Series: The Costa Family #2 (Standalone)
Publication Date: 24th Sep 2024
Genre: Romantic Suspense (Mafia)
3.8 Stars
One Liner: I liked it more than I expected
Calliope (Callie) wants nothing to do with the DiMaggio surname but her father, a mafia royalty proud of his family heritage, intends to ensure the legacy continues. This means Callie has to marry a man of his choice and produce an heir. All she wants is to teach history to the school kids and sing in side gigs. When her father fixes her wedding with a ruthless man, Callie needs to find a way out.
Alessandro Costa is happy with the playboy millionaire tag, juggling different businesses and loving his family. However, he is asked to repay a debt and save the princess aka Calliope from her impending wedding disaster. This also gives him a chance to settle scores with many people. Alessandro and Callie agree to a temporary marriage of convenience. However, the stakes get higher as they develop feelings for each other.
The story comes in the first-person POVs of Alessandro and Calliope.
My Thoughts:
This is my first read by the author and won’t be the last. Boy, she sure can write an angsty romance with flawed characters.
I’m relieved to note that the book works well as a standalone. Though it had characters from other series and book one of this series, we can enjoy the story without wondering about the whats and whos.
The dual first-person POV was well done and is useful in learning more about both the characters’ thoughts, feelings, backstories, etc. Callie can be a little childish at times but she didn’t mess up when it mattered, so all good.
I know mafia romances are supposed to be dark. While I don’t mind the spice and explicit scenes, I was worried about just how dark it would get. Luckily, it’s the right amount, as if testing the waters but staying on the borderline (most of the time). There’s a lot of talk but not much action (which was a relief).
Naturally, the book had other types of action – fighting, killing, escaping, etc. These scenes were steady-paced even if the rest of the content was slow (slower than I expected).
The side characters are an assortment of personalities. I quite liked Izzy (can’t wait to read her book whenever it is ready), Mr. Costa, and Hudson. The villain did feel a little flat but didn’t take up a lot of space, so that wasn’t a big issue.
The book was 4+ stars but I felt the reason for the MMC’s commitment issues was too light. The guy was almost forty and had been in therapy for years. Could you give him a better reason?
There’s no miscommunication or third-act breakup. While the couple did get separated, it wasn’t because of a lover’s quarrel (phew!). I also have to admit that the HEA lover in me was delighted with the series of endings. We get two chapters with smaller developments followed by an epilogue. This is how you write it, authors!
To summarize, Not Mine to Keep is a slow-paced but entertaining read with banter, romance, fake marriage, mafia dons, and ruthless villains. It’s a book you go with the flow and read for what it is.
(Would ten years qualify for an age-gap romance?)
Thank you, NetGalley and Montlake, for eARC.
#NetGalley #NotMineToKeep
TW: mentions of abuse and torture, killings, injuries
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