What do you think?
Rate this book
Brutal Surrender: A Steamy Grumpy/Sunshine Dark Mafia Romance:
Not yet published
Expected 6 Feb 26"Devoured this book in one sitting." 5 Stars Goodreads
"Full of surprises and plenty of spice!" Goodreads
Only She Brings Light To His Darkness.
APOLLO
I'll take her body. Use her. Own her.
But she can never have my heart.
My heart died screaming in flames.
Now there's only fury and the kind of darkness that makes devils run away.
They call me the Marelli Wildcard because I'm one heartbeat away from detonation.
Then she walks into my club, Brooklyn's most exclusive underground paradise of sin.
All sunshine and sweetness
I'll chain her to my side. Corrupt that maddening innocence.
Claim every trembling inch of her.
But my shattered heart? That stays buried.
SHIV
My sister vanished into Brooklyn's brutal underworld.
Apollo Marelli—the Mafia's most dangerous Prince—is my only chance.
Lethal. Broken. Devastating.
His ruthless touch awakens savage desires I've buried for years.
The danger is closing in. My sister's time is running out.
And this beautiful, broken monster who swore he'd never love again?
Will his darkness destroy us both?
Or will I be the one to heal his shattered heart?
What to know about Brutal Grumpy, possessive, hot-tempered Mafia Prince.Sweet sunshine heroine.Opposites attractForced proximity in a very steamy workplace.Touch her and he'll paint the streets red.Love that heals the deepest loss.Shocking secrets.HEA guaranteed.All content warnings on Shira’s websiteBrutal Surrender is a full-length, scorching-hot grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract DARK MAFIA ROMANCE with mature themes. Book 2 in the Brooklyn Brutal Mafia Romance Series. It can be read as a standalone.
Brooklyn Brutal Dark Mafia Romance Series
The Marelli Brothers
#1 Brutal Possession
#2 Brutal Surrender
#3 Brutal Desire
#4 Brutal Hunger
"Full of surprises and plenty of spice!" Goodreads
Only She Brings Light To His Darkness.
APOLLO
I'll take her body. Use her. Own her.
But she can never have my heart.
My heart died screaming in flames.
Now there's only fury and the kind of darkness that makes devils run away.
They call me the Marelli Wildcard because I'm one heartbeat away from detonation.
Then she walks into my club, Brooklyn's most exclusive underground paradise of sin.
All sunshine and sweetness
I'll chain her to my side. Corrupt that maddening innocence.
Claim every trembling inch of her.
But my shattered heart? That stays buried.
SHIV
My sister vanished into Brooklyn's brutal underworld.
Apollo Marelli—the Mafia's most dangerous Prince—is my only chance.
Lethal. Broken. Devastating.
His ruthless touch awakens savage desires I've buried for years.
The danger is closing in. My sister's time is running out.
And this beautiful, broken monster who swore he'd never love again?
Will his darkness destroy us both?
Or will I be the one to heal his shattered heart?
What to know about Brutal Grumpy, possessive, hot-tempered Mafia Prince.Sweet sunshine heroine.Opposites attractForced proximity in a very steamy workplace.Touch her and he'll paint the streets red.Love that heals the deepest loss.Shocking secrets.HEA guaranteed.All content warnings on Shira’s websiteBrutal Surrender is a full-length, scorching-hot grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract DARK MAFIA ROMANCE with mature themes. Book 2 in the Brooklyn Brutal Mafia Romance Series. It can be read as a standalone.
Brooklyn Brutal Dark Mafia Romance Series
The Marelli Brothers
#1 Brutal Possession
#2 Brutal Surrender
#3 Brutal Desire
#4 Brutal Hunger
522 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 6, 2026
4 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 15, 2026
Another amazing read from Shira Knight!
This book starts off heartbreakingly, but does an amazing job slowly mending that broken heart!
Apollo is a man drowning in grief, guilt and sorrow when the story starts, and when he meets Shiv, he slowly starts to breathe for the first time in two years.
When we meet Shiv, she’s filled with insecurities that sneak up on her, when she meets Apollo, he makes her feel sexy and beautiful, and helps her take down that voice in her head that told her nobody could ever want a “big girl”.
This book deals with both grief and insecurities so beautifully.
Apollo talks about his grief in a way that’s so realistic and it’s something everyone can relate to. From the moments we wake up and it feels like losing them all over again, to the moments where it just hits you out of no where.
And then the insecurities that Shiv faces in this book. As a big girl myself, it was beyond realistic. It was just incredible!
Thank you Shira Knight for another amazing story!
This book starts off heartbreakingly, but does an amazing job slowly mending that broken heart!
Apollo is a man drowning in grief, guilt and sorrow when the story starts, and when he meets Shiv, he slowly starts to breathe for the first time in two years.
When we meet Shiv, she’s filled with insecurities that sneak up on her, when she meets Apollo, he makes her feel sexy and beautiful, and helps her take down that voice in her head that told her nobody could ever want a “big girl”.
This book deals with both grief and insecurities so beautifully.
Apollo talks about his grief in a way that’s so realistic and it’s something everyone can relate to. From the moments we wake up and it feels like losing them all over again, to the moments where it just hits you out of no where.
And then the insecurities that Shiv faces in this book. As a big girl myself, it was beyond realistic. It was just incredible!
Thank you Shira Knight for another amazing story!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you thank you thank you to Mitchell and Joseph Ltd. and Shira Knight for sharing this ARC with me, in exchange for my honest opinions and thoughts.
Brutal Surrender is book #2 in the Brooklyn Brutal series. I devoured this book in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down. I have a feeling that all of the books in this series will be super delicious and the spicyness will be ever so yummy LOL. Apollo and Shiv, omg omg their story and chemistry is phenomenal. Apollo will literally burn the world down for Shiv. I fell in love with Apollo, even with all his mafianess and his assholeness. The character development and world building is perfect. I truly cannot wait for book #3, I will be on the edge of my seat waiting for everything Ms. Shira writes.
I wholeheartedly recommend that y'all get y'alls hands on this book, trust me, y'all won't be disappointed.
Brutal Surrender is book #2 in the Brooklyn Brutal series. I devoured this book in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down. I have a feeling that all of the books in this series will be super delicious and the spicyness will be ever so yummy LOL. Apollo and Shiv, omg omg their story and chemistry is phenomenal. Apollo will literally burn the world down for Shiv. I fell in love with Apollo, even with all his mafianess and his assholeness. The character development and world building is perfect. I truly cannot wait for book #3, I will be on the edge of my seat waiting for everything Ms. Shira writes.
I wholeheartedly recommend that y'all get y'alls hands on this book, trust me, y'all won't be disappointed.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an ARC copy of second book in this series from the publisher and I’m obsessed.
The characters are great! I love the hothead MMC paired with the bubbly FMC. Their story has a great arc. And the FMCs self esteem struggles are super relatable for me. Might’ve cried a little for her.
The twists in this book will have you gasping like I did. A betrayal that really surprised me, like was NOT expecting that person to be the bad guy.
The spice is, once again, amazing. Shira Knight has a way with the spice.
This book is perfect for lovers of opposites attract, mafia thrillers, and murder mysteries tangled up with steamy moments.
Cannot wait to read Jordan’s story next!!
The characters are great! I love the hothead MMC paired with the bubbly FMC. Their story has a great arc. And the FMCs self esteem struggles are super relatable for me. Might’ve cried a little for her.
The twists in this book will have you gasping like I did. A betrayal that really surprised me, like was NOT expecting that person to be the bad guy.
The spice is, once again, amazing. Shira Knight has a way with the spice.
This book is perfect for lovers of opposites attract, mafia thrillers, and murder mysteries tangled up with steamy moments.
Cannot wait to read Jordan’s story next!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I absolutely loved loved loved this book. Wow, what a beautiful couple they are. Him, part of a mob family, her a not so confident lady, great connection these two have from the start. Both bring the best out in each other, she is funny and sweet and stands her ground, he is hard as nails, used to getting his own way but has a very vulnerable side. This book is very very spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️, oh my goodness, hot, hot, hot! You will not be able to put it down, nor will you want to. Another super spicy🌶️ super hot🔥, super dangerous but so intriguing novel from the incredible Shira Knight. An excellent mobster, steamy romance.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is the second book of the series and features the people we know and love from the first book but it has a focus on Apollo. I really was truly shocked near the end when so much was revealed. It was full of surprises and plenty of spice! I am now waiting patiently for the next book to come out.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews