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My Mobster #2
My Best Friend Is Broken
Five years ago my world ended.
I thought my best friend was invincible. He was the popular one. The king of our school. The one everyone adored. The one everyone wanted to be. The one who was going to make it out of our struggling neighborhood.
Then one terrible night and everything changes. Too much to drink, a stormy night, and a tyre that should have been changed. Three things that collided and caused a young girl to lose her life.
My best friend went to prison. His parents disowned him. And nothing was ever the same.
He never replied to my letters. He never let me visit him.
I don’t care, he is still my bro. My homie. My ride or die.
I’ve made a name for myself while he’s been inside. I’m a feared and respected man. But it’s all meaningless without my best friend.
I’m waiting at the gates the day he is released. I thought he’d be hench. Tattooed. The alpha of the jail.
But I couldn’t be more wrong. He is too thin. His hair is too long. He can’t look anyone in the eye. He talks in the faintest of whispers and jumps at his own shadow.
And at night he clings to me because I smell of safety and home.
Now he is begging for me to do the unthinkable.
He says making him mine is the only thing that can stop his nightmares.
But will it be the beginning of mine?
I thought my best friend was invincible. He was the popular one. The king of our school. The one everyone adored. The one everyone wanted to be. The one who was going to make it out of our struggling neighborhood.
Then one terrible night and everything changes. Too much to drink, a stormy night, and a tyre that should have been changed. Three things that collided and caused a young girl to lose her life.
My best friend went to prison. His parents disowned him. And nothing was ever the same.
He never replied to my letters. He never let me visit him.
I don’t care, he is still my bro. My homie. My ride or die.
I’ve made a name for myself while he’s been inside. I’m a feared and respected man. But it’s all meaningless without my best friend.
I’m waiting at the gates the day he is released. I thought he’d be hench. Tattooed. The alpha of the jail.
But I couldn’t be more wrong. He is too thin. His hair is too long. He can’t look anyone in the eye. He talks in the faintest of whispers and jumps at his own shadow.
And at night he clings to me because I smell of safety and home.
Now he is begging for me to do the unthinkable.
He says making him mine is the only thing that can stop his nightmares.
But will it be the beginning of mine?
401 pages, Paperback
Published November 1, 2025
About the author
Jessica Jackman
7 books43 followersCoffee, spicy books, and a profound disrespect for tomorrow (aka reading until four in the morning). My three favorite things.
I aim to write the kind of stories that keep you up way too late, while squealing, kicking your feet, and falling hopelessly in love with your new book boyfriend (or two... I don’t judge).
Grab that triple-shot brown sugar shaken espresso. Trust me, we’re both going to need it.
Let’s spread those pages.
Love,
Jessica Jackman.
I aim to write the kind of stories that keep you up way too late, while squealing, kicking your feet, and falling hopelessly in love with your new book boyfriend (or two... I don’t judge).
Grab that triple-shot brown sugar shaken espresso. Trust me, we’re both going to need it.
Let’s spread those pages.
Love,
Jessica Jackman.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
May 8, 2026
⭐️ 3 stars ⭐️
An angsty story with hurt/comfort galore, ultimately ruined by the repetitive writing.
I loved the setup — childhood friends that could’ve been more, a broken man struggling after being released from prison, a slow burn love story filled with healing and caring.
But the writing was not my cup of tea, to say the least. Lengthy inner monologues, repetitive dialogues, use of the same phrasings like ‘maybe love is supposed to be this and this’ and ‘maybe when you love someone you do this and that’.
I’m not sure if book one had the same style and I just didn’t notice, or if it’s just a problem in this installment, but now I’m not sure I want to continue the series. A bummer, because I really wanted to enjoy this angst-filled friends to lovers with a side of mafia. But I couldn’t look past the boring writing, and I also didn’t really feel the connection between Nicky and Liam. It had some good moments, so not a complete miss, but kind of forgettable in the end. I might look at the next one, because I can never resist a femboy, but keeping my expectations pretty low.
CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Dub-con scenarios
- References to SA (not between MCs)
- PTSD & panic attacks
- Suicide ideation & attempted suicide
- Violence
- Murder
- Abduction (not between MCs)
- Disownment & poverty
- Mention of parental death (past)
- Virgin MC
- Vers MCs
- Rimming
- 69
Everything is not going to be fine. Liam is not okay. And I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to put him back together.
An angsty story with hurt/comfort galore, ultimately ruined by the repetitive writing.
Even if he never feels safe again, I’ll be his safety. Even if he never trusts the world again, he can trust me.
I loved the setup — childhood friends that could’ve been more, a broken man struggling after being released from prison, a slow burn love story filled with healing and caring.
Maybe learning to survive the bad days is the first step toward having good ones again.
But the writing was not my cup of tea, to say the least. Lengthy inner monologues, repetitive dialogues, use of the same phrasings like ‘maybe love is supposed to be this and this’ and ‘maybe when you love someone you do this and that’.
“Maybe he is broken, and maybe that’s okay. Maybe you can love someone who’s broken without wanting to fix them.”
I’m not sure if book one had the same style and I just didn’t notice, or if it’s just a problem in this installment, but now I’m not sure I want to continue the series. A bummer, because I really wanted to enjoy this angst-filled friends to lovers with a side of mafia. But I couldn’t look past the boring writing, and I also didn’t really feel the connection between Nicky and Liam. It had some good moments, so not a complete miss, but kind of forgettable in the end. I might look at the next one, because I can never resist a femboy, but keeping my expectations pretty low.
Now we get forever.
CW and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Dub-con scenarios
- References to SA (not between MCs)
- PTSD & panic attacks
- Suicide ideation & attempted suicide
- Violence
- Murder
- Abduction (not between MCs)
- Disownment & poverty
- Mention of parental death (past)
- Virgin MC
- Vers MCs
- Rimming
- 69
April 24, 2026
Hm....something didn't hit right with this one like the first one hit for me.
I contemplated giving this 3.5 stars and rounding up to 4 stars, but that didn't quite sit right with me, and the more I thought about it, the more I was bothered by things in this one. And actually, I was thinking of giving this 3 stars, but as I wrote this review, more and more I felt like there wasn't a whole lot I liked about this one, so...3 stars would be a bit too generous, to be honest.
I mean, a big thing about me and the best friends to lovers trope is that to me, showing how they fell in love can be a bit...shoved to the side and not shown. They just are because they were best friends, right? That can turn this trope into something a bit...boring, a bit mundane, and the chemistry can be hard to come by for me. If done well, it can be great, but...I find it rarely done well. Like authors/writers feel like just because they say they were best friends, then they can just be in love and that's that, no work having to show it.
That...kind of happened here, I'm sorry to say.
We get one scene of these two at 18 before Liam is put away for 5 years (and somehow the love of his life never comes to see him? The excuse for why he didn't was a little flimsy to me.) and it certainly was not enough to convince me that these two were be all, end all in love with each other. It was a very short, fleeting scene.
Some people hate flashbacks or two different timelines in stories, but honestly this story could have been helped by flashbacks here or there.
Nicolo aka Nicky, from what I remember, was just a few months prior to this getting a lap dance or something like that from a waitress at a restaurant Dario, Carlo and he were at and he seemed interested. But now in this we find out he's been "waiting" for Liam all this time to the point that he's never had sex with anyone else, and he's this big 'ol romantic? That didn't compute for me. And to me it would be fine if he was with others in those 5 years, it's not like he and Liam ever declared any feelings before he went to prison.
But just...some consistency was needed. If Nicky was just faking being into a woman - or anyone - to keep up an image, that also would make sense, but that incident is completely forgotten in this and never brought up, so I have no idea if he was really actually into it or just pretending.
Also, the last book ended by saying Molly was magically 24 when he'd been 23 the whole book prior, but then in this one Liam is like "he's 23, the same age as me" so that confused me further like oh okay did he not turn 24 yet?
Also, this book took even longer for these two to have penetrative sex than the first one! And that took until around 80%! But this one took until 85%! Now there was some sexual situations beforehand, well before Molly and Dario did in their book, but still it wasn't much.
Now, Liam went through a lot in prison, he was raped repeatedly over the years, so he has a huge amount of trauma coming into this book. It would be absolutely fine to me to have these two work up to more, and if it took until 85% to go "all the way" as it were, that would be fine! But these two barely do anything leading up to it.
What was hopefully just the fact that Molly and Dario couldn't have sex until late in the book because it was forbidden in the first book kinda of felt like a pattern in this one. What was stopping these two from going slow? And they did go slow, but they didn't build up much. We got one aborted blowjob attempt, a handjob, a successful blowjob, and like two rim jobs and that was it. Oh and an attempted full penetration around 65% before that didn't happen and the author waited another 20% to even bring it up again.
It just...there could have been more, seeing these two get comfortable with each other sexually instead of all the sudden just being comfortable near the end. We could have had more, is all I'm saying.
Like yes romance is more than just sex blah blah blah, but waiting until 80% or more for sex - or at least, full on sex - and barely any beforehand is...wow.
I don't know, to me it feels like a slight aversion to sex in the story (or perhaps not wanting to focus on it so much because "not everything is about sex" *sigh* although we are in a freaking mafia book here but whatever) like yeah focus on the romance just as much and give us some sex too?
But anyway, aside from the sex, this also just took me longer to read than the first one, I just wasn't connecting with these two like I did Molly and Dario.
And honestly I don't get why these are mafia books when it barely feels like they are. The first one kind of made sense, because Molly isn't a part of the mafia world and Dario was tasked with looking after him, and we got some mafia vibes at the end. But Nicky barely felt like a mobster to me. Not that he can't ultimately have a good side to him (I do prefer that tbf) but I think it takes a special kind of fucked up person to continually be in the mafia world and do well in it, and Nicky didn't feel like that kind of a person. He didn't feel like a mafia man hardly at all.
