The Bratva's Bastards by RC Christiansen

The dark subject matter is lightened by some great secondary characters, my favourite being Ivan, Klara’s bodyguard. Klara clearly gives her consent through her thoughts, so we know she’s happy about the situation, even if Micah doesn’t seem too bothered. Read them before you launch into this book, okay? You’ve been warned. If you think that sounds kind of rape-y, well, TRIGGERS. Some might even cringe, as he seduces Klara, assuming consent by what he can see in her eyes.

Because he is a bad guy, Micah’s methods are… unconventional, shall we say. His story arc alone warrants the trigger warnings the author displays prominently on the blurb.īut this is a DARK romance, and Micah gradually draws Klara out of her still, silent world, with the guidance of Klara’s devoted nurse, Alice. We learn more about the hideous nature of his crimes as the book progresses. Ilia is truly repellent, an abusive manipulative man who rules his family with an iron fist. Gradually, secrets are revealed as we get to know their family history, and become introduced to the mob boss, Ilia Mikhailov, and his disturbed, equally handsome sibling, Milan, who is lethal with his blades and always seems on the edge of madness, mainly due to being the unwitting instigator of a family tragedy. Then we have two brothers, urbane, elegant Micah, who has an obsession with dolls for reasons we don’t really learn. As she gradually regains the use of her voice and legs, her propensity for pushing boundaries tests the patience of the men who rescued her. Inside, she is still the snarly teenager she was when her trauma happened, although she is in her twenties.

She is confined to a wheelchair with a rare condition, Malignant Catatonia, brought on by extreme mental trauma, and all we can hear are her thoughts as she falls into the hands of the brutal Bratva, or Russian Mafia. And I’m here for it, all the way.Īt first, Klara Cohen doesn’t seem strong at all. This queen of dark romance is a go-to for me, as her women are strong, her men captivating and her plots are as twisted as hell.

The Bratva's Bastards by RC Christiansen