Review: Dark Soul by Alexsandr Voinov

Publisher: Riptide Publishing, LLC

Publication date: 3/19/2012

Pages: 310

Love lights even the darkest soul.

A killer's moral compass rarely points true, and among made men, being gay is a capital crime. But Silvio Spadaro, deadly prodigy and heir to a Family fortune, is determined to find his own way—at the feet of the man he loves or by the barrel of a gun—no matter the dangers or costs.

Stefano Marino lives a comfortable—some might even say enviable—life. As a mob boss at the top of the food chain, he has it all: money, respect, a beautiful wife he loves as much now as the day they wed. But he also has a turf war on his hands, and far too soft a heart for this dark business.

When Silvio is sent to help Stefano with his turf war, sparks fly. Stefano loves his wife, but he wants Silvio. It's a desire he hardly knows how to process, but Silvio, ever the patient predator, maneuvers Stefano closer and closer to his bed each day. Stefano resists; giving in to these dark desires means giving up on his marriage, and exposure would surely mean death. Yet there's no denying Silvio's magnetic pull, or the long-repressed urges inside himself. Yielding is inevitable, but he may yet find a way to hold on to everything—and everyone—he loves.

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Marq's thoughts:
I saw Mandi of Smexy Books tweeting about this book last week. I was kinda in a reading funk and when I saw the entire collection on NetGalley, I decided to check it out. Wow. I am so glad I did.

Dark Soul is broken out in 5 volumes which are under 100 pages each. Within each volume, there are different "acts". That's the only way I can describe it. With each act, the stakes are raised and the intensity level steadily increases.

Being gay and in the mafia do not go hand-in-hand but Silvio has made a reputation for himself as a stone cold killer that no one would dare cross him. Stefano is intrigued by Silvio and soon his curiosity blossoms into attraction. An attraction that he wants to act on. But being a mob boss and married, Stefano can't exactly act on his feelings without facing serious repercussions. When Silvio is sent to help Stefano with the Russians, Stefano finds it increasingly difficult to deny his attraction. He's torn. He loves his wife and is attracted to her but he wants Silvio as well.

The title Dark Soul is very appropriate. Silvio is unlike any character I've ever read before. At first, I thought he was just a killer who's good at his job. Killing people is bound to make someone a little off. But Silvio's issues goes way beyond his job. In volume 3, we find out how far Silvio will go to make the kill and how truly effed up he really is. Mr. Voinov really goes there in this volume with a taboo subject that will make you uncomfortable. But I couldn't stop reading. I didn't want to stop reading.

As a whole, the Dark Soul is a great series with the story getting better with each volume. I am so happy I was lurking on twitter and saw my peeps tweeting about it. I was totally engrossed, entertained and I absolutely loved the story. I will definitely be reading more by this author.

You can buy the entire collection for the Nook for only $3.99.