Don’t let his smoldering smile fool you; Jace Ryan is a Bratva beast who gets what he wants—except me. Sexy. Sweet. Steamy. Jace is my best friend, hiding his savage side.
Working at an adult store together, I’m a boudoir photographer, and he’s the king-sized guard. It’s a tempting proximity, but we don’t cross forbidden lines. Lines that ache; it hurts not to be together.
But Jace knows I’m miserably married.
I would never break a vow.
And he’s a man of honor…
Until he discovers I’m trapped in a hellish arrangement.
My evil husband is holding me prisoner, and Jace is the killer key.
For me, his mafia beast emerges, bloodthirsty and unbound. His secret society of Bratva kings and queens conspires to help me. We forge taboo bonds that can’t be broken, As demons from his past shockingly abet our love.
I’m not afraid of their vigilante justice.
I need their help to fight something even a bullet can’t destroy.
A stolen image of me I can’t erase. One that’ll destroy my name.
But I’ll do anything to finally be with Jace.
Anything to be his proud queen.
And Jace will destroy anyone to protect our precious future.
(ARC Read)
I honestly don’t know how I’m supposed to say goodbye to the Belles & Bratva series after Jace because Kelly Finley absolutely saved the best for last. This finale delivered EVERYTHING—obsession, devotion, spice, tenderness, danger, emotional healing, family loyalty, and one of the most satisfying happily ever afters I’ve read in a long time.
Jace. Freaking. Ryan. Good gosh, what a MAN. No, seriously, what a KING. From the very beginning of this series, Jace has been the sweet giant quietly stealing everyone’s hearts. He may look intimidating with all that Bratva king energy, tattoos, muscles, and lethal protectiveness, but underneath all of that, he’s a hopeless romantic with the softest heart imaginable. And the way he loves Vivian? Completely and utterly devastating. Everyone deserves to love like he does.
Jace has spent so long secretly loving her while respecting the boundaries of what he believed was her marriage. Watching him suffer through all those stolen glances, quiet moments, longing looks, and years of silent devotion while all his brothers found their queens, hurt my soul, and it crushed his, too. You could feel how badly he wanted her in every single interaction. The emotional tension between them was unreal because it wasn’t built on petty miscommunication. It was built on genuine love, restraint, loyalty, and heartbreak. Kelly gets straight to the emotional core of their relationship immediately, and from that point on I was completely obsessed. Not that it took much. I’ve been waiting with baited breath for this book to come out.
I wake up every day to the promise and pain of secretly loving this woman.
And when the truth about Vivian’s “marriage” finally comes out? Oh, Jace absolutely unleashes. He was protective, possessive, and ruthless. Every untamed part of him comes alive for the woman he loves. The “touch her and suffer” energy in this book was EVERYTHING.
What I loved so much about Vivian was how layered her character felt. She starts off with this sweet, girl-next-door energy, trapped in a life where she’s been emotionally manipulated, controlled, and made to feel small for far too long. But once she’s finally surrounded by people who genuinely love, support, and empower her? Watching her step into her confidence and fully embrace herself was one of the most satisfying parts of the entire story. Jace didn’t just love her—he gave her the space to become who she was always meant to be without shame or fear.
I’m a seed, waiting to bloom again. And Jace Ryan is my sunshine.
And honestly? Jace and Vivian are the definition of soulmates. Their relationship goes from best friends to lovers, hopeless to hopeful, tortured souls to something healing and beautiful. You can literally feel the electricity between them every time they’re together. There’s this constant undercurrent of protectiveness, trust, passion, tenderness, and complete emotional devotion that radiates off the page.
“Well, you’re my light, Vivian Tate. I can’t see my heart without you.”
The chemistry between them was INSANE. Kelly absolutely turned up the heat in this one because WOW. The boudoir shoots? Dangerous Bratva men in their Calvins? The praise, the worship, the obsession, the possessiveness? I was fanning myself constantly. But the spicy scenes also felt emotionally intimate. Jace empowered Vivian in every possible way. He encouraged her desires, supported her without judgment, and made her feel beautiful, wanted, safe, and celebrated after years of feeling trapped and ashamed. Even during the filthiest moments, there was still so much tenderness underneath everything.
“Have no shame with me, Vivian. Be proud to let me love you. That’s what it means to be my queen.”
Vivian loved him just as fiercely in return. She understood Jace in a way nobody else could and became his peace during some of his darkest moments. Seeing her stand beside him through the trauma surrounding his father and everything tied to his past was so emotional and beautifully done.
I know underneath his flawless, inked flesh, his heart is dark red like everyone else’s, but his beats so tender and sweet, his blue eyes radiate its warmth. They make me blink back tears at the sight of him.
One of my favorite things about this entire series has always been the relationships between the Kings and Queens, and Jace wrapped all of that up perfectly. The emotional bond between all of them felt so powerful here—the loyalty, the acceptance, the found family dynamic, the unwavering support. It genuinely felt like this huge celebration of everything these characters survived together. Vale and Nash’s connection with Jace especially had me emotional, and I loved how naturally Vivian was welcomed into that bond and family.
And can we talk about the Sixteen Candles references?! My heart couldn’t handle it. It’s my favorite movie of all time, and you should have seen the silly smile on my face each time I came across that or a John Hughes reference. With the heaviness and mature themes of the book, the 80s movie references absolutely helped to balance it and lighten the load.
What I admire so much about Kelly Finley’s writing is that beneath all the darkness, violence, and morally gray chaos, there’s always this strong message about empowerment, acceptance, unconditional love, and women being free to embrace themselves without shame. These men may be dangerous, but the way they protect, respect, worship, and uplift their women is what truly makes this series unforgettable.
“Be my queen, my woman, my wife. I won’t survive anything less.”
And the ending? Perfect. Truly perfect. It wrapped up every King and Queen so beautifully while still giving Jace and Vivian the emotional spotlight they deserved. I genuinely didn’t want the final chapters to end because saying goodbye to this world hurt. These characters have completely taken over my heart and my bookshelf.
Release Date: June 1st, 2026
Thank you to Kelly Finley for the ARC read!