What do you think?
Rate this book
Ruthless Daddies #8
Conflicted
Every time my daughter's fiancé kisses her, I can't help but feel like each one is really meant for me.
Andres
Samantha needs a husband. I need the money. A marriage of convenience is all it's supposed to be. She has her father's reputation to save and I have a family to take care of.
Then I meet him and worry our agreement is over before it begins. My stupidity and loneliness might cost me everything.
Zacharias
I'm a man who always wants what he can't have. Due to being a well known drug lord in Texas, nothing has ever been out of reach for me. I see something I want and I take it. I want him. He's beautiful. The perfect submissive. The only problem is, he's my daughter's fiancé.
Conflicted is a gritty MM romance with lots of steam and a very Ruthless Daddy. Please read trigger warnings before proceeding. Some topics might be triggering for readers.
Andres
Samantha needs a husband. I need the money. A marriage of convenience is all it's supposed to be. She has her father's reputation to save and I have a family to take care of.
Then I meet him and worry our agreement is over before it begins. My stupidity and loneliness might cost me everything.
Zacharias
I'm a man who always wants what he can't have. Due to being a well known drug lord in Texas, nothing has ever been out of reach for me. I see something I want and I take it. I want him. He's beautiful. The perfect submissive. The only problem is, he's my daughter's fiancé.
Conflicted is a gritty MM romance with lots of steam and a very Ruthless Daddy. Please read trigger warnings before proceeding. Some topics might be triggering for readers.
254 pages, Paperback
First published August 26, 2022
229 people are currently reading
705 people want to read
About the author
Ashlynn Mills
64 books380 followersAshlynn Mills is a Latina from Texas who currently resides in Missouri with her family running a farm. She enjoys reading and writing all genres about people falling in love.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
September 30, 2023
It looks like I've already read this book, it's the
🔵 #8 in the Ruthless Daddies series,
so I'm leaving it here in this order, but the book Forbidden , that's connected to this book and is mentioned in my review below, was very, very good.
It looks like this series isn't really working for me. I don't have a problem with the Daddy/boy trope anymore, so it's not that.
There's also a Ruthless Daddies 2 series, so hopefully that one'll be better.
______________________________
Original review from 7th April-2023
I can definitely say I was conflicted reading this.
1.5 - 2⭐
I read this book because I wanted to get to Forbidden from the same author and the side characters in this book are the MMCs there, so for the foundation-sake of it, I gave it a shot, even though I'm not into D/s dynamic, nor into Daddy/boy.
That being said, those tropes weren't as heavy here, actually they were quite good and I have to say I liked it, but the story itself?
So this story was about Andres, a young guy who's a cancer survivor - which has absolutely no importance in the story itself .
He gets cheated on when his best friend sleeps with his boyfriend and that makes him move out and meet Zach, a notorious drug lord in a night club.
The story had my attention until 20%, when all that wonderful build up of them having sex and this amazing chemistry, crashed hard when Andres came into the picture as Zach's daughter's fake fiance . From this point on all the amazing chemistry died and all the events that followed made no sense.
Andres was hooking up with Zach occasionally, while living in his house, but was telling him to stop all the time and it seemed like he wasn't really that invested anymore.
He was lying about his relationship with Samantha, Zach's daughter, and it was amateurish and ridiculous. Zach was saying he knows she's paying him, and then at 50% he was still asking himself if they have a real relationship, and again at 60% and again 70%. I don't get it, you know it or don't you?? And if you don't, you're not a really smart drug lord.
On the other hand, Andres was having a moral dilemma of having sex with his fake fiance's dad.
Why? He had absolutely nothing going on with Samantha, he was there as a prop, he just went for it because he needed the money, but then he gets told he needs to get used to this life, and there I was wondering what's going on, is he staying now, what is happening? It's like his former life completely disappeared and this was his new reality and it would be believable if the connection between him and Zach was that strong and powerful, that you really couldn't see any other outcome, but it was lukewarm and I wasn't sold .
The story made no sense and when Zach wants to torture Andres and gets him taken to be killed - over!, it was over , is there a way back from this? What was even more ridiculous was Andres coming back a new man, the kind where he changed his personality totally, and he decided to stab Zach. He does, and then they're even.
The author had good MCs on the palm of her hand, the story started out strong, but the development of the plot was too ridiculous, it was terrible and confusing, in fact.
I hope Forbidden is better than this.
🔵 #8 in the Ruthless Daddies series,
so I'm leaving it here in this order, but the book Forbidden , that's connected to this book and is mentioned in my review below, was very, very good.
It looks like this series isn't really working for me. I don't have a problem with the Daddy/boy trope anymore, so it's not that.
There's also a Ruthless Daddies 2 series, so hopefully that one'll be better.
______________________________
Original review from 7th April-2023
I can definitely say I was conflicted reading this.
1.5 - 2⭐
I read this book because I wanted to get to Forbidden from the same author and the side characters in this book are the MMCs there, so for the foundation-sake of it, I gave it a shot, even though I'm not into D/s dynamic, nor into Daddy/boy.
That being said, those tropes weren't as heavy here, actually they were quite good and I have to say I liked it, but the story itself?
So this story was about Andres, a young guy who's a cancer survivor - which has absolutely no importance in the story itself .
He gets cheated on when his best friend sleeps with his boyfriend and that makes him move out and meet Zach, a notorious drug lord in a night club.
The story had my attention until 20%, when all that wonderful build up of them having sex and this amazing chemistry, crashed hard when Andres came into the picture as Zach's daughter's fake fiance . From this point on all the amazing chemistry died and all the events that followed made no sense.
Andres was hooking up with Zach occasionally, while living in his house, but was telling him to stop all the time and it seemed like he wasn't really that invested anymore.
He was lying about his relationship with Samantha, Zach's daughter, and it was amateurish and ridiculous. Zach was saying he knows she's paying him, and then at 50% he was still asking himself if they have a real relationship, and again at 60% and again 70%. I don't get it, you know it or don't you?? And if you don't, you're not a really smart drug lord.
On the other hand, Andres was having a moral dilemma of having sex with his fake fiance's dad.
Why? He had absolutely nothing going on with Samantha, he was there as a prop, he just went for it because he needed the money, but then he gets told he needs to get used to this life, and there I was wondering what's going on, is he staying now, what is happening? It's like his former life completely disappeared and this was his new reality and it would be believable if the connection between him and Zach was that strong and powerful, that you really couldn't see any other outcome, but it was lukewarm and I wasn't sold .
The story made no sense and when Zach wants to torture Andres and gets him taken to be killed - over!, it was over , is there a way back from this? What was even more ridiculous was Andres coming back a new man, the kind where he changed his personality totally, and he decided to stab Zach. He does, and then they're even.
The author had good MCs on the palm of her hand, the story started out strong, but the development of the plot was too ridiculous, it was terrible and confusing, in fact.
I hope Forbidden is better than this.
May 14, 2024
2.75
A pretty good start but then it fell all the way off. I found the ending absolutely ridiculous 👎🏽
September 2, 2022
Maybe 2.5 stars
This started off really strong. I had a lot of sympathy for Andres, and the initial encounter between him and Zacharias was both sexy and sweet. But from their next meeting on, I found their connection inauthentic. I honestly couldn't understand why they were so obsessed with each other, and it made the rest of their moments together kind of dull.
Then by the end, the first time their supposed bond is tested, Zacharias won't even hear out the man he claims to adore, and instead treats him horribly without a second thought. It just made me angry, both because he believed other people over his "lover" immediately, and because he physically tortures him in a really brutal way. Andres does like pain play, but this was way beyond that.
I will say he does get his revenge on Zacharias before they get their HEA, and I honestly liked how dramatic it was. If the rest of the story had emphasized their toxicity together in the way the ending scenes did, I may have actually enjoyed it more. It gave me vibes similar to Daddy's Adorable Assassin by Gianni Holmes, which I loved. But unlike that one, which embraced how messed up the relationship was from the beginning, this one tried to make the romance seem sweet and healthy right up until the bizarre ending.
I do want to give credit to the author for how well she handled the series theme though. Zacharias was the most ruthless of the daddies so far. The violence is very graphic in this one. Overall I was disappointed, but I'm still open to trying this author again.
This started off really strong. I had a lot of sympathy for Andres, and the initial encounter between him and Zacharias was both sexy and sweet. But from their next meeting on, I found their connection inauthentic. I honestly couldn't understand why they were so obsessed with each other, and it made the rest of their moments together kind of dull.
Then by the end, the first time their supposed bond is tested, Zacharias won't even hear out the man he claims to adore, and instead treats him horribly without a second thought. It just made me angry, both because he believed other people over his "lover" immediately, and because he physically tortures him in a really brutal way. Andres does like pain play, but this was way beyond that.
I will say he does get his revenge on Zacharias before they get their HEA, and I honestly liked how dramatic it was. If the rest of the story had emphasized their toxicity together in the way the ending scenes did, I may have actually enjoyed it more. It gave me vibes similar to Daddy's Adorable Assassin by Gianni Holmes, which I loved. But unlike that one, which embraced how messed up the relationship was from the beginning, this one tried to make the romance seem sweet and healthy right up until the bizarre ending.
I do want to give credit to the author for how well she handled the series theme though. Zacharias was the most ruthless of the daddies so far. The violence is very graphic in this one. Overall I was disappointed, but I'm still open to trying this author again.
September 7, 2022
Dnf @ 81.2%.
I must be grumpy because I rarely give one star. But this was just so. very. bad.
I must be grumpy because I rarely give one star. But this was just so. very. bad.
August 28, 2022
Conflicted left me feeling, well, conflicted. There were aspects of this book I really enjoyed but there were also some that left me scratching my head.
The good: I loved Andres for a great deal of this book. He was well written as a character caught up in a situation that has spiraled out of his control. You really felt his confusing emotions and his pull towards Zacharias I loved the dynamic they often had and the exploration of many of Andres’ wants and desires. These scenes were steamy and somehow sweet at times. I also enjoyed the mystery part of the book, trying to decipher who was working against Zacharias in the background was a fun little sideline.
The bad: I felt like there was a disconnect between Andres and Zacharias at times. While Zacharias never truly believed the fake engagement, he knew he needed to play it smart, yet NOTHING he did regarding Andres was smart. In fact, for a king pin drug lord, he seemed to get more and more stupid along the way. He took risks and was absolutely reckless at times, even knowing someone was out to get him and Andres. After the climax of the book, I felt like the sweet Andres we got to know along the way disappeared only to be replaced by this character we knew nothing about.
The WTF: The last 6% of this book was mind boggling to me. I don’t want to spoil things but Zacharias does things to Andres after he’s feed bad information that he never fact checks that are unforgivable. Like, things that make you go Wow. Then the things Andres does in retaliation are even more mind-boggling. That whole chapter was just…odd. I could only suspend my belief for so long after that.
Overall, this was an okay read for me. Honestly, I’m mostly just left with this feeling of ‘huh’ after reading this. It was alright, but I feel like it could have offered more.
The good: I loved Andres for a great deal of this book. He was well written as a character caught up in a situation that has spiraled out of his control. You really felt his confusing emotions and his pull towards Zacharias I loved the dynamic they often had and the exploration of many of Andres’ wants and desires. These scenes were steamy and somehow sweet at times. I also enjoyed the mystery part of the book, trying to decipher who was working against Zacharias in the background was a fun little sideline.
The bad: I felt like there was a disconnect between Andres and Zacharias at times. While Zacharias never truly believed the fake engagement, he knew he needed to play it smart, yet NOTHING he did regarding Andres was smart. In fact, for a king pin drug lord, he seemed to get more and more stupid along the way. He took risks and was absolutely reckless at times, even knowing someone was out to get him and Andres. After the climax of the book, I felt like the sweet Andres we got to know along the way disappeared only to be replaced by this character we knew nothing about.
The WTF: The last 6% of this book was mind boggling to me. I don’t want to spoil things but Zacharias does things to Andres after he’s feed bad information that he never fact checks that are unforgivable. Like, things that make you go Wow. Then the things Andres does in retaliation are even more mind-boggling. That whole chapter was just…odd. I could only suspend my belief for so long after that.
Overall, this was an okay read for me. Honestly, I’m mostly just left with this feeling of ‘huh’ after reading this. It was alright, but I feel like it could have offered more.
August 24, 2022
Wow, what a wild ride this book was! From the first few pages, you’re on a high speed rollercoaster, just holding on while it throws you around, startles you a bit, gives you a false sense of security, and then throws you for a loop again before coasting to the end.
This book has a bit of everything you could imagine in a “dark” novel – read the trigger warnings, that’s all I’ll say about that part. The main characters are SO enthralling, with deep, complex personalities, the plot is complicated, unique, and immersive, with a mystery thrown in to keep the analytical part of your brain engaged, and the romance is hot but not overwhelming to the rest of the story.
Honestly, I think it’s one of this author’s best books. Even if you’re not a fan of the series Daddy trope, this book would still work for you – there’s so much to keep your mind engaged that the Daddy piece is just a very small part of the whole.
Absolutely loved this book and will definitely read again – I can guarantee I missed some detail in the first read, as I was discovering just how insane this book was.
This book has a bit of everything you could imagine in a “dark” novel – read the trigger warnings, that’s all I’ll say about that part. The main characters are SO enthralling, with deep, complex personalities, the plot is complicated, unique, and immersive, with a mystery thrown in to keep the analytical part of your brain engaged, and the romance is hot but not overwhelming to the rest of the story.
Honestly, I think it’s one of this author’s best books. Even if you’re not a fan of the series Daddy trope, this book would still work for you – there’s so much to keep your mind engaged that the Daddy piece is just a very small part of the whole.
Absolutely loved this book and will definitely read again – I can guarantee I missed some detail in the first read, as I was discovering just how insane this book was.
August 26, 2022
4.5 STARS
Conflicted
I think I’ve said this before and I will say it again, Ashlynn writes dark very well. To the point,I’m have to ask her if she is okay herself. LOL
I will say heed the trigger warnings on the book. It is not for the faintest or hearts.
What do you when you are in a tough spot financially, things are not going in your favor, and need cash?? You take a stranger up on their offer to be their fake fiancé and hope for the best…except, what happens when what you expect is really unexpected??
This book was one heck of a ride for Andres and Zacharias. Zacharias, cartel king, becomes so entwined with Andres putting himself and everyone around him at risk.
I highly recommend the book if you’re looking for the dark side. Lol.
Conflicted
I think I’ve said this before and I will say it again, Ashlynn writes dark very well. To the point,I’m have to ask her if she is okay herself. LOL
I will say heed the trigger warnings on the book. It is not for the faintest or hearts.
What do you when you are in a tough spot financially, things are not going in your favor, and need cash?? You take a stranger up on their offer to be their fake fiancé and hope for the best…except, what happens when what you expect is really unexpected??
This book was one heck of a ride for Andres and Zacharias. Zacharias, cartel king, becomes so entwined with Andres putting himself and everyone around him at risk.
I highly recommend the book if you’re looking for the dark side. Lol.
December 28, 2025
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice Level: 3.75
Point of view: Dual, 1st person
TROPES & TAGS
Mafia
Cheating (Not between Mcs)
Forbidden vibes
Age gap
Size difference
Kinky
Betrayals
SPICE AND KINKS
Daddy kink
Needle play
Blood Play
• Dynamic: Strict top & Bottom roles
TW/CW
Violence between Mcs
Violence
Cheating (Not between Mcs)
Murder
Kidnapping
Mc Kidnapped and Almost SA'd
Murders
THOUGHTS
When i started this book i was loving it. Up until it took a weird turn. At the end of the book things just didn't feel the same. And the violence between Mc's was real annoying to me. Ummm no thanks. Wanted to love this book but sad.
Spice Level: 3.75
Point of view: Dual, 1st person
TROPES & TAGS
Mafia
Cheating (Not between Mcs)
Forbidden vibes
Age gap
Size difference
Kinky
Betrayals
SPICE AND KINKS
Daddy kink
Needle play
Blood Play
• Dynamic: Strict top & Bottom roles
TW/CW
Violence between Mcs
Violence
Cheating (Not between Mcs)
Murder
Kidnapping
Mc Kidnapped and Almost SA'd
Murders
THOUGHTS
When i started this book i was loving it. Up until it took a weird turn. At the end of the book things just didn't feel the same. And the violence between Mc's was real annoying to me. Ummm no thanks. Wanted to love this book but sad.
August 28, 2022
This book is a hot mess.
Starting from meeting a stranger to directly calling Daddy like wtf???
Then trope of son in law is done so bad.....
Dnf
Starting from meeting a stranger to directly calling Daddy like wtf???
Then trope of son in law is done so bad.....
Dnf
May 18, 2024
Dnf at 64%, this is really boring
August 20, 2024
I ended up skimming this book towards the end. Didnt like Andres and the fake fiance debacle was just ridiculous. Not for me. No thank you.
August 26, 2022
Conflicted by Ashlynn Mills is part of the Ruthless Daddies series. This book is about Andres and Zacharias. After meeting Samantha at the bar he just got a job, Andres agrees to be her fake fiancé because he needs the money. When Zachariah sees his daughers fiancé he knows he wants him and he always gets what he wants.
I loved their story. It was sweet, sexy, full of feels, exciting, thrilling and very well written.
I loved their story. It was sweet, sexy, full of feels, exciting, thrilling and very well written.
October 14, 2022
So here's the thing. Supposedly Zacharias has done all this investigating into Andres. He knows he isn't Victor, he knows where he really works. But he somehow doesn't know about Andres having had cancer or anything else important and then he keeps thinking to himself about how he doesn't know if Andres and his daughter are really together or not...which makes zero sense. He had him investigated, he seems to keep at least a somewhat sharp eye on his family, and everyone else is keeping a sharp on his family, so it stands to reason if there were people following his daughter and taking pictures of her kissing another woman then there would have been someone who had seen her and Andres together. I felt that there was a lot of hand-wavy logic here, "no no, don't think about that, it doesn't fit with what I want the characters to experience". I call this author's convenience and it generally pisses me off. And I don't get why Andres didn't just tell him that, yes, his daughter had hired him to pretend to be her fiance. Was that really so much worse than telling him that you were seriously involved with his daughter and then bending over and spreading for him? And then, the topper of it all, the only person who really treats Zacharias decently through the whole book is Andres AND Zacharias forgives the guy who fucked his wife (he cut his dick off first but whatever) but then he listens to all these people that hate him and/or have lied to him in the past and he believes that Andres has betrayed him. He doesn't stop to do any investigating of his own, he doesn't stop to listen to Andres, he just tortures the poor kid, who is a cancer survivor on top of everything else, and then gives Andres to the really bad guys knowing they will most likely rape, torture and kill him. Then it is all "oops, I'm sorry, I was wrong, my bad" and yeah, Andres gets his revenge by shooting Zacharias before forgiving him but honestly, it wasn't enough for me. Zacharias did not strike me as someone who gave a shit about physical pain, so it was a cheap effort and it would have been better had Andres forced Zacharias to EARN his fucking trust and love back, if that was even possible.
I mostly liked this, but Zacharias was a bit stupid and naive for who he was supposed to be and Andres who I guess is supposed to be turning "dark" at the end, which is shown by him shooting Zacharias as revenge, instead just came across as a doormat. And I was really fucking sad about that because he was treated like shit by every damn person in the book EXCEPT for his female friend and she's the one he completely ghosts. But, it wasn't as disappointing as Salvatore's book, so...there is that.
I mostly liked this, but Zacharias was a bit stupid and naive for who he was supposed to be and Andres who I guess is supposed to be turning "dark" at the end, which is shown by him shooting Zacharias as revenge, instead just came across as a doormat. And I was really fucking sad about that because he was treated like shit by every damn person in the book EXCEPT for his female friend and she's the one he completely ghosts. But, it wasn't as disappointing as Salvatore's book, so...there is that.
August 27, 2022
DNF at 70%
I'm so bored. The beginnings was so promising...
Spoil alert
Even with people being burned alive I was still bored.
I'm so bored. The beginnings was so promising...
Spoil alert
Even with people being burned alive I was still bored.
September 3, 2022
What an outstanding read
Zacharias is a drug lord who lives in Texas And he has just walked in to find one of his men in bed with his wife. He shouldn’t be surprised she’s done it so many times. They no longer had a proper relationship it was just for show. They had two children together and there was rumours flying around about his daughter Samantha being in a relationship with another woman who is the daughter of Zachariah’s enemy. He needed to act quickly. But first he needed to get out of the house and have a drink. But as they were driving down to the clubs he noticed a guy being held up by another man and it was obvious that he didn’t want to be there. Zach goes out and Rescue him The attraction between them is instant. He quickly puts him in the back of his car to make sure he’s okay. It was obvious that boy was submissive just what he needed and he’s spent time together. But he couldn’t let it get out that he had spent time with another man it would not be accepted.
Andres was a cancer survivor. He lived with his best friend and he was dating a doctor. He was meant to spend the day with his sister but she called it off so he went home early to find his best friend in bed with his boyfriend. He just had to get out of there and went to spend time with his friend who decided he needed to get dressed up and get out there and have some fun. And he was having fun until he went outside and the guy got to Handsy. Thankfully he got rescued by the most attractive guy he’d ever seen and they spent some time together. It was just what he needed but would he ever see him again?? His friend got him a job working at the bar he just didn’t wanna go home and face his friend. And this is where he met Samantha and she asked him if he could do a big favour. She was willing to pay him. All he had to do was pretend to be her fiance for the night and be called Victor. It was easy money that was until he came face to face with the man from the other night. Samantha is his daughter. This could not end well especially when Samantha asked him to continue being her fake fiance.
And that is all I’m going to tell you because there is so much more going on in this book it is action packed and the passion and the attraction between Andres and Zachariah is just tantalising. honestly I could not stop reading this book. When these two were together it was like the electricity in the room just went berserk. There is so much danger around every corner and The storyline shocked me in so many places. I just don’t wanna give too much away. I wanna tell you everything I just wanna scream out loud and tell you all the good things that happen in the book and the bits that just make you cringe. An absolutely brilliant read. Ashlynn does it again!!!
I received an ARC And this is me leaving my honest review.
Zacharias is a drug lord who lives in Texas And he has just walked in to find one of his men in bed with his wife. He shouldn’t be surprised she’s done it so many times. They no longer had a proper relationship it was just for show. They had two children together and there was rumours flying around about his daughter Samantha being in a relationship with another woman who is the daughter of Zachariah’s enemy. He needed to act quickly. But first he needed to get out of the house and have a drink. But as they were driving down to the clubs he noticed a guy being held up by another man and it was obvious that he didn’t want to be there. Zach goes out and Rescue him The attraction between them is instant. He quickly puts him in the back of his car to make sure he’s okay. It was obvious that boy was submissive just what he needed and he’s spent time together. But he couldn’t let it get out that he had spent time with another man it would not be accepted.
Andres was a cancer survivor. He lived with his best friend and he was dating a doctor. He was meant to spend the day with his sister but she called it off so he went home early to find his best friend in bed with his boyfriend. He just had to get out of there and went to spend time with his friend who decided he needed to get dressed up and get out there and have some fun. And he was having fun until he went outside and the guy got to Handsy. Thankfully he got rescued by the most attractive guy he’d ever seen and they spent some time together. It was just what he needed but would he ever see him again?? His friend got him a job working at the bar he just didn’t wanna go home and face his friend. And this is where he met Samantha and she asked him if he could do a big favour. She was willing to pay him. All he had to do was pretend to be her fiance for the night and be called Victor. It was easy money that was until he came face to face with the man from the other night. Samantha is his daughter. This could not end well especially when Samantha asked him to continue being her fake fiance.
And that is all I’m going to tell you because there is so much more going on in this book it is action packed and the passion and the attraction between Andres and Zachariah is just tantalising. honestly I could not stop reading this book. When these two were together it was like the electricity in the room just went berserk. There is so much danger around every corner and The storyline shocked me in so many places. I just don’t wanna give too much away. I wanna tell you everything I just wanna scream out loud and tell you all the good things that happen in the book and the bits that just make you cringe. An absolutely brilliant read. Ashlynn does it again!!!
I received an ARC And this is me leaving my honest review.
September 18, 2022
M/M, Age Gap, Strangers to Lovers
It has many trigger warnings, please check them before reading the book.
I enjoyed reading this book and getting to know the characters. The way the story started, mind blowing! There was a part that was a bit much for me, but I decided to keep reading and I'm glad I did. Zacharias and Andres have a one-night stand, and each go their separate way. But they meet again under different circumstances. There's betrayal and a bit more violence but it does end with a HEA. There were some parts that had me thinking “what is wrong with this guy, is he being obtuse or what. I've read other books where the guys are smarter than this.”
Will I read this again….. Maybe. If I have nothing else to read. Though I can't wait to read Fernando and Enrico's story.
There's more, it might be a spoiler or not since I saw someone else mention this.
It has many trigger warnings, please check them before reading the book.
I enjoyed reading this book and getting to know the characters. The way the story started, mind blowing! There was a part that was a bit much for me, but I decided to keep reading and I'm glad I did. Zacharias and Andres have a one-night stand, and each go their separate way. But they meet again under different circumstances. There's betrayal and a bit more violence but it does end with a HEA. There were some parts that had me thinking “what is wrong with this guy, is he being obtuse or what. I've read other books where the guys are smarter than this.”
Will I read this again….. Maybe. If I have nothing else to read. Though I can't wait to read Fernando and Enrico's story.
There's more, it might be a spoiler or not since I saw someone else mention this.
August 27, 2022
It was an ok read. Maybe it just wasnt for me.
Andres, sweet twink, Cancer Survivor, experienced recent heartbreak.
Meets older handsome DILF, Zacharias/'Daddy', a Drug Lord of Texas. Z saves A's twinky ass one night in an alley. They end up doing a Dine/F@(k & Split. Both convinced it was one night only....or is it.....
Days later our boy Andres receives a proposal from a stranger in a bar - Samantha 19yr old daughter of wealthy parents. Andres agrees to pose as her fake fiance for a period of time, in exchange for cash. It was meant to be a WIN/WIN situation for them both. Sam had her own reasons for the arrangement, one being getting her daddy off her back. And who's her daddy????? Daddy Zacharias.
Well Daddy gets a surprise at the next family dinner, when he meets his future son in law Victor AKA Andres.!!!
Daddy Zach and Andres develop a close bond over time. A lot of bad $hit is happening in the background. There are some steamy scenes, some a lil cringey for my liking.
There is a scene where Zach f%@$ up towards the end, which put his boy's life in danger. I thought Zach was forgiven way too easily and it was glossed over.
I like daddy books, however I'm not a huge fan of 'daddy/little' trope. This is the 1st book I've read with needle play. Not sure how I feel about that one. 😬
Trigger List
Spitting
blood play,
CNC,
Dub con,
breath play,
needle play,
cup play,
kidnapping,
some toxicity between the main characters,
lots of death,
gun violence,
mentions of drugs,
lots of blood,
dismemberment of body parts involving side characters,
light mentions of organ trafficking and
drug trafficking.
Andres, sweet twink, Cancer Survivor, experienced recent heartbreak.
Meets older handsome DILF, Zacharias/'Daddy', a Drug Lord of Texas. Z saves A's twinky ass one night in an alley. They end up doing a Dine/F@(k & Split. Both convinced it was one night only....or is it.....
Days later our boy Andres receives a proposal from a stranger in a bar - Samantha 19yr old daughter of wealthy parents. Andres agrees to pose as her fake fiance for a period of time, in exchange for cash. It was meant to be a WIN/WIN situation for them both. Sam had her own reasons for the arrangement, one being getting her daddy off her back. And who's her daddy????? Daddy Zacharias.
Well Daddy gets a surprise at the next family dinner, when he meets his future son in law Victor AKA Andres.!!!
Daddy Zach and Andres develop a close bond over time. A lot of bad $hit is happening in the background. There are some steamy scenes, some a lil cringey for my liking.
There is a scene where Zach f%@$ up towards the end, which put his boy's life in danger. I thought Zach was forgiven way too easily and it was glossed over.
I like daddy books, however I'm not a huge fan of 'daddy/little' trope. This is the 1st book I've read with needle play. Not sure how I feel about that one. 😬
Trigger List
Spitting
blood play,
CNC,
Dub con,
breath play,
needle play,
cup play,
kidnapping,
some toxicity between the main characters,
lots of death,
gun violence,
mentions of drugs,
lots of blood,
dismemberment of body parts involving side characters,
light mentions of organ trafficking and
drug trafficking.
December 20, 2023
🖤🩸Conflicted // Ruthless Daddies // Ashlynn Mills 🩸🖤
😏 Conflicted. The one person Daddy Zacharias is helplessly drawn to, is his daughter’s new fiance. The man who makes sweet, down on his luck, Andres feel safe and cared for, is a m-rd3rous Cartel Boss. I guess you can say they’re both a bit conflicted. 😏
🖤 Y’all, I am quickly becoming OBSESSED with Ashlynn Mills’ writing! Her cartel focused, opposites attract themes are exciting, dangerous, and seductive. She is giving us ALL OF THE PLOT, while not sacrificing seduction and smolder. There is chemistry between MCS throughout the story, making the spice hit so good! The characters and plot are rich and deep. If you are looking for a chemistry filled, smoldering plot driven read, pick this one up! 🖤
🔥Don’t you worry, she is not sacrificing any k!nks or spice! They are sexy and abundant, they just for the characters and plot so beautifully. Check out that list, because sweet bb Andres has a thing for needles and Daddy Zacharias is happy to obliging and y’all the 🩸 play is TOP TIER. 🔥
🖤 Daddy / boy
🔪 Cartel Family Drama
⛈️ Boy in Need
☠️ Possessive , Protective Daddy
💍 Daughter’s Fiance
🩸Violence , Gore
⏰ Age Gap
🔥K!nky tags:
Strict Top/ Bottom: yes
Dominance and Submission
Obsessed Top/ Needy Needy Bottom
Daddy / boy (middle)
All the body piercings 🍒🍆
Needle K!nk/🩸 Play
Degradation/ Praise
CNC
Breath Play
S*mnoph!l!a
All the Marking
B*ndage
✅ yes,book has listed trigger warning.
Official Description:
Conflicted is a gritty MM romance with lots of steam and a very Ruthless Daddy. Please read trigger warnings before proceeding. Some topics might be triggering for readers.
💋 @read.me.romance
😏 Conflicted. The one person Daddy Zacharias is helplessly drawn to, is his daughter’s new fiance. The man who makes sweet, down on his luck, Andres feel safe and cared for, is a m-rd3rous Cartel Boss. I guess you can say they’re both a bit conflicted. 😏
🖤 Y’all, I am quickly becoming OBSESSED with Ashlynn Mills’ writing! Her cartel focused, opposites attract themes are exciting, dangerous, and seductive. She is giving us ALL OF THE PLOT, while not sacrificing seduction and smolder. There is chemistry between MCS throughout the story, making the spice hit so good! The characters and plot are rich and deep. If you are looking for a chemistry filled, smoldering plot driven read, pick this one up! 🖤
🔥Don’t you worry, she is not sacrificing any k!nks or spice! They are sexy and abundant, they just for the characters and plot so beautifully. Check out that list, because sweet bb Andres has a thing for needles and Daddy Zacharias is happy to obliging and y’all the 🩸 play is TOP TIER. 🔥
🖤 Daddy / boy
🔪 Cartel Family Drama
⛈️ Boy in Need
☠️ Possessive , Protective Daddy
💍 Daughter’s Fiance
🩸Violence , Gore
⏰ Age Gap
🔥K!nky tags:
Strict Top/ Bottom: yes
Dominance and Submission
Obsessed Top/ Needy Needy Bottom
Daddy / boy (middle)
All the body piercings 🍒🍆
Needle K!nk/🩸 Play
Degradation/ Praise
CNC
Breath Play
S*mnoph!l!a
All the Marking
B*ndage
✅ yes,book has listed trigger warning.
Official Description:
Conflicted is a gritty MM romance with lots of steam and a very Ruthless Daddy. Please read trigger warnings before proceeding. Some topics might be triggering for readers.
💋 @read.me.romance
March 6, 2023
I just wrapped up Conflicted - and whoa. What a wild ride. If you're looking for serious kink, drug cartel bosses, and just plain horrible people -> here's the book for you. And *honestly* everyone but Andres and Zacharias annoyed the bejesus out of me. Fernando was okay.
But the mc's were epic. The stuff they got into... 🫣🫣🫣🫣🫣 very wow. The spice is definitely there.
Don't get mad when this dark romance starts dark romancing.
It so totally does. I found myself rooting for these two even though their situation is so over the top. And the door is left open to see if [redacted] starts anything else or if Daddy and Andres can fade into a nice happily ever after.
Although I seriously doubt that 😂😂😂 there is just so much happening 24/7 here. Like an old telenovella. There's lots of murder, unaliving, torture, and kinks unleashed in these pages. Family drama, inter-cartel drama, who is banging who drama... it's non stop.
Honestly I really enjoyed this one. Which makes me evaluate my brain because shit got dark, but in the good dark romance kind of way.
Check the trigger/content warnings y'all, and happy hunting!
But the mc's were epic. The stuff they got into... 🫣🫣🫣🫣🫣 very wow. The spice is definitely there.
Don't get mad when this dark romance starts dark romancing.
It so totally does. I found myself rooting for these two even though their situation is so over the top. And the door is left open to see if [redacted] starts anything else or if Daddy and Andres can fade into a nice happily ever after.
Although I seriously doubt that 😂😂😂 there is just so much happening 24/7 here. Like an old telenovella. There's lots of murder, unaliving, torture, and kinks unleashed in these pages. Family drama, inter-cartel drama, who is banging who drama... it's non stop.
Honestly I really enjoyed this one. Which makes me evaluate my brain because shit got dark, but in the good dark romance kind of way.
Check the trigger/content warnings y'all, and happy hunting!
August 3, 2023
Andres has done a deal with Samantha who to save her father's reputation needs a husband in a marriage of convenience and in return he gets money. Then he meets his intended father-in-law and he worries it is over before it begins as his stupidity and loneliness might have cost him everything. Zacharias is a well-known drug lord in Texas and usually when he sees something he wants he takes it, but he wants his daughter's fiancé who is beautiful and the perfect submissive.
This was a slow-to-start story which soon developed into a story full of drama, danger, twists and turns as the two men central to this story meet and realise that they may have met before. They seem to be into taking risks but Andres seems to be unable to resist his Daddy and as the danger ratchets up and the plots get darker they both have to be involved in increasing levels of danger. This was easy to read, feel and understand. This is an MM story with mature content and a BSDM-like DDLB dynamic. There are some descriptions of murder and mutilation.
This was a slow-to-start story which soon developed into a story full of drama, danger, twists and turns as the two men central to this story meet and realise that they may have met before. They seem to be into taking risks but Andres seems to be unable to resist his Daddy and as the danger ratchets up and the plots get darker they both have to be involved in increasing levels of danger. This was easy to read, feel and understand. This is an MM story with mature content and a BSDM-like DDLB dynamic. There are some descriptions of murder and mutilation.
December 29, 2025
"Yesterday, now, and later. It all belongs to us."
what the flying fuck did i just read? I was having fun during the first like 60%ish all i felt was anxiety about whether they'd get caught together or not. And the smut was omll, so kinky and spicy! I loved it smmm!!
But then everything went downhill?!?!? Was this dark romance?!?! even if it was
excuse me while i crash tf out cuz woah?? why? and then
I need saving after reading this and not the good kind. I literally hate everyone in this book except Fernando! So excited for his book
Anyways this book was confusing As fuck daammn
August 31, 2022
This definitely not a cute and fluffy read. Real gritty, dark, violent and at times all kinds of wrong but oh so entertaining...if you're not squeamish...LOL. I will say out of the other Ruthless Daddies stories that I had a pleasure of reading, this was one of the most in your face, no holds barred with the ruthlessness. Zach a crime lord had no problem solving his issues with extreme violence but he has a soft spot for lil kitten. Andres is such a tragic character but he has an outlet...and that is his fake fiancé father. Their connection is sooooo strong...they bonded from the moment they saw each other...very HOT connection that wont be denied. So many twists and turns...at times I had a hard time keeping up...always guessing what's coming next and when the truth will finally come out...it was like OK now I can sit back and relax...NOPE...Ashlynn kept me at edge until the very end...LOL...what a ride:).
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
June 25, 2024
Oof this was bad like really bad I'm not usually super critical of books I usually just leave a star rating on the bad ones unless like this one it is really bad. The story flow was awful and didn't really make a whole lot of sense. The use of the word Daddy was way over done. Like Andres was using it in his thoughts to and it got really annoying which sucks cause I like the use of the word in other books but this Author took it to far I stopped reading the word in this story after awhile and just inserted Zach's real name instead. I almost Dnf'd this book so many time but I wanted to give it a chance to see if the Author could pull the plot together for a smooth ending but nope. Andres get hurt physically by Zach in the end and doesn't even leave or make him beg for forgiveness. From start to finish this book was bad. 1 Star\ half a pepper on spice.
August 27, 2022
This book was a pleasant surprise. Most of the books I read are fairly predictable but this one had me guessing the whole way through. Zacharias and Andres start out as a "one and done" but circumstances put them back in each other's lives....in a very complicated manner. This book is not for the faint of heart, so heed the trigger warnings. That being said, this book was not THAT intense. It had some very dark moments, but overall if you've read any of Ashlynn's Cartel Series, this won't be that big of a deal. There is a lot of action in this book that will definitely keep you engaged. I really enjoyed some of the secondary characters and look forward to what Ashlynn has in store for them.
February 23, 2024
Zacharias and Andres
One of the best Mafia books I have ever read in the MM Romance world... Conflicted give everything the title suggests in its single word labeling... You are conflicted about relationships, conflicted about family, conflicted about actions... This book takes you to an extremely dark, dank, and morbid place... Causing the reader to wade through the lies and the betrayals and the blood that stands in the way of a true love... The enemies in this book are never-ending... Leaving some loose ends that will need tide up in future books... So many possibilities for stories inside this book... A new fave author for sure!!!
HEA
MM
Daddy/Boy/Kitten/Mafia/Gore/Blood Play/Cancer/Cheating
High Angst
1st Person Dual POV
5 outta 5 in the 🔥🔥🔥 Department
One of the best Mafia books I have ever read in the MM Romance world... Conflicted give everything the title suggests in its single word labeling... You are conflicted about relationships, conflicted about family, conflicted about actions... This book takes you to an extremely dark, dank, and morbid place... Causing the reader to wade through the lies and the betrayals and the blood that stands in the way of a true love... The enemies in this book are never-ending... Leaving some loose ends that will need tide up in future books... So many possibilities for stories inside this book... A new fave author for sure!!!
HEA
MM
Daddy/Boy/Kitten/Mafia/Gore/Blood Play/Cancer/Cheating
High Angst
1st Person Dual POV
5 outta 5 in the 🔥🔥🔥 Department
October 17, 2025
3 ⭐
This started out really strong, I loved the characters, how they met and then re-met each other! It had the beginnings of a really good spicy book.
But then throughout the middle of the book it felt very repetitive and honestly there was no reason for it. It was very purposefully miscommunication and honestly just felt a bit unnecessary. Then the mafia mmc straight up just switches up with the other mmc and although he got his "revenge" it didn't feel enough for me, i wanted grovelling and not just a 2 page "revenge".
I will be trying other books from this author in the future because i enjoyed their writing, but this plot and story just wasn't for me.
Mafia man mmc
Marriage of convenience
Second chance
Son in law
Daddy kink
Dark
This started out really strong, I loved the characters, how they met and then re-met each other! It had the beginnings of a really good spicy book.
But then throughout the middle of the book it felt very repetitive and honestly there was no reason for it. It was very purposefully miscommunication and honestly just felt a bit unnecessary. Then the mafia mmc straight up just switches up with the other mmc and although he got his "revenge" it didn't feel enough for me, i wanted grovelling and not just a 2 page "revenge".
I will be trying other books from this author in the future because i enjoyed their writing, but this plot and story just wasn't for me.
Mafia man mmc
Marriage of convenience
Second chance
Son in law
Daddy kink
Dark
November 16, 2025
₊˚⊹ | 2.5 ★ read .ᐟ
I feel like this book had so much potential, but everything was too rushed. I hoped to feel more, to delve into their complicated love story with all the wrongs and rights that come with it, but that didn’t happen, unfortunately. It wasn’t a baaaad one, but if I had to compare it with something, it surely felt like a Wattpad story. A quick, sex filled story that ended the way you probably expected from the start.
And the fact that Andres forgave Zacharias after everything he did to him when he thought he was the gold thief? Nah, that would’ve been the end of the book for me and honestly I would’ve preferred if their ways remained separate. It would’ve been more realistic that way.
I feel like this book had so much potential, but everything was too rushed. I hoped to feel more, to delve into their complicated love story with all the wrongs and rights that come with it, but that didn’t happen, unfortunately. It wasn’t a baaaad one, but if I had to compare it with something, it surely felt like a Wattpad story. A quick, sex filled story that ended the way you probably expected from the start.
And the fact that Andres forgave Zacharias after everything he did to him when he thought he was the gold thief? Nah, that would’ve been the end of the book for me and honestly I would’ve preferred if their ways remained separate. It would’ve been more realistic that way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2023
My dark romance heart loved this twisted story!
If you have triggers, be sure to check them out. This is a dark mafia romance with Daddykink thrown in. It’s NOT a low angst story with kinks.
To start with I was hooked in, I just love the authors way with words and the way she writes dark stories. It’s not super dark to start with, but towards the end the dark twists definitely comes! And I love it! Wow! I did not see the ending coming at all! Good job!
I couldn’t find any plot holes, and I loved the pacing.
The smut is 🔥🔥🔥 and the kinks are 🔥🔥🔥! I didn’t know I liked needle play! I want more now!
If you have triggers, be sure to check them out. This is a dark mafia romance with Daddykink thrown in. It’s NOT a low angst story with kinks.
To start with I was hooked in, I just love the authors way with words and the way she writes dark stories. It’s not super dark to start with, but towards the end the dark twists definitely comes! And I love it! Wow! I did not see the ending coming at all! Good job!
I couldn’t find any plot holes, and I loved the pacing.
The smut is 🔥🔥🔥 and the kinks are 🔥🔥🔥! I didn’t know I liked needle play! I want more now!
August 25, 2022
I was conflicted about reading this book. Ashlynn gave many trigger warnings, which had me thinking, but the curiosity almost killed this cat. So I dove in and I'm so glad I did. I wasn't expecting a true love story as this. Andres needed something more after all his life issues and betrayal by his bf and bff left him in ruins. Zacharias was exactly what he needed. He understood Andres kinks and let him grow from it. It's dark and nasty at times, but just enough to add the seasoning. I was on the edge at the end, thinking something bad was going to happen. So glad I read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews