Lost Bastard

Dark Sparrow #1

by India Kells

Deadly secrets. Dark pasts. One chance at redemption. In Chicago's brutal underground fighting scene, survival means keeping your guard up - and your true identity buried.

Physical therapist Deva Landry thought she'd buried her criminal past forever. But when a dangerous MMA fighter needs her help, she's pulled back into the dark world she fled a decade ago. As she works to heal Aleksei Voronov's injuries, she can't ignore the electric connection between them - or the Russian mob's deadly grip on his life. With Aleksei's ruthless father forcing him into potentially lethal fights, Deva must choose between protecting her carefully built new life or saving the man who's beginning to break down her walls. Each step closer to Aleksei puts her deeper in danger, especially when her own violent past threatens to expose her true identity. If her cover is blown, both the Russian mob and her father's motorcycle club will hunt her down. Can she save Aleksei without sacrificing everything she's fought to build?

Lost Bastard is India Kells' gritty romantic suspense thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you love dangerous heroes, strong heroines, and heart-pounding action mixed with sizzling chemistry, you'll be addicted to this explosive new series.

Grab your copy now and step into the dangerous world of underground fighting and forbidden love.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Amazon, Contemporary Romance, Crime, Mixed Martial Arts

Unknown Binding

First published March 10, 2018

About the author

India Kells is the author of dark romantic suspense where raw sensuality, psychological tension, and morally dangerous heroes collide in a blaze of emotional fire.
Her novels delve into the gray areas of desire and the scars that love and life leave behind.
If you crave stories where adrenaline, obsession, and redemption clash, you’re in the right place.

Reviews

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon & on iBooks today (9/6/2020)! 🎁

[Lauren Seiberling (Romance Novel Giveaways) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is AWESOME.

I've never read one of India's books before, but I absolutely LOVED it! A truly gripping romantic suspense, it features Deva, a strong and independent woman who tries to forget her past but, at the same time, isn't afraid to use what she learned from it.

And Aleksei, who was seemingly one person but turned out to be someone completely different...a twist that was sort of thrown in at the end but one that I never saw coming.

The chemistry between Deva and Aleksei definitely sizzles, but my favorite interaction between them was at the very end. No spoilers!

The ONLY reason I gave this book four stars was because of the egregious amount of proofreading errors from start to finish in the copy I bought from Amazon.

Bit, in spite of that, I'm most likely going to grab the next book in the series; I met the heroine of the next book in this book, and I'm SO intrigued by Zoe!

[Edie Baylis · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can say is... Brilliant!

Out of a wish to help and to honour an old debt, Deva is forced to return to a life she had tried (and succeeded) to leave behind. Promising herself this return would only be temporary as she was catapulted back into the world she'd removed herself from, she worryingly found herself falling in love with Aleksei - who was involved in all the things she didn't want and feared this would be her downfall.
I'm not going to give the plot away, but I will say this was a superbly written story, a gripping page-turner, with a good helping of grit, angst and smouldering scenes. A fabulous read for those who love the genre and I will very much look forward to reading more.

[Nikki Landis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Lost Bastard completely swept me away! Such a wonderful story and romance.

This book has so many twists and turns, so many revelations, and the deep connection of two people who are from different sides of the same destructive and violent world. Very well-written, filled with passion, sensuality, and sex scenes that will literally set your kindle on fire. There's a lot of tension and the story builds at an exciting pace. Couldn't put it down!

I LOVED this book and Dena and Aleksei. 5 exciting, thrilling, sexy STARS!

Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Word Building: 5/5
Story Flow: 5/5

Picky Bitches OVERALL SCORE: 5/5

[Maya Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not sure how to review it without sounding like a teenage fan girl. I did not expect this story to take me on such an emotional ride. The author gives such depth to the characters that it’s impossible to stay disconnected from everything they go through. Being born in the world of MCs and faking your death does not mean staying hidden forever for Deva. Now she must return the favor that gave her new life and identity. Meeting Aleksei Voronov is just the start of her troubles that might cost her her life but it will definitely cost her her heart. Action packed with mafia gangs, underground fighting rings and steamy scenes, the book will definitely make you lose some sleep because you won’t want to stop turning the pages. It’s a dark romance and worth every minute you spend reading it. I highly recommend this book!

[Sherry Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got started reading India Kells when I read the first book of Women of Purgatory series. I am not disappointed to find that characters from that series have rolled over into this series.

If you like action suspense books with strong women and alpha males, then you can't go wrong with this book. It has everything a reader needs for a page turner: mafia, syndicate, bikers, underground fighting with just enough mystery to keep you guessing.

looking forward to seeing what's going to happen next with the sparrows.

Gifted copy and writing voluntary review.

[Holly Barbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice contemporary thriller.
Fast paced. Full of twists and unexpected paths. I could write the whole review with short statements like this. This is a well written story with a number of convoluted layers. The characters are complex and the story line covers knowledge I wouldn’t know where to begin to research. I am impressed with this page-turner and look forward to reading other books in this series.

[Naomi Valkyrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an intense story. I love how strong of a character Deva is. She hits a great balance of fierce and feminine. I enjoyed the way the layers of backstory were dripped throughout. The timing of it added depth and emotion. There is an emotional moment in chapter thirty-seven. Not going to lie, I teared up. Lost Bastard is a stellar read. You won’t be able to put it down.

[Carole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trop de personnages, dur à suivre

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Lost Bastard" (Dark Sparrow Novel Book 1) by India Kells is a captivating introduction to an exciting series. The story is set in a world where powerful and enigmatic men navigate chaos, madness, and the influence of wealth and power. The narrative follows the formation of brotherhoods through peril, violence, and ruthlessness, and portrays a character who takes what he desires without concern for the consequences. The book is filled with mystery, intrigue, unexpected twists, and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It depicts a world where suspense and danger are commonplace, and where the exchange of secrets and lies is the norm.

[Roxsanne Lesieur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deva Landry is a woman with a dark past, she ran away from it and barely survived, but she had some help, in return for a favour which could be called upon any time and now the person who helped her has come calling, but it isn’t all as straight forward as it seems. Aleksei Voronov is a man covered in tattoos who is an MMA fighter with a dark past as well, but he is the one that Deva is sent to watch over, much to her annoyance.

Deva has found a place in a rehab centre for veterans as a physiotherapist and is finally feeling settled when out of the blue an old friend comes calling and asking to call in a favour, she wants her to use her skills as a physiotherapist and knowledge gained from her days as an MC Princess in Chicago to move back there to where it all started and try to observe and protect a man. As they discuss the mission and she meets the man in charge who explains the situation and as soon as she agrees to help, she is put up in an apartment in the north side of Chicago. Her neighbours are lovely, albeit an odd couple and very eccentric but whom endear themselves to Deva pretty quickly and a couple of days of settling in later, she heads over to the gym she will be working in as the new physiotherapist with a mission to keep the MMA fighters who train there fit and ready to fight. However, when she arrives there on her first day, she is surprised to see that the gym is filled with who normally wouldn’t be seen dead around each other, but when she eyeballs the one she is looking for, she is taken aback and that reaction is not normal for her in the slightest.

As Deva becomes part of the furniture at the Gym, she hasn’t officially run into Aleksei and she is worried that she won’t be able to fulfil her mission or her promise, that is until one night when he sneaks into the gym after hours asking for a treatment, but when things get heated between them while Deva is treating him, things get a little spicy, but once Deva cottons on to what is happening, she stops what she is doing and leaves, it is when she realises that it isn’t the kind of treatment he was after. The next day the gym owner is not himself and when she asks what is wrong, it turns out that Aleksei was injured in a fight and needs to get better for his next one in a few days and he asks Deva if she knows anyone who can help, thankfully she does and her mission truly starts when she ends up staying at his apartment to treat him.

This triggers more than a professional relationship when neither of them can deny the burning attraction between them and as they get to know each other more, things get complicated and Deva and Aleksei are thrown together on a mission to protect more than just each other. Will Deva be able to keep her past and present separate, or will it come back to haunt her again? This is a romantic suspense with more action than you can throw a stick at which will dig in its claws and keep you reading until the end.

[Angela Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you get drawn back into the life you thought you have left behind, will she have the courage to loss everything for love.

Deva owes everything she has to one woman who she promised in return one favour, but she she receives a phone call activating "Dark Sparrow" Deva gets worried that she will be drawn into the world she left behind.

Alexsei has fought hard in life literally as he is involved within the underground MMA fighting scene, until one day with the gym he sees her from the ring. He doesn't know why he is so attracted to this formidable woman but he needs to get closer to her. The only problem is he is dangerous and she is innocent how can he involve her within his world.

Until one night when both worlds collide and will they ever be able to pursue the love and attraction which is there for both of them.

I loved this story as the first in the series it lays some of the groundwork for the series but it is gripping from the first word written. The story is full of twists and turns with gangs and mobsters, killings, manipulation in buckets.

The secondary character provide a great arc within the story and I loved how they all interacted with each other and love the way the story weaves and finishes off brilliantly. This is not the first book I have read by this author but this maybe the best series I have read in a longtime. I recommend this book if you love Mob bosses, strong men but even stronger female heroines.

[Mandy Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 Stars

Lost Bastard (A Dark Sparrow #1) by India Kells

This is the first book in A Dark Sparrow Series. This is the first book I've read by the author, but it won't be my last. Kells has really done a great job writing this.

Deva, a Dark Sparrow, goes to help Lazarus. He wants to watch his brothers and make sure he's kept out of harm's way. Little does Deva know that the brother is going to capture her heart. The quote I chose for Deva is: “I agree. And I couldn’t stop thinking about what Finch and my father had said. All those speeches about patience, about preparing for war. What if he was speaking about a war from within? What if Finch had prepared things way in advance, and placed his pawns in strategic places.”

Aleksei, Lazarus's half brother, trains at the gym only to find his Angel there. He keeps her at arms length, but when he's injured she's the one to help him. Things get tough and he pushes her away. The quote I chose for Aleksei is: “You put yourself in danger! I told you to stay at the hotel under Lance and Kai’s protection, but you didn’t listen. You don’t listen! And now that I know you are safe, still breathing , still alive and whole...”

This is recommended for MC lovers and if course romance lovers.

[Ellie Midwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lazarus King is a bastard, who has one goal: secure his and his brothers’ existence when his own father will do anything possible and impossible to use his children for his malicious goals. This particular installment concentrates mainly on Lazarus’s brother, Aleksei, an MMA fighter with ties to the Russian Bratva. To keep an eye on him, Lazarus and his long-time friend and colleague Beatrice, hire a physical therapist Deva; only, Deva is also not who she seems and soon these two lost souls find themselves genuinely attracted to each other while the possible mob war, Aleksei’s fathers machinations, and an MC club threaten to pull them apart.
I absolutely loved the dynamics of this story. It was charged with tension, fast-moving, steamy in all the right places, and filled with authentic, unforgettable characters. I’m already looking forward to reading the next book in the series and I would recommend this one to all fans of the genre. A great read!

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lost Bastard is the first book in the Dark Sparrows Series. It is a fantastic book and gets the series started with a bang. Beatrice Dante, founder of Purgatory, has a special name for the people she rescues...Dark Sparrows. They agree to return a favor if and when she needs it. She needs a favor now and Physical Therapist Deva Landry has the skill set she needs. Ten years after her rescue Deva is returning to Chicago to help keep one of Lazarus King’s brothers safe from their megalomaniac father Jamieson Finch. Aleksei Voronov is Russian born and has toes to the Bratva and underground fighting. Deva’s job is to get close to Aleksie and report to Gabrielle Thorne her findings. Deva’s past comes back to haunt her and she is in danger from it and Finch. Aleksie is suspicious and deadly too. This book has all the good stuff...hot men, MMA fighters, underground fighting, MC’s, mobs, gangs, Bratva, a psycho dad or two, alpha protective men and two lost souls falling in love.

[PepperP0t · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lazarus King asks his friend Bea Danta, for a favor. Protect his brothers as he destroys their despicable father, though the brothers are unaware of each other’s existence. Determining her Dark Sparrows unit could have the skills and clear their debts to her, Bea agrees. A decade ago, Bea rescued physical therapist Deva Landry from a situation and she’s perfect to watch and work with MMA fighter Aleksei Voronov and notify Bea and Lazarus if there’s any sign of his dad. Naturally, one glance is all it takes to spark interest.

This reader enjoyed the first portion of the book more than the last. To my taste, the plot, mechanics and writing were well enough but it could’ve been a tighter read. There were too many tropes, all with quantity page time so it read like filler, not bad but filler, characters went in circles inviting this reader’s boredom. I also though ‘romance’ lacked.
Rating: 3.75star

[Gwen Pendley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A strong, independent woman? Check
A sexy, alpha man? Check
Off the charts chemistry? Check
Mystery, intrigue, suspense? Check
Family issues? Check
Going down a path you swore you would never go down again? Check

What happens when repaying a promise takes you down that path you swore you would never go down again? When you realize that you may not make it out alive, do you cut your losses and run or stick it out? These are questions that Deva is faced with. As the story develops we find out how truly badass she really is. But at the end of the day, can she defeat the evil and keep her new found love??

I love India Kells' books!! The fact that a few Purgatory men & women show up in this book, are the icing on the cake!!

[Anita Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though this isn’t the type of romance novel I usually read, this story captured my attention and kept it all the way through. The characters are believable—flawed and vulnerable while at the same time strong and very likeable. The author gives a glimpse into the underworld of motorcycle clubs and mafia without the use of graphic violence and gore (which I very much appreciated.) The romantic aspects of the book were also very well done.

I very much enjoyed reading this novel and gave it 5 stars in spite of too many editing errors. I’m a big fan of indie authors, but often find myself taken out of the story by mistakes that would be easily corrected by a good editor.

[Louise Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved how this book didn't cut any corners. Motorbike gangs and caged fighting are not for the faint hearted, but the author does a brilliant job of making you turn the pages. Loved the characters too. Deva is brilliantly portrayed. No wimpering girlie stuff here. She's as hard as a nut and not easy to crack. Alexski is dark and dirty and so easy to love! the attraction is palpable and his pain almost heartbreaking when he thinks he's going to lose the woman of his dreams. Such intense scenes!

This is such a great series. I've read them out of order but it really doesn't detract from the story. Loved it and can't wait for the next in the series!

[Laila Viking · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written story with nice storyline and plot. It is fast paced and has a lot going on. The drama, action, passion, chemistry, darkness, pain and twists and turns makes it worth the read. The characters are well described and they develop nicely through the book.
Two lost souls with a lot of dark bagage from their past meets and they have to find themselves and help each other out of the darkness. They are very strong but has to get through their past and all the madness that are thrown on them.
Absolutely a book with strong characters and one that I can only recommend.

[Connie Lafortune · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lost Bastard was a steamy, hot read about an MC club masterfully called Dark Sparrow. This book was unlike any MC romance I've ever read before because it was thrilling and addictive without the bloody carnage. Kudos to Ms. Kells for penning a sought after trope but putting her own spin on it.

Deva and Aleksi had a heart-stopping chemistry that leapt off the pages and immediately grabbed the readers attention. Great start to this series and I can't wait to dive into book two. I highly recommend Lost Bastard to all MC lovers out there.

[BookLoverWalz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this series backwards and started with the 4th book. While they can all be read as stand-alones, I will say that this is such an enjoyable ride when you start at the beginning! I love the world that India has built here. This is the first I've really read of her novels and I can't wait to sweep through her entire list.
I've got a real weak spot for suspense mixed in with my romance and this book hit that craving. Deva was such a strong heroine, and Aleksei stole the show with his devotion and love for her. I can't wait to see what book 2 holds!

[Jade Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this is my first book/series I’ve read by India Kells and boy... you will experience emotions. I did anyway. The writing is so vivid and easily transported me to her world. Aleksei and Deva both tore at my heart throughout the book. I LOVED their characters and interactions. Lazarus King is a favorite too. Who doesn’t like a silver fox? At least that’s how I imagine him. 🥰 If anyone is looking for a sexy, thrilling, romance- check this out! Onto the next!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lost Bastard is the first book in the Dark Sparrow series. India Kelly’s has created a world in this book that I have completely fallen in love with! Deva was saved from her past but now she must return the favor. Aleksei is dark and dangerous and a bastard. Can they overcome all the obstacles standing in their way? Do they even want to? There is so much action in this book. I could not put it down. I am so glad I get to live in this world in the books to come!

[Book-Lovin-Momma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the start of an amazing new series about smart, strong women who are incredibly brave. Lost Bastard grabbed my attention from the very first chapter, and it was an exciting and thrilling adventure! Great storytelling with some sexy spy games, and also a bit of humor injected at times. I'm a new fan!

[C.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant read

I loved this story from start to finish. You could feel the chemistry between Deva and Aleksi and I started rooting for them from almost the moment they met. Without giving anything away the plot had me gripped and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Looking forward to the next I nstallment of this series!

[T.N. Traynor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly gripping tale.
Escaping the motorcycle gangs once, Deva finds herself drawn back in.
She risks everything she is to repay a debt to a woman who once helped her.
Amongst the fear and steel-like determination, Deva finds true love.
The intensity of the love she finds is breathtaking.
This is an extremely well-written hot-romance book.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deva, a strong and independent woman who has to return to a life she left behind to repay an old debt. She meets and begins to fall for Aleksei, who is an MMA fighter and deeply involved in the life Deva promised to never return to.

I don't normally enjoy MC novels, but India's writing brings these characters to life. Highly recommend this for steamy, dark romance lovers

[Laura Minnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. The chemistry between the two main characters is on fire. Deva who escaped her life as a Mc princess is called in to pay off a debt and to her distaste it is babysitting Aleksi the sexy, bad-boy cage fighter. Both finding the last thing they thought they would find, true hardcore love and nothing will stand in the way. Cannot wait to read the next installment.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story or Aleksi and Deva is dark, haunting, and hot as hell. I felt like I held my breath the whole book and there were many moments I jumped up! The start of the book had me going from the get go! It was another tale I couldn't rip my mind from. I am definatelt looking forward to more from India Kells! Great book!