Love this book, it’s a great dark romance with solid character building.

Maddie and Grayson play off of each other so well, working through their own darkness and vulnerability.


🖤New York/Italian Mafia
🩷Dark Romance
🖤Boxing
🩷Dual POV

Luna Mason never disappoints! I enjoyed the relationship between Grayson and Maddie and the way they love each other. Was a quick read, that would be great to get out of a reading slump with.

Once again, another book by Luna Mason that I love! I did read this a few months ago, so this was a reread for me and I fall in love with Grayson. I love the fact that we focus on mental health of just not the women but also the men in the book. On top of that, I love a man who’s literally willing to burn The world for the person he lost. The way he was ready to risk it all had me so happy and I love that I was a little broken reading. This would also put together in the best way possible at the end.

Grayson was possessive, obsessive, and morally gray. I loved the banter between Grayson and Maddie. I enjoyed reading about their relationship growing and the passion they had for each other.

There was also a good amount of suspense; however, I wish there was more of a plot. The spice was definitely spicy!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥🔥

- ᴍꜰ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
- ɢʀᴜᴍᴘʏ + ꜱᴜɴꜱʜɪɴᴇ
- ᴛᴏᴜᴄʜ ʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅɪᴇ
- ᴍᴀꜰɪᴀ
- ᴇx ᴍᴀʀɪɴᴇ
- ᴀɢᴇ ɢᴀᴘ
- ᴇɴᴇᴍɪᴇꜱ ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀꜱ
- ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ꜱᴜꜱᴘᴇɴꜱᴇ

“ I want to consume her. I want to take it all. But also, I want her to have all of me.”

Grayson and Maddie’s story was a ride! I had so much fun reading this book. The tension! The suspense! The longing! Grayson had sworn off women for more than a night after his wife cheated on him with his best friend. He was committed to never kissing a woman nor sleeping with her twice. Then came Maddie.
These two didn’t make it easy on each other, the back and forth bickering, the denial of their real feelings until they finally hit the f*** it moment. Then they hit the all consuming need amidst this Grayson is a hitman for the mafia and things are getting difficult as they move to take control of the city. Maddie is trying to ward off her mother’s endless pressuring for her to be married to the “right” kind of man and is endlessly belittling and cutting Maddie down. The devotion they give to each other was perfect for their story as both characters had to go through a lot of character growth. Also loved the little bits of Sienna and Keller we got. There was a lot more Luca and we got set up for his story. But I want more Frankie! His story was surprising!

*Mafia Romance
*Protective MMC
*Dislike to Lovers

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

This is the second book in the Beneath hte Mask series by Luna Mason. I really enjoyed book 1 and was so excited to be approved to receive an ARC for book 2. It wasn't as good as book 1 but I'll definitely continue with the series. I didn't love the giant age gap or pregnancy trope, but overall, I thought their dynamic was enjoyable! She's a sunshine FMC, and the MMC is a grumpy mafia hitman.

Also....can we take a moment to appreciate the dedication? “This book is dedicated to all my readers who deserve to be treated like a princess, but don't want the prince to sweep them off their feet. Who want the villain to tell them to grab the headboard and take it all like a good girl. Villains f*ck better. Grayson is ready for you now…” SHEESH

Tropes for this book:

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing | Kensington for the ARC of this title

"𝘚𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦, 𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘮𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦."

Maddie and Grayson’s story was full of the angst that I love. The mutual pining between these two created some great tension, and once they decided to go all in, it was ON!

After being dealt with betrayal, Grayson was fighting his demons as a boxing coach and a mafia hitman. This man was such a tortured soul who pulled at my heartstrings. His self-loathing forced him to stay away from Maddie, but that pull was just too strong. Maddie was the ray of sunshine that Grayson needed in his life. She wasn’t afraid of facing Grayson’s demons, and she had sass for days.

I ate up the push and pull between Maddie and Grayson. Their banter and chemistry were off the charts. I loved how protective Grayson was of Maddie. I loved seeing him go from broody to delivering some delicious dirty talk that made the spice that much hotter.

Detonate had the perfect blend of tension and spice with an edge of danger. If broody and protective mafia men are in your wheelhouse, this is one you want to pick up.

In "Detonate," Luna Mason masterfully intertwines the dark and dangerous underworld of organized crime with a compelling love story. The novel centers around Grayson, a boxing trainer by day and a hitman by night, and Maddie, a woman seeking her place in a world filled with disappointment and unfulfilled expectations. A man haunted by his past and wrestling with his dual life, Grayson’s finally found his niche in life. His transformation from a special forces operative to a cold hearted hitman had me thinking this wasn’t going to be easy for Maddie to love someone like him! But under that cold exterior, is a man hiding a broken heart. A “one and done” mantra has left him feeling that’s all he has to offer anyone. But, the moment he meets Maddie, the dyory deepens, as she becomes the unexpected catalyst that challenges his choices and awakens his buried emotions. Maddie, on the other hand, has only ever wanted her mother’s approval! Almost brainwashed into believing that she can only be happy if she’s married! 🙄 Her determination to shake off the label of the "family disappointment" proves hard, and meeting bad boy Grayson doesn’t help! He’s what she shouldn’t want, but desperately needs. The chemistry between Maddie and Grayson is electric, their interactions bounce between tension and tenderness, banter and chemistry. Luna Mason’s writing style is engaging, rich in vivid descriptions that bring the bustling streets of New York City and the dark corners of crime to life. The pacing is perfect, allowing us to savor the tension while being pulled deeper into the characters' lives. London also came to life, and it wasn’t hard imaging the bustle of both those cities. The theme of love versus danger is explored adeptly throughout the story. Maddie's internal conflict, her desire for the fairy tale versus the reality of loving a man living in darkness, Ultimately, "Detonate" is a gripping, passionate story that delves into the complexities of love, identity, and moral ambiguity. It offers a unique blend of romance and suspense, leaving us eagerly anticipating what comes next in the series. If you're a fan of dark romance that challenges conventional love stories, this book is a must read. 🦋

“𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙤𝙬… “

I am completely and utterly obsessed with this series and Luna Mason’s writing!!

I loved everything about Grayson and Maddie’s story! After reading Distance, I was so excited for their story and this was everything I was hoping it would be!!

Their chemistry and banter was so freaking good! The tension between them was absolutely amazing and when they finally gave in it was 🔥

This is definitely one of my favorite mafia romance series and I cannot wait to read more of Luna’s books!

I am so excited to start Devoted next!

𝐼𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒…
Dual POV
Morally Gray MMC
Touch Her and Die
You’re Mine
Enemies to Lovers
Spice
Possessive MMC
Mafia Romance
Banter
Grumpy x Sunshine
Dark Romance

After discovering his wife was having an affair Grayson leaves her and his special forces career behind to make a fresh start vowing never to open his heart to another. He starts a relationship with the Mafia by being a boxing trainer and a hired gun, this is where he also meets Maddie.

Maddie is a hopeless romantic and makeup artist looking for her happily ever after with a man that her mother will approve of, an approval that Maddie desperately longs for.

The chemistry between the two is apparent but they go back and forth on proceeding because of their past scars.

This was a cute read. It's definitely on the mild scale of a dark romance. If you're starting off in the dark romance, mafia genre and not sure if it's for you this is definitely the book to start with.

Once the two finally decided to make their relationship official I loved Grayson's clear devotion for Maddie.

Didn't have time to sit down & read the entire book so I got the audiobook. The audiobook was a great addition. The narrators did an amazing job at bringing the story to life.

Luna Mason did not hold back with Detonate. Like, if you want a book with a lot of sex? This is it. I swear, there were sex scenes left and right. Grayson and Maddie could not keep their hands off each other.

And then they had the audacity to be surprised they were having a baby? I mean… how are you gonna be shocked? You were literally having sex almost every day. It was bound to happen. LOL.

Also, can we talk about Grayson? Massive green flag. He’s six feet tall, a mafia prince, knows how to absolutely destroy you in bed and still be a good man. Like sir, where do I sign up?

And this quote? I had to pause and scream:
“He will want you in every possible way. He will claim you, own you, and fuck how you’re supposed to be fucked.”
Yeah. That’s the energy we want.

I loved that both Grayson and Maddie got a great happy ending. I read this in one sitting because I was hooked from page one. This book was spicy, chaotic, and just so much fun.

so good!

Thank you to Hambright PR for a gifted copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this! I think it’s my first by Luna Mason and I’m already ready to grab the next one. I also have to go back to read Distance. These are interconnected standalones so they can be read in any order. But I am missing a little bit in the story so I’ll go back.

Anyway! I love a good mafia romance. The MCs met during book one so we pick up after book one ends. They have an “I want you but can’t have you” love hate relationship. This isn’t exactly instalove but also isn’t slow burn. The pacing was great for the story!

I was pitched this on social media as grumpyxsunshine with mafia and hitmans! The suspense on the plot was so good it kept me on my toes and honestly was one of the main reasons I finished the book. I felt the inner dialogue really just didn’t sit with me right I’m unsure why but I did not love it. The spice was done very well and the banter was **chefs kiss**. My main reason for 3 stars was the plot holes I felt were skipped over when they could have been easily glossed over in the book. The writing was a little rushed but I still felt as if the romance was somewhat slow burn. I think my favorite parts were the suspense and the mystery of the action happening behind the romance I didn’t fell drawn to and loving of the romance in the way I like to be

I was so excited for this read, but it wasn’t for me. I didn’t like how toxic Grayson was. Grayson pretty much said: I can’t be with you even though I want you, but you can’t be with anyone else. Huh? 🤨 The final straw was when he put her in danger when he was mad at her. 🫠 The smut was good, but that was about all I liked unfortunately. 🥲

Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thank you #partner Luna Mason and Hambright PR for this gifted copy of Detonate. ~ Mere

Detonate, the second in the Beneath the Mask series, was a fantastic enemies to lovers, mafia romance that was a fantastic interconnected standalone story. I confess, I haven’t yet read Distance but had no problem following along with the story. There were a few spoilers for Distance because the stories have slight overlaps, but I am not honestly bothered by those things. The story begins long after Grayson and Maddie met and they’ve both long held an attraction between them. Until now, nothing has passed between them except jabs and barbs because Grayson has kept Maddie at arm's length. But as we all know, the longer they hold out the hotter things get. And when things combust between Maddie and Grayson, things really take off and get interesting. Then danger circles closer and their relationship is tested.

Grayson was a fabulous, morally gray hero and his reluctance to let Maddie in was both thrilling and frustrating. Maddie was the perfect mix of sass and strength that hid her insecurities driven into her by every encounter with her mother. I loved their relationship dynamic and how Grayson treated Maddie like a queen. This wasn’t a mafia romance that was super plot driven with lots of twists and turns, but it was perfectly morally gray and spicy. I was able to sink into the story and enjoy without worrying about losing the plot. My only wish for the story would have been for the author to ellipse some of the hospital scenes since it seemed like some liberties were taken to shorten the lengthy process that any hospital experience entails. The inconsistencies with real life caught my attention. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and plan to continue the series.

I just finished this and loved every minute of it! Grayson and Maddie's story was my favorite! I really enjoyed that it was a dark mafia romance, but had a boxing theme. @authorlunamason just knows how to write a spicy book that you won't be able to our down. I loved this book and cannot wait to see what comes next in the series!

Thank you Hambright PR & net gallery at the chance to review. This was my first Luna book. I will be trying her other series next! Unfortunately this one didn’t hit the spot for me in what I look for in a good mafia read. But she has left me curious thus why I will try her other series next!

- Mafia Suspense
- Instant Connection
- Friends with Benefits
- He Falls First
- Age Gap (9 years)

Maddie & Grayson meet through their best friends. They have an instant connection - one Maddie instantly wants to explore. But Grayson has a desire to fall into bed with Maddie, because he knows she will want more & after the breakdown of his marriage, he doesn’t do love anymore.

Grayson threw himself into the mafia life after spending most of his life fighting in the army. After the loss of his best friend in battle, and in return also the failing of his marriage, he got into boxing which lead him into being in the Italian mafia. His life is the mafia, and he only sees women as distractions. Which is why he gets so angry at Maddie because she is the biggest distraction of them all.

Maddie & Grayson’s banter is top tier. I loved their banter. And when Grayson finally gives in and gives Maddie the love she not only deserves but craves, they become a power couple. But with Grayson’s dangerous line of work, can they truly be a happy couple?

3/5 stars with 4/5 steam.

🖤 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 🖤
Detonate by Luna Mason
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Under the bright lights of NYC, Detonate delivers a one-two punch of tension, heat, and heartbreak. Grayson is a boxing trainer by day, Mafia hitman by night—with a heart as black as his secrets. Maddie? She’s sunshine in a city full of shadows… and she just so happens to fall for the man no one should ever touch.

Their chemistry? Electric.
Their romance? Messy, forbidden, and absolutely addictive.
Their fate? Let’s just say—detonating was inevitable.

This book gave me all the dark romance vibes I crave—morally gray hero, a good girl who falls for the villain, and a grumpy/sunshine dynamic that burns. Grayson might not be a fairytale prince, but he’d destroy kingdoms to protect Maddie—and honestly? That’s my kind of love story.

If you're into:
🥊 mafia meets sports romance
☀️ grumpy x sunshine
💣 explosive chemistry
🖤 anti-heroes with soft spots
…you need this one on your TBR.

Huge thank you to Luna Mason and Hambright PR for the chance to fall for Grayson’s dark, twisted love.

🔥 “He calls me sunshine. I crave his darkness.”

#HPRDetonate
#LunaMason
#HambrightPR
#Detonate
#BeneathTheMaskSeries
#GrumpySunshine
#MafiaRomance
#DarkRomanceBooks
#MorallyGrayMen
#AshleyReadsRomance
#RomanceBookstagram

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.


Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book at 25% for the time being. I'm not sure if it was the formatting or the writing (possibly a combination of both), but this was a really tough story to follow. The characters at this point feel very surface and emotionless, and the plot is pretty non-existent. I will refrain from posting this to any social media pages. Just because this book wasn't for me, doesn't mean others won't like it.

ARC Review ✨️

♡Phenomenal♡

Grayson left the special forces years ago due to a betrayal. Now, he's carefully created a life for himself in New York. Famous boxing trainer by day, hitman by night.

Maddie is tired of being the black sheep of the family. Always the disappointment no matter what she does. Now she's in love with a villain. Can they're love last even though it's a danger to both of them?

Okay, so I completely ate this book up!!!! I read Beneath the Mask and was so excited for this one! They're both standalones, but I still recommend reading the first one only because it's truly the best!

This story has everything a dark romance lover dreams about. A villain who is absolutely obsessed with his woman🔥😍🥵 The writing and the characters fit so perfectly together! I absolutely loved the bickering between the MC'S, it made the banter so good! I am so excited to dive into book three, Lucas's story next😍

Tropes:
🖤Dark romance
🖤Steamy
🖤Mafia
🖤Age gap
🖤Grumpyxsunshine
🖤Touch her and 💀

Thanks so much to the author, Hambright Pr, and Netgalley for the ARC!