The Deliverance of Marek Sommers

by Ashlyn Drewek

Marek Sommers is everything Misha Chernyshevsky shouldn’t want—young, angry at the world, and, worst of all, a man. The fact Marek is dealing drugs for a competitor is the icing on the cake. None of that deters the Russian mafia boss, though.

From the moment he lays eyes on the surly bartender, Misha is captivated. Learning about Marek’s troubled past and fearing for his future, Misha is certain that Marek needs his help—whether he wants it or not.

Convincing Marek to trust him, however, proves to be a more formidable task than Misha anticipates. But if they have any chance of surviving the brutal world of the Russian mafia, Misha needs Marek to trust him before it’s too late.


THE DELIVERANCE OF MAREK SOMMERS is a slow-burn MM romance about a down-and-out bartender with a harrowing past and the Russian mafia boss determined to save him from it all. Violence and heartache make the tender moments that much sweeter, HEA guaranteed. It is intended for a mature audience and reader discretion is advised. A full list of triggers can be found in the front matter of the book and at my website under Tropes & Triggers.

This book can be read as a standalone. However, it is a spinoff from the Solnyshko Duet and contains spoilers for those books if you haven’t read them.

Genres: M M Romance, Dark, Dark Romance, Romance, Crime, Mafia Romance, Slow Burn

488 pages, ebook

Published December 15, 2023

About the author

International best-selling and award-winning author Ashlyn Drewek has always been fascinated by "weird" things like Edgar Allan Poe, Halloween, and witchcraft. Not necessarily in that order. But she's also a hopeless romantic who lives for stories about true love conquering all. Since variety is indeed the spice of life, she writes a mix of MM tropes and subgenres to satisfy her rapidly changing whims.

For information on upcoming releases, go to ⇢ https://www.ashlyndrewek.com/upcoming

Have a question? I might have an answer! ⇢ https://www.ashlyndrewek.com/faq

Looking for links? Go here ⇢ www.ashlyndrewek.com/main

Reviews

[moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I see something in you, Marek. I've seen it since the first time we met. If you're not going to fight for it, I'll do it for you. I've been fighting my whole life. What's one more battle, if the cause is worthy?"

i've been waiting for Misha's story for about two-ish years now (ever since i first read the Solnyshko duet) and i'm happy he finally got his well deserved hea. 🥹 as characters, both Misha and Marek's stories broke my heart. i just wanted to hug them both, but Misha's backstory and the reveal of how he got to where he is today had me tearing up. Misha being a mystery to me in the Solnyshko duet only had me more intrigued, but i wasn't prepared for the revelations. 😭 while i wasn't a huge fan of the pacing of their romance (i wished it was more slow burn), i loved how loyal and dedicated Misha was towards Marek. it's the way Marek literally became Misha's whole world!! i feel like, bc of what Marek has been through that caused him to have such a difficult time trusting anyone who shows him a glimpse of kindness, Misha was his perfect someone (and vice versa).

i loved seeing Valery, Anton and all of Misha's soldiers again and i love the life they brought into the story as well - i definitely wouldn't complain if any of them ends up having stories too. 👀

the way i screamed when Sasha appeared omg. 😭 Leander and Bennett will always be my favorite AD couple/characters, but Sasha is a close second for my favorite characters and i just loved his cameo!! oh, and Axel's death legit made me cry. i'm a sucker for sibling dynamics where one of the siblings starts off as someone who doesn't give a shit, someone who just does whatever they want with no care of the consequences but, slowly, you see them start to change - for whatever reason it may be - and you see there's hope for them. i had hopes for Axel, so seeing his endgame was simply heartbreaking to me.

thank you to Ashlyn Drewek for the arc, and this is my honest review.

[lakshmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I keep forgetting that Ashlyn Drewek’s writing is so much more fluffy than what the blurb suggests. Not that I’m complaining✨

[Renae Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Deliverance of Marek Sommers is a wonderfully dark slow-burn mafia romance between effortlessly calm and collected Misha and stubborn and grumpy Marek. I loved being back in this world where there is danger lurking around every corner and I was pleasantly surprised at the many violent turns this story took.

Another aspect of this story that I was impressed by is the pacing of the romance between Marek and Misha. Due to Marek's background, he is resistant and suspicious of any kindness from anyone, so Misha's genuine gestures are completely foreign to him. The slow building of trust in their relationship is one of my favorite aspects of this story. Marek and Misha have a unique and special connection that is evident from their first interaction and slowly grows and builds throughout, which makes for one powerful story.

I also loved the welcome surprise appearance of a very fun and well-established character in this universe. When Misha is in revenge and territorial mode I love how ruthless and determined his actions are.

Overall this was a fantastic dark mafia romance that I could not get enough of. It had many surprises throughout while having such a beautifully devoted and possessive romance as its main throughline. Misha and Marek are one powerful duo that I enjoyed from beginning to end.

*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***

[haletostilinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm pretty sure this might just be my favorite book and couple ever from this author, no joke.

This was...amazing. I was eager for Misha's love story and boy did this deliver.

Marek might think he wasn't worthy of Misha or his love, but he was the perfect person for Misha.

Marek is 25 at the start of this - soon 26 - and has had a shitty life. Not just a shitty time, but his whole life has been shitty. He never knew who his father was. His mother is barely a mother. She's just the woman who gave birth to him, really. And his siblings.

We first meet Marek at a high end bar that Misha and his men have been casing, to try to figure out who is dealing a new, better version of the drug Ecstasy, as it is competition to Misha's boss, Sergei, and of course he wants that competition gone, so Misha has been tasked with trying to get the name or names of the top dog(s).

Soon he finds Marek to be the one dealing the drugs. And also he is intrigued and attracted to Marek right away. But when he asks Marek who his supplier is, Marek refuses to tell him.

Misha doesn't give up, though, and he keeps coming back.

But when a former client - as Marek not only works at the bar, and deals drugs, but he also has been prostituting himself since he was 16 to make ends meet - of Marek's won't let him go and keeps coming after him for more, and causes a scene at the bar he works at, Marek quits before he can be fired, and when he ends up looking for another bartending job, he ends up at the bar owned by Sergei and managed at that point in time by Misha, so they meet again.

Marek has been through a lot in his life. And he wasn't a prostitute by choice, so he's never truly wanted the sex he's had over the years. Sure, he's had some orgasms sometimes, but that still was just incidental, not about his pleasure at all. He's never gotten to just freely choose someone to be with.

And with what he's been through, especially with Ken, the high powered client who won't leave him alone - is obsessed with him - and everything else in his life, Marek is not trusting of anyone. There are several instances at the start when he thinks Misha wants him for only sex, or to use him for sex.

Misha wants him, he does, but he isn't a rapist, and as time goes on he develops more and more feelings for Marek, and if anything every happens between them, he wants it to be Marek's fully informed choice, of his own free will.

Plus, pretty much off the bat, Misha is so intrigued by Marek that he will do anything he can to help him with his problems, and to hurt and/or kill anyone who hurts Marek.

It seems to be coming at them on all sides. Marek does what he can to help out his younger siblings at home - he has a younger brother, Axel, who is a teenager and who sadly seems to be going down the same path as his brother Levi, who we learned died from drugs, then his younger sister, Bri, who is only 12 and Ezra who is only 5 (we don't learn that until near the end. I thought Ezra might be 8 or so, but nope, he's even more of a baby) - but can only do so much.

There's his brother Axel who is also starting to get into drugs. There's that sick bastard Ken who won't leave him alone - and has enough power to get him fired from places he works at all the time, to try to ruin his life so he'll go back to him. Then there's the fact that Misha can't let go of the drugs thing, because Sergei will kill him if he doesn't get real results at some point. But for Marek, the people in charge of pushing this drug are too powerful, like Ken, and he doesn't want Misha to get hurt or killed trying to take them down, so he's stubborn on not giving Misha the names.

Then Sergei's right hand man, Dimitri, who clearly has it out for Misha and is doing all he can to get evidence that Misha is queer. Then later on, we find out Axel wasn't jus taking drugs, but selling them, and the gang he worked for wants money owed to them - and they aren't backing down even with Misha giving them....a warning.

Then there's just the fact that Marek doesn't trust anything good in his life. It takes a LOT for him to even start to trust Misha, to feel safe with him, and he's almost always waiting for another shoe to drop.

And with good reason, because also when Marek takes the kids after Axel has an overdose (that he survives from), his mother decides to show up with a cop to take them away - since Marek legally doesn't have custody and so Marek has to find a way to get a lawyer to try to get custody of them.

Whoo, that's a lot of problems. So this isn't an easy read, and I feel like it's angst city almost the whole way through until they get their hard fought for HEA.

But man is it worth it.

The love that blooms between these two is wonderful and I couldn't get enough of it. The moments between all the chaos where they could just be them, together, was amazing. The chemistry was off the charts. I LOVED the sensual way Misha kissed Marek, and made love to him. It was SO good.

I also loved that with everything being hurled at them, Misha didn't give up. He was going to deal with every last problem they had or die trying. And boy did he deal with those problems - in a particularly gruesome way, as one can come to expect from an Drewek novel.

We also get a brief appearance by Sasha, which was fun.

I have non-con tagged, but that's because Marek, at one point, agrees to be with Ken again to get paid to try to help out his brother, and he thinks he has to do it all on his own, because he doesn't want to ask Misha for money or help once again, because he doesn't think he's worthy of all that - but he doesn't quite believe yet that Misha will do anything and everything for him - but on the way there he takes a lot of drugs to get through it (because he abhors this Ken guy and doesn't want him touching him or near him, but he does what he thinks he has to) and then also drinks quite a bit of vodka, and then he doesn't remember much else and he's taken to a hospital.

Obviously Ken eventually called an ambulance, but we have no idea what he did to Marek in the mean time, and Marek doesn't either. It can be assumed he did things to Marek while he was out of it, which is rape.

Like it doesn't matter if Marek agreed while sober, because he was clearly incapacitated and at that point anything is non-consensual. But Ken is a monster who doesn't care, and it's implied he might have done what he wanted with Marek's out of it - maybe even unconscious - body before he called an ambulance.

Thankfully we do not see any of it. And this does happen when he and Misha are forming their relationship, but I do not at all consider it cheating, when Marek is doing it out survival, he clearly does not want anything to do with Ken, and he and Misha did not discuss the parameters of their relationship yet at that point anyway, still trying to form a relationship in the first place, with all their issues.

So yeah, that happens, but I consider it rape, and coercion because his circumstances and not remotely cheating.

So do not worry, the non-con is definitely NOT between our MC's. Every single time with them is consensual. Misha even feels bad when he's rough with Marek even when Marek asked him to be, told him he wanted him to be. But it makes Misha feel a little too much like the men Marek had to endure, and he never wants to be that to Marek, ever. I love that they talk about it and that Misha checks in with Marek after it and it just draws them all the more closer. The sex they have after that is just *chefs kiss* I loved it.

I just couldn't get enough of this. This story is almost 500 pages but it didn't feel like it. I couldn't put it down, I spent like all of today reading it.

I highly, HIGHLY recommend this. Heed the warnings at the beginning of the book, especially if you're new to this author and especially this series/this world. It isn't for the feint of heart, because Misha, just like Sasha did when Roan was hurt, does some NASTY shit to the men who hurt Marek. It is very gory, very bloody, and hard to read at times.

Even knowing these men deserve, it's still...a lot. Like ***Major Spoiler Under The Cut*** we find out that Misha stabs Ken 100 times. 100 times! Like it says he stabs him a lot, but my fucking god. That is....so disturbing on so many levels.

So yeah, if that shit makes you squeamish or is triggering for you, even with how amazing this story is, skipping this would be the way to go.

But if knowing all that, and how dark and gory this author usually is in her stories, and you still want to read? Definitely, highly recommend you do! This was SO good!

Misha and Marek are definitely my favorite couple by this author. This book was just amazing, I can't praise it enough.

(And did I detect near the end of this that Valery, Misha's right hand man...might have someone? I am all for him getting a romance too!)

Can't wait for the next book by this author!

[Julia (bookish.jka) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"By the time he was done speaking, the soft rumble of his voice had rippled through me like a seismic wave. If he wasn’t still touching me, I might have slumped to the floor in a puddle. He could probably read the phone book and I’d be enthralled."

The divine Ashlyn Drewek delivers again (do you see what I did there?!) with The Deliverance of Marek Sommers. Set in the same world as the Solnyshko Duet, The Deliverance of Marek Sommers can be read as a standalone, but I'd strongly suggest you read the duet first for setting and continuity. Not to mention the fact that The Kidnapping of Roan Sinclair and The Vengeance of Roan Sinclair are fantastic reads (but do check out the TWs first, because the books are pretty graphic in parts) and Sasha and Roan are just perfect.

The Deliverance of Marek Sommers is Misha and Marek's story, and it's a deliciously dark, slow-burn, action romance between the slightly shady but ever so stoic Russian mafia boss, Misha Chernyshevsky and the gutsy, down but not broken, bartender Marek Sommers, who is trying to make ends meet and is doing (literally) whatever is takes to look out for his younger siblings.

There are many dark themes at play here - death, abuse, non-con and beyond (not between MCs) - not to mention all the gruesome scenes you'd expect to find in a mafia novel. But there's also so much emotion, exquisite writing, and the hardest won HEA. And did I mention this is probably the steamiest Ashlyn Drewek book I've read yet (and I've read them all!)

Highly recommended!

[Brooke]

EDIT — No rating.

⭐️ 4 stars ⭐️

“The things I would do for you are unspeakable.”

Slow burn, mafia romance.

Ashlyn Drewek has managed to make me like a mafia romance. I had all but given up at this point.
There’s always something about them that makes me quit half way through, but this book put all the others of the genre to shame.

I got to admit, the merit goes a 100% to Misha. Mafia badass, cutthroat killer, and exactly what Marek needed.
Misha was unexpectedly sweet and caring, and incredibly protective. I loved the dichotomy between his work and how he treated Marek and the kids. Ugghh, I’m still swooning and drooling.
I also adore prickly assholes who really need cuddles, so of course I fell in love with Marek as well.

Despite this being a spin-off of the Solnyshko Duet and me having only read the first book (half-assed I might add, ‘cause, again, I’m not really into mafia), I didn’t feel like I was missing much of the world-building or backstory as I feared I would. Sure, there were some references to past events and characters, but I felt the author still managed to convey the full picture even for those who haven’t read the previous books.

I absolutely loved the author’s more paranormal books, so not much of a surprise that her writing and talent managed to convert me to the mafia dark side.

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.

CW and tropes(spoilers):
- Mention of past SA and attempted SA on page
- Violence, torture & murder (I mean, it’s the mafia)
- Prostitution
- Domestic abuse and violenc
- Homophobia
- Death of side characters
- Slight size difference
- Dog owner
- Rimming
- Frotting & Docking
- Flip-fuck
- Vers MCs

[☆Kylie☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an arc.

This book was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review and here it is:
We know Misha from the Roan Sinclair books (if you haven't read them you should).

Misha works for the Russian mafia and is in the middle of a mission: Find out who is distributing Nirvana, the new drug that is competing with the drug association he works for.
While he investigates the origin of the drug he meets Marek.

Marek is full of bravery and confidence even in a difficult situation and this catches the attention of Misha (who is used to everyone around him shaking with fear).
I like how Ashlyn Drewek's writing returned to its origins (in her second PNR book I said that her writing was very rigid and I'm happy to see a normal format again).

The book has lots of hurt/comfort and even though I'm not a fan of insta love I was able to ignore that part super easily.

This is a dark romance, don't expect everything to be cute, there is a lot of gore but also a lot of parts that warm the heart!
If you are looking for a dark mm romance with a lot of hurt/comfort this book is perfect for you.

[ivanareadsalot]

EDIT: rating removed because Goodreads is MY safe space.

I would like to thank GRR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

straight up, this should have been called "The Domestication of Murder Husband Misha" lol. ngl he was pretty fkin awesome and obv my favourite, and the murdery bits were top notch mob gore which i loved! in terms of characterization, i felt like Misha's read the most multifaceted and profound. the more the story went on, the more layered he was revealed to be. and there's just so much grit there that feels like it would read quite unrepentant and veeeery mysterious...so yeah his origin story would be fascinating to read!

as a side note, Misha gave me some Nikolas Mikkelsen vibes, one of the MCs from my favourite series by John Wiltshire, so that's another mark of brilliance if there ever was one!

now moving on to Marek, my goodness he was a wild, something else for sure lol. this poor boi was your prototypical emo porcupine, and lawd Misha really did have the patience of a saint. but bless, because that child for sure needed someone to see him through to the other side. hardship and horror plagued Sommers, and his siblings, for most of the book, and i'm so soft for these poignant stories so it was emotionally kicking me in the chest from page 1, and didn't really let up until the epilogue. there was a really beautiful moment in the thick of their falling for each other, when Misha was wondering about the why of the memoirs Marek chose to read. which it turned out were all about people surviving the most awful and coming through successfully in the end, essentially showing Marek that it CAN get better. that there is hope. for a future after the pain, or rather, despite it all. and that really just shattered me into a thousand jagged pieces for Marek and his journey towards recognizing his worth and trusting in Misha's love for him. wahhhh my feelings!!! so while he did make some pretty questionable decisions, the crux of it is that Drewek did an impressive job all around because i was invested, emotionally, and felt like i had some stake in his healing journey! that's pretty amazing for fiction! so yeah, i thought it was quite impactful on the feelings front!

i should mention that i have not read the Solnyshko Duet, as the book cover alone triggers me something awful :( but i really enjoyed this book! i've not read AD's entire backlist but the titles i have devoured have been immensely satisfying and truly awesome! so i am most definitely looking forward to exploring more of Drewek's amazing talent because i am certainly impressed by what i have discovered so far, and very much looking forward to everything else still to come!

[⋆｡°✮ Lucy InTheSky ✮°｡⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐ and it really pains me for not being able to rate it higher.

Misha had my attention from the moment he was mentioned and I didn't even know his book was in the works! I just realised last week the book was releasing on Friday, so imagine my surprise and excitement.

🟣 Mafia underboss/sex worker
🔵 Age gap - 19 years
🟢 Size difference
🟡 Rags to riches
🟠 The cover is fantastic
❗ Sex work, drugs, murder
🌶️ Good spice; both vers



This was a pretty lenghty story about Misha, the charismatic Chicagoan mobster from the Solnyshko duet, who was Sasha's boss and actually saved Sasha and Roan, took a beating for them and offered them a safe, peaceful life away from the mafia.

In this book we find out Misha was a spy in Russia.
Let me fan-girl a little bit here. 😊

Misha's actually older than I thought - he's 44 years old, a tall, sharp-dressed man, fashionable, well-groomed, elegant, high society type, even though he's not from old money, but he does have that feel about him. He's methodical, ex-military, calm, precise has an aura of a bigger authority than Sergei ever had in my opinion, has very loyal men behind him and his mind is a masterpiece, he's very intelligent and by the end of this book becomes the Boss of the russian mafia, rightfully so.
He's also a closeted gay.

"I looked at his hand pointedly. His large, tan hand, covered in tattoos. I hadn't noticed at Dalton's since the lights were always so low but with the overheads turned on, the ink was perfectly visible. It was a stark contrast to the expensive clothes he wore and the Bvlgari watch on his wrist."



I've been a fan of Misha ever since he was introduced in The Kidnapping of Roan Sinclair, he's my favourite character in this mafia world, hands down, favourite.

I can't ever compliment him enough and that's why I was a bit let down by his book, even though the story did pick up at 70% and really brought it home for me, but that in-between part was sometimes quite confusing, Misha's mobster character wasn't that prominent, many subplots unfinished and the epilogue didn't give me much satisfaction.
I think Misha's story should've been told in 2 parts, because many things were left completely unfinished here, the book ended on To be continued vibe, so I can't really accept this ending.

That being said, the story started out pretty well with Misha being the badass we all remember.
Misha was stalking Marek, the bartender at an up-scale bar for the elite, who was also selling drugs and taking away the russian mob's business. That drug was a pretty big deal, it was the main plot and everything revolved around it, but by the end of the book it was completely inconsequential and was dealt with in one sentence by the end. A bit ridiculous, if you ask me.

Marek was a key (dealer) for Misha resolving the drug problem, Marek had the answers to who's leading the drug operation, who the big players were, so I thought that was the main reason Misha decided to keep Marek close - but Misha's motives for keeping Marek around weren't really 100% clear, so I really didn't know why he decided to let Marek live and killed off the others. Of course - because he wanted or liked him, but that part should've been more explained or developed.

It almost felt like he himself had no idea why, so at least something should've been stated as the strong reason behind it, like playing him to get information and in the process falling in love or falling in love - point blank, but Misha was hiding Marek in his apartment, he was playing house with him and saving him all the time and Marek didn't know why - and neither did I. By the end of the book Misha says he's wanted him ever since he pressed him against the wall at the bar he's worked at, so - that could've been told at the very beginning.

The drug problem later on vanished, it wasn't pressed that much by Sergei, Marek's siblings that were in a total mess and got taken away from the druggie mother were put back there and for a very longer time and absolutely nothing was said about them. I couldn't believe that Misha with his connections and lawyers couldn't take the kids away from that place. Marek's brother who was in rehab and was a strong side character also got killed off.
A weird choice, really. Many things here just didn't make any sense.

As for Misha and Marek's relationship it started out promising, but wasn't more than a passing fling for most of the book, some depth was absolutely there with Marek getting his first sexual enjoyable experiences with Misha, who was a fantastic lover and provided that safe space for Marek, who was always on edge and not trusting anyone with his heart. Misha offered stability, security and safety.


"He was so fucking muscular but soft at the same time. Soft and pliant. He responded to the slightest touch, shifting his hips or spreading his thighs, not the least bit hesitant to let me lead."



The spice was pretty damn good, Misha was sensual, erotic, passionate and fit with Marek perfectly, no judgement for Marek being a sex worker, what surprised me the most was that Marek finally got to top - and Misha, of all men - so that was so good to read, they were magic together.

Why Marek amidst of this developing potential relationship went to have sex with his former bullying john still remains a mystery, it was so disappointing to read about Marek and Misha having this beautiful chemistry and then Marek goes and destroys it all.
If he actually did have sex - we have no idea, because again, it wasn't explained, Marek didn't know if he was violated despite being drugged and Misha just speculated they didn't have time for sex before Marek stopped breathing and was rushed to the hospital.


Everything changed at 70% though - for the better, much better. At that point we finally get Misha as we've known him from previous books, he's finally a strong, badass character again and the plot starts developing at a very rapid pace. Why wasn't this present for most of the book, I have no idea.

Many things were left unfinished, in the final chapters Misha actually starts solving problems, so many things were still yet to come and I was almost certain we were going to get the second part of their story eventually, but no, this was the finite end, no more.

With a few minor changes this story would've been so much better. For an almost 500 page story one would expect that many subplots would be resolved, Misha as the new boss of the mafia would get his page time too in this new important role and if nothing else, at least the epilogue would've been a bit more developed, longer even, but none of that happened.

"He wrapped his arms around me, filling me with a sense of safety that was just as foreign as whatever that earlier feeling had been. Like he... cared. Genuinely. He knew the worst shit about me and he still daydreamed about whisking me off to Naples for pizza."



Marek ends up living with his siblings at Misha's penthouse and they try to make it a home. With the story cut and then the epilogue at 3 years later, I think there are many things that haven't been told here, none of Marek and Misha's home life, none of the mafia business and how it's going, basically I've finished this book with more questions than answers, and it kills me a bit because both MMCs really fit, they had an amazing story between them despite all the confusion during some of it, but I needed absolutely more action, more darkness from Misha, more of the domestic life and a longer epilogue.

I do very much like Marek and Misha together, they're a really good couple, I like them more than Roan and Sasha, so I'm again a bit disappointed the book didn't quite deliver the perfection that is Misha himself.
I know I'm repeating myself, I just can't get over it! 😄

Hopefully we're going to get another installment? One can only hope. I'm not quite done with Misha, I don't know, I'm not done with this world, I absolutely want Valery's story and I want for Sasha and Roan to come back and be at least in some way connected again to these guys now that Misha's the boss.

❗ If you're a more visual type, check out this author's Pinterest board for this book, it offers really good inspiration and I completely appreciate it!

[Jane aka Coughy019 (Safety info included) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tropes: age gap, found family
Feels: 3/5
Steam*: 2/5
Kinks: n/a
Angst: medium
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: violence, murder, drugs/alcohol abuse, bad parents, homophobia, murder of innocents/women/children, SA, prostitution

2.5 stars

This weekend I went on an Ashlyn Drewek binge. I read The Kidnapping of Roan Sinclair, The Vengeance of Roan Sinclair, and this book, The Deliverance of Marek Sommers. I loved the first two, Roan & Sasha were an epic couple. I wanted to enjoy this book, but it didn't work for me.

This book is about 44-year-old Misha, who is part of the Russian mafia. He's queer, he doesn't like labels so he doesn't really define his sexuality beyond being queer. He's in the closet because he works in an extremely homophobic Russian community. He was a friend and ally of Sasha in the previous books. He was key to Sasha getting out of the life. The book starts off with Misha having paid a physical price for Sasha and Ilya leaving the life. He's earned the loyalty of his men, he went through quite a beating and is suffering from a TBI. He's stuck managing Delirium the bar after the previous manager was murdered. In addition he's doing his regular Mafia job. And part of that is looking into a competitor on the drug scene who is pushing a new and popular drug called Nirvana. In the course of looking into that, he meets Marek.

Marek is 25, gay, and works as a bartender at another bar. He comes from a very rough family life and he's trying to earn as much as he can to help out his siblings who are living with his neglectful addict of a mom. In addition to working at the bar, he also prostitutes himself and sells Nirvana.

Misha is interested in Marek and watches him more than necessary just for the Nirvana investigation. With every other lead that they had in this, he killed the drug dealers of Nirvana without a second thought. But he won't kill or let his men kill Marek. Marek won't cooperate with the investigation into Nirvana, he's not a narc. Misha is attracted to Marek, but he won't make a move on him because he did a background check on Marek and he knows about his complicated and transactional relationship with sex and being indebted to people. Misha offers him no strings attached help because he knows Marek needs it. And eventually Marek trusts Misha and his intentions enough to want to pursue sex/a relationship with him. But they don't have an easy path to being happy together because the people in power in Misha's world are homophobic and there's a lot of threats and obstacles to their happiness. There's a lot of complex plot going on in this book with Marek's family, various drug dealing gangs, corrupt politicians, etc.

What I liked:
- that there was good world building and complex plot
- a likeable group of supporting characters/allies
- Marek being protective of his siblings and Misha so easily accepting them and extending his protection to them
- Misha having a positive attitude towards Marek's sex work

What I didn't like: (and there was a lot!!)
- At 43%, Misha makes reference to how he can't take Ken out, he's muzzled because of Sergei. I prefered Sasha to Misha because of this. I was disappointed by Misha in the majority of this book. I thought since he was higher up the chain than Sasha, that he would be more powerful and less answerable to other people.
- For over half the book, there isn't a lot of attraction on Marek's side. There isn't positive sexual tension or romance. Because of Marek's history of being used and assaulted and doing sex work, he has these cynical and tainted ideas about sex and relationships. Just a personal preference of mine, to want more positive attraction between the two characters.
- I know this is a dark romance, but I prefer dark characters to have some moral line. I really disliked how Misha tortured and killed innocent women and children solely because they were related to an enemy.
- When Misha gave Ken and Alonzo warnings, Misha acted like he was a big man and like he expected them to respect his warning. But Misha was full of himself and didn't make the message clear enough and he just caused Marek to be hurt more because Ken and Alonzo were still alive to take it out on Marek and his family. And even after those incidents, Misha didn't learn, he's similarly gave the Nirvana founders warnings that put a target on Misha and Marek's backs - he got lucky that the Nirvana people didn't hurt them.
- Misha and Marek having sex in the bath house where they are meeting the homophobic and trigger happy Sergei was dumb
- At 54% - I don't like how Marek has just accepted living in Misha's apartment, relying on his generosity. I know they have a relationship now, but he's not very trusting and I can't see him wanting to be in Misha's debt. He should have at least angsted over staying or felt bad about it or tried to pay him rent. And I know Marek had to wait to get an appointment with the lawyer to try to get custody over his siblings, but for weeks to go by... it seems like there should be more urgency to removing the kids from an unsafe house that has a mold infection
- Misha's life really isn't compatible with having a family life and raising Marek's siblings
- I'm not comfortable with the power dynamic between Misha and Marek. I have a real personal pet peeve/sensitivity to unequal relationships. I know this is a me thing, but I think relationships also do need balance. And this whole relationship was very out of balance. Misha was always the giver. Anything that Marek wanted or needed, Misha would bend over backwards to give to him. The whole book was about what Marek wanted and Misha making it happen. I needed to see some reciprocity. I needed there to be a time where Marek felt just as deeply, where he gave and sacrificed, where he stopped taking. Marek was always in Misha's debt even though Misha didn't think of it that way. I wanted Marek to have some real power that was his, and I wanted Marek to also show us what he was giving to Misha to contribute to the relationship. To make things more mutual.
- Killing Dimitri and Sergei was far too easy. They are higher up than Sasha was, so they should have had bodyguards protecting them at all times. Sasha had a bodyguard for Roan. This was unbelievable in how easy it was.

Some notable moments:

"“I’m starting to feel offended. I’m approachable. Don’t I look approachable?” “Not in the slightest. Wouldn’t you agree, boss? Misha?”"

"“We’re going to kill Sergei.” Marek’s eyes widened. He glanced at Sasha again, apparently seeing him in a new light. “Are you serious?” I nodded. “And Dimitri?” Sasha asked. “Him too.” “Excellent.” A lethal smile stretched across his face, looking every bit like the Wolf I once knew."

"He nodded. “We should eat while it’s hot.” “There’s something over there that reeks, by the way. I do not recommend opening the green bowl with the tin foil on top.” “Herring?” “I didn’t get that close. Ezra looked inside and the smell that came out was enough to gag a maggot.” Laughing, Misha shook his head, pulling me in for a hug. “I’m so happy you’re here with me.”"


*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.

**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars which pains me to do because I loved the “Roan Sinclair” duet so much I thought for sure this would live up to the standards but sadly it fell short. I won’t go on a long rant but I’ll just list some of the reasons why this wasn’t a 5 star read for me…

-Marek was a sex worker and I try to stay away from those because I’ve read enough to know they aren’t for me.

-While one of Marek’s “appointments” with a John was FTB, which I appreciated, I didn’t appreciate the scene where Misha was getting blown by another guy in the inventory room or whatever. At this point we think Misha has some sort of obsession with Marek because he’s been stalking him for weeks and yet we have to watch him have a sex scene with someone else who not only is a complete asshole to Marek but who looks just like Marek?! We also find out that this guy is Mishas eff buddy. That immediately knocked off a star for me.

-Marek stops his sex work but Misha says that he would let him return to sex work if it was something he enjoyed. Like come on can’t he be a little bit possessive. MCs that are okay with sharing even in that capacity bug me so much. Sasha (from the duet) would never allow Roan to do this!!

-Misha is super soft and weak compared to Sasha (from the duet) I mean he let his eff buddy talk to him a certain way and mess with Marek and yet does nothing about it

-Marek needs money and instead of asking Misha for it, he goes back to a John that's been terrorizing him to have sex with him for the money. The only reason they don’t complete the act is because Marek ODs on whatever he took but still this is considered cheating to me because him and Misha have been in a relationship for a while when this happens.

-There were characters that were killed off that didn’t need to be killed. Specifically, one that really rubbed me the wrong way.

-there were too many plot lines. There were five subplots that I could think of off the top of my head and going into each chapter you never knew which plot line it was going to be. It was too much.

I appreciated that Misha got rid of everyone that harmed Marek but idk, he didn’t scream mafia to me as much as Sasha did. But reading this made me want to read Sasha and Roans book again because I loved them so much!!

CHEATING
OM DRAMA
DRUG OVERDOSE
PAST SA ATTEMPT
TORTURE
MURDER

[carolina · Rating 4 out of 5]

࿐ Yet, he was still there. After all of the vile things I’d said, that I’d done, all the ways I’d tried to push him away… He was still there. If that wasn’t love, I didn’t know what was.

ᝰ.ᐟ 4.5 stars

This book was a great surprise, it was so much better than I expected. I truly loved it 🥹 It’s raw, violent and dark, but also heartwarming and comforting. I felt for the characters and I only wished the very best for them. There were a lot of painful, heartbreaking moments, but there was also happiness to be found in this story, as well as love and hope.

What could I possibly say to convince him that instead of shattering him to pieces, I wanted to pick up the fragments and put him back together?

I recommend checking TW’s, because the book gets quite dark at times and there’s a lot of violent and bloody scenes. It’s a mafia dark romance, there’s a lot of people to be killed and tortured in this genre 😂 This is a spin off of the Solnyshko duet and while you’re not required to read those books to enjoy this one, I recommend doing it, because it makes the experience better.

I enjoyed the plot in this book, it was entertaining and I like that the author doesn’t shy away from showing how ruthless the mafia world is. There’s not romanticising of it, it’s dangerous and if you’re powerless, you’re of no importance, which means you’re just a pawn in a game, ready to be discarded if you’re no longer needed.

So much of the time he was fiery and wild, keeping me on my toes with his unpredictability. But with his guard down, I could see what a wounded creature he really was underneath. His pain made him hard and mistrustful, and for good reason. It broke my heart all over again, imagining everything he’d endured. Right then, I vowed to show him a different life, a better life, even if it ultimately took him away from me.

��˖➴ Marek lived his whole live at the mercy of powerful and rich men. He did what he had to do to be able to survive and none of it was pretty or easy. It broke my heart to know how much he suffered. He thought himself unworthy of good things, saw himself as someone who was tainted by his actions and would never amount to anything, all because of the way other people treated him. It wasn’t easy for him to trust Misha, to let him in and open up his heart, but brick by brick, Misha was able to tear down the walls protecting Marek’s heart 🥹 Marek deserves all the happiness in the world.

Marek was so convinced he brought nothing but negativity to my life but he failed to see that he’d become my life.

°˖➴ I have no words for Misha, he’s everything and more. Despite his line of work, he’s a man in tune with his emotions, not afraid to be vulnerable. A man capable of doing anything for the one he loves. He was so gentle and patient with Marek, he never once gave up on him, even when Marek did everything in his power to push him away 😭 He showed Marek what it feels like to be loved and cared for.

“It took a lifetime of disappointment to make you the way you are. I don’t expect that to change overnight, nor do I expect you to believe anything that I say for a long time—if ever. I know words mean nothing to you, but I won’t stop telling you that I love you. And I promise I’m not going anywhere, no matter what.”

Their romance was so touching. It started as something physical, but it slowly evolved to a beautiful friendship and to see the way they both healed each other and achieved the life they’d dreamed of but never thought they’d have warmed my heart.

I couldn’t recommend this more, it’s worth the read 🫶🏻

────୨ৎ more quotes:

⟶ I didn’t know when he became the center of my world but somehow he had and that changed everything. My new mission was clear. I’d do whatever was necessary to deliver him from the life he knew, even if it cost me my own.

⟶ “I see something in you, Marek. I’ve seen it since the first time we met. If you’re not going to fight for it, I’ll do it for you. I’ve been fighting my whole life. What’s one more battle, if the cause is worthy?”

⟶ Now that I’d already had a taste of him, I wanted more. I wanted all of him. But I wanted him to want it. He’d spent his whole life catering to others. I wouldn’t do that to him. Anything we did would be on his terms. Full stop.

⟶ When he smiled, my whole world aligned. Because I did love him. Unreservedly. And I would move Heaven and Earth to see him smile like that for the rest of his life.

⟶ “That may be how you see yourself, how you see the world, but that’s not how I see you. I’ve never seen you as anything less than the amazing, fucking infuriating man that you are.”

[TrippyBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mareks life is a hot mess & he constantly self sabotages . He has never had anyone trustworthy in his life, so it makes sense why he would be this way .

Misha is a goated book boyfriend. Not only does he put Marek first , he has the patience of a saint.

It’s infuriating how much of a train wreck he is, but you will never stop rooting for them.

The emotions are believable & well written

[KaylaMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

✰4.5 stars✰ rounded up

Marek and Misha have a really unique path to their relationship in this story and I think it works so well with their respective backgrounds and story arcs.

“I love you, Marek. I’ll tell you every day, morning, noon, and night, until you believe me. I’ll shout it from the rooftops. Carve it into trees. Whatever it takes for you to finally believe me.”

I think that Marek's background was heartbreaking and he needed someone like Misha to be there for him. Of course, he wasn't really on board with that or able to see how good Misha could be to him at first.
Misha is also such a multifaceted character, the way he is with Marek and Marek's siblings is totally different than the mask he puts on for work.

There are some moments in this book that really pull at your emotions and I thought that it was a perfect combination of angst and eventual happiness.

I do think there are a few things that felt unnecessary or almost cruel in the overall plot that I could have stylistically done without but overall it was an excellent read for me!

[Iz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Oh I don't know where to start.
I've been (im)patiently waiting for Misha's book since the first time he appeared in Roan and Sasha's duology, in all his badass, complicated, contradictory glory. I was immediately intrigued by him, and I seriously could not wait to have his book in my hands.
I was expecting to love "The Deliverance of Marek Sommers", and while I did enjoy this book, I wasn't totally sold on it, unfortunately.

First things first though, the good:
- The characters. I absolutely adored Misha: he's that perfect mixture of gruff and strong, sweet and caring. I loved how loyal he was to his people, and I loved how protective and loyal he was to Marek: if there's one thing I'm weak for, it's dangerous heroes being soft for their love interests.
I loved Marek too: he's a complicated man, and his "run before I get hurt" personality IS very realistic considering his past, and, like Roan, he's got a distinct lack of morals and a ruthlessness that make him the perfect man for Misha's very violent and very criminal "career". Both MCs were multifaceted and complicated, and I always appreciate that in the romances I read.

- I loved the writing, I loved Bri and Ezra and Nadia, and I loved seeing a bit more of Misha's men too: they're so loyal to him, and it made me smile how they acted a bit like mother hens when it came to his safety.

So why 3.5 stars?
Well, although I DID enjoy this book, I thought it was a bit too long for starters. Maybe it was necessary for Misha and Marek's development as a couple, considering Marek's past and his understandable skittishness towards big, powerful men, but I still ended up skimming quite a few chunks of the book.
And I also found this book... I don't know, a bit too unfair? Gratuitous? Some things happen that left me feeling quite a bit unsettled, and it kinda spoilt the ending for me: although it's a very, very happy HEA, some things were just a bit too dark and too unfair, too unforgivably violent, for me too accept that ending as a satisfying one. I know this is a dark romance, so maybe it's my fault for expecting something different, but still, there has to be a line somewhere.
I don't know, maybe I haven't read enough of this kind of genre, and mine's probably an unpopular opinion, but still, some things that happen left me with a bad, bitter taste in my mouth, and I couldn't get over it.

But yes, like I said, mine's probably an unpopular opinion, and if you love dark romances with a hard-won HEA, complicated, dangerous men and lots and lots of steam, this is the book for you. Plus, it has a really sweet epilogue, despite it all.

TWs/CWs: attempted sexual assault (on page), sexual assault (past), abusive parent, drug addiction, overdose, death of family members, violence, torture, death of children.

Thank you GRR for the ARC. I received it in exchange for an honest review.

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

An action packed but terribly violent story about the mob in Chicago. Yes there was an M/M romance between one of the Russian mobsters and a poor, down and out guy that for some reason the mobster fell in love with (kind of insta for me). But even the potential sweetness of that relationship was ruined by beheadings, chain saw murders, and even shots to the head of two kids, to make this story palatable.

Enough horribleness in the world, I don't need to read about it for entertainment.

[Emna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm just a girl 🎀 , A girl who desperately needs Misha Chernyshevsky in her life 💅🏻

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a while since I read the Roan Sinclair duet, but I remember it as both a brutal and beautiful romance. I've been eagerly awaiting Misha's story, and while I liked it, it was another read that fell just short of something I could have loved.

Marek was a great character, and I cared about him from the start. He was prickly and defensive, but it made sense for what he'd been through. I wanted him to find peace, and was so happy Misha was able to give that to him.

Misha's patience and devotion were unconditional and I loved how determined he was to fight for Marek. As much as Marek didn't want to trust him, Misha proved himself over and over again.

My biggest issue was that by the end, Misha was still a mystery. There were so many unanswered questions about his background, so many secrets he had to keep, that I felt a bit of distance between myself and his character as a result.

I also took issue with the tragic and unnecessary death of a side character, and a decision Misha makes to take out an entire family, children included. . I get that these acts of violence are probably more realistic to the mafia lifestyle, but I still didn't like them

The happy ending was lovely though, and I was so glad for a glimpse into Sasha's and Roan's happily ever after too.

[kaleigh]

Dnf- I couldn’t get past the fact Misha was still with his f buddy after stalking Marek for weeks :/

Paige has all the spoilers-

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Q · Rating 1 out of 5]

Downgraded to a one star, you best believe i will not support a trumpie in any shape or form

[Moon ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've waited so long for Misha's story that I cannot believe that it's finally here. This novel was a roller-coaster of the best and worst (in the best way) possible emotions rolled into one.
The pain, the heartbreak, the yearning and the trust issues were juxtaposed with sweet, heartbreaking love, overwhelming emotions and acceptance that yes, finally things will be alright.
A very well deserved 5 stars and I'm so glad this was my first read of the year!

[rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Musi ✨Vegacrux’s first child✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Near perfect. I hate HIS death tho I was looking forward for his book smh . Ugh anyway I loved this

[Miriam still reading! HIATUS from GR · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️stars story😍😍😍😍😍

[Nadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

About this book:
MM Romance, Russian Mafia, Forbidden, Opposites Attract, Age Gap (18 years), Rich/Poor, Found Family, Slow Burn.

▪️Thoughts:
I'm not at all surprised of how fast I read this. As soon as I saw Ashlyn Drewek hinting of writing this book, then giving us a blurb I knew I would read it immediately. She is one of the authors who I drop anything for because I just know it's going to be great work.
Misha 🫠 this man is absolute perfection (in a dark way which you all know by now it is my weakness). He will burn the world down person by person to keep safe anyone he cares for. He's character blew my mind and will probably be my new favorite until Ashlyn gives me another new character to love haha.
Marek has gone through so much pain, suffering, and battles. He sees things with skepticism, doubtfulness, and always on defence. The way he has lived this life has brought upon all of those emotions and he will forever be strong and won't back down.
Put Misha and Marek together and you get a an atomic combination. The amount of patience Misha has towards Marek, he deserves a dang award 👏. The pages flew by when I was reading this book Misha's involvement in the mafia, Marek's life being pulled in so many directions, the suspense of what is going to happen peaked my interest to the highest point.
Even though this book is a standalone you do get some spoilers for The Solnyshko Duet so if you are considering reading this book and would like to avoid that I do suggest you read the duet first then read The Deliverance of Marek Sommers. This book does contain triggers it is a dark romance and may not be for everyone.
Overall this was a fantastic book I enjoyed everything about it I could not stop reading it from the moment I started it! Misha and Marek were perfection as well as Roan and Sasha who I will forever love as well.🖤🖤🖤

▪️Quotes:
💬 I didn’t know when he became the center of my world but somehow he had and that changed everything. My new mission was clear. I’d do whatever was necessary to deliver him from the life he knew, even if it cost me my own.
💬 “I love you, Marek. I’ll tell you every day, morning, noon, and night, until you believe me. I’ll shout it from the rooftops. Carve it into trees. Whatever it takes for you to finally believe me.”
💬 A lasting sense of peace settled over me. It was something I’d fought for for others but never in a million years expected for myself. Thanks to Marek, I finally had it and I was never letting it go.

I received this book as an ARC, this is my honest opinion.

[Jacqueleen the Reading Queen♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"No one has taken care of you before. Let me take care of you, Marek. Let me show you how your life should be."

I've long awaited Misha to get his HEA after reading the The Solnyshko Duet and I am so happy it is finally here! Misha's story, while still full of bloody mafia vibes, wasn't as violent a book as the latter. That does not mean you shouldn't pay attention the the TWs, for which there are many. When Misha loves, he loves hard, and nobody is safe from his wrath if you harm those he loves. Even their families.

Marek is one jaded son of a gun. He trusts no one. Hell, I don't know if he even still fully trusts that Misha isn't going to up and dissapear even at the end. His life has taught him these lessons and they are hard to unlearn. But Misha keeps trying. Throughout the entire book he is nothing but patient and understanding with Marek. He seems to know just when to push and when to leave it alone. A delicate balance for a skittish man such as Marek. I loved how sweet Misha could be with him and was sad whenever Marek was surprised how lovely it could be.

"I didn't know when he became the center of my world but somehow he had and that changed everything. My new mission was clear. I'd do whatever was necessary to deliver him from the life he knew, even if it cost me my own."

Their HEA definitely falls in the hard won category. There were losses on both sides, but the pay off was happiness and the ability to be a bit more free about their relationship. Speaking of that, I really liked the men of Misha's loyal crew and I have hopes that Valery will someday get to enjoy the freedom that Misha's affords him as well, hopefully in the form of his own book.

[Amy Voce · Rating 5 out of 5]

*BETA RTC*

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded down. My enjoyment of this book seesawed between 2 and 4 stars. It was... a lot. In it, we have Misha - whom we met in the Solnyshko duet - Russian mobster and right-hand man to the boss, Sergei. Misha becomes intrigued by a beautful low-level drug dealer and bartender, the eponymous Marek, and inserts himself into his life. Marek is testy, contrary, irritable and has dogshit problem-solving skills, and Misha apparently is really into that. He pursues Marek in an almost love-bombing kind of way and makes it his mission to rescue Marek from his shitty life. I'm not sure that I really understood Misha's feelings for Marek, he was definitely not as easy person to like. Now, I love a morally grey character, and so does Drewek, because Misha is that in spades. On the one hand, he is this steady, loving, generous presence in Marek's life; but on the other, he has zero qualms about straight up murdering entire families. I have to say, I would have probably rated this book higher if it hadn't been for how psychopathically cold-blooded some of Misha's actions are. I couldn't square those two things. I love the whole 'he will suffer for harming you' thing, but it gets taken too far and there was no redeeming Misha for me after that. Also, there's just a lot of unnecessarily grisly death in this book. It was pretty sexy in places, but this also fell a little short for me. If you enjoyed the Solnyshko books, you'll probably like this too, but it didn't quite get me there.

[Readingtherainbow · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ I enjoyed many things about this book. Before reading it i was very curious about Misha and although he wasn’t exactly what I expected I still liked him. Marek on the other hand drove me a little crazy at times. He was not an easy character to like but I still rooted for him and his personality and questionable actions/decisions made sense considering his background. I think with this book you have to leave reality at the front door though lol. I feel like the way the police handled things and how they got away with certain things seemed unrealistic. I also felt a little lost at times with the part of the plot involving the new drug. Too many characters, not enough explanation. But besides that, the smut was great, there’s lots of chemistry between the mcs and some slightly shocking and exciting moments that kept me on my toes.

[Seraphina Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. Loved this. Wild ride but worth it