Review: Nemesis by S. Massery

June 5, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

NEMESIS
Series: Sterling Falls Rogues #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: S. Massery 
Release Date: June 5, 2025

A new darkness is seeping into Sterling Falls, and I’ve drawn its ire.

When a masked stranger declares he wants our ruin—mine, my brother’s, the whole town’s—I hope he’s bluffing.

A series of escalating events later, and it’s clear the threat is very present.
It’s not only present, but it drags up old nightmares from my past.

To keep my beloved city safe, I need to find this masked man and eliminate the threat.

I can’t do it on my own, but the three men poised to help are the ones I am almost certain I can’t trust.

Kade Laurent, the elusive and thrilling newcomer, leverages Olympus to get close to me.

Reese Avery, a ghost from my past, brings with him the trauma I’ve tried to bury. But he says he’s here to make amends…

Saint Hart, the partner of my dead best friend, and I will never get along. Especially since I’ve been tasked with keeping him alive. At least, I was convinced we were going to be mortal enemies forever—until we hate-screw in my kitchen…

Now things are all messed up, and I don’t know who I can rely on.

All I want is peace, but with danger climbing around me, it seems I’m destined for the opposite.

AMAZON 

You drive me insane. You’re…a glowing beacon in the dark, and I just want to smother you.”

Sometimes you finish a book, and other times the book finishes you. And this was most definitely the latter for me. I don’t know what I want to do first; beg and plead with the author for the next book, yell and rage over that ending, or send her my therapy bill. I’ll go with all of the above for a $100, Alex. Because OH MY GOD.

As a predominantly dark romance reader, truly good dark romance comes harder and harder to come by for me. One, because I’m a picky and moody sh*t. But also, because I find a lot of it to be full of gratuitous violence and shock value. But this book? This is what truly good, incredibly well written dark romance is about. That pit in your stomach feeling of dread and anxiety over turning the page because you have no idea what awaits you. The twists, the turns, all of it had me in such a choke hold that I couldn’t bring myself to put this book down for even a second.

I did myself a disservice by not reading the Sterling Falls series first, which this is a spinoff. Which I will be rectifying immediately. However, as this is also a brand new series, I had no issues keeping up.

The story is dark and I mean DARK, so definitely heed the trigger warnings because the story doesn’t mess around. Artemis’s story is full of trauma and true dark underbelly of humanity. She’s a survivor through and through and it was impossible not to fall in love with her take charge attitude. As the twin sister of the MMC in the Sterling Falls series, you’ll see the connection when you read it but I won’t spoil it for you.

This book is told mostly in Artemis’s POV with a few snippets into Saint, Reese and Kade. I love the way that the romantic element is paced to introduce each MMC in this story and what an introduction it was. Saint; her brother’s friend who lost the love of his life and still reeling from the loss, Preston; the blast from the past of the hell that Artemis survived, and Kade; the mysterious newcomer.

The romance is a s low build and I loved the way it developed. We only get a taste for it here and the hate/lust between Saint and Artemis was deliciously tantalizing. Reese is very much a mystery and Kade is a dark enigma that I couldn’t get enough of.

This was the edge of your seat kind of story that keeps you on bated breath and a razor’s edge without letting up. And just when you think you have some answers, you get hit in the head by a two by four that was the cliffhanger and are left absolutely reeling.

When I tell you that I am absolutely RABID for the next book, I am not even slightly exaggerating. I need answers desperately and will be rocking myself in a dark corner until the next release.

S. Massery:

S. Massery is a dark romance author who loves injecting a good dose of suspense into her stories. She lives in Western Massachusetts with her dog, Alice.

Before adventuring into the world of writing, she went to college in Boston and held a wide variety of jobs–including working on a dude ranch in Wyoming (a personal highlight). She has a love affair with coffee and chocolate. When S. Massery isn’t writing, she can be found devouring books, playing outside with her dog, or trying to make people smile.

Author Links:

Website: http://smassery.com

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/smassery

Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/smassery

Facebook: http://facebook.com/authorsmassery

Facebook Group: http://facebook.com/groups/smasserysquad

Instagram: http://instagram.com/authorsmassery

TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@smassery

Bookbub: http://bookbub.com/author/s-massery

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/authorsmassery

 

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Review: Beautiful Venom by Rina Kent

June 3, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

 

BEAUTIFUL VENOM
Series: Vipers #1
Author: Rina Kent
Genre: Dark Romance
Release Date: May 27, 2025

From New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Rina Kent comes a sizzling dark hockey romance set in a new glamorous secret world.

