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The Void Kings #3
Hollow Knife: A Dark MM Romance
I have a problem.
His name is Kento Kurosaki.
Yakuza heir with the most infuriating eyes, a mouth that never stops provoking me, and a talent for getting under my skin.
We're enemies.
At least, that's what we're supposed to be.
I push him away. He gets closer.
I threaten him. He smiles.
I run. He follows.
Every time I try to put distance between us, he finds a way to close it. Every time I tell myself I hate him, he looks at me like I'm lying.
We are not falling in love.
We are keeping score.
And I'm losing.
His name is Kento Kurosaki.
Yakuza heir with the most infuriating eyes, a mouth that never stops provoking me, and a talent for getting under my skin.
We're enemies.
At least, that's what we're supposed to be.
I push him away. He gets closer.
I threaten him. He smiles.
I run. He follows.
Every time I try to put distance between us, he finds a way to close it. Every time I tell myself I hate him, he looks at me like I'm lying.
We are not falling in love.
We are keeping score.
And I'm losing.
538 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 23, 2026
About the author
Melysia M.
3 books103 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 77 reviews
October 15, 2026
Gave this author another shot after book one didn't land for me.
One man cracking jokes to survive, a menace who stabs himself to prove a point, and a plot that took its sweet time showing up, but eventually hit.
Ilya's sense of humor was everything. The random things he comes up with to avoid humiliation had me cracking up. And the letters from his mom broke my heart. I just wanted to hug baby Ilya and never let go.
Kento is chaotic, messy and unhinged, so of course I ate it up. What better way to show someone you care about them than stabbing yourself with the knife they’re holding? Can't think of one. 🤷♀️
Struggled with the first half, though. Almost DNFed. So many plot points dropped in the first 15% and then abandoned. I stayed confused about some things until nearly the end. I love a mystery. I'll wait for answers when it builds anticipation. I don't love waiting when it feels like the plot was neglected for no reason. Some things stayed underdeveloped. Most resolved well, though.
Was leaning toward a lower rating. Then the second half hit. Once we circled back to those dropped plot points I loved it. First half: 2.5 stars. Second half: 4 stars. Final: 3.5.
Real improvement from book one. Which I love. And now I want to see where this author goes next.
One man cracking jokes to survive, a menace who stabs himself to prove a point, and a plot that took its sweet time showing up, but eventually hit.
Ilya's sense of humor was everything. The random things he comes up with to avoid humiliation had me cracking up. And the letters from his mom broke my heart. I just wanted to hug baby Ilya and never let go.
Kento is chaotic, messy and unhinged, so of course I ate it up. What better way to show someone you care about them than stabbing yourself with the knife they’re holding? Can't think of one. 🤷♀️
Struggled with the first half, though. Almost DNFed. So many plot points dropped in the first 15% and then abandoned. I stayed confused about some things until nearly the end. I love a mystery. I'll wait for answers when it builds anticipation. I don't love waiting when it feels like the plot was neglected for no reason. Some things stayed underdeveloped. Most resolved well, though.
Was leaning toward a lower rating. Then the second half hit. Once we circled back to those dropped plot points I loved it. First half: 2.5 stars. Second half: 4 stars. Final: 3.5.
Real improvement from book one. Which I love. And now I want to see where this author goes next.
October 23, 2026
I’m not quite sure what to rate this one, tbh. The first 55-60% I’d say was giving 3⭐️ and the last 40% was giving 4-4.5⭐️. I guess I’ll go with 3.75. 🤣😅
Review of advance copy received from Author
Did I just finish a 495 page book in less than 36 hours? Well yes, yes I did.
I was doomscrolling when I saw the email notification that I got an ARC copy of this book and the noise I made actually startled the dog.
I was in the middle of another book but I dropped everything and immediately started this one - and rightfully so.
We’ve already seen a lot of Ilya in the previous two books but now we get to see what’s underneath that funny, hyperactive exterior - and as I fully expected, the man wormed his way into my heart and he’s there to stay. Nobody touches my sweet angel baby.
Kento was not what I thought he would be. I’m happily married but damn… I want one. Kento’s patience with Ilya throughout the story is heartwarming, and I didn’t expect him to be so vulnerable.
I’m usually pretty good at predicting plot twists but let me tell you, I did NOT see that one coming. And then when you think you’re safe? IT TWISTS SOME MORE.
But seriously, I felt like this book was going to hurt before starting and I did predict that right. Definitely keep some tissues nearby.
At one point quite late in the story, something is revealed that is very similar to Alexei and Marco’s story - but at that point I was already so emotionally raw that it didn’t bother me. If anything, it added another layer to my devastation.
Though it’s not necessary for the story to read the other books first, I do highly recommend it. Hollow Knife takes place at around the same time as Phantom Flower and Ghost Ribbon, so there’s a lot going on with the other characters that you won’t really get if you haven’t read those. Melysia does a great job in keeping things vague so not too much gets spoiled, but inevitably some things will.
The book is marketed as an enemies to lovers, but I don’t necessarily agree that it is. Kento never saw Ilya as an enemy, and Ilya’s hostility was more of a self-defense mechanism than actual hatred for Kento.
Throughout this book I laughed (out loud), I squealed, I kicked my feet, I cried (like, HARD), I gasped - but most of all, I fell in love head over heels with both Kento and Ilya.
I was doomscrolling when I saw the email notification that I got an ARC copy of this book and the noise I made actually startled the dog.
I was in the middle of another book but I dropped everything and immediately started this one - and rightfully so.
We’ve already seen a lot of Ilya in the previous two books but now we get to see what’s underneath that funny, hyperactive exterior - and as I fully expected, the man wormed his way into my heart and he’s there to stay. Nobody touches my sweet angel baby.
Kento was not what I thought he would be. I’m happily married but damn… I want one. Kento’s patience with Ilya throughout the story is heartwarming, and I didn’t expect him to be so vulnerable.
I’m usually pretty good at predicting plot twists but let me tell you, I did NOT see that one coming. And then when you think you’re safe? IT TWISTS SOME MORE.
But seriously, I felt like this book was going to hurt before starting and I did predict that right. Definitely keep some tissues nearby.
At one point quite late in the story, something is revealed that is very similar to Alexei and Marco’s story - but at that point I was already so emotionally raw that it didn’t bother me. If anything, it added another layer to my devastation.
Though it’s not necessary for the story to read the other books first, I do highly recommend it. Hollow Knife takes place at around the same time as Phantom Flower and Ghost Ribbon, so there’s a lot going on with the other characters that you won’t really get if you haven’t read those. Melysia does a great job in keeping things vague so not too much gets spoiled, but inevitably some things will.
The book is marketed as an enemies to lovers, but I don’t necessarily agree that it is. Kento never saw Ilya as an enemy, and Ilya’s hostility was more of a self-defense mechanism than actual hatred for Kento.
Throughout this book I laughed (out loud), I squealed, I kicked my feet, I cried (like, HARD), I gasped - but most of all, I fell in love head over heels with both Kento and Ilya.
October 16, 2026
Hollow Knife by Melysia M. is a dark NA M/M mafia romance and the final book in The Void Kings — a series of three interconnected standalones.
Kento was the beating heart of this story. A portrait of reverence. I loved his darkness — his patient & quiet devotion as well as his clear spoken commands. I loved the way he challenged Ilya while simultaneously seeing right through him. I loved the flowers he gifted and the erroneous amount of sweets he had on hand at any given moment. I even loved the way he stalked Ilya. He manages to make the term “stalking” sound harsh. With Kento it felt so natural — like a totally reasonable method for staying in tune with someone you care about.
I’m convinced Kento is a dark romance reader’s dream. Unfortunately, Ilya’s character felt a bit one dimensional. I enjoyed the way our found family came together and am looking forward to the spin-off series, though!
Hollow Knife releases October 23rd. Dark MM romance readers looking for mafia vibes, possessive & obsessive morally grey MCs, bi-awakening, stalking, found family, plot twists and explicit open door spice should add this to their TBR!
Kento was the beating heart of this story. A portrait of reverence. I loved his darkness — his patient & quiet devotion as well as his clear spoken commands. I loved the way he challenged Ilya while simultaneously seeing right through him. I loved the flowers he gifted and the erroneous amount of sweets he had on hand at any given moment. I even loved the way he stalked Ilya. He manages to make the term “stalking” sound harsh. With Kento it felt so natural — like a totally reasonable method for staying in tune with someone you care about.
I’m convinced Kento is a dark romance reader’s dream. Unfortunately, Ilya’s character felt a bit one dimensional. I enjoyed the way our found family came together and am looking forward to the spin-off series, though!
Hollow Knife releases October 23rd. Dark MM romance readers looking for mafia vibes, possessive & obsessive morally grey MCs, bi-awakening, stalking, found family, plot twists and explicit open door spice should add this to their TBR!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a great book to end on for this series. The couple, in my opinion, was the strongest out of all three couples in the series, loose ends were tied up, and I thought the writing got better and better with each book. The best part about this book are the two main characters, hands-down. I think they are the two strongest characters as individuals in the series, and I also think they have a really good relationship dynamic.
I really enjoyed the psycho/psycho-er dynamic we had here. It was so fun to see Ilya’s craziness be matched and surpassed by Kento. I love that he was absolutely insane and yet he was also very grounded the whole time? I really enjoyed that if he decided something, it was going to be no matter what. Logistics or other people’s feelings aside, if Kento wanted to happen, it was going to happen. I also love it when a character has a singular focus on another character like Kento does for Ilya.
His entire world was basically hanging on whether or not not Ilya was happy or safe, and if he wasn’t, Kento would burn the whole world down to make sure that he was and I ate it right up! For this being a dark romance with morally gray characters, Kento was surprisingly sweet toward Ilya. Yeah, he was pushy, and there was definitely some dubious consent, but for the most part, he treated Ilya with respect, and he respected Ilya’s boundaries (mostly!). For the way that this was marketed and the way that the blurb made it sound, I really thought there was gonna be more dubious consent involved, but it wasn’t so much dubious consent as it was Ilya was always into what they were doing, he just didn’t want to admit it.
I also think enemies to lovers is wrong in this case, in terms of marketing, because Kento never saw Ilya as an enemy, and I think Ilya’s hatred/resentment of Kento was just suppressed feelings and jealousy because of Kento‘s relationship with his sister. Because once we get into the meet of the story, there’s really not a lot of enemies in it as much as it is just Ilya refusing to give to their relationship and Kento being so patient about it.
I really thought I was going to get annoyed with Ilya in this story, because a little of him went a very long way for me in the previous two books when he was featured. And I wasn’t really sure how I was going to feel reading him as a protagonist, but I really liked his personality and his character. I love characters that have a shield and protect themselves, and Ilya’s way of doing this I found very charming. The rambling, the fake names toward other people, the prickliness, it was all extremely charming, and I thought it was really sweet, and it endeared me toward him. I was really rooting for him to find happiness because it was so clear how lonely and sad he was in the book and I do think that Kento was the perfect match for someone like him.
And Kento was fun, but I really thought he shined the best when he was with Ilya. His personality kind of got a little lost when he was either by himself or with his brother. He was fine, but he wasn’t nearly as interesting or fun than when he was with Ilya. I just love that unhinged/deranged side of him that comes out with Ilya, and I found it missing when he was with other characters.
I do wish I cared more about Kento and his relationship with Rei, but I simply couldn’t. The first book in my opinion is the weakest in this series and a big part of that is Rei. I wasn’t a big fan of his in his book and I really was not a big fan of his in this book. I understand the author, wanting to have the brothers make amends and explain Kento‘s disappearance from Rei’s life, but it didn’t do much for me.
All the other hand, one of my favorite parts of this book is the found family/actual family/connection between Dimitri, Alexei, and Ilya. I thought that was a familiar relationship that worked so well in this book. I loved all of their scenes together and I really loved seeing how much the other two meant to Ilya when in the first two books because we don’t really know Ilya as a person yet, he comes off as flaky, and that maybe he doesn’t take the other two seriously as people and as relationships that means something to him. So it was so nice and refreshing and heartwarming to read in this story just how much he loves Dimitri and Alexei. And it was really sweet to see him basically claim them as his own special little family at the end of the book because his actual family sucks.
I do have two complaints with this book, which is why I could not give it a full five stars:
The first one being, the twist did nothing for me personally. Alya being the mastermind of the entire family dynamic and wanting to overthrow the family could have been interesting, but I had no emotional investment because we barely saw her in the book. I wish we had spent a little bit more time with her and Ilya and got to see their twin connection and how much she meant to him instead of just being told how much she meant to him. Because by the time it’s revealed that she’s the big bad, I barely know her. We don’t see enough of her and enough of her relationship with Ilya to really care that she’s the bad guy. I mean it sucks on a principle because that’s his twin sister, but I don’t really care as a reader because I don’t really know her.
And having Alya basically manipulate Anton into beating the shit out of Ilya, their entire childhood was honestly super silly to me. I’m not really sure why this was the thing other than just being another twist to have a twist. It felt like the author wanted us to forgive Anton for beating the crap out of Ilya the entire book by justifying his actions because Alya threatened in his childhood to have him be sent back on the streets or something? I kind of call phony on this. I feel like eventually he could have said something or stepped up or done anything to stand up to her. I just don’t really buy the fact that this grown man couldn’t make a decision for himself after a while. It just feels very tacked on at the end for another twist instead of it being something that feels organic.
My other major complaint is that the two main characters meeting each other as children and one of them remembers and one of them forgets is literally reheating the nachos from the last book. That was Marco and Alexei’s story!!!! Why are we doing it again in this one? In the last story, I felt like it really made sense for their characters and I really liked how the author tied it back into the main story and I thought it was super sweet. This time, it feels pointless? I liked the prince pet name as like a teasing little remark from Kento and not a callback to something that happened when they were kids. It just doesn’t make sense within this particular story and their relationship, and it just feels like the author is rehashing the same thing from the previous book.
But other than those two things, I really liked this book! I really do think this author’s writing has gotten stronger with every new book, and I am really interested in reading the spinoff series to these books and I enjoyed this series for the most part!
I really enjoyed the psycho/psycho-er dynamic we had here. It was so fun to see Ilya’s craziness be matched and surpassed by Kento. I love that he was absolutely insane and yet he was also very grounded the whole time? I really enjoyed that if he decided something, it was going to be no matter what. Logistics or other people’s feelings aside, if Kento wanted to happen, it was going to happen. I also love it when a character has a singular focus on another character like Kento does for Ilya.
His entire world was basically hanging on whether or not not Ilya was happy or safe, and if he wasn’t, Kento would burn the whole world down to make sure that he was and I ate it right up! For this being a dark romance with morally gray characters, Kento was surprisingly sweet toward Ilya. Yeah, he was pushy, and there was definitely some dubious consent, but for the most part, he treated Ilya with respect, and he respected Ilya’s boundaries (mostly!). For the way that this was marketed and the way that the blurb made it sound, I really thought there was gonna be more dubious consent involved, but it wasn’t so much dubious consent as it was Ilya was always into what they were doing, he just didn’t want to admit it.
I also think enemies to lovers is wrong in this case, in terms of marketing, because Kento never saw Ilya as an enemy, and I think Ilya’s hatred/resentment of Kento was just suppressed feelings and jealousy because of Kento‘s relationship with his sister. Because once we get into the meet of the story, there’s really not a lot of enemies in it as much as it is just Ilya refusing to give to their relationship and Kento being so patient about it.
I really thought I was going to get annoyed with Ilya in this story, because a little of him went a very long way for me in the previous two books when he was featured. And I wasn’t really sure how I was going to feel reading him as a protagonist, but I really liked his personality and his character. I love characters that have a shield and protect themselves, and Ilya’s way of doing this I found very charming. The rambling, the fake names toward other people, the prickliness, it was all extremely charming, and I thought it was really sweet, and it endeared me toward him. I was really rooting for him to find happiness because it was so clear how lonely and sad he was in the book and I do think that Kento was the perfect match for someone like him.
And Kento was fun, but I really thought he shined the best when he was with Ilya. His personality kind of got a little lost when he was either by himself or with his brother. He was fine, but he wasn’t nearly as interesting or fun than when he was with Ilya. I just love that unhinged/deranged side of him that comes out with Ilya, and I found it missing when he was with other characters.
I do wish I cared more about Kento and his relationship with Rei, but I simply couldn’t. The first book in my opinion is the weakest in this series and a big part of that is Rei. I wasn’t a big fan of his in his book and I really was not a big fan of his in this book. I understand the author, wanting to have the brothers make amends and explain Kento‘s disappearance from Rei’s life, but it didn’t do much for me.
All the other hand, one of my favorite parts of this book is the found family/actual family/connection between Dimitri, Alexei, and Ilya. I thought that was a familiar relationship that worked so well in this book. I loved all of their scenes together and I really loved seeing how much the other two meant to Ilya when in the first two books because we don’t really know Ilya as a person yet, he comes off as flaky, and that maybe he doesn’t take the other two seriously as people and as relationships that means something to him. So it was so nice and refreshing and heartwarming to read in this story just how much he loves Dimitri and Alexei. And it was really sweet to see him basically claim them as his own special little family at the end of the book because his actual family sucks.
I do have two complaints with this book, which is why I could not give it a full five stars:
The first one being, the twist did nothing for me personally. Alya being the mastermind of the entire family dynamic and wanting to overthrow the family could have been interesting, but I had no emotional investment because we barely saw her in the book. I wish we had spent a little bit more time with her and Ilya and got to see their twin connection and how much she meant to him instead of just being told how much she meant to him. Because by the time it’s revealed that she’s the big bad, I barely know her. We don’t see enough of her and enough of her relationship with Ilya to really care that she’s the bad guy. I mean it sucks on a principle because that’s his twin sister, but I don’t really care as a reader because I don’t really know her.
And having Alya basically manipulate Anton into beating the shit out of Ilya, their entire childhood was honestly super silly to me. I’m not really sure why this was the thing other than just being another twist to have a twist. It felt like the author wanted us to forgive Anton for beating the crap out of Ilya the entire book by justifying his actions because Alya threatened in his childhood to have him be sent back on the streets or something? I kind of call phony on this. I feel like eventually he could have said something or stepped up or done anything to stand up to her. I just don’t really buy the fact that this grown man couldn’t make a decision for himself after a while. It just feels very tacked on at the end for another twist instead of it being something that feels organic.
My other major complaint is that the two main characters meeting each other as children and one of them remembers and one of them forgets is literally reheating the nachos from the last book. That was Marco and Alexei’s story!!!! Why are we doing it again in this one? In the last story, I felt like it really made sense for their characters and I really liked how the author tied it back into the main story and I thought it was super sweet. This time, it feels pointless? I liked the prince pet name as like a teasing little remark from Kento and not a callback to something that happened when they were kids. It just doesn’t make sense within this particular story and their relationship, and it just feels like the author is rehashing the same thing from the previous book.
But other than those two things, I really liked this book! I really do think this author’s writing has gotten stronger with every new book, and I am really interested in reading the spinoff series to these books and I enjoyed this series for the most part!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
first of all, thank you author for the arc!!!
I got interested in this book based on the marketing, the idea seemed like everything I could love, which was a mm romance, with mafia, and awesome banter. We got all of that, but I think some things made me not love it.
