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72 Hours With An Unhinged Menace 2: An Arranged Marriage

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If you read Book One, you already know he doesn't play by anyone's rules but his own.

Book Two is where everything he built gets tested.

She survived 72 hours of captivity. She survived his obsession, his control, his unhinged need to possess everything he decided was his. What she didn't survive was falling for him.

Now the streets are watching.

Fans of African American romance and dark urban fiction know that the most dangerous love stories aren't the ones that start sweet. They're the ones that start with power. With obsession. With a possessive alpha male who decides you belong to him before you ever agree to it.

This is that story.

Enemies who stayed quiet the first time are moving now. They see what he would never admit out loud. The way he looks at her. The way he moves different. The way she's become the one thing that can reach him when nobody else can.

She is his weakness. And in his world, weakness gets weaponized.

He gave her three rules when this started. Rule Don't try to leave. Rule Don't betray him. Rule Don't become leverage.

She broke the third one without meaning to.

Now a rival has decided she's the perfect pressure point. Secrets from her past are surfacing at the worst possible time. And the man who claimed her is about to show the streets exactly what happens when someone touches what belongs to him.

He'll burn cities first.

If you love Black romance series with unhinged alpha men who protect what's theirs at any cost, this is the series you've been looking for.

The first 72 hours were about captivity. These 72 hours are about retaliation.

She's no longer just surviving him. She's starting to understand him. And understanding an unhinged menace might be the most dangerous thing she's ever done.

Because when he decides to go to war, nobody walks away clean. Not even her.

New to the series? Start with 72 Hours With An Unhinged Menace Book One. Already a fan of possessive alpha romance and unputdownable love story series? You already know what to do.

439 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 20, 2026

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Brickhouse

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5 stars
456 (78%)
4 stars
93 (15%)
3 stars
28 (4%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for Janice.
68 reviews
February 23, 2026
OMG!!! I tell you boy, Brickhouse knows how to write a cliffhanger!! I might be unhinged myself but i'm rooting for Nirvana and Crown. I love the change that i'm seeing in him. Jashari is a loose cannon but I have also seen some growth with him as well. I don't care what anyone says, Aire got what he deserved. No loyalty whatsoever. Sael I think might be my book boyfriend. He's just a quiet unhinged which I absolutely love. Thorian is just a whole clown but I love it!! Anika - well you don't really see much of her. But I got the feeling the Zion is gonna end up another Crown. That kid is sharp!! Looking forward to book 3.
Profile Image for Salene Whyte (thee_book_connoisseur_).
430 reviews4 followers
March 1, 2026
When obsession turns to war

Brickhouse proves once again why she remains a commanding voice in African American romance and dark urban fiction. This sequel doesn’t just continue the story it escalates it. What began as captivity evolves into retaliation, and what once felt like obsession now burns with the volatility of war.
At the center of it all are Nirvana and Crown a dynamic that is as intoxicating as it is dangerous. Nirvana survived the first seventy two hours of confinement, survived his control, and even survived his unhinged possessiveness. What she didn’t survive was falling for him. And that emotional shift changes everything. Crown is no longer just a captor or a calculated menace he is a man with something to lose. And in his world, weakness doesn’t simply exist. It gets weaponized.
The streets are watching, and so are his enemies. Brickhouse masterfully builds tension by allowing readers to see what Crown refuses to say out loud Nirvana is his vulnerability. The way he moves differently for her, the way his decisions shift, the way his brutality sharpens when she’s threatened it’s layered, raw storytelling. When a rival targets Nirvana as leverage, the narrative explodes into a ruthless game of retaliation. True to form, Crown doesn’t hesitate. He’ll burn cities first.
What makes this installment especially compelling is the emotional duality. Brickhouse writes with such intensity that readers feel the push and pull from both sides Crown’s possessive devotion and Nirvana’s conflicted understanding of the man who once held her captive. The story transitions from survival to comprehension, and that psychological shift adds depth to the romance. Understanding an unhinged menace, as the novel suggests, may be the most dangerous act of all.
The supporting cast strengthens the narrative significantly. Sael is magnetic in his own right, bringing a layered presence that lingers long after his scenes end. Thorian delivers much-needed comedic relief, balancing the darkness with sharp, well-timed humor. Even the antagonists are crafted with care formidable, strategic, and believable. As a reader, it’s impossible not to appreciate the complexity of the Vasari family and the calculated menace they bring to the story.
Not every character inspires affection. Nirvana’s best friend Brittney proves frustrating and, at times, exasperating a testament to how convincingly she is written. Meanwhile, Aire’s fate feels earned. In this world, consequences are inevitable. You reap what you sow.
Ultimately, 72 Hours with an Unhinged Menace 2 delivers everything fans of dark Black romance crave: obsession, power, loyalty, retaliation, and an alpha male who protects what he claims at any cost. It is emotionally charged, unapologetically intense, and impossible to put down.
Brickhouse doesn’t just tell a story she makes you feel it from every angle.
Easily five stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Profile Image for Lia.
334 reviews9 followers
March 16, 2026
I was almost going to rate this lower because sometimes Brickhouse intentionally prolongs a scene. And sometimes it's repetitive. There were no spicy scenes. We didn't get to see Nirvana and Crown's relationship develop. We just had to accept that they were in love and that she chose him.

