Review: Portrait of a Killer by K.A Merikan 3 of 5 stars

Portrait of a Killer by K.A. Merikan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Victor has spent years hating the reclusive artist Sevastyan, convinced the man is a fraud whose self‑portraits are too beautiful to be real. After one exhibition destroys Victor’s career, his anger festers into obsession, filling his sketchbooks with violent fantasies. Determined to expose Sevastyan, Victor breaks into his home — only to discover the artist is nothing like he expected. Sevastyan is powerful, amused, and fully aware of Victor’s fixation. Instead of being the hunter, Victor becomes the one trapped, as Sevastyan claims him as a captive muse and makes it clear that Victor will not be leaving.

This is a very dark romance with several uncomfortable themes, so it’s definitely one to approach with care. The story centres on a twisted, shifting obsession — first Victor’s fixation on Sevastyan, and then the far more intense, consuming obsession Sevastyan develops for Victor. Their dynamic is unsettling, messy, and often disturbing, and some of the behaviours and language push into depraved territory. Despite that, I found myself invested. The tension between them, the psychological push‑and‑pull, and the way their obsession reshapes itself kept me turning the pages. It’s a well‑written story that leans fully into its darkness, and while it won’t be for everyone, it delivers exactly the kind of intense, chaotic emotion it promises. This was an MM story with mature content.

** Please note the trigger warnings and be kind to yourself **

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Review: Christmas Mafia Prince by K.A. Merikan 4 of 5 stars

Christmas Mafia Prince by K.A. Merikan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What should have been a Christmas break in Aspen turns into a deadly, twisted holiday tradition. Damen, a mafia hitman, longs to join his family’s annual “hunt” — a brutal game where enemies are released and pursued for sport. But only married men can participate, and his father insists he wed a woman. Determined to defy him, Damen decides to bring home a husband instead. Enter Killian: green-haired, tattooed, loud, and delightfully disastrous. After asking Damen to pose as his fake boyfriend to escape an ex’s threats, Killian agrees to play husband in exchange for a holiday getaway. What he doesn’t realize is that Damen’s family is steeped in blood and violence, and their festive “fun” could put him on the wrong side of the hunt. As sparks fly between the sharp-suited hitman and his chaotic fake husband, Killian must navigate danger, deception, and desire. Falling for Damen might be the most reckless choice of all — but resisting him could be impossible.

I loved this story about surviving family, defying expectations, and discovering that even in the darkest traditions, love can be the most dangerous game of all.  I loved that Damen's father demanded that he marry a woman to uphold tradition, but Damen refused, choosing a husband instead and the story explored how love and identity clash with rigid family expectations, and how rebellion becomes an act of self‑definition. I also liked that their chemistry thrives on contrast — chaos and control, danger and desire, colliding into volatile attraction. At its heart this story was about love becoming both rebellion and survival in a world where family tradition is steeped in violence, and where choosing authenticity can be the most dangerous act of all. Easy to read and understand. This was an MM story with mature content.

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