Zita's dad is in the mob, but when he pisses off the wrong people, he gets killed in the family kitchen. Lucca Corso is more than willing to kill the rest of her family, one right after the other, including her brothers, unless she agrees to marry Nicky, his driver.
It's kind of like an arranged marriage romance, but with a blackmail element. Despite that, Nicky is a total consent king. What makes this more like a traditional dark romance is that Nicky has been stalking Zita since they were children. She actually had one of her brother's friends beat him up for being a creep. But that didn't stop him. My man is OBSESSED with a capital O, and Zita isn't sure how to deal with that kind of force in her life.
Zita is also a really great heroine. She kind of reminded me of Keeley from Ted Lasso, or Gianna from THE MADDEST OBSESSION. I love a damaged girly-girl. She has an eating disorder, which I know might be triggering for some to read about because it's portrayed in pretty explicit detail, but it's not done for show. The way it ties into her trauma and emotions is so well done. So is the lasting damage she's got from her mother's sexism and her father's abuse. Zita also has a trans sister that she would do anything for, and her coming out was done in a really beautiful and loving way. This is the first mafia romance I've ever read with trans rep and that was awesome.
This was almost a perfect read for me. It was SO CLOSE to being five stars. There were just a couple things I didn't like. Like, the drama in the last act felt a little out of character, and I don't like how Nicky's character kind of changed abruptly at the end, before the resolution. I also agree with other reviewers that the climax and the ending felt kind of rushed. Also, and this is just a nitpicky thing, but I hate the word "cream" in sex scenes. Like, it's gag reflex-worthy. I literally cannot stand it. Apart from that, the sex scenes were SO well done and the tension was off the charts, but I had to glaze my own eyes over and skim every time I saw that word. Big nope.
Apart from that, though, NICKY THE DRIVER was fabulous. I've read three Cate C. Wells's books and I've loved them all. She's such a talented author and I love the detail that goes into her characters and their worlds. Some books have side characters that feel like afterthoughts but that definitely wasn't the case with any of hers. She even made me love some tropes that I HATE, like marriage in crisis and secret baby. If you're a fan of stalker romances but don't want a hero who brutalizes the heroine, this is totally your jam. Nicky is the perfect blend of fucked up and sweet and I stan.
4 to 4.5 out of 5 stars
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