Hey friends! 👋 Every Tuesday, I’ll be sharing my current read and honest review. This week’s pick: His Pretty Little Burden by Nicci Harris. I’ve been deep in my mafia romance era lately (think: The Sopranos meets Fifty Shades) This one definitely brought a darker twist to the trope. I’ll do my best to avoid major spoilers, but I will be spilling the tea on what worked… and what flopped.
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐ (2 stars)
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (5 tamales)
Let’s talk trigger warnings. This book kicks off by announcing it’s the author’s “darkest novel yet,” and honestly? No lies detected. Some of the flashbacks, especially those revealing the FMC’s life before meeting the MMC, are brutal. We’re talking major trauma, violence, loss—the whole emotional rollercoaster. If you’re here for heartbreak, high-stakes drama, and lots (and lots) of sexy scenes, this book has it in spades.
Brief Synopsis:
Our FMC is Fawn, a young woman who finds herself pregnant after a non-consensual encounter while under the influence (major content warning here). She’s an orphan, as her mother unalived herself, leaving Fawn to piece together her origins. Using clues left behind, she sets off to find her birth father, a made man she’s never met. Her search leads her straight to Clay, our MMC and the newly crowned Don—who got the title by killing the previous Don… who also happened to be his wife’s father.
What I Liked:
👨👩👧👦 Unconventional family + mafia dynamics: Clay being both a politician and a mafia boss? Unexpected but interesting. That duality isn’t something I’ve seen much in the mafia romance space.
🇦🇺 Aussie vibes: The book is set in Australia, which adds a fresh twist to the genre. Think mafia, but with accents and a different backdrop than the usual NYC or Chicago scene.
🍼 Daddy Dom Realness:
This book goes there. I have been reading smut for over a decade and some of the scenes made me blush. The power dynamic between innocent, inexperienced Fawn and the uber-dominant Clay is central to the plot. The spice is graphic and detailed. Clay is in full-control mode from start to finish, in and out of the bedroom.
What I Could’ve Lived Without:
📖 More filler than a med spa:
Some chapters felt like fluff, with dragged-out scenes that didn’t move the plot or build character. It made parts of the book feel more exhausting than exciting. By the last third of the book, I found myself wondering when it was going to end.
🧀 Cringe city, population: these phrases:
Let me just quote a few:
- “Fatty flaccid shaft” (barf)
- “I can still see his godly physical potential bursting from his powerful physique.” (what does that even mean?)
Also, WHY is every MMC growling these days? Is this a mafia romance or werewolf fanfic?
🤷♀️ Plot whiplash:
There’s a lot going on. Sudden betrayal in the organization. Clay’s drama with his mom. A wild ex causing chaos. A whole subplot about Fawn’s dad that’s left totally unresolved. It felt like the book was juggling too many arcs without really sticking the landing. Then you realize there’s a sequel. But after this unhinged ride, I find myself wanting to get off at the next stop.
Would I Recommend It?
Depends on your vibe. If you’re just here for the smut and don’t mind a messy plot, then yep this might scratch that itch. But if you’re a plot girly like me, maybe skip this one and keep it pushing.
That’s it for this week’s review! Want to stay in the loop on future reads? Hit that subscribe button or follow me on Instagram at @makeoutsandmurder.
Next up: The Moon and His Tides by Giana Darling. I’m a big fan of hers, so fingers crossed for a wild and fun ride.
With love, screams, and everything in between—see ya!
– Makeouts & Murder
Makeouts and Murder 