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Beautifully Ruined #2
Beautiful Monsters
I saved her life. Then I took her memories.
Marcello Cavalho has been drifting since the night his brother died—
reckless, hollow, and one bad decision away from burning everything down with him.
Then he finds her.
Broken. Bloodied.
Left for dead in the alley behind his club.
He drags her out of the dark.
Erases the worst of what was done to her.
It should have ended there. But it doesn’t.
Because when she wakes, she’s not the same woman he pulled from the ground.
She can’t see.
She can’t speak.
And she doesn’t remember.
Now she’s in his house.
Under his protection.
A responsibility he never asked for… and can’t seem to let go.
But Samira isn’t as helpless as she seems.
She didn’t just run from her past—she survived it.
And the kind of past she left behind doesn’t stay buried.
Because when her memories return…so will the truth.
And she’ll have to decide whether the man who saved her…
is the one she should have feared all along.
Marcello Cavalho has been drifting since the night his brother died—
reckless, hollow, and one bad decision away from burning everything down with him.
Then he finds her.
Broken. Bloodied.
Left for dead in the alley behind his club.
He drags her out of the dark.
Erases the worst of what was done to her.
It should have ended there. But it doesn’t.
Because when she wakes, she’s not the same woman he pulled from the ground.
She can’t see.
She can’t speak.
And she doesn’t remember.
Now she’s in his house.
Under his protection.
A responsibility he never asked for… and can’t seem to let go.
But Samira isn’t as helpless as she seems.
She didn’t just run from her past—she survived it.
And the kind of past she left behind doesn’t stay buried.
Because when her memories return…so will the truth.
And she’ll have to decide whether the man who saved her…
is the one she should have feared all along.
- GenresDark Romance
316 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 15, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
May 21, 2026
ARC REVIEW
“Silence doesn't stop monsters. It only teaches them that you won't scream."
"You don't escape trauma. You just carry it into new rooms and hope it doesn't recognize you like a long-lost lover."
Book three in the series, and this definitely didn't disappoint. This book follows Samira and Marcello.
Marcello is angry at the world and lives in his grief.
Samira is full of trauma and wears her past like a second skin.
When their worlds collide, there will be blood, death, trust, disappointment, sex, and love. To learn more, you'll just have to read this fabulous book!
Thanks to Book Sirens for sending me an advanced copy to read and review.
“Silence doesn't stop monsters. It only teaches them that you won't scream."
"You don't escape trauma. You just carry it into new rooms and hope it doesn't recognize you like a long-lost lover."
Book three in the series, and this definitely didn't disappoint. This book follows Samira and Marcello.
Marcello is angry at the world and lives in his grief.
Samira is full of trauma and wears her past like a second skin.
When their worlds collide, there will be blood, death, trust, disappointment, sex, and love. To learn more, you'll just have to read this fabulous book!
Thanks to Book Sirens for sending me an advanced copy to read and review.
May 18, 2026
He saves her from the dark, but the cost is her choice.
Samira has spent her life surviving men who mistake silence for permission. When one wrong turn leaves her trapped, Marcello is the monster who steps out of the shadows and stops the nightmare before it can finish her. But rescue doesn’t come clean, and his choice leaves her blind, voiceless, and dependent on the man she isn’t sure she can trust.
Marcello is wrecked by grief, guilt, and violence that feels easier than feeling. Samira should be a responsibility, a mistake to fix, but she becomes the one person who makes him want to stay still long enough to be better. As she learns his voice and the restraint beneath his brutality, something intimate grows between them.
But healing doesn’t erase the truth. When Samira’s memories return, so does the weight of what Marcello took from her. Her past taught her that control can look like protection, and now she has to decide whether his love is another cage or a choice.
Samira moves from silence and fear into a sense of choice, where wanting, speaking, leaving, and loving become self-reclamation. Marcello shifts from grief-driven violence into restraint, accountability, and the painful understanding that love means giving her control. Their relationship begins in fear, dependence, and a power imbalance, then becomes a high-heat bond shaped by repair, consent, protection, and the choice to stay without being kept.
A dark, high heat, psychologically intense mafia romance with forced proximity, hurt comfort, trauma bonding, and morally gray choices. It explores survival, autonomy, control, trust, grief, obsession, healing, consent, and the line between protection and possession. It’s about a woman reclaiming her voice, a man learning that saving someone doesn’t mean owning them, and a devotion that has to face the damage before it can become real.
The Elevator Pitch: A woman running from a brutal past loses her voice, her sight, and her memory in the care of the violent man who saved her. As trust forms in the dark, every tender moment is shadowed by the truth of what he took from her. When her past finds her again, love becomes a dangerous question of choice, protection, and whether a monster can learn to hold without keeping.
Heat Level: 🔥🔥 Hot
Samira has spent her life surviving men who mistake silence for permission. When one wrong turn leaves her trapped, Marcello is the monster who steps out of the shadows and stops the nightmare before it can finish her. But rescue doesn’t come clean, and his choice leaves her blind, voiceless, and dependent on the man she isn’t sure she can trust.
Marcello is wrecked by grief, guilt, and violence that feels easier than feeling. Samira should be a responsibility, a mistake to fix, but she becomes the one person who makes him want to stay still long enough to be better. As she learns his voice and the restraint beneath his brutality, something intimate grows between them.
But healing doesn’t erase the truth. When Samira’s memories return, so does the weight of what Marcello took from her. Her past taught her that control can look like protection, and now she has to decide whether his love is another cage or a choice.
Samira moves from silence and fear into a sense of choice, where wanting, speaking, leaving, and loving become self-reclamation. Marcello shifts from grief-driven violence into restraint, accountability, and the painful understanding that love means giving her control. Their relationship begins in fear, dependence, and a power imbalance, then becomes a high-heat bond shaped by repair, consent, protection, and the choice to stay without being kept.
A dark, high heat, psychologically intense mafia romance with forced proximity, hurt comfort, trauma bonding, and morally gray choices. It explores survival, autonomy, control, trust, grief, obsession, healing, consent, and the line between protection and possession. It’s about a woman reclaiming her voice, a man learning that saving someone doesn’t mean owning them, and a devotion that has to face the damage before it can become real.
The Elevator Pitch: A woman running from a brutal past loses her voice, her sight, and her memory in the care of the violent man who saved her. As trust forms in the dark, every tender moment is shadowed by the truth of what he took from her. When her past finds her again, love becomes a dangerous question of choice, protection, and whether a monster can learn to hold without keeping.
Heat Level: 🔥🔥 Hot
May 26, 2026
♾️5 Grief stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Nu am cuvinte sa explic stările prin care m-a trecut aceasta poveste...atât de emoțională, de intensa..iar felul autoarei de a descrie fiecare sentiment, emoție, pierdere, trauma..greu de egalat!
Chef's Kiss!
Nu am cuvinte sa explic stările prin care m-a trecut aceasta poveste...atât de emoțională, de intensa..iar felul autoarei de a descrie fiecare sentiment, emoție, pierdere, trauma..greu de egalat!
Chef's Kiss!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Book 3 in the Beautifully Ruined series was absolutely incredible — dark, emotional, intense, and impossible to put down. This series keeps raising the stakes with every book, but this installment took everything to an entirely different level.
Before anything else: please, please read the trigger warnings. This is a dark mafia romance and it does not shy away from trauma, abuse, violence, or the psychological aftermath of surviving horrific situations. Some scenes happen in flashbacks, while others unfold directly on the page in heartbreaking detail. I’m not someone who usually gets triggered while reading, but there was one particular scene involving Samira that genuinely had my chest tight with anxiety. The author does an amazing job of immersing you in the characters’ fear and pain, but it can definitely be overwhelming if you aren’t prepared.
Marcello is drowning in grief after the devastating loss of his youngest brother. He’s spiraling hard — reckless, angry, numb, and completely self-destructive. At the start of the book he’s barely functioning, only doing enough to keep his family from completely losing faith in him. You can feel how exhausted he is by life and how much guilt and rage he’s carrying around. Then one night, while leaving the club, he hears a disturbance in an alley and finds three men cornering a terrified woman. Marcello may be broken, but he still has enough humanity left to step in when someone vulnerable is being hurt. What starts as a split-second decision to protect a stranger quickly turns into something far more complicated, dangerous, and consuming than he ever expected.
Samira absolutely shattered me. After escaping an abusive family and a brutal marriage, she has spent years making herself invisible just to survive. She’s conditioned herself to stay quiet, small, obedient, unnoticed — anything to avoid attracting attention or violence. The trauma she carries is heartbreaking, and the author portrays it in such a raw and realistic way. Even after escaping, she’s still trapped mentally by fear, guilt, and survival instincts. Watching her slowly try to reclaim pieces of herself was both painful and beautiful.
What makes this story so gripping is the complicated dynamic between Marcello and Samira. He saves her, but in doing so also drags her deeper into another dangerous world. Marcello becomes almost feral in his need to protect her and destroy anyone who has ever hurt her. There’s a darkness to his love that perfectly fits the mafia romance genre — violent, obsessive, morally gray — yet underneath all of that is a man desperate to keep another innocent person from being destroyed. Their relationship is messy, traumatic, and emotionally charged, but it never felt shallow or forced.
The emotional weight of this book was unreal. Books 1 and 2 were already intense, but this one felt heavier, darker, and far more psychological. Both characters are deeply damaged, and the healing process isn’t magically fixed by love. The author really leans into how trauma changes people and how difficult it is to imagine “normal” after surviving unimaginable abuse. Samira’s journey in particular was devastating because her pain felt so real.
This book completely wrecked me emotionally in the best way. It’s heartbreaking, brutal, suspenseful, and deeply character-driven. There were moments that made me anxious, angry, heartbroken, and hopeful all at once. If you love dark mafia romances with damaged characters, high emotional stakes, protective antiheroes, and stories that aren’t afraid to get ugly before the healing begins, this book absolutely delivers.
I loved every second of this emotional roller coaster and I genuinely cannot wait to see what Iris gives us next in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Before anything else: please, please read the trigger warnings. This is a dark mafia romance and it does not shy away from trauma, abuse, violence, or the psychological aftermath of surviving horrific situations. Some scenes happen in flashbacks, while others unfold directly on the page in heartbreaking detail. I’m not someone who usually gets triggered while reading, but there was one particular scene involving Samira that genuinely had my chest tight with anxiety. The author does an amazing job of immersing you in the characters’ fear and pain, but it can definitely be overwhelming if you aren’t prepared.
Marcello is drowning in grief after the devastating loss of his youngest brother. He’s spiraling hard — reckless, angry, numb, and completely self-destructive. At the start of the book he’s barely functioning, only doing enough to keep his family from completely losing faith in him. You can feel how exhausted he is by life and how much guilt and rage he’s carrying around. Then one night, while leaving the club, he hears a disturbance in an alley and finds three men cornering a terrified woman. Marcello may be broken, but he still has enough humanity left to step in when someone vulnerable is being hurt. What starts as a split-second decision to protect a stranger quickly turns into something far more complicated, dangerous, and consuming than he ever expected.
Samira absolutely shattered me. After escaping an abusive family and a brutal marriage, she has spent years making herself invisible just to survive. She’s conditioned herself to stay quiet, small, obedient, unnoticed — anything to avoid attracting attention or violence. The trauma she carries is heartbreaking, and the author portrays it in such a raw and realistic way. Even after escaping, she’s still trapped mentally by fear, guilt, and survival instincts. Watching her slowly try to reclaim pieces of herself was both painful and beautiful.
What makes this story so gripping is the complicated dynamic between Marcello and Samira. He saves her, but in doing so also drags her deeper into another dangerous world. Marcello becomes almost feral in his need to protect her and destroy anyone who has ever hurt her. There’s a darkness to his love that perfectly fits the mafia romance genre — violent, obsessive, morally gray — yet underneath all of that is a man desperate to keep another innocent person from being destroyed. Their relationship is messy, traumatic, and emotionally charged, but it never felt shallow or forced.
The emotional weight of this book was unreal. Books 1 and 2 were already intense, but this one felt heavier, darker, and far more psychological. Both characters are deeply damaged, and the healing process isn’t magically fixed by love. The author really leans into how trauma changes people and how difficult it is to imagine “normal” after surviving unimaginable abuse. Samira’s journey in particular was devastating because her pain felt so real.
This book completely wrecked me emotionally in the best way. It’s heartbreaking, brutal, suspenseful, and deeply character-driven. There were moments that made me anxious, angry, heartbroken, and hopeful all at once. If you love dark mafia romances with damaged characters, high emotional stakes, protective antiheroes, and stories that aren’t afraid to get ugly before the healing begins, this book absolutely delivers.
I loved every second of this emotional roller coaster and I genuinely cannot wait to see what Iris gives us next in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy
Well Iris knocked it out of the park again with this book. I finished it overnight because I just could not put it down. So you know it’s good when you forfeit sleep over a book!
This is book 3 in the Beautifully Ruined series and was sooooo goooood!
Please read the trigger warnings. This is a mafia romance so it has a lot of dark events, a lot of trauma, some in flash backs and some on the page. I don’t trigger easily and one section had me in a panic for Samira. So please pay attention to what bothers you.
Marcello was grieving and going off the deep end after the tragic passing of his youngest brother. He was in self destruct mode and was just fine staying there. Doing the bare minimum to keep his family off his back. Until he was leaving the club one night and heard a noise in the alley. Three men had one woman cornered and he wouldn’t stand for another innocent getting hurt. But the actions he took had longer lasting consequences than he anticipated and now he has to deal with the fall out.
Samira ran away from her abusive family, her abusive husband and any part of that life. She had made being invisible an art form, she made being small and not taking up space a habit. But when a stranger saves and condemns her in the same breath she has to fight her way back to independence and try to hold onto her sanity. She survived the worst of the worst but can she walk away from the monster who is taking out every monster who ever hurt her?
Man this book was so intense. I was on an emotional roller coaster with this series. I thought books 1 and 2 were nuts. But this one was on a whole different level of crazy. The trauma they both have to work through it insane. I can’t imagine ever being able to walk into a “normal” life after dealing with either issues, but especially Samira’s.
This book will tug at your heart strings for sure. I loved every minute of it and can’t wait to see what Iris has for us next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is book 3 in the Beautifully Ruined series and was sooooo goooood!
Please read the trigger warnings. This is a mafia romance so it has a lot of dark events, a lot of trauma, some in flash backs and some on the page. I don’t trigger easily and one section had me in a panic for Samira. So please pay attention to what bothers you.
Marcello was grieving and going off the deep end after the tragic passing of his youngest brother. He was in self destruct mode and was just fine staying there. Doing the bare minimum to keep his family off his back. Until he was leaving the club one night and heard a noise in the alley. Three men had one woman cornered and he wouldn’t stand for another innocent getting hurt. But the actions he took had longer lasting consequences than he anticipated and now he has to deal with the fall out.
Samira ran away from her abusive family, her abusive husband and any part of that life. She had made being invisible an art form, she made being small and not taking up space a habit. But when a stranger saves and condemns her in the same breath she has to fight her way back to independence and try to hold onto her sanity. She survived the worst of the worst but can she walk away from the monster who is taking out every monster who ever hurt her?
Man this book was so intense. I was on an emotional roller coaster with this series. I thought books 1 and 2 were nuts. But this one was on a whole different level of crazy. The trauma they both have to work through it insane. I can’t imagine ever being able to walk into a “normal” life after dealing with either issues, but especially Samira’s.
This book will tug at your heart strings for sure. I loved every minute of it and can’t wait to see what Iris has for us next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Beautiful Monsters traumatized me!!! I swear when I finish this series, I’ll end up in the psychiatric ward 😭 This is what this book did to me… if you want pain and dark, pitch black dark, this is for you… with flickers of hope… and honestly, hope is both good and bad because it makes everything hurt even more. Even with the happy ending, all I could feel was sadness 😒🖤 that was painful.
Samira and Marcello, both hurt and deeply broken, meet in the darkest of circumstances… and while Marcello rescues her, the healing that follows is long, painful, and filled with guilt, fear, and overwhelming emotions. The cost is high!! And the pain never really leaves them alone.
Marcello, guilt-ridden by the death of his brother, helps Samira almost as redemption for not saving him… like she became his second chance, even while destroying himself in the process. And Samira, abused her entire life, only wants freedom, choice, and control over her own life for once… but trauma doesn’t disappear overnight. She escaped the same thing he did to her: having her choices taken away… and she couldn’t accept that. Because after everything she survived, even safety feels dangerous, trust feels dangerous, and any feeling at all threatens the fragile “peace” she thought she created… he didn’t know that… he thought he was helping… and he became obsessed with her.
The danger, the darkness, the emotional damage, the past catching up to them… the only bright aspect in this book was Tone. I loved her. This book was emotionally exhausting in the best and worst way possible 😭🖤 Iris T. Cannon really knows how to destroy you with her "dark humor"… I think she thrives on our suffering! But I just love her and I’ll always choose her books. Sometimes you need to feel pain, even if it isn’t yours, just to feel alive… Trigger warnings!!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Samira and Marcello, both hurt and deeply broken, meet in the darkest of circumstances… and while Marcello rescues her, the healing that follows is long, painful, and filled with guilt, fear, and overwhelming emotions. The cost is high!! And the pain never really leaves them alone.
Marcello, guilt-ridden by the death of his brother, helps Samira almost as redemption for not saving him… like she became his second chance, even while destroying himself in the process. And Samira, abused her entire life, only wants freedom, choice, and control over her own life for once… but trauma doesn’t disappear overnight. She escaped the same thing he did to her: having her choices taken away… and she couldn’t accept that. Because after everything she survived, even safety feels dangerous, trust feels dangerous, and any feeling at all threatens the fragile “peace” she thought she created… he didn’t know that… he thought he was helping… and he became obsessed with her.
The danger, the darkness, the emotional damage, the past catching up to them… the only bright aspect in this book was Tone. I loved her. This book was emotionally exhausting in the best and worst way possible 😭🖤 Iris T. Cannon really knows how to destroy you with her "dark humor"… I think she thrives on our suffering! But I just love her and I’ll always choose her books. Sometimes you need to feel pain, even if it isn’t yours, just to feel alive… Trigger warnings!!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 2, 2026
“TWO Beautiful Monsters” Iris T Cannon 💜👿
Thank you to the fabulous Iris for the gifted copy, I’m obsessed with this series and working with indie Aussie authors always makes me happy.
Spoiler-Free Summary:
After finding a brutally injured woman left for dead, Marcello brings her home and erases the memories of the trauma she endured. Now blind, unable to speak and with no recollection of who she is, Samira must begin piecing her life back together under the protection of a man carrying his own grief. But the past has a way of catching up and some truths refuse to stay buried.
Tropes:
🖤 Dark mafia romance
🩹 Caregiving
🏡 Forced proximity
❤️ He falls first
🤍 Protective MMC
🔥 Angst
🗡️ Trauma & healing
👨👩👧 Found family
My Thoughts:
I am absolutely obsessed with this mafia world. Every book makes me fall more in love with this family, but I think Marcello has officially become my favourite. 🤭 His quiet rage as Samira healed from everything she'd endured, the way he fell first but never rushed her and all those little moments where his restraint was slipping had me completely hooked.
Samira was another fantastic heroine. I love that the women in this series are strong, resilient and shaped by their trauma without it defining them. They don't wait for someone to save them—they allow themselves the time, patience and support to heal, which makes their journeys feel so rewarding.
And the caregiving scenes... absolutely breathtaking. One of my favourite underrated tropes and it was executed so beautifully here. I laughed, I cried, my heart ached and I genuinely didn't want this book to end.💜
Final Thoughts:
An emotional, angsty and beautifully written dark mafia romance with incredible characters, heartfelt healing and one of my favourite couples in the series. If you love protective heroes, trauma-healing romances and found family dynamics, this is one I can't recommend enough.
Thank you to the fabulous Iris for the gifted copy, I’m obsessed with this series and working with indie Aussie authors always makes me happy.
Spoiler-Free Summary:
After finding a brutally injured woman left for dead, Marcello brings her home and erases the memories of the trauma she endured. Now blind, unable to speak and with no recollection of who she is, Samira must begin piecing her life back together under the protection of a man carrying his own grief. But the past has a way of catching up and some truths refuse to stay buried.
Tropes:
🖤 Dark mafia romance
🩹 Caregiving
🏡 Forced proximity
❤️ He falls first
🤍 Protective MMC
🔥 Angst
🗡️ Trauma & healing
👨👩👧 Found family
My Thoughts:
I am absolutely obsessed with this mafia world. Every book makes me fall more in love with this family, but I think Marcello has officially become my favourite. 🤭 His quiet rage as Samira healed from everything she'd endured, the way he fell first but never rushed her and all those little moments where his restraint was slipping had me completely hooked.
Samira was another fantastic heroine. I love that the women in this series are strong, resilient and shaped by their trauma without it defining them. They don't wait for someone to save them—they allow themselves the time, patience and support to heal, which makes their journeys feel so rewarding.
And the caregiving scenes... absolutely breathtaking. One of my favourite underrated tropes and it was executed so beautifully here. I laughed, I cried, my heart ached and I genuinely didn't want this book to end.💜
Final Thoughts:
An emotional, angsty and beautifully written dark mafia romance with incredible characters, heartfelt healing and one of my favourite couples in the series. If you love protective heroes, trauma-healing romances and found family dynamics, this is one I can't recommend enough.
May 24, 2026
Please make sure to read the trigger warnings for this book as some parts are upsetting. Having said that this is a book i really couldn't stop reading. Samira fled her life finally ending up in Italy. How she's finally trying to live her life on her terms. Although she still tries to just blend in and be invisible as much as possible. Her life is routine, always taking the same streets walking home, always looking and listening for signs of danger. Until the memories slip in and takeover her. One night she ends up in the wrong street, then a closed off alley. Then they appear put of the shadows was this how she finally went. Marcello is still grieving his brothers death. He blames himself for not answering that call. Now running the club is supposed to help. But it doesn't. Still knowing he could and should have done better. Then he sees her in the alley, with four men laughing and pushing and overpowering her. His fury takes over, this is not something he can ignore. This is a story of personal choice. About being yourself. Not having to hide or disappear to feel safe. For Samira her choices had disappeared at a young age. Could she ever find herself. Will she ever be able to speak up for herself. Can Marcello protect her. Or will he make decisions for her as well. Will he ever accept that he can't take responsibility for everything. Is Samira ever going to escape the monsters. Just how far will Marcello go to make her feel safe. I can't wait for the next book in this series
June 8, 2026
My Heart Is Still Recovering
Besties... I know I should probably stop letting this series emotionally destroy me... but here we are. And honestly? I wouldn't have it any other way. 🤭
In "Beautiful Monsters" ... Marcello's story absolutely gutted me. I was already carrying heartbreak from Alessio's loss in the previous book, and then this story opened by punching me directly in the feelings with Samira's situation. 😳 From there, I was completely hooked.
Samira's backstory was heartbreaking, and seeing everything she survived made her one of the strongest characters in the series. She may appear fragile on the surface, but her resilience through every hardship was inspiring. I also adored Antonella. Everyone deserves a friend like her... the kind who shows up, protects you, and never lets you face the darkness alone. 🥰
Marcello was carrying so much guilt and grief that I could practically feel it radiating off the page. 🥺 Watching him struggle with his brother's death while dealing with the consequences of his choices created such an emotional journey.
The suspense in this book was incredible. Every time Samira's past started creeping back into the story, I found myself holding my breath. Iris T. Cannon has a way of pulling readers completely into the moment. Dark, emotional, intense, and impossible to put down, this series continues to own my entire heart. 😌
My Ratings: ⭐ 5/5 ▪︎ 🥵 2/5
🥀 My ratings and review are my own. For my rating scale breakdown, head over to my Goodreads &/or Amazon profile! 🖤
Besties... I know I should probably stop letting this series emotionally destroy me... but here we are. And honestly? I wouldn't have it any other way. 🤭
In "Beautiful Monsters" ... Marcello's story absolutely gutted me. I was already carrying heartbreak from Alessio's loss in the previous book, and then this story opened by punching me directly in the feelings with Samira's situation. 😳 From there, I was completely hooked.
Samira's backstory was heartbreaking, and seeing everything she survived made her one of the strongest characters in the series. She may appear fragile on the surface, but her resilience through every hardship was inspiring. I also adored Antonella. Everyone deserves a friend like her... the kind who shows up, protects you, and never lets you face the darkness alone. 🥰
Marcello was carrying so much guilt and grief that I could practically feel it radiating off the page. 🥺 Watching him struggle with his brother's death while dealing with the consequences of his choices created such an emotional journey.
The suspense in this book was incredible. Every time Samira's past started creeping back into the story, I found myself holding my breath. Iris T. Cannon has a way of pulling readers completely into the moment. Dark, emotional, intense, and impossible to put down, this series continues to own my entire heart. 😌
My Ratings: ⭐ 5/5 ▪︎ 🥵 2/5
🥀 My ratings and review are my own. For my rating scale breakdown, head over to my Goodreads &/or Amazon profile! 🖤
May 20, 2026
Im loving this series, and I'm so fortunate to have been able to read this far as ARC's.
Thanks to the author and Book sirens.
This is book two, but technically book three in the series, and if was awesome.
Marcello's epilogue pretty much says everything that needs to be said about this book, the poor man carries so much guilt. .....about just about everything, but mostly his brother's death. So, when he finds Samira in a dreadful state outside his club, he gives her some of his medication to calm her. But, when Samira awakens in Marcello's home, she can neither speak nor see.
Of course Marcello blames himself, for giving her medication not prescribed for her, so of course its his fault. More guilt to add to the ever growing pile!
All our characters from the previous books turn up, sometimes berating, but mostly helping Marcello, and his new interest.
Samira, it turns out has trauma of her own, hence the loss of voice and vision, its her safety net, and it gives her a way to bond, not only with Marcello, but the whole family, and of course, this is a romance, so the reader gets the much anticipated HEA.
Im really looking forward to the next book in the series,Beautiful Ruins. This will be RAZE AND IZZY'S story, and the sneak peak two chapters have got the anticipation pumping!
Thanks to the author and Book sirens.
This is book two, but technically book three in the series, and if was awesome.
Marcello's epilogue pretty much says everything that needs to be said about this book, the poor man carries so much guilt. .....about just about everything, but mostly his brother's death. So, when he finds Samira in a dreadful state outside his club, he gives her some of his medication to calm her. But, when Samira awakens in Marcello's home, she can neither speak nor see.
Of course Marcello blames himself, for giving her medication not prescribed for her, so of course its his fault. More guilt to add to the ever growing pile!
All our characters from the previous books turn up, sometimes berating, but mostly helping Marcello, and his new interest.
Samira, it turns out has trauma of her own, hence the loss of voice and vision, its her safety net, and it gives her a way to bond, not only with Marcello, but the whole family, and of course, this is a romance, so the reader gets the much anticipated HEA.
Im really looking forward to the next book in the series,Beautiful Ruins. This will be RAZE AND IZZY'S story, and the sneak peak two chapters have got the anticipation pumping!
July 27, 2026
The good parts for me is the plot and the back stories of the characters. I like that they are both going through their own healing journeys and I really liked that their connection was not just insta lust like so many of these kinds of books. What I did not enjoy was the how repetitive the book became in the middle. I felt in at least 2 occasions that I had somehow gone backwards because it was almost word for word something I already read. This book was also very heavy on telling not showing which was surprising because nothing really happened so I feel like the author had nothing but time to describe certain things. Like how any of them found out about any part of her past when we didn't see her tell anyone about any of it. It's one thing for them to speculate but they knew with certainty. Also, I would like to say that with the wording of chapter 3 it says she looked at what he held out and then opened her mouth that in my opinion was choice so if the author wanted to portray the scene otherwise I would suggest wrinting it how it was written in chapter 33 because that was completely different. Anyways, it was an enjoyable story overall that I know could have been a 5 star emotional read with a bit more effort on not just repeating the same things.
June 27, 2026
This series is emotional, and beautiful. Grief does something to a person and grief is different for everyone. After Marcello lost his little brother Alessio he is on a path of destruction. He is becoming a monster because he simply doesn't care anymore. He blames himself and keeps going back to the what if's.
Samira had a happy childhood until she lost her father. Then her happy childhood turned into darkness. She has known about and fear, how to make herself small and stay quiet. After escaping one prison she is learning to live for herself. But after a mistake leaves her trapped in an ally she freeze's and is on the verge of being attacked by some men. Marcello steps in and saves her, but when he notices she's not calming down he gives her something. But he wasn't prepared for the side effects, she can no longer see and its hard for her to speak.
But one thing is for certain when Marcello is around, she doesn't feel fear. Marcello now must look after Samira because Atlas told him too, but even if he didn't, he would still care for her. The emotions of this book is beautiful and its yet another great book by Iris!!
Samira had a happy childhood until she lost her father. Then her happy childhood turned into darkness. She has known about and fear, how to make herself small and stay quiet. After escaping one prison she is learning to live for herself. But after a mistake leaves her trapped in an ally she freeze's and is on the verge of being attacked by some men. Marcello steps in and saves her, but when he notices she's not calming down he gives her something. But he wasn't prepared for the side effects, she can no longer see and its hard for her to speak.
But one thing is for certain when Marcello is around, she doesn't feel fear. Marcello now must look after Samira because Atlas told him too, but even if he didn't, he would still care for her. The emotions of this book is beautiful and its yet another great book by Iris!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Two Beautiful Monsters is book 2 in the Beautifully Ruined series and is Samara and Marcello story. This book is dark, emotional, and intense. My heart completely shattered and slowly, methodically and intentionally put back together beautifully by the end. These characters and their journey is completely consuming and evokes such feelings and it's so hard to put down once you're done.
Marcello is so full of grief he forgets how to live. He loses the desire to go on.
"Loss doesn’t have to be the final thing that defines you. It doesn’t have to be the end of everything that comes after."
Then Samara. She's been so much trauma her entire life that she knows nothing different. Nothing but pain.
"I’m learning. Slowly. But I’m learning. What it means to sit without fear. What it means to laugh without waiting for it to be taken away. What it means to be loved."
Together they learn to heal. They learn it's ok to live, to move, to be happy and to love. Such a fantastic story and a great addition to this series.
Marcello is so full of grief he forgets how to live. He loses the desire to go on.
"Loss doesn’t have to be the final thing that defines you. It doesn’t have to be the end of everything that comes after."
Then Samara. She's been so much trauma her entire life that she knows nothing different. Nothing but pain.
"I’m learning. Slowly. But I’m learning. What it means to sit without fear. What it means to laugh without waiting for it to be taken away. What it means to be loved."
Together they learn to heal. They learn it's ok to live, to move, to be happy and to love. Such a fantastic story and a great addition to this series.
May 20, 2026
Absolutely gripping, I had to binge read, unable to tear my eyes away from my tablet. Marcello was guilt ridden and self-destructing after his brother's death. Samira fled from an abusive past. Two broken, damaged souls. Atlas gave him the club to center himself, but his rage was still out of control. He rescued Samira in an alley, brutally slaying her attackers, but her body had a trauma shutdown, leaving her blind and mute. With help of Antonella, his cousin, it's a slow process to recovery for the both of them. This was an emotional roller-coaster, brutal at times, pulled the heart strings, tears had to be blinked away many times, but I was totally engrossed till the end. Iris really nailed it with Marcello's storyline and I'm already excited to read about Raze Cavalho next. Can be read as a standalone, but reading the previous books will give insight on the family dynamics.
I received an advanced review copy and leave this review voluntary Thank you BookSirens
I received an advanced review copy and leave this review voluntary Thank you BookSirens
June 9, 2026
Iris has done it again. This story grabs you from the first page and with such vivid writing, character development and perfectly paced storyline, you feel like you are a invisible observer. This is not your usual Mafia story and not for the faint of heart. Samira has known nothing but pain, betrayal and fear for most of her life. Marcello is still reeling from the death of his younger brother and is full of anger. When he finds Samira behind his club, bloody and beaten, he gives her something to help calm her and takes her to his home. When she wakes up, she's blind, can't speak and doesn't remember anything. He enlists his cousin Tone, to help him. Now that she's in his home, she is under his protection. This is a responsibility he doesn't want but can't seem to let her go. What happens when Samira's past comes back for her? Will Marcello be able to save her? This is a definite Must Read! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
June 18, 2026
Beautiful Monsters hat mich von der ersten Seite an gefesselt. Die Geschichte um Marcello und Samira ist emotional, intensiv und gleichzeitig unglaublich spannend. Besonders die Dynamik zwischen den beiden entwickelt sich auf eine glaubwürdige Weise, geprägt von misstrauen, Schutzinstinkt und einer langsam wachsenden Nähe.
Samurai Situation sorgt für eine besondere Atmosphäre, die unter die Haut geht. Marcello wirkt zunächst kühl und gebrochen, zeigt nach und nach aber immer mehr Facetten seines Charakters. Die Autorin schafft es, düstere Themen mit emotionalen Momenten zu verbinden, ohne die Spannung zu verlieren.
Die Handlung bietet einige überraschende Wendungen und hält das Interesse bis zum Schluss aufrecht. Wer dark romance mit Geheimnissen, verletzten Charakteren und einer intensiven Geschichte mag, ist hier genau richtig.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Samurai Situation sorgt für eine besondere Atmosphäre, die unter die Haut geht. Marcello wirkt zunächst kühl und gebrochen, zeigt nach und nach aber immer mehr Facetten seines Charakters. Die Autorin schafft es, düstere Themen mit emotionalen Momenten zu verbinden, ohne die Spannung zu verlieren.
Die Handlung bietet einige überraschende Wendungen und hält das Interesse bis zum Schluss aufrecht. Wer dark romance mit Geheimnissen, verletzten Charakteren und einer intensiven Geschichte mag, ist hier genau richtig.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 17, 2026
I really liked this story and the way the author handled the trauma of both characters, especially Samira’s. I appreciated that the trauma wasn’t glossed over and that both the heroine and hero were given time to grow into themselves and truly discover each other. While Marcello had to learn how to cope with Alessio’s death, Samira had her own skeletons in the closet that she needed to heal from.
What I didn’t like was that we didn’t get to see much of them together. We only had one truly intimate scene where they genuinely opened up to each other. I also didn’t particularly enjoy the breakup, though I understand it was probably necessary in order for the villains to finally be punished.
I am really, really curious about Raze’s story!
Thank you to BookSirens and the author for this great book!
What I didn’t like was that we didn’t get to see much of them together. We only had one truly intimate scene where they genuinely opened up to each other. I also didn’t particularly enjoy the breakup, though I understand it was probably necessary in order for the villains to finally be punished.
I am really, really curious about Raze’s story!
Thank you to BookSirens and the author for this great book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2026
Wow, talk about intense.
Marcelo is the morally grey guy you don't know if you want to root for or not. He will do anything, and I don't mean anything to protect the ones he loves. And I know he really believes he has loved Samira from the very start. But I think it was his guilt and a little bit of self-preservation in the beginning.
And Samira was leaning towards Stockholm Syndrome at first. She found her strength and self-worth. Holy cow, the things she went through to get there will break your heart. She proved that sometimes it takes finding that one person to feel safe enough to find yourself again.
Beautiful Monsters definitely had me hooked from the start. You really should read the first book in the Beautifully Ruined series. And definitely check your triggers if you have any.
Marcelo is the morally grey guy you don't know if you want to root for or not. He will do anything, and I don't mean anything to protect the ones he loves. And I know he really believes he has loved Samira from the very start. But I think it was his guilt and a little bit of self-preservation in the beginning.
And Samira was leaning towards Stockholm Syndrome at first. She found her strength and self-worth. Holy cow, the things she went through to get there will break your heart. She proved that sometimes it takes finding that one person to feel safe enough to find yourself again.
Beautiful Monsters definitely had me hooked from the start. You really should read the first book in the Beautifully Ruined series. And definitely check your triggers if you have any.
June 4, 2026
This is the second book in the Beautifully Ruined series and it was an easy 5 star read and one that completely pulled me in from the very first chapter. The story perfectly blends emotional depth, tension, and romance, creating characters who feel flawed, complex, and impossible not to root for. The chemistry between the leads is electric, but what really stood out to me was how much heart the story had beneath all the drama and intensity. Every twist and emotional revelation felt meaningful, and I found myself completely invested in where the characters would end up. The pacing kept me turning pages late into the night, and the ending delivered the kind of payoff that makes the entire journey worth it. This is the kind of book that stays with you long after you've finished the last page.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 30, 2026
Beautiful Monsters is Book 2 in The Beautifully Ruined Series.
It is Marcello and Samira's story..
I had not read previous books prior to reading this, and I felt a bit behind things. Especially with Marcello and his grieving and self destruction. I felt if I had been there from the beginning I would have been more into his journey from the start and understood the back story more.
But even with that I eventually got there and Marcello's grief was palatable in the words and story.
Samira's story was gut-wrenching and so full of trauma and resilience and strength.
This story will pull on your soul and keep you up reading it.
It is low spice and make sure to read the trigger warnings before going into it.
I received an advance readers copy for free and am leaving a honest voluntary review.
It is Marcello and Samira's story..
I had not read previous books prior to reading this, and I felt a bit behind things. Especially with Marcello and his grieving and self destruction. I felt if I had been there from the beginning I would have been more into his journey from the start and understood the back story more.
But even with that I eventually got there and Marcello's grief was palatable in the words and story.
Samira's story was gut-wrenching and so full of trauma and resilience and strength.
This story will pull on your soul and keep you up reading it.
It is low spice and make sure to read the trigger warnings before going into it.
I received an advance readers copy for free and am leaving a honest voluntary review.
May 19, 2026
Oh wow amazing book. I loved the trauma aspect and how it was approached. Marcello and Samira were terrific characters.
When Samira was attacked, Mafia Enforcer Marcello happened upon the scene and saved her.
Marcello was not without his emotional trauma that affected his life. He was just surviving, grumpy but approachable. Yet Samira as damaged as she was, reached him in ways no one else could. But he reached her with his attention and kindness as well.
Beautifully written and I'm not just saying that. Almost poetic in writing, hard hitting when needed but showed the vulnerability of the characters as all.
Danger, drama and suspense. This romance was just beautiful and I enjoyed the book immensely.
When Samira was attacked, Mafia Enforcer Marcello happened upon the scene and saved her.
Marcello was not without his emotional trauma that affected his life. He was just surviving, grumpy but approachable. Yet Samira as damaged as she was, reached him in ways no one else could. But he reached her with his attention and kindness as well.
Beautifully written and I'm not just saying that. Almost poetic in writing, hard hitting when needed but showed the vulnerability of the characters as all.
Danger, drama and suspense. This romance was just beautiful and I enjoyed the book immensely.
May 24, 2026
Beautiful Monsters is the third story in the Beautifully Ruined series. It is well-written and emotional.
Marcello is devastated after the death of his younger brother. He was leaving a club and saw a woman being attacked. Samira had run away from her family and her terrible husband. When she is saved by Marcello, she wants to have her own say for her life. She no longer wants to be controlled.
I loved how Marcello saved Samira and how he felt this gave him purpose and a second chance after his brother's death. I loved the chemistry between them. Another great read from this talented author. I look forward to the next one.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Marcello is devastated after the death of his younger brother. He was leaving a club and saw a woman being attacked. Samira had run away from her family and her terrible husband. When she is saved by Marcello, she wants to have her own say for her life. She no longer wants to be controlled.
I loved how Marcello saved Samira and how he felt this gave him purpose and a second chance after his brother's death. I loved the chemistry between them. Another great read from this talented author. I look forward to the next one.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 24, 2026
This is a wonderful read. It is not easy going, and not everything is tied up in a beautiful bow, instead it is real. I think Samira is brave. She has been through so much, but still manages to try to live her life. She doesn’t back down, but is realistic in her approach and expectations.
Marcello is broken at the loss of his little brother. He isn’t aware of how Samira changes his life. There are pivotal moments in this book that has a huge impact and one of them is Marcello’s decision making. I won’t tell you what it is, but it is absorbing reading.
There are some hard-hitting tropes so please read the list before starting this book. If you feel you can read this book, you will be in for a wonderful read.
Marcello is broken at the loss of his little brother. He isn’t aware of how Samira changes his life. There are pivotal moments in this book that has a huge impact and one of them is Marcello’s decision making. I won’t tell you what it is, but it is absorbing reading.
There are some hard-hitting tropes so please read the list before starting this book. If you feel you can read this book, you will be in for a wonderful read.
June 11, 2026
What a sad tale this was. Our two main characters, Marcello and Samira are both broken by their lives. Him because he's grieving the loss of his brother, Alessio, and blames himself; her because she grieving the loss of the chance at a life not covered in fear.
They find each other when he saves her from being attacked by four men in an alley. The trauma, and drug that Marcello gave her, left her blind and mute. He takes her home and, together with his cousin, Tone, look after her.
During this time Marcello and Samira get to know each other and start to develop feelings.
How will this story play out? Do they get their happy ever after?.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
They find each other when he saves her from being attacked by four men in an alley. The trauma, and drug that Marcello gave her, left her blind and mute. He takes her home and, together with his cousin, Tone, look after her.
During this time Marcello and Samira get to know each other and start to develop feelings.
How will this story play out? Do they get their happy ever after?.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 17, 2026
Sometimes you need a monster to slay the other monsters.
Marcello is spiraling after Alessio's death (in the previous book, Beautiful Heir). He saves Samira from attackers one night outside his club. The consequences of that are that she is blind, can’t speak, and doesn’t remember him or how she got there.
I appreciate the way the story is written; there is no black or white, there’s a lot of grey. Marcello is a violent man, but Samira needs someone strong and capable of keeping her safe and protected. Marcello needs someone to anchor him, to give him a purpose. Samira does that, but also makes him grow, learn, to not cage her but to give her choices.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Marcello is spiraling after Alessio's death (in the previous book, Beautiful Heir). He saves Samira from attackers one night outside his club. The consequences of that are that she is blind, can’t speak, and doesn’t remember him or how she got there.
I appreciate the way the story is written; there is no black or white, there’s a lot of grey. Marcello is a violent man, but Samira needs someone strong and capable of keeping her safe and protected. Marcello needs someone to anchor him, to give him a purpose. Samira does that, but also makes him grow, learn, to not cage her but to give her choices.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
Marcello is drowning in grief and anger at the loss of his youngest brother and just living day by day with no purpose, until he comes to the aid of Samira, cornered behind the club he takes care of the problem only to end with another she doesnt remember and she needs protection so he takes her in, only shes running from her past and abusive family and arranged marriage, and when memories return will the burning desire that built between them still rage of extinguish under new preasures? Well written grest characters and story with desires action, violence, protective morally grey hero, dark themes, trauma and more.
May 18, 2026
Book 3 of Beautifully Ruined. Can be read as a standalone.
'Because when her memories return…so will the truth.
And she’ll have to decide whether the man who saved her…
Is the one she should have feared all along.'
The characters carried the story and they were very compelling and complicated and absolutely perfect together. Plot was intriguing and intense and well paced. World building was excellent and expertly drawn. Another great addition to the series. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend!
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy the read!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
'Because when her memories return…so will the truth.
And she’ll have to decide whether the man who saved her…
Is the one she should have feared all along.'
The characters carried the story and they were very compelling and complicated and absolutely perfect together. Plot was intriguing and intense and well paced. World building was excellent and expertly drawn. Another great addition to the series. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend!
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy the read!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 18, 2026
The what ifs events that happen in your life shape a lot of decisions that you make. What if I turned right instead of left, what if I chose to do this. This is what drives Marcello in his journey after the events of the last book. This deep seated need to want to fix things has broken apart of him. This broken version of him leads him to Samira. Samira has her own trauma which gets exponentially worse after her attack.
This book is heartbreaking and really makes you feel for both of them. Especially Marcello since we all have some situation we wish we could have handled differently at the time.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book is heartbreaking and really makes you feel for both of them. Especially Marcello since we all have some situation we wish we could have handled differently at the time.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 17, 2026
For second born Cavalho brother Marcello, saving Samira means a new world for her, but also a whole new twist on things for him. As with previous books in the series, this is beautifully written from both MCs POVs. There is some heavy topics so check your triggers if needed, but they are so well covered in a gentle type of way, not stark and harsh (everything is nuanced just so, not over or underdone).
I think this is a series that reads best in order, to get the best understanding of the flow of events discussed. Beautifully done again!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I think this is a series that reads best in order, to get the best understanding of the flow of events discussed. Beautifully done again!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What an absolutely brilliant story of loss and love. Two broken people trying to survive the best they can who meet under devastating circumstances and the story slowly unfolds from their.
The author rights this story as if she has experienced both sides of loss either personally or professionally.
The characters are well written and developed throughout the book. It’s worth the five stars I’ve given in my option and would recommend reading this.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The author rights this story as if she has experienced both sides of loss either personally or professionally.
The characters are well written and developed throughout the book. It’s worth the five stars I’ve given in my option and would recommend reading this.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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