The Killer Who Kept Me

by Davidson King

Nothing about Em’s life is simple. He’s treated worse than anyone in the house, punished for every minor infraction, and has zero chance of ever escaping his current situation. He dreams that someday he’ll be free of this nightmare and finally find someone who will want to keep him.



That dream may come true sooner than he thinks.



Saros Tancredi is the most dangerous and powerful man in all of Eastbury. The loyalty he has to his family is unparalleled to anything else. When he wants something, he gets it. He rarely worries and lives without fear. All of that changes one night when he’s faced with his own mortality. When it seems like it will all end, out of nowhere, a stranger jumps in and saves his life.



Saros and Em live separate lives in the underworld. Saros is the most compelling man Em has ever known. Em is the savior Saros never knew he needed. When secrets long buried emerge in the midst of a current war, they threaten to tear away any chance the two men have of finding a happy life together.



One thing Saros and Em know for sure—they’re not going down without a fight.

Genres: M M Romance, Abuse, Dark, Crime, Contemporary, Romance, LGBT

228 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 17, 2025

About the author

Davidson King, always had a hope that someday her daydreams would become real-life stories. As a child, you would often find her in her own world, thinking up the most insane situations. It may have taken her awhile, but she made her dream come true with her first published work, Snow Falling.

She managed to wrangle herself a husband who matched her crazy and they hatched three wonderful children.

If you were to ask her what gave her the courage to finally publish, she’d tell you it was her amazing family and friends. Support is vital in all things and when you’re afraid of your dreams, it will be your cheering section that will lift you up.

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's sort of funny to think that an author's mafia books could feel like a comfort read, but Davidson doing mafias or crime families feels like a cross between excitement and comfort to me. We know the bad guys will triumph over the worse guys, love will prevail, and excitement shall ensue. This book is no exception, and I really enjoyed it.
Em is a sweetheart, Saros is sweet under his mafia-bossiness, and the overall plot was a delight.

[Samantha Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Killer Who Kept Me is the first book by author Davidson King that I have had the pleasure of reading. Throughout the book she does a wonderful job shining the light on two aspects of a family dynamic. One side there is the loving and caring found family of Saro’s the most well known and terrifying mafia boss in the region, and own the other side there is the very toxic environment that Em was trapped into for as long as he can remember.

When Em goes against his rational thinking he ended up saving Saros life and in return Saros is determined to give Em the best of everything.. including his heart. Em and Saros are such a sweet match for one another, Saros while having a reputation of being a monster is nothing but kind, caring, and protective of Em and as a result Em becomes the calm to his storm.

I really enjoyed this read especially since it differs from a lot of mafia books that I have read before. Saros and Em do not begin at odds with one another, there is no emotional build up and groveling necessary due to the mafia bosses cruel treatment in the beginning. Saros and Em are taken with each other right away and that is absolutely refreshing.

I can guarantee that this is worth the read.

[Monikat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm smiling at this project. ☺️It felt like a very polite person is writing a badass mafia, sexy romance. It felt light, despite all the darkness going on.
Cinderella moment
Em being Cinderella boy and Saros the Prince searching for him.
The writing feels a little simplistic, but in a good way. Nothing is complicated. Things just happen unembellished.
To be honest I really needed more insight on Em, after all this and I still don't really know who he is. On the one hand he's been enslaved all of his life but then he is so knowledgeable on so many things ,of course by reading.
I felt that Em's parenting was a weak spot for the story, the reasons given for his almost brutal life were down to, 'his parents never wanted him'. A huge missed opportunity for the author to add complexity and a very weak reasoning overall.
Saros is a straightforward mafia boss in all ways but still has a huge Golden heart. They make such a cute couple.
A light 'dark' read that was enjoyable.
A great hurt/ comfort, knight in shining armor story.

