Wow, this was my first book by this author and I would for sure read one. What a ride! I enjoy the romance and the pacing throughout.

Amazing romance here. Right kind of spice! I just loved it so much.

I fell in love with the caracters.

A must to read in 2025.

Wow!! I loved this book. If morally grey was a noun it would be Kincaid. Kincaid needs to marry to take over as the head of a mafia-ish type family among a group of families. He is Arranged to marry the daughter of his father’s business associate but he discovers some information that would put his family in serious financial jeopardy if he goes through with that marriage. Enter Nari. Nari is down on her luck and works at an ultra exclusive club as a server. She has notices Kincaid but it doesn’t seem like he notices her until a patron puts his hands on Nari. Since this is that book, he of course has made a grave mistake. Kincaid feeling an odd connection to Nari that he doesn’t understand, decides she is the woman that is meant to be his wife and he goes about making that happen.

So if you like morally grey heroes whose grey is so dark it’s almost black and he will do anything for the woman in his life, this is the book for you. Kincaid, whew, I need a Kincaid in my life. If touch her and 💀 was a person, it would be Kincaid. He had an absolute need to get what he wants by any means necessary… and he wants Nari. Nari, is young but she has been thought a lot in her life and she doesn’t just sit back and let Kincaid boss her around. Their age gap is not always a big deal but when Nari makes rash decisions you can see her youth on display. Kincaid was the ultimate protector and he knew just how to win Nari’s heart. Unfortunately, he didn’t anticipate outside forces working to drive them apart. I loved this book. It does end on a cliffhanger and I can’t wait to read book 2.

Thank you to Black Odyssey Media and NetGalley for the Opportunity to review this book.

Nari’s life hasn’t been easy, but everything changes when she meets Kincaid – a powerful alpha male with his eyes set on her. Coming from completely different worlds, their connection faces many challenges. What starts as a business arrangement soon turns into something much deeper. I loved watching Nari navigate Kincaid’s world, and I can’t wait to see where their story goes next! 💫

Thank you Black Odyssey Media and NetGalley for the eARC of this book! I have loved every K.C. Mills book I’ve read so far and this is no exception. I can’t wait for book 2!

K.C. Mills's engrossing romance "You Could Do Damage" delves into themes of love, resiliency, and personal development. Kincaid Akel, a businessman negotiating a criminal underworld, and Nari Collette, a young woman facing homelessness following a betrayal, are the subjects of the narrative. Their love and trust are put to the test by their unplanned marriage. I enjoyed the realistic dialogue, genuine character development, and captivating plot. Because of Mills' lyrical and approachable writing style, characters come to life and their hardships become relatable. With its detailed descriptions that transport readers to the world of the characters, the setting is also important. A thoughtful examination of identity and love, "You Could Do Damage" encourages contemplation on interpersonal bonds and the strength of love.

I enjoyed everything about this book but what else can i say coming from K.C. Mills. I love almost anything she puts out. My only complaint is the ending. I did not know it would end like that and I need more!! How can we get that and not have more to come. Now i am sad. But all in all it was a great read.

Thank You #NetGalley #BlackOdysseyMedia for this ARC!

I’ve had this #ARC on my “shelf” for a while and I don’t know why I’m just getting into it! But I absolutely LOVED it and couldn’t put it down when I started it! I loved the FMC Nari Collette, she was strong and didn’t care that the MMC Kincaid Akel was a millionaire, she stood her ground with him! Kincaid was intense, possessive, jealous, and had all of the BDE one character could have! He ran the city he worked in, but that wife had him wrapped around her finger, and she wanted nothing from him but love and attention!

Tropes you encounter in this book: Found Family, Arranged Marriage, Millionaire Romance, Underworld

*The book is described as a slow-burn but to me it wasn’t, it captured my attention from the beginning and never dragged like Slow Burns do sometimes! I enjoyed it all and can’t wait for the next book!
#YouCouldDoDamage

#BlackandBooked #blackandbookish #blackreadersofinstagram #BlackBookstagram #blackbookstagrammer #blackromancereader

So i loved the basis of this book… arranged marriage… give it to me. He falls first… GIVE IT TO MEEE. But i did feel like a lot of the characters were upsetting me. I need them to
Communicate, and they just didn’t. I did give Nari grace because she was young but i was getting so frustrated. But overall i did enjoy it. I HATE CLIFFHANGERS, if i knew it ended on a cliffhanger i would have waited for the second book before starting it.

This book was so good. K. C Mills did an amazing job. Kincaid was one to not play with, but Nari held her own. I truly need an update like tomorrow. So much happened that needs to be talked about but I don’t want to spoil anything just yet.

This was a 3.5 for me.

When I first read the synopsis it sounded interested and is what drew me to the book. Although the romance aspect of the book started off slow with Kincaid and Nari, the book itself was fast paced. it definitely was engaging and had me wanting to see what was going to happen next. I liked the instant connection between Kincaid and Nari from just one encounter how they were drawn to each other in a sense and could feel the energy of the other.. Even though their relationship started as an arranged marriage it became something real eve though Nari was a little slower with voicing that than Kincaid was. I appreciated how he tried to shield her from the dangerous parts of his world, was protective over here even with his family and always wanted to bring a smile to her face.

As far as his "underworld activities" I felt at times there was too much emphasis on him being a dangerous guy and people fearing him. There was one scene that was brought up in the book that went nowhere so it didn't feel necessary. There was also loose ends with his father's situation that I was hoping to find out what happened. Also, throughout the whole book, Kincaid never gave Nari a reason not to trust her, yet she let one voice message skew her impression of him without even talking to him or giving him a chance to explain himself. I would have appreciated more of a timeline as to when some of the events were happening because in one chapter they were one place and the next chapter picks up with Kincaid being somewhere else or doing something else so it didn't flow that well to me. sometimes. The way the book ended was a little abrupt too.

I understand that this is a re-release of a previous work and that there was a part two so hopefully that will be re-released as well and the loose ends will be closed. Overall I enjoyed aspects of the book but it didn't quite hit the way I hoped it would. Thank you to Black Odyssey Media Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

3 ⭐ is not a bad rating
This is a marriage of convenience read with FMC Nari and MMC Kincaid with some sprinkle of mafia kinds of stuff (both of which I love in books if It's done right)
The best part of this book is MMC is not manipulative. Normally in this kind of book, MMCs are manipulative or tell lies but Kincaid is not this kind of guy.
This starts a little slow, and in between, it feels a bit draggy in some parts. I wasn't expecting it to be Insta-lovey, so I was disappointed in that part. And it was really frustrating to watch them not communicate.
But overall it was an okay read.


Thank you so much, K.C. Mills, the publishers and Netgalley for providing this ARC

I loved this story up until I realized it was ending ugh!!! I really love the marriage of convenience trope so I was immediately interested when it was headed in that direction. I loved how Kincaid made it known that the marriage could be as real as they wanted it to be. He made sure to protect his wife above all else and didn’t hesitate to let people know she came first. I didn’t know that this was going to end on a cliffhanger so that made me a little mad but overall I enjoyed the story. I can’t wait for part 2 I need it to drop right after part 1 lmaooooo

I ARC read this for @authorkcmills and @iamblackodyssey and it was intriguing. You have Nari and Kincaid entering into arranged marriaged that set up by Kincaid. He was already in an arranged marriage but didn’t want to follow through with it. Nari was skeptical at first but she eventually was all in. Unfortunately for the new couple, they have opposition all around them including Nari herself. It doesn’t take much for her to pull away from her new husband.

The perfect contemporary romance with an edge. This book was very intriguing to say the least. The unspoken love at first sight between the two characters drew me in and had me turning the page to find out where would they end up next.

The MMC, Kincaid-Caid- is a mysteriously powerful Alpha male who happens to stumble upon the purest and softest form of love he could ever imagine. He finds himself in a constant battle to prove himself and make reassurances in lieu of the trust he has repeatedly requested. He loves without conditions and his love has no bounds when it comes to protecting the people he care for the most.

Nari, the FMC, is a lost and lonely soul who has only had herself to look out for and no one to depend on. Nari has difficulties getting close to people and trusting those around her until she finds herself possibly falling in love for the first time which challenges her trust issues.

This story was a slow build of trust, betrayal and deceit. The classic case of whodunit laced through the story kept me on the edge of my seat along with the cliffhanger at the end. I am eager to see how the characters build and grow as the story continues and how Nari's cousin plays more into the story.

Great story and strong writing style by K.C. Mills. I am excited for part 2 and I want it now!

My one and only question: Where is Part 2? My feelings are hurt lol.
Nari had it rough her entire life by barely getting by, growing up in the system, and being abandoned by her family and her trifling cousin didn't make her adult life any better. Telling someone as soon as they walk into their apartment, "We have to be out by 5 pm today," is crazy. 😮 I wanted some payback for Shayla because she was the absolute worst. Whatever happened to her??

Nari is homeless and Kincaid Akel set his eyes on her but he's already engaged. Wow! Messy. Kincaid is your billionaire mafia boss, "touch her and die," "My wife," kind of man. If you love that energy, you'll absolutely love him and his energy. I enjoyed him but my girl Nari felt like she wasn't worthy of the new life she has been thrown into.

These two stayed in their heads and I needed them to COMMUNICATE. 🗣️🗣️ I can almost understand it from Nari, her life experiences and young age of 24 played a part in the way she thought about herself, her life, and her worthiness at times. Kincaid was 31 and had much more life experiences because he was born into The Families and was set to become the head of operations from birth. That silver spoon? He's used to it. His is gold. And he gives it all to Nari.

I can come to my own conclusion about the voicemail at the end, but to end on a cliffhanger with no part two was such a gut punch for me. I found myself searching for part 2 and falling short. I really hope this series continues because there are new family members we have been introduced to that we know nothing about and a relationship on the line because of a lie.
✨He Falls First & Hard
✨Arranged Marriage
✨Cliffhanger 🫠

Thank you Black Odyssey Media and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

You Could Do Damage did JUST that….damage…because the ending though….talk about on edge!

This book was definitely a test of loyalty, power, and money. The main characters could not have been more of opposites and that is what made it hard for me to connect to the story at first. When the terms of their arranged marriage were null and void I expected more from the MMC. I personally felt the build up of the characters was heavy in the beginning and then the plot took over. I would have liked to see more depth and inner dialogue from the MMC outside of his “job” so that the end could have been a little less abrupt.

Overall, if you enjoy a good drama with a plot twist or two it is worth the read.

Thank you Black Odyssey Media and Netgalley for this digital ARC!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pub Date:2/25/25

I was expecting to enjoy this book much more than I did. While the way the story unfolded was interesting, something was missing for me. I wished we had seen more depth from the main characters.

The story starts with an arranged marriage that both characters could potentially benefit from, and as it progresses, they begin to acknowledge their feelings. I felt like everything was coming together, but then toward the end, there’s a miscommunication that I wish had been addressed, rather than left for the second book.
Despite this, I’m still curious about the next book and how everything will play out. After that cliffhanger, I need answers!

Thank you, NetGalley and Black Odyssey Media, for this digital ARC. 

You Could Do Damage
Rating: 3⭐️
Pub Date: February 25, 2025

*You Could Do Damage* is a sizzling, high-stakes romance that had me hooked from the start, but it was around the 75% mark when things really took off. The moment a shooting claimed three lives and forced Kincaid to step into his role as ruler of the Five Families, my heart dropped. I didn’t see it coming, and I absolutely loved it. Books that hit me with unexpected twists and make me react like that? Chef’s kiss.

The characters were interesting, and while the story primarily focused on Nari and Kincaid, I appreciated how we got glimpses of the side characters in a way that felt natural. Alisha’s story about her past with Darius was a moment I adored--the retelling of Darius walking in and delivering on the warning he gave Ty...chills. I do wish we had gotten a little more from Nari’s cousin, Shayla. She’s a character that intrigued me from the start, but after Chapter 1, she disappeared from the story—though, honestly, it made sense. Shayla used Nari, took her money, and cut ties when she no longer had a need for her, which felt fitting for who she was. The way Nari reflects on their relationship—“I knew from the day we met that she would take more than she would give”—hit hard. It perfectly captured the complicated nature of holding onto someone who treats you like an afterthought simply because they're all you have.

This book is all about love and power. Nari’s background in foster care wasn’t portrayed as overly traumatic, but it left her with a sense of loneliness that resonated deeply. Even in good situations, she felt unseen and unloved, which explains why she jumped at the chance to move in with Shayla, despite knowing she was being used. K.C. Mills weaves in one of my least favorite tropes—an age gap—but I have to admit, it worked here. Kincaid, being about seven years older, acknowledges Nari’s youth and the ways her past influences how she approaches relationships. His patience with her fears, combined with his steady insistence that she not hide from him, made their dynamic compelling. One thing I loved about Nari early on was how direct she was—she didn’t dance around things, always getting straight to the point, like when she asked Kincaid, “So we're back to the main point. Why am I here?” However, after they were married, I felt like she lost a bit of that edge, retreating into herself at times. But Kincaid, ever observant, never let her stay hidden for too long. He constantly pulled her out, asking her to be honest with him, which added a nice layer of emotional depth to their relationship.

One of my favorite aspects of the story was how Nari was embraced by Kincaid’s family, especially his mother. After suffering two miscarriages, both girls, his mom always knew her daughter would have to come from her son. I LOVE a mother who doesn’t coddle her son, and Kincaid’s mom was exactly that. When he slipped up—an honest mistake, but a mistake nonetheless—she held him accountable and pushed him to make things right.

K.C. Mills’ writing style made this story flow effortlessly, and the pacing was just right. The time jumps—whether it was a few days, weeks, or a month—kept things moving without dragging out unnecessary details. Overall, *You Could Do Damage* is a solid read that I’d definitely recommend, and while it leaves us with a "to be continued," it’s not a frustrating cliffhanger—just enough to leave me excited for the next installment!

Other things I loved? Nari’s resilience. She’s had it tough, but she’s not looking for handouts. One of her lines that stuck with me was: “I appreciate it, Joey, but we’re not really friends, are we? I work here, and so do you, which is the sum total of our affiliation. Anything you do for me will feel like charity. I also promised I would never owe anybody anything. I have to stick to that because it’s all I have.” And then there’s Kincaid—so intriguing. I loved how both he and Nari spent months just "observing" each other before ever speaking, quietly taking note of the other’s presence. The way Nari referred to him as "Recluse," "Mr. International," and "Boss" had me grinning. Their pull toward each other was undeniable, and I appreciated how direct Nari was—she didn’t dance around things but got straight to the point, which made their dynamic even more fun to watch unfold.

Some standout scenes? The banter between “Mr. International” and Nari—her quick wit had Kincaid thoroughly entertained. And the introduction of Aila and Nari at lunch? Iconic. Nari went toe-to-toe with her without batting an eye, "I guess we're both at a loss then. I didn't take my husband for the type to be attracted to weak women." And then when when Kincaid tried reassuring her that she would never have to fight over him...her response... “And I won't. That was child's play. You’ll know when my claws come out because I won’t stop until there’s blood,” was delivered with a smile but no warmth. Kincaid, of course, was eating it up, thrilled to see Nari could hold her own.

*You Could Do Damage* delivers a captivating blend of romance, intrigue, and power plays, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!!!

A Captivating Tale of Love and Trust

Nari’s life takes an unexpected turn when she agrees to a marriage of convenience with the mysterious Kincaid Akel. What begins as a business deal quickly becomes a story of love, trust, and resilience as Kincaid fights for her heart while building his empire. With enemies on all sides, their bond is tested, and Nari must learn to open her heart and trust someone else.

K.C. Mills delivers an emotional roller coaster filled with passion, suspense, and inspiring growth. Originally self-published, this novel’s move to traditional publishing highlights Mills’ talent. A must-read for romance fans, and I can’t wait for the next book!