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Cruel Games #2
Vicious Wins
I loved three men who left me for dead. Now, I’m going to war, and I’m dragging them to hell with me, whether they like it or not.
Aleksandr still makes me want to drop to my knees. Cole still looks at me like I'm the worst thing that ever happened to him. Tristan's obsession is dangerous because I want to give in, and I hate myself for it.
My enemies are coming, and I don't have the luxury of fighting alone. I'll use every weapon I have. Including the three men who broke me. Especially them.
I woke up alone in a hospital bed, and I will never forgive them for that.
They think I'm the villain. Maybe it's time I became one.
Vicious Wins is the conclusion to the Cruel Games duet, a scorching hot, dark, why choose, hockey romance with groveling, redemption, and a hard-earned HEA. Check the author’s website for content notes.
Aleksandr still makes me want to drop to my knees. Cole still looks at me like I'm the worst thing that ever happened to him. Tristan's obsession is dangerous because I want to give in, and I hate myself for it.
My enemies are coming, and I don't have the luxury of fighting alone. I'll use every weapon I have. Including the three men who broke me. Especially them.
I woke up alone in a hospital bed, and I will never forgive them for that.
They think I'm the villain. Maybe it's time I became one.
Vicious Wins is the conclusion to the Cruel Games duet, a scorching hot, dark, why choose, hockey romance with groveling, redemption, and a hard-earned HEA. Check the author’s website for content notes.
542 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 18, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 339 reviews
April 18, 2026
Sadly for me this book did not hit like the first one in this duet. It felt really repetitive. Like there was no moving forward with Eva despite the fact she liked the guys enough to entertain them. She would give them little bread crumbs, make them believe they were good, just to come back and say she didnt trust them or they werent together or forgiven.
Now I know events led up to this. And it may have been warranted. But it felt more like the author kept going in circles just to make the book a book. Now, parts of this story were phenomenal. I was almost in tears when Eva’s dad apologized to Alek and owned his wrongs. The scene with Cole’s dad towards the end had me on the edge of my seat.
But there were also parts that grated on my nerves. Like Cole only using the one derogatory name during spice. I got sick of reading the word and it did almost make me DNF it.
All in all you do have to read book two because of the cliffhanger in book one. If I could do it again I probably would, but I would skip most of book two.
Now I know events led up to this. And it may have been warranted. But it felt more like the author kept going in circles just to make the book a book. Now, parts of this story were phenomenal. I was almost in tears when Eva’s dad apologized to Alek and owned his wrongs. The scene with Cole’s dad towards the end had me on the edge of my seat.
But there were also parts that grated on my nerves. Like Cole only using the one derogatory name during spice. I got sick of reading the word and it did almost make me DNF it.
All in all you do have to read book two because of the cliffhanger in book one. If I could do it again I probably would, but I would skip most of book two.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2026
Dark hockey romance
Why choose
Age gap
MMMF
Coach x student x student x student
Praise & degradation
Addiction & recovery
Hurt/comfort
Multi POV - 1st person
Duet multicast narration - Savannah Thomas, Ash Beverly, Kayden Lukakis, Julio Maxwell
Fantastic, emotional, and gripping performances from this line up of narrators.
Book #2 Cruel Games duet
*Must be read in order*
Picking up where book 1 Twisted Play ends we jump right back
Into this twisted dark world. Ava is hurt both emotionally and physically, she wakes finding herself in need of more medical care that would end her up in more debt. The guys are torn between the betrayal and forgiveness to find their way back together.
This duet had me biting my nails and on the edge of my seat. I was rooting for them to get their revenge and find a way to forgive each other and become a beautiful polyamorous couple. These characters tug at your heartstrings so much and the ending is a much earned HEA.
If you enjoy dark, steamy, and twisted romance where the boyfriends are also boyfriends and the story will captivate you then look no further. Start with Twisted Play and enjoy!
Thank you Adler Audio and Poppy Jacobson for this ALC!
Why choose
Age gap
MMMF
Coach x student x student x student
Praise & degradation
Addiction & recovery
Hurt/comfort
Multi POV - 1st person
Duet multicast narration - Savannah Thomas, Ash Beverly, Kayden Lukakis, Julio Maxwell
Fantastic, emotional, and gripping performances from this line up of narrators.
Book #2 Cruel Games duet
*Must be read in order*
Picking up where book 1 Twisted Play ends we jump right back
Into this twisted dark world. Ava is hurt both emotionally and physically, she wakes finding herself in need of more medical care that would end her up in more debt. The guys are torn between the betrayal and forgiveness to find their way back together.
This duet had me biting my nails and on the edge of my seat. I was rooting for them to get their revenge and find a way to forgive each other and become a beautiful polyamorous couple. These characters tug at your heartstrings so much and the ending is a much earned HEA.
If you enjoy dark, steamy, and twisted romance where the boyfriends are also boyfriends and the story will captivate you then look no further. Start with Twisted Play and enjoy!
Thank you Adler Audio and Poppy Jacobson for this ALC!
April 19, 2026
Plot: 4/5 • Spice: 5/5 ➡️➡️➡️ The conclusion has finally arrived. Well worth the wait. We find Alek, Triston and Cole navigating how to reconcile with Eva. All the while trying to take down Cole’s father.
Alek takes a step down from head coach. Cole engages with his father’s behavior, including becoming engaged to another woman, even quits hockey. Tristan tries to keep his head in the game. They are all doing their parts to help take him down and keep Eva safe.
The climax is a little short lived. I like how she personally defended herself. That letter opener was clever. ☺️ Everyone survives. Well, almost everyone. The healing journey they go on…. It was a little bit of a drag, but we all knew where it was leading to. Who doesn’t love a little self sacrifice.
A wonderful HEA with everyone having their dreams fulfilled and a life worth living together.
Alek takes a step down from head coach. Cole engages with his father’s behavior, including becoming engaged to another woman, even quits hockey. Tristan tries to keep his head in the game. They are all doing their parts to help take him down and keep Eva safe.
The climax is a little short lived. I like how she personally defended herself. That letter opener was clever. ☺️ Everyone survives. Well, almost everyone. The healing journey they go on…. It was a little bit of a drag, but we all knew where it was leading to. Who doesn’t love a little self sacrifice.
A wonderful HEA with everyone having their dreams fulfilled and a life worth living together.
April 26, 2026
I’m not sure what Poppy Jacobson puts in her books, but I devour it every. Single. Time. Vicious wins was no exception.
Roman Empire Duet
Eva and her polycule of Alek, Tristian, and Cole really put us through it, in this second installment of their messy and chaotic lives, but it was so worth it. We had betrayal, forgiveness (times 2), revenge and a plot that kept plotting until the last moment. A legit page turner stay up until 4am kinda read.
What you’ll get: why choose w/MM Love, curvy FMC, Age Gap, Forbidden Romance, Workplace romance, heartache and HEA, Mafia and revenge, and lots of hockey. Legit perfection.
Roman Empire Duet
Eva and her polycule of Alek, Tristian, and Cole really put us through it, in this second installment of their messy and chaotic lives, but it was so worth it. We had betrayal, forgiveness (times 2), revenge and a plot that kept plotting until the last moment. A legit page turner stay up until 4am kinda read.
What you’ll get: why choose w/MM Love, curvy FMC, Age Gap, Forbidden Romance, Workplace romance, heartache and HEA, Mafia and revenge, and lots of hockey. Legit perfection.
August 14, 2026
ALC review
I didn’t realize this was book 2 when I started it. But I love that the beginning one the book was pretty much a recap, I never felt like I didn’t know what was happening in the story by not reading book 1.
These men in this story are so freaking unhinged and delicious. Like, can I just be this fmc for a week?
I was hooked from the beginning and could put this audio down.
The narrators were hands down a 10/10. I def enjoyed this audio book.
Thank you Adler audio for this advanced copy.
I didn’t realize this was book 2 when I started it. But I love that the beginning one the book was pretty much a recap, I never felt like I didn’t know what was happening in the story by not reading book 1.
These men in this story are so freaking unhinged and delicious. Like, can I just be this fmc for a week?
I was hooked from the beginning and could put this audio down.
The narrators were hands down a 10/10. I def enjoyed this audio book.
Thank you Adler audio for this advanced copy.
August 22, 2026
Vicious Wins is the incredible conclusion to the Cruel Games Duet and WOW! I'm giving this one 👑 GOD TIER 👑 status in my library!!!
This one picks up on the cliff where the last one dropped us off, and it is intense. The emotions in this one were at an all time high. The games, the fights, and the decisions they all had to make? All of it resulted in a beautiful mess of found family, spice, utter chaos and it was everything I needed from this group!
I was so heartbroken by what Eva endured, but she is resilient and so strong! I love her character and how even faced with impossible choices, she is still a fighter. She sets her boundaries and is so firm with them.
Cole made me mad. I wanted to punch him so many times 🤣 IDK how I'd punch a fictional character, but I would totally do it... but I digress, his character grew with each and every truth that came to light. He struggled so much with his guilt, but he did everything he could to try and make it all better.
Tristan is such a sweetheart. His love is so pure, and even knowing his bad decisions and the impact they had, he still stepped up and was there for Eva through everything he could. I melted for him 🫠🫠🫠
Aleksandr and his dominance is exactly what they all need to be real and true to themselves. He is the one who held them all together, even at the expense of his career. His understanding of everything that happened to him when he was just getting into his career as a player is also so heartbreaking but he is protective of all of them. The daddy vibes was just what had them all submitting to him... but his morally grey side had me raising an eyebrow and going, "yeah okay daddy Alek" 🥵
These characters and their relationship and personal growth is amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed this dark hockey romance and the narrators, as I mentioned in my review of twisted play, did a fantastic job bringing all of these characters to life. I think you all deserve that 👑 GOD TIER 👑 rating, just as much as the story itself! Ash Beverly delivered Aleksandr with a heavy, commanding gravity. Kayden Lukakis brought Tristan to life with his unwavering devotion and magnetic presence. Julio Maxwell kept a relentless pace that kept me on the edge of my seat and his delivery of Cole's character was gripping and felt so real. And Savannah Thomas as Eva? Yeah, you could hear the steel in her voice when she drew her lines in the sand. She is a total enigma because she goes from soft to steely in an instant and I'm in awe of her performance of this book!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👑
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶🌶
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
This one picks up on the cliff where the last one dropped us off, and it is intense. The emotions in this one were at an all time high. The games, the fights, and the decisions they all had to make? All of it resulted in a beautiful mess of found family, spice, utter chaos and it was everything I needed from this group!
I was so heartbroken by what Eva endured, but she is resilient and so strong! I love her character and how even faced with impossible choices, she is still a fighter. She sets her boundaries and is so firm with them.
Cole made me mad. I wanted to punch him so many times 🤣 IDK how I'd punch a fictional character, but I would totally do it... but I digress, his character grew with each and every truth that came to light. He struggled so much with his guilt, but he did everything he could to try and make it all better.
Tristan is such a sweetheart. His love is so pure, and even knowing his bad decisions and the impact they had, he still stepped up and was there for Eva through everything he could. I melted for him 🫠🫠🫠
Aleksandr and his dominance is exactly what they all need to be real and true to themselves. He is the one who held them all together, even at the expense of his career. His understanding of everything that happened to him when he was just getting into his career as a player is also so heartbreaking but he is protective of all of them. The daddy vibes was just what had them all submitting to him... but his morally grey side had me raising an eyebrow and going, "yeah okay daddy Alek" 🥵
These characters and their relationship and personal growth is amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed this dark hockey romance and the narrators, as I mentioned in my review of twisted play, did a fantastic job bringing all of these characters to life. I think you all deserve that 👑 GOD TIER 👑 rating, just as much as the story itself! Ash Beverly delivered Aleksandr with a heavy, commanding gravity. Kayden Lukakis brought Tristan to life with his unwavering devotion and magnetic presence. Julio Maxwell kept a relentless pace that kept me on the edge of my seat and his delivery of Cole's character was gripping and felt so real. And Savannah Thomas as Eva? Yeah, you could hear the steel in her voice when she drew her lines in the sand. She is a total enigma because she goes from soft to steely in an instant and I'm in awe of her performance of this book!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👑
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶🌶
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
April 2, 2026
ARC Review:
The second installment of the Cruel Games Duet picks up exactly where readers left off — breathless, devastated, and desperate for answers. Vicious Wins delivers on every promise the first book made, unraveling the fallout of a fractured team with the kind of emotional intensity that makes this duet impossible to put down.
When Tristan, Cole, and Alek discover that Eva isn’t simply gone — she’s fighting for her life in a hospital bed — the weight of their choices comes crashing down with full force. What follows is a slow, earned reckoning. Each of the men is forced to sit with the part he played in the destruction of something that could have been extraordinary, and the author doesn’t let any of them off the hook easily.
Eva, for her part, is not a woman who forgives quickly or quietly. Her determination to keep the guys at arm’s length feels hard-won and wholly justified, which makes every crack in her armor all the more meaningful. Watching the four of them find their way back to each other — tentatively, messily, imperfectly — is the emotional core of this book, and it absolutely delivers.
Layered beneath the romance is a thread of genuine danger. The unresolved threat of Jed Carter looms large, giving the story real stakes beyond the love story and pushing the characters toward choices that permanently alter the landscape of their lives. Trust is shattered and rebuilt. New bonds form in the wreckage of old ones.
Vicious Wins is a satisfying, emotionally charged conclusion that rewards readers who weathered the heartbreak of book one. The romance is hard-fought, the resolution feels earned, and the journey there is everything a reverse harem duet should be.
The second installment of the Cruel Games Duet picks up exactly where readers left off — breathless, devastated, and desperate for answers. Vicious Wins delivers on every promise the first book made, unraveling the fallout of a fractured team with the kind of emotional intensity that makes this duet impossible to put down.
When Tristan, Cole, and Alek discover that Eva isn’t simply gone — she’s fighting for her life in a hospital bed — the weight of their choices comes crashing down with full force. What follows is a slow, earned reckoning. Each of the men is forced to sit with the part he played in the destruction of something that could have been extraordinary, and the author doesn’t let any of them off the hook easily.
Eva, for her part, is not a woman who forgives quickly or quietly. Her determination to keep the guys at arm’s length feels hard-won and wholly justified, which makes every crack in her armor all the more meaningful. Watching the four of them find their way back to each other — tentatively, messily, imperfectly — is the emotional core of this book, and it absolutely delivers.
Layered beneath the romance is a thread of genuine danger. The unresolved threat of Jed Carter looms large, giving the story real stakes beyond the love story and pushing the characters toward choices that permanently alter the landscape of their lives. Trust is shattered and rebuilt. New bonds form in the wreckage of old ones.
Vicious Wins is a satisfying, emotionally charged conclusion that rewards readers who weathered the heartbreak of book one. The romance is hard-fought, the resolution feels earned, and the journey there is everything a reverse harem duet should be.
April 11, 2026
Arc Review
Vicious Wins — Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 🌶️🌶️🌶️
THIS. BOOK. 👏
The way I have been feral waiting for this sequel?? And let me tell you—worth it. Every second. Every ounce of emotional damage. Every bit of chaos.
First of all… the GROVELING??
Elite. Immaculate. Life-sustaining.
Cole, Tristan, and Alek were out here WORKING for forgiveness and I ate it up. There is just something so satisfying about men realizing they messed up and doing everything in their power to fix it.
And Eva?? Oh I LOVE her.
She’s strong, independent, dealing with her own struggles, and still refuses to let anything break her. That kind of resilience hits different. But what got me the most? She deserved to be taken care of—and when she finally got that energy?? Yeah… we love to see it.
Now let’s talk about the dynamic 👀
Messy. Emotional. Addictive.
The tension? The angst? The connection between all of them?? I was hooked.
My ONLY complaint—
I needed more MM moments because the ones we got???
UNFAIR how good they were. I was greedy, I admit it.
And the spice??
Yeah… Poppy knew exactly what she was doing. Say less. 🥵
At the end of the day, through all the pain, drama, and emotional whiplash… they found their way back to each other and built something real. A family. And honestly? It felt earned.
Final thoughts:
Groveling men + strong FMC + chaotic love + spice = I’m satisfied 💋
Vicious Wins — Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 🌶️🌶️🌶️
THIS. BOOK. 👏
The way I have been feral waiting for this sequel?? And let me tell you—worth it. Every second. Every ounce of emotional damage. Every bit of chaos.
First of all… the GROVELING??
Elite. Immaculate. Life-sustaining.
Cole, Tristan, and Alek were out here WORKING for forgiveness and I ate it up. There is just something so satisfying about men realizing they messed up and doing everything in their power to fix it.
And Eva?? Oh I LOVE her.
She’s strong, independent, dealing with her own struggles, and still refuses to let anything break her. That kind of resilience hits different. But what got me the most? She deserved to be taken care of—and when she finally got that energy?? Yeah… we love to see it.
Now let’s talk about the dynamic 👀
Messy. Emotional. Addictive.
The tension? The angst? The connection between all of them?? I was hooked.
My ONLY complaint—
I needed more MM moments because the ones we got???
UNFAIR how good they were. I was greedy, I admit it.
And the spice??
Yeah… Poppy knew exactly what she was doing. Say less. 🥵
At the end of the day, through all the pain, drama, and emotional whiplash… they found their way back to each other and built something real. A family. And honestly? It felt earned.
Final thoughts:
Groveling men + strong FMC + chaotic love + spice = I’m satisfied 💋
April 18, 2026
When Twisted Plays left me on a crazy cliffhanger, I was dying for this book. Well, Poppy Jacobson made sure it was a wild journey all the way until the end. It was packed full of angst, heartbreak, groveling, and a HEA they fought like crazy for.
This story is such a tangled web of heartbreak and love. Tristan, Cole and Alek all hurt Eva and now she is out to get some revenge. The way these men groveled for her, I was here for it!!! They needed to gain her trust back if they thought they had any shot at forgiveness. Even the grumpiest one, Cole, was begging to get his life back.
Everyone wanted to get revenge and out from under the thumb of Cole’s father, so they had to work together. So many secrets and lies were uncovered. Their lives changed and they had to decide what was next. Could all four of them really find a way to be together?
This book had my emotions all over the place. I was on the edge of my seat dying for the next page. Would she forgive them all? Would they all let down their guards to become one? Could they take down the snake and live their lives? It was a wild and crazy heartfelt journey. And the spice?? Whew, it was hot and it was steamy.
This story is such a tangled web of heartbreak and love. Tristan, Cole and Alek all hurt Eva and now she is out to get some revenge. The way these men groveled for her, I was here for it!!! They needed to gain her trust back if they thought they had any shot at forgiveness. Even the grumpiest one, Cole, was begging to get his life back.
Everyone wanted to get revenge and out from under the thumb of Cole’s father, so they had to work together. So many secrets and lies were uncovered. Their lives changed and they had to decide what was next. Could all four of them really find a way to be together?
This book had my emotions all over the place. I was on the edge of my seat dying for the next page. Would she forgive them all? Would they all let down their guards to become one? Could they take down the snake and live their lives? It was a wild and crazy heartfelt journey. And the spice?? Whew, it was hot and it was steamy.
April 19, 2026
After Twisted Play left us all dangling from a truly diabolical cliffhanger, Poppy Jacobson jumps straight back into the action in Vicious Game. If you (like me) enjoy the pain and drama that comes with a good dose of angst, you’ll eat this right up.
There’s peril to spare for this crew between Ava’s health, Tristin’s NHL prospects, Cole’s daddy drama, and Alek’s family secrets and risks to his coaching job. Throw in some epic groveling to win back Ava’s heart and trust after all but abandoning her at the end of the first book, and Poppy has filled this book with all the things I adore in a darker romance.
I also found something really compelling about how this book ends up. None of the characters make it to the final page unscathed. Every one of the main characters has some some sort of sacrifice to make to come out the other side, and the emotional payoff is more impactful as a result.
**Vicious Wins is the second book in the Cruel Games duet. Twisted Play should be read before starting this book.**
Thank you to Poppy Jacobson and her team for this ARC opportunity.
There’s peril to spare for this crew between Ava’s health, Tristin’s NHL prospects, Cole’s daddy drama, and Alek’s family secrets and risks to his coaching job. Throw in some epic groveling to win back Ava’s heart and trust after all but abandoning her at the end of the first book, and Poppy has filled this book with all the things I adore in a darker romance.
I also found something really compelling about how this book ends up. None of the characters make it to the final page unscathed. Every one of the main characters has some some sort of sacrifice to make to come out the other side, and the emotional payoff is more impactful as a result.
**Vicious Wins is the second book in the Cruel Games duet. Twisted Play should be read before starting this book.**
Thank you to Poppy Jacobson and her team for this ARC opportunity.
April 18, 2026
I was left heart broken at the end of book one, that was a very intense cliffhanger. This book picks up where the other ended with everyone going their seperate way and wondering if Eva was alive.
I loved Eva in this book, that girl was ready to fight back and make her demands known after all the shit the guys and everyone else put her through. I loved that she took matters into her own hands to gather information against Jed Carter. I wanted to slap Cole so many times during this book for being stubborn. I loved that Alek stepped up to be able to help Eva in her fight against Jed Carter and put a end to all his evil ways. I also loved that Tristan got his dream and still got his girl.
Poppy Jacobson gave us heart break, betrayal, groveling, soooo many spicy scenes, finally redemption and I devoured it all. The ended was absolutely amazing.
Thank you to the Smuthood for the opportunity to ARC Read this book.
I loved Eva in this book, that girl was ready to fight back and make her demands known after all the shit the guys and everyone else put her through. I loved that she took matters into her own hands to gather information against Jed Carter. I wanted to slap Cole so many times during this book for being stubborn. I loved that Alek stepped up to be able to help Eva in her fight against Jed Carter and put a end to all his evil ways. I also loved that Tristan got his dream and still got his girl.
Poppy Jacobson gave us heart break, betrayal, groveling, soooo many spicy scenes, finally redemption and I devoured it all. The ended was absolutely amazing.
Thank you to the Smuthood for the opportunity to ARC Read this book.
May 28, 2026
Vicious Win is a continuation of Twisted Play, a why choose dark hockey romance with Eva, Tristan, Cole, and Aleksandr. Their story gets even more complicated and the only way they could survive is being together. Eva is such a strong character and I love how loyal she is and how she stood her ground. Tristan, Cole, and Alek are all complex characters, but they will do anything to get Eva back. I love how they understand each other and how they work together to put Cole’s father out of their lives. Their story is fast pace, spicy, and filled with betrayal, threats and compromises. I really enjoyed their story and loved how through all the hard times they finally found their HEA. I can’t wait to read more!!
I voluntarily leave my honest thoughts about this gifted advance reader copy.
I voluntarily leave my honest thoughts about this gifted advance reader copy.
April 13, 2026
Eva, Alekdandr, Cole + Tristan
-dark hockey romance
-whychoose romance
-student coach x playerx2
-unhinged obsession
-degradation + praise
-blackmail
the building back trust from that cliffhanger was wayyyy
longer & a tad bit more frustrating than i was expecting it to take. but honestly it made sense for what everyone did to each other. but all of them ending up together was perfect the way it did & it was hot af too lol
-dark hockey romance
-whychoose romance
-student coach x playerx2
-unhinged obsession
-degradation + praise
-blackmail
the building back trust from that cliffhanger was wayyyy
longer & a tad bit more frustrating than i was expecting it to take. but honestly it made sense for what everyone did to each other. but all of them ending up together was perfect the way it did & it was hot af too lol
April 15, 2026
ARC Review
I fell in love with these characters all over again. They’re all slightly damaged but made for each other to heal each other. The redemption arc was done perfectly and organically. Eva is the biggest baddie and I adore her. Alek forever has my heart and I just want to serve him a macchiato. I could read about these 4 forever.
I fell in love with these characters all over again. They’re all slightly damaged but made for each other to heal each other. The redemption arc was done perfectly and organically. Eva is the biggest baddie and I adore her. Alek forever has my heart and I just want to serve him a macchiato. I could read about these 4 forever.
June 7, 2026
better than book 1
It was better than the first book - thankfully - because I don’t know if I could’ve stood any more d3gr3d@tion at this point. Story was better too. It flowed better and the pieces made sense.
It was better than the first book - thankfully - because I don’t know if I could’ve stood any more d3gr3d@tion at this point. Story was better too. It flowed better and the pieces made sense.
April 8, 2026
Finally lol!!! I wanted to see what happened so bad after that cliffhanger from book 1. And let me tell you this, this book will give you all the feels, anger, sadness, joy, empathy, and so on. Eva makes you feel so much anger for her for what the guys did but at the same time you can understand why they do what they do, sometimes. They are a whirlwind when they are together but I feel like they fit so well with and for each other. This duet was a rollercoaster, so much happening with the characters individually, them together, the plot of vengeance and payback, and ofc you can never forget the spicy scenes!! I loved how wildly chaotic and toxic things were but also the soft and tender moments. It was exactly how Cole, Tristan, and Alek were. Everything about this story was literally perfection. It kept me intrigued, the characters were amazing, the plot was on point and so was the storytelling / writing. LOVED!!!
April 22, 2026
I felt like they kept going in continuous circles 🙄 communication was terrible
September 4, 2026
I loved these characters, so much. I wish we would have gotten more details of the guys relationships with each other but it was great to see them grow as individuals.
May 6, 2026
Before you read this book, read Twisted Play. This is a duet.
This book continues where the last one left off. Eva is missing, the hockey team has turned against Cole and Tristen, and Alek is realizing the twisted role he played in it all. Cole is angry and self-destructive, and Tristen is tired of always having to save him.
Tristan, Cole, and Alek discover that Eva is in the hospital and need to earn her forgiveness. She is ready to take control and get revenge for what she and her father went through. To free herself and her father from Cole's father, she plans to take him down. She also knows she'll need the guys' help to do it. The way she handled the guys and the rules she put in place was impressive.
To help her, the guys have to give up a lot of the things they’ve worked hard for. Along the way, they discover truths that change their perspectives and decisions. This didn't change the danger they faced, but it strengthened their determination. Ultimately, the sacrifices they make to earn her forgiveness were worth it.
My thoughts:
⇨ I appreciate how Poppy Jacobson shares the content warnings so readers are prepared.
⇨ I loved that Eva didn't forgive them right away and stood her ground
⇨ Despite her medical issues, it was good to see her strength and feistiness.
⇨ The friends and the hockey team's protectiveness of her was heartwarming
⇨ Alek's backstory changed my view of him in a good way
⇨ Cole was a mess because of his dad, and I loved seeing how he handles it
⇨ Getting to see another side of Tristan made me change how I felt about him.
⇨ I loved that she didn't deny herself pleasure, and made the rules/expectations clear when it came to s3x.
A few things to expect:
✓ Dark Hockey
✓ Why Choose Romance
✓ Student x Coach x Student x Student
✓ Protective MMCs
✓ Age Gap
✓ Blackmail
✓ Bully
✓ Forbidden
✓ Praise & Degredation
✓ Groveling & Redemption
✓ Addiction & Recovery
✓ Bratva/mafia
✓ Violence and death
✓ Spice!
Thank you to Poppy Jacobson for this ARC
This book continues where the last one left off. Eva is missing, the hockey team has turned against Cole and Tristen, and Alek is realizing the twisted role he played in it all. Cole is angry and self-destructive, and Tristen is tired of always having to save him.
Tristan, Cole, and Alek discover that Eva is in the hospital and need to earn her forgiveness. She is ready to take control and get revenge for what she and her father went through. To free herself and her father from Cole's father, she plans to take him down. She also knows she'll need the guys' help to do it. The way she handled the guys and the rules she put in place was impressive.
To help her, the guys have to give up a lot of the things they’ve worked hard for. Along the way, they discover truths that change their perspectives and decisions. This didn't change the danger they faced, but it strengthened their determination. Ultimately, the sacrifices they make to earn her forgiveness were worth it.
My thoughts:
⇨ I appreciate how Poppy Jacobson shares the content warnings so readers are prepared.
⇨ I loved that Eva didn't forgive them right away and stood her ground
⇨ Despite her medical issues, it was good to see her strength and feistiness.
⇨ The friends and the hockey team's protectiveness of her was heartwarming
⇨ Alek's backstory changed my view of him in a good way
⇨ Cole was a mess because of his dad, and I loved seeing how he handles it
⇨ Getting to see another side of Tristan made me change how I felt about him.
⇨ I loved that she didn't deny herself pleasure, and made the rules/expectations clear when it came to s3x.
A few things to expect:
✓ Dark Hockey
✓ Why Choose Romance
✓ Student x Coach x Student x Student
✓ Protective MMCs
✓ Age Gap
✓ Blackmail
✓ Bully
✓ Forbidden
✓ Praise & Degredation
✓ Groveling & Redemption
✓ Addiction & Recovery
✓ Bratva/mafia
✓ Violence and death
✓ Spice!
Thank you to Poppy Jacobson for this ARC
Review of advance copy received from Author
Yes! We finally got book two of Cruel Games and y'all it was WELL WORTH THE WAIT! You do need to read the first book - as it ended on a nasty cliffy and this one picks up right where that one left off. Our FMC Eva has just been "found out" and her and the MMC's - Cole and Tristan hockey players and Alex their coach are on the outs. She's determined to bring down Cole's dad - the BAD GUY in this entire story - with or without those obsessive men that love her. As the 4 of them workout their situationship, they are also start working together to bring down Jeb Carter. We've still got all the great dark, mafia pieces from book one and frankly I think the spicy scenes were even better than book 1 - as their polycule starts to form and bond. We got alot of scenes with all 4 of them together and whooo doggie FIRE! I also felt that this book was even better from an editing/writing standpoint and that really made it even better than I'd been hoping. There's some twisty places where I wasn't expecting certain things to happen and I loved that part too. Thank you to Poppy for another chance to be an ARC reader and hopefully we see some more stories from this world - as the secondary hockey guys, Alek's mafia cousin and Eva's friends all seem to have stories we need to know!
April 22, 2026
The perfectttt second book in this duet! I loved every single bit of this book. Oh lord, did she put these three back in their places BIG time and of course they had to grovel! The perfect amount of angst, drama and devotion follow these four people as they navigate betrayal, forgiveness and need for one another. I absolutely loved this duet and cannot wait to see what else this author comes out with.
Tropes:
🏒 Dark Pucking Romance
🖤 Coach x Medic x Captain x Forward
😈 Her Boyfriends Are Boyfriends (Eventually)
🔥 Praise & Degradation
👀 Locker Room Spice
Thank you so much to Poppy Jacobson and The Smuthood for this incredible arc ❤️🔥
Tropes:
🏒 Dark Pucking Romance
🖤 Coach x Medic x Captain x Forward
😈 Her Boyfriends Are Boyfriends (Eventually)
🔥 Praise & Degradation
👀 Locker Room Spice
Thank you so much to Poppy Jacobson and The Smuthood for this incredible arc ❤️🔥
August 22, 2026
Book 2 of the Cruel Games duet.
Well… Poppy Jacobson has officially emotionally compromised me again… her books have me on the edge of my seat every time!
After ‘Twisted Play’ left me needing a minute to recover and I couldnt wait for ‘Vicious Wins’ in audio… i was expecting more chaos, more angst, more spice and honestly just needing these lot again!
And yep… I got all of it.
But I didn’t expect was just how emotional this book would make me… i felt a real mix!
Eva, Cole, Tristan and Aleksandr are such a beautiful mess of a found family and after everything that happened in the first book, watching them try to figure out what comes next was EVERYTHING… oh i really enjoyed the whole adventure.
Eva especially broke my heart. She’s been through so much already and I loved that she wasn’t simply expected to forgive, forget and fall back into their arms. She makes them work for it. (Go Eva! Just not too hard!) She has boundaries… She has doubts... She fights for herself while still trying to understand what she actually wants from the three men who have completely turned her world upside down.
And those three men…
Oh my gosh...
Cole had me swinging between wanting to throttle him and wanting to wrap him in bubble wrap. His relationship with his father, his struggles and the guilt he carries over Eva absolutely destroyed me at times... i really didn’t know what to do with him! Watching him try to become the man he knows he needs to be was probably one of the biggest emotional parts of the book.
Then there’s Tristan.
My gorgeous, emotionally constipated hockey boy. I adore him!
His love for Eva is so intense and watching him finally stop hiding behind the jokes, the attitude and the bravado and actually confront his feelings? Oh i melted!
And Aleksandr…
Oh, Alek.. i just adore a Russian MMC anyway and his Dom side.. *melts*
The dangerous, possessive, protective Russian who somehow manages to be terrifying one minute and ridiculously tender the next. I am weak.
Give me a morally questionable man with a dark past who is completely gone for his woman and apparently I will just hand over my common sense at the door.
And the relationship between all four of them is what really made this book for me.
Yes, there is an absolutely filthy.. i mean delicious, amount of spice.
But underneath all that heat is a story about trust, forgiveness, trauma, addiction, control and learning how to love someone properly after you’ve already hurt them.
These characters don’t just get a magical happily ever after because they want one. They have to earn it… Eva made sure of it!
There is grovelling.
There are difficult conversations.
There are mistakes.
There is healing.
And there is so much emotional tension that at several points I was basically sitting there yelling as i listened!
FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING HOLY, JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER.
And then, of course, because apparently emotional damage wasn’t enough, Poppy throws in hockey, blackmail, dangerous family members, mafia connections, threats and enough drama to keep me permanently on the edge of my seat… I AM A WREAK! Basically, my peace was never an option. That said I loved seeing the four of them slowly become something that feels less like chaos and more like home. Not perfect. Not uncomplicated. But theirs.
And that ending? After everything they’ve been through, seeing where they eventually end up genuinely made my heart happy. The happily ever after feels earned and that’s what made it so satisfying.
As with last time i just adore the narrators for this duet and once again they ‘put it top shelf’.. these are some of my top favourite narrators and they just know how to bring all the emotion!
This audiobook version really hits the spot and does the book proud.. i will be listening to this duet over and over again.. did i say i love the narrators???
Poppy Jacobson… you cruel lady for what you did to my emotions that were just even more intense as audio!!!
But also… please write more and have more in audio! As always i adore your books!
Well… Poppy Jacobson has officially emotionally compromised me again… her books have me on the edge of my seat every time!
After ‘Twisted Play’ left me needing a minute to recover and I couldnt wait for ‘Vicious Wins’ in audio… i was expecting more chaos, more angst, more spice and honestly just needing these lot again!
And yep… I got all of it.
But I didn’t expect was just how emotional this book would make me… i felt a real mix!
Eva, Cole, Tristan and Aleksandr are such a beautiful mess of a found family and after everything that happened in the first book, watching them try to figure out what comes next was EVERYTHING… oh i really enjoyed the whole adventure.
Eva especially broke my heart. She’s been through so much already and I loved that she wasn’t simply expected to forgive, forget and fall back into their arms. She makes them work for it. (Go Eva! Just not too hard!) She has boundaries… She has doubts... She fights for herself while still trying to understand what she actually wants from the three men who have completely turned her world upside down.
And those three men…
Oh my gosh...
Cole had me swinging between wanting to throttle him and wanting to wrap him in bubble wrap. His relationship with his father, his struggles and the guilt he carries over Eva absolutely destroyed me at times... i really didn’t know what to do with him! Watching him try to become the man he knows he needs to be was probably one of the biggest emotional parts of the book.
Then there’s Tristan.
My gorgeous, emotionally constipated hockey boy. I adore him!
His love for Eva is so intense and watching him finally stop hiding behind the jokes, the attitude and the bravado and actually confront his feelings? Oh i melted!
And Aleksandr…
Oh, Alek.. i just adore a Russian MMC anyway and his Dom side.. *melts*
The dangerous, possessive, protective Russian who somehow manages to be terrifying one minute and ridiculously tender the next. I am weak.
Give me a morally questionable man with a dark past who is completely gone for his woman and apparently I will just hand over my common sense at the door.
And the relationship between all four of them is what really made this book for me.
Yes, there is an absolutely filthy.. i mean delicious, amount of spice.
But underneath all that heat is a story about trust, forgiveness, trauma, addiction, control and learning how to love someone properly after you’ve already hurt them.
These characters don’t just get a magical happily ever after because they want one. They have to earn it… Eva made sure of it!
There is grovelling.
There are difficult conversations.
There are mistakes.
There is healing.
And there is so much emotional tension that at several points I was basically sitting there yelling as i listened!
FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING HOLY, JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER.
And then, of course, because apparently emotional damage wasn’t enough, Poppy throws in hockey, blackmail, dangerous family members, mafia connections, threats and enough drama to keep me permanently on the edge of my seat… I AM A WREAK! Basically, my peace was never an option. That said I loved seeing the four of them slowly become something that feels less like chaos and more like home. Not perfect. Not uncomplicated. But theirs.
And that ending? After everything they’ve been through, seeing where they eventually end up genuinely made my heart happy. The happily ever after feels earned and that’s what made it so satisfying.
As with last time i just adore the narrators for this duet and once again they ‘put it top shelf’.. these are some of my top favourite narrators and they just know how to bring all the emotion!
This audiobook version really hits the spot and does the book proud.. i will be listening to this duet over and over again.. did i say i love the narrators???
Poppy Jacobson… you cruel lady for what you did to my emotions that were just even more intense as audio!!!
But also… please write more and have more in audio! As always i adore your books!
August 17, 2026
🏒🖤 Betrayal, revenge, redemption, and three men who have a lot of groveling to do. 🖤🏒
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
Spice-meter: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️☆ (4/5)
Audiobook: 🎧 Duet, multicast
Series: Cruel Games, Book 2
HEA: Yes
Picking up exactly where Twisted Play left us, Vicious Wins throws us straight back into the chaos. After that absolutely brutal cliffhanger, I was desperate to find out what would happen next and Poppy Jacobson did not make the wait feel any easier.
This book is angst, heartbreak, betrayal, revenge, groveling, redemption, and obsession turned all the way up.
Eva wakes up alone in a hospital bed after the men she loved left her behind, and forgiveness is definitely not on the menu. Aleksandr, Cole, and Tristan have a lot to answer for, and watching them face the consequences of their choices was one of my favorite parts of this book. The groveling was necessary, hard-earned, and honestly? I wanted Eva to make them work for every inch of forgiveness.
What I loved most about Vicious Wins is that the emotional fallout from book one actually matters. The betrayal isn't brushed aside, and the damage between these characters doesn't magically disappear because they're attracted to each other. There is pain, resentment, guilt, obsession, and a whole lot of complicated feelings to work through before they can even begin to find their way back to each other.
And then there's the revenge.
Eva is done being the victim, and watching her step into her power was absolutely satisfying. The line between hero and villain gets deliciously blurry, and I was here for every second of her "fine, if you want a villain, I'll give you one" energy.
Poppy Jacobson delivers so much emotional intensity, while still giving us plenty of the spice and twisted relationship dynamics that made the first book so addictive. There are plenty of spicy moments, but for me, the emotional payoff was what really made this conclusion work.
And that ending? Absolutely amazing. After everything these characters went through, the HEA felt earned, and I loved getting to see them finally reach the other side of all that chaos.
🎧 Narration
The multicast duet narration by Savannah Thomas, Ash Beverly, Kayden Lukakis, and Julio Maxwell was fantastic.
This cast brings so much emotion and intensity to the story, and having multiple narrators really works for the different POVs and complicated relationship dynamics. Their performances pulled me even deeper into the heartbreak, tension, anger, and eventual redemption.
What I Loved
✔️ Emotional continuation from book one
✔️ Revenge and a FMC who finally takes back her power
✔️ Lots of angst and heartbreak
✔️ Hard-earned groveling and redemption
✔️ Obsessive, morally gray MMCs
✔️ Plenty of spice 🔥
✔️ Complicated and messy relationship dynamics
✔️ Hockey, hockey, and more hockey
Tropes & Vibes
✔️ Dark Hockey Romance
✔️ Why Choose (MMMF)
✔️ Coach x Players
✔️ Age Gap
✔️ Forbidden Romance
✔️ Workplace/College Romance
✔️ Curvy FMC
✔️ Mafia & Revenge
✔️ Unhinged Obsession
✔️ Blackmail
✔️ Praise & Degradation
✔️ Addiction & Recovery
✔️ Hurt/Comfort
✔️ Multi POV – 1st Person
✔️ Redemption & Groveling
Final Thoughts
Vicious Wins was exactly the chaotic, emotional conclusion I needed after Twisted Play. Where book one left me frustrated, intrigued, and desperately needing answers, book two delivered the fallout, the revenge, the groveling, the redemption, and finally the HEA.
It was messy. It was dark. It was angsty. It was spicy. And I devoured it.
If you enjoyed Twisted Play and survived that cliffhanger, you absolutely need to continue with Vicious Wins. Eva, Aleksandr, Cole, and Tristan take you on one hell of a ride and thankfully, this time, there's a finish line.
Into this twisted dark world we go… and what a ride it was.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
Spice-meter: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️☆ (4/5)
Audiobook: 🎧 Duet, multicast
Series: Cruel Games, Book 2
HEA: Yes
Picking up exactly where Twisted Play left us, Vicious Wins throws us straight back into the chaos. After that absolutely brutal cliffhanger, I was desperate to find out what would happen next and Poppy Jacobson did not make the wait feel any easier.
This book is angst, heartbreak, betrayal, revenge, groveling, redemption, and obsession turned all the way up.
Eva wakes up alone in a hospital bed after the men she loved left her behind, and forgiveness is definitely not on the menu. Aleksandr, Cole, and Tristan have a lot to answer for, and watching them face the consequences of their choices was one of my favorite parts of this book. The groveling was necessary, hard-earned, and honestly? I wanted Eva to make them work for every inch of forgiveness.
What I loved most about Vicious Wins is that the emotional fallout from book one actually matters. The betrayal isn't brushed aside, and the damage between these characters doesn't magically disappear because they're attracted to each other. There is pain, resentment, guilt, obsession, and a whole lot of complicated feelings to work through before they can even begin to find their way back to each other.
And then there's the revenge.
Eva is done being the victim, and watching her step into her power was absolutely satisfying. The line between hero and villain gets deliciously blurry, and I was here for every second of her "fine, if you want a villain, I'll give you one" energy.
Poppy Jacobson delivers so much emotional intensity, while still giving us plenty of the spice and twisted relationship dynamics that made the first book so addictive. There are plenty of spicy moments, but for me, the emotional payoff was what really made this conclusion work.
And that ending? Absolutely amazing. After everything these characters went through, the HEA felt earned, and I loved getting to see them finally reach the other side of all that chaos.
🎧 Narration
The multicast duet narration by Savannah Thomas, Ash Beverly, Kayden Lukakis, and Julio Maxwell was fantastic.
This cast brings so much emotion and intensity to the story, and having multiple narrators really works for the different POVs and complicated relationship dynamics. Their performances pulled me even deeper into the heartbreak, tension, anger, and eventual redemption.
What I Loved
✔️ Emotional continuation from book one
✔️ Revenge and a FMC who finally takes back her power
✔️ Lots of angst and heartbreak
✔️ Hard-earned groveling and redemption
✔️ Obsessive, morally gray MMCs
✔️ Plenty of spice 🔥
✔️ Complicated and messy relationship dynamics
✔️ Hockey, hockey, and more hockey
Tropes & Vibes
✔️ Dark Hockey Romance
✔️ Why Choose (MMMF)
✔️ Coach x Players
✔️ Age Gap
✔️ Forbidden Romance
✔️ Workplace/College Romance
✔️ Curvy FMC
✔️ Mafia & Revenge
✔️ Unhinged Obsession
✔️ Blackmail
✔️ Praise & Degradation
✔️ Addiction & Recovery
✔️ Hurt/Comfort
✔️ Multi POV – 1st Person
✔️ Redemption & Groveling
Final Thoughts
Vicious Wins was exactly the chaotic, emotional conclusion I needed after Twisted Play. Where book one left me frustrated, intrigued, and desperately needing answers, book two delivered the fallout, the revenge, the groveling, the redemption, and finally the HEA.
It was messy. It was dark. It was angsty. It was spicy. And I devoured it.
If you enjoyed Twisted Play and survived that cliffhanger, you absolutely need to continue with Vicious Wins. Eva, Aleksandr, Cole, and Tristan take you on one hell of a ride and thankfully, this time, there's a finish line.
Into this twisted dark world we go… and what a ride it was.
April 18, 2026
Eva, Akel, Tristan, & Cole
To start off I really enjoy reading a good RH book, and I am a sucker for Dark Romance, Sports & Mafia tropes. So I was looking forward to reading Vicious Wins by Poppy Jacobson since it has them all. Oh boy was this a tough one. Lots of emotions between crying, concern, anger & frustration, some laughter and eventually towards the end there was love. These were the feelings I was experiencing with the main characters while reading.
Vicious Wins is the continuation of the Cruel Games duet. Twisted Play being the first book. It is paramount to read the first book, as you will have no idea what is going on and why the main characters are the way they are with each other, In all honestly I wish I didn't have to read the first book, Twisted Play, prior to reading this book. As sadly it shaped my opinions of the characters for the second book. It made me greatly dislike Alek & Cole and wishing that Eva could be rid of them forever. Unfortunately the dislike carried over into Vicious Wins. Although they did redeem themselves, somewhat, towards the middle to end of the book I still can't shake what they did to poor Eva, and in turn sweet Tristan. While reading the first part of the book I had absolutely no sympathy for those two and felt they deserved what they got. I'm saddened that poor Tristan had to suffer as well, as his "sin" towards Eva wasn't nearly as wrong as the other two MMC's
Vicious Wins starts right where the previous book left off. The RH is fractured, and quite possibly unfixable. Alek, Cole and Tristan are indifferent to Eva, and borderline hatred towards her. She likewise is indifferent to them, and in fact is very angry at them for not understanding why she did what she did. As well as choosing to use her instead of helping her. We find both Cole & Tristan being chastised & punished by their fellow players and Alek quite possibly losing his coaching job. In the end walls that were built around their individual hearts slowly start to crumble.
In the end it is a well written book, especially the spicy scenes. And yes there were several. They had me squirming in my seat. I can usually read a spicy book in public and maintain a stoic face, but these scenes made that extremely difficult. I'm not a fan of miscommunication tropes, especially if you have a mature MC like Alek. Be forewarned this book is full of this trope. I loved the Mafia & Bratva aspects of the book, and it was definitely part of the main plot.
This book has:
RH MMMF
Instlove/instalust
Curvy FMC
Age-gap trope (1 MMC to the other 3 MC's)
Mafia & Bratva trope
Lots of miscommunication trope
Breakup trope
Sports trope - some hockey scenes
Hockey coach & hockey players romance
Lots of spicy scenes
Excessive alcohol use by 1 MMC
Bullying of FMC by MMC's
Whenever, wherever agreements
Degradation of FMC by 2 MMC's
Manipulation
BDSM
Check TW
To start off I really enjoy reading a good RH book, and I am a sucker for Dark Romance, Sports & Mafia tropes. So I was looking forward to reading Vicious Wins by Poppy Jacobson since it has them all. Oh boy was this a tough one. Lots of emotions between crying, concern, anger & frustration, some laughter and eventually towards the end there was love. These were the feelings I was experiencing with the main characters while reading.
Vicious Wins is the continuation of the Cruel Games duet. Twisted Play being the first book. It is paramount to read the first book, as you will have no idea what is going on and why the main characters are the way they are with each other, In all honestly I wish I didn't have to read the first book, Twisted Play, prior to reading this book. As sadly it shaped my opinions of the characters for the second book. It made me greatly dislike Alek & Cole and wishing that Eva could be rid of them forever. Unfortunately the dislike carried over into Vicious Wins. Although they did redeem themselves, somewhat, towards the middle to end of the book I still can't shake what they did to poor Eva, and in turn sweet Tristan. While reading the first part of the book I had absolutely no sympathy for those two and felt they deserved what they got. I'm saddened that poor Tristan had to suffer as well, as his "sin" towards Eva wasn't nearly as wrong as the other two MMC's
Vicious Wins starts right where the previous book left off. The RH is fractured, and quite possibly unfixable. Alek, Cole and Tristan are indifferent to Eva, and borderline hatred towards her. She likewise is indifferent to them, and in fact is very angry at them for not understanding why she did what she did. As well as choosing to use her instead of helping her. We find both Cole & Tristan being chastised & punished by their fellow players and Alek quite possibly losing his coaching job. In the end walls that were built around their individual hearts slowly start to crumble.
In the end it is a well written book, especially the spicy scenes. And yes there were several. They had me squirming in my seat. I can usually read a spicy book in public and maintain a stoic face, but these scenes made that extremely difficult. I'm not a fan of miscommunication tropes, especially if you have a mature MC like Alek. Be forewarned this book is full of this trope. I loved the Mafia & Bratva aspects of the book, and it was definitely part of the main plot.
This book has:
RH MMMF
Instlove/instalust
Curvy FMC
Age-gap trope (1 MMC to the other 3 MC's)
Mafia & Bratva trope
Lots of miscommunication trope
Breakup trope
Sports trope - some hockey scenes
Hockey coach & hockey players romance
Lots of spicy scenes
Excessive alcohol use by 1 MMC
Bullying of FMC by MMC's
Whenever, wherever agreements
Degradation of FMC by 2 MMC's
Manipulation
BDSM
Check TW
April 21, 2026
This book picks up exactly where the brutal cliffhanger of Twisted Play left off, and it wastes zero time throwing you into the fire.! Eva wakes up alone in a hospital bed after the men she loved, Aleksandr, Cole, and Tristan, essentially left her for 💀. The rage, betrayal, and lingering pull she feels toward them is raw and visceral from page one. If you’re here for a fierce, curvy FMC who channels her pain into something vicious and strategic, Eva delivers in spades. She’s not a damsel waiting to be saved, oh no, she’s weaponizing every ounce of her hurt while refusing to let the three hockey players off the hook! (Well one coach and two hockey players to be precise 😜) The why choose dynamic is messy, toxic, and scorching. 🥵 The groveling from the guys is intense and satisfying, especially because it feels earned after the events of book 1. Aleksandr still has that knee weakening dominance, 🥵 Cole’s cold resentment cracks in painful but compelling ways, and Tristan’s dangerous obsession? It’s the kind that makes you question your own boundaries right alongside Eva. The spice is filthy and frequent, blending degradation, praise, power play, and hockey adjacent steam that fits the dark romance tone perfectly. There’s blackmail, suspense, external enemies, and real danger layered in, which keeps the plot moving beyond just the relationship repair. What I loved most was how the book leans into the “they think I’m the villain, so maybe I’ll become one” energy. Eva’s feminine rage and strategic use of the men as weapons (while they’re desperately trying to redeem themselves) creates fantastic tension. The redemption arc isn’t easy or quick, it’s a hard earned HEA that puts everyone through the wringer, which made the payoff feel genuine rather than rushed. The side plot with external threats (and one particularly hateable antagonist Cole’s dad gets what’s coming 🤫) adds stakes and keeps the hockey world drama engaging. That said, if you’re sensitive to dark elements, heed the triggers…. dubious consent, bullying fallout, violence, intense emotional angst, and very morally gray behavior all around. The push/pull can feel repetitive in spots if you’re not fully in the mood for prolonged messiness, but it serves the story’s themes of betrayal and rebuilding trust. Overall, Vicious Wins is a strong conclusion to the duet. It delivers on the promise of scorching heat, emotional chaos, groveling, and a satisfying wrap up while staying true to its dark hockey romance roots. If you enjoyed the twisted setup in book 1 and crave a fierce FMC who makes her men work for forgiveness amid danger and desire, this one hits hard. You need to Twisted Play first (it sets up the heartbreak and obsession beautifully). If you’re into dark why choose sports romance with unhinged tension and eventual redemption, the Cruel Games duet is worth the emotional investment. 🦋
Review of advance copy received from Author
Tropes:
Dark Romance
Why Choose (MMFM)
Hockey
Student x Coach x Captain x Forward
Plus Size FMC
Enemies to Lovers
Morally Grey
Blackmail
So much Groveling
Redemption
Eva Jackson-Hockey team medic
Colton Carter,-Heir to Carter Industries and Captain of the Hockey Team.
Tristan Baptiste- Hockey Forward
Alek Novikov- Broody Hockey Coach
Vicious Wins is book 2 in the Cruel Games Duet. This is Cole, Tristan, Eva and Alek's Story.
This story picks up right where Twisted Play ended. With lies, betrayal and devastation. Everything Tristan, Cole and Alek thought they knew about Eva has just been torn to shreds and they are left reeling in the aftermath. What's worst the girl they trusted most has now vanished into thin air and nobody has heard from her.
They believe she just vanished so that she wouldn't have to deal with the fallout of what she caused. What they don't know is she is actually fighting for her life after being in a near death accident. When they eventually locate her and try to see her, she refuses because they weren't there for her when she needed them most.
When the truth and reasons for why Eva did what she did finally comes to light, Cole, Tristan and Alek are absolutely devastated with how truly despicable and wrong they have been towards Eva. They have treated her horrendously and the guilt is finally hitting them. They have realized just how bad and unfair they have been.
Eva is done being everyone's pawn. She lied and betrayed the people she loved most to protect her father, her only family she has left. If the guys think winning her back is gonna be easy they have another thing coming to them. If they want her back they will have to grovel and prove to her that they are actually worth fighting for.
She doesn't give in easily and each and every one of her men have to grovel and put in the work to win her back and it is so worth it. It is more meaningful because you get to see their fears, their loyalty, their trust, their love form stronger than ever. You get to see Cole, Tristan and Alek's develop stronger and deeper connections with not only her but each other. The love that is formed is so explosive and the connection they have isn't only physical but deeply emotional. Their love is magnetic, intense, chaotic but also it is sweet and protective.
With threats still looming will Cole, Eva, Tristan and Alek's relationship be able to withstand the storm or will they crumble? Well you will just have to read it to find out!
If you love a story where the men have to win back the girl they love, has chaos, excitement, groveling, revenge and the spice between them (oof) then this is the book for you! This was such a great story and conclusion and i absolutely loved every second of it.
ARC Read! Thank You to Smuthood and Poppy Jacobson for the book!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2026
Vicious Wins is the second book in Poppy Jacobson’s Cruel Games duet, and as a new-to-me author, she absolutely held my attention just as easily here as she did in book one.
This picks up right where things left off, and while I won’t get into plot details, the emotional fallout and shifting dynamics take center stage. There’s a noticeable pause early on as the MMCs work their way back into Eva’s good graces, and I actually appreciated that space—it gave the relationships room to reset and rebuild instead of rushing straight back into the chaos.
The character dynamics are still the highlight for me. This is a why choose where the harem is built one by one, which is rarer than it should be, and I loved continuing to watch these men come to terms with sharing Eva while also building relationships with each other along the way. That evolution adds another layer to the dynamic—and yes, it’s also super spicy. The tension, the push and pull, and the way each relationship develops keeps everything feeling layered and intentional.
That said, across the duet as a whole, the plot does feel a bit stretched at times, with drama occasionally doing some of the heavy lifting. But at the same time, that space allows for both character growth and a lot of the moments this book leans into—so while I noticed it, it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment.
Eva’s development continues here, building on the uncertainty we saw in book one and shifting more into how she fits within the group as the dynamics settle. Still, watching her navigate that uncertainty while holding onto her place within the group kept me invested.
Spice-wise, this book definitely brings the heat. There’s a bit of a pause early on, but once it picks back up, it delivers with frequent, on-page moments that lean fully into the dynamic. It’s messy, intense, and exactly the kind of spicy payoff you want after everything these characters have gone through.
Overall, this duet was a binge-worthy, drama-filled ride with addictive dynamics and a spice level that absolutely delivers. I’ll definitely be picking up more from Poppy Jacobson.
Story: 4.5⭐
Spice: 3.5🌶️ (high heat, on-page, with a brief pause before full payoff)
Genre:
🖤Dark Romance
Tropes/Themes:
🖤 Why choose
🖤 Hockey romance
🖤 Sadist x Possessive sunshine x Rage-filled coach
🖤 Student x Coach x Player x Player
🖤 Curvy FMC
🖤 Obsessed Hockey Players
🖤 Age Gap
🖤 Best friends to boyfriends
🖤 Obsessed men who don't know how to apologize
🖤 Groveling, forgiveness, and redemption
🖤 Everyone is morally gray by the end
🖤 A hard-won HEA
This picks up right where things left off, and while I won’t get into plot details, the emotional fallout and shifting dynamics take center stage. There’s a noticeable pause early on as the MMCs work their way back into Eva’s good graces, and I actually appreciated that space—it gave the relationships room to reset and rebuild instead of rushing straight back into the chaos.
The character dynamics are still the highlight for me. This is a why choose where the harem is built one by one, which is rarer than it should be, and I loved continuing to watch these men come to terms with sharing Eva while also building relationships with each other along the way. That evolution adds another layer to the dynamic—and yes, it’s also super spicy. The tension, the push and pull, and the way each relationship develops keeps everything feeling layered and intentional.
That said, across the duet as a whole, the plot does feel a bit stretched at times, with drama occasionally doing some of the heavy lifting. But at the same time, that space allows for both character growth and a lot of the moments this book leans into—so while I noticed it, it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment.
Eva’s development continues here, building on the uncertainty we saw in book one and shifting more into how she fits within the group as the dynamics settle. Still, watching her navigate that uncertainty while holding onto her place within the group kept me invested.
Spice-wise, this book definitely brings the heat. There’s a bit of a pause early on, but once it picks back up, it delivers with frequent, on-page moments that lean fully into the dynamic. It’s messy, intense, and exactly the kind of spicy payoff you want after everything these characters have gone through.
Overall, this duet was a binge-worthy, drama-filled ride with addictive dynamics and a spice level that absolutely delivers. I’ll definitely be picking up more from Poppy Jacobson.
Story: 4.5⭐
Spice: 3.5🌶️ (high heat, on-page, with a brief pause before full payoff)
Genre:
🖤Dark Romance
Tropes/Themes:
🖤 Why choose
🖤 Hockey romance
🖤 Sadist x Possessive sunshine x Rage-filled coach
🖤 Student x Coach x Player x Player
🖤 Curvy FMC
🖤 Obsessed Hockey Players
🖤 Age Gap
🖤 Best friends to boyfriends
🖤 Obsessed men who don't know how to apologize
🖤 Groveling, forgiveness, and redemption
🖤 Everyone is morally gray by the end
🖤 A hard-won HEA
Review of advance copy received from Author
I wanted more groveling. We ended Twisted Games on a hell of a cliffhanger. Is she alive still? Will she forgive these guys? Will they forgive her (I could care less). The AUDACITY of these guys. Who TF do they think they are. She had a Sophie's choice. She chose to save her dad. They chose to do HORRENDOUS things to keep her. She just wanted to survive and they took out her non-choice on her. Like I said. I wanted more groveling. I wanted all three guys to be kicked in their unmentionables at least 10 times each before she let them come back. Okay, Tristan only really need 5 times plus adequate groveling. He is guilty by association, but doesn't deserve the same punishment as Cole and Alek. Those two succccckkkkkeeed. But alas, that's not how it goes down.
That being said, of course she survives. Of course she forgives them - sorta. I'm glad she holds out a bit with that. I'm glad that their teammates take her side. Massi and Haruto FTW. They give the guys so much sh!t and I love that for her. She needs the support. I want to say that Cole and Alek are the only 'bad guys' in this story, but obviously we need someone worse than them to make them good book boyfriends. And man, Jed is the worst. This book does one thing - and that's to make me like her father. He does the work and makes the improvements needed.
Tristan is the only one who grovels as much as he should. Therefore, he's the only guy I approve of. All that being said, this book brought the spice. The MMFM, MF, MM scenes were so spicy and so good. Surprisingly, everyone joins in on the fun. EVERY. ONE. I really didn't think Alek would be so fluid but he partakes in the fun. I am satisfied with this finale after book one. It kept me engaged and I enjoyed it. Obviously, you have to watch your triggers in this book. I will say they finally bring consent into their play, thankfully, becausesome most of things that went down in Twisted Play were not consensual or okay. I am happy that was corrected here. I have concerns about these people and their education though - I'm not sure they went to class or how they passed - but I remind myself this is fiction. I enjoyed this read and if you've read Twisted Play, you need to read Vicious Wins.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I received an ARC from the author. My opinions about this book are my own.
That being said, of course she survives. Of course she forgives them - sorta. I'm glad she holds out a bit with that. I'm glad that their teammates take her side. Massi and Haruto FTW. They give the guys so much sh!t and I love that for her. She needs the support. I want to say that Cole and Alek are the only 'bad guys' in this story, but obviously we need someone worse than them to make them good book boyfriends. And man, Jed is the worst. This book does one thing - and that's to make me like her father. He does the work and makes the improvements needed.
Tristan is the only one who grovels as much as he should. Therefore, he's the only guy I approve of. All that being said, this book brought the spice. The MMFM, MF, MM scenes were so spicy and so good. Surprisingly, everyone joins in on the fun. EVERY. ONE. I really didn't think Alek would be so fluid but he partakes in the fun. I am satisfied with this finale after book one. It kept me engaged and I enjoyed it. Obviously, you have to watch your triggers in this book. I will say they finally bring consent into their play, thankfully, because
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I received an ARC from the author. My opinions about this book are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was really good with a very satisfying grovel. The fmc doesn't forgive the mmc's immediately, they really have to work on themselves and the way they treat her to win her back. She protects herself with emotional distance from the mmc's even when enjoying a "meaningless" sexual relationship with them.
The relationship between each of the mmc's and the fmc is the shining star of the story. They're well thought out and deeply developed.
The issue is with the mmc's relationships to each other. In their POVs Tristan and Cole are not on the same page as to what their relationship means. Coach's POV goes from considering Cole "like a son" for a third of the book to suddenly being "in love" with him, without any on page emotional transitions. Coach and Tristan's relationship is all lust but suddenly they love each other too? It feels so forced and unnatural compared to the effort and energy put into their relationship with Eva.
The author's note at the beginning of the book claims that all characters are pan in this universe. But it's unclear if that means that it's a pan normalized world, because there are moments from side characters that seem judgemental by the relationship dynamics of the group. Tristan identifies out loud as bi not pan. And there's no indication from Eva or any of the female side characters about being sexually interested in other women or trans folk. The only non-hetero sexual content is MM. So I can't quite buy into the "pan universe" construct.
Cole's engagement to Delaney is never resolved. Eva is hurt by the public charade of Cole committing to another woman. They never discuss her feelings about it. What's the public reaction to Cole suddenly being back with Eva? There's also a lot of quiet, looking the other way, refusing to directly engage with the known blackmail and harm the guys caused Eva in book 1, both amongst themselves and with the teammates who have "put it together" in their heads.
I also wish that some of the beautiful thoughts the group had about each other and their relationship were spoken out loud. Instead the only sentiments actually spoken aloud are "you belong to us" and some very sudden and feels forced "I love yous."
But I think the grovel is top-tier and so many grovel moments are subpar in second chance romance. So overall it was a really enjoyable read.
The relationship between each of the mmc's and the fmc is the shining star of the story. They're well thought out and deeply developed.
The issue is with the mmc's relationships to each other. In their POVs Tristan and Cole are not on the same page as to what their relationship means. Coach's POV goes from considering Cole "like a son" for a third of the book to suddenly being "in love" with him, without any on page emotional transitions. Coach and Tristan's relationship is all lust but suddenly they love each other too? It feels so forced and unnatural compared to the effort and energy put into their relationship with Eva.
The author's note at the beginning of the book claims that all characters are pan in this universe. But it's unclear if that means that it's a pan normalized world, because there are moments from side characters that seem judgemental by the relationship dynamics of the group. Tristan identifies out loud as bi not pan. And there's no indication from Eva or any of the female side characters about being sexually interested in other women or trans folk. The only non-hetero sexual content is MM. So I can't quite buy into the "pan universe" construct.
Cole's engagement to Delaney is never resolved. Eva is hurt by the public charade of Cole committing to another woman. They never discuss her feelings about it. What's the public reaction to Cole suddenly being back with Eva? There's also a lot of quiet, looking the other way, refusing to directly engage with the known blackmail and harm the guys caused Eva in book 1, both amongst themselves and with the teammates who have "put it together" in their heads.
I also wish that some of the beautiful thoughts the group had about each other and their relationship were spoken out loud. Instead the only sentiments actually spoken aloud are "you belong to us" and some very sudden and feels forced "I love yous."
But I think the grovel is top-tier and so many grovel moments are subpar in second chance romance. So overall it was a really enjoyable read.
April 9, 2026
Eva is done being the victim—she’s gathering her men and preparing for war against the threats that nearly took her life. 🏒🔥
📖 Vicious Wins by Poppy Jacobson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Dark Why Choose Romance
Tropes
🏒 Why Choose / RH / MMMF
🛡️ Protective MMCs
🏒 Hockey
🚫 Student x Coach (x Students)
🎂 Age Gap
📂 Blackmail
💥 Bully
🚫 Forbidden
Picking up right after the explosive events of book one, Eva finds herself recovering from a dangerous accident just as her relationships with Coach Alek, Cole, and Tristan hang in the balance. While the guys grapple with feelings of betrayal, the threat to Eva’s life has never been more serious. Instead of staying in the shadows, Eva decides to fight back, rallying her men to help her take down those who want to destroy her once and for all.
I LOVE THIS DUET!! The plot in this conclusion really steps up the stakes, focusing on the tactical planning and teamwork needed to defeat the antagonist. While the story remains streamlined and easy to follow, it provides a satisfying, high-energy conclusion to the conflict that keeps you turning the pages.
Eva’s character growth in this installment is amazing. She has truly developed a backbone and knows exactly what she deserves. She’s a fighter who refuses to stay down, no matter how many challenges are thrown her way.
Alek, Cole, and Tristan are the ultimate protective squad. Seeing them grovel and step up to defend her against the world was exactly what I wanted. While the story leans heavily into their intense physical connection and protective instincts, it’s clear they care deeply about her well-being. I would have loved even more moments exploring their quiet emotional chemistry to balance out the heat, but the "us against the world" vibe is undeniable.
One of the best parts of this book is the broader support system; seeing the whole hockey team and Eva's friends rally around her was so heartwarming. Having them fiercely defend her and hold the guys accountable for their mistakes added a great layer of friendship to the story.
Overall, this was a fantastic, high-heat conclusion that was a total blast to read!
Thank you to The Smuthood and Poppy Jacobson for this ARC
📖 Vicious Wins by Poppy Jacobson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Dark Why Choose Romance
Tropes
🏒 Why Choose / RH / MMMF
🛡️ Protective MMCs
🏒 Hockey
🚫 Student x Coach (x Students)
🎂 Age Gap
📂 Blackmail
💥 Bully
🚫 Forbidden
Picking up right after the explosive events of book one, Eva finds herself recovering from a dangerous accident just as her relationships with Coach Alek, Cole, and Tristan hang in the balance. While the guys grapple with feelings of betrayal, the threat to Eva’s life has never been more serious. Instead of staying in the shadows, Eva decides to fight back, rallying her men to help her take down those who want to destroy her once and for all.
I LOVE THIS DUET!! The plot in this conclusion really steps up the stakes, focusing on the tactical planning and teamwork needed to defeat the antagonist. While the story remains streamlined and easy to follow, it provides a satisfying, high-energy conclusion to the conflict that keeps you turning the pages.
Eva’s character growth in this installment is amazing. She has truly developed a backbone and knows exactly what she deserves. She’s a fighter who refuses to stay down, no matter how many challenges are thrown her way.
Alek, Cole, and Tristan are the ultimate protective squad. Seeing them grovel and step up to defend her against the world was exactly what I wanted. While the story leans heavily into their intense physical connection and protective instincts, it’s clear they care deeply about her well-being. I would have loved even more moments exploring their quiet emotional chemistry to balance out the heat, but the "us against the world" vibe is undeniable.
One of the best parts of this book is the broader support system; seeing the whole hockey team and Eva's friends rally around her was so heartwarming. Having them fiercely defend her and hold the guys accountable for their mistakes added a great layer of friendship to the story.
Overall, this was a fantastic, high-heat conclusion that was a total blast to read!
Thank you to The Smuthood and Poppy Jacobson for this ARC
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