The Deliverance of Marek Sommers by Ashlyn Drewek

Desperation to survive drives Marek Sommers, and when the Russian mob comes looking his only choice is to run. But Misha won't let Marek go, and he slowly begins a campaign to help and protect Marek, even if it costs him his own life. Only a man in danger can appreciate murder as a love language. The Deliverance of Marek Sommers is an MM Russian mafia romance from Ashlyn Drewek.

From the blurb:

Marek Sommers is everything Misha Chernyshevsky shouldn’t want—young, angry at the world, and, worst of all, a man. The fact Marek is dealing drugs for a competitor is the icing on the cake. None of that deters the Russian mafia boss, though.

From the moment he lays eyes on the surly bartender, Misha is captivated. Learning about Marek’s troubled past and fearing for his future, Misha is certain that Marek needs his help—whether he wants it or not.

Convincing Marek to trust him, however, proves to be a more formidable task than Misha anticipates. But if they have any chance of surviving the brutal world of the Russian mafia, Misha needs Marek to trust him before it’s too late.

THE DELIVERANCE OF MAREK SOMMERS is a slow-burn MM romance about a down-and-out bartender with a harrowing past and the Russian mafia boss determined to save him from it all. Violence and heartache make the tender moments that much sweeter, HEA guaranteed. It is intended for a mature audience and reader discretion is advised. A full list of triggers can be found in the front matter of the book and at my website under Tropes & Triggers.

This book can be read as a standalone. However, it is a spinoff from the Solnyshko Duet and contains spoilers for those books if you haven’t read them.

SNik's Review:

Standalone. Age gap. Hurt/comfort. Slow burn. Dual POV. Heed content warnings. 

Marek is struggling, dealing drugs and hustling while bartending. He can barely make ends meet, let alone trying to provide for his younger siblings. When Misha sets his sights on Marek, at first he only wants information, but Marek intrigues him and as Misha learns more about Marek, there is an instant need to give the scrappy young man opportunities. 

Misha’s love language may be murder, but also he is patient and supportive and is not easily put off by Marek, who is constantly angry and has had to fight for survival all his life. 

I absolutely swooned over Misha’s dedication and willingness to sacrifice everything for Marek, and also his intelligence, maturity and confidence made him such an attractive character. Misha could not be paired with anyone that wasn’t also willing to do dark things and Marek was also a strong character who accepted the violence that surrounded Misha’s life. 

Really, a gorgeous read.

Rating: 5 Stars

Jacqueleen the Reading Queen's Review:

"No one has taken care of you before. Let me take care of you, Marek. Let me show you how your life should be."

I've long awaited Misha to get his HEA after reading the Solnyshko Duet and I am so happy it is finally here! Misha's story, while still full of bloody mafia vibes, wasn't as violent a book as the latter. That does not mean you shouldn't pay attention the TWs, for which there are many. When Misha loves, he loves hard, and nobody is safe from his wrath if you harm those he loves. Even their families.

Marek is one jaded son of a gun. He trusts no one. Hell, I don't know if he even still fully trusts that Misha isn't going to up and disappear even at the end. His life has taught him these lessons and they are hard to unlearn. But Misha keeps trying. Throughout the entire book, he is nothing but patient and understanding with Marek. He seems to know just when to push and when to leave it alone. A delicate balance for a skittish man such as Marek. I loved how sweet Misha could be with him and was sad whenever Marek was surprised how lovely it could be.

"I didn't know when he became the center of my world, but somehow he had and that changed everything. My new mission was clear. I'd do whatever was necessary to deliver him from the life he knew, even if it cost me my own."

Their HEA definitely falls in the hard won category. There were losses on both sides, but the payoff was happiness and the ability to be a bit more free about their relationship. Speaking of that, I really liked the men of Misha's loyal crew and I have hopes that Valery will someday get to enjoy the freedom that Misha's affords him as well, hopefully in the form of his own book. 

Rating: 5 Stars

The Deliverance of Marek Sommers is available to buy as an ebook, paperback, or to read with Kindle Unlimited subscription.