Levan And Bianca's Story About A Reluctant Bratva Leader And The Woman He Walked Away From Is Packed With Action And Tension As The Couple Gets A Second Chance At Love. Levan's Brother Maxim Gets His Own Book In 'With This Ring.'
Bianca Russet, roughly twenty-four, hates games. The kindhearted yet strong headed baker religiously opens the doors to her bakery at seven each morning except Sundays, without fail, keeping up the tradition her mother began twenty years ago. It wasn't long ago that her mother succumbed to her illness and died, but the bakery was in Bianca's blood and the business kept her mind occupied, so she kept it running. And though her father had been a miserable husband and poor excuse of a father, she never wavered in her support of him, even if he only stopped by to raid the cash register every couple weeks. So when her father arrives early one morning, bloodied and missing three fingers, and announces he owes Russian mobster Bogdan Litvinenko a half million dollars and the only payment Bogdan will accept is Bianca herself, she agrees to go.
Bogdan isn't just a criminal. He is a psychopath. The heartless Russian built his empire on human and fentanyl trafficking. He throws away his women when he tires of them, but rumor has it the women leave with both emotional and physical scars - forever changed from the months of humiliation and abuse while under his rule. When Bianca meets him at the Manhattan restaurant, he claims he has had his eye on her for some time, and explains she must obey him in everything, no matter how degrading or repulsive, for her father's debt to be repaid.
Levan Ivankov, roughly twenty-four, never wanted to run his family's New York businesses. The Ivankovs lead a billion dollar conglomerate and are the top Russian Bratva family. Their magnetism exudes power and respect. They are politically connected which keeps them out of legal trouble, though Levan's older brother Maxim, who now heads the family's international businesses, turned the American enterprise into a legal business. Still, there is danger. Their criminal father spends much of his time in Spain, where the boys spent half their time growing up. Levan knows in their business it is kill or be killed, and he is prepared to take a life if and when needed.
Levan had wanted a different life. He once dreamed of owning a winery and living quietly. With Bianca. He met her two years ago while studying accounting at NYU. She was perfect and he would have left the family for her, even though it would be construed as a betrayal. He had been carefree then. But something happened that hardened him. He realized that she was safer without him in her life, so he pulled back and disappeared, though she never left his heart.
When Levan comes crashing back into her life, Bianca cannot trust that he won't just disappear again. Lacking self-confidence to begin with, she hadn't recovered from opening her heart to Levan just to have him ghost her two years earlier. When Levan sees Bianca with Bogdan, he knows he can't let harm come to her. And this time he doesn't plan to let her go. But between Bogdan's determination to get Bianca back and the anger Levan's family feels over the trouble caused by his involvement with her, the couple faces great challenges and uncertainty.
Levan and Bianca's story about a reluctant Bratva leader and the woman he walked away from is packed with action and tension as the couple gets a second chance at love. Although capable, Levan is soft in comparison to his father and brother. It is easy to see that though he accepted his role, he lacks the edge sometimes required. Granted his youth and inexperience might explain some of this, but his brother Maxim had been dealing with psychopaths since seventeen. Levan's humanity gets in the way sometimes. Bianca's loyalty makes her perfectly suited to him. His love for her makes him vulnerable, but it also empowers him. The couple earns a short but sweet HEA.
Maxim Ivankov, Levan's brother, gets his own book in With This Ring. He is much like Levan, but cold and more hardened. Near the end of this book, there are rumblings of an arranged marriage for Maxim which will unite two powerful families.
Levan and Bianca's action-packed story is engaging. It is well-written. The story is plot driven. There are several moving parts at play as Levan and Bianca work out what they are willing to sacrifice for love. The characters are nicely developed. It is written in first person. The POV alternates between Levan and Bianca. I rate this book four stars.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.