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Perfectly Imperfect #1
Painted Scars
Nina
Charming, captivating, and seductive,
And a cold-blooded killer.
But I married the Pakhan of the Russian Bratva anyway.
I had to. It was part of the deal.
Now, I'm faking marital bliss,
As I tremble with fear,
And I cannot wait to be out of the clutches of this ruthless man.
Roman
I get anything I desire.
And I want this perfectly imperfect little manipulator.
The way she can deceive anyone into believing she's crazy in love with me,
Just makes me want her even more.
She doesn't know it yet,
But I am not letting her go.
The deal - is off.
*Painted Scars is a full-length novel with several open-door steamy scenes, no cheating and a guaranteed HEA.
This is the first book in Perfectly Imperfect mafia series, and compared to the other books in the series, it's not overly dark. Painted Scars is primarily a love story which focuses on the relationship between Nina and Roman, and while there are a few scenes depicting violence, it's considerably lighter than the sequels.
Charming, captivating, and seductive,
And a cold-blooded killer.
But I married the Pakhan of the Russian Bratva anyway.
I had to. It was part of the deal.
Now, I'm faking marital bliss,
As I tremble with fear,
And I cannot wait to be out of the clutches of this ruthless man.
Roman
I get anything I desire.
And I want this perfectly imperfect little manipulator.
The way she can deceive anyone into believing she's crazy in love with me,
Just makes me want her even more.
She doesn't know it yet,
But I am not letting her go.
The deal - is off.
*Painted Scars is a full-length novel with several open-door steamy scenes, no cheating and a guaranteed HEA.
This is the first book in Perfectly Imperfect mafia series, and compared to the other books in the series, it's not overly dark. Painted Scars is primarily a love story which focuses on the relationship between Nina and Roman, and while there are a few scenes depicting violence, it's considerably lighter than the sequels.
238 pages, Paperback
First published May 23, 2022
12083 people are currently reading
82596 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 11,957 reviews
June 16, 2023
This book is basically: “omg I’m so tiny🥺”
December 27, 2024
If I was still a teen in my Wattpad era, I would've definitely loved this book 💀
December 11, 2023
nothing mind blowing but it was entertaining enough for me to mindlessly read it
this exchange had me bricked tho:
“You will end this fucking war you have started, you hear me? I don’t care how you do it, but end it, or so help me God, I’m going to kill you myself.”
“Marry me,” he says, “and I’ll stop the war.”
3.5 ⭐️
this exchange had me bricked tho:
“You will end this fucking war you have started, you hear me? I don’t care how you do it, but end it, or so help me God, I’m going to kill you myself.”
“Marry me,” he says, “and I’ll stop the war.”
3.5 ⭐️
September 29, 2022
3.5 Smut Stars
I'll be honest, this was very surface level as far as character development and plot...and I say that because I felt in my gut the whole time that the author was capable of adding that extra level of oooomph needed to make it truly great...
Regardless, this was solidly written for what it is: A smutty arranged marriage mafia romance.
And it scratched that itch HARD for me. I will definitely revisit this in the future and have already finished book two.
I'll be honest, this was very surface level as far as character development and plot...and I say that because I felt in my gut the whole time that the author was capable of adding that extra level of oooomph needed to make it truly great...
Regardless, this was solidly written for what it is: A smutty arranged marriage mafia romance.
And it scratched that itch HARD for me. I will definitely revisit this in the future and have already finished book two.
October 28, 2022
The book was so .... fast.
One chapter they're meeting the next they're getting married.
I felt nothing.
I don't even know when they fell in love.
I felt NOTHING.
ALSO.
Someone in her family must be of Asian descent because there is a slight tilt to her eyes, which makes them appear cat-like.
I fucking hate everything about this sentence.
if you overlook her breasts, she could pass as a teenager
I love age gaps but thoughts like this unsettles me.
She could pass as a teenager and you a grown man thinking about her sexually.
Nina has an exotic beauty that attracts attention
As someone who has heard "exotic" used for me quite some times
Let me tell you
No woman wants to be called exotic as a compliment.
One chapter they're meeting the next they're getting married.
I felt nothing.
I don't even know when they fell in love.
I felt NOTHING.
ALSO.
Someone in her family must be of Asian descent because there is a slight tilt to her eyes, which makes them appear cat-like.
I fucking hate everything about this sentence.
if you overlook her breasts, she could pass as a teenager
I love age gaps but thoughts like this unsettles me.
She could pass as a teenager and you a grown man thinking about her sexually.
Nina has an exotic beauty that attracts attention
As someone who has heard "exotic" used for me quite some times
Let me tell you
No woman wants to be called exotic as a compliment.
February 17, 2025
Pretty average as far as mafia romance goes but I was entertained and devoured it nonetheless. It just felt way too rushed and was heavy on the insta love! Which was a shame because I did really like the characters! The arranged marriage was scrumptious and I did read it in one sitting so take with that what you will….. yes I will be reading book 2 immediately.
December 23, 2024
"marry me, and i'll stop the war" LADIES NEVER SETTLE FOR LESS
June 27, 2024
2/5
I think I can officially say I've outgrown trashy wattpad-ish mafia romances.
I think I can officially say I've outgrown trashy wattpad-ish mafia romances.
August 8, 2023
she came after two thrusts… do with that what you will.
July 21, 2024
– 3 stars ✰
“I love you so much.”
“I love you too, my dangerous kotik.”
I enjoyed this so much more then i thought i would. It was wattpadish but i kind of missed that style of books. I heard the next book is so much better, so I can’t want to continue with this sometime soon.
“Marry me,” he says, “and I’ll stop the war.”
“I love you so much.”
“I love you too, my dangerous kotik.”
I enjoyed this so much more then i thought i would. It was wattpadish but i kind of missed that style of books. I heard the next book is so much better, so I can’t want to continue with this sometime soon.
“Marry me,” he says, “and I’ll stop the war.”
September 24, 2024
➳ 4 stars
➳ Mafia Romance Worth Every Page
Why does this book have such a low rating when it's so freaking good? 😭 I've been craving a good mafia book with possessive scenes and balanced relationship dynamics, and this book DELIVERED!
Nina Grey/Petrova .𖥔 ݁ ˖
⤷ Forget the damsel in distress, Nina is a firecracker! 🤭 she's full of sass & vibrant personality, that she lights up every scene she's in. Her corny jokes and sass keep Roman on his toes, making their interactions pure gold. i just love her! ✋🏻🥺
Roman Petrov .𖥔 ݁ ˖
⤷ a mafia Pakhan on crutches was unexpected, But it doesn't overshadow the story. Roman's personality, mixed with Nina's antics, creates magic! Roman's blend of possessiveness and soft-heartedness is swoon-worthy. His obsession with Nina leads to the cutest moments, he cares for her sm 🥹
➳ giggling-screaming-crying-me n who moments .𖥔 ݁ ˖
1) ❝Are you trying to manipulate me?❞
❝Yes.❞ Another kiss, this time on the other side of his jaw. ❝Is it working?❞
❝Maybe.❞ — 😭💕😩
2) ❝You are my wife. Hurting you would mean hurting me.❞ — 🥹🧎♀️
3) ❝The only thing I want is you. Can I have you, please?❞
❝You already have me, malysh.❞ — 🤧
4) ❝Marry me,❞ he says, ❝and I’ll stop the war.❞ — ugh brb 😭
Ratings .𖥔 ݁ ˖
Broken Whispers (Mikhail & Bianca) – 4 stars
Hidden Truths (Sergei & Angelina) – 1 star
Burned Dreams (Az & Ravenna) – 3 stars
Fractured Souls (Pavel & Asya) – 3.5 stars
Silent Lies (Drago & Sienna) – 3.75 stars
➳ Mafia Romance Worth Every Page
Why does this book have such a low rating when it's so freaking good? 😭 I've been craving a good mafia book with possessive scenes and balanced relationship dynamics, and this book DELIVERED!
Nina Grey/Petrova .𖥔 ݁ ˖
⤷ Forget the damsel in distress, Nina is a firecracker! 🤭 she's full of sass & vibrant personality, that she lights up every scene she's in. Her corny jokes and sass keep Roman on his toes, making their interactions pure gold. i just love her! ✋🏻🥺
Roman Petrov .𖥔 ݁ ˖
⤷ a mafia Pakhan on crutches was unexpected, But it doesn't overshadow the story. Roman's personality, mixed with Nina's antics, creates magic! Roman's blend of possessiveness and soft-heartedness is swoon-worthy. His obsession with Nina leads to the cutest moments, he cares for her sm 🥹
➳ giggling-screaming-crying-me n who moments .𖥔 ݁ ˖
1) ❝Are you trying to manipulate me?❞
❝Yes.❞ Another kiss, this time on the other side of his jaw. ❝Is it working?❞
❝Maybe.❞ — 😭💕😩
2) ❝You are my wife. Hurting you would mean hurting me.❞ — 🥹🧎♀️
3) ❝The only thing I want is you. Can I have you, please?❞
❝You already have me, malysh.❞ — 🤧
4) ❝Marry me,❞ he says, ❝and I’ll stop the war.❞ — ugh brb 😭
Ratings .𖥔 ݁ ˖
Broken Whispers (Mikhail & Bianca) – 4 stars
Hidden Truths (Sergei & Angelina) – 1 star
Burned Dreams (Az & Ravenna) – 3 stars
Fractured Souls (Pavel & Asya) – 3.5 stars
Silent Lies (Drago & Sienna) – 3.75 stars
September 8, 2022
3 Staking Your Claim Stars ⭐
If you want a milder take on the whole mafia romance trope you would probably like this. Painted Scars was easy to read, low drama and humorous in parts. My feelings are mixed.
Pakhan mafia boss Roman needs a wife and Nina needs her dad not to be killed for taking money from the Russian Bratva. I guess it’s a win, win. It was meant to be a six-month contract except Roman is smitten by his kooky wife and Nina is charmed by the not so scary bossman.
I stare at him and laugh. “Man, I did good. I’m such a gold digger. My mom will be really happy when she hears.”
“Why?”
“She’s always advised me to marry well, among other things. I guess I can cross that one off the list.”
“And what are the other things.”
“Get a degree in economics. Not to bite my nails. Die my hair blonde.”
You know when a book isn’t brilliant but you’re happily reading along because your brain is chilled and there are worse things you could be doing? It’s just that the actual storyline was light on depth, cute in parts and the sex scenes lackluster. Strangely enough, I think I’ll read the next one…
If you want a milder take on the whole mafia romance trope you would probably like this. Painted Scars was easy to read, low drama and humorous in parts. My feelings are mixed.
Pakhan mafia boss Roman needs a wife and Nina needs her dad not to be killed for taking money from the Russian Bratva. I guess it’s a win, win. It was meant to be a six-month contract except Roman is smitten by his kooky wife and Nina is charmed by the not so scary bossman.
I stare at him and laugh. “Man, I did good. I’m such a gold digger. My mom will be really happy when she hears.”
“Why?”
“She’s always advised me to marry well, among other things. I guess I can cross that one off the list.”
“And what are the other things.”
“Get a degree in economics. Not to bite my nails. Die my hair blonde.”
You know when a book isn’t brilliant but you’re happily reading along because your brain is chilled and there are worse things you could be doing? It’s just that the actual storyline was light on depth, cute in parts and the sex scenes lackluster. Strangely enough, I think I’ll read the next one…
May 24, 2025
What was that? I was enjoying the first half of the book and then… nothing really happened 😭 it got Nina days to fall in love with roman after he blackmailed her to marry him😆the plot was about bombed roman's car, roman already knew who bombed it🙃 there was no tension and no plot and I felt like everything is rushed idk😭
pre-read✨
my first dark romance 🙈 I usually don't read dark romance( i'm not counting the mindfuck as a dark romance👀) so i hope i like this
pre-read✨
my first dark romance 🙈 I usually don't read dark romance( i'm not counting the mindfuck as a dark romance👀) so i hope i like this
December 21, 2024
4 ⭐
OMG??? I LOVED THE BOOK TOO MUCH 🥹
OMG??? I LOVED THE BOOK TOO MUCH 🥹
September 29, 2024
Reading this felt like the author was tired and wanted to go to bed 🫣 I love mafia books but this was so underwhelming.
April 24, 2023
Had I known how this author was a full blown plagiarist I would have never picked this book up, but seeing how I pretty much hated it anyways I figured why not review it 🤩
This gave nothing. It felt 2D in a way? I'm not sure if this makes sense to you guys, but it makes sense in my head so boom.
The characters? Flat.
The story/plot? What's that?
The smut? ... Two words: middle schooler.
This girl was coming after TWO thrusts and no foreplay... like get me whatever orgasm creating crack she is on please.
This is a no for me.
This gave nothing. It felt 2D in a way? I'm not sure if this makes sense to you guys, but it makes sense in my head so boom.
The characters? Flat.
The story/plot? What's that?
The smut? ... Two words: middle schooler.
This girl was coming after TWO thrusts and no foreplay... like get me whatever orgasm creating crack she is on please.
This is a no for me.
June 7, 2022
4 💘💘💘💘🌟s❣️
The first thing you need to know is that Painted Scars is a very light mafia romance read (MRR 101). It was more focused on the element of romance rather than the mafia. The only ‘dark’ feature in this book was the cover, which was amazing!!
So, this debut brought such a huge smile on my face since I enjoyed it so much!!!!
Roman and Nina were in an unexpected six-months arranged marriage situation, to their knowledge, without having hostile feelings for each other.
Roman needed to be wed as to not be shown as a weak Bratva Pakhan since he was in a wheelchair after an attempted murder against him.
Nina’s father embezzled 3 million dollars from Bratva and his daughter was the best candidate for the bride position. Besides, she was great in mimicking other characters which meant she could very well act as a happy wife.
Despite any differences or situations occurred, they worked very well together and supported one another.
Roman was grumpy and reserved but with Nina was a different character. More compassionate and giving person.
They had a wonderful chemistry and their connection was developed effortlessly. They made a fantastic couple!!! I wish it was longer!!!
The secondary characters were interesting as well and I am anticipating for their stories to follow!!
The first thing you need to know is that Painted Scars is a very light mafia romance read (MRR 101). It was more focused on the element of romance rather than the mafia. The only ‘dark’ feature in this book was the cover, which was amazing!!
So, this debut brought such a huge smile on my face since I enjoyed it so much!!!!
Roman and Nina were in an unexpected six-months arranged marriage situation, to their knowledge, without having hostile feelings for each other.
Roman needed to be wed as to not be shown as a weak Bratva Pakhan since he was in a wheelchair after an attempted murder against him.
Nina’s father embezzled 3 million dollars from Bratva and his daughter was the best candidate for the bride position. Besides, she was great in mimicking other characters which meant she could very well act as a happy wife.
Despite any differences or situations occurred, they worked very well together and supported one another.
Roman was grumpy and reserved but with Nina was a different character. More compassionate and giving person.
They had a wonderful chemistry and their connection was developed effortlessly. They made a fantastic couple!!! I wish it was longer!!!
The secondary characters were interesting as well and I am anticipating for their stories to follow!!
July 23, 2024
[1.9⭐] 𝘾𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙨: 𝙈𝙖𝙛𝙞𝙖 𝙍𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 es una novela de amor escrita por Neva Altaj. La historia está narrada desde dos puntos de vista: el de Roman y el de Nina. Roman es uno de los líderes de la mafia rusa (el Pakhan de la Bratva rusa) y se ve obligado a fingir que está casado con Nina para no perder el respeto de su gente.
Sabía que la novela no sería del todo buena, pero de todos modos le quise dar una oportunidad porque me gustan las historias de mafiosos. Si tuviera que ponerle etiquetas, diría que es dark romance, fake dating y he falls first. Eso sí, advierto que no es una novela tan oscura en comparación a otras que he leído; aquí se prioriza mucho más el amor, así que podría ser un buen inicio para alguien que nunca ha leído dark romance.
Cuando lees este tipo de historias, esperas que las escenas sexuales sean formidables (ni siquiera pides que la trama sea buena porque sabes que será plana y evidente), pero esto no sucede aquí. La primera escena sexual es deprimente; hasta pensé que había sido un sueño de la protagonista por lo rápida y triste que fue. El sexo fue muy abrupto y no tenía coherencia con la narración: la chica solo fue a buscar el teléfono y, de la nada, empiezan a tener sexo muy rápido siendo que era la primera vez.
De igual manera, hay momentos en los que sentí que la autora no lograba crear bien el ambiente y que su historia carecía de coherencia. Por ejemplo, cuando la protagonista le pregunta a un guardaespaldas en cuál boutique iban a comprar y este responde: "Roman dijo que en la más cara. No presté atención al nombre." Sentí que ese diálogo era muy soso y absurdo; hubiese quedado mejor si el guardaespaldas decía un nombre y la protagonista mencionara que era la boutique más cara.
También, tengo que advertir que esta historia puede causar mucho cringe. Le mandé un extracto por WhatsApp a mis amigos y hasta lo subí en una historia de Instagram. El resultado fue una ola de carcajadas y burlas de mis amistades (hasta el día de hoy algunos me dicen "oye, gata salvaje"). A continuación, dejo el extracto: “Necesito que digas que sí. No hay manera en que pueda pasar una noche más sin mi gata salvaje, acurrucada a mi lado. Se llevó mi negro corazón con ella el día que se marchó, y si dice que no, puede quedárselo. De todos modos, no podré estar con nadie más.” Se supone que esa escena era triste, pero lo único que ocasiona es risa y rechazo por parte del lector. Pienso que esos apodos habrían sido mejor a la hora de crear un ambiente sexual (cosa que la autora nunca logra: siempre son escenas sexuales abruptas y que duran un miserable párrafo sin coqueteo previo).
Luego, hay pequeños tecnicismos como el hecho de que hay palabras mal traducidas del ruso. Aunque no culpo a la escritora, ya que seguramente no habla ruso y terminó optando por usar Google Traductor. En mi caso, sí hablo algo de ruso (tomé clases y el marido de mi hermana es ruso), así que no fue una grata experiencia ver palabras que no coincidían muy bien.
Finalmente, puedo decir que 𝘾𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙨: 𝙈𝙖𝙛𝙞𝙖 𝙍𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 es una novela muy rápida de leer y básica. Si quieres algo fácil, rápido, ligero y de mafiosos, esta es tu historia. Si quieres un romance de mafiosos más oscuro y con buenas escenas sexuales, esta no es tu novela. Por desgracia, yo formo parte del segundo grupo y es por eso que no me gustó; le tenía más fe. Aunque, tal y como dije al inicio, si nunca has leído dark romance, este libro es una buena opción para comenzar.
Sabía que la novela no sería del todo buena, pero de todos modos le quise dar una oportunidad porque me gustan las historias de mafiosos. Si tuviera que ponerle etiquetas, diría que es dark romance, fake dating y he falls first. Eso sí, advierto que no es una novela tan oscura en comparación a otras que he leído; aquí se prioriza mucho más el amor, así que podría ser un buen inicio para alguien que nunca ha leído dark romance.
Cuando lees este tipo de historias, esperas que las escenas sexuales sean formidables (ni siquiera pides que la trama sea buena porque sabes que será plana y evidente), pero esto no sucede aquí. La primera escena sexual es deprimente; hasta pensé que había sido un sueño de la protagonista por lo rápida y triste que fue. El sexo fue muy abrupto y no tenía coherencia con la narración: la chica solo fue a buscar el teléfono y, de la nada, empiezan a tener sexo muy rápido siendo que era la primera vez.
De igual manera, hay momentos en los que sentí que la autora no lograba crear bien el ambiente y que su historia carecía de coherencia. Por ejemplo, cuando la protagonista le pregunta a un guardaespaldas en cuál boutique iban a comprar y este responde: "Roman dijo que en la más cara. No presté atención al nombre." Sentí que ese diálogo era muy soso y absurdo; hubiese quedado mejor si el guardaespaldas decía un nombre y la protagonista mencionara que era la boutique más cara.
También, tengo que advertir que esta historia puede causar mucho cringe. Le mandé un extracto por WhatsApp a mis amigos y hasta lo subí en una historia de Instagram. El resultado fue una ola de carcajadas y burlas de mis amistades (hasta el día de hoy algunos me dicen "oye, gata salvaje"). A continuación, dejo el extracto: “Necesito que digas que sí. No hay manera en que pueda pasar una noche más sin mi gata salvaje, acurrucada a mi lado. Se llevó mi negro corazón con ella el día que se marchó, y si dice que no, puede quedárselo. De todos modos, no podré estar con nadie más.” Se supone que esa escena era triste, pero lo único que ocasiona es risa y rechazo por parte del lector. Pienso que esos apodos habrían sido mejor a la hora de crear un ambiente sexual (cosa que la autora nunca logra: siempre son escenas sexuales abruptas y que duran un miserable párrafo sin coqueteo previo).
Luego, hay pequeños tecnicismos como el hecho de que hay palabras mal traducidas del ruso. Aunque no culpo a la escritora, ya que seguramente no habla ruso y terminó optando por usar Google Traductor. En mi caso, sí hablo algo de ruso (tomé clases y el marido de mi hermana es ruso), así que no fue una grata experiencia ver palabras que no coincidían muy bien.
Finalmente, puedo decir que 𝘾𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙨: 𝙈𝙖𝙛𝙞𝙖 𝙍𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 es una novela muy rápida de leer y básica. Si quieres algo fácil, rápido, ligero y de mafiosos, esta es tu historia. Si quieres un romance de mafiosos más oscuro y con buenas escenas sexuales, esta no es tu novela. Por desgracia, yo formo parte del segundo grupo y es por eso que no me gustó; le tenía más fe. Aunque, tal y como dije al inicio, si nunca has leído dark romance, este libro es una buena opción para comenzar.
December 16, 2022
The only good thing about this book is Brando, the Chihuahua, because dogs make everything better.
June 16, 2025
This took me like more than 4 months, 20 dnf's, and a whole lot of brain cells to finish, but I did it!! I finally did it!! The amount of sheer relief I feel is literally unexplainable. Now, my thoughts on this book though on the other hand is another story. If you liked this book, maybe sit this review out, don't tell me I didn't warn you. 🤷♀️
This reminded me of that one hindi song I would see reels to all the time on instagram a couple months ago and I was like "here we go again" when that one guy started dancing to it (PLEASE tell me someone knows what I am taking about 🙏). This was basically the same for me, experience-wise. The one line from this book "Marry me and I'll stop the war" is a literal joke, although it's the one line I see on instagram from this book. Anyways, apparently, the series gets better, so I will be investigating that for myself.
in case you missed it, Nina is tiny, case in point:
Nina says "i'm so tiny" 🥺
Roman says "she's so tiny" 😩
stfu, I get it. 🤡
Media, especially literature these days, portray women to be of two kinds: tiny or plus-size. And I have my problems with both portrayals, because when a woman "is" either tiny or plus-size (not saying it isn't possible irl), it gets shoved down our throats that they are a certain size to the point that this woman's personality is developed around it. Why can't women just be shown normally without an abnormal emphasis on their physical description when it comes to their size? This is why some woman have body-image issues. Mainstream media shows woman to be of two kinds and that if they don't fit the tiny body standard, they are not "pretty" by that atrocious social standard when in fact every woman is beautiful in her own way. I pray for a day when no woman has to deal with body image problems because people in public will mind their own damn business and media will stop with this "one body type for woman" idolization.
Their relationship veered between instalove and just plain old lust. I have no clue, but them falling in love is the question of the decade haha. However, him calling her malysh was kinda cute. 😔
All that aside, I was going to rate this a 1, but there were some things I liked so 1.5 rounded up to 2. And as I said above, I will still be reading the rest of the series because I have them all on kindle and I'm just crazy like that (ik, y'all are going to side eye me for this haha).
Broken Whispers
-------
pre-read: well, I've been "reading" this book since March and I haven't finished yet, hopefully this motivates me. 😒
This reminded me of that one hindi song I would see reels to all the time on instagram a couple months ago and I was like "here we go again" when that one guy started dancing to it (PLEASE tell me someone knows what I am taking about 🙏). This was basically the same for me, experience-wise. The one line from this book "Marry me and I'll stop the war" is a literal joke, although it's the one line I see on instagram from this book. Anyways, apparently, the series gets better, so I will be investigating that for myself.
in case you missed it, Nina is tiny, case in point:
Nina says "i'm so tiny" 🥺
Roman says "she's so tiny" 😩
stfu, I get it. 🤡
Media, especially literature these days, portray women to be of two kinds: tiny or plus-size. And I have my problems with both portrayals, because when a woman "is" either tiny or plus-size (not saying it isn't possible irl), it gets shoved down our throats that they are a certain size to the point that this woman's personality is developed around it. Why can't women just be shown normally without an abnormal emphasis on their physical description when it comes to their size? This is why some woman have body-image issues. Mainstream media shows woman to be of two kinds and that if they don't fit the tiny body standard, they are not "pretty" by that atrocious social standard when in fact every woman is beautiful in her own way. I pray for a day when no woman has to deal with body image problems because people in public will mind their own damn business and media will stop with this "one body type for woman" idolization.
Their relationship veered between instalove and just plain old lust. I have no clue, but them falling in love is the question of the decade haha. However, him calling her malysh was kinda cute. 😔
All that aside, I was going to rate this a 1, but there were some things I liked so 1.5 rounded up to 2. And as I said above, I will still be reading the rest of the series because I have them all on kindle and I'm just crazy like that (ik, y'all are going to side eye me for this haha).
Broken Whispers
-------
pre-read: well, I've been "reading" this book since March and I haven't finished yet, hopefully this motivates me. 😒
August 12, 2022
Wattpad-esque with a few redeeming qualities
1.75/5
Boring, no depth, not much in the way of character development. Spice is usually one to three paragraphs (so no, the book is NOT full of heat).
Plot was meh. Execution was meh.
Nina was interesting and different, I'll give her that. But that doesn't make up for how superficial this book was.
Roman was static and just blah.
Honestly, I only kept reading for Nina. Otherwise I would have DNF'd.
The "tropes" were there, but in a typical Wattpad fashion. All telling, no showing.
Look, I like Wattpad as much as the next person, but this book was marketed very differently than how it actually is. That's my issue with it.
1.75/5
Boring, no depth, not much in the way of character development. Spice is usually one to three paragraphs (so no, the book is NOT full of heat).
Plot was meh. Execution was meh.
Nina was interesting and different, I'll give her that. But that doesn't make up for how superficial this book was.
Roman was static and just blah.
Honestly, I only kept reading for Nina. Otherwise I would have DNF'd.
The "tropes" were there, but in a typical Wattpad fashion. All telling, no showing.
Look, I like Wattpad as much as the next person, but this book was marketed very differently than how it actually is. That's my issue with it.
June 11, 2025
the plot : “i’m so small.”
the writing : “i’m so small.”
the romance : “i’m so small.”
the writing : “i’m so small.”
the romance : “i’m so small.”
January 12, 2026
⋆˙⟡ 3 ⭐️ disclaimer before we begin: this book is 240 pages. that’s not a critique, that’s a fact.
this is a quick, easy, no-thoughts-just-vibes kind of read. comparing it to a 500-page book feels like comparing a snack to a three-course meal - wildly unfair. it is, however, the perfect palate cleanser.
is it insta-lusty? yes - it’s 240 pages. what do you expect?
is it a bit shallow with a bare minimum plot? please see above.
short books can be phenomenal, slow-burn, emotionally devastating works of art. i just don’t assume that’s what i’m getting when i pick up something this short. i came here for speed, not depth.
and on that front? it delivered. i was entertained the entire time. nina is an absolute menace in the best way. the “shallow wife” persona alone was worth the read. she had personality, chaos, and commitment.
roman is your standard issue russian bratva man™ - attractive, dangerous, morally questionable; tick, tick, tick - which is already doing a lot of the work for me. roman is also bound to a wheelchair for the majority of the book which is a unique take on a ruthless russian pakhan. but beyond that? roman is not particularly memorable. not bad - just another mafia man in the lineup. i won’t be thinking about him in six months, and that’s okay.
did it change my life? no. did it do its job? well enough.
⋆˙⟡ pre read → it's day eight and i'm already rebelling against my 2026 tbr ✌️oops?
this is a quick, easy, no-thoughts-just-vibes kind of read. comparing it to a 500-page book feels like comparing a snack to a three-course meal - wildly unfair. it is, however, the perfect palate cleanser.
is it insta-lusty? yes - it’s 240 pages. what do you expect?
is it a bit shallow with a bare minimum plot? please see above.
short books can be phenomenal, slow-burn, emotionally devastating works of art. i just don’t assume that’s what i’m getting when i pick up something this short. i came here for speed, not depth.
and on that front? it delivered. i was entertained the entire time. nina is an absolute menace in the best way. the “shallow wife” persona alone was worth the read. she had personality, chaos, and commitment.
roman is your standard issue russian bratva man™ - attractive, dangerous, morally questionable; tick, tick, tick - which is already doing a lot of the work for me. roman is also bound to a wheelchair for the majority of the book which is a unique take on a ruthless russian pakhan. but beyond that? roman is not particularly memorable. not bad - just another mafia man in the lineup. i won’t be thinking about him in six months, and that’s okay.
did it change my life? no. did it do its job? well enough.
⋆˙⟡ pre read → it's day eight and i'm already rebelling against my 2026 tbr ✌️oops?
June 28, 2024
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾. rant with me
dnf at 70%
if i had sleep paralysis, the ongoing scene of it would be someone forcing me to remember the quotes from this book
holding my tears back as i write this piece of information
just need a moment you know (blows out a breath)
what tf was this besties bc bfr with me rn be serious for one second
i don’t even know where to start with this one 😭 the writing was awful i can’t for the life of me describe it it was just so superficial and shallow
the characters? zero thoughts in their little heads (and i mean that literally bc inner monologue? non existent)
the romance? insta love at it’s finest with really bad cheesy conversations and out of the blue declarations
the plot? great questions let me know when you figure that out bc that whole “who exploded me?” was not quite working for me
my expectations were loooooooow (especially since i’m not a fan of mafia romance) but god did she manage to surprise me with her book matter of fact she scarred me for life that’s for sure
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾. pre-reading
everyone look the other way real quick rn please i beg you don’t make me walk shame this one girlies 😫
“but maya you have like two unfinished books to read and twenty non existent reviews you promised to write and oh don’t you forget about your final exams coming soon”
at the end of the day you know what they say: out of sight out of mind 😌🕯️✨
dnf at 70%
if i had sleep paralysis, the ongoing scene of it would be someone forcing me to remember the quotes from this book
holding my tears back as i write this piece of information
just need a moment you know (blows out a breath)
what tf was this besties bc bfr with me rn be serious for one second
i don’t even know where to start with this one 😭 the writing was awful i can’t for the life of me describe it it was just so superficial and shallow
the characters? zero thoughts in their little heads (and i mean that literally bc inner monologue? non existent)
the romance? insta love at it’s finest with really bad cheesy conversations and out of the blue declarations
the plot? great questions let me know when you figure that out bc that whole “who exploded me?” was not quite working for me
my expectations were loooooooow (especially since i’m not a fan of mafia romance) but god did she manage to surprise me with her book matter of fact she scarred me for life that’s for sure
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾. pre-reading
everyone look the other way real quick rn please i beg you don’t make me walk shame this one girlies 😫
“but maya you have like two unfinished books to read and twenty non existent reviews you promised to write and oh don’t you forget about your final exams coming soon”
at the end of the day you know what they say: out of sight out of mind 😌🕯️✨
![Profile Image for vanessa ⋆.☕︎ [semiᝰia].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1769249405i%2F166547387._UX200_CR0%2C24%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
September 11, 2025
Rating: 3 stars.
“You will end this fucking war you have started, you hear me? I don’t care how you do it, but end it, or so help me God, I’m going to kill you myself.”
“Marry me,” he says, “and I’ll stop the war.” My mount dropped to the freaking floor when I read this.
This wasn’t anything mind-blowing, but it did exactly what I needed it to: it entertained me enough to keep flipping the pages without thinking too hard. You know that kind of book where it’s not brilliant, but it’s easy and fun to read, and your brain is just on cruise control? That was the vibe here, and honestly, I didn’t mind it. One thing I really appreciated was that the author didn’t turn the FMC into some spineless puppet who blindly accepts everything from the MMC just because it’s labeled “dark romance.” That’s a trope that usually makes me roll my eyes, so I was glad it didn’t go there.
That being said, the actual storyline was pretty light on depth. It had some cute moments, but overall it gave me strong wattpady vibes, quick drama, fast pacing, and not a ton of layers. The romance itself felt super rushed, and while I usually hate insta-love, I was more forgiving here since it was a shorter read. It wasn’t groundbreaking, but it wasn’t painful either. Strangely enough, despite my complaints, I already know I’ll pick up the next one.
💬 pre-view:
“She fakes devotion; I demand surrender.”
⋆.˚🦢⋆ I’ve wanted to read this series for SO long, but honestly? I was low-key terrified I wouldn’t vibe with it and end up disappointed. But here I am—finally giving it a shot—and I’m so excited (and a little nervous) to dive in. From the blurb alone, I already know this story is going to be everything: dark, dangerous, and addictive.
🎐 Nina is stuck in a marriage she didn’t choose, faking the role of the perfect Bratva wife, while Roman, charming, ruthless, terrifyingly magnetic, is watching her every move. He sees through her little act, and instead of letting her go, he just wants her more. I’m expecting pure tension, fear tangled with desire, and that intoxicating push and pull between two people who can’t escape each other. Fingers crossed this lives up to the hype I built in my head, because if it does… I already know I’ll be obsessed.
The Vibes?
MESS and CHAOS…
So it’s forced Marriage… yeah, don’t tell me again; I am already SAT. 🪑
“You will end this fucking war you have started, you hear me? I don’t care how you do it, but end it, or so help me God, I’m going to kill you myself.”
“Marry me,” he says, “and I’ll stop the war.” My mount dropped to the freaking floor when I read this.
This wasn’t anything mind-blowing, but it did exactly what I needed it to: it entertained me enough to keep flipping the pages without thinking too hard. You know that kind of book where it’s not brilliant, but it’s easy and fun to read, and your brain is just on cruise control? That was the vibe here, and honestly, I didn’t mind it. One thing I really appreciated was that the author didn’t turn the FMC into some spineless puppet who blindly accepts everything from the MMC just because it’s labeled “dark romance.” That’s a trope that usually makes me roll my eyes, so I was glad it didn’t go there.
That being said, the actual storyline was pretty light on depth. It had some cute moments, but overall it gave me strong wattpady vibes, quick drama, fast pacing, and not a ton of layers. The romance itself felt super rushed, and while I usually hate insta-love, I was more forgiving here since it was a shorter read. It wasn’t groundbreaking, but it wasn’t painful either. Strangely enough, despite my complaints, I already know I’ll pick up the next one.
💬 pre-view:
“She fakes devotion; I demand surrender.”
⋆.˚🦢⋆ I’ve wanted to read this series for SO long, but honestly? I was low-key terrified I wouldn’t vibe with it and end up disappointed. But here I am—finally giving it a shot—and I’m so excited (and a little nervous) to dive in. From the blurb alone, I already know this story is going to be everything: dark, dangerous, and addictive.
🎐 Nina is stuck in a marriage she didn’t choose, faking the role of the perfect Bratva wife, while Roman, charming, ruthless, terrifyingly magnetic, is watching her every move. He sees through her little act, and instead of letting her go, he just wants her more. I’m expecting pure tension, fear tangled with desire, and that intoxicating push and pull between two people who can’t escape each other. Fingers crossed this lives up to the hype I built in my head, because if it does… I already know I’ll be obsessed.
The Vibes?
MESS and CHAOS…
So it’s forced Marriage… yeah, don’t tell me again; I am already SAT. 🪑
June 27, 2024
“Marry me,” he says, “and I’ll stop the war.”
4.5 ✮
a whole year later, and this scene still has me in a chokehold. I love them so much omg 🙈🙈
it’s a dark romance but why was it actually so adorable?!?!
4.5 ✮
a whole year later, and this scene still has me in a chokehold. I love them so much omg 🙈🙈
it’s a dark romance but why was it actually so adorable?!?!
September 21, 2025
જ⁀➴ 𝟒.𝟎𝟎₊˚⊹🖤 𝟘𝟡/𝟚𝟘/𝟚𝟝—𝟘𝟡/𝟚𝟘/𝟚𝟝
this was SO much fun and such an easy, addictive read!! was it anything super unique? no. but i’m so excited to read the rest of the series and definitely HOOKED!! 👀
nina was such an iconic fmc and the way she had this man wrapped around her finger in a week was so iconic!! roman was also top tier and seeing them interact was so fun!! the plot-line about them both feeling “broken” but together seeing the other one as perfect was adorable 🥺!!
for it only being 200(ish) pages, it was a pretty developed story!! the start was so strong and addictive—near the last quarter it did fall a bit too much into insta-love for me, but the ending angst was SO good!!
overall, a quick, mafia read to read in a sitting!! so excited to read the rest of this series!!
𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: 𝟒.𝟎𝟎 🖤
𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒍𝒕: 𝟒.𝟎𝟎
╰┈➤ what to expect!!!
🖤fake marriage to pay a debt
🎨grumpy x sunshine
🖤third-act breakup
🎨russian mafia MMC
🖤possessive hero
🎨iconic/hilarious FMC
₊˚⊹ ᰔ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝:
should i stick to my physical tbr and stop reading books on my kindle? absolutely! but this series looks so interesting and i haven’t read a dark romance in a while so here we go 👀
(and this series is 10+ books long and i would love to find a long series to fall in love with)!
this was SO much fun and such an easy, addictive read!! was it anything super unique? no. but i’m so excited to read the rest of the series and definitely HOOKED!! 👀
nina was such an iconic fmc and the way she had this man wrapped around her finger in a week was so iconic!! roman was also top tier and seeing them interact was so fun!! the plot-line about them both feeling “broken” but together seeing the other one as perfect was adorable 🥺!!
for it only being 200(ish) pages, it was a pretty developed story!! the start was so strong and addictive—near the last quarter it did fall a bit too much into insta-love for me, but the ending angst was SO good!!
overall, a quick, mafia read to read in a sitting!! so excited to read the rest of this series!!
𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: 𝟒.𝟎𝟎 🖤
𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒍𝒕: 𝟒.𝟎𝟎
╰┈➤ what to expect!!!
🖤fake marriage to pay a debt
🎨grumpy x sunshine
🖤third-act breakup
🎨russian mafia MMC
🖤possessive hero
🎨iconic/hilarious FMC
₊˚⊹ ᰔ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝:
should i stick to my physical tbr and stop reading books on my kindle? absolutely! but this series looks so interesting and i haven’t read a dark romance in a while so here we go 👀
(and this series is 10+ books long and i would love to find a long series to fall in love with)!
March 30, 2023
Update - Çevirisini yaptığım için tekrardan bitirmiş oldum. Bir kez daha okuyacağım, bu sefer hepinizden önce Türkçe olarak okuyacağım :) Yine çok keyif alarak okudum :)
Gerçekten çok severek okudum.
Karakterler nefisti nefis.
1 yıldızı nereden kırdığımı yazacağım sonunda.
Erkek karakterimiz bir saldırı sonucunda dizinden yaralanmış ve 8 aydır tekerlekli sandalyeye mahkum olan bir mafya babası. Rus. Durumundan dolayı da acilen evlenmesi gerektiğini söylüyor sağ kolu. Kendisinden para çalan bir adam var, onu öldürtecekken oyunculuk becerisi iyi olan ressam bir kızı olduğunu öğreniyor ve rol icabı 6 aylığına evlenmesini söylüyor.
Kızımız dediğim gibi bir ressam, tam bir emo gibi falan böyle. Aşırı ufak tefek. Daha önce kendisine uzun ve iri yarı bir adam saldırmış, neredeyse tecavüz edecekmiş, o yüzden uzun adamlardan aşırı korkuyor, panik atak geçiriyor. Kadın karakter bugüne kadar okuduğum en taşşaklı 10 kadın karakter arasına girer :))
Adam, adamlarına kadın odaya girdiğinde oturmalarını falan söylüyor, kadının yanında koruma gönderecekse hep daha kısa olanları falan gönderiyor.. Swoooonnnn....
Sadece entrikası çok azdı, bu klasik birbirini yanlış anlamalar, bilmem neler yoktu. 1 puanı oradan kırdım :D
Gerçekten çok severek okudum.
Karakterler nefisti nefis.
1 yıldızı nereden kırdığımı yazacağım sonunda.
Erkek karakterimiz bir saldırı sonucunda dizinden yaralanmış ve 8 aydır tekerlekli sandalyeye mahkum olan bir mafya babası. Rus. Durumundan dolayı da acilen evlenmesi gerektiğini söylüyor sağ kolu. Kendisinden para çalan bir adam var, onu öldürtecekken oyunculuk becerisi iyi olan ressam bir kızı olduğunu öğreniyor ve rol icabı 6 aylığına evlenmesini söylüyor.
Kızımız dediğim gibi bir ressam, tam bir emo gibi falan böyle. Aşırı ufak tefek. Daha önce kendisine uzun ve iri yarı bir adam saldırmış, neredeyse tecavüz edecekmiş, o yüzden uzun adamlardan aşırı korkuyor, panik atak geçiriyor. Kadın karakter bugüne kadar okuduğum en taşşaklı 10 kadın karakter arasına girer :))
Adam, adamlarına kadın odaya girdiğinde oturmalarını falan söylüyor, kadının yanında koruma gönderecekse hep daha kısa olanları falan gönderiyor.. Swoooonnnn....
Sadece entrikası çok azdı, bu klasik birbirini yanlış anlamalar, bilmem neler yoktu. 1 puanı oradan kırdım :D
July 15, 2023
OKAY, LIKE I HATED THE FEMALE CHARACTER. But I loved the male character. Why is she getting upset bcs he killed someone who hurt her...I could never. Man, I would get on my knees and thank him.
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