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There’s no mercy at the Ares Academy. Not for me.

Named after the God of War, this college doesn’t teach math or literature. Students here are the monstrous offspring from the most powerful families in the world of organized crime, they come here to learn how to terrorize, murder, extort, and find their seat of power.

My brother, the Pakhan of the Aslanov Bratva thinks I’ll be safe here?

I have to survive this place. There’s nowhere else for me to go.

Lucca Toscano is everything I’m not: strong, powerful, and courageous. He’s beautiful, but so angry. He can teach me how to thrive in this school for villains, if I can be brave enough to give him what he wants in return.

Lethal - A Dark College Bratva Romance can be read as a stand-alone with a HEA and no cheating for 18+ readers only. Please read the trigger warnings in the preface. Lethal is the third book in the Toscano Mafia Saga and the first book in the Ares Academy Series.

284 pages, Paperback

First published November 2, 2023

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Arianna Fraser

46 books262 followers

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5 stars
252 (59%)
4 stars
113 (26%)
3 stars
46 (10%)
2 stars
9 (2%)
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5 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
Profile Image for Jen ♥.
1,708 reviews945 followers
November 7, 2023
3.5 ⭐️

MCs:
- Lucca
- Tatiana

Book info:
- College dark romance
- Secret society
- Forced proximity
- Grumpy-sunshine
- Virgin FMC, Hoe MMC (implied)
- Violence, torture, death
- Attempted assault and kidnapping
- No cheating, owd/omd
- Third act breakup
- HFN


Tatiana's family was attacked on all sides; her parents died in a plane crash; her brothers were ambushed; and she almost got abducted, but thanks to her bodyguard, they got away. With all of these threats, her brothers sent her to this university for the children of the most powerful people in the underworld to protect her, as this is also a neutral ground.

She struggled to adjust in the beginning, and Lucca was assigned to train her in combat. They trained almost every day, and of course, with the forced proximity, they developed feelings for one another.

The plot isn't something new, but I still enjoyed reading it and the grumpy-sunshine combo of the MCs. There's also a third-act breakup that lasted for a month, and during this time too, Lucca received multiple offers to "comfort" him, but he ignored all of them. I would definitely DNF this if he accepted even one. He used to be a hoe before Tati, so the chance of him taking these offers is not impossible; his reputation preceded him, but thank God he didn't.

Overall, this was a good book, though there are things that didn't add up for me, and I need more clarifications on them. Anyway, setting that aside, there were lies, betrayals, actions, and suspense. I'm not a fan of HFN, but I guess that's the only ending they would get since they're just college students.


Note: The story is similar to Merciless Saints and The Spy, if readers loved these books, they should go for this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
8,661 reviews62 followers
November 7, 2023
After the attacks on Tatianas family her brother decide she needs protection in the one place that can offer neutral grounds she ends up getting combat lessons from Lucca, and soon these two heat up in more than one way, but can they go the distance? Well written engaging fast paced steamy, desires and more!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
6 reviews
November 3, 2023
Another Great Addition!

Wonderful addition to the existing Ariana Fraser collection! I’ve always been skeptical of college romances. But the Ares Academy is a whole different ball game. I look forward to the next installment!
Profile Image for Shawnna.
154 reviews4 followers
January 14, 2024
5 ⭐️ 5 🌶 5 💀

What's a young woman to do when her world is turned upside-down in one night? Tatiana Aslanov is about to find out.

In one night, Tatiana Aslanov goes from a peaceful night of sleep in her family home to running for her life. Someone just killed her parents and tried to kill her brothers. Whoever they are want Tatiana for themselves.

Her brothers, Roman and Ilia, believe the safety place for her to hide is at The Ares Academy. A school where learning how to kill is part of everyday class there.

Lucca Toscano was sent to the school because his family believed that he betrayed them. He has to prove to them that he is worth the family's name.

By a crazy chance, Lucca and Tatiana are thrown together at gym class. He has a month to turn her into a fighter. Soon, they become more than just training partners. Lucca becomes very protective of her, and Tatiana shares all her first with him.

They have to figure out who wants Tatiana, who killed her parents, and try to kill her brothers. Working together, they are a force to reckon with and deadly.

I can't wait to read more from this series. I'm especially excited to learn about Mariya and Kon's story.
Profile Image for Underworld.
24 reviews1 follower
October 31, 2023
There's something wildly sexy about a man who knows how to handle himself, even if he's a grumpy murder robot, thanks to his heartless brothers. Lucca Toscano, the youngest of the Toscano Mafia has good reason to be angry at his family. Still, his furious isolation is tested when Tatiana Aslanova is thrown into the heartless world of the Ares Academy. You know things are dire when her brothers - under fire from the mysterious villains out to destroy their Bratva - think the brutal college for the children of crime families is the safest place for her.

I've never rooted so hard for two of Arianna Fraser's characters to stay together for their much-deserved HEA. But geez, there's so much angst first! Fortunately, there's so much excellent s*x and even romance to enjoy along the way. Really, REALLY good s*x and thank you, Arianna, for that.
215 reviews3 followers
November 4, 2023
This is the most stress inducing, nerve wracking, suspenseful book Arianna Fraser has ever written. The FMC, Tatiana, gets into so many difficult, dangerous situations, it was almost more than I could take. Several times I just had to stop reading until I could calm down enough to go on. There’s also a sexy MMC, plenty of sexy times, a totally insane Dean, a school that produces criminals, sociopaths and the occasional madman, a whole slew of bad guys, including two particularly slimy ones, a gate that goes BOOM when it’s blown up, a gross miscarriage of justice to be righted (I’m looking at you, Toscano boss brothers), and of course an HEA. Oh, yes, and don’t forget the reverse Prince Albert. So grab your security blanket, teddy bear or whatever you need to hold on to when the tension gets too strong, and settle in for a wild ride and a good read.
Profile Image for Katie.
1,276 reviews21 followers
November 18, 2023
Loved every page!!

This book is amazing! I've loved this mafia series from the beginning and coming to Ares Academy was just another perfect move for their stories to continue!

Lucca Toscano has been shunned by his brothers and wants nothing more than to prove himself at the Academy. The one thing he never expected was the gorgeous and oh so beautiful Tatiana Aslanova! She has no reason to be at the Academy but when Lucca starts to train with her he can't get her out of his head and he wants her in his bed always.

This book is action packed and you will love all the new and returning characters that we see throughout their story. As always, with mafias comes drama, deception, lies, betrayal but also so much devotion, loyalty, and honor that you will devour every page of this book. Happy Reading!!
216 reviews2 followers
November 14, 2023
amazing

Another amazing book by Arianna Fraser.
There are so many next generation characters introduced in this book, I can’t wait until they all get their own book.

Luca and Tatiana are an amazing couple. It’s so good to see characters from previous books interwoven with their storyline.

Fantastic read, suspenseful, sexy, hot and intense.
711 reviews
November 3, 2023
WOW, Amazing

This book was awesome m amazing p, no words to describe it. The plot and characters were very well developed. I was hooked after Chapter 1. It had everything, great sex, betrayal, murder and love. I couldn’t put it down. I hope there’s more. Great epilogue.
Profile Image for Mydi.
8 reviews1 follower
November 2, 2023
5 stars

Thrilling read, Authors best book yet!!
I read this in one day, and I just couldn’t put it down. Had just the right amount of plot and spice.

Highly recommend!!!
Profile Image for Grinning Cat.
3,533 reviews119 followers
November 10, 2023
MMC/FMC- Lucca and Tatiana
POV- 1st person dual
Genre- Mafia Romance
Sub Genre- Mostly Bratva with a side order of Mafia
Heat- 🌋🌋🌋🌋☄️(1🌋=2☄️). “I’d like to thank the letter C, without whom the zexytime would not have been possible.”
Series? Y
Safety: no cheating or OW/OM drama. Attempted s. violence. No cliffhanger. HEA.
Triggers- attempted S.A., graphic violence, language in three languages, torture, explicit erotic content, creatively frightening implements of destruction.
Tropes- Enemies to Lovers, Lady Killer in Love, New Adult, Forced Proximity, That’s Not My Leg, Friends Help Friends Move- Real Friends Help Friends Move Bodies, The Couple That Slays Together Stays Together, Grandmother What a Big Saw You Have.
What I liked- I loved this book. It was a great blend of Romance and Action, spiced up with humor and zexytime. Oh, the zexytime! I will never look at a greenhouse the same way. And the chapter subtitles were everything- the one at Chapter 33 made me snort my drink.
What I didn’t like- not gonna lie, this book made me question some of my life choices, starting with why I went to college instead of attending the… vocational… school in this book.
Other thoughts: Lucca is my book boyfriend- MINE! At least, until the restraining order is granted.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
767 reviews3 followers
September 9, 2025
Bring it! By MeemsAngel82

This was AMAZING!! I absolutely am so very excited for this brand new series!! There is love and list, danger and family and intrigue. Romance is not dead, it's now lethal! The writing style is easy to follow along with and the characters are fleshed out and entertaining. I love the twists and the craziness. This is one school with some unusual teaching methods!

She had lost part of her family and was thrown into the fire and had to adapt as quickly as she could. She wasn't swimming rather she was sinking until sparring verbally with her new trainer took on a life of it's own. Desire wins out and so do their hearts.

Familiar faces and future romances? SQUEAL!! I love that!! And this new series is an amazing concept. Forced proximity yet still having a lot of family elements is hard to do while at school but this was done so well. The lead up and the chemistry these two had? Holy smokes this was HOT! I absolutely love, love hoe devoted this H is for his leading lady. There are so many cool side characters and their own family drama. This was another incredible read and I cannot wait for more!!

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Sophie.
97 reviews1 follower
July 5, 2024
steamy and exciting

I’ve been working myself through these series and they have not disappointed. This book tells the story ares academy which is mention throughout the other books and takes a nose dive into the activities that happen there. Lucca and Titiana bounce of each other well. I like there was no mislead assumptions through any of it, personal pet peeve is one person believing something that hasn’t happen and then the book is one side discovering the truth, then its all rainbows and smiles.
This book brings in lots of characters from all the different families and some new ones.
I was gripped from the first page and i love a book like that. The steamy scenes were done well, with you feeling like you could picture it and the emotions and feelings behind the characters actions tallied up prefectly. A really great read and worth getting comfy and opening the book, you will not want to put it down.
Profile Image for JenMcJ.
2,601 reviews325 followers
November 7, 2023
I enjoyed this book. It feels like the author had a good grasp on both characters, which hasn't always been the case in some of her past books.

Despite some OTT shenanigans, -I'm looking at you, Dean- and a few plot holes with the mess Tatiana's brothers find themselves in, I felt like Lucca and Tatiana are a good match and I really liked that Tatiana didn't collapse like a soufflé the minute the pressure was turned up.

This did make me deeply disappointed in the Toscano brothers and lowered my opinion of them quite a lot, unfortunately. I wish there could have been a better way to introduce a character to keep the connection going into the new series than the one she came up with.
Profile Image for Ashley  ADirtyRead.
309 reviews23 followers
March 29, 2024
Lucca and Tat are a perfect match

I love that the author didn't make this "cute". It was a rough college experience for "sociopaths and criminals". Their relationship started because he had to train her to be a fighter. Lucca never took it easy on her even when he loved her. He still made sure to use her in the college challenges. He genuinely saw her as an equal through out the story and I loved that.

Tat didn't shy away from trouble either. She held her own, she's smart, and was far more than the typical bratva princess.

I can't wait to read the second book. You get glimpse of their friends through out this story and I'm excited to see how their arranged marriage plays out now that the school year is coming to a close.
Profile Image for Karen Hackett.
1,046 reviews11 followers
April 28, 2025
LETHAL, Book 1 of the Ares Academy by Arianna Fraser

Troupe: enemies-to-lover, Tatiana of Aslanov Bratva, deaths of parents, Ares Academy, strong heroine, Lucca Toscano: strong, powerful, and courageous, Italian Mafia, irresistible attraction, unknown enemies, plot twists

Arianna Fraser creates a wildly fascinating cast of characters, suspense with well-timed twists and unexpected turns at the academy. LETHAL is a fast-paced adventure with steamy romance, danger, back-stabbing student that’ll keep any reader’s attention glued to the pages.
Profile Image for VAANYA MAHADEV .
116 reviews
April 12, 2024
Arianna's premises are always promising but than falls flat mid way. The plot was interesting and if she'd stuck to laying out the character development of Lucca and Tatiana in depth, this would've been a winner.
All the unnecessary sex scenes that are drawn out made me skip them because really, it's not sexy at all. So much potential was wasted. Over the top villains and their nonsensical evil machinations.
131 reviews1 follower
August 14, 2024
I loved this book from beginning to end!

This book gives you everything. It is a wonderful romance, that keeps you on the edge. You will want to read nonstop. Supporting characters are just as good. Definite extra twists you don’t see coming.
I love, love, love this book. I have definitely read many mafia books, I read at least one book a day. This is one of the best I’ve read by far.
160 reviews1 follower
September 19, 2025
I love Lucca!

Here is a story of two young people who fall in love! Okay….here is a story of two young people who belong to crime families, attending a crime run college, who fall in love! Lucca teaches Tatiana how to fight, how to survive, how to thrive in an environment that she has no experience with. While all that is happening, they deal with potential rapists, kidnappers, and lewd perverted men. They even have to go on a rescue mission. This book has it all! Loved it!
Profile Image for Sandra.
15 reviews
March 17, 2024
Great book! I'm deep into her series from all the mafia couples! Interesting to read that there is their own school. Here we meet Lucca and Tatiana! Finding love and fighting together to survive! You will cheer for Lucca and Tatiana to come out alive on the other side! It's is great to read through all her books and how they connected and seeing and hearing about old characters! Off to the next one!
418 reviews
March 30, 2024
Enjoyable

Once you can navigate your mind to accept a school that teaches kids how to be good criminals, then this is a great read. Really enjoyed Lucca and Tatiana’s story, also watching how Tatiana’s character developed. Would recommend.
598 reviews2 followers
May 17, 2024
Not bad. Well developed characters. Strong kick as$ females ! Various atypical male characters. As for the Academy itself, all I can say is it gives new meaning to the terror of being sent to the Principal's office !!!
Profile Image for Megan Bertani.
11 reviews
May 17, 2024
Great start to a series

I really liked this book. It was action filled, spicy, and had some really funny parts. I think my all time favorite was when Tatiana played dirty and then gave the poor guy baked goods as an apology. I was definitely laughing out loud.
Profile Image for MCrawDRKRead.
975 reviews12 followers
July 23, 2024
I liked the mafia/academy idea for this book. It is fun to see the crazy classes and people that run the school. The relationship building could have been a bit better and I think the male lead changes to much to quickly. It’s still a mafia book, so he can be not so nice some of the time 🤷🏻‍♀️
Profile Image for Sophia Ramos.
241 reviews1 follower
October 13, 2024
Loved it!! Amazing!!!

Lucca😘🔥😍what a book boyfriend material!!! Hot!!❤❤ .All of the characters were amazing and the chemistry between them was super!!! Loved that Tatiana and Lucca❤got that happily ever after❤🔥💗✨!!!
15 reviews1 follower
January 27, 2025
Another Great Read

I love the sense of humor and love that are demonstrated in this book. Dean Christie is such a great character. I love the give no f***s attitude and her “fabulous “ style. Thank you for another wonderful adventure. :)
Profile Image for Sharon Stellburg.
118 reviews2 followers
July 30, 2025
Hooked

I just bought Monster... that got me interested in where it all started. This book
and the characters are so endearing [and a little frightening lol] and yes I grabbed some thin pretzels and kept reading!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews

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