ARC Review: ‘King of the Cage’ by Mila Kane
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of the book from Grey's Promotions in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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King of the Cage
by Mila KaneSeries: Devil's Own #1
Published by Self-Published on December 4, 2024
SubGenres: Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance
Format: eArc
Pages: 459
Source: Grey's Promotions
Audience: 18+/Adult
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To survive, I'm forced to marry my brother's enemy...
They call him the Lost Boy of Hell's Kitchen.A legendary fighter, an ex-con and son of the Irish Mob... Bran O'Connor has trouble written all over him.It was supposed to be a one night thing, but that turned out to be only the beginning.When I get in over my head with a secret society, I have to rely on him to protect me.He'll do it... for a price.My hand in marriage.
King of the Cage is a dark Irish mafia romance featuring an Irish mobster, forced marriage and a dark and twisted secret society. This hero is OTT protective, and the object of his obsession is a stabby, black cat heroine. Set in a dark and dangerous world, check the TWs in the book, and only read if you are over eighteen.
King of the Cage is a book that took me on an incredible journey, and I never wanted it to end. I loved everything about this book—the storyline, the characters, the secondary characters, the romance, the witty banter, and so much more. I definitely plan to reread it to experience it multiple times, even though it put both the characters and me through the wringer. Nonetheless, it’s worth the emotional rollercoaster, especially toward the end with the twist that occurs. I was not expecting it, and Mila Kane nearly made me drop my Kindle when I read it.
Bran and Giada’s story is complex, as their families have both mistreated them in different ways. They are enemies, as Bran is part of the Irish Mafia Family, and Giada belongs to the Italian Mafia Family. At the beginning of the story, Bran falls hard for Giada, but she isn’t willing to make things easy for the Lost Boy of Hell’s Kitchen. Giada knows he’s bad news, especially with her overprotective brother, who won’t be happy if Bran tries anything with her. She is a fiercely independent woman and dislikes when a man tries to control her, even when her family attempts to control her every move. I loved her character for her independence but also because she was a hacker, which made her relatable to me. As someone who worked in cybersecurity, I enjoy reading books featuring heroines with IT skills, like Giada. She was a total kickbutt heroine!
I loved Bran’s character because he didn’t care that Giada was off-limits; he would do anything to have her, even if it meant forcing her into a marriage to protect her from the secret society they ended up investigating together. Although he never wanted her involved in that world in the first place with the secret society. Oh, yes, this is a Force Marriage storyline, and I was here for it. Bran is a hero you’ll want to add to your long list of book boyfriends/husbands after reading this book—I know I did! My husband rolled his eyes when I told him I had added another book boyfriend. 😊 Bran is the kind of hero who won’t tolerate anyone trying to take Giada away from him, even when her brother threatens him, which makes him the perfect book boyfriend/husband material for me.
The best part of this book was the banter between Bran and Giada, which was truly Chef’s Kiss. I loved the chemistry between Giada and Bran, even though Giada tried her best to resist those feelings because she was concerned for Bran’s safety. In the end, however, they became inseparable, and no one—not even their families—could pull them apart, especially after they took down the secret society together. I also appreciated how Bran’s family and friends welcomed Giada into their fold.
Get ready before diving into this book, as Mila Kane includes some unexpected twists and turns throughout the story. I was genuinely surprised to discover who the real antagonist was. I hope to find more authors who can surprise me like Mila Kane did.
Overall, it was a fantastic read, and I give it five stars. I’m looking forward to exploring more books in the Devil’s Own series, and I definitely want to go back and read Mila Kane’s other Mafia Romance novels. So far, I’ve only read her Dark Bully Hockey Romances, which I loved, so I’m confident I will enjoy her other works as well. I’m happy I discovered her books because she has become an instant buy author for me.
Single/Dual POV: Dual POV.
Standalone or Part of Series: It’s an interconnected standalone in the Devil’s Own Series.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. If you enjoy reading Dark Mafia Romances featuring an over-the-top jealous and possessive Irish fighter, along with a spirited Blackcat heroine who keeps the hero on his toes throughout the story, then be sure to check out King of the Cage.
Quote: “I’m making sure I have your attention. This cunt right here is mine, got it? Don’t even think about letting anyone else touch it, taste it, lick it, or get within five feet of it. You shouldn’t even get wet for another man… I’ll know,”
Quote: “Call our marriage ridiculous one more time, and I’m going to roll you over and turn your pretty peach of an ass as red as an apple. Then…” I murmured against her ear, “I’m going to eat it. Every. Single. Bite.”
What to Expect:
☘️Irish Mafia Romance
☘️Enemies to Lovers
☘️Grumpy/Sunshine (Heroine is the Grumpy One)
☘️He Falls First
☘️Forced Marriage
☘️Secret Society
☘️OTT Jealous/Possessive Hero
About Mila Kane
I'm obsessed with cats, coffee, and anti-heroes just the right side of insane.
I write dark and dirty romance with the alpha-holes of your most filthy nightmares.
While I like my heroes obsessed and powerful, I like my heroines smart and independent. My headstrong, capable women will bring their own personal demons to their knees, and capture their hearts at the same time.
I only write SAFE stories, there is never a place for another woman in my hero's sights, once he's caught the scent of the heroine, and there will always be, no matter how dark and twisted the story might be... a HEA guarantee.
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My obsession with reading started over 30+ years ago when I went to my first Scholastic Book Fair and found R.L. Stine's Fear Street series. Later, I came across Anne Rice's novels at my public library when I was fourteen when my obsession with vampires started. I was the girl who preferred to be a vampire over a princess any day. My husband says I would leave him a heartbeat for a vampire that looked like Spike or Angel (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) or Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries. (It's true, though, and he's accepted it.)
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