Overall a solid debut. I am mor into the way mafia romances usually go so this take was a little bit not for me. Characters were not to bad. The slow burn was decent. However the ending was a bit rushed. I would still give this author another go.

This book was a good mafia read! Angela Pines is the daughter of a New York mob boss. She betrays her father and moves away with a new identity to enroll in law school. I love how fierce she was and no matter what she had been through she still tries to put her best foot forward.

Who doesn't love a mafia romance? This was definitely a different spin on mafia romance, but nonetheless I liked it and found it interesting.

Our FMC, Angela Pines runs away to California to get away from her Mafia family, especially her father who is involved in some pretty bad stuff that she doesn't want to be involved in.
There, she attends law school and meets Brady a New Yorker and previously a fireman who is also in law school far away from home.
Initially, he tries to get close to her because of his family. He's trying to save his step dad from getting in trouble because of Angela. But then he slowly falls in love with her and can't help but do so.

I loved Angela, she was strong and wasn't a damsel in distress. She did what she had to do even having grown up in the lap of luxury and not knowing what life was like otherwise. She's a hardworker and a lovely person who keeps everyone at a distance.
Brady is trying to protect his family because of his history. He feels that its up to him to protect them all and to put himself second.
The book has a good flow and is super easy to follow

Thank you to NetGalley & Entangled for the e-ARC for my own opinion.

This book has ended up on my DNF list. I DNF'd about halfway through, It was a struggle to get through the chapters. The plot and characters were boring and made it very hard to get through

ADVANCED READING COPY
dnf @ 40%
I JUMPED at the opportunity to read this early. The book description and cover are what drew me in.
For a debut novel, I had issues from the start with staying interested. The MMC & FMC had tbis weird instant attraction to each other that wasn’t fully explored. The constant second guessing of the FMC for the better half of the 40% was tough to get through. The possessiveness of the MMC to a girl he spoke 2 words to also threw me off. I couldn’t get past how insta-love it felt but the inner dialogue kept telling the reader it isn’t.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

Interesting premise! "Mafia princess" trying to do good. Boy caught up in a situation where he is trying to make things right. The two meet at law school and a connection is formed despite secrets that could destroy not only their relationship but their lives. I liked both of our leads and while the romance went from lust to love pretty quickly, I still was routing for them. SPOILERS: The ending was a little rushed, and I really didn't buy that the head of the Mafia who was so immersed in evil doings he would just let his daughter and her boyfriend off the hook... but I do love a happily ever after, so...:)

3 stars

I love a good hidden identity romance and A Favor Owed was done so well it kept me on my toes. The stakes were really high and both main characters had something to lose. From the mafia princess on the run to escape her family to the guy who is out there trying to save his father from a jail sentence, the action and continued secrets never slowed. I was utterly engrossed and wanting to know what happened next with every turn of the page.

Wow this is such a great book. I can't believe this is Marisa's debut novel. If you are looking for a Mafia princess that doesn't want to be one and works to make up for what her father is doing. The relationship between Brady and Angela is so good although it definitely has some hiccups. I really enjoyed how their relationship was and turned out. The ending turned out perfect.

A Favor Owed is fast-paced, dramatic, and completely unputdownable. Marisa Calcara delivers a romance that’s equal parts gritty and swoony, with layered characters and high emotional stakes.

I was hooked by the premise right away—a mafia princess trying to outrun her past while living a quiet life as a law student in a small California town. The dual points of view made the story easy to follow and helped build strong emotional connections with both main characters. Their chemistry simmers beneath the surface, and while some of their interactions felt messy or even painful at times, that only made the relationship feel more raw and real.

The tension and secrets unfold in a way that kept me turning the pages, and I really appreciated the blend of suspense with romance. Yes, there were moments where the dialogue felt a little awkward or the pacing jumped, but overall, it delivered a compelling and satisfying story with a lot of heart.

If you love stories with hidden identities, complicated family histories, and characters learning to trust and love again, this one is worth the read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!

Thanks to @entangled_publishing for a #gifted eARC.
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To everyone else, Angela is just another broke law student trying to survive in a dusty California town. But beneath the surface she’s a former mafia heiress, hiding from a past soaked in luxury, secrets and blood.
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This story hooked me from page one. It’s gripping, emotional, and full of tension. You can feel the weight she carries, trying to outrun her past while navigating a new life that’s anything but safe. The love interest Brady was a heartthrob with a twist I didn’t see coming.
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If you love stories with dark family secrets, dangerous romances, and heroines trying to reclaim their lives, this one’s for you.