And we also never really focused on Mafia activities so we almost never saw him in in that environment in that way. The closest we see it is when some asshole is threatening Liam, but...that's about it. And he just knocks the guy out at first to be taken to Dante, and then we don't see anything.
It just...this barely feels like we're in the mafia, that we're in that world, I don't really get why they're set in it at all? Dario felt more like a mafia man than Nicky, but since Dario was mostly around Molly, he also never truly felt like a mafia man either, but I looked passed it because again, it made sense to not be around it for their storyline.
But...even when it only lasts a whopping 5 hours before it's all over.
It's just....this world is so watered down and sanitized to be like mafia-lite. An idealized mafia world where the hard stuff is just done off page. Out of sight, out of mind. This didn't really feel like a mafia book. Nicky really didn't come off as one, and yet he gets a higher position at the end.
Like these men come with such influence and power and you have to be pretty dangerous to achieve that and yet...I never felt much danger from them. Especially Nicky. Dante feels the most like a mafia man so I'm actually looking forward to his book.
Also, littler things bothered me. Like we as the reader find out that Liam and yet nothing comes of this information. Liam never tells Nicky, or Olivia's parents, and we never ever see Sam in present day. We have no idea if he was ever so wracked with guilt that he ever wanted to come forward at all. Nothing.
So what was the point of this plot point? Especially when Liam through some weird twisted logic still blames himself in the end for it anyway, so why not just...
It felt like a bit of a cop out too. Like it happened but he didn't really do it because the author didn't want to have made him do something so terrible - however accidental - but still wanted the trauma for it so had him go "it doesn't matter in the end who did it, I was still there" like idk man, so was Olivia. Olivia could have stopped Sam too, she could have said something, but she didn't. But because she died, she's not at fault either? If it was reversed, would Liam want her to blame herself for his death? Like???
It was all a bit of a waste of a "twist" on that plot line that ended up going nowhere anyway.
Also at one point Molly and Liam are in potential danger from the Russian mafia and just don't seem to feel any danger for it? even when they were rolling their eyes at their men being so overprotective. LIKE - you are with MAFIA MEN! THEY ARE IN THE MAFIA! Do you know how dangerous that is? How dangerous the people are? What the fuck do you mean you got Dario to back off men following you when you go out, Molly? What the fuck?
"I want the partnership to be equitable" then maybe you shouldn't have chosen to be the partner of a mafia capo? Like this isn't a normal romance, it's not a normal world! You can't be all "don't be so possessive and overprotective of me, babe!" when it comes to the mafia. Like what 😭 I couldn't take that part seriously.
And then after Liam has thoughts of kind of blaming Nicky anyway - even though he feels bad for them and logically knows it's not fair - for EVEN THOUGH HOURS BEFORE HE WAS EXASPERATED AT NICKY TEXTING HIM EVERY FEW HOURS TO CHECK IN! Like ffs!
Like man I love to read mafia romances because the men are fucked up but they fall deeply in love with their man and will do ANYTHING to protect them and they are their exception to everything, but they will fuck up anyone else. LIKE?! These are not normal men! They are dangerous men, how about they act like it? I'm not here for a normal romance goddamn.
These are the healthiest mafia men I've ever seen, especially Nicky haskjdha.
*sigghhhh* I have frustrations with this, obviously.
Was it still an okay read? Meh...kinda. And Nicky and Liam had their sweet moments, and once we got sex it was pretty good - what little of it we got - but...yeah this one just didn't hit like the first one, it just didn't.
Also it felt a little stretched out. Like 4 or 5 chapters before it ended I thought it had ended but it was like...oh there's still 5 chapters to go. Never a great sign.
Oh it also got a bit repetitive later on as well. Like Liam DOES make a lot of strides toward being better and I do like where he ended up versus where he started, but damn there was a lot of "it didn't fix everything, but it was a start" or "it wasn't perfect, but it felt better" etc etc things like that okay I get it, I don't need to read that type of sentence over and over again, thanks.
Well...I felt like I tore into this pretty harshly, but once I got going, all those frustrations just came poring out.
I think, honestly, if Liam and Nicky had been a stronger couple with better chemistry, a lot of the other little niggles about this wouldn't have stood out so much to me. Also if it had leaned into the mafia angle more.
Like damn...actually I didn't like much about this when I think about it.
I loved the first book so much that this one is just a huge letdown. I will read the next two books because Carlo and Dante interest me and Carlo's love interest really interested me at the end, but we'll see if they can live up to the first book in this series for me or not.
As it is...this just overall didn't work for me.
I hope to have better luck with the next one, we'll see 🤞
My Ratings for the My Mobster series:
🔆 He Should Be Mine: 4.5 stars (my review)
🔆 My Best Friend Is Broken: 2 stars
🔆 Abducted By The Femboy: TBR
🔆 The Wrong Man: TBR
I contemplated giving this 3.5 stars and rounding up to 4 stars, but that didn't quite sit right with me, and the more I thought about it, the more I was bothered by things in this one. And actually, I was thinking of giving this 3 stars, but as I wrote this review, more and more I felt like there wasn't a whole lot I liked about this one, so...3 stars would be a bit too generous, to be honest.
I mean, a big thing about me and the best friends to lovers trope is that to me, showing how they fell in love can be a bit...shoved to the side and not shown. They just are because they were best friends, right? That can turn this trope into something a bit...boring, a bit mundane, and the chemistry can be hard to come by for me. If done well, it can be great, but...I find it rarely done well. Like authors/writers feel like just because they say they were best friends, then they can just be in love and that's that, no work having to show it.
That...kind of happened here, I'm sorry to say.
We get one scene of these two at 18 before Liam is put away for 5 years (and somehow the love of his life never comes to see him? The excuse for why he didn't was a little flimsy to me.) and it certainly was not enough to convince me that these two were be all, end all in love with each other. It was a very short, fleeting scene.
Some people hate flashbacks or two different timelines in stories, but honestly this story could have been helped by flashbacks here or there.
Nicolo aka Nicky, from what I remember, was just a few months prior to this getting a lap dance or something like that from a waitress at a restaurant Dario, Carlo and he were at and he seemed interested. But now in this we find out he's been "waiting" for Liam all this time to the point that he's never had sex with anyone else, and he's this big 'ol romantic? That didn't compute for me. And to me it would be fine if he was with others in those 5 years, it's not like he and Liam ever declared any feelings before he went to prison.
But just...some consistency was needed. If Nicky was just faking being into a woman - or anyone - to keep up an image, that also would make sense, but that incident is completely forgotten in this and never brought up, so I have no idea if he was really actually into it or just pretending.
Also, the last book ended by saying Molly was magically 24 when he'd been 23 the whole book prior, but then in this one Liam is like "he's 23, the same age as me" so that confused me further like oh okay did he not turn 24 yet?
Also, this book took even longer for these two to have penetrative sex than the first one! And that took until around 80%! But this one took until 85%! Now there was some sexual situations beforehand, well before Molly and Dario did in their book, but still it wasn't much.
Now, Liam went through a lot in prison, he was raped repeatedly over the years, so he has a huge amount of trauma coming into this book. It would be absolutely fine to me to have these two work up to more, and if it took until 85% to go "all the way" as it were, that would be fine! But these two barely do anything leading up to it.
What was hopefully just the fact that Molly and Dario couldn't have sex until late in the book because it was forbidden in the first book kinda of felt like a pattern in this one. What was stopping these two from going slow? And they did go slow, but they didn't build up much. We got one aborted blowjob attempt, a handjob, a successful blowjob, and like two rim jobs and that was it. Oh and an attempted full penetration around 65% before that didn't happen and the author waited another 20% to even bring it up again.
It just...there could have been more, seeing these two get comfortable with each other sexually instead of all the sudden just being comfortable near the end. We could have had more, is all I'm saying.
Like yes romance is more than just sex blah blah blah, but waiting until 80% or more for sex - or at least, full on sex - and barely any beforehand is...wow.
I don't know, to me it feels like a slight aversion to sex in the story (or perhaps not wanting to focus on it so much because "not everything is about sex" *sigh* although we are in a freaking mafia book here but whatever) like yeah focus on the romance just as much and give us some sex too?
But anyway, aside from the sex, this also just took me longer to read than the first one, I just wasn't connecting with these two like I did Molly and Dario.
And honestly I don't get why these are mafia books when it barely feels like they are. The first one kind of made sense, because Molly isn't a part of the mafia world and Dario was tasked with looking after him, and we got some mafia vibes at the end. But Nicky barely felt like a mobster to me. Not that he can't ultimately have a good side to him (I do prefer that tbf) but I think it takes a special kind of fucked up person to continually be in the mafia world and do well in it, and Nicky didn't feel like that kind of a person. He didn't feel like a mafia man hardly at all.
And we also never really focused on Mafia activities so we almost never saw him in in that environment in that way. The closest we see it is when some asshole is threatening Liam, but...that's about it. And he just knocks the guy out at first to be taken to Dante, and then we don't see anything.
It just...this barely feels like we're in the mafia, that we're in that world, I don't really get why they're set in it at all? Dario felt more like a mafia man than Nicky, but since Dario was mostly around Molly, he also never truly felt like a mafia man either, but I looked passed it because again, it made sense to not be around it for their storyline.
But...even when it only lasts a whopping 5 hours before it's all over.
It's just....this world is so watered down and sanitized to be like mafia-lite. An idealized mafia world where the hard stuff is just done off page. Out of sight, out of mind. This didn't really feel like a mafia book. Nicky really didn't come off as one, and yet he gets a higher position at the end.
Like these men come with such influence and power and you have to be pretty dangerous to achieve that and yet...I never felt much danger from them. Especially Nicky. Dante feels the most like a mafia man so I'm actually looking forward to his book.
Also, littler things bothered me. Like we as the reader find out that Liam and yet nothing comes of this information. Liam never tells Nicky, or Olivia's parents, and we never ever see Sam in present day. We have no idea if he was ever so wracked with guilt that he ever wanted to come forward at all. Nothing.
So what was the point of this plot point? Especially when Liam through some weird twisted logic still blames himself in the end for it anyway, so why not just...
It felt like a bit of a cop out too. Like it happened but he didn't really do it because the author didn't want to have made him do something so terrible - however accidental - but still wanted the trauma for it so had him go "it doesn't matter in the end who did it, I was still there" like idk man, so was Olivia. Olivia could have stopped Sam too, she could have said something, but she didn't. But because she died, she's not at fault either? If it was reversed, would Liam want her to blame herself for his death? Like???
It was all a bit of a waste of a "twist" on that plot line that ended up going nowhere anyway.
Also at one point Molly and Liam are in potential danger from the Russian mafia and just don't seem to feel any danger for it? even when they were rolling their eyes at their men being so overprotective. LIKE - you are with MAFIA MEN! THEY ARE IN THE MAFIA! Do you know how dangerous that is? How dangerous the people are? What the fuck do you mean you got Dario to back off men following you when you go out, Molly? What the fuck?
"I want the partnership to be equitable" then maybe you shouldn't have chosen to be the partner of a mafia capo? Like this isn't a normal romance, it's not a normal world! You can't be all "don't be so possessive and overprotective of me, babe!" when it comes to the mafia. Like what 😭 I couldn't take that part seriously.
And then after Liam has thoughts of kind of blaming Nicky anyway - even though he feels bad for them and logically knows it's not fair - for EVEN THOUGH HOURS BEFORE HE WAS EXASPERATED AT NICKY TEXTING HIM EVERY FEW HOURS TO CHECK IN! Like ffs!
Like man I love to read mafia romances because the men are fucked up but they fall deeply in love with their man and will do ANYTHING to protect them and they are their exception to everything, but they will fuck up anyone else. LIKE?! These are not normal men! They are dangerous men, how about they act like it? I'm not here for a normal romance goddamn.
These are the healthiest mafia men I've ever seen, especially Nicky haskjdha.
*sigghhhh* I have frustrations with this, obviously.
Was it still an okay read? Meh...kinda. And Nicky and Liam had their sweet moments, and once we got sex it was pretty good - what little of it we got - but...yeah this one just didn't hit like the first one, it just didn't.
Also it felt a little stretched out. Like 4 or 5 chapters before it ended I thought it had ended but it was like...oh there's still 5 chapters to go. Never a great sign.
Oh it also got a bit repetitive later on as well. Like Liam DOES make a lot of strides toward being better and I do like where he ended up versus where he started, but damn there was a lot of "it didn't fix everything, but it was a start" or "it wasn't perfect, but it felt better" etc etc things like that okay I get it, I don't need to read that type of sentence over and over again, thanks.
Well...I felt like I tore into this pretty harshly, but once I got going, all those frustrations just came poring out.
I think, honestly, if Liam and Nicky had been a stronger couple with better chemistry, a lot of the other little niggles about this wouldn't have stood out so much to me. Also if it had leaned into the mafia angle more.
Like damn...actually I didn't like much about this when I think about it.
I loved the first book so much that this one is just a huge letdown. I will read the next two books because Carlo and Dante interest me and Carlo's love interest really interested me at the end, but we'll see if they can live up to the first book in this series for me or not.
As it is...this just overall didn't work for me.
I hope to have better luck with the next one, we'll see 🤞
My Ratings for the My Mobster series:
🔆 He Should Be Mine: 4.5 stars (my review)
🔆 My Best Friend Is Broken: 2 stars
🔆 Abducted By The Femboy: TBR
🔆 The Wrong Man: TBR
October 18, 2025
✨️📚 Arc - Review 📚✨️
Liam & Nicky
Rating: 5 ⭐️
- Best Friends to Lovers
Normally, here I would list the "tropes".
But right now I find it kind of hard to come up with something that will do Liam and Nicky justice.
So.
No tropes.
They live together.
They (sometimes) share a bed.
There will be found family. Eventually.
I thought about writing this review quiet some time.
Not because it's not a good book.
Because it's a rather - unusual? - romance...
This is Nicky and Liam's story.
They've been best friends since they were four years old.
Liam grows up to terrible parents, so Nicky and his mother become his chosen family.
Until he gets arrested and sentenced to 5 years of prison when he's barely 18.
He cuts all ties to the outside world and the next time they meet is when Liam's released from prison.
Nicky, now high ranking in the Italian mafia, waits for him excited, expecting him to be a grown up version of the boy that he last saw 5 years ago.
Only to realize that while he became successful in the mafia, earning a lot of money and living a relatively good life, the last 5 years turned Liam into someone he no longer recognizes.
Loaded full of anxiety, trauma and PTSD, Liam struggles with even small things such as noise, sudden movement, and worse - himself.
Nicky soon has to realize that he is way over his head in helping Liam, that maybe loving someone might not be enough.
This is not your typical romance.
It's a tale of surviving trauma and living and fighting with the fallout that follows.
It's about understanding that trauma isn't logical, that healing isn't linear.
About living with grief, pain and guilt. About good days, bad days and the struggle whether fighting is worth it when letting go seems so easy.
About seeing the person you love most breaking again and again, unable to stop it, uncertain how to help.
About accepting that trauma changes you, that you might never heal completely, that you are no longer the person you were before.
About letting go of the past and the what-ifs and keep fighting for a future.
About that progress now can turn to five steps back any minute.
This book is heavy from beginning to end.
They get their HEA.
But it's hard earned.
Soo, would I recommend it?
Yes.
But be prepared.
This is not an easy read.
If you struggle with your mental health, with descriptions of trauma and PTSD and what follows after, this might not be for you.
Content Warnings:
- trauma
- PTSD (on page)
- anxiety (on page)
- dissociation (on page)
- night terrors (on page)
- rape (implied & brief mention)
- death in a car crash (side character)
- imprisonment of a MC
- violence
- suicide ideation
- suicide attempt
- grief
- hospitalization (normal & mental health facility)
- kidnapping of MC and side character
- gun violence
Unfortunately there is no list in the ARC Copy, so this list might be incomplete.
HEA: Yes
POV: Duo/ First Person
Breakup: No
Cheat: No
Verse: Yes
Liam & Nicky
Rating: 5 ⭐️
- Best Friends to Lovers
Normally, here I would list the "tropes".
But right now I find it kind of hard to come up with something that will do Liam and Nicky justice.
So.
No tropes.
They live together.
They (sometimes) share a bed.
There will be found family. Eventually.
I thought about writing this review quiet some time.
Not because it's not a good book.
Because it's a rather - unusual? - romance...
This is Nicky and Liam's story.
They've been best friends since they were four years old.
Liam grows up to terrible parents, so Nicky and his mother become his chosen family.
Until he gets arrested and sentenced to 5 years of prison when he's barely 18.
He cuts all ties to the outside world and the next time they meet is when Liam's released from prison.
Nicky, now high ranking in the Italian mafia, waits for him excited, expecting him to be a grown up version of the boy that he last saw 5 years ago.
Only to realize that while he became successful in the mafia, earning a lot of money and living a relatively good life, the last 5 years turned Liam into someone he no longer recognizes.
Loaded full of anxiety, trauma and PTSD, Liam struggles with even small things such as noise, sudden movement, and worse - himself.
Nicky soon has to realize that he is way over his head in helping Liam, that maybe loving someone might not be enough.
This is not your typical romance.
It's a tale of surviving trauma and living and fighting with the fallout that follows.
It's about understanding that trauma isn't logical, that healing isn't linear.
About living with grief, pain and guilt. About good days, bad days and the struggle whether fighting is worth it when letting go seems so easy.
About seeing the person you love most breaking again and again, unable to stop it, uncertain how to help.
About accepting that trauma changes you, that you might never heal completely, that you are no longer the person you were before.
About letting go of the past and the what-ifs and keep fighting for a future.
About that progress now can turn to five steps back any minute.
This book is heavy from beginning to end.
They get their HEA.
But it's hard earned.
Soo, would I recommend it?
Yes.
But be prepared.
This is not an easy read.
If you struggle with your mental health, with descriptions of trauma and PTSD and what follows after, this might not be for you.
Content Warnings:
- trauma
- PTSD (on page)
- anxiety (on page)
- dissociation (on page)
- night terrors (on page)
- rape (implied & brief mention)
- death in a car crash (side character)
- imprisonment of a MC
- violence
- suicide ideation
- suicide attempt
- grief
- hospitalization (normal & mental health facility)
- kidnapping of MC and side character
- gun violence
Unfortunately there is no list in the ARC Copy, so this list might be incomplete.
HEA: Yes
POV: Duo/ First Person
Breakup: No
Cheat: No
Verse: Yes
May 26, 2026
This story is very heavy and emotional, and the hurt/comfort is strong. Its all about trauma and healing and the love between two best friends that discover they mean even more to each other.
Nicky and Liam are best friends and the story begins with the guys in their late teen years, exactly when a traumatic and horrible mistake sends Liam away. Five years later, Nicky is ready to stand by and help his best friend navigate the world, but he is not prepared for the amount of trauma Liam has experienced, and how its affected him in every way possible. The story is almost completely about Liam and his healing process, and Nicky's ability to accept the new version of his best friend.Because these two have been friends for so long, the love is a bit insta-love, but overall its a (necessary) slow burn feel to it. Its a really good edition to the series, and I enjoyed seeing some familiar characters. Its the 2nd in the series, and there are characters from book one in this one, so it's probably best to read in order.
Contemporary MM
2nd In Seriors
Friends To Lovers
Healing From Trauma
Protective MC
Inst-Love
Slow Burn Spice
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥
Nicky and Liam are best friends and the story begins with the guys in their late teen years, exactly when a traumatic and horrible mistake sends Liam away. Five years later, Nicky is ready to stand by and help his best friend navigate the world, but he is not prepared for the amount of trauma Liam has experienced, and how its affected him in every way possible. The story is almost completely about Liam and his healing process, and Nicky's ability to accept the new version of his best friend.Because these two have been friends for so long, the love is a bit insta-love, but overall its a (necessary) slow burn feel to it. Its a really good edition to the series, and I enjoyed seeing some familiar characters. Its the 2nd in the series, and there are characters from book one in this one, so it's probably best to read in order.
Contemporary MM
2nd In Seriors
Friends To Lovers
Healing From Trauma
Protective MC
Inst-Love
Slow Burn Spice
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥
January 30, 2026
A Safe Space For Liam
Dee’s Grade: A+
Nicky and Liam’s story was utter perfection. Nicky was everything a broken person on a healing journey needs. Liam was so strong and courageous even when he couldn’t see it for himself.
I don’t usually like when they don’t go into full details on things regarding what caused the trauma but their connection was so beautiful that it just made the story really powerful and beautiful.
Dee’s Grade: A+
Nicky and Liam’s story was utter perfection. Nicky was everything a broken person on a healing journey needs. Liam was so strong and courageous even when he couldn’t see it for himself.
I don’t usually like when they don’t go into full details on things regarding what caused the trauma but their connection was so beautiful that it just made the story really powerful and beautiful.
April 11, 2026
3.5⭐️
Nicky has spent the past 5 years building up power in dark ways, all so he can provide for his best friend and purest love, Liam, when he gets out of prison. Liam has spent the past 5 years in prison, and those years have severely damaged his psyche from the terrible experiences he’s had. Nicky and Liam have been best friends since childhood, always loved each other. But now Nicky and Liam are going to have to learn to navigate their love, Nicky’s new violent occupation, and Liam’s mental health together.
This book has:
-a lot of hurt/comfort
-mafia
-best friends to lovers
I enjoyed this book for the most part, but again felt it was a little repetitive or unpolished. It was predictable, yes, but it was also nice to see Liam’s healing journey. This may be controversial, but I also liked that this book showed that sometimes therapy doesn’t work, and you need to keep looking for something else that’s better. Not every doctor, no matter their professional opinions or credibility, is going to be able to help every person in need. I’m glad Liam got the help that worked for him, and it was very sweet how he and Nicky just loved each other so purely.
I didn’t love the title for this book, especially because the whole point of the book is that Liam isn’t “broken”, but he’s hurt and in recovery. It feels contradictory to the message of the book.
The title of the next book though? I’m already hooked hahaha!
Nicky has spent the past 5 years building up power in dark ways, all so he can provide for his best friend and purest love, Liam, when he gets out of prison. Liam has spent the past 5 years in prison, and those years have severely damaged his psyche from the terrible experiences he’s had. Nicky and Liam have been best friends since childhood, always loved each other. But now Nicky and Liam are going to have to learn to navigate their love, Nicky’s new violent occupation, and Liam’s mental health together.
This book has:
-a lot of hurt/comfort
-mafia
-best friends to lovers
I enjoyed this book for the most part, but again felt it was a little repetitive or unpolished. It was predictable, yes, but it was also nice to see Liam’s healing journey. This may be controversial, but I also liked that this book showed that sometimes therapy doesn’t work, and you need to keep looking for something else that’s better. Not every doctor, no matter their professional opinions or credibility, is going to be able to help every person in need. I’m glad Liam got the help that worked for him, and it was very sweet how he and Nicky just loved each other so purely.
I didn’t love the title for this book, especially because the whole point of the book is that Liam isn’t “broken”, but he’s hurt and in recovery. It feels contradictory to the message of the book.
The title of the next book though? I’m already hooked hahaha!
October 30, 2025
Review for ( My Mobster-2) My Best friend is Broken by Jessica Jackson
Ok, I'm so in when the story is Mafia, Dark, and juicy. Love, love this style of story. Jessica Jackson blew this out of the park. If you are looking for a fabulous story with
Best friends to lovers
Mafia romance
trauma
PTSD
Horrible parents
Liam has a hard time just trying to complete simple things. That was hard for me to read, having been there myself. So this drew me into the story because I understand PTSD and trauma. What he goes through at the hands of people, not parents, puts him through it, because good parents wouldn't do the things they did. The day Nicky and his Mother came into his life was the best day. That comes to a horrible stop when Liam is arrested and put in jail for several years. This story had me hurting so much for him and hoping that he would get back to Nicky. I rooted for these guys from start to finish. I want more of this series; I'm eager to continue.
Nicole Harvey
Ok, I'm so in when the story is Mafia, Dark, and juicy. Love, love this style of story. Jessica Jackson blew this out of the park. If you are looking for a fabulous story with
Best friends to lovers
Mafia romance
trauma
PTSD
Horrible parents
Liam has a hard time just trying to complete simple things. That was hard for me to read, having been there myself. So this drew me into the story because I understand PTSD and trauma. What he goes through at the hands of people, not parents, puts him through it, because good parents wouldn't do the things they did. The day Nicky and his Mother came into his life was the best day. That comes to a horrible stop when Liam is arrested and put in jail for several years. This story had me hurting so much for him and hoping that he would get back to Nicky. I rooted for these guys from start to finish. I want more of this series; I'm eager to continue.
Nicole Harvey
November 3, 2025
just beautiful, a very serious sentenced subject to write about, but Jessica, you did it so well
waiting for the next book in the series
I do love Molly, which has a special place in my heart
waiting for the next book in the series
I do love Molly, which has a special place in my heart
October 29, 2025
This is the second book of this series. I didn't read the first yet as I saw this one first and was intrigued but now that I read this I'm definitely going to read the first book next as well as wait for the next two in the series. This author said that I was going to be kept up reading til the early morning hours and I didn't believe them since its been awhile since a book made me do that but she was right after all. I was absorbed into Liam and Nicky's lives and couldn't get enough. My poor Liam. Oh lord the pain and trauma he experienced was so hard to read at times and is so realistic so make sure to read triggers carefully because there are a good amount and range from SA, time in prison, violence, the mafia and so much more. Liam paid for an accident that cost his friend her life with 5 years of his own leaving his best friend Nicky devasted especially since Liam didn't want any letters or visitors while he was inside. They were best friends for so long and Nicky thought Liam was larger than life and Liam thought good things were coming his way and he could get through his worries. But they were eighteen then when we feel like the world is at our fingertips but that one terrible night could shatter that illusion. Nicky threw himself into the mafia life of some of his family and wanted to be successful and powerful so he could give Liam a good life he didn't have to worry about after the years he sepnt locked up. But the person Liam comes out of prison as isn't the confident boy who seemed like a king to him and instead he's met with the shell of the person he was. One scared of loud noises and who flinches when touched or someone gets too close. Liam is carrying trauma and secrets and feels like he's given up but not if Nicky has anything to say about it. He vows to Liam that no matter what he's sticking by his side even if Liam thinks he'll be broken forever. Nicky slowly shows him that life can be more than surviving and that his past doesn't have to define his future. Liam shows Nicky that there's more to life than work and money and power. They show each orher that love doesn't fix everything wrong but it gives you a reason to fight and a purpose to go on and be better than you were the day before. Even with every set back Liam had Nicky never let him live in it. He pulled him out when he could and held him together when he couldn't and showed Liam that he didn't need to be owned or claimed to feel safe but that he can give him his love and devotion and stand by his side while Liam healed himself and learned what it means to live and not just survive the day. This was a hard book but so good and had a beautiful ending. It wasn't a perfect book which is why I gave it 4 starts when it was almost a 5 for me but I flew through it and fell in love with Liam, Nicky and the rest of the gang (no pun intended) and I'm now invested in the rest of the series. I can't wait to see Liam and Nicky again and to read about the rest of their found family.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 2, 2025
That feel like such an unexpectedly healing read for a Mafia Romance book 🥹
I love the slow burn of their relationship progress and healing journey for Liam 🥺 we get an insight of aftermath of going out of prison and ways to getting back of yourself, i love how Nicky is in every step of Liam journey and help him plus understanding him. He seek advice and try to help Liam in every way that he can, it was unexpectedly the most green flag couple in Mafia book ever ! He help Liam stand on his own, finding himself back and give him time to build their relationship together ♥️
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
Now he can barely leave the apartment. He flinches when I move too quickly. He thinks he’s broken beyond repair.”
“Maybe he is broken,” Molly says, and I start to protest, but he holds up a hand. “Let me finish. Maybe he is broken, and maybe that’s okay. Maybe you can love someone who’s broken without wanting to fix them.”
“How?”
“By loving the person he is now, not the person he used to be. By seeing his strength in surviving, not his weakness in struggling. By supporting his healing without making it about you.”
I drain half my wineglass in one swallow. “That sounds incredibly mature and healthy. I’m not sure I’m capable of it.”
Molly grins. “None of us are, at first. It’s a skill you learn.”
€
“Come on then,” Liam says, standing and starting to clear the breakfast dishes with ruthless efficiency. “Let’s go learn how to properly take care of you.”
The casual way he says it, like taking care of me is just another skill he wants to master, like loving me is something he can get better at with practice and attention, makes my heart do something complicated in my chest.
€
“For what?” Nicky raises an eyebrow and then shakes his head. “You don’t have to thank me for anything.”
“I do!” I protest. “For bringing me here. For supporting the job thing. For not making me feel like I need permission to have my own life.”
“You don’t need to thank me for that. You should have your own life, your own goals, your own sense of purpose. I never wanted to be the only good thing in your world. That’s too much pressure for anyone.”
The honesty of it hits me square in the chest. Because he’s right, I had been making him responsible for my entire emotional well-being, making our relationship carry the weight of my recovery and my happiness and my reason for existing.”
“I love you,” I tell him, the words coming easily now, without the desperate edge they used to carry. “But you’re right. You can’t be everything for me. That’s not fair to either of us.”
“I love you too,” he says, lifting our joined hands to press a kiss to my knuckles. “And I’m proud of you. For today, for how far you’ve come, for choosing to build something for yourself.”
Excerpt From
My Best Friend Is Broken: A Dark MM Friends to Lovers Romance (My Mobster)
Jessica Jackman
This material may be protected by copyright.
I love the slow burn of their relationship progress and healing journey for Liam 🥺 we get an insight of aftermath of going out of prison and ways to getting back of yourself, i love how Nicky is in every step of Liam journey and help him plus understanding him. He seek advice and try to help Liam in every way that he can, it was unexpectedly the most green flag couple in Mafia book ever ! He help Liam stand on his own, finding himself back and give him time to build their relationship together ♥️
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
Now he can barely leave the apartment. He flinches when I move too quickly. He thinks he’s broken beyond repair.”
“Maybe he is broken,” Molly says, and I start to protest, but he holds up a hand. “Let me finish. Maybe he is broken, and maybe that’s okay. Maybe you can love someone who’s broken without wanting to fix them.”
“How?”
“By loving the person he is now, not the person he used to be. By seeing his strength in surviving, not his weakness in struggling. By supporting his healing without making it about you.”
I drain half my wineglass in one swallow. “That sounds incredibly mature and healthy. I’m not sure I’m capable of it.”
Molly grins. “None of us are, at first. It’s a skill you learn.”
€
“Come on then,” Liam says, standing and starting to clear the breakfast dishes with ruthless efficiency. “Let’s go learn how to properly take care of you.”
The casual way he says it, like taking care of me is just another skill he wants to master, like loving me is something he can get better at with practice and attention, makes my heart do something complicated in my chest.
€
“For what?” Nicky raises an eyebrow and then shakes his head. “You don’t have to thank me for anything.”
“I do!” I protest. “For bringing me here. For supporting the job thing. For not making me feel like I need permission to have my own life.”
“You don’t need to thank me for that. You should have your own life, your own goals, your own sense of purpose. I never wanted to be the only good thing in your world. That’s too much pressure for anyone.”
The honesty of it hits me square in the chest. Because he’s right, I had been making him responsible for my entire emotional well-being, making our relationship carry the weight of my recovery and my happiness and my reason for existing.”
“I love you,” I tell him, the words coming easily now, without the desperate edge they used to carry. “But you’re right. You can’t be everything for me. That’s not fair to either of us.”
“I love you too,” he says, lifting our joined hands to press a kiss to my knuckles. “And I’m proud of you. For today, for how far you’ve come, for choosing to build something for yourself.”
Excerpt From
My Best Friend Is Broken: A Dark MM Friends to Lovers Romance (My Mobster)
Jessica Jackman
This material may be protected by copyright.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Best Friend is Broken by Jessica Jackman
I SOBBED and LOVED this book. 😭❤️🔥
This story is heavy, heartbreaking, and so beautifully written that it stays with you long after you finish. My Best Friend is Broken isn’t your typical romance — it’s a story about surviving trauma, about friendship that refuses to die, and about what love looks like when “happily ever after” has to be fought for every single day.
Liam and Nicky grew up together — two boys who became family in a world that offered them very little kindness. When Liam goes to prison after a tragic accident, Nicky’s entire world fractures. Five years later, he’s built a life in the mafia, but none of it matters without Liam. What he doesn’t expect is the broken, haunted man who walks out of those gates — a man who flinches from touch, whispers instead of speaks, and clings to Nicky like he’s the only safe thing left.
This book hurts. It’s about PTSD, guilt, and trying to love someone who’s learning how to exist again. It’s about nights filled with silence and fear, about Nicky realizing that love alone isn’t enough — and still refusing to give up. Jessica Jackman doesn’t romanticize the pain; she honors it. She shows the hard, messy truth of healing and what it means to build something fragile but real out of the wreckage.
Liam and Nicky’s story is brutal, tender, and unforgettable. Their HEA isn’t perfect — it’s earned. And it’s that raw, imperfect beauty that made me sob through the final chapters and still close the book smiling.
If you love best friends to lovers, hurt/comfort, and healing arcs that rip you apart and put you back together, this one is a must-read. But go in ready — it’s dark, emotional, and absolutely worth every tear. ❤️🩹
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
My Best Friend is Broken by Jessica Jackman
I SOBBED and LOVED this book. 😭❤️🔥
This story is heavy, heartbreaking, and so beautifully written that it stays with you long after you finish. My Best Friend is Broken isn’t your typical romance — it’s a story about surviving trauma, about friendship that refuses to die, and about what love looks like when “happily ever after” has to be fought for every single day.
Liam and Nicky grew up together — two boys who became family in a world that offered them very little kindness. When Liam goes to prison after a tragic accident, Nicky’s entire world fractures. Five years later, he’s built a life in the mafia, but none of it matters without Liam. What he doesn’t expect is the broken, haunted man who walks out of those gates — a man who flinches from touch, whispers instead of speaks, and clings to Nicky like he’s the only safe thing left.
This book hurts. It’s about PTSD, guilt, and trying to love someone who’s learning how to exist again. It’s about nights filled with silence and fear, about Nicky realizing that love alone isn’t enough — and still refusing to give up. Jessica Jackman doesn’t romanticize the pain; she honors it. She shows the hard, messy truth of healing and what it means to build something fragile but real out of the wreckage.
Liam and Nicky’s story is brutal, tender, and unforgettable. Their HEA isn’t perfect — it’s earned. And it’s that raw, imperfect beauty that made me sob through the final chapters and still close the book smiling.
If you love best friends to lovers, hurt/comfort, and healing arcs that rip you apart and put you back together, this one is a must-read. But go in ready — it’s dark, emotional, and absolutely worth every tear. ❤️🩹
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 28, 2026
Oh, my heart. This one got to me. True hurt/comfort.
Liam and Nicky are best friends, probably in love without yet knowing/admitting it, 18 with the world at their…well, not feet, they need to figure out life, but, they’re ready to make their mark.
Then, a tragedy happens, a drunk driving accident, and Liam goes to jail.
Five years later, Nicky’s waiting to pick Liam up when he gets out. Nicky's looking for his cocky, charming, confident best friend and ready to pick up the friendship where they left off.
He doesn’t recognize the hunched shell of a man who shuffles out of the prison looking like a kicked dog and trying to be invisible walking down the street.
So begins one of the most tender, sweet, painful and lovely romances I’ve read of late. Nicky’s patience and openness to getting to know this Liam, support him while he deals with the PTSD and trauma stemming from 5 years of being raped and assaulted, showing Liam he has a safe place, a person who won’t give up…it was poignant and powerful.
And Liam! Oh this man…he has so much to work through, and he keeps trying. He knows he isn’t the person Nicky once knew. And he isn’t. The author didn’t shy away from just how much being in prison and constantly attacked changed Liam. He can barely function at first, let alone leave Nicky’s apartment once he realizes Nicky truly does want him to say. For good. For as long as he needs. Forever.
But Liam is brave and keeps trying. And Nicky gives him the time and space and safe place to land he needs.
Oh. Did I mention? Nicky joined the mafia, as Liam casually urged him to do all those years ago. And he’s on his way up. I loved that this made things hard, that Liam wasn’t all gung-ho, that they had to work through what that meant, that Nicky is involved in violence and has killed people and is on call when needed. Liam was troubled by it all, and the need to work through Nicky’s new reality added to his turmoil and wasn’t shied away from. It also does lead to a terrific future career for Liam in a nice way, mafia adjacent but healing not violent. Loved that.
They go through a roller coaster of emotions and Liam being triggered into panic attacks, and they gradually form strong, genuine connection, and Liam begins to bloom and flourish, and reach out for Nicky, but always one step forward three steps back. The developing physicality between them was beautiful and fragile, and had some rough moments when Liam demanded things Nicky at first didn’t quite understand, that might have become harmful, but Nicky stood up for what he was comfortable with too, and started to read Liam better, figure out what would harm and what would heal. He found ways to give Liam what he needed, not what he thought he wanted. There were no magic-cocks here to “fix” all the trauma; I felt the slow build of their physical relationship made sense and was credible and ultimately so lovely, as Liam came to claim himself back, bit by bit, and Nicky…he’s It was so sweet. And they do get to have a significant first together toward the end.
Seeing Liam get to know Nicky’s boss’s lover, Molly, was adorable; I don’t want to read Molly and Dario’s book, it isn’t for me, but, I loved this character and was delighted to meet him here, now that they’re together. Molly, and the other members of the mafia crew, were all unique and intriguing. Looking forward to Carlo’s story next!
One thing that wasn’t dealt with AT ALL that became frustrating. The plot focused so much on the mafia element that it never resolved the issue around the initial accident that sent Liam to prison, and that was a huge hole in the story. Because Not that I wanted anyone else to go through what Liam did, but, it was wrong, and the fact that the other guy never owned up to it, never apologized, never even appears again to reveal what happened with him/them was infuriating. Even worse, and this really was even more infuriating, Nicky never finds out. Liam doesn’t tell him, no one ever bothers to realize the truth. And that was upsetting and felt like a serious injustice. I didn't understand why they never talked about it, addressed it. Nicky wouldn't have gone after the guy (Sam), and also doesn't seem to know the people involved at all anymore, which...why not? We hear NOTHING about them, and that seemed a mistake.
I think the message is supposed to be “it doesn’t matter, they were all responsible and someone died.” But again…again I call BS. It does matter, and not stepping up to take responsibility for your actions is never a good message. The fact that that character isn’t even an on-page character was a misstep here, and I’m kind of fuming about it not being dealt with.
***added*** I also wasn't satisfied that we didn't get to *see* the fate of one of Liam's worst abusers/his rapist. It's implied, but all violence is kept off page, and...that one I wanted to SEE.
(I kept the rating 4 stars though, despite the catalyst issue not being dealt with at all, bc the romance worked so well for me and that's what I read for.)
Overall though, I truly adored the romance between these two. I loved seeing them work through this together, and really fall in love as grownups through the difficult times and claim a new, stronger relationship and future. Mafia danger and all. It was sweet, sexy at times, triumphant, raw, and real.
A favorite moment was the Russian mob guys realizing…just what they’d done. 😂
Oh, and, note on setting--this is set in London, but, I kept thinking we were in New York. The mafia element felt so NYC. And the prison sounded so horrific, much like US prisons. I don't know the UK prison system, maybe it's equally appalling.
HEA, best friends to traumatic separation to lovers, ex-convict, mafia, romantic suspense. Hurt/comfort read. PTSD and recovery from imprisonment and constant rape, including mention of an STI. I appreciated the use of “clear” instead of “clean” when they responsibly discussed status. These two were grownups, and while parts were difficult and painful to read/realize, it was well done and ultimately so hopeful. NO others or OM drama at all, totally safe for me. All assault is off page in the past, and revealed vaguely with understanding, not described. Highly recommended.
My thanks to BookSirens for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.
Liam and Nicky are best friends, probably in love without yet knowing/admitting it, 18 with the world at their…well, not feet, they need to figure out life, but, they’re ready to make their mark.
Then, a tragedy happens, a drunk driving accident, and Liam goes to jail.
Five years later, Nicky’s waiting to pick Liam up when he gets out. Nicky's looking for his cocky, charming, confident best friend and ready to pick up the friendship where they left off.
He doesn’t recognize the hunched shell of a man who shuffles out of the prison looking like a kicked dog and trying to be invisible walking down the street.
So begins one of the most tender, sweet, painful and lovely romances I’ve read of late. Nicky’s patience and openness to getting to know this Liam, support him while he deals with the PTSD and trauma stemming from 5 years of being raped and assaulted, showing Liam he has a safe place, a person who won’t give up…it was poignant and powerful.
And Liam! Oh this man…he has so much to work through, and he keeps trying. He knows he isn’t the person Nicky once knew. And he isn’t. The author didn’t shy away from just how much being in prison and constantly attacked changed Liam. He can barely function at first, let alone leave Nicky’s apartment once he realizes Nicky truly does want him to say. For good. For as long as he needs. Forever.
But Liam is brave and keeps trying. And Nicky gives him the time and space and safe place to land he needs.
Oh. Did I mention? Nicky joined the mafia, as Liam casually urged him to do all those years ago. And he’s on his way up. I loved that this made things hard, that Liam wasn’t all gung-ho, that they had to work through what that meant, that Nicky is involved in violence and has killed people and is on call when needed. Liam was troubled by it all, and the need to work through Nicky’s new reality added to his turmoil and wasn’t shied away from. It also does lead to a terrific future career for Liam in a nice way, mafia adjacent but healing not violent. Loved that.
They go through a roller coaster of emotions and Liam being triggered into panic attacks, and they gradually form strong, genuine connection, and Liam begins to bloom and flourish, and reach out for Nicky, but always one step forward three steps back. The developing physicality between them was beautiful and fragile, and had some rough moments when Liam demanded things Nicky at first didn’t quite understand, that might have become harmful, but Nicky stood up for what he was comfortable with too, and started to read Liam better, figure out what would harm and what would heal. He found ways to give Liam what he needed, not what he thought he wanted. There were no magic-cocks here to “fix” all the trauma; I felt the slow build of their physical relationship made sense and was credible and ultimately so lovely, as Liam came to claim himself back, bit by bit, and Nicky…he’s It was so sweet. And they do get to have a significant first together toward the end.
Seeing Liam get to know Nicky’s boss’s lover, Molly, was adorable; I don’t want to read Molly and Dario’s book, it isn’t for me, but, I loved this character and was delighted to meet him here, now that they’re together. Molly, and the other members of the mafia crew, were all unique and intriguing. Looking forward to Carlo’s story next!
One thing that wasn’t dealt with AT ALL that became frustrating. The plot focused so much on the mafia element that it never resolved the issue around the initial accident that sent Liam to prison, and that was a huge hole in the story. Because Not that I wanted anyone else to go through what Liam did, but, it was wrong, and the fact that the other guy never owned up to it, never apologized, never even appears again to reveal what happened with him/them was infuriating. Even worse, and this really was even more infuriating, Nicky never finds out. Liam doesn’t tell him, no one ever bothers to realize the truth. And that was upsetting and felt like a serious injustice. I didn't understand why they never talked about it, addressed it. Nicky wouldn't have gone after the guy (Sam), and also doesn't seem to know the people involved at all anymore, which...why not? We hear NOTHING about them, and that seemed a mistake.
I think the message is supposed to be “it doesn’t matter, they were all responsible and someone died.” But again…again I call BS. It does matter, and not stepping up to take responsibility for your actions is never a good message. The fact that that character isn’t even an on-page character was a misstep here, and I’m kind of fuming about it not being dealt with.
***added*** I also wasn't satisfied that we didn't get to *see* the fate of one of Liam's worst abusers/his rapist. It's implied, but all violence is kept off page, and...that one I wanted to SEE.
(I kept the rating 4 stars though, despite the catalyst issue not being dealt with at all, bc the romance worked so well for me and that's what I read for.)
Overall though, I truly adored the romance between these two. I loved seeing them work through this together, and really fall in love as grownups through the difficult times and claim a new, stronger relationship and future. Mafia danger and all. It was sweet, sexy at times, triumphant, raw, and real.
A favorite moment was the Russian mob guys realizing…just what they’d done. 😂
Oh, and, note on setting--this is set in London, but, I kept thinking we were in New York. The mafia element felt so NYC. And the prison sounded so horrific, much like US prisons. I don't know the UK prison system, maybe it's equally appalling.
HEA, best friends to traumatic separation to lovers, ex-convict, mafia, romantic suspense. Hurt/comfort read. PTSD and recovery from imprisonment and constant rape, including mention of an STI. I appreciated the use of “clear” instead of “clean” when they responsibly discussed status. These two were grownups, and while parts were difficult and painful to read/realize, it was well done and ultimately so hopeful. NO others or OM drama at all, totally safe for me. All assault is off page in the past, and revealed vaguely with understanding, not described. Highly recommended.
My thanks to BookSirens for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.
October 31, 2025
4/5 ⭐️
This book deals with dark themes such as PTSD, sexual abuse/assault, violence, etc. please check trigger warnings before reading.
Liam and Nicky are so lovely, the way they care for each other and how patient they are with one another is everything to me.
Nicky’s been waiting for his best friend to get out of prison for the last 5 years, and when the day comes when Liam is released, he barely recognizes his best friend. The naivety Nicky had when he was 18 is quickly wiped away when he sees just how broken and messed up Liam is from his time in prison. With patients, love, and lots of steps forward and backward, the two learn how to navigate their relationship and Liam learns how to live again and what it means to be happy again.
Nicky is such a soft and gentle creature when it comes to Liam. Big bad Mafia man only soft for his boyfriend? Love it. He has so much patience and love for Liam, he’ll do whatever it takes to help him, protect him, and make him see that after everything, he deserves happiness and good things.
Liam makes my heart hurt, he’s so selfless, yet so broken. Nobody deserves what he went through while in prison and Jessica Jackman does a good job at portraying PTSD with Liam, how bad days can come out of nowhere, and how people can respond to them. Liam comes such a long way through this book, from broken man to learning how to be okay with life and himself and learning that he does deserve happiness, and that happiness is in the form of Nicky and a life with him.
Also seeing Molly and Liam interact together and their friendship is everything, the two are complete opposites, but they mesh together so well, like puzzle pieces.
I received this ARC from BookSirens in return for an honest review.
~ARC Review
This book deals with dark themes such as PTSD, sexual abuse/assault, violence, etc. please check trigger warnings before reading.
Liam and Nicky are so lovely, the way they care for each other and how patient they are with one another is everything to me.
Nicky’s been waiting for his best friend to get out of prison for the last 5 years, and when the day comes when Liam is released, he barely recognizes his best friend. The naivety Nicky had when he was 18 is quickly wiped away when he sees just how broken and messed up Liam is from his time in prison. With patients, love, and lots of steps forward and backward, the two learn how to navigate their relationship and Liam learns how to live again and what it means to be happy again.
Nicky is such a soft and gentle creature when it comes to Liam. Big bad Mafia man only soft for his boyfriend? Love it. He has so much patience and love for Liam, he’ll do whatever it takes to help him, protect him, and make him see that after everything, he deserves happiness and good things.
Liam makes my heart hurt, he’s so selfless, yet so broken. Nobody deserves what he went through while in prison and Jessica Jackman does a good job at portraying PTSD with Liam, how bad days can come out of nowhere, and how people can respond to them. Liam comes such a long way through this book, from broken man to learning how to be okay with life and himself and learning that he does deserve happiness, and that happiness is in the form of Nicky and a life with him.
Also seeing Molly and Liam interact together and their friendship is everything, the two are complete opposites, but they mesh together so well, like puzzle pieces.
I received this ARC from BookSirens in return for an honest review.
~ARC Review
November 2, 2025
Nicky’s life shattered the night his best friend Liam went to prison for a tragic accident that claimed a young girl’s life. Once the golden boy of their neighborhood, Liam vanished behind bars—cutting off all contact, leaving Nicky to rise alone in a world that now feared and respected him. Five years later, Nicky waits at the prison gates, expecting a hardened man. Instead, he finds Liam broken—fragile, haunted, and clinging to the only person who still feels like home. Their reunion is raw and intimate, steeped in loyalty, grief, and a love that defies easy labels. When Liam begs Nicky to claim him—to make him his—it’s not just about comfort. It’s about survival. But for Nicky, the choice isn’t simple. Giving Liam what he needs might mean confronting his own buried feelings, his own fears, and the possibility that love could be the most dangerous thing of all.
I loved this dark story which asked can someone who’s been broken by their past ever be whole again? And can love be the bridge between shame and healing? The bond between the two men transcended time, trauma, and societal judgment. It explored how loyalty can be both a lifeline and a burden—especially when it’s tested by emotional complexity and unspoken desire. The story also story explored how trauma can reshape intimacy, and how desire can become a form of emotional survival. It asked whether love born from pain can still be real—and whether it can heal. I loved how both men were strong in their own way. So many emotions and feelings were worked into the story and the love that they both shared was strong enough to withstand everything thrown at them. Easy to read and understand. This was an MM story with mature content.
I loved this dark story which asked can someone who’s been broken by their past ever be whole again? And can love be the bridge between shame and healing? The bond between the two men transcended time, trauma, and societal judgment. It explored how loyalty can be both a lifeline and a burden—especially when it’s tested by emotional complexity and unspoken desire. The story also story explored how trauma can reshape intimacy, and how desire can become a form of emotional survival. It asked whether love born from pain can still be real—and whether it can heal. I loved how both men were strong in their own way. So many emotions and feelings were worked into the story and the love that they both shared was strong enough to withstand everything thrown at them. Easy to read and understand. This was an MM story with mature content.
October 27, 2025
A gay dark romance masterpiece—there's no other way to describe this book. But if you're looking for page after page of spice and think romance can only happen between the sheets, you're in for a big disappointment. This goes so much deeper and is so much more than that.
From the very first pages, Liam and Nicky begin a dance that increasingly turns into a dark tango for their own souls. I was so quickly and surprisingly drawn into the story that I couldn't put the book down.
When Jessica Jackmann says you should knock back a triple espresso, she's damn right. I'm drinking it now in the morning because I have to function somehow today. Am I sorry that I spent half the night with Liam and Nicky? No!
I don't want to spoil too much, because you have to grow with the story. It's a journey that not only moves you deeply in the end, but also changes you. Love is unique and different for everyone. What these two have created is so breathtaking despite, or perhaps because of, the dark shadows and the glistening moments.
If you're still undecided but into gay dark romance, you'll experience something new here and still find what you're looking for. It's different in a way I can't quite put my finger on.
One more word of truth, or rather a small confession: I didn't read volume 1 because the “feminization” put me off a bit. That didn't seem to be the case in volume 2, so I read it. And now I'm sure that the theme in volume 1 isn't “disguised straight romance,” so I'm going to catch up on that volume very quickly.
So if, like me, you were badly disappointed before, you won't be here.
I definitely recommend reading it!
From the very first pages, Liam and Nicky begin a dance that increasingly turns into a dark tango for their own souls. I was so quickly and surprisingly drawn into the story that I couldn't put the book down.
When Jessica Jackmann says you should knock back a triple espresso, she's damn right. I'm drinking it now in the morning because I have to function somehow today. Am I sorry that I spent half the night with Liam and Nicky? No!
I don't want to spoil too much, because you have to grow with the story. It's a journey that not only moves you deeply in the end, but also changes you. Love is unique and different for everyone. What these two have created is so breathtaking despite, or perhaps because of, the dark shadows and the glistening moments.
If you're still undecided but into gay dark romance, you'll experience something new here and still find what you're looking for. It's different in a way I can't quite put my finger on.
One more word of truth, or rather a small confession: I didn't read volume 1 because the “feminization” put me off a bit. That didn't seem to be the case in volume 2, so I read it. And now I'm sure that the theme in volume 1 isn't “disguised straight romance,” so I'm going to catch up on that volume very quickly.
So if, like me, you were badly disappointed before, you won't be here.
I definitely recommend reading it!
Read
November 2, 2025While this is the second book in a series, I think you could read it without reading the first as I did. However we were given enough peeks into the relationship of the first and they seem like great couple so book 1 has quickly made some leaps on my TBR.
There is something to be said about mafia men and their boys. Their is a fierceness that is unlike any other pairing and in this world, men are proud of their boys. They hide them for protection not for embarrassment or to keep them kept and quiet. But this story is about two boys in love but life stood in their way and then quickly became two different men, the predator and the prey. Liam made a mistake to help a friend and it cost him freedom at the tender age of 18. It was selfless but it created a stain on his existence even in a place as large as London. Nicky had plans for him and his best friend Liam. But Liam had been away from several years so Nicky did what needed to be done. But now Nicky is able to come home and Liam is waiting with open arms but the boy he knew is not the man before him. So much has changed but their love has stayed the same, even if they did not realize that is what is was all those years ago. Liam is not sure how he feels about the world he's now been thrust into but he knows he can do anything with Nicky.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
There is something to be said about mafia men and their boys. Their is a fierceness that is unlike any other pairing and in this world, men are proud of their boys. They hide them for protection not for embarrassment or to keep them kept and quiet. But this story is about two boys in love but life stood in their way and then quickly became two different men, the predator and the prey. Liam made a mistake to help a friend and it cost him freedom at the tender age of 18. It was selfless but it created a stain on his existence even in a place as large as London. Nicky had plans for him and his best friend Liam. But Liam had been away from several years so Nicky did what needed to be done. But now Nicky is able to come home and Liam is waiting with open arms but the boy he knew is not the man before him. So much has changed but their love has stayed the same, even if they did not realize that is what is was all those years ago. Liam is not sure how he feels about the world he's now been thrust into but he knows he can do anything with Nicky.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 22, 2025
I'm halfway through the middle of the book, "My best friend is broken" and it has taught me so much, helped me heal my own wounds, and navigate life one step at a time. To accept all the aspects of my life, whether good or bad. To accept my imperfections and that life is hard, we know it, it will get harder, but it is also beautiful. That it's worth living and that hardships and moments of relief are a part of it.
This book taught me all that through the characters of Nicky and Liam and their painful past and present. I love how their relationship was built through all that trauma, misfortune, loneliness, and sadness. I love how Nicky is helping Liam through everything. Not only to get better but to be unapologetically the best version of himself. Moreover, I'm so proud of Liam's character for going through all that hell and still being willing to move on(I still can't get over all the trauma he went through before and after his imprisonment). It has given me a renewed sense of living.
It is the second book in the My Mobster series that I'm reading, and it didn't just provide the satisfaction of only reading as a reader but helped me in understanding my life and that when life happens, it will happen spectacularly, good and bad alike. Thank you, author Jessica Jackman, for this great piece of art and for making me cry over it.
It is a beautiful book revolving around hurt/comfort, best friends to lovers, and trauma. So, do read the trigger warnings and enjoy.
This book taught me all that through the characters of Nicky and Liam and their painful past and present. I love how their relationship was built through all that trauma, misfortune, loneliness, and sadness. I love how Nicky is helping Liam through everything. Not only to get better but to be unapologetically the best version of himself. Moreover, I'm so proud of Liam's character for going through all that hell and still being willing to move on(I still can't get over all the trauma he went through before and after his imprisonment). It has given me a renewed sense of living.
It is the second book in the My Mobster series that I'm reading, and it didn't just provide the satisfaction of only reading as a reader but helped me in understanding my life and that when life happens, it will happen spectacularly, good and bad alike. Thank you, author Jessica Jackman, for this great piece of art and for making me cry over it.
It is a beautiful book revolving around hurt/comfort, best friends to lovers, and trauma. So, do read the trigger warnings and enjoy.
November 12, 2025
My Best Friend Is Broken by Jessica Jackman is a stunning MM mafia romance that goes far beyond the usual tropes. It’s raw, emotional, and deeply human. The story follows Liam, freshly out of prison after five years, trying to piece together a life that no longer fits, and Nicky — his childhood friend turned mafia enforcer — who now balances power and vulnerability in equal measure.
What I loved most was how honestly Jessica Jackman portrays Liam’s trauma — the panic attacks, PTSD, and moments of disconnection that make every small step toward healing feel monumental. The mental struggles are vivid and heartbreaking, and through them, we see Nicky’s tenderness and helplessness, his fear of saying or doing the wrong thing as he tries to help the man he loves.
It’s not just a romance; it’s a study of survival, love, and the messy process of healing. Jackman doesn’t romanticize trauma — she makes you feel it. A beautifully written, deeply emotional read that I wholeheartedly recommend.
What I loved most was how honestly Jessica Jackman portrays Liam’s trauma — the panic attacks, PTSD, and moments of disconnection that make every small step toward healing feel monumental. The mental struggles are vivid and heartbreaking, and through them, we see Nicky’s tenderness and helplessness, his fear of saying or doing the wrong thing as he tries to help the man he loves.
It’s not just a romance; it’s a study of survival, love, and the messy process of healing. Jackman doesn’t romanticize trauma — she makes you feel it. A beautifully written, deeply emotional read that I wholeheartedly recommend.
November 20, 2025
My Best friend is Broken 📖
By: Jessica Jackson
Fall in love with two broken people who come together in a whole perfect way.
This book was a bit wordy. A bit repetitive but a whole lot of goodness.
Angst. Friends to lovers. Touch him and ☠️. The premise of the story of Liam and Nicky was spot on. The author went a bit overboard with this. Each chapter in the first half of the book could have been combined with the way the same words were used. Same thought process with each main character.
A bit more fact checking could have gone into this as well. Most men don’t say “being in the mafia”. It’s usually stated as “the family” for obvious reasons. Overall I went with 3 stars because I did like the story. Especially how Liam’s backstory broke my heart.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
By: Jessica Jackson
Fall in love with two broken people who come together in a whole perfect way.
This book was a bit wordy. A bit repetitive but a whole lot of goodness.
Angst. Friends to lovers. Touch him and ☠️. The premise of the story of Liam and Nicky was spot on. The author went a bit overboard with this. Each chapter in the first half of the book could have been combined with the way the same words were used. Same thought process with each main character.
A bit more fact checking could have gone into this as well. Most men don’t say “being in the mafia”. It’s usually stated as “the family” for obvious reasons. Overall I went with 3 stars because I did like the story. Especially how Liam’s backstory broke my heart.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 23, 2026
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
This is the second book in the My Mobster series by Jessica Jackman. It mostly stands alone, as Nicky and Liam’s story is new to this book. There is some crossover to the first book, He Should Be Mine, as Dario and Molly from that story are part of the larger mafia plot in this book.
The book opens when Nicky and Liam are younger, best friends, and haven’t put a name to the feelings between them. One night, there is a terrible accident and Liam makes a decision that will affect the rest of his life and, by association, Nicky’s life as well.
The book deals with darker themes, but without much on page violence or detail, it just runs the edge of being darker.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
This is the second book in the My Mobster series by Jessica Jackman. It mostly stands alone, as Nicky and Liam’s story is new to this book. There is some crossover to the first book, He Should Be Mine, as Dario and Molly from that story are part of the larger mafia plot in this book.
The book opens when Nicky and Liam are younger, best friends, and haven’t put a name to the feelings between them. One night, there is a terrible accident and Liam makes a decision that will affect the rest of his life and, by association, Nicky’s life as well.
The book deals with darker themes, but without much on page violence or detail, it just runs the edge of being darker.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
March 12, 2026
This book was not easy to read, enough moments to burst into tears and ask why. But the story was beautiful to read. What you can find wonderful about traumatic experiences of one of the MC. Innocently go to prison and experience the most degrading experiences there. That's the story Liam. Young, life is open to him with all possibilities and then something happens that wipes out the future. And after five years in prison he is met by his school friend Nicky. And then it becomes abundantly clear that Liam is no longer there. This person is someone else. Scared, mentally and physically devastated. And then their journey to healing begins, for both of them, because Nicky has also made choices. Story is nice to read and you also learn a few things from it. That sometimes you can be broken and maybe that will make you whole for someone else. Quite a story, but I would say read that book, but don't forget to look at the trigger list.
March 22, 2026
DNF @ 51%.
While friends to lovers is a trope I do not care for, I was hoping for a very Sad Boy TM. After all, it’s practically implied in the title.
Not only is this best friends to lovers, but almost immediately, both Nicola and Liam realize they have been in love with each other all along. So, essentially, we are starting this book with the romance all ready established. And I hate that.
I’ve been trying to get into this, but I fear this has book isn’t even a fraction as enjoyable as He Should Be Mine, let alone Abducted by the Femboy.
I mostly stuck it out with this one as long as I did hoping to see a few more glimpses of Dante, but at this point, I’ll just wait for his book to come out.
This book is just a matter of incompatibility for me. Friends to lovers is not my thing at all, and the things I do like about it are not enough to outweigh how much I dislike the trope.
While friends to lovers is a trope I do not care for, I was hoping for a very Sad Boy TM. After all, it’s practically implied in the title.
Not only is this best friends to lovers, but almost immediately, both Nicola and Liam realize they have been in love with each other all along. So, essentially, we are starting this book with the romance all ready established. And I hate that.
I’ve been trying to get into this, but I fear this has book isn’t even a fraction as enjoyable as He Should Be Mine, let alone Abducted by the Femboy.
I mostly stuck it out with this one as long as I did hoping to see a few more glimpses of Dante, but at this point, I’ll just wait for his book to come out.
This book is just a matter of incompatibility for me. Friends to lovers is not my thing at all, and the things I do like about it are not enough to outweigh how much I dislike the trope.
April 3, 2026
This one was the weakest in the series for me. Liam’s journey is heavy and emotional, and you really feel how prison trauma reshaped him into someone completely different from the strong boy he once was, but the payoff didn’t quite land. I liked seeing him slowly find purpose working with the mafia doctor and trying to deal with his guilt, but the story leaned so heavily into emotional healing that it lost the intensity and heat I expect from a mafia romance. What frustrated me most, though, was the sense that so much suffering never truly led to justice or resolution, which left me wondering what it was all for. Compared to Ginni and Carlo’s book, which delivered obsession and chemistry from the start, this one felt softer and slower, with only a couple real spicy moments near the end. I finished it, but I wouldn’t reread it, and while I’m still curious about Dante’s book, the last two books have definitely lowered my expectations for the rest of the series.
January 14, 2026
2.5/5 Stars
Very similar to the first book “He Should Be Mine”. It’s an okay story that often repeats the same stuff every couple chapters. It somehow managed to be both fast paced and dragged out. Definitely feel like it could have been less than 40 chapters.
Unfortunately I’m thinking this book series may not be for me. I don’t think the books are bad but they are a bit stereotypical. I’m not sure how I’ll like the next book just based off the summary but I’ll give it a try when it comes out.
Spoilers Below
I was surprised Liam or Nicky never reached out/mentioned Sam and Amy. No apologies or thank you’s. Five years is a long time but it just seemed strange considering how they played a part in why Liam went to prison. Also did Nicky ever know Liam hadn’t actually been driving the car? I may have skipped over that.
Very similar to the first book “He Should Be Mine”. It’s an okay story that often repeats the same stuff every couple chapters. It somehow managed to be both fast paced and dragged out. Definitely feel like it could have been less than 40 chapters.
Unfortunately I’m thinking this book series may not be for me. I don’t think the books are bad but they are a bit stereotypical. I’m not sure how I’ll like the next book just based off the summary but I’ll give it a try when it comes out.
Spoilers Below
I was surprised Liam or Nicky never reached out/mentioned Sam and Amy. No apologies or thank you’s. Five years is a long time but it just seemed strange considering how they played a part in why Liam went to prison. Also did Nicky ever know Liam hadn’t actually been driving the car? I may have skipped over that.
October 26, 2025
Best friends to lovers might be a familiar trope, but this story made the journey feel fresh and deeply emotional. Watching Liam navigate the aftermath of his prison experience was both heartbreaking and inspiring. I found myself rooting for him every step of the way. Nicky was the perfect counterbalance—supportive, patient, and exactly who Liam needed to heal and grow. Their connection felt genuine and inevitable, like they were always meant to find their way to each other
This isn’t just a love story—it’s a testament to resilience, redemption, and the kind of bond that refuses to break, no matter how shattered the world becomes. A stunning, soul-deep journey of healing, forgiveness, and the kind of love that never lets go.
This isn’t just a love story—it’s a testament to resilience, redemption, and the kind of bond that refuses to break, no matter how shattered the world becomes. A stunning, soul-deep journey of healing, forgiveness, and the kind of love that never lets go.
December 5, 2025
Alright. This started off great for me but I lost interest really quick. I was thinking this would be a favourite read but here we are. I ended up skimming through most of the pages.
I can’t explain why but there was just this huge disconnect between me and the characters. I should feel for Liam and for whatever it is he went through. Granted I think I really did have sympathy for him, it didn’t go beyond that. There wasn’t this intense urge to protect him like I would usually have for characters like him. Probably because his character felt redundant, and Nicky, he’s a romantic of course, still I couldn’t connect with him either.
He’s a selfless lover for sure and that’s about it.
I’m not sure why this is labeled dark romance though. 🧐🧐🧐
I can’t explain why but there was just this huge disconnect between me and the characters. I should feel for Liam and for whatever it is he went through. Granted I think I really did have sympathy for him, it didn’t go beyond that. There wasn’t this intense urge to protect him like I would usually have for characters like him. Probably because his character felt redundant, and Nicky, he’s a romantic of course, still I couldn’t connect with him either.
He’s a selfless lover for sure and that’s about it.
I’m not sure why this is labeled dark romance though. 🧐🧐🧐
October 26, 2025
This was an enjoyable read. It was a roller coaster of emotions for Liam and Nicky to navigate through. Best friends to lovers is expected but the journey to get there was beautiful to read. I felt for Liam and was rooting for him at the same time. Liam worked to get past his prison experience and Nicky was the perfect person to help him. They were made for each other. I hated the reason why Liam ended up in prison and I feel like that should’ve been addressed, but the story still turned into a good read. I look forward to the other two books coming out next year. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 4, 2025
A friends to lovers romance with a heart-wrenching but beautiful romance. Liam's slow and winding road to recovery is ever changing and very challenging: fortunately Niccolo 'Nicky' won't ever give up on him and is determined to be with Liam forever, even through the hardships.
I really loved the development between the two: it's very raw and emotional, and I can feel the pain, fear, and failure they go through day by day together. Sometimes the progress brings them together, sometimes it shatters like glass and they have to start over again.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I really loved the development between the two: it's very raw and emotional, and I can feel the pain, fear, and failure they go through day by day together. Sometimes the progress brings them together, sometimes it shatters like glass and they have to start over again.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 5, 2025
Nicky and Liam were bf's with their whole future ahead of them. Liam makes a mistake, one that costs him five years of his life in prison. Nicky goes into the Mafia, waiting for Liam to get out. Broken, scared, no longer the same and beaten down, Nicky is there for him. They have to work through all the pain, trauma and fear. Your heart bleeds for both of them. The changes, the growth and acceptance, how they cling to each other. It's a painful road and so many feelings, you are caught up in their story. It's the definition of loving someone for who they are. I received a copy of this through BookSirens and this is my voluntary opinion.
October 18, 2025
Amazing addition to this series, Jessica Jackman is 100% a one click author for me after reading He should be mine and this book was just as good.
Liam and Nicky’s relationship was beautiful, well written and just dragged you in where I read this in one sitting. Really looking for and to Carlo And Ginni’s book
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Liam and Nicky’s relationship was beautiful, well written and just dragged you in where I read this in one sitting. Really looking for and to Carlo And Ginni’s book
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
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