This dark mafia arranged marriage story had strong Jekyll and Hyde vibes. When Eliza’s father struck a deal with a powerful mafia family, her defiant nature was no match for the arrangement—her hand in marriage was the price. Before she could process what was happening, she was trapped like a caged bird in a haunting gothic mansion, bound to a man who seemed to possess two completely different sides.
When it came to Roman Volkov, Eliza never knew which side of him she would face—Jekyll or Hyde. He was either cold, aloof, and indifferent or brash and violent. Neither version seemed particularly desirable, and I couldn’t help but question what was really going on beneath the surface.
From the seemingly haunted manor to Roman’s unpredictable personality shifts and the mysterious death of his ex-wife, I was constantly on edge, trying to unravel the twist. I admired Eliza’s strategic approach—rather than fighting every battle, she learned to pick her moments, playing the role to bide her time and plan her escape. But the longer she stayed, the more she was drawn into Roman’s dangerous games, and it became clear that she, too, had a darker side waiting to be unleashed.
I only managed to guess the twist right before it was revealed—and what a fantastic twist it was! And then there was the spice. Phew, fans myself. It started off as a bit of a slow burn, but the buildup was absolutely worth it. By the end… oh my! Let’s just say, if you love those kinds of scenes, you’re in for a treat. But you’ll have to read it to find out.
This was a great introduction to Primer’s storytelling. For me, the darkness had the usual mafia-esque feel, but keep in mind—this is a dark romance through and through.