Consort of the Crime Queen

Consort of the Crime Queen

Author	Persephone Black
Rating by Ravish Her Tales:	3⭐
Genre	Lesbian Dark Romance Romance LGBT Dark Queer Contemporary Crime Lesbian Fiction Fiction
Release Year	March 1, 2024
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Email:	persephone@persephone-black.com
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Review:

Sequels are a tricky business. They have to deliver on the promises of the first book while raising the stakes, deepening the characters, and keeping the reader hooked with fresh conflicts. Consort of the Crime Queen certainly tries to do all that, but while it offers drama, betrayal, and action, it stumbles where it should have soared.

Let’s break it down.

The Queen Who… Steps Back Instead of Up?

We left Captive of the Crime Queen on a dramatic, heart-wrenching note: Hadria “Hades” Imperioli, ruthless leader of the Styx Syndicate, had let Aurora go, believing she was making the right choice. But love doesn’t just fade, and the moment Aurora is kidnapped by Hadria’s father (because apparently, this family really doesn’t believe in not trafficking women), Hadria snaps into action. Or… at least, she’s supposed to.

Here’s where things get a little frustrating.

Hadria is introduced in book one as an untouchable, commanding figure—an ice queen who rules through fear, strength, and power. She’s not just a mafia boss; she’s the mafia boss, the kind of woman who makes hardened criminals kneel and sends enemies to early graves without blinking.

So why, then, does she spend most of Consort of the Crime Queen being softer than a marshmallow left out in the rain?

Aurora gets taken, and instead of launching into a brutal, merciless rescue mission, Hadria searches for her. I mean, yes, searching is part of the job, but come on. This is Hadria Imperioli. The woman should have razed the entire city to the ground within hours. Instead, it feels like she’s… waiting. Hoping. Feeling.

And then?

Aurora escapes on her own.

That’s right. Aurora—once the innocent, delicate flower of the first book—manages to save herself before Hadria even gets to her. While I love seeing character growth and strength in Aurora, this moment completely undercuts Hadria’s presence in the story. She becomes reactive instead of dominant, watching events unfold rather than controlling them.

Where’s the Fearsome Syndicate?

Let’s talk about the Styx Syndicate, the mercenary organization that’s supposed to be made up of the most elite, battle-hardened killers in the city. They should be an unstoppable force, right? Unflinching, disciplined, terrifying?

Apparently not.

When Nero Imperioli and his allies invade Elysium, Hadria’s supposedly fearsome men hide in the war room. Yes, you read that right. They hide. Instead of mounting a relentless counterattack, instead of reminding everyone why the Syndicate is feared, they’re cowering, waiting to be overrun.

Come on. These are the same people who were once terrorizing Chicago? The same ruthless warriors who supposedly answer to no one but Hadria? The book needed a moment where the Syndicate reminded everyone—including Nero—why they were untouchable. Instead, they felt like a weak, disorganized group that folded the moment pressure was applied.

Hadria: Ice Queen or Just… Soft?

I’m all for character development, but when you call someone an ice queen, they better be an ice queen—or at least show a believable transformation into something softer. The issue here is that Hadria seems to have lost her edge without any real turning point. She’s not hardened and ruthless like in the first book, nor is she making a compelling choice to change. She’s just… there. Passive. Hurt. Unsure. Injured too easily in the final battle. Where’s the woman who commanded the entire underworld with a look? If she’s changing, we need something to make it feel earned—some grand realization, some deep emotional moment where she chooses to let her guard down for Aurora. Instead, it just kind of happens, and not in a satisfying way.

The Romance: Still There, But Missing Some Fire

Despite my frustrations with Hadria’s character arc, the romance between her and Aurora remains engaging. There’s undeniable chemistry, and I appreciate the way Aurora grows into her own strength. She’s no longer just reacting to Hadria—she’s making her own choices, standing her ground, proving that she’s not just a prize to be won.

However, I wish the book leaned harder into the tension. We needed more emotional push-and-pull between them, more conflict born from their drastically different worlds. There were moments where it felt like their romance was coasting rather than crackling with the intensity I wanted. Also, the spicy scenes? Fine, but once again, I hoped for more. This is a mafia romance with a powerful captor/captive dynamic at its core—there was so much room for bold, thrilling, seductive moments, and instead, the book played it a little too safe.

The Ending: Rebuild, Propose, Cliffhanger

The book wraps up with Hadria and Aurora beginning the process of rebuilding Elysium, which is satisfying in its own way. Hadria proposes, which is a nice touch, but there’s still so much unresolved. The person responsible for murdering Hadria’s men? Still unknown. The looming threat of the Bianchi family? Still lurking. And Hadria’s enemies? Still very much alive.

I have to admit, I’m feeling a little hesitant about this becoming a full-blown series. At first, I thought it would be a neat, two-book saga, but now, it seems like there’s more to come. That’s not necessarily a bad thing—if done right, a third book could redeem the inconsistencies in this one—but it needs to bring back the fire, the danger, and the sheer dominance of Hadria Imperioli that made book one such a standout.

Final Thoughts

Consort of the Crime Queen is an entertaining read, packed with drama, betrayal, and action, but it doesn’t quite deliver on the promise of its predecessor. Hadria, once the untouchable queen of the underworld, feels oddly subdued, and the Syndicate—supposedly a terrifying force—fails to live up to its reputation. Aurora, on the other hand, shines in her own way, proving that she’s not just a damsel in distress, but her solo escape highlights how little Hadria actually does in the grand scheme of things.

While the romance is still engaging and the tension remains, the book ultimately feels stretched—as if it was trying too hard to justify a sequel rather than delivering a natural continuation of the story.