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Dark Lies #1
Perfect Villain
A Dark Stalker Mafia Romance
The second our eyes connected I felt the shift in the air.
The crackle of fire igniting between us.
He was dark, dangerous, and secretive.
He came into my life like a storm, ripping apart everything I believed in, everything I thought I knew.
With his mischievous smirk, stunning looks, and alluring behavior I should’ve ran as far away from him as I could.
But I was stupid. I trapped myself in his web. I thought I was safe with him.
Safe in his arms, safe from a past that refused to let go.
Turns out Christian Russo was the past I was running from, and my first mistake was ever thinking I could escape him.
This is a dark stalker-mafia romance. It contains adult themes, and material that might be triggering to some readers.
The second our eyes connected I felt the shift in the air.
The crackle of fire igniting between us.
He was dark, dangerous, and secretive.
He came into my life like a storm, ripping apart everything I believed in, everything I thought I knew.
With his mischievous smirk, stunning looks, and alluring behavior I should’ve ran as far away from him as I could.
But I was stupid. I trapped myself in his web. I thought I was safe with him.
Safe in his arms, safe from a past that refused to let go.
Turns out Christian Russo was the past I was running from, and my first mistake was ever thinking I could escape him.
This is a dark stalker-mafia romance. It contains adult themes, and material that might be triggering to some readers.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published January 28, 2022
1207 people are currently reading
5117 people want to read
About the author
J.L. Beck
236 books7,161 followersJ.L. Beck is the USA Today Best Selling author of unapologetic romance. She lives in WI with her husband, two kids, and four dogs. She enjoys writing and recently starting a literary agency to help represent authors in the industry.
To learn more about her books or interact with her go here: https://linktr.ee/jlbeckbooks
J.L. Beck xoxoxo
To learn more about her books or interact with her go here: https://linktr.ee/jlbeckbooks
J.L. Beck xoxoxo
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 617 reviews
September 27, 2023
Stalk-tacular!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💚🖤💛❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌎🌍🌏🌎🌎
Character development: 🧐😕😍😗🤯
The heroine(s): Siân Guiliani - The daughter of one of the biggest crime families in Italy. Her parents were killed when she was young and a guardian has been hiding her ever since. They move every few years and change names each time to stay hidden.
The Hero(s): Christian Russo - The son of another one of the biggest crime families in Italy. His mother died when he was young. The Russo’s and the Giuliano’s were rival families that made a deal to have their children marry and produce an heir that will bring the families together. However, treachery ensued and Christian is the only one that knows Siân didn’t die in the fire with her parents.
The Story: Christian has been either searching for or stalking Siân for years. He has found her a few times and nearly enacted his plan to get her five years ago when he was called away by his father. Now he has found her again and is stalking her, planning to make her fall in love with him.
I liked both Christian and Siân, and the supporting characters were great as well. Siân is dating a guy named Raj, whom she is very ambivalent about and has a roommate and best friend named Kyra who doesn’t always act so friendly. Christian sees parts of Siân that her friend and boyfriend don’t see and knows that she is being suffocated in an empty and boring life. He plans to take her away from all that.
This book grabbed me from the get-go and pulled me in more and more as I read on. I love stalker love stories. Despite the fact that in real life it is super creepy and stalkers are generally cuckoo for Coco Puffs. In romance, when the guy is super hot and sexy, the stalking is hot and just shows how much the Hero is obsessed with the heroine. It is funny that in the age we are living with social media, that you can find out so much about a person where it isn’t even technically stalking. It is just something people do when they are interested in someone.
I liked the fact that this was told in dual POV flipping between Christian and Siân every other chapter. I just love seeing the thoughts of the stalker anti-hero like this and it was done very well. We see that Christian is definitely cra-cra, and it is a heck of a ride, in a Ferrari 458 Italica no less!
I was hoping that this would be a stand-alone, but alas it is the first book and has a cliffhanger. So I now have to wait to find out what happens next!
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💚🖤💛❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌎🌍🌏🌎🌎
Character development: 🧐😕😍😗🤯
The heroine(s): Siân Guiliani - The daughter of one of the biggest crime families in Italy. Her parents were killed when she was young and a guardian has been hiding her ever since. They move every few years and change names each time to stay hidden.
The Hero(s): Christian Russo - The son of another one of the biggest crime families in Italy. His mother died when he was young. The Russo’s and the Giuliano’s were rival families that made a deal to have their children marry and produce an heir that will bring the families together. However, treachery ensued and Christian is the only one that knows Siân didn’t die in the fire with her parents.
The Story: Christian has been either searching for or stalking Siân for years. He has found her a few times and nearly enacted his plan to get her five years ago when he was called away by his father. Now he has found her again and is stalking her, planning to make her fall in love with him.
I liked both Christian and Siân, and the supporting characters were great as well. Siân is dating a guy named Raj, whom she is very ambivalent about and has a roommate and best friend named Kyra who doesn’t always act so friendly. Christian sees parts of Siân that her friend and boyfriend don’t see and knows that she is being suffocated in an empty and boring life. He plans to take her away from all that.
This book grabbed me from the get-go and pulled me in more and more as I read on. I love stalker love stories. Despite the fact that in real life it is super creepy and stalkers are generally cuckoo for Coco Puffs. In romance, when the guy is super hot and sexy, the stalking is hot and just shows how much the Hero is obsessed with the heroine. It is funny that in the age we are living with social media, that you can find out so much about a person where it isn’t even technically stalking. It is just something people do when they are interested in someone.
“How do you know I’m a grad student?”
His gaze darkens. “I make a point to learn all the things possible about the person I’m interested in.”
“So, you are a stalker?” I grin.
“If you consider doing a little social media search, then sure, I’m a stalker.” He smiles once more, but the darkness in his eyes lingers."
I liked the fact that this was told in dual POV flipping between Christian and Siân every other chapter. I just love seeing the thoughts of the stalker anti-hero like this and it was done very well. We see that Christian is definitely cra-cra, and it is a heck of a ride, in a Ferrari 458 Italica no less!
“Stalking is such an ugly word. I wouldn’t call it that at all, especially when all I’ve been doing is monitoring what’s mine.”
I was hoping that this would be a stand-alone, but alas it is the first book and has a cliffhanger. So I now have to wait to find out what happens next!
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
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January 24, 2022
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Style: Dark Stalker Romance
Story: 4/5
Enjoyment: 4/5
Dark Level: 2.5/5
Sexual Level: SEX-CITINGLY APPEALING
Triggers: Yes
Violence: Yes
Male: Intense & Manipulative
Series: Book 1of 2
Pages: loc. 3695
Audio: N/A
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
STORY:
WHAT I LIKED:
I love stalker romances, and this is the second one that I have read within a month that I really enjoyed. The moment I read the first 3 chapters, I knew it was going to be a good one that catered to my personal preference and taste. Christian’s stalking was beyond messed up, to say he is batshit crazy is being too nice. He is possessive, obsessive, a narcissist, controlling, manipulative, jerk, dark and extremely intense and this creates a very interesting character that makes your skin crawl. Throughout this book, you have the Christian who watches from afar, the Christian who interacts with his prey (because that is what Siân is) and the Christian who terrorizes his prey. It’s so interesting, because all these things are like foreplay for him before getting what he wants. As the story gets further, Christian becomes more intense and scary, not scary physically, but scary mentally; it was like psycho logical warfare watching him at work being manipulative. At one point, Christian had the nerve to call someone else manipulative (pot meet kettle). I think what heightens Christian’s character, is Siân’s naivety. She was extremely naive. If she was a very strong female in this role, it would have not worked at all. Siân is Siân for me, because Christian stole the show for me in this one.
WHAT WAS SO SO:
You know when you are watching a movie, and that one character that you are yelling at because of the choices they are making, that’s Siân. She brought out the dark in Christian, but she gave me severe case of massive eye roll syndrome WATCHING HER INTERACTIONS WITH TWO MEN. The mafia aspect was but for 5 minutes. It was not dominant in book 1 but used to give more of a backstory. Really unsatisfied it’s a duet, this could have been done in one shot, because I want to keep that momentum going of how I am feeling.
SEXUAL CHEMISTRY
The build up was interesting but their actual sex scenes were a turn on. But I think why it was also appealing was that darkness Christian displayed (I can’t help it when psychos start talking dirty, and all that mine with messy sex). It added to their sex scenes along with their wolf in sheep clothing chemistry. There is a scene that is definitely non con and forced that may not appeal to most people.
SECONDARY CHARACTERS:
I don’t feel there were a lot of secondary characters in rotation, but the ones that were rotated added to my appeal. It was such a telenovela. If I say names, it will create spoilers.
OVERALL:
Was I entertained? Yes. Did I like the story? Yes. Would I read the other book in the series? Yes, AND SO MAD I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL APRIL!
TRIGGERS: assault on a female, graphic killings, narcissist behavior/abuse, stalking, non con and force intimacy.
****I don’t equate these stories to real life. It’s about personal taste and what you would or want to tolerate with the books you read. I know we all have different opinions and preferences with what we read. I based my book reviews on my preferences and what I like, and while these preferences may not be the same for others, I hope this review was still helpful.
Style: Dark Stalker Romance
Story: 4/5
Enjoyment: 4/5
Dark Level: 2.5/5
Sexual Level: SEX-CITINGLY APPEALING
Triggers: Yes
Violence: Yes
Male: Intense & Manipulative
Series: Book 1of 2
Pages: loc. 3695
Audio: N/A
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
STORY:
WHAT I LIKED:
I love stalker romances, and this is the second one that I have read within a month that I really enjoyed. The moment I read the first 3 chapters, I knew it was going to be a good one that catered to my personal preference and taste. Christian’s stalking was beyond messed up, to say he is batshit crazy is being too nice. He is possessive, obsessive, a narcissist, controlling, manipulative, jerk, dark and extremely intense and this creates a very interesting character that makes your skin crawl. Throughout this book, you have the Christian who watches from afar, the Christian who interacts with his prey (because that is what Siân is) and the Christian who terrorizes his prey. It’s so interesting, because all these things are like foreplay for him before getting what he wants. As the story gets further, Christian becomes more intense and scary, not scary physically, but scary mentally; it was like psycho logical warfare watching him at work being manipulative. At one point, Christian had the nerve to call someone else manipulative (pot meet kettle). I think what heightens Christian’s character, is Siân’s naivety. She was extremely naive. If she was a very strong female in this role, it would have not worked at all. Siân is Siân for me, because Christian stole the show for me in this one.
WHAT WAS SO SO:
You know when you are watching a movie, and that one character that you are yelling at because of the choices they are making, that’s Siân. She brought out the dark in Christian, but she gave me severe case of massive eye roll syndrome WATCHING HER INTERACTIONS WITH TWO MEN. The mafia aspect was but for 5 minutes. It was not dominant in book 1 but used to give more of a backstory. Really unsatisfied it’s a duet, this could have been done in one shot, because I want to keep that momentum going of how I am feeling.
SEXUAL CHEMISTRY
The build up was interesting but their actual sex scenes were a turn on. But I think why it was also appealing was that darkness Christian displayed (I can’t help it when psychos start talking dirty, and all that mine with messy sex). It added to their sex scenes along with their wolf in sheep clothing chemistry. There is a scene that is definitely non con and forced that may not appeal to most people.
SECONDARY CHARACTERS:
I don’t feel there were a lot of secondary characters in rotation, but the ones that were rotated added to my appeal. It was such a telenovela. If I say names, it will create spoilers.
OVERALL:
Was I entertained? Yes. Did I like the story? Yes. Would I read the other book in the series? Yes, AND SO MAD I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL APRIL!
TRIGGERS: assault on a female, graphic killings, narcissist behavior/abuse, stalking, non con and force intimacy.
****I don’t equate these stories to real life. It’s about personal taste and what you would or want to tolerate with the books you read. I know we all have different opinions and preferences with what we read. I based my book reviews on my preferences and what I like, and while these preferences may not be the same for others, I hope this review was still helpful.
i-do-not-read-this
March 6, 2022Edited.
It's a pity the book is not for me, the heroine is not a virgin and lives with her boyfriend. I can't understand how such a possessive and jealous hero allowed the heroine to have a boyfriend. This is absolutely NOT the PERFECT VILLAIN! Okay, I don't have to deal with this. Happy reading everyone.
--------------------------------------
Oh my God! After all these frustrating books, I hope this book does not contain rape by other men and the hero does not share the heroine with others!
It's a pity the book is not for me, the heroine is not a virgin and lives with her boyfriend. I can't understand how such a possessive and jealous hero allowed the heroine to have a boyfriend. This is absolutely NOT the PERFECT VILLAIN! Okay, I don't have to deal with this. Happy reading everyone.
--------------------------------------
Oh my God! After all these frustrating books, I hope this book does not contain rape by other men and the hero does not share the heroine with others!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2023
“Stalking is such an ugly word. I wouldn’t call it that at all, especially when all I’ve been doing is monitoring what’s mine.” ~ Christian
Christian Russo has left me breathless. I swear there is absolutely no reason I should be so enthralled by a stalker and yet I can’t get enough. His utter focus and devotion to his topolina is enviable. He understands her on a level every woman wishes her husband could obtain
Four years his junior, Siân Giuliani was promised to a man she didn’t know. A man who has become her living nightmare for the past sixteen years. After her death was faked and she left Italy for America, she though she was safe. And she was for a few years. Then her betrothed came of age and began hunting her down. He’s her stalker. He leaves her notes, gifts, and takes pride is scaring the ever loving heck out of her.
It’s been five years and again, she’s received a reprieve from his shadowing. While she believes he’s given up, it’s family obligations that have kept him away. Now Christian is breaking all the rules and staking a claim on what’s his. Choice encounters in public places aren’t coincidences but planned events. He’s making a concerted effort to insert himself into her life and still causing destruction.
A note here or there. An ally encounter that awakens her inner kinks. Isolation from everyone who could challenge his authority. You know, the little things. And in the end I fell right into his trap the same way Siân did because he’s simply that charming and smooth.
And now I have the displeasure of waiting for part two of this duet to drop.
𝓋𝓍𝒽𝑒𝓍𝓃 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹𝓈
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Christian Russo has left me breathless. I swear there is absolutely no reason I should be so enthralled by a stalker and yet I can’t get enough. His utter focus and devotion to his topolina is enviable. He understands her on a level every woman wishes her husband could obtain
Four years his junior, Siân Giuliani was promised to a man she didn’t know. A man who has become her living nightmare for the past sixteen years. After her death was faked and she left Italy for America, she though she was safe. And she was for a few years. Then her betrothed came of age and began hunting her down. He’s her stalker. He leaves her notes, gifts, and takes pride is scaring the ever loving heck out of her.
It’s been five years and again, she’s received a reprieve from his shadowing. While she believes he’s given up, it’s family obligations that have kept him away. Now Christian is breaking all the rules and staking a claim on what’s his. Choice encounters in public places aren’t coincidences but planned events. He’s making a concerted effort to insert himself into her life and still causing destruction.
A note here or there. An ally encounter that awakens her inner kinks. Isolation from everyone who could challenge his authority. You know, the little things. And in the end I fell right into his trap the same way Siân did because he’s simply that charming and smooth.
And now I have the displeasure of waiting for part two of this duet to drop.
𝓋𝓍𝒽𝑒𝓍𝓃 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹𝓈
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March 19, 2022
4 Stalker Stars!
Sian and Christian are the children of two of the biggest crime families in Italy. The Guilianis and the Russos are rivals and in an attempt to bring the two families together, Sian and Christian are promised to each other. However, Sian’s father goes back on the deal, her parents die and Sian narrowly escapes unbeknownst to everyone but Christian. Not happy with being cheated out of what he considers his, Christian searches and stalks Sian for years. There was never a perfect moment to enact his plan of making Sian his but the time has come now and he will do everything in his power to bring her into his world.
Christian is your typical over-the-top, possessive, obsessive alpha male. He pulls all the punches to ensure that Sian WILL become his and nothing (and I mean nothing) is off limits in achieving that goal. Sian is the only person in his world that is ‘safe’ from his wrath and he intends on building a life with her and sharing their darker desires and natures. I really loved his crazy and I loved being in his head and seeing just how deep his obsession goes. He is not a good man and lives in the grey but that’s what I loved about him.
Sian was a little harder to like in this story because I felt like she was kind of dumb. There were a lot of red flags and she was more I guess…what is the term…dicktamized? But I didn’t hate her either. I am looking forward to seeing how she grows as a character in their conclusion.
This story was steamy!! I loved the stalker element and while the cliffhanger was brutal, it was also a good ending. Christian and Sian have a long road ahead of them and I can’t wait to see what's next. I am thankful this is a duet and not a trilogy because I am not about that trilogy life lol. If you are a fan of steamy dark romances with some triggers (mind them before reading), a suspenseful and angsty plot and a hero that has no problem airing his delicious depravity then I definitely recommend this.
"A woman lost in a sea of chaos, a world of darkness. A woman due to be fucked properly. I can’t wait to break her, to introduce her to the world her father thought he was saving her from. I told her once that fate is the only thing that matters. Marco should have known he could never truly keep her safe. He may not have agreed to the deal his beloved made with my father behind his back, but it was still a deal."
Sian and Christian are the children of two of the biggest crime families in Italy. The Guilianis and the Russos are rivals and in an attempt to bring the two families together, Sian and Christian are promised to each other. However, Sian’s father goes back on the deal, her parents die and Sian narrowly escapes unbeknownst to everyone but Christian. Not happy with being cheated out of what he considers his, Christian searches and stalks Sian for years. There was never a perfect moment to enact his plan of making Sian his but the time has come now and he will do everything in his power to bring her into his world.
"I smirk and mimic her, licking my bottom lip, then stroke her cheek. “And I told you that sometimes you just have to take what you want. No matter what."
Christian is your typical over-the-top, possessive, obsessive alpha male. He pulls all the punches to ensure that Sian WILL become his and nothing (and I mean nothing) is off limits in achieving that goal. Sian is the only person in his world that is ‘safe’ from his wrath and he intends on building a life with her and sharing their darker desires and natures. I really loved his crazy and I loved being in his head and seeing just how deep his obsession goes. He is not a good man and lives in the grey but that’s what I loved about him.
Sian was a little harder to like in this story because I felt like she was kind of dumb. There were a lot of red flags and she was more I guess…what is the term…dicktamized? But I didn’t hate her either. I am looking forward to seeing how she grows as a character in their conclusion.
This story was steamy!! I loved the stalker element and while the cliffhanger was brutal, it was also a good ending. Christian and Sian have a long road ahead of them and I can’t wait to see what's next. I am thankful this is a duet and not a trilogy because I am not about that trilogy life lol. If you are a fan of steamy dark romances with some triggers (mind them before reading), a suspenseful and angsty plot and a hero that has no problem airing his delicious depravity then I definitely recommend this.
"Siân." Something about the way he says my name makes it sound like music, the melody rolling over my body. “I never make an offer I don’t intend to make good on. Don’t you know by now how important you are? How I would kill anybody who tried to hurt you? You’re safe with me. You will always be safe with me."
January 28, 2022
I know I will be in the minority when it comes to my rating for this book and as much as I wanted to love this story, I'm sorry to say that it just wasn't the one for me. I didn't really care for any of the characters in this story and there were more things I disliked about it than I liked. The games Christian played made him seem more desperate than dark, and Sian actions to things that he did was just outrageous to me. I mean come on, he basically raped her, or shall I say her mouth, and she was horny or liked it. What??? This book ends with a cliffhanger, but I won't be continuing this series. It just wasn't for the one for me.
September 21, 2023
3.5 stars
She was always meant to be his
Christian Russo was acquainted and then immediately enamored with Siân Giuliani since she was promised to him at a young age in a two-family mafia agreement. But with betrayal, agreements were abandoned, promises unkept, and Siân goes on the run until Christian finds her again -- with another man and living with a best friend. This was a stalker, mafia romance with a possessive, cunning mafia prince and a charitable, slightly insecure and loyal heroine.
Christian was amazing with his dichotomy of personalities -- one he showed to Siân and the other his true form. He was the consummate stalker and maneuver at his best, all alpha dominating showing a sweet side to his Siân. When this antihero's darkness reared its head, watch out! Siân, unfortunately, often made immature decision, came across unrealistically naive and unenlightened. Great in the midst of Christian's machinations but deliberately unaware in the face of her best friend and current boyfriend. Maybe understandable given her desire to cultivate tight relationships and settle in one place after so much frequent relocation.
The story, despite a great premise and excellent theme and I loved the characters, felt unnecessarily drawn out as if duet were the strategy rather than natural rendering. Frustratingly repetitive and verbose. Lots of unnecessary Italian. Also while there was lots of sexual tension, aside from one incident the book was not spicy, which was surprising and unfortunate, withholding intimacy until the end of the book. A tighter story, a more realistic heroine, and some added spice -- the latter of which was absent in the theme of this dark romance, and this book would have hit higher marks for me and been better balanced. Still, I look forward to book 2 because despite those, I am intrigued to know how the story plays out.
She was always meant to be his
Christian Russo was acquainted and then immediately enamored with Siân Giuliani since she was promised to him at a young age in a two-family mafia agreement. But with betrayal, agreements were abandoned, promises unkept, and Siân goes on the run until Christian finds her again -- with another man and living with a best friend. This was a stalker, mafia romance with a possessive, cunning mafia prince and a charitable, slightly insecure and loyal heroine.
Christian was amazing with his dichotomy of personalities -- one he showed to Siân and the other his true form. He was the consummate stalker and maneuver at his best, all alpha dominating showing a sweet side to his Siân. When this antihero's darkness reared its head, watch out! Siân, unfortunately, often made immature decision, came across unrealistically naive and unenlightened. Great in the midst of Christian's machinations but deliberately unaware in the face of her best friend and current boyfriend. Maybe understandable given her desire to cultivate tight relationships and settle in one place after so much frequent relocation.
The story, despite a great premise and excellent theme and I loved the characters, felt unnecessarily drawn out as if duet were the strategy rather than natural rendering. Frustratingly repetitive and verbose. Lots of unnecessary Italian. Also while there was lots of sexual tension, aside from one incident the book was not spicy, which was surprising and unfortunate, withholding intimacy until the end of the book. A tighter story, a more realistic heroine, and some added spice -- the latter of which was absent in the theme of this dark romance, and this book would have hit higher marks for me and been better balanced. Still, I look forward to book 2 because despite those, I am intrigued to know how the story plays out.
January 13, 2022
COMING SOON!!!!
January 15, 2022
What a ride! This duet it on FIRE! And that one scene 🤯🤯🤯 (you gonna know what I'm talking about) J.L. Beck and S. Rena killed it with this one!
December 26, 2023
BLEH
and it just had to end in a cliffhanger🤡
and it just had to end in a cliffhanger🤡
July 25, 2022
"I’m not going to kill her. I just want to fuck her and give you a hundred evil little grandchildren.” - Christian Russo 😁😁😁
4.5 impressive stars. I would definitely recommend reading this book.
Dark Mafia romance - 2 book series.
*****
***What to expect:****
Steam🔥🔥🔥🔥
Arranged Marriage
Manipulative, OTT, Jealous, Possessive, Obsessive Anti Hero
Dirty Talking
Mind Games
Stalking
Enemies to Lovers
family rivals
Betrayal
Murder
Kidnapping
Deception
Cheating ( for those that hate cheating, like i do. - the MMC does not cheat on her and no OW is mentioned, the heroine is in a relationship with an asshole when mmc starts to make his moves on h. The h does break up with the asshole, before things heat up with MMC.) 🤗
AND MORE....
Hero grabs h by the throat. " Leaning above me, he spits directly into my mouth, and I watch in horror and awe as he does this. “Swallow it. Swallow my spit like you’ll swallow my cum in a few minutes. Swallow it and say thank you like the little slut you are. My slut. My topolina.”🔥🔥🔥🔥
***
One little error- in chapt 1 the heroine has smooth olive toned skin, but then on p83 he's looking at her smooth ivory skin after she gets out of the shower. ***
4.5 impressive stars. I would definitely recommend reading this book.
Dark Mafia romance - 2 book series.
*****
***What to expect:****
Steam🔥🔥🔥🔥
Arranged Marriage
Manipulative, OTT, Jealous, Possessive, Obsessive Anti Hero
Dirty Talking
Mind Games
Stalking
Enemies to Lovers
family rivals
Betrayal
Murder
Kidnapping
Deception
Cheating ( for those that hate cheating, like i do. - the MMC does not cheat on her and no OW is mentioned, the heroine is in a relationship with an asshole when mmc starts to make his moves on h. The h does break up with the asshole, before things heat up with MMC.) 🤗
AND MORE....
Hero grabs h by the throat. " Leaning above me, he spits directly into my mouth, and I watch in horror and awe as he does this. “Swallow it. Swallow my spit like you’ll swallow my cum in a few minutes. Swallow it and say thank you like the little slut you are. My slut. My topolina.”🔥🔥🔥🔥
***
One little error- in chapt 1 the heroine has smooth olive toned skin, but then on p83 he's looking at her smooth ivory skin after she gets out of the shower. ***
January 30, 2022
Holy wow!
Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Trope: stalker
Angst: 😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Siân and Christian both come from mafia families in Italy and were promised to each other as children, but her father later reneged on the deal. Her parents died shortly after and Siân disappeared. Christian has been tracking her on and off for years, but he's ready to make his move and he's not going to let anyone stand in his way.
This one definitely falls under the "what in the holy h€ll did I just read and I want more right now" category, lol. This story gripped you right from the beginning and had you on the edge of your seat the entire time. Well written with awesome characters ❤. First you have our heroine, Siân. She's always having to play it safe, but she's feeling confined by her life. I loved that she was kind of a hot mess. She wants someone to take control, but she's also tired of being a doormat. Then we have "violence is my love language" Christian 😂😂. The PERFECT anti-hero. If you like your heroes with a heavy dose of psycho and a soft spot only for his girl, he'll definitely tick your all your boxes. Tons of psychological manipulation going on throughout the entire book, basically Siân's getting it shoveled at her from every direction. I can't wait to see if and how she develops as a character after finding out all the truth bombs that went off at the end of this book and that will certainly continue into the next one. Can't fracking wait!! 😍😍
Perfect Villain is the first book in the Dark Lies duet. It does end on a cliffhanger. The story will conclude with Beautiful Monster. The story is told in first person, from dual perspective.
Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Trope: stalker
Angst: 😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Siân and Christian both come from mafia families in Italy and were promised to each other as children, but her father later reneged on the deal. Her parents died shortly after and Siân disappeared. Christian has been tracking her on and off for years, but he's ready to make his move and he's not going to let anyone stand in his way.
This one definitely falls under the "what in the holy h€ll did I just read and I want more right now" category, lol. This story gripped you right from the beginning and had you on the edge of your seat the entire time. Well written with awesome characters ❤. First you have our heroine, Siân. She's always having to play it safe, but she's feeling confined by her life. I loved that she was kind of a hot mess. She wants someone to take control, but she's also tired of being a doormat. Then we have "violence is my love language" Christian 😂😂. The PERFECT anti-hero. If you like your heroes with a heavy dose of psycho and a soft spot only for his girl, he'll definitely tick your all your boxes. Tons of psychological manipulation going on throughout the entire book, basically Siân's getting it shoveled at her from every direction. I can't wait to see if and how she develops as a character after finding out all the truth bombs that went off at the end of this book and that will certainly continue into the next one. Can't fracking wait!! 😍😍
Perfect Villain is the first book in the Dark Lies duet. It does end on a cliffhanger. The story will conclude with Beautiful Monster. The story is told in first person, from dual perspective.
dnf
February 6, 2022DNF
Meh
A real villain would not wait in the bathroom while his girl / obsession is sleeping with another man next door
Meh
A real villain would not wait in the bathroom while his girl / obsession is sleeping with another man next door
February 19, 2023
I probably should have written this review before I finished the 2nd part, but ahh well. Firstly, this is a perfect title 😏. Christian is pretty much the epitome of what one would call a Perfect Villain. He was the primary driver of this story while poor Sian gets pulled into his web.
There were so many infuriating moments as far as what the people in Sian's life do, but, oh boy.... What a trip. This was exciting to read in that you're waiting for the inevitable 💩 to hit the fan and leaves you wondering will/can there be any redemption for his actions.
There were so many infuriating moments as far as what the people in Sian's life do, but, oh boy.... What a trip. This was exciting to read in that you're waiting for the inevitable 💩 to hit the fan and leaves you wondering will/can there be any redemption for his actions.
February 2, 2022
Best book I have read so far in 2022 and I have already read 28 books. Perfect Villain by J.L. Beck and Sade Rena is spectacular!!! If I could, I would give it 10⭐️s. It has everything from suspense to murder to intense chemistry. The hero, Christian, is literally a psycho but a psycho I would love to have a taste of🔥🔥🔥. He is gorgeous, unapologetic, and downright cocky. On the other hand, Sian, the heroine, is the kindest and the most naive woman ever which creates the ultimate ying-yang situation and their interactions are basically the epitome of carnal bliss. One hot scene between them in a dark alley got me delirious🥵 You’ll know what I mean when you get there❤️❤️❤️ All the secrets and deceits and betrayals make the Perfect Villain the perfect book to binge on but the cliffhanger is just brutal. I dreaded the ending. I hope the final book of the duet comes out sooner than later🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
July 14, 2023
4.5
Omg
Stalk-tacular! ( para quem não entendeu a referência é uma junção de stalker com espetacular )
Nunca tinha lido nenhum livro dentro do tema perseguição/ stalker, e muito menos numa junção com dark mafia romance e suspanse.
Foi uma boa estreia para mim neste audiolivro, narrado por 2 povs, o que embelezou e melhorou ainda mais a qualidade do mesmo.
Adorei de inicio a fim toda a história e foi, sem margem de dúvida, uma montanhaç-russa de emoções.
O Christian é o melhor dos anti-heróis e apesar de ser um stalker possessivo e, de certo modo, assustador, ama a Sîan do fundo do seu coração.
O livro termina num cliffhanger que nos deixa boqueabertos e nos faz querer mais e mais.
Omg
Stalk-tacular! ( para quem não entendeu a referência é uma junção de stalker com espetacular )
Nunca tinha lido nenhum livro dentro do tema perseguição/ stalker, e muito menos numa junção com dark mafia romance e suspanse.
Foi uma boa estreia para mim neste audiolivro, narrado por 2 povs, o que embelezou e melhorou ainda mais a qualidade do mesmo.
Adorei de inicio a fim toda a história e foi, sem margem de dúvida, uma montanhaç-russa de emoções.
O Christian é o melhor dos anti-heróis e apesar de ser um stalker possessivo e, de certo modo, assustador, ama a Sîan do fundo do seu coração.
O livro termina num cliffhanger que nos deixa boqueabertos e nos faz querer mais e mais.
January 18, 2022
Alright, I'm eagerly awaiting the next one. Holy cliffhanger, y'all.
I have so many questions, ugh! Love Christian, regardless of his uh, activities. Siân needs a bit of a shoulder shake for being a bit of a clueless dingus (you've been running for years and you're not full paranoid?!), but I'm all about this story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am enthusiastically leaving a review.
I have so many questions, ugh! Love Christian, regardless of his uh, activities. Siân needs a bit of a shoulder shake for being a bit of a clueless dingus (you've been running for years and you're not full paranoid?!), but I'm all about this story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am enthusiastically leaving a review.
January 17, 2022
ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS
Star Rating : 4/5 Stars
POV : Dual
Cliffhanger : Yes
Hero : Christian
Heroine : Sian
Pace of the story : Moderate
Angst Rating : 5/10
Heat Rating : 6/10
Triggers Involved : Stalker, dub con, dark
Review :
Sian and Christian are here! Sian has a big secret. A secret if anyone knows, could threaten her very existence. But Christian does know. Little is she aware that he has been stalking and searching for her for years and now that he has found her x he is going to take her away. But not before he makes her fall in love with him. Not before he breaks her. All so he can mould her back into shape.
This book was absolutely love! I liked the storyline and it was dark enough for me to keep reading and fall in love. Christian is amazing and I can't wait to see more of him. The ending of the book had me shook and now I can't wait for the next part! These two authors never fail to shock me with their amazing crazy dark heroes that you can't help but love and hate at the same time.
Definitely recommending this one to all the dark romance loving people. It had themes like stalking, mafia and suspense!
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January 13, 2022
3.5 stars ⭐️
This book pulled me in from the very first page and I enjoyed the authors writing style. The ARC was generously provided my the author and publisher in exchange for a review of the book. I’m going to try to do a spoiler free version so I don’t ruin it for anyone. I love dark mafia romances so I was very happy to receive this book. There is some content that could be triggering for some readers so make sure to check the content warning prior to starting. I really enjoy reading about dark villain characters and Christian is exactly that. He’s passionate and will stop at nothing to achieve his goal which is making Sian his. I think he’s well and more importantly consistently written, he’s obsessive and calculating but not irrational or impulsive like we see with a lot of characters in this genre. I hate when characters are all over the place from one chapter to the next. I did struggle with Sian’s character at times she comes across as naive and let’s be honest she’s just blowing past alllllll the warning signs leading up to the end of the book. I’m interested to see how she matures over the series and I hope she turns into a morally grey and strong character who shifts from a life in hiding to one of standing her ground and no longer living her life in fear. I think the book could have done without the alley scene personally. This book is a slower burn that ends on a cliffhanger and I’m so interested to see what happens next! If you’re on booktok I think this is a nice blend of stars and spice and kept me interested from cover to cover! I would definitely read another book by the author.
This book pulled me in from the very first page and I enjoyed the authors writing style. The ARC was generously provided my the author and publisher in exchange for a review of the book. I’m going to try to do a spoiler free version so I don’t ruin it for anyone. I love dark mafia romances so I was very happy to receive this book. There is some content that could be triggering for some readers so make sure to check the content warning prior to starting. I really enjoy reading about dark villain characters and Christian is exactly that. He’s passionate and will stop at nothing to achieve his goal which is making Sian his. I think he’s well and more importantly consistently written, he’s obsessive and calculating but not irrational or impulsive like we see with a lot of characters in this genre. I hate when characters are all over the place from one chapter to the next. I did struggle with Sian’s character at times she comes across as naive and let’s be honest she’s just blowing past alllllll the warning signs leading up to the end of the book. I’m interested to see how she matures over the series and I hope she turns into a morally grey and strong character who shifts from a life in hiding to one of standing her ground and no longer living her life in fear. I think the book could have done without the alley scene personally. This book is a slower burn that ends on a cliffhanger and I’m so interested to see what happens next! If you’re on booktok I think this is a nice blend of stars and spice and kept me interested from cover to cover! I would definitely read another book by the author.
January 30, 2022
Where to begin….. first I want to start out by saying this is the first book I have read by this author. It is also the first ARC I have gotten to read and let me just say neither have disappointed. It kept my attention from the beginning all the way to the end. I absolutely love a good psycho who is able to eventually feel something other than the darkness inside of them, and I feel that Christian was able to do that. I did feel that Sìan was a little naive and ignored a lot of red flags but that doesn’t make me like the store any less. I started and finished the story in one day, so I feel that is a testament to how good it really was. I will however say that you definitely want to check triggers warnings because it can get a little dark and have some elements that would make it hard for some. I am someone who like dark romance so it wasn’t an issue for me. All in all I love Christian!
I also really like the writing style. I feel like it grabbed my attention and made me need to see what happened next. I can’t wait for the next book to see what happens next.
I also really like the writing style. I feel like it grabbed my attention and made me need to see what happened next. I can’t wait for the next book to see what happens next.
January 13, 2022
Where to begin… Perfect Villain literally gave me no sleep!
Steamy, possessive, mafia, and dark all in one! 🖤
⚠️Check triggers!⚠️
She’s goes into hiding… he finds her… and she’s HIS🥵
He will stop at nothing to keep her…
He’s handsome, sexy, ruthless, and dangerous…
When I tell you, I have never finished a book so fast and got no work done, this book did it. You get sucked in from the get go! Christian had my heart going nonstop!
If you love mafia romance, dark romance, possessive men, and a book that has you begging for more… YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!!
I won’t mention the end, but OMG!! Three words… when’s book two?!?!
Steamy, possessive, mafia, and dark all in one! 🖤
⚠️Check triggers!⚠️
She’s goes into hiding… he finds her… and she’s HIS🥵
He will stop at nothing to keep her…
He’s handsome, sexy, ruthless, and dangerous…
When I tell you, I have never finished a book so fast and got no work done, this book did it. You get sucked in from the get go! Christian had my heart going nonstop!
If you love mafia romance, dark romance, possessive men, and a book that has you begging for more… YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!!
I won’t mention the end, but OMG!! Three words… when’s book two?!?!
January 13, 2022
I dont now about perfect. but Cristian is the epitamy of a ruthless villain. He absolutely gives me the creepes. He will do anything to get what he wants. He is totaly single minded and has a terrible temper that he can hardly control. This is an absolutely compelling story in its fearsomeness. His love is repellent and at the same time addictive.
Absolutely marvelous in its darkness I gobbled it up. The next book cant come soon enough.
Absolutely marvelous in its darkness I gobbled it up. The next book cant come soon enough.
March 26, 2022
Note: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Note 2: This is a duet. Perfect Villain is the first book. Beautiful Monster is the next and final book in the duet. Please read in order as the first book ends in a cliffhanger.
Trigger Warnings: abduction, murder, death, assault, violence, stalking, dubcon, drug use.
Well my very first dark stalker mafia romance. Wowzah, what a feeling!
When they said dark and mafia romance, I was already in deep. But when they said dub-con, and stalker, I was burying myself six feet deep so much in the book, you couldn't find me.
Because this book was twistedly, utterly fucked with a flawed hero and innocent heroine, that I was ready to sacrifice myself to the devil. In a good way.
I mean I don't even have the right words, cause how can you call this fucked up novel perfection in a good twisted way? I don't know.
I mean yes it has slightly deranged characters and motivations, but if you remember the show YOU and the godfather movie series - you know it's in fact been done, and done well in this case. I mean I ended up loving Christian and Sian a lot despite some faults which I will mention next.
I mean the romance wasn't entirely there but the little snippets I did enjoy, steamy ya I'm including the dubcon were way too wowzah for me to not fan myself over. The plot moved pretty fast for a novel that was supposedly longer, pacing was good, and the writing had me hooked.
Although Sian did seem immature at times (not talking about her feelings on things, accusing friends, and not researching more on who Christian was), and the stalker bit seemed a bit lax in terms of usual stalker romances (you'll see it when you read it), still I felt personally that the characters were great, and that in terms of handling a stalker romance, it was done well with the emotions, tension, fear and dialogues.
And that cliffhanger wowie, surely leaves something for imagination and wondering if further development would be added to Christian and Sian's relationship, and their own personalities.
So I am extremely looking forward to Beautiful Monster - final book in the duet - coming 8th May 2022 to finally get all the answers I need to my endless questions.
Until the next read,
-TMR
Note 2: This is a duet. Perfect Villain is the first book. Beautiful Monster is the next and final book in the duet. Please read in order as the first book ends in a cliffhanger.
Trigger Warnings: abduction, murder, death, assault, violence, stalking, dubcon, drug use.
Well my very first dark stalker mafia romance. Wowzah, what a feeling!
When they said dark and mafia romance, I was already in deep. But when they said dub-con, and stalker, I was burying myself six feet deep so much in the book, you couldn't find me.
Because this book was twistedly, utterly fucked with a flawed hero and innocent heroine, that I was ready to sacrifice myself to the devil. In a good way.
I mean I don't even have the right words, cause how can you call this fucked up novel perfection in a good twisted way? I don't know.
I mean yes it has slightly deranged characters and motivations, but if you remember the show YOU and the godfather movie series - you know it's in fact been done, and done well in this case. I mean I ended up loving Christian and Sian a lot despite some faults which I will mention next.
I mean the romance wasn't entirely there but the little snippets I did enjoy, steamy ya I'm including the dubcon were way too wowzah for me to not fan myself over. The plot moved pretty fast for a novel that was supposedly longer, pacing was good, and the writing had me hooked.
Although Sian did seem immature at times (not talking about her feelings on things, accusing friends, and not researching more on who Christian was), and the stalker bit seemed a bit lax in terms of usual stalker romances (you'll see it when you read it), still I felt personally that the characters were great, and that in terms of handling a stalker romance, it was done well with the emotions, tension, fear and dialogues.
And that cliffhanger wowie, surely leaves something for imagination and wondering if further development would be added to Christian and Sian's relationship, and their own personalities.
So I am extremely looking forward to Beautiful Monster - final book in the duet - coming 8th May 2022 to finally get all the answers I need to my endless questions.
Until the next read,
-TMR
February 1, 2022
Sian knows she has a stalker, but is not aware it is Christian when he enters her life. He was promised to her when they were children supposedly, but things went awry. He has kept tabs on where she is in America for a long time. He finally decides to make his move and begins his game of getting her to want him the way he wants her. Some parts of this book were really unrealistic. No true person obsessed with someone is going to tolerate that person having a boyfriend, let alone hide in the closet while the person they are obsessed with is with that person. Sian has been on the run since she was a kid so it was kind of shocking she would be out in public a lot. Also, she moved to such a rundown house without really worrying about her security was a bit much. Everyone in her life was lying to her and I felt really bad for her. Her inability to really find out anything about Christian rang as far-fetched considering she was on the run for much of her life. The ending was just crazy and I wasn't expecting a cliffy.
January 29, 2022
Идеальный злодей, собственнический и ревнивый герой! Можете уходить от сюда, это не про этого героя! Такой герой не будет прятаться за шторой, пока объект его одержимости трахается с другим мужчиной без презерватива и тот другой кончает внутрь нее.
October 12, 2024
If you want to read a trashy mafia romance and are bored read it, if you don’t, don’t.
February 1, 2022
This was amazing from start to finish it had me on the edge of my seat. I couldn’t stop reading this book with all of its dark and twisted things that happen. Christian is something else let me tell you. I was not prepared for him in anyway but loved everything about this book. And Sian has her own past in this so these two will be something else together. If your a fan of stalker romances then this is the book you want to read. J.L. Beck has been a go to author of mine for a few years now and with her books I just know I’m going to love them so I was excited to read another of her releases and with an author I haven’t read before just added to me wanting to read this. They did a phenomenal job writing this together and I can’t wait for more to come in the future.
February 6, 2022
Topolina
Please! This story was so good and Christian is my new mans!!!!
Beck & Rena came in swinging with this first book of the Dark Lies Duet and without giving anything away I need Sian to get her life together and appreciate my man Christian.
Please! This story was so good and Christian is my new mans!!!!
Beck & Rena came in swinging with this first book of the Dark Lies Duet and without giving anything away I need Sian to get her life together and appreciate my man Christian.
January 26, 2022
This was a really dark, effed up, stalker romance just how I like them! Christian really did his thing and came out to steal the spotlight in this novel. He was so intense and manipulative, scary, impulsive, terrifying, and predatory and well written as a villain/anti-hero. Sian, however fell really flat for me. I thought she was going to be this woman who woke up and took charge but instead she blatantly IGNORED obvious signs and direct signals that Christian was her stalker and bad news. She never grew a backbone unless it was manipulated or triggered by Christian and that just bummed me out. Had high hopes for her. Kyla and Taj felt like a they were thrown in to make Christian seem somewhat redeemable. The story was really good, but I felt disconnected to a lot of the characters. I'm excited to see where book two goes, because now I am hooked--I read this one in one sitting. The writing was great and the tension was high and it was really dark and gritty.
January 29, 2022
Perfect Villain by Darcy Rose and S.Rena Christian is stalking Sîan. No matter where she goes he’s there but his new approach will bring him closer then she knows. This is exciting and suspenseful and I can’t wait for the next book to come.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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