Call Her Filly

by Jacqueline McCall

Lee has spent years surviving the brutal underworld of the Akula crime syndicate. She’s earned her place with blood, grit, and a name that no longer feels like her own. Now, vengeance burns in her veins, and the end is in sight.

But when a soft-spoken history teacher named Benjamin stumbles into her path, everything changes.

Benjamin isn’t part of her plan. He’s a man who sees past the violence and the scars—to the woman buried beneath. And somehow, he makes her feel like she could have a future, even as she’s racing toward a past that demands blood.

As her war against the syndicate escalates and secrets threaten to destroy them both, Lee must the mission that has defined her, or the man who just might redeem her.


Darkly romantic, deeply emotional, and crackling with tension, Call Her Filly is a searing tale of love, trauma, and the impossible hope of starting over.

446 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 26, 2025

About the author

Jacqueline McCall is a displaced Texan, living on a farm in Central Florida. Raised as an only child by a single mother, she was often left alone. To fill her time, she picked up reading. When hyper fixating on characters wasn’t enough, she started creating her own. Like her characters, she never pulls punches. Preferring to write characters that aren’t being rescued by the knight on the white horse, but rather a beaten, bloody, morally grey savior.

Basically nocturnal, she prefers long naps behind blackout curtains and energy drinks. She can never remember keyboard short cuts and hates when her phone updates. When not writing, she enjoys riding her horses, being judged by cats, and cursing.

Reviews

[Tazja Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh mm gee!!! I just finished the book😬😬

The storyline and plot are CRAZY!! I will say that it was kind of hard keeping up with the gang members and all the names lol.

There are quite a few grammatical errors but I’m sure those will get worked out before publishing.

It was easy to follow the story. And I loved the build and development of Ben and Lee’s relationship.

Now that ending…I’m not going to lie…I was so UPSET😫. Why she had to go and do that😭😭. Then I knew something was up with Alik but I was not expecting that tie in. And then he delivered the energy drink for her, that was cute.


Now I want more😤😭😭

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredible read! The characters were so well written. The plot was original and intriguing. World building was excellent. I look forward to more from this series. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!

[Lei Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy shit this was a rollercoaster of a read and I enjoyed every minute of it. This book capitaved me from page one and I never looked back. It was packed with action and drama and well written violence. Lee is the embodiment of a BADASS!! She is one of the strongest FMC I've read this year and I loved her. The ending almost killed me. Please tell me there is another.

[Joy Chapman]

Jacqueline McCall is a master at creating a lasting image in a few short phrases. In the opening of "Call Her Filly," McCall describes a funeral where 3 brothers cry, but only 2 grieved. It's an image that sticks. McCall has an incredible way with words; with a few phrases, she can deliver messages that might require a lengthy sermon for a less talented wordsmith. But McCall outdoes herself in this novel. Benjamin, who really only wanted to teach college amd talk about history with like minds, becomes invlolved with the street-smart Filly. She keeps him alive while enemies and erstwhile friends try to kill both of them. But life lessons that they teach each other are what stick with you long after you finish the novel. But you may read it again. I have read this book twice so far and I won't be removing it from my Kindle.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Christinaraven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was wild and crazy and had interesting characters to watch as it all plays out. Lots of fighting and survival and surprises kept things rolling and me glued to the end. Will the two main characters make it to the end was a thing of beauty to watch. And cannot forget the revenge plan. And some twists and surprises kept things entertaining. I received an early copy ad this is my opinion.

[Sydney C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this is the bad a** female character that has needed to be written! I loved this book and I didn’t want the story to end, I need the next book asap!

[Tonika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn’t like a smart professor MMC with a teddy bear personality, vying for the attention of a feared FMC with pink tipped hair and serious CPTSD.

The banter and inner dialogue between the FMC and MMC are cute, had me giggling like a school girl at a few parts. And that’s including the dark storyline this book dabbles with.

The inner struggle and growth that Lee/Agrafina/Filly go through is intense, and almost too much for 1 person to go through. With everything it’s a wonder that she didn’t turn into a complete psychopath. I absolutely feel for her and understand where Benjamin is coming from.

Cuddly teddy bear MMC
Morally Grey/Black FMC
CPTSD
Torture
Kidnapping
Gangs/Gang Leaders
Gang Life
Drugs
SA (in past)
Physical assault
Murder
Human trafficking/Pimping

I hope there is a second book. I positively in love with lee and her ability to be her own nightmare but also her own hero.

[JoAnna VanDorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

⚠️ CHECK YOUR TRIGGERS ‼️

Lee and Benjamin are complete opposites in nearly every way possible. But they somehow make it work. I love how she brings out the tougher and braver side of him. I’m sad they didn’t get their HEA. She definitely deserves love with all the 💩 she’s dealt with in her life. And it’s nice to see the nice guy get the girl.

[Nicole Deanne Veracruz]

This is a very well written roller coaster ride. The dialogue will have you laughing until you're crying. It definitely got my blood pumping and had me on the edge of my seat I can't wait for more.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Arlene Aesthetic · Rating 5 out of 5]

A.R.C. recieved & this is my HONEST review.

TW: G0re, T0rtur3, k!dnapp!ng, SA

I felt there was some plot holes, all the K!11!ng and the woman with bright pink hair is never brought up in a criminal investigation? I understand there was dirty cops, but she did so much, especially off books from the Akula that someone must have seen something at some point. Was Baltimore like Gotham City and nobody reported anything? With all the g0re, and her constant f!ght!ng with men 3x her size and being battered but not d3@d or seriously injured enough to be bedridden I had trouble believing it wasn’t a sci-fi / paranormal novel. I also had trouble deciphering the FMC name in the beginning, because she was called so many things and we didn’t have proper introduction / reasoning. Now, even with my complaints, it was still a great book. I was teetering between a 4 or 5 star. Decided on 5 because It keeps you on your toes, there’s twists and turns you don’t expect and you don’t feel sorry for the FMC. I’d recommend this book 100% but beware for ending, you're left wanting so much moreeeee.

Filly [Lee] Agrafina
Stubborn, independent, and all around B@d A$$. I enjoyed her snark, her sheer determination to fulfilling her revenge plot. She wasn’t perfect by any means, unapologetically herself, and that’s why I liked her. I mean, she never even had an “O”. Her opening up, showing her underbelly to a virtual stranger was heartwarming. Everyone deserves someone to feel safe with, someone who shows up.

“I only have decisions. That’s all I’ve ever had. Every decision I made was wrong in some way, and I just kept making more and more. Trying to fix sins with mistakes.”

Benjamin
This adorable golden teddy bear was incredibly stupid. I’m sorry, I loved who he was for Lee, how he loved her. How he became her safe place, but for him as a person, he was dumb. What teddy bear stalks someone after being nearly mugged, because of an indescribable connection, only to end up being tied to a chair & t0rtur3d? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying he shouldn’t have felt empathy, or tried to help her, but blindly following her and giving up his life no questions asked? Dumb@$$ery. But even with his questionable decisions, he was safe. The best way to describe it. A silent sentry for Lee’s invisible demons. Showing her how to accept love, how even at your worst, someone can still love your jagged pieces.

Lee: “I’ve burned every bridge I’ve ever crossed.”
Benjamin: “And I bet you looked glorious in the flames.”

Alyosha
Another incredibly stupid character, but he was the bad guy so it was easy to overlook. He wasn’t important / relatable enough for us to WANT his storyline to be better. But as a bad guy, he was severely arrogant / stupid. It worked in everyone’s favor, but it had to be noted his infatuation with Lee was delusional. Even in the ending, his delusions were so far I don’t understand how he didn’t want vengeance.

“You’ve destroyed me. Devastated my family, my legacy. Killed my men. Left me with nothing but the clothes on my back.” …. “And yet, here I am. Kneeling before you with my tail wagging, hopeful and willing to forgive because you are mine.”

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Call Her Filly will shatter you, stitch you back together, then shatter you some more. I had a hard time getting into the rhythm of this book, but once I found my sea legs this book was hard to put down. It deals with heavy subject matter in reflection only, but it was brutally tough to read. Lee (Filly) is a character that you root for, even at her worst. And Benjamin is the best golden retriever ever. He is so supportive of Lee and lets her be herself and doesn’t try to polish off her rough edges. I hated the ending so bad because it made me cry so hard I struggled to make out the words. As soon as I’d compose myself to continue reading, McCall would throw another right hook and get me crying again, making the ending heartwrenchingly beautiful. I thoroughly enjoyed Call Her Filly, but advise you read with a box of tissue close by.

I received an ARC of Call Her Filly by Jacqueline McCall for free in lieu of my voluntary honest review of the book.

[Alex Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Growing up my parents always used three phrases religiously: “Revenge/Violence is never the answer,” “An Eye for an Eye leaves the whole world blind” and of course “Two wrongs don't make a right.” This book took me back to that. I can understand where Lee was coming from in the beginning, but I am also glad that Ben was there to show her a different option. Revenge may seem like the right answer to most problems, but in my opinion those who do wrong always get what’s coming to them eventually. I myself am not super religious but I do believe in right and wrong and obviously I believe in karma…and as the saying goes, she can be a real beach ;). Anyways I am super into this book and can’t wait for the next book in the series.

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

[Wet and Reading · Rating 1 out of 5]

I lost interest and stopped reading after one scene where the characters are covered in blood, and instead of showering and cleaning up, they sit on the couch and one of them covers up with a duvet. Makes no sense. Shower people! Clean yourself up. I just couldn’t continue on. This happened a couple times and I didn’t get it. Lots of violence and a bit far fetched. I didn’t like either character. Ben was dumb.

[Janet13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, man, what a great book. I don’t write a lot of reviews, but I had to for this one. It’s exciting, it made me cry, it got me hot and bothered. The characters were all so well developed. I honestly hope there is a sequel because I enjoyed it so much.

[Rebecca Billman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lee is a strong, independent, and determined woman.

Benjamin is the total opposite. He is a professor and is smitten with Lee.

Lee has infiltrated the local syndicate's area to gain retribution and will not stop until she gets it.

[Sheelan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got invested in this book so quickly! Lee is legitimately a strong and determined woman hell bent on retribution. Benjamin is the perfect compliment to her rough and tough exterior, with his quippy and brainiac nature. Some of the “fight” scenes did seem somewhat rushed, but I did a flip back and reread and it made a little more sense. The backstory all rolls around at the end and explains the reactions and decisions Filly made in her life. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened next. Truly the only thing I didn’t like was the ending with the unknown. I like a concrete ending and that hurt my soul a little bit to have to assume it ends how I wanted it too.

[Iris Mlnarik · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I’ve burned every bridge I’ve ever crossed.” “And I bet you looked glorious in the flames”

Call Her Filly is a mafia romance with the leader of the Akula intent on making Filly his. After taking control of the empire from his brothers, he thinks he’s got it all.. he doesn’t know yet how wrong he is.

Filly a.k.a Lee is an abrasive attitude with a foul mouth to most people who meet her and choose to look no further. Under the mask she portrays is a caring, sweet young girl who grew up to fast and had to make some horrible decisions and lost her humanity along the way while destroying the man who took everything from her.

Benjamin, is a bored PHD student who can’t come up with a thesis topic to save his life until he is thrust into a new world when he meets Lee in the most unusual circumstances. Forced to spend time with one another, he starts to see in between the cracks of the rough shell Lee portrays and he begins to understand the girl behind the mafia mask and big threats.

The story is filled with ups and downs, backstories that will make you sob for the pain caused to characters, and the ending… THAT ENDING! Fair warning, it may make you want to throw your kindle like I did - I held back of course!!