My Run Posy Run Book Review - No Spoilers
Plot Summary
I read Run Posy Run by Cate C. Wells because I was ready for a gritty mafia romance that doesn’t sugarcoat its edges. The story opens with Posy Santoro, who thought she’d found her safe place with Dario Volpe—a powerful, ice-cold mobster who doesn’t care about her past or the scandals that still cling to her name. But everything falls apart when Dario learns a secret that devastates him. He breaks up with Posy in a way that’s more threat than heartbreak, and makes it clear she needs to disappear for her own safety.
But running isn’t so simple, not when both the mafia world and Dario himself see Posy as loose ends. She changes her name and tries to start a new life, only for Dario to discover the truth and drag her back into his world. Both characters are changed by the fallout—Posy finds a fierceness she never knew she had, and Dario is forced to confront feelings he’s never allowed himself to name. Instead of picking up at the beginning of their relationship, the book throws me right into the aftermath, making every moment pulse with tension and uncertainty.
Why I Love This Book
I love how unflinching this book is. It doesn’t try to make Dario likable—he’s brutal, self-possessed, and so unused to love that he stumbles through every attempt. But that’s exactly what hooked me: I was fascinated by watching him change and fumble his way through something real. The emotional growth here is rough and jagged, and I was rooting for both of them even when I wanted to throw the book across the room.
Posy is not a passive character—she runs, she fights, and she refuses to take the easy way out. Her flaws are front and center; she’s self-aware to the point of self-destructive, but that made her feel honest. Their dynamic is deeply psychological—every conversation is a battle, every touch is a skirmish, and when Dario finally learns how to care, it’s devastating and believable. The moments of connection and intimacy are sparse but intense, and I appreciate how the story handles consent, despite all the dark world-building around them.
What stands out for me is how the story gives space for change—not just for Dario, but for Posy, as she realizes what she can demand from love. The mafia backdrop is dangerous and real, but it’s the emotional violence that leaves marks long after the last page.
Who Will Like This Book
If you crave mafia romance with a genuinely dark edge—cold hero, complicated heroine, and a world full of violence and shifting loyalty—you’ll be gripped by this story. I think it works best for those who want raw character work, not light and fluffy romance. If you enjoy enemies-to-lovers, psychological games, and stories where both main characters make big mistakes, this will hit home.
⚠️ Trigger warning: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic violence, death, misogyny, fatphobia, emotional trauma, revenge porn, parental death, kidnapping, and a pregnancy-baby subplot. The dynamic between hero and heroine is problematic at times; always check the full content warnings if you’re sensitive to dark romance themes.
Tagged As
mafia romance, dark romance, contemporary, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, cold hero, strong heroine, psychological, slow burn, trauma, open-door romance, explicit, second chances, flawed hero, antihero, dual pov, series, HEA, indie romance, kindle unlimited
Steam Level
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️Explicit
