4 stars
Tropes : mafia romance, ballerina h, touch her and 💀, J/P H, secret society, romantic suspense, dark romance
Ending : HFN
Triggers : violence, torture, 💀 of loved ones, mention of SA (H’s mom), mention of child abuse (SA/ grooming (H)), SA (OM touched h), gore
Spice : 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Angst : 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5
OM/OW drama : OM (a man from other bratva fam)
Celibate while separated: yes (h), kinda (H)
Intimacy details: virgin h, rough sex, primal play, slight bondage, spanking, cnc, no condom, anal, oral, hair pulling, slight somnophilia, choking
Standalone/Series : part of an interconnected series
Hero : Nero de Luca (20s)
Heroine: Milena Kalishnik (20s)
This book is about Nero and Milena. Years ago Milena lost her virginity to Nero. They were pen pals before they met face to face to act out their dark fantasy. They wore masks so they didn’t know each other faces.
Hence years later it was hinted that Nero didn’t know Milena was the girl he chased and fcked. Milena knew because after they met and fck, they were ambushed and when she got home her uncle told her he attacked Nero at the building both her and Nero met earlier. She kept that a secret because his parents died that day because her bratva killed them.
I don’t want to say too much here so long story short they were intimate again and when they admitted they fell in love with other to themselves, Nero got a vid where Milena and her dad talked about the attack years ago. It was altered but he was blind with rage.
He kidnapped her and put her in cage. She tried to explain but he refused to listen. 3 days later he changed his mind and being all lovey dovey towards Milena.
That kinda threw me off. One one side I was proud that he was being quite logical, more than the usual hero I read in other books, but on the other side I expected him to be more mad… idk.
The ending was okay, no proposal, no marriage, no kids. Expected more but I think that’s what was expected from a male writer.
But I gotta admit this one was tamer than the other books by Jagger Cole. Got more heart to heart moment, softer side of the hero although it would be nice to get more of that since the date was a fail. Slightly too much sex. Would love to see them connected more mentally than only lust. Although they connected years ago through letters but still wanted more on the present day.
But I still appreciate how Nero admitted he loved her for years.
Oh he was SAed by an older woman when he was 13 which was a disgusting act. I hate child molester soooo much. Thankfully there was no explicit description about the day.
It was hinted he was celibate throughout the years since he slept with Milena. He chased other girls but didn’t sleep with them. Idk about the sex itself but I this he was celibate.
Overall a good story. Would try the next book.