Deviant Vows

The Quarter Chronicles #1

by Anna Widzisz, Shanjida Nusrath Ali

Davina
I fought for leadership, power and money. It was never given to me. I earned it. But I never thought I'd have to agree to give up half of it just to protect my people from the war I made myself. Arranging marriage to my enemy is the last thing I want. Turns out Macsen Addison – the boss of North Liverpool – is the solution to all my problems. Now I can’t get out of this deal because I’ve made a vow.

Macsen
Sharing power has never been my forte. But when my people are getting slaughtered each and every day, things have to change. I control everything in my life, except choosing the woman I will marry. Yet there I am accepting an offer made by the queen of South Liverpool to become my wife. Turns out she’s everything I admire and respect. Now I try to fight to have something real because I’ve made a vow.

Genres: Mafia Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Dark Romance, Marriage Of Convenience, Dark, Romance, Contemporary

326 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2021

About the author

Anna Widzisz was born in Poland, got a degree in International Business, and promptly decided spreadsheets weren’t nearly as exciting as smoldering mafia bosses and morally questionable love interests. She’s been writing since she could hold a pen (or possibly a sword—no one’s sure).

When she’s not plotting betrayals or spicy slow-burns, she’s reading like it’s a competitive sport—or actually playing one (she swears it balances out the time spent emotionally wrecking readers). Her fascination with the Mafia runs deep—like, can quote The Godfather in two languages deep.

Approach with caution: she’s charming, clever, and might just make you fall in love with a villain.

https://www.instagram.com/annawidzisz...
https://pl.pinterest.com/annawidzisz/

Reviews

[M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE MAFIA ROMANCE BETWEEN RIVALS AND THE FIRST TIME THEY MET TO COME UP WITH A DEAL SHE SHOT HIM TWICE AND KICKED HIM IN THE BALLS... SORRY SHE'S MY WIFE NOW!!!

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5🌟

Finally a mafia romance with h who is such a badass.

*This review is going to be dedicated to Davina bc she is the queen.

◇She is the leader of the Kingsley mafia family.
◇She is beautiful, cunning, smart and knows how to fight.
◇Their first meeting was one of the best i've read in mafia books bc they start fighting and she freaking shoots him😍 Ms. Davina ain't no pushover😌

"She moves closer, kneeling beside me. Taking her gun up to my face, she traces it along my jawline. “Here are my rules, Macsen. You want to marry me, then you better treat me like a fucking queen."

“Oh, and never order me what to do and what not to do. Deal with what you are getting. Otherwise, there are more willing men in England.”

◇She is so protective of the girls who work for her that when one of her fighters assults one of the girls she tooks the job in her hands and she freaking wipes the floor with him.
That was one of my fav parts😍

“You fucking mess with one of my people, and I don’t give a single damn who you are and what kind of money you bring to the table. You’re. Going. Down.”
I can’t wait to rip that dick of yours and feed it to you to shut your mouth once and for all.

Mascen on the other hand was i guess okay dude.🤷‍♀️ i didn't really care about him and in comparison with Davina he kinda faded into the background.
So i would say the characters were great but the plot was a little weak. I expected more action and bigger conflict in the end, maybe some twists and turns bc that "twist" in the end was so predictable i saw it from the beginning.

But i'm really excited about the next book, it's going to be about Mascen sister and F/F romance, i wonder who was that other girl👀

[Thea™]

𝑺𝒉𝒆'𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑸𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒏, 𝒉𝒆'𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒆.

♛𝑫𝑬𝑽𝑰𝑨𝑵𝑻 𝑽𝑶𝑾𝑺♛ (The Quarter Chronicles #1)

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭?
🔥Arranged marriage
🔥A fierce heroine with nothing to loose
🔥British Mafia and hot guys

[Avery · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

Deviant Vows is the first book in The Quarter Chronicles, and well it’s a strong opening to the series, however, I have mixed thoughts on this book.

I’ll talk about what I did like right now. The second half of the book was so much better! It was easier to understand Davina once she gave me something to work with. I adore Macsen and how deeply he feels. The way he slowly lowered his guard has got to be my favourite part in this while book. The chemistry between him and Davina was quite poignant after the second half, and I really liked that.

Davina could be called fierce, but the word I’d use for her at the start would be better described as pretentious, and slightly fake though the reasons were revealed later in the book, but at the start it felt a bit one-dimensional with the past looming over the horizon. Some scenes felt a bit out of place as well and really rushed. Maybe it was just me but the book did not have something that made me go WOW.

𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰.

[TMR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: Extreme graphic violence depicted, rape, emotional abuse.

Holy shit, this novel. This novel left me breathless, heartbroken, and wondering if I am ever going back to reality with my mind in one piece.

I am still doubting it.

But Davina and Macsen....oh my gosh, they were brutal, toxic, and so unconventional as a married couple.

Their start and end was definitely not conventional and something you would be able to predict and call it a day.

Oh no. This novel makes sure to captivate you all times, taking your breath away from so many confessions and emotional moments, I am like damn, how'd that happen.

The romance and chemistry exist as well, but they both technically try and fight their own demons as well, and deal with businesses and people who are trying to break their unity and gain something from it as well. But the romance...god it was so heartbreakingly beautiful...I don't think I had seen anything more wonderful than that.

And surprise - they were also working on their mafia businesses - not just you know steamy scenes and all that. And I actually felt because of that, like I was actually in the mafia world with serious shit going on.

And the various plot twists that kept coming - damn my head was spinning the entire time. And no, I am serious when I say I couldn't predict the twists that kept giving me a whiplash every time I read them. It was one hell of a ride with those twists, not gonna lie.

Overall a beautifully tragic novel full of emotion, spirit, demons and a chance to be strong and fight back as kings and queens who may rule (tagline reference hehe).

Until the next read,

-TMR

[Marcie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first read by Anna and Shanjida and I am completely floored. They have created a story that demanded my attention, kept it, and left me with the best kind book hangover ever. Be mindful if you are sensitive reader, there are triggers so please read them before diving in.

I LOVE how they made the FMC (Davina) a strong heroine that isn’t just brave and smart - she’s a queen. She rules over a part of London and does it well. This young mafioso boss has the smarts and skills and she isn’t afraid to use them to her advantage. She has overcome obstacles and heartbreaking situations, some while covered in blood, and come out even stronger than before.

Macsen is cold and calculated at first, a true mob boss down to his very core. He’s as smart and handsome as he is ruthless. I loved seeing the layers of his personality unfold as the story progressed.

These two together? Let me tell you, it was like watching two cats in heat in the beginning. They fought and were true enemies at first, but as the story progressed you get to see how their relationship becomes more than just an arranged marriage to unite the Firm. They broke down each other’s walls protecting their hearts and proving to themselves(and each other) that they are worthy of love and the capability of ruling the kingdom as one.

If you don’t read any other mafia based romance this year, definitely pick this one up. The way this is written, I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the next knife to be thrown. So many twists and turns that had my thoughts glued to this book. The hate smexy times were off the charts hit and I really enjoyed seeing how this true power couple went from 100% enemies to true lovers. I can’t wait to see what this duo comes up with next.

[bea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the book proposal good but the execution extremely tiring and boring. I liked the fact that the protagonist was strong and bossy but the rest was just bleh.

[Laura Fabian · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review

What a start! I would never have read a book that started so strong, with the most amazing and hottest first two chapters in the world. Davina & Macsen have a very interesting, funny story that puts the best spin on marriages of convenience that I have read.

Davina is a total queen, without a doubt one of the best girls I have read. She has experienced complicated situations that have led her to become a strong and ruthless woman who’s willing to do anything to maintain power. One of my favorite things about her was her personality: violent but always in charge of her emotions, she never lets anyone get over her and she has a vulnerable and tender side, that although she doesn’t show too much, melted my heart, especially reading her interact with Hellion. But without a doubt, for me, the best thing about her character was that she never let love change her. The only thing that I didn’t like regarding the construction of this character was that she used sex to obtain results, although it only happened once, I think that took a bit of strength from his character, since It reduces her to the object of desire of men, when she’s a girl who has had to prove that she’s just as strong and valuable as they are in the Marie world.

Macsen was a very good surprise, with a rude attitude at the beginning of the book, which changes suddenly but naturally when necessary. Macsen, like Davina, has struggled to maintain her place within the organization, with the help of her brother Theo and trying to be better than her father, with whom he doesn’t have the best relationship. Definitely, what I liked the most about him was reading his tender, loving side and willing to protect the people he loves from anything. Macsen is also a complicated character, who has to make difficult decisions to maintain the respect of those around him and the power that has cost him so much to obtain, his situation towards the end of the book broke my heart a lot and was totally unexpected, but I hope that at some point in the series everything works out for him.

Davina & Macsen’s path joins when both agree to marry to unify their territory and lose lead together, but things are not easy, they hate each other and both have a very different idea of ​​what they want from marriage, but there is something that cannot be denied: the immediate attraction that arises between them and it’s that Macsen & Davina are the perfect definition of fire and heat, but the authors did an incredible job giving a totally unexpected twist to the marriage of convenience trope since we don’t see the typical push and pull between a couple who initially hated each other, but a power struggle that both want to keep, in Macsen’s case, he doesn’t want to share, while Davina knows that the best solution to all their problems is to reach an agreement to run the organization together.

In this case, the feelings of both characters also develop in a different way, Davina does learn to trust Macsen, but not completely, and that makes her fear of betrayal always present. While Macsen decides to give himself completely to what he feels and ends up being hurt by who he least imagines. What I liked the most about the Macsen & Davina’s love story, in addition to its originality, was that neither of them stopped to think too much about what they want from the other, their actions and feelings come naturally and, in the end, there‘s evidence of how important they have been in the life of the other.

🇪🇸
ARC recibida a cambio de una reseña honesta

¡Qué inicio! Nunca habría leído un libro que comenzara tan fuerte, con los dos primeros capítulos más increíbles, sorprendentes y calientes del mundo. Davina & Macsen tienen una historia muy interesante, divertida y que da el mejor giro a los matrimonios de conveniencia que he leído.

