Vow Of Fire: An Enemies-to-Lovers Dark Mafia Captive Romance

by Gemma Ford

A ruthless mafia boss. A woman marked for death. A love that could destroy them both.

Dante

The order is simple. Find Evelyn Cruz. Eliminate her.
I've carried out impossible missions before. Killing has never kept me awake at night.
Until now.
She doesn't beg. She doesn't break. She looks me in the eye like she's daring me to pull the trigger.
One look is all it takes to destroy every rule I've ever lived by.
Now the woman I was sent to execute is the only one I want to protect, even if it means turning my back on my family.
Because if anyone wants Evelyn, they'll have to come through me first.

Evelyn

Dante Marcelli is everything I should fear. Cold. Controlled. Merciless.
The kind of man mothers warn their daughters about.
I should hate him. For what he's done. For everything he represents.
Instead, I see the cracks beneath the monster. The man fighting a war inside himself.
Every touch pulls me deeper into his darkness. Every kiss makes leaving impossible.
Because falling for a mafia king is far more dangerous than being hunted by one.

Vow of Fire is the explosive first novel in the Blood & Vows series. A dark mafia romance featuring a morally gray hero, a fearless heroine, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, forbidden love, found family, obsessive devotion, sizzling chemistry, shocking twists, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Perfect for readers who



Mafia RomanceMorally Gray HeroEnemies to LoversTouch Her and DieForced ProximityPossessive Hero

"A powerhouse of a dark romance novel." — Instagram
"I devoured this book and can't wait for the rest of the series." — TikTok
"Every single forced-proximity scene sizzles with electricity and emotional stakes." — Instagram
"Dark, dangerous and spicy. If mafia romance is your thing, you'll LOVE this." — TikTok
"If you live for morally gray heroes, obsessive devotion and a fierce heroine, this needs to be top of your TBR pile." — Instagram

454 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 25, 2026

Reviews

[Natasha Tamminga · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. Lots of the usual dark romance mafia tropes, which always make for a tasty story when they’re done well. Kidnapping, forced proximity, a captor/captive relationship, crime, suspense, fake dating and spice… what more do you need?

Our MMC Dante is the enforcer of a mafia crime family. Our FMC Evelyn is a self made art gallery owner who isn’t afraid to push back and speak her mind. She finds herself in the middle of a mafia/Bratva/cartel tug-o-war over her business because, unbeknownst to her, crime families have been using her gallery as a place to launder their money by buying and selling paintings and smuggling illegal contraband into the country in her art shipping containers.

There were twists and turns and suspense elements throughout the book which kept me turning the pages, needing to find out what was going to happen next. I also enjoyed all the art references in the book and the way our FMC talks about art and paintings. When she speaks about colors in her every day life, she often uses paint colors to describe them, like a Prussian blue sky or an alizarin crimson red dress. Those small references made my inner art nerd happy hahaha.

This was my first Gemma Ford book but definitely won’t be my last. Bonus, that she seemed to be setting us up for a book two at the end of this one. I really enjoyed the characters in this story and hope that we see each of the Marchelli siblings getting their own stories in this series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Sundy Tr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dante (34) & Evelyn (early 30s).

Mafia enforcer and an innocent gallery owner. This is an instalust romance where the attraction escalated quickly despite the circumstances that weren’t in favour for them. And then the instalust turned to instalove way too fast I’m afraid.

For a supposedly smart woman she didn’t act as such because she was too smitten with Dante, so I guess I wasn’t a big fan of hers.

It’s the first book I read from this author and I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it but it felt both too long and also not thorough enough. I mean, it was like things happening on a surface level and we didn’t get to really know our MCs. There was more to the mafia background and twists than relationship between the MCs.

-Dual 1st person POV
-Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5

Overall: 3.5/5 ⭐️ for me.

I received an Adv. Readers version of this book and I have given this honest and voluntary review.

[dales explorer · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can say is “wow”.

A fast paced storyline with great love interest and spice.

A NY gallery owner, Evelyn , suddenly becomes embroiled in the affairs of the Italian Mafia, as well as being exposed to the Bratva and Columbian cartel.

Dante Marcelli kidnaps Evelyn as he suspects that she was involved in sabotaging his shipment of drugs and selling info to the Cartel.

Evelyn didn’t imagine that she would end up falling in love with him and that he would save her life - more than once.

The passion between them is so well written - making Dante a far more loveable character than his hard outer surface originally portrays him to be.

A real page turner of a book. Can’t wait for the next one!!

[Lisa reads alot Hamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh yes! Dark mafia romance - I’m there!
Dante mafia enforcer, ex special forces, fighting his demons and obsessed with the art galley owner who stands up to him, this ticks all my boxes.
It was always going to need a strong woman to stand up to Dante and break his walls down and Evelyn is the perfect match for him. I loved this book so much 😍
A suspense filled read full of action and drama plus awesome spicy scenes.
A new author to me but I will be reading everything they bring out - loved this so much I cannot wait for book 2. These siblings need their HEAs 🖤

[Samantha · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
3 🌶

I loved this and there was moments that my heart was in my mouth and the plot twist.... mic drop!!

The spice was spicy but not to much and the plot was so good!! There was never a lull in it, and it kept me on my toes throughout!!

The dynamics between Dante and Evelyn was sizzling and so much tension. Exactly what I wanted and needed when I read this book. The tropes were delivered beautifully and honestly I can not wait for the series to carry on and see what next as if its anything like the chemistry these MC's had, it will be electric.

[Akku · Rating 5 out of 5]

• 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 5✨

• 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 - Aug 25, 2026

• 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 -
dark mafia romance
morally grey hero
possessive & obsessive hero
forced proximity
protective hero
strong heroine
suspense & betrayal
he falls first

• 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 -
Evelyn is a successful gallery owner who unknowingly gets caught in the dangerous world of the Marcelli family after a drug shipment connected to her gallery is stolen. Dante is sent to find out if she betrayed his family, but keeping Evelyn close slowly turns into something neither of them expected. What begins with suspicion and danger soon becomes an intense romance filled with obsession, protection, possessiveness and undeniable chemistry.
I absolutely loved this book. Dante was everything I wanted in a dark romance hero, dangerous, ruthless, protective and completely obsessed with Evelyn. The way his feelings slowly take over and he becomes so protective of her was honestly EVERYTHING.
Evelyn was such a strong heroine and I loved watching her grow throughout the story. Their chemistry was addictive, the suspense kept me hooked, and the emotional moments made this feel like so much more than just a spicy mafia romance.
I loved the dark atmosphere, the family dynamics and all the twists and betrayals. And that possessive “she is mine” energy from Dante had me completely gone. 🫠
The ending was beautiful and gave me the HEA I wanted for Dante and Evelyn. Seeing them finally become husband and wife was such a satisfying way to end their story.
This was dark, intense, emotional and deliciously possessive, exactly the kind of mafia romance I love.
And now I’m already so excited for the next book in the series, Vow of Deceit, featuring Marco and Cassandra. I can’t wait to see what their story has in store for us.
Thanku zooloosbooktour for the ARC!

[Steph Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

'I'd burn the whole city down before i let anything happen to you'

'Every touch pulls me deeper into his darkness'

(Quotes from my proof copy)

Dante known as the black sheep and youngest of the family, the ruthless enforcer who nobody crossed, investigates who stole from his (Marcelli) mafia family and killed 6 of his men.
Evelyn is a gallery owner and Dante's family have hidden $3 million's worth of their product (drugs) in one of her very expensive artwork shipments. Turns out there are more people involved as the shipping container gets ambushed & Dante's whole shipment is stolen and his men who were unloading get gunned down. Out for revenge, he first needs to find out who was behind it, added to the mix is Evelyn who he will do anything to protect.

5 things i loved about this book:
💥5-star start of book, introduction to Dante and his mafia world, Evelyn and her life
😎👹❤️🖤 Dante : Cold, controlled, merciless yet underneath is melting 🫠 for Evelyn
😲💝 Evelyn : Has a lot of ball, so much so, she gets accepted by the mafia.
▶️🖨✒️ The plot & writing : Ev's high end art gallery, the fast pace, the twists and turns, the danger, the passion between the 2 MC's.
📓😍The book cover: it absolutely drew me in! A MC I've already fallen in love with!

I've read many mafia romance books, some of the FMC's can be frustrating but i found Evelyn amazing in her strength and fire 🔥 and highly likeable. Dante was perfect - fierce and strong yet passionate and hot!

I received a free advance reader copy and am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

[Patrice Gotting - #prdgreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Thoughts: what a book to start on after a break from reviewing!! – I’m not sure I’ll be able to put my thoughts into words in a way that will do this book justice but I will give it a go.

This book really was the perfect dark romance, in real life someone like Dante would scare the life out of me, but in this book I just adored him.

I should’ve hated him, his anger his brashness, his ability to find his way into Evelyn’s home, absolutely terrifying. But my word there was just something about him.

You just knew that he always got what he wanted & let’s just say he had Evelyn in his sight.

Evelyn was a force to be reckoned with, she has dealt with a lot of shit in her life, but she was determined and not afraid to speak her mind, I loved her right from the off, the way she stood up to Dante even when he had a gun to her head had me internally high fiving her, whilst also shaking my head at her when she melted like an ice pop for him too 🤣


Put the 2 together and you had the ultimate power couple who shouldn’t work, but they really did!

This book just had something about it, it was just impossible to put down. At one point it gave me so much anxiety that I had to put it down because my heart was beating so fast & I honestly just needed to remind myself how to breathe and pull myself together.

405 pages wasn’t enough, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Dante or Evelyn, but I can’t wait for the next book to meet another member of the Marcelli family.

This is the first book I’ve read by Gemma but she has already cemented herself as an autobuy author for me!

[Amy Castle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to be an ARC reader for this author, and again I am humbled to be given the opportunity to do this for people who are putting their work out in the world!

So this is book 1 of a series, and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series of they are anything like this book!

Our FMC, Evelyn, owns an art gallery and is a successful business woman, with that typical red-head fiery side to her. She finds herself unknowingly part of a smuggling ring, but in order to get her gallery back, she has to become a part of mafia turf war.

Our MMC, Dante, is ex-military and a ruthless member of the mafia, who, after one of his shipments (made using Evelyn's gallery as a ruse) is ambushed and his shipment stolen, swears to get his revenge. He is a firm believer in not showing any weaknesses or vulnerabilities that could be used as leverage against him or his family, but I'd slowly learning that maybe Evelyn is becoming that very thing.

I really enjoyed this book, I loved the strong female roles, including Valentina, the matriarch of Dantes family, who is cunning, clever and lethal in her own right.

There is forced proximity, enemies to lovers, mafia vibes throughout, and trigger warnings should be checked before diving in, but I devoured this book and can't wait to read the rest of the series!

I would highly recommend it 🖤

[Di · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evelyn, who owns an art gallery is caught in the middle of a dangerous war, between a cartel, Russian mafia and the Marcelli family mob, only she has no idea that she is being used to launder their money and transport illegal stuff. When a shipment gets hit, Dante Marcelli is tasked in getting the information from Evelyn, a woman he believes is a traitor. He holds her captive at his cabin and realizes that she has no idea what is going on. As the two put the pieces together, they realize that there are other players trying to get on Dante’s turf and come up with a plan to eliminate them. Evelyn is innocent and a bit naive, thinking she turned her gallery profitable on her own and now that she knows the truth, there is no going back and to survive, she becomes an asset to Dante as she has no other choice. But being in close quarters and a simmering attraction between them, the fireworks are explosive and to protect her, Dante claims her as his own. With a threat still out there, Evelyn is in more danger than either of them thought and a betrayal will cut deep.
A great first read in this series that kept me flipping the pages, Evelyn may have been innocent but she was no wilting flower, a backbone that tested Dante…loved it. Suspense, steam, surprises, betrayals, great characters and descriptions that were spot on…can’t wait for the next one.

[midnight margins books · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★☆ 4 stars

Vow of Fire is the first book in Gemma Ford’s Blood & Vows series, and it throws you straight into a dark, dangerous mafia world filled with family loyalty, forbidden attraction and plenty of heat. Dante initially sees Evelyn Cruz as a loose end and a liability, someone who should never have become part of his world. But Evelyn is far stronger and more defiant than he expects, and the more she challenges him, the harder it becomes for Dante to follow the rules he has always lived by.

I really loved the relationship between Dante and Evelyn. She is so much stronger than he initially gives her credit for, and I loved watching her stand her ground against him.

Their chemistry was fantastic and definitely brought the spice! 🔥 I really enjoyed seeing their relationship develop alongside all the danger and drama surrounding them.

I also loved getting to know Dante’s family and the complicated dynamics between them. It added another layer to the story and has definitely left me wanting to know more about them.

A brilliant start to the series and I cannot wait to delve into the next book. 🖤🔥

[N.L. Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Evelyn deals in art; she's built her gallery from the ground up and is now well known within the art business. But between the collectors and big money, there is a dangerous world that she will need to cooperate with if she wants her life back. 

Dante is dangerous; his enemies know to stay out of his way, and people know not to double-cross him. But when there is a snitch, he will soon make sure they pay, and it's usually with their life. 

Evelyn's name is now top of his list, but soon desire will be stronger than revenge, and Evelyn will be in more danger from Dante's enemies than from Dante himself.

Ford gives us a dual point of view in first-person narrative to take us through a storyline that I could not put down. I loved that these two characters were both strong and determined; this gave them an explosion of chemistry. 

Dante was torn between his family and protecting someone he loved, and this conflict had me invested as a reader, seeing what would happen next. 

I love a mafia romance novel, but this was a great novel by Ford, and I would easily add this author to my auto-read list. 

[Bianca Duthie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ooh I do love a Mafia romance. The morally grey characters, the violence, the intensity, the spice, the action. This is the start of a series with 4 siblings so hopefully that means 4 stories!!
We meet Dante Marcelli, New York Mafia man, determined to discover who has cost his family some men and a lot of product. We also meet Evelyn, owner of a New York gallery who unknowingly has been inviegled with the Marcellis and some of their enemies for a number of years. Chaos ensues and Evelyn has to dig deep within herself to survive this new reality.
I love the characters- especially Il Lupo, what an absolute sweetheart. Valentina is an ice-cold queen, but you can tell how much she cares for her children. Nico, Marco and Izzy are still very much unknowns, you dont get much out of any of them except their unwavering devotion to their family.
This is full of action from the very start which rarely takes its foot off the gas. Its full of spice and swoon-worthy scenes too!
I'd not read anything from this author before but I'm definitely keen to read more!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an enemies to lovers mafia romance, and the first in a series. The morally grey MMC is Dante, and I felt the author did an excellent job at making him, and everything about him, appealing to readers. He seemed enigmatic, dangerous but also charismatic. I appreciated the book's dual POV, as I felt Dante had a kind of hidden vulnerability that only came out in his POV.

Evelyn was a strong FMC, and her chemistry with Dante was exciting. This was something that had me turning the pages quickly, and in the second half, I became even more invested; I basically raced through the second half.

I enjoyed this first book in the series, and I would probably like to read the others, and maybe meet the rest of the Marcelli family.

Thank you to Zooloo's Book Tours, and to the author and publisher, for the opportunity to read and review this.

[Alison turton · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Dante Marcelli receives evidence that the beautiful art gallery owner he can’t help but be drawn to has betrayed him, he takes her captive determined to get to the truth no matter what he has to do.

Art gallery owner Evelyn Cruz, naive to the way that Dante’s world works has no idea what he’s talking about but in order to clear her name she has to work with the very man who holds her captive. As boundaries blur and they grow ever closer will Evelyn prove her innocence before it’s too late, or will Dante be forced to hurt the one woman who makes him feel?

This is a fast paced romance with action, betrayal and danger on every page. As Dante and Evelyn start to fall for each other you can’t help but fall for them too. Highly recommend.

[Sharon Rimmelzwaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

 Vow of Fire by Gemma Ford definitely drew my attention!! A mafia dark romance with a cover and blurb which made it impossible not to want to read. 

 The first book in a new series, Blood and Vows, and it is a corker! Our main characters, Dante and Evelyn, have a chemistry that is burning hot. The sparks almost fly off the pages as they clash. 

Evelyn is an Art Gallery owner who has made her own way in the world. Dante an enforcer of a mafia crime family. Evelyn is unlike any woman he has met before, and she cannot help but open her mouth and give Dante her opinions. Loved these two! 

 I couldn't get enough of these characters, and I wasn't ready to leave Evelyn and Dante behind. I am looking forward to the next book so much!

[timap · Rating 3.25 out of 5]

Vibes are good, writing is good. Contemporary romance with mild mafia plot.

Evelyn is strong, professional and classy. She owns a successful art gallery in NY, although was somehow completely ignorant to the fact that the mafia and other criminals were laundering money through her business 👀

The mmc is very green flag, he decides that he needs to kidnap Evelyn to question her, as she was implicated in being a “rat”, but even worse is she has literally no idea any of this was happening, let alone had any inkling of betrayal 🤷‍♀️

I get kinda pissy with certain tropes, and this one had me rolling my eyes at the end. Sorry 🙈

MMC: Dante Marcelli (34)
FMC: Evelyn Cruz 30’s?
❤️Tropes: mafia, kidnapping, enemies to lovers,
📍Setting: New York
💁POV: dual, first person
🖤Darkness level: 2/5
🔥starts at 49
🌶️Spice: 3/5
📚Plot: 3/5
🌎World building: 4/5
⚠️Triggers: kidnapping

[Shelley C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vow of Fire🔥

Vow of Fire is my first book by Gemma Ford but will definitely NOT be the last🙌

This was a strong, well developed story with great characters that flowed well. It was everything I would expect from a Mafia type story - action, violence and a black heart that beats gold🥰 Dante surprised me with his layers but even more so, Evelyn surprised me with her sass and fiery comments too.

A genuinely enjoyable story that I loved from cover to cover and can’t wait to get my hands on the other Marcelli siblings stories❣️ I received an advanced copy and willingly leave my honest review🖤

[Tesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing story that I couldn't leave alone. Full of drama and snark with the usual Mafiaesque themes.

Dante Marcelli and his Mafia family lose a shipment of drugs sent with fine art, but when the drugs go missing, gallery owner, Evelyn is top of the suspect list.

That Spark between Dante and Evelyn was really tumultuous. Full of friction but with that intense attraction that makes things volatile. I liked the family dynamic as well as the captive and how that got sorted.

This author is fairly new to Mafia themed writing but she has made a brilliant effort. I was thoroughly absorbed in her book and can't wait for more in the series. Fantastic book!!

[Helena · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Vow of Fire’ is a read I became obsessed with, I couldn’t stop reading, it was incredibly addictive. The storyline was action packed and there was this fabulous mix of mystery, crime and passion!

I absolutely adored Evelyn, she wasn’t afraid of anything at all and she was a ball of fire which made her character so interesting! Dante was scary but on the inside he was a teddy bear but only for Evelyn! I loved his nickname ‘Ophelia’ for her! The passion they had together was gorgeous and the enemies to lovers dynamic was 0-100!

I would definitely read more of this series, this book had me hooked!!!!

If you’re a mafia romance lover, then add this to your TBR

[Sonja Charters · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love a good mafia dark romance reads and I couldn't wait to give this one a go.
It my first read by Thai author and also the first book in a brand new series - Blood And Vows.

It was great to come into this from the start as it helped to introduce the families and concept nicely.
The Marcelli family is powerful and nobody wants to cross them, but when Dante discovers there's a leak, he's bound by the family to make them pay.
Evelyn, however, is caught in his sights and as she awaits her fate, she doesn't stand down - which only makes Dante more interested.

I loved both characters and it was great to get into both their heads as we follow the story through a dual pov format.
This gave us such insight into the dynamics of the family as well as the motives, thoughts and feelings of both.

The chemistry between the two was evident from the start and we do see some spicy scenes throughout.
This is, however, a slighter tamer read than some Mafia or dark romance reads around at the moment.
This would be a perfect starter read to see if you fancy this genre, before moving onto something a little darker.

The writing style was exciting from start to finish and I was invested in what was happening and how Dante was going to deal with the consequences of his leniency.
It was great to see two strong main characters which doesn't always happen...or work, but this really works here.

A great first read for me and I'm excited to see what book might hold for us all.

[Eloise Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a gripping dark mafia romance filled with tension, danger, and plenty of sizzling chemistry. Dante was the perfect morally grey hero cold, ruthless, yet impossible not to root for and I loved watching his walls slowly crumble around Evelyn. Their push and pull relationship kept me hooked, while the twists and high stakes family drama added plenty of suspense. If you enjoy possessive antiheroes, enemies to lovers vibes, and dark romance with lots of spice and an emotional payoff, this is definitely one to add to your TBR.

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this one as an early copy. And I always love a good Mafia Romance. This is the first book I have read by this author and I really enjoyed this first book in the series. You got your enemies to lover story a dangerous MMC and a strong FMC. The story is about a gallery owner who accidentally got in the middle of a drugs related cartel. Her gallery used for laundering drugs money and her shipments used for smuggling drugs. All this without her knowledge. And when the MMC made her suspect number one, her life will never be the same. This book has me from beginning to end

[Mini · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is nothing better than a unfeeling, heart as black as ice mafia enforcer falling first!
The book drops you right into the expected New york mafia scene and flips the world of a naive and unsuspecting gallery owner upside down.
Full of the usual troups we all love, banter, spice, a little twist, and a deal with the enemy and somehow we get our HEA.
Looking forward to future books in this series about the rest of the Marcelli family.

[Maryjane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dante and Ophelia's story is awesome! What a great start to a new series. Evelyn, Dante and the Marcelli's need to take down the Cartel and the Bratva because they want to take over the business for themselves and are already dipping into the till. The Marcelli's need to save Evelyn, their money laundering business though the Agora, and their organization. Will they find out who is truly doing it before everything implodes? This is a definite must read folks. You won't be disappointed.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I normally don’t read mafia/mob themed books, this one captured me from the first page.I was turning the pages quickly to find out what happened next. Also found myself holding my breath when reading very descriptive passages.Well written, with lots of detail regarding the art world.

Review from ARC.

[Tracey Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a mafia book so you get the typical dark side of that world. However, in this story you get Dante who made his own way as an Army Ranger before becoming an enforcer for his family, making him somewhat different. Loved the glimpses into his vulnerability which his Ophelia brought out. In all honesty, would give this book 4.5 🌟

[Tiarra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dante and Evelyn were everything! This book had me up so late finishing it in one sit. It kept you intrigued on what was gonna happen. The spice was spicing-the writing was so smooth and just kept you wanting more ! I absolutely loved this book!! The mafia book you need in your life !

Enemies to lovers✔️
Mafia✔️
Touch her and 💀✔️

[Jas's booktok · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review...
If you’re looking for your next dark romance read give this book a try, you won’t be disappointed. I really enjoyed Dante's book.
I loved the strong female roles, Evelyn and Valentina who is the matriarch of Dantes family. Loved Leo too.
There is forced proximity, enemies to lovers, mafia, and trigger warnings which should be checked before you read.
Cant wait for book 2.

[Carol Covino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vow of Fire is a fast-paced read with strong characters. I loved the fiery chemistry between Dante and Evelyn, especially in the scenes where he is teaching her to fight. The spice level was perfect. Enemies-to-lovers is my favorite trope, and this story did not disappoint. I received an early ARC edition of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.