Lily Writes

Why Mafia Romance? (Yes, Sisters, This One’s for You)

I have two sisters, and when they started reading my books, they were shocked. Truly scandalized. Not so much at the spice level of some of my scenes (though yes—The Beaumonts, I see you). What really made their eyebrows shoot up? The fact that I sometimes write Mafia romances.

So… full disclosure.
I grew up in prison.

No, not like that. Our dad was a warden, and we lived on prison grounds for most of our school years. Do you know how many friends wanted to come play at OUR house? Exactly zero. (I’m not joking.) Maybe that’s why I became such an avid reader—books were my escape hatch.

So, sisters dear, let me explain the Mafia thing.

It’s about the thrill of the forbidden.
The allure of a man who is dangerous to everyone—but her.
The morally gray antihero who is ruthless to the world yet tender to his woman.
The relationship that shouldn’t happen, but does anyway.

There’s something intoxicating about the fantasy of a man who would burn down kingdoms—or crime families—for the one he loves. It’s danger without risk. Power paired with loyalty. Passion set against the highest of stakes.

That’s why Mafia romance keeps pulling me in.

It started with Bella Beaumont and Alexei Volkov. Their love story spans twenty-four years, and it still melts my heart every time I revisit it. Alexei sacrifices more than Bella will ever know, and it’s that hidden devotion—the quiet heroism—that makes him unforgettable. That man… he’s a keeper. (And honestly? Hilarious. He steals every scene I bring him into because he just sees the world through a different lens.)

And of course, Alexei’s lieutenants weren’t going to sit quietly in the background forever. Each of them demanded his own love story:

• The Wallflower — Sergei (swoon), the enforcer who chases an innocent woman straight through a sex club (yes, really).
• Stalking Valentina — Yuri, a hitman who knows he’s no good for her but can’t stay away no matter how hard he tries.
• Hitman Nanny — Leo, maybe my favorite: a hitman assigned to protect a young widow and her children, only to fall for her completely. His promises to “do anything” for her turn into endless lists of chores and repairs. Poor Leo. Just when he’s getting somewhere, his runaway younger siblings land on his doorstep and throw his life into more chaos.

That’s the juxtaposition I adore: ruthless men suddenly rendered vulnerable—because of a woman, or a child. The unstoppable force undone by love.

And sometimes, it goes darker. In Guarded Hearts, the story of Elena and Dante (Alexei’s “very good friend”) takes the trope into enemies-to-lovers territory. She’s the daughter of his sworn enemies, and he knows he can’t have her—no matter how much he wants her. Their story is tense, fiery, and utterly consuming. 🔥🔥🔥

So yes, sisters. Mafia romance.
It’s dangerous. It’s dramatic. It’s delicious.

And honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.