Snow: A Dark Mafia Romance (Underworld Book 2)

This is the 2nd story in the series. While it could be read as a stand-alone, I highly recommend it be read in series order for maximum reader satisfaction and to prevent spoilers as there are a few reoccurring characters and an overarching theme. The world building / story universe will also be more complete, as both occur within the same (Bratva) stratosphere.⛔️ Contains subject matter that may be a trigger or offensive to some including adult language, steamy intimate scenes and violence such as attempted kidnapping, attempted rape, assault, fighting, illegal boxing ring, gambling, fight fixing, threatening, etc.There are a few grammatical issues, mainly an inserted extra word or incorrect tense. I mention this for readers potentially like me that view a “movie” when reading a story. Every issue interrupts the story and then I have to get back into it.The blurb about the story is not quite correct when it mentions an auction for Sasha’s virginity. Maybe that was going to be the original premise and then Sophie Lark changed her mind. Either way, the storyline / plot is solid, the pace is really fast (almost insta-love) and the characters different than expected.In this story, Snow is a boxer in the underground fights. He has an undefeated record because boxing is all he knows and what he is good at. School was not his thing and people take one look at him and think he is stupid, but he knows how to find patterns. Fortunately for him, boxing is all about patterns. He is slowly working his way up and if fortune is kind to him, he will soon be asked to compete in a tournament, as that is where the real money is for fighters like him.Sasha returns to St. Petersburg Russia after completing medical school. She expected things to be largely the same as they were the last time she was home, but they are not. Her father’s car is old and not the normal Mercedes he has driven her whole life, his suit is almost threadbare, his father’s watch is missing, and he looks thin and almost haggard. Then she wants to stop by her family’s restaurant and notices right away that there is very little business, the staff that is practically family is not there anymore, and it is looking a little worn as well. Then she gets home and her mother is out of it, the house is a mess as the cleaners haven’t been there is months, and she finally gets her father to talk about what is going on …The business started tapering off, so he borrowed at the bank, then relatives, then finally the Bratva. Her mother who was the youngest daughter and always spoiled, has continued her ways even when he explained that she needed to spend less. All told he now owes a lot of money and he doesn’t have it. They have sold everything of value, with the exception of the restaurant and home, but if they sold those they would be homeless and no way to pay back anything. He has a week or else.Sasha speaks with her sister and finally has an idea that may have a small chance of working, but it is all she can think of, so she sets off to visit the man her father owes.

4.7/5 honestly and the main reason is I feel like it was still too short): I absolutely loves all the characters (boom boom LOLLL) but something about Snow and him rescuing the cat and everything else was just chef’s kiss perfect. The last fight was crazy and Yakov got what he deserved. Also, screw Sasha’s mom.

Snow and Sasha start off on two separate paths that eventually lead to the same destination. I liked reading about the build up of both their stories before they came together and met. It’s clear that they come from two different worlds but that doesn’t stop them from getting to know each other and actually seeing each other for who they really are. Snow opens his hearts to love, and he fights for it literally and figuratively. I was happy to see that they got the happy ending they deserved.Rate: 4.5⭐️

Like Ivan I read this book before I started to read The Bully, I am so excited!! I loved it.I can tell Sophie did her research with boxing. As a person that loves boxing she was detailed and made you relive each fight scene through your eyes. A particular scene made me think of a scene in Rocky III 100% and I literally was anxious and teary eyed during the scene.I liked Sasha and Snow together they had chemistry. Eventhough there relationship started abruptly I liked it as I went on. The debt plot was scary and I was really anxious to see what would happen at the end. Basically to see Snow use her as a image to win the fight was 🥺. I was happy to see Ivan and Sloane. They didn't have a huge scene, but made sure everyone witnessed there presence when they came in.This was a great read! I literally enjoyed the book. I do wish I would have seen Sashas mother once more and her give it to her, but she had a point at the end about love. But, as I have learned you find out who is truely there for you once hard times come.Now off to The Bully 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾. I have been anticipating this read for two days!!

