Shot For Mercy

by Shae Ruby

After a stint in prison, I want to get back to my life. A new one.

With him.

Emiliano Colombo is my best friend’s dad, and I’ve been in love with him for years. But he doesn’t even notice me. Not the way I want him to. With nothing left to lose, I will stop at nothing to make him mine. Even at the risk of my friendship with his son.

He doesn’t know it yet, but he will be mine.

It’s been three long years since our feud with the Sokolov’s started, and now we’re going head to head once more. They want payback for what landed me in prison, and I’m out for blood, ready to put an end to this war.

Who will come out the winner?


Shot For Mercy is an angsty M/M mafia romance with high spice and high stakes.

Some tropes

-Best friend's dad
-Age gap
-Revenge
-Found family
-Unrequited love
-Bi awakening

Genres: M M Romance, Dark Romance, Romance, LGBT, Found Family, Dark, Contemporary

330 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 27, 2025

About the author

Author of dark romance & toxic love.
Sometimes diverse.

International Bestselling Author in five different countries, Shae Ruby spends their time writing, mostly queer, books that make you feel. Shae's stories come from deep within their bleeding heart, and they let the drops flow into their words.

Shae is represented by Lunar Literary Agency.

For all subsidiary rights, contact Angie Ojeda-Hazen.

Connect with me!

Facebook Reader Group: rubysdarkling

Facebook Page: authorshaeruby

Instagram: @authorshaeruby

TikTok: @authorshaeruby

Goodreads: authorshaeruby

Goodreads: authorshaeruby

Reviews

[Stefi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this book, but I couldn’t. There was so much potential, especially in the first few chapters. The setup had me fully gripped, the stakes were high, and I was all in.

But things unraveled quickly. The storytelling was riddled with inconsistencies, the characters weren’t fleshed out enough to feel real, and worst of all, their decisions and thought processes made no sense. You never get to know them well enough for them to feel relatable.

Stacked on top of that was the lack of physical descriptions of both characters and settings. The world felt empty, missing the atmosphere and immersion it needed. The characters were flat and lacked the personality to make them stand out.

The writing style didn’t help either. The pacing was choppy, with events unfolding too abruptly and without enough development. Emiliano and Cole even contradicted themselves within a few paragraphs at times, which only made the narrative feel more disjointed. The heavy focus on spice didn’t do the book any favors either. It was so frequent that it became repetitive, and could’ve been substituted for more day-to-day interactions which would’ve shown how and why they fell so quickly. There’s no pining, getting to know one another and that leaves us with two MMCs controlled by their lust for each other.

Overall, while the book started strong, it lacked the cohesion, character development, and immersive world-building needed to truly deliver on its potential.

3/5 ⭐️

[babygyalreadit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Idk if Shae needs an alpha reader or what bc she is a good writer. I like the way her sentences flow and the way she describes things. What doesn’t hit is the pace and flow of her stories. This had a great start but then it went off the rails. Their connection came out of thin air. One minute Cole is 8 years old, then next he’s 18 and going to jail and then we fast forward 3 years he’s out and in love with Em? How? We don’t see anything that happens throughout the years for him to have fallen in love with Em. So we’re just supposed to believe he’s in love with him just because you say so? And to go to the lengths of ruining your friendship with your bestfriend out of something we can’t see? I won’t even touch on Em’s side of this connection cause there isn’t any reason he should even bat an eyelash at Cole.

One thing Shae is good at is smut and the dirty talking and she writes in a way that is addicting enough to get me to the end but the flow and story was all over the place and there was nothing in this book that could convince me these two men should have been together. They don’t even spend time together or have conversations. Clearly I was invested enough to finish the book but I think this needed someone to pick it apart and rework the flow of the story.

[Pisces]

I could taste my regret after the first two chapters.

[Seraphina Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

So messy and I’m here for it.
Shot For Mercy
Shae Ruby

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶

Best fiends dad
Age Gap
Found Family
Unrequited Love
Bi-Awakening

So messy and I’m here for it.
I received an arc for this book. Very thankful to Shae Ruby

Best friends dad gets me everything
You just know it will be messy

I’m not going to spoil anything for future readers
So giving a review without revealing the plot isn’t always easy

I loved this, hot, angsty, revenge, forbidden, age gap, best friends dad
It’s has everything

The tension between Cole and Emiliano was great. Their relationship develops quickly turning over the top but it clearly works for them, super hot

The set up for the plot was immediate which had me hooked right away.

The book progresses quickly and conflict between Cole and his best friend Matty sets the story up for intrigue. Rival mafia/ mob style

Cole knew what he wanted and Emiliano was mindful, he tried to do the right thing by his son
I do wish we eventually get a book with Matty as his plot line in the end feel abrupt and I have questions

The spice was spicing but an added bonus of jealousy and possessiveness….. yesss
Cole was determined lol

I’m interested to see how the characters develop in the coming books
It’s a great book and I’m definitely looking forward to the others in the series

[ash[hearts]angst · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oooooof this book was so messy and I was so here for it! I haven't read a best friends dad book in a hot minute and this satisfied all of my cravings.

Off the bat I knew that I was going to love Cole. You could tell that he really cared about his childhood best friend Matteo, from his actions and how he's always thinking about him. The lines between them are past the point of blurry, and this complicates everything but makes the story that much better.

But Cole with Emiliano, Matteo's father? HOT HOT HOT. The fact that Cole has been in love with Emiliano for years and finally snaps and confronts him about it is WILD. Like, that's the Italian DON, and Cole's just like yup take me or leave me buddy. Of course Emiliano struggles with this, because he knows his son Matteo is in love with Cole. Butttt that's not enough for daddy dearest to stop. That's when things get so messy but so good. The spice was so yummy between these two, and takes up a majority of the book.

The world building was there, and the ending clearly shows more books coming focusing on each of Emilianos brothers. They are certainly an interesting bunch for being heads of the mafia, and if I didn't know that part, I wouldn't have even guessed. But, we shall see how each brother unfolds.

I did take a star away because of some writing issues. Cole is talked about like he is the life of the party and loves attention, but that description didn't match up with his actions in my opinion. I got more of a reckless, hot head vibe. He's super quick on the trigger (literally) but I wouldn't say the life of the party.

Still a super fun fun with medium angst and hot hot heat.

[Layy 📚✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had the privilege to be able to ARC this book for Indie Author Shae Ruby. I believe in total transparency, so let’s talk.

Cole was not my favorite. I think he was a bad best friend to Matteo and expected so many things to go his way, but knew they weren’t. He knew he needed to tell his best friend, but instead he let him find out in such a grimy way. He wouldn’t really accept that Matteo needed space. He always wanted him around, he wanted things to remain the same even if he KNEW that wasn’t possible. I was getting so tired of Cole’s insecurities and inner monologue.

I didn’t believe the romance between Em and Cole. All of a sudden he comes home from prison and then Cole comes into him, and now he likes him? They fell in love way too fast and there was no real chemistry between the two. 60% of this book was the Matteo, Cole, and Em show of miscommunication, crying, f*cking, stubbornness, not talking it out and more crying. This just wasn’t a true mafia feel. This felt like an overdramatized MM romance.

I gave it 3 stars bc the action scenes were good and I was thoroughly entertained by the Colombo brothers. Their dynamic was hilarious and it kept me going. Matteo is super petty and I have a feeling there’s more to his story than what we saw. I hope we get to see it because I’m genuinely curious. I can tell Alex and his husband are also going to be a grumpy x sunshine trope and I’m intrigued!

Overall; this wasn’t a bad book. I just don’t think it gave true mafia vibes and I for one, don’t enjoy insta love and miscommunication tropes. I enjoyed it enough that I would definitely follow the next story in this world.

[peoniesandmm]

mmmm no thanks

[ashlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emiliano + Cole

-mm mafia romance
-best friend’s dad
-revenge plot
-hurt/comfort
-age gap

man oh man oh man...shae...hahahha you made this MESSSYYYYY!! the connections with the son & dad just added so much to the drama...literally even to THE VERY ENDDDD!! but omg i ATE! IT! UP!! wow! cole was crazy obsessed with his besties daddy forEVERRRR & knew he was gonna get his man!! haha they were hottt!!

[Jodzreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so torn on this story.
🌟🌟🌟🌟
🌶🌶🌶🌶
Cole has been in loved with his best friends dad Emiliano but his best friend Matteo is in love with Cole. The love triangle is pretty messy and I found myself feeling very sad for Matteo. I also got very frustrated with Cole on how he lead Matteo on so many times. I found myself just wanting know how Matteo is and will he find his happily ever after.
Emiliano is a mafia boss but he not a hard man he showed alot of emotions for Cole, which i didn't mind. It was obviously they were in love with eachother and the sex scene were hot as.
I can't wait to read about Alex and Nickolay
Thanks Shae for allowing me to read an ARC copy

[ʚ⋅ɞ .ᐟㅤem. · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5 ⭐⭐⭐
4 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

A book that started so well, had TONS of potential, and I was so eager for it, but it let me down with each passing chapter. 😓

I could start by saying that Emiliano didn't make sense to me the entire time of the book. His emotions and thoughts were scattered all over the place; it felt like the roles were reversed, and he was the younger and reckless one between him and Cole. And I wouldn't find that hard to digest if his decisions made sense in the slightest. But everything he did was jealousy-based. I doubt he had genuine feelings for Cole from the start. Yes, he found him attractive, but he treated him so cheaply. One moment, he's calling their night together a mistake. The next moment, he goes to his brothers, talks to them about it, confesses that he may want Cole more than he should, and after they encourage him to "go get his boy," he simply does that??? What happened to all the insecurities, and where did they vanish?

And another thing that stepped on my nerves was the fact that Emiliano never did ANYTHING to protect Cole. He went to jail FOR Emiliano and his family because it was "the only way," and the only thing that Emiliano did was to say, "This means war" towards the Russians. But did he do something? No, nothing at all. He didn't even pay him visits while being in jail, and you mean to tell me when Cole gets out, Emiliano starts to feel attracted to him all of a sudden???

Everything happened way too fast, and the amount of inconsistency from chapter to chapter felt pretty bad. The characters didn't even process their emotions before jumping on each other so mindlessly, or simply jumping to bad decisions. The whole book was based on bad decisions only. I wish there was more to it than just "I'm confused but I want you anyway, so I'm taking you right here because you're mine, but I'm not taking any step towards you romantically because our relationship is a mistake." Cole took more responsibility for his actions (as bad as they were), though. He knew exactly what he wanted, but he was treated poorly from the start. After that, when Emiliano caught feelings and started begging for Cole's attention and affection, something stopped me from believing him.

Another disappointing aspect was how things were handled with Matteo. He could have been treated with actual care, especially after catching his dad and the man he loved in the middle of doing the nasty, but I felt like his feelings were constantly neglected and minimized, so the feelings between the main characters were pushed upwards in all their toxic glory. It felt like neither Emiliano nor Cole cared about Matteo, choosing each other selfishly.

The entire idea of this book was truly amazing, but the way it was handled... not so much.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastically messy- I loved it. Mafia, age gap, best friends dad MM romance. The plot and banter were enjoyable, and the spice 🥵. Loved this book

[Readbookswithcats · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel confused… I went in, loving the premise and the plot and the characters were very interesting, but I was left confused. I really can’t tell if I liked it… like, I like a chunk of the journey but there is parts with Cole and the other MCs son, Mattie, that are hard to read. I think there is a HEA.. maybe. I don’t know. It didn’t leave on a cliffhanger but it does set you up for more books- prob of the other characters storylines. I don’t think I will truly know how I feel till it’s all out, cause right now I am confused.
So, yeah, I was confused! lol

[Gina Roma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shot for Mercy by Shae Ruby hit me in ways I didn’t see coming. From the very first page, Cole and Emiliano had me hooked with that messy mix of chaos, need, and raw pain. It’s one of those books where the tension eats you alive and you just can't stop reading because you have to know what’s next.

Cole and Emiliano are two souls crashing into each other in the middle of all the wrong circumstances. Cole’s got that rebellious, reckless vibe going on, and it clashes perfectly with Emiliano, who’s ready to do anything for him. Their dynamic is chaos and a total rollercoaster.

Their story is so full of tension it keeps you right on the edge, dragging you along with them whether you're ready or not.

Shae doesn’t sugarcoat anything. The emotional scars, the addictions, the messy kind of love, it’s all raw and real. And that dark mafia vibe adds even more intensity to everything.

The growth is real, painful and honest, and you feel their battles and their desperate need for something better.

I'm still replaying some scenes in my head because they just hit that deep.
Absolutely fascinating from start to finish.

[Cesco · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot, but it’s not one that I think I will ever look back on and actually remember the plot.

The spice is great and the characters are likeable, but there are a lot of elements that don’t add up or we're asked to excuse as readers.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

A forbidden mafia romance, with a 15 year age gap, and a kinda sorta love triangle…SIGN ME UP! This book was so messy, but in the best way! Boy loves best friends dad, best friend loves boy…..what could go wrong. Cole and Emiliano are a top notch couple. Equal parts possessive and obsessed with each other. And per usual for me, I get sucked in by the side characters…..Emiliano’s brothers! Im already dying for the next book!

Thank you for the ARC

[MeMe · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Forbidden mafia MM romance, you say?** An age gap involving a best friend's father. A possessive bisexual awakening. If these themes appeal to you, this book is perfect. The chemistry between the protagonists is intense, and if you're seeking some heat, Shae Ruby delivers throughout, with a significant amount of spice, complemented by elements of violence and torture. The narrative is filled with drama, and the dual point of view effectively conveys the characters' emotions regarding the unfolding events. Additionally, there’s a major twist that I won’t reveal—you’ll have to read it for yourself to uncover.

[Lizz_reads._ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shae ruby never disappoints with her MM books !!!!! 😍 This one was just the right about of forbidden i needed in my life right now. Heheheh🤭🤭 I had been looking forward to reading this one and Shae ruby ate 😌😌

Let’s talk about Cole. I’m an absolutely obsessed with that man!! What i really liked about him that he has an unhinged side but also has a cute side which made his character really special to me. 🥺❤️ I love how unhinged and possessive this guys is for his man and would do anything also loved how bratty he was lmao 🤣 we all deserve a friend like Cole in our life. He’s the bestest friend you can have !!🥺❤️

Onto Emiliano he’s just hot stuff!❤️‍🔥 This man has me in a chokehold as-well. He’s a mafia don but also a possessive man when it comes to his guy which of course I loved 😍😍 One thing I loved and that made me laugh was his jealousy lol 😂 he got jealous so quickly also over silly things it was laughable and cute at the same time. 🤍 I loved how insecurity was portrayed through his character it was very well done.


Overall the entire book has my entire heart❤️ also I can’t wait for the next book cause the teaser we got !? Holy molly book 2 is gonna have me in a chokehold as-well. 😍

❤️‍🔥Tropes❤️‍🔥

MM mafia romance
Bi awakening
Age gap
Revenge
Unrequited love
Best friend’s dad
Found family

[Julian Escobar · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I gave 4/5 ⭐️ because the first 40-50% was so good. The tension between the two MMC’s was delicious and the angst of the son of one MMC being in love with the other MMC was fire. I can’t really put my finger on what happened after that. It’s almost as if the spice took over and the plot dropped off. Shae Ruby had all the main plot points there but there was no lead up to them. It was like “main plot point” then “spice” then “another main plot point” then “spice” with no character building or filler in between for the last 50%.

**SPOILER**
It also makes no sense that Matteo ends up married WHILE still actively pining after/trying to convince Cole to leave Emiliano and be with him. Like…what? That whole thing would’ve made more sense if Matteo had met his love interest, a surgeon, when Cole was in the hospital at like 90% instead of in Vegas around 50%. I’m still trying to wrap my head around that and the fact that Cole admits to being IN love with Matteo at 85% and is still visibly upset at the end when we’re introduced to Matteo’s husband. It was giving “should’ve been a poly romance” vibes.


Overall, a bit disappointed in the ending but still a good story.

[Damien Kade · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. The story was amazing. It grabbed me by the balls and just would not let go. The way the emotions and the chaos blended so well together had me on the edge of my seat. At some points I was even gripping my tablet trying to yell at the characters. I will give no spoilers.

Both POV’s gave insight to the feelings and the thought process to both characters. You could see the conflict, the uncertainty and the resignation. Even in the depths of the storyline it was so easy to really understand these emotions as a reader. Being able to put yourself in the place of the characters and feel what they were feeling. Something I find hard to come by with most multiple pov books.

I will have this book on my shelf. I NEED it on my shelf. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

I want to say thank you to Shae Ruby for allowing me to be one of many Arc readers. Giving me the opportunity to take part in such an amazing story. It did not disappoint.

Of course everyone has their own opinions on what they read but this is mine.

📚- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, I need book 2 now please

KU Read
318 Pages
Dark Mafia Romance
MM
Forbidden
Age Gap
Best Friends Father
Bi-Awakening

This is an awesome start to what looks to be a great series and I am already salivating for book 2. The contrasts of the cold hard mafia men melting for each other was what had me hooked as well as the playful dynamic between the brothers whom I hope all get their own stories. I am eager and waiting for them.
Cole and Emilio's story starts with darkness and has a massive complication in the shape of Matteo, Coles best friend and Ems son, who is one year younger than Cole and has been in love with him for years even tho Cole doesn't feel the same. It's a whole load of complicated and true to alpha men syndrome they all get pretty possessive, protective and downright cave-man-ish over each other.
The plot is good, characters are lovable and the spice is spicing with the promise of more with sequels. It's definitely worth a read of you like your MM dark.

[369Pages · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️

A forbidden mafia romance which includes the following wild themes:

Best friend’s dad, age gap (15 years), violence, a love triangle between a father/adopted son/his actual son, a wild amount of drama between them, arson, kidnapping, torture, possessiveness, questionable decision making, questionable morals, questionable parenting, questionable relationships, and a LOT of spicy scenes.

The writing style includes a lot of narration about events, and has a lot of the characters narrating feelings as well. The romance happens quickly and suddenly, leaving a lot of space for spice through the book. It’s like 50% spice, I’m pretty sure.

One thing I liked about the characters was that the mafia boss older character, Emiliano, wasn’t the stereotypical macho top with no vulnerability. He’s definitely flawed and that made their dynamic interesting!

This book is definitely for fans of high spice and enjoy dram and the violence of a mafia book.

[Felicia Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shot for Mercy is an emotional rollercoaster that pulls you in from the very first page. Shae Ruby does an amazing job creating characters that feel real—messy, flawed, but so easy to root for. The story moves at a great pace, balancing intense moments with softer, more heartfelt scenes.

What really stands out is how the book handles tough topics with honesty but also a sense of hope. It doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff, but it doesn’t drown you in it either. If you like stories about resilience, second chances, and complicated but beautiful relationships, this one’s definitely worth picking up.

Overall, Shot for Mercy is a heartfelt, gripping read that stays with you after you finish. Definitely recommend it!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book follows the MMC's Cole, Emiliano and Matteo. This is a forbidden mafia romance which explores the tropes of the best friend's dad, age gap, and a love triangle between a father and son.

So holy shit...............I loved this book so much. It was well written and so captivating. It had me on the edge of my seat. Cole was in love with Emiliano (Matteo's father) while Matteo was in love with Cole. It had me in suspense until the moment where Matteo saw Cole and Emiliano together. And the mafia aspect was brilliant.

I just loved everything about this story. This was my first book I've read by Shae Ruby. I could feel the emotions throughout the entire story. The characters were messy and complex and I've never read an MM romance before but I really liked this book and the way it was written. The relationship between Matteo and Cole was toxic as Matteo could never forgive Cole for choosing his dad. Both Cole and Matteo were unhinged. And the spice in this book was incredible.

The banter between the brothers just added to the story as well, and I kind of hope in the future they get their own story. This entire book took me on such an emotional rollercoaster with plenty of twists and turns and I felt satisfied once I finished reading this book. I would definitely read this again.

[Jeff Muñoz · Rating 4 out of 5]

“He’s my best friend’s dad. I’ve loved him for years. Now that I’m free, I’ll stop at nothing to make him mine.”

The relationship between Cole and Emiliano is INTENSE — but in all the best ways!
Cole is stubborn, determined, and will do anything to get what he wants, making all the spicy 🌶️ scenes even hotter and leaving you desperate for more. But he also has such a sweet side when it comes to Matteo that completely melts your heart.

All the good spice!! The perfect way to pop your M/M Mafia cherry 🍒

[itsmeeeejessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Age Gap ✔️
Mafia ✔️
Best Friend’s dad ✔️
MM Romance ✔️

I knew this story was going to be messy from the beginning but OH.MY.GOD! The drama! I was gasping an audible “WHAT?!” every few chapters. I’m pretty sure I suffered emotional whiplash while reading this. That being said, the story did move fast. I personally would have enjoyed a bit more yearning and tension between Cole and Emiliano.

This book is very SPICY 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Such a fun read! I loved the story. I loved the characters. I loved the spice!

[Book.Dragon.Page1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by Shae Ruby and I enjoyed it so much!
There were a lot of spicy scenes and a fastpaced storyline. Cole and Emiliano were really fun characters and I'm looking forward to read about the rest of the family!
The only thing I didn't really enjoy was all the doubt Cole kept feeling about his feelings. And Matteo turned into a less fun character as well.... Hopefully he will het to redeem himself! Can't wait to read about him en a certain brother of Em's!

[Jeannette Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review

I liked this book but I didn’t love it. The storyline and pace was just too fast for me. It felt like the beginning just zipped right through Cole being a kid then right into adulthood to skipping another chunk of time. The spice was great in this book but the rest of it just fell flat.

[annas.bookcase · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/3

This story had so much potential but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The plot didn’t flow and at times felt chaotic and repetitive. I liked some of the story and was ready to give it 3 stars but then a character said he was “worse than a woman” and it really turned me off. I don’t think it was necessary to the character in that moment.











@annas.bookcase

[Toni Amey · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love an age gap mafia MM romance then this is a must read for you! It had everything I wanted in this book. It was super spicy and made me feel all the feels. I loved it and couldn’t put this book down once I started!

[Leilani Noack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here’s to another new author for me. I definitely love the chemistry between Cole and Emiliano only thing it felt like a love triangle. But in the end those two won and got everything they deserved. Loved the storyline and can’t wait for book 2.