Irrevocably: A brand-new spicy dark mafia romance for 2026!

by Jackie Ashenden

The hottest dark mafia romance- inspired by your favourite vampire romance!He's been watching me. He knows everything about me. And now he wants something I never thought I'd give…

When I run into Lucien Frost on campus, I feel the danger radiating from him immediately. Dark, beautiful, and terrifying—he's everything I should run from. But I don't. Instead, I let him pull me into his world of shadows and secrets.

Because beneath this killer's cold exterior, I see something more. Something broken and hungry that calls to the darkness I didn't know lived inside me. When he touches me, I forget every rule I've ever followed. When he kisses me, I betray everyone I love.

I'm his weakness. And in his world, weakness gets you killed.

A dark mafia romance featuring a morally gray assassin, forbidden attraction, and a good girl who discovers she has a taste for danger.

Features mature content and is intended for readers 18+.

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark

302 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 8, 2026

About the author

Jackie has been writing fiction since she was eleven years old. Mild mannered fantasy/SF/pseudo-literary writer by day, obsessive romance writer by night, she used to balance her writing with the more serious job of librarianship until a chance meeting with another romance writer prompted her to throw off the shackles of her day job and devote herself to the true love of her heart – writing romance. She particularly likes to write dark, emotional stories with alpha heroes who've just got the world to their liking only to have it blown wide apart by their kick-ass heroines.

She lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband, the inimitable Dr Jax, two kids, two cats and some guppies (possibly dead guppies by the time you read this). When she's not torturing alpha males and their stroppy heroines, she can be found drinking chocolate martinis, reading anything she can lay her hands on, posting random crap on her blog, or being forced to go mountain biking with her husband.

Reviews

[Iqra]

Imagine the worst wattpad book you can think of. This was worse 🙏

[Hollie Redmond]

So this book was really hit and miss for me. It started off really good and I was enjoying it lots. Loved Lucien (because I’m such a red flag myself) and it was so sad to see the stress Astrid was going through, with her strained relationship with her father after her mother passing. But as I got to around 65% in, it was beginning to feel a bit repetitive with her not following through on her instructions to speak to her father, the same sentences and phrases were quite repetitive, and the FMC was beginning to get on my nerves a little! I think the writing style was great, but I do feel like the story could’ve been a lot shorter.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review in exchange for an honest review.

[Rebecca Rapin]

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a copy of Irrevocably. This was my first mafia romance and I really enjoyed it. The story was simple but effective and has a lot of room to expand in further books. The characters were written really well for what we know of them so far and I would love to continue the series in the future. Overall a great start to a series.

[m_readsbooks]

Omg this read was so good!!
I couldn’t put it down and the anticipation was so intense. It was very good written and i really felt the connection with the characters

[Blossom’s Bookshelf]

FMC just along for the ride

An entertaining dark mafia romance with an intriguing premise and a cliffhanger ending that left me eager to see where the series goes next, but one that was missing some emotional depth.

⭐ 3/5 — Okay, but I wanted more
🌶️ 4/5 — Explicit Open Door

Irrevocably is a dark mafia romance involving rival mafia families, a motorcycle club, and a dangerous gun-running operation. As the first book in the Run Little Deer series, it introduces a world of crime, power, and betrayal while setting up an ongoing story that ends on a cliffhanger. Told through a dual first-person POV, the novel follows Astrid Starling, a 21-year-old university student, and Lucien Frost, a 28-year-old assassin. When Lucien begins investigating the Hellhounds motorcycle club and their connection to Astrid’s father, the Chief of Police, the two become drawn into an obsessive and increasingly dangerous relationship that challenges both of their carefully controlled worlds.

Astrid struggles with anxiety, low self-worth, and frequent on-page self-harm. I appreciated that the novel does not shy away from showing the day-to-day reality of her struggles; however, I felt this aspect of her character could have been explored with more depth. I would have liked future books to focus more on Astrid’s healing and recovery alongside the romance, rather than allowing her struggles to remain primarily connected to her relationship with Lucien.

Throughout much of the story, events happen to Astrid rather than because of choices she makes. As a result, she often feels like a passenger in her own story, and I would have liked to see her take a more active role as the plot unfolded. I hope future instalments allow her to develop greater confidence, agency, and independence outside of her relationship with Lucien.

Lucien is the morally grey (verging on black) MMC and is described throughout the novel as a psychopath. His obsession with Astrid begins because of her unusual responses to danger and pain, while Astrid, overwhelmed by her own struggles, finds an unexpected sense of peace in Lucien’s violence towards her. Lucien’s obsession becomes the first thing capable of disrupting the rigid control he has built around himself, allowing glimpses of emotions he believed himself incapable of feeling. His motivations were one of the more compelling aspects of his character; his desire to break free from his oaths to Enzo creates an intriguing internal conflict.

Astrid’s feelings towards Lucien are heavily influenced by her belief that she is unlovable and by the fact that he is the first person to show her romantic attention. By the final act, Astrid believes she is falling in love with Lucien, but I wasn’t convinced that Lucien’s feelings had developed beyond obsession and possessiveness. If the series intends to turn this into a convincing love story, I think the next instalment has important emotional groundwork to establish.

The spice was one of the stronger aspects of the novel. The intimate scenes felt purposeful and contributed to the evolving dynamic between the characters rather than existing simply to increase the heat level. For me, they strengthened the connection between Astrid and Lucien instead of replacing the emotional development that I felt was missing elsewhere.

Irrevocably was an entertaining and intriguing start to the series, but I think the story would have benefited from more time developing both characters. Honestly, even an extra 5 pages exploring their motivations and emotional journeys could have made a noticeable difference! Despite my reservations about the romance, the central conflict was compelling enough to keep me invested, and I will be picking up the next instalment.

Tropes
Dark Romance
Mafia Romance
Morally Grey MMC
Assassin MMC
Good Girl FMC
Forbidden Attraction
Stalker Romance
Dangerous Hero
Obsession
Virgin FMC

Content Warnings
Death
Domestic abuse references
Kidnapping
Non-consensual/coercive sexual dynamics
Pain-related sexual content
Self-harm
Suicidal ideation
Stalking
Violence

This book is for readers who enjoy dark mafia romance, morally grey anti-heroes, obsessive romance dynamics, and don't mind morally challenging relationships. If you’re looking for a story with complex and developed emotional dynamics, this probably won't be the book for you, but readers who don’t mind this may find plenty to appreciate—especially with the promise of further character development in the sequel.

Thank you to One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[The Fabled Librarian🖤]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Irrevocably by Jackie Ashenden
Okay, first of all…
THE CLIFFHANGER.
Jackie Ashenden, I would like to formally file a complaint. 😂
I went into Irrevocably expecting vampires because that NetGalley blurb definitely gave me a “Bella, Edward, Jacob… but make it spicy?” impression. Imagine my surprise when there were zero vampires in sight. 😂 And honestly? I wasn’t mad about it. As someone who doesn’t typically gravitate toward fantasy, I actually really enjoyed that this had some of those supernatural-romance vibes without actually throwing me into a world full of vampires, werewolves, and questionable immortal life choices. There’s definitely that same angsty, intense, “why are you both like this?” energy, but with a much more grounded feel. And the FMC? I adored her. She’s flawed. She’s messy. She’s struggling HARD with her confidence and sense of self-worth, and she carries a lot of emotional pain that she doesn’t exactly know what to do with. Her struggles with self-harm are a significant part of her journey, and while those moments were difficult to read, I appreciated that her character wasn’t reduced to them.
Because underneath all of that?
She is FIRE. 🔥 She’s driven, funny, determined, and has this wonderfully stubborn spark that made it impossible for me not to root for her. Watching her navigate everything she’s dealing with while still trying to figure out who she is was probably one of my favorite parts of the book.
And then we have the MMC…
Sir. PLEASE. Get yourself together.😂
He was such an interesting character because beneath all the brooding, tension, and whatever emotional damage he was carrying around like it was an accessory, there’s this sense that he’s completely lost. He’s trying to figure out who he is, what he wants, and what freedom actually looks like for him. And just when I thought I was finally going to get some answers…
CLIFFHANGER.
So naturally, I need book two immediately. Obviously.
This was one of those books that I absolutely devoured. I finished it in roughly 20 hours, and the pacing was a huge reason why. There was always something happening, some new piece of the story to uncover, or some emotional disaster waiting around the corner. 😂
It never really hit that dreaded middle-of-the-book slump where I suddenly realize I’ve been staring at the same page for ten minutes while contemplating reorganizing my kitchen instead. I stayed INVESTED.
The story kept moving, the tension kept building, and I genuinely wanted to know what was going to happen next—which made this such an easy and addictive read for me.
Now I’m sitting here with approximately 47 unanswered questions, zero patience, and a desperate need for book two.
So yes, Jackie Ashenden…
I’ll be waiting. Impatiently. 😂
If you enjoy angsty romance, complicated characters, intense chemistry, emotional wounds, fast-paced storytelling, and a hero who is just as messed up as the heroine in his own way, definitely give Irrevocably a try. And if you don’t like cliffhangers…
I have unfortunate news for you. 😭😂
A very special thank you to Jackie Ashenden, NetGalley, and HarperCollins UK for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. 💕 I’m so grateful I got to read this one early, and I’m VERY excited to see where this story goes next!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

[Megan]

Book 1 in the Run Little Deer series

Before I go into the basics of the story I have to GUSH about this book!!! I am absolutely besotted with this Mafia AND MC romance!!!!! It feels like it's been soooooo long since I've chosen a random NetGalley book that I'm in love with. I prefer to go into books blind, so I had no idea that this was a very loose re-imagining of Twilight. When I got to the end of the book I had started to think that it may be or may just be a happy coincidence. What I found the most fun that (to me) this had the same vibe as the original movie. Ok, now let's move on to more of the details.

Lucian is stalking Astrid Starling, the daughter of the small harbor town's chief of police. Lucian is looking to get information from Astrid that will help his mafia boss. Astrid looks like a normal pre-med college student on the outside, but this girl has layers like an onion. What you see is certainly not what you're going to get. Astrid's childhood friend and current BFF is Wolf. Wolf is an enforcer for the town's motorcycle club: the Hellhounds. The collision of Lucian and Astrid, and then later, Wolf, is absolutely addicting! I was obsessed with Lucian from the word go. He was so cold and emotionless that I had to keep reading in order to see how Astrid was going to thaw his heart and send his rigid routine into utter chaos. And our girl, Astrid did not disappoint!! Especially since she did not like him in the beginning- at all.

But, holy smokes! That cliffhanger! Absolutely brutal! Fortunately, at the end of this book there is information about the sequel, in November. Thank goodness it's not longer than that because I would have been crawling up the walls in frustration! I thought this was a duet, but now I'm afraid that this is three-part series. I just found the third book in the series, Completely. The second book,Unconditionally is the one coming out in November. I have no idea when Completely is going to come out, but I'm praying it's already written and this will be rapid release. I will be buying a physical copies of this series for my bookshelves and I saw that this is going to have an audio book as well. I will absolutely be getting that to listen to. My ears can't wait!

I want to thank NetGalley and One More Chapter for the immense privilege of being able read this book.

Since many of the content warnings are spoilers, I have them hidden for those who want to go into this one blind.

Content Warnings:
Self-harm
Stalking
Non-consensual/coercive sexual dynamics
Violence
Kidnapping
Domestic abuse references
Pain-related sexual content

[Ali]

I enjoyed this! Totally sucked me in and will be reading book 2 whenever it comes out.

Blurb states “inspired by your favorite vampire romance”… now I say one of the more iconic ones for at least my generation is Twilight— which this book definitely is taking pieces of it and cranking up the maturity. (I mean, that iconic Bella line about being “irrevocably in love”… and irrevocably is the title here lol)

Huge difference though, so beware, there are NO vampires and or werewolves. Rather there’s two warring groups, a biker gang and a crime group trying to infiltrate the families that run organized crime. I was definitely confused why Twilight was being used as a comp when there was academia and mafia being used together. This book uses some plot-points/overarching themes and character characteristics instead of the paranormal aspect from Twilight. But reducing to just a mafia romance in my opinion would hurt this book.

I also feel this was as if Twilight but more horror and suspense. For me, it worked as it had some more adult topics. (There’s def a lot of references scattered and if you’ve only seen the movie you’d still recognize a lot)

I definitely felt the barebones of Bella and Edward in the two mc’s here, Astrid and Lucien. Imagine making them a bit older and then cranking their “bad” characteristics.

Astrid is the sheriff’s daughter, she’s enrolled in university and trying to get into med school. I liked her a lot, I found the portrayal of depression with her to be relatable, and boy is she a perfectionist with school. She is basically numb to death and anything that isn’t succeeding, only feeling tinges of excitement from fear/pain. (She cuts herself frequently). Though she definitely embodied Bella towards the finality of this book as she did the desperate act and refusal to listen in dangerous situations😩

With Lucien- imagine if Edward was actually a cold psycho rather than only melodramatic?🤣 There’s really no comparing them except for the fact Lucien is a predator all his own as an assassin and is interested in Astrid from how she uses pain to cope. I liked Lucien a lot and felt he was his own character, he was eerily manipulative and cold, but still struggled with his emotions towards Astrid in some similar ways Edward felt towards Bella.

Wolf/Connor- is a much more intense version of Jacob, but we don’t see much of him this book.

The writing is succinct. It’s dual POV in 1st person. It was easy to read and I was immersed in the story pretty quick. I personally liked how the story was handled even if I could see a lot of Twilight in it (which could be a reason some might not like this, feeling like there isn’t a ton of originality.)

*ARC courtesy of netgalley*

US publishing date: October 8th 2026

TWs: self harm (cutting), stalking, manipulation, gun violence

[Sonja]

I did not get into this nearly as much as I was expecting too. Most of what happens was just over the line of believability and the whole thing with Astrid and Lucien happens too fast considering everything. I also felt like there was a whole storyline involving Lucien that we're supposed to know before hand, but instead are provided with bits and pieces here and there and left to ourselves to figure everything out with his two families. While the story did keep me reading, I really had no interest in either main character and definitely have no interest in reading more of the series.

Astrid lost her mother to cancer when she was a child and ever since, her dad has been pulling away from her more and more each year. To the point that now they barely even talk and are never even in the same room together. To prove that her mother choosing Astrid's life over her own was worth it, Astrid is wholeheartedly determined to become a doctor like her mother. But it's a lot of pressure to deal with on her own and the only way she finds relief is thru cutting herself. Something that you would think someone would notice considering where she's always doing it, but she has no actual close friends and a dad that has mostly checked out. But when she meets Lucien, everything in her life changes.

Lucien has targeted Astrid because she is the police chief's daughter and he needs to find out what agreement has been made between him and the local biker gang that's been running weapons thru the port. Lucien's group wants to take over this business and going after Astrid is the cleanest and easiest way to get what they want. But Lucien never expected his target to enjoy receiving pain as much as he likes inflicting it and he quickly becomes obsessed with her despite his best efforts not to. He's convinced she knows more than she lets on because she also used to be best friends with the enforcer of the gang he's trying to take out. Too bad she doesn't seem too concerned with his threats.

Astrid falls for Lucien pretty much after the first time they have sex. Which, by the way, had me rolling my eyes so hard because these two are going at it in her bedroom with her dad in another room right there and we're some how supposed to believe he didn't hear anything? Really?? Anyway. It's just a bit too far fetched that she thinks she knows who Lucien is deep down from one good fuck and a handful of conversations. However, Lucien's possessiveness of Astrid was believable because of what kind of guy and environment he lives in. You can't sugar coat it as it love though. He wants to own her.

Astrid eventually does find out the information that Lucien wanted her to get for him, but by this point it's too late. An impulsive action on Lucien's part earlier has complicated everything and gotten Astrid kidnapped by people who won't hesitate to hurt her. So he makes use of anyone he can in order to get her back. Which of course, just complicates things more. The ending was predictable because I spent the whole book wondering how Lucien could possibly think that getting the one thing he really wanted was actually going to be this easy.

So yeah. Like I said, I have intention of continuing this series. This book wasn't bad, I simply don't care to find out what happens next with them.

[Probablydaydreaming]

Irrevocably is an intense, dark romance which could be enjoyed by many. Overall, I rate it 3 stars.

Astrid is pulled into MMC Lucien’s criminal world and becomes entangled in his dangerous secret life. The book was dark, spicy and ends on a cliffhanger that will want to make you continue the series to find out what happens next.

I enjoyed the flawed characters, especially Astrid’s strained relationship with her dad. I enjoyed that none of the characters were perfect and never claimed to be. The writing made this an easy one sitting read, and the well written spice felt relevant to the plot and character development of Lucien. I also enjoy dark romances with Mafia/MC elements so that will always be fun for me.
Wolf initially annoyed me, but I started warming to him in the final third of the book, which felt intentional from the author. The cliffhanger also left me curious about Astrid, Lucien, and his family in the next book. I think that the darker themes, particularly around Astrid were written and presented well.

My main criticism is that the first 50–60% felt quite slow, with little development on the mafia/family side. It felt some what repetitive and felt myself wanting a bit more from the first half. It may be setup for future books, but I found myself pushing through the first half.
The chemistry between Astrid and Lucien felt like it went from 0 to 100. Astrid seemed to fall for him faster, while Lucien’s shift from calling her plain to suddenly seeing her as beautiful needed more gradual development and insight into his perspective for me. Astrid’s limited character development and repeated disregard for things she should have done also frustrated me, while Lucien’s stronger arc by the end made me excited for book two. I need to know what happens with his family and where we hopefully delve a bit deeper into his relationships to his siblings and Enzo.

The final 25% picked up and made the book more enjoyable. Those last few chapters were great and I’m looking forward to finding out what happens next. I’m curious about Wolf, Astrid’s dad, and the future of Astrid and Lucien’s relationship. I’d recommend this to readers who enjoy dark romance, but be sure to check the trigger warnings because it includes darker subject matter.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK and One More Chapter for the ARC copy for review.

[Joyce]

*Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and Jackie Ashenden for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Okay, I ate this book up… devoured it… inhaled it straight up into my lungs… you get the picture.

I love a good dark romance with a lil mafia vibes moment and this was such an easy book to just keep reading and reading until suddenly I was at the end.

First, why do I love Lucien so much?! I don’t know. I just do. But Astrid was really what got me because she felt so damn real. She’s supposed to be the good girl, she’s spent her adult life being who she thinks she’s supposed to be and keeping up this version of herself that has everything together… except she really doesn’t. Our girl is dealing with some serious anxiety, she’s hitting a breaking point and suddenly she’s starting to have these moments where she does something because SHE wants it. Because SHE needs it. Even when it goes against the person she thinks she is and the person everyone else thinks she is.

And gahhhh I got that. Maybe a little too much at times. That point in adulthood where you start questioning how much of who you are is actually you and how much is just who you thought you were supposed to be… been there. I think that’s why I loved Astrid as much as I did. She isn’t perfect, she isn’t always making the “good girl” choice and sometimes she’s a mess because people are messy.

The whole thing is super bingeable and easy to fly through, which I think is exactly what this book is supposed to be. It gave me my dark romance, a lil mafia, characters I wanted to keep reading about and I had a really good time with it.

I’d definitely put the spice and darkness on the milder side and I think it would be a great intro to dark romance… BUT please understand who is giving you that rating. If you’re ann avid dark romance girlie and you love Malachi Vize, yes, this is mild. If you’re new here, check the trigger warnings because your mild and my mild might be two VERY different things.

And of course the ending got me because now I’ve done the thing I occasionally hate about ARC reading… I read a book before everyone else and now I also have to wait even longer to find out what happens next.

So yeah, I’ll be needing book 2.

[Catherine Noel]

Astrid and Lucien are basically the definition of “this should absolutely not work” and yet somehow… it really fucking does.

Astrid is a shy, devoted student who has her life mapped out and plans to go to medical school. Lucien, meanwhile, is a mafia hitman who is supposed to be getting information from her for his boss. You know, just your average meet-cute.

They meet innocently enough(from Astrid’s point of view)but there is an immediate spark between them. And while they couldn’t seem more different on the surface, I actually loved how much they had in common underneath it all. They’re both broken in different ways, and somehow those broken pieces fit together ridiculously well.

What I really loved was their dynamic. By the time Astrid realizes Lucien has an ulterior motive for being around her, these two are already halfway in love and apparently the last people to figure it out. Meanwhile, I’m sitting here like, GUYS. WE KNOW.

Astrid brings out a side of Lucien that he clearly didn’t know what to do with, and I really liked that. She was able to pull emotion out of him without magically “fixing” him which I really appreciated. She loved the dark part she saw in him and he gave her a way to acknowledge and direct the darker parts of herself instead of pretending they weren’t there. There was something really satisfying about the way they balanced each other.

And the spice? Very nicely done. No complaints from this department.

But that ending… absolutely RUDE. I actually got emotional. Like, tears-in-my-eyes emotional. I was not expecting this book to come for my feelings like that, but apparently Jackie Ashenden had other plans for me. Astrid and I at the end of Irrevocably: 😭🥺

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I liked the characters, loved the chemistry, and apparently I’m invested enough in this little mafia-adjacent world to keep going.

And it looks like Wolf and Thea are next.

Well, obviously I need to know what the hell is going on there. Count me in.


** this review was written after reading a free advanced reader copy. it in no way affected or altered my review of this book. Thanks.

[Claudia, Cmarie927]

I am a fan of this author and was anxious to get my hands on her newest release!

This is quite darker than others in her extensive catalog of work, so be prepared. The storyline centers around Astrid and the pressure she feels about her college studies, and the way she finds the stress release.
Trust that it’s a tough, self-inflicted one that isn't good.
On top of that, she feels her relationship with both her father and her childhood friend Wolf (who's an enforcer in an MC) is strained. Additionally, there are Mafia families in her town that want to take over the local MC's lucrative operations.
Lots of moving parts, for sure!

Lucien Vaccaris is in one of those families, trying to get information that will give leverage, and Astrid becomes his target, and then, his obsession. They have sizzling chemistry together, once they get together.

I had some issues with Astrid and her flip between niaevity and then, self assurance, thinking she's a match for Lucien's energy.
It was a little surprising how much emotional control Astrid has, and the decisions made by Lucien to prioritize her protection. No spoilers, but this relationship/situation isn't entirely workable for me.

While I did enjoy most of the read, a few things didn't line up for me, and the HEA was clear for one character, but left open for others. I wanted more definitive resolutions to the different character arcs than were given, but this did allow ME to mentally assign the endings (for some) which was okay. So, kinda a cliffhanger, but maybe not. Hopefully we'll get more of this storyline.

All In all, a 3.5 star read - one I do recommend - I just wanted more, in a variety of ways. I look forward to the next one from this prolific and talented author.

Netgalley and HarperCollins provided my ARC (thank you) and my thoughts are my own.

[Caitlynn Burnaman]

Irrevocably is a dark and twisted mafia romance full of secrets, deception, pleasure, and pain. Astrid has always lived to please, hoping to atone for the unforgivable sin of taking her mother's life. As her life begins to crumble under pressure she stumbles into a mysterious stranger who makes a request she can't refuse. Rather quickly, Astrid discovers that Lucien's particularly addicting version of life, a mix of power and pain, is impossible to quit. She's sinking and he's the one to offer a hand. He's drifting and somehow, she's the one thing giving his life deeper meaning.

Irrevocably is the kind of story I savor late into the night. It's the kind of story that combines red flag, morally grey bad boys with the high-stakes thrill of mafia/gang wars and violence. And you sit back saying you'd be good and steer clear of these men in real life while knowing you'd be feral for their attention. Jackie Ashenden absolutely delivers a fantastic, page-turning, and drama-filled story that has me convinced my mundane college experience might have been missing something. (Where was my walking red flag?) And this book truly did have several themes that were quite dark. Self-harm and mental health struggles are nuanced and difficult topics to handle and she did so with integrity. This book absolutely lives up to the dark romance hype and will be a hit for romance readers who enjoy their fictional men a tad bit unhinged.

Irrevocably has a way of gripping your heart and leaving you desperate to know what comes next. And that's exactly where I am, because what do you mean it ended like that? I need another book like I need my next breath! Thank you to Jackie Ashenden, Harper Collins UK/One More Chapter, and NetGalley for access to read and share a review.

[Liz]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The first page had me HOOKED.

I really enjoyed this book, especially because Astrid’s struggles with depression and the way she uses pain to cope felt very real and relatable to me. The author handled those parts really well, and I appreciated how much we got to see inside her head.

And then there’s Lucien… 🥵 Dark, cold, manipulative, and a morally grey assassin??? YES PLEASE. He is absolutely the kind of character you know you should run from, but obviously Astrid does the exact opposite 😂. Their chemistry was SO good, and I loved the whole forbidden attraction / good girl falling for the dangerous man thing. There was so much tension between them, and I was eating it up.

I also really enjoyed the mafia aspect and all the secrets surrounding Lucien. The story was simple but really effective, and I flew through it. The writing was easy to read and I was immersed almost immediately. There are definitely some Twilight vibes, which I personally enjoyed!

I also loved that this feels like the beginning of a much bigger story. There are so many directions the series could go, and I’m definitely interested in continuing to see where Astrid, Lucien, and the rest of the characters end up.

One thing I do want to mention is that this book deals with self-harm and some pretty heavy themes. If you ever find yourself in that same dark place, please reach out for help if you can. ❤️

Overall, I really enjoyed this and thought it was such a fun, dark start to the series. Give me more Lucien immediately please.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the ARC!

[Ashlee Miller]

First thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. My review is based on my own opinions after completing the book.

Okay, so the first thing that drew me in was the vampire take blurb on netgalley. however, there was no vampires. Which was nice. I'm not much of a fantasy gal. But it definitely had some bella/edward/jacob vibes to it, just nothing supernatural.

The FMC is amazing. She's struggles 95% of the book when it comes to her own self worth and confidence that she uses self harm as a crutch to help her process the emotions that are bottling up inside of her. And I mean, we've all been there at one point or another. But even with all of those struggles she is still fun, driven and spunky. which is perfect.

The MMC was phenomenal including his internal struggles he has with himself. He's just a lost boy that needs to find his place and freedom. and unfortunately we wont know about that until book 2, which 100% i am very much looking forward to.

I legit devoured this book and it had me in a chokehold. Literally. I read it in about 20 hours, so fast and easy read with a lot of story. And the best part is it was so faced paced and really kept the attention of the reader. There were no die down spots when I would personally lose interest and start doing something else. So that was super nice.

Either way, I'm super excited for book 2 and look forward to reading the rest of this story unfold. Because gosh darn cliffhangers! haha.

[Alice Clark]

Astrid loves pain, because it's the only thing that helps her cope with her overwhelmed emotions, the pressure of studying, and her father's rejection. One day, she meets the mysterious Lucien, who clearly wants something from her—or rather, from her father. As a result, Astrid finds herself unwillingly pulled into the crossfire of mafia clan wars.

I don't know why, maybe because of the cover, or maybe because of the overall mysterious atmosphere surrounding Lucien, but I was expecting some mystical elements, even catching a few Twilight vibes. But no, there's nothing like that here. What there is, though, is incredible chemistry between the characters, well-written emotions, and a dynamic plot. I really loved how the characters were portrayed in general, and especially Lucien's internal struggle.You can feel that he's drawn to Astrid, that his feelings are real, but he constantly puts the brakes on himself, refusing to let himself fall. It's that push-and-pull that makes him so compelling. I also loved how Astrid's feelings were written, how she, fully aware of the danger, still gravitates toward Lucien because he sees her for who she truly is and doesn't turn away from her.

I'm genuinely excited for the second book. I need to know where this is all heading. Will we get a real love triangle, or will Astrid's friend just stay in the background? How will the whole mafia conflict unfold? So many questions, and I can't wait to get answers.

Thanks Netgalley, One More Chapter and Jackie Ashenden for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[K T]

First of all, you should know that this book ends on a cliffhanger & the story is continued in the book Unconditionally, which is set to be published November 8th. It looks like there will also be a 3rd book, Completely, which is set to publish in March of 2027.

I love the characters - they have great depth. Lucien is a very interesting character... I want to hate him & I feel bad for him at the same time. It's hard to see him being treated as a puppet or a pawn... and knowing he feels like he can't get out & can't have Addie. Addie has also had some hard struggles... her Mom died when she was a baby... I appreciated that she was able to talk things out with her Dad (finally), as she thought he resented her.

There are some mature topics in the books, please read the full TW list! Addie cuts herself to deal with things & she lost her Mom young to cancer. Not sure what happened to Lucien's parents, but it seems like they're not around either (spoiler alert: in the 2nd book, it reveals that he's been with Enzo since he was 8, so that's when his parents were killed & he was separated from his family and working "with" Enzo since then.)

The book is told in a dual 1st person POV

Spice level: 4/5

*Mafia romance
*dark romance
*ends in a cliffhanger
*morally grey characters
*kidnapping
*her dad is the police chief
*her best friend is part of a MC
*she's a college student
*New Adult romance
*forbidden attraction
*she's a virgin

Thank you to the author (Jackie Ashenden), the publisher (HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter) & Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Paige]

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this arc! While I’m so appreciative these are my honest thoughts and opinions!

*check triggers* this does heavily revolve around self-harm with the fmc. And while I wouldn’t it say it glorifies it, Book 1 doesn’t resolve it. I’m hopeful book 2 we’ll see Astrid overcome things and heal properly.

With that said I still loved the story. It’s dark and it’s not done lightly imo! It’s fast paced and doesn’t lose momentum.

Astrid, our fmc, has trauma and is a very anxious girl. She’s a perfection and people pleaser and still I found her relatable.

Lucien, our mmc, is almost morally black. He toes the grey and black line for sure. He’s emotionless and has a job to do.

I liked watching their relationship grow. The physical aspect of their relationship happened quickly but their emotional connection was well developed! I definitely felt all their emotions.

I also thought the spice was well done 🥵

The ending got me though! I was surprised and am so ready for book 2!!!

The begging of the book did have a few moments where the writing wasn’t super flushed out and things moved quickly. (Ie she was down a hallway and the next thing she was in the library when I wasn’t for sure when or how she got there.) but I do feel like that resolved itself through the book.

4.3⭐️ This is a fast paced, dark romance with an interesting plot. It was a fun read and I honestly couldn’t put the book down.

[Em Pitre]

WOW! This was such a pleasant surprise!

Going into this, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but I ended up flying through it. It was dark, romantic, emotional, and had just enough suspense to keep me turning the pages. Lucien is the perfect morally gray hero—dangerous, obsessive, and completely devoted in his own twisted way. If you love a possessive antihero, you'll probably eat this up.

I really enjoyed both the characters and the overall story. The chemistry between Lucien and the Addie was intense, and I liked watching her evolution. Their relationship had plenty of tension, and I was invested from the start. One thing I did find myself wanting was more world-building. The mafia families, the MC, and the overall criminal world were so intriguing that I kept hoping we'd dive deeper into them. By the time I was about 80% through, I had a feeling there was no way everything would be wrapped up—and I was right. That cliffhanger had me immediately wanting the next book! I also want to give the author credit for how they handled some of the heavier themes, particularly pain and trauma. It never felt like those topics were included simply for shock value; they added emotional weight to the characters and their relationship. Overall, I had a great time with this one. It was dark, addictive, and emotionally engaging, and it definitely left me wanting more. I'll absolutely be picking up the next book in the series because I need to know what happens next.

[Unnamednonsense]

Make sure you read the content warnings before beginning this book.

This was a super quick and easy read, which is exactly what I needed after reading some long and intense fantasy romances. This book Definitely is still intense, but in a very different way.

This is absolutely a DARK romance. I like my books pretty dark, but even this one was pushing things a bit too far for me.

It feels like if The Dixie Mafia Series and Rook & Rebel had a baby that is 10x darker than either. If either of those are your thing, you’ll totally find yourself drawn in to this world and story.

The mmc is beyond obsessed with the fmc. He’s one of the darker and more intense mmcs out there for sure. Their relationship is definitely toxic in more ways than one, and I found myself not exactly rooting for them. I felt like she would totally be better off without him and just spent some time learning to love herself.

Will I be continuing the series? Probably not. This was the pallet cleanser I needed, but I didn’t find myself particularly attached to any of the characters or the story. It serves its purpose as a very fast read, which was great for me at the time of reading.

Thank you very much to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Fedythereader]

Thank you to the author and publisher, Harper Collins, for sharing an ARC of this book with me !!!

“She’s a delicate little thing, and the problem with delicate little things is that they get broken very easily. I’m a careful man, though, and I’ll make sure she doesn’t break. Not until I want her to”

Wow. This book is definitely addictive. Lucien and Astrid’s story was one of obsession. Of pain. Of grief. Of hopelessness. Of lust. Of trauma. And of love. Blossoming even in the most unexpected of places. A book about sacrifices. It was intense. Strong. Scary. And oh so good. I devoured it. Definitely not expecting it to be this good. I love when I’m pleasantly surprised though. This is a dark romance so prepare some trigger warnings. And prepare to be quite unhinged. Prepare for the hotness that will hit you all at once. The madness you will feel everything he is with her. The craziness of their relationship and what it’s becoming compared to the world they are living in. It left me breathless and bothered and reeling for more. I need the sequel already!

“You’re mine, Astrid. You’re my target. My source. Your body is mine and so ifs your pain. All of you is mine”

“I’m quite happy to kneel at the feet of the villain”

[Samantha]

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin and Jackie Ashenden for this ARC.

Irrevocably follows Astrid, a seemingly quiet and shy college student, as she crosses paths with merciless killer Lucien Frost. This is a dark-mafia romance and readers should be mindful of the trigger warnings associated with this book before reading. I enjoyed this book and read it quickly (approx 2 days). It was a good genre cleanse after a few heavy duty fantasy novels. Astrid is an interesting character and I liked her 'I'm gonna push and push and push' attitude (which seems to surprise Astrid as much as the reader!) It is easy to tell from the outset that Ashen den is setting this up to be a series and much of the groundwork is done. I would have loved to read more about Lucien's background and Wolf's, but I imagine that is to come in book 2. Astrid's character development is slow at first, but speeds up towards the middle-half of the book.

Overall, I enjoyed this read and I'll definitely continue the story in book 2! If you like 'not-too-dark- dark romance, you'll like this book!

More book reviews on Booksta and BookTok: @samantha_bookshelf

[Darian]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity. I want to get into what I didn’t like about the book before what I did like.

There were many inconsistencies. For instance there would be conversations on page where things weren’t said or done, then later on they got somehow added to the prior conversation and it was a little confusing. There was an instance of her thinking something in her head (about Lucien’s jealousy) but then later he said she had said it out loud. Just little things like that. The ending felt incredibly rushed as well, like the author just wanted to get it over with. The last thing I didn’t like was the virgin subplot point. I felt like her first time was just highly unrealistic and too enjoyable, but many books are like that I’ve noticed.

What I DID like.. the story was amazing. I was very immersed the whole way. I truly enjoyed reading this and find myself wanting the next book asap. The spicy scenes for the most part were very well done. Not too much and not too little! This was a fun and quick read and I’ll be reading Unconditionally for sure!

[Alexia .p. reads]

This book was a solid four stars for me! Astrid is a college student who like every other college student wants nothing but success and to focus on her studies. The good girl who never does anything wrong and just wants to impress her father who she has a tumultuous relationship with. Her mother died of cancer and Astrid is a result of that pregnancy, which her mother chose to go through with instead of getting treatment, ultimately deciding her fate.
Her father is the chief of police for her town. Where motorcycle gangs and Mafia run rampant, but is her father at the source of it all?
Lucien Is quite possibly the biggest snake in the mafia, doing everything while his blood family lies in the balance of all his betrayal.
At first he uses Astrid as a way to get more information on the MCs in town but quickly realizes there's more to life than having no one close to you and being closed off with your emotions.
The spice was beautifully written and the emotional intimacy between Lucien and Astrid was so necessary to make them realize that there are people that care about them.

[L]

I did my best to get into Irrevocably, but unfortunately, I just couldn’t quite get there. The premise definitely had elements that intrigued me, but I struggled to connect with the characters. As the description suggests, this is a dark mafia romance inspired by a familiar vampire romance.

The FMC and MMC fell for each other quickly, and I felt like I needed a little more context about their backgrounds and their dynamic before things moved so fast. The MMC is a lone-wolf mafia bad boy who ends up stalking the FMC, a college good girl, and she has very little stranger-danger concern about the situation. I understand this is part of the setup, but I wasn’t emotionally invested in either of them that early on, so it was challenging for me to get invested in their dynamic.

By the time I was finally getting intrigued by what the MMC was up to and where his story was going, the book ended... a little too abruptly for me. I think this one just wasn’t the right fit for me, but I can see the appeal for readers who enjoy a fast-paced, dark mafia romance with an obsessive MMC.

[Leanne J]

I initially read this wrong and thought it had vampires in because of the NetGalley blurb but I was wrong. It turns out it didn’t matter because I enjoyed it anyway.

We have a 21 year old student FMC Astrid who has is messy, has confidence issues, is numb to pain so self harms to try and release some of it. Then we have a 28 year old MMC Lucien who is an assassin who wants his freedom and doesn’t want attachments. He is definitely past morally grey and I’m here for it. Then we have Wolf, a motorcycle club member enforcer who is a childhood friend of our FMC. We don’t see a lot of him but he is in play with our main characters.

It’s duel POV which I like. I was immersed in the story and read it in one sitting (except the last chapter but didn’t realise because it said 93% on my kindle). There is a bit of a cliffhanger and I definitely want to read the next book. Will Astrid get a HEA? Will Lucien get his freedom?

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the gifted copy for an honest review.

[Amanda]

Overall this wasn’t bad!

In this mafia/MC romance, there were interesting family ties and loyalties. The MMC (who is supposed to be cold-hearted and without attachments) struggled with falling for the FMC. I liked how his inner turmoil was described. There were several beautifully descriptive passages in general.

There were some repetitive phrases throughout but it wasn’t overwhelming.

I do feel like the whole premise of what the MMC originally wanted from the FMC was a little weak. Meaning, he was relying on her to get some information, but it felt like there could have been a better/different way to get that information. Or maybe it was not convincing that that information was so crucial when they already had suspicions and could have moved forward with leverage they could have easily gained otherwise.

It ends on a cliffhanger, unfortunately. But book 2 comes out November 2026. I am definitely interested to see what happens next.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC! All opinions are my own.

[Kirsten Fulton]

I loved this! It was dark, very spicy and such a quick read — I finished it in one night. Definitely check your triggers before going in!

It definitely gave me Twilight vibes, but darker and with more suspense than supernatural. Astrid is the police chief’s quiet, introverted daughter who’s determined to become a doctor, while her best friend Wolf has secretly loved her for years. Then Lucian arrives in town, only interested in using her for information… until he catches feelings instead.

I really liked Astrid and thought her struggles with her mental health and perfectionism were handled well. Lucian was exactly the kind of tortured, morally questionable MMC I love — manipulative, dangerous and fighting his growing feelings for Astrid.

Was it the most original storyline ever? No. Did I absolutely eat it up anyway? Also yes 🤣 The chemistry was great, the tension kept me hooked, and I’m already looking forward to seeing where the series goes next!

[Entisar Ali]

4.5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, for the ARC!
A quick, addictive dark mafia romance with real bite. Lucien is the obsessive, morally gray antihero the genre thrives on, while Astrid grounds the story emotionally, her arc of shedding the good girl mask she's worn for years feels genuinely relatable rather than just a backdrop for the romance. Their chemistry is magnetic from the start, and the pacing makes this wildly bingeable, the kind of book you pick up and suddenly find yourself finishing. The shadowy criminal world Lucien inhabits is intriguing enough to leave you wanting more depth, with plenty of room to expand in future installments. The heavier themes are handled with care rather than shock value, giving real weight to the central relationship. It closes on a cliffhanger sharp enough to make waiting for book two genuinely painful. A strong entry point for readers new to dark romance, with plenty for series regulars too.