Misery In Me: A Forbidden Military Romance

by Izzy Ravas

Gage

I didn’t ask for a newborn daughter to be dropped on my doorstep by a woman I barely remember, but here I am.

I’m a Marine Raider Team Leader, used to high-stakes missions, adrenaline, and risk, but nothing in my career prepared me for the weight of fatherhood. My world revolves around duty, precision, and loyalty to my brothers-in-arms.

I’m not cut out for this.
I need a nanny, and I need one fast.


Alejandra

I came here with nothing but the hope of helping my family back in Mexico. Gage Donovan was nothing more than a military man who needed a nanny. A job, a paycheck. That’s all I thought this was.

The more I love Zoe, the more I’m drawn to Gage, even though he’s nothing like the man I imagined.

When he looks at me—when he finally lets his guard down, just a little—I start to see a side of him that makes me question everything.

I can’t afford to fall for him. But with every touch, every shared moment with him and Zoe, I can feel myself slipping.

Genres: Military Fiction, Dark Romance, Romance

406 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 16, 2025

Reviews

[destiny · Rating 5 out of 5]

when the dedication page starts like … “This book is for anyone who has ever watched a Marine run in those silky hoochie daddy shorts and thought… “I’d let him ruin my life.”” you already KNOW it’s gonna be good 😍

i’m down bad and i will forever be down bad for izzy’s characters and stories 🧎🏻‍♀️ thank you so much for letting me beta read !! gosh i literally couldn’t stop picking this up and day dreaming about these characters 🥹

this is a military romance, forbidden, single dad + nanny, instant attraction, grief, fast paced, consent checks, filthy man in uniform smut, breeding kink, pregnancy announcement / birth, duo pov, standalone ⚜️

oh how i absolutely swooned over this book 🥰 this was just so raw and real. from many difficulties of reality such as racial slurs, ptsd, survivors guilt, motherhood, and so much more. izzy did such an amazing job highlighting these topics and including them in this book. i love that this is something i’m seeing more of in books 🖤

after finding out that he just became a father to a newborn baby he didn’t even know about, gage is struggling to get control back in his life. he is all over the place trying to find a babysitter for his babygirl. since he’s is still on active duty and will be deploying at random, he needs to act fast. this is when alejandra comes in !! she agreed to meet up for an interview at gage’s house right after she got a call from him. the moment they met it was like watching your future play right in front of you. gage was instantly attracted to her but knows he shouldn’t do anything to mess up anything and their main concern is his baby. but he can’t stop these feelings from bombarding him 🫀

alejandra and gage are such a a beautiful couple 🥹 the little family that they have just had me sobbing picturing them !! their connection is so electric that you can just FEEL their love for one another omg

someone take me back to the past so i can read this for the first time again 🤭

🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Draia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

I’ve never picked up a military romance before, and honestly, I wasn’t sure if it would be my thing. I ended up enjoying this much more than I expected. The balance of romance, family, and military life made it feel both heartfelt and entertaining without being too heavy.

I love how Gage saw something in Alejandra immediately. He knew she wasn’t like the women at the bar or on an app—she had this calm, mature spirit about her. He describes her as having effortless care and patience, and I loved that she didn’t look at him like he was reckless for being a surprise new dad. Instead, she was steady, present, and willing to share some of that weight without judgment.

One of the moments that stuck with me most was when Gage had to leave Zoe for the first time. His uneasiness and the way he couldn’t quite understand why it was so hard to walk away felt so raw and real. Those quieter, vulnerable moments balanced beautifully against the humor of his inner monologues—especially when he was trying (and failing miserably) to resist his nanny. I laughed out loud more than once.

I really enjoyed that we got to see life after marriage—not just the lead-up. That’s rare in romance unless it’s an arranged marriage or marriage-of-convenience trope, and it made their relationship feel lived-in. That said, it did have some insta-love vibes, which I don’t mind but I know is a turn-off for some readers.

The glimpses into Gage’s deployments, and how he dealt with injury, grief, PTSD, and the responsibility of keeping his fellow Marines safe, were handled delicately and gave the story depth. Even without personal experience, it came across as authentic and respectful.

The spice, of which there is a lot. Some readers might find it excessive or even a bit repetitive at times—but I’m not one of those readers. For me, it added intensity to their connection, even if I occasionally thought “okay, another one?” before happily continuing on.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. At times it felt a little too perfect, but maybe that’s just what healthy communication looks like and I’m the one who needs therapy.

[Catarina Águas · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review

I wanna thank the author for this early copy of the book.
It was a good book, they were a good couple, really complemented each other very nicely.
Gage didn't want a wife or kids but there was nothing he could do when Zoe wa left to him and Alejandra showed up. The poor man had no chance against his girls.
Alejandra was a strong woman who didn't want to be a cliché and fall for her boss but there was no way to stop their feelings.
They tried to resist at first but there was no use. They belonged together and they knew it.

[littlesmuttyone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gage Donovan is the definition of the kind of marine (single dad) anyone would want .

Alejandra Orozco, she freaking amazing. i love the essence of her , the nurturing , the way she was with Zoe from the start .it warmed my heart so much .

I've never been military romance girl but something about gage and ale hit different for me plus the talk of san diego ,being raised here and also being raised with military father i could connect to certain parts of it . I really enjoyed that and being able to just get lost in the book .

Izzy ravas never disappoints in everything she writes.

Victor and Rebecca are so sweet and exactly the type of people they need in their life and circle of friends who are more like family.

all I have say, kiera and Ale Tia Elena kick rocks . I couldn't stand them , those cops made me so angry .

[Perla Najera · Rating 5 out of 5]

arc review:

🌶️: 4.5/5

i loved every letter, word, sentence, paragraph, chapter in this book.

ale and gage had my attention from the first chapter & couldn’t put this book down!!
it was sooo good that i finished this book in 1 day.

gage took on such a big responsibility from the beginning of the book & ale just came to tie everything together😭

the way she was with zoe was heart melting💖

the way gage was towards ale was so cute🥹

i’m so happy they got their hea!!

[Ashley - The Tattered Page]

HOOK:
𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩
Forbidden Relationship
Br33ding
Filthy mouthed MMC
Latina FMC
He speaks Spanish to her
Forced Proximity
Spicy Spice
Pr3gnancy
Dry Hümping

[Adrianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time author for me and I really liked this one.

Ana and Gage just felt so natural together, I would have liked to see a little more character development but it was no less enjoyable. These two talked about their issues and worked through them like adults and I love this in books. I am definitely looking forward to more from this author

[Olga · Rating 2 out of 5]

Corny, no angst, no story really, only lovey-dovey from start to finish with some PTSD thrown in between

[Moony Luve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the sweetest, most heartfelt felt book I have read in a long time.
Hot as hell omg I loved every single second. Izzy can write the FUCK out of some spice 🥵
But it was so incredibly adorable and emotional. I loved every single second and I will never stop raving about this book.
Also, the Marine Corps accuracy was freaking AMAZING. I LOVE when authors go out of their way to care about those details.

I love this book and I highly recommend everyone reads it.

[Jeffrey Zing · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an incredibly sweet story. Gage and Alejandra are so cute with everything they do. And the spicy scenes, damn they are friggin amazing. From being in the USMC, this was pretty accurate with the military side which was a bonus for me. And the epilogues ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️. This is a must read😉

[ElderEmoSmutQueen · Rating 5 out of 5]

God damn, this book, that man! Gunnery Sergeant Gage Donovan is a god among men, not just physically but emotionally.

I cannot fault this book at all, it was my first military romance read, and I loved every page. Having grown up in a military family, it was just all so familiar and comfortable (for the most part).
The way this story begins with a 30-year-old Marine having a baby girl, Zoe, left on his doorstep, through the trials of being a single parent and an active-duty soldier, then finding a nanny and falling in love, adding in the darkness and stress of going to war, all the way to the HEA epilogue, is just so beautifully done.

Ravas writes her characters so well, they just really come to life off the page and this book had me hooked from the first sentence.

Gage, sexy af marine with a little darkness to him, no idea how to cope with being a father but is damned sure he’s gonna try his best.

Alejandra, soft spoken, professional, lover of children and strong with a sense of resilience due to her beginnings.

The way their attraction for each other is evident from the moment they meet is perfection. The way their love is beyond physical, the real connection between their characters and the bond that is created over Zoe is just beyond words. And the way that man cares for, loves and truly worships that woman, and the fact he is so damn vocal about it… had me kicking my feet and screaming with joy (and a little bit of jealously. If I ever find myself a Gage Donovan, I will fight anyone who tries to take him from me.)

The darker elements of this story are superbly written and you really feel the pain and hurt Gage is going through whilst trying to be strong for his team, for Ale and for Zoe, as well as trying to be the best dad and Marine he can be. It’s dramatically stunning and definitely hit every emotion, I laughed, cried, shouted and fell in love during this book.

As for the spice, wow! It’s hot and steamy, passionate, raw and emotional. The detail in this man’s skill as well as the aftercare, my god! We all need a Gage Donovan in our lives.

As I said, I cannot fault this book, the story and the characters were amazing, and I truly wanted to know more about their future together. 5 Stars all day long.

[The Book Witch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a very hard time ranking my favorite indie authors. They're each amazing and so special to me, as a reader. But Izzy is definitely in my top 5. I have yet to read a book by her that I didn't love. Whether it's a spicy, heartfelt romance that makes me cry, scream and cheer, like this one or dark erotica drenched in blood and gore that makes me question myself as a person, she always gets me, hook, line and sinker.

Misery in Me was definitely everything I've come to expect from Izzy, and more. Gage is everything you picture the perfect Marine Sergeant to be. A dedicated leader, driven, loyal to his brother in arms and protective. What he's not, is ready to be a father. Enter Zoe, the precious bundle he knew nothing about and you find a man helpless and unprepared to be a father, but knowing he needs to step up. It's near impossible to be a single parent and remain active in the military. And here comes Alejandra, the solution, right through the front door, and the stage is set.

Gage and Alejandra's (and Zoe's) story shattered my heart into eleventy billion pieces, and then Izzy sewed it back up,as best she could. This book took me through the emotional wringer, for sure , which I LOVE. I want to feel both devastated and exalted by a book/author, I need it, and Izzy delivered.

If you enjoy:

🔥: Forbidden Romance
🔥: Military Romance
🔥: Forced Proximity
🔥: Nanny × Single Dad
🔥: PTSD,/Mental Health Rep
🔥: Found Family
🔥: Yummy Spice
🔥: Latina FMC

Then I HIGHLY suggest you give this book a read. You will not be disappointed. I loved absolutely everything about this book, even the moments that tore into my heart and made me cry. And when my cheeks weren't wet with tears, my inner thighs were wet with something else (🫣🥵). Which is why I'll be rating this overall 5 ⭐ read a dripping wet and very steamy 5 outta 5 🌶️'s on the spice scale.

While this book isn't as dark as I'm ok with going, content wise, there's still some difficult and dark themes here. I urge you, as I do with any book I review, to please check the content list and trigger warnings, to be sure this book is a safe read, for you.

And should you decide to read it, please come back here and drop a comment down ⬇️ below ⬇️ so we can chat about it!! Happy reading!! 🖤

[Megan Hall-Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

a grab hold of your heart must read

The amount of anticipation has lead up to this very moment. The moment I read the very first pages leading up to the first chapter that is about to change my existence in life, forever…
In life we learn from the most unexpected moments and Gage is living that saying. Life is indeed a Yin and Yang kind of situation all wrapped and intertwined into a messy, crazy, intense mixing with that light peaking through the metaphorical window; helping guide the way and letting you see the beauty within the unexpected. Life for Gage turned upside down immensely.

In life we think the unexpected moments may seem too much or that there will always be a darkness that looms within but Gage, nope. Just like the Marine he is he takes it on like a solider. Torn, scared, and freak out… yes. Who wouldn’t be with a precious little fragile gift he was given nor expected but also what that precious gift help lead Gage and his little on a mission to that life within the darkness moments; a light adds to the Gage’s and this precious little one’s light). If you like a slow burn where you’re yelling at your poor book as if it will talk back to you while feeling those extremely emotions of ‘do I want to cry?’ Or feel that intense rollercoaster drop meets watching a thriller on tv moment where you’re again, yelling. Wanting, needing what may or may not be, be. Where you fight not to skip to the end only to push through like a reader solider to absorb every written word mentioned, or like me. Reading slow and talking aloud to get the detailed description of the tone of voice correct only to hair it even more clear inside the mind as you read. Again. I give nothing away but made this personal because this is my go to read and will be added to my mental go to when times are tough and I need a comfort. Though my heart aches, pounds, body on fire, and just that longing for the two main characters or the ache that’s etched inside with the many feelings any reader reading MIM will feel from the beginning and possibly that ache turning into one of love and light.

[itzxraibooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually live in the darker corners of romance, the pitch black, twisted kind that makes your soul ache in the best (or worst) ways but Misery In Me was such a refreshing change of pace. Still emotional, still intense, but this time it hit softer, deeper, and wrapped around me like warmth instead of ice.

This story had a grumpy/sunshine marine who didn’t sign up for fatherhood, a strong Latina FMC with a backbone and a heart full of tenderness, and a baby that unexpectedly brings two broken people together in the most beautiful way. Gage and Alejandra's connection is magnetic. From their first meeting, you feel the pull, the tension, the heat and yet it never overshadows the emotion.

Izzy did such a thoughtful job weaving in themes like PTSD, grief, racism, and motherhood without ever feeling heavy-handed. I appreciated how Alejandra wasn’t just the “nanny love interest” trope she was layered, fierce, and unapologetically herself. Gage, he is the kind of man who makes you believe a hard shell doesn’t mean a cold heart.

The romance is forbidden the way I like it and the smut was yummy. Gage in uniform is dangerous enough, but add in those soft, tender moments with his daughter and Alejandra and I was done for. 🥵

That said, the pacing did feel a little off in places for me personally. Some moments could’ve used more breathing room while others moved a little too quickly. But even with that, the story held me. This book felt like a warm, spicy hug for the soul, perfect for a rainy day.

It may not be my usual brand of darkness, but I enjoyed it.

*I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3🌶️🌶️🌶️

This is the one. My current favorite book by Izzy. I loved this so hard. It’s some of the MOST beautiful writing that this writer has done and I knew from the first page, I’d be hooked.

This is a love story that begins with Gage Donovan opening his door one day and finding a note….with a healthy, newborn baby girl attached. The note is from the birth mother who says that she can’t raise a baby and it’s basically up to Gage to raise her…..the baby he knew nothing about, from an off again, on again, hook up or as Gage likes to call her a constant “bad decision” (btw Gage’s inner monologues are funny and written perfectly).

So now Gage, who’s a Marine, who happens to be home from Deployment, finds himself with a newborn daughter, Zoe, that he knew nothing about and he has no clue how to raise her or how to meet a child’s basic needs. Cue the search for a Nanny….

Ale is a 25 yr old Nanny who’s worked for military families before and is looking for a new job to help pay for her family living in Mexico.

Sparks fly, eyes meet, passion flares, my breeding kink is further unlocked 🥵🥵, and love where you didn’t expect it is found.

But a Marine’s life is never easy, and Deployment can take them away from home for months at a time, never guaranteeing you’ll come back home….Can love survive that?

And I’d just like to say, Gage Donovan is my favorite character that Izzy has created so far and Malakai Vaughn is out there existing in her creator world, so it wasn’t an EASY DECISION 😩😮‍💨😮‍💨


Highly recommend this book.

[Toxic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay okay. This woman is a genius. While it took me a while to get out of the mindset of this being a horrifically violent dark romance (let’s face it, Izzy’s got form) I appreciated something different from her entirely. That’s what you get from this book.

We have our FMC Alejandra/Ale. She’s hard up and needs a job asap to be able to send money to her younger brother and sister back home. So she snaps the hands off the man who’s looking for a live in Nanny.

That man is Gage, our MMC. His life is turned on its axis when he opens the door to his baby girl, whom he never knew existed. Gage is a military man and is desperate for someone worthy enough to look after his baby girl.

Join them on a journey of instant attraction, lust, and love at first sight, while they navigate their way through deployments, loneliness, hardships and more.

I’ve read a few reviews where they found that some parts of the story has been dragged out a little. And I think they’re missing the point. Those mundane little days where they spend a day shopping or just being with each other, have been described in greater detail because these are the most important days in a military families life. The stuff we take for granted. So it made sense to experience just how much the day to day stuff is important to their family.

Thank you Izzy, for letting me read this early. You did not disappoint!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️.75
Military romance/instalove/spicy contemporary
Marines
Mental health awareness
HEA

[Erin Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨🔮🌞🌕🍄🌕🌞🔮✨

ARC REVIEW

Misery In Me - Izzy Ravas

4.5/5⭐️

📚📚📚
First I’ll start with what a dedication to bring the biggest smile to my face! I giggled hard!! Now for my review, this one I did binge on one sitting because Daddy Gage is a ten out of ten! Gage gets his life thrown a bit when one night his daughter is just dropped off at his door. The one he didn’t know he had. But that man truly steps up to the plate and more! With being a marine he needed to hire a live in nanny to help with life and when he gets deployed but along the way Gage will fall hard. Ale was such a perfect FMC. The way she cared for Zoe and Gage left me with all the happy feelings. The spice was so hot!! Izzy Ravas just has a way their writing that keeps me consumed until I’m done.

I highly recommend grabbing this one!
📚📚📚
If you like to read:
- Single dad x nanny
- Found family
- Mental health rep
- PTSD
- Latina FMC
- Forced Proximity
… You should definitely check this out

📚📚📚

Thank you so much for sending me a copy for an honest review in my own words. #giftedcopy

✨what are you currently reading? Or what’s a rec you have for an above trope?

#books #booklover #smut #booknerd #bookfriend #bookish #booklovers #bookishcommunity #bookloversunite #instabook #bookporn #bookphotography #reviews #igbooks #ilovereading #smutty #bookaddiction #bookhoader #hotnsexy #fortheloveofbooks #bookrecs #yummy #givemeallthebooks #readingthepainaway #booktok #arc

[kaylaschapterchats · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a beautiful read, and I didn't want it to end.

We have our fmc Alejandra. She is beautiful, kind, caring, patient, so calming, and just an incredible human. Ale is working in America as an accredited nanny and loving it. She also supports her younger siblings who are living in Guadalajara. Our mmc is Gage. He is a decorated soldier who is constantly away on deployment. Gage is quiet but kind of sweet. His inner thoughts are really funny, and I love how he kind of lost himself over Ale but in the best way.

The plot was so sweet but dealt with really heavy topics that a lot of people face on an everyday basis. After another deployment, Gage finds out that he is, in fact, a father of a 3 week old baby girl named Zoe. She's the cutest. He finds a nanny is the very experienced Alejandra but is drawn to her personality instantly. Gage doesn't know what to do with his growing feelings for Ale as she is so good with Zoe and doesn't want to lose her. The problem is, he's kind of obsessed with her, and one day, he just kind of forgets himself and acts on those feelings...

Loved this so much!!!!

Thank you, Izzy, and your incredible team for the opportunity to read this story. I am forever blessed to be a part of your ARC team 🙏

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶

🪖 dual pov
🪖 single dad x nanny
🪖 found family
🪖 ptsd
🪖 mental health rep
🪖 Latina fmc
🪖 forced proximity

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75⭐️I had a really great time reading this. Gage had a surprise dropped off on his front door step. He was so scared and yet he stepped up. He wasn't ready to be a dad let alone for the first time to a newborn. He wasn't prepared, but he did everything he could for Zoe. He was so sweet, patient, and loving. He decided to get a nanny to help and in comes Alejandra. She is everything he never knew he needed and so much more. She becomes a huge help with Zoe and him as well. He started to a form a bond with Ale that was so passionate, caring, and real. They both had never experienced anything like this before but they were all in. Once they knew it was what they wanted they moved forward and had no regrets. I loved seeing them be happy and become a little happy family with Zoe. The way they both cared, loved, and protected Zoe was so cute. Ale was a great mother and Gage was an amazing father. I loved that we also got to see the burdens and troubles that Marines face during war. The sadness and loneliness that family members deal with was also talked about. Even through all that Ale supported and took care of Zoe and Gage when he came back from his deployment. She was his rock and he was hers. I really enjoyed how his friends supported him and how he learned Spanish for Ale. Their relationship was a great mixture of spice and sweet moments.

[thesmutreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐈𝐧 𝐌𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐈𝐳𝐳𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐬
𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟔, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

𝟏𝟎/𝟏𝟎 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐝 𝐱 𝐍𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐲
𝐏𝐓𝐒𝐃 & 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐑����𝐩
𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐅𝐌𝐂

“𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐤, 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭.”

𝐆𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐱 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧. 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐳𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲, 𝐆𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩.

𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐣𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐣𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐆𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝.

𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲. 𝐀𝐬 𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜é, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞. 𝐀𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐈 𝐬𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈’𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐧, 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞? 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐆𝐨𝐝𝐬, 𝐆𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 & 𝐈’𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. 𝟏𝟎/𝟏𝟎 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬.

[Willie Mercedes · Rating 4 out of 5]

🚨Single Dad Alert + 🔥Spice Overload🚨

Gage just found out he’s a dad—to a newborn he didn’t even know existed. Between diapers, surprise fatherhood, and being active duty with random deployments, he’s barely keeping it together. He needs help. Fast.

Enter Alejandra. Strong, grounded, and so not looking to fall for her boss. But try as they might, the chemistry was undeniable. They tried to resist…but yeah, that didn’t last long. 😮‍💨

This book was equal parts heart-melting and panty-melting 😍🥵 I ate up every second.

Izzy writes spice like it’s her damn superpower and let me tell you, Gage had a filthy mount and I’m not mad about it!! 👀🔥


Things to know

mental health struggles and mild post traumatic stress disorder, emotional and financial abuse from a family member, racism from a side character, police involvement, and intimidation are present in this book-racism is challenged by the main male character and a side character, praise and degradation, unprotected sex, explicit sex scenes, war, physical violence, firearms, death, rough sex, grief, breath play, graphic language, spitting, breeding, dry humping, consensual non consent, primal play, free use, edging, public play, pregnancy and birth of a child.

[Lacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

-Forbidden Military Romance
-Nanny x Single Dad
-Mental Health Rep/PTSD
-Forced Proximity
-Latina FMC
-Found Family

Gage Donovan is a Sergeant in the Marines who experiences an unexpected surprise when a newborn daughter is dropped off on his doorstep. While he is accustomed to the high-stakes risks of his job, the reality of becoming a new father frightens him. To navigate this new chapter in his life, he hires nanny Alejandra Orozco, as he feels completely clueless about parenting. Although they strive to maintain a professional relationship, they find themselves drawn to each other.

This contemporary military romance does not disappoint. It is touching yet does not shy away from serious issues, such as racism, mental health/PTSD and the challenges faced by active duty military personnel and their families during deployment. Alejandra is a strong character, demonstrated by the sacrifices she makes for her family while also caring deeply for Gage and his daughter, Zoe. Gage, a 6’5” man who is initially guarded. With Ale’s support, he begins to understand that it’s okay to process and express his feelings and emotions.

Watching this family develop and grow together is heartwarming.

[Eliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of sexiness, love, and adoration. This instalove developed into such an emotionally mature and full of love relationship. From the beginning you know Gage is going to have it bad for Alejandra. MAN DOWN! These two just needed to get a room from the first time they saw each other. Can we mention the kinks?? He speaks Spanish and has a filthy mouth! I'd forsure fall to my knees for this man. Theres a breeding kink and you know what happens with that 😉 I enjoyed this so much that I needed more!

Thank you Izzy Ravas for the opportunity to read an ARC.

"This is bad, Ale, really fucking bad. You cannot seriously be falling for the father of the child you nanny. What the fuck is wrong with me?"

"Ale is finding me. She's breathing new life into me, chipping away at the misery and replacing it with profound sense of being. With her, I'm not just existing anymore."

[Cole Branham · Rating 5 out of 5]

When it comes to dark romance books, military dark romance is one of my favorite tropes!! So when I join Izzy’s team earlier in the year and saw she was writing a military dark romance, I sat and patiently and I mean patiently waiting for that email! And Izzy you knocked it out of the park when this book! I thought Strikeout was great when I read it but Misery in Me was fantastic! I loved watching our MMC Gage, this harden gunnery sergeant who never asked for Zoe and to me he quickly stepped into the role as a father and I loved it!! He is trying everything he needs to do to ensure that Zoe is taken care of if he is deployed again. Then you have the beautiful Alejandra coming in as the nanny and new mother for Zoe, it’s just one of those moments that melts your heart when reading!! She gave Gage everything he never knew he needed until her and Zoe. Also their chemistry throughout the book is just a chef’s kiss, Izzy hit it in the nail when writing them. Misery in Me is a dark military romance with tropes such as Single Dad x Nanny relationship, Found Family, Forced Proximity, and PTSD. Misery in Me is out on July 16th!!!

[Aracely · Rating 5 out of 5]

⚠️Check TW’s before reading⚠️

🖤 IZZY MISS MA’AM! You have gone and made me fall in love with both Gage and Alejandra! This is the first military romance I have read and the second single dad x nanny that I have read and I absolutely loved it! In true Izzy fashion, she had me going through all the emotions, comfort blankie or snack will be needed. Seeing Gage slowly fall in love with the idea of being a father warmed my heart. Ale on the other hand, you could see from the very beginning all the love he had for that little girl. Watching both Gage and Ale fall in love was the best, they were what each other needed, and were perfect. Okok, but that man deserves a shout out because goddamn does he have a dirty mouth on him 🥵! He could literally step on me and I’d say thank you. Also, Ale is mommy! Literally lol! The whole time I was like “mommy sorry mommy sorry mommy” cause she too could step on me and id say thank you.

📚Book Type: Military romance

✨Tropes/CW’s
🧎🏽‍♀️Single dad x nanny
🧎🏽‍♀️Breeding kink
🧎🏽‍♀️Mental health rep
🧎🏽‍♀️Found family
🧎🏽‍♀️Mexican FMC

[El Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️ rounded up.
🌶🌶🌶🌶

Overall this was a very sweet story with about a couple who is absolutely obsessed with eachother and a LOT of sexy spice. I enjoyed the forbidden romance aspect of this book and the way the characters fell madly in love with one another regardless of what others think.
I appreciated the way the FMC and MMC cared for one another equally. The way in which the author wrote the story to portray the struggle with gender stereotypes, sexism and toxic masculinity was done well. Izzy Ravas does such an amazing job writing green flag characters that you find yourself rooting for within the first couple pages of her Books; Gage and Alejandra are no different.
The reason the rating of this book isn't higher for me is that I felt a couple plot moments were left too open ended or unfinished. I kept expecting that we would learn more from those moments or be revisited by them but the story just continued without even addressing them again, which made me feel a little confused and unfulfilled.
Regardless, I deeply enjoyed the romance, the spice and the journey of Gage and Alejandra's relationship.
I'm excited to read even more from Izzy Ravas soon.

[Ashley Fields · Rating 5 out of 5]

GAGE. DONOVAN.

That's it. That's the review.

... kidding. But honestly, if you're interested in a single dad Marine with a dirty dirty mouth who is absolutely obsessed - Gage is for you. 👀

Gage hires Alejandra as a nanny for his newborn daughter Zoe, who was dropped on his doorstep. He travels a lot for military missions & just can't do the single parent thing without a little help.

And like it always happens with one of my fav tropes... the single dad falls for the nanny. Hard. Completely obsessed. Like, wants to marry her and put a baby in her immediately. 😂 There's spice is great, honorary mention again to Gage's dirty mouth... it's all super hot.

What really makes this book special, in my opinion, is the emotional stuff that Gage and Ale deal with throughout the book. Survivors guilt, PTSD & mental health struggles, racism, deployments, Ale's family struggling back in Mexico... it's such a beautiful story, on top of the spicy stuff. I love literally anything & everything that Izzy writes, but this one nailed me right in the feels.

[Michelle Fry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me hooked from the dedication “This book is for anyone who has ever watched a Marine run in those silly hoochie daddy shorts and thought “I’d let him ruin my life”…Like talk about a perfect dedication!!

Misery In Me was my first military book and I am definitely hooked and in my military era now

I am seriously HOOKED on all of Izzy’s character and now I wholeheartedly want my own Gage Mitchell Donovan III

Ale and Gage were absolute perfection and sexy!! The mouth on Gage was the perfect amount of filthy and sweet!!

I loved how Ale fell in love with Zoe and wanted more than anything to be her mama

The talks about combat were definitely respectful and real…Gage’s PTSD was real and handled phenomenally and I could honestly feel his grief

Ale, Gage and Zoe were such the perfect little family and I loved how much Gage wanted to grow their family and just make sure they were all loved and happy!!

Definitely an amazing book!!

[Daisy Magnolia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished this... and let me tell you, it’s hot in here 🔥🥵

A forbidden military romance? Yes!
A sexy, broody Marine falling for his daughter’s nanny? Double yeses!! 🖤

This story is packed with emotion. Family drama. The weight of war l, trauma and falling in love when you least expect it 🖤

4.5 ☆ and the spice level - Scorching 🔥 and emotional wreckage? - buckle in ❤️‍🩹

⚠️ Trigger Warning:
I'm not going to lie, Gage is hot enough to melt your Ereader... 🙈 But Misery In Me deals with sensitive topics, including mental health struggles, mild PTSD, emotional and financial abuse, and more. Please read with care. Your mental health matters 🌼

To Izzy, thank you for introducing me to the sexy, broken, completely irresistible Marine and for letting me meet him early. The emotion. The heat. The forbidden and the beautiful disaster of it all, I loved loved it! And him perfecting his Spanish for her? That was everything! ❤️

[OooLaLa Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Hot Marine, a Strong Woman, and All the Feels 💥

Okay Book Besties, let me put you on real quick—"Misery In Me" by Izzy Ravas is the contemporary romance debut you didn’t know you needed! I adored Alejandra (aka Ale) and Gage. My heart ached for Gage—he’s a Marine dealing with deployment trauma, grief, and oh yeah… a surprise baby dropped into his world. It’s a lot. But Ale? She is his anchor through it all. Their connection is messy, real, and undeniably hot—their chemistry had me fanning myself more than once 🔥. Gage may be broken, but he still manages to love, support, and worship Ale in all the best ways. The banter? Chef’s kiss. The steam? Off the charts. And the emotional layers? Deep. For a debut in contemporary romance, Izzy Ravas knocked it out of the park. Grab a blanket, your favorite drink, and this book—because trust me, you need this military hottie in your life like yesterday. 💋

My Ratings:
⭐ 4/5
🥵 4/5