Review: Wicked Ends by Mila Kane

August 20, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

WICKED ENDS
Series: Hellions of Hade Harbor Book 4
Author: Mila Kane
Genre: Dark Romance, New Adult Romance
Release Date: August 20, 2025

My class… His rules.
Hade Harbor was supposed to be my clean slate–a quiet, hockey-obsessed Maine town where I could disappear.
Then I walked into my first lecture and saw him.
The bartender from last night.
The one I should’ve never touched.
Marcus Bailey isn’t just another college jock–he’s an Ice God.
Goalie for the Hellions. Arrogant. Vicious. Addicted to winning.
And now? He’s set his sights on me.
He’s not interested in boundaries. Not when he could break them.
Not when he could break me.
He could have me fired. Exposed. Ruined.
And he knows it.
Every rule I make, he shatters.
Every line I draw, he crosses.
Because Marcus doesn’t want obedience. He wants obsession.
And I’m exactly what he craves.
But my past isn’t finished with me.
It’s dangerous, it’s catching up, and when it hits–I won’t be the only one destroyed.

AMAZON

Call me Marcus, Professor… like you did the night we met, or better still…” He leaned in and ran his nose up the side of my cheek, breathing in the smell of my skin. “Scream it.”

I just knew Marcus would be my favorite in this series so far, and UGH, I was so right. I loved his feral obsessive and possessive self.

What? What do you want?” I rushed out.
He smiled, and there was something dark and wicked in it. “Nothing too strenuous… just you, whenever and however I want you.”

I love a forbidden trope, and a student/teacher one always hits the spot. There is also the small age gap with Aria being 25 to Marcus’s 20. Though from the very beginning, it’s very clear who the power belongs to in this dynamic and it very much is NOT Aria.

Aria comes to Hade Harbor in the hopes of a chance and an adjust professor job gives her just that; a chance to start over. But one night throws a heck of a wrench in her plans when she becomes the obsession of a man she thought she’d never see again. The sexy bartender from what was meant to be a quiet way to celebrate her 25th bday is a student in her new class and the goalie of the Hellions hockey team.

I was immediately intrigued by Marcus because of his ties to the MC and his brother being at the helm. I also really hope we get his brother’s book soon because NEED. But I digress. Marcus’s childhood had been everything but idyllic with his father now in jail and his brother at the helm of a dangerous MC. I am so curious about the story of the MC because just being on the periphery of it was gritty enough. But I digress again.

Marcus is immediately obsessed with Aria, especially since she’s determined to run from him at every turn. Aria is clearly hiding a dark secret and with every layer that gets peeled back from that, the more I was glued to the pages. Admittedly Aria’s moral compass was a bit too much at times with her feeling like she was taking advantage of Marcus where it was clear as day who was running circles around who. But I also just gobbled up their dynamic so it didn’t bother me much.

I devoured this book in one sitting and this may just be my favorite installment in this series yet! I can’t wait for the next book especially with the preview we get. That trope?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I need it. But if you’re looking for a deliciously dark hockey romance with an obsessed MMC with a dirty mouth, look no further!

 

I’m obsessed with cats, coffee, and anti-heroes just the right side of insane.

I write dark and dirty romance with the alpha-holes of your most filthy nightmares.

While I like my heroes obsessed and powerful, I like my heroines smart and independent. My headstrong, capable women will bring their own personal demons to their knees, and capture their hearts at the same time.

I only write SAFE stories, there is never a place for another woman in my heroes sights, once he’s caught the scent of the heroine, and there will always be, no matter how dark and twisted the story might be… a HEA guarantee xx

 

Connect with Mila

Website | https://www.milakane.com/

Amazon | https://amzn.to/44E1nt6

Facebook | www.facebook.com/MilaKanewrites

Facebook Group | https://bit.ly/3NOGG6C

Instagram | www.instagram.com/milakanebooks/

TikTok | www.tiktok.com/@milakanebooks

Pinterest | www.pinterest.co.uk/MilaKaneWrites/

 


 

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Review: A Wreck You Make Me by Saffron A. Kent

August 8, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

A WRECK YOU MAKE ME
Series: Bad Boys of Bardstown #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Saffron A. Kent
Release Date: August 8, 2025

I have been in love with Shepard Thorne since I was twelve.

He’s my best friend’s hot older brother, and I am the weird redhead who low-key follows him everywhere. He’s soccer’s bad boy, and I am stuck in a dead end job, serving drinks at the local strip club.

Our paths aren’t meant to cross.

Until one day I catch him getting a lap dance at the club and jealousy makes me ruin his fun.

Now he’s made it his mission to make my life hell and no matter what I do, there is no escape.

Everywhere I turn, there he is, waiting for his payback.

He threatens to kiss me one second, and choke me the next.

He promises to bring me to my knees and make me beg.

What started as a little harmless prank turns into a twisted game of blackmail that’s toxic but oh-so-good.

But it has to end.

Because I have a secret…

That ties me to my tormentor in an irrevocable way, and if he ever finds out, it will wreck everything I now crave.

Even his revenge.

 

Note: This is a STANDALONE set in the world of Bardstown

AMAZON

Why does it feel like I’m…”
Intensity swirls in his eyes as he whispers, “You’re what?”
“I’m more yours than I am mine. That you own me.”

Did I finish this book or did it finish me?

If you’re like me and like your fictional men extra toxic walking red flags, you’re going to gobble this right up!

That fuckface was your date.”
“He’s not a fuckface,” I protest. “His name is⁠—”
“You say his name,” he growls, his voice low and threatening, “and I’ll hunt him down and make him forget yours.”

Did I do things back*asswards yet again and read this book first before the rest of the series? Yes, yes I did. And I had no problems jumping right into the deep end and getting immediately sucked into the story.

Now when I tell you that these two were absolutely toxic together, I mean there were TOXIC together. I don’t know who I wanted to hit more at certain times; Shepard or Jupiter. Well, it was probably Shepard, because the man was the definition of hot and cold, but I digress.

Jupiter has been in love with Shepard since the moment she was old enough to recognize the feeling. I loved Jupiter so much. Here was a girl that had all the odds stacked against her; a family from hell and no emotional support. And yet she works multiple jobs so she can give her sick sister a better life. She’s also spent years carrying a secret that ties her to Shepard and his family.

Shepard was always the man she could never have. He’s a famous professional soccer player, older, and at one point; engaged. He also doesn’t mince words when he tells her that he wants nothing to do with her. But while Jupiter is wholly obsessed with Shepard, she doesn’t know that he is stalkingly obsessed with her right back. It the most toxic of ways.

He chases her down, he pushes her away only to pull her right back. The push and pull between these two was absolutely deranged. And to be honest, if it wasn’t what he would do for Jupiter without saying anything, I may have judged him more harshly for his words. But while he’s mean and ruthless in words, he takes care of her in ways that no one ever has.

Just so you know, you’re a toxic snake.” He hums. “Yeah, but when I bite it hurts so fucking good you can’t help but want more.”

But man oh man were these two absolutely toxic together. Their constant push and pull was almost unbearable at times but I also couldn’t get enough of it. I know, right? My feelings went through a rollercoaster of love and hate reading this book. I devoured it. Totally devoured it in one delicious sitting.

This was the kind of toxic my bookish dreams were made out of and now I need to immediately read the rest of the series.

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Review: The Secrets We Bury by Lucy Smoke

August 1, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

THE SECRETS WE BURY
Series: Scorpion Kings #3
Genre: Dark, Why Choose Romance
Author: Lucy Smoke
Release Date: August 1, 2025

The deeper we dig, the darker the secrets.

Silverwood is filled with nothing but liars and deceivers.
I thought I could trust them. I thought I could have them.
Now, I know … none of it was ever truly mine to keep.

There is a thin line between love and obsession.
The Scorpion Kings have crossed it.
And I fear I’m not far behind.

*This is a Dark Enemies to Lovers WhyChoose Romance*

*Trigger 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

At five years old, I wanted to marry Juliet Donovan. At nearly nineteen, I’d slit the throat of anyone who thinks to take her away from me.

Where has Lucy Smoke been all my life and how am I only discovering her with this series? Because let me tell you, I am wholly obsessed. OBSESSED. If you love fierce, absolutely kick ass heroines, then you need to meet Juliet.

I can show you that all kings were meant to fall eventually, even the three of you.”

The Secrets We Bury starts immediately where The Demons We Hide ended and what a doozy of an ending that was. I couldn’t wait to see how that unravels. Especially on the cusp of what Juliette finally realizes about her pseudo “uncle”. But I won’t be spoiling anything for you here.

I loved watching her men fall harder and harder for her in each book. You have Lex, the lovesick puppy stalker. You have Gio the playboy. And then there’s my baby Nolan, the hard edged one

You make this choice and that’s it for you, Jules. We will own you.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” He nods.
“Even with my demons?” I ask.
“Princess…” I close my eyes as his fingers graze my cheek. “I’ve been wanting to fuck your demons since the first day you set foot on Silverwood Public’s campus.”

The mystery of her dad’s innocence continues to unravel. There’s so much that happens in this book that I was glued to the pages from cover to cover. At a certain point, I feel like I was lulled into a false sense of security because I even started to feel it was getting predictable. Only for Lucy to hit me over the head with that ending and I no longer know which end is up.

All I know is that I desperately need the conclusion and I will not know peace until I do.

If you like dark, why choose romance with fierce heroines, a quick paced plot, and sizzling chemistry then you need this series on your TBR! 

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Review: The Kingpin’s Call Girl by Annika Martin

July 25, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

THE KINGPIN’S CALL GIRL
Series: Moonlit Ridge #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Annika Martin
Release Date: July 25,2025

I’m not a call girl; I’m a college student—playing dress-up to find my sister.

One night. One assignment.

Get invited to the table. Memorize names. Get out.

Easy—until he walks in.

Luka Zogaj isn’t just powerful.

He’s lethal. Savage. Worshipped and feared like a god.

And when he sees me, he buys me.

Not for a night. For two weeks.

Now I’m living a double life—student by day, owned by a monster by night.

He doesn’t know I’m living a lie.

But every time he touches me, I forget who I am.

He’s the last man I should want.

And the only one who’s ever made me feel like this.

AMAZON

I just paid you for fourteen nights with a few grand extra thrown in. You’re mine, same as that jacket there. If you try to hide, I’ll find you. If you leave town, I’ll find you even faster. For the next two weeks, you are mine and mine alone.”

Oh Annika, you sure do know the way to a girl’s heart.

Now it’s been a minute since I read a book by this author, and I have no idea why. I forgot that Annika was THAT girl when it comes to writing some of the most delicious MMCs. If you didn’t know, just read Dark Mafia Prince and thank me after. But I digress.

The second Annika released the title to this book, I was immediate intrigued. But when I read the blurb, I absolutely had to have it. A dangerous criminal and the innocent college girl he buys thinking she’s a call girl? TAKE. MY. MONEY.

When I tell you that I devoured this book in one sitting, I mean I gobbled it right up.

Edie is desperately searching for her missing sister and manages to get herself into quite the pickle. The pickle being her being forced to pretend to be a call girl to try to gather information on some dangerous people. Get in and get out. Until she catches the eye of the most dangerous man in the room, Luka Zogaj. And oh Luka, the savage that he was.

You hate me, don’t you? I’m an awful man who takes whatever he wants without paying. A beast who hurts the good people of the world just because he can. And now you belong to me, and I’m gonna make you come again, and I’m gonna make you crave me, and there’s not a goddamned thing you can do about it.”

Now did I want to judge Edie for her naiveté at times? Sure! But then I remembered that she’s on her own, desperately searching for her sister, and my judgy braid would just shut off. I loved how she wasn’t afraid of Luka almost as much as I loved the way he got off on her scorn and sass.

Somewhere along the line, somebody messed with your head and left you high and dry. Probably your daddy…
I’m your daddy now,” he says, entering me slowly, stretching me over the sink and working me how he wants

This story had everything; the grit, the suspense, the chemistry and the sizzling romance. The villain was somewhat predictable, but I think it may have meant to be with plenty of hints thrown along the way.

It was one of those books that I devoured in one sitting and was thrilled to see would be a series, because I desperately need more. If you love a sexy and gritty mafia romance, you need this book in your life. Trust me on this now and thank me later, mkay?

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Review: Caught Up by Navessa Allen

July 24, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

CAUGHT UP
Series: Into Darkness #2
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Navessa Allen
Release Date: June 10, 2025

I wanted this woman, and I was a man who always got what he wanted.

Nico ‘Junior’ Trocci knows Lauren Marchetti is off limits. She is sweetness and laughter, whereas Junior exists in a world of violence and depravity. Men like him don’t get to have women like her. It’s why he pushed her away back in high school and has kept his distance ever since.

But when Junior looks Lauren up online, he discovers the shy, bookish girl he remembers is gone. In her place is a strikingly beautiful woman whose social media is filled with scantily clad pictures of herself and a connection to a nearby play club. Junior’s innocent curiosity quickly turns into a dark obsession. But watching Lauren from a distance isn’t enough; he needs to make her his.

He’s ruthless; a walking red flag. Good thing red is my favorite color.

Lauren is intrigued by the mystery man who keeps showing up at her club, who tempts her white-hot desires. But as their flirty online messages stir up a deeper form of connection, Lauren worries she’s developing real feelings for this brooding stranger. As their combined desire ratchets up to a breaking point, who will seduce who? And will they survive the fall?

Caught Up is a fast-paced dark romance with a morally grey male lead. Some themes and scenes may be disturbing to readers. Please check the content warning at the beginning of the book.

AMAZON 

The power of Christ compels you,” I muttered, desperate to expel her from my body.
Junior’s lips twitched. “You trying to exorcise me, Lo?”
“I heard that’s what you’re supposed to do when the ghost of an ex shows up.”
He glanced down again, to where I was still arching into him. “Doesn’t look like it’s working.”

Did I like it? Sure. I just didn’t love it.

Lights Out was a top favorite of mine and I tried to manage my expectations for this book. I didn’t want to compare it to the first one and allow it to stand on its own. Which it did. I liked the story. I liked the characters. But it was also missing that special sauce that book one seemed to bring. I can’t quite put my finger on what it was exactly, but it just didn’t pull me in like the first book.

I enjoyed Lauren. I always love a sex positive FMC and I loved her sass and the way she made Junior work to get back into her good graces. I liked Junior too, but it wasn’t the intense obsession I had with Josh. Maybe I’m just a bit over the TikTok reference? We had masktok in book one and bikertok in this one. It’s cute, sure, but also couldn’t help feeling like the story just relied on that schtick too much. It worked for book one, but I suppose this one just felt like it needed more.

The humor was there and so was the steam, but again it just didn’t grab me as much as I’d hoped.

I do love a good second chance romance so the dynamic between Lauren and Junior was fun. I almost wish we got to see them a bit more in the past rather than seeing that unfold off the pages.

If you’re looking for a fun and steamy read, this one will fit the bill. And while I didn’t love it, I did still enjoy it and can’t wait for the next one.

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Review: Warrior by S. Massery

July 17, 2025 by · Leave a Comment

WARRIOR
Series: Sterling Falls Rogues #2
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: S. Massery 
Release Date: July 17, 2025

Everything that could go wrong—did.

Kade’s loyalties are tangled in something far more treacherous than any of us realized.

Reese seems desperate to make amends, and I hate to say, he’s growing on me.

And Artemis….

Well, she won’t wake up. According to Gabriel, she might not ever.

There has to be a cure—but only if I keep a level head. Grief and anger crash inside me, and if I lose my cool, I might lose her, too.

—
Nemesis must be read prior to Warrior for continuity.

AMAZON 

You’re the sweetest torture,”

Holy hell, the way I devoured this book. The plot twists, the revelations, the jaw dropping details! My head was spinning at the end, only tone hit in the head with that two by four to the head of a cliffy. MY. GOD.

The mystery of who Reese is, is finally revealed and wow wow wow was I not prepared for THAT. Of all the things I had thought, it definitely wasn’t THAT. And now Artemis’s reaction towards him in book one makes so much more sense.

While we spent most of Nemesis In Artemis’s head, we get a whole lot more of the men in this one. Particularly Saint and Reese. And the story development for Saint is truly EPIC. I won’t spoil it for you, but just trust me.

For those who love their why choose with some MM, prepare yourself for the most tension filled MM relationship development. I was salivating for more scenes with these two. SALIVATING.

Good boy.”
Fucking hell.
He smirks. “Like that?”
“No.”
“Liar,” he whispers.

GAH! I get giddy just thinking about them.

There is so many revelations in this book with just as many questions left by them. For a reader who can usually see the plot twists coming, the ones here managed to catch me completely by surprise. I was left reeling and grasping for more clues.

And that ending? PHYSICALLY PAINFUL. I’m not sure I’ll be able to survive the wait for the next book but man, I have ZERO regrets. This was deliciously dark, twisty, action packed, and exactly what I needed

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: 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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