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No Mercy: No Mercy Series Book One
No Mercy is classed as a 'Light' Dark Romance book. In this book let us introduce you to the Ashford Brothers who in time... will share their darker and deeper stories with you.
Eva’s life as a private investigator has always been dangerous, but never personal—until now.
When she takes a high-risk job following a mafia family, Eva finds herself tangled in a web of secrets far darker than she anticipated. What she doesn’t know is that Axel, an obsessive enforcer of the family, has been watching her every move. His obsession with her runs deep, but he plays a dangerous game, arranging for Eva to take on a new investigation which ends in betrayal — one she’s unaware was set in motion by Axel himself.
As Axel’s hidden feelings grow into a fierce love, the stakes skyrocket when he’s suddenly taken captive by a ruthless enemy. Desperate to save the man who’s haunted her thoughts, Eva teams up with his mafia brothers to pull off a daring rescue. But with loyalty and passion on the line, will Eva’s heart survive the violent underworld she’s plunged into?
In this dark romance, obsession turns to love, and danger turns to desire.
Eva and Axel's story is one of passion, betrayal, and the ultimate test of trust.
Eva’s life as a private investigator has always been dangerous, but never personal—until now.
When she takes a high-risk job following a mafia family, Eva finds herself tangled in a web of secrets far darker than she anticipated. What she doesn’t know is that Axel, an obsessive enforcer of the family, has been watching her every move. His obsession with her runs deep, but he plays a dangerous game, arranging for Eva to take on a new investigation which ends in betrayal — one she’s unaware was set in motion by Axel himself.
As Axel’s hidden feelings grow into a fierce love, the stakes skyrocket when he’s suddenly taken captive by a ruthless enemy. Desperate to save the man who’s haunted her thoughts, Eva teams up with his mafia brothers to pull off a daring rescue. But with loyalty and passion on the line, will Eva’s heart survive the violent underworld she’s plunged into?
In this dark romance, obsession turns to love, and danger turns to desire.
Eva and Axel's story is one of passion, betrayal, and the ultimate test of trust.
- GenresDark Romance
242 pages, Paperback
Published February 1, 2025
39 people are currently reading
177 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
January 19, 2025
I binge read this simply because I could not put it down. I’d like to say I’ve read quite a lot of books over the years and this one honestly was one of the best. The writing style was great, I was entertained the whole way through and I couldn’t predict what was going to happen which is one of my book pet peeves. The family bonds were so great and the brothers were hilarious and I love that the true nature of siblings (especially brothers) was really captured in the book. The mafia genre as a whole has the whole dark and brooding stereotype and whole Axel occasionally fits into the mould I love that he’s still a big brother and an entertaining person to look at their thoughts. I’m honoured to have been an ARC reader and I’m so glad I signed up after watching that TikTok video because it introduced me to an amazing book that I’ll definitely reread. My only comments is that the ending seemed a little cliche if you know what I mean. The shock value was there at the start of it but after a little bit you could tell what was going to happen and that’s the only bit where I felt like I was just waiting for it to be revealed and already knew about it. Other than that, a genuinely amazing book. From now on I’m going to be on the lookout for all Louise Steel books to read them all. Thanks for reading my review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2025
Yes yes, yes, and uhm, yes !
Ava an axel will steal your heart. LOUISE steel will break an mend your heart. She's amazing. This is amazing and I cannot wait for more !!
Ava an axel will steal your heart. LOUISE steel will break an mend your heart. She's amazing. This is amazing and I cannot wait for more !!
September 13, 2025
ARC Book Review 🖤
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
Perfectly fast paced Mafia Romance with all the banter, laughter & spice needed along with a killer plot & SOOO much more potential for more in the series!
The trope list is endless & the book ends with an amazing cliffhanger alluding to so much more to come from Axel & Eva’s story.
Each brother deserves their own story as there is most definitely a great deal to unpack! So excited to read all the future books in this series.
Congratulations @lsteelauthor 🥂✨ & thankyou for the opportunity 🖤🖤
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
Perfectly fast paced Mafia Romance with all the banter, laughter & spice needed along with a killer plot & SOOO much more potential for more in the series!
The trope list is endless & the book ends with an amazing cliffhanger alluding to so much more to come from Axel & Eva’s story.
Each brother deserves their own story as there is most definitely a great deal to unpack! So excited to read all the future books in this series.
Congratulations @lsteelauthor 🥂✨ & thankyou for the opportunity 🖤🖤
January 20, 2025
If I could have read this entire book in one sitting I would have.
PI x Mafia Family
This was a super fast paced and easy to follow read. When Axel notices the same car sat outside his gym for the 4th day in a row he goes to find out who’s sitting inside when he’s met with Eva. She steals his breath from the first look.
It was a super nice change of pace to have a family actually act like a family, Mafia or not. Whilst yes Axel broods a tad due to the weight of the world on his shoulders, the rest of the boys show their playful and funny sides and will protect each other at all costs. You can tell they all have such a strong bond and connection.
I love that Eva trusts her gut instincts, she might fall fast but she asks questions and doesn’t give in when she has doubts. She won’t just be strung along. I love her friendship with Mandy, because it’s more than friends, it’s family and this book gives a whole family x found family vibe and we protect family.
I really hope we get to see more of Ants story as I feel there’s so much to be uncovered there.
I’m honoured to have been chosen as an ARC reader. Thank you Louise. I can’t wait to see what you do next.
PI x Mafia Family
This was a super fast paced and easy to follow read. When Axel notices the same car sat outside his gym for the 4th day in a row he goes to find out who’s sitting inside when he’s met with Eva. She steals his breath from the first look.
It was a super nice change of pace to have a family actually act like a family, Mafia or not. Whilst yes Axel broods a tad due to the weight of the world on his shoulders, the rest of the boys show their playful and funny sides and will protect each other at all costs. You can tell they all have such a strong bond and connection.
I love that Eva trusts her gut instincts, she might fall fast but she asks questions and doesn’t give in when she has doubts. She won’t just be strung along. I love her friendship with Mandy, because it’s more than friends, it’s family and this book gives a whole family x found family vibe and we protect family.
I really hope we get to see more of Ants story as I feel there’s so much to be uncovered there.
I’m honoured to have been chosen as an ARC reader. Thank you Louise. I can’t wait to see what you do next.
January 18, 2025
SPOILER WARNING ⚠️
NO MERCY - Louise Steel (release 01/02/2025)
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐⭐️
Synopsis:
When Axel spots the same car outside his gym for nearly a week, he is curious about who and what they are doing. When he meets Eva, he instantly falls head over heels for her. But why is she watching him? He needs to know, and he needs to make her his
My Review:
I read this book in one sitting. I WAS OBSESSED. Axel and ava are just perfect. The brothers are just hilarious. Like I'm so sick of mafia families being brooding and not really communicating and being close, but the Ashfords made me squeal. Eva and mandys friendship felt so genuine, and even though this could be classed as a dark romance, it's not over the top. It's a great book to start with if you want to dip your toes into dark romance.
I was given this book as an Arc, and I could not be more thankful to be given the opportunity to read this amazing book in advance
So thank you again Louise
NO MERCY - Louise Steel (release 01/02/2025)
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐⭐️
Synopsis:
When Axel spots the same car outside his gym for nearly a week, he is curious about who and what they are doing. When he meets Eva, he instantly falls head over heels for her. But why is she watching him? He needs to know, and he needs to make her his
My Review:
I read this book in one sitting. I WAS OBSESSED. Axel and ava are just perfect. The brothers are just hilarious. Like I'm so sick of mafia families being brooding and not really communicating and being close, but the Ashfords made me squeal. Eva and mandys friendship felt so genuine, and even though this could be classed as a dark romance, it's not over the top. It's a great book to start with if you want to dip your toes into dark romance.
I was given this book as an Arc, and I could not be more thankful to be given the opportunity to read this amazing book in advance
So thank you again Louise
January 17, 2025
When Axel spots a car sitting outside his gym for the fourth day in a row he needs to know who’s watching him and his brothers. When he meets the woman watching them he’s instantly in love. But he needs to find out why they’re being watched. Because not all is as it seems with the brothers and their past could now be putting Eva in danger too.
Oh. My. God. I read this whole book without stopping. It’s fast paced and full of action and wtf moments. Axel is literally my ideal man. I need more of him immediately!! And that one part? Louise, girl, my heart nearly stopped and I CRIED!! Can’t wait for the next book because these boys have got me HOOKED!!
This is an ARC review and all opinions are my own. Thank you to Louise for the ARC copy of this book and for the opportunity to read and review it
Oh. My. God. I read this whole book without stopping. It’s fast paced and full of action and wtf moments. Axel is literally my ideal man. I need more of him immediately!! And that one part? Louise, girl, my heart nearly stopped and I CRIED!! Can’t wait for the next book because these boys have got me HOOKED!!
This is an ARC review and all opinions are my own. Thank you to Louise for the ARC copy of this book and for the opportunity to read and review it
May 3, 2025
“I want to see the man who haunts my dreams every night, the man who makes my heart warm whenever he is near.”
loved everything about this book and I was hooked straight away. As the story progressed, I truly felt for Eva and Axel and their struggles along the way. I felt so many different emotions throughout this book. The ending left me staring into space for a while I processed my emotions and what happened. I truly cannot wait to find out what happens next. I highly recommend this book.
loved everything about this book and I was hooked straight away. As the story progressed, I truly felt for Eva and Axel and their struggles along the way. I felt so many different emotions throughout this book. The ending left me staring into space for a while I processed my emotions and what happened. I truly cannot wait to find out what happens next. I highly recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2025
✨ARC review✨
I don’t even know where to start, i could not put down this book! The love Axel has for Eva, the friendship between Mandy and Eva and omg the Ashford brothers😍
This book was so fast paced but didn’t feel rushed in any way, there was always something happening but never too much going on and the spice was just right!!
Thank you Louise for this opportunity to be an ARC reader🤍
I don’t even know where to start, i could not put down this book! The love Axel has for Eva, the friendship between Mandy and Eva and omg the Ashford brothers😍
This book was so fast paced but didn’t feel rushed in any way, there was always something happening but never too much going on and the spice was just right!!
Thank you Louise for this opportunity to be an ARC reader🤍
January 21, 2025
Arc review!! Finished this book in less than 12 hours because it had me HOOKED!! I love a mafia romance and the amount of spice was just right! And the ending!! Wow had me feeling so many emotions!! Absolutely can’t wait to read more by Louise steel! Definitely deserves a 5⭐ rating!
January 24, 2025
A mafia romance that treads into dark romance and I really enjoyed this. Louise manages to really convey the siblings' relationship and also the romance. Fast paced, witty dialogue and I would have liked for a little more banter at times (and there's a fair amount there!) 😁📚❤️
February 10, 2025
3.75 ***
I received this ARC in return for an honest review. To be honest, I wish I had been hired as an editor because reading through this, it seemed as though it never went through an editing phase. A bunch of typos and grammatical errors, none of them too distracting where it takes from the story. That being said, the content itself was GOLD! I adored the connection between the FMC and her best friend, Mandy. Mandy ended up being my favorite character in the book. She was just FEISTY and was giving personal spirit animal vibes. “Oh, I’m sorry. Was I supposed to sit here quietly like a good little girl while you play ‘let’s wing it’ with Eva and Axel’s lives on the line? Because I didn’t get that memo.” She was top-tier book bff! Although this is a dark romance, it’s probably one of the lightest I’ve read in the genre. I think it would make a great introduction to anyone unfamiliar with anything dark. I’m highly anticipating the second book in this series, because that ending…EXCUSE ME MA’AM!?!
I received this ARC in return for an honest review. To be honest, I wish I had been hired as an editor because reading through this, it seemed as though it never went through an editing phase. A bunch of typos and grammatical errors, none of them too distracting where it takes from the story. That being said, the content itself was GOLD! I adored the connection between the FMC and her best friend, Mandy. Mandy ended up being my favorite character in the book. She was just FEISTY and was giving personal spirit animal vibes. “Oh, I’m sorry. Was I supposed to sit here quietly like a good little girl while you play ‘let’s wing it’ with Eva and Axel’s lives on the line? Because I didn’t get that memo.” She was top-tier book bff! Although this is a dark romance, it’s probably one of the lightest I’ve read in the genre. I think it would make a great introduction to anyone unfamiliar with anything dark. I’m highly anticipating the second book in this series, because that ending…EXCUSE ME MA’AM!?!
February 2, 2025
I was lucky enough to be picked to an arc reader, I wanted to read this book as it looked like a book I'd enjoy and I love to read books by authors whose books I haven't read before as love discovering new authors.
I really enjoyed the book, it's a fast paced mafia romance with a bit of spice- which will make you laugh at moments. I loved Axel's relationship with his brothers and really hope that we get stories for each of them especially Ant and Mandy 🤎
I didn't expect the ending and was so annoyed at first haha.
I really enjoyed the book, it's a fast paced mafia romance with a bit of spice- which will make you laugh at moments. I loved Axel's relationship with his brothers and really hope that we get stories for each of them especially Ant and Mandy 🤎
I didn't expect the ending and was so annoyed at first haha.
September 20, 2025
PLEASE CHECK CONTENT/TRIGGER WARNINGS ⚠️
10⭐️ 10🌶
This read was so good. For me personally, Lousie Steel knocked it out of the park with this, which says a lot as this is her FIRST. I enjoyed the characters so much, I of course fell in love with Alex so that's DEFINITELY a plus in my book, the moment he sees Eva he falls & he swears from that moment he'll do anything to make her his and to protect her. Eva is a PI who is hired to keep an eye on his family but don't know the real danger she's been thrown into until Alex has to do whatever he can to protect her & keep her safe even If it means possibly sacrificing himself. I believe there might be more to this story to come hopefully by the way it ended even though NOT quite on a cliffhanger, so if there is more to this story, I'm ready . Great character, story, plot, and building here. It's definitely worth the read
10⭐️ 10🌶
This read was so good. For me personally, Lousie Steel knocked it out of the park with this, which says a lot as this is her FIRST. I enjoyed the characters so much, I of course fell in love with Alex so that's DEFINITELY a plus in my book, the moment he sees Eva he falls & he swears from that moment he'll do anything to make her his and to protect her. Eva is a PI who is hired to keep an eye on his family but don't know the real danger she's been thrown into until Alex has to do whatever he can to protect her & keep her safe even If it means possibly sacrificing himself. I believe there might be more to this story to come hopefully by the way it ended even though NOT quite on a cliffhanger, so if there is more to this story, I'm ready . Great character, story, plot, and building here. It's definitely worth the read
July 17, 2025
No Mercy - Little to No Spoiler Review
🤍 Eva & Axel
🤍 Rating: 2-2.5/5
🤍 Genre: Dark Romance
🤍 Multi POV
🤍 Book 1 in the No Mercy Series
🤍 Format: Paperback
-
Eva is a private investigator and get's put on a case for a mafia family. Whilst on the job she meets hero Axel and he quickly becomes obsessed with her. We follow Eva and her job which quickly puts her at risk and she is moved away - but little does she know she's been followed and this job has been set up by none other than Axel himself.
Tropes & Key Elements:
🤍 Masked Man
🤍 PI Agent x Mafia
🤍 Stalker
🤍 He's Obsessed
🤍 Run & I'll Find You
🤍 Strong Female Friendships
The premise of this book was so fun and I did really enjoy it however there were a few things that could have given me a slightly better reading experience. I think with some more beta readers and an editor it has the potential to be rated higher for me personally but there were some plot holes and loose ends which didn't get tied up. I know this is Louise's debut novel and I want to express how much of a fun read it was - these plot holes did just take me a little out of the story!
It was a fun quick read and super easy to binge, I'd just have loved some more depth and background to the characters as they were great plus some more plot points needed to be delved into more. I think with those adaptions I would have been a lot more invested but I will say I still have been left intrigued because we end on somewhat of a cliffhanger so I'd like to know how the story continues.
One element I loved was the strong female friendship we see with Eva and Mandy, they were really funny together and you can see how much they both love and value one another. I'd also like to get to know the other brother's more and find out more about the mafia side of the story as that was quite brief.
Overall this was a fun read and hit a lot of the key dark romance plots we all love to see. Also would like to say just as this wasn't a super highly rated book for me doesn't mean it won't be for others - the reviews are all so great and I always love seeing people devour and adore books. A good debut novel and I wish Louise so much luck with the rest of the series and I look forward to picking up book 2.
🤍 Eva & Axel
🤍 Rating: 2-2.5/5
🤍 Genre: Dark Romance
🤍 Multi POV
🤍 Book 1 in the No Mercy Series
🤍 Format: Paperback
-
Eva is a private investigator and get's put on a case for a mafia family. Whilst on the job she meets hero Axel and he quickly becomes obsessed with her. We follow Eva and her job which quickly puts her at risk and she is moved away - but little does she know she's been followed and this job has been set up by none other than Axel himself.
Tropes & Key Elements:
🤍 Masked Man
🤍 PI Agent x Mafia
🤍 Stalker
🤍 He's Obsessed
🤍 Run & I'll Find You
🤍 Strong Female Friendships
The premise of this book was so fun and I did really enjoy it however there were a few things that could have given me a slightly better reading experience. I think with some more beta readers and an editor it has the potential to be rated higher for me personally but there were some plot holes and loose ends which didn't get tied up. I know this is Louise's debut novel and I want to express how much of a fun read it was - these plot holes did just take me a little out of the story!
It was a fun quick read and super easy to binge, I'd just have loved some more depth and background to the characters as they were great plus some more plot points needed to be delved into more. I think with those adaptions I would have been a lot more invested but I will say I still have been left intrigued because we end on somewhat of a cliffhanger so I'd like to know how the story continues.
One element I loved was the strong female friendship we see with Eva and Mandy, they were really funny together and you can see how much they both love and value one another. I'd also like to get to know the other brother's more and find out more about the mafia side of the story as that was quite brief.
Overall this was a fun read and hit a lot of the key dark romance plots we all love to see. Also would like to say just as this wasn't a super highly rated book for me doesn't mean it won't be for others - the reviews are all so great and I always love seeing people devour and adore books. A good debut novel and I wish Louise so much luck with the rest of the series and I look forward to picking up book 2.
July 29, 2025
I really wanted to love this one - the premise sounded totally up my street, and when the main character was listening to Sleep Token by page two, I thought I was in for a great ride. But sadly, it just didn’t hold up for me.
The lack of thorough editing really let it down. I know it’s a debut, so I wasn’t expecting perfection, but the abundance of typos and grammar issues was hard to ignore. It's all simple things that an editor would have picked up straight away (so an easy fix), but unfortunately it kept pulling me out of the story.
I liked that there were multiple POVs, but the same scenes or info often got rehashed, which made it feel a bit repetive and slowed the pacing. I was starting to get more interested towards the end, but so much happened in just a couple of pages, it did feel a bit rushed. This definitely could have benefited from being longer to allow for more development with both the plot and the characters.
With more refinement, this could really be something great.
The lack of thorough editing really let it down. I know it’s a debut, so I wasn’t expecting perfection, but the abundance of typos and grammar issues was hard to ignore. It's all simple things that an editor would have picked up straight away (so an easy fix), but unfortunately it kept pulling me out of the story.
I liked that there were multiple POVs, but the same scenes or info often got rehashed, which made it feel a bit repetive and slowed the pacing. I was starting to get more interested towards the end, but so much happened in just a couple of pages, it did feel a bit rushed. This definitely could have benefited from being longer to allow for more development with both the plot and the characters.
With more refinement, this could really be something great.
January 29, 2025
ARC review
I was super excited to read this book, and as I was hoping for, it was packed full of excitement.
Eva and Axel had a very fast-paced romance, which i dont always mind, and I enjoyed the tension that quickly built. I do have a few questions that were left unanswered, and the ending really kinda threw me off, I didn't enjoy the play on Eva's emotions for the sake of shock value, it could have ended just as well without it.
There were quite a few grammatical mistakes, which could be easily rectified, but these always bug me more than they should. I know we're all human though, so no hard feelings and it didn't have too much impact on my experience.
Overall, it was a nice easy read, I read this in one sitting, so if you're looking to get a quick dark romance fix, this could be right up your street!
I'm not 100% sure that I'd read the next one, but for your very first book, I'd say you did a pretty damn good job.
I was super excited to read this book, and as I was hoping for, it was packed full of excitement.
Eva and Axel had a very fast-paced romance, which i dont always mind, and I enjoyed the tension that quickly built. I do have a few questions that were left unanswered, and the ending really kinda threw me off, I didn't enjoy the play on Eva's emotions for the sake of shock value, it could have ended just as well without it.
There were quite a few grammatical mistakes, which could be easily rectified, but these always bug me more than they should. I know we're all human though, so no hard feelings and it didn't have too much impact on my experience.
Overall, it was a nice easy read, I read this in one sitting, so if you're looking to get a quick dark romance fix, this could be right up your street!
I'm not 100% sure that I'd read the next one, but for your very first book, I'd say you did a pretty damn good job.
January 30, 2025
Axel - leader of a mafia family trying to keep his family safe after his parents death. When he spots the same car on the 4th day parked outside his family gym he's curious, like a gent he lightly knocks on the window, this is when he meets -
Eva - a British girl in America working as a PI who is currently watching Axels brother, but when she meets Axel their worlds collide and a magnetic pull is between them.
But can they survive?
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
The banter between all the characters in here is sooo good! Not to mention the sexual spark and tension! Plus, the friendship between Eva and Mandy is so wholesome and sister-like which was probably one of my favourites of the book. Would love to hear more about Ant in the next book, he intrigues me so much!
I did find the start quite repetitive, which having the same scene played out by both perspectives but once I got in the flow I forgot about it.
I can't wait to hear more of this series!
Eva - a British girl in America working as a PI who is currently watching Axels brother, but when she meets Axel their worlds collide and a magnetic pull is between them.
But can they survive?
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
The banter between all the characters in here is sooo good! Not to mention the sexual spark and tension! Plus, the friendship between Eva and Mandy is so wholesome and sister-like which was probably one of my favourites of the book. Would love to hear more about Ant in the next book, he intrigues me so much!
I did find the start quite repetitive, which having the same scene played out by both perspectives but once I got in the flow I forgot about it.
I can't wait to hear more of this series!
January 19, 2025
No Mercy is the first instalment in the No Mercy Series. This book follows Axel and Eva. Axel is from a Mafia family, the eldest brother who technically has taken charge since their father died, but he has tried to pull the family away from this "business" to keep them safe, however others won't let the escape.
Eva is a PI who gets pulled into this world when she is requested to investigate one of the Ashford brothers. In doing so, Axel becomes obsessed with her and can't stay away.
No Mercy was a fun, quick read. Very fast-paced. If you were wanting to get into Dark Romance, this would be the perfect book for you. It is dark, but on the lighter side of it. It is a very entertaining read, and I loved the Ashford brother's banter.
#arcreview #darkromance #maskedman #touchheranddie #romancebooks #bookstagram #bookreview
Eva is a PI who gets pulled into this world when she is requested to investigate one of the Ashford brothers. In doing so, Axel becomes obsessed with her and can't stay away.
No Mercy was a fun, quick read. Very fast-paced. If you were wanting to get into Dark Romance, this would be the perfect book for you. It is dark, but on the lighter side of it. It is a very entertaining read, and I loved the Ashford brother's banter.
#arcreview #darkromance #maskedman #touchheranddie #romancebooks #bookstagram #bookreview
May 16, 2025
⭐ 3.5
No Mercy follows private investigator Eva, and mafia enforcer Axel. For a debut book, this is surprisingly good.
Fast paced, not too much spice, easy to read.
One thing I will say is that I felt as though I wanted more out of the actual plot itself. What happened to Ant? Why doesn’t Axel want to go back to Chicago? Why did their parents die?
I have all these questions that I’m sure will be answered in a future book, but I can’t help but want more.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, to be honest. It’s not too dark, which may be deceiving for some, but I don’t really mind. I enjoyed it.
I will mention that there is insta-love/lust on both sides, so if that’s not your thing then maybe don’t read it! But again, I didn’t mind it. It turned out well in my humble opinion.
I can’t wait to see what Louise Steel has waiting for us in her next book!
No Mercy follows private investigator Eva, and mafia enforcer Axel. For a debut book, this is surprisingly good.
Fast paced, not too much spice, easy to read.
One thing I will say is that I felt as though I wanted more out of the actual plot itself. What happened to Ant? Why doesn’t Axel want to go back to Chicago? Why did their parents die?
I have all these questions that I’m sure will be answered in a future book, but I can’t help but want more.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, to be honest. It’s not too dark, which may be deceiving for some, but I don’t really mind. I enjoyed it.
I will mention that there is insta-love/lust on both sides, so if that’s not your thing then maybe don’t read it! But again, I didn’t mind it. It turned out well in my humble opinion.
I can’t wait to see what Louise Steel has waiting for us in her next book!
January 25, 2025
Last night I finished No Mercy by Louise Steel after being lucky enough to be picked as an arc reader!
This is definitely a book for fans of Lights Out by Navessa Allen, very similar tropes, insta-love, masked MMC, stalking, also with a mafia style twist!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and seriously cannot wait for the next installment! I immediately messaged Louise the second I finished No Mercy to tell her I am desperate for more!
In terms of the writing, I personally would have liked a little more description, mainly in terms of how the characters look, scenery setting, things like that, just to add a bit more immersion into the book. But other than that I don't have any complaints (just more spice next time😉😂)!
Thank you again to Louise and her team for letting me be a part of making your dream come true! I can't wait to see what else you do with your talent!
This is definitely a book for fans of Lights Out by Navessa Allen, very similar tropes, insta-love, masked MMC, stalking, also with a mafia style twist!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and seriously cannot wait for the next installment! I immediately messaged Louise the second I finished No Mercy to tell her I am desperate for more!
In terms of the writing, I personally would have liked a little more description, mainly in terms of how the characters look, scenery setting, things like that, just to add a bit more immersion into the book. But other than that I don't have any complaints (just more spice next time😉😂)!
Thank you again to Louise and her team for letting me be a part of making your dream come true! I can't wait to see what else you do with your talent!
February 1, 2025
I received this book as my first ARC! And I was not disappointed.
What a great debut, it was a fast paced easy read with all my favourite things.
Mafia, masked men, spice and banter!
I loved the characters and there is so much potential for follow on stories. Eva and Mandy’s relationship is hilarious and the Ashford brothers are entertaining.
The main characters did feel a bit like Insta love at times but I loved the banter and feistiness of Eva.
It’s dark romance but it’s not as trigger heavy as what I’ve read before, so this would be the perfect book if you wanted to try it out but still check the trigger warnings. 3.5 stars 🌟
What a great debut, it was a fast paced easy read with all my favourite things.
Mafia, masked men, spice and banter!
I loved the characters and there is so much potential for follow on stories. Eva and Mandy’s relationship is hilarious and the Ashford brothers are entertaining.
The main characters did feel a bit like Insta love at times but I loved the banter and feistiness of Eva.
It’s dark romance but it’s not as trigger heavy as what I’ve read before, so this would be the perfect book if you wanted to try it out but still check the trigger warnings. 3.5 stars 🌟
January 23, 2025
ARC Review 🖤
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
▪️Mafia Brothers
▪️Masked Men
▪️Stalker
▪️Touch Her and 💀
▪️Touch Him and 💀
▪️Enemies to Lovers
▪️Betrayal
▪️Revenge
▪️Kidnapping
This was a perfect 'light' dark romance read and super easy to follow, I literally couldn't stop. It did not beat around the bush, it was fast paced and full of action which kept me HOOKED! The brothers are absolutely hilarious together and had me chuckling to myself over their crazy antics (typical brothers). It was nice to see a softer side to a mafia romance with family playing a big factor. I've read many mafia romances where the MMC acts tough and broody, always out for blood etc., so it was refreshing to read something different and heartwarming - you will fall in love with Axel 😍
With lots of twists, turns, and laughs, this was a brilliant read! I cannot wait for the rest of the series!! 👏🏻
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
▪️Mafia Brothers
▪️Masked Men
▪️Stalker
▪️Touch Her and 💀
▪️Touch Him and 💀
▪️Enemies to Lovers
▪️Betrayal
▪️Revenge
▪️Kidnapping
This was a perfect 'light' dark romance read and super easy to follow, I literally couldn't stop. It did not beat around the bush, it was fast paced and full of action which kept me HOOKED! The brothers are absolutely hilarious together and had me chuckling to myself over their crazy antics (typical brothers). It was nice to see a softer side to a mafia romance with family playing a big factor. I've read many mafia romances where the MMC acts tough and broody, always out for blood etc., so it was refreshing to read something different and heartwarming - you will fall in love with Axel 😍
With lots of twists, turns, and laughs, this was a brilliant read! I cannot wait for the rest of the series!! 👏🏻
February 6, 2025
ARC Review: No Mercy by Louise Steel
No Mercy had me gripped from the start with its mix of lust, love, and survival—plus a bit of mask play for added intrigue. The pacing varied, with some sections moving quickly while others slowed down due to detailed descriptions. At times, I felt there was more focus on description than the actual story, but it always picked up again.
The spice level is minimal, with only a couple of moments—I'd rate it 🌶🌶 out of 5. The ending took me by surprise, which kept me engaged, but I would have liked a bit more since things had just started getting really interesting again.
As a debut novel, it’s a strong start for Louise Steel, and I’m sure her writing will only get better. Initially, I was leaning toward 5 stars, but due to the pacing and heavy description, I’m settling on 4 stars—saved by that surprising ending!
For future works, I’d love to see more story development and less emphasis on world-building, especially in a shorter-length book. Overall, I’d recommend giving No Mercy a try!
No Mercy had me gripped from the start with its mix of lust, love, and survival—plus a bit of mask play for added intrigue. The pacing varied, with some sections moving quickly while others slowed down due to detailed descriptions. At times, I felt there was more focus on description than the actual story, but it always picked up again.
The spice level is minimal, with only a couple of moments—I'd rate it 🌶🌶 out of 5. The ending took me by surprise, which kept me engaged, but I would have liked a bit more since things had just started getting really interesting again.
As a debut novel, it’s a strong start for Louise Steel, and I’m sure her writing will only get better. Initially, I was leaning toward 5 stars, but due to the pacing and heavy description, I’m settling on 4 stars—saved by that surprising ending!
For future works, I’d love to see more story development and less emphasis on world-building, especially in a shorter-length book. Overall, I’d recommend giving No Mercy a try!
January 26, 2025
4.25⭐️
I’m still in shock at that last chapter like what are your trying to do to me Louise? This should be against the law!
I devoured this book, I loved the characters, the plot, the tropes and all the emotions that went with it. I liked the fact that the book went straight into the action and the spice.
Honestly can not wait to read the rest of the series and sure hope I don’t have to wait long!
I’m still in shock at that last chapter like what are your trying to do to me Louise? This should be against the law!
I devoured this book, I loved the characters, the plot, the tropes and all the emotions that went with it. I liked the fact that the book went straight into the action and the spice.
Honestly can not wait to read the rest of the series and sure hope I don’t have to wait long!
February 1, 2025
This debut novel follows the development of Eva and Axel and how Axel loves to play hide and seek. There are some dark romance elements to the story but I don’t really believe that the book is categorised as a dark romance.
This story wasn’t for me, I believe that the plot of the story was rushed and that this could have been better executed with more descriptive writing in order to extend the plot and create a more coherent narrative for the characters in the story.
I think that the story itself can progress into something better with more time and detail added into it.
This story wasn’t for me, I believe that the plot of the story was rushed and that this could have been better executed with more descriptive writing in order to extend the plot and create a more coherent narrative for the characters in the story.
I think that the story itself can progress into something better with more time and detail added into it.
January 22, 2025
This was my ARC read for Louise and i am not ok! I was completely entranced, fell face first for the brothers and their absolutely gorgeous attitude... and we'll, you kniw. AXEL too 😍 to have an emotional roller coaster last third of the book to have my heart ripped out, crushed, kicked some more amd to be left feeling like I need CBT and therapy!!
Tropes:
He definitely falls first
Mafia romance
Funny FMC
Masked men 😍
Eva, works as a PI. Running a case, catches the attention of Mr.Ashford.
⚡️⚡️ fly, danger alerts from Other mafia families, and the need to protect is great.Eva and Mandy and relocated to a cat and mouse case, out of hopefully harms way... this is where everything changes and emotional rollercoaster begins. Grab your tequila, grab your tissues, and hold tight.
Tropes:
He definitely falls first
Mafia romance
Funny FMC
Masked men 😍
Eva, works as a PI. Running a case, catches the attention of Mr.Ashford.
⚡️⚡️ fly, danger alerts from Other mafia families, and the need to protect is great.Eva and Mandy and relocated to a cat and mouse case, out of hopefully harms way... this is where everything changes and emotional rollercoaster begins. Grab your tequila, grab your tissues, and hold tight.
January 31, 2025
Arc review here!
The book is amazing. If you like spice, fast pace, laughter, and humor, this book is for you! Alex's fascination towards Eva is palpable from the start. The way that the ralationship has been created is mesmerizing. The chemistry is off the roof. I can't wait to read the other books in the series!
The book is amazing. If you like spice, fast pace, laughter, and humor, this book is for you! Alex's fascination towards Eva is palpable from the start. The way that the ralationship has been created is mesmerizing. The chemistry is off the roof. I can't wait to read the other books in the series!
January 31, 2025
ARC review
I simply loved this book! It was so hard to put down always looked forward to my journey home just to read it again. You will fall in love with with the characters and can feel every emotion in this book. I definitely recommend a packet of tissues or a few. After reading you will definitely want a spicy romance like this in your life!
I simply loved this book! It was so hard to put down always looked forward to my journey home just to read it again. You will fall in love with with the characters and can feel every emotion in this book. I definitely recommend a packet of tissues or a few. After reading you will definitely want a spicy romance like this in your life!
January 19, 2025
This book was amazing. Great story, great spice. Axel and Eva are the perfect combination of opposites. I can not wait for the next one! All the different traits each character has are beautifully done. Loved all the personalities they have.
January 19, 2025
Overall? Incredible - this isn’t the usual genre I read but I was given the opportunity to read it as an Arc and I’m so pleased I did.
Did I want to punch Eva and Axel at times? Yes.
Did I instantly fall in love with the brothers and the best friend? Yes.
I’m so invested now that literally I am mad there isn’t a second book out already cause I need ANSWERS!
Did I want to punch Eva and Axel at times? Yes.
Did I instantly fall in love with the brothers and the best friend? Yes.
I’m so invested now that literally I am mad there isn’t a second book out already cause I need ANSWERS!
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