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UNTAMED: Kiss of The Reaper - Book 1
What happens when a monster falls for the girl meant to fear him?
Jordyn Winslow came to Sicily for her sister’s wedding—a fairytale turned funeral in the blink of an eye. On the morning they were meant to fly back, Jordyn watches in horror as her parents’ car is struck on the way to the airport, killing them instantly. One heartbeat. One breath. And her world is left in ruins.
With nowhere else to go, and nothing left back home in London she’s forced to stay Sicily with her sister—grieving, alone, and under the roof of her sister’s new in-laws.The Russo family is powerful. Dangerous. Built on blood and silence.
And none more feared than Ares Russo.
They call him Il Mietitore. The Reaper.
He’s cold. Promised to another. Untouchable.
And the brother of her sister’s new husband.
She was never his to want.
But that didn’t stop him from craving every soft breath, every stolen glance, like a man starving.
He’s claimed every first she had to give—every kiss, every touch, every breathless moan.
Her first taste of desire. Her first real sin.
And the one man she was never supposed to belong to.
Now the lines are crossed, the bodies are piling, and in Ares’s world—
love isn’t just forbidden… it’s fatal.
Jordyn Winslow came to Sicily for her sister’s wedding—a fairytale turned funeral in the blink of an eye. On the morning they were meant to fly back, Jordyn watches in horror as her parents’ car is struck on the way to the airport, killing them instantly. One heartbeat. One breath. And her world is left in ruins.
With nowhere else to go, and nothing left back home in London she’s forced to stay Sicily with her sister—grieving, alone, and under the roof of her sister’s new in-laws.The Russo family is powerful. Dangerous. Built on blood and silence.
And none more feared than Ares Russo.
They call him Il Mietitore. The Reaper.
He’s cold. Promised to another. Untouchable.
And the brother of her sister’s new husband.
She was never his to want.
But that didn’t stop him from craving every soft breath, every stolen glance, like a man starving.
He’s claimed every first she had to give—every kiss, every touch, every breathless moan.
Her first taste of desire. Her first real sin.
And the one man she was never supposed to belong to.
Now the lines are crossed, the bodies are piling, and in Ares’s world—
love isn’t just forbidden… it’s fatal.
760 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 18, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 18, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 – Messy, Spicy, and Deliciously Chaotic
Lucky me I was able to read this as a ARC 📕 📖
Untamed is exactly what the title promises—wild, fiery, and a little unhinged in the best way. Jordyn is the kind of heroine you want to both high-five and shake; she’s fierce, stubborn, and never afraid to throw down when it comes to protecting her heart. Then there’s the love interest—broody, complicated, and the walking embodiment of “I’m bad for you, but you’ll love me anyway.” Their chemistry? Off-the-charts spicy, with tension that crackles like a live wire.
This book plays with some of my favorite tropes—enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and a heavy dose of forbidden attraction—all wrapped up in a story that feels as sharp as it is seductive. I docked a star because some moments felt rushed or underdeveloped, but honestly, the heat, the drama, and the “I-hate-you-but-also-want-to-devour-you” vibe more than made up for it.
Then I took half a star for the cliffhanger so beware if you hate cliffhangers this one has one 😭 & without a second book released, and lastly there are some grammar issues
But If you love your romance messy, your banter biting, and your tropes as spicy as your playlists, Untamed will absolutely scratch that itch.
Lucky me I was able to read this as a ARC 📕 📖
Untamed is exactly what the title promises—wild, fiery, and a little unhinged in the best way. Jordyn is the kind of heroine you want to both high-five and shake; she’s fierce, stubborn, and never afraid to throw down when it comes to protecting her heart. Then there’s the love interest—broody, complicated, and the walking embodiment of “I’m bad for you, but you’ll love me anyway.” Their chemistry? Off-the-charts spicy, with tension that crackles like a live wire.
This book plays with some of my favorite tropes—enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and a heavy dose of forbidden attraction—all wrapped up in a story that feels as sharp as it is seductive. I docked a star because some moments felt rushed or underdeveloped, but honestly, the heat, the drama, and the “I-hate-you-but-also-want-to-devour-you” vibe more than made up for it.
Then I took half a star for the cliffhanger so beware if you hate cliffhangers this one has one 😭 & without a second book released, and lastly there are some grammar issues
But If you love your romance messy, your banter biting, and your tropes as spicy as your playlists, Untamed will absolutely scratch that itch.
August 8, 2025
✨📖 ARC REVIEW ⭐️4.75⭐️ 📖✨
I absolutely devoured this book.
The FMC is absolutely stunningly written, you can feel all her heartbreak and emotions. From what happened to her parents, to all the emotions she goes through, you feel it with her.
The MMC is a total fool for her, you can feel it from the moment they meet. The way he presents himself, but for her he’s just in love with her, and it’s beautiful.
My only few bits,
One - I didn’t like the side MC, Matteo, for me, he wasn’t needed to make this book fantastic, unless you plan to make this a ‘why choose’ situation. I think Ares carries so much of this book, that Matteo wasn’t needed, for me personally.
He would make a fabulous new series though!!
Two - there were a lot of mistakes in grammar in this book, so the editors may need to re look over this.
It ended on a cliffhanger, which of course I want to know what happens right now.
It’s a wonderful book, and it got me out of my reading slump so fast. I was honoured to be ARC reader, and I hope to get to do that with the next one.
I absolutely devoured this book.
The FMC is absolutely stunningly written, you can feel all her heartbreak and emotions. From what happened to her parents, to all the emotions she goes through, you feel it with her.
The MMC is a total fool for her, you can feel it from the moment they meet. The way he presents himself, but for her he’s just in love with her, and it’s beautiful.
My only few bits,
One - I didn’t like the side MC, Matteo, for me, he wasn’t needed to make this book fantastic, unless you plan to make this a ‘why choose’ situation. I think Ares carries so much of this book, that Matteo wasn’t needed, for me personally.
He would make a fabulous new series though!!
Two - there were a lot of mistakes in grammar in this book, so the editors may need to re look over this.
It ended on a cliffhanger, which of course I want to know what happens right now.
It’s a wonderful book, and it got me out of my reading slump so fast. I was honoured to be ARC reader, and I hope to get to do that with the next one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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September 22, 2025I had to DNF. I saw this recommended by the author in an FB book and I really wanted to give it a chance and like it, but then I found out that the h watches the H f*ck another woman and is like turned on by it and then that she is basically swinging between the H and another guy, that combined with the H already being promised to someone else and it being 700+ pages long, I had to throw in the towel. The other thing that drove me crazy was the vast overuse of similes and I say this as someone who loves and uses similes often, but I swear there was one in every paragraph, sometimes multiple times. It's definitely something you need to use with moderation. It wasn't an awful book, but not for me unfortunately.
August 11, 2025
I love this book and have recommended it to so many people and can't wait to read the rest of them!!! highly recommend!!
July 27, 2025
great story
This story kept you on your toes. The ending left me wanting and waiting for the next story. The author knows how to keep people waiting
This story kept you on your toes. The ending left me wanting and waiting for the next story. The author knows how to keep people waiting
July 26, 2025
amazing
So many emotions! You never seize to amaze me Shayla! Loved every minute of this can’t wait for the next book.
So many emotions! You never seize to amaze me Shayla! Loved every minute of this can’t wait for the next book.
July 21, 2025
OMGGGG SHAYLAAAA WHY??? The way I was on the edge of my seat and all I see is TBC….
Crying real tearsssss, need the next book now, 10a across the board omg what an emotional rollercoaster of a book.
Crying real tearsssss, need the next book now, 10a across the board omg what an emotional rollercoaster of a book.
July 18, 2025
f you love dark… then this book is an absolute must!!
If you like fiery and feisty female leads.. then this book is a must read!!
If you like protective but can’t be controlled even by the people closet to him.. then this is the book for you!!
If you like fiery and feisty female leads.. then this book is a must read!!
If you like protective but can’t be controlled even by the people closet to him.. then this is the book for you!!
July 24, 2025
This book starts with inconsistencies right from the beginning. What is Enzo doing at a club right after his wedding? Shouldn’t he at least be with his wife during their wedding night? Right after that scene it's the morning after the wedding. Timeline doesn't make any sense.
In chapter one, it is told that Enzo's parents passed away. In chapter 3 the dad is alive and kicking. I guess he isn't suppose to be dead. Did anyone proofread this?
I’d rather not read about the FMC swooning over someone (Matteo) who is not the MMC in chapter one and then swooning over the MMC in chapter two and then swooning over and flirting with Matteo again in chapter 4, after she saw him fingerfucking a girl at the wedding. Can we just not! The switch between Matteo and Ares and back again is annoying. Then she is dry humping Matteo, then she is kissing Ares, then she is kissing Matteo, then she is fucking Ares. Wtf am I reading?!
And of course there is the scene where Jordyn sees him fucking another woman and gets turned on🤢. Because nothing is more romantic than seeing your future lover (or whatever) fucking someone else🤮
Jordyn is a dumb, stupid, annoying brat. There is no reason for her to be the female lead as she has no purpose in this book at all, other then going from one guy to the other. The sister was even worse. She married a mafia man but did not know about it? And when she found out she still pressured Jordyn to leave Ares because he is a bad guy, as if her husband is such a sweetheart. Lmfao, they are all horrible.
Ares is always coincidently at the right place at the right time, to see and hear things he shouldn’t and to magically safe the damsel in distress. Yeah right.
There was no reason for Ares to be instantly ultra-posessive over someone he just learned the name of. It seems that there should've been a whole story before they got to that point. It loses all it's strength and leaves no room for development.
The book has too much inner-monolgue and the same things being repeated over and over again. The scene with Ares after she lost her parents is basically the same scene as the club. It adds nothing, the same inner-monolgue, the same possessiveness, same behavior. Evey chapter has the same words over and over again. It's just became a copy paste exercise to increase word count and chapters. I mentally can't read the word burn anymore. It was basically on every page. It burned my brain out.
After that messy first part I just started skimming through the book becaue it was already a trainwreck right from the beginning. The first 50% is all Ares being possesive for no reason. The second 49,9% is all smut fillers. Then there is 0,01% paperthin plot that doesn't make much sense.
The only character I liked was Dante. But we never got any background on him. Why was he with Ares? Why is he so loyal to him?
In chapter one, it is told that Enzo's parents passed away. In chapter 3 the dad is alive and kicking. I guess he isn't suppose to be dead. Did anyone proofread this?
I’d rather not read about the FMC swooning over someone (Matteo) who is not the MMC in chapter one and then swooning over the MMC in chapter two and then swooning over and flirting with Matteo again in chapter 4, after she saw him fingerfucking a girl at the wedding. Can we just not! The switch between Matteo and Ares and back again is annoying. Then she is dry humping Matteo, then she is kissing Ares, then she is kissing Matteo, then she is fucking Ares. Wtf am I reading?!
And of course there is the scene where Jordyn sees him fucking another woman and gets turned on🤢. Because nothing is more romantic than seeing your future lover (or whatever) fucking someone else🤮
Jordyn is a dumb, stupid, annoying brat. There is no reason for her to be the female lead as she has no purpose in this book at all, other then going from one guy to the other. The sister was even worse. She married a mafia man but did not know about it? And when she found out she still pressured Jordyn to leave Ares because he is a bad guy, as if her husband is such a sweetheart. Lmfao, they are all horrible.
Ares is always coincidently at the right place at the right time, to see and hear things he shouldn’t and to magically safe the damsel in distress. Yeah right.
There was no reason for Ares to be instantly ultra-posessive over someone he just learned the name of. It seems that there should've been a whole story before they got to that point. It loses all it's strength and leaves no room for development.
The book has too much inner-monolgue and the same things being repeated over and over again. The scene with Ares after she lost her parents is basically the same scene as the club. It adds nothing, the same inner-monolgue, the same possessiveness, same behavior. Evey chapter has the same words over and over again. It's just became a copy paste exercise to increase word count and chapters. I mentally can't read the word burn anymore. It was basically on every page. It burned my brain out.
After that messy first part I just started skimming through the book becaue it was already a trainwreck right from the beginning. The first 50% is all Ares being possesive for no reason. The second 49,9% is all smut fillers. Then there is 0,01% paperthin plot that doesn't make much sense.
The only character I liked was Dante. But we never got any background on him. Why was he with Ares? Why is he so loyal to him?
July 18, 2025
📚review: Untamed by @official_shaylahartauthor
First off I I just got to say WOW, this book is dark but I couldn’t put it down. There are parts I wanted to cry, scream and even felt sick. Parts where I could feel my heart racing faster like I was the one panicking. True Shayla style, she brings all the emotions into her writing. She makes you feel like you are living it.
I how feisty Jordyn is. Ares tells her not to do something and she does the opposite. Like it’s a challenge… Like, watch me because no one can tell me what I can and can not do. Honestly, if any one tells her what to do, she is like NOPE, even her own sister. She maybe be young but she so brave.
I love how Ares is so protective of her, even from the very beginning. It’s not even you touch her and you die, it’s you look at her wrong and ur done for. Hung up for the whole town to get the message.
Ares is Dark. Raised to be the weapon that protect his family and their kingdom. So untamed that even his father, the person that trained him, can’t even control him anymore. A beast that can’t be chained. Until Jordyn comes along . She sees a part of him that no one else sees. She becomes his weakness. But he will burn his whole world down just for her.
First off I I just got to say WOW, this book is dark but I couldn’t put it down. There are parts I wanted to cry, scream and even felt sick. Parts where I could feel my heart racing faster like I was the one panicking. True Shayla style, she brings all the emotions into her writing. She makes you feel like you are living it.
I how feisty Jordyn is. Ares tells her not to do something and she does the opposite. Like it’s a challenge… Like, watch me because no one can tell me what I can and can not do. Honestly, if any one tells her what to do, she is like NOPE, even her own sister. She maybe be young but she so brave.
I love how Ares is so protective of her, even from the very beginning. It’s not even you touch her and you die, it’s you look at her wrong and ur done for. Hung up for the whole town to get the message.
Ares is Dark. Raised to be the weapon that protect his family and their kingdom. So untamed that even his father, the person that trained him, can’t even control him anymore. A beast that can’t be chained. Until Jordyn comes along . She sees a part of him that no one else sees. She becomes his weakness. But he will burn his whole world down just for her.
July 23, 2025
This book ends on a cliffhanger…..you’ve been warned!
Went a little darker for my latest ARC read with some Mafia. This book is not for the faint hearted and has some pretty graphic scenes.
It’s the story of Jordyn and Ares who are brought together when her sister and his brother get married. Ares is pretty much the kill guy for the Mafia with his father being the head. He has no room in his life for love until he meets Jordyn. Ares is absolutely all in for Jordyn and would burn the world down before he would let anyone take her away from him. Despite his lifestyle she sticks with him and we see the ups and downs of Mafia life…..can’t wait to see what comes next for these 2!!!
Went a little darker for my latest ARC read with some Mafia. This book is not for the faint hearted and has some pretty graphic scenes.
It’s the story of Jordyn and Ares who are brought together when her sister and his brother get married. Ares is pretty much the kill guy for the Mafia with his father being the head. He has no room in his life for love until he meets Jordyn. Ares is absolutely all in for Jordyn and would burn the world down before he would let anyone take her away from him. Despite his lifestyle she sticks with him and we see the ups and downs of Mafia life…..can’t wait to see what comes next for these 2!!!
September 6, 2025
Fantastic
This is such a great story. Absolutely love the characters. Would highly recommend to read and permanently add to your library. Can't wait to read the next book.
This is such a great story. Absolutely love the characters. Would highly recommend to read and permanently add to your library. Can't wait to read the next book.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews