Tears of Betrayal

The Saints #4

by Michelle Heard

My father is the head of the Bratva, but being born out of wedlock, I’ve never been a part of that world.
Until a hit is taken out on me. I’m kidnapped in the dead of night and waking up, it’s to come face to face with Demitri Vetrov.

Dangerous and heartless, Demitri is the most feared man in the world. I’ve heard whispers of what he’s capable of.

I’m thrown into a nightmare where I don’t know who I can trust, and fear for my life is my only constant companion.
I’m forced to be at Demitri’s mercy, I’m just not sure he has any. It also doesn’t help that he’s disarmingly attractive.

Tall, dark, and deadly.

Knowing this, he uses it against me like a weapon, breaking down my walls faster than I can put them up.

There’s a war coming, and I’m right in the middle of it.
The only question is, will Demitri be the one to save me or kill me?

STANDALONE: Romance Suspense full-length novel.
WARNING: This book contains subject matter that may be sensitive for some readers. There is dark and triggering content between these pages. 18+ only. Please read responsibly.

Genres: Mafia Romance, Dark Romance, Romance, Dark, Enemies To Lovers, Forced Proximity, Contemporary

Unknown Binding

Published August 30, 2021

About the author

Michelle Heard is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon #3 Bestselling romance author.

She writes emotional heart-shattering stories with a whole lot of Mafia & Romance that will leave you smiling with satisfaction. Every book has an unexpected twist that will show the strength of the characters.

Before becoming an author, Michelle had a career in banking. She lives in South Africa with her son, Sheldon, who's also her right-hand man when it comes to all things publishing, and her daughter-in-law, Tayla, who's her best friend.

Reading Order on AMAZON


STANDALONE NOVELS:
***Mafia & Bratva Romance (in order)***

THE SAINTS SERIES:
Merciless Saints - Damien Vetrov
Cruel Saints - Lucian Cotroni
Ruthless Saints - Carson Koslov
Tears of Betrayal - Demitri Vetrov
Tears of Salvation - Alexei Koslov

THE SINNERS SERIES:
Taken By A Sinner - Nikolas Stathoulis
Owned By A Sinner - Liam Byrne
Stolen By A Sinner - Gabriel Demir
Chosen By A Sinner - Luca Cotroni
Captured By A Sinner - Viktor Vetrov


THE CORRUPTED ROYALS SERIES:
Destroy Me - Misha Petrov
Control Me - Nikolai Vetrov
Brutalize Me - Armani De Santis
Restrain Me - Maxim Levin
Possess Me - Alek Aslanhov


SERIES (In Order):

ENEMIES TO LOVERS SERIES:
***College & New Adult Romance***

Heartless - Carter & Della
Reckless - Logan & Mia
Careless - Jaxson & Leigh
Ruthless - Marcus & Willow
Shameless - Rhett & Evie

TRINITY ACADEMY SERIES:
***College Romance***

Falcon - Falcon & Layla
Mason - Mason & Kingsley
Lake - Lake & Lee
Julian - Julian & Jamie
The Epilogue

THE HEIRS:
***College & New Adult Romance***

Coldhearted Heir - Hunter & Jade
Arrogant Heir - Jase & Mila
Defiant Heir - Kao & Fallon
Loyal Heir - Forest & Aria
Callous Heir - Noah & Carla
Sinful Heir - Tristan & Hana
Tempted Heir - Christopher & Dash
Forbidden Heir - Ryker & Danny


SOUTHERN HEROES SERIES:
***Suspense Romance***

The Ocean Between Us – Aiden & Emma
The Girl In The Closet – Cole & Birdie
The Lies We Tell Ourselves – Alec & Reece
All The Wasted Time – Wyatt & Scarlett
We Were Lost – Zac & Chloe


OTHER STANDALONE NOVELS:

Not My Hero - Dark YA Romance

Reviews

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY REVIEW AND OTHERS: can also be found on my blog:
➽ KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS

TEARS OF BETRAYAL: Is a full length romance book, by Michelle Heard. Spoken in 'Dual Perspectives.' Demitri 31 & Ariana is 23.

The normal girl & the assassin

Demitri is one of the most feared men in the world, he's been a custodian to Alexi for the past seven years and is trained to protect him with his life. Now a contract has been placed on Ariana Robinson, from who its unknown but when they trace down where it's come from it's a whole game changer.

She's the daughter of a powerful man, the head of the bratva, though she wasn't raised by him and knows nothing of his world, her mother is in a nursing home and she has a half brother who have never really been that close whilst growing up.



This was inhaled in one sitting, and I enjoyed every single second of it, these two kept me on my toes, from the swooning, to the giggles, to the twists and turns and heart stopping moments, these two were on 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

From the very first unorthodox way of taking Ariana, Demitri had a fiesty female on his hands which he didn’t know what to do with. She’d go from zero to 100 in seconds as she’d rip him a new one and I was along for the ride giggling away at their pull and tug which occurred between them.

When she comes face to face with her kidnapper one thing hit her square in the gut, He's tall, dark and handsome, making him one the most attractive men she's ever clapped eyes on.

*Teaser used is off the Authors Facebook page*

                  

[Samantha (bookgramsaga reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

''Keep running, Malyshka. I'm right behind you''

Safety warnings:
- H 31 / h 23
- No cheating
- No OW/OM drama
- Violence/death
- Loss of family
- Terminal illness
- HEA

SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️

SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️

SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️

SPOILERS BELOW ⬇️

Demitri oh Demitri...you perfect specimen. I knew I would fall in love with him the second we were introduced to him in book 1. He was everything you needed someone like him to be. Loyal to the bone. He only envisioned his life protecting and being by Alexei's side till the day he died and never imagined his life being steamrolled by a woman.

Ariana was briefly mentioned in the previous book where Carson was sent a contract to kill her but deemed her innocent and asked his brother to look into her and why this was being demanded.

Ariana is a product of a brief one-month affair her married father had with her mother. Also, he happens to be the leader of the Bratva and currently has an older son from his marriage. He couldn't divorce his wife and be with Ariana's mother because of the alliance he had created by his arranged marriage. Ariana's mother never moved on and currently is suffering with Alzheimer's and barely recognizes her own daughter. Ariana takes the 10 grand her father sends her monthly to pay for her mother’s hospital care.

The guys decide to kidnap her and take her to a secluded island to keep her safe and I never knew I needed the MMC to kidnap a girl for her safety before lol

Her father loved Ariana and absolutely never saw her as an inconvenience and honestly I wish I had seen them together in one scene...we only get a brief sad phone call before he dies of cancer.

OH who ordered the contract on her life? Her older brother. He wants her to be out of the picture so she cannot have any inheritance and no power within the bratva as he will only be the leader is the families within vote on it. This absolutely shocks her and honestly I was not surprised....he probably never cared about her and just saw her an obstacle to eliminate to get what he wants.

Thankfully Demitri and Alexei are right by her side through it all.....Demitri falls SO hard for her and Alexei being the match maker he is, wants to see his best friend and closest person be happy and have a life outside of his custodian duties.

I loved Demitri - he was perfect. I even loved Ariana a lot. She knew what to expect from both of these men and stood her ground over and over again gaining Alexei's approval.

After he gets shot and risks his life for Alexei and Ariana - she decides to leave and basically end their relationship to protect him. She doesn't want to be a distraction and cause him anymore harm. The scene where he watches her and allows her time to finally give in was hard...he could see her wither away and he couldn't handle anymore and I'm glad he stopped allowing her to make the choice for them and kidnapped her AGAIN lol

Alexei is officially now the bratva leader and he has even more power now to do good in the world and get rid of the vermin that exists.

WE GET THEIR CUTE EPILOGUE 4 years later. Married and they had a baby boy....VIKTOR! I read his story (Sinners series), so it was nice to see him again.

[Leeann Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 amazing stars.


Michelle heard has a way to suck you in from the very first page. This book was UNPUTDOWNABLE,
i could read this book over and over again and find something new I love about it each time.

When we first met Demetri in Sinful Heir I was captivated by him. I just knew his story was going to be amazing. Demetri is always on the front line, protecting everyone else, but no one warned him about a certain feisty lady that would bring him to his knees. Put in a situation that he wasn't to happy to be in, he had to make the best of it, and with it cam Ariana, even though she was kidnapped and taken to a remote island with the most feared man alive, this didn't stop her from giving Demetri a hard time. The chemistry between these two was just everything and made them real to me.

Throughout this whole book, I laughed, I cried, I swooned. This is definingly one of my top reads of 2021...

Now for Alexei book!!!!

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was beautiful, but the next book in this series I loved much more!
It’s worth the reading.

[Ashleyjo · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first interaction we have is the MMC suffocating the FMC until she passes out and then rolling her up in a rug. No worries… it’s for her own good. A week passes, and it’s a quick hate to lust for her and hate to love for him. Same formula as the other books - Damsel in distress and an antihero finding the one woman worth keeping amidst the danger.

I’ve read books one and two. Skipped three because it didn’t appeal to me. I should’ve set this series aside and not bothered with book three. I like the author’s storylines, but the execution and where she takes them just doesn’t agree with me.

What I liked…

The push pull of the romance from the FMC’s perspective. She doesn’t bullshit. She wants him, but she’s mature enough to stop and question if her feelings are born from proximity or choice. Him respecting that to a degree is also more alpha than had he tired to force her love.

Long lost mafia daughter plot.

What I didn’t like….

Alexia.

The bromance here never evolves, or rather takes a backseat as it should. The MMC wants to have his cake and ice cream both when his FMC should be more important. At 74%…

But with Ariana, it’s different. She has to share me with Alexei, and I’m not sure she’s willing to do that.

^ For some readers, the MMC’s bond with Alexia may be endearing, but it’s far from it IMHO. It’s beyond brotherhood, loyalty, duty, friendship. It almost feels romantic between the MMC and Alexia. Either way, the point of a possessive romance is that NOTHING, NO ONE is of more importance than the FMC. You will not find that here.

To the bitter end, even the climax here is tainted by Alexia. When it should be the FMC by the MMCs side, it’s Alexia as the FMC stands in shock. She’s only in the scene because Alexia chooses to share it with her. Wtf? All her comfort from Alexia while the MMC is recovering… yeah, that just makes it worse for me. Until the very last page, the FMC remains the third wheel in a love triangle. She only gets half of him, and she settles for that. Not my idea of a love story, but to each their own.

Given the content here, there’s no point in me reading the last book - Alexia’s story.

[❤️Court - Villains Do It Better❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars

Probably my favorite hero in the series so far, but I haven't even read Alexei's book yet👀 definitely the best written too. The heroine was starting to become my favorite, then she started to get all annoying and doing the pushing away crap, so that lowered the rating a bit. Also, wasn't really a fan of how touchy feely Alexei and her are😬 but other than all that, decent enough book.


Safety: Safe

No virgins or manh*es

No cheating

No ow/om drama

No sharing

[❥ Deea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ★★★✬☆
“Do you wear any other color but white and black?”
“No, you’re all the color I need.”

there were some things i didn't like but ariana and dimitri's story was so beautiful i loved them🥹

[Emily Tudor · Rating 4 out of 5]

hey kids, kidnapping is fun!

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

******2nd read******
Still so, so good!

****** 1st read *******
I really appreciate it when the title fits with the overall story. Tears of Betrayal, indeed. Why is it that so many of Heard's books have such perfect situations that I'm a fan of. Ugh, forced proximity at its finest. This was such a page-turner and I loved the many emotional moments in here. This is definitely one where I will be re-reading in the future.

[NiCoLeTa E. {Addicted To Books} · Rating 4 out of 5]

***4 "Hellhound!!!" stars***

OUT NOW!!!!



"Betrayal. In the blink of an eye, it changes who I am."

I'm really enjoying this dark world that Michelle had created in here!!! And its characters are giving me so many beautiful moments with their adventures!!!
I won't hide to you that Demitri's story was one of the two most anticipating stories from Michelle for me!!! And I was soooo happy to dive into this story!!! And what a story was that!!!
Who would have thought that ruthless and emotionless Demitri Vetrov who everyone fear him will fall so fast and so deeply with a... very normal and feisty girl!!!!

"I'm not the monster who think I am..."

Everything started when a contract was placed for Ariana Robinson... An innocent girl who had nothing to do with Demitri and Alexei's world!!! But as ruthless as they might be, they have honor and they are protecting the innocents... And Ariana is an innocent.
But then, they are realizing that Ariana is connected to their world, even though she wasn't born into it!!! And she is being in a very dangerous position and Demitri is being placed to protect her!!!!
The thing is that his way is a little bit unorthodox.... He just... kidnapped her and from that moment everything spilled out of control...

"He's dangerous and deadly and from another world. He kidnapped me, humiliated me, and hurt me."

I really loved this story...
It was fast paced and entertaining.... Hot and adventurous!!!!
Ariana couldn't be more perfect for Demitri... He needed the rush that she could offer him...
She was feisty and she was holding her own, even though she was intimitated by him...
Demitri was tough and unstoppable and he was loyal to a fault, especially toward Alexei, but Arianna's presence made him crave something more than he already had...

"All my life, I knew I'd die for Alexei, but there wasn't anyone to live for."

Yep, this story was very good and I enjoyed it from the very first page till the last one...
But can I tell you a secret???
I am so intigued by Alexei Koslov and I can not wait for his turn to fall in love!!!!
I have been waiting so many books for his time to come!!! And I'm so excited that it's almost here!!!

"Fuck, I'm never loving a woman if it's going to mess with my head the way it's messing with yours." {Alexei}

**I received an ARC for the exchange of an honest review**

[1-Click Addict Support Group · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal…

If you’re a fan of this author –and her mafia-esque stories - then Demitri and his family are very familiar to you. And, like me, you couldn’t wait to get your mitts on his story! You know how sometimes the anticipation builds up to a height that you know cannot be met? Well, this was not like that at all – instead, it surpassed them as Ariana and Demitri were #relationshipgoals, taking falling in love to a whole new level…

I really don’t know where to start counting the ways this story hit every high note it could find. The intensity of the bond that quickly grew between Ariana and Demitri was insane. The honesty that flowed between them was sweet and poignant and also embarrassing in a funny, cring-y way (that embarrassment can only be). They felt so right together as they learnt about themselves and each other under trying times. Did I say trying? Yeah, that would the greatest understatement. Ariana was targeted and Demitri was in front of her the entire way…

A wonderful bonus is the chance to revisit a family I feel a part of. Strong characters, loyal and always ready with a laugh or a bullet – whichever is needed more…

Did I love this story? Yes, yes I did. For the drama, the emotion, the writing style that put me right in the middle of it all. Was I prepared for a phenomenal, one-sitting read? Yes. By now I’m ready for what this author brings even when the surprises keep coming…

Be ready for the heat, the humour and a courtship like no other…~Diane, 5 stars

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
I enjoyed the beginning but started to lose interest towards the end of book. I personally was just not fond of the relationship between Demetri and Alexei. I understand that Demetri is Alexei bodyguard and what not and he swore to protect him for the rest of his life and basically Alexei will always come first. So I just thought, oh towards the end Demetri will somehow figure out how to make Arianna he’s priority but obviously that didn’t happen. I just held on to the hope of Arianna and Demetri being able to have a life of their own. Which did not happen to my understanding. The book is good, the spice is okay, but I just personally did not enjoy the part that Alexei remained the priority.

[Intel Chicky Reads Romance (Kara Merideth) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

Another fabulous read by Michelle Heard! Tears of Betrayal is part of a series of interconnected standalone.

A great storyline with tons of action and romance. Alexei is totally swoon worthy as the super protective and possessive hero of our story. Ariana is his perfect complement - A girl who is totally selfless, but with no one left. Cute story with super yummy smexy times. A great read for a lazy afternoon!

Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Tripe: forced proximity
Angst: 😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥
Triggers: none

[alana ☁️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars

nothing special really about this one. it was really fast and not any slow burn at all between the love interests. it was just way too easy.

[Ren || Reading What I Want · Rating 5 out of 5]

STEAM LEVEL: 🔥🔥🔥

Tears of Betrayal is HANDS DOWN my favorite in this world so far. I’ve legit been dying for Demitri’s story and I knew he needed a strong, yet sweet other half and Ariana was everything he needed and I hoped for.

From the start this book jumped right into the plot. After a hit is put on Ariana, an innocent connected to the Underworld, Demitri is tasked with keeping her safe on a private island. For a man whose life is dedicated to Alexei, his assassin, taking a “break” from the real world really messes with him and I adored every minute. Ariana was skittish, but feisty. She was naive, but smart. Her spunk had me giggling as Demitri fell for her despite his cold, callous way of life. His passion for her was swoon-worthy and while my girl made some mistakes along the way, she owned them and opened her heart to a man who gives his all to protect his family. I mean, considering she went from a lonely, normal woman and was thrust into a world of death and crime, she handled it all fairly well.

I can’t pinpoint what made me love this story the most. I devoured every word without stopping. When I reached “The End” I actually blinked as I came back to reality. THIS is why I read, to escape, and ToB was everything to me.

And that epilogue? The first sentence KILLED me. 🤣 That whole scene cracked me up and I just can’t handle how dangerous these guys are but how adorable they can be in their innocence. And yea, while Demitri and Ariana are my favorite, I’m anxious for Alexei’s story because he’s the baddest of them all and I NEED to know who his woman is.




⭐️ 𝙀𝙙𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙨 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩. ⭐️

[Tinna Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG...This has been the best book. Demitri and Ariana are perfect...he is a natural born killer and she is straight up not going to take his crap...This book had me laughing, crying and madder than a hornet. Michelle is a writing genius...

[Radhika · Rating 2 out of 5]

He took two bullets one to save fmc and one to save his bestie/love of his life isn’t the thing I need from fictional men
I was just waiting for him to fuck his best friend and i thought that the author is going to give throuple at the end 😭😭😂

[Alina Syrotiuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Саме цей герой один з тих, хто заінтригував мене ще на початку серії, тому я дуже чекала на книгу про нього. І хотілося б більш розгорнутої історії, ніж отримала.

Аріана Робінсон - незаконно народженна донька боса «братви», яка не хоче мати жодного відношення до мафії. Але якби їй цього нехотілось, сам факт хто її батько, вирішив її долю.

Дмитрій Вітров - хранитель Олексія Козлова, один з найсмертоносніших людей в мафії.

У цій книзі присутній мій улюблений троп і це «різниця у віці»🔥🙃
Головні герої - це повні протележності один одному.

Яким би жорстоким і безжалісним не був Дмитрій, він мав певні рамки моралі та принципів через які не переступав. Одним з яких є те, що він ніколи не вбиває невинних.
Тож коли одного разу його напарнику Олексію прийшов на перевірку контракт на вбивство жінки, і вона виявилась цілком невинна, він повинен був її захистити. І не вигадав нічого краще як викрасти її.
І тут я б хотіла побачити більше їх взаємодії на одинці, щоб довший час поспостерігати за розвитком та зародженням їх почутів. Але авторка чомусь цього не дала, і їх любов виклакала в мене сумніви.

Тому тут було багато клішованих моментів, і те як складалися їх стосунки було доволі логічно та передбачувано, але як на мене і занадто швидко🫣
Книга доволі коротенька, але і насичена подіями та я б хотіла більше. Мені сподобалось, але я чекала чогось емоційнішого🙃
Тому 4/5🖤

[Lover of Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Review (May contain spoilers, fair warning upon reading this review)

This was a wild ride of a good time. Michelle Heard entertains even when it's not perfect. I had a blast seeing what was delivered on this one here. I didn't know quite what to expect because her stories are different than you expect going into it. I did enjoy the moments that are captured within this romance. I was on the edge of my seat all the way through.

Tears of Betrayal is a story that will leave you on the edge of your seat. This has a kidnapping trope to protect you type of trope and I absolutely loved that. It was really interesting the dynamics which developed between these two. At first there is plenty of angst between our couple but as their sty evolved; we also got to see their bond that turns from enemies to lovers and I actually enjoyed that it wasn't dragged out. That the angst is resolved halfway through because the outer conflict is intense. The only aspect that I did struggle with is turning the heroine that is soft and kind into a kickass one. It just rubbed me the wrong way in many respects. While I think women should learn to defend themselves, they also don't need to be fighting this extreme lol let women be women. Its okay to have a hero that protects his woman.

But despite a few issues that I did have with it, I had a fun time and it kept such an intense vibe to the story that I gravitated towards. If you love mafia romance, highly recommend this author.

[ya.vl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ця книга була дуже нудною🥲 мені хотілось спати 😴
Більше 50% товклись по тому самому, і ніякого толку
Це до речі найнудніша книга з тропом «викладення» ну він по суті викрав її щоб врятувати але всеодно
Єдиний хто витягнув цю книгу був Олексій, він дуже класний🥰 а ще класна сваха
Чесно то я бачила дуже багато паралелей з книгою про Віктора і Розі це прикольно
А так то книга особо не вразила, навіть не думаю що буду згадувати за неї пізніше🤷🏿‍♀️ дивно що я взагалі її не закинула

[christyheartsbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ariana has always known that she is the illegitimate daughter of the boss of the Bratva but he has sheltered her from that world. Her father has always shown her love but she has always been far removed from his world. When she is kidnapped by Demitri Vetrov she thinks her life is over because she knows that he is dangerous in her father's world. Demitri was trained to be one of the most lethal people but he also lives by a code, no women and no innocents. When he learns that there is a hit out on Ariana, a woman and a definite innocent, he kidnaps her to protect her.

I am loving this world that MH has built. I was always curious and intrigued by Demitri so I was excited to get his book. I was not disappointed. I really enjoyed the back and forth with Demitri and Ariana. I wasn't expecting them to make me laugh as much as I did but that was an unexpected delight. But we still had the suspense and drama that we have come to expect from this world and Tears of Betrayal did not disappoint in that aspect. I loved Demitri and Ariana. I loved how hard they fell. I loved how hard they fought it but once the realized it they embraced it full force. These two captivated me and I loved every second of it.

[Mg ♥ The Bookishmedialite · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another action-packed winner! Review to follow :)

[PP's Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tears of Betrayal by Michelle Heard is so much more than my expectation! It is steamy and full of filthy hot chemistry. It is action packed with all the dangerous edgy vibes. The hero is twisted, deliciously alpha and uber possessive who made me swoon so hard. And the heroine is so fierce full of sweet vulnerabilities. It is a wicked rollercoaster and I am obsessed.

Ariana Robinson knew that her father Sergei Ivanov is part of Russian Bratva but she never had any idea that she is the Bratva princess. She lives a simple life of a makeup artist who is trying to take care of her sick mother. Until she is kidnapped by Demitri Vetrov. Custodian and Personal Protection of Alexei Coslov, the world's deadliest assassin. They are trying to keep her safe as people don't want her to claim her inheritance. Can she trust these killers? Demitri can no longer think her as a job because she stirs some primitive protective possessive feels in him.

Ariana is absolutely amazing. I mean life kept on giving her challenges after challenges and she faced them bravely. She may not have been raised as a Bratva Princess but she definitely has all the sass and fire. She does have moments of weakness and helplessness and that only makes her more real. She has the biggest heart and she hurt herself to save people she loves. That takes real courage. And Demitri is addicted to her stubborn reckless personality. He lives dangerously and is ready to die but Ariana put the want to live for someone for the first time in his heart. They started on a rough side as Ariana didn't want to act nicely or trust someone who has kidnapped her and Demitri just wanted to get it over. But as they spent time together, Ariana realised that behind the cold ruthless killer lives a loyal and good hearted man who absolutely doted on her. And Demitri realises that Ariana is the reason for his existence. It was a topsy turvy story with secrets, lies , deception, conspiracy and mafia wars. The chemistry was insane. Like super duper steamy. The enemies to lovers hotness was so good! I loved seeing the bonding moments between Alexei and Ariana. This story delivered heartbreak and passion and emotions with full force.

Tears of Betrayal by Michelle Heard was unputdownable with so much emotions and passion and some unforgettable characters! My heart is so so blissfully happy!

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

[yueting ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

﹙ two-point-five stars ﹚

i was sorely disappointed that Tears or Betrayal didn’t even come close to how good Cruel Saints was. very little about this book worked for me. the plot dragged for most of the first half and then the climactic action was over and done with in two to three paragraphs when we finally got to it. there was too much self-satisfied chumminess for the plot to ever feel serious, and none of the threats ever felt real or even interesting.

i also never fully connected with Demitri or Ariana — and it didn’t help that there was some really odd dynamic going on with Alexei that i wasn’t a fan of and couldn’t buy into at all. i almost wish this had been a polygamous relationship between the three of them, because i honestly think it would have made more sense than whatever the hell we got. and the worst part of all: Alexei was portrayed so strangely and it put me off so much that i don’t even want to read his book anymore.

[mads ☽ · Rating 3 out of 5]

this belongs on wattpad

[Beyond The Covers Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

St. Monarch’s Academy series just added another top-notch book to the collection.  Tears of Betrayal by Michelle Heard is a very fast paced book that tells a story like none other that I have read.  I really love the characters in this series and love that all the books are standalone.  Tears of Betrayal has intrigue, kidnappings, shootouts, betrayal, and lots of sexual tension.   Speaking of sexual tension oh dear lawd when Ariana and Demitri are in the same room…. whew it is hot!  When Demitri and Ariana finally see the truth for what it is, it is explosive.  Michelle Heard writes these stories so well that I am always on the edge of my seat.  She takes the usual story and twists it and turns it around and makes it into something you will not be expecting.  Incredible job Michelle Heard for capturing my attention and keeping it.  I read Tears of Betrayal in one sitting, even while keeping one eye on a major hurricane as it bore down on my childhood home. I can not wait to see what is going to happen in Tears of Salvation when Alexi Koslov’s story is told!  It’s going to be out of this world, I’m just sure of it.  5-stars for Tears of Betrayal by Michelle Heard
 
Kidnapped and scared there is only one thing that could have caused this to happen: her father.   Ariana loves her father but does not live in his world, she’s never been a part of the Bratva.  Not understanding anything more than she’s not home she finds herself face to face with Demitri Vetrov, a custodian for the deadliest assassin in the world.  Demitri says things to reassure her, but she doesn’t know if what he says is the truth…he did kidnap her.  There is trouble brewing and Ariana has been put in the middle of it and can’t figure out if Demitri will be her savior or her demise.

 

[sarahy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was utterly captivated by this lovely duo, Ariana was always courageous and unafraid to convey her opinion regardless of who it was directed at and that was something I loved. It was an absolute delight to see Demitri's transformation from being so quiet to being obsessed with Ariana. I loved the bond between Alexei and Ariana, they would go from fighting to hugging each other haha. I adored seeing little Viktor as well.😭

“Ariana, I can’t promise we won’t fight, but I promise to always fight for you. I can’t promise that life won’t try to hurt you again, but I promise to protect you from every blow. I’ll kidnap you a thousand times if it means I get to keep you.”

[lowkeyreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is beyond what I expected. Demitri and Ariana's story is amazing! I never thought Demitri would fall for anyone but once he did, he fell hard. I loved watching how he was and slowly changed even though he struggled with his own emotions and feelings. I loved how they interact with each other. Their story sucked me in immediately and got me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Highly, highly recommended.

[annasbook nookk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow, I've been waiting eagerly waiting for Dmitri's book for ages, and it didn't disappoint.
Ariana gets kidnapped in the middle of the night by Dmitri and has to learn to trust him for her own protection.
People around her want her gone, and she has to look to Dmitri for protection while trying her hardest to not fall for the red-hot assassin.
Action, drama and spice to boot, this page turner of a book will leave you on the edge of your seat - I freaking loved it.
Again Michelle wrote a cracker of a book and ill eagerly be waiting for the next one which will be about Alexei.

[Dee - Bookaholic Maniacs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book with Demitri and Ariana. I love the twists and turns. Especially Ariana’s feistiness. I felt their emotions and laughed a few times in this book. You definitely understand Demitri more while seeing his POV. I loved how protective and loyal he is. Ariana definitely shows how strong she is thru this book. Another, the bromance with Alexie and Demitri is amazing!

I so can’t wait for Alexie’s book! I also enjoyed seeing the gang again. You all will love Demitri and Ariana!