Toxic: A Salvation Kings MC Standalone

by Ana Night

Marco Serrano was raised to become the head of a crime family, but while his father prepared him to lead the Serrano family, he never knew that his son was gay. Marco has only ever entrusted two people with that information because if it ever got out, he would lose everything, including his life. Enter a CIA officer who makes him feel alive and he might risk it all for a chance at love.

Neil knows that falling for a mafia boss is a terrible idea, but Marco makes him want things he can’t have. Things he’s never wanted before. Things like a real relationship and love. He’s never had a family or a home, but Marco quickly becomes both to him. Being together puts them both in grave danger, but there’s nothing he won’t do for Marco, except for one quitting the Agency.

Neil’s line of work clashes with Marco’s way of life and, when tragedy strikes, their relationship takes a hit they may never recover from...

Genres: M M Romance

226 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 21, 2024

About the author

Ana Night is a writer of suspenseful gay romance. She’s an avid reader who has loved the written word since she discovered it. When she was a kid, she never went anywhere without a notebook. She was always writing, be it in the backseat of the car, between classes in school, or by the pool on vacations.

Ana is a self-proclaimed expert in hugging, people climbing and especially ugly dancing. When she’s not writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book, singing and dancing, watching her favorite TV shows, or creating book covers.

Ana lives in Denmark where she spends most of her time running from her ninja kitty—that one goes for the ankles—and getting lost in the woods with her horse.

You can find her here:

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Reviews

[NitaBee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read this author before but I’m wondering if some previous kings mc characters are making cameos .

The title grabbed me - Toxic Devotion - plus the plot of a MC in a crime family falling for CIA.

The book has an explosively hot start , with the main characters Marco (Mafia Boss) and Neil ( CIA operative) having instant attraction and insane chemistry. Neils kryptonite is dangerous men.

“How the mafioso had wormed his way past his defenses he didn’t know. He’d wanted to find out but just seeing the man had sent his heart into overdrive and he knew he had to stay away, or he might lose himself. He might lose everything.”

This book is filled with action, mystery, romance, and angst.

A range of secondary characters. Marcos sister Alicia , made me laugh. She’s fun and cheeky. Other characters make me hopeful they get their own romance books. ( I googled and there is at least one book featuring two of the characters and one or two on the way )

Throughout all the angst there is no cheating - that is a big DNF if the MC’s cheat on each other for me .

What I didn’t like was that the timeline had jumps in time that were briefly thrown out and mentioned. I found it made my head spin slightly.

There’s also Spoiler things I didn’t like so I can’t add it to this review .

I didn’t like some of Neils decisions, it felt like the CIA was the most important thing to him.

There’s angst, I’m not good with angst. Then after all that angst, which felt like a majority of the book , it’s finally frustratingly resolved and I’m conflicted . Because yay finally but I’m also like ughh this couldn’t have happened earlier.

Is it just me or are there some plot lines that kind of fizzle out or are left unanswered?

Would I recommend this book? Yes!
It brings all the feels, it’s well written but loses a star from me for the angst and the spoiler things I won’t mention.

"I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review."

[JustJen "Miss Conduct" · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good mafia/taboo relationship story so I jumped at the chance at this one. Marco and Neil hook up and their somewhat secret relationship grows from there. Marco’s sister and right hand man are the only ones who know about Neil and it all seems to be working great, until events happen that make Marco question everything. Miscommunication plays a part but Neil and Marco end up stepping away from each other.

Neil focuses on his work and continues with his goal of taking down a major criminal, as well as seek the answers as to who is after him, but he is never far from Marco and continues to keep a close eye on him. I will say there seemed to be a lot background details missing here and apparently those are all given out other series. Therefore, this one felt somewhat shallow in that we never really get too deep into the various things taking place, and the relationship with Marco seems really rushed.

There were things I liked, such as the chemistry between the two which you can tell is there. I wish this had been a bit more fleshed out in that regard, but perhaps I need to go read the other stories for a more complete picture. All in all, this was an enjoyable story that doesn’t really delve too deep into any one storyline. Neil spends much of his time off doing CIA Spook work but always reappears when Marco needs him, even if he won’t admit it. Again, the lack of communication played a big factor in their separation and it never really felt resolved when things got back on track. I think I’ll look into one of the previous books to see if the gaps are filled in for me, but this one on its own didn’t do that.
Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.

[R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marco and Neil meet in a bar. They don’t know one is a good/bad guy and the other is a bad/good guy. Their worlds are about to implode but the ride will be epic and explosive.

Their relationship is dictated by the rules of others. Marco can’t love a man because as head of a mafia family that just isn’t acceptable. Neil can’t love a mafia prince because he’s CIA and has a code he tries to uphold. Neither man is very good at following rules. Together they have enough heat to burn up the pages.

This story has a long timeline. Most of their time is spent apart. I thought the author did a nice job of keeping me interested in their separate, but always peripheral, lives.

Even though the book was heavy on the angst it had lighter moments. Mostly from Marco’s sister and his second in command. Characters from the authors other books have roles in this one but I was kind of lost with that part of the story.

Reviewing around spoilers is always difficult so I’ll just have to say the things that happen are intricate to the storyline.

Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
It's also hard to explain why I removed that half a star without giving too much away, so frustrating! 🤣
The book spans decades and the time skips were gentle enough in relaying what had happened that they didn't bother me in the slightest. I also loved how the characters came together and how they fell in love. I loved seeing their found family come together slowly but surely, and how perfect these two really were once they joined forces. And while I absolutely loved the writing and the story telling, both of the characters frustrated me beyond belief!!

Character 1: While I understand grief is horrific and no amount of love or comfort can help with that, the reasons for pushing the other away were ridiculous and although he realizes this later on, it still drove me nuts.

Character 2: You should have left. A LONG time ago. I wanted to smother him in love and hugs because he kept on giving and giving and I'm surprised by the end, there was anything left for him TO give.

I was also intrigued by a few characters and was pleased to realize they had books already out written about them! I'm so excited to go back and read those now!

[Showarst · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toxic Devotion by Ana Knight is related to her other series Salvation Kings and King’s Disciples. I have read some of these books but not all, so I recognized some of the names and places from those books. I think it could still be read as a standalone. I really enjoyed the beginning where Marco and Neil were first getting to know each other and falling in love. I didn’t love the time jumps because it was never clearly marked. I think that has to do with trying to fit it into the framework of the other stories. When the main conflict happens, I felt like the story fell apart. There was so much telling and not showing. Marco was like a whiny baby and would never listen to what Neil had to say. Neil was damned either way. When Marco suddenly decided it didn’t matter (after punishing Neil for over 4 years), I was confused and was hoping Neil would find someone else.

I received an ARC from GRR for my honest review

[Julia Toth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ☆

This was just okay for me sadly. I liked the blurb, but the actual book not that much. Sadly there was a lot of telling instead of showing and I felt like a lot of things involving the 2 main characters relationship happened off page. I felt like scenes we should have seen happened off page or were skipped over. I also felt like we got snippets of their lives and not the whole picture, that is why I think I couldn't connect with either main character. A lot of characters were mentioned in passing or introduced for a page. We were told Marco and Neil loved each other, but honestly I didn't feel it. I understand that one is a mafia boss and the other works for the CIA, but there was just too much going on and I felt like a lot of that had no bearing on their story or it wasn't explained. I wanted to see more of their relationship as opposed to just getting snippets. I also wanted to get to know the characters and their thoughts more, that is just my preference.

[Lindsay Hardin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mobster and a CIA agent…nothing could go wrong in this scenario. A chance encounter brings the two together and starts a lasting and contentious relationship. Their relationship must remain a secret and it makes things difficult. When tragedy strikes the two are torn apart. Despite the loss the two continue to be in each other’s orbit out of necessity. Neil has a master criminal to catch and Marco has problems of his own. The two eventually find their way back to love and save one another. There are several cameo appearances by characters from other series though prior reading isn’t strictly necessary as this book stands alone. I would recommend reading the Black Raiders series so some events have a better context in this book.

[K-Me · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the way this story was written. We spend quality time in the separate worlds of Marcos and his crime family and Neil and his life as a CIA Agent. When these two men from extreme opposites of the law come together it is an explosive attraction. The attempts to deny it make it smoking hot. Neil is a CIA agent through and through and really struggles with his feelings. Lots of action and intensity. I particularly enjoyed the lighter humorous moments with Marcos and his sister Alicia. She was a gem!

[Dora · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.

This is a new author to me and I was grabbed by the plot and the title. However, I found myself not enjoying it as much because of the abrupt timeline changes and some of the resolutions that could have been solved way before.. at times I feel like - these are adults and communication should be easy, at the same time I know that's not how everybody works but is still a bit harder to associate myself at times with situations I wouldn't end up finding myself in.

[Elaine Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toxic Devotion centers on Marco, the head of a mafia family, and Neil, a CIA agent, who are drawn to each other despite their forbidden attraction. Marco can't love a man due to his mafia ties, and Neil can't love a mafia prince because of his code as a CIA operative. Their relationship is tense and fraught with angst, as they are constantly pulled in opposite directions by their dangerous worlds. Although much of the story follows their separate lives, with heavy moments of internal conflict, there are lighter moments provided by supporting characters, like Marco’s sister and second-in-command. Despite the tension and distance between them, Marco and Neil’s chemistry keeps the story gripping, with enough heat to make it impossible to put down. The book is filled with angst, action-packed, romantic, and I enjoyed it. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Ida Umphers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this story of a mafia leader and a CIA agent. The fact that Marco has been hiding the fact that he is gay from his father and the rest of the mafia makes total sense but when he begins his relationship with Neil, both of them start to risk discovery of many secrets. There's miscommunication as one would expect between two men like this and it has serious plot repercussions. An excellent MM Mafia/Law Enforcement story.

[Nina Diab · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was excited to read this book. A secretly gay son of a mafia boss preparing to take over and head the family, and a CIA agent. Yes please! I loved both Marco and Neil. There are many reasons they can't be together; risks for them both- some deadlier than others. While I would have loved them to be together on the page more, the time apart made sense. Good suspense and tension.

This was the first book I've read by this author and I would read more. 4 stars.

[audiobook_chaos · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book from Ana Night.
Mafia MM are some of my favourite books so I was excited to start this .
I loved the chemistry between Marco & Neil from the start and even though they shouldn’t be together I wanted them to work out so much.
The plot was excellent it kept me wanting to carrying on reading well into the early hours but I finished it and I need to read Rome & Juno’s book next .

[Thrilled Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marco is a mafia boss in Baltimore and Neil is a spy in the CIA. They got together early in the book, and were hot and heavy until something occurred to draw them apart. They were in a few gunfights and had a great loss. We thought they'd NEVER get back together, which made their HEA that much more sweet! I have never read this author before, but would be happy to do so again!

[Cristy Elizondo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Marco and Neil were hot, and funny and dangerous. I'm have mixed feelings about what was going on with them the second half of the book. But, it did end as it should. This book took us through the years of their lives.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author is new to me and after reading this, I would like to check out her other works. This starts off super spicey and then gives time to get to know the characters some before it becomes a whirlwind of suspense on all ends. Good read.

[Thurman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was ok. I would have liked to see more of them falling in love. the time jumps were kinda unexpected and didn't allow for the detail I wanted.
I received an ARC from GRR for my honest review

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

He was groomed to become head of the crime family but he has hidden the fact he was gay. Only 2 people know it and he is about to find love although they work at the CIA. Life is about to become complicated and dangerous for them both. See how life will treat them

[Jo Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Up all night

This book gets you into the world of Mafia, CIA and a MC all in one book. Ana Night knows how to write about love between the Marco and Neil can you imagine how that usually doesn’t work, so check out this series.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

NOT a standalone. 75% of bk was spent closing out Black Raiders which I haven't read so I was lost regarding characters & events. Time wise, bk begins early (maybe before?) in SKMC & spans @30 yrs highlighting main events in SKMC & KDMC.

[Rani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of action and angst as would be expected with a member of the mob and a CIA agent falling in love. Also plenty of romance as Neil and Marco go from enemies to more.

[VicReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

this had a great premise and I really wanted to like it but it was hard for me to get in to. At times things felt forced. As it went on I found myself les and less interested.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story and thought that Marco and Neil had great chemistry and although it was a standalone you do get cameo’s of characters from three of the authors previous series’s.

[Amanda Reeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when a CIA agent falls for a mafia boss? This book has lots of angst, lots of explanations of their lives separately and together through the years.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The begining is HOT damn! And the way they are around each other.

It might be hard to read if you want definite timelines.

[Virginia Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

they are on two different side of the table. they just keep leaning towards each other and will they totally come out unmarked

[Dee Your TBR Wrecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one that may not be for everyone but it was enjoyable to me.

[Josie · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.75⭐️

Toxic Devotion starts of well but the cracks quickly show, and to me it gets worse as the book progresses. It has the bones of a great story but is too beholden to other books to execute it properly. It’s more a filler novel for fans of Knight’s previous three series, particularly the Black Raiders series. Characters from each series are present, and Neil’s activities throughout the book trying to find a CIA mole and terrorist are thinly outlined vignettes that connect the lives and actions of the members of his disbanded Black Raiders team. Almost each chapter simultaneously conveys the love and angst of Neil and Marco while feeling sterilized and lacking in cohesion. Within a few chapters, the MCs are in love. How? Why? Don’t know bc there is a year time jump and the only thing that happens on page is sex and already established emotions. There is more relationship development in the scenes with Neil, Marco and Marco’s sister Alicia.

Though it’s frustrating to be told and not shown the formation of Marco and Neil’s love, it is portrayed well in the remainder of the book as is their pain, anger, and heartbreak when the worst happens. While Marco and Neil are basically defined only by their feelings and then struggle, (with a nod to past loss), they are fleshed out enough to be two-dimensional rather than completely flat. However, the narrative structure does a disservice to all the pathos as its truncated style leads to some conversions feeling like they are missing pieces or that discussions were had off-page. Even, the long-awaited reconciliation of the MCs’ trauma is quickly and choppily handled. The breaking point and its catharsis make sense, but everything after that is blanket forgiveness and of course sex bc the next vignette related to a scene in another book is introduced.

As mentioned before, little detail and time is spent on Neil’s job. He’s here. Then he’s there. He’s contacting this guy and making vague references to backstories, and eventually stops the terrorist but it feels empty. He’s killing time spooking and pining while Marco is spiraling. Even the promise of problems associated with a Company man and Mafia boss falling in love isn’t actually explored. There is little conflict regarding their jobs except missing each other; an attempt at real conflict is made toward the end with no preamble nor impact.

There are elements I liked which is what made the reading experience so frustrating. Neil being silent support in the shadows; the tumult and toxicity; and both men struggling with loss, despair, and a burning, undying love is keenly felt and affecting. I liked Marco’s right-hand man, Rome and Alicia who is a bright spot. However, I hate being blind-sided by a “this is what this recurring character was doing off-screen” book, especially one that feels stilted and at times repetitious. Its distracting and at times off-putting. I think series fan will love it and ppl who can get caught up in the drama of it all; that just isn’t me.