I don't think I would classify this as a "dark romance" but if you haven't read a romance on the darkER side then this would be a good place to start.
You have a mix of mafia X sports romance and a couple of MC's with traumatic pasts and it's very sweet when they are able to find peace in each other. I am a fan of insta-lust in romance novels and if you are too you will LOVE this book.
I mean give me a big bad morally grey MMC who's a gooey cinnamon roll only for HER and I'm sold.

Thank you Luna Mason for the gifted copy

This could have been something, but it just wasn't. The beginning was amazing and well paced, but then the story just drifted along falling flat. As a reader of many romance and mafia-type books, this didn't hold up to what is out on the market right now.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2.5 stars)

I was genuinely excited to dive into Luna Mason's "Distance," especially given its intriguing premise of dark mafia romance blended with the world of elite boxing. Unfortunately, the book turned out to be a letdown for me.

One of the main issues was that the plot felt overly predictable and leaned heavily on clichés without offering any fresh or unexpected twists. The dialogue often felt unnatural and awkward, frequently crossing into cringeworthy territory, which significantly impacted my overall enjoyment of the story.

While it appears the book has undergone substantial editing since its initial indie publication, improving some writing mechanics, there were still persistent problems with the cadence and syntax that made the reading experience feel uneven. I also found myself confused by the title—"Distance"—which didn't seem to hold any real connection or significance to the narrative.

Another sticking point was the insufficient explanation regarding Keller's involvement with the mafia. His supposed entrapment was presented as a critical conflict, yet resolved abruptly and unsatisfyingly toward the end, raising the question of why it was a focal point at all.

Though the romantic and spicy scenes were competently executed, they overshadowed meaningful character development and a coherent storyline. Keller and Sienna's backstories were tragic yet superficial, feeling more like superficial additions rather than genuine attempts at deepening their characters.

Overall, "Distance" felt like a missed opportunity. It's frustrating that a book seemingly gained traction through TikTok hype and consequently traditional publishing support, especially when there are numerous indie romances with far stronger writing and storytelling waiting for similar recognition. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this one as strongly as I had hoped.

I received an ARC from Kensington Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this ARC! I absolutely loved this book. I will definitely be continuing this series. This is my first book written by Luna, and it won't be my last! I will definitely recommend for my mafia loving audience ❤️

This was soooo good! He was down bad for her and I am here for it. I wish I could read their love story for the first time all over again

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Loved loved this book!! I have it on paperback and audio now gosh, everyone needs to read this!


LUNA can do no wrong! I loved this book so much!
This should be at the top of your TBR if you haven’t read it yet!!
KELLER IS DEFINITELY AT THE TOP OF THE BOOK BOYFRIENDS
This may be for you if you enjoy:
dark romance
Sports
Mafia

Thank you to Luna and hambright pr for this ARC

Luna never fails in amazing me with her books. This was no different (I have read them out of order, and had no issue) highly recommend picking this up. The plot, the spice, the characters & their growth. I loved it!

What a fun, fast paced and SPICY mafia romance!!! This has been on my radar/tbr for forever… when I learned it was getting traditionally published, I immediately became even more intrigued. I thought this was a good time dark romance. Was it life changing??? Hmmm no. However, I blew through this one once I got into it (took me about 70 pages) and after that point I couldn’t stop reading. This story was very addictive🤭

This was a good story for me to read. The plot kept me reading and the spice made me blush. I feel that i did not want to stop reading it.

"It's right there in ink. I belong to you. forever. be angry all you want, even better.....how about you ride me like you hate me, then I'll f**k you like I love you. how does that sound?"

listen....
the way this man has me foaming at the damn mouth and barking at my kindle.
Keller mf Russo. lord.
this man had me in a chokehold and would not let go until I turned the final page.
while mafia is not my normal go too, I loved this. The plot was good. the spice was so so good.
I found it to be a fast paced read. read your trigger warnings. and enjoy.

The book had potential but I just couldn’t finish it , I kept coming back because I really wanted to finish it .
I found the character a little bit annoying

✨ BOOK REVIEW✨

Distance by Luna Mason
Release Date: Already Published


TROPES:
🖤 Dark Romance
♥️ M@fia Vibes
🖤 Fighter MMC (Boxing)
♥️ Surprise Tattoos
🖤 Good Girl Praise
♥️ Fast Burn
🖤 Touch Her & D1e

Thank you to Hambright & Luna Mason for the ARC!

This was a 4⭐️ read for me! I enjoyed reading this book! The MMC for sure gave touch her & 💀vibes! We love a MMC with a filthy mouth. I couldn’t get enough of it ! It was all you could ask for in a dark mafia romance ! 🖤♥️

#bookishengagement #bookishreels #bookishreel #bookishreelsofinstagram #readersofinstagram #momswhoread #relatable #bookcommunity #bookishfeatures #book #booklover #darkromance #darkromancereaders #romance #romance#reading #books #booksta #bookstagram #booktok

🚨🚨 Someone call 911 because Distance from Luna Mason just set my soul ON FIRE 🔥🖤

We open with Sienna walking in on her trash fiancé mid-cheat and I was SCREAMING 😱📢 Like, sis, you deserve better and THANK GOD she walked away ✨👑 (no second chances for clowns 🤡).

But y’all... the secrets that unfold??? The way her ex REFUSES to let go??? It’s giving obsession in the creepiest way and had me clutching my Kindle like 😳📱. When the truth came out, my jaw was on the literal floor 🫨.

And then... KELLER — massive, tattooed, mafia enforcer and FAMOUS BOXER 😮‍💨💀💘. The way he immediately protects Sienna??? Dead. I’m dead. Bury me next to this book because no one is topping him.

And don't even get me started on the SPICE 🥵🔥 — it hits EARLY and it hits HARD.

Honestly, this book had everything — danger, steam, romance, mafia drama — and even though it could’ve been a tiny bit shorter, I devoured it like my life depended on it 🖤📖.

@LunaMason if you see this — your brain needs to be protected at all costs 🛡️✨ thank you for giving us Keller and Sienna — can’t WAIT to inhale the next one 🖤🖤🖤

#DistanceFromLunaMason #Artor #MafiaRomance #SpicyBooks #BookTokRecs #BookishChaos

Absolutely loved the writing style

Keller and Siennas story is one to fight for.

The danger and banter in this story draws you in

This is my second round reading Distance and let me just say, it feels like I am reading it for the first time. With the new release of its brand new cover, I was able to get an ARC from Hambright through NetGalley and I have been enjoying it. I have forgotten how much Keller and Sienna brought to the table with their story. Luna Mason is a stupendous writer but give her some Mafia Romance and she will have you reading this stuff on speed.

These characters are very likeable from the start but also processive. Please check triggers before going into this one, as it does discuss certain topics that can trigger and be hard to read.

Keller-is a boxer trying to find his freedom from working in the mob. He not only owns a nightclub but this is where he meets Sienna. The woman who will take over not only his mind but heart.

Sienna-A heartbroken girl who discovers her cheating fiancé' with another woman and decides to go out with her best friend to get out of her funk. In the club she meets Keller and they hit it off right away. The sexual chemistry is buzzing the moment they lay eyes on each other.

These characters will come to not only fall head over heels but obstacles to be able to move forward and have the future they want. Overall, this book is a 5 star in every way possible. Luna Mason kept me on my toes with this one. I was so engaged in this reading that even the second time around I was done in no time. If you enjoy Mafia Romance then this one is definitely for you.

Spice: 3

Tropes:
dark romance
mafia
boxer MMC
praise kink
touch her and die
Dual POV

Distance is a dark romance story with mafia ties. I love a good dark romance, and this is one with a QUICK Burn. Sometimes, love at first sight... or lust... just happens and that's exactly what went down in this one! Sophia is fresh off a breakup and her best friend has tickets to the opening of a new club in town. At the club, Sophia stumbles directly into a beast of a man, and one thing leads to the other... and Sophia thinks she's going to hit it and quit it for a fun time!

Well... that beast is Keller, champion boxer, club owner, mafia hitman... and a man who decides he has to have Sophia. This story is super spicy, just a heads up, but yall already know I liked it lol. But there was more than just spice to this story. Sophia's ex is stalking her and the warnings Keller gives him to stay away are ignored, repeatedly. So there's definitely some suspense as well, which was a nice addition!

I really liked Keller and Sophia both. I always love MMCs who are dark, broody, dangerous but then just turn into teddy bears with the right woman. Why is that? Both MCs had troubling childhoods, which I felt added to both their characters. Sophia is sweet but also she can take on the world. While no one ever needs a man, Sophia knows how to balance that line between independence and love.

I'm excited for the next book, because I want more from these characters- especially Maddie. I need her story!

I requested this book because I do love a mafia romance so I was super excited to pick this up. I am someone that loves a blend of plot and romance and I think there needs to be a good balance of both in a story to keep the reader interested. What I found with this book was that we jumped straight into a relationship so quickly that I felt myself losing interest in the couple quite rapidly. I felt that there wasn’t much of a storyline until we got to around 70% of the book. It picked up and I was suddenly very excited for what was going to happen for the FMC… then we had a third act breakup which felt really forced and then the dreaded pregnancy trope…. It is a shame because I was really interested in the mafia side of the story and blending this with a boxer that wants to get out of his ‘mafia chains’ so to speak. It just felt like a lot of spice with not a lot of substance. This book is great for anyone that likes to read mostly spice and focuses more on the relationship. Unfortunately it just wasn’t for me.

This was such a good dark mafia romance! I needed something darker after all of the small town fluffy romances I’ve read recently and Keller and Sienna were perfect for that!

This book was fast paced, and I loved the instant attraction between Keller and Sienna. I loved seeing the growth between the two and their scenes were extra spicy. I especially loved the banter between their best friends which added to the mix . The writing and plot were engaging and fast paced. I like the found family trope which was present in this book. This was a very enjoyable read, and I look forward to more


Thank you to HamBright PR and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.