The Right Side of Wrong

The Damaged Deviants, Book 1

Caspian I was honed to be a weapon—trained to pull the trigger without blinking, to lead the O’Malley empire without weakness. Then, I saw him. Giovanni Cattano—my enemy’s son. A walking target. A beautiful disaster. I should have slit his throat. Instead, I kissed him like he was the oxygen I needed to breathe. I don’t know how to stop. I don’t think I want to.

Giovanni

All my life, I’ve worn the Cattano name like armor. Smiled through lies. Survived through pain.

But Caspian O’Malley…he sees through me. Past the enemy blood in my veins, past the name that makes me untouchable. With him, I feel real. Wanted. Weak.

I know it’s going to destroy us both.

Hell, I’ll drive us over the edge. In our world, love isn’t just forbidden—it’s a death sentence. And we’re falling anyway.

©2025 D.D. McDaniel, J.A. Welch (P)2026 D.D. McDaniel, J.A. Welch

ALC REVIEW

4 ⭐ – The Right Side of Wrong by DD McDaniels & JA Welch

I really felt like this story gave me the vibes of an MM dark romance retelling of Romeo and Juliet, and honestly… I ate it up. 👏 The tension between the characters, the forbidden nature of their connection, and the emotional push-and-pull between loyalty and love created such an intense atmosphere that kept me invested the whole way through.

First, I want to say how grateful I am to have received an ALC copy of this story—being trusted with early access always makes my little bookish heart incredibly happy, so thank you again for the opportunity!

Overall, the story itself was very well written and emotionally engaging. The 90’s setting added a nostalgic layer that I really enjoyed, and it helped amplify the stakes and the secrecy surrounding the relationship. The authors did a great job capturing that sense of danger and inevitability that you’d expect from a Romeo and Juliet–inspired narrative.

That being said, the pacing did feel a bit quick at times. I found myself wishing certain moments—especially the emotional beats between the characters—had been given just a little more room to breathe. Expanding on their connection and the tension surrounding their circumstances could have made the payoff even more impactful.

As for the audiobook, it was good overall, though not quite a standout listen for me personally. The narration did a solid job conveying the story, but there were moments where I felt the emotional intensity of certain scenes didn’t fully translate through the performance the way I had hoped.

Even with those small critiques, this was still a captivating and angsty read that delivered on the dark romance vibes and tragic undertones I was expecting. If you enjoy forbidden love, high emotional stakes, and stories that echo classic tragic romances, this one is definitely worth checking out.