He Is Poison

Guns n' Boys #1

by K.A. Merikan

- LOVE IS SOUR LIKE A SICILIAN LEMON. -
The Family is always right. The Family doesn't forget. The Family pays for blood in blood.
Domenico Acerbi grew up in the shade of Sicilian lemon trees ready to give his life for the Family. Ready to follow orders and exceed expectations. A proud man of honor.
When Seth, the younger son of the Don is kidnapped, it's Domenico who is sent to get him back. The man he finds though, is not the boy he knew all those years ago. Lazy, annoying, spoiled, and as hot as a Sicilian summer.
Seth Villani wants nothing to do with the mafia. Unfortunately, he doesn't get a say when the Family pulls him right back into its fold after his mother's death. Thrown into a den of serpents otherwise known as the Villani Family, Seth has to find a way to navigate in the maze of lies. But when Domenico Acerbi, the most vicious snake of them all, sinks his fangs into Seth, the venom changes into an aphrodisiac that courses through Seth's veins.
Domenico knows his life is about to change when he gets the order to train Seth up to the role of future Don. Seth isn't made for it. He isn't even made. But a man Domenico knows he would never have to fear might just be someone he's always needed.
If Seth is doomed to follow in his father's footsteps, he might as well enjoy himself-with the most intoxicating man he's ever met. Maybe he can even fool himself into believing that Domenico isn't a handsome sociopath who kills for a living.
Length: 110,000 words
WARNING: Adult content. If you are easily offended, this book is not for you.
Guns n' Boys is a gritty story of extreme violence, offensive language, abuse, and morally ambiguous protagonists.

Genres: M M Romance, Dark, Romance, Contemporary, Enemies To Lovers, Crime, Dark Romance

444 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 2014

About the author

(Goodreads profile run by Kat)

K. A. Merikan is a duo of queer writers who don’t believe in following the well-trodden path. In their books you can dip your toe into dangerous romance with mafiosi, outlaw bikers and bad boys, all from the safety of your sofa. They love the weird and wonderful, stepping out of the box, and bending stereotypes both in life and in fiction. Their stories don’t shy away from exploring the darker side of M/M romance, and feature a variety of anti-heroes, rebels, misfits, and underdogs who go against the grain.
Be prepared for shocking twists, dark humor, raw emotions, and sizzling hot scenes.

K.A. Merikan also writes steamy M/M romcoms as Devon Doe.

e-mail: kamerikan@gmail.com

More information about ongoing projects, works in progress and publishing at:
K.A. Merikan’s author page: http://kamerikan.com
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kamerikan

Reviews

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY HELL!! ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS!!

MAFIA,HOT MEN,EXTREMELY HOT SEX.DOM AND SETH ARE MY NEW FAVOURITE M/M COUPLE....











Well,I don't know why I waited so long to read these books...if you're into dark M/M Erotica these will definitely hit the spot

Seth Villani is part of a powerful Italian Mafia family.He does not embrace the lifestyle at all and 5 years ago tried to distance himself from them and has built a comfortable life for himself in America.
His world is turned upside down when due to his family he is kidnapped.

Domencio Acerbi( and yes this is the reason for all the hot long haired men I've posted in my updates..I'll admit I was a happy girl imagining this guy) is the man who rescues him and is assigned as his protector.
As Seth is announced as being the next Don,upon his father's death,Dom has the task of training him and trying to toughen him up.Seth is not one who is interested in the Mafia life at all....




I loved both these characters and together they had great chemistry....but Dom is definitely my favourite.He's bossy,aggressive and so damn sexy...I had quite a few Grrrr moments imagening him...


There is dubious content,so be warned.

they're half brothers and sexual coercion is involved

This didn't bother me at all....in fact,the more taboo,the more I love it.

I've read books by these Authors before so I kind of knew what to expect...but,this is in a different league...so hot and so dirty but SO GOOD!!

This is not a fluffy M/M story at all and is definitely on the dark side.Won't be for everyone but I just loved it!!!

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where it all begins.

K&A do multi-genre fiction so smoothly. It’s undoubtedly a love story, but elements of action, adventure, mystery, thriller, and suspense abound here.

The ransom amount seems low. And no private jet?

The teacher/student symbiosis is indeed charming. Dual POV works very well here; it’s frustrating for Domenico that Seth is so oblivious. But Seth has had a very different life and what he did have has been completely uprooted. Seth carries a lot on his shoulders. His whole world has been turned upside down.

Everything after their arrival in Berlin is scorching. Consent, first times, bareback, top/bottom dynamics, multiple orgasms, penetrative and non-penetrative sex…all handled with vivid realism and accuracy. The authors even use the right words. I will never stop praising them and thanking them for their veracity and appreciation of gay sex as it is.

Even after Seth and Domenico make love, they have an insane amount of sexual tension. They both have such control issues. It’s cute (usually).

Writing a character like Domenico is brave. Most gay men think like him; he just says it all out loud.

I do not care for Silvio.

The choreography of the fight scenes is skillful.

The book is intensely beautiful and intimate. It would actually be romantic if the two of them would stop resisting their magnetic connection…though I’m certain we’ll see more of that as the series progresses.


“I’ve never been with a man like you.”
“You’ll never want to have another one.”

[Shin Mon Thway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, talk about getting blown away! 😱 I’m not going to lie, [author: K.A. Merikan and I got started off on the wrong foot with ”Kings of Hell MC” series. 😁 When the first book Laurent and the Beast came out, it was so hyped and popular that I couldn’t wait to read that book. But unfortunately, I chose the wrong book for my first Merikan addiction. 😭 It wasn’t what I expected, not because of the reasons that you would think, it’s because it wasn’t as dark, twisted and fucked-up as I thought it would be. 😑 So I was quite hesitant to pick up another book of them. I knew this series has been insanely popular and it was on my TBR list but until recently, I had no idea that MCs of this series are half-brothers. 😱 Needless to say, it spiked up the interest of my twisted, dark heart. 😂 Let me tell you, I’m all about keeping it in the family! *wink wink* 😉 I really really REALLY love relationships and love stories between family members and there aren’t a lot of authors out there who are ballsy enough to venture out into this taboo territory. 😌 When I learnt that there’s a whole series out there featuring morally ambiguous MCs, I couldn’t be happier. ☺️ And I’m kicking myself in my imaginary nuts (in my mind, I do have a total package down there with a massive shalong! 🤣) that I didn’t pick up this series sooner. Oh well, let’s get into reviewing. 😉


 
Domenico Acerbi, the most ruthless and capable assassin of the Villani Family, and the shunned bastard son of Don. Life isn’t a bed of roses for him but things have been going pretty well. Until Don ordered him to rescue and babysit the sorry ass of his younger son, Dom’s half-brother, Seth. 😁 Ninny couldn’t even defend himself from getting kidnapped by the Chinese triad and got his finger cut off. If there’s one thing that Dom despises above anything else, that’s self-entitled, rich, spoilt, privileged kids who don’t know how lucky they are. 😌 But even puss-brained cowards do have their own charm and Dom was unreasonably attracted to that ninny as soon as he laid his eyes on him. 😉 And now, the devils in Dom are not in rein, waiting their chance to devour and destroy their prey, the gullible Seth. 😏
 
When Seth escaped the grasp of him family 5 years ago, coming to US to study in a university, he thought that chapter of his life has ended. After all, he’s neither the first-born or the strongest of the family. 🙂 Perhaps, they’d forget all about him and he’d finally be able to build a life in the states in peace. He should have known that it was just a nice summer daydream. 😏 The reality came hard to him when the Chinese triad kidnapped him and cut him finger off for a grudge against his father. And he never thought his savior from the never-ending purgatory would be Mimmo, a pudgy, weak boy who played with him all those years ago. Only, Mimmo isn’t that weak-willed boy anymore. He’s the most gorgeous and confidently “cocky” man he’s ever seen in his life. 😉 Dom, a man who moves like a puma, with those captivating depthless eyes that seem to penetrate the bottom of his very soul. Being gay in a mafia gang means death even if you are the son of the Don. 😭 Hooking up with Dom is the worst idea possible for a man like him. But then, when did a lamb ever escape the strong jaws of a puma? 😁


 
And when they got back to Italy, a bomb was dropped right into their crotches. 😂 Seth’s father decreed that he is to become the future Don of the Villani family and Dom his mentor. 😱 Totally clueless about survival and being a Don, Seth has no choice but to lay his life in the hands of Dom. 😌 Unbeknownst to him, Don can be the biggest and the most ruthless devil in the Villani family, a fucking sinfully handsome devil but a devil nonetheless. 😏 And poor Seth has no idea what awaits him when he’s shipped off to Berlin together with Don to take care of a job. 😁 And thus, a battle of lust, love and ultimately power, begins. 👏 And it’s only a matter of time when Seth finds himself completely devoured and utterly destroyed by Dom, his savior and his doom. 😉
 
Only the very first book of the series and I’m completely hooked. 😁 What a fucking awesome read! 😱😍 I loved every single second reading this book. Again, if you are a long time follower of my reviews, you must have known that I love dub-con/non-con romances and boy, did I get my loads full! 😏 Dom surely is the master of seduction and coercion. ☺️ And a weak-willed and innocent man like Seth has nothing against the charms of this gorgeous devil. 😂 Talk about the smut scorching hot! It was boiling! 🔥🔥🔥 It was like I was in the inferno of that active volcano! 🌋 And the world-building and the storyline? I kowtow myself flat against the floor to Kat and Agnes! 😂🙏😌 It was so good! 😱 Oh-so-purely-satisfying yet let me wanting and yearning more! 😍 Now I understand why this series has been insanely popular. 😊 I looooooove, love, love it! 💙 And now, onto the next book! 😁 I can’t wait to see Dom going berserk getting possessive and all caveman over Seth. Poor guy! But isn’t love the sweetest and the captivating prison of all kinds? 😉


 
Favorite excerpts from the novel: 💗💜💗

It was like being watched by a puma, the man’s eyes never blinking and intense. Seth wasn’t sure if he wanted to take a step forward or run away.

Fuck. This would not end well. He could hardly believe the irony of it. They were both from the same father and both gay.

“Live like there’s no tomorrow, because there might as well be none.”

“I don’t want to ever come,” gasped Domenico, and Seth smiled into his lips. He was the one to make Dom feel like that. So maybe there was a small victory in there after all.

The closest to a virginal Sicilian bride he could offer her was Seth Villani, whose sweet, tight bottom was riper than a freshly picked peach. He could hardly believe how a guy that handsome had stayed a virgin for so long in the first place. Seth was gorgeous even by Italian standards, and Dom believed his nation to have the most attractive men. Italians were always his first choice.

Whatever the reason, Seth was Dom’s first virgin, and one that didn’t put out lightly at that. It was endearing. Made him feel like a conqueror.

“You are so fucking tight... did anyone tell you that?” His chest shook with a laugh. “No, no one did, I’m your first.”

He wanted to eat him up, control him, drink from him... and it was Seth Villani, for God’s sake! He, the shunned bastard, was the first man to ever take Seth Villani’s ass. If that didn’t make him a conqueror, he didn’t know what would.

“I like you when you’re weak with me.”

“If you ever have to kill me, please do it quick.” Domenico stopped mid-stride and looked back, all thoughts leaving his head. “Where did that come from?” “I just—” Seth scratched the back of his head. “I don’t want pain…” “I won’t kill you.

“I will take care of you then.” Seth smiled and leaned into the touch of those hot fingers, a shiver already running down to his balls. Maybe it was naive, but he did believe Dom. Who else was he to depend on?

“It’s a lesser sin. I never vowed to stay away from men, but to the family that took me in, I am bound till I die.”

“I’m your first. You are mine only,” whispered Domenico, taking hold of the short hair on the back of Seth’s head. Every tone in his voice, even the tiniest movements of that fragrant body, told Seth just how much Dom meant that.


 
5 waving my panties, shamelessly fangirling over Dom & Seth stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Eda** · Rating 4 out of 5]

** 4 “Gypsy hooker” STARS **

“Meeting you was worth losing a finger, Domenico Acerbi.”
~ SETH

Seth Villani left Italy 5 years ago, cut all contact with his “Family” and built himself an ordinary life in New York, away from guns and blood and violence. But soon he'll learn that one can not escape his fate and that a surname always follows you, when he finds himself bound and gagged by the Chinese Mafia and loses a finger while in captivity only to be saved by the dark and dangerous Domenico Acerbi, his father's #1 guy. The same one who stabbed Seth with a kitchen knife 15 years ago and disappeared after... Now, with the smell of come, testosterone and good cologne seeping from his skin, with the Armani suit hugging all his muscles and with the long straight hair curtaining his handsome face...Domenico is the embodiment of the man Seth has always dreamed for himself!

Domenico “Dom” Acerbi has been trained to serve the Family: Obey all orders by his Don, do his job in perfection and go to church every Sunday. After being sent to rescue the Don's youngest son, Seth Villani, the line between business and pleasure blurs for Dom, because Seth is like a wet dream and all Dom wants to do is eat him alive.



This the story of how Seth and Dom lost themselves in each other, in the middle of Sicilian lemon trees, with the sound of gun shots and Italian cursing filling their ears.

But “A gay mafioso is a dead mafioso.”...

Will Seth and Dom be able to survive?

“I’ve never been with a man like you.”

“You’ll never want to have another one.”

Was the story perfect?

HEEEEELL NAW!

Were there a f*ck ton of ridiculous stuff?

OMG YOU'VE GOT NO IDEA!

But...

I enjoyed it a A LOT and couldn't get enough of Seth and Dom, which ended up in me staying up all night to finish Book#1 before a night shift at the ER! Not to mention how I kept escaping the ER for 15 minute breaks the next day, to secretly read Book#2 in the nurses' room!

Which is enough reason to give glowing 4 stars to a book I belive!

OVERALL: I would totally recommend Guns 'n Boys if you like Mafia stories and M/M Romances! But keep in mind that this book involves incest relations, extreme jealousy attacks and mild physical abuse... If you can look past that, I'm pretty sure you'll fall in love with the dark humor and awkward cuteness of these two lunatics! ♥

Book 1, Part 1: 4-4,5 STARS
Book 1, Part 2: 3,5-4 STARS

P.S: There was a part where the author mentioned Turkish Oil-wrestling and I laughed for a solid 10 minutes at that!

[Nazanin · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 57%

I lost interest the deeper I went into the story. My mind was wandering and I couldn't concentrate (I blame the heat for that, though)! And I had a hard time warming up to Dom's character and Seth was like a child who is whining the whole time! Maybe I come back to it another time, maybe! But I should say it's me, not the book, yet again! So don't listen to me and read it, hope you enjoy it more than me!

[Dia · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 HUGE stars!

Reread in April 2017 - I love this book even MORE! ❤️
My love for DOM and Seth got even bigger, if this is even possible. Can't explain in words how amazing it was to revisit these wonderful MC as they were at the beginning of their adventures.

Initial review:
I've read some pretty great books lately, especially the Sex & Meyhem series by K.A. Merikan, BUT Guns n' Boys is in a league of its own.

Seth Villani is the youngest son of a DON - the boss of an Italian mafia family. He wanted to escape their brutal and bloody world and moved to the States where he lived with his boyfriend.
He thought his life was safe, but he was abducted and then his life changed in a blink of an eye.


DOM - Domenico Acerbi is one of the toughest characters I've read about: a fast and cruel assassin, the best Villani had. He was trained to protect the Family with all costs.
Brutally honest, sexy and with a dirty mind, he doesn't give two f he shouldn't push Seth's boundaries. He does what he wants, ignoring all rules, but while training Seth to become the next Don, he falls for him, hard and unexpectedly.


I don't want to give too much away, so I will ask you to carefully read the book's presentation.

If you are into dark MM stories, with mafia, shootings, blood and a lot of action, then this is the best choice.
BUT be aware that you're diving in a story with some dubious consent and coercion, and also something that can be disturbing for some people. I'm not going to reveal it, you should discover on your own. I haven't got a problem with it, but it might make you uncomfortable while reading the story.

Can't wait to read the next book!!! It's ADDICTIVE!
Oh and I have a feeling I'll be rereading this series many times. This is truly the BEST series and DOM is my favorite character!

[Sheziss · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know, I know, from my comments and enthusiasm it would deserve more stars. But I have my reasons.

I have contradictory feelings about this. On the one hand, it's frustrating to no end. On the other one, the sex scenes are very hot. The same with Dom: he is sexy but he is terribly aggravating.



So in truth I must admit I can't honestly explain why I kept reading this with reasonable arguments. Half of the time I was pissed of. I guess it's the other half that prevented me from quitting entirely. I love the chemistry here and that's considering I hate Domenico's guts with all my heart.

Domenico is lots of things in the dictionary and rarely good: insufferable, despicable, arrogant, odious, impertinent, cruel, selfish, big-headed, abusive. A bully, a rapist and a bastard (and not only in the figurative sense, it seems). He feels superior to Seth, he doesn't want to bottom but of course Seth has to do it with no discussion (because BTW he is a prick). He makes fun of Seth but Seth can't do it with Dom. He is above all joke, it seems. He is untouchable and I despise that.

I felt like clawing his face on a regular basis.

Seriously, when I find sentences like this:

"How many languages do you speak?" Seth cocked his head to the side. Focus wasn't his strong side, so much was certain.

"Six." Domenico grinned at him. "Plus accents and variations."

Do you know what? I can speak 6 languages, too: Gracias, Thanks, Merci, Danke, Grazie, Obrigado. Proved. But only with Spanish accent, I'm not a machine.

For God's sake. I can't be jealous because it's so pretentious. This is an insult.

If Natalie Portman in Black Swan was promoted to prima ballerina in a matter of months then I can speak 6 languages and kill, fight, shoot at your nose and learn how to rule a Famiglia, amongst other abilities. Dom has not finished school but he is cultured and educated and stylish. Apart from that, he has managed to fit into the role of a mafia Don. And as if that wasn't too much, he was f*cked half the people on Earth (because the other half is female). And you know what? Domenico is about 22 years old. This would be funny if it weren't ridiculous. I guess I have to be grateful he is not a doctor and an astronaut and the President of the US all at the same time, too, because it seems he has time to perfect every field under the sun.

And then I read this:

His fingers were slimmer than Seth's, yet their strength was unmistakable. It made Seth think of an article he read about people only using a small percentage of their brain. Seth was probably using a small percentage of his body potential, whereas Dom, muscular but not was big, was filled with skill and the capacity to use it.

I won't dwell on the sense of this paragraph but I will say this: THIS IS A MYTH. Of course we use 100% of the brain, and surprise surprise, this is not new information. Even more: we use the 100% of the brain even when we are sleeping. Every respectable person in the field has known about this for ages (AKA since forever). This comment is not exactly outdated but it's obviously laughable. I would strongly suggest to stop paying real attention to films like Lucy and Limitless and the like.

But do you know what is the worst part? That Dom casts doubt on Spanish food. I will never be able to forgive him for that statement. Not joking. Seriously.

On the other hand, there are funny moments:

"Finally some sleep." Seth stretched and opened his jacket when a few rays of sunshine peaked out form behind the clouds.

Domenico wanted to know his head into the wall of the nearest building. "Better work on your skills with a gun. Take the black one form my suitcase and train disassembling and reassembling. Clean it, all the supplies are in the wardrobe. I will test you once I'm back."

"But... how?" Seth gave him an unintelligible look and yawned.

"Just... you do know how to do it, right?" Domenico was at loss. What the hell was wrong with this Villani? Did he live in a cave?

"I can use it, but not put it together." Seth scratched his chin as they walked into their building through a gate made of a thin sheet of metal. "I suppose I could try and take it apart. Do I need a screwdriver?"

And above all, it's very sexy. And sometimes I can't help but like Domenico, above all when he is little by little being conquered by Seth. Those are the moments that make me go on. If it was the opposite, I just wouldn't care.

So yes, not everything was lost. Actually, I will go on with the series, because I want to and because it's good. Merikan is are like that. I had a love-hate relationship with Dom (a real one!) and I'm glad I resisted (which is something I usually do if I'm not plain bored) until swallowing the rolling-eye moments was not an effort. The thing is, the characters have chemistry and I loved their moments together, above all when they overcome the "struggle for power" while having sex and in the rest of the time. Once Dom begins to treat Seth as an special someone, as someone to care and to cherish, Seth begins to surrender to him willingly. And that's worth seeing!

Also, Seth is not made for the mafia world. At least he is not trained for that and is considered a civilian, which results in the same overcome: he will never be a proper Don. And Dom finds out he doesn't want Seth to change.

I was a little bit inspired and gathered a few pics...

[Rain · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a panther and a bull fall in love, expect the most turbulent relationship you’ve ever read.

This story has dark elements, but I wouldn't consider it DARK. I also wouldn't consider this a "romance" in standard terms, but it is incredibly intimate and very sexual.

There were so many times I laughed my ass off at the dialogue and antics of these two.

This book almost reads like a sexual "coming of age" for Seth. He seems quite immature for 26 years old, but when you understand how he's been sheltered, it begins to make more sense.

He was walking desperation. Soft, weak, inexperienced, he had to rely on Domenico.

Domenico is an example of walls up, defenses-at-the ready-kind of man. Like Seth, he is a product of his environment. He is always dressed impeccably, and has very little time for BS. Unfortunately for him, Seth is king of annoying BS and chaos.

“You are evil. It’s like the devil had sex with a succubus and you are their spawn.”

These two drove me crazy with their bickering and "cross talk" throughout the majority of this story. But I also adored them in every way. They were so ridiculous and yet so real at the same time.

Seth and Domenico's internal and verbal dialogue around sex was incredibly refreshing. You just don't read these kind of honest thoughts very often. I applaud these authors for their boldness in being genuine rather than delivering the same cardboard cutout sex scenes regularly found in mm romance.

This book might push a few buttons but if you go in prepared, I think you'll fall in love with the storytelling like I did.

Dan, you were so right! I'm officially hooked!

[Sophia Triad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I have truly enjoyed most of the books that I have read by Merikan, K.A. and although this series “Guns n' Boys” was on my radar for some time now; I hesitated to start it.

The obvious reason is the incest. The two main characters, Seth Villani and Domenico Acerbi aka Dom, are half brothers. They have the same father. This is not what I normally prefer in my books. Or to be blunt here, I normal detest it when two close relatives have a romantic relationship (no matter how much Game of Thrones I have watched).

So I was very reluctant to start this book and this series. But I was curious, I wanted to expand my horizon, I would love to read an MM mafia romance etc etc etc. Anyway, I am glad that I read this book, because I truly liked it.

The fact that the two protagonists are half brothers is not a big deal in the book – other that the fact that Dom is jealous of Seth and maybe other than the fact that their bond will strengthen their relationship. Their father has never acknowledged Dom as his son. He actually shot him and almost killed him when he was 11 and he tried to stab Seth because he was jealous. After that Seth and Dom have grown up apart. Seth in United States (free as a bird) and Dom in Sicily, Italy (where nobody is allowed to be gay) and they only meet again when Seth is in trouble and he needs to go back to Italy, back to the Family.

Dom will need to be Seth’s mentor and babysitter and they will start a secret affair.

In their relationship Dom will play the dominant, intimidating part (he is a professional killer after all) and Seth will be the crybaby who does not want to be associated with mafia but he cannot avoid it.

In Germany where they will end up in order to complete Seth’s “mafia education”, Dom will be constantly disappointed by Seth’s progress. I have to say here that I have a feeling that the situation will turn in the next books and Seth will be more ruthless than Dom (Let’s point out here that he is the Mafia Don’s son i.e. Don Dino Valliani’s son . He can be cruel!).

Anyway, the book has a lot of violence, sex, but also a subtle, clever sense of humor that it is difficult to find in this kind of books.
I have truly enjoyed it and I believe this series have a new fan.

Warnings:mutilation, violence, incest, no condoms

[Lisa *-* GiViNg It To YoU * LoCk StOcK & TwO SmOkiNg BaRrELs · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 MaFiOsO StArS

Without doubt one of my favourite reads this year!!!!

I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed this....in fact I didn't want it to end!!!

So here's the quick and dirty low down...

SeTh


Seth Villani, had never wanted to be part of the lifestyle his family lived back in Italy. He had made a life for himself with his boyfriend of two years in America.

Until he is held captive and tortured by a Triad syndicate. His father 'The Don' Dino Valliani one of Italy's most notorious Mafia family's sends in......





Domenico- Assassin/Bodyguard for the Villani Family.......he negotiates Seth's release and has to return him safely back to Italy to 'The Don'.

Once returned, back in Italy Seth finds himself thrust back into a world he never thought he really belonged too. Domenico is given the job to train Seth and keep him alive!!

So what did I think of these characters....

Yes Seth was a Whiny Bitch *snickers*.....a Frickin Hot Italian Whiny Bitch.....but I didn't blame him sometimes!!! You would if you had your ~#//~~##-* chopped off as well!!!!


For me, it only made me love him more!!!


And Domenico.....phew where do you want me to start *wipes drool from face* the suave killer!!!

You also have Aleksandr Voinov’s - Silvio Spadaro  The Barracuda from Dark Soul series make a cameo appearance. The scene between the 3 guy's was HAWT!!




I snickered the whole way through this book, it really tickled my fancy!!

One of my favourite scenes was in a nightclub cubicle...and I learnt something new *yep, must have lived sheltered life* had never heard of one of them *blushes - giggles*....sorry your gonna have to read it to find out!!

Dom


Can't wait to see what happens in the final part.....

Seth I'm rooting for yeah baby, your gonna man up and show em what-cha made of.... after all your got that Villani blood running through your veins!!

[Shile (Hazard's Version) on-hiatus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow i don't know why i waited this long to read this. Seth and Dom are great together ... I loved Seth's cooking and him being so clueless, and Dom he was everything....

[Virginia Cavanillas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great dark humor entwined with super delicious dirty sex and a handful of surreal situations.



Acerbi&Villani or the fable of the panther and the fawn. Or was it a ferocious lion and a little lamb? Well, I’m not sure about how enunciate it, but what I know for certain is that Dom is an animal. A beautiful and dangerous one. Elegant in his appearance, he’s strong, scary, kinda insensitive at first sight and a powerful magnet. To Seth and to me. Both. He’s a charismatic character and his weight is so heavy you can’t avoid him. If he is in your way, prepare yourself to get caught.

On the other hand we have bratty and apparently mafia useless, Seth. Is he really a sheep? at the beginning I asked myself that question countless times because I was sure he was a wolf perfectly disguised. But nope, I was wrong, he was that naive, he wasn’t wearing a costume, his whinny skin was just that: simply clueless. And when I accepted that fact, I started my love story with his oblivious ass. Because he was exactly what a cynic assassin with a dark soul needed to match him, to complete him, to give him some light.



The love story between -cocky full of himself- Domenico Acerbi and -unfocused and a bit lost mafia designed successor- Seth Villani is dark, twisted, erotic and funny. It’s just an introduction, just the beginning of what I think will be an epic love story. Here we have more sex than love story development. Two men attracted to each other. And what surprised me the most about me loving the hell out of this book is that I’m a very specific kind of MM reader. I get the most in slow burns or bittersweet YA books. Lovely but a bit angsty stories with a lot of banter and just a few sex scenes (if any). And if you haven’t realized yet, this story is far from all I’ve described. We certainly have a lot of banter (high quality) but also tons of sex and surprisingly, I welcomed every single naughty scene in it.
I have a huge dichotomy in my book tastes and that makes me the reader I am, and I’m so comfortable with it. I’m proud to love my sweet angsty teenage stories and also proud of my need to feed my dark side every now and then. This book? Fed all my twisted desires like no other.

