💭Romance, action and spice? SIGN ME UP! This was my first book by this author but it certainly won’t be my last. I definitely need to read the first in the series and already can’t wait to read Hudson and Izzy’s story.

💭I loved Callie and Alessandro. Their connection was written so well. I loved the slow burn and how they tried to resist their feelings but in the end couldn’t help admit how they felt.

💭I don’t always love mafia stories but I did enjoy this one. The whole mission thing really added to the story to make it not the normal run of the mill romance. I liked that Brittney added enough detail for the story to be exciting but not too much for it to turn really dark.

💭I absolutely LOVED the little country vibes chucked in with songs named. Listening to the songs just added to the whole vibe of the show chapters. (& I got to add a few I hadn’t listened to yet to my playlist (obviously I already knew Tennessee Whiskey😂)).

💭Overall a fab read and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

I'm a huuuuuuge fan of the marriage of convenience/fake relationship trope, which this book has. The relationship and chemistry between the two characters was great. Unfortunately, this book didn't stand out to me as something fantastic or one of my favorite books, but it was a good read.

Not Mine To Keep was a awesome read, couldn't put it down. Brittney Sahin just had a way of writing that just sucks you into the story and you can't get enough. Alessandro and Calliope were perfect characters for each other, hot, steamy scenes, and one of the best action pack reads. They both had pasts to work through and fight together for the future, absolutely an epic read. Love this story and can't wait for the next.

This is first time I've read a mafia romance where the guy doesn't act like a jerk towards the girl. Not that the girl couldn't handle it if he did. But I was pleasantly surprised to find out what a sweetheart Alessandro is and how much he cares for Calliope. I was lucky enough to read the ARC version of this book and well... I think anybody who loves a good mafia romance with the marriage-of-convinience trope should read this book.

Just when I think Brittney's next book couldn't possibly be better than the last, she knocks it out of the park. Brilliantly written with all the feels. The chemistry between Alessandro and Calliope is insanely HOT! I couldn't read it fast enough and when I finished it, I immediately wanted to read it again. I absolutely can not wait for Hudson and Izzy's book.

This is my first by this author and I really liked it. There's an instant connection between the main characters which is one of my favorite things, but it's not what I would call instant love. There's a lot of doubt and mistrust due to Callie's situation. The draw to each other is there and you can feel it. They just have to work through things to recognize what that draw is. I'm not the biggest fan of denial, especially when it goes on too long. That is the case with Alessandro. You do read later in the book why he feels that way so it isn't just a fear of commitment. I enjoyed the many side characters and love that we'll be getting a few of their stories in the series. I'm happy I picked this one up to read.

No surprise to anyone—I loved another Brittney Sahin book! Calliope and Alessandro’s chemistry is off the charts, and what starts as a fake marriage turns into the perfect mix of romance and danger. Mafia romances aren’t usually my favorite, but this one has the perfect blend of drama, high stakes, and plenty of heat—such a great read!

<b>I am obsessed with Alessandro and Calliope! Just obsessed. Not Mine To Keep by Brittany Sahin is absolutely unputdownable! It had the twists, the thrill, the adrenaline rush and the explosive turns of an great romantic suspense. It had the perfect slow burn and angst of a marriage of convenience becoming real love. The chemistry is scorching hot. Alessandro is the epic alpha hero who just made me go crazy for him from the first page. The billionaire with a tragic past and a dark side? Count me in. Calliope was innocent but she was sucked into the world of danger, crime and evil due to her blood line. She is equally sassy and sweet. I was completely lost in the pages where passion, action, suspense, heartache and happily ever after unfold beautifully.</b>

✔️ billionaire romance
✔️ mafia romance
✔️ ex military alpha hero with vigilante family holding money and power
✔️ fake marriage
✔️ she is off limits

Ex military and now billionaire businessman with a secret vigilante side, Alessandro Costa was fascinated with Calliope at the first sight. Little did he know that she will become his next mission. To pay an old debt, he has to marry her and save her from her mafia boss father's nefarious plans and also take him down..while getting revenge for his brother. So many things can go wrong and the worst is falling for his fake wife.

<b>Alessandro Costa is so sure that he isn't worthy of love and that he doesn't want happily ever after. His military life and later the missions with his family taking down the evil all over world has left his heart hardened. Or at least he thought so. Because Calliope threatened to smash the walls from the first meeting. She ignited such an overwhelming and all consuming protectiveness and possessiveness in him. It was inconvenient and unreal for him. Calliope has been raised by her aunt and until recently she had no idea that her mother was Italy's most feared mafia boss' mistress. Now her father wants her to get married to man of his choice and handle the empire over to her. It was a mess. Alessandro took the mission of marrying her and convincing her father to let her stay with him in USA in name of revenge but all he wanted was to keep her safe. He kept himself away but Calliope got under his skin and inside his heart. Calliope knew falling for an emotionally unavailable man will only cause hurt but it was impossible not too. The plot is fast paced and full of danger. The action and suspense play a very important role and I was biting my nails all the time. My heart was beating fast in last few chapters. Callie healed Alessandro and he gave her everything he could. Love. Loyalty. Devotion. And the sex? Oh my god it was filthy as hell..Alessandro has dirty mouth. Since it was slow burn, the tension was building up and when the dam broke, it was explosive.</b>

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

To be honest, I'm usually reading Fantasy after Fantasy book; I'm talking vampires, shifters, etc - nothing necessarily "real life" related. But did this book reel me in from the first Chapter!

I didn't expect to love this as much as I do. The back-and-forth tension between Callie and Alessandro kept me wanting more, and I giggled probably more than I should have at a book. The plot twists had me gasping, and I loved the dual POV.

I enjoyed seeing their love grow and Alessandro's walls come crumbling down. The relationship between him and his siblings was absolutely heart-warming, and I loved every Italian cliche!

The action was fantastic, and there was enough detail with persons/places/things that you weren't confused at all by what was going on. I'm not privy to "military speak" - so having those random definitions explained throughout was really helpful!

All-in-all I definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a really good romance novel with lots of open-door spice and action to keep you on your toes!

"Not Mine to Keep" by Brittney Sahin follows Alessandro and Callie.

Alessandro Costa is one of three Costa brothers whose father is in the Italian mafia. Alessandro entered the military and after the death of his sister, became a contract killer for one of the three letter government agencies. Once he fulfilled the deal his father made on his behalf, he and his brothers created their own security firm.

mafia ➡️ military ➡️ contract killer ➡️ private security

Calliope is the daughter and sole heir of another Italian mafia organization; an organization she wants nothing to do with. She's a teacher and a country music artist living in Nashville, TN.

In addition to the fake marriage trope and the romance between Alessandro and Calliope, we're given insta-love (3-weeks from the date they met) and a revenge subplot that spans 15(ish) years.

There's a lot going on in Alessandro and Calliope's story. So much so, that I found it hard to invest in their relationship and the story. The revenge plot doesn't pick up until the last 20% of the story. Brittney Sahin used this as an opportunity to reintroduce some characters from previous series as well as set the ground work for a relationship between Alessandro's best friend and his youngest sister.

While this story didn't hit the mark (pun intended) for me, I think "Not Mine to Keep" will be enjoyed by other romance readers.

STORY LIKES
⭐⭐.25 (rounded)
it was okay

SPICE
🌶️ mild

RECOMMEND
💳 - there are readers who will enjoy this story

Thank you, NetGalley and Montlake for the advance review copy.

Alessandro’s a billionaire vigilante, who’s a touch morally grey and set on saving Callie from a deranged psychopath. The only way to save her is to marry her. Their forced proximity, her awakening into Alessandro and her father’s world make for an amazing story that gripped me. I didn’t see any of the twists and turns coming and I cannot say enough about how amazing this book was!!

"And yet here I was, captivated by Little Miss Tennessee Whiskey. A.k.a. Calliope. A.k.a. mine."

- mafia romance (she's the reluctant mafia princess)
- playboy billionaire
- fake marriage
- protective mmc
- forced proximity
- 🌶️🌶️/5
- dual pov
- narrated by Connor Crais and Allie Piper

Premise: you're a playboy billionaire who reluctantly decides to fake marry a Southern belle who just learned she's a mafia princess to a) save her life, b) return a favour, and c) take down her family and the man who nearly killed your brother.

What a plot, huh? This was my first Brittney Sahin book, and I really liked it. It was a fast-paced listen, and Connor and Allie did a great job capturing the MC's unique accents – Alessandro grew up partially in Italy, while Callie is a Southern girl.

Alessandro made Callie feel safe from their meet-cute, even when she thought she should've feared him. He always put her first, although they'd only know each other days when they got married.

While the romance is a highlight, a lot was happening behind the scenes with moles, murder, and mystery… the usual mafia things 😅.

I'd definitely be keen to continue this series. It also wasn't as spicy as I expected (with less than five scenes, it didn't overwhelm the plot as it does in some mafia romances), which was a refreshing surprise for someone who is a little spiced out.

Thank you to Montlake for the early copy.

𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘛𝘰 𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 follows mafia playboy Alessandro and mafia princess Calliope in a fake marriage trope to keep her safe while he plots out a revenge years in the making.

- ~ -

Sadly, this book wasn't the one for me.
The attraction felt too sudden and boring, did not feel like they complimented each other at all.

And all the suspense seemed too forcely built up as well, although this book isn't bad and it has its moments, unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me.

- ~ -

3.76 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

I seriously don't think Brittney Sahin could write anything but something phenomenal even if she tried. I was so in love with Enzo from "Let Me Love You" (go read it if you haven't!) that I didn't think Alessandro could compare. I fell in love with Alessandro! Characters that are once side characters step into the spotlight spectacularly and give a new insight into who they actually are!

The banter between Callie and Alessandro was amazing. I love reading texts between characters in books and they didn't disappoint. Callie gets pulled into the mafia world by her father. Alessandro steps up keep her safe. There's angst, steam, sass, marriage out of necessity and much more! As always, characters make reappearances and it ties togeather perfectly. The entire Costa family is turning out to be amazing! I would love to see a back story for their parents (fingers crossed). Mr. Costa really made me swoon in this book! I guess we know where his boys get it from! I also cannot wait to see what is in store for Izzy and Hudson!

Thank you Brittney for another amazing book!

Brittney has done it again! Another amazing read. This family is wonderful and even though this book can be read alone, seeing previous characters and friends makes it more exciting.. Can’t wait for the next book! Enjoy!

I absolutely love this book! To be honest, I wasn't sure whether I would enjoy Alessandro's story before starting it. The "Mafia" theme normally isn't my favorite, but the book didn't seem overdone and I really enjoyed it. I also appreciate the length of the book - there's never a feeling that the author is rushing to get to the end. Some authors can write in a somewhat formulaic way, but Ms. Sahin's books are definitely not like that. She allows the story to take its own course and reach its conclusion when it's ready, and the result is an even more enjoyable read. There were also cameos from characters from her previous series, which I appreciated as a fan.

Not Mine to Keep is book two in The Costa Family series by Brittney Sahin.
I’m going to have to read book one Let Me Love You. After reading the second on now.
Mafia romance is one of my absolute favorites to read.
There were twists and turns that had me on the edge not wanting to put the book down.
I’m looking forward to book three The Art of You.

Starting off as a convenient marriage between two people but in addition to this trope, there was a lot of twists and turns. Every page of this novel captured my full attention from the way the author writes. In addition, the chemistry between the two characters was something magical to read. This book allows you to follow the story while still learning about each character background story so you can fall in love with each individual on a more personal level.

📚Not mine to keep - ARC Review 📚
Edit on Instagram : @books_and_coco

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Where do I even begin with Brittney Sahin’s latest masterpiece? It’s official—Brittney Sahin never disappoints! This book had me on the edge of my seat with all those twists and turns that left me eager for more.
I don't even know where to start this review but be ready, it's going to be a long one !

I have to say, I adored how the book kicked off with a little nod to Michael Maddox and then the cameos from the Dublin Nights crew 😍. It’s always a pleasure to revisit old favorites, and I’m definitely planning to go back and dive into some of those past books again!

Callie and Alessandro were absolutely fantastic characters, and their chemistry was undeniable 🔥. The sparks between them lit up the pages ! The character development was exceptional, with both Callie and Alessandro being so real and complex. Their emotions felt raw and genuine, adding depth to their story.

The blend of action, suspense, and romance was spot-on. Sahin’s writing pulls you in and doesn’t let go, making it impossible to put the book down. What really makes this book stand out is its unique spin on the mafia trope. This book is more about heroism and sacrifice than the darkness of the mafia world.

Finally, the way she set up Hudson and Izzy’s book had me kicking my feet in pure excitement ! Those glimpses were just not enough—I am so ready for their story! 😍😍

Alessandro Costa is a playboy and doesn't want to change anything about that. When Alessandro get a phone call from Gabriel one of the top men working for DiMaggio mafia crime family. Gabriel has finally called in his favor from five year ago. Now Alessandro is finding himself in Nashville waiting to see what the "favor" is going to be. Calliope is a teacher, song writter and singer in Nashville and has been raised by her aunt since birth. Calliope's mother had died a year ago and has meet her father at the funeral. Calliope's father is the head of the DiMaggio crime family and Calliope is his only heir. Alessandro must marry Calliope in order to save her life and to repay Gabriel for saving his brother's life. Against not wanting to be married to each other they have no other choice to do so. This was a good book and I enjoyed it quite a bit. It is book 2 in a series and while I never read book 1 I was able to follow the storyline just fine. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Montlake books for letting me read an advanced copy of this book.