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Lana Sky
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Ruthless King: A Dark Mafia Romance: War of Roses Universe (Mice and Men Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Lana Sky (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 111 ratings
To avoid bloodshed, former crime lord Donatello plans to arrange a union between his nephew and a rival family. Instead, he’s drawn to beautiful young Willow himself — despite their dark and painful past… Book one in a series of sinister romances.

After a decade spent claiming a throne for himself in the seething violence of the criminal underbelly, all Donatello Vanici craves now is peace.

Only a union forged between his heir and the most powerful mafiya family in existence could ever be strong enough to end the bloodshed for good, but the Stepanov head resists his overtures at every turn...

Until tragedy strikes, and forces Donatello’s hand.

Haunted by a past that dogs her every thought, Willow Stepanov will do anything for the man who adopted her—until a chance encounter with the enemy lands her right in the middle of a dangerous power struggle and a war that grows more violent and vicious each day.

But it's not just her future her captor holds hostage.

He is a man with nothing left to lose—while she may just lose everything.

Her life, her family, and her heart…

Mice and Men is a new standalone series in the War of Roses Universe.

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  1. Book 1 of 4
    Mice and Men
  2. Print length
    309 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    27 October 2020
  5. File size
    1.8 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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  • Kindle Price:
    $14.66includes tax, if applicable
    By clicking on the buy button, your order will be finalised and you agree to the Kindle store terms of use.Sold by: Amazon Australia Services, Inc.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08FWWMDZL
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.8 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 309 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 111 ratings

About the author

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Lana Sky

Lana Sky

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About The Author:

Lana Sky is a reclusive writer in the United States who spends most of her time daydreaming about complex male characters and parenting her Cockapoo Joey. She writes dark, twisted romance across several genres. Her titles include everything from mafia romance to vampires.


Learn more about her on:

website: www.lanaskybooks.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lanasky101

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lanasky101/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@author_lana_sky

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
111 global ratings

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Top reviews from Australia

  • IheartRoarke
    4.0 out of 5 stars Happy to return to the War of Roses universe
    Reviewed in Australia on 26 December 2020
    I was excited to return to Mischa and Ellen's world. I loved the War of Roses series. In this duet, we follow Willow, Mischa and Ellen's adopted daughter. It seems the past has come back and won't let go. Willow has to face a man who abandoned her despite his promises to keep her safe. Donatello has been haunted by his past and consumed by the actions he took all those years ago. So when someone he thought was dead and gone returns, how will he react? Will Willow forgive the man who betrayed her?

    While this story didn't grab my attention as quickly as the War of Roses did, it was still an interesting story and I loved seeing Mischa and Ellen once more. It was about half way through the story that I became more interested and captivated by the story. It seems someone wants there to be a war and blood is spilled. It pushes both Mischa and Don to take drastic action. I have to admit, Willow still seems naive in her actions. Rather than speaking to Mischa, she takes risks and places herself in danger. By the end, it seems that Don will live up to his title. I look forward to seeing just how far Don will take this and who will survive this upcoming war.
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  • Kristy
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great start!!
    Reviewed in Australia on 29 October 2020
    Ruthless king is the first book in the mice & men series and boy does it set us up for an emotional rollercoaster.
    Don & Willow are both both two very broken souls but what Don doesn’t realize is just how intertwined they really are.
    Don is on a path of redemption & willow is on a path of revenge. Who will win?
    I can’t believe how quickly this book had me turning the pages. There’s so much more to this book than your typical mafia book. There’s love, loss, Murder, mystery, revenge but not quite redemption..yet!! The only bit that did lose marks for me was I would have liked to see more steam & The characters have more of a connection before the ending.
    This book ends on a huge cliffy that I cannot wait to get my hands on. Well done Lana!!
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hot, hot & hot.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 April 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Never read anything before by this author. Definitely will again. Preordered book 2 in the series, hope it's as good as the first.
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  • Mom12
    5.0 out of 5 stars New take on mafia
    Reviewed in the United States on 12 November 2020
    Verified Purchase
    For me, there is nothing more terrifying than reading about a mental breakdown. This story goes down and dirty into Willow's backstory, and introduces us to the redemption of Donatello. He loved his little girl, known then as Safiya, and has been atoning since giving her up to a bad criminal. Poor Safiya had been taken from her real parents, low level criminals, and given a false sense of security with Don. But after a life changing event happens, Safiya is once again given up and dropped into danger. Safiya has become Willow, reborn a Stepanov and happy.

    But when she has a coming out party, Don has crashed the festivities hoping to meet Willow and marry her to his nephew Vin. Don doesnt know who Willow is. Suddenly, memories attack Willow, forcing her to remember and want answers.

    "But like some lingering infection, he’s already inside me anyway, seeping into my veins with every frantic surge of my pulse. The memories descend one after the other, until I’m drowning in them. All I can think about is him. Donatello, the man who left me for dead. So sweet, his laugh could infect an entire room of people with joy. One smile from him could charm the sun from the sky."

    It evens affects the way she feels about her place in her adopted family.

    "And it became more apparent than ever what an anomaly I am in this family. Like an off-note in an otherwise flawless aria. You don’t notice it at first—perhaps one might assume it’s part of the song. But the more you play the piece, the more pronounced that one note sounds. Until it’s all you can hear, grating above the rest. Destroying the otherwise harmony."

    "I feel strange. Lost. Empty. Like I’ve ripped off a mask I’ve been wearing for so long, I’d forgotten it wasn’t my real face. Without it, I’m someone nameless devoid of a real identity. A waif with her blond hair falling from its elegant coil, draping her shoulders with random strands."

    The best parts of this book are where Author Sky describes the complexity that is Willow Stepanova. She is mafia born and seemingly immune to violence, yet she never accepted this new role with parents who love her. And when tragedy strikes, Willow is thrust overboard into the past.

    Let me clarify my first sentence in this review. Reading Don fall into a drunken, chaotic meltdown is both exhilarating and terrifying. Author Sky takes every emotion and swirls it into a destructive tornado. He thinks its all over, so he has nothing to lose.

    "“Would anyone even care if I killed you?” he wonders in a cruel whisper. I brace myself as he lowers his weight over me, hoovers his mouth above where his thumb still lies. “You are at my mercy. Tell me your name, and I’ll let you go. Or gasp. Whimper. Anything to prove it. I’m begging you. I’ll get on my knees if that’s what you #$&% want.” He chuckles madly at the thought of it. He sounds mad. Earnest. A man at his wits’ end with nothing to lose. “Prove to me you are not Safiya. Or… Prove to me you are her.”"

    The back and forth between coherence and insanity is brutal and I was memorized. Author Sky is always bringing something new to the table, and this mafia story isn't like the others. Instead of relying on made man cliches she writes a story about a young woman trying to fit in among the constant violence and intensity that never dies down.
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  • morgan
    4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing and Heartbreaking read
    Reviewed in the United States on 4 December 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This book is definitely a slower burn. Well-crafted and heartbreaking, Willow and Donatello’s story is steeped in tragic history and guilt. I love the build up throughout this first book! Lana Sky has an impressive skill, taking reader’s inside the minds of her characters to enrich the story. Heart wrenching to see how things unfold, and I can’t wait for the next book!
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  • ⏃ ✦ : Villainous Vixen⏃ ✦ :
    5.0 out of 5 stars I'm trying not to lose my mind right now.
    Reviewed in the United States on 16 June 2021
    Verified Purchase
    After finishing the beloved War of Roses Trilogy I couldn’t resist diving into Mice and Men series. We finally learn more about Willow’s past and why a man named Donatello have such a tremendous hold over her.

    I devoured this book faster than I thought I would. Ruthless King resembles its title without failure—it's ruthless, dark and twisted, everything you shouldn’t enjoy but undoubtedly will when you read this insane story. I’m going to attempt to leave this review short, because you’ll really want to step into this oblivious and unknowing. Just know that right and wrong are blurred, almost becoming one and the same, with complex characters and a profound, disturbed story-line that will have you intrigued.

    Donatello Vanici.

    Il Mostro. The butcher. Ex-crime lord trying to change for his past sins and for a better future for his nephew. But things go side ways when his past comes back to haunt him. Willow is not who she claims to be. . . There is history between these two. Bad blood. One that could cause another blood war, and streets will run red.

    This book was absolutely bloody brilliant. A dark alluring world that gripped and tore my heart in two. Ruthless King is a tragic yet stunning devious of a read that had me second guessing who could be the mole. Who could you trust? Gah, I still cannot get over the ending I'm losing my mind right now......Lana Sky has ruined me for real men there I said it. First it was Mischa, now it's Don. Who's next?
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  • Frankie Brockway
    5.0 out of 5 stars Too good
    Reviewed in the United States on 4 November 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Lana Sky has too much talent. In this book she gives us such rich characters. Donatello. He did terrible things as he hates and loves with passion. The love he has for Vin is without boundaries. He gives all he has for his boy’s future. And tragedy strikes in the form of Misha. Misha. Brutal but loves his family without boundaries too. Men more alike than different but enemies. And things just get worse between them. Willow. She’s harder to love but strong and in need of understanding. These characters will pull you in every direction, leaving you panting for the rest of the story. Lana Sky always gives her readers something different, well written, dark, angst filled and entirely mesmerizing.
    Report

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