When is the worst time to tell someone he’s going to be a father? Probably the day of the wedding… When he is getting married to someone else.
Well, that is exactly what I did. But my hands were tied. Literally.
Matvey Groza is a dangerous man. And nine months ago, he strolled into my shop looking for a custom suit. But when I accidentally walked in on him in the changing room, *I* was the one that ended up needing a new set of clothes.
It was a one-time mistake. After that… good riddance.
But the pregnancy test I took a month later had other plans.
I kept it a secret from everyone. Or so I thought. But when Matvey’s enemies learned that I was pregnant with his child, they kidnapped me and held me hostage.
Until I broke free and ran as fast as I could. And I had no one else to turn to but the devil himself.
What better time for me to enter the church… … than as the pastor says, “Speak now or forever hold your peace"?
CASHMERE CRUELTY is Book 1 of the Groza Bratva Duet. The story continues in Book 2, CASHMERE RUIN.
Nicole Fox writes smart, sexy mafia romance novels. She is a crazy cat lady in her late 30s with a coffee addiction, an overactive imagination, and a husband who somehow puts up with her impulsive need to keep buying new plants for their house.
I am shooketh! All I can say is thank God she releases both books at the same time. I am completely un-alived, lol. What a fracking emotional roller coaster ride. I was sweating at the end and my Fit bit asked how I was feeling, lmao. I answered, "stressed" lol. Fabulous storytelling that completely has me by the short hairs. There's a certain expected recipe that comes with a Nicole Fox book. Despite that, I still eat then up every single time and have yet to be disappointed. Love ❤!
Oh my, the drama, the angst, all the feels?!?! This was such a good beginning to this duet. We have the accidental pregnancy, mafia tropes. We have April, a seamstress who now finds herself pregnant after a one off with the charming and arrogant Bratva boss Matvey. After learning about more of his life and dangers, she decides not to tell him. Until she has a target placed on her back and no choice but to run to him for help …. And she runs right into his wedding. Gives wedding crasher a new spin for sure. The cold and calculated Matvey isn’t marrying Petra for love though, but for an alliance that promises power. Deciding to shelter April and their baby, he starts to spend time with the woman who captivated him at first glance. But of course, nothings that simple, he’s still getting married and he doesn’t believe in love or family that isn’t blood. I’m jumping right into the second book!
My biggest complaint of this book is it starts with the fmc being 39 weeks pregnant and it took 500 pages for her to have this baby. For that, I think this one should be labeled not a mafia romance, but instead a mafia fantasy. I work in the health profession and I have yet to see any females who enjoy being that far along, or ones that can have repetitive sex without it giving them crazy braxton hicks. NM ones that sleep?? The ladies who have not given birth might buy this, but I found all of that to be extremely annoying.
As all her books, this one was very well written and kept me engaged. The characters were likeable (the fmc was a weird one, but she didn't rub me the wrong way like some of Nicole's fmcs have in the past). There's spice, but I think the level is pretty low. Looking forward to the next one as this one ended on a cliff.
H is wedding shopping for suits and his tailor is h who he bangs in the changing room. She shows up pregnant 9 months later to stop his wedding to ow
I love Nicole fox but i had to dnf this cause h thinks she is a home wrecker and believes the same and is apparently okay with it. (It's only AFTER she crashed the wedding that it's cleared to her that H's marriage to ow is just for the power). Up until then she was fine with having fucked someone's fiancé
Then he continues his fake engagement to ow keeping h on the side and she's okay with that too ???? nope, i can't do this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Quick Opinion: This was alright. I'm bummed because the reviews are so good and the premise was just different enough to have me stick with it. It does pick up towards the end, but there's a lot in the middle that I felt was kind of meh. Like it was stretched out to get 2 books, tbh. I didn't hate it, but I also didn't love it. I found myself playing games on my iPad and watching shows instead of reading, which to me, says a lot.
April works as a tailor at a men’s clothing store. Matvey comes in and buys a jacket. Their attraction is instantaneous, and they have a little sexual romp in the changing room. It’s a one-time thing.
The majority of the book is slow. Matvey and April get to know each other thru nightly dinners that he insists they have. They become physical again quickly. April hopes for more but doesn’t expect it. Things seem positive for a while before they don't... His anguish is painful at the end .. 😢
This was my first mafia romance and I loved it.❤️❤️ Look is it the greatest work of literature? No. Pretty sure it’s impossible to be pregnant way pass your due date. I’m talking more than two weeks pass your due date. Regardless, I couldn’t put it down. I was invested in Matvey and Aprils love story. My heart broke for them. Can’t wait to read the second installment. We love a good duology.😘❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
who tf is reviewing this shit so high? this might be the worst dogshit mafia book I have ever read.. The FMC was a total doormat I get why you treated like a side piece grow a fucking backbone.. Petra was a A grade bitch and matvey should die along with yuri.. All characters in this book were infuriating to the core AGAIN why is this rated so high wasted my 2 hours
Both believe you can only trust family, but he believes only blood is family and she believes family is who you choose. These two try hard to fight their attraction, but it's difficult and their individual beliefs about family keep getting in the way.
The only family Matvey Groza (MMC) has close to him is his younger half brother, who is his second in command of the Groza bratva.. Third in command is Matvey's best friend, but he does not consider him family. Matvey has a plan to get the support and manpower he needs to get revenge on those who wronged him. Those plans include a marriage (in name only) where both parties get something they want. But April Flowers is going to put a crimp in those plans.
April Flowers, (MFC) is from a broken, extended family. She was always second to her half siblings in both families and treated like a maid and always criticized. Things got so bad she left home at 18 and was alone on the streets until she was found and taken in by her paternal step-grandmother (grandfather's second wife). Things were great until her step grandma's death and her father sold the house out from under her and took all the inheritance, leaving her out on the streets again. But a friend of her grandmother's gave her a job in his tailor shop and a place to stay. She eventually moved in with her best friend June. They were there for her when things were bad and she considers them family...Not blood, but chosen and the only ones she trusts. Marriage or children are far from her mind... She's never met anyone who interested her enough. But a chance encounter with Matvey is going to change her life completely.
This book could have ended when they were finally together and without the cliffhanger that tears them apart, but...it is a duet. So.....we'll see. 4.75 stars for this one
Good on this FMC for making a choice that was best for herself and her baby. I know she didn't have all the facts, but she had all the facts that the MMC was willing to give. This is a problem of his own making, and Yuri and Petra can die in a fire
1🌟 I should have DNF this book but the narrators were good so i kept listening (wasted time that i wont get back 😩, totallymy fault i should know better but alas 🤷♀️)
The premise was so good & was intrigued. Their meetcute was actually spicy & fun. I was investedand in the mood for the pregnancy trope but this book fell short. FMC pregnant forever & it would have been great had the MMC actually shared cute moments with FMC . If you love your over protective and obsessed Mafia men who go hard for their women , im sorry you will find none in this book. Matvey is none of those things, he is a wimp of a Pakhan, just bark no bite. He is a wanna be Alpha. Who is betrayed left right and centre without a clue. NO thanks , I dont read mafia romance for a weak MMC! FMC was ok but she basically was just a victim accepting the poor treatment she got from everyone. 🙄
MVP in this book is Grisha(the driver) who had the guts to called out Matvey for being dense, and reminding him that April is pregnant and everything that was happening was not good for her or the baby. I mean April was like what ? over 41 weeks pregnant at that time and who in their right mind would ever jeopardise that? And cause extra stress to a pregnant lady atleast care for the baby your heir if not anything else.
Matvey is selfish and the worst mmc. He forces her to sit through dinners when he knew she was hurting. His priorities are fcked up. He also talk a lot of nonsense about blood being the only thing that matters 😔
Im so happy April left him in the end & she was right not to tell him about the baby from the beginning( i usuallyhate women wo keep pregnancy a secret but i was rooting for April to just be a single mom).Im actually sad that I know these two will end up together because this MMC is gabage.
If Matvey was trully an Alpha he would have told April what was going on, he would have protected her and done everything he could to have her, there is no redemption for him and from the reviews I've read the 2nd book isn't any better either so will not bother reading that He also has the most useless security team in the history of Mafia romance!😕
He married another woman after telling the FMC that he loves her . And no there is no excuse at all for the decisions he made . And hey get this , when he went to marry the other woman, the fmc goes into labour and she had to use a taxi to go to the hospital because his driver tells her that Matvey took all the cars to go to the wedding with the other woman?, like what are you for real?
I could go on but this review is making me even more angry but read at your own risk, this is also a very long book 😑 .
Guys I dont mind an a$$hole mmc as long he delivers on the good stuff, Matvey just put me in a bad mood and its my fault for continuing to read.
Dnf – lol entirely on me, I don’t know why I thought I would enjoy a book with a pregnancy in it. Never have before idk why I thought that might change. Also I spoiled the duet for myself because the characters were acting off and I needed to know why.
Summary/review for the duet. MF mob billionaire I personally liked the 2nd book better, minus the part where Matvey has the inability to see beyond his own self and his ability to hold on to grudges without simply understanding the circumstances surrounding the situation. I think a lot of people may feel uncomfortable with the MFC April Flowers because most would think of her as weak, too forgiving, and a pushover. But I saw something realistic. I am also a survivor of an abusive past and how she thought, coped, and responded is exactly how I am. I also had postpartum depression with my first and I had a similar experience and it really resonated with me and I cried so hard it was cathartic for me… but also triggering. Despite everything she chose to give people second chances. She struggled loving herself and finding self worth because she was always second choice if not a choice at all and had her own family not want her. I had a harder time getting on board with how Matvey expressed himself and treated April. I also understand why. He was also coping with his own past… his dad betrayed him and his mom and it was personal so he had trust issues and would not extend his trust out beyond his half bother. Therefore all others were treated like crap including how he treated April. He was not a forgiving person like April. But he eventually gets it through his thick skull and has a major character arc but it’s a long road and you have to trust it will happen but you will rage at him for his antics. I think the villain in this story lacks background and therefore was hard to get on board with the believability at the end. My favorite part of all is the character redemption for Matvey, Petra, and Yuri and how April brought that out in all of them, she taught them there are second chances, forgiveness and room for growth. I was extremely happy the other woman drama with Petra didn’t follow the formula of her just being the cruel mean girl Regina George act. I loved how much of a bad ass Petra was and how April recognized it and showed her love and friendship even if Petra kept trying to push her away and made some missteps in the process. I love with a woman straightens another woman’s crown… it shows grace and that woman don’t have to put the territorial bitch act on by being passive aggressive. There was a bonus epilogue and I loved how they build a family around “found family” that was their legacy. The only thing I didn’t feel closure for was poor Charlie, April’s younger half brother that still lived with his abusive father. I also think April’s reaction to Matvey beating the shit out of her stepfather who just beat Charlie and was about to sexually assault her and would have if Matvey didn’t show up. Her reaction was not warranted. She got mad at Matvey and kicked him out and made him pay the dudes hospital bill… I’m sorry his action was an equal response to what the step dad did. Sorry- not sorry. However, I understand that she didn’t want Charlie to lose a father since he felt that was important for himself and that she didn’t grow up with a father. Summary: April Flowers is a seamstress that works for a tailor, Elias, that she considers as a father figure. Her mother Elenor hated her and blamed her for all her troubles since having her. Her Dad left and married Nora and had 3 girls. Nora and the 3 daughters were the epitome of evil step bitches but she kept holding out hope that she could build a relationship with her sisters like she had with her half brother Charlie. Her dad didn’t want her and neither did her mom and they often fought for the opposite reason parents have custody battles over, who had the “burden” to take her in. Elenor remarried as well to Ted who was an unemployed lazy, gambling, abusive person and would often beat his wife and children but poor April got it the most. She felt unloved and unwanted by those who are supposed to love you. When she was about 7, when neither parents wanted her, her grandmother, who wasn’t blood, she was her dad’s stepmom, took April in and showed her true love. Then she passed away when she was 17 and the will had all her money go to April but her Dad swooped in and took it from her disregarding the will. April was left to try to survive on her own. Elias, her tailor boss, was in love with her grandmother but life just didn’t work out for their love story. So Elias happily took her in. He mentored and nurtured her passion for fashion design and told her stories about her grandmother. April may have had a hard life but she had a found family with her lifetime best friend, June, Corey and Rob and a father figure in Elias. She shared a small run down apartment with June and she had a job doing what she loved. Not to mention her one-eye grumpy pirate cat. April sent Elias home and said she’d close the shop when she wrapped things up. She was alone in the shop on the phone with a customer when Matvey strolled in. He was a terribly impatient customer and expressed it in words and body language. Then things got heated between them very quickly and he tied her hands with a tie and they had very aggressive and passionate sex. He took her hair tie for keep sake as a memory of this moment. He couldn’t keep his mind off her but he didn’t have time for relationships nor the trust to expend to one. He left and they didn’t see each other again. 9 months later, April is getting a pregnancy check up for a child she conceived as a result of that rump in the dressing room. She looked him up and realized he was bad news, connected to the Russian mafia. So she had no intentions of ever seeking him out not wanting that life for herself or her child. Confusingly (for me) she had a paternity test done (she forged his signature using a hair from the suit jacket he tried on in the shop) even though she had no other sexual relationships and knew for a fact that the baby was his. It felt unauthentic to just to force the storyline for a unknown bad person (unknown until book 2) who apparently was tracking lab results from the DNA lab for hits connected to Matvey. when she goes to leave after this appointment she is kidnapped. She uses her wits to escape but she knew they mentioned Matvey by name she had no choice but to go to him for protection from whatever group is after her because she was pregnant with his heir. She looks him up and finds out that he’s getting married coincidently at the same moment. She has a cab take her to the wedding service and somehow she’s able to crash a mob wedding as if not everyone there doesn’t have guns at the ready. She magically gets there right as the priest says, “if no one has objections to this union” She shouts, “I’m pregnant and the baby is yours.” Matvey ushers her to his penthouse in the hotel he owns through the out of control reactions to her surprise announcement. He’s surprised and won’t admit he’s happy to see her and even excited about having a baby and not from the old mob mentality of wanting an heir. he has this huge obsession with “blood” relations. He however trust no others outside of his brother, Yuri. Yuri is a brother from another mother who he found later in age and saved his brother when both their mothers just died and it were on their own. He didn’t even trust his own men especially his second in command, who showed nothing but loyalty since the beginning when Matvey built the legacy back out from the ashes. His many flaw, He didn’t trust and refused to trust anyone but his “blood” which is weird since his dad was “blood” but betrayed him. It’s a huge hang up for him and it causes discord between him and his vor who helps him run the businesses. The other is he is impatient, holds a grudge, seeks revenge, doesn’t listen to others, and is easily angered into a rage. He made a deal with Petra for an arranged marriage so that he would get her father, Vlad, solders to supplement his men to help enact revenge on his father. She agreed because she was a professional assassin and is really good at what she does and wants to be vor but in her father’s world women are meant for the following… to please men and/or be a brood mare for an heir and that’s it. He agrees to make her vor after they marry so it’s a marriage of convenience and neither of them want love just their goals.Matvey challenges April by saying she’s lying and of course she has the paternity paperwork in her pocket. He still doesn’t believe her and has Yuri do another test to make sure. It is also a tactic to keep Petra’s old fashioned ass off his back until the test comes back. The marriage is on hold until then. Meanwhile, Matvey has April move into the penthouse (he stays somewhere else). He tells her she’s cannot leave or let anyone else in. She eventually gets him to agree to monitored visits with vetted people like her friend June. The thing I don’t get across both books. they had security and she had personal guards at her door and yet somehow on multiple occasions people that are a threat to her gets past the guards with no hesitation, ranging from: her deadbeat mom, Stepdad, Petra (at the beginning) armed men who had a hit out on April. He tells her that they will have family dinners everyday. During the rest of the book Matvey and Aprils relationship becomes heated and they cannot resist each other and it’s a good pace without too much spice that takes away from the plot. Petra makes a passive aggressive threat to April about getting in the way of her dreams but April confused her with kindness. April starts to consider her a friend especially when Petra saves her while she was guarding her. There was a hot out on April at her penthouse and Petra kicked ass and April was in awe of it. Slowly April was inching her way into Petra’s heart. Tensions were rising with Vlad wanting to know the results of the paternity test and getting their partnership sealed with the marriage, the Vor getting restless because Matvey’s attentions was divided, the plan to overtake a building in Dc was bought out from under them. When Petra inquired about the marriage, Matvey showed his cards about his doubts of moving forward. In desperation, Petra panics and kidnaps April. Petra wants to be Vor and they usually have to audition by “stealing” something major or completing an assignment. She figures if she can steal a tiara at a fashion show she’d prove her worth once and for all. April has fashion experience and knows the building layout and how many guards and where they are and how to access the area that she needs to get the tiara. April helps her, one for the safety of her child and 2 to save Petra from herself… despite this she’s still her friend. She sets it up for her to take the tiara and even fakes going into labor which leads to her thinking she is going into real labor. Matvey gets there as she’s about to be taken by ambulance. Tells Petra off. Petra has the decency to show concern for April especially after April told her she was her friend, shocking Petra who has never had a friend before. It turns out to be Braxton contractions. That night Matvey tells her he loves her and only wants her. She’s living on the high of having her dreams come true that he loves her as she does him.The next day Matvey goes to his other place where he finds Petra and she tells him she’s pregnant. It’s not his baby it’s his brother’s baby and no one can find out because her dad is so old fashioned that he’d kill her and his brother. So in order to protect them both he has to marry Petra. Yuri begs Matvey to not tell anyone so he doesn’t even bother to push to ask to tell April. No dumbass that he is, instead makes her believe that Petra is pregnant with his baby and they are getting married because he chooses Petra. It’s heart breaking. She shuts down but doesn’t get the female rage I would have had to just leave it all behind… she stays. Vlad forced Matvey for a wedding date so they decide on that week Sunday. Well surprise surprise so is the schedule induction date for her pregnancy. April doesn’t tell him but he finds out and tells her he will be there after the wedding. When he leaves her water breaks. No one is able to get ahold of Matvey because he turns his phone off in irritation thinking it’s nothing. She gives birth to a baby girl. While at the hospital she calls Yuri for his help to run. She was upset that Matvey wasn’t there for a second time for a major event when he promised he would. Most importantly she was always second choice and she didn’t want her daughter to experience the same thing. So she runs 10 mins after giving birth
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I am very conflicted about this book. On one hand, it was good. Has a writing style that appeals to me, humour that I enjoy. Hints of angst and easy drama. But on the other hand, it was so drawn out. April longest-pregnancy-ever was a weird mix of strong female character and weak woman desperate for the attention of a man. Matvey contradicts-himself-idiot really annoyed me with his family loyalty and crap. So his life lesson is that only blood family can be trusted because he was betrayed....by his blood family? Make it make sense.
All in all, this book was a weird combination of good and bad, interesting and ridiculous. Idk if the second book is worth it.
Also, my brain must be too scrambled lately because the bickering and taunting between Yuri and Grisha gave me the wrong impression and created some very unrealistic expectations. To the point that I was a bit disappointed with the reveal at the end, even if I saw it coming from a mile away.
Matvey and April meet in a tailor shop where she works. Matvey is there to buy a suit for his wedding. Him and April get off on the wrong foot and they keep bickering. April gets excited when she finds a perfect shirt and enters the changing room where Matvey is half naked. One thing leads to another and they end up hooking up in the dressing room.
April later finds out that she’s pregnant. She plans to raise the child on her own. When one day she gets kidnapped, so she has to fake going into labor to get out. She finds out from an instagram post where Matvey is. He is getting married to Petra when April enters the venue and announces she’s pregnant with his baby.
From there a lot of things happen and I was hooked. I really love the way Nicole Fox writes and how each book is unique. This was highly entertaining.
I finished this morning like 1 AM lol. I LOVE Nicole Fox books. They are duets;so I know it will end on a cliffhanger and I love/hate that.
Matevy is the head of the Groza Bratva. In the beginning April Flowers (yes that is her real name 🤪🤪) crashes his wedding while she’s 9 months pregnant to let him know she is pregnant and it’s his baby. Obviously,chaos ensues. This book is all about their hot and cold relationship and figuring out how to parent. Matevy has a hard time letting people in who isn’t who he considers “family.” April is very naive and oblivious but somehow it works or will it work?
Ending leaves on a great cliffhanger like how all her stories usually do.
The first part of the duet starts with a bang! It throws you into the story and sets the precedent for the rest of the book. Matvey is a complicated character who definitely makes some wrong choices in this book. April is determined to do what is best for her baby and I love the way that she make the people around her soften. There most definitely is a cliffhanger at the end which makes you want to download the next one as fast as possible!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Every Single Time Nicole Fox hits it out of the park! Her duet stories are legendary and perfect! This one was no different! The chemistry between April and Matevy was explosive. Also Matevy is so stubborn! And poor April has been through so much in her lifetime. I loved how at the end she finally took a stand for herself. I can't wait to devour the next book and find out what happens!
i loved april and her friends, grisha, and up until the end, yuri and petra. i really disliked matvey the entire book. he refused to open up to anyone who mattered, made bad decisions based on revenge at every opportunity, and was a controlling, possessive jerk who showed no redeeming qualities. i hate him for april! everything she did and said and he’s still hung up over blood family? monster.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I loved this book. The banter between the characters was perfect. But the cliffhanger killed me. I went through a ton of kleenex. Thank god the second book is already out. I’m starting it immediately!!