From USA Today bestselling author Naima Simone comes a scorching new dark romance in The Hunted Kingdom series.



He’ll burn it all to the ground to keep her.

Her fire will consume his soul.

Today, my father gifted me with the best present: he died.

He left the House of Cross behind–my legacy. But my father left the multibillion drug empire to pure evil. My stepbrother, Asad Prince.

He wasn’t counting on how this has finally given me freedom. As the last Cross, I’ll leave it all behind. And I will have the last laugh too: I will take the formula for the drug I created with me.

But Asad wants more. More control over the House of Cross. More of me. He knows exactly how to get both: by threatening me to marry him. If I disagree, he’ll kill the few people I love.

I won’t make it easy for him. And I will not fall into temptation. Because Asad might be my mortal enemy–but he’s also everything I want.

EMBER is a dark mafia romance that explores themes, subjects, and scenes that may not be suitable for everyone. Please see the author's content note at the beginning of the book.

Tropes:

Enemies to lovers

Arranged marriage

Forced proximity

Touch her/him and die

Morally grey MMC/FMC

Fairy tale reimagining

At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.



Praise for this book

"An utterly fearless book. Naima Simone is at her best with this sexy dark romance that swings for the fences and doesn't miss. One of my favorite reads of the year!" - Katee Robert, New York Times bestselling author

"A fast-paced, intoxicating thrill-ride with sharp writing and sharper characters. Simone goes hard with Huntsman--a dark fairy tale retelling like no other. This is a brand new spin on mafia romance where the women are as dangerous and powerful, if not more so, than the men. And I am here for ALL of it." --Juliette Cross, New York Times bestselling author

"Fangirl down! Huntsman blew me away and gripped me from page one. The characters leapt off the page and I couldn't help but wrap myself in the world building. This is a fairy tale reimagined at its very best!" - Carrie Ann Ryan, New York Times bestselling author

“This book is luxuriously dark, deliciously steamy, and had an addicting plot that I devoured. 5 stars all around! Naima Simone gave me a story I’ll be thinking about for a very long time.” —Shanora Williams, New York Times bestselling author

"Darkly delicious and gorgeously bloody, Huntsman is the mile-a-minute, feral dark romance of your dreams. We've got a heroine who is an absolute baddie, a deadly hero with some very fun weaknesses, and enemies-to-lovers energy that had me gleefully tearing through the pages and panting for more. I'm obsessed." — Sierra Simone, USA Today bestselling author

"Huntsman was a whole vibe! Naima Simone's writing is phenomenal as always. The world building was chef’s kiss. The modern mafia feel with the antiquated themes of the characters' heritage was a perfect blend. The plot, story and character development were top tier! The relationship with Eshe’s inner circle was beautiful, and of course, her and Malachi were a time. The alpha in both of them made this so good. I loved every minute of Huntsman.” —K. C. Mills, USA Today bestselling author

"Filled with blood, violence, and heat, this book kicks off Simone’s gritty, fairy-tale-inspired “Hunted Kingdom” mafia romance series. Perfect for fans hungry for more Navessa Allen and Tate James." - Library Journal

"Naima Simone is back, but she’s bring the dark in romance with her. Huntsman is a dark fairy tale retelling with grit. She gave us the romance, the spice, t he violence and the twists. You’ll be riding hard for Eshe and Malachi while praying for them in the same breath. Then again, all is fair in love and pain!” — Jahquel J, #1 Amazon bestselling author

Praise for Naima Simone:

“A powerful, distinct narrative voice. Von and Aaliyah, in Simone’s hands, have a combustive and irresistible chemistry.” —New York Times on Church Girl

“This touching, funny, sexy novel from Simone is a joy to read and is sure to be popular…” —Library Journal (starred review) on Played

“Readers will be eager for more.” —Publishers Weekly on Heated

“Naima Simone stuns with this heartwarming romance about a woman firefighter and a hockey player. Solomon and Adina's romance is just the right mixture of humor, angst and heat. An exhilarating literacy experience.” —LJ Shen, New York Times bestselling author on Played

“Every romance fan should be reading Naima Simone's books." —Hypable on Scoring the Player's Baby




About the Author

USA Today Bestselling author Naima Simone loves writing sizzling romances with heart, a touch of humor and snark. Her books have been featured in The Washington Post and Entertainment Weekly, and described as balancing “crackling, electric love scenes with exquisitely rendered characters caught in emotional turmoil.”

She is wife to Superman, or his non-Kryptonian, less bullet proof equivalent, and mother to the most awesome kids ever. They all live in perfect, sometimes domestically-challenged bliss in the southern United States.


Title: Ember : A Mafia Romance
Author(s): Naima Simone
Volume: 2
ISBN: 9781250352972
Copyright 2026
Release Date: July 14, 2026
Publisher: Tor Publishing Group
Countries: United States, Canada | Learn more about available countries
Language: English
Format: None available | Learn More about our supported formats
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