Dance of Monsters

Darkest Dance #7

by Jagger Cole

I made a huge mistake.
I’ve always been the good girl and the dutiful mafia daughter.
So when my devil of a father is in trouble, I ask the help of a worse one.
Vaughn Bancroft is a demon in a three-piece suit.
A monster with the body of a god and the mind of a villain.
The first time we cross paths, he tells me to run away and never look back.
I should have listened.
Because taking his help means entering his world of power, control, and deviant games, and giving him my body and soul.
I thought I could handle his brutal touch. I thought I could weather his storm.
But I never accounted for the monster waking something monstrous inside of me.
Something that refuses to go back to sleep.
Something that craves his darkness.
Something that may destroy everything I am.

Dance of Monsters is a fully standalone dark mafia romance with a good-girl heroine and a morally gray hero. Readers are highly advised to read the TW inside. No cliffhanger; HEA included.

Genres: Dark Romance, Mafia Romance, Dark, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, BDSM, Forced Proximity

584 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 5, 2026

About the author

A reader first and foremost, Jagger Cole cut his romance writing teeth penning various fan-fiction stories years ago. After deciding to hang up his writing boots, Jagger worked in advertising pretending to be Don Draper. It worked enough to convince a woman way out of his league to marry him, though, which is a total win.

Now, Dad to two little princesses and King to a Queen, Jagger is thrilled to be back at the keyboard.

When not writing or reading romance books, he can be found woodworking, enjoying good whiskey, and grilling outside—rain or shine.

You can find all of his books at www.jaggercolewrites.com


Grab a FREE book for joining my fans-only newsletter! -> https://dl.bookfunnel.com/8rld1ik3sd

Reviews

[nadine (semi ia)]

I just signed up for the ARC. Let’s hope I get one.

[Luna ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

»You were never a princess in a tower. You were a Queen waiting for her throne.«

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

❥ 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒂 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
I loved her. She‘s an interesting and well developed character and no push-over.

❥ 𝑽𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒏 ⋆✮
This man is everything! He‘s a dangerous mafia boss, protective and knows how to express his unhinged love.

✥ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
I can‘t describe how much I love Jagger Cole and his books. He‘s an amazing author and writes the perfect dark mafia romance stories with a thrilling plot and emotional love stories. The plot twists are always hitting and the world he has created is amazing. It‘s so easy to dive into the book because the writing style is easy to read and understand. Personally I don‘t realise his books are over 550 pages most of the time because the pages just fly by.
His Darkes Dance-series is just wow. I loved every single book and this one is a worthy end to a near perfect series. I loved the characters and the plot.
Evie and Vaughn are an interesting couple. She‘s the brave but rather shy ballerina and he is an absolute psychopath leading a criminal empire. I love the fact Evelina has Vaughn wrapped around her finger. It‘s so funny how quickly he folds every single time.
I appreciate that the author didn‘t put any unnecessary OW/OM drama into the book to break them up because the plot was enough drama.
Overall I really liked this book! Can‘t wait for Jagger Cole’s next series (finally another dark mafia college series). I‘m hyped!!

My „Darkest Dance“ rating:
1. Dance of Devils 🥊
2. Dance of Deception 💍
3. Dance of Defiance 🍸
4. Dance of Monsters 👑
5. Dance of Ruin 🐦‍⬛
6. Dance of Thorns 🌹
7. Dance of Madness 🩰

𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?
Yes, go and read this book!

𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝟓 ׂ𐙚 ࣪ ⭒
plot: 5/5
spice: 4/5
humor: 5/5
couple/tension: 5/5
world building: 5/5
happy end?: yes

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 ₊ ⊹
protective and possessive hero, mafia romance, dark, mafia boss x ballerina, family secrets, touch her and die, psychopath mmc, virgin fmc, age gap, best friends brother, secret relationship, arrangement of convenience, criminal empire, secrets and lies

𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
#1 Dance of Deception ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#2 Dance of Ruin ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#3 Dance of Madness ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#4 Dance of Devils ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#5 Dance of Defiance ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#6 Dance of Thorns ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#7 Dance of Monsters ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Anja · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️|4🌶️

Vaughn Bancroft…the absolute unhinged man that you are 👏🏻😮‍💨 I absolutely DEVOURED this book. The inner demons…literally…that this man battles are insane. I wasn’t expecting so many of the twists and turns that came my way.

Sweet, innocent little Evie…girl you just got your whole world rocked and I loved every minute 🤣🤣 I love a corruption era and our girl isn’t a little fragile princess anymore. I loved her and Vaughn together. These two are polar opposites in so many ways but have so much chemistry it’s insane and it’s so palpable on every single page.

This book gives such good insight into what’s to come for second gen and I cannot freaking wait. As always, Jagger doesn’t disappoint. This book had hot as hell spice, plot and suspense. Highly recommend to all my dark romance, mafia lovers!

Thank you so much Jagger Cole for this ARC🤍

[Adelaide · Rating 3 out of 5]

5th February could not just come faster and also YAAYYYY THE MMC IS VAUGHN
I LOVE EVIE SO SO MUCH IM SO EXCITED


I liked this book Evie was so cute and her character development was INSANELY GOOD
Vaughn is so so so HOT
There was chemistry there was banter THE SMUT!!!!???? Out of this world

But that’s it
That’s all there was

There was so much of smut the story couldn’t develop properly
The plot had potential but couldn’t be carried to its fullest….

3.5/5 ✨✨
Good book
Also lowkey it felt like it was inspired by RK’s Legacy of gods mixed with Royal elites series

The inner circle of The Syndicate
Vaughn- Aiden king
Sebastien - Xander Knight
Carson king- Ronan Astor
Gideon - Cole Nash

Maybe it’s just me but Evie felt a lot like Cecily blended with Ava’s social butterfly pink princess vibes

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jagger’s word of the day while writing this was SLAP… and rarely in the context of a palm against a cheek. Also, don’t think I didn’t catch the “because you make me curious” Heated Rivalry Easter egg!

[Buffy ❤️‍🔥💀 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh I don’t know why I continue to torture myself… the thing is I do enjoy Jagger Cole’s books- I loved his dark hearts series but just for some reason his darkest dance series is such a flop for me… I never feel connected to the characters and I often cringe at the dialogue and storyline

I’m sorry yall I continue to give it a try but alas I hated it

[Kate V · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.25 stars!

Holy hell this was SPICY. Vaughn you tormented and filthy alpha male. I have no words. He was *chefs kiss.*

“Mmm, princess,” he growls. “I think you might be my new favorite flavor.”

Evie, my girlllllll. I love a corruption kink and this girl found her “good girl” era with Vaughn.

I loved the twists and turns, the filthy smut, the passion and chemistry and the overall story. Vaughn and Evie were so amazing together.

“Because I fucking love you, Evelina. I have loved you since the night you ran from me through the woods, and every fucking day, and every fucking night ever since then.”

**Mind the triggers!**

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️/2.5 🌶️

Okay, this was such a satisfying way to wrap up the series. I went in with a few theories about Vaughn from the earlier books and honestly? This story took a turn I did not see coming, in the best way. And Evelina! Based on what we’d seen before, I never imagined her character would evolve like this. Definitely not the innocent mafia princess vibe I expected, but her growth felt so right for the story 🙌🏼

What I loved most was getting inside both Vaughn’s and Evie’s heads. Understanding how they think, what drives them and how they process everything added so much depth to their relationship. It made their journey feel real and earned.

As expected from a Jagger book, the plot was tight, the writing was addictive and the spice hit just right 👀. The side characters were such a bonus too. I’m officially invested in Vaughn’s crew and really hoping we get books for all of them 🤞🏼

Overall, a fantastic finale and the perfect setup for what’s next. I’m so ready for the next gen series! 💥📚

Trope: secret society, mental health

[Cristina]

I liked the beginning of the story, the good girl vs the dark/dangerous H. But as the story progressed, I enjoyed less especially how the h loses her V card. Yes she has a safe word that she never uses but… as a reader, it left a bad taste.

[Amanda Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT.THE.F*CK.

😲😲😲😲<-- My actual face for literally 99% of this book. Jaw On Floor. Wow. just... Wow. I'm sorry. I really dont even know what to say 🤣

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man oh man I can’t believe this series is over 😭 ending it with Vaughn and Evelina though was perfect. Not only was the smut so hot and straight up filthy, but the plot was so good too. The twists and turns had me stressed out and once again Jagger loves to just drop bombs on us that leave us shocked! Every time I think I know what’s going on, Jagger shows me I definitely DON’T.

.
.
.
.

Thank you to Valentine PR for the arc opportunity!

[Seraphina Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dance of Monsters

Vaughn & Evelina

Jagger Cole pretty much can't miss the dark romance that's for sure.

This was so good

These two were fire.

I'm so glad she found her voice and confidence.

Also Vaughn … ugh so hott

So many plot twists, surprises and reveals.

I just love this world.

There is humor sprinkled in along with so much plot, spice, found family and mystery.

I really loved this

Great addition to the world and series.

So thankful for this arc

[AnnaMeansFun · Rating 2 out of 5]

As I said before, this was gonna be my last MF book by Jagger Cole and I stand by that. I think he actually tried this time (they had non-abusive conversations and spent time together outside of bed, which is big for Jagger Cole), alas, he cannot get out of the way of his own misogyny and should stick to writing the MM books, because he’s brilliant at it.

The smut in here wasn’t even hot. No tension, no emotional build up… It read like fighting scenes and while I know that the author always sticks to same kinks and I get the allure of the BDSM, it gets sad and problematic after a while if that’s all there is. Evie and Vaughn were able to find pleasure ONLY through brutal rape fantasy. That’s not a kink, that’s a problem.

There wasn’t much plot behind it, though then basement plot twist was pretty cool.

Nevertheless, neither one of the characters was likable. Evie, as all the other women written by Cole, was able to find herself only with a help of a big dick. She was virtually powerless in the man’s world and the whole initiation process with no actual skill tests made the Syndicate look ridiculous.

Vaughn was a carbon copy of any other mmc in Cole’s book.

Needless to say, I was just tired of the same old romanticized abuse and unless he’s writing MM, I’m not going back for more.

[pearls mimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐ 3.5

I thought it was a good read, although I felt it was missing something. I'm still not sure what; maybe it needed more drama. Sorry, I love drama, but it was a good book. See you in the next review! Kisses and hugs, lovelies! 🩷

[blakeereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

incredible. it honestly blows my mind that I’ve read every single book this man has written and they just keep getting better and better.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy plot twist after plot twist after plot twist. This was DARK and intense and I loved every second.

Vaughn and Evie were the two characters I’ve been holding out hope for ever since Vaughn came on the scene and they did not disappoint.

You want fated soulmates? It’s these two.

Evie has been the good girl who blushes at any mention of sex. Sugar and spice and everything nice, that’s what Evelina is made of. She was sweet and innocent that the entire friend group has lovingly teased her and kept her in a protective bubble.

Enter Vaughn.

Vaughn is the dark and mysterious figure who stepped on the scene and exuded all the red flags, but red is our favorite color isn’t it?

When these two interact the chemistry is EXPLOSIVE.

Their banter is insane. And their sexual connection is perfect. They match each others freak to a t. She takes (and wants) every depraved thing he wants to do. So of course he becomes fully obsessed and addicted to her and we love to see it.

The love these two have for each other is obsessive, possessive, gentle, and pure.

This book is by far the darkest book of the series. Make sure you check the content warnings and triggers because the spice is off the charts. But it serves a purpose because it’s imperative to them and their relationship. It draws these two together on a soul deep level where they finally have someone to show their true selves to.

I loved this book, every single dark, depraved, and ugly edge to it, I loved it all.

I’m so sad this series has come to an end but I will always come back for a reread.

Eternal gratitude to Jagger Cole and Valentine PR for the arc. It was an honor to read this early.

[Anna Volk · Rating 2 out of 5]

dnf

I wanted to love this book. Jagger Cole is an auto buy for me and let’s face it Evalines story has been building in the last couple books and to pair her with Vaughn Wow! But I was so disappointed. This book had no storyline. No feelings between Evaline and Vaughn. Just raw, brutaluzing sex. This couple could have been awesome, instead I’ll really have to think about picking up a Jagger book because maybe his writing style has changed.

[nat ⋆˙⟡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dance of Monsters by Jagger Cole: ARC Review

What a way to finish out the darkest dance series. This has been one of my favorite series to date from Jagger and I am so sad that it’s over. I have loved every single book and getting to know these new characters and this new world.

All I will say is whatever you are expecting of Vaughn Bancroft, completely trash it. Go into it with an open mind because I was not expecting him AT ALL. One of my thoughts while going into this book is there is no way he is going to top Nero Deluca….and what did he do? He topped him…. I am still in mourning but I still love my unhinged baby. Listen what can I say I love an MMC who will scare me shitless but also be super hot and that is what Vaughn is.

Evie is looking to make a deal with the devil to save her father after he was exiled to Moscow and she lands right at Club Venom where she finds the devil himself. We have seen little snippets of Evie and we know that she is this little polly pocket pink princess. She is the daughter of one of the most powerful bratva families yet she has lived a very sheltered life. She’s not too comfortable with sex and with cursing but this book we really see who she is as a person. Vaughn really took me by surprise. This man scares the crap out of me like honestly but he is also so hot.

This book gives you a little glimpse into the syndicate, the organization that vaughn is the leader of as well as getting teasers of KnightsBlood university as we will be going back very soon. Getting to meet Vaughn and his band of unhinged friends was amazing. I need a spin-off series for them IMMEDIATELY. I was living for their group chat. When I tell you I was laughing my ass off with their dynamic it was great.

Jagger really said let me tap into my dark side with this book. He completely went off the rails with this one and this is so sick to see because I feel like in this series specifically, we truly have seen Jagger grow as a writer. To be able to write in such versatile ways is truly a gift and you get a little bit of everything in this series. Such a beautiful way to end the series. I was on the edge of my seat, the spice…THE S P I C E holy shit. Like FILTHY with a capital F. One thing you know you are going to get from a JC book is good spice and this is like spice on steroids.

Please check your content trigger warnings before diving in. I urge you to do so. This character is morally black so please check your triggers before even thinking about reading this book and remember your mental health matters.

Thank you so much to Jagger Cole & VPR for the e-ARC.

4.5

[Isabelle ☀️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Vaughny baby! 😱🤤

What the fuck did you do to me? The perfect way to wrap up the series. That plot twist? An absolute fucking delight. A delicious walk on the dark side…because the moment you think it can’t go any further… it does. 😮‍💨🥵

“This pussy belongs to me, don’t tell me how to fuck it.” Okayyyyy Sir. 🫣

[Sandra R · Rating 2 out of 5]

A well written and very dark mafia romance. I enjoyed the mafia side of the story, but the very erotic sex scenes were frequent, and I found myself skimming to get back to the bad guy action. I enjoyed reading Demon's chapters. If you have triggers, then this morally gray, non-consent, very bloodthirsty story, will likely have them. This book can be read as a standalone, but there are mild spoilers for the previous books. This book started out as a five star for me. Once I find myself skimming though, I'm sad.

[stackedwithsteph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mean the most surprising thing is that Vaughn went to therapy at the end.

[Emely Tavarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC Review*

5 ⭐️ | 4.2 🌶️
This book was amazinggg. I mean aside from my conflicting feelings about the somno and roughness of it all at the beginning, Vaughn and Evie were so good together. I loved the sweet moments when he finally allowed her in his bed after her first encounter with his inner demons. Also, Evie demanding to become an “us” was hilarious because he DID NOT want to give her up and compromised by cementing the “couple” title begrudgingly LOL. He was like a petulant child in that chapter, so funny.

The savagery and at times softness of certain scenes were executed beautifully… a lot of [female] authors don’t quite portray that balance and when they set out to write unhinged men sometimes don’t give them enough grace.

Evelina—23 years old
Vaughn—28 years old

Tropes:
🎭Dark romance
🩰Bratva x Ballerina
🎭Somno + cnc
🩰Sad!sm
🎭Stalking
🩰Primal play
🎭Corruption arc
🩰Virgin fmc
🎭Touch her and he’ll literally rip your throat out
🩰Knife play
🎭Mmc has Dissociative Identity Disorder

🖤✨“I don’t trust myself to give you more. More would destroy you. I can’t give you more.”✨🖤

[Syria · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t know why I keep giving chances to this author when everytime he writes MF dark mafia romance stories with cringe, immature male characters and even worse female protagonists and the same romance or rather the same dynamic between the protagonists, repeated endlessly without managing to write it properly at least once, I always seem to read about kids playing at being gangsters, I love dark romance books especially about mafia but you have to know how to write them and how to balance the right amount of toxicity.

[WinkingReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝘗𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘶𝘮. 𝘗𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘮.”
𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝.

The plot twists??!! The turn of events?!
I swear this book had me battling for my sanity, I still need a moment to process everything. Honestly, I don't even know where to start with this review. I feel like i should just drop a 😲 and leave it at that because I'm still too stunned.

Now listen Evie decides.... actually, i'm stopping right there because if i continue with this route i will spoil everything😭😂.

Evie, a bratva princess needs help and what's better option than reaching out to her best friend's brother, Vaughn, the leader to a powerful syndicate. And yes, you might be wondering why is a bratva princess would seek help from a syndicate leader well for that you might want to grab the book😉.

From there, a lot of chaos unravels, tension, deals, death, and resurrections (I know..just read the book😂).

The chemistry between Vaughn and Evie is fantastic. Literal definition of opposite attract. Evei is soft and emotional, while Vaugh is feral and completely unhinged and she still matches his craziness. I loved every interaction they had, their arguments were my highlights. The raw depiction of their vulnerability had me soft for them especially Vaughn. Watching him deal with his trauma,emotional turmoil, and mental chaos until finally having his walls down made me proud of him.

“𝘙𝘶𝘯, 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘢. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵. 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘶𝘯��𝘪𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬 .”
The spice?!! It was steamy and intense. The initiation scene will live rent free in my head forever. May lawwwrrrrd help us from Vaughn's filthy mouth🥵

🎀𝕱𝖆𝖛 𝕼𝖚𝖔𝖙𝖊𝖘:
✨️“𝓡𝓾𝓷, 𝓔𝓿𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓪. 𝓐𝓷𝓭 𝓻𝓾𝓷 𝓯𝓪𝓼𝓽. 𝓑𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓘 𝓬𝓪𝓽𝓬𝓱 𝔂𝓸𝓾, 𝓘’𝓶 𝓰𝓸𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓸 𝓯𝓾𝓬𝓴 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓾𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓵 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓫𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴 .”
✨️“ 𝓜𝓲𝓭𝓷𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 ,” “𝓤𝓼𝓮 𝓲𝓽, 𝓸𝓻 𝓘 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓻𝓾𝓲𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾 .”
✨️“ 𝓝𝓸 𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓽𝓸𝓾𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓼 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽’𝓼 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓮 ,”“ 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓯𝓾𝓬𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓮 ⁠—”
✨️“𝓟𝓮𝓻 𝓼𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓾𝓶. 𝓟𝓮𝓻 𝓼𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓾𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓶.” 𝓣𝓱𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝓼𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮. 𝓣𝓱𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓭.
✨️“ 𝓡𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓶𝓫𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓼𝓴𝓮𝓭 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 .”
“𝓘 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓶𝓸𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓷 𝓪𝓷𝔂𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭 𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓷𝓮𝔁𝓽, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓶𝔂 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓼 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓮 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓮,”

❤️𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
• 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐯𝐚 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
• 𝐁𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐲/𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥
• 𝐕!𝐫𝐠!𝐧 𝐅𝐌𝐂
• 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐯𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬
• 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝'𝐬 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐭����𝐞𝐫
• 𝐆𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐲/𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞
• 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠
• 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭 𝐀𝐑𝐂
• 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐌𝐂
• 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝!𝐞
• 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐑𝐞𝐩

𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
𝓢𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮 𝓛𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓵: 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

[Larissa Heller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Final rating: 4.25/5

Thank you to Valentine PR and Jagger Cole for an Advance Reader Copy of Dance of Monsters in exchange for an honest review.

I have been patiently waiting for both Vaughn and Evelina's stories, and Cole did not disappoint.

Evalina has been portrayed throughout The Darkest Dance books as very sheltered and naive, despite being in one of the leading Bratva families. Vaughn, well, he has been portrayed as being dark, dangerous, and a complete psychopath, so you can only imagine how things will go when their lives intersect.

In a bid to try and help her exiled father, Evelina turns to the last person she can think of that may be able to offer her assistance - the Marquis of the Syndicate himself. Vaughn does everything he can think of to scare Evelina off, but she will not be deterred (despite the things that her father has done to not only her own brother, but Vaughn's as well).

But what Vaughn shows on the surface, does not even scratch the depths of his character. Without giving any spoilers, all I will say is that you will not expect what else Vaughn has to offer.

As with all Jagger Cole books, the spice is on point (please read the triggers at the beginning of the book to get a feel for what will be involved. This is not a PG romance book). I loved how Evelina really came into her own in this book, and started to stand up for herself and what she wanted. Even when things got tough, she didn't let anyone else tell her what to do, especially Vaughn.

I also really loved the depth of character we got from Vaughn, from more of what he went through as a child, his mental state, and the steps he started to take to heal from his past trauma. But don't worry - he didn't lose his dark and twisty side that Evelina loves so much.

And of course we got more Roman and Val given the interwoven familial relationships.

I cant wait for everyone to be able to read Dance of Monsters when it releases on February 5. And the second gen series coming this spring? Sign me the f*ck up.

[Rachel Nahabedian · Rating 5 out of 5]

ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ ɪᴛ/ᴏʙꜱᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ

🛡️ Protective Possessive Hero
🖤 Dark Mafia Romance
👑🩰 Mafia Boss x Ballerina
🧬 Family Secrets
⚠️ Touch Her and Die
🩸 Psychopath MMC
🤍 Virgin FMC
⏳ Age Gap
👀 Best Friend’s Brother
🤫 Secret Relationship
🕵️‍♀️ Secrets and Lies

From the moment Vaughn and Evelina appeared in Dance of Defiance (Val/Roman’s book), I knew I wanted more of them, but I did not expect to get their story together in one book, and I was thrilled.

These two could not be more opposite. Evelina is the prim, proper ballerina and mafia princess who doesn’t even swear and blushes when conversations turn risqué. Vaughn, on the other hand, is unapologetically unhinged. He's shaped by a lifetime of darkness and trauma. Watching them balance each other was incredibly satisfying. Evelina grows into her strength, recognizes her worth, and finds her backbone, while Vaughn softens in unexpected ways and begins to confront his demons. Their character arcs felt earned and beautifully developed.

The inclusion of the S/M dynamic surprised me (especially for Evelina) but I appreciated how it became a space where she could step into her power while still feeling safe. At the same time, it gave Vaughn room to fully be himself without apology. What I loved most is that once their feelings deepened, that dynamic didn’t disappear. Their intensity remained intact. I was worried things might soften once love entered the picture, but that was absolutely not the case.

The twists kept me guessing until the very end. The final third of the book moved at breakneck speed and completely had me on the edge of my seat.

Jagger has a writing style that doesn’t shy away from the gritty realities of the mafia world while still delivering real emotional depth. So often mafia romances feel watered down, but here you’re immersed fully in the danger and darkness without sacrificing the romance.

Thank you, @jaggercoleauthor and @valentine_pr_ for the ARC.

[KayBeReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

We’re starting off with a bang. Our sweet Evelina is at Club Venom looking for Vaughn but why? Our girl blushes at the mention of something sexual so I just know her cheeks are red. Miss Evie is in over her head with the situations she keeps getting into and they keep happening left and right. Evie is a bit of princess but she is also that girl. People may think she scares easy but miss mama is up for a challenge. Vaughn is absolutely unhinged and I love it. I think he might be the most unhinged, he makes Carmine look like a puppy. Vaughn has his trusted inner circle, two of the I am skeptical about( each for different reasons). Evie got her some d**k and started acting up. I mean our girl is cursing and saying dirty words. And I am living for it! This man has our girl covered in “love bites”, he is just throwing her around and down. Evie is finding herself and a back bone. Vaughn is struggling with his inner demons( and sometimes they come out play). There is a part in this book that shocked the mess out of me. I have to put my kindle down. A Jagger Cole book never misses and this was no exception. Honey it was a roller coaster ride. Jagger had my mind playing tricks on me, I had to go back a reread a few times to make sure I read what I read. Evie and Vaughn’s relationship started off unconventional but turned into something beautiful. These two had to overcome a lot and they did( and there was a lot of drama in between). It was like a telanovela. This was a banger. I loved this entire series and I had a favorite but I think Dance Of Monsters may have taken the top spot.

[Laurenreadingrecs · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tropes:

🖤CNC/SOMNO FREE USE
🩶ANTI-HERO
🖤BAD BOY X GOOD GIRL
🩶BDSM
🖤CORRUPTION
🩶FORBIDDEN
🖤GRUMPY X SUNSHINE
🩶MASKED MEN
🖤MORALLY GREY MMC
🩶STALKER
🖤TOUCH HER & DIE
🩶VIRGIN: HEROINE
🖤BALLET X BRATVA

Well Holy Batman‼️ Jagger Cole I don’t know what you put in your book but they absolutely consume me I absolutely DEVOURED this book. What a way to end this series.

Vaughn and Evie were two characters I've wanted their story for a while now and Jagger did not disappoint at all. This story was filled with plot twist that turned into more plot twists and I ate it like candy.

Vaughn Bancroft was the unhinged morally grey hero. I loved everything about him. He was dark and mysterious but still had that confidence. The man was a walking red flag. His inner demons that he was battling were off the charts and just made me love him more.

Evelina Nikitin has always been the good girl. She doesn’t talk about sex, hell she’s a virgin. She’s the sweet, princess ballerina who just got her world knocked off its axis. She shows us she’s a lot tougher than she looks.

These two were absolutely explosive together. They were very much each other’s opposite but somehow they just worked together perfectly. Their banter and sizzling chemistry was off the charts intense.

As always Jagger left us a few breadcrumbs of what is coming in the next second generation series and I can’t wait. This is Jagger at his finest This book is filled with all the elements that we love from Jagger but please read those TW before embarking.
Highly recommend tjis journey as Evie n Vaughn do not disappoint.

[Tiffany ✨️ Bergamot Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Evelina is on the hunt for someone that will help her father. He's been ostracized, alone, and begging for help after his most recent attack on the family had him shipped off to Russia. She isn't sure how she feels about him, but she knows she doesn't want him dead. Her search puts her in the path of the Syndicate, and she'll do anything she can to become one of them and gain their protection for her dad.

*****

Sooooo I loved this one and I'm not sure what that says about me. If you're new to the genre, read those topic warnings clearly because this is heaaaaaavy on the S/m and has ample CNC throughout. If you're a dark romance lover like me, this will be absolute *chef's kiss*.

I loved that Vaughn was so twisted. His dark proclivities and mental health disorder together just made him so incredibly interesting, while also being just a messed up dude with ample secrets. Layering in his love for corruption and Evelina being the most pure of mafia princesses and it was bound to be explosive. I loved their on-page chemistry, and also how they changed for the better for each other and for themselves.

Vaughn softened for her, Evelina grew a backbone for him, and that gentle expansion of their characters was everything. I also really enjoyed that they stayed true to their BDSM core of how they experienced their intimacy together, and didn't change it once feelings developed. So many darker romances soften in that aspect, when the mutual enjoyment of that dynamic is usually what brought them together in the first place.

Also that twist? Wiiiiiild! I sort of figured it out, but I was questioning myself right up until the reveal and conclusion. All in all I loved this one, and am planning on going back and reading more of the authors works.

*****

Thank you to Valentine PR for the advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Katie Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my! Evie and Vaughn’s story was absolutely well worth the wait🤭.

Evie has come across in the series as meek and sweet but when she wants to help her father she is willing to do anything even if that means being at the mercy of a man who terrifies her. Evie had such a great character development from the woman we saw at the beginning of the series. She most certainly develops a back bone and becomes fierce in this book and Vaughn most certainly brings this out of her.

When Evie crashes a party to sign up to become a member for the syndicate Vaughn is instantly aware. He tries to scare her off but he soon comes to realise she won’t be persuaded. Vaughn especially becomes her mentor so to speak for her membership trials. Vaughn is a morally grey and controlled man who has a lot of darkness and inner demons and you will understand what I mean when you reach this book, but he is ever so shocked when he realises that Evie is the one woman who will match that darkness.

This book was definitely twist after twist and I was absolutely living for it- normally I would have an idea about where the plot would go but I couldn’t predict this. Our couple’s chemistry was impeccable and the smut was delicious as always.

While I’m sad to be saying goodbye to this series this was definitely a great book to finish up with. I cannot wait to explore more in the Jagger universe in the near future. Thank you to VPR who provided this e-arc for my honest thoughts 💭