[Catarina Águas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this.
Saros was a bad*ss and an all powerful mafia man but around Em he just melted, he was softer. From the moment he saw him, he wanted him. And he did everything in his power to show him love, kindness and what a family is like.
Em had been through a lot in his life and he deserved everything good in life. And he found it in the most unlikely of places, with a monster who lives in the darkness.
They fitted so well together, their personalities just mashed in a perfect way

[Mal · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story definitely delivers on the blurb. Em is leading a horrific life and Saros is determined to save him. This is pretty much immediately imprinting on each other and nothing can keep them apart while Saros is also battling an other all plot to take him down by various other mafia factions. This story is fast paced and the reveals keep on coming. For me, I think the reason for the lowered rating is two fold. One I really don’t see any character development, even with Em there is no hesitation, no doubt no crippling trauma response nothing to overcome and Saros is portrayed as all powerful. The other is the simplistic plotlines easy divides of good and evil shifting when convenient so I didn’t enjoy it much.

[Leelah🍁♋️ Orion · Rating 4 out of 5]

swoon

Don’t get me wrong. I love my dark romance, but it is so refreshing to read a mafia book where the MC starts out sweet with his future partner. I loved these two together. How rhey just got each other and protected each other.
The writing was great. The smexy was ok but the love these to had was everything. I really really really hope we get an Andre book. I’d love to meet him.

For future me
Dual POV
No cheating/sharing
Relationship before
On page strict

[Natalie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

September 2025
Kindle edition

I went to read this one so many times and just didn't get around to it. Finally read for a group challenge. I liked it. It was fun, easy to read. No traitors in the inner circle minus one shitty bartender. Took a while for Em to trust but after that I liked how easily he went with it. I forgot the other MC's name, but I liked how calm he was during the kidnapping situation. I was really hoping Em was someone else's child so he had loved ones to go back to. Nope. Danger and dark themes but didn't really feel like the characters were in trouble. Good read.

[❀ Jess ( Semi hiatus )]

I really liked the moments where the MCs were together but this felt like it focused more on the mafia plot than the romance ;(

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolujtely LOVED this book. It has lots of hurt/comfort, "touch him and die" energy, and spice! It was exactly what I have been looking for. Em and Saros are a great match; Em has had a pretty tragic upbringing, and at first really doesn't understand how to respond when someone cares for him. Thankfully, Saros is the perfect man or that, and to teach him how valued he can be. The hurt/comfort was fantastic - Saros is deadly and scary AF to everyone but the people he loves, and that definitely includes Em. Their relationship building was great, and I loved how quickly they fell for each other - no 3rd act breakup here! The secondary plot was also engaging, and kept the plot moving forward well without overtaking the relationship. There is some on page violence (this is a mafia book afterall), but it fit with the plot and wasn't over the top. I loved how Em was able to grow under Saros' care, and the epilogue at the end was *chef's kiss.* A fantastic read from an awesome author - I definitely reccomend checking this out!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure how dark this was going to be. There were some triggers mentioned in the beginning.
Em is out one night and comes across some men in an ally fighting with other men. He helps the leader, Saros and then runs off when Saros wants to thank him.
Saros is like a mafia leader and has his men look for Em. Em meanwhile has gone 'home' to the abusive couple he lives with.
As time goes on Em goes back into a club where Saros is and Saros tells him he is coming home with him.
I enjoyed this story. It wasn't dark. We slowly get Ems back story and of course he falls in love with Saros.
I would recommend this story.

[Cynthia M Brow · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Killer Who Kept Me this is the story of Em and Saros. I loved Em's character so much because even with everything he has been through he is still so sweet and caring. Saros is what most people think of as a monster but really he has a wonderful heart. I loved these two so so much. Davidson King has a special way with her mafia stories and this one didn't disappoint me. Any book that can make me laugh and cry is one I would recommend and this one did both.

[Brianna Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25⭐️ This was a fun and nice palette cleanser. I think it was exactly what I needed, some of the scenes were a bit too short for my taste but I think overall it was an interesting story that kept my attention.

[TJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was no candle to blow out, but I made a wish all the same. It was the same one every year. I wished I could meet someone who wanted to keep me. - Em

Warnings: Abuse of MC (not by other MC), Violence, Death, and other crime you would expect with mafia romance.


Main Character Information:
Em: 22, “Belongs” to Ramsey Brooks, light brown hair, brown eyes
Saros: 32, Head of the Lombardi Family, black hair, blue eyes

My Ratings:
Spice: 1/5
Angst/Stress: 1.5/5
Fluff: 2/5
Structure/Format/Flow: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

Intimate/Spicy Moments Include:
64%, 93%
Low spice. Strict roles, virgin MC, blowjob, rimming, bareback, anal sex

Stuff I Want To Mention:
Mafia romance but not dark (at least not between MCs). Neglected and abused, Em. Loyal and strong, Saros. We see books where MC1 rescues MC2 pretty frequently, but what I appreciated was how here we have our underdog rescuing the mafia boss. Saros is indebted to Em and desperate to find him. Along the way we have action, romance, and pain. I was very entertained by this story, more so than I thought I would be. Low spice, Low angst. Just a sweet read.



It can be safely assumed all of my reviews are from books that are 1st Person, have a HEA, and have no intimate or spicy scenes with anyone/thing other than MC(s). I try to rate books objectively if they have something I don’t typically like (i.e. Break Ups, SA, 3rd Person, Single POV, Sharing Partners). If it’s still written well the author deserves the praise but I will make note to avoid for myself in the future. I do my best to mark different triggers/warnings as well as the intimate acts performed in case anything listed/done might not be something you would want to read. If M/M, Age Play, Interspecies, Insta Love, Erotica, MPreg, or Incest are something you actively avoid, you are probably better off avoiding most of the books I review.

DNF: Something off, couldn’t finish because of it. Maybe me, maybe the book.
1 Star: Just.. Just no, thanks. Do not recommend it. Need mind eraser.
2 Stars: Oh that was something but it was not something for me.
3 Stars: Decent, enjoyed enough. Hit marks it was supposed to. Might recommend.
4 Stars: Really enjoyed it, better than I though it would be. Would recommend.
5 Stars: I can see myself reading this again. Thoroughly enjoyed. Would recommend.

[Another librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

✍️ 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝑹𝑬𝑽𝑰𝑬𝑾 ✍️
“THE KILLER WHO KEPT ME” DAVIDSON KING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶️🌶️.5/5

Il modo in cui mi sono divorata “The kill3r who kept me”, letteralmente, non ve lo potete nemmeno immaginare! Letto in meno di 24 ore e non me ne pento. Vi prego di non guardare la cover perché non gli rende per niente giustizia!

Em vive una vita di sofferenza, trattato peggio di chiunque altro nella casa in cui vive e senza alcuna possibilità di fuga. Sogna la libertà e qualcuno che finalmente voglia tenerlo con sé perché lo vuole veramente.
Saros Tancredi, l'uomo più pericoloso e potente di Eastbury, ottiene sempre ciò che desidera e non conosce la paura, fino alla notte in cui sfiora la m0rte. A salvarlo è uno sconosciuto, ma nei suoi occhi vede la sofferenza e la rassegnazione di chi conosce fin troppo bene il mondo criminale.
Le loro vite finiscono per intrecciarsi. Em è il salvatore che Saros non sapeva di aver bisogno, e Saros è l'uomo più affascinante che Em abbia mai incontrato. Ma vecchi segreti e una guerra imminente minacciano di distruggerli.
L'unica certezza? Non si arrenderanno senza combattere.

Questio libro di appena 230 pagine mi ha letteralmente stregata.
Ritmo serrato, una narrazione diretta e priva di descrizioni inutili. Non ci sono pause o drama superflui, gli eventi si susseguono in modo rapido, ma mai senza sembrare affrettati. Ogni dettaglio importante è spiegato con chiarezza, evitando giri di parole inutili. Ed è stato proprio questo che me lo ha fatto divorare in un sol boccone.

Certo, la brevità del libro e il ritmo serrato lasciano poco spazio alle domande. Vi ritroverete alla fine e vi chiederete “aspetta ma di questo non ha parlato”. Quindi, se a un certo punto vi troverete a chiedervi della loro sessualità… semplicemente non fatelo. Se loro non se lo chiedono, perché dovremmo farlo noi? Per una volta immaginiamo che il mondo maf1oso accetti le persone queer senza se e senza ma.

La storia tra Saros ed Em per questo non ha angst, dal momento in cui si vedono sanno esattamente cosa vogliono, ma in realtà entrambi l’hanno sempre saputo, dovevano solo incontrare la persona giusta.
Il mio cuore ha sofferto per Em, completamente solo al mondo e trattato con disprezzo. Non si è mai sentito all'altezza, né ha mai creduto di valere qualcosa o di essere addirittura qualcuno per cui valesse la pena lottare, rischiando anche una guerra per lui. Ma Saros è esattamente l'uomo che stava aspettando: il suo principe, il suo salvatore.
Saros è l'uomo che non vorresti mai avere come nemico, ma che desidereresti avere al tuo fianco, la sua potenza all’interno del mondo criminale lo rende inarrestabile. È un vero e proprio mostro, e lui ne è perfettamente consapevole.
Ho apprezzato molto come, grazie a Em, Saros riesca a rivelare il suo lato gentile e affettuoso, e come Em sia l'unico capace di guardare oltre la sua corazza.

Non so se questo libro farà parte di una serie o se è un completo stand alone, ma, cameriere? Ne vorrei altri 12, grazie!

[Britney · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book wasn't GREAT but not horrible either. It was instalove and I'm not a huge fan of instalove, because I prefer to see characters romance and woo each other. Considering Em's traumatic upbringing, I think the author should've focused more on Saros easing Em into a relationship. Instead, after a certain point, it was like the abuse never happened. In just a few days, Em was healed from the lifelong trauma and by 50%, he was ready to jump headfirst into a relationship. When they kissed at 50%, after barely knowing each other, I seriously contemplated dropping the book. In my opinion, things between Em and Saros moved too quickly, so I couldn't really feel their so-called "love" connection. Logically, I understand that Em saved Saros life, which could cause Saros to become enamored, and I understand that Em was looking for a prince charming to save him from his life. I get that, but I wasn't amazed by how their relationship developed. It felt like Saros was nice to Em for a day or two and then suddenly Em was in love, and ready to show off the scars he was initially hesitant to show. Because once again, he was no longer traumatized.

Also, some things (other than the relationship) didn't make sense. Em saved Saros, so Saros offered Em a job, but Em was hesitant to take him up on his offer. This didn't make any sense to me. Most people would argue that it's better to choose the devil you know, but that wasn't even his reason for refusing. He just kept saying Ramsay, his employer and abuser, would never let him go. Okay, make this make sense...

1. Ramsay wasn't paying Em.
2. Ramsay had no dirt on Em, so he couldn't blackmail him.
3. Saros was THEE biggest mob boss in the city.
4. Ramsay feared Saros.
5. Saros is offering money and protection.

I'm not really seeing the problem with jumping ship. 🤔🤔

I also think the reasoning behind Em's abuse made zero sense. I kept thinking the author was going to throw in a twist, like being the child of a rival gang, but nope. However, if the reasoning makes sense to some readers, then maybe I just found it to be unimaginative. I was expecting this deep, dark secret and yet what I got was so...anticlimactic.

Then there was the "climax" of the story where Ramsay made a move against Em and Saros. The way he did it seemed very improbable, considering the amount of security Saros had, but I understand the author needed to give Ramsay an opening to get to the resolution. However, even the resolution was anticlimactic.

Overall, I didn't hate the couple, but they weren't fully fleshed characters, the romance was nonexistent, and the book itself wasn't exciting. It was a very easy read, but I wanted more because of the subject matter. There was a gang war going on in this book, and not once did I feel the seriousness of the situation. It was disappointing.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet, quick read

A mafia boss tale being called sweet? Sounds wrong but it’s true. Yes, there’s the violence and the killing but everything here is in the name of righting wrongs and the innocent aren’t hurt by our MC. It’s a throwback to the old school mafia days that made them romanticized in popular culture. Growing up in NY I’ll always remember the coverage of John Gotti. He was clearly a criminal and not a good person but his neighbors and those around him loved him because of the good he did for the neighborhood and the community. Of course, our current president who also grew up in NY thinks he’s a mafia don but he only cares about the power and the cruelty. Which is one of the messages of this book. When you don’t care about people you will never have the power and loyalty you seek. We are watching it play out in real time right now. Too bad there isn’t a Saros anywhere among the politicians who could do something about this.

Em is also an interesting character. We get to watch a character growth arc where someone who has been beaten and brutalized his entire life makes one decision that leads to an opening for him and when he ultimately takes it and is shown kindness and compassion he blossoms and gains self respect and a spine. I enjoyed watching that character development. And enjoyed the underlying message.

So while this is a sweet mafia boss love story it is also an important read with wonderful messaging about the way we treat people and the impacts it has on us as well as them.

As a side note, I really enjoyed the opening quotes for each chapter. Very well done.

[Yoshio Akira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Show don't tell
Saros - he is supposed to be the most dangerous man in Eastbury, to me he seemed more of child throwing tantrums and when he was supposed to be ,,dangerous,, the author ,,takes us out of the room,, , we are not a fly on the wall, we just hear that he hurt them, I think at most he punches some people and damages some teeth in our presence.
Em - a lot better written but still, please show, don't tell. All of his life he gets hurt. and while we have some moments when he gets hurt, we are lead to believe this is just the peak of the iceberg. I would have liked to have a few more glimpses of him as a child, of him adapting to live in that world, that would have been interesting. Also, I would expect there to be more lasting consequences to being almost completely isolated from the world for his entire lifetime. With the exception of his extreme lack of confidence he seemed mostly ok, we had his point of view, I expected to be shown more and for him to overcome those difficulties but no, he just gained confidence (that was great) but it would have required more for him to heal .
I appreciate the author showing us how clever and resourceful Em is, we are not just told he is smart, we know it, well done.
The romance is sparse, that was disappointing but they did ,,pine for each other,, a bit and that was lovely but maybe show a bit more .
World building is great, like the way this author writes but it did drag a bit. Will give another one of his books a try and see if I like it better.

[Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Davidson King never ceases to amaze me with her writing. She writes books that make my adrenalin spike and cause me to feel joy, sorrow, rage, hope, fear, and love. So much love. This story has all that and more. The emotions brought me to tears in a couple chapters. Saros and Em's story just made me FEEL. Em's story is heartbreaking, in that he walks through life on eggshells, hoping to never rock the boat or bring attention to himself for fear of the repercussions. He goes through life like a ghost and has no one who sees he has worth. So much so, that when he's given a way out of his miserable existence, he doesn't trust the offer. Saros sees Em, and sees Em is beautiful. Saros has seen evil, and has no qualms about ridding the world of the people who perpetrate evil. He feels he's not a good man, but we see he's a man who knows how to value and protect those who deserve love and protection. Together, Em and Saros try to stay alive and fight for the future they want together. There are plenty of surprises along the path they must take to get to that future. I absolutely loved Em's real name, but was heartbroken by how he came to have his name. Em's the character you want to wrap in your arms and protect from the world. Saros is the character whose arms you want to be wrapped up in. I can't say enough about how much I loved this book.

[Jessi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Awful and Fun. Awfun

This was both bad and adorable. The writing is abysmal, but the story is tolerable; if one stops overthinking, one can read this well. The main issue is that the characters took themselves way too seriously. At one point, I was reminded of “Twilight” because the main lead seemed to posture in front of Em. He constantly talked about how powerful and dangerous he was, yet he was the one who lost the most. His parents died, his best friend died, and he had two buildings burned down. Despite all this, he acted as though he was "hashtag-winning." Bro is full-on delusional, like 80% of the story, but he somehow made it work. The romance is pretty quick, but it makes sense, given what happened. The ML, whose name I can't remember, ends up nearly eating pavement, only to be saved by Em.
The whole thing lasts for quite some time, and he develops an infatuation with him in those moments. On the other hand, after meeting him the second time, Em sees ML as a savior in his own right. He gets an idea of his power and believes that the ML may be able to take him out of a scrappy situation. Over what equals out to maybe three days, they manage to fall in. And I do mean, like, as they only really say the hard L when they get tangling. Before that, they just had a crush on each other. So yeah, stupid fast romance, thanks to trauma. Nice.

[Kosh Gott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a solidly-written organized crime/mob gay romance. For an indie book, it has remarkably few grammatical or other errors. Although there is a content warning about abuse, I didn't feel that warning went far enough. This book is primarily about domestic abuse, even more so than it is about romance.

Basically, the story is about a 32-year-old crime boss who rescues a 22-year-old man from domestic abuse by another crime boss. The two MCs soon develop a romantic relationship. Honestly, I think the book would have been better without the romance; just a platonic friendship between the two MCs might have worked better. Nevertheless, the story is quite good. I wish it had been longer.

This book contains a number of quotes at the beginning of its chapters. These are supposedly by various famous people, but don't cite the source. I randomly picked three of them to fact check. The quote attributed to Ralph Ellison is correct and appears in "Invisible Man", 1952. The quote attributed to Jonathan Swift is incorrect, though he did say something similar in "On Mutual Subjugation." The quote attributed to William Blake does not appear in any of his writings that I can find.

[Daniela Tavares · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/6.
🌶️🌶️.5/5.

I ate this up like candy and all of it in one sitting!

First of all I liked how it started. It gave an inside right away on who/why Saros and Em were the way they were.
Saros is the powerful, scary mob boss but to those he holds dear, as well as his employees, he is kind and cherishes them which I loved to see.
This contrast is honestly what Davidson King does best and what you can always expect from her stories. She writes scary but lovely men with a morally grey compass but kind hearted.

Em had it rough his entire life but the day he decides to help a man from getting 🔫 is the day his life changed for the better.
I love that despite the treatment he went through, he still had hope that his prince would come and take him away from it all.

Saros took great care in showing Em he was no threat to him but also that he wanted to give him a better life.
Their romance was lovely, they were amazing and after I finished it, i had all the warm feelings.
I loved it but that’s no surprise at all since it’s a Davidson story. I always have a soft spot for them. 🫶

* I read an arc of this book. *

[R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saros Tancredi, mob boss and unrepentant killer, but to those he considers his, they get love, acceptance, and safety. Cross him and you’ll end up dead. Em lives a miserable life. He is at the beck and call of a cruel master. Locked up, belittled, and abused. Told he is less than worthless, he’s come to believe it. When on an errand for his master, Em saves Saros’ life. Forever changing the course of both men..

Saros an Em were perfect. Their passion for each other was sweet. It was sort of a slow instalove.

No secrets to discover here. Deaths I didn’t even anticipate. A killer who appealed to my sense of justice. A sad broken man who had admirable strength and compassion. Unswerving loyalty from almost everyone one who knows them.

Till this book, Snow and Christopher, (from the Haven Hart universe) have been my favorite of the authors characters but I’ll say Em and Saros run a very close second, but I haven’t known them as long so they have time to move up the list.

Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.

[Dhatri Pandya · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Overall Book Rating: 5 / 5

*Tropes:
-Dark MM Romance
-Mafia Romance
-Hurt/Comfort
-Romantic Suspense

*Spiciness: 1.5 / 5

Davidson King’s “The Killer Who Kept Me” is my first book by the author, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. She has done an exceptional job of weaving a captivating story. My heart ached for Em and the hardships he endured until he met Saros. Saros is extremely protective of people he loves which not only includes his family but also people who work for him and their families. Saros not only rescued Em but also gave him safe place to live and thrive, unconditional love and so much care which Em always deserved. Em seamlessly got along with everyone in Saros’s life and helped Saros to destroy the enemy. Em and Saros’s character fit together perfectly. They complete each other and had built a beautiful family together. I’m delighted to add this book to my collection and highly recommend it if you enjoy reading Dark Mafia romance novels.

[AshPenny37 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I love a new mobster book by this author and the Killer Who Kept Me did not disappoint. You get everything you'd want from a romance between the sweetest guy and the ordinarily brutal head of a Family. When Em intervenes in an incident on Saros's behalf he changes the trajectory of his life. No longer is he the focal point for pain and hatred he never deserved…he becomes the mob boss’s whole world! I loved these characters. Em is a great blend of worldly and innocent whilst Saros is a stone cold mobster until he's in Em’s vicinity - then he's an instant cinnamon roll. They give complete opposites attract with ‘touch him and regret it for the rest of your very short life' vibes!

The plot is a decent backdrop for Saros and Em’s developing relationship with a few twists and turns, but ultimately it's all about the inevitable HEA for these very engaging MCs. I'd definitely like more time in Eastbury, please and thank you!

An ARC was provided by the author. These are my honest thoughts.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Em lives a harsh and punishing life with no hope of escape until he saves Saros Tancredi, the most powerful man in Eastbury. Saros, who is usually fearless and loyal to his family, is faced with his mortality and is saved by the stranger, Em. Both men live separate lives in the underworld, but they are drawn to each other. Em becomes Saros' savior, and Saros becomes the most compelling man Em has ever known. As secrets resurface amidst a war, their chance at happiness is threatened. However, Saros and Em are determined to fight for their future together.

I loved this story of the two men from different backgrounds who met by chance and fell in love. The politics involved were complicated but Saros was determined to get past them. There were a lot of emotions and feelings in this story. Well written and everything was easy to feel and understand. This was an MM story with mature content.

[Lana Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Killer Who Kept Me by Davidson King had me hooked quicker than Saros can cock a gun. In theory, he's a ruthless mob boss, but with Em, he's virtually housebroken. They have fabulous chemistry — Em is all heart (even with a traumatic past) and Saros walks the razor's edge between threat and sweetness like its second nature. It's flat-out fun to watch them skirt threats, vulnerability, and an unorthodox romance.

But don't get it confused: This is not your run-of-the-mill mafia romance. It's fast-paced, action-packed, and emotionally intense with plot turns that'll keep you on your toes. Sure, some of it's predictable, but the raw heat and passion between the two leads are so engrossing, it's worth your time. If you're a fan of dark romance that's part gory, part sentimental, this one should be on your tbr.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mari Cardenas · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

I just love Davidson King's mafia books, they're just so different from the norm. Yes, we have the morally gray MCs, the violence, and everything a good Mafia book entails, but we also get a lovely romance, a bit on the instant side, but all things considered, it didn't feel forced or rushed. 

Saros was protective and kind to Em, and it was great seeing Em blossom under his care. Em was aware of Saros's activities and I loved that he didn't bail or cower when faced with them, even if he removed himself from the situation if it grew too much for him. 

I hated Ramsey and Shilah, they were awful to Em and I was glad they got their comeuppance. 

Overall, a really great read! Action-packed, fast-paced, and suspenseful, but also romantic and sweet. Definitely a recommendation from me. 

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***

[Katriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Davidson King knows how to write a good Mafia romance, she has a way of making the 'bad guys' redeemable. I love how to everyone else Saros is this awful coldblooded killer, but to those who are innocent and those he cares for, he's a big sweetheart. The juxtaposition was really nice to see and was written well!

Em is a total sweetie, he's had a rough life at the hands of someone who was supposed to care for him and love him, but when he saves a man's life he never expected it to change his too. I like how Em accepts Saros's help after realizing it was the best thing for him to do, and how he tried his best to help out the other man the only way he knows how. I also enjoyed the slow burn that developed between the two MC's they took their time getting to know each other a bit before diving into anything spicy, which I appreciated.

All in all, I thought this was a great story!

[Brittany (Brit.tea.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

🖤Em & Saros 💖

𝑰 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆. 𝑴𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒓. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆'𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕, 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖.

Oh my, this was not what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed their story. This has very little spice, and I still really loved their story. It was the sweet moments that kept me turning the pages.

Oh, my heart, he quietly sings happy birthday to himself while eating a cupcake, and his wish (which is the same every year) was 𝑰 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒎𝒆.🥹

My heart broke for Em and everything he went through before meeting Saros.
Saros was EVERYTHING that Em needed, and more. It made my heart so happy that he found Saros and his family. They won the lotto when they found each other. 💖

Looking forward to reading more books from this author.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Em, I want to give you big squishy hugs that last forevermore, your story hurt my heart but also had me happy dancing at the end. Saros is not a man to be trifled with and once he became aware of Em and his circumstances both their lives changed for the better. Saros is both a good man and a bad one who protects what is his. Their romance is not sunshine and sparkles but amongst the darkness of these two wonderful men’s lives they find their way to a hard earned HEA. The villains of the piece do their utmost to destroy everything Saros holds dear but they underestimate Saros to their own detriment. I loved every moment of this very enjoyable and engaging read and couldn’t stop cheering for Em and Saros and the epilogue left me with the biggest smile in my face.