4 ⭐️. There are two kinds of families. The family you’re born into, and the family you choose. If you had no choice but to pick between the two, which would you pick?

This is the first book I’ve read from Marisa Calcara, which my understanding is that it’s her debut novel, and it was a pretty good debut!!

The story follows Angela Pines and Brady McDaniels, who could not be more different, yet have more in common than they bargained for. They are both first-year law students, both from New York, both moved to California due to the same problem, both want to avoid falling for the other, and both have a huge secret to hide. Sometimes the saying is true—ignorance is bliss; but so is the other saying—everything eventually catches up to you.

Despite Brady’s initial intentions, he is such a sweet guy. He makes mistakes along the way, acts like an asshole at times, and things happen that are out of his control, but when he communicates with Angela, he’s patient, and pushes her out of her comfort zone AND THE BANTER. Amazing. Such a good Catholic boy… but not too good.

And Angela. She carries such a burden that she shouldn’t have to carry, and tries to right wrongs that were not her doing. She has so many emotional walls put up, which I relate to, but I enjoyed the way she works through them and opens herself up to him, both eventually working around their deal and boundaries.

There are some things Angela does that have you questioning the believe-ability of the story, like the hair, the name, etc. which obviously could’ve been better if she was trying to cover her tracks, but at the same time she’s not a pro. It’s evident throughout the story that she wasn’t a part of that world, didn’t want anything to do with it, wasn’t exactly trained, and this was done in a haste so she was working with what she had.

This had so many things I love in a book: relatable characters, emotional depth, romantic tension, a bit of suspense/high(ish) stakes, drama. Once I picked it up, I could not put it down. If you want an intro to mafia/mob stories, this is a great one to start with!

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to reading more of Marisa’s stories in the future. Thank you to Entangled Insiders and Marisa for the opportunity to read this ARC and provide my honest review 🤍

Thank you Entangled Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

While I found this story pretty enjoyable, I didn't really think the FMC was all that clever. If I was trying to run from the mafia and various government alphabet agencies, I would not change my name from Angelina Pini to Angela Pines (Pini is Italian for pines). Second, I wouldn't have kept my clothes, shoes, etc from my previously lavish lifestyle OR have dyed my hair silver and purple. Next, I probably would have questioned someone who clearly is trying to insert themselves in to my life a little more.

So, if you can suspend your disbelief over all that long enough, you might find this a solid read.
The tension is high and the two MCs have a lot of chemistry, even if it starts off superficially.

I think this book also brings up whether doing something wrong for the right reasons is acceptable, and to what degree. Angela insists on burying her head in the ground (to some degree, at least), but her desire to attempt to be a good person won't let her be the victim, which I can respect.

Quick read. A bit of a different take on your typical mafia read.

Angela is a mafia princess on the run hiding away in California while Brady is also in California keeping an eye on Angela, unknowing to her at first. They both are keeping secrets about their identities, but slowly realize even with danger lurking, they will do whatever it takes to protect one another.

This was my first e-ARC from Entangled Publishing and this is my honest review

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for this ARC.
This was my first read by Marisa Calcara and I fully enjoyed it. I read this book in 2 evenings, it was a quick pace and hard to put down. I don't typically pick up Mafia/Mob related books but since this one didn't deal too much with the mob aspect I decided to try it. The story is easy to follow and I enjoyed the romance aspect while 2 characters are also trying to find themselves. Both Angela and Brady are young and trying their best to save their families while also growing up and finding out who they are away from family. Calcura portrays the early 20's just how I remember them, rash decisions, emotional decisions, falling quickly for someone, and the struggle to maintain independence. I recommend this book if you are looking for a quick read and a HEA.

When you hear the term mafia romance, you automatically think of Alpha males, the protective guys who will do anything to you and for you. Sometimes we get the blood and gore, depending on the writer.

This story has some mafia romance flair, but it’s written in a different aspect and from a different view. Plus, the female lead doesn’t really know who he is, which brings another level to the story along with some suspense.

The characters are pretty well developed, even though they’re both working with lies about themselves.

She’s hard-working and intent on taking care of herself by doing everything she can to make a life of her own. He is smoldering and sexy and falls for her pretty darn quickly, with a lot of guilt attached.

The tension between them is strong, and you can feel why they’re a good fit. I love the slow ramping up of the relationship, knowing that something‘s gonna blow at any second.

Together, they are sexy and steamy, and Calcara throws in enough tension that we want to keep reading straight through. There are a few places where there are some inconsistencies in the story, but they didn’t really bother me too much.

A Favor Owed has good flow. The storyline is interesting and unique. For a first-time author, the story is enticing and memorable, delivering a good twist of a romance.

This book almost hit 5 stars for me—it had everything I wanted: chemistry, emotional stakes, and two characters who are way more adorable than they have any right to be given the heaviness they’re carrying.

Their slow unraveling into each other? So soft. So real. The kind of “falling in love” that sneaks up on you while you’re trying to stay angry or distant or just survive. And the “don’t lie to me” / “my whole life is a lie” moments? Gut-punch. I was blinking back tears at 2am whispering “just let them be happy, damn it.”

The reflections on 9/11 were handled with care and emotional depth—fictional, yes, but grounded in a reality that still echoes for so many. It made the grief feel heavier, and the love feel more urgent.

The only reason this isn’t a full 5 stars is the communication breakdown. I love a bit of tension, but this one dragged out the silence and stubbornness just a bit too long for my taste. Still, a beautifully written, emotionally grounded story that I’ll absolutely be recommending

I was so excited for this one, mafia princess, yes please. The execution just didn't work for me. I thought it would rely more on the mafia aspect than it did. There were just some parts that didn't work fully for me. The characters were definitely fun and their romance was great.

If my name was Angelina Pini, my cover name would most definitely not be Angela Pines 🤦🏻‍♀️

I feel like the summary blurb gives off a total vibe and the book just does not match it.

The book was okay in the beginning until we get to where Brady just keeps repeating that Angie owes him. He repeatedly states she owes him when she doesn’t truly know him or what he is doing. Then at the end of the book Brady realizes that Angie never owed him. Make that make sense.


Brady is okay with his dad forging documents but since his dad got caught after providing fraudulent documents to Angela, it’s her fault. Brady is just grazing over the fact that his dad is the one that makes the decision to partake in the illegal activities. Drug smuggling and money laundering are all fine and dandy to Angie but she draws the line at human trafficking. Brady and Angie truly are two peas in a pod.


What does a warm girl smell like? I got tired of hearing that Angela smelled like warm citrus and that her hair smelled like coconuts. 76% of the way through the book, Angela has spent 3 nights in a motel and a week living in his apartment and you are just now stating she took out her contacts to show Brady her true eye color?


The ending has things that just don’t make sense. Angela talks about how she knows she will forgive Brady even though she preciously mentioned she has already forgiven him. In the epilogue, it’s mentioned that eventually Angela‘s dad will get out of prison although previously in the book her dad was already let out of jail on bond, so I’m not sure why this plothole here.

Romantic, emotional, tense, and such a strong story that you get totally pulled in! A few popular tropes woven together, hidden identity, secret agenda, and a bit of mafia thrown in. Solid characters and substantial plot make this a real winner.

🖤💼 She’s hiding from the mafia. He’s hiding something darker. Falling for each other? That was never part of the plan.
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I devoured A Favor Owed in one sitting. It’s the kind of gritty, tension-filled romance that keeps you flipping pages and side-eyeing everyone for secrets. 👀💣
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This isn't your typical bad girl meets good guy story. Nope. She’s a former mafia princess trying to outrun her family’s sins, and he’s the charming complication who might just have ties to something even more dangerous.
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Dos Torres may look sleepy, but what brews beneath the surface? 🔥🔥🔥
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Expect lies, secrets, slow-burn chemistry, and twists that will leave you gasping. Marisa Calcara brought the heat, the danger, and just enough vulnerability to make your heart ache.
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✨ Tropes/Elements:

🖤 Mafia Princess in Hiding

🧢 Boy Next Door (With Secrets 👀)

💥 Hidden Identity

🌶️ Slow Burn, High Stakes

🤐 Forced Secrecy

❤️‍🔥 Forbidden Romance

🚨 Found Out = Game Over
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If you’re a fan of dark secrets, morally gray characters, and romantic suspense that pulls you in and doesn’t let go? Add A Favor Owed to your TBR now.

#AFavorOwed #MarisaCalcara #EntangledAmara #RomanticSuspense #MafiaRomance #SecretsAndLies #HiddenIdentityRomance #SlowBurnRomance #BooktokMadeMeDoIt #NetGalleyRead #BookstagramRecs #TBRAddict #BookishHook #RomanceWithBite #DangerousLove #RomanticThriller #NewAdultRomance #MafiaPrincessVibes #HeFallsHard #SheRunsFaster #SpicyReads #BooksWithSecrets #literaryhavocreviews

This was a quick, drama filled read!

Angie is a mafia princess who runs from her family “business” in New York to California and enrolled into law school.

Brady is a firefighter from New York, away from his family and enrolled in law school.

Angie tries to keep Brady at arms length, wanting to keep her real identity a secret. But Brady is persistent, with his own secrets.

The banter between the two was great, and their relationship was sweet.

Talks of 9/11 and sex trafficking.

Overall, 3.75 stars for me!

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the E-ARC!

Felt super drama filled (in a good way!), as in there never really felt like a moment of “down time”. Which was nice and made for quick reading.
It for sure felt more contemporary leaning than your classic mafia book, so if you had trouble getting into heavy mafia books, this may be a great stepping stone for you!

DNF at 47% I just felt like I had no real connection to the characters other than enjoying the spice. The plot was there but not really. I just needed more than Angie pines has a debt to pay and it’s mine to settle. I liked that they called each other by their last names and the spice was hot but other than that it just wasn’t for me. I just have better things to be reading. No hate to the author this just wasn’t for me.

4.75 ⭐️
🌶️.5

Did I actually think this mafia romance was gonna have me trying not to sob multiple times over Brady & Angela's relationship? Absolutely not but my god it was so binge worthy I had to force myself to put it down

I really enjoyed both Brady and Angela's character arcs and the emotional development that occurred for the both of them as the story progressed and I just about fell in love with Brady along with Ang.

Angie Pines & Brady🤭🤭

Ohh Brady, Brady, Brady!!
The boy who was on a mission to get info to free his dad and get him out of some mess. Winds up falling for none other than Angela Pines the person he told himself he wouldn’t have any feelings towards.
Angie is a mafia princess (correct me if I’m wrong) but her dad is feared and into some shady shady stuff.
She ran away from home, but lied to her mom saying she was in a retreat.
Anyways she basically started a whole new life and was trying to do right because of what her dad was doing.
The flirting between was cutee I was happy when ange wasn’t feeling soo lonely anymore.
Brady is your typical playboy he has commitment issues but when he meets Pines that all changes.
I really enjoyed this story honestly kept reading to figure out why she ran away from home and why Brady was following her👀👀😅

*I was given this book as an eArc but my review is based solely on my own thoughts and opinions*

I enjoyed it. It’s not really a mafia book though, it has like mafia ties and mentions which kinda threw me off cause I went in with certain expectations but that’s on me. I do love a good redemption story and coming of your own. It takes a lot of guts to do what the mfc does and rats out her dad, leaving comfort and luxury behind. I feel like the 9/11 history of it should be mentioned in the synopsis just in case that’s a trigger warning for someone but who doesn’t love a firefighter?! It tug at my heartstrings which I was not prepared for.

This is the debut novel by Marisa Calcara and what a stunning job it was. I'm not usually into mafia type books but I’m glad I didn't let that deter me from this book. I honestly wouldn't file this under mafia though and I'll explain why in my review.

Angela is in law school in California but her knowledge of law and drive to finish law school show she should probably be at a more reputable law school. The same could be said for Brady. In fact, he has a spot at Columbia. So why are either of them attending some low ranking law school? This is where it gets good!

Very early on, it's disclosed that Angela is running from her family back in New York. She's an only child and her father the don of the mafia, making her a "mafia princess." When she learns things about the business and doesn't want to be associated with that garbage, she takes drastic measures. One of those decisions she makes results in her needing to move far, far away from home.

Brady has his own secrets and reasons for no longer living in New York. Let's just say someone close to him is a bit of a vigilante and it's landed him in some very hot water. Brady is in California to help keep this person out of trouble.

I really did enjoy this book. I loved that it was more about Angela and her drive for why she wants to be an attorney, which is so admirable in my eyes. She's such a strong fighter and really shows that throughout this entire book. Never once did I think "Ugh, I hate when the FMC cowers like that" while reading. She held her ground. Even when she was letting her guard down.

As for Brady… he's a NY firefighter who has ties to those working 9/11. Need I say more to entice you to read this? If so, how about I was not prepared for chapter 33 when Brady recounts September 11th from his very young point of view. Had I been ready, I would've had tissues on hand and not been sitting in my living room with my family all around to witness the tears! But alas, they did and I encourage you to also feel the emotions while reading.

This book isn't about the mafia and how it works. Nor is about those in the mafia. It's about how ties to the mafia impacts others. Whether they are related to those in the mafia or the person works for/with the mafia.

Thank you so much to Entangled Publishing and Marisa for allowing me the opportunity to read the ARC of this book. It truly was an amazing read and I’m excited for others to be able to experience it. I highly recommend this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read 75% of it in one sitting. Brady is a goofy, fun-loving man that cares about his family so much that he would do just about anything to take care of them. Angela is a resilient, hard-working mafia princess trying to do the right thing. Throughout the book I found myself often smiling at the things Brady said/did and how sweet the romance/relationship was between him and Angie. I really liked that the author discussed topics like Sex Trafficking rings and 9/11. It brought up real-life issues without getting too heavy but gave depth to the characters and helped explain their decisions throughout the book. I’m so glad that I was given the opportunity to read the eARC from Entangled Publishing and I look forward to reading more from this author! Truly a fun, great paced book with a HEA.

This is the most drama filled contemporary romance I have ever read, and that is really saying something.

We have a mafia princess who basically decides she’s over it and snitches on her own family. She is trying to live a new life when she meets a guy who just might ruin it all.

This book is super easy to read and follow. It’s very fast paced and a quick read. It has the POV of both the female and male main characters, so if you love dual POV from both love interests, check this one out.

Thank you very much to Entangled Publishing, Brittany Zimmerman, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own and in no way are influenced by the manner in which I received it.

Overall I would give a 4.5 stars to this book. I really enjoyed it, and I also just love the whole crime scene. I think the idea of the mafia's boss' daughter on the run hoping to not get caught after trying to leave the family completely is so much fun to read about, and her going to law school nonetheless. I also am a huge fan of the trope I hated and wanted to use you until I got to know you, because I feel like that is such a real life thing that does happen any way that I love it when I read it in books. Truly one of those people are not always who they appear to be for better or for worse. I think this story had a lot of character development for our FMC, but I was surprised to see her so easily swooned by someone with her background. I know it talks about her being hard to get but she felt pretty easily swooned to me with how quickly the storyline felt it went. The only reason for the loss of the .5 star is because I wish we got a little more of a view of the true family dynamics of our FMC mom and dad. We did but also I felt like I wanted a little more. Like some true dialogue or something between them whether that be through flashback or at the end. Otherwise, I felt our MMC and family was well developed and was the perfect family you would want to end up in! Loved this book and love a HEA!