#bratva jewel

[sandythereadingcafe]

REVIEW TOUR

BRATVA JEWEL (Ivankov Brotherhood 6) by Sabine Barclay at The Reading Cafe:

‘complex and captivating’

http://www.thereadingcafe.com/bratva-jewel-ivankov-brotherhood-by-sabine-barclay-review-tour/

[sanerontheinside]

Look, Goncharov is an excellent movie. It has the sense of inevitability about it, of ever-encroaching tragedy. Its execution of both the suspense and the despair, the mounting fear of what you knew was coming all along—it’s staggering, the perfection of it.

But at the same time, this isn’t a Scorsese, not truly. It’s a Matteo JWHJ 0715. It is, in some ways, a little hamfisted in its execution, and I would argue the American audience is not wrong to analyze it in terms of very American themes. They are! Hollywood movies set the tone for much around the world, from fashion to storytelling in a media as globalized as film.

And as I’ve said, I do love this movie. I love it even for its anachronistic quirks—many of them deliberate and thought-through stylistic choices. I think the fact that goncharov’s primary activities are moving drugs and guns are one of these stylistic departures. Guns and drugs are easy to understand; goncharov is the bad guy, the antihero we’re meant to sympathize with. Certainly, he makes for a rather charming and impressive bastard.

But I think the movie, this particular script rather misses out on the poignancy of the alternative: that goncharov likely wasn’t dealing drugs and weapons, at least not at the beginning. Truth is, you could make an unimaginable amount of money just by smuggling ordinary European goods across the Iron Curtain.

Painfully ordinary. Shoes and coats and and dresses and suits, like all those pretty things that Katya wears. Turntables. Jeans! Plain old dishware. Sure, maybe eventually goncharov didn’t have much of a choice and got into the hard stuff

(this would actually serve the narrative—Goncharov stepping clear over his own lines in the sand, over and over again until he no longer recognizes who he is—perfection)

(anyway)

but you see, the Soviet Union didn’t have a whole variety in production, nor even necessarily great quality of it. There was no (legal) access to imported goods. I’ve already seen mention of the bootleg copy of the film that became a cult classic in the USSR itself (and probably inspired generations of bratva in years to come 🙄) but I wonder if it simply didn’t occur to anyone to consider that the Soviet bloc had largely isolated itself after WWII, and with a struggling economy, with creakily functioning infrastructure, did its best to achieve the impossible and pull itself ‘up by its bootstraps’.

So just think about it: almost every item that Katya owns is like those pretty gowns and crystal shoes in old fairytales; the moment she steps out of this magical realm—the moment the scales fall from her eyes—all of it will begin to melt away into nothing. She would never have had anything like it, were she not married to Goncharov. And he gave her the keys to this magical kingdom, didn’t he? Her Prince, who in the end is not a prince at all, not a fairytale. The illusion, the glamour falls away from him as well.

And then there is Sofia. Sofia, for whom all these clothes and shoes and jewels are very real. All right, sure—Sofia’s backstory tells us she lucked into this world, and in some sense it is also a sort of fairytale space for her. But the thing is, Katya’s grasp on it is far more tenuous. Sofia is nowhere near as richly dressed as Katya, but when everything goes to pot Sofia will still have something of her own, hard-won with sacrifice.

Katya will not. And how unfair is that: Katya is her own woman, she survives her husband’s world and makes her own way, only to be left with nothing if the worst should happen.

[joyffree]

DIAMOND, book #2 of the Bratva Jewels Series, by @jalowbooks is NOW LIVE!

Grab this dark mafia romance TODAY!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3CCRzDT

Amazon INTL: https://geni.us/Diamond02

Blurb:

Round 2 with the Devil begins.

Grace thought she had left the nightmare of the Bratva Jewels behind her. Her days spent with them were some of the darkest of her life, but she’s safe now.

Or so she thought.

When the Bratva seeks revenge for losing one of their own, Grace knows she must be strong to withstand whatever they have in store for her.

What she didn’t expect was a dark knight to come to her rescue.

Maxim is one of the world’s most skilled and feared assassins, and he has a job to do.

What he wasn’t expecting is the complication Grace would become in his life.

When the time comes, can he hand her back to the Bratva?

Or will he keep what his dark heart desires?

@candikanepr

[okiedreamsreviews]

Bratva Jewel by Sabine Barclay ~ Pre-Order Blitz

Bratva Jewel by Sabine Barclay ~ Pre-Order Blitz

BRATVA JEWEL The Ivankov Brotherhood #6 Sabine Barclay Genre: Dark Mafia Romance Release Date: January 24, 2023 BLURB I can’t resist her. I don’t want to… She’s tried to leave our life behind, but no one walks away from the bratva. She can run, but she can’t hide. I’ll be the one to catch her when she falls. And she will because she’s walking a fine line. I’ll be there because she’s mine. I’ll…

[kellysbookblog]

RELEASE BLITZ

Title: Bratva Angel

Series: The Ivankov Brotherhood #5

Author: Sabine Barclay

Genre: Dark Mafia Romance

Release Date: December 13, 2022

BLURB

Our worlds couldn’t be further apart…

She’s light. I’m dark. She’s an angel. I’m a devil.

I’ll never walk away from my life with the bratva.

My only choice is to bring her in.

She’s mine and always will be.

Maybe she doesn’t know we’re soulmates yet, but I have since we met.

I’ll do anything to protect her. No one’s foolish enough to stop me.

And if they are…

I’ll take her to the limits of what she thinks she can handle, then I’ll please her any way she wants.

Bratva Angel is an interconnecting, standalone Dark Mafia Romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains extra-steamy scenes that will make your toes curl and your granny blush. This is book five in The Ivankov Brotherhood, a six-book series that’ll keep you warm at night.

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60895741-bratva-angel

PURCHASE LINKS

US: https://amzn.to/3fDMC5j

UK: https://amzn.to/3E66Ajg

CA: https://amzn.to/3Srumui

AU: https://amzn.to/3LXZZcC

Universal: https://bit.ly/3SxQfs3

Free in Kindle Unlimited

ALSO AVAILABLE

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AU: https://amzn.to/3E6RF6z

All free in Kindle Unlimited

COMING SOON

#6 Bratva Jewel �� Releasing January 24

US: https://amzn.to/3Tyl2o0

UK: https://amzn.to/3TNbWEp

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AU: https://amzn.to/3ht5i8y

AUTHOR BIO

Sabine Barclay, a nom de plume also writing Historical Romance as Celeste Barclay, lives near the Southern California coast where she's a former rower and a hopeful surfer, a self-proclaimed foodie, and a lover of the outdoors. Sabine enjoys attending reader events and travels domestically and internationally for book signings and speaking engagements. Before becoming a full-time author, Sabine was a Social Studies and English teacher. She holds degrees in International Affairs (BA), Secondary Social Science (MAT), and Political Management (MPS). She channels that knowledge into creating engrossing contemporary romances that bring the steam will make your toes curl and your granny blush.

AUTHOR LINKS

Website: http://www.sabinebarclay.com

Newsletter: http://www.sabinebarclay.com/joinnewsletter

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SabineBarclayAuthor

[busdriver-55]

Organized Crime AU

- basically Mafia AUs but set before the 21st century. (so kinda with a historical vibe) and a couple cops/detective type fics. Stilettos and scrapyards by DominiqueFrancon: There were few left (among even legitimate organizations) who failed to recognize the rule of Kalo’s gang, and by reputation, Kalo himself. The merciless capo of the Cavalieri Renzo; a group that was, itself, whispered about among criminals as the pride and nightmare of Primo Ordine. The Pull to the Light by FlavorofKylo: In post Prohibition era New York, crime boss Ben Solo (otherwise known as Kylo Ren) is transitioning away from bootlegging and into other enterprises: drugs, gambling and jewels. When his longtime associate, Poe Dameron, sends Rey to him, he's shocked to find out that Rey is a woman. To his delight and surprise, she turns out to be not only beautiful, but sharp and fearless. It doesn't take long for Ben to realize that the jewel he'll want the most from her is the one that's not for sale. A Cailín Came to Town by @mzladybird: This is a Peaky Blinders AU, it is about gangs in Birmingham. (A/B/O) la pietà by flybluejay: An arranged marriage fic set in 1960s/70s New York, featuring Ben as Italian mafia and Rey as Irish mob. New York City is in the grip of the Italian mafia when a dying Irish mob makes one last desperate bid for power. go i know not whither and fetch i know not what by @voicedimplosives: The year is 1994. The Iron Curtain has come down, the oligarchs have begun their rise to power, and Kyril Ren, a powerful member of the infamous crime syndicate Solntsevskaya Bratva, has been given a job: hunt down an estranged uncle who has been snitching to the FBI. Irena, nicknamed Rey by her adoptive father Luke, is a Krav Maga instructor in New York who has finally been able to obtain her original birth certificate from Russia. Turns out she was born in a little village named Vershinino, but if she wants to know more than that… she’s going to have to go there herself. Opia by t0bemadeofglass: Rey’s the youngest detective to be promoted in the Resistance Police Department, and her first case wasn’t looking all that promising until Unkar Plutt was found dead in the old apartments she used to rent. Now, as the jagged pieces of an obscene puzzle start to fall into place, the only way to stop the killer may be to drag herself through her past.

[the-og-mkt]

What are your top five Reylo Fanfic recs? Bonus points for smutty ones. 😈

Oh, Anon. They’re all fully of smutty goodness. I encourage you to read EACH AND EVERY ONE!! Thanks for the ask!  In no particular order: (Also, choosing 5 is WAY too hard, so I give you EVEN MORE!)

And So The World Faded Away by SpaceWaffleHouseTM

Rey and Ben are actors in a well-loved tv show, and after seasons of sexual tension between their characters, the time has come for them to film their first sex scene. When that time arises, though one of them has done this a few times before and knows the ropes, but the other has never filmed a scene like this before. In fact, Rey's never even had sex in the first place.

Luckily she and Ben trust each other offscreen as much as they do on.

Laid Between Words by Jeeno2

“It wouldn’t be a real marriage, obviously,” Ben clarifies, as though that’s an important point that might not have occurred to her. “Though we’d have to live together, obviously. And I’m sure there are a lot of other things we’ll have to do to convince people.”

---------------------

(Or: Rey is nearing the end of her temporary work Visa. Her friend Ben offers to marry her so she can stay in the U.S. She says yes.)

Go I Know Not Whither and Fetch I Know Not What by voicedimplosives

The year is 1994. The Iron Curtain has come down, the oligarchs have begun their rise to power, and Kyril Ren, a powerful member of the infamous crime syndicate Solntsevskaya Bratva, has been given a job: hunt down an estranged uncle who has been snitching to the FBI.

