Rating: 8 out of 10
Spice Level: 2 out of 5
Cover Grade: A
Audiobook Narrator: Outstanding narration from Jaclyn Kelso & Marcio Catalano
Synopsis
In this semi-dark mafia romance, notorious crime boss Elio “The Wicked” Marino meets his match in Zahra, a streetwise thief who leads her own criminal enterprise. When Zahra’s crew is captured after a botched job, she finds herself at the mercy of the dangerous Marino Family. Rather than submit, Zahra proposes an alliance to pull off an ambitious heist. As these two criminal masterminds circle each other, the line between captor and captive blurs, creating a dangerous game of attraction, power, and betrayal that neither expected.
Strengths: The greatest strength lies in its effortlessly readable and clever construction of suspense, as well as its almost circular storytelling, culminating in an ambiguous cliffhanger of an ending. The dialogue is authentic throughout, with moments of genuine wit and humor that encourage a bond with the characters and the mounting tension. All characters step off the page with well-fleshed out personalities, making even minor players memorable.
Weakness: Felt a little odd when Elio brought out his inner Sheldon, but I did like it overall.
Verdict
An adorable psychopathic killer and a lying thief who makes questionable life choices, what more do you want? It’s Oceans 11 meets 365 Days, and there’s a very steamy moment between them in a car. The ending was a cliffhanger, and I must know what happens next because the way it ended was just…unsettling. I just wanted to shake Zahra throughout. I understand why she’s the way she is, but come on! Smack, smack, smack! (8/10)
Thank you to Rebecca Johnpee, Bramble, Tor Publishing Group, NetGalley, and Libro.fm. I received advance review copies for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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More Titles by Rebecca Johnpee
Loving the Wicked (Coming June 2026)
From the Publisher:
Series: The Wicked Trilogy
Publisher: Tor Publishing Group / Bramble / Macmillan Audio
Paperback / Audiobook
ISBN: 9781250385857 / 9781250417954
512 pages / 14 hours 42 minutes
Narrator(s): Jaclyn Kelso & Marcio Catalano
Fiction / Romance / Mafia
Fiction / Romance / Dark Romance
Fiction / Romance / Enemies to Lovers
Description:
DELUXE EDITION–featuring gorgeous deep red sprayed edges!
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…
The Wicked is slow burn mafia meets heist romance that explores darker themes, subjects, and scenes that may not be suitable for everyone. Please see the author’s content note at the beginning of the book.
The Wicked
*Enemies to lovers
*Forced proximity
*Who did this to you?
*Touch her/him and die
*Morally gray MMCs
*Blackmail
*Revenge
Author Bio:
Rebecca 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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