Nemesis: A Dark Bratva Romance

by Eleanor Feighery

A dark Bratva romance from the world of Hopeless Creatures

I break people in basements for a living. Then they locked me in the dark with her.

A ballerina with a ruined knee and fury that rivals mine. A nobody, according to her records.
Except two Bratva bloodlines want her dead, and she doesn’t know why.

She thinks her name is Octavia Clarke.
The men who took us know better.

I’ve survived countless interrogation rooms. The rules kept me feel nothing. Want nothing. Protect nothing.

Then she stepped between me and the knife.

Nobody has ever bled for me before.
She doesn’t get to take it back.

Now our captors are asking her questions she can’t answer, and I will tear through every one of them before they touch her again.

She's never been protected by anyone.
Good. The position is open. And I don’t share.

For fans of captive romance, touch-HIM-and-die heroines, and angry women who claw their way into leadership.

Dark Bratva romance. Guaranteed HEA. No cheating. He’s the monster in everyone’s story but hers.

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Mafia Romance, Forced Proximity, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary, Touch Her and Die

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

[liya · Rating 1 out of 5]

finding a good mafia book is like searching for water in a desert my chances are slim to none. dropped this book when our main character a ballerina not even two days after finding out she’s a mafia princess starts to kill and threaten people with a gun as if her biggest worry two days ago wasn’t learning her choreography. absolute cringe.

[Adaline · Rating 1.25 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.

[Hannah Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a Russian mafia romance CONNOISSEUR. They are my actual bread and butter, but after multiple books, they started feeling a teensy bit repetitive. Boy oh boy, did this shake things up for me. This felt so refreshing and more mature compared to a lot of other mafia books.

First of all, I like to think that I know my girlies on here, and I absolutely know from the bottom of my heart that you guys will love Vasily. This man!?!?!??! Ugh so good.

This book felt like a whole series in one, and the journey we went on from the beginning of the book to the end was such a ride. The FMC, Octavia, was giving me Aelin vibes, but darker and more insane. She felt so refreshing as an FMC in a Bratva/mafia book because she was so strong from the very beginning of the book. She has her trauma and things to work through, and we see her struggling with them, but she's always fighting not only for those she loves but for herself too.

[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🫠

[Kayla’s Book Binge · Rating 1 out of 5]

Am I being punished? That’s what I kept asking myself as I read this. It was truly a waste of my time!

This book has SO much potential but it completely lost me after they left the cage. All of my interest went down the drain. The writing became so silly and unbelievable that I was getting so angry.

Every person in this book pissed me off. No one was likable especially the FMC. She was interesting as a ballerina but completely unbearable as a mafia princess. Her whole unhinged arc was ridiculous.

The momentum was high when they’re in the cage but then the rest of the book is a snooze fest with .2 seconds of action near the end.

Nothing felt believable in the slightest. It had me so irritated and I wish I didn’t read it

[ava ᥫ᭡ · 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. 🥹🥹

[Tocari · Rating 2.25 out of 5]

2,5⭐️

noup

[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!

[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 ;)

[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

[Genesis *ೃ༄]

Wait I love them both tho

[Eva]

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

[Grzane Wino · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

The beginning of this book was SO good. I was hooked immediately, and I absolutely loved Octavia. She was easily my favorite part of the book. I loved how strong, stubborn, independent, and badass she was, and I really enjoyed watching her discover the truth about her family and her mafia blood.

Although, I have to say, the transition from “just a ballerina” to suddenly shooting people with perfect aim was WILD 😭 Like girl, where did you learn that?? Five minutes ago you were dancing ballet and now you’re apparently a professional shooter.

I also really enjoyed the romance and the tension between Octavia and the MMC. Their dynamic and the way they challenged each other were definitely some of my favorite parts.

The middle dragged a bit for me, but the ending had me completely invested again. It was intense and exciting, although definitely a little rushed. I wish some of the final events had been given more time to develop.

Overall, I really enjoyed it. Octavia carried this book for me, and despite the slower middle and rushed ending, it was still a really fun read.

[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.

[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!

[antonia · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

LOOK! para ser un libro de mafia está muuuuy decente. mi única queja es que el final se alargó un poco pero los personajes, la dinámica entre ellos y el plot estuvieron wenos wenos, estoy sorprendida xdd

[Korra Kalaus · Rating 3 out of 5]

She copes and compartmentalizes incredibly well. She never deals with the trauma she experiences but some how she is always strong and knows what to do next.

[Amber J · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

About 3/4 I skimmed through to the end.

[Sata · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve been waiting to read this book for a while because the clips I kept seeing were getting me SO excited for it.

At first, I genuinely loved Act One. The FMC was interesting, and I especially loved that she was a ballet dancer. I liked her anger issues, how she met the MMC, how they tried to survive their kidnapping, and most importantly, how they slowly bonded through everything they were going through. I honestly thought the book was going to continue in that direction, and I was really excited because it reminded me of Still Beating, a book that still hurts my heart 🥹.

BUT THEN suddenly we find out that she’s the daughter of a mafia boss.

I was like, okay… not necessarily a bad thing. Maybe we’re getting some action. But everything happened WAY too fast. She accepted everything, they accepted her, and suddenly she was completely comfortable in this whole mafia world. I just didn’t find it realistic at all.

And one thing that REALLY annoyed me was how she basically forgot her entire life as a ballet dancer. Like… WHERE DID HER PASSION GO?! 😭

That was literally one of the main reasons I wanted to read this book in the first place. Ballet was actually part of the story and a plot point, so I thought it would be used somehow later. I was sitting there waiting for her to use some ballet moves while fighting or something 😂. Give me a graceful pirouette before kicking someone in the face, PLEASE.

But nope. Her ballet background was basically forgotten, and they barely even mentioned it. WHY make her a ballet dancer if you’re not going to do anything with it?! 😭

As for the MMC, I actually really liked that he loved his family and how he always put the FMC above everything else. I understand that he was kind of forced to accept certain things because, at the end of the day, he wasn’t the one in charge. BUT STILL… don’t make him submit THAT easily 😭.

Apparently, I’ve discovered that I like my men in control 😂. I wanted him to have more of a backbone, even if he was completely devoted to her.

And then her dad??? Like… COME ON. How many disasters can one family possibly have happen to them?! 😭

And THEN, out of nowhere, she becomes the head of the family???? Girl, you’ve been with these people for TWO MONTHS 😭😭 How are you suddenly the boss, making all the decisions and telling everyone what to do? It just made absolutely no sense to me.

At some point, I literally had to take a mental break from reading because EVERYTHING was happening one after another. By the end, I was just sitting there like… what am I even reading anymore? 😭

Act One had so much potential, which honestly makes the rest of the book even more disappointing for me.

[Emily JC · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 40%

Actually love the set-up premise of this book (and was thoroughly enjoying the first 30%) but the moment she started calling a man she JUST met 10 minutes ago "dad" was the last straw for me.

Having read other reviews on here I think the DNF at this point is a safe bet.

When will I find a mafia romance that I love with my whole heart 😭

[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! 🫶🏽

[Madelyn Fugate · Rating 5 out of 5]

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING ⚠️

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!

This book has completely consumed my thoughts, and even after finishing it, I STILL can’t stop thinking about it. 😭

Vas and Octavia’s dynamic was easily one of my favorite parts. Their mutual obsession, chemistry, banter, and “touch them and die” energy had me kicking my feet more times than I can count. I loved that their feelings were so clearly mutual and that they both had that protective, slightly unhinged energy when it came to each other. 😂

I also really loved Octavia’s character growth. Watching her figure out who she was, gain confidence, and become braver and more badass with every chapter was so satisfying. She really grew into her own strength, and I loved seeing her realize what she was capable of. Every new side of her had me cheering her on. 🔥

My only real complaint was the ending. I felt like there were still a few things I wanted more closure on, especially what happens with Vas’s uncle and what Vas and Octavia’s relationship looks like after adopting Anya. After everything they went through, I would have loved to see a little more of their life afterward.

Which is why I’m really hoping this isn’t actually a standalone. 👀 I would LOVE another book because I’m definitely not ready to say goodbye to these characters yet. Maybe that’s just the book hangover talking, but I need more. 😬

If you’re looking for mutual obsession, incredible chemistry, fun banter, protective energy, and a female character who gets increasingly badass throughout the story, definitely give this one a try.

Now I just have to figure out how I’m supposed to move on from Vas and Octavia. 😭❤️

[Amelie · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Star read

It’s rare for me to fall in love with a book so intensely these days but this one had me struggling to put it down once I picked it up. Octavia Clarke (Siderov) and Vasiliy Morozov are a force to be reckoned with.

From the stage to the cage to the war this book was everything.

“This time, when she breaks into a silent sob in the curve of my neck, I'm no longer terrified of pulling back to see regret lining her eyes. She can break apart. I will glue every piece back together.”

"This will be the last time you bleed, Vas, or so help me God, I'll kill you myself," I murmur, sparing a glance of wrath towards those bright blue eyes.
"I've been shot many times, zlaya. I'm fine. Promise," he says with a crooked smile, as if the declaration is supposed to place me at ease.
I grip his chin, hauling his face down to
mine. "The last. Fucking. Time."
The car is silent around his subtle nod.
"Okay."

"If you touch him, you will die," I say simply, allowing my thumb to scrape against the looped trigger.
"Which would be a shame, because I'd really like to learn your names."
"Jesus, Pa, where'd you pick her up from, the CIA?" one of my cousins barks with a sharp laugh, not at all taken aback by my hanging threat.

"Why did you kidnap a Russian Orthodox priest?" I ask, as nonjudgmentally as I can
"Well, we didn't really talk about religion. I didn't want to assume-"
"No," I interrupt. "Wrong inflection.
Why did you KIDNAP a Russian Orthodox priest?"
"Oh. Cause he's gonna marry us," she says, all matter-of-fact, rising up to her tiptoes to press a kiss to my cheek.

[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.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, this is exactly why I love mafia romances. The plot, the characters, the romance, were all the perfect amount of unhinged to keep this a consistent great time. I had tried to read this first book in this series but ended up DNFing it because the vibes weren't right (that has to be a valid reason.) Honestly I was really just wanting to read this first anyway.

The premise is really well done here. We start off with a bang, first with Octavia beating up her male counterpart and then with a double kidnapping for unknown reasons. I love how absolutely batshit Octavia was from the start. She was more than willing to knee every groin she came across and strangle an unconscious man in a cage. This is how an unhinged FMC is written. She wasn't over the top ridiculous, she just fit. And Vasiliy? The perfect MMC for Octavia. It really was a matched energy situation. They were both unhinged (although Vas started to seem a lot more down to earth as we went on.) They worked perfectly as a couple.

The pacing to this was done pretty well. There is some slow down in the middle and this is a slow burn so the romance takes a while to cook. But it does all really work to make this an excellent addition to the mafia romance genre. Maybe I'll go back and read the first book now.

[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.