Irena, nicknamed Rey by her adoptive father Luke, is a Krav Maga instructor in New York who has finally been able to obtain her original birth certificate from Russia. Turns out she was born in a little village named Vershinino, but if she wants to know more than that… she’s going to have to go there herself.

TL;DR: What up here's a Russian Mafia AU.

Say It With Sugar by Fettuccine_alfreylo

Ben Solo is the owner of his family’s small chocolate shop. Rey Kenobi is a talented chocolate maker he hires. They both share the same passion for chocolate. Unfortunately, they share the same kind of anxiety, too.

We Could Plant A House, We Could Build A Tree by Like_A_Dove

Ben takes a deep breath. “It’s—it’s a project. Conceptual art. You wouldn’t get it.”

Rey presses her lips together to keep from laughing. She plans her next words quickly and carefully, determining what will get her the best reaction. “Really? Looks like you ruined a bedsheet to me.”

His reaction does not disappoint. “Get out.”

**

Seven-year-old Rey decides it's her duty to annoy the crap out of Ben Solo every single day she's alive.

Landscape With A Blur Of Conquerors by Disasterisms

"While I share your contempt for this situation in which we find ourselves, do not mistake it as apathy," he hissed through gritted teeth, dark eyes burning. "I hardly expect your disposition to sweeten, but I will be damned if I allow my future Empress to behave in a manner that reflects poorly on me and on the First Order!"

"If you allow?" She wrenched her arm out of his viselike grasp, batting his hand away for good measure. "I don't belong to you. I don't belong to anyone."

"That might have been the case back when you were a scavenger on that pitiful scrap heap of a planet, but now?" His sardonic gaze flickered over her silk robes and the jewels woven through her elaborate braids. "Now you are the Chume'da, and the Chume'dabelongs to her people. Their fate is entirely in your hands. Should you cross the line, it is they who will suffer for it. Am I making myself clear?"

"I hate you," she said bitterly.

He sneered at her. "See? Already you are acclimatizing so well to married life."

The Food Of Love by LovesBitca8

Rey picked up her first violin at eleven, finding a mentor in conductor and former-violinist Luke Skywalker. With the First Chair up for grabs, Rey is thrust into the spotlight as the youngest violinist to take First Chair in the NY Pops.

But Kylo Ren - former violinist, former NY Pops cellist, formerly Ben Solo child prodigy - may take issue with Rey Nobody sitting in his grandfather's chair.

In other words, Orchestra AU. The Force is music, but like, really good music. Ben and Rey are both child prodigies.

Satan Wears A Rolex by AquaWolfGirl

An aspiring writer who’s moved to New York City from Arizona, Rey Kenobi gets an in at General Fashion Magazine thanks to her friend Finn, a photographer. Working under head copy editor Poe Dameron, she thinks she’s found her place in the journalist world. But when Kylo Ren, Editor-in-Chief, needs a new assistant, she finds herself thrust into the line of fire. She tells herself that, after this job, she can work anywhere she wants, including The Skywalker Report. But will she last that long?

[kaichan24]

Favorite Mafia AUs

Separation Anxiety. Deep in the dark, unsettling back alleys of St. Petersburg, a network of rival families makes up the heart of the mafia that runs the city's underground. Of these, none is more feared than the Nikiforov family, an infamous group that is said to be led by a man of cold blood and steel. Viktor, the son of the previous boss, knows only too well just how frightening this man is.

He is, after all, married to him. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/8952229/chapters/20489131

Masquerade. “Just say the word.” came the whisper as Victor stepped close, behind them Yuuri was aware of guns out and at the ready, of confused men and questioned loyalties, here Victor was offering, and Yuuri was too selfish to say no.

“Ok.” Yuuri smiled as this game of masquerade came to an end, what would happen now, he didn’t know, he would probably die, his family would come after him and try to put a knife in his back or a bullet between his eyes, none of it mattered, because together they would fight, and the rest of the world would finally burn.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/8565544/chapters/19636378

A Pakhan's Weakness. Yuuri has a morning routine that helps him stay alive and it involves opening his legs to the most dangerous alpha in the underground.

On the other side of the world, the hunt for the world's most wanted man has been going on for nearly a decade. A survivor brings information that changes the whole course of the investigation.

The Pakhan has a mate, an omega who belongs to the most fertile class in the world, and he will stop at nothing to keep him by his side.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/16111763/chapters/37635491?hide_banner=true

Ivory and Gold.  Three years after certain events in Barcelona publicized the end of the Katsuki-Nikiforov crime era, Katsuki Yuuri waits out a death sentence in Fuchū prison and Viktor Nikiforov seems to have developed a commitment to running his own business into the ground. Such is not the legacy Katsuki Yuuri wanted--thus, when given the opportunity to escape his execution sentence in return for Nikiforov's orchestrated arrest, Katsuki accepts. In doing so, he invites all manner of troubles onto himself, not the least of which is that Viktor Nikiforov wants him dead, and maybe--maybe--Katsuki Yuuri doesn't want the same for him.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/11091492/chapters/24743577

Nocturne. It's a charmed life, rife with luxury and glamour and a doting husband who gives him the world on a silver platter. It's also a peculiarly lonely life, being married to the underboss of one of the biggest 'yakuza' in operation. Either way, Viktor wouldn't trade it - or his husband - for the world.Or.A day in the life of Mafia Wife!Viktor.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/10993335/chapters/24485292

The Pakhan's Jewel. No one had ever heard the omega speak.

It was not that they had never heard him at all. They had all heard the voice of the omega at some point – a gentle laugh, for example, a quiet hum, or, quite more often, lustful cries and moans, caused by the Pakhan himself. But the omega never spoke, and never deigned to even look at them, for they all were beneath him, and mattered less than the dirt beneath his feet.

For they all knew that Katsuki Yuuri's heart belonged to one man only - and that man was Viktor Nikiforov, the Pakhan himself.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/21804829/chapters/52031626

Blonde. Viktor Nikiforov is a son, a brother, a nephew, and the Pakhan of the St. Petersburg Bratva, but to him it's not enough. Something's missing, and he doesn't know what.

On a routine check-up of the sex-trafficing rings in the Bratva's American territory he takes interest in a young prostitute named Katsuki Yuuri, who's quiet and troubled; a perfect addition to Viktor's life. He hopes the boy can find life and love with Viktor in Russia, and that he can return the favour as well.

But not everything is as it seems, Viktor and Yuuri's pasts often come back to haunt them, and not every person in Viktor's circle loves Yuuri as much as he does, some even going to great lengths to make sure Viktor remembers the family business comes first.

This is Katsuki Yuuri falling in love, and getting in too deep.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/9645959/chapters/21792248

There Are Stars Trapped Under Your Skin.  Yuuri's been living with Viktor for almost a year now, a slice of peace they have carved out of their violent lives. But nothing ever lasts.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/9554768/chapters/21603482

A lack of Invitations. Viktor is ex-Russian mob knife for hire, with a terrifying reputation. Yuuri is a Japanese mob boss. They encounter each other at a party and for some reason, Yuuri is intrigued enough to hire Viktor on.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/9418778/chapters/21320093

The Pakhan and his Swan. “So,” Anna Nikiforov starts and Hiroko leans forward, intrigued. “Say Mari presents as an alpha, and Victor does as well, but Yuuri presents as an omega. Would you be willing to arrange for them to mate?” Anna asks, smile breaking out in earnest on her face as she does.

“Victor and Yuuri? Now?” Hiroko’s eyebrows shoot up, looking out into the park at her son and the other boy sitting cross-legged next to each other. Yuuri is looking so intensely at Victor, brown eyes following every movement as Victor talks, waving his hands for emphasise.

or; the bratva and yakuza look to strengthen their ties their sons seems like the perfect way to do it. Every summer Victor and Yuuri get to spend three weeks together to get to know each other. Friendship blossoms, but could it be more? and what dark forces might want to prevent them from becoming it?

https://archiveofourown.org/works/19788763/chapters/46848226

Blue Rosed Mafia. No one expected a Japanese m

an to run the number one Mafia family in Russia. Yuri Katsuki is the Pakhan for a Russian mafia group and Victor Nikiforov is with him too.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/8950297/chapters/20485027

Long Live The Prince.  Yuri Plisetsky has a complicated family. He's not the only kid to have two fathers, much less divorced ones. But he can't count many children who have parents in the Russian and Japanese mafia respectively. Almost nine years ago a fight separated Victor Nikiforov and Yuuri Katsuki, leading the latter to flee to Japan with their only son. Everything would remain the same for the two crime bosses, but Yuri runs away from home and puts his parents in a rampage. Yuuri panics, Victor is happy to have his little prince back and Yura just wanted his family together.  

https://archiveofourown.org/works/13705965/chapters/31483596

[dvrkprinces]

&&. ( dimitri valentina ) was just spotted in amsterdam. rumor has it ( he ) is a ( 27 ) year old ( alpha werewolf ) who resembles ( sean o’pry ). ( he ) has been said to be ( intelligent & resilient ) but also quite ( proud & deceitful ). with all the chaos surrounding the magical underworld, he has chosen to align with ( no one / the russian bratva ). ( he ) is currently serving as ( the russian bratva mafia prince ). hopefully the city doesn’t devour them whole.

— ❝ do you know where the wicked go after death?❞

( hi there, kiwi here! this is the official intro for  the pensive, brooding, and darkly sarcastic russian mafia prince, dimitri valentina. i’m excited to see how he fits in with everyone else’s characters and would love to establish connections with him! please let me know if you’d like to plot; i’m available through both the group’s discord and tumblr ims. ♡ )

name: dimitri nikolai valentina

birthplace: saint petersburg, russia

birthday: december 14th | sagittarius

scent: white ginger, basil flower, bergamot, cedar, violet leaves, haiti vetiver, coconut, and hibiscus + ( signature cologne: l’homme - yves saint laurent )

appearance: standing 6′3″ with a chiseled jawline, thick, swept-back black hair, steely eyes, and a fit frame, dimitri valentina is like something directly out of a stoic and classical portrait. dimitri’s beauty is dark and sinister, and that coupled with his brooding personality can make him come across as a deeply sinister and intimidating young man. he prefers to stay clean-shaven and well-groomed.

growing up wealthy, as the son of a mafia family and as a privileged alpha werewolf, dimitri has known luxury and wealth for the entirety of his life. as such, he dresses in the finest clothes, has a fondness for cloaks, pea coats, and gloves, and even his sweaters are designer cashmere. he prefers high end fragrances and watches and loves shades of deep emerald and cranberry paired with black or dark grey pants or accents.

personality: intelligent, resilient, proud, deceitful, haughty, pretentious, cunning, ambitious, stubborn.

biography: dimitri valentina is the middle child of the valentina children, and as such, he has always felt particularly stuck. doomed to fall in the shadows of his strong, intelligent, and ambitious elder brother, viktor, and under the bright-eyed popularity and adoration of his baby sister, tatiana, dimitri felt he was always particularly underwhelming compared to his two siblings. as an adult, dimitri often feels that he has to overcompensate to prove he is not only worthy of his bloodline, but that he is as important as either of his siblings. he was born in saint petersburg, the glittering jewel of russia, to a loving and protective family. the valentinas were mafia royalty, and as such, dimitri was born into a lap of opulence and luxury.

dimitri grew up loved, well-educated, and finely-clothed. as far as material possessions went, he was never in want of anything. as a werewolf in a clan that treasured alpha wolves, as well, he was particularly graced and endowed. but while some, like his brother or his “uncle” ronan weren’t particularly inclined to learn about life outside of russia, dimitri craved the world. a naturally curious and inquisitive child, dimitri had read about the world beyond the motherland in illicit history textbooks and works of fiction. though he was born and raised in russia, dimitri’s high marks in school and family connections got him accepted into study abroad. as a result, his fluency in english is more articulate than that of either of his siblings.

dimitri attended elite private boarding schools growing up, eventually attending cambridge university to double major in history and english literature with a minor in russian language and literature. dimitri has a decided interest in academia, architecture, fashion, and the arts; as he was never intended to become the pakhan of the russian mafia or the pack leader, he allowed viktor to shoulder much of the responsibility that comes with the job, offering his support and opinions as a younger brother.

despite the fact that viktor was raised to take the crown after his father stepped down, dimitri has never resented his brother. on the contrary, viktor and tatiana are his closest friends; tatiana in particular was his nearest and dearest companion growing up, and he wanted to always support and protect her. so when tatiana was taken by the fallen angels and kidnapped, dimitri felt useless and beyond himself. he felt useless and restless without her and, though he would never admit this out loud, partially blames viktor for tatiana being taken. his feelings were irrational and based out of grief and anger, but now that time has cooled and passed, dimitri has to learn to atone with his anger, frustration, and guilt. between grieving sister’s kidnapping and his mother falling ill, dimitri has suppressed a lot of feelings in order to appear as though he is stoic and unfeeling to the trauma that has threatened to tear his family apart.

in a bid to form an alliance with other popular werewolf families and procure a spot of royalty for the valentinas that spread across the entirety of europe, viktor has agreed to a political marriage union between the daughter of another werewolf family on dimitri’s behalf. dimitri does not consent or envision the relationship as being profitable to him; on the contrary, he believes he is being shown off as little more than chattel to be bred and auctioned off. he has no desire to marry, particularly not to a woman he doesn’t even know, but feels that this is the sacrifice his family expects him to pay for viktor taking the responsibilities of a leader.

perhaps what dimitri most strongly opposes in thoughts of marrying against his will is his freedom to rut with whomever she wants. the woman who has become his confidant these long years is one such concern for the alpha wolf. she is indentured to him, a servant meant to serve his family, and dimitri is not entirely sure what his future as a forcibly married man will mean for himself and the life he knew before.

however, as he arrives in amsterdam alongside tatiana’s guardian angel, belen, and the valentinas’ indentured servant, dimitri is determined to win his sister back and escort his family back to russia. with that being said, dimitri has a feeling that any and all opinions he may have regarding his future will be deemed inconsequential. after all, he is just the middle child.

( tldr; dimitri is a brat but loves his family unconditionally )

[prvntcessa]

listen up 10s a 4 is speaking! shdlaskhd what’s up sluts i’m cherry, i’m 21, use she/her pronouns and live in PST! this is mischa, princess of the russian mafia. she wears black lipstick, is massive scammer, laughs at videos of people falling down the stairs. here is a shorter sparknotes version of her bio and some fun and fresh headcannons

please enjoy this gif of mischa cosplaying indie xoxo

SPARKNOTES BIO! 

skeleton: the career criminal

name: mischa dostoyevsky ( formally xia han)

age: 25

gender: female

pronouns: she/her

fc: natasha liu bordizzo

born as xia to a dirt poor family of literal SCAM artists. we luv a scamily babey! her parents basically sold fraudulent anti-aging serum to dumb, white new york tourists everyday ( with the added bonus of her older brother dressed up like an OLD ASS MAN doing cartwheels n backflips like woooow this stuff really works! ) her job was basically sneaking through the crowd of people while they were distracted and pick-pocketing their money, valuables, shiny shit etc.  

that white savior guilt money was paying the bills until one of the karens they conned got hives from the allergic reaction to the red food dye they used in the fake serum and her brothers literal Old Man disguise flew off like 90s rapper fly away pants when it was windy as fuck one day so basically The Authorities Have Been Called Luv, the police showed up and xia didn’t know what to do bc she was a kid so she just BOLTED AND RAN ... does not know what happened to her family to this day

grew up on the street, continued the family business of being a fcking scammer and basically bought tampons by telling power walking, baby backpacking ladies that she was gonna have to feed little timmy cockroaches if they didn’t pay off, slept with crooked stock brokers, seduced old guys, cleaned out their apartments, stole all their money, jewels, watches, credit cards, priceless antiques -- THE WORLD WAS HER SUGAR DADDI BB

all of this changed on day when she making her nightly run by the alibi, a bar she called Dumb Rich Guy Bar and saw a weird old guy come out looooaded with what looked expensive shit,  but she really wanted his pocketwatch which from her experience was mad expensive. so she did her lil routine and THOUGHT she stole the watch but LOL SPIDERMAN MEME, he stole the watch back and the ring she was wearing AND HIS BODY GUARD HAD A GUN PLACED ON HER. MMM WHATCHA SAY

so turns out the weird old guy she tried to steal from was VLADIMIR DOSTOYEVSKY!!!! THE HEAD OF THE RUSSIAN FUCKING MAFIA. yiiiiikes! lmao she was like cool im gonna die but he was like hold up, u chose the pocket watch, the only real and valuable thing i was wearing ... i like u ur smart u have fire, u remind me of my dead wife  YOU WILL BE MY SUCCESSOR ur name is now mischa for my unborn son and i will teach u the ropes

so there is no more xia, only mischa, basically adopted by vladimir who she calls dad/nana and who calls her rabbit as a nickname (they play monopoly every night and VLAD CHEATS EVERY TIME BRO). she is the only girl in the bratva aka The Brotherhood which is what the russian mafia is called. shes kind of their wendy. shes worshipped outwardly but theres probably a lot of people that hate her ... which leads me to ........PAPA DYING! BIG RIP OG PAPA! he was poisoned at dinner and people say it was the italians but mischa is sure it was an inside job

bc of vlad dying *pour one out for vladdy daddy* mischa is head of the bratva aka russian mafia they call her PAPA bc thats how people refer to the mob boss SO SDHLLKDSH

ALSO PLOT TWIST! originally the plate that killed her dad was the plate she was given but he switched with her bc his piece of chicken was bigger and he wanted her to have it :((((( SO THE POISON PLATE WAS HER PLATE SO SOMEONE WAS TRYNA KILL HER DUN DUN DUNNNNNNN

ok here are HCS they are from the bottom of my app xx

nicknames include who’s your papa, big papa and daddy purely because it’s iconic. but also she is probably that gifset where rihanna is talking abt how shes a bad bitch w top energy but is a massive bottom ahdlaks

mischa i think has to look a certain way of looking when dealing w the mob ( sort of girl boss, designer clothes, femme fatale ) but i think she is relatively unlady-like and prefers ratty jeans, plaid skirts, flannels, black combat boots, messy ponytails and the like when she’s relaxing. reminds her of life before.

practices makeup on dmitri and boris (her body guards) who complain a lot but also love her xoxo 

owns a very big fluffy, luxurious cat named perogi, he’s her son, a gift from dear old dad. 

has a pretty severe drinking problem ( vodka on the rocks is the poison ) after her father died and sleeps with a gun ( although i think she's better with a knife )

thus can drink you under the table also swears like an old sailor man ( is working on it, the whole mob sighs when she calls japanese businessmen idiot douche canoe fuckbags to their faces during monthly debt collections )

mischa can speak 5 languages in order to speak to people all over the world: madarin ( from her childhood ), english, russian ( mob ), spanish and french. 

pansexual queen and i want to say scorpio 

she’s grateful obviously to папа doing more off the grid, low quality criminal stuff without supervision because she is a truant, tramp, scam artist cat burglar klepto at heart <3

cinnamon roll meme: looks like she could kill you and would probably kill you

so i want to say she probably met the star of the show doing something where she snuck out at night with her bodyguards not knowing, wore her civilian clothes, blended in kept her head down because she missed freedom and accidentally met them out there like that under a pseudonym to hide her mafia life/continued to sneak out to see them like that before being exposed. very double life stuff angsty secret mafia princess stuff. we love hannah mon-mafia.

scared her parents will resurface/past will resurface ( supposedly папа bribed the police but . . . karma is a bitch )

has A LOT of suitors meant to strengthen The Empire and bridge conflicts between mobs but cares little, them: 💕, her: hocks a loogie and wipes on pants … she SUCSKSSKSS

has burped at important business dinners before and simultaneously has brought massive mafiosos to their knees. literally will have your dick cut off if you say something misogynistic, racist or something about her father :) she has a collection. ( its a big collection, but still quite little if you know what i mean )

rumored to have killed a man with the sharp end of her louboutin.

has a slight accent just from being surrounded by it constantly and word switches

smells like cinnamon and scraped knees

[sofiayakovna]

 𝐋𝐄𝐓  𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐒𝐄  𝐓𝐇𝐄  𝐃𝐎𝐆𝐒  𝐎𝐅  𝐖𝐀𝐑  ,  SOFIA YAKOVNA SYTNIKOVA  ,  the  SOVIETNIK  of  the  volki  is  seen  traversing  the  streets  of  moscow  ,  but  the  bratva’s  rivals  swear  that  she  is  originally  from  PETROGRAD;  perhaps  it’s  THE DEMISE OF THE ARISTOCRACY ON WHICH SHE ONCE PREYED that  brought  them  here  .  fellow  members  of  the  volki  liken  their  resemblance  to  LINDSAY DUNCAN  .  the  SIXTY-SIX  year  old  CIS FEMALE  was  COSMOPOLITAN &.  DISARMING before  the  war’s  ruination  ,  but  in  the  aftermath  have  become  CONNIVING  &.  DOMINEERING  .  rumours  throughout  eastern  europe  have  given  them  a  reputation  of  LUXURIOUS FURS THAT ARE FLIMSY TO THE TOUCH, CONVINCING FAKES PLEASING TO THE EYE BUT LACKING CRAFTSMANSHIP OR PRACTICALITY ; A THIN FINGER WITH A GLITTERING RING, GLOVED QUICKLY TO HIDE THE DISCOLORATION WHEN THE JEWEL IS REMOVED ;  QUAINT STORIES OF BETTER DAYS FILLED WITH DELIBERATE LIES ; A SUDDEN LIMP OR PRACTICED COUGH WHEN FRAILTY IS THE PROPER DEFENSE  ; PERFUMES SO SACCHARINE THEY BORDER ON BLOODY ; A VASE OF FLOWERS PLACED ON A TABLE ONLY TO HAVE SOMETHING TO SMASH OVER A HEAD ; and MATERNAL FERVOR, GIVING, DOTING, AFFECTIONATE AT ITS BEST, WRATHFUL AT ITS WORST  (  max,  26,  est,  he/him.  )

i. basics

name: sofia yakovna sytnikova 

nicknames: sonya

age: sixty-six

gender: cis female

pronouns: she/her

nationality: russian

ii. stats

height: 5′6″

eyes: hazel

hair: blonde

mbti: esfj-a

alignment: lawful evil 

iii. background

TW: Mentions of Drowning

Sofia Yakovna was born in St. Petersburg in the year 1854. The daughter of servants, she grew up on the fringes of the old aristocracy, a sulking, waifish thing lurking on the edges and waiting for the chance to step over the dividing line. The opportunity first arose when her parents came under the employee of a certain count and countess’s summer estate. The young Sofia, insisting then, as she does now, on being called Sonya, charmed her way into the heart of a certain daughter her own age. And from her, she enjoyed little gifts, stole little trinkets, and began to familiarize herself with the rules and etiquette of the upper crust.

Sofia played these games for much of her young life. One daughter would give access to a brother, and that brother would give access to boys from other families. And while she was not part of this world, she could weave through it, poke and prod it, and bend it to her will. She once allowed a young son of the count to swim out too far simply to dive after him from the water’s edge and bask in the glory of the rescue. But the play would not remain fulfilling into adulthood. 

Options did exist. She could marry, of course. But the mere thought of some lowbrow husband made her shudder, and the sparkling young men so willing to befriend her as a child suddenly turned their eyes to other prizes. The young Sofia ultimately entered employ as a parlor maid for a well-off family, resigning herself once again to life on the diamond outskirts

The volki came in the early 1880s, still in its infancy but growing quickly. Sofia had been spying on a party in her employer’s home when a certain young man, an unrecognized guest, spotted and approached her. Now, wasn’t she just the prettiest thing? Flattered, enamored by his praise, and fueled by jealousy and hunger, she found herself suddenly in the business of secrets, pilfering them from eavesdropped conversations and locked drawers, passing them on, and enjoying the fruits of the labor.

Among those fruits was, of course, money. And as well as the role of the servant spy treated her, she knew, even then, she required more than it. And that was her greatest advantage: a knowledge of the wealthy, an intimacy with their ways, but no loyalty to them.

Thus, “Anna Vladimirovna” was born. This newly realized persona, the first of many, began appearing at parties, clad in cheap but convincingly elegant gowns, pretty under the proper light. We’re old friends, of course. You must call me by my affectionate name. Friend, confidante, no one knew her, but everyone did. And they must have, because she knew them. She knew private things no one but their closest companions would dare utter. And so, they invited her themselves,on holidays, to social affairs, chatted with her privately, and filled in the blanks of the picture with their own fake memories. 

Exploiter, manipulator, blackmailer, Sofia gradually staked her place as the eyes and ears of the volki in a glittering world fading far too fast, just as she was digging her talons into it.

However, this fantasy, the eternal party guest, the conwoman socialite, could not last forever. Revolution eventually came, violent and bombastic, and the aristocracy came to its knees. Anya or Olga or Katerina or whatever she was calling herself those days disappeared because she never existed. And so, no one would come looking for her.

Sofia emerged from private life with the war’s end. But to a true Russian of the old school, the world no longer looked like it once did. 

With a stern voice and a collection of anecdotes, gossip, and private tales, she is still, however, ready to offer consul when requested and to keep an eye on anyone who might try to topple this precarious new balance. After all, there are still rules, and there is still etiquette. But if she asks you to call her Sonya, one really must approach with caution. 

[joyffree]

Title: Diamond Series: Bratva Jewels #2 Author: JA Low Genre: Mafia Romance Release Date: March 10, 2023

Round 2 with the Devil begins.

Grace thought she had left the nightmare of the Bratva Jewels behind her. Her days spent with them were some of the darkest of her life, but she’s safe now.

Or so she thought.

When the Bratva seeks revenge for losing one of their own, Grace knows she must be strong to withstand whatever they have in store for her.

What she didn’t expect was a dark knight to come to her rescue.

[veroticker]

Merciless - Kristen Luciani

Summary (from Kristen Luciani’s website)

I’m a ruthless killer. A bloodthirsty beast.

I always take what I want,

What I’m owed,

And what has been stolen from me.

With a gorgeous face and a porn star body, Lindy thinks she owns Sin City.

But my new obsession made a deadly choice when she walked into my casino.

She trusted the wrong people, put greed before common sense, and lost everything.

Now, there’s a debt to be paid.

To me.

But I don’t care about money.

I want her as my payment.

And it’s time to collect.

Blurb

“I’d had my eye on her since she walked into Jewel. Long blonde hair I could fist while fucking that porn star body against a wall. But it wasn’t just her looks that had my cock twitching. The way she carried herself through the bar, the confident smile, the tight ass.

Okay, still on the physical.

I can’t help it. I’ve seen beautiful women all over the world, but this one has a spark—an air of confidence that makes me want to forget the reason why I’m here and bend her over a couch.

“Do you think I owe you something because you picked up my phone?” Her dark eyes narrow at me as she tries to snatch it out of my hand. But my grip remains strong. I want to see her fire. I want to feel it singe my skin. I want to make sure I can still feel after…everything. And I haven’t found a woman who’s made me want to bother, until now.

“I think I’d make better company than the guys you’re wasting your time with over there.” I nod over at her group. They’re all watching — the guys and the girls. But nobody edges toward us. Nobody’s coming to save you, sweetie. You’re all mine, at least for the moment.

“They happen to be very nice guys,” she says with the hint of an east coast accent. New York, New Jersey…it’s got to be one or the other. No wonder she’s got such an edge. “Unlike you.”

I recoil, pretending to be shocked. “I just saved you and your phone from being trampled in here. How does that make me a bad guy?”

“It makes you a guy with an agenda,” she seethes, trying to pull her phone from my vise-like grip. “And guys with agendas are bad.”

“Maybe my agenda was just to find out your name and buy you a drink so I can get to know you better.” I shrug. She doesn’t need to know that I’m fucking her six ways to Sunday in my mind.

“Guys like you aren’t ones for talking.”

“Isn’t that what we’re doing right now?” I smirk. I can’t help it. I want her. But more than that, I suddenly have the urge to find out more.

“Isn’t that what we’re doing right now?” I smirk. I can’t help it. I want her. But more than that, I suddenly have the urge to find out more.

She struggled to free her phone, and I finally let it go. She stumbles back a bit, not expecting I was going to let it go so quickly this time. I reach out a hand to steady her, because although I’d love to get her on her back, when it happens, it won’t be by default. “I won’t keep you here if you really want to go back to your friends.” I lean in close, so I can stare right into her caramel-colored eyes. “Is that what you want? Because you could have walked away already, and yet, here you are.”

Her nostrils flare, and she stuffs her phone into her bag. “I couldn’t walk away because you had my phone.”

“You could have asked nicely for it. I might have given it back sooner.”

“Because you’re the type of guy who gives up so easily, right?” She rolls her eyes, and I let out a chuckle.

“If I see something I like, I go after it.”

“Well, I don’t like you,” she says, her hands on her hips.

“Then why are you still here?” I close the space between us, waiting for one of those dipshit guys looking over here to walk over and prove to her that they didn’t leave their balls in their suitcases, to show her that they’re actually worthy of her attention. But, nothing. They stand down.

Pussies.

The flash of shock in her expression is priceless. But it’s quickly replaced with one of disgust. And curiosity. And…fuck me if I’m wrong, but there’s something else buried there. Desire. The big reason why she’s still standing here, taunting me with that body and her sharp tongue.

I bet she can do magical shit with that tongue.

And that’s why I’m still standing here.”

(review under the cut)

Review

Another audiobook that I listened to. With only a male reader (so no female voice for Lindy’s point of view), it was still okay. The voice was deep enough that I could believe he was a mafia leader. It made for an enjoyable audiobook.

As for the story itself, we follow Kaz, the son of a big mafia leader, who made a mistake and is now in charge of the security in a casino in Las Vegas. That’s how he meets with Lindy, who’s escaped her criminal family and survives by counting cards in casinos. Interesting setting, interesting characters. I just didn’t feel the spark.

But I didn’t hate the book. It’s gritty, it’s bloody, it’s definitely dark. Kaz is NOT a big teddy bear--he’s a violent and crude man, in and out of bed. So it was sexy. But not at all romantic.

Also, it does end with some kind of a cliffhanger. I mean, you could end it here. But I personally want to know who wants to mess with the Severinov family.

Quickie

Series: The Severinov Bratva #1

Hashtags: #mafia romance #dark romance #trauma

Triggers: mention of kidnapping, lots of violence, orgy

Main couple: Lindy Lucchese & Kazimir Severinov

Hotness: 3/5

Romance: 2/5

+ there’s some gritty mafia action here, and me like

- the romance part, I didn’t get it

Stalker mode

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[ao3feed-victuuri]

The Pakhan's Jewel

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/34oTtUN

by theangryuniverse

No one had ever heard the omega speak.

It was not that they had never heard him at all. They had all heard the voice of the omega at some point – a gentle laugh, for example, a quiet hum, or, quite more often, lustful cries and moans, caused by the Pakhan himself. But the omega never spoke, and never deigned to even look at them, for they all were beneath him, and mattered less than the dirt beneath his feet.

For they all knew that Katsuki Yuuri's heart belonged to one man only - and that man was Viktor Nikiforov, the Pakhan himself.

Words: 5117, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage

Categories: M/M

Characters: Katsuki Yuuri, Victor Nikiforov, Phichit Chulanont, Christophe Giacometti, Yakov Feltsman, Yuri Plisetsky, Otabek Altin, Makkachin (Yuri!!! on Ice), Lilia Baranovskaya

Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Phichit Chulanont & Katsuki Yuuri

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Alternate universe - Mafia, Bratva, Fluff and Smut, Smut, Romance, Pakhan!Victor, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha Victor Nikiforov, Omega Katsuki Yuuri, Beta Phichit Chulanont, Mpreg, Nesting, Established Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Anxious Katsuki Yuuri, Confident Katsuki Yuuri, Victor is filthy rich

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/34oTtUN