I'll start off by saying that this is insta-lust. Both MCs are instantly drawn to each other, and while I did think they were cute with each other, it was very much insta-lust/love. Despite that, I really enjoyed the characters. I liked how instinctual Grainne's management of Luca's temper was, and not even in a toxic way?? Like they both made each other better people and I loved that for them. They had a lot of cute moments, and I was wholly invested in their relationship.

I do wish we got more badassery from Grainne - we get told she's a femme fatale and we do get to see people fall head over heels for her, but I wanted a bit more in terms of seeing her use her skills. I also wanted to see Luca take on more with his father, he's mostly one dimensional due to his temper, but he seemed like he had the mind for heading up the Family, and I wish we got to see more of that play out.

Otherwise, this was such an addictive read. I sped through it - the tension between the MCs and the tension of the mob drama propelled the story and I couldn't look away, I was so invested. Definitely recommend if you want a quick read with some spice and an easily remedied conflict.

TW: kidnapping, torture, blood, violence, mutilation, attempted rape, injury detail; mentions sexual assault

Plot: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
World Building: 2.5/5
Writing: 3.5/5
Pacing: 3/5
Overall: 3.5/5

eARC gifted via NetGalley by Carina Press via Harlequin Romance in exchange for an honest review.

💜Mafia romance? Say no more. This was such a good read. I fell in love with the MMC, Luca. Talk about a big sweetheart. The way he tried to fight his feelings for Grainne and the way he loved her. 🥹
💜I loved all the family drama between the Mafia families. Talk about drama, plot twists, and betrayals! I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good Mafia romance!

🖤FAVORITE QUOTES🖤

“I didn’t even know I was missing this until I found her.”






Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin-Romance, and the Author for this eARC for an exchange for an honest review.

If you love Mafia Romance you're going to love this book.

I docked it down a few stars only because I felt the dialogue was a bit far fetched from what someone would actually say, but all in all I really enjoyed the book and would definitely be interested in reading more from this series.

Wow!! This was a completely unhinged Mafia college age romance that was dark in all the best ways!! The power dynamics and power plays kept me entranced in the story and I can’t wait for the other books in the series!!

OMG, an amazing debut. I just love the mafia trope. Some say it's over done. Not me though. I eat every single one up. To me it's hard to mess it up and this was perfection. I really felt apart of this world. I see the beauty in it.

Weaponized was a good solid read, a nice romance between the H and h in a college setting. After going thorough some unspeakable torture Luca or hero is introverted but fierce and feared, except when it comes to Grainne who has transferred to his college to choose one of the four husband candidates her father has dictated, except Luca is the brother not the candidate. This get hot and heavy from the start, but these two are both fierce, and have had enough of a traumatic past to understand and get along. The evil father put thickens and scratches are uncovered but there's a hea.

This books pacing was good, the characters well written, a little basic in the writing style but entertaining enough that I will read the next book.

#netgalley #weaponized

I love a good Mafia romance so my hopes were high with this one even knowing that it was a debut. It wasn't horrible but it did have a few things I struggled with. The lust was too insta, the characters were a bit juvenile and college age kids running a Mafia was something I couldn't fully believe in. I did appreciate the twist of the heroine being the one in charge which is unique to the genre. I do hope the author continues to write and I think with a bit of experience under their belt, they will have a real page turner!

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for the review copy.

This was my first by this author and I totally got into it but it did start a little slower than I thought it would. I will say since its a mafia story 100% check the trigger warnings cause I know some stuff can be a no go for others. I dont mind any of it cause I dont have triggers. Overall the whole plot and pace were definitely something that kept me hooked and I am looking forward to the second one.

This was a fun, quick read that fans of mafia and college romance books are going to love. Our FMC is sent to a prestige college to find a husband in the form of a rival mafia heir. The issue, her father is the head of the Irish Mob and his motives are anything but good and in the best interest of his daughter. Our MMC is one of 4 men deemed worthy by the FMC’s father. While he insists she sets her sights on one man, she is instantly drown to another.

Overall, this book had all the intrigue I love from a mafia romance while also having the lighthearted feeling of a college romance. It meant that our characters were a bit more immature and finding their way. This made for a lot of soul searching and stumbling for both characters. They faced so much conflict but always came back to their obsession with each other. All in all, a fun read with an interesting plot and great steamy moments.

Thank you so much to Kelly, Harlequin Romance, and NetGalley for this ARC in return for my honest review. My opinions are my own.

Book Title: Weaponized - Heirs of the Organized Book 1
Author(s): Kelly Kilburn
Publisher(s): Harlequin Romance/Carina Press
Available on KU? ✅
Audiobook? 🙅🏼‍♀️

🍿 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: I’m fairly certain that Weaponized by Kelly Kilburn is my very first mafia romance and I was into it. There is quite a bit of action which meant there weren’t any dull moments, and the spice was spicing. 🌶️🍆

🤩 𝚃͏𝚑͏𝚎͏ 𝙱͏𝚎͏𝚜͏𝚝͏ 𝙱͏𝚒͏𝚝͏𝚜͏: I am glad that this is the first book in a new series, and I am hoping Gráinne and Luca will make an appearance in the next book even if it isn’t directly about them. Their chemistry was hot, hot, hot all the way through and there are plenty of open-door scenes throughout the story. I loved how close Gráinne and her brother were, as well as Luca’s relationship with his brother Matteo. The alternating viewpoints between Gráinne and Luca kept things interesting, and I especially loved the second half of the book which had a lot of action. Plus, Gráinne was pretty badass, and she was extremely easy to love as our FMC.

💭 𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴: There is definitely violence in this book, and I would suggest checking triggers prior to reading, but it was a fantastic debut. I thought it was the perfect length at just over 300 pages, and I was completely caught up in the characters and the story. Luca was such a droolworthy MMC, and he along with the other characters came to life perfectly thanks to Kilburn's writing. I can’t wait to dive into the next book of the series when it comes out!

T͏h͏i͏s͏ B͏o͏o͏k͏ i͏n͏ 5͏ E͏m͏o͏j͏i͏’s͏ o͏r͏ L͏e͏s͏s͏: 📁🍆👰🏼‍♀️🥊

𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
𝙼𝚢 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

This was exactly what I was looking for when I said I needed a mafia romance. The plot was intriguing with a focus on family drama and mafia politics. If you love a man who is obsessed with his woman, then this is the book for you!

I would recommend this one for anyone who enjoys insta-lust and revenge on those whom deserve it!

If you like your romance to start from basically the first chapter and just keep picking up speed, this one is for you! Well written and spicy, I really liked this. Definitely not a slow burn.

Thank you to Harlequin for the advance reader copy. These opinions are my own.

Weaponized is a fascinating new adult mafia romance. Gráinne is the daughter of the head of the Irish mob. He sends her to St. Agnes with a mission of selecting one of four men from other powerful mafia families and seducing them into marrying her.

In some ways, this is quite dark. There's violence and assault in the story. It's also a bit of a mystery, especially with questions about plotting for territory and power. But at its heart, I found it to be a story of family. I especially loved Gráinne's relationship with her siblings and how it motivated her actions.

And I also really appreciated the somewhat surprising relationship between Gráinne and Luca. This is a book that kept me guessing and invested right through the end. And I immediately wanted to read Scandalized, the second book in the Heirs of the Organized series.

This was a quick read that had me really hooked in the beginning. I loved the femme fatale aspect, her being a weapon for the mafia and her character development throughout the book. I enjoyed the read but had some issues with the insta lust/love, miscommunication vibes and the MMC throwing tantrums and overreacting before having any type of conversation. I also felt like the ending was a bit rushed, so much happened that I wanted more info on.

ARC Review: Weaponized
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Weaponized is a dark, spicy mafia romance with a fun twist—this time, it’s the heroine who’s the real weapon. Gráinne is confident, cunning, and totally in control. She knows exactly how to use her looks and charm to get what she wants, and honestly, it’s refreshing to see a FMC who leads when it comes to the spice.

Luca, the broody enforcer type, brings the grit and intensity you’d expect in a mafia romance, but it’s Gráinne who often feels more dangerous. Their chemistry is electric, especially with that opposites-attract tension, but they fall for each other fast—maybe too fast. That quick love arc made the spicy scenes feel a little drawn out since there wasn’t quite enough emotional build-up to balance things out.

The pacing is a bit uneven and the plot hits some familiar beats, but there’s enough suspense and drama to keep things interesting. If you’re into dominant heroines, morally gray MMCs, and steamy power plays, this one’s worth picking up. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely a fun ride.

Thank you to @hqn_shamelessromantics @kellykilburnauthor and @netgalley for providing me with an ARC to review!

Weaponized was such a wild, addictive ride. I loved the tension between Gráinne and Luca dangerous, intense, and impossible to look away from. She’s sharp and seductive, he’s brooding and brutal, and together they’re pure fire.

If you’re into mafia romance with power plays, forbidden tension, and two people who were never supposed to fall for each other… this one delivers. I couldn’t stop reading.

This book is a mix of slow burn with splash of insta-lust without being too much.

The storyline starting out with great detail and 1/3 through the book everything started to pick up in the suspense and romance. I love Grainne and Luca from very start. Beauty and the Beast who had chemistry and fight.

It was a classic mafia romance that had some twists along the way, which had me hooked right away.

I actually have no words for how much I enjoyed this book! This was my first book by this author, and I will 100% be reading the second. Gráinne was a strong, powerful woman living a wealthy life where men rule and women are looked upon as trophies. Her cruel father has used her as a pawn her whole life. Luca, my sweet Luca. Such a shy yet so so so dominant man. Watching him open up and obsess over Gráinne was everything.

I think the side characters were well thought of, and I loved the role they played. The author set this book up perfectly for Elizabeth and Matteo to get their own book, and I’m honestly looking so forward to that. I loved the pacing, the plot/storyline, I liked the character development, I wish there was a bit more grovelling at the end. Other than that, it was a really strong first book to the series.

Read if you like:
-Mafia romance
-Who did this to you?
-Strong FMC/Femme Fatale
-Shy but morally grey MMC
-First Love
-Forbidden Romance
-Mafia/Elite School

Thank you Harlequin Romance + Shameless PR for this arc!

This is a new series by Kelly Kilburn, and my first read by this author. What I loved about this book even though it seemed insta-love, she let the relationship grow it wasn't rushed, these two college kids had enough obstacles in their way as you will find out when you start reading. This is a college romance, dual POV touch her and die, and he falls first kind of book. The relationship is intense and the chemistry perfect.

Love is a dangerous game…and she's the perfect weapon. A femme fatale mafia princess meets her dark, brooding match in this searing opposites-attract new adult romance

Gainee is an heir to her mafia family and her father is Irish Mob Boss, and he's a sociopath and has decided that his daughter is changing colleges, he transfers her to ST. Agnes University to find a suitable man to seduce and marry. She is to choose between 4 men, so far none of them appeal to her until her eyes meet Luca, their eyes lock onto each other. Her father isn't happy he was his least favorite pick, but a heart wants what a heart wants, even if it wants Luca who is heir to a Mafia family as well, and it isn't what either family really wants.

"When I told you that you were everything, I meant it. You make my life worth living. You make every day brighter just by being in it. While I will never know what I did to deserve you, I will never let you go."

ARC Review

-Dual POV
-Enemies to Lovers
-He Falls First
-Mafia Romance
-Touch her and 💀

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spicy: 🌶️

The book started off a little slow to me but once it picked up and the ball started to roll I couldn’t put it down!

Gráinee is such a strong FMC! She’s such a great character! I loved the way she always wanted to help and protect Luka even when he didn’t deserve it!!

Can’t wait to see what comes next!