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Her Vengeful King
BOSTON WAS COLD IN THE WINTER, BUT SO WAS HER HEART.
Army veteran Haley Savino, ran from the west coast to avoid her monsters. The man who hurt her may not have followed, but the haunting memories did. PTSD from the trauma of her stepfather left her turning to alcohol to numb her pain. She's only ever known that men can't be trusted.
When Cal busted through her world, she struggled to find meaning in the new attraction.
Callum Murphy, heir to the Boston Irish Mafia, never expected to find a woman he loved.
When Haley entered his bar for a birthday bash, he knew he couldn't let her go. The sadness in her eyes drew him to her, but the challenge of breaking down her walls is exactly what he was missing in his life.
Can Haley finally trust a man with her heart? And can Cal be the one, even though he is the worst monster of all?
**This has a lot of dark themes, please be sure to check the author's note before proceeding**
Army veteran Haley Savino, ran from the west coast to avoid her monsters. The man who hurt her may not have followed, but the haunting memories did. PTSD from the trauma of her stepfather left her turning to alcohol to numb her pain. She's only ever known that men can't be trusted.
When Cal busted through her world, she struggled to find meaning in the new attraction.
Callum Murphy, heir to the Boston Irish Mafia, never expected to find a woman he loved.
When Haley entered his bar for a birthday bash, he knew he couldn't let her go. The sadness in her eyes drew him to her, but the challenge of breaking down her walls is exactly what he was missing in his life.
Can Haley finally trust a man with her heart? And can Cal be the one, even though he is the worst monster of all?
**This has a lot of dark themes, please be sure to check the author's note before proceeding**
310 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 26, 2022
887 people are currently reading
5254 people want to read
About the author
A.N. Stauber
15 books172 followersA.N. is a wife and mother to three children. She enjoys writing dark romance novels with strong female leads, always with a HEA. When she isn't reading and writing, she spends her days with her family. Other passions include: crafting, horseback riding, and procrastinating
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 286 reviews
March 15, 2023
Ok, here is the thing that annoyed me (I think) the most about this book is that in better/more capable hands it would have been quite a good mafia romance book.
The premise was good, I liked it, but I feel like this needed about 5 more edit rounds to be published at least. There is very little to no consistency in the FMC side and to be honest most of her actions make NO SENSE as to who she is as a person, but let's break this down.
- First of all I live in Ireland so anything Irish to me is already a bit of a problem because it is so obvious that most writers take the movie/show approach to what being Irish is; Can I just say not a single Irish person I know says lass/lassie? Also love as endearment is more of a UK thing than Irish as far as I can tell. And to be super picky about it, an Irish man (who is super into fine rich things in life) would definitely care about which Whiskey he drinks, just saying. Also the ma/da thing I'm not... convinced but could live with. I will say that the names of the characters were at least Irish for the most part.
- Another issue was the pacing of this book was absolutely all over the place. We had big/bombastic declarations done in a rush with consequences sometimes taking 5 minutes sometimes taking the whole length of the book with no consistency to it and important bits felt rushed and not important bits felt long so, again, some editing would have helped the structure here.
- the FMC is a MASSIVE problem for me on this book. I wanted to like her but she makes absolutely no damn sense. I think she had a very good backstory of childhood trauma which she overcame to become a doctor - very good. But I have issues with her being a doctor and some actions throughout the book. I appreciate that doctors are also people who have personal traumas/addictions sure, but she is constantly going between being a badass trauma surgeon then to not knowing her own g spot that she found out through a PORNY BOOK? I think not lady. Also she was an army doctor so I assume here that she did training like every other army person - she knows how to handle a gun very well apparently - but she has no other army skills it seems. And the biggest/worst part of her story for me was given her background the author did a TERRIBLE job of dealing with the aftermath of her abuse. She basically made it seem that her past abuse has been basically erased by this one magic touch by this one guy that by the way she knows very little to nothing about. She can't bear to be touched by any man except him since the very beginning because of their *connection*. Hated that.
- She is also wildly inconsistent with her reactions. She goes from one chapter saying: "I'M A DOCTOR I SAVE LIVES NOT TAKE THEM! Why would you think I'd like your violence against this person?" ; to literally the next chapter asking him to "dirty talk" her through sex by having him explain how he tortured/killed the same guy. Like???????? Either one is fine just pick a lane.
- Callum has very little personality to me except he is a mob boss and is obsessed with her almost instantly. Not really sure what else to say about him except he seems a cardboard cutout and is boring and his accent is not a personality.
I think if we had an author that did a better job at fleshing out personalities of the characters of this book it would be good actually, I like the idea of like doctor + mob guy who avenges the wrongs done by her. But this... this was bad.
The premise was good, I liked it, but I feel like this needed about 5 more edit rounds to be published at least. There is very little to no consistency in the FMC side and to be honest most of her actions make NO SENSE as to who she is as a person, but let's break this down.
- First of all I live in Ireland so anything Irish to me is already a bit of a problem because it is so obvious that most writers take the movie/show approach to what being Irish is; Can I just say not a single Irish person I know says lass/lassie? Also love as endearment is more of a UK thing than Irish as far as I can tell. And to be super picky about it, an Irish man (who is super into fine rich things in life) would definitely care about which Whiskey he drinks, just saying. Also the ma/da thing I'm not... convinced but could live with. I will say that the names of the characters were at least Irish for the most part.
- Another issue was the pacing of this book was absolutely all over the place. We had big/bombastic declarations done in a rush with consequences sometimes taking 5 minutes sometimes taking the whole length of the book with no consistency to it and important bits felt rushed and not important bits felt long so, again, some editing would have helped the structure here.
- the FMC is a MASSIVE problem for me on this book. I wanted to like her but she makes absolutely no damn sense. I think she had a very good backstory of childhood trauma which she overcame to become a doctor - very good. But I have issues with her being a doctor and some actions throughout the book. I appreciate that doctors are also people who have personal traumas/addictions sure, but she is constantly going between being a badass trauma surgeon then to not knowing her own g spot that she found out through a PORNY BOOK? I think not lady. Also she was an army doctor so I assume here that she did training like every other army person - she knows how to handle a gun very well apparently - but she has no other army skills it seems. And the biggest/worst part of her story for me was given her background the author did a TERRIBLE job of dealing with the aftermath of her abuse. She basically made it seem that her past abuse has been basically erased by this one magic touch by this one guy that by the way she knows very little to nothing about. She can't bear to be touched by any man except him since the very beginning because of their *connection*. Hated that.
- She is also wildly inconsistent with her reactions. She goes from one chapter saying: "I'M A DOCTOR I SAVE LIVES NOT TAKE THEM! Why would you think I'd like your violence against this person?" ; to literally the next chapter asking him to "dirty talk" her through sex by having him explain how he tortured/killed the same guy. Like???????? Either one is fine just pick a lane.
- Callum has very little personality to me except he is a mob boss and is obsessed with her almost instantly. Not really sure what else to say about him except he seems a cardboard cutout and is boring and his accent is not a personality.
I think if we had an author that did a better job at fleshing out personalities of the characters of this book it would be good actually, I like the idea of like doctor + mob guy who avenges the wrongs done by her. But this... this was bad.
April 17, 2022
3.75*
I really enjoyed this one and I’ll be going on to read Andi’s story in Cracked Open.
But back to this one.
Callum Murphy is the eldest son and has been groomed his entire life to one day rule the Boston Irish Mob. He’s never really had a girlfriend. While he accepts that one day he’ll have to marry and produce heirs. He’s in no rush and happy for his father to pick his bride. This changes when he meets Haley.
Haley has more baggage than any one person should ever have to carry. It’s left her scarred and prone to panic attacks. She drinks to numb the pain but knows she’s vulnerable whilst drunk.
Callum is attracted to Haley. And for the first time ever Haley finds herself attracted to a man.
While Haley is damaged Callum is the antidote. But can they both overcome everything from their pasts and present to make it work between them?
I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
I really enjoyed this one and I’ll be going on to read Andi’s story in Cracked Open.
But back to this one.
Callum Murphy is the eldest son and has been groomed his entire life to one day rule the Boston Irish Mob. He’s never really had a girlfriend. While he accepts that one day he’ll have to marry and produce heirs. He’s in no rush and happy for his father to pick his bride. This changes when he meets Haley.
Haley has more baggage than any one person should ever have to carry. It’s left her scarred and prone to panic attacks. She drinks to numb the pain but knows she’s vulnerable whilst drunk.
Callum is attracted to Haley. And for the first time ever Haley finds herself attracted to a man.
While Haley is damaged Callum is the antidote. But can they both overcome everything from their pasts and present to make it work between them?
I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by the publisher and NetGalley.
February 12, 2023
3.5 🌟
This cover sucks lol. Looks like something I could have made on Microsoft paint in 2007.
The book overall was not bad though. I’ve read a lot of trash lately, so it was definitely better than like my last 6 reads.
My only issue was there were too many loose ends. What came of her stepfathers death? What came of drakes death? Did she stop drinking? Did they fire the flight attendant?
Literally so much random stuff created for drama then not answered lol
Also why was the prologue relevant. Tf his sister’s guard flirting with her and him killing him have anything to do with anything that happened.
This cover sucks lol. Looks like something I could have made on Microsoft paint in 2007.
The book overall was not bad though. I’ve read a lot of trash lately, so it was definitely better than like my last 6 reads.
My only issue was there were too many loose ends. What came of her stepfathers death? What came of drakes death? Did she stop drinking? Did they fire the flight attendant?
Literally so much random stuff created for drama then not answered lol
Also why was the prologue relevant. Tf his sister’s guard flirting with her and him killing him have anything to do with anything that happened.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2023
Dnf at 45%. Tell me why do I keep on trusting booktok.
December 19, 2022
Great Mafia Read
July 23, 2022
Haley and Callum and Haley and Callum.
This is one of the best books I've read in a while. Hailey is amazing. Dealing with her PTSD and horrible past leaves her at the bottom of a bottle. But Callum.. he's just the cure she needs to pull herself back up. As much as these two go head to head, they're meant for one another. She has no problems calling him out on his shit and he has no problems pushing her just past her limit and showing her that she's capable of anything and that her past doesn't need to define her future. This is one of those books where they've both waited their whole lives and went through their own trials and tribulations, just to meet each other. It's fate. I can't wait to see the rest of the family's mobsters turn into big babies and fierce protectors when it comes to their women.
This is one of the best books I've read in a while. Hailey is amazing. Dealing with her PTSD and horrible past leaves her at the bottom of a bottle. But Callum.. he's just the cure she needs to pull herself back up. As much as these two go head to head, they're meant for one another. She has no problems calling him out on his shit and he has no problems pushing her just past her limit and showing her that she's capable of anything and that her past doesn't need to define her future. This is one of those books where they've both waited their whole lives and went through their own trials and tribulations, just to meet each other. It's fate. I can't wait to see the rest of the family's mobsters turn into big babies and fierce protectors when it comes to their women.
February 11, 2023
» Because someone broke you, and I don‘t fucking like it.«
★ ★
❥ 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒚
She has to deal with a lot of trauma, but is a strong girl. Sadly her character feels bland and not well worked out.
❥ 𝑪𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒖𝒎
For a gangster boss he is really soft. I couldn‘t comprehend all his decisions but that‘s because he‘s also pretty bland and flat as a character.
✥ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
The plot goes on way too fast and I was so confused from all of the new protagonists in the first few pages.
The characters have nearly no tension at the beginning but seem to trust each other. Didn’t make sense to me.
But I really liked the writing style and the idea of this book. There is so much potential but the character building is bad.
plot: 3/5
spice: 1/5
humor: 1/5
couple/tension: 2/5
world building: 3/5
happy end?: yes
keywords: irish mafia, doctor x crime boss, trauma, bad past, protective hero, stalker, army
★ ★
❥ 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒚
She has to deal with a lot of trauma, but is a strong girl. Sadly her character feels bland and not well worked out.
❥ 𝑪𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒖𝒎
For a gangster boss he is really soft. I couldn‘t comprehend all his decisions but that‘s because he‘s also pretty bland and flat as a character.
✥ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
The plot goes on way too fast and I was so confused from all of the new protagonists in the first few pages.
The characters have nearly no tension at the beginning but seem to trust each other. Didn’t make sense to me.
But I really liked the writing style and the idea of this book. There is so much potential but the character building is bad.
plot: 3/5
spice: 1/5
humor: 1/5
couple/tension: 2/5
world building: 3/5
happy end?: yes
keywords: irish mafia, doctor x crime boss, trauma, bad past, protective hero, stalker, army
April 18, 2022
Her Vengeful King is the first book in the Black Heart Series by A.N. Stauber.
It follows Haley Savino, an army veteran who is running from her childhood demons, and Callum Murphy the heir to the Boston Irish Mafia.
The first half of this book was okay, a solid three stars for me. But the second half made me so angry and frustrated. I really enjoy dark romances, but this book was NOT for me. Something happened about three quarters of the way through the book and I can’t explain exactly why it made me angry because this is a spoiler free review but one of the characters made a complete 180, started acting totally different and just rude for really no reason. And this caused the other main character to also act in an extremely frustrating way and it felt like they were constantly arguing or hurting each other and when they finally reconciled (this is an HEA book, so I didn’t spoil that part) , it just didn’t do it for me. I honestly felt like they’d just keep making each other miserable, and I also felt like only one of the characters were actually committed to the relationship.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author/publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
It follows Haley Savino, an army veteran who is running from her childhood demons, and Callum Murphy the heir to the Boston Irish Mafia.
The first half of this book was okay, a solid three stars for me. But the second half made me so angry and frustrated. I really enjoy dark romances, but this book was NOT for me. Something happened about three quarters of the way through the book and I can’t explain exactly why it made me angry because this is a spoiler free review but one of the characters made a complete 180, started acting totally different and just rude for really no reason. And this caused the other main character to also act in an extremely frustrating way and it felt like they were constantly arguing or hurting each other and when they finally reconciled (this is an HEA book, so I didn’t spoil that part) , it just didn’t do it for me. I honestly felt like they’d just keep making each other miserable, and I also felt like only one of the characters were actually committed to the relationship.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author/publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
May 21, 2023
I don’t know why I read this, but I got it a long time ago and yesterday I told myself “let’s just see what’s this about”.
Aaaand not the best, but not the worst either. The most annoying thing for me was the fact that she was drinking heavily and bragging to be such an amazing trauma surgeon. But come on, really? 1 bottle of vodka down, and wine and whatever other drinks, and the next day she has some minor hangover, she goes for a jog and then work 12h shift where she is sooo amazing at her job. Mm, hardly thinks so. At her age, which is over 30 - you feel like shit after drinking, for days, let alone that much alcohol.
Aaaand not the best, but not the worst either. The most annoying thing for me was the fact that she was drinking heavily and bragging to be such an amazing trauma surgeon. But come on, really? 1 bottle of vodka down, and wine and whatever other drinks, and the next day she has some minor hangover, she goes for a jog and then work 12h shift where she is sooo amazing at her job. Mm, hardly thinks so. At her age, which is over 30 - you feel like shit after drinking, for days, let alone that much alcohol.
February 10, 2023
3.5⭐️ Good but there’s A LOT of back and forth.
~Haley has her share of demons. When she risks her job to help a friends brother, she doesn’t expect to him to never go away. Callum isn’t a good man and he plans to use his bad to make Haley feel safe again. He’ll do whatever he needs to make her happy.~
The patience Callum has with Haley is so beautiful. I love how understanding he is and that he doesn’t push her. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a lunatic.. but a protective and obsessed lunatic. Haley is so strong. She seems like a shy mouse in the beginning but she’s stronger than she gives herself credit for.
Love how Callum deals with her monster.
~Haley has her share of demons. When she risks her job to help a friends brother, she doesn’t expect to him to never go away. Callum isn’t a good man and he plans to use his bad to make Haley feel safe again. He’ll do whatever he needs to make her happy.~
The patience Callum has with Haley is so beautiful. I love how understanding he is and that he doesn’t push her. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a lunatic.. but a protective and obsessed lunatic. Haley is so strong. She seems like a shy mouse in the beginning but she’s stronger than she gives herself credit for.
Love how Callum deals with her monster.
February 13, 2023
This feeling? The feeling of wanting the person who wants me?
Well, it's like all the broken pieces to my paper heart have been taped back together again.
I saw this book on my fyp on tiktok, but it wasn’t for me.
-Gangster x Doctor romance
-Trauma bond
-Possessive & protective ML
This is sited as mafia, but unfortunately, like some other books, it didn’t hit me with the mafia persona. The male lead, Callum, was a real softy, which I like but I didn’t really see his “danger” aka the “grrr I am danger” kind of thing. He is kinda bland that does not make him stand out.
The female lead, Haley, has been through hell from childhood and is suffering from it. Unfortunately, her way to cope is alcohol. And she is not fully sober before she goes to work:
"A woman can be straight and hate the idiocy that is the male species."
Unfortunately, she has sexual trauma and the sexual relationship between the main leads is kinda realistic aka goes real fast. Even though Callum is understanding with her, she is really convincing him or more herself that she is ready….
The plot? Haley is a surgeon who has severe childhood trauma. And when she meets Callum, she knew that he was a red clad, with the tattoos and aura?
The more they hang around each other, the more Callum realizes that Haley has trouble within her. Her trauma is being softened by their relationship which is very bad.
The plot itself was fast. I was able to read this book in a matter of two-three hours. And the writing style was not for me. It reminded me of those fictions on W around 2015.
What I enjoyed is how patient Callum was with Haley. He may a guy who loves to torture people but he would get on his knees for the woman he loves:
"Being without her has been like being without air. Impossible. Insufferable. Suicidal."
He wears black suit like his father so Haley doesn’t see any blood on him: "Black suits," Sean cuts in. "It's a thing Da does. He wears black because it hides blood better. Never wanted to bother Ma with the bullshit of the job. No sense in worrying the wives, he always says. If Cal's wearing black, it means he's trying to hide blood from you."
Haley's gaze meets mine, and she smiles. "Blood doesn't bother me.”
I also enjoyed Scott and Haley’s relationship. Even though it wasn’t much and it was mostly a bodyguard and person relationship…: “You do. So best be on your best behavior. He reports to me, after all."
"Yeah? Well, you may be the King of the Mob. But I believe the Queen is the one who holds all the power."
I would love to read Garret and Paddy’s love story. (Queer)
TW: rape; sexual assault; trauma; alcoholism; drug use; stalking
“We're both fucked up. You said it before, with our black hearts. But you're my faith, my hope, my love, my luck. You're my one in ten thousand. A four-leaf clover plucked out of a sea of three-leaf flowers. My Black Clover."
Well, it's like all the broken pieces to my paper heart have been taped back together again.
I saw this book on my fyp on tiktok, but it wasn’t for me.
-Gangster x Doctor romance
-Trauma bond
-Possessive & protective ML
This is sited as mafia, but unfortunately, like some other books, it didn’t hit me with the mafia persona. The male lead, Callum, was a real softy, which I like but I didn’t really see his “danger” aka the “grrr I am danger” kind of thing. He is kinda bland that does not make him stand out.
The female lead, Haley, has been through hell from childhood and is suffering from it. Unfortunately, her way to cope is alcohol. And she is not fully sober before she goes to work:
"A woman can be straight and hate the idiocy that is the male species."
Unfortunately, she has sexual trauma and the sexual relationship between the main leads is kinda realistic aka goes real fast. Even though Callum is understanding with her, she is really convincing him or more herself that she is ready….
The plot? Haley is a surgeon who has severe childhood trauma. And when she meets Callum, she knew that he was a red clad, with the tattoos and aura?
The more they hang around each other, the more Callum realizes that Haley has trouble within her. Her trauma is being softened by their relationship which is very bad.
The plot itself was fast. I was able to read this book in a matter of two-three hours. And the writing style was not for me. It reminded me of those fictions on W around 2015.
What I enjoyed is how patient Callum was with Haley. He may a guy who loves to torture people but he would get on his knees for the woman he loves:
"Being without her has been like being without air. Impossible. Insufferable. Suicidal."
He wears black suit like his father so Haley doesn’t see any blood on him: "Black suits," Sean cuts in. "It's a thing Da does. He wears black because it hides blood better. Never wanted to bother Ma with the bullshit of the job. No sense in worrying the wives, he always says. If Cal's wearing black, it means he's trying to hide blood from you."
Haley's gaze meets mine, and she smiles. "Blood doesn't bother me.”
I also enjoyed Scott and Haley’s relationship. Even though it wasn’t much and it was mostly a bodyguard and person relationship…: “You do. So best be on your best behavior. He reports to me, after all."
"Yeah? Well, you may be the King of the Mob. But I believe the Queen is the one who holds all the power."
I would love to read Garret and Paddy’s love story. (Queer)
TW: rape; sexual assault; trauma; alcoholism; drug use; stalking
“We're both fucked up. You said it before, with our black hearts. But you're my faith, my hope, my love, my luck. You're my one in ten thousand. A four-leaf clover plucked out of a sea of three-leaf flowers. My Black Clover."
April 20, 2022
❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋
My first from this author and I really enjoyed it, as always different writing styles take a chapter or so to get use to , but once that was done it flowed lovely.
Great characters and plot. And I’m very much looking forward to reading more. Hopefully soon.
I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review
💋💋
My first from this author and I really enjoyed it, as always different writing styles take a chapter or so to get use to , but once that was done it flowed lovely.
Great characters and plot. And I’m very much looking forward to reading more. Hopefully soon.
I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review
March 30, 2023
This is a dark mafia romance - checkout the trigger warnings.
September 2, 2022
2.5 ⭐
This book started of great! i was intrigued with the plot and the characters seemed very interesting and complex too. everything was going well... until the 40% mark.
it just went downhill from there. there were so many plot holes(nothing major) but still they annoyed me! some things were told differently but a few pages later, it would be an entirely different thing!
the book just got stale and confusing and i really didn't want to read it anymore after the 1st half. all the excitement was just gone
it was also a little longer than it needed to be.
Haley's character was great! it really was! she had an amazing character arc and started taking care of herself too!
Callum was obsessed with her since he the moment he laid eyes on haley and i LOVED IT!!
their relationship was so cute and callum was so patient with her GAHH so sweet!
also pls there are some heavy trigger warnings here! so pls be careful! most of these were not described and just mentioned 2-3 times
•blood
•violence
•torture
•harassment
• pedophilia
• mention of drug abuse
•alcohol abuse
•rape(off page and not described)
•prostitution(just mentioned)
• death
•miscarriage
• human trafficking
ARC received from Netgalley and author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own and have not been influenced in any way.
This book started of great! i was intrigued with the plot and the characters seemed very interesting and complex too. everything was going well... until the 40% mark.
it just went downhill from there. there were so many plot holes(nothing major) but still they annoyed me! some things were told differently but a few pages later, it would be an entirely different thing!
the book just got stale and confusing and i really didn't want to read it anymore after the 1st half. all the excitement was just gone
it was also a little longer than it needed to be.
Haley's character was great! it really was! she had an amazing character arc and started taking care of herself too!
Callum was obsessed with her since he the moment he laid eyes on haley and i LOVED IT!!
their relationship was so cute and callum was so patient with her GAHH so sweet!
also pls there are some heavy trigger warnings here! so pls be careful! most of these were not described and just mentioned 2-3 times
•blood
•violence
•torture
•harassment
• pedophilia
• mention of drug abuse
•alcohol abuse
•rape(off page and not described)
•prostitution(just mentioned)
• death
•miscarriage
• human trafficking
ARC received from Netgalley and author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own and have not been influenced in any way.
April 29, 2022
This was my first read by this author and omg I can't wait to read more from her. Haley, a doctor, meets the Boston Irish Mafia. This was such a good book. I love Haley so much. She is a complex character. She has so many layers from her past life and lots of trauma she has to overcome. Callum helps her through this; he comes at just the right time in her life when she is ready to give up and their relationship goes from there. Callum is working on showing his dad that he's ready to take over the family business and also trying to bring Haley into his world but he puts her at risk and is overprotective and overbearing at times which did not help Halley's mental state. She goes through a lot in this book and overcomes a lot but I also think she needed a breather with so many things going on at once. I loved seeing Callum's family dynamic and how they embraced Haley and gave her family. I can’t wait to read the next part of This series. Overall this was a good book and 4.5 stars for me.
*received an ARC for an honest review*
*received an ARC for an honest review*
April 24, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
Rating: 2/5
“Maybe it’s twisted. But I’m not a normal person, Haley. I want to give you your justice. Let me.”
The Plot:
Haley is a retired war surgeon who has been fighting battles long before she enlisted. Callum is the stereotypical mafia boss who falls hard for the girl who’s off limits. Throughout Her Vengeful King, Haley and Callum work together to uncover Haley’s stalker, while overcoming Haley’s childhood trauma and forming a relationship built on the safety and honesty, they share with each other. The dynamic between the two start off as an enemy to lovers, but by the time you reach a quarter of the novel, Callum is certifiably in love with her.
“It’s time I settle down. Marriage, kids, and the likes. Haley is the woman I see myself doing it with.”
Characters and Relationships:
Haley & Callum:
“Being without her has been like being without air. Impossible. Insufferable. Suicidal.”
Haley and Callum are come off as if they’re both not supposed to want each other, or at least Haley makes that very clear in the beginning. Haley, although she has deep rooted childhood trauma from her sister dying to the sexual assault from her father, seems to magically let Callum in very quickly. Callum on the other hand seems like he didn’t have a single hesitation about her being the one from very early in their relationship. He is obsessed with her for much of the novel.
“A woman can be straight and hate the idiocy that is the male species.”
Haley gives of every intention of being the strong female lead yet falls so quickly for him and seems to ‘get over’ her sexual assault and prior trauma. This is a bit far-fetched and unrealistic of someone with sexual assault trauma as it is not curable and though the heroine found safety with Callum, referring to the sexual assault as something that can just be moved past is unfair. Sexual assault is something that needs to be worked through for the rest of your life. Personally, if Haley found a way to cope with her sexual assault from day-to-day and acclimating would be more admirable then just moving past it.
Haley & Scotty:
“Scotty makes me tea when he sees I’m upset. He keeps the car warm, so if I decide to go to work, I’m not cold.”
Haley and Scotty’s relationship was one which I really enjoyed reading. He became a friend and a protector beyond what Callum was to her. I would have loved to see more of their interactions as it was more believable to me that out of all the relationships Haley has in this novel, that Scotty would have been the first one she opened up to or even developed an intimate relationship with.
Hayley & Andi:
“Normal is boring. It sucks. Andi’s words spin around in my head. She brings me back to the real world, even though she isn’t here with me. Of all the things she ever said to me, those are the truest.”
Andi’s character is an interesting one to me. Her role as the comedic best friend comes in handy for Haley during different situations where Haley is in desperate need of someone honest to god advice.
There are multiple mentions of her relationship and even an appearance of her husband who had been referred to many times prior. The author adding in this relationship and almost implying that the reader would know of their story made me think that Andi had a novel before this one and Haley’s story is meant to be the sequel, which I have seen done a lot in smut series to connect the characters together, but Andi’s story is not in this series and apart of her own series Cracked Open. I wonder if the author is planning on developing more stories connected to these characters and if they will all be receiving their own series instead of being apart of one collection?
The Ending/Overall Opinions:
What had appeared to be a solid HEA ending for Callum and Haley, switched as the author added a cliffhanger for Scotty and Griffin, when the main characters receive a call telling them that Scotty had been shot defending Griffin and they sped off to go see the newly injured bodyguard. Leaving this open gives direction to a sequel story for Callum and Haley though I’m not sure how much more there is to explore in their relationship.
“Haley has to get through whatever storm awaits us when we reach that warehouse. If she crumbles, so will I.”
As a whole, the story is your average smut novel set in a mafia world and a light read. Though it will only get a 2/5 from me for many reasons. The smut scenes all felt choppy and forced and were lacking the detail which makes smut so fun to read. Many sex scenes seemed to be added in just so the main characters had an excuse to not face their problems. The pace and timing of the novel holistically is a bit off and could do with adjustments. It felt somehow way too long and yet too short at the same time. On a few different occasions I would lose track of when the narrative was taking place, just to find out we skipped ahead 2 weeks. Many details are told to the reader instead of shown, which makes some dialogue and plot points feel forced and unnatural. And finally, the struggle of Haley’s sexual assault is downplayed as her relationship with Callum progresses.
The basic plot has potential to be a great, smutty, sexy read, but it did not follow through on what I was hoping it could give.
Until next time,
love ana <3
Rating: 2/5
“Maybe it’s twisted. But I’m not a normal person, Haley. I want to give you your justice. Let me.”
The Plot:
Haley is a retired war surgeon who has been fighting battles long before she enlisted. Callum is the stereotypical mafia boss who falls hard for the girl who’s off limits. Throughout Her Vengeful King, Haley and Callum work together to uncover Haley’s stalker, while overcoming Haley’s childhood trauma and forming a relationship built on the safety and honesty, they share with each other. The dynamic between the two start off as an enemy to lovers, but by the time you reach a quarter of the novel, Callum is certifiably in love with her.
“It’s time I settle down. Marriage, kids, and the likes. Haley is the woman I see myself doing it with.”
Characters and Relationships:
Haley & Callum:
“Being without her has been like being without air. Impossible. Insufferable. Suicidal.”
Haley and Callum are come off as if they’re both not supposed to want each other, or at least Haley makes that very clear in the beginning. Haley, although she has deep rooted childhood trauma from her sister dying to the sexual assault from her father, seems to magically let Callum in very quickly. Callum on the other hand seems like he didn’t have a single hesitation about her being the one from very early in their relationship. He is obsessed with her for much of the novel.
“A woman can be straight and hate the idiocy that is the male species.”
Haley gives of every intention of being the strong female lead yet falls so quickly for him and seems to ‘get over’ her sexual assault and prior trauma. This is a bit far-fetched and unrealistic of someone with sexual assault trauma as it is not curable and though the heroine found safety with Callum, referring to the sexual assault as something that can just be moved past is unfair. Sexual assault is something that needs to be worked through for the rest of your life. Personally, if Haley found a way to cope with her sexual assault from day-to-day and acclimating would be more admirable then just moving past it.
Haley & Scotty:
“Scotty makes me tea when he sees I’m upset. He keeps the car warm, so if I decide to go to work, I’m not cold.”
Haley and Scotty’s relationship was one which I really enjoyed reading. He became a friend and a protector beyond what Callum was to her. I would have loved to see more of their interactions as it was more believable to me that out of all the relationships Haley has in this novel, that Scotty would have been the first one she opened up to or even developed an intimate relationship with.
Hayley & Andi:
“Normal is boring. It sucks. Andi’s words spin around in my head. She brings me back to the real world, even though she isn’t here with me. Of all the things she ever said to me, those are the truest.”
Andi’s character is an interesting one to me. Her role as the comedic best friend comes in handy for Haley during different situations where Haley is in desperate need of someone honest to god advice.
There are multiple mentions of her relationship and even an appearance of her husband who had been referred to many times prior. The author adding in this relationship and almost implying that the reader would know of their story made me think that Andi had a novel before this one and Haley’s story is meant to be the sequel, which I have seen done a lot in smut series to connect the characters together, but Andi’s story is not in this series and apart of her own series Cracked Open. I wonder if the author is planning on developing more stories connected to these characters and if they will all be receiving their own series instead of being apart of one collection?
The Ending/Overall Opinions:
What had appeared to be a solid HEA ending for Callum and Haley, switched as the author added a cliffhanger for Scotty and Griffin, when the main characters receive a call telling them that Scotty had been shot defending Griffin and they sped off to go see the newly injured bodyguard. Leaving this open gives direction to a sequel story for Callum and Haley though I’m not sure how much more there is to explore in their relationship.
“Haley has to get through whatever storm awaits us when we reach that warehouse. If she crumbles, so will I.”
As a whole, the story is your average smut novel set in a mafia world and a light read. Though it will only get a 2/5 from me for many reasons. The smut scenes all felt choppy and forced and were lacking the detail which makes smut so fun to read. Many sex scenes seemed to be added in just so the main characters had an excuse to not face their problems. The pace and timing of the novel holistically is a bit off and could do with adjustments. It felt somehow way too long and yet too short at the same time. On a few different occasions I would lose track of when the narrative was taking place, just to find out we skipped ahead 2 weeks. Many details are told to the reader instead of shown, which makes some dialogue and plot points feel forced and unnatural. And finally, the struggle of Haley’s sexual assault is downplayed as her relationship with Callum progresses.
The basic plot has potential to be a great, smutty, sexy read, but it did not follow through on what I was hoping it could give.
Until next time,
love ana <3
April 23, 2022
Deep, devastating, and deserving is how I would describe this book. Deep in the conversations and feelings. Devastating in the way that life has been for everyone. Deserving in all the karma and love.
Haley, Haley, Haley… I just want to be your friend. Haley had a lot to work out with herself. She’s been dealt a terrible hand. You want to make everything right for her and honestly, Callum did everything he could. With every push and pull with Callum, I can say I ended up with a little whiplash that deterred me a little bit. I think Haley needed time for herself and time to just heal… but I don’t feel like she got that.
Lasssss. If I could just hear Callum talk I think my day would be made. Honestly, I loved him from the very beginning. I love the protectiveness. I loved the I’m going to hunt down anyone whoever hurt you. Honestly, just everything about him. Also, you can call me lass all you want.
I enjoyed reading this book. I find myself back and forth on the ending though. I took all the pain that Haley had suffered and I understood the resistance. By the end though, I just felt there was too much blame on Callum. The ending felt rushed and resolved too fast. However, at the end of the day, I loved that everything was good and there was love. I do honestly recommend giving this book a read and I hope you enjoy it.
As some topics are triggering, always check for triggers before you start!
Haley, Haley, Haley… I just want to be your friend. Haley had a lot to work out with herself. She’s been dealt a terrible hand. You want to make everything right for her and honestly, Callum did everything he could. With every push and pull with Callum, I can say I ended up with a little whiplash that deterred me a little bit. I think Haley needed time for herself and time to just heal… but I don’t feel like she got that.
Lasssss. If I could just hear Callum talk I think my day would be made. Honestly, I loved him from the very beginning. I love the protectiveness. I loved the I’m going to hunt down anyone whoever hurt you. Honestly, just everything about him. Also, you can call me lass all you want.
I enjoyed reading this book. I find myself back and forth on the ending though. I took all the pain that Haley had suffered and I understood the resistance. By the end though, I just felt there was too much blame on Callum. The ending felt rushed and resolved too fast. However, at the end of the day, I loved that everything was good and there was love. I do honestly recommend giving this book a read and I hope you enjoy it.
As some topics are triggering, always check for triggers before you start!
April 26, 2022
Callum is heir to the Irish mafia throne in Boston and doesn't believe he'll ever settle with a woman he loves. Until he meets Hayley, a woman with so much baggage and scars that the pair should be a recipe for disaster.
I wasn't sure how I was going to like this book when I read the synopsis. Normally when women are described as having baggage in books, it tends to lead to a story that is more gloom than uplifting. But this book was incredible. Hayley has baggage, but she's actually very strong in how she deals with it. I appreciated her character and the way she handled herself throughout the story. Cal was a great match for Hayley, and surprisingly didn't clash as I expected. They were perfect together.
I wasn't sure how I was going to like this book when I read the synopsis. Normally when women are described as having baggage in books, it tends to lead to a story that is more gloom than uplifting. But this book was incredible. Hayley has baggage, but she's actually very strong in how she deals with it. I appreciated her character and the way she handled herself throughout the story. Cal was a great match for Hayley, and surprisingly didn't clash as I expected. They were perfect together.
September 18, 2024
this was like a 3.75⭐️ read!!
okay okay okay, cal & haley are cute and i truly do love cal as a book boyfriend, especially a book bf in a dark romance mafia book. the storyline was interesting and kept me mostly hooked and i enjoyed the beginnings of the found family aspects when cals family started caring for haley!!
this isn’t super spicy but the spice is more meaningful and it complements the story line and character arc of haley and her experiences which is really sweet and well thought out.
some parts of the writing had editing mistakes but overall the writing itself was pleasant to read and easy to understand 🫶🏼
okay okay okay, cal & haley are cute and i truly do love cal as a book boyfriend, especially a book bf in a dark romance mafia book. the storyline was interesting and kept me mostly hooked and i enjoyed the beginnings of the found family aspects when cals family started caring for haley!!
this isn’t super spicy but the spice is more meaningful and it complements the story line and character arc of haley and her experiences which is really sweet and well thought out.
some parts of the writing had editing mistakes but overall the writing itself was pleasant to read and easy to understand 🫶🏼
June 26, 2024
Read it!
I'm on a alpha male, mob, dark, spice book kick and thus one did not disappoint!
We meet the Murphy Brothers in the first book of the series. This story is centered around Callum the eldest and the heir to the throne. He's tough, sexy, and has a soft spot for her (my favorite male combo). Haley is tortured by her past but wants to move forward and heal. Callum wants to protect her. He becomes her Black Clover (you'll see). All the makings of a great angsty, spicy story!!
I'll definitely read the rest of the series!
I'm on a alpha male, mob, dark, spice book kick and thus one did not disappoint!
We meet the Murphy Brothers in the first book of the series. This story is centered around Callum the eldest and the heir to the throne. He's tough, sexy, and has a soft spot for her (my favorite male combo). Haley is tortured by her past but wants to move forward and heal. Callum wants to protect her. He becomes her Black Clover (you'll see). All the makings of a great angsty, spicy story!!
I'll definitely read the rest of the series!
November 13, 2024
Oh what a good story! I am not a huge mafia romance reader but this has converted me! I loved the story line, the drama was intense and pulled my heart strings, and the spice was so well balanced and delicious.
I loved all the characters involved and am so excited to learn that this is a series (interconnected standalones) but that epilogue with the cliffhanger was downright rude!
(I immediately purchased the next book).
📚 4/5
🌎 4/5
👫🏻 4/5
🌶️ 3/5
I loved all the characters involved and am so excited to learn that this is a series (interconnected standalones) but that epilogue with the cliffhanger was downright rude!
(I immediately purchased the next book).
📚 4/5
🌎 4/5
👫🏻 4/5
🌶️ 3/5
April 23, 2022
THIS BOOK HAS TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR: violence, swearing, sexual content, murder, torture, sexual assault, mention of sexual abuse, mention of child grooming, stalking, PTSD, childhood trauma and substance abuse.
I absolutely loved the writing style, it was engaging and made me want to keep on reading. This book had very clever plot ideas, and well developed back stories for all the characters. It honestly made me hate corrupt cops even more than I already did(which was a lot). I also really loved the character development of Callum, how he went from ‘f*ck women, I don’t need em’ to ‘I will be your couch cushion my little lassie’.
I loved a lot of the side characters(Sean, Andi and Saoirse in particular) and I think that most of them were well explored and well developed.
ALSO THAT ENDING!! oh my I am mighty intrigued, I cannot WAIT for the next book to come out.
4.5 stars overall, and I would absolutely read it again.
I absolutely loved the writing style, it was engaging and made me want to keep on reading. This book had very clever plot ideas, and well developed back stories for all the characters. It honestly made me hate corrupt cops even more than I already did(which was a lot). I also really loved the character development of Callum, how he went from ‘f*ck women, I don’t need em’ to ‘I will be your couch cushion my little lassie’.
I loved a lot of the side characters(Sean, Andi and Saoirse in particular) and I think that most of them were well explored and well developed.
ALSO THAT ENDING!! oh my I am mighty intrigued, I cannot WAIT for the next book to come out.
4.5 stars overall, and I would absolutely read it again.
December 26, 2022
Great plot and characters!! I love how Haley is so strong in the inside but she wants someone to take care of her!! How Callum is so attentive and takes care of her is so cute!! The slow burn is so excruciating but so good!! The ending was interesting!
May 8, 2023
2.5/3- honestly didn’t love it but didn’t hate it. I thought there was potential and I was intrigued enough to keep reading. But, I thought it lacked some details and depth a bit.
I don’t think I’ll continue on with the series.
I don’t think I’ll continue on with the series.
May 13, 2022
3.5 rounded to 4
Very dark but I really enjoyed it
Very dark but I really enjoyed it
April 8, 2023
This book felt like reading a Wattpad story. Kind of trashy, but I also kind of loved it?
October 2, 2024
Had great potential
January 9, 2025
Wasn’t bad, but also wasn’t great. I thought I had read this book, but I guess I didn’t, also he was ginger…🫠
November 16, 2025
They call it 'vengeful,' I call it 'lazy writing with a body count and zero character development.'
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