I hated when someone told me to smile, as if a smile of mine belonged to them and not to me.”
Hello, friends! 🎀 Welcome to another book review, and thank you for being here. Today, I’m diving into the first book of the Made series by Danielle Lori. I read this book back in 2021 and only realized last month that I hadn’t written any reviews for these books while reading the third one. The upcoming three reviews will cover this entire series. And yes, I know there’s some drama about the author, but honestly, I prefer to steer clear of all that and just enjoy my reading in peace. 📖🤗
So, let’s jump into the book, shall we? The first book in the Made series features one of my favorite female characters: Elena (Sweet Abelli), and an equally delicious man, Nico. It’s a mafia romance with plenty of steam. Given the darker themes in my recent reads, I didn’t find this one as disturbing. However, being a mafia story, it does include violence, some murders, and a bit of blood.
First off, let’s talk about our main characters. In Lori’s books, side characters often feel like accessories, with the entire focus on one specific couple. While sometimes I crave a more intricate plot with diverse characters, I accept that this series is intended as a straightforward dark romance. There’s no deeper message here—just a thrilling, disturbing romance for readers like me, lol.
Our main characters are like night and day, complete opposites. Elena is incredibly kind, a ray of sunshine after a long night. She grew up in a toxic family and, as part of the mafia, is expected to marry a man she doesn’t know. This is nothing new for mafia romance, but Elena’s naivety is definitely unique. She has no concept of freedom and has never been held accountable for her actions—not that she’s ever done anything wrong. On the other hand, Nico is a deeply troubled man. He’s rude, and controlling, and refuses to take no for an answer. While such behaviour would be unacceptable in real life, in romance novels, I find myself drawn to these dominant, king-like characters (pathetic, I know, lol).
The relationship between Elena’s family and Nico’s family is strained. Elena is supposed to marry Nico’s sister, but the tension between Elena and Nico grows. After a chaotic wedding day, Nico finds himself with the woman of his dreams—Elena, who was previously forbidden to him. Their relationship develops slowly despite the steamy scenes. They are like tidal waves, constantly pulling and pushing. Much of the drama stems from miscommunication between them. Elena learns to become more independent and fiery, while Nico supports her in his way. Though his methods may not be ideal, his love and care for Elena are evident, and as a dark romance reader, this is enough for me.
There is also family drama, but as mentioned earlier, the romance plot is the book’s main focus. Everything else serves as a backdrop for Elena and Nico’s relationship, providing reasons for them to argue, make up, or have steamy encounters. These events are like small cards the author plays to bring the characters closer together. Overall, I enjoyed the book more than I anticipated and would rate it a solid four stars among the many romance books I’ve read.
Thank you so much for reading this review. The next review will cover the second book in the series, so stay tuned. Until my next post, stay safe, friends! 🌷✨
Luster of Books 