Nemesis: A Dark Bratva Romance

by Eleanor Feighery

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Mafia Romance, Enemies To Lovers

522 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 21, 2026

About the author

Eleanor is a longtime reader who believes that Kindle Unlimited is losing money from the sheer quantity of books she consumes each month.

She passionately believes that review spaces are FOR REVIEWERS, not authors, and encourages her readers to express themselves and their opinions freely on review sites like these.

When she's not writing, she's busy working nights as an EMT and chasing around her German Shepherd, Mazzy.

Reviews

[kathrynwherethehellhaveyoubeenloca? · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this but felt the pacing was too slow in the middle and then everything was a bit rushed at the end

[ava · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg, this slow-burn mafia romance was DEFINITELY one of the best I’ve read!! 😭 I already loved the first book in this series, but this one? A MASTERPIECE😍
At 522 pages, I never once felt like this book was too long because the plot was soo entertaining. I enjoyed every single second of it. Octavia 😭 I LOVE HER. Watching her go from a ballerina to a Bratva leader was everything. Her character development made me feel so many things, and she was such a strong, badass heroine🥹 And Vasily!! I swear, he felt so different from the typical made men I’ve read in mafia romances. I absolutely loved his character. The scenes where they were kidnapped and forced to stay together for weeks were probably my favorite parts of the entire book. 🥹 The tension, the forced proximity… I was obsessed.
This book just came out, and I really hope it gets the attention it deserves because it’s genuinely so good.

And now I need to know… is the next book going to be about the little ballerina Bambi? 👀 Because there HAS to be a reason she was introduced, right?? Or maybe Ivan??? 👀 Eleanor, please don’t make us wait too long. 🥹🥹

[Eva]

46 https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTDPuUKyd/

[Molly Humphries · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Eleanor for the ARC! Adored the Bratva x Ballerina trope. A protective MMC that falls first, and a strong FMC who is equally as protective. So much angst and tension, this brought me out of my reading slump

[Antonia Belcik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy from author:


Oh. My. God. This book was freaking good. I think I loved it more than book 1 (Hopeless Creatures). Both are absolutely phenomenal. This is another mafia romance story. Bratva x Ballerina, He falls first and harder.

The entire story was just so good. The plot was amazing. This honestly might by my favorite book I’ve read this year.

Thank you, Eleanor for the ARC! Here’s to hoping we get a book for Ivan ;)

[Emma Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was certainly an interesting way to kick off the book, having both characters kidnapped without really knowing why, followed by being held hostage. Definitely not your average night at the Ballet, and I enjoyed the twist.

This was a very plot-driven book, with plenty of twists and turns along the way, which kept me thoroughly entertained. I did struggle a little with the idea of a 21-year-old who, just three months earlier, had been completely on her own as a ballerina suddenly finding herself running the Brava or that her father didn’t have a plan in place since he didn’t have an heir—but I decided to suspend disbelief and go along for the ride. I LOVED Vas, and thought his uncle was awful! Also strange that his uncle had no heir and didn’t seem to concerned.

Overall, I really enjoyed the story and all its twists and turns. I’m very much hoping the next book will be Ivan’s story, because I’m definitely ready for more!

[Tocari · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5⭐️

noup

[Maisy Yaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok I really liked the first part of this book but then it went down hill from there for me🫠

[Ela · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you too are worried about the longevity of dance as a professional career don’t worry there is always organised crime!

[Aurora Ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 stars

This book had me going from 😱 to 😍 to 🤨 to 😂 every few chapters.

Nemesis was honestly such a fun time, even when I was questioning absolutely everything that was happening. 💀

The book starts off STRONG. Like, we are immediately thrown into chaos, danger, and a situation that had me fully invested because I needed answers. The tension was there from the start, the stakes felt high, and I was ready to sit back and enjoy the mess. 🍿✨

And listen... Vasiliy? 😮‍💨

I get it.

I absolutely get it.

This man is walking red flag after red flag, but somehow he's also protective, loyal, obsessed, and completely gone for Octavia. The man falls HARD and I ate it up every single time. Every possessive moment. Every protective moment. Every "I'd destroy the world for her" moment. Inject it directly into my veins. 🖤🚩

The romance was definitely my favorite part of the book. Watching these two go from strangers forced into an impossible situation to becoming each other's person was so satisfying. The chemistry was chemistry-ing. The tension was tension-ing. I was giggling, kicking my feet, and then immediately concerned for everyone's safety. 😭💕

Now let's talk about Octavia.

I really liked her.

I loved that she wasn't some helpless heroine waiting to be rescued. She's stubborn, determined, smart, and willing to fight for herself. Watching her gain confidence and take control of her life was genuinely enjoyable.

HOWEVER.

And this is a pretty big however. 😭

At some point I had to stop asking questions.

Because you're telling me this young ballerina who was struggling to survive one minute suddenly adapts to her new circumstances at lightning speed and starts moving through this world like she's been preparing for it her entire life???

Ma'am.

Respectfully.

WHAT? 😂🔫

I support women's rights but I also support asking questions.

The character growth itself wasn't my issue, I actually enjoyed seeing her become stronger. It was just how quickly some of it happened that had me staring at the page like 🤨🤨🤨.

The mafia and family politics also required me to suspend a fair amount of disbelief. There were several moments where I was thinking, "Surely someone had a backup plan for this?" and apparently the answer was no. 😭

But honestly? Once I stopped trying to apply logic, I had a much better time.

The middle of the book dragged a little for me. Not enough to make me bored, but enough that I noticed the pacing slowing down. Then the ending did the exact opposite and suddenly EVERYTHING was happening at once.

Revelations.

Confrontations.

Emotional moments.

Big decisions.

Plot twists.

The book said "speed run" and never looked back. 🏃‍♀️💨

I definitely wish some of those scenes had been given more room to breathe because there were several moments that could have hit even harder emotionally.

One thing that disappointed me was the family dynamic. Maybe it's just me, but I expected a lot more emotion once Octavia was finally found. This is a girl who spent her entire life believing she was alone, only to discover she's the long-lost daughter of a powerful mafia family that has supposedly been searching for her for years. I was READY for the tears. I was READY for the heartbreak. I was READY for those emotional family scenes that make you stare at the wall afterward. 😭

Instead, I felt like there was surprisingly little bonding, especially between Octavia and her father. Their relationship had so much potential, and I kept waiting for those meaningful conversations and emotional moments that never fully came. Considering everything they had both lost, I wanted more time spent developing that connection. Some of her cousins also got on my nerves from time to time, which made it even harder for me to feel attached to the family as a whole. 🫠

Maybe my expectations were too high, but for a story centered around a long-lost mafia princess finally finding her family after two decades, I wanted a much bigger emotional payoff. The family reunion aspect ended up feeling underdeveloped for me, and I honestly found that disappointing.

Also, can we talk about the side characters?? Because some of them were stealing scenes left and right. I need authors to stop making side characters so interesting if they're not immediately getting their own books. It's rude. 😭❤️

Overall, this wasn't a perfect read for me, but it was absolutely entertaining. The romance kept me invested, Vasiliy was everything, Octavia's journey was compelling even when it occasionally tested my suspension of disbelief, and the story always had enough drama to keep me turning pages.

Was I confused sometimes? Yes.

Did I question certain decisions? Also yes.

Did I keep reading anyway because I needed to know what happened next?

Absolutely. 💅✨

If you like:

🖤 Mafia romance
🔫 Forced proximity
😮‍💨 Possessive protective MMCs
👑 Strong FMCs
🔥 Morally grey characters
❤️ "I'd kill for you" energy
⚔️ High-stakes survival situations

then you'll probably have a great time with this one.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the characters, needed a little more closure

Okay, so I’ve been in a reading funk for a while, but I gotta say, this book might have done the trick. I really had a good reading time. Octavia always had that dog in her. I feel like she was always meant to lead, to hold power in her hands. I felt for her when her grandfather told her about her mother’s demise and how it was carried out. (Damn, did I really feel for her mother and father the most, though :/ Like, the grandfather really did some serious damage to Della that, even though Octavia’s father was a good man and a good husband, it still couldn’t undo all the years of conditioning and pure hatred towards the Siderov the grandfather instilled into Della’s head. So much so, she couldn’t even find it in herself to just, for once, trust her husband, which sadly was the cause of her demise in the end.)

Which I’m glad didn’t happen to Octavia. She allowed herself to be vulnerable, open, and honest with Vasiliy, even when there were times she didn’t want to rely on him. It was Vasiliy who also made it easier for her to do so. Vasiliy was an instant favorite of mine as well, especially when he said Octavia was his king and he’d be her “queen.” Man, my heart was really hurting for Sasha Siderov, her father, because at the end of the day, he was a good man and a good husband to Della. He tried to do right by her, even when she was doing things that honestly a proper Pakhan would have disposed of her for, but he didn’t. He really wanted the marriage to work, and even though I understand why Della was doing everything she was doing, it wasn’t fair to just take Octavia away from him.

So many awful things happened to Octavia that didn’t need to happen had Della just trusted in the fact that, hey, this man really does care for and love his daughter. He lost so much time with her, and her with him. I honestly didn’t agree with the author’s direction with Sasha. I felt like it was unnecessary to k*ll him off. Like, I don’t know if it was done for dramatic effect or like another thing to help build up Octavia’s character development and growth into her darkest parts and moments, but it was unnecessary. Octavia could have definitely owned up to her darkness within time and under different circumstances. Her father’s death didn’t need to be the thing to bring out the monster that was always in her.

Another thing is, I wish we would have gotten some loose strings tied up when it came to her assault and the perpetrators. It’s a mafia book; the author should have had Vasiliy all over that in an epilogue, letting Octavia get her lick back. And I also wish we could have gotten something on her cousin Ben because you could tell Ben wasn’t okay with Octavia taking over as Pakhan. It definitely ruffled his feathers and made him feel some type of way. I mean, he practically used her small bouts of depression during her first few weeks with them to make it seem like she’s too fragile in her head and emotions to lead, making her kinda look bad. Even Vasiliy called it out and was like, how they’re treating you and throwing your pain in your face isn’t okay, period.

At the end, it’s implied she’s the Pakhan. She took over her rightful position (as she SHOULD). The soldiers respect her because of her major part in ending the war and taking down Popov. BUT, like, I wish we would have actually, like, SEEN her take over properly. SEEN Ben eat his words and acknowledge Octavia as Pakhan and her role that night in ending Popov. It’s like the only ones who believed in her were her uncle Alex and Vasiliy. IDK, I feel like there were some strings not tied up that should have been tied up in either a couple of more chapters or a proper epilogue.

BUT I know the more Mrs. Eleanor writes, she’ll take what we want to see more of into consideration!

Other than that, five stars! I love strong FMCs and MMCs that aren’t afraid to let their women lead, afraid to let them be strong and just as powerful, if not more powerful, than themselves. I hope the series continues with another book, and even if it doesn’t, I’ll definitely be waiting for your next book drop! 🫶🏽

[Agatha Dibs(*´꒳`*) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars

ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review. THIS REVIEW DOESN'T CONTAIN ANY MAJOR SPOILER!

“I love you so much, sometimes I can’t breathe around the force of it.”

Nemesis is about two strangers getting ki*dnapped and having to survive and find their way out. Both are morally grey and unhinged 💅🏻He is a chaotic psychopath and She wants to win and gain power. And I just love her. I was straight before this book but now I doubt it tbh😭

Octavia was easily my favorite part of the book. Her character arc oh.my.god beautifully written. She begins as a ballerina trapped inside a life where almost every aspect of her existence is controlled by someone else, and watching her gradually become more confident, ruthless, and willing to take control of her own life was incredibly satisfying. I especially loved that her strength wasn't treated as something that suddenly appeared!!!!!!!! Her intelligence, stubbornness, anger, and survival instincts were there from the beginning, and the story keeps pushing those qualities further!!!!! It's really important for me to see character actually grow and not just suddenly change completely!

