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The Void Kings #2
Ghost Ribbon
I was supposed to survive college unnoticed.
Keep my head down. Get my degree. Disappear before anyone remembered my name.
Then Alexei Morozov noticed me.
The coldest monster on campus.
The Russian mafia’s favorite weapon.
One of the Void Kings.
He doesn’t have a heart.
He doesn’t know mercy.
And he never asks for permission.
I know loving him is a mistake. Because monsters don’t love. They consume.
And Alexei Morozov won’t stop until there’s nothing left of me.
This is a dark M/M romance. It can be read as a standalone and is guaranteed to have a happy ending.
Keep my head down. Get my degree. Disappear before anyone remembered my name.
Then Alexei Morozov noticed me.
The coldest monster on campus.
The Russian mafia’s favorite weapon.
One of the Void Kings.
He doesn’t have a heart.
He doesn’t know mercy.
And he never asks for permission.
I know loving him is a mistake. Because monsters don’t love. They consume.
And Alexei Morozov won’t stop until there’s nothing left of me.
This is a dark M/M romance. It can be read as a standalone and is guaranteed to have a happy ending.
457 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 14, 2026
About the author
Melysia M.
3 books51 followersMelysia writes dark romance filled with characters who desperately need therapy but would rather fall in love instead. When she's not plotting emotional damage for fictional people, she's usually reading MM romances, binge-watching BLs, and adding far too many books to her TBR.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
I am in Disneyland, the happiest place on earth, and I still cried.
How do I even begin to describe this book?
When I read the blurb, I didn’t expect such a heartbreakingly beautiful, emotional story. I am speechless.
The story literally made me cry in the first chapter.
The plot, the characters, the character development, the writing style, the spice, the setup for the next book - everything was *chef’s kiss*.
This book is the second book in the Void Kings series but can be read as a standalone, which is what I did.
I usually feel like reading the previous books first is a huge added value, but in this case I never felt like I was missing something. I will definitely be reading Phantom Flower next though.
(I received this book as an ARC and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
How do I even begin to describe this book?
When I read the blurb, I didn’t expect such a heartbreakingly beautiful, emotional story. I am speechless.
The story literally made me cry in the first chapter.
The plot, the characters, the character development, the writing style, the spice, the setup for the next book - everything was *chef’s kiss*.
This book is the second book in the Void Kings series but can be read as a standalone, which is what I did.
I usually feel like reading the previous books first is a huge added value, but in this case I never felt like I was missing something. I will definitely be reading Phantom Flower next though.
(I received this book as an ARC and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
August 7, 2026
A must read definitely my favorite out of the series so far and when a book makes me cry I know it’s good the characters in this book loved each other so much I love a I’ll do anything for you mmc especially in an dark mm romance
August 21, 2026
PAIN 😭 such a beautiful story. possessive, toxic but at the same time a feel good story? I don’t even know how to explain it. I’m obsessed with these books and literally cannot wait for the third 😭😭
August 15, 2026
Content Warnings (including spoilers) at end of review.
This book. This book broke me and then put me back together. I SOBBED. SOBBED for at least 40% of the book. I read this in one day and stayed up until 3:00am to finish it. I just had to make sure they got their happy ending. I mean I literally had to go check the blurb again and make sure it was going to happen.
This book was beautiful. The writing was immaculate. The deep love was poetic. I knew I would love it from the very first chapter. Marco’s description of stars was so unique. I was obsessed immediately.
Alexei became my favorite character, tied with Marco of course. He LOVED Marco. An obsessive yet pure love that no one could match. Marco deserved that love. The first 60% was Marco and Alexei building their relationship. It made me sad how much Marco feared Alexei at first so I was glad when he realized Alexei adored him.
Gosh the writing was amazing. The way this author writes love is beyond. You could literally feel the MCs love projected from the page. The way she writes grief is devastating. I could barely breathe through the sobbing. The way Alexei took care of Marco was so lovely. I can never read this book again, my heart just can’t take it. But I don’t regret reading it at all. It was perfection beginning to end. I rarely say that about books but this one was so good.
I loved her first book, truly, but this one stole my heart. My only wish was that we got more scenes of Alexei and Marco being happy after Marco’s surgery. I just want to experience them doing well. Hopefully we get to see that in Ilya and Kento’s book.
I wish Rei would have found out sooner. I do find it a little hard to believe that Marco’s parents would allow him to stay with Alexei when he was declining. I’m glad they did of course because Alexei took good care of him.
I LOVED how obsessed Alexei was with stars. Like he majored in astronomy because the little boy with ribbons in his hair inspired him🥹. Not to mention the tattoos covering him and how he stared at the stars every night.
Oh my gosh Marco’s letter. I don’t want to spoil it but be prepared to BAWL.
I was not surprised in the least what Alexei did to save Marco. I was actually expecting him to do it a lot sooner. I’m not even mad at him. Marco had to live.
I will say the mafia theme was minimal in this book. It really focused on Alexei and Marco. I’m not complaining AT ALL just putting that out there in case someone is expecting a hard core mafia book. Even if that’s what you want though, I still encourage you to read this. The writing alone is worth it, not to mention the beautiful characters. Of course check your trigger warnings though.
Anyway I may have more to say but these are my thoughts at 3:00am right after finishing it. I just had to talk it out.
✨Happy reading✨
Some Content Warnings below (‼️MAJOR SPOILERS‼️)
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
Chronic heart condition of MC/Chronic pain
Momentary death of MC (his heart stops but he’s brought back)
Heavy themes of grief and loss (MC will be okay I promise)
Loss of parents (MC; A few brief mentions, no grief involved)
MC w/anti social personality disorder
Body insecurity (MC)
Needles (not graphic just treatment)
SC with diabetes (not graphic but emotional)
MCs family struggling with money
Mass Murder of innocents by MC for MC (no graphic description)
Bullying, brief mentions of homophobia
CNC
No safe words
Light BDSM (MC tied up & spanking)
Light mafia themes
Torture (a little graphic, not done by MC)
MC forcing himself into others MCs life
This book. This book broke me and then put me back together. I SOBBED. SOBBED for at least 40% of the book. I read this in one day and stayed up until 3:00am to finish it. I just had to make sure they got their happy ending. I mean I literally had to go check the blurb again and make sure it was going to happen.
This book was beautiful. The writing was immaculate. The deep love was poetic. I knew I would love it from the very first chapter. Marco’s description of stars was so unique. I was obsessed immediately.
Alexei became my favorite character, tied with Marco of course. He LOVED Marco. An obsessive yet pure love that no one could match. Marco deserved that love. The first 60% was Marco and Alexei building their relationship. It made me sad how much Marco feared Alexei at first so I was glad when he realized Alexei adored him.
Gosh the writing was amazing. The way this author writes love is beyond. You could literally feel the MCs love projected from the page. The way she writes grief is devastating. I could barely breathe through the sobbing. The way Alexei took care of Marco was so lovely. I can never read this book again, my heart just can’t take it. But I don’t regret reading it at all. It was perfection beginning to end. I rarely say that about books but this one was so good.
I loved her first book, truly, but this one stole my heart. My only wish was that we got more scenes of Alexei and Marco being happy after Marco’s surgery. I just want to experience them doing well. Hopefully we get to see that in Ilya and Kento’s book.
I wish Rei would have found out sooner. I do find it a little hard to believe that Marco’s parents would allow him to stay with Alexei when he was declining. I’m glad they did of course because Alexei took good care of him.
I LOVED how obsessed Alexei was with stars. Like he majored in astronomy because the little boy with ribbons in his hair inspired him🥹. Not to mention the tattoos covering him and how he stared at the stars every night.
Oh my gosh Marco’s letter. I don’t want to spoil it but be prepared to BAWL.
I was not surprised in the least what Alexei did to save Marco. I was actually expecting him to do it a lot sooner. I’m not even mad at him. Marco had to live.
I will say the mafia theme was minimal in this book. It really focused on Alexei and Marco. I’m not complaining AT ALL just putting that out there in case someone is expecting a hard core mafia book. Even if that’s what you want though, I still encourage you to read this. The writing alone is worth it, not to mention the beautiful characters. Of course check your trigger warnings though.
Anyway I may have more to say but these are my thoughts at 3:00am right after finishing it. I just had to talk it out.
✨Happy reading✨
Some Content Warnings below (‼️MAJOR SPOILERS‼️)
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
Chronic heart condition of MC/Chronic pain
Momentary death of MC (his heart stops but he’s brought back)
Heavy themes of grief and loss (MC will be okay I promise)
Loss of parents (MC; A few brief mentions, no grief involved)
MC w/anti social personality disorder
Body insecurity (MC)
Needles (not graphic just treatment)
SC with diabetes (not graphic but emotional)
MCs family struggling with money
Mass Murder of innocents by MC for MC (no graphic description)
Bullying, brief mentions of homophobia
CNC
No safe words
Light BDSM (MC tied up & spanking)
Light mafia themes
Torture (a little graphic, not done by MC)
MC forcing himself into others MCs life
August 15, 2026
I'm not even sure I can get through writing this review without crying! Many books have made me emotional, few have had me sobbing into my pillow at 4am 😭
I had already fallen completely in love with Marco whilst reading Phantom Flower and the wait between finishing that and starting Ghost Ribbons felt entirely too long - a whole 24 hours because I devoured PF so quickly, I had mis-timed being able to read them back to back.
The book starts with Alexei recounting the story of his personality disorders diagnosis and a tale from his childhood, and how he met Marco. This in itself is possibly one of the sweetest and most emotional meet-cutes that leaves you hungry for more. We then have the time jump to how the two are brought back into each other's orbits. This part of the story is your typical Mafia man sets his sights on the innocent boy with the ribbons in his hair and declares he's "mine". There are some comedy moments during this time that made me laugh. I particularly enjoyed the scenes including Alexei and his two cousins and between Marco and Ilya.
Much like Alexei, their original meeting is pushed to the darkest recesses of your mind and you're wondering how there is still another 60% of the book left. Whilst not a plot twist because it was basically fed to you in the opening chapters, like the MCs, you just pretend the bad stuff isn't going to happen...until it does. And then the tears started. I'm not being overly dramatic. The way the author wrote this part of the story will utterly destroy you. The emotions pouring from the page. The love and care between Alexei and Marco. The hopelessness. And then the big bad Mafia Man moment. He doesn't quite burn down the world for his man....no...what he does is far more effective. Oh how my heart took flight after that.
I would have liked more of the HEA beyond this point but the last part of the book moved fairly swiftly in setting us up for the next installment (which again I cannot wait for) but I don't actually think we could have been shown any more than had already been written about the depths of the love these two share
I had already fallen completely in love with Marco whilst reading Phantom Flower and the wait between finishing that and starting Ghost Ribbons felt entirely too long - a whole 24 hours because I devoured PF so quickly, I had mis-timed being able to read them back to back.
The book starts with Alexei recounting the story of his personality disorders diagnosis and a tale from his childhood, and how he met Marco. This in itself is possibly one of the sweetest and most emotional meet-cutes that leaves you hungry for more. We then have the time jump to how the two are brought back into each other's orbits. This part of the story is your typical Mafia man sets his sights on the innocent boy with the ribbons in his hair and declares he's "mine". There are some comedy moments during this time that made me laugh. I particularly enjoyed the scenes including Alexei and his two cousins and between Marco and Ilya.
Much like Alexei, their original meeting is pushed to the darkest recesses of your mind and you're wondering how there is still another 60% of the book left. Whilst not a plot twist because it was basically fed to you in the opening chapters, like the MCs, you just pretend the bad stuff isn't going to happen...until it does. And then the tears started. I'm not being overly dramatic. The way the author wrote this part of the story will utterly destroy you. The emotions pouring from the page. The love and care between Alexei and Marco. The hopelessness. And then the big bad Mafia Man moment. He doesn't quite burn down the world for his man....no...what he does is far more effective. Oh how my heart took flight after that.
I would have liked more of the HEA beyond this point but the last part of the book moved fairly swiftly in setting us up for the next installment (which again I cannot wait for) but I don't actually think we could have been shown any more than had already been written about the depths of the love these two share
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2026
4.5/5. I liked the first book in the trilogy. But I loved this book. Thank you author for listening to your readers and expanding on the things we pointed out being short in your first book.
Alexei and his little star Marco were amazing to read and it made me cry reading in the second half of the book.
I'm looking forward to Kento and Ilya's book. As well as Luca's book.
Keep up the good work author ❣️
Alexei and his little star Marco were amazing to read and it made me cry reading in the second half of the book.
I'm looking forward to Kento and Ilya's book. As well as Luca's book.
Keep up the good work author ❣️
August 17, 2026
I’m an ARC READER😭💚✨
But unfortunately I did not saw my spam😭so until yesterday I found that I had the privilege of reading this.
Obviously it took me ONE SINGLE DAY to finish this MASTERPIECE.
First, this was a 5 star book⭐️, the story was SO GOOD, the pace was smooth, the LOVE was SWEET AND BEAUTIFUL, the SPICE was SO F*CKING HOT and my pain was OFF CHARTS.
Melysia has an INCREDIBLE TALENT to hook me up with her books every single time, this was no exception. I love the world she created and I’m feeling overwhelmed because all the love I experienced through this book.
Alexei and Marco were two beautiful souls that settled in my heart and squeezed it with an enormous force. And I hope one day I can experiment a love that deep. My tears obviously won’t stopped falling and my smile was as wide as the ocean.
This IS a dark romance, but like I said before (when I read Phantom Flower), the pages are folded with such a care and sweetness you forget you’re reading dark things (until you’re reminded😱).
Everything Mel writes I will be diligently reading it.💞✨🙏🏻
I CAN NOT WAIT FOR ILLYA’S BOOK BECAUSE I AM FERAL!!!!
But unfortunately I did not saw my spam😭so until yesterday I found that I had the privilege of reading this.
Obviously it took me ONE SINGLE DAY to finish this MASTERPIECE.
First, this was a 5 star book⭐️, the story was SO GOOD, the pace was smooth, the LOVE was SWEET AND BEAUTIFUL, the SPICE was SO F*CKING HOT and my pain was OFF CHARTS.
Melysia has an INCREDIBLE TALENT to hook me up with her books every single time, this was no exception. I love the world she created and I’m feeling overwhelmed because all the love I experienced through this book.
Alexei and Marco were two beautiful souls that settled in my heart and squeezed it with an enormous force. And I hope one day I can experiment a love that deep. My tears obviously won’t stopped falling and my smile was as wide as the ocean.
This IS a dark romance, but like I said before (when I read Phantom Flower), the pages are folded with such a care and sweetness you forget you’re reading dark things (until you’re reminded😱).
Everything Mel writes I will be diligently reading it.💞✨🙏🏻
I CAN NOT WAIT FOR ILLYA’S BOOK BECAUSE I AM FERAL!!!!
August 15, 2026
He would burn the world down for his star.
My heart.. wow. And I thought the first book was good but this one??? MY GOD. Marco & Alexei are destined/fated mates if I’ve ever seen them. The way Alexei talked and how he felt about Marco was some of the most beautiful writing I’ve ever read. Everything was so beautiful even when it wasn’t.. their tragedies were even laced in a layer or grace and beauty.
Alexei would have burned the entire earth down to protect the smile on Marco’s face.. that’s what I LOVED.
Obsession. Possessiveness and other words I don’t think have been invented yet describe him so well. And my sweet angel Marco.. so innocent and sweet and criminally adorable. This mix of hard and soft was amazing. I devoured this book in a day!!
My heart.. wow. And I thought the first book was good but this one??? MY GOD. Marco & Alexei are destined/fated mates if I’ve ever seen them. The way Alexei talked and how he felt about Marco was some of the most beautiful writing I’ve ever read. Everything was so beautiful even when it wasn’t.. their tragedies were even laced in a layer or grace and beauty.
Alexei would have burned the entire earth down to protect the smile on Marco’s face.. that’s what I LOVED.
Obsession. Possessiveness and other words I don’t think have been invented yet describe him so well. And my sweet angel Marco.. so innocent and sweet and criminally adorable. This mix of hard and soft was amazing. I devoured this book in a day!!
August 14, 2026
I have teared up reading before but I CRIED hard reading this. It was just so sad and beautiful and honestly I just adored this story.
Alexei and Marco met when they were kids and were reunited by chance years later. Marco is sick and the absolute sweetest ray of sunshine and Alexei is the total opposite but he is OBSESSED with Marco.
Genuinely this was such a sweet romance with some proper unhinged moments that made it all the better.
I cannot wait for the third book!!
Alexei and Marco met when they were kids and were reunited by chance years later. Marco is sick and the absolute sweetest ray of sunshine and Alexei is the total opposite but he is OBSESSED with Marco.
Genuinely this was such a sweet romance with some proper unhinged moments that made it all the better.
I cannot wait for the third book!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2026
I love a hard mafia psycho that thinks he doesn’t feel anything but falls completely in love and obsessed with the soft broken boy. Marco and Alexei’s journey is difficult and filled with pain and heartbreak and their happily ever after is hard earned. I loved every minute of their story. I had an idea of what was coming but I was still completely devastated. This book will break you in the best way and put you back together.
August 15, 2026
4,5⭐️I wasn't expecting much and it ended up enchanting me. I really liked the main characters; their first scene was so beautiful. I felt that tension between them when they reunited. I thought it would be tougher, but it wasn't. The way Alexei treats Marco and does everything for him is ❤️🔥
August 14, 2026
My first book review…WOW PHENOMENAL JUST WOW
I urge everyone to read Ghost Ribbon…i sobbed like a baby,it is perfect in every single way,After reading Phantom flower (book 1) i truly thought this book would be completely different,boy was i wrong. READ NOW
I urge everyone to read Ghost Ribbon…i sobbed like a baby,it is perfect in every single way,After reading Phantom flower (book 1) i truly thought this book would be completely different,boy was i wrong. READ NOW
August 15, 2026
SO GOOD!
The first book was amazing and this was even better. I can’t wait for book 3! This year is my top 10 for sure. ❤️
The first book was amazing and this was even better. I can’t wait for book 3! This year is my top 10 for sure. ❤️
August 20, 2026
How in God’s name did Melysia manage to make book two even better than book one?! Ghost Flower was a freaking masterpiece and yet this one surpassed it.
I bawled my eyes out 90 percent of this book. From the moment Marco and Alexei met to the final chapter, my emotions were all over the place. Them meeting when they were kids and Marco changing Alexei’s life in just a few short minutes, was the most beautiful thing.
Even though Marco was seriously sick and didn’t know how long he’d live, he had such kind, beautiful words for a boy he’d just met. His words made Alexei feel things he was sure he’d never feel. Marco gave him hope that he could be different despite what the doctors said about him.
Marco’s zest for life and optimism awoke something in Alexei. His love for the stars and what they meant to him stayed with Alexei for a long time.
That night changed everything for him. He never looked at the stars the same way and against his own will, he looked at them wishing that the boy that gave him a reason to feel was ok.
Alexei had all the means to find Marco had he had the courage to do so. But he was too scared to find out whether he was alive or not. Either options would have devastated him. The first because he could have been with him and the other because he wouldn’t survive losing him. Ignorance in this case was the sweetest of bliss.
But fate has a twisted sense of humor and it put Marco on Alexei’s path in the most gory, disturbing way. Marco got to see a first hand how savage Alexei could be and it sent him running.
Alexei couldn’t believe that the boy he’d been yearning for all these years was not only alive, but in the same city as him. But that elation quickly died down when he remembered that Marco saw the real him. A monster.
To say that Marco was terrified of Alexei was an understatement. His fear of what Alexei could do was real, especially when Alexei took an interest in him. He knew how dangerous the Morozov family was and nothing good could come from being the object of their attention.
Yet when Alexei forces himself into Marco’s life, he can’t help but see a different side of Alexei the rest of the world doesn’t see. And when Alexei finds out how much Marco’s health is declining, he goes above and beyond to take care of him.
It’s not long before Marco finds himself falling for the man who thinks he doesn’t know how to love. His love might not be the conventional one but it sure is the best love he knows how to give.
And that love proves to be more real when Alexei goes berserk after Marco’s health takes a turn for the worse. The idea of losing him simply isn’t an option and he does what any psychopath in love would do.
Marco is the reason Alexei can feel. He’s not willing to lose him if he can do anything about it. There isn’t a world in which Alexei can live without his little star. He did what was necessary, casualties be damned.
"𝑰 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆. 𝑷𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆... 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌. 𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏 𝒊𝒕.”
There aren’t enough words to express how much I loved this book. There are just so many beautiful moments between Alexei and Marco that just made me swoon. As a lover of stars myself, this book hit even harder. So many quotes to choose from but this right here was just perfect:
𝑨𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒂 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑰 𝒕𝒊𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒔𝒐 𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔.
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒖𝒔, 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔.
𝑰 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎.
𝑰 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆.
𝑴𝒚 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒉, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒂 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆.
𝑨𝒍𝒆𝒙𝒆𝒊 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒛𝒐𝒗.
Just READ THIS BOOK!
I bawled my eyes out 90 percent of this book. From the moment Marco and Alexei met to the final chapter, my emotions were all over the place. Them meeting when they were kids and Marco changing Alexei’s life in just a few short minutes, was the most beautiful thing.
Even though Marco was seriously sick and didn’t know how long he’d live, he had such kind, beautiful words for a boy he’d just met. His words made Alexei feel things he was sure he’d never feel. Marco gave him hope that he could be different despite what the doctors said about him.
Marco’s zest for life and optimism awoke something in Alexei. His love for the stars and what they meant to him stayed with Alexei for a long time.
That night changed everything for him. He never looked at the stars the same way and against his own will, he looked at them wishing that the boy that gave him a reason to feel was ok.
Alexei had all the means to find Marco had he had the courage to do so. But he was too scared to find out whether he was alive or not. Either options would have devastated him. The first because he could have been with him and the other because he wouldn’t survive losing him. Ignorance in this case was the sweetest of bliss.
But fate has a twisted sense of humor and it put Marco on Alexei’s path in the most gory, disturbing way. Marco got to see a first hand how savage Alexei could be and it sent him running.
Alexei couldn’t believe that the boy he’d been yearning for all these years was not only alive, but in the same city as him. But that elation quickly died down when he remembered that Marco saw the real him. A monster.
To say that Marco was terrified of Alexei was an understatement. His fear of what Alexei could do was real, especially when Alexei took an interest in him. He knew how dangerous the Morozov family was and nothing good could come from being the object of their attention.
Yet when Alexei forces himself into Marco’s life, he can’t help but see a different side of Alexei the rest of the world doesn’t see. And when Alexei finds out how much Marco’s health is declining, he goes above and beyond to take care of him.
It’s not long before Marco finds himself falling for the man who thinks he doesn’t know how to love. His love might not be the conventional one but it sure is the best love he knows how to give.
And that love proves to be more real when Alexei goes berserk after Marco’s health takes a turn for the worse. The idea of losing him simply isn’t an option and he does what any psychopath in love would do.
Marco is the reason Alexei can feel. He’s not willing to lose him if he can do anything about it. There isn’t a world in which Alexei can live without his little star. He did what was necessary, casualties be damned.
"𝑰 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆. 𝑷𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆... 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌. 𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏 𝒊𝒕.”
There aren’t enough words to express how much I loved this book. There are just so many beautiful moments between Alexei and Marco that just made me swoon. As a lover of stars myself, this book hit even harder. So many quotes to choose from but this right here was just perfect:
𝑨𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒂 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑰 𝒕𝒊𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒔𝒐 𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔.
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒖𝒔, 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔.
𝑰 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎.
𝑰 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆.
𝑴𝒚 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒉, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒂 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆.
𝑨𝒍𝒆𝒙𝒆𝒊 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒛𝒐𝒗.
Just READ THIS BOOK!
August 20, 2026
Consider my rating to be 2.5 stars, as usual this website is useless in letting people give anything more or less than an even number.
If your man doesn't does he even truly love you?
Well, this was a far better story than Phantom Flower, even though it could have been edited down in length. It was extremely frustrating that it took a lot, I mean, a lot of chapters to get to what was going on with Marco. I'm not sure why it had to be dragged out this way because we know right at the beginning of the story that Marco isn't well. Actually we knew from Phantom Flower that Marco wasn't alright physically, so I don't understand why the author had to make a huge mystery of it.
My other criticism of the book is how Marco's family is portrayed. They're barely ever there beyond a few sentences when we're told that they've suffered a lot to make sure Marco had access to doctors & treatments. But throughout Marco's prolonged health issues during the course of the book, they're never around for anything. They never seem to communicate regularly, they just kind of wash their hands off and leave Marco to Alexie's devices and are only ever mentioned in passing. This is something I hate, don't tell me what someone is like, show me. Give me something solid to back up the claim.
The other issue is the ribbon, it's strange how that ties into Alexis and Marco's first meeting, yet it's almost never brought up again much. It really becomes a ghost ribbon, as it disappears entirely from the story, and we only get a brief mention of Marco wearing newer ribbons in his hair, maybe or twice, but never the original ribbon that Alexis has held on to for years. Which is funny as Phatom Flower made sure to bring up flowers on every other paragraph, and it seems like the author pivoted from that rather hard in this book despite making a ribbon the key artifact in the love story between Alexis & Marco.
We also never read about Alexis telling Marco about their 1st meeting, unless I completely blanked out when they have a proper discussion about it? Maybe I fully missed it, but it seems like a terrible omission.
Flaws aside, I liked learning about Alexi's own diagnosis, and what it means for him to actually feel any emotions beyond boredom. Of course that makes him the perfect candidate for what he does for Marco to survive. How they met, and their starry dates, the cute nickname Alexis calls Marco by are cute though.
Overall a good improvement in writing and a more even book than Phantom Flower IMHO. Don't expect a lot of spice, it's moderate and I understand given Marco's physical vulnerability, it makes sense that there aren't a lot of sex scenes in this book. Instead there is a lot of dialog between the two charas which I enjoyed.
Hopefully by the time we get to Kento & Ilya's story, there's even better writing to be had because I think I like the chaotic energy of Ilya a lot and I hope his story doesn't disappoint.
If your man doesn't does he even truly love you?
Well, this was a far better story than Phantom Flower, even though it could have been edited down in length. It was extremely frustrating that it took a lot, I mean, a lot of chapters to get to what was going on with Marco. I'm not sure why it had to be dragged out this way because we know right at the beginning of the story that Marco isn't well. Actually we knew from Phantom Flower that Marco wasn't alright physically, so I don't understand why the author had to make a huge mystery of it.
My other criticism of the book is how Marco's family is portrayed. They're barely ever there beyond a few sentences when we're told that they've suffered a lot to make sure Marco had access to doctors & treatments. But throughout Marco's prolonged health issues during the course of the book, they're never around for anything. They never seem to communicate regularly, they just kind of wash their hands off and leave Marco to Alexie's devices and are only ever mentioned in passing. This is something I hate, don't tell me what someone is like, show me. Give me something solid to back up the claim.
The other issue is the ribbon, it's strange how that ties into Alexis and Marco's first meeting, yet it's almost never brought up again much. It really becomes a ghost ribbon, as it disappears entirely from the story, and we only get a brief mention of Marco wearing newer ribbons in his hair, maybe or twice, but never the original ribbon that Alexis has held on to for years. Which is funny as Phatom Flower made sure to bring up flowers on every other paragraph, and it seems like the author pivoted from that rather hard in this book despite making a ribbon the key artifact in the love story between Alexis & Marco.
We also never read about Alexis telling Marco about their 1st meeting, unless I completely blanked out when they have a proper discussion about it? Maybe I fully missed it, but it seems like a terrible omission.
Flaws aside, I liked learning about Alexi's own diagnosis, and what it means for him to actually feel any emotions beyond boredom. Of course that makes him the perfect candidate for what he does for Marco to survive. How they met, and their starry dates, the cute nickname Alexis calls Marco by are cute though.
Overall a good improvement in writing and a more even book than Phantom Flower IMHO. Don't expect a lot of spice, it's moderate and I understand given Marco's physical vulnerability, it makes sense that there aren't a lot of sex scenes in this book. Instead there is a lot of dialog between the two charas which I enjoyed.
Hopefully by the time we get to Kento & Ilya's story, there's even better writing to be had because I think I like the chaotic energy of Ilya a lot and I hope his story doesn't disappoint.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I just needed a moment to breathe properly after reading this beautiful masterpiece that is Ghost Ribbon.
Now look... I cried my eyes out. It hurt. But it was worth every tear, and I promise this ends with a HEA.
I loved the first book, Phantom Flower, but Ghost Ribbon? This book was next-level good, and I mean stunning.
The writing is incredible. The descriptions were out of this world. Then there are the little moments of what I can only describe as poetry woven into this dark MM romance. The prose is what hooked me from the very beginning.
I loved the found family dynamic, as always, and I loved getting to see Rei and Dimitri again from book one.
Okay... let's talk about Marco, our sweet Italian boy. And trust me, he's the sweetest.
He has never had it easy in life, and that shows, but he's still such a beautiful soul. My heart was ripped right out of my chest for him, his struggles, and everything he endured with his family. It resonated with me. Always feeling like you're a burden. Sometimes wondering if maybe... yes, I'm too much. I ask for too much while only asking for the bare minimum.
Marco deserved nothing less than unconditional love.
And let me tell you... Alexei? Wow.
If anyone ever talks about unconditional love, this man is the poster child for it. The way he loves Marco. The way he cares for him. Protects him. Simply exists for him. I've never swooned so hard in my life.
But my favorite thing about Alexei? He never changed who he was. He simply chose to become a better version of himself for Marco, and Marco alone. He gave every good part of himself to the man he loved.
I also loved that the author kept the timeline from Phantom Flower without ever info-dumping or lingering on previous events for too long. The focus always stayed exactly where it belonged: on Marco and Alexei's love story.
Then there was the moment they met at the beginning. It was perfect.
And the theme of the stars... Marco's hope star... the ribbons woven throughout the story... and even Alexei's smile. The metaphors and recurring themes were carried beautifully from beginning to end.
This has to be one of my all-time favorite reads, and I'll recommend it forever. I'll also forever be a reader of Melysia's books.
Words cannot do what I just read justice. They cannot begin to describe the emotional journey this book took me on.
It's phenomenal.
Here are some of my favorite things:
💚 My Little Star
🍋 Stars & Lemon Trees
⭐️ Smiles
💚 147
🍋 Those Italian Lesson (LOL)
⭐️ "Where did you get this from?"
"I made it."
💚 I love you. Ti amo. Ya tebya lyublyu.
🍋 "Start counting, Malyshka."
Now look... I cried my eyes out. It hurt. But it was worth every tear, and I promise this ends with a HEA.
I loved the first book, Phantom Flower, but Ghost Ribbon? This book was next-level good, and I mean stunning.
The writing is incredible. The descriptions were out of this world. Then there are the little moments of what I can only describe as poetry woven into this dark MM romance. The prose is what hooked me from the very beginning.
I loved the found family dynamic, as always, and I loved getting to see Rei and Dimitri again from book one.
Okay... let's talk about Marco, our sweet Italian boy. And trust me, he's the sweetest.
He has never had it easy in life, and that shows, but he's still such a beautiful soul. My heart was ripped right out of my chest for him, his struggles, and everything he endured with his family. It resonated with me. Always feeling like you're a burden. Sometimes wondering if maybe... yes, I'm too much. I ask for too much while only asking for the bare minimum.
Marco deserved nothing less than unconditional love.
And let me tell you... Alexei? Wow.
If anyone ever talks about unconditional love, this man is the poster child for it. The way he loves Marco. The way he cares for him. Protects him. Simply exists for him. I've never swooned so hard in my life.
But my favorite thing about Alexei? He never changed who he was. He simply chose to become a better version of himself for Marco, and Marco alone. He gave every good part of himself to the man he loved.
I also loved that the author kept the timeline from Phantom Flower without ever info-dumping or lingering on previous events for too long. The focus always stayed exactly where it belonged: on Marco and Alexei's love story.
Then there was the moment they met at the beginning. It was perfect.
And the theme of the stars... Marco's hope star... the ribbons woven throughout the story... and even Alexei's smile. The metaphors and recurring themes were carried beautifully from beginning to end.
This has to be one of my all-time favorite reads, and I'll recommend it forever. I'll also forever be a reader of Melysia's books.
Words cannot do what I just read justice. They cannot begin to describe the emotional journey this book took me on.
It's phenomenal.
Here are some of my favorite things:
💚 My Little Star
🍋 Stars & Lemon Trees
⭐️ Smiles
💚 147
🍋 Those Italian Lesson (LOL)
⭐️ "Where did you get this from?"
"I made it."
💚 I love you. Ti amo. Ya tebya lyublyu.
🍋 "Start counting, Malyshka."
Review of advance copy received from Author
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
*𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰*
⊹ | 𝙂𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙍𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙤𝙣 by Melysia M. is a dark and emotional M/M romance. It is the second book in 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘰𝘪𝘥 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 series and follows Alexei Morozov and Marco Bellini. This story does explore themes that some readers may find triggering.
Okay, grab your tissues because you're going to need them—or at least I did. I absolutely loved this book, and I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to be an ARC reader. While I loved the first book as well, I can say with certainty that this one is my favorite. I laughed, I sobbed, and I can't believe that I'm finished so soon.
Alexei and Marco caught my attention back in book one. When I received the ARC for their story, I was over the moon. Once I started reading, I was addicted and couldn't put this book down. Their storylines were truly emotional and completely broke my heart at times. I swear there were moments when I genuinely put my Kindle down and just sobbed. Despite the many challenges that they both faced, I'm so happy that they found their HEA.
One thing about this series that I love is how, so far, each book has been centered around one thing. In the first book, it was different kinds of flowers. Now in the second, ribbons and stars were used. I think it's so cool how the author takes something so simple and has each book revolve around it. I'm interested to see how Ilya's book turns out, although I'm not ready for this series to be over.
Additionally, something I really enjoyed while reading was the connection that Ilya, Rei, Dimitri, Marco, and Alexei were creating. All their playful banter was hilarious, and you could tell that they all really care for one another. Since we can all probably guess that the next book will follow Ilya and Kento, I'm curious to see how Kento will fit into their little group. By the way, that scene between Kento and Ilya at the end of the book was so intriguing. I seriously can't wait to get my hands on their story next.
Overall, this book was beautiful, and I can't wait for everyone to read it. It's going to pull you in unexpectedly, and before you know it, you'll be crying your eyes out—but maybe that's just me. I'm definitely going to be recommending this story for a long time since it's one of those books that sticks with you. The tension, chemistry, and spice between Alexei and Marco were so good. I'm seriously attached to these characters. This book is also going on my 'top reads of 2026' list and I can't wait to purchase a copy for my bookshelf.
— 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒃𝒚 𝑷.𝑹.
*𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰*
⊹ | 𝙂𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙍𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙤𝙣 by Melysia M. is a dark and emotional M/M romance. It is the second book in 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘰𝘪𝘥 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 series and follows Alexei Morozov and Marco Bellini. This story does explore themes that some readers may find triggering.
Okay, grab your tissues because you're going to need them—or at least I did. I absolutely loved this book, and I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to be an ARC reader. While I loved the first book as well, I can say with certainty that this one is my favorite. I laughed, I sobbed, and I can't believe that I'm finished so soon.
Alexei and Marco caught my attention back in book one. When I received the ARC for their story, I was over the moon. Once I started reading, I was addicted and couldn't put this book down. Their storylines were truly emotional and completely broke my heart at times. I swear there were moments when I genuinely put my Kindle down and just sobbed. Despite the many challenges that they both faced, I'm so happy that they found their HEA.
One thing about this series that I love is how, so far, each book has been centered around one thing. In the first book, it was different kinds of flowers. Now in the second, ribbons and stars were used. I think it's so cool how the author takes something so simple and has each book revolve around it. I'm interested to see how Ilya's book turns out, although I'm not ready for this series to be over.
Additionally, something I really enjoyed while reading was the connection that Ilya, Rei, Dimitri, Marco, and Alexei were creating. All their playful banter was hilarious, and you could tell that they all really care for one another. Since we can all probably guess that the next book will follow Ilya and Kento, I'm curious to see how Kento will fit into their little group. By the way, that scene between Kento and Ilya at the end of the book was so intriguing. I seriously can't wait to get my hands on their story next.
Overall, this book was beautiful, and I can't wait for everyone to read it. It's going to pull you in unexpectedly, and before you know it, you'll be crying your eyes out—but maybe that's just me. I'm definitely going to be recommending this story for a long time since it's one of those books that sticks with you. The tension, chemistry, and spice between Alexei and Marco were so good. I'm seriously attached to these characters. This book is also going on my 'top reads of 2026' list and I can't wait to purchase a copy for my bookshelf.
— 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒃𝒚 𝑷.𝑹.
August 15, 2026
I genuinely don’t know how to put this book into words without sounding completely emotional, but here goes.
Marco and Alexei’s story was beautiful, painful, emotional, and honestly one of the most enjoyable things I have read today. There were moments when I found myself completely lost in the story, and there were moments when I actually cried. That, to me, is what makes a book special — when the characters stop feeling like characters and start feeling like people you somehow know.
And Alexei… oh, Alexei. I absolutely loved him.
The scene where Marco wakes up and sees Alexei beside his bed broke something in me. The tears, the trembling, the way he held Marco’s hand — I felt all of it. It was such a beautifully written moment, and I think that was when I realised just how attached I had become to these two.
And yes, I will admit it — the steamy scenes were HOT. But what I loved most was that the romance never felt like it existed only for those moments. There was emotion underneath it. There was tenderness, fear, longing, devotion and genuine love. That made everything hit so much harder.
I also have to appreciate the way you constructed the story. I came into this book expecting to read a few chapters and maybe put it down for a while, but somehow I kept going. I didn't scroll through it just to reach the end. I actually wanted to read every part of it. That is something I deeply appreciate in a writer — being able to create a story that makes a reader forget they are simply reading words on a page.
Dima and Rei were actually my first experience reading your books, and now Marco and Alexei have made me even more curious about what comes next. I already know I am going to enjoy Ilya’s story, and I am honestly looking forward to it.
But for now, I just want to say thank you for Marco and Alexei.
Thank you for the emotions, the heartbreak, the tenderness, the laughter, the tension, and all the little moments in between. Thank you for creating characters I could become attached to and a world I didn't want to leave.
I loved this book. Truly.
And Alexei has my heart. I don't make the rules.
Marco and Alexei’s story was beautiful, painful, emotional, and honestly one of the most enjoyable things I have read today. There were moments when I found myself completely lost in the story, and there were moments when I actually cried. That, to me, is what makes a book special — when the characters stop feeling like characters and start feeling like people you somehow know.
And Alexei… oh, Alexei. I absolutely loved him.
The scene where Marco wakes up and sees Alexei beside his bed broke something in me. The tears, the trembling, the way he held Marco’s hand — I felt all of it. It was such a beautifully written moment, and I think that was when I realised just how attached I had become to these two.
And yes, I will admit it — the steamy scenes were HOT. But what I loved most was that the romance never felt like it existed only for those moments. There was emotion underneath it. There was tenderness, fear, longing, devotion and genuine love. That made everything hit so much harder.
I also have to appreciate the way you constructed the story. I came into this book expecting to read a few chapters and maybe put it down for a while, but somehow I kept going. I didn't scroll through it just to reach the end. I actually wanted to read every part of it. That is something I deeply appreciate in a writer — being able to create a story that makes a reader forget they are simply reading words on a page.
Dima and Rei were actually my first experience reading your books, and now Marco and Alexei have made me even more curious about what comes next. I already know I am going to enjoy Ilya’s story, and I am honestly looking forward to it.
But for now, I just want to say thank you for Marco and Alexei.
Thank you for the emotions, the heartbreak, the tenderness, the laughter, the tension, and all the little moments in between. Thank you for creating characters I could become attached to and a world I didn't want to leave.
I loved this book. Truly.
And Alexei has my heart. I don't make the rules.
August 15, 2026
Oh, Alexei and Marco… my babies🥺💗
I don't even know how to put into words how much I loved this book. I had been looking forward to their story ever since I finished Phantom Flower, and once again, this author completely pulled me in. There is just something about her writing that captivates me from the very beginning, and Alexei and Marco were no exception. From the very first chapter, I was HOOKED.
I spent so much of this book smiling like an idiot. 😭💕 Their story was so painfully beautiful, and somehow it made me fall in love with the stars all over again. The atmosphere, the romance, the emotions, it genuinely felt like I had stepped into some kind of fairytale.
And ALEXEI??? That man was so completely gone for Marco, and I ate it up. 😭 The way he seemed so distant and unapproachable to everyone else, but completely softened when it came to Marco?? HELLO??? I loved seeing that side of him.
And Marco, my sweet baby🥺 I wanted to wrap him up in a blanket and protect him from the entire world. He was so precious, and watching Alexei love and care for him made my heart ache in the best possible way.
This book had me emotional while somehow still making me smile through the tears. It's the kind of story that breaks your heart so gently, only to put every little piece back together until you almost forget it was ever broken.
Alexei and Marco are genuinely so precious to me, and I already know they're going to stay in my heart for a very, very long time <3
Thank you so much to the author for giving me the opportunity to read this early. I absolutely adored this story and can't wait to read Ilya and Kento's story! 🤍✨
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I don't even know how to put into words how much I loved this book. I had been looking forward to their story ever since I finished Phantom Flower, and once again, this author completely pulled me in. There is just something about her writing that captivates me from the very beginning, and Alexei and Marco were no exception. From the very first chapter, I was HOOKED.
I spent so much of this book smiling like an idiot. 😭💕 Their story was so painfully beautiful, and somehow it made me fall in love with the stars all over again. The atmosphere, the romance, the emotions, it genuinely felt like I had stepped into some kind of fairytale.
And ALEXEI??? That man was so completely gone for Marco, and I ate it up. 😭 The way he seemed so distant and unapproachable to everyone else, but completely softened when it came to Marco?? HELLO??? I loved seeing that side of him.
And Marco, my sweet baby🥺 I wanted to wrap him up in a blanket and protect him from the entire world. He was so precious, and watching Alexei love and care for him made my heart ache in the best possible way.
This book had me emotional while somehow still making me smile through the tears. It's the kind of story that breaks your heart so gently, only to put every little piece back together until you almost forget it was ever broken.
Alexei and Marco are genuinely so precious to me, and I already know they're going to stay in my heart for a very, very long time <3
Thank you so much to the author for giving me the opportunity to read this early. I absolutely adored this story and can't wait to read Ilya and Kento's story! 🤍✨
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review of advance copy
( ARC REVIEW )
where do I even begin oh my god. This book was so so good⚠️ SPOILERS AHEAD ⚠️
Let’s start with my sweet baby Marco, I loved him so so much. He’s truly an angel. The fact that he had so much love in heart despite his own heart being flawed and how despite how ppl treated him he never once was unkind. Especially with how Alexei treated him in the beginning of their relationship shows how good of a person he truly is. His pure soul is one of a kind, I sobbed my eyes out reading his letter😭 As for Alexei.. in the beginning I wasn’t the biggest fan, but as I read on I started understanding him and I fell absolutely in love with him. He’s loved Marco since they were children, basically his entire life. With how he was brought up he just didn’t know how to handle those new emotions Marco brought out of him. And god the way he loved him SO fiercely and simply existed purely for him🫠😩I loved the nickname “little star” the fact that he remembers every detail from their first meeting as children is so adorable. Him killing over 100 ppl in one night to find Marco a new heart had me gagged!!
where do I even begin oh my god. This book was so so good⚠️ SPOILERS AHEAD ⚠️
Let’s start with my sweet baby Marco, I loved him so so much. He’s truly an angel. The fact that he had so much love in heart despite his own heart being flawed and how despite how ppl treated him he never once was unkind. Especially with how Alexei treated him in the beginning of their relationship shows how good of a person he truly is. His pure soul is one of a kind, I sobbed my eyes out reading his letter😭 As for Alexei.. in the beginning I wasn’t the biggest fan, but as I read on I started understanding him and I fell absolutely in love with him. He’s loved Marco since they were children, basically his entire life. With how he was brought up he just didn’t know how to handle those new emotions Marco brought out of him. And god the way he loved him SO fiercely and simply existed purely for him🫠😩I loved the nickname “little star” the fact that he remembers every detail from their first meeting as children is so adorable. Him killing over 100 ppl in one night to find Marco a new heart had me gagged!!
August 15, 2026
DNF at 30%.
I'm genuinely so disappointed because the first few chapters had me completely hooked. I even came close to tearing up, which was the last thing I expected from this kind of dark romance.
I loved Alexei at first. The way his mind worked, the way he interacted with Marco—a sick, vulnerable kid—was surprisingly compelling and emotional. He actually felt like a psychopath rather than the usual romanticized version of one, and I really thought I had found something different.
And then it all went downhill.
What started out as something dark and genuinely interesting slowly turned into the same Wattpad-style story I've read a million times before: the psychotic, dangerous guy becomes obsessed with the sweet, shy, fragile boy and suddenly we're back to the same old dynamic. Again.
By 30%, the story already felt unnecessarily long, repetitive, and painfully redundant. The same thoughts, the same obsession, the same dynamic being dragged out over and over again.
Such a shame, because those first few chapters had so much potential. I really thought this one was going to surprise me.
It did. Just not in the way I wanted.
I'm genuinely so disappointed because the first few chapters had me completely hooked. I even came close to tearing up, which was the last thing I expected from this kind of dark romance.
I loved Alexei at first. The way his mind worked, the way he interacted with Marco—a sick, vulnerable kid—was surprisingly compelling and emotional. He actually felt like a psychopath rather than the usual romanticized version of one, and I really thought I had found something different.
And then it all went downhill.
What started out as something dark and genuinely interesting slowly turned into the same Wattpad-style story I've read a million times before: the psychotic, dangerous guy becomes obsessed with the sweet, shy, fragile boy and suddenly we're back to the same old dynamic. Again.
By 30%, the story already felt unnecessarily long, repetitive, and painfully redundant. The same thoughts, the same obsession, the same dynamic being dragged out over and over again.
Such a shame, because those first few chapters had so much potential. I really thought this one was going to surprise me.
It did. Just not in the way I wanted.
August 17, 2026
I was honestly late to the party, but i dont regret it. it just made me wait lesser for the next book .More about that later but.
This book was soooo good i literally read it in one sitting and get this i started it at night. Yeah not a wink of sleep as i kept on reading.😋
It was a 6 star read for me the way i was hooked from the start.
Marco is such a sweetheart who doesnt deserve all this pain. just let him be happy❤️🩹
And Alexei, a guy who never had feelings is suddenly having feelings their story is so beautiful and sad. the pain they had to go through honestly i was bawling half the time.🥲 but did i love it? hell yeah.
Its literally destiny that they met and ended up healing each other
The side characters were again on point. Ilya back with his new names “Rai” “Marco”??? hilarious energy🤣🤣 I Love him already and i cant wait for more of him in the next book. KENTO is a yakuza boss?? whatttt i need the next book rn. Rei and Ilya banter was so entertaining, cant wait to see who will rein who in the next book🤣
Yeeesss i was hoping Luca would get his own book and he does, sign me up. So excited to read further works from the author.
This book was soooo good i literally read it in one sitting and get this i started it at night. Yeah not a wink of sleep as i kept on reading.😋
It was a 6 star read for me the way i was hooked from the start.
Marco is such a sweetheart who doesnt deserve all this pain. just let him be happy❤️🩹
And Alexei, a guy who never had feelings is suddenly having feelings their story is so beautiful and sad. the pain they had to go through honestly i was bawling half the time.🥲 but did i love it? hell yeah.
Its literally destiny that they met and ended up healing each other
The side characters were again on point. Ilya back with his new names “Rai” “Marco”??? hilarious energy🤣🤣 I Love him already and i cant wait for more of him in the next book. KENTO is a yakuza boss?? whatttt i need the next book rn. Rei and Ilya banter was so entertaining, cant wait to see who will rein who in the next book🤣
Yeeesss i was hoping Luca would get his own book and he does, sign me up. So excited to read further works from the author.
Review of advance copy received from Author
after reading phantom flower and getting a glimpse of marco and alexei in that book i knew i was going to enjoy this and i was right. this book completely pulled me in. i loved getting to see rei and dimitri from the first book again, but the heart of the story was definitely marco and alexei.
marco was such a sweet and heartbreaking character who has been through so much and often felt like he was a burden. everything he had endured made me want nothing more than to bundle him up and give him all the love. then there’s alexei. his love for marco was everything. the way that he cared for him, protected him, and simply wanted to be there for him made me love him even more. their relationship felt so genuine, emotional, and deeply comforting.
i’m so sad that i’m not going to be able to read this for the first time again. i definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for an emotional read that’s filled with so much love, heartache, and an obsessive mmc.
marco was such a sweet and heartbreaking character who has been through so much and often felt like he was a burden. everything he had endured made me want nothing more than to bundle him up and give him all the love. then there’s alexei. his love for marco was everything. the way that he cared for him, protected him, and simply wanted to be there for him made me love him even more. their relationship felt so genuine, emotional, and deeply comforting.
i’m so sad that i’m not going to be able to read this for the first time again. i definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for an emotional read that’s filled with so much love, heartache, and an obsessive mmc.
August 13, 2026
I had been looking forward to Marco and Alexeis story since 1/2 through Phantom flower. I loved Rei and Dimitri with how sassy Rei was and dominating Dimitri was. But scaredy cat Marco and big bad looming and sulking Alexei had caught my attention.
Melysia gives so much attention to detail to the characters and the storyline. This one is a slow burn and it felt needed to stay true to these characters. Marco goes through so much and I felt like anything less than what we got wouldn’t have worked as well.
I loved the aspect of Alexei being this big bad mafia man, who kills without batting an eye, has been told all his life he doesn’t have normal emotions and he’ll never feel properly; melts at forehead kisses. He gets jealous when Marco gives any attention to someone, and wants to make sure he is the best at picking up Marco and spinning him around. It’s a balance of sad and tragic with swoon worthy heart melting moments.
Melysia gives so much attention to detail to the characters and the storyline. This one is a slow burn and it felt needed to stay true to these characters. Marco goes through so much and I felt like anything less than what we got wouldn’t have worked as well.
I loved the aspect of Alexei being this big bad mafia man, who kills without batting an eye, has been told all his life he doesn’t have normal emotions and he’ll never feel properly; melts at forehead kisses. He gets jealous when Marco gives any attention to someone, and wants to make sure he is the best at picking up Marco and spinning him around. It’s a balance of sad and tragic with swoon worthy heart melting moments.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC REVIEW
5⭐️
3.5🌶️
I absolutely loved this book. After reading Phantom Flower I was so excited to read Alexei & Marcos story. This book takes you on a journey of obsession, lust, love and pain. I cried so many tears at this book !!!! The plot was great, the spicy was hot 🥵 and the emotional angst was painful. I can’t say too much though as it would be a spoiler. It is a HFN though. This series and this book is a must for your tbr. Check your triggers if you have any. I cannot wait for Book 3 !!!
MM Dark Mafia Romance
Hurt/Comfort
Obsessive & Possessive MMC
Soft for only him
Touch him & ☠️
Virgin MMC
Light D/s
Light Impact Play
Dub Con
CNC
Light humiliation/degradation
Praise
Light Feminisation
Hot as hell dirty talking 🥵
5⭐️
3.5🌶️
I absolutely loved this book. After reading Phantom Flower I was so excited to read Alexei & Marcos story. This book takes you on a journey of obsession, lust, love and pain. I cried so many tears at this book !!!! The plot was great, the spicy was hot 🥵 and the emotional angst was painful. I can’t say too much though as it would be a spoiler. It is a HFN though. This series and this book is a must for your tbr. Check your triggers if you have any. I cannot wait for Book 3 !!!
MM Dark Mafia Romance
Hurt/Comfort
Obsessive & Possessive MMC
Soft for only him
Touch him & ☠️
Virgin MMC
Light D/s
Light Impact Play
Dub Con
CNC
Light humiliation/degradation
Praise
Light Feminisation
Hot as hell dirty talking 🥵
August 17, 2026
what a ride
There are simply no words. I’m not going to go on about it, there would be too much to say (contradicting i know). All I can say is get through it. Get through the first part, it is worth it. The second part requires a lot of tissue, and maybe a wall to stare at for a while. And then there is a tiny little surprise somewhere along the way.
Marco and Alexi are truly stunning. And there is nothing Alexi would not do for Marco, the evidence is there, you just have to get to it.
Ilya is as always a chaos gremlin. And Dimitri is as solid as ever.
I was not expecting any of this, if you asked me what I thought would happen- it was not this.
Really really good read. Just make sure you are home when you get to the second part.
There are simply no words. I’m not going to go on about it, there would be too much to say (contradicting i know). All I can say is get through it. Get through the first part, it is worth it. The second part requires a lot of tissue, and maybe a wall to stare at for a while. And then there is a tiny little surprise somewhere along the way.
Marco and Alexi are truly stunning. And there is nothing Alexi would not do for Marco, the evidence is there, you just have to get to it.
Ilya is as always a chaos gremlin. And Dimitri is as solid as ever.
I was not expecting any of this, if you asked me what I thought would happen- it was not this.
Really really good read. Just make sure you are home when you get to the second part.
August 18, 2026
So heartbreakingly beautiful, infinity star read! 💫
This book left me speechless and in tears. This was such an emotional rollercoaster. The romance was poetic and beautiful, the sad moments had you crying and the HEA had you crying for a totally different reason. This whole story was so beautiful and usually I don’t find dark romance as poetic as this one was. The emotional depth that played in to their story and the dark elements went so well together. Alexei and Marco easily are one or my favorite love stories I’ve ever read. They fit so perfectly together. They are the light in each others dark. The way grief and sickness are handled in this book truly makes you think and pulls at every emotion. This story will truly be one that stays with me. Infinity star read 💫
This book left me speechless and in tears. This was such an emotional rollercoaster. The romance was poetic and beautiful, the sad moments had you crying and the HEA had you crying for a totally different reason. This whole story was so beautiful and usually I don’t find dark romance as poetic as this one was. The emotional depth that played in to their story and the dark elements went so well together. Alexei and Marco easily are one or my favorite love stories I’ve ever read. They fit so perfectly together. They are the light in each others dark. The way grief and sickness are handled in this book truly makes you think and pulls at every emotion. This story will truly be one that stays with me. Infinity star read 💫
Review of advance copy received from Author
This took me on an emotional journey. I loved the backstory of Marco and Alexei and their relationship development was fun. Marco is adorable and gentle which was exactly what Alexei needed in his life. Marco softened Alexei’s edges a bit and I enjoyed seeing this play out in different ways such as Alexei learning to cook and making sure Marco took care of himself. There were moments that had my feelings going a little haywire and others that made me laugh. I’m enjoying this series and can’t wait for book 3!
💚ARC REVIEW💙
💚ARC REVIEW💙
Review of advance copy received from Author
Over the last year or two I’ve had books that have made me tear up, make me emotional as hell, but I haven’t had one that had me full on balling my eyes out and calling my best friend to scream about what I was reading, until this one. I knew after I read the first book in this series that this was going to be just as good, but I had no idea it would wreck me the way that it did. The only way I can describe Alexi and Marco’s relationship is beautiful chaos. This will absolutely be one of the books that I will recommend to anyone and everyone.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I’m obsessed!(≧▽≦)❤️🔥 I love this book so much; I was so excited for Alexei and Marco’s story.✨✨✨
They made me cry a lot, but it was worth it (Marco, you scared me so bad!), and I adored every moment with them.🫶🏼💕✨
Alexei is just 😩❤️🔥—the man was ready to kill the whole city for Marco. And the way his obsession turned into such a powerful love was so sweet.
I love Marco so much; my baby deserves the world 🥹❤️✨✨
Honestly, their whole story is just 🤌🏼❤️🔥
I absolutely love it. You have to read it!❤️🔥🔥
They made me cry a lot, but it was worth it (Marco, you scared me so bad!), and I adored every moment with them.🫶🏼💕✨
Alexei is just 😩❤️🔥—the man was ready to kill the whole city for Marco. And the way his obsession turned into such a powerful love was so sweet.
I love Marco so much; my baby deserves the world 🥹❤️✨✨
Honestly, their whole story is just 🤌🏼❤️🔥
I absolutely love it. You have to read it!❤️🔥🔥
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