Detonate by Luna Mason is a hot ride from start to finish. If you’re looking for a book that brings the heat and doesn’t let up, this is the one for you. Still spilling over from book 1, the tension between Grayson and Maddie is off the charts.

Grayson, with his broody, mafia hitman vibes, and Maddie, the fiery, sassy sunshine, are the perfect storm. What starts as bickering and a bit of dislike quickly turns into something much hotter. And once these two finally give in, the spice in this book will have you fanning yourself. Every encounter is steamy, and each scene gets more intense than the last.

Whether it’s their playful banter, their emotional connection, or the spicy scenes that will have you changing your panties, Detonate delivers on every level. If you love suspenseful romance with plenty of spice, this book is hot!

Detonate was definitely a good romance/thriller novel. It is book 2 in the beneath the mask series.

I audio booked the first book and it was so good, so I knew as soon as I seen this on here, that I wanted to read it. Luna is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine. The tension along with the amount of spice she puts into her books, has me hooked! Grayson and Maddie story was so good.

I will say that the book itself was a bit confusing to read, I downloaded to a few times and for some reason…it just didn’t sync up right with my kindle…which in turn is why it took me a little longer to read it.

Thanks so much

I’m continuing with Luna Mason’s Beneath the Mason series with Book 2, where we follow Grayson and Maddie. Readers were introduced to them in Book 1, Distance, and the way we got a sneak peak at the end, there was no doubt Book 2 would be steamy.

Grayson may be involved with the boxing gym, but he is not someone you want to mess with due to his background in the special forces and nighttime job in the mafia. But in the romance department, he’s been hurt and makes it known that it won’t happen again to him. He doesn’t kiss. He doesn’t date. And he is a one-and-done kind of guy. But Maddie changes everything.

I loved Maddie. She couldn’t give a flying fig about any of his nonsense. And that made Grayson feel that pull towards her even more. I like that there was a fair amount of time spent on their romance building in addition to the mafia action plot. I also liked how Luna introduced the characters for Book 3, hooking my interest enough for me to jump right in. Devoted, here I come!

this one is better than the 1st one but still not as good as I had hoped I couldn't get into the couple and their chemistry felt off

Liked how they started off hating each other and then slowly turned to them loving each other. Enemies to lovers tropes are one of my favorites!

I love Luna and currently reading this now I know it’s going to be amazing! This is book 2 in the series

This was so bad I would give it a zero. But I can’t so I’ll give it a 1. Bad writing paired with juvenile characters, repetitive situations, and extremely cliched.

Devoured this book and couldn't get enough of Grayson and Maddie! The tension between these two is so thick and I love their banter! I love reading anything that Luna writes, and this was no exception! While this is the 2nd book in the Beneath the Mask series, it can be read as a standalone - although I do recommend reading Distance first!

What to expect:
-Mafia
-Age gap
-Ex-military
-Morally grey MMC
-Possessive MMC
-Touch her & die

Thank you to Luna Mason, Kensington Books, Hambright PR, and Netgalley for letting me read/review an ARC of this book!

I’m in love with this book, quite frankly this world from Luna Mason!
This is Maddie and Grayson’s story and I love that we got more background on Grayson and why he is how he is, it’s emotional but like with all the best romances he’ll burn the world down for her!

“True, nothing like a good kidnapping to bring a couple together.”

It starts a little rocky with their “I hate you” but it’s not really hate, until they finally give in and eventually just stop resisting and fighting their feelings for each other. That doesn’t mean their baggage doesn’t make an appearance or two still, but it’s such a page turner!

“You aren’t my villain. You are my everything. I love your darkness. But I also love your light. I love every single part of you.”

There’s so much that u want to say about this book but I don’t want to spoil it more than I have but just know if you love dark romance, a man who is emotionally unavailable until he finds HIS woman, and a page turner that you won’t put down this is definitely for you!!

DETONATE: A Dark Mafia Romance by Luna Mason https://bit.ly/4l32TNy
Publication Date: 05/27/2025
Genre: Contemporary Mafia Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Cori
Rated 4 Stars

This was a hot enemies to lovers that kept me up all night. I love a good villain MMC and I fell in love with Grayson. I really enjoyed Maddie’s character as well. DETONATE had a good plot with several subplots going on. It had some action with lots of steamy romance. If you like a good mafia romance this is the book and series to pick up. I really enjoyed it and look forward to the next book.

*Review copy provided by Kensington in exchange for an honest review.

Kindle https://amzn.to/4kACy9J
Paperback https://amzn.to/4dX84MF

This book served up exactly what I crave: a sunshine heroine paired with a grumpy mafia hitman. It was a spicy, suspenseful read, keeping me hooked from start to finish. The dynamic between the sweet, feisty heroine and the dark, anti-love hero was instantly magnetic, fueled by delicious banter. Their fight against undeniable attraction was captivating, but what I truly adored was the shift from seductive tension to all-consuming obsession. Grayson's possessive love for Maddie was palpable. He dedicated every fiber of his being to her once he surrendered. It was empowering to see Maddie embrace his darkness and forge a relationship that was genuine, rather than what others expected. While some subplots felt a bit rushed and the sports element was minimal, this was undeniably a fun and satisfying read.

Thank you, Luna Mason & Hambright PR, for this ARC of Detonate! (Book 2 in Beneath the Mask)

This book was amazing, and I have to assume the other 3 books in the series are just as great! I think this is the first dark mafia romance I've read, and I am a fan!

I loved the initial slow burn between Grayson and Maddie. This turned into a very 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 spicy and fun book with a great plot.

Maddie is a very strong woman, and Grayson has a lot of strength from past traumas. Together, they are a force to be reckoned with!

I highly recommend this if you're into dark mafia romance or if you want to try out this subgenre.

Detonate is available on Kindle/Kindle Unlimited, Amazon paperback, and Audible. I've already ordered the audiobook 🎧 😁

Detonate is book two in the Beneath the Mask series. Detonate is Grayson and Maddie’s story.

They hate each other, have for a year. They love working each other up and taunting each other. But secretly they crave the other but never think it can happen. Grayson is a hitman for the mafia with a dangerous job and a traumatic past. Maddie is under her mother’s thumb to find the perfect man.

I do love seeing Grayson coming undone after so long of being hurt and trying to get past his trauma. His feelings hit him hard and fast. I love seeing a man who falls first and hard.

I feel like Detonate could’ve used more descriptive scenes and backstory on how Grayson operated within the mafia. His character needed to be built up more. I also felt the feud between the falconers and Luca was just briefly part of the book and all we saw was some injuries.

What’s the deal with Frankie? Why do I feel so half in, half out with that guy. I’m undecided. Hopefully his story comes out.

The spice is definitely there as Luna never disappoints in that area.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Detonate by Luna Mason is sports/dark mafia romance that follows Grayson and Maddie. Grayson is emotionally guarded, former military, and was portrayed by people he trusted the most in life. He is a boxing trainer, and mafia hitman. The only place for women in his world is for a physical release, nothing more. No strings whatsoever. Maddie is a disappointment to her family. She doesn’t want to have someone else dictating her life. She wants to be her own woman, believing in fairytales and happily ever afters.

Both of our main characters have their issues and things in the past that have made them the way they are. However, from their first meeting things were explosive. They had chemistry, but yet come from two completely different worlds. Detonate is an entertaining read, and for most part of the book is fast paced. I do feel it had a lot of potential and could have been a little bit more. Not saying that I disliked it because I did enjoy the read but it just felt like there was something missing or fell short, just a bit.I do look forward to looking into this Author’s catalog because her storyline was good and she kept me entertained.

Grayson doesn’t do love. A former military man turned emotionally guarded, he was betrayed by the two people he trusted most: his wife and his best friend, now a mafia hitman. Grayson keeps things simple: no attachments, no kisses, just physical release with no strings.

Maddie believes in fairy tales. She’s searching for her Prince Charming: someone kind, dependable, and safe. Instead, she finds Grayson: dangerous, brooding, and all wrong for her or so she thinks.

But sometimes, love detonates when you least expect it.

Detonate follows Maddie and Grayson from their explosive first kiss to a journey neither of them saw coming. Can Grayson be everything Maddie never knew she always needed?

Y’all I just realized I go absolutely feral for a mafia man, and Grayson? He is assassin -level dangerous and totally addictive. This book was spicy—really spicy—and I read it in 24 hours.

It’s a dark romance with all the tropes I love:
• Grumpy x Sunshine
• Touch her and die
• Sassy, confident FMC who doesn’t back down

The chemistry between the characters was intense, the tension was perfectly paced, and underneath all the danger and heat was a genuinely great love story. I was hooked from start to finish and I’m already planning to read the next one.

This is definitely a dark romance, so check the trigger warnings first. But if you’re into protective, broody mafia men and strong heroines, this is a must-read. I loved it.

From the moment Detonate began, I was hooked—completely immersed in Maddie and Grayson’s storm of a connection. Their dynamic crackled with unresolved tension, a slow-burn kind of electricity that never lets up. If you’re into emotionally charged love stories with a side of chaos, this one delivers.

Grayson's past is finally revealed and it bring so much clarity to his behavior. His ex-wife did a number on him and he's built up a wall of bricks due to the serious emotional damage she has done. Maddie kicks *ss in this book and the banter and foreplay between the two is a chef's kiss. Well done Luna Mason!

Beyond the romance, the side plots keep the pace brisk and the suspense high. Just when you think you’ve figured things out, a curveball hits—and suddenly, you're flipping pages faster than ever. That ending? Let’s just say it sets the stage for the next book in the best way possible.

𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒂 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝑰'𝒎 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓.

I loved Distance (Keller & Sienna), so I was so excited to read Detonate. I knew I was going to eat up Grayson and Maddie's story.

Grayson was a Marine, until an accident killed his best friend. While his friend is dying, he tells Grayson about a betrayal. Now Grayson is a mafia hitman with one thing on his mind. Maddie. After that kiss, he can't forget about her.

Maddie is tired of being a disappointment to her family. All she wants is love, and she wants it with the Grayson. Even if he is a monster.

I loved how these two went back and fourth with each other. Always making each other jealous. When Grayson finally gives in, the spice gets so good! I love that man. I also really enjoyed Maddie's character. The way she handled Grayson's ex wife!!!

I loved when the story picked up toward the end with the action. During the scene at the hospital it got so tense. I was really happy with how it played out. I can't wait to read what happens with Luca and Rosa!

Huge thanks to Luna Mason and Hambright PR for the copy of this book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Whoever recommended me this book, I will gladly pay for a full tank of fuel for you for sincerest gratitude.

I LOVED this book! If I could put a leash on a book and walk it around like my own little pet. But like how Grayson could with me, if you know what I’m saying 😂

This is a dark, very spicy, mafia romance with heaps of great banter and the chemistry between 2, you could cut the tension with a no 2 pencil.

We got a lot of backstory behind Grayson character and you get to understand why he is the way he is and his reasons for pushing Maddie way even though he wants her 🥵

The subplot was interesting, this book will keep you on your toes and overall a silly, fun, happy time ❤️