The 1 star is for the 236 pages I read.Disappointed in this story as I enjoy reading this genre of dark romance,but this missed the mark for me.I kept on reading hoping the story would improve,but no it did not. I disliked the heroine,she was a walking mess of wet panties as soon as she saw the hero Ivan shoot and kill another man in his club.Girl was a hot mess of " horniness " around him.Her personality simply turned me off.
4.25⭐️ 3🌶️ 🔥Bratva Romance 🔥Captor/Captive 🔥Forced Proximity 🔥Possessive/Protective MMC 🔥Forced Proximity 🔥Touch Her & ☠️ 🔥Dual First Person POV
Instant chemistry with a Bratva enforcer leads to getting kidnapped. Melani’s brother has disappeared and she decides to get a job at the Petrov club to snoop around. At her first opportunity she sneaks off to the office and walks in at the worst possible time witnessing Ivan Petrov unalive a man. Ivan doesn’t leave witnesses but there’s something about Melani that stops him and he decides to take her instead. Ivan is confused about his actions but fasscinated by Melani. She’s stubborn and has a fiery personality and isn’t afraid to talk back to him. His kidnapping, threatening her, and locking her away in a room was very Beauty and the Beasy and I loved it. The next day she demands entertainment like a couple of books and basic necessities like a toothbrush. Guess what Ivan does…he has a library built and fills it with books in just 24 hours. I loved how he went overboard getting her the things she asked for even when he was still mad at himself for being attracted to her. There’s the mystery of missing soldiers and the mayoral race happening in the background adding intrigue that had me guessing where the story was going. Melani and Ivan had an immediate physical attraction and sizzling chemistry. Their fun banter filled fights were a lot of fun because Ivan was always surprised by how Melani talked back and her stubbornness. Ivan loved to deliberately provoke her and get under her skin. Ivan softened and opened up to her and was the perfect amount of obsessive and posessive. Except, I didn’t feel the that crave worthy tension beyond the physical in their relationship, it all felt a little too surface level. There wasn’t enough resolved with the mystery but loved the ending where Melani showed just how strong and how much she loved Ivan.
🚩Be sure to read the author’s note and content warnings before reading.
Plot: 4 Engaging: 5 Character: 4
Thank you Sasha Leone for the gifted advanced copy.
📚All thoughts and opinions are my own📚 🐦🔥Follow me on socials @myrisingphoenixera.reads🐦🔥
A Few Favorite Quotes: “You’re a curious creature, Myshka. I haven’t even kissed you yet, and already you’re possessive of me.”
“You’re f_€ k !ng soaked,” he grunts against my ear, his voice gravel-rough and smug with masculine satisfaction. “All this because I kissed you. Touched you. Imagine what you’ll do when I finally give you my co€k, sladkaya moya.”
“We’re not leaving this room until you’re thoroughly f_ €k3d and there’s no doubt in anybody’s mind that you’re mine,”
“If she was under my skin before, she’s in my brain now—woven into the very chemistry that makes me tick.”
“I don’t want to let her go. Not tonight. Not tomorrow. Not in any version of the future I can make myself think about.”
“Every inch of her. Every sound she makes. Every sharp inhale. Every flutter of her lashes. Every broken scream of my name. I feel it in my bones, a raw certainty that nothing else will ever matter. This is no longer a game I’ll walk away from. Perhaps it never was. This is it. She’s it. And I’ll never f_€ k !ng let her go. I'll make her want to stay.”
Plot: 3/5 • Spice: 3/5 ➡️➡️➡️ One I went in blind on, and I really shouldn’t have. 😑
Most of this was very predictable. She’s trying to find information on her missing brother. He catches her somewhere she’s not supposed to be. They fight and fight, and then inevitably fall in love.
Mafia brothers. Mafia families. Not much conclusion in what happens with her brother. Obviously this ends on drama with Ivan’s brother.
This was a wild ride. It took all of few chapters and I was obsessed. I was fearing for Mel until I realized she had an agenda. Then I was like, damn. Ivan was one hell of a character. A strong enforcer that should’ve ended her but didn’t. The twists and turns had me invested. I was all in for this one. What a way to start this series. Absolutely loved it.
