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The Wicked Trilogy #1
The Wicked: A Dark Mafia Romance
Rebecca Johnpee bursts onto the dark romance scene with The Wicked―where a mafia and heist romance collide in a scorchingly intense and unforgettable tale.
Elio
They call me “The Wicked.”
I’ve earned that name with blood, silence, and the weight of every secret I carry.
As head of the Marino Family, nothing slips past me. Not lies. Not weakness. Not fear.
But when she enters my world…everything tilts.
Zahra
I’m dangerous—and I’ve had to be.
I grew up with men who treated bullets like sugar cubes.
I’ve risen from the streets to create the most notorious gang of thieves in the country. But after a job goes wrong, my crew and I are held captive by The Wicked, and I’ll do just about anything to take advantage of it. Even if it means working with The Wicked and pulling off the biggest heist I’ve ever dreamed of.
I’m dancing with the devil, and the cost might be my body–my very soul.
But I’m willing to pay the price if it means I get him…
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Elio
They call me “The Wicked.”
I’ve earned that name with blood, silence, and the weight of every secret I carry.
As head of the Marino Family, nothing slips past me. Not lies. Not weakness. Not fear.
But when she enters my world…everything tilts.
Zahra
I’m dangerous—and I’ve had to be.
I grew up with men who treated bullets like sugar cubes.
I’ve risen from the streets to create the most notorious gang of thieves in the country. But after a job goes wrong, my crew and I are held captive by The Wicked, and I’ll do just about anything to take advantage of it. Even if it means working with The Wicked and pulling off the biggest heist I’ve ever dreamed of.
I’m dancing with the devil, and the cost might be my body–my very soul.
But I’m willing to pay the price if it means I get him…
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
501 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 25, 2025
747 people are currently reading
17870 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Johnpee
6 books317 followersRebecca Johnpee has been daydreaming epic, too-good-to-be-true scenarios since she discovered the magic in imagination. Once she found the art of putting those vivid scenarios on paper, she set out to make sure her characters found a home in the heart of readers. Today, she writes romance across multiple genres, letting whichever story calls to her lead the way. When she’s not busy crafting new worlds, Rebecca is planning her next adventure to island countries, where she can indulge in her love for the ocean, meet new people, and immerse herself in different cultures.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 549 reviews
November 25, 2025
Reading this book gives off the same satisfaction as chugging water at 3am. This scratched an itch so far back in my brain and the only way I’ll ever get anything close to the same feeling is with book two in my hands. I NEED IT REBECCA 👹👹
Will never get over the fact that there was not a single dry page for me.
Each character was solid. The plot and the pacing was chefs kiss. I could not have asked for anything more. The difference in povs between zahra and Elio 😫😫 I’m genuinely licking my fingers. This was a ten course meal and I was not ashamed to dig in with my bare hands! 🙏
The way I actually cried fat wet tears like five or six times during the book 😭🤚 what was this madness!! I wasn’t prepared and I’m litch not ready to say goodbye bc what do you meannnnn it over. What do you mean I turned the last page of this book and I don’t have anything more!!! What do you mean this book isn’t even out yet 😫😫😫
Elio is the most entertaining pov to be in. Not always in a happy way 🤚 but boi does he give the best inner monologue.
This guys, THIS is what I’ve been asking for the entire time. Like holy grail type shit. The enemies are CONCRETE ENEMIES and the morally grey mmc is ACTUALLY morally grey. Not some dark mysterious type that uses morally grey as a gimmick when actually he’s a good guy underneath it all, no, Elio is truly so messed in the head it’s terrifying and I could not look away. I don’t even want to. But his story and how he became who he is 😭😭😭😭😭 just stop it. The way I’m DREADING book 2 you don’t understandddddd.
Zahra, you little shit. The way I am so conflicted i genuinely don’t have words. I love her despite it all. She is exactly what I needed to see in an fmc. Like she is the prime example of a complex, morally grey and highly cunning fmc. I love to see it.
The writing takes a second to get used to but once you carry on it just clicks. There’s a reason why the writing is how it is. It makes sense to their character and how it’s the writers stylistic choice.
All in all, I’m gna be thinking about this one for a veryyyy long time that’s for sure.
ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and Tor Bramble for the ARC! ♥︎
Will never get over the fact that there was not a single dry page for me.
Each character was solid. The plot and the pacing was chefs kiss. I could not have asked for anything more. The difference in povs between zahra and Elio 😫😫 I’m genuinely licking my fingers. This was a ten course meal and I was not ashamed to dig in with my bare hands! 🙏
The way I actually cried fat wet tears like five or six times during the book 😭🤚 what was this madness!! I wasn’t prepared and I’m litch not ready to say goodbye bc what do you meannnnn it over. What do you mean I turned the last page of this book and I don’t have anything more!!! What do you mean this book isn’t even out yet 😫😫😫
Elio is the most entertaining pov to be in. Not always in a happy way 🤚 but boi does he give the best inner monologue.
This guys, THIS is what I’ve been asking for the entire time. Like holy grail type shit. The enemies are CONCRETE ENEMIES and the morally grey mmc is ACTUALLY morally grey. Not some dark mysterious type that uses morally grey as a gimmick when actually he’s a good guy underneath it all, no, Elio is truly so messed in the head it’s terrifying and I could not look away. I don’t even want to. But his story and how he became who he is 😭😭😭😭😭 just stop it. The way I’m DREADING book 2 you don’t understandddddd.
Zahra, you little shit. The way I am so conflicted i genuinely don’t have words. I love her despite it all. She is exactly what I needed to see in an fmc. Like she is the prime example of a complex, morally grey and highly cunning fmc. I love to see it.
The writing takes a second to get used to but once you carry on it just clicks. There’s a reason why the writing is how it is. It makes sense to their character and how it’s the writers stylistic choice.
All in all, I’m gna be thinking about this one for a veryyyy long time that’s for sure.
ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and Tor Bramble for the ARC! ♥︎
January 19, 2026
should have stayed on wattpad.
January 5, 2026
4 Stars
Admittedly, dark romance is not my usual go-to, but I’m trying to grow as a reader so I thought, why not? Ha!
Right off the bat, this grabbed me by its sharp claws and propelled me down the path of Street - a gang of skilled thieves who dared to rob the infamously depraved Elio Marino. Unfortunately, they get caught, and now, Zahra and her team must work for the fearsome man known as The Wicked.
Elio is contained control personified, an unbreachable deadly lone wolf. He has a very personal plan of justice and revenge in play, and when Street falls into his lap, he sees an opportunity to use them to his own ends instead of killing them. Never for a second does he think the off kilter Zahra would get under his skin, but soon she becomes a life altering irritating itch he can’t scratch. Elio knows he would be far better off if she were dead but nonetheless, he literally can’t pull the trigger as much as his instincts tell him to do so.
Zahra in turn is the complete opposite. Brash, impulsive, she’s an unpredictable opportunist, and she refuses to be beholden to Elio any longer than she needs to. She’s got her own agenda, but begrudgingly admits that the elusive man evokes feelings and desires that she thought were permanently destroyed.
Despite the roller coaster of emotions, despite the flaws of these characters (and they do have many and neither is very likable at this stage) I couldn’t look away, especially from the dangerous enigmatic sexy Elio. The pace is fast, and the action is frequent, which contrasts against the very slow reveals of both Elio and Zahra as they fight, give in, resist, succumb, flee, chase, and surrender to their heady ill advised attraction. It goes beyond their rational reasoning, neither wanting to give up control, neither wanting to be vulnerable.
So yes, this is dark. It’s everything you’d expect a mafia story to contain. Trauma, abuse, depravity, murder, violence, torture. It also has a heist, found family, kidnappings, banter, shoot outs and car chases, a treasure hunt, betrayals, and some oh so nice spice. Despite the massive distrust on both sides, Elio and Zahra admit they can’t stay away from each other no matter how much they desperately want to, no matter that they are always at constant odds with each other.
Overall, know that this first installment barely scratches the surface on their pasts, their motivations, and their ultimate end game. So many secrets abound, and this ends at an expected impasse and cliffhanger. Thankfully, the rest of this trilogy should drop this year, and I look forward to seeing what comes next!!
Thank you to the author and Bramble of Tor Publishing Group via NetGalley for a copy to review honestly
Admittedly, dark romance is not my usual go-to, but I’m trying to grow as a reader so I thought, why not? Ha!
Right off the bat, this grabbed me by its sharp claws and propelled me down the path of Street - a gang of skilled thieves who dared to rob the infamously depraved Elio Marino. Unfortunately, they get caught, and now, Zahra and her team must work for the fearsome man known as The Wicked.
Elio is contained control personified, an unbreachable deadly lone wolf. He has a very personal plan of justice and revenge in play, and when Street falls into his lap, he sees an opportunity to use them to his own ends instead of killing them. Never for a second does he think the off kilter Zahra would get under his skin, but soon she becomes a life altering irritating itch he can’t scratch. Elio knows he would be far better off if she were dead but nonetheless, he literally can’t pull the trigger as much as his instincts tell him to do so.
Zahra in turn is the complete opposite. Brash, impulsive, she’s an unpredictable opportunist, and she refuses to be beholden to Elio any longer than she needs to. She’s got her own agenda, but begrudgingly admits that the elusive man evokes feelings and desires that she thought were permanently destroyed.
Despite the roller coaster of emotions, despite the flaws of these characters (and they do have many and neither is very likable at this stage) I couldn’t look away, especially from the dangerous enigmatic sexy Elio. The pace is fast, and the action is frequent, which contrasts against the very slow reveals of both Elio and Zahra as they fight, give in, resist, succumb, flee, chase, and surrender to their heady ill advised attraction. It goes beyond their rational reasoning, neither wanting to give up control, neither wanting to be vulnerable.
So yes, this is dark. It’s everything you’d expect a mafia story to contain. Trauma, abuse, depravity, murder, violence, torture. It also has a heist, found family, kidnappings, banter, shoot outs and car chases, a treasure hunt, betrayals, and some oh so nice spice. Despite the massive distrust on both sides, Elio and Zahra admit they can’t stay away from each other no matter how much they desperately want to, no matter that they are always at constant odds with each other.
Overall, know that this first installment barely scratches the surface on their pasts, their motivations, and their ultimate end game. So many secrets abound, and this ends at an expected impasse and cliffhanger. Thankfully, the rest of this trilogy should drop this year, and I look forward to seeing what comes next!!
Thank you to the author and Bramble of Tor Publishing Group via NetGalley for a copy to review honestly
January 11, 2026
... I have such mixed feelings about this?
give me a moment
give me a moment
November 14, 2025
This dark mafia romance was outstanding!! It had a great storyline, perfect tropes and I found it to be extremely entertaining! This is the first book in the trilogy and I am so excited to read the next one this author comes out with! It was very well written, picturesque, captivating and well organized. This book is a true enemies to lovers, then possibly enemies again?! It has a Mafia King that you can’t help but fall for. A strong female main character that I really loved! All the family secrets that you end up finding out was wild! The found family trope was a favorite of mine.
This book has banter, tension, and some spicy scenes! The balanced perspectives really stood out to me. The slow burn romance in this novel had me hooked! This book does leave on a cliffhanger, with you wanting more! I was entertained from beginning to end! Be sure to read the content warnings prior to reading the book. I give this a solid 4 out of 5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Rebecca Johnpee and Tor Publishing Group | Bramble for the eARC of this incredible book! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is set to be released on November 25, 2025!
This book has banter, tension, and some spicy scenes! The balanced perspectives really stood out to me. The slow burn romance in this novel had me hooked! This book does leave on a cliffhanger, with you wanting more! I was entertained from beginning to end! Be sure to read the content warnings prior to reading the book. I give this a solid 4 out of 5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Rebecca Johnpee and Tor Publishing Group | Bramble for the eARC of this incredible book! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is set to be released on November 25, 2025!
January 4, 2026
DNF at 53%. Holy moly. How is my first read of 2026 a DNF?
February 19, 2026
the way I knew this book was giving wattpad energy I clocked it so hard lol a girl never forgets her roots
January 3, 2025
I already know this is going to be my bestest 5★ read ever. This book owns my fucking soul.
Will update the review when the book comes out.
Will update the review when the book comes out.
