The Empress

2025-favorites character-mafia-or-crime-boss character-morally-gray-hero

Leo and Haven 😩🤩📖🖤
Ok but Leo….😮‍💨 just call that man Arianna Grande because he was all “I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it”
And did just that.

Also I have to mention, with this series Michelle has this way of ripping your heart out in the first couple of chapters.

Leo losing everything he loves when he’s 16 and for years he carries regret and trauma from that night.
Years later, he is 99% sure who is responsible for this put doesn’t quite have enough to pin anything on them.

But when that family F’s up badly, he takes Haven as payment. Which is unfortunate because she’s just a girl on holiday whose only connection to the mafia was her romance books!

These two had me in my toes and when Leo has “
‘THE REALISATION’????? Oh my god I had to put the book down I was that emotional 😩

I loved every second and for obvious reasons….this book will always have a special place in my heart ❤️

Lover of Romance

3,650 reviews1,096 followers

August 5, 2025

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review. Also my tags may have spoilers in them so be forewarned before checking out full review.

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻‍♂️
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️ 🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥.5
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨✨✨

First Impressions
The Empress is the newest release in the "Mafia Empire" world and after seeing promos for it this past week on Instagram, I was completely in the mindset for this book and I completely binged it the moment it hit my kindle this morning. I wasn't sure what to expect on this one, but it does have a premise that is my catnip. I loved the forced marriage, the tension and intense chemistry between these two, the way in which the angst was delivered into the romance....the slow burn while at the same time there was this raw connection and how this book consistently kept me on the edge of my seat. If you love mafia romance, with a alpha mafia boss, a soft yet strong heroine, great communication, beautiful reveals and a ending to curl your toes.

First Line
It was after nine at night when Diego opens the front door, and taking one look at my busted lip, he shakes his head.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Leo Toscano
The Heroine: Haven Romano

Summary
Leo Toscano has a very painful past, where he lost the only one's that showed him true love and affection. Now he is a powerful mafia boss and is looking for vengeance when one of his most valued men is killed through a betrayal. Haven Ramano is visiting her uncle and his family in Italy, when she is forced into a terrifying situation of having to become the bride of a mafia boss in order to save the lives of those of her family. Haven is terrified to being forced to live something she has only read about in books and never imagined this would happen in reality. She has seen the fury in Leo and is scared of him but at the same time she also has a connection to him she cant explain and there are times she sees glimpses of the man. But there are secrets that tie Leo and Haven together and it will take humbling form both Leo and Haven to discover the love they were always meant to have

What I Loved
There were so many things to this story that stunned me from the moment I started reading this one. The first is that the writing immediately sucked me into the story. The beginning of the story will really break your heart but this scene was needed to bring out the connection that Leo and Haven will have for each other. We then skip to the current time when they are both adults. And seeing how different they are from each other. We see some intense moments happen and where the forced marriage happens between them. I found these moments so intense, edgy and thrilling and all consuming. Its actually been a long time since a romance, especially a dark romance had me so consumed in this way. There was some about the forced marriage set up that just thrilled me and I didn't want to put this down. I did love that the heroine, not part of the mafia world, still held her own but she felt real and vulnerable and I appreciated that. But as the tension between them softens, and truths get revealed, I really appreciated how the heroine was. How attentive she could be to the hero and she was able to forgive and let the beginning of their marriage go and truly embrace what they had together. It showed true strength of character and seeing them blossom together, and the way the truth comes about was truly phenomenal.

I know some readers will want to know about the grovel. I really enjoyed the way this one evolved and I am super picky about them. I appreciated how we see a hero feel regret and want to make things better for his wife and to prove to her he can be the man that she needs not fears constantly. And her reaction was very well done. It felt reasonable the time line in which she forgave him. It wasn't drawn out nor was it too short either. And the actual grovel itself wasn't cringe, it was honest and true and genuine in sincerity which I truly appreciated.

What I Struggled With
Don't read the family tree---it will spoil it for you. Skip over it until you read the first 5 chapters or so.

Overall View
The Empress was a story that delivered on all fronts. It had such intricate details, the sensuality, the chemistry, the true courting and romance, the connection that builds for them was full of all the devotion and passion you can expect from a mafia romance and I didn't want their story to end.

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Dark Romance
Character Types: Mafia, Business Student, Morally Grey Hero, Softer FMC
Themes: Heart/Emotional, Danger/Suspense, Slow Burn
Tropes: Kidnapping, Forced Marriage, Revenge

Book Perspective
Duo POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Both

If you like these authors, I recommend This Book
Neva Altaj
Danielle Lori
Cora Reilly

Song This Book Inspires
Certain Things by James Arthur

Recommendation For Reading Order
Yes

Steam/Spice Explanations

Simmering cup of tea---soft warm touches and light intimacy
Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments.
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.
Blazing fire to the building-The prime focus is the sex scenes, scorching hot, and could burn one. Less focus on the emotional intimacy to the relationship.

photo Addicted To Romance Reviews 2_zpsplp8m0tb.png

lucialeelibros

321 reviews11 followers

ARC Review - 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

thank you Candi Kane PR and my lovely Michelle ❤️⭐!!

Maybe I am insane.” His lips ghost over my skin, causing intense tingles to spread over the area. “Maybe that something I can’t place my finger on makes me insane.”
____________________

Spoiler-Free Review of Michelle’s Upcoming Book

Release Date: August 4th, 2025

Alright, deep breath. This review needs to be broken down into phases, because there’s no way to talk about this book without organizing my thoughts — and my emotions — properly. No spoilers, I promise. But I will speak from the heart.

---

PHASE 1: The World, the past, and how we got here!!

This story is heavy. Emotionally heavy. Beautifully constructed and layered with pain, healing, and transformation.

We start with a past that drags us into a present filled with consequences. Leo, our male lead, has a painful background. He comes from a broken home, with a lot of trauma. Still, he tried to do things right. He really did. But he got hurt — and so did people who didn’t deserve it. That pain shaped him into the man he is now, for better or worse.

Then we meet Heaven, our female lead, who has nothing to do with the mafia world. In fact, she only knew about the mafia through romance novels. She’s a massive book lover — books are her escape, her passion, her safe place. That contrast between their worlds? Powerful.

PHASE 2: The Conflict (Or, why Leo had to earn his stars 🫣🤣)

Let me be honest: the real conflict in this book, for me, was Leo.

He was difficult. So difficult. He had that old-school, alpha “macho man” energy that felt more frustrating than charming at times. He made rash decisions, acted like he knew everything, and then — surprise — realized he was wrong and came crawling back.

At one point, I was ready to rate this book 3 stars, max. I was done with him. But then... he started doing the work. Emotional work. Real effort. And little by little, he earned those extra stars. He showed up, over and over again, and it made a difference.

PHASE 3: From "I hate him" to "but...daddy, I love him"

This is the first Michelle hero I didn’t fall for instantly. I found him annoying, arrogant, and infuriating. Truly — I called him every name in the book while reading. But, like they say, love is built through fire.

Leo worked for it. He sweated for it. He proved himself with actions, with growth, with his version of love. And by the end, despite everything... I have to admit:

Leo Toscano, I love you. You’re beautiful, infuriating, and absolutely worth it.

Final Thoughts

This book is one of Michelle’s most emotionally complex and well-built stories. It’s not easy. It doesn’t hand you romance on a silver platter. You have to earn it — just like Leo had to.

If you love mafia stories with emotional depth, second chances, flawed characters, and that delicious slow-burn tension that makes you want to scream... this one’s for you.

Mark your calendars: August 4th, 2025.
You’re not ready — but you’ll love every second of it.

THANK YOU.

Ami

23 reviews11 followers

Samantha (bookgramsaga reviews)

safe no ow/om

856 reviews1,136 followers

age-gap arcs arranged-forced-marriage

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (ARC Review)

RTC

Rebecca Kush

202 reviews1 follower

ARC Review
💍Forced Marriage
🪪Hidden Identity
🔥OTT MMC
🖤Mafia
*slight spoilers to the beginning of the book, skip if you don’t want*

I have absolutely love this series by Michelle Heard. The Hermit is legit one of my favorite books of all time and got me out of a horrible book rut. I have loved every book that has come after it and I knew this one wouldn’t disappoint.

Even though Leo is a part of the larger group, he isn’t spoken about as much as Dominik, Santiago and Cassia. We know that he lives in Italy and that hes head of the Italian mafia, but not a whole lot more from the previous books, so he’s a bit more mysterious. He’s definitely not loud and out there like my love, Santiago.

The book starts off with a tragedy. Leo’s father is a mafia Don and has lots of enemies and while Leo is visiting a friend, the enemies come for Leo, which unfortunately just happens to be at the cost of his friend’s family. He tries to save his friend and his friend’s little sister, but is not very lucky and ends up getting shot himself. The family is killed and he never finds out what happened to the little girl.

Fast-forward many years later and Leo is at a party where he is absolutely transfixed by a beautiful brunette in a pink dress. Unfortunately said beautiful brunette happens to be the niece of the very person Leo hates and who he suspects murdered his friend’s family. What’s a guy to do? Well of course to get back at the man, he decides that he is going to force his niece, Haven, to marry him. What ensues is a big enemies to lovers situation complete with close proximity, lots of groveling, and an over the top possessive mmc. As the story progresses, we un peel the layers and learn more about what happened to Leo’s friend’s family that night including the little girl.

I love Michelle. Her books are great because even though the plot can be a bit dark with unaliving and mafia, the romance is never dark. It can be spicy, but our male characters are always big teddy bears when it comes to the FMC and I love that in a dark romance. Leo is a tough mafia boss to everyone but eventually melts for Haven.

I’m so curious what’s to come in the next book. We’re introduced a tiny bit more to Enzo but I’m still rooting for a side story about Kristen and Edoardo!

iremucka

153 reviews2 followers

The Empress (İmparatoriçe)

Aplam mortgage falan mı ödüyorsun anlamıyorum neden böyle bir anlaşma yaptın ? Bi yandan fantastik seriye başladın bi yandan bu seriye kasıyorsun, bi yandan diğer serinin 2. jenerasyonunu taslaklarını düşünüyorsun. Üretken olman güzel de iş çıkmıyor be aplam.

Nerde Craving Danger nerde the Empress.. Tarot kartlarına bağlayacağım diye çok zorlamışsın sanki. Empress dediğin 23 yaşındaki da; şimdiye kadar okuduğum kitaplar içindeki en ezik kadın karakterler listesine ilk 3' e tekten girer.

2 🌟 sırf Craving Danger hayrına veriyorum, çünkü kitapta hiç bir şey olmuyor?! Karakterler hiç bir şeyi bilmiyor, Leo da bilmiyor 😒 Yani Chatgpt ye yazdırmış gibisin ben neden Leo ' nun akşam hazırlıklarını 2 paragraf okuyorum, bir de şu ana kadar yazdığım en uzun mafya demişsin, bu şekilde nenem de yazar su içtim-yürüdüm-pijamalarımı giydim şeklinde.

Yine de ipe ipe Enzo' yu da okuyup bu seriye de çok şükür paka paka diyeceğiz. 💁

Kitabın özeti yok çünkü kitap yok.. 😑

mafia

cloudy

576 reviews82 followers

genre-dark-romance series-mafia-empire tropes-mafia-romance

“your absence killed me, and your presence gives me life. you’re my beginning and end, stellina mia. now that i have you back, i won’t let anything or anyone take you away from me again.”

michelle heard never disappoints. going into the prologue i had no idea what to expect, and it left me wondering if their story would be a take on second chance or unrequited love somehow. yet, it was neither and that felt refreshing. yes, there was tension and angst due to their “shared” past, but not for the way i’d assume, which in turn made it more maddening to me, in the best way possible. because once all the cards were finally on the table, i kind of wish they weren’t because it was gut-wrenching. this man went through it, and he went through it after groveling so hard for completely unrelated reasons, so the moment he broke down was unbelievably emotionally charged. she was it for it; had been and continued to be his safe haven and soft place to land on, his guiding star.

* i was sent an arc by the author in exchange for a honest review

Tanmai

165 reviews38 followers

Read

My advice? Skip it—you’re not missing a thing.

This was yet another painfully underwhelming read. The premise had potential, but the execution? Flat.

Was there any chemistry, angst, or actual character development? Absolutely not.
This mafia series has been one big loop of recycled tropes and zero originality.

And the insta-love? So instant it made me roll my eyes into another dimension.

Youmna Magdy

124 reviews9 followers

So me finishing the book in only 5 hours ( during work hours so had to leave it a couple of times) says how much i liked it

This one was different lighter TBH
I mean it was so focused on Leo and Haven more than any thing else

But tbh i wanted more , expected more stuff more push and pull.
The characters were incredible so i need more of it

But over all yeah i liked it

Kaity

1,412 reviews37 followers

August 1, 2025

That prologue was brutal, and it was a little jarring to jump into present day.
But when they first saw each other again, it gave so many feels.

Haven and Leo may not have had a great present day meet cute, but once Leo started to woo her, their chemistry shone as bright as the sun.

And that spice… hot damnnnnnn!!

Thank you Michelle and Candi Kane PR for an advanced copy.

Olivia H

18 reviews

5 stars doesn’t feel like enough. This book is in my top 5 all time reads! The story between Leo and Haven is unmatched. There were so many twists and turns in the story line I was hooked. So hooked that the book may have made me cry. What if do to read this book for the first time again.

Ghala

7 reviews

Vania - My Little Book Reads

Not sure how I feel about this one… kinda boring.

155 reviews8 followers

✨ARC REVIEW✨

The Empress by Michelle Heard

Fark, where do I even start? I freaking loved this and each book in this series gets better and better. Leo snuck up on me in the best way and I’ve got such a soft spot for him now.

The prologue? Absolutely mind-blowing 🤯. From the very first page, I was hooked and it only got better from there. Getting to know Leo, his past, his family, all that internal struggle, and seeing him trying to overcome it all just made me fall harder. Then there’s Haven, she’s sweet, strong, stands her ground, and would do anything for the people she loves. Hands down my favourite FMC in the series.

I was completely hooked on their story. The way Leo loves Haven, past and present, had me rooting for them the whole way. And sweet molly, the tension? It was so damn hot and explosive. I was absolutely obsessed.

Add in the love, a bit of drama, a little blood, and just the right amount of spice, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a book.

Hands down, one of my top reads of the year. 😍

Enzo… I’m waiting for you, sir. Don’t keep me waiting too long. 😈🔥🫠

5⭐️ / 2🌶️

Giny

118 reviews49 followers

4.5⭐️ 2🌶 [ARC]

Sleep? Never heard of her. Not when Michelle Heard is out here wrecking my emotions. I binged the entire book last night, and I have no regrets, just a heart that's still recovering.

Leo lost everyone he loved at sixteen, and the guilt of that night has haunted him ever since. When he crosses paths with Haven, there's just something about her he can't ignore, so when a dangerous situation arises, Leo makes a decision that shocks them both: he takes her as his wife.

Haven’s life shatters in an instant. One moment, she’s an ordinary girl, and the next, she’s dragged into a mafia world she’s only read about in books. He terrifies her, but it's the way her heart starts to betray her that scares her even more...

This is a slow burn, and their connection isn't instant, so when the tension finally snaps... let's just say it was worth the wait 🔥 and when he realizes who she truly is 🥺💔

The Empress is dark, fast-paced, emotional, and intense. A story that grabs you from page 1 and doesn't let go.

• Mafia Boss x Civilian
• Age gap (23/33)
• Forced marriage
• Hidden identity
• OTT Protective & Possessive MMC

arc

Serena

1,465 reviews46 followers

Haven travelled with her mother after the death of her father. Her mother thought she should meet the other family members. It seemed simple until it wasn’t. Until Leo showed up seeking revenge and decided that Haven would cover it.
Leo didn’t know why but something about Haven got to him, he knew he wanted to keep her so claiming her to right the wrongs was easy, ensuring that they wed quickly was easy.
One thing that Leo knew was that Haven appeared to have a strength about her that she didn’t always show. Leo shows he’s other side to Haven at times, denying that her mother can live with them, then organising her mother to be removed from their uncle’s house and live with his mother until he buys her a house. The first man that mishandled Haven it didn’t end well.
Haven knows she’s trapped because Leo won’t let her leave, threatening her whole family if she leaves, if she’s stays, they are safe.
It’s what happens when all the lies and deceit come out changes everything.

Willie Mercedes

1,314 reviews127 followers

The Empress (Book 4 in the Mafia Empire series) gave us something we didn’t even know we needed—Leo’s story.

He’s always been the quiet mystery, living in Italy and leading the Italian mafia, but we finally get to peel back the layers—and wow. His past, his inner battles, his loyalty… I fell hard. 🖤

Then there’s Haven—sweet, strong, and fearless in her own way. She’s never been part of the mafia world—her only exposure was through romance books! And yet, she fits into this world in a way that just works.

The tension, the twists, the beautifully written relationships—Michelle Heard knows how to deliver a mafia romance. I turned that final page already craving Enzo’s story 😈

Things to know

Graphic violence, Loss of Family, Death of loved ones, Kidnapping, Forced Marriage, Closed proximity, Touch her & die, No 3rd act breakup, Hidden identity, Age gap (33M/23F), Nightmares, Mafia, Organized Crime, Suspense Romance, Standalone in the MAFIA EMPIRE series Book 4, Innocent FMC who doesn’t know about the Mafia

Laura Smith

51 reviews

August 1, 2025

The Empress Michelle Heard ARC Review

Leo, was a better character and he was cared about I loved that he had supporting friendships who always supported him and cared for him. He was treat with kindness and he had a strong grip on his life apart from his own family who treated him as not family. Haven and Leo deserved each other after what they both went through together.

