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Vows & Vengeance #3
Savage Devotion
Savage Devotion (Vows & Vengeance Book 3)
A BWWM Irish Mafia x Hacker Romance | Enemies, Grief, Forbidden Love, SLOW BURN!!!
This isn’t a tender love story born in peace.
This is war.
And Nova was never meant to be his salvation...until she was.
CJ buried the woman he loved and every piece of softness he had left.
Now, with the Irish mafia at war and ghosts crawling back through bloodied cracks in his empire, he’s not chasing closure. He’s hunting consequences.
Nova Blake has always belonged to him, at least in the shadows.
But when she steps into his line of fire with a laptop full of mafia secrets and a heart that never stopped bleeding for him, CJ’s forced to face the one vow he never wanted to keep.
Love.
But this isn’t a second chance. It’s a reckoning.
Because Nova doesn’t want to save him.
She wants him to burn for her.
They don’t get soft touches.
They get secrets, scars, and war.
As enemies close in and betrayals detonate, they’ll have to decide if love is a liability… or the sharpest blade in the fight.
Savage Devotion is a brutal, emotionally layered slow burn featuring a hacker heroine, a war-broken Irish heir, and a bond forged through grief, vengeance, and heat that never dies quiet.
Gritty. Grown. Slow burn. High heat.
No harem. No fade to black. No safety net.
A BWWM Irish Mafia x Hacker Romance | Enemies, Grief, Forbidden Love, SLOW BURN!!!
This isn’t a tender love story born in peace.
This is war.
And Nova was never meant to be his salvation...until she was.
CJ buried the woman he loved and every piece of softness he had left.
Now, with the Irish mafia at war and ghosts crawling back through bloodied cracks in his empire, he’s not chasing closure. He’s hunting consequences.
Nova Blake has always belonged to him, at least in the shadows.
But when she steps into his line of fire with a laptop full of mafia secrets and a heart that never stopped bleeding for him, CJ’s forced to face the one vow he never wanted to keep.
Love.
But this isn’t a second chance. It’s a reckoning.
Because Nova doesn’t want to save him.
She wants him to burn for her.
They don’t get soft touches.
They get secrets, scars, and war.
As enemies close in and betrayals detonate, they’ll have to decide if love is a liability… or the sharpest blade in the fight.
Savage Devotion is a brutal, emotionally layered slow burn featuring a hacker heroine, a war-broken Irish heir, and a bond forged through grief, vengeance, and heat that never dies quiet.
Gritty. Grown. Slow burn. High heat.
No harem. No fade to black. No safety net.
366 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 7, 2025
82 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Raven DeNoir
29 books16 followersI write love stories with body counts.
Dark romance is my lane — mafia wars, Bratva bloodlines, and women who don’t flinch when the world burns. If you’re looking for soft billionaires or cute misunderstandings, this ain’t it.
My books are about obsession, power, loyalty, and survival. They bleed. They fuck. They love hard and kill harder.
Start with Dark Vows. Just don’t expect to come out clean.
Dark romance is my lane — mafia wars, Bratva bloodlines, and women who don’t flinch when the world burns. If you’re looking for soft billionaires or cute misunderstandings, this ain’t it.
My books are about obsession, power, loyalty, and survival. They bleed. They fuck. They love hard and kill harder.
Start with Dark Vows. Just don’t expect to come out clean.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 1, 2025
2.25 Stars. (BW/WM). Kindle Unlimited 313 page e-book.
SETTING: Contemporary USA
TROPE: Mafia family conflicts. Unrequited love. Obsessive vengeance quest. Age gap?
CHARACTERS:
1. Nova Banks, heroine, an IT wizard, systems hacker and all time operative for the O'Connell Family.
2. CJ O'Connell, male lead, the older brother who is obsessed with killing his deceased lover's killer.
3. Natalia Volkov, female lead, is the deceased love of CJ.
4. The O'Connell family and their mates, Max, father and Finn, Ronan, Declan and Liam, second in command.
5. Lev/The Bishop is the antagonist and driver of all things violent for the O'Connell family.
I am not sure why I read this story and I'm sorry for it...it's unfair to pluck a book from the middle of a series plus mafia centric romances aren't my jam unless; they are captor/captive or arranged/forced marriages. I didn't get this story...I didn't get CJ's blind obsession to avenge Natalie's murder nor did I get the author's impetus for Nova and CJ romantic pairing. Nova has been in the stories and interacting with CJ since early book one , Natalia entered and was killed in book two. CJ choose Natalia with no thought of Nova. Book three don't indicate the time lapse between Natalia's death and the events in this installment. CJ behaves as if it happened yesterday; yet every family member has deduced that Nova is in love with him. Nearly 80% of this story passes before CJ sees Nova for anyone other than a source for information on the whereabouts of Natalia's killer. To say it is challenging for the preposed love interest to feel secure and loved without disrespecting or minimizing the former love is an understatement but in this story, the author allotted too much time for warring and vengeance and no time for a couple seeking a romantic relationship. CJ said the words but did he mean them remains a question.
SETTING: Contemporary USA
TROPE: Mafia family conflicts. Unrequited love. Obsessive vengeance quest. Age gap?
CHARACTERS:
1. Nova Banks, heroine, an IT wizard, systems hacker and all time operative for the O'Connell Family.
2. CJ O'Connell, male lead, the older brother who is obsessed with killing his deceased lover's killer.
3. Natalia Volkov, female lead, is the deceased love of CJ.
4. The O'Connell family and their mates, Max, father and Finn, Ronan, Declan and Liam, second in command.
5. Lev/The Bishop is the antagonist and driver of all things violent for the O'Connell family.
I am not sure why I read this story and I'm sorry for it...it's unfair to pluck a book from the middle of a series plus mafia centric romances aren't my jam unless; they are captor/captive or arranged/forced marriages. I didn't get this story...I didn't get CJ's blind obsession to avenge Natalie's murder nor did I get the author's impetus for Nova and CJ romantic pairing. Nova has been in the stories and interacting with CJ since early book one , Natalia entered and was killed in book two. CJ choose Natalia with no thought of Nova. Book three don't indicate the time lapse between Natalia's death and the events in this installment. CJ behaves as if it happened yesterday; yet every family member has deduced that Nova is in love with him. Nearly 80% of this story passes before CJ sees Nova for anyone other than a source for information on the whereabouts of Natalia's killer. To say it is challenging for the preposed love interest to feel secure and loved without disrespecting or minimizing the former love is an understatement but in this story, the author allotted too much time for warring and vengeance and no time for a couple seeking a romantic relationship. CJ said the words but did he mean them remains a question.
July 8, 2025
Not what I expected
I waited patiently. I checked every day just in case there's an earlier release. In the first book i drew me in from the beginning, the passion was there. The second book, Ava , was ruined it for me. We got to see CJ and Natalia. Cj was totally in love. You could feel it. So I was surprised and eager to see how Nova fit in. There was no passion, no chemistry on cj's part. They way he loved Natalia was not the same for Nova. It felt like Nova was chasing and begging him to love her. She had always loved him. The entire book was based on him hunting on Natalia behalf. There was no actual romance written 80% of the was was about the war, and cj chasing lev. The first 2 books there was a balance, but this one failed. The first 50% of the book no connection no chemistry nothing between these two. Just nova chasing a man who's chasing vengeance for the woman he loved. The book lacks romance and passion. Cj gave in because he knew how Nova felt about him, and Natalia was dead he didn't really love her. You could feel it as you read. Mac and Janelle, you instantly felt the heat. I hated that Nova kept trying to save him, trying to get him to see her, trying to get him to feel something for her. The author wrote a better story between Natalia and CJ. This book was disappointing. Once he killed lev, she still had to convince like seriously. If you work so hard to convince a man, it's obvious he does not love you. There were only two scenes between these two PS. I expected more. i hope the others are better. i have no hope. Please make sure you add extra passion, chemistry Roan and Luka because I would be livid.
I waited patiently. I checked every day just in case there's an earlier release. In the first book i drew me in from the beginning, the passion was there. The second book, Ava , was ruined it for me. We got to see CJ and Natalia. Cj was totally in love. You could feel it. So I was surprised and eager to see how Nova fit in. There was no passion, no chemistry on cj's part. They way he loved Natalia was not the same for Nova. It felt like Nova was chasing and begging him to love her. She had always loved him. The entire book was based on him hunting on Natalia behalf. There was no actual romance written 80% of the was was about the war, and cj chasing lev. The first 2 books there was a balance, but this one failed. The first 50% of the book no connection no chemistry nothing between these two. Just nova chasing a man who's chasing vengeance for the woman he loved. The book lacks romance and passion. Cj gave in because he knew how Nova felt about him, and Natalia was dead he didn't really love her. You could feel it as you read. Mac and Janelle, you instantly felt the heat. I hated that Nova kept trying to save him, trying to get him to see her, trying to get him to feel something for her. The author wrote a better story between Natalia and CJ. This book was disappointing. Once he killed lev, she still had to convince like seriously. If you work so hard to convince a man, it's obvious he does not love you. There were only two scenes between these two PS. I expected more. i hope the others are better. i have no hope. Please make sure you add extra passion, chemistry Roan and Luka because I would be livid.
July 7, 2025
This series has always been about fire. Violent, beautiful, and dangerous. But Savage Devotion burns in a way I didn’t see coming. I loved Dark Vows from the first chapter; it had that perfect balance of menace and intimacy. Bound by Fire was good. Liam and Ava’s story held weight. But I didn’t feel it quite the same way.
Then this book dropped, and all that heat came roaring back.
CJ and Nova completely gutted me. Their dynamic is feral. Grief and guilt bleed into want, into obsession, into something neither of them can name without choking on it. Their scenes aren’t about comfort. They’re about survival. About clinging to the only person who still sees you when you can’t even see yourself. Every glance, every moment, feels like it could tip into violence or confession.
And just when I thought the emotional damage had peaked... the game changed.
The Bishop is a shadow figure we’ve been tracking since Bound by Fire. In this book, he finally steps into the light. And without spoiling anything, I’ll just say this: the reveal hit like a head-on collision. Not just because of who it is, but because of what it means for the family, for the war, and for every alliance built across three books.
I thought I was ready. I wasn’t. I didn’t just read that part, I felt it. My stomach dropped. My chest went tight. Suddenly, everything that’s happened, every betrayal, every power move, every quiet threat, takes on a whole new weight.
Raven DeNoir plays the long game. And this was her checkmate.
Savage Devotion brought me right back to what I loved most in Dark Vows. Legacy. Intimacy. Danger. And characters too raw to be pretty, too loyal to be safe. Book 4 is going to be a war. And now that we finally know who The Bishop is, we understand exactly what’s at stake.
Read it. Then clear your schedule. You’ll need time to recover.
Then this book dropped, and all that heat came roaring back.
CJ and Nova completely gutted me. Their dynamic is feral. Grief and guilt bleed into want, into obsession, into something neither of them can name without choking on it. Their scenes aren’t about comfort. They’re about survival. About clinging to the only person who still sees you when you can’t even see yourself. Every glance, every moment, feels like it could tip into violence or confession.
And just when I thought the emotional damage had peaked... the game changed.
The Bishop is a shadow figure we’ve been tracking since Bound by Fire. In this book, he finally steps into the light. And without spoiling anything, I’ll just say this: the reveal hit like a head-on collision. Not just because of who it is, but because of what it means for the family, for the war, and for every alliance built across three books.
I thought I was ready. I wasn’t. I didn’t just read that part, I felt it. My stomach dropped. My chest went tight. Suddenly, everything that’s happened, every betrayal, every power move, every quiet threat, takes on a whole new weight.
Raven DeNoir plays the long game. And this was her checkmate.
Savage Devotion brought me right back to what I loved most in Dark Vows. Legacy. Intimacy. Danger. And characters too raw to be pretty, too loyal to be safe. Book 4 is going to be a war. And now that we finally know who The Bishop is, we understand exactly what’s at stake.
Read it. Then clear your schedule. You’ll need time to recover.
July 7, 2025
I didn’t think anything could top Dark Vows, the atmosphere, the raw tension, Mac and Janelle’s dangerous chemistry, but Savage Devotion might’ve just matched it. I liked Bound by Fire, especially Ava and Liam, but it didn’t hit me in the chest the way Dark Vows did.
This one? It did.
Savage Devotion is a storm of vengeance, grief, forbidden love, and legacy built on blood. CJ and Nova wrecked me in the best way. His spiral is violent and visceral, you feel how much he’s unraveling under the weight of Natalia’s death. And Nova... she’s not there to fix him. She’s just trying to keep him alive, even if it breaks her to do it. Their scenes together are raw, intimate, and soaked in tension. There’s so much they don’t say, and that silence is a weapon. Every time they’re on the page together, it’s war and devotion braided into something that hurts to watch and you can’t look away from.
And then... the reveal.
I won’t spoil it, but I gasped. For real. I thought I understood the game. I thought I knew who was moving the pieces. I didn’t. Raven DeNoir pulled the rug so hard I had to close my Kindle and pace around the room. The identity of The Bishop? It’s not just a twist, it’s personal. It changes the entire shape of the war. It made me question everything from Book One.
This isn’t just mafia romance. This is legacy warfare. Bloodline betrayal. Generational rage. And the fact that we now know who The Bishop is, but the characters are just starting to unravel it? It’s going to explode in Book 4, and I already know I’m not ready.
If Dark Vows pulled me into the world, Savage Devotion reminded me why I never want to leave. This series isn’t playing games anymore. It’s going for the jugular.
This one? It did.
Savage Devotion is a storm of vengeance, grief, forbidden love, and legacy built on blood. CJ and Nova wrecked me in the best way. His spiral is violent and visceral, you feel how much he’s unraveling under the weight of Natalia’s death. And Nova... she’s not there to fix him. She’s just trying to keep him alive, even if it breaks her to do it. Their scenes together are raw, intimate, and soaked in tension. There’s so much they don’t say, and that silence is a weapon. Every time they’re on the page together, it’s war and devotion braided into something that hurts to watch and you can’t look away from.
And then... the reveal.
I won’t spoil it, but I gasped. For real. I thought I understood the game. I thought I knew who was moving the pieces. I didn’t. Raven DeNoir pulled the rug so hard I had to close my Kindle and pace around the room. The identity of The Bishop? It’s not just a twist, it’s personal. It changes the entire shape of the war. It made me question everything from Book One.
This isn’t just mafia romance. This is legacy warfare. Bloodline betrayal. Generational rage. And the fact that we now know who The Bishop is, but the characters are just starting to unravel it? It’s going to explode in Book 4, and I already know I’m not ready.
If Dark Vows pulled me into the world, Savage Devotion reminded me why I never want to leave. This series isn’t playing games anymore. It’s going for the jugular.
July 15, 2025
The author warn it was a slow burn. I’m not usually into that, however I am very invested in this series and heavily involved in it. Nova, my geeky girl who is down for this family and CJ. He can be a hot head. To make up for the slow burn, there is action. Lots of it and there is a twist, but you have to read it!!! Keep up the work!!
July 29, 2025
Savage Devotion is another high-octane story from this author packed with death, love, loss, heartbreak, and intense passion. Nova supports her longtime friend CJ as he battles through these emotions while seeking revenge for Natalia’s death.
Another great story, another great read!
Another great story, another great read!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews