His to Torment

by Alexa Jordan

She started out as a job, a means to an end, but she’s become my everything.

Darkness is my constant companion.
My only desire in the world is to be at his right hand.
And now’s my chance.

My orders were simple: Capture her. Torture her. Silence her.
But the moment I laid eyes on Willa, I knew she’d be my ruin.

Her pleas for mercy make my heart howl in pain.
Her innocence makes me weak.
Her smile gives me life.

She may have started out as my captive, but now I’m the one trapped in her grasp.

Author’s Note: For all tropes, tags, and CWs, please check the author’s website.

Genres: Dark, Dark Romance, Romance, Contemporary, BDSM, Suspense, Forced Proximity

336 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 24, 2023

About the author

Alexa Jordan is a slightly twisted dark romance author who writes dirty talking, possessive, morally gray alpha men. She’s been published for years, but has finally given into her darker side.

Alexa is an avid reader who believes that love is love, being called a good girl is the best, and everything should be put off for a good book.

Connect with Alexa!

Amazon:https://amzn.to/32tSjwv
Bookbub: https://bit.ly/alexajordanbookbub
Facebook: https://bit.ly/AlexaJordanFacebook
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/AlexaJordanGoodreads
Instagram: https://bit.ly/AlexaJordanInstagram
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/AlexaJordanNewsletter

Reviews

[QuinnReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mind Those Warnings

*It took me a couple of weeks of thinking about why this book was more of a miss than a hit with me, as I have read other books from this author under one of her other pen names and LOVED them. What I came to realize is that it has to do with the speed with which the book starts, and then the big drop to a much slower, building pace. It's something I hate with movies too, but those are usually only a couple of hours long so it's easier to forget. Back to my originally written review.*

There are parts I liked and enjoyed in this dark romance, and then there are parts that just seemed to drag on or annoy me. I would've been happy to have seen the flashback to three years prior be cut by about half, as that's where things really dragged. Sometimes details are a great thing, and other times they are simply keeping me from appreciating the book.

Willa's willful attitude and back talk are occasionally amusing. Although, more often than not, I found myself wanting to be the one to punish her as it wasn't bravery that pushed her, it was stupidity. Plain and simple.

She's also a very contradictory character. She wants to take control and be able to protect herself (very admirable), but then doesn't put in the effort to become proficient in a means of doing so? Ugh! There were a bunch of silent screams related to this. Their source? Me. She really isn't one of my favorite heroines.

As I let the darkness overtake me, I remind myself for the millionth time that no matter what I feel, Felix isn’t my protector or my safe place to weather the storm.
-- Willa Kennedy

Felix definitely has some issues, but I mostly liked him. His biggest weakness is that he's as emotional as a woman during a particular time of the month and doesn't hide it well. Not the best at containing his reactions, that's for certain, which is dangerous for him and Willa.

Celia's role in Club Sin was very confusing for too long. I didn't realize for quite a while that the connection was there, as Joseph's actions weren't in keeping with the vibe of the club that I've come to love through the multi-author series. Perhaps reading Room Twenty Three: Take My Breath Away first would've served me well.

This is a dark mafia book. Be prepared for the violence, non-con, and general assaults. There are multiple events for each category.

Even though I struggled with parts of this, I have every intention on continuing with the series, as we move to my favorite character from this book - Ezra. 😍

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Brandi-Lynn Weiser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poor. Freaking. Willa. This poor girl has been through literally hell & back. For probably the first 3/4 of the book she’s been kidnapped, repeatedly beaten, r@p3d, & violated. And she still stays strong. Felix is definitely by no means a “hero” or a knight in shining armor, he’s absolutely no prince charming, he’s responsible for some of Willa’s beatings.
When Willa steps in to save a co-worker f/being r@p3d by Joseph Bianchi, a mafia leader, it puts her in his sights. He sends Felix, his right hand man, after her to kidnap her & bring her back to him. Felix, trying to earn his trust back, agrees, but isn’t prepared for the mix of emotions he gets when he finds her. There’s a definite attraction between them, but he refuses to allow himself to act on it. But after he walks in on her being assaulted, he knows he has to save her. And he’ll do anything to keep her safe.
Felix was a hard guy to like, but at the same time you couldn’t not like him. I wish he was stronger at times. And there were times I was a bit confused- when he first to Willa & escaped the cell she was in, they were supposed to be hiding f/Joseph, yet Felix was in constant contact w/him, & even involved Willa.
This was my first book I’ve read by Alexa, but I really liked it! I’m dying to go & read Celia, Antonio, Salvatore & Matteo’s story. And I can not wait for Ezra’s!! That man is dark, twisted & 100% f***** up & I’m going to love every second of his story!

[Jess Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

The minute I saw this cover I knew I needed to have this book in my hands. His to Torment was my first Alexa Jordan book and now I want all the stories in this world that she has created.

While this story leaves off on a happy for now note I still wanted more. That is not to say I wasn't thoroughly happy with the ending because I was but because I am a greedy girl I wanted more. And to have more I will have to read the next installment, not like it is a huge burden for me. I've gotta know what happens with Wila's sisters and those delicious mafia men. Yes, men as in plural.

On to Willa and Felix who won my heart very early on into this story. I knew from the moment their eyes locked on one another there was only way this story was going to go and that was with them together. To get to forever though they had to fight through the worst of the worst and that is Sicilian Mafia head Joseph Bianchi.

As a lover of dark romance, I was even briefly disturbed by some of the events that happened on page so if you have triggers check those. Even though Felix promised to do what was necessary to keep Willa safe he was also fighting his own demons that deterred him from being the man I always knew he was going to be.

I've got so much to say but spoilers so I will just leave you on this note... If you enjoy a dark mafia romance with grit, a fierce heroine and the swoony older man who is not so gentle then His to Torment might be just what you are looking for to keep you company tonight.

[Kirsten | Bookish.kir · Rating 3 out of 5]

- Mafia
- Kidnapping
- Age Gap
- Anti Hero
- Dual Timeline

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🔥🔥

**A lot of trigger warnings in this one** Please check before reading!

Willa is a 21 year old server at a private club. One shift she happens to overhear screams coming from one of the private rooms causing her to jump into action. Well, turns out to be a terrible decision as her actions make her enemy number one to the head of the Sicilian mafia, Joseph Bianchi. Willa is now on the run, Mr. Bianchi sends one of his “sons” to find her, but when he does she is much more than he bargained for.
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My review will contain some spoilers from here on
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I am a bit torn on whether I liked this book or not. Overall I found the plot to be intriguing, but certain elements felt a little flat. I still don’t necessarily understand what Joseph Bianchi wanted from Willa or why he believes she has information that will help him. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the MMC. I get that he was torn between loyalty to his boss and his instalove feelings, but the things he continuously does to Willa are unforgivable. I didn’t feel the connection between them until about 80% into the book. I will more than likely continue the series as this one ends on a bit of a cliff hanger and I was left wanting more. Especially if Enzo gets his own book!

[alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

ੈ✩‧₊˚ 𝟏 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫 ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳

𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝𝐲 (h) sees something she isn’t supposed to and ends up being wanted by mob boss out for revenge.𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐱 𝐁𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐢 (H) is the man who is supposed to bring her back to the boss, but he gravitates towards her and feels the need to protect her.

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳

In the kindest way possible, the characters had no emotional connection and automatically had feelings for each other from the first few chapters. He was terrible to her, and while it was a dark romance, it made zero sense for the FMC to feel captivated by him when he was the one turning her into the boss. There is dark romance, and then there are books like this where the MMCs have no backbone and do what others say because they are told. The MMC was unlikeable; he would not have done certain things if he “loved” her that much. Events in the book were partly because of the MMC, and Willa deserved better.

I love a slow burn, so if you’re into books where the characters are instantly attracted to each other and initiate physical contact, this might be for you. This is a quick read if you’re looking to read something with minimal thought process while reading. I wouldn’t say the characters are the best, but they are something…I did not enjoy most of the events of the book, but it could have been better if there had been a better development from the first interaction. The ending felt rushed and it was a major open ending and did not give space for closure.

*. ⋆𝐎͢𝐕͢𝐄͢𝐑͢𝐀͢𝐋͢𝐋͢

The MMC was not that great, and I didn't expect him to be prince charming, but he was not that redeemable despite being a dark romance. I love when the MMC in a dark romance has a soft spot for the FMC, but this one just felt like a red flag. I appreciated the ARC but this would not be a go-to read.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felix has my heart. That man is so protective and will walk through fire for the one he loves. The "touch her and you'll die" trope has me weak in the knees every. single. time. He did read a lot younger than he is though. If I didn't know that this man is in his early 50's I would've said that he was in his late 20's. That threw me off a bit. Willa is a badass who doesn't let anything break her. Feisty and fearless. She's quickly become my spirit animal. My only complaint about this book is that the final chapter started with the prologue which felt redundant, and it ended on a cliffhanger. I also didn't know that there was a book on Celia first which you don't *have* to read but finding out in the end about this book did retrospectively made me feel like I missed out by not reading it first. All in all this was a great read with just some minor flaws. It was my first Alexa Jordan read and I'm absolutely gonna read Celia's story now too, and am also excited about Ezra's book next!

Thank you so much to Grey's Promotions and the author for gifting me an eARC in return for an honest review.

[Devons book corner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before we dive in, make sure you look up the trigger warnings for this book.

This book is definitely a wild ride. Willa Kennedy is at the wrong place at the wrong time. She see's something she wasn't meant to see, and now the mob is after her. Felix is the one sent to hunt her down, but he's drawn to her for some reason, and he wants to help/protect her. Now, I love a good mafia and dark romance book, they are two of my absolute favorites, but this book just wasn't my cup of tea. The characters could use a little work, and I hated how their feelings for one another were there just a couple of chapters in, especially considering the circumstances. A few things just made me shake my head and wonder "why", as well. While I didn't love the book, I didn't hate the book either. I just feel like it needs some work.

[Morgan Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book. What a rollercoaster of emotions.

Sweet Willa had been through soooo much, & she really deserved none of it. All she tried to do was help another woman in distress and then she’s placed on the radar of a bad bad man.
Felix is living in a world of grey - unsure what to do. Follow his boss with blind loyalty or help Willa, the woman he’s strongly drawn to. Some of his choices really through me for a loop.

The pacing of this book seemed off at time but ultimately I really enjoyed it.

[hayley]

i received an arc for an honest review.
this book was so bad, i don’t even have words. do not read.

[kymagirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Willa (h) crosses Sicilian Mafia head Joseph Bianchi when she thwarts his attempted rape of a coworker at the high end club she works in. Wanting her brought in before him to be tortured and used as he sees fit, Bianchi sets his right-hand man, Felix (H), after her. Felix tracks her down and brings her back to Bianchi, even as he struggles with his own attraction for the much younger woman. Make no mistake, Felix will do what his boss commands, including using a knife and beating Willa. Bianchi has a scheme in mind and wants control over Willa – torture, rape, burning, cutting, and more are acceptable to him in his quest. It takes a while for Felix to act and Willa will come to harm. This is not a light read – there are some dark thing going on, the FMC will experience things that may be triggering for some readers, so please read responsibly. A dark romance with plenty of heat and a lot of violence. Personally, I have very few triggers and the book was a diabolically twisted read which I stayed up late to finish in one read – there was no way I could put this down without finding out what happened to Felix and Willa.

[♡︎ Kesa Subban ♡︎ · Rating 1 out of 5]

卂᥅ᥴ 尺ꫀꪜﺃꫀ᭙

Giving one star ratings isn't something I love doing, it's so rare, but this book....I was looking forward to it, and it just wasn't for me.

The H, he knew the kind of person his boss was, and he literally just handed the h over to him, knowing what would happen. And the h, my word the things that happened to her!!!

I didn't feel the connection/ chemistry between these main characters either.

[Ginnie Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Check trigger warnings for this book
Thank you Valentine PR and Alexa Jordan for the ARC in return for an honest review!


This was my first time reading anything by Alexa Jordan. The beginning had me interested, however that quickly died out. It read to me like a slow burn, but then not at the same time. One thing I am clear of is that it was extremely slow. About 25-35% of the story mainly consisted of Willa and Felix thoughts, which was quite annoying and repetitive. After a while of reading this, I lost interest not only in the book, but for the characters. I started not to care for them, while also rolling my eyes the whole time because I was annoyed.



I had a love hate relationship with Willa and Felix. Willa is pretty vocal and definitely tries to stand up for herself and not submit to anyone. Those are things I loved about her. However, she was also quite infuriating, and at times wasn't believable. I felt that some of her reasoning behind accepting Felix was so quickly done. This definitely was very instalovey, if you don't like that trope, stay away from this book. The other thing that annoyed me with Willa is how quickly she forgave Felix. She'd make so many excuses for him, while not realizing that he was indeed the problem. The way Willa and Felix thought of each other, you would've thought this would've been hotter, but it wasn't. The chemistry between them was somewhat there, but I felt it needed more swoon worthy romance, especially because of him wanting to protect her at all costs, instead it fell flat.



As for Felix, he was VERY annoying to me. Things that happened to him were vague and he was a bit immature. I felt like Felix was too needy for a "mafia tormentor" and he didn't read like a 50 year old man. I felt like a lot of the way he was acting was immature and the behavior of a 20 year old. If it wasn't for the fact that the story told me he was over 50, I definitely would've thought he was Willa's age. I also got tired of his constantly claiming he would protect Willa, and yet failed every time and was the reason for a lot of things happening to her. Ugh, I was so disappointed by him as a "protector." I think Ezra did a better job! I'm not even going to go too much into the mafia boss Joseph Bianchi. He was just SO CRINGE! I couldn't even take him seriously at times.



The plot was okay, I just felt that there were things missing. It makes sense why I felt that way after discovering that there's a story about Celia's role in the club. Although you can read it as a standalone, I feel it's better to read Room Twenty Three first. I must admit once it hit the 75% mark, things started picking up and I started to become invested in the story. I think it might have to do with Ezra, I'm very curious about him. The ending was a bit rushed, but ends in a cliffhanger to set the tone for the next book.



Overall, I felt this story had a lot of potential, but didn't quite hit the mark for me. However, I am a bit obsessed with Ezra, so I'm looking forward to reading His Obsession. I'm also willing to read other books by this author.

[A.Z. Chaudhry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a good book!!!!!!!! Omggg!!! It's about a girl, Willa, who stands up for her friend in front of the mob boss as he is about to rap* her. She cuts his cheek and that is the stimulus which leads to the building of the whole story. The mob boss sends out his most trusted man, Felix, who is a hot DILF, to catch her and bring her to him. As soon as Felix lays his eyes on her, he finds his heart in her hands. The story continues for how Felix tries to fight his feelings and to stay loyal with his family but ends up leaving his family only to protect his girl.

It was such a beautiful read. The author portrayed her feelings and the guy's emotions so perfectly that it was hard to find them breaking character out of the ordinary anytime. It kept me intrigued for how intricately Felix is shown fighting his inner demons yet still finds out pots and holes to slide into to keep his girl safe. He worships her body, her soul and her mere existence just because he loves her so much.

The final battle in which he goes to rescue Willa and finally breaks all ties with family and the constant run which follows them for years was too beautiful. I wish I could have seen Willa and Felix having a family together and to have a little baby who could have blabbed away like their mother, because one thing that Felix fell for hard......was Willa's smart mouth. Even if shown that her constant talking irritated him? It did not. Her silence was one that weighed so heavy on him that it physically disturbed him.

If you are looking for an age-gap, mafia romance with kidnappings and (yes, trigger warning: there are scenes of rap*, but you can skip past those if you are not comfortable reading it.) But all in all? This book did wonders to me. Especially the reason, I left the remaining arcs and quickly read her other book, Room Twenty Three.

—————

Then why is the sight of her tears making my soul howl in pain?

——

The moment I laid eyes on Willa, I knew she’d be my ruin.

——

If I’m not careful, I could lose my heart to this man.

——

I can’t wait to fuck that attitude out of you.

——

You give me peace, and that’s not something I’ve felt for a very long time.

——

“I don’t know what these feelings are, but I know I’m not strong enough to resist them.”

——

Even though l’ve only known her for a few days, as soon as I laid eyes on her, I knew she was the missing piece of my soul.

——

My girl.

——

Now she’s everything. The sun, the moon, the stars—lighting my way as I scramble to find my way out of the darkness.

——

She looks just like an angel.

——

You’re mine.

——

Because I didn’t know what love was until I saw you.

——

And I want you more than anything in this world.

——

Just thinking about how much I love you.

🖤💞🖤💞🖤

[~lil maso~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Robyn for Saucy Reviews on Kinky Korner

3 1/2 stars

The start of this story promises lots of fast-paced action and drama, well there’s plenty of action and drama that’s for sure, but the pace slows quite a lot, which is a shame. The romance is definitely sparked from the beginning, but is in essence a slow burn one too.

Being told in two time frames, especially starting in present time, was a really clever idea. I like both of the lead characters, especially Willa, who is head-strong and full of determination and grit. Her runaway mouth gets her into trouble more times than it doesn’t though. Felix is a bit more complex. While I like him, I am also perplexed at times by how he treats Willa, how he thinks or doesn’t think things through even though his ‘brothers’ try to warn him. My deep dislike of Joseph never wavers though, this author certainly knows how to describe a downright evil character.

Both Willa and Felix are both drawn to each other by their physical chemistry. The pull towards each other is intense and at times just can’t be ignored. Being a dark story—and it definitely is, what happens to Willa, although extremely traumatic, I didn’t find it problematic to read. What I did have an issue with were the contradictory parts in the story, small things that a good proofread or edit should have picked up. Like during one torture session, Joseph burnt Willa with his cigar… “…before pressing it down on another spot on my chest. He does this over and over again.” Yet a couple of paragraphs later… “…he lifts the cigar a third time, pressing it down onto my skin…” So nothing huge but something a beta reader/proofreader/editor should have found. The story itself is good and very entertaining.

*ARC received in exchange for an honest review*

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[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie's Book Reports.

Darkness is my constant companion. My only desire in the world is to be his right hand. And now's my chance. My orders were simple. Capture her. Torture her. Silence her. But the moment I laid eyes on Willa, I know she'd by my ruin. Her pleas for mercy make may heart howl in pain. Her innocence makes me weak. Her smiles give me life. She may have started out as my captive, but now I'm the one trapped in her grasp.

This is a dark romance. You will need to heed the warnings in the beginning of the book. It might contain triggers for some readers.
Willa is a woman that gosh my heart just broke for. She has been through so much, and none of it is good. She has been taken, beaten, assaulted but she has remained strong though all of it. Felix is her captor and you really want him to be the knight in shining armor of this story. But he isn't. This poor lady was just trying to save her coworker from being assaulted and that puts her right in the bullseye of Joseph Bianchi who is a mafia leader. He needs to silence her. Find out everything she knows and then be rid of her and Felix is desperate to be his right hand man. So that's his job. However he is trying to earn his trust back and agrees to the job. But, the moment he sees Willa, he knows that he is in big trouble. There is definitely sparks flying between the two of them but he absolutely refuses to give in to what he is feeling. However when he walks in on her being assaulted he just about loses his mind and knows without a shadow of a doubt that he has to save her. But can he? Well you have to read to find that out. This would have been a five star read for me if it had been that Felix was stronger in his feelings and not that they aren't strong but he just let Willa go through so much and it makes you wonder if he hadn't been so stubborn as to saving her that if he could have saved her from some horrible things. I just wanted to scream at him and then maybe slap some sense in to him. It was certainly frustrating at times and about drove me crazy.

[Gabriëlla Croes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book caught my eye because of the cover!

𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒋𝒐𝒃, 𝒂 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒏𝒅, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒆’𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈.

The story starts after Willa crosses paths with Joseph Bianchi at her work. And she has to flee. Joseph sends out Felix to bring her back to him. The moment Felix and Willa met, they were bound to each other.

Felix is one protective, older MMC. AND I LOVE THAT. But I had beef with Felix though. Internally he kept saying how much he wanted to protect Willa but still he tormented her. I love it when a character is dark and stays true to his character but somehow Felix could've prevented things from happening.
Willa is a mouthy and tough character. I felt like Willa could've been written better. The slow burn was not even really burning but I did see the potential. The plot was there, just the execution need a bit more work.

The chemistry was there but should've been hotter.

If you have any triggers, please do check the trigger warnings.

The side characters were really interesting. Ezra has me intrigued enough to look forward to his own book, His Obsession. And I need to know how Celia's story went. So I will be reading Room Twenty Three. I recommend to read it as well, as there was a plot going on in the background that might be better understood when reading the Room Twenty Three.

100 points for this book cover though. I absolutely am in love with it.

𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻.

➛ Contemporary Dark Romance
➛ Dual 1st person POV: 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 & 𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐱
➛ Tropes: Mafia, Anti Hero, Dub Con, Captive, Age Gap, Slow Burn
➛ Spicy
➛ For better enjoyment of the complete story, read 𝗥𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗧𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲
➛ 𝗛𝗶𝘀 𝗢𝗯𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, the next interconnected standalone is being released in September 2023.

3.25 stars

*Check the author's website for a full Trigger Warning list.*

[Robyn Corcoran · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars
I wrote this review for Saucy Reviews on Kinky Korner.
The start of this story promises lots of fast-paced action and drama, well there’s plenty of action and drama that’s for sure, but the pace slows quite a lot, which is a shame. The romance is definitely sparked from the beginning, but is in essence a slow burn one too.

Being told in two time frames, especially starting in present time, was a really clever idea. I like both of the lead characters, especially Willa, who is head-strong and full of determination and grit. Her runaway mouth gets her into trouble more times than it doesn’t though. Felix is a bit more complex. While I like him, I am also perplexed at times by how he treats Willa, how he thinks or doesn’t think things through even though his ‘brothers’ try to warn him. My deep dislike of Joseph never wavers though, this author certainly knows how to describe a downright evil character.

Both Willa and Felix are both drawn to each other by their physical chemistry. The pull towards each other is intense and at times just can’t be ignored. Being a dark story—and it definitely is, what happens to Willa, although extremely traumatic, I didn’t find it problematic to read. What I did have an issue with were the contradictory parts in the story, small things that a good proofread or edit should have picked up. Like during one torture session Joseph burnt Willa with his cigar… “…before pressing it down on another spot on my chest. He does this over and over again.” Yet a couple of paragraphs later… “…he lifts the cigar a third time, pressing it down on to my skin…” So nothing huge but something a beta reader/proofreader/editor should have found. The story itself is good and very entertaining.

[Marnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a hit-man goes awry of his boss’s plan...

Author Alexa Jordan really tested my reading mettle in this book HIS TO TORMENT. It’s her darkest book to date and by hokey this mafia-hitman, chaste heroine, age-gap romance this will be one that will appeal to those who love a feisty heroine who can’t stay silent even to make life easier for herself, and who put herself in harms way to save a friend. Yep, sharp tongued Willa found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time but was in a position to save her friend from an assault, bringing herself and eventually her sister Celia to the attentions of a powerful morally corrupt and dangerous man.

Felix is this man’s Number Two. Forced into the role of hitman at a young age, he’s charged with finding Willa and bringing her back to his boss who has declared ownership of her – to do to her as her chooses. You get the picture, and it’s not pretty. I have to say that Felix didn’t endear himself to me as a romantic character even as he protected her from the only family he’s ever known, but this isn’t a soft fluffy read, and being the morally very grey character, soft and fluffy he most definitely was not!!!!! He couldn’t pinpoint what it was about Willa that drew her to him until her realised ...

“You give me peace, and that’s not something I’ve felt for a very long time.”

Ms Alexa Jordan specialises in hot-AF insta-love books that definitely push my reading boundaries, and in HIS TO TORMENT, even more so, thus, I suggest you take note of the TW and read responsibly. If you’re interested in Celia’s story with her three men, mortal rivals of Felix and his ‘Family’, then check out ROOM TWENTY-THREE: TAKE MY BREATH AWAY. Again, there was some challenging reading to be had, but if this sounds like your jam, go for it! 4-Stars *❃°

[Lola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmmm. Some of my favourite tropes here, I was really looking forward to reading this but I came away disappointed.

No spoilers here but vulnerable Willa falls foul of a vicious crime boss - Joseph - who sends his soon to be right hand man Felix, to hunt her down.

It was, for me an extremely slow burn with 25% of the book given over to the (mostly) irrelevant inner musings of Willa and Felix. Unfortunately, the effect of having to listen to their inner voices made me quickly realise I couldn't care less for either of them. They were just too darned annoying.

Unfortunately, it was Willa who irritated me beyond...unfortunate as she is the 'heroine'. She finds herself in terrible situations but her thought processes are so delusional as to be unbelievable. I spent my entire time rolling my eyes at much of what happened and now I need a long lie down in a darkened room.

Now, I know you have to, as a reader, suspend belief to a certain extent when reading a novel, but there needs to be at least a toe of one of the main characters on terra firma. The reader has to have some belief somewhere in either the story or the characters. Sadly I found this cast of misfits missing the mark entirely for me.

Shame as there is promise in the writing, it just needed the Anna Zaires touch. The fantastical meets the obsessional and magic happens. Sadly the only magic here for me was the knowledge I had finally finished it.

I have given it 3 stars as I firmly believe this writer can, and will go on to do, better.

Beware of triggers. There are many.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟.25/5
🌶.5/5

*age gap
*dark mafia romance
*TW galore!

PLEASE CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS BEFORE READING THIS BOOK! I cannot stress this enough and the author heeds this warning as well before you start so you have been warned!

This was my first book by this author. I know one had to read Room Twenty-Two before delving into this one however it was not needed since the story flowed well into making me be in the loop as far as the stories intertwine.

That being said, His to Torment is exactly what the title says it is. Torment!

The FMC Willa witnesses and stops a SA from happening only to be kidnapped and preyed upon in the same way. Felix, the henchmen for the crime boss Joseph B., is sent to find Willa and bring her to his boss. But he instantly falls in love with her and yet he still delivers her to her sad fate where she falls victim to SA.

I liked this story in terms of how the story flowed and I really like Willa a lot. But the rape scene description was a bit much and I don't know how Felix said he would protect her yet he left her behind when he had to go knowing his boss would make a move on Willa. She was just so forgiving even though he was inadvertently responsible for the atrocities committed towards her and even partook in some physical abuse to her as well.

The end was a bit abrupt but I assume there's a story coming up to fill in all the blanks.

Overall this story was good! I like Ezra a lot and I do hope to read his story when it comes out and I will eventually read the previous book to this one to gain some insight.

Thank you Valentine PR and Alexa Jordan for the ARC!

[A. Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like dark novels and not a lot bothers me as far as trigger warnings go. However, fair warning, you will find a lot of trigger warnings in this novel. If you are sensitive check the trigger warnings before reading. There's a lot of non consensual acts, sexual assault, violence, torture, and death. This is a dark mafia romance afterall. In the mafia world family matters most. In this case that is Joseph Bianchi's crime family. Of course, women have little to no value for these men. Willa gets on the wrong side of Joseph and now he’s playing a cat and mouse game with her. Joseph sends his torturer, Felix, to get Willa. Felix becomes Willa's tormentor and savior. Felix is used to killing with no emotion. Felix doesn't know what to do with Willa. Willa is a strong woman but all the men in this novel want to break her beyond repair. Personally, I don't know that I could forgive any of these men including Felix. Felix seriously messes up repeatedly. This book ends without being totally resolved. There are books about other characters in this book. I only wish Paolo would've got what he deserved. If you ask me Paolo got off to easy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shifty Bugger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

OMG! Wow, this book was so captivating that you cannot seem to put the book down, the storyline was exhilarating and the characters were really sensational. Willa grew up in foster care and left to a job in Chicago, while she was working when a Mafia Boss was rapping a co-worker so she cut the boss on the face grabbed her stuff and ran. Felix watched his father being murdered then was asked if he wants to live he can work for the Bianchi family, to pay back the debt. Felix was asked to look for her and bring her back so he did. Felix felt something for Willa he had to be her tormentor, punisher and Protector. He had one other person look after her when she was at his place recouping, before the torment started again. There were so many emotions or triggers to some, there was action, suspense, danger, violence, murder, trauma, enemies, anger, kidnapping, betrayal, secrets, lies, rapping, brutally beat her, trying to protect, spank her, pleasure and pain, hot and steamy, passion and maybe even love.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 4 out of 5]

His to Torment was a dark story that left me very much conflicted to be honest. I do want to say there's no light in this story so please check the trigger warnings before diving in because even I had some issues & I really don't have triggers to be honest. Willa really has gone through the fire, and I felt terrible for her as she's been through hell after getting caught up in the crosshairs of a brutal mafia boss. That boss sent his right hand man, Felix, after her and I have to say I wasn't a big fan of Felix to be honest. I know he's a brutal mafia man, but still, I felt like he went too far with Willa despite the fact that he feels a pull towards her, and while I can get past those kinds of things, I didn't get enough of him being better long enough to do so in this situation but that's just me. I was #TEAMWILLA, and yet, she actually got on my last nerve a time or two as well but I won't tell you how since it's a me thing. See what I mean?! I was left conflicted but please decide for yourselves because despite my issues, I still read the story in one sitting which is why I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

[Danielle Graves · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Willa steps in to prevent a colleague being assaulted she doesn’t realise she’s putting her own life at risk instead - until it’s too late. Now she finds herself captured and at the mercy of Felix - the mob bosses right hand man.

Firstly I really appreciated that when using none English phrases the author also included the translation in brackets next to it. It meant not having to leave where I was at in the book to search for a translation thus not distracting me from the reading experience - a great move by the author.

The story flips between the dual POV between Felix and Willa and that really helped to build the story and characterisation as it made us aware of each characters past and their emotions and the effect they had on their actions, something which the other character isn’t necessarily privy to. It also really helped understand Felix as he questions what he’s always known and what he has to do now making him a likeable character despite the bad things he does in the book.

Whilst the book ends with a HFN it leaves everything open for more and I’m here for it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my first time reading a book by Alexa Jordan and I did not care for it. For me it's a classic example of not judging a book by the cover 😍🥵. I would like to read Room Twenty Three to see if that's written any better and read how Celia met her harem of men. Before I give up on Alexa Jordan's writing completely. The time-line to the story is all over the place. Willa got put in the mafia's cross hairs when she stopped the boss from SA her friend at work. From that moment on she was on the run and being hunted. Felix is a member of the mob and with promises of becoming second in line and Joseph Bianchi's right hand man he'll do anything he's asked. I think Felix holds on to his loyalty to Joseph for to long when it should have been switched to Willa. The awful things that are done to this woman just for helping and protecting a friend. For me the only thing good about the book, besides the cover 😄, is Ezra. He's so fantastic and I would like to read a story about him and his lady to find some more info about how his brain works. The story wraps up in a HFN.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[brazenandbookish · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up to three.

I voluntarily reviewed this ARC.

I am a sucker for a good dark mafia book, and while there were aspects of the story that hit home for me, a good portion just wasn't for me. There were parts of this book that I enjoyed, namely some of the more tender moments between Willa and Felix, Ezra's character as a whole, Alder (who was so precious), and Willa's foster sister's role in the story. However, there were a lot of things that just didn't connect with me. I felt like Felix and Willa's relationship lacked emotional depth at the beginning and it was hard for me to invest in them together. By the end I could feel the realness of their relationship, but it took until about the 75% mark for me to feel this. Willa frustrated me a bit, because her actions didn't always line up with her words. Also, some of Felix's actions after he supposedly "loved" Willa just didn't jive with me. The last 20% was really good and kept me entertained. I'm honestly obsessed with Ezra and can't wait for him to have his own book, and I will definitely be reading it!

[•Cici• Theory of A Dreamer Book Blog♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being new to Ms.Jordan's work i've been looking forward to getting into her books! As soon as i stumbled across a post for this one while on social media, i knew i had to read it first! I picked it up and got right into this story. I liked this story!

Willa's journey captured my attention right from the start! A moment in life can change so much for someone, something Willa knows too well. As her world collides with Felix's, can she tackle everything headed her way?

I really liked how quickly this story had my attention and how i didn't know what all to expect. I went through such a range of emotions from start to finish with Willa and Felix. It isn't an easy journey and filled with darkness. I just struggled at certain points and struggled to fully connect with these two.

With His to Torment, Ms.Jordan brought the darkness with this mafia read!

Be sure to read the author's content warning as this book is dark and touches on certain subjects.


*I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book from Grey's Promotions / the author*

[Dawnmarie Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very dark book with mature themes which I have no problem with but there are some people who do so please pay attention to the authors trigger warnings if these kind of things bother you and so that you can determine whether this will be a book that you can read. Willa is in the wrong place at the wrong time and her mouth gets her into trouble but she saved her friend from an assault which put her on Joseph's bad side where her sister Celia would eventually wind up too. Joseph sends Felix his number 2 man who's a man of many talents to find Willa and bring her back to Joseph who claims that he owns Willa now and that he can do as he sees fit when it comes to her. Felix becomes Willa's tormentor and her savior since he's drawn to her but Willa is a strong woman she won't break easy. I don't want to say anymore and ruin it for anyone else with spoilers. You really need to read this dark and twisted tale of depravity to see what happens.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amy [Book Addict Reviews] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Willa messes with the wrong man and becomes a target for the mafia. Felix is the man in charge of finding Willa and bringing her to the boss, Joseph.

Willa isn’t one to give up easily and she went through a lot throughout the course of this story. She is a strong character, but there were also times where something about her just felt off to me. Felix is extremely protective and alpha, especially when it comes to Willa. There is no denying that Willa and Felix have chemistry and a great connection throughout the story.

A good portion of this story takes place 3 years in the past when Willa is first kidnapped, which I liked getting that background, but I also wish there was more in the present. Once things caught up to the present things moved quickly and I just wanted more of it. I’m hoping maybe there will be glimpses of that time when it comes when it comes to Ezra’s story.

If you’re looking for a dark, mafia, slow burn, age gap, romantic suspense check this one out.

[SpeedReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

INTENSE & DARK mafia story

• Story/Plot: 📖📖📖📖 /5
• Characters: 🫂🫂🫂
• Drama/Angst: 😰😰😰😰😰
• Steam: 🔥🔥 🔥
• POV: Dual
• HEA? ✔️
• Would I re-read? I would read a different story by this author

This is my first dark mafia “romance.” The story centers around a FMC who works at a club & stops a co-worker from being assaulted. She’s hunted down, tortured & held prisoner by the MMC to punish her for slicing the mafia boss assaulting her friend.

The MMC considers risking everything to protect the FMC from his boss. He’s have to give up everything he’s worked toward to live an unknown life if he saves her.

BE WARNED. The story is dark as heck and has MANY trigger warnings like assault, $€xual assault, imprisonment etc.

If that’s your cup of tea, the story certainly kept me drawn in.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. The opinions above are 100% my own & 100% genuine!