A strong FMC who is trying to start over far away from the family and life that has put her in harm's way more often than not. When she meets the MMC there is something so refreshing about him that she can't help but be drawn to him. However, she can't get too close to anyone for fear of being found out.

This story has the intrigue, passion, spice, and right amount of love to keep you entertained. Thank you to Brittany from Entangled for the eARC.

3.5/5

This was a cute, contemporary/cozy style romance.

The storyline includes the mafia, changing of identity, starting a new life, FBI, secrets and a medium-burn romance.

The story was easy to follow. The dialogue with the characters was realistic and the narrative was understandable.

The story flowed with ease at a medium pace.

I did find the ending a little sped up and closed the story out fast.

3.5⭐️, rounded up.
A Favor Owed isn’t your typical mafia romance, it offers a new take on the genre. The story follows Angela Pines and Brady McDaniels, two New Yorkers who find themselves in California for law school, each with very different motivations. It’s fast-paced, dual POV format lets you experience Angela and Brady’s growing connection while their secrets slowly unravel and impact one another. Overall, I enjoyed A Favor Owed and would recommend it to readers looking for a quick read and a fresh take on a genre they think they’ve seen it all in.

Tropes:
* Mafia romance
* Forced proximity
* Dual POV
* Law school setting
* Secrets and hidden past
* Slow burn with tension

Thank you Entangled and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC and provide my honest feedback.

Marisa Calcara absolutely delivers with A Favor Owed! This gripping, emotional, and sizzling slow-burn romance had me hooked from page one. The heroine’s journey from mafia royalty to law student in hiding is raw, vulnerable, and so compelling. And the love interest? SWOON. He’s charming, mysterious, and just dangerous enough to make your pulse race. Every twist pulled me deeper into their world, and the secrets they both carry added incredible tension. Smart, sexy, and full of heart, this is a must-read for fans of romantic suspense. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! 💥📚💖

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! This was my first "mafia" romance and a perfect romantic suspense.

Angelina and Brady meet as first year law students in California. On the outside, each seems like an ordinary promising law student. But they are both hiding deep secrets and dark pasts. As their attraction grows and they find their relationship becoming more than a fling, they perform a careful balancing act of sharing just enough with each other but not too much to send everything up in flames. Neither is confident that their bond will survive the truth, but it doesn't stop them from trying.

This book has a dual point of view so the reader is in on what each character is hiding, but there are also details that unravel throughout the book. Overall a very fun read!

A Favor Owed by Marisa Calcara is an intriguing & distinctive mafia romance that focuses on a young woman fleeing from her father’s dangerous world & trying to start over only to find a new stranger in her law school that sparks a flame. However, between her history & his, things might not what you expect, I recommend reading to find out more!

A Favor Owed is great for those looking to read…
🩷 Mafia Romance
🩷 Law School Romance
🩷 Secret Past
🩷 Close Proximity

I appreciated how unique this story was. I want to try to keep this vague because it’s so fascinating not knowing quite where this was going. This does deal with some difficult topics, so I do recommend checking content warnings.

If you are looking for an emotionally deep, interesting & spicy mafia-ish romance between two law school students, I recommend checking out A Favor Owed!

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Entangled Amara for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

I enjoyed ‘A Favor Owed” it was a good story and was well paced. We’re introduced to Angela, a law student running away from her crime family. She’s changed her identity and looks to avoid being found thousands of miles from home. She meets Brady: a cute, popular, peer who reminds her of home. She’s afraid to get too close because of the dangers that come with her secret, but quickly learns that Brady isn’t who she thought he was. This book is told from multiple POVs and highlights what can happen when you make assumptions about a person without knowing them. Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the eARC.

I thought this was a good read, however I wasn’t wow’d at it at all. I found it to drag in some places which made my overall reading experience feel very meh

A Favor Owed held my interest from start to finish. It’s a light mafia romance. Most mafia romances I’ve read have more danger and characters not afraid to face it head on. Not really the case here but the story is still very good.

I wanted so badly to love this book. I really enjoyed the idea and premises of the OTHER side of mafia families, what happens in the event you want out and are willing to do what it takes to get there. However, I just felt like the characters in general weren't executed the way I had hoped for. I definitely enjoyed Angie more than Brady. His misogyny was intolerable and the chapters with his POV was extremely lackluster. As far as a debut novel, I can appreciate where the author was going with it but unfortunately it was a miss for me. The spice level was good once we got to that point but the borderline awkwardness to get there was almost not worth it. I would absolutely give this author another go because I can see the intent and I can hope that it will only get better with future work, but this one fell extremely short for me. 3/5 stars.