I was feared.Respected.Worshiped.But all of that changed when the impossible happened—I fell in love. Only those feelings weren’t reciprocated, because who could love a monster like me?My empire crumbled. People died. I went from being a victorious leader to lurking in the shadows, planning revenge on my half-brother who now reigns in my place.An orphanage is where I find sanctuary, but when she … where I find sanctuary, but when she walks into my world and evokes a yearning I thought long dead, my demons are awakened and want what they can’t have—her. Sooner or later, I knew I’d need to feed the darkness inside me.
Mayhem, power, and control course through my veins. I will use them to regain my crown, my throne, and then claim her, despite what solemn vows she might’ve made.
I will break them…and her.
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Monica James sure knows how to make you love a Villain!! I went into this story without any background knowledge and let me tell you something: I fell for these characters hard and fast. It was unexpected, thrilling , and knowing that you got to witness the ups and downs with these characters, made the story that much better.
What would you do if you had so much power, you were feared with just the whisper of your name being spoken? That is what life was like for Aleksei and he ruled his kingdom with a brutal iron fist. But you know what they say, what goes up must come down and Alek took a hard fall from grace. Now determined to get back his empire and rule again, one must do wicked things to reach his goal and who’s more better for the job than a skillful sinner?
Aleksei was not your typical hero and I really liked that. This man was extremely flawed and he’s done things in his past that will literally make you want to set him on fire but you know what? He owns up to it and he knows exactly the type of man that he is. Without ever having read the All the pretty things trilogy, I went into this story expecting a somewhat messed up hero with a dark past but I got so much more than that. We witnessed his struggles, his quest for vengeance, redemption, and we saw a man that despite all of the chaos, was a fierce protector.
I don’t want to give anything away in this story so I’m just going to say that if you’ve read the previous trilogy, then you’re going to fall in love with this book even more. I cannot wait to see what this author has in store for us with part two because I KNOW we will be saying “All hail the King”.
*Arc received for an honest review
This story wrecked me in the best possible way. There isnt many times I have read a villian totally redeem himself but this story was the MOTHERLOAD of redemption.
“Love hurts, and now, it’s my turn to hurt love.”
Aleksei Popov. My poor [sexy] baby. He was secretly hurting in the beginning but totally wouldnt admit that. He needed to find himself again and rule. Not hide in the shadows.
It was like once he saw Ella he woke up again. Found his spark. And the chemistry they shared was so intense. I was squirming so much. I absolutely LOVED them.
I loved the darkness. I love the way this author writes. So sexy, so dark, she feeds my dark needs perfectly. Reading about the cruelty Aleksei went through as a child wrecked me. No wonder he was how he was. He was so ruthless and bad. I did see how he struggled though with making those decisions to kill when he didnt really want to. But didnt want people to think he went soft.
I loved reading about him slowly getting his vengeance back towards Serg (does that make me sick? I loved what he did….)He deserved it for everything he went through. And poor Irina 🙁
Ya know, I didnt think when I read Saint and Willows story I would fall so head over heels in love with Aleksei like I did. But I think I love him MORE than Saint. Theres just something about him. Hes so mysterious, intriguing, bad, sexy, dark, menacing, domineering, Alpha, dominating, and he is just everything I LOVE and worship in a man. I could read 100 books about him and it wouldnt be enough. Hes all bad and all good. He takes care of all that he loves and he tortures all of the ones who hurt him.
And Ella. I loved her alot more than I anticipated! She was mouthy, sassy, strong, she gave him everything back that he gave her. She was the female version of him. She protected who she loved. She was exactly what he needed to give him the strength back to take back his crown. This was my favorite book by this author and I cannot wait to read book 2. That cliffhanger had me almost falling off my bed!!!!!! 5 stars is so miniscule so what I want to give!!!!
I have been addicted to darker romance reads this past month or so. I’ve always read them, but lately I’ve been addicted and one of my go to authors for it has been Monica Robinson…she never disappoints!
This book had my emotions going every which way. So many dark twisty – turns throughout. I don’t know how she keeps putting these stories out and making them consume me. I just shut down the outside world and get captivated when I read her words.
I loved the angst, unexpected storyline, steaminess, you’ll hate and love him and then question how you can…can not wait to see what happens in part two…you left us hanging Monica!!!
I need to go back and read All the Pretty Things Trilogy. I hope reading out of order doesn’t spoil anything for me…I was already hooked on this book before realizing the order and couldn’t put it down.
Monica James never fails to write awesome dark romance books! The book is a spinoff of all the pretty things series, following Aleksei Popov.
Aleksei is the antihero, a character who used to own Russia and did the worst atrocities you can ever imagine. But when he met Willow, he started to care about people. Because of that, his enemies took his reign and destroyed his kingdom.
He is working to get back his kingdom, but this time he wants it to save the innocents from the evil. Everything changes when he meets Ella, someone who is more alike than he wants to, but he is afraid to fall in love again.
The story has a lot of turns and angst, not only because his situation with Ella, but also because how he has to make decisions that aren’t easy.
The final chapter? I wasn’t expecting that and I can’t wait for what is coming!!
Forgive me Father for I have sinned. I have given my soul to the Devil. Monica James has masterfully written a book where you can’t help but love Aleksei Popov, the man, the leader, and the monster who after the pretty things trilogy needs some serious redemption. This story was deliciously dark, twisted, raw, and emotional. The heart pounding suspense, twists and turns, and action, had me on edge, gasping for air, left me speechless, and had me holding my breath as I tried to quickly devour every word desperately wanting to know what would happen next. Alek may be working on getting his crown back but he sure has found his queen in Ella. I’m obsessed with these two, their connection is soul deep and the steamy scenes between them will set your kindle on fire and have you needing to hit up a confessional. While I gave myself to Alek, little Irina in this story completely stole my heart . Gah I need more!!!!!! Book 2 can’t come soon enough. Hurry up September!!!!
I devoured it so quickly I need book two now. This is a dark romance with so many twists and turns it keeps your mind racing and not wanting to put it down. I came into this book not knowing he was in another series so this can be read as a stand-alone. This tells the story of a fallen mafia boss Alek’s wanting revenge on his half brother and mother. He is left hiding as he has lost all the respect from the people that he once lead. I was glued to this book wanting to know more about alek’s what made him tick, even after everything he had done he still had humanity, he still cared and loved people even though he was so cruel. When he is tasked to find a woman for powerful Santos in exchange to bring his half brother down and a life he once had, his world comes crushing down when revelations are made.
The instant connection between Ella and Aleks is smoldering and I think I fanned myself the whole way through the book, the sexual connection these two shared was phenomenal. These two share such a beautiful bond that even Alek’s can’t deny to himself that he, the man who used woman as his play things was falling deep into a hole. Events occur and he has to choose to save people he loves or a woman. Coming up with a way to save everyone in the end is a plan that brings old characters back together for the better good. This book had everything you need to and more. I highly recommend this book and I would gladly read this book over and over again.
I am so not sure how to review this book and not give anything away. If you have read All The Pretty Things Trilogy, this is a spoon off of the series. I fell too like if you read that series first you’ll get more out of this one, but you don’t have to. This nook is dark and twisted and so good. I spent my time on the edge of my seat. Its going to have your mind reeling. Don’t even try to figure it all out. You will not. Aleksei and Ella are two characters your soon not to forget. I can’t wait to get the second part of their story. I nerd note b
Have you ever read an author that has the power to induce shivers in you , just through her words? Well I have a small list of such authors and Monica James currently topped that list after this masterpiece by her!!
From the moment I read the Bad Saint book by her , Alek became My absolute favourite. So the moment I got a whiff of the news that his book was on pre order , I one clicking this one in mere seconds! And what a ride it was. Believe me , none of you are prepared for the amount of hotness Alek contains and is going to completely destroy you in every enjoyable way!
Alek is a man who once lost everything for love. Now all he is trying to do is trying to rebuild his own kingdom. But that is easier said than done when you own family is conspiring against you. He is Ruthless and absolutely vicious in all the right ways and everything about him screams power.
I won’t come and narrate the whole story to you guys , but all I would like to say is that you all should get ready to be on the best ride of your life because Monica has certainly outdone herself in this one!!
A definite recommendation to all the dark Romance lovers out there! This book will definitely be a memorable one for you people!
