Mafia MM Romance: Review: Who Said Execs Couldn’t Be [HEX]ed? 

by J.F. Miev | My rating: 3 of 5 stars | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

This mafia mm romance is supposed to be a lighthearted, action movie-esque romp across the high seas. I get that this is the intention of the author. Unfortunately, issues make it difficult for me to immerse myself in either the action or the romance. I love me some mafia mm romance, too. So I was disappointed I wasn’t sucked in by this story.

Basically, there are nefarious plans at play. Our mm mafia MCs infiltrate a luxury cruise to get to the bottom of a plot to unleash a dangerous mind-control drug upon humanity. They, the mafia people, are strangely enough the good guys in this mobster story. 

Blurb

HEX

Having a crush sucks. Harboring one on your dad’s stuck-up best friend, who is the grumpy Chief Security Officer of the Akiyama Group, is a nightmare.

But hey—I’m Sudo Hex, Japan’s number one genius hacker. He can play hard-to-get all he wants, but I don’t give up easily.

The luxury cruise where billionaires and corrupt politicians are gathering because of their nasty new drug will be my playground, right before we crash their party and stop their evil plans.

Forced proximity? Check.

A mystery we have to solve together? Check.

An opportunity for me to show him how reliable and responsible I am despite our age difference? Check.

Potentially dangerous situations that he has to save me from? Check, check, check.

I’ll make this mission a success, and my reward is walking away with a boyfriend.

ARAN

I should’ve never agreed to take Hex with me on this cruise. My mission is my priority and with the stakes as high as they are, a distraction is the last thing I need.

Especially one as stubborn and charming as him.

As an executive at a mafia organization, failure isn’t an option for me. But my duties aren’t the only thing hanging over my head. Years ago, I made a promise to my best friend who died in the line of duty—no matter what, I would watch over the son he left behind.

I’ve done my best, but the little shit just won’t leave me alone. He’s no longer a kid either, but he still professes his love for me every chance that he gets. I’ve shut him down countless times, yet he never gives up.

It’s annoying, exhausting too. There is no ‘we’ in the picture.

And yet, no matter what crazy things he asks of me, I just can’t find it in me to say no.

This dad’s best friend MM romcom features VIP cruise shenanigans, mystery, action, a dose of ridiculousness, possessiveness, age gap (not the focus), slow burn, a stuck-up CSO who’s hellbent on denying himself what he wants, and the stuborn hacker who won’t give up until he snags himself his dream man. It’s Book 3 of the Mobster Mayhem series and can be read as a standalone.

The Main Characters 

Hex 

MC 1 is Hex, a computer genius whose hacking skills have elevated him to move in questionable circles as the top of his class. He’s childish and naïve, frankly. Described as a 24-year-old, Hex acts so much younger. He’s sexually innocent, to the extreme. He has his first kiss with Aran. His characterization is questionable for what he does as a hacker and who he works with. A kid so naive would be eaten alive in the criminal underworld. 

Aran

MC 2 is Aran, who is a former military guy who shifted to security work once he retired. The story did not clearly explain how Aran justifies working for the mob. He’s stoic and older, and dead set against being in a relationship with Hex. For good reason, something we’ll get to in a bit.

The Relationship

Hex is convinced they’re meant to be. Aran isn’t quite as sure about this. He’s been resisting Hex’s wiles for quite some time. Especially considering the fact that… 

Aran Raised Hex? Wait, What?

Aran made a promise to Hex’s father that he’d look after Hex. He essentially raised Hex from his teens. To me, that makes Aran getting involved with Hex as an adult dubiously moral. In any real-life situation, I believe that it’d be a non-starter. 

In fact, young people adopted in adolescence sometimes struggle with attachment issues. One way these issues manifest is a misinterpretation of their feelings of affection toward their adoptive guardians as something sexual. These youth need extensive therapy to work through these feelings. Knowing this about real-life attachment disorders, Hex constantly pressuring Aran to get into an intimate relationship with him is frankly strange and inappropriate. 

But this mafia mm romance book doesn’t try to make anything very realistic, so I suppose I can suspend disbelief for this. But just know that if you’re at all triggered by things of this sensitive nature, tread carefully for this story. 

Glows

Minority Rep

I enjoyed that this story is set in Asia and features characters who are Asian. There aren’t enough books that feature minority characters, especially in the mafia mm romance genre, so I appreciate that this book has minority representation.

Below Deck Setting

I enjoyed the cruise-line setting and how the high-seas locale makes the mystery more in your face. Someone disappears? They have to be stashed somewhere on the boat! So Hex and Aran have that immediate need to do something about it. I liked the descriptions of the absolute luxury of the ship, and especially the secrets and the mysterious hidden locations. 

Interesting Characters

I found the villains to be some of the best-written characters in the story. As they should be, in a mafia MM romance! Mysterious, worldly, and ultra-rich cruise passengers who want to control the world? Heck yes. They were interesting, sinister and creepy. Perfect villains. It almost made me upset when the story was over. Not really. They were after world domination in the worst sort of way. I didn’t want to side with them or anything; they were downright dirty. But regardless of that, the villains were super well written. 

Grows

Ageism: 40 is absolutely NOT past one’s prime

Ugh there were several times when the author referred to someone past 40 as being ‘past their prime’ and um no thank you very much. That’s ageist. 

Aran Calls Hex an Airhead. Not Cool, Man

Aran works himself into knots justifying why he shouldn’t be with Hex, even though we know he eventually gives in. Take away the fact that Aran raised Hex from his teens, he could have also examined the fact that he doesn’t respect Hex as a person. He calls him an airhead. A partner shouldn’t call the person they love an airhead. That’s mean. It further proves how ill-suited they are for one another. 

Unrealistic Action Sequences

“He yanks the weapon from me and vaults over the furniture, shooting both guns at the same time as he charges at our enemy.”

Page 275 / Location 3097

Wait what? Why would Aran jump out from cover to rush at the people shooting at him? That’s something that might play out in a fight scene in a wild action flick, but in the real world? No way. That would be a sure-fire way to get shot. 

No one with formal military training who actively works in security would do that. And Aran definitely wouldn’t shoot two guns at a time. I’m not into shooting at ALL, but even I know that is some Hollywood stuff that doesn’t work like that in real life. 

Credibility: Hex is a hacker??

First off, I have to get this off my chest. I disliked Hex’s character. Hex’s is childish to an extreme. His personification doesn’t vibe with someone who is working for mafia-sorts. His vibe definitely doesn’t mesh with someone who is a hacker. It just doesn’t. He’s child-like and naive. Innocent.

What’s more, he doesn’t act like someone in a mafia story. It’s almost like two stories are going on at the same time. His dialogue and his behavior detract from the overall plot of the story. There are so many instances Hex does or says something so out of pocket that it completely breaks the immersion of the story.  

If he and Aran were infiltrating a high-level conspiracy ring with a mind-control drug, Hex acting like he does would get them instantly exposed. And he would not act like getting with Aran is the only thing on his mind. Frankly, no mob boss would allow someone like that to go on a mission like this. I KNOW IT’S FICTION. But oh man, I am STRUGGLING to suspend disbelief here. 

This is a Mob Story? 

Who Said… is light on the normal mafia tropes, to be honest. The big-bad guys the MCs fight are world leaders. The MCs seem like the good guys. They could be working for a government instead of the mob, for all the mob elements are absent. If it weren’t part of a series called Mobster Mayhem, this story might work better rebranded as a spy story. But it’s not, it’s a mobster story. The entire story takes place on a cruise ship. And neither Aran nor Hex is a mobster. Those two elements may contribute to it seeming less like a mobster story and more like something else. 

Overall

I think this is a story that a lot of people will like. It’s got action elements, mystery, and romance. I can recommend it for that. But I personally struggled with a lot of the details. Maybe it’s not that serious. But I struggled. And I am an honest reviewer, so I am leaving an honest review. 

Reviews

I received a free copy of this book via Booksirens and am voluntarily leaving a review. I write reviews on my blog, Goodreads, Bookbub, Amazon, and more. If you want me to read and review your upcoming novel read my review policy and submit a contact form.