Chicago Ruthless · 2023
JoeySpice level, tropes & is it dark romance?
Spice 4/5 (Explicit) · Darkness 3/5 (Dark) · 7 trigger warnings flagged · Series: Chicago Ruthless, book 2 of 4
Book two of Chicago Ruthless. For years Joey Moretti has wanted her brothers' best friend, and for years enforcer Max DiMarco has pretended not to notice. Then he slips. Now loyalty to the Moretti brothers and a secret from his past are both coming for them. This note is ours. It is not a publisher blurb.
First published: 30 June 2023 (first edition); MIRA trade paperback with exclusive content 24 February 2026. Book 2 of Chicago Ruthless.
Joey tropes
On this shelf, Joey is filed under Mafia dark romance, Forbidden romance, Age gap romance, Possessive heroes and Morally grey heroes. Each tag opens more books with that trope.
Joey spice level
Is Joey dark romance?
Yes. Joey scores 3 of 5 on our darkness scale (Dark).
Spice and darkness are separate scores. More dark books. How we rate.
Joey trigger warnings
Warnings not yet verified. We could not find the author's own content warning list for this book, so the flags here are only what the publisher's description makes clear. Check the author's note before you start.
Graphic (3) — open before you read
Open this before you read. These are the flags most likely to be a hard stop.
Chicago Ruthless reading order
Joey is book 2 of 4 in Sadie Kincaid's Chicago Ruthless series. Start with Dante.
Order checked against the StoryGraph Chicago Ruthless series page on 13 October 2026. The Chicago Ruthless series in order.
Who it's for
Shelf note written for this site. We do not copy reviews or publisher blurbs. Outbound links are search pages, not quoted ratings. Kindle Unlimited and endings are only flagged when we were willing to mark them. How we rate.
Missing a book? Suggest it.
Books like Joey
Matched on shared tropes, then the closest spice and darkness scores. Other books in the same series are listed above, not here.
- Brutal Conquest
Brutal Conquest
Lilith Vincent
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Age gap romance, Forbidden romance
- Queen and the Kingsmen
Queen and the Kingsmen
Zoe Blake
Spice ●●●●●Dark ●●●●○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Age gap romance
- Ache for you
Ache for you
J. T. Geissinger
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●○○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Morally grey heroes
- After the Fall
After the Fall
Giana Darling
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●○○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Forbidden romance
- Blackthorn
Blackthorn
J. T. Geissinger
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●○○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Morally grey heroes
- Claimed
Claimed
Giana Darling
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●○○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Forbidden romance
- The Secret
The Secret
J.L. Beck
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●○○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Forbidden romance
- Breaking the Myth
Breaking the Myth
Bea Paige
Spice ●●●●○Dark ●●●○○
Shared: Mafia dark romance, Possessive heroes
Books like Joey, with a reason for each
Questions readers actually ask
What is the spice level of Joey?
Joey spice level is 4 of 5 (Explicit). On-page sex, clearly written. Darkness is a separate score: 3 of 5 (Dark).
What are the Joey trigger warnings?
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Death. Moderate: Organised crime, Age gap. Minor: Sexual assault, Trafficking. Warnings not yet verified against the author's own list. Check it before you start.
Is Joey dark romance?
Yes. Joey scores 3 of 5 on our darkness scale (Dark). Harm is part of the romance, not a footnote.
What tropes are in Joey?
On this shelf Joey is filed under Mafia dark romance, Forbidden romance, Age gap romance, Possessive heroes and Morally grey heroes.
Who is Joey for?
The Moretti sister's turn, for Dante fans who want a brother's best friend, an age gap and an enforcer who'd hurt anyone who touched her. The spice is explicit. It's mid-dark mafia.
What are some books like Joey?
Matched on shared tropes and similar spice and darkness: Brutal Conquest by Lilith Vincent; Queen and the Kingsmen by Zoe Blake; Ache for you by J. T. Geissinger; After the Fall by Giana Darling; Blackthorn by J. T. Geissinger; Claimed by Giana Darling. More read-alikes, each with a reason, are on zademasked.com/like/joey.
Is Joey a standalone?
No. Joey is book 2 of 4 in the Chicago Ruthless series by Sadie Kincaid. The series starts with Dante.
What order should I read the Chicago Ruthless series in?
1. Dante; 2. Joey; 3. Lorenzo; 4. Keres.
How many books are in the Chicago Ruthless series?
The Chicago Ruthless series by Sadie Kincaid has 4 main books.
What is the Joey age rating?
We'd say 18+. Spice sits at 4/5 (explicit) and darkness at 3/5 (dark). That's our recommendation, not an official rating, so read the trigger warnings as well.
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