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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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:
No
Rating: Obsessed
Oh, this series is going to be fan-freaking-tastic if this is how it starts!
-Warring mafias (Greek & Irish)
-Marriage of (in)convenience
-My wife energy
-Enemies to lovers
-Romantic suspense
Neve and Ares want nothing to do with each other, but marry anyway to kill a feud and strengthen their families—cue instant tension and chemistry. And then The Executioner subplot?? Took this from 0 to 100 real quick. I was HOOKED. Could not stop listening.
And what did happen next? Didn’t see any of it coming. This story had me in a chokehold from start to finish—I devoured it in less than a day.
Neve is no damsel. She’s the ultimate badass—zero tolerance for BS and doesn’t need saving (except maybe from The Executioner, but that’s trauma + PTSD talking).
Ares? Brooding, possessive, and surprisingly sassy. His devotion to Neve is unhinged in the best way. He’d end anyone who’s ever wronged her—past, present, or future. Their dynamic is dark, intense, and so hot. A match made in mafia heaven.
And the side characters?? Gold.
-Ares’ yaya pretending not to speak English
-Callie chasing off drug lord daughters at his engagement party
-Neve’s sister secretly buying her apartment cause Neve loved it so much
-Castle being the ultimate "big bro" who’d burn the world down
-Ares’ brother knowing they’re all doomed if he’s ever in charge
Please, please let them all get books (except yaya, but a prequel with her would be cool).
Also, the audiobook? 10/10. Ryan West and Sophie Daniels nailed it. That cabin scene toward the end?? Ryan killed it! I felt everything.
Oh, this series is going to be fan-freaking-tastic if this is how it starts!
-Warring mafias (Greek & Irish)
-Marriage of (in)convenience
-My wife energy
-Enemies to lovers
-Romantic suspense
Neve and Ares want nothing to do with each other, but marry anyway to kill a feud and strengthen their families—cue instant tension and chemistry. And then The Executioner subplot?? Took this from 0 to 100 real quick. I was HOOKED. Could not stop listening.
And what did happen next? Didn’t see any of it coming. This story had me in a chokehold from start to finish—I devoured it in less than a day.
Neve is no damsel. She’s the ultimate badass—zero tolerance for BS and doesn’t need saving (except maybe from The Executioner, but that’s trauma + PTSD talking).
Ares? Brooding, possessive, and surprisingly sassy. His devotion to Neve is unhinged in the best way. He’d end anyone who’s ever wronged her—past, present, or future. Their dynamic is dark, intense, and so hot. A match made in mafia heaven.
And the side characters?? Gold.
-Ares’ yaya pretending not to speak English
-Callie chasing off drug lord daughters at his engagement party
-Neve’s sister secretly buying her apartment cause Neve loved it so much
-Castle being the ultimate "big bro" who’d burn the world down
-Ares’ brother knowing they’re all doomed if he’s ever in charge
Please, please let them all get books (except yaya, but a prequel with her would be cool).
Also, the audiobook? 10/10. Ryan West and Sophie Daniels nailed it. That cabin scene toward the end?? Ryan killed it! I felt everything.
Listen, If you ask me what it was? I won’t remember.
sooo unmemorable, forgettable, not worth a reread.
P.S. every time they called him "GOD OF WAR" i would cringe...
sooo unmemorable, forgettable, not worth a reread.
P.S. every time they called him "GOD OF WAR" i would cringe...
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Deviant Hearts is my first book by Jagger Cole and I can already tell you, it definitely won't be my last. Enemies to lovers with an arranged marriage in the mafia world between rivals? I will eat that sh.....up!
Neve Kildare and Ares Drakos are neighbors and apparently admire each other from afar, but that is as far as it will ever go because they are from rival gangs. But there is something brewing that Neve isn't aware of, until a family meeting where she is informed of her pending nuptials to the "God of War", Ares Drakos. This Irish Mafia family and Greek Mafia family will join forces to become that much more powerful and for protection in their worlds.
Right from the start, I knew these two were going to be fire once they let their guards down. Neve is a strong a$$ mafia princess and I loved the way her "queenness" dictated all she did. She wasn't afraid to stand up to seemingly powerful mafia men, but she also wanted to help her family. Therefore, she went through with the marriage. And Ares? Well, after Neve admired his body from afar, I had to wonder what else he had in store for us. And let's say, he did not disappoint with his touch her d*e vibes for his wife. He's protective from day one, but also a little controlling that sets Neve on edge. They may have been an arranged marriage, but you could cut their sexual tension with a knife. And when they gave in to said tension, it was perfection. These two strong characters were made for each other.
I love a good rival mafia family storyline with all the characters from both families. You are set up for so much more than just the "main story". And the way Cole navigated the relationship of the two MCs while also giving us the expected mafia danger and letting the characters personalities shine through was done well. Feisty Neve and Protective Ares came to play with all their tension filled banter. It was explosive and added a very entertaining element to the whole story. Sure, some parts were predictable and the chemistry was explosive like I expected, but I was always entertained and kept turning those pages to see what was going to happen next and the whole cast of characters definitely helped with that.
Finally, I have to give major props to Ryan West and Sophie Daniels as the narrators of the Deviant Hearts audio book. They not only brought the story to life, but also the characters and their personalities were elevated with their performances. They became Ares and Neve. While this is book one of the Dark Hearts series, it is a complete standalone with no cliffhanger. I look forward to what this world is going to bring next with the Drakos and Kildare families in power.
Neve Kildare and Ares Drakos are neighbors and apparently admire each other from afar, but that is as far as it will ever go because they are from rival gangs. But there is something brewing that Neve isn't aware of, until a family meeting where she is informed of her pending nuptials to the "God of War", Ares Drakos. This Irish Mafia family and Greek Mafia family will join forces to become that much more powerful and for protection in their worlds.
Right from the start, I knew these two were going to be fire once they let their guards down. Neve is a strong a$$ mafia princess and I loved the way her "queenness" dictated all she did. She wasn't afraid to stand up to seemingly powerful mafia men, but she also wanted to help her family. Therefore, she went through with the marriage. And Ares? Well, after Neve admired his body from afar, I had to wonder what else he had in store for us. And let's say, he did not disappoint with his touch her d*e vibes for his wife. He's protective from day one, but also a little controlling that sets Neve on edge. They may have been an arranged marriage, but you could cut their sexual tension with a knife. And when they gave in to said tension, it was perfection. These two strong characters were made for each other.
I love a good rival mafia family storyline with all the characters from both families. You are set up for so much more than just the "main story". And the way Cole navigated the relationship of the two MCs while also giving us the expected mafia danger and letting the characters personalities shine through was done well. Feisty Neve and Protective Ares came to play with all their tension filled banter. It was explosive and added a very entertaining element to the whole story. Sure, some parts were predictable and the chemistry was explosive like I expected, but I was always entertained and kept turning those pages to see what was going to happen next and the whole cast of characters definitely helped with that.
Finally, I have to give major props to Ryan West and Sophie Daniels as the narrators of the Deviant Hearts audio book. They not only brought the story to life, but also the characters and their personalities were elevated with their performances. They became Ares and Neve. While this is book one of the Dark Hearts series, it is a complete standalone with no cliffhanger. I look forward to what this world is going to bring next with the Drakos and Kildare families in power.
Quickie review: 3.75-4 stars. First book by this author and I liked it. This was a lighter Irish mafia arranged marriage book. There is a good story, sexy moments, good chemistry and an easy read. It was safe with some jealousy and a JP hero. I liked Ares and Neve. There were a few "jump the shark moments", like a person to person blood transfusion. I did want more discussion on where they stood and feelings, instead of ILYs at the climax. Still this was a good book. I wanted to read more like this from this author, but they all look dark and less safe.
oh my god, i wrote the review & AGAIN goodreads glitched. so here’s another half assed summary:
things i liked:
- the book was really digestible, good writing & good dialogue. felt more light hearted and fun
- the mmc & the fmc were cute
- the plot is not something that is overused in other mafia books
- arranged marriage/marriage of convenience (obvi)
things i didn’t like:
- good smut, BUT, the dirty talk was just way too much. it’s like the author wanted the mmc to be featured on the ‘dirties mouths’ side of booktok. calling a dick ‘fat’ feels wrong. try thick, or large pls
- saw the ending coming from a mile off. getting to 80% i was just waiting for it because i knew it was coming
- it’s pretty confusing in the beginning trying to figure out the logistics of who is who
overall:
- good read
things i liked:
- the book was really digestible, good writing & good dialogue. felt more light hearted and fun
- the mmc & the fmc were cute
- the plot is not something that is overused in other mafia books
- arranged marriage/marriage of convenience (obvi)
things i didn’t like:
- good smut, BUT, the dirty talk was just way too much. it’s like the author wanted the mmc to be featured on the ‘dirties mouths’ side of booktok. calling a dick ‘fat’ feels wrong. try thick, or large pls
- saw the ending coming from a mile off. getting to 80% i was just waiting for it because i knew it was coming
- it’s pretty confusing in the beginning trying to figure out the logistics of who is who
overall:
- good read
This was a great mafia, arranged marriage read. I’m an absolute sucker for a possessive, dominant, "my wife" kind of MMC and Ares definitely delivers on all of those fronts. I really enjoyed that Neva is strong willed and fiercely independent but she still melts for Ares. The storyline was good, even if a bit predictable, and I really enjoyed the family characters and the way that Ares and Neva are able to bring two rival families together. The spice was well written and i definitely can’t wait to read another Jagger Cole book soon!
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Oh man do I love the forced/arranged marriage trope mixed with possessive mafia men! & this book delivered so well on that combo!
Neve and Ares had fiery chemistry from the first page; even with them starting as “enemies” (rival mafia families). I adored Neve’s fight and stubbornness and how that really never fully went away, even when she let Ares bring out her submissive side eventually.
Her strong personality was a perfect match for Ares. He presented a calm and collected front as the new head of his family; but inside he was cracking from the weight on his shoulders. Neve gave him a place to direct some fun energy and interact with someone who had zero issues pushing back.
Their sexual tension was hot af and I loved how quickly Ares became protective of his new wife. The overall story-arc was done really well and the ending was perfect in my opinion!
Tropes:
• arranged/forced marriage
• marriage of convenience
• rival mafia families
• over the top possessive MMC
• strong-willed FMC
• precious trauma
• touch her and die
• “my wife”
Neve and Ares had fiery chemistry from the first page; even with them starting as “enemies” (rival mafia families). I adored Neve’s fight and stubbornness and how that really never fully went away, even when she let Ares bring out her submissive side eventually.
Her strong personality was a perfect match for Ares. He presented a calm and collected front as the new head of his family; but inside he was cracking from the weight on his shoulders. Neve gave him a place to direct some fun energy and interact with someone who had zero issues pushing back.
Their sexual tension was hot af and I loved how quickly Ares became protective of his new wife. The overall story-arc was done really well and the ending was perfect in my opinion!
Tropes:
• arranged/forced marriage
• marriage of convenience
• rival mafia families
• over the top possessive MMC
• strong-willed FMC
• precious trauma
• touch her and die
• “my wife”
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
You know those books in your TBR. You get to a point while looking for your next read and just pass it by because it's been there for ages and you can't remember why it's there. One day you're like okay let's do it. You start reading it and think yeah it ticks my boxes and carry on and then you're more than half way through and now you're hating yourself because it's been in your TBR for so long, and you're wondering how you've gotten through life without this read.
Dont forget this book don't keep it on your self read it right away!
Neve is an anglicized form of the Irish name "Niamh," which means "bright" or "radiant"
Ares, the Greek god of war
Irish meets Greek mafia
Sarcastic, sharp-tongued, stubborn and quick to temper heroine
Charming, calm tempered, possessive and dirty mouthed hero
Deranged uncle who you end up loving. A crafty and mischievous grandmother.
Twists and turns you have to pay attention to. betrayal, past back to haunt and what men would do over a woman.
True family, finding peace in your partner and burning the world down to save her.
I can't remember getting this book and can't remember why I'm pretty sure another book in this series came up on my recommendations but I always start with the 1st (even if they say can be read as a standalone) and I'm so glad I did. I'm going in blind with the rest in this series don't need to know what they're about before I start I'm going for it! Because I'm positive I won't be let down.
4.25⭐️ | 3🌶️
HOLY CRAP, THIS BOOK WAS AWESOME!
Listen… I was hesitant about reading a dark romance written by a man. But after seeing so many people rave about his books, I decided to give the audiobook a shot—and wow, my expectations weren’t just met, they were exceeded.
At first, it seemed like your typical arranged marriage mafia romance, but as the story progressed, it just kept getting better and better.
🔥 The spice? Scorching.
💥 The banter? So good it had me rolling my eyes in the best way.
📖 The storyline? Captivating.
🎙️ And the narration? Absolutely top-tier.
I was hooked. The moment I finished, I immediately looked up the reading order because I need to devour every book this author has written.
That said, it still followed a pretty standard mafia romance formula—predictable and not overly complex. But if you love the genre, that won’t take away from the experience.
I received this book as an ALC in exchange for an honest review.
HOLY CRAP, THIS BOOK WAS AWESOME!
Listen… I was hesitant about reading a dark romance written by a man. But after seeing so many people rave about his books, I decided to give the audiobook a shot—and wow, my expectations weren’t just met, they were exceeded.
At first, it seemed like your typical arranged marriage mafia romance, but as the story progressed, it just kept getting better and better.
🔥 The spice? Scorching.
💥 The banter? So good it had me rolling my eyes in the best way.
📖 The storyline? Captivating.
🎙️ And the narration? Absolutely top-tier.
I was hooked. The moment I finished, I immediately looked up the reading order because I need to devour every book this author has written.
That said, it still followed a pretty standard mafia romance formula—predictable and not overly complex. But if you love the genre, that won’t take away from the experience.
I received this book as an ALC in exchange for an honest review.