Review: Rhenna Morgan's HERS TO TAME.

​Q: How do you feel about mafia romances?

For the most part I’m a rule follower who hates, absolutely hates, getting “into trouble.” Sometimes I get anxious about things that I haven’t even done because I worry someone will think that I have. Case in point: I’ve been told so many times that I look young for my age that I still get nervous showing my ID to people when I buy alcohol and I am now 35 YEARS OLD. WITH LINES ON MY FACE THAT DEFINITELY INDICATE THAT I AM NOT USING A FAKE ID.
 
But all of that is to say that I still really enjoyed Hers to Tame by new-to-me author Rhenna Morgan. It’s sexy as heck with an independent heroine and an old-fashioned kind of hero who also happens to be an avtoritet, a mafiya enforcer of sorts.
 
Kir Vasilek was reporter Cassie McClintock’s source on a previous groundbreaking story about a rival mob boss. He was also briefly her lover—until she discovered that he was suspected of working for a mafiya family.
 
Cassie doesn’t feel great about how she ghosted Kir so she apologizes for her actions at the beginning of this book. That should be the end of that. Only, one of Kir’s men has been murdered and all signs indicate that it’s a revenge killing related to the aforementioned rival mob boss. Kir realizes that Cassie is the best starting point for information related to his family-member’s murder, and that’s just great because he hasn’t gotten over her.
 
The dynamics between Cassie and Kir are combustible. They’re also complicated in a way that I mostly savored but that occasionally grated. Kir’s protective and chivalrous to the max, demanding and possessive. While he’s loving and obviously delights in taking care of Cassie, he also makes highhanded decisions about their relationship and Cassie’s safety (and even protection during an admittedly overall hot sexual interlude) and just assumes that she’ll go along for the ride. (This is sometimes frustrating…at least to me.)
 
There are times when Cassie’s independence makes me cheer, especially when she raises some hard questions about Kir and his role in his family. She doesn’t just fall into the relationship blindly and their conversations—with her wanting to take responsibility for her own beliefs and decisions and him speaking so deliberately and truthfully—won me over despite my initial reservations about their ultimate compatibility.
 
I'm also cheering for the author because Rhenna Morgan doesn’t shy away from tackling the real-world implications of a reporter who gets too close to a suspected mafiya man. Her willingness to go there make me appreciate this sizzling and bold romance even more.
 
Still, Cassie’s naivete and unwillingness to challenge Kir’s directives and vague statements at times make me want to shake my head....although I suppose that it's probably best for their present and future happiness if Cassie doesn’t push or question too much, especially when it looks like a murder-retaliation is on the table.
 
Mafia romances will never be my favorite but Rhenna Morgan does it really well with Hers to Tame. There’s lots of heat and a compelling, emotional story that grabs me by the heart, but this romance also wrestles with some of the deeper issues that seem inherent to a relationship like Cassie and Kir’s. It turns out that you can sign me up for that.
 
4⭐️

You can get your copy of Hers to Tame on March 16th. I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Netgalley but all opinions provided are my own.