I have always enjoyed reading about strong women though when I was younger these books were harder to find. Far too often the woman needed to be ‘rescued’ by a man. I wanted tough women that could kick ass and were loved by the men in their lives because of it. I found that over and over again in the urban fantasy genre. The series listed here motivated me to write my own and continue to inspire my current work. I hope you enjoy them and maybe find some inspiration of your own.
The Cassie Palmer series by Karen Chance is a bit darker but that darkness comes with a richer narrative. The way the language flows in this series is what made me fall in love with it. The characters are beautifully crafted. This is a world I could revisit again and again.
Cassandra Palmer can see the future and communicate with spirits - talents that make her attractive to the dead and the undead. The ghosts of the dead aren't usually dangerous; they just like to talk ... a lot.
The undead are another matter.
Like any sensible girl, Cassie tries to avoid vampires. But when the bloodsucking mafioso she escaped three years ago finds Cassie again with vengeance on his mind, she's forced to turn to the vampire Senate for protection.
The undead senators won't help her for nothing, and Cassie finds herself working…
I am a big fan of romance books with thrilling plots. It’s partly how I remember the stories years later. When I wrote Flowers for Kate in theRainbow Desireanthology, it started as a pure romance, but I added a supernatural thrill. One reader admitted checking over her shoulder in case a spectral being was there while reading the story. I love writing stories with twists and turns, and surprising readers. Maybe it comes from my childhood days of being a Scooby-Doo fan—I loved the thrill of guessing the mysteries behind each character and the villain being unmasked. I’m an ex-journalist who has published romance stories from erotic to sweet.
Michaelby Bonnie Rose is an exciting mafia romance novel with plot twists I didn’t see coming. I love her writing style—it’s straightforward, clear to read, and it touched a spectrum of emotions, from elation to tears. The protagonist, Emily, has known her love interest, Michael, since they were children. Told from her perspective, the story takes readers on a journey of entangled love, family drama, and crime. A sweet boy grows up and evolves into a dominant and frightening mafia boss. Yet, Emily’s desire for dangerously handsome Michael becomes stronger in this gripping story.
Michael was my best friend since elementary school. He was the weird kid, the quiet one, and no one understood him. But I did. I was sweet sixteen when I realized I was in love with him. Turns out, he loved me, too. But there were too many secrets that surrounded his family, lies that slowly tore us apart…until the day I had no choice but to leave.Now, six years later Michael stumbles back into my life, and the connection between us is still as strong as ever. But the deceptions that tore us apart in the first place is…
I was an avid reader growing up, but I never saw myself reflected unless it was a book about the Holocaust. Those are crucial stories to tell, but I wanted a Jewish girl going through a wardrobe to a secret land or having magical adventures. So, I decided to write those stories for women and combine them with steamy romance, because I love that, too. All my main characters are Jewish, and I draw from Judaism and Jewish folklore for my worldbuilding and magic systems. It's also important for me to showcase my diverse hometown of Vancouver. To that end, my characters are of varying ethnicities and sexual identities.
I love m/m romance and I love urban fantasy, but until now, that combination hadn’t grabbed me in a way that had me sit up in excitement. I tore through this series (currently and desperately awaiting the final book). Not only does Nash devise a fun and fascinating magic system with Dom’s playing cards, I shipped Dom and Kempthorne so hard. The obstacles they must overcome, both externally and with their inner demons, had me turning pages as fast as I could. It’s an absolute delight.
Something wicked is moving in the shadows of London...
In the underground world of glitzy illegal auctions, fast cars, and stolen magical artifacts, John "Dom" Domenici knows he's out of his depth. But he needs the job at Kempthorne & Co like he needs to breathe. The alternative-going back to the organized crime gangs of London's East End-is unthinkable.
So when Alexander Kempthorne, boss of Kempthorne & Co Artifact Retrieval Agency, wants him on a special case to track down an illegal artifact dealer, Dom can't say no.
It shouldn't matter that Kempthorne's world is full of deadly secrets. It…
As a woman who comes from a culture that normalizes arranged/forced marriages, turning it into a more delicious fantasy in books rather than a bitter harsh reality has become an obsession of mine. Now, as I’ve written an entire series in the trope, I read and enjoy many by other awesome authors, too. I hope you enjoy the books on the list as much as I have.
You can’t mention the arranged marriage mafia trope without mentioning this book. Even though it’s relatively old, TikTok made it so popular now. You can’t help falling in love with these characters and what they do for each other. As you read, Nico and Elena are just meant for each other despite their history. He’s over the top jealous, possessive antihero, which is exactly how I love my fictional men.
She’s a romantic at heart, living in the most unromantic of worlds . . .Nicknamed Sweet Abelli for her docile nature, Elena smiles on cue and has a charming response for everything. She’s the favored daughter, the perfect mafia principessa . . . or was.Now, all she can see in the mirror’s reflection is blood staining her hands like crimson paint.They say first impressions are everything . . .In the murky waters of New York’s underworld, Elena’s sister is arranged to marry Nicolas Russo. A Made Man, a boss, a cheat—even measured against mafia standards. His reputation stretches far and…
Ever since I was a child, I would hide in my special place and dream away. Reality was rarely the best place to be, even as an adult I fantasize, I step away from reality without ever truly stepping away. Mafia Romance, paranormal, and fantasy excite me, but add in a little touch of real to the story and now even reality makes you wonder. This was the basis for The Devil’s Eyes. I took a new world and mixed in a little bit of what we know is true and a little bit of what-if and a lot of dark and sexy.
How great is the feeling of being attracted to a man you know would kill for you? Maybe it’s a horrible thing to feel, it sets off all those questions about your own soul. Or maybe it’s just that you have always lived in this cold world that is liable to destroy you at any moment and instead of giving in, you find a place that feels safe and protected in that world. Only the place is within that bad boy's arms.
Emma decided to skip the gym and went home early. It was the last easy decision she made because she found her roommate being raped by the boyfriend. She had two choices. Call the cops and be killed by his family’s mafia connections or kill him first and hope to survive. There was no choice to her. She killed the bastard first and went to the one person who could protect her. Carter Reed. He’s a weapon for the rivaling mafia family, but he’s also Emma’s secret. Not only was he best friends with her brother, but she’s the reason…
I hate saying goodbye. Picking up a book and being introduced to an entire group of people—family, friends, teammates—and knowing you get to continue to watch these relationships bloom over a course of books is part of the reason I pick up a book in the first place. I want to see these characters pop in twenty books down the road. I absolutely love cameos of old characters! Because of this, I write in a singular world as well. My Prescotts may be the base of the world at the moment, but it’s also their friends at O’Gallaghers and their teammates with the Enforcers hockey team that keep the world growing—and it’s not ending anytime soon.
This book happens to be in the back half of a series, but it’s my favorite in this mafia “family.” Van Dyken does break the romance rules a little with this one, but the growth that Sergio goes through makes it (mostly) worth it in the end. While reading a series in order is usually the goal of a reader, I’m an emotional reader and have zero issue starting in the middle of a series. There isn’t a true overall series arc here, so picking up in the middle won’t hurt you. But seeing these mafia men come together for Sergio and Andi… You’ll fall in love with this group easily. Bring tissues.
Twenty-Four hours before we were to be married — I offered to shoot her. Ten hours before our wedding — I made a mockery of her dying wish. Five hours before we were going to say our vows — I promised I'd never love her. One hour before I said I do — I vowed I'd never shed a tear over her death. But the minute we were pronounced man and wife — I knew. I'd only use my gun to protect her. I'd give my life for hers. I'd cry. And I would, most definitely, lose my heart, to…
As a woman who comes from a culture that normalizes arranged/forced marriages, turning it into a more delicious fantasy in books rather than a bitter harsh reality has become an obsession of mine. Now, as I’ve written an entire series in the trope, I read and enjoy many by other awesome authors, too. I hope you enjoy the books on the list as much as I have.
Taboo or controversial romantic relationships have always held a special place in my heart because, let’s face it, it’s very hot. Add a sexy tormented antihero to the equation and you get a sizzling hot story to devour. Adrian Volkov is a part of the Russian mafia and the second most powerful person in the bratva. Winter is a damsel in distress that looked exactly like his dead wife. What’s going to happen when the two meet? F-i-r-e!
The most notorious man in the city offers me a job. Act as his dead wife. Adrian Volkov isn’t the type of person who takes no for an answer. He commands with an iron fist and all his orders are met. When he approaches me with the offer, I have two options. Go to prison or put myself under his wrath. I choose to have a roof over my head. What’s so hard about acting, right? Wrong. The moment I step into his wife’s shoes, everything spirals out of control. My only way of survival is…
I’ve written an equal amount of horror and romance, including books, podcasts, and screenplays. I love both genres equally, but I’m most drawn to stories that strike a nice balance between the two. Danger makes the romance less cheesy, and romance gives the thriller side more meaning. As an ESL teacher who has worked everywhere, from Bhutan to Zanzibar, I also love discovering new places. Some of my favorite books take their characters to new locations, forcing them to discover the hidden dangers and pleasant surprises that every place has to offer.
A woman on the run from the mafia relocates to a new town and faces both danger and (very steamy) romance. She’s the kind of spunky, quippy protagonist that I love, though she’d probably come across as a bit too much in real life. The book shines when she’s settling into the community and managing her new teaching job alongside an assortment of side characters who each have their little moments to shine. While the hero is the strong and silent type, he matches her energy perfectly.
This book is equal parts exciting and romantic. It’s probably the most re-readable book on this list and definitely the steamiest.
Woman On the Run By Lisa Marie Rice What's a girl to do? Sophisticated urbanite Julia Devaux loves her life. What's not to love? A fabulous job in publishing, wonderful friends, gorgeous apartment, the company of her beautiful though temperamental Siamese cat, Federico Fellini?she's got it made. And then Julia has the bad taste to witness a Mob murder and her life goes straight down the toilet. Under the Witness Security program, Julia is relocated to the boondocks, a hundred miles from the nearest bookstore and Estee Lauder outlet, where the only fast food is deer and the only entertainment…
I was raised by my Grandmother who escaped Nazi-occupied Germany. A strong, proud, capable woman who eventually, despite arriving in the UK as a refugee, ended up working for Winston Churchill as a war secretary. Not a feminist but rather a true champion of women. I believe a woman's body, her mind, her essence is her own! I write about strong females, sex positive not under the control of an Alpha male. I have a rare gift for writing Erotica with a real story, which will transport you as if in the room with my characters. More than this, I create characters you'll care about and take with you on your own journey path.
Believing in Fate by Veya Thorn is my first read into Mafia romance and the underworld of International crime. I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did, such a fantastic read. It’s full of danger, intrigue, chaos, charm, lust, more lusting, love, friendship, and family. Asimina, the MC is one of the reasons I loved the book. She’s independent, strong, brave, intelligent, feisty, and full of determination to succeed and survive on her own. She’s a beautiful woman who you don’t ever want to cross but you admire her courage. She’s someone you punch the air for and would wish to fight alongside. Ah, if only books were real life!!
It is said your fate is sealed at infancy, love, happiness, and sorrow. Asimina Alexiou is impulsive, brave, vibrant, and Independent. She finds herself with unwanted attention. She sought help from her cousin, a man that is nothing less than a brother. However, Petro has secrets of his own that will land Asimina in the hands of one Capo Dei Capi Raffaele Dante Morelli.Raffaele the crime boss of the biggest mafia family across the States and Europe. His close, inner cycle of men is his underboss and capos running extensive drug and gun operations throughout multiple sectors. Raffaele's training has…
I am a deeply emotional person although I hide it well. I feel things on a level not everyone understands. I am also a romantic. Because of that, I have always been drawn to romance books, even as a child, but more than that, I am drawn to romance that makes me feel. I want to feel the heartbreak and live through the struggles of love. Real love isn’t pretty and neat. It is messy and raw and vulnerable. I want to experience the gut-clenching, heart-racing emotions with every page and every word. It’s what keeps me turning the pages wanting more.
This is book one in a trilogy of heartbreak and redemption. The tears I cried for the couple as they fought life and each other were real. They were brought to their knees forced to face the consequences of their actions and forced to recognize their love for each other was never going to be easy. From the first chapter, I was driven into a universe that made me feel real pain and heartbreak, but more than that, real love. Love that was unconditional and unfathomable. It takes a lot to get there, but their HEA was well worth the struggle.
What happens when you grow up with your soulmate and become as close as two people can become?Then, tragedy strikes, and you desperately fight yourself trying to hang on to what you have with him, but ultimately, push him away because of the pain and fear. Time passes.The pain you felt subsides, laying dormant.You can finally wake with the sunrise with a smile on your face, only to have it ripped away from you again when you’re abducted and held prisoner by a sadistic human being.Only to be released and promised he’d come back for me… My given name is…