July 19, 2025
when the enemies ENEMIES
December 1, 2025
this was absolutely fuckin perfection
Did not finish
January 2, 2026dnf 6%
i hate my fucking life.
2026 is definitely not my year.
EVERYONE IS INSUFFERABLE. ESPECIALLY THE FMC.
DEATH ROW
NO STARS
i hate my fucking life.
2026 is definitely not my year.
EVERYONE IS INSUFFERABLE. ESPECIALLY THE FMC.
DEATH ROW
NO STARS
December 12, 2025
I got this book from my Book of the Month subscription. It was listed as extra spicy and gruesome. Instead it was all chaos and no development. Plot holes all over the place. The female lead was unlikeable and spoke like a child. The male lead was boring, I read over 400 pages and can’t even describe him well enough. If you’re looking for a spicy mafia read this is not for you.
December 4, 2025
This book is wrongfully characterized as dark romance. There is nothing dark about the (precisely 3) romantic or spicy parts of this book. The characters are severely immature - FMC is annoying and completely insufferable with very few redeeming qualities. MMC is brilliant while also being completely numb? A man in a trench coat is hot???? Idk I wasn’t buying any of it. This book may possibly appeal to fans of Butcher + Blackbird which also was not for me. The first half felt like reading a comic book filled with high-school-aged characters. The storyline almost worked for about 15 minutes in the middle then you were thrown back into a chaotic and underdeveloped wanna-be mafia heist. It felt like the author was trying to do too much and 500 pages was WAY too long. If my OCD had allowed, I would have DNFed this book after the first 100 pages.
November 25, 2025
arc review to come 🖤
April 27, 2025
DEFINITELY 5★
Cannot wait to see the published version😫 THE WICKED IS COMINGGG
Cannot wait to see the published version😫 THE WICKED IS COMINGGG
December 8, 2025
Whoever said this book was like the sweetest oblivion needs their phone privileges taken and they need death row
February 22, 2026
Honestly, for a mafia romance, I really enjoyed this!! It’s hard to write mafia romance and have it not be so “copy and pasted”. The pace, the burn, the comedy, and the triggers. Perfect!! I did not get along with Zarha AT ALL lmao, but I loved the book overall.
November 4, 2025
ATTENTION, if you want ENEMIES to ?lovers? it does not get more enemies than this. THIS is the definition of ENEMIES!!!
I think the MMC threatened and literally attempted to kill the FMC approximately 45 times throughout this book. I gasped outloud many times. 10/10 no notes.
This book was the most MAFIA mafia book I think I’ve ever read. Do not speak to Elio wrong or he’s pulling a gun on you every day everytime.
The FMC Zahra & her ragtag crew of friends are thieves.
The MMC Elio is the leader of the most powerful mafia families in Italy.
The thieves aka “Street” try to steal from the mafia family and are then forced to work for them to do art heists in exchange for their ultimate freedom.
There were a few plot twists throughout this that had me GAGGED.
I LOVED that the FMC of this is middle eastern. She is very witty and funny. I really enjoyed her internal monologue and the banter between characters.
One thing that was a little confusing for me was that the novel is set in Italy and the characters are speaking English (i believe?) but the FMC & MMC speak Spanish to eachother (it’s their special thing).
Why I didn’t give it 5 stars is at some points there were pacing issues.
And at absolutely no point in this story do you ever believe a single character is telling the truth at all whatsoever. The tension is phenomenal and I do feel the chemistry but I really don’t know what is the reality and what is the truth. They are all using eachother and it’s hard to figure out what anyone’s true intentions are. And I felt this way from start to finish. I think that was the author’s point but it made it hard for me to fully love the main characters & their relationship.
That being said, I did have fun. I do plan on immediately continuing the series and am excited to see where the story goes. This is the first book in a trilogy.
CHECK THE TRIGGER WARNINGS before reading. There is a lot of extremely dark back stories.
Thanks to Tor and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
I think the MMC threatened and literally attempted to kill the FMC approximately 45 times throughout this book. I gasped outloud many times. 10/10 no notes.
This book was the most MAFIA mafia book I think I’ve ever read. Do not speak to Elio wrong or he’s pulling a gun on you every day everytime.
The FMC Zahra & her ragtag crew of friends are thieves.
The MMC Elio is the leader of the most powerful mafia families in Italy.
The thieves aka “Street” try to steal from the mafia family and are then forced to work for them to do art heists in exchange for their ultimate freedom.
There were a few plot twists throughout this that had me GAGGED.
I LOVED that the FMC of this is middle eastern. She is very witty and funny. I really enjoyed her internal monologue and the banter between characters.
One thing that was a little confusing for me was that the novel is set in Italy and the characters are speaking English (i believe?) but the FMC & MMC speak Spanish to eachother (it’s their special thing).
Why I didn’t give it 5 stars is at some points there were pacing issues.
And at absolutely no point in this story do you ever believe a single character is telling the truth at all whatsoever. The tension is phenomenal and I do feel the chemistry but I really don’t know what is the reality and what is the truth. They are all using eachother and it’s hard to figure out what anyone’s true intentions are. And I felt this way from start to finish. I think that was the author’s point but it made it hard for me to fully love the main characters & their relationship.
That being said, I did have fun. I do plan on immediately continuing the series and am excited to see where the story goes. This is the first book in a trilogy.
CHECK THE TRIGGER WARNINGS before reading. There is a lot of extremely dark back stories.
Thanks to Tor and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
November 27, 2025
Okay so first off, it takes place in Milan. Yet the characters say “do you like Italian food?” BRUH THEY ARE ITALIAN AND LIVE IN MILAN WHAT DO YOU MEAN!
I liked the first half and then second half had me lost and confused
I liked the first half and then second half had me lost and confused
January 20, 2026
DNF at page 135. This isn’t interesting at all & frankly all their names are stupid.
December 26, 2025
The Wicked by Rebecca Johnpee is a dark, slow burn mafia and heist romance about Elio, the feared head of the Marino Family known as “The Wicked” for the secrets, violence, and calculated silence that surround him, and Zahra, a bold thief and leader whose life has been shaped by danger, loss, and grit, as their forced proximity and unpredictable alliance sets fire to both crime and desire in ways that neither of them anticipated. This first book of The Wicked Trilogy weaves enemies to lovers tension with heist stakes, blackmail, revenge, and complicated, morally gray characters.
From the moment I stepped into this story I was swept up in how fierce and vivid the world felt, with Elio’s cold command and Zahra’s sharp wit and hardened resilience pulling me into a narrative that is both brutal and strangely tender in its way of unraveling trust. Johnpee’s pacing has a slow burn cadence that made every glance, every negotiation, and every step closer between the leads feel earned and electric, balancing the violence of their surroundings with moments that hinted at vulnerability beneath all that grit.
Zahra’s backstory and her crew’s misadventure lent the plot a layer of high risk that kept the tension taut, while Elio’s internal struggle with softness toward Zahra added an emotional rhythm that grounded the heat and chaos in something deeply human. Thematically I found myself reflecting on power and agency, how survival shapes us, and what it takes to let someone in when every part of you has learned to survive alone.
Even though at times the intensity felt almost overwhelming, it was precisely that fierce energy that made me care about these characters and their choices, and the messy, smoky way their connection unfolded held me close to every chapter. Because this novel lives in darker spaces and does not shy away from its tougher edges, I would give The Wicked 4 out of 5 stars for its compelling protagonists, addictive enemies to lovers arc, and the way it made me feel both exhilarated and thoughtfully drawn into its stormy world.
From the moment I stepped into this story I was swept up in how fierce and vivid the world felt, with Elio’s cold command and Zahra’s sharp wit and hardened resilience pulling me into a narrative that is both brutal and strangely tender in its way of unraveling trust. Johnpee’s pacing has a slow burn cadence that made every glance, every negotiation, and every step closer between the leads feel earned and electric, balancing the violence of their surroundings with moments that hinted at vulnerability beneath all that grit.
Zahra’s backstory and her crew’s misadventure lent the plot a layer of high risk that kept the tension taut, while Elio’s internal struggle with softness toward Zahra added an emotional rhythm that grounded the heat and chaos in something deeply human. Thematically I found myself reflecting on power and agency, how survival shapes us, and what it takes to let someone in when every part of you has learned to survive alone.
Even though at times the intensity felt almost overwhelming, it was precisely that fierce energy that made me care about these characters and their choices, and the messy, smoky way their connection unfolded held me close to every chapter. Because this novel lives in darker spaces and does not shy away from its tougher edges, I would give The Wicked 4 out of 5 stars for its compelling protagonists, addictive enemies to lovers arc, and the way it made me feel both exhilarated and thoughtfully drawn into its stormy world.
December 13, 2025
Audiobook/BookReview 📖🎧❤️🔥
thank you so much partner @brambleromance @macmillan.audio for the gifted ARC + audiobook!
The Wicked
by Rebecca Johnpee
narrated by Jaclyn Kelso, Marcio Cataland
out now!
Elio
They call me "The Wicked."
I've earned that name with blood, silence, and the weight of every secret I carry.
As head of the Marino Family, nothing slips past me.
Not lies. Not weakness. Not fear.
But when she enters my world...everything tilts.
Zahra
I'm dangerous-and l've had to be.
I grew up with men who treated bullets like sugar cubes.
I've risen from the streets to create the most notorious gang of thieves in the country. But after a job goes wrong, my crew and I are held captive by The Wicked, and I'll do just about anything to take advantage of it. Even if it means working with The Wicked and pulling off the biggest heist I've ever dreamed of.
I'm dancing with the devil, and the cost might be my body-my very soul.
But I'm willing to pay the price if it means I get him...
❤️🔥 My thoughts:
Well dammit that ending!! I’ll just be impatiently waiting for book two Loving The Wicked… In the meantime let’s talk about The Wicked! I split my time equally between physically reading and audiobook listening. Truthfully, I preferred the physical book. The narrators were fine but my imagination with this story and the authors writing was just my cup of tea. It’s fast paced and entertaining as all hell. I have only read a handful of mafia romance but I can see why they are so popular. It’s a pretty dang good enemies to lovers storyline full of morally grey characters . If you enjoy all the touch them and die vibes… you’ll have to give this one a read or a listen. The Wicked is out today 11/25!
Happy reading 📖 🎧❤️🔥
thank you so much partner @brambleromance @macmillan.audio for the gifted ARC + audiobook!
The Wicked
by Rebecca Johnpee
narrated by Jaclyn Kelso, Marcio Cataland
out now!
Elio
They call me "The Wicked."
I've earned that name with blood, silence, and the weight of every secret I carry.
As head of the Marino Family, nothing slips past me.
Not lies. Not weakness. Not fear.
But when she enters my world...everything tilts.
Zahra
I'm dangerous-and l've had to be.
I grew up with men who treated bullets like sugar cubes.
I've risen from the streets to create the most notorious gang of thieves in the country. But after a job goes wrong, my crew and I are held captive by The Wicked, and I'll do just about anything to take advantage of it. Even if it means working with The Wicked and pulling off the biggest heist I've ever dreamed of.
I'm dancing with the devil, and the cost might be my body-my very soul.
But I'm willing to pay the price if it means I get him...
❤️🔥 My thoughts:
Well dammit that ending!! I’ll just be impatiently waiting for book two Loving The Wicked… In the meantime let’s talk about The Wicked! I split my time equally between physically reading and audiobook listening. Truthfully, I preferred the physical book. The narrators were fine but my imagination with this story and the authors writing was just my cup of tea. It’s fast paced and entertaining as all hell. I have only read a handful of mafia romance but I can see why they are so popular. It’s a pretty dang good enemies to lovers storyline full of morally grey characters . If you enjoy all the touch them and die vibes… you’ll have to give this one a read or a listen. The Wicked is out today 11/25!
Happy reading 📖 🎧❤️🔥
December 4, 2025
✨ 5 stars ✨
So… I was reading, and reading. Flipping pages. When I suddenly got interrupted, BY THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS page. I need a second book now.
Guys, we all know this came from wattpad, and there is one art the Wattpad authors have mastered, and that is writing banter. This book is no exception, the banter was exquisite.
The thing that a lot of funny books lack, is depth. But even in that category this book delivered. The characters were developed, minor characters included. And the deep connection the main leads had, shone through the story.
'Then why don’t you tell people the truth?”
“No one has ever asked.'
Last but not least, THEY WERE SO HOT. Omg.
'You’re my first. I don’t like a mess, but I’ll take yours any day.'
Looking out for book 2!
So… I was reading, and reading. Flipping pages. When I suddenly got interrupted, BY THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS page. I need a second book now.
Guys, we all know this came from wattpad, and there is one art the Wattpad authors have mastered, and that is writing banter. This book is no exception, the banter was exquisite.
The thing that a lot of funny books lack, is depth. But even in that category this book delivered. The characters were developed, minor characters included. And the deep connection the main leads had, shone through the story.
'Then why don’t you tell people the truth?”
“No one has ever asked.'
Last but not least, THEY WERE SO HOT. Omg.
'You’re my first. I don’t like a mess, but I’ll take yours any day.'
Looking out for book 2!
November 20, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5
Feelings turning the last page: MY HEART HURTS REBECCA I’M IN PHYSICAL PAIN I NEED BOOK 2‼️😭🙃
10-second synopsis: Zahra and her merry band of thieves find themselves in the clutches of Elio Marino aka The Wicked after a job has gone wrong. He offers them their freedom…but everything comes with a price!
Review: WOW I loved this book. It was refreshing and a different take on mafia romance. Zahra and Elio HATE each other you guys and I ATE UP all their interactions. The members of Street had me cackling - the way they talk to and feed off each other is everything. The action throughout had me on the edge of my seat - a perfect balance of action, downtime, and tension🔥🔥.
Zahra is a fantastic FMC who has been through so much and has had to get street smart over the years. Gah I felt for her so much throughout this book. Elio is the same way. He’s such a unique MMC in how he thinks and acts and I honestly love him so much. I just want to give both of them a hug.
The ending had my stomach hurting and I can’t wait for book 2 😅❤️❤️.
The audiobook narration was PHENOMENAL. Jaclyn Kelso is a STAR. With all the different voices for different characters? Fantastic. This was my first Marcio Catalano narration and it will not be my last. I absolutely LOVED him as Elio. Perfectly captured his personality!!!
Check your TWs because there are some dark moments and both Z/E have traumatic childhoods.
Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the ALC and Tor and Bramble for the eARC!!
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5
Feelings turning the last page: MY HEART HURTS REBECCA I’M IN PHYSICAL PAIN I NEED BOOK 2‼️😭🙃
10-second synopsis: Zahra and her merry band of thieves find themselves in the clutches of Elio Marino aka The Wicked after a job has gone wrong. He offers them their freedom…but everything comes with a price!
Review: WOW I loved this book. It was refreshing and a different take on mafia romance. Zahra and Elio HATE each other you guys and I ATE UP all their interactions. The members of Street had me cackling - the way they talk to and feed off each other is everything. The action throughout had me on the edge of my seat - a perfect balance of action, downtime, and tension🔥🔥.
Zahra is a fantastic FMC who has been through so much and has had to get street smart over the years. Gah I felt for her so much throughout this book. Elio is the same way. He’s such a unique MMC in how he thinks and acts and I honestly love him so much. I just want to give both of them a hug.
The ending had my stomach hurting and I can’t wait for book 2 😅❤️❤️.
The audiobook narration was PHENOMENAL. Jaclyn Kelso is a STAR. With all the different voices for different characters? Fantastic. This was my first Marcio Catalano narration and it will not be my last. I absolutely LOVED him as Elio. Perfectly captured his personality!!!
Check your TWs because there are some dark moments and both Z/E have traumatic childhoods.
Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the ALC and Tor and Bramble for the eARC!!
February 3, 2026
This was very different from a mafia romance and a very different romance novel in general. I was surprised at how slow burn it was. The Wicked reminded me so much of Ocean's 11 which I love. It was giving way more heist than mafia for sure, so if you like heists then you will probably like this book. I really liked the characterization. I wish the next book was focused on Devil, but alas we r getting more Zahra and Elio and a continuation of their story. Im not as invested in them, so not sure if I will continue the series or not.
March 14, 2026
⭐️ONE STAR.. because zero wasn’t an optio. ⭐️
I cannot believe I wasted an entire week of my life reading The Wicked. I love mafia romance! LOVE IT!! Yet somehow this book managed to be… none of that. What even was this? Mafia? Romance? Group therapy gone wrong? Unclear.
Both main characters desperately need therapy and somehow never get their shit together from page one to the end. And Zahra?? She jumps from one brother to another faster than she changes her socks. Loyalty? Character development? A moral compass? Absolutely not.
Also… were they even kidnapped??? Or was it more like a mildly inconvenient road trip with emotional baggage? Because I’m still confused.
And the ending, the so-called “huge cliffhanger”, was nothing more than a what the actual fudge was that bull-loney moment. No shock. No payoff. Just vibes. Bad ones.
Pathetic. Disappointing. Offensive to mafia romance everywhere.
⭐ 1 star. Do not recommend. 🚫📖
#BookReview #MafiaRomanceFail #WhatDidIJustRead #OneStarRead #DNFInSpirit #ReaderRage #WasteOfTime
I cannot believe I wasted an entire week of my life reading The Wicked. I love mafia romance! LOVE IT!! Yet somehow this book managed to be… none of that. What even was this? Mafia? Romance? Group therapy gone wrong? Unclear.
Both main characters desperately need therapy and somehow never get their shit together from page one to the end. And Zahra?? She jumps from one brother to another faster than she changes her socks. Loyalty? Character development? A moral compass? Absolutely not.
Also… were they even kidnapped??? Or was it more like a mildly inconvenient road trip with emotional baggage? Because I’m still confused.
And the ending, the so-called “huge cliffhanger”, was nothing more than a what the actual fudge was that bull-loney moment. No shock. No payoff. Just vibes. Bad ones.
Pathetic. Disappointing. Offensive to mafia romance everywhere.
⭐ 1 star. Do not recommend. 🚫📖
#BookReview #MafiaRomanceFail #WhatDidIJustRead #OneStarRead #DNFInSpirit #ReaderRage #WasteOfTime
December 2, 2025
I think this might be the author’s debut, and wow, what an incredible start to a trilogy. Elio truly lives up to “The Wicked,” all quiet power and deadly secrets, while Zahra is fierce, dangerous, and impossible not to look away from. Every interaction between them…🔥🥵
The audiobook narrators, Jaclyn Kelso & Marcio Catalano, did an amazing job bringing these characters to life.
Thank you @macmillan.audio for the gifted ALC and for introducing me to a new author I’ll definitely keep reading.
The audiobook narrators, Jaclyn Kelso & Marcio Catalano, did an amazing job bringing these characters to life.
Thank you @macmillan.audio for the gifted ALC and for introducing me to a new author I’ll definitely keep reading.
December 18, 2025
3.5 stars. Rounded down because honestly for someone who is a mafia man he was a little too sensitive for me lol. Conflicted on if I will continue on with this series.
January 9, 2026
•my second read for 2026 & my first scathing review. Buckle up, because i HATED this 😂
• this book had all of the potential to be good - thieves who get hired to find a secret painting, friends to family + enemies to lovers - but man was it boring
• Zahra and her gang are hired by an Italian Mafia Lord aka “The Wicked” to help him hunt down a painting. The quest was boring, the dialogue was TERRIBLE, and the spice was meh at best
• please do not waste your time reading this. I should have DNF’d (something I need to work on in 2026)
• debut novel for this author but I can whole heartedly say I will not be reading anything else from her. I believe this somehow has already been bought to become a trilogy? Idk how
• anybody else read this? 😂 would love to hear others’ thoughts
• this book had all of the potential to be good - thieves who get hired to find a secret painting, friends to family + enemies to lovers - but man was it boring
• Zahra and her gang are hired by an Italian Mafia Lord aka “The Wicked” to help him hunt down a painting. The quest was boring, the dialogue was TERRIBLE, and the spice was meh at best
• please do not waste your time reading this. I should have DNF’d (something I need to work on in 2026)
• debut novel for this author but I can whole heartedly say I will not be reading anything else from her. I believe this somehow has already been bought to become a trilogy? Idk how
• anybody else read this? 😂 would love to hear others’ thoughts
January 5, 2026
I’m over this. Dark mafia romance where? Not here! This was more of a heist novel with dialogue back and forth. Zero romance. Nothing “dark romance” about it.
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