Unspoken: Forbidden MM Mafia Bodyguard Romance

Light & Shadow #3

by N.N. Britt

A disgraced ex-cop, Logan McKenna, finds himself reluctantly taking a job as a bodyguard for Alexander "Sasha" Solovey, the spoiled younger brother of the feared Las Vegas crime boss Vlad Solovey. But as Logan fights to keep Sasha safe from escalating threats, he's drawn into a forbidden romance that could be the much-needed spark in his life...or his last mistake in a city where betrayal means death.

Set after the events of Isaac and Dallas. Can be read as standalone. First person, alternating POV.

Genres: M M Romance, Mafia Romance, Forced Proximity, Crime, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Age Gap Romance

320 pages, Paperback

Published December 3, 2024

About the author

N.N. Britt is a Los Angeles-based music journalist and photographer. Her photos have graced T-shirts, billboards, and CD covers. She pens realistic, thought-provoking novels about today's world of art and music and the flawed people who live in it. When she's not writing or drinking coffee, she's probably reading or attending a heavy metal show.

Newsletter sign up ⇨ https://sendfox.com/nnbrittbooks
Instagram ⇨ https://bit.ly/nnbrittinstagram

Reviews

[Renae Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unspoken is a fun and exciting forbidden romance between Sasha and his bodyguard Logan. They are both in an interesting and transitional time in their lives where neither is looking for a relationship or connection with another person. Of course, fate has other plans as these two are forced to be around one another constantly and slowly they both begin to realize the other is not as cut and dry as they expected. There are nuances and layers to the others' behavior and mindset.

I loved seeing these two learn more about one another and see their vulnerable side come through. They are both complex guys who really needed another connection and I loved how they found it in one another. Overall this is a great addition to the series and I cannot wait to see what the next story is about.

*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***

[Emna · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okaaaaay ... but nothing special

the cover is STUNNNNNNNING tho , A WORK OF ART , I had to mention it.

[Julia (bookish.jka) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Yeah, whatever," I mutter under my breath. A prayer. A curse. Logan McKenna, the bane of my existence, might just be the most attractive bastard I've ever laid eyes on."

Unspoken is book 3 in the Light & Shadow series by the fabulous N.N. Britt and whilst it can be read as a standalone, I do highly recommend you read the first two books in the series first - Isaac and Dallas.

Unspoken is set in the same universe and it will definitely add to your enjoyment and understanding of the mafia world the author has created. Natalia writes so beautifully, and creates such wonderfully complex, layered, broken characters you'll just lose yourself in the continuation of the series. This is Sasha and Logan's story.

There are some tough, darkish themes to watch out for, but I promise there's a HEA!

What To Expect:

❥ MM mafia/bodyguard romance
❥ age gap
❥ forbidden
❥ opposites attract
❥ steamy
❥ angsty
❥ first times
❥ HEA

4.5 stars

[haletostilinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐︎ 4.25 stars rounded down ⭐︎

Overall, a good third installment in this series. In this one we focus on Vlad's younger brother, Sasha, who isn't made for the mafia world and wants nothing to do with it, but is trapped in the world anyway, being a part of the Solovey mafia crime family. There's no escaping it, unfortunately.

And after his best friend gets killed in an explosion meant for Sasha, he's sent to Las Vegas where Vlad has taken residence, and is put under constant protection to keep him safe after the attempt on his life.

Enter Logan, the former cop who took the fall for his partner who screwed up, and therefore he got kicked off the force and has been bodyguarding since then, and not to many savory people.

With his mother in the hospital with cancer, the hospital bills are piling up, and Logan needs a job to help pay for that. He doesn't want to work for a crime family, but he needs the money.

Sasha if very resistant to the protection at first, and very surly and angry. It somewhat makes sense, since he's still grieving his best friend.

Where it loses me a little - or Sasha more like - is him trying to ditch Logan and get him to quit or get fired. I don't quite understand why he wouldn't want protection after he was targeted, and to me his reasons for it were a bit weak. Like yes he doesn't like Vegas after living in Russia and then London, two very cold, wet places - and yes he feels like he's jailed or trapped in this life - sure, that makes sense to feel that way and be annoyed and angry about it.

Where it loses is me is why Sasha is a moron about it at first. Like as much as you might hate your circumstances, I feel like when you'd been targeted and an attempt on your life was made - one decision between him and his best friend and without it would have been Sasha - you'd deal with it for however long it's needed.

I mean...Sasha was kinda but not really suicidal at the beginning, but he never truly became suicidal. He just had guilt about Alfie, his best friend, and at times felt he didn't deserve to live while Alfie died. So he'd get in these mental spirals a bit a few times, but outside of that, he didn't want to die. He was in his rational mind, so him trying to ditch Logan sometimes felt idiotic of him.

I get the desire for it, but to keep himself safe he should have been with his bodyguard at all times.

Also a time or two Logan let him go off on his own and I was like...why? What are you doing? You should with him at all times! And not let him persuade you at all! It was a little silly to me.

All that to say, this mostly happened near the beginning, and I still enjoyed these two together. They had really good chemistry.

I wish this had played a bit more into the "forbidden" nature of their relationship sometimes, but what we did get I did enjoy. I liked the pay off of them having "sneak" around and it wasn't all hunky dory when they eventually had to come out of hiding their relationship.

So aside from some weird nonsensical choices by the character near the beginning, and some typos here and there throughout (nothing bad, and at a very low level, so I wasn't that mad at them) - and perhaps maybe a bit more steam could have been added (this is a "forbidden" romance after all!), I really enjoyed this.

I had my niggles, but it was overall enjoyable. It had an exciting climax (although after, again, Sasha's idiocy returns, but I kinda forgave him for the emotional turmoil he was in. Vlad letting him go after that, though...that I don't let go. Like why the fuck wouldn't he stop him and even restrain him if he had to to keep him safe??) and I loved seeing these two be able to get their HEA, and in a different way than the first couple did.

I'll definitely be interested for Vlad's story next. He was an interesting character and so different than Sasha in a lot of ways. He's so stoic and calm and put together almost all the time, it'll be interesting to meet the man who brings him to his knees, so to speak 😉

Can't wait to dive into that! Until then! 😘

My Ratings for the Light & Shadow Series:

🔆 Isaac: 4.5 stars (my review)
🔆 Dallas: 4.5 stars (my review)
🔆 Unspoken: 4.25 stars

[Sofiko Sas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ця книга мені сподобалась трохи більше за попередні дві, але зняла мінус бал за промову Сашка, що росіяни не погані, у них просто влада кончена. Ага, може вестерни це і зʼїдять, але не я. Коротше вивели мене цим діалогом, а так все було добре. Логан мілашка, незважаючи на різницю у віці в 11(?) років, не було оцього «ми не можемо бути разом, бо я старший за тебе»(привіт, Нолане з Exiled) і слава богу. Тепер чекаю на книгу про Владіка, дуже цікаво з ким він буде.

[Fae · Rating 4 out of 5]

This forbidden romance mafia story will sweep you into Sasha Solovey's dark world. The younger brother of crime boss Vlad Solovey, and born into the Solovey crime family, Sasha seems to have grown up in London boarding schools and largely kept from the realities of what it means to be born into a crime family. When he's transplanted to Las Vegas after a close call, he's traumatized and petulant in equal measures.


Overall Opinion

If you are a fan of Mafia MM romance, forbidden romances, mafia typical violence, virgin MC with experienced MC, age differences, and danger/suspense, you will like this book. The plot compelled me to keep turning the page, the spice level was hot, and the characterizations of the main love interests are good, with morally gray areas that are always compelling. I wish the world and character motivations made a bit more sense, but it's a solid story. I give it a 3.5 out of 5.


Disclosure: Third Book in a Series

I haven't read the first two Mafia MM romance books of the Light & Shadow series. I borrowed Issac from Kindle Unlimited a while ago but haven't gotten around to reading it yet. While the blurb indicates this novel can be read as a standalone, I think the world would be more fleshed out if one reads the series in order, as more world-building would clarify parts of the story I had questions about. It is highly likely those details were established and explained in previous installments of the series.


Assassination Attempt

Haunted by the explosive assassination attempt that took the life of his best friend instead of him, Sasha is adrift. He had been months away from finishing university but now those plans are on hold as he's confined to the family compound for safety reasons. He doesn't want to be in Nevada. Sasha doesn't want a bodyguard. He resents that he needs a bodyguard. Much like the Banks children running off nanny after nanny until Mary Poppins comes to help, Sasha has driven away numerous bodyguards due to his behavior. Sasha lashes out at them childishly and remains unmanageable until Logan steps into the position. Logan sticks. He's not going anywhere.


Brotherly Love? Never Met Him

Sasha and his brother Vlad have a very distant relationship. As for Vlad, well, he's hard to get to know in this book. And it often reads like Sasha hardly knows Vlad. There's no brotherly camaraderie. Do they have any shared history at all? There's no warmth or even familiarity in their interactions. Sasha acts like a brat, Vlad scowls and orders him around. It makes me wonder... Did Sasha just never see his family, like ever, since he was sent to England for school? I would question the likelihood of that. Surely even kids at expensive boarding schools are required to come home for the summers, holidays, etc?


RIP to Sasha and Vlad's Dad

Recently, Vlad and Sasha's father met an untimely demise under mysterious circumstances, so Vlad just came into power and now leads their family crime syndicate. Because of that, he's too busy to get to know Sasha better.

However, even with Vlad's hands full as he takes the wheel of the family business, it reads as if he's mostly uninterested in getting to know Sasha.

Vlad's personality is stark. He only shows warmer facets of his personality later in the book. Finally, the reader begins to understand that there really is a real person behind the authoritarian dictator Vlad comes across as.

For most of the book, Vlad lords over Sasha with harsh commands and directives, giving him no say over his own life. Vlad tells Sasha how things will be and what he will do. One would guess that a softer approach would work out better in the long run if he wants to have a relationship with his remaining family. Because of this, it's almost logical that Sasha would turn toward Logan, desperate for some sort of connection, something to ground him in his new reality.


Logan

Logan's character is stubborn, stoic, a real strong-but silent type. Logan is the disgraced cop turned bodyguard archetype to a T.

Logan's Backstory is WILD

Logan takes the fall for a partner, getting him kicked off the force. This completely doesn't make sense to me because his partner is a dick to him in this book.

So like, why? Why would he want to ruin his career for this person? MAYBE stuff that happens in previous books will make this make more sense but it does NOT make sense to me from just reading this book. No way would someone do that just because their partner has a new baby and is friends with the partner's wife.

Nah fam, that's not it. As previously mentioned, I have not read the first two books in this series so that might be why I am not understanding this part.


Major Plot HOLE Leaves Logan's Motivation on Shaky Ground

Lending his character more depth, the reader learns that Logan's mother is sick and dying. So, it's explained that Logan needs the money for her care, especially as he has no insurance. *record scratch* Wait . . . most states give monthly benefits to surviving spouses until they die or remarry when their spouse dies in the line of duty. That's like.. a legit thing. Logan's father was shot by someone in the line of duty. Nevada law has this benefit, I looked it up. So his mother would still qualify for INSURANCE through her dead spouse.

In summary, Logan losing his insurance when he was fired from the force would NOT mean that his mother doesn't have insurance. That doesn't make sense because that's not how it works. And at any rate, Logan would have to have, at the very minimum, insurance through the Marketplace, right? Ok ok, let the music continue... I'M IGNORING THE GIANT PLOT HOLE. Logan needs the money. End of story.

Honestly, I hope that these unclear details are explained as part of the plot in another installment of the Light & Shadow series and when I go back and read them it will fill in the gaps in understanding I have. Because this character's motivation doesn't fully make sense.


Mafia MM Romance = Forbidden Romance

This book is not a case of insta-love. I hate insta-love, so I relished the amount of antagonism between the two love interests. In the beginning, Sasha acts like a child more than a grown man. His characterization is purposely immature and bratty. And he genuinely doesn't like Logan at first, nor does Logan see Sasha as anything more than a bratty client.

There is no chemistry between the characters when they meet. They clash. It takes a few weeks if not more of book time until they are civil toward one another. In the end it's pure adrenaline that pushes them together the first time. But after that, hormones take over and the two fall into a relationship that they both agree needs to stay secret.


Why Secret?

Sasha's father abused him when he found him with another boy. Sasha believes he will be disowned or worse if he comes out to Vlad. And with things being so dicey with Vlad, Sasha he hasn't seen anything to make him believe Vlad is any different than his father. Logan similarly doesn't believe he'll survive Vlad finding out either, as it would seem like he is taking advantage of a younger, vulnerable person. So they sneak around for a while.


Sasha is Innocent Innocent

After Sasha and Logan kiss for the first time, the reader learns that Sasha has no sexual experience, he's completely innocent before getting involved with Logan. He's never even kissed another man since he was found by his father and shipped off to London. I found that element of the story in Unspoken somewhat hard to believe. From the start, the author seems to describe Sasha's life as unhindered by the burden and danger of the mafia lifestyle while in London. It doesn't seem like he was stopped from living as he wants. So, why wouldn't he have done normal teenage things while at boarding school and university?

Of all things, this plot element sticks out as the most unrealistic. And yes, I stand by this that even in a book filled with mafia-typical violence and behaviors, it really doesn't track that Sasha would have had no partners while in school. With as attractive as he's described, with as rebellious as he is once he's transported to Nevada, I think he'd have lived it up as a teenager just to get back at his father. Especially as the opening scene has Sasha's friend group mentioning parties and nights out that would lend themselves to these sorts of normal, adolescent things that teenagers get up to while away from their parents, especially young and wild university students.


Of Course, Vlad Finds Out

Vlad finds out what the love interests are up to before either of them can come clean about it. That definitely makes it worse. But soon after Vlad finds out what's going on, we are hurtled into the major climactic events of the novel. Sasha gets abducted by Vlad's enemies, so his anger toward Logan and Sasha has to wait until things are resolved.


Logan and Vlad Work Together

To save Sasha, Logan and Vlad work together and this is the first time in the whole book the reader sees beyond Vlad's cold façade to the real person below the surface. I wish we'd seen that side of him from the start. Before, it seemed like he was controlling Sasha to be controlling, but when Sasha is taken he seems to come unraveled a bit and we see the genuine concern and emotion that motivates him. I like that Vlad much more. He lets Logan stick around without too many threats to his life, so Vlad must see that Logan is earnest in his intentions toward Sasha.


Alls Well
After Sasha's rescue and recovery, the book ends with a happily ever after. The ending ties up Logan and Sasha's story well, and it left me feeling satisfied that their story had played out the way it does.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. Crossposted to Bookbub, Amazon and my blog: Fae's Journal

[heyzua · Rating 1 out of 5]

i’m british myself and let me say the british slang in this book is so over exaggerated it’s actually unbearable, i couldn’t even get past 13%. why does sasha say bloody after in sentence like it’s driving me insane

[Adeselna · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

“Unspoken” is the third book of the Light & Shadow series, although not connected per se to the first two books: Isaac and Dallas, the story does mention them occasionally but can be read separately.

In “Unspoken” we continue to explore some themes that were already explored in the first two books but with a twist. Logan and Sasha’s relationship is as forbidden as Isaac and Dalla’s but I believe this time this relationship is softer also due to the fact that Sasha is not connected per se to the mafia world. 

Sasha’s behavior from the beginning is very bratty. He tries to get rid of the security hired by his brother and behaves in a way that he gets what he wants. Sadly, Logan is not going anywhere. Although Logan is a figure of authority as Sasha’s hired security, he has a soft heart and as he tears Sasha’s walls, we get a glimpse of a simple man. Sasha, on the contrary, feels conflicted about his feelings. He feels abandoned by his brother, his father punished him for being gay and his best friend falls victim to an attack due to Sasha’s being in the mafia family. He has to move across the ocean and pause his life just to be able to survive.

Whenever N. N. Britt writes about Sasha’s feeling of hiding his true self due to the violence he has suffered at the hands of his father, it is heartbreaking. He may seem entitled at first and again, very bratty, but as the plot develops we see that Sasha was never able to live as he wished. Logan is the first person who is able to connect with him and treat him like a person. Sasha wanting to hold hands and be seen in public with someone who loves him and he adores as well is just so pure. Their relationship is simple: Sasha wants to be loved and Logan is a sweetheart who truly accepts him for who he is.

“Unspoken” reads like a dream. It still handles serious themes such as one’s sexual identity/acceptance and homophobia but it’s charming to witness Sasha and Logan’s story. There is so much to explore in this world and I’m delighted to read every single one of them!

[Lailah · Rating 4 out of 5]

After binge reading the previous two books in the light & shadow series, it was nice that this one followed a different couple but was still including characters we already know.

I loved Sasha and how he learns to be comfortable within himself and his sexuality, how he isn’t afraid to fight back, he experiences a lot of trauma and I believe he handled it how a lot of people would. Also loved that I could relate to his passions, being creative, playing piano.

I kinda fell for Logan, from how he is with his mum and then how he cares so much about Sasha, it’s so cute. Also the fact that he learnt a little Russian so he can nickname Sasha in Russian, ladies and gentlemen get you a man or woman that if they don’t speak the same language either gives you a nickname in theirs or learns a nickname in your language. Why are foreign nicknames so attractive? Anyway 😂 Logan he may be all muscle but he’s a big softie.

The plot's pacing was good and it kept you just wanting to read more of the story. The only thing was the overuse of ‘bloody’ and ‘mate’, as a British person I can happily say they aren’t used as much as it is in this book, but it doesn’t take anything away from the story.

Overall there was a good amount of comedy blended in, it was emotional, funny and just the right amount of tension.
----------------------
Quotes I Love

💥Emotions swell in my chest, threatening to spill over with each sip of the colourful liquid–a poor substitute for the taste of home.
What is home anyway?
Where is it?

💥“See, you can have fun,” I tease him
“Maybe,” he concedes, the corner of his mouth quirking up. “But don’t think I’m going to start dancing on tables.”
“Pity,” I shoot back
“Maybe another time,”
“Promise?” I challenge, locking eyes with him.
“Maybe,” he replies again, and it’s not a no.

💥“Thanks for coming to get me,” I finally mumble.
“I’d have come even if you were on the moon.”

💥 "Besides, Vlad’s the one paying my salary. I just can’t do that.”
“Being employed by Vlad didn’t stop you from liking it when I sucked your d!ck, now did it?”
“Brat,” I choke out. “Eat your eggs before they get cold.”
He laughs softly and picks up his fork...

[Ryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review

Full disclosure, this is the first book by this Authors I have ever read.

Starting out I was a bit confused by the writing. I am not super knowledgeable about Mafia and dark or forbidden romance, but it seemed far more romantic in language then I anticipated. But once I adjusted to it, I really enjoyed the writing style. The absolute romantic way N.N. Britt writes is like mashing your classic romance novel with the grittier Mafia romances.

Logan is your pretty standard ex-cop. Kicked off the force for taking the fall for a fellow officer, he has turned to contract work. This lands him as the personal bodyguard for one Sasha. While Sasha's family, now lead by his older brother Vlad, has fingers in the dark and dirty; Sasha has been kept away as much as possible. Until an attempt is made and Vlad basically panics.

I really liked Sasha and Vlad pointing out Logan's very American style of thinking. A lot of things that seemed second nature or no brainier were more complicated for the Russian family.

If you are the kind of person who skips prologues, Do. not. skip. this. prologue! It is important and a sucker punch to the gut. Seriously impactful writing.

Overall, I really liked this one! If you are not sure if Mafia romance is your thing, this bodyguard/client book may be a good way to dip your toes into it.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alexander (Sasha) is the youngest brother of Vlad Solovey, who had taken over as Crime boss after his father died. Sasha thought he was safe living in London until he wasn't. Forced to move for his own protection, he had to give up on his dream, come to terms with his loss and try and connect with a brother who he had not had much contact with.
Logan is a disgraced cop now a muscle for hire. hired to protect Sasha. Swallowing his pride as he needed the money. Logan has his hands full trying to protect Sasha.
I liked these two from the start. Sasha whilst came across as a spoiled brat, he had his reason. It didn't help that he was attracted to Logan. I loved that Logan never gave into Sasha's tantrums, standing his ground, sticking to his mission.
But as the story progress, you follow them as they reach an understanding, Logan fighting his attraction to Sasha and the moment he realises that he wanted Sasha and both trying to hide their relationship from Sasha's brother.
Like Isaac and Dallas this book is full of action, fast paced, shock when more secrets were revealed, wanting to give Sasha hugs when you learnt more about his life. Not wanting to go to work as the tension builds in the story, but knowing that you had to wait to see how it ends until you get home. I am really enjoying this world that NN Britt has build and want to explore more

[Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third in the series but can be read as a standalone.

Sasha is happy and ready to graduate when something happens to change his whole life. Instead of being a carefree college guy he all of a sudden is living with his older brother and feeling like a prisoner.

Logan is an ex-cop who has his hands full trying to pay his mother’s medical bills. Every day he is faced with another dilemma of how to cover all the bills and how to accept that his mom is not getting better. Then he is offered a job protecting one of the city’s mafia boss’s brother. He is torn but he needs the money.

When Logan first meets Sasha he finds himself dealing with what he thinks is a spoiled, rich brat. Sasha is doing his best to get Logan to quit and goes out of his way to frustrate him as much as possible.

I love the interaction between Sasha and Logan and later Sasha’s brother Vlad. The story kept moving making it hard to put down. I think the author did an excellent job of describing the background of the characters and the ending made the story complete. I’m hoping to read Vlad’s story.

[Emma Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unspoken is an intoxicating mix of danger, forbidden romance, and raw emotion that had me hooked from the first page. Logan, the brooding ex-cop, and Sasha, the sharp-tongued but vulnerable mafia scion, are an explosive pairing. Their chemistry sizzles, but what really drew me in was the way their relationship unfolded—intense, tender, and undeniably risky.
The alternating POVs pulled me deep into their minds, making their struggles and desires feel incredibly real. Logan’s battle with his past and Sasha’s fight to prove he’s more than a spoiled little brother added layers of depth to their forbidden connection. And the stakes? Sky-high. The looming threat of betrayal or death kept my heart racing.
This book isn’t just a romance; it’s a masterclass in tension, loyalty, and self-discovery wrapped in a gritty, mafia-laden world. Whether you’re new to the series or already a fan, Unspoken will leave you breathless and yearning for more.

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

[Kaitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book I finished in the new year! And what a great way to start.

This is such a sweet story in the midst of the Vegas underworld and the Russian mafia. I really adored watching Logan and Sasha fall in love and I honestly devoured this in the span of two days.

I’m already a fan of N.N. Britt and her work, especially the Light & Shadow series and this was another great addition.

I loved Sasha’s fierce spirit and Logan’s protective streak when it came to him. They had so much chemistry, but it was a bit of a slow burn to get to the point where they acted on it. I really loved the plot revolving around the hit out on Sasha’s life and the danger they faced because of it. I also really enjoyed Sasha’s brother Vlad quite a bit. I wouldn’t mind having a book about him so we get to know more about what we see in this book.

And of course the little callbacks to the couple in the previous books had me smiling. I’m glad they still have their happy ending.

[Shifty Bugger · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book I was hooked from the start until the very end, the story was written well and the characters were sensational. This story was about Logan, and Sasha, Logan, is an ex-cop and now he works for a security company as a bodyguard he needed money to pay bills, Vlad Solovey, organised Logan to look after his brother Sasha. Sasha, has lived a horrible life his father had said nasty things to him and the same as his men. When the men met they only had eyes for each other, they went out to a club then Sasha had a argument with his brother he took off with one of the cars and straight to a bar then he was kidnapped.

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

[Elaine Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sasha is excited to graduate college, but his life takes an unexpected turn when he is forced to move in with his older brother, Logan, and feels trapped. Logan, an ex-cop, is struggling to manage his mother's medical bills while facing the reality that she isn't getting better. In need of money, Logan accepts a job protecting the brother of a mafia boss, a decision that weighs heavily on him.

When Logan meets Sasha, he sees a spoiled, rich young man, and Sasha does everything he can to frustrate Logan. Despite their friction, the interactions between Sasha, Logan, and later Sasha's brother, Vlad, are engaging and keep the story moving quickly. The author does an excellent job developing the characters' backstories, and the satisfying ending ties everything together. This is the third book in the Light & Shadow series and I'm looking forward to the next one.

[Anne Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant Read
Wow what a book I couldn’t put it down.
Logan had been through so much and the ill health of his mother was the only reason he would work for the Russian, to pay for his mothers treatment. But he wasn’t ready for Sasha. He young man who he was protecting. The innocent man who had no idea of what his brother was doing now he run the family after the murder of his father. The brothers had no idea how to communicate. Sasha had been sent to the uk to study many years ago but after someone tried to kill him he had to return to Las Vegas. Sasha was hiding who he was, worried his brother would kill him if he found out.
Sasha didn’t want a bodyguard he wanted to return to England. But meeting Logan and finally seeing who he really was changed everything.
This is a story that will grab your heart. The passion and connection Logan and Sasha share is tingling beautiful. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

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

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 ⭐️

Thank you to the author for allowing me to review an ARC of this book!

TROPES:
💥 MM Mafia romance
💥 Bodyguard x client’s younger brother
💥 “teach me” 🔥
💥 Age gap
💥 Morally Gray Characters
💥 Action (🔫)
💥 …and so much more!

Honestly Logan and Sasha are wonderfully complex characters and I adored the dual POV. They were great together and the tension/slow burn for the first portion of the book was *chef’s kiss*

I hope to read a book about Vlad in the future, actually!! He piqued my interest!

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one.
Not as much as the previous two books in this series, but still a good read.
I didn’t feel the same heat with Logan and Sasha as the previous couple, but their dynamic was still interesting and kind of sweet.
I enjoyed learning more about the world these books are set in and it was fun to hear some familiar names.
I really enjoy the authors writing style and get engrossed in the story straight away. Always love reading their books!
If you’re after a MM romance with mafia undercurrent that’s not too dark this could be a good fit for you.

[ThoroughRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unspoken was an easy-to-read and enjoy forbidden MM Romance between Sasha and his bodyguard Logan. I'm an absolute sucker for the "fallen-from-grace" cop/detective trope, so I went into the book with high hopes and wasn't disappointed. I haven't read the first two books in the series, but after reading this, I will circle back to read the others. Sasha and Logan's romance made sense and I liked reading how vulnerable they were with each other as their relationship developed despite the threats.

[Priscilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Logan in desperate needs of a better paying job in order to pay for his mother's medical bills, ends up being the bodyguard to the bratty younger brother of a crime lord. Sasha just had a traumatic event with his best friend being caught in the crossfire. The story was pretty touching as the two bond over losing their parents and slowly become close. It was a really good story.

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

[୨୧ Chanel ୨୧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

6/5 stars, I'll be back to give a full review at some point but once again absolutely incredible writing and story. I love this couple so much! I thought Dallas and Isaac would be pretty hard to beat but these two definitely were a leveled match. This author is becoming pretty much an auto-buy for me, I literally checked for this release every week even though I knew it was on the 12th lol. I'm begging for a vlad book please!

[Jennifer Ervine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Dallas and Isaac’s duet, so I was pleasantly surprised when I realized a third book was published. Logan and Sasha’s story was just as amazing. A mafia romance, a bodyguard romance, a dom/brat romance, and an angsty MM coming out romance all rolled up into one passionate story. There was so much pent up emotion on both sides, that when they finally took the step, the spice was spicing. And the “sweet boy”…Gets. Me. Every. Time. I was also loving Vlad’s character arc. 🥰

[Marianitaxoxo · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is NO reason it took me as much time as it did to read this book, normally I would have devoured a book like this in 2 hours max, yet it took me 5 DAYS!!! That’s crazy.

This book is a… cute book? I don’t know, but it was definitely a hurt-comfort book that was supposed to be cute.

If you’re planning to read this book then please don’t let my review discourage you from doing so, but just keep in mind it’s quite slow in the beggining and the feelings kinda just hit our characters out of nowhere one drunken night…

[Saskia Veldhuis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was happy that there would be more books in this series as the original duet was excellent. I didn't feel quite the intensity between the characters as in the first two books. The MCs were really complex characters and had a lot of interesting and unexpected layers. The plot was fairly predictable but was really full of action and had a good pace. I hope there will be more stories to follow.

[la review bleu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This whole series is absolutely amazing. The story is intriguing and captivated me immediately. I loved Logan. He is such a wonderful written and well-developed character. It's action packed, the attraction between Logan and Sasha is irresistible, the feelings and all. And finally, an author who puts a glossary in the book if they use a different language. YES! Thank you!
PS: I love Vlad.

[Cynthia Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Logan was a cop who took the fall for his partner, now he's a bodyguard for hire. He gets a job to protect Sasha, the brother of a mafia boss. A rival of his brother wants Sasha dead so his brother hires Logan to protect him. They have a rocky start but once they get to know each other something blooms between them. I really enjoyed this book.

[Stephanie · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. I’m so sad I didn’t enjoy this and couldn’t finish. I’ve read previous works by this author and loved them. The plot was definitely there but what ruined it for me was the amount of metaphors. It felt like they were used every other sentence and completely disrupted my reading flow. They were long, clunky and unnecessary. Also the British dialog 🙈

This one just wasn’t for me unfortunately.

[Amanda Reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unspoken is the third book in the Light & Shadows series and can be read as a standalone. This is an age gap, mafia, morally grey read about the mob boss' younger brother Sasha and bodyguard Logan. I loved this book, all the characters and the storyline.

[Lorraine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wasn’t for me 🤷🏾‍♀️

For some reason I just couldn’t connect with Logan and Sasha. I didn’t feel any chemistry between them and everything was predictable and boring.