Reading mafia romance and novel has always been a guilty pleasure of mine and though I acknowledged the fact that my taste in books now is different from before, I still pick up books that interest me.

With ITCOK being a debut novel ft. a rivals to lovers between Tasha Nicastro and Leo Danesi, MCs who are next in line to be the leader of their family's company only to find out that it's an underground mafia organization that they have manage, I did not have a hard time finishing this since the storyline is definitely intriguing.

One of the things that I really liked about ITCOK is the way the author developed the backstory as a critical element in the story. Both Tasha and Leo spent their childhood being part of the same circle of powerful families but due to several circumstances, they end up separated and distant. Now they are being prepped to be the heir of the Nicastro, Danesi legacy, their shared history added an insurmountable tension that left me wanting to read more and find out what they will do individually and together.

ITCOK also discussed about family dynamics and power. Being involved in criminal legacies, Tasha and Leo grew up with different type of family which is significant because the way they are treated affects how they react outside of their territory. Along with it comes the presentation of how power and influence plays a crucial part in society. Being a novel that is following the heirs of New York's top mafia orgs, commentaries about power system are expected and it also tangents with how our society is mostly patriarchal. (full review on Goodreads)

Intense, angsty, and unputdownable - I rated ITCOK, 4stars

‘In the Company of Killers’ is truly a mix of Gossip Girl and the Sopranos (the violence is tame and so is the scheming). Tasha is Blair Waldorf and Leo is Chuck Bass, and like their inspirations they teeter on the unlike-ability line for a bit but you can’t look away. In that time, you’re instantly drawn into their world. There’s an allure to the wealth, the luxury lifestyle, and the criminal enterprise of two warring families that Elora brings to life. The glamour, the duality in character, the unspoken code that’s abided. The world building is alive and well.

But at the beginning I just couldn’t bring myself to buy the premise that Tasha had no idea the lifestyle her father (the head of the Nicastro family) lived, and what she benefitted from. It felt weird to not have a character question their surroundings and actions. I think we would’ve benefitted from Tasha knowing about it from the onset and it would’ve set up the plot quicker. It’s jarring that we’re expected to believe she can now run a criminal enterprise and that the power associated is handed to her with no true pushback.

On the other hand, I throughly enjoyed Leo’s character. You immediately understand the tension in his arc. The push and pull of the ‘life’. There’s a lot of twists and turns. Plus the reveal at the end was quite interesting.

Giving this a 3.5 and I want to thank Elora for the ARC!

Tasha Nicastro is the queen bee of her high school, ruling the social scene with an iron fist. When her father and elder sister are brutally gunned down at her sister’s engagement party, Tasha’s image of her father’s business and dealings quickly crumble. Now she is forced to team up with her former best friend, the boy who may inherit another evil empire, Leo Danesi. Together they set out to find the new entity that threatens to burn both of their families to the ground.

This book would have been a lot more fun if I didn’t have to undertake a massive suspension of belief upfront. It’s hard to imagine a world where Tasha, an intelligent young woman would have no idea that her father runs the most powerful mafia on the East Coast. She believes that many terrible events have befallen her family because he is a powerful developer. While I’m sure there is some shady business going on in the development arena, I would guess it pales in comparison to the crimes of the mob. It seems that Leo was also in the dark about his own family for much of his upbringing. That no one would clue them in, through rumors or otherwise seems like a stretch. I couldn’t completely suspend my belief, but I was able to somewhat enjoy the story.

I do think making Tasha and Leo a few years older, maybe in college instead of high school would have helped me buy into the story more fully, however as it stands, the mafia tale proved a little too unbelievable for me to truly enjoy which is why I am giving it only two stars.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

⭐️⭐️.5/5

I’m heartbroken that I did not love this one. It was pitched as having everything I love: enemies-to-lovers, twists, mafia romance, and more. Unfortunately, the execution was not for me. The writing was lovely, but there were many descriptions or details that were unnecessary and took me out of the story. I was hoping for a satisfying ending, but instead the slow burn and aching romance ended with the characters staying apart. The pacing was slow and for much of the story I felt like nothing was happening. Most of the twists were predictable, and the story did not hook me and hold my attention. The characters were interesting, but many of their actions and lines felt cliché. Towards the end, the story picked up and I had hope, but the book ended with an emotional cliffhanger that felt wrong. I firmly believe that even though I did not enjoy this one, there will be some readers that will love it, and even though I’m not one of them, I suggest giving it a try if you’ve had your eye on it.

When I first saw the premise of this book, I was definitely intrigued. Gossip Girl vibes with a mafia heiress? Sign me up!
This book had so many secret reveals, betrayals, action sequences, and tons of drama. Everyone was lying about something or keeping a secret at some point in time. In that way, it was like watching a teen drama series but in book form. And yes, from the first chapter, Tasha definitely gave me Blair Waldorf energy (but ngl I only got through season 1 of GG before I got too busy to commit to finishing it). The only issue I had was that I figured out most of the twists, so it took away a bit of the fun.

Character-wise, I liked how capable Tasha was and though she was stubborn and a little frustrating at times, I definitely could empathize with her throughout. With Leo, I liked how caring he was, how he was an unwilling heir, and how he always wanted to be there for Tasha.

With the romance, I always enjoy the childhood friends to rivals to lovers trope because... I get it! Also, since Tasha + Leo were from rival mafia families, there’s an element of forbidden romance in there too.

On that note, I definitely want to know what happens after that ending ‼️

I couldn’t be more thankful to have been part of Elora Cook’s street team and to get this ARC of her incredible book. I’ve been eagerly anticipating this book ever since I discovered her on Instagram, and it did not disappoint! Both the plot, the love story, and the tension of looming danger were expertly woven together. The chemistry between Leo and Tasha was great, though I wish there were more moments and backstory to explore their relationship further.

The aesthetic of this book was incredible—I loved the blend of fame, wealth, and the vibrant New York setting. The writing was fantastic, and the plot twist completely caught me off guard. I didn’t see it coming at all!

Tasha was a strong, stubborn character, and I adored her. Leo, on the other hand—well, I kind of hated him at first, but eventually, his character grew on me. And that cliffhanger? Oh my gosh, the author absolutely killed me with it! How could you do that to us?!

Overall, thank you so much to the author and her publisher for the opportunity to review this amazing book. It was such a thrilling read!