This was my sixth book by S.J. Tilly, prior to this I read her Darling Lake Series (small-town contemporary romance) and her Sleet Series (hockey rom-com). I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of a mafia romance from her. After reading this book I think it is safe to say she is a writing genius. Her ability to go from creating the cinnamon roll/golden retriever men to writing dark and broody alphaholes is amazing. I was in love with Nero from the beginning (though that probably says more about my brain than her writing lol). 

I absolutely LOVED this story. I loved Nero and Payton's relationship, I loved the pacing, I loved Payton's ability to be an independent badass but to also recognize that she doesn't always need to be that way. My heart ached for her during multiple scenes in this book. I am not a crier, but some scenes almost brought me to tears due to the overwhelm of emotions. Payton was extremely relatable and S.J. did an amazing job conveying the emotions Payton and Nero felt throughout the book. 

For those wondering about the spice: it's there, it's detailed, it's pretty frequent. There's also fluff to go along with it! 

I wish I could give this book a higher rating, I loved it so much. If you're a mafia romance person I definitely recommend checking this book out.

PS, we get glimpses of King in this book, and I am so freaking excited to read his book and the rest of this series.