Indigo Taylor is still healing from the weight of her past when she meets Anatoly Brachev, a ruthless yet enigmatic Bratva pakhan fighting to hold onto both his power and his sense of self. When Anatoly proposes marriage as a way to keep her safe, Indigo is thrust into the grey world of the Bratva. As she struggles to find her place in his ruthless empire, she soon realizes she isn’t fighting alone…Anatoly is right beside her, protecting her every step of the way.
I really adored Anatoly so much because from the start, he was so protective over Indigo. From defending her honor to constantly bringing her comfort and safety, all the “my wife”-ing was so heartwarming to read. Anatoly was a true leader because of how level-headed yet ruthless he was.
My babygirl Indigo, ugh, my heart broke for everything she had to go through, but I was also so proud of how she held herself together for her sister. She’s just trying to survive every day and has been through so much, but that only shows how strong she truly is. Despite the adversity, she still sought to be a support for Anatoly and to become the wife and queen she needed to be.
“Our heartbeats slow until they beat as one. The electricity between us doesn’t diminish. If anything, it becomes more intense.”
I knew going in that this one was going to be a dark duet, but I’m not gonna lie, I felt like the darker tones really added depth and heart to Indigo and Anatoly’s relationship. The contrast between their brutal world and the light they brought into each other’s lives showed how deep and solid their love truly was. Brook’s writing has been on a whole other level lately, and she never fails to amaze me with her new releases. Dark mafia romance is my main genre, so I see a lot of “pakhan falls for the girl and gets soft” stories, and they often blend together. But very few stand out the way this one does. With Anatoly’s gentle yet firm nature and Indigo’s strength and drive, they really made the perfect couple.
This book ended on a cliffhanger that had me on edge, and I’m so excited to dive into the final half of the duet to see Indigo and Anatoly finally get their happily ever after.