I am loving this series! These are books you can read it one easy sitting!

From this third instalment you can expect:
▪️Bad boy x good girl
▪️Reformed f*ck boy MMC
▪️An endearing FMC
▪️Former classmates to lovers
▪️Fast and furious vibes
▪️Mafia romance
▪️On page spice
▪️Dual POV
▪️A bank heist!

Some of my thoughts:
📍As ever with Sophie’s books, I am obsessed with the inclusion of music prompts and internal illustrations!

📍Nero is a character who intrigued me in the earlier books of this series. He was impulsive, intelligent and ruthlessly violent. I was delighted to get into his cocky head (boy am I glad these book are dual POV)! I knew it would take a special girl to reform this f*ckboy and I found Camille believably that girl! I loved the role their shared interest (cars) played in their bonding.

📍Camille’s financial struggles made her relatable. She carried the weight of keeping her family afloat so very selflessly. It really made me like her.

📍I loved the brief glimpses of Callum and Aida (book one’s pairing)! I was however sad I didn’t see any of Miko and Nessa (book two’s pairing), I get that there isn’t a family connection there, but still 😅

📍I did wish this romance was a slighter slower burn!

📍Good dialogue, good pacing, the plot reached a great climax (the heist!) and the romance was mostly developed well. What’s not to like? Bring on the next one!

Memorable quotes:
✨ ‘I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her. I’d take down the whole Chicago PD if I had to. I’d murder every man in this city, one by one.’

✨ ‘I want Camille like I’ve never wanted anything in my life. I want her to love me. She’s the only one who knows me, so she’s the only one who can. And I want to love her. I’m fucking awful at it—I’ve never had any practice.’

HONOURABLE MENTION TO THIS SCENE (because I literally laughed out loud 😂):

✨ “Patricia! Baby! Why don’t you pick up your phone?” he cries. “I called you eight hundred times. Listen, I’m telling you, baby, I never cheated on you . . .”
“I know that,” Patricia says calmly.
“You know . . .” He stares at her. “If you know that . . . then why . . . in the fuck . . . did you key my CAR!?” he shouts.
“BECAUSE YOU LEFT MY GRANDMOTHER AT THE AIRPORT!” Patricia bellows back at him. “You said you were going to pick her up while I was at work! She waited THREE HOURS, MASON! That woman is eighty-seven years old! She saw the Hindenburg explode. Actually, she heard it—BECAUSE THERE WAS NO FUCKING TV!” Mason is standing there frozen, with a guilty grimace on his face. He definitely forgot all about Patricia’s grandma until right this very moment. “Okay, okay,” he says, holding up his hands. “I might have fallen asleep—”
“ASLEEP?”
“But you didn’t have to key my car, baby! It’s a classic!”
“Nana’s a classic, Mason! NANA!”

Between taking care of her brother and looking after her father’s business, Camille Rivera barely has any time for herself. But soon after crossing paths with Nero—the bad boy of the Gallo family—Camille finds herself looking for a way to make room in her life for him. And Nero is more than happy to take up space there.

But Nero belongs to one of the richest and most powerful families of all Chicago—if not the country. Just what kind of future could the two of them really have that doesn’t end with someone getting hurt?
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Another winner from Sophie Lark for me! Camille & Nero are another great pairing in the Brutal Birthright series. Camille’s a feisty ride-or-die mechanic and Nero is a hot head with a death wish. The chemistry between them is explosive and I like how they -fit- together. I’m most certainly continuing this series. I need to know who else is getting a happily ever after!

Really loved:
- wrong side of the tracks
- subtle simmers —> total wildfire
- the car scenes
- Camille being her own hero
- Nero’s mastermind schemes
- the bonus scene!!

Thank you @netgalley & @read_bloom for the opportunity to read this!

Sophie does an amazing job constantly. I loved the books in this series before this one and I love this one too. Anyone looking for romance in a mafia setting will eat this book up!

I didn’t realize this was a series and not sure if there’s information that I’m missing. Just wasn’t too thrilled about this book and pushed to finish it.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4.5⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: Contemporary romance📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Fast and Furious vibes
Mafia romance
Great chemistry
Fast paced reads
Opposites attract

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
No third act breakup
I love a strong and sassy heroine

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
Felt a little too high schooly at times
There wasn’t really any mafia business

𝙵𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚀𝚞𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚜:
★ “I won’t ever leave you,” Nero says. “Never, Camille. You’ll never have to wonder where I went. I’ll be right by your side.”

He’s a tough, closed-off, mafia billionaire troublemaker. She’s a working-class mechanic with a cop breathing down her neck. But when he saves her from getting into more trouble, they realize maybe they are more than what they thought.

Honestly, I was so ready for Nero’s story and I liked his d*ckish, take no sh*t attitude. Camille was a bit too “not like other girls” for me. She’s got grease under her fingernails and stains on her clothes, so how could she be appealing? Even though her hair and body are basically perfect. Not my favourite trope.

I was honestly wondering at times if Officer Schultz was going to be a love interest because his alphahole behaviour is often the same stuff that gets you enemies to lovers vibes. (Spoiler: he doesn’t).

There was potential in Nero and Camille’s story, but it seemed like the two fell instantly in love and we only had like… 3 interactions between them before it was all in. A lot of time is spent describing the heist - so if you're into that then you might like this one!

There was a bonus chapter at the end, and honestly, if the rest of the book had been more like it I would have enjoyed it more. I just didn’t feel enough build-up or emotion in the book - it was all a little one-note. Usually, I am all over Sophie Lark’s books, but this one wasn't it for me.

Tropes: mafia, rags to riches, not like other girls, *sshole billionaire, high school glow up, heist

⭐⭐.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️

This was my first experience with a Sophie Lark novel. I had heard really good things about her books (especially the spicy scenes!) and had very high expectations.

One of my favorite elements of this book was the playlist and how there are scenes that have certain songs associated with them. It really helps to envision the scene tied to the song. I also really enjoyed the plot of the book. Good girl caring for her family falls for the rich bad boy. The whole book was fun and flirty while still holding a hint of the forbidden which is really what kept me reading. Another element I enjoyed is the connection of this story to others in the series. I love when side characters in one book get their own story later in a series. I do know this is becoming more and more common, but I feel like it really adds to each series while also allowing the reader to experience the book as a standalone and not miss anything.

I will say, the writing itself wasn't great. There were certain lines and phrases that I felt could have been worded better to help the flow of the story. The timing of everything was also very off. Everything went kind of slow at the beginning and then sped up at the end. The first half of the book covered a much shorter time period than the second half of the book which seemed to span a few weeks or even months.

In the end, I did enjoy this book and would like to read more in the series. 3 stars.

3.5 STARS
Again, I REALLY NEED romance books to have art inside, character scenes, portraits, etc. I love them. It truly adds to the story!

A new storyline that keeps true to the mafia angle but gives us fresh ideas, like heists; I love it! A dark charm of Nero is perfectly understandable to me, but DAMN was my heart won over by Camille - I was swooning over her, she knows who she is & what is within her power & stays good.
However, while I enjoyed those aspects, I found the romance very slow-paced and less intimate than past books in the series. Also, it could be that Dante wasn't my romantic type, so I wasn't as into him.

Another fun mafia romance from Sophie Lark!

I loved Brutal Prince but didn’t care for Stolen Heir, so I was anxious going into Savage Lover. However, I really loved it! Nero and Camille were a great couple, and I loved the juxtaposition of Nero’s bad boy persona and Camille’s girl next door status. I thought the plot was fun and engaging, and the relationship felt organic.

I’m excited to continue to series!

Thank you for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first read from this author's work and i had a great time reading this one as it has mystery, thriller and romance too.

The author has penned down an amazing plotline with a wonderful set of characters. The characters were so good , they kept me hooked till the very end. Each has been given sufficient scope to contribute to the plot. I had a great time reading this one.

At first, I wasn't sure if I was going to like Nero as the male main character. He was cold and calculated. On the flip side, I liked Camille right away, which made me feel almost protective of her. So knowing they were each others love interests for this book, I was invested to see how that happened. By the end, I loved the two of them together! The story was full with drama, action, and romance. It hit all the notes of a great story!!

What made the book even better were several things. First, I loved how distinct Camille and Nero's voices were. Sometimes when authors write from different points of view, the writing for them is similar. This is not the case with this book. Second, there were sketches of the characters throughout the story and I loved these too! It reminded me of when I was a kid just starting to read chapter books and there were more words than pictures but there were still some pictures. It felt nostalgic in a way. Last but not least, was the playlist embedded into the story! As soon as I saw the music note, I couldn't wait to hear the song and read the story at the same time.

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for sending this electronic book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

The Facts: Mafia romance, some car racing and a helluva lot of spice, no third act break up, hey, babe, let's rob this bank together vibes.

Book 3 of the Brutal Birthright series. (can be read as a standalone but like bro, read the other ones too. They're amazing!)

In my opinion, this one was a little different from the first two in this series, and I am obsessed with that. Sophie Lark will seriously never bore you. This felt a little less mafia-y. I think it was because Camille wasn't in the mafia at all. She was just a random girl trying to keep her family afloat. I really enjoyed this one. Nero was such an interesting character, and I loved how his rage turned into passion for Camille (talk about redirecting feelings into something positive!) The added heist subplot was very interesting and really entertaining to read. Overall, I can't wait for the next one! Gimme!

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Publication date: September 19, 2023

Savage Lover is the third book in the Mafia romance series by Sophie Lark. I read and reviewed the first two books and although I really liked them, this one is my favourite so far!

Camille Rivera has lived in the old neighborhood her entire life. In a small house attached to the garage her dad owns with just her father and younger brother. Camille has few friends or people she could trust.

Nero Gallo is barely a glimpse in her life. They went to high school together but never hung out. Nero has a reputation for being a playboy without a heart. Being part of the Gallo family heightens the danger and has always kept Camille laying low and away from his notice.

One night after following her brother into a house party knowing he’s up to no good, Camille runs into Nero and he saves her from being arrested. She’s as surprised as him that he bothered to care. Camille knows she shouldn’t get involved but there is an undeniable attraction neither can ignore.

Camille doesn’t fit in Nero’s world but somehow they fit together. How can they make it work when they are worlds apart?

I loved Camille and Nero’s story! The opposites attract, bad boy/good girl vibes were on point! This is a 4.5 star for me!

#NetGalley #savagelover #sophielark

Perhaps the cover of this book should have given me a bit of an idea, but this one wasn't really for me. The characters are supposedly in their mid-20s, but they behave like they are in their mid-teens. I don't really enjoy high school books and this one really reads like it.
There were a few different things going on with a bank heist, which didn't really make much sense and of course the romance. That side of things was very rushed and I couldn't develop any connection to either of our main characters. It wasn't a terrible book, but t really wasn't for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

I think these are being offered out on Netgalley because of the new covers? Either way, they're such a guilty pleasure of mine.

First of all, I love the art work in these copies of the books. I was struggling to picture a version of Nero I liked until the first art of him came up. I didn't catch the artists name but they're so talented and captured the essence of these characters so well.

A quick read and honestly not the best writing, but there's something about Sophie Lark's books and her characters that I just fall in love with every time I read one of her books. I adored Camille. I felt so sorry for her throughout, from the creepy cop, the mean girls and Levi. I think this was probably more impactful than normal due to the fact my own Dad currently has lung cancer.

Nero was so much more complex than I thought. I rolled my eyes at the start with the typical "I'm an asshole, I'm not nice to girls, I get whatever I want" rhetoric. I expected him to be more of an asshole to Camille but the way he was a simp for her from almost the start won me over. There's just something I'll never stop loving about the hardened bad boy turning to complete mush for the girl that isn't all that interested in him.

This was the second book in this series I've read and my favourite so far. Highly recommend if you want something quick, spicy and dipping it's toes into the world of Mafia. This is probably a good beginners series for want-to-be mafia readers.

This was a great mafia/heist, romance, book! I also think this is the first time I really loved the heroine, and not so much the hero. Camille is amazing. She is giving everything for her father and brother. For them to have a good life. My heart broke for her at how she never thought of what she wanted in life. When her brother gets with the wrong crowd, Camille sacrifices herself to save her brother. At the same time she meets Nero. What I loved about Nero, was that he was truly there for Camille. Ready to give her a hug and hold her close when things got tough. The steamy scenes are great and obviously Sophie Lark knows what she’s doing! The only thing I didn’t like about this book was the heist part. It felt very Mission Impossible And the characters pretty much get away with everything.
This book is part of the Brutal Birthright series but can totally be read as a standalone!

Read if you like:
Dual POVs
Mafia romance
Heist romance
Grump x Grump
Open door romance

The third book in the Brutal Birthright series and its surprisingly angst free given the blurb for Savage Lover. The hero and heroine, Nero and Camille had been classmates, but this isn’t a story of thwarted teenage love or even a bully romance. Yes, there was the requisite mean girls who picked on Camille, but Nero’s dad was a mob boss, so it was a given he’d be one of the cool kids while Camille was pretty much a nonentity at school, one of those kids who lurk on the sidelines, and no-one remembers. I did think Nero suffered a little from middle child syndrome, not really knowing where he fit in his family, so he was trying to make his space and not just be the brawn while Camille was the caretaker in her family which got her in over her head when she got mixed up in her brother’s attempts at crime. I liked that she wasn’t a girly girl but got a bit fed up with her always sacrificing herself for everyone else and just getting deeper into a hole. She just didn’t think of the danger. On paper she and Nero should’ve worked as a couple, but I struggled to feel any connection between them. I did love the premise of the overall story and there were parts of this book that I loved but on the whole it just fell a little flat for me. There also seemed to be a lot of loose ends left hanging. Whether or not they’ll be tied up in the next book, I’ll just have to wait and see.

Savage Lover might have been my second favorite of the series after Brutal Prince. Like the other books, this one is a Mafia romance but with some car racing vibes.

The story follows Camille and Nero. Camille works at her dad's auto shop repairing cars living paycheck to paycheck. Never going out, only focusing on keeping her family together. Part of which gets her into a little trouble with the law. But down the road lives Nero, one of the Gallos. He can get any girl he likes and he doesn't think about them twice. He never thought about Camille until she started popping up at all the same parties. After a few close calls with the law, they get to know each other really well. Camille never thought she would be with someone like Nero, and Nero never thought he would want to be with any girl long term.

I will say that this book gives off more high school/college vibes unlike the other books which are definitely more Mafia related. There wasn't as much angst as the others, this almost felt like a slow burn (not a true slow burn obviously, but for a Mafia book it's a slow burn in the romance category). What I did really like about this book is that there is a lot more to the plot of the story then opposed to the first two books.

Thank you to NetGally and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another good book from Sophie Lark! I thought this was such a cute story about two opposite people who are basically the same. I know that probably doesn't make sense but it's the only way I can describe it. Nero and Camille are just two people longing for love but they dont feel like they deserve it. Until they fall for each other. I felt like The only thing I didn't like was that some things seemed like forgotten about and so they were added in to the end like wait we have to mention what happened to this item or that person. Overall I do reccomend this book because I did quite enjoy it.

NERO AND CAMILLE ATE!!

in all seriousness, this series gets better and better. I LOVED Nero and Camille's story SO much. these two had such fantastic chemistry I was captivated! I truly love this series!!