Ruthless Saints

The Saints #3

by Michelle Heard, Gomez Pugh (Narrator), Alyssa Avery (Narrator)

I move in the shadow of death. I'm the villain. The monster everyone fears.

I've been born into a life of depravity and ruthlessness. It's kill or be killed. Until her…

The moment she smiles at me, my world changes. I keep coming back. Watching her brings me stolen moments of peace. Until I can't stay away…

She doesn't know who I am, that she's flirting with death. Slowly, we fall deeper until she loves the lies I've told her.

The danger that follows me creeps closer, and the façade I've built comes crashing down around us. Lovers turn to enemies.

But there's no going back for me. I want her. I will have her.

She doesn't have a choice.

From USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author Michelle Heard comes a new standalone, full-length mafia romance novel. Intended for mature listeners.

Genres: Mafia Romance, Dark Romance, Romance, Dark, Contemporary, Adult, Crime

8 pages, Audible Audio

Published October 24, 2023

About the author

Michelle Heard is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon #3 Bestselling romance author.

She writes emotional heart-shattering stories with a whole lot of Mafia & Romance that will leave you smiling with satisfaction. Every book has an unexpected twist that will show the strength of the characters.

Before becoming an author, Michelle had a career in banking. She lives in South Africa with her son, Sheldon, who's also her right-hand man when it comes to all things publishing, and her daughter-in-law, Tayla, who's her best friend.

Reading Order on AMAZON


STANDALONE NOVELS:
***Mafia & Bratva Romance (in order)***

THE SAINTS SERIES:
Merciless Saints - Damien Vetrov
Cruel Saints - Lucian Cotroni
Ruthless Saints - Carson Koslov
Tears of Betrayal - Demitri Vetrov
Tears of Salvation - Alexei Koslov

THE SINNERS SERIES:
Taken By A Sinner - Nikolas Stathoulis
Owned By A Sinner - Liam Byrne
Stolen By A Sinner - Gabriel Demir
Chosen By A Sinner - Luca Cotroni
Captured By A Sinner - Viktor Vetrov


THE CORRUPTED ROYALS SERIES:
Destroy Me - Misha Petrov
Control Me - Nikolai Vetrov
Brutalize Me - Armani De Santis
Restrain Me - Maxim Levin
Possess Me - Alek Aslanhov


SERIES (In Order):

ENEMIES TO LOVERS SERIES:
***College & New Adult Romance***

Heartless - Carter & Della
Reckless - Logan & Mia
Careless - Jaxson & Leigh
Ruthless - Marcus & Willow
Shameless - Rhett & Evie

TRINITY ACADEMY SERIES:
***College Romance***

Falcon - Falcon & Layla
Mason - Mason & Kingsley
Lake - Lake & Lee
Julian - Julian & Jamie
The Epilogue

THE HEIRS:
***College & New Adult Romance***

Coldhearted Heir - Hunter & Jade
Arrogant Heir - Jase & Mila
Defiant Heir - Kao & Fallon
Loyal Heir - Forest & Aria
Callous Heir - Noah & Carla
Sinful Heir - Tristan & Hana
Tempted Heir - Christopher & Dash
Forbidden Heir - Ryker & Danny


SOUTHERN HEROES SERIES:
***Suspense Romance***

The Ocean Between Us – Aiden & Emma
The Girl In The Closet – Cole & Birdie
The Lies We Tell Ourselves – Alec & Reece
All The Wasted Time – Wyatt & Scarlett
We Were Lost – Zac & Chloe


OTHER STANDALONE NOVELS:

Not My Hero - Dark YA Romance

Reviews

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

'RUTHLESS SAINTS' Is a full length, stand-alone, romance book by Michelle Heard. Spoken in 'Dual Perspectives.'

This was the one book I'd been highly anticipating, loving this world this author has created, the intensity of the characters as they strive to take out threats all creates unputdownable reads which I crave and love.

These two were perfect for each other, when her lightness over rides his darkness made for the perfect blend of romance.

The only reason why I'm not giving this one 5 stars, even though I truly enjoyed it was that I expected more from Carson's character, I wanted to see him reining over his enemies more than we did, I needed his story to up the anty with how much of a badass he was, I wanted to see him wreck havoc with bullets flying, a fighting machine, because this is who he is with his line of work. I just needed more, I wanted to see the most darkest side of him.

But overall I did enjoy this, we saw the struggle of Carson trying to be an upstanding citizen living in a small village in the Swiss Alps, living as a hermit, hiding the other side of himself when a girl caught his eye.

Twenty-two year old Hailey was an independent traveller, working as she makes her way around Europe, travelling to places off the beaten track.

As Carson steps into the bar where she works their instantly attracted, he's blinded by her smile, she's piqued by the vibes she gets off him. They came from complete opposite worlds, but together they were perfection.

A slow burn angsty romance..

                  

[❤️Court - Villains Do It Better❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars

Better than the last two in regards to pacing and cheesiness. Still insta love though, and the overly cheesiness is still there, just not as bad 😅. The heroine was annoying AF for awhile tho, and I still think Carson deserves someone better. But I admit, their relationship was still pretty cute, which is why this one gets a higher rating.

Safety: safe

No virgins /manh*es

No cheating

No ow/om drama

Very little detail on their pasts

[Samantha (bookgramsaga reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

''I can't go back to the absolute darkness I need whatever light she has left''

Safety warnings:
- No cheating
- No OW/OM drama
- Violence/torture/kidnapping/death
- Mention of child trafficking
- HEA

SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️

SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️

SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️

SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️

We finally get Carson's book and despite the fact I really enjoyed this one - I felt like something was missing It wasn't my favorite of the series so far and I think it had to do with Hailey and her reaction to a lot of things concerning him but at the same time I cannot fault her. It most likely has to do with the fact she is the only FMC so far that is NOT part of the world the MMC lives in, and she was just an ordinary girl travelling that stumbled upon it.

I did enjoy how possessive and protective Carson was towards her. He definitely was OTT at times and a bit stalkerish lol He decides to keep his life a secret from her, and this causes massive issues later on when she finds out in the WORST way possible. He kept delaying the ''talk'' aka telling her I'm an assassin. I get his reasoning for it, he feared she would be scared and run away. Once she does find out, she cannot process the idea that she allowed a killer in her bed and that causes a huge divide between them.

Something that was hard to read was the torture scene. Hailey gets kidnapped along with Carson by his enemies and in order to break Carson they decide to torture Hailey (waterboarding) and he acts indifferent about it and barely looks at her. We can see in his POV during this scene where he admits that if he shows an OUNCE of affection or care they will do much worse to her and possibly kill her, so he has to be numb. Hailey however sees this as him not giving a shit about her and goes through hell about it.

I also was hoping at after the epilogue where it's 5 years later we would see them get married or have a baby but neither of those things occurred, so it made me sad...they are still very much in love and together, but I wanted a conclusion like we have had with the other couples.

[Nadine Bookaholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

RUTHLESS SAINTS is the newest release in Michelle Heard's Mafia World, this is Carson Koslov's story. Carson is an Assassin and he has just completed a job when he heads to his home in Switzerland where he meets Hailey, the new bartender in the local pub. Now picture this big bad Russian Mobster, assassin for hire, who is as quiet as a church mouse, falling for the sweet, outgoing, yet a bit naive Hailey. Doesn't seem likely because they are sooo opposite but I think that is exactly what makes this story work so well.

This story takes us on a high suspense rollercoaster ride trough some of Europe's most beautiful countries, but it doesn't stop there! Carson and Hailey have great chemistry and they have you rooting for them right from the start even when things aren't looking so good, you're cheering them on.

This book can be read as a complete standalone, you do not need to read any of the other books in the Mafia World that Michelle Heard is creating to enjoy this story. If you enjoy Bad Boy / Good Girl Romances, Mafia Romances, or Steamy Romantic Suspense reads this book is for you.

Happy Reading!!!

Find out more here: http://bit.ly/NBReviewRS




**I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, Nadine's Obsessed with Books**
I also preordered a copy of this book
You can find me here:  https://linktr.ee/NadineBookaholic

[leeissearchingforfmcswithbackbones · Rating 1 out of 5]

Two Stars. One for the cover. One for the fonts.

I retract my stars. The audacity of this dumb bimbo. Well i am pissed because of this.

The H asked her whether bad people like flesh peddler, rapists etc should be alive or not/deserved killing or not. Anddddd this dumb little twat of heroine said ‘even if they bad it doesn’t mean they deserved to be killed’

Oh honey. Please go drown yourself in a lake. Not nope. Considering that you are free spirited with full of fucking light. Make it a volcano. Honestly this is the most boring book that MH ever wrote.

And honestly this heroine deserve a shelve of her own ‘candidates for volcano drowning’

[Sentranced Jem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excuse me but where can I find a Carson Koslov for myself?
This slow burn romance killed me. The chemistry between Hailey and Carson made me restless( in a good way).
Hailey and Carson’s story in Ruthless Saints is dangerous and dramatic in suspenseful, thrilling way. It is emotional at times, surprisingly sweet, but with that being said, it is dark in the best mafia romance kind of way.

Carson..I don’t know I love him. He’s cold yet his stealthily ruthlessly just got me glued to him. His protectiveness? Sigh *heart eyes*

I devoured Ruthless Saints. It felt like I blinked and the book was already over.
I am really enjoying the St. Monarch’s Academy series so much.

[SCBookAddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y'all! Carson Koslov just stole my heart from his brother, Alexei! I wasn't expecting to fall in love with him like that, but I did! I highly recommend Ruthless Saints!

I don't want to give anything away because I feel this story would be enjoyed best by going in blind. Just know that this book gave me ALL the feels!

It's emotional, it's intense, it's heartbreaking at times but it's also what makes it SO freaking good!

The anguish felt by both characters just bleeds from the pages.

I have been a fan of this world from the beginning and each story just solidifies my love for these characters, this world and this author! The characters are connected but the stories are not. Each are complete standalones and can be read on their own and won't leave you feeling like you're missing out on something.

[Sophie Ruthven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing book by this talented author. This is shaping up to be her best series yet, and that's saying a lot since I enjoy most books by her.
Although it was mostly a dark book, I found myself smiling a lot in this one, and loved seeing the different side of the assassins than we've seen in other books. Hailey made that happen, having a different view on the way the world, especially theirs is.
Couldn't look away from the first page till the last so yet again definitely recommend.

[Sheena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Q. What do you get when a ruthless assassin meets a sweet, adventurous girl-next-door?
A. A fast paced, suspenseful story packed with vulnerable innocents and dangerous, evil men, providing the background for an intense, once in a lifetime romance.

This was an outstanding read!

I love the deep connection between Carson and Hailey; there was something endearing about their reserved exchanges when they first met. Carson is the strong, silent type; he’s edgy and guarded and the antithesis of Hailey, who is open, friendly and compassionate. These two are my perfect couple, but their instant attraction and subsequent relationship is built on a foundation of prevarication and lies that ultimately leads to harrowing and deadly consequences.

In Carson’s world there are only allies or foes. Alongside Carson and Hailey, there’s a cast of the good, the bad and the ugly. I adore Carson’s brother, Alexei, and bodyguards, Demitri and MJ; they provide a blend of strength, loyalty, humour and love. But the world they all live in is filled with cruel and despicable enemies, lurking in the shadows.

I can’t stress enough how much I love these characters and their story; this book deserves a whole galaxy of stars… I received an early copy of this book from the author

[victoria (herondale’s version) · Rating 2 out of 5]

is chemistry in the room with us?

[Mg ♥ The Bookishmedialite · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dimpo and MJ stole the show!

[Thea™ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked Carson Koslov and Hailey's story! Ruthless Saints is the third book in the series, but it's the fourth book I read... so I read these books out of order.
BTW, no idea why 🤔 Michelle Heard says it's not a series?! ➡️
FB 01-05-2021:
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT:
I've deleted the series title St. Monarch's Academy as there seems to be a lot of confusion around it. Merciless Saints, Cruel Saints, Ruthless Saints, Tears of Betrayal, Tears of Salvation - are absolute STANDALONE Mafia Romance/Suspense Romance!
* Some of them might mention St. Monarch's Academy but it is not the plot of the book and only plays a minor role.
* They are not interconnected.
* They are not part of a series.
* They are complete standalones.
* You do not have to read them in order. You do not have to read all of them to get the full experience.⬅️ After having read 4 books, I can say I disagree. 😁

[anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

i’m reading this series bc one post on ig said it was good. so i’m waiting for it to get good, you know? to be fair, the first book in the series was good but next ones omg just kill me dead.

it was painfully boring. i couldn’t sympathize with any of the characters. i didn’t give a damn if anyone suffered.

was it grumpy and sunshine? she smiled too much. she was too naive.

he wasn’t “practically stalking”, he was definitely stalking her.

they took too long. i was bored of “will they won’t they” dance. it was painful to read honestly. they were so awkward.

how could she be falling in love with him if they spoke two times to each other? she liked the version of him in her head jesus. every ruined expectation was on her.

she found out he watched her for weeks and she just “okay but don’t do it again🙅🏼‍♀️🙅🏼‍♀️”. wtf girl?? didn’t she have any preservation instincts?

“It’s kinda hot knowing I have such an attractive stalker.”

we love a considerate boyfriend:

“No matter what Hailey wants, there’s no way I can stay away from her.”

yeah i decided i hate when one of mc decides not to tell their big secret till the very end.

literally what things? please name them.

“There are so many things I love about Carson”

he just never corrected her wrong assumptions. it was her fault for looking at everything through pink glasses.

i actually laughed out loud:

“angry that I’ve been fooled into loving a murderer.”

🤡🤡🤡

“I’m so sorry. I was so stupid. I should’ve given you a chance to explain.”

“I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you like that. If I had known, I wouldn’t have left. I mean… we could’ve talked the rest of our problems out.”

i hope alexei’s book will be different and he’ll get a badass partner.

[christyheartsbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carson is an assassin for hire. Hailey is naïve girl traveling the world three months at a time. When her first stop in Switzerland has her in Carson's crosshairs neither one was prepared for their instant attraction and inability to stay away. But when Carson's world reigns down on Hailey things are about to get a bit complicated.

I loved this story. It had me on the edge of my seat and biting my nails. I loved the light and dark of Hailey and Carson and how she made his world brighter. I respected the heck out of how the conflict played out and was resolved. Loved how both characters stayed true to who they were while finding their way together.

[Abstract ♥ Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS



Star Rating : 4.5/5 stars

POV : Dual

Cliffhanger : None

Hero : Carson

Heroine : Hailey

Pace of the story : Moderate

Angst Rating : 5/10

Heat Rating : 5/10

Triggers Involved : Torture scene

Plot Summary :
Being an assassin leaves marks on one’s soul. Carson is the proof of that. There is no light in his life until he sees an angel . Hailey is a working waitress in the place he visits and there is something about her that makes him want to talk to her again and again. But Carson knows what will happen to someone as pure as her if he makes her enter his world. Her light will be gone and nothing will be the same. He tries to stay away but that is even tougher than he expected.

When danger knocks on the door and puts them both in a life death situation , Carson has no choice but to come clean. No choice but to tell her about all his lies and hope that she somehow forgives him for it because he cant’ lose his light. She is the only good thing he has and he will keep her no matter what.

Overall Opinion :
This series by Michelle Heard just keeps on getting better and better! I am loving every single second of it! The characters are amazing and so is the plot. This one had a few triggering scenes which I will mention above for you guys so keep that in mind.

Carson is definitely one of my favourite heroes in this world and I love his cute broody ass. Hailey was the perfect spitfire for him. She was cute and bubbly and I loved the way she brightened his dull existence. One more person I always love more than anything is Alexie. He is the backbone of the family and I can’t wait until the ruthless older assassin finally gets his own queen!!

I would highly recommend this standalone dark romance to all the dark romance loving people! Trust me , it’s one of the best , read it now!

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[NiCoLeTa E. {Addicted To Books} · Rating 4 out of 5]

***4,5 "My sun!!!" stars***

OUT NOW



"There can be beauty in chaos."

Michelle Heard had created an amazing and unique world in here and I'm craving more and more of this world and these characters!!! And finally, we got Carson's story!!!! And for once again, the author surprised me while I was waiting other things and I received others...
But I'm not complaining... There isn't a story of hers that I'm not enjoying to the fullest and this was one of them...

"Death follows men like me."

Carson is an assassin... He is living secluded in a small town in Switzerald and he is trying to hide his nature from the people that surrounds him...
Hailey is travelling the world and she is staying on each town for some months in order to earn some money to keep living her dream...
Their first encounter had happened in a bar and their connection was instantly....

"In no universe can the moon and sun be together. They're forever destined to be lightyears apart, with empty darkness filling the space between them."

Carson's dark world light up with Hailey's smile, but she wasn't from his world, so he had to stay away from her...
Hailey's got charmed from her handsome recluse and her heart was beating wildly when he was around her...
These two couldn't be more oppossite, still... they fell for each other hard!!!!
But Carson's world is about to swallow them whole and Hailey's light is about to dime from the darkness and Carson's secrets...

"I want to step into her light. I want to taste her laughter. I want to touch her beauty. But I don't dare."

"I'm falling for Carson Koslov. The quiet recluse."

I loved this story... It was different from the previous ones of this world...
I liked how sweet this couple was when they were together...
Unfortunately for Carson, the woman who had spoken to his heart had nothing to do with his world and this was a big problem... But her smile was bringing light on the darkness and he needed her in his life!!!
Hailey's world will be shattered when she will realize whom Carson really is and it will be hard to balance what her heart wants with what her mind is telling her...

"Her light wasn't strong enough for my darkness."

Carson and Hailey was a perfect match and I truly enjoyed their story...
I might needed a little bit more action because of who Carson Koslov was, but I liked that I witnessed another side of him!!! Hailey was really bringing a breath of life not only to him, but to us, the readers, as well!!!
This dark world had made me an addict and I'm waiting like crazy new stories from there...
Of course, the duo Alexei and Demetri are whom I'm craving the most!!!

"For a moment in time, the sun shone on me.
It was peaceful, the brilliance of the rays warming the frozen landscape of my life..."

**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**

[annasbook nookk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so far my favourite Saint's book.
I fell in love with Carson straight away, gorgeous, stealthy and deadly.
The assassin who takes out bad people.
He meets Hayley in a bar and the connection is instant.
His attempt to keep her at arm's length is hard he doesn't want to be involved with her and wants to keep her safe.
Enemies everywhere, constantly on the look, this action-packed story is full of angst and slow-burn that has me fast pace reading it in A day.
An assassin dark romance, Michelle has done it again and I'm in awe of her writing.
#teamcarson.
Bring on Demitris story next.

[Romance Recs · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25
Ruthless Saints definitely isn’t my favorite in The Saints Series. The other books I felt had much more depth, action and a passion between the MC’s.

Still, there are many things I did enjoy about Ruthless Saints. Hailey, 22 is a new world traveler. She’s backpacking accords Europe and her first stop is Switzerland where she sees a lone introvert that catches her eye.

Carson, 25 is an assassin as we already know if we’ve been following this series (which you definitely should be reading this in order).

When the two meet sparks quickly fly and it becomes an instalove romance and I’m talking super Insta. They immediately start a serious relationship and love each other.

The plot has many twists and there were parts that were so hard to read. The pain Hailey goes through is unbearable.

The relationship struggles are a main plot point.

It’s mostly hard to relate to these two if I’m being honest because they literally fall in love like 5 seconds after meeting. It’s one of those love first sight things. Also, Hailey is kind of dumb. She’s sweet, but she’s really clueless about a lot of things and seems extremely immature. She didn’t do anything wrong, it’s just that she fell in love with a complete stranger and the things she did when they were together screamed desperate.

That being said, it was a great story. Even though I personally didn’t like the trope or the couple that much, I rate my books based on writing and not the choices characters make.

I actually think people should rate their books based on writing more often. Sometimes someone gives a 1 star based on something the character does and I’m like are you serious? That’s so immature.

Anyway, Michelle Heard is an amazing author. Her books are so captivating!

This one did bore me though.

[nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

[Alina Syrotiuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ця історія вже однозначно сподобалась мені більше. Події розгортались краще, порівнюючи з минулою книгою.

Хейлі Уолш - звичайна американська дівчина, яка вирішила подорожувати щоб побачити світ.

Карсон Козлов - один з найкращих асассинів(найманий вбивця) в світі мафії. Беземоційний і завжди тримає все під контролем.

Історія Карсона та Хейлі розгортається в невеличкому селещі Сен-Люк в Швейцарських Альпах. Вона приїхала на три місяці щоб побачити всі красиві місця і залишилась, щоб підзаробити ще грошей. Тому влаштувалася в бар офіціанткою.
При першій зустрічі вона відразу відчула якусь небезпеку від Карсона, але все ж симпатія взяла гору і вона захотіла познайомитись з ним.

Карсон ніколи ще невідчував таких емоцій та одержимості до жінки. Він розумів, що якщо він почне з нею розмовляти і тим більше закохається, у неї на спині з‘явиться мішень. Але він не міг чинити опір цим почуттям тому збрехав про те хто він і чим займається, з надією що зможе її вберегти від свого темного світу.

Мені сподобалось як розвивались стосунки між головними героями🔥
Беземоційність головного героя до решти і одержимість своєю коханою. Також приємний бонус це те, що авторка показала як Карсон виконує свої контракти(замовлені вбивства).
Але все ж не чекайте неймовірно складного сюжету, тут все просто але емоційно. Тверда 4⭐️🖤

[Joy Westerfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my heart be still! I’m in love with an assassin! Carson is everything I’d hoped he would be and more. For a man whose life is full of darkness and danger, he completely worked his way into my heart! This story is so much more than about how Carson lives his life and the jobs that he does. It’s about a young man born into a life that he can never leave and how he does deserve some happiness and love. Point taken when he meets Hailey. She is a breath of fresh air who just makes everyone around her feel good. She’s full of life and is living it to the best she can.

When these two first meet, you could feel the electricity charged in the air. Her smile lights up the world! Carson is enamored with her, but knowing the life he leads, can he take the chance and make her a part of it? Will she be able to accept who he is? As these two embark on a relationship, many obstacles get in their way, one of which may have altered their lives forever. Can they both get thru it? If you want to know, then do yourself a favor and read this dark, delicious, brilliant story!

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can not get enough of this series!!

Carson and Hailey have a little bit different story. Hailey is a good ole girl from the states who is traveling to see the world. She is working at a bar when she sets her sights on Carson. He's completely taken with her and just can't seem to stay away from her.

I loved how their relationship grew. And when stuff starts to go down, oh man, does Hailey get thrown into it headfirst. She struggles because this is not a life she knows anything about. They had a hard road to climb to make it back to each other, but it was so fun to read.

Loved these two!!

[m 🕷️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lo mucho que he disfrutado este libro y lo mucho que lo he amado es increíble 😭😭😭😭
Amo la forma de escribir tan adictiva y ligera de michelle y tambien sus hombres y sus mujeres porque son maravillosxs.
Carson y hailey por siempre en mi <3

[Stital · Rating 5 out of 5]

sweet, suspenseful and so touching, Ruthless Saints is an amazing read.

Michelle has the uncanny ability to turn an instalove into a slow-burn of angst and emotion, managing to take a supposedly basic premises and infuse it with so much heart, passion and raw emotion resulting in a beautiful, aching story that's a punch to the feels. With a beguiling juxtaposition between innocence and darkness, this has got to be my favorite book from this series and I can't wait for Demitri and Alexei's stories.

5 stars and a light

[Adriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruthless saints is Michelle’s latest release, it can be read as a standalone and is in duel perspective. I must say this is one of my favourites of her.

Carson is a trained assassin, Hailey knows nothing of this world she’s the total opposite, she’s a travelling American who atm is bartending in Switzerland and this is where they first meet. Right off the bat as soon as they set eyes on each other sparks fly, the attraction and pull is like no other , like a moth to a flame 🔥. Carson can’t afford to have someone not from his world in his life would be too risky to dangerous. No matter how much they resist and Carson tries to stay away the need to be with her is too strong . But what will happen once Hailey finds out what he does for a living ? What will happen when both worlds collide and the consequences are a disaster ? Will love conquer all or will it be too much . Well your just going to have to read it . Trust me it’s so worth it . I loved every second of Hailey and Carson’s story ..

[Snow · Rating 3 out of 5]

hmmm...interesting concept
It's interesting how the main character said that the heroine (his love interest) has no choice...
LOL
It's actually funny, but it's the same when you pick a read, it's a choice to pick it, it a choice to read it or NOT, it's always a choice...
I also have a choice, to decide if I like this one or NOT...
There's always smth you like and don't like, it's a choice if you liked it more than you didn't...
But I digress...LOL
sure, I liked it, more or less *wink*

[Joud · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I loved it and was thankful they didn’t meet at the academy like the previous ones. But the last chapter completely ruined it—six years later and he still introduced her as just his girlfriend?! What is he waiting for?

[Jeeves Reads Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Falling for the bad guy has never been easier than in this dark-ish mafia romance. I'll be honest, the instalove is a LOT to handle - this is love at first sight, plain and simple. That holds this back from being a 5-star read (along with a few pacing issues), but it's another great addition to this collection of (mostly) standalone mafia romances. The writing makes it easy to binge in one sitting, and the soapy, suspenseful tone helps as well. It wasn't quite as strong as the first two books for me, but I definitely enjoyed it. This antihero is lovable, intense, and dare I say "sweet" at times, which makes rooting for him pretty effortless. The storyline is actually lighter and more action-focused than the last book, despite our antihero's career. It's an opposites attract romance, and I loved the connection between this couple. I would've liked a few tweaks to the storyline, but this is solid overall.

The story follows Carson, an assassin who has never known any other life. His world is filled with darkness, and his days are spent delivering death. So when he meets a woman who is a ray of sunshine, it throws his world off-course. Hailey brightens his days, and Carson can't help but be drawn in. But she doesn't know what he does for a living, and Carson knows that he'll lose her the minute she finds out - unless she's already fallen for him first. As the two fall hard and fast, Carson's secret is a constant weight on his shoulders. And when all is finally revealed, these two young lovers have to deal with the fallout.

I've been loving this group of mafia romances, which are complete standalones but share a few characters. Carson has intrigued me from the start, so I was looking forward to his book. And this worked in a lot of ways - it's got the same addictive, engrossing writing style, the same dark but not overly dark tone, the focus on the romance, and an antihero who will win you over. Where this one falters is the pacing - the level of instalove was way too much for me, and that made it feel like much of the relationship development was glossed over in favor of focusing on Carson's secret/guilt. I wasn't entirely convinced of why Hailey would fall for this sexy stranger so quickly, but I was happy to go along for the ride. I think that if she sat back and reassessed the situation, she'd realize that she has a dangerous Russian stalker who is obsessed with her, but whatever, lol. This storyline also has more suspense and angst than the previous books, which I wasn't really a fan of. Some of that could've been eliminated in favor of more time building up the relationship, but I loved that it was so unpredictable. I really had no idea where the story was going to wind up, so that's a major win for me. All in all, I liked it and I'm definitely ready for more. I received an early copy and am voluntarily leaving a review of this new adult mafia romance.

[witchy_book_babe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must say this book took me completely by surprise! I had picked this book up a year ago, but unfortunately just got distracted with numerous other things in life, as well as that enormous tbr pile. I wanted to get back to this series since realizing that this is a First Generation Series. I picked this right up where I left off at, at 24%…I remember thinking last year that the MMC Carson was the least interesting to me and that I probably wouldn’t care for him. I am SO incredibly happy to have been proven wrong!

At around 30% I was immediately smiling with the way this story took flight for me. With this being the 3rd book in the series, the rules of the “world” are already laid out, but I appreciated the Author doing convenient info summaries in a non-boring or over-explained way to help jog my memory. Carson, turned out to be so much more than this stoic, cold character that I felt wasn’t going to grab my attention. The way his character came to life in this book was just chef’s kiss. I also became a sucker for the FMC, Hailey. She caught me off guard by making me fall in love with her character. Together, Carson and Hailey have this completely organic relationship that is not a smooth ride. But, every hard turn and decision was necessary. There were so many moments that had me smiling like a fool, a Chapter that nearly broke me and made me cry from the beauty of the scene, and quite possibly one of my most favorite lines I have ever read from an FMC:
… “I’m not that easy to kill.”
“Carson!” I yell, desperate for him to hear me. “I am!” I lean closer, pressing a hand against my chest. “I am easy to kill”….
Ugh! This scene and what happens prior reminded me why I absolutely loved Books 1 & 2. Michelle’s writing just hits every mark I look for. And ultimately, I have had nothing but a good time with this book.

This book was amazing even with the minor errors I came across. It was sexy, cute as hell, shocking, brutal, sad, and just overall a perfect Michelle Heard package. I loved it.

[PP's Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michelle Heard knows how to make me fall for an antihero! Ruthless Saints was full of dramatic, emotional, sexy and dangerous moments those made it an unputdownable read.

Carson Koslov has been living a cautious and colourless life as one of the best assassins. And then he meets Hailey at a bar of the cute small town in Switzerland where he has his secret base. Her smile and warm personality got him hooked from the first moment. And Hailey is drawn to this recluse with edgy vibes. But Carson lives in a dangerous world full of enemies. Is it safe to be attached to someone innocent like Hailey? And the most important question- will Hailey want to be attached to him when she comes to know of his true identity?

This story was an awesome mix of mafia darkness and dreamy love. Carson is everything you want in a bad alpha. He is cold and ruthless and merciless when taking down people. He is a killer with own moral codes and standards. Hailey destroyed his walls and now he wants more of her warmth and sweetness to bring his heart to life. He used deceits and lies because he didn't know how to let her go and protect her from his vicious world. I perfectly felt his need and desperation for Hailey's love and my heart is going crazy for this crazy assassin. Hailey is such an amazing girl. She comes from a simple loving background and she felt this magnetic pull to this dark man. She was caught in the crossfire and suffered. I don't blame her at all for being enraged, wounded and heartbroken when the truth came out. Because my heart was breaking for both of them. The author delivered so much beautiful angst here and I am dead! It was unreal how effortlessly and seamlessly the author switched between action packed scenes to heartaching emotional moments. Hailey's heart is big enough and she has endless compassion to fall for Carson. I am over the moon that Carson found his happily ever after. He is a flawed but the best kind of man and Hailey fits him perfectly. This is match made in heaven indeed.

Ruthless Saints once again proved that Michelle Heard is a boss when it comes to steamy and emotional romantic suspense. Another five star read for me.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily