THE MISTAKE (Volkov Bratva 3) by Sam Crescent-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 9, 2023

I was the mistake.
A piece of trash.
No one wanted me.
All of my life I’d been told this. I meant nothing. I was nothing.

The Volkov Bratva made a mistake. They kidnapped me and it should have been my sister. My father wanted me dead. I expected Ivan Volkov to kill me. Instead, they killed my father, and now I’m to marry Ive Yahantov, a brigadier. I’m to be his wife. The man hates me. He doesn’t want me.

I don’t know what changes, but I go from being ignored, to being with Ive all the time. We share everything. The life I thought was only ever going to be that of a dream, becomes my reality. I’m falling for the man I thought I would hate. But nothing is ever certain. Ivan Volkov faked his death, and the repercussions of that is far and wide. My husband has enemies, and those enemies, they’ve come to collect.

I knew I was going to die young, but I had no idea life could be so cruel. I knew peace. I knew love. I knew happiness, and now, it was all going to be taken away.

••••••

REVIEW: THE MISTAKE is the third instalment in Sam Crescent’s contemporary, adult VOLKOV BRATVA dark, erotic, Bratva romance series. This is forty year old Volkov Bratva Brigadier Ive Yahantov, and eighteen year old Charlotte’s story line. THE MISTAKE should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up after the events of book two-A SENSE OF DUTY.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise there WILL BE triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Ive and Charlotte) covering approximately three years, THE MISTAKE follows in the aftermath of the abduction and imprisonment of our story line heroine. Charlotte was the abused and neglected daughter of former president of the Evil Savages MC, and in an attempt to take down the man in charge, Charlotte was kidnapped by the Volkov Bratva, and held prisoner by the man with whom she would fall in love. An unwanted marriage but the promise of protection meant Charlotte was once again a prisoner but a prisoner in a gilded cage. As the weeks and months went by, Charlotte would struggle with her husband’s absences in the face of ongoing rejection and deep seated humiliation but Ive’s position as second in command meant taking down the people taking aim at his world, a world that now included our story line heroine. What ensues is the building relationship and love between Charlotte and Ive, and the potential fall-out as an impending war for power and control will target the woman with whom Ive’s has fallen in love.

The world building follows several paths including the previous abuse and humiliation of our story line heroine. Charlotte is broken; unwanted and destroyed; a shell of a human being and in this Charlotte struggles to accept anything good. With issues of trust, having been beaten and abused, Charlotte believes it is only a matter of time before her life, such as it is, comes to an end. As Ive must ferret out and take down the people targeting the Bratva, his wife often feels abandoned and unwelcome.

The relationship between Ive and Charlotte begins as an abduction, imprisonment and a forced marriage to tentatively unite the Bratva and the Evil Savages MC. Charlotte believes she was never the intended target or bride to be but Ive will have to prove to his bride, that she is the woman he wants for his happily ever after. The $ex scenes are intimate and provocative.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, powerful and questionable secondary and supporting characters including Volkov Pakhan Ivan Volkov, Andrei and Adelaide (A Sense of Duty 2), Aurora and Slavik Ivanov (Second Best 1), Charlotte’s security Hubert, as well as MC MC President Rage, and Charlotte’s sister Cassie- both of whom are questionable as to their lack of support and protection for our story line heroine. The requisite evil has many faces.

THE MISTAKE is a heart breaking and emotional story of power and control, abuse and neglect, betrayal and vengeance, acceptance and love. The premise is dark, dramatic and intense; the age-gap romance is passionate; the characters are broken, desperate and determined. The epilogue fast forwards approximately two years

Heed my trigger warnings.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book tow A SENSE OF DUTY

Copy supplied for by Booksirens

Reviewed by Sandy