Forbidden desire simmers between a mafia king, and his enemy's daughter that could ignite a war within New York City. Luca From foster kid to mafia boss, I was the undeserving king to the throne, forced into this role after my estranged father’s death. I gave up everything to build my empire. Nothing else mattered—until I kidnapped my enemy’s daughter. Rosa Falcone. Il mio tesoro. When fate drags Rosa back into my world, I can't make the same mistake again. Even when the future of the mafia depends on my arranged marriage. I still can’t resist her. There’s no way in hell I can watch her marry another man. Even if it means starting a war.
Rosa The wild child, the spoilt mafia princess. No one understood my pain, so I hid behind the mask. That was until Luca Russo stole me from my life, only to put me back together again. I gave him my heart, and he let me go—back into the arms of my abuser. This time, I don’t have anyone to protect me. Or so I thought. Luca might not be mine to keep, but that doesn’t stop me from falling deeper. But when the world is against us, how much would we be willing to sacrifice to have our happily ever after?
I got excited to start this book thinking LUCA will be best. But disappointed by this one.
He kidnapped her & started treating her like a princess from the start 😩. Its sweet , he helps her get over addiction & nightmares of her past, but why including a plot of kidnapping 🙅🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
He is a mob BOSS but does a shit deal with rival ???!!! No thinking and all. Rosa , she thinking by just not giving her tormented name she is protecting her sister and Luca what the hell is that…. If she just told his name all the dragging would have een solved.
Safety warnings: - No cheating (between MC's) - OW/OM drama - R*pe/s*xual assault - Violence/d*ath - Domestic/Emotional Abuse - Loss of loved ones - Trauma - Drug/Alcohol addiction - HEA
Luca ''MF'' Russo. He had me in a chokehold throughout the book. I will admit that in the previous books I did not think much of him, but this book changed everything.
Rosa was an interesting surprise; she is very different than the two previous FMC's in this series. She is dealing with years of trauma and pain. Her only way to push it all down and keep it all away is drinking and using drugs. Her intense need for both is not just brushed over, which I was very happy about.
These two would do anything for the ones they love and wish to protect, and they are both stuck in doing what needs to be done to make sure nobody gets harmed even if it means putting themselves in harm’s way or giving up their own happiness.
This was a great quote: ''I’m desperate to have one last taste of heaven before I get sent to hell''
I was heartbroken when shit started hitting the fan, I really did not expect Luna to do what she did with a few characters.
One of the villains was just cruel but the other was pure utter evil. I had to take a breather during a few scenes because of how intense it was.
I should mention that the two of them are eventually arranged to be married to different people and they try to keep away, but it does not last, and they end up cheated on their ''fiancés'' but trust me when I tell you, it's not a bad thing or will make you feel bad for them. I do not like cheating and this to me was NOT it. It really is a messed-up situation and neither Luca nor Rosa have any intimate or romantic feelings for their ''partners''.
Was I shocked by Luca's decision at the end? Yes and no. It was hinted but I still didn't expect it to occur in THIS book.
My final comment: Frankie needs to prove himself to me in the final book (his book).
he kidnaps her but treats her like a princess. 10% in the book and he's being all lovey dovey 😭😃. There is basically NO HATE. I hate these typa books. Ugh and it was too long. Like 90 chapters 🤡
the mafia princess after she was kidnapped:
“I swear, I feel better today. I’ll just watch some movies, maybe sit outside and get some fresh air. Going through all of my new clothes will take most of the day.”
LIKE HELLO💀
also she's a coke junkie and he helps her with her addiction as soon as he kidnaps her 💀
“I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with this. I bet this wasn’t what you signed up for when you kidnapped me.” His warm palm covers my hand resting on his. “This isn’t about me. If this is what it takes to heal you, then I’m glad I did."
DNF@50% Following the theme of DNFing more and less of forcing myself to read something I don't want to. The fact that Rosa was okay with being the other woman was downright insulting to me. Because I will NEVER be okay with that. I don't care how much of a cunt the "fiancée" is. I would never be okay with being the side piece when I'm supposed to be the "love of his life". Luca should have burned the world down to keep Rosa. I don't care who threatened one of your family members - YOU'RE IN THE MAFIA FOR FUCK'S SAKE😭 This book has also helped me realise that I'm not an angst girlie. I mean, I do like it if it's done right obv. But I wasn't a fan of it in this book. Him being engaged to someone else, her being engaged to someone else, them pining over each other and not really doing anything about it...just too messy for me. Also, why was this book so long?!?!?! 600+ pages??? When it coulda been wrapped up in 300 pages? I like a long book only if the writing is gripping/out of this world. This was not that, though. I don't have the patience for it lol🥴
DEAR AUTHOR(s): when we address topics like assault, addiction, can we not minimize them? Can we actually sit down and think about it before you use it as a premise in your plot? Can we inform ourselves and do proper research before we "confidently" write about it? Because the way this book is written it makes you feel that the author has 0 clue what she's talking about nor did her research properly (throwing up from cocaine withdrawal for example). Pulling this off requires ALOT of experience to make it sound believable, showing, not telling and just more darkness.
h, who's been an addict for years after being ra**d, cures her addiction in a matter of like weeks, by the support of H who has no experience on the topic, has no relapse, or any bad thoughts about getting a drink going to all these parties? And also, someone who is portrayed in the beginning of the book to have trauma from her assault and the man that did it, had debilitating nightmares and panic attacks can just miraculously be set up to marry her rap**t by her uncle and actually be able to suck it up? Are you joking...?
Apart from this huge misstep with the sensitive topics, the book is overall childish, naive, most of the plot choices make no sense, not angsty enough (or at all considering all the tropes), it's badly written, we should be in the Mafia world but seriously giving vibes of like people that work together in an office in the way they speak and act like wtf. Zero darkness, rushed, not believable and cheesy. Author just picked popular tropes and went with it trying to create a dark romance, failing miserably and ending up with this Telenovela chaotic ridiculous BS.
I guess becoming a bestseller now is done by tiktok trends based on luring readers with false advertising. Kudos.
Devoted (Beneath the Mask, #3) by Luna Mason Book Blurb: Luca -From foster kid to mafia boss. I was the undeserving king to the throne, forced into this role after my estranged father’s death. Rosa -The wild child, the spoilt mafia princess. No one understood my pain, so I hid behind the mask.
Rating: **** Feels: Pain, Comfort, Heat, Vengeance Style: Dark Romance, Mafia Romance, Contemporary Romance First published September 30, 2023: 666 pages Kindle
Definitely dark themes and spicy scenes to get the heart thumping. It was truly sweet to see how Luca took to Rosa and basically embodied the touch her and die , burn the world down tropes. It was slow burn at the start with some definite pining which was lovely and let to some nice tension before we really got into the spice and heat. I loved the found family, protective aspect of the whole story which really fit into the whole mafia story well. Loved seeing the other couples I assume from the previous books still madly in love and being adorable. The parting of Rosa and Luca was painful and was definitely dark and leading up to the end which was very climatic. Enjoyed this read and look forward to reading about the other couples. This was easy to read as a stand alone without reading book 1 or 2 first.
Favorite Quote: "What I do know is, anything with you will be everything."
This book has: Mafia Romance Enemies to Lovers Forbidden Romance Tortured Hero Forced proximity Arranged Marriage Kidnapping & Rescue Touch her and Die Past SA Addiction and Recovery
Thank you to the author, Kensington publishing and Hambright PR for this gifted arc in exchange for my honest review.
So, I think I’m gonna call it a DNF at Chapter 39. Once I realized Dante was Rosa’s r*pist I had to skim to see when Luca would kill him. Well imagine my stress and frustrations to realize it took longer than necessary AND she was set up to marry the damn man. Like wtf! And I got quickly annoyed realizing she never ONCE told Luca or Frankie. Like WHY NOT! The worst that can happen is he finds out. The worst worst thing that can happen is he dies by the hands of Frankie or Luca. But instead she’s sneaking around the whole book with Luca having ample time to tell him AT ANY POINT but never did. I don’t understand the logic. I’ll give it the first few times but this went on for chapters. Which also meant the smut wasn’t enjoyable to read bc knowing she could also use that time to end all this and chose not too….just idiotic. I can’t read no foolery like that which is disappointing because I really enjoyed the last two books and was looking forward to Luca’s. And the crazy thing is this pulled at my heartstrings the most from page one and to see it go so far left was just really disappointing.
