Pistols and Plush Toys

by D. Dove

Being the son of the head of the Russian mafia means that Nikolai has learned from a young age how to be hard. Ruthless. And with the Italians taking liberties on his turf, he knows he has to send a strong message. If that message has to come from Elliot Brooks, Mattia Vitale's sobbing boyfriend, tied up in an abandoned warehouse, then so be it.

But Nikolai is not a cruel man. And as he learns that being Mattia's lover might not have been… easy for Elliot, Nikolai starts to treat Elliot with a softer touch...

Pistols & Plush Toys has a 3 dove rating for some on-page SA and DV (not overly graphic and not between MCs), gaslighting, manipulation, food issues, trauma, mafia-typical violence, hurt/comfort, and plushophilia. It has a guaranteed happily ever after.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Slow Burn, Dark Romance, LGBT, Dark

534 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 25, 2025

About the author

Writer of spicy MM(+M) stories on a 6 Dove Scale. (iykyk)

NEWSLETTER: https://ddovebooks.com/newsletter-sig...

Reviews

[Sebby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm I think I’m definitely more of a fan of Dove’s darker stuff and this book was just a bit too sweet and contemporary feeling with a lot of filler to make the 500+ page count worth it in my opinion. The kidnapping via a softie Russian mobster had me hooked at first but honestly became a little too sweet too quickly and then once it turned into mutual fake dating and willingly living together as employee and employer things kinda lost steam for me. By far the strongest part of the book was the part everyone came for which is the plushophilia. It was so well done and I honestly think the book would have been stronger if there had been more of a focus on that and how the plushies play into their relationship in a plutonic and sexual way but there were really only a handful of fully fleshed scenes which was a bummer and the book was filled with far more detailed cooking and food centric scenes which I didn’t really care for. I think going in knowing this is a sweet soft very patient hurt/comfort with such a long slow burn you almost forget that was the whole point then this could be super enjoyable I was just expecting something different but would say it was still worth the read just for the fanatic integration of plushophilia!

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall this was a fine romance. I was really into it at first, but then it felt like this was too long and the pacing was very slow. I got bored halfway, but the ending was good!

[Romantically Inclined Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly so sweet. A bit long but the suspense made it move quickly and it was a slow burn, which I didn't mind

I'm hoping this is a series with some secondary characters.

[Jen (Fae_Princess_in_Space) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good big-bad-mafia-man meets sweet-clueless-citizen trope and this was right up my street!

Chef Elliot has been suffering for years at the hands of his antiques-dealer boyfriend, Mattia Vitale. He’s not allowed friends, his own money, and he’s especially not allowed the soft toys that bring him comfort. Everything he does seems to bring Mattia’s ire, and when Elliot gets kidnapped by a strange, gruff Russian man, he’s far more afraid of what Mattia will do when he gets him back…

Nikolai never wanted to capture rival mafia boss Mattia’s boyfriend, but he urgently needs leverage against the sadistic man. He’s expecting the boyfriend to be snappy and aggressive, but Elliot is quiet, terrified and seems so innocent. Nikolai can’t understand why the former chef struggles to eat and flinches at every move, but the longer they spend together, the more he suspects that Elliot’s life with Mattia might not all have been sunshine and roses. But when Mattia skips the country, Nikolai has to come up with a plan to bring him back to face justice… and that idea might just be to fake date Elliot to get Mattia’s jealous attention.

I absolutely loved the slow-burn of this book, the gradual building of trust and Nikolai’s willingness to put in the work to make Elliot happy and help him recover from his ordeal with Mattia. The plushophilia is something I’ve never read before but the way it’s written in this book is so understandable. After years of abuse, Elliot initially only feels comfortable being touched through the medium of toys and through initially chaste, innocent touches, the intimacy grows from there; he’s not turned on by the toys themselves, but how Nikolai uses them to touch him. I also love the ‘food as a love language’ thing that the MCs have - it really allowed them to bond on a deeper level as Elliot teaches himself to make dishes from Nikolai’s childhood.

I also really enjoyed the found family elements of this book - I’d definitely class it as ‘soft Mafia’, Nikolai is a good guy who hates hurting others and runs a legit business with his two best friends, Gerard and Meredith, as well as doing his father’s dirty work (off page). If you’re looking for a morally gray monster MC, Nikolai isn’t that - he’s a gruff sweetheart and I adored him, Meredith and Gerard, as well as their posse of sweetheart mobs guys!

