Love Her

The Moth and the Monster, Book 2

De: Cassie Alexander

Narrado por: Matthew Holland, Bunny Warren

Fate, Fortune, Fame: Pick One

I’m being paraded like a prize.

A strategic marriage to a powerful man who wants to use me like a billboard.

Smile for the cameras. Memorize his politics.

Don’t slip up. Don’t speak out.

But I already belong to someone else.

Rhaim Selvaggio is dangerous.

My father’s business partner. My former boss.

The only man who’s ever made me feel safe—Even when he’s got blood on his hands.

Especially then.

He told me to trust him.

To play the game.

To wait for him to burn it all down.

But if he didn’t want me to save myself—He shouldn’t have given me the matches.

Love Her is like if the movie Secretary met the TV shows Succession and The Sopranos, with a Beauty and the Beast themed twist. It is the second book in Cassie Alexander's The Moth and the Monster series, which marks her stunning contemporary debut.

©2025 Cassie Alexander (P)2025 Cassie Alexander

Loved the intrigue and plot twists!

Story - ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Spice - 🌶🌶🌶
Narration - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Love Her is book #2 in The Moth and the Monster dark mafia series. It picks up right after the cliffhanger in Take Her (book #1). I'll warn you now...this ends in a cliffhanger as well and it's a GOOD ONE! Agh!! Leah has been promised by her father in an arranged marriage. Rhaim is not having any part of it, but must keep his distance and his silence. The author is so good about keeping us guessing on who is involved in the betrayal. I couldn't stop listening because each chapter brought new details and intrigue. The dark secrets from Leah's past are revealed while Rhaim discovers information from his past that was kept from him for years. And just when you think things are going to work out...BAM! The cliffhanger...so now I'm not-so-patiently waiting for the 3rd book to come out on audio. This age-gap, forbidden romance is another great addition to the series.

The dual narration is voiced again by Matthew Holland and Bunny Warren, which I truly appreciate. These two bring life to their characters that evolve with the story. 5/5 almost-got-out-alive stars!!

A Dark Corporate Fairytale Forged in Fire and Pass

Imagine the cutthroat corporate world of Succession colliding with the dangerous undertones of The Sopranos, all wrapped in a dark, twisted Beauty and the Beast retelling. That is the intoxicating world of Cassie Alexander’s Love Her, the second installment in The Moth and the Monster series, which continues the stunning contemporary debut of this talented author. The story picks up with Lia and Rhaim’s forbidden love affair escalating to new heights of danger, a journey made all the more compelling by the phenomenal dual narration of Matthew Holland and Bunny Warren.

Just as their bond solidifies, Lia’s dying father thrusts her into a new nightmare: an arranged marriage to a powerful senator twice her age. She is meant to be a prize, a silent political billboard smiling for the cameras. But Rhaim Selvaggio—her father’s dangerous business partner, her former boss, and the only man who makes her feel safe even with blood on his hands—refuses to let her go.

The dynamic between them is electric, a push-and-pull of power, trust, and raw passion. This intense character journey is brought to vivid life by the narrators. Matthew Holland masterfully captures Rhaim’s menacing control and underlying devotion, his voice a velvet growl that promises both safety and peril. Bunny Warren is equally brilliant, portraying Lia’s evolution from a pawn to a queen with a nuanced performance that conveys both her vulnerability and her burgeoning defiance. Trapped in a gilded cage, Lia discovers her own strength, proving that if you give a girl matches, you can’t be surprised when she decides to burn it all down herself.

As Rhaim plots to dismantle the forces against them, the lines between protector and monster blur, creating a messy, thrilling, and utterly addictive age-gap romance. Love Her is a stunning continuation, a dark and sophisticated Wall Street mafia story that is as intelligent as it is steamy. Holland and Warren don't just read the book; they make you feel every secret glance, every whispered threat, and every moment of searing connection.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Love Mafia Stories

Love Her is a mafia forced marriage romance. Cassie Alexander didn't disappoint with the second novel in this series, The Moth & The Monster. I love mafia books, I guess I like the roughness. Lia and Rhaim are a couple you just want to root for. The ending makes think there will be a third book, I hope so. Matthew Holland & Bunny Warren did an excellent job voicing this series. They were new to me, I'm so glad I got to hear them again. This series is so good, if you get a chance pick it up and read it.

Really enjoyed

Mafia romance
Age gap
Possessive MMC
Dark romance

Dual narration - Mathew Holland & Bunny Warren

Great voices! Loved them.

Book 2
Must Read Take Her before this

There is more development of love and romance in this part. The characters get developed even deeper. Well written and engagingly twisty.

Another cliffhanger ending… looking forward book 3??? Can’t wait to see where the next book takes these characters.

Looking forward to book 3!

I was definitely looking forward to continuing this forbidden love story and I’m so glad that I was able to dive straight into book 2. No matter how hard they try to fight it and stay away from each other, Lia & Rhaim’s attraction for each other continues to put them in compromising situations. Is Leah continues to try and appease her father and prove her worth in his corporate & “legal” escapades, Rhaim is busy doing damage control, and plotting to ensure that they remain on top. This story was well written, perfectly paced and the audiobook narration was top notch! I’m looking forward to book 3, and hope they choose the same narrators to continue the third installment of this series. Huge thank you to Home Cooked Books for this advance listening copy.

Mafia

Im a sucker for age gap, and even a bigger one for mafia jerks, boss, dad's right hand man. Forbidden wants, overcoming past trauma yet to be revealed. Then, a choice!?

Cliff!!!!

I’m a sucker for a cliffhanger…

STORY:4
CHARACTERS:5
NARRATORS:4.5
SPICE:3.5
OVERALL:4.5

TROPES:
AGE GAP (22 YEARS)
TABOO
BOSS'S/BEST FRIENDS DAUGHTER
WORK PLACE
MAFIA-ISH
MENTAL HEALTH

Same as before...we have talk and description of FAMILIAL SA, self harm and mental health. If these are not ok, please do not continue. This is book 2 of The Moth and the Monster series and I loved it more than the first. Probably beause where we did not spice till the end of the first, baby we get it here and often and it was wonderful. Still loving the narration of Matthew Holland and Bunny Warren especially due to the characters evolving. This one picks up about 2 months after the end of the first one. The first one is a cliffhanger, so we get the answer here in the beginning. This part of their story is building towards what is going to happen to Leah. She chooses the empire, she is going to be on the board, the ipo is happening and then we have what transpires with Raim. He finally admits his feels for Leah..after he finds out WHO her father is forcing her to marry. You know, good ol mafia-ish type things. He vows to get her out of it, cuz your boy knows how to get out of a jam. There are multiple twists going om through this one and the biggest issue I have is HOW Leah handles the biggest one. I know her character is changing and we see her strength, but THIS secret is HUGE and her processing of it makes no sense to me.

Spicy or Crazy

The narrators Matthew Holland and Sunny Warren did a wonderful job with this emotionally charged continuation of Take Her. Rhaim and Lia restart their affair all while she is engaged to another. Lia is still fighting her demons but now Rhaim is her fierce protector, biggest supporter and is healing her inch by inch. He will burn the world down for her. I love watching Lia get stronger and come into her own. These two have such an amazing dynamic and off the charts hot chemistry. These two are on one heck of an emotional journey and darn that cliffhanger. 4.5 star must listen or read.

I was sent an advanced copy audiobook from HCB and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

Great Listen

Rhaim and Lia

Loved it. The narrators did a great job. Couldn't stop listening to this.
.

Rhaim and Lia are in a secret relationship. Rhaim is her father's best friend. There's an arranged marriage. A way to get out of it. Some secrets and revelations from the past revealed. Discoveries found out. Love how Lia no matter what was snarky and mouthy that kept the story entertaining. Just when you think they were in the clear some things went down and it ended in a cliffhanger and I hope the next one comes out soon.

Dark, addictive, stunning!

Love Her is book 2 in The Moth and the Monster series by Cassie Alexander. This dark mafia, age-gap series is addictive, so I’ve been anxiously awaiting the next book. I was definitely not disappointed. Lia has a very traumatic past, but she is finding her strength and fighting through the darkness of her personal trauma. Rhaim finds himself completely in awe of her and his vow to protect her will take him to very dark places. Good thing he thrives in the dark and will go to extreme lengths to protect her and give her a future. There are so many forbidden aspects that try to keep them apart and all of the forces keep pulling in different directions. The stakes couldn’t be higher and they are playing a dangerous game with enemies who not only thrive in that darkness, but have no moral compass whatsoever and power as the only goal. All of the deep, dark secrets become almost another character as they ooze beneath the surface and fester behind walls of pure determination to get by, to survive, and to come out the other side intact. Yowza!!!

Lia and Rhaim are drawn together like a moth to the flame, so the series name is spot-on perfection! One misstep, one secret in the wrong ear, one mistake can end it all and they are walking that edge of the knife with a deep longing for one another and growing respect that brings out the fierceness in both of them. Buckle up for this one because you will not know what to expect next. There is always something around the next corner, and it’s not what you think it is. Their strong attraction has them smashing together in toe-curling ways, so it is definitely NSFW!!

Matthew Holland and Bunny Warren deliver excellent performances to really pull you into the story and these complex characters. There is so much emotional depth and longing juxtaposed with anger, fear, and crippling memories for both Rhaim and Lia with wonderful performances to sweep you up in the story from beginning to end!