ALSO, finding out their Mom died was just devastating because knowing she wanted to see Luca marry Rosa and she never got that just broke me honestly. I feel like a lot of this was unnecessary death and plot chaos.
this book was honestly so bad and I can’t believe I finished it. I absolutely adored the first book, but this one feels like it wasn’t even written by the same person. Luca didn’t even act like the boss with the crappy deals he was making and just the way he acted overall. He let everyone walk all over him when he is LITERALLY THE BOSS. Also if Rosa fr would have just told him it was Dante the book would have been over and all the drama wouldn’t have happened. Dante didn’t even kidnap Eva until the end so if Luca would have killed Dante it would have been fine. But Eva then trying to betray Rosa at the end of the book when literally everything Rosa did was for her??? Literally so messed up. Honestly this just didn’t do it for me and I was so mad half the time because everything that happened shouldn’t have happened when Luca is the mob boss. I also don’t like how he just all of a sudden said he was quitting the mob like ummm that’s not how it works but ok. Honestly not a good read and am highly disappointed.
she was raped by her fiance years ago before their engagement, but didnt tell anyone. if she just FUCKING TOLD PEOPLE THEY WOULDVE HELPED HER THEN THE ENTIRE BOOK WOULDVE BEEN CUT SHORT. this is just unnecessary bullshit. she didnt tell anyone bc her fiance threatened to kill her lover blah blah blah. news flash, her fiance is apart of the mafia i think he couldve protected himself, no?
i dont know why she waited until the wedding to tell her lover. everyone was on her side and supported the marriage with the rapist fiance because they had no idea. IF SHE JUST TOLD THEM. SHIT ASS BOOK UAHGHHHHH AHHHASGHIJSFK.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Ever since I was recommended to read this series, I was HOOKED. From the first chapter of the first book. I’m convinced that Luna puts some crack in them because I cannot put them down and the legacy continues with Devoted!! Thank you so so much Luna for the ARC!
As for Luca and Rosa. ahhhhhhh my babies! I loved them so much! They had me gripped and routing for them from the get go. This was definitely the hardest book yet to read between the 3 books. My heart was breaking, I was in a constant state of reading through my tears but it was so worth it.
Rosa - ahh whilst we got to meet Rosa in the earlier books, so little was known about her apart from being a mafia princess. Seeing her character unfold was such a journey, she had so much trauma that she was carrying all on her own with no support until Luca.
Luca - He not only saw her struggle but felt her pain, he was willing to do whatever it took and risk everything just to keep her safe and take some of her pain away. He is a pillar of strength for his family and seeing him struggle internally with his love for them vs his love for Rosa was so heartbreaking to see!
They both had loved ones to protect but in order to keep them safe, they had to keep breaking their own hearts. The way Luna wrote this book - god! It killed me, it was almost like I could feel their pain and I was crying with them. I couldn’t put it down and you best believe I stayed up late just to finish it because I could not put it down.
Also, mental health is so important so please do check the full list of trigger warnings on Lunas website before going in as there is detailed mention of assault along with emotional/physical abuse, substance abuse and graphic violence
All in all, another knockout by Luna and I cannot recommend enough!
Luca & Rosa completely have my heart. I just want to wrap Rosa up & protect her with my life. I love that Luca helped her overcome her addictions & was there for her throughout. Watching Luca go from this mafia man with no intentions of settling down to completely falling head over heels for the enemies daughter was absolutely everything. I feel like when Luca falls, he falls HARD!!! He was literally the sweetest most supportive person towards Rosa. I also feel like Rosa was exactly what Luca needed too.
I love that this book gave us an insight as to what the other characters from the previous book were up to since their books. I really admire Luca for doing literally anything for his family. That man would tear any & everyone apart just to know that his family were safe.
The pacing in this book was so much better than the first two! I really enjoyed watching Rosa & Luca get to know each other & fight to be with each other. Their chemistry was just so good too!!
The spice in this book!! Wow🥵 I was blushing throughout. If I’m being honest I’d happily let Luca do anything he wanted to me. He also has a pierced d*ck too👀.
(Edit - I’m still thinking about this book 6 days later🥵)
The only reason why I finished this is bc it’s the end of the year and I gotta reach my goal.
This book was not very good. He kidnapped her for revenge but then like instantly falls in love with her…? If you’re going to call yourself a dark romance then be dark maybe?? She was also an alcoholic and a drug addict in the beginning but then after like a month she was magically cured? That’s not really how addiction works 🫣 Anyway don’t waste your time with this bc it’s also a MASSIVE book and really doesn’t need to be. And don’t even get me started ab the fact that they were together then he had to get engaged to form an alliance to get revenge on a different family and then she ALSO gets engaged to someone else bc he’s blackmailing her. It was just a big cluster and I did not enjoy
A masterclass on how to NOT communicate with literally anyone ever. Nothing made sense and everyone was in the running for who could be the biggest martyr before the ending of the book!
If you like a man who yearns and a book that will physically rip your heart out, then you will love this. The FMC and MMC both go through so much to be together, and the love story they share is so beautiful.
Definitely check the trigger warnings before picking this up. The FMC and MMC are engaged to other people for a good portion of this book, even though they are in love with each other. Therefore, there is cheating, since they stay together and cheat on their fiancés (but never on one another). Also, both fiancés are the literal worst, if that makes it any better?
The FMC has been through a traumatizing situation prior to the book beginning and self-medicates with drugs and alcohol. The beginning of the book graphically deals with her addiction and going through withdrawal.
4.5 stars for me. This book began a little differently than most mafia style books I’ve read. Luca decides to kidnap Rosa but from the moment he has her in his possession he’s such a cinnamon roll with her. As the twists progress the love between these two is felt on every page.
Luca Russo. Gosh. This book left me absolutely speechless and in tears. I cannot love and support Luna Mason more, she writes one of my absolute favourite mafia series and this book just topped the last.
I knew I’d love Luca and Rosa from the glimpse we got from them in Grayson and Maddie’s book, but that didn’t compare to the journey and story that was awaiting and going on behind the scenes.
Rosa was looking for an escape, for a lifeline, for something to make what she endured years ago simply stop. Then comes along Luca Russo, the mafia boss trying to go up against her father, with the motive to simply kidnap her and then bargain her life to get to her father; though he soon realises that she isn’t the party girl and prized possession of her father after all, and there’s more than meets the surface.
Despite feeling something more for each other Luca is faced with an ultimatum that puts his family at risk; in doing so he takes an offer which puts him in an arranged marriage to his rival and having to let what Rosa and he built go.
The relationship progression between the two of them was real and raw. It showed what it was like going through withdrawal and accepting help, being vulnerable, sharing secrets and being completely open and scared. What they went through wasn’t easy, it was a journey like no other. The waiting, the fear, the uncertainty; but Luca and Rosa made a vow to give each other the endgame they deserve. To treasure each other in the small moments that they got despite their circumstances.
This was definitely my favourite from Luna and there was such a roller coaster of emotions, but just like my heart broke for Luca and Rosa, she put the pieces back together in the end
So I have been waiting impatiently for Luca's book and I wasn't disappointed. The biggest of the books so far. We are thrown back into the world of the Russo brothers. And I am so happy for it. The darkness is even more in this world. Luca becomes a protective influence in Rosa, who I adore, and got her through hell and back.
Also someone lost their man parts.....in the most violent way. And then Grayson set him on fire. I love this book series!!!!
I cannot wait for Frankie's book. Keller and Sienna are having another baby, baby Hope is here and who knows by the time Frankie's book comes out, Luca might be a daddy.
I cannot wait for more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I literally DEVOURED this book. It's one of my most favourite ones that I've read recently. And also, who doesn't like a Mafia Romance?! I stayed up two whole nights to complete this book. The story was almost fast paced at the beginning but I like fast paced stories. Rosa and Luca were perfect. Rosa is one of the strongest women, and Luca — I mean, we all love Mafia men who know how to respect women. Yes, I loved Keller and Grayson in the first books, but I love Luca a little more. Luca is the reason they both have their girls with them, so he's the best. Also, Chapter 65 BROKE me. I read that at midnight and bawled my eyes out, so much so that my mother woke up💀
DNF@7% The story just seems…trite. FMC (quite obviously) hints at what happened to her every other thought it seems like. I hate insta-love/lust when there’s no emotional connection or spark between the MCs. Also, hateeeeee when they first touch and there was “electricity”. Or actual sparks. Biggest pet peeve in books.
This was fine but I was so distracted by the fact that all the characters were obsessed with smoking. They kept stopping what they were doing, even in intimate or tense situations, to smoke. It's disgusting. All I could think of was how much they must absolutely stink. Them, and their houses. It really ruined an otherwise good book for me.
Book Review: Luna Mason’s Devoted Thank you to Kensington Publishing and HambrightPR for my gifted ARC And book.
Let me just start by saying—I adore this series. From the first book, Luna Mason hooked me with her gritty, emotional storytelling and unforgettable characters. Devoted, the third installment in the Beneath the Mask series, didn’t just meet my expectations—it shattered them. I went in excited, knowing I’d probably rate this five stars. What I didn’t expect was to be wrecked. This book took me through every emotion, left me gutted in the best way, and delivered one of the most raw, heart-wrenching love stories I’ve read in ages.
Luca Russo isn’t your typical mafia antihero. He’s brutal, calculating, and cold-blooded when he needs to be. But underneath that steel exterior is a man haunted by abandonment, trauma, and the crushing weight of a legacy he never asked for. Rosa Falcone—his rival’s daughter—is supposed to be a pawn. A means to an end. But the moment he takes her, he realizes he’s stepped into a storm that’s going to unravel everything he thought he knew about power, loyalty, and love.
And Rosa? She’s one of the most compelling heroines I’ve read in a dark romance. A mafia princess scarred by years of abuse, addiction, and being used as leverage in a violent world. She isn’t just broken—she’s angry. And she has every right to be. But what makes her story so moving is that she doesn’t stay shattered. She claws her way out. Her healing isn’t clean or linear. It’s messy. Honest. Painful. And through it all, she falls in love—not with the man who took her, but with the man who helped her piece herself back together.
The emotional core of this book is breathtaking. Their chemistry is fire, but the intimacy is what will leave you undone. Luca caring for her during detox. Rosa finding the courage to speak her truth. The way they reach for each other when the world turns its back. And then there’s that line—“You don’t belong to anyone but me. Not anymore.” That moment shattered me. It wasn’t possessive. It was protective. It was freedom, wrapped in devotion, whispered by a man who would burn down his entire empire to keep her safe.
Yes, this book is over 600 pages. Yes, it’s dark and heavy at times. But never once did I want to put it down. Every twist and betrayal raised the stakes. Every stolen moment added weight to their bond. And when it all came crashing down, I felt it. I lived every brutal page with them, and by the end, I was emotionally wrung out—in the best way possible.
If I had any critique, it would be a small one: a bit of tightening in the middle would have helped with pacing. A few repetitive emotional beats could’ve hit harder with more restraint. But even those slower moments deepened the characters and paid off later, so I can’t say they weren’t worth it.
Devoted is what happens when a dark romance doesn’t just flirt with emotion—it dives in headfirst. This is not a light or easy read. It deals with serious trauma, heavy content, and morally gray decisions. But if you’re here for deep emotional payoff, feral devotion, slow-burn healing, and the kind of love that rises from the ashes? This book is for you.
Luna Mason has solidified herself as a powerhouse in the dark romance genre. She writes with boldness, empathy, and precision, creating stories that go beyond tropes and dive straight into the heart. Luca and Rosa don’t just fall in love—they earn it. They fight for it. And by the end, their love feels like survival.
This is hands down my favorite in the series. Unflinching, unforgettable, and beautifully brutal.
Luca and Rosa were such a dynamic couple. I loved how he took care of her and showed her love, always gentle, patient, and giving her the space and control she needed to heal from her trauma. It was beautiful to watch her overcome it with his support.
This book was action-packed yet full of heartwarming moments, and the ending had me completely hooked with its intense, high-stakes scenes.
Be sure to check your triggers this is a dark mafia romance with plenty of violence. I’m really enjoying Luna Mason’s books, and this one was no exception. It was such a great read! Thanks to Kensington and Hambright PR for the gifted arc.
Way too long. And that’s definitely NOT a dark romance. There was hardly nothing near to light grey side, to be honest.
I don’t like instalove trope, and when it’s mixed with kidnapping… well. Sounds awfully cliche. I don’t even know why he kidnapped her, because I felt NO HATE or something similar to it between them. He was like golden retriever to her.
And of course he treats her like a princess even tho she’s an addict.
And most importantly he was a boss of mafia and he did not give a shit what his rival did, because he was too busy with his lady 🙃
I am surprised I was able to finish this book, because there was no logic it made me sick.
This was the 3rd book of this series and overall Ive enjoyed each one- this one the most. The trauma in this book is heavy so please read trigger warnings but overall I think the story was beautiful… there were a few parts that the FMC annoyed me with how she handled situations but overall this book deserves the full 5 star rating
This mafia romance series is really really good! The suspense keeps you captivated and the spice makes you drink water to cool off! This is book 3 and I still can’t decide which book was better. So far they are all equally amazing!
WAYYYYY to long not even half of the book had substance to it
600 pages were abt her being stupid and not telling him her taoist was blackmailing her and that she was gonna marry him to save her sister who was a fracking cunt