Davina es una Reyna total, sin lugar a dudas una de las mejores chicas que he leído. Ella ha experimentado situaciones complicadas que la han llevado a convertirse en una mujer fuerte, implacable y que esta dispuesta a todo para mantener el poder. Una de mis cosas favoritas con respecto a ella fue su personalidad: violenta pero siempre a cargo de sus emociones, que nunca deje que nadie le pase por encima y que tenga un lado vulnerable y tierno, que aunque no se muestre demasiado, derritió mi corazón, especialmente leyéndola interactuar con Hellion. Pero sin lugar a dudas, para mi, lo mejor de su personaje fue que nunca dejó que el amor la cambiara. El único aspecto que no me gusto respecto a a construcción de este personaje fue que usara el sexo para obtener resultados, aunque solo pasó una vez, creo que eso le quitó un poco de fuerza a su personaje, ya que la reduce al objeto de deseo de los hombres, cuando ella es una chica que ha tenido que demostrar que es igual de fuerte y valiosa que ellos en el mundo de la mafia.

Macsen fue una sorpresa muy buena, con una actitud ruda y grosera al inicio del libro, que cambia de manera repentina pero natural cuando es necesario. Macsen, al igual que Davina, ha luchado por mantener su lugar dentro de la organización, con la ayuda de su hermano Theo y tratando de ser mejor que su padre, con quien no tiene la mejor relación. Definitivamente, lo que más me gustó de él fue leer su lado tierno, amoroso y dispuesto a proteger de cualquier cosa a las personas que ama. Macsen también es un personaje complicado, que tiene que tomar desiciones difíciles para mantener el respeto de quienes lo rodean y el poder que tanto le ha costado obtener, su situación hacia el final del libro rompió mucho mi corazón y fue totalmente inesperada, pero espero que en algún momento de la serie todo se solucione para él.

El camino de Davina & Macsen se junta une cuando ambos acceden a casarse para unificar su territorio y perder liderar juntos, pero las cosas no son nada sencillas, de odian el uno al otro y ambos tienen una idea muy diferente de lo que quieren del matrimonio, pero sí hay algo que no se puede negar, es la atracción inmediata que surge entre ellos y es que Macsen & Davina son la perfecta definición de fuego y calor, pero las autoras hicieron un trabajo increíble dandole un giro totalmente inesperado al trope de matrimonio de conveniencia ya que no vemos el típico estira y afloja entre una pareja que se odiaba inicialmente, si no una lucha poder que ambos quieren conservar, pero en el caso de Macsen no quiere compartir, mientras que Davina sabe que la mejor solución a todos sus problemas es llegar a un acuerdo para dirigir juntos la organización.

En este caso, los sentimientos de ambos personajes también se desarrollan de manera diferente, Davina sí aprende confiar en Macsen, pero no por completo, y eso hace que su miedo a la traición siempre este presente. Mientras que Macsen decide entregarse por completo a lo que siente y termina siendo herido por quien menos se imagina. Lo que más me gusto de la historia de amor de Macsen & Davina, además de su originalidad, fue que ninguno de los dos se detuviera a pensar demasiado qué quiere del otro, que sus acciones y sentimientos se den de manera natural y que al final haya evidencia de lo importantes que han sido en la vida del otro.

[Nagma (Take A Look At My Bookshelf) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me preface this review by saying that Anna Widzisz and Shanjida Nusrath Ali have smashed this mafia arranged marriage, enemies-to-lovers romance.

I absolutely love the characters, the fictional world, and the plot Widzisz and Ali have come up with. Having two equally strong forces in their own right against each other was fabulously executed.

Deviant Vows is the first book in The Quarter Chronicles and what a fabulous opening to the series. I’ll admit the first chapter was iffy for me, but that’s the case with any book. However, by the second chapter, I was hooked.

There’s a lot of mystery surrounding our heroine Davina. Years ago she took over as the Queen of ‘The Firm’ by murdering the previous ones who ruled. No one knows why Davina did what she did, but she walked out as the first woman to fight, take over, and hold power in Liverpool. Davina is strong, determined, independent, an absolute baddie in anything she does. Her ruthless, smart, fierce nature is tinged by hints of the darkness of her past. She’s the best FMC I could have asked for to stand against our hero Macsen.

Now Macsen, I don’t have words to tell you how much I liked his character. I will mention though that no one can beat Davina in my books as my favorite character. Macsen is ruthless, cunning, cold, and calculated. He inherited his position as King from his father, but that doesn’t excuse how he rules with an iron fist. His hot-headed nature makes him act first and think later.

Davina and Macsen are the ultimate power couple. They married to maintain their power, but the two are so perfectly suited for each other. Davina’s logical and cool nature manages to cool Macsen’s recklessness. I loved how their relationship developed from true enemies to two people who came to fight and protect each other. They broke down each other’s walls and united to rule their kingdom together as one.

The insane twists and turns had me devouring this book late into the night and I can’t wait to see what Widzisz and Ali come up with next. I highly recommend this mafia-arranged marriage, enemies-to-lovers romance.

Rating: ALL THE STARS!!!!

[Shawna Jimenez more.books.forever · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG Davina is my QUEEN… She is a complete baddie, ruthless, smart, beautiful and the darkness that consumes her makes even more dangerous. Davina really and truly is the whole package and I couldn’t have asked for a better FMC. She actually surprised me you don’t really get books with a female lead like Davina. Yes, you get a strong female lead but Davina’s character take a 10 and elevates it to 1000 she is amazing and id wife her for sure. Macsen, oh dear **swoon** this man while just as ruthless is so freaking sexy!!! Together these two make the ultimate power couple. Everything that happens is not always as it seems with secrets, lies, betrayals. This book had me on edge the entire time I was reading and let me tell you that you will have to read this in one sitting because you are going to need to know how it all comes to an end. This book had a fantastic storyline and characters that kept you attention. The story was raw, gritty and emotional AF. I 100% no scratch that I 1000% recommend this book to everyone!!

[Tiffany S · Rating 4 out of 5]

FMC, textbook trauma response personality.
MMC, textbook male audacity turns soft for his woman

This is action packed mafia. The “meet cute” is very Mr and Mrs Smith. Read it because my friend said there was a spitting smut scene. 😬 very action plot driven story with secrets, when I love a good character driven story with lots of banter and chemistry. 3.5 stars

[Hilal · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
This was everything I wanted in a mafia book. The female protagonist was such a badass resembling the perfect mafia queen, she was the leader of her own empire and was defiant in every move against her. I love how much Macsen challenged Davina it was the perfect amount of enemies to lovers. Where they both had their guns drawn against each other but also secretly longed and cared for one another. Watching both of these characters break down their walls and learn to trust each other was so beautiful to see. In a world full of cruelty and mistrust they found comfort and solitude within each other and witnessing that was truly amazing. Great book! I’m definitely bumping this up in my fav mafia list. 😌

[Echo's Journey Through Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deviant Vows is an extremely captivating story that completely blew my mind! It kept me on the tips of my toes almost the entire way and had me obsessing over the characters like no tomorrow!

Macsen and Davina are epic from the very start; their first encounter is intense, fierce and filled with equal amount of fight for power and I just immediately knew they were going to be the perfect match! The tension and attraction between them is wild and I was all here for it. It's the fight for power and dominance for me! And oof the passion later on is wonderful and so beautiful. They gave me major Mel and Liam vibes and I adore it!

I absolutely adore the way they start catching feelings, seeing completely new sides to each other and how they fell so hard! The rawness of it totally had my heart! And as you might know by now, I'm WEAK for the tender moments and they are seriously absolutely everything with Macsen and Davina!

Davina is a total queen and a next level badass, and I love how she saves herself and doesn't need a hero to do it for her and oh boy is the way she does it dark! But I love how she's also just a hurt girl gone through too much underneath it all. And I adore Macsen's protectiveness towards her!

There were a few moments between them that I wasn't the biggest fan of and that totally took me by surprise but didn't lessen my love for this book as a whole. Otherwise, damn fantastic!

This is truly a wild rollercoaster! Macsen and Davina definitely became one of my new favorite couples and I just adored their dark journey!

"I swear on my life that if I have to lay down my own life to protect you, then I will do it without a second thought."

*I received this ARC from Books and Moods but the thoughts are completely my own.*

[Clara Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is phenomenal,raw, gritty, intense, dangerous, dark and oh so delicious. Macsen and Davina will rock your world !💥
Davina Kinsley known as Nyx is the queen of South Liverpool. She fought,killed and survived to get to where she is today. She is strong,resilient,fierce mafia boss who earned her position, power and money and demands respect. She never in her wildest nightmares thought she would have to make a deal with her enemy the mafia boss of North Liverpool Macsen Addison. To propose an arranged marriage and give up a percentage of her businesses to protect her people from being slaughtered.
Macsen is known to be brutal when crossed, he runs his territory with an iron fist. Unfortunately the two territories begin killing each other in a tuff war. He is advised to agree to the arranged marriage to Davina to stop the bloodshed. Neither is happy about the arrangement but they know once it's done it's a vow that can't be broken and by joining forces they can stop the carnage in the streets.

Their chemistry is undeniable but can they get past their stubbornness,hatred, and let their walls down and trust then they just might discover that they might be what each other needs to heal all the shattered and broken pieces. Then they can be the King & Queen of Liverpool.

This book has a really great storyline and the characters are well written. It had suspense, danger, murder, angst, saddness, sexual abuse,pain, heartache,dirty raw sex, betrayal,secrets,family drama, twists and turns and even forgiveness and love.

I received a free ARC from the authors an I'm voluntarily leaving my review.

Ten 🔥💥⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ if I could!

[huh_lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rate:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨(4.5)
Steam: 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

Deviant Vows, book one of the Quarter Chronicles, by Shanjida & Anna is enemies-to-lovers perfection! Brace yourself for a bada$$ heroine! The plot is deceptive, diabolical, & sexy! 🥵

I was absolutely giddy over every encounter of Davina and Macsen. 😊

Davina is my Favorite Book Heroine of 2021, hands down the best and the strongest, she’s the QUEEN! Everything about her from her mysterious tragedy to her rise to power is inspiring. Cannot express how much I’m obsessed with her!

Macsen, oh he’s so swoony! Beneath the roughened exterior he’s a ball of mushy tenderness, vying to crack Davina. He’s everything you can desire in a King. This match is fate, together they dominate.

With no plot spoilers, I’m dying to see where this series takes us and the characters we’ll meet. Truly, Anna & Shan crafted a world of strong anti-heroes and headstrong heroines.

[Bookslover09 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never thought I would love this book so much; it definitely consumed my life in the hours I read it! MAGNIFICENT, Anna & Shanjida bring a fantastic story.

The plot in this book is 🤯 intense, dark, sexy Macsen & Davina are like a fire you can’t extinguish, and the chemistry is out of the chart.
This book is an excellent and incredible enemy to lovers.
I highly recommend it.

[ashtag_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Marriage of Convenience
🖤Mafia Romance
🌶Enemies to Lovers

Sound good? Then read this book! Davina may be the strongest FMC I have ever read. She bows for no man and doesn’t need anyone to have her back. She definitely takes care of herself!

Mascen was a different type of mafioso than I’m used to. He was fierce, deadly, and a force to be reckoned with. He however seemed also to be more in touch with his feelings, even if he wished he weren’t. Don’t worry- those intense feelings include rage and lust.

Excellent book, can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

[Emily Kurosawa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first read by these lovely authors! I've heard nothing but amazing things about their work, and I was so excited to read this book! Deviant Vows is an enemies to lovers, mafia and arranged marriage romance. It's also book #1 in The Quarter Chronicles. My goodness! As soon as I started reading, I became obsessed with the storyline!! And the first couple of chapters! I couldn't even process how fast it escalated, it was definitely action packed! Davina (heroine) and Macsen (hero) are enemies, rival mafia families. However, that's about to change, a strong union needs to be formed and for that to happen Davina needs to marry Macsen.

I haven't come across a mafia read where there  is a woman as a mafia boss, until now. I mean, how can I even begin to describe Davina AKA "Nyx" ?! She fought tooth and nail for her position as Queen of South Liverpool, literally. It may be unheard of a female boss in the criminal world, but she earned her place; she's a queen sitting on her rightful throne. She's definitely a fantastic badass character! She doesn't shy away from confrontation, she faces them head on. Hence, some of actions can be seen as being reckless. She demands respect and to be treated like a queen. Personally, I think is safe to say that when you combined all the mafia bosses they can't make one Davina, that's how powerful she is in my eyes.

They might not like the idea of a female boss, but Davina isn't going to give up her position so easily. She's fierce, smart and resilient. And then we have Macsen, his the King of North Liverpool. His hot headed, possessive and ruthless, and when you think about it, Davina and Macsen are each others' mirror image in every way. Two head strong people; a King and Queen who won't relinquish their powers. They might be enemies, hate each other but the s*xual tension between them is palpable. And believe me, things got pretty steamy.  They sure do love to taunt each other. Whatever Macsen threw at Davina, she came back with a full force with an unbelievable, amazing witty comeback! Some of the remarks she made left me speechless! They are like fire and ice. Yet, they are the ultimate power duo! They are each other's counterbalance. Whenever Macsen was on the verge of losing his control over his emotions, Davina was right there calming him down; being the voice of reason. And you could say that Macsen did the same for her. I loved seeing their relationship evolve, especially from Macsen perspective. Davina may be fearless and strong, but what she experienced when she was younger. My heart broke for her. She's most certainly a fighter and survivor.

**I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review

[Harim · Rating 2 out of 5]

5 stars for that fight scene though. Loved loved loved it.




After that?
Nope.



It's a shame because oh goodness the start was so good and then...
It just..
Crashed.

I was loving reading about a powerful heroine but this was one just ridiculous and overdoing every action. Wish they had kept the same energy as the beginning instead of showing the heroine as a weird raging wannabe who is slapping the hero in every other scene.




Also, the hero.. what a joke. This is the most loser vibe gangsta I have ever read.



My expectations just got too high and then I was slapped back into reality. Yep.

[Suzana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deviant Vows blew me away in the best possible way. I couldn’t help but be captivated by the amazingly written story and a raw, dark, twisted, gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, darkly beautiful storyline – plot that the authors so skillfully intertwined and told. This riveting, engaging, one hell of a ride story will keep you on the edge of your seat with chaos, tragedy, danger, revenge, mafia rivalries, heat, love, healing, family, secrets and revelations. Because of that I was left breathless and enthralled. The authors knew how to develop, create the storyline and make you fall in love with their words, plot and the characters demanding your attention. The writing just flowed and had me engrossed to the story from start to finish wanting to find out what happens next. I enjoyed every minute of it and never wanted it to end. It has so much depth, powerful, poignant and effortless storytelling. I loved that it was written in first person, dual POV so I know what both characters – Davina and Macsen – were thinking at the specific time or moments. The characters are brilliant, complex - layered and so likeable yet some are created to be hated. What I loved about this story is that we got to see an underground mafia world on the streets of Liverpool - perilous, dark parts of the world filled with corruption, violence, betrayals, fighting for survival, turfs and lies then grey areas – because everything is not only black and white, the difference between right and wrong, love, family - not just an unconventional love story between the two main characters and their background.