I hated how the female characters looked over all the hurt and pain the male characters caused. Especially with Brit and Jashari. He cheated with a stripper after declaring his love, betrayed her several times yet she's going to protect him in a homicide case? That frustrated me. The female characters are fake "strong" but in reality they're all being molded.

I think Nero got killed off way too easily after that build up from book 1. It felt like the storyline took a different direction with Annika and Zion. I really didn't care for Giovanni. Isn't the man old enough to be her father? yet everyone is overlooking that. Were they in love or was she compromised? I think if we know what the state of their relationship was then we could be more invested.

And Oxana and Seal's connection was boring. I feel like there's another part to this story that I missed and I plan to look over Brickhouse's work. Because so much is glossed over.

Now I gave it a 5 star rating because despite all of the above. I couldn't put the book down. I needed to know how it ended. Yet it ended on a cliffhanger.

I'm glad Crown is finally letting loose. He has been unrecognisably restrained. And it was boring. He spent more time trying to control Nirvana and that got boring once her brother was allowed to run off with those "important files" so it all felt in vain 🤦🏾‍♀️ all those threats to her brothers life....yup, crown was getting soft. I was expecting him to be morally grey but he was doing good lol He was loyal to Nirvana and that was cute.

Now I've got to wait for book 3...to see what happens with Zion and what happens with Jashari and to find out who got shot when Crown ran up in Giovanni's residence.

Oh, and I also hate that Brickhouse never describes her characters. Their race is ambiguous, their age is ambiguous so it's tough to visualise them and get a sense of their characters. Like for example one minute Thorian one minute he sounds like a sassy geek then a thug that works in a strip club lol like what is his story? who is he lol And a lot of her characters are like that. It's not a major big deal but I can imagine it getting annoying as I read more of her books.
Profile Image for _JayyIsReading.
234 reviews
May 19, 2026
4.5 stars.

I love how Crown watches over Nirvana. They just fit perfectly.

My thoughts while reading:
- [ ] Lord not nirvana running off with her brother because crown packed her house up without her permission. Girl you about to learn real quick. Ain’t no way you haven’t figure out who you dealing with yet.
- [ ] Baby boy crown going and setting nirvanas house on fire talking about he’ll rebuild it one day LMAO she gone be sooo mad
- [ ] So Giovanni is the Houston don from the other side of town. Girl Annika what were you thinking.
- [ ] Dang I knew oxana was on drugs but buying them from Nero under Saels nose??? Girl you gotta be crazy.
- [ ] What not Nero attacking nirvana in the court room bathroom. You’re gonna pay for this one.
- [ ] Aire I still can’t believe you’re playing around with Nero instead of sticking bedside family. You just don’t learn.
- [ ] Lord not Brittany headed to her dads house to tell him she’s not gonna give him info on her best friend nirvana and crown and the gang is headed there too
- [ ] Throwing Nero out a window and shooting him on the way down. Goodness crown you weren’t playing
- [ ] Dang the Vasaris caught up to Aire fast and unfortunately he deserved it. You can’t be out here playing both sides. And I understand the family is mad that’s he’s branded with the Vasari sign but he brought that on himself.
- [ ] It’s sad how Brittany and nirvanas friendship got caught in the middle of all this.
- [ ] Man what. Not aprils uncle is a detective. He’s definitely not letting this case go.
- [ ] Lord not Giovanni trying to serve Annika the court papers for Zion at the funerallllll?!?!
- [ ] I’m glad aces debt was able to be settled with Nero and Aires deaths but somehow I feel ace is gonna do something stupid again and wind up in more trouble.
- [ ] Whatttt not Annika getting served custody papers AND jashari getting hauled off to jail at the funeral
- [ ] Now Giovanni had to know this was gone bring crown to this front door
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Tiffany Monique.
240 reviews1 follower
March 3, 2026
Ooh Man

This had me on the edge of my seat almost pulling my hair out. You see I said almost right lol. Crown is really that ninja and even when he don’t speak his presence damn sure does. Aeson was finally being selfless and taking accountability for his actions even though Nirvana didn’t like the outcome it had to be done. Nirvana had a lot on her plate esp the mess with Pierre and him being MIA never missing work and suddenly he does. Britt should’ve come clean about who her daddy was a long time ago. Jashari and Britt are actually good together but there are extenuating circumstances that lie ahead for them. Jashari finally found someone who meets him where he is. Sael has a tough decision to make and not without some blowback from his family at all. Thorian had me cracking up this whole book. Annika in for some craziness now with Giovanni knowing the truth. I love that he apologized to Bankston and Aria although I feel like he’s gonna use Zion to right all the wrongs he made with Bank and Ari for sure. Nirvana is learning to trust Crown more and more as time goes on and I love to see it. Zion is definitely coming into his own with fresh eyes and being part of two very very powerful families whether they are cool or not. Aire was still a Mekhari at the end of all he did and he paid for it. Nero got everything he deserves and more for all the havoc he caused. That cliffhanger was wild as hell. I can’t wait to read part 3 to see what transpires next.
Profile Image for Cre8tive Dreamz .
1,818 reviews12 followers
May 1, 2026
When The Walls Come Down

This book has my heart pumping!!!…Aire was doing way too much for a seat his father was never going to allow him to have!!!…He got a seat, but not the one he was expecting!!!…
I felt a tab bit bad for Brit, but she can’t blame others for reacting to her father’s actions!!!…I don’t know why she thought Crown would let it ride that Nero beat his fiancée!!!..
Tristian is going to be a different kind of beast!!!…I can see him truly turning over some things!!!…
Nirvana truly need to relax and allow Crown to move keep things flowing in their house!!!…She’s emotional and he wants to keep her safe and protected!!!…
Giovanni knew there was going to be a consequence for trying to serve Annika at Aire’s funeral!!!…He’s seeking full custody of their 17 yo son, because he failed to parent the other 2!!!…
Now cousin in jail because of the fall out with April and Sael finally exploded!!!…
Profile Image for Candy Nicholas.
450 reviews16 followers
March 9, 2026
OK so I liked this book more than the first. I also like Crown now lol. He finally started to show that he cared about Nirvana. I knew I was deeply invested in the Mekhari family when I shared a few tears for Aire, the family snake. I knew he was going to die but the way Brickhouse wrote it made me feel the family's pain even though they found out he was compromised. I had all types of emotions running through me while reading this book. The writing was excellent. I felt like I was there watching everything happen right in front of me. I can't wait for the next book because I feel war is brewing... just can't figure out with whom.
Profile Image for Bo'Tina Jackson.
1,136 reviews9 followers
March 11, 2026
oh no

Nope you didn’t have to do us like that but I’m here for it all first we have Britt you was wishing him dead but when it happened you crying loud I’m glad jasari tried to walk her off the ledge they balance each other out I love how you put those that balance the other out when you pair these characters together from your books cause they are all crazy af lol I think Tristan is going to break the truce f put in place it’s so much more I want to say but ima just wait to see what happens next
41 reviews
March 27, 2026
a great read for sure can’t wait for the next one

You definitely have a interesting writing style. Love the way you tell a story. I love the characters so bad. I love everything about this book, BUT i have one problem… I read “it landed… harder than it should have”, and “for the first time” and a million times. Baby i can’t read these back to back. As great as the story lines are, the repetition annoys me so bad. I hope this lands because EVERYTHING lands according to these characters lol
Profile Image for Rohna Harrison.
7 reviews
February 23, 2026
ALL THE THINGS!

My God! I don't know where to start. Sheesh! This book and the previous book was ALL THE THINGS! The storyline, the character development, the love scenes, the sex scenes, the Griffin characters!!!!

Brickhouse....in the words of Woody from
Toy Story, "You got a FRIEND in me!". Sis you did your thing and I'm waiting for continuation of story like a WHOLE thirst bucket!

Seriously!
201 reviews
February 24, 2026
OMG!!

This story was a totaled build up of all of the secrets from Book 1. Crown and Nirvana are just pissing me off at this point, instead of coming together to deal with the outside issues they are making their own amongst each other, Ugh. All I am going to say is I NEED BOOK 3!! Five stars Ms. Brickhouse!!🥰
207 reviews2 followers
March 5, 2026
WOW

I was smiling with the first part but part 2 is explosive. First time I didn't predict the ensing. Its 2:00 am in the morning, couldn't put my tablet down. Please get book 3 out soon. I was crazy for Warlock but I'm gone over The Don. Best so far. I love the whole series.🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
116 reviews
March 12, 2026
Chaos, Revenge, and Love

I really enjoyed this book. Secrets start to unravel, revenge gets messy, and the tables definitely shift. Watching a menace fall in love adds another layer to the story and keeps things interesting. The drama, twists, and tension kept me locked in. I’m definitely ready for the next book.
1,113 reviews5 followers
May 16, 2026
Much Longer Than 72 Hours

72 hours have come and gone... multiple times. Crown is still unhinged and it keeps getting better. He still straightens slightly crooked things in his home. He still sanitizers his hands because he doesn't like to be touched, except by Nirvana. He still decimates enemies (ask Nero). But now he's in love, and not to be tested.
Profile Image for B.
494 reviews
February 25, 2026
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Excellent writing and excellent story telling. I know my man Bankston Deluca better not be hurt, nor my sideman Crown cause it’s going to be a problem. Bring book3 soon as possible plz.
Profile Image for Renee.
1,064 reviews3 followers
February 26, 2026
Fire

When I tell you this book was so good. I couldn't put the book down. Plot twist after plot twist then the ending you left hanging . I can't wait to see who still standing because the bomb as exploded
Profile Image for Tasha P..
577 reviews3 followers
February 27, 2026
REALLY!!

Ikyfl!! To end this book like this was diabolical and just all out heart stopping. So ready for the next installment of this because it's sooo good. Great job 5 stars for sure!!
Profile Image for Quay Solomon.
591 reviews4 followers
February 27, 2026
Aire got exactly what he asked for... he did you much by betraying his brother or of greed...Sael should have put his wife out of her misery...Britt wish came true which have her upset with Nirvana...
Profile Image for BookTalesTink .
171 reviews
March 2, 2026
Until Part 3

The ending of part two got me just like this CAUSE WTF!!! Crown had been playing it cool he ain’t do too much he was quiet chaos and he just kept taking loss after loss and he lost it. He had every right to, BUT WHO GOT SHOT???!!!! Lawd my blood pressure…..
Profile Image for ashley.
914 reviews18 followers
March 6, 2026
Yesssss book 2!

This is how you book 2! More details and actual story that keeps us into the story...
I have no love lost for Aire or Nero...sorry not sorry an I hope book 3 the power that vina has comes out.
12 reviews
March 11, 2026
That was good!

Another great read!! It’s been a long time since I fell in love with the characters in a novel but this family has me hooked! I’m even crazy about the villains. I’ve laughed and cried and I can’t wait to read 3.
417 reviews2 followers
March 13, 2026
Who died?

Better be no-one. Why can't these flame get along. Work together, I hate the cry baby d.a. please no more crying. Crown doing stuff for her and look where that got him. I like crown, not his weak crybaby woman. What's up with warlock.
733 reviews3 followers
March 15, 2026
Naw!

How you gonna leave us hanging like that?!! Crown has been unleashed! He is out for blood! 🩸 Where’s the helicopter? 🚁 I bet Jashari will be more serious now. One little negative note, please stop overusing “intentional “. It’s overkill.
Profile Image for Lisa.
2,068 reviews13 followers
March 24, 2026
This novel really escalated to a boil! Shootouts, deaths, emotions, arrests, it had it all and still its not over. The Mekhari family is tired and ready for war! What will happen next. This series keeps you on your toes that's for sure! Can't wait to see what happens next!
Profile Image for Twigi718.
1,085 reviews4 followers
March 27, 2026
good read

I love everything about this story just as much as book 1 … I am disappointed at the moment bcz it just ended with the most crazy scream worthy cliffhanger… ugghhhh where is book 3
Profile Image for LaToya Brooks.
3,058 reviews1 follower
April 20, 2026
lit!

This year has been so good! It’s so much going on that. You’re attention goes nowhere but the book. I want Nirvana to come out on top. Can’t wait to see how everything plays out.
242 reviews2 followers
April 22, 2026
Plot thickens

Whew its al9t going on and it seems Mekharis cant catch a break. I hate Aires had to die but jealousy and betrayal lead him down this road. Idk if the friendship will survive. Who killed the 3x. book 3
30 reviews
February 24, 2026
I know you freaking lying

Now why you end it like that. Sheesh. Another fantastic read by Brickhihse but run me the next one neowwwww.
Profile Image for Jus Kishhh.
142 reviews3 followers
February 24, 2026
Whattttttt

Wait wait….WAIT A MINUTE NOW…..you did not end with Don vs Don….no Mam…..I swear this booooooook was entirely TOO MUCH!!!! Bricky you alwayyyssss do me like this!!!!!
Profile Image for tanessia ford.
4,092 reviews
February 27, 2026
why

Why is she like this? Done stressed me all the way out! She is so freaking petty. I need part 3 like today!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews