Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

Unfolding my arms, I reached for him. “So just how hard are you? Do you need to throw me around first, or is the verbal banter enough?”

I knew a fair amount about this book before I started, but it was way more intense than I excpected. The content warnings provided in the book are very much not sufficient or detailed enough, so beware of that.

Ignoring that though, I had a great time reading it. The writing really worked for me and the story itself felt original and was developed really well. I would definitely classify this as dark romance, and Sasha is more morally pitch black than morally gray. There’s no vigilante vibes, no ‘I do bad things for good reasons’ argument. He’s just bad. He’s also closeted/in denial and struggles with internalized homophobia. Safe to say it’s not a smooth ride for these guys.

Memories of him were seared into my skin as permanently as the tattoos were in his.

I enjoyed the journey and development for both characters, and I’m curious to see how it all continues in book 2. There’s some really tough trauma to deal with and physical and mental healing to do, and I assume it’ll be rough.

If he wasn’t a fucking kidnapper, I would have said he was hot. Lie. He was hot, even if he was a kidnapper. But he lost major points for being a criminal.

It was also surprisingly funny at times, you know, in between all the graphic violence and murdering.

For sure heed the content warnings, but if you’re good with those I’d absolutely give it a chance. It was really good.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & content tags ⚠️
Size difference
Tattooed MC
Morally black
Dark romance
Kidnapping
Closeted MC
Russian mobster
Age gap
First times
Possessive MC
Mafia romance

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
MC assaulted and raped with object (on page, some details)

MC kidnapped by other MC

Gun violence
SC killed by MC

MC held captive

Graphic violence (towards MC and SC)

Mention of MC being sold/trafficked as a child

Past physical child abuse (off page)

Human trafficking (including underage girls)

Physical violence between MCs (captor physically harming captive)

Use of homophobic slur

Trafficking victims sexually abused (off page)

Trafficking victims drugged (off page, details of aftermath)

Internalized homophobia (including religion-based)

References to past imprisonment

Alcohol consumption

Excessive cigarette smoking

Explicit sexual content

Self harm (on page, putting out cigarette on skin)

Torture, dismemberment and SA with object of SC by MC (on page)

Brief mention of killing guard dogs (off page)

MC stalked and photographed

Recounting of past torture and killing of a gay teenager (hate crime, some details)

Killing of innocent people (by MC)

Hand-collaring/choking

Racial/ethnic slurs

Graphic on-page physical assault on MC

Suicidal thoughts/wishing for death

MC hospitalized (treatment off page)

Graphic on-page murder

Side character partially skinned on page

Homophobia

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: Woman hits on MC in a bar. He’s not interested.
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, dual
Genre: Dark romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles in this book. Will update when I’ve read book 2.
Main characters’ age: 22 and 35
Series: Duology, book 1
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 340
Happy ending: Sort of HFN


It was hot. And terrifying. Mostly hot. No, terrifying. Crazy, Russian criminals were terrifying, Roan. But also really fucking hot.

Despite his icy exterior, I’d come to associate Sasha with fire — a fiery touch, a fiery temper, and fiery passion when he let his guard down.



You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?igsh=MWZ3azhkdDc2Y2ludg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr