Heavy Crown by Sophie Lark is an intriguingly dark, surprisingly twisted & mind-blowingly action-packed mafia romance that will have you glued to this story until the end! Heavy must be the crown that Sophie Lark wears as she is one of the royalty in the romance genre!

This is book #6 in the Brutal Birthwright series. While it would probably be helpful to have the history & knowledge of the other books, it could be read as a standalone. I’ve only read 3 of this series & I enjoyed this one greatly! You can tell this is a conclusion to an epic series though because the action is non-stop peppered throughout the book & oh my stars, does this book go away with a bang.

Heavy Crown is perfect for fans of…
👑 Romantic Suspense
👑 Mafia Romance
👑 Forced Proximity
👑 Dark Romance

What. A. Ride. Yes, this book deserves that dramatic of a sentence because it’s that shockingly twisted & captivatingly good.

I’ve been curious about Sebastian since we met him during the first book & oh my, how things have changed. It was interesting watching him go from that man early on in the series into the man of this book & how he even changed during it. While this is a darker romance, Sebastian still delivers on the swoon worthy aspects of the courting & I even appreciated his protective nature. The chemistry between this pair is undeniable & Sophie Lark also showcases enough spice to make me blush.

Something really neat the author does is have a playlist for the books & songs dedicated for each chapter to enrich the experience if one is inclined.

& the absolute coolest thing the author does besides obviously write incredible books, is have illustrations throughout the book! These illustrations are gorgeous. It’s such a fascinating thing to actually be able to see the romance story come to being with artwork. They are done in important moments, both sweet & spicy.

If you are a fan of entertaining mafia romances, especially on the darker side, then I highly recommend checking out Heavy Crown as well as the entire series!

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Bloom Books for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.


I plan to post this on my IG in the near future. I apologize for the delay as I have been recovering from surgery.

love this series and sophie's writing so much. each story hooks you instantly and this one is no different. fast paced, leaves you wanting more from the main characters once you're finished

Sophie Lark does it again. A fun dark romance novel with interesting sex scenes.

One thing Sophie does well is write sex without 100% making the plot only about sex. The characters are still just as wonderful as others in the series. Love getting better glimpses into the couples that are already together and seeing their happiness.

Ooh this had me full of anxiety. So much happened in this book 👀 character deaths that broke my little heart, betrayal, sadness, a hero with such responsibility he didn't want nor need thrust on him, a heroine made to choose between her family (tbh they were dicks so I'd have bounced) and someone she loved.

A gripping mafia romance that had me hooked from page one! Sebastian and Yelena's intense chemistry and the dangerous backdrop of their warring families kept me on the edge of my seat. While some parts felt a tad predictable, overall, it's a thrilling read perfect for fans of the genre.

Such a good book, my favourite from this author so far. Really well written and has you hooked so fast

So, I didn't realize when I requested this book that it was the end of a series. I was easily able to follow the story and found it amazing! I will absolutely go back and start from the beginning.

Silly me requested this book, thinking it was a stand-alone and not realising that it was part of a series.

Nevertheless, I gave it a whirl anyway as I’m a big fan of Sophie Larks’ storytelling.

Sebastian and Yelena’s interactions seemed slightly forced and a little rushed however, I enjoyed their characters independently. I was also quite intrigued at Sebastian’s POV and delving deeper into his thoughts and emotions – gotta love a brooding character!

Yelena’s character grow on me throughout the book and the spice between Yelena and Sebastian was well…spicy and well scripted.

Overall, I enjoyed this read and it’s motivated me to pick up the series.

Sophie Lark's "Heavy Crown" marked the finale of a series that had me riveted from the start. Yet, as I turned the pages of this concluding chapter, I found myself ensnared in a whirlwind of emotions, ranging from anticipation to disappointment. The romance between Yelena, a Bratva boss's daughter, and Sebastian, from a rival family, was tinged with insta-love and a predictability that left me yearning for the depth and complexity that had initially drawn me to the series. Their story felt slow, overshadowed by a looming predictability about their eventual confrontation, which couldn't ignite my usual enthusiasm for Lark's storytelling.

Moreover, the transformation of characters like Dante felt jarring. His decisions, especially in the context of love, seemed to detract from the gritty, complex persona I had come to admire. The depiction of mobster life, with its supposed armies and financial predicaments, struck me as incongruous with the powerful, commanding presence these characters had previously embodied.

Despite these criticisms, my attachment to Lark's world remains undiminished. The anticipation for the kingmaker series rekindles my excitement, offering a silver lining to my disappointment. "Heavy Crown" might not have been the grand finale I had envisioned, but it serves as a bridge to more of Lark's captivating universe. While the series concludes on a note that left me conflicted, my passion for Lark's craft and the worlds she creates persists, eager to see where she takes us next.

This was not one of my favourite reads but I think this is more my fault than anyone else's. When getting the book I did not realise that this was the last in a series of 6 books. The author did a good job of giving as much history as was needed to follow the plot, but I just wasn't invested in the characters. The relationship between Seb and Yelena didn't feel right. Not sure why. Was it the spice without any discussion around birth control? Maybe?? Anyway, if you're invested in this series I think you will like this, but my suggestion is, don't do what I did and start here.

Big thanks to Netgalley, sourcebooks and Sophie Lark for this early release copy in exchange for my honest review.

Honestly, I found most of this romance kinda boring, and the characters' choices just had me shaking my head. I mean, Yelena, being the daughter of a Bratva boss, should've known all about Sebastian's family, who are their rivals. It's hard to buy that Sebastian wouldn't even question her not knowing about him or his fam. And don't even get me started on the whole love-at-first-sight thing—it felt rushed, and the plot moved at a snail's pace. I couldn't really get into their romance because I could see the big conflict coming from a mile away: Sebastian finding out the truth about Yelena's family. The whole story felt kinda cliché and predictable, and I just couldn't connect with the characters. It felt like the background plot was just a setup for the Kingmaker series, which honestly has me more excited to dive back into that world than satisfied with how this one ended.

The last book of this series (and the one which sets up the next series, the one that follows the next gen), this book is pretty intense wrt the overall mafia plot? I'd say this book has the least romance / most plot out of the six.

The book was written so well, it really brought together all the characters and their dynamics over the series ++ had some rare humor thrown in too, coz we know the characters so well🥲

TWs - heavy violence, murder, mass gun violence

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

This was my second novel by Sophie Lark, and she does not disappoint! This book was fantastic, and I had a hard time putting it down. I didn't realize that this was book 6 in a series. Although it was a standalone so there was no problem following along. I honestly love a good mafia romance, and this one delivered! The story was engaging, angsty and had many twists, some of which I didn't see coming at all. I am also as a sucker for a good enemies-to-lovers romance! Sebastian and Yelena's characters were written well and they had great chemistry! I routed for them and a HEA. Overall, I really liked this book, and now I need to go back and read all the other books in the Brutal Birthright series.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books for the ARC!

I don't normally rate so high. BUT The Brutal Birthright series is the series that hooked me unto mafia romances. Finally seeing the the ending to Seb's story with all the struggles and hardships he's overcome-this was such a perfect ending to the series. The FMC Yelena? Wooh! Another great one for my bingo card.

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: yes
spice: several open-door spicy scenes
TWs: attempted murder, attempted kidnapping, stalking, mentions of death, murder, kidnapping, drugging, mentions of abuse, parent with terminal illness, death of a parent, SA
standalone: book 6 in the Brutal Birthright series
final thoughts: once again, I continue to love the illustrations and wish there were MORE because they add such great value to the books and I love being sucked into the scenes! This book was wild with lots of twists and I swear my mouth dropped open several times while reading this! I loved and hated the FMC but really enjoyed their journey and the way she was written. This was a great conclusion to the Brutal Birthright series with high drama, high action, and a dirty talking MMC. The dark parts in this book felt a lot darker than the rest of the series so if that’s your cup of tea- this is definitely the story for you! Brought me back to book 1 with the enemies to lovers.

read this book if you love

🌀 plot twists
😬 angst
😳 forbidden lovers (rival mafia families)
☠️ “touch her and die”
🔫 mafia
🖤 dark romance
🏝️ forced proximity
🤐 miscommunication
❓ mystery
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 found family
🤜 enemies-to-lovers

I love Sebastian. I always loved him. Since I read Brutal prince, I fell in love with him. I was so excited to read his book.

Somewhere, in his book, he’s kinda disappointed me. I didn’t feel anymore that family bond, what a pity. I still love them. Still love him.

I enjoyed so far this storyline. It was so intense that keep me so focused on the story. Sebastian and Yelena were such a good pairing. I liked their chemistry. They were so intense and I love that feeling.

As always, Sophie Lark never disappoints me and always gives me good stories to enjoy

This book has vastly improved since I first read it in 2021. For one, Sebastian is not nearly as heartless and, for lack of a better word, dumb. I liked the additional chapters during Yelena's captivity to 1. develop Sebastian's thought process and emotions, and 2. make it more realistic that Yelena could ever have a happy ending with Sebastian by having sympathetic friends/family interactions. I could never understand the hot and cold of Sebastian, but also could not understand how if truly everyone treated her terribly, why she would want to go back to him. The book flowed better with its pace, but it was still missing the magic of the other couples. I wasn't necessarily rooting for Yelena and Sebastian.

Forbidden romance between rival mafia families? Heavy Crown was a great ending to a great series. I'm so happy this was my first reading experience with mafia romance. I loved so many of the characters over the course of the Brutal Birthright series. The author did a great job wrapping everything up with this final book while also setting us up for the spinoff. Heavy Crown had found family, action, romance, and a damaged hero.

Sebastian is a son of a mafioso in Chicago. One night on his walk home, he comes across a woman being kidnapped. He saves her, and gets her name (Yelena Yemin) and phone number. A few nights later he’s dragged by his family, to a date auction for a local charity. He finds himself with the highest bid of the evening, on Yelena.

They’re smitten with each other but Yelena has a secret - her Russian father, new to the mob scene in Chicago, set up her “kidnapping” to get Sebastian’s attention. Throughout their courting she finds herself unable to tell Sebastian her secret. Soon, Sebastian and Yelena’s fathers have stricken a blood oath to allow their children to marry.

This book was a quick read with some great spice and a good story.

I have been provided with a review copy of Heavy Crown from NetGalley for an impartial review. This was just a great read. I just had so much fun reading this story.