This was so much fun! I love a good redeemed playboy and when he’s ex-military it’s even better. I thought the plot here was very good and had a lot more action than I was expecting! This is probably a good one for readers who are looking to dip their toes into mafia romance.

I wish we had gotten a little more push and pull between our main characters. Alessandro spent a good chunk of the book avoiding Callie and his motives were actually very good but I would’ve loved more tension and “will they/won’t they”.

I definitely want to see what happens in the next book with Izzy and Hudson!

I love this book so much as usual. This author writes a beautiful book so much action and love and steamy scenes. Very smartly written I love all of her books.

This was an absolutely amazing second book in the Costa Family series! Cannot get enough of this family! I've fallen in love with the Costa's and Alessandro's book was the perfect addition to the series. His and Calli's story was full of romance, suspense and the love of two people who were perfect for each other. Now I cannot wait for Hudson and Izzys book!

This was my first Brittney Sahin novel and it won't be my last.
Likes:
-"my wife"
-"touch her and die"
-forced marriage
-country singer heroine
-super protective italian hero
-found family

There's not much I didn't like except that the mafia storyline felt a lot stronger than the relationship storyline at times. I'm a romance reader so I'm a sucker for the love story.

I would recommend this one! I love romantic suspence books. This was a good one and with a fake dating/marriage of convience. My first book by Brittney Sahin. Also, who doesn't love a good "My Wife" trope.

The passing of Calliope’s mother turned her normal life as a schoolteacher upside down when she learns that she is the daughter of a powerful mafia man, and he has plans for her future. Alessandro comes into her to protect her from her fate with the offer of a pretend marriage, but nothing is as it seems.

Alessandro is a wealthy man who doesn’t believe that a relationship will ever be in the cards for him. Instead, he likes to keep his relationships casual and believes that the same will hold true or Calliope but she is a surprise he didn’t see coming.

The suspense and action will keep you on edge and the heat between them is undeniable as a man who never believed he could trust a woman with his heart realizes that it depends on the woman as she proves to be his match in every way.

This was a just a great read. I was just all in the story.
Loved the MCs. Lovely written book. i enjoyed more than I expected I would

I loved this book and I couldn't put it down once I started it. The chemistry between Alessandro and Calliope was so amazing but yet also intense. This was such a great read and I highly recommend it. Read this book to see what happens with these two and you wont' regret it.

The main characters, Calliope and Alessandro had tremendous chemistry, and I loved how the title of the book tied into the theme, "not mine to keep" and wove through the story. Alessandro is a very compelling MMC, a brooding billionaire with military and mafia ties- he gives off big time bad boy vibes. From the moment he saw Callie, he felt protective towards her- he was definitely in the "touch her and die" camp. Callie was a tough, no nonsense FMC. She was unwillingly thrust into the mafia life, and did her best to distance herself from it, until that was no longer possible. All in all, I enjoyed the book, it moved quickly, the slow burn build up to Alessandro and Callie finally giving into their feelings was compelling, and the spice was solid- a 3/5 for me. The author was new for me, and therefore her universe of characters was as well. There were a lot of characters, and alliances, and at times, it was a little hard to follow. It was obvious they were from previous books in this series and other series, so a frequent reader of her books might appreciate that more. I found it a little confusing at times, and found myself skimming some of that content. I would recommend it though, and will read more of her books!

I enjoyed this even though I don’t typically like Mafia stories. I read it because our heroine was avoiding them, not trapped helplessly. I love a strong heroine! The hero was a well developed character, as well. Lots of thrills made the book even better. Five stars!

what a lovely read! this is my first read by this author and im excited to dive into more books by them. likeable characters, interesting plot and well thought out message. i would rate this 4/5 only for the fact that it didnt capture my attention as quickly as i wouldve liked

Loved it so much! I really loved the love story. The ups and downs in the relationship. The drama, action and suspense was perfect!

This book was so good. I rated it 5 stars! It can definitely be read as a stand-alone, as I didn’t realize it was book 2 until I finished it! This is the perfect mix of story and romance with the mafia. I loved it and can’t wait for book 3, even though this book hasn’t been released. I will definitely be hitting her backlogged books.

I so enjoy a marriage of convenience tale, and Brittney sure gave us that with Alessandro and Calliope! Their instant attraction, which quickly changed to distrust and dislike on Callie's part until Alessandro convinced her that he wasn't the man she thought he was, is a fun starting point. Although mafia romances are hit-or-miss for me, this one was a definite hit! Alessandro is sweet under his playboy persona, and Callie stands her ground and doesn't let anyone bulldoze her. There was just enough steam and suspense to keep the flow going for me, and I even experienced some emotional responses as well. I loved seeing appearances from other Brittney characters as Alessandro and Callie fought for their HEA. I can't wait to see what trouble Izzy and Hudson get into in the next story and sneak peeks at Alessandro, Callie, Enzo, and Maria as well!!

This was a wild ride from start to finish. Mafia, marriage of convenience, forced proximity... it has it all!

Honestly I really enjoyed the thoughtful storybuilding BEYOND the spice and the worlds that are built within this book. It makes me want to read the rest in the series so I'm in :)

Brittney Sahin “Not Mine To Keep”


"Not Mine to Keep" by Brittney Sahin is a gripping contemporary romance that delves into themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. Sahin’s writing is both poignant and engaging, drawing readers into a world filled with emotional complexity. The chemistry between our main characters Alessandro and Callie is palpable, making their journey compelling and heartfelt and oh so angsty. With a blend of tension and tenderness, this book captures the struggles of moving on while learning to embrace new beginnings that neither of them were looking for the night they stumbled onto each other. It's a must-read for fans of romance looking for a story that balances heartache with hope.

Alessandro Costa is not looking for a match, rather, he prefers his women gorgeous and uninterested in more than one night. Calliope, the beautiful singer of the evening, suits his fancy just perfectly, there's something about her, especially when he finds out she's more than just a one night girl, she's his next job. Calliope has never been part of her mafiosa family, but as the last living heir, her father is prepared to call for an arrange marriage to save the dynasty. A temporary marriage should do the trick, but the chemistry between Alessandro and Calliope is undeniable, even if they try to lie to themselves and one another about what is between them. As the stakes grow higher and the danger amps up, the two must confront their real feelings.

She did it again. Did anyone doubt her? Certainly not me. I love all of Brittney Sahin's work, but The Costa Family series might be taking the top spot. I love the family dynamic at play, the world of good and evil, the authentic show of wealth and privelage, and of course, the chemistry and love that just leap from the pages as you read. These stories come to life and the Costa family is one family that I cannot wait to keep reading about. Their story is sad, dark, and yet filled with hope, especially as each finds the saving grace of love, both for themselves and in another. The Costa family, and a host of other characters, are thrust into a revenge plot that is so layered that you almost need a map to understand how they tie together. Like Sahin's other works, Not Mine to Keep has all the suspense and action you're looking for, with a deeply romantic storyline that pulled me in from the start.

I adored both Calliope and Alessandro in this installment to the series. Alessandro has a story we are not privy to early on, we only know of the loss of his sister and his committment to his other siblings. He is, undoubtedly, reserved and closed off. He's a playboy, something he both owns and Calliope recognizes immediately. Calliope is sweet, a small town girl, a schoolteacher, and a singer with a dream. She knows the truth of her life, but believes she can be spared it. Their connection is instant, it's beautiful, it's marred by the reality of what they both must do, but through out the book you can feel how that first, instant connection still sizzles. Both have excellent POVs and I loved how Sahin wrote this one, especially with the feeling of country mouse city mouse at play. Calliope isn't used to the life, Alessandro wants to protect her from it, but she's stronger than he realizes. They're truly a perfect pairing and I loved their action-packed journey to discovering it.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a reviw.
Love at first sight between a billionaire and an English teacher, daughter of a mafioso!!
When a billionaire gets married to the mafioso´s daughter is going to be only for one year and to save her life.
I love this novel as there are a lot of topics I always looking for in a novel.
Good romance, a bit sassy, suspense, vengeance, fighting and always the tension between the two main characters.
I also enjoyed the many side characters that make me want to read the rest of the other stories in the series.
This is the first book I read by this author and I will looking forward to reading the 1st and 3rd ones in the series.

I thoroughly enjoyed my first Brittney Sahin experience. But the adventure was not without a few problems. The hero, Alessandro, was an asshat of the first order for the first half of the book and the heroine, Calliope, lets him get away with it. They circle each other for way longer that was necessary and then when they finally get together the transition was enough to give you whiplash, it happened so fast. I most enjoyed the suspense and intrigue woven with the "I want you, but I can't have you" romance.

A year ago, Calliope Anderson was just a high school teacher with dreams of a music career in Nashville. Then her estranged mother died, and her sperm donor turns out to be an old school Sicilian mafia don, Armani DiMaggio. It turns out that Callie is the last living DiMaggio and sperm donor wants to insure the line continues and that means Callie must reproduce, and that means with a husband of DiMaggio's choosing, none of which Callie wants any part of.

In steps our hero, Alessandro Costa, who is a dedicated billionaire playboy with no plans to marry, ever. He owes his and his brother's lives to Gabriel, a member of the DiMaggio cabal. Gabriel has his own plans for the succession and exerts pressure on Alessandro to get with his program and marry Callie to protect her until the old man kicks the bucket. This plan also gives Alessandro a shot at revenge he and his brother have been seeking against another crime family for four years.

Well, best laid plans and all that lead to a much more complicated situation and some real hot bedroom scenes before Calliope and Alessandro get real with each other. With Calliope's life on the line Alessandro shows his true strength of character and does everything he can to protect her, and she does the same for him.

My thanks to the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

Its a mafia marriage of convenience book. Well done for its category! but if comes with the territory that it can be a little cringe, toxic, and trope-y at times. Still I had a lot of fun with it - it was pure entertainment!