Iosif (Bratva Blood Brothers, #7)

3.75 stars–IOSIF is the seventh instalment in KJ Dahlen’s contemporary, adult BRATVA BLOOD BROTHERS romance series focusing on the members of the Russian Mob. This is thirty-five year old, Iosif Salizar Maxim, and twenty-two year old, Jaden Gibbons’ story line. JOSIF can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion.

NOTE: IOSIF can also be found in the author’s Bratva Blood Brothers Anthology Collection.

SOME BACKGROUND: Five young boys and childhood friends (Yuri, Sazon, Barshan, Mikial and Roman) survived the mean-streets of Russia only to be rescued and reared by a local gym owner Ivan Russo, who would meet his death by a local gang. Seeking revenge against the gang, local Russian Bratva member and soon to be New York Russian mafia leader Nikoli Silvanic would mentor the five young men until they were ready to take on the world, with the approval of Russian Bratva leader Sergi Constantine. When the time came Nikoli Silvanic would take over the New York territory, while the five ‘blood brothers’ would take over New Orleans. These are their continuing stories.

Told from several third person perspectives including Iosif and Jaden IOSIF follows the building relationship and romance between thirty-five year old, Iosif Salizar Maxim, and twenty-two year old, Jaden Gibbons. Iosif Maxim, and his father, arrived in America to meet his older brother Roman’s new born sons but Iosif never expected to find his happily ever after in the guise of a broken and battered café waitress Jaden Gibbons. On the run, a bruised and beaten Jade, would find a protector and lover in our story line hero. What ensues is the quick building romance between Iosif and Jaden, and the potential fall-out as Jaden’s past is hoping to end her life.

Iosif is a member of the Russian Bratva. Abandoned, alongside his brother Roman, at the age of two, Iosif was eventually rescued while his brother struggled to survive on his own. Their birth father, Timor Maxim, is a member of the Bratva High Council, and as such Iosif has been groomed as one of his father’s heirs but Timor is desperate for the return of Roman, in the hopes of his eldest son taking over when the times comes. Meeting Jaden Gibbons means a chance at his own happily ever after for Iosif Maxim, a happily ever after his father refuses to accept or agree upon. Jaden Gibbons grew up in the foster care system never knowing the who or what of her earlier years but adulthood meant more dangerous and life threatening possibilities from a man determined to ruin her life.

IOSIF is a story of insta-lust/love between two people whose paths cross when needed the most. Iosif knows immediately that Jaden is the woman for whom he is willing to give up what he left behind but Jaden struggles with her identity and the realization she isn’t the person she thought she had been. The $ex scenes are passionate and intimate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

Most of the previous story line heroes play secondary and supporting characters although many of the wives and significant others are absent or unaccounted for.

IOSIF is a spirited and animated story line. The premise is engaging and dramatic; the characters are animated and real; the romance is tender and seductive. On that note, I did struggle with the number of spelling and grammar errors, as well as the redundancy and repetition. This is nothing new for this particular author but I recommend another round or three of editing before offering up for sale.