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Alliance #1
Nero
Win a free print copy of this book!
13 days and 05:30:02
5 copies available
U.S. only
Payton
Running away from home at 17 wasn’t easy. Let’s face it though, nothing before, or in the ten years since, has ever been easy for me. And I’m doing okay. Sorta. I just need to keep scraping by, living under the radar. Staying out of people’s way, off people’s minds. So when a man walks through my open patio door, stepping boldly into my home, and my life, I should be scared. Frightened. Terrified. But I must be more broken than I realized, because I’m none of those things. I’m intrigued. And I’m wondering if the way to take control of my life is by giving in to him. Nero The first time I took a man’s life, I knew there’d be no going back. No normal existence in the cards for me. So instead of walking away, I climbed a mountain of bodies, and created my own destiny. By forming The Alliance. And I was fine with that. Content enough to carry on. Until I stepped through those open doors, and into her life. I should’ve walked away. Should’ve gone right back out the door I came through. But I didn’t. And now her life is in danger. But that’s the thing about being a bad man. I’ll happily paint the streets red to protect what’s mine. And Payton is mine. Whether she knows it or not.
Running away from home at 17 wasn’t easy. Let’s face it though, nothing before, or in the ten years since, has ever been easy for me. And I’m doing okay. Sorta. I just need to keep scraping by, living under the radar. Staying out of people’s way, off people’s minds. So when a man walks through my open patio door, stepping boldly into my home, and my life, I should be scared. Frightened. Terrified. But I must be more broken than I realized, because I’m none of those things. I’m intrigued. And I’m wondering if the way to take control of my life is by giving in to him. Nero The first time I took a man’s life, I knew there’d be no going back. No normal existence in the cards for me. So instead of walking away, I climbed a mountain of bodies, and created my own destiny. By forming The Alliance. And I was fine with that. Content enough to carry on. Until I stepped through those open doors, and into her life. I should’ve walked away. Should’ve gone right back out the door I came through. But I didn’t. And now her life is in danger. But that’s the thing about being a bad man. I’ll happily paint the streets red to protect what’s mine. And Payton is mine. Whether she knows it or not.
366 pages, Hardcover
First published March 16, 2023
11237 people are currently reading
66259 people want to read
About the author
S.J. Tilly
27 books10.6k followersS.J. Tilly lives in Minnesota with her husband and their herd of boxers. She spends an unhealthy amount of time with her face buried in books, reading and writing. If she’s not nose deep in text, or harassing her dogs, she’s probably playing with her plants, pretending she knows how to garden.
You can find her stumbling around on Instagram @sjtillyauthor
https://www.amazon.com/S.J.-Tilly/e/B...
You can find her stumbling around on Instagram @sjtillyauthor
https://www.amazon.com/S.J.-Tilly/e/B...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,923 reviews
March 19, 2023
2 🙄🙄⭐️s
I finished it!!!!! 🦸🏻♀️
The 40 y.o. hero was too much obsessive and possessive.
The heroine was a 27 y.o. virgin naive doormat.
Stalking, insta love, steamy scenes, drama.
What was the reason for Nero being at her balcony???
I finished it!!!!! 🦸🏻♀️
The 40 y.o. hero was too much obsessive and possessive.
The heroine was a 27 y.o. virgin naive doormat.
Stalking, insta love, steamy scenes, drama.
What was the reason for Nero being at her balcony???
April 26, 2023
1 DNF Star
I'm sick of booktok for hyping up stories like this. Insta love, cringe, dumb heroine. She literally gets "wet" because he steals her body wash and gives her money for it. They both acted too immature for their ages too, and nothing was believable.
I'm sick of booktok for hyping up stories like this. Insta love, cringe, dumb heroine. She literally gets "wet" because he steals her body wash and gives her money for it. They both acted too immature for their ages too, and nothing was believable.
January 11, 2024
Yes, he’s a psychopath. A stalker. A murderer.
But underneath all of that, he’s a teddy bear. 🥰
There’s just something appealing about men that have a skewed moral compass.
Fictional or otherwise… 🌚
I mean, this was decent. Is it the quality dark romance that I’m looking for? No.
Was it a good, unhinged time? Yes. It was entertaining enough and I definitely want to keep reading the series.
But underneath all of that, he’s a teddy bear. 🥰
There’s just something appealing about men that have a skewed moral compass.
Fictional or otherwise… 🌚
I mean, this was decent. Is it the quality dark romance that I’m looking for? No.
Was it a good, unhinged time? Yes. It was entertaining enough and I definitely want to keep reading the series.
November 24, 2025
You can't convince me this wasn't written by a horny teenager! That being said, I will absolutely be continuing with this sinful series😌🤭
March 27, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
''For you, I'm f*cking certifiable''
Safety warnings:
- H 40 / h 27
- No cheating
- No OM drama
- Slight OW drama
- Stalking
- Violence/d*ath
- Child abuse/neglect
- Kidnapping
- HEA
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
I've been seeing this book everywhere and I put aside the other books on my immediate TBR and jumped right in.
It had all the elements needed for a dark romance with an MMC that is jealous/possessive and unhinged. I think the first 60-70% was the strong parts for me but it went slightly downhill when the predicting plotline happened. Jaded ex hook up and villain get together to destroy the H/h.
I did think the way they met was hilarious, I laughed too hard when Nero just showed up in her apartment to avoid the cops (through her open balcony) and sat down watched tv with her for a while and ate her popcorn? haha it was too funny.
She lost her virginity to him after years and it happened pretty quickly into the story. You get her reasons why even if you view this book as having insta-love/lust.
We got a sad backstory from Payton, she suffered throughout most of her childhood until she was almost 18 in the hands of her stepfather while her mother did nothing to stop the abuse. She ran away from her home when she overheard her stepfather sell her virginity to a friend for 600 dollars and how it would happen once, she was 18.
Nero got the information he needed from Payton and went ahead to kill the stepfather and it was satisfying to see it happen. I kind of wanted to know the fate of the mom once she lost her husband and her home, but I guess we can safely assume she is fucked. The way he told her and presented the dead guys ring was right in the middle of sex and later that same ring was melted, and Nero created a necklace for Payton (she has no idea lol).
The OW drama that I mention in my warnings is connected to Nero pretending with her ex hook up who is a paid escort to distract the men who attend his birthday party. He sees Payton at the party and puts his arm around her waist (HATING IT) but that is all that happened, he is absolutely devoted to Payton but of course she has massive insecurities and believes he used her.
We meet King who is basically Nero's best friend/brother from another mother and their friendship was everything. We don't really know who his FMC will be, but we got bits of his background. Comes from a rich family and he is 44. Can’t wait for his book!
''For you, I'm f*cking certifiable''
Safety warnings:
- H 40 / h 27
- No cheating
- No OM drama
- Slight OW drama
- Stalking
- Violence/d*ath
- Child abuse/neglect
- Kidnapping
- HEA
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️
I've been seeing this book everywhere and I put aside the other books on my immediate TBR and jumped right in.
It had all the elements needed for a dark romance with an MMC that is jealous/possessive and unhinged. I think the first 60-70% was the strong parts for me but it went slightly downhill when the predicting plotline happened. Jaded ex hook up and villain get together to destroy the H/h.
I did think the way they met was hilarious, I laughed too hard when Nero just showed up in her apartment to avoid the cops (through her open balcony) and sat down watched tv with her for a while and ate her popcorn? haha it was too funny.
She lost her virginity to him after years and it happened pretty quickly into the story. You get her reasons why even if you view this book as having insta-love/lust.
We got a sad backstory from Payton, she suffered throughout most of her childhood until she was almost 18 in the hands of her stepfather while her mother did nothing to stop the abuse. She ran away from her home when she overheard her stepfather sell her virginity to a friend for 600 dollars and how it would happen once, she was 18.
Nero got the information he needed from Payton and went ahead to kill the stepfather and it was satisfying to see it happen. I kind of wanted to know the fate of the mom once she lost her husband and her home, but I guess we can safely assume she is fucked. The way he told her and presented the dead guys ring was right in the middle of sex and later that same ring was melted, and Nero created a necklace for Payton (she has no idea lol).
The OW drama that I mention in my warnings is connected to Nero pretending with her ex hook up who is a paid escort to distract the men who attend his birthday party. He sees Payton at the party and puts his arm around her waist (HATING IT) but that is all that happened, he is absolutely devoted to Payton but of course she has massive insecurities and believes he used her.
We meet King who is basically Nero's best friend/brother from another mother and their friendship was everything. We don't really know who his FMC will be, but we got bits of his background. Comes from a rich family and he is 44. Can’t wait for his book!
January 22, 2024
This was unintentionally really funny - this had me cracking up because it was so weird and sometimes cringey. The insta-love was very strong with this one. The character introduction was so wild, and it never really recovered for me. The mafia world-building was incredibly weak; I had so many questions. It was a bit repetitive at times, too heavy on (repetitive) inner monologue, and lacked substance.
It was an easy read though.
It was an easy read though.
August 15, 2024
"Keep your doors closed, Payton. Leaving them open could be seen as an invitation."
Nero.
One name. Ruler of the underworld. Hades.
Head of the Alliance.
But one night and one open balcony later, and there was a new obsession.
Payton Vawdrey.
She didn't know it but by leaving her balcony open she changed everything.
Because now Nero is entering her life.
And he will do anything to get what he wants.
And what he wants is Payton.
"I'm not letting her out of my sight. Not giving her a chance to run. Not that she'd get far."
If I have said it once I have said it a Bajillion times - PLEASE READ THE ALLIANCE SERIES BY S.J. Tilly!!!
I categorize these books as "dark fluffy romance" and I cannot get enough of them - this is my first time doing a reread and I can already tell you by the first chapter I knew it was not going to be my last 🌹🌹🌹
"Greed outweighs my guilt every time. And when it comes to Payton, I'm greedy all the way through."
Nero and Payton are the OG couple that started it all and I remember how obsessed (no pun intended) I was with them and I am so happy that has not changed one bit!! Unhinged to the max, obsessed while somehow being so fluffy is how I would describe "Nero" and I wouldn't have it any other way 🖤🖤
"And I know I've done nothing to deserve her. But I'm keeping her all the same."
Nero is the literal definition of "looks like could kill you would kill you" but for Payton he is definitely "looks liks could kill you is a cinnamon roll" and isn't that we want in the end? I mean the concert scene ALONE will live rent free in my mind because that is definitely SOMETHING (yes I know I used definitely so much in the past 3 sentences but it's my review so I approved). Also shout out to Aspen because she is a BADASS in this book even with her 4 sentences and King!!! OMG the little tidbits he had - cue me rolling on the floor from laughter - King and Nero's banter will make me cackle EVERY SINGLE TIME!!!
"The villains always have more fun."
This playlist I think fits "Nero" to a T so I am very proud of myself 😇😇😇
(Link - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5ab... )
🎵 "I Wanna Be Yours" - Arctic Monkeys
🎵 "Morally Grey" - April Jai, Nation Haven
🎵 "stalker" - Stevie Howie
🎵 "Mine" - Sleep Token
🎵 "Cologne" - SM6
🎵 "BURNING YOUR WORLD DOWN" - The Word Alive
🎵 "Movement" - Hozier
🎵 "Eve" - Precious Pepala
🎵 "do you really want to hurt me?" - Nessa Barrett
🎵 "BREATHING UNDERWATER" - Hot Milk
🎵 "nameless" - Stevie Howie
🎵 "Somebody's Watching Me" - Rockwell
🎵 "eyes don't lie" - Isabel LaRosa
🎵 "Hurry Up And Save Me" - Tiffany Giardina
🎵 "Twisted" - MISSIO
🎵 "Stalker's Tango" - Autoheart
🎵 "Coincidence" - Rosse
🎵 "MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT" - Loveless
🎵 "Consume" - Chase Atlantic, GOON DES GARCONS
🎵 "Bigger Person" - Lauren Spencer Smith
🎵 "Silence" - Marshmello, Khalid
🎵 "Not All Men" - Morgan St. Jean
🎵 "that way" - Tate McRae
🎵 "obsessed" - zandros, Limi
🎵 "Leave The Door Open" - Bruno Mars, Anderson, Paak, Silk Sonic
🎵 "Sucker (Cover)" - Meet Me @ The Altar
🎵 "Espresso" - Rain Paris
🎵 "Taste" - Ari Abdul
🎵 "Do It For Me" - Rosenfeld
🎵 "HEARTBEAT" - Isabel LaRosa
🎵 "Breathe" - Kansh
🎵 "The Wolf" - The Spencer Lee Band
🎵 "Call Out My Name" - The Weeknd
🎵 "Cherry" - Lana Del Rey
🎵 "I Feel You" - Depeche Mode
🎵 "River" - BRKN LOVE
🎵 "Until the Levee" - Joy Williams
🎵 "NFWMB" - Hozier
🎵 "I'm A Wanted Man" - Royal Deluxe
🎵 "Bom Bidi Bom" - Nick Jonas, Nicki Minaj
🎵 "Fall Then Die" - Hunter.
🎵 "Creepin'" - Fame on Fire
🎵 "You Put a Spell on Me" - Austin Giorgio
🎵 "Feel Me Now" - If Not For Me
🎵 "Swim" - Chase Atlantic
🎵 "Okay" - Chase Atlantic
🎵 "Love On The Brain" - Rihanna
🎵 "Desperado" - Rihanna
🎵 "Scary People" - Georgi Kay
🎵 "Lose Control" - Teddy Swims
🎵 "greedy" - Tate McRae
🎵 "Devil Side" - Foxes
🎵 "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody" - Fergie, Q-Tip, GoonRock
🎵 "Crazy in Love" - Eden Project
🎵 "traitor" - Olivia Rodrigo
🎵 "It's Going Down" - Whissell
🎵 "Shatter Me" - Lindsey Stirling, Lzzy Hale
🎵 "I wish I hated you" - Ariana Grande
🎵 "THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND" - Bad Omens
🎵 "Achilles Heel" - J. Maya
🎵 "engravings" - Ethan Bortnick
🎵 "Lipstick" - Charlie Puth
🎵 "damn! - Remix" - Jeris Johnson, Ricky Desktop, Chad Kroeger
🎵 "Walking On Sunshine" - Ice Nine Kills, Reel Big Fish
🎵 "Bad Guy" - The Interrupters
🎵 "Kill For You" - Skylar Grey, Eminem
🎵 "Don't Blame Me" - Taylor Swift
🎵 "I See Red" - Everybody Loves an Outlaw
🎵 "My Head & My Heart" - Ava Max
🎵 "Angels Like You" - Miley Cyrus
🎵 "Share Your Address" - Ben Platt
🎵 "Moon" - Austin Giorgio
🎵 "Never Let Me Go" - Florence + The Machine
🎵 "Save Your Tears (Remix)" - The Weeknd, Ariana Grande
🎵 "Mount Everest" - Labrinth
🎵 "Coffee In The Morning" - Jeremy Jordan
🎵 "No Time To Die" - Billie Eilish
🎵 "Too Sweet" - Ryan Mitchell
🎵 "The Hills x Where Have You Been" - LonelyEve
🎵 "Poison" - Rita Ora
🎵 "Dangerous Woman" - Ariana Grande
🎵 "ALWAYS BEEN YOU" - Chris Grey
🎵 "Infinity" - Jaymes Young
🎵 "I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE" - Maneskin
🎵 "Gangsta - Harley Quinn & Joker Flashback Version" - Kehlani
And you know I cannot end this with S.J. Tilly and her smutty lines 🌶️🌶️
"So wet for me. Are you close? Do you want to come, Payton?"
"Say my name, Payton. Tell me who owns this pussy now."
"Such a sweet girl. And I'm going to eat this pretty little pussy until you're begging me to fuck you."
"That's my Baby. Take it. Take it and you can come."
🌹 Tropes 🌹
☕ Dark Mafia Romance
☕ Age Gap
☕ Touch Her and 💀
☕ Stalker Romance
☕ Curvy FMC
☕ Billionaire Romance
🌹🖤 "For you, I'm fucking certifiable." 🌹🖤
Book Edit - https://www.instagram.com/solariaroya...
Nero.
One name. Ruler of the underworld. Hades.
Head of the Alliance.
But one night and one open balcony later, and there was a new obsession.
Payton Vawdrey.
She didn't know it but by leaving her balcony open she changed everything.
Because now Nero is entering her life.
And he will do anything to get what he wants.
And what he wants is Payton.
"I'm not letting her out of my sight. Not giving her a chance to run. Not that she'd get far."
If I have said it once I have said it a Bajillion times - PLEASE READ THE ALLIANCE SERIES BY S.J. Tilly!!!
I categorize these books as "dark fluffy romance" and I cannot get enough of them - this is my first time doing a reread and I can already tell you by the first chapter I knew it was not going to be my last 🌹🌹🌹
"Greed outweighs my guilt every time. And when it comes to Payton, I'm greedy all the way through."
Nero and Payton are the OG couple that started it all and I remember how obsessed (no pun intended) I was with them and I am so happy that has not changed one bit!! Unhinged to the max, obsessed while somehow being so fluffy is how I would describe "Nero" and I wouldn't have it any other way 🖤🖤
"And I know I've done nothing to deserve her. But I'm keeping her all the same."
Nero is the literal definition of "looks like could kill you would kill you" but for Payton he is definitely "looks liks could kill you is a cinnamon roll" and isn't that we want in the end? I mean the concert scene ALONE will live rent free in my mind because that is definitely SOMETHING (yes I know I used definitely so much in the past 3 sentences but it's my review so I approved). Also shout out to Aspen because she is a BADASS in this book even with her 4 sentences and King!!! OMG the little tidbits he had - cue me rolling on the floor from laughter - King and Nero's banter will make me cackle EVERY SINGLE TIME!!!
"The villains always have more fun."
This playlist I think fits "Nero" to a T so I am very proud of myself 😇😇😇
(Link - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5ab... )
🎵 "I Wanna Be Yours" - Arctic Monkeys
🎵 "Morally Grey" - April Jai, Nation Haven
🎵 "stalker" - Stevie Howie
🎵 "Mine" - Sleep Token
🎵 "Cologne" - SM6
🎵 "BURNING YOUR WORLD DOWN" - The Word Alive
🎵 "Movement" - Hozier
🎵 "Eve" - Precious Pepala
🎵 "do you really want to hurt me?" - Nessa Barrett
🎵 "BREATHING UNDERWATER" - Hot Milk
🎵 "nameless" - Stevie Howie
🎵 "Somebody's Watching Me" - Rockwell
🎵 "eyes don't lie" - Isabel LaRosa
🎵 "Hurry Up And Save Me" - Tiffany Giardina
🎵 "Twisted" - MISSIO
🎵 "Stalker's Tango" - Autoheart
🎵 "Coincidence" - Rosse
🎵 "MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT" - Loveless
🎵 "Consume" - Chase Atlantic, GOON DES GARCONS
🎵 "Bigger Person" - Lauren Spencer Smith
🎵 "Silence" - Marshmello, Khalid
🎵 "Not All Men" - Morgan St. Jean
🎵 "that way" - Tate McRae
🎵 "obsessed" - zandros, Limi
🎵 "Leave The Door Open" - Bruno Mars, Anderson, Paak, Silk Sonic
🎵 "Sucker (Cover)" - Meet Me @ The Altar
🎵 "Espresso" - Rain Paris
🎵 "Taste" - Ari Abdul
🎵 "Do It For Me" - Rosenfeld
🎵 "HEARTBEAT" - Isabel LaRosa
🎵 "Breathe" - Kansh
🎵 "The Wolf" - The Spencer Lee Band
🎵 "Call Out My Name" - The Weeknd
🎵 "Cherry" - Lana Del Rey
🎵 "I Feel You" - Depeche Mode
🎵 "River" - BRKN LOVE
🎵 "Until the Levee" - Joy Williams
🎵 "NFWMB" - Hozier
🎵 "I'm A Wanted Man" - Royal Deluxe
🎵 "Bom Bidi Bom" - Nick Jonas, Nicki Minaj
🎵 "Fall Then Die" - Hunter.
🎵 "Creepin'" - Fame on Fire
🎵 "You Put a Spell on Me" - Austin Giorgio
🎵 "Feel Me Now" - If Not For Me
🎵 "Swim" - Chase Atlantic
🎵 "Okay" - Chase Atlantic
🎵 "Love On The Brain" - Rihanna
🎵 "Desperado" - Rihanna
🎵 "Scary People" - Georgi Kay
🎵 "Lose Control" - Teddy Swims
🎵 "greedy" - Tate McRae
🎵 "Devil Side" - Foxes
🎵 "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody" - Fergie, Q-Tip, GoonRock
🎵 "Crazy in Love" - Eden Project
🎵 "traitor" - Olivia Rodrigo
🎵 "It's Going Down" - Whissell
🎵 "Shatter Me" - Lindsey Stirling, Lzzy Hale
🎵 "I wish I hated you" - Ariana Grande
🎵 "THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND" - Bad Omens
🎵 "Achilles Heel" - J. Maya
🎵 "engravings" - Ethan Bortnick
🎵 "Lipstick" - Charlie Puth
🎵 "damn! - Remix" - Jeris Johnson, Ricky Desktop, Chad Kroeger
🎵 "Walking On Sunshine" - Ice Nine Kills, Reel Big Fish
🎵 "Bad Guy" - The Interrupters
🎵 "Kill For You" - Skylar Grey, Eminem
🎵 "Don't Blame Me" - Taylor Swift
🎵 "I See Red" - Everybody Loves an Outlaw
🎵 "My Head & My Heart" - Ava Max
🎵 "Angels Like You" - Miley Cyrus
🎵 "Share Your Address" - Ben Platt
🎵 "Moon" - Austin Giorgio
🎵 "Never Let Me Go" - Florence + The Machine
🎵 "Save Your Tears (Remix)" - The Weeknd, Ariana Grande
🎵 "Mount Everest" - Labrinth
🎵 "Coffee In The Morning" - Jeremy Jordan
🎵 "No Time To Die" - Billie Eilish
🎵 "Too Sweet" - Ryan Mitchell
🎵 "The Hills x Where Have You Been" - LonelyEve
🎵 "Poison" - Rita Ora
🎵 "Dangerous Woman" - Ariana Grande
🎵 "ALWAYS BEEN YOU" - Chris Grey
🎵 "Infinity" - Jaymes Young
🎵 "I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE" - Maneskin
🎵 "Gangsta - Harley Quinn & Joker Flashback Version" - Kehlani
And you know I cannot end this with S.J. Tilly and her smutty lines 🌶️🌶️
"So wet for me. Are you close? Do you want to come, Payton?"
"Say my name, Payton. Tell me who owns this pussy now."
"Such a sweet girl. And I'm going to eat this pretty little pussy until you're begging me to fuck you."
"That's my Baby. Take it. Take it and you can come."
🌹 Tropes 🌹
☕ Dark Mafia Romance
☕ Age Gap
☕ Touch Her and 💀
☕ Stalker Romance
☕ Curvy FMC
☕ Billionaire Romance
🌹🖤 "For you, I'm fucking certifiable." 🌹🖤
Book Edit - https://www.instagram.com/solariaroya...
March 17, 2023
when I ☠️ put on my 🪦 wish I was stalked by nero.
Ok but for real…. I didn’t know what to expect with this book, BUT OH MY GOD WAS IT FUCKING EPIC.
This book was so easy to become addicted to. Once I started this book I knew I wanted to avoid all responsibilities until I finished.
From the first sentence it was fast paced, easy to get invested in the plot and the characters. It was the perfect length with no unnecessary drama that didn’t add to the plot which I LOVED.
Okay so this book starts with Payton in her apartment after another long day working at her local coffee shop when she notices a figure standing on her balcony… where she left the door open…. enter nero *literally*.
Nero is hiding from the cops when he stumbled upon Payton alone in her apartment. As soon as he gets a whiff of her sent and sees her innocence he becomes addicted.
I mean he literally stole her soap and left a $100 bill because BOSSSSS.
I have read a certain very popular stalker romance which I despised but this has a taste of stalker romance and it is done PERFECTLY!
If loving nero is wrong then I don’t want to right…..
Red flags? All I see is green…
Ok you get the point, but seriously I am OBSESSED with Nero🥵
So we got
-dark/mafia/stalker/billionaire romance (chef kiss combo… thank you S.J)
-touch her and you ☠️ vibes
-virgin fmc
-curvy fmc
-AGE GAPPP AYEEEE!!!!
I loved seeing Payton learn to love her body🥰
Also the EPILOGUES🥰😭 & when I saw who the next book is about….trust me once you read this book and see you’re going to go feral…. I ALREADY CAN’T WAIT!!
Thank you S.J for the ARC & introducing me to my new book boyfriend <3
All opinions are mine!!!
Ok but for real…. I didn’t know what to expect with this book, BUT OH MY GOD WAS IT FUCKING EPIC.
This book was so easy to become addicted to. Once I started this book I knew I wanted to avoid all responsibilities until I finished.
From the first sentence it was fast paced, easy to get invested in the plot and the characters. It was the perfect length with no unnecessary drama that didn’t add to the plot which I LOVED.
Okay so this book starts with Payton in her apartment after another long day working at her local coffee shop when she notices a figure standing on her balcony… where she left the door open…. enter nero *literally*.
Nero is hiding from the cops when he stumbled upon Payton alone in her apartment. As soon as he gets a whiff of her sent and sees her innocence he becomes addicted.
I mean he literally stole her soap and left a $100 bill because BOSSSSS.
I have read a certain very popular stalker romance which I despised but this has a taste of stalker romance and it is done PERFECTLY!
If loving nero is wrong then I don’t want to right…..
Red flags? All I see is green…
Ok you get the point, but seriously I am OBSESSED with Nero🥵
So we got
-dark/mafia/stalker/billionaire romance (chef kiss combo… thank you S.J)
-touch her and you ☠️ vibes
-virgin fmc
-curvy fmc
-AGE GAPPP AYEEEE!!!!
I loved seeing Payton learn to love her body🥰
Also the EPILOGUES🥰😭 & when I saw who the next book is about….trust me once you read this book and see you’re going to go feral…. I ALREADY CAN’T WAIT!!
Thank you S.J for the ARC & introducing me to my new book boyfriend <3
All opinions are mine!!!
August 8, 2024
3.5⭐️ did I have a good time? Absolutely. Was I giggling and kicking my feet? Absolutely. Would this have been a million times better without the insta love trope? Absolutely. But I still ate this up in less than 24 hours so take with that what you will.
Don’t let the lower rating fool you, I know I’m about to devour this series. I just have high standards when it comes to dark mafia romance and this was lacking in the angst and tension department because well.. insta love. Payton was also just a little bland to me.
But boy oh boy do I love me a stalker and I was OBSESSED with Nero! This man… sat. The way he is such a red flag but also such a lover not golden retriever at the same time. Takes touch her and die to the next level yet also drinks honey coconut lattes because they’re her favorite drink even though he hates sugar… I can’t.
Don’t let the lower rating fool you, I know I’m about to devour this series. I just have high standards when it comes to dark mafia romance and this was lacking in the angst and tension department because well.. insta love. Payton was also just a little bland to me.
But boy oh boy do I love me a stalker and I was OBSESSED with Nero! This man… sat. The way he is such a red flag but also such a lover not golden retriever at the same time. Takes touch her and die to the next level yet also drinks honey coconut lattes because they’re her favorite drink even though he hates sugar… I can’t.
September 6, 2025
Whyyyy was this story so fun?! Absolutely ridiculous, completely ott, but also HOT and wildly entertaining.
Meet a guy.
Have sex twice.
Fall in love.
Payton’s messy, scrappy life collides with Nero, dangerous, ruthless, and absolutely obsessed, and the result is pure chaos, but in the best way. The action scenes are intense, and the romance scorching.
Tropes/themes:
Mafia romance
Age gap (40H/27h)
Ott obsessive mmc
Not a manwhore
Virginal fmc
Light stalking
Forced proximity
Public sex
Praise kink
Great side characters
Healthy sized fmc
That scene at the concert...
You have to suspend disbelief (no seriously), but that’s part of the charm.
Meet a guy.
Have sex twice.
Fall in love.
Payton’s messy, scrappy life collides with Nero, dangerous, ruthless, and absolutely obsessed, and the result is pure chaos, but in the best way. The action scenes are intense, and the romance scorching.
Tropes/themes:
Mafia romance
Age gap (40H/27h)
Ott obsessive mmc
Not a manwhore
Virginal fmc
Light stalking
Forced proximity
Public sex
Praise kink
Great side characters
Healthy sized fmc
That scene at the concert...
You have to suspend disbelief (no seriously), but that’s part of the charm.
dnf
April 6, 2023DNF @ 19% - I think this author just isn’t for me. I was hoping that I might be able to hang but it’s all just too Insta. There’s no depth to any of the “feelings” - no real chemistry. There are some elements I liked but they all happen too soon and without real feelings and knowledge behind them to make them swoony. No substance. She seems desperate for any kind of care and affection and just latches on to a random person who happens to be the H. And I have no idea why he does anything 🤷🏼♀️ This author spoon-feeds every little thing and in turn takes all the suspense out of the book leaving me BORED. Why are we in the hero’s head so much? He doesn’t have anything interesting to tell us. There’s no tension built that his insight would help to relieve. His pov isn’t all that distinguishable from the h. Which is weird considering how different they are. Why is a grown man who heads a mafia-like organization such a simp over someone he doesn’t know? Where’s his chill? Why is she so stupid? Virginity doesn’t actually leach brain cells so I can’t figure it out.
This just isn’t for me. This was my issue with all the other books I’ve tried by this author. We don’t mesh, sadly🤷🏼♀️ I wish I was as excited as all these arc reviewers 👀
This just isn’t for me. This was my issue with all the other books I’ve tried by this author. We don’t mesh, sadly🤷🏼♀️ I wish I was as excited as all these arc reviewers 👀
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2024
the MMC was an absolute white crayon and had a charisma of an itchy sweater and the FMC sounded like someone who chews the remote buttons, I am not apologizing this book wasn't for me.
June 15, 2025
nero made me want to be a lesbian.
January 12, 2024
Full of ramblings and spoilers‼️
---- Nero (Hero, 40) ----
He was a freaking creep, invaded her home, sat on her couch and ate her popcorn like he has all the time in the world, flipped through her mail, stole her body wash, stole her dirty undies, then paid 100 dollars (he paid 100 for every undies he stole) and stalked her.
He tried to fight off what he was feeling, but then his obsession ultimately won. He kept saying it would've been bad for Payton if people knew she was associated with him.
On his birthday party, he brought one of the escorts (Nikki), whom he (often or rarely, it wasn't clarified) used as his date to drive away the attention of his potential enemies from Payton. But seriously, I can't wrap my head around that. I mean, what the actual fvck, dude? That was just despicable 🤢 Can't he even find someone else that he didn't fvck to be his date, or, I don't know, maybe he shouldn't have brought a date at all? After all, it was his birthday party, so he could do whatever he wanted. That petty move, though probably well-intentioned, still pissed the heck out of me. But to be fair to this jerk, he wasn't aware that Payton would attend that party. He never gave her any invitation, not because he didn't want to but rather to keep her safe.
Then he got mad when Payton ran away from the party. I mean, whose sane person wouldn't be furious to see that? Nikki was all over him, and he had his hand on her waist, squeezing it, and she was there the whole time by his side while he was entertaining his guests. Being the perfect date and arm candy, ugh!
As expected, he followed Payton to her apartment to teach her a freaking lesson. Obviously, his punishment was in the form of sex; cue eye roll. Then, while he was fvcking her, he admitted to Payton that he used to fvck Nikki and called her, wh0r3 (Nikki was an escort, but the name calling still didn't sit well with me). I mean, if this conversation isn't vomit-inducing for you yet, I don't know what to say anymore. He also confessed his history with other women and told her that they meant nothing to him (they were still doing the deed here, btw). Is this supposed to make Payton or the readers feel better? Because istg my blood level just spiked up to the stratosphere, and this admission has seen me red everywhere. Gag!
I can't believe that he didn't listen when she begged him to stop, not just once (mind you), because she couldn't take anymore of his god awful confessions. It was nauseating and infuriating, tbh. He didn't even think about how Payton would feel about all of the things he just said; he was on a roll, admitting all of his promiscuity.
He was mad, not at her fully (yet a small part of him, I think did) but mainly at the situation she put herself in unknowingly. So then he decided for her, ordering her around to pack her effects and move in with him. She definitely refused to do so (probably to show that she has some sort of a backbone) but readers very well knew that weak heroines won't win; they never do with alphahole heroes. 🤷♀️ I'm having a freaking whiplash here.
The way he also handled the person who gave Payton the invitation made me furious.
I can't track anymore how many times I asked the good Lord to give me more patience to endure this horrible MMC. He made me feel so enraged for the majority of this book.
Although the majority of the story, he was an insufferable jackass. He sure had some of his good moments.
---- Payton (Heroine, 27) ----
I don't know what to feel about Payton. She annoyed and frustrated me, and she made me roll my eyes so hard. But on the other hand, I also felt sorry for her for all the pain and abuse she went through. No person should experience those things, and they were truly awful.
However, she made it so hard to root for her. I get that because of her trauma, she's afraid of men. Yet I don't know why she threw away all the caution out the window for Nero. They didn't even meet in the most conventional way. He freaking B&E in her apartment because he was running away from the police. That should be the first sign she should not entertain him anymore, yet she keeps hoping that he will come back, and she even opened her balcony door to send a sign that she's waiting for him. Whyyyyy Payton? 🤦 I don't understand, for some reason, why she wanted his presence when, for almost a decade, she tried to ignore men altogether because of her trauma. Then, after one night of his unplanned or accidental visit, she was now okay, wanting attention from a stranger she didn't even know.
I really dislike it when the heroine is a pathetic sorry of a character. She was weak, spineless, and innocent, (that made her a bit dumbass). Her inner monologue pissed me most of the time (at times it was unnecessary too long), and all throughout the book she becomes this puddle of goo when Nero is around. I want to shake her so hard to scream at her, "Girl, get a grip on yourself!!!"
But I have to say, at least, that I did like her partially when she ignored Nero in the coffee shop; I think that was the only time she grew a backbone.
Then it was back to being a pathetic mess during his birthday party. She saw Nero with Nikki, then got drunk after he purposely ignored her presence. She planned to get away from the venue, but then freaking decided to drink another two glasses of champagne (I think?). She was already drunk, and according to her, she needed to get away as fast as she could, and she needed a clear head. So why did she add more alcohol to her system? Anyway, she was successful in running away from the party. She got back to her apartment, packed her stuff, and planned to skip town because she was hurting. It was certainly not a well-thought-out plan, yet I get where she was coming from. I was actually hoping for her to succeed with this attempt, (just to decrease the life span of the Nero by 10 years worrying over her, I'm petty sue me 😈) but no, with the alcohol consumption she had and the never-ending crying she displayed, ultimately she passed out. Ugh, such a disappointing turn of events.
Anyway, she was a nice person, spineless and pathetic, but a good person nonetheless. She cares about Nero, animals, and her bodyguards. The guilt she felt at the end was also a great exhibit of how she encompasses a massive heart with so much sympathy for other people.
---- Overall ----
Don't even get started with me on their first time together. He was very aggressive with her, and when he realized she was a virgin, he decided to take ownership of her "forever." Also, what happened to the condom? They didn't even discuss it. That was so stupid for Payton, tbh, having sex for the first time basically with a stranger and not using any protection. 🙄 That scene wasn't hot and sexy at all; I was cringing inside while reading that chapter.
Then the moment they said, "I love yous", totally cringe-worthy. It felt so forced for both of them. How did they even know if what they felt was love? They barely connected after the night of B&E by Nero. He left her alone for weeks but kept stalking her; he even added cameras inside and outside of her apartment to spy on her. After weeks of Nero avoiding Payton, she indirectly invited him to her apartment, and then they had ONS. Days passed again after that. Then, on a jealous fit because Payton was going to attend a concert, he followed her there and gave her an@l (just the tip, btw). Then they met again at his birthday party.
See, they met or had sex merely for a few days (3 days total, I think), and they didn't even speak about important things. Nero was just giving her crumbs of information about him when he knows everything about her, and you're telling the readers that all of a sudden they're dropping the L word? Totally unbelievable!
There were a lot of steamy scenes here, but I never enjoyed them for some reason. It didn't make me feel hot and bothered. And honestly, I don't have a clue as to why I was like that.
The writing style was fine, I guess; it never seemed or came off as juvenile. But I don't know; there's nothing really great about the plot. It was kind of predictable about what would happen in the story. Maybe others will be cool with this; unfortunately, this didn't work out for me. It was underwhelming, but others might find this good for them.
I can't keep track of the number of times I felt urged to DNF this one to just put myself out of this misery, because this was so terrible with unlikeable MCs. I should give a tap to my shoulder for putting up with this atrocity of a book.
Booktok overhyped this one, and it's not even worth it, imo. I'm sure the author put so much effort into this book. But I really can't stand reading this; I only pushed myself to do it because of the book challenge I set for myself on Goodreads. Gooosh! Give me back the almost 4 hours I wasted reading this 😭
---- Nero (Hero, 40) ----
He was a freaking creep, invaded her home, sat on her couch and ate her popcorn like he has all the time in the world, flipped through her mail, stole her body wash, stole her dirty undies, then paid 100 dollars (he paid 100 for every undies he stole) and stalked her.
He tried to fight off what he was feeling, but then his obsession ultimately won. He kept saying it would've been bad for Payton if people knew she was associated with him.
On his birthday party, he brought one of the escorts (Nikki), whom he (often or rarely, it wasn't clarified) used as his date to drive away the attention of his potential enemies from Payton. But seriously, I can't wrap my head around that. I mean, what the actual fvck, dude? That was just despicable 🤢 Can't he even find someone else that he didn't fvck to be his date, or, I don't know, maybe he shouldn't have brought a date at all? After all, it was his birthday party, so he could do whatever he wanted. That petty move, though probably well-intentioned, still pissed the heck out of me. But to be fair to this jerk, he wasn't aware that Payton would attend that party. He never gave her any invitation, not because he didn't want to but rather to keep her safe.
Then he got mad when Payton ran away from the party. I mean, whose sane person wouldn't be furious to see that? Nikki was all over him, and he had his hand on her waist, squeezing it, and she was there the whole time by his side while he was entertaining his guests. Being the perfect date and arm candy, ugh!
As expected, he followed Payton to her apartment to teach her a freaking lesson. Obviously, his punishment was in the form of sex; cue eye roll. Then, while he was fvcking her, he admitted to Payton that he used to fvck Nikki and called her, wh0r3 (Nikki was an escort, but the name calling still didn't sit well with me). I mean, if this conversation isn't vomit-inducing for you yet, I don't know what to say anymore. He also confessed his history with other women and told her that they meant nothing to him (they were still doing the deed here, btw). Is this supposed to make Payton or the readers feel better? Because istg my blood level just spiked up to the stratosphere, and this admission has seen me red everywhere. Gag!
I can't believe that he didn't listen when she begged him to stop, not just once (mind you), because she couldn't take anymore of his god awful confessions. It was nauseating and infuriating, tbh. He didn't even think about how Payton would feel about all of the things he just said; he was on a roll, admitting all of his promiscuity.
He was mad, not at her fully (yet a small part of him, I think did) but mainly at the situation she put herself in unknowingly. So then he decided for her, ordering her around to pack her effects and move in with him. She definitely refused to do so (probably to show that she has some sort of a backbone) but readers very well knew that weak heroines won't win; they never do with alphahole heroes. 🤷♀️ I'm having a freaking whiplash here.
The way he also handled the person who gave Payton the invitation made me furious.
I can't track anymore how many times I asked the good Lord to give me more patience to endure this horrible MMC. He made me feel so enraged for the majority of this book.
Although the majority of the story, he was an insufferable jackass. He sure had some of his good moments.
---- Payton (Heroine, 27) ----
I don't know what to feel about Payton. She annoyed and frustrated me, and she made me roll my eyes so hard. But on the other hand, I also felt sorry for her for all the pain and abuse she went through. No person should experience those things, and they were truly awful.
However, she made it so hard to root for her. I get that because of her trauma, she's afraid of men. Yet I don't know why she threw away all the caution out the window for Nero. They didn't even meet in the most conventional way. He freaking B&E in her apartment because he was running away from the police. That should be the first sign she should not entertain him anymore, yet she keeps hoping that he will come back, and she even opened her balcony door to send a sign that she's waiting for him. Whyyyyy Payton? 🤦 I don't understand, for some reason, why she wanted his presence when, for almost a decade, she tried to ignore men altogether because of her trauma. Then, after one night of his unplanned or accidental visit, she was now okay, wanting attention from a stranger she didn't even know.
I really dislike it when the heroine is a pathetic sorry of a character. She was weak, spineless, and innocent, (that made her a bit dumbass). Her inner monologue pissed me most of the time (at times it was unnecessary too long), and all throughout the book she becomes this puddle of goo when Nero is around. I want to shake her so hard to scream at her, "Girl, get a grip on yourself!!!"
But I have to say, at least, that I did like her partially when she ignored Nero in the coffee shop; I think that was the only time she grew a backbone.
Then it was back to being a pathetic mess during his birthday party. She saw Nero with Nikki, then got drunk after he purposely ignored her presence. She planned to get away from the venue, but then freaking decided to drink another two glasses of champagne (I think?). She was already drunk, and according to her, she needed to get away as fast as she could, and she needed a clear head. So why did she add more alcohol to her system? Anyway, she was successful in running away from the party. She got back to her apartment, packed her stuff, and planned to skip town because she was hurting. It was certainly not a well-thought-out plan, yet I get where she was coming from. I was actually hoping for her to succeed with this attempt, (just to decrease the life span of the Nero by 10 years worrying over her, I'm petty sue me 😈) but no, with the alcohol consumption she had and the never-ending crying she displayed, ultimately she passed out. Ugh, such a disappointing turn of events.
Anyway, she was a nice person, spineless and pathetic, but a good person nonetheless. She cares about Nero, animals, and her bodyguards. The guilt she felt at the end was also a great exhibit of how she encompasses a massive heart with so much sympathy for other people.
---- Overall ----
Don't even get started with me on their first time together. He was very aggressive with her, and when he realized she was a virgin, he decided to take ownership of her "forever." Also, what happened to the condom? They didn't even discuss it. That was so stupid for Payton, tbh, having sex for the first time basically with a stranger and not using any protection. 🙄 That scene wasn't hot and sexy at all; I was cringing inside while reading that chapter.
Then the moment they said, "I love yous", totally cringe-worthy. It felt so forced for both of them. How did they even know if what they felt was love? They barely connected after the night of B&E by Nero. He left her alone for weeks but kept stalking her; he even added cameras inside and outside of her apartment to spy on her. After weeks of Nero avoiding Payton, she indirectly invited him to her apartment, and then they had ONS. Days passed again after that. Then, on a jealous fit because Payton was going to attend a concert, he followed her there and gave her an@l (just the tip, btw). Then they met again at his birthday party.
See, they met or had sex merely for a few days (3 days total, I think), and they didn't even speak about important things. Nero was just giving her crumbs of information about him when he knows everything about her, and you're telling the readers that all of a sudden they're dropping the L word? Totally unbelievable!
There were a lot of steamy scenes here, but I never enjoyed them for some reason. It didn't make me feel hot and bothered. And honestly, I don't have a clue as to why I was like that.
The writing style was fine, I guess; it never seemed or came off as juvenile. But I don't know; there's nothing really great about the plot. It was kind of predictable about what would happen in the story. Maybe others will be cool with this; unfortunately, this didn't work out for me. It was underwhelming, but others might find this good for them.
I can't keep track of the number of times I felt urged to DNF this one to just put myself out of this misery, because this was so terrible with unlikeable MCs. I should give a tap to my shoulder for putting up with this atrocity of a book.
Booktok overhyped this one, and it's not even worth it, imo. I'm sure the author put so much effort into this book. But I really can't stand reading this; I only pushed myself to do it because of the book challenge I set for myself on Goodreads. Gooosh! Give me back the almost 4 hours I wasted reading this 😭
November 16, 2023
3.5 stars
Touch her and die vibes... except it's fr. You touch her and Nero will kill you. A bit over the top/instalove and unrealistic, but it was an easy read and a good time.
Touch her and die vibes... except it's fr. You touch her and Nero will kill you. A bit over the top/instalove and unrealistic, but it was an easy read and a good time.
October 7, 2024
i am tired of reading books that make me feel nothing.
March 17, 2023
i do NOT know why all the girlies on tiktok are eating this up bc i again, could not.
March 17, 2023
the definition of man OBSESSED.
payton and nero meet when he appears on her balcony while he’s running from the cops, a meet cute if you will. while he’s obviously dangerous and he knows he should stay away from her, he can’t and continues keeping tabs on her until he says screw it.
this was giving haunting adeline & darkverse vibes but definitely lighter even though it’s a dark mafia romance. nero was so so obsessed and i eat that up every single time. he had no right to be so hot and freaky. payton was a curvy heroine, we love, and they balanced each other out so well.
i couldn’t put this down and i cannot wait for the rest of this series.
payton and nero meet when he appears on her balcony while he’s running from the cops, a meet cute if you will. while he’s obviously dangerous and he knows he should stay away from her, he can’t and continues keeping tabs on her until he says screw it.
this was giving haunting adeline & darkverse vibes but definitely lighter even though it’s a dark mafia romance. nero was so so obsessed and i eat that up every single time. he had no right to be so hot and freaky. payton was a curvy heroine, we love, and they balanced each other out so well.
i couldn’t put this down and i cannot wait for the rest of this series.
October 24, 2023
I don’t mind instalust but in Nero it was just too much for me. Nero and Payton’s connection felt very surface level as did the story. I wasn’t interested in either of them and the instalust didn’t help. Not much happened in this story.
March 24, 2023
DNF @46%
Didn’t like the chapter style. Also, the music venue scene was strange and not ok for me. How to you try an*l for the first time in front of hundreds of people in the dark. I’m sure others may have found it hot but it was a no from me. 😳
Didn’t like the chapter style. Also, the music venue scene was strange and not ok for me. How to you try an*l for the first time in front of hundreds of people in the dark. I’m sure others may have found it hot but it was a no from me. 😳
January 21, 2024
I have heard such amazing things about this series, so I was so excited to finally pick it up. As someone who loves mafia and has read a lot of mafia romances, though, I found myself wanting so much more mafia and being a bit bored by the plot. Nero, the hero, sees the heroine and is immediately obsessed. He's in the mafia and is a bit unhinged, and the heroine doesn't now whether to be excited or terrified. This was a fun dynamic, but she was very much the virginal heroine who really just went along with what every other character tells her. I like my heroines in mafia romances to have a bit more agency and personality than what we got from her. As for the plot, there were a lot of slow parts until the end where we finally got some action. I was more passively listening to the audiobook for a majority of the story and wanted something more exciting for a mafia romance. I'll definitely continue on in the series, but I was a bit disappointed with this one.
April 22, 2024
Ok but this was funnnn 😏 I really enjoyed this. Nero is oh so perfectly possessive. There were so many “you are mine” moments and I loved it.
The only thing I didn’t love was the fmc- but I Definitely want to read the rest of the series!!
- dark
- Mafia
- inexperienced fmc
- Age gap (27:40
- Mmc
- One night stand
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
The only thing I didn’t love was the fmc- but I Definitely want to read the rest of the series!!
- dark
- Mafia
- inexperienced fmc
- Age gap (27:40
- Mmc
- One night stand
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
June 18, 2025
Man, the first 80% of this was extremely mid. I needed more plot, more mafia business. I'm all for the smut, but when I read mafia, I want the street wars and dirty trade deals, the shady meetings. 🤷♀️ Does anyone have some recs for mafia books like that?
March 28, 2023
Another man I am DEAD over!!! Love at first site is what Nero sees when he's at Paytons open door there first meeting was intense. She knows he's dangerous and he knows she's his but he can't have her since he's a bad guy and knows people would wanna take something that's his. So he stalks from a distance watching ever move, every thing she does he even finds out her past and takes care of the man who still haunts her dreams.
They were made for one another even if he's stalking her from afar until Payton is like fk it and leaves her door open again. Hoping he would take care of something for her. And once he claims it he claims it. She's apart of his world its tense at first he's over protective lots of drama and miscommunication at one point and even heartbreak.
But he does make up for it and tiny grovel for what he did. Wasn't that bad. I can't wait for the next one.. Wonder who kings girl is.
Low angst, tiny ow drama,no cheating, slight secondary character, drama, Sexy times, virgin gal and no manwhore (he talked tiny about his past)
Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶.5
Slowinsta
Age gap
27h/40H
Tiny push away from H
Tiny dubconish
Past emotional abuse/truama
Masturbation
Public sex
Praise kink
Tiny Anal play
No condom
Violence
Death
Hea
Epilogue
They were made for one another even if he's stalking her from afar until Payton is like fk it and leaves her door open again. Hoping he would take care of something for her. And once he claims it he claims it. She's apart of his world its tense at first he's over protective lots of drama and miscommunication at one point and even heartbreak.
But he does make up for it and tiny grovel for what he did. Wasn't that bad. I can't wait for the next one.. Wonder who kings girl is.
Low angst, tiny ow drama,no cheating, slight secondary character, drama, Sexy times, virgin gal and no manwhore (he talked tiny about his past)
Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶🌶🌶.5
Slowinsta
Age gap
27h/40H
Tiny push away from H
Tiny dubconish
Past emotional abuse/truama
Masturbation
Public sex
Praise kink
Tiny Anal play
No condom
Violence
Death
Hea
Epilogue
February 21, 2025
it was okay
There are many times I'm into insta everything, but this one needed more for me because of their backgrounds and ages...
And the BBS drove me crazy 🤣🫠
Nero (40) is running away from the cops when he enters Payton's (27) balcony and decides he's gonna chill and watch a movie with her while eating popcorn 😅.
Now. I know what you're thinking. Shouldn't she
call the cops? 🤷♀️Yeah. You would think she would 🤷♀️
but alas, she doesn't 🤣. This girl decides to fall
asleep 🤦♀️ while a stranger is next to her on the couch🫠. After he's entered her second story balcony.
Nothing to see here folks 🤣.
It alllllll makes sense 🫠😅🤦♀️
After he leaves her (cause yes. she really IS asleep🫠), he decides he actually wants her for himself 😅. He
wants her so much that he even steals her body wash so he can smell her on him 👀.
Payton can't stop thinking about him. She's a 27 year old v who has stayed away from men because of the abuse she endured when she was young at the hands of her stepdad 😑.
But Nero's gonna make sure she's okay. Which means he has to think about her safety and wellbeing ❤️ even if it means he has to step away from her.
He quickly finds out that it's hard for him to stay away 👀
What I liked: possible spoilers
—how OTT Nero is ❤️ and JPPPPP 😮💨. I especially loved
—retroactive protection 🫶. Someone did Payton wrong in the past and he’s gonna take care of him 👏🏻
—the comeuppance 😈. Yup. I love me some good revenge 😮💨
—the 🔥. This had a decent amount of seeeeeexy times. The first happens at about 21% and they continue until the second epilogue 😮💨
—the times I laughed 🤣. I found myself cracking up in the scene where they just met 🤣 and other times too. I mean. The audacity 😮💨🤣
—the side characters 👀 I can’t wait to read King’s book 👏🏻
—the texts when he’s not with her 🥹 awwww Nero 🫶 you’re just a soft, squishy marshmallow when it comes to Payton ❤️
—the epilogues ❤️ love seeing their HEA 🫶
—hurt her and dye 👏🏻😈
What I didn’t like/wanted more of: SPOILERS
—the owd 🤬. Oh my gosh this angered me 🤬. So Nero doesn’t want people to know about her, and when it’s his bday party, he has his previous f buddy/escort as his companion instead of Payton 😒. Payton goes to said party and finds the ow touching him and he makes it a point to grab the ow by her waist when he sees Payton arrive 🤬 and she’s very hurt ☹️. But the thing is this- you would THINK she would get the f outta there.
Naaaahh 😒
Why would you think that 🙄?
Because that would ONLY make sense 🤦♀️
No. What happens is she gets drunk at this same party and then eventually goes home where she knocks out 😒. And guess who wakes her up? 🙄
Did you guess?
Yup. Nero. Which leads me to…
—BBS 😒. OH. EM. GEEE. this was something else 😑. Let me get this straight. I see the man I’ve lost my v to with another woman, get drunk, get waken up by him, and I’m somehow 💦???? Hoooooowwww!?!?! 🤦♀️. I mean. To be fair, Payton DOES try pushing him off and DOES say no… but lo and behold… she still gets 💦. Sigh 🙄and then, in the middle of him 🔥ing her, he talks about all the other women he’s been with (and how they’re nothing compared to her) when she asks him if he’s f’ed the ow he was with at his party (he has. It was one of the hired ones he used). I did NOT find this swoony 🤬. I found it 🥴
—no safety talk 😒. It’s clear Nero uses hired women for his pleasures, so why doesn’t Payton ask for a clean bill of health 🤦♀️. Seriously Payton 🤦♀️ his d is not clean (hey look. I rhymed 🤣)
—what happened to her mom? She needs to get her own comeuppance too 😑
Overall, I liked it. I was about to downgrade to 2 stars but the way it ended made me bump it up
⚠️ safety squad⚠️
-no cheating/sharing/omd*
-mental health/ptsd from childhood neglect and abuse that was sexual in nature
-violence/death/torture
-mild OMD-OM invites the h to one of his concerts and the h ends up going. The H shows up and is pissed
-OWD-the H has his ow ex-hookup/escort around him at a party. She has her hand on him and when he sees the h, he puts his hand on the ow to bring her closer knowing the h is looking. It makes the h insecure. We find out the ow caused this to happen later and tries to continue making more drama
-dubcon/noncon ish
-dirty talk/biting/anal play/anal/slight voyeurism/degradation kink/cock warming/praise kink
-no condoms or safety talk 😑/she’s on the pill
-virgin h/manwhore ish H- he hires escorts to have sex with
-HEA/epilogues/6 months later/not sure on the last one
There are many times I'm into insta everything, but this one needed more for me because of their backgrounds and ages...
And the BBS drove me crazy 🤣🫠
Nero (40) is running away from the cops when he enters Payton's (27) balcony and decides he's gonna chill and watch a movie with her while eating popcorn 😅.
Now. I know what you're thinking. Shouldn't she
call the cops? 🤷♀️Yeah. You would think she would 🤷♀️
but alas, she doesn't 🤣. This girl decides to fall
asleep 🤦♀️ while a stranger is next to her on the couch🫠. After he's entered her second story balcony.
Nothing to see here folks 🤣.
It alllllll makes sense 🫠😅🤦♀️
After he leaves her (cause yes. she really IS asleep🫠), he decides he actually wants her for himself 😅. He
wants her so much that he even steals her body wash so he can smell her on him 👀.
Payton can't stop thinking about him. She's a 27 year old v who has stayed away from men because of the abuse she endured when she was young at the hands of her stepdad 😑.
But Nero's gonna make sure she's okay. Which means he has to think about her safety and wellbeing ❤️ even if it means he has to step away from her.
He quickly finds out that it's hard for him to stay away 👀
What I liked: possible spoilers
—how OTT Nero is ❤️ and JPPPPP 😮💨. I especially loved
—retroactive protection 🫶. Someone did Payton wrong in the past and he’s gonna take care of him 👏🏻
—the comeuppance 😈. Yup. I love me some good revenge 😮💨
—the 🔥. This had a decent amount of seeeeeexy times. The first happens at about 21% and they continue until the second epilogue 😮💨
—the times I laughed 🤣. I found myself cracking up in the scene where they just met 🤣 and other times too. I mean. The audacity 😮💨🤣
—the side characters 👀 I can’t wait to read King’s book 👏🏻
—the texts when he’s not with her 🥹 awwww Nero 🫶 you’re just a soft, squishy marshmallow when it comes to Payton ❤️
—the epilogues ❤️ love seeing their HEA 🫶
—hurt her and dye 👏🏻😈
What I didn’t like/wanted more of: SPOILERS
—the owd 🤬. Oh my gosh this angered me 🤬. So Nero doesn’t want people to know about her, and when it’s his bday party, he has his previous f buddy/escort as his companion instead of Payton 😒. Payton goes to said party and finds the ow touching him and he makes it a point to grab the ow by her waist when he sees Payton arrive 🤬 and she’s very hurt ☹️. But the thing is this- you would THINK she would get the f outta there.
Naaaahh 😒
Why would you think that 🙄?
Because that would ONLY make sense 🤦♀️
No. What happens is she gets drunk at this same party and then eventually goes home where she knocks out 😒. And guess who wakes her up? 🙄
Did you guess?
Yup. Nero. Which leads me to…
—BBS 😒. OH. EM. GEEE. this was something else 😑. Let me get this straight. I see the man I’ve lost my v to with another woman, get drunk, get waken up by him, and I’m somehow 💦???? Hoooooowwww!?!?! 🤦♀️. I mean. To be fair, Payton DOES try pushing him off and DOES say no… but lo and behold… she still gets 💦. Sigh 🙄and then, in the middle of him 🔥ing her, he talks about all the other women he’s been with (and how they’re nothing compared to her) when she asks him if he’s f’ed the ow he was with at his party (he has. It was one of the hired ones he used). I did NOT find this swoony 🤬. I found it 🥴
—no safety talk 😒. It’s clear Nero uses hired women for his pleasures, so why doesn’t Payton ask for a clean bill of health 🤦♀️. Seriously Payton 🤦♀️ his d is not clean (hey look. I rhymed 🤣)
—what happened to her mom? She needs to get her own comeuppance too 😑
Overall, I liked it. I was about to downgrade to 2 stars but the way it ended made me bump it up
⚠️ safety squad⚠️
-no cheating/sharing/omd*
-mental health/ptsd from childhood neglect and abuse that was sexual in nature
-violence/death/torture
-mild OMD-OM invites the h to one of his concerts and the h ends up going. The H shows up and is pissed
-OWD-the H has his ow ex-hookup/escort around him at a party. She has her hand on him and when he sees the h, he puts his hand on the ow to bring her closer knowing the h is looking. It makes the h insecure. We find out the ow caused this to happen later and tries to continue making more drama
-dubcon/noncon ish
-dirty talk/biting/anal play/anal/slight voyeurism/degradation kink/cock warming/praise kink
-no condoms or safety talk 😑/she’s on the pill
-virgin h/manwhore ish H- he hires escorts to have sex with
-HEA/epilogues/6 months later/not sure on the last one
December 15, 2025
I didn’t think I’d enjoy this one as much as I did… but from chapter one, I was hooked. It’s fast, it’s addictive, and it’s way sweeter than I expected from a dark romance.
🎬 The Set-Up
Picture this: you’re exhausted after a long day, curled up with popcorn and a movie… when a mafia boss climbs onto your balcony, plops down on your couch, and starts eating your popcorn🍿
That’s how Payton meets Nero. No slow build—this book kicks the door (or balcony) wide open. And it’s hilarious
🖤 Nero
To the world: ruthless, lethal, untouchable.
To Payton: protective, vulnerable, and completely obsessed.
He’ll burn down a house without blinking, but he’ll also:
🐾 rescue a stray dog for her
🛁 steal her rose body soap
🧃drink her favorite latte even though he hates sugar
That mix of brutal and tender got me every time. Dangerous, yes—but for Payton, he’s all in. Watching that devotion unfold was my favorite part
🌹Payton
She’s not the “badass” heroine type. She’s soft, a little clueless, deeply lovable — and she’s a survivor. After an abusive past, she still craves love, safety, and (yep) a touch of danger.
What I loved? She chooses Nero. She isn’t tricked, she isn’t blind—she wants him just as much as he wants her. Even when a couple of scenes had me raising an eyebrow, their chemistry made it work.
🌶️Vibes: Dark romance with just enough
softness to balance the edge.
😮💨 Spicy? Yep
🔪 Dark? Honestly lighter than I expected
🙌 No third-act breakup
Final Thoughts
If you like your heroes dangerous to the world but hopelessly devoted to one woman, Nero delivers. It’s obsessive, over-the-top, and somehow still heartwarming..
And yes—I’m already ready for King’s book, because if this is how the series starts, I’m definitely sticking around.
✨ Tropes
Mafia romance
Obsessed MMC
Age gap (13 years)
Curvy virgin FMC
Stalker-but-soft MMC
“Touch her and you die” vibes
Series Ranking
1. Hans — Book 4 (5⭐️) My review
2. Nero — Book 1 (4⭐️)
3. Dom — Book 3 (4⭐️) My review
4. King — Book 2 (3⭐️) My review
🎬 The Set-Up
Picture this: you’re exhausted after a long day, curled up with popcorn and a movie… when a mafia boss climbs onto your balcony, plops down on your couch, and starts eating your popcorn🍿
That’s how Payton meets Nero. No slow build—this book kicks the door (or balcony) wide open. And it’s hilarious
🖤 Nero
To the world: ruthless, lethal, untouchable.
To Payton: protective, vulnerable, and completely obsessed.
He’ll burn down a house without blinking, but he’ll also:
🐾 rescue a stray dog for her
🛁 steal her rose body soap
🧃drink her favorite latte even though he hates sugar
That mix of brutal and tender got me every time. Dangerous, yes—but for Payton, he’s all in. Watching that devotion unfold was my favorite part
🌹Payton
She’s not the “badass” heroine type. She’s soft, a little clueless, deeply lovable — and she’s a survivor. After an abusive past, she still craves love, safety, and (yep) a touch of danger.
What I loved? She chooses Nero. She isn’t tricked, she isn’t blind—she wants him just as much as he wants her. Even when a couple of scenes had me raising an eyebrow, their chemistry made it work.
🌶️Vibes: Dark romance with just enough
softness to balance the edge.
😮💨 Spicy? Yep
🔪 Dark? Honestly lighter than I expected
🙌 No third-act breakup
Final Thoughts
If you like your heroes dangerous to the world but hopelessly devoted to one woman, Nero delivers. It’s obsessive, over-the-top, and somehow still heartwarming..
And yes—I’m already ready for King’s book, because if this is how the series starts, I’m definitely sticking around.
✨ Tropes
Mafia romance
Obsessed MMC
Age gap (13 years)
Curvy virgin FMC
Stalker-but-soft MMC
“Touch her and you die” vibes
Series Ranking
1. Hans — Book 4 (5⭐️) My review
2. Nero — Book 1 (4⭐️)
3. Dom — Book 3 (4⭐️) My review
4. King — Book 2 (3⭐️) My review
March 3, 2023
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: mafia, instalove
Angst: 😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥.5
Fantastic read! SJ Tilly definitely did not disappoint with her first foray into dark romance ♥️. Well written with a great storyline that moved really well. Relatively low angst and characters that compliment each other in the best of ways. Nero is the perfect overbearing, possessive, and protective steamroller and Payton never stands a chance, lol. Payton is used to handling everything herself, so having someone sweep her off her feet and take control like they mean it feels good. The chemistry between them is wonderful and the story is truly sweet despite having “darker” parts. Truly can’t wait for King’s book!
⛔️ My bookshelves can sometimes be spoilers
Trope: mafia, instalove
Angst: 😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥.5
Fantastic read! SJ Tilly definitely did not disappoint with her first foray into dark romance ♥️. Well written with a great storyline that moved really well. Relatively low angst and characters that compliment each other in the best of ways. Nero is the perfect overbearing, possessive, and protective steamroller and Payton never stands a chance, lol. Payton is used to handling everything herself, so having someone sweep her off her feet and take control like they mean it feels good. The chemistry between them is wonderful and the story is truly sweet despite having “darker” parts. Truly can’t wait for King’s book!
⛔️ My bookshelves can sometimes be spoilers
September 13, 2024
I've had enough.
July 7, 2023
Is this what we're doing now? Writing books around tropes and whatever gets the youngins on Booktok all hot and bothered? I can tell because I can almost see the checklist this author was going off of. The result was a hero running around doing all the things villains do, but none of that has any impact if the relationship isn't developed and the characters are cardboard cutouts. Payton was like Bella Swan with even less personality. She was there for Nero to say things like "I'd kill for you" and to be wet at all times. I won't even go into the plot because it's non-existent. The pacing is so weird, and violent scenes are so drawn out for shock value.
This should have been my jam. All of it sounds great on a blurb, even quotes out of context sounded amazing but put the insta lust and inexplicable insta love (seriously, what did he see in Payton?), the baffling sex scenes (her legs are hanging off the bed but she's on her stomach? Like straight out? They are having anal sex in public while they are both standing up but he's super tall and she's...not🫨 ) the ILY's come around halfway thru and they have had sex twice and maybe like one conversation. Development seems to be a thing of the past, and I'm super depressed about it.
⭐⭐/5
🔥🔥🔥/5
Tropes
Insta everything
Cinderella vibes
Stalker hero
This should have been my jam. All of it sounds great on a blurb, even quotes out of context sounded amazing but put the insta lust and inexplicable insta love (seriously, what did he see in Payton?), the baffling sex scenes (her legs are hanging off the bed but she's on her stomach? Like straight out? They are having anal sex in public while they are both standing up but he's super tall and she's...not🫨 ) the ILY's come around halfway thru and they have had sex twice and maybe like one conversation. Development seems to be a thing of the past, and I'm super depressed about it.
⭐⭐/5
🔥🔥🔥/5
Tropes
Insta everything
Cinderella vibes
Stalker hero
August 13, 2023
2.75🌟.
Nobody is more disappointed than me. I had high hopes for this book but unfortunately it all went down halfway through.
I’ll keep this short, I loved writing style, pace and secondary characters. What I had problem was with protagonists.
I rarely dislike a Mafia romance because the heroes are always obsessed and fearless. But here in the middle of the book Nero did something that I hated. He was obsessed with Payton alright but there was no substance or depth to his obsession. One minute he promises her everything and next he deliberately hurts her. And Payton had zero character growth in the book. In the beginning both were okish but towards the end I started disliking them so much.
Nobody is more disappointed than me. I had high hopes for this book but unfortunately it all went down halfway through.
I’ll keep this short, I loved writing style, pace and secondary characters. What I had problem was with protagonists.
I rarely dislike a Mafia romance because the heroes are always obsessed and fearless. But here in the middle of the book Nero did something that I hated. He was obsessed with Payton alright but there was no substance or depth to his obsession. One minute he promises her everything and next he deliberately hurts her. And Payton had zero character growth in the book. In the beginning both were okish but towards the end I started disliking them so much.
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