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Nikolai

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I'm being sold at a criminal auction to pay my dead father's debts.

Then a bratva boss kills three men to claim me.

I've survived on my own for three years. Buried the soft, small parts of me that got the last man I loved killed. Stayed big, stayed alert, stayed armored.

But when I step onto that auction stage, Nikolai Besharov looks at me like he sees everything. The photographic memory that makes me valuable. The shattered dancer's knee. The Little girl I've locked away so deep I thought she'd never surface again.

He's cold. Calculated. A strategic mastermind who thinks seventeen moves ahead.

So why does his voice go gentle when he calls me printsessa?

He says I'm under his protection. That he'll keep me safe while I work off the debt. That being small doesn't make me weak—it makes me his.

But the last time I let myself be vulnerable, someone died in my arms.

Can I really trust a man who bought me at auction... with the softest parts of my heart?

Nikolai is a steamy ddlg bratva romance, starring a guarded Little who's forgotten how to be soft and the Daddy Dom Pakhan who'll burn the world to keep her safe.

This is designed as an entry point to the Underworld Daddies series. The novel is a standalone, and doesn't need knowledge of the Volkov Brothers books.

376 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 23, 2025

53 people are currently reading
19 people want to read

About the author

Lucky Moon

150 books253 followers
Lucky Moon writes steamy age play romances. Her books are full of heat, heart, and very satisfying happy ever afters.

When she's not creating chemistry on a page, she's hanging out with her cats, taking forest walks, and trying to make the perfect taco. But whatever she's doing, she's always dreaming up new ways to give her readers exactly what they want. And then some...

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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for Kat Jowett.
115 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy
December 18, 2025
This book was truly fantastic, This isn’t the first lucky moon book that I’ve read but if it was it would be all I need to know that I would read more of them. This is a book with a lot of emotion, a fantastic plot line and beautiful characters.

Sophie is a 24 year old woman who’s father was part of the bratva, her mother died of cancer when she was young and her father tried his best, he loved her but he had a gambling addiction, Sophie has been through so much in her young life, she was a ballerina a good one who met Sergei who worked at the ballet, he became her Daddy he looked after her when she was big and he helped and cared for her when she needed to be little but one night Sophie was being little when bullets came through the window and Sergei pushed her off him to protect her, she tore her ACL Sergei died in her arms, she lost her partner and her ballet career in one night and Sophie stopped being little after that. Then her father died and the people he owed money too passed that debt to her, her father had used her as collateral unable to make the money she was brought in to be auctioned to work of the debt with whoever bought the debt. Sophie was highly intelligent with a photographic memory and all her father’s information so she was valuable.

The besherovs are one of the five family’s led by Nikolai, the ice king, strategist that thinks 15 steps ahead and was losing his humanity, so when the beleyevs start causing trouble he starts thinking strategy, Nikolai gets a phone call from his grandfather the sly fox that he is…. (Read it you’ll know why I say that) tells him to go to the settling auction that he might find something worth bidding for, something worth putting his strategy aside, something that shows you sometimes need less strategy and more violence to protect what’s yours. So he goes he does as he’s told and waits till the end, que Sophie being on stage desperately trying to be strong, trying to resist regression writhing seconds Nikolai spots all the signs she’s trying to hide and clocks her as a little from the get go, he can’t help but bid, but as anton beleyev tries to hike up the bidding and realises he’s going to lose the bullets start flying and the beleyevs try to take Sophie, causing Nikolai to throw strategy aside, he rescues Sophie when she wakes up shes at Nikolais compound he tries to talk to her but she’s angry,scared and hurt so she’s unreceptive to his deal until he puts his cards on the table with a fair agreement for working of the debt, he then tries to show her a contract regarding a daddy/ Little agreement but she’s not ready, slowly over time she starts to be more comfortable starts to want a daddy so when she does something incredibly stupid and Nikolai finds out she finally,y admits in someways it was a test because she wanted him to act like a daddy, she signs the contract and there relationship moves from there Sophie starts to learn that being little doesn’t mean she’s unsafe, that nothing catastrophic will happen just because she’s little because what happened to Sergei was not her fault, Nikolai is patient, caring, loving, soft when she needs it and firm when he has to be but more importantly he starts to become more human. They are slowly healing each other but what happens when there put in a position where he has to choose between her or the sly fox who raised him? Will Nikolai be able to see clearly or will Sophie have to be brave ….

There’s so much drama in the last few chapters and honestly I was there for it… I didn’t want to go into too much detail about the drama that happens Because honestly it would spoil it but just know the parts I’ve mentioned are only a fraction of the stuff that happens in this book and I’d say it’s one hundred percent worth the read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
3,165 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
December 19, 2025
A Captivating read, Lucky Moon builds wonderful characters and plot that will captivate
Sophie has suffered so much loss in her twenty-four of life, her father her rock and then her Daddy Sergei who had worked at the ballet and had become her daddy and he’d been wonderful then right before her eyes he had been killed. He had been shot whilst she had been curled up on his lap and his las thought had been to keep her safe even as he drew his last breath.
Then her father had continued to gamble and had racked up nearly two and a half million dollars and then she had been told that she was going to be auctioned off and then who ever bought the debt would be able use her talents such as a photographic memory and high intelligence until she had repaid their outlay.
At the auction she spots Nikolai who is one of the five families allowed to attend, his grandfather telephones him and instructs him to remain to the very las vid at on the night no matter what and he realises that she is the reason why but what was the reason?
He bids in the auction for Sophie as he realises immediately that she is a little, he cannot help himself but bid on her as she stands on the stage trying to be so brave as her little peeps out from her frightened eyes. When everything goes to blazes at the auction it is obvious that this is a distraction to grab Sophie but Nikolai is ready and garbs her as she is about to be shot by masked intruders and takes the fighting, frightened little to his compound where she can be protected.
Ad the story develops and the relationship between Nikolai who is a Daddy Dom and Sophie grows and he is finally able to gain her trust enough that she allows her Little to immerge after over three years. He knows that he cannot lose this beautiful woman and he hopes that she wants him to remain her Daddy not realising that his beautiful girl was soon to put herself in harms way for him and his family.
I will not divulge anything else as I do not want to spoil the end of this simply wonderful read and I guarantee that you will not put this book down until you reach the end and discover the outcome.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading any future publications; keep up all the wonderful writing.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
3,188 reviews27 followers
December 26, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Dark, Devotional, and Intensely Protective – Nikolai
Lucky Moon | Bratva Romance

Nikolai is a dark, emotionally charged romance that leans hard into protection, power, and vulnerability—delivering a story that’s as tender as it is dangerous.

Sophie is a heroine shaped by survival. She’s sharp, guarded, and constantly braced for impact, having learned the cost of softness the hard way. The auction premise is brutal, but it immediately establishes the stakes: Sophie isn’t looking to be rescued—she’s looking to endure. What makes this story compelling is that Nikolai doesn’t just see her as something to own or control. He sees everything: her intelligence, her injuries, her fear, and the parts of herself she’s buried to stay alive.

Nikolai Besharov is a quintessential Bratva boss—cold, strategic, and terrifyingly competent. But what sets him apart is the way his ruthlessness flips when it comes to Sophie. His protection isn’t performative; it’s absolute. The contrast between his lethal authority and the gentleness he shows her is where the romance truly shines. When he calls her printsessa, it doesn’t feel condescending—it feels reverent.

The Daddy Dom / Little dynamic is handled through emotional caretaking, trust, and safety rather than shock value. At its core, this is a story about reclaiming softness without surrendering strength. Sophie’s journey isn’t about becoming smaller—it’s about realizing she never had to be armored to be powerful.

The pacing balances external danger with internal healing, and the emotional arc is just as satisfying as the romantic one. Nikolai doesn’t erase Sophie’s trauma—he stands guard while she learns how to breathe again.

