This is an interesting story, but it's so short and lacked some detail. I really wanted more depth for the story! I feel like we only cracked the surface for Sofia and there was so much more to explore. Maxim also had more to him. I honestly was expecting a twist at the end (there was never a body?) but it never came. The book was good but fell a little flat for what I was expecting.

This is a fairly typical arranged marriage mafia romance and a very quick read; it took me less than an hour. I would have liked more development in the relationship between Sofia and Maxim; we didn’t really get that many moments between them to show why their feelings towards each other would change. I also wish Sofia was a stronger character. She’s introduced as a rebel who has left the family business and she encourages her sister not to settle for an arranged marriage, but then she puts up no fight at all when it comes time for her to marry Maxim. It just felt very inconsistent and I didn’t understand her decisions.

Finally, if you’re going to market a book as erotica, there needs to be more than one steamy scene. Why all the fade to black?? That’s the whole point!

Thank you to Evernight Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Demented Devil was quick and enjoyable. Maxim is the new Pakhan of the Semenov Bratva who made a deal with Lorenzo Bianchi the Don of the Bianchi Familia and to seal that deal has agreed to marry Aurora Bianchi his golden daughter. After a tragedy the deal is still on, but Aurora is replaced by her father's disappointment, his younger daughter Sofia. I really liked Sofia, she has nothing to do with the family and lives her own life. Even though she has lived her own life she does agree to take her sister's place. Maxim was typical male for this genre, I like him as well. Now as with most stories this length everything moves at lightning speed. I really enjoyed the writing and storytelling, but I wish there was more to the story. Overall, I did enjoy this book and look forward to reading more by this author.

If you are looking for a quick mafia style romance - this is it!

Sophia is the black sheep of her influential family. She has no interest in conforming to the ways of her familia.
That is until tragedy strikes and she makes a promise that she intends to keep.

Maxium could care less who he marries, all his future bride will be is a transaction. There's no way he could or would develop feelings; he never has before so now will be no different. Or will it?

This is a short, face paced mafia style romance filled with tragedy and hard choices.

Maxium is the devil, Sophia might have just met her match with him.

*this review and opinions are all mine*
*this arc was provided by netgalley*

I wish this book was longer! I was hooked halfway thru the first chapter and finished it all the way thru in just a couple hours. Filled all my dark, mafia romance boxes and had *just enough* spice. I typically like my books with looooots odmf spice, beginning to end, but I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked this one. First time reading this author and I will definitely be reading more!

Demented Devil follows Sofia, a daughter of a mob boss who wants nothing to do with the family business and Maxim, the Pakhan of the Semenov Bratva as they are forced into a marriage. This book is a shorter mafia novel with a lot of forced proximity, and heated banter between the two main characters. I really enjoyed the plot and how it unravels throughout the book and was hooked on the characters pretty quickly. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a "lighter" mafia romance with an enemies to lovers trope.

I do wish the book was a little longer- I felt that the plot and how the characters fall in love moved really quickly and I wanted more from these characters! I also wish there was a little more smut, a lot of the smut was inferred.

What else do you do when you have Covid but read smutty Mafia romance?

Quick read. Well written, a bit of spice. Enjoyed the character growth but coulda done with more. Maybe too short?

Woulda liked to have them confess love for each other rather than just implied.

I thought this one was going to be a dark mafia romance - but it actually was a sweetish dark mafia romance. Instant love between the main characters and the drama was related to the family business. Great communication and relationship development and I can't wait to get Lev's story!

Let me start by saying anything published by Evernight is going to be a fairly quick read - which is what I happened to be looking for. Something that I knew I'd finish in one setting (about 90 minutes with the kids and husband interruptions), something that wasn't a deep, thought provoking read. It was a nice cross between smut and erotica.
.
The title doesn't fit. If this was Lev's (Maxim's brother) book it would have been perfect. Maxim as we read him isn't demented. He isn't overly violent. I mean we only get a whisper of his violence between characters that are gossiping about him. So in ignoring the assumption I made in the start that I was getting a male lead that was dark, and tormented and was going to be protrayed thst way on the pages I liked Maxim. He was a man who knew his duty, but was also aware that his new wife had possibilities to make a good partner.

Sofia wasn't weak, she was very much resigned to the life ahead of her. I thought for a woman who was so adamant against her sister marrying for the family she'd have put up more of a fight leading up to the wedding and after. She lead Maxim on no chase. Which is OK.

In the end the intrigue isn't deep, the sex is great. I enjoyed the characters once I got the lay of the land. I was hoping for more depth, but that's ok.

This was a quick, summer evening read before bed and ticked most of my boxes. I'd b curious about Lev if he gets a book so I'd say Winter Sloane did her job.

" 'You can't marry a complete stranger just because Father wants an alliance,' "

Demented Devil is the first book I've read by Winter Sloane and I wasn't disappointed.

I enjoyed reading about Maxim and Sofia's relationship grow and develop over time. From complete strangers in an arranged marriage to lovers, their relationship is falling headfirst deep in love and underestimating each other.

I found at points that it skipped a lot of time in-between and we didn't get to see a lot more intimate moments between them.

I loved that Maxim let Sophia be herself, something her father never let her be.

Giving her her own studio/workspace?
Him being surprised she stayed overnight in the hospital with him?

AND she's a graphic designer?

*chef's kiss*

Overall, a great fast paced standalone mafia romance that you'll enjoy from start to finish.

"Maxim, of all people, understood the power of appearances."

" '…Besides, you unnerve me, Maxim. You unbalance my entire world. I find myself questioning who I really am when I'm with you,' "

tropes // arranged marriage, mafia, artist MC

tw // death, blood, gore, emeto,

Typical mafia arranged marriage
Sofia’s sister Aurora is supposed to marry Maxim but after an unfortunate turn of events, Sofia is the new bride to be. Sofia has always rebelled against her father and wanted nothing to do with the mafia politics and relations or business. Her father saw her as a disappointment. I liked this story. I liked Sophia and Maxim together. I liked watching them go from strangers who were wary of each other to companions who loved one another (even though they didn’t say it). However, I felt like a lot was missing from this story. Like there were blanks here and there, and had the author added a little more detail to certain aspects of the story, I feel like we would’ve connected to the characters and the story much better.
Was it great? No.
Was it bad? Also, no.
2.5 🌟

this book was so hook , line and sinker for me. liked it from start to finish. I will read more from winter sloane. This book had it all.

Demented Devil follows Sofia as she’s forced to marry Maxim after her sister’s death. The premise of this book was good, similar to other mafia romances. The two star rating isn’t because the book is bad, but more because the book lacked true character and story development. Maxim and Sofia were likable, but the reader never got to know them. The story unfolded at a rapid pace, chunks of time passed without remark that left the reader uninformed about how they’re relationship progressed. This book read more like a draft than final copy. I wish the author added more details and small scenes to develop the world and characters more fully.