This book was a lot of fun if you enjoy mafia books. While plenty of dark things happen, the main characters themselves are easy to love and root for - and their obsession with each other was more sweet than dark. The internal monologues of the characters were much more human and relatable than you sometimes see in mafia romance.

Black cat badass FMC, enforcer MMC is a secret cinnamon roll, families are enemies, with some found family vibes

4.25 stars rounded up

DNF’d at 15% Juvenile. Immature writing. Silly college romance. But they are running mafia stuff. Ugh. They are so full of themselves and they are so terribly annoying. I seriously need to stay away from college romances. I wish this one was as for me. Thank you for the opportunity to try it.

As a mafia princess, Gráinne has been raised to be a weapon. When she is given an order to attend college in hopes of marrying a man to increase her father’s power, she finally has a chance to live a more normal life. What she didn’t expect was Luca and the feelings that she isn’t supposed to have for him.

Luca is the silent enforcer, and I loved the way that Gráinne was able to bring out a different side of him. As the two fall into a hot and steamy romance, mafia feuds and shady relatives make things a little more complicated. This was a fast-paced enjoyable read and I definitely want to read more from this series!

Thank you Harlequin Romance and Netgalley for the eARC!

This was a fun mafia romance!! It follows the heirs of the heads of both the Irish mafia and Italian mafia. Even thought they’re in college, they both have parts within the “business” but makes it feel slightly more realistic than other mafia books I’ve read with those in their early 20s. Our FMC Gráinne is a really strong character and not a push over which I loved. The MMC Luca is a strong but silent type and is so gone immediately for Gráinne. Their relationship is perfect, both compliment each other to well. I do think they became infatuated a little too quickly, would have loved to see some more developments with her three other choices to spice it up, but still really enjoyed! Would definitely recommend for a fun little dark romance read.

Side note in which this did not impact my rating at all: I'm not sure if I would call it “dark academia”?! It’s dark for sure but it’s just set in a college setting, not actually within that genre in my opinion. Also would not categorize this as a "beach read", this would be best as a "dark college mafia romance".

Weaponized is the debut novel by Kelly Kilburn, and it is a compelling mafia romance. It is the first book in the Heirs of the Organized book series. Mafia romance is not a genre I’ve read before, but I really enjoyed this novel. The characters were complex and entertaining, and the book cover is gorgeous. I devoured this book in one day!

Weaponized is the story of Gráinne and Luca, two college students and young adult heirs to different mafia families. Gráinne’s father, an Irish mob boss and sociopath, has ordered her to transfer to St. Agnes University and find a suitable man to seduce and marry. This book is described as a dark academia romance, and most of the characters are college students in their early 20s.

The author introduces Gráinne and Luca to the reader by their violent and morally grey past experiences. Throughout the rest of the novel, in dual POV, the reader sees the many different facets of each character's lives. These characters are fascinating in the juxtaposition of their mafia ties and their commitment to their studies, friends, and families. In many ways, they are normal college students, which is not what you would expect for members of the mafia.

Gráinne and Luca’s love story is as tender and passionate as it is unexpected. Luca was not one of Gráinne’s father’s top choices for her, but when they meet, both are instantly drawn to each other. Their intense chemistry and deep affection for each other were a powerful part of this novel. These characters had a wonderful love story, which further redeemed them in my opinion.

Stories about the mafia are not always interesting to me, but I loved the portrayal of the mafia family members and their daily lives in the Sopranos. Weaponized is a great story about the real lives of the children of mafia families and how they grow up, which is fascinating. This novel exceeded my expectations, particularly for a debut author.

Thank you to Kelly Kilburn, Carina Press, and NetGalley for an advance reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book so much! I love reading mafia romance books and I was so happy to get to read this book! I highly recommend this book!

This book put me back into my dark romance mood and I am SOOOO thankful because I love it here.

Gráinne is the blonde bombshell seductress in her Irish mob family and has been under her dad's rule and thumb for her entire life. She is sent off to transfer to a university known to be the home to other crime family children and is instructed by her dad to pick one male out of four targets he needs her to seduce and eventually marry. She has a list of four men and Luca is the last one in her sights because he looks mean and scary. Turns out he's the one who interests her the most in the long run.

Will she do her dad's bidding or will she fall head over heels for who she's not supposed to? Read to find out - I LOVED their connection, the way they rode hard for each other, and the spice???

He said “Touch her and I’ll unalive you” and I said “Yes, Daddy, that’s the vibe.”❤️‍🔥

💣 I need book two immediately. Like I’m free Wednesday. Let’s fight her father together.

