The Sweetest Oblivion by Danielle Lori Summary
Enter the scorching world of mafia romance where Elena meets Nicolas, her sister's fiance. With "sauna-level heat" that left readers needing "to splash themselves with water," this 4.42-star Goodreads phenomenon redefines forbidden desire. What makes this the book that "restored hope in mafia romance"?
About the author
Danielle Lori is the bestselling author of The Sweetest Oblivion and a leading voice in dark contemporary romance, particularly mafia romance. Born in 1992 in the United States, Lori specializes in crafting intense enemies-to-lovers stories featuring morally grey heroes, forbidden love, and sassy heroines who challenge conventional romance tropes.
Her writing is deeply influenced by classic bodice rippers from authors like Johanna Lindsey and Judith McNaught, which shaped her approach to character-driven angst and electric dynamics. Lori's expertise in blending dark themes with compelling romantic tension has earned her a devoted readership.
The Sweetest Oblivion launched her acclaimed Made series, which includes The Maddest Obsession and The Darkest Temptation—both available as summaries on this site. She also authored the Alyria fantasy romance series.
Lori lives in small-town Iowa with her family and continues to captivate readers with her signature blend of danger, passion, and redemption. The Made series has become a staple in the dark romance community, with fans frequently re-reading the books.
FAQs About This Book
The Sweetest Oblivion is a dark mafia romance novel set in New York's underworld, following Elena Abelli, a mafia princess nicknamed Sweet Abelli for her docile nature. When her younger sister is arranged to marry powerful Made Man Nicolas Russo, Elena finds herself dangerously drawn to her future brother-in-law despite knowing he's ruthless, dangerous, and completely off-limits. The book explores their forbidden attraction as they struggle against their desires while navigating the treacherous world of organized crime families.
Danielle Lori is a contemporary romance author known for writing morally questionable heroes, electric hate-to-love relationships, and sassy heroines. She specializes in dark romance and mafia romance subgenres, with The Sweetest Oblivion being the first book in her bestselling Made series. Lori lives in small-town Iowa with her family and has written in both fantasy and contemporary romance genres, though she focuses exclusively on romance novels with intense chemistry and forbidden dynamics.
The Sweetest Oblivion is perfect for readers who love dark mafia romance, forbidden love stories, and alpha male heroes. This book appeals to fans of morally gray characters, intense sexual tension, and arranged marriage tropes with a twist. Readers who enjoy dual POV narratives, possessive heroes, and the "touch her and you'll die" trope will find this novel addictive. It's best suited for adult audiences comfortable with darker themes and explicit content within the mafia romance genre.
The Sweetest Oblivion is widely praised by readers for its addictive storytelling, exceptional sexual tension, and compelling character development. Reviewers consistently highlight Danielle Lori's ability to create undeniable chemistry between Elena and Nico through dual POV narration. The book successfully balances forbidden romance with mafia family drama, making it a standout in the dark romance genre. Many readers describe it as the perfect introduction to mafia romance, with fans immediately continuing to the rest of the Made series.
The Sweetest Oblivion centers on the forbidden attraction between Elena Abelli and Nicolas Russo, who is engaged to Elena's younger sister Adriana through an arranged marriage meant to unite their mafia families. Elena is more cautious about their mutual attraction, knowing the devastating consequences of pursuing her sister's fiancé, while Nico openly pursues her despite the engagement. The forbidden nature intensifies their chemistry, creating constant tension as Elena battles between her desires and her loyalty to family, having already escaped one past scandal.
Elena Abelli, nicknamed Sweet Abelli, is the eldest daughter of a New York Cosa Nostra Don, known for her kind heart and docile nature in a violent mafia world. Nicolas Russo is a powerful Made Man and boss with a dark reputation who was arranged to marry Elena's younger sister after her father deemed Elena unsuitable for marriage. Through Danielle Lori's dual POV narrative, readers experience both Elena's careful restraint and Nico's relentless pursuit, revealing the complexity behind their public personas and hidden desires.
The Sweetest Oblivion qualifies as dark romance through its mafia setting, morally questionable hero, and Elena's haunting past symbolized by her seeing "blood staining her hands like crimson paint" in the mirror. The book features a dangerous underworld backdrop, a ruthless Made Man described as "a cheat—even measured against mafia standards," and themes of power, violence, and forbidden desire. Danielle Lori balances the darkness with Elena's softer nature, creating tension between innocence and corruption that defines the dark romance genre.
The Sweetest Oblivion is the first book in Danielle Lori's Made series, published in 2018, but functions as a standalone romance with a complete story arc. The Made series continues with The Maddest Obsession and The Darkest Temptation, each focusing on different couples within the interconnected mafia families. Readers can enjoy The Sweetest Oblivion without reading subsequent books, though many continue the series to explore other characters introduced in Elena and Nico's story within New York's Italian-American crime families.
The Sweetest Oblivion incorporates multiple popular romance tropes including forbidden love, arranged marriage with a twist, alpha male hero, mafia/crime family dynamics, and enemies-to-lovers elements.
The book features the:
- "betrothed to the wrong sister" trope
- age gap romance
- dual POV narration
- possessive hero
- "touch her and you'll die" protective dynamic
Danielle Lori also includes forced proximity as Elena and Nico constantly encounter each other, building irresistible sexual tension throughout their forbidden relationship in the dangerous mafia underworld.
The Sweetest Oblivion is set in the "murky waters of New York's underworld," specifically within the Italian-American Cosa Nostra mafia families. The story takes place in contemporary New York, exploring both the glamorous surface of mafia princess life and the violent criminal enterprises beneath. Danielle Lori creates an atmospheric world where arranged marriages secure power alliances, family loyalty is paramount, and the Abelli and Russo crime families navigate territorial control, business deals, and dangerous rivalries within organized crime's rigid hierarchical structure.
The Sweetest Oblivion stands out in mafia romance for its exceptional character development, particularly Elena's journey from docile mafia princess to a woman embracing her darker desires. Unlike typical mafia romances, Danielle Lori uses dual POV from the start, giving readers immediate access to both Elena's restraint and Nico's perspective. Readers searching for books like The Sweetest Oblivion should explore other contemporary dark mafia romances featuring forbidden love, morally gray heroes, and intense family dynamics within organized crime settings.
The Made series by Danielle Lori is a collection of interconnected standalone mafia romance novels set within New York's Italian-American crime families. Beginning with The Sweetest Oblivion in 2018, the series continues with The Maddest Obsession and The Darkest Temptation, each focusing on different couples while maintaining connections to the Russo and Abelli families. Each book can be read independently but offers richer context when read in order, exploring themes of forbidden love, dangerous attractions, and life within the violent yet protective world of La Cosa Nostra.
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12108"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
25417"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
964.5K"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
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"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
37483"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
12117"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
12108"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
25417"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
964.5K"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
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