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The Wicked Wonderland Duet #1
Queen of Madness
The greatest weakness any man can ever have is a woman.
The inherent need to protect them can become overwhelming and all consuming. It makes us think irrationally and do stupid things. In my case, falling down a rabbit hole.
My sister made a mistake. One that put us in debt with the Italian mob who owns half the state, and as payment they’ve enlisted me to work for them.
Only it isn’t them I’ll be working for.
It’s for her. Onyx Embros.
She’s a ghost, a legend, the head of their rival mafia family, and the queen of Wonderland.
In order to save my family, I have to act as her guard so they can find a way to kill her. But the longer I stay, the more I realize Onyx isn’t who I thought she was, and neither am I.
Turns out, I’m just as mad.
A Bodyguard Mafia Romance
The inherent need to protect them can become overwhelming and all consuming. It makes us think irrationally and do stupid things. In my case, falling down a rabbit hole.
My sister made a mistake. One that put us in debt with the Italian mob who owns half the state, and as payment they’ve enlisted me to work for them.
Only it isn’t them I’ll be working for.
It’s for her. Onyx Embros.
She’s a ghost, a legend, the head of their rival mafia family, and the queen of Wonderland.
In order to save my family, I have to act as her guard so they can find a way to kill her. But the longer I stay, the more I realize Onyx isn’t who I thought she was, and neither am I.
Turns out, I’m just as mad.
A Bodyguard Mafia Romance
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 4, 2022
568 people are currently reading
12570 people want to read
About the author
Lee Jacquot
24 books2,020 followersHey there! My name is Lee. I like to think of myself as a bibliophile who belongs to the Ravenclaw house.
I write romances that can sometimes be sweet and spicy or deadly and kinky. I'm a firm believer in happily ever afters and men who always make sure their woman is satisfied first.
When I'm not writing, I'm drowning myself in a good book, losing track of time on the Nintendo Switch with my kids, and laughing or yelling at one of my husbands practical jokes. (He likes to leave fake spiders and roaches around.)
Also, something important to note. I live off Chai and Dean Winchester.
Visit me on Instagram or TikTok to find out about upcoming releases and other fun things! @authorleejacquot
I write romances that can sometimes be sweet and spicy or deadly and kinky. I'm a firm believer in happily ever afters and men who always make sure their woman is satisfied first.
When I'm not writing, I'm drowning myself in a good book, losing track of time on the Nintendo Switch with my kids, and laughing or yelling at one of my husbands practical jokes. (He likes to leave fake spiders and roaches around.)
Also, something important to note. I live off Chai and Dean Winchester.
Visit me on Instagram or TikTok to find out about upcoming releases and other fun things! @authorleejacquot
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 474 reviews
January 2, 2022
Crazy good! Trust me, you want this one
beta read
beta read
April 23, 2022
I have been waiting my entire life for a book like this
Once upon a time, there was a woman who spent her days in search of stories.
She threw money at booksellers, barged into taverns that were said to house authors, and always kept her ears open for any story that could pique her interest.
Years went by and the woman stopped giving her money and stopped following authors into caves.
But her ears, they could never close.
On a warm summer night, she heard about a story, one that was not for the faint of heart, and suddenly she felt alive.
Months went by, and again, the woman started back on her journey of finding the best stories.
Some were great, some not so much, but the woman persisted. And her persistence was rewarded.
Hello, my name is Batool Zainab "Bats" Suleman, and I'm the woman who searches for stories to feed her soul. And my latest find? This masterpiece.
Lee Jacquot.
Lee freaking Jacquot.
I was first introduced to Jacquot on TikTok. Someone made a video about her Holinight novella, Christmas on the Thirteenth Floor, and I DEVOURED it in one sitting.
Needless to say, I became a fast fan of her writing.
Unfortunately, my TBR was already extremely long so I had to tend to a few other books before I could make my way back to Jacquot.
Then I hear about this new book she released, where the FMC is a mafia queen.
I had been DYING for a book with such a premise.
So I jumped into the deep end, borrowed the book on Kindle Unlimited, and read it all in one sitting. Two-and-a-half hours.
As luck would have it, they ended being the best two-and-a-half hours of my life.
Lee Jacquot, I forgive you for the cliffhanger. I forgive you for the present tense verb conjugation. I even forgive you for the CRIMINALLLLLLL fade-to-black when it was about to be one of my favourite spice scenes ever.
I forgive you because you wrote a book that is so goddamn exceptional
The violence? Top-tier.
The spice? Top-tier.
The tension? Top-tier
The story? Top-tier.
And the characters? TOP-FREAKING-TIER.
Ezekiel is an MMC who melts my heart while also making my blood pressure rise, my favourite combination.
Onyx Embros is the woman I want to grow up to be.
Onyx is a biracial bad*ss who takes the world by storm. Morally grey, but in the best way. Sexually open, but not meek and submissive. Extremely skilled at math and science, but also at various torture techniques.
Onyx Embros is, essentially, the mafia version of Lana Myers from the Mindf*ck series by S. T. Abby. AND I AM LOSING MY MIND AT HOW MUCH I LOVE BOTH OF THEM.
This book is so good, I purchased the physical copy before I was even finished reading it.
This book is so good, I RANNN to join the author's FB group.
This book is so good, I'm giving it ∞/5.
I know it seems that I rate a lot of books quite highly, but majority of my "five-star reviews" are actually four-and-a-half stars or rated in the heat of the moment.
This book? My rating will never change.
I did notice a few minor continuity errors, and I will likely reach out to the author, directly, to let them know. I also didn't like that the FMC's "tiny waist" was mentioned several times (like, we get it, she's skinny). But honestly? Those are both infinitesimal when I factor in the rest of the book.
I can't wait for the second book in this series. I wish I was on that beta reader team!!!
Edit: forgot to mention that this book has several trigger warnings. Please proceed with caution if you choose to read this book.
Edit #2: I'm still not over this book 😭
Edit #3: I think I need to reread this book because my latest mafia reads have been disappointing me.
Edit #4: I'm beta reading the second book in the duet and I'm smitten for these two 😭
Once upon a time, there was a woman who spent her days in search of stories.
She threw money at booksellers, barged into taverns that were said to house authors, and always kept her ears open for any story that could pique her interest.
Years went by and the woman stopped giving her money and stopped following authors into caves.
But her ears, they could never close.
On a warm summer night, she heard about a story, one that was not for the faint of heart, and suddenly she felt alive.
Months went by, and again, the woman started back on her journey of finding the best stories.
Some were great, some not so much, but the woman persisted. And her persistence was rewarded.
Hello, my name is Batool Zainab "Bats" Suleman, and I'm the woman who searches for stories to feed her soul. And my latest find? This masterpiece.
Lee Jacquot.
Lee freaking Jacquot.
I was first introduced to Jacquot on TikTok. Someone made a video about her Holinight novella, Christmas on the Thirteenth Floor, and I DEVOURED it in one sitting.
Needless to say, I became a fast fan of her writing.
Unfortunately, my TBR was already extremely long so I had to tend to a few other books before I could make my way back to Jacquot.
Then I hear about this new book she released, where the FMC is a mafia queen.
I had been DYING for a book with such a premise.
So I jumped into the deep end, borrowed the book on Kindle Unlimited, and read it all in one sitting. Two-and-a-half hours.
As luck would have it, they ended being the best two-and-a-half hours of my life.
Lee Jacquot, I forgive you for the cliffhanger. I forgive you for the present tense verb conjugation. I even forgive you for the CRIMINALLLLLLL fade-to-black when it was about to be one of my favourite spice scenes ever.
I forgive you because you wrote a book that is so goddamn exceptional
The violence? Top-tier.
The spice? Top-tier.
The tension? Top-tier
The story? Top-tier.
And the characters? TOP-FREAKING-TIER.
Ezekiel is an MMC who melts my heart while also making my blood pressure rise, my favourite combination.
Onyx Embros is the woman I want to grow up to be.
Onyx is a biracial bad*ss who takes the world by storm. Morally grey, but in the best way. Sexually open, but not meek and submissive. Extremely skilled at math and science, but also at various torture techniques.
Onyx Embros is, essentially, the mafia version of Lana Myers from the Mindf*ck series by S. T. Abby. AND I AM LOSING MY MIND AT HOW MUCH I LOVE BOTH OF THEM.
This book is so good, I purchased the physical copy before I was even finished reading it.
This book is so good, I RANNN to join the author's FB group.
This book is so good, I'm giving it ∞/5.
I know it seems that I rate a lot of books quite highly, but majority of my "five-star reviews" are actually four-and-a-half stars or rated in the heat of the moment.
This book? My rating will never change.
I did notice a few minor continuity errors, and I will likely reach out to the author, directly, to let them know. I also didn't like that the FMC's "tiny waist" was mentioned several times (like, we get it, she's skinny). But honestly? Those are both infinitesimal when I factor in the rest of the book.
I can't wait for the second book in this series. I wish I was on that beta reader team!!!
Edit: forgot to mention that this book has several trigger warnings. Please proceed with caution if you choose to read this book.
Edit #2: I'm still not over this book 😭
Edit #3: I think I need to reread this book because my latest mafia reads have been disappointing me.
Edit #4: I'm beta reading the second book in the duet and I'm smitten for these two 😭
September 14, 2022
4 stars
This book was unlike any mafia story I've read. I think the POV's is what really made it stand out. We don't really get the FMC present POVs till 3/4 of the book.
I loved seeing her through the eyes of her inner circle.
Ezekiel is such a complex character. Seeing him struggle with his guilt and protective instinct over Onyx was so interesting.
Did not see that cliffhanger coming though. Looking forward to reading more from the author
This book was unlike any mafia story I've read. I think the POV's is what really made it stand out. We don't really get the FMC present POVs till 3/4 of the book.
I loved seeing her through the eyes of her inner circle.
Ezekiel is such a complex character. Seeing him struggle with his guilt and protective instinct over Onyx was so interesting.
Did not see that cliffhanger coming though. Looking forward to reading more from the author
Read
May 31, 2022I got bored.
The plot was moving soooo slowly, there were plenty flashbacks with the heroine growing up and the hero was indifferent to me.
Also, reading many characters’ points of view and having the heroine’s pov ONLY from the past (while she was growing up), tired me.
Dnf @ 68%
The plot was moving soooo slowly, there were plenty flashbacks with the heroine growing up and the hero was indifferent to me.
Also, reading many characters’ points of view and having the heroine’s pov ONLY from the past (while she was growing up), tired me.
Dnf @ 68%
March 9, 2022
3.5s
Tomorrow. Such a lovely place to be. Lovely indeed.”
April 4, 2023
This just felt so boring to me. Not a single thing held my interest no matter how hard I tried for it to. I found the characters very bland too. I didn’t feel any sort of connection when any of the characters interacted and frankly, they weren’t developed enough. It’s like seeing without glasses. You can see blurry blobs and you know what they’re supposed to be but it’s just not clear. That made it hard to connect or feel anything toward what was happening. Which leads me to the plot. It also didn’t feel like a fully flashed out thing. I know the basic idea behind it but there’s not enough to feel the stakes or care what happens. This is the first book in a duet but I’m not interested in reading the next book (even after how this one ended) so that’s saying something.
June 12, 2023
I live for books with unhinged fmcs 🌝😋
January 4, 2022
3.5
Mafia Romance with Alice in Wonderland inspiration? A wicked fun time! (Murderously sexy too)
I really loved all the little hints to Alice in Wonderland and what role each character would play. We get to read from multiple POVs, which is really unique and made this book focus a lot more on the crime aspect of the mafia underworld. Maddy is probably my fave side character (I am ashamed to say it took a hot minute for me to realise she was the Mad Hatter smh). Onyx is a totally badass and I loved how hardcore she was. This girl wears stilettos sharp enough to pierce a man’s thigh, which she does ;) She has a lot of potential as our heroine and I can’t wait to get more from her.
My only complaint is that it moved a little too fast and that meant that we lost a little bit of the depth between the characters and their romance that could’ve been fleshed out. And the constantly changing POVs also added to a little bit of the confusion as you are focusing more on trying to connect the pieces together than anything else.
Regardless, a great book from this author and i cannot wait to finish it up!
* i read an ARC
Mafia Romance with Alice in Wonderland inspiration? A wicked fun time! (Murderously sexy too)
I really loved all the little hints to Alice in Wonderland and what role each character would play. We get to read from multiple POVs, which is really unique and made this book focus a lot more on the crime aspect of the mafia underworld. Maddy is probably my fave side character (I am ashamed to say it took a hot minute for me to realise she was the Mad Hatter smh). Onyx is a totally badass and I loved how hardcore she was. This girl wears stilettos sharp enough to pierce a man’s thigh, which she does ;) She has a lot of potential as our heroine and I can’t wait to get more from her.
My only complaint is that it moved a little too fast and that meant that we lost a little bit of the depth between the characters and their romance that could’ve been fleshed out. And the constantly changing POVs also added to a little bit of the confusion as you are focusing more on trying to connect the pieces together than anything else.
Regardless, a great book from this author and i cannot wait to finish it up!
* i read an ARC
April 2, 2025
amazing characters but the writing was terrible.
to give you a review that tells you everything and nothing all at once; i first read this in (I think) 2021 and I rated it 5⭐️, then ranted about how amazing it was online, in goodreads, wherever I could.
–thank god i did not hv a huge goodreads account then, if not I'd get hate crimed left and right.
–I read this again in 2025, and i was shocked at how a grown woman has the ability to write this. I mean, this totally belongs to wattpad. Makes sense that I liked this during my wattpad era.
Hope this helps🙏
toodles!!
to give you a review that tells you everything and nothing all at once; i first read this in (I think) 2021 and I rated it 5⭐️, then ranted about how amazing it was online, in goodreads, wherever I could.
–thank god i did not hv a huge goodreads account then, if not I'd get hate crimed left and right.
–I read this again in 2025, and i was shocked at how a grown woman has the ability to write this. I mean, this totally belongs to wattpad. Makes sense that I liked this during my wattpad era.
Hope this helps🙏
toodles!!
October 27, 2022
Oh how I love retellings. I love it even more when the characters are more or less the same, and it’s set in the modern world! Ezekiel’s do-gooder kid sister gets herself in trouble with the Irish mafia. She’s the type to steal fish from the pet store and then gleefully set them free into the wild. Only this time, she didn’t set fish free. She set free a shipment of women that the mafia intended to sell, putting her squarely 12 million in debt and Ezekiel is their chosen vessel of payment. He’s to situate himself to the head of the Italian mafia’s side, Onyx, as her bodyguard. He has three months to learn her secrets. Easy peasy. They have his precious sister so he’s properly incentivized.
It will be easy. She’s just another dirty mafia leader, he feels contempt. Until he meets her and her merry rag tag crew of formerly damaged victims of the Irish mafia’s skin trade. Former drug addicts and victims of rape and brutality. And she’s saved over 1,000 women from the mafia. Hence, why they’re out for her blood. Onyx grieves for her dead parents and resents her uncle who made her into a soldier of death. She wants to take down the Irish mafia so that she can walk away from it all. And she starts finally letting Zeke in, after resisting so hard for so long…
I loved the twins and Maddie and Sil, they were all so interesting and fascinating! And I freaking love Ezekiel, he’s so decent and caring and the way he is drawn to Onyx is really endearing. And hot. It took me quite a while to warm up to Onyx, I have a hard time with domineering women, but then she was vulnerable and we find out why she’s so guarded and aloof and I felt for her. The end was of course a clusterfuck of a cliffhanger, so off I go into the void! Hope my poor heart survives!!
It will be easy. She’s just another dirty mafia leader, he feels contempt. Until he meets her and her merry rag tag crew of formerly damaged victims of the Irish mafia’s skin trade. Former drug addicts and victims of rape and brutality. And she’s saved over 1,000 women from the mafia. Hence, why they’re out for her blood. Onyx grieves for her dead parents and resents her uncle who made her into a soldier of death. She wants to take down the Irish mafia so that she can walk away from it all. And she starts finally letting Zeke in, after resisting so hard for so long…
I loved the twins and Maddie and Sil, they were all so interesting and fascinating! And I freaking love Ezekiel, he’s so decent and caring and the way he is drawn to Onyx is really endearing. And hot. It took me quite a while to warm up to Onyx, I have a hard time with domineering women, but then she was vulnerable and we find out why she’s so guarded and aloof and I felt for her. The end was of course a clusterfuck of a cliffhanger, so off I go into the void! Hope my poor heart survives!!
December 31, 2022
DNF @ 72%
No plot at all but hey, at least we got to read the POV of just about EVERY single character in the book 🙃 ms author really gave everybody here a voice
No plot at all but hey, at least we got to read the POV of just about EVERY single character in the book 🙃 ms author really gave everybody here a voice
January 18, 2022
***AVAILABLE NOW***
4.5 STARS
This was a phenomenal retelling of Alice in Wonderland (loose retelling)!
What I loved:
1. The aspects of Alice in Wonderland that she kept in the book - all the characters, the roses, and the Queen of Hearts
2. I loved the hero, Ezekiel. This man was willing to serve Onyx as her guard (even though he had nefarious motives), but was still dominant in the bedroom. I loved the power dynamic shifts between them.
3. Onyx. I LOVE her. A mafia female boss. She was such a rich character.
4. The whole family that Onyx creates. I loved each and every single one of them.
5. It was a great plot line. Suspense, rival mafia families at war, revenge…so much.
What I didn’t love:
1. The plot dragged a bit at the end, when Z and Onyx finally kind of come to terms with their relationship, but the suspense part of the plot hadn’t picked up yet.
I would absolutely recommend this one to my mafia lovers. You won’t be disappointed.
4.5 STARS
This was a phenomenal retelling of Alice in Wonderland (loose retelling)!
What I loved:
1. The aspects of Alice in Wonderland that she kept in the book - all the characters, the roses, and the Queen of Hearts
2. I loved the hero, Ezekiel. This man was willing to serve Onyx as her guard (even though he had nefarious motives), but was still dominant in the bedroom. I loved the power dynamic shifts between them.
3. Onyx. I LOVE her. A mafia female boss. She was such a rich character.
4. The whole family that Onyx creates. I loved each and every single one of them.
5. It was a great plot line. Suspense, rival mafia families at war, revenge…so much.
What I didn’t love:
1. The plot dragged a bit at the end, when Z and Onyx finally kind of come to terms with their relationship, but the suspense part of the plot hadn’t picked up yet.
I would absolutely recommend this one to my mafia lovers. You won’t be disappointed.
January 4, 2022
Oh. my. God. This book is making me go MAD.
This is an Alice in Wonderland inspired story- and lemme say it did NOT disappoint. I *highlyyyy* recommend you give it a shot!
The characters are all amazing and I love them sm
This book was everythingggg- and Onyx is SO MF HOT- I think I fell in love with her AND Ezekiel☠️(yes, he's hot too) & the spice?? ✋😮💨
but THAT CLIFFHANGER?????!??!?!?!?!!! BRO SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ME DIRTY LIKE THAT 😭😭😭😭I *hateeee* cliffhangers- (but this was a good one smh) and one like THAT??? I need the next book- like yesterday. LMAO (but seriously)😩😩
I can't wait to see how the next book goes👀
also, fuck the Murphy family
nasty, gross, pieces of shit 🤬😤
Thank you Lee for the ARC!!
This is an Alice in Wonderland inspired story- and lemme say it did NOT disappoint. I *highlyyyy* recommend you give it a shot!
The characters are all amazing and I love them sm
This book was everythingggg- and Onyx is SO MF HOT- I think I fell in love with her AND Ezekiel☠️(yes, he's hot too) & the spice?? ✋😮💨
but THAT CLIFFHANGER?????!??!?!?!?!!! BRO SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ME DIRTY LIKE THAT 😭😭😭😭I *hateeee* cliffhangers- (but this was a good one smh) and one like THAT??? I need the next book- like yesterday. LMAO (but seriously)😩😩
I can't wait to see how the next book goes👀
also, fuck the Murphy family
nasty, gross, pieces of shit 🤬😤
Thank you Lee for the ARC!!
January 18, 2022
“Let it consume and tear you to shreds, burn you to ashes. And then be reborn.”
4.5 stars
This cliffhanger!! First time reading this author and i really, really liked the book. I just wished more Onyx’s POV. I didn’t find the multiple POVs necessary when they basically were a repeat of each other.
The fact this book is mostly from the dude’s pov tho *chefskiss* but I need more answers.
4.5 stars
This cliffhanger!! First time reading this author and i really, really liked the book. I just wished more Onyx’s POV. I didn’t find the multiple POVs necessary when they basically were a repeat of each other.
The fact this book is mostly from the dude’s pov tho *chefskiss* but I need more answers.
January 11, 2022
DNF at 15%. The multiple character POV changes just wasn’t for me. I’ll maybe try again another time.
January 4, 2022
This book! Now I love a good dark, mafia romance..but make it Alice in Wonderland inspired?! ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
This book has multiple point of views. You get to see many different sides of the story, plus it jumps back to the past so you have a better understanding about certain things.
It has one of the best female main characters I’ve read. Truly. Onyx is such a strong survivor and has overcome so much. She is written as such a bad ass.
““Have them cut his tongue out and have one of my gardeners grind it up and put it in the dirt for my roses. As much sh*t that comes from his mouth, I just know it will make good fertilizer.”…I mean, come on. That’s hot.
And then we have Ezekiel! This man comes in as her “body guard” with ulterior motives. He knows how to take commands in his job and how to give them in the bedroom.
The spice in this book was soooo good!
The action scenes in this book were just as good!
There is a twist I did not see coming and I’m dying for book two! Go read this now!
This book has multiple point of views. You get to see many different sides of the story, plus it jumps back to the past so you have a better understanding about certain things.
It has one of the best female main characters I’ve read. Truly. Onyx is such a strong survivor and has overcome so much. She is written as such a bad ass.
““Have them cut his tongue out and have one of my gardeners grind it up and put it in the dirt for my roses. As much sh*t that comes from his mouth, I just know it will make good fertilizer.”…I mean, come on. That’s hot.
And then we have Ezekiel! This man comes in as her “body guard” with ulterior motives. He knows how to take commands in his job and how to give them in the bedroom.
The spice in this book was soooo good!
The action scenes in this book were just as good!
There is a twist I did not see coming and I’m dying for book two! Go read this now!
February 23, 2025
It was unhinged and i devoured it like a feral. I mean, how couldn't I? Dark, mafia romance with Alice in Wonderland-ish setting and character references?? Hell yeah!
February 22, 2022
I was super excited for this book because I love Alice in Wonderland and the videos I saw about the book made me super interested.
Maybe I’m just going through a slump but I was super bored during the whole thing. Yes, even the sex. I always try to push and finish books, but I ended up DNF’ing at 76% (THEY JUST HAD SEX AT 76% This is not slow burn. This is something slower than slow burn. There was barely any tension. I may come back and finish, I’m not sure yet.)
Every single chapter I read from Onyx’s perspective was from the past and I wanted some current content!! I mean she’s literally a woman in charge and while I can appreciate some backstory I DONT NEED THAT MUCH. I think there were plenty of other ways to give her past to the reader. Maybe we get some clear spots at the end but, from where I’m sitting it was too much for me.
Listen. Tension and anticipation and foreplay are my favorite fucking things of all time when it comes to romance. There was none. Ezekiel was all obsessed with her because she was hot or whatever, and he wanted to “get to know her” and “get into her head.” Onyx was literally not that into him, or maybe she was but I wouldn’t know BECAUSE ALL OF HER CHAPTERS WERE FROM THE PAST. She had one scene with one of the twins -while they were torturing someone, props for that- about vulnerability, which of course was from the twins perspective.
Could that be an artistic choice? Possibly.
Ezekiel was supposed to by a spy for the opposing mafia force to save and protect his sister and maybe take care of his mom. He talks to his sister maybe twice, his mom never- only goes home to “clean and sleep”. These characters just seemed utterly useless to me. I might’ve even liked it better if he had been in the other organization and slowly fell in love with Onyx.
Ezekiel speaks to the Murphys maybe once. He gets no other information for them in the weeks/months he’s with Onyx. If I was the Murphys I’d probably take his ass out of the position for being completely and utterly useless.
All Ezekiel does is get his dick hard thinking about fucking Onyx. His sister is barely a thought unless he needs to remember why he’s there and deflate his boner (and even then I don’t think it actually goes away).
I liked the idea of hearing from and getting to know the other characters within the book, but at the same time I didn’t care. I wanted Onyx and Ezekiel content and the whole thing unfortunately just fell flat for me.
I was super hopeful for a story with a woman finally in charge but I got more information about Ezekiel’s head than whatever was going through Onyx’s.
I may or may not finish, but I don’t see it happening anytime soon.
Maybe I’m just going through a slump but I was super bored during the whole thing. Yes, even the sex. I always try to push and finish books, but I ended up DNF’ing at 76% (THEY JUST HAD SEX AT 76% This is not slow burn. This is something slower than slow burn. There was barely any tension. I may come back and finish, I’m not sure yet.)
Every single chapter I read from Onyx’s perspective was from the past and I wanted some current content!! I mean she’s literally a woman in charge and while I can appreciate some backstory I DONT NEED THAT MUCH. I think there were plenty of other ways to give her past to the reader. Maybe we get some clear spots at the end but, from where I’m sitting it was too much for me.
Listen. Tension and anticipation and foreplay are my favorite fucking things of all time when it comes to romance. There was none. Ezekiel was all obsessed with her because she was hot or whatever, and he wanted to “get to know her” and “get into her head.” Onyx was literally not that into him, or maybe she was but I wouldn’t know BECAUSE ALL OF HER CHAPTERS WERE FROM THE PAST. She had one scene with one of the twins -while they were torturing someone, props for that- about vulnerability, which of course was from the twins perspective.
Could that be an artistic choice? Possibly.
Ezekiel was supposed to by a spy for the opposing mafia force to save and protect his sister and maybe take care of his mom. He talks to his sister maybe twice, his mom never- only goes home to “clean and sleep”. These characters just seemed utterly useless to me. I might’ve even liked it better if he had been in the other organization and slowly fell in love with Onyx.
Ezekiel speaks to the Murphys maybe once. He gets no other information for them in the weeks/months he’s with Onyx. If I was the Murphys I’d probably take his ass out of the position for being completely and utterly useless.
All Ezekiel does is get his dick hard thinking about fucking Onyx. His sister is barely a thought unless he needs to remember why he’s there and deflate his boner (and even then I don’t think it actually goes away).
I liked the idea of hearing from and getting to know the other characters within the book, but at the same time I didn’t care. I wanted Onyx and Ezekiel content and the whole thing unfortunately just fell flat for me.
I was super hopeful for a story with a woman finally in charge but I got more information about Ezekiel’s head than whatever was going through Onyx’s.
I may or may not finish, but I don’t see it happening anytime soon.
January 2, 2022
Queen of Madness is book #1 in The Wicked Wonderland duet. It's a dark mafia bodyguard romance and an "Alice in Wonderland" inspired novel/duet (not fantasy or a retelling). And it's also a diverse read: POC and LGBT representation. This novel is different from Lee Jacquot's previous work; there are more darker aspects. And I was looking forward to reading this book because I just love reading dark romances; it's one of my guilty pleasures. The epilogue of "The Masks We Burn" gave a little snippet to this novel. Its multiple POV, but, it's mainly navigated from the main characters' perspectives: Ezekiel "Zek/Z" and Onyx's. There are multiple timelines, namely the female MC Onyx's past.
After a few pages in, the plot immediately thickened, and it got more interesting as I turned each page! Although, I watched bits and pieces of "Alice in Wonderland", and I have yet to read the book, I did spot a few "easter eggs"/references. And I liked how Lee tied in these references to the characters. Onyx is a badass female MC: she doesn't mind getting her hands dirty, or more like bloody. She's wickedly smart and lethal; Onyx has a dark, dangerous aura, but then again, so does Z. And I guess you can say that their "darkness" called out to one another, recognizing each other. And the tension between them! Things did get pretty steamy from time to time. They were both equally stubborn and domineering; it was like a never ending game between them, a constant power struggle, waiting to see who would yield first. And Z sure did get under Onyx's skin, making her feel vulnerable.
Queen of Madness has a great world and character arc building up. Even though I'm not a huge fan of multiple POVs, I immensely enjoyed reading the side characters' perspectives; I gained more insight into Onyx's character from their lens'. I don't want to give too many spoilers away because it's better to go in blind. But, basically, Onyx is a crime boss: from a young age, Onyx was trained to take over her father's role and empire. Zek or Z is in a rather difficult situation, and because of this "situation", he's at Onyx's doorstep. Z is aware of how dangerous Onyx is, but this didn't stop him from being attracted to her. Z has a soft spot for the women in his life: his mother and sister. He's caring and would go to any means necessary to protect them from any harm. Overall, another fantastic read by Lee Jacquot; I love her work, and she executed this book phenomenally! But the ending though! Can't wait to read book #2!
**I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review
After a few pages in, the plot immediately thickened, and it got more interesting as I turned each page! Although, I watched bits and pieces of "Alice in Wonderland", and I have yet to read the book, I did spot a few "easter eggs"/references. And I liked how Lee tied in these references to the characters. Onyx is a badass female MC: she doesn't mind getting her hands dirty, or more like bloody. She's wickedly smart and lethal; Onyx has a dark, dangerous aura, but then again, so does Z. And I guess you can say that their "darkness" called out to one another, recognizing each other. And the tension between them! Things did get pretty steamy from time to time. They were both equally stubborn and domineering; it was like a never ending game between them, a constant power struggle, waiting to see who would yield first. And Z sure did get under Onyx's skin, making her feel vulnerable.
Queen of Madness has a great world and character arc building up. Even though I'm not a huge fan of multiple POVs, I immensely enjoyed reading the side characters' perspectives; I gained more insight into Onyx's character from their lens'. I don't want to give too many spoilers away because it's better to go in blind. But, basically, Onyx is a crime boss: from a young age, Onyx was trained to take over her father's role and empire. Zek or Z is in a rather difficult situation, and because of this "situation", he's at Onyx's doorstep. Z is aware of how dangerous Onyx is, but this didn't stop him from being attracted to her. Z has a soft spot for the women in his life: his mother and sister. He's caring and would go to any means necessary to protect them from any harm. Overall, another fantastic read by Lee Jacquot; I love her work, and she executed this book phenomenally! But the ending though! Can't wait to read book #2!
**I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review
January 12, 2022
Queen of Madness by Lee Jacquot is an Alice in Wonderland-inspired dark mafia bodyguard romance. This is my first book by Jacquot and overall I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I loved that Jacquot incorporated little characteristics from the original Wonderland characters in her characters in the first half of this duet. I was having fun trying to determine which characters in Jacquot’s book were inspired by the original ones. There are multiple POVs in this book even though the main characters are Ezekiel and Onyx. I loved Onyx’s character and the layers to her character. The chapters with her POV were some of my favorites. Ezekiel’s character was also quite interesting, but I wasn’t as intrigued by him. The side characters were really well done too and I like that we got to see some of the story from their perspectives as I’m sure that will play a part in the long run.
I felt the book moved a little too fast without as much build-up as I would have wanted. The first half of the book, while interesting, was slightly confusing. The second half though was amazing. Onyx and Ezekiel’s chemistry was scorching and I can’t wait to see what happens with them in the second part of the duet, King to Ruin.
Once I got into the book it was hard to put down and the cliffhanger was totally unexpected. I need to know more asap! This is the first Alice in Wonderland-inspired book I’ve read and I find it hard to believe this is Jacquot’s first dark romance as it’s really well done!
Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I loved that Jacquot incorporated little characteristics from the original Wonderland characters in her characters in the first half of this duet. I was having fun trying to determine which characters in Jacquot’s book were inspired by the original ones. There are multiple POVs in this book even though the main characters are Ezekiel and Onyx. I loved Onyx’s character and the layers to her character. The chapters with her POV were some of my favorites. Ezekiel’s character was also quite interesting, but I wasn’t as intrigued by him. The side characters were really well done too and I like that we got to see some of the story from their perspectives as I’m sure that will play a part in the long run.
I felt the book moved a little too fast without as much build-up as I would have wanted. The first half of the book, while interesting, was slightly confusing. The second half though was amazing. Onyx and Ezekiel’s chemistry was scorching and I can’t wait to see what happens with them in the second part of the duet, King to Ruin.
Once I got into the book it was hard to put down and the cliffhanger was totally unexpected. I need to know more asap! This is the first Alice in Wonderland-inspired book I’ve read and I find it hard to believe this is Jacquot’s first dark romance as it’s really well done!
Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
December 24, 2021
6 stars... I was not prepared for this AT. ALL. I was excited when I learned that this Alice In Wonderland inspired Mafia story was coming out, but I was not in any way ready for the roller-coaster that Onyx and Z would take me on. Onyx was an incredibly strong, independent badass main character and Ezekiel had layer upon layers and I don't think we've even scratched but 5. If you like Mafia, FMC's with a whole lot of agency, twists, turns and spice, exquisite writing and a plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat and begging (yes that will be happening) for the sequel, this will satisfy all that and more. Outstanding and will likely be the best book I read in Dec. I volunteered to read and review an early copy of this. All opinions are my own.
April 27, 2023
Not me forgetting to mark this on goodreads 😅 anyway this was a blast! A super fun and dark Alice in Wonderland Easter egg filled mafia story. The spice in here may be some of Lee’s best, my jaw was on the floor 🥵 it features a fun cast of characters and I liked getting all the different POVs. Can’t wait to get into book 2 because that cliffhanger?!?! SHOOK!
June 5, 2024
This story was really slow it was hard to connect with the characters and the “romance” building. I will say there was tense and lust between Onyx and Kane but I didn’t feel the love. The mafia part was ehhh
April 13, 2022
3.75⭐️
OMG am I a dark romance fan now????
so we have Ezekiel aka Z who is this 'broody' secretly dark male love interest who is forced to work for the rival family after his sister puts the family in a compromising situation. The mafia boss he ends up having to work for is Onyx Embros, THE baddest mafia boss you will ever come across. Essentially, he has to choose whether he will save his blood family or be swept up with the emotions of finding a new family at Embros estate.
I have honestly never encountered a FMC as badass as Onyx I kid you not. I am in awe of her. The chemistry and the games between Onyx and Z were highly enjoyable. Omg, I had so much fun reading this book and i haven't enjoyed a book in weeks! I am dying for the second book to be released.
Hopefully in the next book more of the male characters like Kilo can be explored because i was so confused about his role here. But other than that all the characters were so loveable, especially Maddy. She was so cute. If you want to be turned to the dark side of romance, this is the one for you.
OMG am I a dark romance fan now????
so we have Ezekiel aka Z who is this 'broody' secretly dark male love interest who is forced to work for the rival family after his sister puts the family in a compromising situation. The mafia boss he ends up having to work for is Onyx Embros, THE baddest mafia boss you will ever come across. Essentially, he has to choose whether he will save his blood family or be swept up with the emotions of finding a new family at Embros estate.
I have honestly never encountered a FMC as badass as Onyx I kid you not. I am in awe of her. The chemistry and the games between Onyx and Z were highly enjoyable. Omg, I had so much fun reading this book and i haven't enjoyed a book in weeks! I am dying for the second book to be released.
Hopefully in the next book more of the male characters like Kilo can be explored because i was so confused about his role here. But other than that all the characters were so loveable, especially Maddy. She was so cute. If you want to be turned to the dark side of romance, this is the one for you.
February 9, 2022
The book was veryyyyyyy slow in the beginning. I usually love slowburns, and the building up, the banters, the deep conversations but there was nothing. Just telling us their monotonous routines.
It got interesting @60% of the book. And damn I was in.
Things were spicy but it felt incomplete. Like I needed more action and more drama and more confessions-
Maybe that’s why I am super excited about the second book. I will dive in with the hopes of more action and confessions in Book 2 which will release in April 2022
It got interesting @60% of the book. And damn I was in.
Things were spicy but it felt incomplete. Like I needed more action and more drama and more confessions-
Maybe that’s why I am super excited about the second book. I will dive in with the hopes of more action and confessions in Book 2 which will release in April 2022
January 2, 2022
Aaaahhhhh!!!! What can I say about this book…it’s amazing, compelling, with good spice!! All of these characters are dynamic and intriguing…puzzles that I can’t wait to figure out!! This whole story with its ties to Alice and her extraordinary Wonderland makes this a great read to start off the New Year!!
June 2, 2023
3.5/5
Onyx is the baddest bitch alive. I ADORE HER.
She reminds me a bit of Octavia Blake from the 100! But damn I got a big crush on her. I like Ezekiel as well but I just don’t understand why he was so conflicted between choosing sides :/ (correct option is onyx) & another thing I didn’t like was just how they show how Onyx looks through everyone’s records to make sure the guards don’t disobey but how the heck did Ezekiel get through?? It didn’t make sense to me. The beginning of the book was extremely slow & picks up towards the last 40% of the book. The pacing is weird.
The romance in this was mostly a lot of sexual tension which was nice to read but I needed more of a build up tbh. IT WAS STILL GOOD THOUGH 🤌🏽🤌🏽
This book could have been phenomenal. There were just lots of parts where it could have been better 😕
However, it was still pretty decent. I’ve read a few mafia books before & this one definitely hits differently. The plot was interesting & IS ACTUALLY ENEMIES TO LOVERS. Not that “oh I’ve loved her from the start” NOPE. Additionally, I enjoyed the multiple point of views (even though they were confusing at times) I ALSO LOVE THE COVER. ITS GORGEOUS. For sure going to read the next book ☺️
Onyx is the baddest bitch alive. I ADORE HER.
She reminds me a bit of Octavia Blake from the 100! But damn I got a big crush on her. I like Ezekiel as well but I just don’t understand why he was so conflicted between choosing sides :/ (correct option is onyx) & another thing I didn’t like was just how they show how Onyx looks through everyone’s records to make sure the guards don’t disobey but how the heck did Ezekiel get through?? It didn’t make sense to me. The beginning of the book was extremely slow & picks up towards the last 40% of the book. The pacing is weird.
The romance in this was mostly a lot of sexual tension which was nice to read but I needed more of a build up tbh. IT WAS STILL GOOD THOUGH 🤌🏽🤌🏽
This book could have been phenomenal. There were just lots of parts where it could have been better 😕
However, it was still pretty decent. I’ve read a few mafia books before & this one definitely hits differently. The plot was interesting & IS ACTUALLY ENEMIES TO LOVERS. Not that “oh I’ve loved her from the start” NOPE. Additionally, I enjoyed the multiple point of views (even though they were confusing at times) I ALSO LOVE THE COVER. ITS GORGEOUS. For sure going to read the next book ☺️
October 20, 2023
This book was so different from other mafia books that I read. It was not an Alice In Wonderland retelling but you could tell the inspiration with the characters, events and places had the feel. And I loved it ♥️
ONYX MY BEST GIRL. She was one of the best and strong fmc I read. I loved how we saw her growing up from young age and why she was the way she was. My heart broke for her after seeing the stuff she went through 😭 I was so happy to see that with Ezekiel she started to slowly let her walls down and she could finally breathe.. but after what happened I know she is going to be so heartbroken and mad 💔
Ezekiel the man that he is. The way he took care of his family (his sister and mom) and did everything for them. The reason why he was in this mess was because of his sister and he was gonna do everything for her, but he didn't know when he met Onyx and the others he wouldve seen them in a different light and see that they aren’t bad and what they actually do is good. The most important aspect was he didn't know he would’ve felt like their place was home to him and be so madly obsessed with Onyx. I feel like his character had a lot more to it and we will see more in second book.
I actually didn't mind and loved seeing other characters povs. All of them went through so much and I was glad to see them be better and happy. THE END? I WAS NOT EXPECTING THE ENDING TWIST… like I was expecting smtg but that? and Kilo being hurt at the end broke my heart 😭 He seems to be one with a lot more problems and now this happens…I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW THIS WILL GO IN BOOK TWO!
Book Tropes 📝
— dark romance
— mafia romance
— forced proximity
— female mob boss x bodyguard
— alice in wonderland, queen of hearts inspired (not a retelling)
ONYX MY BEST GIRL. She was one of the best and strong fmc I read. I loved how we saw her growing up from young age and why she was the way she was. My heart broke for her after seeing the stuff she went through 😭 I was so happy to see that with Ezekiel she started to slowly let her walls down and she could finally breathe.. but after what happened I know she is going to be so heartbroken and mad 💔
Ezekiel the man that he is. The way he took care of his family (his sister and mom) and did everything for them. The reason why he was in this mess was because of his sister and he was gonna do everything for her, but he didn't know when he met Onyx and the others he wouldve seen them in a different light and see that they aren’t bad and what they actually do is good. The most important aspect was he didn't know he would’ve felt like their place was home to him and be so madly obsessed with Onyx. I feel like his character had a lot more to it and we will see more in second book.
I actually didn't mind and loved seeing other characters povs. All of them went through so much and I was glad to see them be better and happy. THE END? I WAS NOT EXPECTING THE ENDING TWIST… like I was expecting smtg but that? and Kilo being hurt at the end broke my heart 😭 He seems to be one with a lot more problems and now this happens…I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW THIS WILL GO IN BOOK TWO!
Book Tropes 📝
— dark romance
— mafia romance
— forced proximity
— female mob boss x bodyguard
— alice in wonderland, queen of hearts inspired (not a retelling)
January 7, 2022
3.5 stars
Read this because i had been in a Alice in wonderland mood! This definitely had a lot of focus on all the characters inspired by the characters in Alice in wonderland, you could obviously tell who was inspired by who so if you’re into Alice like i am you’ll love this! It’s slower because of the way it focuses on all the characters, but i really love the relationship dynamic of the main couple. Onyx is the boss/queen and Ezekiel is hired to be her bodyguard but he is pretty dominating and possessive himself. Their fight for dominance was hot to watch, but i want more! Excited to see where she takes this story
Read this because i had been in a Alice in wonderland mood! This definitely had a lot of focus on all the characters inspired by the characters in Alice in wonderland, you could obviously tell who was inspired by who so if you’re into Alice like i am you’ll love this! It’s slower because of the way it focuses on all the characters, but i really love the relationship dynamic of the main couple. Onyx is the boss/queen and Ezekiel is hired to be her bodyguard but he is pretty dominating and possessive himself. Their fight for dominance was hot to watch, but i want more! Excited to see where she takes this story
July 28, 2023
Dnf @ 15%/ 4 chapters
The vibes are there, characters seem like badasses, I’m just… I just can’t get into it. 😢
The vibes are there, characters seem like badasses, I’m just… I just can’t get into it. 😢
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