Oh wow, book two was just mind blowing. Thank you for such a great book and having me as an ARC reader. Book two picked up from where book one left off. The possessiveness of Alexie had my heart studdering all through the book. Had me saying awe with a smile on my face. I love how Maggie is a very powerful FMC in this story. And how she made the family better. This book was finished in just over 24 hours. It had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Great story development and character building from the start. Spicy thrown in between the hard parts helped break up the emotional scenes. Could not put this book down, a definite must read.
I don’t think it was necessary for this to be two books. It just dragged it out. It was obvious how the big bad and the dead wife were connected. These are supposed to be to be leaders of an international crime syndicate and it takes them that damn long to figure it out? They can’t even make moves based on an educated guess?
Everyone’s in danger, but we’re gonna keep going to a dog shelter that can’t be defended and continually make choices that had to go against the idea of safety?
The dead wife’s fake last name and the house keepers last name were the same. Are we running low on last names for characters?
I’m so tired of FMC that are written with no common sense or self preservation as if that means they are “independent”. Book one was okay, but book two brought the overall issues with the narrative front and center.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I voluntarily reviewed "WHAT HE KEEPS" given freely from the author which had me from the start so full of intrigue, danger, mystery, secrets, surprises, betrayal, emotional drama, sizzling chemistry, plenty of action keeping you on edge. Maggie's at the shelter with Irina, Victor & Ivy when it's attacked Luka presses fabric against Victor's wound barking orders then Alexei appears to see Maggie covered in blood saving Ivy as Irina is dead, Papa cries Ivy he says Maggie in a rough voice emotion written all over his face & hugs Ivy. Maggie yells Alexei that they tried to take Ivy, the lethal control in his face sends fear down her spine, we caught one of the attackers he says. Sirens scream EMT's & Savannah Police arrive they know who Alexei Apgapov is & back off, Roman's men arrive as well as Jules half out of his mind, Maggie he shouts I'm OK it's not my blood, he hugs her. Luca tells Maggie he'll check on the animals in shelter feeling bad he left & she almost died, Alexei says he have his men stay with him Ivy clings to Maggie, is Irina hurt, how do you tell a 6yr old someone died trying to protect her. Maggie tells Ivy that Irina went to heaven tonight her face crumbles NO I want Irina she cries. Alexei tells Maggie the attacker they captured died taking a cyanide pill before being questioned. Alexei tells Maggie hes going home with him so he can keep her safe arriving Winston & Daisy both dogs go straight to Ivy. Luca tells Alexei that Maggie is handling things well it's for Ivy he says, you aren't leaving Ivy asks no I'm staying promise yes. Alexei use to handling problems, power, money, men, violence, but watching Maggie with Ivy he sees the grief & fear she's trying to hide, are you ok no,I'm worried about Ivy me to, why would anyone try to take her. Maggie spends weeks with Ivy & Alexei the nightmares still have her looking for Maggie, things have changed between her & Alexei, giving her a surprise. Will Alexei & Maggie survive the enemies who know she's carrying his heir to get a HEA it's a page turner you don't ant to miss you so won't be disappointed.
What He Keeps by Kat Steele is the second book in the Silent Sins: Agapov Bratva series.
After the horrifying attack on the rescue center, everyone is left shaken, especially Ivy and Maggie. Alexei is more determined than ever to find out who is behind the attacks and why they're targeting them. While the entire Bratva is searching for answers, Maggie refuses to sit back and do nothing. She returns to the rescue center because she genuinely cares about the animals and the people who work there. As the attacks continue, the stakes keep getting higher, and they have to uncover the truth before something even worse happens.
I definitely recommend reading the first book before starting this one since the story picks up right where it left off.
This sequel has even more suspense and action than the first book. There are still a few funny moments and plenty of chemistry between the characters, but the focus is much more on the danger and the emotional journey. The tension kept me hooked, and I couldn't wait to see how everything would unfold. I also loved seeing the characters grow as they faced one challenge after another.
My favorite scene was Ivy's dance rehearsal. It was such a memorable moment and a nice break from all the intensity.
Overall, I think this was the perfect ending to Alexei and Maggie's story. If you enjoy billionaire Bratva romances filled with suspense, danger, romance, and strong emotional moments, I definitely recommend giving this series a try.
This book is a continuation of Alexei and Maggie’s story from the first book. We started off with the Second Chance Savannah being attach by the people who wanted to kidnap Izy and thankfully Maggie was able to defend her, although she suffered some heavy scratches. Unfortunately, we also lost a very good friend of ours.
This is the first time I’ve read a duet book and yes it’s THAT GOOD. Ever since the first book I was unable to stop reading, and all characters had me hooked from the start. We have Alexei who’s the ‘all in’ type ever since he met Maggie. There was no other woman from him and that’s what I love the most from this story. There was no scene where Alexei fked with another woman before realising he’s in love with Maggie.
Then, our sweet and strong Maggie. A woman who definitely will always put others first before herself— be it either humans or animals. Despite facing many injuries and traumatic experiences, she never stopped caring for the animals at the shelters or the people around her.
We also have the sweet and amazing Jules, Maggie’s gay best friend. Istg his character is my most favourite— the way he understands Maggie loyalty and the use of humor whenever things get too serious. We could always depend on Jules on making any situation seem less scary.
Lastly, our sweet young Izy. My heart goes out to her— being targeted by others despite being only 6 years old, no child should go through what she did.
The second book picks up exactly where the first book ended. After a attempted kidnapping that ended with violence, Ivy won’t let Maggie out of her sight, so Maggie agrees to move in with Ivy and Alexei. The book does a good job of having the adult characters respect a child’s anguish instead of glossing over it. The trauma was also the catalyst to progress Maggie’s and Alexei’s relationship. Of course just because she moved in doesn’t mean the danger toward Maggie stopped, in fact, quite the opposite was true. The attempts continue, clouding whether Ivy or Maggie or both are the intended target.
Although I figured out who the bad guy was in the first book, that knowledge didn’t take away from the story. I was a bit irritated it took so long for Alexei and Roman to figure it out, but given a child was involved I understood their need to go slow and be 100% certain. The big showdown was a bit anticlimactic, but it was satisfying and wrapped everything up with a nice little bow. But we got more of Jules and Maggie’s mom, along with lots of sassy Ivy which was enjoyable.
Overall, a nice mafia light duet worth giving a read.
So a decent ending to this duet. Would I race out and read this author again tomorrow...no but I wouldn't scratch her from my list. I liked the storyline and the characters...to be honest I was hoping that Jules and Alexei's right hand man (Luka, Nika,...whatever) had their own little side story and would end up a couple... Once again the prattle between Maggie and Jules just was nonsense, as were the antics of the animals at the shelter .It was just page filler. I liked the character of Jules but if he wasn't going to have his own side story(or be a bad guy...so glad he wasn't), then he really didn't add alot other than being her best friend.... But ...my biggest pick was the name Bennett. Mrs. Bennett was the housekeeper. Often called by her first name Agatha , especially in the 2nd book. that was all good until they shared that Alexei's late wife's "maiden" name was Bennett....no connection between her and the house keeper. There was the Bennett foundation which appears to be where she pulled her name from? WHY were there two characters with the same last name...with no connection. Is this poor editing or did I actually miss something. there was one point I actually went back and reread because i thought I missed a character. Am I wrong? Oh well...HEA so its all good I guess. could have been shorter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
What He Keeps picks up where book one left off, so it was easy to settle back into the story.
I like Kat Steele’s writing style. It’s easy to read and has a smooth flow, which kept me turning the pages.
I did feel the book was a little too long. The identity and connection could have been discovered much sooner. Given they’re Bratva, it felt like they spent too much time going around in circles before the mystery was finally uncovered.
I enjoyed the main characters and the found family dynamic. They genuinely care about one another, and those moments were some of my favourite parts of the book.
I would have liked more meaningful interactions between Maggie and Alexei. They seemed to spend a lot of the story apart, with Maggie at the pet rescue sanctuary and Alexei at work, so I didn’t feel like there was enough time spent developing their relationship.
Overall, this is a readable sequel, although I preferred the first book. Thank you to the author for the ARC. This is my honest, voluntary review.
I am once again very happy and very sad after reading “What He Keeps”. The joy at how the story ended and the sadness that it is over. I can’t say enough about how much I loved getting to witness the truly loving friendship between Maggie and Jules! The support Jules provides had me in tears. Maggie loves hard for anyone in her life and (without revealing anything) when she takes care of Jules, I was in tears again! Maggie and Ivy, I can’t imagine the pain Ivy went through, but Maggie loves hard so being there for Ivy is just who she is to everyone. Maggie and Alexei, what can I say but amazing chemistry between the two of them. The expansion of their love story in book 2 is so heartfelt and HOT! The care that Alexei takes of his girls made me swoon! Thanks, Kat, for an amazing ending. Oh yeah as a dog lover….I love any storyline that includes fur babies!
I love the southern sayings in this book. “He looks at you like you’re the last biscuit at Sunday dinner.” So many good ones. I can’t say how many times I laughed while reading this book. The way Jules and Maggie banter is hilarious. The suspense in this story kept me interested and invested. I have one bone to pick with the author, however. Spoiler: when mentioning that Isabelle has Clara’s eyes, that’s not possible. Isabelle is her mother, therefore, Clara had Isabelle’s eyes. I find authors make that mistake too often, and it’s always disappointing to me. I did enjoy this book, and it wrapped up everything from the first one. The spicy scenes were again well written. Also, who can go wrong with animals and a precocious Ivy?
I did not like the book for a couple reasons the first one being I didn’t like how Maggie sounded like my grandma at times . I understand that the author was trying to make her sound southern, but I’m southern there are things that Maggie said that only my grandmother would say so I strongly disliked that about the character, note light spoiler head. I strongly disliked how she went back into a burning building, knowing that she was pregnant and she could get trapped in the building and the smoke could harm her and her baby I just and in all think this was not a very good character building and I read this second book thinking that it would get better and it just got progressively worse
What He Craves and What He Keeps is an excellent two-book Russian Mafia set. The author Kat Steele perfectly blended the intense danger of the Russian Mafia with the light-hearted antics of shelter dogs and cats and the growing attraction of two souls from entirely different worlds. At the center of the story is an adorable six-year-old girl spreading her love everywhere.
These two books keep moving at the speed of light and I don't think I breathed much through the intensity of What He Keeps. All of the characters are believable and their interactions draw you into the story. And the epilogue available completes the family's story. I definitely recommend this two-book set.
This didn’t need to be two books. Book 1 was fine but this one dragged for me. I was so over the longggg shelter scenes where Mr. Pickles once again escapes and finds bread somewhere or Jules decides to be witty in scary circumstances. I also didn’t understand why Maggie KEPT GOING BACK TO THE SHELTER. Pretty sure she didn’t need to be there when they were literally just working on rebuilding, she could’ve made decisions NOT on-site all day every day. It’s frustrating when duets aren’t necessary. Or at the very least, it probably should’ve been like 600-700 pages total as opposed to 900+ I just stopped caring because it all seemed like more of the same, which is a shame because I really did enjoy the first book. The writing was decent, so I’d try another book by this author in the future!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The second book continues the story of Maggie, Alexei, and their charming little girl—a story that was so sad in its early chapters, thrilling as new developments unfolded, and, though somewhat predictable in its resolution, no less tense and exciting as it unfolded. I love Maggie’s willpower, her tenacity, and her affection for a little girl who has her wrapped around her little finger, as well as her love for a man who, behind his mask of impassivity, reveals the tenderness and love he shows to those he truly cares about. Congratulations to the author for taking me on a journey filled with both joy and anguish—but with a perfect ending. Review of advance copy received from Author
Tears of laughter and emotional ones too. Loved this book, the story was great but the characters were absolutely outstanding, every one of the good guys especially contributed so much to the narrative, the banter between the main characters really did make me chuckle. I have decided I want a gay best friend like Jules, any/all of the dogs but mostly oooooooeeeeeee can I please have an Alexei?!!! Damn that man is scrumptious. One of my favourite stories I've read recently and I read a lot - Roman next please please pretty please....
This 2 book series was beautiful, full of humor, love/steam & a family that starts developing from the beginning. Of course there is angst & suspense, terrific supporting characters but I loved the fact the MMC & MFC worked through their problems, supported each other, no walking away during the story acting immature. I don't usually leave reviews but this story really was complete, including the wonderful, unhurried epilogue. Looking forward to reading this again & I hope Kat has an upcoming story for Roman, keeping my fingers crossed.
I usually I don’t read 2 part books. But I never thought I would get to the end of one and almost cried because I didn’t think book 2 was out yet. Thank goodness for me that it was. This was not your usual Bratva story. The concept was new and the southern humor was fabulous. I never expected the humor which made the story really interesting. If you have a chance let all the great characters take you for a ride! You won’t be disappointed!
This was a fantastic book series Maggie’s apartment is searched. No one knows by whom. Alexi has her move into the mansion. Then there’s a fire at the shelter. Ivy is almost kidnapped but Iran’s is killed. Maggie and her assistant get trapped in the fire. Alexi saves both Maggie and the assistant. Maggie finds out she’s pregnant. This is a phenomenal series. Didn’t want it to end. Arc book
So picking up where book 1 left off. There's this totally unhinged woman who just can't accept decisions that aren't hers to make, you know? She's throwing her money and connections around thinking she's gonna get whatever she wants. But man, she's leaving a whole mess of destruction in her wake. She's bracing for a fight coming at her from everywhere. But hey, family's got your back no matter what.
This book was better than the first. I liked that it picked up immediately where the other left off so there’s was no need for repetition in the first chapters. Characters were good and I loved the dog personalities and antics in both books. The only part I did not like was the timeline and the pregnancy. Felt rushed and I kept thinking I needed to re read because it didn’t fit right. Would recommend for a quick enjoyable read
This book was a great end to Maggie and Alexi's story. Picking up right where it left off the story has twists and turns. The love that Maggie is feeling with the hint of danger that seems to always surround them. She finds that she loves Alexi and Ivy more that she ever thought she could. When the person behind the danger is finally revealed Maggie walks right in with both eyes open and right by Alexi's side. This is a must read.
Book 2 in the Silent Sins: Agapov Bratva series is What He Keeps and it picks up Alexei, Ivy and Maggie's journey from What He Craves. Everything about What He Keeps is more. More intense, more dangerous, more dramatic, more exciting and definitely more consuming. This is absolutely a must read duet!
The conclusion of the Silent Sins: Agapov Bratva. This is more a family story than book one. It goes deeper into the family dynamic. A wonderful next chapter. This didn't feel as if there was duet but more different story with the same family. I received a copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Loved that this one picked up exactly where book one ended. Stayed on the edge of my seat in this one. Would love to know more about Roman. The romantic growth of Alexei made me smile. So glad of the HEA. Relieved that was an extended epilogue. I love knowing “years down the road”. The softness of the Pakhan when surrounded by family always makes me happy. Hated to finish it.
This is the second book in the series featuring Jules and Maggie. It gives you everything you want out of a dark romance. It had suspense, banter, chemistry, angst, and wonderful characters that are perfect together. It also has humor which you don’t always see in dark romances. The story tied up all the loose ends to make the story complete. Interesting and entertaining read.
Even though it is a 2 part book. Book 1 ends in a cliffhanger. I loved both books. The emotions, the love, the family, the suspense. I loved Jules and all the animals. But my favorite will always be Ivy. She is the sweetest girl ever. This book made me cry, at good parts and sad parts. Read book 1 first, to enjoy book 2.
I love Magnolia and her strong will power . Her love for others before herself and her love for Ivy . Ugh I love their love . He’s so patient with her . He loves her in such a gentle way even though he is who he is . I wish it didn’t end too quickly 😭
AMAZING. WOW this book is amazing. I was gripped all thay through. Nothing of woth fighting for more than love and thats exactly what this story shows. The story is suspenseful, romantic and full of action. Everything a good romamace book need. I would definitely recommend this book.
I absolutely enjoyed the second installment to this series. I love the characters. I love the female, mainly whose banter and comebacks are perfectly written, and God knows that I love a very, very possessive man.
Book 2. We are back with Maggie and Alexei. The story picks up right where book 1 left us. What started as a sad story ended up showing how love grows and shows itself in different ways. What a great ending. As always the side characters add so much depth. Spice is 🌶️🌶️🌶️ and stars are 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