OVER THE TOP POSSESSIVE & OBSESSED MMC!? YES PLEASE!

The way this book had me grinning, blushing, laughing out loud and then also shocked and speechless with the dark mafia world…it was a crazy ride that I loved every moment of.

This seriously had some of my favorite tropes and moments. He’s in the mafia, a hitman/enforcer, a fighter, and a billionaire that can have any woman that he wants but when she walks into his club, his world isn’t turned upside down. Queue the grinning due to the delicious tension. She has had a rough life and doesn’t have much but has a heart of gold. She knows she should stay away from the handsome and deadly man but what fun is that!?

The tension is elite in this book. Add in the danger, hurt/comfort and spicy spice…chef’s kiss!

AND THIS AUDIOBOOK...SO GOOD!

A spicy collision of mafia danger, boxing grit, and no-holds-barred romance — Distance is pure high-octane escapism.
Luna Mason delivers a dark romance that wastes no time turning up the heat. The mix of Sienna’s personal battles, Keller’s mafia entanglements, and the intense boxing backdrop creates an addictive, high-energy vibe. The chemistry between the leads is undeniable — steamy, electric, and threaded through with danger. I especially enjoyed the grit of the boxing scenes and the way the criminal underworld bled into the romance, giving it that extra bite.
That said, some moments leaned more toward steam than slow-burn emotional depth, making certain relationship beats feel a bit rushed. A few plot points — especially Keller’s mafia storyline — wrapped up faster than I expected, and I would have loved to see more tension milked from those threads. The ARC formatting also made reading tricky at times, though that’s easily fixable before final release.
If you’re here for dark, fast-burn romance with danger around every corner — and you don’t mind the spice taking center stage — this one will hit the spot. It’s perfect for fans of Tijan, L.J. Shen, or Penelope Douglas’ more intense titles. While I wanted a little more emotional layering, Distance kept me turning pages and left me curious for what’s next in the series.

Thank you so much for the arc!

I really think that this book is in desperate need of a proper editor.
Also maybe some sort of designer/illustrator help. There are huge header images that awkwardly cut the chapters up and it is just super awkward.
The whole format was just a mess to read on a smaller screen.

There are also so many spaces where there need to be commas and just have dialogue that is more natural. I would also love to see the paragraphs broken up more.

I managed to read till about 10% and unfortunately I think I'm going to have to stop there.
I had so much trouble understanding what was going on, since the writing was unclear.

From the premise, I hoped for something compelling—but I couldn’t get into this book. The characters lacked depth and, at times, came across as slightly insufferable, which made it hard to stay invested. The narrative felt more like erotica than actual romance—porn without plot.

The relationship jumped straight into insta-lust and obsessive infatuation, with no real emotional build or chemistry. It wasn’t romantic—it was fixation dressed up as love, which made the steamy scenes feel hollow. The dialogue didn’t help either—jerky and awkward, like learning to drive a manual car: clunky, stilted, and hard to sit through.

If you’re looking for depth, chemistry, or development, this one misses the mark.

I really enjoyed this! It was my first book by Luna Mason. Came highly recommended to me from a book friend and boy it didn’t disappoint. Will read more!

Distance is a really good combination of dark romance, mafia, and boxing!

Sienna, freshly single, literally falls into the lap of the very fine club owner, Keller. He also works out at the gym she takes kids to for work…she can’t seem to shake him. And she doesn’t want to. They have a whirlwind romance. Things are tested when trouble comes to their door. In more ways than one.

I really liked all the dark, suspense, and surprises I wasn’t expecting. It made Keller and Sienna’s fast burn really interesting. I really liked the way their problems were resolved, and the ending was incredibly cute. I feel like this isn’t a very detailed review…but I’m really working hard to not give spoilers!

🌶️🌶️🌶️

I was really excited going into this book cause let’s be real sports & mafia heck yeah! I did struggle at times to connect to the characters and the overall plot of the story. I felt the idea had a lot of potential, it just wasn’t for me.

Come again?!? A spicy mafia sports romance!! I didn't stand a chance! Distance had me in a chokehold from start to finish.

We follow Sienna, a woman recovering from a cheating ex, and Keller, a brooding boxer with ties to the mafia. They have a meet cute where she literally falls into his lap and grabs his 🍆. Some would say love at first sight 😂 They have a chemistry that kept me turning those pages and the suspense had me anxious to see what would happen next.

You'll love this if you enjoy:

🖤 Dark Romance
🥊 Fighter MMC (boxing)
🖤 Mafia Romance
🥊 "Good Girl" Praise
🖤 Fast Burn
🥊 Touch her & 💀

3.5/5

This was an easy and enjoyable read, but did seem a little too predictable at times. I wish there was a little more plot to the story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

This book kicks off quickly and I fell in love with Keller. He’s protective of her immediately and I couldn’t get enough. The spice kicks off right away which I lovedddd. Keller keeps her safe from her stupid, cheating ex and also from the mafia. The plot was paired perfectly with the spice and I enjoyed it so much.

I can’t wait to read the rest.

This book is intriguing. I enjoyed this take on how the Mafia man is also a famous boxer who is instantly attracted to the FMC. I enjoyed that this wasn't a slow burn romance and the protectiveness of the MMC. The MMC feels protective of her and does everything he can to keep her safe, not only from her ex but from the mafia ties he is connected to. Thats one thing that I enjoy about this book.

This book really had the perfect combination of spice and plot. If you enjoy mafia plot and spice, I say you should pick it up. I know the beginning can be a little triggering because of the cheating, just know that the cheating is just in the beginning and she cuts all ties once she sees that.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️
Spice Meter: ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥 It was definitely spicy.

General Thoughts: I love dark mafia romance, and this one sounded like it was going to be good. So I jumped at the chance to read it. I thought the story had a lot of potential. The characters and storyline sounded like something I'd love. I think the book was rushed. I'm here for spice as much as the next person, but I thought that was more or less all that was going on here. I didn't get the connection between the characters. I didn't feel that the story was well-developed. I hate leaving less-than-positive reviews, but every now and then, a book is just a miss. This one was that for me. As it is her debut, perhaps her other books are better. I wanted to like this one, but ultimately a bit of a miss. I received a review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to the author and Hambright PR.

Romantic Tropes
-dual POV
-mafia-esque
-contemporary
-dark
-sports
-boxing

You can also find me on Insta @mylastromancenovel.
1 like

This book just wasn't for me. I was just kinda bored and had a hard time picking it up to finish it.

Distance is the first book in Luna Mason’s Beneath the Mask series. The series as a whole is pretty bingeable and easy to dive into.

This book follows Sienna, who has just broken up with her ex-fiancé after catching him cheating. On a night out with her friends to celebrate her newly single status, she crosses paths with Keller at the opening night of his club. From the moment he sees her, Keller becomes instantly captivated by her beauty, and Sienna can’t deny her own immediate attraction to him either.

Keller is an enforcer for the mafia, and he’s laser-focused on his goal of getting out of the mob and avoiding distractions... at first. When he lays eyes on Sienna, she becomes his obsession, and he can’t stay away from her.

Their undeniable attraction leads them into some dangerous crossfires, which forces Keller to choose between the mob, putting Sienna in harm’s way, or keeping her safe by distancing himself from her completely

I’m very particular about the instant-lust trope—it has to be executed well and not overshadow the romance or genuine character development for me to feel fully immersed in the story. I needed more dialogue beyond just the physical attraction. Sure, the smut was good, and it was clear that they were physically compatible and intensely drawn to each other, but I wanted more depth to their connection.

That said, I did enjoy the mystery, suspense, and overall plot of the book. It was an easy read and a good choice if you’re looking to get into mafia romance.


What To Expect:
• Mafia Romance
• Found Family
• Instant Lust
• Boxer MMC 🥊
• Touch her & ☠️


Thank you to the author and Kensington Publishing for a gifted trad copy. All opinions are my own.

A hundred times yessss!! I also got book 2, but Luna got a new fan. I’m obsessed lately with everything she posts, books, quotes and the nsfw art?!?!? 😍

it was okay nothing memorable or exciting I'll be honest I don't think I would read more in the series the first two were just meh

This is a dark, steamy romance blending mafia tension with sports heat. Sienna and Keller’s chemistry is electric, with emotional depth and danger keeping the pages turning. A gripping start to the Beneath the Mask series.

⭐️: 3.5
🌶️: 2.5/5

I don’t know what I was wanting from this book but I felt like something was missing. I just didn’t feel the chemistry between Keller and Sienna. They fell so hard and fast that I feel like we missed them actually falling in love all together.

I wish we could’ve seen Keller in his boxing element more, after all it was a boxing mafia romance and it just didn’t feel like that. It was also 1000% predictable. 🤷🏽‍♀️

It took me a minute to finish but overall I enjoyed the drama and the spice and I’m hopeful that Grayson and Maddie’s book will redeem the start for me 😂

Love a possessive man who can’t get enough of his girl! Enjoyable read, the dark romance kept the book alive for me. Spicy too!

Distance
By: Luna Mason
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5

This is my first Luna Mason book, and I loved it! I’m starting to get more into dark romance, and this book did not disappoint. Sienna & Keller… whoa! The heat and possessiveness these two have is intense in such a good way. Distance is filled with twists, drama, and spice. Keller Russo’s filthy mouth was just perfect and I absolutely loved their undeniable chemistry.

You’ll love this book if you enjoy:
🖤 Dark Romance
🤫 M@fia Vibes
🥊 Fighter MMC (boxing)
💪 Surprise Tattoos
🙏”Good Girl” Praise
🏃‍♀️Fast Burn
👊 Touch Her and D!e

Thank you so much @authorlunamason & @hambright_pr for this ARC! I’m so looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series ❤️

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