Just as good as I anticipated after reading Until You Can't. Enzo and Maria belong together, it's just going to take a lot of soul searching and past revelations to get through the perceived obstacle course. With a captivating ride through danger, action, and pulse-pounding suspense; this book takes you on an amazing roller-coaster ride of emotions and thrills as they make their way to an HEA. With the familiar characters we love and new characters introduced, who I cannot wait to get to know better, seamlessly woven together, Brittney continues building her amazing fictional world.

Enzo and Maria. Wow, what a ride. If you are looking for entertainment, thrills, steamy, suspense…this is it.

Enzo and his family have been secretly doing the vigilante job for years, after their sister was murdered. But Enzo has been trying to create a new life, as a Chef. When the family gets word that everything they thought they new about their sister’s murder was wrong, they must all join up to defeat the enemy. One big problem, the woman Enzo has loved, from afar, for years, cannot know about this other side of him. That is why he refuses to let her in.

Maria married and had a child but was never truly happy in her marriage. She always loved Enzo. No matter what Maria said or did, Enzo didn’t think he was good enough for Maria. Well, Maria was now divorced and she wasn’t taking No for an answer any longer. But when Maria finds out the truth with Enzo, will she run for the hills or will love prevail?

From the beginning, my heart hurt for Enzo. He loved Maria and now her child, and he thought he had to stay away. That he didn’t deserve love. But you felt how much the two of them really cared and loved each other. Then, just when you think you know everything, another twist. This was an excellent read.

Let Me Love You is the follow up to Until You Can’t. We finally get Enzo & Maria’s story! This story is filled with intense longing and unrequited love. Enzo and Maria have loved each other for years but he doesn’t feel he deserves her so he denied himself the love she’d freely give. Despite having intense feelings for Enzo, Maria marries another after his rejection.

After her divorce, Enzo begins to lose the grasp of his control and can barely contain his feelings for Maria. They are thrown together in a heartbreaking mystery that brings out all of Enzo’s protective qualities. The desire they have for each other is sizzling. There are mafia themes but this is more mafia adjacent. There are many twists and turns that kept me in suspense. The ending wrapped things up perfectly and had me shedding a tear or two.

It was great to have cameos from Ryan and Natalia, as well as a few glimpses of characters from other series. And the love Enzo has for Maria’s daughter just about melted my heart. I’m hoping there may be stories coming for Enzo’s siblings as they all intrigued me as secondary characters.

Thanks to NetGalley, Montlake, & Brittney Sahin for the ARC opportunity.

Such a wonderful story! This is Maria and Lorenzo’s (Enzo’s) story. Maria is Natalia’s sister and Enzo is the son of family friends. She has crushed on him since her teens (he is a few years older). He’s now back in Charlotte and is the chef at Natalia’s restaurant. The chemistry between the two is thick enough to cut with a knife but Enzo feels he’s entirely too dark and damaged (hint he has a seriously dark past). Don’t want to reveal the plot but there is suspense, romance and a definite happy ending (along with cameos from Falcon Falls and Stealth Ops too!) A definite winner!

5-star review of Let Me Love You by Brittney Sahin
Brittney Sahin is a new author to me and I have no idea how I have not come across this talented author before. This may have been my first book, but it will not be my last.
I fell hard and fast for Lorenzo (Enzo) Costa, a chef, and a man with so many secrets and the woman who he has loved for years, single mum, Maria Romano and her adorable daughter Chiara.
I’m not a huge fan of mafia stories, but this one was different. From the first chapter I was riveted to the twists and turns that Ms. Sahin wove and in fact I was on the edge of my seat whilst reading.
Enzo and his brothers are damaged from their past and his torment was palpable whilst reading. When danger rears its head, Enzo will do what it is necessary to protect Maria, Chiara and his family at all costs.
Will he succeed? One click and find out.
I received a copy from the publicsher through NetGalley.

"Let Me Love You" by Brittney Sahin is a romance novel with elements of suspense that promises an intriguing premise but leaves readers with mixed feelings. While it presents the classic trope of a good-hearted, slightly gray hero and a second-chance romance, the execution falls short in some key aspects.



The story revolves around Maria and Enzo, two characters whose lives intersected but six years ago with a memorable kiss that has haunted them. Maria is now a single mother recovering from a divorce, while Enzo is attempting to leave his troubled past behind and pursue a career as a chef. Their paths cross again, and just as they begin to grow closer, Enzo's past catches up with him, putting Maria in harm's way.