Quick read. Honestly I feel like I say that for every Sophie Lark book but seriously, they’re soo hard to put down once you start! I LOVE Snow & Sasha. It was a bit insta Love but it WORKED for them. I like the fact that she worked for the Mafia instead of him.

ugh snow is just one of those strong brutish men that has a heart of gold hidden under all that muscle. I loved the lengths he would go for sasha. can’t wait to see him again in the bully!!!

I liked this better than Ivan but man did Snow have so much untapped potential. Snow is by far my favorite character as my second read by this author and I wish we got to learn so much more about him. He was brutally honest, intimidating, calculating, and kind. Sasha was just as interesting at the very beginning of the book and it was wasted with all the bravery and smarts we see from her early on fizzle out as she works for Krupin.The romance was rushed since these characters don't actually spend time together until about 40% of the book. After that first meeting they are basically in love after spending one afternoon together. It was ridiculously rushed with no time for the reader to actually feel their love grow. It would have been nice to see more sneaked away moments with Snow and Sasha spending real time together that leads to the great ending. Instead we get lost in the story that felt too much like a recount of everything Snow and Sasha experienced throughout their days.This could have been an easy 5 star read for me. I needed more time for these characters to fall in love and get to know more about each other. It would have built up the stakes that much more for Sasha's predicament with the Bratva.

Second time around and I think I love Snow and Sasha even more than I did before. I don’t think I could ever get enough.Snow so yummy he got me wanting to catch him on my tongue 🥵😉😏 If you get my drift.. Snowdrift.. Sorry feeling punny.Will definitely read again, most likely when I buy the paperback when it becomes available. Cannot wait!❤️❤️❤️

It's about at this point where series start to lose their way. I can confirm this most definitely hasn't happened here.Well paced and well written.I'm not a fan of boxing but I found myself enthralled by the brutal underground bouts. The mafia tension and chemistry between the two unlikely lovers is SL at her usual best.Definitely 5 stars

Another solid 4.5 for the second Underworld book series.Now... this book is a bit of a slow burner. The first 35% is really about setting up the two main characters and their backstory. It certainly helps you understand their motivation... but if you’re expecting a bodice ripping romp from the offset, you might be a little disappointed.It takes the two main characters a while to get it together and initially you think these two are so mismatched but there’s something about Snow that makes you think that there’s a beautiful and caring soul just waiting to be unleashed. It takes meeting the pure and sophisticated innocent that is Sasha to bring it out of him.So this is a story where The Godfather meets Fight Club with a bit of Rocky thrown in.Snow (real name Filip) is an aspiring boxer. He’s grown up on the hard side of life. Born to a drug addict mother, he is raised by an elderly uncle who then dies when he is only 8. Placed into an orphanage, he’s now on his own in the world.After escaping from his adoptive parents, he finds himself on the streets. Scavenging for food and finding shelter in dark alleyways, he’s discovered by Meyer. The former boxer takes him in and trains him up. Talk about the school of hard knocks!! Meyer teaches him everything he needs to know to stay safe on the dangerous streets of St Petersburg.Now at the age of 30, he’s building a name for himself. He’s known as Snow due to the coldness he exhibits in the ring. That coldness extends to his personal life. He lives alone. Keeping himself guarded. There are few he trusts and he avoids relationships. Snow’s never really felt love. He’s not even sure he’s capable of it.Sasha is polar opposite. She’s been brought up living among the upper echelons of Russian high society. Her mother’s family are wealthy and her father is a respected restaurant owner. She’s intoxicatingly pretty, with platinum blond hair and stunningly bright eyes.For the last 6 years Sasha has been in Moscow studying medicine. Now a fully qualified Doctor, she expects to return home with a flourish of praise and congratulatory celebrations. What she is greeted with shocks her to the core. The restaurant is failing. Her father looks frail. Her mother is in some strange state of denial. Their once stunning and opulent home is now filthy and has lost its sparkle.It becomes clear that her father is in trouble, but when she convinces her father to tell her everything she realises that getting out of trouble is not going to be as easy as she thought. Her father is in debt... to the tune of 71million rubles... and to the Bratva.Taking the situation into her own hands she goes to confront the Bratva boss in order come to some arrangement. The offer she is made will mean she’s indebted to him for 20years as his personal physician. Sasha must be at the Bratva’s beck and call whenever needed. Knowing this is going to be dangerous, she also knows she has no choice.Nothing could have prepared her for what she is asked to help with or deal with. The worst being her bosses chief enforcer Yakov. The job makes her sick to her stomach... but she must do it to take the heat off her father.It’s in her role as physician that she is forced into providing medical treatment for her bosses underground boxing matches. They are brutal, unregulated and illegitimate.This is where Snow and Sasha finally meet but initially Sasha is scared of the huge, brutish and thuggish looking man who’s eyes lock uncomfortably with hers. It’s not until he needs treatment after his next fight that they meet properly. Sasha is still scared, but for such a large man, he is surprisingly gentle.Their next accidental meeting is when they finally start to talk. There’s an instantaneous shift between them, both finding that their first impressions were way off the mark. The spark ignited... the flame of lust burning bright.Their relationship is so pure and sensually magical. They soon realise that they weren’t incapable of love, they just hadn’t found the right person to give their heart to... until now.But this is no fairytale. Love for them is dangerous and potentially deadly. So just how far are they willing to go to protect what they have? Will Sasha ever be free of the Bratva and at what cost will they be given their freedom.Fabulous love story. By the end I loved both of the main characters. I also really like Meyer and Boom Boom who adds the comedy value. At first I wondered if I was going like Snow, as he does come across so cold and hardened. But, when his softer, gentle and incredibly caring side is unearthed through his love for Sasha, he is utterly adorable.Yet another great read from Sophie Lark. Engaging, enticing and enthralling reads that keep you turning those pages!

Snow is a boxer who participated in underground fighting, he was selected to participate in a tornament to make money he has a dream he wants to follow, meets Sasha who is a personal doctor for the bratva, two totally opposite people and watching them fall in love was everything.I ADORE snow and Sasha!Snow is blunt and doesn’t come off as a nice guy he is very cold. But with Sasha it’s like you got to see a whole new man! He was so caring towards her and I felt like he wanted to do right by her and anyone he did care about, Meyer and boom boom even the cat!!Despised Yakov the most out of everyone in this story and i actually welled up at one scene when the beast fought the rabbi!Got so excited when Krupin’s “guests” showed up in the last fight!!!“ She loves with all of herself, not holding anything back. What would it be like, to be loved by a woman like that? A guy like me is never gonna know.”I highlighted 39 bits of this book that I loved so much! But I felt this quote in my gut, snow is everything and I felt like he got what he truly deserved in Sasha! A match made in heaven those two and a definite re read for me! I am loving the underworld series so far, and I can’t wait to see snow in the kingmakers when I get to them!!

Must admit I was slightly disappointed with this book.. after reading previous 5 in series, my favourites being No3 & no5 (which I read twice I was so enthralled by) I was really looking forward to this one but it almost felt like it was written by someone other than miss lark! While it was actually a well written story I just felt something was missing, hard to describe unless you’ve read the others.. cudnt quite feel the interaction between Snow & Sasha like previous books characters, especially Ivan & Sloane(no5) and Violet & Anton(no3) .. i cudnt find myself lost in these two at all. Saying that perhaps that’s me, i like to absorb an get lost in my book lol and to be fair miss Lark’s books are always a good read with hardly a mistake of grammar or dialogue so I would still recommend this book an put it down to I think I’ve been spoilt with this series and just expect perfection every time 🙈.. my personal opinion only folks, read it and hope you disagree! Still warrants 4 stars!