If you’re a fan of mafia romances, enemies to lovers, forced marriage, grumpy sunshine, hades and Persephone retellings, then this one is definitely for you. Dark themes mentioned, check TW. She is to marry a. man for power but ends up having to marry her teenage love. Except he's not the boy she knew. He's the devil. This story is a dual point of view, between the FMC Asteria and MMC Azriel.

I have a love/hate relationship with this book. It has a lot of reference to Hades and Persephone, and the storyline has similarities. The plot and writing are excellent but Azriel was the most frustrating character. At the beginning of the book he was so sweet to Asteria but once they married I wanted to strangle him. Obviously it's part of the story and he has his reasoning. But for me it's different when a mafia boss is cruel to his wife because it's an arranged marriage than when they are childhood sweethearts. So far there isn't a whole lot of spice but the scenes that are in this book are HOT! Beware that this book ends in a cliffhanger, and I really want to find out what happens next

This was a very fun read. I love mafia romances. Beginning with Azriel and Asteria being lovers, Az gets outcasted and later returns hellbent on revenge. I really liked the tropes in this book, and I enjoyed the character of Azriel with how brooding and intense he was and then, way later on in the story, he was soft for Asteria. However, I feel like I've read this, especially the beginning, and the characters. Asteria tended to be annoying and childish. I really hope she gets more character development in the next book. Overall, if you enjoyed friends to enemies to lovers and mafia romances, check it out!

Had to remind myself to breath! Tense mafia romance, but much more. Yearning, deceit, love, violence, and mob politics and revenge - no stop to the tension. I wanted to kill him myself through most of the book. Where is that sequel....

Ughhh why does this end on a cliffhanger??? I Obvs don’t know where the story of going but I had hoped it could’ve been read as a stand-alone. This second chance romance/arranged marriage is def a bully romance. I was worried when I read reviews that this was a hades/Persephone retelling bc while I love a good mythological retelling hades/Persephone has been soooo overdone lately. But it’s less a retelling and more a funny/not so funny joke between the two characters and I can appreciate that.

Asteria is a fiery ball of sunshine trapped in impossible circumstances and Az is a man who has seen and had to do too much and has shut down his emotions because of it. I felt for both Asteria and Azriel and the lives they were born into and loved their clear love for each other. Totally rooting for them to make it through the 2nd book alive and together!

Thank you Netgalley for this arc copy.

Dark themes mentioned, check TW.

I enjoyed this story. An Italian mafia romance.

We start with a teenage love in an evil world. It's sweet, it's pure. It gets torn apart.

We then follow Asteria as she grows up shielded from the mafia world but still dealing with its rules and impact.

She is to marry a. man for power but ends up having to marry her teenage love. Except he's not the boy she knew. He's the devil.

The tension was great. The banter as well. The characters were very different, opposites attract type of thing. The spice was very nice when they were both legal.

I do have a couple of critics:
- the explicit scenes from the beginning of the book where both characters were teens were very unnecessary and uncomfortable
- we had a lot of repetition that "he wasn't the boy she knew". After the 5th time, it got redundant.
- we still have a lot of unanswered. questions: her mother, the real reason she is a target...
- I feel as though she was too shielded from the mafia world, even though it is part of her characteristics, I think being married and introduced to a new section of the mafia world, she could have gotten to know some basics, or maybe learned to defend herself...

Overall I did enjoy this story as a mafia romance but it is average.

Wow! This book was wonderful. The main characters are the best kind of morally gray. So many different vibes from friends to enemies to lovers; “touch her and you die”, Hades and Persephone and typical mafia daughter naivety. I could not put it down! Well written and developed but that cliffhanger was the worst! I can’t wait for the next book

OMG I really really loved The Princess and The Devil! Naya V's writing was so good and I was instantly hooked from the first chapter. If you enjoy dark romances, mafia, enemies to lovers, dual POV, or Hades x Persephone retellings, this is the book for you! Azriel is super toxic towards Asteria but I can't help rooting for them throughout the book. I felt like the tempo of the book was good until the very end. The end comes in hot and things go down really quickly. My only critique would be making the last 10-15% of the book a little less 0 to 100. This book does end on a BIG cliff hanger so I am extremely excited for book 2!

Overall: 9/10
Spice: 3.8/5
Be sure to check trigger warnings before reading!!

I didn’t really know if I would like this when I started it but having recently read the These Violent Delights Duology I wanted to give a chance to another gangster book.

Pros:

Character development is strong. You get to know the characters through their actions and reactions to the main female character who has a way of getting through to the core of people.

Being able to see things from both the main female and main male’s point of view at different times really makes their behaviors understandable and their difficulties make sense. They truly are coming from two different realms of experience.

I worried with the theme of Hades and Persephone being brought up. It seems like endless retellings are coming out for the couple and I’m getting sick of them. This is done with class and style and just to show their differences not to be them. There is also a bit of a Romeo and Juliet vibe I’m digging.

Cons:

Parts of the story feel a little rushed and skimmed over. You don’t really get to know much about the family/gang and what they are up against. I’m hoping we can get more development on that in book two.

The cliff hanger here is rough and will leave you with a book hangover!

Thank you, NetGalley for recommending me this because I honestly didn't think I'd love this book more than I thought I would. This is my first read from this author and it leaves me wanting more. The whole arranged marriage mafia romance got me hooked right away.

Azriel Costa has a way with words that had me swooning and other times I was a wreck. Basically the mafia god who will do anything to keep his wife safe, even if it means to keep secrets from her. Asteria Costa, the beautiful, sassy princess she is, I just love her to death. She'll do whatever it takes to show her love for Azriel, even if though she knows that she'll get hurt in the process.

Can I just say that the suspense in this story was intense. The banter is awesome, the characters are so well written, and the spice? *chef's kiss* Like seriously, where can I find my own Azriel? But that cliffhanger though?! I mean... what?! I definitely can't wait for the next book. I highly recommend this!

*I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

So full disclosure, this book starts off slow. I had a hard time getting through the first few chapters. Even by chapter 10, I was feeling like, ok come on…. However, by 15 things pick up and then it moves at a good pace. It had some twists and turns and the cliffhanger at the end! Holy moly!

I enjoy both main characters in the book. I felt they both had a lot of depth and personality. I almost hated Azriel. If it weren’t for his chapters I would have!

I love a good mafia book with a great plot. This book had friends to enemies to lovers and I was so here for it!!! So not only was it a great trope but add the mafia and manliness in all in all a great book.

Ignore a few of the awkward beginning chapters and give it a chance, you won’t be disappointed!

Thank you to Netgalley and Naya V. for this ARC.

I found the middle abit taxing that I took a break and came back to it. After about 60% it really got going again and I was steaming through it. And what a cliff hanger! I need to now know what happens!

This book is what you would expect from a mafia romance, with Hades and Persephone as the base. The dual POVs helped me connect with the characters - without Az's POV I would have disliked him more and I'm already not his biggest fan. His redemption arc felt rushed. I would have liked to see more of the motivation behind his actions, because the hot and cold/ cruel and kind felt like it was for no reason and didn't really do it for me.

I'm hoping that book 2 will flesh out the plot more because I don't feel like it's really clear. If you're looking for a quick read mafia romance then this book is for you. It just wasn't my cup of tea because I was hoping for more plot and insight into the characters motivations.

*Disclaimer: I was generously provided with an ARC from the author. However, all viewpoints expressed above are my own.

Love lost, mafia bosses, heartbreak, rekindling romance, danger, suspense, this book really has it all. Azriel is a character that I loved immediately as well as Astrea. It broke my heart when he had to go and she was so heartbroken over it. Then everything that happened with Fabiano to further traumatize the poor girl, and the way her father was to her just because she was “principessa” and was expected to act like it. Finally at 22 she’s reunited with the boy who should’ve been and always was the love of her life. The problem? He’s not that teenage boy anymore and he makes sure he knows it. He’s not the biggest of her problems, but she doesn’t know that. Someone’s out for blood, her blood, and she has no idea. They’ll go to any lengths imaginable to get exactly what they want, all while she has no idea who it is or that they’re trying in the first place. This book ended on a cliffhanger that has me wishing the second book was out and ready to read already, I’ll be watching for it to come out and hoping the situation she’s in is rectified, in the way it should be. I hated Azriel, at first. The way he acted when they were reunited was a shock and made me angrier than I care to admit, until I realized WHY he did it. He can lie to her all he wants, she (and anyone who reads this book) knows that he loves her more than he may ever admit.

Irish mafia, childhood best friends, and second chances?! Who could ask for more?! Asteria and Axriel fell in love hard at such a young age and both have been through their own Hell to be where they’re at now. Axriel might be the Devil of his own city but Asteria is the Princess of hers. Together they might quite the couple and target. I loved their story and the twist along the way. I can’t wait to find out what happens next because we’re left with a CLIFFHANGER!!

I read this book in one sitting! I literally could not put it down, it had me on the edge of my seat the entire time!
Asteria and Azriel are just sheer perfection. They had such good chemistry from page one and had me clinging on hoping they got their happily ever after.
I was not expecting any of what happens in this book. There is so much action and drama, and soft sweet moments that show that even the most heartless have tenderness. If I could just blubber for this review, I think you’d understand my feelings better. But that ending?!?! I need book 2 now!

This book starts off very slowly then quickly picks up the pace. So be warned that the first half of the book is building the plot and the history behind the characters and their connections. My favorite trope is friends to lovers to enemies to I loved you the whole time but I couldn't say it. He definitely shows his love with gift giving and that touched my heart. The book definitely hooked me with the cliffhanger however, it is a standard mafia romance. I am starting to fall for this set of characters, especially Romeo and Gio. I want to know what happens to these characters so I will be reading the next book.

I really struggled with this book. I don’t know if it was the odd Hades/Persephone storyline or just guessing where the book was going and being right. The Hades/Persephone twist seemed forced and in the way. I do think it would have been better without that.

The idea was good, it’s right up my alley, but I really struggled with it. The writing itself was really good and I did like the characters.

WOW just WOW. Asteria and Azriel started as childhood friends who had hopes of being together forever until unfortunately decisions were made (by Asterias's father) that were out of their control. and Asteria was promised to another. This drove Azriel's family to leave and all contact with Asteria was gone a move that would later cause the need for pain and retribution. Asteria a sheltered mafia princess has no idea of the world around her and remained heartbroken over the lose of Azriel for years. When time came to marry the one her father had her up on her 18th birthday her fiancé was murdered. As fate would have it the tables have turned when a few years after the murder of her fiancé her childhood LOVE returns and her father promises Asteria to Azriel. Asteria is full of questions and Azriel well he isn't the Azriel who made promises to be with her forever. He has returned a man, someone who she barely recognizes and refuses to acknowledge there is anything still between them. They do get married (with Asteria still not understanding the world around her) and together the journey through life with Asteria fighting for what was, Azriel running his empire and him continuing to shelter Asteria from a world she knows nothing of. Until that world comes to them in FULL force. I am looking forward to reading the next book on this.

I think I have discovered that I do not like mafia romances most of the time as I did not enjoy this one even though it included several tropes that I usually enjoy.