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Bloody Knuckles
🥀 Bloody Knuckles(Enemies to Lovers Forced Proximity Dark Hero Revenge Romance Forbidden Romance Protective Alpha)
She was my enemy’s daughter. Now she’s mine to break—or protect.
Cormac ruthless heir, lethal fighter, and Dublin’s most feared man. My loyalty belongs to blood and violence—until Aoife Gallagher is delivered to my doorstep. Fiery, defiant, and impossibly tempting, she’s collateral in a deadly war.
We’re enemies forced under one roof, trapped in a dangerous game neither can afford to lose. Every heated glance, every stolen touch pushes us closer to the edge.
But when my rivals come for her, I'll burn this city to ashes to keep her safe.
She may hate me now, but soon, she’ll beg me never to let her go.
She was my enemy’s daughter. Now she’s mine to break—or protect.
Cormac ruthless heir, lethal fighter, and Dublin’s most feared man. My loyalty belongs to blood and violence—until Aoife Gallagher is delivered to my doorstep. Fiery, defiant, and impossibly tempting, she’s collateral in a deadly war.
We’re enemies forced under one roof, trapped in a dangerous game neither can afford to lose. Every heated glance, every stolen touch pushes us closer to the edge.
But when my rivals come for her, I'll burn this city to ashes to keep her safe.
She may hate me now, but soon, she’ll beg me never to let her go.
139 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 20, 2025
28 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 26, 2025
BLOODY KNUCKLES BY NEVA COLE
Book 1 of 3.
Oh lord all mighty it is HOT in here.
🔥
I loved loved loved this book
Two Irish families at war.
The Donavans and The Gallaghers
🖤Cormac and Aoife🖤
I can't wait for book 2 and 3 to come out in May 2025.
I'm really looking forward to seeing hpw it all unfolds
Book 1 of 3.
Oh lord all mighty it is HOT in here.
🔥
I loved loved loved this book
Two Irish families at war.
The Donavans and The Gallaghers
🖤Cormac and Aoife🖤
I can't wait for book 2 and 3 to come out in May 2025.
I'm really looking forward to seeing hpw it all unfolds
August 26, 2025
Stupid and boring. I got to only 30% when she happens to find his journal ,that the big bad guy must randomly carry about with him and leaves in an unlocked drawer in front if her, in which he has written down every thought and strategy he has about his enemy, her family, and in which he has even written the full name of the rat he has in her father's organisation?! Seriously?!
It's just not believeable that a criminal leader would write down everything like that, let alone randomly carry the thing around with him, because it isn't the apartment he sleeps in, it's not his home, it's one just to keep her locked up in, that he visits. So he randomly just carries that book around and leaves it for the enemy, a person they just kidnapped and are holding hostage, to see and read. Urgh! Awful stuff!
Whether he deliberately leaves it out for her to find as some kind of trap or he really is just so stupid he carries the thing around with him for any enemy to easily find, it doesn't matter, because she goes on to be stupid by revealing to him just how organised and smart her brother is, and revealing things about her family that are a security risk. So either way at least one or both main characters are too stupid.
This is not an Irish dark romance. He kidnaps her but doesn't touch her. He just keeps her locked up in an expensive penthouse apartment until both of them start having feelings for the other. Tedious. When he pays her visits he just keeps saying that she'll be begging to be with him, eye roll bad. There was no dark or romance, there was no point to this at all.
It's also not a fighter/boxing plot either, apart from the brief opening scene, there's no further fighting or training. It doesn't even say why he fights or who, why the head of the organisation would fight/box with others. Like, is it just sparring partners to keep his fitness and reflexes good? Or does he fight professionally? Is it just because he likes it? There's no information given.
Th Irish names is the only thing Irish about this. It could been any of the thousands of the badly written Italian mafia billionaire stories flooding the market. On that billionaire point, the authors writing Cormac thinking he can't stand Liam Gallagher because he wears expensive suits and has a fancy college accent is immediately followed by them writing that Cormac himself is so poncey that he weas expensive suits and says things like "I'll be down momentarily ". Yikes, it's bad.
Not to mention he also lives in a huge mansion on a massive estate outside the city, has a seperate apartment in the city, plus the other expensive penthouse apartment he's keeping her in, he goes to charity galas, and drives a Bentley etc. So it's all very hypocritical and eye roll bad for him to hate Liam because of his expensive suits and fancy speaking.
This was seriously dull as dish water. Nothing happens here. It's not a dark romance, it's just boring and really not good. I gave up and deleted it from my kindle at only 30% and it was a real struggle to even push myself to keep reading that far. But I just couldn't keep reading. Have no interest in reading anything else by these authors, when this is what they put out there. If I could give zero stars I would.
It's just not believeable that a criminal leader would write down everything like that, let alone randomly carry the thing around with him, because it isn't the apartment he sleeps in, it's not his home, it's one just to keep her locked up in, that he visits. So he randomly just carries that book around and leaves it for the enemy, a person they just kidnapped and are holding hostage, to see and read. Urgh! Awful stuff!
Whether he deliberately leaves it out for her to find as some kind of trap or he really is just so stupid he carries the thing around with him for any enemy to easily find, it doesn't matter, because she goes on to be stupid by revealing to him just how organised and smart her brother is, and revealing things about her family that are a security risk. So either way at least one or both main characters are too stupid.
This is not an Irish dark romance. He kidnaps her but doesn't touch her. He just keeps her locked up in an expensive penthouse apartment until both of them start having feelings for the other. Tedious. When he pays her visits he just keeps saying that she'll be begging to be with him, eye roll bad. There was no dark or romance, there was no point to this at all.
It's also not a fighter/boxing plot either, apart from the brief opening scene, there's no further fighting or training. It doesn't even say why he fights or who, why the head of the organisation would fight/box with others. Like, is it just sparring partners to keep his fitness and reflexes good? Or does he fight professionally? Is it just because he likes it? There's no information given.
Th Irish names is the only thing Irish about this. It could been any of the thousands of the badly written Italian mafia billionaire stories flooding the market. On that billionaire point, the authors writing Cormac thinking he can't stand Liam Gallagher because he wears expensive suits and has a fancy college accent is immediately followed by them writing that Cormac himself is so poncey that he weas expensive suits and says things like "I'll be down momentarily ". Yikes, it's bad.
Not to mention he also lives in a huge mansion on a massive estate outside the city, has a seperate apartment in the city, plus the other expensive penthouse apartment he's keeping her in, he goes to charity galas, and drives a Bentley etc. So it's all very hypocritical and eye roll bad for him to hate Liam because of his expensive suits and fancy speaking.
This was seriously dull as dish water. Nothing happens here. It's not a dark romance, it's just boring and really not good. I gave up and deleted it from my kindle at only 30% and it was a real struggle to even push myself to keep reading that far. But I just couldn't keep reading. Have no interest in reading anything else by these authors, when this is what they put out there. If I could give zero stars I would.
May 14, 2025
If you want a short and spicy Irish Mob romance and don't look too hard at plot, this is a great option, and I definitely recommend it. If you read for plot or easily get taken out of the story when confused, this may not be the story for you. He's the heir to the Donovan crime family and a boxer. The only problem is that the only time him being a fighter comes up is in the opening scene and one other mention. Training, ring time, and coaching are not present at all. Then our FMC is the daughter of the rival crime family, but I never knew where her loyalties were aligned or her true feelings on anything going on, even the MMC. Is she a criminal mastermind, an innocent bystander, or an underdog? While there were some seriously confusing plot elements, the spice and tension between the MCs were phenomenal.
ARC Review: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
ARC Review: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 13, 2025
This is book one in the Donovan Family series. Cormac is head of the family and decides to take Aiofe hostage for her father attacking a shipment. It started out exceptionally well and then lost the plot. Well actually, there was so much confusion and secrets and betrayals that the plot was thrown into the garbage can and hidden. Once Aiofe breaks out and decides to switch sides or does she, is Cormac the leader, is Finn the only brother, is Liam trying to do a hostile takeover, Is Cormac really going to follow through with his decision, does Aiofe really trust and love Cormac or just dislikes her brother and betrayals, etc. I'm lost. It really seems as if the author started out with one arc planned and switched to another midway through. The first part is why this received a three. I received an advance review copy from BookSirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 19, 2025
It's the first time I have read a book by this author and she did not disappoint. The book is about the Irish mafia, two families with a feud spanning generations.
Cormac and Alpha male, think he knows best, that's until he kidnaps the rival's daughter Aoife. Aoife is a strong-willed, fiery woman, she may be in a 'man's' world, but she is not stupid. She is smart and strong, she can fight her corner. Cormac thinks he can bend Aoife to his will but can she turn the tables on him?
They say love and hate are the opposite of the same coin, and my oh my, is this true for them! The passion is intense.
Both learn through the book about trust, loyalty, family, deceit, and love and who you choose to be with despite it all.
I can't wait for the next book!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Cormac and Alpha male, think he knows best, that's until he kidnaps the rival's daughter Aoife. Aoife is a strong-willed, fiery woman, she may be in a 'man's' world, but she is not stupid. She is smart and strong, she can fight her corner. Cormac thinks he can bend Aoife to his will but can she turn the tables on him?
They say love and hate are the opposite of the same coin, and my oh my, is this true for them! The passion is intense.
Both learn through the book about trust, loyalty, family, deceit, and love and who you choose to be with despite it all.
I can't wait for the next book!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 25, 2025
What a great introduction to this new to me author! Bloody Knuckles is Cormac Donovan and Aoife Gallaghers fast-paced, enemies to lovers, forbidden, one sitting story.
"Fire recognizes fire."
And these two are definitely fire! What started as repayment for a hit on Donovan property quickly turns into so much more, whether Cormac and Aoife want to admit it or not.
"I'm nobody's toy. I can’t be possessed."
This couple is absolutely fantastic and the longer they're together, the more that's uncovered about their perspective families, the more they seem to fall into each other. Thier journey is intense, dramatic and consuming. I'm anxious to see what's next in this series.
"You and I are more alike than you admit. Both born into violence. Both trapped by family legacy."
"Fire recognizes fire."
And these two are definitely fire! What started as repayment for a hit on Donovan property quickly turns into so much more, whether Cormac and Aoife want to admit it or not.
"I'm nobody's toy. I can’t be possessed."
This couple is absolutely fantastic and the longer they're together, the more that's uncovered about their perspective families, the more they seem to fall into each other. Thier journey is intense, dramatic and consuming. I'm anxious to see what's next in this series.
"You and I are more alike than you admit. Both born into violence. Both trapped by family legacy."
May 28, 2025
The war between the families has been heating up, so when his men find her in their territory, they bring her to him. She is the daughter of their rivals. He is the fierce leader of his family and an underground fighter where he hones his skills and builds his reputation. She is fierce and strong, no pampered mafia princess and is determined to give him a run for his money. He might just have met his match. She has secrets and agendas of her own and as they navigate the complexities of their family drama, they also find that they have sizzling chemistry that pulls them together for some very steamy spice. You quickly invest in them as the spark between them just draws you in. This is the first book of a new series and covers a lot of ground for being short on page time.
June 8, 2025
I loved this short and exciting forced proximity mafia romance! Cormac and Aoife’s story was so exciting to see unfold. There was non-stop action all the way through that keeps you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next! You don’t want to miss this steam and tension enemies to lovers tale. After Cormac takes a hit from rival mafia family, the Gallaghers, he plans to take something precious from them. As heiress to the Gallagher Family, Aoife knows nothing good can come when she is taken by the Donovan Family’s Kingpin Cormac. But she fights to escape her new gilded prison she also tries to hide the growing attraction she feels for her captor. But as secrets emerge on both sides can she trust her own family or is she safer with Cormac?
April 30, 2025
Bloody Knuckles By Neva Cole
Cormac Donovan's enemy is Patrick Gallagher; his daughter Aoife goes to a bar in Donovan's territory. Donovan's men come in and take Aoife to Cormac, and the story starts. I love their story. The characters are great, and so much goes on between them that it keeps you reading. This is a page-turner and very hard to put down. There are lots of twists in this story. I loved this story because I love strong women, and Aoife is one heck of one. I highly recommend this book, it's going in my top five. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Cormac Donovan's enemy is Patrick Gallagher; his daughter Aoife goes to a bar in Donovan's territory. Donovan's men come in and take Aoife to Cormac, and the story starts. I love their story. The characters are great, and so much goes on between them that it keeps you reading. This is a page-turner and very hard to put down. There are lots of twists in this story. I loved this story because I love strong women, and Aoife is one heck of one. I highly recommend this book, it's going in my top five. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 24, 2025
This was a quick full read for me! So grateful for Neva, allowing me to read this early.
Cormac, and Aoife are my products and of grooming from family legacies, underground power, and years of war.
Both vibe with MC energy and unwillingness to back down from each other, whilst spurring intrigue.
There is plenty of spice, while some areas aren’t detailed to keep the story line as main point (which I love).
Cannot wait for book 2, and the family affairs that follow.
Cormac, and Aoife are my products and of grooming from family legacies, underground power, and years of war.
Both vibe with MC energy and unwillingness to back down from each other, whilst spurring intrigue.
There is plenty of spice, while some areas aren’t detailed to keep the story line as main point (which I love).
Cannot wait for book 2, and the family affairs that follow.
April 26, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this quick read by Neva Cole! The relationship between Cormac and Aiofe sizzles within the ongoing battle between two warring Irish Mafia families. Cole effortlessly amps up the physical tension between her main characters while creatively weaving in the political intrigue of a burgeoning mafia war. Despite the shorter length, Cole still gives the reader fleshed out characters and a fast paced plot. I'm hooked and will definitely reading the next books in the series!
June 11, 2025
Thank you for letting me read your book! This is a "family" story with a few twists. In the normal scenarios of forced proximity romance, the story maintains the FMC as a dominant character. I love her 'take no prisoner' display, and that while she caves to her wants, she doesn't detract from her end goal. The ending was sweeter than I expected! My only negative is the repetition of the same smut scene; they did not vary by much.
September 12, 2025
I really enjoyed this short and spicy story. Cormac and Aoife’s chemistry is off the charts. He definitely gets more than he bargained for with her, and I loved watching their dynamic unfold. There were several twists I didn’t see coming, which kept things exciting. That said, the ending felt a little rushed and left me wanting more. Hopefully, there’s another book on the way to tie things up or continue their story!
April 29, 2025
Great power push and pull between two Irish families. Completely in love with Cormac his revenge play was required. He didn’t know he would find a feisty Aoife ready to fight for the truth from both families betrayal. Looking to the next book!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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October 12, 2025I love anything Neva writes, and this book is no different.
This is book one in the Donovan family series, and it did not disappoint - you have enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, as well as dark romance that will have you wanting to finish.
The spice, plot and characters are amazing
I cannot wait to read book 2
This is book one in the Donovan family series, and it did not disappoint - you have enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, as well as dark romance that will have you wanting to finish.
The spice, plot and characters are amazing
I cannot wait to read book 2
March 3, 2026
3.5⭐️
Perfect for if you want a short and spicy read with an Irish Mob romance. Pacing was good and this book is easy to read. However there are some parts of the plot that have been left opened which hopefully will be explained in the later books and I’m not sure on the FMC’s intentions are.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily*
Perfect for if you want a short and spicy read with an Irish Mob romance. Pacing was good and this book is easy to read. However there are some parts of the plot that have been left opened which hopefully will be explained in the later books and I’m not sure on the FMC’s intentions are.
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily*
April 30, 2025
I really liked this book. The story was excellent. Plot was intriguing. World building was FANtastic! MCs were well developed and likeable. received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!
September 3, 2025
First thing is it ends with a cliff hanger!! There's lots of mistakes. I wouldn't have read this if I knew it had a cliff Hanger! I'm not too bothered about reading the next book and I think really sums up how I feel about the book!
June 2, 2025
A little lacking in the plot, but overall was pretty enjoyable.
Pace was good for a shorter book and I enjoyed the FMC being that little bit feisty.
3.5 stars.
Pace was good for a shorter book and I enjoyed the FMC being that little bit feisty.
3.5 stars.
June 22, 2025
I recieved this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was a short, fast paced, spicy, Irish mafia romance. I loved the FMC especially. Bloody Knuckles is perfect for those who love Mafia romance with a possessive MMC and a strong and willful FMC. The tension and banter are great. I am looking forward to reading the next one!
July 18, 2025
Bare knuckle brawling in Ireland’s underground is bah-ROOTAL 👊🩸 Cormac—lethal, Donovan heir—has been letting off steam there for the past four years. He learns of thefts and betrayals, which leads him to take Aoife—daughter of his rival mafia family. Aoife is no shrinking violet, and proves to be the female version of Cormac.
Perfect. Match.
Bloody Knuckles is a great way to spend 2+/-hours. Quality writing. Looking forward to book 2!
*** Recommended ***
HEA/Cliffhanger:
* HEA
Series:
* Book 1 of Donovan Family Series
Epilogue:
* No
MMC:
* Cormac
FMC:
* Aoife
Tropes:
* Dark Irish Mafia Romance
* Forced Proximity
* Enemies to Lovers
* MF
Triggers:
* 18+
* Sex
* Kidnapping
* Violence
* Gun violence
* Betrayal
* Profanity
* Death
Burn Speed:
* Medium - Fast
Spice Level:
* 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 1/2
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Perfect. Match.
Bloody Knuckles is a great way to spend 2+/-hours. Quality writing. Looking forward to book 2!
*** Recommended ***
HEA/Cliffhanger:
* HEA
Series:
* Book 1 of Donovan Family Series
Epilogue:
* No
MMC:
* Cormac
FMC:
* Aoife
Tropes:
* Dark Irish Mafia Romance
* Forced Proximity
* Enemies to Lovers
* MF
Triggers:
* 18+
* Sex
* Kidnapping
* Violence
* Gun violence
* Betrayal
* Profanity
* Death
Burn Speed:
* Medium - Fast
Spice Level:
* 🌶️🌶️🌶️ 1/2
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews