Filthy Promises by Nicole Fox

In FILTHY PROMISES, we watch Rowan and Vince almost switch personalities as they navigate a relationship between the woman that wants a normal life and the Bratva leader/boss she’s longed after for years and gets mixed up with for good.

Ivory Ashes by Nicole Fox

IVORY ASHES has all that is good about mafia romances - arranged marriage, family power struggles, secret child, jealousy, tragic pasts, cold hearted MMC and a FMC that wants to fix everyone. It’s ends with a bang, and I’m on to book 2.

Tangled Decadence by Nicole Fox

I was very invested in this plot - both the mafia wars part and the baby/romance part but this part of the duet really dragged for me.

Tangled Innocence by Nicole Fox

TANGLED INNOCENCE has a refreshing and creative plot. There is a lot of action, secrets, lies, unrequited love, and a heck of a cliffhanger.

The characters are all mafia but cleverly done with not just two main characters, but three (not a why choose book), and entertaining to read.

Cruel Promise by Nicole Fox

The second part of the Oryolov Bratva duet was every bit as good as the first.  CRUEL PROMISE is about the rocky times Ruslan and Emma weather after the supposed betrayal at the end of book 1.  The children, especially Josh, figure prominently and really make this a good story.

Cruel Paradise by Nicole Fox

CRUEL PARADISE is unconventional for a Nicole Fox mafia romance.  Ruslan, both CEO and pakhan is closed off from all emotions.  Emma, his assistant is raising her dead sister’s children and trying to keep her job with a demanding boss.

There’s a contact - no feelings involved.  Children are involved.  A sleezy brother-in-law, rival mafia leader, and unscrupulous journalist create oodles of conflict.  It’s really good.

Cognac Vixen by Nicole Fox

 COGNAC VIXEN had all the Bratva necessities - kidnapping, shootings, stabbing, threats, gun running, arranged marriages, terrible parents, and more.  Ivan is a hero multiple times.  Cora doesn’t do too bad herself.

Cognac Villian by Nicole Fox

I was so pleased with the plot and characters of COGNAC VILLIAN.  There is so much creative thinking for the Bratva trope.  I couldn’t decide what I liked more - what tied up Cora from loving Ivan, what tied up Ivan from loving Cora, or the whole host of other characters that each gave us reasons to distrust them.

Whiskey Poison by Nicole Fox

 I devour Nicole Fox books, but WHISKEY POISON was disappointing.  Piper is forced to be a nanny to a 6 month old child Timofey has acquired.  Over halfway through the book, she’s only touched the child three times.  But that’s not the frustrating part.  It’s the constant battle over every little thing that wore me down.  It’s the promises, then lies, then broken promises over and over that made it hard to like Piper at all.

I did like the way Timofey’s many layers were revealed.  He was also hard to like, but these glimpses of his other side were promising and not only explained a lot, but drove the intrigue in the story.  It made it hard to accept that he’d put up with Piper very long.

The book was too long.  I really had a hard time reading it for an extended period of time.  If half the bickering and being difficult were cut out, it would be easier to read.

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

Champagne Venom by Nicole Fox

I loved this book.  First, it is longer than most books of a duet, but I didn’t even notice the passage of time because I was so into the story.  Also, Nicole Fox is the Queen of Cliffhangers.  The ending of CHAMPAGNE VENOM leave me thirsty for more.

Misha is the swoon-worthy tortured grumpy guy whose beloved brother was killed elevating him to the don of the Orlov Bratva responsible for the family Maksim left behind and driven to avenge his brother’s death.

A chance encounter with down-on-her-luck Paige ends up having far reaching consequences adding another layer to Misha’s already heavy responsibilities. Paige is such a great heroine by standing up for herself when it’s important but smart enough to do most of what Misha asks her to do to ensure her safety.

Sapphire Tears by Nicole Fox

As much as SAPPHIRE TEARS is brother against brother and a ‘who can you trust?’ mafia story, I loved the romance even more.  It was difficult, and messy.  There were times I was all “what were you thinking?” where June was concerned, but Kolya never wavered in his love or his loyalty.  He was broken yet he never let it break him.  For all his fierceness, we come to love his devotion.

And…what an ending!

Sapphire Scars by Nicole Fox

SAPPHIRE SCARS is Part One of the Uranov Bratva and it’s a kidnapping someone for their own good story.  June’s boyfriend and father of her unborn child is killed.  Things between them had not been going well, but she stayed with him because he needed her more than anything else.

Kolya first appears at the funeral.  He is the most expressionless, yet clearly lethal sort of man and he comes for June one day, keeping her in his mansion.  But is he telling her the truth about the danger she faces or manipulating her like Adrian did.  Who can she trust?  What can she do if she can escape Kolya’s gilded cage?

Excellent story so far.  Stellar cliffhanger.

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

Arrogant Mistake by Nicole Fox

It only gets better in book 2 of the Vlasov Bratva, ARROGANT MISTAKE.  Daniil makes a deal with Gregor that he has no intention of keeping, but it keeps his daughter safe until such a time that Daniil can neutralize the Semarov Bratva.

Keeping Kinsley and Isla safe becomes Daniil’s mission and they struggled with their time together each protecting themselves from the inevitable hurt when they thought the other would leave.  Eventually Daniil settled his family abroad so he could return to deal with the threats facing them.

In book 2 we learn the extent of the traumas and abuses young Daniil and Kinsley endured at the hands of their parents.  That they emerged as such different people after similar trials was an important part of the story.  The romance matures in ARROGANT MISTAKE and I was not disappointed in the ending.

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

Arrogant Monster by Nicole Fox

I had no clue how much I would’ve this story.  I was all in from the first page.  ARROGANT MONSTER refers to Daniil, Don of the Vlasov Bratva.  He is that powerful, calm, yet really intense man.  The world could be blowing up around him and he’d be dusting off his bespoke suit while on the phone arranging the retaliation.

The pages just sizzle when Daniil and Kinsley are together.  Daniil’s careful control lets loose on Kinsley.  Kinsley doesn’t want to need Daniil, but she does.  And when he finds out they have a daughter, I dare you not to swoon.

The first part of the Vlasov Bratva is the creation and bringing together of this little family.  The cliffhanger will have you rushing for the next book immediately.

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

Tarnished Queen by Nicole Fox

TARNISHED QUEEN continues the contentious relationship between Bella and Nikolai - each having their own fears and insecurities about their inability to resist one another.

Part 2 deals with the dangers of the Greek mafia and revenge against the couple by Xena for interfering with the marriage between Nikolai and Xena.  Elise and Bella and even Nikolai face the effects of their past relationships with their parents.

The book is quite steamy and the characters well developed.  I was more than a little annoyed with Bella because she didn’t use her head and she had to continuously be shown that Nikolai did know what was best even if she didn’t like it.  I thought the second part of the duet was a little too long for the number of things that took place, though.

Tarnished Tyrant by Nicole Fox

Nikolai rebuilt the Bratva his grandfather once led, but also has a company that does legitimate business and the company Belle works for was to complete an audit of the corporation - but with a few tweaks that Belle resisted honoring because they were shady.

But Belle was in NY from Oklahoma with her younger sister in her charge.  Would Nikolai exploit her loyalty for her sister to keep her in his control?

It’s a really good book told in the dual POV.  I would have given it five stars but there was a little too much repetition of some points that had been made clear several times.

We have the Bratva and the Greek mafia trying to make an alliance for shipping favors, and a third mafia that destroyed Nikolai’s grandfather, waiting in the wings.  There are car chases, gun fights, wet work clean up, and more making this a well rounded mafia story.

Cliffhanger is good after a secret revealed and big plot twist.

Shattered Altar - Nicole Fox

I got sucked into this story from the first scene that might be described as a Bratva version of the meet cute.  Aleksandr is the ultimate alpha, the Don, the guy that manipulates, then tosses aside the seemingly unremarkable Olivia.

But there is so much going on that is not it seems.  The subterfuge beneath the surface prohibits trusting anyone - even your own mother.  The secondary characters are not just window dressing.  We learn quickly to underestimate no one.

So Nicole Fox once again leads us into a cliffhanger.  Part of it we can see coming. The other part we know is going to lead to nothing but trouble….

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

Ravaged Throne by Nicole Fox

RAVAGED THRONE picks up right where Ravaged Crown leaves off then takes some leaps in time as Leo and Willow unravel the secrets each has of the Mikhailov and Solavev Bratvas.  The secrets are good ones.  The suspense and danger will keep you turning the pages.

Leo and Willow have their trials in the relationship department with jealousy, trust and being honest about their feels.  You can definitely count this as an opposites attract novel because Leo is attracted to Willow from the start and she always does the opposite of what he says.

The story is full of passionate encounters and moments fueled by tragedy.  Be prepared for a few surprises and a few things you dread but can see coming a mile off.

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

Ravaged Crown by Nicole Fox

I was under the spell of this book by the first time Leo and Willow lay eyes on one another.  The way Nicole Fox can write gripping scenes of strangers meeting or enemies butting heads is what makes books like RAVAGED CROWN so good.

What you will notice right away is Leo has a lot of information he is not letting anyone else know (yet).  The information guides his decisions about Willow, the Bratva and threaten her safety.  She’s furious to be kept in the dark.

Leo is not only a dark alpha, but he gets numerous opportunities to be protective and possessive of Willow.  She tries to resist the man of no emotions, but so far she can’t do it.

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

Velvet Angel by Nicole Fox

 VELVET ANGEL starts three weeks after Velvet Devil ends with Camila once again being in the Witness Protection Program relocated to the US to be protected from Bratva dons Isaak and Maxsim.

Isaak takes on protecting Jo and a lot of this story revolves around Jo adjusting to Isaak’s family while he keeps her location a secret from Camila.  The extent of this subterfuge and of his relationship to Jo was a little perplexing to me and even a little annoying.

The revelations in the ending I had sort of figured out giving us a few interesting twists at the end.  Good duet!