Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Hello everyone! Get ready for a dark read this time- I just finished Bad Bishop by LJ Shen, and wow, it packs a punch. This book is definitely full of triggers, so please check those warnings before diving in. It will not be for everyone due to its content, but for those who crave Dark Romance and this is dark, Bad Bishop, book 1 in the Society of Villains series, is a solid entry and really enjoyable.

This is a mafia romance with an age gap. We meet Tiernan, our male main character, as he is literally getting his eye removed by the female main character, Lila’s, brothers years ago. Tiernan is exactly what the series promises, a villain through and through. He is the prince of the Irish Mafia and is known as Deathless, a title that will make more sense as you read this novel.

Lila, on the other hand, has spent most of her life as a pawn in the games of others. Her mother, wanting to avoid marrying Lila off for a mafia alliance someday, convinces everyone that Lila is disabled and mentally still a child. She is given dollhouses and coloring books, forced to wear pink frilly dresses, and is pushed to keep up this act. Everything changes after a traumatic night when Lila is sexually assaulted and becomes pregnant.

To secure an alliance with the Camorra and gain some advantages, Tiernan agrees to marry Lila. He soon realizes that Lila isn’t the person he was told she was. She is quick-witted and tries to defend herself when they are forced together on their wedding night. Tiernan sets out to discover who assaulted Lila, and the story begins to unravel from there.

If you decide to read this book, you will find a lot to keep your attention throughout the story. It is full of tough, twisted moments, both for Lila and for Tiernan. There is meaningful growth for both of them, and LJ Shen gives readers just enough glimpses into their traumatic histories to make us understand their choices. Expect things to go very dark, especially given the mafia context. This is not a cozy romance and I can not stress to you enough to Please read the trigger warnings—they are important for this book.

The pacing in Bad Bishop is fantastic from start to finish. I never felt bogged down by the story or tempted to skip ahead. A lot of that tension and depth comes alive thanks to narrators Lucy Rivers and Corvin King. They did such a good job voicing Lila and Tiernan, which fans of Lucy and/or Corvin will be expecting. Personally, I could listen to them narrate just about anything.

So, friends, if you are looking to take a walk on the darker side of romance, Bad Bishop may be your glass of whiskey. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review. Happy reading!