Cruel Promise

by Ivy Davis

I was given a either die or be sold to a monster.
I chose the monster.

Nikolai Petrov, feared Bratva ruler, is now my husband.
After my father sold me to him, my life became his.
I am now the property of a scary Bratva man.
But Nikolai has secrets of his own.
Secrets that could make me hate him…
Or make me love him.
He terrifies me.
But he also awakens something inside of me.
Desire. Lust. Love.
My husband is a cold man.
Yet, there’s something within him that I see.
The question
Can I truly love the beast if he can’t even love at all?

Cruel Promise can be read as a standalone and has a guaranteed happy ending and NO cliffhangers!

330 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 10, 2024

Reviews

[Pierrette Israel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cruel torture

I think I kept turning the page hoping it wouldn't be so bad. This book is written like a bad tela novela. There is not one likable character and the least likable is the hero. For someone who is supposed to be bratva, he is not very good at it. He kills many who don't really deserve it but the ones who do he backs down like a frightened child. By the end of the book all his events are still alive, including her loser father , yet he has no issue killing a student who had a crush on the very stupid heroine. It was cruel to make me read this nonsense.

[Elizabeth · Rating 1 out of 5]

In a word this book was BORING. Really had to force myself to finish it. The FMC was annoying; constantly running away only to return a few hours later. I understand she was young and naive but come on - it ended up reading like a bad joke. And how could either the MMC and FMC be in love with each other with as little dialogue as there was … the MMC communicated with his rivals/partners than with the FMC. Definitely not reading the next in the series, and probably won’t read anything else by the author.

[Pam Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Beauty & the Beast retelling with some twists.

First, I almost didn’t download this book due to some of the negative reviews. I caution you to make your own judgement, but I did read one 2 (2.5 in the review) that stated “The MC just disappeared 1/4 of the way through the book” — this person didn’t read the book because the MC is involved until the end of the story.

Second, I found repeated reviews (2-3✨) that claimed she was stupid for continually running away…um SHE WAS TRAFFICKED AND SOLD of course she’s going to run! Not to mention it’s a retelling of The Beauty and The Beast and Belle tries to escape too.

Third, many reviewers complained about errors. I spotted a handful of errors so either they’ve been fixed or they were so insignificant they didn’t register with me.

Now for my review —

I liked the twist on story. Yes, their were some missing and misspelled words, but not a ton. Their were a few characters that were just unnecessary or annoying (Dimitri being the main one), but not in a way that made me want to stop reading. I was ready to give a full four stars as an indication of appreciation for the story, but I do have a few negative opinions:

1) Very abrupt ending - no real resolution in my mind.
2) With Anton being like Gaston his character should’ve never been left open to comeback at the end.
3) Their were a few places where the story could’ve used more information/adjustment. In the first three chapters I was a bit put off because the storyline jumped all over the place. The character “Jason” who also was supposed to be like Gaston was an unnecessary character, the book probably would’ve flowed better without his character.
4) I know the author was trying to make the characters a little different than Disney, but we ended up with some muddled characteristics in the some of the characters.

#3 & #4 are the reason I went with a 3 instead of 4, but it’s a 3.5 star read.

[Amie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story with drama, suspense, intrigue, thrills, action, a steamy romance and with a happy ending. This story has great characters as well as being a page turner.
A story about a Bratva man buying a young woman from her father and what happens afterwards. As well as what happened to the Bratva man to make him become who he is and how the young woman put him back together again. The two marry and it takes a long time for the two to figure out how much they love one another.
Throughout the story the couple deals with lies, betrayal, death, loneliness and heartbreak before they find love and happiness. The couple gets closer even though after intimacy the Bratva man pulls away from the young woman.
Due to the young woman the Bratva man was mending broken alliances that he had broken. Even with this the young woman didn't stay after she found out the truth that he was holding from her, she did come back to save him from being killed by his enemy but even with that he was still injured as well as another was killed.
The young woman went back to her regular life, she planned the funeral of the fallen but she could only think about the Bratva man. The Bratva man brought the men he wronged together to rebuild alliances, no for his sake but for the young woman.
The young woman returned to the Bratva man and the both confessed their love for one another. The couple are together in love and happy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nikolai Petrov has a hard upbringing and an incident early on in his rise to become leader, he was betrayed and disfigured by someone he trusted. That along with other things lead him to wall off his heart so he could not get close to people. His employees were just that, people who he paid to do his work. When he pays to get a bride, things begin to change. Ava has had a sheltered and fearful life with a cruel father but she never thought he would kill her mother or sell her off to pay his debts but that is now her life as she becomes Nikolai's bride. Their relationship starts off rough (well duh, he just bought her) but things slowly begin to change (at least for her) as she begins to see Nil as safety and someone she might grow to love. The biggest obstacle in her path is Nikolai himself as he struggles to begin trusting again. Great first book in the Sins of the Bratva and I can't wait to see if the next story is about one of the other characters we were introduced to in this book or a surprise.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the start of the Sins of the Bratva Series where we find Ava and her mom living on their own barely making ends meet after escaping her abusive father. One day her father shows up shooting her mom and taking Ava to pay a debt. When Nikolai learns of Ava he takes her to be his bride in place of the debt. Nikolai has a past that’s caused him physical and mental harm so he’s closed off and short with Ava but treating her with respect. With being overwhelmed Ava wants to bury her mother and go back to Yale but Nikolai will not allow it being the Bratva boss his enemies are looking for ways to cause problems. Nikolai makes a deal with a local MC and things get turned around and a war breaks out and new alliances are formed then broken. Ava finds herself married to a standoff husband but underneath it all is a man with a heart. There are twist, revenge, suspense, danger, along with Nikolai and Ava fighting for a chance at a real life together. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The start to Sins of the Bratva hang on don’t blink and you might want to make sure you are buckled up because this is going to be one crazy ride usual mafia antics betrayal, jealousy, lies, secrets, murder, and throw in a little maybe even a lot of violence while we are at it but also a little love so buckle up 😊! Ava is sweet lives with her mom who left her abusive father so living in a small place trumps abuse any day, she was accepted into Yale where she has friends that aren’t really true friends and a father despite them leaving still has ties to them as a drunk, gambler can’t pay his debt, so he offers up his daughter as payment. Nikolai sexy as all get out dangerous, ruthless, deadly most day, isn’t a man you want on your radar unfortunately the moment he sees the drunken gambler’s daughter he is smitten instantly with her, and he intends to protect what or in this case who belongs to him ensuring no one touches her or goes near her for that matter. He is a hard man rough around the edges doesn’t let anyone close to him until he has his angel. But, when her father shows up taking her to the boss, leaving her to lay her mother to rest, and married to a man she doesn’t know but will he allow her to see the true him, will she understand any of it, will she get to finish school, can he protect her with all the betrayal, revenge and where are they headed to something resembling happiness?

[Linda Fairburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ava's father was a gambler and lost all of it, he kidnaps her and sells her to Nikolai Petrov to pay of his gambling debts.
Nikolai is a mafia man through and through and just as tough to those around him and that includes Ava.
All she wants is to go back to school and find what happened to her mother after her father shot her.
Ava is told she must marry Nikolai as she belongs to him now and her other life is over for good.
Nikolai wasn't completely bad years ago until he was betrayed by Anton who gave him his scar on his face that is so ugly.
He must make friends with unlikely people to be able to stand up to Anton, who returns.
So many ups and downs and so many killings, what will Ava do when it all goes wrong.

I received an advanced copy and my review is voluntary and true.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ava is kidnapped by her estranged father who sells her off to Nikolai, a Bratva leader, in order to pay his debts. Nikolai promptly marries the college student, treating her coldly, but respectfully. This is not an ideal marriage.

I liked this Bratva story. There is action, danger, and treachery, as well as plenty of plot twists and changing loyalties to keep you interested. Ava is strong-willed and smart, never giving up her quest to find out more about Nikolai and what makes him tick. Nikolai is not only possessive, but protective of Ava, respecting her need to go back to college and find her mother, even though he fears that will cause her to leave him. They both just want love, and to have the marriage work.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cruel Promise is dark, dangerous, and oh-so-addictive. Ava gets thrown into Nikolai Petrov’s brutal world when her dad trades her to settle his debts (yikes!). Nikolai is the ultimate broody, scarred antihero—grumpy, possessive, and not afraid to let everyone know Ava is his. Meanwhile, Ava? She’s feisty, stubborn, and not about to make things easy for him.

Their chemistry is off the charts—seriously, the tension and steam had me fanning myself. Chef’s kiss! The drama is nonstop with betrayals, rivalries, and twists that keep you hooked. Ava and Nikolai’s push-and-pull romance is messy, raw, and so worth the ride. If you love dark romances with antiheroes and plenty of spice, this one’s for you. Buckle up!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vickie Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ivy has done it again. A very good book to read. This is book 1 of the Sins of the Bratva Series. I look forward to reading this new series.

Dark Mafia
Beauty and the Beast
Russian Mafia
Age Gap
Arranged Marriage
Gothic
Billionaire

Ava is sold for five million dollars by her father to Nikolai and he plans to make her his wife. Her father shot her mother in the stomach when she tried to protect Ava. She thinks that her mother is dead, but she isn't totally sure. Nikolai tries to be patient with Ava and how she feels. She tries to leave on several occasions, but he just brings her back.

Will she be able to get past her hurt and open up to Nikolai? Will he let her in past his walls? Will they be able to have an actual marriage? What happens with his new business partner? Let's finish reading to find out!

[Carol Brannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure how to start this review. Cruel Promise was a good light read. I know who says dark mafia is a light read, but there wasn't anything I classify as dark in it.
Ava is sold to pay off he dead beat Father's debt. She's scared and worried that life will forever be changed.
Nikolia took one look at Ava's picture and immediately knew she was the one for him.
After buying her from her father, he brings her to his house. He knows he's not a good man but, he wants to try for her. However, he has secrets in his past that might jeopardize his happiness.
Ava makes friends with the staff, but she can't seem to stay there. Constantly running away, just to be brought back, time and time again.
Will Ava and Nikolai ever find happy ever after, or will the past come back to haunt them.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fails to deliver

This started off well but sadly ended up a bit of an editorial mess. It’s litter with spelling and inconsistencies. In one scene, it describes how he standing behind her and presses ‘his back’ against her and whispers in her ear!!!! He’s a contortionist!!! There’s lots of silly errors like that which should have been picked up by an editor.
There are a few scenes which are really so silly and add nothing and should have been removed.

I know the Dimitri character is the MMC in the next book, but frankly he comes across so childish and immature that I have no desire to read his story. Maxim, however is a better bet but only if the author can tidy up her writing and really think about developing the storyline.

[Brendee Vee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ava is content living her life with her mom while going to college. That is until her drunk gambler of a dad offers her to Nikolai as a way of settling his debt. Ava is losing her hope after being taken from everything and everyone. How could you not be going crazy when your dad takes you and gives you away like some kind of object not a human. Nikolai’s world is just crazy enough to take him from Ava right when he starts to see her in a different light but she has no want to be there and is trying to escape every chance she can get. Ava’s heartbreak was so sad through with her as I could never imagine being taken to settle a bet for a deadbeat dad.

[Danee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great Mafia story that you from the first page. There is drama and action, danger and betrayal, steam and passion. I found Ava's father a terrible man who suddenly surfaces after a long time and kidnaps her and sells her to Nikolai who is the leader of the Bratva in the hope of paying his debts. What started as a forced marriage that Nikolai was not happy with, he gradually changes his mind and allows his feelings. He is very protective of her and possessive. He clearly shows that and supports her when she goes looking for her mother and the wish to finish her education.




I received an Advance Reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ladasiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

I didn't think I would like this book but I really loved it. At first, Nik seemed like a one-dimensional bratva mob boss but eventually his character opened up and showed a complexity I did not anticipate. While Ava became a woman and not just a child who was sold to Nik. Now, one thing that was annoying was all the times Ava ran away. It was getting a little stupid after awhile. She was getting beat up by random dudes and Nik had to save her... it was getting old. However, the book ended on a very high note. I can't wait to read the second book on this series.

[Tiff · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wouldn’t rate this book

Cruel Promises… I was bored and annoyed of all the characters. It was generally like a robot wrote this. There was no chemistry of the main characters in the way it was written, there was no build up to the scenes. It was like bam ‘your father sold you, next you’re at a different place then a different place, the running away several times only to be found’ there was really no suspense.
I’ve read many mafia arranged books and this is the worse one. I got up to chapter 6 and then started flicking to other chapters to see if it got better and it didn’t. Flicked to the end and that was a very boring ending I’ve read.
Would not recommend this book!

[GKP2460 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cruel Promise is book 1 in the Sins Of The Bratva series and is an arranged marriage read. Ava and Nikolai bring us an intense, gritty story with plenty of drama, action, surprises, twists, turns and danger. Nikolai's world is much, much different than the world Ava came from and there's a lot she's having to work through. She's betrayed by her father in the biggest way and given to a man she doesn't know. There's definitely a lot for both her and Nikolai to deal with but in the end it works out just as it should.

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ava and her mother had started a new life after escaping her father only for him to return and take her mothers life, changing hers forever. She is sold to Nikolai, a feared and scared bratva leader to clear her fathers debts, but all she wants is to return to her life before, but Nikolai has more than just his criminal world troubles to deal with, he has feelings for his wife, that doesn't want anything to do him in return. And he's hiding secrets. Engaging slow burn, steamy, forced marriage, obsession, age gap action and more.

[april ♡ probably reading smut - safety reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

TROPES:
~beauty and the beast
~arranged marriage
~mafia

This was a solid read, I enjoyed it. It's a beauty and the beast retelling (I adore those) with a mafia infusion! There's an arranged marriage between the main leads. They don't like each other at first, but soon...they can't resist. ;) I wish there was more chemistry though, and it dragged in some places.

SAFETY:
Virgin/manwhore/celibate: virgin heroine, manwhore hero
OM/OW: none
Cheating/sharing: none
HEA?: yes!

My bookshelves may contain spoilers.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cruel Promise

Cruel Promise by Ivy Davis is the first book in the Sins of the Bratva series.
WOW! This was a great start to this series!
Nicholai, A Bratva leader, buys a girl from her father for the $5 million he's owed.
Ava, A college student that lives with her mom after they left her cruel Bratva father 5 years before, gets taken by her father & given to an auction house that plans to sell her again.
Nik & Ava get a HEA after arguments, blood & tears. Their struggle to each other is their story!,

[E Levine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I skimmed about 60% of this. Ava was insufferable and she could have run away 3 less times and it would still be too many. Nik was barely Bratva like where was his organization? He may as well have just been a random criminal. The head of the ny mafia is sending his wife to school 2 hours on the train every day come on??? They totally lacked chemistry and the butler was really the only one with a redeeming quality in the book. Would have given 1 star but I somehow managed to finish it so giving 2.

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this so much more than I did. Nikolai is the perfect MMC; he has a great backstory, is broody and grumpy, and knows what he wants. Ava the FMC is a mess, how to you try to run away 5-6 times? How do you forget about your mother but begging to return to class is important? Why do you keep running to your father to ask questions? She was beyond frustrating and ruined a lot of the book for me.

[Amber Pickerill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ava is a 19 year old student going to Yale. She might not have the best life, but her mom is her best friend and she knows she'll be okay. Except her dad has other plans.
Nikolai Petrov may be a Bravta boss but he always gets what he wants. When he buys Ava, can she learn to deal with how they started or love him for who he's turning into? Do Bravta men really change?.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Merry Jelks-Emmanuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This action-packed drama has a dark villain that captures the heart of his forced bride. When Ava's father takes and sells her to Nikolai she is devastated by the betrayal. As she navigates her new life with Nikolai her soft heart wears down the walls around Nikolai's heart but when his past enemy comes back into the picture will he be able to keep Ava safe from his enemy's deprived intentions.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dawn Bogart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ava is forcibly given to Nikolai by her father to pay off a debt. After the arranged marriage and their lives being now intertwined their relationship goes on an interesting journey. The book is filled with twist and turns. It is a love story between two very different individuals from different worlds. In the end though, they find that they are just what they need for each other. I enjoyed this book very much.

[Niki · Rating 5 out of 5]

They escaped her father's controlling ways, and have made a life for themselves. That all changes when he breaks in and kidnaps her to clear his gambling debts. She is now the bride of a Mafia don, she is now married to him and has once again lost her freedom. She slowly starts to get somewhere with him only to have the the past come back in to their lives.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jessica Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her dad sells her to a man so he can get his debts paid. Ava is brought my a big mafia boss . He wants to marry her an own her body a soul . He is an emotionally closed person because of a past partnership. He’s the protective an alpha type . This had some spicy moments and was very romantic with adventure in it too . I loved it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[mcv · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't finish it

where are these five stars coming from. I was skimming it. Where were all his bratva men. Are we supposed to believe she walks in by herself to MCC and saves the MMC,by herself. I gave it three stars out of kindness to the author. Sorry, I understand we are watching her become strong, but none of his men try to help him. And he supposedly runs a large part of the city. Sorry he can't be a one man army.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nikolai and Ava. She was sold to him by her father. A bratva cold monster with secrets. One is why he excepted her as payment. The more they stay away from each other the more they want each other. It takes dark dangerous alpha bratva men to realize that love will make you stronger not weak. Loved it couldnt put it down. Cant wait for more.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.