Haven, was a a great female main character she was a romance reader. I liked that about her because she was relatable and she worked herself up to where she is now. I loved that was tough as nailed and doesn’t let anyone boss her around.

The relationships they had with friends or other family were written down beautifully the plot twists kept me hooked and waiting for the next part! It shocked me along the way and kept putting me back together again they deserved that happily ever after all they went through in the past that lead them up to being with each other in the present.

Brittany

36 reviews

I was absolutely thrilled to get an ARC for one of my favorite authors latest book., and she delivered once again. I devoured the book in 24 hours it was that good. In this story, we meet Leo & Haven. Leo is the head of the Italian Mafia, and Haven is only in Italy to meet some estranged family. Little does she know how drastic her life is going to change. Leo spots her at her family's event and is utterly taken by her. After an unfortunate event, he decides the only thing to do is marry her. I dont wanna say too much and spoil the book. You'll just have to read this amazing book yourself. If you love
•morally gray alphas
•touch her and die vibes
•love stories so sweet
•fmcs strong and sweet
then this is a book you need to read asap.

Leeann Reads

257 reviews11 followers

August 1, 2025

What a rollercoaster this book took me on!

Leo is the ultimate book boyfriend. intense, swoonworthy and absolutely ruthless when it comes to betrayal. The moment he laid eyes on Haven, it hit like a punch to the chest he just had to have her. Their relationship started off rocky, but despite Haven’s naivety about the mafia world, she showed a surprising amount of fire and strength.

And that plot twist… I wasn’t too sure at first, but when the truth hit, I was screaming! Seeing Leo so raw and emotional brought actual tears to my eyes.

This one is hands-down my favorite in the series so far. Now I need to know what Enzo’s up to next!

Wendy Livingstone

19.4k reviews245 followers

Katja | gettinglostinbook

This is the fourth book in this phenomenal series, and this is Haven and Leo’s story.
While in Italy with her mom visiting family, Haven crosses paths with Leo, the ruthless head of the Italian mafia. Leo gives Haven an ultimatum, she marries him, of he will wipe out her whole family.
This is a well written easy to read, action packed story, with family, friendships, emotions, betrayal, secrets, drama, making choices, revelations, humor, witty banter, trust, healing, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, twisted, and unpredictable, dark mafia romance.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

202 reviews3 followers

angsty arc-read best-of-2025

⭐️ ♾️ /5

I started reading mafia romance because of Michelle… and somehow each story just gets deeper, richer more EVERYTHING 🖤

Her characters feel so real and her stories twist your heart in ways you don’t expect. This one? FERAL. I FELT IT. I CRIED WITH THEM. AND I HEALED WITH THEM. 💔

🖤 Mafia
🖤 Anti hero MMC x Innocent FMC
🖤 Possessive MMC
🖤 Hidden Identity
🖤Forced Marriage

💌 Huge thanks for the ARC!

There’s no question in my mind. SHE IS BOSS QUEEN OF MAFIA ROMANCE. I said what I said. End of story 🖤

Lakshmi Praveen

441 reviews23 followers

I am just blown away, far far away. Haven and Leo , my heart hurts for these two. A story that is just for them, wow, it starts off like you are watching a movie and then classic Michelle Heard it just sucks you in. This book was fast paced , quick and with all the emotions and feels. I could not put this book down. Another banger from the Queen.

Dee - Bookaholic Maniacs

232 reviews7 followers

This book is amazing from start to finish. The epilogue had my heart breaking. I felt everything these characters felt and then some. I love Leo and Haven. I want to say so much more but don’t want to spoil it for anyone so I’ll keep quiet. Just know you will LOVE these two and when secrets are revealed, you will feel their pain but also love them even more.

Candace P.

951 reviews6 followers

4.5 stars

full review to come!

Eva

453 reviews8 followers

Mafia perfection wrapped in a bow! FRTC

arcs read-mafia

Alicia

1,382 reviews17 followers

working on review

arc

Ioana Reads

511 reviews2 followers

Rina | booksofthemuggleborn

5 stellina mia stars
3🌶

698 reviews47 followers