The story got me intrigued since the first pages. I enjoyed their banter, the families’ dynamics where interesting and the action kept me going. The “twist” was predictable but in the end I truly enjoyed the book. The amount of smut is a big plus too!

An addictive, arranged marriage, mafia romance!

Star Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

You can expect:
▪️Enemies to lovers
▪️Mafia romance - rival families
▪️Arranged marriage
▪️Spirited FMC
▪️Broody, intense MMC
▪️Spicy times 🌶️
▪️Underworld politics
▪️Dual POV

Some of my thoughts:
📍 I had such a fun time with this book! I binge read it and easily! I enjoy Sophie Lark’s writing. It’s immersive, enables the reader to feel an attachment to the characters with ease and has moments of good humour! Additionally, the arranged marriage trope is one of my favourites, so how could I not enjoy this book?

📍I loved the characters. They were well built and had believable flaws and personality traits. The chemistry between the two main characters was electric! The whole cast of side characters were also easy to bond with.

📍My one main criticism is how quickly the spice came on. With an arranged marriage trope, my favourite part is the build up, the tension, the initial uncomfortable dislike. This story jumped so quickly into sex that I feel I missed out on all the awkward angst that makes this trope so delicious.

📍I have come to adore the way Sophie incorporates art and music into her books. At the start of the book you’ll find a music playlist and a QR code that will take you directly to the songs on Spotify. The book also has little prompts throughout which gives the reader a chance to play the piece of music that corresponds with the scene they’re reading. So fun! The book also has little sketches scattered throughout which I loved!

📍Seeing as the side characters were a great bunch - I absolutely will read some (if not all) of the follow up books which consecutively follow each of their romances!

Memorable Quotes:
✨ Trust is rarer than love. It's putting your fate, your happiness, your life in someone's hands. Hoping they keep it safe.

✨ I love this woman. The day she set my house on fire was the luckiest day of my life. It truly is the luck of the Irish: perverse. Inexplicable. And utterly fantastic. “Do you forgive me for losing it in the first place?” she asks me, slipping her slim little hand into mine. “I shouldn’t tell you how much you could get away with, Aida,” I say, shaking my head. “But you already know that I’d forgive anything you do.”

✨ “You’re mine, Aida,” Callum growls in my ear. “I’ll kill anyone who tries to touch you.”

Disclosure:
🖊️ I received an ARC of this book for free through NetGalley. This review is my own, features my honest thoughts and I am leaving this review voluntarily for free. Thank you to Sophie Lark, the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

First thing, the cover is absolutely gorgeous. Excellent design work there.
Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me, I guess I am not a mafia dark romance girly, but that’s okay. It also may have been a case of right book, wrong time, because I was unable to finish it. I have friends who loved this series and I am so glad they did. I will still be interested in reading Sophie’s books in the future and maybe trying this one again!

This was ok. Just ok. Neither character has much personality and even the side characters aren't that intriguing. Like I have no real desire to read any of the others. The sex scenes were decent and the plot moved along. It just felt light on everything you could classify it as - dark, mafia, spicy, kinky (dom/sub, bondage). Maybe if you are thinking about jumping into these topics/genres then maybe this is a good book to start with but otherwise you'll be bored.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book (new cover) for an honest review!

I love the new cover, especially after the reader learns the significance of strawberries.

Brutal Prince was a quick mafia, arranged marriage, enemies-to-lovers romance. The main characters go from hating each other passionately to other things being passionate. 🔥 The change in their feelings did feel a bit quick, but as a shorter novel, that is kind of expected. I loved their interactions after about 20% in. They could both be a bit rough before that, but that is kind of the point. Lark's writing style is easy to read quickly.

Submitted goodreads review on 7/6

I love a mafia romance, but this was not great for me. There were so many moments that I think were meant to be funny or tense that were just really awkward or downright unpleasant. This FMC is just awful, and it was not a fun read at all.

I think the problem here lies in the fact that I tried to expand my horizons and I am just in fact not a mafia romance fan. I feel ill equipped to give a full review here.

Not a fan of this one and I'm so disappointed because I had high hopes for it. Maybe I expected too much.
Mainly my problem was with the hero and the writing. I just wasn't a huge fan.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Did I just completely drop all my other books and devour this mafia romance? Yes, yes I did!
Aida and Callum’s story is a true enemies to lovers - as in I want to kill you but also rip off your clothes. The competing families and violence are a bit mafia lite - not as much angst. I wanted more on their relationship to get behind the turn from enemies to lovers but overall I enjoyed the humor and spiciness. It’s chaotic, very spicy and the easiest read ever…going to find book 2.

tropes include:
•enemies to lovers
•mafia rival families
•arranged marriage

My first book of Sophie Lark as well as beginning to dive more into dark romance. The easiness of reading this book was insane, and I quite enjoyed diving into this world.

Aida is a bada** fmc. Her strength and energy of not taking anyone’s sh*t is something I need. She’s on the list of my favorite fmc’s. Cal was interesting to say the least. I loved when he started caring for Aida and his protective side was my favorite.

Their banter was everything, and made me love them that much more. Their tension was crazy and they gave some of best steamy scenes in my opinion.

The bonus epilogue 😭 I just have to talk about how much I loved it. Cal, ugh, he is so husband material. I loved seeing them as happy as they deserve to be.

Overall, a great, easy read which left me excited to continue the series and Sophie Lark’s work as well which I’ve heard so many great things about!

Thank you Netgalley and Sophie Lark for the arc copy!

Great start to the series!!
I really enjoyed this book, it was fast faced and the romance was everything such a good enemies to lovers! The wedding scene was epic!!

I’m really sad that I put off reading this series for so long! I love a good mafia romance. They’re just entertaining and full of steamy men. This book is no different!

Aida was such a fun character. She’s a wild child but really cares for her family. I loved her dynamic with Sebastian, and I’m excited to read his book.

Cal is hot and controlling and a total red flag but I loved watching him turn into a teddy bear for Aida. I loved their enemies to lovers romance, and all of the weird circumstances they found themselves in. The action was good, but not too dark (I’m a baby when it comes to gore, and I thought this was fine).

Spice rating: 3🌶️

Overall, this was a highly enjoyable read. I’m excited to read the rest of the series!

This is such a good spicy mafia romance. It has everything you could possibly want from this genre: toe-curling sex scenes, a hot couple, and constant action. Brutal Prince is a masterclass in the arranged marriage trope. Other authors should take notes. I would love to continue the series because I really enjoyed this book!

The main character is wonderfully fiery and remains that way throughout - certainly not taking a back-seat role to any men present!

Sophie Lark's novels are addicting and once you enter the world of the Griffins and Gallos in the Brutal Birthright series, you won't want to leave! Aida Gallo is wild, reckless, and fierce AF and I love her for it. Seriously, when I first met her I thought she would frustrate me but there's this magic to Lark's writing that just makes the character come to life and I've seriously never related to a heroine more! And the perfect match to Aida's flame would be Callum Griffin who never thought he'd have an interest in his arranged-married wife until he realizes she's an animal he craves to tame! They're both dangerous and protective and I love the fire x fire dynamic because I rarely get to see that play out so well as it does here in Brutal Prince. The plot is enticing, the writing easy to read, and the world building just so well-done. The character's evolution is raw and real but more than that, their chemistry and relationship burns hot and deep. You will not want to stop turning the pages until the very end and even then, there are 5 more books to keep you going on this rollercoaster of a saga! Sophie Lark is taking the world by storm and I couldn't be more proud!

This is my second Sophie Lark book, and although she doesn't write heroes that I am attracted to, there's something about her books that I love. Like even though the writing gets really cringey at times, I'm still hooked because she sets up a really interesting story.

READ IF YOU LIKE
•Mafia romance
•Enemies to lovers
•Forced proximity
•Opposite attracts
•Arranged marriage

MY REVIEW | This is what I’m talking about, real enemies to lovers, real "I want to kill you" vibes! I’m sooooo here for it! Callum is kinda adorable in how serious and strict he is, but I feel like Aida was a much needed influence on him so that he can enjoy life a little. I don’t think he even realized how plain and solitary his life was before Aida came crashing in it. And oh gosh, Aida is afraid of nothing, and certainly not of Callum, she’s the best type of troublemaker. She made sure the banter was always on point. There was a nice plot to support the love story of our two characters and how they slowly became closer and closer. It was easy to enjoy it all!

I can safely say that I’m hooked on this series. I already feel like I’m gonna love every book in it. We had such a great preview of all characters in this first book and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing everyone’s story. It looks like a series full of angst, banter that is fun and steamy all at once, so I need more of it!!!

It took me long enough to try a Sophie Lark’s book, my only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner! If you enjoy Mafia romances, don’t miss out on this one!

Thanks to Bloom Books and NetGalley for the eARC.

Brutal Prince- 2⭐️ 3.25🌶️

Mafia Romance
Dual POV
Arranged marriage
True Enemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Bully moments
Age gap (10 years)

After a public incident between their children, 2 mafia fathers make a deal to have them marry to unite rival families.

I didn’t love the FMC. She came off as an immature and childish character for most of the book. My biggest issue was the strawberry allergy incident. Having a kid with a food allergy, I am very against allergies being used as a prank. Who the hell doesn’t take food allergies seriously?! The girl would have never been forgiven by me… And it’s on the cover? So is this the big draw to the book? Nope. That’s not tomboy/hellcat behavior. That attempted murder. And she doesn’t even think of the implications her actions would have on her family… ever.

Honestly the MMC wasn’t any better. He came off chauvinistic and depreciated the FMC, and women he dated in general… it was gross. Also, he was a 30 year old, living at home having his every thought taken care of by a housekeeper, chef and his parents.

This book wasn’t very lovey-Dovey. It was more enemies than lovers… well except that there were 4+ spicy scenes. So there was a bunch of lust.

There wasn’t and true character development. Nothing to show any growth. The main characters just stayed pretty flat while the plot raced through a bunch of quickly concluded plot points.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks bloom books for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Sophie Lark book and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I definitely understand the hype as it is well deserved and I even finished the second book, Stolen Heir, in a day once I devoured this book! Thank you NetGallery for the ARC!

“Trust is rarer than love. It’s putting your fate, your happiness, and your life in someone’s hands. Hoping they keep it safe.”
I need more! After finishing this book, I immediately added more Sophie Lark books to my kindle. This mafia romance was so good and so hot! Loved every second!

The gallos and the Griffins have a family revelry. Aida Gallo, a mafia princess her brothers sneak into a rival family’s home during a party where she “accidentally” sets the library on fire. The fathers decide in order to repay for the damage Aida is to marry the eldest Griffin son Callum. To he world they are a formidable force. But neither one like this idea. Aida wants to prove she can do anything the boys can do she can do it better. Buttt, not everything goes as plan. Can they work together? Or will she try to go at things on her own to fix the matter?