Where do I even begin with this book?! “The Devil’s Crown” (part one) was SOOOO good!! One of my favourite books of the year with one of my favourite book boyfriends! Alek is a playful, determined, ruthless, protective, badass man with a heart – mostly for the women in his life, like the Sisters at the orphanage, Irina, Willow and Ella. The relationships he has with the last three women is so cute and even though he’s tough and more of a villain than a hero, you can’t help but love him – especially in the scenes he has with them. He is willing to do anything for them which makes it even cuter. He is like a protective older brother or friend to Irina and Willow, but the chemistry Alek and Ella have is off the charts adorable, sweet, romantic, addictive and steamy! They are both strong, brave, in love and will do anything (even dangerous things) for each other, which adds even more emotions and heart wrenching moments to an already emotional roller coaster of a book! I could go on all day talking about Alek and “The Devil’s Crown”, I LOVE LOVE LOOOOOVED him and the book; it’s steamy, romantic, suspenseful, action packed, adorable, swoon worthy, captivating, addictive, an emotional roller coaster and I am soooo excited for part two! I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend it, go get it!!
Um wow. Yep. That’s the word that came to mind when I was done reading this first part of The Devil’s Crown. If you’ve read the All the Pretty Things Trilogy, you’ll remember Aleksei. He’s not a good guy in it, nor is he really a good guy here in his own story either. What he is, however, is much more interesting than he was previously, as someone has come into his life that is making him wish for a bit of, if not redemption, then perhaps someone to just love him, to see some kind of good in him, even if he doesn’t think, or isn’t sure there is, good in him.
I won’t spoil, I’ll just say that this dark and twisty first part of Aleksei and Ella’s story is first rate. I am dying to know what happens next, if Alek gets his woman, if he gets his empire back, if the two make it to the other side the way Willow and Saint did.
OH MY GOD!!! Monica James has done it again!!!
I loved the All The Pretty Things series and knew I would love TDC Duet but Alek just blew ATPT out of the water! (don’t worry though Saint, you always have a special place in my heart). I could not put this down. I literally was up reading at 1:30am until I couldn’t keep my eye open and then immediately started reading as soon as I woke up, neglecting everything else until I finished.
When we originally meet Alek in ATPT, he is the guy you are meant to hate. They villain that you wished would just die. But as the series progressed, you grow a very small soft spot for him. Then we get TDC and Alek now owns me!!! Seeing him struggle between being the man he’s always been and the man he wants to be was so captivating. I of course loved the moments when he gave into his inner demons and let his scary side come out to play! But while that side will always be a part of him, I also loved seeing his softer side.
I don’t want to give away any spoilers so I will just also say that I also loved the h. She occasionally submitted but still never lost her fight, similar to willow. She balances Alek perfectly and helps him see who he can truly.
I’m so excited to get some more Alek and to see where book 2 takes us! September please come quick!
Side note: Can we please get a book for Max??? His story breaks my heart and I really want him to get his happy ending too.
Wow 6 Stars. That’s all I can really say. I thought I was getting one thing and I got that and SO much more. The twists and turns had my head spinning and my cheek hurting from the smiles. (Don’t judge me, dark makes me happy)
I only put this down to sleep and even then the book slithered into my dreaming hours. I truly and honestly loved EVERY word of this. The writing was crisp and sharp, the plot was so intense you couldn’t help but be swept along, the characters were SO nuanced and it was so fast paced but not too much to where I felt like it was rushed. Aleks is a BAD guy, but he’s the BEST bad guy maybe I’ve ever read. His love interest…Chef’s kiss. I’m saying no more than that. I cannot wait for the next book.
I received an ARC from the author and I volunteered to leave an unbiased review.
If you’ve read All The Pretty Things Trilogy, you’re going to want to get your hands on The Devil’s Crown. This is Alexsei Popov’s story after he’s fallen from favor among the other criminals. To make matters worse, it’s his half brother who is in charge now, and these two brothers are out to get each other any way they can.
There’s plenty of action as Alexsei works to regain his territory and position. Some of his old business partners come along to help as he works toward bringing down his brother Serg and their mother.
Complicating matters are a few females. First, there’s little Irina from the orphanage who is just so adorable. Then there’s the women in Aleksei’s life, one who will betray his trust and another who will fill the hole in his heart. Keeping his new love safe proves to be as challenging as it is to regain his kingdom. There’s plenty of heat in The Devil’s Crown (and some very questionable behavior in the orphanage, *fans self*) but it’s all part of the roller coaster ride Monica James has crafted. It’s perfect for fans of dark romance.
This is definitely a dark romance, no doubt about it. The subject matter is hard core.If you like your romance dark, you’ll probably get sucked into Devil’s Crown. You do not need to read All The Pretty Things Trilogy, but it would probably help explain Willow and Saint’s relationship with Alexsei.
Overall, I loved reading Aleksei Popov’s story. He was such an interesting character in the All The Pretty Things Trilogy and I’m glad he got his own book. I loved the changes he’s gone through and I’m waiting not-so-patiently for Part 2! While there were some over-the-top aspects of Devil’s Crown, it has everything I want in a dark romance.
THE DEVIL’S CROWN is the first instalment in Monica James’ adult, contemporary, dark erotic romance duet focusing on former head of the Russian underworld Aleksei Popov, and Sister Arabella aka Antonella Ricci-a spin off from the author’s ALL THE PRETTY THINGS trilogy. We were first introduced to Aleksei Popov in the aforementioned series. You do not have to have read the original series to follow or understand but for back story and cohesion I recommend reading All the Pretty Things Trilogy to understand Aleksei and his relationship to Willow and Saint.
WARNING: THE DEVIL’S CROWN contains scenes of graphic violence and sexual abuse that may be triggers for more sensitive readers.
Told from first person perspective (Aleksei Popov) THE DEVIL’S CROWN follows the former head of the Russian underground Aleksei Popov as he sets about to reclaim that which his half-brother has stolen. Having lost the woman with whom he had fallen in love to the man he groomed to be an assassin and killer, Aleksei Popov focuses on the orphanage where he has taken refuge, and in the interim sets about to take down his half-brother Serg Ivanov. But Aleksei never expected to fall for Sister Arabella, a young nun who is working and living at the Russian orphanage, a woman on the run from a past that is desperate to take back that which doesn’t belong. A contract for hire in exchange for his brother’s location, Aleksei sets about to take back his world only to discover that all is not as it appears to be. Betrayal, vengeance, power and control are but the tip of the proverbial iceberg as Aleksei plans to sacrifice himself to save the woman that calls to his heart.
THE DEVIL’S CROWN is a story of dysfunctional family, the criminal underworld, betrayal and vengeance. A haunting, gritty and dramatic tale of one man’s struggle to regain his power, and one’s woman’s battle for the freedom she lost. The premise is dark and edgy; the characters are broken, flawed, and tragic. THE DEVIL’S CROWN ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned.
Arabella’s Got A 70’s Head…
*arc generously provided by the promo team in exchange for an honest review*
What’s this book about? (I’m trying to give as little spoilers as possible)
Spin-off to All The Pretty Things Trilogy. Alek is a shell of what he used to be… Materially speaking. He’s returned to the place that he’s always found sanctuary in. He’s dancing with the demons in his mind. They tell him to end his enemies. They tell him… Break her.
Monica James does it again. Her male leads are incomparable. Alek is an incredible lead that I would follow anywhere. He’s the anti-hero I didn’t know I needed. He breaks my heart with his heartbreak at every turn of the page. He had me hooked from the first chapter and I didn’t want to let go. He’s bad, but so bad, that he ends up having a tiny bit of good in him, just the right amount that makes him so redeemable. I can’t go into details, but there are lots of twists and turns in this story. There were numerous shocking moments that had me like WTF. There were endless heartfelt moments. There were also countless badass moments where our bad guy fought to defend the ones that can’t defend themselves. Ultimately, Alek has a heart in his chest. And it beats for the right people.
I recommend this to everyone who loves the All The Pretty Things Trilogy, bad guys and intriguing leading ladies.
WOW! Just WOW! Holly sh*t
What a wild and dark ride
This book is a spin-off to the All The Pretty Things series and of course a very dark and disturbing romance.
Monica created an amazing come back not only for Aleksei, but also for Saint, Angel and their friends.
What an unbelievable gripping, nerve-wracking, roller-coaster of destructive, depraved and dangerous events .
Alek was the bad guy (ok, more like a monster) in the Pretty Things series, but the tragedy that happened at the end of Saint’s story changed him.
Love changed him.
From the once most dangerous and powerful Russian criminal remained only his wish for revenge.
The money and power is long gone through he doesn’t care about it.
His thoughts and dreams are filled with his loved ones that are not more alive, guilt feelings and his longing for revenge.
The life lesson also taught him something else, namely that he is after all human and cares about others. Yes, he hates it, but he has to accept that fact nevertheless. In the criminal world to show you care is a weakness, that he can’t have, otherwise he wouldn’t survive.
And don’t let me start with the steamy as hell parts of this book. Let’s just say, intense is not a strong enough word to describe it
I love drama in my books, but this unpredictable story takes it to a completely new level of dramatic.
Ok, ok, I’ve to stop and let you figure this story for yourself.
This brutal-dark romance is the first part of a duet and ends with a cliffhanger.
Gosh, this book wrecked me and I loved it
I need the second book! NOW!!!
Heartbreaking, powerful, cathartic, suspenseful, deliciously blasphemous, hotter than hell itself… I can most certainly keep going.
I don’t exactly know what this says about me but my hate and fear of Alek didn’t last long at all.
When he’s first mentioned in “All the Pretty Things Trilogy”, it’s obvious that there was a sense of foreboding because what all we wanted was for Saint and Willow to be able to escape the nightmare they found themselves in.
When he first appears, the feeling of dread is overwhelming, because to say we just know whatever is to come will be bad, is an understatement.
Now, when the interactions between him and Willow begin, call me naive, but I just knew he couldn’t be as terrible as everyone keept saying. He was capable of love, so how could he be?
Don’t get me wrong, there were still times all I wanted was for him to just give up on Willow, forget all the crazy plans of revenge and just leave, for his sake and everyone else’s. I wanted to kick him, and slap him and yell at him to just quit it.
But many more were the times I wanted to hug him, cry with him over unrequited love, tell him everyting was going to be okay and that one day, he would have his happily-ever-after. I know he wouldn’t have believe me, but still.
All of this, is only a small sample of what makes him the perfect anti-hero – the villain that we love to hate… and love.
All of this, among many other reasons, is why he’s positively redeemable.
All of this, and so much more, is why Monica James is one of the best dark romance authors I’ve ever read.
Her writng style is incredibly enthralling as always and the way she portrays Alek is fascinating: from the way he speaks, the way he carries himself despite his current status, his deep knowledge of each character and how easliy he reads them, how fiercely he loves, how is loyalty never falters towards the ones he carries about, his ever-present devilish and sinful side *wink*wink*…
When I said goodbye to Saint and Willow, my heart, mind and soul were a mess for a long while.
Their tale will stay with me for the rest of my life.
Even after all this time, thinking about their story and how it is a closed chapter in my own life, hurts like hell.
Again, that’s the power of Monica James storytelling.
Reading the first page of this book was like returning home.
All those familiar emotions came rushing back: my heart was beating faster while at the same time feeling like it had a huge gaping hole in it, there was this knot in my throat, the tears kept coming.
I was a mess.
Ah, who am I kidding, I’m still a mess.
Alek asks: “Who could love a monster like me?”
People are capable of change and everyone deserves a second chance.
He’s no different. He’d propose that perhaps due to luck or divine intervention, he happens to be surronded by people that, no matter his errors and behaviors of the past, insist on giving him the benefit of the doubt and allowing him to repent.
It is also not lost on them that someone that some demonstrations of love, albeit in a twisted form, show telling cracks in the suit of armor he carries at all times.
Maybe, just maybe, the once feared Aleksei Popov, unbeknownst to even himself, isn’t just this fleshed out persona, and rather a mistundertood soul.
I think I’ve been waiting for this book even before Monica James announced there was going to be one – there was just no way the story of Aleksei Popov wasn’t going to be told in its entirety.
We’re final here, and I know with absolute certainty that I will never be the same, now that this man had found his way deeper into my heart.
Here’s some of what you can expect going into this book and – not that you asked, but well – some warnings:
* brace yourself for plot twist after plot twist;
* deceit is everywhere – follow your gut and you’ll probably be right on who to trust;
* prepare to be utterly disgusted by some truly evil, unspeakable plans to bring Alek to his knees. Can’t say much without spoiling it, but just know it was the first time I actually had to put my kindle/phone down to be able the bring my hands to my face and scrub my eyes in order to try and forget that someone could even insinuate something horrible like that.
*by the same token, be ready to witness the devil come forward and against all odds, gleefully be by his side while he plays out his vengeance. The thrill is phenomenal.
*Kleenex. Fan.
Not, I didn’t just write down my grocery shopping list by mistake. I deem these to be essential items to have at hand since, if you’re anything like me, you’ll be crying for a considerable amount of time and the fan… well, Alek gets down and dirty. Several times. And it’s hot. A. F. And also kinky. I mean, you know who we’re talking about, right? “Master”. Does it ring a bell?Remember above, when I wrote “deliciously blasphemous”? Yup.
You got my point, I suppose.
So… cliffhanger.
Not even mad about.
Obviously this being a duet, I knew it was coming. I was just trying to figure out exactly where we were going to be left hanging.
Again, not mad. Not even a little bit.
While I know now all there’s left to do it wait, when we come back, it’ll be back to business as usual.
One last battle to finish this war.
Who knew the best place to stand on with be beside the Devil?
This should be fun.
Monica James books just keep getting better and better….. The Devil’s Crown: Part One is a spin-off from All The Pretty Things and I highly recommend that you start with that series.
Aleksei Popov’s world crumbled in Forever My Saint. Saint & Willow got their HEA but now it is Aleksei’s turn. He is picking up pieces and trying to get his empire back. Aleksei hasn’t always been a nice man. But can he be all that bad the way he loves Irina.
There is blood and gore so this book isn’t for the faint of heart. I found myself cringing with the description of some of the things that were happening.
There was another seen that had me crossing myself and I am not even Catholic.
I had to pick up my jaw from the floor several times and there was a huge twist that had me saying out loud OMG! My SIL asked if I was alright. All I could do was nod my head and keep on reading!
So, I knew that there would be a cliffhanger but I didn’t think it was as bad as what I had prepared myself for. I loved reading The Devil’s Crown! Do make sure that if you don’t like Dark, Gory, Sex, with a little Taboo thrown in that you probably shouldn’t be reading this book! 10+ STARS
This review has taken me days to write. I’m still at a loss for words. The Devil’s Crown was everything I wanted and so much more. The moment I started reading I was completely hooked. I was sucked into this story. If you’ve read the All the Pretty Things trilogy then you know Alek and if you haven’t read the trilogy you are in for one sinful ride.
Alek is a character you want to hate, but you just can’t. Despite who he is and what he has done you can’t help but love him. He just wants his city back, he wants to wear the crown he deserves. He’s cruel, he is a villain, but there is also a softer side to him, a side Willow originally brought out. Now, the heroine….well she was a surprise, in a good way. She is exactly the type of woman that Alek needs and there is some instant chemistry between the two of them and a few kindle melting scenes.
Some old characters make an appearance and I loved those moments. I got the bromance I never knew I wanted and it was perfect. There is a sweet secondary character that will melt your cold black heart, especially in scenes with Alek (you’ll know exactly who I’m talking about if you’ve read the story), but I truly hope there is more of them!
The Devil’s Crown is action packed and will have you reading with your jaw on the floor a majority of the book and in tears towards the end. It is dark and twisted. If this is just part one I can’t wait to see what is coming in part two! The Devil’s Crown is a MUST READ and one of my TOP READS of 2020.
,, ….”
Review
OMFG
So this is my first book of @authormonicajames ( shame on me ) and i can’t tell you how much i loved it
Aleksei is not the villain i expected at all …
I didn’t read All The Pretty Things Series ( you must read it before to really understand this book) but i think for me it worked this way, because I had no prejudice against Aleksei for what he had done.
Alek has only one purpose: taking back his place at the top. But he is no longer the man he was; he can’t shut down his feelings, his humanity, and he has many people he cares about …
A weakness his enemies gonna use against him.
Everytime i thought i knew what was going to happen, Monica proved me i was wrong.
Put this book down was almost impossible; it kept me on the edge, with my heart beating fast…
I loved Alek and really connected with him: i felt his burning rage, his regrets….
the fire of passion, and the love in every shapes he felt it.
And gosh last chapter was just say it feeds my need for dark
I’m not gonna spoil anything else because you have to read it , and just prepare yourself for an hell of ride