Du champagne et du poison

Orlov Bratva #1

by Nicole Fox

J’ai passé la nuit avec un inconnu…
Qui était en réalité mon chef…
Et je suis tombée enceinte…
Oups, désolée, j’ai dit « patron » ? J’aurais dû préciser chef du CRIME.

Pour être honnête, je ne savais pas qu’il était mon futur employeur quand j’ai couché avec lui.
Je pensais que c’était juste un gentil étranger qui m’offrait un endroit où dormir.
Mais cette nuit avec Misha Orlov dans sa chambre d’hôtel m’a apporté bien plus que ce que j’avais imaginé.

Du champagne aussi scintillant que des étoiles.
Des draps en satin aussi doux qu’un rêve.
Et un homme aux yeux argentés qui m’a complètement déstabilisée.

Puis le lendemain…
Il était parti.

Tant mieux, j’avais besoin de reprendre ma vie en main de toute façon.
Après tout, mon ex-pas-tout-à-fait-mari (c’est une longue histoire) vient de vider tous nos comptes en banque, et il a disparu en emportant avec lui ma maison, mon argent et mon travail.
J’entame donc un nouveau chapitre de ma vie.

Je me trouve un nouvel appartement.
Un nouveau boulot.
Et je laisse Misha et mon mari derrière moi.

Du moins, je pensais l’avoir fait.
Jusqu’à mon premier jour de travail.
Quand j’apprends que Misha Orlov est mon nouveau patron.

Ça commence plutôt mal.
Et la suite sera pire encore.
Un accident de voiture.
Un rendez-vous chez le médecin.
Et deux nouvelles troublantes.

Le médecin : « Félicitations, vous êtes enceinte. »
Misha : « Félicitations, nous allons nous marier. »

DU CHAMPAGNE ET DU POISON est le premier livre de la duologie La Bratva Orlov. L’histoire de Misha et Paige se termine dans le second tome, DU CHAMPAGNE ET DE LA COLÈRE .

Genres: Romance, Mafia Romance, Dark Romance, Dark, Marriage Of Convenience, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary

709 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 27, 2023

About the author

Nicole Fox writes smart, sexy mafia romance novels. She is a crazy cat lady in her late 30s with a coffee addiction, an overactive imagination, and a husband who somehow puts up with her impulsive need to keep buying new plants for their house.

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Reviews

[Bookish Shannon · Rating 1 out of 5]

My jaw literally dropped when I seen this book's average rating was 4.5. For me Champagne Venom was a solid 1.5 star and here's why:

Everything was just...off.

The writing didn't give off professional writing vibes, but more like a Wattpad novel from an inexperienced writer. On the surface everything was mostly fine (if you exclude some unauthentic speech) but there was absolutely nothing below the surface level. I didn't connect with the characters because they were so unlikable and not "real". The arguments were the same - this book is one big repetition and even until the bitter end, there was no progress. I will not be reading book 2.

Secondly, Clara - Paige's dead best-friend. Did you know that Clara died? I thought I'd mention it just in-case you missed it being mentioned in what felt like every other page. Paige took every single opportunity to mention Clara's death and a lot of the times it was unnecessary and just made her look self absorbed.


Oh. One last thing. Unless I'm reading a monster romance, don't' try and tell me his shlong is the size of a women's forearm because no it's not. I could get over that, but the sex scenes were so rushed and barely there, I was SO disappointed.

[Natalie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm begging Nicole to get an editor because there is no reason for this book to be 600+ pages long and still end on a cliffhanger. They kept having the same conversation over and over and over again we get it she's sad her friend died and he's sad his brother died get over it. 😒 It was at 70% that I just didn't care about the story anymore and if I hadn't wasted all that time reading I would have DNFd. If you like repetitive story telling and insufferable characters this book is for you.

[Aplis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was mostly,

Paige: how dare you make me quit my lousy assistant job and promote me as head of marketing?!!!
Misha: you are my wife
Paige: fine.

Paige: stop trying to bribe me with a credit card that has a 40k limit on it!!
Misha: you are my wife
Paige: fine.

Paige: I want my freedom to run around the estate and drive my own car (also knowing her husband is the head of the bratva and was almost killed during the first week of her job)
Misha: you are my wife and need protection
Paige: I'm going to fucking do it anyway
*Gets into accidents*
Misha: well I don't wanna be a dick and tell you that I told you so
*he doesn't really say that but damn this woman is an idiot*

How is this book #1 in Romantic suspense lol. Also 600 pages of this?! Give me a fucking break.

[Louise · Rating 1 out of 5]

Note to future self. Stop giving this author another chance. You get sucked in by the plot every single time and you always end up hating the heroine. Always.

[Nunu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ehm..

[Fahmida · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf @10%

This felt like a wannabe mafia contemporary romance with the dumbest fmc possible. I get it she's broke but you're an adult and you have dignity. Do not tell me you ordered food at the restaurant before checking the prices? and what's with the stomach grumbling in fron of strangers?🙄🙄🙄

[Jac K]

DNF @ 47%

I’ve mentioned (a lot) that I’m not really a fan of fluffy/non-serious acting mafia dudes. I prefer them to be breaking kneecaps not bantering. But I did enjoy the first part and decided to stick with it. The h was feisty, and the H was cold, so all wasn’t lost. But then the H’s friend/partner started acting like a wise ass instead of wise guy… The rival was acting like a cartoon villain you’d see tying a damsel to the r/r tracks while twisting his mustache, and I started losing my reading mojo. Then it really started to drag on and on with the mc’s constantly arguing over stupid shit.

How dare you promote me. How dare you give me a credit card. Then the feisty h morphed into the stupid h plot device where her TSTL actions (like going out for coffee or leaving the house when someone wants to kill them) cause conflict and danger… and I was REALLY struggling.

Then I realized this book is 600 PAGES and part of a trilogy… and that is WAY BEYOND my patience for fluff.

Bottom Line- This is too much of a book commitment for me, but I did like the author's writing and would be open to reading something shorter. (smaller dose of fluff)

[Intel Chicky Reads Romance (Kara Merideth) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good lord, that cliffy!

Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Trope: accidental pregnancy
Angst: 😱😱😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥

Oh, my heart, lol. I swear I think Ms Fox is trying to rip it out and shred it to pieces, lol. This is the third duet by Nicole Fox and there's definitely trends to her books, but MAN, I just keep coming back like a cr@ck addict. Accidental pregnancy, sibling loss, and cliffies that slay. And they're all here again in another story that's ripping me open. Absolutely beautifully written and it goes by surprisingly fast for how long it is. The push and pull between these two MCs is driving me to the ledge 🙈. Can't download the second book fast enough!

[Gayane♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a really good mafia story, it’s been a while since I’ve read a good mafia boss style book. ❤️ A lot going on and so much heartache. 💔

Misha and Paige have so much in common and they both don’t realize it. Misha is one hard headed man. 😬 He gives Paige hope one minute than takes 10 steps back. 😑 I do understand why he is being like this but it’s also very frustrating. I want to grab Masha and shake him, tell him to stop being an A Hole!!! 😆 Now off to book 2, let’s hope I get the happy ending I’m looking for ? 🥰😍

[Natalia]

On hold at 54%, maybe forever...

Liked parts of it... but most of it didn't catch my attention...
Also, several things didn't add up...
First time they meet, she's in trouble because she couldn't pay a peperoni pizza she wolfs down, but suddenly she's vegan?
She couldn't have kids for 10 years, a single test says she's pregnant they get married and that's it!? No more tests, doctor's appointments? Nothing?
It's a mafia book without any mafia business, there's a war and an enemy and H is fighting it, she needs to be safe...

[Bex (Beckie Bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read books previously by this author but this one is definitely my favourite to date. It’s a duet this being part one and genre-wise it has a Bratva forced marriage unexpected pregnancy trope.
Misha Orlov is the new Bratva Don replacing his older brother at the head after he was gunned down by an enemy. Since his death, Misha has become isolated cold and ruthless building sky-high walls of self-preservation to protect himself. He’s totally consumed by revenge and determined to make his enemy pay. Paige is at rock bottom abandoned and fleeced by the man she assumed was her husband she’s been left high and dry and starting over from scratch. Totally alone in this world with no one to turn to for help.

A chance passionate encounter was only meant to be a one-night thing so both are equally shocked when they meet again at Paige’s new place of work. Misha is her new boss but needing the work it’s a case of pretending it never happened when it is discovered that Paige is now in fact pregnant and Misha the father to be she’s rail-roaded into a union of convenience, a physical marriage but with none of the usual emotional entanglements all packaged up as a business deal, a beneficial merger of sorts. With limited options, Paige succumbs to pressure and finds herself saying I do.

These two have mountains to overcome Misha frankly is very much an asshole he’s an extremely closed-off individual who gives constant mixed messages to his new wife. The man was an emotionless abyss and didn’t seem to know what he wanted. Paige well considering all of the danger now surrounding her she’s not got much of a sense of self-preservation that’s for sure, she also takes her pride way too seriously and she’s extremely argumentative when it comes to just about everything. These two were so bloody volatile together but they did also have some great chemistry as well.

The inevitable happens lines are blurred misassumptions on Misha’s part causing irreparable damage to the bond that was slowly developing. The danger from Misha’s enemies is now on all sides and is gradually amplifying putting Paige in grave danger.

When this finished things had all reached a pivotable point and these two are even further apart than when they began. I did appreciate the tense finale it definitely left me wanting more and I’m now hoping the next book sees these two finally get on the same page together. I found this well-written and an easy read that I enjoyed a lot I’m now looking forward to reading part two.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com

[Dominique F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicole fox is always a gem. But this just blew it out of the water. That cliff hanger. I stayed up until 6 am reading the. Tracked down the duet and started that sht too lolol


This was quality Nicole fox to the max.

[Jude: The Epic Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really into this, I did feel like Paige did a lot of complaining without actually doing anything. She was right to complain, like seriously, but she didn't do anything till the last part of the book, which was annoying. He was a major asshole but he was definitely mafia. Thank you.

[Vee · Rating 1 out of 5]

They spent the whole book having pointless arguments.

[Sarah♡books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 ⭐️

Surprise Baby
Heroine in distress
Mafia
Arranged marriage
ONS

Personally I didn't like this slow interaction between H/h 😶 this is wayyy to long !
The hero is super annoying because he hast some real issues 🙊
Their behaviour was so sometimes so cringe 🥶

I'll jump right into the second book hoping it'll be better 🙌

[☁️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicole Fox was my introduction to the mafia genre and it wasn’t exactly a good one, but I read another one of her many duet’s and it was passable so here I am.

It doesn’t really feel like a mafia book? Almost like Mafia Lite™️ or maybe I’m just used to darker circumstances at this point.

Nicole tends to right a very specific type of banter that I would deem “out of pocket” like usually they just switch the subject or come back with very specific one liners that you’re like “you didn’t need to do them like that”. 😭 The MMC had several of that and that’s always funny to me, so a point there.

Star deduction because if this is the bravta should he not be a bravta PAKHAN not the bravta DON… Don is Italian? How do you write 37384839383848448 mafia books but not know that is beyond me.

The story was basic, the characters were basic, but I had a good time. I still don’t know if I’ll read the second book, but this was nice and easy mid read.

[Yosra Abdelkader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guilty pleasure for sure...

[Naaytaashreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I’m tired of giving my best to men who don’t deserve it."

This was meh. It's a guilty pleasure, for sure.
Like, it was alright, but it felt like it was missing something.

It's a typical brooding male mafia lead with the damsel in distress, and they can't be together. It's very cliche and predictable, but I still was entertained. There were times when I was annoyed with the characters and the plotline.

The wins definitely come from Paige character, and we see her development and growth.
I love the involvement of side characters, it gives a better understanding of the family dynamic and Misha's personality.

That ending definitely was a cliffhanger.



"No woman looks like that at a man she doesn’t care about. That realization probably scares her as much as it’s scaring me. I want to stop her. I want to tell her to wait. But for what? I’m not sure. So I let her go. For both our sakes."

[_booktique2_ D Amora · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝙋𝙖𝙞𝙜𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙛𝙚. 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙨, 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙣𝙙.”

WOWOWOWOOWOWO because if there’s anything I didn’t think of was for this book to be THAT good. I am absolutely IN LOVE with this story and so far has been the highlight of my month. Of course I could be a little biased because this is a marriage of convenience to a MAFIA MAN. And potentially has the pregnancy trope…

BUT LISTEN LISTEN GUYS HEAR ME OUT I SWEAR TO GOD ITS THE GOOD KIND LIKE IT WAS WRITTEN SO WELL.

The author did an incredible job of trying to connect each of these tropes especially with the pacing of the story. Basically a girl and a guy had a one night stand and then one day she gets a new job, turns out to be his office then they find out she pregnant and now he’s basically making her marry him out of love, but what she now finds out is she’s married to a boss of the mafia lol. And it’s basically the both of them navigating the struggles of trying to accept each other. There were a lot of scenes that made me angry but in a good kind of way because I love THE drama🤭 and the side characters? Immaculate 🤌

Basically this book was so fun to read and I highly suggest if your looking for a new mafia that’s not cringey to def pick this up, only warning is this is 2 books, so the first book is not a standalone!!🫶🤧

[Sandra R · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has heaps of high ratings, so obviously many readers love it. The writing is good, but it's so long and drawn out I was getting a bit bored. Sorry. Plus, it's part one of a duo, so I don't think I need to bother reading to know what's going to happen. Not much mafia action like I was expecting, so not that dark - for me. Also, even at 50% in, you don't really know a great deal about Paige's past. The story actually reminded me of hundreds of older Mills and Boon plots from years gone by. Only much more detailed and with bad guys. (Rich businessman demands marriage because of accidental pregnancy). I've read this plot heaps of times over 50 years of reading romance, so nothing new for me. The romance scenes are well written and very steamy and you could feel the chemistry between the H/h.

[danielle]

DNF-27%. I can no longer subject myself to this. h was annoying the back and forth was annoying the grabbing of the pendants was annoying. Nothing has been redeemable not even the one 🌶️ scene they had 🍅

[Pandora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating both books together. These were not stand alone books, you had to read them both. And it dragged trying to make it two books. Think it could have been really good as one book.

[Mel (whilemelwasreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I don't have much to my name."
He looks at me with his unfathomably deep gray eyes.
"You do now."

What You'll Find:
--Mafia Romance
--Surprise Pregnancy
--Marriage of Convenience
--Dual POV

I liked this one. But I have mixed feelings. It had me turning the pages for more. But those pages could have been cut in half. There is something about the writing style that kept me from loving it. The rehashing, and really never going anywhere? So wishy washy. Perhaps it's that it all just felt a bit surface level for me? I don't know. And the timeline felt off too for me. There were obviously moments that I enjoyed too- the pining, spice, some swoon, and the whole in danger protective vibes- enough to keep reading. Overall a likeable read and I'm curious enough to want to read the next book too.

3.5 Stars ⭐

[CassDamm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was over 600 pages and ended on a cliff hanger lol

This could have been cut down a whole lot tbh

There was a few loose ends, but I’d imagine they’ll prob get wrapped up in book two since for whatever reason it wasn’t done in the first 620 pages.

It was good though. Unless this cliffhanger is legitimately what happens?? then I’ll prob be pissed off.

[Sweet and Salty Reviews by DD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has potential if Misha will get his head out of his arse and Paige will stop being a doormat.

Next book will tell.

Happy reading,
DD🥂

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t judge a book by its cover.

[BookishAnya · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars!
I really liked this book and it had a lot of my favourite tropes so in theory this should have been 5 stars. For me my only issue was this book was wayyy too long and the relationship progressed too slow for me. I am diving right into the second book so will probably have a better overall opinion after that. But I still did enjoy the book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
🌶🌶

[Jessica Duerr · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 🚩 is that I love a book with some steamy toxic romance 🤣 Not into the accidental pregnancy trope but still give this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

[Hannah Moheban · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot 4/5 - dominating mafia man can’t tell the girl her care for that he loveeeeeeees her
🌶️ 5/5

[Tabatha Reed · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.



This. Book. Is. So. Long.

It definitely drug in several parts. It could definitely use some editing to weed out the tedious repetitive parts.

The heroine was ok. She had some annoying moments mostly because she was a doormat. I’m not sure what she saw in the hero because he was a complete asshole for 95% of the book. He was genuinely thoughtful but was a cold asshole dealing with her in person. Anytime he had a remotely “nice” moment he either avoided her afterward or did something he knew would make her mad. That cycle played on repeat for the whole book. The push and pull got real old. At least 200 pages of the endless back and forth could have easily been cut here.

He REALLY fucks up at the end of this one. I’d love to see an epic grovel but the doormat was already trying to forgive him as this one ended so I’m certain nothing will change.

There is sex in the beginning in which she somehow gets knocked up despite supposedly being barren then they intermittently bang here and there starting around 33%. It’s fine. Nothing to write home about.

No virgins, H definitely gave off manwhore vibes, to me, OM drama, no OW drama, brief separation near the end that should have been longer - I hate separations and I still didn’t think one was long enough. This man needs to fucking grovel. Too bad she’s a pathetic doormat.

It was safe to me. OM is her ex husband. She wants nothing to do with him.