52 Books Like Brutal Prince

This is the mafia romance that upended all my beliefs about what the genre could be. I vividly remember opening this book for the very first time, reading the prologue and the first few pages, and saying out loud, “Oh!” And then settling into the chair because I’d realized I wouldn’t be going anywhere for a while.

Yes, there’s a great hero and heroine, yes, there’s heat, but what I love about this book is the mystery. I just had so many questions and they were the right sort of questions: I was intrigued, not bewildered. I just wanted to sink into the book until I’d devoured every page, which is exactly what I did.

I’ve never come across a book that mixes mafia romance’s sumptuous luxury and knife-edge danger as well as this one. It almost feels like a billionaire romance: the hard-working assistant ignored by her cold, arrogant boss, the lavish cars and apartments, the way money is life-or-death for the struggling heroine but an irrelevance for the hero.

But Ruslan, the hero, isn’t just a CEO: he’s a Russian Mafia boss, and that brutal danger runs through the book like a vein of silver. I loved the way the heroine, Emma—who’s wonderfully self-reliant and has a BIG heart—stood up to him. I adored Ruslan’s cold exterior and secret warm heart, but it was the way he bonded with Emma’s adopted family that melted me.

Dante is the mafia romance that most made me want to throw my arms around the heroine and give her a huge hug. Kat is such a strong character with a traumatic past that made me want to weep. At first, I was worried she’d entered a new circle of hell when she became Dante’s captive. But the escalating dance these two weave turns into something wonderful, and once they fight through their problems, they become an unstoppable couple I rooted for.

This book is raw and sometimes dark, with plenty of heat, and you should check the trigger warnings before reading. But if it falls within your boundaries, it’s a fantastic, all-consuming journey.

Even though it’s not all that old, this is what I think of as the classic mafia romance and one that puts the romance front and center. It has all the classic elements: Cosa Nostra (Sicilian rather than Russian or Irish Mafia), a forced marriage, an innocent heroine, and a cold-hearted hero who melts for her.

I took to Tori immediately: she’s very relatable and I could imagine her as a friend. I loved the sweetness of the romance, especially when this is a genre that often leans towards the dark, and I just ate up Angelo’s big, bold statements of love. This is the book I often recommend as a first mafia romance, especially for romance readers who aren’t sure if they’ll like the genre. 

Michael by Bonnie Rose is an exciting mafia romance novel with plot twists I didn’t see coming. I love her writing style—it’s straightforward, clear to read, and it touched a spectrum of emotions, from elation to tears. The protagonist, Emily, has known her love interest, Michael, since they were children. Told from her perspective, the story takes readers on a journey of entangled love, family drama, and crime. A sweet boy grows up and evolves into a dominant and frightening mafia boss. Yet, Emily’s desire for dangerously handsome Michael becomes stronger in this gripping story.

Sparrow was the first book I’ve read (and liked) in the arranged/forced marriage trope. It’s what got me hooked on the trope and inspired me to write my own. Set in Boston, with Troy, a thirsty-for-revenge, morally gray Irish mafia boss that bows to no one…except for the one woman he thought he hated.

This book happens to be in the back half of a series, but it’s my favorite in this mafia “family.” Van Dyken does break the romance rules a little with this one, but the growth that Sergio goes through makes it (mostly) worth it in the end. While reading a series in order is usually the goal of a reader, I’m an emotional reader and have zero issue starting in the middle of a series. There isn’t a true overall series arc here, so picking up in the middle won’t hurt you. But seeing these mafia men come together for Sergio and Andi… You’ll fall in love with this group easily. Bring tissues.

I first read this because the author received a raft of nasty reviews. That happens to many dark authors; it’s amazing how many people think they have the right to censor what other adults read, so I thought I’d have a go-and-see for myself.

What I found was a nicely tense mafia romance in which the heroine kicks off with a murder. I loved the set-up because I’m fascinated by morally grey people, and these two are definitely that! As for the style, it’s emotional, what I would call a Mills and Boon-style flow of feeling. I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it a fab read. 

I have a thing for Mafia crime books, and I have read plenty. My reason for choosing Bound to Cruelty was because it is still fresh in my mind. I read it three months ago. And it was cruel, brutal but so deliciously breathtaking. 

How do you know when you are wrong for someone? When do death and honor intertwine? How do you face yourself, and the one you love, knowing you are the biggest monster? 

This book was brilliant because the characters are so well developed, that you are transformed into a world that is thrilling. 

A must-read if you love Crime romance.

Over the years a legend was built up around Meyer Lansky. A succession of books with questionable sourcing described him as the “chairman of the board” of organized crime, and made him out to be a great deal more than he actually was.

This book strips away the false hype that has surrounded Lansky and debunks many of the myths that have surrounded him. It also debunks a lot of the bad journalism that distorted his image in his later life. It shocked and astounded me, and I thought I knew all about Lansky.