Based off the fact I love mafia romance, the cover & the seemingly all positive reviews, I really wanted to love this one but unfortunately I had to add it to my DNF. The writing style just didn’t work for me.

“Who touched you?”
“Because when it comes to you, I have absolutely no fucking control over myself”
Wow this book was really something. A very dark mafia romance that had a bit of an impossible and forbidden love story between a parole officer and an almost mafia boss, who can’t fight their mutual attraction.
Their relationship is twisted and sometimes it can get to dangerous points for both of them and for the people they love. But I really liked how the story gets deeper and deeper the more it goes on.
The side characters were, in my opinion, even better than the main characters in certain circumstances.
The spicy scenes between Jess and Trace were absolutely amazing and their tension was palpable from the very first pages. I loved reading it!!!
And the undertone of boss romance added a bit more excitement to the whole thing!!!!
As every mafia romance, despite some scenes, involving their families, that can be considered trigger, I believe that the book was very well built and easy to go through.
I’m very glad I had the chance to read this one!!
“I needed her, but she needed me just as much. We were both addicted”

I love mafia romances but after reading lots of them it just gets more difficult finding ones that keep my interest. However, Tijan did a great job with A Dirty Business. I was intrigued when I read the blurb and couldn't wait to dive back into the organized crime genre. What I loved most about this book was the unconventional job the female main character had. Jess Montell is a parole office and a pretty awesome chick. I absolutely loved her character and personality. She is a very strong, independent, fierce and loyal person. She had to make some very difficult decisions but it made sense in my opinion. Trace West was also a character that didn't fit the mobster role you see in a lot of mafia romances.

Both characters were very refreshing and that was the main reason I really enjoyed this book. It was unpredictable and full of surprises. There were a couple of scenes that shocked me, but I thought they were great additions to the story even if they broke my heart. A Dirty Business was suspenseful, emotional, steamy and had the right amount of action. Everything was balanced out pretty well, and the ending has me dying to get my hands on the next book. Normally, I am a stand-alone kind of girl, but I look forward to seeing which direction the story will go next.

I received an ARC from NetGalley

“I drowned in this view, burning into my brain, knowing I’d would be envisioning her for the rest of my life.”

This book had it all, enemies to lovers, slow burn, duel perspective, mafia men and female cops, trauma, and twists! Oh the twists and turns!

This book wasn’t overly “I’m the mafia man” which I really enjoyed. The MC is a totally bad ass and a parole officer. She stands her ground, sticks up for herself and can take care of business.

The side characters are just as captivating as the main characters. The author does a great job at keeping the reader engaged and really created enough twist and turns that I didn’t find the story predictable!

The story does end in a cliffhanger so now I wait and hope I can get my hands on the ARC for the next book too because this one was so good I cannot wait!!!!!

This was 4 stars for me.
I loved this so much it was fun and awesome but… I was hoping for not so quick romance, make it hot and steamy for the reader have both of the characters pining after each other not just instant kiss. Not sure about all of the “tell vs show” it’s good overall but more showing and straight to the point stuff would be preferred.
-was hoping for a more explosive “mafia crime stuff”
The most repetitive words: Snorted, clipped, raked, choked and barked. please change if you can. That was the only annoying thing about this book for me.

I thought this was a good book. The story was fun and a good escape. I recommended this book to a few friends so they can get it when it comes out. I like Emric as a character.

I’ve only read one book by Tijan, which wasn’t a favorite, so I was hesitant to start this. Right off the bat, this book is long and it’s NOT a standalone, which sucks. However, I was enthralled right away! This book was intense and kept my interest the entire time. Waiting for book two is going to be difficult!!

Sometimes all it takes is a hockey game, the need to pee, and a locked stairwell. Well, at least for Jess Montell it did. Running into a mysterious man on her accidental trip to the locked stairwell changed the course of her entire life, no matter how hard she fought it. On opposite sides of good and bad, Trace and Jess can’t help but keep coming together (sometimes literally 🔥) and causing themselves problems. Every chapter offers a new OMG! moment, right up until the end-which made me ready for the next book in this series, even though this one hasn’t even been released yet!

The twists and turns of this book kept me going and I read it in a two day span-that’s a record for a mafia book for me! This was a well balanced first book to the Kings of New York series. I have so many questions-Kelly and Justin, Val and Officer Young Stud, Chelsea’s journey, the ring?! Does Trace take Ashton up on his offer? I need more, and I’m impatiently waiting!

Thank you to Tijan and NetGalley for access to this early read! #netgally #adirtybusiness #tijan #mafiaromance

I am a fairly new fan of this author. This book was great. It covers the relationship of Jess Montell and Trace West as well as weaving multiple layers of supporting characters. My only complaint is that the ending stirred up so many questions -- and with no indication of the next book!.

This book has a lot of good subplots - mother/daughter drama, a forbidden relationship with a slow burn status, mafia ties, new relationships, family challenges. All put together though, it feels a little choppy and it's hard to keep each issue straight. There isn't a lot of detail and emotional depth given to WHY the main characters are so drawn to each other, especially as it's kind of an "opposites attract" relationship. Still, the book has a lot of suspense and intrigue, and there's always something going on so it's never boring. As long as you don't overanalyze how everything fits together, it's a solid read!

I absolutely love all of Tijans books! She has been a favorite for a long time! This book is no different! The twists and turns of this first book in the series are amazing! It ends in a cliffhanger so be prepared.

I love the character changes of Jess the main character. She is a full and strong character with the emotional stability that a rising heroine is made of!

Trace is a dark brooding villain come almost good guy. He is exactly the type of male lead I love.


If you’ve read any of Tijans other books you’ll hear a small amount about the 411 group. That’s was fun. I loved that she gave a shout out to them.

As always great job! Can’t wait for book number two!

Boy, talk about a slow burn romance novel. I believe this is my first Tijan and now I am curious about her other works. I loved the complexity of Trace and Jess's lives and how they came together. There was no insta-love here. It felt more realistic than most romance novels. Additionally I really loved all the other cast of characters and their side stories. I love Tijan's writing style! Off to find more books!

I'm speechless . The book is intense, dynamic. I like both the main and secondary characters. The story is excellent, the ending is unexpected. This book is perfect.

Thank you for this opportunity , I enjoyed ,

I've read a few stories from Tijan so I was thrilled to get an early copy of A Dirty Business. As usual, it had be BLUSHING and loving the story. I was captivated by the characters and couldn't put it down. I NEED the next book in the series asap!

Great characters that will keep your interest extremely well. The chemistry, sweetness, and twists in plot kept things interesting. Add in a wee bit of drama and you have a good read.

This is not my first Tijan read, so I was excited to get an ARC for this! I’ve slowly tiptoed my way into mafia romances this year and I’m happy to say I’m still interested in the genre after this.

Trace and Jess have a forbidden romance. Mafia heir and parole officer. And while I’m used to the heir being ‘all in’ with the business, Trace is actually hesitant to take over. He has legitimate businesses with his friend that he’s focused on. And Jess loves her job and knows what’s at stake if it gets out that she’s with Trace.

There’s a lot of dancing around each other in the book. As well as time apart. And it’s not just a couple of days…this spans weeks and months which makes it more believable.

I was definitely hooked in at the beginning. And my interest was renewed towards the end. But I’ll admit I had to force myself to read some of the chapters in the middle. But overall, I enjoyed the book and look forward to the next one in the series.

I will say, this doesn’t read as a stand alone. There’s a cliffhanger, so not everything got resolved.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC

Review for A Dirty Business (warning: possible spoilers)
As a lover of everything romance, I was surprised to find that I had never read a book by this author before. I'm so happy that "A Dirty Business" was my first experience in the world of Tijan. I happily give this book 4 out of 5 stars!
The characters in this book were so refreshing! Jess is a strong-willed parole officer who knows who she is and what she wants. She is not easily swayed, nor does she bow to the will of others, and stays loyal to herself despite the repercussions.
Trace was also a very welcomed change to the mafia prince trope. He is well established on his own aside from his family. He truly cares for those he keeps closest and he knows what he wants in life, despite having values that do not necessarily align with those of a typical mafia mindset.
Tijan writes excellent characters and I found myself taking a liking to even those we only see for one scene.
While I found the book to have a slow start, it didn't take long to pick up the pace, and then I was glued. I also found myself wishing Jess and Trace had more reason for connecting how they did. I thought that other than attraction, I needed them to know each other better outside of what they found through other means.
As the book continued, however, I did find myself rooting for the two of them to put their differences aside and make it work somehow.
All in all, I enjoyed this roller coaster of a book and I am excited to see where the series goes from here!

This is the first book I have read by Tijan (I have a couple of her books on my TBR list) and I have to say she did not disappoint.

I was a little apprehensive when I saw the number of pages because I thought it might be a bit too long but in the end, I had nothing to worry about; I was hooked from the beginning and could not put it down.

The story was suspenseful and engaging with interesting three dimensional characters. The slow burn romance between the two main characters Jess and Trace was intense and steamy and was beautifully interwoven in the drama that unfolds as Jess’s life in law enforcement and Trace’s in the Mafia collide.

I love the main characters, Jess and Trace. The author did an excellent job showing both their tough and soft sides through the use of side characters that added richness to the story and really helped bring the main characters to life in my mind.

Kudos to the author for keeping the story entertaining; the number of pages is a non issue because I devoured this book. My only quibble is the cliffhanger at the end which obviously leaves more questions than answers. I can’t wait for the next book because I want to know how what happens next and I want to see more of Jess and Trace’s love story. I also plan to go through Tijan‘s backlist to experience more of her writing.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

I came across this beauty on NetGalley and I must admit that I tend to find this author a bit hit and miss, plus I don't always lean towards the mafia genre, but I was hooked by the blurb. Oh my goodness, this was a BIG HIT for me! I absolutely loved it and could not put it down! Trace West - gah! 🔥 And, Jess Montel - total kickass! I want to be her when I grow up. 😍

"I wanted her, and for the first time in a long time, I was considering throwing out my rules. For her."

The first time Jess Montel and Tristian AKA Trace West meet feels like a punch to the gut, but then weirdly ends on a cold note when he realises that she's law enforcement. After that, it feels like Jess keeps seeing him everywhere she goes, and the thrill she feels is undeniable. However, once she finds out who he is, she realises that she needs to stay far, far away from him. He represents everything that she fights against. By the same token, Trace knows that she's everything that he shouldn't want but she is under his skin. Both tread a fine line as they dance around each other, helpless against the push-and-pull magnetism between them. The nature of their relationship is forbidden in everyone's eyes and escalates a dangerous struggle for power.

"His mouth was on mine. Need. Want. Desire. Lust. It wrapped around my body, making me feel alive."

I was so hooked on the chemistry between Jess and Trace. Every time they were near each other, the tension was taut and so irresistible that I marvelled at Jess' strength to keep walking away from him. Her sense of honour, duty and righteousness had a strong grip on her will. She was a fearless firecracker and I loved how she could handle herself in every situation, although she was pretty powerless in the face of Trace's desire for her. I loved Trace! He was a guy borne into a particular background - one he couldn't really escape - but I admired the way he and his best friend, Ashton, were trying to build a life separate from their families. Trace was feted because of who he was and the power he wielded. I loved that he was charmed by the fact that Jess didn't know who he was when they first met. I adored his protective instincts, and his respect for Jess and her well-being. I honestly didn't know how they were going to overcome their differences for a shot at a future together, but the plot kept twisting and turning and held me in its grip. This was quite a long read and I stayed up to gallop to the ending, and OMG, I never saw it coming! 🤦‍♀️

A Dirty Business appears to be the first in a new series. It's a Mafia Prince meets Parole Officer romance.

I saw Tijan as Read Now and got all excited. (This is actually the second Tijan on my NG shelf 🙈) I am struggling to rate this so here's some pros/ cons for me:

Positive/ loved: Jess seemed so strong and self-assured, I liked her character. I was interested in the characters and what happened to them, which kept me turning pages in a rush. Jess and Trace's chemistry was evident.

Did not love: at times I was confused. Sometimes the way details are presented didn't seem to flow well. And several times during conversations I had very strong "this is not how a normal conversation would go" vibes. I wanted more brooding, protectiveness from Trace 😜

Overall, I liked it. 3⭐

Thank you to the publisher via Netgalley for this read.