Deviant Hearts

Dark Hearts, Book 1

De: Jagger Cole

Narrado por: Ryan West, Sophie Daniels

To stop a mafia war, I'm being forced to marry my sworn enemy.

A brutal, domineering, and lethally beautiful monster with a body built for violence, Ares Drakos—new king of the Drakos Mafia family—is every inch the God of War he's named after.

And now, I belong to him.

Our unholy union is meant to end the bloodshed between the Irish and Greeks. A rising tide to lift all ships.

A match made in hell. And if we can't stop killing each other, "until death do us part" might happen before we can say "I do."

It's not supposed to be real. Until it becomes something else. Something dark, dangerous, and deliciously deviant.

The God of War might be invading my bed, my dreams, and my every sinful desire. But there's one thing he'll never conquer.

My heart.

Deviant Hearts is a standalone dark mafia, arranged marriage, enemies-to-lovers romance with a smart, untamable heroine and an ultra-possessive hero with "look at her and I'll unalive you" energy. This is the explosive start to the Dark Hearts mafia series. For mature listeners. No cliffhanger. HEA included.

©2022 Jagger Cole (P)2025 Podium Audio

WOOOOOW!

It has been a long time since I listened/read to a GREAT MAFIA ROMANCE.
Thank the TikTok gods for the recommendation because WOW!

First the narrators did an amazing job overall the whole narration was phenomenal. They have amazing voices, and the When Sophie did the narration for the male and Ryan for the female, I was shocked how good it was because it was so good and NOG cringy at all.

The story itself, WOW. (Again) I realize in saying that a lot but honestly it was so good I can’t believe it,

Jagger did so well with this one, he is a new to me author and my first story written by a male AND man will I continue to read his stories!
He didn’t make it cringy he made it fair and not once did he shift it towards the man.
Also the action in this was wild and I was NOT expecting who the villains were! My goodness nope I wasn’t at all.

Also the spicy scenes, were definitely spicing. Not to many and not to little of them just enough!

5/5⭐️

Strong Greek MMC, Fierce Irish FMC

Fmc is strong, competent, intelligent, brash, stubborn, a bit messy and spits fire. MMC is possessive, intense, stubborn, protective, cocky, and straight laced. Story-marriage of convenience between mafia families. FMC is completely blindsided. MMC put the deal together but doesnt really want this (outside of obvious attraction). FMC/MMC banter is great and engaging. Their growth together and getting to know one another is fun to read.

The MMC is a bit arrogant and stubborn but puts effort in and the fmc is a bit traumatized from her life being pulled out from under her and acts out. She doesn’t do anything too crazy but she isn’t as committed in the beginning for obvious reasons. I didn’t like the MMC ignoring her for a week the day after the wedding, FMC did too (and started it) but imo MMC had a lot more time to acclimate to the idea and should have extended more olive branches. She had literally found out like days before. She had also almost just died so there’s that too lol

I thought I was gonna hate her fam but I ended up really liking them outside of the whole blindsiding.. MMC fam was cool too, I’m excited to hear MMCs sisters story. I think FMC sister story will be a body guard/mafia princess age gap trope so that should be fun.

Fmc has trauma from her past and a man with a vendetta against her, and the MMC is mostly navigating his mafia and the new alliance. I like the characters, they all have their own little quirks and contribute to the story well. Spicy scenes were amazinggg! MMC is fantastic with the talking her thru it. Having both POVs thru out the book was also fun. No preg tropes, no cheating, no other m/w, HEA, found family, marriage of convenience, spice 4.5-5, violence 3-3.5, satisfying ending. She throws up on his shoes lol

PLEASE NO! Don't make me marry the hot broody man

Favorite Quote – ‘’Rage. Power. Vengeance. And possessiveness.”
"In one motion, I cup her jaw, lift her mouth to mine, and sear my lips to hers in the single most possessive, consuming kiss of my lite. There's definitely no going back now.

Rating – 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spicy – 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Main Characters – Ares Drakos & Neve Kildare

Author – Jagger Cole 😍😍😍😍😍
Title – Deviant Hearts
Series – Dark Hearts: Book 1
Standalone/Interconnected Standalone/Interconnected Series

Narrators – Ryan West & Sophie Daniels
Narration Type – Dual
Ryan West - 💙💙💙💙💙
Sophie Daniels - 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

Genre – Contemporary Dark Suspense Mafia
Tropes – Grumpy Heroine – Arranged Marriage – Possessive Male – Tortured Heroine – Past Trauma – Good Dirty Talk – Jump Scares

Story - 🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶
Chemistry - 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Banter - 💬🗨️💬🗨️
Plot - 📚📚📚📚📚
Side Characters - 👨‍🤝‍👩👨‍🤝‍👩👨‍🤝‍👩👨‍🤝‍👩👨‍🤝‍👩

Hero – Ares Drakos - 📘📘📘📘📘
Humor - 😂😂😂
Jealousy - 😡😡😡😡😡
He Grovels - 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Growth - 🏋️‍♂️🏋️‍♂️🏋️‍♂️🏋️‍♂️🏋️‍♂️

Heroine – Neve Kildare - 📕📕📕📕
Humor - 😂😂😂😂
Strength - 🏋️‍♀️🏋️‍♀️🏋️‍♀️🏋️‍♀️🏋️‍♀️
Sweetness - 🍬🍬
Sassy - 😉😉😉😉
Date Read –7/17/2025
#77/2025

God of War

This series starts off in the best of ways... And arranged marriage with the God of War!
This story is Ares and Neve's, and I was hooked from the start of the story and all the way until the end.

I can't believe it took me so long to get to this book. I love a good Mafia romance, and this is a great one. You get all the things you love in a romance like this one. Those 'my wife' vibes are spot on!!

Ryan West is not a narrator. I have listened to before that I can remember, and I thought he did an excellent job. Sophia Daniels is not a narrator I have listened to a lot of, and she has a voice that is really good for a strong heroine.

I like this series a lot and I can't wait to dive into more from this series on audio.

Great start to a new series

Ryan West’s voice will make you hum while he’s reciting
the alphabet. The story line was well written and easy to follow.

Ares & Neve

This is my first time reading this author and wow, what a great story. I’m used to female dark romance authors, but man-oh-man, Jagger Cole just shot to the top of my list of favs. As far as the plot goes, the only thing I will say is I pegged Owen from the beginning as being a snake. But overall the plot was good & the ending was terrific. I bought the audio versions and the narrators were fantastic and sounded age appropriate.
I’ve listened to other books where the male voice sounded borderline elderly while the character was in their 30s. That was not the case here. The narration was very well done.

Ohhhhhhhh!

Enjoyed the audiobook so much! Even if it’s not duet it still gave what it needed. First and definitely not the last book I’ll be picking up from Jagger Cole.

He falls first for "his wife".

4⭐️ 4🌶 5🎙

Deviant Hearts by Jagger Cole was a delicious mafia romance, albeit mostly predictable. I devoured the audiobook.

New York was controlled by rival Drakos and Kildare families. But constant war between them is allowing other crime families to encroach and threaten to take over. In an attempt to unite the families and stop the feud, Ares Drakos and Neve Kildare are forced into an arranged marriage.

Despite their vast differences and hatred toward one another, their attraction and chemistry are palpable. Neve enjoys being contrary just to get a rise out of Ares in more than one way. 😉 Forced Proximity worked its magic to get them over their differences. Ares is an Alpha MMC and definitely fell first. Neve had moments depicting the Queen she is, but it wasn't consistent. I wanted more. I loved the Drakos-Kildare family and can't wait for the next audiobook!

The audiobook narrated by Ryan West and Sophie Daniels was oh so steamy. I ate it up! They were great at storytelling. I was immersed in all the intensity and intimacy.

Peeping Toms

I thought Prince of Hate was Jagger Cole’s best book but he has surpassed himself with Deviant Hearts. As soon as I finished this book I wanted to read it again. Ares and Neve are superb together when fight or doing other things. This books has all the best elements of Jagger Cole books, darkness, heat and a great HEA with the dark hero. I hope other characters in this book get their own stories and not just those currently in the works. Great Performance!

Sooo good

Sexy, dominate, passion, love, s@x, what more could you want in a JC book!? My favorite of his so far in Audible.
Love the narrators too.