I say all of this with respect and reinforcing that this book was hella fun and that Ilya and Kento had a beautiful story and a very pleasing development. What I didn't enjoy was everything else.
This book was too long, and I usually don't mind unless the pages tell me something, but some of the chapters followed the same pattern of sex scene, Ilya runs, Kento goes after him. Ignoring and coming back. More sex. Which is very common in fanfics, tbh, and I love fanfics, this is not me diminishing the value of them, but I think a book needs to be polished better so it doesn't turn repetitive.
The plot twists also weren't to my liking. I think that when you make such a centric problem, you already have your villain and your conflict, so what happened in the end left me with a bitter taste that caused me to lower a star. I value plot twists when they make sense, this one didn't and just felt like a gotcha moment. The way Anton was treated in the end also didn't bode well for me, because the "explanation" made it feel like he could be redeemed because of said plot twist and that itself felt like an invalidation to all Ilya went through.
I think the author has a brilliant future ahead, and Ilya and Kento were thrilling. I'm happy they got their happy ending.
I got interested in this book based on the marketing, the idea seemed like everything I could love, which was a mm romance, with mafia, and awesome banter. We got all of that, but I think some things made me not love it.
I say all of this with respect and reinforcing that this book was hella fun and that Ilya and Kento had a beautiful story and a very pleasing development. What I didn't enjoy was everything else.
This book was too long, and I usually don't mind unless the pages tell me something, but some of the chapters followed the same pattern of sex scene, Ilya runs, Kento goes after him. Ignoring and coming back. More sex. Which is very common in fanfics, tbh, and I love fanfics, this is not me diminishing the value of them, but I think a book needs to be polished better so it doesn't turn repetitive.
The plot twists also weren't to my liking. I think that when you make such a centric problem, you already have your villain and your conflict, so what happened in the end left me with a bitter taste that caused me to lower a star. I value plot twists when they make sense, this one didn't and just felt like a gotcha moment. The way Anton was treated in the end also didn't bode well for me, because the "explanation" made it feel like he could be redeemed because of said plot twist and that itself felt like an invalidation to all Ilya went through.
I think the author has a brilliant future ahead, and Ilya and Kento were thrilling. I'm happy they got their happy ending.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was so happy to receive an ARC for this book, I have been looking forward to it ever since meeting Ilya in Phantom Flower.
Ilya has been my favourite throughout this series, but I think Kento has taken that spot now 🤭 I never thought I would love that man as much as I did.
I loved every single page of this book, it made me laugh, it made me cry and it had me giggling and kicking my feet.
Easy 5⭐️
Ilya has been my favourite throughout this series, but I think Kento has taken that spot now 🤭 I never thought I would love that man as much as I did.
I loved every single page of this book, it made me laugh, it made me cry and it had me giggling and kicking my feet.
Easy 5⭐️
Review of advance copy received from Author
Talk about a true turn of events! This was a fun read. I really enjoyed Kento and Ilya's banter. I didn't expect Kento to give us so much and I was pleasantly surprised. These two went through many horrible experiences in life and when they could have given up they persevered. They lost a lot but they gained as well. They found safety in their friends and close family and a home in one another. I have enjoyed all 3 books in this series and I'm excited for what may come next in this world.
Review of advance copy received from Author
So this book came as a shock to me because I have not read the first 2 and this is my first book by this author! I am completely blown away. The characters, the plot, the spice, the twists I never saw coming all lead me to one conclusion… I have to have more! Seriously I will definitely be reading more from this author cause this book just gave me a taste and now I am craving more.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book was so good just as I expected. I was so freaking honored to receive an ARC! This was the first one I’ve ever received and I was in bookworm heaven. I do not have to leave a review but I just wanted to obviously since it was so good.
Kento and Ilya. My babies. Kento is immediately obsessed with Ilya. I LOVED this. I also loved that pretty much every chapter had them interacting. I came for the romance and it delivered. Kento is simultaneously so sweet and vicious. It’s the perfect mix for Ilya. There were several times I felt bad for Kento because Ilya refused him so much. Sweet Kento was so beyond obsessed with Ilya.
He had to fight so hard for Ilya and he was glad to do it. He never once gave up on him.
This definitely had its sad moments but to me it wasn’t as sad as Ghost Ribbon. Which I kind of appreciate since that book destroyed me in the best way possible. It was hard to see Marco and Alexei suffering through Ilya’s eyes. But I loved seeing all the moments between Kento and Ilya that we got glimpses of in Ghost Ribbon.
Their banter was so good! Ilya is so quick on his toes and Kento matches him so well. The little details of their love was so precious. Kento paid such close attention to Ilya in a way that no one ever had. I will say I didn’t quite understand why Ilya hated Kento from the start. However, it does fit with Ilya’s wild personality.
I also feel like the plot twist was interesting but maybe didn’t make too much sense? It did and it didn’t. It felt like it came out of left field so I definitely wasn’t expecting it. But I guess that is the definition of a plot twist. Overall it did not hinder the story in anyway.
I loved seeing Kento and Rei’s relationship build and the dynamic between Kento and Dimitri was hilarious. This is one of the many many things I love about Melysia M. There’s humor and sadness and it’s done well. I’d be laughing one chapter and devastated the next. She manages to seamlessly switch tones which is difficult to do.
She also writes love in such a beautiful way. Her words are so poetic. Even her metaphors are unique. It is always a privilege to read her writing. I’m not ready to let go of the Void Kings but I trust she has something good in the works.
Huge thank you to Melysia for giving me the opportunity to read this! I cannot wait to see what she writes next!! (I will read anything she writes. Even if it’s a grocery list😂)
Happy reading!😉
Kento and Ilya. My babies. Kento is immediately obsessed with Ilya. I LOVED this. I also loved that pretty much every chapter had them interacting. I came for the romance and it delivered. Kento is simultaneously so sweet and vicious. It’s the perfect mix for Ilya. There were several times I felt bad for Kento because Ilya refused him so much. Sweet Kento was so beyond obsessed with Ilya.
He had to fight so hard for Ilya and he was glad to do it. He never once gave up on him.
This definitely had its sad moments but to me it wasn’t as sad as Ghost Ribbon. Which I kind of appreciate since that book destroyed me in the best way possible. It was hard to see Marco and Alexei suffering through Ilya’s eyes. But I loved seeing all the moments between Kento and Ilya that we got glimpses of in Ghost Ribbon.
Their banter was so good! Ilya is so quick on his toes and Kento matches him so well. The little details of their love was so precious. Kento paid such close attention to Ilya in a way that no one ever had. I will say I didn’t quite understand why Ilya hated Kento from the start. However, it does fit with Ilya’s wild personality.
I also feel like the plot twist was interesting but maybe didn’t make too much sense? It did and it didn’t. It felt like it came out of left field so I definitely wasn’t expecting it. But I guess that is the definition of a plot twist. Overall it did not hinder the story in anyway.
I loved seeing Kento and Rei’s relationship build and the dynamic between Kento and Dimitri was hilarious. This is one of the many many things I love about Melysia M. There’s humor and sadness and it’s done well. I’d be laughing one chapter and devastated the next. She manages to seamlessly switch tones which is difficult to do.
She also writes love in such a beautiful way. Her words are so poetic. Even her metaphors are unique. It is always a privilege to read her writing. I’m not ready to let go of the Void Kings but I trust she has something good in the works.
Huge thank you to Melysia for giving me the opportunity to read this! I cannot wait to see what she writes next!! (I will read anything she writes. Even if it’s a grocery list😂)
Happy reading!😉
Review of advance copy received from Author
_Safety info included_
Ok so first of all I loved both MCs as I knew I would. Kento is honestly pretty perfect, his patience towards Ilya was great to read. His backstory was actually quite sad but he's strong and made the most of it. Now Ilya fully broke my heart. Such a broken boy, who didn't know how to love himself and be loved too. The letters he wrote to his "Mama" really pulled at my heartstrings. The push and pull was a bit frustrating at times though, I have to say. I also didn't like that Ilya thought Kento was sleeping with other people (including Ilya's sister) for a good half of the book, even if he wasn't, I felt this could have been cleared up way earlier. The drama at the cliff also was a bit too OTT in my opinion. And the fact that Kento and Ilya had met when they were kids but Ilya blocked it was quite matchy matchy with Alexei and Marco. But all in all a good book and I do recommend it. I do love a good psychopath x sociopath romance, and the last chapter was really sweet.
*Safety info (potential spoilers)*
- OP drama: Ilya thinks Kento is sleeping with multiple women, including Ilya's sister, whom Kento goes on arranged dates with, but he isn't. There is also a particular girl called Sasha that posts a picture of Kento naked, and while being an old picture, it makes Ilya really jealous as he thinks it's recent, so he intends to sleep with other people too. Nothing happens however as Kento stops him (Ilya does dance with people but he's not feeling it). Then at some point after distancing himself, Ilya goes to a club to find Kento and Sasha is there but Kento isn't interested and it sparks the exclusivity conversation. So there is technically no-one else for either of them throughout the book, but with the miscommunication there is tension.
- Third act breakup: yes
- HFN
Ok so first of all I loved both MCs as I knew I would. Kento is honestly pretty perfect, his patience towards Ilya was great to read. His backstory was actually quite sad but he's strong and made the most of it. Now Ilya fully broke my heart. Such a broken boy, who didn't know how to love himself and be loved too. The letters he wrote to his "Mama" really pulled at my heartstrings. The push and pull was a bit frustrating at times though, I have to say. I also didn't like that Ilya thought Kento was sleeping with other people (including Ilya's sister) for a good half of the book, even if he wasn't, I felt this could have been cleared up way earlier. The drama at the cliff also was a bit too OTT in my opinion. And the fact that Kento and Ilya had met when they were kids but Ilya blocked it was quite matchy matchy with Alexei and Marco. But all in all a good book and I do recommend it. I do love a good psychopath x sociopath romance, and the last chapter was really sweet.
*Safety info (potential spoilers)*
- OP drama: Ilya thinks Kento is sleeping with multiple women, including Ilya's sister, whom Kento goes on arranged dates with, but he isn't. There is also a particular girl called Sasha that posts a picture of Kento naked, and while being an old picture, it makes Ilya really jealous as he thinks it's recent, so he intends to sleep with other people too. Nothing happens however as Kento stops him (Ilya does dance with people but he's not feeling it). Then at some point after distancing himself, Ilya goes to a club to find Kento and Sasha is there but Kento isn't interested and it sparks the exclusivity conversation. So there is technically no-one else for either of them throughout the book, but with the miscommunication there is tension.
- Third act breakup: yes
- HFN
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Knight finally came for the Prince. 🥹
Some men need a warning label and then there's Kento, who probably considers warning labels a personal challenge. A yakuza heir with a talent for provoking the wrong person, a mouth that never seems to know when to shut up and the kind of presence that makes walking away look considerably easier than it actually is. Unfortunately for Ilya, Kento seems to have made getting under his skin a personal mission and he's not exactly the type to give up when things get difficult.
Ilya and Kento are supposed to be enemies and neither seems particularly interested in making that arrangement any less complicated. There's pushing, pulling, threats and enough stubbornness between them to make you wonder how either of them gets anything done. Ilya tries to keep his distance, Kento closes it. Ilya pushes back, Kento finds another way to provoke him. It's a dangerous little game, especially when the line between wanting someone gone and wanting them closer starts getting harder to recognise.
I absolutely ate up this enemies to lovers. Even though the last 20% of this book had me sobbing. From the heartbreaking letters, the realisation of love and figuring out they were meant to be together, I was a mess!
Melysia M. has done it again, and I absolutely loved getting lost in Kento and Ilya's world! 🖤 There's something about the way she brings dangerous characters, complicated feelings and addictive MM romance together that keeps me coming back for more. Kento and Ilya have left their mark on me and I will happily read anything Melysia writes because they never fail to give me characters and stories that stay with me long after I've finished reading. Another fantastic addition to the Void Kings universe, and another reminder of just how talented Melysia M. is!
I'm sad this series has come to an end. But the spin off sounds so much fun!
Some men need a warning label and then there's Kento, who probably considers warning labels a personal challenge. A yakuza heir with a talent for provoking the wrong person, a mouth that never seems to know when to shut up and the kind of presence that makes walking away look considerably easier than it actually is. Unfortunately for Ilya, Kento seems to have made getting under his skin a personal mission and he's not exactly the type to give up when things get difficult.
Ilya and Kento are supposed to be enemies and neither seems particularly interested in making that arrangement any less complicated. There's pushing, pulling, threats and enough stubbornness between them to make you wonder how either of them gets anything done. Ilya tries to keep his distance, Kento closes it. Ilya pushes back, Kento finds another way to provoke him. It's a dangerous little game, especially when the line between wanting someone gone and wanting them closer starts getting harder to recognise.
I absolutely ate up this enemies to lovers. Even though the last 20% of this book had me sobbing. From the heartbreaking letters, the realisation of love and figuring out they were meant to be together, I was a mess!
Melysia M. has done it again, and I absolutely loved getting lost in Kento and Ilya's world! 🖤 There's something about the way she brings dangerous characters, complicated feelings and addictive MM romance together that keeps me coming back for more. Kento and Ilya have left their mark on me and I will happily read anything Melysia writes because they never fail to give me characters and stories that stay with me long after I've finished reading. Another fantastic addition to the Void Kings universe, and another reminder of just how talented Melysia M. is!
I'm sad this series has come to an end. But the spin off sounds so much fun!
Review of advance copy received from Author
6 STAR READ
If you like morally grey men who will kill someone for looking at you wrong but would never hurt you, please let me introduce you to the Void Kings series. Im telling you if you like dark mm romance this is a must read. If you’re in a book slump READ THIS SERIES! Hollow knife was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I am so impressed because I love each book in this series more and more.
Ilya is volatile, explosive, his first reaction is to stab first and ask questions later. While Kento is just as deadly but he is always calm and in control, he is patient and methodical. These two together are absolute chaos but also beautiful and complicated too.
Ilya is a mafia prince, the ultimate unhinged brat who doesn’t know how to deal with his emotions, he often says words he doesn’t mean and doesn’t easily let his guard down. While Kento is the Yakuza heir who has his eyes set on Ilya. I think Kento’s character was written so perfectly, he was so unhinged and dangerous but he also is so kind and sincere while still being possessive. He just wants Ilya so bad he’ll endure whatever Ilya throws his way. All of these qualities made him so interesting and I just couldn’t put this book down as Ilya and Kento’s relationship progressed. Their first kiss….. it probably is my favorite first kiss I have ever read about. The push and pull between these two was so addictive.
I loved how many layers both of these men had. Ilya is dealing with trauma but won’t let anyone in. As a mafia heir he was taught not to talk about his emotions. Kento is also an artist and him being a ruthless killer that likes to draw Ilya was one of my favorite things ❤️
This was spicy, unhinged, but also emotional in a way I have learned to expect from this series. The type of love Melysia writes about goes past loved and enters into obsession/ possession / and devotion. This had some amazing spicy scenes, but also a fantastic plot and a plot twist I was not expecting.
If you like morally grey men who will kill someone for looking at you wrong but would never hurt you, please let me introduce you to the Void Kings series. Im telling you if you like dark mm romance this is a must read. If you’re in a book slump READ THIS SERIES! Hollow knife was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I am so impressed because I love each book in this series more and more.
Ilya is volatile, explosive, his first reaction is to stab first and ask questions later. While Kento is just as deadly but he is always calm and in control, he is patient and methodical. These two together are absolute chaos but also beautiful and complicated too.
Ilya is a mafia prince, the ultimate unhinged brat who doesn’t know how to deal with his emotions, he often says words he doesn’t mean and doesn’t easily let his guard down. While Kento is the Yakuza heir who has his eyes set on Ilya. I think Kento’s character was written so perfectly, he was so unhinged and dangerous but he also is so kind and sincere while still being possessive. He just wants Ilya so bad he’ll endure whatever Ilya throws his way. All of these qualities made him so interesting and I just couldn’t put this book down as Ilya and Kento’s relationship progressed. Their first kiss….. it probably is my favorite first kiss I have ever read about. The push and pull between these two was so addictive.
I loved how many layers both of these men had. Ilya is dealing with trauma but won’t let anyone in. As a mafia heir he was taught not to talk about his emotions. Kento is also an artist and him being a ruthless killer that likes to draw Ilya was one of my favorite things ❤️
This was spicy, unhinged, but also emotional in a way I have learned to expect from this series. The type of love Melysia writes about goes past loved and enters into obsession/ possession / and devotion. This had some amazing spicy scenes, but also a fantastic plot and a plot twist I was not expecting.
October 23, 2026
“He is always so… soft with me. It is peculiar sort of blasphemy, really, that a man with so much violence in his bones can look at me as though tenderness were the only instinct he’d ever possess”
My MM dark romance girlies and pals unite around Melysia M and specifically The Void Kings as a MUST read series!
🍭 Who Did This To You
🔪 Yakuza Heir x Mafia Prince
🍭 Fresh stabby banter
🔪 Gay Awakening
I was HOOKED from the prologue. I don’t think I’ve read a book that had me giggling and kicking my feet in the PROLOGUE. I immediately fell in love with both of these characters. The banter felt both fresh and cleaver to the point I couldn’t stop highlighting the book. Out of my 200 reads this year, this book is an immediate favourite for the clever banter alone.
While this is mafia mm dark romance, it focuses heavily on the relationship. These are characters that quickly felt like an addiction that were complex, flawed, dark and really funny. Let me say the twists were unexpected and kept getting even more twisty - it was totally delicious and I love being bamboozled to the point you have to put the book down and process what just happened for a few minutes.
I haven’t read the first two books in this series but based on this book, I will be going back to read everything from this author. Yes, it was that good. This book is a certified giggling and toe wiggling from the very start with the prologue and only gets more clever as you progress.
Thank you Melysia M for the ARC and opportunity to fall in love with these characters 🖤
My MM dark romance girlies and pals unite around Melysia M and specifically The Void Kings as a MUST read series!
🍭 Who Did This To You
🔪 Yakuza Heir x Mafia Prince
🍭 Fresh stabby banter
🔪 Gay Awakening
I was HOOKED from the prologue. I don’t think I’ve read a book that had me giggling and kicking my feet in the PROLOGUE. I immediately fell in love with both of these characters. The banter felt both fresh and cleaver to the point I couldn’t stop highlighting the book. Out of my 200 reads this year, this book is an immediate favourite for the clever banter alone.
While this is mafia mm dark romance, it focuses heavily on the relationship. These are characters that quickly felt like an addiction that were complex, flawed, dark and really funny. Let me say the twists were unexpected and kept getting even more twisty - it was totally delicious and I love being bamboozled to the point you have to put the book down and process what just happened for a few minutes.
I haven’t read the first two books in this series but based on this book, I will be going back to read everything from this author. Yes, it was that good. This book is a certified giggling and toe wiggling from the very start with the prologue and only gets more clever as you progress.
Thank you Melysia M for the ARC and opportunity to fall in love with these characters 🖤
Review of advance copy received from Author
The perfect end to the perfect series.
I was hesitant going in because I adored Phantom Flower, Ghost Ribbon was beyond amazing - how could Hollow Knife live up to that? I've know idea how, but it did.
In the previous books we had the softness of Rei and Marco Vs the cold-blooded Mafia princes Dimitri and Alexei. Going into this it appeared we had two cold-blooded characters. This is not the case. Yes, both characters are morally grey but at their very core are two little boys who were betrayed by those who should have loved and protected them the most. Oh how I cried for sweet 7 year old Ilya.
Yes, there is the usual bloodshed, torture and unaliving that you expect from a mafia romance but it barely registers amongst so much love and tenderness, first from Kento as he declares Ilya is "his" and slowly, out so slowly, from Ilya as he learns to trust that someone is on his side and sees beyond the snark and the scars.
I absolutely loved seeing reading Ilya's conversation with Marco. As this was a parallel time line for much of the book as Phanton Flower and Ghost Ribbon we are reminded of how fragile, yet how strong Marco is, and how perceptive he was to other's emotions. I also loved how Alexei was the quiet strength Ilya needed at his very lowest point. An unconventional but no less loving found family.
This entire series has mesmerised me from start to finish. I have lost countless hours of sleep and she'd untold number of tears. It is truly special.
I was hesitant going in because I adored Phantom Flower, Ghost Ribbon was beyond amazing - how could Hollow Knife live up to that? I've know idea how, but it did.
In the previous books we had the softness of Rei and Marco Vs the cold-blooded Mafia princes Dimitri and Alexei. Going into this it appeared we had two cold-blooded characters. This is not the case. Yes, both characters are morally grey but at their very core are two little boys who were betrayed by those who should have loved and protected them the most. Oh how I cried for sweet 7 year old Ilya.
Yes, there is the usual bloodshed, torture and unaliving that you expect from a mafia romance but it barely registers amongst so much love and tenderness, first from Kento as he declares Ilya is "his" and slowly, out so slowly, from Ilya as he learns to trust that someone is on his side and sees beyond the snark and the scars.
I absolutely loved seeing reading Ilya's conversation with Marco. As this was a parallel time line for much of the book as Phanton Flower and Ghost Ribbon we are reminded of how fragile, yet how strong Marco is, and how perceptive he was to other's emotions. I also loved how Alexei was the quiet strength Ilya needed at his very lowest point. An unconventional but no less loving found family.
This entire series has mesmerised me from start to finish. I have lost countless hours of sleep and she'd untold number of tears. It is truly special.
October 13, 2026
Review of Advance Copy:
I’m not one to slide into an author’s DMs to scream about their work. However, I couldn’t resist regularly crashing out in Melysia’s DMs over this book. I love my obsessed men and Kento made Ilya his entire personality from the jump. Ilya, being the brat he is, had to shut down Kento at pretty much every turn. There were three (!!!) major plot twists that I never saw coming. I’m typically pretty good at picking up on the twists and turns but these caught me off guard in a good way. Each of them felt organic and relevant rather than something that was tossed in there simply to jump scare the reader. The flashbacks to Ilya’s childhood hurt me in the best way. The spice was plentiful (bring on the hate sex!) and the kind where you need to fan yourself after. Overall this was a great wild ride that I will happily hop on again. But beware if you’re afraid of spiders.
I’m not one to slide into an author’s DMs to scream about their work. However, I couldn’t resist regularly crashing out in Melysia’s DMs over this book. I love my obsessed men and Kento made Ilya his entire personality from the jump. Ilya, being the brat he is, had to shut down Kento at pretty much every turn. There were three (!!!) major plot twists that I never saw coming. I’m typically pretty good at picking up on the twists and turns but these caught me off guard in a good way. Each of them felt organic and relevant rather than something that was tossed in there simply to jump scare the reader. The flashbacks to Ilya’s childhood hurt me in the best way. The spice was plentiful (bring on the hate sex!) and the kind where you need to fan yourself after. Overall this was a great wild ride that I will happily hop on again. But beware if you’re afraid of spiders.
October 21, 2026
Kento and Ilya’s story is push/pull almost the entire time. Poor Ilya is so used to being in survival mode that he can’t handle Kento’s softness and care. And then there’s Kento who can threaten you within an inch of your life without flinching one moment and then be the sweetest, neediest teddy bear when it comes to Ilya the next moment. I completely fell in love with him. I loved the way he was so patient in the face of Ilya’s pushback and just calmly said “Yes, my prince,” and went on with his day. I love a good concurrent timeline and enjoyed seeing events from a different perspective. A twist I didn’t see coming and the perfect wrap up of the series.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Llya is definitely a unique charecter but then again so is kento loved their story kento has been in love with him for a long time but it takes a while for llya to fall but when he does he falls hard and as they are both kinda crazy it’s a very interesting relationship lots of ups and downs but ultimately a great love story with I will die for you and kill for you vibes from both MMCs and loved it all thank you
Review of advance copy received from Author
melysia m. might be my new all time favorite mm romance author. kento and ilya’s relationship was so good, the devotion kento has for ilya is nothing short of reverential, it’s actually crazy, and actually had me gasping at times. i adore them and this universe.
Review of advance copy
How do I delete everything I read in this book to experience it for the first time again 😭😭😭😭
I need to read the first two now AAAAAAA
I need to read the first two now AAAAAAA
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
(ARC)
RTC...
🌶️🌶️🌶️
(ARC)
RTC...
Review of advance copy received from Author
HOLLOW KNIGHT ARC REVIEW:
I’ll definitely have to start with the characters. What I absolutely love in the author's portryal of Kento and Ilya is that they are such complex characters due to their life experiences, yet so simple in their love. Kento decides early on that he is going to be devoted to Ilya, come what may, and Ilya is steadfast in denying the devotion even though he wants it with all his heart - this small consistency has been explored so well in the book so it gets a 4/5 from my end.
In terms of character development, Ilya is a golden retriever through - and - through. It was quite a rollercoaster ride to understand that his happy ramblings, him being a sweet tooth, calling wrong names of people, all come from a place of both hurt and love. My heart goes out to him, as he suffered so much, knowingly and unknowingly, yet held onto people who both deserved and did not deserve his love. When it comes to Kento, he is definitely my kind of MMC, but what makes him one of my favorites are two things: one is his respectful obsession and possession, I never thought a main character can lay such a delicate boundary around the love of his life, yet want everything of his love to be his. That particular characteristic of him, combined with all the struggles he faced being trained as a future heir. I don’t think anyone can beat him in protecting the people he loves, especially Ilya.
Their character chemisty gets a 5/5 from my side. Kento never gave up on Ilya, and Ilya banked on that devotion many times. I think what I love about their chemistry is Kento knew when and why Ilya pushes him away, and Ilya knew he can keep doing it and somehow Kento will come back, in a kind of twisted romantic way, knowing his tragic past. To me, their obsession with each other’s eyes, their playful violent banter, and seeking out each other at all times, even when they didn’t have a defined relationship, stood out. I loved two surprises from the author’s side: first, them being childhood sweethearts, and second, the nicknames have never been such thoroughly integrated into any story I have ever read so far. Kento’s careful yet delicate line to protect Ilya to the max, but at the same time never push him to a corner, has been explored real well by the author.
In terms of plot continuity with the previous two books, I would give it a 3.5/5. While the two couples don’t show up much, the brotherly chemistry between Ilya, Dimitri and Alexei is always a comfort zone to me. I like that the author shed a lot of light into Rei’s and Kento’s brotherly relationship, the love and care they hold towards each other is an endearing part. Coming to the new relationships, Kento’s brotherly bond with Akira and Yuma, his Kazuma family dynamics being toxic yet shaping him have been bought together well. But, here's what made me real angry and sad: Ilya’s family dynamics. To know that everyone in your family worked against you, for their own reasons, and yet to hold onto a version of you that knows how to love is really tough, and this is where I think the audience gets to know why Ilya is the way he is.
Spice and intimacy gets a 4/5 from my end, because I feel the spice was wrapped with emotional intimacy in so many places, especially the first time they do it, but they weren’t experimental enough with it.
In terms of readability, it’s an easy read, which brings me to my favorite lines from the book:
Kento looks at me live I’m divine, and it makes me sick with wanting to believe it - Ilya
The part of him that expects every mercy to be a bargain and every favor to come with a hook buried inside it - Kento
Kento has never once made me ask to be held - Ilya
You’ve made a coward of me, Ilya Solovyov - Kento
This was my very first ARC read, I am glad to have gotten a good one, excited to see future works from her side <3
I’ll definitely have to start with the characters. What I absolutely love in the author's portryal of Kento and Ilya is that they are such complex characters due to their life experiences, yet so simple in their love. Kento decides early on that he is going to be devoted to Ilya, come what may, and Ilya is steadfast in denying the devotion even though he wants it with all his heart - this small consistency has been explored so well in the book so it gets a 4/5 from my end.
In terms of character development, Ilya is a golden retriever through - and - through. It was quite a rollercoaster ride to understand that his happy ramblings, him being a sweet tooth, calling wrong names of people, all come from a place of both hurt and love. My heart goes out to him, as he suffered so much, knowingly and unknowingly, yet held onto people who both deserved and did not deserve his love. When it comes to Kento, he is definitely my kind of MMC, but what makes him one of my favorites are two things: one is his respectful obsession and possession, I never thought a main character can lay such a delicate boundary around the love of his life, yet want everything of his love to be his. That particular characteristic of him, combined with all the struggles he faced being trained as a future heir. I don’t think anyone can beat him in protecting the people he loves, especially Ilya.
Their character chemisty gets a 5/5 from my side. Kento never gave up on Ilya, and Ilya banked on that devotion many times. I think what I love about their chemistry is Kento knew when and why Ilya pushes him away, and Ilya knew he can keep doing it and somehow Kento will come back, in a kind of twisted romantic way, knowing his tragic past. To me, their obsession with each other’s eyes, their playful violent banter, and seeking out each other at all times, even when they didn’t have a defined relationship, stood out. I loved two surprises from the author’s side: first, them being childhood sweethearts, and second, the nicknames have never been such thoroughly integrated into any story I have ever read so far. Kento’s careful yet delicate line to protect Ilya to the max, but at the same time never push him to a corner, has been explored real well by the author.
In terms of plot continuity with the previous two books, I would give it a 3.5/5. While the two couples don’t show up much, the brotherly chemistry between Ilya, Dimitri and Alexei is always a comfort zone to me. I like that the author shed a lot of light into Rei’s and Kento’s brotherly relationship, the love and care they hold towards each other is an endearing part. Coming to the new relationships, Kento’s brotherly bond with Akira and Yuma, his Kazuma family dynamics being toxic yet shaping him have been bought together well. But, here's what made me real angry and sad: Ilya’s family dynamics. To know that everyone in your family worked against you, for their own reasons, and yet to hold onto a version of you that knows how to love is really tough, and this is where I think the audience gets to know why Ilya is the way he is.
Spice and intimacy gets a 4/5 from my end, because I feel the spice was wrapped with emotional intimacy in so many places, especially the first time they do it, but they weren’t experimental enough with it.
In terms of readability, it’s an easy read, which brings me to my favorite lines from the book:
Kento looks at me live I’m divine, and it makes me sick with wanting to believe it - Ilya
The part of him that expects every mercy to be a bargain and every favor to come with a hook buried inside it - Kento
Kento has never once made me ask to be held - Ilya
You’ve made a coward of me, Ilya Solovyov - Kento
This was my very first ARC read, I am glad to have gotten a good one, excited to see future works from her side <3
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2026
I was immediately obsessed with Kento. That first scene he's in? Yep, all in. Need no convincing. #TeamKento. Don't care what comes next, what he does, or how he does it, Kento had my vote from moment one, and by the end of the book, I had no regrets and an even bigger obsession.
Hollow Knife is a story that unfolds in layers with occasional flashbacks that reshape how you understand the characters and their world. It is a dark, violent, mafia/yakuza romance, so expect knives, guns, torture, and pain as is typical for this subgenre.
I loved the writing so much. Both characters are endlessly sassy and funny. Ilya, especially, is maximum brat and sarcasm. I highlighted 127 passages in the book that made me laugh or moved me in some way. The dialog has tremendous flow and builds tension beautifully, illustrating their shifting dynamic with clarity and humor.
Kento never wavers in his dedication to Ilya. He has chosen and that choice is never ever in question. He is the anchor of this duo, steady and clear.
Ilya is chaos. He struggles with self-awareness and understanding his own feelings and desires. He drives the emotional rollercoaster between him and Kento, fighting, resisting, protesting, grumbling, and slowly, maybe, perhaps, warming to his persistent stalker. Ilya's refusal to acknowledge his feelings is frustrating at times, but also so very him.
Ilya's obsession with candy is so freaking funny, especially once Kento learns how to leverage that love of sugar for outcomes he wants. And Ilya's response to Kento's pet is 100% appropriate and accurate.
Ilya's two best friends, Dimitri and Alexei (main characters in Melysia's other Void Kings books - Phantom Flower and Ghost Ribbon) offer him such unwavering support, even when Ilya is being an illusive little sh!t. Dimitri and Alexei's partners also play important roles in Hollow Knife, bringing unique depth and perspectives to Kento and Ilya's dynamic.
The sects scenes in this book are intense as most of them are done under protest. Kento flirts with lack of consent again and again, and boundaries are blurry in most of their spicy exchanges. The heat is high, the pleasure even higher, and the result is an Ilya who discovers uncomfortable things about himself without actively choosing them.
The story builds towards some incredibly emotional scenes that shake the very foundation of one of the main characters, and my heart broke for him at multiple points in the later chapters.
I cannot recommend this book strongly enough. Ilya's growth under Kento's care is so sweet, and Kento's unconditional acceptance of Ilya's quirks is the stuff of romance dreams. I wish I could have more time with them, so I will just have to re-read their story again and again.
Laughed. Cried. Squirmed. Felt horrified and embarrassed and worried. And never once was I not fully invested in their story.
Hollow Knife is a story that unfolds in layers with occasional flashbacks that reshape how you understand the characters and their world. It is a dark, violent, mafia/yakuza romance, so expect knives, guns, torture, and pain as is typical for this subgenre.
I loved the writing so much. Both characters are endlessly sassy and funny. Ilya, especially, is maximum brat and sarcasm. I highlighted 127 passages in the book that made me laugh or moved me in some way. The dialog has tremendous flow and builds tension beautifully, illustrating their shifting dynamic with clarity and humor.
Kento never wavers in his dedication to Ilya. He has chosen and that choice is never ever in question. He is the anchor of this duo, steady and clear.
Ilya is chaos. He struggles with self-awareness and understanding his own feelings and desires. He drives the emotional rollercoaster between him and Kento, fighting, resisting, protesting, grumbling, and slowly, maybe, perhaps, warming to his persistent stalker. Ilya's refusal to acknowledge his feelings is frustrating at times, but also so very him.
Ilya's obsession with candy is so freaking funny, especially once Kento learns how to leverage that love of sugar for outcomes he wants. And Ilya's response to Kento's pet is 100% appropriate and accurate.
Ilya's two best friends, Dimitri and Alexei (main characters in Melysia's other Void Kings books - Phantom Flower and Ghost Ribbon) offer him such unwavering support, even when Ilya is being an illusive little sh!t. Dimitri and Alexei's partners also play important roles in Hollow Knife, bringing unique depth and perspectives to Kento and Ilya's dynamic.
The sects scenes in this book are intense as most of them are done under protest. Kento flirts with lack of consent again and again, and boundaries are blurry in most of their spicy exchanges. The heat is high, the pleasure even higher, and the result is an Ilya who discovers uncomfortable things about himself without actively choosing them.
The story builds towards some incredibly emotional scenes that shake the very foundation of one of the main characters, and my heart broke for him at multiple points in the later chapters.
I cannot recommend this book strongly enough. Ilya's growth under Kento's care is so sweet, and Kento's unconditional acceptance of Ilya's quirks is the stuff of romance dreams. I wish I could have more time with them, so I will just have to re-read their story again and again.
Laughed. Cried. Squirmed. Felt horrified and embarrassed and worried. And never once was I not fully invested in their story.
October 18, 2026
This book had me CACKLING, questioning everyone's sanity, and wondering if my taste in fictional men needs professional intervention. 😂🖤
Ilya and Kento are proof that the line between “I’m going to fucking kill you” and “please ruin my life” is thinner than a knife blade. These two do NOT flirt like normal people. They have knives, threats, questionable life choices, and enough sexual tension to bring down an entire fucking building.
THE BANTER? FIVE-STAR COMEDY. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I hope you get hit by a train.”
“That’s not nice.”
“Neither are you.”
“I’m very nice.”
“You’re currently holding me down.”
“I’m aware.”
SIR. 💀😭 I was HOWLING.
And Kento treating death threats like romantic declarations? THIS MAN HAS ZERO SURVIVAL INSTINCTS.
“I’m going to stab you.”
“You keep promising, my prince.”
I AM DECEASED. 🔪
And then we have THE SPIDER SCENE. 🕷️💀
Ilya can handle knives and threats, but one giant spider named Kuro? Suddenly, our murderous prince is fighting for his fucking life.
“It’s just a spider, prince.”
“W-why would you—who—who keeps that?”
“His name is Kuro.”
HE HAS A NAME. 😭😭😭
Then Ilya starts negotiating with Kento like he's being held hostage by a tiny eight-legged terrorist.
“That’s a hostage situation. The hostage is me. The terrorist is your pet.”
THE TERRORIST IS YOUR PET. 💀 Kuro deserves his own fucking credit in this book.
And the SPICE? 🥵🔥
The tension, the filthy mouths, the teasing, the power plays. These men could turn a basic conversation into a sexual harassment seminar.
“Oh, fuck you.”
“I’d love that.”
THE AUDACITY. THE SPEED. THE COMPLETE LACK OF SHAME. 😭
Beneath all the chaos, there are also moments of vulnerability and pain that give these characters depth. And just when I thought I had everything figured out, THAT TWIST?! I DID NOT SEE IT COMING. 💀 No spoilers, but I was absolutely not prepared.
Hollow Knife had me laughing, blushing, screaming over a spider, and questioning my taste in fictional men. The banter is elite, the chemistry is ridiculous, and the spice needs a warning label.
Melysia M really said, “What if one wanted to murder the other but, were catastrophically horny, AND ONE OF THEM HAD A SPIDER?”
And honestly?
YES. ABSOLUTELY FUCKING YES. 🖤🔪🥵🕷️
Give me the unhinged men, murderous flirting, filthy banter, unexpected twists, and one terrifying spider. I regret nothing.
Except my now completely unreasonable standards for fictional men.
Read it if you like your romance dark, your banter sharp, and your fictional men in desperate need of professional intervention. 😂
Ilya and Kento are proof that the line between “I’m going to fucking kill you” and “please ruin my life” is thinner than a knife blade. These two do NOT flirt like normal people. They have knives, threats, questionable life choices, and enough sexual tension to bring down an entire fucking building.
THE BANTER? FIVE-STAR COMEDY. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I hope you get hit by a train.”
“That’s not nice.”
“Neither are you.”
“I’m very nice.”
“You’re currently holding me down.”
“I’m aware.”
SIR. 💀😭 I was HOWLING.
And Kento treating death threats like romantic declarations? THIS MAN HAS ZERO SURVIVAL INSTINCTS.
“I’m going to stab you.”
“You keep promising, my prince.”
I AM DECEASED. 🔪
And then we have THE SPIDER SCENE. 🕷️💀
Ilya can handle knives and threats, but one giant spider named Kuro? Suddenly, our murderous prince is fighting for his fucking life.
“It’s just a spider, prince.”
“W-why would you—who—who keeps that?”
“His name is Kuro.”
HE HAS A NAME. 😭😭😭
Then Ilya starts negotiating with Kento like he's being held hostage by a tiny eight-legged terrorist.
“That’s a hostage situation. The hostage is me. The terrorist is your pet.”
THE TERRORIST IS YOUR PET. 💀 Kuro deserves his own fucking credit in this book.
And the SPICE? 🥵🔥
The tension, the filthy mouths, the teasing, the power plays. These men could turn a basic conversation into a sexual harassment seminar.
“Oh, fuck you.”
“I’d love that.”
THE AUDACITY. THE SPEED. THE COMPLETE LACK OF SHAME. 😭
Beneath all the chaos, there are also moments of vulnerability and pain that give these characters depth. And just when I thought I had everything figured out, THAT TWIST?! I DID NOT SEE IT COMING. 💀 No spoilers, but I was absolutely not prepared.
Hollow Knife had me laughing, blushing, screaming over a spider, and questioning my taste in fictional men. The banter is elite, the chemistry is ridiculous, and the spice needs a warning label.
Melysia M really said, “What if one wanted to murder the other but, were catastrophically horny, AND ONE OF THEM HAD A SPIDER?”
And honestly?
YES. ABSOLUTELY FUCKING YES. 🖤🔪🥵🕷️
Give me the unhinged men, murderous flirting, filthy banter, unexpected twists, and one terrifying spider. I regret nothing.
Except my now completely unreasonable standards for fictional men.
Read it if you like your romance dark, your banter sharp, and your fictional men in desperate need of professional intervention. 😂
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC review. 100% my honest opinion
Kento and Ilya.
Yakuza and bratva heirs. I was so excited for this book. Getting glimpses of these two in the first two books I just knew I was going to love their dynamic. And I knew how chaotic Ilya was going to be and I was so excited to see more.
This book did not disappoint. Their relationship and history was everything. Learning why he called him prince!? The way I shrieked! From the first chapter I was giggling, kicking my feet, crying and screaming nonstop. I did not expect Kento to be so wholly obsessed and down bad for Ilya. He was so patient with Ilya and would do anything for him. He’s so tough and feared by so many but just so caring and soft with Ilya. And poor baby Ilya was dealing with so much and just couldn’t accept help or love from anyone and it broke my heart. Their dynamic was just something so pure beautiful to see between them. Just somehow so honest and yet tragic as they figure things out.
The little prince and little knight chapters were so adorable and heart breaking and the last chapter had me in tears. I think my only annoyance was the slight jealousy/miscommunication Ilya had about thinking Kento was just whoring around.
What I was not expecting was the plot of this book. I thought I knew where it was going to go but I was so wrong. I was actually shocked and so excited by that fact. I was so invested in the story as well as their romance. I wanted to savor every word of this book and at the same time rush to get to the end. I haven’t been so obsessed with a book like this in a long time and I know I will be thinking of these two daily.
“I stare at him like I might genuinely develop a new religion centered around hating him. I’d call it Kentoism, and the first commandment would be: shut the fuck up.”
“”And you’re blushing again.”
My head snaps back toward him. “I’m not. Get your eyes checked.”
“You are.”
“I’m going to stab you.” His gaze drops, dragging from my face to my throat to the rise and fall of my chest and back again. “Is that our foreplay?””
“I’m lonely, yes. I’m so lonely when you’re not with me. I miss you even when you’ve only just left. I look for you in every room, I wait for you, I count the hours until I get to see you again. I know I shouldn’t need you this much, but I do. I need you.”
“It’s ridiculous, isn’t it? To miss someone so terribly that even being a speck of dust beside them sounds better than being a whole person without them.”
Kento and Ilya.
Yakuza and bratva heirs. I was so excited for this book. Getting glimpses of these two in the first two books I just knew I was going to love their dynamic. And I knew how chaotic Ilya was going to be and I was so excited to see more.
This book did not disappoint. Their relationship and history was everything. Learning why he called him prince!? The way I shrieked! From the first chapter I was giggling, kicking my feet, crying and screaming nonstop. I did not expect Kento to be so wholly obsessed and down bad for Ilya. He was so patient with Ilya and would do anything for him. He’s so tough and feared by so many but just so caring and soft with Ilya. And poor baby Ilya was dealing with so much and just couldn’t accept help or love from anyone and it broke my heart. Their dynamic was just something so pure beautiful to see between them. Just somehow so honest and yet tragic as they figure things out.
The little prince and little knight chapters were so adorable and heart breaking and the last chapter had me in tears. I think my only annoyance was the slight jealousy/miscommunication Ilya had about thinking Kento was just whoring around.
What I was not expecting was the plot of this book. I thought I knew where it was going to go but I was so wrong. I was actually shocked and so excited by that fact. I was so invested in the story as well as their romance. I wanted to savor every word of this book and at the same time rush to get to the end. I haven’t been so obsessed with a book like this in a long time and I know I will be thinking of these two daily.
“I stare at him like I might genuinely develop a new religion centered around hating him. I’d call it Kentoism, and the first commandment would be: shut the fuck up.”
“”And you’re blushing again.”
My head snaps back toward him. “I’m not. Get your eyes checked.”
“You are.”
“I’m going to stab you.” His gaze drops, dragging from my face to my throat to the rise and fall of my chest and back again. “Is that our foreplay?””
“I’m lonely, yes. I’m so lonely when you’re not with me. I miss you even when you’ve only just left. I look for you in every room, I wait for you, I count the hours until I get to see you again. I know I shouldn’t need you this much, but I do. I need you.”
“It’s ridiculous, isn’t it? To miss someone so terribly that even being a speck of dust beside them sounds better than being a whole person without them.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I really enjoyed reading about Kento and Ilya. When they were introduced in the previous books I already knew that they were going to be some of my favourite mcs.
I was not expecting Kento to be such a puppy but I absolutely loved it. He was so unhinged and funny when it came to Ilya, happy with any kind of attention he was given, whether it was good or bad. The dedication he had for his prince was so endearing to see. The flowers. The sweets. The paintings. He was so perceptive when it came to Ilya, filing away every little detail he could about him and using that info perfectly when it came to giving Ilya what he needed. It was heartwarming seeing the way he was trying to repair his relationship with Rei and I was glad to see that they were becoming closer again, like how they were as children.
Ilya. Sweet, sharp-mouthed Ilya. Always so quick with his tongue, but the amount of times he was at a loss for words because of Kento's dirty mouth was hilarious too. The things he had been through made me so sad, wanting to protect him from the world, just like Kento. At times I felt like he went a bit too far with his words, which had me feeling bad for Kento because he really didn't deserve all that, but I also understood why he did that with everything in his past. He needed someone to love him with all they had, to let him know that he wasn't too much and that there was nothing wrong with him. Kento did that much and more, constantly reassuring him and becoming a safe space for him to finally soften and open up.
It was lovely seeing more of the friendship between Ilya, Alexei and Dimitri. The joking around and making fun of one another but also the way they pulled through when it mattered most, just like family. Some of their interactions made me giggle so much especially the moments where Dimitri was dramatic af. And I also loved the dynamics between Rei and Ilya too, they are so sibling/frenemy coded.
It was definitely very relationship focused which I loved. They had so many sweet moments that i was in danger of getting diabetes! Like Ilya and his dozens of bags of sweets.
I will miss them all a lot. I am looking forward to the spinoff and am curious as to whether we will be seeing any of these guys again!
I was not expecting Kento to be such a puppy but I absolutely loved it. He was so unhinged and funny when it came to Ilya, happy with any kind of attention he was given, whether it was good or bad. The dedication he had for his prince was so endearing to see. The flowers. The sweets. The paintings. He was so perceptive when it came to Ilya, filing away every little detail he could about him and using that info perfectly when it came to giving Ilya what he needed. It was heartwarming seeing the way he was trying to repair his relationship with Rei and I was glad to see that they were becoming closer again, like how they were as children.
Ilya. Sweet, sharp-mouthed Ilya. Always so quick with his tongue, but the amount of times he was at a loss for words because of Kento's dirty mouth was hilarious too. The things he had been through made me so sad, wanting to protect him from the world, just like Kento. At times I felt like he went a bit too far with his words, which had me feeling bad for Kento because he really didn't deserve all that, but I also understood why he did that with everything in his past. He needed someone to love him with all they had, to let him know that he wasn't too much and that there was nothing wrong with him. Kento did that much and more, constantly reassuring him and becoming a safe space for him to finally soften and open up.
It was lovely seeing more of the friendship between Ilya, Alexei and Dimitri. The joking around and making fun of one another but also the way they pulled through when it mattered most, just like family. Some of their interactions made me giggle so much especially the moments where Dimitri was dramatic af. And I also loved the dynamics between Rei and Ilya too, they are so sibling/frenemy coded.
It was definitely very relationship focused which I loved. They had so many sweet moments that i was in danger of getting diabetes! Like Ilya and his dozens of bags of sweets.
I will miss them all a lot. I am looking forward to the spinoff and am curious as to whether we will be seeing any of these guys again!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I want to thank author Melysia M for giving me an ARC to read and for allowing me to share my honest review. This review may contain some spoilers.
When I first saw the tropes for the third and final installment of this series, I was excited. When I started reading this book, I was pleasantly surprised by how much better it actually was. I loved how Kento was so soft for Illya from the beginning. It was a nice mixture of softness, banter, and angst between them.
The only thing I don't agree with is it being labeled as "Enemies to Lovers" because Kento never hated Illya, and Illya never truly had a reason to hate him. He was more so afraid of how Kento made him feel, so he turned it into hatred as a coping mechanism.
Illya is such a broken character from beginning to end. He was well written and hilarious, even if his rambling was because he was avoiding the important things. His loyalty to Alexei and Dmitri (and their partners) was so precious and their found family. I honestly didn't expect the turn of events toward the end, and I felt my heart break for him. But I really appreciate his growth by the end of the book.
Kento seemed to be a neutral character throughout, but we had glimpses of how he truly felt. We saw his care and affection for Illya, but we also started to see his true feelings about Rei and what really happened. I wish we could see a little more vulnerability throughout the book because it almost felt rushed at the end. Although he was a bit OTT with Illya, I loved his way of showing he cared for him and his possessiveness.
I did appreciate the development of Illya and Kento's relationship. The push and pull was slightly annoying after a while, but that's only because I wanted more time with them being together. With Illya's trauma and coping mechanisms, it really wouldn't have made sense for him to give in sooner than he did in the book. But seeing them together was so precious, and I love them.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read. I'm looking forward to seeing what the author has in store for future books.
When I first saw the tropes for the third and final installment of this series, I was excited. When I started reading this book, I was pleasantly surprised by how much better it actually was. I loved how Kento was so soft for Illya from the beginning. It was a nice mixture of softness, banter, and angst between them.
The only thing I don't agree with is it being labeled as "Enemies to Lovers" because Kento never hated Illya, and Illya never truly had a reason to hate him. He was more so afraid of how Kento made him feel, so he turned it into hatred as a coping mechanism.
Illya is such a broken character from beginning to end. He was well written and hilarious, even if his rambling was because he was avoiding the important things. His loyalty to Alexei and Dmitri (and their partners) was so precious and their found family. I honestly didn't expect the turn of events toward the end, and I felt my heart break for him. But I really appreciate his growth by the end of the book.
Kento seemed to be a neutral character throughout, but we had glimpses of how he truly felt. We saw his care and affection for Illya, but we also started to see his true feelings about Rei and what really happened. I wish we could see a little more vulnerability throughout the book because it almost felt rushed at the end. Although he was a bit OTT with Illya, I loved his way of showing he cared for him and his possessiveness.
I did appreciate the development of Illya and Kento's relationship. The push and pull was slightly annoying after a while, but that's only because I wanted more time with them being together. With Illya's trauma and coping mechanisms, it really wouldn't have made sense for him to give in sooner than he did in the book. But seeing them together was so precious, and I love them.
Overall, it was an enjoyable read. I'm looking forward to seeing what the author has in store for future books.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Okay so first things first , I read the first two books and rannnnnn through them , I ate them DOWN . I was so sad when I finished them and was even more hungry for the third book Hollow Knife . Ilya & Kento had/has me in a C H O K E H O L D 🥹 I finished it in one day and could not , REFUSED to put it down . Ilya is aggressive asf while Kento is also deadly but ONLY gentle with him . He’s been in love with Ilya since they were two young boys and I SWOONED so hard reading them when they were young and when Ilya finally gave Kento his nickname . . . I teared up , sure did . The betrayal of Ilyas sister broke my heart for him because Ilya hated himself and thought if I have to live this shitty unwanted life . . . At least I have my sister and two friends . . . And she was the most deadly smh . I cried so hard when Ilya cried screaming at Alexei at the hospital , I was deadass sobbing ( didn’t see that coming but wouldn’t have it any other way ) every bit of this love story SUCKED ME IN AND HELD AND KEPT ME . I was so restless after I finished it , I want more and for it to never end 😩😩😩 PLEASE I beg 🥹 I went into my email and saw that I had gotten the arc and wasted no time downloading the book and diving headfirst for another great masterpiece from this author , all three books will be added to my shelf when my paycheck hits tomorrow night and I have you to thank for these beautiful stories that I will never get over 🥹 I can see a very close reread in my future when the book comes out on the 23rd 🥹 I take a huge honor in being one of the people who was accepted and chosen as an arc reader . . . You succeeded every one of my dreams and more when it came to this book and I couldn’t ask for a more perfect and beautiful masterpiece. . . 6 stars queen 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 YOU DID THE DAMN THANG BABE 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🥳💗
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thankyou author so much for this ARC. I've been waiting for ilya's story ever since I saw him in Phantom Flower. He was this sassy diva friend with a ginormous sweet tooth and when kento called him prince 🫠
Now that I finally read their story and I'm speechless. I thought ghost ribbon had me reaching for the tissues but this one was a tear-jerker too. Damn the letters solely made up 50% of my tears 😅
But the story was so good, Ilya was this sassy mouthed diva who could talk and talk for literally hours but that's only on the outside. The pain he hides inside is so much more than it meets the eye
Kento, man KENTO.... when I started this book I was an Ilya girlie ready for all of Ilyas shenanigans but then kento just barged in with his charming dark eyes like a tree and now I love him (even more than Ilya maybe, don't tell ilya)
The story started with this push and pull, the crazy×crazier coming into play and it was truly entertaining. Then the story plays out and we just see two broken souls finally find solace in each other, protect each other and save each other 🥰
The side characters again loved them. Just seeing Ilya interact with people is entertaining enough now ass kento to the mix and he is ready to throw shit between the couples just to appease Ilya, talk about a whipped man. Akira and Yuma talking to Luca was something interesting too maybe spinoff?? Idk a girl can hope 😅
Finally mikhail and kenji!!!! No words
This is definitely a cure for that rina kent MM itch. Pick it up amd you'll know what I mean 😉
Tropes:
Mafia x Yakuza
Psychopath x Sociopath
Enemies to Lovers
Crazy x Crazier
Stalker x Stalker
Gay Awakening
Possessive / Obsessive
Mutual Obsession
Forced Proximity
Look at Him and Die
Now that I finally read their story and I'm speechless. I thought ghost ribbon had me reaching for the tissues but this one was a tear-jerker too. Damn the letters solely made up 50% of my tears 😅
But the story was so good, Ilya was this sassy mouthed diva who could talk and talk for literally hours but that's only on the outside. The pain he hides inside is so much more than it meets the eye
Kento, man KENTO.... when I started this book I was an Ilya girlie ready for all of Ilyas shenanigans but then kento just barged in with his charming dark eyes like a tree and now I love him (even more than Ilya maybe, don't tell ilya)
The story started with this push and pull, the crazy×crazier coming into play and it was truly entertaining. Then the story plays out and we just see two broken souls finally find solace in each other, protect each other and save each other 🥰
The side characters again loved them. Just seeing Ilya interact with people is entertaining enough now ass kento to the mix and he is ready to throw shit between the couples just to appease Ilya, talk about a whipped man. Akira and Yuma talking to Luca was something interesting too maybe spinoff?? Idk a girl can hope 😅
Finally mikhail and kenji!!!! No words
This is definitely a cure for that rina kent MM itch. Pick it up amd you'll know what I mean 😉
Tropes:
Mafia x Yakuza
Psychopath x Sociopath
Enemies to Lovers
Crazy x Crazier
Stalker x Stalker
Gay Awakening
Possessive / Obsessive
Mutual Obsession
Forced Proximity
Look at Him and Die
October 23, 2026
This was my first book by Melysia M and even though this is the third book in the series I was able to understand and follow how everyone fit in. Will I go back and read the first two books? Hell yeah, they are already added to my TBR. I’m also questioning how come I’ve never heard of this author until now because I was absolutely engrossed in this book and wish I could consume the rest of her books like now!!
Kento seriously stole my heart right from the start. He’s truly a psychotic golden retriever when it comes to Ilya and I ATE. IT. UP!!! Ilya is a ball of grumpy chaos who has a major sweet tooth, I don’t think he went more than 5 minutes without some kind of candy. These two together were absolutely pure gold!
Kento, the Yakuza heir, is willing to give everything up for Ilya, he’s the love of his life, even if Ilya pushes back at every attempt that Kento tries to make. I loved how patient Kento is with Ilya, how he tries to wait for Ilya to catch up to just how much he means to him, and the protectiveness he has over him. Talk about swoony!!! Ilya, the Russian Mafia heir, he truly puts on a good act in front of people but he’s been engrained into believing he’s not good enough, not strong enough, and not worthy of anything. He pushes back at every attempt Kento makes, questions his motives, and wonders why he’d ever be interested in someone like him.
I honestly couldn’t put this book down. I loved the characters, the dynamics, the plot, the carful way that Melysia included mental health, and the twists that I seriously didn’t see coming. I can’t wait to read the first two in the series and whatever book comes next.
Kento seriously stole my heart right from the start. He’s truly a psychotic golden retriever when it comes to Ilya and I ATE. IT. UP!!! Ilya is a ball of grumpy chaos who has a major sweet tooth, I don’t think he went more than 5 minutes without some kind of candy. These two together were absolutely pure gold!
Kento, the Yakuza heir, is willing to give everything up for Ilya, he’s the love of his life, even if Ilya pushes back at every attempt that Kento tries to make. I loved how patient Kento is with Ilya, how he tries to wait for Ilya to catch up to just how much he means to him, and the protectiveness he has over him. Talk about swoony!!! Ilya, the Russian Mafia heir, he truly puts on a good act in front of people but he’s been engrained into believing he’s not good enough, not strong enough, and not worthy of anything. He pushes back at every attempt Kento makes, questions his motives, and wonders why he’d ever be interested in someone like him.
I honestly couldn’t put this book down. I loved the characters, the dynamics, the plot, the carful way that Melysia included mental health, and the twists that I seriously didn’t see coming. I can’t wait to read the first two in the series and whatever book comes next.
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