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Sweet Surrender
What happens when a ruthless Bratva leader in New York and a stubborn, incorruptible ex-cop collide?
She saves his life and becomes the only person he can trust, of course.
Claire Black has always been a straight arrow.
It is in her blood to protect the weak and uphold the law.
But the law has failed her time and time again, as the road to success is paved with criminal intent.
In fact, Vlad Antonov is the epitome of everything that Claire hates.
Greed.
Selfishness with no regard for others.
But above all, arrogance.
The arrogance to assume that one life is more important than another.
Antonov convinces Claire to become his bodyguard and keep him safe until he can deduce who is out to end his life or expose the mole in his organization.
Unfortunately for him, Claire is keeping secrets of her own and knows all about his malicious agenda.
Will the forced proximity exacerbate the situation further, or will Claire have to take a hard look at what she has always assumed to be true and the emotions that wreak havoc on her insides?
And will Vlad free himself from the gnawing self-doubt and the threats to the new life he is trying to build?
But most importantly, what part will Claire play in that new life?
She saves his life and becomes the only person he can trust, of course.
Claire Black has always been a straight arrow.
It is in her blood to protect the weak and uphold the law.
But the law has failed her time and time again, as the road to success is paved with criminal intent.
In fact, Vlad Antonov is the epitome of everything that Claire hates.
Greed.
Selfishness with no regard for others.
But above all, arrogance.
The arrogance to assume that one life is more important than another.
Antonov convinces Claire to become his bodyguard and keep him safe until he can deduce who is out to end his life or expose the mole in his organization.
Unfortunately for him, Claire is keeping secrets of her own and knows all about his malicious agenda.
Will the forced proximity exacerbate the situation further, or will Claire have to take a hard look at what she has always assumed to be true and the emotions that wreak havoc on her insides?
And will Vlad free himself from the gnawing self-doubt and the threats to the new life he is trying to build?
But most importantly, what part will Claire play in that new life?
- GenresDark Romance
360 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 24, 2026
About the author
Caz Luan
15 books112 followersI am Caz Luan, and I have always loved the idea of love. Writing a romance novel has been a dream for as long as I can remember, and finally, with the love and support of my husband, it has become a reality. As an ex-lecturer in English and Communication with an Honors degree in English, I am acutely aware of the power words can hold. I do feel that is slightly more impressive if you know English is my second language. My sassiness and humor get me in trouble more often than not, and if it wasn’t for the fact that I don’t look good in prison colors, I might have had many more friends. I always say my superpower is fitting in everywhere and making friends, but honestly, it might be more that I am getting too old for these Shish kabobs. When I am not painting or trying new recipes with friends, I eat cake for breakfast and sing lousy karaoke on my backyard swing. I am also a professional cocktail taster until the third when my inner explorer escapes, and I go on a desperate hunt for the best milkshake in town. I am currently traveling around with my ex-pat husband and hope to use my newfound experiences in the next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
didnt-connect-with-voice
September 2, 2026I see "role reversal" and "femdom", I'm hyped.
But you know what's my problem?
The whole book is written like this.
One sentence = one paragraph.
Okay, maybe there are two sentences per paragraph. Here and there, for a change.
And then back to one-liners.
What is this?
KU page read padding?
Writing for an iphone generation, where the paragraph needs to fit on the screen?
Novel in verse?
Or is it... the thing we don't talk about in polite bookish company?
There's also nearly no descriptions or context. Just dialogue and internal monologue.
I refuse to participate in this.
My braincells deserve better than be fed Wattpad style prose.
Therefore, no rating.
I can't believe I was about to put aside all my pending arc reads and snuggle in bed with this one the day it arrived, and it turned out to be like this. For shame. And fmc even gives hints of being bi (I'd love that). Just because I'm into "rare" tropes doesn't mean I'd uncritically settle on anything served. I yearn for the day to find a role reversal femdom book that isn't treated as "here's some get off material for you", but is lovingly crafted with immersive prose, emotional depth, intricate plot and proper pacing (somehow, they're always either impossibly choppy and rushed, or bloated with filler and not getting anywhere in a timely manner), just the woman has the upper hand in the relationship and in the bedroom. But alas, this day is not today. Again. The search continues. My disappointment is immense and my day is ruined.
Okay, enough memes for today. But seriously, weak writing puts me in a reading slump and I have to protect my sanity. Here's for some better reads in the future and to the hopes the author improves in the future releases. 🥂
Thank you Caz Luan, Ink and Order and The Dark Romance Team for the ARC. I am voluntarily sharing my honest opinion.
But you know what's my problem?
The whole book is written like this.
One sentence = one paragraph.
Okay, maybe there are two sentences per paragraph. Here and there, for a change.
And then back to one-liners.
What is this?
KU page read padding?
Writing for an iphone generation, where the paragraph needs to fit on the screen?
Novel in verse?
Or is it... the thing we don't talk about in polite bookish company?
There's also nearly no descriptions or context. Just dialogue and internal monologue.
I refuse to participate in this.
My braincells deserve better than be fed Wattpad style prose.
Therefore, no rating.
I can't believe I was about to put aside all my pending arc reads and snuggle in bed with this one the day it arrived, and it turned out to be like this. For shame. And fmc even gives hints of being bi (I'd love that). Just because I'm into "rare" tropes doesn't mean I'd uncritically settle on anything served. I yearn for the day to find a role reversal femdom book that isn't treated as "here's some get off material for you", but is lovingly crafted with immersive prose, emotional depth, intricate plot and proper pacing (somehow, they're always either impossibly choppy and rushed, or bloated with filler and not getting anywhere in a timely manner), just the woman has the upper hand in the relationship and in the bedroom. But alas, this day is not today. Again. The search continues. My disappointment is immense and my day is ruined.
Okay, enough memes for today. But seriously, weak writing puts me in a reading slump and I have to protect my sanity. Here's for some better reads in the future and to the hopes the author improves in the future releases. 🥂
Thank you Caz Luan, Ink and Order and The Dark Romance Team for the ARC. I am voluntarily sharing my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I would like to thank the author for allowing me to be one of the ARC readers for this novel.
True to this series, the FMC are all empowered women, who demand respect and do not back down from what they want in life. They will fight, and protect those they have called family.
I enjoyed the read, for me personally, I was not fully fond of Claire in this book. I felt like she was trying too hard to be this domineering woman, hiding a dark side of herself, and not letting anyone break down her walls. She did grow on me, she is clever, has her moments of wit and I chuckled at a few parts with her banter with Vlad.
Vlad - the MMC - was a bit of a conundrum for me. I liked his clever tongue in the other books, but this one, I am not sure. Yes, he had his moments, with a sharp remark, but I didn't like a few parts where his bravado suddenly vanished and he was a boy trying to prove himself. I am all for a man on his knees, and proving his devotion to his woman, but he didn't make me want to melt for him.
I really enjoyed the plotline, it was well thought out, the threads all coming together. Everything that was driving the characters forward was well done. The plot twists were good, for me personally, I didn't get enough tension in some of the situations the characters found themselves in and I - curse my brain - figured out the big reveal before it happened, but it was nice to see how it was planned out and the outcome was unexpected, in a good way.
Overall, it is a good fast read, spice was spicy, it is easy to follow, and enjoyable. I would recommend this series!
True to this series, the FMC are all empowered women, who demand respect and do not back down from what they want in life. They will fight, and protect those they have called family.
I enjoyed the read, for me personally, I was not fully fond of Claire in this book. I felt like she was trying too hard to be this domineering woman, hiding a dark side of herself, and not letting anyone break down her walls. She did grow on me, she is clever, has her moments of wit and I chuckled at a few parts with her banter with Vlad.
Vlad - the MMC - was a bit of a conundrum for me. I liked his clever tongue in the other books, but this one, I am not sure. Yes, he had his moments, with a sharp remark, but I didn't like a few parts where his bravado suddenly vanished and he was a boy trying to prove himself. I am all for a man on his knees, and proving his devotion to his woman, but he didn't make me want to melt for him.
I really enjoyed the plotline, it was well thought out, the threads all coming together. Everything that was driving the characters forward was well done. The plot twists were good, for me personally, I didn't get enough tension in some of the situations the characters found themselves in and I - curse my brain - figured out the big reveal before it happened, but it was nice to see how it was planned out and the outcome was unexpected, in a good way.
Overall, it is a good fast read, spice was spicy, it is easy to follow, and enjoyable. I would recommend this series!
Review of advance copy received from Author
SWEET SURRENDER — REVIEW 🥀
This was the complete OPPOSITE of the dark romance dynamic I normally reach for… and I loved being thrown this far out of my comfort zone.
Vlad is the head of the Russian Bratva. Claire is an ex-cop turned head of security and when I say she can handle herself, I mean she would literally take a bullet for this man.
But what really flips the usual script?
Claire is the dominant one.
She’s dominant in the bedroom.
She’s protective.
She’s dangerous in her own right.
And Vlad? This terrifying Bratva boss falls first and HARD.
He has absolutely no problem letting Claire know he wants her sexually, but the actual feelings? The love part? That man locks those away until almost the very end.
And underneath their relationship is a story packed with family secrets, violence, danger, and revelations that slowly start connecting the pieces.
This definitely wasn’t my usual flavor of “touch her and die.” This is more:
✨ She’ll touch YOU and you might die. ✨
😂
If you love a dominant FMC paired with a powerful man who is completely gone for her, this dynamic might be exactly what you’re looking for.
⚠️ Please check your triggers before reading. This is a dark romance with heavy themes and content that won’t be for every reader.
🥀 Russian Bratva
🔫 Head of Security FMC
🖤 He falls first
🔥 Dominant FMC
🩸 She takes a bullet for him
🔐 Family secrets
😈 Morally questionable characters
🔪 Touch-her-and-die… but make it HER
This one pushed me way outside my normal dark-romance dynamic which might be the most interesting part of reading it.
This was the complete OPPOSITE of the dark romance dynamic I normally reach for… and I loved being thrown this far out of my comfort zone.
Vlad is the head of the Russian Bratva. Claire is an ex-cop turned head of security and when I say she can handle herself, I mean she would literally take a bullet for this man.
But what really flips the usual script?
Claire is the dominant one.
She’s dominant in the bedroom.
She’s protective.
She’s dangerous in her own right.
And Vlad? This terrifying Bratva boss falls first and HARD.
He has absolutely no problem letting Claire know he wants her sexually, but the actual feelings? The love part? That man locks those away until almost the very end.
And underneath their relationship is a story packed with family secrets, violence, danger, and revelations that slowly start connecting the pieces.
This definitely wasn’t my usual flavor of “touch her and die.” This is more:
✨ She’ll touch YOU and you might die. ✨
😂
If you love a dominant FMC paired with a powerful man who is completely gone for her, this dynamic might be exactly what you’re looking for.
⚠️ Please check your triggers before reading. This is a dark romance with heavy themes and content that won’t be for every reader.
🥀 Russian Bratva
🔫 Head of Security FMC
🖤 He falls first
🔥 Dominant FMC
🩸 She takes a bullet for him
🔐 Family secrets
😈 Morally questionable characters
🔪 Touch-her-and-die… but make it HER
This one pushed me way outside my normal dark-romance dynamic which might be the most interesting part of reading it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
(I received an ARC copy of this book, all thoughts are my own)
This book threw me through a loop because I missed that it was book 4 in a series. Normally I would DNF and come back after reading others. However the FMC had already grabbed my attention from the first line in the book. I have no regrets.
Claire totally turned the table and added herself to my list of fave unhinged FMCs. I loved every second of her. Some may find her no nonsense attitude frustrating, I found it refreshing, slightly unhinged but I loved her. The banter and chemistry with Vlad was there from the start and I ate up every minute of their back and forth. The spice was just as good, without being too much.
The overall plot held my attention. Even though I was pretty sure I knew who the mole would be, I was still never completely sure. Plenty of tension, some violence and a lot of mystery. Despite having read a few of these types of books recently this book completely held my attention and I couldn't put it down.
Although for me it was like being dropped into the middle of a story and not knowing the history of the characters I could tell how close their relationships were and the dynamics. This book left me wanting to go back and fill in the gaps about what we should already know.
This book threw me through a loop because I missed that it was book 4 in a series. Normally I would DNF and come back after reading others. However the FMC had already grabbed my attention from the first line in the book. I have no regrets.
Claire totally turned the table and added herself to my list of fave unhinged FMCs. I loved every second of her. Some may find her no nonsense attitude frustrating, I found it refreshing, slightly unhinged but I loved her. The banter and chemistry with Vlad was there from the start and I ate up every minute of their back and forth. The spice was just as good, without being too much.
The overall plot held my attention. Even though I was pretty sure I knew who the mole would be, I was still never completely sure. Plenty of tension, some violence and a lot of mystery. Despite having read a few of these types of books recently this book completely held my attention and I couldn't put it down.
Although for me it was like being dropped into the middle of a story and not knowing the history of the characters I could tell how close their relationships were and the dynamics. This book left me wanting to go back and fill in the gaps about what we should already know.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Firstly I want to thank the author for allowing me to be an ARC reader for this lovely novel.
I absolutely love an empowered woman. Someone who knows what she wants and doesn't back down. Someone who demands respect and fights for what she believes in.
There were times I felt that maybe she was too strong taking some of the relatability as well as reality from the FMC. As much as I loved the MMC, being a bratva boss who's supposed to be badass, there had been times where he was too much of a damsel in distress which made me cringe instead of swoon.
I did however love the plot and how the story came to its conclusion. The thing that drove the characters was relatable as well as well constructed. I absolutely love a band of misfits since I myself have a soft spot for the underdogs. Their relationships was strong and adoring. The plot twists were amazing and the tention was gruesome (in the best way).
This was a fast read, easy pacing and easy to follow.
I would recommend it.
I absolutely love an empowered woman. Someone who knows what she wants and doesn't back down. Someone who demands respect and fights for what she believes in.
There were times I felt that maybe she was too strong taking some of the relatability as well as reality from the FMC. As much as I loved the MMC, being a bratva boss who's supposed to be badass, there had been times where he was too much of a damsel in distress which made me cringe instead of swoon.
I did however love the plot and how the story came to its conclusion. The thing that drove the characters was relatable as well as well constructed. I absolutely love a band of misfits since I myself have a soft spot for the underdogs. Their relationships was strong and adoring. The plot twists were amazing and the tention was gruesome (in the best way).
This was a fast read, easy pacing and easy to follow.
I would recommend it.
September 29, 2026
I will preface that I didn’t read the other books in the series first. It was a little hard to get into without the backstory of the characters and I think I would have enjoyed it more if I read the series in order.
Claire hides a lot of secrets and Vlad is determined to not only know them but belong within them. She is loyal to a fault even when she has no reason to be. She is caring of those in her chosen family and can orchestrate a hell of a long game. Their dynamic was different than I expected and control/power was a significant factor is bleeding in the cracks of their soul.
Claire hides a lot of secrets and Vlad is determined to not only know them but belong within them. She is loyal to a fault even when she has no reason to be. She is caring of those in her chosen family and can orchestrate a hell of a long game. Their dynamic was different than I expected and control/power was a significant factor is bleeding in the cracks of their soul.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Kick ass FMC! She’s playing chess while the rest was playing UNO. I enjoyed this one. Not reading the previous three books in the series didn’t hinder my understanding of things, so that was great. Oh, and the PLOT TWISTTTTT!? Chefs kiss!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This story was enjoyable in one sitting! I love how Vlad is a green flag mmc to Claire. Claire is independent and able to handle her own without anyone’s help.
September 30, 2026
I should mention that I didn’t read the earlier books in the series first, so it was a bit hard to get into without knowing the characters’ backstory. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read them in order. That aside, I loved the twists and turns with plenty of Bratva action. It was adorable seeing Vlad act big and intimidating around his men, yet turn sweet and caring when he was with Claire. I enjoyed seeing both sides of him and knowing he could switch between them effortlessly.
September 24, 2026
Caz has done it again. Well written, spel binding. Absolutely loved it. I am trying so hard to keep this generic without spoilers. You will not go wrong if you read this series.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Twists and turns and awhole lot of bratva. Claire is not someone to mess with but Vlad definitely does not mind pushing buttons. She doesn't tolerate the he-man stuff because she is quite capable. And Vlad is dangerous but its cute to see how he acts around Katya.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews