My father was a King and had built his kingdom from the ground up with his best friend Ryker. But the crown weighs heavy on the head, and it had killed him when I was fourteen years old. And it had started the domino effect of destroying my life. I fought my way through the streets to survive and thought enough time had passed for me to safely return to my home; I’d only wanted to watch from a far. I’d been wrong to think I could just watch though because the new King, my father’s best friend has decided that it’s time for me to take my rightful place on the throne. As his Queen. Ryker Lawson is a ruthless King, using fear and pain to eliminate threats to his people, but it’s come at a cost. His soul is now as dark as his city. He wants to own me. Consume me. Possess my every thought and craving and also cater to my every need. His desires are darker than his soul and if I'm not careful, he'll devour me with them. Can passion glow through the darkness?
I am pleasantly surprised by the journey that this book brought me to.
Elora is a princess to an organized crime kingdom but since the death of her beloved father, she found herself drifting and alone.
Ryker is the current king of the kingdom and he too was hugely impacted by the death of his bestfriend. He thought the girl he left behind was flourishing elsewhere from the dangerous life he lived in but when she walked into his club one night, that assumption dashed. Now, he won't let her go again.
Now, onto my review. It was glorious! I enjoyed it very much. There's a lot of smut heading your way, so be prepared. It might've not be that creative in plot, but it was a very easy to read, attention grabbing sort of book. Not to mention how freaking explosive this couple is. Something that I also notice was how good Elora gave, as much as she received from Ryker. I feel like there's no power imbalance between these two people and I really like that in my romance.
All in all, hell yes, you should try this one out.
Age-gap, Dad’s best friend, mafia, morally-grey alpha-hole in a dark romance? Yes, please! Elora and Ryker are explosive together. This man…..phew, he will have you biting your knuckles and begging for more. 🥵🥵😈😈 A beautiful story of love and loss, and redemption and revenge. Elora Dax gripped me right from the beginning and held me through a wild, sexy and steamy ride. Loved this book! I need more on the supporting cast and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
I am currently a little over a third of the way through this book and I am completely spell bound by it. I will update this review once I am finished reading it, but had to give my first impressions. When I am reading a book and I get lost in the story I am hooked. When I can't stop thinking about it while I am at work or grocery shopping, I know I will be searching out other books by this author. A.M. McCoy has done age gap justice, I have read a few others and they are so unbelievable I tend to stay away from them, but Ry and Elora fit so well together. If you are on the fence about this book, if the first third is any indication of how this story will play out, it's only going to get better!
EDITED TO ADD: Finished and it did get better (if that was possible) This book got me emotional, riled up, in tears, and HOT! The spice in this book kept getting hotter and hotter! And what I wouldn't give to read a novella of what happens next...what Ry promised Elora 🔥🔥🔥 Yes Please!!!
I really, really, REALLY enjoyed this book. For me the taboo factor and age gap was done perfectly (it is only a 15 year one). The plot of the book is very easy to follow and grabs you instantly. I could not put it down once I started. I loved how throughout it Elora really comes into her own and Ryker is the perfect alphamale in dominance and possessiveness. I knew going in that the book was going to spicy, but man I was not expecting this level of spice 🥵. Highly recommend if you are a fan of dark romance.
CW: mentions of child abuse, dubious consent, bits of violence
Sidenote: I badly want a Carly and Jed story to follow this.
Absolute loved this modern day, billionaire, King of the dark Underworld, Hades/Persephone like references!! 🖤😈
After Elora’s father, the King of Shadeport, is murdered in front of her and his best friend, she is thrown into a life of pain and hardship. For 7 years she struggles to survive until he sees her again.
Ryker Lawson can’t believe his eyes when he sees El back in his town , in his own club no less! From that moment her fate is sealed and he must have her. He’ll do whatever it takes to show her she’s the Queen he’s been waiting for!
We’re talking… Dead Dad’s Best Friend Age Gap Second Chance Touch Her and Die Badass FMC
This is spicy and hot and oh so fun! Highly recommend!
I loved everything about this book!! The spice, the age gap (older man), the storyline! It was amazing. I couldn't put this book down. There was a perfect amount of taboo (dad's best friend, age gap) to really keep the story going without it being too much. Elora truly steps into her role as Mafia Queen beside her King, standing up for herself and being a strong woman. Ryker toes a fine line learning what Elora likes and dislikes but when he does it right... phew it's hot. It was soo good!!
I didn’t finish it but I felt like I didn’t really need to. I skimmed ahead and found out I was right 😂 it’s not a bad book but after 60% I pretty much knew what was going to happen and it did. 🤷🏽♀️
I think my favorite part is the banter. Always the banter for me. Ryker and Elora are two pieces to one whole and are just as stubborn as the other. But even when they’re hating each other, you KNOW nothing can come between them. And the spicy scenes?! Yes! So many of them and I love that they were never repetitive. Kept things new and fresh and HOT every time.
I read this after seeing it on TikTok and I can honestly say that it did not disappoint. It had me in freaking tears in the vey beginning and I was scared to continue but once I opened this book, I COULD NOT put it down. I absolutely fell in love with the characters. The loyalty Jed showed Elora was astounding. To stare down a crime boss just because he is being an ass shows he really truly cared about Elora's safety. Something she hadn't had since she was 16. I'm not usually a fan of the mafia/crime stuff but this was AMAZEBALLS!!!!
From the first page, I was hooked by the sharp, sarcastic dialogue and the electric tension between Elora and Ryker. The banter is absolutely elite—quick-witted, stubborn, charged, and laced with so much unresolved tension you could cut it with a the dullest spoon in your untensil drawer. These two are absolutely chaotic soulmates. Always pushing each other’s buttons, and somehow still constantly feeling like two halves of the same explosive whole.
And don’t even get me started on the spice—YES, there’s a lot, but it never once felt repetitive or thrown in for shock. Every scene was fresh, hot, and emotionally grounded. The kind of intimacy that evolves with the story and characters. McCoy somehow made each scene a power play, a confession, a war, and a truce all at once.
If you love enemies-to-lovers with sizzling chemistry, and snark for days—this is your book. I’d follow Elora and Ryker through every solar system, secret, and scandal.
I thoroughly enjoyed this dark Romance read. The forbidden elements are on point. I really do love a dads best friend read. The romance/love starts pretty quickly because of all the history between the 2 characters. This was 4.5/5 ( loved it so I rounded up the stars)2 things kept it from being a 5 star read for me. One single slice of a smex scene near the end where he says some thing like " I needed to hate f*ck you into being a woman." And she thanks him it was so out of character of this book and these characters and slightly gave me an ick. Also, once he handcuffed her... How that ended was pretty predictable. I think some times Ryker should have groveled more than be did just on principle lol. But I would recommend this and reread it :)
If you love Dark romance, Age gap (Dad’s best friend) mafia, morally grey love interest, possessiveness, touch her I’ll kill you vibes and a HEA! Then you are in for a wild ride! Buckle up because you are in for one spicy plot driven story. 🥵👌🏼 Be prepared for a new book boyfriend who will surely make you want more. The plot was well thought out, interesting and easy to follow. I couldn’t put it down once I started reading it. It was really good!! Check TW. But overall would recommend, especially if you are a dark romance reader! Or just fancy a new sexy as sin, dominant, swoon worthy book boyfriend😉
It’s no secret that I will devour anything A.M. McCoy writes like it’s my last meal on earth—and leave no damn crumbs. But this book? Elora Dax? It’s something else entirely. A total standout. A masterpiece of emotion, heat, and raw humanity wrapped in a dark, gritty, mafia-dusted package…and this is one of her first publications?! Outstanding, Queen!
From the first page, Ryker and Elora grabbed me by the throat and never let go. Their story is the perfect storm of emotional intensity, sexual tension, and healing. The way A.M. writes their connection? It doesn’t just hit—it cuts. Every glance, every argument, every broken moment and small step forward… it all feels real. Relatable. Achievable. Like these aren’t characters—they’re people. You feel them in your bones.
What sets this apart from so many other mafia/dark romances is the emotional honesty. It never feels overdone or overly dramatic just for the sake of spice or angst. Elora and Ryker are two broken people trying to build something together. They’re trying to unlearn their trauma, fight against societal expectations, and choose each other—daily, painfully, beautifully.
And that one scene—IYKYK—where Ryker tries to punish El and she stops him? THAT was one of my absolute favorite parts of the book. That moment showed vulnerability, honesty, and such powerful character growth. We rarely see that level of consent and emotional intelligence in dark romance—and it was everything. It wasn't about dominance for show—it was about real connection, true intimacy, and actually listening to what your partner needs. No ego, no performative “dom” crap. Just truth.
A.M. McCoy didn’t just write a steamy mafia romance—she wrote a journey. And I loved every messy, vulnerable, soul-gripping minute of it.
I’m obsessed. This is easily one of my top A.M. reads and the start of a series that I already know is going to ruin me (in the best way).
Give me all the Shadeport boys. I’m ready. 🖤🔥
Tropes: 💀 Dad’s best friend 💀 Mafia romance (but not in a flashy, over-the-top way—this one has depth) 💀 Strong, smart, unshakable heroine with BADASS queen energy 💀 Broken, broody, dirty-talking alpha who’s actually emotionally available?? Yes, please. 💀 Age gap 💀 Trauma, grief, healing 💀 Communication. REAL communication. 💀 Touch her and ☠️
This book was *chef’s kiss*. I love all of AM Mccoy’s, but this was TOP NOTCH. I feel like the emotion is this one between Ryker and Elora (and even individually) is phenomenal. The emotions feel real, raw, and relatable. Usually books like this it feels overly dramatic and this one actually feels real and achievable (minus the m@fia stuff, obviously). But Elora and Ryker are just everyday people trying to build a loving relationship together and battle it out along the way.
Dad’s best friend. M@fia Romance. Bad@$& Queen energy. Tr@uma. Communication and learning each other.
Honestly, the scene where Ry tries to pünish El and she communicates that it’s not fulfilling her needs and making her feel dirty was one of my favorites because it is something that isn’t usually discussed in books. It doesn’t give off the “false d0m” feels that cares more about himself and his reputation than ACTUALLY connecting and being int!m@ate with their SO.
A dark mafia romance – Please check TW This is the love story of Ryker and his Queen, Elora. When she was 14 years old only two men were important to her, her dad and Ryker. When the first one is killed, Ryker fails to protect Elora from her mother. When she goes with her friends to celebrate her 21st birthday, these two reunite in a spectacular way. Ryker is a morally grey protective jealous alpha who takes no prisoners for his Queen. Elora even though inexperienced she knows how to hold her own and stands rightfully next to Ryker, claiming her dad’s legacy. This is a hot hot dark mafia romance with twists and turns but with a definite HEA for this strong couple. “I feel nothing, for anyone else but you. And for you, I feel the entire world” ….I need a Ryker in my life… Plot 3.5 Spice 4 The spice was deliciously good so I round it up to 4 stars
Omg… this book needs to come with a warning to wear oven mitts while reading IT’S THAT HOT!!! Seriously, Elora Dax was amazing, A.M. McCoy consistently hits the out of the park.
It’s starts out with tragedy in young Elora’s life. She’s had it rough and she just happens to make herself known again to a man she thought has forgotten her, Ryker, who is without question on of the hottest MMC’s I’ve ever read.
H wants Elora and he’ll burn the whole world to the ground to get her and keep her safe. This book hits all the highs, action, adventure & the 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 omg.
It will keep you glued to the page from start to finish. Who comes out of the woodwork in the end was a shocker and to find out the next story includes eloras crazy hot bodyguard Jed, yes please!
Elora was there when she watched her father pass away. Then she watches the only other man that she's ever loved leave her behind. She has to spend years by herself trying to survive without both of those men. On her birthday she goes to a club and that other man finds her. What could go wrong with that conversation?
It's a horrible feeling watching someone struggle to survive when they should've had support. Having Ryker leave was the second worst thing to ever happen to Elora. Elora is extremely sneaky and always running. Elora's birthday was a nightmare. I love Elora's attitude and spunk. She can definitely handle Ryker. The tension is real. That first time at Lux was unexpected. The ending was perfect.
I enjoyed this book so much. I couldn't put it down. I was laughing and crying. Very emotional. This is worth the read. Definitely recommend.
This book gave me all the feels. Elora suffered great loss and then paid for it by her sadistic mother. Ryker also suffered this same loss, then shut off completely and became a ruthless king.
Elora grew up, became a smart mouthed, strong willed bad ass. Stumbling into ryker world again was a shock to even her, but you can tell these 2 had high passion for each other.
This book was hot 😮💨🔥🥵. The age gap wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, may be a little weird for some as he was there when she was born. Worth the read!
Elora Dax by A.M. McCoy was an exciting, steamy, and emotional ride that I couldn’t put down. Elora is a strong, fiery heroine, and her chemistry with Ryker is absolutely electric intense, forbidden, and full of passion. I loved how their connection evolved from tension to deep loyalty, with just the right balance of spice and heart. The story dives into grief, power, and love in a way that felt raw and real. If you’re a fan of dark romance with a fearless lead and a dominant alpha love interest, this book is a must-read.
***Please note that this review is mainly for my benefit as it is more of a summary of the book and may contain spoilers.***
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 -Abduction -Age Gap (21 F & 36 M) -Anal -Anal Play -M to F anal play -Anal Rimming -M to F anal rimming -Assault -Begging -Belt -Biting -Butt Plug -Child Abuse (in F's past, off page) -Choking -CNC (Consensual Non-Consent) -Crime ( -Cumming in his pants -Dad's Best Friend -Death of Parents -Degradation -Dom and Sub -DP (double penetration) with cock (P) and butt plug (A) -DP (double penetration) with cock (P) and fingers (A) -DP (double penetration) with vibrator (P) and butt plug (A) -DUBCON (Dubious Consent) -Edging -F Masturbation -F Virgin -He didnt know she was a virgin -Imprisonment -MF -F to M oral -M to F oral -Nipple Piercing(s) F -Office Sex -Praise -Public Bathroom Sex -Public Sex (strip club -Punishment -Restraints (ties, handcuffs -Shower Sex -Spanking -Squirting -Titty Fucking -Vibrator -Voyeurism -Wedding (Epilogue)
2 F masturbation scenes 42 MF sex scenes
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This author is quickly becoming one of my favorite! I absolutely love the ability she has to create a story that has plot and steam! I kept guessing through the entire book about the mysterious identity of one character, and the steamy scenes were delivering! 🫦🤤 The characters in this book, for me, were very likable. The world building was great! Looking forward to the second in the series!
Elora Dax is an age gap romance with Dad’s best friend. Elora is a strong, independent woman following a tragic event from her past. When she comes back to the life she left behind it’s emotional and messy. Ryker is a take non nonsense alpha male crime boss and loves the girl he knows he shouldn’t. But when he promises to take care of her forever, will Elora accept or push away the man who tried to give her the world?
Elora Dax- Elora and Ryker Story Dark Mafia Romance, Age Gap, Dad Best Friend Elora's Dad King of the City died when she was 14 years old. After death of her father, she was left alone and trying to climb her way out of darkness. Ryker stepped into her dad's place as King of city. Spicy level in this book is Top notch 10 stars Couple has amazing chemistry with a few bumps along the way. It's a beautiful dark romance story that will pull you in from first chapter. Highly Recommend
I didn’t hate it. Actually, the story was sweet and I’m always hooked with some good age-gap, forbidden vibes. It felt a little drawn out and slightly repetitive, but overall, not a bad read.
I was so distracted by the grammatical errors. Sometimes, they’re all I could see. 😭 I probably would’ve given it a higher rating if I could’ve seen past them.
Tons of dirty talk and spicy scenes. I really enjoyed the book but there were a lot of grammatical errors that I had to push through. But other than that it was good. I’ll definitely be reading book two and hoping that there are less errors so I can focus more on the over all story! I’m excited to see more of Carly and definitely more of Jed!