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Venomous Gods #2
Devious Vow
A blisteringly steamy, Dark Mafia, Enemies to Lovers, Grumpy/Sunshine standalone romance by bestselling author, Jagger Cole.
Once he was my enemy. Now, he’s my boss.
Rich, successful, viciously gorgeous, and sinisterly brutal, Alistair Black is every bit his last name.
Morally black. Inky black heart. Devious black soul.
In college, we were enemies. Rivals. Bully vs bully. I almost ruined his life.
Now, ten years later, our paths cross again when I’m forced to work under him.
And he hasn’t at all forgotten or forgiven me for what I did to him back at school.
Now he’s my brooding, emotionally unavailable boss with the body of a god.
And I’m his plaything.
The target of his malice and revenge. The one from whom he wants to hear “yes, sir”, and nothing else.
Years ago, I thought I was done with Alistair Black.
But it turns out, he’s nowhere near done with me…
Devious Vow is a standalone dark mafia, grumpy/sunshine, enemies-to-lovers romance with a smart, untamable heroine, and an ultra possessive hero with "look at her and I'll unalive you" energy. Readers are advised to read the TW inside. No cliffhanger; HEA included.
Once he was my enemy. Now, he’s my boss.
Rich, successful, viciously gorgeous, and sinisterly brutal, Alistair Black is every bit his last name.
Morally black. Inky black heart. Devious black soul.
In college, we were enemies. Rivals. Bully vs bully. I almost ruined his life.
Now, ten years later, our paths cross again when I’m forced to work under him.
And he hasn’t at all forgotten or forgiven me for what I did to him back at school.
Now he’s my brooding, emotionally unavailable boss with the body of a god.
And I’m his plaything.
The target of his malice and revenge. The one from whom he wants to hear “yes, sir”, and nothing else.
Years ago, I thought I was done with Alistair Black.
But it turns out, he’s nowhere near done with me…
Devious Vow is a standalone dark mafia, grumpy/sunshine, enemies-to-lovers romance with a smart, untamable heroine, and an ultra possessive hero with "look at her and I'll unalive you" energy. Readers are advised to read the TW inside. No cliffhanger; HEA included.
436 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 22, 2024
2148 people are currently reading
5411 people want to read
About the author
Jagger Cole
74 books5,384 followersA reader first and foremost, Jagger Cole cut his romance writing teeth penning various fan-fiction stories years ago. After deciding to hang up his writing boots, Jagger worked in advertising pretending to be Don Draper. It worked enough to convince a woman way out of his league to marry him, though, which is a total win.
Now, Dad to two little princesses and King to a Queen, Jagger is thrilled to be back at the keyboard.
When not writing or reading romance books, he can be found woodworking, enjoying good whiskey, and grilling outside—rain or shine.
You can find all of his books at www.jaggercolewrites.com
Grab a FREE book for joining my fans-only newsletter! -> https://dl.bookfunnel.com/8rld1ik3sd
Now, Dad to two little princesses and King to a Queen, Jagger is thrilled to be back at the keyboard.
When not writing or reading romance books, he can be found woodworking, enjoying good whiskey, and grilling outside—rain or shine.
You can find all of his books at www.jaggercolewrites.com
Grab a FREE book for joining my fans-only newsletter! -> https://dl.bookfunnel.com/8rld1ik3sd
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 715 reviews
February 23, 2024
Tropes: mafia, enemies to lovers, second chances
Feels: 1/5
Steam*: 3/5 (there was a lot of sex but it was just smutty and not really romantic or sensual)
Kinks: n/a
Angst: medium
HEA: yes
Pairing: MF
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: forced marriage, cheating (but not between FMC and MMC), violence, murder, alcoholism, miscarriage, repeated unsafe sex
Full disclosure, I didn't like this book. And I can't really review it without spoiling a whole bunch of things. Because I want to vent about them. So fair warning this is a spoiler filled review.
Alistair is 34 and a lawyer to a lot of sketchy clients and powerful families. Eloise is 29, she is the daughter of a mafiaso and a lawyer herself but she hasn't been practicing recently for various reasons. They met in college and they had a enemies / bullying relationship. Their tension culminated in them having a one-night stand. But things between them got f***** up due to people interfering and misunderstandings. They both blamed each other and have hated the other person since.
In the 10 years since then, Alistair has had a successful life and moved on. Eloise hasn't had as good of a run. Alistair got her pregnant 10 years ago, then she miscarried and nearly died, and he ghosted and blocked her because he thought she slept with some other guys, which she did not. Eloise has avoided men for eight or nine years. Then she was forced into an arranged marriage a year ago. But she doesn't have sex with her husband. Then in the present she meets Alistair when her husband becomes a client of his law firm. Her shitty husband wants Eloise installed as an employee as a condition of him becoming a client, because obviously he wants to use her at the company to do something sketchy. Anyone with common sense would realize that interference in their cases is coming and people are at risk of losing their cases and being disbarred if Eloise touches anything for her husband. But nobody foresees any problem and they all just agree.
Alistair and Eloise bicker at work when they're forced to work together but quickly start f******. And then criminal s*** goes down with her husband. But Alistair and Eloise are in love... Lol.
This book was ridiculous to me. I honestly do not see how they could have fallen in love either 10 years ago or in the present. There were some comments thrown in about how the other person feels like home to them and there was a cheesy recurring theme of them asking each other "tell me something that no one else knows about you", but they didn't spend time together in a non-sexual way and they didn't actually ever behave towards the other person in a kind way so there was no believability to them developing any real feelings for each other. Honestly, the characters just seemed really attracted to each other and not having any feelings. These guys just had wild f*** fests when they were in each other's company, it was really stupid because it was in dangerous locations and they were so likely to get caught, that it just made me think they were stupid and unprofessional.
I didn't like how many flashbacks there were in this book. It seemed overly used. These lawyers did a lot of s*** that could get them disbarred.
I didn't like the the way the author handled Eloise's sexuality. Alistair was the only person that she ever had sex with. She was a virgin before him when they hooked up when she was 19. It seems unrealistic and patriarchal to say that she wouldn't have sex in the 10 years after that. They had her say she was traumatized by her miscarriage, but I I think it's misogynistic to make her stay celibate. And it was unrealistic that her mafioso husband who f***** other woman and killed people in front of her wouldn't have raped her/forced her. Though I'm happy she escaped that fate. Then Eloise gets butt hurt when she's confronted with texts from another woman that Alistair had sex with, and she s*** shames him for being with tons of women. I don't think he did anything wrong, she has no right to be hurt by his sex life when they weren't together. But it does piss me off that they had an unequal experience during the 10 years when they were apart, where she kept herself celibate and he f***** his way through women, she should have just gotten to live her life and have her own experiences. Alistair didn't deserve 10 years of celibacy from Eloise.
Something else that was really stupid was when Eloise was hiding out from her husband at the hotel. This woman is delusional to reality. She's so relaxed during this time. She has a murderous Mafia husband in the background ready to kill her and everyone she loves at any moment and she's just chilling as if this isn't going to bite her in the ass at any moment.
I didn't have a lot of moments I liked during this book, but here's one funny one...
"“Whatcha doing here, T?” I ask. She gives me a funny look. “You mean aside from the fact that my husband runs the joint?” She shrugs. “Not much. Just making sure my kneepads are in the glory-hole booth for later.”"
*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.
Feels: 1/5
Steam*: 3/5 (there was a lot of sex but it was just smutty and not really romantic or sensual)
Kinks: n/a
Angst: medium
HEA: yes
Pairing: MF
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: forced marriage, cheating (but not between FMC and MMC), violence, murder, alcoholism, miscarriage, repeated unsafe sex
Full disclosure, I didn't like this book. And I can't really review it without spoiling a whole bunch of things. Because I want to vent about them. So fair warning this is a spoiler filled review.
Alistair is 34 and a lawyer to a lot of sketchy clients and powerful families. Eloise is 29, she is the daughter of a mafiaso and a lawyer herself but she hasn't been practicing recently for various reasons. They met in college and they had a enemies / bullying relationship. Their tension culminated in them having a one-night stand. But things between them got f***** up due to people interfering and misunderstandings. They both blamed each other and have hated the other person since.
In the 10 years since then, Alistair has had a successful life and moved on. Eloise hasn't had as good of a run. Alistair got her pregnant 10 years ago, then she miscarried and nearly died, and he ghosted and blocked her because he thought she slept with some other guys, which she did not. Eloise has avoided men for eight or nine years. Then she was forced into an arranged marriage a year ago. But she doesn't have sex with her husband. Then in the present she meets Alistair when her husband becomes a client of his law firm. Her shitty husband wants Eloise installed as an employee as a condition of him becoming a client, because obviously he wants to use her at the company to do something sketchy. Anyone with common sense would realize that interference in their cases is coming and people are at risk of losing their cases and being disbarred if Eloise touches anything for her husband. But nobody foresees any problem and they all just agree.
Alistair and Eloise bicker at work when they're forced to work together but quickly start f******. And then criminal s*** goes down with her husband. But Alistair and Eloise are in love... Lol.
This book was ridiculous to me. I honestly do not see how they could have fallen in love either 10 years ago or in the present. There were some comments thrown in about how the other person feels like home to them and there was a cheesy recurring theme of them asking each other "tell me something that no one else knows about you", but they didn't spend time together in a non-sexual way and they didn't actually ever behave towards the other person in a kind way so there was no believability to them developing any real feelings for each other. Honestly, the characters just seemed really attracted to each other and not having any feelings. These guys just had wild f*** fests when they were in each other's company, it was really stupid because it was in dangerous locations and they were so likely to get caught, that it just made me think they were stupid and unprofessional.
I didn't like how many flashbacks there were in this book. It seemed overly used. These lawyers did a lot of s*** that could get them disbarred.
I didn't like the the way the author handled Eloise's sexuality. Alistair was the only person that she ever had sex with. She was a virgin before him when they hooked up when she was 19. It seems unrealistic and patriarchal to say that she wouldn't have sex in the 10 years after that. They had her say she was traumatized by her miscarriage, but I I think it's misogynistic to make her stay celibate. And it was unrealistic that her mafioso husband who f***** other woman and killed people in front of her wouldn't have raped her/forced her. Though I'm happy she escaped that fate. Then Eloise gets butt hurt when she's confronted with texts from another woman that Alistair had sex with, and she s*** shames him for being with tons of women. I don't think he did anything wrong, she has no right to be hurt by his sex life when they weren't together. But it does piss me off that they had an unequal experience during the 10 years when they were apart, where she kept herself celibate and he f***** his way through women, she should have just gotten to live her life and have her own experiences. Alistair didn't deserve 10 years of celibacy from Eloise.
Something else that was really stupid was when Eloise was hiding out from her husband at the hotel. This woman is delusional to reality. She's so relaxed during this time. She has a murderous Mafia husband in the background ready to kill her and everyone she loves at any moment and she's just chilling as if this isn't going to bite her in the ass at any moment.
I didn't have a lot of moments I liked during this book, but here's one funny one...
"“Whatcha doing here, T?” I ask. She gives me a funny look. “You mean aside from the fact that my husband runs the joint?” She shrugs. “Not much. Just making sure my kneepads are in the glory-hole booth for later.”"
*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.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2025
Enemies, lovers, second chances, and a plot twist you won’t see coming classic Jagger Cole!
February 22, 2024
No one does an Enemies to Lovers quite like Jagger Cole. There's just something visceral that hits you at a gut level. Just when I almost can't handle it.. the dam breaks and lust explodes and we kick it into another gear.
This book starts in a stunning way. Our heroine, Eloise is married to a manipulative, yet powerful man. It may be a farce of a marriage that she was forced into but she is still forced to dance to his tune or pay the consequences.
She is forced by that husband to work with Alistair at his law firm. That is a bit inconvenient, since they both loathe each other for things that went down in their past.
So let the games begin because Alistair has some grievances to work out against Eloise and he's not gonna make it easy for her. He wants her gone and he definitely doesn't want to admit that he still feels an attraction for her. They are fire on gasoline and the flames are getting higher all the time.
This was a wild ride and I read it all in one sitting. I do feel like again, the heroes in recent books have been mostly all one note. Pissed off. I still was addicted to it and gobbled it up.. but I felt a tad unsatisfied with how the ending was rushed.
4 stars
3.5 on the spice scale
CW: abuse, miscarriage (in the past), threat of assault
This book starts in a stunning way. Our heroine, Eloise is married to a manipulative, yet powerful man. It may be a farce of a marriage that she was forced into but she is still forced to dance to his tune or pay the consequences.
She is forced by that husband to work with Alistair at his law firm. That is a bit inconvenient, since they both loathe each other for things that went down in their past.
So let the games begin because Alistair has some grievances to work out against Eloise and he's not gonna make it easy for her. He wants her gone and he definitely doesn't want to admit that he still feels an attraction for her. They are fire on gasoline and the flames are getting higher all the time.
This was a wild ride and I read it all in one sitting. I do feel like again, the heroes in recent books have been mostly all one note. Pissed off. I still was addicted to it and gobbled it up.. but I felt a tad unsatisfied with how the ending was rushed.
4 stars
3.5 on the spice scale
CW: abuse, miscarriage (in the past), threat of assault
February 23, 2024
Alistair Black has spent years hating Eloise LeBlanc while she has spent years pining after him. More so after being forced into an arranged marriage with the abhorrent Massimo Carveli where her memories are her only escape. When Massimo discovers a way to exploit Eloise’s background as a lawyer to his benefit, it puts her back in Alistair’s orbit. Drawn together like magnets, Alistair quickly discovers that Eloise is harboring many secrets and their complicated past won’t stay there.
The push and pull with these two… Whew! They were explosive, passionate, and utterly made for one another. While not an entirely new storyline, Jagger successfully dropped in enough twists and turns to keep me riveted.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Darkness: 🖤🖤
Heat: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 🥺😭😳🥵😍
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual}
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): Dark, New Adult, Suspense
✨ Tropes: Enemies-to-Lovers, Grumpy x Sunshine, Mafia/Bratva/Organized Crime, Miscommunication, Second Chance, Workplace
💫 Microtropes: Alphahole, Good Girl, H8 Fçuk, MINE!
💋 Kinks: Rimming, Spanking
⚠️ Warning: This steamy read will leave your panties wet and reaching for BOB.
🚩 Safety Squad: Alcoholism, Domestic Violence (Not by MMC, On-Page), Mìsçarríage (Briefly Mentioned, Past), Unalìvíng, Vìolençė, and other potentially triggering elements. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📣 Type: Devious Vow is part of the Venomous Gods series, but can be read as a standalone.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
The push and pull with these two… Whew! They were explosive, passionate, and utterly made for one another. While not an entirely new storyline, Jagger successfully dropped in enough twists and turns to keep me riveted.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Darkness: 🖤🖤
Heat: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 🥺😭😳🥵😍
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual}
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): Dark, New Adult, Suspense
✨ Tropes: Enemies-to-Lovers, Grumpy x Sunshine, Mafia/Bratva/Organized Crime, Miscommunication, Second Chance, Workplace
💫 Microtropes: Alphahole, Good Girl, H8 Fçuk, MINE!
💋 Kinks: Rimming, Spanking
⚠️ Warning: This steamy read will leave your panties wet and reaching for BOB.
🚩 Safety Squad: Alcoholism, Domestic Violence (Not by MMC, On-Page), Mìsçarríage (Briefly Mentioned, Past), Unalìvíng, Vìolençė, and other potentially triggering elements. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📣 Type: Devious Vow is part of the Venomous Gods series, but can be read as a standalone.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
April 20, 2024
4.25 stars!
Jagger Cole just GETS dark and kinky romance. My obsession with this author grew even more after listening to him on The Wet Spot Pod podcast! If you’re into podcasts, go give this one a go. It’s so fun. But I digress…
Alistair has spent YEARS hating Eloise while she has spent years wishing he was the one that warmed her bed. Forced into a loveless and brutal arranged marriage, Eloise isn’t happy. Until she is thrust back into Alistair’s world. Her asshole “husband” plans on using her law background to his advantage. Eloise and Alistair have so many secrets and revelations to uncover but at least they’ll do it together. After the initial hate f*cking of course.
Alistair is the alpha male type I’ve come to love in Jagger’s books and Eloise was strong but also vulnerable in the best ways. While the plot wasn’t entirely original, the twists and turns were and I enjoyed the suspense. This was sexy and gritty and I love this world and the characters Jagger has created.
Jagger Cole just GETS dark and kinky romance. My obsession with this author grew even more after listening to him on The Wet Spot Pod podcast! If you’re into podcasts, go give this one a go. It’s so fun. But I digress…
Alistair has spent YEARS hating Eloise while she has spent years wishing he was the one that warmed her bed. Forced into a loveless and brutal arranged marriage, Eloise isn’t happy. Until she is thrust back into Alistair’s world. Her asshole “husband” plans on using her law background to his advantage. Eloise and Alistair have so many secrets and revelations to uncover but at least they’ll do it together. After the initial hate f*cking of course.
“You’re not just anything, Eloise,” Alistair hisses as his teeth rake down my neck. He nips at my earlobe, making me moan sharply. “You’re the whole fucking deal.”
Alistair is the alpha male type I’ve come to love in Jagger’s books and Eloise was strong but also vulnerable in the best ways. While the plot wasn’t entirely original, the twists and turns were and I enjoyed the suspense. This was sexy and gritty and I love this world and the characters Jagger has created.
February 27, 2024
At this point Jagger Cole can do no wrong!
Alistair and Eloise were 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Enemies to lovers, Rivals, ANGST for dayyyyyys!
Ok so, these two met in college and had been pulling pranks on each other until one time it went way to far. Due to some horrendous miscommunication they go their seperate ways for years…..
Now Eloise is married to a psycho mafia man (Massimo) who has demanded she work with Alistair at his firm to ensure the firm receives Massimo’s money to work with them….it’s an offer the firm can not refuse. Alistair is furious however still utterly obsessed with Eloise and this is where things start to get complicated!
This book was hot! The plot incredible and definitely one I would recommend!
Alistair and Eloise were 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Enemies to lovers, Rivals, ANGST for dayyyyyys!
Ok so, these two met in college and had been pulling pranks on each other until one time it went way to far. Due to some horrendous miscommunication they go their seperate ways for years…..
Now Eloise is married to a psycho mafia man (Massimo) who has demanded she work with Alistair at his firm to ensure the firm receives Massimo’s money to work with them….it’s an offer the firm can not refuse. Alistair is furious however still utterly obsessed with Eloise and this is where things start to get complicated!
This book was hot! The plot incredible and definitely one I would recommend!
February 6, 2025
3,5✨
Ще одна доволі не погана книга з цієї серії.💎
Пара: Алістар & Елоїза
Тропи:
⋆ Мафія
⋆ Другий шанс
⋆ Вимушена близькість
⋆ Від ворогів до закоханих
⋆ Роман на роботі
⋆ Вона зраджує своєму жорстокому чоловікові
⋆ Принцесса мафії & Адвокат
Елоїза та Алістер мають неймовірну напругу у стосунках, а їхнє спільне минуле було доволі непростим. Елоїза перебуває у шлюбі за домовленістю з небезпечним психопатом (який її ображає, та використовує як "пєшку"), тому її стосунки з Алістером можна зрозуміти.
Мені дуже сподобалися загадковість і таємниці цієї книги, які зробили сюжет ще більш захопливим. Деякі сюжетні повороти додали інтриги та тримали в напрузі до кінця.
Не дуже сподобався фінал. Бо якось так все раптово.
Але напевно то більш стиль автора такий.
Мені хотілось ще декілька розділів,
фінал настав занадто раптово, і мені б хотілося ще один-два розділи з більш розгорнутим щасливим завершенням.
У цілому, це була цікава історія про мафію!.
Рекомендую!❤️🔥
Ще одна доволі не погана книга з цієї серії.💎
Пара: Алістар & Елоїза
Тропи:
⋆ Мафія
⋆ Другий шанс
⋆ Вимушена близькість
⋆ Від ворогів до закоханих
⋆ Роман на роботі
⋆ Вона зраджує своєму жорстокому чоловікові
⋆ Принцесса мафії & Адвокат
Елоїза та Алістер мають неймовірну напругу у стосунках, а їхнє спільне минуле було доволі непростим. Елоїза перебуває у шлюбі за домовленістю з небезпечним психопатом (який її ображає, та використовує як "пєшку"), тому її стосунки з Алістером можна зрозуміти.
Мені дуже сподобалися загадковість і таємниці цієї книги, які зробили сюжет ще більш захопливим. Деякі сюжетні повороти додали інтриги та тримали в напрузі до кінця.
Не дуже сподобався фінал. Бо якось так все раптово.
Але напевно то більш стиль автора такий.
Мені хотілось ще декілька розділів,
фінал настав занадто раптово, і мені б хотілося ще один-два розділи з більш розгорнутим щасливим завершенням.
У цілому, це була цікава історія про мафію!.
Рекомендую!❤️🔥
February 19, 2024
4.5.
I will read everything Jagger writes at this point because I'm obsessed???
Alistair and Eloise are living rent-free in my mind. The second chance was *perfect* and I loved Eloise sooo much.
An emotional roller-coaster as every book from Jagger is. I cried and laughed and when I finished I just needed a bottle of whiskey and a huge nap.
I loved the boss x employee trope and how the enemies (were they??) to lovers worked out. I still love this family so much and I can’t wait to read Gabriel’s book because DAMN - I know it will be good.
Long short story, PLEASE READ THIS BOOK.
Check the TW before diving into it but give it a chance because I can promise you - you will not regret it at all!
Some tropes you can find in this book:
boss x employee
enemies to lovers
second chance
I wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I did. I really couldn’t put it down. Jagger’s writing is one of the most addictive I ever cross paths with.
An Arc was provided in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much Jagger Cole and Valentine PR for the ARC.
I will read everything Jagger writes at this point because I'm obsessed???
Alistair and Eloise are living rent-free in my mind. The second chance was *perfect* and I loved Eloise sooo much.
An emotional roller-coaster as every book from Jagger is. I cried and laughed and when I finished I just needed a bottle of whiskey and a huge nap.
I loved the boss x employee trope and how the enemies (were they??) to lovers worked out. I still love this family so much and I can’t wait to read Gabriel’s book because DAMN - I know it will be good.
Long short story, PLEASE READ THIS BOOK.
Check the TW before diving into it but give it a chance because I can promise you - you will not regret it at all!
Some tropes you can find in this book:
boss x employee
enemies to lovers
second chance
I wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I did. I really couldn’t put it down. Jagger’s writing is one of the most addictive I ever cross paths with.
An Arc was provided in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much Jagger Cole and Valentine PR for the ARC.
February 25, 2024
Ah, a classic tale as old as time. A horror love story between a victim our heroine and her abuser love interest.
He was angry at her for "falsely" accusing him of sneaking into her room and being a creep... Except he did exactly that? He watched her without her knowledge/consent AND got off on it.
Then, 10 years later, after other irrelevant drama, he was still acting like a petty lil loser. He ran his big mouth, yapping about their sexual history to his coworkers/her superiors behind her back. It's embarrassing that a grown-ass man was acting like that.
I'm not even going to touch on her psycho husband, her freak sister, or the other perv from her college days. Every single one of them fr needed a lobotomy STAT or better yet indefinite incarceration. What a shitshow.
He was angry at her for "falsely" accusing him of sneaking into her room and being a creep... Except he did exactly that? He watched her without her knowledge/consent AND got off on it.
Then, 10 years later, after other irrelevant drama, he was still acting like a petty lil loser. He ran his big mouth, yapping about their sexual history to his coworkers/her superiors behind her back. It's embarrassing that a grown-ass man was acting like that.
I'm not even going to touch on her psycho husband, her freak sister, or the other perv from her college days. Every single one of them fr needed a lobotomy STAT or better yet indefinite incarceration. What a shitshow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2025
gaga was right, you really can’t play russian roulette without a gun
March 9, 2024
~ ranting: 2 ☆
~ spice: 2 🌶
The first book in this series was okay and I thought well, the second will be better hopefully but ended up being worse. I should have dnfed this tbh.
The mmc was so immature god you surely don't act like a thirty-four years old. To prove my point he called the fmc whore four times in the same chapter. I almost threw my kobo through the window.
I love a good second chance trope but this one... it is what it is.
~ spice: 2 🌶
The first book in this series was okay and I thought well, the second will be better hopefully but ended up being worse. I should have dnfed this tbh.
The mmc was so immature god you surely don't act like a thirty-four years old. To prove my point he called the fmc whore four times in the same chapter. I almost threw my kobo through the window.
I love a good second chance trope but this one... it is what it is.
March 12, 2024
4.5 Stars!
I am completely addicted to this author's writing style. Devious Vows is well written and intoxicating. A fantastic enemies to lovers, mafia romance. This story completely captivated me and I couldn't put it down.
I can't wait for more!
I am completely addicted to this author's writing style. Devious Vows is well written and intoxicating. A fantastic enemies to lovers, mafia romance. This story completely captivated me and I couldn't put it down.
I can't wait for more!
February 17, 2025
Ten years ago, Alistair Black broke me.
Broke my heart. Broke my will.
Broke us.
Or maybe there was never any “us” to break at all.
Eloise LeBlanc.
The daughter of the head of French mafia.
In college, she lost her v-card to Alistair.
She had a love-hate relationship with Alistair.
And an affinity for pranks which she took too far.
Now, she's unhappy in an arranged marriage and numbs her days with alcohol.
This isn’t the fucking end of it.
It’s only the beginning.
The first punch hurts the most.
And ten years later, I’m still fucking numb.
Alistair Black.
Rich. Successful. Gorgeous. Devious. Morally black.
A partner in one of the most prestigious law firms in NY.
After college, he has done his best to forget Eloise LeBlanc exists.
Ten years later, she ends up working for him.
Their tumultuous love-hate relationship is back in full force.
Which will win out in the end?
It’s hard to describe what Alistair Black and I were, ten years ago. Enemies, but not. Rivals, but… also allies, in a sense? Oil and water. Fire and gunpowder. If I’d been a man, we probably would have eventually fought each other.
Instead, we slept together.
First of all, I love how the worlds in Jagger Cole's different series collide. In the Dark Hearts series, everyone loved to hate Massimo Carveli for what he tried to do to Calliope Drakos in Stolen Hearts. I am happy to say Massimo is still proudly owning up to the role of villain!
Massimo has never been physical with Eloise in the carnal sense but he controls every aspect of her life and his aim is to make her as miserable as possible. As a result, she has resulted to alcohol and spends most of her days buzzed or drunk – or both.
Ten fucking years later, and he still does this to me. Because Alistair Black is my drug of choice. My sin. My temptation.
My undoing.
Eloise and Alistair have not been in contact with each other since shit went down in college. He has stayed bitter to all women resorting to only brief flings and physical satisfaction while she was forced to marry an Italian mafioso. Ten years later, their paths collide again.
Eloise’s husband, Massimo is transferring his legal representation to Crown and Black, the law firm in which Alistair is a partner. However, Massimo’s condition for it to take place is that Crown and Black needs to hire his wife and she has to work under Alistair. A fact of which neither Eloise nor Alistair are happy about.
“Because I took what belongs to another man.”
“I don’t belong to anyone—”
“Well, that’s not true at all, is it?”
She does belong to someone. Me.
The enemies to lovers with Eloise and Alistair is beautifully written. They both harbor resentment for each other while also having immense chemistry and trying to battle it. Alistair’s aim is to haze Eloise as much as possible to make her tenure at Crown and Black as uncomfortable as possible. Neither wants to admit the attraction they have with each other but, at some point, their feelings are bound to boil over.
As his arms wrap tight around me, and his hands grip me. Like I’m his.
The scariest thing isn’t that I might be.
.. It’s that I might never not have been.
When Alistair and Eloise finally give in to their attraction with each other, things get scorching hot fast. I would have wished for a bit more spice, though, because the spice was immaculate and their attraction was a huge part of the book.
Fuck, the way this man carves his way into the darkest, dirtiest, sluttiest parts of me and just.. lives there, rent-free.
In the end, a lot of things are revealed about Eloise and Alistair’s past and what took place in college. Once again, it is proven that things are not always as they seem and, in Alistair’s case, pride comes before a fall.
Also, Eloise’s life is pretty much upended with so many things coming out regarding her family, her past and how she ended up having to marry Massimo in the first place. That’s not to say Alistair does not get his part as well.
In addition to being skillfully written, this book also has interesting characters, enough plot to keep the reader intrigued and good character development. What more do you need?
Holy shit.
The Alistair I knew was dark and brooding, sure. He had demons, and a malicious edge to him. And yeah, he was a dick.
But the man standing before me, towering over me with a malevolent energy almost literally radiating off him, is pure wrath. He’s not dark; he’s Darkness personified.
The plot is immaculate and, at the end, the third-act drama is to die for. Especially, when Massimo, Eloise, Alistair and his brother Gabriel enter into a game of Russian Roulette and are forced to play for their lives.
I originally stumbled upon Jagger Cole’s books by accident but I could not be happier about it. I am here for to stay and look forward to Gabriel’s book!
I received an ARC of Devious Vow in exchange for an honest review
Broke my heart. Broke my will.
Broke us.
Or maybe there was never any “us” to break at all.
Eloise LeBlanc.
The daughter of the head of French mafia.
In college, she lost her v-card to Alistair.
She had a love-hate relationship with Alistair.
And an affinity for pranks which she took too far.
Now, she's unhappy in an arranged marriage and numbs her days with alcohol.
This isn’t the fucking end of it.
It’s only the beginning.
The first punch hurts the most.
And ten years later, I’m still fucking numb.
Alistair Black.
Rich. Successful. Gorgeous. Devious. Morally black.
A partner in one of the most prestigious law firms in NY.
After college, he has done his best to forget Eloise LeBlanc exists.
Ten years later, she ends up working for him.
Their tumultuous love-hate relationship is back in full force.
Which will win out in the end?
It’s hard to describe what Alistair Black and I were, ten years ago. Enemies, but not. Rivals, but… also allies, in a sense? Oil and water. Fire and gunpowder. If I’d been a man, we probably would have eventually fought each other.
Instead, we slept together.
First of all, I love how the worlds in Jagger Cole's different series collide. In the Dark Hearts series, everyone loved to hate Massimo Carveli for what he tried to do to Calliope Drakos in Stolen Hearts. I am happy to say Massimo is still proudly owning up to the role of villain!
Massimo has never been physical with Eloise in the carnal sense but he controls every aspect of her life and his aim is to make her as miserable as possible. As a result, she has resulted to alcohol and spends most of her days buzzed or drunk – or both.
Ten fucking years later, and he still does this to me. Because Alistair Black is my drug of choice. My sin. My temptation.
My undoing.
Eloise and Alistair have not been in contact with each other since shit went down in college. He has stayed bitter to all women resorting to only brief flings and physical satisfaction while she was forced to marry an Italian mafioso. Ten years later, their paths collide again.
Eloise’s husband, Massimo is transferring his legal representation to Crown and Black, the law firm in which Alistair is a partner. However, Massimo’s condition for it to take place is that Crown and Black needs to hire his wife and she has to work under Alistair. A fact of which neither Eloise nor Alistair are happy about.
“Because I took what belongs to another man.”
“I don’t belong to anyone—”
“Well, that’s not true at all, is it?”
She does belong to someone. Me.
The enemies to lovers with Eloise and Alistair is beautifully written. They both harbor resentment for each other while also having immense chemistry and trying to battle it. Alistair’s aim is to haze Eloise as much as possible to make her tenure at Crown and Black as uncomfortable as possible. Neither wants to admit the attraction they have with each other but, at some point, their feelings are bound to boil over.
As his arms wrap tight around me, and his hands grip me. Like I’m his.
The scariest thing isn’t that I might be.
.. It’s that I might never not have been.
When Alistair and Eloise finally give in to their attraction with each other, things get scorching hot fast. I would have wished for a bit more spice, though, because the spice was immaculate and their attraction was a huge part of the book.
Fuck, the way this man carves his way into the darkest, dirtiest, sluttiest parts of me and just.. lives there, rent-free.
In the end, a lot of things are revealed about Eloise and Alistair’s past and what took place in college. Once again, it is proven that things are not always as they seem and, in Alistair’s case, pride comes before a fall.
Also, Eloise’s life is pretty much upended with so many things coming out regarding her family, her past and how she ended up having to marry Massimo in the first place. That’s not to say Alistair does not get his part as well.
In addition to being skillfully written, this book also has interesting characters, enough plot to keep the reader intrigued and good character development. What more do you need?
Holy shit.
The Alistair I knew was dark and brooding, sure. He had demons, and a malicious edge to him. And yeah, he was a dick.
But the man standing before me, towering over me with a malevolent energy almost literally radiating off him, is pure wrath. He’s not dark; he’s Darkness personified.
The plot is immaculate and, at the end, the third-act drama is to die for. Especially, when Massimo, Eloise, Alistair and his brother Gabriel enter into a game of Russian Roulette and are forced to play for their lives.
I originally stumbled upon Jagger Cole’s books by accident but I could not be happier about it. I am here for to stay and look forward to Gabriel’s book!
I received an ARC of Devious Vow in exchange for an honest review
February 29, 2024
“You could have fucked every man on the planet, stabbed me in the heart, and stood over me laughing while I bled out, Eloise,” he murmurs, holding my face in his hands. “And my problem would have always been the same damn thing.”
I’m crying as I bite my lip. “Which is what?”
“That as hard as I try, I love you too fucking much to hate you at all.”
I want the old first two books Jagger Cole back.
I'm not saying it was BAD but it wasn't a masterpiece.
I’m crying as I bite my lip. “Which is what?”
“That as hard as I try, I love you too fucking much to hate you at all.”
I want the old first two books Jagger Cole back.
I'm not saying it was BAD but it wasn't a masterpiece.
February 26, 2024
5⭐ / 4🌶️
— vibezz
🗃️ enemies to lovers
🥃 second chance
🗃️ *good girl*
🥃 legal drama
🗃️ secrets & tension
mini blurb — ✍🏻
After the turbulent years ad Knightsblood University, Alistair and Eloise find themselves again in close proximity where she is forced to work under him in his Company. What they didn't thought about it that the past never stays that way and thing have tendency to catch up on us.
//
Well, mark me stunned bc I was totally NOT expecting to love this book as much as I did!
It had everything that kept me hooked from the beginning to the very last page (+bonus), the plot was amazing, the romance WOOF hot af, the legal drama sneaky and quite honestly shady af, the tension in this book???
omg I don't want to say more bc the story is that good and would be a shame to gave it more hints than necessary but I'll say that I loathed Massimo with all my heart but boi did he make a magnificent and captivating villain in this story. He was totally unhinged and not in the good way, that good I had my heart rate checked in at least tho scenes 👀 iykyk
a quick note, I fucking loved the movie references that were in the book:
— vibezz
🗃️ enemies to lovers
🥃 second chance
🗃️ *good girl*
🥃 legal drama
🗃️ secrets & tension
mini blurb — ✍🏻
After the turbulent years ad Knightsblood University, Alistair and Eloise find themselves again in close proximity where she is forced to work under him in his Company. What they didn't thought about it that the past never stays that way and thing have tendency to catch up on us.
//
Well, mark me stunned bc I was totally NOT expecting to love this book as much as I did!
It had everything that kept me hooked from the beginning to the very last page (+bonus), the plot was amazing, the romance WOOF hot af, the legal drama sneaky and quite honestly shady af, the tension in this book???
omg I don't want to say more bc the story is that good and would be a shame to gave it more hints than necessary but I'll say that I loathed Massimo with all my heart but boi did he make a magnificent and captivating villain in this story. He was totally unhinged and not in the good way, that good I had my heart rate checked in at least tho scenes 👀 iykyk
a quick note, I fucking loved the movie references that were in the book:
March 18, 2024
ARC Review - All opinions are mine 😉
I recently dove into the world of Jagger Cole, and wow, I'm absolutely hooked! Let me tell you about this gem of a book. As someone who adores the enemies-to-lovers trope, this one hit all the right notes for me, especially with its twist of past friends enemies turned potential lovers.
Alistair Black and Eloise LeBlanc's story is as gripping as it gets. Eloise, stuck in a marriage of convenience with the downright awful Massimo, finds herself in a mess of lies and manipulation. Meanwhile, Alistair, nursing old wounds, has to confront his feelings when fate throws them back together after a decade of radio silence.
The plot? Simply amazing. From the get-go, I was drawn in, hanging onto every word. And let me tell you, the chemistry between Eloise and Alistair? Off the charts! Despite their initial animosity, you can practically feel the tension crackling between them.
Now, let's talk about sensitive stuff like infidelity. Normally, I'd be side-eyeing any cheating shenanigans, but in this case, it's impossible to blame Eloise. Massimo is just plain villainous, with his lies and cheating ways. So, when Eloise finds solace in Alistair, I'm all for it!
This book was my first foray into Jagger Cole's writing, and it definitely won't be my last. The way he weaves complex characters and juicy plotlines has me itching for more. I got an early copy of this book, and trust me, my review is as honest as it gets—I'm absolutely smitten!
Favourite quotes :
“From now on, i fucking own you”
“You’re the whole fucking deal”
“That as harsh as i try, i love you much to hate you at all”
“I’ve loved you for ten fucking years, Eloise. And the only way i could survive that was to convince myself that the love was hate”
Thanks to Jagger Cole and Valentine Pr for this Arc read opportunity!
I recently dove into the world of Jagger Cole, and wow, I'm absolutely hooked! Let me tell you about this gem of a book. As someone who adores the enemies-to-lovers trope, this one hit all the right notes for me, especially with its twist of past friends enemies turned potential lovers.
Alistair Black and Eloise LeBlanc's story is as gripping as it gets. Eloise, stuck in a marriage of convenience with the downright awful Massimo, finds herself in a mess of lies and manipulation. Meanwhile, Alistair, nursing old wounds, has to confront his feelings when fate throws them back together after a decade of radio silence.
The plot? Simply amazing. From the get-go, I was drawn in, hanging onto every word. And let me tell you, the chemistry between Eloise and Alistair? Off the charts! Despite their initial animosity, you can practically feel the tension crackling between them.
Now, let's talk about sensitive stuff like infidelity. Normally, I'd be side-eyeing any cheating shenanigans, but in this case, it's impossible to blame Eloise. Massimo is just plain villainous, with his lies and cheating ways. So, when Eloise finds solace in Alistair, I'm all for it!
This book was my first foray into Jagger Cole's writing, and it definitely won't be my last. The way he weaves complex characters and juicy plotlines has me itching for more. I got an early copy of this book, and trust me, my review is as honest as it gets—I'm absolutely smitten!
Favourite quotes :
“From now on, i fucking own you”
“You’re the whole fucking deal”
“That as harsh as i try, i love you much to hate you at all”
“I’ve loved you for ten fucking years, Eloise. And the only way i could survive that was to convince myself that the love was hate”
Thanks to Jagger Cole and Valentine Pr for this Arc read opportunity!
November 30, 2024
3.5⭐️ Up
En este libro se ve claramente cómo Mr. Cole desarrolla tramas complejas durante todo la historia. Son varias y nos van a tener averiguando más detalles hasta el plot final.
La combinación pasado/presente se hace necesaria para entender de dónde viene esa relación amor-odio entre los protagonistas, porque todo se inicia hace diez años en ese college donde todo el submundo fue a estudiar.
Desfilan por el libro algunos mafiosos que ya conocemos y el resto de la familia de Alistair, como es habitual en los libros de Jagger, ofreciendo múltiples personajes que si no has leído libros anteriores no vas a conocer.
La relación de los protagonistas súper hot, como siempre, porque aunque sea un hombre, tiene una forma de escribir que me encanta.
Gran combinación de elementos en todo el libro que lo convierte en una buena lectura y que hará que sigamos leyendo la serie, seguro.
En este libro se ve claramente cómo Mr. Cole desarrolla tramas complejas durante todo la historia. Son varias y nos van a tener averiguando más detalles hasta el plot final.
La combinación pasado/presente se hace necesaria para entender de dónde viene esa relación amor-odio entre los protagonistas, porque todo se inicia hace diez años en ese college donde todo el submundo fue a estudiar.
Desfilan por el libro algunos mafiosos que ya conocemos y el resto de la familia de Alistair, como es habitual en los libros de Jagger, ofreciendo múltiples personajes que si no has leído libros anteriores no vas a conocer.
La relación de los protagonistas súper hot, como siempre, porque aunque sea un hombre, tiene una forma de escribir que me encanta.
Gran combinación de elementos en todo el libro que lo convierte en una buena lectura y que hará que sigamos leyendo la serie, seguro.
February 21, 2024
4.5
Is there a time where jagger cole misses when it comes to a book?? The answer is NEVER
Man i love how even if mafia books can be repetitive he finds a way to do something new plotwise
And listen who doesn’t love a mafia romance that make you forget everything and that you can’t stop reading??
Alistair was a dream come true i love him more than dante lol how is that possible???
And Eloise????? She was a great character i love that she was strong in her will and how she found a way to navigate her relationship with her sister
If you love
•enemies to lovers
•smart heroine
•grumpy sunshine
• mafia romance all the way
• look at her and i ll unalive you vibes
•hea guaranteed
Than give this book a much worth it try
Thank you Valentine Pr for the arc🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻
Is there a time where jagger cole misses when it comes to a book?? The answer is NEVER
Man i love how even if mafia books can be repetitive he finds a way to do something new plotwise
And listen who doesn’t love a mafia romance that make you forget everything and that you can’t stop reading??
Alistair was a dream come true i love him more than dante lol how is that possible???
And Eloise????? She was a great character i love that she was strong in her will and how she found a way to navigate her relationship with her sister
If you love
•enemies to lovers
•smart heroine
•grumpy sunshine
• mafia romance all the way
• look at her and i ll unalive you vibes
•hea guaranteed
Than give this book a much worth it try
Thank you Valentine Pr for the arc🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻
May 23, 2024
This was fantastic 👏💯. I was hooked from the very first sentence and I finished it in one sitting (long flight made this possible 😆).
There was a lot of long standing hurt which, of course, comes out as anger and wrath, but oh was it 🔥. My heart raced when one just knew a fight/argument was inevitable and there was a good amount of that, but it was also balanced out with spicy moments.
Can't wait to continue this series.
There was a lot of long standing hurt which, of course, comes out as anger and wrath, but oh was it 🔥. My heart raced when one just knew a fight/argument was inevitable and there was a good amount of that, but it was also balanced out with spicy moments.
Can't wait to continue this series.
February 12, 2025
3⭐️
I’m not a big fan of second-chance romance, but I liked this one—I just didn’t love it.
Also, her sister? She needs to be put down immediately!
I’m not a big fan of second-chance romance, but I liked this one—I just didn’t love it.
Also, her sister? She needs to be put down immediately!
July 30, 2024
I just downloaded every single book from Jagger Cole
March 9, 2024
Cannot engage with this book RN. I had such high expectations and they were not exceeded at all Dawg. 😞😣
Maybe book 3 will be better??? 😊
Maybe book 3 will be better??? 😊
March 1, 2024
Why's this author's books just getting worst and worst !
February 20, 2024
Jagger Cole truly writes some of the best suspenseful dark romances, and this one truly didn't disappoint! (4.25 stars, pros and cons list below & fave quotes)
Pros:
- A dark hate to love to enemies & lovers again romance (enemies to lovers x2)
- Boss x employee relationship (he owns the law firm/is partner & she's a lawyer)
- Mafia connections with characters
- Forbidden romance (She's married - in name only to a right d*ck)
- Morally dark grey sarcastic lawyer & underground fighter MMC who will do anything for her
- A FMC with a dry sense of humor who was delt bad cards in life
- Second chance vibe (one-night-stand in college)
- Forced proximity & delicious tension
- Touch her and die
- Miscommunication in past meant that they separated after falling in love and lost time together
- Very dislikeable and well written villain
- Swelteringly hot spicy scenes and chemistry
- Visit back to Knightsblood university (mafia equivalent of Hogwarts)
Cons: (WARNING: I did have super high expectations after toxic love & its plot twists, so that may factor into my rating & cons list)
- Spice > plot - This may be a pro or con for you depending on your tastes, but I personally loved Jagger Cole's previous books because the plot to spice ratio was equal. Yes they were very spicy, but they also had an engaging and twisty plot to balance it out.
- This book felt like it was more so about character and relationship development rather than plot. However some aspects did surprise me, but it wasn't as much as a plot twist just more so a plot pivot (one twist did really shock me though).
Fave Quotes/scenes:
"He still f*cking feels like home." - This was so sweet, even when they were enemies they still found comfort in each other.
My fave chaotic psychopath Drazen is back (dark hearts series):
*Talking about a human obstacle*
Dante: "Can he be bought?"
Alistair: "well--"
Drazen: "Or, if he doesn't care for carrots, will he respond well to a stick? *they both stare at him* "What? I'm merely looking at all our options."
Dante: "K*lling a new York City alderman is not an 'option."
Drazen: "I'm not saying a public execut!on, but accidents happen..."
Alistair: "speaking as your attorney..."
Alistair's sense of humor:
"oh, good. The gold-digging hag with the IQ of a walnut has some thoughts on the situation."
*Literally almost just died*
"I've got forty-sixty odds that whoever was pulling that trigger couldn't have hit me if I was standing still and glowing in the dark."
Elouise's sense of humor:
*When her twisted d*ck of a husband makes her watch him 'take' another woman*
Her:
"A REAL man. Says the guy still wearing socks, with his pants around his ankles. How terrifyingly alpha."
Thank you Valentine PR and Jagger Cole for the ARC, I cannot wait for Gabriel's story!
Please check trigger warnings before reading as this is a dark romance.
Pros:
- A dark hate to love to enemies & lovers again romance (enemies to lovers x2)
- Boss x employee relationship (he owns the law firm/is partner & she's a lawyer)
- Mafia connections with characters
- Forbidden romance (She's married - in name only to a right d*ck)
- Morally dark grey sarcastic lawyer & underground fighter MMC who will do anything for her
- A FMC with a dry sense of humor who was delt bad cards in life
- Second chance vibe (one-night-stand in college)
- Forced proximity & delicious tension
- Touch her and die
- Miscommunication in past meant that they separated after falling in love and lost time together
- Very dislikeable and well written villain
- Swelteringly hot spicy scenes and chemistry
- Visit back to Knightsblood university (mafia equivalent of Hogwarts)
Cons: (WARNING: I did have super high expectations after toxic love & its plot twists, so that may factor into my rating & cons list)
- Spice > plot - This may be a pro or con for you depending on your tastes, but I personally loved Jagger Cole's previous books because the plot to spice ratio was equal. Yes they were very spicy, but they also had an engaging and twisty plot to balance it out.
- This book felt like it was more so about character and relationship development rather than plot. However some aspects did surprise me, but it wasn't as much as a plot twist just more so a plot pivot (one twist did really shock me though).
Fave Quotes/scenes:
"He still f*cking feels like home." - This was so sweet, even when they were enemies they still found comfort in each other.
My fave chaotic psychopath Drazen is back (dark hearts series):
*Talking about a human obstacle*
Dante: "Can he be bought?"
Alistair: "well--"
Drazen: "Or, if he doesn't care for carrots, will he respond well to a stick? *they both stare at him* "What? I'm merely looking at all our options."
Dante: "K*lling a new York City alderman is not an 'option."
Drazen: "I'm not saying a public execut!on, but accidents happen..."
Alistair: "speaking as your attorney..."
Alistair's sense of humor:
"oh, good. The gold-digging hag with the IQ of a walnut has some thoughts on the situation."
*Literally almost just died*
"I've got forty-sixty odds that whoever was pulling that trigger couldn't have hit me if I was standing still and glowing in the dark."
Elouise's sense of humor:
*When her twisted d*ck of a husband makes her watch him 'take' another woman*
Her:
"A REAL man. Says the guy still wearing socks, with his pants around his ankles. How terrifyingly alpha."
Thank you Valentine PR and Jagger Cole for the ARC, I cannot wait for Gabriel's story!
Please check trigger warnings before reading as this is a dark romance.
February 21, 2024
"I don't belong to anyone."
"Well that's not true at all, is it?"
Because she does belong to someone. ME.
Honestly, give me a Jagger Cole book and I’ll be happy forever 😭🖤
For the life of me I couldn't put this book down, but then again I can never put Jagger's books down, no matter how hard I may try. (I actually don't even bother, tbh).
Alistair has had a hold on me ever since Toxic Love, and I just happened to fall for him even harder in this book. 😮💨
He's a very successful lawyer in one of the greatest law firms in NYC, Black & Crown, and he possesses this slight taste towards the dark side. He isn't afraid to take risks and claim what's his, potential and serious consequences be damned. I am obsessed with his possessiveness, his rebellion and his protectiveness.
Eloise is a French Mafia princess and a wife to a real and definitely not in a sexy way psychopath, Massimo Carvelli. He is the meanest and worst kind of human being one can even imagine.
Alistair and Eloise have been enemies ever since College years. Their past holds its secrets and a series of misunderstandings and miscommunication, and they have spent the last 10 years of their lives hating each other.
Now Eloise and her husband are back in NYC, but what she didn't see coming at all was not only crossing paths with Alistair, but having to work at his company......right under him. Shouldn't this go just beautifully well? 🙃
I adored Alistair and Eloise's story, and I loved even more that this book offered a dual timeline, as we get the opportunity to meet them as their younger selves, and finally understand what happened between them all these years ago. My heart may or may not have broken for them while learning their past. 🥺
Despite their sworn hate for one another, their chemistry is undeniable. The tension, the angst, the connection are completely insane! 😮💨🖤 The kind of love these two share is so strong and unbreakable, I can't even. 🥺
As always, the plot and the twists in this book had me gasping. Even though I already know I should expect the unexpected from Jagger, he never ceases to amaze me and surprise me with the turns his stories take. 🔥
I am obsessed. I am in love. I will never, ever, have enough of his books and the worlds he creates.
I so very highly recommend this book, this series, this author to everyone who enjoys an AMAZING dark and Mafia romance, and you can thank me later for your new addiction. 🤭 Because, believe me, you will become addicted. 🖤
Thank you so much Valentine PR and Jagger Cole for the ARC of this book! 💗
I am already counting the days for Gabriel's book! 😍
February 21, 2024
My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Disclaimer: I received a review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Reading Order: There are some references to some characters in other of his series, but you could start with this book and this series.
General Thoughts: Jagger Cole has done it again. For a second, I thought ah! I think I've read a book like this from him before. Well, I was wrong. While there may be similar themes and elements in this book has in others, each book manages to be surprisingly fresh and unique.
It can be hard to do dual timelines well. Jagger has done it in a few books now, and he does it better than most. It helps build suspense and reveals what went wrong when there's a second chance element to it.
Jagger is a great writer. He creates dark worlds you can't help but get sucked into and fills them with fascinating, morally grey characters. He's one of the few male romance writers I read, and I think the only male dark romance writer. If you like mafia romance, for sure check this one and his books out.
So I don't really feel like this is a cheating trope book, but Eloise is married to somebody who isn't the MMC. She's in a sham of a forced marriage to an utter psychopath, so it doesn't really feel like the cheating trope to me. But maybe that's just me. Anyway, if you're super sensitive to that trope, maybe just know going in that it plays a part here, but I still think it's very different here. For other triggers, check the author's note.
Steam Meter: ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥 It was definitely steamy.
Romantic Tropes
-dual POV
-dark mafia-esque
-contemporary
-realistic
-dislike to like/enemies to lovers
-second chance
-workplace
-boss employee
You can also find me on Insta @mylastromancenovel.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Reading Order: There are some references to some characters in other of his series, but you could start with this book and this series.
General Thoughts: Jagger Cole has done it again. For a second, I thought ah! I think I've read a book like this from him before. Well, I was wrong. While there may be similar themes and elements in this book has in others, each book manages to be surprisingly fresh and unique.
It can be hard to do dual timelines well. Jagger has done it in a few books now, and he does it better than most. It helps build suspense and reveals what went wrong when there's a second chance element to it.
Jagger is a great writer. He creates dark worlds you can't help but get sucked into and fills them with fascinating, morally grey characters. He's one of the few male romance writers I read, and I think the only male dark romance writer. If you like mafia romance, for sure check this one and his books out.
So I don't really feel like this is a cheating trope book, but Eloise is married to somebody who isn't the MMC. She's in a sham of a forced marriage to an utter psychopath, so it doesn't really feel like the cheating trope to me. But maybe that's just me. Anyway, if you're super sensitive to that trope, maybe just know going in that it plays a part here, but I still think it's very different here. For other triggers, check the author's note.
Steam Meter: ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥 It was definitely steamy.
Romantic Tropes
-dual POV
-dark mafia-esque
-contemporary
-realistic
-dislike to like/enemies to lovers
-second chance
-workplace
-boss employee
You can also find me on Insta @mylastromancenovel.
February 20, 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶🌶🌶
Devious Vows is the 2nd book in the Venomous Gods series. This is an enemies to lovers, workplace, second chance romance between the adopted brother Alistair and mafia princess Eloise.
They have a complicated history from when they both attended Knightsblood University together 10 years ago. Alistair hates her for some reason and wants nothing to do with her, except now she is forced to work under him at their law firm. The crazy and psycho mafioso, Massimo, is married to Eloise and demands the firm hire his wife in order to get his business. I was intrigued by Massimo's character since he was brought up in Jagger Cole's previous series. This guy definitely brought the crazy and psycho.
The enemies to lovers and the hatred from their time at the school did really remind me of Deimos and Dahlia's book (Reckless hearts) in the Dark Hearts series, though. It kind of felt like a repeat of previous themes. It was not exactly the same, but the reason for the hatred all centered around a miscommunication again, and I didn't fully buy it.
There are some great twists and turns with good suspense that Jagger is always great at building near the end of the story. The spice and chemistry between the characters were immediately felt from their first encounter. Jagger Cole has become one of my favorite mafia authors, and his books just immediately suck you into the story. I will continue to read each of his new releases, and I am a huge fan.
Thank you to Valentine PR for providing the ARC.
🌶🌶🌶
Devious Vows is the 2nd book in the Venomous Gods series. This is an enemies to lovers, workplace, second chance romance between the adopted brother Alistair and mafia princess Eloise.
They have a complicated history from when they both attended Knightsblood University together 10 years ago. Alistair hates her for some reason and wants nothing to do with her, except now she is forced to work under him at their law firm. The crazy and psycho mafioso, Massimo, is married to Eloise and demands the firm hire his wife in order to get his business. I was intrigued by Massimo's character since he was brought up in Jagger Cole's previous series. This guy definitely brought the crazy and psycho.
The enemies to lovers and the hatred from their time at the school did really remind me of Deimos and Dahlia's book (Reckless hearts) in the Dark Hearts series, though. It kind of felt like a repeat of previous themes. It was not exactly the same, but the reason for the hatred all centered around a miscommunication again, and I didn't fully buy it.
There are some great twists and turns with good suspense that Jagger is always great at building near the end of the story. The spice and chemistry between the characters were immediately felt from their first encounter. Jagger Cole has become one of my favorite mafia authors, and his books just immediately suck you into the story. I will continue to read each of his new releases, and I am a huge fan.
Thank you to Valentine PR for providing the ARC.
February 17, 2024
Jagger Cole has yet again completely wrapped me up in another of his books ! I've been waiting for Allister's story for a while now, and it did not disappoint. I loved his edginess and affinity towards the darker side, even as a lawyer. I loved his rebel nature and obsessive tendencies when it came to his love. He is thrown for a loop when his former flame and adversary in college, Eloise, is his new associate. Eloise was definitely messy, but I actually loved that about her. Her love for her sister motivated her to marry a horrendous mob boss and act as his puppet. Eloise is extremely intelligent and hard working with a loyalty most people in her life don't deserve. She makes many mistakes, but that didn't detract from her character for me.
The plot in this one was again excellent. I followed it pretty well and knew there would be twists ahead but didn't expect one of them. I loved the enemies vibe these two had. It added to their sizzling tension and added another layer of interest. I absolutely loved that we got a steamy under the desk scene, but it was spun in a completely different way than we see in office romances.
That was a fun highlight for me. As always I loved this book and can't wait for the next one in the series to release especially since it is brother Gabriel's time to shine.
The plot in this one was again excellent. I followed it pretty well and knew there would be twists ahead but didn't expect one of them. I loved the enemies vibe these two had. It added to their sizzling tension and added another layer of interest. I absolutely loved that we got a steamy under the desk scene, but it was spun in a completely different way than we see in office romances.
That was a fun highlight for me. As always I loved this book and can't wait for the next one in the series to release especially since it is brother Gabriel's time to shine.
February 29, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥🔥🔥
This is the second book in the Venomous Gods series.
It’s been ten years since Alistair Black seen Eloise. One thing Alistair doesn’t forget is the girl who almost ruined his life, now she is works for him and he plans to make her life hell. Not only is she back in his life working under him but she is married to the most dangerous mafia boss in the city. But that doesn’t stop their intense attraction they have along with their constant bickering things start blur between them. Now she’s become his plaything and they can’t keep their hands off each other. So what happens when the secrets from years ago come out, will it change everything or will it change nothing?
Their chemistry and banter from the beginning was everything and so was this cat & mouse game they were playing with each other. They were exactly what the other needed and once they gave into the tension building between them, they were explosive. These two definitely didn’t disappoint in the spice department,🥵. Overall, I enjoyed this book and the characters.
I would recommend if you like:
🖤Dark Romance
🖤Enemies to Lovers
🖤Forced Proximity
🖤Steamy scenes 🔥
Thank you ValentinePR for the ARC!!
🔥🔥🔥
This is the second book in the Venomous Gods series.
It’s been ten years since Alistair Black seen Eloise. One thing Alistair doesn’t forget is the girl who almost ruined his life, now she is works for him and he plans to make her life hell. Not only is she back in his life working under him but she is married to the most dangerous mafia boss in the city. But that doesn’t stop their intense attraction they have along with their constant bickering things start blur between them. Now she’s become his plaything and they can’t keep their hands off each other. So what happens when the secrets from years ago come out, will it change everything or will it change nothing?
Their chemistry and banter from the beginning was everything and so was this cat & mouse game they were playing with each other. They were exactly what the other needed and once they gave into the tension building between them, they were explosive. These two definitely didn’t disappoint in the spice department,🥵. Overall, I enjoyed this book and the characters.
I would recommend if you like:
🖤Dark Romance
🖤Enemies to Lovers
🖤Forced Proximity
🖤Steamy scenes 🔥
Thank you ValentinePR for the ARC!!
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