Savage Arrangement: A Fake Engagement Forced Proximity Mafia Romance

by Nicole Caine

I walked through the wrong cash, guns, and a bleeding man looking right at me.

Now I know too much to live, unless I wear his ring.

I’m a city inspector, and one midnight job made me a witness in my world and a debt in his.

Rodion Sokolovsky.

Pakhan’s son. Owns the roof, the building, and half the city underneath it.

He made me his fiancée to stop his own father from killing me.

Three weeks. Then I’m free.

That was the deal.

He learned how I like my coffee, and somewhere between the cup and his hand, I’ve started wanting more.

He calls me his in front of the whole city. Alone, he won’t take one step closer until I choose it.

I can survive the men who want me dead.

What I can’t survive is being handled gently by the man everybody else is terrified of.

My one rule for surviving don’t fall for him. I’ve already broken it.

What I didn’t he knew who I was before I ever said my name.

For seventeen years, he’s carried a secret about my family that could bury us both.

SAVAGE ARRANGEMENT is a standalone Bratva romance. Fake engagement · Forced proximity · Possessive morally grey antihero who falls first · Competence kink · A heroine who keeps her spine. Full heat. No cheating. No cliffhanger. HEA guaranteed.

242 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 28, 2026

Reviews

[Kismet Vane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nora Shaw is a city building inspector who finds flaws for a living. Rodion Sokolovsky is the heir to a Bratva family who was raised to believe that noticing things is weakness. She walks his rooftop at midnight, cites him for a railing gap, and accidentally stumbles into a locked room she was never meant to see. That's the first chapter. What follows is a tightly constructed story about a woman who reads buildings the way other people read faces and a man who's been taught his whole life that being careful is the same thing as being cold.

The writing is a genuine cut above. Every scene is load-bearing, every reveal is earned, and the conspiracy at the center actually holds up. Nora's competence is the engine of the plot — she decodes her father's hidden ledgers the way she'd decode a bad foundation, and it's some of the best heroine work I've read in this genre. Rodion is grey, and the book never pretends otherwise, but there's something underneath the grey that his father spent his life trying to kill. Nora is the only person who sees it.

The HEA is earned the hard way, and the wedding scene where she cites the caterer for blocking a fire exit is perfect. If you want a mafia romance with a heroine whose brain is the whole weapon, a hero who earns every soft moment by carrying the hard ones alone, and an ending that feels built to last — this is your book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed "SAVAGE ARRANGEMENT" given for my honest opinion hooking me from the beginning it's an interesting, intense drama filled journey with suspense, action, making you want to see what happens next.
Nora Shaw is a unique building inspector who can see things other might not she can read a building like others read facial expressions meeting Rodon Solovosky while checking out his building finding things & accidently entering a room she shouldn't have.
Rodon was raised to not show weakness so being hard & tough is his go to but Nora sees what others don't, they have this sizzling hot chemistry they can't deny will they end up getting a HEA it's one read you don't want to miss you so won't be disappointed.

[Belinda]

Nora is a city inspector doing an emergency late night safety inspection for rooftop restaurant Sokol, where she is mistaken for an event planner; quietly competent Rodion, trying to ensure the restaurant is ready for opening, doesn't realise she's gone through the wrong door until she's already seen more than she was meant to.
Rodion knows why Nora is important as soon as he meets her; Nora has no idea who he is or what he really does, but the way the men who fear nothing fear him gives her an inkling. Nora's life is threatened because of what she has seen; Rodion offers her the safety of an engagement to him, her living safely in his penthouse, where he struggles with the extreme attraction he feels towards her while not wanting to take advantage of her. Nora refuses to be anyone but her authentic self, even if it endangers her life; she has feelings for Rodion as well which she tries to ignore. Rodion's sister and 2IC, Jessa, was a highlight! There are little things in the book that enhance the immersion like the coffee and Nora's paying attention to and noticing the small important details that others disregard.
This book was so action packed and suspenseful it was hard to put down! Nora & Rodion have sizzling chemistry.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

When by the book building inspector Nora sees something she shouldn't on a job she ends up engaged to the Pakhan's son, Rodion, to save her life. What she doesn't know is that their lives have Benn entwined for years, back on the day her father was.killed by Rodion's father. To have a future these two will have confront the past and expose secrets that have been hidden for years in this thrilling read. I love Nora, she is fierce and brilliant and the best part is those are the qualities Rodion loves most.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

'SAVAGE ARRANGEMENT is a standalone Bratva romance. Fake engagement · forced proximity · possessive morally grey antihero who falls first · competence kink · a heroine who keeps her spine. Full heat. No cheating. No cliffhanger. HEA guaranteed.'

The characters were very appealing and complex and compelling and absolutely perfect together. Plot was intriguing and intense and well paced. World building was excellent and expertly drawn. Thoroughly enjoyed 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.

[Hilda Schneider · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very interesting! Full of twists and turns. Unexpected surprises. Major trauma in the past. A dead dad but we don’t know why. A mother who protected her child the best way she could. Until someone puts Nora in a position to meet Rodion. To see something she should never have seen. Which makes her a liability that Rodion’s father wants dealt with. Except Rodion’s spidey senses are going off all over the place! We find out that Nora’s murdered father was actually the accountant for the Sokolovsky family. A very dangerous and powerful Bratva family, who knew things that could kill him and his family. Well he died! And Nora wants to know why!

I received an ARC copy.

[Linda Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good book And I enjoyed it and the characters within it

This book has such great characters And were so well written. You feel their Frustration , anger and also the love. This other has taken Greg care in writing each character. The storyline was also just as good This was the kind of story I look for 1 that I can see what happened before or bits of it and what the current situation is and why it is what it is. And yet You feel the doubt that some of the characters had and why. It always reminds me to be positive to my children and my grandchildren.

[PW · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nora, the FMC, is fearless, smart, and dedicated to doing her job. She believes that she is prepared to do her job at this hour. One particular night things go very, very wrong. Rodion, the MMC, will become a man very important in Nora’s life. The question is for how long? Does she really want to know what was going on in one particular room? This inspection has definitely made a wrong turn. There are sooo many details and situations that you have to read.

This review is definitely a mafia story with some twists that I didn’t expect but enjoyed.

[Catherine GC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Savage Arrangement

When a City Inspector opens the wrong door and sees something she shouldn’t, her entire world is changed. Nora is suddenly engaged to Rodion to prevent his father, the Pakhan from killing her. The secrets Rodion is hiding from Nora reach back to a defining moment in her life and have the ability to destroy the beginning of the love that is growing between them. They end up trying collaborating to bring down their mutual enemy with many unseen twists along the way . A great read!

I received an ARC from the author

[Jessica Messick · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK so first off let me start by saying that the cover was not a reason why I gave it any thought. Second, where can I get one? A Rodion, I mean lol. He is intense from the start and just the character I like to read and daydream about. Nora was not expecting to ever come across this Bratva Boss in the flesh, who from the beginning she can tell he was not a normal "worker"? It just heats up from there...

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kristen Arkley · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW: I couldn't put this book down once I started it. It was really good and well written. This is a forced marriage because she walks through the wrong door and witnesses something she shouldn't have, and the only way for him to protect her is to force her to be engaged. Rodion Sokolovsky is a mafia heir who has a soft side for the women he has been secretly watching. They go through a lot and Nora finds out who she really is. You definitely should check this out.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS for Savage Arrangement by Nicole Caine

The cover and book blurb definitely got my attention as I love mafia genre romance ( in this case Bratva / Russian ) also provides a great visual of Rodion.

Rodion is so intense right from the “get go “ he and Nora enter a fake engagement / close proximity romance - their chemistry is just WOW ! All bets are off when things turn so real !

I loved it !.

I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping mafia romance filled with tension, power, and undeniable chemistry, Savage Arrangement by Nicole Caine delivers an engaging marriage-of-convenience story with plenty of drama and emotion. The intense connection between the characters keeps the pages turning, while the suspense and high-stakes conflicts add depth to the romance. A captivating read for fans of possessive heroes and fast-paced mafia love stories.

[Carrie Kluiter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed how fast a normally daily event can go so wrong so quickly and be life changing. The main characters are both very different but both grew up with challenging childhoods due to the adults in their lives. Both have chosen to be strong and independent and make their own choices. He is all in while she still has her reservations. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Juu “Avro” · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great romance and I loved the interactions between the two leads. The chemistry between them was off the charts! Great well written spice! I did however find they got together too fast. Was like zero yearning was just like boom we boink now. Or maybe just me not being a fan of hookup culture. Overall though great read!

I did receive a copy of this book as an ARC

[Merry Jelks-Emmanuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nora stumbles on something that isn't covered under her job title, and her life is now in danger. To keep her alive and safe Rodion offers her an arranged marriage to ensure her safety. It starts their path and the drama combined with the dangerous twists and turns had me all caught up in these two.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kerri Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, smoking-hot cover! 🔥 Nora witnesses some serious crimes, and Rodion stops his father from having her killed to keep her quiet. To keep her safe, he marries her.

What starts as a fake marriage slowly turns real when their feelings change behind closed doors. ❤️🔥 I loved watching their relationship develop. So good!

[Chelsea Newcomer · Rating 4 out of 5]

First read for this author. Will definitely read more from her. I loved the interactions and the chemistry between the two main characters. The spice is spicy in this book. I will say they did get together kinda fast but I am here for it !

I received an ARC from this Author & am leaving a review voluntarily.

[Michelle Shamy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book. I loved the way Rodin came to Nora’s rescue so quickly. I loved their back and forth and the way they ultimately connected. Their attraction was everything. I loved the twists and turns. It kept me invested and turning the pages to see what was going to happen next. The intensity was great. This was definitely a story worth diving into.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book by Nicole Caine, I loved this Mafia story. Nora and Rodion are great characters, It starts as a fake engagement, The meet when she enters the wrong room and that is how it all starts, It keeps me engaged and couldn't put it down and look forward to more from this author,
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Amy Hutchins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good. It had me completely invested and I just couldn't put it down. Rodion and Nora have such great chemistry and I enjoyed seeing it develop through the danger and obstacles. You'll have a hard time putting it down.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Teresa R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Code Violations
Poor Rodion has met his match with Nora. She cites code violations like he dispatches enemies, quickly, efficiently, deadly. But he’s been watching her for years and now nobody will stop him from making her his. Making her safe. Not even Nora.

[DEBBIE GG · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a love story and the banter between these two is fun and their chemistry is spicy hot but it is a bratva story and people die
people lie and decisions are made and broken. mysteries are solved. it’s a really good story and i enjoyed it very much.

[Elaine Crookes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the cover of this book and the storyline.
The plot was great, a marriage too keep Nora safe and the twists and turns that follow.
Who can they trust, read it to find out.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Alisa Begoyants · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book! From the first page, I got hooked on the story.. It's a smooth read with excellent wording and amazing characters to explore along the way.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michele Painter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nora and Rodion are wow! I loved how he came to her rescue fast. The story kept me engaged and made me late for work. Highly recommend this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[MsRoman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Savage Arrangement: A Fake Engagement Forced Proximity Mafia Romance By: Nicole Caine. Radios Sokolovsky is next on line to lead however his father will stop at nothing to prevent his seat. Nora Shaw is the person placed to unravel Radios. The story will hook you in from the beginning. Great read.

[Lisa reads alot Hamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 1 and this book has such a great storyline to it.
Great chemistry between the MCs and what a great opening to a book you know is going to be a good one.
Not just a good story but there was fun with it too
Excellent

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

by the rules every time vs grey all the time.

She doesn’t know him but corrects him and he falls right head over heals knowing who she is and that makes him love her more.
This story is so good I have recommended it to all of my friends.

[Carol Hearne · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a great book a really great read started at the beginning held my attention from the beginning and kept it the characters were amazing and fit the story perfectly