My Toxic Love Book Review - No Spoilers
Plot Summary
I went into Toxic Love by Jagger Cole because I needed a dark, enemies-to-lovers mafia romance that wasn’t afraid to lean into danger and obsession. This book is the explosive start to the Venomous Gods series and sets the tone right away: Tempest Black finds herself forced into a marriage of convenience with Dante Sartorre—a brutal, cold mafia boss and owner of the infamous Club Venom. She isn’t supposed to be his bride, but when she sacrifices her own future to save a friend, she signs the marriage contract herself.
Nothing about their relationship is simple. Dante is used to unquestioned control, and he expects Tempest to be his obedient wife, but she refuses to play along. Their dynamic is all high-stakes games and psychological warfare, complicated by Tempest’s own secrets and a dangerous illness lurking beneath the surface. The story moves fast, with steamy tension, sharp banter, and a backdrop full of mafia family politics. There are no guarantees or soft landings. And despite how ruthless both characters can be, there’s always the lingering promise of more behind the mask.
Why I Love This Book
What really stands out for me is how extra everything in this book feels—the danger, the chemistry, the violence, and especially the push and pull between Tempest and Dante. I love that Tempest is genuinely untamable—her wit and defiance make every interaction with Dante electrifying. Dante is the anti-Prince Charming: he’s ice-cold, absolutely possessive, and obsessed with breaking down every single one of Tempest’s defences.
There’s a dark, addictive tension throughout the book. Every page is packed with psychological mind games, forbidden touches, and the kind of power play that keeps me up way too late. The “marriage of convenience” trope gets turned inside out—Tempest never loses her backbone, and the love story is all sharp edges, bruising honesty, and hard-fought vulnerability. I was on edge the entire time waiting to see who would bend, and I loved the unpredictability. The writing doesn’t flinch from pain or darkness, and that makes the eventual hope (and heat) feel earned.
Who Will Like This Book
If you crave dark mafia romance with explicit content, ruthless antiheroes, and heroines with bite, you’ll want this book. It’s for fans of enemies-to-lovers, marriage of convenience, and stories where nothing is safe or simple. You should enjoy stories heavy on psychological battles, possessive heroes, and intense world-building.
⚠️ Trigger warning: This book contains graphic violence, explicit sex, dub-con, references to sexual assault, suicide, self-harm, chronic illness, and psychological/emotional manipulation. It includes themes of trauma and dominance. Please read the author’s detailed trigger warning in the front matter if you have sensitivities—this is a dark romance intended for mature readers.
Tagged As
dark romance, mafia romance, enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, marriage contract, antihero, possessive hero, strong heroine, psychological games, trauma, forbidden romance, open-door romance, explicit, alpha male, club owner, age gap, sick heroine, high angst, dual pov, series, standalone, HEA, indie romance, kindle unlimited
Steam Level
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️Insanely Hot
