Kiss the Villain by Rina Kent was my favorite book of hers so far, so I was thrilled to dive into the next book in the Villain series, Hunt the Villain. Like the first book in the series, this is an MM mafia romance featuring two unhinged, vicious, possessive men who can’t stay away from each other.
Yulian Dimitriev and Vaughn Morozov were raised to be rivals, both heirs to their father’s high positions in dueling factions of the Russian mafia. From the first time they met as teenagers, at a summer camp meant to foster peace between the Chicago and New York branches of the mafia, they’ve been at war, except for one heated, confusing moment.
Now they’re adults, in college, and Yulian has crashed back into Vaughn’s life, determined to piss him off. Vaughn’s only goal is to inherit his father’s position and run his empire successfully, but Yulian’s presence in his life poses a significant complication.
Their relationship is dangerous, thanks to the politics and “traditional” values of the mafia, but no matter how angry they get, no matter how risky it is, they can’t seem to stay away.
Yulian and Vaughn are total opposites, with little in common outside of the mafia, but their differences only add to their chemistry. Their love is obsessive and possessive, and this story is in no small part fueled by jealousy. I loved these characters and loved them together. This dynamic is the high point of this book.
Yes, I am, unfortunately and tragically, hard.
The spice in Hunt the Villain is angry and vicious, but so very hot. Even when Vaughn and Yulian are fighting their attraction, maybe even especially then, the passion between them rolls off the page.
Like every other book in the Rinaverse, this one is easy to tear through, with lots of action and a fast paced plot. Yulian and Vaughn have a lot of history and long held grudges to work through, and throughout the story there is plenty to keep the readers engaged, and the result is quite cathartic in the end.
Hunt the Villain is very on brand Rina Kent, exciting if not particularly different from many of her previous works. While it will be nearly impossible to top Gareth and Kayden’s book for me, this story was still a super fun read.
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