In theory, this plot has all the ingredients for a compelling romantic suspense story. However, in practice, the execution leaves much to be desired. The book's pacing is notably slow, which can make it challenging for readers seeking a gripping and fast-paced suspense novel.

One of the book's strengths is the author's ability to develop the characters and create chemistry between them. The gradual unveiling of the characters' backstories adds depth to the narrative and makes the reader emotionally invested in their journey. Unfortunately, this focus on character development comes at the expense of the suspense plot, which remains frustratingly vague and lacking in purpose.

The book struggles to provide a clear understanding of the danger looming over the characters, and at times, it seems as though Enzo perceives danger needlessly without advancing the story. This lack of clarity can leave readers feeling disconnected from the suspense elements and craving a more substantial and engaging storyline.

"Let Me Love You" by Brittney Sahin is a romance novel that falls somewhere in the middle of the genre spectrum. While it successfully builds chemistry between its characters and delves into their personal growth, it struggles to create a compelling and well-defined suspense plot. For readers who prioritize character-driven romance and don't mind a slower pace, this book may offer an enjoyable experience. However, those seeking a more gripping and intense suspense narrative might find it somewhat lacking.

Another 5+ read from Bittney! She keeps us on edge several times and perfectly blends the suspense with their intense feelings. She balances the two lovers and gives them qualities that endear you in this story. Let Me Love You is spicy hot, and intense at times, and the ending is exactly what we all need. I love watching these two find their happy ending - and absolutely love anything written by Brittney.

Maria and Enzo

This is my first time reading a story by Brittney.
Mafia romance is one of my favorite tropes. Enzo family was the mafia. He was former military, and their family experienced a tragedy that change his trajectory for the future. Because of his lifestyle he didn’t feel he deserved love.

Maria and Enzo love each other from the start. Maria had a crush on him from his younger years before he became who he was today. He rejected her at that time because of the life he lived. Years later after a failed marriage she still loved Enzo.

Although, he didn’t accept her love at the time, he still kept her and her daughter safe.

Their story it was actually a slow burn, and was filled with spicy scenes(some scenes were too much talking). The plot and twist definitely kept me interested in the outcome. There were moments I felt annoyed with Maria. This is definitely a HEA.

I received this book as an arc by Net Gallery and am voluntarily submitting my review.

<b>I am shamelessly obsessed with Enzo. An epic alpha hero with a side of Darkness and vulnerability is a deadly thing for my heart. And this man checks each of my boxes. He needed someone sweet, open yet sassy like Maria to pull him out of the guilt and anger and pain consuming his heart. Let Me Love You was an angst filled, action packed and scorching hot romantic suspense. Best friend's sister. Second chance. Brittney Sahin created an intoxicating mix of suspense, passion and emotions.</b>

Enzo Rossi left behind his post Army secret mission days with his brother to become a chef in his best friend Natalia's restaurant. He was in love work her sister Maria for years now but he didn't want his darkness corrupt her pretty soul. Now she is divorced with a cute girl and she isn't hiding her feelings either. When demons of his past come back to haunt him and his family, what would he do to protect Maria?

<b>This was a delicious torturing exquisite slow burn. Enzo & Maria have been doing this sexy dance of push and pull for years now. Not from lack of trying on Maria's part. Years ago she wanted to give him all. But like every stubborn alpha, he decided to be a martyr. Seeing her married to another man was hell to him and you can see his frustrated anguish through the pages. He was on the verge of breaking down and giving up to his love and just then...The truth about his sister’s murderer came out. He need that vengeance, his brothers need him and some really powerful forces like mafia are after them. And this time, Maria won't let him push her away. She has a golden heart. She loved him with all his dark past and tattered secrets and broken pieces. She trusts Enzo won't hurt her and she knows this is the time to show him that she isn't going anywhere.I absolutely loved the jealous possessive super protective side of Enzo that will burn down the world for Maria. I love his softer side too. And his bada&& action hero side is even hotter. The chemistry was crackling and sizzling and with every kiss, every touch, every forbidden move..I felt like I will combust. The action and twists kept me fully occupied and last few chapters took away few years of my life! Enzo didn't believe he deserved someone pure like Maria but she showed him that they are only complete together.</b>

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily through Netgalley and Montlake

Let Me Love you is a wonderfully written book by Brittney Sahin! It’s a romance and a complicated suspense together culminating in a love that is made to last a lifetime. There are also appearances of characters from other books by Ms Sahin that add extra fun to the story. You don’t want to miss this book!

Oh, how I’ve been waiting for this one. “Let Me Love You” is a sizzling, emotional and action packed slow burn romance that I could not put down.

Maria and Enzo have known each other for years and there has always been an undeniable connection between them. But Enzo has put Maria in the friend zone for her safety but it’s because deep down he doesn’t think he’s good enough for her. Maria is now newly divorced with her young daughter living in North Carolina. Enzo lives there as well and is the chef at Talia’s restaurant. Enzo has a past and that past is coming back and he vows to do anything to protect her.

This book has easily moved up to one of my top Brittney Sahin books. Enzo and Maria have an undeniable chemistry and it was jumping off the pages. The tension and push and pull they had towards each other was absolutely delicious. Enzo is dark and mysterious but the love and admiration for Maria shined through any reservations he might have put in his own head. Maria is so genuine and I connected with her right away. There were lots of steamy teasers that left me fanning myself until we got to the moment where they couldn’t stay away from each other. And as usual, Brittney Sahin weaves a suspenseful and action packed story that had me gasping with the plot twists that were thrown in. A few I truly didn’t seeing coming and I loved them. The ending was incredibly romantic and I loved being in Maria and Enzo’s world.

The book was alright not one of my favorites. I did like the characters and the story line was just ok. I liked the characters

Enzo Costa is a chef at his friend Natalie’s restaurant.
Natalie Is Enzo’s friend and Maria’s sister.
Maria is Natalie’s sister..

Maria and Enzo meet as he is being her bodyguard. Their chemistry is a slow burn to eventually explosive off the charts.
Can Enzo and his brothers solve the mystery of their sister, Bianca’s death.. with new information that was
brought light by Enzo’s friend, Jesse.
Can Maria and Enzo have a Happily Ever After?
You definitely should read this book, I could not put it down, I loved it.

This book has edge of your seat suspense, intrigue, twists, turns and lots of danger and emotions.

First off, I am not a fan of mafia romanctic suspenses. That being said, I am a huge fan of Brittney Sahin. So if she wrote it I will read it. I must say this is not the typical mafia romance based on my limited experience with the genre. This slow burn romance overshadows the mafia connection until the last part of the book. However, there are betrayals, family rivalries, a surprise enemy, some fast paced hard hitting action and for those of you who are Brittney fans, appearance of old friends. This book was everything I hoped it would be and then so much more.

If ever there were two people who were not only destined to be be together but should be together it's Loenzo Costa and Maria Romano. Enzo has never not wanted Maria, even prior to the first time he kissed her. But, he's made promises that can'tbe broken. Add to that, his soul is too dark, there's too much blood on his hands. Maria has always been drawn to bad boys--well really only one bad boy, Enzo. She wanted him. Unfortunately for her, he's put her squarely in the friend zone. Now a divorce and a baby daughter later he's back in her life and the lines are blurring. He's her neighbor and co-worker. They both skirt around their attraction until they don't. Ultimately she quiets his demons, gives him hope and maybe even some peace. Enzo finds himself baring his soul fully expecting her to walk away. Surprise! She doesn't.

Loved every moment thanks for letting me have this story I love it from beginning to end I loved every twist and turn and the angst between Maria Enzo 🫠🫠 I can’t wait for the next story this are my favorite series

Enzo and Maria share a brief moment, but it doesn’t lead anywhere. Years later he starts working for her sister and is there for her when her marriage breaks down, but only as a friend. Maria desperately wants more from him and doesn’t understand his reluctance. She knows he likes her. When the past comes back haunt Enzo, Maria gets caught in the middle and this makes them both realise what is really important to them. There is a lot to deal with, with the drama that Enzo’s family is going through. In the end, everything they go through just makes them stronger. I loved how Enzo wanted to protect her, even if it meant staying away and how he would do anything for the people he loved. I loved how Maria went after what she wanted and showed Enzo that he was a good man worthy of her love. There was plenty of action, tension, heat and love in this story. I can’t wait to see more of the Costa family.

