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Juniper wasn’t the right fit for the job, but it didn’t matter to him. She’d be the perfect fit for him. As the Underboss of the Conti Family, Alessio D’Amato hadn’t planned on finding anyone. Still, a simple, inane task led him to the woman he wanted more than he anticipated.

There were just a couple of problems. He wasn't a good guy, and worst of all, she didn’t see him as the guy for her. June had eyes for someone else.

From the first encounter with Alessio, I felt the heat between us. Unfortunately, I was just the help. He’s hot and cold, I couldn’t figure the man out, but when I did the gloves were off. Then he got the wrong idea, and I couldn’t correct him.

129 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 19, 2023

290 people are currently reading
245 people want to read

About the author

C.M. Steele

203 books2,044 followers

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5 stars
314 (42%)
4 stars
198 (26%)
3 stars
162 (21%)
2 stars
48 (6%)
1 star
19 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
Profile Image for Luna  ♡.
669 reviews251 followers
August 24, 2023
this was an enjoyable short story with an okay plot and likeable characters. it‘s a little strange that juniper is only 18 years old… but aside from this june and alessio have great chemistry. this is one of this books you can read, if you‘re looking for a fast story without any drama.
Profile Image for MerReads.
439 reviews46 followers
July 17, 2023
Safe
No cheating
No OM
No OW
No separation
No gross condom use
Virgin h
No history on H but I believe he is a virgin (because I want to *wink wink*)
low angst
easy, enjoyable read
HEA
I LOVE C.M. Steele! She has a lot of dual virgin romances and if they are not,in general the history of the H is not described and they are portrayed as hating being flirted with and don't indulge in sleeping with women. I LOVE THAT!! It is hard to find safe, low angst mafia romances, but CM Steele gives us just that!
This story is about Alessio, the second in command of the Conti crime family and a woman he fell in love with as he first laid eyes on her, June. June is looking for a job and is getting desperate. Alessio under the orders of the Dom of the family, Dario needs to find a maid. So Alessio went to an employment agency to see if he can find a trustworthy person who can be a maid in the estate, one that will NOT flirt with Dario (or him for that matter). The last maid tried to flirt with Dario and he shut that shit down and fired her. YES!! I love that!! (By the way, Dario's book is next and I cannot wait, I love the guy already!!). Alessio is not interested in being with women either, but his life is mapped out for him, from seeing a goddess, to seducing her, to putting a ring on her finger, giving her his last name and a baby in her belly, to then grow old together. Him and June, that is his future, and Alessio gets what he wants!
His mind is set, she doesn't know it yet. She gets the job and after being introduced to the staff starts her job. She cleans the windows which open to the pool where Dario is swimming, only she is not looking at him, she is daydreaming of Alessio. Alessio sees her "staring" at Dario, and thinks that her lustful feelings are for her boss and not him. He gets angry and is hot and cold with her. There are misunderstandings and she tries to tell him that she has no feelings for Dario and he certainly has not feelings for her. Dario does see the change in Alessio and toys with him to get him to spit out the fact that he is all in for the June, encouraging this blossoming romance. More things happen, but that is the jist of the book, and of course, the romance is great, the interactions when Alessio gets mad at June is a bit clunky, but that's all right and the sex is hot!
I recommend this and I cannot wait for Dario's story with the waitress and I am looking forward to the gentle giant enforcer Enrico's story too! I think he will be my favorite. SO SO SO excited for this series!!
Happy reading!
Profile Image for Oriana Reads.
4,303 reviews37 followers
March 22, 2024
This was an awesome start for a new mafia romance series. Alessio is the underboss in the Conti crime family and needs to find a new discreet maid for for the boss. Alessio sees June and is instantly smitten with the sweet young woman. June needs the job to help with the bills at home, but when she gets hired by Alessio a back and forth play starts. Alessio fell hard and fast but he thinks June isn't interested,but boy is he wrong 😏 Instalove, sweet, steamy, romantic and safe with a great HEA and no OP drama😍😍😍😍 And for me it's dual virgins😉
Profile Image for Tracy Pulley.
204 reviews6 followers
June 21, 2023
Exactly what I wanted to read

Alessio was exactly what I’ve been looking for. I wanted mafia-light. Something with some edge but wouldn’t get too gory and keep me up at night. I only have one issue: it made me sad that it was over.

TW: attempted SA - it’s stopped pretty quickly though.

I can’t wait for the rest of the series.
Profile Image for E.
85 reviews
August 30, 2023
reading mafia to get me out of my slump
Profile Image for Melissa.
1,676 reviews111 followers
June 21, 2023
Good

Safety and Spoilers

Safe. No ow drama. h is attacked by a bodyguard/henchman of H’s. H shows up in time to stop the attack. Nothing is mentioned about the H’s past and h is a virgin. H spends a lot of the book thinking the h has the hots for their boss. She doesn’t. He is very hot and cold with her and she is confused by his moods. I would have rated it higher but H wouldn’t let h have a kitten. He made her return it outside. I thought that was too mean, I love cats.
Profile Image for Suze Prescot.
Author 12 books31 followers
March 12, 2024
Mafia Romance

June needs work so signs with an agency. Alessio sees her there and employs her.
Part of a series. This story gains speed as it progresses.
Profile Image for Autumn Rose Tate.
441 reviews
June 24, 2023
shorty an steamy!!

I am a sucker for anything mafia!!! This is on the more tamer and not as dark side of things, but definitely still good. I love the story building she does for the other characters and how she writes. This couple was perfect for each other and after a little confusion on ALESSIO’s part they definitely got an HEA!!
Profile Image for Robin.
2,541 reviews20 followers
March 21, 2024
Alessio & June

A chance meeting. Instant connection. Some fancy moves to get her where he wants her. Miscommunication. And then finally they come together. And it’s wild and hot. Lots of drama in the background. It was a quick read and so good!
Profile Image for Ashley Marie.
362 reviews13 followers
Currently reading
July 5, 2025
HE WOULDN'T LET HER HAVE THE KITTEN!!!!
Profile Image for Beverly McCall.
Author 2 books28 followers
July 26, 2023
Alessio is the first book in C.M. Steele’s The Conti Crime Family. In it she chronicles the mafia age-gap romance between Juniper “June” Beaman and Alessio D’Amate. She is an 18-year-old curvy beauty and younger sister of May Belle Beaman. Alessio is an illegitimate member of the Conti family. Alessio is an underboss to his cousin Dario, the Dom. Rachel’s parents are both dead. Her father was a Chicago police officer. Her sister, May, is seeking a degree in criminal justice and contemplates becoming a lawyer. Destiny brings these two together when Rachel is pursuing a job as maid and the Conti family needs a maid. When he sees her he instantly knows she will be his. Will Alessio achieve his desire to make her his? Will she able to accept his lifestyle and commitments? To discover what happens, you must read this book.

Ms. Steele penned an enjoyable romantic crime family suspense. These two lead characters have a definite chemistry between them. The plot line is well thought out and allows readers to witness the evolution of their romance. She builds suspense with the antagonists that try to take advantage of her innocence. She uses dialog and a dual point of view to build palpable romantic tension. Lastly, Ms. Steele’s descriptive language creates vivid and endearing scenes; thus, capturing her readers’ attention. I am reading the rest of this series.
Profile Image for Jen ♥.
1,772 reviews988 followers
June 29, 2023
2.5 ⭐

very insta-lust and the 180 of alessio felt like came out of nowhere. he was interested but stayed away from june thinking she was into his cousin. then a hot minute later he's suddenly claiming her.

maybe it's a me thing but i didn't feel any chemistry nor sexual tension between them. they were attracted to one another and definitely lusting after each other, but it felt meh 🤷‍♀️

as for the plot, is there even one? 😂 it wasn't all over the place but i didn't get what's the main plot of the story. june was the hired help then alession is the underboss and was obsessed with her at first sight. the whole book was focused on june staying in the compound working and with alessio sneaking silently to stalk her, and eventually for the two of them to finally act on their attraction. that's basically the whole of it.

maybe, this is just to pass some time since it's a short read. but i would've still like to enjoy my book even if it's a novella. anyway, this didn't work for me but maybe the next book in this series will be a bit better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Lisa Scriven .
185 reviews1 follower
August 10, 2024
Nope

I've always been a big fan of this author but I have to say I did not like this book.I found the mmc a bully and I felt he treated the female character very mean and she just not stand up for herself at all.She was a weak character . I don't care how much you are attracted to someone. But you do not let them bullly you. It's 1 thing to be into some rough handling, and then there's another to be treated poorly. And he treated her badly and she accepted it. I didn't care for none of these characters. The males are nothg but bully. No love . Why would a female want to be treated like trash. I guess she did . But I will say the fmc sure was stupid n niave . I'm not used to the author writing the males where they seem to be cold-hearted and mean to the females n not loving in any way. No love, no passion he was just cold n a bully .not what I was expecting.
Profile Image for Olivia.
404 reviews
October 24, 2023
Premise was good. But this book was all over the place. Bringing up the sister and friend at sporadic and unclear times, just hinting at I guess future books but unfortunately not in a way that makes me want to read them. And I’m sorry, but how anticlimactic the proposal was. Just terrible. I almost just stopped reading there. But I kept going and was thrown for another loop with the whole random Michael line that made me think I must have missed part of the book. How random! And then, to end it with her thinking he’s cheating and he was just stabbed. I mean, whiplash. I felt like the author just wanted these random things to happen but couldn’t figure out how to make the story flow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
2,190 reviews5 followers
July 17, 2023
Solid 3 stars
Mafia romance. Not strong on the mafia dealings. Not very gory. But Alessio and Dario takes violence in hand when needed.
June is only 18. A virgin. But a saucy minx.
Their back and forth, cat and mouse, “I want but I can’t” was a bit long.
The sex was lusty but I can’t say I felt a deep connection between them. The diner boss and landlord storylines fizzled. What happened there?
The marriage and kids was abrupt and rushed.
It’s just novella length but I could have used more.
Still, I’ll read Mario’s book and hope it holds together more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for FHR.
1,082 reviews13 followers
June 21, 2023
From the first time Alessio sees June, he knows he has found the woman for him. But he is in doubt if she feels the same about him.
June feels the same, she just needs Alessio to be on the same page.

A quick, mafia themed story that has a lot of push and pull between the characters, a bit of passion, a bit of action and an eventual happy ending.
I’m interested to see what comes next in the series.
377 reviews4 followers
June 23, 2023
Great new mafia series(safe'ish😍)

Alessio sees his June and is obsessed. June although confused, feels the same. There is some miscommunication, assumptions and drama that get in the way but you know C.M. gave us a hea❤ this is a safe mafia story as far as the relationship goes which is my choice of read, so 🅰️➕. Plenty of heat and a bit of violence against those who deserve it. I Definitely recommend and can't wait for the next in this new series.
Profile Image for AudreymlHawkins.
484 reviews6 followers
June 30, 2023
brutishly sweet

Love at first glance for the mafia underboss

Hired to clean the boss’s mansion, June has no idea the man who hired her has a different position in mind for her.

With his emotions running hot and cold and thinking his love interest has the hots for his boss, Alessio almost a looses what will be his most prized obsession.

Of course C.M. Steele wouldn’t leave us without an HEA, this is one hot mafia romance.
153 reviews
July 19, 2023
It's good, but...

It was a fast pace read. It was good but not that good. I think I rolled my eyes to much to give it a full 5⭐. Him being an underboss, had to do to much of the leg work. Some of the (h) response were a bit too stiff. Like in In stead of "I'd like that", A simple Okay would've worked best. Just sayin. And the (H) talked a bit too much about spankings. " that's just my pet peev. So it's 4 ⭐ from me.
Profile Image for Misty Schott.
4,225 reviews35 followers
August 22, 2023
He'll get what he wants!

June really needs a job, but she's young and doesn't have any experience. Alessio needs to hire a new maid for his boss's mansion, but he is supposed to steer clear of any young women who might try to seduce his boss. The instant Alessio sees June he knows she's the one he's hiring no matter how young and inexperienced she is because she is his even if she doesn't know it yet.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
2,372 reviews28 followers
June 30, 2023
Alessio and June

I was a bit disappointed. I didn't really like Alessio much. I guess theirs was a slow burner because it was well over half the book when something finally happened between them. However, there wasn't any romance. Their first time together was clinical. Like I said, I was disappointed
288 reviews2 followers
April 4, 2024
A great Mafia instant love Novella

Let me just start off by saying I absolutely love this author her books are super hot and fun We start off this series With June And alessio June takes a job working for him and It is love at 1st sight for both of them A misunderstanding It causes a tiny bit of drama but They fall for each other rather quickly
3,983 reviews7 followers
June 12, 2024
Instant Obsession

The moment Alessio see June exit the bus outside the temp agency he knows she is meant to be his so he arranges foe her to be the new maid while trying to keep all other men away from her and keep.from the danger of his life but June doesn't let that happen she wants A less to just as much in this tantalizing tale.
258 reviews3 followers
May 9, 2025
One Love

He knew from the moment he saw her that she would be his-she just didn’t know it yet. The mmc was super jealous and obsessive about her. She fell for him as well, but couldn’t tell him. The way their relationship evolved was so sweet. I would definitely recommend this book and can’t wait for the mext one.
Profile Image for Kiara Rivas.
176 reviews
May 27, 2025
Es un insta love mafioso, me gusta que el siempre haya estado celoso y que fuera bastante claro que ella se volvio su obsesion, pero se me hizo super predecible que a la semana de conocerse y trabajar con el, de pronto ya se querian casar, en fin lo bueno es que sus amigos de Alessio tambien se prendaron por las amigas de June
Profile Image for Jeannette.
3,165 reviews8 followers
June 25, 2023
Loved it

This was a great book to read. I liked the characters and the chemistry and connection between them. I only wish that it was longer to read. I can't wait for the next book in this series
Profile Image for Shaun.
521 reviews
August 28, 2023
Quick dark romance read. I really enjoyed these and loved how quickly I became immersed in the story. Sometimes mafia reads are a bit too much for me on poor storytelling but these jump right in and flesh things out well.

[Gray kitten on "black" crochet book blanket.]
Profile Image for Linda Calizo.
748 reviews
March 25, 2024
Wow! nice surprise

I feel like, the following books may overlap. Since characters are all close. I love that it’s a quick read. A little intriguing, good bad guys and the really scummy type of bad guys. A little spice and over the top obsessive alpha who falls instantly for a feisty woman.
11 reviews
May 31, 2024
All radio (The Continued Crime Family)

This book is so well written, you can almost put yourself into the characters. Exciting mafia action and so much romance. Can't wait to read book 2
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews

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