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lailasseverin's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
would’ve been lower if not for the christiangianna cameo
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Trafficking, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
rashellyreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Warning: your standards will be completely fucked after reading this book.
It’s been three days since I’ve read it and I still can’t get over Ronan. I literally think about him every hour of the day. And Mila? I’m torn between wanting to be her best friend and wanting her to just not exist.
The first 100 pages of this book was gold. I am obsessed with gentlemanly, mysterious Russians with deep pockets. So when Ronan first comes into the picture acting like a good samaritan, I’m all over it.
And then, we get to the plot twist. I won’t reveal too much but things got intense. Like, INTENSE intense. I almost stopped reading. My faith in Danielle Lori was dwindling at the very actions of Ronan who I thought I loved so much. But, despite my moral code, I kept on reading.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen and enbies, I fell in love with a fictional man who kidnapped a woman. My idea of romance is fucked up…send help. It’s safe to say that you’ll want to research possible content and trigger warnings for this book.
If you’re like me, you’ll be obsessed with everything about this book soon enough. I don’t know why my faith in Danielle Lori (my literary goddess) was cracking, considering she’s never failed me before. I mean, let’s be honest…Nico from The Sweetest Oblivion and Christian from The Maddest Obsession are perfect in every way. And Ronan…well let’s just say he could “choke me like he hates me but he loves me.”
It’s been three days since I’ve read it and I still can’t get over Ronan. I literally think about him every hour of the day. And Mila? I’m torn between wanting to be her best friend and wanting her to just not exist.
The first 100 pages of this book was gold. I am obsessed with gentlemanly, mysterious Russians with deep pockets. So when Ronan first comes into the picture acting like a good samaritan, I’m all over it.
And then, we get to the plot twist. I won’t reveal too much but things got intense. Like, INTENSE intense. I almost stopped reading. My faith in Danielle Lori was dwindling at the very actions of Ronan who I thought I loved so much. But, despite my moral code, I kept on reading.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen and enbies, I fell in love with a fictional man who kidnapped a woman. My idea of romance is fucked up…send help. It’s safe to say that you’ll want to research possible content and trigger warnings for this book.
If you’re like me, you’ll be obsessed with everything about this book soon enough. I don’t know why my faith in Danielle Lori (my literary goddess) was cracking, considering she’s never failed me before. I mean, let’s be honest…Nico from The Sweetest Oblivion and Christian from The Maddest Obsession are perfect in every way. And Ronan…well let’s just say he could “choke me like he hates me but he loves me.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual assault, Blood, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Kidnapping, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, and Trafficking
Minor: Child abuse, Death of parent, Medical content, and Pregnancy
matildasmorana's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Death
Minor: Vomit, Trafficking, Drug abuse, and Sexual assault
rethabile's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
betsyd's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, and Vomit
literamy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
i knew this book would be dark. it’s in the title, it’s in all the content warnings, and it’s true to it, through and through. i went through turmoil alongside Mila—through her determination to find her father, her journey to Russia, her optimism and kindness in the face of adversity, and in how she loves, wide open and without restraint.
i’m a character reader, first and foremost. i fell in love with Elena and her sweet romanticism, i adored Gianna for her sarcasm and softness, but i fell the hardest for Mila. from the get-go, she was imperfect, but so wholly intent on her life meaning something more. more than Miami, more than The Moorings, more than being married off to a man who doesn’t love her. i understand people’s criticisms of her character—she’s blindly optimistic, she’s too trusting, she makes mistakes, and she’s imperfect—but that’s why i fell in love with her. her sunshine smile, her yellow wardrobe, her warm heart, and wanting to love so much that it ends up hurting her. in that way, i thought this book was Danielle Lori’s strongest. both Mila and Ronan were SO deeply flawed, and even in this world of mafia romance and fanaticism, there was something real about that. it sucked me right in and made my heart race, and it completely transported me to Moscow alongside Mila.
and as the story unfolded, as the sucker punch of Ronan’s cruel, twisted intentions fully came to light, i got nauseous. i teared up; i felt my belly twist in rage. as we moved into the second act, i almost had to stop reading. it was visceral and too real, and i felt betrayed by Ronan right alongside Mila. the only thing that kept me going was how much i connected with her, how much she felt like a real person to me. and i was disgusted, i felt sick, and then, somewhere along the way, it quieted.
it wasn’t easy. i was so sure that my hatred and disgust for Ronan would stick with me long after i finished—but through his horrible, twisted exterior, little things started to shine. D’yavol, the most ruthless and feared man in the Russian mafia, fell for the sunshine girl he kidnapped, plays candy crush on his phone, eats froot loops, and has a thaw in his heart. there are Ronan haters and there are Ronan apologists, but i fall somewhere in the middle.
