Strawberry Venom

by J.L. Kenna

I am not a good man.

My nine to five is spent with a blade in my hand. I hunt, intimidate, collect debts for my uncle’s Brotherhood, the Hooligans. I believe in consequences, an effect for the cause. Fate is folklore and love? An illusion.

Until I met her. Little Red.

Some call me Reaper, the Angel of Death. She calls me her wolf.

I told her to stay away from me, knowing she doesn’t belong in my world. But I didn’t know who her father was, or what he had in store for her.

Now, protecting her is my new obsession. Because if she doesn’t belong with me, then I don’t belong anywhere.

Good thing she didn’t listen.

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Dark, Forced Proximity, Mafia Romance, Fiction

409 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 12, 2024

About the author

J.L. Kenna is an emerging author of steamy romance of all subgenres.

She's an avid reader, which is what sparked the embers of her love for writing. And when she’s not writing all the words or has her nose stuck in a book, she’s dancing with her family in the living room; snuggling with her kids and husband under a mountain of cozy blankets in front of a movie; or talking about music, movies, and books with her husband over a hot cup of coffee or a chilled glass of wine.

Hang out with J.L. on all platforms:
Facebook ☞https://www.facebook.com/authorjlkenna
Instagram ☞https://www.instagram.com/authorjlkenna/
Goodreads ☞https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Website ☞ https://www.jlkenna.com
Amazon Profile ☞https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B09SDM4RVF...

Reviews

[Dora Koutsoukou]

The slow burn and slow pace of this story, as well as it was long winded, weren’t able to capture my interest.
Regardless, the premise was intriguing and appealing.

Dnf @ 43%
.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

He’s a h!+man and she’s the daughter of a mafia boss on the run trying to escape her arranged marriage, there was bound to be sparks flying!

I absolutely loved Bianca and Killian’s story!
Bianca was fierce and determined and I loved her from the moment we met her.
Killian is obsessive, possessive and hot in every way.

The twists and turns in this book kept me guessing all the way through and the emotions I felt were something else! I was on the edge of my seat.

I loved the Hooligan family and the relationships between them all. I hope we get to know more about their members. I can’t wait to read more.

[Alaine McDaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strawberry Venom- JL Kenna

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

I know I should have been prepared for how hot and swoony Killian Bradshaw is just based on the books I’ve read previously by JL Kenna, but she took her previous MMCs and turned them up a couple notches because JFC I was NOT prepared for how hot and swoony this man is. He’s obsessive (he literally fixates on things), and possessive, and will go to the ends of the earth to protect Bianca. But Bianca can hold her own as well. She’s sassy, smart mouthed, and independent. She’s craves freedom, from her father, from the marriage she’s being forced into, from her captor. Killian has met his match in Bianca and their banter is top tier. I was not expecting to laugh as much as I have with this one. And I haven’t highlighted so much in a book in a long time. I freaking LIVE for a good Romeo and Juliet trope and by god, this one has been one of the best I’ve read!

[Miley Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Killian. Freaking. Bradshaw.
I’d wear his red flags if I could. Don’t care what that says about me. He’s my favorite kind of antihero book boyfriend - the possessive, protective, burn the world down, red flag waving kind. I love a good cinnamon roll, but I also love a baddie who becomes obsessed with his girl. And Kill? He’s such a baddie.
Bianca is my kind of girl. She’s sassy and spunky and hilarious. She pushes Kill’s buttons from the start, when they don’t really like each other but also have a strange connection - even though he’s a hitman. She’s not fearless, just reckless, and I love that.
The drama of the story around them was great. The push and pull between them was so much fun. And I always love when characters accept each other for who they are, even the dark parts. They don’t try to change them, they embrace them.
I absolutely loved this book. It’s my favorite kind of dark romance, where the darkness isn’t really them being terrible to each other, it’s the world they live in and the things they do. But between them, there’s something real.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Extremely slow book and the girl is dumber than rocks who finally escapes and then runs back to her apartment she knows is being watched.

She is so immature and dumb and 2 stars is being generous with that heroine. I had a hard time beliving she was 22 and not 14

[Katelyn Rizzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy hell ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️I can’t give this book enough stars ! It had me on the edge of my seat , I was so entertained, I literally was drawn in page 1 . Damn this was so good , I read it twice .
Bianca is supposed to be married off to a man who’s very very bad and does horrible things to women.
She runs away for two years till her father finds her again :-( but not before she meets Killian at a bar she works at .
Lo and behold finds a way to escape by hiding in the trunk of a man car who has a meeting with her father .
It ends up being killian who she met at the bar .
The relationship
Between them is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥he will do anything to protect her . The chemistry and spark these two have it everything .
Ok won’t lie he
Maybe my new book man 🖤🖤🖤and he’s pierced thank you 🙏
I don’t want to give away to much bc it’s so good.
Please please read this you won’t be let down. I just don’t want to give away to much ..
Wow sooooo good

[Amy Reyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strawberry Venom by JL Kenna
⭐️4/5
🔥4/5
A chance meeting with a woman who drives him up the wall. Notorious mafia hit man met his match. I did like the story line but the FMC drove me up the wall with her thinking ugh! I do love Killian though.

[Christy Davisson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands Freaking Down One of My Top 2024 Reads!!! Mafia/Enemies to Lovers at its FINEST!!

This book has it all I mean if you love:
✔️ Mafia
✔️ Enemies to Lovers
✔️ Forced Proximity
✔️ Action
✔️ Extra Spicy Moments
✔️ Witty Banter
✔️ Main/Side Characters You Adore
✔️ Plot on Point
✔️ Suspense
✔️ Angst/Tension
✔️ Forbidden Romance
✔️ HEA
This book is A MUST READ!!!

The author grabs your attention from the start and you ultimately can't put this one down! I mean if you have plans to start this one change them because you will be way too consumed by this book. The character development is utter perfection here with both main & side having you invested in this story. I can say without a doubt this is one of my favorites and will definitely be a reread!! I'm a definite sucker for Enemies to Lovers and throw in some Mafia and it's a definite win for me!! The author did a phenomenal job weaving this insanely addictive story to life. From the action packed moments that leave you on the edge of your seat to the newfound family feels and of course ultimate love story of the Wolf and his Red getting a HEA!!

Now Bianca is not your typical Italian princess no she wants a life outside of the family and its obligations to be married off because it's her duty as a female. She runs and does whatever she can to be free of that world even if it is living like the poor and working a menial job as a waitress she does it all in the hopes of escaping her fate to a horrible man she's been promised to. Only fate has a different plan and she finds herself drawn to a new danger in the form of the Irish Hooligans Reaper Kill (Killian) Bradshaw an enemy of her family. With the first encounter, you see the pull and connection these two have even with the witty snide banter you know these two are destined for so much more.

Killian/Kill is a man of darkness, broody intensity, and morally gray perfection. He is by far one of my favorite MMCs to read because he has so many different facets to his personality especially as the story progresses and you see him connect to not only Bianca but his brothers of the Hooligans he has fought to be outside of at times. The Reaper/Wolf finds his new obsession/purpose and becomes a new man along the way.

All I can say is ONE CLICK THIS ONE NOW!! ITS A MUST READ FOR ANYONE!! This author did a fabulous job of bringing vivid details to life as you read and giving you an unputdownable storyline that is riveting from start to finish. I can't wait for more and to see what she brings next!!

Overall: 5/☆☆☆☆☆
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶

[Darcy’s Good Opinion · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐️
Steam: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5

MF Mafia Dark Romance
Enemies To Lovers
Hurt Her And I’ll Hurt You
Morally Grey Unaliver
Us Against The World/Rival Families
Found Family
Brat/Brat Tamer

Strawberry Venom is book one of the Venom’s Kiss series. It ends in an HEA.

Killian (Kill) has many names. He has earned the nicknames of Death and the Reaper from his job as unaliver for his uncle’s organization. He was trained, created if you will, into an unstoppable k!lling machine. Once his obsessive focus lands on you, you don’t leave alive.

Bianca Rossi is on the run from her mobster father and his men when she runs into Kill. She catches his attention and does everything she can to keep it. Her past catches up with her though and she is to be forcefully and unwillingly sold into marriage to form an alliance.

As fate, or consequences, would have it, their paths cross again just as Bianca desperately needs an escape. She risks everything to throw herself at a rival and unrepentant unaliver’s mercy. Sparks, insults, and weapons fly between them and the result is cataclysmic for both them and their families.

This was a thrilling read from beginning to end. *Kill takes no prisoners and offers no apologies. Bianca doesn’t back down and offers plenty of sass. The two are matches and gasoline. The fire is an epically good time.

[Suzana · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC kindly provided by the author and I’m leaving an honest review*

⭐️Contemporary
⭐️Romantic suspense
⭐️Mafia Dark Romance
⭐️Enemies To Lovers
⭐️Grumpy MMC/Rebellious FMC
⭐️Touch Her & D!e / morally grey unaliver
⭐️Forced Proximity
⭐️Fobidden
⭐️Strong Female Lead
⭐️Irish Hitman Falls in Love
⭐️Rival Families
⭐️Found Family
⭐️Emotional roller-coaster
⭐️Unpredictable twists and turns
⭐️Gripping
⭐️Fun cast of supporting – secondary characters that add to the story and development

Strawberry Venom is the first book of the Venom’s Kiss series. Combines action, love, intrigue, and a game of cat and mouse promising a compelling, engaging, gritty storyline with strong, complex characters. The suspense fills every single page, and the romance is only an added bonus. Strawberry Venom is a fast paced sexy explosive roller-coaster with combustible chemistry offering an intricate and twisted plot, a tailor-made story, a never-ending chase and a reckoning with the past, aiming to deepen the mysterious, enigmatic world of the Irish hitman and crime world.

Killian Bradshaw, a hitman, has many names: Reaper of the Hooligans and Angel of Death working as unaliver for his uncle's organization. He is dangerous, brutal, ruthless, remorseless, violent and savage. He was created, molded into the monster he is today and made an unstoppable killing machine.
Bianca Rossi is brought into the world she never wanted to be a part of. She is on the run from her mobster father and forceful marriage to a bad man who does horrible things to women.
Killian and Bianca's story is messy, emotional, healing, and dark. From the moment they met there is an undeniable attraction. Bianca caught Killian's eye and she takes a risk with him in order to survive. She's now at his mercy since their families are rivals. They challenge each other and make each other better. He brings out his softer side, protectiveness and possessiveness. The chemistry between them is insane. They both have enough emotional baggage to deal with. Nevertheless, Killian would burn the world down for Bianca and protect her with everything. He becomes different person when he is around her. Their build up was amazing and really timed out very well. Their love is layered, gritty, emotion-charged, dark, deep and beautiful.

What a perfect start to a new series. It will hook a reader from the first page because it starts out strong, will keep on-the-edge of the seat and it's fast-paced.

[KAGE · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Lethal little kisses, laced with strawberry-flavoured venom."

Overall Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5

Spice Rating: 8/10
Characters: 9/10
Atmosphere: 8.5/10
Writing: 9/10
Plot: 8.5/10
Intrigue: 8/10
Logic: 8/10
Enjoyment: 9.5/10

Hero: Killian
Heroine: Bianca

Cliff-hanger: No
Triggers: Murder, Violence, Torture

Pages: 410
Style: Contemporary, Rival Families, Dark, Twisted, Suspense, Mafia, Forbidden Love, Touch Her & Die, Forced Proximity.

J.L never, and I mean NEVER disappoints me. I am always so incredibly eager to get everything she writes and this one was no exception, I was sold the minute she mentioned grumpy Irish hitman!

This one was certainly a rollercoaster, with plenty of twists, secrets, and suspense. With a very grumpy and super protective MMC who literally lives by touch her and die rules! He is ruthless but the chemistry between him and Bianca is just perfection. She has the best balance of vulnerable and sassy and seeing the two of them grow together was beautiful.

This is the first book in the Venom's Kiss series and we are off to one hell of a start. I absolutely can't wait for more to come.

"I've spent years running from my fate only to discover I was running toward it."

*all edits are mine - pictures are not

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[•Cici• Theory of A Dreamer Book Blog♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Red & Wolf🍓💗

Having read this author's work before I've been looking so forward to more! As soon as this book was announced it piqued my interest right away. I picked it up and got right into the Venom's Kiss world! I enjoyed this story so very much!!

Killian and Bianca's journey captured my attention so quickly! As these two and their lives collide, things are about to shake up for both of them. Killian and Bianca have quite the unforgettable first meeting. As circumstances bring them face to face again, Will Killian and Bianca give into how they feel? And can they face everything thrown their way, together?

Both Killian and Bianca had my undivided attention right from the very get go! I enjoyed the way these two were brought into each other's lives and most definitely their memorable first meeting. I didn't know what all to expect nor how Bianca and Killian would tackle everything between them and in their lives which pulled me in even more. I was so glad that I got to peel back their layers.

I really liked the way Killian and Bianca got under each other's skin in the best ways and how these two connected. Killian was such a determined and kick-butt character. I loved the different sides Bianca brought out in him! I adored Bianca and how strong she was! She wasn't afraid to go head to head with Killian which was so awesome. The chemistry and back and forth between Killian and Bianca was so great! These two and their story had me feeling many things from start to finish!

With Strawberry Venom, J.L. Kenna has created such a good mafia read that kept me turning the pages! This author brought the feels, the spice, and the suspense! I am so looking forward to more from her and the Venom's Kiss world! 🍓💗

Be sure to read the author's note about the content.


*I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book from the author*

[Olivia Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably my favorite book from this author & it’s definitely because of Killian, also my love for morally grey characters. I was on a whole different journey when I was reading this & I was quickly obsessed with Kill. Killian Bradshaw is known for being a dang good hitman & does his job very seriously, he was reborn & brought up by his Uncle Sean the head of the Hooligans organization to be the man he is today. When Killian sets his eyes on a strawberry blonde beauty doing something that makes his lips twitch, he does the one thing he always does tells her to stay away from him. Now of course Bianca Rossi ran away from home after finding out what her father had in store for her future, but you can only run for so long before you make a slip up & of course that slip up eventually landed her in the hands of Killian & what an amazing feeling to be in this killers hands it was. Now it’s not a walk in the park for these two, but the chemistry & steam between them will take your breath away. I couldn’t get enough of the way they were with each other even when Killian tried her hardest to prevent himself from falling for Red. They were like an explosion when they finally let all the sexual tension out, Killian is very dominant & possessive when it comes to his little Red. The way Bianca handled herself in the eyes of these strong powerful men spoke volumes in the situation they were in & of course Killian rewarded her in the best ways. Of course the ending had me on the edge of seat, but the happy ending was worth it, I could read this multiple times & never get tired of this story. I definitely recommend reading this, you won’t regret it!

[Amber Hoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not my first Mafia romance read, nor was it my first time reading JL Kenna books, in fact I am a big fan of both. However, it was the first time I did not devour this type of book or a book from this author in one day. The story line concept intrigued me from the very beginning. The natural rivalry between the Italians and the Irish, an instant attraction between two very important people of each group, I was gearing up for a violently suspenseful and extremely hot and spicy tale. The first couple chapters do a beautiful job of setting up the expected suspenseful and spicy story line, the main characters' personalities are aligning with my high expectations at first as well. The majority of the chapters in the middle, unfortunately fell flat for me. Timelines did not flow smoothly, occasionally causing me to flip back a couple of chapters to make sure I was following along correctly. Character interactions did not always feel natural. Bianca would interact with someone new and within a couple of sentences they would be besties. Does this happen sometimes, sure, but not as often nor in the environment that these occurred in. These middle chapters were a slow read for me, not holding my reading obsessed attention for more than 15 or 20 minutes at a time. Once I made it to the last third of the book, I finally became completely engrossed and satisfied with the suspense and hotness. I cried, I laughed and I finally solidified my love for Red and the Big Bad Wolf.

Overall I enjoyed Strawberry Venom, though I would not put it in my favorites list.

[Madeline S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️/3🌶️
Mafia
Enemies to Lovers
Irish Hitman
Strong FMC
Forced Proximity
Forbidden
Geez I am trying to put into words how much I loved Killian and Bianca or better known in the book as Kill and Red. Red(Bianca) is such a bad ass! I loved that for ever word spoken to her she had a come back she spoke her mind and was unapologetically herself and fought with Kill good and bad tooth and nail. I am a totally frekin sucker for an Irish man and Killian “Kill” Bradshaw made my knees week y’all he is the double D’s delectable and dangerous! And put them together and it was just tension and angst spice and action rolled it all together and it made a frekin good book. Kill and Reds relationship was something of fate, deep connection. I love when a mafia romance has good action and JL smashed it I loved the Hooligans and their brotherhood but Sean I loved me some Kill but reading that man’s accent IM A PUTTLE!! This was such a good book that ending OOO! I teared up Kill and Red(Bianca) just have this electric kind of relationship and profound love that they could literally feel each other when they were in a room or house together and not even in each others sights and that gave this book another element that was beautiful to read. JL Kenna writes men like no other and I ate up every minute of this book 10/10 recommend so go read it!

[Ally Y. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bianca was on the run. When you're the daughter of the Don, you don't get to choose who you spend your life with. That's unacceptable to her. She's dragged back, but she's not going down that aisle without a fight. Enter in Killian, a member of the Hooligans. He's cold, ruthless, and above all else, captivated by Bianca. When they're put in each other's paths, sparks fly. It's push-pull hate and seduction. There isn't a quick HEA. Not when her family wants her back, her psycho (not in a good way), fiance is looking for her, and their families' business deals get all tangled up. Its action, danger, 🌶, tears, and 1 hard fought HEA.

I read this book in 1 sitting. It's so freaking good! I absolutely loved Killian he's my favorite type of mmc. Bianca was such a fighter, and while I was irritated by a few of the things she did, I did like her.

While it is a standalone, I would absolutely love more stories featuring several of the side characters. Ghost definitely intrigued me the most, but I'd also love to get a Rebel and/or Gino book. I'm definitely going to be rereading and recommending this book.

[Natalie Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Killian has a chance encounter with Red at a bar. Shes beautiful, tempting and has a sharp mouth on her. She certainly knows how to wind up Killian, and in her desperation to avoid being married off by her family, she ends up stowing a ride in one of his cars.
Imagine the horror of finding out this gorgeous, mouthy viper was actually the daughter of italian mobsters, and one of their rivals. Now he is faced with a decision of what to do with her, babysit her, tie her up or take her to bed. Bianca (red) is sassy and knows what she wants, and it certainly isn't being married off in a loveless marriage. Killian must help her, his lust for her creeping till she is all he can think of.
I really liked the pace of this book, it was well written. I got caught out on some of the dialect as Killian and his associates are Irish so that broke the momentum at times when I was reading it. But it did not detract from the story. This was not an instalove story, definitely attraction though in the first instance. I enjoyed the build up between Bianca and Killian. It wasn't just steam, there were some gritty moments where Killian had to get his hands dirty. Definitely a book worth reading.

[Brandi-Lynn Weiser · Rating 4 out of 5]

Killian Bradshaw, aka… Reaper of the Hooligans, Angel of Death or to his Red he’s known as Wolf. He was dangerous, vicious, murderous, gives zero “f’s”, & is absolutely brutal, but for Bianca he’d burn the world down to protect her. Their love is explosive & intense, it’s earth shattering, deep & beautiful. Bianca ran away f/her life, only to run into her Wolf!
I loved Bianca & her feistiness, but she drove me crazy too. What she saw as keeping her as a prisoner, Kill saw as protecting her. I liked how he didn’t coddle her & wasn’t hesitate to walk away f/her. He didn’t play her games in the beginning & I loved that. And the sex! Holy mother of hotness! These two were smoldering!
The ending had me holding my breath & almost brought tears to my eyes. It was heart pounding & even though I knew everything would be ok, I still couldn’t help fearing the worst.
I’m excited to see if Rebel & Ghost get a story! They both grabbed my attention & had me curious since they stepped onto the page & I want more of them!

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will definitely be going back for more from this Author! This was the first book I have read and I was not disappointed! I was hooked right from the very beginning and could not put it down!
These two cross paths in the beginning and right away sparks flew. Bianca comes across as a sassy outgoing person, whilst Killian is the opposite, given his profession, he needs to blend into the background, and he prefers it that way.
The push and pull between these two were great, especially when they figured out they were enemies due to their families.
The story kept your attention and the writing flowed well. I enjoyed the different side we saw of Killian when he was with Bianca. He was all alpha and possessive and I loved every minute of it!
The spice between these two was soooo good!
I won't say too much as it is better to go in blind. But know, you will not be disappointed! This was a great Mafia romance, a good start to a new series and one I will be keen to keep on reading!
Well done and thank you!

[Victoria Rebecca Hawkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a good man. My nine to five is spent with a blade in my hand. I hunt, intimidate, collect debts for my uncle’s Brotherhood, the Hooligans. I believe in consequences, an effect for the cause. Fate is folklore and love? An illusion. Until I met her. Little Red.

Some call me Reaper, the Angel of Death. She calls me her wolf. I told her to stay away from me, knowing she doesn’t belong in my world. But I didn’t know who her father was, or what he had in store for her. Now, protecting her is my new obsession. Because if she doesn’t belong with me, then I don’t belong anywhere. Good thing she didn’t listen.

Where do I start to describe how fabulous this mafia book is to read. I was hooked from the beginning as the characters were fantastic. The chemistry between Bianca and Killian was smoking hot. Bianca has a feisty personality and Killian has a broody personality and the banter between the two is quite entertaining. J. L Kenna has written another fabulous books and I will certainly be reading more of her books in the future.

[TheheartofBrigid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strawberry Venom is a contemporary romance written by J.L. Kenna.

💜 Irish hitman
💜 forced proximity
💜 mystery
💜 deception
💜 🌶🌶🌶🌶 spice

Killian has a reputation some would say. He’s known by reputation by many names. The Reaper being one of them. After a night doing what he does best, he goes to the pub as per his normal ritual. Except tonight, there’s a new waitress. Her strawberry blonde hair does not look like it would be a natural color for her, but what she does next intrigues him. Will she capture his attention for more than that moment? What about his work? Will he continue to do his job, or walk away?

I know this review above doesn’t give much away. That was on purpose. I went into this book blind, not know what to expect. It was so so good! I was pulled into the world that was created and feel for the characters as they were given growth on the page. I hope more books are written in this world, because I will be gobbling each one up as they come out.

[Nic_key_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything about Strawberry Venom screams 5⭐️ The title…the cover….the plot…and the steam!

Strawberry Venom doesn’t skip on the story line or the characters. Killian “Kill” Bradshaw is the reaper of his Uncle’s brotherhood the Hooligans. He’s the guy who was taught to be ruthless. He’s a force and his name fits him perfectly. Our FMC is Bianca Rossi. She was brought into a world she never wanted to be apart of. So when she crossed paths with Killian it all goes up from there. She Is a sassy firecracker who gets this story going!

J.L. Kenna delivered with Strawberry Venom. She started this story out strong. She didn’t leave us waiting to get to the action. Within 5 pages I was done for and I knew sleep wasn’t going to come until I finished this story. This was my first read by J.L. But won’t be my last.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely AMAZING!
Strawberry Venom is my first J.L. Kenna book, and I'm so glad it was.

Killian, Kill. The Reaper, sweet goodness, a tatted man with knives, my weaknesses!!
Kill was "born" through tragedy, into the Angel of Death, who will war with the world including his family for the ones that loves.
Bianca, the Italian Mafia Princess, shes a badass, she has a strength, that I admire.
Bianca and Killian together absolute fire. A force.

Forbidden Love at its finest, Italian Mafia meet the Irish Mob, non stop action and adrenaline, I've had the hardest time adulting while reading this book, I could not put book down.
Strawberry Venom is a tale of forbidden love, with betrayal, and twists and turns that have you hooked.

A INCREDIBLE read, that I can't recommend enough.

DIBS ON KILL.

[TheSugaredBookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much love for The Wolf and his Red!

Loved every single minute of this!! Killian and Bianca are everything!!! Their oil and water, push and pull, yin and yang energy kept me on the edge of my seat! I loved how everyone is terrified of Killian and his lethal vibes. Everyone except Bianca! In her, he's met his match! This book was Boondock Saints meets Romeo and Juliet meets Mafia!! And the character development?! Just beautiful! Killian transforms from a lethal reaper into a man who can love and be loved. He fought falling for Bianca, but he really didn't stand a chance! And I love that he saw her for the strong woman she was! He embraced her strength, sassiness and the equal she was instead of just a pawn like every other man did. The steam was hot, hot, hot! Definitely one to add to my favorites shelf!

[Ashley Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

♾️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5

Killian: Irish nephew who’s the grim reaper of his uncles gang.

Bianca: Daughter of a mob boss & arranged marriage to a terrible man. She ran away from home 2 years ago to escape that faith. Unfortunately, her dad found her & brought her home to her betrothed.


⭐️ Mobster Romance
⭐️ Morally Grey Men
⭐️ Touch her you 💀
⭐️ Possessive MMC
⭐️ Forbidden Love
⭐️ Enemies to Lovers
⭐️ Sexual Tension


I absolutely devoured this book within a few days! It kept me engaged the entire time. The sexual tension 🥵 I fell in love with both Killian and Bianca! Now I need books with other hooligans!

Thank you JL Kenna & publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Christina Rybka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bianca runs away from her family , because they want her to marry a very bad man. She’s working in a pub. She meets this beautiful arrogant man who sees her steal a wallet out of a drunk jerk. She ends up stealing something from him. Killian is the reaper for the hooligans, and is intrigued with Bianca and comes back from what she took. He wants her and after he has her will not let her go. Can they be together when they have so much against them? Great characters and storyline Highly recommended Amazing book. I absolutely love Bianca and Killian. Great supporting characters. This book has so many twists and turns, nonstop action, sarcasm, and the spice is good. Read your trigger warnings. I can’t wait to see what’s next with this J.L.

[Tiffiny Hires · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strawberry Venom by J. L. Kenna follows Killian, the Hooligans’ hitman and Bianca, daughter of a Don in the Cosa Nostra. Bianca quite literally runs to Killian as a way to escape her arranged marriage. Their attraction to each other was instant, even if Killian tried to deny it. They both quickly realized they needed each other in order to survive the deal their families made. The banter, fighting, and emotions between them really make this book a 5 star read. The spice is amazing as well as the storyline. Killian became a top 5 book boyfriend with his possessiveness and his need to protect Bianca at all costs. Their journey to a HEA was a wild one, but totally worth it! Thank you J. L. Kenna for yet another amazing story! I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

[Emilee (Insta: booksandcorgi) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I’m in your blood. In your palms. You want me at your feet, kneeling? Done. I’m your Big Bad Wolf, Little Red. No one will ever hurt you again.”

“I don’t want to fix his darkness; I want to drown in it. Use it to fix myself.”

KILLIAN MF BRADSHAW😍🔥👏🥵 I ate this book UP🤤 He’s a hitman for the mafia, she’s the daughter of his Irish rival, and their love is forbidden. Honestly, say less. I’m sold😉

Bianca is fiesty and determined to find her own love, instead of marrying the man her father has promised her to…a man who has a terrible reputation and that she probably wouldn’t survive. But then she sneaks away from her family and runs into the arms of Killian…the Reaper☠️

He doesn’t want her to be collateral for the mob, but he also can’t let her go. Killian is not a good man, but he is sexyyyyyy as hell😍🥵🔥🌶️ I also love a story where the morally grey MMC teaches the FMC to fight and protect herself💪

Also, I couldn’t help but picture Killian Murphy the whole time and I’m honestly not mad about it🤷‍♀️😆

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“And in this moment, I know I will die at the hands of an Irish hitman because I won’t be able to control my feelings for him. Because seeing him as a monster, as he truly is, is intoxicating.”

[Between The Covers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me just say that this book had me gripped from the very beginning. It had me thrilled and on the edge of my seat and then BAM to gut wrenching heartache and then mended it all back together again. Yes, it's an intense and exciting book, and you may just shed a few tears as well. If you love intense scenes and testing the wolf, then this is definitely a book for you to read asap!

#enemiestolovers #hatetolove #touchheranddie #steamyread #chemistry #mafiaromance #happilyeverafter #strawberryvenom #authorjlkenna
#reaper #wolf #kill #red #littlered #littlerossi

[Tammy Manning · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book grabbed me from the start and I was totally invested throughout. Killian is unapologetic about who he is and Bianca is strong, independent, and full of snark and sass. Honestly these characters couldn’t be more perfect for each other and the sparks flew between them from the very beginning.

We get it all in this book, action, intrigue, steam, and heartache, as well as a little mayhem and murder along with a touch of forbidden romance. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I’m hoping that we get more books from the other characters.