★A gorgeous but slightly jaded, sullen, grumpy hero with a weight of a world on his shoulders and empire to rule
★A strong, brave, vulnerable, fierce heroine with nothing to lose but who is true survivor and a queen of the empire
★British mafia
★Arranged Marriage
★Enemies to lovers
★Forbidden
★Revenge
★Rivalry
★Dark Romance
★Emotional roller coaster
★Off the charts chemistry
★Second chance
★Unpredictable twists and turns
★Enough emotional baggage to fill a room
★The mystery and danger they are thrown into
★All consuming
★Intense
★Passionate
★Heartfelt / Emotional
★Riveting / Engaging / Gritty/ Gripping/ Raw/ Suspenseful
★Page turner
★Remarkably written / Phenomenal story
★A beautiful love story

I somewhere read the quote: “Every revolution begins in the heart.” I think this exactly describes Davina and Macsen, their relationship and them fighting their feelings later their love because it’s a love born out of darkness, violence, rivalry, blood and shadows. Davina and Macsen were just incredibly beautiful, sinfully twisted, at times heartbreaking and amazing together while pushing boundaries and each other's buttons. They know they shouldn’t be attracted to each other but they can’t help it. Their chemistry and tension were everything. I liked them from the moment they interacted the first time. They lit the pages with their chemistry. They are each other’s match; sinfully sexy and intense. Macsen can’t explain what exactly is about her that gets to him; he just knows that he is inexplicably drawn to her and vice versa. This is an unconventional and complicated, forbidden enemies to lovers love story. Add in a mix an arranged marriage. It’s layered, fast paced, real, heartbreaking, twisted, dark, emotional, with depth and an edge. The pace of the story added to their romance, plot and to them figuring out place in life and new circumstances of situation. You know the sayings “The heart wants what it wants – or else it does not care.” Or “The heart has its reasons that reason does not know.”? The heart is often used as a figure of speech for feelings and emotions. So I think that love is not under our cognitive, conscious control. You cannot simply choose or decide who you will fall in love with much less just decide to stop loving somebody, no matter how hopeless it is. It is not a well learnt mechanical order like press play, stop or pause because when you feel, you feel deeply, with your whole heart and being. This is what happens with these two. The more time they spend together, the more they talk, the more they are trying to work together the more feelings get involved and they start falling for each other. Their perspective changes too. Maybe it started as a simple arrangement, as a peace offering to unite their families – to stop war, but their love surpassed that. Macsen and Davina’s story is thrilling, gripping, raw, edge of your seat page turner. It’s also dark, twisted and a wild ride that I enjoyed from first to last page with effortless and poignant writing and storytelling. The topics are real, important and relatable. I love that they didn’t give up on each other even though the life have thrown them quite obstacles. They are effortless and familiar and yet complicated and perplexing. I felt like Macsen wanted to be her everything: the person she can rely on, her knight in shining armor, her protector, her lover and her friend. Deep down I think they are just two scarred people who seek love and are trying to let go of the past and start living / ruling together.

HEARTBREAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL, UNPUTDOWNABLE, RAW, HEALING AND REAL! Take a risk and read this book but go in blind. Trust me, it will make your experience worthwhile. In my opinion it will attract the readers who love dark mafia romance and romantic suspense mixed with mystery, intrigue, plot twists you won’t see coming, damaged, rugged heroes and strong, fierce heroines. Can’t wait for the next book in the series and *hoping* for Macsen’s brother’s redemption and his book too.

[gena_bookish_reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is a word that you can use when you liked something VERY much but to say that you loved it... is not enough?

Yes..this is how good this book is.

I've seen a significant amount of times people describing the heroines of many books strong and sassy. I have done so myself as well. This time though..is when I have finally seen what a real strong heroine looks like.

A woman who is not controlled. And I mean it. Not by others and not even by her own carnal desires. A woman who fights and kills without regrets. A woman who will slap the hell out of you, the moment you try to tell her what she is supposed to do or what is expected from her. The woman who will do sick things to revenge what was done to her years ago.

Davina is all these and so much more. That woman has suffered. She has suffered a lot and what makes her burden even heavier is that she had to carry it alone, because no one believed her. No one trusted her. Everyone thought the worst for her just because she killed a bunch of men that were high in their hierarchy. She's an assassin they said. She's a crazy bitch they said. She's a whore they said.

And do you know what she said then? Nothing. She just gave them each a bullet in their head.

I'm still smiling at her dynamic 😈

Macsen is Davina's husband. These two had to marry in order to solve some problems between their businesses and families. You see..it's funny. Macsen thought that he could control Davina. That with time she would give all her money, possessions and businesses to him just because he is the man. He thought that if he satisfied her in bed then she would give him everything. Oh..he was for a rude awakening.

It was actually the other way around. Davina masterfully played that man in her fingers. She pretty much made herself the center of his universe and she didn't even try. Now that is a heroine that I'm happy to read and talk about. I feel like a proud mama..watching my kid succeed into everything 😈

If you had to keep one phrase from all the above then let it be this :

Powerful mafia queen shakes the world of strong mafia king and the result is an explosive relationship.

Don't sleep on this.

[Alexandria Redmourn]

3.5 ⭐
4 🌶

this was a great book with a solid plot that had me captivated from the beginning.

my favourite part had to be the beginning, without a doubt. it's where we saw the most 'enemy' in the enemies-to-lovers. it had me grinning like a loon, because of how bada*s our fmc is and how the mmc wasn't expecting her to be the way she is.

after their wedding, things took a downhill for me in all honesty. there was a particular club scene where the fmc, a strong feminist, went and objectified herself in my opinion. i kind of deflated at that part, lol.

after they allowed their lust to control them, it kind of stopped being an enemies-to-lovers so much and more of an acquaintances-to-lovers, at that point. that sucked for me, because i expected more angst in that sense.

i took more to the MMC, because he was very open about his feelings and it was nice knowing where his head was. his communication skills at the beginning lacked remarkably, but there was definite improvement.

after the club scene, i didn't like the FMC very much. her communication skills severly lacked and she jumped at every opportunity to doubt the MMC, which annoyed me.

the betrayal for me was half-expected, but because i was so immersed in the main characters themselves, i didn't pay much heed to anything else. that character was very sketchy, and whilst i had my doubts, i was still left in shock with his betrayal. i'm torn over the repercussions, because as much as i love macsen, i love that character as well. it irritated me also, how quick the FMC was to forgive the man who betrayed her, but she refused to eveb listen to the MMC. i understand that she has trust issues and if her assumptions were truly correct, it'd hurt her way more, but she jumped at every chance to put blame on the MMC.

my favourite parts about this book were the soft moments. i really needed more of that. as much as i love spice, i'll take fluff over spice any time. overall though, this was a truly enjoyable read and i would recommend if you like semi fast-burn, arranged marriage and hate-to-love tropes.

trigger warnings:

— rape *detailed*
— physical abuse.
— physical torture.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal story!

WOW! This book was phenomenal! The story is dark, gritty, violent and deliciously sexy. It throws us readers down a rabbit hole of blood, depravity, perverse delights, delicious deeds and damaged souls! It will bring out some very intense emotions from you while reading, making you enraged and scream at times and completely gut you at other times. The story will keep you on the edge of your seat with utter anticipation of who would be destroyed next.

Davina is a MF Queen! Even after they tried to break her, she came back with more fire than ever and ready to burn all those that do her wrong. She reigns with an icy heart and is not afraid to get her hands bloody.

Macsen, who is a fierce mafia boss in his own right, is ready to join forces with Davina to end a bloody and unnecessary turf war. Little does he realize that Davina is a fierce goddess and will turn his world upside down.

The chemistry between Davina and Macsen is insanely intense and completely undeniable. They are drawn to one another like a moth to a flame and explosive when together. There is so much hatred and anger between them that you just knew when they finally let their walls down it was going to set the world on fire!

Brilliantly written story by two amazing authors, filled with layers and layers of suspense, mystery, deceit, lies, betrayals, murder and bloody mayhem. There are so many little twists and turn throughout keeping us readers guessing on how the story was going to progress and finally end.

I loved all of it and can’t wait for the next book!

[Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg this book!

I loved this book so hard. It came out swinging and hooked me immediately. I love a good tough girl and Davina gave me exactly what I needed. She's tough, she's been hurt deeply by those who were supposed to protect her. She learned the lesson that the only one who has your back is you.

Shes fought her way to the top of The Firm (like an English mafia) and she only wants to strengthen her power. So agrees to marry the other side of The Firm, Macsen.

Macsen is your typical hot but he believes a woman's place is in volunteering and making a happy home, he thinks shes just going to hand over her power to him. The guy is in for a rude awakening and it's so entertaining to watch that happen. He quickly comes to the realization his marriage to Davina will be like any other he has seen before.

There was some wild stuff happening in this book. I couldn't put it down, I needed to watch their relationship blossom. But i needed to enjoy the pure violence of the two. I found myself having to fan my face a few times. Like the foreplay I was here for it. Also found myself gasping and like chanting WTF WTF WTF a few times it was awesome.

Definitely an amazing book. The writing was superb. The story and the heat were on par.

[Joy Avery · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
     Let me tell you, I loved this book! This enemies to lovers, mafia romance was unlike any I've read before. I really wish I had time to dive into these author's backlists right now. They are incredibly talented. 
     This story is about Davina "Nyx" Addison and Macsen Addison. The setting takes place in Liverpool, England. Davina has fought tooth and nail to become the first woman leader of South Liverpool. Macsen inherited his position from his father to rule North Liverpool. They start out as the definition of enemies. When they met for the first time, Davina's behavior had me falling in love with her. She is seriously badass. Not that Macsen isn't but you just don't read about characters like her anymore. In an arrangement of sorts, they decide to get married to maintain control of their territories. They become the ultimate power couple. 
     Their journey to their HEA was such a thrilling adventure. There was angst that kept me on the edge of my seat. Twists and turns that had me constantly guessing but always rooting for their relationship. And of course, some serious chemistry and heat. The characters, storyline and world development were spot on. This duo of authors are magic and I can’t wait to read more by them. This is my honest opinion, freely given. 

[Kira Laurent · Rating 5 out of 5]

A day had passed and I'm still trying to get my head back to work properly. What did I just read? And how it the world Anna and Shanjida delivered such a wonderful story?

"Deviant Vows" was phenomenal to say the least. Enemies and lovers, arranged marriage – and it was British Mafia on top of that. Something not a lot of authors choose when they decide to write mafia romance.

Davina and Macsen were amazing from the first chapter to the last one. Davina was so closed off for most of the book, yet you could literally feel her pain and understand everything she did. She had a hard time trusting and couldn't open up. Then Macsen, who may I say shocked me with his personality, helped her get through the trauma she experienced. It's not often you read the characters where the girl is emotionless longer than the guy. Macsen, even though he didn't wear his feelings on a sleeve, he was more in touch with his emotions than Davina. And he was the first to start having feelings. If for nothing else, then I'd recommend read this book for that reason. I guarantee it's hard to find this in others.

And hell... Standing ovations for making Davina such a tough character with flaws and everything. I know it's not right (and she probably does too) but I love how she realized you can easily manipulate guys with sex. Not a good thing, but honestly something I really enjoyed reading. Maybe because it showed how much Davina didn't give a damn at first, which then later changed into something beautiful.

Hands down one of the best books I read this year!

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me tell you something, there aren't enough authors in the world who create the #GIRLPOWER I crave in my life but Deviant Vows blew me away with Davina's bada** #GIRLPOWER! She's a boss queen, and will go toe to toe with anyone & I do mean anyone so I couldn't have loved her anymore than I did as I would have totally married her myself LOL. She ends up arranging a marriage with Macsen, but it doesn't start out great but color my rolling in laughter & I do wish I could tell you why but I'm not coming off squat. These two are explosive together, and despite the fact that they're both powerful in their own right, together no one will be able to defeat them. I'm not saying it was love at first sight because it was more like enemies at first sight but those sparks they produced could light the world up. All it will take is for each of them to break down the other one's walls so they could have everything, but will they be able to do that?! You know what to do to find out, and trust me, you definitely don't want to pass on this mafia romance as I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

[Stacey Gomez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow!! What a start of this Mafia series. I am not so interested in reading mafiso books, and holy cow is there action and suspense throughout this book. So many twist and turns. My heart pounded with all the thrilling action and the slow build of romance between Davina and Mascen. Davina is a strong leader of her group and a great partner to Mascen. At first they butted head because of the power struggle. They are both a great compliment towards one another. Anyways, my words are beginning to fade because I dont know what else to say. I liked the book and was so into the book and could not put it down until the end. Anyways, I dont always want to say the usual “this is so great” or that “i loved it” i do. But I need to figure out other adjectives to word vomit on here to get you to read this. Lol.. ok i loved reading this. And this was a new genre that I will add to my reading list. This new writing duo congrats and I will eagerly await the new book of this series.

[BurntbyHades · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wanna know why the streets of Liverpool run red.... Read Deviant Vows


My Liverpool Boys did not disappoint.

It was dirty & nitty gritty. Anna & Shanjida did not hold back with the punches and neither did Devina.

Damn they know how to write a violent, yet sophisticated couple.

We get to see a favourite trope, arranged marriage of convenience that is as f*cked up as the two exchanging rings.

The twists had me screaming. I wasn't ready for it.

Macsen is ruthless, I want to marry him. I won't lie, I've claimed him. I know I shouldn't, I'd take them both but I have a feeling Devina doesn't share well 😂

The action was on point, I loved the energy the whole book gave. I could not put it down.

I'm refusing to give out any spoilers, I'm trying hard not to.

I'm just happy that I too have an issue with glass tables...

[Booksaddict2020 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is a little dark, steamy, romantic, emotional and action packed. It is a dark mafia, arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, romance novel with an absorbing plot line and a fierce female protagonist. The chemistry between the protagonists is undeniable and the readers will make the readers want to read more. There are some scenes that will make the hearts of its readers clench and some that will make them swoon by the end. It is a highly recommended book for readers who like this genre.

Personal Take:
I absolutely loved Devina (the female protagonist). She was fearless and I loved her growth as a character in the story. I love reading these tropes and this is no exception. The sizzling chemistry between the protagonists and them falling in love with all their ups and downs had me swooning by the end. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

This is a review against the ARC provided.