Mafia romance has one
of the worst reputations in contemporary romance and honestly, I get why. But I
also think it is misunderstood.
In a nutshell, the
biggest complaint usually boils down to this: too much “down and dirty”
time and not enough actual plot. And while that criticism isn’t entirely wrong,
it’s also not the full story. Mafia romance isn’t bad by default, it’s just
been done badly far too often.
Contemporary romance
has countless subgenres, and the one I’ve defended the most is mafia romance.
Unfortunately, a large portion of books in this space feel like recycled
versions of a handful of masterpieces. For every mafia romance done well, there
are twice as many done poorly, and triple that I wouldn’t touch again.
A lot of the time, I
can’t help but think: if this book had gone through a stronger editing
phase, it could’ve actually been good. Planning a story is easy. Executing
it well is not. I’ve never written a novel, puh-lease, I’d probably
accidentally plagiarise someone, but I have written blogs and created
Bookstagram content. And I know firsthand that what you imagine at the start
can look very different from the final product. That’s exactly where editing,
structure, and restraint matter.
Smut Isn’t the
Problem — Lack of Plot Is
Let’s clear something
up: smut is not the enemy.
The issue is
imbalance. Too many mafia romances rely on constant sex scenes to carry the
story, as if physical intimacy alone can replace tension, suspense, or
character development. When every chapter is just them going at it again, the
stakes disappear. There’s nothing to anticipate. Nothing to fear. Nothing to care
about.
On the flip side,
some books swing too far the other way, drowning the reader in overly complex
mafia organisations, endless family trees, and political jargon that goes
absolutely nowhere. Instead of feeling immersed, you feel stuck, trying to
untangle information that never actually serves the plot. The worst part? Going
back to chatpers to remember how all of these relationships work
together?
And then there are
the truly baffling choices. Case in point: the bloody sheets tradition I’ve
seen pop up multiple times in Cora Reilly’s books. I’m sorry, but… what on
earth? At that point, it stops feeling dark or authentic and starts feeling
outdated and uncomfortable in all the wrong ways.
Ironically, some
mafia romances are written so tamely that they barely qualify as dark romance
at all. If you’re going to call it mafia romance, commit to it or don’t.
What I Do
Want From Mafia Romance
When mafia romance
works, it really works. And it’s not complicated what makes it
effective.
I want:
- An actual plot with direction
- Suspense that builds instead of info-dumps
- Innovation — something we haven’t seen a hundred times before
- A clear purpose behind the power, violence, and danger
I also won’t lie: I
do enjoy the possessive side of mafia MMCs. On the page. Strictly on the page.
God forbid they ever come to life.
Morally grey doesn’t
mean empty. Dark doesn’t mean lazy. The best mafia romances understand that the
romance should intertwine with the criminal world, not replace it.
The Authors Who
Get It Right
In my humble opinion,
the best mafia romances I’ve read come from Danielle Lori, Rina Kent and Sav
R. Miller. They’re the only authors in this subgenre whose books I’ve
reread.
Danielle Lori excels
at tension and chemistry without letting the plot fall apart. Rina Kent leans
into psychological darkness and power dynamics with intention, not just shock
value. As for Sav. R Miller, well let’s just say she knows how to make you feel.
Don’t make me choose
just one book from Danielle Lori because I genuinely can’t. I’ve devoured and
still re read all three books in the Made Men series and I love them
equally. With Rina Kent, it’s a tie between the Monster Trilogy and the Deception
Trilogy. Both hit in completely different but equally addictive ways. And
finally, Promises & Pomegranates by Sav R. Miller earns its place
because that story was pure perfection. It had the right balance of intensity,
emotion, and atmosphere, done exactly right.
I also enjoyed Sinners Anonymous by Somme Sketcher, though the books that followed lost their spark. It’s a solid introduction to the genre, but expectations should be kept realistic.
The Hype I Truly
Don’t Understand
And now, the
controversial part.
I genuinely do not
understand the hype surrounding When She Loves by Gabrielle Sands, Mafia
and Maid by Isa Oliver, or… honestly, anything by Neva Altaj, T.J. Maguire,
or Jagger Cole. My goodness me.
And while we’re here
— what is with the competition to find the most aggressively Italian or Russian
names imaginable? At some point, it stops adding authenticity and starts
feeling like parody. Relax.
Taste is subjective,
of course. But popularity doesn’t automatically equal quality, and I think
that’s part of why mafia romance keeps getting dragged as a genre.
The Author Who Could Actually Change the Game
If there’s one author I genuinely believe could do justice to the mafia romance subgenre, it’s Ana Huang.
She’s recently hinted at a secret project set to be announced sometime this year, with more to come in 2027 and naturally, readers are already speculating. Personally? I can’t help but hope it’s centred around Roman Davenport, the brother of Dominic Davenport from King of Greed, and whatever shady business he’s clearly involved in behind the scenes. If it’s not that, then I’m honestly not sure what else it could be.
Ana Huang has a very specific strength as a writer: she knows how to balance romance with plot. Her morally grey characters already lean into dark territory, not pitch-black, but dark enough that you can easily imagine her pushing further without losing control of the story. And that control is exactly what mafia romance is missing in so many cases.
What makes her a strong candidate for this genre isn’t just her popularity, but her consistency. She understands pacing. She builds tension instead of rushing payoff. And she doesn’t rely on shock value alone to carry a book. If she were to step into mafia romance, it wouldn’t just be about power or possessiveness, it would have purpose, structure, and intent.
If anyone could bring freshness, legitimacy, and actual storytelling back into the genre, it would be her. Whether this upcoming project proves that remains to be seen, but the potential is undeniably there.
Final Thoughts
Mafia romance doesn’t
get a bad rep because it’s dark, explicit, or morally questionable. It gets a
bad rep because too many books confuse sex for substance and imitation for
creativity.
The genre has
potential, massive potential. But until more authors focus on storytelling,
originality, and execution instead of recycling the same formula, mafia romance
will keep being dismissed as all heat and no heart.
And honestly? That’s
the real tragedy.
I loved
writing this post because it was challenging and a long time in the making. I
am trying to do these posts for a lot of different genres, and I thought I had
all my ideas sorted until I actually sat down to write it. That is when I
realized how hard it was to pinpoint exactly what I had noticed and why it was
bothering me. In the end, it felt good to finally get it off my chest.
Safe to say, I am a
simp for dark romance. I adore it and I will never stop reading it.
Now, if you want to
see more of this, be sure to check out my Bookstagram. As always,
you can find all of my contact details on the Contact page.
Oh my, I almost
forgot. Ana Huang has spotted two of my posts and one story. She reposted,
liked, commented and shared. Talk about validation. 2026 is being a little
stubborn brat but every now and then even bratty years calm down and let
something good happen.
I love reading and I
love writing about reading. I would love to get a job in publishing. It is not
a matter of if but a matter of when, and I hope that when comes soon.
And that is my cue to
sign off.
Until next time.
Vivian
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