Defiant Devotion

by Leona White

I'm paid to kill, not to care.

One night with a mysterious woman in a small town haunted my dreams.

Then I found her again – the lost Baranov princess.

Carrying my child, running from demons I was hired to protect.

She's thirteen years younger, innocent despite her darkness.

The virgin sacrifice in a mafia war I never wanted to join.

But now her enemies are mine to destroy.

They think they can use her as a pawn? I'll burn their empire to ashes.

The hitman without a home has found something worth dying for.

Her defiance awakens my devotion.

And I'll paint this city red to keep what's mine.


Author's Defiant Devotion features a protective alpha male, age gap romance, and forced proximity. Contains dark mafia themes, steamy scenes, and pregnancy. This standalone romance in The Baranov Legacy series guarantees an HEA.

Genres: Mafia Romance

272 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 19, 2025

Reviews

[Lenna Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

11-year age gap isn't much. Very action packed and we do reunite with Eva, Lev, Irine, Vik, Kelly and Rukic and the ending is more ties all these couple together but is this the end for the Barnnov or will we get more??


Ben Warner, independent hitman, rival to Lev and his skills, they have 'pissing' contest later on, it's quite funny. He's not like other hitmen he takes an overall view if the hit is worth his time. On a mission to find his hit 3 months ago he met up with a stranger at a bar looking for someone to give her virginity to since its a one night they only knew names and nothing else. Ben can't stop thinking about his one-night hookup, Sonya and for 3 months he wished he could learn more or find her again.
Sonya Baranov, kidnapped for 11 years by her families rivals and she was forced to watch her mother be tormented and killed and heard about her new fiancé from eavesdropping, she knew she had to escape and give the one thing she has left to some stranger as a f-you to her captors and her future captor/ fiancé. Ben was his name and gave her more then she bargains for, he left her something that in 3 months will push her to finally escape and after learning about her father, Boris. She knew as the oldest of the Barnov family, Sonya thinks her uncle Oleg is not alive and now her father gone, she thinks Eva is in big trouble and her is very family protective and she will find ways to escape and save what's left of her family and the little one she's carrying.
What will happen when the enemies find out she escaped? What will Ben do when Sonya shows up running through a strip club? Will Sonya ever be reunited with the family she missed? What about her baby??? the Baby daddy??

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sonya and Ben’s story is the kind of dark, gritty romance that grabs you and doesn’t let go. Sonya has spent over a decade trapped, a pawn in a brutal mafia game she never agreed to play. But when she gets one shot at freedom, she takes it—running straight into the arms of Ben, a hitman who doesn’t ask questions, only takes what’s his.

Ben isn’t the kind of man who saves people—until Sonya. She’s fire wrapped in defiance, and from the second she crashes into his world, nothing else matters. Their chemistry is intense, the stakes impossibly high, and every moment between them crackles with the kind of tension that leaves you breathless.

This book has it all—action, betrayal, scorching romance, and a hero who will burn everything down to protect the woman he never expected to need. If you love possessive, morally grey men and heroines who refuse to break, this one’s for you.

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

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sonya had been kidnapped 11 years ago a long with her mother, but her mother was killed protecting her. She had been locked away with no news or anything. They were saving her virginity for a politician that they could control and would also work on destroying the rest of her family. She was determined to escape and lose said virginity. She got out and went to a bar where she saw Ben who was scouting for one of the hits her family wanted done. She asked him to take her virginity and he obliged. 3 months later, she runs into him again and she sleep together again. He realizes she is the lost Baranov princess and protects her from the other family again. They realize they belong together and he helps to reunite with her sister and uncle. Very good story.

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

[Shelly Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is part of a series, and you really have to read the series to understand what is going on. There's no flashbacks or explanations. The reader is just tossed in the deep end. I felt completely lost for most of the story. Had the story flowed, that could have been dealt with. The inconsistencies were popping up in a bad way. For example, the uncle had been in a coma and dying, a nurse tried to give him a shot to weaken him further - implied it had happened before. Suddenly he wakes up and then goes home & on the way home gets involved in a shootout. There was an extremely quick insta love and a kidnap victim perfectly calm with everything. The blurb sounded like a good story, and it would have been if the author would have simply tweaked the story line and fleshed out some information. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sonya and Ben are both characters mentioned in the previous books in this series, but neither one is introduced until this one. Their love story is well written. The interaction between them and the strong characters of the prior stories is handled well.

I enjoyed reading about both characters and their meandering path to each other and their happiness.

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

[Christinaraven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally get to meet Ben and he was a riot and so worth the wait. Plus get to learn what happened to Sonya all those years ago and she was a riot to watch. And these two together were so much fun and made for a great story I read in one sitting. Plus all the other Baranovs are here too. Some drama,danger, action, and so much more.

[Merry Jelks-Emmanuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is the lost Baranov princess and has finally been found when she stumbles into a bar that leads to a one-night stand with Ben and the beginning of their journey. Their heart felt story is touching and will have you cheering on this couple to finally get their chance for happiness.

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

[L KQ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprise Meeting

Okay so a few things that happen seem a bit unbelievable but hey this is a good story with great characters. Sonya and Ben's meeting was a surprise worth remembering as the reality of her past filled with heartache. It was an intensely emotional read that was quite enthralling.

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

[Gladys · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great read. I loved Sofia and Ben's story. Drama, emotions, intensity, action, feels, danger and steam are crafted into a potent and seductive blend that lured me in and had me happy to linger.

[Kerri Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben and Sonya is an amazing story. This story was a big roller coaster. Sonya was kidnapped and hates her enemies. She is a mafia princess. Ben is sexy hit an. They meet up one night and have the best one night stand. They both need each other to make it out of this crazy drama. One great book.

[lelia g. johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

LGJ

A powerful story of unconditional love, determination, trusting the process, family values, and the true meaning of family. Those born into it and those we invite in because of the dedication and shared values. Looking forward to reading other books by this author

[Narelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben is a mafia contractor who comes across Sonya, not initially knowing who she is. A steamy romance with mafia violence and drama, and lots of previous characters from this series.

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

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars is pushing it. There’s not really any depth to it, and if you haven’t read any previous books you really feel like you’re missing a lot. Another even 100pages to fill it out would have been nice.

[Anna McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yay

This book is so good I love ben and sonya's bringing the whole family together ❤️ the devotion is everything ❤️ ❤️

[Alinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok Read

It started out strong, but midway through the writing style seemed to change. It became trite and sappy. Definitely lost its edge.

I finished it, but it was a struggle.

[Janice Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book!

Well written, with characters met in previous books written by this author. All four books in this series were terrific.

[Jack Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good

THis book was amazing. I loved every chapter. The drama..the characters.. The men and the strong women greet ending. Love when there's babies too

[Jackie Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben sound’s sexy! Eleven years is a long time but I enjoyed the book.

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed defiant devotion which was Ben and Sonya’s story. It was an engaging and entertaining read. Great characters. I got a copy of the book and voluntarily leaving this review.

[Marynj44 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Story

I enjoyed this book more than I thought. I would. It was nice to get the answer as to where Sonya went to. It can be read alone or as part of the series good book.

[Belize Esperanza Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd been craving a pregnancy trope book, and thid absolutely delivered and had a decent plot, but it was also nice and quick read

[Shaina Dyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

This was a great book! I love how protective Ben is and how bad ass he is also. I wish there were more men like him in the world. Great story!