Vicious Promise

The Promise Trilogy #1

by M. James

There’s only one choice for this innocent bride. Marry me or die.
I never wanted a wife.
But when the Bratva tries to take what was promised to me, it’s time to claim what’s mine.
I thought she would be a burden, a nuisance. A wife that I could lock away forever and forget about after our wedding night.

But Sofia Ferretti turns out to be the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Sweet, innocent—and virginal.
Too good for a ruthless killer like me.
I’m not here to seduce her, I’m here to keep her alive. Safe from everyone in Manhattan who wants her dead.

The Bratva are coming.
To take her.
To kill me.

But they don’t know how vicious I can be when it comes to keeping my promises.

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

242 pages, Paperback

First published September 3, 2021

About the author

Prepare to be captivated by the sensational world of M. James, the mastermind behind a genre-defying realm of romance and intrigue. With a pen dipped in passion and a heart that beats to the rhythm of forbidden desires, M. James weaves tantalizing tales that will leave you breathless and yearning for more.

Follow her to the dark side where strong heroines fearlessly navigate treacherous paths and damaged heroes find solace in their darkest corners. Her words will wrap around your senses like a seductive embrace, transporting you to a world where love and danger dance a wicked tango.

M. James resides in the suburbs of Chicago but lives for the big moments that make life interesting. Although writing brings her passion and darkest fantasies alive, watching suspenseful thrillers with her two dogs and loving husband brings her excitement in the most exhilarating way. Nonetheless, getting lost in a dark mafia romance along with a tall glass of wine makes any day a bit juicier.

From enemies to lovers to forbidden romances, M. James' stories of passion, intrigue, and betrayal will keep you hooked until the very end. If your appetite craves the intoxicating prose of Rina Kent or the allure of Sophie Lark, prepare to be entangled in M. James' captivating new series. But be warned, dear reader, for her world is not for the faint of heart. It is a world where inhibitions are shed, and inhibitions are tested. It is a world where passion reigns supreme, and where the pursuit of love can ignite a blaze that consumes all in its path.

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Reviews

[Dora Koutsoukou · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part 1

3,5 🖤🖤❤️⭐️s

An arranged marriage mafia read between an arsehole antihero and a slightly annoying heroine.
Well written, slow burn and some dragging.

[april ♡ is probably reading smut]

0/5 🌟

I've fucked as many women in this city as I could get my hands on. (...) My relationship with them ended the second that I threw the condom away or watched them swallow my cum.

Hero is a manwhore- there's scenes of him with OW- lots of talk of him sleeping around, etc. It made me feel icky. I didn't finish this book and I probably won't.

safety:
virgin heroine
age gap
OW drama
I only read 45%, no clue if he cheats or if there's a HEA.

[*˚Remnant Light ‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ · Rating 2 out of 5]

**2.5/5 stars**

I don't especially understand how the rating is so high for this book. It wasn’t all bad because I did like some of it but certain things I just couldn't shake off.

My real and main issue stemmed from Luca. For me, he was just an asshole. Plain and simple. He was arrogant and had no respect for women whatsoever. He was the epitome of the syndrome called ''Thinking with your dick''. His personality and inner monologues revolved around women, sex, lust and how hard his c*** is thinking about Sofia. I can appreciate a good antihero, a character that makes you hate them for the things that they do, but love them because of other things. But with Luca, I just couldn’t like him. He left me super cold with all the things he said to Sofia. I just felt like he was unnecessary hurtful in the way he acted.

I could have forgiven him if he had been slightly gentler with Sofia, more understanding of the situation she's forcefully put in. You see, she has no parents, her life is in danger because she is an asset to the Italian mafia, the Bratva wants to kidnap her and sell her and she needs to marry Luca or die. Seems like she's got a lot on her plate already.

If you want a glimpse of the things that Luca did/thought/said, please be my guest...
Note that some of them aren't that bad just like this but with context and added to her situation, it really made me feel bad for Sofia. Seriously, 60% of the book made me depressed.


Promising her he won’t be faithful…

“Our marriage will not be loving, Sofia. I will not be a faithful husband, or a devoted one.’’

Mocking her hair…

“Your hair color. I don’t care what it costs, or what a stylist has to do, but that ghastly dye will be out of your hair by Friday, and you’ll be as close to your natural color as she can manage. It looks ridiculous on you.”

Called her a whore…

“I’ll have my secretary send a stylist up tomorrow. And when we’re finished here, someone will be coming with a new wardrobe for you, something that doesn’t make you look like a whore.”

When Sofia tried to be more compliant, and asked him a few questions, to learn to know him, because that’s what married couples do, he answered that his hobby is…

“On the weekends, I like to go out and find the most beautiful woman I can, bring her home, and then fuck her until she screams my name.”

“Sometimes I bring home two. If it’s an exceptionally good weekend, maybe even three.”

“Can you imagine that, Sofia? Three beautiful women in bed with me, all of us naked, tangled up in each other. Have you ever heard two women come at the same time? It’s like music. And the scent—” he breathes in, closing his eyes, and then straightens, grinning down at me as if telling me a joke that he knows I don’t understand. “No, of course you can’t imagine that,” he says coolly. “And if you keep clinging to your innocence, Sofia, you never will.”

And then since he’s just lusting over Sofia, and hasn’t had sex in a week because of it, this is what he thinks he should want and be doing instead…

‘’I should want to fuck someone else. I should want to take another woman to bed and fuck her so soundly that Sofia would hear the moans all the way down the hall, and realize the utter foolishness of holding out on me. I should bend another woman over in front of Sofia’s goddamn door and let her hear the sound of me slamming balls deep into literally anyone that isn’t her.”

Charming, right?

And let’s not forget that Sofia was forced to give her virginity and when she did it on her wedding night out of duty and survival, she didn’t bleed and Luca was so mad about it that he called her a bitch…

“You were tight, but that doesn’t mean anything. Maybe you just weren’t a slut, like your little Russian friend.” His words are a hiss, his anger rising with every sentence. “You fucking lied to me, you little bitch, you almost got me killed—”

And not to forget that the whole book, he goes on about how he wants to take her virginity, have her only once, just like all the other women he's bedded before and then send her off to live by herself in an apartment and not have to see her again. So pretty much, keep her protected but unwanted, unloved and alone. While he on the other hand will be allowed to go bed all the women that he wants and only parade with Sofia when a public appearance is needed.

I didn't feel much of a connection between Luca and Sofia. It was really cold. And not because there wasn't much steam but because they never really get to know each other. The times where they were lusting over each other (Sofia only a little bit and sometimes and thank God for that she wasn't stupid and could see how bad he was) I just couldn't understand where it all came from. Like I said it felt cold and dry and when one scene in particular happened, I just cringed.

Strangely, this book wasn't for me and it's very surprising because it has most tags that I usually really enjoy while reading a book. This is a trilogy and the story ended on a cliffhanger, but I don't feel the need to go read the next ones.

✔️Dual POV
✔️Cliffhanger
✔️Steam level -1/5
✔️No cheating
✔️No OW/OM Technically
✔️Virgin h
✔️Big asshole H
✔️Dub-Non/con Twice he forced a kiss on her (she bit him both times), she gave her virginity because it was that or die at the hand of Don Rossi, he fingered her and he insisted that her body wanted him because she was wet, he denied her an orgasm and came on her ass to humiliate and embarrass her...

That's a no from me, sorry.

[Crazy About Love 💕 · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️ two stars -

I picked up this book against my better judgment. A few fellow reviewers here didn’t care for the Hero in this one, but I caved since I’m a sucker for Bratva. Apparently, I’m also a glutton for punishment since I did read/skim this entire trilogy 💁‍♀️

In my defense, I will always cave and read a Bratva romance/dark romance. These types of stories are normally easy to read smut with dark edges that I can usually read fairly quickly, and it helps me relieve stress.

Stress relief was not found here. I was mostly really put off by the Hero/anti-Hero, and a whole lot of put off by the weak-willed heroine. She let this “Hero” treat her poorly throughout, never stands up to him, and I just do not care for that characteristic in a fmc. The out of touch hang ups about the heroine’s virginity didn’t help either. That’s so outdated and unnecessary. I like my heroines to be modern, strong women.

The story here is competent enough. The mafia aspect isn’t too overwhelming, which I think is why most people here like it. Some aspects did remind me of a poorman’s Cora Reilly. The wedding night bed sheet scene, for example. I immediately thought of Reilly’s telling of this type of scene, and James came up short here, as Reilly writes this type of scene more effectively imo.

Overall, what’s missing in this book is the emotional, romantic component, and that’s why this is missing all those stars for me 💁‍♀️ I felt that the characters were shallowly drawn. There just isn’t enough emotion expressed for me to have gotten any romantic enjoyment out of this story. The only emotion that comes off the page is the Hero’s hostility and anger, and that does not a romance make.

I did read/skim/speed read this in it’s entirety, as I was hoping that there would be some emotion to come out of all that toxic anger, but there just wasn’t enough here for me. I’m a romantic at heart, and that’s what I read for - the feels. That is completely missing here; not even a good grovel. Boooo

Full disclosure- I did pick up the next book in this series, but I stopped at about 30% and that one ended up at dnf since it’s just more of the same.

Two bored stars. Do not recommend. May or may not try this author again. If it’s Bratva, why, yes. I would try it lol. Otherwise, no.

[elara · Rating 3 out of 5]

sometimes all you need is a trashy book to make your day complete

[Shahla hajatnia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did I read this in one sitting over night? Yes
Did I think the writing was horrible? Also yes 😅

[Krissy C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received as an ARC and leaving my honest review. Captivating and suspenseful story, and it feels like so much has yet to be revealed and with so much heart pounding moments happening that it makes you wonder if Luca and Sofia will even survive long enough to start learning to trust or wanting a life together. The cliffhanger was such a heart stopping explosion that I can't wait to read the next segment of the story!!

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

I literally CAN NOT WAIT for the next book, at the start i was actually scared that’s how good it has been written! I can not wait to see what unfolds with Sofia and Luca, there is going to be so much more to this story I can tell! I do not want to give too much away but If you like Dark romance this is for you. 50 shades meets the mafia. Monique is a fantastic writer and i really can not wait for her next books. An author definitely on my list from now on. 5 stars all day long! 💖

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luca is a ruthless killer, heir to the Rossi crime family, he has no time nor want for a wife but a promise was made between his father and hers one he inherited and vows to keep, for when the occasion arises, he doesnt know what to expect in his wife to be but he didn't expect anyone like Sofia, who innocence shined through and captivated him from the moment their eyes met. Sofia's world changed when her father died when she was 12, and her mother a year later she never knew the type of man he was or what his world meant for her until she's drageed into it. When Sofia is in the sights of the Bratva, their enemy, Luca must act fast to keep her safe, by claiming what's his, even if she doesn't want to be hisbin every way.
This is a well written captive arranged marriage mafia romance, the story draws you in with suspense, twists, secrets, lies, desires, and more! the characters hold your attention with a roller coaster ride of emotions. This is book 1 and does end on an explosive cliffhanger. I cant wait or more!

[Britni Epstein · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spoiler alert.

I was granted an advanced copy for a book review from the author.

I honestly wanted to like this book, but just could not. There are too many plot holes and too much sloppiness from the author. First of all, numerous times early on in the book, the main character is referred to with the wrong last name. There is also a time after the rehearsal dinner where she has a flashback to a scene at the wedding reception that didn't happen yet.

Unfortunately, the characters do not seem realistic at all. They are one-note and never given any depth by the author. Luca reads as an overly sexually charged mafia robot and Sofia reads as a weak woman who succumbs to the demands of this man. There is no one to root for in this dud.

[Sorina Savu · Rating 1 out of 5]

Foarte enervante ambele personaje 🤦‍♀️ El este prezentat la început drept un mare crai, familiar cu tot ceea ce înseamnă viața de noapte, dar din momentul în care o vede pentru prima dată pe ea nu se mai simte atras de nicio altă femeie. Capitolele din perspectiva lui au fost pline doar de descrieri referitoare la ce i-ar face protagonistei dacă ar avea-o în patul lui și m-au plictisit groaznic. Ca să nu mai spun comportamentul bădăran pe care îl are în preajma ei si cum o anunță din prima că nu o să îi fie fidel niciodată 😒 Toxică toată relația dintre personaje, iar, în rest, în toată cartea nu s-a întâmplat mare lucru. Doar fantezii bolnave din partea lui și un caracter de mironosita din partea ei.

[Portia Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read only if you like it HOT. *fans self*

[Anvitha · Rating 2 out of 5]

nothing special just plain boring didn’t feel anything whatsoever 🙅🏽‍♀️

[Aime DeWitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came upon Ms. James through my favorite author when they teamed up on a book, and found the writing to seam together flawlessly so I KNEW I had to read whatever she put out next! I'm NOT disappointed at all.

I don't normally read much Mafia themed stuff, but the promise of darkness had me interested and I knew I liked her writing style already. To start out it took me a little bit to get hooked, however the chemistry between Luca and Sofia was electric and kept me wanting more. Sofia was a character I felt I could connect with and once I got to know her I desperately wanted her to be happy. Luca is freaking HAWT and everything you could want in a male character- strong, confident, sexy, dominant with a little side of soft when the moment calls for it. I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait for the next one to find out what happens next!!! If you enjoy books about mafia families and dominant men being tested by a strong-willed female heroine, with a whole lot of steamy scenes, this book is for you!! Don't skip it!

[Stephanie Shepherd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply could not put this down! If you’re a fan of dark mafia romances, you will love this. Luca has to do everything in his power to keep Sofia safe. Promises were made between families and an arranged marriage must take place. Sofia wants nothing to do with him or his ties to the mafia, but must comply, or risk her life.
Definitely would give this 5 stars and cannot wait to see what happens next!

[Lori Kays · Rating 2 out of 5]

God, what a disappointing book! It started off so strong that I feel even more frustrated because of it! WHY make a forced marriage book slow burn, essentially no-burn? Uggh, so annoying! For one thing, they don't have sex until almost the end of the book and it's one miserable short sex scene and the h continues to be a spoiled bitch throughout. That was my main problem with this book, when the h discovers she has to marry him, okay, I can see her being initially upset about it, but she JUST...KEEPS...ON being a spoiled whiney bitch! She gets mad at the ONE PERSON in the whole world who is keeping her safe with no benefit to himself, she's an unbearable prude and a naive whiney child. The characters had no depth or interest, they just kept saying and doing the same things over and over again, I don't think I have it in me to touch the next book even though I hate cliffhangers. What a complete disappointment, never reading this author again.

[Misty Schott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is only the beginning!!

Sofia is just starting to live her dream. She is the top violinist at Juilliard and she plans to travel once she finishes there. What she doesn't plan for is being kidnapped, rescued by a gorgeous man, and then told she must marry him or she will die. Luca is a notorious playboy, he never wants to get married but he will do his duty if it comes down to it. When Sofia gets kidnapped, Luca no longer has a choice he must marry her to keep her alive and to keep the promise his father made to her father. This is the first book in this series and I can say I am loving this story so far. Definitely looking forward to reading book two next.

[literaryelise · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 25%, dubcon and instalove :/ no thank you

marriage of convenience is about the TENSIONNN and the forced proximity to someone you don’t like/despise. MOC with instalove just doesn’t make any sense 🧍🏼

[Kim Whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!! What an exciting story! Raw and gritty! Definitely need the second installment! Fantastic book!!

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (1/2/2022)! 🎁

[Samantha Holland · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first chapter in Luca's POV had me rolling my eyes HARD and not expecting much from the rest of the book, but I am so glad I stuck it out. Sofia could be a bit irritating at times, defiant and combative in a situation where her options are to marry one of the most rich and handsome men in New York or die... yep, tough call, right? However, I ended up really enjoying the story and will definitely be reding the rest of this trilogy.

Tropes: Mafia Romance, Arranged Marriage, Virgin/Playboy
Triggers: Consent is a bit fuzzy at times

[B. · Rating 2 out of 5]

While reading the last 50+ pages or so, I got more into the story before it abruptly ended and saw that it continued in the next book. Great, it didn't even properly finish, especially for a relatively short book. Overall, I didn't like that some of the characters are so clinical and don't even get me started on the tradition of making sure the marriage is consumated - thankfully, Sofia's knowledge on the female body and that not all women bleed during their first time almost made me fistbump the air; it also made me want to punch Luca for being such a dumbass.

2.5 ⭐

[dahlia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sofia says nooooo but really want's it.

Luca acts like a typical fuck boy and wants it but says that "he cannot love someone"🙄

Will they get it...on?

[Sarah (thehireader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

That cliffhanger tho !!! I am INVESTED.

[Dakota Bias · Rating 3 out of 5]

a whole book to set up a week timeline in this universe seemed like a little too much for me. must’ve liked it enough to buy the second one though.

[Tiffany Lai · Rating 1 out of 5]

wtf

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book drags until the end

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having just finished this first book in the series I am waiting with baited breath for the next one.
Dark and secretive Mafia Romance.
Sofia is amazingly niave but understands that her life is not what she thinks.
Luca has a lot to hide as well.
The two of them make an unlikely pair, but a promise between their fathers dictates how things need to be..
Their story entices you I'm and holds you hostage.

[Tasha]

DNF 80%
BORING

[Abstract ♥ Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS



Star Rating : 4/5 Stars

POV : Dual

Cliffhanger : yes

Pace of the story : moderate

Overall Opinion :
I loved this one so much! I am crazy about arranged marriage romances specially for the Mafia genre and this one had it all! This book has the best character's and I loved the storyline as well. It was interesting and had this edge that kept me hooked till the very end. I would say that this dark romance book was an enjoyable one for me.

A dark romance tale between an anti hero and an innocent heroine is something that I always love. The love between the characters of this book was a slow burn type with lots of list and steam. It was perfect for me because I rarely find insta love stories real and interesting.

The cliffhanger threw me off the hook and I can't wait to know more about it! I just need the next book ASAP and it was so good. Definitely recommending it to all the dark romance loving people out there.

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