I’m not typically a mafia romance type of gal but this one pleasantly surprised me. We had a true enemies to lovers (definitely some Romeo and Juliet vibes). We had plenty of passion. An arranged marriage 😏. And of course I can always appreciate a book that has its own playlist.

Adia and Callum are members of opposing families who are forced to marriage after several treacherous incidents occur rapidly. Naturally our two love birds do not start out on the right foot, with attempted murder happening more than once, but eventually they realize they might be the perfect balance for each other going forward.

Like I said, I don’t usually go for this sub genre of romance but this was quite a bit of fun. I’m all about female main characters who are smart and secure with themselves so I think that is why Adia was such a fun person to read about, she was the polar opposite of a doormat and I liked that about her. I’m definitely curious to see where the rest of this series is heading, I think it has plenty of potential.

rating﹕★★★
｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ
This took me awhile to get into it since I was already in a slump, but once I got into it I read it pretty fast. At first this seemed like it was going to be a slow burn but they just suddenly fell in love? I know this was an arranged marriage, but they also didn’t exactly try to get to know each other well before they “fell in love”. This was really fast paced and I liked it at first because they actually hated each other, that strawberry stunt and Callum drowning Aida in the pool? Those were wild. To be honest I’ve read better mafia dark romances and this was not really it. This was entertaining and a quick read, I think the rating would have been lower if I hadn’t already been in a slump.

🍓 rerelease of E-ARC provided by Netgalley

I haven't read a mafia romance in a while, so this was a nice dip back into the genre. The Gallo and the Griffin families are not enemies anymore—more or less. But when Aida Gallo accidentally starts a fire in the Griffin mansion, the patriarchs of the two families decide that the solution is to make Aida marry Callum Griffin, the eldest son of the Griffin family. The two are not happy about it, and they are not shy about it. However, when a third family gets involved and Aida's stalker won't give up, the two are forced to collaborate to protect their families and each other.

There are a lot of spicy scenes between Aida and Callum, and I wonder if we'll get to read more about them in future books. It would be nice to see how their relationship develops whilst also reading about their siblings' relationships.

I went into this expecting a spicy Mafia Romeo and Juliet and got angsty fan fiction instead. Aida is insufferable as a female lead. She’s supposed to be strong and sassy but comes off as petulant. Callum isn’t much better. He’s 30, lives with his parents and wears different suits to pretend like he’s an adult?

I didn’t find it particularly believable that they went from loathing to loving each other with all the family history. Maybe that’s because I didn’t like either character and couldn’t fathom what they possibly saw in each other. Felt a bit instalove or instalust, rather.

The other thing I disliked about this book is the inclusion of illustrations peppered between the pages. Is this a new thing? Can it stop?

Sad cause I do feel like mafia romances are ripe for so much tension but this one falls flat. It was an amusing read but I’d suspend any expectations of realism. The title I felt wasn’t very accurate either.

Tropes:
Enemies to lovers
Marriage of convenience

This was a fine and quick read for me but not what I was expecting. When I see 'mafia romance' I expect something a little darker. However, if you're crossing over into the genre for the first time this might be a good start. The spice was good and I loved the relationship development between the MMC and the FMC.

Overall, I'd probably read more in this series

Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley and Sophie Lark for the opportunity to review this book. I received a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I postponed reading this for so long because I was scared the romance would be too dark, but nope I was so wrong, this book was just super funny (in a great way) and swoony <3 both MCs were so feral okay, their chaotic antics truly knew no bounds 😂 and that is exactly why they fell for each other. This book had me grinning so much, and the hea was so lovely ❤️

TWs - stalking and kidnapping (also sexual assault by the stalker), violence resulting in bodily harm, gun violence, kidnapping and torture

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

I absolutely devoured this book! This enemies to lovers is captivating, explosive, action packed. Could not put it down! Callum and Aida are perfect. Thank you Sophie Lark and NetGalley for the free arc in exchange for my honest review.

Italian Mafia princess, Aida Gallo, and her brothers sneak into a rival family’s home during a party where she “accidentally” sets the library on fire while Callum Griffin - the only son of the Irish mafia don and prospective alderman - is having a whiskey. Callum retaliates by breaking Aida’s sweet, college basketball-playing brother’s knee. Aida and Callum’s father respond by arranging their marriage, so that they don't have to lose any more family members on either side while also creating a strong alliance against the upcoming Polish mafia. Obviously, Aida and Callum hate each other, but you know what they say about hate being an awful lot like love! Aida and Callum get into trouble and in the process, find out that they make a pretty good team… and maybe they even like each other? If nothing else, at least they enjoy each other’s company in the bedroom (or the backseat of their chauffeured car).

I liked Aida (even if she “isn’t like other girls”). Callum is a possessive, obsessive, dick. So you know I liked him too. They HATE each other at the beginning, which makes it so much sweeter when they eventually come together.

I literally devoured the book in less than 24 hours, I really liked Aida and Callum as a pair. Aida doesn't take shit and Callum understood that he was better with her around. She saves him first like a true badass but he returns the favor.

This story focuses on moving the plot forward, so the parts that were included felt worth reading. From the first round of hate sex to the sensual, intimate stuff I was rooting for this couple and thought they had an interesting story.

⭐⭐⭐ ⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

”The great Callum Griffin. He’s their JFK, and I’m supposed to be their Jackie Kennedy. I’d rather be Lee Harvey Oswald.”

Wow! I get all the hype around this series. When two rival mafias are about to go to war, the heads of the family decide an arranged marriage will bring peace. Is anyone happy about this? No, especially not Aida Gallo and Callum Griffin, bride and groom. One of the first true enemies to lovers I’ve read. As in, possible attempted homicide? I loved the banter, the tension, and the suspenseful elements.

Callum was a good love interest. It didn’t take long for him to realize there was more to Aida. It always gets me in an arranged marriage/marriage of convenience when the hero starts getting protective and throwing around the “my wife”. Aida was amazing. Wild, stubborn, and so strong! Loved her so much! She proved to everyone just how strong and capable she was.

I can’t wait to read the whole series! The writing was easy to follow and just completely drew me in and I did not want to set the book down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for the advanced copy of Brutal Prince. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This dark mafia romance has all the tropes you want for a dark story with steamy scenes. The story is fast-paced, and I read through it quickly to find out what happens. I couldn't put it down! I was given an ARC by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow so I’ve just devoured this book! I started it at 10:30 this morning and have finished it already .. it’s 15.40 now.

This book is the epitome of unputdownable! It is a Dark Mafia romance based in Chicago with different rival gangs. This story follows wild, fun loving Aida and stoic, business man Callum. The characters are funny, endearing oh and infuriating.

Both Aida and Callum are ready to take their pound of flesh from each other after a forced arranged marriage after a little “accident” Aida caused.

But don’t worry it’s not like a kiss could be deadly … well unless it’s laced with strawberry.

This book made me laugh out loud and had people looking me like I was crazy from the sheer sass Aida brings and the Awwws when one of them did something that resembled something nice.

Oh and if you do read it in public you best have a good poker face because it is hot and spicy and all things delicious & HAS ILLUSTRATIONS!

It’s a well written Dark Mafia romance that is definitely a must read! Sophie Lark has an incredible way of writing frustrating and hilarious characters you can’t help but love. I can’t wait to read more from this world and hear stories of Aida’s and Cals siblings.

⭐️5
🌶️4
💧0
———————-
Tropes :
Enemies to lovers
Mafia
Dark Romance
Arranged marriage
Billionaire
Age gap
Touch her and die
Possessive MMC
Stalker

Thank you Sophie, publishers and NetGalley for this read. My Instagram post with graphic goes live on Wednesday with the same review.

— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Brutal Prince
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: Book 1 of the Brutal Birthright series
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Sophie Lark
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Spicy Romance
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 13th July 2023
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝: 24th June 2023
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3.75/5

I smile up at him and say, “Amid chaos, there is also opportunity.” Callum stares at me blankly.
“What…what the fuck are you talking about? Does that mean you’re going to make the best of this mess?”
“Sure. What else can I do?”
Actually, it’s a quote from The Art of War. Here’s another one I like:
“Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”

It’s a match made in hell, however the Italian mafia and the Irish mafia need an alliance before their families eradicate each other. As much as Callum and Aida hate each other, they know how to do business.

I enjoyed this immensely! This romance book will tick a lot of boxes for readers. Mafia romance? Check. Touch her and I’ll kill you? Check. Enemies to lovers? Check. Arranged marriage? Check check check.

Not only that but it is dual POV too! I simply adore when I get to immerse myself in mutual pining. It adds to much context and depth to a romantic connection. The romance itself was intense, savage, and super fun. It was a bit of a bully romance which I typically hate, but this book really nailed it for me! Both Aida and Callum gave each other hell and inadvertently found heaven. I loved the back and forth between them, it was fiery, filthy, and funny.

The writing was a bit matter of fact but it was easy to immerse myself in. The plot was decent although a little bit predictable. What really made the novel shine for me is the character of Aida, she’s such a wildcard and I loved her rebellious spirit.

This book is perfect for fans of mafia romance. I LOVED listening to the soundtrack whilst reading it. Also, this book has ILLUSTRATIONS!!!!

—Kayleigh🤍
@ Welsh Book Fairy🧚‍♀️✨

One of my favourite Mafia Romance-Suspense stories! This was the first book I read from Lark back in 2019 and loved it so much. Wanted to see if there were any changes or addition to the story, but it is just as awesome. Callum & Aida are just perfect. I have read all of Lark’s books and if you wish to read more Mafia stories, she is the one you should read! Also, check out her Kingmakers series, which is basically Hogwards for the fictional Mafia world. Lot of love.

Thank you publisher for the gifted copy via Netgalley

3.75/5. Re-releases 7/25/2023.

For when you're vibing with... a softer mafia romance, modern arranged marriage shenanigans, rebellious heroines + stern heroes, and some mild dubcon (like, so mild).

When Aida Gallo causes a clash between her father's Sicilian mafia family and prominent Irish mobsters the Griffins, there's only one solution. Aida will be wed to Callum, the heir apparent to the Griffin throne. Naturally, they can't stand each other, and the marriage begins with a series of oneupmanship (along, lots of sex). But as danger mounts, Aida and Callum will be forced to realize how much they might care for each other.

A fun mafia romance! It was a little rushed for my taste, but I enjoyed it and definitely plan on trying out more from this series.

Quick Takes:

--In terms of this being a mafia romance, I say this in a good way: I'd consider this a good "baby's first mafia romance" for a reader who prefers lighter, romcom-type books. There are a good amount of non-lethal hijinks, the mafia politicking is minimal, there is very little or no true gore, and while I would call a couple of sex scenes dubcon-ish, it's light. Like, everyone is into what's happening. Compared to Kings of Italy, which I found easy to read but a good bit darker/more dramatic, this is a gentler kind of mafia romance. Which isn't a bad thing!

Conversely, if you are really into a super built up mafia world and atmosphere in your mafia romance, plus a lot of serious loathing and murder and maybe some very dubious consent... This might swing too gentle for you. I personally appreciate there being options for both sides of the spectrum, so I didn't mind this being lighter, as I figured it would be going in.

--As far as the enemies to lovers set up goes... Yes, they are true blue enemies in that their families are on the opposite sides of a mob rivalry. On a personal level, they're really just into needling each other. She's a brat, he's a lot more into that than he realizes. There is one incident where someone ends up in the hospital, but it's very unintentional. If you need these two to stab each other to be satisfied, you won't get that, but if you're tired of "rival bakers" type enemies to lovers, this is definitely a step up.

--There are illustrations in this edition! I do appreciate a good porny illustration (I honestly could've used a lot more of THAT type than the random ones of Aida like, on the piano). I will say that I am not certain the illustrations render themselves as well as they could in Kindle Paperwhite, especially in terms of the saturation.

--One thing I will say is that like... I don't know. I think that there was definitely a point when a character like Aida would normally get on my nerves. And I wasn't in love with her in this book; she's not a favorite heroine of mine. She's very rebellious for the sake of being rebellious. But I didn't hate her, and I think that a lot of that came from her having consequences for her actions. The entire plot comes about because she's immature, and she has to pay for it. I felt like she grew and settled as the book went on. And because Callum was very cool to her at first, it did feel as if he needed a bit of brat to really make him live.

That said, she did feel very stereotypical hotblooded Italian-American girl at times; less mafia princess, more My Cousin Vinny... Which isn't inherently a bad thing, but it was a rougher look on her brothers, who I would assume get books later? Interested to see how that turns out. Callum was more legitimately intimidating-sounding because he was a guy in a suit with a lot of money and rising political influence, who knew how to wheel and deal and behave in public (which made his outbursts over Aida more striking, as well). Aida's brothers kind of sounded like... West Side Story side acts, but today.

--While I appreciated the quick pace of the plot, I did feel like we needed more scenes through which Aida and Callum emotionally bonded. It felt like we went from the liking each other and having great sex to being legitimately in love rather quickly, and I just didn't really see it. I think we kind of needed a mini breakup in between the true forging of a bond and the end. Something to make it feel more like they came back together and chose each other.

The Sex Stuff:

I've gotta say... the book shines here. The sex scenes are great, and I think their intensity tempers the lightness of the book? A couple of the scenes have a very mild dubcon vibe, which to me added to their heightened nature and the feeling that these two seriously disliked each other. Plus, I really appreciated that they began having sex fairly early in the book, well before they actually like each other at all. Look no further if you want a book with hate sex.

I wasn't blown away by this one, but I did enjoy it, and I found it worth the read. Like I said, it got me interested in the rest of the series (the second book definitely sounds up my alley) and that's half the battle.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bloom Books for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I wish I liked this story more. The story was okay, average with nothing to crazy happening.
I think my biggest gripe was that I didn’t connect with any of the characters and often found them a little insufferable.

My biggest struggle was with Aida. She's loud, rude, obnoxious, childish and self-absorbed. She's the spoiled baby sister of the Galos who is supposed to come off like rough and tumble I guess tomboy girl but it doesn't really translate that way. She came off more lazy and spoiled who doesn't like to be told what to do.
The other characters often felt forgettable aside from Seb and Nessa.

Overall, it was an okay story but one that I didn’t find much enjoyment in.

A bit darker than I'm use to by still enjoyable. It reminded me of Books like King of Wrath by Ana Huang and Dark Succession by Katee Robert.

This book in 3 words: Angsty. Fun. Sexy.

We love enemies to lovers but Sophie Lark really gets herself into one of the strongest executions of the trope. Nothing like characters legitimately hating each other right out of the gate.

What I loved most was the strong voices from Aida and Callum, our main characters. They're both sharp and fun to read. Also, the arranged marriage execution is wild but so good.

I feel like this is a good start to a series and also an entry into the Mafia Romance realm.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

4⭐️

This was my first Sophie Lark read and it was good—but I’m not sure I’d read the rest of the series. I liked it but I didn’t love it. The spice was good, it made me laugh a couple times, but I think I just felt like I needed *more* across the board.

Overall, a good read and I’ll check out other stuff by this author.

Enemies to lovers AND arranged marriage in one book? What is this, the lottery? This book started out strong, with the constant back and forth between Callum and Aida. I loved their chemistry and banter. This series debut perfectly kicks off the plot for the remaining five books. However, I do wish we'd seen more of the behind the scenes mafia disputes. Aside from the first 37%, you can almost forget this was supposed to be a mafia romance. Overall I loved this book, and devoured the series (and the second gen series). I will recommend to anyone who will listen!

Well, what can I say? This book had a little bit of everything: Love, hate, action, grief, and all that goes in between. The Gallo and Griffin families have been warring for years. Decades. Finally, after a party mishap that leads to the Griffin family mansion almost being burned down, the head members of the families decide that enough is enough and come to an agreement to arrange a marriage between Aida, the youngest Gallo, and Callum, the eldest Griffin. Both resistant in the beginning, with Aida believing Callum to be nothing but a cold and heartless robot, and Callum believing Aida to be a less than intelligent chaotic tornado. Once the vows are said, the heat turns up between them and they find their way to love.

This felt like an echo of Romeo and Juliet, except they hate each other at first, and without the tragic ending. It was a lot of fun, and I am so excited to read more from the "Brutal Birthright" series! Sophie Lark kept me entertained from the first page to the last. I couldn't put it down and finished it all in one sitting.

I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of romance and spice.