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�� 4.5 ⭐️

This was a fantastic debut!!

I haven't read mafia romance probably since Midnight Poppy Land lol and ITCOK definitely delivered.



This was promoted as Gossip Girl meets The Sopranos and I can confirm it will give you vibes for both—it's the best of both worlds.
Tasha gave me Blair Waldorf vibes, if Blair was a Mafia princess with an aggressive (if not a little violent) streak and I absolutely adored her. All that rage, all that determination, all that vulnerability—she was a beautifully layered character I loved to explore.

I sighed, closing my eyes, and pictured the hundreds of times my sister reached for me. The foggy details of those memories now blended together, forming a kaleidoscope version that would slowly fade with each passing day.
There really was an infinite number of ways a heart could hurt.

Leo was every bit as layered as Tasha. He gave me Nathaniel Archibald x Chuck Bass vibes, if they were a Mafia prince who knew how to hide behind the mask of the arrogant rich boy and pretend he hasn't been obsessed with one girl for years. His chapters were some of my fav, I fell hard for him 😩🤌🏻

I searched his face, my throat thickening with a rage of emotions building inside. "Why do you believe that?"
Leo didn't say anything for a moment. I held my breath when he tilted my head forward to rest his forehead against mine, my entire body turning molten with each heavy beat of his heart.
"Because,'" he said breathlessly, closing his eyes, "every time I've been at my lowest, you've found me, even when I stupidly pushed you away."

I loved so many things about this - from the MCs and their messy relationships to the glamorous vibes and violent scenes. The tension between Tasha and Leo was delicious from the beginning. There were some scenes between them in the first half of the book where you could feel the aggression simmering beneath the surface.

I spooked at Leo's sudden appearance pressed close to me. Instinctively, my hand flew to his throat. He held completely still as my acrylic nails dug into his tender skin, staring at me with heavy-lidded eyes while my chest rose and fell.
Our gazes seared into each other. His hot, mint-touched breaths mixed with mine and tickled my chin, my lips, my cheek. Black pooled wide and large over Leo's irises. I watched it up close, mesmerized, until he spoke.
"Not good with surprises, are you?" Leo asked his voice low and thick.
I flicked the briefest look down to his slightly parted lips and back up.
"Not when they come from you," I replied.

Nails-to-throat is a trope I need more of in my life, my gods 🥵
Leo kept saying throughout the book that he doesn't want the Mafia life but I think he likes the danger, he's literally attracted to the most dangerous girl.
I don't know Leo, sounds like you were made for this 😏

There's one character in particular that pissed me the fuck off almost from the beginning. How I wish he'd shut up and go away, Jesus, he was more annoying than Topper from Outer Banks. Every time Ravi opened his mouth and something dumber came out I was this 🤏🏻 close to punching him myself. Seriously, I hope something bad happens to him in the second book cause I cannot deal with him 😒

Once the events started unfolding, the second part of the book was super gripping and suspenseful, filled with twists, keeping me both captivated and on edge the entire time. At one point I was suspicious of everyone and everything, unsure who Tasha can trust and my girl went through so much 😭
There's big twist towards the end that had me screaming and speaking of screaming �� that ENDING!! IM SO MAD!! SO MAD!! I knew where things were going but it was so painful to read 😭😭😭 and NOW we gotta wait for the sequel!! Elora, why do you hate us 😭😭😭 💔💔
Send all the wine and emotional support you can, I have no idea how to survive until book 2 is out



eternal gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC
All quotes are from an advance copy and may differ in the final publication