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The McCarthy Family Legacy #3
Wicked Ruin
Forbidden. Pregnant. And hopelessly in love with a man who belongs to someone else.
Bridget Kavanagh has loved Declan McCarthy in silence for years — a dangerous man, an engaged man, the last man in Ireland she's allowed to want. One stolen night changed everything, and now she's carrying his baby with no idea how to tell him… or whether telling him will get her killed.
Because in the McCarthy family, a secret like hers doesn't just end in heartbreak. It ends in blood.
And the only man who can save her is the one she can never have.
Bridget Kavanagh has loved Declan McCarthy in silence for years — a dangerous man, an engaged man, the last man in Ireland she's allowed to want. One stolen night changed everything, and now she's carrying his baby with no idea how to tell him… or whether telling him will get her killed.
Because in the McCarthy family, a secret like hers doesn't just end in heartbreak. It ends in blood.
And the only man who can save her is the one she can never have.
410 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 14, 2026
About the author
Jane Henry
118 books2,909 followersFueled by dark chocolate and even darker coffee, USA Today bestselling author Jane Henry writes what she loves to read – character-driven, unputdownable romance featuring dominant alpha males and the powerful heroines who bring them to their knees. She’s believed in the power of love and romance since Belle won over the beast, and finally decided to write love stories of her own.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 332 reviews
September 1, 2026
3 ⭐️
I have two very different relationships with this book.
The first is with Declan McCarthy, whose devotion became increasingly unhinged until I was basically standing there with a clipboard documenting his deteriorating condition.
The second is with the plot.
Alexa, call my lawyer.
What worked for me
(aka: Why I kept the faith)
In love. In denial. Incredible
The strongest part of this book was easily Bridget and Declan’s history. Their relationship develops over years and I believed they had become each other’s person long before either one was prepared to admit what was actually happening.
Bridget is convinced Declan will never love her back. Declan is busy convincing himself that loving Bridget and being allowed to have Bridget are two completely different things. Basically, two idiots experiencing the exact same yearning from opposite sides of the emotional barricade.
Their quieter moments sold me just as much as the forbidden ones. The teasing, stupid arguments, check-ins and easy domesticity made them feel genuinely compatible rather than two hot people the plot had shoved together. They already felt like home to each other. Unfortunately, neither had received the memo.
Caretaker with a side of feral
Declan's caretaking was all in the details: remembering, noticing, showing up. More importantly, he saw Bridget as a woman to care for, not an illness to manage.
And then there was the possessiveness.
Watching him go from insisting he had no claim on Bridget to behaving increasingly allergic to that very concept was exactly the kind of nonsense I signed up for. Add in surprisingly solid consent protocols and devotion bordering on deranged and unfortunately this man had me by the throat.
His restraint tried its best.
It will be remembered fondly.
Where it lost me
(aka: Cue the side-eye)
Are we there yet?
The first half moved really easily for me. The latter portion? Not so much.
Eventually the central conflict started running laps.
I love you. But circumstances. Trust me. I’ll fix it. But circumstances. I’ll protect you. But circumstances.
Sir. I've received the reassurance. Please submit the project plan.
The problem wasn’t that these scenes were bad individually. Some were genuinely sweet. But once the major emotional truths had already been established, I needed the circumstances around them to actually change. Instead, we kept revisiting variations of the same problem and what had been an easy, romance-heavy read suddenly started feeling noticeably slower.
The audacity of "mine"
I enjoy a possessive MMC as much as the next woman with questionable fictional standards but there came a point where Declan privately claiming Bridget while his public circumstances suggested something very different stopped hitting the same.
This was where Bridget’s frustration made complete sense to me.
Her question eventually isn’t whether Declan loves her. She knows he does. It’s whether that love is actually enough when she’s still being left in emotional limbo.
And because autonomy is such an important part of Bridget’s character, Declan repeatedly withholding information because he thinks he’s protecting her frustrated me even more. Protect her, absolutely. But perhaps also invite the woman to the meeting concerning her own life.
Revolutionary concept.
All that angst for….that?
The book spends a lot of time convincing me that the central mafia conflict is basically impossible to solve without catastrophic consequences.
Excellent. I love consequences.
Unfortunately, when the solution finally arrived, several supposedly enormous problems untangled far more conveniently than all that buildup had led me to expect.
To the book’s credit, an important emotional choice is made before anyone knows there’s an escape hatch and that saved a lot for me. I believed the choice because it was made while the consequences still appeared real.
I’d also started predicting the general direction of the solution before it arrived. I didn’t have every detail but I could see the escape hatch warming up backstage.
By the time it appeared, I wasn’t shocked.
I was holding its coat.
Girl, it’s literally the epilogue
And then the epilogue casually handed me information that fundamentally reframed years of Declan’s behaviour and made his devotion hit approximately seventeen times harder.
Excuse me?
Why am I receiving some of the most important emotional documentation when people are already moving furniture?
It was romantic as hell. It also belonged earlier.
That revelation could have added an entirely new dimension to the repetitive back half. Suddenly sacrifice, duty, protection, Bridget’s autonomy and Declan’s behaviour all look different.
Instead, I learned it after the central problem had already been resolved.
And while the book frames some of Bridget’s assumptions as wrong in hindsight, I don’t entirely agree.
Girl was working with approximately 40% of the available information because these men apparently consider communication a felony.
She wasn’t wrong.
She was under-informed.
Final thoughts
There’s a version of this book where the impossible choices stay impossible a little longer, the consequences actually bite and the biggest emotional revelations arrive in time to do some damage. That version could’ve wrecked me.
Instead, I had a good time, fell a little bit in love with Declan, and spent the final stretch thinking about what could’ve been.
Final verdict
3 ⭐️ - Apparently “one stolen night changed everything” had terms and conditions.
Alexa, read the fine print.
Tropes and Vibes:
• Irish mafia romance
• Years of mutual yearning
• Forbidden romance
• Friends-to-lovers-ish
• Age gap
• Surprise pregnancy
• Secret relationship
• Possessive + caretaker MMC
• FMC fighting for autonomy
• Love versus duty
• Domestic softness
• Strong consent energy
• Mafia family obligations
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Pre-read:
“One stolen night changed everything”
And by everything we mean Bridget is now pregnant by an engaged Irish mafia boss whose family might kill her.
Alexa, play consequences. 🤭
I have two very different relationships with this book.
The first is with Declan McCarthy, whose devotion became increasingly unhinged until I was basically standing there with a clipboard documenting his deteriorating condition.
The second is with the plot.
Alexa, call my lawyer.
What worked for me
(aka: Why I kept the faith)
In love. In denial. Incredible
The strongest part of this book was easily Bridget and Declan’s history. Their relationship develops over years and I believed they had become each other’s person long before either one was prepared to admit what was actually happening.
Bridget is convinced Declan will never love her back. Declan is busy convincing himself that loving Bridget and being allowed to have Bridget are two completely different things. Basically, two idiots experiencing the exact same yearning from opposite sides of the emotional barricade.
Their quieter moments sold me just as much as the forbidden ones. The teasing, stupid arguments, check-ins and easy domesticity made them feel genuinely compatible rather than two hot people the plot had shoved together. They already felt like home to each other. Unfortunately, neither had received the memo.
Caretaker with a side of feral
Declan's caretaking was all in the details: remembering, noticing, showing up. More importantly, he saw Bridget as a woman to care for, not an illness to manage.
And then there was the possessiveness.
Watching him go from insisting he had no claim on Bridget to behaving increasingly allergic to that very concept was exactly the kind of nonsense I signed up for. Add in surprisingly solid consent protocols and devotion bordering on deranged and unfortunately this man had me by the throat.
His restraint tried its best.
It will be remembered fondly.
Where it lost me
(aka: Cue the side-eye)
Are we there yet?
The first half moved really easily for me. The latter portion? Not so much.
Eventually the central conflict started running laps.
I love you. But circumstances. Trust me. I’ll fix it. But circumstances. I’ll protect you. But circumstances.
Sir. I've received the reassurance. Please submit the project plan.
The problem wasn’t that these scenes were bad individually. Some were genuinely sweet. But once the major emotional truths had already been established, I needed the circumstances around them to actually change. Instead, we kept revisiting variations of the same problem and what had been an easy, romance-heavy read suddenly started feeling noticeably slower.
The audacity of "mine"
I enjoy a possessive MMC as much as the next woman with questionable fictional standards but there came a point where Declan privately claiming Bridget while his public circumstances suggested something very different stopped hitting the same.
This was where Bridget’s frustration made complete sense to me.
Her question eventually isn’t whether Declan loves her. She knows he does. It’s whether that love is actually enough when she’s still being left in emotional limbo.
And because autonomy is such an important part of Bridget’s character, Declan repeatedly withholding information because he thinks he’s protecting her frustrated me even more. Protect her, absolutely. But perhaps also invite the woman to the meeting concerning her own life.
Revolutionary concept.
All that angst for….that?
The book spends a lot of time convincing me that the central mafia conflict is basically impossible to solve without catastrophic consequences.
Excellent. I love consequences.
Unfortunately, when the solution finally arrived, several supposedly enormous problems untangled far more conveniently than all that buildup had led me to expect.
To the book’s credit, an important emotional choice is made before anyone knows there’s an escape hatch and that saved a lot for me. I believed the choice because it was made while the consequences still appeared real.
I’d also started predicting the general direction of the solution before it arrived. I didn’t have every detail but I could see the escape hatch warming up backstage.
By the time it appeared, I wasn’t shocked.
I was holding its coat.
Girl, it’s literally the epilogue
And then the epilogue casually handed me information that fundamentally reframed years of Declan’s behaviour and made his devotion hit approximately seventeen times harder.
Excuse me?
Why am I receiving some of the most important emotional documentation when people are already moving furniture?
It was romantic as hell. It also belonged earlier.
That revelation could have added an entirely new dimension to the repetitive back half. Suddenly sacrifice, duty, protection, Bridget’s autonomy and Declan’s behaviour all look different.
Instead, I learned it after the central problem had already been resolved.
And while the book frames some of Bridget’s assumptions as wrong in hindsight, I don’t entirely agree.
Girl was working with approximately 40% of the available information because these men apparently consider communication a felony.
She wasn’t wrong.
She was under-informed.
Final thoughts
There’s a version of this book where the impossible choices stay impossible a little longer, the consequences actually bite and the biggest emotional revelations arrive in time to do some damage. That version could’ve wrecked me.
Instead, I had a good time, fell a little bit in love with Declan, and spent the final stretch thinking about what could’ve been.
Final verdict
3 ⭐️ - Apparently “one stolen night changed everything” had terms and conditions.
Alexa, read the fine print.
Tropes and Vibes:
• Irish mafia romance
• Years of mutual yearning
• Forbidden romance
• Friends-to-lovers-ish
• Age gap
• Surprise pregnancy
• Secret relationship
• Possessive + caretaker MMC
• FMC fighting for autonomy
• Love versus duty
• Domestic softness
• Strong consent energy
• Mafia family obligations
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Pre-read:
“One stolen night changed everything”
And by everything we mean Bridget is now pregnant by an engaged Irish mafia boss whose family might kill her.
Alexa, play consequences. 🤭
October 23, 2026
Tags: age-gaaap
alphalicious
character-irish
cheating-on-ow
disabled-heroine-other-illness
friends-to-lovers
heroine-is-ow
mafia-cartel-romance
older-hero-younger-heroine
over-the-years
ow-drama
possessive-mine-mine-mine
virgin-heroine
alphalicious
character-irish
cheating-on-ow
disabled-heroine-other-illness
friends-to-lovers
heroine-is-ow
mafia-cartel-romance
older-hero-younger-heroine
over-the-years
ow-drama
possessive-mine-mine-mine
virgin-heroine
September 17, 2026
3.5 🌟
Bridget a vivido en hospitales, siente que su vida es algo aburrida y sin emoción, lo único que la motiva es la amistad que tiene con Declan un chico peligroso que la hace suspirar, tienen una noche mágica y semanas después la vida de Bridget cambia para siempre.
Tenía un poco te expectativas con este libro y medio las cumplió, siento que la pareja en si me gustó, un poco dramático todo el asunto pero me encantó los cuidados que se tenían, la trama de fondo ese se ve uff, la verdad por ella es que pienso seguir con los demás libros.
A veces sentía que le daba muchas vueltas a una cosa y era de YAAAA y también tenían personajes algo irritables, el esposa de la hermana hugg, odioso, no pienso leer su libro, también como es el primer libro que leo de este universo la verdad si hay varias cosas que no entendí del todo, lo principal se entiende pero hay varias cosas que pasan en otros libros que uno queda como con la duda.
En fin no sé si lo recomendaría al 100, no sé me hizo malo pero pues creo que es demasiado largo.
Espero el siguiente con emoción, los protagonistas se ven 👁️👌🏻
Bridget a vivido en hospitales, siente que su vida es algo aburrida y sin emoción, lo único que la motiva es la amistad que tiene con Declan un chico peligroso que la hace suspirar, tienen una noche mágica y semanas después la vida de Bridget cambia para siempre.
Tenía un poco te expectativas con este libro y medio las cumplió, siento que la pareja en si me gustó, un poco dramático todo el asunto pero me encantó los cuidados que se tenían, la trama de fondo ese se ve uff, la verdad por ella es que pienso seguir con los demás libros.
A veces sentía que le daba muchas vueltas a una cosa y era de YAAAA y también tenían personajes algo irritables, el esposa de la hermana hugg, odioso, no pienso leer su libro, también como es el primer libro que leo de este universo la verdad si hay varias cosas que no entendí del todo, lo principal se entiende pero hay varias cosas que pasan en otros libros que uno queda como con la duda.
En fin no sé si lo recomendaría al 100, no sé me hizo malo pero pues creo que es demasiado largo.
Espero el siguiente con emoción, los protagonistas se ven 👁️👌🏻
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.75⭐️
2.5🌶️
🔥Dark Irish Mafia
🔥Forbidden love
🔥Friends to Lovers
🔥Hurt/Comfort
🔥Accidental Pregnancy
🔥Virgin Heroine
🔥Dual First Person POV
Finally we get Bridget’s story! The unexpected friendship between Bridget and Declan first focused on when she was at their sickest and turned into so more with so much yearning. He shows up for her as a friend checking in on her and brought her food to the hospital. Over the next few years their friendship grows into a crush, Bridget knew nothing could come of it because Declan has to marry for his family. Declan finds himself torn betweeen his love for Bridget and his duty toward his family. He knows he should stay away and let her go but he is consumed with thoughts of her. They decide to allow themselves one night with each other and boy what a night it was. It was both sweet and oh so spicy. Then Declan is called to fulfill his duty and marry for the family. Things start to spiral out of control from there. Declan knew he had to find a way out of his engagement because he loved Bridget. When Bridget starts feeling sick, she fear she’s relapsing, instead she’s pregnant. She tries to carry the secret alone and not contact Declan, but he wasn’t having it. When he finds out he does everything he can to help her and get out of his engagement. He dives into research for specialists she’ll need and things like the safest car seat. Their story is not short on drama and is filled with tension and angst. This was everything I wanted for their story and so much more. It was sweet and heartbreaking. The immediate chemistry and raw emotions kept me mesmerized and why I was able to finish this in one sitting. I was completely captivated by the drama, danger, and all the obstcales they had to go through to get their happy ending.
🚩Be sure to read the author’s note and content warnings before reading.
Plot: 4.5
Engaging: 5
Character: 5
Thank you Jane Henry & Valentine PR for the gifted advanced copy.
📚All thoughts and opinions are my own📚
🐦🔥Follow me on socials @myrisingphoenixera.reads🐦🔥
A Few Favorite Quotes:
“He’s touching me. Declan’s hand is on mine, and it feels right and good, and I never want him to stop.”
“I want this woman. I want her in the most intimate way possible. I want to bury myself inside her until she forgets her own name. I want to ruin her for every other man.”
“That's my girl. Come on. Give it to me. We're only getting started.”
“I'm not going to think about that. I'm not going to think about how beautiful she is when she comes apart on my mouth, or the way she holds me like we were made for each other,”
“Every divination card I’ve pulled, every tea leaf I’ve read, every sign I’ve looked for from the universe has said the same thing over and over: soulmates.”
“I love you. I know you can’t say it back, and I understand why, but I love you, and I love our baby. And I'm going to do anything to protect you because you're mine.”
“Because when Declan McCarthy says I promise, I’ll be there, and I love you… he means it. And always has.”
2.5🌶️
🔥Dark Irish Mafia
🔥Forbidden love
🔥Friends to Lovers
🔥Hurt/Comfort
🔥Accidental Pregnancy
🔥Virgin Heroine
🔥Dual First Person POV
Finally we get Bridget’s story! The unexpected friendship between Bridget and Declan first focused on when she was at their sickest and turned into so more with so much yearning. He shows up for her as a friend checking in on her and brought her food to the hospital. Over the next few years their friendship grows into a crush, Bridget knew nothing could come of it because Declan has to marry for his family. Declan finds himself torn betweeen his love for Bridget and his duty toward his family. He knows he should stay away and let her go but he is consumed with thoughts of her. They decide to allow themselves one night with each other and boy what a night it was. It was both sweet and oh so spicy. Then Declan is called to fulfill his duty and marry for the family. Things start to spiral out of control from there. Declan knew he had to find a way out of his engagement because he loved Bridget. When Bridget starts feeling sick, she fear she’s relapsing, instead she’s pregnant. She tries to carry the secret alone and not contact Declan, but he wasn’t having it. When he finds out he does everything he can to help her and get out of his engagement. He dives into research for specialists she’ll need and things like the safest car seat. Their story is not short on drama and is filled with tension and angst. This was everything I wanted for their story and so much more. It was sweet and heartbreaking. The immediate chemistry and raw emotions kept me mesmerized and why I was able to finish this in one sitting. I was completely captivated by the drama, danger, and all the obstcales they had to go through to get their happy ending.
🚩Be sure to read the author’s note and content warnings before reading.
Plot: 4.5
Engaging: 5
Character: 5
Thank you Jane Henry & Valentine PR for the gifted advanced copy.
📚All thoughts and opinions are my own📚
🐦🔥Follow me on socials @myrisingphoenixera.reads🐦🔥
A Few Favorite Quotes:
“He’s touching me. Declan’s hand is on mine, and it feels right and good, and I never want him to stop.”
“I want this woman. I want her in the most intimate way possible. I want to bury myself inside her until she forgets her own name. I want to ruin her for every other man.”
“That's my girl. Come on. Give it to me. We're only getting started.”
“I'm not going to think about that. I'm not going to think about how beautiful she is when she comes apart on my mouth, or the way she holds me like we were made for each other,”
“Every divination card I’ve pulled, every tea leaf I’ve read, every sign I’ve looked for from the universe has said the same thing over and over: soulmates.”
“I love you. I know you can’t say it back, and I understand why, but I love you, and I love our baby. And I'm going to do anything to protect you because you're mine.”
“Because when Declan McCarthy says I promise, I’ll be there, and I love you… he means it. And always has.”
August 21, 2026
3.5 stars.
"Wicked Ruin" is another good entry in Jane Henry's McCarthy Family Legacy series. This book tells Bridget Kavanagh's (FMC) (Erin's sister) and Declan McCarthy's (MMC) friends-to-lovers, accidental pregnancy/secret baby, forbidden romance. I loved the dynamic between Bridget and Declan, and I am typically not a friends-to-lovers fan. I think Henry does a great job building the relationship between the two of them over call, over text, over the months and years, especially when Bridget is sick and stuck in the hospital. Bridget has been in love with Declan silently for years, charming him with her funny, witty personality. Declan is sweet, patient, and kind despite being in the mafia. His devotion to Bridget and her happiness and health really did it for me. They are borderline obsessed with each other, but Declan has to get arranged married to someone else, so their pairing will be short-lived... or will it? One night of fun turns into more than they bargained for when Bridget winds up pregnant, but doesn't want to tell Declan because of his looming betrothal to someone else. I will admit, because of their constant texting, there is a lot of talking and not a lot of showing in their friendship/courtship-ish/relationship. Things in this book are a little less exciting than the last two books. It almost had me wishing that the entire subplot about Declan's arranged marriage had gone a different way, just for some more entertainment and shock value. Honestly, the ending felt really, really rushed and a bit underwhelming. Still, I managed to enjoy it overall, mostly because of the incredible dual audiobook narration from Kai Kennicott and Wen Ross, who have narrated this entire season thus far with expert precision.
Thank you to Jane Henry and VPR Audio for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
"Wicked Ruin" is another good entry in Jane Henry's McCarthy Family Legacy series. This book tells Bridget Kavanagh's (FMC) (Erin's sister) and Declan McCarthy's (MMC) friends-to-lovers, accidental pregnancy/secret baby, forbidden romance. I loved the dynamic between Bridget and Declan, and I am typically not a friends-to-lovers fan. I think Henry does a great job building the relationship between the two of them over call, over text, over the months and years, especially when Bridget is sick and stuck in the hospital. Bridget has been in love with Declan silently for years, charming him with her funny, witty personality. Declan is sweet, patient, and kind despite being in the mafia. His devotion to Bridget and her happiness and health really did it for me. They are borderline obsessed with each other, but Declan has to get arranged married to someone else, so their pairing will be short-lived... or will it? One night of fun turns into more than they bargained for when Bridget winds up pregnant, but doesn't want to tell Declan because of his looming betrothal to someone else. I will admit, because of their constant texting, there is a lot of talking and not a lot of showing in their friendship/courtship-ish/relationship. Things in this book are a little less exciting than the last two books. It almost had me wishing that the entire subplot about Declan's arranged marriage had gone a different way, just for some more entertainment and shock value. Honestly, the ending felt really, really rushed and a bit underwhelming. Still, I managed to enjoy it overall, mostly because of the incredible dual audiobook narration from Kai Kennicott and Wen Ross, who have narrated this entire season thus far with expert precision.
Thank you to Jane Henry and VPR Audio for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
September 13, 2026
Me gustó mucho
La verdad el primer libro fue malo. Pero, me llamo la atención Bridget y quise saber como seguía.
No me defraudó.
El romance es muy lindo, el friends to lovers en el género mafia love fue original.
La verdad el primer libro fue malo. Pero, me llamo la atención Bridget y quise saber como seguía.
No me defraudó.
El romance es muy lindo, el friends to lovers en el género mafia love fue original.
August 16, 2026
4.5🌟 | 3🌶️
This completely pulled me in.
Bridget and Declan’s friendship slowly turning into something deeper was so sweet, especially knowing how much he supported her through her hardest moments. All that quiet yearning and chemistry had me invested from the start, and I loved how naturally their feelings developed.
The forbidden romance, family obligations, danger, and unexpected pregnancy brought plenty of angst, but Declan’s devotion to Bridget was my favorite part. He was protective, completely gone for her, and willing to sacrifice so much for the woman he loved. Bridget also really touched me, and I loved watching her find the strength to choose happiness for herself.
I flew through this in one sitting because I genuinely didn’t want to put it down. It gave me plenty of swooning, emotional moments, tension, and drama without losing the tenderness at the heart of their relationship. Bridget and Declan’s story was heartbreaking, sweet, and addictive, and I enjoyed watching them fight for their happily ever after.
I loved every tender, messy, swoony moment of their journey.
~~~~
A huge thank you to Jane Henry and Valentine PR for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨
This completely pulled me in.
Bridget and Declan’s friendship slowly turning into something deeper was so sweet, especially knowing how much he supported her through her hardest moments. All that quiet yearning and chemistry had me invested from the start, and I loved how naturally their feelings developed.
The forbidden romance, family obligations, danger, and unexpected pregnancy brought plenty of angst, but Declan’s devotion to Bridget was my favorite part. He was protective, completely gone for her, and willing to sacrifice so much for the woman he loved. Bridget also really touched me, and I loved watching her find the strength to choose happiness for herself.
I flew through this in one sitting because I genuinely didn’t want to put it down. It gave me plenty of swooning, emotional moments, tension, and drama without losing the tenderness at the heart of their relationship. Bridget and Declan’s story was heartbreaking, sweet, and addictive, and I enjoyed watching them fight for their happily ever after.
I loved every tender, messy, swoony moment of their journey.
~~~~
A huge thank you to Jane Henry and Valentine PR for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨
August 14, 2026
I thought it was a great book. It is a dark mafia romance. If you're a fan of that genre, this is definitely one to check out. The chemistry between the characters is great.
August 9, 2026
Wicked Ruin is book 3 in the McCarthy Legacy series and this book follows Bridget Kavanagh who is the sister to Erin Kavanagh (Wicked altar) and Declan McCarthy.
If you have read Erin’s book you will understand that Bridget has been battling with aplastic anemia but after the exile of her parents Erin brought in the best specialists to ensure she would come out on top. I love with this book that we get a brief introduction to how Declan and Bridget meet before we actually get into the thick of their story, as it shows that yes while the attraction is clearly there between the pair the developed a friendship prior to this and also Declan was present for Bridget during her stays in the hospital. Their contact goes patchy after Declan is sent to Boston for a job and this brings us to the present day.
Remember I mentioned that Erin and Bridget’s parents were exiled, well because Erin was married to a McCarthy she was safe from this exile but Bridget was not so Declan went and pleaded his case to his cousin Seamus aka the head of the McCarthy family. He vowed that he will do anything that Seamus asks of him even subject himself to an arranged marriage for the family as long as Bridget remains under the McCarthy family protection. I mean swoon this man was willing to sacrifice his happiness to ensure she would remain safe and protected. Similar to Erin, Bridget definitely fitted right in with the McCarthy family and she was not judged based on the sins of her parents.
Of course the day comes that Declan must now step up and marry for the better of the family. Bridget and Declan knew their time was limited but they just wanted one night together because everything went downhill but what they did not expect to come from this was a pregnancy. Of course in the beginning Bridget was determined to hide it because Declan was engaged to someone else and it would be quite difficult to call off the marriage especially when the alliance was needed. That being said even before Declan found out about the baby he knew he needed to find a loophole out of this marriage because while he may have been engaged to another his thoughts were fully consumed of Bridget and not his future wife and honestly this only intensified when he found out there was a baby on the way.
Bridget was such a strong soul, between battling her illness and fighting hard to keep her baby protected I absolutely loved her. Declan was possessive and obsessed with his woman but Declan realising he’ll be a father was just even more intensified and that’s just how I liked him as there is nothing better of a man protective over his family.
I don’t want to give too much away about this book but I absolutely loved Bridget and Declan’s story. Thank you to the author and VPR who provided this e-arc for my honest thoughts 💭
If you have read Erin’s book you will understand that Bridget has been battling with aplastic anemia but after the exile of her parents Erin brought in the best specialists to ensure she would come out on top. I love with this book that we get a brief introduction to how Declan and Bridget meet before we actually get into the thick of their story, as it shows that yes while the attraction is clearly there between the pair the developed a friendship prior to this and also Declan was present for Bridget during her stays in the hospital. Their contact goes patchy after Declan is sent to Boston for a job and this brings us to the present day.
Remember I mentioned that Erin and Bridget’s parents were exiled, well because Erin was married to a McCarthy she was safe from this exile but Bridget was not so Declan went and pleaded his case to his cousin Seamus aka the head of the McCarthy family. He vowed that he will do anything that Seamus asks of him even subject himself to an arranged marriage for the family as long as Bridget remains under the McCarthy family protection. I mean swoon this man was willing to sacrifice his happiness to ensure she would remain safe and protected. Similar to Erin, Bridget definitely fitted right in with the McCarthy family and she was not judged based on the sins of her parents.
Of course the day comes that Declan must now step up and marry for the better of the family. Bridget and Declan knew their time was limited but they just wanted one night together because everything went downhill but what they did not expect to come from this was a pregnancy. Of course in the beginning Bridget was determined to hide it because Declan was engaged to someone else and it would be quite difficult to call off the marriage especially when the alliance was needed. That being said even before Declan found out about the baby he knew he needed to find a loophole out of this marriage because while he may have been engaged to another his thoughts were fully consumed of Bridget and not his future wife and honestly this only intensified when he found out there was a baby on the way.
Bridget was such a strong soul, between battling her illness and fighting hard to keep her baby protected I absolutely loved her. Declan was possessive and obsessed with his woman but Declan realising he’ll be a father was just even more intensified and that’s just how I liked him as there is nothing better of a man protective over his family.
I don’t want to give too much away about this book but I absolutely loved Bridget and Declan’s story. Thank you to the author and VPR who provided this e-arc for my honest thoughts 💭
August 11, 2026
This book was named accurately alright because it was my freaking RUIN. I read this book in one sitting because I became obsessed with Declan and Bridget’s story and needed their HEA. When I read Wicked Altar I was already obsessed with the tension and insane chemistry between them, and still Jane Henry managed to completely blow my mind. If you’re looking for an obsessed mmc, this is what you should read because Declan is a whipped boy from start to finish. The book starts from what we’ve seen in Wicked Altar (Bridget’s sister Erin’s book which I recommend you read but if not totally required) with Bridget facing a terminal illness and Declan going out of his way to support her through it. Despite the clear love and longing between them they claim to be “just friends” when it’s obviously they’re anything but. Honestly those texts when Declan was away had me crying straight from page 30 because of showing touching it was. But the forbidden romance part of this book slapped harder than anything, he’s got to marry someone else for a family alliance and she’s forced to watch. Talk about freaking tragic, like every time they said “goodbye” or resisted each other I broke down. Have your tissues nearby because this book is a tear fest like my poor eyes never caught a break. Declan is like the McCarthy family’s loyal soldier but is most loyal to his love Bridget and gosh the way he treats her has me melting into a puddle. He also wears glasses, dropped onto his knees in front of her and throws himself on top of her to protect her from harm, like you can’t not love him. I greatly admired and connected with Bridget, as she’s this bubbly sunshine who has to keep everyone happy even when she’s sad inside. But the way Declan adores her has her finally putting herself first and I love that for her. Their love quite literally reached out of the page and put a spell on my poor little heart because I was crying g and giggling my way through. I cannot recommend this masterpiece enough because that’s just how good it is. Jane Henry seriously outdid herself with this one and I cannot wait to see what comes next with our favourite jailbird. I give this a 5/5
August 14, 2026
Loved, loved, loved. If you've been reading the series, you already know these two characters. Bridget is Bianca's sister and has lived with a life threatening illness most of her life. After their parents betrayed the McCarthy Family Declan made the ultimate sacrifice, his life (but not death) for hers. Seamus has control of Declan now and arranges a marriage with an Italian family from New York. But no one know that he traded his future so the McCarthy's would make Bridget one of theirs. This book was so amazing because you are able to see the progression of their relationship, literally over the years. So a ONS and resulting pregnancy through a big wrench in the engagement plans. But there is more at foot than just this fraught relationship. The McCarthy's are under fire from all sides and need money and allies. But there's more going on that meets the eye. I figured one of the characters wasn't what they seemed, but the truth really surprised me. Thankfully Seamus was able to give this couple the HEA they both deserved.
October 25, 2026
Bridget x Declan 🤍
📚 Friends to Lovers
📚 ONS
📚 Accidental Pregnancy
📚 It's always been you
📚 Terminal ill heroine
📚 Celibate H (?) x virgin h
🚩no cheating or sharing, no OW/OM
It lacked depth & felt rushed....
📚 Friends to Lovers
📚 ONS
📚 Accidental Pregnancy
📚 It's always been you
📚 Terminal ill heroine
📚 Celibate H (?) x virgin h
🚩no cheating or sharing, no OW/OM
It lacked depth & felt rushed....
August 13, 2026
I love the McCarthy family! Not only do they always have some sort of drama going on they have the most delicious morally grey men. Declan however is so soft and squishy one the inside especially when it come to Bridgett. I love these two have been mutually pining for each other for years. It is Crystle clear that they belong together (despite him being engaged to another woman). They would sacrifice anything for the other person and it is just so happy making. I cannot wait for more of this series.
August 14, 2026
Amazing read! I loved the plot, the tension, and the chemistry between Bridget and Declan. They are just perfect for each other, and the way they longed for one another was everything.
I also loved the way Dec goes soft only for Bridget and goes above and beyond to make sure she's protected, even giving up everything just for he. He's such a compassionate and gentle person, and after everything Bridget has been through she deserves Dec...
I was stressing over what kind of ending Bridget and Declan would get, but it was worth it. The little plot twist towards the end was immaculate and it left me with so many questions and wanting more.
I need Torin's book please🥹🤭 will he be getting one?
🎀𝕱𝖆𝖛 𝕼𝖚𝖔𝖙𝖊𝖘:
✨️When Declan McCarthy says I promise, I’ll be there, and I love you … he means it. And always has.
✨️“My pulse. My heartbeat.”
✨️“I love you, Bridget. All I want is you. You and this baby that’s ours.”
✨️“ Is ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine.”
“It means—we live in each other's shadow. In each other's shelter.”
✨️“We're grand, you and I.”
✨️I made a vow once to keep her safe. And I make a vow now that I’ll do anything to keep us together. Anything.
✨️“I want to hear you. Be a good girl and let me hear you, baby. Just like that. I like to know you're happy, that you like it, that you're mine.”
🖤Dark Irish Mafia Romance
🖤Forbidden Love Romance
🖤V!rgin FMC
🖤Secret Hookups
🖤Friends to Lovers
🖤Hurt/Comfort
🖤Accidental Pregancy
𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.68
𝓢𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮 𝓛𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓵: 🌶🌶🌶🌶
I also loved the way Dec goes soft only for Bridget and goes above and beyond to make sure she's protected, even giving up everything just for he. He's such a compassionate and gentle person, and after everything Bridget has been through she deserves Dec...
I was stressing over what kind of ending Bridget and Declan would get, but it was worth it. The little plot twist towards the end was immaculate and it left me with so many questions and wanting more.
I need Torin's book please🥹🤭 will he be getting one?
🎀𝕱𝖆𝖛 𝕼𝖚𝖔𝖙𝖊𝖘:
✨️When Declan McCarthy says I promise, I’ll be there, and I love you … he means it. And always has.
✨️“My pulse. My heartbeat.”
✨️“I love you, Bridget. All I want is you. You and this baby that’s ours.”
✨️“ Is ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine.”
“It means—we live in each other's shadow. In each other's shelter.”
✨️“We're grand, you and I.”
✨️I made a vow once to keep her safe. And I make a vow now that I’ll do anything to keep us together. Anything.
✨️“I want to hear you. Be a good girl and let me hear you, baby. Just like that. I like to know you're happy, that you like it, that you're mine.”
🖤Dark Irish Mafia Romance
🖤Forbidden Love Romance
🖤V!rgin FMC
🖤Secret Hookups
🖤Friends to Lovers
🖤Hurt/Comfort
🖤Accidental Pregancy
𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.68
𝓢𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮 𝓛𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓵: 🌶🌶🌶🌶
August 16, 2026
Forbidden, Tender, and Absolutely Perfect
I finished Wicked Ruin in one day and I still haven't recovered. This book asked for my heart and my sleep schedule, and I gave both up without a fight. 5 stars, no notes.
Declan and Bridgette hit you with instant, all consuming love at first sight, except neither of them believes it's mutual, and even if it were, it's not exactly allowed. The age gap, her illness, the family's iron grip on who marries who... every single thing is stacked against them. And of course fate has them meet in the last place either of them expects, in a moment that's raw, vulnerable, and so much more than physical.
This is a hands off romance that absolutely does not stay hands off, and honestly, thank goodness for that. The forbidden tension is suffocating in the best way, and the heat level sits at a perfect medium, enough to make you fan yourself without tipping into too much. The Irish mafia backdrop adds this constant hum of danger under every tender moment.
And can we talk about the 4th act? I braced myself, because we all know what that usually means. Instead I got the payoff without the gut punch. It was the ending this story earned, and I closed the book feeling completely satisfied instead of wrecked.
No spoilers here because you deserve to experience every gut punch and every swoon exactly the way I did. If you love forbidden love, morally gray worlds, and a romance that feels inevitable and impossible at the same time, this one's for you.
I finished Wicked Ruin in one day and I still haven't recovered. This book asked for my heart and my sleep schedule, and I gave both up without a fight. 5 stars, no notes.
Declan and Bridgette hit you with instant, all consuming love at first sight, except neither of them believes it's mutual, and even if it were, it's not exactly allowed. The age gap, her illness, the family's iron grip on who marries who... every single thing is stacked against them. And of course fate has them meet in the last place either of them expects, in a moment that's raw, vulnerable, and so much more than physical.
This is a hands off romance that absolutely does not stay hands off, and honestly, thank goodness for that. The forbidden tension is suffocating in the best way, and the heat level sits at a perfect medium, enough to make you fan yourself without tipping into too much. The Irish mafia backdrop adds this constant hum of danger under every tender moment.
And can we talk about the 4th act? I braced myself, because we all know what that usually means. Instead I got the payoff without the gut punch. It was the ending this story earned, and I closed the book feeling completely satisfied instead of wrecked.
No spoilers here because you deserve to experience every gut punch and every swoon exactly the way I did. If you love forbidden love, morally gray worlds, and a romance that feels inevitable and impossible at the same time, this one's for you.
August 15, 2026
🎧Audiobook ALC Review🎧
Narrated by Kai Kennicott & Wen Ross
Wicked Ruin is packed with angst, longing and delicious sexual tension. Declan McCarthy and Bridget Kavanagh have been friends for quite a while, ever since he supported her through her life-threatening illness. Bridget has always loved him but never believed she could have him. It’s tricky, especially since her sister, Erin, is marrying Declan’s brother Cavin. Not to mention the arranged marriage Declan is tied to. When he becomes engaged to another mafia daughter for the good of the family, it’s heartbreaking for both of them, as now it’s real and both are forced to pretend they aren’t devastated.
As with the first 2 books Kai Kennicott & Wen Ross narrate this as well. They are a wonderful powerhouse duo. Their Irish accents are so convincing that I can’t help but be drawn into that Irish mafia world Jane Henry creates so well.
With Mafia family politics and a touch of suspense adding to the drama, this is a great choice for fans of friends-to-lovers, forbidden romance and arranged marriage.
Thank you to Valentine PR for the advance listener copy. All opinions are my own.
Narrated by Kai Kennicott & Wen Ross
Wicked Ruin is packed with angst, longing and delicious sexual tension. Declan McCarthy and Bridget Kavanagh have been friends for quite a while, ever since he supported her through her life-threatening illness. Bridget has always loved him but never believed she could have him. It’s tricky, especially since her sister, Erin, is marrying Declan’s brother Cavin. Not to mention the arranged marriage Declan is tied to. When he becomes engaged to another mafia daughter for the good of the family, it’s heartbreaking for both of them, as now it’s real and both are forced to pretend they aren’t devastated.
As with the first 2 books Kai Kennicott & Wen Ross narrate this as well. They are a wonderful powerhouse duo. Their Irish accents are so convincing that I can’t help but be drawn into that Irish mafia world Jane Henry creates so well.
With Mafia family politics and a touch of suspense adding to the drama, this is a great choice for fans of friends-to-lovers, forbidden romance and arranged marriage.
Thank you to Valentine PR for the advance listener copy. All opinions are my own.
August 16, 2026
"𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒗𝒊𝒓𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕. 𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒅, 𝑰 𝒈𝒐𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒄𝒂𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒍𝒚 𝒄𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒅."
Special thanks to @janehenryauthor @valentine_pr_ for the #gifted epub in exchange for an honest review.
➡️ swipe for synopsis 👉🏼
𝙈𝙔 𝙍𝙀𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
- Accidental pregnancy
- Surprise baby
- Forbidden love
- Found family
- Friends to lovers
- Hurt/comfort
- Irish hero
- Secret hookups
- Virgin heroine
I did not know this was part of an series when I requested it. I immediately saw "mafia romance" and um yes please!
Ive never read anything by Jane before but this was spectacular. I loved every minute of it. I read it in one sitting, because seriously....how could I look away. Declan and Bridget are so cute, and how they evolve is beautiful through its ups and downs. Im curious to see what happens with Boston, yet enamored by how this ended.
This one is definitely worth the read and cam be read as a stand alone. I didnt feel like I was diving in blind at all which made me appreciate it this one even more.
𝙋𝙐𝘽 𝘿𝘼𝙔:
Aug 14, 2026
ℚ𝕆𝕋𝔻❓️⁉️❓️ What book do you wish you could read for the first time again?
.
.
.
🏷
#valentinepr #darkromance #mafiaromance #darkmafiaromance
.
Special thanks to @janehenryauthor @valentine_pr_ for the #gifted epub in exchange for an honest review.
➡️ swipe for synopsis 👉🏼
𝙈𝙔 𝙍𝙀𝙑𝙄𝙀𝙒:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
- Accidental pregnancy
- Surprise baby
- Forbidden love
- Found family
- Friends to lovers
- Hurt/comfort
- Irish hero
- Secret hookups
- Virgin heroine
I did not know this was part of an series when I requested it. I immediately saw "mafia romance" and um yes please!
Ive never read anything by Jane before but this was spectacular. I loved every minute of it. I read it in one sitting, because seriously....how could I look away. Declan and Bridget are so cute, and how they evolve is beautiful through its ups and downs. Im curious to see what happens with Boston, yet enamored by how this ended.
This one is definitely worth the read and cam be read as a stand alone. I didnt feel like I was diving in blind at all which made me appreciate it this one even more.
𝙋𝙐𝘽 𝘿𝘼𝙔:
Aug 14, 2026
ℚ𝕆𝕋𝔻❓️⁉️❓️ What book do you wish you could read for the first time again?
.
.
.
🏷
#valentinepr #darkromance #mafiaromance #darkmafiaromance
.
August 14, 2026
♥️Mafia
♥️Accidental Pregnancy
♥️Forbidden Love
♥️Found Family
Wicked Ruin is the third book in the McCarthy Family Legacy series, and this one was such an emotional read! The yearning between Bridget and Declan was so strong that I could feel it through the pages.
Bridget is completely in love with Declan, but she knows they can’t be together. Declan is deeply loyal to his family and the obligations that come with it, and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep the people he loves safe. Their story is filled with so much love, longing, and friendship, and you can feel the connection between them from the very beginning.
I absolutely love everything about the McCarthy family and this world! I’m completely invested in their stories and cannot wait to see where Jane Henry takes us next!
♥️Accidental Pregnancy
♥️Forbidden Love
♥️Found Family
Wicked Ruin is the third book in the McCarthy Family Legacy series, and this one was such an emotional read! The yearning between Bridget and Declan was so strong that I could feel it through the pages.
Bridget is completely in love with Declan, but she knows they can’t be together. Declan is deeply loyal to his family and the obligations that come with it, and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep the people he loves safe. Their story is filled with so much love, longing, and friendship, and you can feel the connection between them from the very beginning.
I absolutely love everything about the McCarthy family and this world! I’m completely invested in their stories and cannot wait to see where Jane Henry takes us next!
October 22, 2026
Absolutely Loved 🥰
Most excellently very well written story……. A total emotional 😭 tearjerker yet beautiful ending….. A total must read in the series…..
Most excellently very well written story……. A total emotional 😭 tearjerker yet beautiful ending….. A total must read in the series…..
October 24, 2026
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars! Mafia romance, an ok read
August 13, 2026
Omg what can I say about this read? Jane literally does it again! Keeping the series connected and the characters all together is absolutely amazing and I am loving it.
She has so much to loose but he is not one, rather she believes it or not. She has loved him longer than she’d like to admit. Shes use to living in the shadow of her family, shes not expecting to be protected the way she has been. And she has no clue what he’s given up for her. The best part, she fights to get better!
Him? He fights every turn to not have the forbidden fruit, but it gets harder and harder the more they get to know each other. He doesn’t expect her to live long enough to have the chance to have her the way he wants. One night leads to forever. And the. Gets thrown for a loop when he is betrothed to another. There’s a lot of wrenches thrown into the mix, but can he go through with it?
The audio is in duel narration, but Wen Ross and Kai Kennicott do absolutely amazing. Do I with it was new narrators, yes…but these two are so good at what they do. Definitely a 5 star read and performance!
She has so much to loose but he is not one, rather she believes it or not. She has loved him longer than she’d like to admit. Shes use to living in the shadow of her family, shes not expecting to be protected the way she has been. And she has no clue what he’s given up for her. The best part, she fights to get better!
Him? He fights every turn to not have the forbidden fruit, but it gets harder and harder the more they get to know each other. He doesn’t expect her to live long enough to have the chance to have her the way he wants. One night leads to forever. And the. Gets thrown for a loop when he is betrothed to another. There’s a lot of wrenches thrown into the mix, but can he go through with it?
The audio is in duel narration, but Wen Ross and Kai Kennicott do absolutely amazing. Do I with it was new narrators, yes…but these two are so good at what they do. Definitely a 5 star read and performance!
August 9, 2026
I literally could not put this book down. Finished it in a day, that’s how hooked I was. Freaking amazing. The last few chapters had my heart pounding & me sitting at the edge of my seat. I’ll forgive Jane for almost giving me a heart attack because it all works out in the end…plot twist & all.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wicked Ruin
Jane Henry
Declan and Bridget
🖤MafiaRomance
🩷AccidentalPregnancy
🖤AlphaHero
🩷ForbiddenLove
🖤FoundFamily
🩷FriendstoLovers
🖤IrishHero
🩷SecretHookups
🖤VirginHeroine
Book three in The McCarthy Family Legacy series, and it features Declan McCarthy and Bridget Cavanaugh. Bridget's sister is Erin and she is married to Declan's cousin Cavin.
This book was a rollercoaster of emotions for me. Its so powerful and evocative. Declan and Bridget have a connection so profound that you feel everything.
They are forbidden which adds a seductive edge to the story that is irresistible and alluring.
As their story unfolds and their connection goes stronger you will fall in love with them and it will be a new favorite for you.
All in all, Wicked Ruin is written masterfully and is captivating, riveting, and engrossing.
Add in some delicious spicy times and this book is perfection!
10 out of 10, would recommend.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🌶🌶🌶🌶
Jane Henry
Declan and Bridget
🖤MafiaRomance
🩷AccidentalPregnancy
🖤AlphaHero
🩷ForbiddenLove
🖤FoundFamily
🩷FriendstoLovers
🖤IrishHero
🩷SecretHookups
🖤VirginHeroine
Book three in The McCarthy Family Legacy series, and it features Declan McCarthy and Bridget Cavanaugh. Bridget's sister is Erin and she is married to Declan's cousin Cavin.
This book was a rollercoaster of emotions for me. Its so powerful and evocative. Declan and Bridget have a connection so profound that you feel everything.
They are forbidden which adds a seductive edge to the story that is irresistible and alluring.
As their story unfolds and their connection goes stronger you will fall in love with them and it will be a new favorite for you.
All in all, Wicked Ruin is written masterfully and is captivating, riveting, and engrossing.
Add in some delicious spicy times and this book is perfection!
10 out of 10, would recommend.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🌶🌶🌶🌶
August 19, 2026
— ૮₍ ˃̵͈᷄ . ˂̵͈᷅ ₎ა
“And I love you, mo chuisle,” he says softly.
“What does that mean? You said it once before.”
“My pulse. My heartbeat.”
His life.
“And I love you, mo chuisle,” he says softly.
“What does that mean? You said it once before.”
“My pulse. My heartbeat.”
His life.
August 22, 2026
☘️ Loving Her Was Never the Ruin ☘️
⭐ 4 Stars | 🌶️🌶️ 2 Chili Peppers
Apparently all I need to see is mafia romance and I'm immediately saying yes please. 😂 I had no idea Wicked Ruin was the third book in the McCarthy Family Legacy series when I requested it, and this was also my first book by Jane Henry. Thankfully, I never once felt like I had been dropped into the middle of a story I couldn't follow.
Instead, I sat down to read and basically didn't move until I finished it.
Bridget Kavanagh and Declan McCarthy completely pulled me into their story. What I loved most was that their relationship didn't begin with that one forbidden night. Their connection had been quietly growing for years. Declan was there for Bridget during some of the hardest moments of her life, including her battle with aplastic anemia and time spent in the hospital. Through calls, texts, friendship, and years of feelings neither of them could fully act on, they became incredibly important to each other.
Bridget has silently loved Declan for years, but the more I learned about him, the easier it was to understand why. Beneath the dangerous mafia exterior is this patient, caring man who is completely devoted to her.
And the reason he's engaged to another woman makes their situation even more heartbreaking.
After Bridget's parents are exiled, her place within the protection of the McCarthy family becomes uncertain. Declan is willing to promise Seamus anything to make sure Bridget remains safe, even agreeing to an arranged marriage when the family requires it. This man is literally willing to sacrifice his own chance at happiness to protect the woman he loves. 🥹
The problem is that neither of them can keep pretending their feelings aren't there forever.
One forbidden night changes everything when Bridget discovers she's pregnant. She believes Declan has obligations to another woman and another family, so suddenly she's carrying this enormous secret while trying to protect herself, her baby, and the man she's loved for years.
I really loved Bridget. She's been through so much, yet there is still strength, humor, and so much heart in her. Watching her begin to believe she could choose happiness for herself instead of simply accepting whatever life handed her made me root for her even harder.
But Declan's devotion was probably my favorite part of their romance. He's protective and possessive in all those delicious mafia MMC ways, but there is so much tenderness underneath it. Most importantly, his devotion isn't created by Bridget's pregnancy. Declan was choosing and protecting Bridget long before he ever knew there was a baby. Once he discovers he's going to be a father, though? That protective streak definitely reaches another level. 😂
Their relationship gave me such a great combination of sweetness, yearning, tension, danger, and emotion. I also loved the found family surrounding Bridget and how the McCarthys don't hold her responsible for the actions of her parents.
I did wish the ending had been given a little more room to breathe. With so much buildup surrounding the arranged marriage and the danger of Bridget and Declan being together, I expected a little more drama and payoff from that part of the story. Some of their earlier relationship is also built through texts and conversations, and I would have loved to actually experience more of those moments with them.
Still, I devoured this in ONE sitting. That pretty much says everything. 😂
Wicked Ruin gave me forbidden love, years of secret pining, an accidental pregnancy, mafia danger, found family, and a man willing to sacrifice his own happiness just to make sure the woman he loves is safe. Bridget and Declan were tender, messy, swoony, and beautifully devoted to one another, and I loved watching them finally fight for the future they both deserved.
And now I'm sitting here wondering what's going to happen in Boston while also realizing I apparently have another series to go back and read from the beginning. 😂☘️🖤
Thank you to Jane Henry and VPR for the gifted advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
⭐ 4 Stars | 🌶️🌶️ 2 Chili Peppers
Apparently all I need to see is mafia romance and I'm immediately saying yes please. 😂 I had no idea Wicked Ruin was the third book in the McCarthy Family Legacy series when I requested it, and this was also my first book by Jane Henry. Thankfully, I never once felt like I had been dropped into the middle of a story I couldn't follow.
Instead, I sat down to read and basically didn't move until I finished it.
Bridget Kavanagh and Declan McCarthy completely pulled me into their story. What I loved most was that their relationship didn't begin with that one forbidden night. Their connection had been quietly growing for years. Declan was there for Bridget during some of the hardest moments of her life, including her battle with aplastic anemia and time spent in the hospital. Through calls, texts, friendship, and years of feelings neither of them could fully act on, they became incredibly important to each other.
Bridget has silently loved Declan for years, but the more I learned about him, the easier it was to understand why. Beneath the dangerous mafia exterior is this patient, caring man who is completely devoted to her.
And the reason he's engaged to another woman makes their situation even more heartbreaking.
After Bridget's parents are exiled, her place within the protection of the McCarthy family becomes uncertain. Declan is willing to promise Seamus anything to make sure Bridget remains safe, even agreeing to an arranged marriage when the family requires it. This man is literally willing to sacrifice his own chance at happiness to protect the woman he loves. 🥹
The problem is that neither of them can keep pretending their feelings aren't there forever.
One forbidden night changes everything when Bridget discovers she's pregnant. She believes Declan has obligations to another woman and another family, so suddenly she's carrying this enormous secret while trying to protect herself, her baby, and the man she's loved for years.
I really loved Bridget. She's been through so much, yet there is still strength, humor, and so much heart in her. Watching her begin to believe she could choose happiness for herself instead of simply accepting whatever life handed her made me root for her even harder.
But Declan's devotion was probably my favorite part of their romance. He's protective and possessive in all those delicious mafia MMC ways, but there is so much tenderness underneath it. Most importantly, his devotion isn't created by Bridget's pregnancy. Declan was choosing and protecting Bridget long before he ever knew there was a baby. Once he discovers he's going to be a father, though? That protective streak definitely reaches another level. 😂
Their relationship gave me such a great combination of sweetness, yearning, tension, danger, and emotion. I also loved the found family surrounding Bridget and how the McCarthys don't hold her responsible for the actions of her parents.
I did wish the ending had been given a little more room to breathe. With so much buildup surrounding the arranged marriage and the danger of Bridget and Declan being together, I expected a little more drama and payoff from that part of the story. Some of their earlier relationship is also built through texts and conversations, and I would have loved to actually experience more of those moments with them.
Still, I devoured this in ONE sitting. That pretty much says everything. 😂
Wicked Ruin gave me forbidden love, years of secret pining, an accidental pregnancy, mafia danger, found family, and a man willing to sacrifice his own happiness just to make sure the woman he loves is safe. Bridget and Declan were tender, messy, swoony, and beautifully devoted to one another, and I loved watching them finally fight for the future they both deserved.
And now I'm sitting here wondering what's going to happen in Boston while also realizing I apparently have another series to go back and read from the beginning. 😂☘️🖤
Thank you to Jane Henry and VPR for the gifted advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 8, 2026
Podemos hablar de su reacción cuando se entera que ella está embarazada?😭✨ es una de las reacciones más hermosas que he leído en este trope y la razón de porque es mi favorito💖
Hablando honestamente desde que recibí el ARC apenas lo abrí ya no quise parar de leer y procedí a ignorar todas las cosas que tenía que hacer para continuar leyendo xd la autora me atrapó enseguida y apenas de que no suelo tolerar el drama OW aquí se siente perfectamente equilibrado y más porque la OW no está interesada en el MMC ni romántica ni sexualmente y viceversa. Ella hombre solamente tenía ojos para nuestra heroina!!
—————
Thank you so much Valentine PR for the ARC💌
Tropes:
•pregnancy trope
•mafia romance
•friends to lovers
•romance prohibido
•age gap
Bridget🍨:
Fue una chica que toda su vida creció en hospitales debido a una enfermedad en los huesos. Esto la obligó a perderse de muchas experiencias que todo adolescente vive y ahora que por fin su enfermedad le está dando un poco de tregua decide arriesgarse un a vivir un poco he ir a un club para engancharse con un desconocido y perder su vCard, solo que lo único que termina encontrando es un Declan muy posesivo 🔥
Declan💀:
El al contrario de muchos mafiosos creció en una familia muy única que valora la lealtad de la unión familiar antes que cualquier cosa. Desde chico sabía cuál era su papel en la familia y eso era obedecer al jefe (que es su primo) y poner siempre la familia primero. Es un hombre que sabe siempre mantenerse en control y nunca se deja tentar o titubear, hasta que conoce a Bridget🥰
Historia📝:
Una noche Bridget junto a su hermana deciden salir al club de sexo del prometido de la hermana dispuestas a que Bridget encontrara a un desconocido con el cual perder su vCard. Solo que no lo encontró, solo encontró a un Declan muy protector con ella y con el que compartió una noche inolvidable para ambos. Pero años pasaron desde esa noche y ahora Declan está de vuelta en la ciudad, como ambos siempre se han mantenido como amigos aún que se sientan atraídos el uno por el otro deciden que es momento de dar el paso y pasar UNA SOLA NOCHE juntos para sacarse de su sistema, solo que eso hace todo lo contrario porque ahora Declan no va a dejar el sistema de Bridget por los próximos nueve meses 🤰🏻✨xd
English
Can we talk about his reaction when he finds out she’s pregnant? 😭✨ It’s honestly one of the most beautiful reactions I’ve ever read in this trope, and one of the reasons pregnancy trope is my favorite. 💖
Honestly, from the moment I received the ARC, I barely opened it before I didn’t want to stop reading. I proceeded to ignore everything I was supposed to be doing just so I could keep reading lol. The author hooked me right away, and even though I usually can’t stand OW drama, I think it was perfectly balanced here. Especially because the OW isn’t interested in the MMC romantically or sexually, and vice versa. That man only had eyes for our heroine!! 🥹
—————
Thank you so much, Valentine PR, for the ARC! 💌
Tropes:
• Pregnancy trope
• Mafia romance
• Friends to lovers
• Forbidden romance
• Age gap
Bridget 🍨:
Bridget spent her entire life growing up in hospitals because of a bone disease. It forced her to miss out on many of the experiences most teenagers get to have, and now that her illness is finally giving her a little bit of a break, she decides to take a risk and live a little. She goes to a club determined to hook up with a stranger and lose her V-card, only to end up finding something completely different: a very possessive Declan. 🔥
Declan 💀:
Unlike many mafia men, Declan grew up in a very unique family that values loyalty and family unity above everything else. From a young age, he knew his role in the family was to obey the boss which happens to be his cousin and always put his family first. He’s a man who always knows how to stay in control and never lets himself be tempted or hesitate… until he meets Bridget. 🥰
Story 📝:
One night, Bridget and her sister decide to go to the sex club owned by her sister’s fiancé, determined to find a stranger for Bridget to lose her V-card with. Except she doesn’t find a stranger. Instead, she finds Declan, a very protective man with whom she shares an unforgettable night.
Years pass after that night, and now Declan is back in town. Since the two of them have remained friends all these years despite the attraction between them, they decide it’s finally time to give in and spend ONE SINGLE NIGHT together just to get each other out of their system.
Except it does the exact opposite, because now Bridget isn’t going to be getting Declan out of her system for the next nine months. 🤰🏻✨ LOL
Hablando honestamente desde que recibí el ARC apenas lo abrí ya no quise parar de leer y procedí a ignorar todas las cosas que tenía que hacer para continuar leyendo xd la autora me atrapó enseguida y apenas de que no suelo tolerar el drama OW aquí se siente perfectamente equilibrado y más porque la OW no está interesada en el MMC ni romántica ni sexualmente y viceversa. Ella hombre solamente tenía ojos para nuestra heroina!!
—————
Thank you so much Valentine PR for the ARC💌
Tropes:
•pregnancy trope
•mafia romance
•friends to lovers
•romance prohibido
•age gap
Bridget🍨:
Fue una chica que toda su vida creció en hospitales debido a una enfermedad en los huesos. Esto la obligó a perderse de muchas experiencias que todo adolescente vive y ahora que por fin su enfermedad le está dando un poco de tregua decide arriesgarse un a vivir un poco he ir a un club para engancharse con un desconocido y perder su vCard, solo que lo único que termina encontrando es un Declan muy posesivo 🔥
Declan💀:
El al contrario de muchos mafiosos creció en una familia muy única que valora la lealtad de la unión familiar antes que cualquier cosa. Desde chico sabía cuál era su papel en la familia y eso era obedecer al jefe (que es su primo) y poner siempre la familia primero. Es un hombre que sabe siempre mantenerse en control y nunca se deja tentar o titubear, hasta que conoce a Bridget🥰
Historia📝:
Una noche Bridget junto a su hermana deciden salir al club de sexo del prometido de la hermana dispuestas a que Bridget encontrara a un desconocido con el cual perder su vCard. Solo que no lo encontró, solo encontró a un Declan muy protector con ella y con el que compartió una noche inolvidable para ambos. Pero años pasaron desde esa noche y ahora Declan está de vuelta en la ciudad, como ambos siempre se han mantenido como amigos aún que se sientan atraídos el uno por el otro deciden que es momento de dar el paso y pasar UNA SOLA NOCHE juntos para sacarse de su sistema, solo que eso hace todo lo contrario porque ahora Declan no va a dejar el sistema de Bridget por los próximos nueve meses 🤰🏻✨xd
English
Can we talk about his reaction when he finds out she’s pregnant? 😭✨ It’s honestly one of the most beautiful reactions I’ve ever read in this trope, and one of the reasons pregnancy trope is my favorite. 💖
Honestly, from the moment I received the ARC, I barely opened it before I didn’t want to stop reading. I proceeded to ignore everything I was supposed to be doing just so I could keep reading lol. The author hooked me right away, and even though I usually can’t stand OW drama, I think it was perfectly balanced here. Especially because the OW isn’t interested in the MMC romantically or sexually, and vice versa. That man only had eyes for our heroine!! 🥹
—————
Thank you so much, Valentine PR, for the ARC! 💌
Tropes:
• Pregnancy trope
• Mafia romance
• Friends to lovers
• Forbidden romance
• Age gap
Bridget 🍨:
Bridget spent her entire life growing up in hospitals because of a bone disease. It forced her to miss out on many of the experiences most teenagers get to have, and now that her illness is finally giving her a little bit of a break, she decides to take a risk and live a little. She goes to a club determined to hook up with a stranger and lose her V-card, only to end up finding something completely different: a very possessive Declan. 🔥
Declan 💀:
Unlike many mafia men, Declan grew up in a very unique family that values loyalty and family unity above everything else. From a young age, he knew his role in the family was to obey the boss which happens to be his cousin and always put his family first. He’s a man who always knows how to stay in control and never lets himself be tempted or hesitate… until he meets Bridget. 🥰
Story 📝:
One night, Bridget and her sister decide to go to the sex club owned by her sister’s fiancé, determined to find a stranger for Bridget to lose her V-card with. Except she doesn’t find a stranger. Instead, she finds Declan, a very protective man with whom she shares an unforgettable night.
Years pass after that night, and now Declan is back in town. Since the two of them have remained friends all these years despite the attraction between them, they decide it’s finally time to give in and spend ONE SINGLE NIGHT together just to get each other out of their system.
Except it does the exact opposite, because now Bridget isn’t going to be getting Declan out of her system for the next nine months. 🤰🏻✨ LOL
Review of advance copy received from Author
Press Play… and Prepare to Lose Your Heart
Some romances you read. Wicked Ruin you FEEL.
I was completely BLOWN AWAY by this story. I became so immersed in Declan and Bridget’s world that everything else disappeared around me.
I listened to this entire audiobook in ONE DAY because once I started, there was simply no way I could stop. I was too emotionally invested in these two to walk away.
And the audiobook performance? It hits HARD. Wes Ross and Kai Kennicott were phenomenal. Their voices carried every ounce of longing, tenderness, tension, heartbreak, and desire. They didn’t simply narrate Declan and Bridget’s story…they made me FEEL it. Every emotional moment landed harder, every quiet moment felt more intimate and I was completely wrapped up in their world.
Bridget? I adore her. After fighting through sickness and winning that battle, she finally gets the chance to truly live again and watching her find that strength, embrace life and then fall for the one man she shouldn’t have made her journey even more meaningful. Her directness, strength, personality and genuinely endearing nature made her impossible not to love. I found myself rooting for her, hurting for her and wanting her to have everything her heart deserved.
And Declan… OH, DECLAN. I absolutely LOVE this man. He is everything I want in a book boyfriend. He may be part of the Irish Mob and have that dangerous side, but with Bridget, he is wonderfully low-key. I loved seeing him simply spend time with her in her apartment, taking care of her, protecting her and making sure she was okay. There is something incredibly sexy about a dangerous, powerful man who becomes gentle and attentive with the woman he cares about. That tenderness made me fall for him even harder.
Their friendship felt so genuine and effortless and knowing Bridget had been quietly carrying feelings for Declan made watching it evolve into something deeper, forbidden and impossible to resist absolutely heartbreaking and beautiful.
But watching Declan struggle beneath the weight of his family obligations and sense of duty broke my heart. His heart belongs to Bridget, yet he is expected to honor a life he never truly wanted. And when we learn what Declan gave up to protect Bridget after her parents betrayed the McCarthys, that moment was incredibly powerful. It showed just how deeply he had already put Bridget before himself and I swear, it only intensified every reason I was already falling for this man.
Their situation is anything but simple. Declan’s arranged marriage already makes their love forbidden and Bridget begins to suspect something isn’t quite right with his bride-to-be. That added mystery and uncertainty brought another layer of tension that kept me completely captivated .
And the McCarthy family? I absolutely loved them. Their loyalty, protectiveness, friendships, teasing and unwavering love add so much heart. They feel like a real family and I became just as invested in them.
Jane Henry gave me everything I crave: friendship, forbidden love, longing, danger, emotional angst, family bonds, explosive chemistry and incredible spice.
I laughed. I swooned. I worried. I ached. I burned. I felt EVERYTHING.
And the audiobook made me feel it all even harder.
This isn’t just an audiobook you listen to. It gets under your skin, pulls at your heart and makes you live the story alongside them.
Wicked Ruin is an absolutely phenomenal story and an unforgettable audiobook experience.
A MUST-READ. A MUST-LISTEN. And Declan McCarthy has officially earned his place on my list of unforgettable book boyfriends.
Some romances you read. Wicked Ruin you FEEL.
I was completely BLOWN AWAY by this story. I became so immersed in Declan and Bridget’s world that everything else disappeared around me.
I listened to this entire audiobook in ONE DAY because once I started, there was simply no way I could stop. I was too emotionally invested in these two to walk away.
And the audiobook performance? It hits HARD. Wes Ross and Kai Kennicott were phenomenal. Their voices carried every ounce of longing, tenderness, tension, heartbreak, and desire. They didn’t simply narrate Declan and Bridget’s story…they made me FEEL it. Every emotional moment landed harder, every quiet moment felt more intimate and I was completely wrapped up in their world.
Bridget? I adore her. After fighting through sickness and winning that battle, she finally gets the chance to truly live again and watching her find that strength, embrace life and then fall for the one man she shouldn’t have made her journey even more meaningful. Her directness, strength, personality and genuinely endearing nature made her impossible not to love. I found myself rooting for her, hurting for her and wanting her to have everything her heart deserved.
And Declan… OH, DECLAN. I absolutely LOVE this man. He is everything I want in a book boyfriend. He may be part of the Irish Mob and have that dangerous side, but with Bridget, he is wonderfully low-key. I loved seeing him simply spend time with her in her apartment, taking care of her, protecting her and making sure she was okay. There is something incredibly sexy about a dangerous, powerful man who becomes gentle and attentive with the woman he cares about. That tenderness made me fall for him even harder.
Their friendship felt so genuine and effortless and knowing Bridget had been quietly carrying feelings for Declan made watching it evolve into something deeper, forbidden and impossible to resist absolutely heartbreaking and beautiful.
But watching Declan struggle beneath the weight of his family obligations and sense of duty broke my heart. His heart belongs to Bridget, yet he is expected to honor a life he never truly wanted. And when we learn what Declan gave up to protect Bridget after her parents betrayed the McCarthys, that moment was incredibly powerful. It showed just how deeply he had already put Bridget before himself and I swear, it only intensified every reason I was already falling for this man.
Their situation is anything but simple. Declan’s arranged marriage already makes their love forbidden and Bridget begins to suspect something isn’t quite right with his bride-to-be. That added mystery and uncertainty brought another layer of tension that kept me completely captivated .
And the McCarthy family? I absolutely loved them. Their loyalty, protectiveness, friendships, teasing and unwavering love add so much heart. They feel like a real family and I became just as invested in them.
Jane Henry gave me everything I crave: friendship, forbidden love, longing, danger, emotional angst, family bonds, explosive chemistry and incredible spice.
I laughed. I swooned. I worried. I ached. I burned. I felt EVERYTHING.
And the audiobook made me feel it all even harder.
This isn’t just an audiobook you listen to. It gets under your skin, pulls at your heart and makes you live the story alongside them.
Wicked Ruin is an absolutely phenomenal story and an unforgettable audiobook experience.
A MUST-READ. A MUST-LISTEN. And Declan McCarthy has officially earned his place on my list of unforgettable book boyfriends.
August 14, 2026
ᴡɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ ʀᴜɪɴ || ᴀʀᴄ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ
“𝓘 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾,𝓝𝓸 𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓹𝓮𝓷𝓼, 𝓑𝓻𝓲𝓭𝓰𝓮𝓽, 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓻𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓶𝓫𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽.”
✨5/5
🌶️3/5
Goodness me, can a book’s prologue really draw you in straight away? Well, Bridget and Declan certainly do!! An engagement, a surprise pregnancy, forbidden love, a couple madly in love with each other and burning with passion… Their love is so beautiful, so deep and so forbidden, yet just as ‘special’
𝑯𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒇𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒆. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝑰’𝒎 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕. 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒏 𝑴𝒄𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔. 𝑯𝒆’𝒔 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔. 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒃𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏. 𝑨𝒍𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏.
𝑰’𝒎 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒊𝒕.
Does every moment a couple shares burn with such intense passion? At the bar where Bridget went to lose her virginity, Declan snatched her from a stranger’s grasp, rescued her and protected her. He took an interest in her, but Bridget’s wildness and her self-defence. And Declan telling Bridget what they would do if she were his – and oh, of course, Bridget, I’d imagined that moment too.
“𝑌𝑜𝑢’𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒.𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑡’𝑠 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑙𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑦 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢’𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡.𝐵𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒, 𝐵𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑔𝑒𝑡, 𝐼’𝑑 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑑𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑔𝑒𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑔𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑜𝑢𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑎 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑚 𝑎𝑙𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑦, 𝑏𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑎 𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑒𝑛𝑐ℎ, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑙𝑦 ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑖𝑡’𝑠 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑.”
“𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑏𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑝𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡, 𝑢𝑛𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑢𝑛𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒.”
And the first kiss… Declan losing himself in Bridget’s presence and telling her what kind of love she deserves—protecting her from one-night stands and heartbreak, yet being unable to escape her spell; and with every response she gave, he was drawn to her even more; and, of course, the moment that kiss finally came—the one he’d claimed was to prove something, but which he’d actually been burning to give her from the very moment he first laid eyes on her
“𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆. 𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍. 𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”
“𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒆𝒙 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒃𝒊𝒈 𝒂 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒍.”
“𝑶𝒉, 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚? 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏, 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒆.𝑳𝒆𝒕’𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏…”
Declan and Bridget’s desire to give themselves just one night together before they become trapped on a path where both their lives will be lost in an impossible love and spent apart. They long for each other madly, yearn to become one, and need just one night to experience in reality those countless passionate moments they have conjured up in their dreams.
𝑂𝑛𝑒 𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡. 𝐼’𝑚 𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡.
𝑂𝑛𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑛 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠,
𝐽𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑤𝑜 𝑜𝑓 𝑢𝑠, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑖𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑏𝑒.
𝑤𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡, 𝐷𝑒𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑛.
𝐽𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡.
Which scene made me admire Declan’s love? It was the decision to punish Bridget and Erin for what their families had done, but as Erin’s punishment was to marry Cavin, only Bridget remained; and Declan, for the sake of his closest friend—the woman he was in love with, whom he visited in hospital and tried so hard to make happy—sacrificed himself for the entire McCarthy family to ensure nothing would happen to her. His wealth, his own freedom, everything about himself… He was willing to give up even himself, just so that Bridget could be happy, remain unharmed, and be protected as part of the family.
“𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝑲𝒂𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅.𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆?”
“𝑴𝒆,𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒎𝒆.𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒂𝒚, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈.𝑰𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝑲𝒂𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒉.”
🖤 Dark Irish Mafia
🚫 Forbidden Love
🫶 Friends to Lovers
🔥 Secret Hookups
👑 Alpha / Protective Hero
🤰 Accidental Pregnancy
🧸 Virgin Heroine
🫂 Found Family
🩹 Hurt/Comfort
“𝓘 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾,𝓝𝓸 𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓹𝓮𝓷𝓼, 𝓑𝓻𝓲𝓭𝓰𝓮𝓽, 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓻𝓮𝓶𝓮𝓶𝓫𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽.”
✨5/5
🌶️3/5
Goodness me, can a book’s prologue really draw you in straight away? Well, Bridget and Declan certainly do!! An engagement, a surprise pregnancy, forbidden love, a couple madly in love with each other and burning with passion… Their love is so beautiful, so deep and so forbidden, yet just as ‘special’
𝑯𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒇𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒆. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝑰’𝒎 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕. 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒏 𝑴𝒄𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔. 𝑯𝒆’𝒔 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔. 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒃𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒏. 𝑨𝒍𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏.
𝑰’𝒎 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒊𝒕.
Does every moment a couple shares burn with such intense passion? At the bar where Bridget went to lose her virginity, Declan snatched her from a stranger’s grasp, rescued her and protected her. He took an interest in her, but Bridget’s wildness and her self-defence. And Declan telling Bridget what they would do if she were his – and oh, of course, Bridget, I’d imagined that moment too.
“𝑌𝑜𝑢’𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒.𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑡’𝑠 𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑙𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑦 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢’𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡.𝐵𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒, 𝐵𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑔𝑒𝑡, 𝐼’𝑑 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑑𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑔𝑒𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑔𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑜𝑢𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑎 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑚 𝑎𝑙𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑦, 𝑏𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑎 𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑒𝑛𝑐ℎ, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑙𝑦 ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑖𝑡’𝑠 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑.”
“𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑏𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑝𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡, 𝑢𝑛𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑢𝑛𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒.”
And the first kiss… Declan losing himself in Bridget’s presence and telling her what kind of love she deserves—protecting her from one-night stands and heartbreak, yet being unable to escape her spell; and with every response she gave, he was drawn to her even more; and, of course, the moment that kiss finally came—the one he’d claimed was to prove something, but which he’d actually been burning to give her from the very moment he first laid eyes on her
“𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆. 𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍. 𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”
“𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒆𝒙 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒃𝒊𝒈 𝒂 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒍.”
“𝑶𝒉, 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚? 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏, 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒆.𝑳𝒆𝒕’𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏…”
Declan and Bridget’s desire to give themselves just one night together before they become trapped on a path where both their lives will be lost in an impossible love and spent apart. They long for each other madly, yearn to become one, and need just one night to experience in reality those countless passionate moments they have conjured up in their dreams.
𝑂𝑛𝑒 𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡. 𝐼’𝑚 𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑑 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡.
𝑂𝑛𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑛 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠,
𝐽𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑤𝑜 𝑜𝑓 𝑢𝑠, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑖𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑏𝑒.
𝑤𝑒 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡, 𝐷𝑒𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑛.
𝐽𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡.
Which scene made me admire Declan’s love? It was the decision to punish Bridget and Erin for what their families had done, but as Erin’s punishment was to marry Cavin, only Bridget remained; and Declan, for the sake of his closest friend—the woman he was in love with, whom he visited in hospital and tried so hard to make happy—sacrificed himself for the entire McCarthy family to ensure nothing would happen to her. His wealth, his own freedom, everything about himself… He was willing to give up even himself, just so that Bridget could be happy, remain unharmed, and be protected as part of the family.
“𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝑲𝒂𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒍𝒌 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅.𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆?”
“𝑴𝒆,𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒎𝒆.𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒂𝒚, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈.𝑰𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝑲𝒂𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒉.”
🖤 Dark Irish Mafia
🚫 Forbidden Love
🫶 Friends to Lovers
🔥 Secret Hookups
👑 Alpha / Protective Hero
🤰 Accidental Pregnancy
🧸 Virgin Heroine
🫂 Found Family
🩹 Hurt/Comfort
August 22, 2026
ALC Review
Wicked Ruin
Jane Henry
Book 3 in the McCarthy Legacy series
Narrated by Wen Ross & KaiAKennicott
If you’ve read Wicked Alter, the first book in Jane Henry’s McCarthy Legacy Series, then you’ve already met Cavin McCarthy and Erin Kavanagh and you’ll know that Bridget Kavanagh has been fighting her own battle behind the scenes.
Bridget has been dealing with aplastic anemia, but after her parents’ exile, Erin makes sure her sister has access to the best specialists and the care she needs. And while we only get a little glimpse of how Bridget and Declan first meet, it’s immediately obvious that there’s something between them. 👀
And then we get their story… and these two are EVERYTHING.
Bridget and Declan bring us friends-to-lovers, forbidden romance, accidental pregnancy, and secret baby all wrapped up in one very addictive package. ❤️🔥
I absolutely loved their dynamic. Jane does such a great job building their relationship slowly through phone calls, texts, and stolen moments over months and years. Even when Bridget is sick and stuck in the hospital, Declan continues to be there for her. Their connection feels genuine, and you can see just how deeply they fall for each other.
Of course, nothing can ever be easy in the McCarthy world. 😂 Declan gets sent to Boston for work, their communication becomes more sporadic, and suddenly the years of feelings and longing have to collide with the present.
And then there’s the whole “Declan is supposed to marry someone else” situation. 👀
Because naturally, these two couldn’t just fall in love and live happily ever after. Nope. We need an arranged marriage, forbidden feelings, and enough angst to keep us turning those pages!
Bridget has been quietly in love with Declan for years, and I loved her witty, funny personality. Declan, meanwhile, is such a sweetheart. He’s patient, kind, and completely devoted to Bridget despite the darker world he comes from. His priority has always been her happiness, safety, and health, and honestly… that got me. 🥹❤️
They are absolutely gone for each other. The chemistry is there, the feelings are there, and the obsession is mutual. The question is whether they can actually have the life they want.
I also loved seeing how naturally Erin and Bridget became part of the McCarthy family. Despite the sins of their parents, they were never treated as though they had to carry that burden themselves. ❤️
And one of the biggest things I appreciated about this book is that it finally answers some of the questions surrounding Bridget. Erin may have been saved from exile through her marriage into the McCarthy family, but what happened to Bridget? How was she protected? Who was looking out for her? Book three finally starts filling in those blanks.
The only downside for me was the ending. It felt very rushed, and I was left wanting a little more from the conclusion. That said, I still enjoyed the story overall, especially thanks to the fantastic dual narration from Kai Kennicott and Wen Ross. They have narrated the series so far with such consistency and really bring these characters to life.
🎧 Overall: Forbidden romance, mafia family drama, secret babies, arranged marriages, and two people who have been quietly falling for each other for years? Sign me up. ❤️🔥
Thank you to Jane Henry and VPR Audio for the complimentary ALC of this book.
Wicked Ruin
Jane Henry
Book 3 in the McCarthy Legacy series
Narrated by Wen Ross & KaiAKennicott
If you’ve read Wicked Alter, the first book in Jane Henry’s McCarthy Legacy Series, then you’ve already met Cavin McCarthy and Erin Kavanagh and you’ll know that Bridget Kavanagh has been fighting her own battle behind the scenes.
Bridget has been dealing with aplastic anemia, but after her parents’ exile, Erin makes sure her sister has access to the best specialists and the care she needs. And while we only get a little glimpse of how Bridget and Declan first meet, it’s immediately obvious that there’s something between them. 👀
And then we get their story… and these two are EVERYTHING.
Bridget and Declan bring us friends-to-lovers, forbidden romance, accidental pregnancy, and secret baby all wrapped up in one very addictive package. ❤️🔥
I absolutely loved their dynamic. Jane does such a great job building their relationship slowly through phone calls, texts, and stolen moments over months and years. Even when Bridget is sick and stuck in the hospital, Declan continues to be there for her. Their connection feels genuine, and you can see just how deeply they fall for each other.
Of course, nothing can ever be easy in the McCarthy world. 😂 Declan gets sent to Boston for work, their communication becomes more sporadic, and suddenly the years of feelings and longing have to collide with the present.
And then there’s the whole “Declan is supposed to marry someone else” situation. 👀
Because naturally, these two couldn’t just fall in love and live happily ever after. Nope. We need an arranged marriage, forbidden feelings, and enough angst to keep us turning those pages!
Bridget has been quietly in love with Declan for years, and I loved her witty, funny personality. Declan, meanwhile, is such a sweetheart. He’s patient, kind, and completely devoted to Bridget despite the darker world he comes from. His priority has always been her happiness, safety, and health, and honestly… that got me. 🥹❤️
They are absolutely gone for each other. The chemistry is there, the feelings are there, and the obsession is mutual. The question is whether they can actually have the life they want.
I also loved seeing how naturally Erin and Bridget became part of the McCarthy family. Despite the sins of their parents, they were never treated as though they had to carry that burden themselves. ❤️
And one of the biggest things I appreciated about this book is that it finally answers some of the questions surrounding Bridget. Erin may have been saved from exile through her marriage into the McCarthy family, but what happened to Bridget? How was she protected? Who was looking out for her? Book three finally starts filling in those blanks.
The only downside for me was the ending. It felt very rushed, and I was left wanting a little more from the conclusion. That said, I still enjoyed the story overall, especially thanks to the fantastic dual narration from Kai Kennicott and Wen Ross. They have narrated the series so far with such consistency and really bring these characters to life.
🎧 Overall: Forbidden romance, mafia family drama, secret babies, arranged marriages, and two people who have been quietly falling for each other for years? Sign me up. ❤️🔥
Thank you to Jane Henry and VPR Audio for the complimentary ALC of this book.
August 15, 2026
Wicked Ruin by Jane Henry
Bridget Kavanagh & Declan McCarthy — ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5 Stars
Wicked Ruin was such a quick and addictive read! I literally flew through this book and could easily see myself reading it in one sitting.
Bridget has been in love with Declan for as long as she can remember. But their situation has always been complicated. She is younger than him, and because of everything she has been through with her health, Declan has always tried to keep a certain distance because he never wanted to hurt her.
Bridget has also battled bone marrow cancer, so when she decides she wants to experience something completely outside of her comfort zone and visits a sex club, the last person she expects to find there is Declan.
And then he gives her her first kiss.
After that, everything changes.
Declan eventually leaves for Boston, but before he goes, he asks his family to look after Bridget and keep her safe because of the betrayal involving her family. His family has always treated Bridget as one of their own, especially since one of Declan’s brothers is in a relationship with Bridget’s sister.
Years later, Bridget’s cancer is in remission, and she discovers that Declan is coming back.
But there’s a problem.
He’s engaged.
Declan’s engagement is supposed to create an alliance between his family and the Boston side, so being with Bridget is absolutely forbidden. But once they reconnect, all those feelings they tried to bury come rushing back.
Eventually, Declan gives in.
They begin seeing each other in secret, knowing that he is supposed to marry someone else. And while Bridget technically becomes the other woman, I loved that Declan never treated her like she was disposable or just an affair. His feelings for her were always genuine.
Bridget also gives him her virginity, making their relationship even more meaningful because Declan has been the man she has loved for years.
And then… SURPRISE BABY. 👀
When Bridget starts feeling sick, everyone assumes that her cancer has returned. But the real reason is that she’s pregnant with Declan’s baby.
And now everything becomes even more complicated.
A forbidden relationship. A secret pregnancy. An engagement. Two people who have loved each other for years but are trying to fight something neither of them can ignore.
The tropes in this book were EVERYTHING:
✨ First love
✨ First lover
✨ Forbidden romance
✨ Surprise baby
✨ Accidental pregnancy
✨ Virgin heroine
✨ Secret relationship
✨ Age gap
✨ Mafia romance
And thankfully, we eventually get the happy ending we deserve because the woman Declan was supposed to marry turns out to be an impostor. She had been pretending to be the real Valentina, which means the marriage alliance falls apart.
And finally…
Bridget and Declan get their happily ever after. ❤️
I really enjoyed this book. It was emotional without feeling too heavy, the romance kept me hooked, and the story moved quickly enough that I never felt bored.
Most importantly, it was SO easy to read. This is definitely one of those books you can pick up and devour in one sitting.
Bridget and Declan’s story gave me the forbidden romance, the angst, the surprise pregnancy, and the happily-ever-after I was hoping for.
4.5 stars from me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Definitely recommend if you’re looking for a fast-paced mafia romance with a first-love/forbidden-romance storyline and a surprise baby!
Bridget Kavanagh & Declan McCarthy — ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5 Stars
Wicked Ruin was such a quick and addictive read! I literally flew through this book and could easily see myself reading it in one sitting.
Bridget has been in love with Declan for as long as she can remember. But their situation has always been complicated. She is younger than him, and because of everything she has been through with her health, Declan has always tried to keep a certain distance because he never wanted to hurt her.
Bridget has also battled bone marrow cancer, so when she decides she wants to experience something completely outside of her comfort zone and visits a sex club, the last person she expects to find there is Declan.
And then he gives her her first kiss.
After that, everything changes.
Declan eventually leaves for Boston, but before he goes, he asks his family to look after Bridget and keep her safe because of the betrayal involving her family. His family has always treated Bridget as one of their own, especially since one of Declan’s brothers is in a relationship with Bridget’s sister.
Years later, Bridget’s cancer is in remission, and she discovers that Declan is coming back.
But there’s a problem.
He’s engaged.
Declan’s engagement is supposed to create an alliance between his family and the Boston side, so being with Bridget is absolutely forbidden. But once they reconnect, all those feelings they tried to bury come rushing back.
Eventually, Declan gives in.
They begin seeing each other in secret, knowing that he is supposed to marry someone else. And while Bridget technically becomes the other woman, I loved that Declan never treated her like she was disposable or just an affair. His feelings for her were always genuine.
Bridget also gives him her virginity, making their relationship even more meaningful because Declan has been the man she has loved for years.
And then… SURPRISE BABY. 👀
When Bridget starts feeling sick, everyone assumes that her cancer has returned. But the real reason is that she’s pregnant with Declan’s baby.
And now everything becomes even more complicated.
A forbidden relationship. A secret pregnancy. An engagement. Two people who have loved each other for years but are trying to fight something neither of them can ignore.
The tropes in this book were EVERYTHING:
✨ First love
✨ First lover
✨ Forbidden romance
✨ Surprise baby
✨ Accidental pregnancy
✨ Virgin heroine
✨ Secret relationship
✨ Age gap
✨ Mafia romance
And thankfully, we eventually get the happy ending we deserve because the woman Declan was supposed to marry turns out to be an impostor. She had been pretending to be the real Valentina, which means the marriage alliance falls apart.
And finally…
Bridget and Declan get their happily ever after. ❤️
I really enjoyed this book. It was emotional without feeling too heavy, the romance kept me hooked, and the story moved quickly enough that I never felt bored.
Most importantly, it was SO easy to read. This is definitely one of those books you can pick up and devour in one sitting.
Bridget and Declan’s story gave me the forbidden romance, the angst, the surprise pregnancy, and the happily-ever-after I was hoping for.
4.5 stars from me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Definitely recommend if you’re looking for a fast-paced mafia romance with a first-love/forbidden-romance storyline and a surprise baby!
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