Book Review-Craving Revenge

michelle heard

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review. Also my tags may have spoilers in them so be forewarned before checking out full review.

First Impressions

Craving Revenge was a book I never knew I would never expect to find but never realized how much I needed in my life. This book was just about everything and more and this book is evidence onn what makes this author so incredible. Craving Revenge is a mafia romance that will have you in ALL of your feels and will captivate you deeply into the lives of these characters. It will have you feel the same revenge that our hero has to go through and see that even in the mafia, there is hope and goodness and true love to be found (at least for fiction lol; it’s a fantasy world after all) I found this unique in that it tackles some Asian Mafia, bringing peace to a war and finding healing in the soul.

“I want a future with you so I can feel what it’s like to be loved.”

Book Evaluation:

Plot: 5/5
World Building: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
Hero: 5/5
Heroine: 5/5
Intimacy Level: 4/5
Relationship Building: 5/5
Heart & Feels: 5/5
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 3/5
Page Turner Level: 5/5
Narration: 5/5
Ending: 5/5
Overall View: 4.5/5

The Main Protagonists

The Hero: Augusto Vitale

The Heroine: Yuki

What I Loved

This book is the type of story that will be dark and edgy and will hit you deep in the chest with vibrant emotion. It’s not going to be an easy story in parts to read because of what you see the heroine go through in various aspects. My heart LITERALLY broke for Yuki, who has sacrificed so much just waiting for her brother’s return. Only to be tortured herself and then having to marry the man that almost broke her. WHEW, you just know that this author will put you In your emotions, but it’s so worth it. The HERO is what makes it so worth it. When he realizes that she is a woman and how she has been abused, he does the honorable thing to protect her. He is basically the mafia version of a knight in shining armor. He is honest about his apology, but also what I appreciate about this author is how she handles the grovels. They don’t cross the line, and seeing him do the sweet things for her to make her feel safe and help her heal is the type of GROVEL I go after. This is genuine and felt so real. It’s showing up when it really matters. Yuki is such a lovely heroine. While she has been abused, she isn’t weak at all. She has this inner core of strength that you have to admire from the beginning. Seeing the slow burn of yearning that these two go through is top-notch, and I never wanted it to end. I was also really fascinated with the brother, and I really wouldn’t mind this author delving deeper into his story (Please let that happen lol because he deserves happiness too)

What I Struggled With

Not much, to be honest. I think the one thing I would have changed is the hero learning everything that was done to Yuki. I feel like he didn’t know the worst of it, and it felt a bit disappointing when he didn’t know everything she went through.

Narration

I am IN LOVE with these audiobooks, and I love that Hoopla has most of them. I really love this duo team and they are definitely becoming a favorite for this author. They capture her tension and world-building just right!

Overall Thoughts

Craving Revenge is going to be a story that will deliver desperate yearning, showcasing real forgiveness and the compassion of healing and connecting with nature along the way…

Book Details

Title: Craving Revenge

Author: Michelle Heard

Series: Kings of Mafia, #6

Publication Date: May 26 2026

Publisher: Self Published

Genre: Dark Romance

Narrator: James Anderson Foster, Macie Miller

Length: 7 Hours and 14 Mins

Tropes/Character Types: Morally Grey, Abused Heroine, PTSD, Touch Her and Die, Protector, Arranged Marriage, Dressed As A Male, Mafia/Mob Boss, Praise Kink, Slow Burn + Yearning

Spice Level:

Steamin’ up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.

POV: Duo POV

Music Song That Is Themed After This Book: Into You by Ariana Grande

From USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Michelle Heard comes a standalone, full-length, mafia romance novel.

For years, I’ve been groomed to be my brother’s shadow. To protect my father’s heir, who will one day take over from him as the Kumichō of the Yakuza, I’m forced to dress and act like a man when I’m out in public.

The ruse works, and when I’m grabbed off the street by the Sicilian mafia, I’m in for a world of pain.

Augusto Vitale, a ruthless and unforgiving capo, wants revenge for what the Yakuza did to his younger brother, and I’m the one paying in blood.

That’s until Augusto realizes I’m a woman and I’m set free.

I think it’s the last I’ll ever see of him, but then my father comes up with a plan that will ensure I live the rest of my life in hell.

Once again, I find myself at Augusto’s mercy, but this time he has no intention of letting me go.