I'm an assassin. A contract killer. Billionaire philanthropists and foreign governments call me to take bad actors out. But when I hear my brother-in-law's younger brother Jordan has been kidnapped by a vicious mob, I discover one mission I can't complete.
Jordan is a self-sufficient nineteen-year-old with a bad attitude due to trauma he's faced in his past. He looks just like my ex-boyfriend who mysteriously vanished ten years ago, and I decide before I meet him that I must keep my distance.
Get in. Get out. Return Jordan to his family.
Only there's one slight problem. The second I rescue Jordan from his holding cell, I want him as my own.
And when Jordan confesses that he wants me to be his protector... It's time to make this angel mine.
Assassin's Boy is a full-length MM Mafia Daddy romance with a bratty boy named Jordan who needs discipline, a hitman named Vladimir X who demands to be called Daddy, an adorable rescue puppy who likes cuddles, and a guaranteed HEA!
I cringed reading the first few chapters. This was just not the type of book I enjoy reading. It was too fast-paced for me and the way the MCs behaved was annoying. The situations were absurd (I can handle that) but I couldn't handle the way the MCs acted.
I suppose it's good that at least I can decide earlier that I have better things to do with my life than read these absurd daddy/boy/violence romances, but seriously, there are so many problems.
The biggest one might be the frame where, ahem, "psychopath hitmen daddies" have opinions about which crimes are the absolute worst ones, and the winner is sex traffickers. Like, it's fine; you have a narrative frame, whatever. But somehow *not actually successfully murdering someone* is bad enough in Chapter 1 to justify Vlad torturing and murdering. Somehow, I don't care about the opinion of the "psychopath hitman daddy" on how crimes rank. Still, writing books that assume as a given that young men are routinely bought and sold from gold cages (where the only thing they're given is apple juice) to billionaire "owners", like, I kind of want to ask, "does our author believe this is a common thing?" I truly hope not.
But the thing that actually made me DNF in 30 pages was the, uh, insta-boners. Let's recall that our "boy" Jordan has been kidnapped while he was face-timing with his rescue puppy not 24 hours before our "Daddy" Vladimir manages to (somehow) get to wherever he is. [Wait, can we pause for a minute to inquire about why he was FaceTiming with his puppy from a nightclub? Like, dogs don't understand TVs well at all, and presumably nightclubs are busy and loud; like, what was the point of it? Also, this puppy is a "baby miniature poodle named Teacup". Why are you at a nightclub when Teacup is awake in your apartment? Do you expect Teacup is not going to eat or pee in or poo in your shoes? Never mind.] [Oh, and let's recall: his kidnapper "lashe[d] [his] wrists behind [his] back", and yet he "manage[d] to rip the gag off and throw it on the filthy nightclub floor" so he could yell about his puppy.]
Anyhow, uh, where were we? Right, Jordan is escaping from the sex traffickers. And suddenly our heroes meet, with Vlad seeing Jordan "on the far end of the room." "Blue briefs covered in Zebra cake crumbs cradle [Jordan's] slender hips and hug his cock and balls so delicately." What? What are the cake crumbs doing? Huh?! And Vladimir "can almost smell the scent of apple blosssoms and floral fragrance wafting into [his] nose."
What? Either you can smell it or you can't. And what is the "scent of apple blossoms and floral fragrance"? And if Vlad can "almost smell it", I promise it's because it's goddamn well wafting into his nose. But also, he's carrying an AK-47 (because of course he is), which he drops in lust for Jordan, and he's "on the far end of the room". Like, why is he having scent hallucinations? Shouldn't he smell his gun? Is it because he's jetlagged, having just travelled halfway around the world to rescue Jordan (oh, and Jordan's two kidnap-mates, who are probably going to get their daddies in Books 2 and 3 of the Psychopath Hitmen Daddies series).
But, thank God, in the midst of a firefight (AK-47s, right? SUPER common in NYC), we both get insta-boners. "I see the outline of a chub in Jordan's blue briefs" versus " ... expose my own aching member." Because, in the midst of trauma, murder, AK-47s, and so on (oh, also, we "throw a stick of dynamite into the holding cell" because of course that's totally how things go), we're horny. From Jordan's point of view, "I was this fucking close to getting on my knees", "my dick pulsing between my thighs", as Vlad promises to "spank you until you're raw and busted like a bruised nectarine." In case you didn't catch the simile on the first round, the next sentence is "I'll have your ass looking like a peach that fell off the checkout counter at Aldi."
Can we talk? Both of our heroes are in the middle of (totally unbelievable, but never mind that) trauma. They don't have insta-get-on-their-knees boners because each other is so hot. Please stop.
[Oh, no, while we're stopping: I tried to figure out what the hell is up with the cake crumbs in Jordan's underwear by looking for "cake" in the book. Please don't do that, friends. It apperas that in Chapter 16, we repeatedly discuss having orgasms onto stacks of pancakes and waffles. And then in chapter 19, we re-discuss the pancake orgasms.]
Well, it’s kinda the book too. We’re just not compatible.
First, I had no idea this was a Daddy romance. I just saw the cover on my KU app and clicked read. So that’s the first thing that went wrong, because while I have read books with Daddy kink before, it’s not my favorite.
So that part is on me.
Buuuuut, I still wanted to give it a try. Things happen VERY QUICKLY in this book which made things uncomfortable. Again, maybe because I’m not a fan of these dynamics to begin with?
Vlad meets Jordan for 5 minutes and already refers to himself as his Daddy and threatens to spank him and rape him, basically, because consent isn’t really discussed even when Jordan mentions it.
I could have kept going but thought Vlad’s pining for his dead ex was a bit too much for me considering Jordan apparently looks just like him and that’s why Vlad is attracted to him. Didn’t love the idea of Vlad entering a “relationship” with Jordan while also secretly kissing the picture of his ex in his downtime.
So yeah. It was mostly me, but the book didn’t exactly help either.
But CONGRATULATIONS to the author for the book release! I know there are a lot of people (some friends included) that will absolutely eat this book up!!! I’m just not the right audience.
“I've been through trauma in my life," Jordan growls. "Trauma that's made me tough as nails. I've stood strong against more brutal forces than this.”
I honestly thought this book was a debut so I tried to push through but when I realised this author has already wrote a whole other series when both the MC’s brothers I knew then it wasn’t going to get any better.
How Jordon went from threatening Vladimir and saying he’ll never consent to anything Vladimir does to accepting his fate because he’s offered money is pathetic. I just couldn’t read anymore after that.
Their love for their boys, of course. A good distraction to what their enemies can do to mess up their lives. Or their boys. A true blend of love and hate that messes with the mind. Doing bad things for good reasons or good things for bad reasons, a return to childhood helps remove the stress and regret while enjoying friends.
Another great start to a new series!! Assassin's Boy is about Jordan who is Lucas’s brother and Vladimir who is a hitman and brother to Daddy’s in the Russian Protectors. This was a fun read full of over-the-top sass, snark and heat and steam. Overall, this was a really fantastic story! It’s really well written, the pacing and flow will catch you and not let you go!! Highly recommend. I’m voluntarily reviewing from an advanced copy that I received. My reviews are solely based on my thoughts and opinions.
Assassin's Boy was on fire. It is an Exceptionally Good Book to start a new series with. Vladimir and Jordan were Combustiblely Hot together. Aster Rae is an incredible author. The tragic thing that happened to Vladimir is heart wrenching. But Jordan is just the boy to put him back together. The storyline is right on point. The way all the characters are there for each other is so wonderful.
start reading this book because it is a spin-off of “Russian protectors”, that is one of my favorite series written Mr Rae. This book caught my attention because the intensity of the relation between this Daddy and his boy but it really was a Psychopath Daddy! I enjoyed the book a lot, in spite of some parts that were difficult to read for me and at the end Vladimir and Jordan were the one the other needed. A twisted love story… WOW!
Aster, you have come such a long way in your writing! It has been fun going on this journey with you. I have been waiting on Jordan’s story and I have to say that I shed a few tears. Amazing! Love it! And congratulations on the new series start!
It's always sad when an author finishes a favorite series (Russian Protectors) and starts a new one. You hope it's going to be as good, but you never know. Rest assured readers that Aster Rae has knocked it out of the park again. We have a hitman sent on a rescue mission at the request of a family member. The rescue is successful, but the sparks between Vladimir and Jordan melt all Vladimir's resolutions to stay neutral and just return the young man home. Not something this possessive, alpha hitman finds he can do and Jordan knows he's found his home and protector. This is going to be another one-click series for me.
I couldn't get past the writing style. The character was a whiny brat. Who says that "I have a puppy to go home to" when being kidnapped. It was not my cup of tea.
Assassin Vladimir X is a contract killer who works for billionaire philanthropists and foreign governments use his services to take out bad actors. When he hears that his brother-in-law's younger brother Jordan has been kidnapped by vicious people traffickers who intend to sell him. Jordan is 19 years old and has a bad attitude due to the trauma he has faced in his past. He looks just like Vladimir's ex-boyfriend who vanished 10 years ago and he decides to keep his distance from him but as soon as he resues him he wants him as his own. Then when Jordan confesses that he wants him to be his protector then it is time to make this angel his.
I loved this story with the angry Jordan who could not stop being a brat, the determined Vladimir who was doing everything he can to break the behaviour, and the sick and depraved ways he used to control him (which he actually loved). It was interesting to see the way that they both tried to avoid falling in love with each other but in the end, it was impossible to ignore. Easy to read, feel and understand. This contains mature content in an MM story with a BDSM-like DDLB relationship. Within it, there is a kidnap, spanking, ropes and a flogger. There is also a need for aftercare and a HEA.
2,5 stars, but because it read so easy rounded up to 3. This was fast, really fast. The beginning even felt rushed to me, but half-way through there was definitely some nice character development that it felt good with me again. Would I ever reread it? Probably not..... simply because it felt so rushed. Their scenes felt rushed and the s3x scene in itself felt rushed. Don't get me started on the absolutely ridiculous stuff Vladimir said to Jordan during the s3x scene. Will continue to read the other books, just to see if I can find more hilarious stuff, but Lord. For an easy, not too serious read, this book is fine. But don't expect too much from it.
This is a new series from Aster Rae that has ties to his previous Russian Protectors Series. If you enjoyed those books, this book will be right up your alley! Jordan is the brattiest of brats that is totally inconvenienced by being kidnapped and Vladimir takes it upon himself to see that he's rescued. A battle of will ensues (of course) and Jordan soon learns the error of his bratty ways. Vladimir's past makes this current situation a minefield of memories that he's not sure he can overcome. Jordan can't compete with a ghost, but can a ghost help heal Vladimir's heart??
No esperaba nada y aún así me decepciono :/ Hay muchas situaciones que sobrepasan la vergüenza ajena, y lo peor de todo el libro es uno de los protagonistas sin poder superar a su ex muerto, literalmente todo el libro se trata de él comparando a su ex muerto con su nuevo interés romántico, fue muy incómodo todo el libro, incluso hasta casi el final seguía recalcando una y otra vez que solo lo quería porque se parecía a su ex. No me gustó, espero que los demás libros de esta saga estén mejores pero los voy a leer sin expectativas.
This is the first book in the new Series of Aster Rae, again a series about Daddy’s and boys.
The first book is about Vladimir and Jordan. Vladimir rescues Jordan after a kidnapping. Both have bad experiences which stops them from having a relation ship although they have a crush in each other.
Assassin‘s boy is a steamy and romantic story about a couple finding together about trusting each other.
I couldn't get into this one at all and had to keep forcing myself to keep reading. Unfortunate cause I loved the last series. I did like the side characters so maybe I'll like the next one better. I found the main characters in this one to be really unlikable. They also didnt seem to like each other. It got off to a rough start for me plotwise when the character was bashing the characters from the other series. Characters that I loved and bashing "little activities".
This is a spinoff series from the Russian Protectors series with Russian hit men who find their boys and get their HEA. Jordan is Lucas' brother from the previous series who gets kidnapped to be sold by sex traffickers. He's rescued by Vladimir who must prove to Jordan that he can be honest if he wants to be Jordan's Daddy but he's keeping a big secret. The littles and their Daddies from first series crossover making this outlandishly good.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. But what i really loved was that Jordan even after he was kidnapped he still fell hook line and sinker for Vladimir. But Vladimir even though he paid Jordan , fell for the boy as well but he cant commit because he really didnt get past his last boyfriend. Can these two get together again, they certainly do make a good couple!!! This book is another wonderful story to read.
A great start to new series. Vladimir and Jordan meet when he goes to rescue him from a sex trafficking gang. Jordan being a sassy young man give Vladimir a hard time. Fun reading how their relationship grows ! But Vladimir's ex is mentioned a lot during the book and he seems to compare Jordan with him a lot I received an arc copy of this book for a honest review
I enjoyed it, the characters are slightly darker than the authors other series. There were bits which had me wondering what I was reading especially somebody the dirty talk, most was really steamy, other bits I found to be a little odd but that could just be me. I can't wait to read the others in series.
This is a great start to a new series. Older man who is a Russian mobster and a younger man looking for a Daddy. Both have past trauma, Vladimir must get past the death of his ex boyfriend before he can move forward and Jordan must get over everything that his father put him through.
This book was unrealistic. Some of the dialogue seemed impossible to be happening at the time that it was. Secondly, some of the internal dialogue seem childish for Vladimir to be saying. I can understand Jordan he’s nineteen and doesn’t have any world experience but Vladimir,come on!!!!
Unrealistic situations and experiences. Not sure if I’ll read the rest of this series.
If u want fluff that’s contrived and totally not based in reality or the real world. It’s like a caricature of a real daddy little relationship. Sorry so corny I couldn’t get into it all the corn just kept bringing me out of it
Sorry aber dieses Buch ist wirklich schlimm, die Art und Weise wie die Personen miteinander umgehen und reden ist einfach unglaublich wie daraus eine liebende Beziehung entstehen soll kann ich absolut nicht verstehen.
At first the writing kind of threw me but after giving it a chance I really enjoyed it. It was hot but had a good amount of character growth. It was a bit wordy in some places and tons of characters were introduced. But The plot and climax were great. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
I’m blown away with the whole story and every time I I’m prepared I just don’t know there is something exciting about to happen in the story that is unexpected and I love everything about it.