To me Guns n' Boys: He Is Poison is a great Dark Comedy. Yes, don’t read that statement as I was a mad person. THIS IS COMEDY at its best BUT as dark as the most obscure of them. That’s all. There are colors for every humor for a reason. How would you describe a book where a sarcastic nearly-soulless mafioso (and hot, hot, hot) trains a character out of Little House On The Prairie (A horny, vain and sexy one but that clueless about organized crime) to be the next Don? Because that’s what Seth is: a little lamb whose mother left out of the mafia drama and now he is far from being a scary mobster (as his father is). He’s like the Villani’s lost link and is on Domenico’s hands making a bad man out of him. When you accompany that crazy premise with the fantastic humor this is full with? You have as result a dark twisted comedy that treats themes as violence, death, mutilation and incest in the funniest and crazy way, leaving you like a blushed-gasping mess. Because let me warn you: this book is DIRTY, so deliciously dirty.



If I’d have to rate the level of entertainment I’d give it 5 stars. Same, if I was evaluating my grade of obsession after Domenico Acerbi and, even 6, for the dark humor. The plot itself would be probably a 3 (to me that means “*** A good read. I like it. A very enjoyable book.”) because as I’ve said before this is like an introduction where we have more erotica than anything else. So, I’m going for a solid 4 stars and a huge hunger to know more about these two. Usually I don’t read sequels about the same couple but I’m jumping to Guns n' Boys: He Is Mine as soon as I’m done with a lighter read. Anyways, I don’t see the next books as sequels. I’m taking what I’ve just read as a long prologue in a story that is going to shine. What will be waiting for me in book 2? I’ll know it soon!

Recommended for dirty and twisted minds!


Reviews for Book Lovers

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my fourth attempt at reading this book.
Why not just give up.
I’m constantly seeing brilliant reviews for it and most of my friends have loved it. So I decided this time I was going to stick it out and actually finish it.

I feel like I’m swimming against the tide a bit here because honestly I just couldn’t see what all the fuss was about.

It’s a hot read, a really hot read and I was intrigued by Domenico. I was also interested in the story. But I felt the story got lost at times under all the sex. I know, I know you can’t believe I’m complaining about two hot guys having loads of hot sex.
I just felt it overshadowed everything else.

And then there’s Seth.

All my problems revolve around Seth. I couldn’t stand him, at all. I mean let’s face it he’s so shallow there’s no danger of even a young child drowning in him.

There’s many things I love about M/M books but it wasn’t until I read this that I realised one of them was the lack of the stupid female. So many M/F books are spoilt by the inability of some authors to write a decent female character. You know the kind I mean or if you don’t read M/F then maybe you don’t. It’s the ones that are so stupid it’s a wonder they can dress themselves, they’re shallow make stupid mistakes and annoy the hell out of me.

That’s Seth to a tee.
I wondered at one point if I was being too hard on him and then came the Silvio incident and I thought no I’m not.

I would imagine (and hope) that he grows up and becomes less annoyingly stupid and childish as the series continues. I’m intrigued by Domenico and where the story is going so I’m not ruling out continuing this at some point but for now I’ve had my fill of Seth.

[Imme [trying to crawl out of hiatus] van Gorp · Rating 3 out of 5]

|| 3.0 stars ||

This wasn’t really what I expected it would be, but it somehow also kind of was. I think I liked it better than I thought I would, though. I can definitely see a lot of potential here regarding the many other books in the series.

Seth and Domenico surely make a very interesting pair indeed. Although Seth is larger and bulkier in frame than Dom, it is clear that Dom’s muscles and overall skills could easily overpower Seth. Thus, Dom practically forces Seth to submit to him, and Seth eventually seems to fall into the role more naturally.
Their dynamic engages in a lot of animosity and hostility, but there is also a constant underlying tenderness that made it impossible for me to get annoyed at some of the harsher moments between them. Even when Dom was thinking about Seth like he was weak or stupid, it never felt like he truly looked down on him. It seemed to me like he was merely assassing Seth as a future mafia don in those moments whereas if he would be looking at Seth as a partner, he would probably be forced to admit that he finds those “weak” traits endearing about the man.
Anyway, I am really looking forward to the moment that Dom loses all his inhabitions completely and he will admit to himself how much Seth has weaseled his way into his heart and underneath his skin. I cannot wait to see Dom get all protective, possessive and jealous. He already showed hints of it here, but only near the end, and I hope it will get much better in the next books.

All in all, I definitely preferred Seth over Dom. Seth was truly a very sweet guy and I found him quite lovable. His naivety and trustfulness endeared him to me easily, and I loved that he never suffered from an inflated ego or too much pride. I felt like Seth was just a very genuine character and his ‘weaker’ traits were honestly realistic to me. He might be seen as a “baby” by the men in his environment, but the way he reacted to and felt about things seemed perfectly normal to me. I wouldn’t be okay with being forced to live a life with all that pain, torture, lies and murder either, and you better bet I would complain about it too.
I didn’t dislike Dom, but the way he treated Seth sometimes just made me roll my eyes. He acted like it was crazy for Seth to be as “weak” as he was and that just did not make sense to me. Again, near the end of the book he seemed to understand the errors of his ways a little bit though, so I hope this annoying trait of his will disappear in the rest of the series. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Oh, and also, this has a lot of smut, and considering I am not a big fan of that, I have to admit that that was the main reason why I did not rate this higher. If you do love smut though, I can imagine you might love this book a lot more because it really has some objectively good sex scenes that even I could appreciate quite a bit and wasn’t even all that bored with.

Long story short, this has a slow-building but promising romance and I’m intrigued enough to want to continue the series.


'Guns n' Boys' series:
1. He Is Poison - 3.0 stars
2. He Is Mine - 4.0 stars
3. Homicidal Instinct - 2.5 stars
4. Swamp Blood - 3.0 stars
5. Chokehold - 3.5 stars
6. Bloodbath - 2.0 stars
7. Gilded Agony - 1.5 stars
8. A Breath of Innocence - 3.0 stars
10. Black Lies - 1.5 stars

Other K.A. Merikan books:
‘Sex & Mayhem’ series - var. ratings
Mr. Jaguar - 3.0 stars
Not Like Other Boys - 4.5 stars
The Cattery - 3.5 stars
Break My Shell - 3.5 stars
The Black Sheep and The Rotten Apple - 3.5 stars
‘Kings of Hell MC’ series - var. ratings
Wrong Way Home - 4.0 star
‘Wrong Side of the Tracks’ series - var. ratings

[Lilly [Hiatus due to School] · Rating 5 out of 5]

"He’d call them ‘butterflies’, but with Dom they were moths at best. Just as lively, but uncomfortable in daylight, creatures of the night, like Seth’s lust for Dom."

This was such an exciting start to the Guns n' Boys series. I really enjoyed it.

We have Seth, who is the youngest son of the Villani Family. Despite growing up in a family of mobsters, he's not cut out for their world, as he's a naive, ignorant, sheltered fool. Despite this, he is next in line, and now the deadly Domenico Acerbi has to take him under his wing and train him.

Seth was such a likeable character, and while he isn't the brightest, he's so endearing. He's been sheltered his whole life as the youngest son of the Don, so a lot of his actions or reactions to situations make sense. Honestly, his naivety and innocence are just adorable and funny at times. At the same time, seeing how it frustrates Dom when he does the most foolish things is amusing. I also thought Seth was a twink or at least a more petite man, so I was surprised to read that wasn’t.

I loved Domenico Acerbi as a character, and I know there's a lot to unravel about him. I love the loyalty he is showing Seth and how he is slowly coming to care for him. There were key moments that helped build trust between them as well. I also liked how their relationship dynamic progressed as they spent more time and got to know one another better. While it started out rough (literally), it became sweet and somewhat romantic (?) towards the end.

K.A. Merikan write some of the best sex scenes and He Is Poison was no different. The sexual chemistry between these two was amazing, especially as Seth started to feel more comfortable with his 'role'. While he is gay, he still has some internalized homophobia and rigid ideas about sex. The way Dom dominated and Seth finally accepted his place was fun to read. I felt like each sexual encounter between them brought them closer. I also enjoyed all the touching between them; the way Seth sought out Dom, sat on his lap, or clung to him at times was cute.

"And Dom wasn’t even bigger than him, just intimidating. In a sexy kind of way, which got Seth all sorts of confused."

"He didn’t even fight being subservient to Dom anymore, as it turned out following his lead usually ended up in more pleasure than Seth could have imagined."

"He wasn’t all that scared anymore, and submitting to a guy like Domenico Acerbi could hardly be considered weak."

Books rarely make me laugh out loud. I might think something is funny or crack a smile but laugh? Not often. However, K.A. Merikan's brand of humour is just perfect for me. I love how effortless it is.

The only negative I would say is that there is a lag in the story around the middle, and the other bigger one I would have had was mentioned to me beforehand, so I saw it coming. Sorry but Slivo can just go away. There are misogynistic remarks and homophobia, which some people may find uncomfortable, so please check TWs.

Overall I enjoyed it! It was a sexy and fun start to this series and I can't wait to dive into the next book soon!

[Kat · Rating 2 out of 5]

What we have here is a brand new mafia serial that follows a similar concept as Aleksandr Voinov’s mafia series Dark Soul, by publishing one novella-sized chapter at a time. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. Not everyone’s pleased with this particular marketing strategy; collecting a series this way will cost you an arm and a leg. Season 1 of Guns n’ Boys consists of 8 episodes, each $ 2,99. However, joining the mailing list of the authors will allow you to get them for $ 0,99 each AND season 1 will be 200.000 words total.

So, are the mafiosi in Guns n’ Boys worth it? Hmm..yes and no. Personally, I had to adjust my expectations when reading this first episode. The thing is, when I read a story about the Cosa Nostra, I want to feel the stifling family ties. I want to be a part of the ruthless plotting during a meal of Pasta con le sarde. I want to be immersed in their way of life. Even though some of the mystique vaporizes when you realize that the younger generations of the Family are not above flaunting their wealth, beauty and selfies on Facebook and Instagram (hereby breaking the ‘code of silence’ and popping up on the radar of the public and the police). Oh irony! Will social media be the downfall of the centuries old mafia? Anyway, I digress!

But if you’re interested, see HERE and HERE for quick quotes offering an amusing insight into today’s Sicilian mafia (one of the key players is a Domenico as well, ha!).

Back to Guns n’ Boys: once I resigned myself to the fact that this is not about careful plotting and a subtle build up of tension between the MCs, I tried to enjoy this for the junkfood that it is. That doesn’t change the fact that this episode feels rushed. In 70 pages, MC Seth — who thinks he’s managed to escaped the clutches of his Sicilian family and lives a comfy life in New York — gets abducted by a rivaling crime syndicate and then swapped for a suitcase of money to be escorted back home by the Family’s ruthless killer Domenico. Following, the authors hurriedly take you on a tour through ‘blunt’ revelations and developments that I won’t get into due to spoilers, but that require you to suspend your disbelief.

To be honest, the story was too simple and obvious for me. Something that became especially aggravating where the instant lust between the MCs was concerned. From the moment Seth first laid eyes upon Domenico, there weren’t enough predators in the animal kingdom to describe the man’s handsomeness. Seth thought of him as ‘a handsome sleek panther’, a ‘wild beast’ that makes him ‘stop breathing. It was like being watched by a puma’. One with ‘a plate of incredible abs and thighs of a cheetah, with a side order of a gorgeous set of balls’. You get the idea?

When the POV switched to Domenico I hoped for less exaggerated admiration and more depth. After all, here came the brooding, sociopath killer from the blurb, right? Well, I can’t comment on Domenico’s mindfuck material factor, since he, too, was all about thinking with his dick and comparing Seth to a.. "bull with a juicy body: big, tall, and meaty, with broad shoulders and thighs that invited for a bite.” Despite the sex being hot (until the condom bullshit: either you use one or you don’t. Just don’t spoil a perfectly fine sex scene by crying ‘Uncle’ afterwards), I was stunned that the authors gave it all away so easily in a first episode!

For me, this first episode ultimately lacked the elements that the cover has in abundance: darkness, mystery, intrigue and a sense of danger.

PS I think Elizabetta's review is spot-on.

[CC · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!



As the Don’s youngest son, Seth Villani was surrounded by a world of violence and power, however, his mother tried to give Seth a different life by encouraging him to attend university abroad. After spending five years in the United States, it’s become clear Seth can no longer live unprotected. Upon returning to Sicily, Seth’s father announces his decision to make Seth his successor despite being the younger son. Immediately, Seth is to be trained in all ways necessary to advance as the head of the family and his bodyguard trainer is none other than his childhood enemy.

“If I were in your place, I’d make staying alive my number one ambition. And now, that’s on me.”

Domenico “Dom” Acerbi is an assassin and from a young age sworn by oath into the Villani family. Having grown up around the Villani brothers, Domenico knows their strengths and weaknesses, and while he is a worthy ally, Dom has always known his place in the hierarchy. As most in the family are shocked by the Don’s decision to place Seth at the helm, Domenico is also surprised to be tasked with training such a softie like Seth. Knowing what’s at stake, Dom proceeds despite his undeniable attraction to a beefy man like Seth.

“You’ve never had a proper man show you the ropes. We have to work on that.”

Sent to Berlin for training and to uncover needed information vital to the family, Seth is forced to shadow Domenico at every moment for his own protection. During this time, Seth sees up close and personal just how strong, smart and agile Dom can be and fighting his own long time attraction to this long-haired beauty becomes difficult. For Domenico, he seizes the opportunity to dominate Seth and what ensues is nothing less than hot.

“And what would be the fun in just shoving it in? Domenico slowly leaned over Seth, his cock aligning with the crack of Seth’s ass. He shivered at the contact.”

As Seth and Dom spend more time together, their opposing traits actually bring them closer and effectively balancing each other. With Seth’s life constantly changing to accommodate his new role, options are becoming slim and he doesn’t want to sacrifice his heart or compromise others. As Seth relies on Domenico, they must continue to keep their feelings secret from the family and prepare for the future.

“I will take a bullet for you if necessary, but you fucking get up and ask God to protect the both of us.”

Having read a couple other books by this author duo, the story telling qualities I’ve come to enjoy are prevalent in this story with strong character development, dark humor and the ability to write realistic combustible sexual tension. With the pairing of Seth and Domenico, there is an immediate love/hate dynamic that further fuels their attraction and I loved every morsel of their banter and flirtation. To say, I’m hooked on Seth and Domenico would be an understatement! As such, I will be continuing this series with book two as soon as possible!

For those who want to delve into the world of the Sicilian mafia and experience taboo kinky times with two loveable and fuckable characters, I highly recommend Guns & Boys!



Guns & Boys series:





For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

[*J* Too Many Books Too Little Time · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Okay. That was pretty good. I was a little worried there for a bit....pretty much the entire first 75% of the book.



Seth, Seth, Seth! UGH!

Seriously he got on my last nerve. Could he have whined any more??

It didn't help that he was also....CLUELESS. NAIVE. AND A TOTAL BABY. There were times he deserved to be kidnapped and murdered.



Just thinking about him makes me want to beat my head against a wall.

Thank the dear lord he started to improve. And thank the dear lord for Dom.



I'm definitely curious to see where things go with the Family. Obviously Seth is in no way fit to be a leader. Not to mention the other potential developments.

But if Seth annoys me too bad I'll have to jump ship.

For now....moving on to book 2.

[K.A. Merikan]

Edit 6th June 2016:
New cover!


---------------



Answers to some frequently asked questions - http://gunsnboys.com/faq/

On Amazon! :):) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NBJKZL6

Series, or serial? How we decided on a last minute change and what it means to Guns n' Boys in the future. - http://kamerikan.com/archives/big-cha...

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Oh, did I mention one Silvio Spadaro has a little part in this book? :D http://boymeetsboyreviews.blogspot.co...

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I've made a Pinterest board :D http://www.pinterest.com/KAMerikan/gu...

[Simone - on indefinite hiatus - · Rating 3 out of 5]

***3.5 Stars***

Good, but...

... it did not sweep me off my feet like I thought it would.

I had a bit of a hard time to rate this book because I have some mixed feelings about it. Altogether I liked it and I really enjoyed some parts of it, but others... not so much.

On the positive side there would definitely be Dom. Honestly? What's not to love about a gorgeous, dangerous, somewhat unpredictable guy with a bit of an attitude, who sometimes shows his vulnerable side, especially when it comes to the rejection by his own father?

Yes, I know , basically, he is a killer, but still...

Seth, on the other hand, has attitude in spades... Unfortunately, not the one that striked a chord with me. This guy was most of the time annoying as hell. Overall too shallow, with the inclination to put too much emphasis on outward appearances. Well, that was something that bothered me a bit in general about this book. Sometimes I even got the impression I was reading a fashion magazine rather than a mafia story, but that only as a side note, so back to Seth. Kidnapped as the youngest son of a Sicilian Mafia don by the Chinese Triad, being tortured and held captive for several weeks...

... and the first thing that came to his mind when he is being rescued is that the suit his kidnappers gave him was somewhat ill-fitting compared to the one of his savior (Dom). Seriously? Oh, come on. (Maybe you can imagine my eye-roll...) Most of the time his behavior was that of a spoiled brat, not to say a drama queen, and everytime he insisted that Dom should not treat him like a baby, I wanted to snap at him "Oh, yeah? Then don't behave like one!"

Thank God, it got better towards the end, at least a bit, as well as the development of the relationship between Dom and Seth. At first I didn't really feel the connection between these two, especially because Dom had no problem with sharing Seth. Of course, it all based on sex at the beginning and since this is just the first book in a series I guess it will deepen, so I don't want to judge it too hard.

Well, said sex can only be described with one word:

Admittedly, at the beginning it was somewhat dub-con *cough*, but since Seth could enjoy it, I could do the same. ;-) Surprisingly, the fact that Dom and Seth are half-brothers didn't bother me overly much, either. Surprisingly, I should add, because normally, I'm a bit sensitive in that regard.

The writing style itself was okay, I guess, but the metaphors the authors used were sometimes definitely a tad OTT for my liking, e.g.

He seemed as shy as a stallion ready to be mounted for the first time. Yearning for that saddle, but not ready to accept it.

Umm, as you can imagine, that got another eye-roll... Thank God, it didn't happen overly much.

So, I love to read a dark and twisted story now and then, and the ending made me curious about what will happen next, of course, I will go straight on to the next book.

This review has been posted on Dirty Books Obsession

[MarianR · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seth Villani (Don's son) is captured a few days by his father's enemies. Domenico Acerbi (the best assassin in the family) is sent to rescue him. His father has made the decision for Seth to be the next Dom and let Domenico to train him. In a City far away from his family. Both mens alone in an apartment with one bed. Domenico likes to sleep naked, by the way. Did I mention that they are half-brothers?

Seth has lived for years away from everything related to the mafia and prefers to spend his time cooking than torturing. He's a spoiled brat and some decisions he made had me rolling my eyes a lot because and to quote Domenico's words: "Seth wasn't cut out for this. Too soft to make tough decisions, too scared to really fight for his life and easily lose his temper over silly things."
Seth has zero knowledge of killing, handling weapons, torture, etc.
But. Also because of that, I found myself liking him a bit. He didn't ask for any of this. And he still tries to learn.
Also, we see Seth learn a side of himself that he didn't think he could be: a submissive. 👀

Now Domineco is bossy, intense, sexy, aggressive, dominant and has this tender side that has me intrigued for his character.

Now... There are things that do not make sense and are ridiculous, the plot and the mission are left a little aside and the smut takes a lot of place here. I don't complain much. The sex scenes are hot. 🥵🥵🥵 Like. Really. Hot.
Although there is dub-con, but Seth liked it and enjoyed it, so... 👀
There is also scenes of comfort and I kinda felt seduced by them and that is why I am already in the second. 😎

(I recommend reading the warnings).👀

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally started this series! Yay for me! Alot of my friends here love this series and it's been on my TBR for years because I love twisted characters. But I am disappointed in you all... *points accusing finger at everyone*. I would have read this so much sooner if one of you told me Dom and Seth are brothers! You're holding out on me people! Seriously, not cool :-P. OK to be fair I didn't read any reviews so it may have been mentioned....






Honestly this was probably a little slower than I was expecting, but it was a good start to the series and I'm definitely interested/anxious/excited to see where this relationship goes.

[Ele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Currently free. Now you have no excuse.

[Elise ✘ a.k.a Ryder's Pet ✘]

⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Hell to the no; DNF*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱

This book just wasn't for me. It totally sucked; I'm sorry to those who loves/likes it, but it just didn't do it for me. Domenico ‘Dom’ Acerbi, who's apparently the mafia’s best hitman, and Seth Villani (26), the Don’s son. Seth was a HORRIBLE character. He was weak, spoiled, stupid and took up space. Unfortunately he's the main character and probably the reason I quitted this book and I couldn't take it anymore. DNF at 71%

Seth rubbed his nose against Dom’s shoe in a silent plea. The leather was so soft. So unlike Dom’s heart.
―――――― TO SETH: ――――――

Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Dark Contemporary Romance (M/M)
Series: - Series, Book One.
Love triangle? - Not that I know of.
Cheating? - Umm probably.
HEA? - Don't know as I DNF it.
Favorite character? - None.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - No.
Would I recommend this book/series? - No.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - No rating as I didn't finish the book.

[Sheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uhhh, no thanks.

There were soooo many reasons that this tanked for me.
BUT...I'll just politely say, This did NOT work for me!


*2 ohhh-hell-no stars*

[Denise H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy cow ! This story was more than I expected. It was gritty, violent, raw and intense, surprising, deep and dark, and epitomized the underbelly of a crime family. I like that Seth grew in this tale, so he wasn't as naïve and sassy. Even after the kidnapping and loss of a pinky, he was immature.

Domenico was a wild, rough assassin who took Seth on a trip for a job that needed to be finished. He taught him self defense, guns, and each man couldn't keep their hands off of each other. The attraction was strong, with super hot and dirty M/M sex. Lots of action.

Just be aware, this is a dark and deep story, not a fluffy romance. They are headed home to find the traitor in the family. Lord, I don't know what will happen next !! Part two here I come.
Highly recommend. ENJOY !!!

----

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 "crazy ass mafia m/m" stars

This is one hell of a crazy read. It was filled with dark humor, gore, dubious-con sex, taboo, ridiculous facepalming scene ..... there are simply so much wrong with this book.

I think it is one of those hate it or love it book. The sicko in me found it addictive even though I don't like half of what is happening. Weird.

Seth Villani is the Don successor and a total pussy. He lived a sheltered life in US away from his family until one day he got kidnapped and his father demanded him home. He was totally out of his element with all the violence. Dear Seth provide tons of face palm worthy moment with his ridiculousness. On one occasion, he started making homemade pasta while on a stakeout! And don't get me started with the smoothie. There is so much wrong with him, but I also think he is such dear, albeit a ridiculous one.

Domenico is the mafia hitman and was tasked with the responsibilities to look after Seth and train him to be the next Don. Dom being the loyal soldier tried his damnest to assist Seth even knowing he is a lost cause. Dom was all hardass and stone cold. I wish to know more about his past.

Talking about things that bother me is the way Dom dominate (pun intended) Seth in the whole relationship. I don't know much about gay etiquette, but I prefer my m/m couple to have equality. The way Dom refuse to put out make him looks selfish. I was bothered by it initially, but by the end when I see how Dom took care of Seth, I slowly warmed up to him. His love for Seth's cooking also make him seems more human. But I still can't wait to see Seth nail his ass one day.

The pseudo-menage. I don't know how to describe that almost-three-way with Silvio. Is not suppose to be hot. But I can't stop tearing my eyes away from the page. What's wrong with me! And what's wrong with Silvio at 96%!

With my favorite boys, Logan and Tate's conclusion, I'm glad I found a new m/m series to be obsess about. I read that Merikan planned 10 books for this series. Holy shit! I'm excited and nervous at the same time. I wonder will Seth turn into a badass motherfucker. It will definitely be a big twist for his character. Here to hoping that the author write fast.

[Claude · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it! Love it! Love it!
Waouh! I fell in love with these two Guys: sweet Seth and real badass Dom :)
In this book there are so many things but which I prefer was the sweet/raw relationship. It was so fun to watch Seth try to be a badass. This book is more focused on Seth (his return in his family), on his formation to be the leader of the family after his father. He is not really in to that and that's really fun to watch.
Domenico in the other hand is more secret. I don't really fell like I know him in the end of this book. I think we'll learn much about him in the next! (I hope it). But i really love him too.

I can't wait to read the next book about these two :)
How can these two ends together? (I only see death...).

[Natalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seth whines more than my 4 year old son.
On to the next one.

[haletostilinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew, well it's safe to say I am late to the party on this one. I've had it on my to-read shelf on my kindle for what has felt like forever.

I was cautious to read this because of all the reviews I read and just how dark this seemed to be. Not that I can't read dark stuff, it's just a lot to take and a lot to prepare for.

But I should have started this series sooner because this was pretty great and an addicting read.

Now, I saw from reviews that Seth was bratty and annoying and boy was he. I don't think I've read of a 26 year old character whining or saying "I don't wanna" seriously before - or if I have I don't remember - and his whining was cringe-worthy at times, and him trying to act all tough when he was the furthest thing from it and him and Dom knew it, so who was Seth trying to fool?

But...I didn't hate Seth. As annoying as he could be, I felt for him. He had a sheltered life, as an obvious favorite of his mother's, the Don's wife, who kept him as far away from his father's life as possible, and even urged him to leave to go to the US to go to college and live a normal life.

Seth is used to a more normal life. Not all the way normal, but basically normal. Normal enough that he doesn't know how to fight, he hasn't seen a lot of death. He's been sheltered.

Domenico has not. The son of the Don's mistress - making him and Seth half-brothers, which I was pretty easily able to get past, just like they were. They grew up together until Seth was about 12 and Dom was 11, but they have spent 15 years apart and don't know each other, really, especially not as adults. And yeah, as wrong as the half-incest is...this is dark anyway and they're just too hot together to care all that much.

There is dub-con in this, and it definitely makes me uncomfortable. That Seth did truly want it made it ultimately okay for me, but he was resistant and Dom, even though he knew Seth was attracted to him, was pushy and didn't stop when he should have. But also, he's an assassin with very few morals and it happens when he and Seth don't like each other and I get that he's not going to be soft and sweet with him yet, even though he should have been. And yes, it was hot, but the dub-con of it all just is not that great.

Also yes it is realistic for them to have sexist, homophobic thoughts and with what they say, but it still bothered me. I'm definitely gonna continue reading, but I hope it lessons or I'm just gonna be continually annoyed. And Dom may be cool and hot, but I really hate him when he is so opposed to a man wearing a dress or Silvio wearing heals. I just wish I could educate these boys, mmkay?

Also, yeah there is a threesome in this - although it's just blowjobs and nothing more - and it's when Dom and Seth don't feel much yet, or not enough to care for there being a third.

I do start to feel them gaining feelings near the end of this, but I dunno how strong it is. It seems like they get to love by the second one, so I hope to actually see it and seem them get to that point. At the end we just have Dom being slightly possessive of Seth and not liking the idea of Silvio being with Seth.

And I know this is a dark, mafioso world, but I do hope these two become monogamous. Idk.

Onto the next!