Read Pistols & Plush Toys for:
✨ Mafia boss x chef
✨ Escaping DV and SA (ex-bf)
✨ Hurt/comfort
✨ Slow burn
✨ Forced proximity
✨ Kidnapping
✨ Fake dating
✨ Slow trust building
✨ Plushophilia
✨ Food as a love language

[what_emmareadnext · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a big boy! 500+ pages of the slowest slow burn I have ever read! Now I’m not usually a big fan of really slow slow burns but in this book it was totally necessary.
Elliot is trapped in a violent, coercive relationship with Mattia- a man he thinks sells antiques, when I actual fact he is part of the mob. Elliot is innocent, naive and afraid of Mattia, so when he gets kidnapped by one of Mattias enemies, he is more afraid of what Mattia will say than anything else.
Nikolai is not a good guy, but he is definitely not a bad guy either. When he kidnaps Elliot, he only wants to send a message to Mattia not to disrespect their families agreement. He won’t hurt Elliot- and he doesn’t. He is soft and gentle. He has had enough hurt and pain in his own life and doesn’t want to hurt anyone else if he can help it.
As time goes on Nikolai realises that Elliot’s life with Mattia is awful and as they spend more time together, they become closer and closer.

Now this book is a seriously serious slow burn! They don’t kiss until 88% 😳 but given the DV Elliot has survived over the last 5 years with Mattia, this slow burn is warranted. Nikolai is conscious of Elliot’s trauma and he takes it agonisingly slow and shows Elliot every day that he is worthy and allowed to be happy.

Plus honestly- Nikolai is hilarious! And I read every word he said in a Russian accent! His English isn’t the best but he is definitely a likeable Mafia guy!!!

I was gifted an ARC for my honest review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars- no notes.

[BookGeek1987 · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I loved this book. I haven’t read a lot by this author as non/dubcon is a hard no for me, but the blurb was giving me Rerouting River vibes and that was fantastic on the hurt/comfort front.

Now, to confirm the SA/DV position. This is not on page, but Elliot refers to this and confirms it happened. We do see on page emotional manipulation and gaslighting. I wanted to mention this so people can manage their expectations.

Now Nikolai is what I call ‘mafia adjacent’. He’s not really in this and has just inherited part of certain business activities from his rather. So there’s not a lot of on page violence and death around that.

Elliot spends a good portion of the book terrified but Nikolai is amazingly patient and realises pretty earlier on that Elliot has been horribly mistreated, is miserable and petrified of upsetting him. The way Elliot slowly gets his confidence back is wonderful.

There’s a surprise fake dating trope thrown in, not my favourite, but it is done for good reasons and worked. Also a bit of miscommunication/pining but it wasn’t done for angst but was realistic. Poor Elliot is trying to get his sense of self back and Nikolai, rightly, worries about jumping into a relationship too early.

Now, the plushies. I’ve not come across this kink before and I thought it was tastefully done. Also the sexual element happens just a few times in a 600 page book, so if you’re worried about trying it due to the plushy side of things then I do recommend you still give it a go. In honesty they’re mainly used as comfort, not sex, since Elliot is so touch deprived.

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed this and I’d read more in this world if the author decides to explore this further.

[Jessica Hostetter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was an ARC reader for this book, and as always, D. Dove delivered. This book was so incredibly sweet and wholesome with a healthy sprinkle of danger and spice. Literally after chapter ONE I was hooked. I got about 200 pages in and it felt like it could've been a whole novel already and I was thrilled to realize I still had SO MUCH MORE to read. Elliot is so precious and deserving of love, and Nikolai is adorable and doting. I found myself reading most of his speaking lines out loud, when they were in English, because they just needed to sound like they sounded in my head. Check trigger warnings, because the content might not be for everyone, but I enjoyed this book immensely.

[sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

One word to describe this book is underdeveloped although I will state that this is 500+ pages book, so I don’t know how that could be accomplish. Also, an important thing to point out that bothered me so much, and it truly shows how little logic went into this book is one of the main leads speaks broken English… but that’s not the problem. The problem is that he’s 40+ and has lived in the America since 18, yet he’s still unable to form complete English sentences?? Especially when he’s apparently a business owner??? Who’s has run a business in America for 20 years?? Also I need to point out his best friend who he met when he first moved to America learned Russian for him. So basically another person was able to learn an extremely difficult language for him (not out of necessity) in the same time spam, but brother couldn’t learn to how to correctly form sentences in English in the past 20+ years when it’s necessary to be able to communicate effectively for your work? Like where is the logic there?? What was the thought process… if he had been living in America for just a couple of years, I wouldn’t had been bothered by that much, but the fact that he still couldn’t form complete sentences when he’s work requires him being able to proficiency speak English but his best friend could learn Russian when it wasn’t necessary just tells you how underdeveloped this book is. Obviously there’s a lot of others things that made this an underdeveloped book, but this especially bothered me as someone whose native language is not English.

[❀ Jess ( Semi hiatus ) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though i'm always suspending disbelief when reading, I still manage to find myself being annoyed when the characters have sex immediately after one MC is badly hurt..Especially when the one that's badly hurt is doing all the work?!?! C'mon 🤦‍♀️

Anyway. I loved the first half of the story, the characters really sucked me in and the time flew by without my notice.

Now this has Plushophilia(?) Which I don't think I've read before aside from maybe a brief scene in a Dd/lb book. Definitely nothing to the extent that was in this book!

So there I was, reading along and enjoying every minute of it until we got to those parts. I skimmed them and continued on (I really wanted to see the MCs get together) and that doesn't happen until after the 80% and when they FINALLY do?! I was a little bit disappointed and the only reason is because of the type of kink in this. I LOVED the couple, the characters, the hurt/comfort.

I already tend to stay away from kink centered books anyways since it's not my thing. Some kink sprinkled in is fine but when the kink is the only type of intimacy then it doesn't work for me.

I loved most of this and i'm still going to give it a 4 star even though the kink aspect didn't work for me and I was annoyed that there was no epilogue. ):<

[Chloe · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 / 5
Basically a fanfiction, and not the best kind. The passages are so long-winded and verbose. The plot moves so slowly and the character’s inner monologue is so repetitive.

I feel like even I could write better than this…

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, Elliot and Nikolai were so lovely together.

This is definitely slow burn which is typically not my favourite, however it really worked in the story. There was a lot of healing that needed to be done before they were willing to try and be together. It was nice to see them build a friendship before becoming romantic.

Nikolai was so understanding of Elliot and was very soft and sweet with him. I really enjoyed Elliot’s love of cooking and determination to cook accurate Russian dishes for Nikolai.

Side characters were enjoyable to read about and well developed.

For those who struggled with the level of violence in rerouting river this story was surprisingly sweet and lot of the violence was fade to black or mentioned afterwards.

I was gifted an ARC for my honest review.

[Sara | bigborrowedbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75! A very refreshing take on mafia romance and a true slow burn

[Theo Zukowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored Pistols and Plush Toys by D. Dove!

The relationship between Elliot and Nikolai was really sweet. I loved their dynamic together, and even at the beginning, the view into Nikolai's mind kept things from getting too dark. The alternating perspective changes was really well done.

Mattia was really easy to hate, probably because I found his behavior all too believable. The abusive relationship between Mattia and Elliot was chilling, and I found myself hoping for Mattia to get what he deserved. And Elliot's recovery was so uplifting.

Plushophilia is a new kink for me, but it was unexpectedly hot! I loved that aspect and how it grew naturally with the characters.

The scene at the end with the plush polar bear? Oh my god. I need more.

I received an ARC in exchange for a review.

[m · Rating 5 out of 5]

He flushed all over again to remember it. The way Nikolai had then put Sheep to his skin, brushing over all of his injuries as though dropping kisses there. It had felt… intimate.

🧸 mafia romance
🔫 is it kidnapping or a rescue
🧸 plushophilia
🔫 food as a love language

This is such a beautiful hurt/comfort (whump) story. Elliot gets forcibly taken to be used as a pawn to get his boyfriend to behave. Unfortunately Elliot doesn’t know anything about his boyfriend’s shady dealings and worse, he’s being abused.

Slowly, oh so slowly, Nikolai realises that Elliot is soft and sweet and needs to be protected. The use of plushies as comfort items and then a way to touch without touching is so romantic. Nikolai doesn’t get to be tender in his day to day life but with Elliot he can be. They both balance each other and hold a special place in my heart.

Also honourable mention to Nikolai’s Russian/English because he is hilarious. 😆

[deppbanderasfan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a well written book. I don't think I have ever read anything from D Dove that was bad, though. I will have to say that this is my first plushophilia book. The hurt/comfort trope is one of my favorite and this book delivers in spades. I was surprised about the length of the book, but it is needed to create and resolve the issues the characters have. Definitely a re-read in the future for me.

[Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was an arc reader for this book, it is so amazing. Being able to see the growth between Elliot and Nikolai, seeing the romance bloom. It definitely has some dark aspects that is discussed in this book so I would recommend reading the trigger warnings before diving in! But if you love d dove’s writing and books like I do this one will be right up your alley!

[lex ❄ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This book had me so hooked since the beggining that I finished it as soon as I could. I absolutely loved everything about it, D. Dove never misses. It delivers what it promises in the best way, to the point that I even wished the book was longer than the 500+ pages (trust me, it doesn't feel like a long-ish book at all).

The story follows Elliot, a guy that's currently in a relationship with Mattia, a man that doesn't treat him well at all. His already frightening life turns upside down when he is kidnapped as retaliation and later meets Nikolai, the son of the head of the Russian mafia. Nikolai doesn't expect to develop a soft spot for him, nor that both would see each other in a different light.

First thing I want to highlight how addictive this book was. The plot is gripping from the start, and it keeps advancing without ever feeling boring. For such length, it is important to keep the reader entertained and avoid making it draggy. I felt like everything was well thought and it needed to be there for a natural pacing and it accomplished that in my eyes.

Now about the main characters. Elliot was the sweetest guy, very easy to get attached to and to love, something that shows in how he slowly made his way inside Nikolai's walls without even trying. Nikolai had no way to resist, as someone who actually isn't as vicious as he thinks of himself. I really liked the contrast between danger and innocence that radiates from them respectively.

Speaking about the dynamic, I'm a sucker for the dangerous man x civilian guy trope. It does a really great job at playing into that power imbalance in softer tones while constructing an organic development between MCs and their feelings towards each other. The book is definitely less dark that one would think when looking at the circumstances, but I actually believe the comforting aspect fits the story really well.

And of course, I couldn't forget about the plushophilia element. It's a contribution I really appreciate since there aren't many MM books with such content. It's also something I didn't know was a thing or that I would enjoy so much until I read another erotica short from the same author. The addition of the plushies was genious for the comforting aspect. I adored how Elliot discovered that part of himself, and how it helped him realize touches can be tender and not rough as he was unfortunately used to.

Another great thing I wanted to highlight was the rest of the cast and the teasing of a side (future?) pairing. It's a small one, but sometimes a small group is better to flesh them out well. I thought the friendship between Gerard, Meredith and Nikolai added a lot to the story and the later in particular. I also really enjoyed whenever Xander had time to shine in the dialogue, I'm hoping we could perhaps get a second book in the universe involving them.

I also wanted to mention one thing I wanted more from, and it's about the third act. The story was clearly leading to a climax, and I really wished that part would've been longer and more thrilling than the execution it was given. I expected a bit more from that scenario. Thankfully it still did its work and didn't have a negative impact on my overall enjoyment.

Ultimately, this book was amazing for doing a trope that can be cliche (which isn't bad in itself) and still feel refreshing from the inclusion of elements such as the kink it explored and the good development between MCs, individually and relationship wise. The recipes, the plush toys and the cast all came together to present a compelling story about comfort and recovery.

-This was an ARC review.

Tags: (might miss some of them)
-POV: third person
-Content warnings: abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, kidnapping, anxiety/panic attacks, slutshaming, abusive partner (not love interest), violence
-Elements: size difference, cohabitation, hurt/comfort, age gap
-Kinks: praise kink, plushophilia
-Sexual act(s): barebacking, creampie, blowjobs, humping-grinding, riding, toys, masturbation
-Dynamic: MM, mob boss x civilian, strict top and bottom, unbalanced power dynamics

[Kindle Addict · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read a bunch of this author’s past works and have followed their newsletter update about this book for a while so I was excited to receive an ARC of this book!


First of all I would say make sure to check the trigger warning because it is quite dark. Not because of Nikolai but because of Elliot’s ex (technically boyfriend at the beginning of the story) There’s a lot of emotional manipulation, sexual assault, horrible treatment and it can be disturbing for some readers.

Second, my heart broke for Elliot when as soon as chapter 3 he thought “Mattia was going to be so pissed he’d gotten himself kidnapped.” It tells you everything about Mattia and their power imbalance.

Then my favourite thing was Nikolai. He was a very sweet man who didn’t want to become the monster his father raised him to be but I loved how he always wanted Elliot to be happy.

And then he made me laugh so many times with his love for food!
Example 1: “French fries are my true love.” “I cannot have husband so I’m say, is fine, French fries can have my love.”
Example 2: “But I’m cannot like eggs as much as potatoes. I’m monogamous. So can only have one one true love.” 😂

The author warned potential ARC reader that this book was long but I didn’t realise how long until I saw that it was more than 500 pages! I admit, I panicked a little because it’s way more than what I usually prefer. For a mafia romance I would settle for 300 pages but 500 is a lot IMO. And overall that was my only problem with this book. It was too long. I really understand the necessity of having their relationship develop slowly so they could learn to trust each other and unwrap all their past trauma but I think we could have done without some chapters. I love that the friends added some depth to the story and that Elliot and Nikolai didn’t exist in a vacuum the whole book but they added a bit too much story in my opinion.


This length also meant that it was a slow burn and when I say slow I mean slow: they don’t kiss until 88% of the book! All the soft toys scenes were sweet but I like more kisses than that 😩


Overall it was still a great read despite the length. I would just advise readers to realise how big it is (😏) and to check the TW.(there are also the obvious mafia death/bloody scenes plus some alcoholism)

Thank you to the author for the ARC 🧸

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would mark this as 3.5 ⭐️ but I’m just rounding up to 4 ⭐️

I thought this was a very sweet book! A lot more sweet and light than I thought it would be considering the plot and… yunno this involving mafia men. But I am sucker for books that mixes dark themes and a lot of sweetness when it comes to the MCs. Nikolai accepted Elliot exactly how he was and made him feel safe enough to express himself 🥹🥰 definitely a slow burn, and even though those types of romances aren’t my favourite, this one did a good job for the most part. I do think it needed to be somewhat of a slow burn considering Elliot is coming from an abusive and controlling situation, so jumping straight into something with another man who’s kind of in a similar work wouldn’t be good story telling or character development to me. We needed to see Elliot find himself again and we do see this. Then we get to see Nikolai and Elliot grow closer romantically. Which I like that. I will get more into the “for the most part” in a second.

Both Elliot and Nikolai as characters are really compelling and I feel like they were both equally explored on deeper levels. I liked all the side characters too! I really loved Elliot finding his way back to having a life that wasn’t constantly controlled, and getting to be happy!

Now this book felt like it was longer than it should have been. I only say this because I got kind of bored in the middle as nothing was really happening except for some domestic type scenes between Elliot and Nikolai.. which I wouldn’t mind if that hadn’t felt repetitive. It’s just Nikolai feeling like he wants something with Elliot when Elliot is being really sweet and making him food, and then going oh but I can’t. Like even the inner dialogue is almost exactly the same. I wouldn’t mind scenes like this, because I did enjoy it at first, but then there wasn’t anything more that moved their relationship forward. I mean Elliot never even finds out about the drinking problem Nikolai was implied to have had (as he never drinks in present time in the book, so we don’t actually see it happen). Unless I somehow I missed that?

That could have been a scene to show them getting even closer with each other in the middle when nothing was happening with the actual conflict of the book. Just my opinion though.

Other than that I enjoyed this book! It was cute

[... · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored everything about this book (except the abrupt end, as a hint of hea/epilogue would have been the icing on the cake).

I am not always a fan of slow burn, and this was the utter slowest, but it didn't *feel* slow because of the fan-fucking-tastic character development, relationship development, and outside plot.

It's a mafia book but didn't feel dark, despite some fade-to-black/off-page style abuse and bloody bits, and it hit the sweetest of sweet spots for me with my all-time favorite pairing: abused boy in need of comfort and saving x protective bad-ass savior.

Nikolai was also... so, so sweet and gentle with Elliott 🥰 To the point that, in another context, it might not have worked for me. But here? *happy sigh* I don't know if it's just timing (i.e. reading it in the perfect mood to enjoy it), or the author's storytelling skill, or a combination of both, but this book was pretty close to perfect for me. It's definitely NOT high-steam, so between that and the slow burn, I can see it not being every m/m reader's cuppa, but both those factors fit the story perfectly IMHO.

I also absolutely adored the plushie play ... I mean, ngl, that's always fun, but here? It felt totally organic to the character, not presented as overly kinky but still absolutely delicious.

So far, the few books I've read by this author have been really random, and one was frankly a little too much for me irt the graphic on-page rape scenes. Clearly, this author has a range of interests and repertoire, but they do seem to indicate what to expect on every book I've checked with their "dove ratings," so I think it might be time for me to dive a little deeper into their catalog 😁

But as for this book: HUGE fan. It's probably not for everyone, but it's solidly in my favorites-of-the-year category and I could absolutely see it being a re-read at some point. All the stars!

