Member Reviews
Not Mine to Keep by Brittney Sahin is a gripping, emotionally charged romantic suspense novel that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. It's the first book I've read by her but not the last!
I've never read a Brittney Sahin book before this, but I'm a new fan! I love the whole vigilante spin of the mafia that's going on this book, as I think it adds to the morally grey to the characters. A great read!
The name DiMaggio means mafia royalty, but Calliope, the dynasty’s last living heir, is no princess. A teacher and singer in Nashville, she’s moved as far away from the generations-old criminal legacy as she can. But she still can’t escape her dying father’s wicked reach, or his plans for her arranged marriage to carry on the family name.
Playboy Alessandro Costa has a different plan: marry her himself—temporarily. It’ll give him a chance to take down the DiMaggio patriarch and his empire, settle an old debt, and save Calliope from a catastrophic fate. But when the attraction between them sizzles, business becomes pleasure and a marriage game becomes the real thing.
It only raises the stakes—and the danger. Because now they are living in the shadow of violent men who’ll do whatever it takes to destroy them. With their love and their lives on the line, Calliope and Alessandro are ready to fight fire with fire.
Spicy and I liked it. Cannot wait to read more from the author. Will recommend to others.
Not mine to keep is the 2th installment in Brittney Sahin’s fabulous The Costa series.
I finished it in one sitting I just couldn’t put it down!
I immediately fell in love with Alessandro The chemistry between Alessandro and Calliope ( Callie) is amazing! Slow burn and sparks flying all over the pages!
There is a mystery to solve and some characters we know from the Dublin night series are there to help.
I read this arc while on holiday and it turned out to be the perfect read while lying on the beach under the Mediterranean sun!!
I loved it!!
This was so much fun! I love a good redeemed playboy and when he’s ex-military it’s even better. I thought the plot here was very good and had a lot more action than I was expecting! This is probably a good one for readers who are looking to dip their toes into mafia romance.
I wish we had gotten a little more push and pull between our main characters. Alessandro spent a good chunk of the book avoiding Callie and his motives were actually very good but I would’ve loved more tension and “will they/won’t they”.
I definitely want to see what happens in the next book with Izzy and Hudson!
I love this book so much as usual. This author writes a beautiful book so much action and love and steamy scenes. Very smartly written I love all of her books.
This was an absolutely amazing second book in the Costa Family series! Cannot get enough of this family! I've fallen in love with the Costa's and Alessandro's book was the perfect addition to the series. His and Calli's story was full of romance, suspense and the love of two people who were perfect for each other. Now I cannot wait for Hudson and Izzys book!
This was my first Brittney Sahin novel and it won't be my last.
Likes:
-"my wife"
-"touch her and die"
-forced marriage
-country singer heroine
-super protective italian hero
-found family
There's not much I didn't like except that the mafia storyline felt a lot stronger than the relationship storyline at times. I'm a romance reader so I'm a sucker for the love story.
I would recommend this one! I love romantic suspence books. This was a good one and with a fake dating/marriage of convience. My first book by Brittney Sahin. Also, who doesn't love a good "My Wife" trope.
The passing of Calliope’s mother turned her normal life as a schoolteacher upside down when she learns that she is the daughter of a powerful mafia man, and he has plans for her future. Alessandro comes into her to protect her from her fate with the offer of a pretend marriage, but nothing is as it seems.
Alessandro is a wealthy man who doesn’t believe that a relationship will ever be in the cards for him. Instead, he likes to keep his relationships casual and believes that the same will hold true or Calliope but she is a surprise he didn’t see coming.
The suspense and action will keep you on edge and the heat between them is undeniable as a man who never believed he could trust a woman with his heart realizes that it depends on the woman as she proves to be his match in every way.
This was a just a great read. I was just all in the story.
Loved the MCs. Lovely written book. i enjoyed more than I expected I would
I loved this book and I couldn't put it down once I started it. The chemistry between Alessandro and Calliope was so amazing but yet also intense. This was such a great read and I highly recommend it. Read this book to see what happens with these two and you wont' regret it.
The main characters, Calliope and Alessandro had tremendous chemistry, and I loved how the title of the book tied into the theme, "not mine to keep" and wove through the story. Alessandro is a very compelling MMC, a brooding billionaire with military and mafia ties- he gives off big time bad boy vibes. From the moment he saw Callie, he felt protective towards her- he was definitely in the "touch her and die" camp. Callie was a tough, no nonsense FMC. She was unwillingly thrust into the mafia life, and did her best to distance herself from it, until that was no longer possible. All in all, I enjoyed the book, it moved quickly, the slow burn build up to Alessandro and Callie finally giving into their feelings was compelling, and the spice was solid- a 3/5 for me. The author was new for me, and therefore her universe of characters was as well. There were a lot of characters, and alliances, and at times, it was a little hard to follow. It was obvious they were from previous books in this series and other series, so a frequent reader of her books might appreciate that more. I found it a little confusing at times, and found myself skimming some of that content. I would recommend it though, and will read more of her books!
I enjoyed this even though I don’t typically like Mafia stories. I read it because our heroine was avoiding them, not trapped helplessly. I love a strong heroine! The hero was a well developed character, as well. Lots of thrills made the book even better. Five stars!
what a lovely read! this is my first read by this author and im excited to dive into more books by them. likeable characters, interesting plot and well thought out message. i would rate this 4/5 only for the fact that it didnt capture my attention as quickly as i wouldve liked
Loved it so much! I really loved the love story. The ups and downs in the relationship. The drama, action and suspense was perfect!
This book was so good. I rated it 5 stars! It can definitely be read as a stand-alone, as I didn’t realize it was book 2 until I finished it! This is the perfect mix of story and romance with the mafia. I loved it and can’t wait for book 3, even though this book hasn’t been released. I will definitely be hitting her backlogged books.
I so enjoy a marriage of convenience tale, and Brittney sure gave us that with Alessandro and Calliope! Their instant attraction, which quickly changed to distrust and dislike on Callie's part until Alessandro convinced her that he wasn't the man she thought he was, is a fun starting point. Although mafia romances are hit-or-miss for me, this one was a definite hit! Alessandro is sweet under his playboy persona, and Callie stands her ground and doesn't let anyone bulldoze her. There was just enough steam and suspense to keep the flow going for me, and I even experienced some emotional responses as well. I loved seeing appearances from other Brittney characters as Alessandro and Callie fought for their HEA. I can't wait to see what trouble Izzy and Hudson get into in the next story and sneak peeks at Alessandro, Callie, Enzo, and Maria as well!!
This was a wild ride from start to finish. Mafia, marriage of convenience, forced proximity... it has it all!
Honestly I really enjoyed the thoughtful storybuilding BEYOND the spice and the worlds that are built within this book. It makes me want to read the rest in the series so I'm in :)
Brittney Sahin “Not Mine To Keep”
"Not Mine to Keep" by Brittney Sahin is a gripping contemporary romance that delves into themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. Sahin’s writing is both poignant and engaging, drawing readers into a world filled with emotional complexity. The chemistry between our main characters Alessandro and Callie is palpable, making their journey compelling and heartfelt and oh so angsty. With a blend of tension and tenderness, this book captures the struggles of moving on while learning to embrace new beginnings that neither of them were looking for the night they stumbled onto each other. It's a must-read for fans of romance looking for a story that balances heartache with hope.