In a den of vipers, revenge is the deadliest venom.

They shattered my world; now, I’ll bring down theirs.
The problem? I have virtually no way to trace the puppet master.
My only lead: The Vipers.
An elite college hockey team that rules the ice—and the shadows beyond it.
To infiltrate their secret society, I set my sights on their weakest link.
Kane Davenport.
The charismatic captain and the lone green flag in a nest of serpents.
But too late, I realize I’ve enticed the most venomous snake.
Kane’s friendly façade hides a predator more dangerous than I imagined.
He quickly unveils the monster lurking beneath the surface.
A monster who lured me in only to trap me in a lethal game with no escape.


This book marks the beginning of a new chapter in the #Rinaverse. No other book should be read before this.

AMAZON

You’re a little rebellious wildflower that thinks it can survive anywhere. But guess what? I’m your winter, Dahlia. No flower can survive winter. Not even wildflowers.”


Oh how I’ve been waiting for this one! The anticipation, the finger licking anticipation I tell ya! And it was worth every second of the wait. Because Kane Davenport was the feral level of unhinged that I was immediately obsessed with. And Dahlia Thorne was the perfect ying to his uber possessive yang which I was so here for.

The Vipers introduces a set of all new characters that I’m super excited for. And if you’ve read Kiss the Villain, then you’ll definitely appreciate the crossover here. If you haven’t read that book yet, no worries, because this is the start of a new series. However, you may appreciate it that much more if you’ve met Kane’s uncle in that book. But I digress.

If you’re into the secret society trope like me, this is pure trope candy. Kane, along with his two best friends and fellow hockey teammates are all founding members of the Vendor society. A society that Dahlia recognizes by their rings. Dahlia is on a mission revenge and Kane and the Vencor society are her only in for answers to what happened to her foster sister. She’s willing to do whatever it takes to get into their space, even sign a deal with the devil.

You really should’ve run away while you had the chance. Welcome to hell, Dahlia.”

Kane Davenport is next level unhinged with a splash of sadistic tendencies and a taste for the type of brutality that most women run from. But to both of their surprise, Dahlia gets off on his brand of pain. These two were absolutely feral together. I loved that as hard as Kane pushes, Dahlia pushes right back. This girl has a backbone, even if it does land her in every crosshair she can find in the process.

The story was absolutely addictive and as much as I loved Kane and Dahlia, I was desperate for more insight into Kane’s two best friends; Jude and Preston. You just know their books will be good, especially when you find out who their books are with. But I won’t spoil that for you.

This gave me the perfect hit of Rinaverse I was craving while still leaving me desperate for more. The ending and the epilogues were perfect with giving us just the right amount of answers while still leaving some unanswered for the next book. And I for one am desperately anticipating Jude’s book after the preview in this one.

If you’re a fan of dark romance with hockey and secret society and an absolutely UNHINGED and uber possessive MMC, look no further! Welcome to your next addiction!

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Review: When She Unravels by Gabrielle Sands

June 2, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

 

WHEN SHE UNRAVELS
Series: The Fallen #1
Author: Gabrielle Sands
Genre: Dark Mafia Romance
Release Date: August 30, 2022

He’s the most powerful man in Ibiza, and he’ll do anything to make me his.

I’ve been raised to be the perfect mafia wife, but when my marriage turns into a horrific nightmare, I have no choice but to leave everything behind and start a new life.

I find myself alone in Ibiza—a place that swallows innocent girls like me alive. I’m robbed the day I arrive, left with nothing but a few euros and the clothes on my back.

My desperation leads me right to Damiano De Rossi. He rules over this island with an iron fist and beneath his strikingly handsome face lies a wicked darkness. I ask him for a job. He gives me far more than that—degradation, jealousy, and toe-curling lust.

When my resistance to him is all but gone, a secret is revealed, and we fall apart like a house of cards.

I know what I have to do. Run.

But when I try, I discover…he’s already got me bound.

Note: When She Unravels is an 18+ dark mafia romance with mature themes, profanity, and plenty of steam. It’s book one in The Fallen series but can be read as a standalone.

AMAZON

You’re a pig.”
He stands up and steps into my space. “No, I’m a wolf. And you’re a sheep that wandered into the wrong pasture.”

When I read Be With Me earlier last week, I was immediately kicking myself for not finding this author sooner. To say that I was hooked was an understatement. I immediately had to find and start her backlist. And when I tell you that I binge read this book in one night, I mean I BINGE read it. As someone who is constantly on the hunt for a good dark mafia romance, they get harder and harder to find. But I hit the jackpot with this author who is now an absolute auto buy for me.

Now if the blurb alone isn’t delicious enough to hook you, I’m not sure that we’re reading the same blurb. Because GAH.

Damiano and Valentina were absolutely sizzling together. Valentina is mafia princess who finds herself married to a monster due to a marriage contract set up by her don father. But when pushed too far, she escapes and finds herself hiding in Ibiza. With nothing to her name and in hiding and unable to use her real name, Valentina needs a job. And a popular nightclub seems to be the perfect solution. Unfortunately the nightclub is owned by a man who is as infuriating as he is handsome.

The push and pull between these two was absolutely delicious. I love their antagonistic start. But Damiano is not who he appears to be and when Vale realizes that she just walked into the lion’s den, she has nowhere left to run.

I thought I loved the first half of this book but it was nothing compared to the second half. I devoured it and couldn’t bring myself to set it down for even a minute. I loved these characters. I loved this story. And if you’re a fan of dark mafia romance like me, prepare yourself for your new addiction because this series IS IT.

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Review: Heartless Game by Jo Brenner

May 13, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

HEARTLESS GAME
Series: Kings of Reina University #2
Author: Jo Brennar
Genre: Dark Romance
Release Date: April 27, 2025

The hottest hockey player at Reina U has dark plans for me.

Everyone on campus loves Isaac Jones. The gorgeous, dimple-cheeked charmer can do no wrong in the public’s eyes.

But they don’t know what I do.

I know the truth about his violent past. Exposing his real identity and his family’s crimes won’t just help me graduate with a journalism degree—it will save my mother’s life.

When Isaac discovers I’m writing an article that will ruin his hockey dreams and destroy his family, he’ll do anything to bury it—unleashing his deepest, darkest, most depraved desires on me.

Twisted battles in the locker room.
Wickedness on the ice.
Cruelty to keep my mouth shut.

The worst part? I’m starting to fall for him, even as I fight back.

And I’m not sure who will win our heartless game.

Heartless Game is a standalone romance in the Kings of Reina University series, and can be read independently of the others. It contains several dark themes that some readers may be sensitive to. For more information, please visit the author’s website at jobrenner dot com.

AMAZON

When I was done with Tovah Lewis, she’d be nothing more than a broken shell. And I’d be free, no longer haunted by her face, her voice, her goddamned scent.


After first discovering Jo Brenner with Brutal Game, I was itching to get my hands on Isaac and Tovah’s book. If you know me then you know that I love a spicy dark romance full of trigger warnings and a walking red flag of an MMC. And this certainly delivered on that. Isaac may seem like the more down to earth guy of the bunch compared to Jack, but boy did he give Jack a run for his money. This man was toxic with a capital T, jealous, possessive, and with a penchant for the kinky stuff. So of course I loved him.

Tovah, while I enjoyed her character, never fully clicked for me. I can’t put my finger on what it was exactly, but she frustrated me more often than not. And while I loved that she gave as good as she got, I also found that she gave in too easily to Isaac at times where I wanted her to make him crawl for some of the stunts that he pulls. One in particular was so bad that I fully expected Tovah to make him GROVEL. And while she did push back, it wasn’t as much as I would have expected.

The story itself was suspenseful and I loved the mysterious connection that these two share, unbeknownst to Isaac. You spend a good chunk of the book waiting for that other shoe to drop, because you just know that it will be GOOD. There were parts of the writing that did feel repetitive at times. I lost track for the amount of times that Isaac’s inner monster is referenced. And while the depth of his darkness was written well, the receptiveness of the “monster” just felt unnecessary.

As someone that enjoys a good push and pull, I didn’t mind Isaac’s hot and cold behavior towards Tovah. Though I will say that it also felt a bit much with the three times it happened. I felt that two would have more than sufficed. But as it is, I can’t say I minded it too much because it was still entertaining.

The spice was spicing and as a reader that thoroughly enjoys dub con in books, this one hit all the spots. I loved Isaac’s brand of psycho. These two were as toxic as they get, and this reader devoured it greedily. The story did begin to drag a bit towards the end, but I still devoured it in two days.

If you’re looking for a deliciously spicy dark hockey romance, you need to check this series out. Can’t wait for the next installment!

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Review: Loving The Reaper by Lola King

April 22, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

LOVING THE REAPER
Series: Silver Falls University #2
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Lola King
Release Date: April 22, 2025

An angsty, best-friends-to-lovers, dark romance from best-selling author, Lola King

He waited years for her to choose him. His patience has run out.
Welcome back to Silver Falls University. There is a murderer among us.

I’ve been best friends with Wren Hunter for sixteen years. The boy who chased me in our schoolyard, kissed my scraped knees, and always swore to protect me grew into the god of Silver Falls University: admired by his peers, desired by every woman on campus, and feared by anyone who gets in his way.
Wren knows me better than anyone. He sees through every wall I build. He can handle my fire and my stubbornness. Sometimes I believe he can even tame it. This is why I thought we would never cross the line between friendship and more, no matter how many times we teetered on the edge of it.
I was wrong.
The mask he wore around me is gone, and what’s underneath is dangerous, unrelenting, obsessive.
Wren doesn’t just want me—he decided I’m his.

And in his world, no one says no.

There’s a secret society behind him, powerful enough to cover up anything—or anyone—standing in their way. Now, I’m trapped in his game, bound to a man I don’t recognize, in a world where nothing is what it seems.

Bodies are piling up.
Trust is a luxury.
And Wren Hunter might be the one thing that destroys me.

Loving The Reaper is a dark romance intended for readers over 18 only. Please, read the trigger warnings in the book.
This is the second book in a series of 3 interconnected standalones.

AMAZON 

Penelope Peach Sanderson-Menacci. One of my best friends with a stupid nickname that reduces her to a part of her body. A name that caught on since high school and that I, of course, use without shame. Because calling her my love, baby, queen of my life, doesn’t exactly scream friends since elementary school, does it?

I have a confession to make. Wren and Penelope (Peach) were my least anticipated couple in the Silver Falls University. I. Know. Judge away. But in my defense, I was afraid that Penelope would be too brash for my taste as a main character. And also, friends to lovers is a trope I like, but I much prefer enemies to lovers. Well, who would be surprised that Lola King made me eat my words? No one. No one would be surprised. But also, when this is the friends to lovers vibe? I’m sat.

He inhales, and I barely catch the words he breathes out. “Fuck it.” His hand in my hair pulls me to him, and his lips press against mine with the strength of a hurricane. And it’s on a path to destroy everything. My sanity first. My anger. My reflex to push him away. It’s all gone as I melt into him and let him take over my mind.

Wren and Peach have been best friends since childhood, but Wren has always known he wants more. But where he pushes, Peach pulls. Peach knows that it would never work between them, because her independence is the core of who she is, and Wren would demand nothing short of total domination over her. So they dance this push and pull until circumstances are finally in Wren’s favor and he is more than happy to take it with all his force.

Where Peach annoyed me as a secondary character, I absolutely fell in love with her in this book. Being in her head, understanding what makes her tick and why she is the way she is was one of the most satisfying reading experiences. There are so many layers to her character, and as Lola peels back one layer after another, things begin to fall into place. But when we get one answer, another question comes into the story. And prepare yourself for one mindf*ck of a read because the twists in this book were jaw dropping.

Do you even need me to tell you that the chemistry between Wren and Peach were out of this word? Because my GOD. This man was giving dominance and adoration HARD.

Wren…” I moan. “That’s it, Trouble. Call my name when you come. And get fucking used to it.”

When Wren decides that the gloves are finally off, they were OFF. He was this delicious dichotomy of domineering a-hole and adoring best friend and I couldn’t get enough of his toxicity. And don’t get me wrong, the man was definitely toxic, and I loved every single one of his red flags (of which he had plenty)

Why are you always sending so much love my way, Wren Hunter?”
“Because keeping all that love to myself would be inhuman.”

The story was a thrill ride full of twists and turns, dark secret society, murder and family secrets. GOD but it was delicious. The romance was effortlessly woven in to give it that sizzle and a splash of angst made it entirely unputdownable.

Be prepared to pull an all-nighter with this one and to rock yourself in the corner when you finish because you’ll be that much more desperate for the next hit of this addictive series.

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Review: Nocturne by Karina Halle

April 21, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

NOCTURNE
Author: Karina Halle
Genre: Dark PNR Romance
Release Date: April 10, 2025

A vampire romance so dark it’ll bite.

He’s not just dangerous—he’s designed to destroy you.

Blood. Obsession. Murder.

And a love story twisted enough to hurt so good.


Los Angeles, 1947.
The city is drowning in secrets and blood—and Lena Reid just lost her best friend to the shadows.
Elizabeth Short is dead. The press calls her the Black Dahlia.
Lena wants answers. Closure. Revenge.
What she finds instead… is him.

Victor Callahan is danger in a three-piece suit. An ex-boxer with fists like thunder and eyes that promise ruin. He’s supposed to help her.
Instead, he haunts her. Follows her. Wants her.
He doesn’t remember what happens after dark.
The blackouts. The blood.
The hunger.

But Lena’s not afraid of monsters.
She falls for them.
She is one.

Now, with a serial killer circling closer and a secret society pulling strings behind the curtain, Lena has one rule
Don’t let a vampire fall in love with you.
Because once he does…
He’ll never let you go.

Seven meets L.A. Confidential with a vampire twist, in this true crime and film noir-inspired standalone dark romance from New York Times Bestselling author Karina Halle. This book contains mature content with potential triggers–please consult the Content Warning at the start of the book.

AMAZON

I’m going to ruin you… Ruin you for anyone else.”

I don’t know if you know this about me, but I’m a true crime addict. And the Black Dahlia cold case has been one that has fascinated me for years. So when one of my favorite authors writes a dark vampire romance set in 1947 LA, inspired by the Black Dahlia case, you best believe I’m going to devour it in one sitting.

This story was such a vibe. It was a moody, film-noir vibe with some secondary character appearances that those who read Blood Orange will surely appreciate. And I love that Karina is able to combine these worlds so effortlessly.

Nocturne takes a real life cold case and gives it a twist. We meet Lena Reid, a beautiful singer, deeply ingrained in the LA mafia underbelly. When her best friend is gruesomely murdered, she’s determined to find her killer and the answer for the mystery left behind.

Victor Callahan is a retired boxer turned PI who is hired to find Elizabeth’s murderer. But he doesn’t expect to fall for his main witness.

Did I mention that this story was a total vibe? I loved Victor’s intensity almost as much as I loved the aura of mystery around Lena. It was full of suspense, dark secrets and an even darker underbelly of crime. Victor and Lena are thrown into a dark world that neither knew existed. Their chemistry was incendiary and the suspense was an absolute page turner from beginning to end. There are some jaw dropping twists to keep you at the edge of your seat from cover to cover. And if you’re looking for a truly unique read, you definitely need to check this one out.

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Review: Enemy of the State by B.H. Eastwood

April 10, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

ENEMY OF THE STATE
Series: The Enemy Duet #1
Author: B.H. Eastwood
Genre: Dark Romance
Release Date: April 10, 2025

Ending up in a top-secret, maximum-security prison in the Pacific Ocean was not on my bingo card. Neither was having my entire world upended by the head torturer of said prison. Although, I suppose life would be boring without a little, albeit violent, excitement.

I simply need to be patient and wait for him.

They think they can break me. They think they can make me talk. They think I’ll crack. Well, the jokes on them. I refuse to bend. I refuse to shatter. I refuse to die—not here, not like this. I have too much to protect to be anything other than impenetrable. But, if anyone can do it, it’s him…the one in the mouthless mask, he’s the one to watch.

I’m biding my time. He’s coming for me.

Who will get to me first?

AMAZON

There’s a darkness inside you, Sean Diggory, and I’m going to dance within it.”

Prepare to be sick of me, because I’m about to make this book my entire personality. MY ENTIRE PERSONALITY. Because OHMYGOD. Where has this author been all my life?!

The primal look in his eyes spoke to my own inner animal, and the serpent living within me preened in response. She’s been dying to be released from captivity, and it appears that Diggory’s inner beast is rattling his cage door as well.

As a dark romance connoisseur, I find good dark romance books harder and harder to come by. When I saw the blurb to this book, I was immediately intrigued. But after finishing it, I am immediately adding B.H. Eastwood to my auto buy list, because what sort of book crack was this?!

Now if you’re like me and you love a morally gray and unhinged FMC, you’re going to LOVE Lou.

Did you know that female yellow fattails eat their male partners if they don’t satisfy them during mateship?” I ask, waggling my eyebrows.
“Uh, no, I didn’t know that.”
“I do the same thing.” I bare my teeth and clash my teeth together a few times in a mock display of biting.

Lou finds herself in quite the predicament when she’s captured and taken to an off the grid prison. As an assassin for hire and a bloodthirsty and ruthless personality, she’s no innocent. But is she guilty of the laundry list of crimes in her file? That’s to be determined by Sean Diggory “Digs”, the prison guard put in charge of torturing the answers out of her. What Sean doesn’t expect, is to be drawn to the unhinged female he’s been tasked in breaking.

Too bad for him that I will not bend; I will not break. I will not surrender; I will not shatter. Not for him. Not for anyone.

The writing was absolutely immaculate. I was immediately enraptured in the story and these characters. And the character development was pure chefs kiss. I love that the author gives you a full deep dive into both of their depravity and rawest selves.

Sean is a sadist with a broken moral compass and I loved every deranged part of him. He may think he’s one of the good guys, but the lines begin to blur the more time he spends in the presence of the mysterious Lou.

Right now, all I want is her: her body, her mind, her goddamn soul. I want her to languish in the pain I inflict, suffering as I dole out unspeakable things.

Lou is absolutely feral and unhinged and so full of sass that I was immediately obsessed with her. The romance is very much a slow burn that has a deliciously painful buildup with an absolutely explosive chemistry.

Scream my fucking name when you come, Lou. Remind this hell who’s making you feel like you’re in heaven.”

The mystery of Lou’s background is slowly peeled back, leaving the reader with more questions than answers. The story was addictive and gritty. And the romance was so spicy that it gave me full body tingles. If you’re a dark romance lover and you’re looking for a new author to obsess over, look no further. TRUST ME.

This is the first in a duet, but luckily the author isn’t as much of a sadist as Sean, because the ending is satisfying enough that the wait for book two won’t completely break me. But will I be stalking for news of the release, without a doubt.

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Review: The Venom We Bleed by Lucy Smoke

March 14, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

THE VENOM WE BLEED
Series: Scorpion Kings #1
Genre: Dark, Why Choose Romance
Author: Lucy Smoke
Release Date: March 14, 2025

Silverwood Public: Home to liars, thieves, and worst of all … the Scorpion Kings.

I was the Queen at my old school.
Born into wealth and power.
Now, thanks to my family’s deceit, I’m a pariah and a target.

I’ve got no friends. No parents. No money. And no fucks left to give.

If the Scorpion Kings want to damage the new outcast of Silverwood, they’ll soon learn that anyone can be a killer if you give them the right incentive.


*This is a Dark Enemies to Lovers WhyChoose Romance*
*Trigger Warning: If you are sensitive to content common in dark romance (content such as SA, graphic depictions of violence, murder, drug and/or alcohol abuse, physical abuse, mental and/or emotional abuse, traumatic events, unhealthy coping mechanisms, dubious consent etc.) then this book may not be for you. Please read responsibly.*

AMAZON

Love? Hate? It doesn’t matter anymore. What we feel can’t be described by the written word or a simplified emotion. What we feel transcends conscious thought and all that’s left is fire and ice.

You ever added a book to your TBR based on the cover alone? Because, guilty. But the second I saw the title and the cover to this book, I knew it would be my first Lucy Smoke book. And clearly I have been sleeping on this author, because the way I devoured this book obsessively was no joke.

Need convincing? Because I can save you the review by this quote alone:

What’s my name?”
“W-what?” I stare at him, confusion pushing aside the panic.
“What is my name?” he repeats the question calmly.
“Lex.”
He nods. “Good. Remember that when I make you come so hard you forget everything else. I want to hear you screaming my name when you see God so he knows who sent you.”

I mean, what else do you need here? But I suppose I’ll give you more.

I am a sucker for the rich girl and boy(s) from the wrong side of the track trope. But this one is made even juicer because the rich girl has a dark fall from grace when her father is sent to jail and she’s left to pick up the pieces of her life and to bear the brunt of the blame of the people that her father ruined.

Juliet was once the princess in her school, albeit it was all an illusion and she wasn’t truly happy. But now, she finds herself on the other side of the tracks, where fights are fought with fists and not money, and her father’s name is nothing but a stain that she wants desperately to shed. All she has to do is skate under the radar, survive one year, get her diploma and get the heck out of dodge. Easier said than done when she lands in the crosshairs of everyone.

Juliette was impossible not to love. The girl has brass ones on her. She’s no society princess. She’s a fighter through and through and she doesn’t take any shit from anyone. Rather than take the easy way out and except the help from anyone, she ventures on her own. But the last thing she needs is to get in the crosshairs of the Scorpion Kings, the trio who rule the school and get whispered about for their criminal ties; Nolan, Gio and Lex.

I love that the author gives us a peek inside each of the guys’ heads though the predominant POV is Juliette’s. The story is deliciously gritty, violent, and full of dark secrets that we just get the surface of. The romance is a slow burn that I couldn’t get enough of. And the ending left me a shaking mess, desperately anticipating the next installment because I need answers!

If you’re looking for a steamy, dark and gritty why choose romance, look no further!

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Review: The Misfit by JL Beck

February 28, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

THE MISFIT
Author: J.L. Beck
Series: Oakmount Elite #5
Genre: Dark Romance, New Adult
Tropes: Misunderstood hero / He falls first / Dark romance / Fake dating / “Who hurt you” / Playboy VS Grumpy heroine / OCD/ADHD REP / Frienemies to lovers
Release Date: February 28, 2025

Golden boy. Party king. Trust fund brat.

That’s what they call me – Lee Sterling, Oakmount University’s favorite disaster.

Everyone thinks they know me, but they only see what I let them.

I’m the guy who can charm his way out of anything and never takes life seriously. But it’s all a ruse. They don’t see the mask I wear or the cage of family expectations slowly threatening to suffocate me.

Three months. That’s how long I have to find someone “suitable” to present at the Sterling New Year’s Gala, or it’s over.

I tell myself I can handle it, like I handle everything else – with a smile and a shot of bourbon, but deep down, I know I’m inching closer and closer to the edge.

Then I meet Salem Masters in a dark pantry at a party, and suddenly, nothing feels simple anymore.

They call her crazy, and broken. The girl who wears latex gloves and counts her steps.

I call her beautiful, careful, haunted.

One encounter and I’m obsessed. I need to know more about her. I need to know if she’s just like me.

When I discover we share a common interest, I convince her to be my fake girlfriend. She could use the protection, and I need to convince my family I’m normal…but when our fake relationship turns real I discover just how close to danger I am.

Because for the first time in my life, I want something that I can’t have, that I don’t deserve.

AMAZON

Who knew obsession could ignite so quickly?

The way that I have been waiting for Lee’s book I cannot even describe to you. And considering that he was the broken troublemaker of the group, is it any wonder? I have a thing for those broken bad boys.

Now I do have to admit that I had hoped this would be an MM or an MFM. But the more I read, the more I connected to him with Salem. Two broken souls healing each other.

If you’ve read this series, then you already know Lee and the trouble he’s caused. You know that this is a guy with an easy smile and quick humor that he uses as a mask to hide something. And in this book we get to the true depths of what that something is.

Salem is dealing with her own trauma as she’s trying to get some semblance of her normalcy back after something tragic. A fateful meeting in the pantry of a party changes the trajectory for both of them when Salem lands in Lee’s sight. He feels an instant connection with the girl who for the first time seems to see behind his mask to the man beneath. And when his parents start breathing down his neck about settling down and finding an appropriate wife, he decides they have a mutual benefit. He’ll help her find her new normal and protect her on campus and she pretends to be his girlfriend. Only there’s not much to pretend with their chemistry.

There were definitely some heavy themes in this story that I found the author handled really well. Lee and Salem are both broken in their own way but Lee’s past damn near broke my heart. This was a fake dating trope with plenty of spice that I enjoyed quite a bit. The ending was satisfying though a touch heavy on the sweet, though I didn’t mind all that much. While this has dark themes, it was more of a gray romance. But if you’re looking to dip your toes in the genre, this is a great one to start with.

JL. Beck writes steamy romance that’s unapologetic, meaning it makes no apologies for the way it rips you open and makes you crave more. Her heroes are alphas who take what they want, and she pairs them with heroines that bring them to their knees.

She loves writing about darkness, passion, suspense, and of course, steam. Leaving her readers gasping and asking what the hell just happened is only one of her many tricks.

Her books range from morally grey to dark and spicy but always end with a happily ever after. She loves to write across numerous tropes, but her favorite is enemies to lovers.

She started her writing career in the summer of 2014 and hasn’t stopped since. She lives in Wisconsin and is a mom to two, a wife, and likes to act as a literary agent part-time.

Visit her website for more info:
www.beckromancebooks.com

Connect with JL Beck:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJLBeck/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjlbeck/
Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@authorjlbeck
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2srbge9
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2tOVZl8

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8425041.J_L_Beck
Unapologetic Romance Book Club FB Group: http://bit.ly/2sWljZG

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Review: Pretty Little Threats by Daria Quinn

February 22, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

PRETTY LITTLE THREATS
Genre: Dark Romance
Series: Princes of NYC #1
Author: Daria Quinn
Release Date: February 20, 2024

A dark secret. A corrupt marriage. And a beast who might just fall for the beauty.

DARE
Power. Control. Darkness.
I’ve built an empire with those three things, and I’ll destroy anyone who tries to threaten it.
When Rose Miller’s father announces her arranged marriage to a man far worse than me, I step in. She needs my protection. But she doesn’t know the price of my help.
We share a secret, one that could ruin us both. A crime that ties us together in ways she doesn’t understand.
I’ll marry her, keep her safe, but make no mistake, she won’t just be my wife. She’ll be mine, body and soul.

ROSE
I’ve spent my life following every rule my father set. But when he tries to give me to a monster, I realize I’ve been trapped in a gilded cage.
Dare Richardson might be the only one who can protect me, but he’s ruthless. A dangerous beast I’ve always despised.
The truth is, we’re both running from something darker than either of us, and when he offers me a way out, I can’t help but accept.
The man I once swore to hate is now my husband.
And the beast within him? He’s the only one who can set me free.


This is a dark contemporary MF romance. It is the first standalone in the Princes of NYC series

AMAZON 

 

She’s the daughter of my enemy, and I’ll fu*ck her like she’s one.

In my constant search for new to me authors to obsess over, the blurb to Pretty Little Threats immediately had my attention. And now that I’ve finished, I’m already desperately anticipating the next release in this series.

I love a good hate to love romance and boy do these two fiery characters bring that trope to life.

Can’t keep your hands off me?” he asks.
“If you wake up one morning without your tongue, don’t be surprised.”
Dare laughs—like he thinks I’m joking, when I’m already planning how to do it. I glare at him. His lips press into a wider grin. I almost trip, but years of practice in heels and Dare’s hand on my waist keep me steady. That smile is disarming. Beautiful. Dangerous. “I like it when you threaten me.”
What? Is he insane?

The story of Dare and Rose was full of delicious banter, hate lust, and a marriage of convenience with a bit of bribery and blackmail thrown in.

Rose is the daughter of Dare’s biggest adversary and to say that there is no love lost between these two, is a mild understatement. Dare is a cold and ruthless business man who is known as the Beast of NYC for good reasons. Rumors of murder and dark secrets circle around him.

Rose is a woman who is desperate for her father’s approval. But when her father locks her into an arranged marriage with a man she despises, she realizes that her freedom was nothing more than a hopeful illusion. And the answer to her problem may be a deal with the devil himself.

If you’re looking to dip your toes in the darker romance, this is a perfect gateway book. It’s gritty and has plenty of darker themes but without going full black. Definitely morally gray and with plenty of suspense thrown in.

The writing was quick paced and I found myself easily enraptured by the story. I also really loved both characters; Rose may have grown up as the daughter of a rich businessman, but she’s no naive or sheltered woman. There’s a bite to her that I really enjoyed. Dare immediately had my attention because the man simply draws you in with his magnetism that just jumps off of the pages.

I devoured this book and loved the chemistry between Rose and Dare. I would have loved a bit more meat to the ending, because it seemed like Rose got over the shock of what she learned a bit too fast. But it definitely didn’t take away from my enjoyment.

If you’re looking for a super spicy hate to love romance with plenty of banter and all the chemistry, you need this book on your TBR!

Meet Daria Quinn:

Daria Quinn is a pen name for a USA Today Bestselling Author who realized her story telling passions stray a little in the morally grey. 

Daria Quinn love cats, dark chocolate, earl grey tea, and heart stopping romance. 

Connect with Daria Quinn:

https://www.instagram.com/dariaquinnauthor/



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