And then there's Vasiliy💗 the man he is.

Mmc definitely has a soft spot for her. Their relationship has plenty of possessiveness, tension, banter, and morally questionable decisions, but what I liked most was how their dynamic gradually changed from two people simply trying to survive the same situation into genuine partnership. Vasiliy doesn't simply become “less dangerous” because he falls for her. Instead, Octavia becomes someone he respects as an equal, which made their relationship much more interesting to me. Also tension? I blushed and gasped and melted😭

The book also does found family surprisingly well. Some of the lighter family interactions gave the story breathing room between the darker scenes, and I genuinely enjoyed seeing Octavia slowly discover what it feels like to belong somewhere. Alsooooo I want to mention again how much I love side characters of this book😭 like give alllll their own book please 😭💗

Several huge revelations, betrayals, plans, confrontations, and emotional developments happen in relatively quick succession. I sometimes wanted certain moments to have more room to breathe because the stakes were already so high. It's slow-medium paced. The type you wouldn't be bored and sometimes even faster than what you expect but in general it was well.

Nemesis gave me exactly the kind of chaotic, dark, high-stakes reading experience I expected. Let me be honest, Author wrote as if rent was due. I mean girllllll It's been ages since last time I read dark romance this well written😭💗

✩⡱ Overall: If you enjoy possessive heroes, morally gray characters, mafia romance, strong heroines, found family, and plenty of bloodshed, this one has a lot to offer. 🩸

✩⡱ 🌶️ Spice Rating
🌶️ 🌶️🌶️ (Yum yum yum)

✩⡱ TROPES:

• Character arc

• strangers to friends to lovers

• their chemistry could win a Noble prize☝🏻

• ballerina × mafia (it's my fav btw)

• both of the are morally greyyy

• reverse grumpy x sunshine? She was like a black cat and he was a golden retriever? Or maybe an orange cat?😭

• Found family

• The banter 💗

• I wanted to mention BANTER again.

✐˚ ༘ 𓂃⊹ Do I reccomend this book?
YESSSSSSSS YESSSSSSSSS YESSSSSS I WOULD MARRY THIS BOOK😭😭😭😭

✐˚ ༘ 𓂃⊹ Will I re read this book?
That I'm not sure because I already know all the twists but I might re read my highlights 😭

P.S: BAMBI😭😭😭

[Kim Janey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Octavia has spent most of her life surviving. Orphaned at a young age, she's a ballerina trying to hold her life together when a chance encounter brings Vasiliy Morozov, the newly traded Solokov soldier, into her world. But when the two find themselves kidnapped and held captive together, their realities shift drastically and they very quickly become each other’s ride or die.

Mannnn, this was such a unique read. You think you're getting the ballerina and Bratva enforcer romance and Eleanor Feighery basically takes that idea, flips it upside down, and throws you in for one heck of a ride. I really didn't know where this story was going and certainly did not expect this but good Lord, I loved it! The Bratva politics played such a huge role, the plot kept getting bigger and crazier, and by the end I felt like I'd been on an absolute rollercoaster.



“You’re my best friend, the love of my life, and whatever else you’ll allow.”

But through all of that craziness, the romance in this was elite. It was incredible to see how Octavia and Vasiliy were such good partners, I loved that they faced so much of the craziness together and genuinely worked as a team. Their relationship didn't take away from everything happening around them and there was this sense that no matter what was thrown their way, they had someone in their corner.

Now, I would love to spend some time fangirling over Vasiliy cause oh, I adored this man. For an unhinged, ruthless and dangerous Bratva soldier, he was just so unexpectedly soft and loving (and a feminist). He had this wisecracking personality that made him so much fun to read, but underneath the humor was someone incredibly caring. I loved the way he supported Octavia without trying to control who she became, there was not an ounce of toxic masculinity found anywhere on this man. He was there beside her through it all and honestly, that's exactly what she needed.

And of course, my homegirl Octavia was an absolute firecracker. If you're expecting the innocent, wide-eyed ballerina who needs the big scary Bratva man to save her...yeah, think again. Life had already thrown so much at this girl and she refused to let any of it keep her down. On that note, I actually felt like Nemesis was Octavia's story of finding herself, with Vasiliy right there beside her as she did it. Her evolution throughout the book was probably my favourite part and the most unique in this genre of books. She wasn't becoming someone completely different, it felt more like she was finally discovering parts of herself that had been there all along.

“You’re my touchstone in the darkness. The f*cking air I breathe.”

After all the craziness, that ending left me with the biggest warm fuzzy feeling and it wrapped up beautifully. What a spectacular book from a spectacular author! Eleanor created such an interesting world here and I'm really not ready to leave it behind yet so is it premature to start campaigning for an Ivan book? Hehe

[Kate - Kateryna · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I finished Hopeless Creatures, that book stayed with me long after I turned the last page. So when I heard Eleanor was releasing Nemesis, I couldn’t have been more excited! I was absolutely thrilled and honored to be part of the ARC team and get the chance to read this incredible book early. And let me just say… the wait was worth it!

🌟 5/5 - We LOVE a strong FMC! Octavia is a struggling ballerina trying to survive while carrying the weight of her past traumas, and I absolutely loved watching her character develop throughout the story.

And then we have Vasiliy, a Bratva enforcer who has always been the black sheep of his family and cares about little more than his sister. The contrast between these two was EVERYTHING. Their story goes from zero to one hundred when they’re kidnapped right after meeting and forced to share a cell while trying not to kill each other… all while figuring out who took them and how they’re going to escape.

The forced proximity? Absolutely delicious.
The yearning? I ate it up.
The trauma bonding, the need to comfort each other, and the way their relationship slowly developed? Perfection.

I also may have kicked my feet a little when Cassandra and Mikhail made their appearance! Getting to see them again and seeing their little family, including their baby girl, was such a special treat. 🥹🖤

It’s also so clear how much Eleanor has grown as a writer. Nemesis feels even more focused on the mafia world while giving us so much more character development, and I absolutely loved that balance.

🌶️ 2.5/5

The spice and romance were just right for this story. There was enough to keep me wanting MORE, but it never overshadowed the plot or the characters. The romance had room to breathe, and I loved watching their connection develop alongside everything else happening in the story.

🖤 5/5

While Nemesis is absolutely amazing as a stand alone , I highly recommend reading Hopeless Creatures first. These two books make such a wonderful duet, and I think reading them together makes the world and the characters even more exciting.

I had such a fun time reading this book, and I genuinely couldn’t put it down. Eleanor has created another dark, emotional, addictive story with characters you can’t help but become invested in.

Congratulations on the release, Eleanor! You’ve done an incredible job with Nemesis, and I can’t wait to see what you give us next. Whatever comes next, I already know I’ll be waiting for it! ✨

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

***ARC reader*** I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review

Okay, I LOVE this story.
I really enjoyed how fast-paced and completely unhinged it is. The banter had me constantly giggling, and there were so many moments where I was just sitting there thinking, “There is absolutely no way this is happening,” and then loving every second of it. Is it believable? Absolutely not. But honestly, that is exactly why I enjoyed it so much.
This book was over before I even realized it. It flew by, and I found myself completely caught up in the absurdity of everything. I think that is what I enjoy most about this series. I am not reading it because I need a realistic storyline. I am reading it because I want to escape reality, and this series delivers that in the most chaotic way possible.
I remember seeing reviews of the first book where people said they could not finish because the storyline was too unbelievable. Honestly, that is exactly what works for me. We do not always read because we want something that could realistically happen. Sometimes we read because we want something completely ridiculous and entertaining that lets us forget about real life for a while. This book absolutely did that for me.
I also really enjoyed how this book still connects back to the first one. Some of the characters from the first book make appearances, and as the story progresses, you start to understand where this book falls within the timeline. It also expands the world beyond the original story, giving us a bigger picture of the Russian mafia and how these characters and organizations intertwine across different states and even countries.
The trauma bonding, the ridiculous situations, the banter, and the sheer absurdity of everything made this such a fun read for me. I genuinely could not stop giggling at how unhinged some of it was.
It is a very fast read, but I had so much fun with it. If you enjoy over-the-top mafia romances, chaotic storylines, unhinged characters, and books that fully embrace their own absurdity, I definitely recommend giving this series a try.
Sometimes I do not want believable. Sometimes I just want to escape reality and have fun with a completely ridiculous story. Nemesis gave me exactly that.

[Della · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I had seen Eleanor's novels come up on both my instagram and my TikTok fyp, so had always been very interested so when an opportunity to read an ARC of Nemesis, I jumped at the chance! I had been in a bit of a reading slump, where I was just in need of a break, but I started Nemesis as a way to break the slump... And boy did it!

The main characters in Nemesis are really interesting. Both Octavia and Vasiliy have the perfect mix of intriguing individual pasts, chemistry and an interconnected present.

Our FMC, Octavia Clarke, is a well known ballerina when she is seen by Vasiliy who is attending her performance as a part of his role in his new Bratva syndicate. He instantly senses a connection and starts to follow her from the theatre when they are both taken by a rival syndicate.

At first, Vasiliy believes it is him who they are after, but soon he realises that it is Octavia they want and despite finding themselves trapped (literally) in a nightmare situation, they find solace in one another and withstand awful circumstances before they are able to escape their predicament.

For me, whilst Vasiliy was touch-her-and-die vibes, as well as cinnamon roll, but just for her, Octavia was the real stand out character for me. Her continual display of absolute badassery in the midst of complete trauma was so inspiring and just so cool. Vasiliy's devotion and determination to make Octavia the best version of herself was so tender and so beautifully written.

This book is perfect for fans of
🔪 Bratva romance
💞 Forced proximity
💀 Touch her & die
🔐 Secret identity
🫶🏻 Found family
😱 Romantic suspense
🌶️ Spice, spice and more spice!

I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to read this ARC by Eleanor Feighery.

[Debleena · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book where the fmc actually rises up to be a badass leader, where the mmc is the damsel in distress and where the roles of king and queen are reversed, and all written and tied together without maing the book over the top, or too much, hell yeah then you have come to the right place because Nemesis by Eleanor Feighery, offers exactly that and much much much more. After the first book Hopeless Creature, that I read, I was kinda wary of reading another book by the same author so soon, but damn not only did it prove me wrong in the most brilliant and spectacular way, but it made me love the author. I hope she keeps giving masterpieces like Nemesis, with actual badass fmcs who don't bow for anyone, sacrifice things only when its earned and deserved and mistakes and betrayals equate punishments or death sentences.

Absolutely adored and loved Vasily. He was the perfect combination of impulsiveness, recklessness, goofyness, love, responsibility mixed with brutality, strength, dominance, selfless nature. I loved how he was portrayed as a dominant fearless man who only bowed for his loved ones. He does not suffer from fragile male egos and would willingly give away his happiness and life for Octavia and Anya. I too shed a few tears for Sasha, because damn it was unfair how things ended for him. I adored and respected the hell out of Alex too. All the characters were well written, no sight for lazy work seen in this book marvel.

An amazing amazing read.

[Desiree Hogue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read book 1 in this series recently, and when I saw there was book 2, I ran for a copy! I fell in love with Eleanor Feighery's writing style right away, and j cannot wait to read more of what she comes up with!

This had everything I love in a dark Bratva romance: a possessive and tough MMC who hates everyone but her, both MCs were protective of the other, a bad ass FMC who trained to fight and join the family business, a HEA, and a new wild and lovable family introduced (who all deserve their own book!).

Vas and Octavia met under terrible circumstances and their relationship grew while in captivity together while both enduring torture. So there were definitely darker elements! But once Octavia jumped in front of Vas the first time, their obsession was born and they spent the remainder of the book as protective best friends, while eventually crossing that boundary to more, but they had the sparks right away!

Vas and Octavia deserve all of the love for what they bad been through together and apart, and I loved their HEA! I hope to see more of them in future stories!

[Genesis · Rating 5 out of 5]

⚠️ Possible Spoilers ⚠️

The way this book just had so many twists and turns!! 🙂‍↕️ Octavia (FMC) has so much character development and you can see the transformation from ballerina to badass! 🤏🤪 And with Vasiliy (MMC) he has his own character development. 😌 A Bratva interrogator that is captivated by Octavia and has the urge to keep her safe no matter the cost. 🤭 His soft side comes out for the one woman he will follow anywhere. 🥹 They went through so much together and I’m so glad they were able to find each other. 😇 Their love is so sweet and their connection is so strong they don’t even have to speak to know what the other is thinking. 🥰 I adored seeing their dynamic with Anya. 🥹 I absolutely loved seeing characters Mikhail and Cass from book 1 (Hopeless Creatures)!! 🥹🥰 And I especially love that they came together to help Octavia. 🙂‍↕️ Everyone in this book is a badass. 😆 I also was so so happy with the Encore at the end of the book. My heart is so full and happy. 🥰 And yes on the day I finished this book, I did stay up and read until 4 AM. 😅 I just had to know what was going to happen!! 🤪 I totes recommend it and I gave it 5 stars. 🤭 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⚠️ Also there are content warnings at the beginning of the book!! ⚠️

[Kristina Konrady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved book one of this series so when I heard book two was coming, I ran!

I fell in love with Eleanor's writing style in Hopeless Creatures and I was very happy we got a little of Cass and Mikhail in Nemesis! I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to see what she gives us next!

We love a strong FMC! Octavia is a struggling ballerina just trying to find a way to survive and deal with her past traumas. Vasiliy is a bratva enforcer who has always been the black sheep of his family. The only thing he cares about is his little sister. Their story goes from zero to a hundred when they are kidnapped right after they meet. Trapped in a cell together, they have to try to not kill each other while also figuring out who is holding them and how to escape. This is forced proximity to the max and I loved every second of it. The way their relationship developed, the trauma bonding, the need to comfort each other, these two are perfection and would do anything for the other.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book just and much as I loved book 1.

We meet Octavia, who is a struggling orphaned ballerina who is trying to make it. Then we have Vasiliy, a bratva interrogator who is the black sheep of the family, who only cares about his baby sister. These two completely different characters get accidentally kidnapped (together), and we see them form a sort of trauma bond. With this formed bone, we also get to watch them slowly fall in love.

I loved how there were three separate parts to this story, and yet it all connected beautifully. We also got to see Cass and Mikhail!

Our FMC grows into her new role and finds the family she’s always wanted, while our MMC stands with her and supports her like the true feminist he is😉

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Eleanor, for giving me the chance to be one of your ARC readers. This is actually my very first ARC, which made it extra special.

I already really liked the first book in this series, so I was excited to get my hands on this one.

I really loved Octavia and Vasiliy together. Their relationship felt like a true partnership, and I loved watching their bond develop through everything they went through. Octavia was such a strong FMC, and Vasiliy was surprisingly soft and supportive despite being a ruthless Bratva enforcer.

The story also took me in directions I wasn’t expecting, and I really enjoyed watching everything unfold. Overall, such a fun read, and I’m already curious about the other characters and what Eleanor writes next!

[Kenzie V · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc Reader Review:


Omg! This has been one of my most anticipated reads this year! I received this book about 2-3 weeks and I enjoyed every second of it.

Honestly, one of my biggest pet-peeves are those big brooding men who can't put their women as a priority on their list. Or a situation like 'oh i dont really gaf about what u want, imma do what i want' no. absolutely not so I'm proud to announce: Vasiliy's ENTIRE LIFE is Octavia! WOOHOO! Huge win!

I appreciate the delicacy that the heavy topics were dealt with in the book, stuff like that can get really emotional but Eleanor Feighery captured the intricacies really well!! And the character development is to DIE for

can't wait for the next book, i hope everyone enjoys the book as much as i did :)

[kc_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was sad, heartwarming, spice and ugly cry enducing. I love seeing a strong female lead that has dealt with adversity but is still working through her fragility. Vasiliey is such a great character, unhinged in the best way. His need to protect Octavia felt so natural and not forced. I hope this series continues. This was so different from the previous book but it still felt familiar. I love Eleanor Feighery's writing and I wish she had more books for me to dive into.
This was a very refreshing dark Bratva romance, not cookie cutter.

[Ashley Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love all thing dark mafia romance. I struggle to find one that is different then what I have read before. Though there is some similarities to other works in this Eleanor does an incredible job of captivating from the moment you read the dedication!!! This is a dark romance so check your trigger warnings. Vasiliy and Octavia though I wouldn't say love at first sight I love how protective he is of her and helps her and is soft only for her. They see eachother in a way that no one else can. I truly enjoyed this story so much.

[Adaline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dnf around 50% i really like their love for each other I just couldn’t get over how this ballerina who had no idea that she was a mafia princess and grew up in foster care having nothing to do with the mafia or anything violent somehow was grabbing guns and threatening people immediately after finding it out like literally threatening people saying I will kill you like all this insane stuff as if she isn’t a freaking ballerina and she was shooting people. She had known about the whole mafia thing for about a whole 48 hours at Max.

[Millie Pentecost · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, especially LOVED the badass female lead!! I liked that there was a good balance of FMC being super cool and kickass while also exploring the emotional toll and consequences of that, and the internal struggle of correlating the person she was with the person she is. The MMC is just a slay. I wish there was a little bit longer spent on family bonding and more exploration of Octavia in her leadership role but overall an incredible book that pulled me out of my reading slump!!

[theloukid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. I found this so much better the first book is every aspect- the story, the characters, and the romance. I really liked Vasily and Octavia as a couple- I loved their crazy and their strength. I just found them to be a great pairing with a good build up as the hold onto each other through the trauma and the drama. The plot was interesting, and I was entertained as the couple went through it. There’s a quote from Octavia that really made me giggle:
“Oh God,” I murmur to myself. “My emotional-support man is an idiot.”

[Lila · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story has fast pacing, which I really enjoy and prefer in general! I never got bored with the characters and the dialogue. I love the development that I hope the other characters have their own stories published in the future, hopefully. Speaking of the main characters, I love a strong FMC who is equal to the MMC! They’re unhinged and maybe, stubborn, at times. I live for the moments where they comfort each other, but are always there for each other.

[Ace.Reads.Smut · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review.

Yes. Yes. Yes. This was honestly so good.

I read book 1 in preparation for this. They are interconnected standalones, so this can be read by itself. But I’ve been caught out by that recently, so didn’t want to risk it!

Book 1 was very good. Solid 4 stars. But it somehow felt like there should have been more. It was around 290 pages only. So I was surprised to find this book was around 520 pages! But holy heck. Not a single page is wasted here.

I absolutely loved this. I never expected the journey these characters went on. Especially the FMC, Octavia. She was phenomenal. The vibes of this book! The relationship between Octavia & MMC Vasiliy is so damn good. I loved him and I want one haha!

So if you’re looking for a mafia book with a bloody good, satisfying plot, and some spice thrown in, then highly recommend.