Lethal

by Athena E.S.

LETHAL

A Devotion & Vice Novel

It’s a dark mob smut book about an Eastern European enforcer who’s sent to quietly deal with a family running an unsanctioned trafficking operation in a forest town. He’s cold, methodical, and sadistic in a very controlled way, he doesn’t rush, he studies. The family is violent, sloppy, and crosses lines the mob doesn’t allow, including murder to cover their tracks. He slowly dismantles them psychologically before burning everything down, but along the way he becomes obsessively fixated on a woman not in a romantic way, more like control, denial, and possession. It’s about power, consequence, and obsession, with a lot of dark erotic tension and morally ruined dynamics. Definitely not a redemption romance.

504 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 2, 2026

About the author

Athena E.S. is a dark romance author writing stories where obsession is currency and devotion is dangerous. Her work centers on morally gray men, feral women, and love that destroys before it saves.

Inspired by shadowed power dynamics, folklore, and violence threaded with intimacy, her stories live where desire and control blur.

Lethal is her debut novel. Book two is currently in progress.

Reviews

[Kimm Euto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omggg what in the actual truck did I read!?
This style of writing is EVERYTHING Athena!! Very mysterious, very intriguing, my first European mob story.. it's freaking awesome!

Basically what happens is this: Vaclav is an enforcer who cleans up problems when they become problematic for Prague. Which he does in splendid fashion!

But it is the way this story is written that makes it so special. I wondered what was happening, what would happen next, and why! The obsession is obsessive, the love is possessive, both are consuming, all are dangerous.

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had such a great storyline. I was pulled in from the beginning. It was a little slow but I was okay with that. I figured sine books just start off that way. But it really didn’t pick up. There was little to no action. And what action there was became repetitive. He watched, he waited, he burned things down. That was gist of it. Unfortunately, after awhile it just go to be too much and I struggled to finish this. The only part that captivated me was when the MMC encountered the woman. I loved that it wasn’t so much sexual, but psychological. The need for him to control something.
This story has so much potential, but it just didn’t reach it for me. I thank the lovely Athens though for allowing me to read this as an ARC. And I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more books from her because you truly can’t base an authors writing ability based on one book.

[Samara Villa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book reads less like fiction and more like being invited into someone’s raw, shadowed memories—intimate, unsettling, and deeply personal. The slow burn is achingly deliberate, building tension so patiently that you feel every stolen glance and unspoken threat, leaving you desperate for what comes next. It’s a mafia romance unlike anything I’ve read before, refusing to rely on clichés and instead leaning into emotional depth and psychological complexity. The morally grey main character is compelling and unsettling in the best way, and the plot grips you relentlessly, keeping you perched on the edge of your seat long after you think you’ve caught your breath.

[Riley Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is giving me everything I expected and so much more! I read a lot and this is far and away better than most of the books I have read! It is rich with story telling and tantalizing with glimpses of spice while it builds! The corruption feels right and you find yourself on the side of the protagonist even though he is far from a law abiding citizen. I was hooked and on the edge of my seat waiting for the next chapter!!!

[Ivey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book felt like I was in his mind watching him re-live his story. The male lead is dark, brooding, and dominant. Not in a flashy or romanticized way, but in a quiet, unsettling, human way. His presence is heavy, his emotions unfiltered, and the narrative reflects that. The writing style mirrors the chaos of a mind trying to make sense of itself. A challenging read. You’re not just observing, you’re trapped inside his mind.

[Sandra Maloney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark killer vibes, story was good but I felt like the good parts were rushed and the rest was filled with character angst that was a bit overdone throughout most of the book. What made me give it 4 stars was the spice, about 2/3 into the book it finally showed up with a vengeance and was great! Very dominating and possessive…loved it!

This book was provided to me as an eARC