My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Emilio Valenti, the quiet, artistic son of a crime family, is forced into a marriage meant to settle a bloody feud. Instead of becoming a partner, he becomes a hostage—bound to Damien Bellandi, the cold and obsessive heir who claims him as part of a long‑planned revenge. What begins as captivity turns into a psychological battle neither man expects, as Damien methodically breaks down Emilio’s defenses and Emilio finds himself craving the very cage he was forced into. In a world built on vendettas and power, survival isn’t guaranteed, and surrender may be only the beginning of what binds them.
I was genuinely torn while reading this one. Parts of the story were gripping and dark in a way that really worked, but other elements pulled me out of the experience. The dialogue occasionally repeated itself, which became confusing, and there were moments where it felt like the wrong character name headed a chapter — something that made the narrative harder to follow. What troubled me most was the contradiction in Damien’s mother’s actions. Emilio is the son of her best friend, yet she drugs him, chains him, and locks him in a cage as if he were a criminal. That disconnect made it difficult to fully invest in the emotional stakes of the story. Despite that, there were sections I enjoyed, especially the darker, more intense moments that leaned into the twisted dynamic between Emilio and Damien. The ending, however, built toward major events and then simply stopped, leaving me wondering whether a second book was intended to continue the arc. A story with strong potential and compelling darkness, but one that left me more conflicted than satisfied. This was an MM story with mature content.
Buy from Amazon
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