Stalked

The Deranged #1

by Ryan Mundy

Gabriel
I grew up being abused and hunted. It’s nothing new to me.
But when my ex decides he needs to get rid of me because he thinks I know something about a suit man who keeps breaking into my apartment every night, everything turns upside down. I’m shoved back into the world of murder and torture. A place I declared I was never going to end up again.


Tobias
I grew up in the Mafia. In fact, I’m the Pakhan in America for my father. I’m a hard-ass, I’m silent, and I’m deadly.
But when I’m looking for the man that stole from me and find myself face to face with Gabriel, I can’t help myself. I’m stalking him, staying in the shadows, unable to stop this obsession growing inside. Until someone touches what’s mine.
And I do what I have to; I take him.


Stalked is a full-length, standalone dark romance. Reader discretion is advised, please check trigger warning.

Genres: M M Romance, Dark, Dark Romance, Romance, Gay, Contemporary, Mafia Romance

184 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2024

About the author

Author📚
26 📍 South Carolina
Dark Romance | 18+🌶️
all books can be found on amazon (KU) and website ryanmundywrites.com

Reviews

[Hugo #freepalestine · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's so over the top and unrealistic,
Gabriel is a damsel in distress, They fall In love within weeks, I would've loved it better if The stalking period lasted a bit longer and also their conversation needs so much polishing especially when everyone sounds The Same.

[Chubby Romance Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good!

Omg, was Stalked such a freaking amazing rollercoaster of a story 😭😭 I absolutely adored Tobias and Gabriel. Gabes story was such a sad one and Tobias was exactly what he needed as he was able to bring Gabe back to himself and never pushed him away no matter what. This book was SPICY, heartwrenching, and I 👏 NEED 👏 THE 👏 NEXT 👏 BOOK 👏 NOW. This was my first Ryan read and is 100% not going to be my last! Highly, HIGHLY recommend for the MM dark romance readers out there.

[MeMe · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a reader, I found the way this story was written to be undeniably beautiful. It is beautiful to see what kind of love these two boys share, a love that embodies what true love ought to be like. This book is a must-read for fans of spicy Mafia romances. I assure you, you won't be disappointed. Mark your calendars! The 1st of February, 2024 is when this book will be released. There are two things I need in my life MORE than anything else: these two guys Tobias and Gabriel. It's dark, it's hot AF, and the obsession level is off the charts.

[Julia (bookish.jka) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I knew what it meant for you to be a part of my life, and a stronger man would have walked away. But I can’t, I won’t. I’ll tear this world apart for you, I’ll burn it down."

While Stalked is essentially a standalone, it is highly recommended by the author Ryan Mundy to read it in conjunction with her Warpath series. It is book 1 in her The Deranged and follows on 15 years after Red Obsession This is Gabriel and Tobias' story. Unfortunately, I read Stalked as a standalone and I found myself confused about some of the back story, so don't make the same mistake I did!

You'll like Stalked if you enjoy:

🖤Obsessive behaviour
🖤Insta-lust
🖤GFY
🖤"Mine"
🖤Opposites attract
🖤Forced proximity
🖤HEA

3.5 stars

[martina (the life of a chaotic reader) · Rating 1 out of 5]

this is so bad it’s actually funny

[CC · Rating 2 out of 5]

Where was the stalking?🫤

[Trine ||| danereadingromance · Rating 3 out of 5]

I might like that I have a stalker, but that doesn't mean I'm stupid and want something to actually happen to me.

Tropes:
Mafia, stalker/kidnapping, forced proximity, grumpy x sunshine, touch him and die, possessive MMC.

ARC review:
I’m struggling with what to rate this book and what I actually feel about it. I loved the story itself and the characters and their unlikely but so precious relationship was great. But something about the writing and the storytelling was just not for me, it had me confused at times and made the frustrations I felt about the characters even bigger.

However, I really did enjoy the story, and the plot had me engaged and interested the whole way. Gabriel was just amazing (always talking, his emotional support donuts, his creative spirit and his traumatic past not stopping him). Tobias was a different story, he was interesting and sweet, but his way of running from the problems and causing Gabriel additional heartburn was frustrating. But he definitely made up for it with his dirty-talk, his devotion to Gabriel and his loyalty and unbreakable determination.

Also with so much happening in their past and present, I thought it could have been fleshed out and divulged a bit more - made it more emotional perhaps. Maybe that’s my biggest issue with the book - I wanted more emotion, more character growth and details, more expanding on the families and intricate relationships happening.

"You can take it, Little Rabbit. That ass was made to take my cock. So that's exactly what you're going to do. Take me like the good little slut you are. Make me cum in your ass."

[HeatherAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, obsessive Tobias.
Innocent, innocent Gabriel.
Two men with opposite personalities, both craving the same thing; Love.
What DO you do after meeting, and interrogating a man you can’t get enough of.
You watch his every move. You break into his house and watch him sleep; amongst other things

[Jessica Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

**READ Content Warning**

Stalking, Kidnapping, spice, grumpy/sunshine, MM, stalker romance, hurt him and 💀, he falls first and more.

I could not put this book down. It was that good. I read it in three days. Would have been one day if I didn’t have to work lol.

In this book you meet Gabriel and Tobias. They are perfect. Tobias is your grumpy mafia boss and Gabriel is the sunshine.

I loved how protective Tobias was for Gabriel, even though he stalked him for a little bit lol. They had spark. I still can’t get pass chapter 3, what Tobias did to Gabriel as he was sleeping.

The only problem I had with reading this book is that some of the conversations were in Russian. I had to go and look up each line, as there was English translation. Would have been nice if that was included. Other books i have read do include the foreign language and what it would mean in English. I understand Gabriel doesn’t understand what they are saying, but me as a reader, I would.

The book had so much spice and was intense between the characters. The build of the characters and story line was good. This book was dark and I loved it, I would read the book again. I also added it to my book list to by the physical copy.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

Stalked is the first book I’ve read by author Ryan Mundy. I like to go into a book blindly and this book did not disappoint! This is not my typical type of read, but I’m so glad I gave it a chance. It was a quick, short read, but definitely dealt with heavy topics. Check the trigger warnings.

I loved Tobias with his grumpy self, but turns out he has a sweet side. I also loved the insta relationship that developed with Gabriel. The author did a great job managing the heavy topics and kept me interested.

Thank you to author Ryan Mundy for giving me the opportunity to ARC read. I look forward to reading more of her work!

[Madison Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was so beautifully written. The love that these two boys share reminds you what true love is meant to be. If you like spicy mafia romances, then you definitely need to check this book out. It releases on February 1st, 2024.
I need MORE of these two in my life. I MUST know where they end up.

[Audi♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mean ass mafia dude who goes weak at the knees for his love.
My favorite!!!
I giggled at him, saying, "I'm not gay," but literally nuts on dudes face while he sleeps.
MULTIPLE TIMES.
silly boys 🤭

"He’s mine, and he’s staying, even if that means locking him away in this house. Tying him to the fucking bed, or in the basement. He’s mine, and Gabriel isn’t going anywhere. He’s fucking mine."

[SpankMeSmutty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh so we're just not going to mess around! The book literally starts with Tobias stalking Gabriel. 🔥🔥

This story was hot AF. Love a possessive man who leaves his cūm on or around their love interest while they're sleeping 🥵

Thank was my first book from Ryan and it definitely won't be my last!

[Mysti]

I DNFd at 35% and I was already skimming. It's the same as that other book I just read by this author. Not good.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC
Blurb…
I was just supposed to get information out of him. But I can’t help myself going to see him every night.

Tropes
~mm romance
~stalker romance
~grumpy x sunshine
~gay awakening
~mmc obsessed
~forced proximity
~mafia romance
~traumatic past

⭐️♾️/5
🌶️3/5
Review
I don’t want to say too much cause I did read as an ARC but I freaking loved this book soooo much!! I can’t explain it enough of how much I love it!! After reading I had to just sit and think about the book it was so freaking good!! I absolutely loved how much Tobias was OBSESSED with Gabriel and the development. Also the spice🤭 the spice was to good! And Gabriel’s past had me balling like a baby it was so heartbreaking and horrible. And it love how Tobias helps him and comforts and is always by his side and when Tobias about had a heart attack when he heard Gabriel scream! Ahaha I loved this book so much, it was written so beautifully, it’s a read that you won’t be able to put down and then be heartbroken it’s over, and you’ll definitely fall for it the characters with the grumpy Tobias and sunshine Gabriel!!! I can’t wait for the next book to come out!!

[Lane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not finish book. Stopped at 36%.
I could not get into this book for so many reasons. Tobias was constantly switching up his personality from frat boy, scary boss man, and almost cringey shy. The most disappointing part was the stalking was so lackluster! It's literally called Stalked! Where's the tension, the suspense, the fear, any strong emotion? The pettiest reason why I had to DNF this book was the supposedly terrifying Russian mafia enforcers name was Kyler.

[Miss S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

★ – 4/5
🌶️ – 4/5

Content warning: Stalking behavior, physical assault, kidnapping, murder, graphic sexual scenes, torture, childhood trauma, mention of rape (off and on paper).

What to expect:
❥ Dual POV
❥ Dark Romance
❥ MM Romance
❥ Grumpy/Sunshine
❥ Bi-awakening (Gabriel awakening)
❥ Stalker romance
❥ Hurt him and 💀
❥ He falls first
❥ Mafia and crime

I was so lucky to receive this ARC for Stalked by Ryan Mundy, and it was quite a ride reading this book. I knew it was short, so I also knew it would be packed with action, and I wasn't disappointed.

We start off in the middle of an unaliving scene, showing us exactly what we're dealing with here. This is the mafia, and they're ruthless in getting the information they need and the respect they want. This is how Tobias, the Russian mafia boss in America, finds out about Gabriel, who's been dating the guy the Mafia is after.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the thrill of causing others pain, watching them bleed, ripping their organs out.

Oh, the joy. Tobias takes it on himself to find out what Gabriel knows, and that's when it all starts. Tobias is obsessed with Gabriel, and he doesn't understand why. He's not gay, at least not until now. It's something he's struggling with during the book, understanding his feelings towards another man and his desire to make Gabriel his.

So, the stalking begins, and it eventually brings Gabriel in danger, because he's been involved with some dangerous people, enemies to Tobias, which eventually lead to Tobias taking Gabriel with him to his home. Gabriel is struggling because he was exposed to a lot of violence growing up, and it's now triggering a lot of feelings in him, causing him to have nightmares, and well, being kidnapped might also affect him quite a bit, even if he's attracted to this big, silent and deadly man in a suit.

He's mine, and he's staying, even if that means locking him away in this house.

Tobias is everything a dark romance guy is supposed to be. He's obsessed, possessive and he'll burn the world to keep Gabriel safe. He's a man who can kill without thinking twice, but yet he lets his walls down when it comes to Gabriel, showing another side of him he didn't know he had. I like that he's struggling a bit with coming to terms with the fact that he's attracted (to put it lightly) to another man, I like the way he embraces it once he accepted the truth and I like that he doesn't try to hide his feelings for Gabriel in public.

You won't ever escape me. You won't live without me. I won't live without you.

Gabriel is unknowingly involved in mafia business, but he's not actually a part of it. He doesn't want anything to do with that world, a world of violence, because he's been there, and he doesn't want to go back. Yet he finds himself in the middle of a blooming war between the Russian Mafia and the Cartel, but he is also getting to know his stalker, and maybe being dragged back into this violent world is worth it, especially when Tobias is close to him.

While Stalked is described as a stand-alone, I do highly suggest that you read Ryan Mundy's War Path Series. It's a series of 3 books, where you get to meet Tobias and Gabriel prior to Stalked. You'll know what they both have been through growing up, their family dynamic and the stories behind the people closest to them. Especially Tobias' uncle Zane and aunt Salem. Epic story right there, because Salem is one badass FMC.

Read my reviews here

[J.J. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, that was a train wreck.

At first, the tension was good, and I wanted to find out more. It's one of the only redeeming aspects of this book.

For starters, Gabriel definitely wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. There's so much to say about his stupid behavior. He said he grew up surrounded by violence and isn't defenseless, but the whole book basically revolved around him being either beaten, kidnapped or tortured while he cried about it.

I also didn't like the bi erasure coming from him either. Tobias admitted that he liked him, and he asked if Tobias was gay. When the latter said no, he immediately thought that then he must be straight. This conversation even happened twice. Because, yeah, everybody knows that bisexuality is a myth *eye roll*.

“I’m not straight,” Tobias finally says, still frowning at me.

“So, you’re gay?” I ask, a little hope slipping out. I shouldn’t get my hopes up, I really shouldn’t. But it’s there and I can’t control it.

“No.”

“That doesn’t make any sense, love...” I sigh, the fight in me leaving.

Then there was that time he started hoping that maybe his crush was into men (like it wasn't already obvious) even though Tobias jacked off on his face several times while he was sleeping. Needless to say, that kind of behavior does not scream "straight".

I couldn't take Tobias seriously either. He was supposed to be a Mafia boss, but he acted like an immature brat who didn't know what he was doing. He only listened to his emotions and acted on impulse without thinking at all.

It's definitely a 1.5 stars for me.

[Nova Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some reason, I chose to wait to write this review instead of doing it right after I finished. So we'll see how this goes lmao. Won't be my best work.

First up: check trigger warnings before reading this if you have any triggers. And be aware that I'm about to mention abuse in this review.

Gabriel's past is filled to the brim with abuse and other trauma. He thought he was done with all that. But then his ex boyfriend beats him, thinking Gabriel told his new stalker something. Which he didn't, of course. He isn't sure what his ex could be talking about. Gabriel is conflicted about how to feel about this stalker of his. Even more so when said stalker, a mafia boss by the name of Tobias, kidnaps him following his ex's assault. Tobias is drawn to him for reasons he doesn't understand. Gabriel is drawn to him too, even though he knows he shouldn't be. Also being convinced Tobias' obsession wouldn't last. But Tobias has no intentions of letting Gabriel go anytime soon...

I have only read a couple mafia books over the years I've been reading. Some I've loved, other's I've found to just be okay. I actually did really enjoy this one! It's one of those books that I struggled to put down and still found myself thinking about picking up when I did put it down. I liked that Tobias, this tough mafia boss, would show vulnerability when it came Gabriel. And it didn't change how he could be in business. In terms of side characters, I am certainly a fan of Kyler.

[requiemz.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A MM dark stalker romance novella.

I really felt for MC Gabriel, and perhaps it’s just due to my own traumatic experiences of being stalked… but I was right there in an excruciating chokehold through every emotive moment shared. In a true-to-form dark romance kinda way, the dynamic between these two guys is a bit messed up and dicey but it totally works within the world of fiction so I’m gonna just leave it at that! The love and connection shared by both is exquisite, if not devastating at points.
Tobias is such an intensely obsessive character, and when I say that the dude is loyal and super devoted, I am not putting it lightly! The measures he goes to, despite avoiding certain issues, is off the charts— No words… just wait and see!

Due to the nature of a novella, there were parts of this story that could have been delivered but were not, by way of details and the fleshing out of the plot line. There were times in which things felt a little more rushed than I’d have liked but I understand the reasoning around this and am so happy to see that book two is of a longer length. These aren't complaints, more a case of me acknowledging that I really enjoyed what was offered and would have loved to have seen this first book be a longer read because I know Ryan Mundy as a writer has so much more to give and I’m super excited to see what comes next!
Stalked is well worth the read for dark romance lovers.

[Jenny 🖤 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Y’all I don’t even know how to begin this one. But you know the drill. Grab your favorite snacks and a good drink cause this quick read will have you not moving from your blanket burrito until you finish this story.

Gabriel might seem like the shy artist who is sheltered but that’s the front he puts on for everyone. He has seen and been through things most people never wish upon their worst enemy. So when he discovers he is being stalked, he doesn’t shy away from the man like most people would. He is intrigued and slightly unhinged with the way his thoughts always gravitate towards the mysterious man.

Tobias may be young for being the Pakhan in American but growing up in the mafia and being groomed to one day take over makes him grow up faster than most would at his age. He is as ruthless as they come. Most men would cower in his presence which is why it was a huge shock the first time he met Gabriel. Gabriel didn’t try to run but instead was intrigued by the man in a suit. After that encounter, Tobias was hooked and wanted Gabriel for himself. So when the opportunity arose to do just that he took it.

Can Gabriel learn to live with Tobias’s lifestyle? Will the mafia accept Gabriel? What danger does this bring to their doorstep?

Well you’ll just have to read to find out. 🖤

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

___________________
❤️ "I really shouldn’t disobey him. But then again, I don’t listen very well."
____________________
✔️ MM
✔️ Mafia
✔️ Dual POV
✔️ Gay Awakening
✔️ Touch him and 💀
___________________
❤️ “I’ll continue to say it. I wasn’t lying when I said your heart is mine. It’s been mine since I first laid my eyes on you, and it will continue to be mine. Even in death, I’ll follow.”
___________________

I loved Stalked! I can't wait to read more in this series. This book was so well written. I loved Tobias and Gabriel. Gabriel has a sad past, and I highly recommend reading the trigger warnings. But Tobias is exactly what he needs. This is an MM, and Tobias has his bi-awakening/gay-awakening, its nice and spicy. So, if you don't enjoy a good same sex dickin' this ain't the book for you. See exhibit A at the bottom for my favorite Spicy quote. And now MM aside, Tobias is next in line and the mafia plot is so good. I'm always up in the air with Mafia and Ryan did it well. My only complaint was that I wish there was Russian translations - I felt lost sometimes and Google was not my friend. But honestly I still loved this book. And cannot wait for the next ones.

Exhibit A ⬇️🤤🔥
___________________
"Do you think you can cum without touching your cock, Little Rabbit? Think you can be my good boy and come with my cock deep in your ass?”
___________________

[Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t want to sound obtuse, but I’ve read some version of this book a hundred times.

I feel like, off the top, I can name at least two other recently published books that were incredibly similar to this. That’s not to say that they’re carbon copies, but it’s the same story at its core. That’s absolutely nothing against this author, I just wasn’t expecting it.

I think if you don’t read Mafia-ish romances, this will probably be a great toe dipper. If you do read them regularly, you’ve likely read this 10 times by different authors.

The book is not bad. At all. It just seems to sit in a spot between novella and novel when it shouldn’t. It should have been a novel. So many things were just glossed over or rushed that it needed to be longer.

Also, it may just be a pet peeve of mine, but the writing of and translation of another language needs to be done properly. I didn’t see that here. 😔 There isn’t any vague translations or anything. The way it’s written isn’t recognized by KU so you have to manually type it in to Google translate in order to understand anything. Again, that’s fine, it’s just a pet peeve. No one wants to pause, take a picture, highlight/copy/type, look up and then move to the next phrase. It feels like it was just thrown in there to make an impact but it draws from the book.

In the end, I think it was a good book. It just needed…more? Idk.

[Brittney · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Stalked, Gabriel's life takes a sinister turn when his past of abuse and persecution resurfaces. Things become more complicated when his ex decides to eliminate him, thinking he possesses information about a mysterious suit man breaking into his apartment every night. This plunges Gabriel back into a world of murder and torture, a place he swore never to return.

On the other side, Tobias, a formidable figure in the Mafia and the Pakhan in America for his father, finds himself drawn to Gabriel. As he searches for the thief who stole from him, Tobias becomes entangled in an obsessive desire for Gabriel. The boundaries between predator and prey blur as he stalks Gabriel, staying in the shadows until a threat emerges, forcing Tobias to take decisive action.

Stalked promises a gripping and intense dark romance, where the characters' haunted pasts collide, leading to a dangerous game of obsession and possession. The author weaves a tale filled with suspense, passion, and the dark allure of the Mafia world. Reader discretion is advised, with a trigger warning in place for those who embark on this thrilling and chilling journey.

#Stalked #RyanMundy #DarkRomance #Mafia #BookReview #MustRead

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dee's Grade: A

Kink:🚦🚦🚦/5
Spice: 🥵🥵🥵/5
Angst: 🥹🥹🥹/5
Humor: 🤣🤣/5
Toxicity: ☣️☣️☣️/5
Bullying: 💔/5
Intimacy: ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥/5
Chemistry: 🌋🌋🌋🌋🌋/5
Dirty Talking: 🤬🤬🤬🤬/5
Hurt/Comfort: ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹/5
Codependency: 🫂🫂🫂🫂.5/5
Protectiveness: 🪦🪦🪦🪦.5/5
Possessiveness: ⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️.5/5
Communication: 🗣🗣🗣🗣/5
The Dark Matter: 🌒🌒🌒🌒/5
The Swoon Factor: 🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠/5
Growth and Healing: 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳/5
Comfort Readability: 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗/5


** If the score is ONE EMOJI that means little to none of whatever category/trope was present in the book.

I'll admit when I saw the book was about 200 pages...I immediately lowered my expectations. I have been burned in the past. This book however was NOT that.

Most of the characters in the book have experienced or witnessed great trauma. This has led to some toxic preferences regarding love amongst the characters but its fiction and works for them.

This book was all the obsessive, touch him and d!e, codependent vibes I adore in dark romance. It has the love, swoons, murder and mayhem packed in a small quick read package.

Tobias and Gabriel are as obsessed with each other as I am with them. The only complaint I have about this book is that I need more of Tobias and Gabriel.

[Ashley -Goldstarreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this one a lot. I love a good mafia romance. Tobias is the Russian Pakhan in America, he is a ruthless killer who is looking for the accomplice that stole from him. When he discovers this man had a boyfriend, he breaks into the man’s apartment and his obsession is born. He’s never been attracted to men before but there is something different about Gabriel. He starts to stalk Gabriel. Until someone hurts Gabriel and he decides to take Gabriel with him to protect him. Gabriel is a man that has been hurt too many times, he lived a horrible life as a child and teenager, saw and went through more than any young person…any person period, should. He is scared and lives a very quiet life that revolves around his art and teaching children art. When his ex beats the crap out of him over the suit leaving his apartment, he finds himself kidnapped and back in a world he thought he had escaped. But turns out, he has the hots for his stalker/kidnapper. And Gabriel might be scared of the world but he isn’t scared of Tobias, he feels safe with Tobias and he is sassy and full of bossy attitude. These two together are fire! And so dang cute. This book has a lot of dark themes and of course bloody mafia gore. The writing was well done. I absolutely loved it.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ★

He's mine, and he's staying, even if that means locking him away in this house.

This was my first book by Ryan Mundy and definitely won't be my last! The perfect balance of mafia action and romance development, I was caught up in this book and couldn't put it down. First of all, the character development was done perfectly, both MCs I grew to love dearly, even questionable Tobias, and the side characters of Salem and Zane were awesome.

The plot took me on a journey of hard pasts and questionable futures, a game of cat and mouse and will they won't they, and I was entertained the entire time. I loved getting to see the side of Tobias where he isn't wrapped up in the romance but instead in the mafia drama, showing that the author is capable of writing a delicate balance of story and steam.

Overall this was a really good read, the perfect level of darkness and I enjoyed it.

What To Expect:
⨳ MM Dark Romance
⨳ Bi Awakening
⨳ Stalker
⨳ Grumpy/Sunshine
⨳ Touch Him and Die
⨳ Russian Mafia

If we start now, I'm afraid I won't let you go until...well, never.

❤︎ ARC provided in exchange for an honest review ❤︎

[Suzy Engelhaupt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sad to say that this wasn't for me. I had a hard time liking any part of it.
I think I might have liked it more if this had been my first MM romance. I've read some really good ones, and this didn't come close.
The insta love was cringe.
The mafia element wasn't very believable. The MC is Pakahn, but he comes off super weak and never shows us that he deserves to be the boss. Why is he Pakhan if his dad is still alive and in good shape? This kid is 22.
There's an 8 year age difference between the couple, but the older guy acted like he was 22 instead of 30.
The stalking was meh and pointless, which sucks because that's the title of the book 😄
I feel like we didn't get enough backstory explaining the trauma, but also, that could be my fault because I haven't read any other books in this world. I was under the impression that this was a stand-alone. I could be wrong, but I doubt any other book will change my opinions.
I just didn't like either one of these dudes.

Also, I think I hate the "not gay but maybe only for you" trope.

[Library_of_a_Trashpanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s review time!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5

Tropes
🖤Mafia
🖤St@lker
🖤Touch him and 💀

This story follows Gabriel, the artist , and Tobias the Pakhan of the Russian mafia. Their meet not-cute turned into Gabriel being stalked and Tobias reluctantly catching feelings. After an altercation leads Gabriel into Tobias clutches, both men have to grapple their feelings and desires.

The story and characters were great. The character were developed and gave their own feeling to the story. I’m a huge fan of mafia romances and this one hit the spot. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone wanting to read into the field. I am definitely excited for more from @authorryanmundy 😍😍

I wish we could have gotten a little more of Tobias history in the sense of what made him who he is, but the development worked for the story. In some places it felt a little over descriptive and in others, not enough, and it also felt rushed sometimes, but that could have been me just wanting more.

[Stephanie Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hard a time rating this one because I really loved the story, the sex scenes were 🌶️🥵. I absolutely loved Tobais. However, I did not Love Gabriel’s character and in my opinion the author did him a disservice by making him so weak. After all the trauma that he had been through in Red Obsession and came out the other side, I would have thought he would be a stronger character. Instead he is a 30 year old man that is extremely insecure, scared of everything, cries literally all the time, can’t defend himself in any situation and seems to have the maturity of a teenager. I also want to note that I don’t like how every book I have read of Ryan Mundy’s ends with one of the main characters in a coma for several weeks. After 4 books, it’s time to find a new way to end these.

This book should have been 4 ⭐️ because the story was great but because of Gabriel’s character and some minor issues I had with the writing style it was 3 ⭐️ for me.