Poisonous Kiss

Venomous Gods #3

by Jagger Cole

A blisteringly steamy, Dark Mafia, Grumpy/Sunshine, Marriage of Convenience standalone romance by bestselling author, Jagger Cole.

To save my father’s life, I’m being forced to marry a monster.
The world sees Gabriel Black as a golden god: successful, gorgeous, charismatic, and untouchable.
The good guy.
But I’ve peeked behind the mask and seen the brutal devil that lurks like poison under the surface.
And he knows it, too.
Now, I need a miracle—and money—to save my father’s life and pay off the crime boss he’s in deep with.
Gabriel needs a wife to further his political career.
It’s a match made in hell, to a secret psychopath who knows my darkest, most depraved fantasies.
And I’m about to learn the only thing more dangerous than being chased by a monster:
Falling for one.

Poisonous Kiss is a standalone dark mafia, grumpy/sunshine, forced marriage romance with a smart, untamable heroine, and an ultra possessive psychopath hero with "look at her and I'll unalive you" energy. Readers are advised to read the TW inside. No cliffhanger; HEA included.

Genres: Dark Romance, Marriage Of Convenience, Mafia Romance, Romance, Dark, BDSM, Enemies To Lovers

380 pages, Paperback

First published April 4, 2024

About the author

A reader first and foremost, Jagger Cole cut his romance writing teeth penning various fan-fiction stories years ago. After deciding to hang up his writing boots, Jagger worked in advertising pretending to be Don Draper. It worked enough to convince a woman way out of his league to marry him, though, which is a total win.

Now, Dad to two little princesses and King to a Queen, Jagger is thrilled to be back at the keyboard.

When not writing or reading romance books, he can be found woodworking, enjoying good whiskey, and grilling outside—rain or shine.

You can find all of his books at www.jaggercolewrites.com


Grab a FREE book for joining my fans-only newsletter! -> https://dl.bookfunnel.com/8rld1ik3sd

Reviews

[nadine (semi ia) · Rating 4 out of 5]

the mouth on this man!! like DAMN 🥵

She’s the equal I never, ever expected to find.

[Kate V · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars!

Jagger Cole does it again and delivers a HOT and addicting dark romance. Kinky, OTT and delicious. I just really loved this.

Gabriel and Fumi?

These two were FIRE.

"She’s the equal I never, ever expected to find.”

This series just hits my dark and kinky needs.

"Monsters don’t bring you water and painkillers. They don’t run you bubble baths, or kiss you like you’re a precious treasure they’d rather die than lose. At least, most don’t. But mine does."

[Amber (Amber Reads Romance) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

Poisonous Kiss is my favorite out of the Venomous Gods series. This is a dark, spicy, and intense mafia romance. I loved Fumi and Gabiel!

Gabriel Black is the partner for the Crown and Black firm and always portrays himself as the perfect lawyer and golden boy. However, he has a much darker side he hides from the world. He is running for governor, but he learns he must get a wife in order to win the election.

Fumi Yamaguchi is a hardworking lawyer at Crown and Black, and she uses most of her money to take care of her sick father. She learns about her father's past when they are attacked, and now she has to pay 5 million or they will pay with their lives. She finds out about the auditions Gabriel is putting on to pay for a fake wife and jumps at the opportunity. I loved the setup of this marriage of convenience.

Fumi actually has an insanely hot interaction with him at the sex club. She knew it was him, but they were wearing masks, and she was not allowed to speak. She discovers he has darker sexual desires that match hers perfectly. She does have trauma from her past, and now she craves CNC.

Let me say, this is one of the spiciest Jagger Cole books, and I was loving it. They had such a great dynamic. It really felt like they were the perfect match to each other, with their darker sides and desires.

I was excited that this book featured the Yakuza. I read a lot of mafia romance, but I have never read one about the Yakuza.

TW: CNC, Previous drugging and SA, sick parent,
Kinks: CNC, Primal Play, anal, BDSM, impact play, period sex, snowballing

Thank you to Valentine PR for providing the ARC.

[sahar (warner's version) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank god i am finally a free woman

This book was not good and then he went all "im a wolf" and suddenly it got even worse AND THEN he, this american man, pulled out a whole ass sword in the 21st century to fight the yakuza and i started to cry

[(betts) ⚜ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐ / 4🌶️

— vibezz
👹 marriage of convenience
⚖️ a little age gap [34H 27h]
👹 primal CNC
⚖️ lawyer by day punisher by night

mini blurb — ✍🏻
Gabriel is aiming for being the next Governor, but in order to get that he needs an immaculate public image, that include a wife, which he hasn't. Enter Fumi, and equity partner at Crown&Black and in desperate need to save his father. She accept to play Gabriel's dutiful wife in exchange for a compensation. What she didn't expect was to start falling for what her future husband could mean for her, a new beginning and a safe place to explore herself.

//

ngl the previous one did set the bar very high and I was hyping pretty bad for Gabriel's book but alas I felt a little disappointed in the story and how the characters acted throughout the book.

Gabriel has a dark side, honestly the whole book tried to sell it like he had some sort of a split personality but the act was done pretty bad. He was dark, he was the depiction of an anti-hero and a justice vigilante and when things didn't turn out how he liked he took the matter on his own hands, literally.

Just one Crown and Black cell phone was at Salvatore Avella’s exact address the night he was killed.
Gabriel’s.

🤡 did u seriously bought your work phone with you on a killing mission? Ok Jason Bourne

Tonight, I’m not just a wolf. Tonight, I’m death. I’m vengeance personified.
[...]
Orochi is alone, sitting on a sofa watching soccer on TV, his back to me. I slip inside silently, vengeance in my heart, viciousness in my eyes, and Japanese steel in my hands.
He tenses when he feels the edge of the blade against his jugular.

Ok Batman chill tf out
The man was alone and you want me to believe he went on John Wick mode and he fucking obliterated the whole criminal organization in Kyoto with a borrowed katana? *bombastic side eye*

How he didn't got caught still is a mistery to me and the whole human population.
I'm sorry I feel bullshitted, I've watched too many thriller/spy/action movies to accept this dumb shit. Make it believable at least.

Fumi, I literally don't wanna say anything about her since there was nothing I particularly liked about her characterization. Her past? meh, it was there and I expected more importance addressed to it and more importance in the plot. I hated with my core how Gabriel reacted when he learned about it.
At the same time I hated how Fumi reacted when she discovered Gabriel's extracurricular activities 👀

so yeah, the plot twist and the info dump at the end was expected in total Jagger Cole style but unexpected in a way? I'm thinking about another book or a series perhaps.

“I love you, Monster,” she whispers.
“And I love you, Kitten.”

now gimme Kratos' book and make it good pls 🙏

[Alina Kravets · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ох, ця книга була така гаряча.🔥💎

Пара: Габріель & Фумі


Тропи:
⋆ Мафія
⋆ Шлюб за розрахунком
⋆ Вимушена близькість
⋆ Фейкові стосунки
⋆ Адвокат вдень, каратель вночі
⋆ grumpy x sunshine
⋆ primal CNC

Габріель Блек — партнер юридичної фірми "Crown and Black" і завжди постає перед світом як бездоганний адвокат і золотий хлопчик. Але за цією ідеальною маскою ховається темна сторона, про яку ніхто не здогадується. Коли він вирішує балотуватися на посаду губернатора, то швидко розуміє, що для перемоги йому потрібна дружина.

Фумі Ямагучі — талановита та працьовита юристка в "Crown and Black", яка віддає майже всі свої заробітки на лікування хворого батька. Але коли їхнє життя опиняється під загрозою через борги її батька, вона дізнається правду про його минуле. Їй ставлять ультиматум: або вона заплатить 5 мільйонів, або вона заплатить своїм життям.

Фумі випадково дізнається, що Габріель шукає жінку для фіктивного шлюбу і готовий щедро заплатити за це. Це її шанс вирішити фінансові проблеми, і вона ним користується.

Їх зв’язок починається ще до угоди, коли вони випадково стикаються в секс-клубі Venom. Вона знає, хто ховається за маскою, але їй заборонено говорити. Саме там вона відкриває темні бажання Габріеля — ідеально співзвучні з її власними. Її минуле залишило в ній глибокі шрами, і тепер вона жадає контролю та підкорення.

Це, без сумніву, одна з найгарячіших книг Джаггера Коула, яка мене вразила.🔥
Особливо коли Фумі думала що Габрієль не знає що то вона була з ним в клубі.
І як він потім накинувся на неї в дома, скажу так навіть я почала переживати хто ж за нею слідкує.

Між героями склалася ідеальна динаміка, їхні темні сторони ідеально доповнювали одна одну.

Це моя перша книга саме про японську мафію, і я була налаштована скептично, але мені дуже сподобалось.
Особливо той сюжетний поворот в кінці.🫣

Рекомендую!❤️‍🔥

[Enni (on hiatus) ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let it be a testament to how much I liked this book that I read it within 9 hours during the night and half of that was spent asleep 😂

When I say Jagger Cole is one of those authors that will always deliver a book I enjoy, I am mot exaggerating at all! There is just some kind of drug in them that makes me want to finish each book asap and delay my bedtime (which I did until 4 am the night I started reading this haha).

As if being wildly successful, rich, and ludicrously handsome wasn’t enough, Gabriel Black also has the audacity to look insanely good in a suit.

Gabriel Black.
The name partner in Crown and Black.
A man with a charming facade for the world to see. To hide the monster within.

Fumi Yamaguchi.
A recent equity partner in Crown and Black.
All of a sudden, she finds herself in need of 5 million dollars.
When an opportunity to earn it presents itself, she will do anything to ensure she gets that opportunity.

Sometimes, fantasies are nothing like what you imagined when you attempt to fulfill them. Sometimes, the reality is a sour disappointment. But sometimes, the reality is a thousand fucking times more thrilling, more heart-stopping, more everything than the fantasy ever had a prayer of being.

Fumi and Gabriel were coworkers but they had never really worked together much. Sure, they knew of each other and had exchanged words here and there but, for the most part, their social circles didn't even overlap.

Gabriel has had political aspirations for some time and has decided to run for Governor. However, in order to have a realistic chance to win the race, he needs a wife. Or needed one yesterday. Fumi learns of the wife tryouts throughout a client and is determined to charm her way to win the position. After all, it's not everyday that you learn of your fathers past in the Yakuza and have the current Yakuza leadership knocking on your door and demanding 5 million dollars. With the marriage areangement to Gabriel including an immediate four million dollar payout for the fake wife, it would solve Fumi's problem with the Yakuza at once.

There’s a fire inside of me I’ve never felt before, a roar of something so powerful and thunderous that it’s actually scaring the living hell out of me as Gabriel uses me like his fuck-toy.
Total control.
Complete domination.
Utter submission.

The night before the wife audiotions, Yumi is just leaving Club Venom after a cancelled business appointment once she notices Gabriel Black coming in, ready to play. When Gabriel approaches her and proposes that they move into a private room, she is certain the mask and wig hide her identity and is eager to satisfy her curiosity about Gabriel. After all, he seems almosy robot-like at times at work.

Fumi has the best sexual experience in her life with all her dark and depraved fantasies coming true with Gabriel. From thereon, after Fumi is chosen as Gabriel's wife, they take on this cat and mouse game with secret meetings in Club Venom under disguise while living a seemingly normal life in an arranged marriage.

Fuck me, the look in her eyes. It’s the one I fell for that very first night at Venom, her full submission so perfectly on display in her eager eyes that I almost can’t bear it. That look is a fucking drug, and my monster is goddamn addicted to it.

For a long time, I was curious as to what the traumatizing event that took place when Fumi was nineteen had been since it was obvious it was sexual in nature and it had been brought up several times in the book before further elaborated. In the end, it ended up being a crucial element in tying the plot for the whole book together.

I didn't really know what to expect from Gabriel's and his book, even though he has made several appearances in the previous books as well as the affiliated Dark Hearts series. He was more depraved than I was expecting but I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. I also loved how Gabriel he always presented to the world ended up being a facade and the real Gabriel was a lot darker than people thought. And that Fumi knew this from the beginning.

I want to punish her for even thinking about another man before she met me. That’s the level of my addiction to this woman.
The depth of my depraved obsession.
The price she’ll pay for captivating my monster.
I want to punish her.
I want it to hurt.
I want it to hurt so fucking good.

I found Gabriel's extracurricular hobbies extremely ironic and hilarious considering his profession as a lawyer. And the setting for the whole series as well as the affiliation to the Dark Hearts series. I think it was fitting to Gabriel and, in a way, his prevalence to killing ended up also being a somewhat crucial element in the events that took place in Japan.

Considering all the above, I felt like I somewhat knew what made Gabriel tick but his POVs were definitely more restricted with the insight into his head. Even though his possessiveness over Fumi was obvious, it was still unclear to me at which point he actually developed feelings towards her. It just happened but even though I would have liked being more privvy to his thoughts, the whole "not revealing the inner workings of Gabriel's mind" still worked. I guess it was also somewhat crucial in the beginning as well so it was not exposed too early that he was aware of Fumi's identity the whole time.

Monsters don’t bring you water and painkillers. They don’t run you bubble baths, or kiss you like you’re a precious treasure they’d rather die than lose.
At least, most don’t.
But mine does.

Fumi was an interesting FMC. I did not remember her at all from the previous books so if she was mentioned, her role was pretty minor. To me, Fumi was a lot more mediocre than Gabriel and I did not like her as much as Gabriel (though I did not really dislike her either).

Fumi had a big journey to self-discovery both with her and Gabriel's sex life as well as with accosting her past abuser. Also, there were some pretty big things that were revealed about her past and she was even kidnapped at the end of the book but even that was fairly anti-climatic with being over so quickly.

Once upon a time, I was in control. Once upon a time, I knew what I was doing with her. Now, I realize I’ve lost all control. And I’m not sure I ever want it back.

The beginning of the book and Fumi and Gabriel's relationship was based on the arranged marriage and Gabriel running for Governor but they kind of took a backseat halfway through the book. I like that they were seen through until the end of the book but their lesser importance in the latter half of the book could have been a bit smoother.

All in all, this was a pleasant and quick read filled with good spice, good plot and characters that differed a bit from the mainstream.

I received an ARC of Poisonous Kiss in exchange for an honest review

• • • • •

Let me tell you, I gobbled this book up!

• • • • •

I have a few ARCs to get through at the moment and this is the one I am definitely the most excited about!

[Catie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have yet to read a Jagger Cole book I didn’t love! Gabriel and Fumi were everything!

5 stars!!!

Another amazing read from the king of mAâfia, Jagger Cole!

When I saw the blurb about Gabriel being a secret p$ychöpāth I was thinking there’s no way after he was pretty chill in Devious Vow, but BOY was I wrong. That man had a monster living inside of him that no one knew about.

Gabriel is partner at Crown and Black law firm and when he decides to run for governor, his campaign manager hits him with the news that per study group findings, he’s not likely to win the election as a single man.

Fumi is a new equity partner in the firm and taking care of her sick father when their lives are threatened by her father’s enemies from a past life she knows nothing about.

In a twist of events they’ll both benefit from, Fumi ends up as Gabriel’s spouse in this marriage of convenience story.

This book was so hot in typical Jagger fashion, including some amazing spicy scenes at Club Venom, and all the great twists and turns I’ve grown to love from his novels. And as usual, I flew through this book and could not put it down!

[Kia Borner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just can’t with this author.

I don’t know what he puts in these books that I literally CANNOT put them down, but keep them coming.

Fumi & Gabriel’s story was *chefs kiss*.

THE ACTION, THE PLOT, THE TWISTS…THE EVERYTHING!!

So dark but so SEXY at the same time and I cannot get enough.

I say we just keep this series going😭

Thank you Valentine PR & Jagger Cole for the chance to ARC this book. I absolutely loved it 🥰

[wkretarcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GOD THIS BOOK 🧎🏼‍♀️🧎🏼‍♀️🧎🏼‍♀️
this part was the best

reread

[🎬 · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf

can’t believe trees died for this

[Milica's Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uhh, it was so good, absolutely amazing, and the perfect read, I loved everything.

[Emmanuella · Rating 1 out of 5]

This horrible excuse of a book gave me the immense urge to imagine jumping into the thames river, swimming against the current, thereby drowning myself in the process. From there, my soul would descend to the ninth circle of hell and be tortured by the myriad voices of conscious babies.

The book was THAT bad :)

Honestly, if you asked me what I would rather have done when reading this book, I would have given the option of:
1. watching paint dry
2. hearing harrison butker's speech again
3. visiting a trump rally

[Moshira · Rating 1 out of 5]

The hero sucked big time.

[Caitie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“He’s the best guy around!” “What about the people he murdered?” “WHAT MURRRRDAH?”

[v.e.e.r.e.a.d.s · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️4🌶️
Now I’ll be honest I had no idea what to expect with Gabriel….I knew he’d have a hidden dark side? But I didn’t realise it would be that dark! And delicious 😏

This man did not disappoint! 🥵

So Gabriel is running for Governor and he needs a squeaky image to do that. He is then advised to contract a marriage of convenience to help this image…and this is where Fumi comes in.

Fumi’s dad is extremely sick and she is doing everything she can to pay for the medical bills, this is until dangerous men greet her in the home she shares with her father demanding a pay up of millions of dollars. Not only is this when Fumi realises she’s connected to the Mafia but the fact she also needs to get her hands on millions of dollars in a short amount of time.

And guess who’s offering millions to be his fake wife?

Don’t even get me started on what Gabriel gets up to on his free time, I didn’t know he’d have it in him!

Like all Jagger Coke books I loved this! As usual a great spicy x plot x character combo!

[SimplyƝì₭ · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Nerlie౨ৎ🎧📚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

This book had all of my favorite tropes!

Why did I think he was so calm and collected in the previous book? He’s actually insane—but I love it, so I can’t complain.

[Jessica (Bestie Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book held 99% of my favorite tropes and I am so happy I picked this one up. This is my first Jagger Cole book and I cannot wait to read more. I am going back to the first book in this series asap!

[Treena · Rating 2 out of 5]

The storyline didn't make a lot of sense and there was no revelation when they went from fake to 'real' married, they just randomly started saying they loved each other and that was that. A lot of things didn't line up and the couple had next to no chemistry, I didn't feel any connection between them at all.

[Oksana (myreadsjournal) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I still maintain that Jagger puts a special kind of addiction in his books, because from the moment I open that very first page I can only put the book down once I reach "the end". It's 2 am? Who cares, the book isn't finished yet, and sleep is overrated.

Poisonous Kiss is like nothing Jagger delivered in the past, and he outdid himself with this one and these characters.

Gabriel Black is the golden man: he's a partner of one of the most successful law firms in New York, he's charismatic, polite, incredibly handsome, has his funny moments and he's just the good guy. Well, this is at least what he shows to the world.
The real man behind this golden mask is someone not only with the darkest desires, but a real psychopath and a true monster.

The FMC is a new equity partner in the firm, a hardworking lawyer at Crown and Black, and a devoted daughter. She takes care of her father and despite an incredibly busy schedule, she leads a quite simple life. This, however, changes once she learns that her father is not exactly who he says he is, and in a blink of an eye she finds herself in a desperate need of money to save her father and herself.

When Gabriel is told that in order for him to succeed with his political goals he'll need to get married, he takes the matter very seriously and opens up the search for a perfect candidate. What he didn't expect was to find his professional co-worker fired up and ready to compete and conquer to claim her righteous spot: Gabriel's ideal wife. It's a win-win situation, right? What could possibly go wrong?

The chemistry between these two characters is over the top from the very beginning, and their story is absolutely wild, intense and brutal. I adored everything about their relationship.
The FMC was never afraid to push Gabriel's buttons, and not only had she embraced his dark side in an enthralling way, she embodied her own fantasies and succumbed to feelings never experienced before. They are a perfect match made in heaven, healing each other's broken pieces and breathing light into one another for another day. 🔥

I will never be able to find just the right words to do Jagger's books justice. His writing is, as always, phenomenal, the twists he creates will keep you on the most exciting edge, and he will oh-so-easily pull you into his stories from the very start, making you pretty much insatiable for his books. 🖤

I'm counting the days for the next book in the series and will never shut up about this Jagger Cole era.

Please make sure to check the TWs before diving in.

[madie dragoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5⭐️
4.5/5🌶️

i feel like i haven’t had a really good five star read it such a long time, so im honestly so glad that i enjoyed this book so much. jagger cole never misses and i absolutely loved gabriel and fumi’s story! i loved their darkness and how well they complimented each other. there was a really great balance between storyline and romance which i appreciated and i really enjoyed the different twists and turns that the story took. i also really loved the marriage of convenience trope and thought it was done really well. honestly the main reason that i think i enjoyed this book so much was the romance and the spice 🤌🏻 jagger cole always does both of these things really well, but this book was next level and i ate it up. i loved how possessive gabriel was and his “touch her and i’ll unalive you” vibes. i enjoyed the deception in the story and the dirty talk🥵very very excited to get my hands on poisonous kiss when it releases!

“at the end of the day, it’s up to you if you want to look away from your fears or face them head on.”

[madi · Rating 3 out of 5]

1 star because the fmc said she doesn't mind the term "r*pe kink" (over "the more politically correct term 'cnc'"). even though it was BARELY cnc (she doesnt say 'no' once), hes just a dom.

But then more stars bc its my man Jagger Cole and ill be on my knees for more of these books tysm

[Yesterdays Chapter · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are looking for a fast paced romantic drama this is for you!
Fumi is a strong fmc with major family loyalty and a huge heart. Gabriel is a dark mmc with vigilante tendencies, that knows what he wants and gets it.
These two have chemistry that sizzles throughout the book.
A couple things that weren’t for me:
• I needed more context whether that be a longer book or another book (just a little too fast paced for me).
• There were quite a few corny instances (thats just not my style).
• There could have been more scenes between the character, where you see how they and why they are falling in love.
📚Though these things weren’t for me they are definitely for some. I recommend giving Poisonous Kiss a try! 📚

[Read All About It · Rating 4 out of 5]

Monster!!

Let me tell you these men don’t mess around. They protect and keep what’s belongs to them with fierce passion.

Gabriel Black is not the man you want to come up against. He will win anyway he can.

“Surely you’ve figured it out by now. There’s no place you could go,” he mutters quietly, “and no place you could run where I wouldn’t catch you, Kitten.”

“Fumi” finds out secrets that will change everything . Her quiet life just explodes.

This was a crazy wild ride and I can’t wait for more.

[SJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book was absolutely whack a doodle lmfao
and was so short
and once again so similar to so many of this authors other books idek what im doing still going with it but I’ve commuted at this point. I swear they just write the same story over and over and the details are too specific to not be noticeable

that being said I didn’t hate it LOL
would I recommend it to anyone? absolutely not
but it’s a fine, quick, maybe a little disturbing read

[Annesa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have no words.. I felt uncomfortable

Both Gabriel and Fumi can suck it - worst characters ! The plot.. too many.. character development =NONE


I mean this man almost 🔪 for her and she finds out about his extracurricular activities and abandons him.. well kitten.. you suck and monster, you’re weird bro

[Yournextdoorgirl · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't even know how to rate it ...
Like I went all in without thinking and this was so fucking depraved.
I actually feel better that I did not like it all and was so uncomfortable. Fuck man I'm normal and kinda scared reading the shit they did .

[Shirley Rentzel · Rating 1 out of 5]

What?

This book has a great cover and that's the only nice thing I have to say, wait, nice title. That's the best things about this book. Run! Shirley

[Marina (taylor’s version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know what I’ve just read.