This is not the typical mafia romance i think it was very well done. It was a slow-burn romance between two individuals who have been very into each other for a long time. I would def recommend this book to anyone who loves a not your typical romance.

I loved the suspense and the spicy intense feelings this book gave.

this was my first book by this author and i definitely plan to read more

Sahin in the Queen of Teasing, you think the kiss is going to happy, BAM! Knock on the door. You think oh finally its going somewhere...a urgent call comes in! She doesn't let that down in Let me Love you. Finally we get Enzo and Maria, the connection between them never weakened and only strengthened as the story went on. You get her military suspense mixed with mafia, between the two teams the enemy was handled, the name of the family was cleared and they were finally able to move on away from the dark shadow that loomed over them.

When we met Enzo in "Until You Can't," I knew I was just going to love him. His character reminds me so much of Sebastian, I just LOVE him. He is so good to Maria and her daughter, and will do anything for them. Even go as far as not giving in to his feelings/wants/desires because he honestly feels he's not good enough for Maria. You feel his struggle in this book. He's so strong for her though, and she is another strong female, which I love about Brittney's female leads. This book was worth the wait, I honestly want more Enzo and Maria!

Vibes: light mafia, good-ish guy with a past, suspense, and something of an 80s-esque tone (not necessarily in a bad way)

Six years ago, Maria was granted her birthday wish--a kiss from Enzo Costa, the man she was obsessed with. But, fearing for her safety, Enzo kept it from going any further. Now Maria is a recently-divorced single mother and Enzo is rebuilding his life out of THE life, working as a chef. But just when the two of them start getting closer, Enzo's past catches up with him, throwing Maria into certain danger.

In theory, I love this plot. In reality, there were things I liked about this book... and then it kind of fell apart.

Quick Takes:

--So here's the thing. I really like the beginning of this book. You immediately feel the connection between Enzo and Maria. The chemistry is there, he's eight years older than her (I don't categorize anything under a 10-year difference as "age gap", but there's some definitely "don't stand so close to me" vibes going on) and she's just so eager for him that it's really pretty charming.

And the chemistry continues when you pick up after the six-year time jump. I liked that Maria was divorced and had been through it. Though I'm not a huge fan of kids in romance novels, her baby is incorporated pretty well. Like, at a certain place in the novel, I did kind of wonder what the point of Maria being a mom was. It didn't feel like it added anything to the story, besides perhaps keeping her ex in the picture as an obstacle. But I'd rather a somewhat pointless baby than an annoying child.

However, I did feel like we leapfrogged over a lot of story here. I kind of expected Enzo and Maria's contact to be minimal during the six-year time jump, but they're basically friends when the book picks up after the prologue. To the point that Maria trusts him with watching her daughter while she's on a date? There are all these references to tension and stolen moments and Enzo agonizing over her marriage before it ended, and so and so forth. The chemistry remained, but I felt like I'd missed a lot and the author was constantly having to explain and fill in the gaps.

By itself, this isn't a huge obstacle if the I believe in the love story between the leads. The problem is, it became emblematic of a central issue the story had.

--Enzo is constantly getting in his own way, which works for a hero if his thought process makes sense. Here... I don't know that it did, at least not for this genre. Obviously, the man has mafia connections and that puts Maria and her child in danger. But the fact is that he is already putting them in danger by being close friends with them. It doesn't super matter if he's with Maria or not at that point. He's spending the night at her house, he's practically co-parenting her child. His enemies are going to know that those two people mean a lot to him anyway, so they might as well be together.

So the reality is that the obstacle is entirely based on his own internalized angst, and his issues with himself after he did something that he views as a justified act (and honestly, considering the intensity of what he was responding to and his own world, it works for the story). Like, if that was the life you were in and you were responding to such a heinous crime with your own crime, would you really be as up in arms about it as Enzo is here? I didn't really buy it.

What it felt like, to be honest, was a forced slow burn that didn't make emotional or logical sense. And in many ways, this isn't a slow burn. They get physical fairly early in the story, but it's not "vaginal sex" physical, so the characters don't really count it, which makes no sense but whatever. However, Enzo holds out on a relationship with Maria for so long that it feels completely contrived. Rather than teasing, this approach frustrates, and it had me rolling my eyes on more than one occasion. It became less "ooh fun mafia book" and more "another friends to lovers story that drags for no reason".

--Obviously, there is more to this book than the romance. The suspense plot is fairly prominent, and overall, it's not bad. I will say that in no way, shape or form did I buy the mafia world that this story was built in. I'm not super picky about that, I expect camp from a mafia romance, but this wasn't even really campy. It was just a bit thin. And then every man, who I assume came from other books although this doesn't seem explicitly connected to a series on Goodreads, has this hitman past or a background as a Navy SEAL, and it's fine. But if you have a low tolerance for cheese, you probably won't love the world-building in that sense.

--While I absolutely expected the ex husband to be a jackass, and while I'm not against the concept of ex husbands being jackasses in romance novels in general (it's a part of the genre--though I'd love to see some variation) the ex husband does basically exist so that Enzo can be like "WANT ME TO KILL HIM". And like. Again, it's fine. But at that point in the story, everything started to feel very paint by numbers.

--One thing that did stand out to me as a big swing and a miss was the incorporation of romance awareness, for want of a better term. I've noticed this a lot lately, in multiple subgenres. Romance novels acting self-aware about romance novels, calling out tropes, wink-winking at the readers. And I've gotta say, it very rarely works for me. It takes me out of the story. The only time I think it really worked hard was in Lorraine Heath's The Notorious Lord Knightly, and honestly? I think that's because, for one thing, Lorraine is a strong writer, and for another, it was high level meta.

Here, it was shoehorned in at a place that was so ludicrous--I couldn't deal. I have a high tolerance for the ludicrous. I enjoy campiness. I do not expect total reality from my romance novels. But I read a couple of lines a few times before I really understood that this was how romance referential writing was being used in this novel. A part of me appreciates the attempt. I mean, it was bold. But it didn't work for me.

--I actually love the "he was in the life (on some level) and now he's a chef" thing, but there was actually very little food stuff in this book. Based on the summary, I was expecting like, sensual cooking, feeding, lots of delicious food descriptions, in between all the blood and gore. Very little! And he's Italian! Come on now. Promise of the premise, people.

The Sex:

The sex scenes were by and large good. Pretty hot, pretty fun. However, as I said earlier, there is an absolutely needless amount of dragging things out. Which is weird, because at the end of the day, people are having orgasms fairly early in this book.

But when Maria attempts to take things further, Enzo just... stonewalls. For, as I said earlier, no reason. There is one occasion in which I suppose it makes sense that they wouldn't have penetrative sex because Maria isn't on any kind of hormonal birth control (which, in her circumstances, I felt needed a bit more explanation) and they don't have condoms. Although honestly, they could've done a romance novel pull and pray and I would've accepted it. Largely, however, it just felt like the author didn't want to go there, for some reason? And it was like--but on so many levels, you already have.

It wasn't even the lack of penetrative sex that annoyed me, so much as it was Enzo going "no, we cannot, I am dangerous for you" like my man you just did some pretty intense shit with her, I think that door has been blown wide open. Or people interrupting. Or Enzo going "I can't have that distraction" (again, I feel like you were just doing something PRETTY distracting, dude). It felt like excuses, and it again felt contrived, which I think was my main issue with the book.

Then, once they actually got there, the entire thing was kind of underwhelming after all the excuses and buildup. Plus, there's one sex act that Enzo says they will do, and I was actually pretty interested in seeing that happen, and--nope! A lot of talk without follow through, which is never attractive, right?

I also felt like Maria really didn't have a lot of sexual agency for a twenty-nine-year-old divorced mother. And obviously, people's experiences vary, I'm not saying her single mom status meant she needed to be some virago, but it felt like she did a lot of pleading without actually communicating or requiring proper communication from Enzo. It felt at points that she was a typical inexperienced heroine who, for some reason, was given a divorced mom backstory that ultimately didn't seem to affect her mindset or approach very much.

I was actually pulled into this book pretty quickly, and for the first third or so I was having a pretty fun time. But after a certain point, I felt like I was getting jerked around by the story--and Maria definitely was. It felt like there was a pre-planned timeline mapped out, and very little deviation was allowed in order to accommodate the needs of the story and the characters.

Wish I'd liked it more, but at this time, noted internet scam kingpin Enzo d'Agostino of Mafia Madman remains the only romance novel Enzo I'll allow.

Thanks to Montlake and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.