Bratva King's Obsession: A Dark Mafia Romance

by M. E. Karanastasi

Bratva King’s Obsession
A Dark Mafia Romance

He has watched her for seventeen years. Protected her. Burned for her. Killed for her.
And never once let her see the monster beneath the best friend.

Drogo Solberg—tall, lethal, devastating—has only ever wanted one Alena Lupus. The pale, untouchable horror writer who dreams stories that come true and commands ghosts with a whisper. His oxygen. His salvation. The woman he would set the world on fire to keep.

Now the shadows of his Bratva birthright are closing in, and Drogo must claim what has always been his—or lose her forever. But Alena has secrets of her own. Scratches that appear when she defies the dead. A power that terrifies even the most ruthless men. And a love she’s hidden just as long.

When blood oaths, brutal betrayals, and supernatural forces collide, their seventeen-year restraint shatters into raw, possessive obsession. He will kneel for no one—except her. She will bow to no one—except him.

In a world of violence, ghosts, and unrelenting desire, only one truth
She is his. And he takes what’s his.

For the women who crave a man so dangerously devoted he’d rewrite the rules of hell to keep you—welcome to your new favorite obsession.

18+ Extreme violence, explicit scenes, possessive alpha, supernatural horror, friends-to-lovers, mafia royalty.

Genres: Friends To Lovers, Mafia Romance

497 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication March 1, 2026

Reviews

[Andi Arnold · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review

I am new to dark mafia romance and Bratva King's Obession was a great starter book!
I love the overall concept and the MMC & FMC. They were both a bit dark and unhinged and I am here for it.
The spice was right ( check out the teigger watnings rhough).
Touch her or die vibe *chef's kiss* 💋
The paranormal inclusion was alao super intriguing. I would 💯 read another book on Alena and her ghosties alone!

My main disappointments were purely stylistic choices the author made. These sometimes jolted me out of the story.

Overall Bratva King's Obsession is definitely a great way to start your dark , mafia romance era.

[Whitney Pond · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely smitten with this story ❤ It had me in a chokehold. I will absolutely be recommending this to my friends.

[Sammie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve spent my life protecting you from ghosts, now I have to protect you from me." 🥀
I’m currently staring at a wall because Drogo and Alena have completely ruined me. 17 years of friendship, 2 years of separation, and a love so feral it literally defies the supernatural.
If you want a hero who is a 6’5" Architect turned Mafia King and a heroine who writes horror because she actually sees ghosts... this is your new personality.
​Drogo is the blueprint. Period. I don’t think I’ll ever recover from the sacrifices made in this book. It’s haunting, it’s gritty, and the devotion is absolutely suffocating.
​If you haven’t started M.E. Karanastasi’s world yet, consider this your sign to start Bratva King's Obsession today. Just bring tissues and maybe a nightlight. 🔦
​Who is your ultimate "I would burn the world for her" MMC? Let’s fight about it!

✅ 17-year Friends to Lovers
✅ "I will burn the world to keep you safe"
✅ Gothic/Supernatural atmosphere
✅ 4/5 Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Cold Russian winters, ink-stained pages, and the constant feeling of being watched from the shadows.
Save this for when you need a book that will rip your heart out (in the best way possible).
Have you ever read a book that felt like it was written specifically for your dark, twisted heart? Because this is mine.

[Katherine Schimpf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where to start - Check your trigger warnings, thats a for sure, but other than that….OMG!!! I was so entralled with the story line (had to put it down so I could sleep, but it was the first thing I grabbed the next morning with a cup of coffee).

We have Drogo and Alena, after a horrible childhood, the two of them have spent 17 years together, through thick and thin with their friends Marcus and Lucy (hope there is a story for them). Drogo is a very prominate archetect and Alena is a horror writer, and when we meet them they are pitching a horror theme park to potential investors. They have worked their way up from being orphans, with no family other than Marcus and Lucy to where they are now. Drogo however has to leave on an emergency business trip, and he really doesn’t want to, but he does, and Alena gets a little upset with that. After much tension, heartache and an idiot Lucy thought would be good for Alena, Drogo and Alena find their way back to each other, but things take an unexpected turn….

Highly recommend this book, and hope that there will be a story for Marcus and Lucy.

[Sancha30 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This deliciously, dark romance is amazing!
What happens when a love so intense is nearly separated by the Bratva and supernatural forces? You get Drogo and Alena, who fight through it all to be together.
I received this as an ARC, and what a privilege it was. I liked the dark romance side, I kind of wondered how the supernatural would fit in and would it work. But it does!
Two young people, abandoned and lost find each other. Homeless for a while, saved by new friends. Alena becomes a famous author, but its due to the supernatural forces working around her. Drogo, becomes a very successful architect. But unfortunately his past drags him from his greatest love and friends, with threats. Forced to join the Bratva to save them, he works for 2 years to get back to her. Their journey is hard, there is much blood spilled, and will Alena be able to handle this life. I will leave that for you to find out!
You feel the characters pain and all of her other emotions as well. This is a well written story, that I didn't want to end!

[Shannell Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

An heir to The Bratva Mafia
A gothic horror author who sees ghosts
17 years of friendship between them, 17 years of angst with wanting each other, but neither of them willing to say in fear of losing their friendship.
Until The King summons his only son, the heir to the Bratva Mafia and if he doesn’t comply then the one and only person he loves will be a target.

I was given this Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for my honest review…..

Normally I can read a 500 page book within 2-3 days. This book took me nearly a week to finish. The first 300 pages I felt were repetitive. Phrasing was repeated constantly, but written differently several times throughout the book. I honestly felt like I was reading “filler or fluff” The plot is there, but was lacking something that could be extremely interesting.

Now, the last 200 pages….. that’s a completely different story. I FLEW through the last 200 pages of this book! It had passion, it had breath-holding chapters, it had on the edge of your seat description. If the entire book was written like the last 200 pages this would have been an easy 4-5 star read.

I appreciate the opportunity I was given to read this ARC! Will I read something else by this author, absolutely! I feel there is an extreme amount of potential for her and I can’t wait to see what else she comes up with in the future.

[Ariana · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost, I dont care how long your TBR shelf is get this book and put it on TOP! You will be glad you did!

I was not ready for this book one bit. I have read my fair share of mafia books and paranormal thrillers. Nothing, and I mean none of them could have prepared me for this one!

Trigger warnings a mile long✅️
Completely unhinged MMC✅️
Even more unhinged FMC✅️
Burn the whole world down for her✅️
Beyond unique storyline ✅️

This book has it all! Be warned you will lose sleep, you will call out of work, and you will ignore all responsibilities just to finish this book. Yeah, its really that good. I was on the edge of my seat from the very beginning completely devouring page after page.

I sincerely hope M.E. Karanastasi writes 1001 more books so I can get lost in them all!

Absolutely brilliant ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Teanna M Coryell · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review

The yearning for each other from both main characters was chef's kiss! I was heart broken for the both of them. They finally admitt thier dying love for each other just to be taken from one another.

Drogo becoming a mafia leader just to save his made family even though he never wanted that life. He became one hell of a leader! The way he was determined to defeat his father at his own game had me on my toes.

Alena is one badass survivor. I wasn't to sure about the paranormal element at first but was i wrong. I'm a horror lover myself and it made the book even more interesting. I love how she used the pain of Drogo leaving to overcome her demons. I love how her fear of the ghost became her strength and ultimately controlling/became one with them. overall I really enjoyed this book

[Raquel Brasil · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

This is a story about doing whatever it takes to protect her.

At first, it’s quiet—shielding her from what haunts her, standing between her and forces unseen.

But then protection demands everything. Choices are made. Lives are uprooted. Love sharpens into sacrifice.

She’s left carrying grief, learning how to move forward, trying to exist in the after. And as a reader, you feel it all—the obsession, the devotion that accepts unbearable consequences, the kind of love that leaves no one untouched.

The final pages hit hard. Breath-stealing. Gut-deep. The kind of story you don’t recover from quickly.

Every chapter lingers, every emotion lands. This is dark, intense, and utterly unputdownable.

Raquel (TheInkAddictsReads on Insta)

[Haley Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely devoured this book!! Clear your weekend because you’ll be reading until it’s done and you’ll probably want to read it again!

Alena and drogo who have known each other for seventeen years finally get together. It makes you think “finally!” Only for drogo’s father to come and threaten Alena. Two years of waiting and they come back together with a connection so intense it’ll have you sitting on the edge of your seat.

You’ll be sitting there throughout the entire story waiting for the end of his father and when it finally happens you’ll breathe a sigh of relief and the epilogue don’t even get me started!


Cannot praise this book enough.

[Bex’s reading corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark mafia + supernatural ghosts is not a typical combination. When I think mafia I think possessive alpha, blood oaths, dubcon, murder, mayhem and at least one large case of I.Y.T.H.Y.D, but usually multiple different versions of that.

This was everything listed above and so much more! Trigger warnings out the wazoo, chaos, twists and very unpredictable turns that had me hooked even though it took me a couple days to read. Life got in the way but I was fully immersed the second I picked the book back up.

While this author was a first time read for me, definitely will not be the last, cannot wait to find out why happens to the Pakhan, the supernatural queen and whether Lucy is going to get a double wedding of her dreams!

From the book: Important Trigger Warning: This book is very dark and contains graphic violence/gore, explicit sexual content, possessive/jealous claiming, mental health triggers, supernatural horror, heavy alcohol/smoking, power imbalances, and more.

[Lynnette Peach · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say, for a debut novel this is one of the best I have read in a long long time. It really resonates with you and it's one that stays with you. Not your typical mafia novel, it is so much more. Ghosts that lurk in the corner are ready to attack, the heroine and the enemy. A hero that just keeps giving, his heart and his blood and a heroine that breaks and gets back up and fights, not weak but heartbroken. Everyone needs a Drogo in their life. 🙏🏼🖤

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely awesome, I didn’t want to put it down! There was not a single boring part in this book! The suspense in certain parts was GREAT! I loveeeeee the MMC! Absolutely love how the ending turned out and the spice was spicing!!!!! Definitely recommend this book!!

[Jill McBee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drogo is the over protective, obsessed, morally Grey (almost blac) MMC we all crave. he will and does everything and anything to protect Alena. his first and only love. even if that means having to leave her so his Mafia boss dad will leave her alone. so he learns, while always watching her. making sure shes safe. when the times right he makes his move. he will have her. and he will destroy his father.

all my mafia readers this is a must!

[Akku · Rating 5 out of 5]

• 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 - 5✨

• 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 - March 1, 2026

• 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 -
- 17 years friends to lovers
- mafia royalty
- possessive alpha hero
- he falls first but she fell harder
- found family
- slow burn to obsession
- touch her and die
- ALWAYS protect her

• 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 -
Drogo Solberg and Alena Lupus survived a brutal childhood together and built their own world from nothing. He became a successful architect. She became a writer whose stories feel a little too real. For seventeen years, they stayed side by side as best friends while hiding a love that never stopped burning.
When Drogo is forced back into his Bratva bloodline and rises as a mafia leader to protect the only family he has ever known, everything changes. 2 years Distance, secrets, power, and betrayal push them to their limits. But some love stories are written in blood and obsession, and theirs refuses to die.
I am still not okay after this book.
Drogo is that man. The man who never wanted the throne but took it anyway to protect his people. Watching him outsmart his father and become a ruthless mafia leader had me so proud. He stepped into darkness not for power, but for love. That kind of devotion hits differently. He protect Alena for 17 years now even after joining the mafia he protect her without telling her.
The seventeen-year slow burn made everything more intense. I can feel the longing in every scene. The separation hurt. The reunion felt explosive. Their love is possessive, protective, obsessive in the most dark-romance way.
The cold Bratva world, the tension, the sacrifices. It all blended so beautifully. I had to force myself to sleep and grabbed it first thing in the morning with coffee. That is how I know this book owns me.
This story is full of feral devotion. If you love a man who would burn the world to keep his woman safe and a heroine who can stand in the fire beside him, this is your book.
Thank you so much author for the free ARC!

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨✨✨ ARC Review✨✨✨
✨Release Date: March 1, 2026✨

Bratva King's Obsession: A Dark Mafia Romance
M. E. Karanastasi

‼️ Check Trigger Warnings ‼️
⚠️⚠️⚠️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶🌶

First, I would like to express my gratitude to the author for granting me access to an advance reading copy of this book. While it is the first work of theirs that I have read, it certainly will not be the last.

In my opinion, this book is an absolute must-read. I was utterly captivated by Drogo and Alena. Drogo, the son of the Bratva, is being blackmailed, with his friends and the woman he has loved for 17 years being threatened.

Alena is an author of horror novels. She also has the ability to attract and see ghosts, who physically harm her if she doesn't write their stories quickly enough. Drogo is the one who provides her with grounding support during the torment.

The yearning and devotion the main characters share for each other is truly spectacular. After 17 years of love, they finally confess their feelings to each other, only to be torn apart. I was pleasantly surprised by how the paranormal element was incorporated into the story; it was truly amazing.
Drogo became a mafia leader to safeguard his found family, but at a great personal cost.

Fortunately, Alena was adept at dealing with monsters, which is how Drogo now views himself. Although I could continue discussing this book, I do not want to reveal any more spoilers. Once again, this is a book you will undoubtedly want to add to your TBR. I believe you will not be disappointed; it encompasses darkness, spice, horror, longing, unyielding devotion, and love.

[Ashley at "Good Girl" Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dark mafia romances are my weakness, and Bratva King’s Obsession delivers that gritty, obsessive energy I crave—morally grey Bratva king, touch her and die intensity, high-stakes power plays, graphic violence, explicit heat, and a hint of supernatural intrigue.

Drogo and Alena’s connection spans seventeen years, and the longing and devotion between them is one of the strongest parts of the story. At its heart, this is a book about doing whatever it takes to protect her—even when love demands sacrifice and leaves lasting consequences. The obsession, grief, and emotional fallout linger long after the big moments.

“No one touches what’s mine.”

That said, I did struggle with plot inconsistencies. Some storylines felt underdeveloped or dropped, which pulled me out of the narrative at times and kept this from being a higher-rated read for me.

Final verdict: This is a great entry point for readers curious about dark mafia romance who want obsession, morally grey protectors, and emotional stakes—without plunging straight into the most brutal extremes of the genre. There’s plenty to enjoy here, especially if you’re drawn to devotion, sacrifice, and dangerous men who would burn the world down for her, even if the execution isn’t flawless.

Would I read more from this author? Absolutely. There’s clear promise here, and I’m always rooting for dark romance to go darker, sharper, and hit even harder next time 😈🔥

I received an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Irene Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Your breath stinks."

What an odd quote to pull. YOU WOULD THINK! But no. For me, it was a flip a table with great happiness reaction. One of my weird pet peeves is the magical absence of morning breath. It bothers me to no end. BUT HERE?! Here that detail, I could weep. For me that singular quote highlights the complete immersion into turning fiction to reality. As a reader, you are in it. Sometimes in a story you have moments you are reminded it is a book. You are pulled out. NOT THIS ONE! I was immersed and intoxicated the whole time. This took longer to read because of life, but I was able to be pulled right back in every time. Normally a story like this with the writer's storytelling I would devour and consume with lightning speed, but I was busy this week. Forced to take this one slow and savor it...I have to say that kind of added to the tension and pull. I am glad I was forced to take it slower. Do you like dark romance? Mafia romance? A bit of spooky? Read it. Read it now!

Read as an ebook, but will definitely be buying a physical copy as soon as I can.

[Bonnie James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book delivers exactly what it promises: a deliciously unhinged dark mafia romance with obsessive possession, high stakes danger, and some seriously wild supernatural twists.

Drogo Solberg is the ultimate Bratva king, brooding, lethal, and completely consumed by his seventeen-year obsession with Alena. The way he’s watched and protected her all that time? Absolute chef’s kiss if you love a hero who’s unhinged in the best way. When he finally claims her, the intensity goes through the roof with full possessive, jealous, blood oath devotion.

Alena is a perfect match for him. She’s a horror writer who commands literal ghosts, which was such a unique twist and blended into the mafia world really well. The spice is hot, the violence is graphic (definitely check triggers), and the pacing keeps you hooked.

Still, if you love dark mafia, obsessive alpha energy, supernatural edge, and no holding back, this one hit hard. Drogo honestly made me question my life choices in the best way.

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book: Bratva King's Obsession
Author:M. E. Karanastasi
Pages: 502
Spice: 4/5
Releases: 3•1•26

• bratva/mafia
• slow burn --> FERAL
• possessive MMC
• supernatural
• "MINE"

This author tore my heart out and slowly put it back together. It is one of those books that you enjoy so much that you can't read another book for a few day so you can keep enjoying the high.

Alena is one fierce woman. She is a well known horror writer who sees/ talks to ghosts.

Drogo is a 6'5 dark haired architect who learns he is the heir to the Russian mafia. He endures hell to keep Alena safe and protect her from harm until he can make her his queen.
Alena and Drogo met on a park bench when they were young and were inseparable for the last 17 years, always there for one another but never crossing that line. Until they do ...

Drogo has to make some hard decisions in order to keep Alena safe.

Decisions that tear your heart out. Will all those decisions be worth it?

[Ange Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and sad that I finished it. I love Drogo, he will do anything for Alena, even if he has to join a Mafia that his biological father forces on him. He has no choice or Alena and his friends will be harmed. The author did an amazing job with engaging us with the story along with the characters. I love that Drago doesn't cave in, but works around the issues that Klaus has put on him, he could have caved in but he's so loyal and faithful to Alena. While Drogo is away, things happen to Alena and it's sad that she had to go through those situations. I just don't understand why the ghosts couldn't fully protect and harm those who were involved. I would have liked to see why she has this paranormal with ghosts as there wasn't a clear explanation for them. I also wish Drogo told her what was going on with the Mafia. and why he kept it a secret and lied about where he was going.
This was definitely worth reading, I'd recommend it!

[Louise Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this from start to finish, and I did not last long! No pun intended!

I finished this in a couple of days as I just had to get to the end, and for me it was an absolute page turner.

This is my favourite friends to lovers, will they? won't they? trope. And I am not adding any spoilers.

Needless to say the FMC and MMC are a strong perfect match and achingly made for each other.
I have read so many international Mafia series that I can't always get into as I am UK based so this was a bonus for me.

The spice is at the right level and I practically have no triggers, so please read and be aware if you are. I liked the supernatural touch that this book had and the dark romance that was dark and ghostly.

Who wouldn't want a Drogo in their life to rescue you?

This book sizzled, keep them coming M .E Karanastasi, I'm ready to burn the midnight oil!

[Alanda Tar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a unique combination of mafia and supernatural blending Drogo's dark mafia dominance and Alena's haunting ghosts. The two have 17 years or longing only to be pulled apart when things change. After years apart they come together in an explosive and possessive way and they shake everything up. Alena's relationship with her ghosts changes from beginning to end in a way I hadn't seen coming and when the story comes to and end there is a HEA for Drogo and Alena. I would recommend this book to those that enjoy dark mafia stories that include possessive obsession, ruthless power play, grisly ghostly interactions with some softness mixed in.

[Lady T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

I firstly want to thank the Author for trusting me with her book.

It was one amazing book that had me from the beginning. The dynamics between the MMC and the FMC is so pure. How he will do literally anything for her. How he sees the dark and broken in her and holds her even closer.
I truly enjoyed this read.
I do recommend this to everyone who loves a deep and twisted love that works so perfectly, even thought, for others, it looks wrong.

xxx
LadyTintheHouse

[Jennifer Ervine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the longing between Drogo and Alena in the beginning. Friends since they were kids, they were both scared to ruin what they had. Once they finally stop fighting it, holy hotness! The middle was a little slow for me. The way Drogo worships Alena is everything. I love it when the strong, dangerous Mafia boss gets emotional and kneels for his queen. He told her “You kneel for no one.” The epilogue was perfect.

[Peta Schwartz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story had a very unique spin that most mafia/bratva stories don't have. The ghosts were an interesting addition. I liked the book but for some reason I couldn't quite get absorbed into it fully. Maybe some of the sentence structure threw me a bit. Other than that I had no issues finishing the book as I wanted to know what happens. I'm glad I read it and could only hope to have someone as obsessed with me as Drogo was with Alena.

[Siobhan D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drogo and Alena’s story starts seventeen years ago. Diogo only wants to care and protect Alexa. This book has dark grey areas, full of emotions, longing, grief and you will pull you in.
Seat back and enjoy the spice, heat and watch out for the violence and so much more. A great dark Mafia romance.

[Tishy77 · Rating 5 out of 5]

With each and every word, it pulls you deeper into the story between Drogo and Alena. It's a slow-burning story between two friends who have deep feelings but keep them secretly from each other. If you are into a dark mafia romance, this novella is for you. Once you start, you simply can't pull it down without knowing what happens next. I can't wait for more from M.E. Karanastasi. 💖

[Nikki Pfister · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first Mafia dark romance, and holy bananas am I glad. This book was a wild ride from start to finish, it was hard to put down. The spice is definitely spicy, but the plot doesn't suffer at all. Has Edge of Darkness vibes, so if you loved that series, you'll definitely love this! Heartwarming with some murder, and you'll definitely fall in love with the characters, ghosts included!

[Emma George · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just wanna say thank you for the chance to get an arc copy and then next thing when I catch his father out in public he gonna catch these hands ughhhhhhhhhhhhh this book is so good the plot the spice ugh