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Dangerous Game
The other woman… is a mob boss?!
After Wren's girlfriend cheats on her and breaks her heart, Wren craves revenge. She's not going to be a meek little pushover any longer. She's going to seduce and humiliate the other woman, and give her a taste of her own medicine.
But she gets more than she bargains for. Katya is a gorgeous, deadly, mafia queenpin.
And... she wants to hire Wren as her new nanny?
Bratva queen. Broken heart.
Someone is targeting Katya's family.
To protect her orphaned niece and nephew, she needs someone from outside the underworld. Someone who isn't compromised by mob corruption. Someone normal.
And the mousy daycare teacher who marches into her life is perfect for the job.
But under the same roof, the two of them get closer than they ever thought.
Katya wants to spoil her. Protect her.
Make Wren hers.
It's a dangerous game. But Katya always plays to win.
After Wren's girlfriend cheats on her and breaks her heart, Wren craves revenge. She's not going to be a meek little pushover any longer. She's going to seduce and humiliate the other woman, and give her a taste of her own medicine.
But she gets more than she bargains for. Katya is a gorgeous, deadly, mafia queenpin.
And... she wants to hire Wren as her new nanny?
Bratva queen. Broken heart.
Someone is targeting Katya's family.
To protect her orphaned niece and nephew, she needs someone from outside the underworld. Someone who isn't compromised by mob corruption. Someone normal.
And the mousy daycare teacher who marches into her life is perfect for the job.
But under the same roof, the two of them get closer than they ever thought.
Katya wants to spoil her. Protect her.
Make Wren hers.
It's a dangerous game. But Katya always plays to win.
594 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 13, 2023
109 people are currently reading
345 people want to read
About the author
Bel Blackwood
10 books65 followersBel Blackwood (they/them) spins stories of flawed women finding happiness, aimed at readers who like their lesbian romances to be heartfelt, quirky, and funny.
When they're not writing, Bel loves hiking with their mutts, baking up a storm, and trying (and failing) to learn to meditate. If they followed the advice to write what you know, all of their books would be about heroines waging war on the caterpillars eating their zucchini plants.
When they're not writing, Bel loves hiking with their mutts, baking up a storm, and trying (and failing) to learn to meditate. If they followed the advice to write what you know, all of their books would be about heroines waging war on the caterpillars eating their zucchini plants.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
March 21, 2023
5 Stars - It's a romp!
Here is another one that is not perfect but was still totally entertaining and charming so much so that I am going to give it the full 5 stars. Where it falls short is needing a better editor and beta readers to catch typos, small inconsistencies, and repeated phrases. Not a huge issue, but noticeable.
Really it's just a bit of nitpicking BECAUSE - the story was really entertaining and Wren is hilarious. Her inner dialog had me 😂 many times. While I found her completely amusing, I think the author failed to fully sell me on why Katya was so enamored by her. Even so, I just went with it because it was such a fun read. All the secondary characters were interesting. The kids were not perfect little angels, in fact, they were tiny terrors but eventually come around. The plot mostly made sense and there was a nice exciting climax at the end. I would totally read another book in this universe if the author wanted to write a sequel.
If the blurb sounds interesting to you should check it out. Kindle Unlimited.
SHELVED: sapphic-romance, business-mogul, cops-or-criminals, fun-favorite-loved, kindle-unlimited, mafia, nanny, read, rich-girl-poor-girl
Here is another one that is not perfect but was still totally entertaining and charming so much so that I am going to give it the full 5 stars. Where it falls short is needing a better editor and beta readers to catch typos, small inconsistencies, and repeated phrases. Not a huge issue, but noticeable.
Really it's just a bit of nitpicking BECAUSE - the story was really entertaining and Wren is hilarious. Her inner dialog had me 😂 many times. While I found her completely amusing, I think the author failed to fully sell me on why Katya was so enamored by her. Even so, I just went with it because it was such a fun read. All the secondary characters were interesting. The kids were not perfect little angels, in fact, they were tiny terrors but eventually come around. The plot mostly made sense and there was a nice exciting climax at the end. I would totally read another book in this universe if the author wanted to write a sequel.
If the blurb sounds interesting to you should check it out. Kindle Unlimited.
SHELVED: sapphic-romance, business-mogul, cops-or-criminals, fun-favorite-loved, kindle-unlimited, mafia, nanny, read, rich-girl-poor-girl
July 30, 2023
3.5 ⭐️
I need more sapphic mafia books please 😭😭.
I need more sapphic mafia books please 😭😭.
November 13, 2023
Kinda good. I loved how the relationship between the MCs was built. Though, since it is Mafia, it needed a little more.. danger... thrill.. otherwise, it was a good read.
May 23, 2023
3,25/5
I'm disappointed in myself for not enjoying this much more.The problem is,I didn't felt a lot for Katya,and when you don't like one of the main characters it's harder to feel a connection with main relationship.I loved Wren,she was hilarious and relatable,and Katya was dumb,like really dumb sometimes, you would believe a mob boss would be more intelligent, and also did Katya actually needed Wren's help at realizing that THOSE KIDS NEED THERAPY, it was really annoying how Katya was making her sister's death all about herself 🤦♀️.Sometimes I would get bored reading, the plot twist wasn't really a plot twist.But it wasn't a horrible book either
I'm disappointed in myself for not enjoying this much more.The problem is,I didn't felt a lot for Katya,and when you don't like one of the main characters it's harder to feel a connection with main relationship.I loved Wren,she was hilarious and relatable,and Katya was dumb,like really dumb sometimes, you would believe a mob boss would be more intelligent, and also did Katya actually needed Wren's help at realizing that THOSE KIDS NEED THERAPY, it was really annoying how Katya was making her sister's death all about herself 🤦♀️.Sometimes I would get bored reading, the plot twist wasn't really a plot twist.But it wasn't a horrible book either
July 5, 2023
“Nope, tough luck. In our world, it’s love or nothing.”
Very cute, very fun, but just a bit lacking for me? For some reason, it's really hard for me to turn my brain off when it comes to fiction about the mafia. Not that I'm super knowledgeable about it, but several things always jump out at me as being super unbelievable, and it's hard to ignore those things and just enjoy it? But this was a good time, with a really cute premise. A mild mannered day-care teacher tries to get revenge on the woman her girlfriend cheated with, only to discover that she's a powerful mob boss. And she eventually gets wrangled into working for her. This is a book that could have worked so well as an audiobook. Wren has a lot of personality and a very distinctive voice that is really present in the prose, and it just felt like a book that should be performed. (Also, weird nitpick, but I hate seeing '?!' being used so often; it's so silly to me? Every time I read it I cringed a little. I know I know, one day I'll suffocate under the weight of all my stupid reading nitpicks.) Some of the plot things just didn't make sense to me. I think the author did a good job of establishing Katya as an intelligent capable leader, but then sometimes she'd make decisions that had me like 'girl what'. There were so many little things that just brought me right out of the story.
But Wren and Katya were great together. The chemistry that was established in those early chapters never fizzled. Katya's a perfect dream, and I was scared that the plot would go in a certain direction with her, but thankfully it didn't. The side plot with the kids was cute. They acted like actual kids, and all of the characters' reactions to them were realistic as well. Wren's way of relating to them and getting them to behave when they were being little hellions rang pretty true to me. The mystery wasn't GREAT but it was serviceable, and I liked the action at the end.
Kudos, overall. Definitely could have used a closer edit for types and inconsistencies, but I mostly had a good time.
May 7, 2023
I initially stopped reading this book at 6% as it was really slow. BUT, given the awesome reviews, I thought I'd give it another go a few weeks later and I'm so glad I did. Once the action kicked in, I was hooked. Wondefrul connection between Katya and Wren and a really engaging story.
February 14, 2023
dangerously fun
Action packed filled with dangers that leak in every corner. Children healing from trauma. With gentleness, patience and understanding. A family torn by death only to be rebuilt in love and strength.
Action packed filled with dangers that leak in every corner. Children healing from trauma. With gentleness, patience and understanding. A family torn by death only to be rebuilt in love and strength.
April 17, 2023
Share brilliance. The most engaging plot I've read all year.
September 10, 2023
Pew Pew Pew
But also
Pew Pew ;)
But also
Pew Pew ;)
January 28, 2025
Con 152 anotaciones dispersas en todo el libro, finalmente lo he acabado. No sé por dónde comenzar esta reseña, pues en mi cabeza se amontonan miles de palabras (buenas y malas) que decir acerca de esta historia. Creo que, como siempre, deberé dividir mis opiniones en diferentes secciones.
1° Punto: La trama.
Al inicio me encantó todo. Comencé a leer convencida de que este sería mi primer cinco estrellas del año, pero luego llegué a la mitad del libro y todo fue hacia abajo. No sentí que hubiera un conflicto real, pues todo este arco de la mafia (que se supone que era la temática PRINCIPAL del libro) pasa a un segundo plano y las dinámicas que más vemos son las de Wren con los sobrinos de Katya.
Las primeras páginas me engancharon, literalmente de una sentada devoré la mitad del libro... después ya no fue lo mismo. La tensión sexual del inicio, el drama de Katya con la mafia y su familia me tenía fascinada, hasta que de repente tiró todo eso por la borda y comenzó a narrar escena tras escena como Wren se llevaba con los niños. Y sí, eran momentos lindos, pero llegado a un punto yo ya estaba HARTA.
Si las cosas hubieran ido hacia otro punto quizá la puntuación sería más alta y me da una pena.
2° Punto: Personajes
Wren me fastidió un poco al inicio, Katya me fascinó (yo solo podía pensar que era muy muy HOT). Sin embargo, después Katya perdió lo hot por algo que aún no logro descifrar. Siento que sus decisiones al final fueron un algo ¿tontas? Tal vez, no lo sé. Wren me cayó mejor después.
Sentía la tensión sexual, sí, pero el romance no me fascinó. Estuvo bien, sin más. Una historia normal para leer en una tarde chill.
Otros personajes como Alina y Valentina (háganse canon por fa), Yulia, Luka y Dmitri me gustaron, aunque sin duda Yulia es mi favorita (después de Katya, claro). Pero aún así hubieron Personajes que me parecieron inútiles, Jess POR EJEMPLO. Nada de lo que hizo tuvo al menos un poco de sentido para mí.
Me gusta leer historias saficas y más si son poco conocidas, además nunca había leído algo de la mafia (porque todo eso del Dark Romance me parece vomitivo) así que encontrarme con algo como la sinopsis de este libro que me gustó y quise darle una oportunidad. Espero que el/la autor/a siga escribiendo porque me gusta la forma en la que de expresa (Aunque no puedo pasar por alto ciertos errores gramaticales y ortográficos 😐).
Sin más, me despido.
Pd: Me encantaron las pequeñas notas donde ponían que significaban ciertas palabras en ruso o así.
Pd2: Alina t amo.
1° Punto: La trama.
Al inicio me encantó todo. Comencé a leer convencida de que este sería mi primer cinco estrellas del año, pero luego llegué a la mitad del libro y todo fue hacia abajo. No sentí que hubiera un conflicto real, pues todo este arco de la mafia (que se supone que era la temática PRINCIPAL del libro) pasa a un segundo plano y las dinámicas que más vemos son las de Wren con los sobrinos de Katya.
Las primeras páginas me engancharon, literalmente de una sentada devoré la mitad del libro... después ya no fue lo mismo. La tensión sexual del inicio, el drama de Katya con la mafia y su familia me tenía fascinada, hasta que de repente tiró todo eso por la borda y comenzó a narrar escena tras escena como Wren se llevaba con los niños. Y sí, eran momentos lindos, pero llegado a un punto yo ya estaba HARTA.
Si las cosas hubieran ido hacia otro punto quizá la puntuación sería más alta y me da una pena.
2° Punto: Personajes
Wren me fastidió un poco al inicio, Katya me fascinó (yo solo podía pensar que era muy muy HOT). Sin embargo, después Katya perdió lo hot por algo que aún no logro descifrar. Siento que sus decisiones al final fueron un algo ¿tontas? Tal vez, no lo sé. Wren me cayó mejor después.
Sentía la tensión sexual, sí, pero el romance no me fascinó. Estuvo bien, sin más. Una historia normal para leer en una tarde chill.
Otros personajes como Alina y Valentina (háganse canon por fa), Yulia, Luka y Dmitri me gustaron, aunque sin duda Yulia es mi favorita (después de Katya, claro). Pero aún así hubieron Personajes que me parecieron inútiles, Jess POR EJEMPLO. Nada de lo que hizo tuvo al menos un poco de sentido para mí.
Me gusta leer historias saficas y más si son poco conocidas, además nunca había leído algo de la mafia (porque todo eso del Dark Romance me parece vomitivo) así que encontrarme con algo como la sinopsis de este libro que me gustó y quise darle una oportunidad. Espero que el/la autor/a siga escribiendo porque me gusta la forma en la que de expresa (Aunque no puedo pasar por alto ciertos errores gramaticales y ortográficos 😐).
Sin más, me despido.
Pd: Me encantaron las pequeñas notas donde ponían que significaban ciertas palabras en ruso o así.
Pd2: Alina t amo.
March 23, 2023
3.5 Stars
March 17, 2023
Really Good!
Dangerous Game is a well-written tale with characters of substance. Wren is so sympathetic, one has to be on her side … after all, how can so many people abandon her? Katya is queen, for sure - commanding, captivating, charismatic. They both have ideas about how to live their lives, and both have plenty to learn from each other. The question is, in the dangerous world of mafiosos, will they live to tell about it? I love a lesfic story that isn’t only about chasing, catching, and falling into bed, and Bel Blackwood has written a good one with plenty of plot.
Dangerous Game is a well-written tale with characters of substance. Wren is so sympathetic, one has to be on her side … after all, how can so many people abandon her? Katya is queen, for sure - commanding, captivating, charismatic. They both have ideas about how to live their lives, and both have plenty to learn from each other. The question is, in the dangerous world of mafiosos, will they live to tell about it? I love a lesfic story that isn’t only about chasing, catching, and falling into bed, and Bel Blackwood has written a good one with plenty of plot.
February 18, 2023
I started reading it expecting a disappointment because the book promised so much that I was afraid that it wouldn't deliver!
But let me tell you that it did more than delivering, the plot was great and the mystery, the action, the betrayal, heart breaks, trauma inducing experiences, everything was well brought, the plot and the storyline well written.
5/5 would recommend.
But let me tell you that it did more than delivering, the plot was great and the mystery, the action, the betrayal, heart breaks, trauma inducing experiences, everything was well brought, the plot and the storyline well written.
5/5 would recommend.
August 16, 2025
So much fun. I Pretty like it
February 15, 2024
So I think I liked everything about this except for the eventual antagonist. It was a fun setup — a spurned lover attempts revenge, without realizing she’s taking revenge on a mafia boss who can see it coming from a mile away. Then, I’m not really sure where it could have gone from there, except the kids save the day! They both gave the relationship a means to proceed, and gave Wren a chance to shine. It was neat that Wren, Katya, the kids, and even to some extent Dimitri and Jess all got arcs in the story. So the characters were definitely a strength.
The plot was a nice counterbalance, adding some tension to the story outside of the relationships. Katya seems under fire from nearly all sides, tying to seal a big alliance that will put her family past all that. The one element that didn’t quite work for me was the person responsible for Mila’s death who was also the greatest threat to Wren. On the one hand, the Mila thing seemed too cold-blooded, and I just didn’t get any sense of that in previous interactions with the person. On the other hand, this person just didn’t seem like the kind of player who the story would revolve around, without being somebody else’s pawn. There was a hint of that, but it was never laid out in enough detail to be convincing.
Still, that didn’t really take away from the story — it was still fun to be there as everything unfolded, even if I might have picked a different actor to play one role. At the end of the day, I’d be happy to read another story in this world, and I guess that says what it needs to. :)
The plot was a nice counterbalance, adding some tension to the story outside of the relationships. Katya seems under fire from nearly all sides, tying to seal a big alliance that will put her family past all that. The one element that didn’t quite work for me was the person responsible for Mila’s death who was also the greatest threat to Wren. On the one hand, the Mila thing seemed too cold-blooded, and I just didn’t get any sense of that in previous interactions with the person. On the other hand, this person just didn’t seem like the kind of player who the story would revolve around, without being somebody else’s pawn. There was a hint of that, but it was never laid out in enough detail to be convincing.
Still, that didn’t really take away from the story — it was still fun to be there as everything unfolded, even if I might have picked a different actor to play one role. At the end of the day, I’d be happy to read another story in this world, and I guess that says what it needs to. :)
June 8, 2023
I was surprised I liked this book. I do like to read books with mafia or heroes and heroines generally and came across this book quite by chance. I liked the realistic cold elegance of our mafia queen and although I liked the way the author kept our heroine Wren with her ideals coming to terms with the world she was thrown in. I am not sure how much experience the author has with five year olds and children and my only gripe was that they were written a little one dimensionally. Otherwise the plot was good and well spaced and although I vacillitate between giving it 3 stars and 4 stars its because I did not really feel enough emotion/tension between the two protagonists nor was there enough of a build up to the unveiling of the ultimate villain. It's a good book to relax to in the sun with your cocktail at a holiday resort though so I would pick it up and have a go.
February 27, 2024
4.5 stars
This book was just so entertaining! The plot was ok, interesting but nothing groundbreaking, but the characters were all really lovable (except the villains, of course): Wren who was so kind and also hilarious, Katya who was charming, determined and fiercely protective and the two sets of twins who were all adorable in their own way. And I really liked the romance, it wasn't quite a slow burn but close enough for me to really enjoy it. I'll be sure to check out some of Bel Blackwood's other books.
This book was just so entertaining! The plot was ok, interesting but nothing groundbreaking, but the characters were all really lovable (except the villains, of course): Wren who was so kind and also hilarious, Katya who was charming, determined and fiercely protective and the two sets of twins who were all adorable in their own way. And I really liked the romance, it wasn't quite a slow burn but close enough for me to really enjoy it. I'll be sure to check out some of Bel Blackwood's other books.
April 12, 2023
Dangerous Game
This book was nothing like I ever expected it to be it has to do with the underground world of the Russian mob. I have to say I was a bit skeptical about it at first, but it was a true page Turner.
Yes it like nothing I have ever read before as a reader I am learning to keep an open mind.
Wren she real came full circle in this story
When Wren accompany Katya to the Gala . This book was like nothing I have read this year wow definitely worth reading.
This book was nothing like I ever expected it to be it has to do with the underground world of the Russian mob. I have to say I was a bit skeptical about it at first, but it was a true page Turner.
Yes it like nothing I have ever read before as a reader I am learning to keep an open mind.
Wren she real came full circle in this story
When Wren accompany Katya to the Gala . This book was like nothing I have read this year wow definitely worth reading.
February 22, 2023
loved it
I enjoyed this more than I thought. I’ll admit I didn’t read the blurb so the whole mafia/mob queen thing was unexpected. But I ended up loving it. I didn’t figure out the “bad guys” which I was miffed about..I had a guess that one of them was involved but no idea of the other so well done. I usually manage to figure it out but not this time.
I enjoyed this more than I thought. I’ll admit I didn’t read the blurb so the whole mafia/mob queen thing was unexpected. But I ended up loving it. I didn’t figure out the “bad guys” which I was miffed about..I had a guess that one of them was involved but no idea of the other so well done. I usually manage to figure it out but not this time.
May 1, 2023
Good book
A well written book about crime and how revenge can maybe be sweet. Wren has no friends or family and her girlfriend just left her. Wren wanted revenge on the woman that had cheated with her girlfriend. The problem with that is she the most powerful Russian mob queen. A great plot and how Wren helps Kayla figure out who is trying to kill her and not get shot herself.
A well written book about crime and how revenge can maybe be sweet. Wren has no friends or family and her girlfriend just left her. Wren wanted revenge on the woman that had cheated with her girlfriend. The problem with that is she the most powerful Russian mob queen. A great plot and how Wren helps Kayla figure out who is trying to kill her and not get shot herself.
May 8, 2023
Amazing!!
This was a book that I didn't want to put down. I loved the hardness of Katya that eventually turned to something more malleable because of Wren and I loved Wren got a backbone because of Katya. It is a funny story. I hope that Miss Blackwood writes a sequel focusing on Valentina finding someone. I loved her in the story too. It was amazing.
This was a book that I didn't want to put down. I loved the hardness of Katya that eventually turned to something more malleable because of Wren and I loved Wren got a backbone because of Katya. It is a funny story. I hope that Miss Blackwood writes a sequel focusing on Valentina finding someone. I loved her in the story too. It was amazing.
June 13, 2023
Full of twists and turns!
Excellent book. The characters are believable, unique, and interesting. A daycare teacher and a Russian crime boss seem like an odd pairing at the outset, but it really works. Add in traumatized kids, siblings, security staff and some really bad guys for spice. It's a fun read.
Excellent book. The characters are believable, unique, and interesting. A daycare teacher and a Russian crime boss seem like an odd pairing at the outset, but it really works. Add in traumatized kids, siblings, security staff and some really bad guys for spice. It's a fun read.
May 31, 2024
I liked this one, and I think it was v different to what I have read in the past! Bc it’s two females, there was definitely a different dynamic. I also liked how it involved one of those parent-vibe tropes AND a mafia trope. I’m a big fan of that. Something that annoyed me was how there were like 5 typos. How does it get published like that bruh???
October 23, 2025
a truly enjoyable book
As someone who has developed a love of mafia ice queens, this book caught my attention. Rather than the usual constant suspense and anxiety, this story included humor, warmth and more subtle intrigue. I enjoyed these characters and the mystery that unfolds in the story.
As someone who has developed a love of mafia ice queens, this book caught my attention. Rather than the usual constant suspense and anxiety, this story included humor, warmth and more subtle intrigue. I enjoyed these characters and the mystery that unfolds in the story.
November 4, 2025
Admittedly I wasnt quite sure what to expect when I picked this up and it was a little different than what I had conceptualized in my head but all of this ended up being in a good way. Once I started I couldnt really put it down and by the end I wanted a little more from Katya and Wren.
The bonus little epilogue story from the website was very cute as well <3
The bonus little epilogue story from the website was very cute as well <3
March 18, 2023
loved it
Good read, has all the emotional drama, could have had more steam between the MCs. Will there be a book 2 of this amazing story? I hope so. I could not put it down once i started. Brilliant portrait of the MCs persona by Author.
Good read, has all the emotional drama, could have had more steam between the MCs. Will there be a book 2 of this amazing story? I hope so. I could not put it down once i started. Brilliant portrait of the MCs persona by Author.
May 22, 2023
A rare gem
So normally I don't enjoy crime families and books themed around them but I really enjoyed this one, the plot was Interesting and kept me guessing as to who the culprit was !
So normally I don't enjoy crime families and books themed around them but I really enjoyed this one, the plot was Interesting and kept me guessing as to who the culprit was !
June 2, 2023
Has anyone read the bonus epilogue? Loved and enjoyed this book. Got to the end and saw the note about the bonus epilogue after signing up to the newsletter. Do we just get the copy or what? I just want to read more of Wren and Katya!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2023
A perfect book for the danger/in peril category for the IHS reading challenge...fun, no angst, interesting storyline, good romance, and - just enough excitement/danger to put it in this category without creating anxiety. I've already added the author to my list to read again.
July 14, 2023
I liked the relationship a lot but the maggie reveal was so random. It was so annoying like her business was so not worth ANYTHING ACC lol. Like the death of mila and her whole plan was so stupid. I love the icy to sweet transformation of Katya and all and all they were rly cute.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews