He was meant to save lives. Instead, he signed away his own.
Dr. Noah Hastings is a brilliant trauma specialist with a spotless reputation and a past he doesn’t speak of. When his sister’s life hangs in the balance, he makes a deal with the city’s most dangerous man—a decision that drags him into a world of blood-soaked secrets, brutal power, and a beast with a scarred face and colder heart.
Adrian Calloway rules London’s underworld from the shadows, ruthless and untouchable. But the moment Noah steps into his life, everything tilts. Because Noah doesn’t flinch at Adrian’s monsters. He sees them. Names them. And worse—he stays.
What begins as a transaction spirals into obsession, betrayal, and the kind of love that ruins men.
But love doesn’t cleanse the blood. It only stains you deeper.
Greyson Vale is an exciting new voice in gay romance fiction. With a talent for crafting swoon-worthy love stories filled with crackling chemistry, Greyson's novels explore the complexities of modern gay relationships and the search for lasting connection.
This was one of those books where I just didn't want it to end. Greyson created this deliciously dark mafia world that took you in deeper at every chapter. Spicy, smutty, emotional, full of action and adventure.
There was something about Greyson's writing style I really enjoyed. He made a mafia romance feel so FRESH.
I'm obsessed with Noah + Adrian. Two broken men who complete each other and recognize the darkness within. And Viktor? Oh man, hellooooo daddy.
The first chapter was so engaging but I looked up some key words and at about half way through one of the MCs has some guy give him head while the other MC watches. So glad I decided to check because I would have wasted my time.
Omg I don’t know where to begin Wow what a fantastic read be warned though this is a dark book but OMG I could not put this book down. It is electric.
The book starts when Adrian is young we see the worst day of his life where his parents are murdered in front of him And he is left to be burnt alive. Thankfully he is saved but he is left with significant burns across one side of his body and face. His name is Adrian Calloway. And he is now the leader of the London crime family. He has been brought up to take over his father‘s legacy. He is beyond violent he has no issue killing people torturing them to get the answers he requires but when his physician is set to leave, he needs to find someone who will take care of his burns as it is an ongoing issue in his daily life. One night he is shot in the shoulder and needs to be seen at the hospital after the commotion, he meets Noah Hastings. There is a weird feeling for Adrian. He has slept with men before so this little attraction between them doesn’t faze him. But what is more important is how he treats the bullet wound and burns. And it is obvious he has had trauma training. He gets his team to do a background check and find out any information he can use to get Noah to become his new physician. Noah hasn’t had an easy life. He lives in Brixton and works in a trauma centre within the Hospital. Working doubles to save for his sister’s treatment. His sister Izzy is extremely ill and at the moment is on a treatment that could just save her life. But that treatment is coming to an end and he now has to find £50,000 to continue on the treatment that is making a big difference. When he was treating Adrian, it was obvious that he had power. His team had taken down the gunman before the hospital security could get anywhere near. He felt his gaze on him while he was treating his wound. But at the end of his shift when he was leaving, he noticed that Adrian was waiting for him. He had an offer for him. Noah instantly knew it would go against all of his morals, but the love for his sister meant that he would go to the meeting tomorrow night to find out what this offer entails. He was picked up in a lovely car that was very out of place in Brixton. His driver Victor is quite stoic passing information about how Mr Calloaway operates It was obvious this man had a lot of respect for his boss. In the meeting he is offered a contract for one year. All of his sisters bills would be paid and more and he would have to live on site and be prepared to be his nurse. Noah agreed and this is where he’s life changed forever. Because once that signature was dry, Adrian made sure he knew what kind of man he was working for. Even taking him to his nightclub to the basement where a man was tortured and killed. So how would Noah cope?? And that is all I’m going to tell you you need to read this book for yourself. It is so fast paced there is so much action. There is this attraction between Adrian and Noah that is fierce, but there is a control that Adrian holds over Noah and surprises Noah because he is more than happy to submit and be submissive. The storyline is the revenge that Adrian seeks for the people who killed his parents and to maintain his criminal activities against families that feel they can take away his power. This book is electric there is just so much going on. I couldn’t put it down. I just had to keep reading well through the night. This is a new author to me and I am going to make sure i read more from Greyson Vale. My only bleep in this book for me is Victor. I don’t understand the connection with Adrian and what that holds for Noah and Adrian‘s future.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
When fellow indie author Greyson Vale told me he was releasing a dark mafia romance, I was intrigued and excited to find out more. This story gave me Beauty and Beast vibes. But this reimagining is a lot darker, twistier, and steamier.