💋 Weaponized @kellykilburnauthor — Heirs of the Organized #1

From page one, Weaponized owned me.

Gráinne O’Toole?
Trained to be a seductress, built like a threat, hotter than my sanity can handle. She’s a mob boss’s daughter turned lethal undercover weapon. I don’t want to be her, I want to be on her arm while she burns empires.

And Luca?
BABE. My sweet, violent king.
A tattooed, emotionally constipated Mafia enforcer with the personality of a thunderstorm and the emotional depth of a Lana Del Rey bridge? Yes. Inject him directly into my soul.
He falls HARD and protects HARDER.

And when they collide at St. Agnes, sparks fly, rules break, and legacies are tested.

The tension? Unholy.

The spice? Delicious.

The family drama? Soap opera worthy.

The betrayal? Had me GASPING.

The fact that I now want Rowan’s book? A problem. Because I’m feral.

This book is pure dark academia danger wrapped in sinful spice.
💋 Femme fatale x forbidden romance

📚 Lecture halls full of lies and lust

🖤 Irish & Italian mobs colliding in messy, marriage-for-power games

🧨 “I’ll destroy the world for you” energy

🪩 Bonus: trauma bonding and lusty library scenes. Yes, plural.

This isn’t just a debut, it’s an entire personality.

If you’re into mafia chaos, forbidden romance, and characters who love like they’ve got nothing left to lose… Weaponized will consume you. (And you’ll love every feral second.)

Thank you, Harlequin, for providing a copy of this book. Major love to @HQNShamelessRomantics and @HarlequinBooks for sending me straight into the mafia pit of obsession.


Don’t walk. Run. Fall in lust. Ruin your life. Let’s go.

What to expect-
•mafia college romance
•touch her and die
•morally grey hero
•Spicy 🌶️🌶️🥵
•female friendships
•strong family bonds and betrayal

Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC!

How is this a debut novel? That was my first thought after finishing. I immediately went to look up the author’s other work and found this is her first novel! I have been getting into dark/mafia romances lately and this one did not disappoint! It was the perfect balance of romance, dark mafia, and suspense. I devoured this book in a day. I just couldn’t stop turning the pages.
I adored Luca’s character. He was a big, scary, tattooed guy but deep down was dealing with trauma and really loved those around him hard.
Grainne was such an interesting character that I really grew to love. At first she seemed like all she cares about it is her looks but that was how she was raised. Once we really see her character unfold we realize that she is actually a very loving person who would do anything to protect those she loves.
I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

This book! I absolutely devoured it. I was hooked from the start and loved the author's writing. I am usually drawn to the darker side of romance, and I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere this book created. The angst between Grainne and Luca is so good and it immediately sucks you into the book. The plot flows really well and kept me wanting to continue reading throughout the book. I am so glad I got this ARC and will definitely be reading more by this author!

Great start to a new series!

Gráinne and Luca's story had a lot of elements I love in a mafia romance! My favorite element was that Gráinne was a totally baddie!

I really loved that Gráinne could take care of herself, and we see that early on in the book. To me, it made the story feel original and kept me hooked to see what she would do next.

Luca was surprisingly sweet for how posessive he was, and I loved that the more outgoing Gráinne had to pull him out of his shell. The author did a good job bringing up past events without spending too much time on flashbacks, and it kept the door open for the supporting characters to have their moments in future books.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and want to see more from this world!

It’s no surprise that I would be drawn to another Mafia Romance. Author Kelly Kilburn’s debut novel centers around characters in college, and though not my typical age range, the femme fatale FMC and the morally grey MMC were a big plus.

The story develops well from the start, without any lulls in the plot. Graínne has her eye on Luca for specific reasons. As their relationship traditionally evolves, readers are introduced to multiple characters in Luca’s life, which I’m hoping may appear in books to come. We also get snippets of what Luca and his brother had experienced. I love how the author seamlessly weaves this together with Graínne’s position.

The angst that built up between Graínne and Luca was bearable for my heart, as Luca's grovel was reasonable and worth it. The story has plenty of steamy, spicy scenes, and the mafia plot is also good. I enjoyed Weaponized and hope to read more from Kelly Kilburn.

For my first mafia romance book, I really liked it! I did feel like their relationship loved to quickly but I didn’t mind it all like that. I loved the character’s vibes and how there was lore to the book than the whole romance.

Weaponized is a unique new adult romance. While it has some aspects in common with other stories - the academic setting and mafia family dynamics - the combination in this story is different than others. The FMC, Grainne, is the daughter of an Irish crime lord, but she's not just a pawn in the family's game. While she's been trained to serve her father's political needs - as a "femme fatale" type character, able to seduce men easily but still tough enough to bring them down - she no longer wants to be part of her father's game.

Grainne is unique in that in addition to not being helpless and beautiful, she's also very strong, well-trained, and whip-smart. She doesn't want to just find a husband and further her standing in the mafia world - she wants to continue with her academic goals and have a real career. I found myself rooting for her at every turn, even when she got into some tricky spots.

This love story is also very well done. Grainne and the MMC, Luca, truly have something special - in this story, the drama comes from outside, and it's how they weather the storms that creates the interest. Luca is not the typical mafia son - yes, he does bad things and he's in the world, but there is something darker there that makes it hard for him to be open. Grainne's love for him changes him in a way that is really heart-warming.

There's tons of spice here, but some slow burn and intervening drama too. The spice is well-written and not too dark - perfect for the new adult genre. Highly recommend!

Thanks to the ARC team for an advance copy of this book!

Weaponized, Heirs of The Organized 1, by Kelly Kilburn: Book Review

Many thanks to Harlequin Books, Netgalley, & the Author for the eARC!

“Beauty is a burden that can be weaponized. Under its shiny veneer, the core can be sharp, jagged, and ugly.”

Genre:
Dark Romance
New Adult Dark Romance
Contemporary
Tropes & Themes:
Mafia Princess
Irish Mob Family
Dark Academia
New Adult/NA themes: College Parties, Lecture Hall, Campus Life
TWs ☑ (Typical of Dark Romance, including violence, torture, kidnapping, SA)
Insta-Lust-to-Love
Mafia Alliances & Boundaries
Tortured Hero
Morally-gray characters
Past Trauma
Protective Older Brother

“Gráinne, don’t disappoint me. You won’t like the consequences.”

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Gráinne O’Toole, eldest daughter of Cormac O’Toole, New York’s ruthless head of the Irish Mob, was born to fulfill her Da’s wishes. Out of his own self-interest, he’s trained her like a soldier to be a femme fatale, use her pretty face and surgically sculpted figure to get into enemy territory and take her target down to his knees: through seduction or violence, (both of which she is fully capable). Under the veil of her beauty is a college-educated street fighter with smarts and a fierce loyalty to her family, but at her own expense. Her father’s latest assignment for his daughter is to seduce and marry one of four expected Mafia Heirs, to advance her Da’s self-interested ulterior motives. She’s understands her role as a Mafia princess, after all it was the life she was born into and she’s never challenged her role. But when she attends St. Agnes University, a grooming ground that strengthens or denies Mafia alliances, and where marriages are arranged out of duty to family, not love — this break from her Father has her considering new possibilities, chasing her college dreams, and even falling in love. As a Junior in college, her older and overprotective brother, Rowan, keeps her in his sights and introduces her to who’s who around campus, including the men in the thick folder her father left her to study. But one of those men has her absolutely flustered… second-guessing everything from her feelings, to a sense of overall betrayal she feels when she gets closer than she ever expected to the Larozzi family, a powerful Italian Mafia clan.

"If you wrapped sunshine in grace and then dipped it in honey, you’d have that very girl. Yeah, I know what I sound like. I said what I said. Thing is, I don’t go for girls like that . I know what they see when they look at me. I’m too much of everything and not enough of anything, so I don’t expect her to focus on me. But she does. I’m not sure if she feels the weight of my stare or what, but she locks eyes with mine and doesn’t turn away."

Luca Larozzi is a beast, devoted to his family, college studies, and the Mafia world he understands all too well as the son of Victor Larozzi, NY Italian Mafia Boss. When Rowan O’Toole introduces his sister to him, he’s mesmerized by her in ways he’s never felt, but acting on those feelings doesn’t come as easy to him as his twin brother and other buddies.

Told in dual POV offered more expansive story world-building in addition to the all important “two sides of the same story.” Often one perspective would pick up in the next chapter, a seamless transition between Gráinne and Luca’s POVs that made for a smooth reading experience.

Weaponized, a NA Dark Romance, is a wonderful debut by Author Kelly Kilburn. I loved these characters so much, especially Gráinne, Rowan, and Luca. I read this novel quicker than usual (for me) in two sittings, and even though I’ve read my weight in Mafia romances this year, this one surprised me in the best way. Weaponized is fresh with a new, unique concept: a college romance with a Mafia backdrop. And it just worked. The plot came together beautifully — dark and lyrical like a Lana Del Rey song. One unlikely but true pairing that burned hot and quickly, only for that same spark to be snuffed out by misunderstandings and bad alliances. This dark romance evokes a rollercoaster range of intense emotions, perfect for readers who crave the (fictional ) and contrasting combinations of lust and fear, love and disgust, pain and pleasure, and vengeance and forgiveness.

I’m glad this book is part of a series and I hope Rowan gets his own story someday!

5 stars, or beautiful heartshaped-Celtic knots!

“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.” 💜

I haven’t read a mafia romance book in a very long time but after reading Weaponized I’ve realized how much it’s a genre I actually enjoy! This book was super well done and I felt that it was a perfect blend of plot and spice! The book is relatively fast-paced and it kept me hooked all the way through!

The tension between Gráinne and Luca before they got together was intense and their chemistry was insane. They’re definitely up there in terms of hottest couples I’ve ever read. Even though their relationship started out practically as insta-lust, I truly loved their relationship progression!

If you love mafia romance; a college setting; dual pov; touch her and ☠️; he falls first; an overprotective morally grey MMC; and opposites attract, then definitely check out this debut book! Weaponized releases on July 8!

Thank you so much to Harlequin for an advanced copy!

Also, how gorgeous is that book cover! 😍

Gráinne is supposed to choose between four men who to marry per her father’s orders. None of them appeal until she locks eyes with Luca. Nothing goes as planned and she delights every single moment with him.

Getting ready to bookmark because this book is HOT! Kelly Kilburn gives us a new adult angsty mafia romance with all of the violence, family drama, and steam you could want. Holy sugar, it is good. I read it in one sitting because I did not want to miss a moment.

Now I will give you a heads up, there is a lot of violence. At one point in the story, I teared a little because it was heartbreaking. Kilburn sucked me right into Luca and Gráinne’s story that I was completely invested when everything hit the fan.

Gráinne is someone you want as a friend. There is no judgment. She just supports her friends. She’s loyal to her brother. Then when she falls for Luca, she’ll protect him with everything she has - even her life.

Then there is Luca who has been through it because of his family. The minute he lays eyes on Gráinne, that’s it he’s done. From that moment, no one better touch her, say anything about her, or look anywhere below her neck.😆 His relationship with his family is amazing. The bond that Matteo and he have is enviable. Luca may look like a “monster,” but he’s a lovebug.

I love how the author took their time with Gráinne and Luke’s relationship. There is steam throughout the book, but there are layers to it. There is also a frank discussion about safe sex. I’m always saying that you can have safe sex and have it still be hot and Kilburn proves that.

The secondary cast is just as interesting as the main characters. There’s dramas and backstories. I will say that I originally wanted Lizzie with Rowan, but now…Matteo is sounding good too. Like I said, drama.😆

I’m invested in these characters and their stories already, so I can’t wait for the next book. Weaponized has a kickbutt leading lady and man who will demolish anyone in her way. Romance. Heat. You can’t ask for more this summer.

Weaponized is such an impressive debut from Kelly Kilburn. I devoured it and am looking forward to the next book in the series. My only quibble is that I think calling it a "Dark Academia Romance" is a little misleading; it's a dark romance that takes place on a college campus, but the setting is more peripheral than in most "dark academia" books. The age of the characters and where they are in life, however, is central to their story. I appreciated that all the characters are trying to figure out their lives now that they have some degree of independence, yet are still haunted by past trauma. Also, the way Kilburn introduced the characters that will be getting their own stories was both natural and intriguing. All around, a great reading experience!

The book started great. There was an instant attraction, but halfway through the book, the writing began to feel flat. Somehow, I couldn't connect with the characters and found no depth in them. The story is good but it could have been written better.

**e-ARC was provided by Harlequin - Romance and NetGalley!

First of all, can we talk about the cover? It’s almost too pretty for words. The whole thing is a purple dream.

Now that we’ve covered that, lets talk about Grainne and Luca. A grumpy, dangerous, tattoo’d mafia son? Yes! Yes! Yes! He meets the Irish princess who is supposed to seduce his brother but falls for me? Yes!
- Trauma bonding
- Grumpy Sunshine
- Broody Morrally Grey MMC
- Betrayal
- Touch her and die
- Romeo and Juliet

All yes yes yes. I really enjoyed this story and I ate it up. If you like mafia romances and the color purple - this one is for you.