What do you think?
Rate this book
Brutal
Devante is a vicious hitman. Micah is a pawn in a deadly quest. Kiss or kill? Devante faces the toughest choice of his life…
Another day, another hit. Only this time, Devante’s orders don’t follow the typical script. How did he, the most brutal killer on the payroll of the powerful Zakarian family, get stuck escorting a nerdy ancient artifacts expert around the world? The sooner they can locate the priceless treasure his boss craves, the sooner Devante can dispatch his charge and move on with his life.
If only the sweet young thing weren’t so damn cute and sexy. Such perfect boy material.
Despite the curious circumstances of his mission, Micah is thrilled to be chosen to hunt down an unattainable—ancient artifacts that are one of a kind, believed to be either myth or forever lost. The mere thought that he could be the one to unearth the crown jewel of Atlantis makes Micah shove good sense to the side. Unfortunately, the brutish bodyguard who’s been assigned to accompany him is rude, pushy, snarly and too effing hot for words.
No way would Micah ever hand over his V-card to such a jerk. Nope. It’ll never happen.
The hunt intensifies and danger surrounds them at every turn. No one can be trusted. Ultimately, will Devante kill Micah, or protect and keep him? Either way he loses. If Devante doesn’t complete his mission he’ll be the next target.
Note: Brutal is part of the Ruthless Daddies multi-author collab and a complete standalone. Expect to find a murderous Daddy with an unrelenting protective urge, a nerdy boy who hasn’t a clue he’s about to be owned, plus action, adventure, plenty of steam and a satisfying HEA.
Another day, another hit. Only this time, Devante’s orders don’t follow the typical script. How did he, the most brutal killer on the payroll of the powerful Zakarian family, get stuck escorting a nerdy ancient artifacts expert around the world? The sooner they can locate the priceless treasure his boss craves, the sooner Devante can dispatch his charge and move on with his life.
If only the sweet young thing weren’t so damn cute and sexy. Such perfect boy material.
Despite the curious circumstances of his mission, Micah is thrilled to be chosen to hunt down an unattainable—ancient artifacts that are one of a kind, believed to be either myth or forever lost. The mere thought that he could be the one to unearth the crown jewel of Atlantis makes Micah shove good sense to the side. Unfortunately, the brutish bodyguard who’s been assigned to accompany him is rude, pushy, snarly and too effing hot for words.
No way would Micah ever hand over his V-card to such a jerk. Nope. It’ll never happen.
The hunt intensifies and danger surrounds them at every turn. No one can be trusted. Ultimately, will Devante kill Micah, or protect and keep him? Either way he loses. If Devante doesn’t complete his mission he’ll be the next target.
Note: Brutal is part of the Ruthless Daddies multi-author collab and a complete standalone. Expect to find a murderous Daddy with an unrelenting protective urge, a nerdy boy who hasn’t a clue he’s about to be owned, plus action, adventure, plenty of steam and a satisfying HEA.
180 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 16, 2022
About the author
Morticia Knight
109 books602 followersUSA Today Bestselling and award-winning author Morticia Knight spends most of her nights writing about men loving men who explore the sweeter side of kink. If there happens to be some friendly bondage or floggings involved, she doesn’t begrudge her characters whatever their filthy little hearts desire. Even though she’s been crafting her tales for more years than she’d like to share—her adventures as a published author began in 2011. With over 70 gay/bisexual romance books and stories available, Morticia is bound to have something for your sexy HEA reading pleasure!
Morticia resides on the North Oregon coast where the fierce winter storms, gray skies and ocean views all conspire to spark her endless imagination.
Morticia resides on the North Oregon coast where the fierce winter storms, gray skies and ocean views all conspire to spark her endless imagination.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
October 1, 2023
I'm finally at the end of this series and I've woken up with a cold, I feel like this series has killed off my immunity, honestly. 😄
It was so underwhelming and I've liked 1 book in the whole series, 1 (#5 - Midnight).
I'm going to need a big palate cleanser after this, I think.
Ahh, well, here's the last one. I don't know this author, so I went into this completely blind.
🔵 #9 in the Ruthless Daddies series
🟢 Mafia Hitman + nerdy museum expert; age gap
🟣 Daddy/boy, but the least prevalent of all the books so far, at least in my opinion
🟡 British English
🌶️ A little bit of spice, good (rimming, not much of anything, could be more)
This was a short, quick age-gap read with a mob killer Dev and a nerdy epigrapher Micah, who finds his Daddy when going on a business trip to Dubai to find a special artifact for a certain mob family.
"The professor nodded slowly as he regarded him. "No young gentleman friends whom you might whisper to late at night in the comfort of their arms?"
Micah let out a long sigh. "I have noone, sir."
Why is that important in his place of work?
The book had a weak start, too much specific informations, but for the sake of the trope, I read it, maybe just because I liked the Daddy - initially.
The buildup was there, although short - but I was optimistic.
I think as the story developed, there were simply too many unimportant facts thrown in there, a lot of the story was centered on a few silly action scenes and not enough on our couple, Micah and Dev.
"Devante regarded his boy warmly. He didn't doubt Micah's IQ outdid his own on a good day."
Is this supposed to be sexy?
They went from having good tension between them, good dialogues to being very sweet with each other overnight and in a Daddy/boy relationship in almost a day or two. It wasn't believable and it killed the vibe. Not even as an insta-love it wasn't convincing.
"Behave yourself. We don't want to introduce you to the kink world with a spanking."
Yeah 😬 no, not my thing, sorry. The story was trying to be this academic/action sexy flick, and it failed.
It was so underwhelming and I've liked 1 book in the whole series, 1 (#5 - Midnight).
I'm going to need a big palate cleanser after this, I think.
Ahh, well, here's the last one. I don't know this author, so I went into this completely blind.
🔵 #9 in the Ruthless Daddies series
🟢 Mafia Hitman + nerdy museum expert; age gap
🟣 Daddy/boy, but the least prevalent of all the books so far, at least in my opinion
🟡 British English
🌶️ A little bit of spice, good (rimming, not much of anything, could be more)
This was a short, quick age-gap read with a mob killer Dev and a nerdy epigrapher Micah, who finds his Daddy when going on a business trip to Dubai to find a special artifact for a certain mob family.
"The professor nodded slowly as he regarded him. "No young gentleman friends whom you might whisper to late at night in the comfort of their arms?"
Micah let out a long sigh. "I have noone, sir."
Why is that important in his place of work?
The book had a weak start, too much specific informations, but for the sake of the trope, I read it, maybe just because I liked the Daddy - initially.
The buildup was there, although short - but I was optimistic.
I think as the story developed, there were simply too many unimportant facts thrown in there, a lot of the story was centered on a few silly action scenes and not enough on our couple, Micah and Dev.
"Devante regarded his boy warmly. He didn't doubt Micah's IQ outdid his own on a good day."
Is this supposed to be sexy?
They went from having good tension between them, good dialogues to being very sweet with each other overnight and in a Daddy/boy relationship in almost a day or two. It wasn't believable and it killed the vibe. Not even as an insta-love it wasn't convincing.
"Behave yourself. We don't want to introduce you to the kink world with a spanking."
Yeah 😬 no, not my thing, sorry. The story was trying to be this academic/action sexy flick, and it failed.
September 14, 2022
The good
+ Devante's possessiveness
+ Micah cheekily calling Devante Dev
+ Devante being very upfront and honest to both himself and Micah when he claims Micah as his boy
+ Devante saying "Mine" all the time
The neutral
o I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. My review remains honest and unbiased
o This book requires a lot of suspension of disbelief. Devante leaves traces at crime scenes everywhere (CCTV, fingerprints etc) but never gets in trouble with any authorities
The bad
- Devante had planned to wake Micah up with a blowjob before their first sexual experience together. That's just rape, as Micah couldn't consent in his sleep. Glad that didn't happen
- The plot made no sense at all. Devante wanted out of that life, and he knew the whole operation was rigged. Why did he insist on continuing? Why not just run already? He put himself and Micah in danger by following a plan that made it very simple for his enemies to know where to show up to kill them
- Once Devante decided Micah was his boy, his personality did a complete 180. It was like reading a book where Devante was actually two different characters
- There was a lot of buildup to two essential moments. The first didn't happen at all, and the second happened off-page. Kind of a let-down
- The Daddy/boy dynamics were hardly explored on-page. It was Micah's first time in such a relationship (or any relationship), but we hardly saw anything other than Devante saying "Mine"
Quotes
x "Mine."
In the author note at the start of the book, the author states this book is different from her usual work. I'm afraid she indeed missed the mark here. It's clear that Daddy/boy dynamics are not new to her, and Devante's possessiveness was great. However, the action plot really fell flat for me. It made no sense to me, and neither did Micah's attraction to Devante's first personality. Unfortuantely, this book is a miss, and I wouldn't recommend it.
+ Devante's possessiveness
+ Micah cheekily calling Devante Dev
+ Devante being very upfront and honest to both himself and Micah when he claims Micah as his boy
+ Devante saying "Mine" all the time
The neutral
o I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. My review remains honest and unbiased
o This book requires a lot of suspension of disbelief. Devante leaves traces at crime scenes everywhere (CCTV, fingerprints etc) but never gets in trouble with any authorities
The bad
- Devante had planned to wake Micah up with a blowjob before their first sexual experience together. That's just rape, as Micah couldn't consent in his sleep. Glad that didn't happen
- The plot made no sense at all. Devante wanted out of that life, and he knew the whole operation was rigged. Why did he insist on continuing? Why not just run already? He put himself and Micah in danger by following a plan that made it very simple for his enemies to know where to show up to kill them
- Once Devante decided Micah was his boy, his personality did a complete 180. It was like reading a book where Devante was actually two different characters
- There was a lot of buildup to two essential moments. The first didn't happen at all, and the second happened off-page. Kind of a let-down
- The Daddy/boy dynamics were hardly explored on-page. It was Micah's first time in such a relationship (or any relationship), but we hardly saw anything other than Devante saying "Mine"
Quotes
x "Mine."
In the author note at the start of the book, the author states this book is different from her usual work. I'm afraid she indeed missed the mark here. It's clear that Daddy/boy dynamics are not new to her, and Devante's possessiveness was great. However, the action plot really fell flat for me. It made no sense to me, and neither did Micah's attraction to Devante's first personality. Unfortuantely, this book is a miss, and I wouldn't recommend it.
July 3, 2023
So I thought this would be a winner for me . Mob hitman Daddy and a nerdy boy but alas it was not. The characters felt surface and I didn't believe their connection at all . The boys "innocent " act felt forced and just nothing about the story worked for me. Lots of build up in the plot with little pay off.
September 15, 2022
Devante the hitman and Micha his boy. Whilst this was an ok story, it is my least favourite in this series. It felt different and I couldn’t put my finger on why I just couldn’t feel the chemistry or connection with these 2 characters. I have enjoyed this series, so may be unfair to compare but it just fell short for me.
However, that doesn’t put me off this series though and it is personal taste in style of writing as I’m sure many will love it.
However, that doesn’t put me off this series though and it is personal taste in style of writing as I’m sure many will love it.
September 16, 2022
yeah, no.
the writing is even good but everything else is ridiculous at best.
definitely my last (sad) attempt with this series.
the writing is even good but everything else is ridiculous at best.
definitely my last (sad) attempt with this series.
September 26, 2022
Liked it
I liked this story and thought that Micha was really sweet. I struggled slightly though as it didn’t really feel like the daddy dynamic was properly explored between these two and I would have loved more of that throughout the book
I liked this story and thought that Micha was really sweet. I struggled slightly though as it didn’t really feel like the daddy dynamic was properly explored between these two and I would have loved more of that throughout the book
September 18, 2022
Ok
I have to admit I wanted more. I found there wasn't much insight to how D felt about M and gow it all changed. You saw a small glimpse of it but not enough for the 180 we got.
I enjoyed M and loved his snappy snap back attitude but not when they were running for their lives. Like who makes an MC ask to take a detour to see some ancient thing when they were almost killed?
Just not enough there for me to love it.
I have to admit I wanted more. I found there wasn't much insight to how D felt about M and gow it all changed. You saw a small glimpse of it but not enough for the 180 we got.
I enjoyed M and loved his snappy snap back attitude but not when they were running for their lives. Like who makes an MC ask to take a detour to see some ancient thing when they were almost killed?
Just not enough there for me to love it.
September 18, 2022
Micha is very much the stereotypical boy in books like these, he is small, slender and with a head full of curls. Who is very book smart but need a guiding hand.
Devante is a blood thirsty killer that need another kill i the first don't fulfil him. Even before he meets Micha he feels protective of the boy, because he doesn't kill innocents.
Their relationship develops within days and Devante goes from disliking Micha during the first meeting to wanting him later that night.
It needed more explanation to several things, some betrayals that happened , several things was done off page which would have been good to bring on for their chemistry.
It felt a bit like a rushed story because it never goes very deep.
Devante is a blood thirsty killer that need another kill i the first don't fulfil him. Even before he meets Micha he feels protective of the boy, because he doesn't kill innocents.
Their relationship develops within days and Devante goes from disliking Micha during the first meeting to wanting him later that night.
It needed more explanation to several things, some betrayals that happened , several things was done off page which would have been good to bring on for their chemistry.
It felt a bit like a rushed story because it never goes very deep.
September 19, 2022
3.5
This was cute!
A quick, action-packed, deliciously steamy morsel of a book. It was my first Morticia Knight novel, but I know I'll be on the lookout for more now!
"Brutal" features some of my favourite tropes and things in romance: a bit of Daddy kink, first times for the socially awkward, nerdy virgin MC, a protector, murderous love interest, and lots of action.
I really loved both main characters: Micah was absolutely lovely, brilliant and feisty and Devante was his perfect counterbalance. I loved their relationship too: it was pretty much insta-love, but given the length of this book, it made sense.
Anyway, if you're looking for something sweet, steamy and a tiny bit dark and OTT, this is the book for you.
Thank you GRR for the ARC. I received it in exchange for an honest review.
This was cute!
A quick, action-packed, deliciously steamy morsel of a book. It was my first Morticia Knight novel, but I know I'll be on the lookout for more now!
"Brutal" features some of my favourite tropes and things in romance: a bit of Daddy kink, first times for the socially awkward, nerdy virgin MC, a protector, murderous love interest, and lots of action.
I really loved both main characters: Micah was absolutely lovely, brilliant and feisty and Devante was his perfect counterbalance. I loved their relationship too: it was pretty much insta-love, but given the length of this book, it made sense.
Anyway, if you're looking for something sweet, steamy and a tiny bit dark and OTT, this is the book for you.
Thank you GRR for the ARC. I received it in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2022
Another Ruthless Daddies book! I was looking forward to this since I usually love the mafia daddies, but sadly I didn’t feel it with this one.
From early on the story felt rushed, and the plot didn’t make a lot of sense to me. I barely felt any chemistry between Devante and Micah and the Daddy / boy dynamic was barely explored or talked about which was a bit disappointing.
I liked the possessiveness and how protective Devante was of Micah and I would have loved to see more of it, and also more of his Daddy side. However, I didn’t get the drastic changes to Devante’s personality, it felt like two different characters at times. Micah was so sweet and innocent, but I wanted some more depth and development to his character.
The story had potential and with some more depth and a bit of a slower pace I think it could have been a great read - I just wanted more than I got with this one.
From early on the story felt rushed, and the plot didn’t make a lot of sense to me. I barely felt any chemistry between Devante and Micah and the Daddy / boy dynamic was barely explored or talked about which was a bit disappointing.
I liked the possessiveness and how protective Devante was of Micah and I would have loved to see more of it, and also more of his Daddy side. However, I didn’t get the drastic changes to Devante’s personality, it felt like two different characters at times. Micah was so sweet and innocent, but I wanted some more depth and development to his character.
The story had potential and with some more depth and a bit of a slower pace I think it could have been a great read - I just wanted more than I got with this one.
September 30, 2022
I loved this read. I thought the dynamic between Micah the innocent museum nerd and Devante the burial assasin was amazing. The change of plans as they went was crazy. The dynamic kept changing and the action and twists kept you guessing all the way to the end. An amazing read throughout. Loved seeing these two fall in love on a crazy twisted run for their lives. This was good throughout and really entertaining and engaging. Daddy kink and several crazy turns. Definitely check this read out.
September 15, 2022
Oh, Micah was so naive and sweet! Devante started out ruthless and cold, so I loved watching him give in to his desires for Micah! " Can you do something about that hair, it's distracting, all those curls bouncing" Swoony thought! For a shorter story it was very descriptive. I absolutely loved how protective of Micah Devante became. If you love that overtop possessiveness there is a lot of "MINE" in this romance!
September 24, 2022
This was a fast paced book that follows Devante and Micah who are on the trail of an ancient artifact that may or may not exist. Lots of action as they travel the world trying to find it. Great chemistry between the MCs and loved Micah’s snarkiness.
I received a copy of this book for my review.
I received a copy of this book for my review.
October 4, 2022
Brutal is the ninth book in the Ruthless Daddies series. I've seriously adore this authors stories since the first one I ever read of hers. But this one threw me, something felt stereotypical. Devante is a hitman and Micah his boy. I didn't feel the connection between them. The writing is very good though, well written with great pacing. Otherwise, I enjoyed the story.
November 19, 2023
What was this?
Here is a list of reasons this book was bad:
-The daddy is really mean half of the book. He makes his boy cry on more than one occasion.
-The ending wasn’t satisfying at all. It was like ‚you need to kill the mob boss‘ and then skip to the epilogue.
- the epilogue was even more dissatisfying.
- the mean coworker didn’t get punished
- there was a scene when they were running in Dubai. Then later they were in Costa Rica and the author said the heat was worse. I’m sorry, I was in Dubai and I was in the Caribbean. Dubai is on another level. Clearly the author has no idea about the different heats.
Didn’t like the whole book. Not recommended.
Here is a list of reasons this book was bad:
-The daddy is really mean half of the book. He makes his boy cry on more than one occasion.
-The ending wasn’t satisfying at all. It was like ‚you need to kill the mob boss‘ and then skip to the epilogue.
- the epilogue was even more dissatisfying.
- the mean coworker didn’t get punished
- there was a scene when they were running in Dubai. Then later they were in Costa Rica and the author said the heat was worse. I’m sorry, I was in Dubai and I was in the Caribbean. Dubai is on another level. Clearly the author has no idea about the different heats.
Didn’t like the whole book. Not recommended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2022
Devante and Micha have a steamy story that has some darkness. It is a MM mafia daddy romance. Michael is absolutely adorable and lovable. I enjoyed their insta-lust/love romance. I did feel like something feel flat but I can't point out what exactly. Overall I did enjoy this story.
September 20, 2022
This is part of the Ruthless Daddies series which is written by multiple authors and honestly it's not the best of either the series or Morticia's work. It's worth the read, just not the best.
Read
September 18, 2022DNF at 18%. No rating
Ugh. I just can't with this series.
Ugh. I just can't with this series.
September 28, 2022
Brutal by Morticia Knight is part of the Ruthless Daddies series by multiple authors. Brutal is about Devante and Micah. Devante is a hitman for the powerful Zakarian family. Now he has to escort Micah, an ancient artifacts expert, to find a priceless artifact for them. Despite the weird circumstances Micah is excited to look for and find the artifact.
I liked their story. It was sweet, sexy, exciting, thrilling and well written.
I liked their story. It was sweet, sexy, exciting, thrilling and well written.
September 26, 2022
Devante is a cold-as-ice enforcer for a mafia family. When he is tasked with protecting a young epigrapher on the search for a lost treasure, he finds himself wanting more from his life than just killing on command. Micah loves his career working at the museum even if his coworkers don't respect his work. When he is given the opportunity to go on the quest for a lost treasure he has no idea how much danger awaits him or the incredibly sexy man that will be protecting him.
Honestly, every aspect of this story has something in it that irked me. I didn't mind the older man/younger man dynamic or that Devante was experienced so took the lead. What irked me was that Devante was like Jekyll and Hyde. I want characters to be nuanced but this was not that. I appreciated that the author set up Devante right out of the gate as having a taste for killing from a very young age but that revelation didn't hold up from almost the next page. I didn't feel like Devante was struggling with personal growth or discovering new aspects of his personality. I just felt nothing. By the end, he just seemed silly. Micah at least was developed in a sensible way. For example, he's young and inexperienced but he has been reading romance novels so he does have some ideas about how all of that is supposed to work. The author shows him acting as the characters in the romance novels would act. By the end, I felt like he was the big winner of the story since he got his romance.
In the end, this story had too many moments that made me stop and wonder where the heck that came from to really enjoy it. For example, Devante is a loner that uses a club in another city to handle his "needs" but then thinks to himself that he's glad he kept the bedroom on his employer's private jet stocked with "supplies" for when he's had a quick interlude. Um, with who? When? This is a contemporary M/M romance that takes place around the world. If you are just looking for a fast read that includes a little intrigue and murder, give this a try. I generally like books from this author so I would recommend starting with something else.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Honestly, every aspect of this story has something in it that irked me. I didn't mind the older man/younger man dynamic or that Devante was experienced so took the lead. What irked me was that Devante was like Jekyll and Hyde. I want characters to be nuanced but this was not that. I appreciated that the author set up Devante right out of the gate as having a taste for killing from a very young age but that revelation didn't hold up from almost the next page. I didn't feel like Devante was struggling with personal growth or discovering new aspects of his personality. I just felt nothing. By the end, he just seemed silly. Micah at least was developed in a sensible way. For example, he's young and inexperienced but he has been reading romance novels so he does have some ideas about how all of that is supposed to work. The author shows him acting as the characters in the romance novels would act. By the end, I felt like he was the big winner of the story since he got his romance.
In the end, this story had too many moments that made me stop and wonder where the heck that came from to really enjoy it. For example, Devante is a loner that uses a club in another city to handle his "needs" but then thinks to himself that he's glad he kept the bedroom on his employer's private jet stocked with "supplies" for when he's had a quick interlude. Um, with who? When? This is a contemporary M/M romance that takes place around the world. If you are just looking for a fast read that includes a little intrigue and murder, give this a try. I generally like books from this author so I would recommend starting with something else.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 27, 2022
What a great book
Devante Is a hitman who works for the mafia. And his boss has just given him a task to find an ancient artefact. It’s not his usual job but he doesn’t say no. He will have a guy from the Museum to help him find the artefacts. The only thing was once he had accomplished this mission he was to kill Micah. For the first time Devante wasn’t sure he could. You see if the guy is bad he has no problem ending their life but this guy is nerd he doesn’t have a bad bone in his body. And doesn’t help when he is hot.
Michael knows he’s a nerd he loves his job but he hates some of the people he works with. So given the opportunity to go on a treasure hunt I guess you could say was exciting. But when he first met Devante He wasn’t sure he wanted to go away with him. And even tried to say he was sick to get out of it.
But the more time we spend together the more time it’s hard to find the attraction when the Devante walks in on Micha pleasing himself He finds himself offering to help. But would finding out he’s a virgin change anything?? Devante is already calling him “Mine” And now also they’ve got people out there trying to kill them could he keep Micah safe?? or would he end up killing him himself??
I couldn’t put his book down I really enjoyed it. I like the connection that these two had and the changes in Devante. I didn’t really feel the daddy little boy connection not like in other books I’ve read but it didn’t put me off the book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Devante Is a hitman who works for the mafia. And his boss has just given him a task to find an ancient artefact. It’s not his usual job but he doesn’t say no. He will have a guy from the Museum to help him find the artefacts. The only thing was once he had accomplished this mission he was to kill Micah. For the first time Devante wasn’t sure he could. You see if the guy is bad he has no problem ending their life but this guy is nerd he doesn’t have a bad bone in his body. And doesn’t help when he is hot.
Michael knows he’s a nerd he loves his job but he hates some of the people he works with. So given the opportunity to go on a treasure hunt I guess you could say was exciting. But when he first met Devante He wasn’t sure he wanted to go away with him. And even tried to say he was sick to get out of it.
But the more time we spend together the more time it’s hard to find the attraction when the Devante walks in on Micha pleasing himself He finds himself offering to help. But would finding out he’s a virgin change anything?? Devante is already calling him “Mine” And now also they’ve got people out there trying to kill them could he keep Micah safe?? or would he end up killing him himself??
I couldn’t put his book down I really enjoyed it. I like the connection that these two had and the changes in Devante. I didn’t really feel the daddy little boy connection not like in other books I’ve read but it didn’t put me off the book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 14, 2022
This was my first read by Morticia Knight and I will say that from other reviewers that this seems like it was not her best. I wish I had read her prior to this because when I read this synopsis, I was kind of confused but wanted to give it a try since I love Daddy/Boy relationships. Unfortunately, I was still confused and not really that satisfied with this story from beginning to end. I love a lot of the tropes in here like age gap, protector/bodyguard, size difference, and of course Daddy/boy and I have enjoyed the few books in this series but also like those I have been slightly disappointed. I maybe just expected more? Not 100% which is why I kept my rating more neutral. I would probably not re-read this, but I would give the author another shot since the writing was good. I appreciate a shorter read but sometimes it just felt a bit jumpy since there was a lot to this story. Maybe it just needed to be longer.
As far as characters go, I liked both, but not loved. The heat level was good but the buildup and the care in the roles didn't shine through. And in Daddy/Boy you need care! Devante was the dark protector and sure that came through, but he was so up and down. And Micha was sweet, but he felt sort of one dimensional. I think again we just need a bit more length to tie them together and complete their story without rushing. The cover though, definite win!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book provided by Gay Romance Reviews.
As far as characters go, I liked both, but not loved. The heat level was good but the buildup and the care in the roles didn't shine through. And in Daddy/Boy you need care! Devante was the dark protector and sure that came through, but he was so up and down. And Micha was sweet, but he felt sort of one dimensional. I think again we just need a bit more length to tie them together and complete their story without rushing. The cover though, definite win!
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book provided by Gay Romance Reviews.
September 27, 2022
I generally really like Morticia Knight's books, and while this wasn't quite as good as some of her other ones, I still actually liked it.
Devante is a hitman for a mob boss who is charged with escorting an archeological scholar to authenticate and retrieve a priceless artifact. And then kill the man. But Micah, with his thick glasses and curls, is more boy than man and Devante finds himself unable to consider killing him. In fact, he plans to make Micah his boy - after they avoid the people trying to kill them and find the real artifact.
I really liked Micah because despite being social awkward and innocent, he still has a bit of fire and sass and tries his best to navigate the dangerous world he's been thrust into. He's sweet and a little bumbling but so intelligent and I loved how the author brought out both sides of his personality. Devante comes across as what I would call "world weary". He's tired of being used and abused by his employer and has been contemplating getting out of the business for some time. It just takes finding Micah to give him the push he needs to care about something other than his next job! His character is a bit flat at times, and doesn't always act "in character", but I was able to overlook this because I actually found the story to be quite unique and interesting. There's good world building and the historical context of the artifact was really fascinating. In all, I'd recommend giving this book a try! A solid 4* stars!
Devante is a hitman for a mob boss who is charged with escorting an archeological scholar to authenticate and retrieve a priceless artifact. And then kill the man. But Micah, with his thick glasses and curls, is more boy than man and Devante finds himself unable to consider killing him. In fact, he plans to make Micah his boy - after they avoid the people trying to kill them and find the real artifact.
I really liked Micah because despite being social awkward and innocent, he still has a bit of fire and sass and tries his best to navigate the dangerous world he's been thrust into. He's sweet and a little bumbling but so intelligent and I loved how the author brought out both sides of his personality. Devante comes across as what I would call "world weary". He's tired of being used and abused by his employer and has been contemplating getting out of the business for some time. It just takes finding Micah to give him the push he needs to care about something other than his next job! His character is a bit flat at times, and doesn't always act "in character", but I was able to overlook this because I actually found the story to be quite unique and interesting. There's good world building and the historical context of the artifact was really fascinating. In all, I'd recommend giving this book a try! A solid 4* stars!
September 28, 2022
I love the storyline so much, these kinds are my waterloo as they say! I love my action with a little drama and romance. There were times though that I thought it was too easy or that the progression of the story was too fast.
Devante and Micah are on a quest to see and verify three artifacts pertaining to the fabled Atlantis. On their way to these items, several factors try to deter them or steal from them what Devante himself have retrieved.
At the same time, Devante tries to fight his attraction towards Micah who is too innocent to be on this kind of quest at all. His instincts as a Daddy dictates that he protect Micah, from himself and other danger that is sure to come their way. But he was given a different directive by his boss.
Micah longs to be with someone who will take care of him, or at least help him take care of himself. He doesn't have any friends, his colleagues at the museum hate him, no boyfriend. He has been alone for a long time. Although he finds Devante rude, his attraction towards the man still persists. But focusing on the task was what he needs to do right now.
If you are fond of adventure with a little romance along the way, then you should definitely read this. You will find Micah endearing and Devante brutish but underneath he is protective and sweet.
Congratulations Ms. Morticia Knight!
Devante and Micah are on a quest to see and verify three artifacts pertaining to the fabled Atlantis. On their way to these items, several factors try to deter them or steal from them what Devante himself have retrieved.
At the same time, Devante tries to fight his attraction towards Micah who is too innocent to be on this kind of quest at all. His instincts as a Daddy dictates that he protect Micah, from himself and other danger that is sure to come their way. But he was given a different directive by his boss.
Micah longs to be with someone who will take care of him, or at least help him take care of himself. He doesn't have any friends, his colleagues at the museum hate him, no boyfriend. He has been alone for a long time. Although he finds Devante rude, his attraction towards the man still persists. But focusing on the task was what he needs to do right now.
If you are fond of adventure with a little romance along the way, then you should definitely read this. You will find Micah endearing and Devante brutish but underneath he is protective and sweet.
Congratulations Ms. Morticia Knight!
March 15, 2023
2/5. Highlights may contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.
Content Warnings for book: Brief mention of child sexual assault, murder, drugging
Kink: Daddy kink, chastity
Whew. I like Morticia Knight’s writing and some of her contemporary romances — but dark romance is not her forte.
Inconsistent characterization, characters that don’t make sense, and an MC who kills but is super angsty about it and wants to leave that life. The definition of dark romance is, imo, that the MC doesn’t leave the “dark world” or w/e he’s in — he’s not redeemed, instead he corrupts. So that just disqualified this due to what happens in the book.
Micah was pretty autistic coded, but not in an in-depth or meaningful way — and he didn’t really act all that awkward/“socially inept” as was claimed. Really, the personality traits of these characters changed per chapter and it just wasn’t cohesive.
There wasn’t enough detail, imo, put to the archaeology story and the twists and turns were *too* much all at once that it just didn’t make sense. Some things had too much detail and others too little.
The daddy kink felt out of place. I love daddy, dark and not, but I don’t understand where safe words had a place from a guy who drugs the other MC… and the sex scenes also just felt weird in their tone shifts.
Overall, I don’t recommend.
Content Warnings for book: Brief mention of child sexual assault, murder, drugging
Kink: Daddy kink, chastity
Whew. I like Morticia Knight’s writing and some of her contemporary romances — but dark romance is not her forte.
Inconsistent characterization, characters that don’t make sense, and an MC who kills but is super angsty about it and wants to leave that life. The definition of dark romance is, imo, that the MC doesn’t leave the “dark world” or w/e he’s in — he’s not redeemed, instead he corrupts. So that just disqualified this due to what happens in the book.
Micah was pretty autistic coded, but not in an in-depth or meaningful way — and he didn’t really act all that awkward/“socially inept” as was claimed. Really, the personality traits of these characters changed per chapter and it just wasn’t cohesive.
There wasn’t enough detail, imo, put to the archaeology story and the twists and turns were *too* much all at once that it just didn’t make sense. Some things had too much detail and others too little.
The daddy kink felt out of place. I love daddy, dark and not, but I don’t understand where safe words had a place from a guy who drugs the other MC… and the sex scenes also just felt weird in their tone shifts.
Overall, I don’t recommend.
October 1, 2022
Overall a great read. Brutal is part of the Ruthless Daddies series. Each story written by a different author, but can be read as a standalone.
The overall plot was interesting. Devante is a hitman for a member of a powerful mafia family. This particular family member has an obsession with ancient artifacts. Micah is a young brilliant scientist who specializes in ancient texts.
In pursuit of a legendary artifact, Micah is tasked with verifying it's authenticity. Devante is tasked with getting rid out Micah (under the guise of being a bodyguard) once it's authenticated.Their adventure is full of action and twists. During their time together, Micah brings out feelings Devante kept buried, but always wanted. His own perfect little boy. He was ruthless and devoted to protecting Micah.
I enjoyed Micah a lot. He's this nerdy scientist, but wasn't afraid to speak up for himself. His interactions with Devante were comical and sweet. Devante was a good character, but he gave me the typical "Bad Daddy" vibe.
Definitely an interesting and enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The overall plot was interesting. Devante is a hitman for a member of a powerful mafia family. This particular family member has an obsession with ancient artifacts. Micah is a young brilliant scientist who specializes in ancient texts.
In pursuit of a legendary artifact, Micah is tasked with verifying it's authenticity. Devante is tasked with getting rid out Micah (under the guise of being a bodyguard) once it's authenticated.Their adventure is full of action and twists. During their time together, Micah brings out feelings Devante kept buried, but always wanted. His own perfect little boy. He was ruthless and devoted to protecting Micah.
I enjoyed Micah a lot. He's this nerdy scientist, but wasn't afraid to speak up for himself. His interactions with Devante were comical and sweet. Devante was a good character, but he gave me the typical "Bad Daddy" vibe.
Definitely an interesting and enjoyable read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 6, 2023
Devante is a hitman working for the powerful Zakarian family and Micah is an academic specialising in ancient artefacts. The pair will have to travel the world looking for a missing artefact said to originate from Atlantis. Micah is perfect boy material and is still a virgin while Devante is trying to resist him and is just rude, pushy and snarly. The hunt intensifies and danger surrounds them at every turn. No one can be trusted. Ultimately, will Devante kill Micah, or protect and keep him? Either way, he loses. If Devante doesn’t complete his mission he’ll be the next target.
I enjoyed this story with the grumpy hitman who has been assigned bodyguard duty (which feels like childminding sometimes) and the confused academic who is very observant but has no idea how to behave sometimes. I loved the push and pull between them and the way that Devante was already behaving as Micah's Daddy before he had realised that was what he wanted. Lots of danger and drama as they faced multiple betrayals. Easy to read, feel and understand. This was an MM story with mature content and a BDSM-like DDLB dynamic.
I enjoyed this story with the grumpy hitman who has been assigned bodyguard duty (which feels like childminding sometimes) and the confused academic who is very observant but has no idea how to behave sometimes. I loved the push and pull between them and the way that Devante was already behaving as Micah's Daddy before he had realised that was what he wanted. Lots of danger and drama as they faced multiple betrayals. Easy to read, feel and understand. This was an MM story with mature content and a BDSM-like DDLB dynamic.
September 16, 2022
There is no doubt that Morticia Knight is a master of the mm romance genre. This book is a little off the beaten path for her. We have a bodyguard/assassin who admits he really likes killing people. "There's something broken" inside of him he admits but not with special concern. What he is hiding is that he would like to settle down with a boy. But never mind that: right now he has to drag a young, naive epigrapher all over the world looking for a treasure his mafia boss wants. If it weren't for all the shooting, there are the makings of a rom-com here. The hapless epigrapher keeps looking out hotel rooms and car windows at ancient wonders and wanting to visit them while our lead only wants to find the treasure, take it back to the boss, and end this business.
It is not a spoiler to tell you that Knight's characters are well-developed, dynamic, and ultimately likable.
And being a book by Knight, it is not a spoiler to tell you it will keep you entertained throughout.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It is not a spoiler to tell you that Knight's characters are well-developed, dynamic, and ultimately likable.
And being a book by Knight, it is not a spoiler to tell you it will keep you entertained throughout.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 1, 2022
New beginnings sometimes are hard earned! Devante, is an expert at his job. He is an efficiently brutal hitman. He works for the Mr Zakarian, mob boss. He expresses his disdain for the worse of humanity, by being extra brutal. He excels at his job, but his aftermath weighs heavily on him. Micah, at 22 is one of the youngest experts in antiquities. He lives for his science. Mr Z assigned Devante to find a new artifact and have Micah authenticate, then get rid of Micah. Micah's mentor, Mr Mangetti gives Micah a secret mission to find the Royal Crown Jewel of Atlantis. Devante and Micah are like oil and water. Micah is an accident prone enthusiastic young man who will probably be the death of Devante. And yet, they are so cute together. They embark on an adventure looking for the Crown that turns into a lot of action as they are not alone in the quest or hidden agendas. There are lots of surprises. Micah, is a nice guy, but he lacks situational awareness for a genius. Fun action, good story! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 6, 2022
Brutal by Morticia Knight is part of the Ruthless Daddies multi-authored series. There is graphic violence and some off-page child abuse. I did not find anything bad or taking me out of the storyline. This is a dark gritty story with a ton of emotion that sucked me in. Ms. Knight is one of my favorite authors, she always brings emotion and a story I never want to put down, and this story is no exception.
Devante: he is a hitman. Paid killer. He believes he is broken inside. Hopes to one day be free from mob control. I think he is far harder on himself than he needs to be. He is loyal, kind in his own way, and will protect with his life.
Micah is the light to Devante’s darkness. He is a fantastic friend. He likes to be alone and spends his days alone.
I loved this addition to the Ruthless Daddies series and cannot wait to see who gets a love story next. You do not have to read the previous books in this series to understand this story.
Five Shooting Stars
Devante: he is a hitman. Paid killer. He believes he is broken inside. Hopes to one day be free from mob control. I think he is far harder on himself than he needs to be. He is loyal, kind in his own way, and will protect with his life.
Micah is the light to Devante’s darkness. He is a fantastic friend. He likes to be alone and spends his days alone.
I loved this addition to the Ruthless Daddies series and cannot wait to see who gets a love story next. You do not have to read the previous books in this series to understand this story.
Five Shooting Stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews