What do you think?
Of Ruin and Royalty #1
Conquest
My name is Vincenzo Vieri. Crown heir to the Five Families. Son of a king. Twin to a traitor.
I came to Vintermoor Academy for one reason: to prove my loyalty and walk out worthy of the empire I was born to rule. This place is nothing but a proving ground for the next generation of monsters, murderers, and mafia royalty. I was prepared for all of it… but not for him.
Nikolaj Dragovich.
Bratva heir. Bloody prince of the North Wing. A predator with frostbitten eyes and a mouth made for war.
I know he was sent here to kill me, but no one warned me what it would feel like to want the weapon aimed at my throat.
Nikolaj is chaos wrapped in velvet; a curse I can’t kill.
And if I’m not careful, he won’t just take my crown...
He’ll bury me with it.
This is book 1 in the Of Ruin and Royalty duet, and ends in a cliffhanger.
I came to Vintermoor Academy for one reason: to prove my loyalty and walk out worthy of the empire I was born to rule. This place is nothing but a proving ground for the next generation of monsters, murderers, and mafia royalty. I was prepared for all of it… but not for him.
Nikolaj Dragovich.
Bratva heir. Bloody prince of the North Wing. A predator with frostbitten eyes and a mouth made for war.
I know he was sent here to kill me, but no one warned me what it would feel like to want the weapon aimed at my throat.
Nikolaj is chaos wrapped in velvet; a curse I can’t kill.
And if I’m not careful, he won’t just take my crown...
He’ll bury me with it.
This is book 1 in the Of Ruin and Royalty duet, and ends in a cliffhanger.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 4, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
December 11, 2025
This book made me want to scream and tear my hair out in frustration! It was one of those books that I finished reading out of sheer determination to find out what happened to these two irritating characters and then it has the nerve to end on a cliffhanger??? WTAF!!!
I really didn't want to even finish reading this book but I pushed through that overwhelming urge to DNF, and now I find out that I have to read yet another book to get the rest of their story?! To say I'm unimpressed is an understatement!
Honestly this book sucked massively until the last 5-10% and then it got really interesting. Nothing happened until well past the halfway point of this book, and even then 99% of this book was just toxic masculinity, posturing, cliche's and inner monologues that just kept repeating the same thing over and over and over and over.... I learnt barely anything about these characters - I don't even know how old they're supposed to be - and their chemistry was completely non-existent, but damn this stupid book because I somehow still want to know what happens to these two.
The way the book ends was infuriating because the amnesia trope was deployed, so essentially everything that happened in this book may as well not have happened! I hate the amnesia trope with a passion, it's rare that it's well written and from reading the rest of this book I highly doubt it's going to be excellent in the next book.
I'm mad at myself for finishing this book and I'm even more mad at myself because I already know I'm going to read the next book even though this one irritated me so much. Ughhhhhhhhhhh
I really didn't want to even finish reading this book but I pushed through that overwhelming urge to DNF, and now I find out that I have to read yet another book to get the rest of their story?! To say I'm unimpressed is an understatement!
Honestly this book sucked massively until the last 5-10% and then it got really interesting. Nothing happened until well past the halfway point of this book, and even then 99% of this book was just toxic masculinity, posturing, cliche's and inner monologues that just kept repeating the same thing over and over and over and over.... I learnt barely anything about these characters - I don't even know how old they're supposed to be - and their chemistry was completely non-existent, but damn this stupid book because I somehow still want to know what happens to these two.
The way the book ends was infuriating because the amnesia trope was deployed, so essentially everything that happened in this book may as well not have happened! I hate the amnesia trope with a passion, it's rare that it's well written and from reading the rest of this book I highly doubt it's going to be excellent in the next book.
I'm mad at myself for finishing this book and I'm even more mad at myself because I already know I'm going to read the next book even though this one irritated me so much. Ughhhhhhhhhhh
August 1, 2026
I went into this with high expectations because I devoured the prequel, Empire. The chemistry, tension, and raw emotion between Ruslan and Salvatore were incredible, and I was hoping for that same here.
The foundation is strong. The pure hatred between Nikolaj and Vincenzo is intense, and their dark, witty banter is great. You know right away that once these two fall, it is going to be explosive. However, the pacing stalled for me. For about 75% of the book, the plot feels like a repetitive loop. They run into each other, quarrel, and walk away irritated. The falling takes too long without enough plot to justify the slow burn.
That said, I do love their chemistry. I think this duet would have been great if it had been trimmed down and condensed into one tighter book. I have seen reviews that say the second book gets seriously intense, which is what I was hoping for here, so I am going to push through to the next one. I suspect I will have a more satisfying read once things start moving forward. If anything, I cannot wait to finally get to Salvatore and Ruslan's happy ending.
The foundation is strong. The pure hatred between Nikolaj and Vincenzo is intense, and their dark, witty banter is great. You know right away that once these two fall, it is going to be explosive. However, the pacing stalled for me. For about 75% of the book, the plot feels like a repetitive loop. They run into each other, quarrel, and walk away irritated. The falling takes too long without enough plot to justify the slow burn.
That said, I do love their chemistry. I think this duet would have been great if it had been trimmed down and condensed into one tighter book. I have seen reviews that say the second book gets seriously intense, which is what I was hoping for here, so I am going to push through to the next one. I suspect I will have a more satisfying read once things start moving forward. If anything, I cannot wait to finally get to Salvatore and Ruslan's happy ending.
July 12, 2026
Enemies to lovers
🔫 to each other right after they make out
Tension angst
Academia
Mafia
One is supposed to kill the other
Manipulation
Revenge
Book 1 in a duet
Wow this is how you do enemies to lovers without naming how they feel about each other. it’s written as show not tell and that’s what I want! the jealousy and obsession turns into this tension they can’t deny but also hate how much they want each other.
🔫 to each other right after they make out
Tension angst
Academia
Mafia
One is supposed to kill the other
Manipulation
Revenge
Book 1 in a duet
Wow this is how you do enemies to lovers without naming how they feel about each other. it’s written as show not tell and that’s what I want! the jealousy and obsession turns into this tension they can’t deny but also hate how much they want each other.
June 12, 2026
It seems like this author’s books are either a hit or a miss for me, and unfortunately, this one was a miss. It was way too teenagey for me and also, very melodramatic. And a school where some royal/mini-mafia bosses are trained for their lives..? I'm sorry, but no, I just couldn’t take this seriously 😭 The slow burn between Vincenzo and Nikolaj was supposed to be interesting, exciting, and hot (they come from rival families and are "enemies"), but instead it was just boring. The constant overdramatic inner monologue.. 🥱 And the book was full of clichéd lines—some of it worked but too much is just too much.
43%
”Then do it, because I’m getting fucking sick of this push and pull.”
at this point, me too, Enzo, me too.
And nothing really happened in this book until the very end; before that, it was just full of push-and-pull drama and those overused lines. The ending and the cliffhanger were pretty intriguing, but sadly after this, I'm not invested enough to read the second part.
43%
”Then do it, because I’m getting fucking sick of this push and pull.”
at this point, me too, Enzo, me too.
And nothing really happened in this book until the very end; before that, it was just full of push-and-pull drama and those overused lines. The ending and the cliffhanger were pretty intriguing, but sadly after this, I'm not invested enough to read the second part.
November 19, 2025
Conquest is a fantastic enemies-to-lovers romance between Vincenzo, the Cosa Nostra prince, and Nikolaj, the Bratva heir. Their families are enemies, they cannot stand one another, but underneath all of that anger, resentment, and angst is a long-simmering tension that demands attention.
Together, these two have incredible chemistry, and waiting for them to either kill or kiss each other creates many steamy moments that are just waiting to bubble over. Another great aspect of this story is the overall environment and aesthetic of the school—its rivalries, the danger lurking around every corner as revenge and justice take their turns.
Overall, I loved this story. It’s filled with surprises and shocking moments that leave me wanting more. I'm excited for where the story will go, and anxiously hoping these two can find their way back to each other for their HEA because my goodness, that ending really leaves me wondering how.
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***
Together, these two have incredible chemistry, and waiting for them to either kill or kiss each other creates many steamy moments that are just waiting to bubble over. Another great aspect of this story is the overall environment and aesthetic of the school—its rivalries, the danger lurking around every corner as revenge and justice take their turns.
Overall, I loved this story. It’s filled with surprises and shocking moments that leave me wanting more. I'm excited for where the story will go, and anxiously hoping these two can find their way back to each other for their HEA because my goodness, that ending really leaves me wondering how.
*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***
November 22, 2025
"Teeth. Tongue. Bruised breath and swallowed curses. He tastes like smoke and blood and fury, and I drink it in like oxygen, like I've been suffocating for weeks and only now remembered what breathing is. His fingers curl in my hair, and I arch up into him, grinding hard, and he gasps against my mouth like he forgot who he was supposed to be."
Oh my, I loved this one! Conquest by new-to-me author Avery Collins is a dark-themed, MM mafia romance set in Vintermoor Academy, which is basically a violent training ground for all the mafia heirs and assassins.
This is Vincenzo and Nikolaj's story but be warned - it's the first book in the Of Ruin and Royalty duet and the cliffhanger is brutal! Oh well, I will just have to keep re-reading and savour every deliciously dark drop over and over again until book 2 is released....
(Update: Reign is now released and it’s also a 5 star read!)
What To Expect:
🖤MM dark romance
⚔️Enemies to lovers
🖤Mine
⚔️Forced proximity
🖤Rival mafia heirs
⚔️Forbidden
🖤All the steam
⚔️All the angst
🖤Cliffhanger
5 stars ⭐️
Oh my, I loved this one! Conquest by new-to-me author Avery Collins is a dark-themed, MM mafia romance set in Vintermoor Academy, which is basically a violent training ground for all the mafia heirs and assassins.
This is Vincenzo and Nikolaj's story but be warned - it's the first book in the Of Ruin and Royalty duet and the cliffhanger is brutal! Oh well, I will just have to keep re-reading and savour every deliciously dark drop over and over again until book 2 is released....
(Update: Reign is now released and it’s also a 5 star read!)
