Joey by Sadie Kincaid Summary

Joey by Sadie Kincaid is a dark mafia romance following Joey Moretti, a young woman born into Chicago's criminal underworld who struggles between family loyalty and personal independence. The story centers on her forbidden relationship with Max DiMarco, her older brothers' best friend and the family's enforcer, as she transforms from a sheltered sister into a powerful force within the Moretti crime family while navigating danger, passion, and self-discovery.

Sadie Kincaid is an Amazon #1 bestselling spicy romance author based in the UK who has sold over 4 million books. She began writing in 2016 following personal tragedy and specializes in dark mafia romance featuring feisty heroines and morally grey alpha males. Kincaid holds degrees in community and criminal justice and writes across multiple bestselling series, including London Ruthless and Chicago Ruthless, with a devoted fanbase drawn to her emotionally charged storytelling.

Joey is perfect for readers who love dark mafia romance with high emotional stakes, forbidden love, and complex power dynamics. Fans of brother's best friend tropes, age gap romances, possessive heroes, and strong character development will find this compelling. The book features explicit content, violence, and intense themes, making it ideal for mature readers comfortable with morally grey characters and the raw, gritty atmosphere of organized crime fiction.

Joey delivers an emotionally charged mafia romance with well-developed characters, explosive chemistry, and satisfying character growth. Readers praise the transformation of Joey from sheltered princess to empowered family player, Max's redemption arc, and the balance of spice, angst, and action. While containing dark themes and explicit content, the book offers a gripping forbidden love story with proper resolution, making it worthwhile for fans seeking intense, character-driven romance within the mafia genre.

Joey and Max share a forbidden brother's best friend dynamic complicated by their age gap and his role as family enforcer. Max serves as Joey's protector while battling intense attraction and guilt over wanting his best friends' younger sister. Their relationship evolves from obsessive surveillance and emotional tension to passionate secret romance, with Max displaying possessive, jealous behavior while Joey pushes for independence and refuses to hide their connection despite family complications.

Joey explores family loyalty versus personal freedom within the mafia's oppressive power structures, showing how criminal obligation conflicts with individual desires. The novel addresses trauma and guilt through Max's past, forbidden love challenging duty expectations, and female empowerment as Joey claims agency in a patriarchal world. Redemption through love and forgiveness emerges as both protagonists heal from past wounds, ultimately finding that strength, independence, and devotion can coexist.

Joey transforms from a coddled, sheltered "mafia princess" into a formidable, respected force within the Moretti family business. Through MMA training with her half-sister Toni, participation in family meetings and operations, and confrontations with her overprotective brothers, she gradually earns trust and respect. By the novel's end, Joey has proven herself capable, gained visible power within the organization, and asserts her right to make personal choices while becoming both the family's heart and muscle.

Max's traumatic past and guilt over deaths he caused create internal conflict that drives his resistance to loving Joey. Flashbacks reveal childhood trauma that shaped his controlling nature and belief he's unworthy of happiness or love. This psychological burden intensifies his obsessive protection of Joey while making him distance himself emotionally. His relationship with Joey ultimately provides a redemption path, allowing him to find peace, purpose, and forgiveness through accepting love despite his dark history.

Joey's MMA training with her half-sister Toni represents her journey toward independence and self-empowerment within the male-dominated mafia world. This relationship builds Joey's physical confidence and combat skills while strengthening family bonds beyond her brothers' protection. The training becomes symbolic of Joey proving herself capable and dangerous, not just protected, allowing her to participate actively in family operations and challenge traditional gender roles that confined her to passive, sheltered existence.

Joey intensifies the forbidden love trope through multiple taboo layers: brother's best friend dynamics, age gap concerns, and Max's enforcer role creating professional complications. The secrecy becomes unbearable for Joey, who refuses to hide and confronts her brothers directly, demanding respect for her choices. When Max confesses to Dante expecting punishment, he receives reluctant acceptance instead, allowing their relationship to transition from dangerous secret to publicly acknowledged partnership that strengthens rather than threatens family unity.

Joey stands out by centering female empowerment within organized crime, showing Joey's evolution from protected asset to active power player rather than mere love interest. The novel balances explicit romance with genuine character development, addressing psychological trauma and family dynamics with depth. Unlike typical mafia romance where women remain peripheral, Joey claims operational authority, participates in strategy, and earns respect through capability, making her transformation as central as the romantic arc itself.

Joey concludes with a hopeful, satisfying resolution where Joey and Max stand together as an official couple with family acceptance. Joey has established herself as a powerful, respected member of the Moretti organization with agency and voice in family decisions. Max finds peace from his trauma through love and renewed purpose. The family remains unified despite past conflicts, with temporary peace achieved after eliminating threats, and Kristin's successful childbirth adding optimism about their collective future.