So this was okay, tbh I could have given it another star on the rating if the FMC wasn’t such a doormat, she gave the MMC no flack for anything for the sake of the series I am gonna read the next book when it drops but overall this was just kinda disappointing
Ista everything: love, lust, feelings - you name it. What a pipin’ hot mess! I’m bored. Like no you don’t have feelings for the woman you met two seconds ago. And the FMC is Ssooooooo desperate and lacks a cognitive ability that I truly wanted her to die.
Devil’s Reign is a standalone and first book in the Bratva Empire Series. A dark mafia romance featuring a possessive, ‘touch her & unalive you’ type anti-hero and a feisty, smart heroine. No OW drama, no cliffhanger, and a hard-won HEA. A series of interconnected standalones following the powerful Petrov siblings. A woman witnesses a Bratva enforcer Ivan Petrov executing a hit, and instead of killing her, he captures and claims her as his own while secretly searches for a hidden truth. This is Ivan and Melani story which told from a dual POV. A beautifully written story with complex individuals and a twisty storyline that captures the reader attention from the first chapter and keeps you riveted and on the edge of your seat with it's scorching hot panty-melting passion, high-octane adventures, angst, heart-stopping emotions, non-stop twists and turns, and pulse-pounding drama. Dangerous. Dark. Twisted. Captivating. Decadent. Compelling. Irresistible. Sinful. A fast paced, thrilling, and gripping story. You will love this book if you love dark Bratva romance with lots of twists and turns you don't see coming. A total page turner; the perfect mix of interesting characters, personal drama and loads of hidden secrets. A contemporary romance, organize crime story, romantic suspense story, protective alpha hero romance, billionaire romance, kidnapping crime fiction story, erotica romance, steamy dark romance, spicy dark romance, dark romance, enemies-to-lovers romance, alpha male romance, hate-to-love vibes story with possessiveness, power and control, revelations, survival, obsession resilience, fear, darkness, madness, violence, enemies, danger, dark hidden secrets, lies, loss, deception, consensual intense rough sex, dominance, submission, dirty talking, love and so much more.
Tropes:
☠️☠️ Bratva Enforcer x His Captive 👩💀Witness x Mafia Boss ➰️🏠👨👩Captor/Captive ✅️Forced Proximity ✅️Morally-Grey Alpha Hero 🔫🩸Touch-her-and... ✅️Obsessive Possessive Hero ✳️Strong-Willed FMC ✅️Hidden Identity & Secrets 💀👨👩👧👦Mafia Family Intrigue Melani along with her mother and brother Luciano had to flee from Sicily Italy to New York City after her father did the unthinkable to the Costa Nostra by stealing from them which is a no-no in the mob, then he get up and leave his family without even telling them that their lives was now in danger. In fear for his and his family lives Luciano decided to join New York's most dangerous mafia family, the Petrov's in order to protect his family from the Costa Nostra. However, not long after joining the mafia he went missing and Melani set out to find her brother. She feared that the Costa Nostra had found out that they were in New York and had possibly did something to him or he might have gotten himself killed being on assignment for the Petrov's. She decided to start at club Zvezda which is own by the Petrov's where she got a job as a server. She believes that with her being employed by the Petrov's she's in a unique position to get information on her brother. One night she decided to go snooping for information in Ivan's office. But she was at the wrong place at the wrong time when she witnessed a man being murdered. She came face-to-face with The Devil. Ivan Petrov is the feared Bratva enforcer for the Petrov Bratva, who New York without mercy. The call him The Devil because of he's ruthless, powerful and sinful. Ivan usually doesn't leave any witness alive anytime he does a hit. But he decided to save Melani's life after she saw him executed someone. Melani thought that it was it for her and figured that her life was over, instead he shielded her from danger then claimed her for himself. And decided that she belonged to him. And before you know it she was handcuffed, gagged and thrown into a luxurious cage. And that's where she get her first good look at him. He had storm-blue eyes, towering broad shoulders with black ink snaking up his thick forearms. He asked her what am I going to do with you, my little spy? And his voice, if she could speak she'd tell him that she was innocent. Expect she's not because she's keeping a secret. She stepped into his dark world on purpose. And she can't leave until she find out the twisted truth that she's after. Even if that means losing herself to his obsession and giving into temptation. Melani is defiant, sassy, fiery, strong-willed, mouthy and fierce. Ivan couldn't understand why he saved her instead of killing like his norm. And Melani gave him a run for his money each day by constantly challenging him. It was a push and pull relationship with magnetic chemistry. She constantly demands things from him to make her feel comfortable and he provides them in a blick of an eye. He became more obsessive and possessive the more time that they spend together. Ivan has other issues going on in the background like mystery of some of his men and the mayoral race that he had to deal with. Being with him she managed to softened him and the more time that they spend together she saw a different side of The Devil that the New York underworld is so afraid of. She's light in his darkness and the temptation that he couldn't ignored. This story is action packed, drama-filled, suspenseful, mystery, surprises, anger, witty banter, humor, laugh-out-loud-moments, tension, steam and so much more. This book demands to be read and screamed escape from the everyday life that you craved and never knew that you needed.
I received an advanced copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Melani escaped Sicily with her mother and younger brother, Luciano, after being warned by her uncle that the Cosa Nostra was on its way because her father had stupidly stolen from them. Not only did he steal money from the Italian mob, but he disappeared, not caring that he had left a death sentence on their heads.
Now, she is staring at her brother as he tries to bandage his bleeding arm and her heart drops when she sees that underneath all the blood is a brand. The letter P was glaring at her... the Petrov family. They are hiding from the Italians and her brother joined the Bratva? How does he think that is protecting their family?
Two weeks later he brother disappeared. Not knowing if the Cosa Nostra had caught up with them or not, she knew where to start. The Petrovs had to know what had happened to her brother and she was going to find her brother. So she applied as a server at their club, Zvezda.
Only instead of sneaking into Ivan Petrov's office to find evidence about her brother's disappearancece, she walks in to see a man murdered in front of her eyes.
I loved this book! It is very well written and the characters are fully developed and relatable.
This book is action-packed, full of danger and mafia violence. Melani is expecting a bullet between her eyes like the two men dead of the floor, but instead finds herself in handcuffs and imprisoned in a luxurious Manhattan penthouse.
Melani is no shrinking violet and she lets Ivan know that at every turn and when he finds out her true identity and why she has been snooping, he is determined to keep her out of harms way. Loved Vanya! I think I have Stockholm Syndrome. Just sign me up, Vanya's treatment of his prisoner sounds heavenly. This Russian enforcer sure has some romantic tendencies. Smoking hot!
If Ivan is an example of how the Petrol brother's act then please bring in the next book! Ivan Petrov ruthless enforcer for the Petrov Bratva of which his older brother is king. Cold, hard and brutal he is excellent at what he does as he never shows mercy, until one night a girl that caught his eye witnesses something she shouldn't and it is game on. Melani having escaped from a ruthless mafia family in Sicily is starting over in New York, when her brother who has just joined the Petrov bratva goes missing Melani takes it upon herself to get answers. Snooping around a Bratva enforcers office is probably not the brightest of ideas especially given what she sees and now she finds herself captive to the very scary, very very sexy Ivan Petrov. Queue the swoon please!! With no understanding of why he has taken this course Ivan hold Melani in his penthouse determined to get answers from her but what he gets is something totally unexpected and the first real thing he has felt in his life. Ivan was over 6 feet of deliciousness dressed in an Armani suit and full of surprises. Weak knees and all included in this book 😉💋🔥
★2.75/5 LOOOOVE IVAN. Cocky, funny, demanding, and Russian! My favourite. He was a little too down bad too quick for my liking but he didn’t lose any of his dangerous aura which I was scared he would and he was the best thing about this story, him and his brothers who I’m dying to read about eventually. Hate melani. HATE. She was all talk pretty much until around 85% of the book. All she did was shower, tell herself 20 times a day to focus on her missing brother (without actively doing anything about it which was the whole plot) and had the hormones of a teenage boy seeing boobs for the first time. Insufferable and also the fact she threatened to kill and hurt herself if she didn’t get her own way knowing ivan grew up in a physically abusive household and almost lost his whole family bc of it?? Disgusting and childish.
Devil's Reign is book 1 in the new Bratva Empire series. This is Ivan and Melani's journey. Ivan is the Enforcer and as an Enforcer it's his job to clean up any all messes.
"They call Ivan Petrov The Devil. Powerful. Ruthless. Sinful."
Witnessing something she shouldn't have makes Melani one of those messes, or does it.... Devil's Reign, as always with this author, had me holding my breath much of this story and gripping my reading device for all of it. Their journey is absolutely fantastic. It's intense, dramatic, emotional and intriguing. It pulled me in quickly and kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. It's compelling and engaging and completely consuming.
If you loved The Nightshades then you will enjoy this new series of books. Slower burn than usual, different feel to the FMC, she's more determined and street smart than previous FMC we are used to in Sasha's books. The story is slower in the beginning and the MMC not as brutish as previous books. Once the story picks up it does so fast you're left a bit shocked it's over until you read the bonus chapter of the next book to come and cannot wait for its release. I enjoyed this book and its characters. I also enjoyed the innocence of the main characters. They are not so twisted and more relatable while still having enough spice to satisfy a dark romance reader.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Ivan was doing his usual work for the Pakhan when Melani stumbles upon him -- not a very auspicious beginning to the relationship for her. But for some reason, totally uncharacteristic for him, Ivan finds himself bending his self-imposed rules for her. And despite the unwelcome predicament she is in, Melani finds herself attracted to Ivan.
Pace starts out slow and gradually picks up, mirroring their relationship progression. I enjoyed the plot twists, the steamy romance buildup, as well as Ivan's relationship with his trusted friends. Also, the bond between Ivan and his brothers was entertaining -- hope to read their stories soon.
Tropes in this book that I liked: 🗡️Mafia Boss 😈Captor/Captive ☠️Touch Her and… 🔥Fiery FMC 🤫Secrets
I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie's Book Reports.
This is the story of Ivan and Melani. He is a Bratva enforcer. Ruthless, dangerous, and sure knows how to clean up messes. He is very controlled and dangerous. He is certainly not a man that you want to cross or see coming after you. When Melani walks in on him completing a job, he knows that she should not walk out alive. But that is not what happens. He decides to protect her and claim her as his own. Now she is in a luxury cage. But she got herself there on purpose. And he broke his own rules for her. What follows is a fast-paced story that I absolutely devoured. There is danger, suspense, spice and a story that you are going to love.
Loved this tale! Sasha Leone draws you into the book right from the start. I highly recommend for those who love a dark, possessive mobster who is soft only for her. Devil’s Reign gave me serious Beauty and the Beast vibes all the way through! Determined to find her missing brother, Melina takes a job at the Bratva owned club to find answers. Only she doesn’t bank on catching the attention of the infamous enforcer Ivan, known to most everyone else as the Devil. Now trapped as his captive, she finds out he is not what she expected. As she comes to know the real Vanya behind his dark side, she can’t help but to find herself falling for him. Now Melina is torn between finding her missing brother or losing the man she may love.
This is the first in a new series and this is Ivan and Melani’s story. Ivan is a powerful, ruthless, sinful, and dangerous, Bratva enforcer, who cleans up messes, and is known on the streets as “The Devil,” and when Melani is a witness to something she should not have, Ivan goes against his own rules and takes her captive. This is a well written fast paced story, which is revealed in dual POV’s, with emotions, drama, angst, hidden identity, captor / captive, forced proximity, danger, suspense, intrigue, touch her and die, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, and thrilling, dark mafia romance. I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
The FMC is extremely immature and unbearable. MMC was alright. A typical morally grey mmc. Could not stand the FMC at all. And the setup to build the library? Oh come on. And whining for “the bare minimum” like a tooth brush and a book to read when you are held captive by the Mafia? I mean I know this is supposed to be fiction but get real. Those items are literally privileges. You think people in third world countries get books and toothbrushes like it’s nothing? Entitled little b* in so many different ways. Everything but her drive to help her brother (which went out the window anytime she was near the MMC) is the only reason why I read 119 pages. But I just can’t. She is written so annoyingly and the writing overall is just…. Is the author a young teen? That would make a lot of sense.
Melani’s family hasn’t had it easy since escaping Italy and the trauma brought on by the dad’s betrayal, her mom is disconnected, her brother joins the Bratva in hopes of making things better, and she is just getting by day to day. When her brother goes missing, she devises a plan to find him no matter what, it starts out simple until she sees things she shouldn’t. Ivan is the Bratva’s enforcer, doing his job he last expects this gorgeous woman to stroll in mid “job” and turning everything, he knows upside down. What starts out as captivity turns into more, turns into saving her life, and finding out who is behind all the betrayals while doing his job. This was a great start to a series, I will say Melani was a tad frustrating at times naïve in some ways and not in others, but overall, I loved Ivan and hope we get more from his family.
It has been quite some time since I read a Sasha book, so I was so happy to get this arc. But boy, was I not ready! I loved Vanya and Mel. 🙌🏼 The best part was seeing that their connection was so instant, even though they were getting confused about it, lol. Some of the scenes and the monologues where they were trying to remain in control were so fun to read.😂
The bratva shenanigans, the plot, the romance, and the spice everything was so good. I am looking forward to Dimitris' story. And Luciano's story. I hope we get that too!.
I really enjoyed Devil’s Reign! This was such a good mafia romance and I really loved the whole vibe of the book. The story was interesting the romance was good and Ivan… that man 😮💨🔥
I really liked their relationship and the chemistry between them, and I loved all the possessive and protective moments. The mafia side of the story was also really good and kept me interested.
I would definitely recommend it if you love 🥀mafia romance 🥀possessive MMC 🥀fooced proximity 🥀touch her and d!e 🥀protective MMC 🥀captive FMC 🥀Bratva
'I stepped into his dark world on purpose. And I can’t leave until I find the twisted truth I’m after. Even if that means losing myself to his obsession… And giving in to temptation.'
The characters were very complex and complicated and compelling and absolutely perfect together. Plot was intriguing and intense and well paced. World building was solidly drawn and impressive. Enjoyed immensely and highly recommend!
Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy the read!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Devil's Reign is the dark Bratva romance between Ivan, the enforcer for his family's Bratva, and Melani, who fled Sicily with the Italian Mafia searching for her family. Melani's brother, Luciano, joins the Petrov Bratva but disappears a few weeks later. In order to find Luciano, Melani takes a job at the Bratva's club and walks in on Ivan executing a man. He decides to keep her as his. This Insta-Love romance has banter, Bratva/Mafia violence and action, plot twists, and a passion filled romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a dark, intense mafia romance that kept me hooked from beginning to end. The chemistry between the characters was off the charts, and I loved all the danger, possessiveness, and twists along the way. The story had plenty of drama and suspense, with just the right amount of romance. Definitely a great read for dark mafia romance lovers!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A quick and easy read. Definitely more smut than plot but the plot that was there was a bit interesting, missing men/missing brother. But also give me an obsessive, possessive mafia men in a dark romance and it’s fine. I feel like there was decently good set up for Dima. If I remember the second, I would read it but I’m also not going to set a reminder for the next release because I wish there was more info on the plot so I feel like I could try to figure it out.
Sasha Leone could not have gotten her new Bratva Empire series off to a more gripping start than with Devil’s Reign. If you love your romance dark, dangerous and utterly intoxicating, prepare yourself for a ride that will pull you in and refuse to let go.
Ivan is the Bratva enforcer—the man who steps in when things need to be handled and the mess needs cleaning up. He’s cold, controlled and very, very dangerous. Until Melani walks into his world.
Because Melani isn’t a problem Ivan can simply eliminate. She’s a temptation he can’t ignore, and the more he wants her, the messier everything becomes. What follows is a delicious mix of danger, intrigue, emotion and chemistry that keeps the tension simmering from beginning to end.
This is exactly the kind of dark romance that makes you tell yourself just one more chapter… only to realise hours have disappeared. Ivan and Melani’s story has that addictive push and pull, the kind of chemistry that crackles off the page, while the darker Bratva world adds danger around every corner.
If you love possessive, dangerous men, strong chemistry, dark mafia romance, suspense and a story that keeps you guessing, Devil’s Reign needs to be on your TBR.
Sasha Leone has opened the doors to the Bratva Empire—and trust me, you’re going to want to step inside. 🖤🔥
Ivan is the enforcer who deals with all the darker elements and he leaves no witnesses until Mel, she sees a hit and he decides he cant take her put but he can take her to keep her safe but shes after answers, will Ivan be the one to give them? Or will it tear them all apart? Well written the story and characters draw you in with steamy desires drama action and more
Melani witnesses something she shouldn't, and it lands her in close compartments with Ivan and she is withholding secrets on top of it. The connection between them is intense and their tumultuous path begins in this thrilling story that had me all caught up in Ivan and Melani.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.