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darkclouds's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Wasted potential really.
Miko's character was much more compulsive and for the most part, I could bear the leads for this story. What Sophie Lark couldn't sell me on was the immediate empathy between them two following ONE dinner and a dance. We went from Nessa being frightened, to a forced dinner playing dress up and dancing like Beauty and the Beast (which this story tried so hard to reimagine) to suddenly placing niceties and an odd shared compassion for one another.
It did not flow. At all.
We knew the Stockholm Syndrome vibes was already toeing the line but there was barely any development for them to have reached an understanding after 2/3 interactions. Also Nessa being SO SMART that she could speak Polish that fluent after reading translated books of her favourite children books? Being receptive when it comes to learning choreography in dance is NOT the same as adeptly learning a whole new language. Especially one so difficult.
A whole lot was happening and yet nothing at all. Because it's just narrated to us without actually showing us what's happening. So the whole book went on Nessa being pampered. Miko stalking her on CCTV. Lot of food and scenes with bonding with the Polish speaking maid whom Nessa easily understood. Intelligence you guys. Remember?
We went from lowkey slow burn to instalove in moments I don't even know how that was possible.
It was a messy wrap up but it was a degree better than the first story that's for sure.
Miko's character was much more compulsive and for the most part, I could bear the leads for this story. What Sophie Lark couldn't sell me on was the immediate empathy between them two following ONE dinner and a dance. We went from Nessa being frightened, to a forced dinner playing dress up and dancing like Beauty and the Beast (which this story tried so hard to reimagine) to suddenly placing niceties and an odd shared compassion for one another.
It did not flow. At all.
We knew the Stockholm Syndrome vibes was already toeing the line but there was barely any development for them to have reached an understanding after 2/3 interactions. Also Nessa being SO SMART that she could speak Polish that fluent after reading translated books of her favourite children books? Being receptive when it comes to learning choreography in dance is NOT the same as adeptly learning a whole new language. Especially one so difficult.
A whole lot was happening and yet nothing at all. Because it's just narrated to us without actually showing us what's happening. So the whole book went on Nessa being pampered. Miko stalking her on CCTV. Lot of food and scenes with bonding with the Polish speaking maid whom Nessa easily understood. Intelligence you guys. Remember?
We went from lowkey slow burn to instalove in moments I don't even know how that was possible.
It was a messy wrap up but it was a degree better than the first story that's for sure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Confinement
Minor: Sexual assault and Suicide
__romancereader__'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I loved this book i think this one is my favorite so far in the series so Stolen heir is my number 1 and Brutal prince is my number 2 so far i cannot wait to read the rest of these books i loved the beauty in the beast things that were happening in this book i don't really know if that makes sense i hope it does i did also really love that Mikolaj was her first ifykyk and her last ofc these books are very good i read them fast there good story's i love the couples in these books so far i loved how even trying to hate Nessa in the beginning Miko still wouldn’t let none of his men touch her or even think about hurting her i love these crazy things that happen at the end but go by fast it gives me enough time to enjoy the ending without my anxiety kicking in this book was so good i love how in these books so far also you get to meet the next book’s character in it overall i lived this book the most and i rated it obviously five stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🥰🥰🥰🥰
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Gore, Rape, Toxic friendship, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Alcohol, Blood, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Self harm, Sexual content, Stalking, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Grief, Gun violence, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
Not all content warnings are about the main characters some are and some are about the characters you meet/hear in the book 🫶🏼🫶🏼🥰🥰Enjoygracerusso's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Death, Gore, and Sexual content
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide
misswirum's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
This is such a cute love story!!! Who doesn't love it when a mafiaboss kidnapps you and keeps you captive in a big old mansion for months?? No, I'm not being sarcastic🥹🥺
Sophie Lark does a really good job at describing the setting and enviroment in this book. I could see the mansion as clear as day. It may be my new favourite fiction mansion.
Sometime I felt the book was kinda long, because we get many of Miko and Nessa's inner monologues. But would I have been without them? No, absolutly not.
This book could have more action and interaction between the two main characters, but I see the book as a love story, and not really a dark romance.
4,25/5⭐️
4,25/5📝
2,75/5🌶
Sophie Lark does a really good job at describing the setting and enviroment in this book. I could see the mansion as clear as day. It may be my new favourite fiction mansion.
Sometime I felt the book was kinda long, because we get many of Miko and Nessa's inner monologues. But would I have been without them? No, absolutly not.
This book could have more action and interaction between the two main characters, but I see the book as a love story, and not really a dark romance.
4,25/5⭐️
4,25/5📝
2,75/5🌶
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gaslighting, Grief, Stalking, Sexual assault, Toxic friendship, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking
phoeberuth's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
A mafia retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
What I love about Sophie's books is the closeness of the families. There's a place for abandoned orphans but it is really nice to read stories where the family connections are so strong. Nessa is the baby of the Griffin family and has been kept out of all the dirty dealings of the family business. She's a ballet dancer with few close friends and little street smarts which is aptly captured by Miko:
What I love about Sophie's books is the closeness of the families. There's a place for abandoned orphans but it is really nice to read stories where the family connections are so strong. Nessa is the baby of the Griffin family and has been kept out of all the dirty dealings of the family business. She's a ballet dancer with few close friends and little street smarts which is aptly captured by Miko:
“They should have raised a wolf, not a little lamb. It almost seems cruel.”
She is loved by both the Griffins and the Gallos and is therefore the perfect victim for Miko who wants to punish both families.
Miko is a very gruff, unfeeling man at the beginning of the book who joins the Polish mafia as a teenager following tragedy. He is viewed as a son by Zajac, the head of the Polish mafia in Chicago, who was killed by the Gallos and Griffins in Brutal Prince. In Stolen Heir, Miko is out for revenge for his adoptive-father's murder, enter Nessa. Miko kidnaps Nessa and through their forced proximity they develop an attraction to one another and feelings grow in spite of themselves.
I love a grumpy/sunshine dynamic and this was a much slower burn than Brutal Prince but I still wouldn't call it a slow burn. I loved watching Nessa come into herself and stand on her own two feet and in contrast watch Miko soften and switch sides to join our main families.
Miko is a very gruff, unfeeling man at the beginning of the book who joins the Polish mafia as a teenager following tragedy. He is viewed as a son by Zajac, the head of the Polish mafia in Chicago, who was killed by the Gallos and Griffins in Brutal Prince. In Stolen Heir, Miko is out for revenge for his adoptive-father's murder, enter Nessa. Miko kidnaps Nessa and through their forced proximity they develop an attraction to one another and feelings grow in spite of themselves.
I love a grumpy/sunshine dynamic and this was a much slower burn than Brutal Prince but I still wouldn't call it a slow burn. I loved watching Nessa come into herself and stand on her own two feet and in contrast watch Miko soften and switch sides to join our main families.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Suicide
sdupont's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy this book as much as I did when I first started reading but this story grew on me as I kept reading. Nessa was so sweet and I loved that she was a dancer. Miko grew on me as the story progressed. I surprisingly found myself rooting for them. I would recommend this book and am excited to see what happens next in the series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Stalking, Rape, Sexual assault, and Suicide
piabartolini's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
4.25
Miko and Nessa were great together. A pretty on the nose Beauty and the Beast tale, with some Hades and Persephone thrown in and a little bit of forbidden romance. I didn’t like this one quite as much as Cal and Aida’s story, which surprised me. But their banter was top notch, whereas the dynamic with Miko was more sober and serious.
This was a light read in terms of themes, too. The most emotionally challenging component was the very first chapter and learning what happened to Miko’s sister, which set him on the mafia path.
Overall a very enjoyable read. No flaws except one typo in there that I saw, the storytelling and romance were lovely and the plot was just tense enough to keep it interesting without real stomach churning drama and high stakes.
This was a light read in terms of themes, too. The most emotionally challenging component was the very first chapter and learning what happened to Miko’s sister, which set him on the mafia path.
Overall a very enjoyable read. No flaws except one typo in there that I saw, the storytelling and romance were lovely and the plot was just tense enough to keep it interesting without real stomach churning drama and high stakes.
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide and Sexual assault
aichaa's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Gun violence
Moderate: Sexual assault and Rape
marybsimp's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Suicide, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Alcohol, Sexual violence, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Murder, Suicide attempt, and Violence
weelasswithabook's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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? It's complicated
3.75
CW: rape, suicide, death of a sibling, neo Nazis, knife violence, gun violence, stalking, murder
⭐ Mafia romance
⭐ Beauty and the Beast
⭐ Captor/Captive
Holy hell, I thought this mf was going to be irredeemable. But, as expected, Sophie Lark managed to make me fall in love with someone I felt was beyond redemption.
Cold and callous, I understood why Miko ended up the way he did based off of his childhood backstory. However, it took a long time for me to actually feel that softness towards him that I wasn't expecting.
Nessa was like a baby bird that had fallen from the nest and ended up much stronger with a wealth of independence I didn't believe she was capable of achieving.
While this is an opposites attract, the two personalities complimented each other completely and created a fine balance.
I really enjoyed this book in the end, having wavered near the beginning, and I'm glad I continued reading.
⭐ Mafia romance
⭐ Beauty and the Beast
⭐ Captor/Captive
Holy hell, I thought this mf was going to be irredeemable. But, as expected, Sophie Lark managed to make me fall in love with someone I felt was beyond redemption.
Cold and callous, I understood why Miko ended up the way he did based off of his childhood backstory. However, it took a long time for me to actually feel that softness towards him that I wasn't expecting.
Nessa was like a baby bird that had fallen from the nest and ended up much stronger with a wealth of independence I didn't believe she was capable of achieving.
While this is an opposites attract, the two personalities complimented each other completely and created a fine balance.
I really enjoyed this book in the end, having wavered near the beginning, and I'm glad I continued reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Child death, Death, and Gun violence
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Suicide
Minor: Torture