Conquest

Of Ruin and Royalty #1

by Avery Collins

Of Ruin and Royalty: Book 1

Genres: M M Romance, Dark, Enemies To Lovers, Forced Proximity, Dark Romance, Mafia Romance, Contemporary

ebook

About the author

Dark Romance / MM Romance Author

Reviews

[Dani · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book made me want to scream and tear my hair out in frustration! It was one of those books that I finished reading out of sheer determination to find out what happened to these two irritating characters and then it has the nerve to end on a cliffhanger??? WTAF!!!

I really didn't want to even finish reading this book but I pushed through that overwhelming urge to DNF, and now I find out that I have to read yet another book to get the rest of their story?! To say I'm unimpressed is an understatement!

Honestly this book sucked massively until the last 5-10% and then it got really interesting. Nothing happened until well past the halfway point of this book, and even then 99% of this book was just toxic masculinity, posturing, cliche's and inner monologues that just kept repeating the same thing over and over and over and over.... I learnt barely anything about these characters - I don't even know how old they're supposed to be - and their chemistry was completely non-existent, but damn this stupid book because I somehow still want to know what happens to these two.

The way the book ends was infuriating because the amnesia trope was deployed, so essentially everything that happened in this book may as well not have happened! I hate the amnesia trope with a passion, it's rare that it's well written and from reading the rest of this book I highly doubt it's going to be excellent in the next book.

I'm mad at myself for finishing this book and I'm even more mad at myself because I already know I'm going to read the next book even though this one irritated me so much. Ughhhhhhhhhhh

[Julia (bookish.jka) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Teeth. Tongue. Bruised breath and swallowed curses. He tastes like smoke and blood and fury, and I drink it in like oxygen, like I've been suffocating for weeks and only now remembered what breathing is. His fingers curl in my hair, and I arch up into him, grinding hard, and he gasps against my mouth like he forgot who he was supposed to be."

Oh my, I loved this one! Conquest by new-to-me author Avery Collins is a dark-themed, MM mafia romance set in Vintermoor Academy, which is basically a violent training ground for all the mafia heirs and assassins.

This is Vincenzo and Nikolaj's story but be warned - it's the first book in the Of Ruin and Royalty duet and the cliffhanger is brutal! Oh well, I will just have to keep re-reading and savour every deliciously dark drop over and over again until book 2 is released....

What To Expect:

🖤MM dark romance
⚔️Enemies to lovers
🖤Mine
⚔️Forced proximity
🖤Rival mafia heirs
⚔️Forbidden
🖤All the steam
⚔️‍All the angst
🖤Cliffhanger

4.5 stars

[Renae Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conquest is a fantastic enemies-to-lovers romance between Vincenzo, the Cosa Nostra prince, and Nikolaj, the Bratva heir. Their families are enemies, they cannot stand one another, but underneath all of that anger, resentment, and angst is a long-simmering tension that demands attention.

Together, these two have incredible chemistry, and waiting for them to either kill or kiss each other creates many steamy moments that are just waiting to bubble over. Another great aspect of this story is the overall environment and aesthetic of the school—its rivalries, the danger lurking around every corner as revenge and justice take their turns.

Overall, I loved this story. It’s filled with surprises and shocking moments that leave me wanting more. I'm excited for where the story will go, and anxiously hoping these two can find their way back to each other for their HEA because my goodness, that ending really leaves me wondering how.

*** I reviewed a complimentary copy of this story.***

[Eli Tosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a bit late with my ARC review because I ended up reading it twice—partly because of the cliffhanger, and partly because I’m dyslexic and read best with both sight and sound. I knew there’d be a cliffhanger, but I didn’t expect to be this eager for the next book. Usually, when a show or story ends on a cliffhanger, I either skip it or wait until the next season is out, and now I wish I’d done that here because I’ll be obsessing over it until release day. I love the honesty in this book—they’re being trained to be killers, not scientists or lawyers. I liked the branding idea for when they’re in trouble, and I really enjoyed the dynamic between Nikolaj and Vincenzo, both thinking they had the upper hand until they proved each other wrong and realised they were in the same boat. Normally, the first POV I read helps me decide who I like more—this time it started with Vincenzo, but by chapter six, it was Nikolaj.

[C V · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

I’m speechless That ending…

This was such a good book! I love a good enemies to lovers/hate to love and this hit the spot. I adored the relationship between Niko and Enzo. Their struggles, the battles. The war between the Bratva and Cosa Nostra. I loved it all. I loved the chaos and I’m anxiously waiting for book 2. That cliffhanger was cruel!!!

[Shannon Winning · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m truly lost for words for this one for the best possible reasons.

This had it all! Suspense, enemies to lovers, possessive MCs, pinning, all the violence and literally so much more.

These two boys literally born to kill and not survive the world they are raised in. Born to hate each other, but they can’t seem to stay away. Vincenzo is the heir and born to run his family’s empire while Nikolaj was born to kill him.

The tension and banter between these two are crazy intense every freaking time, you never know who’s going to come out on top, my heart was racing this whole book not knowing when things would hit the fan. When they finally get together and decide to choose themselves over family over death it was purely bittersweet, because you know these families will not take it lightly. True meaning of no one will touch there men.

The ending of course shattered me to pieces but that is the whole point and Avery does heartbreak like no one else. I can’t wait for book two so I can be at peace with this couple deserve every happy thing they’ve been fighting for.

*this ends in a cliffhanger*

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it wrong for a grown woman to chuck a temper tantrum? Probably, but I don’t care because that’s what I want to do.Conquest was so good that I need the second book now. I was screaming/crying NO!!!, while reading.I went into this book knowing full well it ended with a cliffhanger, but I didn’t think it would affect me so deeply. It’s devastatingly beautiful. Conquest had me in a chokehold right from the start, and I couldn’t stop reading. It has everything—enemies to lovers, violence, possessiveness, spice, an edge of your seat storyline, and tears.
It’s very rare that a story can make me feel so many emotions all at once and make me feel like I’ve personally gone through heartbreak, but this book grabbed my heart, broke me, and left me in tears. And as mad as I am at Avery Collins right now, it just proves once again what a talented writer she is.

[Queenbeereads_sugarandspice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gosh, this book. It's something else.
 
Hatred. Obsession. Temptation. Seduction. Control.
 
Vincenzo and Nikolaj are fire together. Combustible. Explosive. Mutual destruction guaranteed. But they can't keep away from each other. It's like an intensely complicated dance between them, but neither of them really knows the right moves. Their feelings are all-consuming, and I felt that every step of the way with these two. 
 
These characters, the situation, the whole book screams intensity. And it's definitely not quiet intensity. It's loud. Deafening. Like a foghorn going off, causing ringing in your ears. A constant buzzing under your skin.
 
Outside expectations weigh on them both. Family duty and sacrifice should precede all else. They’re being pulled in two directions while trying to navigate their overwhelming feelings towards each other. Complicated doesn't even cover it. 
 
And that ending. Not at all expected. Heart shattering. Things didn't seem the right way up for me after I'd finished that last page, and I needed time to adjust back to the real world. I'm not sure if I'll be whole again until part 2 comes and hopefully mends the deep fracture in my heart.
 
This is one of those books that gets under your skin, and you can't shake it. I didn't truly understand how much it had affected me until I'd finished it. 
 
Vincenzo and Nikolaj. It's not the end of their story yet, but it feels as though they're already etched deep into my soul.

----

Some of my fave quotes:

“This is what we are. Poison in a shared glass.”
“You always were more poetry than power. You wear defiance like a costume, but your body? Your body was made to surrender to me.”

Every kiss tastes like revenge, every touch a threat. If this were love, it would be soft. If this were hate, it would be distant. But this is obsession, and obsession doesn’t care if it ends in blood.

“You don’t get to shut me out. You don’t get to walk away when I’m still bleeding for you.”

“You are the only one I ever wanted to keep. I promised myself I’d never be soft, but you make me forget the rehearsal.”

“I never do anything without protection. You’re my only risk.”

“I never asked you to bleed for me. I never wanted that.”
“No. You just made it impossible not to.”

“You look at me like you’re waiting for the world to end. Why do you always look like that?”
“I’m not waiting. I’m just watching the only thing in the world that doesn’t made me feel like I’m rotting inside.”

“Don’t make me choose between loving you and surviving you.”

[Laura Greer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book between MMC Vincenzo and Nikolaj. Both are born into family heirs that demand loyalty to the family and what the family represents only. Nothing else matters. They are suppose to hate each other. Sent to find each other’s weaknesses then kill the other one. They both had perfectly laid out plans or so they thought.
Vincenzo was raised to walk tall. Raised to be the King. Never to show any weakness or any response from his opponents. He has all the answers and plans laid out on how he does things. That is until Nikolaj starts driving him crazy.
Nikolaj is a wild card. His dad raised him to be a weapon. He knows how to get inside a persons head and use that against them. He reads people very well. And he has his sights on Vincenzo. He starts pushing all Vincenzo buttons and examines all of his micro-expressions.
What he doesn’t understand is that while he is carefully watching Vincenzo, he is slowly seeing him differently than how he is suppose to see him. He thinks he is just getting under Vincenzo skin and that he will be able to play him and that’s it. Boy was he wrong.
Once the boys truly start to see each other for who they are outside of their families, they fall hard for each other. They know they have the weight of their families on them but they can’t help it. They are drawn to each other. They end up finding comfort in each other when they shouldn’t. They truly end up fully trusting the other. They would do anything for the other.
They know that their relationship is going to be the death of them. It will ruin everything that they have worked their entire lives for.
Vincenzo may have to show Nikolaj just how far he is willing to go, and willing to go at it alone.

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I never f*cking wanted mercy...” Good, because mercy was never on the table, only conquest. Only us.
.
.
Vincenzo Vieri. A man of many titles, and the crown of the Cosa Nostra. Heir to Sicily’s last empire, and groomed from an early age to take the throne. Only one thing stands between him and his coronation.

Nikolaj Dragovich, the bloody prince of the bratva. The Rogue Heir. Sent by the Pakhan to eliminate the Vieri heir. One last mission, one last target, one more opportunity to earn his stars.

The setting… Vintermoor, an academy for children of the underworld’s elite. Here you won’t get a traditional education, but rather a masterclass in legacy and lethality. A perfect backdrop for the game of cat and mouse/seduction that’s about to unfold.

What starts as two princes assuming the roles they’ve been assigned slowly morphs into a palpable attraction. Through hand-to-hand combat, moments of jealousy, and even assassination attempts, the pull between Vieri and Niko soon blossoms into more than they bargained for. However, falling for your enemy does negate their respective missions. Love can only have one result: death.

In true Avery Collins fashion, Conquest is dark, hot, and a masterclass in morally grey men. Her ability to craft characters who put you through a spectrum of emotions is ever apparent in “Of Ruin and Royalty”. For example, Niko is ever the chameleon. One moment, he’s a ruthless machine, and the next, he is whispering sweet nothings in his enemy’s ear. Another factor I’d like to highlight is Collin’s descriptive writing. From chapter one, you are dropped into Vintermoor. From the frostbitten chapel to classrooms that resemble situation rooms, there is no shortage of immersive writing in Conquest.

With lines like, “A requiem for two boys who weren’t allowed to want”, Conquest is the literary definition of a forbidden relationship done right. So if you require a read chalked full of temptation, power, suspense, and salacious moments behind closed doors, look no further. Conquest is the book you didn’t know you needed to read.

[Just A Girl And Her Smut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plot ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Conquest is a true enemies to lovers slow burn, and it truly couldn’t have been done any different. The emotions, tension, and angst between Vincenzo and Nikolaj just radiates off the pages. They’re supposed to hate each other, loathe each other, but there’s this pull that neither can deny. You’re never sure whether they’re gonna kill or kiss each other when they’re in the same vicinity together. Their families are enemies, Vincenzo being the Cosa Nostra Prince, born to rule, and Nikolaj the Bratva Heir, sent to kill him. If I had to pick one word to describe what I felt reading this book it would be CHOKEHOLD.

Right from the start of the book we’re transported to Vintermoor Academy where empires fall, bloodlines are politics, and one wrong move could be your end. This is not a normal school, it’s for the heirs, the next generation of leaders, and you either rise or fall. I was hooked right from the moment Vincenzo got out of the car and laid eyes on Nikolaj. These boys are morally grey wrapped in trauma, risking everything for the one thing they should have never wanted … each other.

Avery Collins has become one of my favourite authors. The way she uses words to describe emotions, people, places is … indescribable. I literally get chills when I read her books. The highlights are in the hundreds, I mean I may as well have just highlighted the entire book. Honestly Avery can do no wrong … except maybe the ending cause that fucking hurt!!! Yes I knew going in that it ended on a cliffhanger but why did it have to hurt so much?!?

[sycokittykat - Stefanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When rival families find that their enemy is the one to truly see them

O....M....G..... I am not okay..... I've had terrible cliffhangers that make me rage but never before have I ended a book this angry and sad at the same time.

In this story we follow the Cosa Nostra Prince, Vincenzo and the Bratva heir, Nikolaj. Their families are enemies and always trying to kill each other. Unfortunately these two also have a scorching hot tension between them. These two balance on the tension line between hate and passion but once they fall its dark, brutal and so hot.

What do you do when you are supposed to kill someone but find you would rather take them apart in an entirely different way? The tension and angst found between will the kiss or kill each other is absolutely delicious. The chemistry is an inferno and not even family rivalry can stop this.

What do you do when the only person to ever truly see you is meant to kill you? What if there are other forces at play that also have a stake in weather you both live or die?

The entire school setting filled with rival families but calling it neutral is a powder keg just waiting to blow.

Do you want two men destined to kill each other but decide to kiss instead. Do you like secrets, lies, and unknown rivalry. Do you like when the tension is so thick they finally say F it? Do you want a cliffhanger that will leave you absolutely shattered and wondering how they can possibly fix it?

Well you've found it.

[Amanda Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m honestly speechless — in the best, most unhinged way.

This book has EVERYTHING:
• enemies to lovers
• mafia heirs destined to kill each other
• obsession + possessiveness
• vicious banter
• pining disguised as hate
• violence, spice, and heartbreak
• ✨CLIFFHANGER FROM HELL✨

Vincenzo is born to inherit the Cosa Nostra empire.
Nikolaj is born to kill him.
They’re raised to hate each other…but they can’t stay away. Every time they’re on the page together, the tension is lethal — you genuinely don’t know if they’ll throw a punch or kiss until someone breaks.

The push-pull between them is feral — cruelty layered over longing, hatred fueled by attraction, obsession disguised as loyalty to their families. And when they choose each other over the crown? It’s beautiful and brutal all at once, because you just KNOW the fallout is coming.

The ending absolutely destroyed me. The moment I realised the story ends there, I unraveled. Waiting for book two feels like torture. Avery Collins shapes heartbreak into something violent and beautiful, like a bruise you can’t stop touching.

I’m completely feral for book two.
These boys deserve their happy ending and I’ll be here screaming until they get it.

💣 Yes, there’s a cliffhanger. No, you’re absolutely not prepared… consider this your warning.
And would I put myself through it again? In a heartbeat.

[Demi Goddess Solis · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you crave a dark, enemies-to-lovers story that truly delivers on its promise of hatred and heat, let Conquest be your next obsession.

Told through the dual perspectives of mafia heirs Vincenzo Vieri and Nikolaj Dragovich, this book is a masterclass in tension. Vincenzo, burdened by legacy, is all controlled precision. Nikolaj, forged by exile and revenge, is pure, dangerous chaos. From their first intense encounter, every interaction is a razor-sharp game of psychological warfare.

The genius of this story is the exquisite push and pull. They are trained to destroy each other, yet cannot look away. The taunts are laced with unspoken fascination, the threats simmer with undeniable attraction. You will feel every bit of their searing sexual tension and the brutal internal battles they fight against their desires and their duties.

This is not a simple enemies-to-lovers tale; it's a beautifully brutal dance between two people who are each other's perfect match and greatest threat. It will have you giggling one moment and your heart aching the next. Prepare to be completely consumed

[itzxraibooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book grabbed me by the throat and YEETED me off a cliff. Literally. >.>

Avery Collins......… why would you do this to me??? Like genuinely, what did I do to deserve that ending. Because WOW!!!!!!!

Conquest is one of those books that sinks its claws in from page one and does not let go. Vincenzo and Nikolaj? Good lord the TENSION!!! These two hate each other so deeply, so violently, so beautifully, that every time they shared a scene I had to physically put my phone down and walk around like I was cooling off after a workout.

Vintermoor Academy is such an insane, cutthroat setting it’s like if Hogwarts, the Mafia, and a survival show had a baby. Every hallway feels like someone is about to die (or make out). Sometimes both and I'm not mad about it.

And the boys… lord help me. Vincenzo is the cold, controlled heir every inch the perfect weapon.
Nikolaj is the chaotic, deadly sunshine gremlin literally sent to kill the love of his life. When they finally start choosing each other over the blood feud, I melted.

And then that ending.....Avery really said, “Merry Cliffhanger, babe 😘,” and vanished.

The angst, the violence, the longing, the possessiveness, the absolute delusion that their families won’t burn the world down around them, I loved every second. I am obsessed and mildly traumatized.

*I received this arc from the author all thoughts are my own*

[Dulce Funez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m really obsessed with these two right now. Like, seriously, look, if you like mafia romance and enemies to lovers stories, the kind where they hate each other so deeply that they’re always on each other’s throats, walking that line between “I’m going to end you” and “Why are you tempting me so much?”, you will love Vincenzo and Nikolaj. Their rivalry is delicious; you can feel the hatred they have for each other. The way they fight is like a dance of flirting they do to each other. I swear, these two had me screaming every time they interacted. Also, the forbidden aspect? Absolutely yes. They’re kinda Romeo and Juliet vibes, and you’re like, “Omg, their families are rivals! How is this going to work? What’s going to happen?” I loved that because the plot keeps you guessing. I really enjoyed reading this book, and yes, you absolutely have to read it.

❤️‍Enemies to Lovers
⚔️Forced Proximity
❤️‍Rival Mafia Heirs
⚔️Forbidden Romance
❤️‍Power Exchange
⚔️‍Dangerous Attraction
❤️‍Legacy or Love

Star Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice Rating: 3/5 🔥 🔥 🔥

[Asia Farrar · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I don’t know if I have a sufficient amount of words to say how phenomenal this story was. I need book two, immediately! I’m gutted!

From the moment this story started the dialogue between Vincenzo and Nikolaj caught my attention. It was descriptive and pulled me right in. I bookmarked so many parts of the book, it’s crazy. The way the tension just rolled off the pages between these two characters had me clutching my pearls and pacing the house. The anger, frustration, attraction, and internal conflict that these two MCs go through takes you on a journey the entire story. I didn’t want to put it down, and I want to go back through and highlight all the dialogue because it was so well done. Arseniy, I’ve got my eyes on him. He’s more than just one dimensional and I’m intrigued. I would love a book about him too. I’m left with so many questions that I want answers to and tears that are streaming down my face. The cliffhanger was brutal! Well freaking done Avery!

[Vallenreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy moly! That was so visceral and intense!
This story sees two rival mafia heirs Vincenzo and Nikolaj battle against each other, against the crowns they are set to inherit, and what is expected of them. They should be going to war against each others families, but end up battling their feelings for each other instead, and boy do they put up a good fight, oh the angst and pining!
This story is a true enemies to lovers, and written so brilliantly! Avery is such an emotive writer, the way she writes the story and the character’s feelings just draws you in and drowns you in the emotions of it all! The anger, hatred, denial, desperation, lust are so intense, and the love creeps up on you, but you feel it all(!), and that ending is a harsh heartbreaking punch to the gut! You don’t see it coming at all, it is devastating, and leaves you demanding vengeance and wanting to hunt down fictional characters to dish it out.
It has been a long time since I’ve had a book leave me reeling for all the right reasons, this is a MUST read with extra exclamation marks!!!

[Natasha Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE CLIFFHANGER😭😭 Good Lord, the cliffhanger. Every time I say a book devoured me, I pick up a new book and the word devoured is completely redefined. This book chewed me up and spit me out, and I’ll just be here in pieces waiting for book two. 😩

This book felt like a thriller with all the suspense and TENSION! Like somebody get me a knife to cut some of this tension with😮‍💨 I was on the edge of my seat, giggling, then back in tears, then back to my heart racing. Vincenzo and Nikolaj are the absolute definition of enemies to lovers and Avery wrote them so incredibly well! The chemistry and heat were just the icing on the cake for this one, I was enthralled with the suspense. Mafia romance will forever be one of my favorite sub-genres and this book gave me exactly what I needed. Minus the cliffhanger because WTF🤯

I thought the pace and timeline was perfect and the storyline kept me hooked and flipping the pages. These characters had spectacular depth while still growing throughout the book. Avery is a new to me author and I’m impressed and excited to read more. ❤️

[Wicked River Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avery does it again!!! This was just as amazing as I expected it to be! I loved the banter and the push-pull between these two. You could felt the chemistry between Vincenzo and Nikolaj from the moment Vincenzo stepped out of the car and onto school grounds. The tension between the two of them was so good! I really enjoyed the dynamic between Vincenzo and Nikolaj, them fight so hard to hate each other simply because it’s what they were born to do all the while falling for one another. Their cruelty towards each other came from passion, obsession, a bit of possessiveness, a lot want and them attempting to make their circumstances about the families and the crown meanwhile it only solidified their attraction to one another which was fun to see! The way their love hurt hurt me! I loved their walls cracking and them letting each other in the best they knew how. I’m impatiently patiently waiting for book two!


❤️ARC REVIEW🖤

☑️ Trigger Warnings.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, savage, and unbearably romantic, Avery writes like no one else, and Conquest delivered everything I wanted and then some.

It's morally grey men, forbidden love, and the cost of choosing self over blood. Suspenseful, possessive, and relentless, with a push-pull between legacy and longing that keeps you breathless and wanting more.

Set at Vintermoor Academy, where legacy is taught alongside lethality, the story follows Vincenzo Vieri, heir to the Cosa Nostra, and Nikolaj Dragovich, the rogue prince of the Bratva. Raised to hate and destroy one another, they're pulled into a brutal, magnetic dance of violence, biting banter, and forbidden desire that slowly becomes an impossible love. When they finally choose each other over family and duty, their victory feels both triumphant and heartbreakingly perilous.

Avery, you left me emotionally spent but satisfied. I can't wait to continue their story!

[Brandy Donato · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY CRAP!!!!!

I don't even know what the crap just happened. That was the type of book that will suck you in and destroy your heart.

Vincenzo and Nikolaj are just perfection. Both of the mafia bad a$$es just knocked me on my a$$.

I love me a mafia romance and this book did not disappoint. Avery rocked the heck out of this book.

I can not wait to see what for the next book... THIS ONE ENDS IN A CLIFFHANGER

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- 𝗣𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗲
- 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗛𝗶𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗!𝗲
- 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
- 𝗛𝘂𝗿𝘁/𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁, 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗜𝘁 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝟬𝗱𝘆

THEN THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU!!!!!!

[XenyMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You’re my goddamn ruin. And I can’t stop wanting you.”

These two have my whole fucking heart! I alpha read this book, and let me tell you, reading the final product broke my heart all over again... and I knew what was coming. So, brace yourselves.

Avery did such an amazing job with the enemies to lovers trope in this story. I absolutely loved every minute of tension between Nikolaj and Vincenzo. Their hate to love relationship made for some really fantastic one-liners.

All the twists had me screaming and throwing things. And that ending, gods that ending was so painful. But it was also so good! I can't wait to read the ending of this duet.

Quote: “My sin. My salvation. My end. Loving Vincenzo Vieri isn’t just treason—it’s a death sentence. And I’ve already signed it with every kiss.”

[Shaden · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review – Conquest by Avery Collins

Conquest is a dark, addictive ride that sinks its claws into you from page one. Avery Collins delivers a story that is equal parts ruthless tension, dangerous chemistry, and raw emotion. The characters feel sharp and alive—flawed, driven, and carrying wounds that make every choice hit harder.

The power dynamics are intense in the best way, and the slow unfurling of trust, obsession, and vulnerability kept me glued to the pages. Collins’ writing is fast, cinematic, and packed with the kind of lines you reread just to feel them again.

This book is immersive, intoxicating, and crafted for readers who crave morally gray motives wrapped in high-stakes heat. A standout entry in dark romance, and easily one of Avery Collins’ strongest works yet.

**THIS BOOK HAS BEEN SENT TO ME BY THE AUTHOR**

[Jordan Fiest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conquest is book one in the Of Ruin and Royalty Series.

Ummm, hello? How could we end like that. We finally get to see something that could be happiness for Vincenzo and Nikolaj and then we get hit with that. I am now eagerly awaiting the next installment to see what is going to happen next. I feel like it will be a heartwrencher.

We see these two characters go through a lot of emotions. There is a lot of hatred at the start as they are enemies. We know that there will be nefarious things happening with these two. Both of these characters show such a growth over the course of all their interactions. There is so much sexual tension between them that it makes it so much more intense when they come together. I loved every moment of these two being together, whether as enemies or lovers.

[Meli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vincenzo and Nikolaj’s families are enemies and both are taught the other is the enemy. But it goes deeper than that and we get a glimpse but not full story towards the end. The two both hate and despise what the other stands for but when they look closer they are the same. Both fighting for their legacies but when you start understanding your enemy is when you get towards dangerous territory and especially when you develop feelings. This book was slow burn to the point that when they finally get together you think all will be fine and it will be them against the world but then we get thrown a curveball you never see coming that leaves you devastated. I think this was a good first book and left you with a cliffhanger that was devastating but bearable as we know what needs to happen next but once that happens is when your left with how will these two bridge the families once all is said and done. For now I’m left with theories and excitement on Vincenzo’s vengeance.
🖤Enemies to lovers
🖤Forced proximity
🖤Slow burn
⚠️Knife play
⚠️Homophobia
⚠️Torture

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morally gray. Red flags everywhere. Enemies to lovers. Forced proximity. Forbidden romance. Rival families. The speed I ran to this book had me questioning all my life choices.

Then there was Nikolaj, who ruined me on sight and didn’t even knock 🫠😮‍💨🥵
…sorry, Vincenzo 😬

But it’s not just the MMCs that catch you off guard—it’s the real-life emotion Avery threads into her mafia books. I’ll admit, the mafia genre isn’t usually my fave, but Avery’s writing isn’t loud or in-your-face like others I’ve read. It’s lyrical, almost poetic, and somehow makes the danger feel intimate. It’s messy. It’s raw. And it leaves you gasping for more.

And speaking of messy and raw… that cliffhanger??

I didn’t just walk to the edge—I sprinted, launched myself, and shattered on the rocks below.

My anxiety now has anxiety as I desperately wait for the next book 🫣😩

[August June 💘 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to read this so badly but dont want to get stuck with the cliffhanger. Anyone know when the 2nd book is coming out?

=====================================

Finally gave into the temptation and read the book. My first feeling after reading the book is disappointment. In other words, I was expecting more from the MCs but they fell flat most of the time. Their interactions were repetitive, their monologues and feelings were repetitive. Push and pull was a bit tiring. I wish Ms Collins had written their interactions more balanced with more revenge conversations.

Nikolaj just smirks and Vincenzo just stays as statue with all the bells and whistles (Jaw tightening, face as a stone, hands twitching minutely etc etc). This happens for more than half of a book.

I expected more from Vincenzo with the way he was portrayed / introduced but he turned out to be all bark, no bite mafia heir. We atleast see few scenes where Nikolaj kills people, taking revenge and he even saves Vincenzo from getting killed LOL. Vincenzo's character was a big let down for me. He postured a lot but no action.

I am really sad that I have to give this rating to Ms Collins book (she is one of my favourite authors, love her Blackthorne series) and I am sorry for it but smut can only get so much ratings when you have to consider whole story.

TW: there is also a pretty detailed scene where Nikolaj gets a BJ from another character. It came out of nowhere and I just skimmed it as I am not a fan of reading MCs having on page sex with others. This is before MCs get together but they were already orbiting around each other.

[Ebon Embrace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into Conquest by Avery Collins fully prepared for the cliffhanger… and still, Avery managed to snatch my heart out of my chest and stomp on it with her usual emotional brilliance. Honestly, no one writes unhinged, scarred, beautifully broken characters the way she does - and yes, I willingly suffer every single time. I guess I’m a complete masochist for this kind of emotional destruction. 😭🖤
I loved the entire mafia-college setting. Watching Vincenzo — heir of the Vieri mafia family, cold, calculated, disciplined - collide with Nikolaj - heir of the Bratva, ice-cold, chaotic, and ordered to kill Vincenzo to finally earn his stars — was such a delicious experience. Their very first meeting practically crackled with tension. The animosity between them isn’t just visible; it’s something you can feel, like static in the air that follows them through every hallway.
And what wrecked me most was seeing behind both of their perfect facades. The way they provoke each other… the way they see each other… the way that slow, agonising pull becomes impossible to ignore. They try so hard to resist - truly, they fight it - but I felt myself cheering louder and louder as the inevitable drew closer. And when they finally gave in? I swear I almost levitated. The chapel scene… oh my god. My heart was bleeding and healing at the same time. The intensity, the vulnerability, the realisation of what they might lose, it gutted me in the most beautiful way.
And then the ending. Brutal. Cruel. Avery, if you’re reading this… I really do still need my heart. Please return it promptly in book two. 🥺💔

[AroundtheBookBend · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is how you do enemies to lovers! Nikolaj and Vincenzo were at each other’s throats… literally. They drew blood, traded punches, and exchanged thinly veiled insults in an almost poetic flair. Their hate was as intoxicating as their desire for each other. The tension between them was like a volcano preparing to erupt. And watching them fall for each other was exquisite. Their love was beautiful and raw and so intense. I was left breathless as I joined them on their journey in the halls of Vintermoor.

This was a top read of the year for me, even though that ending took me out. It had me crying, upset, and just broken. I don’t know if I can wait for the next book 😭😭

I got an advanced copy and this is my voluntary review.