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Empire of Sins #1
Violent Devotion
Executioner. Monster. Butcher.
Nothing Alexei Avrorin hasn’t been called before. Born into Russia’s oldest and deadliest mafia family, now its most ruthless enforcer, Alexei has become numb, disillusioned. When a simple job goes sideways, he meets Kelly Mackey, who unexpectedly and discreetly saves his life instead of turning him in.
Unable to forget the guarded veterinarian who showed him compassion he didn’t deserve, Alexei watches him from afar. As his obsession grows, so does his certainty that Kelly has dangerous secrets buried deep. And Alexei won’t stop until he uncovers every single one.
Despite Alexei’s sexuality being a death sentence in his world, Kelly awakens something in him that he’s spent his entire life suppressing. Their connection may be forbidden, deadly, but by the time they let down their walls, escape is no longer an option.
Violent Devotion is L. Norell’s debut novel and the first in The Empire of Sins series—dark MM mafia romances where each Avrorin brother gets his own interconnected story. Come for the darkness and the forbidden, stay for the dark humor, shocking reveals, and a steamy romance with a guaranteed HEA.
This book is intended for mature audiences and explores dark themes that may make readers uncomfortable.
Unable to forget the guarded veterinarian who showed him compassion he didn’t deserve, Alexei watches him from afar. As his obsession grows, so does his certainty that Kelly has dangerous secrets buried deep. And Alexei won’t stop until he uncovers every single one.
Despite Alexei’s sexuality being a death sentence in his world, Kelly awakens something in him that he’s spent his entire life suppressing. Their connection may be forbidden, deadly, but by the time they let down their walls, escape is no longer an option.
Violent Devotion is L. Norell’s debut novel and the first in The Empire of Sins series—dark MM mafia romances where each Avrorin brother gets his own interconnected story. Come for the darkness and the forbidden, stay for the dark humor, shocking reveals, and a steamy romance with a guaranteed HEA.
This book is intended for mature audiences and explores dark themes that may make readers uncomfortable.
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 24, 2026
About the author
L. Norell
1 book190 followersL. Norell spends most of her time thinking about morally gray characters and the one person they're soft for.She writes dark romance filled with obsessive devotion, messy families, and guaranteed happy endings.(Even if the journey is unhinged)
She writes exclusively queer romance because that's where her heart is, and she wouldn't change it for anything. L. Norell lives in Sweden, where she juggles writing with university life, reads way too much, and has a serious energy drink problem.
Follow L. Norell on Instagram (@authorlnorell) for snippets, teasers, and all the chaos
She writes exclusively queer romance because that's where her heart is, and she wouldn't change it for anything. L. Norell lives in Sweden, where she juggles writing with university life, reads way too much, and has a serious energy drink problem.
Follow L. Norell on Instagram (@authorlnorell) for snippets, teasers, and all the chaos
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 412 reviews
May 8, 2026
4.25**** stars
Not bad for a debut. Not bad at all.
Totally unhinged Russian mafia family. Five crazy brothers and a set of stoic parents.
In this series setup we have Alexei, just having been shot, breaking into a Vet clinic, holding Kelly at gun point and demanding he removes the bullet. Totally relatable meet-cute.
But yes, they were really cute together. And Alexei took the saying touch him and die to a whole new level, but who cares.
Overall I enjoyed reading this story a lot even though some plot pointes fell a bit flat for me and some were just too OTT.
I’m not at all a fan of friends to lovers (or rather brothers here, one’s adopted tho) but I’m looking forward to revisiting these guys and see what’s going on between Mikhail and Daniil who have been attached by the hip since early childhood.
************
Empire of Sins Series
Book 1 - Violent Devotion - 4.25 stars
Book 2 - tbd
Not bad for a debut. Not bad at all.
Totally unhinged Russian mafia family. Five crazy brothers and a set of stoic parents.
In this series setup we have Alexei, just having been shot, breaking into a Vet clinic, holding Kelly at gun point and demanding he removes the bullet. Totally relatable meet-cute.
The door clicks open. I walk in, lock it, then head straight for Clover. She’s in her pen, blinking up at me. I pick her up, kiss the top of her head, […] This is crossing every normal boundary. That thought lasts two seconds before I remember I don’t give a fuck.
But yes, they were really cute together. And Alexei took the saying touch him and die to a whole new level, but who cares.
“Will you say something in Russian to me?” “Ya pokazyvayu tebe chasti sebya, kotorye nikto ne vidit.” I’m showing you parts of myself no one else ever sees.
Overall I enjoyed reading this story a lot even though some plot pointes fell a bit flat for me and some were just too OTT.
I’m not at all a fan of friends to lovers (or rather brothers here, one’s adopted tho) but I’m looking forward to revisiting these guys and see what’s going on between Mikhail and Daniil who have been attached by the hip since early childhood.
************
Empire of Sins Series
Book 1 - Violent Devotion - 4.25 stars
Book 2 - tbd
April 30, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
Really liked this debut, I think the author has a lot of potential going forward and I'm excited for the next one, because it got me interested in Mikhail and Daniil's story!
This book revolves around Kelly who is a veterinarian, who has also suffered emotionally and physically due to his ex, who keeps pestering him throughout the book, and it's also about Alexei who's a russian enforcer, part of a mafia family - he also has a filthy mouth so there's that - who falls hard for the tortured boy.
The sole reason as to why I didn't rate this higher, is because I think the editing done in this book took out a lot of the tension between the characters and the scenes, or at least that's what it felt to me reading it. Once I was getting into it and was reaching an immersive state, it would pull me out of it. And this felt more rather towards the half of the book instead of the first half. There were a couple of moments specifically where we would be in one place discussing something and then we would be shoved right into a dialogue related to that but with the characters in a different place with someone else so there was no smooth transition, and that unfortunately did break immersion for me. It also feels like some if not more of the tension between the main couple was left out or pulled, because it felt like it was going there, but then the sentences felt short and to the point, instead of illustrating their feelings.
I understand that the author wishes to expand the next book more, higher page count would hopefully mean a lot more in terms of building the tension, emotional connection and immersion potential. Otherwise the charatcters were very likeable both the boys and the brothers, love that we had some mafiaesque scenes and the typical father figure, that helped in building Alexei's charatcter. Really liked the banter between the brothers as well, and towards the ending the little teasers of the next couple were delightful.
Overall as a debut it met my expectations, just wish we had a bit more of some things over here and over there to wrap up nicely. But I will definitely be reading book 2. ❤️🖤
Really liked this debut, I think the author has a lot of potential going forward and I'm excited for the next one, because it got me interested in Mikhail and Daniil's story!
This book revolves around Kelly who is a veterinarian, who has also suffered emotionally and physically due to his ex, who keeps pestering him throughout the book, and it's also about Alexei who's a russian enforcer, part of a mafia family - he also has a filthy mouth so there's that - who falls hard for the tortured boy.
The sole reason as to why I didn't rate this higher, is because I think the editing done in this book took out a lot of the tension between the characters and the scenes, or at least that's what it felt to me reading it. Once I was getting into it and was reaching an immersive state, it would pull me out of it. And this felt more rather towards the half of the book instead of the first half. There were a couple of moments specifically where we would be in one place discussing something and then we would be shoved right into a dialogue related to that but with the characters in a different place with someone else so there was no smooth transition, and that unfortunately did break immersion for me. It also feels like some if not more of the tension between the main couple was left out or pulled, because it felt like it was going there, but then the sentences felt short and to the point, instead of illustrating their feelings.
I understand that the author wishes to expand the next book more, higher page count would hopefully mean a lot more in terms of building the tension, emotional connection and immersion potential. Otherwise the charatcters were very likeable both the boys and the brothers, love that we had some mafiaesque scenes and the typical father figure, that helped in building Alexei's charatcter. Really liked the banter between the brothers as well, and towards the ending the little teasers of the next couple were delightful.
Overall as a debut it met my expectations, just wish we had a bit more of some things over here and over there to wrap up nicely. But I will definitely be reading book 2. ❤️🖤
May 15, 2026
Ugh. I’m so disappointed. I was really liking this in the beginning! My main gripe would be that I never got to see why they even liked each other that much. Suddenly they’re together and Alexei is a sex god even though he’s never been with another man before and Kelly is cool with them dating even though Alexei is a little suspicious due to ya know, him being in the mafia. But hey. Whatever. Suddenly they’re boyfriends but I thought that the route we were on was so much more interesting than where we ended up. Exploring Alexei’s character arc of being repressed and closeted but risking it all for the guy he loves. And Kelly’s arc of finding acceptance and love with someone after being in an abusive relationship that mentally and physically destroyed him. But after the first sex scene it’s almost like both characters unique traits disappear to a point. They’re still present but not the same as the beginning portion of the book. And again, I’m wondering…why him? (Directed at both guys.) Because it takes so few scenes for them to be “in love,” that I just lost ALL INTEREST! I was completely and totally done at that point. All the excitement of seeing how two people fall in love was taken away from me and quite frankly, I felt robbed! I’m extra disappointed because I was liking this so much due to the characters as individuals and the romantic tension but when both things I’m enjoying lessen to the degree they did as fast as they did, what am I left to enjoy? 😔
April 26, 2026
Now this is how you write a mafia romance!
The title is very apt, as Alexei certainly is violent in his absolute devotion to Kelly. Never to Kelly himself, no, he treats Kelly like he walks on water. But he'll hurt anyone and anything who looks at Kelly wrong, which isn't really much of an exaggeration.
This is a new author and I already can't wait for more from her because this was amazing! It was so well written, I zoomed through this within a day, I couldn't put it down, and I couldn't get enough of Alexei and Kelly.
Stuff like this is what I want from mafia romances. Maybe not every lead has to be quite as unhinged as Alexei, but to that degree, yes, gimme that and I'll eat it up.
This doesn't pull any punches either about how dangerous and fucked up these men in the mafia are, so heed that going into this. There are TWs, so really take those in, but also when the author says it shows violence and gore and doesn't shy away from that, listen because Alexei and his brothers are violent in extreme ways and we see a lot of that on page. What they can do to a human being without flinching is pretty awful. If that's too much for you, this is not the book for you.
But for me, I love that "will fuck up anyone and everyone except for you, you are the only exception to everything" trope and this had it in spades. I couldn't get enough of it!
Alexei becomes so obsessed and devoted to Kelly, to extremes. Obviously he's pretty much every red flag in the book so in real life run far away from him. But for this fictional story he's a red flag for anyone but Kelly - and their bunny, Clover. He does all he can to make sure Kelly is safe and happy and whole. Hell, he has red flags toward Kelly too, lbr, but just in that he literally will kill people for him, which Kelly just kind of doesn't want to know the details of.
But for such a hard man like Alexei, who has only known darkness and violence, Kelly is like a breath of fresh air. He's sweet and kind and sees more in Alexei than he or anyone else has ever seen in himself. Something human when he's never really felt fully human.
What I loved about this, though, is that it didn't pull its punches. Alexei doesn't have remorse or guilt about killing people, at all. The only one he would ever lose his mind over hurting or killing is Kelly. Literally only him. And maybe Clover. But mainly just Kelly. He literally is prepared to .
That doesn't mean he doesn't have relationships with others. He's somewhat close to his brothers - in a way. These are all fucked up men who ranged from sociopath to psychopath honestly - and his mother, but I think he could kill them too if he had too. Not that he necessarily wants to or cares to, but he'd be able to do it, is the thing. He'd never be able to kill Kelly.
I love how Kelly is his whole world. He basically lives and breathes for Kelly by the end of this.
I also loved how this didn't have his mother dead - I feel like a lot of mafia stories have the mother dead. If not both parents, at least the mother is the usual parent who is dead. So seeing their mother alive and well and badass in her own way was great to see, I loved it.
I also love how it followed through on Alexei's father being so homophobic and never really bending on it. They are Russian, after all, and the mafia at that, so not everyone is going to magically not be homophobic or get past it quickly. His father is actually disgusted and doesn't talk to Alexei again to the end and as far as we know, never will. I mean, I hate that he's like that, but I like that what was threatened to happen actually happened and actual consequences happened with it. These days stories will have characters be like "they're going to freak out and hate me" and then the person finds out and they're wonderful about it. Or they freak out initially and then get over that quickly. Which, great! But also not all humans work like that and some are just horribly nasty and it's okay for not everything to be wrapped up by the end. So I loved that nothing got better with the father.
Also the sex was so so well done. The chemistry between these two was amazing. I think it'll only get better with this author as well, because this was only her first book.
I'm looking forward to Mikhail and Daniil's story next. Adoptive brothers who have been in each other's lives since they were kids? Oh this is going to be all kinds of deliciously fucked up! I can't wait!
Until then! And read this one in the meantime, it's totally worth it! 😘
The title is very apt, as Alexei certainly is violent in his absolute devotion to Kelly. Never to Kelly himself, no, he treats Kelly like he walks on water. But he'll hurt anyone and anything who looks at Kelly wrong, which isn't really much of an exaggeration.
This is a new author and I already can't wait for more from her because this was amazing! It was so well written, I zoomed through this within a day, I couldn't put it down, and I couldn't get enough of Alexei and Kelly.
Stuff like this is what I want from mafia romances. Maybe not every lead has to be quite as unhinged as Alexei, but to that degree, yes, gimme that and I'll eat it up.
This doesn't pull any punches either about how dangerous and fucked up these men in the mafia are, so heed that going into this. There are TWs, so really take those in, but also when the author says it shows violence and gore and doesn't shy away from that, listen because Alexei and his brothers are violent in extreme ways and we see a lot of that on page. What they can do to a human being without flinching is pretty awful. If that's too much for you, this is not the book for you.
But for me, I love that "will fuck up anyone and everyone except for you, you are the only exception to everything" trope and this had it in spades. I couldn't get enough of it!
Alexei becomes so obsessed and devoted to Kelly, to extremes. Obviously he's pretty much every red flag in the book so in real life run far away from him. But for this fictional story he's a red flag for anyone but Kelly - and their bunny, Clover. He does all he can to make sure Kelly is safe and happy and whole. Hell, he has red flags toward Kelly too, lbr, but just in that he literally will kill people for him, which Kelly just kind of doesn't want to know the details of.
But for such a hard man like Alexei, who has only known darkness and violence, Kelly is like a breath of fresh air. He's sweet and kind and sees more in Alexei than he or anyone else has ever seen in himself. Something human when he's never really felt fully human.
What I loved about this, though, is that it didn't pull its punches. Alexei doesn't have remorse or guilt about killing people, at all. The only one he would ever lose his mind over hurting or killing is Kelly. Literally only him. And maybe Clover. But mainly just Kelly. He literally is prepared to .
That doesn't mean he doesn't have relationships with others. He's somewhat close to his brothers - in a way. These are all fucked up men who ranged from sociopath to psychopath honestly - and his mother, but I think he could kill them too if he had too. Not that he necessarily wants to or cares to, but he'd be able to do it, is the thing. He'd never be able to kill Kelly.
I love how Kelly is his whole world. He basically lives and breathes for Kelly by the end of this.
I also loved how this didn't have his mother dead - I feel like a lot of mafia stories have the mother dead. If not both parents, at least the mother is the usual parent who is dead. So seeing their mother alive and well and badass in her own way was great to see, I loved it.
I also love how it followed through on Alexei's father being so homophobic and never really bending on it. They are Russian, after all, and the mafia at that, so not everyone is going to magically not be homophobic or get past it quickly. His father is actually disgusted and doesn't talk to Alexei again to the end and as far as we know, never will. I mean, I hate that he's like that, but I like that what was threatened to happen actually happened and actual consequences happened with it. These days stories will have characters be like "they're going to freak out and hate me" and then the person finds out and they're wonderful about it. Or they freak out initially and then get over that quickly. Which, great! But also not all humans work like that and some are just horribly nasty and it's okay for not everything to be wrapped up by the end. So I loved that nothing got better with the father.
Also the sex was so so well done. The chemistry between these two was amazing. I think it'll only get better with this author as well, because this was only her first book.
I'm looking forward to Mikhail and Daniil's story next. Adoptive brothers who have been in each other's lives since they were kids? Oh this is going to be all kinds of deliciously fucked up! I can't wait!
Until then! And read this one in the meantime, it's totally worth it! 😘
April 24, 2026
✨I rcvd this as an ARC!✨
*sigh* I’ll take one unhinged Russian please 🙋♀️
*sigh* I’ll take one unhinged Russian please 🙋♀️
May 7, 2026
6 ⭐️
spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5
format: ebook
the illustrated cover of this caught my attention and had me metaphorically on my knees and it’s entirely the reason i threw my tbr away and picked this up immediately. and god, i am so happy i did.
these two were everything. someone messaged me and said that alexei is like adam mulvaney if adam grew up in a less strict household—LOL—and that’s totally accurate. i just loved how unhinged he was and so unapologetic of how he wanted kelly. his inner monologues are actually everything to me, i was in tears from laughing.
and i loved sweet kelly with his adorable as fuck rabbit and his sad eyes and his tragic secret backstory. and how he did not at all question an insane russian man barging his way into his life. like, that’s sadly so relatable to me.
i love them, and i need MORE. cannot wait for mikhail and daniil!
spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5
format: ebook
the illustrated cover of this caught my attention and had me metaphorically on my knees and it’s entirely the reason i threw my tbr away and picked this up immediately. and god, i am so happy i did.
these two were everything. someone messaged me and said that alexei is like adam mulvaney if adam grew up in a less strict household—LOL—and that’s totally accurate. i just loved how unhinged he was and so unapologetic of how he wanted kelly. his inner monologues are actually everything to me, i was in tears from laughing.
and i loved sweet kelly with his adorable as fuck rabbit and his sad eyes and his tragic secret backstory. and how he did not at all question an insane russian man barging his way into his life. like, that’s sadly so relatable to me.
i love them, and i need MORE. cannot wait for mikhail and daniil!
May 3, 2026
necesito el libro de mikhail y daniil para ayer 💳💥💳💥
April 30, 2026
Well, this is a debut… f*ck me sideways 🫢 First of all congrats to the author for creating this beautiful characters and solid world building! Damn, I loved Alexei and Kelly 🩷 I loved their “meet cute” and everything that follows. An unhinged mafia prince going all in. This is one of my favourites tropes (a complete matcho/alpha dude melts for his mate), also how unmovable Alexei was, how sure he is, how he met Kelly and said to himself that this is it. I loved how he reassures Kelly, how he gave him space, how gentle and sweet he is with him. Oh my god and the bunny, fluffy cutness!!! I hate the dad, I hope if he isn’t on board by the next book- he should be swimming with the fishes (that sounded gangsta enough).I want to know everything about Alexei’s family. I had an amazing time with this book 🌸
April 27, 2026
This was absolutely fantastic for a debut. If you are a fan of unhinged mafia stories then I highly recommend this one!
April 24, 2026
ARC Review: POTENTIAL SPOILERS. List of reasons Alexei is a 10 🤭🖤
5 ⭐️ 4 🌶️
Tropes:
Dark MM Mafia Romance
Hurt/comfort
Enforcer and Veterinarian
Dark humor
Breathe wrong in his direction & 💀 (absolutely perfect)
Both touch starved
Stalking
I had been WAITING to grab this ARC and it do not disappoint.
It moved at the perfect pace, following Alexei & Kelly.
I dont want to give much away but the way Alexei would do anything for kelly 😩🥹🖤 swoon hehehe
Reasons hes a 10
Answers the phone, even when he is “working” 😏
Carries you up the stairs when you are hurt
Takes care of your wounds
He Feeds your rabbit and cares for her while you are gone , even if you dont know that.
he made a copy of the key without you knowing just incase 🤭
Sets up a grocery delivery cause you have no food in the fridge
Always wants their name if they hurt you 🤭
He wants to know what you really think, never judges you
Runs you a bubble bath to make you feel better
Calls you bunny (zaychik) 🤭🤭
5 ⭐️ 4 🌶️
Tropes:
Dark MM Mafia Romance
Hurt/comfort
Enforcer and Veterinarian
Dark humor
Breathe wrong in his direction & 💀 (absolutely perfect)
Both touch starved
Stalking
I had been WAITING to grab this ARC and it do not disappoint.
It moved at the perfect pace, following Alexei & Kelly.
I dont want to give much away but the way Alexei would do anything for kelly 😩🥹🖤 swoon hehehe
Reasons hes a 10
Answers the phone, even when he is “working” 😏
Carries you up the stairs when you are hurt
Takes care of your wounds
He Feeds your rabbit and cares for her while you are gone , even if you dont know that.
he made a copy of the key without you knowing just incase 🤭
Sets up a grocery delivery cause you have no food in the fridge
Always wants their name if they hurt you 🤭
He wants to know what you really think, never judges you
Runs you a bubble bath to make you feel better
Calls you bunny (zaychik) 🤭🤭
Review of advance copy received from Author
“𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐩 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐳𝐚𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐤. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬. 𝐈 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐨𝐱𝐲𝐠𝐞𝐧. 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠.”
Because who would say no to a completely unhinged Russian mafia enforcer who kills people for being a dick to you, calls you cute pet names while simultaneously being a complete softie who spoils your pet, and says shit like that ^^ like cmooooonnnnnn
Alexei has my whole heart forever and ever.
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧:
- dark MM mafia romance
- unhinged russian mafia enforcer + traumatized veterinarian
- stalking
- they’re both touch starved
- hurt x comfort
- breathe wrong in his direction and ☠️
Because who would say no to a completely unhinged Russian mafia enforcer who kills people for being a dick to you, calls you cute pet names while simultaneously being a complete softie who spoils your pet, and says shit like that ^^ like cmooooonnnnnn
Alexei has my whole heart forever and ever.
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧:
- dark MM mafia romance
- unhinged russian mafia enforcer + traumatized veterinarian
- stalking
- they’re both touch starved
- hurt x comfort
- breathe wrong in his direction and ☠️
April 28, 2026
I’m actually unwell. For a debut, this was insane in the best way, I flew through it in a day. This is exactly what I want from a mafia romance with a family: a bold and beautiful mother, a stubborn, old-school father who still folds for her, and a messy family dynamic between the siblings that somehow still promises a satisfying ending, somewhere along Book 123 lol. Listen, Alexei?? Fully deranged in the most hypnotizing way. He’ll destroy anyone who even breathes wrong near Kelly, but treats Kelly like his entire world, will invade his personal space byet give him space at the same damn time, swoon. Then Kelly, Mr zero self-preservation, Mr let me choose peace while my man is printing papers at the office 😭 the obsession, the banter, the chemistry… it just works.
@alis_reads_ your review on TikTok is literally why I picked this up and oh my GOD… thank you for ruining my life in the best way possible.
I went in blind, didn’t know the author, didn’t know the story and now I’m 24 hours out yet still thinking about it like I’m possessed. Because this family?? Pure chaos. Someone’s always in trouble, someone’s always plotting revenge, and somehow that’s their love language. Beat each other up and commit felonies together and for each other is their way of life and I've never loved anything more. The parents, the part when mom aimed her red heel at once of her sons? The bullets in the ceiling from Dad? I was eating it UP. It was giving dysfunction, danger, and “everyone needs therapy but instead they choose violence and familial love lol”
Friends, the genes in that family, the brothers? Whew.
The oldest son being this quiet, background bald mysterious MC… Lev, I see you. I see you babe, and I can't wait to learn more about you. And Calder?? Yeah, something is brewing there and I’m already locked in. Also I cannot stop thinking about Yulian because sir I love you so bad but start counting your days. The second that knife almost hit Dani? Ha! Time slowed, my jaw dropped,my eyes bulged and I was basically thriving off the incoming chaos because you just KNOW his brother, Mikhail, the scary one, so far if you ask me, is coming for him. Mikhail is not himself rn and everyone knows, especially you Yulian, you know! Next to Daniil you probably know more than everyone because the way you two fight makes me think you're closest to each other out of the brothers. Mark your hours Yulian, he's coming for you! hehe. And chaos is exactly what Mikhail delivers. That man is a full menace. His father definitely hates it for his plans with him, his mother is probably disappointed a little in him, and Dani’s feelings are...i don't know yet, actually, and honestly that just makes me need their story even more.
The point is, Book 1? Incredible, a masterpiece introduction into this new world with the best couple pairing ever. Because somehow, despite all his red flags, Alexei was soft, sweet, and such a man. I don’t even understand how that balance worked, but it did.
My only real issue was that one moment where Kelly reacts to Alexei finally sharing details, it felt off. Whether it was meant as praise or frustration, it came across unnecessary, especially since Kelly had been actively avoiding the gritty reality of what Alexei does as the family’s enforcer. It just felt like a small inconsistency that didn’t quite match his earlier stance. Also, while the spicy scenes were definitely hot, they felt a little lacking. It kind of came across like things finished too quickly, so the payoff didn’t fully match the buildup, you know what I mean. Not bad at all just left me wanting a bit more tension during, emphasis on during, the actual deed. I want to see hips gyrating, I need the feel of thrusts described, I want to see eyes rolling...I want....I want...I like to believe it a tangible sexy event, you know. It would’ve made those finish lines hit even harder. Lastly, can we unbraid mom's hair, I want to see it down and shiny at least once, though with large boys for kids it does make sense that she braids it. My heart certainly goes out to her.
Great book. Great debut. I’m officially hooked on the series and family.
Bonus: predictions for myself
1. Mikhail and Daniil are Promise by Bella Kay coded the whole chorus of ...'Cause if I tell you, you could say I'm not the one, You want, and I, I couldn't handle that, So if I tell you, then promise me I can take it back, Oh, I want you, but, I'll never tell you, 'Cause if I tell you, you could say I'm not the one
2. Yulian is always running his mouth, I'm stuck between shipping him with his best friend Calder and wanting him with a long lost brother of one of the girls that he saves, or maybe even a cop investigating them,One thing I know is that I don't want him ending up with a male sex worker because that's a little too predictable, it's tired and lazy tbh. I also want him topped tf out
2. Lev he's the oldest but he's too soft, I can scent it from here. Give him to competent Calder to fold, or...or...hear me out! to the oldest sibling of that other rival family that's questioning and about to coup de tat their father. Let it go there...take it there please...i wanna see something, I want to see him folded.
Ugh, this can't be healthy, I'm too obsessed...I haven't seen myself this way since Legacy of Gods and Frat Wars. Let me get a grip and go.
@alis_reads_ your review on TikTok is literally why I picked this up and oh my GOD… thank you for ruining my life in the best way possible.
I went in blind, didn’t know the author, didn’t know the story and now I’m 24 hours out yet still thinking about it like I’m possessed. Because this family?? Pure chaos. Someone’s always in trouble, someone’s always plotting revenge, and somehow that’s their love language. Beat each other up and commit felonies together and for each other is their way of life and I've never loved anything more. The parents, the part when mom aimed her red heel at once of her sons? The bullets in the ceiling from Dad? I was eating it UP. It was giving dysfunction, danger, and “everyone needs therapy but instead they choose violence and familial love lol”
Friends, the genes in that family, the brothers? Whew.
The oldest son being this quiet, background bald mysterious MC… Lev, I see you. I see you babe, and I can't wait to learn more about you. And Calder?? Yeah, something is brewing there and I’m already locked in. Also I cannot stop thinking about Yulian because sir I love you so bad but start counting your days. The second that knife almost hit Dani? Ha! Time slowed, my jaw dropped,my eyes bulged and I was basically thriving off the incoming chaos because you just KNOW his brother, Mikhail, the scary one, so far if you ask me, is coming for him. Mikhail is not himself rn and everyone knows, especially you Yulian, you know! Next to Daniil you probably know more than everyone because the way you two fight makes me think you're closest to each other out of the brothers. Mark your hours Yulian, he's coming for you! hehe. And chaos is exactly what Mikhail delivers. That man is a full menace. His father definitely hates it for his plans with him, his mother is probably disappointed a little in him, and Dani’s feelings are...i don't know yet, actually, and honestly that just makes me need their story even more.
The point is, Book 1? Incredible, a masterpiece introduction into this new world with the best couple pairing ever. Because somehow, despite all his red flags, Alexei was soft, sweet, and such a man. I don’t even understand how that balance worked, but it did.
My only real issue was that one moment where Kelly reacts to Alexei finally sharing details, it felt off. Whether it was meant as praise or frustration, it came across unnecessary, especially since Kelly had been actively avoiding the gritty reality of what Alexei does as the family’s enforcer. It just felt like a small inconsistency that didn’t quite match his earlier stance. Also, while the spicy scenes were definitely hot, they felt a little lacking. It kind of came across like things finished too quickly, so the payoff didn’t fully match the buildup, you know what I mean. Not bad at all just left me wanting a bit more tension during, emphasis on during, the actual deed. I want to see hips gyrating, I need the feel of thrusts described, I want to see eyes rolling...I want....I want...I like to believe it a tangible sexy event, you know. It would’ve made those finish lines hit even harder. Lastly, can we unbraid mom's hair, I want to see it down and shiny at least once, though with large boys for kids it does make sense that she braids it. My heart certainly goes out to her.
Great book. Great debut. I’m officially hooked on the series and family.
Bonus: predictions for myself
1. Mikhail and Daniil are Promise by Bella Kay coded the whole chorus of ...'Cause if I tell you, you could say I'm not the one, You want, and I, I couldn't handle that, So if I tell you, then promise me I can take it back, Oh, I want you, but, I'll never tell you, 'Cause if I tell you, you could say I'm not the one
2. Yulian is always running his mouth, I'm stuck between shipping him with his best friend Calder and wanting him with a long lost brother of one of the girls that he saves, or maybe even a cop investigating them,One thing I know is that I don't want him ending up with a male sex worker because that's a little too predictable, it's tired and lazy tbh. I also want him topped tf out
2. Lev he's the oldest but he's too soft, I can scent it from here. Give him to competent Calder to fold, or...or...hear me out! to the oldest sibling of that other rival family that's questioning and about to coup de tat their father. Let it go there...take it there please...i wanna see something, I want to see him folded.
Ugh, this can't be healthy, I'm too obsessed...I haven't seen myself this way since Legacy of Gods and Frat Wars. Let me get a grip and go.
April 24, 2026
MM romance | Mafia romance | Dark romance | Enforcer and Veterinarian | Dark humor | Stalking | Hurt/Comfort | Touch him and 💀 | Forced proximity
La verdad es que no fue lo que esperaba... o sea, sí pero no al mismo tiempo 😂. Es un libro sobre mafia? Sí. Tiene muerte, sangre y destrucción? También. Pero, por alguna razón, no me enganchó como yo quería.
Sinceramente, este libro tenía todo para convertirse en mi nueva obsesión, pero no logré conectar del todo con la historia ni con los personajes. No es un mal libro y está bien escrito, así que considero que el problema fui yo 100%. Quizás más adelante le dé una segunda oportunidad, porque de verdad me interesa ese ambiente familiar tan "cercano" que tienen entre todos guiño, guiño 😂😂.
Kelly me gustó mucho y Alexei también; de hecho, siento que el personaje de Alexei destaca muchísimo más hacia la última parte del libro.
〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️
To be honest, it wasn’t quite what I expected... well, yes and no at the same time 😂. Is it a mafia book? Yes. Does it have action, blood, and destruction? Also yes. But for some reason, it just didn’t hook me the way I hoped it would.
This book had everything to become my next obsession, but I just couldn't fully connect with the story or the characters. It’s not a bad book, and it's actually well-written, so I’m 100% sure the problem was me. Maybe I’ll give it a second chance later on, because I’m genuinely interested in that "close-knit" family dynamic they all have wink, wink 😂😂.
I liked Kelly, and Alexei was great too—I feel like his character really starts to shine toward the end of the book.
La verdad es que no fue lo que esperaba... o sea, sí pero no al mismo tiempo 😂. Es un libro sobre mafia? Sí. Tiene muerte, sangre y destrucción? También. Pero, por alguna razón, no me enganchó como yo quería.
Sinceramente, este libro tenía todo para convertirse en mi nueva obsesión, pero no logré conectar del todo con la historia ni con los personajes. No es un mal libro y está bien escrito, así que considero que el problema fui yo 100%. Quizás más adelante le dé una segunda oportunidad, porque de verdad me interesa ese ambiente familiar tan "cercano" que tienen entre todos guiño, guiño 😂😂.
Kelly me gustó mucho y Alexei también; de hecho, siento que el personaje de Alexei destaca muchísimo más hacia la última parte del libro.
〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️
To be honest, it wasn’t quite what I expected... well, yes and no at the same time 😂. Is it a mafia book? Yes. Does it have action, blood, and destruction? Also yes. But for some reason, it just didn’t hook me the way I hoped it would.
This book had everything to become my next obsession, but I just couldn't fully connect with the story or the characters. It’s not a bad book, and it's actually well-written, so I’m 100% sure the problem was me. Maybe I’ll give it a second chance later on, because I’m genuinely interested in that "close-knit" family dynamic they all have wink, wink 😂😂.
I liked Kelly, and Alexei was great too—I feel like his character really starts to shine toward the end of the book.
April 25, 2026
100/5⭐️
Me encantó cada momento del libro 🥰
Me encantó cada momento del libro 🥰
May 3, 2026
Dnf @62%
I wish MM dark romance authors would start writing something different instead of copying the same sentences, phrases, and storylines from other dark romances over and over again. None of these books feel distinctive anymore. Even the writing is so repetitive. It’s always a Russian mafia man paired with a naive, stupid white boy, with a story that has no real substance.
And I am so tired of pages-long, unnecessary, corny descriptions of these mafia men killing innocent people. There are better ways to show their ruthlessness than repeating the same blood-spattering scenes every three chapters.
I wish MM dark romance authors would start writing something different instead of copying the same sentences, phrases, and storylines from other dark romances over and over again. None of these books feel distinctive anymore. Even the writing is so repetitive. It’s always a Russian mafia man paired with a naive, stupid white boy, with a story that has no real substance.
And I am so tired of pages-long, unnecessary, corny descriptions of these mafia men killing innocent people. There are better ways to show their ruthlessness than repeating the same blood-spattering scenes every three chapters.
May 13, 2026
DNF @ 58%
I wanted this to work so badly. I’m always rooting for debut authors, and I genuinely loved the foreword:
“To everyone who’s been carrying stories inside them for years—all those characters demanding to be written, those worlds begging to exist. It took me years to find the courage to let mine live on these pages. When you’re ready, I hope you’ll let yours live too. Because your book will be someone’s favorite one day. Keep writing.”
Sigh. I really wanted them to nail it.
Alas, I finally threw in the towel during the first penetrative sex scene. It was so flat and lacking in chemistry, but more importantly, it completely broke from Alexei’s character for me.
We are told Alexei is deeply closeted. So repressed he supposedly hasn’t even admitted to himself that he’s gay. There’s no mention of past relationships with men, experimentation, gay porn, nothing. Just layers and layers of repression.
And then suddenly it’s: put me in, coach.
This man is immediately hitting prostates, rimming like a seasoned professional, prepping and expertly maneuvering Kelly into sophisticated positions, delivering porn-star dirty talk like “Look at you, ruined already and I’ve barely even started.” Be serious my dude.
It’s not remotely credible.
Kelly also needed to be fleshed out more. He never became fully dimensional to me, just kind of… nice. He’s clearly a good person, and major points for being a vet, but I never understood why Alexei was so consumed by him specifically beyond “deeply closeted man gets his first taste of dick and loses his mind.” I needed more emotional and physical specificity about what made Kelly irresistible.
Not gonna lie, I skimmed (okay, mostly skipped) almost all of the mafia plot from the beginning. I feel slightly guilty saying that because it’s obvious the author put a lot of effort into building a genuinely dark mafia world, but mafia content somehow manages to both bore and disgust me simultaneously. Pro tip from an experienced skimmer: in the majority of mafia books, you lose surprisingly little of the romance by skipping half the organized crime logistics.
I actually was optimistic at the start. I have a huge soft spot for unhinged psychopaths who are only soft for their obsession. And the image of this terrifying mafia enforcer finding comfort in a little artisanal bunny was a delightfully whimsical characterization. More sweet touches like that would have gone a long way.
I do think the author has potential. There are flashes of interesting instincts here. But the characters needed to go much deeper emotionally, and when I’m simultaneously cringing and eye-rolling during a sex scene, that’s usually my sign to call time of death.
I wanted this to work so badly. I’m always rooting for debut authors, and I genuinely loved the foreword:
“To everyone who’s been carrying stories inside them for years—all those characters demanding to be written, those worlds begging to exist. It took me years to find the courage to let mine live on these pages. When you’re ready, I hope you’ll let yours live too. Because your book will be someone’s favorite one day. Keep writing.”
Sigh. I really wanted them to nail it.
Alas, I finally threw in the towel during the first penetrative sex scene. It was so flat and lacking in chemistry, but more importantly, it completely broke from Alexei’s character for me.
We are told Alexei is deeply closeted. So repressed he supposedly hasn’t even admitted to himself that he’s gay. There’s no mention of past relationships with men, experimentation, gay porn, nothing. Just layers and layers of repression.
And then suddenly it’s: put me in, coach.
This man is immediately hitting prostates, rimming like a seasoned professional, prepping and expertly maneuvering Kelly into sophisticated positions, delivering porn-star dirty talk like “Look at you, ruined already and I’ve barely even started.” Be serious my dude.
It’s not remotely credible.
Kelly also needed to be fleshed out more. He never became fully dimensional to me, just kind of… nice. He’s clearly a good person, and major points for being a vet, but I never understood why Alexei was so consumed by him specifically beyond “deeply closeted man gets his first taste of dick and loses his mind.” I needed more emotional and physical specificity about what made Kelly irresistible.
Not gonna lie, I skimmed (okay, mostly skipped) almost all of the mafia plot from the beginning. I feel slightly guilty saying that because it’s obvious the author put a lot of effort into building a genuinely dark mafia world, but mafia content somehow manages to both bore and disgust me simultaneously. Pro tip from an experienced skimmer: in the majority of mafia books, you lose surprisingly little of the romance by skipping half the organized crime logistics.
I actually was optimistic at the start. I have a huge soft spot for unhinged psychopaths who are only soft for their obsession. And the image of this terrifying mafia enforcer finding comfort in a little artisanal bunny was a delightfully whimsical characterization. More sweet touches like that would have gone a long way.
I do think the author has potential. There are flashes of interesting instincts here. But the characters needed to go much deeper emotionally, and when I’m simultaneously cringing and eye-rolling during a sex scene, that’s usually my sign to call time of death.
April 25, 2026
4,5 ⭐️I really enjoyed it, I connected with Alexei and Kelly very quickly; they were exactly what each other needed. 🥰 The only thing that didn't quite convince me was that they went from attraction to love very quickly. I'm really looking forward to reading Mikhail and Daniil's book, the interaction between the brothers. 👌🏻
May 7, 2026
3.75 ⭐️
April 26, 2026
2.5 Stars
May 18, 2026
I loved this book so much 😭💓 Kelly and Alexei, my precious babies 🥹💗
Kelly is so sweet, caring, and lovable. I genuinely love him so much, and it broke my heart seeing how horribly people treated him 😭💔 he deserved so much better. I’m so happy to finally see him happy and safe with Alexei 💓
And Alexei being so protective over Kelly at all times?? I loved that so much 😭 they’re seriously adorable together.
Also Clover… this little bunny was SO cute 🤭🐰
I absolutely adored this book, BUT OH MY GOD — the next book is about Mikhail and Daniil!!! 😭🔥 when I found that out I was so happy. I’m already obsessed with them just from the little moments we got. The way they’re always attached to each other and how protective Mikhail is over Daniil?? ARGH I need their story immediately 😭💓📚
Kelly is so sweet, caring, and lovable. I genuinely love him so much, and it broke my heart seeing how horribly people treated him 😭💔 he deserved so much better. I’m so happy to finally see him happy and safe with Alexei 💓
And Alexei being so protective over Kelly at all times?? I loved that so much 😭 they’re seriously adorable together.
Also Clover… this little bunny was SO cute 🤭🐰
I absolutely adored this book, BUT OH MY GOD — the next book is about Mikhail and Daniil!!! 😭🔥 when I found that out I was so happy. I’m already obsessed with them just from the little moments we got. The way they’re always attached to each other and how protective Mikhail is over Daniil?? ARGH I need their story immediately 😭💓📚
May 3, 2026
Loved it
This was so good. Like good good. Had all the right vibes. Soft only for him gets me every time plus the carrying... im sold.
Was really good though
They are super sweet vulnerable hot and unhinged. With a side of chaotic found family lol
Loved it
Can't wait for the next book in the series !
This was so good. Like good good. Had all the right vibes. Soft only for him gets me every time plus the carrying... im sold.
Was really good though
They are super sweet vulnerable hot and unhinged. With a side of chaotic found family lol
Loved it
Can't wait for the next book in the series !
May 17, 2026
overally good fast paced book but my problem with it is that it’s very short and insta love-ish💔
One thing i loveeeed is how unhinged the whole family is. Cannot wait to read about other brothers (Mikhail i am watching you👀)
One thing i loveeeed is how unhinged the whole family is. Cannot wait to read about other brothers (Mikhail i am watching you👀)
April 27, 2026
A little bit unhinged, but cute!
3,5 ⭐️
3,5 ⭐️
May 14, 2026
Yea I love this!
April 4, 2026
SWOOON. Absolute swoon! Everything about this book was perfection. From laughing, to giggling, to tearing up, to blushing. I was just full of emotions.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
~ Tropes
Dark Mafia
Hurt/comfort
Touched starved MMCS
Touch him & 💀 (literally)
•
•
•
•
Takes care of you when you’re hurt
Carries you everywhere literally any chance he gets
Spoils you and your rabbit (what a gentleman 🙂↕️)
Heavily on “WHO DID THIS TO YOU” wants their names immediately
Answers your calls even when he’s at his “very normal boring office job” 😉
Runs bubble baths for you because they’re your favorite
Calls you bunny
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
~ Tropes
Dark Mafia
Hurt/comfort
Touched starved MMCS
Touch him & 💀 (literally)
•
•
•
•
Takes care of you when you’re hurt
Carries you everywhere literally any chance he gets
Spoils you and your rabbit (what a gentleman 🙂↕️)
Heavily on “WHO DID THIS TO YOU” wants their names immediately
Answers your calls even when he’s at his “very normal boring office job” 😉
Runs bubble baths for you because they’re your favorite
Calls you bunny
April 28, 2026
5⭐️
HOLY RUSSIAN DADDDY
THIS BOOK HAS ME IN A CHOKEHOLD I NEED MORE I NEED IT INJECTED INTO MY VEINS, UGHHH THIS IS EVERYTHING AND MORE IM ADDICTED CALL ME OBSESSIVE OVER IT CAUSE AGHHH
This book had me hooked, I couldn’t stop reading, once I started I was locked in trapped by the story and lost in how the story was written which was beautiful and phenomenal btw. It was so cohesive, I just couldn’t put the book down like i started I was basically done I ate it up so fast
Ugh Alexei my Russian baddie like damnnn he was so obsessive, so down bad like damnnn Mr king of yearning. Ughh the way he became obsessed with Kelly after the vet scene in the beginning like ahh. And how we legit went into Kelly’s house and took his t shirt cause it smelt like Kelly god that was so good damn hot I couldn’t look away. He was so wanting Kelly form that scene on. He wanted to protect him and burn the world down for him like god damn he was so hot I can’t.
Kelly my baby ughh he was so adorable and his trauma that he went though my heart. And when they both met at the clinic like that whole part of the story after that just made this story so good they were so meant for each other and I swear they were soulmates even from the beginning and I love them so much.
The trauma that Kelly went though broke my heart. No one should live in a life where that happens and my soul broke at a part and I was sobbing for hours.
I also was sobbing so hard when Alexei said he can’t be with a man because his family like (Russian) doesn’t let men love men and how he would do anything to be with Kelly and say screw the rules like ugh my loves
I also think the NICKNAME “ZAYCHIK” GIRL MY HESRT .
I also think their chemistry, their banter. Their relationship as a whole was so good and I loved them so much. I need more of them.
And alexei’s family is so chaotic and I love them so much mainly his mother I loved his mom and his brothers like ugh they’re so amazing.
Oh literally I eat up the yearning mafia men like they are just so down bad like they are starving and good lord this man is starving LMAOOO
Also Alexexi stalking, going into Kelly’s house after the clinic scene was so hot the way he was trying to profile who Kelly was and he was so yearning for that man that he had to know everything and everything Alexei did was to protect Kelly and basically burn the world down and hurt whoever hurts Kelly like WHAT A DAMN MAN ALEXEI IS LIKE YESSSSS KING PROTECT YOUR MAN.
Alexei with clover was so hot LIKE A TATTTED MAFIA MAN WITH A FLUFFY RABBIT LIKE DAMNN I DIDNT KNOW I NEED TO SEE MKRE OF THIS CAUSE HOTTTT!!!
I loved everything about this story, the way it was written, the way it flowed and family and morals were strong but also defining it and finding your own path your own rules and finding the person you would never let go and I love everything and more about this book and I’m literally staring at the wall I can’t get enough of them 😭😭
HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK
HOLY RUSSIAN DADDDY
THIS BOOK HAS ME IN A CHOKEHOLD I NEED MORE I NEED IT INJECTED INTO MY VEINS, UGHHH THIS IS EVERYTHING AND MORE IM ADDICTED CALL ME OBSESSIVE OVER IT CAUSE AGHHH
This book had me hooked, I couldn’t stop reading, once I started I was locked in trapped by the story and lost in how the story was written which was beautiful and phenomenal btw. It was so cohesive, I just couldn’t put the book down like i started I was basically done I ate it up so fast
Ugh Alexei my Russian baddie like damnnn he was so obsessive, so down bad like damnnn Mr king of yearning. Ughh the way he became obsessed with Kelly after the vet scene in the beginning like ahh. And how we legit went into Kelly’s house and took his t shirt cause it smelt like Kelly god that was so good damn hot I couldn’t look away. He was so wanting Kelly form that scene on. He wanted to protect him and burn the world down for him like god damn he was so hot I can’t.
Kelly my baby ughh he was so adorable and his trauma that he went though my heart. And when they both met at the clinic like that whole part of the story after that just made this story so good they were so meant for each other and I swear they were soulmates even from the beginning and I love them so much.
The trauma that Kelly went though broke my heart. No one should live in a life where that happens and my soul broke at a part and I was sobbing for hours.
I also was sobbing so hard when Alexei said he can’t be with a man because his family like (Russian) doesn’t let men love men and how he would do anything to be with Kelly and say screw the rules like ugh my loves
I also think the NICKNAME “ZAYCHIK” GIRL MY HESRT .
I also think their chemistry, their banter. Their relationship as a whole was so good and I loved them so much. I need more of them.
And alexei’s family is so chaotic and I love them so much mainly his mother I loved his mom and his brothers like ugh they’re so amazing.
Oh literally I eat up the yearning mafia men like they are just so down bad like they are starving and good lord this man is starving LMAOOO
Also Alexexi stalking, going into Kelly’s house after the clinic scene was so hot the way he was trying to profile who Kelly was and he was so yearning for that man that he had to know everything and everything Alexei did was to protect Kelly and basically burn the world down and hurt whoever hurts Kelly like WHAT A DAMN MAN ALEXEI IS LIKE YESSSSS KING PROTECT YOUR MAN.
Alexei with clover was so hot LIKE A TATTTED MAFIA MAN WITH A FLUFFY RABBIT LIKE DAMNN I DIDNT KNOW I NEED TO SEE MKRE OF THIS CAUSE HOTTTT!!!
I loved everything about this story, the way it was written, the way it flowed and family and morals were strong but also defining it and finding your own path your own rules and finding the person you would never let go and I love everything and more about this book and I’m literally staring at the wall I can’t get enough of them 😭😭
HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK
May 4, 2026
⭐ - 5/5
⊹ | 𝙑𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 is a dark and spicy M/M mafia romance. It is the first book in the 𝘌𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘴 series and follows Kelly and Alexei. The story explores darker themes that readers may find triggering, so read with caution and check for trigger warnings!
Oh my fucking god... This story was everything to me. Alexei and Kelly stole my heart just like I knew they would, and I regret not picking this book up sooner. It was unhinged, intense, and overall has me feigning for more of this series.
Kelly Mackey is a sweet veterinarian running from his traumatic past. After barely escaping his abusive ex, he isn't living; he's just existing. One night, while working late at the clinic, an injured man breaks in, threatening to kill him if he doesn't patch him up. What he doesn't expect is to find himself attracted to the man, or for the man to turn his whole world upside down in the blink of an eye.
Alexei Avrorin is the son and enforcer of a Russian Mafia leader. He was raised to be a killer, but what he didn't expect was to find someone he was willing to kill for. After breaking into a veterinarian clinic as a last resort with life-threatening injuries, he finds himself face to face with a pair of green eyes that bring every wall he has put up crumbling down. He's claimed Kelly as his, but he's also hiding a secret that will eventually force him to make a choice between family and the man he loves.
I loved so much about this book. From cute little bunny moments to bloody murder, I found myself immediately hooked. The author didn't hold back at all on the super unhinged moments or any gory details, and boy, I found myself straight up shocked at times. Some would say Alexei was crazy, and yeah, I agree—he was crazily obsessed with Kelly. Which is something that man never fails to prove time and time again, and then some more.
As I am also a victim of domestic violence—yes, I'm indeed oversharing a bit, you'll find that I kinda do that from time to time—Kelly holds a special place in my heart. His story broke my heart into pieces, but I was also furious that this type of situation could actually be similar to someone's everyday life. You could genuinely feel the fear, pain, and guilt Kelly was experiencing throughout the story. As an avid reader, being able to feel those types of emotions through the pages is so important to me.
Overall, I am seriously looking forward to reading the next book in the series, as well as anything else L. Norell works on in the future. If you are looking for a good M/M mafia romance that doesn't hold back on the details and isn't using the mafia lifestyle as an aesthetic, then this book is definitely for you.
— 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒃𝒚 𝑷.𝑹.
⊹ | 𝙑𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝘿𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 is a dark and spicy M/M mafia romance. It is the first book in the 𝘌𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘴 series and follows Kelly and Alexei. The story explores darker themes that readers may find triggering, so read with caution and check for trigger warnings!
Oh my fucking god... This story was everything to me. Alexei and Kelly stole my heart just like I knew they would, and I regret not picking this book up sooner. It was unhinged, intense, and overall has me feigning for more of this series.
Kelly Mackey is a sweet veterinarian running from his traumatic past. After barely escaping his abusive ex, he isn't living; he's just existing. One night, while working late at the clinic, an injured man breaks in, threatening to kill him if he doesn't patch him up. What he doesn't expect is to find himself attracted to the man, or for the man to turn his whole world upside down in the blink of an eye.
Alexei Avrorin is the son and enforcer of a Russian Mafia leader. He was raised to be a killer, but what he didn't expect was to find someone he was willing to kill for. After breaking into a veterinarian clinic as a last resort with life-threatening injuries, he finds himself face to face with a pair of green eyes that bring every wall he has put up crumbling down. He's claimed Kelly as his, but he's also hiding a secret that will eventually force him to make a choice between family and the man he loves.
I loved so much about this book. From cute little bunny moments to bloody murder, I found myself immediately hooked. The author didn't hold back at all on the super unhinged moments or any gory details, and boy, I found myself straight up shocked at times. Some would say Alexei was crazy, and yeah, I agree—he was crazily obsessed with Kelly. Which is something that man never fails to prove time and time again, and then some more.
As I am also a victim of domestic violence—yes, I'm indeed oversharing a bit, you'll find that I kinda do that from time to time—Kelly holds a special place in my heart. His story broke my heart into pieces, but I was also furious that this type of situation could actually be similar to someone's everyday life. You could genuinely feel the fear, pain, and guilt Kelly was experiencing throughout the story. As an avid reader, being able to feel those types of emotions through the pages is so important to me.
Overall, I am seriously looking forward to reading the next book in the series, as well as anything else L. Norell works on in the future. If you are looking for a good M/M mafia romance that doesn't hold back on the details and isn't using the mafia lifestyle as an aesthetic, then this book is definitely for you.
— 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒃𝒚 𝑷.𝑹.
May 22, 2026
3.5 rounded up because I love these guys, maybe individually, potentially as a couple, but… 🤷🏻♀️
Definitely going to ramble here…
I liked this a lot even though I didn’t understand the connection between them, if that makes sense. Like, why are they anything more than a hook up? I love insta stories but I don’t know that I felt it with these two. They don’t really talk to each other about anything - where’s that connection? That lack of connection and communication had me skimming through the intimate times because I wasn’t interested and nothing to bring connection was said during them other than “you’re mine”. Kelly was still confused about it all so where does the connection come from???
But I did like it because I like the messy chaos of these characters and Alexei’s family, lol, and I’m looking forward to the next story for sure.
Definitely going to ramble here…
I liked this a lot even though I didn’t understand the connection between them, if that makes sense. Like, why are they anything more than a hook up? I love insta stories but I don’t know that I felt it with these two. They don’t really talk to each other about anything - where’s that connection? That lack of connection and communication had me skimming through the intimate times because I wasn’t interested and nothing to bring connection was said during them other than “you’re mine”. Kelly was still confused about it all so where does the connection come from???
But I did like it because I like the messy chaos of these characters and Alexei’s family, lol, and I’m looking forward to the next story for sure.
April 27, 2026
This book was made up of all my favorite things! Mafia, murder, obsessive and possessive bad boy, rich X poor, crazy family, spice and RESCUE BUNNIES!! Love how Alexei treats Kelly and takes care of him. Love that Kelly accepts Alexei for who he is.
Also I am STOKED for book 2!!!! I was so hoping the author was going to go that direction with those two 👀👀👀👀
Also I am STOKED for book 2!!!! I was so hoping the author was going to go that direction with those two 👀👀👀👀
May 12, 2026
Tell me about unhinged...
Alrighty, no matter how bad the book was I would always enjoy such sort of stories.
I got exactly, what I expected from it.
Posessiveness, obsession, absolutely insane reasons for killing people, but overall, it was not bad. I am recovering after reading some seriously sad and gut-wrenching story, so this one was a good distraction.
Fast-burn, a lot of sex and instant love - spectacular, give me forteen of them rn.
I read the similar stories by Rina Kent, but they were less logical, so this one was actually more structural and explained.
However, I did not like the portrayal of his family - I got PTSD from constant fighting between the siblings and did not like the whole dynamic in general. Additionally, very-very stereotypical Russian those were. I mean, I know a lot of Russian people, and even alcoholics would not drink vodka at 9 am from the freaking bottle, but I guess, giving the fact, that the writer is unlikely Russian we will close our eyes on it.
Alrighty, no matter how bad the book was I would always enjoy such sort of stories.
I got exactly, what I expected from it.
Posessiveness, obsession, absolutely insane reasons for killing people, but overall, it was not bad. I am recovering after reading some seriously sad and gut-wrenching story, so this one was a good distraction.
Fast-burn, a lot of sex and instant love - spectacular, give me forteen of them rn.
I read the similar stories by Rina Kent, but they were less logical, so this one was actually more structural and explained.
However, I did not like the portrayal of his family - I got PTSD from constant fighting between the siblings and did not like the whole dynamic in general. Additionally, very-very stereotypical Russian those were. I mean, I know a lot of Russian people, and even alcoholics would not drink vodka at 9 am from the freaking bottle, but I guess, giving the fact, that the writer is unlikely Russian we will close our eyes on it.
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