dark romances—especially ones with twisted, sadistic themes, with kidnapping, with every single plot point in TDT—are never my thing. ever. but because of Mila’s character, because of how strongly she resonated with me, because of the way this book got inside of me and refused to get out—something got me. this is my guiltiest pleasure of a read, and i understand the criticisms. i understand why people don’t like it. i understand the complaints of it being too dark, too twisted, too much. but, just like Mila, disgust turned, somewhere along the way, into passion. and then, despite all reason, passion turned into love. Mila Mikhailov, and all of her fucking yellow, drowned everything else out. and, like Mila, somehow, i fell for Ronan and the horrible, violent way he loves. it’s not simple, and it’s almost inexplicable, but the way i felt after i finished—awestruck, whiplashed, stunned—that stuck with me long after. and that’s what a good book—with complex but ultimately, somehow, lovable characters—does. it sticks to you, it stays with you.
i’m a character reader, first and foremost. i fell in love with Elena and her sweet romanticism, i adored Gianna for her sarcasm and softness, but i fell the hardest for Mila. from the get-go, she was imperfect, but so wholly intent on her life meaning something more. more than Miami, more than The Moorings, more than being married off to a man who doesn’t love her. i understand people’s criticisms of her character—she’s blindly optimistic, she’s too trusting, she makes mistakes, and she’s imperfect—but that’s why i fell in love with her. her sunshine smile, her yellow wardrobe, her warm heart, and wanting to love so much that it ends up hurting her. in that way, i thought this book was Danielle Lori’s strongest. both Mila and Ronan were SO deeply flawed, and even in this world of mafia romance and fanaticism, there was something real about that. it sucked me right in and made my heart race, and it completely transported me to Moscow alongside Mila.
and as the story unfolded, as the sucker punch of Ronan’s cruel, twisted intentions fully came to light, i got nauseous. i teared up; i felt my belly twist in rage. as we moved into the second act, i almost had to stop reading. it was visceral and too real, and i felt betrayed by Ronan right alongside Mila. the only thing that kept me going was how much i connected with her, how much she felt like a real person to me. and i was disgusted, i felt sick, and then, somewhere along the way, it quieted.
it wasn’t easy. i was so sure that my hatred and disgust for Ronan would stick with me long after i finished—but through his horrible, twisted exterior, little things started to shine. D’yavol, the most ruthless and feared man in the Russian mafia, fell for the sunshine girl he kidnapped, plays candy crush on his phone, eats froot loops, and has a thaw in his heart. there are Ronan haters and there are Ronan apologists, but i fall somewhere in the middle.
dark romances—especially ones with twisted, sadistic themes, with kidnapping, with every single plot point in TDT—are never my thing. ever. but because of Mila’s character, because of how strongly she resonated with me, because of the way this book got inside of me and refused to get out—something got me. this is my guiltiest pleasure of a read, and i understand the criticisms. i understand why people don’t like it. i understand the complaints of it being too dark, too twisted, too much. but, just like Mila, disgust turned, somewhere along the way, into passion. and then, despite all reason, passion turned into love. Mila Mikhailov, and all of her fucking yellow, drowned everything else out. and, like Mila, somehow, i fell for Ronan and the horrible, violent way he loves. it’s not simple, and it’s almost inexplicable, but the way i felt after i finished—awestruck, whiplashed, stunned—that stuck with me long after. and that’s what a good book—with complex but ultimately, somehow, lovable characters—does. it sticks to you, it stays with you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
michellemaas's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
First read: 5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Second read: 5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
No thoughts, just complete, and utter love for this book.
I do not know how Danielle Lori got away with writing essentially the same story three times over and making it better each time but she did and now this is undoubtedly one of my favorite series ever! I am not kidding when I say that I felt the need to reread several of the scenes a mere 24hrs after completing the book.
I'm going to start with our main characters, Mila and Ronan. If you like the "Grumpy X Sunshine" trope you'll love this romance. Mila is a yellow-clad, blue-eyed vegan who hasn't experienced the world outside of her pampered and sheltered life under her father's thumb while Ronan is the leader of the Bratva with a stone-cold heart due to his traumatic childhood. Their story was beautifully portrayed and is my favorite couple in the Made Men Universe.
Another thing I enjoyed was the fact that true love wasn't the only thing needed for happiness in Mila's life in the end. There was one part in the book where Mila talked about only experiencing the inside of a house and falling in love, so if she didn't find herself that would be all she ended up experiencing. Love is great, but without other motivations such as hobbies and your job, you can still live an unfulfilled life even if you are in the most loving relationship on the planet. I love that Lori chose to include that since most romance authors make it seem that everything is cupcakes and rainbows as soon as you've found love.
Then there's Christian, Gianna, and Kat. Ahhhhhhh. I know quite a few people were sad we didn't get to see Christian as a father at the end of The Maddest Obsession but their interactions in this book more than made up for it. The Darkest Temptation takes place 2,5 years after the events of The Sweetest Oblivion and The Maddest Obsession, so we get to see Gianna and Christian as a couple who've adjusted to married life and life as parents. Also, Kat is the best character in all three books. Fight me if you must, but I guarantee you will not win. She is so sassy as well as the perfect mixture of Christian and Gianna. Every scene she was in gave me life.
Lastly, I want to give a shoutout to violence. I did not realize how much I missed the action (that included our main characters and not just the side characters) until I read this book. In the first book, neither Elena nor Nico got seriously injured and the same goes for the second book. If it's a mafia romance you know I'm either going to want a "who did this to you?" scene after the love interest sees the main character's scars or a "realizing I'm in love with you because I almost lost you and I can't stand to be without you" scene. This was the first book in the series where we got one of these and I really appreciated that.
In conclusion, you should go read this entire series (but especially this book) immediately or you will be doing yourself a disservice. I felt that the books each got better and better (so I gave The Sweetest Oblivion 3 stars and The Maddest Obsession 4 stars) but every book was great and something I'd happily reread. Go, go, go!
Second read: 5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
No thoughts, just complete, and utter love for this book.
I do not know how Danielle Lori got away with writing essentially the same story three times over and making it better each time but she did and now this is undoubtedly one of my favorite series ever! I am not kidding when I say that I felt the need to reread several of the scenes a mere 24hrs after completing the book.
I'm going to start with our main characters, Mila and Ronan. If you like the "Grumpy X Sunshine" trope you'll love this romance. Mila is a yellow-clad, blue-eyed vegan who hasn't experienced the world outside of her pampered and sheltered life under her father's thumb while Ronan is the leader of the Bratva with a stone-cold heart due to his traumatic childhood. Their story was beautifully portrayed and is my favorite couple in the Made Men Universe.
Another thing I enjoyed was the fact that true love wasn't the only thing needed for happiness in Mila's life in the end. There was one part in the book where Mila talked about only experiencing the inside of a house and falling in love, so if she didn't find herself that would be all she ended up experiencing. Love is great, but without other motivations such as hobbies and your job, you can still live an unfulfilled life even if you are in the most loving relationship on the planet. I love that Lori chose to include that since most romance authors make it seem that everything is cupcakes and rainbows as soon as you've found love.
Then there's Christian, Gianna, and Kat. Ahhhhhhh. I know quite a few people were sad we didn't get to see Christian as a father at the end of The Maddest Obsession but their interactions in this book more than made up for it. The Darkest Temptation takes place 2,5 years after the events of The Sweetest Oblivion and The Maddest Obsession, so we get to see Gianna and Christian as a couple who've adjusted to married life and life as parents. Also, Kat is the best character in all three books. Fight me if you must, but I guarantee you will not win. She is so sassy as well as the perfect mixture of Christian and Gianna. Every scene she was in gave me life.
Lastly, I want to give a shoutout to violence. I did not realize how much I missed the action (that included our main characters and not just the side characters) until I read this book. In the first book, neither Elena nor Nico got seriously injured and the same goes for the second book. If it's a mafia romance you know I'm either going to want a "who did this to you?" scene after the love interest sees the main character's scars or a "realizing I'm in love with you because I almost lost you and I can't stand to be without you" scene. This was the first book in the series where we got one of these and I really appreciated that.
In conclusion, you should go read this entire series (but especially this book) immediately or you will be doing yourself a disservice. I felt that the books each got better and better (so I gave The Sweetest Oblivion 3 stars and The Maddest Obsession 4 stars) but every book was great and something I'd happily reread. Go, go, go!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Murder, Sexual content, Torture, Death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Gore, Gun violence, and Violence
Minor: Drug use
trish1oo1's review
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
dnf @ 23%
uhhh i think that’s, what do they call it? SA like LITERALLY. i loved the other two books i have no idea what happened here
i lied i’m bored so i will keep reading:
more SA @ 25% mark
their age gap is really predatory and weird
52% mc is totally delusional but not in a “this is a psychological thriller” way in a “this is supposed to be romantic” way
okay officially dnfing @ 70% i just really cannot do this anymore
final update, i finished it. ronan didn’t redeem himself and i can fully say i did not enjoy this book.
uhhh i think that’s, what do they call it? SA like LITERALLY. i loved the other two books i have no idea what happened here
i lied i’m bored so i will keep reading:
more SA @ 25% mark
their age gap is really predatory and weird
52% mc is totally delusional but not in a “this is a psychological thriller” way in a “this is supposed to be romantic” way
okay officially dnfing @ 70% i just really cannot do this anymore
final update, i finished it. ronan didn’t redeem himself and i can fully say i did not enjoy this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Murder, Kidnapping, and Gun violence
lenavejar's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Medical trauma, Medical content, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, and Confinement
psydneigh's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I was a little worried that this love story wasn’t going to be believable for me, but it worked. I wish Mila and Albert had more interactions and I also wish the ending was a little longer. Kat was absolutely hilarious. the cat fight felt kind of out of place. I didn’t feel like that was in Mila to do I thought this was a trilogy, but there’s going to be another book and I wonder who that’ll be about since so far these have been almost completely different worlds. I’ll definitely be continuing.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Child abuse, Confinement, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, and Vomit