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Jewel of the Assassin

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If you love something, you don’t let anyone else claim it. You take it. You keep it. You kill for it.

THE JEWEL
I was raised to be a pawn. A Volkov princess bartered to the highest bidder. My father gave me to Anton Makarova, a man I never wanted. My only excitement was my stalker in the shadows.

Until the crash.

I woke on a secluded island estate with no memory. A wedding ring on my finger. A husband who swears I’m his. He calls me his wife. His queen. His everything.

Roman Makarova terrifies me. Consumes me. And I’ve never wanted anything more.

THE ASSASSIN
Six years, I built this empire for her. Six years of blood, steel, and sacrifice to claim what was always mine. Valentina Volkov.

My father tried to give her to my brother. I staged a car crash instead. Now she’s in my world, in my bed, in my control. She doesn’t remember the life she left behind—and I’ll never let her go back.

She is my obsession. My queen. My soul. Together, we’ll burn the world and bury our enemies in their own graves.

She was never theirs.
She was always mine.
The jewel of my crown.

A dark, dual-POV mafia romance with obsession, betrayal, pitch-black trauma, and a rising comeback of blood-soaked desecration of a church. Perfect for fans of Haunting Adeline, King of Wrath, and the Ruthless Obsession Series.
HEA after extreme trauma.

592 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 4, 2025

30 people are currently reading
57 people want to read

About the author

Emily Shore

6 books34 followers

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5 stars
58 (70%)
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16 (19%)
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6 (7%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
Profile Image for Paige.
54 reviews
November 4, 2025
Genre: Mafia-ish Romance.

Tropes: Amnesia, Kidnap, List of Smut (50 pages=1 scene), Toy use, fun side characters

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆₊⋆ ━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆
Book Summary:
Valentina was raised to be a pawn. In a world where men barter their daughters to the highest bidder, she was given to a man she never wanted. But a shadow who watched her would not allow another man to claim what was rightfully his.

After a crash, Valentina wakes on a secluded island with amnesia — no memory of her past, the ring on her finger, or the man before her who claims to be her husband. Yet soon, she finds herself utterly consumed by him.

Roman has been the weapon of his family for as long as he can remember — the feared Assassin. But behind the scenes, he’s spent six years secretly building his own empire, all for her. His Valentina. His Jewel. When his father arranged a union between Valentina and Roman’s brother, Roman staged a car crash. The misfortune of her ending up with amnesia might just work in his favor.

Now, Valentina is in his world. His bed. His control. She doesn’t remember what was left behind, and Roman will never let her go back, even if her memory does return.

Together, Roman and Valentina will learn to burn and bury their enemies — and rise to rule side by side.
⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆₊⋆ ━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆
Thoughts:
3.5 ⭐ (if only Goodreads allowed half stars!)

Jewel of the Assassin is the second book in the Savage Stalkers series, and while I liked it, I have to admit there wasn’t much actual stalking going on. It’s mentioned at the start, but the story quickly shifts into more of an amnesia/unknown captive style of dark romance. Compared to the first in the series 'The Art of Obsession', this one felt lighter on the “stalker” vibe, though both lack what the series promises in terms of Stalking.

Spice:
The pacing could’ve been tighter when it came to the intimacy. I really enjoyed the story itself, but the smut was heavy — maybe a little too heavy, too fast (and that’s saying something coming from a lover of spice books). Don’t get me wrong, I loved the content, but the first 50 pages especially felt like a checklist to get through rather than a buildup of tension. I think I counted around 31 different acts done to her, despite her just waking from over two days of being unconscious and suffering from amnesia. As I said, I loved the heat, but I just wish it had been spaced out more throughout the book, so the relationship could’ve developed naturally and the scenes could’ve felt fresher and more thrilling.

Characters:
⇢ Roman was absolute fire. Over the top at times, sure, but he knew what he wanted and still cherished Valentina deeply. I loved how he pushed her to rise to her potential.

⇢ Valentina was a bit all over the place here and there, but her sass and bratty banter had me grinning — I really enjoyed her energy. Together they worked well, especially once she started to grow with him, and I loved seeing her confidence build.

⇢ And as always, the side characters were a win. They all had great moments, and I honestly can’t even pick a favorite. I do wish we’d gotten a bit more closure on Sasha after everything, though.

Notes:
⇢ The song references were fun at first, but after a while they started to feel a bit overdone. Especially when Archeron also did this in the first of the series. (Though having the playlist track at the mention of each chapter in the first book was great. It's the mention of several songs WITHIN the text that is a bit off for me.)

⇢ I also noticed a few more repeated moments from The Art of Obsession (like the hand slam and “f***ing owned!” line), which made it feel a bit copy-paste between books. It’s an easy thing to do, but since I read Art of Obsession right before this one, it stood out more — especially coming from the same series.

Overall:
It’s a solid dark romance with great characters and chemistry. Only could’ve used a little more balance between the story, the smut, and the darker “stalker” elements. (Though I do think the author intended this one to lean more toward spice than plot.)
⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆₊⋆ ━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆
Quotes:
1.
“She's a religious rite. And I'd get on my knees for her a thousand times over”

2.
“Figured God and I ought to renegotiate terms”

3.
“Eyes on me, Wife.”

4.
“She does something to me I can't name. I watch her the way poets watched the stars. And I feel it in my chest—the temptation, the addiction to this wondrous light.”
Profile Image for Kellys.bookcorner.
104 reviews4 followers
October 31, 2025
I don’t know where to start this is hardcore no holding punches.
MMC you just want to hate him but all he has done for her, his possessiveness, obsession and passion burning for her had me swooning.
FMC bratty with some fight who is just as gloriously dark.

The spice is spicy its the very dark depraved spice you probably didn’t know you were missing, with a lot of it.

This is a dark book with descriptive on page every gritty scenes it packed so check the trigger list.
Profile Image for Raeann Haggard.
22 reviews1 follower
November 8, 2025
Wow. Wow. WOW! Jewel of the Assassin by Emily Shore is a wild ride! From the very first page, I was hooked on this dark, dual-POV mafia romance that blends obsession and betrayal in the most thrilling way.

The story centers around Valentina Volkov, who finds herself in a nightmare situation—married to a man she never wanted, with no memory of how she got there. Enter Roman Makarova, the man who has orchestrated it all. Their chemistry is electric, and the tension between them is palpable. You can feel the chaos and intensity in every interaction!

Valentina is fierce and resilient, while Roman is a mix of terrifying and utterly captivating. I had a hard time with Roman- I hate that I loved him and loved that I hated him but boy do I enjoy him. Their relationship is messy and complicated, but that's what makes it so compelling. You can't help but root for them, even when things get dark.

The premise of waking up on an island with a wedding ring and a husband who claims to love you is such a gripping setup! It kept me on the edge of my seat, eager to uncover the truth behind their twisted love story.

If you’re looking for steam, this book delivers! The intimate scenes are intense and beautifully written, adding layers to their relationship. Emily Shore really knows how to turn up the heat! Make sure to check trigger warnings because holy batman are there some triggers lol!!!

What I loved most was the emotional complexity. Roman's obsession with Valentina is both fascinating and terrifying, and it makes for a love story that’s as dark as it is passionate. You can feel the weight of their past traumas, which adds a profound layer to their connection.

In short, Jewel of the Assassin is a gripping blend of chaos, passion, and dark romance that will keep you turning the pages. Emily Shore has truly knocked it out of the park with this one! If you enjoy dark romance with plenty of twists, don’t miss this one!
Profile Image for Persephone  Roze.
161 reviews
October 12, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ for me. I absolutely love Emily Shore. Her writing is fire and her stories are so deep and hide so many intricacies that I often have to recover a bit. While this one was still fire, it was not my favorite. I knew going in that it was going to be mostly smut and I don't have a problem with that. Heads up if you do, btw, this is pretty much all smut, deep, detailed, constant, and delicious. The pieces that were hard to digest was the reality of the smut, like it was hard to believe a lot of it based on what I know about life and bodies. And I know, that might be exactly what some want. I had a hard time getting into and staying in it though. I also didn't feel like I cared about the characters at all because I didn't really know them to become invested. I didn't dislike it, it's definitely hot and spicy all the time, but I had a harder time loving this one.
Profile Image for Lauren Head.
646 reviews14 followers
November 6, 2025
Jewel of the Assassin by Emily Shore might just be the most sinfully addictive read I’ve devoured this year. From page one, Shore pulls you into a dark, seductive world where danger and desire twist together in the most intoxicating ways. The story is masterfully crafted, taking you on an intense, emotional ride that leaves you breathless at the raw, magnetic pull between the characters. This isn’t just a romance, it’s an experience that smolders, deep and deliberate, demanding to be savored. I found myself slowing down just to absorb every decadent detail, every vividly painted scene. While the trigger warnings are worth noting, nothing feels gratuitous. Everything serves the emotional and sensual heart of the story. And when it ends, the crash back to reality is brutal, because no one makes you feel passion quite like Emily Shore. Unforgettable.
Profile Image for Alisha Pascual.
316 reviews25 followers
October 26, 2025
This is only the second in this series and holy wow was it good! I knew that if book 1 was good, this one would be just as good and it did not disappoint. Yes there was a good amount of smut with a side of plot but Roman made up for it in my mind. How possessive and obsessive he was of Valentina, and oh my god, that dirty, filthy mouth of his. Whew! He even stalks her!! Love it. But besides those traits, he loves her very much, and worships her like the goddess that she is and that he says she is. And then Valentina is Brilliant, fiery, and stubborn and Roman is all for it, up for the challenge of taming her bratiness and molding her into what he desires. I loved the banter and their relationship from start to finish. I loved this so much.
Profile Image for Cheryl.
6,573 reviews237 followers
November 6, 2025
If you love your men dark and who are a DOM, then, you will LOVE Roman. This is an "instant lust." Roman did not want long before claiming Valentina as his. If you read The Art of Obsession, book one in this series, then, you will not be surprised by all of the spice.

"I'm not a man of routine. I'm an experimentalist by nature. A scientist of sensation."

Emily/Roman gave me so much spicy goodness that my mouth was scorching hot! Yet, this book is not just all about the spice. It has a really good storyline that I got lost in (in a great way). I found myself just reading and reading. Grab your copy of this book now!

"The queen of his empire.
The soul to his head.
The jewel of the assassin."
Profile Image for Suzanne McNeill Taviner.
2,042 reviews10 followers
October 30, 2025
Well, Emily has done what she does best, in this book. She writes brilliant tormented characters that take apart their partners and remould them to be stronger and more complex than before.
Roman was promised a bride so he spent 6 years building an empire worthy of her but them his father changed his mind and intended to give her to his brother-Roman is not going to stand for his obsession becoming someone else's bride, so he kidnaps her! And so follows her transformation as he breaks her down to rebuild her.
There is a lot of dark content in this book so please be aware of the TW, but it is an amazing read.
Profile Image for Donna.
162 reviews1 follower
October 31, 2025
Where do I even begin?? Emily Shore definitely knows how to write spice! Valentina and Roman are meant to rule together, no doubt! Roman kidnapping Valentina and makes her his Queen. He knows that she’s worth the risk and his brother wouldn’t know how to cherish her. Valentina is a woman who knows her worth, she fights and doesn’t break, a warrior. Roman shows her to be loved, how to be cherished and how to be a mafia queen. Valentina finally has someone who knows what she needs and isn’t afraid of him. Being kidnapped by someone who will make you his everything, please sign me up! I loved this and it is ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me. The spice was spicy!! 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Roman I love you! ❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Leslie Soch.
17 reviews1 follower
November 3, 2025
Starting off.... please make sure you read and are aware of the Trigger Warnings.... this book gets DARK and dirty... and I loved every single second of it!!!
Emily has a way of writing that brings the stories she writes to life, and off the pages of the book.

Roman and Valentina have a very unconventional start... but it makes it all the more worth it, in the end.  He's possessive, sadistic and utterly captivated by her.   She's sassy, bratty and can definitely handle her own.... but does she have to??

Well done, again, Emily Shore!  You have not written a book that I did not enjoy and devour!
Profile Image for Read, Run and Rescue .
391 reviews15 followers
November 4, 2025
What a great ride. My second book of Emily’s and man it didn’t disappoint. Phew though check those triggers cause this one is darker than dark. Roman and Valentina have a unique story and their banter is perfection. The dynamics of the relationship is chaotically intense! The spice is god damn spicing. Again check your triggers one scene is about 50 pages and very descriptive! Live very very detailed. The pacing and plot lends to a very captivating story that you can’t put down. Emily does a great job creating these characters that just draw you in. They are not boring or predictable and you never know what to expect.
Profile Image for Amanda Schaperow.
13 reviews
November 8, 2025
Everything I wanted and more! Another amazing book by Emily. Emily has become one of my favorite authors.
If you are looking for a book that has a very possessive/obsessive dominant mafia daddy , Roman covers all those checkmarks and more.
FMC Valentina is a fierce mafia princess with a sassy attitude and bratty tendencies with Roman.
Both main characters overcome betrayal and trauma in their life with the most epic Mr. & Mrs. Smith type of revenge with their found family.
The smut scenes in this book are amazingly insane and quite imaginative. One of my favorite reads in 2025.

**please check trigger warnings*
Profile Image for Danielle Nielson, Book Therapist .
273 reviews8 followers
November 19, 2025
Broken Book Therapist Reviews

Rating this is complicated... for once I found myself safe wording through spice chapters while eating up the plot moments. This is incredibly dark- both within the spice and the content. There is a lot of @buse and grape (not by the MMC or FMC to each other). There is a lot of dark dark k!nk. There is a foundation built on lies that made the therapist in me uncomfortable at times, although clearly the FMC comes to handle it well. Would I recommend this to someone new to ddaarrkkk, no way. But if you are experienced and want a dark thick spicy read I do love the love they found.
Profile Image for Chris Bauer.
49 reviews3 followers
October 7, 2025
The Jewel, Valentina, and the Assassin, Roman...Valentina was to be a gift to Roman's brother, Anton, but Roman knew she was his all along.

What do you do for love? Stage a car crash? As Valentina deals with amnesia and believing she is Roman's wide, her love for Roman flourishes.

But all good things must be derailed, right? Anton wasn't going to give up that easily.

Don't worry - there's an HEA, but please read the trigger warnings. For me, this book could have been shortened. It seemed to drag at times.
Profile Image for Yesilovesreading.
131 reviews
October 11, 2025

This one was A LOT! It was very heavy and dark and emotional all at the same time. Did I want to cry and scream at my kindle? Yes I did. But I also wanted to praise Valentina for staying strong And for taking her revenge in the end. I have never been so sucked into a book like I was with this one.
Phew! 😳 Please excuse me while I go wash my brain. Emily you have corrupted it! Lol That was very SINFUL ma’am!!! (Grins wickedly) But OMG I loved it! Also YES “we’re all going to hell for this one” 😂 That playlist was amazing! And I’m glad they all got what they deserved!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Angela Ballas.
121 reviews3 followers
October 22, 2025
I received this book early and it was EVERYTHING I hoped for and MORE!!! I love Emily Shores books!!! I love dark romance and touch her and die trope!!! Her books always provide my wants and needs!!!! Roman 🌶️🥵 yes please!!!! This book kept me interested from the beginning. If you have triggers definitely check them. I don’t have any 🙃. This book brings all the SMUT and I loved every second of it!!! I did also enjoy the story..how he loves her, cares for her, and devours her 😉. Oooooh…and the song choices for the church scene….AMAZING!!!!! Definitely a must read!!!
58 reviews2 followers
November 4, 2025
“Crown or core— where will your wrath fall?”
“Our scars are not chains,”
Like the Devil and God had an angry one-night stand

This book will have you clutching your pearls if you are not into really dark books. Some of the dark scenes were very detailed and can upset some people so definitely check the triggers.

Dark book with 10 chili peppers or 50 (no seriously)

A story of love and betrayal that ends in a HEA that made me cry with joy.

Even in the darkness, Emily still finds a way to make you laugh! Play the songs they play as you read the scenes, I did!

One of the best reads for 2025 and an amazing bang after reading Art of the obsession. I cant wait to see if there will be a third book in the series.
Profile Image for Nicole Dalrymple.
16 reviews3 followers
November 5, 2025
Trust can be dangerous

Jewel of the Assassin is a great read full of secrets and danger. You are pulled into a world where trust is risky, every choice has consequences, and the MCs keep you guessing. The writing is smooth and vivid, making it easy to picture every scene; A great mix of morally dark romance and tension. If you like sharp twists, strong characters, and a spice, this one will keep you hooked from start to finish. It is book 2 in Emily's Savage Stalkers series, and I definitely recommend book 1.
Profile Image for Chante Heaven.
865 reviews20 followers
November 8, 2025
Once again, this story is nothing short of extraordinary—dark, twisted, and utterly captivating!


I have to confess that I found Roman unlikable; his diabolical determination to not just break Valentina but to completely remake her was chilling. He is certainly a character that lingers in your mind long after you've finished reading.


I can't help but wish for a dedicated story for Sasha.  Additionally, I’m eager to delve deeper into Fleur’s character and uncover the layers that make her so fascinating.

Profile Image for Michelle.
65 reviews
November 20, 2025
You need to take the trigger warnings seriously in this book. While part of a series, it’s still a stand alone novel. And boy, is it dark and twisty and oh so spicy! The church scene was like a piece of a Quentin Tarantino movie, if notched up to smut levels. Loved all the different characters in this book. And the two main characters were both as deprived and supportive of each other as one could be. They held each other up, egged each other on, and made each other stronger versions of themselves
Profile Image for Amber.
71 reviews3 followers
October 20, 2025
Constant spice and very sinful!

Roman will do anything for his wife; anything. Who doesn’t want that?

He loves her, worships her and punishes her. All in such a delicious way.

The story was brutal yet beautiful in many ways. Emotional but healing.

I’m gonna be honest and say it took me a long time to read this. Don’t get me wrong: the book was SO SO good, but I just struggled to fully get into the story. But once I was into it, it was * chefs kiss *.

Profile Image for Erika.
53 reviews2 followers
October 23, 2025
This is my first book by this author, and she definitely didn’t disappoint!

First things first, when she says read the trigger warnings… do it! They are NO JOKE. The content is heavy and tough to read in some parts. One thing I will say for sure is I’ll never listen to “Like a Prayer” the same way ever again!!

If you like top tier degradation, praise, blood, bdsm amongst other kinks, make sure to check this book out!

🌶️ 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
3 reviews
October 27, 2025
I enjoyed the book. Knowing Emilys writing genre I went in to this book expecting lots of spice and boy it didn’t disapoint. How she manages to think of all the crazy things this book is full of, is beyond me. But I love it. Be sure to read the trigger warnings because trust me, you will be feeling a little under the weather by some of the things happening in this book. Buy it, and enjoy one hell of a ride.
Profile Image for Tiffany.
5 reviews
October 31, 2025
I read this as an ARC for the Author Emily Shore.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

It has everything a reader could want.

Plot, suspense, oh and of course smut!

Roman is an obsessive and possessive (touch her and die 💯) mafia assassin you will fall in love with from the beginning. Valentina is a mob princess with an arranged marriage looming. Her world is about to be turned upside down and the reward is worth it.

Check your TW and enjoy this wild ride.
Profile Image for Dark Romance  Obsessed  Siren.
81 reviews2 followers
November 3, 2025
‼️ARC Review‼️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Ok where to start on this one, CHECK THE TRIGGER WARNINGS. I really enjoyed this mafia pitch black romance. Roman is absolutely diabolical with vodka bottles (IYKYK) and has a deliciously filthy mouth, and Valentina is 🤌 with the bratty banter. There both baddasses getting their revenge at there wedding ala GOT red wedding. This was disturbingly fantastic!
Profile Image for Emma.
8 reviews
November 4, 2025
This book is dark, obsessive, and unapologetically raw. Roman and Valentina’s story is pure chaos and devotion - equal parts pain, power, and passion. Emily’s writing is hauntingly beautiful, every line sharp enough to cut and soft enough to make you feel everything.

It’s not for the faint of heart, but if you crave dark romance that pushes every boundary and still finds beauty in the wreckage - this one’s for you. 🔥💎
Profile Image for Summer.
71 reviews
November 4, 2025

If you are looking for a sweet hero turn away. This is not the book for you but if you are on the hunt for a unsettlingly dark, depraved and dangerous Villian, with an unhealthy obsession with the Mfc then this is the book you want.This book was something else. I couldn't bring myself to put it down and binged it straight through. This was a perfect blend of dark bloody romance and scorching and at times almost unhinged spice.
231 reviews
November 5, 2025
OTTJA is chef's kiss

A dark and twisted tale of obsession. The MMC is OTTJA and the FMC is his target. This is dark, depraved, stalker to lover story. Check the TW. This is a lot...I didn't want to put it down...but it all makes sense and in the end you root for them. I mean, the spice is OTT but everything I didn't know I wanted. This author has quickly become one of my favorites in this trope. I can't wait to read more from them.
Profile Image for Rebecca Cherrington.
13 reviews1 follower
November 22, 2025
Some moments made me laugh out loud such as the soundtrack to revenge other parts made me squirm in my seat, Roman obviously loves and is obsessed with valentina although it wasn’t stalked like in the Art of obsession but still a good read! I loved the side characters especially the grumpy lovable zina! And fleur! I did find it took a bit to get going and the sex scenes were straight on you however I kept reading and found I couldn’t stop until I finished it!
Profile Image for crystal.
16 reviews
November 29, 2025
I mean, there are no words

It was a hell of a ride with twists and turns I ch couldn’t anticipate, but really loved. I stepped into book with no idea what I was getting into and in way over my head. When all was said and done, it left me breathless and panting from the exhilarating ride it took me on. The characters were so full of depth and charisma that they sucked you into their story with no hope of escape until the book was done. Very well done. Wow. 👏
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