Savage Hearts

Filthy Wicked Psychos #4

by Eva Ashwood

The heart-pounding final book in the Filthy Wicked Psychos series...

The blurb below contains spoilers for the previous books, so I'd recommend not reading it until you're caught up on the series, starting with Twisted Game . You've been warned!


***

Our love story began steeped in violence… and it will end that way too.

For one perfect moment, I breathed easy. For one moment, I could see the path to an easy, peaceful life with my men.

Then it all fell apart.

Ripped away from the Voronin brothers and forced into the hands of my enemies, I’ll have to face the monsters I’ve been running from.

But even in the depths of darkness, one truth remains the my men will always come for me. They will always protect me.

Or die trying.

Savage Hearts is a full-length new adult romance with dark themes, damaged anti-heroes, and high heat. It’s the darkest book in the series, so please read responsibly. This is book 4 of 4.

Genres: Dark Romance, Why Choose, Dark, Romance, Smut, Contemporary, Crime

428 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 7, 2023

About the author

Eva Ashwood has been a reader her whole life and a writer for several years. She loves telling stories of alpha males and the fierce women who bring them to their knees.

She's a sucker for reverse harem, bully romance, enemies to lovers, heroes who redeem themselves, and all the drama and passion of new adult love.

Reviews

[Jenifer Briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eva just unlocked a new kink: having one of your boyfriends cut off your rapists 🍆, and then gag that rapist with said appendage to block out his screams. That's how all rapists need to be handled, quite honestly.

But OMG, this is easily the best book in the series, and despite the trauma, trigger warnings, non stop action and twisted plots, this was hands down the most romantic book Eva has ever written. The way these men rallied around Willow through everything she went through, loved her through it, and reassured her she wasn't broken even though she felt like a vital part of her was missing, was just AMAZING. Seeing a softer side to Malice while he was still a possessive alphahole had me laughing in the lighter moments, Vic opening up so much and welcoming Willows touch as well as not obsessing so much about order and helping her through the abuse she endured brought tears to my eyes, and Ransom continuing to be the absolute sweetheart he's always been, albeit a bit more blood thirsty after everything was all just *chefs kiss* this is easily one of my favorite harems ever!

And the cameos from River and her men, as well as the setup from what I'm assuming is the next series?! I CANT WAIT!!!

The ending was just so amazing, and it makes me want to go back and read the Kings of Chaos series all over again and then binge this one from the beginning too, just to see if I catch anything I missed previously. And honestly, Eva could write a grocery list, and I would still rate it five stars.🤣

If you haven't read this series yet, DO IT NOW! I loved every minute of it!!

[Poppy Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

Took me while to get back into the story because I read books 1-3 over a year ago before the last one came out, however this definitely wasn’t as strong as the first 3.

The storyline was so fast paced & intriguing and tense but I feel like the story with Willow & her grandmother Olivia was just dragged out over the last 2 books and it definitely didn’t need another book!
All the character arcs were pretty much wrapped up in book 3, so this just felt like filler and even though some lose ends needed tying up still I don’t feel like another 400 page book was necessary for the series because it started SO WELL! The unexpected pregnancy storyline was completely unnecessary for the book, it literally served no purpose whatsoever 😅

Aside from that, I loved the brothers, especially Vic. The spice as always with Eva Ashwood didn’t disappoint but I need more than just a few fun characters and a some spicy scenes!

Book 1 will always be favourite, but I do recommend the whole series as book 3 was extremely exciting if you like why choose, mafia-esque dark romance

[nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaaaandddd Eva's done it again! I absolutely loved every single second I spent reading this book, and while I'm happy that Willow, Ransom, Malice and Vic finally got their much deserved HEA, I am a bit sad to let go of this series. Over time, the Filthy Wicked Psychos series has become a comfort series for me and I don't think I'm ready to let go of my babies yet🥺 I'm most definitely going to re-read all 4 books again sometime soon fyi hehe. The passion, steam and connection was off the charts in this final installment and seeing so many *ahem* evil characters get what they deserved eventually made me so happy. It was a tough journey for these four to their happy ending, but it was so worth the emotional rollercoaster and all those brutal cliffys. This series, in my opinion, is hands down Eva's best work and I will forever and always talk about my love for these amazing characters! Also that bonus epilogue??? I'M SO SOFT GAAAAHHHH😭💗

P.S. I do have an inkling as to who the next series is gonna be about and I'm SO EXCITED to see what Eva's planned for us next aaaahhhh😍😍😍

*Thank you to Eva Ashwood for providing me with an ARC!

[Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm sorry to say it, but I'm extremely disappointed by this book. It took me forever to finish it.

Book one was gold. Book two was alright and had its moments and promises. Book three went downhill and the conclusion to this series made me feel exhausted.

My main issues are with Willow. Her tendency to over-explain made me want to scream. I couldn't take it anymore. Second, Olivia's character was bland for what was supposed to be some smart, untouchable supervillain.

The conclusion with Troy was rushed. Too easy. Also, I felt I needed more details of what Willow went through to feel for her. It is only mentioned that she was raped, not shown. Everything was just skipped over. The brothers saved her really fast and killed Troy right away. After what he did to her, he'd deserve way more torture, right? I would've liked it if Willow hurt him herself instead of once again being a damsel in distress.

But the worst thing of all is the pregnancy. Once I read that, I wanted to quit reading but I pushed myself to finish it because otherwise it would mean I read three books only to quit at the last one in the series. I couldn't do that.

I mean, come on! Willow was raped and impregnated with her rapist's baby and all of them are just like; it's okay... We'll raise it as our own... Family is not just defined by blood... BLA BLA BLA. What the hell? Why was abortion not mentioned ONCE? Having the baby of your rapist would be a constant reminder of your trauma, would it not? Sure, you could deal with that mentally but there was no struggle whatsoever about this. Only; hey... yeah... I'm going to raise a baby with my three lovers and completely forget/suppress the shit out of my memories and just la-la-live my lifeeeee 💁🏻‍♀️ PLEASE.

The smut was smutting and that's why I've managed to finish the entire series. Also the Voronin brothers. But Willow? Girl, bye.

⭐️⭐️

[Aplis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah I was bored. There was a lot happening but I was bored. And I realized that I like the angst before the main leads get together. Once everyone is all loved up, I'm bored. Damn I'm fucked up.

[Bookishness · Rating 2 out of 5]

Repetitive, predictable, boring….

[Kate V · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars!

Savage Hearts is the finale of Filthy Wicked Psychos. Willow, Malice, Vic and Ransom are racing against the clock to be steps ahead of those that wish them harm. I think this suffered from the trap that many series fall into when you get into three and four books in a series. Savage Hearts felt a little strained and the plot felt dragged out too much. However, I really like these characters and the journey they had to go on to get to where they are now.

“When we fuck you like this, sharing you and using you, you’re our beautiful little slut. But out there in the world, you’re our fucking queen. Our partner. Our everything.”

Willow really grew into herself and her strength and I loved that about her. Malice, Vic and Ransom were still filthy and protective but I do think they lost a bit of their alpha male edge in this book. That was a bit of a bummer. Overall, the Filthy Wicked Psychos series was spicy and entertaining and I will 100% be reading more from Eva.

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Get it here:
Amazon US * Amazon UK

I've enjoyed this series through all of the books but sadly the conclusion just didn't do it for me. I think there was just a little too much going on and some things seemed to be finished too fast and with too little detail while others were too drawn out. After 4 books it was also just a little annoying that SO much was happening to the heroine. Like there's only so much one person can go through in life and by the end of this book I just stopped caring, I guess?

Overall, the series was still a good read and I enjoyed getting to know all of the characters so I'd recommend it.

[phe 🥀 · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF’ed when we got to the dreaded pregnancy trope, made worse by the fact it was her rapists baby

[marioncoin | coin.reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

la manière dont, à chaque fois qu’elle se fait kidnapper, ils l'a retrouvent en cinq minutes chrono- on en parle ou pas mdr

bref, j'ai fini, houra-
globalement assez déçue de cette saga hein...
vraiment long pour pas grand chose au final.
si vous voulez du spicy vous serez servies mais l’intrigue à côté est vraiment pas ouf

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an end. I'm so sad this is the final for Willow and the guys, but what a wrap up.This was such a solid, thrilling, and spicy series from the beginning to end. It's rare to give a 5 for every book, but it was just so enjoyable all the way through.

Willow and the guys still had to endure through a lot of shit and there were no boring moments. I really appreciate how Ms. Ashwood decided to handle the time Willow was being captive. It's dark, but I'm glad it didn't get into the full nitty gritty of it all.

There were so many emotional moments between Willow and each of the guys individually that just hit me with all the feels. Ransom was essentially the sunshine of the trio but so consistent towards Willow from the very beginning. Victor especially just melted my heart. I love how much they're relationship developed compared to when they first got to know each other. You're missing out if you don't give this series a chance and experience the closet romantic that's Malice. My word.

I loved each and every page of Savage Hearts. I'll definitely be re-reading this and the series again.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.7 stars. Overall, this series was a solid and enjoyable dark RH.

The reason I gave this last book just under 3 stars was that I started losing interest - I feel like this should have been a trilogy, not a 4 book series. Also, the heroine, Willow, ended up being meh. She's not bad, but she bored me a bit, and she could have had more personality. She pales in comparison to the heroine from the Dirty Broken Savages series. The 3 heroes are better (even though they aren't psychos, so the title of this series is misleading).

But the main reason for my lower star rating is that some stuff happens to Willow this book that left a bad taste in my mouth: she's raped - not by one of the heroes - and then has her rapist's baby, who she and the heroes happily raise as their own. I don't mind so much that she's raped. It's not something I love reading, but obviously books are allowed to have it. It was dealt with well enough: it happens off-page, so we don't get the details in-scene, she gets revenge, and she does NOT hop into bed with the heroes right away, but she takes time to mentally deal with it. But the "having her rapist's baby" part of the story just felt really unnecessary, and I hated that.

To this author's credit, she doesn't just throw in shit like this randomly, for no reason. She's good at linking plot events together. When Willow gets kidnapped and raped, the guy also marries her. And before she lets the heroes kill him, she gets him to sign over all his money to her, as his wife. So, that's how she and the heroes get enough money to fund their efforts to take down the villain, and live their lives. Even the part I hate, with the baby, thematically fits the story, since 1 of the heroes, Ransom, is just a half-brother to the others, and they go on about how DNA is unimportant and they're still family.

So, I get what the author was trying to do with all of this. And I do respect that she knows how to string a story together, in terms of having 1 event lead to another. (It's surprising how many authors are bad at this). I just found these plot events to be a bummer. This book was a drag to read, at times. This series is not bad overall, but it's not my favorite of Eva Ashwood's (Her best series are Slateview High, The Dark Elite, and Dirty Broken Savages. Her worst series is Clearwater University - this one is still better than that).

I'll still read anything this author puts out. Her stuff isn't unique or especially stand-out, it's pretty standard dark RH. But her writing is just so smooth and competent and readable. And, we clearly met the heroine for the next series in this book (Quinn, the gang leader girl). She seems pretty cool, so I'll read her books when they come out.

[Jenna Rhiannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ .5/5
Spice 🌶 🌶 🌶 🌶 /5

I have been absolutely obsessed with this series since I read the first book. Book three ended on a huge cliffhanger and I have been absolutely itching for this book to come out. I read it immediately on its release and it was exactly what I wanted it to be.

Willow continues to be such an amazing strong character. This book was especially painful given some of the things that happened to her (please check the trigger warnings for this book) but her overall journey of regaining her strength was so well done. the relationship she has with her men and the unwavering support that is given between all of them were some of my favourite parts.

The character growth of the Voronin brothers was beautiful. They had each shown some softness with Willow but in this book they really all came into their own. Especially Malice and Vic. I absolutely loved this new open Vic. How he was more expressive which really solidified him as my favourite of the brothers. Malice surprised me by being this gentle person that was just perfect. While the dynamic had shifted between them all it settled into just a wonderful sort of domesticity. Plus the little bonus of getting to see characters I loved from her other series was great!

I already want to read this series again. Eva is definitely a favourite for why choose mafia romance.

[emma 🩷 · Rating 2 out of 5]

this series could have easily been 1 book - 2 max. It got so boring in the end because I could predict everything and the plot/climax is the same the whole series; it got so repetitive.

Also way too much sex - and that's coming from someone who read Den of Vipers...

[Marit · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only skimmed the last 30ish% of the book because she kept her rapist’s baby without even considering abortion and because the series was starting to feel dragged out and boring.
Overall dissapointed in the endign of the series.

[Noa · Rating 4 out of 5]

~4.25 stars~

"All this time, whether we knew it or not, we were all waiting for you. For our f*cking queen."

The Voronin brothers are nothing if not protective. And this book just proved my point further.
They will do anything for Willow. And this is a perfect example of "If he wanted to, he would" (in this case if they wanted to but semantics)

Also, side note, Eva Ashwood writes top tier dirty talk and anyone who disagrees can go talk a hole. Thank you very much

"I hope you're f*cking ready, Solnyshka, because I'm not in the mood to be gentle."

Tropes:
- Why Choose
- Mafia/MC Vibes
- Over Possesive MMCs
- "Touch her and we'll kill you" or worse
- Multi-POV
- Found Family
- Twin Sandwiches ;)

[Natali thehauntingofnatt · Rating 2 out of 5]

The denouement of this enthralling series leaves much to be desired. Still, the series deserves accolades for its allure, which are remarkably well-executed aka the smut is steaming.

1. Commencing with an acknowledgment of the captivating nature of the Voronin brothers, it must be stated that their allure and complexity have held a profound fascination.

Victor, particularly, evoked an emotional connection as Malice's "light" twin brother, adding an intriguing layer with his OCD-driven perspective. Nevertheless, the potential depth of his character remains somewhat underutilized, serving primarily to advance the plot while insights into his persona are all too fleeting, often supplanted by Willow's point of view.

Willow initially proves engaging, but regrettably, her character development plateaus early in the series, rendering her somewhat one-dimensional. Nonetheless, the central appeal of this series lies not with her but rather with the compelling male protagonists.

Ransom, with his prominence in numerous chapters, emerges as a near-flawless embodiment of charm and attractiveness, endearing him to readers. Equally praiseworthy is the portrayal of Malice, the most enigmatic of the brothers, whose toxic traits are juxtaposed with an unexpectedly tender heart, rendering him an enthralling figure.

2. Pertaining to certain shortcomings:

One key concern revolves around the portrayal of Grandmother as an overly malevolent corporate figure, driving Willow into a marriage solely to elevate her social status and wealth. Such a premise, though central to the story, raises doubts about believability, given the agency a grown woman should possess and the ease with which competent legal intervention could ostensibly resolve the matter.

Furthermore, the absence of media scrutiny in the lives of public figures like Olivia appears implausible. The lack of paparazzi coverage or social media interest in the unfolding family tensions and questionable activities undermines the narrative's realism.

The issue of repetitiveness in both books and chapters emerges as a significant drawback. Instances of redundancy, especially in Willow's tendency to over-explain where Ransom would then reiteration and Willow would subsequently paraphrase it yet again, detract from the series' intrigue and diminish opportunities for reader imagination.

3. Confronting a critical aspect:

Regrettably, the series opens with a deeply troubling premise, involving a rape leading to an unexpected pregnancy, which the characters choose to retain. The lack of consideration for alternatives like abortion in this context is disconcerting. It raises concerns about the portrayal of sensitive topics and the implications it carries, especially the notion that one's only recourse after a traumatic experience is to bear a child that serves as a constant reminder of the trauma. This narrative choice lacks sensitivity and disregards the complexities surrounding such deeply personal decisions.

In conclusion, while the series demonstrates its strengths with alluring protagonists and captivating elements, it is marred by certain plot implausibilities and an insufficiently nuanced treatment of critical subjects. These aspects culminate in a discernible sense of disappointment and an inability to wholeheartedly endorse the work.

[Melanie Jakusz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Welp, glad that’s over with.

[antri౨ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

this entire series is beyond incredible i have no words.
I WANT MORE OF THEM RNNNNNN!!!!!

[Cat H · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.6 stars.

[THE PETITE LIBR☆RY · Rating 3 out of 5]

After 4 books full of Willow, I have simply had enough.

Willow’s only personality trait is being horny for the Voronin brothers. She has no friends, no hobbies, no interests, no thoughts. She was so incredibly whiny throughout this book, especially after the pregnancy is revealed. By 50%, I was over her, the excessive smut (which I found myself skimming), and the on-going drama.

Although I did enjoy the grandmother twist and Troy’s resurrection, I still found this slightly lacking. I wish Ashwood had tied in more of the Voronin family history, especially with as much Russian as Malice spouted off. She could have pulled back on the smut, flushed out more of Willow’s personality, expanded on the brothers’ origins (ex: how did their mom witness a murder?) and had a deeper, more interesting story overall.

I’ll definitely still explore more of Ashwood’s backlog of books in the future, even if this series wasn’t necessarily a smash for me.

[lou · Rating 1 out of 5]

i…. kinda hated it.

this series was going so well over the last three books, i was absolutely in love with these men and their relationship with willow and then i started to hate every single part of this book halfway through it. it just seemed that no one there was actually using their brain cells??? not even vic. every single problem they had actually had a very simple and quick solution and they didn’t use shit or even thought about it, even though they clearly had the resources. too much shit was happening and i got bored very quickly.

and i’m not even gonna mention THAT ending. i really do hate it. idk why the author thought that would be a good idea. that’s all i’m gonna say bc if i say more i might get banned from all the nasty and ugly words i’m thinking of using to describe what i’m thinking.

anyways…. disappointed.

[Mirthe Meulenbroek · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the story, I really do but even for me, there is something as to much smut. Can you believe I actually skimmed over some of the scenes? Well, I kinda did. I took one star for that, but other than that, I enjoyed it and I look forward to read the rest of Eva Ashwood her series.

[Candice · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF but I got 70% of the way in so I’m counting it as read. Not a fan of the surprise pregnancy trope especially after she was raped- just couldn’t finish it

[Catbytheseareads ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible books of dark, sizzling romance that I gave 5 stars for each book
a truly must read series! #wild #hardtoputdown

[Keri | Books_and_Hookers · Rating 5 out of 5]

You’re the light to all my darkness.”

IM SO SAD ITS OVER.

IM NOT READY TO SAY GOODBYE.

I MISS THEM.

This series has filled me with so much joy (and anxiety if we’re being honest 😅)

Willow and the boys were amazing. They were grumpy and funny and quiet and so different from one another. They all just complimented each other so well 😭

The banter between them. The threats they make. Everything about them is just so FUN. ALSO MALICE TALKING TO HER IN RUSSIAN. The way I gasped and literally shook waiting google translate to do its job every time we got another quote 🫠🫠

“Good. I’m in the mood to kill more than one motherf—ker tonight.”

And can we just talk about the way they love Willow??? The completely obsessive and vocal way they love her? All flaws and broken bits included? The way they handle her with care while also standing at her back providing support and strength had me in awe. Eva does an amazing job of making these relationships feel real and flawed. No one’s perfect, and they don’t care. They all just love each other so deeply despite everything and I loved every second.

I feel better recommending this series now that it’s complete because Eva lovesss to hurt us with cliffhangers. And now she can’t. Because you can (and will) devour these back to back.

I don’t think anyone can top the Kings, but the Voronin brothers came close!

[Lauren Kenwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars ⭐️ Such a good finish to the series! This was a ✨perfect✨ why choose book and I will definitely recommend it when someone asks for WC recs. I have this thing where I tend to fall for 1 guy in the group and then wish the FMC ends up with him but I had none of those feelings in this book. The Voronin brothers absolutely love Willow and each bring their own uniqueness to the relationship. Also, Willow’s own personal growth throughout the four books was very inspiring.

Once again, if you are looking for a dark, suspenseful WC with possessive MMCs, I definitely recommend this series!

[Sarah B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series was SO GOOD! Eva Ashwood knows exactly what she’s doing with her writing. The love shared between these 4 is so freakin taboo but just amazing at the same time. The story line keeps you pulled in through every. single. book! Willow will be forever cherished by these men & what each one of them bring to the relationship is unique and special. Honestly never saw myself reading something this taboo lol but I loved it!

[Abbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this book but every other chapter being about sex was a bit much. I loved how willow got her own back on troys family and ransom finally got to lay his worries about family to rest. I also loved how the other series tie in without giving anything away so I need to read about Quinn next

[Shannon Waldo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic way to close out their story!