DNF Diaries: My Failed Attempt to Love Emperor of Rage
We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
So, let’s chat about Emperor of Rage by Jagger Cole—a 2024 mafia romance entry that was definitely on my must-read list, given the hype around Jagger’s Savage Heirs series. It’s got everything you’d expect in a mafia romance: a crime syndicate, a beautiful psychopath, and that intense vibe of found family mixed with Bratva loyalty. Set to arrive in October 2024, Emperor of Rage promises a deep dive into dark romance themes, exploring love amid chaos, secrets, and danger.
I went into this one hoping for all the memento mori feels and was ready to get lost in the kind of morally grey world Jagger Cole is known for. And yes, I was all set with my Kindle and cookies in hand, but the reading didn’t quite go as planned… Let’s just say my journey with this book didn’t reach the final page. Keep reading for the details on why it didn’t quite hit my romance book key performance indexes this time around!
Title: Emperor of Rage
Author: Jagger Cole
Publisher: Independently Published
Genre: Romance, BDSM, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Release Date: October 17, 2024
Pages: 552
Star Rating: DNF (@150 pages)
Spice Rating: 3 chili pepper
Memento Mori – remember you must die.
Do you know that feeling you get when you’ve finished the first chapter of a book and you instinctually know it’s going to be good? So good that in the span of 10 pages, you have yelled, gasped, and screamed HOLY FUCK! That was the beginning of Emperor of Rage by Jagger Cole for me.
“filthy words mixed with the golden praise is like a drug to me.”
This was my first Jagger Cole book, and I went into this read with some high expectations. Jagger’s name is among the top when it comes to mafia romances, and since Valentine PR sent me an eARC to read and review I thought why not?
I see why many find themselves enjoying Jagger’s work. With a writing style that is easy to get lost in. Words with a rhythmic steady cadence. A tap tap tapping out each sentence falling into the next one. But for me, I found that in certain areas it was a little too rushed, and in others, it dragged for pages. And with the heft of this book (at over five hundred pages), it didn’t deliver on the romance front in the ways that I hoped it would.
While we are on the subject let’s talk about the romance, shall we? Reading Emperor of Rage has allowed me an appreciation for well-written romance books. One that creates tension and depth of romantic intimacy before creating the emotions on the page. Within these pages there is none of that good build-up that causes explosive lust, and in turn love. Parts, where tension should have been easily built, created no depth to the attraction between Mal and Freya. This left me desperately wanting to connect with the characters.
“You’re mine,” he murmurs, his voice rough but steady. “My good girl.”
In Emperor of Rage, the first 60% closely follows the plot of the previous book, Emperor of Wrath. This setup means that Mal and Freya are largely mirroring Annika and Kenzo’s storyline, rather than taking the spotlight with their own plot. While it didn’t spoil major twists from the earlier book, (they are standalones) it still felt like Mal and Freya were following someone else’s adventure.
Mal and Freya both come from traumatic backgrounds. But the majority of the time is spent explaining the backgrounds instead of showing us with aids (like flashbacks). Since none of the connections were created and built upon, I couldn’t care less what was happening with them. And when I can’t connect I just don’t want to read it.
“Someone tried to hurt what’s mine. May God have mercy on their souls when I find out who they are. Because I sure as fuck won’t.”
Adding to my frustration with Emperor of Rage is the plot. One of the good things about stories (at least great stories) is the plot. And the plot within this story was holier than Swiss cheese. There are too many repetitive moments built upon inconsistencies. The main basis for the plot is “I know your secret”. “You’re Mine”. “I Own You” .”Do What I Say”. With a subplot of romance and mafia sprinkled in. *side note* If the word malevolent is used one more time in this story it will be too soon.
So that was it, 150 pages in and I decided to give up. I desperately wanted to love it. Even when I decided to stick it out and read another 20 pages. It felt like something was missing. Plus, it just wasn’t for me, and that’s okay. In the meantime, I will try other Jagger Cole books and see if I fall in love with another one of his stories. If you’re a mafia romance fan, give Emperor of Rage a go—you might find it resonates with you in ways it didn’t for me.
It is currently available on Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited.
You May Also Like:
Love in the Shadows: Decoding the Appeal of Dark Romance Books
Top 10 Dark Romance Books to Add To Your TBR Right Now
10 Must-Read Kindle Unlimited Dark Romance Books!
Is Wicked King by Sienna Cross the Next Dark Fantasy Obsession?
‘Butcher and Blackbird’: Darkly Irresistible Book You Need to Read
What You Need to Know Before Reading All That Falls by A.N. Horton