Heavy Crown: Illustrated Edition (Brutal Birthright) Paperback – April 10, 2023

The final book in the Brutal Birthright series does not disappoint, and it's more than you expect.I had no idea where the plot was going to go - even though each book can be read as a standalone, there are threads and plot points that wove through all 6 books, and to find a way for them to all wrap up and still be an individual love story was badass. Sebastian Gallo is tied to his family's way of life, and through them to all of the other characters and pairs we've met in the novels. This is a story of alliances, respect, and prioritizing what you value. Sebastian and Yelena both learn that they have to stop letting other people tell them who they are.This is almost like two books in one, because around the 50% mark the craziness really starts and you're just like, holding on while screaming hoping that we get to that happy ending. It is absolutely the start of a rollercoaster, with things inching up and up, the tension winding tighter and tighter, and then you fall, and your stomach leaves your body and you're screaming. Just before it got crazy, I looked at my husband, curled in a little ball on my couch and said "something bad is going to happen but I don't know what." And let me tell you, that clarifying moment that sets the rest of the novel off - it will hurt you and shock you.Sebastian is much deeper than you'd expect based on how he's previously described. He's smart, committed, complicated, and has a dark side that comes out to play in both sad/devastating ways as well as very sexy ones. You think the barn scene in Broken Vow was hot? You haven't seen ANYTHING until you read Sebastian's story. Aside from his ability to light a kindle on fire, you hurt for him. He's alone in so many ways, and has to step up and make decisions. Even when you, the reader, worry they might be the wrong ones, you support him anyway.Yelena is different. A female character who is tall and imposing ,tries very hard to put on a front, and is suffocating underneath the burden of expectations and control. All she wants is to call her own shots, even if the shot she calls is surrendering. Being inside her head was brutal, and relatable, even if we aren't the daughters of mob bosses we know what it's like for the world to tell you your value as a woman. In some ways, she loses the most in the story but quality is better than quantity. Yelena is pure badassery. You know that she will fit in with everyone else in the Gallo/Griffin crew, and they will love her.This series is a spectacular take on the mafia subgenre, and Sophie never fails to surprise me with the way she writes these books. Even when I can see where it's going, I never know how we're going to get there and I love it. Mafia can get stagnant and predictable, and this series filled me with energy and excitement. Heavy Crown is no different - it's a kinetic read that will have you flipping pages and squirming to escape the tension. I'm so sad to leave this world, but frak if we aren't leaving it on a spectacular note. And with a hint of the world to come...

Heavy Crown is the 6th and final book in Sophie Lark’s Brutal Birthright mafia series. I had such a great time with this whole series and am so glad I finally got to it! I already can’t wait to jump into the Kingmaker series which is a spin-off/next gen from this series.I loved how the story starts and we see Sebastian with his siblings! I just love the Garro family and seeing him together with Aida, Dante, and Nero was so much fun. Sebastian played basketball in college and after an incident in book 1 left him with a crushed knee, he hasn’t felt the same since. While out one night he sees Yelena almost getting shoved into a car and steps in to help her, they end up spending the night together and hit it off. Yelena is 25 and the only daughter of the most vicious bratva boss in Chicago. Once we hop into Yelena’s POV, we learn that her father wants to use Yelena to get to the Italian mafia family that he hates and that’s why he pushed her towards Sebastian.I enjoyed seeing Sebastian and Yelena together, seeing them date and start to genuinely fall for one another while adventuring around Chicago together. The whole time you are just waiting for the other shoe to drop because you know he’s going to find out her father is using her to get closer to the Gallo family. So much starts happening in the book that I wasn’t expecting. We see a blood contract, her relationship with her twin brother, revenge, the wedding scene omg! 😱 I loved the epilogue and huge time jump, what a great setup for the Kingmaker’s series!

When I was a junior in college Godfather III came out in the theaters during Christmas. It was a bloody brilliant cinematic masterpiece, Francis Ford Copolla truly brought the darkness of the Mafia to film. Very few books or film portray how ruthless waring families can be, except possibly George R Martin red wedding ..that scene with Aria Stark might..come close to the brilliance of the writing in this series . Once you read this book you will be writing Netflix wanting the Brutal Birthright books to be made into a series. Bravo Sophie Lark.. Seb and Yelenas wedding had me crying ..it will break you.Yelena was a surprise of a character. I really did not anticipate her being as strong as she turned out to be her. split second decision making was heroic fearless and she is my fave backlist character I have read in 2022. The scenes describing the Gallo's home with foxglove grapes was a nod to the Corleone estate when the Don finally fell it was in his vinyard.Sebastian was a surprise, after book 1, I really took him for a jock with not much depth. In this book , we see the depth of his love for his family, his beautiful masterful mind anticipating every move of his rival with chess move after chess move. The action scenes I was holding my breath, and the endgame scene.. was better written than the fight scenes for Sons of Anarchy or Breaking Bad . Oh my #$&@ing God!!!! This book brings all the main characters back perfectly, Callum and Aida, Nessa and Miko , Nero, Dante . But it made me appreciate this couple the most, Sebastian and Yelena are the perfect Romeo and Juliette trope, and when you read this book go to Spotify and listen to the Playlist..I is the perfect soundtrack.This is a must read.

I enjoyed parts of the book, but the disturbing drawings ruined some of the hottest parts. Like a bucket of ice water in the face. The characters are described as being so beautiful and so handsome. Then they have a hot sex scene with a gruesome picture of them having sex, but they are so very very ugly in the pictures it spoils the entire scene and makes you cringe expecting the next one placed in the worst possible places in the book. I had to force myself to finish, and will probably not get any more from this author. There are too many better books without the jarring pictures.

This book was so good. I loved this whole series.

During the first half of the book, my anxiety was high. I knew something bad was going to happen. You can tell if you just take a look at the index page. Then, that passed ...... Oohhh, what an action packed it was! I absolutely loved it. That was what I usually expect from a mafia book - new alliances, conquering new territories, taking out your enemies. This was also a bit darker than the rest of the books in the series, and a perfect ending to it. Ohh, those finishing chapters are my favourites. And, Miko & Nessa's friendship with Sebastian & Yelena, I did not see that coming. I absolutely adore it. They were perfect! Also, loved seeing Nero, Camille, Aida, Callum and a few other characters again.

Great finish to this series that I absolutely loved, first time reading Sophie Lark, now I am an avid fan!

The perfect ending to an amazing series. It left me wanting more and I absolutely can't wait for the kingmakers series. Sophie is such a fantastic author and I adore all of her books. Wonderfully written!!

This book turn a 360 turn right in the middle.I always loved Seb from the very beginning so I was looking forward to see how his story would go.When Yelena is capture omg was that 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥!Yelena made some choices that left her without anything but Sebastian is a good guy and loves her so much that he recognizes that she risked her life for his so when the reconnect it was fire and heartwarming…The two of both are just right for each other and I loved the ending.Can’t wait to read Kingmakers!