Maksim: Book One of the Korolov Bratva

by Katie Ashley

Because of the way I speak, everyone judges me the moment I open my mouth. Even though I’m 6’5 and two eighty, they see me as weak. They always have.
Even my father who passed me over as his heir.
Behind the mask with the automated voice, I’m not weak. Women desire me, and men fear me.

As fortunes change within my family, I need to correct my impediment. That’s why I seek out one of the best speech pathologists on the East Coast. On paper, Dr. Sarah Whitfield looks boring and rigid.

But the good doctor is hiding a she has a kink for Masked Men. She sheds her professional facade on weekends when she attends Masked Events.

And I’m here to fulfill her fantasies of being kidnapped by a masked man.

But this time, it’s for real.

Genres: Dark Romance, BDSM, Mafia Romance, Forced Proximity, Romance, Dark, Erotica

427 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 5, 2026

About the author

Katie Ashley is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Top Three Best-Selling author of both Indie and Traditionally published books. She's written rockers, bikers, manwhores with hearts of gold, New Adult, and Young Adult. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her daughter, Olivia, her rescue mutts, Belle and Elsa, and her two cats, Mama Kitty and Luna. She has a slight obsession with The Golden Girls, Shakespeare, Harry Potter, and Star Wars.

With a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in Adolescent English Education, she spent eleven years teaching both middle and high school English, as well as a few adjunct college English classes. As of January 2013, she became a full-time writer.

Although she is a life-long Georgia peach, she loves traveling the country and world meeting readers. Most days, you can find her being a hermit, styling leggings, and binging on Netflix whenever her toddler daughter isn't monopolizing the TV with Paw Patrol or Frozen.

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Reviews

[Christabel Hazel Ashring · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was my first primal (hunt) read and it was fascinating. I wish there was more time spent on including that theme throughout the book however it served as a good point to start their relationship off. It was almost alarming at how Maksim pulled off two personas so smoothly in the story but ultimately I could feel him warring at who he was and who he was becoming throughout the story.

Sarah was the sweetheart he couldn't help but fall for and she had the biggest heart both in her career and her family life. She needed someone to come alongside her and care for her in the way she was doing for others and Maksim was perfectly suited for that. He didn't hinder her or deter her from her goals and desires but he perfectly complimented her.

[Sim-fully Ever After · Rating 4 out of 5]

4🌟, 3🌶️

He called himself broken, but he was anything but.

Maksim delivered the dark mafia intensity I expected, but it was the emotional depth that stayed with me most. Maksim carried years of rejection, believing his stutter made him unworthy of the future meant for him. Beneath his feared reputation was a man who simply wanted to be seen and accepted. And Sarah, who spent her life caring for others, carried her own quiet loneliness, making their connection feel both fragile and inevitable.

What made this story stand out was how they slowly became a safe place for each other. Maksim’s vulnerability beneath his strength made him incredibly compelling, and watching him open up and trust someone was deeply moving. Sarah brought out a gentleness in him that no one else could, while finally allowing herself to be chosen too. Their chemistry was intense and the primal play added heat, but it was their emotional healing and growing trust that gave their relationship real depth.

This book delivered angst, vulnerability, and moments that truly lingered. While the ending felt slightly rushed, I was still fully invested in Maksim’s growth and emotional journey.

It was a strong and emotional start to the Korolov Bratva series, and I am really looking forward to seeing where this world goes next.

~~~~

Huge thank you to Katie Ashley & The Smuthood for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨

[Dominique Franklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC gifted in exchange for review
I love me a good mafia romance, and this was a great bratva romance with primal play, but also some excellent disability and mental health rep. Sarah is a pediatric speech therapist who is a care giver by both profession and nature, Maksim is the disinherited heir to the Bratva who believes he is defective because of his stutter. They both happen to be into primal play and that’s where I sat up. The relationship between Sarah and Maksim went from reluctant care provider to friends to lovers. I wanted to give Maksim the biggest hug in the world for how he talked about himself, he is I guess a bad man, but he’s not a bad man if that makes sense. He has a huge heart and the way he and Sammy immediately hit it off warmed my heart, but it was his interaction with Molly that made me fall hard for that man. I had a really good time reading this one and I couldn’t put it down.

[Reading is escaping reality · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masked and primal yes please! Hidden secret that can ruin everything he wanted. The build up between them is phenomenal! This was so good, especially when he got her to help him. I mean it took a little convincing but it worked. Haha!

[Nicole Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is my first Katie Ashely book and I will absolutely be reading more books from her collection.

This book is about Maksim, a Russian bratva man who had his place as heir taken from him due to a speech impediment. Sarah is a speech language pathologist who specializes in helping correcting stuttering in children.

After some unfortunate events that left Maks brother in the hospital and unable to be Pahkan, Maks needs to step up and help the family. He decides he needs help with his speech and is set on Sarah being the person to help him. Plot twist, Sarah refuses since she only works with children, but Maks doesn’t accept that. He orchestrates a plan once he realizes that Sarah is also into primal play. And the rest happens just as you would expect.

I really enjoyed the first 50-60 percent of this book. I loved watching Maks softened his rugged exterior for Sarah. I loved how well written the parts about primal play were and the interactions between Maks and Sarah’s family. For me, the later part of the book felt rushed and the main conflict just seemed predictable. I wish we would have gotten more from the last scene and had bigger primal play scene.

Overall I had a great time reading this book and can’t wait to continue with the series.

Thank you Katie Ashley and the Smuthood for the advanced copy.

[• Dan reads books • · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

Such a wonderful surprise!

I started this book with high expectations because I enjoy reading Mafia a lot… but to my surprise this is not your typical mafia style book, of course we have all the bratva background here, but also there’s some interesting things like primal play and mask, although what I enjoyed the most were the diversity of characters, there so much representation in here, treated with delicacy and a touching approach.

Speaking of Maksim and Sarah, I loved the way their relationship was built, it started pretty intense with the hunts and “The beast” alter ego and that was so good but I really enjoyed the afterwards, the fact that the story gives Maksim and Sarah the opportunity to know each other better as themselves without kinks, masks… just two “normal” (or at least a little less intense) people getting along!

As second characters, Maksim’s brothers were pretty funny and Sarah’s family was so cute!

Definitely recommend it, especially if you like mafia but keeping on mind that it’s a little different than your usual!

[Extraspicybooklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

The representations that Katie Ashley wrote in this book are absolutely remarkable! I’m so in love with this book for so many damn reasons 🥰 I have never come across any book mention let alone describe and portray a “Glass Child”. Just So amazing!
Maksim is next in line to be the head of the Bratva. Except he has a stutter that has haunted him since childhood.
Sarah is a speech pathologist with the world on her shoulders. She is the care taker for her whole family.
A spicy primal chase with a very large masked man and Sarah finds herself kidnapped and treating Maskims stutter.
I love these 2 together! Their relationship is complicated and dramatic and the tension 😮‍💨 so good!
This mafia book is so much more than you’ll expect it to be. The angst and banter was absolutely perfection. This was definitely a top read for me and I’m so excited to read more in this Bratva world!

[Keza Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much to say about this book but I don't like to give things away.

So Maksim really was two different people. A Beast while hidden behind his mask and a gentlemanly beast without the mask. He has a speech impediment and needs to see a Dr for help, Sarah is who he has chosen.

When Sarah declines Maksim doesn't agree and sets out to change her mind.

Everything before, during and after made this story great and I loved it.

Fantastic read and I definitely recommend 👌🏻

[Sophie (slovenianbookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maksim features primal play (they both like to participate in hunts), Bratva scenes, and a hero who stutters, which makes this book quite unique. I really enjoyed it. I felt like they both completed each other and found a soulmate, but there were moments when I wished it was more in-depth and not just ''next day it was...'', especially when it comes to intimate scenes. I also wished there were more scenes with Maksim being masked once ''both'' characters were introduced, but the FMC decided she wanted Maksim more than The Beast, so his masked persona basically disappears after that. I can't wait to delve more into this family's books, and I'm looking forward to other family members getting their HEA.
4 stars.

ARC was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review!

UPDATE:

I reached out regarding the version I received, and it did have formatting errors that the author didn’t realize had happened until it was pointed out. I received an updated version with the misplaced and missing content corrected. Several of the inconsistent details were also corrected, like Silas’s diagnosis. I have not been able to reread it in its entirety, but I’m going to trust that the other issues were resolved as well and update to four stars. I’ll leave my original review below just for context, but from what I can see it has been edited both from a formatting perspective as well as proofreading.

A more relevant review now:

The hunt was HOT and I loved the characters. I did find some aspects to feel a bit rushed, but that can be true for any standalone that’s part of an interconnected series; it can be hard to fit everything into one book since you don’t have the luxury of multiples and need to avoid a 500+ pages read. However, I really enjoyed Sarah and Maksim’s dynamic. It was also enough to get me interested in reading the other interconnected stand-alones that I assume exist about the other organized-crime families. I’ll definitely be taking a look at those once I’ve finished my other current reads.

******************

Previous review:

I enjoyed it overall, but did feel that it was too early in the editing process to have been released as an ARC. It is an uncorrected proof, but generally speaking the expectation would still be that the story is complete and has had some type of developmental editing to ensure that’s the case. Uncorrected proof ARCs should really only need light copyediting and/or proofreading, because the point of an ARC is a review, and as-is I don’t feel that I can give a fair review. The reading experience was more in line with a beta read, but without the opportunity to ask questions or give direct, inline feedback.

It could at times be hard to follow due to missing sentences and entire sections. For example, she finds the mask, and then in the next sentence he’s begging her to give him a second chance. I thought the actual confrontation is entirely missing, which was really disappointing because I’d enjoyed the lead-up and was looking forward to it. However, I found the missing section later when Maksim and Hudson were discussing the upcoming dance; midline it switches back to Sarah’s pov when she’s finding out that Maksim and the Beast are one and the same. There still seems to be a few missing sentences, but we at least get most of it. The switch back to the dance conversation also happens from one word to the next.

Along that same line of misplaced/missing content, I felt that the jump from professional and client to romantic partners was abrupt and without enough discussion for it to make sense to the reader, as was the jump from ‘I want to wait and take it slow/to grow in our relationship before having sex’ and the very next night ‘I’m going to fuck your brains out’. There were also occasional inconsistencies in details; her older brother had “hard to treat bipolar disorder” in the very beginning, but for the rest of the book he was schizophrenic. During the first hunt Maksim at times had his mask off but was speaking as though through the modulator without a stutter. Hudson knew Maksim enough to warn him away after their break-up, but I can’t remember if they ever met on-page. And when did Sarah come clean to Hudson and Archie about Maksim being the Beast and everything else that happened while they were together? That detail is also missing.

That said, the hunt was HOT and I loved the characters. I really enjoyed Sarah and Maksim’s dynamic, and I’m genuinely excited to see where it ends up after additional editing on release day. It was also enough to get me interested in reading the other interconnected stand-alones that I assume exist about the other organized-crime families. I’ll definitely be taking a look at those once I’ve finished my other current reads.

I plan to update my rating once I read the released version, but as it currently stands, I have to give it three stars.

Additional note:

I don’t see any of the other reviews mentioning that they had missing or incorrect sections/chapters. Perhaps I received a version I should not have? Unclear to me. I’ve also just realized the release date was Jan 29! Fingers crossed that the issues I outlined were corrected before publication.

[Books, Booze & Bon Voyage (Krista Webster) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maksim by Katie Ashley is book one of the Korolov Bratva series and is a mafia romance between Maksim of the Russian Bratva who has a speech impediment and Dr Sarah Whitfield, a speech-language pathologist. It is an emotional and intense story about hidden identity and obsession, betrayal and deception, anguish and torment, revenge and retribution, plus an interesting kink of masked men and primal play. It is also a crossover with The Irish Rogues series as in the final book Beautiful Trauma, Kellan Kavanaugh falls for Mila who is Maksim’s half-sister. If you have read their story then some of the events are covered in this one but from Maksim's POV which gives the Korolov’s family side of what happened.

The prologue explains how although Maksim is the first born son of a Bratva Pahkan but his stutter is a shameful defect. He is strong and intelligent but seen as not perfect so has had a hard childhood. His father names his half-brother Dima as his heir, which is a humiliating and betraying act, leaving him feeling unworthy and useless. It also leads to a traumatic family event that affects Maksim and his siblings.

The story starts twelve years later and we find how Maksim has coped since losing his birthright. He now enjoys masked primal play hunts and has embraced a dark predator role as the Beast, a Dom who demands pleasure. Wearing a silver mask with a voice automator, he disguises his stutter and his identity.

Sarah treats children who stutters by managing their emotions and behaviours. She likes helping and pleasing people but her family put her under a lot of pressure. Her father has dementia , her older brother is a schizophrenic and younger brother Sammy has Down Syndrome so she physically and emotionally supports her mother. Her two gay friends Hudson and Archie introduced her to the world of primal play and the hunts help her escape her responsibilities.

Maksim desperately wants to get treatment and has discovered Sarah has had success with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. He sends his brother Aleks to persuade her to treat him but she turns him down. His brother Lev teases him over his obsession with the sexy therapist which leads him to planning to kidnap her at the next hunt. She can’t believe the Beast chooses her and fulfils all her fantasies. Never reacted to a man like this before or been with a Dom like him. Although she furious with the Beast and the situation finds herself in, she is empathetic to what Maksim has been through and agrees to help him.

I loved how feisty she is with the Beast and how sassy she is with Maksim. Their banter during her examination is hilarious and its fun how she challenges him. For a tattooed bad boy, he is kind, thoughtful and treats her so well. He is so good with Sammy and I laughed at him buying cupcakes. He regrets taking her because he has fallen for her and wants her to want him.

While we follow Maksim and Sarah’s journey, we also get all the events involving Mila and Kellan. The problems they cause the Korolov family and the repercussions of their relationship. The actions that change Dima’s life, the alliances made and battling their enemies. Could two imperfect sons end up running the Korolov Bratva.

Will she hate him for playing two men. He has never been in love before and hates to hurt her
so could she forgive him when she learns the truth. When the whole family is in danger and Maksim is targeted, will she throw away her chance of happiness because the man she is in love with has deceived her. An angsty and frightening ending which leaves us with some issues for the next book. The epilogue gives us a funny scene and then a romantic one, then finishes their romance appropriately with a hunt. I wonder if Aleks or Lev will be next?

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to The Smuthood and Katie Ashley for the ARC.

I have some thoughts about this book that are obviously opinion only but they do exist. My issue with Maksim, and why I couldn't imagine rating this higher than a 3 star is just the lack of impact everything had to it. This is touted as a dark mafia romance, but beyond a kidnapping and I suppose the primal play kink, it felt so . . . not dark. The majority of the relationship building between the MCs, Maksim and Sarah were soft moments. In fact, immediately after the kidnapping, Maksim offers Sarah the choice to help him or leave. She wasn't really held hostage there after she met with him face to face.

The majority of this book really didn't involve anything Bratva related. It was like Bratva La Croix, up until the last few chapters. But by the time the subplot of gang intrigue started picking up, most of my interest had fizzled out. The relationship between the two characters did feel authentic and well done. I did like the characters overall. I do think that Maksim's stutter wasn't really dealt with unless we needed some filler for the pages. It just felt like once Sarah agreed to help, it hardly got acknowledged. I do appreciate all of the disability representation. The brother's schizophrenia felt a little heavy handed personally since Sarah was already dealing with a brother with Down's and a father with dementia, the violent schizophrenic was maybe a bit too much.

Overall, it's well written. I did enjoy most of the time reading it. I just personally prefer my mafia romances to be a bit more action packed and dark.

[Alyssa W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a really solid time with Maksim: The Korolov Bratva Book One. It’s one of those mafia romances that gives you exactly what you’re expecting—and honestly, sometimes that’s exactly what I want. Nothing about it blew me away, but nothing pulled me out of the story either, which made it a super easy, enjoyable read for me.

I liked the twist on the setup: a children’s speech therapist getting kidnapped to help a mafia member who’s struggled with a stutter since childhood. That detail added a layer of vulnerability to him that I wasn’t expecting and made their dynamic more interesting than the standard mafia pairing. You still get all the usual elements—danger, possessiveness, tension, power imbalance—with a small touch of primal play, but it’s brief and doesn’t take over the story.

Overall, this was just a really steady, satisfying read with a guaranteed HEA. Not groundbreaking, not disappointing—just a good, reliable mafia romance that hits the marks it sets out to hit. If you like the genre, it’s definitely worth picking up.

[Sim-fully Ever After · Rating 4 out of 5]

4🌟, 3🌶️

He called himself broken, but he was anything but.

Maksim delivered the dark mafia intensity I expected, but it was the emotional depth that stayed with me most. Maksim carried years of rejection, believing his stutter made him unworthy of the future meant for him. Beneath his feared reputation was a man who simply wanted to be seen and accepted. And Sarah, who spent her life caring for others, carried her own quiet loneliness, making their connection feel both fragile and inevitable.

What made this story stand out was how they slowly became a safe place for each other. Maksim’s vulnerability beneath his strength made him incredibly compelling, and watching him open up and trust someone was deeply moving. Sarah brought out a gentleness in him that no one else could, while finally allowing herself to be chosen too. Their chemistry was intense and the primal play added heat, but it was their emotional healing and growing trust that gave their relationship real depth.

This book delivered angst, vulnerability, and moments that truly lingered. While the ending felt slightly rushed, I was still fully invested in Maksim’s growth and emotional journey.

It was a strong and emotional start to the Korolov Bratva series, and I am really looking forward to seeing where this world goes next.

~~~~

Huge thank you to Katie Ashley & The Smuthood for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨

[Bella Toric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everyone and anyone who knows me knows I eat up a mafia romance.

This one was fun! I enjoyed Maksim because he was broken in the beginning but you really got to see his growth as a character throughout the book. The author did a fabulous job at his journey as a character.

Their romance was fun and whirlwind, but nothing worth writing home to for me. Definitely one of those enjoy with your brain off and not think about too hard. It was cute, I had fun reading, and that's that.

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC!

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️/ 3🌶️

Okay… this book was full of primal-play wickedness in the best possible way.🙌🏼

I have read Katie's other mafia series, so I was expecting things from the mafia side, but nothing prepared me the way primal play was done in this one, and I loved it!

Also, I have to say, Sarah was such a pleasant surprise as an FMC. A lot of times feisty heroines end up feeling bratty or immature to me, but Sarah wasn’t like that at all! She had strength when she needed it, but she also allowed herself to be vulnerable 👀

The chemistry between Maksim and Sarah was so good. I really liked that the story focused more on their relationship and their dynamic rather than leaning too heavily on the mafia plot 💕

And Maksim’s brothers? I loved them. Their banter and the way they interacted with each other added so much fun to the story and made me really excited to eventually get their books too.

I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

Tropes: Light Mafia romance, Disability x Mental Health rep

[Jennifer Loschiavo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mask kink… primal… mafia theme… entertaining yes spicy of course!!! Check triggers kids but theres so much of this on the market… there is one special this about this book the pulled at the hearts strings and thats what gave this 4stars and not three but i do not want to give spoilers so ill let you read it.

[Channy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this but it was so cringe 😭

[wendy kairschner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the laughs I got while reading this mafia romance.
Sarah was full of sass, self assured and loving to a fault. Maksim was the complete opposite with his speech defect, brooding temperament and general dislike for anyone not his siblings. These two had overflowing chemistry from the beginning even if one of them had no idea of the others identity. That little secret was just one of the many threats there would be relationship faced.
I enjoyed the slow burn tension even as it turned to all out passion. There’s just something about a man obsessed at first sight having to actually fight for the girl.

[Book Lover IRL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maksim by Katie Ashley is a standalone contemporary mafia romance that includes the following chase/hunt, pr!mal play, masked man, disability rep, kidnapping, touch her & be unalived, and mental health rep.

At 18, Maksim Korolov was denied his birthright because of his perceived "defect", a speech impediment / stuttering. Instead of his father naming him the next leader of the Bratva, his half-brother, Dima, was named Pakhan. Years later, after Dima is permanently injured in a failed assassination attempt, Maksim and Dima decide to co-lead the Bratva as co-Pakhans. With his elevated leadership position, Maksim seeks treatment for his stutter from Dr. Sarah Whitfield, a renowned pediatric speech pathologist. However, Sarah refuses to treat Maksim because she only works with children, so Maksim kidnaps her to force her to treat him. Will Maksim's and Sarah's relationship remain professional or will their forced proximity muddle their feelings for each other

I enjoyed Maksim as an over the top, protective and obsessive MMC with major insecurities because of his stutter. His inner dialogue was amusing; his tenderness was surprising, and his vulnerability with Sarah was endearing.

Likewise, I enjoyed Sarah as an independent and intelligent FMC. She knew what she liked in her professional and personal lives and pursued it. I love how her personality ranged from submissive to sassy, with a sprinkle of everything in-between too.

The book touches on a lot of topics, including Down syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, childhood trauma, and speech impediments. Because it incorporated so many issues, parts of the story occasionally felt under-developed. I would have preferred the author cover fewer topics thoroughly, instead of superficially covering many. I particularly enjoyed the portrayal of Sammy (Sarah's brother) and his friends at their independent group home.

I was instantly hooked when I started reading this story. This story quickly jumps into sp!ce with some intense pr!mal play during a chase / hunt scene. I adored how ste@my it started off and was positive it would be a five-star read. I loved how taken Maksim was with Sarah, even before meeting her in-person. He seemed as if he would be the best type of unhinged MMC when he was pulling the quintessential "good girl" (Sarah) into his gritty underworld. There were amazingly sweet interactions between Sammy and the MCs that made my heart smile.

I enjoyed the pacing of the story for the first ~80% of the book. It moved along at a decent clip, kept me intrigued, and remained engaging. However, around the halfway mark, the story lost some of its edge. It lacked the big d!ck energy I expect in a 5-star read and didn't have enough plot details to keep me addicted and hanging on every word.

Suddenly the "conflict" appeared and it felt like the author skimmed through the next several scenes. There was an argument and a third-act breakup. Rushed apologies were made and an easy resolution popped up out of nowhere. A lot happened quickly and yet none of it felt fully explored. I craved more information to round out the supposedly intense, emotional, climatic final scenes. I would have enjoyed additional angsty conversations during the conflict and third-act break up. I desperately wanted the MMC to grovel more before the FMC made the sudden and unwarranted decision to forgive the MMC's betrayal.

Maksim by Katie Ashley is a great read if you are looking for a dark, sweet, s3nsual and moody standalone mafia-esque romance that focuses on overcoming personal insecurities and the power struggle between wanting to appear strong while still allowing yourself to be vulnerable with those close to you.

A huge thank you for Katie Ashley and The Smuthood for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Tropes: mafia, chase/hunt, pr!mal play, masked man, disability rep, kidnapping, touch her and be unalived, mental health rep

Star Rating: 3.75 (rounded up to 4) / 5
Spice Scale: 3.5 / 5
POV: 1st person, alternating
Series / Standalone: Standalone
Cliffhanger: No
HEA: Yes

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. . . . . .
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I loved this book
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I really liked this book
⭐️⭐️⭐️ I liked this book
⭐️⭐️ Meh… bored or annoyed
⭐️ Seriously? Not worth it

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ INFERNO. P@nty melting
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Blazing h0t
🌶️🌶️🌶️ Now we’re talking
🌶️🌶️ Meh… uninspired missionary
🌶️ Does weak f0replay count?

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Sarah Whitfield has a lot on her plate. Between a thriving practice as a speech pathologist, her father's failing health, her two brothers' special circumstances, and supporting her mom through all of it. So, when it comes to her personal life, she likes to join the hunt or be hunted by Dom's ready to give her pleasure.

Maks has had a debilitating stutter that has kept him from claiming his birthright in the Bratva. Feeling like he's defective he conceals who he is and becomes the Beast, a masked Dom at pleasure hunts.

When the two meet both sides of Maks would like to claim Sarah. Can he keep his identity as the Beast separate from who he is in the light?

I went into this one blind. I guessed from the cover and title that it was an organized crime book, and yes, it was, sorta. I'd call this one mafia light. Maks isn't a brutal man; he's got a soft squishy core who just wants to love and be loved. He is a Dom and likes to control his women in the bedroom. Sarah is perfect to help him with his stutter, but she only works with children. He decides that kidnapping her is the best way to force her to help him. The two end up falling for each other, after Sarah tells him to send his associate the Beast away. Of course, she finds out it's him and it causes conflict.

I was surprised that Maks and his siblings weren't cold hardened people as is per usual in mafia books. There was a surprising number of manly tears happening. I liked him as a contemporary hero, not so much as a Bratva boss. Sarah was a strong female lead. I liked that she had a small core group of friends who supported her.

There were some glaring plot holes/things that were in there that were not necessary. 1. In the beginning we were introduced to Maks' siblings, Dima, Aleksander, Lev, Annika, Kira and Mila. Somewhere in there Annika just disappeared and was never mentioned again. We know that her father was trying to force her into an arranged marriage that her siblings knew she wouldn't want as she was a lesbian. She was given a bit of depth and then just poof gone. 2. Sarah is given this creep of a coworker named Miles, he leers and hovers and creeps around her car. At one point he calls her and Maks makes threats, then nothing. That plot point just fizzled out. No drama and no reason for him to be in there. 3. Sarah's brother Silas has schizophrenia, goes off his meds and trashes her parents' house about halfway through the book. Before then I thought he was dead. The way that Sarah talked about him and mentioned his best friend Hudson and how he hung on until the end, made it sound like he was no longer of the living. After the house trashing, Maks sedates him and sends him to his family's medical bay in their compound. I think there was one sentence that updated us on him that he was in rehab. Why? What was his point in the book? 4. Sarah's younger brother has high functioning down syndrome. He and his friends were so sweet, and Sarah loves them so much, Maks is a favorite of that crowd as well and they are supposed to go to a "Prom" with Sammy's friends, however, Maks gets stabbed the day before and is in a coma. No more mention of prom or how Sammy took the news that his new BFF was hurt.

Sheesh, it felt very nitpicky of me, but those things took me out of the book, and I've been thinking of them even after I was finished instead of the main people/point of the book. Which was supposed to be their shared love of primal play kink.

This book was mid for me at 3 stars. If you like some BDSM and kinky play and are new to mafia this would be good. On the spectrum of light to dark, I'd put this one at light grey. No one is irredeemable, there wasn't any on page violence.

I was given a copy to review by NetGalley. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Maksim is a Russian who was overlooked for his place as Bratva heir due to his speech impediment. He is big, brawny, and the bookkeeper for the family. But his half-brother is set to be the official head of the family in his place. He has struggled with self-worth due to his stutter, but one way he relieves stress is by going on "pleasure hunts" at masked parties where his custom masks hide both his face and his speech issue.

But when circumstances and duty call for him to work on fixing his issue, what's a man to do when the speech pathologist he wants to help him refuses? When you are raised in Bratva, you do what you have to do.

Sarah is a speech pathologist and an expert in her field and works with children with stuttering and language issues. She has no reason to agree to work with an adult demanding her attention. But when things escalate and more reasons and commonalities are revealed, it has the potential to change everything.

Sarah also has a secret side interest that helps her let go of her stress. And she just had an intense experience that then spiraled into something unexpected. She is haunted by the hot memories of their night together before everything changed. She cannot stop thinking about the masked man, Beast. But now she finds herself needing to help his associate, a Russian mobster with his stutter and is in forced proximity with him and his brothers. But Maks has his own agenda he needs to follow through with no matter how bad it might be, even though he wants to keep her for himself.

As these two spend more time in forced proximity, Sarah begins to see what Maksim‘s really like under his intense persona. She knows he’s a mafia man, but she can also see the core that is a little boy who just wants to be accepted and wants love and to love someone else. He’s protective, thoughtful, possessive, and takes some of her burden away. Even though she has friends, she’s always been the one who has to be the strong and dependable one for her family and never really had somebody to fully lean on. But as things between them seem promising, there are still secrets lurking and threats in the background.

I really liked these two together, and I just really fell for Maksim. This is a mafia story with dual identities, a little kink, humor, romance, and suspense. He lives in a violent world, and she is thrust right into it.

This brings back the Russians, but also some of the Irish and Italians from this author's mafia series. I like that they’re now technically at a point where they’re trying to build relationships between the families. I loved getting more with Dima, Lev, and Aleks, and I am hoping the Russian Brothers are going to get their own stories.

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[Sarah Furlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maksim: Book One of the Korolov Bratva by Katie Ashley. A new to me author which I love to find.

He was passed over from his birthright by his father because he had a “deficit” but he was not the broken man he thought he was and Sarah will show him he is worthy.


Maksim carried years of rejection, believing his stutter made him unworthy of the future meant for him.
Beneath his feared reputation was a man who simply wanted to be seen and accepted. And Sarah, who spent her life caring for others, carried her own quiet loneliness, making their connection feel both fragile and inevitable.


Sarah and Maksim meet at a hunt, though Sarah doesn't know who Maksim is since he wears a mask.
Maksim is the son of a Bratva leader with a stutter and he wants Sarah, a Speech-Language Pathologist to work with him so he kidnaps her.


What made this story so compelling I think was the slowness it showed what Maksim and Sarah became to one another which was a safe place. Maksim showed his vulnerability beneath the strengths that makes him incredibly compelling, and watching him open up and trust someone was deeply moving. Sarah brought out a gentleness in him that no one else could, while finally allowing herself to be chosen too. Their chemistry was intense and the primal play added heat, but it was their emotional healing and growing trust that gave their relationship real depth.

The relationship that Maksim and Sammy developed was truly something amazing. Never has this happened with one of Sarah’s friends. Sammy has down syndrome and most people that meet Sammy can’t handle him. He has a huge heart the way he and Sammy immediately hit it off warmed my heart, but it was his interaction with Molly that made me fall hard for that man. This man was the sweetest offering to be her date at the Night to Remember Special Needs Prom. Bless his sweet heart.


But not every story has a happy ending does it? Sarah was very upfront with Maksim at her parents house when he went and helped with Silas and this is when they decided to finally let their attraction blossom and they began a relationship. But what hindered this for Maksim is the secret he was keeping from Sarah. He has plans to tell her but before he can do so, she finds the secret he has been keeping. She is wrecked, she flees from his home and stops all communications. What she doesn’t know though is this man will do whatever is needed to win her back. Her friends are on his side which she doesn’t know, but they knew what Maksim brought to her life finally.


Will Sarah be able to overcome the heartbreak that Maksim gave her to move on with him? But in the meantime with Maksim being vulnerable will he be able to get out of the trap that is made for him?

But the ending, oh the ending. 6 months later Maksim brought back the night they met into the sweetest ending, I didn’t see coming.

This man was ready to fulfill every dark and dangerous desire she has. There's primal play, deceit, secrets, but also love and family. So you get a mafia romance that warms, breaks and mends your heart.


What will the stories be for Dima, Lev, Alesk and Kira?



What to expect:

Dark Mafia Romance
Masked Man
Disability Representation
Touch Her and Die
Kidnapping

[Danielle Cordsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maksim
By: Katie Ashley

📚💕⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💕📚

Well I didn’t see that beginning?

Oh wow this book starts with a bang! Kidnapping to receive help and kindness? That’s different perfect but definitely different. Sarah a brilliant speech therapist and Maksim the rightful successor to the Korolov Bratva mafia family are brought together in the absolute worst way possible. Sarah kidnapped to help Maksim with his speech impediment what could possibly go wrong? I’ll say definitely read you’ll never want to put it down. The authors writing is flawless and the words are so captivating, the plot had so many twists and turns and none that I was expecting, and many shockingly intimate I have become a huge fan of this author. The author writes with so much intensity and emotion pulled from each book it’s felt page after page. Some are quick witted story lines are so perfect and lets you believe you have a front row seat. So being able to read this love story didn’t disappoint. The authors ability to have two separate individuals struggling in their everyday life and try to navigate someone else’s thoughts, needs and desires was intense and gives all the fills.

Authors Blurb: Because of the way I speak, everyone judges me the moment I open my mouth. Even though I’m 6’5 and two eighty, they see me as weak. They always have.
Even my father who passed me over as his heir.
Behind the mask with the automated voice, I’m not weak. Women desire me, and men fear me.

As fortunes change within my family, I need to correct my impediment. That’s why I seek out one of the best speech pathologists on the East Coast. On paper, Dr. Sarah Whitfield looks boring and rigid.

But the good doctor is hiding a secret: she has a kink for Masked Men. She sheds her professional facade on weekends when she attends Masked Events.

And I’m here to fulfill her fantasies of being kidnapped by a masked man.

But this time, it’s for real.

This book has everything I love in a book. Then you add that it's beautifully written and believable. It is easily a five star read. Written in dual POV this story flows so incredibly well that the next thing you know you’re 80% into the book and loving every second of it. The believable way the characters interact is perfect. Run, Hop, Jump or use your (1 click) finger to do whatever you have to do and get this amazing book. It'll break your heart, you'll want to scream with frustration and it'll let you discover that love just might conquer all. The chemistry is steamy and sweet and oh so romantic.

[Principesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so Maksim by Katie Ashley hooked me right from the start. Maksim is destined to be the heir to his mafia family, but on the big night when he’s meant to be named successor, his father humiliates him in front of everyone. Why? Because of his stutter. Instead, his half-brother gets the crown. Fast forward a number of years, and Maks is still carrying that wound (defect, as he calls it) but now he’s desperate to get his speech under control. Enter Sarah—a brilliant speech pathologist who also happens to share his secret kink for masked primal play hunts and their first encounter is all kinds of intense. One night of hunter/prey and Maks goes full dark romance and kidnaps her in a twisted scheme he concocted so she’ll treat him. Now he’s got to figure out how to convince her not to hate him when she realizes her patient, her boyfriend, and her kidnapper are all the same man.

Why I Loved It
* The spice? 🔥 Especially the hunter/prey scenes. They’re primal, they’re hot, and they’re surprisingly emotional.
* The plot isn’t just about the romance—it digs into heavy stuff like mental health, special needs, glass child syndrome, Alzheimer’s, caregiver burnout. It’s layered in a way that makes the story feel bigger than just two people falling in love.
* The relationships are everything. From Sarah’s bond with her parents and Sammy, to her friendships with Tara as well as Hudson and Archie, to Maksim’s ties with Dima, Aleks, Lev, and his sisters—even Voxie the cat’s relationship with the Korolova brothers feels meaningful. It’s rare to see such a big cast where every single connection matters.
* And honestly? The author made me care so much that when a minor character was lost, it hit me like a punch to the gut. That’s when you know the writing is good.

My One Critique
The ending felt rushed. We had the breakup and the big Mafia trope drama in the 3rd act, but it all got wrapped up way too quickly. I wish the author had spent a little more time tying everything up in neat bows—it would have given the finale the same depth and care as the rest of the book.

Final Thoughts
This isn’t just a dark romance—it’s a story about resilience, vulnerability, and finding love in the most unexpected (and morally complicated) places. It’s spicy, it’s emotional, and it’s unforgettable. This was my first book by this author. I’m excited to see what else she’s got and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — I couldn’t put it down.

[Sandy S · Rating 4 out of 5]

MAKSIM is the first instalment in Katie Ashley’s contemporary, adult KOROLOV BRATVA erotic, Bratva romance series, a spin off, set in the author’s THE IRISH ROGUES series. This is heir to the Korolov Bratva Maksim Korolov, and speech pathologist Dr. Sarah Whitfield’s story line.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Maksim and Sarah) MAKSIM focuses on the acrimonious relationship between our story line couple. Years earlier, at the age of eighteen, Maksim was passed over as his father’s heir-apparent due to his speech disorder, which his father had declared made his son look weak. Fast forward to present day, Maksim is determined to right his father’s wrongs, targeting speech pathologist Dr. Sarah Whitfield, a woman whose sexual kinks run close to his own but as Sarah struggled with Maksim’s unusual demands, it is The Beast that draws Sarah like a moth to a flame, a beast of a man what is more familiar than she could have ever imagined.

The world building focuses on Maksim’s struggle with speech therapy, rewiring his brain and his speech patterns in an effort to take back control what was his all along but as Maksim works behind the scenes, the family dynamics spin out of control as the hierarchy of power continues to transform

The relationship between Sarah and Maksim begins as an abduction. Maksim needs Sarah to help relearn and revise his method of speech but goes about asking for help in all the wrong ways. Sarah will find herself falling for a man she will discover is the Bratva heir but a man who hides behind a mask to get want he wants. The $ex scenes are intimate, provocative and intense.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, dangerous and energetic secondary and supporting characters with several cameo appearances from the author’s The Irish Rogue series including Maxsim’s sister Mila and her future husband Kellan (Beautiful Trauma), as Maksim’s other siblings Kira, Dima, Lev and Aleks, and their brutal father Danill Korolov. The requisite evil has many faces.

MAKSIM is a story of secrets and lies,betrayal and vengeance, power and control, family and relationships, acceptance and love. The character driven premise is dark, dramatic and edgy; the romance is fated; the characters are desperate, determined and charismatic.

copy supplied for review

[W · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ok. I’ve only done like one or two mafia books and they were NOT for me, so I’ve avoided them ever since. But I had to read this one because the FMC was an SLP and I wanted to read that representation and also judge how well the author researched speech pathology and stuttering. My biggest complaint is that this needed more editing. “Male pathologist”? A pathologist is a medical doctor who diagnoses cells like cancer or bacteria by looking at a microscope. You HAVE to say “speech pathologist” the “speech” is not optional. And the lack of consistency for the “whit whit” nickname, comma, dash, nothing. Multiple times the author was trying to say “I didn’t X much less Y” and instead wrote “I didn’t X least of all Y” which at first glance might seem like it’s the same but it’s not and it bugged me to no end. I also didn’t like the infantilizing nickname for her brother, he’s a grown adult. And some things seemed like a big deal but we’re just brushed away. His betrayal/argument with his half brother and then next page they’re going to be co leaders. The brother is taken to the compound to detox and we find out in the epilogue like one or two hundred pages at least later that he was sent to rehab.

I did appreciate his relationship with her brother though, that was sweet, he treated him like an adult but also knew the limits.

Now onto the speech part, it was better than I was expecting. But I really wish it had been more clear that as far as we know at this point in science, we don’t know what causes stuttering, just that it’s likely multi factorial with genetics and environment playing a role and we don’t know how to “cure” it, you’ll always stutter. There are things we can do to make it less obvious to other people but it will always be there. Also people who stutter don’t just have one type of disfluency. They’ll have blocks, repetitions, and prolongations. And while I did appreciate the nod to the cognitive aspect of stuttering therapy, which is a big part, especially currently as we’re moving away from trying to “make people stutter less” in therapy and more “how can I accept myself when I stutter” an SLP is not licensed to provide CBT. Like yes it’s “counseling” and uses aspects of CBT, but an SLP would loose their license if they advertised that they provided CBT unless they were also a LMFT or similar provider with that separate license.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An emotional roller-coaster I was not expecting.

I really enjoyed Maksim by Katie Ashley. It takes us, the readers, on an emotional roller-coaster from the very first page to the very last. Maksim & Sarah's love story will pull at your heart strings while simultaneously having you throw up your hands in frustration.

Maksim is a dominant yet kind MMC who is heir to the Korolov Bratva. However his horrible bully of a father hands down a devastating blow to Maksim all because of his stutter. Years later due to another horrible decision by his father he has an opportunity to step in an be the leader he was destined to be. Only problem he must fix his stutter, enter Dr. Sarah Whitfield.

Sarah is a sassy yet sweet FMC who has the biggest heart, especially for children and individuals who've been mistreated. She's going through life taking care of everyone else, her patients, parents, siblings and friends but doesn't allot much time to take care of herself. Until she is kidnapped by the Korolov Bratva for her medical expertise.

The plot in Maksim is well done and there is lots of spice, excitement, plot twists, humor, and main characters stepping out of their comfort zones. Katie Ashley did a brilliant job with her writing to get us the readers to feel all the angst, emotion and spice along with the characters. I absolutely love the positive disability representation in this book. I would be great if more authors would step into more of this representation. I wish we could have had the Night to Remember Special Needs Prom scene. There was a build up to it but sadly no scene. Also, there was no finality to what happened to Maksim's uncles. I am hoping we may find out in the next book of the series.

My only "personal" issue with the book was the full blown miscommunication trope and it's supposed "necessity" to the plot. I wish Katie had found a way to have the same plot and end result without this trope being needed. While reading Maksim I found myself annoyed with him for keeping information hidden that didn't need to be. Then after the information was made known I was absolutely irritate at Sarah for blowing things way out of proportion upon learning said information.

Overall I really liked Maksim by Katie Ashley and am anxiously waiting for the next book in the series.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The opening of the Korolov Bratva series introduces Maksim, a Bratva antihero who defies expectations. Although he certainly looks the part standing 6’5” and weighing 280 pounds there’s an underlying air of vulnerability about him. His imposing physique may intimidate others, but his speech impediment has caused many, including his own father, to see him as weak and unfit for leadership. Instead of naming Maksim as his successor, his father chose his brother. However, life rarely sticks to the plan, and and Maksim soon finds himself needing to claim his rightful place as Pakhan if he can overcome his stutter. The only person who can help him is Dr. Sarah Whitfield, and he has no intention of accepting her refusal, especially after discovering her hidden kink for primal play. Fortunately for him, he already has the mask.

Primal play is definitely one of my guilty-pleasure tropes, and Katie Ashley leans fully into it here with some very steamy scenes. Maksim brings Sarah’s fantasy of being chased and captured by a masked stranger to life, and those moments are easily some of the most intense in the book. Their dynamic outside of those encounters, however, is far more complicated. Maksim keeps his identity as Sarah’s mysterious ‘beast’ a secret, meaning she has no idea that the man she is helping professionally is also the masked figure fulfilling her fantasies. It’s the kind of secret that you just know is going to come back and bite him at some point.

While I did enjoy watching Maksim and Sarah’s relationship develop, the overall story occasionally felt a little unbalanced. Sarah’s family situation, in particular, piles on a lot of heavy issues with one brother having Down syndrome, another struggles with schizophrenia, and their father is living with dementia. At times it felt like an overwhelming amount of hardship for one character to carry. Still, it does help explain why Sarah might feel a need to surrender control when it came to one element in her life and escape the weight of responsibility by allowing herself to simply be “forced” to submit at least briefly.

[D. J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Combine Mafia with masked primal play? GoodNESS!

This book was a great representation of the ways disabilities can be perceived in different worlds. Maksim is a powerful, built Bratva heir....with a speech impediment. He's rich, attractive, and a person nobody in their right mind would cross, until he opens his mouth. A stutter in his world is viewed as a defect....it makes him weak. His own parents drill it into him any chance they can get. And talk about crazy family dynamics! Though his relationship with his siblings was fantastic, I absolutely loved them! His dad is the ultimate example of a puke Bratva Pahkan, I definitely despise the man and the way he treats his children. Mom isn't much better! This ultimately causes him to retreat in on himself. Until he's introduced to the BDSM world of masked primal play. There, he is The Beast, who wears a mask that not only hides his identity but his stutter (thanks to the automation). And The Beast is HOT! I mean, panty melting!

Life twists and it's time to address the stutter and see if he can overcome it once and for all. What better way than to kidnap a sexy speech pathologist who has the same kink for masked primal play? Enter Dr. Sarah Whitfield. Oh and she also has a crazy family dynamic which makes her no stranger to varying health conditions and disabilities. The relationship between Maksim and Sammy? LOVED IT! My heart goes out to the woman, she has so much on her plate! But a heart of gold and I loved everything about her.

The story mostly focuses on Maksim's therapy and the building relationship between him and Sarah. It's well fought for and so well deserved. The Mafia part of this world feels like it's holding its breath, waiting to explode. The masked primal play was insanely hot, and the shared passion of the hunt was a fun connection. I really enjoyed the families; both Maksim and his siblings and Sarah and her whole family. All the different dynamics were so complex but so heart felt. I wanted to hug all of them for different reasons!

I was fortunate enough to receive this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to both the Author and The Smuthood PR for the opportunity!