What To Expect:
🖤MM dark romance
⚔️Enemies to lovers
🖤Mine
⚔️Forced proximity
🖤Rival mafia heirs
⚔️Forbidden
🖤All the steam
⚔️All the angst
🖤Cliffhanger
5 stars ⭐️
May 16, 2026
This was a very tricky book to rate. I’d say it was a 2.5-3.
This is for three reasons. The first reason is because the beginning of the book was written in a very bizarre way. There were endless amounts of dialogue that were full of metaphors and quippy phrases. It genuinely made me question if this was written by AI. And that’s a serious wonder. But I’d read another book by Collins, and I didn’t think they’d used AI at all. Regardless, the overindulgence in the use of pretentious dialogue, made me unable to gain a true understanding of what exactly was going on in the story, as well as having a clear idea of who the characters were. Aside from the fact they aren’t fans of each other. My doubts had lessened at the midpoint of the book, because the dialogue had been diluted to normal and I found myself enjoying it. Nikolaj is a chaotic mess but that’s exactly who Vincenzo wants to be, and that’s the main foundation of the tension between them.
When Vincenzo finally relents, my rating of the book moved from a sold 2, to perhaps a 3. It was the only time that I felt the story was written well. Perhaps this is intentionally done, because Vincenzo was a hollow of a person before and Nikolai’s determination had changed that. But this doesn’t mean that it was done well. I was seeing two entirely different versions of Vincenzo. AI Vincenzo (potentially) and Collins’ Vincenzo. I wanted to see more of Collins’ version.
I hate postering. I thought it was because in MLM books it usually means that the love interest is usually passive in contrast, but I actually just don’t like it, period. Both Nikolaj and Vincenzo have a serious case of postering, but rather than it coming off as a reinforced personality from their respective mafias, it comes off as toxic masculinity. Yes, this is normal for mafia books, but writing in a way that you defy stereotypes (which is being done by way of the MLM relationship) sends out a healthier message. And wouldn’t make them difficult characters to love.
Lastly, the ending of the book was completely unnecessary. Oh god, if I hate postering, I hate amnesia tropes more. In book 1 the relationship is established. In book 2 we build from where the relationship was left off. With a book ending in amnesia, you essentially read book 1 twice with overwhelmingly high levels of angst. When you write such a duet, it’s simply a case of bad writing. Now, if the book was written by Collins, and Collins only, I know that they aren’t a bad writer. But the plot was ruined the moment amnesia was added. There was already a good starter point for book 2 — the war that Nikolaj and Vincenzo would create by being in a relationship. I’d have liked to read that. I do not want to read a cheesy amnesia story shrouded in more toxic masculinity, and more cheesy dialogue. I know I will. (Sigh) but I do hope that Collins is able to recover the story in book 2. Maybe so that the amnesia doesn’t last long?
I’ve been trying to ween myself back into mafia stories. I don’t think it’s working very well.
This is for three reasons. The first reason is because the beginning of the book was written in a very bizarre way. There were endless amounts of dialogue that were full of metaphors and quippy phrases. It genuinely made me question if this was written by AI. And that’s a serious wonder. But I’d read another book by Collins, and I didn’t think they’d used AI at all. Regardless, the overindulgence in the use of pretentious dialogue, made me unable to gain a true understanding of what exactly was going on in the story, as well as having a clear idea of who the characters were. Aside from the fact they aren’t fans of each other. My doubts had lessened at the midpoint of the book, because the dialogue had been diluted to normal and I found myself enjoying it. Nikolaj is a chaotic mess but that’s exactly who Vincenzo wants to be, and that’s the main foundation of the tension between them.
When Vincenzo finally relents, my rating of the book moved from a sold 2, to perhaps a 3. It was the only time that I felt the story was written well. Perhaps this is intentionally done, because Vincenzo was a hollow of a person before and Nikolai’s determination had changed that. But this doesn’t mean that it was done well. I was seeing two entirely different versions of Vincenzo. AI Vincenzo (potentially) and Collins’ Vincenzo. I wanted to see more of Collins’ version.
I hate postering. I thought it was because in MLM books it usually means that the love interest is usually passive in contrast, but I actually just don’t like it, period. Both Nikolaj and Vincenzo have a serious case of postering, but rather than it coming off as a reinforced personality from their respective mafias, it comes off as toxic masculinity. Yes, this is normal for mafia books, but writing in a way that you defy stereotypes (which is being done by way of the MLM relationship) sends out a healthier message. And wouldn’t make them difficult characters to love.
Lastly, the ending of the book was completely unnecessary. Oh god, if I hate postering, I hate amnesia tropes more. In book 1 the relationship is established. In book 2 we build from where the relationship was left off. With a book ending in amnesia, you essentially read book 1 twice with overwhelmingly high levels of angst. When you write such a duet, it’s simply a case of bad writing. Now, if the book was written by Collins, and Collins only, I know that they aren’t a bad writer. But the plot was ruined the moment amnesia was added. There was already a good starter point for book 2 — the war that Nikolaj and Vincenzo would create by being in a relationship. I’d have liked to read that. I do not want to read a cheesy amnesia story shrouded in more toxic masculinity, and more cheesy dialogue. I know I will. (Sigh) but I do hope that Collins is able to recover the story in book 2. Maybe so that the amnesia doesn’t last long?
I’ve been trying to ween myself back into mafia stories. I don’t think it’s working very well.
December 10, 2025
I’m a bit late with my ARC review because I ended up reading it twice—partly because of the cliffhanger, and partly because I’m dyslexic and read best with both sight and sound. I knew there’d be a cliffhanger, but I didn’t expect to be this eager for the next book. Usually, when a show or story ends on a cliffhanger, I either skip it or wait until the next season is out, and now I wish I’d done that here because I’ll be obsessing over it until release day. I love the honesty in this book—they’re being trained to be killers, not scientists or lawyers. I liked the branding idea for when they’re in trouble, and I really enjoyed the dynamic between Nikolaj and Vincenzo, both thinking they had the upper hand until they proved each other wrong and realised they were in the same boat. Normally, the first POV I read helps me decide who I like more—this time it started with Vincenzo, but by chapter six, it was Nikolaj.
December 16, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
I’m speechless That ending…
This was such a good book! I love a good enemies to lovers/hate to love and this hit the spot. I adored the relationship between Niko and Enzo. Their struggles, the battles. The war between the Bratva and Cosa Nostra. I loved it all. I loved the chaos and I’m anxiously waiting for book 2. That cliffhanger was cruel!!!
I’m speechless That ending…
This was such a good book! I love a good enemies to lovers/hate to love and this hit the spot. I adored the relationship between Niko and Enzo. Their struggles, the battles. The war between the Bratva and Cosa Nostra. I loved it all. I loved the chaos and I’m anxiously waiting for book 2. That cliffhanger was cruel!!!
April 22, 2026
* Reread before Reign drops. *
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/6.
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5.
F-king hell! Upon reread I still ended up feeling the same way. Just drifting in the middle of the ocean without knowing how to swim and save myself...
I took a crazy amount of annotations and I have so many questions that i don't know what to do with myself.
This story just hurts more and more as you approach the end. It's a cruel world they live and life also had to give its 2 cents because they didn't have enough on their plate already...
I loved Nikolaj and Vincenzo even more and I'm heartbroken for them once again.
I also once again have mixed feelings towards Arseniy. Sometimes I hate them but sometimes I can see what this world made him and I feel for him. I wonder what was on his mind when he had to reprogram Nikolaj. I guess I still have hope for him.
After my read of Empire I understand more of the past and I have mixed feelings towards Ruslan & Salvatore. I wonder if they meant for their sons to "happen" and repeat history again or if this "scheme" so to speak was their way of coming back to each other again in a very chaotic way.
It's just so sad and cruel knowing that 20+ years went by them but also everything they did to their sons... At the moment I hate what they did to them but I want them to be happy.
I noticed a lot of parallels between Vincenzo & Nikolaj relationship and Ruslan & Salvatore's. It's eerie and it made the whole story even more sadder.
I f-king can't wait for Reign to destroy me and put me back together.
——
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/6
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5.
I finished this book almost 4 hours ago and I’m still thinking about it because what do you mean it’s this type of cliffhanger and what do you mean the next book comes out in June?! I truly feel like I need the next one for yesterday!
I read this in one sitting and I was so into it that when it was over, I stared at the wall and thought “surely the next book will come out soon and for sure the circumstances at the end of this story won’t take long until it changes”. Don’t even ask me how wrong I was about it. 😩
Vincenzo and Nikolaj… where do I even start with these two…
The start of the story held my attention from the very beginning because Vincenzo & Nikolaj are both heirs to their respective thrones and they go to Vintermoor to become worthy of their thrones but to do that each of them has a mission to complete.
Vincenzo knows as soon as he sees Niko that he’s there for his head and so the push and pull begins.
I was riveted and also invested in them. Their comebacks to each other are amazing and smart and at some point felt like foreplay.
I loved the way they messed with each other’s minds but in the end they knew what the end goal was but they still let it happen because the pull they feel towards one another is bigger than whatever they were trying to do to each other.
Vincenzo battles with himself through the majority of this because he never let himself have whatever he wanted until Niko pushed and pushed so much that he ended up giving in to his wants. It was kinda beautiful to watch and bit bl00dy. 😅 these two definitely like to be brutal.
It becomes hard for him to reconcile with what was drilled into him since he was a child, what he wanted and what he needed to do to get his throne.
Niko exists for one end only and that unfortunately is to take Vincenzo’s head. He also never did nor had anything he wanted because duty rules all in his family.
The fact that he was reprogrammed multiple times actually left me speechless and I started right then and there seeing another side to him. One where he lost all hope in truly being himself because in the end duty and family must come first.
Niko can be openly with men whereas Vincenzo could never which is an interesting and sad contrast between the two.
The fact that Niko had training in seducing is horrible to say the least.
This cliffhanger tho… it’s mean! What do you mean it’s back to hate? My heart can’t take it 😩
Heading towards the cliffy I was living in delulu land and thinking “they will find a way to get what they want” then at a certain point I went from that to “ Vincenzo is gonna come out and play to avenge Niko. I was all giddy about it” and then my bubble bursted and I was left floating in the middle of the ocean without knowing how to swim and save myself.
What’s up with Niko’s brother tho? I have such mixed feelings, one minute i hate him and the next one I’m kinda, sort of, liking him? I wonder tho what his story is.
This is my first book by this author and I have high hopes now for the next book but I’m also scared because the tropes for the next one have a 50% chances of landing or not with me.
I just hope the next book is Vincenzo finally becoming worthy of his crown while also maintaining some sort of hope Niko isn’t lost forever or at least that he doesn’t lose sight of his true self. I want him ruthless and unforgiving but also maintaining the part of him he gained but having this time with Niko before everything blew up in his face.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/6.
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5.
F-king hell! Upon reread I still ended up feeling the same way. Just drifting in the middle of the ocean without knowing how to swim and save myself...
I took a crazy amount of annotations and I have so many questions that i don't know what to do with myself.
This story just hurts more and more as you approach the end. It's a cruel world they live and life also had to give its 2 cents because they didn't have enough on their plate already...
I loved Nikolaj and Vincenzo even more and I'm heartbroken for them once again.
I also once again have mixed feelings towards Arseniy. Sometimes I hate them but sometimes I can see what this world made him and I feel for him. I wonder what was on his mind when he had to reprogram Nikolaj. I guess I still have hope for him.
After my read of Empire I understand more of the past and I have mixed feelings towards Ruslan & Salvatore. I wonder if they meant for their sons to "happen" and repeat history again or if this "scheme" so to speak was their way of coming back to each other again in a very chaotic way.
It's just so sad and cruel knowing that 20+ years went by them but also everything they did to their sons... At the moment I hate what they did to them but I want them to be happy.
I noticed a lot of parallels between Vincenzo & Nikolaj relationship and Ruslan & Salvatore's. It's eerie and it made the whole story even more sadder.
I f-king can't wait for Reign to destroy me and put me back together.
——
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/6
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5.
I finished this book almost 4 hours ago and I’m still thinking about it because what do you mean it’s this type of cliffhanger and what do you mean the next book comes out in June?! I truly feel like I need the next one for yesterday!
I read this in one sitting and I was so into it that when it was over, I stared at the wall and thought “surely the next book will come out soon and for sure the circumstances at the end of this story won’t take long until it changes”. Don’t even ask me how wrong I was about it. 😩
Vincenzo and Nikolaj… where do I even start with these two…
The start of the story held my attention from the very beginning because Vincenzo & Nikolaj are both heirs to their respective thrones and they go to Vintermoor to become worthy of their thrones but to do that each of them has a mission to complete.
Vincenzo knows as soon as he sees Niko that he’s there for his head and so the push and pull begins.
I was riveted and also invested in them. Their comebacks to each other are amazing and smart and at some point felt like foreplay.
I loved the way they messed with each other’s minds but in the end they knew what the end goal was but they still let it happen because the pull they feel towards one another is bigger than whatever they were trying to do to each other.
Vincenzo battles with himself through the majority of this because he never let himself have whatever he wanted until Niko pushed and pushed so much that he ended up giving in to his wants. It was kinda beautiful to watch and bit bl00dy. 😅 these two definitely like to be brutal.
It becomes hard for him to reconcile with what was drilled into him since he was a child, what he wanted and what he needed to do to get his throne.
Niko exists for one end only and that unfortunately is to take Vincenzo’s head. He also never did nor had anything he wanted because duty rules all in his family.
The fact that he was reprogrammed multiple times actually left me speechless and I started right then and there seeing another side to him. One where he lost all hope in truly being himself because in the end duty and family must come first.
Niko can be openly with men whereas Vincenzo could never which is an interesting and sad contrast between the two.
The fact that Niko had training in seducing is horrible to say the least.
This cliffhanger tho… it’s mean! What do you mean it’s back to hate? My heart can’t take it 😩
Heading towards the cliffy I was living in delulu land and thinking “they will find a way to get what they want” then at a certain point I went from that to “ Vincenzo is gonna come out and play to avenge Niko. I was all giddy about it” and then my bubble bursted and I was left floating in the middle of the ocean without knowing how to swim and save myself.
What’s up with Niko’s brother tho? I have such mixed feelings, one minute i hate him and the next one I’m kinda, sort of, liking him? I wonder tho what his story is.
This is my first book by this author and I have high hopes now for the next book but I’m also scared because the tropes for the next one have a 50% chances of landing or not with me.
I just hope the next book is Vincenzo finally becoming worthy of his crown while also maintaining some sort of hope Niko isn’t lost forever or at least that he doesn’t lose sight of his true self. I want him ruthless and unforgiving but also maintaining the part of him he gained but having this time with Niko before everything blew up in his face.
November 13, 2025
I’m truly lost for words for this one for the best possible reasons.
This had it all! Suspense, enemies to lovers, possessive MCs, pinning, all the violence and literally so much more.
These two boys literally born to kill and not survive the world they are raised in. Born to hate each other, but they can’t seem to stay away. Vincenzo is the heir and born to run his family’s empire while Nikolaj was born to kill him.
The tension and banter between these two are crazy intense every freaking time, you never know who’s going to come out on top, my heart was racing this whole book not knowing when things would hit the fan. When they finally get together and decide to choose themselves over family over death it was purely bittersweet, because you know these families will not take it lightly. True meaning of no one will touch there men.
The ending of course shattered me to pieces but that is the whole point and Avery does heartbreak like no one else. I can’t wait for book two so I can be at peace with this couple deserve every happy thing they’ve been fighting for.
*this ends in a cliffhanger*
This had it all! Suspense, enemies to lovers, possessive MCs, pinning, all the violence and literally so much more.
These two boys literally born to kill and not survive the world they are raised in. Born to hate each other, but they can’t seem to stay away. Vincenzo is the heir and born to run his family’s empire while Nikolaj was born to kill him.
The tension and banter between these two are crazy intense every freaking time, you never know who’s going to come out on top, my heart was racing this whole book not knowing when things would hit the fan. When they finally get together and decide to choose themselves over family over death it was purely bittersweet, because you know these families will not take it lightly. True meaning of no one will touch there men.
The ending of course shattered me to pieces but that is the whole point and Avery does heartbreak like no one else. I can’t wait for book two so I can be at peace with this couple deserve every happy thing they’ve been fighting for.
*this ends in a cliffhanger*
September 2, 2026
The mix of the academic setting × mafia was catching. It was beautifully written, almost poetic with a deep understanding of love and sacrifice. The story felt real while reading and that is someting special.
September 21, 2026
So what are you gonna say at my funeral now that you’ve killed me?
Did Not Finish
August 15, 2026DNF’d at 10%
That was a whole lot of words just for some super cringe posturing. No thanks.
That was a whole lot of words just for some super cringe posturing. No thanks.
August 17, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
Necesito venganza 🥲
Necesito venganza 🥲
January 19, 2026
I want to read this so badly but dont want to get stuck with the cliffhanger. Anyone know when the 2nd book is coming out?
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I read my fave parts again and they just grew on me and the smut is chefs kiss. So, I am upping my rating now that I have reset some of the expectations. But I still wish Vincenzo buckles up and gets more than just talking in the next book. But Nikolaj did grow on me during the second time I read and he deserved a better rating than I gave him initially for the backbone he showed.
=====================================
Finally gave into the temptation and read the book. My first feeling after reading the book is disappointment. In other words, I was expecting more from the MCs but they fell flat most of the time. Their interactions were repetitive, their monologues and feelings were repetitive. Push and pull was a bit tiring. I wish Ms Collins had written their interactions more balanced with more revenge conversations.
Nikolaj just smirks and Vincenzo just stays as statue with all the bells and whistles (Jaw tightening, face as a stone, hands twitching minutely etc etc). This happens for more than half of a book.
I expected more from Vincenzo with the way he was portrayed / introduced but he turned out to be all bark, no bite mafia heir. We atleast see few scenes where Nikolaj kills people, taking revenge and he even saves Vincenzo from getting killed LOL. Vincenzo's character was a big let down for me. He postured a lot but no action.
I am really sad that I have to give this rating to Ms Collins book (she is one of my favourite authors, love her Blackthorne series) and I am sorry for it but smut can only get so much ratings when you have to consider whole story.
TW: there is also a pretty detailed scene where Nikolaj gets a BJ from another character. It came out of nowhere and I just skimmed it as I am not a fan of reading MCs having on page sex with others. This is before MCs get together but they were already orbiting around each other.
================================================
I read my fave parts again and they just grew on me and the smut is chefs kiss. So, I am upping my rating now that I have reset some of the expectations. But I still wish Vincenzo buckles up and gets more than just talking in the next book. But Nikolaj did grow on me during the second time I read and he deserved a better rating than I gave him initially for the backbone he showed.
=====================================
Finally gave into the temptation and read the book. My first feeling after reading the book is disappointment. In other words, I was expecting more from the MCs but they fell flat most of the time. Their interactions were repetitive, their monologues and feelings were repetitive. Push and pull was a bit tiring. I wish Ms Collins had written their interactions more balanced with more revenge conversations.
Nikolaj just smirks and Vincenzo just stays as statue with all the bells and whistles (Jaw tightening, face as a stone, hands twitching minutely etc etc). This happens for more than half of a book.
I expected more from Vincenzo with the way he was portrayed / introduced but he turned out to be all bark, no bite mafia heir. We atleast see few scenes where Nikolaj kills people, taking revenge and he even saves Vincenzo from getting killed LOL. Vincenzo's character was a big let down for me. He postured a lot but no action.
I am really sad that I have to give this rating to Ms Collins book (she is one of my favourite authors, love her Blackthorne series) and I am sorry for it but smut can only get so much ratings when you have to consider whole story.
TW: there is also a pretty detailed scene where Nikolaj gets a BJ from another character. It came out of nowhere and I just skimmed it as I am not a fan of reading MCs having on page sex with others. This is before MCs get together but they were already orbiting around each other.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2026
Story 4🌟
Steam 3.5❤️🔥
Swoon 5🫠
…………………………..
Oh my freaking goodness! I hated, loved and had some other emotions towards this book and this is a sign that it’s special.
Unfinished stories specifically when the series is not completed aren’t my thing! Since the enemies to lovers trope is my favourite I decided to give it a try and girl it didn’t disappoint 🤓
I literally disliked the book through half of it. The pining was unnecessary long and repetitive. The mmcs were enemies and stayed enemies so long, it made me angry and irritated about where the author was going with the whole mafia prince vs. Bratva heir hating each other’s guts every second of every day! Then the first kiss happened (150. Page..ish) and that was it. I loved and swallowed the story afterwards.
Everything was top notch after they stopped trying to kill each other! Nikolai and Enzo join my favourite couples club. 💯🔥
The ❤️🔥 was wow 🤩
The side characters were okish!
I am now curious about their Dads love story (please write their book with a HEA) as well
Their chemistry was 👌⚡️
I cannot wait to read the second book and get the promised HEA.
——————————
2nd read Sep 2026
Still love love love this book
Vincenzo and Nikolaj unreal brutal beautiful lost boys ❤️🩹❤️🔥🔥🫠🤩🌟
Steam 3.5❤️🔥
Swoon 5🫠
…………………………..
Oh my freaking goodness! I hated, loved and had some other emotions towards this book and this is a sign that it’s special.
Unfinished stories specifically when the series is not completed aren’t my thing! Since the enemies to lovers trope is my favourite I decided to give it a try and girl it didn’t disappoint 🤓
I literally disliked the book through half of it. The pining was unnecessary long and repetitive. The mmcs were enemies and stayed enemies so long, it made me angry and irritated about where the author was going with the whole mafia prince vs. Bratva heir hating each other’s guts every second of every day! Then the first kiss happened (150. Page..ish) and that was it. I loved and swallowed the story afterwards.
Everything was top notch after they stopped trying to kill each other! Nikolai and Enzo join my favourite couples club. 💯🔥
The ❤️🔥 was wow 🤩
The side characters were okish!
I am now curious about their Dads love story (please write their book with a HEA) as well
Their chemistry was 👌⚡️
I cannot wait to read the second book and get the promised HEA.
——————————
2nd read Sep 2026
Still love love love this book
Vincenzo and Nikolaj unreal brutal beautiful lost boys ❤️🩹❤️🔥🔥🫠🤩🌟
July 24, 2026
Listen I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers but this had none of the tension that makes the trope worth reading. It was just pages upon pages of ENDLESS internal monologues interrupted by the occasional corny one liner pretending to be dialogue. I'm exhausted😩
I really tried giving it a chance but the chemistry was nonexistent and the pacing was painfully slow, and tthe characters didn’t have any meaningful conversations.
I really tried giving it a chance but the chemistry was nonexistent and the pacing was painfully slow, and tthe characters didn’t have any meaningful conversations.
November 27, 2025
Is it wrong for a grown woman to chuck a temper tantrum? Probably, but I don’t care because that’s what I want to do.Conquest was so good that I need the second book now. I was screaming/crying NO!!!, while reading.I went into this book knowing full well it ended with a cliffhanger, but I didn’t think it would affect me so deeply. It’s devastatingly beautiful. Conquest had me in a chokehold right from the start, and I couldn’t stop reading. It has everything—enemies to lovers, violence, possessiveness, spice, an edge of your seat storyline, and tears.
It’s very rare that a story can make me feel so many emotions all at once and make me feel like I’ve personally gone through heartbreak, but this book grabbed my heart, broke me, and left me in tears. And as mad as I am at Avery Collins right now, it just proves once again what a talented writer she is.
It’s very rare that a story can make me feel so many emotions all at once and make me feel like I’ve personally gone through heartbreak, but this book grabbed my heart, broke me, and left me in tears. And as mad as I am at Avery Collins right now, it just proves once again what a talented writer she is.
July 15, 2026
Maybeee a 2.75??? This was a lot of push and pull that dragged on a lot and definitely could’ve been shorter. I just felt like I was waiting for literally anything to happen - there was a lot of words with A LOT of repetition and yet not really a plot?? Just two heirs going back and forth, “I want you but I have to kill you” until eventually they give in and then go back to ignoring each other. It finally started getting somewhere around the 85% mark but even then I didn’t feel any build up on how Nikolaj and Vincenzo fell for each or why they even liked each other. Alas, it ended up a cliffhanger so I will be reading the next book
August 25, 2026
2.5⭐️
This book follows Nikolai and Vincenzo, two rivals at a college for mafia kids that are sworn enemies.
It’s got a lot of:
-enemies to lovers drama
-toxic attraction
-violence
-college (ish) setting
I went into this books with high expectations based off of reviews I’ve seen online… but reading this… I didn’t get it.
We immediately jump into the book with a short info dump, just enough to know where and who we’re dealing with. Then it’s just repetitive on and on of these two acting violent and toxic, but also horny towards each other. I couldn’t take either of them seriously even a little bit. Their entire personalities were just being toxic and hating each other. 😭
That being said, this book is one of those serotonin-inducing books where it feels like scene after scene is there for the drama. There were some good situations that, in other context, I would have eaten UP! But I just couldn’t take these dudes seriously.
Also, hey, I know it’s fiction. But the whole way the school was set up with classes that were basically “how to be a bad mafia guy” in different fonts was just so ridiculous as a concept I couldn’t get over it. And I’ve read books where there’s mafia sons in college or the college settings are dark/crime-based before, so I know it can be done.
The interesting stuff seemed to happen at a rush in the end, but I don’t think I’ll be in a rush to pick up book two, despite ending on a cliffie.
If you just want the dopamine rush of two hot toxic dudes who wanna kill and also f*ck each other, then you may want to pick this up. Not for me, maybe for you!
This book follows Nikolai and Vincenzo, two rivals at a college for mafia kids that are sworn enemies.
It’s got a lot of:
-enemies to lovers drama
-toxic attraction
-violence
-college (ish) setting
I went into this books with high expectations based off of reviews I’ve seen online… but reading this… I didn’t get it.
We immediately jump into the book with a short info dump, just enough to know where and who we’re dealing with. Then it’s just repetitive on and on of these two acting violent and toxic, but also horny towards each other. I couldn’t take either of them seriously even a little bit. Their entire personalities were just being toxic and hating each other. 😭
That being said, this book is one of those serotonin-inducing books where it feels like scene after scene is there for the drama. There were some good situations that, in other context, I would have eaten UP! But I just couldn’t take these dudes seriously.
Also, hey, I know it’s fiction. But the whole way the school was set up with classes that were basically “how to be a bad mafia guy” in different fonts was just so ridiculous as a concept I couldn’t get over it. And I’ve read books where there’s mafia sons in college or the college settings are dark/crime-based before, so I know it can be done.
The interesting stuff seemed to happen at a rush in the end, but I don’t think I’ll be in a rush to pick up book two, despite ending on a cliffie.
If you just want the dopamine rush of two hot toxic dudes who wanna kill and also f*ck each other, then you may want to pick this up. Not for me, maybe for you!
September 9, 2026
“I hope you’ll choke on your delusions, Nikolaj. I’ll rather die than be yours”
Such irony when Vincenzo gets his heart broken in the end. Nikolaj remembers nothing….
This enemy to lovers was very exciting to read. Nikolaj is bratva heir and Vincenzo Italian mafia heir. Both just waiting for their throne and now in school at Vintermore. Nikolaj is openly doing his thing with other boys, and Vincenzo is definitely not. Never has.
Nikolaj was sent to Vintermoor to kill Vincenzo, because the Vieri family were the ones who exiled Dragovich family from the circle.
Very intriguing. However, the author kept repeating and exaggerating who these boys were by prolonging their titles in the book. It felt unnatural to me while reading, but overall nice plot so far. Can’t wait for book 2 to read if Nikolaj kills Vincenzo now that he is back to hating him full force.
Such irony when Vincenzo gets his heart broken in the end. Nikolaj remembers nothing….
This enemy to lovers was very exciting to read. Nikolaj is bratva heir and Vincenzo Italian mafia heir. Both just waiting for their throne and now in school at Vintermore. Nikolaj is openly doing his thing with other boys, and Vincenzo is definitely not. Never has.
Nikolaj was sent to Vintermoor to kill Vincenzo, because the Vieri family were the ones who exiled Dragovich family from the circle.
Very intriguing. However, the author kept repeating and exaggerating who these boys were by prolonging their titles in the book. It felt unnatural to me while reading, but overall nice plot so far. Can’t wait for book 2 to read if Nikolaj kills Vincenzo now that he is back to hating him full force.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2026
I am so upset that I need to now read the second book that’s not even out yet to discover what’s gonna happen, I probably would’ve DNFd this book if it wasn’t for the fact that I was reading it on the plane and had no other choice, it was very very repeatable and nothing happened up until like 80% of the book, and then I get a cliffhanger 🙂↕️
July 26, 2026
great read
This is a great read enemies to lovers in the best way possible niko is a beautiful monster and enzo is a controlled monster and they fall despite being raised to hate each other there’s a thin line between love and hate and both involve passion this was a joy to read and I cannot wait to read book two
This is a great read enemies to lovers in the best way possible niko is a beautiful monster and enzo is a controlled monster and they fall despite being raised to hate each other there’s a thin line between love and hate and both involve passion this was a joy to read and I cannot wait to read book two
September 11, 2026
that. fucking. ending.
September 15, 2026
Era un maldito 5 pero no mmmmmms!!!!!! Porque tuvieron que ir por la pérdida de memoria ahhhh estoy tan frustrada y desvelada a la 1 am sin dormir porque amaba este libro!!!! Y me dieron ese maldito final, es el pinche cliché que más odio!!!!! Quisiera darle menos estrellas pero amé el pinche libro!!! Me siento tan tan tan frustrada
September 17, 2026
THE ENDING????????? My heart CAN’T take it
September 21, 2026
They just hate each other and have a bit of a sexual tension. Nothing more happened.
September 24, 2026
Nasıl bu kadar enfes başlayan kitap mahvedilir adlı çalışma? Aralarında o kadar güzel bş nefret vardı ki şok oldum. Ama sonra bir anda benim için teksin e döndük aynen kanka?
April 19, 2026
DESTROYED
I am not ok😫😫😫
I should have read the blurb cus the ending ruined me even more, my heart is shattered
This book broke me and its everything I love but now I can't function 😭😩
I am not ok😫😫😫
I should have read the blurb cus the ending ruined me even more, my heart is shattered
This book broke me and its everything I love but now I can't function 😭😩
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