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second introduction to D.Dove's books (the Alien clutch series being the first). Judging by the rating system, ratings 4-6 would be more my preferences, but this book was more than a welcome surprise and much more than I had anticipated. I went into this partially blind (no searching for review's from fellow readers; my goto beforehand) as an ARC, which I have done only once before. It's not my usual thing as I like sneak previews (trailers) from other's. With that said, I am sooooo glad I signed up.

The Hurt/comfort trope is not my preference, but it was balanced in this book where Elliot was soft, he was surrounded by hardened, rough characters that not only displayed a great sense of humor that had me LOL several time's, but they did what was necessary to protect what was theirs.

The main reason I chose this as an ARC was the potential of reading about the plushie kink.  I have read a few books that involved this kink, but never quite understood the psychological aspect of it until this book. The detailed thought process behind how one step over a threshold could occur is insightful and absolutely 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Another surprise was the food aspect of the story.  I am a FOODIE and this book had me wishing I could taste every dish made and looking for food in UBER eats, which lent the end of this book another 🌟 and perfect ending/bonus I will enjoy in the near future.  I recommend this book to anyone with an open mind and heart.

Be forewarned; read the TW because of course this book isn't for everyone.  There are Russian word's spoken in the book which are translated by the characters for the most part though, In Kindle, the translator helped with me with that.

[Demi Goddess Solis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pistols and Plush Toys by D. Dove
⭐️⭐️⭐️- 3.75\5-Fluffy But Flawed

Pistols and Plush Toys is a book that took me a minute to settle into, but once I did, I found myself oddly charmed by its messy yet endearing nature. The story follows Elliot and Nikolai, two very different characters whose relationship starts off rocky (to say the least). Elliot is sweet but painfully trapped in a toxic dynamic with Mattia (who, frankly, can go eat runny eggs forever). Meanwhile, Nikolai is a gruff, non-English-speaking mess with clear trauma lurking beneath his rough exterior.

At first, the writing threw me off It had a very Wattpad vibe, with noticeable errors and repetition that made me wonder if the book had been properly edited. Nikolai’s broken English was also a struggle at first (I won’t lie, it annoyed me), but as I kept reading, I oddly got used to it, and it even added to his character’s charm. There are some inconsistencies (plot holes where details change from one page to the next), but if you can push past that, there’s something cute here.

What really won me over was the slow, natural build of Nikolai and Elliot’s relationship. The pacing felt right, and their dynamic especially with Nikolia accepting Elliot's stuffed animal "Apricot"was adorable. Despite the flaws, the book has a lot of fluffy, heartfelt moments that make it worth the read.

Final thoughts: If you can overlook the editing issues and embrace the quirks (Nikolai’s English will grow on you), Pistols and Plush Toys delivers a surprisingly sweet story. It’s not perfect, but it’s got heart and sometimes, that’s enough.

[Ashley Rose Dead.inside_but_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Advanced Reader Copy

🌶🌶.5

This is a Dark Mafia Romance so check your TWs before heading into this one

Ok I'm going to give a very obtuse review here because I don't want to give anything away!

Nikolai *people steals* Elliot in attempts to get Elliott's boyfriend back in line. Elliott's trash bag of a boyfriend is a member of the Italian Mob and Nikolai is the head of the Russian Mob. After spending some time with Elliott its clear that he had absolutely no clue what kind of Mafia world he was living in and maybe Nikolai didn't so much *people steal* him but save him 😳 (he totally people stole him)

Ok um this was absolutely fantastic! It was very fast paced so I was just cruising through this story hanging on every word. Nikolai is actually this Giant spiky Teddy bear (😏😉) and his adorable broken English just made him so much more endearing I know it's a small thing to focus on but it really was adorable. I really don't think Elliott would be able to get over the situation he was coming from without Nikolai's patience and acceptance so they were perfect. This is an EXTREME slow burn BUT because how fast paced the story is you don't really notice and everything just rolls so nicely together you don't feel like the relationship is forced. I really REALLY hope we get to come back and see another couple that was sorta Easter Egged through the story because I need them 🤣 I don't really know what I was expecting but this blew it all out of the water it was just amazing!

[Lola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Am I giving 4.5 stars to a book featuring plushophilia? Yes, yes I am.

So, I love me some BDSM, D/s dynamic, bondage, bio kink, cum play, etc. But that's all pretty run of the mill stuff in the world of smut. I have not, however, read many books that feature niche kinks like this and I was not looking for them. But I saw like 5 or 6 people on the mm subreddit review this book in the last week or so and decided I needed to see what it was all about.

I thought the characters in this were wonderful and it was so well written. Elliot is traumatized, beaten down, anxious, terrified for so much of this book. Thinking about how he was in the beginning to how he was by the end is such a stark contrast and I love how the author made sure to address pretty much every aspect of what Mattia had taken away from Elliot regarding his autonomy and made sure he had them all back by the end. Elliot's character was heartbreaking but it was so beautiful to watch how Nikolai's kindness and patience helped him learn not only that there was still good things in the world but that he deserved to have them. I loved how they shared their passions with each other and I particularly loved the use of food and the act of cooking as love language.

To my surprise the kink wasn't TOO weird for me. I do think the author probably could have written this without it and found a slightly different way to show Elliot's need for softness and Nikolai's willingness to be soft but, in the end, it didn't put me off as much as I had anticipated. I think the way it was used made it better - Elliot wasn't actually attracted to stuffed animals, they were just used as a way for them to be intimate with each other. Strange for me but the couple were sweet enough together that I overlooked it.

Also, I realize that Nikolai being in the mafia is necessary for the whole plot but this was extremely mafia lite - you almost don't notice it's there except that none of this would be happening if not for that fact.

I'm not sure that any of the author's other works look like good fits for me but I'm really glad I gave this one a try. It was such a pleasant surprise!

Nikolai wanted to be a man worth knowing. Worth being known by Elliot. Even if very soon Elliot didn't need him, couldn’t want to keep him… Nikolai still wanted to be worth being known.

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Safety (may contain spoilers)

SA/rape: Elliot is abused in every way by his ex and the beginning sex between them is dubious. There is on page mention of Elliot being raped by his ex but it is brief and not explicit.

Other person drama: The only drama is from Elliot's very much unwanted ex. Otherwise, there are no others even mentioned.

[Shelba · Rating 2 out of 5]

For the first 40% ish of the book, I was loving it.

I thought it did mafia far better than Rerouting River did, in spite of River had two big bag mafia bosses, and this has one reluctant one.

By 60%, I was thinking the book felt really long… and at 320 pages into a 534 page book, it certainly was long.

By 80%, with over 100 pages left, I was kinda over it. I considered DNFing multiple times, and probably should have. I skimmed the last 10% pretty hard.

Chapter 14 (38%) opens with saying Mattia had fled the country. For the next 12 chapters, Mattia is still overseas and it isn’t until Chapter 26 at like 81% that Mattia returns.

So, for about 40% of the book, we are in conflict limbo. Mattia has to be dealt with, but we gotta wait for him to come back.

So we get shopping trips, cooking, fake dates, etc. It was cute for the first bit, but then it just stagnated for me.

I personally think this could have been 200 pages shorter and would have had significantly better pacing.

I think, going forward, I will probably avoid any of D. Dove’s books that exceed 200 pages. I’ve loved most of the short ones, but this and Rerouting River (which I DNFd 83% into its 560ish pages) just were such slogs.

And while it had no bearing on my rating, having read plushophilia a few times now, I can say it leans closer towards being an ick for me than a kink I’m neutral towards.

[Petra · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great hurt/comfort romance: with mafia shenanigans, learning to trust, a soft-hearted mob boss, and amazing food (there are even recipes at the end!).

This is a big book, clocking in at over 500 pages, and I get that might deter some readers. But honestly? Every chapter and every interaction felt meaningful—whether for plot development or character growth.

There are some heavy moments, both on-page and implied, and my heart just broke for Elliot. Once he’s “kidnapped” by Nikolai, I was rooting so hard for him to blossom into the incredible person he truly is.

The story is filled with trauma, flinching, fear, and self-doubt... all things Elliot tries to work through. Nikolai isn’t always sure of himself, but he quickly learns what triggers Elliot and does everything he can to protect him from those things. That care and attentiveness? So well done. Was there a hiccup between the two? Yes, definitely more than one. But it made them the more interesting.

Even though this is a mafia romance, Nikolai isn’t your typical brutal mob boss. Yes, he’s a leader, but he’s also gentle, thoughtful, and kind. Watching him show Elliot he’s worthy of love and safety was genuinely beautiful.

It’s definitely a slow burn, but the emotional payoff is so worth it—you feel the connection building between them every step of the way.

[avis03 · Rating 4 out of 5]

MM, Mafia, 3rd Dual POV

Status: KU, Standalone, Third Act Conflict - External

Elliot: Diner Cook, 26 Yrs Old, Boyfriend of Italian Mafia Boss (5 Yrs, Abusive Relationship, Thinks Mattia Sells Expensive Antiques), Previously Worked in a 4 Star Restaurant (Sous Chef), Enjoys Plushes (Has Keepsake Giraffe), Enjoys Word and Number Puzzles

Nikolai: Russian, Mafia Boss, 42 Yrs Old, Previously in Therapy, Scarred (Arms, Cigarette Burns), Owns Jewelry Stores

Notes: Mafia, Abduction, Captor/Captive, Forced Proximity, Hurt/Comfort, Age Gap, Escaping DV and SA (ex-bf), Food as a Love Language, Slow Burn, Size Difference, Plushes as a Love Language, Found Family, Boss/Employee, Fake Relationship

Sex Notes: Masturbation, Plushophilia, Plushie Frotting, Frotting with a Plush In Between, Lube Use, Fingering, Prostate Stimulation, PIA, Creampie, Large Plush (Polar Bear) with Strap-On (Vibrator), Blowjob, Swallowing

CWs: On-page SA and DV (Not Overly Graphic, Not Between MCs, Includes Choking), Gaslighting, Manipulation, Food Issues, Trauma, Mafia-typical Violence, Abduction, Alcohol Consumption, Vomit, Panic Attack, Nightmare, Past Alcohol Abuse

[Sam Vautier · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a lovely story, a few heartbreaking moments for sweetheart Elliot but Nikolai treats him with such tender care and reverence - it’s so good!

Even though it does begin with. Nikolai kidnapping Elliot.. to make Elliot’s boyfriend get back in line and play by the rules. But when he gets Elliot back to his place, he realizes that Elliot doesn’t seek to know that his boyfriend is mafia and he is quite scared, looks malnourished and generally looks not well. Which he finds confusing and upsetting.

There are many ups and downs with Elliot’s kidnapping, then rescue once he is stolen back by his boyfriend. But Nikolai is so soft and patient with him, giving him kind and thoughtful gifts, never making him feel bad or raising his voice, or fists, at him. He also indulges Elliot in his love of soft toys and gifts him several of them - even using them to make Elliot comfortable, touching him with them..

Elliot’s recipes at the end of the book is also such a gorgeous touch! Love it!

“𝒴ℴ𝓊 𝒶𝓇ℯ 𝓂ℴ𝓇ℯ 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝒷ℯ𝓈𝓉 𝒸𝒽ℯ𝒻, ℰ𝓁𝓁𝒾ℴ𝓉. 𝒴ℴ𝓊 𝒶𝓇ℯ 𝓂𝓎 𝑔𝒾𝒻𝓉.”

🧸MM
🧸Mafia
🧸Domestic Vio
🧸Kidnapping
🧸Forced Proximity
🧸Hurt/Comfort
🧸Plushophilia
🧸Age Gap
🧸Slow Burn
🧸HEA

[MunWolfieSNM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please dear autor, Xander and Gerard need a book. And let Gerard spoil the shit out of Xander, he deserves it.

Amo cómo escribe D. Dove, amo a los personajes que hace y amo los temas que trata.

Sus libros me hacen sentir siempre de todo porque consigue que me ponga totalmente en la piel del prota, que reaccione como él.

Y una cosa que también tuvo Rerouting River y que ADORÉ es cómo escribe las formas de hablar de los personajes. En RR Émile hablaba súper formal y tú leías una frase y sabías si era o no de él antes de que te lo dijeran, su estilo era clarísimo. Y aquí el acento ruso y los fallos de Nikolai le han dado tanto carácter y personalidad al personaje que me moría de amor solo con leer frases suyas. Era adorable cómo hablaba a veces!

Quizá este no tiene 5⭐ porque me esperaba más drama y al final casi todo el rato he estado más: AAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWW
Que también está genial y me ha hecho disfrutarlo muchísimo, pero RR fue mucho más "sangriento" para mí corazón así que se me quedó más dentro.

[Human Person · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very solid! Of D. Dove's longer, more romance-forward novels, I think this is the strongest yet. The pacing is spot on—nothing unpredictable (it is a romance, after all), but not unbalanced, doesn't drag, maintains momentum. Good balance of hurt and comfort. I don't mind a big-hurt/little-comfort read (like others from this author), but I can appreciate that this book is in a real sweet spot between the two.

I think I can now confidently say plushophilia is not my thing, but that didn't impact my enjoyment of the book. There are multiple intimate scenes but they're not the focus of the story. And I think it's a very important aspect of Elliot's character (and Nikolai's, in his reaction to Elliot's desires) and part of what makes this book stand out. So, no complaints!