Bloody Tainted Lies

by Shae Ruby

I caught the attention of someone dangerous.

Not only is he dangerous but also my brother’s killer.

Now he wants me.

Nikolai Pavlov is the enemy for more reasons than that, but he’s determined to have me, and I’m determined to have my revenge.

Being a mafia princess, everything is already set in stone for me.

Yet it still doesn’t stop me from trying.

He insists that he will have me no matter the cost.

But what will he do to achieve it?


This is a dark mafia romance with elements of secret society and organized crime.

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Mafia Romance, Romance, Second Chance, College, Enemies To Lovers

362 pages, Paperback

Published February 28, 2024

About the author

Author of dark romance & toxic love.
Sometimes diverse.

International Bestselling Author in five different countries, Shae Ruby spends their time writing, mostly queer, books that make you feel. Shae's stories come from deep within their bleeding heart, and they let the drops flow into their words.

Shae is represented by Lunar Literary Agency.

For all subsidiary rights, contact Angie Ojeda-Hazen.

Connect with me!

Facebook Reader Group: rubysdarkling

Facebook Page: authorshaeruby

Instagram: @authorshaeruby

TikTok: @authorshaeruby

Goodreads: authorshaeruby

Goodreads: authorshaeruby

Reviews

[♡Gabi♡ [life & work is chaotic hiatus] · Rating 1 out of 5]

that was painful to get through. 🥲

[erin | sinfulshelves · Rating 5 out of 5]

second chance romance meets mafia romance 🖤 4.5/5 stars - review below 👇

"𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒏𝒚𝒔𝒉𝒌𝒐," 𝐈 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫. "𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐈'𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮."

🩰🏁|| 𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆
⚠︎ check TWs | 18+ content ⚠︎

📖 Bloody Tainted Lies by Shae Ruby
Star Rating: 4.5/5 ★★★★.5
Spice Rating: 3.5/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
Spice Frequency: 3.5/5 🔥🔥🔥.5
POV: Dual/1st
Couple: Nikolai Pavlov x Camilla DeLuca

• mafia romance
• second chance romance
• childhood friends to lovers
• car racing 🏎️💨
• ballerina FMC
• revenge plot
• love to hate to love
• touch her and ☠️
• rival families
• CNČ/dubcøn/noncøn/praise/degred@tion/somno/🍑

I love a good mafia romance, because nothing beats the tension between rival families and omg this one? THIS MAFIA ROMANCE RIGHT HERE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES. 🤍

I absolutely fell in love with not only the mafia vibes but also the secret society/college romance aspect as well. The second chance romance and childhood friends to lovers really was written in such a masterful way via flashbacks that tugged on my heartstrings and made me fall so much deeper in love with the characters as individuals and as a couple.

I was enthralled by the plot, constantly turning the pages trying to see what’s going to happen and I literally cried several times from the emotional impact of certain moments. This book is a mafia masterpiece; full of tension so thick you can cut it with a kn!fe, spice that has you fanning yourself off, and characters you get attached to all while maintaining a plot that’s easy and fun to follow. I would definitely recommend this book to any mafia romance lover, and I am so sad this book is over. Shae, where’s book two? 👀 I need it right MEOW.

disclaimer: ARC/BETA reader - but all thoughts and opinions are honest and are my own 🤍


pre release review:

the mafia romance/secret society book of my dreams 🖤

(disclaimer: beta reader - but I freaking loved this and you will too! can’t wait for arc readers & everyone else to get their hands on this baby! 😍)

[Juju · Rating 3 out of 5]

A standalone Dark Mafia Romance story that centres around 3 prominent Crime Families ...De Luca family, Colombo family (Italians) and rival family, the Pavlovs (Russians). Has a bit of a Romeo/Juliet vibe.

A marriage arrangement was set between childhood friends- Mafia Princess/Ballerina, Camilla De Luca and Leonardo Colombo.

However, Camilla develops a secret friendship/love with the enemy's son/heir, Nikolai Pavlov.

The story reverts between past and present throughout. And we get pov from both Milla and Nik.

An enjoyable read.

🔹️WHAT I LOVED MOST!! 🔹️
Dedication/determination of Nikolai
OTT/P Hero
Steam
Romeo & Juliet vibe
HEA 🥰

🔹️Why not a 5 star? 🔹️

Constant flashbacks to the past

whiplash of emotion between the MC's

Character trait/personality - was a bit inconsistent for 2 of the characters

Though it wasn't a 5 star read for me, it could be yours! 🙂

Thank you to Peachy Keen AS, for providing me with this ARC.

[Lunarbookwyrm aka Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating 5/5 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Spice Level 4/5🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️



🩰Tropes
-Mafia
- Universities where mafia kids go
- Forbidden love
- Has secret society w/ some john wick vibes
- Family Rivals (Slight Romeo + Juliet Vibes)
- REVENGE!
- Praise + Deg
- ANGST definitely!
- h@te s3x
- Second Chance

Check TW/CW lots of dark themes so please read before hand!

Wow, when by the first chapter I was already sad and I already sensed the ANGST that I would be expecting throughout the book. The characters are sons and daughters of mafias and they have high expectations of arranged marriages and they have rivals. We focus our story on Camilla from the Italian mafia and Nikolai from the Bratva faction.

After her brother’s sad death, she has given up all hope and wants her brother’s unaliver to pay, but of course, nothing is what it seems in the grand scheme of things a lot is happening behind the scenes, especially with Nikolai. AHHH this book definitely had John Wick references and I was HERE FOR IT! I just won’t say it cause spoilers. But if you want a love story with ITS FREAKING COMPLICATED, somewhat toxic, crazy AF, who will RISK IT ALL!

To me, it was giving me Romeo and Juliet minus the poisoning each other at the end, and don’t worry the FMC ain’t meek. She is FEISTY AF. Her fiance are rivals and their families are not fans of each other.

But of course, like I said, there is angst, lots of back and forths, cause hurt and comfort, and grief. Hurt that will feel sooo good cause lord whew! It’s a lot, but don’t worry you will get a HEA!

Overall I honestly enjoyed it, and please please I wanna read about a certain set of side character’s story and I can’t wait for their book!

[Tayler · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ / 3🌶️
Mini ARC Review✨

Tropes:
🖤Mafia Romance
🖤Rivals to Friends to Lovers
🖤Second Chance
🖤Enemies to Lovers
🖤Revenge
🖤Forbidden/Family Rivals
🖤Angsty

Nik is hands down my favorite MMC Shae has written, he is so over the top and I loooooved it.
This book was the perfect mix of crazy, sweet and spicy. The side characters (except for you Leo, we don’t like you) were amazing and I can’t wait for their book.🥹

Please check out triggers before reading.🫶🏼

[Paperbackstoriess · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an amazing read but I thought more mafia stuff will be there. Though I loved the past story author has shared in between.

MCs: Camilla + Nikolai

Book Review:
What happens when you have been told whom you'll be marrying since childhood? What happens when the person whom you will get to is your best friend? What happens when with time as you grow, your best friend aka your future husband is getting ruthless and fu*ks around with other girls and doesn't give a shit about you? What happens when he starts taking you for granted because eventually you'll be his wife whether you agree or not? What happens when after your ballet performance you go out to have an ice-cream with everyone when you see a guy with amazing face and the most beautiful eyes? What happens when your friend tells you he is our enemy (The Russians)? What happens when you can't forget about him? What happens when you secretly starts meeting him? What do you think will happen if either of your families get to know about this secret meet-up? What happens when suddenly things go south and your meet again after 3-4 years? What could have happened that you stopped meeting only to meet again with hatred in you for each other?

Tropes:

>> Mafia romance
>> Sp@nking
>> Breath Play / Water play
>> Rivals to friends to lovers
>> Enemies to lovers (as well)
>> Second chance
>> Childhood friends
>> Cr@wl to me
>> Drug use
>> Chok!ng/ Pain k!nk
>> Pr@ise / Degr@dation
>> CNC
>> Revenge
>> Murder/ torture
>> Suic!dal thoughts/ attempt to suicide
>> Death

Read this amazing friends to enemies to lovers mafia romance.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ★

You're the air in my lungs... the blood in my veins. Don't take this away from me, please. Don't take you away from me.

This author has been on my TBR forever and this was my first read of theirs and I absolutely loved it! From the moment we were introduced to the characters, I felt very strongly about each of them, just not Leo. He can go disappear forever in my eyes.

Camilla and Nikolai are clearly destined to be together but being rivals from the Italian Mafia and the Bratva, they simply cannot be. The angst that burned from these two was utterly palpable and very strong (which I loved). Camilla from the start was a strong powerful FMC with a backbone of steel. Nikolai is the best MMC for her, obsessive and would walk the earth for his woman.

Not to spoil anything but this book had twists! It had emotions ranging from grief to hatred and at times had me wondering what could happen next, I felt so in the dark about what was to come! Overall this was such a great book and I definitely will be coming back for more from Shae Ruby!

What To Expect:
⨳ MF Dark Romance
⨳ Mafia
⨳ Secret Society
⨳ College Setting
⨳ Angsty
⨳ Second Chance

I care about Nik. I love him. I have for a very long time, fucking years.

❤︎ ARC provided in exchange for an honest review ❤︎

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I don’t appreciate being screamed at, princess. Next time I’ll gag you with my c*ck until you’re choking on it… And if you’re a good girl, maybe I’ll let you breathe again.”

This was one of my highly anticipated reads of not only February, but of 2024! Nikolai was morally grey, scrumptious book BF material, and Camilla was such a fierce MFC. I loved the second chance/childhood friends trope and being a part of the decline and re-ignition of their relationship.
I’m so appreciative that I was able to receive an ARC of this book as a member of Shae Ruby’s street team
*please check content/TWs

Releases February 28th!
Pre-order now! 🔗 in bio

♥️M/F
🖤Mafia
♥️Childhood friends
🖤Second chance
♥️Revenge
🖤Praise & degrâdätion
♥️Somno
🖤Crawl to me
♥️Breath play
🖤CNC

🖤🖤
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was beyond excited to receive an ARC of “Bloody Tainted Lies” as I had literally been counting the days until its release; not only did I get it for free I got it two weeks early! I was over the moon, but boy was that short lived.

I’m gonna rip the bandaid straight off with this review: BTL is not the one. In short: BTL is a vapid stream of uninspired consciousness strewn with solid spice.

At length:

BTL is 364 pages of telling not showing; the writing is haphazard, slapdash, the storyline flimsy at best. It was a clumsy, inelegant schemozzle.

BTL is dialogue heavy - I have absolutely no issue with this usually, however the dialogue in BTL was plastic…robotic…unrealistic? Inhuman? I can’t specify other than stating it was just not good.

The characters struggled to be even unidimensional; they were unlikable and unrelatable.

This book is a mountain out of a molehill typified. It is highly strung and laughably dramatic; there were major events with no build up that failed to draw an emotional response in me because the book felt hollow.

I couldn’t settle into the story because there was no flow, nor could I sink my claws into it because it lacked any depth. It was writing that pines for greatness but lacks the necessary depth and skill.

The scene that truly sticks with me is one in which the FMC sorta/kinda tries to end her own life. She nearly drowns. The MMC carries her out and not only does he not recognise her by her face (despite being childhood friends) but her nipple piercings (get keen for countless mention of these throughout the book) and “tits” - when she’s unconscious he decides to F her with the intent of his come inside her warming her up.

If you’re purely interested in spice, I would suggest skipping all but the following chapters: 7, 13, 14 (kind of), 15, 17, 20, 22, 27, 28, 30, 37

Had this not been an ARC, I would have DNF’d before the end of the first chapter. While I couldn’t in good conscience recommend anyone read BTL, if you like dark romance I would recommend checking out Shae’s book, “Unhallowed”, which I really enjoyed and is written to a far higher standard.

[Destiny · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

Tropes
• Mafia
• dark romance
• ballet dancer
• revenge
• second chance

I did receive an arc but all thoughts and opinions are my own! 💖

I love shae and I love her books. THAT FIRST CHAPTER? Hello??? It just throws you into the deep end. Angst and pain from like page one.

The angst between the fmc and the mmc was so delicious. The hate spice between them had be droolingggg. The spice in the book wasn’t playing around either.

Shae Ruby can’t write a bad book! Absolutely worth checking out.

[Ashley Andersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I can make you feel, Princess. But it might hurt.”
“So hurt me.”

I have come to the conclusion that @authorshaeruby loves to ruin me 😂 because her books pack such a punch and her characters pain is so well written, it sinks its claws into you.

I absolutely devoured this book. It was dark, gritty, angsty and hot! Nik..I am just obsessed with this possessive man. I really am, he is the perfect unhinged MMC, who would do anything for her. But also is so morally grey where he would also be the one ready to wreck her, just so no one else could.

This was a 5/5⭐️ for me. Shae, you and your brilliant mind, I adore you. Never stop doing what you love doing, because your writing is everything to me

[Ari Loves All The Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

The villian turned (partial) hero.. and the portrayed good guy ends up being a total dirt bag.. what a great story where we fall for Nik at every page and hate Leo even more.

[Debora Paravano · Rating 5 out of 5]

«𝓨𝓸𝓾’𝓻𝓮 𝓯𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂 𝔀𝓪𝔂, 𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓪𝔂 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓫𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓼𝓽, 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓘’𝓵𝓵 𝓫𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓵𝓪𝓼𝓽, 𝓹𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓼𝓼.»

Thanks to @authorshaeruby for the ARC copy I was waiting for this.❤️‍🩹

I absolutely LOVE second chance romance, in this book I really loved the MMC specifically, because my guy was whipped for Camilla.

Their connection and their story is heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time.

The difficulties they faced and come out even more in love🫠.

I felt I would have loved the author’s writing and so it was.

There were so many points in the plot that had me screaming eager to witness their happy ending because they deserve that more than anything.

Can’t wait to read the Broken Trilogy I have in my bookshelf❤️‍🩹

[Morgann · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was so awful. The entire time I just wanted it to end. I’m SO disappointed since i LOVED shattered hearts.

[April Hancox · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first thing I would like to say is I loved the flipping back in time and back to present day. I always enjoy that in a novel finding information out sporadically as we go to influence the current plot points that we are hitting SLAY. however the biggest beef I have comes with the double standards that she upholds her father and her love interest too they both had a hand in her brother dying and she just let it go that easily okay? I think that she just needed a bit more time to explore herself and she needed time to actually cope with her grief because she was taking drugs and tried to die because of that grief consumed her and nobody in the book was bothered about trying to help this girl find some peace. like cmon book her a therapy session. but I will say I did enjoy the twists and the turns of the plot and that in the end the two main characters being together was a beautiful ending:)☺️

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

“He may have been your first, but I’ll be your last, princess.”
“And since when did you want that?”
“Since we were teenagers, Camilla. I’ll never stop either. I want to burn you alive and dance in your ashes. I want all of you.”
“All of me?”
“Even the parts of yourself that you don’t want.”
“Then let me give them to you.” And she will.

There was too much going back and forth from present and past. I skimmed a lot.

Also, I just didn't feel Camilla and Nikolai's connection to each other. It felt like maybe he was more invested than she was in their 'love' story.

[greenlee୨ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I care about Nik. I love him. I have for a very long time, fucking years.”

I was lucky enough to get an ARC copy of this book and it was so good!!! I love a forbidden romance with rival families, I could not put this book down at all! Nikolai and Camilla had the best chemistry and now I just need more of them.🖤

Ps I hate Leo sm.

[ashlee ❤ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Camilla + Nikolai

-mafia
-second chance
-arranged marriages
-revenge plot

i loved these two & the back & forth between them & the other characters involved. the lengths these two would go to for each other & the absolutely filthy they get up to in the sheets wasn’t so bad either! 😏😏

[Ayesha · Rating 1 out of 5]

0.5 ⭐️’s

DNF

[Dana Szalay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was my first Mafia romance book! It was great, I rate it a 4.5 the spice was there and I really loved how it went from their teenage years and present time.

[Jennifer Ruggles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of beta reading this and it’s by far one of my favorite mafia romances ever!! There is something so special about Shae’s writing.

I cannot wait to read this again as an ARC with everyone and post my full review!

ARC re read 2/20/2022


"Because, believe it or not, Camilla, you're embedded into the marrow of my bones. You're so deep inside of me I can't dig you out without taking a vital organ out along with you."

"Are you seeing stars yet, princess?"
"Yes," I moan as I shake, "Fuck, yes!"
"Count them for me."

"I can't breathe without you, Camilla." My heart flips in my chest at his admission. "You're the air in my lungs... the blood in my veins. Don't take this away from me, please. Don't take you away from me."

“Crawl to me, princess.”

First of all Shae will be an auto-buy for me, forever!! The way I am immediately swept up into her stories and simply devour them is absurd. This was my first beta read for Shae and talking back and forth about all the ins and outs of the story is something I’ll always cherish.

I will never get over Camilla & Nikolai. They are star crossed lovers, think a little Romeo & Juliet with a HEA, but with all the unhinged behavior & spice we love along the way. Nikolai knows exactly what he wants and will do anything to have (her) even if he doesn’t always believe he deserves her. The mouth on this man is top tier and you will have the kitty butterflies.

Camilla is the perfect match for Nikolai, but she believes he killed her brother and not only can she not forgive him, she wants revenge. She’s feisty and she knows her worth, even though she fights her feelings for Nikolai, she has needs she often gives in to and he gives in to all her fantasies.

My favorite parts of this book are all the flashback chapters where we get to see how intertwined their lives have always been and how deep their love for each other goes. It made me fall deeper in love with both of them and built the angst between them even more. I was on the edge waiting to see how it would all play out.

I haven’t stopped thinking of them since December and I want more of them. There are some side characters I hope we see expanded stories on in the future too!!

[Nikki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not for me

This book was definitely not for me. I was not a fan of the fmc here.

[Stephhh✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
4 🌶️

Camilla and Nikolai. They come from rivaling mafia families and they aren’t supposed to be friends. They shouldn’t be friends. But after a chance meeting in a playground in their early teen years, they put the rivaling family stuff aside and form a friendship that neither one of them expected. But Camilla, from childhood, is expected to be engaged and marry Leo, and after he threatens Nikolai, they go their separate ways.

In college, Camilla’s younger brother is murdered and she starts on a downward spiral. Until she finds out who killed her brother, and everything she thought she knew becomes blurry. She isn’t who to trust. She isn’t sure what to do. But somehow, after years apart, she finds herself drawn to the boy she loved in her adolescent years.

There is a lot going on between Nikolai, Camilla, and even Leo, her fiancé. Revenge, hate, love, angst, misunderstandings, miscommunication. This book, while a mafia romance, isn’t super heavy on the mafia elements. All parties are a part of various mafia families and the arranged marriage is a huge part of this book but that’s about as far as the mafia world goes.

Camilla is strong, sassy, and badass. She is obviously unsure of who or what to believe through a lot of this book and she is used as a pawn by almost everyone she interacts with because of WHO she is and what her value is as a mafia princess. Her dad treats her like shit. Leo treats her even worse. Nikolai is her only saving grace and they’ve been building their foundation since adolescence. He tells her he will do whatever it takes to be with her and he does.

By the end of the book, Camilla is standing up for her wants and needs and is literally doing and taking what she wants, consequences be damned. Nikolai is right there every step of the way to support her, regardless of what his own father thinks. From the moment they meet, Nikolai obviously loves Camilla and regardless of their years apart, the feelings never subsided.

Overall I enjoyed this book. There was a lot going on between the flash backs to their adolescence and present day revenge plots. But everything served its purpose in this book and there wasn’t anything happening that shouldn’t be happening. I will say my one gripe is the miscommunication or misunderstandings that Camilla and Nikolai had. It was like she didn’t believe Nikolai when he said he cared for her but I think given the fact that she’s been manipulated most of her life by everyone around her, it’s probably to be expected that she has some trust issues.

The chemistry between Camilla and Nikolai seemed so natural and they had it from the beginning of their story.

So yeah, I loved this book. I love Camilla and Nikolai. I loved the angst. I loved the spice. I loved everything!

𝔽𝕒𝕧𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕖 ℚ𝕦𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕤

“This was a terrible idea since she’d always driven me crazy before, but now she’s my favorite drug, and I’m going to need more and more and more.”

“I can’t breathe without you, Camilla.” My heart flips in my chest at his admission. “You’re the air in my lungs… the blood in my veins. Don’t take this away from me, please. Don’t take you away from me.”

“I want to burn you alive and dance in your ashes. I want all of you.”

“I want you to know I’m nothing without you. You’ve changed everything, me. You’ll always live in my ribcage, right next to my dead fucking heart.”

[Celeste Fleetwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶🌶🌶

This book had so many of my favorite things (mafia, water bondage, sömnö, a nickname in another language - how could I not love solnyshko My Little Sun) that I had every faith that I would love it but I sincerely did not.

[This review will have SPOILERS so proceed accordingly]

🖤 Camilla has been in a contractual engagement with Leo since she was a child, but when she was a teenager she meets Nik. They spend every night for three years meeting in a park, talking becoming friends, and falling in love. When Leo finds out she chooses him to protect Nik (dumb ~ they’re both in the mafia and have equal power even if in rival orgs). Three years later they back in each others lives while in college but now her little brother has ki!!ed; she doesn’t know that Nik pulled the trigger or that it’s Leo’s fault he’s de@d. Now she’s depressed and wants to screw anyone until forced to marry Leo (Satan’s spawn) in a year.

✨ Throughout the ENTIRE book she keeps saying that she once loved Leo and could again. Why? He has zero redeeming qualities and you know it. The only affection she ever had for him was when they were very young, before she met Nik, and now he’s shown his true colors, get over it.
✨ What does she have to loose by running away from her family? Because if it’s just her inheritance then run, it would be better than this. Her brothers don’t care about her, her mother’s affections are limited, and her father treats her worse than a pet or possession.
✨ You cannot tell me her father loves her, when he (a rich and powerful man) was insistent on selling her to the man who caused his son’s death for TEN businesses ~ be so for real right now. And then he changes his mind in a second because now Nik has 22 businesses ~ I’m out. You’re telling me that all their problem were resolved because Nik bought 21 businesses in day, that’s ridiculous. And her idiot father thinks that 11 businesses are more valuable than his seat at the table and an extra vote to gain the majority, he must be the stupidest man in the mafia to believe that money means more than power. And that’s ignoring the fact that it is impossible to negotiate, sign, and close on 1 let alone 21 businesses in a day. I don’t care if the shadiest lawyers in the world were working in these deals, it can’t be done, trust me I work in M&A and even the fastest deals are excruciating.
✨ I know that you can O when you don’t want to, but you’re telling me that she got off when she lost her virginity to an above average size 🍆, when she was dry as the Sahara desert from missionary and nothing else. 🙄
✨ Epilogue: (1) Nik becoming a don led to every mafia wife gaining financial independence period let alone in less than two years, be so for real right now. (2) He brings her the biggest audition of her life with no prep and she isn’t (a) irritated that she was given no warning to prep for something that best dancers would work on endlessly before that moment, and (b) she manages to crush it. Okay. (3) Really Nik, can you really run your portion of the mafia when you’re in Paris half the time, seems like a pretty hands on job and not something you can just Zoom into. The end.

✨ Thanks Shae Ruby for letting me ARC read it, I’m sorry this one didn’t hit for me.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5★

You know a story will be good when the prologue has you feeling all of the emotions and that is something I can always count on Shae to do!

Let me be clear here — this story is dark and I would advise you to read all the content/trigger warnings at the front of the book. It is a wild fun ride but protect your mental health always.

“𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐬… 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐬. 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐞, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞. 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐞.”

When I found out that Shae was writing a dark mafia romance I was instantly intrigued! And I will say if you are newer to mafia stories this is a great story to start with. It feels a little lighter on the mafia content and I do think Shae did an amazing job of easing you into the world, how these families run things and honestly how live can be as a kid in the mafia and essentially your life can be planned out for you.

Throughout this story we get Camilla and Nikolai as our main characters and the journey these two go on is WILD. Camilla was such a strong and fierce character and then Nikolai was very much morally grey, which is my favorite obviously. But he is honestly so down bad for her and the lengths he will go to have her back in his life again was so much fun to read.

After we find out that Camilla’s brother is dead we then also find out that she is set to marry someone else that she has been arranged to marry since she was a little kid. But we also find out that she has been in love with Nikolai the boy from the rival mafia family. You know I love a good messy and angsty story!

Since this story is told in dual timelines we do get a lot of flashbacks to them as small kids/teenagers but it did set the foundation to the love and trust these two had for each other. The way Nikolai has always been soft for her and only her. But we also get to see where Camilla’s relationship with her soon to be husband started and how it got to where it is now. I don’t want to give too much away but let me tell you the turn of events that happen in this book had me not able to turn the page fast enough. Even though Nikolai is very unhinged I loved how he was determined to be with Camilla no matter what.

I am so grateful for this story and the healing it provided me. I have personally felt immense pain and sadness with the own loss of my brother and the way I felt every ounce of sadness for Camilla. While I am not able to seek the revenge she needed/wanted but I will say this story healed me a little bit more 🖤

𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
- dark romance
- mafia romance
- rival families
- ballerina fmc
- man obsessed
- touch her and you die
- childhood friends to enemies
- second chance
- revenge plot
- romeo and juliet vibes
- heavy and dark content
- as always top tier spice
- marriage arrangement
- dual timelines (past and present)


Huge thank you to Shae’s team for the ARC and the ability to experience the epic love of Camilla and Nikolai!

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bloody Tainted Lies by Shae Ruby

*ARC review*

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

When I found out I was accepted to be an ARC reader for Shae Ruby I was sooo excited. The Broken series was just *chefs kiss* and this new book was even better.

Nikolai and Camilla have loved each other in secret for years. As the future Pakhan of the Bratva and the daughter of one of the Italian mafia families, these two were never going to have it easy from the start. Add in the fact that Camilla has been engaged to Leo, a future mob leader, since they were teenagers, and things get even more complicated. The fact that Nikolai technically killed her younger brother makes matters even worse (dw it’s not what it seems)

After years of being torn apart from each other due to Leo discovering them, they end up in the same class while at college and it seems like neither of them have gotten over the other. While they can’t admit that it’s love that they still feel for each other, they can both agree that there’s hatred. When they both formulate their own revenge plans, they don’t plan for feelings to reignite and complicate things.

I loved these two together. Nikolai was so over the top and his possessiveness was so dreamy. I loved how they didn’t give up on each other and that they found a way to be together even when it seemed like the whole world was against them. This book was definitely dark and had some elements that could be triggering so please check the TWs!

[destiny · Rating 4 out of 5]

it’s the way i wasn’t expecting this book to make me sob 😭 the pain and heartache omg

this is a mafia romance, forbidden love, second chance, childhood friends to enemies to lovers, dark secrets, ballerina fmc, stalker mmc, rival families, romeo and juliet vibes, revenge plot, arranged marriage, car racing, heartbreak, betrayal, cnc, praise, degradation, somno, and dual pov 🖤

something about this book just had me actually sobbing ny eyes out. it’s definitely the way nikolai and camilla are with each other. the heartbreak hurts so good and i can’t wrap my head around it. the second chance, childhood friends to enemies to lovers was written so beautifully. the flashbacks had me swooning and sobbing for real.

growing up as a mafia princess, camilla is fighting with herself between doing what she’s always been told to do and finding what she wants in this life. she is stuck between the man she’s been promised to marry and the man that shows her a whole new life but is her family’s biggest rival. when secrets begin to spill, she doesn’t know what else to do. their story is full of obsession, heartbreak, love, pain, tragedy, loss, strength, and chemistry 🥹

🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Ellie Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good mafia story and this book doesn’t disappoint. It’s a beautiful story of pain, love, heartbreak, loss, second chances, grief and finding yourself.

Shae babe these characters are absolutely incredible and beautiful. I loved everything about Milla and Nik’s story. It was an ode to forgiveness, dealing with guilt and grief, love, loss, never giving up on the ones you love and fighting for what you want. I absolutely loved their story. I love the way you interwove past and present to tell this story.

Camilla is a mafia princess torn between the man she is required to marry and has been promised to and engaged to since childhood and the sexy Russian boy she meets by chance that she shouldn’t want and can’t have. Who doesn’t love a forbidden romance between two enemy mafia kids. There story is filled with tragedy, loss, grief, pain, love, passion, strength and love. Nik is daddy this man is sexy, possessive, obsessive and delicious. He and Milla have to fight for their love story and it’s a roller coaster but one you won’t want to get off.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was everything and then some. The banter between the mmc and fmc was just perfect. The spice was 🥵🥵🥵 seriously everyone needs to read this book! It was amazing and I am so freaking happy to have received this!!

💜💜

"Come here, Camilla," he commands, and my feet carry me to him without my permission. "Stop." | do a few feet away, and he grins. "Crawl to me, princess."

"Because, believe it or not, Camilla, you're embedded into the marrow of my bones. You're so deep inside of me I can't dig you out without taking a vital organ out along with you."

"I can't breathe without you, Camilla." My heart flips in my chest at his admission. "You're the air in my lungs... the blood in my veins. Don't take this away from me, please. Don't take you away from me."

[Kendra Renae · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️5 / 🌶️ 3

M/F , mafia , childhood besties , second chance , revenge , praise and degradation , breath play , CNC , somnophilia , crawl to me🖤🥰

“I don’t appreciate being screamed at princess, next time I’ll gag you with my cock until you’re choking on it … And if you’re a good girl, maybe I’ll let you breathe again.”


I was blessed by Shae to be able to arc read this and although I’ve completed this a couple of days ago, I decided to post my review on release day. The way I DEVOURED this book is not even funny😩. Nikolai was the perfect morally grey MMC book man and add mafia and I’m sold😂 . Camilla was a fierce and spicy FMC . The angst between these two will have you throwing your book one second and swinging your feet in the air and giggling the next lol . Shae does such a good job keeping you intrigued the entire book . Even the side characters had me hooked and not many authors can achieve that .