That Time I Played the Mafia Boss by Camilla Evergreen: Book Review

 **ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own. 

The Book

Dating the mafia princess next door with an intention to marry her was not in my plans…

After a syndicate known only as the Maxim Project kidnaps the leaders of the Veleno Family, I spend several grueling months adjusting policies as the new boss.

With dissonance and disagreement running rampant, my leadership in question, and no trail to follow, the last thing I need is to find myself waking up tied to a chair in Briar Rosanera’s bedroom.

She’s young, chaotic, beautiful…and deadly in ways her family’s reputation didn’t prepare me for.

As it turns out, my parents weren’t the only ones taken. She wants hers back. And she makes her offer hard to refuse.

The biggest problem?

Her business proposal sounds a lot like a marriage one.

That Time I Played the Mafia Boss is a laugh-out-loud dark romcom with sarcastic humor, big men in need of therapy, sassy women (who also need therapy), and plenty of closed-door sizzle. Read the Warnings and Expectations for detailed heat description.

The Author

Camilla Evergreen is an alias of USA Today bestselling author Anne Stryker. Originally intended as a dumping ground for all things lacking fantasy, Camilla/Anne came to the shocking discovery that writing sarcastic, chaotic romcoms full of quippy heroines and adoring heroes has a kick to it.

Camilla/Anne’s neurodivergent tendencies leave her hyperfocused on writing sweet and sassy romances from dawn till dusk and lending whatever her current creative obsessions are to her characters. From arranged marriages to falling for the boss, there’s lots of love to go around.

Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/authorannemilla

Book Review

This absolutely cannot be stated enough... you absolutely MUST read the author's note before deciding to read this book. Camilla's books aren't always for everyone, and I feel like this is probably most true for this particular book. Yes, it is a closed-door romcom with some super sweet moments... but it's also a DARK romcom. How Camilla makes it work, I may never understand (and yet, she does it so well), but definitely go in with open eyes. If you have read her other darker romcoms (How To Destroy Your Lifelong Bully and My Best Friend and I Need Therapy) and were okay with the toxicity of those characters, you'll likely be okay with this one. Being a mafia romance, this one does take things a bit further with torture, murder and so much manipulation. While I imagine that those who typically enjoy dark romance will find this to be rather sweet, it may still be too much for many sweet, closed-door readers. So again, you've been warned! 

If you decide to proceed with reading, you're definitely in for quite an interesting adventure! This book grabbed my attention right from the opening line and held it right on through to the end... even if it was a little intense compared to my typical reads. There were definitely some twists that I didn't see coming, and you'll definitely want to read to experience them for yourself. Rowan and Briar are far from good, upstanding characters... but they are most certainly a perfect match. 

That Time I Played the Mafia Boss is a closed-door romance but does have innuendo and mentions of sex that might be too much for some readers, so again I recommend reading the author's note to get those details and decide if it's for you. There is also a small handful of very minor language, and lots of implied swearing without actually being written out on the page. 

You can purchase your copy here: https://amzn.to/3W8KFQX