Nikolai is not a light read—but it’s a deeply rewarding one. It delivers obsession with purpose, dominance with care, and a love that feels earned, dangerous, and fiercely safe all at once.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Dee.
5,064 reviews56 followers
December 23, 2025
You might want to make sure to double check that you are buckled up, dangerous men, alpha’s personified, possessive, oh, gorgeous, brooding all the makings of a story consisting with three D’s (dark, delicious, and dirty) 😊. There will be suspense, betrayal, death, darkness, secrets reveled, violence, hope, forgiveness, and maybe even love along the way. Sophie makes you want to reach through giving her a huge hug she had a special talent that was very useful but she didn’t realize it but all she wanted was to be loved for her welcoming her stuffies, she has experience so much loss her father, steady her rock, then her daddy Sergei at the ballet but after watching him get shot all while he was still trying to protect her and then you have her biological father who gambles her future away puts her on the auction to pay for his debt for her specific talents. Nikolai sexy as all get out part of the five families allow to attend the auction when his grandfather tells him to stay there at the auction for her but he didn’t need to be told one look he need she was a little knowing she was his it hurt him watching her on that stage scared trying to be brave, but he also know in his world she won’t make it so when the auction is attacked with intentions set on her of course he steps in taking her to safety. Sophie is so scared she isn’t sure who she can trust her life is a mess after her father set this everything in motion now she is with a stranger who treats her like a good daddy, but can trust him, can she let her little out after so many years of hiding her, will he show her that he is trustworthy, he saved her not to hurt her, and has she find happiness smile again?
Profile Image for Just a Little Reading & Reviewing.
374 reviews126 followers
December 29, 2025
I love Daddy Doms and their Littles and Lucky Moon always delivers. Not only was Nicholai and Sophie a great DD/lg couple, but their story was exhilarating from page one till the end.

I can't get over how I missed this series. I've read LM before and loved her stories but this series, stern, protective Daddies in the dark underground Bratva world is an explosive combination that I'm so here for!

Our heroine, Sophie has suffered a lot, so much that she no longer feels safe letting her Little out. When her deceased father's gambling debt lands on her doorstep and she's auctioned off to the highest bidder, she spirals. Lucky for her, Nicholai is in the crowd and he instantly clocks her as Little.

Nicholai goes outside of his meticulous planning and bids on Sophie, not really sure why she's a hot commodity but knowing bone deep that she's someone special and his Daddy instincts are fully engaged around her.

I loved their blossoming romance. It wasn't love at first sight for Sophie, she had to learn to trust again and also to embrace her neglected Little side. Nicholai was the perfect Daddy for her.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
1,902 reviews9 followers
December 24, 2025
An unexpected twist of fate engineered by Nikolai's grandfather!
I fell in love with Sophie who has survived so much tragedy in her life from her mother's passing, to her Daddy's passing in her arms, to her father's passing leaving her as collateral on his gambling debts to be auctioned at the Settling. It's hard to get a read on Nikolai who plans 17 moves ahead in chess and keeps a tight control over everything as Pakhan. When his grandfather says he needs to stay to the end of the auction at the Settling than that is what he'll do despite the chaos that ensues over an auction that goes wrong from the first moment he laid eyes on Sophie and discovered her secret. What follows is a back and forth between Nikolai and Sophie as Sophie learns her boundaries all over again with Nikolai as her daddy who spends a lot of time with her. While Nikolai tries to discover the reason for Sophie's interest by another bratva, things go from bad to worse for Nikolai's tight control of the bratva, will he be able to play the chess pieces just right to win Sophie's heart and diminish the threat? You'll have to read to find out and don't expect to put the book down until you turn the last page!
1,101 reviews9 followers
December 23, 2025
Lucky Moon has always been a favorite, but Nikolai and Sophie hit my heart so hard! A Pakhan who’s every bit as dangerous as he is a Daddy: it’s a beautiful story of strength, resilience, courage, and love!! Sophie’s life is full of loyalty, heartbreak, and pain until he captures her in the midst of a power struggle. I love the Daddy/lg dynamic, his care of her, her responses to him, and how they grow from captive/kidnapper to a sweetly possessive relationship.

Their chemistry is made even better by their personalities, their emotional connection, and the scenes melt my heart and my kindle! It’s a wild ride of emotions for both of them: highly intelligent, slightly anxious, and extremely protective describes them perfectly! Lucky created an unusually sensitive crime boss who finds his heart and soul! It’s a slow burn, Bravta storyline with a great plot, compelling characters, and a well deserved HEA!!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Milliesbookcorner.
91 reviews5 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
December 21, 2025
A new family with different difficulties and challenges, in the family and outside of it. The origin story of Sophie created suspense and questions but I found that there were some things that required some additional explanation. If you liked the previous books in the series, you will like this one too!
However, I did find this to not be one of the best, I found that the family is essentially built the same as the Volkovs and having a leader, muscle and techie but I would like them to have more personality. Nikolai is big on chess but other than that, not much about him or his brothers. I hope to learn more about them as individuals. Unfortunately I also found the main characters annoying and ignorant, which shouldn’t be a trait in their line of living.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
1,956 reviews19 followers
December 21, 2025
Rating 4.5
The first time Nikolai meets Sophie is saving her at an auction and from here things gets interesting. I enjoyed the dynamics and how they played throughout the story. There are surprises that I was not expecting but they added to the story and made it much more interesting. Overall, I really enjoyed this story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and are voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Emily Buchanan.
90 reviews1 follower
December 29, 2025
A bit repetitive and a little slow in places, but you can absolutely see how much the author has grown from their first few series to this one. I enjoyed the fully flushed out plot and the character growth. I also thought the sex was well placed and added to the story instead of just throwing it in at random. This book deals with regression as a form of trauma healing, and the book also deals with staying true to yourself and not letting the opportunity of love pass by.
44 reviews
January 13, 2026
This was a hot little Ddlg mafia story. Nikolai is everything you want in your dom mafia daddy. Poor Sophie she just can't catch a break until Nikolai. Sophie is smart, whitty, and strong, she had fight. I love their chemistry and their connection. The plot was good and the spice was hot! I could not put this book down.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Angi.
1,275 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
December 23, 2025
This book has amazing characters, raw emotions and so much drama. With that said, all of it is amazingly written and will have you all in for what’s happening. I don’t want to spoil any of this book but it is a must read!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Ashley Carr, LSoR.
5,002 reviews63 followers
December 23, 2025
From the first time, Nikolai meets Sophie at an auction he is saving her and from there to get interesting. Sophie is not receptive to Nikolai a’s deal at the beginning, but she slowly warms up to it. There are twists and turns in this book that kept me on my toes and on the edge of my seat throughout. Overall, I really enjoyed the story and I can’t wait for the next.
Profile Image for Unrulyreadr Reviews.
1,090 reviews21 followers
December 23, 2025
"Nikolai" by Lucky Moon is a captivating read that kept me hooked from beginning to end. The story line is incredibly engaging, and the chemistry between Sophie and Nikolai is undeniable, making it hard to put down. If you're a fan of dark romance, this book is an absolute must-read!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Gladys.
14k reviews163 followers
December 23, 2025
This incredible read had my temperature climbing as it turned my heart to mush. I thought that there was something special about Sophie and Nikolai and their story. Poignant, spicy, sweet and majorly swoony, this book earned its five stars without even breaking a sweat.
1,739 reviews12 followers
December 27, 2025
Cracking

Fab characters, I loves the premise - the story was well thought out and well delivered. A great read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
13 reviews1 follower
January 10, 2026
Fantastic character building, suspense and just the right amount of drama.

Pleaseeee we need more of these books.
Profile Image for Nate.
24.2k reviews19 followers
January 14, 2026
I enjoyed Nikolai and Sophie’s story. It was an intriguing read. Great characters. I received an early copy. And voluntarily leaving this review.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews

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