Dark Russian Angel (A Vancouver Mafia Romance)

Andrusha’s Need For Redemption And Olivia’s Patient Love Result In A Deeply Felt Love Story That Will Stay With You Long Afterward!

Andrusha Sokolov, about twenty-seven, left Russia and moved to Vancouver when he was nineteen, following his childhood best friend and professional hockey player Mica Petrov. Once he arrived, though, he took a very different path. He got involved in the mob and eventually took over. Although he is a formidable foe, Andrusha doesn’t enjoy killing. He does believe in being prepared for the worst, and knows that in itself is the biggest deterrent to those that might consider challenging him. For the last five years, a relative peace has been maintained amongst the local rival gangs. It works well for all involved and is good for business. Andrusha meets with other leaders regularly to maintain that peace.

Andrusha had stopped associating with Mica for a time, once he recognized that Mica’s reputation and his career might suffer for being associated with him. But Mica’s wife Charlie brought him back into the fold. Spending time with Mica, Charlie, and their baby girl Nadia makes him question his career. The problem is that he doesn’t know how to live without the violence. With the life that he lives and the choices that he had made, he doesn’t deserve a good life and he knows it.

Olivia, twenty-three, has great inner strength despite the tough breaks life gave her. Her father had died in a prison fight after being convicted of armed robbery when she was eight. Her mother was never the same again, and to this day their relationship is difficult. But dance had been a part of her life since she was small and offered her an escape. At age twelve she earned a dance scholarship, and she began working as a professional ballerina when she graduated at age seventeen.

Four years later her dreams came to a crashing halt when her career ended due to a knee injury. With little savings and no income, Olivia finally auditioned for a job in a strip club. It was supposed to be temporary, but two years later she was still there when life threw her another tough break. She witnessed a hit in the parking lot late one night, and although she got away, the guy she is supposed to testify against is known to enjoy killing – and she has become his number one target.

Andrusha and the other local mob leaders are getting nervous. Ivan Bunko is a psychopath and has already destroyed the two cities that he took over, taking out gangs one by one until the cities belonged to him. There are signs that Vancouver might be next, but word is that Bunko might be going to prison if the police can keep a certain witness safe until trial. Still, anything they can learn about Bunko will help in devising a plan. Andrusha decides to give the government witness a visit, but reluctantly ends up taking personal responsibility for her safety instead.

Although women bore him, something about Olivia’s girl next door looks capture Andrusha’s attention. Sweet yet not afraid to speak her mind, he could really like this girl. But he is never with a woman long, and he doesn’t deserve her goodness. Maybe if he protects her and gives her the life that she deserves, he will earn a little redemption.

Olivia feels safe when Androsha is with her, although she knows he is a violent man and he reminds her often that he isn’t nice. Yet she knows him to be kind, protective, and intelligent. He has the respect of his men. But he has secrets, too. He holds back.

Andrusha and Olivia, thrown together under extreme circumstances, both have a lot to lose. As targets of a determined psychopath, they live with a heightened sense of awareness and a target on their backs. The more time they spend together, the less their excuses hold up. They eventually give in to desire, but circumstances threaten to prevent their HEA.

Dark Russian Angel has it all: a broody alpha, a sweet yet strong heroine, mob activity, danger, suspense, and romance. It is very well-written and grabs your attention from the first page. The characters feel real. Olivia is sweet and innocent. Andrusha is honorable and respected by all, and his plan for redemption confirms that despite the circumstances, he really is a good man. It is rewarding to see him put his plan into motion. Andrusha and Olivia have great chemistry and the tension between them is electric. They earn their HEA!

Andrusha’s need for redemption and Olivia’s patient love result in a deeply felt love story that will stay with you long afterward. The POV alternates between Andrusha and Olivia. The plot is complex and carefully crafted. The characters are well-defined and real. I rate this book five stars.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is an action packed romance andrussia is the badd boy that help save Olivia after she witnesses a murder. Can he keep her safe and his heart safe also? great story

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Dark Russian Angel was outstanding! You’ve got Mafia, romance, hockey, and suspense all rolled into one fantastic book! Read it!!! I am voluntarily leaving my honest review after reading this arc.

Loved this mafia bad boy and the not-so-shy virgin dancer (of the exotic variety), that catches his eye. I was on the edge of my seat for most of this book, and even though I didn’t read it in one sitting, I was so into the story that I’d grab it and read it whenever I could.

Please note that I did receive an ARC of this book, and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Olivia is leaving work one night and she witnesses something that she shouldn’t. The police can’t keep her safe, but she is not sure that he can either. Good romance. Would love to hear more about Vicktor and the one he left behind.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Honestly couldn’t put it down. I finished this book in 4 hours. Started at 12am and read til 4 in the morning. I think that speaks for it’s self. You know when a book is so good, you’re nearly skimming the pages because you can’t wait for everything to play out and be revealed. You just keep saying one more chapter just one more… I promise you this book will have you not just saying one more chapter you’ll be begging for the end in a bittersweet kind of way. Bittersweet because you NEED to know the end, but you are dreading the end because then it’s over. To say this book was captivating is an understatement. Odette Stone really brings you into this world and you feel as though you aren’t just reading words on a page, but sitting in Bay with Olivia playing fetch with Sasha. She just brings you into this world and you can’t help but get lost in the characters. This isn’t the first time she has done this, every book she writes has a way of making you fall in love with the characters and feel like they are your friends. And when you miss them you have to pick up one of her books and read it again. That is what makes her writing so gripping. It’s not just words on paper, it evokes true emotions from the reader. Quite frankly I believe this is one of her best pieces of work, so I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us down the road.

Mafia style bad boy romances aren’t usually my favorite but this one was different. Andrusha was different. We met Andrusha in Mica’s story “The Penalty Box”. He was mysterious and ripe for love, whether he realized it or not. Olivia is his perfect partner even though Andrusha tried to keep putting distance between them, both physically and emotionally. Hopefully, Victor gets his own HEA.

A great dark mafia romance read

Olivia, a stripper, and Andrusha, a Russian mafia boss, have a common enemy that he is willing to do anything to defeat. As the story progresses safety is found in the most unlikely place, ghosts from the past resurface, and knowing who to trust becomes murky. Odette Stone’s Dark Russian Angel is a great dark mafia romance read. Set in the same world as her Vancouver Wolves series, this book should not disappoint readers of that series in any way. I really enjoyed learning more about Andrusha and am looking forward to seeing where she takes it from here.

I received a free copy of the book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.

Odette Stone has become one of my go to authors ever since reading her hockey romance books. Each of those books makes for a phenomenal read and when in the “Penalty Box”, we meet Andrushka, Mica’s best friend, I was immediately intrigued. This book is his story and what a fantastic one it is. He is a very interesting, albeit complex character. There is nothing easy about him. He is a hard man – he lives hard, he works hard and he loves hard. For her part Olivia is a no nonsense, independent, spunky woman. When her life is at stake while in protective custody, Andrushka makes it his mission to protect her. These two very different people end up finding one another, proving the old adage that opposites due really attract. TBR this book and enjoy and if you haven’t read Odette’s hockey romances, TBR those too. Trust me you won’t regret it. (I received an ARC copy and am voluntarily leaving a review).

What do you do when the police are corrupt and the only man who can keep you safe is as dark as the devil himself? That’s what Olivia ponders as her life spins out of control under witness protection and Andrusha steps in to save her life by nabbing her from crooked cops who are supposed to be protecting her but couldn’t care less. Olivia is set to testify against Bunko, a truly evil man, who’s determined to make sure Olivia never makes it to the witness stand. What starts out as merely protecting a woman quickly becomes a constant test of Andrusha’s self control & he’s always been able to stay controlled. It’s how he prefers everything in his life – his business, his relationship, his plans. All of it. But all of his control goes out the window where sweet, innocent Olivia is involved. She unleashes even more of the magnificent, powerful man lurking beneath the surface. As much as he tries to fight it, Andrusha cannot deny his desire for Olivia. As life grows more dangerous, people are determined to keep the happy couple apart. It will take everything Olivia has to trust Andrusha’s plans for her to have a new life – free from the darkness surrounding her. But will her new life include her dark, Russian angel? Or are they destined for a handful of unforgettable memories and a lifetime apart?