with you in parts, Azzurra. I was hopeless from the second I stood in that doorway, and you looked at me. There's black magic in these eyes, baby."
I remembered the first night we met, and my heart swelled joyfully. " told you it was bad luck."
He pulled me into his chest. "If this is my bad luck, I’ll stand in a million doorways."
LIKE COME ON? That’s pure art right there, there’s a lot more where that came from. 🫣
I’m already having with drawls from this book, and from these characters. They’re addicting and have wholly filled my mind.
I can’t wait for what the author has in store for the future. I can already sense that her other books will be just as good, or even better ( if that’s possible ) than The Donna.
I’d highly suggest to go and give this book a read!!
I’m honoured to of been given a chance to read it and review it 🥰
Thank You Lena!! 💕
10000000000/10 ⭐️
I don’t even know where to begin 😭
I’d like say a big big big THANK YOU to the author, she kindly reached out to me through tiktok and recommended me her book 🥹💕 ( I’ve never been happier ) this was genuinely one of the best dark romance mafia books I’ve read.
I’m very grateful to of been given this opportunity, the author herself is honestly so laid back and sweet. She’s done such a great job writing this book, I don’t think I have anything negative to say tbh 🤣 there were a few cringy bits/ scenes but that’s pretty normal in books haha.
Both of the main characters, Olivier and Azzurra/ Izzy, are literally the pure definition of obsession and toxicity. Fuck Zade Meadows, Oliver is on a whole different level 😫 with how the author portrayed him and described him. It clearly showed how much he’s solely obsessed and in love with her.
I personally, loved every chapter and every scene. The smut, was just *chefs kiss*. The 🩸 scene, was something else. First time reading a book with that in it ( the readers will understand, I’m trying to not spoil it too much 😂 ) but just wait, THE TENSION. Good lord, if ya’ll didn’t already know. It’s a dark mafia romance, enemies to lovers, taboo romance, bad ass FMC, forced proximity, forbidden love, revenge, broken in some way and honestly so much more. This book had all the types of emotional trauma 🤣
The FMC, Azzurra/ The Donna of New York, I honestly loved her character. She had many flaws, but that’s what intrigued me the most to her. She’s powerful and badass when she wants to be, but she’s also an absolute cry baby who just needs a bit of love in her life 🥹
I could say the same about, the MMC, Oliver Cafaro, he had so many flaws, and his obsession might’ve been a bit over the top but that’s what made it so entertaining and merciless.
Both of their characters had intrigued me and gripped me at the start of the book. I couldn’t put it down, their chemistry at the start honestly had me gobsmacked. It was SO GOOD, the tension of them knowing each other and not being able to do anything genuinely added that extra bit of🌶️.
Overall, I think I cried about 500 times during this book. Both of their trauma, their pasts and them figuring out their relationship genuinely had me so emotional 🤣 it absolutely broke my heart for them. But I wouldn’t have asked for anything better, everything was written the way it should be. There was a bit of OM/OW involved which I wasn’t a big fan of, I was really hooked on both of the main characters being together at the time but I can understand in why the author did that. Had to get Oliver riled up somehow 😏
LA Barren’s writing is to honestly die for, it’s so descriptive and so detailed. I could genuinely imagine the scene in my head 🤣 ( even the 🌶️ ones ).
Oliver’s character had me shocked at times, his obsession had sometimes taken a toll on him which I loved it. It portrayed that underlying, to die for love. Every time the author wrote about Oliver, and him thinking about Izzy. I was genuinely running marathons outside, this women has a way with words. She has me blushing and screaming like a little girl,
“Eternity. That's what I wanted right now. I wanted to live this moment for eternity. I didn't want New York; I didn't want my family; I didn't want the whole fucking Western Hemisphere. My body begged me for her, and her only.”
“Christ, this woman and all her rage and all her beauty. I would take it over everything and anything and let her swallow me whole. She was the one person keeping my head above the water.”
“Christ, how she carelessly ran through my mind inciting destruction of the best sort and causing my insides to scream and wither without her. In her stillness, I felt fixed in the abode of God, and I've never felt more inclined to offer a prayer in my whole life that was how transcendent my love was for her.”
“We all have demons living inside us," he smoothed my hair back, "and I think mine fell in love with how much peace you bring them. I didn't fall in love with you in parts, Azzurra. I was hopeless from the second I stood in that doorway, and you looked at me. There's black magic in these eyes, baby."
I remembered the first night we met, and my heart swelled joyfully. " told you it was bad luck."
He pulled me into his chest. "If this is my bad luck, I’ll stand in a million doorways."
LIKE COME ON? That’s pure art right there, there’s a lot more where that came from. 🫣
I’m already having with drawls from this book, and from these characters. They’re addicting and have wholly filled my mind.
I can’t wait for what the author has in store for the future. I can already sense that her other books will be just as good, or even better ( if that’s possible ) than The Donna.
I’d highly suggest to go and give this book a read!!
I’m honoured to of been given a chance to read it and review it 🥰
Thank You Lena!! 💕
10000000000/10 ⭐️
January 12, 2026
I loved The Donna! I'm a fast reader so I love how thought out and long the book was. Yet everything had its purpose and kept me interested in the story the whole time. The FMC's attitude was consistent the whole book too which is where I feel most books with strong FMC's fail - definitely not here! This book had me obsessively reading until the end and I would absolutely recommend it
March 23, 2023
New Favorite Mafia Romance
Finally a dark romance book with a badass female lead!
We love a man like Oliver who’s not a pushover but knows what he wants and loves his unhinged lady!
Finally a dark romance book with a badass female lead!
We love a man like Oliver who’s not a pushover but knows what he wants and loves his unhinged lady!
April 7, 2023
If you’re looking for a Mafia girl boss, unhinged, totally fearless FMC… read this book!
I devoured this book!
I didn’t want it to end! The story was great! The spice *chefs kiss*
the chemistry,the tension and The banter.. LOVED IT!
I think I found my new fav mafia romance book!
Thankyou so much to the author for sending me a copy<3
I devoured this book!
I didn’t want it to end! The story was great! The spice *chefs kiss*
the chemistry,the tension and The banter.. LOVED IT!
I think I found my new fav mafia romance book!
Thankyou so much to the author for sending me a copy<3
February 18, 2023
Brilliant debut from this amazing author! Gripping, angsty, gory and thrilling. Can’t wait for her next book and hope the series continues.
June 2, 2024
I loved the book! It was a great read. I did feel like it had more potential though. Like the relationship with Luka, where did it begin, what happened, what were they, it was left open ended, I needed a conclusion to that. What happened to Alfie, why was he left off the hook. Where did Oliver go ? How was he able to live off the grid? If he was obsessive why didn’t he come back to her life forcefully ? With how he was characterized I couldn’t imagine him staying away.
Why did he want her to quit just like that ? It felt it went against what she stood for, to be bossed around. I also didn’t like that in some parts, she’s supposed to be a badass woman but she let Oliver walk all over her and I knew she could have stood up for herself better.
Over all I give it 4 stars because it was a good read and I couldn’t put it down! Loved and I hope the author keeps writing more and improves either every book 🤗
Why did he want her to quit just like that ? It felt it went against what she stood for, to be bossed around. I also didn’t like that in some parts, she’s supposed to be a badass woman but she let Oliver walk all over her and I knew she could have stood up for herself better.
Over all I give it 4 stars because it was a good read and I couldn’t put it down! Loved and I hope the author keeps writing more and improves either every book 🤗
February 7, 2023
i didn’t like the ending but the rest of the book was 👩🍳💋
January 22, 2023
3.5 stars - let me start with the pros..
The overall concept and plot was intriguing and kept me interested until the end. I enjoy badass blood thirsty FMCS and think that Izzy was written well. Izzy was interesting, powerful, and merciless.
The cons..
this book was 100 pages longer than it needed to be because of all the wordy paragraphs the author put in to try to seem deep or poetic. There were also some awkward sounding lines that kind of throw you off and take you out of the book. These issues and some plot inconsistencies show how this was self edited. For example, Izzy says she hasn’t had sex in three years but then the author made it seem like Izzy and Luka have been hooking up monthly for a years and even recently?
I do not think mentioning Oliver’s obsession with his ex Andrea was necessary, in fact it really made his obsession with Izzy seem less special or all consuming. It makes me feel like once he gets sick of Izzy he would find a new obsession because that’s his personality (think Joe from You).
There is slight OM/OW drama and cheating but technically the main couple wasn’t exclusively together at the time it happened so take that as you will…
The overall concept and plot was intriguing and kept me interested until the end. I enjoy badass blood thirsty FMCS and think that Izzy was written well. Izzy was interesting, powerful, and merciless.
The cons..
this book was 100 pages longer than it needed to be because of all the wordy paragraphs the author put in to try to seem deep or poetic. There were also some awkward sounding lines that kind of throw you off and take you out of the book. These issues and some plot inconsistencies show how this was self edited. For example, Izzy says she hasn’t had sex in three years but then the author made it seem like Izzy and Luka have been hooking up monthly for a years and even recently?
I do not think mentioning Oliver’s obsession with his ex Andrea was necessary, in fact it really made his obsession with Izzy seem less special or all consuming. It makes me feel like once he gets sick of Izzy he would find a new obsession because that’s his personality (think Joe from You).
There is slight OM/OW drama and cheating but technically the main couple wasn’t exclusively together at the time it happened so take that as you will…
February 15, 2024
Quite possibly my favorite book of all time… full review below
2/14/24: The urge I have to reread this AGAIN when I finished it for maybe the fifth time a month ago is just a little crazy
5⭐️
Summary: Azzurra, the leader of New York City's mafia, discovers that the stranger she had a one-night-stand with is her biggest rival, who has come to take over New York.
Tropes: Enemies to lovers, one-sided instant obsession
What I loved:
- Azzurra is more than a little unhinged, and I'm here for it. She definitely has the upbringing to explain at least some of it, but I think part of it is her being a woman in power in a society that would much rather have a man in her position. Once she gets going, she's beautifully unpredictable— and she's a badass 100% of the time, even in the moments she's being vulnerable.
- Maria (one of Azzurra's staff) makes me laugh every time she opens her (fictional) mouth. She's sassy, know-it-all, and shockingly youthful for a woman who's old enough to be Azzurra's mother.
- The MMC is perfection. Forget about every other MMC you've read, this one is it. He's completely obsessed, devoted, possessive, tender at times, domineering at others— perfection. You'll understand if/when you read this book, and if you like mafia/dark romance, I am begging you, please read it.
- The ending. Some people may not like it, but because of the way the MCs's relationship started and progressed, I think it was the best (and maybe only) way to satisfyingly and semi-realisticly wrap everything up. And I loved it, by the way.
Highlights:
- "Some women wanted equality. I wanted total domination. When a man stood before me, equality was out of the picture—how could you be equal to something that demanded worship?"
- "It was the low laugh of a villain before he pushed the innocents into a pool of acid that turned them into mutants. But I somehow didn’t care. I already knew he was my villain."
- "I wanted to embody every ripple of her insanity until it felt like drowning in her abyss."
- "I wanted her to press her ear to my chest so she could hear how my heart hummed her name—it was more mellifluous than a singing nightingale."
- “How could I not love you when you are the beginning and end of every thought in my head?”
CW/TW: Child abuse in flashbacks, PTSD and other mental illness, torture (inflicted upon others), graphic violence, drugs
2/14/24: The urge I have to reread this AGAIN when I finished it for maybe the fifth time a month ago is just a little crazy
5⭐️
Summary: Azzurra, the leader of New York City's mafia, discovers that the stranger she had a one-night-stand with is her biggest rival, who has come to take over New York.
Tropes: Enemies to lovers, one-sided instant obsession
What I loved:
- Azzurra is more than a little unhinged, and I'm here for it. She definitely has the upbringing to explain at least some of it, but I think part of it is her being a woman in power in a society that would much rather have a man in her position. Once she gets going, she's beautifully unpredictable— and she's a badass 100% of the time, even in the moments she's being vulnerable.
- Maria (one of Azzurra's staff) makes me laugh every time she opens her (fictional) mouth. She's sassy, know-it-all, and shockingly youthful for a woman who's old enough to be Azzurra's mother.
- The MMC is perfection. Forget about every other MMC you've read, this one is it. He's completely obsessed, devoted, possessive, tender at times, domineering at others— perfection. You'll understand if/when you read this book, and if you like mafia/dark romance, I am begging you, please read it.
- The ending. Some people may not like it, but because of the way the MCs's relationship started and progressed, I think it was the best (and maybe only) way to satisfyingly and semi-realisticly wrap everything up. And I loved it, by the way.
Highlights:
- "Some women wanted equality. I wanted total domination. When a man stood before me, equality was out of the picture—how could you be equal to something that demanded worship?"
- "It was the low laugh of a villain before he pushed the innocents into a pool of acid that turned them into mutants. But I somehow didn’t care. I already knew he was my villain."
- "I wanted to embody every ripple of her insanity until it felt like drowning in her abyss."
- "I wanted her to press her ear to my chest so she could hear how my heart hummed her name—it was more mellifluous than a singing nightingale."
- “How could I not love you when you are the beginning and end of every thought in my head?”
CW/TW: Child abuse in flashbacks, PTSD and other mental illness, torture (inflicted upon others), graphic violence, drugs
July 1, 2024
Azzurra is crazy, unhinged, and a badass, loved her and Oliver’s chemistry.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews