At His Mercy

by Maria Monroe

He doesn't just act like he owns me. He knows he does.

When my infuriatingly sexy boss bent me over my desk and spanked my bare ass, I took it like a good girl for him, and not just because he's the heir to the most powerful mafia family in the city.

I took what he gave me because I didn't have a choice... and because of the way he looks at me.

His eyes roam over me like he's envisioning my virgin body bucking and writhing beneath him as he shows me how hard a woman like me is meant to come for a man like him.

And he wants me to know it.

Publisher's  At His Mercy is a standalone romance. It includes spankings and rough, intense sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don't buy this book. es. If such material offends you, please don't buy this book.

227 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 14, 2024

About the author

Maria Monroe writes smart, sexy, and sometimes very dark romance. She lives outside Chicago.

Reviews

[evieo17 · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first read from this author and it was good.

[Stats23 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ivy truly was caught between a rock (corrupt government agent) and a hard place (the Aurelius Mafia). The government agent, Wilson, was using her grandmother’s wellbeing as a form of blackmail to have Ivy spy on the Aurelius family and dig into their files. The Aurelius mafia was using her to do deep dive research for them, working closely with Axel. The duplicity was putting her in grave danger. The more each entity learned about what she was doing, the more each of them wanted her dead. Were it not for an unexpected romantic involvement with Alex, she wouldn’t have had a chance. Alex was not an easy man to get along with, he was a mafia heir to the throne and he was also a self-described sadist. How their relationship evolved was exciting, exhilarating, painful and erotic. The plot and action was intense, and the sex scenes even more so. A hard hitting story all around. An engrossing, entertaining erotically sensual read. 5 Stars.

[Brooke Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kinda instalovey/lusty

It's set in a weird time. Like if The Fifth Element and I, Robot had a love child. Flying cars, cars that drive themselves, cameras everywhere, robots for doctors, super advanced technology.

Ivy is stuck between a rock and a hard place. She's trying to get her grandmother better healthcare so she became an informant for the government trying to get information on the Aurelius mafia family. Axel is the enforcer for the family and finds out about her snooping and does some bad shit to her at first. Like check trigger warnings because he's not nice. It's not BDSM. It's a beating. She's terrified and there is no aftercare. He even admits this.

They fall in love and have to take on the people who want them both dead. There was a lot going on and it was hard to keep track of at times. There were some plot holes but I followed for the most part and it kept my attention.

[Debbie Lyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not Bad!

This story is dark, intense, mystery and secerts.Ivy is hired to do some top secert stuff with Axel but she already knows she is in too deep when a guy name Wilson ask questions about his company, but she needs the money for her grandma care,so she over looks and works for both.Now Axel's uncle Victor wants him to emulated her but it's too late,he has got feelings for her and so he trys to keep her hidden.Wilson keeps asking for updates and he has become to be a problem and must be taken out.Victor knows that Axel lied to him,he didn't take out Ivy.Victor is acting strange,he kidnapped Ivy after he couldn't fine certain papers and he threatens Axel with Ivy's life if doesn't produce the papers.It finally turns out in Axel and Ivy's favor and Ivy even has her grandma with her again!

[Happyscribe · Rating 4 out of 5]

First thing - read the trigger warnings before diving into this book. The story gets quite brutal at points with NonCon feeling scenarios which didn’t sit well with me. It seemed the characters took too big leaps in emotion and or commitment and I needed more development between the to be able to be okay with the scenarios that played out.

Very fast paced read with unexp3cted twists to keep you guessing.

Don’t get me wrong - this author is a strong writer with colourfully drawn characters but just not enough time is spent on the page revealing them to us.

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

[Kay Folks · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF - 51%

I actually like the mix of mafia and future setting, it worked ok.

What I didn’t like and why I just could bring myself to finish was the amount of pressure she was under from both sides - the corrupt government official and the family themselves. Both sides will kill her and her grandmother if she doesn’t do what they want. She is seen as a pawn, someone disposable by both sides - this was just too much and over the top.
Plus I just really disliked Axel, while he doesn’t kill despite being ordered to, he goes so far past the line when punishing her, leaving her bruised and without aftercare. The next night she is terrified of him doing the same again.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ivy was working remotely for the Aurelius Empire but she was been forced to inform on them by a corrupt government agent. Then Axel is told that Ivy will need to work with him on a project. He is attracted to her but he should resist the temptation as he might have to dispose of her. Things start to come apart when Axel is told to kill her but he wants to keep her safe. What is happening in the Aurelius Empire that Axel is meant to be inheriting in two years?

This book is set in a slightly dystopian world.

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

[Rose J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this author work. Her characters are unapologetically tough and things can dance on the line for the most parts. Alex seems cruel and uncompromising but he redeemed himself later. Ivy is sweet, loyal and devoted toward the people she cares about. There was a roller-coaster of emotions throughout the story but the end made it completely worth it. Recommended!.

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

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Axel and Ivy's dark and entertaining romance. This book has suspense, action, danger, secrets, kidnapping and excitement. The two main characters are written really well.

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

[Brenda A · Rating 1 out of 5]

0

The story and plot is very weak the writing and situations are unrealistic. I don't mind a dark alpha male even a little Spanking .The abuse in this book is taken too far. Bruises, whipping and beating until the skin is broken, forced anal sex. MMC does not stop even when she screams it hurts stop, it's actually very upsetting. I do not understand how this could be called a romanceI would pass this book up and look for an actual Romance a real romance.

[Sam Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read

I liked the characters and premise, I struggled a little with the futuristic setting as it straddled the line between the future and quite current but that's just my taste insetting. Well written.

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

[Lisa A · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good…
Ivy, a freelance hacker, entered the world of the Aurelius Empire as a pawn without truly understanding the duplicitous machinations of the key players. Axel Aurelius is a stern taskmaster and not someone that takes betrayal lightly… I received a free copy of this book. This review was posted voluntarily.

[Lindsay 🐈📚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I was not expecting how it was going to play out. I read this during the holiday season and it’s all I could think of. It was giving me Beauty and the Beast (falling in-love with captor) and Haunting Adeline vibes. Thats all. All positive thoughts.

[Teddi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure how to review this one. It was weird. Not bad weird.. but different weird. Do I regret reading it? No. Do I recommend it? Yes. It was heavy on the impact play for sure. Maybe too much? 🤷‍♀️ I couldn’t really connect with either MC.. so that’s a me thing. Give it a try.
3🌟 3🌶️

[Amber Keehn · Rating 4 out of 5]

At His Mercy was a gritty, dark and adventurous read with plot twists to keep the reader engaged. A dystopian back drop, along with a lot of spice, made this book unputdownable!

[Sammi Chev]

DNF pretty early on. Would’ve liked some warning that this was going to be in a futuristic setting. I just couldn’t get past the weirdness of the setting.

[Diane · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just not my thing. Really couldn't get into it lost interest and just didn't care so stopped reading. DNF.