Dark mafia romances are having a moment, and it’s easy to see why: the heroes of these books will do anything — anything — for their heroines. They’re the ultimate bad boys, men who walk and live on the wild side. Steamy dark mafia romance books are fast-paced, with tons of action both in and out of the bedroom.
Perhaps surprisingly to the uninitiated, the mafia protagonists never give up their illegal, often immoral, lifestyles; instead, their love interest understands and adjusts to living on the criminal side. On-page murder, violence, and various other usually unheroic elements are understood and expected. (Consider this a content warning!)
The following is a list of some of the best dark mafia romance books. They have some of the most brutal, possessive, and alluring mafia protagonists found in romance, where a happy ever after is, nevertheless, always guaranteed.
1. Devil’s Advocate by Vivi Paige and Bonnie Kennedy
Paige and Kennedy’s cleverly titled Devil’s Advocate is a sexy battle of wits. Sophie is Indro, the made man’s, lawyer, and she and Indro are more than capable of asserting their opinions. Paige and Kennedy’s writing is clear and sharp, and the characters are compelling and memorable.
2. Clean Break by Abby Vegas
3. Mafia Target by Mila Finelli
Finelli — a pseudonym for historical author Joanna Shupe — writes sharp, gritty mafia romances that pull no punches. Shupe is a huge fan of the genre, and her enthusiasm shines through on the page.
This book is a m/m romance between Giulio, a mafia scion who’s left the family because of his sexuality, and Alessio, the assassin hired to take care of him. There’s tons of angst, steam, and deep emotion.
4. The Sweetest Oblivion by Danielle Lori
Lori’s Sweetest Oblivion is a mafia tropefest: it’s got an innocent mafia princess named Elena who suddenly starts noticing her sister’s big, bad fiancé, Nicolas, who’s undone by Elena’s innocence, despite being a usually implacably cruel made man. They start out as enemies, and end up as lovers, because neither can resist the other.
5. Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles (series) by Cora Reilly
The Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles starts off with Bound by Honor; later, Luca Vitiello came out as a prequel, creating a mini duology within the series that tells the romance from separate viewpoints.
Bound By Honor is told from the perspective of Aria, the bride in an arranged Mafia marriage. Her new husband Luca terrifies her (and most others he meets), but she knows she won’t survive unless she figures out the way to his heart.
Luca’s book reveals why he acts as he does — including cheating on Aria. (Even in dark mafia romance, cheating is usually forbidden).
6. Of Monsters, Men, and Moles by J.S. Cooper and Natalia Lamb
Antonio, a mafia boss, needs to get married, so he throws a party for potential brides. There are hundreds of women there, but only one who attracts his notice — Callie, who was there by accident.
Of course Callie winds up being the one he wants. She’s a nerdy college student who knows nothing of Mafia life, but she can, and does, exchange banter with the man they call “The Wolf.”
This book is a little different from most Mafia romances in that there isn’t as much bedroom action, but there is plenty of sexual tension. There’s nothing like seeing a grumpy, scary guy being subdued by an innocent, sunshine-y woman.
7. The Darkest King by Juliette N Banks
Banks’ Dark Kings of NYC is also a little different from most mafia romances; here, Connor Barrett, a billionaire, is set on revenge against the mafia, not one of its members. Mia Mancini is a mafia princess with her own motivations.
The two enter into a fake engagement, allowing him to get close to her father, the Don. But even though the set-up is different, the critical elements remain: an alphahole protagonist, steamy scenes, and dangerous encounters of all sorts.
8. Mafia Games by Vi Carter
Even in the dark mafia genre, Mafia Games is extraordinarily dark.
Richard is the son of an Irish mafia Don who was involuntarily hospitalized for a few days by his father, who wanted to teach him a lesson. Those days turned into years after Richard kills a guard — and then he’s tormented by another guard for the remainder of his stay. In revenge, Richard kidnaps the guard’s sister, enacting some of the same abuse that her brother did to him. In these most unlikely circumstances, the two fall in love.
9. Finn by LK Shaw
As the subtitle says, this is also a best friend’s brother romance. Teagan has returned to Dublin, fleeing an abusive relationship, and she’s naturally guarded as a result. Finn is the money man in his family’s Irish mafia business. This is more lighthearted than many mafia romances because Finn isn’t naturally prone to violence, but the feels are just as real.
10. Mine by Penelope Bloom
Damian has been plotting revenge against the former mafia coworkers who set him up ever since he was released from prison. His usual bad boy tendencies are made worse now that he’s fueled by revenge.
Callie winds up working in a bar, where she meets Damian while trying to escape her abusive ex. Damian’s the most qualified to protect her while she’s on the run, but he’s also the one most likely to get her killed.
Damian has a dirty mouth, cocky arrogance, and a kill first, ask questions later mindset. The two spark against each other, and then against their enemies. This one’s steamy, rough, and filthy.
About the Author: Megan Frampton
Megan Frampton is the Content Acquisitions Manager for Everand. She also writes historical romance under her own name and romantic women’s fiction as Megan Caldwell. She likes the color black, gin, dark-haired British men, and huge earrings, not in that order. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and kid.
