I swore I’d never ask for help again… But he came riding in like my dark knight.
When I stitched up a bullet hole without asking questions, I was just doing my job. But this crime boss gave me something anyway—his number. A favor, he said. A lifeline, if I ever needed it.
I never planned to use it. But when I find myself in trouble… I call the one man I shouldn’t.
Blade is dangerous. He’s not gentle. He’s not safe. But with him? For the first time, I feel like I am.
And now that he’s in my life, he’s not letting go. Not when he’s just as obsessed as I am.
I told myself it was one favor. But I think he’s going to be my last mistake…
Or the only man who’s ever going to save me.
Read on a dark romance where the city’s most feared man only wants to save her. Secrets, threats, and a brutal past threaten to tear them apart, but he’ll crawl back from hell if it means keeping her safe. After the story, get the full character profiles for Blade and Bri in the back of the book!
I've been reading this author's work recently & ive come to the conclusion that the books are hit or miss & for me that's contingent on how the heroine is written. The author seems to enjoy infantilizing her women leads. Despite bri' s very demanding job & her abusive ex, she was like a child for most of the story, i think interracial romance authors have a kink around making these grown, & seemingly capable, women almost child-like so the hero is an even bigger hero. Sacrificing the heroine's agency, intelligence & common sense just to make the hero look better is a disservice to the story & its readers. Bri did not tell Blade that her ex wanted to meet up supposedly to "protect" him made no sense & came off selfish & narcissistic. Also why was she carrying on when hawk made her leave as if she was gonna help blade with her ex, help how? All she does is cry & whine. Authors please write these black women better, yall have OD'ed on the damsel in distress to the point these women don't seem capable of making smart decisions. It's not romantic or endearing that these women need men for common sense & self preservation. These are survival skills most black women already have out of necessity. To give these characters the worst possible backstory but they still somehow have zero street smarts is just lazy writing. Im sorry.
Bri patched up mafia boss Blade and now he owes her a favor, giving her his number to call anytime, she never thought shebwould is it until trouble comes for her, but now Blades obssesion grows and he doesn't plan on letting her go, does she even want him too? Well written steamy desires, action and more!
Kelani Knox's "Mine to Break" is a gripping and intensely dark romance that plunges readers into a world where danger and obsession intertwine with a desperate need for protection. This novel introduces a formidable crime boss and the ER nurse who, against her better judgment, finds herself drawn into his perilous orbit.
The story begins with Bri, a tough and focused ER nurse, simply doing her job when she stitches up a bullet hole for a man connected to the city's underworld. That man, Blade, a dangerous and unyielding crime boss, offers her his number—a lifeline, a favor, if she ever needs it. Bri, having escaped a brutal past and now living under a new name, never intends to use it. However, when threats from her past resurface with a vengeance, she makes the call to the one man she shouldn't.
Blade (also known as Elias) is the epitome of a ruthless, dominant figure operating in the "gray areas of the law." Yet, around Bri, a different side emerges. He's not gentle, he's not safe, but with him, Bri feels protected for the first time. What starts as a single favor quickly escalates into a fierce, possessive claim. Blade has been watching her, and now that he's in her life, he's not letting go, driven by an obsession as potent as Bri's own burgeoning feelings for him.
The chemistry between Bri and Blade is undeniably off the charts, creating a palpable tension that drives the narrative forward. The book is a page-turner, filled with excitement, romance, secrets, and constant threats that keep you on the edge of your seat. It balances high-stakes action with the raw emotional depth of two flawed souls who find an intense connection. Blade's unwavering determination to protect Bri, even if it means crawling back from hell, is a central, compelling force.
While the book delivers on its promise of a steamy, obsessive dark romance, readers should be aware that it contains situations that may be triggering. Some readers also noted minor grammatical errors and unfinished sentences, which, while not derailing the overall plot, could occasionally detract from the immersion. Despite these minor points, the compelling characters and the fast-paced plot make it easy to get caught up in Bri and Blade's story.
"Mine to Break" is a powerful addition for fans of dark romance, protective alpha males, and heroines who, despite their strength, find unexpected salvation in the arms of a dangerous man. It's a story of survival, obsession, and the consuming power of a love that refuses to be denied.
My Rating System: 1⭐️: The book didn’t hold my interest and/or had significant issues that overshadowed any redeeming qualities for me, but generally not my cup of tea. Most likely did not finish the book. 2⭐️: The book didn’t quite resonate with me, and while my experience wasn’t remarkable, I did finish it. It had some redeeming qualities and potential but fell short in execution. Recommendable, though with some reservations. 3⭐️: Good read, but didn’t quite stand out. Still worth recommending to others. 4⭐️: Really enjoyed it and stayed engaged throughout. Would read the book again. Definitely recommendable. 5⭐️: Incredible writing that made me deeply connect with the characters. I was completely absorbed in the world and didn’t want it to end. This book stayed with me even when I wasn’t reading it. I'd gladly reread it and highly recommend it to everyone!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Bri is an emergency room nurse in New York. In her previous life she went by a different name, lived in a different state and was in a unhealthy marriage. After a livpfe changing event, she got help and changed her name an relocated back to New York.
Elias/Blade is a man with a business that works legally, but mostly the gray areas of the law. He meets Bri when is partner needs medical attention. During this meeting Bri dies not ask any invasive question as and he appreciates this. He provides her with his number as a favor when she needs one.
Bri starts getting calls and text messages from her ex. It gets to the point where she realizes she will need help/ protection. She reaches out to Elias. Their attraction developed into more. While this is going on in Bri's life, someone is operating in the shadows to take over Elias's territory.
This was a great addition to the series and I enjoyed reading about the characters. I just don't understand why Bri doubted Ejas ability to protect them both.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I was a little disappointed the author failed to give us a true visual of Bri and Blade with full description of each character. I do think this was a great storyline but Blade, who is supposed to be the boss of the shipping yard, with a reputation of being feared by everyone, is his own bodyguard, lives in a little apartment, and seems to not have the money of a boss. Bri who is written as this very intelligent nurse but she not smart enough to give Blade all the information she has to protect him and her from a person who could kill them both. It’s just hard to believe that Blade and Bri survive when they didn’t communicate well and had no clue of who the threat was for them until it was pointing a gun at them. The three stars is because this had so much potential.
WARNING!!! This book has some situations that may trigger some people, and this book triggered a few of mine… both in a good and bad way. Especially when your fear becomes your strength to overcome your past fears and pain.
This is definitely a page turner and a dry towel having read. The chemistry between each one of these characters and their relationship with the other characters in this series, make me glad that I’m team Bri and Blade. But wouldn’t mind some Jax and Hawk.
Any opinions, recommendations, or suggestions expressed within this review our Solely and uniquely made by me. I originally and voluntarily had received in advance copy of this book via Bsprout.
This book wasn’t terrible, I mean I read it in its entirety, however it was a very passive read for me. “Blade” came off very stale and one dimensional which was very stark in comparison to our MC (whose name I cannot remember) which made the romance aspect of this story fall flat for me. Not to mention, “blade” is a big baddie who has tons of respect as well as enemies however he couldn’t make the easiest connection with Wells and the new guy who’s trying to be the new big baddie. Like sure it’s obvious for the reader but the second we learn about the MC’s past relationship and what he was really doing it was veerrry obvious which made that entire third act boring. This book wasn’t just kinda blah overall.
Bri is an amazing nurse and she helps Blade with one of his men who got shot and there was something about her that draws Blade in and he gives her his card in case she needs something. Bri is being stalked by her ex and he has almost killed her numerous times that has caused her to run. She ends up making that phone call to Blade to try and get away from him one final time. This book keeps you on the edge of your seat and the relationship that develops between Blade and Bri is so sweet in how they come together and support one another. Something beautiful coming out of so much violence and fear. This is a must read!!
Bri is sweet little nurse that works in the ER. Here she is in control and she can help others. She hides a deadline secret. Her abusive ex is looking for her and she is scared. In steps Blade. He is hot and dangerous. He shouldn't make her feel.safe, but he does. Blade has his one dark secrets to bear. When he brings in his friend to the ER and Bri just fixes him up with no questions, Blade offers Bri a favor. It turns into so much more. The characters are engaging. The dialogue could use a little more work. Some of the metaphors and analogies were used too much, but also still a food read.
This is the story of Bri and Blade. They meet in the emergency room where she patches him up. He is a mafia boss and because she helped him he owes her and gives her a card with his phone number on it and mentions that she can always reach him in case of emergency.. What she never expected happens now that she is in trouble she asks him for help. A beautiful story that keeps your attention and enough steam.
I received an Advance Reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I’ve never read this author before, but I find she has a good writing style. I like the main female character for although being afraid of a bad situation in which she found herself, had the sense to ask for help in an unlikely place. While the main male character is not a classic “good” guy, one can’t help but be impressed by his immediate offer of protection to the woman in distress who he doesn’t really know, but finds himself being attracted to nonetheless.
Bri patches up a gangster in ER and his best friend Blade notices. But Bri now has several problems on going and an especially dangerous one from her past. The threats and phones calls begin so when Blade assist Bri with one problem the other takes over. Is is run time again or should Bri trust Blade and stand her ground. Read on. A good story but grammatical errors and unfinished sentences ruined this for me.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Reading the synopsis of this book, I would never think it was something I would like, but for some reason I was obsessed, and ended up reading in one sitting. Everything that usually I would not like, I loved about this book. And it is totally because of the chemistry of the two main characters. Now I’m gonna have to go read a whole bunch of other books. well, I never would’ve read before🤣😛😳
I read all of this series so far. The pattern of Kelani writing very evident. It was a little repetitive and after a while the tough man talk wore a bit then. They broke each other down, Bri’s tough life filled with fear, found peace with Blade, who would burn the world down for her! Kill anyone who looked at her for too long. I enjoyed the read to a point, I don’t think I would read again.
3…The book was what you’d expect, a dark romance with a guy used to the streets. I will say that it’s a bit misleading to have stalker romance in the title because our MC is not stalking the FMC, her abusive ex is. There were some interesting bits here and there and as always I love the black girl rep. But if you’ve read a lot of these kinds of stories, you can see the plot twists from a million miles away. Still it’s an easy read and I was entertained.
This is my first time reading a book by this author. I took a chance and was so glad I did. Bri and Blade’s relationship had me on the edge of my seat. It was so riveting that I had to take breaks from the intensity of their experience. I highly recommend you come along for the ride. Glad I took a chance with Kelani Knox.
What thing Kelani don't do is miss. She ate with this book I enjoyed it from cover to cover. Blade is just delicious he knew from the beginning she was his even though he knew she shouldn't be in his world but it didn't matter he was going to protect her if she ever gave him the chance and boy did he protect her. We love Blade over here.
The chemistry between these two was pretty good. I def wanted more romantic gestures and more character development but it isnt bad. Bri def got annoying towards the end a little bit but this is decent read
Keloni Knox always writes my favorite stories, Blade and Bri are made for each other, l am so glad l found their story, l read about them in Hawks book, next is Coles, love this series, love this author
This was a fun ride, Blade came through for Bri just when she needed him the most with that crazy ex she needed to be safe and protected. Enjoyed this story