Review: Vicious Reign by Monica Kayne

May 1, 2026 by · Leave a Comment

VICIOUS REIGN
Series: Bratva Kings #4
Genre: Dark Romance 
Author: Monica Kayne
Release Date: May 1, 2026

Kirill Baronov is the heir to a bratva empire built on sin and lies. And I’m going to ruin him.

My mother left when I was just a girl. It broke something in me that never healed.

Eighteen years later, I learn she didn’t abandon me. She was taken by the Baronovs—the most powerful crime family in New York.

I’ll do anything to find out what happened to her.

With a fake name and a pretty smile, I walk into their exclusive club and convince Kirill to hire me.

He doesn’t know I’m here for answers. For revenge.

Seducing him was part of the plan. His obsession with me wasn’t.

He claims me as his. Kills to keep me safe.

And with every forbidden touch, I forget I’m supposed to hate him.

But secrets don’t stay buried forever.

And when mine surface, love won’t be enough to save me.

Tropes Include:
– Bratva Romance
– Hacker Heroine
– Forced Marriage
– Secret Identity
– Boss/Employee
– Abduction
– Touch Her & D!e
– Possessive MMC

Vicious Reign can be read as a complete standalone. It has no cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily-ever-after.

AMAZON

It’s like she’s crawled under my skin and set fire to every nerve ending.

Oh the way this book hit the spot for me, in ways I didn’t even know I needed. This was absolutely my favorite in this series so far! And if you’re a fan of sexy dark mafia romance with a badass FMC, you’re going to want to add this to your TBR expeditiously.

She’s not just someone I’m fucking. She’s mine in a way I don’t fully understand but can’t deny.

Our FMC, Dinara Potapova, is a Belov Syndicate hacker extraordinaire. And if you’ve read Brutal Reign, then you’re already familiar with Pavel Belov. And if you haven’t read it yet, change that immediately. But I digress.

Dinara leaves Moscow for New York to attend the renowned Manhattan Tech Institute. Or at least, on the surface. But unbeknownst to Pavel and her father, Dinara takes on a new name as Evelina Panova and poses a stripper for an audition in one of New York’s high end clubs. To what end? To weave her way into the inner circle of Velour’s owners; the Belovs. Who also happen to be New York’s ruthless Bratva. But where she’s hoping to skate under the radar, she immediately catches the attention of Kirill Belov and boy do the sparks fly here.

When I tell you that this was absolute trope candy to me, I mean it was UTTERLY DELICIOUS. We’re talking forced arranged marriage here and I was gobbling it up with a spoon.

Tell me who this p*ssy belongs to.”
Silence. She presses her lips together stubbornly. “Dinara.” I withdraw my hand completely. “Answer me or I walk out of here right now.”
“You already know the answer,” she says, breathless.
“Say it anyway.”
“You.”
“And who am I to you?”
Her eyes flash with defiance as her body trembles with need. “You’re an asshole who drugged me and forced me into marriage.”
I lean down to her ear. “Try again. Who. Am. I.”
She turns her face away. “Kirill.”
“Keep going.”
“My…” She swallows hard. “My husband.”

I am UNWELL. Unwell I tell you.

Kirill is possessive and so intense in the best ways possible. This man’s obsession begins the second he lays eyes on “Evelina”. And let me tell you, that stripper audition definitely makes an impression. So much so that he refuses to let any other man see her that way and hires her as a server instead. But he can’t seem to stay away from her.

And Dinara has every reason to hate Kirill and his family. After all, she thinks that his family knows the truth behind her mother’s disappearance all those years ago. The disappearance that isn’t what she once thought and is not determined to get to the bottom of. But the longer she spends time in Kirill’s presence, the more difficult it becomes to ignore the pull between them.

I loved Kirill’s possessiveness. There’s just something about a jealous and obsessed fictional man that just hits. And Kirill was everything I had hoped he would be and so much more. Dinara was the perfect match for him in all ways. SHe’s ruthless and vicious in her own right and I loved the way she fought her own battles. She was fierce and gave as good as she got.

The tension and chemistry was SIZZLING. The story was a non stop thrill ride and I couldn’t put it down. I binge read it from cover to cover. For all my fellow lovers of dark mafia romance, I cannot recommend this one enough!

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Review: The Woman From Nowhere by Kristen Ashley

April 14, 2026 by · Leave a Comment

THE WOMAN FROM NOWHERE
Series: Misted Pines #5
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Kristen Ashley
Release Date: April  14,  2026

After a heartbreaking betrayal, Mabel Adams reinvents herself for the fourth time. Regardless of the alarming reputation of the deceptively sleepy town of Misted Pines, she decides to move all the way across the country to start yet again.

Mabel has a one-night stand with a mountain man who rocks her world in bed but doesn’t tell her his name.

The next day, after receiving a threatening note from her neighbors, she discovers she’s living next to an extremist cult where the women go in and are never seen again.

After serving, former Navy SEAL Hutch Hutchison is living a peaceful life on his patch in the mountains outside Misted Pines. He’s been burned so many times by women, he’s happy to train his guard dogs, play his guitar, live remote, and most of all, quiet.

Until he hooks up with a beautiful woman who lives just down the way. And then he discovers she’s been threatened by the cult next door.

Hutch’s protective instinct sparks, and he decides his next mission is to keep Mabel safe at all costs.

But there’s something even hinkier about that cult than Hutch or local law enforcement expect.

As Hutch executes the riskiest mission of his life—keeping Mabel safe at the same time keeping both of their hearts intact—Hutch and the Sheriff’s Department try to unravel the mystery of The Lion and The Lamb before it’s too late.

Because Mabel is in their crosshairs.

And Hutch is not about to allow her to disappear.

AMAZON

I knew it from the first song I heard him sing. He was the biggest risk I ever took. But he was the only risk that was worth anything.

You can’t see me right now but just know that I am giddily clapping my hands and kicking my feet because OMG this book hit the spot just right. But then again, I haven’t met a KA book that didn’t. But this one in particular just did it for me. Maybe it was that I was in exactly the right mood for me. Maybe because it was one of those addictive swoony romances. Or maybe it was a combo of both. Whatever the case may be, I came for the vibes and I stayed for the story. And I loved every part about it!

Are you always this much of a dick?” I demanded.
He stepped away from me but didn’t lose eye contact. “Nope,” he said casually. “It only comes out when I got a woman on my hands with more sass than sense.”

What’s a girl to do when her one night stand not only ghosts her but turns out to be your new dog trainer? And you need said dog trainer after you get a dog for protection because you have some super kooky neighbors who may or may not be a cult living next to your property and judging you by leaving oddly threatening notes on your door. Well, if you’re Mabel, you buckle up for the ride is what you do. Oh and you also adopt a sweet husky named Tonks who also loves to be bossed around by your grumpy one night stand turned dog trainer.

Quiet,” Hutch ordered a still-howling Tonks with so much authority in his tone, even I was thinking I wouldn’t utter a word for the next two days. For sure Tonks shut up and sat down.

Oh and said one night stand is also retired SEAL. So there’s that. YUM. But I digress.

Ranger Emmett “Hutch” Hutchison is a mouthful in every sense of the word. *wagges eye brows*. He’s also your typical KA tortured MMC and I loved the hell out of him. He’s all loe wolf until he finds out that the one night stand he can’t seem to get out of his mind is in danger. And then he’s all growly, overly protective, manly intensity and OMG I was obsessed.

This is a man who has been through it and his heart can’t take any more so he’s given up on relationships. They’re just not meant to be for him and his history.

Mabel comes with a story of her own and this poor woman has been through it herself. But instead of letting it take over, she’s allowed it to bloom her into her new self. She was such a well rounded, even keeled, self assured FMC and I absolutely adored her. She’s take charge and doesn’t stand for any non sense. But she also allows her vulnerability to shine through in spite of what she’s been through. I couldn’t think of a better match for Hutch.

There is an underlying element of suspense that is weaved into the romance but the romance was primary. I adored it. I binge read it in one day and never wanted it to end. And while I love a bit of drama with a third act breakup, this one had none of that. Just two people slowly healing each other and their relationship growing and evolving organically in the best of ways.

If you’re looking for a swoony and steamy romance with a grumpy MMC and sunshine FMC with a splash of suspense, look no further! I can’t wait for more in this series!

For more information on Kristen Ashley, visit: https://www.kristenashley.net/

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Review: Hunt The Villain by Rina Kent

March 24, 2026 by · Leave a Comment

HUNT THE VILLAIN
Series: Villain #2
Genre: Dark MM Romance 
Author: Rina Kent
Release Date: March 24, 2026

From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Rina Kent comes a standalone dark MM mafia rivals romance set in the world of Legacy of Gods.

I’m hunting a monster

The first time I met Yulian Dimitriev, it was hate at first sight.
He’s brash, chaotic, and a violence-junkie.
In short, everything I disregard.
As heirs to two notorious mafia organizations, we were shoved together in an unorthodox setting.
The more I learn about Yulian, the deeper my loathing seeps.
Until I truly see the person within, and something forbidden sparks between us.
But our coexistence is cut short when tragedy strikes.
Yulian and I go back to our respective, parallel worlds that shouldn’t cross.
But they do.
And once again, I’m dragged into the orbit of a man I shouldn’t want.
Two men can’t be together in our world.
But Yulian blurs every limit I thought existed until everything is in jeopardy.
Our hearts included.

Tropes:

  • Grumpy x Chaotic Sunshine
  • Mafia Romance
  • Enemies to Lovers
  • Second Chance Tension
  • Pining / Longing
  • Mutual Obsession
  • Bi Awakening

Hunt the Villain is a male x male dark college romance. This book can be read as a standalone, but for a better understanding of the world, it’s recommended to read Kiss the Villain first.

AMAZON

“Go ahead and kiss me. You know you want to.”
“I fucking despise you sometimes.”
“And the rest of the time?”
“I want to kill you.” My lips crash to his

Look, I don’t know what sort of book crack Rina pours into these books, but I hope she never stops. I thought I loved Nico and Brandon’s book, but then I met Yulian. And who knew someone can possibly get more feral and unhinged than Nikolai. But Yulian was an absolute masterpiece of manic chaos and obsession and I fell head over ovaries for this man.

Remember what I said before. One way or another, I always get what I want, Mishka.”

Where Yulian is manic chaos, Vaughn is controlled anger. This man is as calculated and masterful as his father. And when your father is THE Kirill Morozov, well, that’s some big shoes to fill. But Vaughn quickly shows that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

We finally understand and get to see where these two first cross paths and how they end back in each other’s orbit. And now that scene that hooked us all (Vaughn with his chain around Yulian) finally gets its origin story and boy was I here for it.

Yulian is obsession with laser focused intent. When he sets his eyes on Vaughn, he’ll stop at nothing to bring him back in his world. Rivaling mafia families? Doesn’t matter. Vaughn has a girlfriend? Well, let’s just say he deals with that one in a very Yulian way.

The banter and sexual tension between these two was on a whole other level. I couldn’t get enough of their angry lusting. And oh how much of that angry lusting! It was delicious. And then an obsessed Vaughn? GAH!

A universe where he belongs to someone else doesn’t fucking exist.

I read this book in whisper sync, with both audio and the kindle version. And trust me, if you want an experience for your ears, you need to experience this full cast audio book. And Teddy Hamilton as Yulian was an experience not to be missed.

I devoured this book and while it’s a THICK story, it read faster than I hoped because I didn’t want it to end. The chemistry was out of this world. The emotions were perfection. And the story, a non stop thrill ride. And the preview for the next book? I’m gagged.

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Review: Right Your Wrongs by Kandi Steiner

March 10, 2026 by · Leave a Comment

RIGHT YOUR WRONGS
Series: Kings of the Ice #6
Genre: Contemporary, Sports Romance
Author: Kandi Steiner
Release Date: March 10, 2026

What happens when the youngest, most successful coach in the NHL comes face-to-face with the woman he never got over — only to find out she’s married to his new General Manager?

Everything I’ve spent my life building is suddenly at risk.

I loved Ariana Ridley long before the world knew my name. Before the NHL. Before the pressure of being one of the youngest coaches in the league. Before I learned how to survive by locking my heart down tight.

Leaving her was the hardest thing I’ve ever done — and the one choice I never made peace with.

Now she’s back.
And she belongs to another man.

My new General Manager.

I tell myself I can handle it. Discipline is my job. Control is my strength. I know how to keep my distance — how to respect the lines that should never be crossed.

But every glance drags the past to the surface. Every quiet moment reminds me the love I buried never died.

I see the cracks she tries to hide, the fear she’s learned to live with, and the way she still looks at me like I’m the one place she can breathe.

I want to protect her.
I want to fight for her.
And I want things I have no right to want.

Because if I cross that line, I don’t just risk my career — I risk shattering the woman I never stopped loving.

Some choices haunt us forever.
Some loves never let go.

And trying to right my wrongs might just ruin us both.

AMAZON

If a heart was tied to a person, mine was inextricably bound to her—and it stopped beating the day I left her behind.

Kandi Steiner definitely left the best for last. And considering I have absolutely loved this entire series, that’s saying something. But this book? Oh the emotional damage of it all. Coach McCabe finally gets his much awaited HEA and what a hard earner HEA it was. My heart strings are still recovering.

He looked like a man who knew exactly who he was. And worse—like a man who still knew exactly how to undo me.

Now there is nothing better than male yearning in my book. And Shane wears his yearning on his sleeve.

Now let me set the scene for you. Imagine you meet the love of your life in college. You fall hard and fast. But then everything in both of your lives is turned upside down and he leaves. He’s never forgotten about you or gotten over you in the twenty years that you’ve been apart. And when you suddenly find yourself back in his orbit, he doesn’t play games or pretend he doesn’t know you. Oh no. His love for you shines through his eyes in ever blink. But there’s one problem; you’re married, and your husband is the new General Manager of the hockey team he coaches. Sounds utterly heart wrenching and delicious, right? That’s because it really was.

I’d failed her back then. I wouldn’t fail her again. That girl was still everything to me. And I’d be damned if I’d be the man who walked away from her twice.

You know what I hate? When the reason for the couple parting when they’re young is some long winded miscommunication trope where one leaves for the supposed good of the other without saying anything or talking about it. The fallout between Shane and Ariana was painful but it was real. Both of them talk about it and try their hardest. This was the most perfectly painful right person, wrong time type of scenario. First, Shane’s life falls apart and then both their youthful inexperience does.

When Ari ends back in Shane’s orbit, he doesn’t steamroll her to get what he wants. He watches her every move and his ability to see her doesn’t seem to fade. It doesn’t take him long to clock into things and when he does, he’s determined to do everything in his power. And while yes, this technically has a little cheating, I can’t imagine a man who deserved it more than Ari’s husband. There’s no gray area there. I hated it from the second he appeared on the page.

But enough about that man. Lets talk about Shane, because this man stole my whole heart.

She could run from the moment, from the intensity, from me. But I would never run from her again. And I didn’t care what I risked in the process.

Imagine a man who doesn’t mince words, doesn’t hide his feelings, doesn’t play games, and has been yearning for the FMC for as long as they’ve been apart. He’s a professional hockey coach, sexy as sin, and with a dirty mouth that I couldn’t get enough of.

I want to live here, Ariana. I want to die here. You were made for me. You and this perfect fucking cunt.”.

I adored this book. I couldn’t get enough of this story. I loved every word, every page, every chapter. And I binged it from cover to cover.

If you love a second chance romance with one of the most satisfying HEAs, then you need this book in your life!

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#DGRFave & Review: Across The Vanishing Sky by Catherine Cowles

March 3, 2026 by · Leave a Comment

ACROSS THE VANISHING SKY
Series: Starlight Grove #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Author: Catherine Cowles
Release Date: March 5, 2026

He spent a lifetime trying to escape his dark past…but to save her, he’ll wade back into the shadows.

Braedyn Winslow never expected to return to Starlight Grove—the town that took everything from her. Not after her best friend, the one who’d sacrificed so much for her, vanished without a trace. But with a young son to raise and a past that won’t stay buried, Brae is back…and determined to uncover the truth.

She just didn’t count on the brooding, reclusive mountain man living next door.

Dex Archer is the stuff of local legend—silent, rugged, and surrounded by whispers of his and his brothers’ violent father. But Brae sees through the scowl and his parentage to the man beneath: fiercely loyal, unexpectedly kind…and just dangerous enough to protect her when someone starts warning her off her search.

The closer she gets to the truth, the harder it is to stay away from Dex. And as things get more perilous, Brae realizes the only person she can rely on is the one man who swore never to trust again.

Only someone isn’t happy that Brae has been digging, and they’ll do anything to stop her. But Dex? He’ll do anything to save her, even slip back into the dark…

AMAZON 

“Tell me you want this. Tell me you need it, consequences be damned.”

Well, Catherine Cowles has done it yet again. She gave us a cast of characters in a new town that I am swooning hard for. Let me paint a picture for you, shall I?

First we have our MMC, Dex. And if you love a tortured MMC, prepare to fall and fall hard not just for Dex but for every single one of his brothers. And he’s got four of them. That’s right, we get five Archer boys and oh boy are they intriguing in their own way. But I digress. We’re talking about Dex. Dex is a gray hat hacker who worked for the FBI for ten years and now he’s back in the small town that still haunts him. But that town is where his brothers are, and although their history is dark, the Archer boys are as close as brothers get. Dex also has tattoos and slutty little glasses. So of course I fell for him immediately.

Braedyn is a woman on a mission. A year ago, her best friend vanished into thin air. She’s told that the case is cold, that her best friend likely fell into a river or got caught by wild life. But she refuses to believe it or give up searching for her. So she finds herself in the small town where she lost her, with determination in tow, along with her tracker trained dog and her young son.

She soon discovers that her grumpy neighbor who she immediately clashed with, may also be exactly who she needs. Dex doesn’t usually take cases on that are close to home, but something about Braedyn pulls at every heart string he has and suddenly he finds himself just as invested in the search for her best friend as he is in Braedyn herself.

The romance is a slow burn that was oh so satisfying. These two are such a perfect match. Braedyn with her abandonment issues and Dex with his fear of the blood that runs through his veins and getting. Both of them have their own trauma and I loved the way they help heal each other.

The one thing that I absolutely love about Catherine’s books is how utterly unpredictable they are. Every time I think I know who our bad guy is, she leaves me with my jaw on the floor. And this story was no different. I was absolutely blindsided by the ending, in the best of ways. I love a story that can surprise me, especially when it’s suspense. And no one does small town romantic suspense quite like Cowles. It hit every single spot for me and I am wholly obsessed with the Archer Brothers. I don’t even know whose story I’m more desperate for now; Orion, Maverick, Kol, or Wylder. Orion’s uber tortured self calls to me but I just know his book will likely be last.

If you’re looking for an addictive small town romance with an unputdownable suspense plot and a swoony romance seamlessly woven in, then you need this book in your life. I can’t wait for the next book in this amazing new series!

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Review: Overtake by S.J. Sylvis

February 12, 2026 by · Leave a Comment

OVERTAKE
Series: Vanstone Racing #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: S.J. Sylvis
Release Date: February 12, 2026

A sexy Rivals to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Formula One romance from Amazon Top 50 bestselling author SJ Sylvis

Rome Pierce is Formula One’s golden boy—reckless, ruthless, and wrapped in an ego as polished as his race suit. Arrogance isn’t just a trait; it’s his personal trademark.

As the daughter of Vanstone Racing’s chairman, I’ve spent my life loathing everything about him—and the family name he carries. The rivalry between our teams runs deeper than lap times and podiums. It’s personal.

So when my father steps back for health reasons and hands me a front-line role, I don’t hesitate to prove to the world that I’m more than just the pretty Halston daughter in the paddock.

I plan to beat Rome Pierce fair and square.

Except the promotion comes with a catch I never saw coming.

Rome Pierce isn’t driving for his father anymore.

He’s driving for mine.

Now I’m the crew chief for the one man I swore I’d never work with—the rival who knows exactly how to get under my skin. Every race is a power struggle. Every briefing feels like a war. And somewhere between late nights in the garage and two hundred mile an hour battles on the circuit, the thin line between hatred and heat starts to blur.

I think Rome Pierce came here to overtake my team.

I just never expected him to also alter the course of my heart.

AMAZON 

I follow after her, but before she leaves, I grab her from behind and press her back against my chest. My mouth hovers over her ear, “I expect you to be in my room after this race, Princess.”
Her voice is quiet. “I think that depends on how well you race, don’t you?”

I cannot remember the last time that I read a book in one sitting. I’ve been firmly in my drag ass era for over 10 weeks now and I thought I would be there forever. And here comes this delicious BANGER of a book and I suddenly remember what it’s like to be so engrossed with the characters that you can’t help but read it cover to cover in one sitting. And this book deserves 5 stars just for that alone.

Now if you love an F1 romance, this one will hit all the spots you didn’t even know you had. And if you’ve never read an F1 romance, prepare for this book to hit all the spots you didn’t even know you had. It was rivals to lovers gold; the banter, the chemistry, THE SIZZLING CHEMISTRY! That and the family chat had me giggling and kicking my feet like a giddy teenager the entire time.

First we have Rome Pierce, a talented Formula One driver who suddenly joins Vanstone Racing, his father’s biggest rival who also happened to be his father’s best friend for years. There is definitely no love lost between these two families, but Rome is determined to make it work with Vanstone. It also brings him back face to face with Tessa, daughter of Vanstone Racing’s chairman and his new head engineer.

Tessa has just learned that her father is stepping back as chairman and giving his kids the chance to step up. So the last thing she needs is Rome and his arrogance getting in her way. But Rome is definitely not all that he seems, and still waters (and secrets) run deep with this man. And it doesn’t take long before their banter rivalry begins to turn up the heat.

Are you racing me, Princess?”
I stop dead in my tracks, but this time, I make an effort not to pop my hip and cross my arms. I wouldn’t want him to call me a brat again. “Stop calling me that,” I say, voice chilled.
A few steps behind me, he asks, “What should I call you, then?”
I grin and peer over my shoulder. He’s waiting with his eyebrows raised high. “How about boss?”
His hot chuckle hits the back of my neck, and goosebumps rush to my arms. “Not a fucking chance.”

I loved this book. I genuinely found myself checking to see if it was a novella when I finished because of the way I devoured it so quick. But while it read quick, it was still wholly satisfying. The romance, the story, the family dynamics, the racing, all of it was woven together seamlessly to make one unputdownable read full of banter and heat.

I fell so hard for this family and can’t wait for more in this series. Leave it to SJ to own hockey romance and then come in and make F1 her b*tch. Because ohmygawd was this so much fun! Can’t recommend it enough!

S.J. Sylvis is an Amazon top 50 and USA Today bestselling author who is best known for her new adult romances. She currently resides in Arizona with her husband, two small kiddos, and pets! She is obsessed with coffee, becomes easily attached to fictional characters, and spends most of her evenings buried in a book! 

Connect with S.J. Sylvis

Website | https://www.sjsylvis.com/

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Review: Beautiful Carnage by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti

February 2, 2026 by · Leave a Comment

BEAUTIFUL CARNAGE
Series: Dark Empire #1
Genre: Dark Mafia Romance
Author: Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti
Release Date: January 4, 2020

A dark, mafia standalone from Wall Street Journal #1 bestselling authors Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti

His family killed my brother, so I stole his bride…

I was there to murder her father, but then I saw her walking down the aisle.

She’s been my secret obsession for too long. The sinfully beautiful Calabresi princess.

Sloan was the perfect payment for their crimes.

Now she’s mine.

Mine to claim.

Mine to possess.

Mine to destroy.

Her fiancé is still hunting for us, but his bride might not be so innocent by the time he tracks her down.

I’m lining her family up like dominoes. And she’ll be the first to fall.

Unless I fall prey to temptation and decide to keep her for myself.

Rocco and Sloan’s story is a Stand-Alone Enemies to Lovers Dark Romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains heat, passion and explosive steamy scenes for readers who enjoy mature content.

It all began with letters. Every word he wrote etched itself into my mind, into my soul.  
I had no choice but to fall for him. Was it really so bad that the letters were part of a penpal program … for prisoners? Or that they weren’t addressed to me? 
 
It’s not as if we’d ever meet. It’s not as if I’d ever get to look into Beau’s eyes that yearn for the ranch he left behind. Or that I’d ever get to feel his work-roughened hands dominating my body just as he does my fevered dreams. What harm could there be? 
 
Until one afternoon when I find myself standing in front of Beau—pretending to be someone I’m not. But the joke’s on me because for all my pretenses, his deception is much crueler … The hardened, dangerous, impossibly beautiful man is nothing like the man in the letters. 
 
And it’s too late for me to run. 
 
Content Guidance: 
The contents of this dark romance book may be triggering to some readers. It contains explicit sexual content and a morally gray hero. 
 
Trigger warnings: false identities, stalking/obsession, revenge/retribution, abduction, drugging, blackmail/coercion, forced marriage, violence, bondage, knife play, gun play, dubious consent, non-consent, off-the-page domestic abuse set in the past, off-the-page murder set in the past, parental grief 

AMAZON

I didn’t think I could hate anyone more than I hate you,” she breathed as the silence stretched between us.
A dark laugh escaped me and I leaned forward in my chair, moving so close to her that she had no choice but to turn and look at me. “I don’t think that’s true, bella,” I said in a low voice.
“You don’t think I hate you?” she asked, arching an eyebrow at me like I was insane.
“I think you hate me so hard, it eats you up. You hate me so hard you dream about me and all the awful things I might do to you. But I think that in those dreams you don’t actually hate it so much when I do them…”

Oh the giddy excitement that I devoured this book with. OMG. I have wanted to try more of their books since I read and loved Forget-Me-Not Bombshell but I’m not yet adventurous enough to delved into their series. Don’t judge me. I have the attention span of a fly. But I digress. I was in the mood for a true enemies to lovers dark mafia romance but everything I would pick up was just sort of BLAH. Ya know? Like it just wouldn’t hit the right way. I’ve had this one on my TBR for a while and 5 DNFs and 1 star later, I thought, why not. What do I have to lose. Apparently my entire day is what. Because it was an absolute blur as I devoured this book.

It had me hooked from the very first page. And I mean HOOKED. We’re talking true enemies to lovers where these two first meet when Rocco comes after her family but for some reason decided to spare her life. A few years later, Sloan is back to where it all started. She’s not the same 18 year old girl who was almost a victim. SHe’s a fighter. But one thing that she can’t fight, is her father’s plan for her. Which is to marry Nicoli, his protege. And it’s her duty to agree. But the wedding goes off with a bang when Rocco and his brothers crash it. And what’s a man to do when his revenge plan to kill a rival family doesn’t go as planned? Kidnap the bride, of course. DUH. And here, my friends, is where the real fun begins.

Because Sloan is not some easy prey. She gives as good as she gets and the banter between these two was EVERYTHING. This book had everything; a dark and gritty story, a slow burn romance full of tension and chemistry, delicious spice when it finally hits, and two main characters that I couldn’t get enough of.

If you love dark mafia romance and you haven’t read this one yet, do yourself a favor and grab this one. You won’t be disappointed!

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Review: Pretty Prey by A. Zavarelli

January 26, 2026 by · Leave a Comment

PRETTY PREY
Series: Empire of Kings #2
Genre: Dark Mafia Romance
Author: A Zavarelli
Release Date: January 26, 2026

It started with a message from a stranger.
Or so I thought.
Beneath a veil of anonymity, he lured out my secrets, fears, and desires.

Behind the mask, he could be anyone.
And somehow, it felt safer not knowing.

He comes to me under the cover of darkness, pulling me deeper into this forbidden game.
I give myself to him, knowing the consequences could destroy my life.
I just didn’t expect him to be the one to ruin me.

When the mask comes off, the truth cuts deep.
He isn’t just a man obsessed.
He’s the same man who’s hated me for the last nine years.

In the Cosa Nostra, they call him Il Lupo.
The wolf.
And all this time…
I’ve been his prey.

 

AMAZON

There’s something so primal about the way he touches me. It isn’t just want. It’s possession.

It’s official, I’m obsessed with this series. It should come as no surprise, considering I live for A Zavarelli dark romance and mafia romance. But something about the Vitale brothers just hits oh so good. I was so excited for Romeo’s story after being introduced to his quiet storm as a secondary character in Beautiful Torment. But as a main character? He exceeded all of my expectations and then some.

She spends her days dreaming and creating. I spend mine destroying and taking. She’s sunshine, and I’m nightmare fuel.

Gabi and Romeo have a long standing history, rooted in pain and regrets. As a teenager, Gabi was in love with Romeo. But she never got to know what it would be like to be his. Because one fateful night changed the trajectory of their future and irrevocably changed his. She thinks that he hates her. He’s spent every moment he has in her presence antagonizing and throwing barbs her way after all. But little does she know that he has a secret that she’s at the center of.

Did you kill them?”
I consider lying to her, so I don’t scare her away. But Gabi’s too smart for that, and I don’t want to do that to her. “Acts of Service is my love language,” I tell her. “It was a romantic gesture.”

Romeo is the king of unhinged that I live for when it comes to my fictional men. This man is obsessed and he’s absolutely feral with it. I loved his single minded possessiveness.

I’m a one-mate animal, Gabriela,” he murmurs. “It’s primal for me. I have to have you.”

There was something so incredibly vulnerable about both of their characters. Gabi and her people pleasing ways, she struggles with her duty to her family and the cost that it would have to her. Her engagement to a man she doesn’t want, nothing but a business connection for the Cosa Nostra. And her pining for a man she can never is something she can’t seem to get away from.

The romance and the spice was absolutely delicious. The angst, the emotion, the sizzle of it all just hit every spot for me.

This was more mafia light than the previous book, but it was very much a page turner nonetheless. I loved the romance, I loved the characters, and I loved the story.

But sometimes all you need is someone to stand with you in the storm until it passes.”

I’m already itching for my next hit of this series and can’t wait for the next book!
A. Zavarelli is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of dark and contemporary romance.

When she’s not putting her characters through hell, she can usually be found watching bizarre and twisted documentaries in the name of research.

She currently lives in the Northwest with her lumberjack and an entire brood of fur babies.

Connect w/A. Zavarelli: 

Facebook | Facebook Group | Instagram | Twitter | Mailing List | Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Bookbub 

Check out more information on the books and authors coming this fall HERE—> https://under-world-kings.com

Keep up-to-date with all things Underworld Kings in the Reader Group HERE—> https://bit.ly/3ArB5vx

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Review: Darling Diana by Scarlett Finch

December 20, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

DARLING DIANA
Series: Blackstem Universe #1
Author: Scarlett Finch
Genre: Dark, Dystopian Omegaverse Romance
Release Date: December 9, 2025

“Because you are mine, and I am yours.”

In the ruins of this broken world, omegas are currency—I’ve stayed off that particular radar by pretending I’m not one, utilizing the resources as a nurse in a neutral zone to suppress everything about my scent.

Then he shows up.

He smells something on me that shouldn’t be possible. Something that I’m still grappling with.

Judge doesn’t let go of what’s his, and he’ll burn the whole damn world down to chase after me.

Darkly intense, brutally seductive, and charged with emotional heat. Darling Diana is a dystopian omegaverse novel. For fans of slow-burn obsession, morally black power plays, and heroines who refuse to break.


What type of Omegaverse is this?
-No shifters- -M/F- -scents are everything- -he bites without permission- -estrous- -purring- -knotty times- -craving… so much craving-

Dystopian Wastelands setting, in the frigid winter. Perfect for December <3

TRIGGER: Coerced bite mark, dub-con explicit scenes, graphic violence, assault attempts (nothing on page), substance use + substance used on people, taking people, mental collapse, emotional breakdown, manipulation, betrayal, some stockholm

This is book 1 of 2, and the second book is a guaranteed HEA.

AMAZON

Oh fuck you,” I manage out. He smiles slowly and sits down on the couch. “In due time, nurse.”

I am suing. SUING I tell ya. Suing for emotional damages because what do you MEAN you’re going to leave us like this, Scarlett Finch? My flabbers are gasted my even cannot. This is the kind of emotional damage a reader doesn’t come back from and the sheer audacity to write it so nonchalantly? I bow down to your evil genius. But I digress.

I discovered Charlotte Mallory earlier this year and was immediately hooked. If you haven’t read The Improper Bastards series yet, change that immediately. So when I saw she’s releasing an omegaverse dystopian romance under her pen name, Scarlett Finch? Suffice it to say I couldn’t get on it quick enough. There is just something about the way this woman writes an MMC that is absolute chefs kiss. And she did not disappoint with Judge. Holy walking red flag and morally gray epicness!

When I tell you that I devoured this book, I mean I couldn’t set it down from cover to cover. I was so wholly immersed in this world, that I dreaded finishing. And with good reason too, since that cliffhanger damn near killed me. But I digress. If you like hate lust, enemies to lovers vibes, fierce FMCs and morally gray MMCs, you’ll need this in your life.

In the dystopian wasteland world, Omegas are a currency between powerful and corrupt alpha led gangs. It’s like Mad Max meets romance sort of vibes and I was here for it. Diana has spent years hiding her Omega self by purchasing illegal suppressants that hide her true sent. In a desperate bid for more of the drugs, she stumbles into the crosshairs of one of the most dangerous alphas and a force to be reckoned with, Judge. Judge is the leader of the biker gang and notorious for his violence and ruthlessness. And she also just so happens to be his scent match. Sounds utterly delicious right? It really was!

This is very much a slow burn romance and I loved their chemistry filled journey. I also loved the way that Diana, while in impossible odds, doesn’t back down and holds her ground against a man who makes grown men tremble in fear.

I haven’t read as much omega verse romance and I have no idea why because this book hit the spot so well and so hard that now I’m craving more knotty times. But if you’re looking for something dark, gritty, sizzling, with plenty of tension and deliciously fun banter, look no further.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go die a slow death until the sequel comes out on March 23.

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AUDIO Review: Sweet Venom by Rina Kent

December 10, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

 

SWEET VENOM
Series: Vipers #2
Author: Rina Kent
Genre: Dark Romance
Release Date: December 2, 2025

From the New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Rina Kent comes a dangerously dark stalker hockey romance.


Can I outrun his merciless obsession?

I accidentally witnessed a brutal murder.
I froze, pretended I saw nothing, hoping I could leave it behind.
But my plan backfired, and my life spiraled downward.
Now, I’m the target of cold-blooded revenge.
Jude Callahan isn’t just a hockey god—he’s a devil no one dares to cross.
My existence disrupts his stardom, prestige, and possible serial killer career choice.
And he’s set out to make me pay for that moment of silence.
No matter how much I run or hide, he finds me, watching from the shadows.
Like a predator.
I thought he’d stop at the stalking.
Or even better, he’d kill me and finally end my misery.
But Jude has other plans.
He says I can’t die. I have to pay for my sins.
And just like that, he drags me into his depraved world, kicking and screaming.

Tropes:

  • Hockey romance x secret society
  • Antihero x Good girl
  • Enemies to lovers
  • He stalks her


This book can be read on its own but for better understanding of the world, it’s recommended to read Beautiful Venom first.

AMAZON

Please let me go.”
He shakes his head once, tsking as he pushes into me. “Don’t beg yet. We’ll get there… eventually.”

The way this audio had me in a complete chokehold for 3 days should be illegal. ILLEGAL I tells ya. But can you blame me when our lord and savior, Teddy, is narrating Jude? And I mean, JUDE. JUDE. Oh the man you are, Jude.

I don’t give a fuck who your type is. From now on, I’m your only type.”

I did a combo of ebook and audio with this and I’m so glad that I did, because this is a book you need to experience in audio. It just packs a different kind of punch when you get to experience Jude through Teddy. Trust me on this.

Yeah, well, you can have neither my heart nor my soul.”
“I will have your fucking everything, sweetheart.”

Now as for the story, while this is a standalone in an interconnected series, I do no recommend reading it out of order. You just won’t have the same level of appreciation for the story or the characters. So do yourself a favor and read Beautiful Venom first.

While I was super excited to read Jude’s book, admittedly I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about Violet. After a peak into her in Beautiful Venom, I was afraid she may be too demure for my liking. And I am so happy to say that she surprised me in the best of ways. There were so many layers to her that the more the onion peeled back, the more I liked her.

If you’ve read Beautiful Venom, then you already know the dark connection with Violet and Jude. I won’t ruin it for you by telling you what it is but it landed her on Jude’s revenge list. He’s been stalking her for months, and now he’s prepared to finally do something about it. Except Violet is nothing what he expects because she welcomes his revenge. Violet was a dichotomy of strength and weakness. This is a woman who grew up in hell but didn’t let that rot her. There’s this layer of sweet and caring in her that on anyone else would seem almost cliche, but worked here.

And Jude? I LOVED Jude.

Yes, yes… oh God.”
“I can be your god, Violet. I’ll be your fucking everything.”

But I would be lying if I didn’t tell you that another secondary character took this book from a solid 4 straight to a 5 star read for me and that was Preston. The sheer chaotic madness of this man just carried the book.

I devoured this story but that ending has me wheezing for the next book. WHEEZING. I need it. With the kind of desperation I cannot even describe to you. 

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