I wouldn't call this a mafia romance. I'd call it a not-mafia-mafia romance. The female main character is a mafia princess on the run from her family. She fled New York to start over in California. She finds herself in the crosshairs of a sweet boy next door from the Bronx. He's hiding a huge secret, and she isn't willing to tell him who she really is. I loved the chemistry between the two characters and rooted for them to have their HEA.
Spice level was about a 2. This was more of a slow burn with a lot of banter.
Overall, this book was more like a cute contemporary romance with a lot of family drama. I enjoyed reading it and look forward to reading more from Marisa.

In A Favor Owed by Marisa Calcara, expect a compelling mix of slow-burning tension, dangerous secrets, and a love story that’s as risky as it is irresistible.

The FMC (Angela) comes from a family with ties that could turn deadly. She’s determined to make a difference with the hand she’s been dealt, but the secrets she carries may be what holds her back.

The MMC (Brady) is trying to save his family, even if it means making impossible choices that could hurt others in the process.

When these two collide, their differences spark an unexpected connection. What begins with friction slowly transforms into something deeper. But with secrets, outside interference, and personal revelations standing in their way, the journey ahead will either bring them closer or tear them apart.

Do I recommend? Yes!!

It was “meh.” A self-entitled man falls in love with a great woman trying to right other people's wrongs. Their banter made the story better.

MAFIA ROMANCE ALERTTT! Okay, so there's a mafia PRINCESS who decided to erase her life and start over by ratting her family out and then tries to live her new life, but then meets a manz who could ruin that (because of course). Fast-paced and easy to follow, and not super dark! I don't love dark romance but I always eat up mafia romance... hehe.

I enjoyed Angela and Brady's story. I just expected more and it took me a while to finish this book. At less than 500 pages, I really expected to fly through this book and I was looking forward to seeing more of the "law school student".

Thank you to Entangled Publishing, NetGalley, and Marisa Calcara for entrusting me with an early copy!

Dual POV, secret past, mafia princess on the run, super fun Dirty Dancing references and jokes, all the banter, betrayal, mental health rep, cinnamon roll MMC

Angela is hiding in California from her mafia dad who she betrayed. She is going without the luxury she is accustomed to while going to law school with intentions of helping people like her family hurts. Enter talkative, kind, and very attractive Brady who she knows she should stay away from. But Brady is worming his way under her skin. She realizes too late he also has secrets. Brady is on a mission to help his dad and needs to get close to the spoiled mafia princess Angela. But the closer he gets to her, the more he realizes there is so much more to the guarded woman who now holds his heart. Will they survive each other's secrets?

My goodness. I could NOT put this book down! It made me laugh, it made me cry multiple times, and I was grinning like a fool at the end. It's also a love letter to the 9/11 firefighters and first responders 🥹. Though both Angela and Brady were keeping secrets, it was sort of a nice twist that they knew there were secrets but they couldn't let each other go. There was also a lot of action in the book and I never was bored with everything going on and the tension with the secrets. The was such a lovely standalone and now I want to go watch Dirty Dancing!

PLEASEEEE 😭😭

Im bawling this was so fucking cute yall. 10000/10 stars. All the stars.

Brady.

Our poor sweet little boy. Our lil golden retriever. I want

And Angie? Oh our sweet little firecracker. Please I absolutely love her. This was so fucking cute and I loved the entire book.

3.5 stars (rounded up to 4)

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this title.

A Favor Owed presents a compelling premise: a mafia princess striving to escape her dangerous past and a mysterious man with a hidden agenda who enters her life. It’s a story full of intrigue, secrets, and steamy chemistry between the leads, Angela and Brady.

While I was initially drawn in by the premise, the execution left a bit to be desired. The chemistry between the main characters was undeniably hot, but at times it felt like something essential was missing in their connection or development. There were also a few plot points that felt underdeveloped or unresolved, which made the story feel slightly uneven.

That said, there’s plenty here for romance and suspense lovers to enjoy, and I can see this book being a hit for many readers. I’m rounding up to 4 stars because while it didn’t fully land for me, I appreciate what it was trying to do—and I’m sure others will love it.

Favorite quote: “I’m not who people think I am.”

Thank you Netgalley, Entangled, and the author Marisa Calcara for the ARC of A Favor Owed.

❤️Dual POV
🖤Forbidden Romance
❤️Mafia Princess
🖤Secret Identity
❤️Light Mafia Romance
🖤Cinnamon Roll MMC

Synopsis:
💫From mafia princess to broke law student—nobody in sleepy Dos Torres knows who I really am or the dark legacy I left behind in New York. I’m just trying to lay low, survive, and disappear… until he shows up with a smile that spells trouble. Too bad falling for him could get us both killed—especially since he’s hiding secrets of his own.💫

My thoughts:
💫This was such a fun, fast-paced read with a perfect mix of spice and depth! I loved the banter between the main characters—it kept me hooked. What really set this apart from your typical mafia romance? She’s not chasing danger, she’s running from it… especially when her dad is the mafia boss. A refreshing twist on the trope!💫

If I see an Entangled ARC sign up am I going to sign up for it? Absolutely! I saw this one and I couldn’t resist! This was a super fast read and one that sounded so good!

🌹Màfíá Princess
🖤 Dual POV
🌹Forbidden Romance
🖤Secrecy

This book has some dark elements and the FMC is in hiding because of these dark themes. The relationship between the 2 MCs keeps you on your toes due to the secrecy and forbidden romantic vibes. There’s a suspenseful undertone to this book that keeps you wanting more! Forbidden romance is one of my favorite tropes and I loved this one.

⚠️Possible Trigger Warnings

Thank you to @entangled_publishing for allowing me to read this arc!

Thank you Entangled for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. A quick pace story between the main characters where they both have secrets from each other, including ones that could get their parents in trouble. It was fun reading about Angela and Brady trying to dance around with their secrets but they end up falling hard for each other. We see glimpses of assumptions about one another and how they fall apart throughout the story. The ending felt a bit rush with how things ended. Regardless of this, highly recommend the novel & a book you do not want to put down.

I enjoyed the first half of this book. It felt like a college romance, and both of the main characters had fun personalities. Both Angela and Brady were keeping secrets from each other while simultaneously starting a friendship and relationship.

Unfortunately, I had a hard time buying that Angela was a mafia princess which was supposed to be one of the main premises of the book. I was hoping for more action and danger, but it felt like a typical contemporary romance because the stakes were too low.

Overall, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. There was a lot of potential with the plot, but it needed a little more mafia to work for me.

Thanks NetGalley and Entangled publishing for the eARC.

3.5 stars

-Duel POV

Quick read, it felt a little outside of its genre for mafia/contemporary but over all a pretty good debut novel. I would be excited to see what comes next from Marisa

Thank you to entangled and NetGalley for an arc copy of this book!

I love a mafia romance. So I thought this book would be right up my alley. And honestly? Kinda. I think there were some parts where the book was a little 🫣 but for the most part I ate it up. It managed to be a mafia romance without being the same troupes that always get used.

Overall, Angie was my girl.

Thank you Entangled for the ARC

Angela Pines appeared to be the average college student who was struggling to make ends meet while going to law school part time and work full time. Between her waitressing job and her cheap and falling apart rental, each day was a lesson in survival. This was a big change to how Angela’s life was a year ago: a big mansion, designer clothes and anything she wanted. The problem? Her dad committed heinous crimes so that they could enjoy the nicer things in life. After running away from her mafia princess life, Angela feels like she owes society. Essentially a debt to the society that she is now a part of. The only relief that Angela now finds comfort in is Brady McDaniels. Brady is tall, fit and is the boy-next-door. The last thing Angela expects is to fall for the man. That would complicate things. However, it appears that they both have fallen more for each than they were expecting. The issue? Brady is hiding even bigger a secret than Angela is. Will their secrets pull them apart or will they learn to trust each other despite the lies they’ve been holding in?

This was such a good but fun read! I’ve not read this author before and it was such a treat! Some tropes include strangers to lovers, he falls first, ex-mafia princess, some suspense and more. Some TWs would be mentions of violence, explicit s*xual content, and more. Please look into possible triggers either on the Author’s page or website. Take care of yourself.

This was such a fun and easy read I flew through it! There’s plenty of drama that pulls you in right from the start and makes it hard to put the book down. It’s a mafia romance, but with a twist: she’s the one in the mafia family, which adds a really refreshing dynamic. The dual POV adds even more depth to the story, letting you see both sides and making the emotional moments hit even harder. If you’re into fast paced Mafia romances with a bit of edge, this one’s definitely worth picking up!

4 stars ⭐️ I really enjoyed this debut novel! It's a book that has lot's of high-stake drama and romance. I connected with the main characters and couldn't put the book down. I was rooting for Angela as she set off on a new life.

What to expect:
- Dual POV
- Mafia Princess x Firefighter
- Slow Burn
- Debut Novel

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Mafia princess Angela leaves New York for California to attend law school. She wants to start a new life, and to excommunicate herself from her family, and the crimes her father has committed as a member of the mob. Enter Brady, a classmate with what could be an even bigger secret than the ones Angela has. Brady wants to get close to Angela, as a way to help his father, and has a preconceived notion about this "spoiled mafia princess." But as Brady and Angela get to know each other, their feelings start to change. They both know they shouldn't get close to each other and it's a bad idea, but sometimes you listen to your heart over your brain.

I enjoyed the overall plot of this book and the character development. Brady and Angela had some fun banter, and you see them both in moments of vulnerability, stuck between their family, and doing what's best for someone they've grown to care about.

This was my first Mafia romance, and certainly won't be my last!

Rating: 3.5/5
I would describe A Favor Owed as a light mafia romance compared to the ones I typically read. This is perfect for readers who want to dive into these types of books without wanting anything too dark. Angela is a mafia princess hiding from the mafia life for reasons involving her mafia boss's father and the illegal activities he’s involved in. She wants to lead an everyday life as a law college student when she meets a “boy next door/cinnamon roll” fellow student, Brady, with whom she hits it off. But Brady, too, is hiding secrets.

As mentioned earlier, A Favor Owed is a light mafia romance and light on the spice. I enjoyed the banter dialogue between Angela and Brady as they got to know each other. Much of the story was Angela protecting Brady from learning about her secretive mafia life. There are some sad moments in Brady’s story and his family's. I did like how everything wrapped up in the ending.

This book exceeded my expectations; it was such an amazing story, and the characters were so memorable. I was totally engaged throughout the entire novel.