The prologue was so well executed. And mortifying. Definitely a rather intense opener, but a perfect hook nonetheless. Something that really grabs you by the throat immediately and doesn’t let go.
What unfolds from there is a combination of mafia politics, possessive and controlling behaviors, and some steamy moments that might make you fan yourself.
Noah and Adrian have an interesting dynamic. You have Noah, the medical professional who will do just about anything for his sister. Even doing the beast’s bidding and following his every command. Then you have Adrian, the scarred beast with a haunted past that has turned him into the man he is today. Watching these two push and pull against each other was enjoyable. There is some serious undeniable attraction and lust between these two souls.
If you’re in the mood for some dark romance, mafia themes, and light bdsm, then this book is for you.
I’ll leave you with a few quotes that stood out to me:
“The Caravaggio study depicted Saint Sebastian in his final moments, arrows piercing his flesh while his face reflected not agony but a disturbing ecstasy. Pain and pleasure inter-twined, the saint’s expression mirroring one I’d seen countless times-the moment when life drains from a man’s eyes, that second of perfect clarity before darkness claims them.”
“Pain was an old companion, one I’d learned to acknowledge without permitting it to control me.”
“The tension between us shifted perceptibly, something electric and dangerous charging the minimal space separating our bodies. I recognized it instantly—that intoxicating edge where fear blends with attraction, power with submission.”
“His hands on my damaged flesh, my power over his future—a dance of control and surrender with steps neither of us fully understood yet.”
"Kissing Adrian Calloway felt like coming home and jumping off a cliff simultaneously. It felt like salvation and damnation wrapped in expensive fabric and scarred skin."
After reading this, I started hating words like clinical detachments, catastrophic injury, etc, because of how repetitive they got. This stoic approach to writing is not my style. It felt too robotic. The story's ok, interesting enough to finish
I DNF’d this book at 65%. I’m usually the type of person that continues to read a story even if it’s just so-so. That’s what this book was up to this point. The narration leaves a lot to be desired. I felt like I was reading a story narrated by a rich, pompous douche rather than 1 MC who grew up on the poor side of London who grew up to be a morally strong guy, and the other MC who is a dark, essentially mafia boss. Maybe it’s because I’m used to American style writing and this author was writing more from an English style.
The plot itself is the one thing that kept me interested. It was different and I wanted to continue reading to find out what happens.
**Minor Spoilers ahead** I stopped reading at the third spicy scene. It baffles me that right after the MC’s confess their dying devotion to one another and that MC2 “doesn’t share”, they invite a third to have sex with them. Same dude they had sex with before. I’m get that this story is classed as erotica, but it’s just so dumb to me because this feels like an MMM book rather than MM. It’s super misleading and angers me because I feel like the author purposely left this out of the blurb. I would’ve never started reading this story had I known otherwise and I despise authors that do this. I’ll make sure to avoid this author going forward.
DNF @ 59%. Took me quite a few days to reach to 59%. There was a lot of potential in this book but it just got boring especially after we find out who the villain is. I mean the ending is quite predictable. Im all for a slow burn but I just didn’t feel the slow burn in this.
I really wanted to like this book, like I was gripped from the first page read the first 30 percent in one sitting but there were just somethings that really irked me. First one being that a lot of the paragraphs were a bit repetitive, literal paragraphs where the same sentences were said over and over, sometimes twice sometimes thrice, I know it's a menial thing to be worried about but it happened so frequently that it took me out of the story a lot .
Another issue I had was the writing, it seemed a bit too literary for what is which is a mafia romance, maybe it's because I'm used to reading crappy writing in mafia romance who knows but yeah it just had too many complex words that I felt weren't exactly necessary.
And then the main issues I had was that there was a lot of telling and not enough showing , it's one thing to say that someone is dangerous and it's another to show how someone is dangerous and I felt that throughout the book unfortunately , also the concept of timing was a bit off for me , like one paragraph will say this happened 2 months ago then in that another chapter another character will say this happened weeks ago , it just made the timeline to be very confusing for me especially in terms of when they were doing planning for certain things.
And then my last issue was for the last 30 or so percent of the book, I am a fan of smut as much as the next person but it happening every chapter just feels excessive to me , like it got to a point where I started skim some of those scenes , there was a point where one smut scene ended as I moved to the next chapter another one started, also I'm not a big fan of smut scenes happening when serious conversations are being had , I feel like that takes away from important intimacy that the characters are supposed to have and yes I know it's supposed to show that the character can't handle intimacy well because of trauma but still not really a fan , honestly it reminded me of why I stopped reading mafia romances in the first place because this mostly happens in these types of books.
Anyway, it was a decent book, I just expected a bit more idk, I wasn't really satisfied with the revenge part, but I understand why it was written that way. I would recommend if you don't have any issues with the problems I mentioned above.
I am not rating it as I dont want to be unfair even though the author missed to as CW for Poly relationship in this book. OK, it might not exactly be considered as a MMM relationship but there is a full fledged sex scene with Victor, Adrian and Noah (complete with DP).
I always thought MMM gets mentioned in the book tags and also in the CWs in the book but I guess not for this author's books. I will be more careful in future while selecting any books from this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I’m sitting here, staring at my screen, still wrecked. Still aching. Still bleeding.
This? This is not a soft, fluffy love story. This is blood, ruin, and mercy dressed in shadows. It’s Adrian, a mafia king born from fire, scarred inside and out. A monster, yes. But one built by betrayal, violence, and a childhood no child should have survived. And it’s Noah, a trauma nurse, steady and tender, but with his own ghosts gnawing at the edges.
Their love isn’t sweet. It’s savage. It’s survival and surrender. Pain and power. It's Noah staring the devil in the face and saying, “You're worth it. Especially the broken parts.” Yeah. That line actually destroyed me.
This story is violent. It’s raw. There are scenes that choke you, burn you, and break you. But it never once feels cruel without cause. Everything hurts exactly as much as it needs to. Because that pain? It means something. It transforms.
The spice? Oh...it’s filthy. It's dominant. Claustrophobic in the best way. But it's not there for just the heat. It’s layered. Twisted. Earned.
And the ending? Don’t even talk to me about that ending. I'm not over it. I won't be. Not for a long time. It was perfect, and I couldn’t get enough.
I'm usually very picky when it comes to mafia books, and until now, only the Vitale Brothers managed to catch my interest to that extent where I actually enjoyed every single book and character, but this one had something very interesting from the beginning.
Tot me, it wasn't catchy because it started with danger. It was catchy because the power of detail was immaculate. Not too much, not too little. The author delivered, in my opinion, the perfect amount of details in order to keep you there. In order to make their own characters delicious. Reading their story felt hot and forbidden, but it also made so much sense at the same time. There were many logical points in finding out about their feelings for each other, it happened gradually and naturally. Falling for each other took time and god, how nice did that feel!!!
Getting back on track with reading and starting with a good book like this?? YES. THANK YOU. RECOMMEND.
This is dark and spicy, with a few twists to the plot you won't expect!
Sooo the dark side is fairly dark... The beast is the Mafia Boss, he enjoys to tørtüre his enemies and likes to always be in control. His 'angel' Noah has a pure heart that has it's own darker side - just hidden away from the world. He is able to see things others miss because he is able to see both the morally correct way to do things, as well as other less noticeable elements most would miss. And just dark enough to follow Adrian to the end.
The spice is definitely spicy... Mild BDSM elements which include but not limited to dëgrädatîøn, rësträînëd, being "ûsëd" (pleasurable for everyone involved), dub-con and psychological mänïpulätïon. Also, tipping the line of Støckhølm Syndrome/genuine love.
I practically inhaled this MM dark mafia romance. The plot and the steam were delicious. The characters are complicated and layered.
The action and suspense made the story a page-turner.
Noah is light to Adrian's darkness, they balance each other. Their chemistry is on fire and their relationship is intense. Twisted MM Beauty and the Beast.
DNF @ 56% the time jumps are confusing, is it the next day or weeks later? Pointless narrative in some places. I really thought this would be my next favourite read!
I really enjoyed this interpretation of Beauty and the Beast; it’s an interesting darker take set in a mafia world, and the MMCs, Adrian and Noah are complex but compelling characters.
Adrian had to witness the most horrific situation as a child, which has led to his motives for the current day when he meets Noah. His laser focus on revenge is a major plot for the book, and after everything he’d been through, I’ll admit I was totally routing for him to get justice for his parents and for his younger self so he can finally have closure.
As it turns out, Noah’s the perfect complement for Adrian, and they bring out a different side in the other person. They are opposites in many ways – Adrian calls himself a “predator” at one point while Noah calls himself the “moral compass” – and come from very different backgrounds, but as we discover the deeper we delve into the book, they are similar in significant ways. They’ve both had difficult childhoods and they’ve both had major struggles to overcome because of it. Adrian sums it up well here: "Here we were, two children forced into adult responsibilities by circumstances beyond our control, shaped by violence and abandonment into something harder than the world around them. Different methods, same fundamental damage.’
There were so many things I loved about Noah’s character: he’s a ‘beauty’ with brains and a big heart, and he’s strong, straightforward and isn’t afraid of standing up for himself, challenging Adrian with his defiance, which goes a long way with winning his boss’s obsessive affections. Noah’s also brave and loyal to a fault and everything he does is to protect those he loves; initially all of that energy is devoted to his sick sister, which leads him to go against his morals as a nurse and accept Adrian’s job offer. We then witness how conflicted Noah is when Adrian’s world begins to make sense to him; it’s a real journey of self-discovery and his moments of self-doubt and conflict were incredibly well written.
The scenes where Adrian’s walls started coming down around Noah and we experience a more vulnerable side to him were some of my favourite scenes of the book. Noah sees him, really sees him for who he is, and those scenes where this raw emotion is portrayed are so beautiful.
Adrian is all about obedience – as demonstrated by those unexpected scenes with Viktor included (you’ll know the ones when you read them *wink wink*) – so the fact that he likes it when Noah pushes and challenges him says a lot about how he feels about him. But that’s not to say that Adrian doesn’t enjoy the prospect and act of punishing him too, and when we’re finally past all the teasing intensive looks and flirty touches, we’re treated with some steamy scenes. They’re filled with dirty talk as well as a good helping of praise and begging – yum!
And that little twist near the end was such a good one when we found out the truth about Adrian’s background; it explained so much and I really didn’t see it coming. He had to endure so much hurt and betrayal from a young age, it’s no wonder I sympathised with him for the whole book. His character was such a great ‘beast character’ – he’d grown hard after how he’s been treated and from what he’s been taught, but he hasn’t lost himself completely and he just needed somebody to really see him.
I’ve deducted a mark from my score because I struggled to get my head around the time aspect of things, and got a bit lost during the main storyline in the first half of the book – but that may well just be personal to me and my brain not keeping up. I'd also have liked to have seen more of Noah's backstory, particularly about when he gained the helpful knowledge he had about the military from his dad.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about this book having finished it, and to be honest I’m still not sure.
There were definitely aspects that I found fascinating. Adrian was an interesting character, especially with how we are introduced to him. It was absolutely horrific what he witnessed as a child and the actions behind it were abhorrent and yet really and truly fascinating.
Noah I found harder to get a grasp on. I didn’t quite understand his back story with regard to his parents, but his devotion to Isabelle was beautiful and he was an interesting character. I struggled slightly with his acceptance of the things that Adrian did and this could have been explored deeper.
Where I really struggled was with how Adrian treated Viktor. For some reason, it just didn’t sit right with me – I actually am still not sure whether it was based on desire, a test of loyalty or just a really messed up view of people and things. I think that this did affect my feelings towards the book. The sex scenes were hot, with some very surprising aspects to them that I hadn’t expected. The plot was okay but the ‘bad’ guy was kinda obvious from the very beginning. I also felt that some of Adrian’s actions didn’t make sense considering what he knew or at least suspected.
The writing was good, the story was interesting and the characters were a little polarising (which meant I didn’t get bored) so I’m probably going to be thinking of this one for a while, trying to figure out how I actually feel!
A dark, gritty mafia romance set against the shadowy streets of London? Yes, please. This book delivered all the intensity and emotional chaos I crave in a mafia love story.
Adrian was a standout character, cold, calculating, and built from years of pain and betrayal. The trauma from his childhood shaped him into a ruthless enforcer, someone who survives by keeping his emotions locked down. But then Noah enters the picture, and everything starts to shift. Noah doesn’t just crack Adrian’s walls, he tears them down, one vulnerable moment at a time.
There’s a real power in the way these two recognise each other’s damage. Adrian’s been forged in violence and control, while Noah carries the weight of his own heartbreaking past. Their connection is raw and jagged, two souls shaped by darkness who find something close to peace in each other.
And the mafia angle? Brutal. There’s betrayal around every corner, secrets buried deep, and the ever-present threat of violence that keeps the tension high. Watching Adrian try to claw his way out of the bloodsoaked life he’s built while still protecting Noah was gripping. Loyalty is tested, alliances shift, and not everyone walks away whole.
A brilliant, brooding read with just the right blend of danger and devotion. Highly recommend adding this one to your TBR if you love dark romance with high stakes and broken boys trying to save each other.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 Stars – A Gritty Mafia Romance with Power Couple Vibes
The Beast's Broken Angel delivers a compelling mix of danger, passion, and intricate mafia politics, centered around the fierce dynamic between Adrian, a ruthless leader, and Noah, who’s anything but a damsel in distress. From the start, their chemistry is electric. Noah’s attraction to Adrian feels immediate and genuine, debunking any Stockholm syndrome assumptions. Instead, we get a partnership built on mutual intensity, with Noah holding his own in Adrian’s brutal world. The power couple energy is strong, and their dynamic is the book’s biggest strength.
That said, the story isn’t without flaws. The detailed mafia operations add authenticity but occasionally drag the pacing, and some repetitive dialogue can pull you out of the moment. Then there’s Viktor, a wildcard who spices things up (for better or worse, depending on your patience for drama). Despite these hiccups, the book sticks the landing with a satisfying HEA, leaving you grinning after the chaos.
Final Verdict: If you love dominant, protective heroes paired with resilient love interests plus a side of mafia brutality and scheming side characters this is worth the read. Just be ready for a few pacing bumps along the way.
Best for fans of: Mafia romance, power couples, morally gray heroes, and HEAs earned through blood, sweat, and steamy tension.
I know when I read a book by this author that it’s going to hit me in the feels! The way these two were broken for different reasons but somehow found the best parts of each other really spoke to my soul.
The Beast’s Broke Angel is a little different from Greysons Past books but I absolutely loved it, had be hooked from the very first page with the suspense and heartbreaking story that unfolded.
Adrian was become a person built on survival he’s got the scares to prove it, he’s in need of a someone to help with his medical needs and a contact if made between him and a nurse that needs cash fast. Adrian is drawn to Noah from their very first encounter, Noah is not scared of the man he is and that intrigues him. Noah is not sure what it is about the dangerous man that pull him closer but he can’t seem to stop wanting Adrian.
This book had so much story to it that it kept me wanting to find out how it all ended so much so I finished in one day. Had everything I love in a book, great plot, great spice, suspense, a little bit of found family 🤭🤭, and a super gritty hard fought love story!
These two really embraced each other brokenness and didn’t try to fix each other but showed each other it’s okay to be a little bit broken. They thrived with each other where others would find weakness they found strength.
I appreciate when mafia romances do not pretend to be pretty, clean, or bloodless. I like dark stories to acknowledge the darkness. This was the first Greyson Vale book I’ve read and it will not be the last by any stretch of the imagination. Characters were interesting and I liked the blend of ridiculous over the top possessiveness of our head of the family with the fierce honorable spirit of our nurse.
Did I have some issues which continuity and content? Yes, no one gets a crushed leg and can walk on it days later. Even with a walking cast. Can nurses perform surgery? I mean Maybe,sewing up patients as a nurse is fine but surgery is a different specialty altogether and not one I felt our MC had experience in (I kept waiting for it to be explained as if he’d started medical school or something but had to switch to nursing for some reason having to do with his sister) Were there some times when it appeared a chapter had been added or moved because dialogue in one didn’t match sequence of statements in another, yes. Did I really care about it? No and that says something since I tend to over analyze especially when I find editing issues.
The book didn't grip me the way it should. There was a lot of repetition, like almost the same sentence is repeated over and over. The spice felt the same throughout.
My biggest problem is Viktor. I did not understand his role in Noah and Adrian's relationship. At one point, I thought it was gonna be MMM but no so I was confused. So 45% in and during their first sexual interaction, Adrian makes Viktor give him a blowjob while Noah watches then makes Viktor do the same to Noah but don't let Noah come. Then we move to 62%, and right after Adrian told Noah that he is his and he doesn't share, we have a long threesome scene where both Viktor and Adrian fuck Noah at same time. After that, no other sexual encounters with Viktor but I was left confused on why Viktor was included. I mean at the threesome scene, it started to feel as MMM but after that and till the end it's just Adrian and Noah. The concept was confusing. I still did not understand how Viktor fit in and why was he included sexually. Also, I don't like when the MMC is super possessive with "mine" and "I don't share" but let someone else fuck what's his.
Just finished this ARC and it was so beautifully written. The flow and detail that went into this book was just 😮💨
-Dark Mafia romance -Beauty and the beast themes -MM Nurse x Beast of a Mafia Boss. -slowww burn
Adrian a strong man who has been through it. Witnessing his parents demise and taking over his families legacy~ this man is not afraid to show off his wounds and be feared by anyone who sees him. Relishing in the way anyone trembles at the sight of him.
Noah a talented nurse finds himself tangled up in a contract binding him to Adrian for anything the man needs in his medical expertise on burn trauma. In exchange for medical treatment his dying sister needs without question. With logical thinking and back bone, he isn't at all what Adrian expected.
As things begin to shift between Noah and Adrian, blood is spilt, walls are shattered and one simple contract might just become complicated.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, heavy plot and story driven and when the heat comes in, well it comes in hot and with unexpected twists!
Greyson Vale is one of my favorite writers, but this. This is really a story that won't let me go. I finished this book in 2 days, also because I had to go back through it every time. Not because it wasn't well described, no, my brain just couldn't comprehend what my eyes were reading. The story of Adrian, Isabelle and Noah. Noah and his sister Isabelle, who is terminally ill, are in despair and Noah makes a decision that will cost him a lot. But it will also bring him a lot. Adrian, is a criminal, amazing, cruel and full of burn scars. Noah is also a nurse and Adrian is looking for an in-house nurse. But his conditions are easy to accept. And then there's the story about the fire, the murder of Adrian's parents and his fight to be more than a monster. A monster who is also looking for love, security and happiness. But in his world, the price might be too high for what he wants. All I can say is that this is a beautiful story that will really hold you and give you sleepless nights. I'm almost dreading this author's next book.
Very OTT with this dark mafia romance. I liked it but I also had some issues with it. The beginning reeled me in good. Adrian's backstory is tragic and you can see why he is the way he is currently. The ruthlessness...his hesitancy to trust people...all that and more made him a no nonsense leader of his empire. Meeting Noah...the doctor who shows no fear of him, was a wakeup call that things in his life could be different. Now I really did like their journey to HEA but I didn't like the constant...you are mine mine mine from Adrian but was willing to share like Noah was a possession not a partner(so confusing). A lot of betrayal, murder and mayhem. Some things kept me guessing til the end which was good...I hate when things/situations are predictable. All in all this was OK...certain things could have been kept out(sharing)...some things were medically unrealistic but I got thru it and I was satisfied with the outcome. I would recommend if you like a lot of action, sex and craziness.
I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review
An absolute delight to read. I enjoyed everything—from the plot to the characters—and let’s not forget how well the spice was written!
The characters are complex. There’s so much to learn and discover about Noah, a nurse with a strong moral compass and a big heart for saving people. And Adrian, a ruthless underworld mafia boss with more internal scars than visible ones.
I wouldn’t actually call the story a slow burn—it took time to get to the spice, but the tension was definitely there. Both characters needed time to get to know each other and figure out their feelings and dynamic.
Adrian is the perfect possessive, obsessive type of lover. Noah and his sister are both just precious—I loved their personalities.
I definitely wouldn’t say no to more extra stories or spin-offs featuring them. 🤍
ARC review Big big thanks to the author, Greyson Vale, for giving me a chance to read the novel earlier.
Greyson crafts a dark, immersive mafia world with a strong emphasis on emotional tension, spice, and fast-paced action. The revenge-driven plot provides a solid foundation, and the momentum carries well throughout the story.
Though this admittedly wasn’t quite my usual kind of read, I really appreciated the fresh perspective Greyson brings to the mafia romance genre though. This didnt feel like every other mafia romance!
His writing style has a distinct voice that I imagine will resonate with fans of darker, high-heat romance. This story had a underlying Beauty and the Beast vibes, dressed up in a dark mafia package.
This was my first book by Greyson, and I’m sure it won't be my last, I'm interested in exploring more of his backlist.
This story just had a few inconsistencies and repetition that took me out of being completely immersed within the story but greyson is receptive to feedback and only see it improving from here!
This book drew me in straight from the beginning. What Adrian went through was depicted so well I just couldn’t wait to keep reading! It truly paints of portrait of the “beast” he felt he had to become to shield himself, sort of speak.
Meeting Noah and learning about him, his sister and a bit about their background and the underlying circumstances showed how there was so much going on beneath the trauma nurses composed exterior. I found Noah’s underlying desire to have one thing in his life that he didn’t have to be in control of very interesting. This need he had (and fought) to let go. It made the dynamic work well between him and Adrian.
Also, the cover was perfect and the spice was spicing! Read those triggers and there won’t be any surprises:)
I don’t read many dark mafia romance books but I ate this one up! Thanks so much for the ARC, Greyson! I look forward to reading more of your work!
2.5 This needed more or better editing. Some bits repeated way to much, and other times there were time skips without being clear about it. This was halfway a MMM story, which didn't really make sense when one of the was so possessive. Also there was a line about him never apologizing and he never learned his lesson about that? Yuck. So the sex on its own was mostly hot, if at times you weren't sure who was where because a second ago they were in a different position. But it wasn't superb because again, it didn't make sense in the context of these characters. Also, am I the only one who is kind of confused by Noah being a trauma nurse but not advanced practice, and yet he's giving meds willy nilly, plus doing a lot of other things that seem out of his scope of practice? On top of that, half the time these characters sounded outright American, and then in the next chapter they were tossing out British terms left and right.