Review: Broken by Serena Akeroyd

August 13, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

BROKEN
Genre: Forbidden Romance
Author: Serena Aneroid
Release Date: August 1, 2024

Forgive me, Father, for I am undeserving when blood soaks these hands that hold Your gift to me.

I am broken and find solace in the darkness.

She is pure and basks in the light.

Did You send her to be my shelter?

I made a vow of celibacy.

She remained untouched.

Did You create her for me?

I am a sin eater, a purger of evil.

She is an angel, a guardian of good.

Did You know she would be my savior?

Thank You, Father, for she is the one sin I will willfully commit.

Broken is a forbidden, dark romance and a complete standalone.

AMAZON

He is my purpose. My reason. This goes beyond being soul mates. This is divine intervention.

If there is one thing I can tell you, it’s that Serena Akeroyd is an immaculate story teller. She has a way with her words that manages to spin you into the story and suck you into the characters. And this book was a true testament of her craft. It’s a polarizing type of story where you definitely want to read and heed the trigger warnings for. I wouldn’t call it dark, per se, but it definitely has dark and heavy undertones and subject matter.

It’s a painfully beautiful story of soulmates and healing, and it didn’t take me long to be wrapped up with these characters. Now admittedly, that is also the part that worked against me too. While I loved the intention behind it, I also found the romance to be almost too sudden. But do take my review with a grain of salt because I’m also a reader that isn’t a big fan when the FMC is the main pursuer in an almost mindless and aggressive way, and try as I might to look past it, it did impact my reading enjoyment.

I loved the different elements of the book, but for some reason the romance just didn’t click for me. I liked it, but I just didn’t love it like I usually do with Serena’s characters. I just couldn’t connect with either one of them on a level I needed to really click with the story.

But having said that, I still enjoyed the book. It was incredibly unique and while it covered some dark and disturbing subjects, the way that Serena wrote it was masterful. I wish I clicked with the romance more, but even then, it was still an enjoyable read that I would recommend for anyone looking for something different and unique.

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Review: The Prey by JL Beck

August 9, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

THE PREY
Author: J.L. Beck
Series: Oakmount Elite #3
Genre: Dark Romance, New Adult
Release Date: August 9, 2024

Filthy rich. Monstrous. Vile.

He calls me prey.

I call him a bully.

Sebastian Arturo isn’t just cruel, he’s downright terrifying.

With piercing green eyes, a body made for doing very bad things, and a charming demeanor, it’s no wonder everyone thinks the world of him… everyone except me.

When I wake up with pieces of my memory missing he’s the only one who can give me answers.

But he doesn’t give me answers, instead he tells me to stop asking questions, or else…

I heed his warning and do my best to avoid him but since he’s my boss and I live in his house that’s kinda difficult.

Then one night his hate for me reaches its breaking point… and the lines blur.

Hate twists into lustful obsession.

His cruel words become seductive praises.

One touch sparks a raging inferno of desire, and I find myself burned to ash beneath his fingertips.

Just when I think I’ll finally find happiness my memories return bringing with them a vicious truth.

Turns out the man I’m falling for isn’t who I thought he was… and escape isn”t an option.

He has me right where he wants, caught in a trap, just like prey.

** This is a standalone, however for better reading enjoyment please consider starting with The Wallflower before reading The Prey. Again this is a dark romance novel, but does contain a happily ever after. It also contains triggering material, and adult content. Please do not start reading till you check the trigger warning at the beginning of the book. **

AMAZON

Sebastian isn’t the gentleman the world thinks he is…

Well, Elyse, I definitely already knew that much. Sebastian was a deliciously intriguing secondary character in The Wallflower & The Wildflower. But as an MC, this man is in a league of his own and I worship at his alter.

Now I definitely liked Drew and Bel’s book, but I went absolutely FERAL for Sebastian. When I tell you that the first chapter grabs you by the throat, I mean brace yourself. Because holy moly! But I digress. I loved seeing Sebastian’s protective big brother side in The Wildflower, but seeing his dark and deranged side in his own book wa s an experience unparalleled.

We don’t quite know the full details of how, but Elyse ends up working as a maid for Sebastian to work off her father’s debt. Her past is shrouded in mystery as are the full circumstance of how she came to work for Sebastian. All you know is that he hates her as much as he wants her, and the more he wants her, the harder he pushes her away with his a-hole behavior. And this reader was here for every second of it.

Now Sebastian is one fascinating, multilayered character that I couldn’t get enough of. He may be an entitled a-hole to Elyse, but beneath the suits and the money is the dark soul of a man who went through hell himself. And while we only get snippets of what made him the way he is, you. just know that when the full history is revealed, it will hurt so good.

Sebastian fights his attraction to Elyse at every turn, until it becomes unbearable and her past comes knocking on his door. There is still a lot of unknown and I ended the book with more questions than answers, but I can tell you that I absolutely devoured this story.

Elyse is a perfect dichotomy of silent strength and vulnerability. Her circumstance puts her in an impossible position where she will never come out the victor, but she is no pushover, and I loved that about her. When we finally get more morsels about her past, I was absolutely rabid for more. But in true JL Beck fashion, she leaves on a cliffhanger so painful that I dang near cried when I finish. So off to stalk her for the next book I go and I have no regrets!

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Review: The Pucking Coach’s Daughter by S. Massery

July 23, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

THE PUCKING COACH’S DAUGHTER
Author: S Massery
Genre: Dark Romance, Reverse Harem
Release Date: July 23, 2024

From bestselling author S. Massery comes a brand new dark hockey reverse harem standalone.

Trust no one.

I learn that the hard way after hockey star Carter Masters stabs me in the back and turns our rival school against me.

Suddenly, I’m Public Enemy Number One at Framingham State.

Just a year later, that’s exactly where I’m forced to enroll.

No one has forgotten what I did.

The anti-Sydney campaign is led by two gorgeous, psycho hockey players. Oliver Ruiz, captain. And Penn Walker, the devastating goalie.

They have me in their sights the moment I step foot on their campus. Where they lead, the rest of the students follow. They won’t stop until I’m gone and Carter’s team faces payback.

My only solace from the constant bullying comes from a blocked number that keeps texting me.

But as much as Oliver and Penn want to, they can’t drive me off completely. Because even at the worst moments, I know I’m not going anywhere.

After all, I’m their coach’s daughter.

AMAZON

Penn is an inferno. He stokes a fire inside me, and his kiss consumes me like flames do. Carter walks the razor’s edge between pain and comfort. Sweet and controlling. Oliver is hungry. He kisses me like I’m the first drops of rain after a drought.

Oh but the trigger warnings didn’t lie. The second that S Massery announced this book, I was practically vibrating with excitement. If there’s one thing I would love more than her dark hockey romance is a RH dark hockey romance…with three absolutely deranged men that I couldn’t get enough of.

He uses the hand in my shirt to direct me backward, until my spine touches the wall. “You’re in my head, and I’d really rather you not be.”

When Sydney breaks into a home to recover something, she doesn’t expect to come across something else. And she certainly doesn’t expect to use what she finds, until said owner of the house tracks her down and pisses her off. And then she basically turns her life upside down because of spite. Not that I blame her, but the odds were definitely stacked against my girl. So she finds herself suddenly transferring to a rival school, where everyone hates her, and her estranged father coaches the hockey team, who hate her the most. And as for the men?

We have Sydney’s ex, Connor, from her previous school who is absolutely obsessed with her and even rents an apartment in secret across from her new one so he can keep his eye on her.

You’re not getting rid of me, Syd. Tell that to your FSU fuckboys. You and me? End-fucking-game.”

Then there’s the stalker/hockey goalie, Penn, with stalking tendencies and a somnophilia kink.

You tattooed your dick?” He lets out a groan. “Makes it taste better. Promise.”

And then there’s Oliver, who hates her but secretly wants her.

She’s dangerous and seductive and most definitely off-fucking-limits.

Now Oliver was definitely the bully of the group. The man definitely pulls no punches and when he takes it too far, he really takes it too far. But watching the man pay for his mistakes and earn Sydney’s forgiveness was definitely worth the pain.

The story itself was addictive with plenty of sizzle. There’s a slow burn, there’s kicky f*ckery, there’s enemies to lovers and hate f-king, and there’s plenty of banter. Suffice it to say I absolutely devoured this book and left no crumbs.

You’re fucking insane, princess. I think I might love it.”

Now Oliver is a guy you will either love or hate. Me for one, I love me the broken bad boys, so obviously I loved him. Penn was deliciously kinky. And Connor hides a dark side that hit every spot when it unleashed. I absolutely loved the 4 of them together and I loved their dynamic, even if it was toxic at times. You know I love the toxicity in my books.

If you’re looking for a spicy dark hockey romance with 3 deranged MMCs and an FMC that gives as good as she gets, look no further.

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Review: Twisted Deeds by Mila Kane

June 26, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

DARK DELIGHTS
Series: Hellions of Hade Harbor Book 3
Author: Mila Kane
Genre: Dark Romance, New Adult Romance
Release Date: June 26, 2024

They call her the Ice Queen.
Winter De Laurie. Cold by name and by nature.
She’s always been a spoiled little brat, daddy’s little princess, while I’m the guy from the wrong side of the tracks. She’s always made it clear that I’m beneath her.
It was hate from first sight.

But when she needs help, she can’t turn to anyone from her cushy, cashmere life.
She needs a man who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty.
She comes to me.
I’ll help, for a price.
I’ve started to think that while I might hate the ice queen, I wouldn’t mind dirtying up her innocent princess persona.
Even royals can fall, and I plan to ruin this one completely.


Meet the Ice Gods, the Hockey players who never play by the rules and own Hade Harbor and everyone in it. Dark Delights is a standalone bully romance featuring a possessive hockey playing Ice God, and the smart, mouthy object of his obsession.

AMAZON

You’ve got some fucking mouth on you, DeLaurie. One day, someone, somewhere, is going to show you that the sun doesn’t shine out of your ass… and put you in your place.”
“In my place?”
“Yeah, in your fucking place.” He leaned in, his hot breath against my lips. “On your knees… crawling, naked and humble, until the brat act dies…”

I have been absolutely feral for this book ever since the last chapter of Dark Delights. That sneak peek into Winter and Asher’s story had me gagging. GAGGING I tell you.

I’m the trouble you won’t recover from.”


Asher is the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, Beckett’s best friend and Eve’s twin brother from Dark Delights. He doesn’t come from money or born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He’s pure unadulterated talent with NHL dreams, and the last thing he wants is to get tangled up with the rich girl, Winter.

If you offer me anything, I’ll take everything.”

Winter and Asher’s relationship is not a simple one. It’s full of hate, loathing, and equal opportunity antagonism. Winter is desperate to escape the attention of an obnoxious rich guy who has his eyes on her and zero good intentions, so she lies to her father that she has a boyfriend. Now to just convince Asher to play along.

Asher wants nothing to do with the ice queen and so a game begins of Asher pushing and Winter pulling. A game of sorts to see if Winter can push him into faking their relationship and Asher pushing her to look like a fool. It was utterly delicious. I loved the push and pull between them and I loved their hate lust. It even had the impossible happening and me coming to like Selena, and who saw THAT coming considering how much I hated her in the previous book. And I sincerely hope Mila will have a book for her because I need her redemption. There’s also a peak into a new secondary character who will be getting a duet soon and I CANNOT FLIPPING WAIT.

My only quibble is there was a scene with Winter and Asher at the end of the previous book that I thought we would get more of or at least an explanation. And while I can assume, it wasn’t plugged into this book…unless I missed something. I was sort of expecting to have that scene come up and built on in this book. But in either case, I devoured this book and finished it in one sitting, so clearly it didn’t bother me much. And I cannot wait for more in this series. If you love dark hockey romance, this series is a must read.

 

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: Cold Hard Truth by Eva Simmons

May 18, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

COLD HARD TRUTH
Series: Twisted Roses #3
Genre: Contemporary, Dark Romance
Author: Eva Simmons
Release Date: May 17, 2024

Years on the run taught me fate always catches up. And that’s what happened when Sage Jackson found me.

My destiny. My keeper. My father’s enforcer.

Sage owes the club a favor, and now that I’m back, it’s his time to pay up. My freedom for his. A task he’s happy to accept when I’m the reason his father is dead.

Sage swears to protect me.
To guard me.
To keep his hands off me.

He thinks showing me his dark side will make breaking the rules easier to resist.

But the truth is, he isn’t the only one with scars and secrets. And I prefer being at the mercy of a beast over the boredom of dating a prince.

AMAZON

Sage is a Twisted King, and I’m the daughter of one. Destined or not, this is never going to be what I want.

Oh the way I binge read this series and dare I say, this one was my favorite so far. Sage and Lyla were everything. This series is what I would call grayish dark. It’s the perfect series for those that want to get into the dark romance genre, but don’t want all of the gory and dark details. The story itself touches some very dark topics, but keeps the disturbing parts off the pages, which worked perfectly.

If walls can hold ghosts, then so can bones. And every time I look into his eyes, I’m reminded that Sage is haunted. I get it. So am I.

Lyla never wanted to live the biker life. But when her father is the MC president and the boy you’re in love with is a prospect, there’s not much hope to escape it. Lyla and her twin sister get thrust into the MC life even if they want nothing to do with it. But the one good thing for Lyla is Sage. What starts as an unwilling friendship soon turns into something more. Only for life to tilt on its axis for Lyla and for everything to come crashing down around her forcing Lyla to run.

She was mine all those years ago, and she’s mine now.

When a clue for the answers she desperately seeks brings her back, she doesn’t expect to run into Sage or her father again. The last thing she expects is for them to lure her back into a life she wants nothing to do with. Sage is determined to protect her from the danger of her past and Lyla is still adamantly determined to avoid the MC life. But Sage is not the boy she knew eight years ago. He’s grown up and not into the MC man she thought.

I won’t go into any detail because trust me, you want to experience it for yourself. But I will tell you to prepare for an action packed ride with dark secrets, sizzling romance, and a man obsessed. If you love watching the bad boy fall and fall hard, you’ll love Sage. Lyla is a force to be reckoned with and Love the way she matches Sage’s hard core energy. The two of them together is absolutely incendiary.

She screams into my mouth, and I steal it with a kiss. I’m going to take every piece of her—body and soul.

I was so obsessed with this second chance romance that I binge read it in one sitting. It was deliciously spicy with just the right amount of grit and suspense. I can’t wait for the next installment!

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Review: Lies Like Love by Eva Simmons

May 10, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

LIES LIKE LOVE
Series: Twisted Roses #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Eva Simmons
Release Date: September 29, 2023

 

I made a mistake.

Hearts are the most fragile part of the body, and I trusted mine with Jude Carlisle.

My villain. My weakness. My stepbrother.

Fairytales have a way of turning the most innocent things wicked.

Jude lied through his teeth, and I fell for every word. Then he burned both our families to the ground in a sick game of revenge and never looked back.

When I see him again years later—tattooed, pierced, as vicious and lethal as ever—I should know better. Except this time, I’m not the girl looking for a hero. And I’m tempted to let Jude eat me alive if it means I’ll finally be his.

I thought I knew the truth.
I thought I unmasked all the monsters.
I thought I understood how our story would end.

But the trouble with wolves is they’re always lying. And what big lies mine told.


Lies Like Love is an emotionally twisted, dark, fairytale inspired romance with a morally grey hero, heavy subject matter, mature content, and explicit scenes. Content/TWs (which contain spoilers) can be found on author’s website. 18+ only.

AMAZON

Hearts aren’t born broken. They’re carved in the hands of those who aren’t careful with fragile things. And Jude is an expert at ripping holes in mine. He’s ruthless. Brutal.

This was my second Eva Simmons book, and y’all! I. Am. Shooketh. First of all, if you haven’t read this author yet, take my advice and have this one be the first one. Especially if you love suspenseful twisty plots with sassy MFCs and obsessed dirty talking MMCs.

Oh, god,” she moans, as I shove a finger inside, and her p*ssy tightens. “Cute.” I shove another finger in and appreciate how she loses her breath with my touch. “But I promise no one hears you like I do. So if you want your prayers answered, you better fucking pray to me, Red.”

Indeed. But I digress.

Jude and Felicity have a convoluted history. When they were teens, Felicity had a crush on Jude until she discovered he’ll be her new stepbrother and became the ultimate forbidden. But then Fel’s life tilted on its axis. Now eleven years later, Fel is trying to make a life for herself outside the influence of her wealthy family. In the hopes of selling her body jewelry, she allows her best friend to talk her to take a meeting with a popular tattoo parlor. But the last thing she expects is to see the blast from her past, only he’s not the same 17 year old boy she once knew. Jude is harder, darker, and he’s no longer her stepbrother.

This was such a deliciously entertaining story, told primarily in the present with glimpses into the past that are intricately woven in to peel back the layers of the mystery of why Fel hates Jude and what he’s ultimately hiding from her. The story definitely is true to its title and that’s all I’ll say because I don’t want to ruin it for you. Jude is a part owner in the successful Twisted Rose tattoo parlor along with his friends and he happens to get his kicks by fighting in an underground club. So obviously I was obsessed with him. Felicity may seem like a princess who was born with everything, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. And the more you learn about their past, the more you fall for these characters. Their romance was absolutely sizzling and their chemistry was incendiary. I loved the two of them together.

And that ending?! Holy wow! I love when a story manages to catch me by surprise and boy did it. I am officially obsessed and diving immediately into Crew’s book now!

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Review: Cage of Ice and Echoes by Pam Godwin

April 23, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

CAGE OF ICE AND ECHOES
Series: Frozen Fate #2
Genre: Dark Romance, Why Choose
Author: Pam Godwin 
Release Date: April 23, 2024

Frankie’s story continues in this second book in the Frozen Fate trilogy by Pam Godwin.

Frankie and her ruthless protectors conquered unspeakable evil. But their fight to escape the hills of shivers and shadows is far from over.
Stranded in Alaska, survival becomes paramount against starvation, hypothermia, and the dangerous predators lurking outside their isolated cabin.
Sharing precious body heat with her viciously possessive men presents another challenge. She must navigate not only the brutal arctic tundra but also the intricacies of polyamorous love to ensure they make it out alive.
Tensions rise as the ice thickens, and their only hope rests on a plane they can’t fly.
Unless they unlock the secrets hidden beneath its wings in a cage of ice and echoes.

Tropes: Adult Romance, Age Gap, Alpha Hero, Angsty, Band of Brothers, Billionaire, Boy Obsessed, Close Proximity, Enemies-to-lovers, First Love, Fish out of Water, Forbidden Love, Forced Proximity, Found Family, Heroine in Danger, Menage, MFM, One Bed, Poly (3+ people), Protector, Romantic Suspense, Scars, Stalker, Starting Over, Stranded Together, Survival, Taboo, Touch Her And Die, Tragic Past, Troubled Marriage, Unrequited Love, Virgin Hero, Why Choose, Will They or Won’t They

AMAZON 

I’m bound by heartstrings to two souls, brothers in name, family in blood, rivals in love, united in their resolve to protect one thing. Me.

How? How does Pam Godwin do this? Every. Single. Time. She manages to weave pure addictive magic into her words and fully captivate her readers in a story that’s as gripping as it is unforgettable.

After the painful cliffhanger in book one, I was itching to get my hands on the second installment of this trilogy. I think my hands were legit shaking when I started this book because I was both eager for answers at the same time that I almost dreaded them.

Made by God and raised by the devil, he’s a formidable force of nature, devastatingly handsome, looming over me, stealing all my air.

Now book one was thick, and I mean THICK. And this book was no shorter. And yet, every word packed a meaning. There wasn’t one wasted sentence, page, or chapter. All of it weaving an intricate tale of survival, love beyond all odds, and a dark undercurrent that practically vibrates with the energy hidden within these pages.

Here, in their embrace, I have the entire world wrapped around me. Because my entire world is them.

There is an additional POV added into this book that I am wholly obsessed with. But I also have no idea what end is up any longer. Every time I think I fugue out something, I’m left with even more answers. The intricate details of this story are simply unparalleled. Kody, Leo and Frankie are stranded, starving, and in a desperate bid to survive the brutal elements of the arctic. Amongst the frozen and bare land, desperation, and starvation, the bond between these three continues to grow. And god but I loved the fierce protectiveness these men have for Frankie. Almost as much as I loved how fierce Frankie is in everything she survives and does for these men.

When I tell you I love you, it isn’t out of habit or because I think you need to hear it. I say it to remind the world that you’re irreplaceable, and it will suffer my eternal goddamn wrath if anything happens to you.”

As long as this book was, I devoured it. I couldn’t put it down for even a minute. I was desperately turning the pages only to get to the end with my jaw firmly rooted to the floor. I am shooketh. I am unwell. I am DESPERATE for the conclusion.

If you’re looking for an incredibly well written dark romance that is weaved with suspense, beautiful propose, and a story so additive that you will actually see it unravel behind your eyes as you read, you need this in your life. TRUST ME.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, Pam Godwin, lives in the Midwest with her husband, their two children, and a foulmouthed parrot. When she ran away, she traveled fourteen countries across five continents, attended three universities, and married the vocalist of her favorite rock band.
 
Java, tobacco, and dark romance novels are her favorite indulgences, and might be considered more unhealthy than her aversion to sleeping, eating meat, and dolls with blinking eyes.
 
Facebook Reader Group: here
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Review: Lawless God by Lola King

April 4, 2024 by ·

LAWLESS GOD
Series: North Shore Stories #4
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Lola King
Release Date: April 4, 2024

I sent a psychopath to prison. Now he’s out and back for revenge.
They call me Kayla ‘The Ruthless’ King. The Queen of the North Shore and leader of the Kings’ Crew.

Because of the sacrifices I’ve made and the merciless way I run my crew, the North Shore belongs to me.

In our town, you can only thrive if you’re the worst of the worst. But that all ended when the psychopath I put away returned with a target on my back.

If I’m The Ruthless King, Nathan White is The Lawless God. The biggest and baddest of them all. He’s heartless and cruel, and everyone is safer out of his way. Including me.

When he comes back to the North Shore with only my name on his lips, I know my days are numbered. Or so I thought until he took me.

Nathan doesn’t want me dead. He wants me to suffer. And what better way than to keep me captive as he destroys my crew and legacy.

I’m fighting a war that I’m unprepared for, and in the midst of chaos, my feelings blur with the need for survival. My secrets aren’t safe anymore, and neither is my heart.

You know what they say? Never fall in love with the enemy.

Too late for that.


This book is a standalone in a series of interconnected standalones. It can be read on its own.

AMAZON 

Nathan White. Ruthless leader. Cold-blooded killer. Brutal, merciless, lawless god. My husband for however long he wishes.

If you thought Caden King was a psychopath, just wait until you meet Nathan White. Because this man will make Caden look like a tame kitten in comparison. So obviously I loved this book.

I have been waiting for Kayla’s book for the longest time. She’s one of the most fascinating secondary characters in the series. You just know that beneath the rough and deadly shell there’s something more to her. And boy was there. And I’m not talking about dimensions, because there are so many layers to Kayla. I’m talking about her desires that just so happen to fit Nathan’s penchants to a T.

I might be known as the woman who isn’t scared of death, but he’s different. Death makes him ecstatic.

Nathan White is so much more than the Kings or the NSC. He’s more dangerous than both gangs combined; a cold and lethal mastermind. And when Kayla lies on the stand to put him in prison for what she hopes is the rest of his life? It only takes him 4 to get out and to plot his revenge. He’s going to make her pay by stealing four years from him by making her suffer, making her his, and making her bend. He’s going to drag her to the altar kicking and screaming, keep her his prisoner, and make her admit all of her dark and hidden desires that only he can raise to the surface.

He fucks me hard with a need to possess me. He makes me come with an obsession that defies reason. And he kisses me with something that resembles love so closely… I could be fooled into believing it.

Kayla is ruthless in her own right. You don’t get to be the fearless leader to a notorious gang without it. She’s got her own killer tendencies, but they’re definitely not the level of Nate’s psychopath. She doesn’t just take her captivity lying down and she gives as hard as she gets. And let me just tell you that the woman gets it HARD. Nate is determined to crush her independence and her independence to worship at his altar and he’s not exactly sweet about. If you don’t love your MMCs pitch black, this may not be for you. But what I absolutely loved about this book is that Lola still manages to make you fall for him and show a small side of Nate that you can’t help but love. Is he redeemable? Barely. But you get just a touch of his humanity to make you fall and fall hard.

Your body is mine, and I’m going to hurt it. Your soul is mine, and I’m going to taint it. I’ve already broken your mind, and I’ll do more, little sunflower. I’m going to crush your heart in the palm of my hand and order it to beat for me.”

This book was a non stop thrill ride, packed with action, suspense, and all the feels. The twists are shocking and jaw dropping and the romance is deliciously toxic.

I think I’m starting to like your crazy ass.” He smirks. It’s beautiful, devilish. “I know, baby. That Stockholm syndrome is doing wonders for you.”
I laugh. Truly, wholeheartedly laugh. “Bastard.”

Lola really said save the best for last with this one and I am wholly obsessed. If you haven’t read this series yet, you need to drop everything you’re doing and change that immediately!

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#DGRFave & Review: Ruby Tears by Pepper Winters

March 14, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

RUBY TEARS
Series: The Jewelry Box #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Pepper Winters
Release Date: March 12, 2024

“Ten thousand dollars.
That pitiful sum changed my entire life.
It bought my entire life.
A measly ten thousand dollars, given to my boyfriend by a monster to fuck me.
He took it.
The monster took me.
And I never saw freedom again.”

I’m the bastard son of a monster.
My other half-blooded siblings have their own demons…but me?
I truly have the devil inside.
I try to be good.
To do my best to ignore the deep, dark, despicable urges.
But every day it gets harder.
I thought family could help.
I reached out to my infamous half-brother, Q begging for his secrets to stay tamed.
Instead, he gave me an ultimatum to prove I’m not like our father.
Infiltrate The Jewelry Box: a trafficking ring of poor unfortunate souls, kill the Master Jeweler, free the Jewels, and don’t lose my rotten soul while trying.
Only problem is…my initiation into this exclusive club is earning a Jewel all of my own.
She sparkles like diamonds, bleeds like rubies, and bruises as deep as emeralds.
She’s mine to break.
I can’t refuse.
If I want to prove to my half-brother that I’m not like our sire, I have to sink into urges I’ve always fought, plunge into madness, and lose myself so deeply into sin that the only one who will be breaking is me.

AMAZON 

Her fight. Her exquisite, delicious fight. It fucking destroyed me.

Monsters in the Dark is one of my favorite dark romances and also Pepper Winters books. Then again, I don’t think Pepper has written a book that I haven’t obsessed over. But her dark romance? It’s on a whole other level. The woman writes the most captivating, lyrical prose as she writes stories rooted in the darkest of worlds. And this girl will never get enough.

Now Q Mercer is one of my favorite antiheroes so when I saw that Pepper is writing a book for his long lost half brother? Well, I did what any normal person would do. Stalk the sh*t of her social media for any morsel of information, obviously. But nothing and I mean nothing could have prepared me for the effect this book had on me.

You’re holding me.”
“And you feel so damn breakable. So fucking good.”
“I can still hit you. Hurt you.”
“Do it and I won’t be able to stop what I do in return, Ily.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Stop using my name. It’s not yours to use.”
“Mine’s Henri. Now you know what to scream.”

Henri is a dark enigma. This man is not morally gray, he’s hiding a pitch black darkness that he fights with every ounce of his being. He has been fighting his dark cravings all his life. He knows that giving in will turn him into the worst of monsters. After all, what he wants doesn’t exist in the light of day. It is far from normal and it’s dripping in depravity. But when a promise to his brother lands him in an impossible situation, he can’t fight his demons. He has to give into them in order to blend in with the monsters he’s surrounded by. But what he didn’t want is for the innocent beauty he catches the eye of in a bar to get caught in the spider web.

I didn’t even have time to breathe. He kissed me. Savagely. Inhumanly. He kissed me as if he could stop my heart with a single lick.

Ily is in France with her boyfriend. But when their public breakup in a bar catches the eye of the wrong people, she finds herself caught, stolen, and carted to a place she has no hope of escaping. Her only salvation may be the same man who holds her ruination in his hands.

You’re mine now. Your every breath, every drop of blood, every bone, every thought and prayer and scream belong to me. Nod.” She nodded.

Now you know you’re reading a dark romance from Pepper Winters when you’re at the edge of your seat, pit in your stomach, just waiting for the other shoe to drop. And you know, you just know, that when it does, you’ll never be the same. This, this is why I love dark romance. This feeling. The dread, the anxiety, the suspense of each turn of the page.

His stare tore into mine like his tongue had plunged into my mouth, and we both stopped breathing. “You taste like the worst kind of nightmare.”

This book is not for the faint of heart. Heck, it’ll be hard for the most seasoned dark reader. But it’s beautifully written, with complex, multilayered characters who will evoke so many emotions from the reader; hate, loathing, fear, and heartache being just a few.

Ily is such a fierce heroine and she doesn’t stop fighting even when her situation is impossible. And Henri? Henri is a monster in the dark that you’ll fall for in spite of yourself. This man is so irrevocably broken but his jagged pieces are so captivating.

I did take a few days to finish but it wasn’t because it dragged. I wanted to savor it but I also needed a small break in between because the story is so intense. And that ending? I don’t know if I will even survive the next book. But I desperately need it anyway.

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#DGRFave & Review: Hills of Shivers and Shadows by Pam Godwin

March 12, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

HILLS OF SHIVERS & SHADOWS
Series: Frozen Fate #1
Genre: Dark Romance, Why Choose
Author: Pam Godwin 
Release Date: March 12, 2024

Abducted and taken to a remote cabin in Alaska, Frankie finds herself at the mercy of four feral men, each with his own dark secrets and twisted desires.

With nowhere to run, she must rely on her wits to survive the harsh winter, trapped with them.

As she delves into their mysterious pasts, she uncovers an insidious evil that feeds on loyalty and uses love as a weapon.

Nothing is as it seems.

In this desolate world where the monsters are as beautiful as they are cruel, trust is elusive. They torment her, protect her, and keep her in the dark.

But to have any chance of escape, they must stand together.

Or fall prey to the evil in the hills of shivers and shadows.

Tropes: Abduction, Adult Romance, Alpha Hero, Angsty, Anti-Hero, Band of Brothers, Billionaire, Bully, Captivity, Dark Romance, Enemies-to-lovers, Escaping a Killer, First Love, Forbidden Love, Forced Proximity, Found Family, Poly (3+ people), Protector, Romantic Suspense, Scars, Slow Burn, Stalker, Survival, Taboo, Tortured Past, Touch Her And Die, Tragic, Vengeance, Virgin Hero, Why Choose

AMAZON 

Beware of the monsters with beautiful eyes.

I…am not OK. I’m totally and completely shooketh. And I doubt anything will be OK until I can get my hands on the next installment of this series.

This is it. Only two options left. I escape. Or I die.

Having read everything Pam has ever written, this is unlike anything I’ve read from her to date. One of my favorite things about her writing is just how versatile she is as an author and the genres she writes it. The woman has a Midas touch, I swear. She can write a grocery list and make you cling to every word. But this new series of hers is something else entirely. Is it dark? Absolutely! It wouldn’t be a Godwin book without her signature grit and dark undertones. But this story was a total and complete mind f*ck.

They were raised by the devil, and the devil doesn’t breed innocence. He breeds raw, seductive masculinity, apparently.

The first installment in the Frozen Fate trilogy read more like a dark, psychological thriller with romance undertones and the way I was riveted to each page is beyond words. I’ll try to review this book without giving too many details (read=any details) away. Trust me when I tell you that you need to go into this story absolutely blind.

Apologize.” She walks right up to him like he’s not about to go full Hulk on her ass.
“Excuse me?” His head jerks back.
“Apologize for the threats you’ve made against my life and the way you’ve treated me since day one.”
He laughs, hollow and vibrating with evil. “Go fuck yourself.”
“You will.” She smiles. “One day, you’ll crawl to me on your fucking knees, begging me to forgive you. But it’ll be too late. You will be the one fucking yourself.”
Extending her middle finger, she walks out the door and slams it behind her.
“Goddamn.” I’m in love.

Frankie is an absolute bad*ss of an FMC. She’s fiercely independent and madly in love with her husband. But then her world tilts on its axis after a devastating fight leaves her alone, vulnerable, and kidnapped. Taken to a remote location in Alaska that can only be escaped by a plane, she’s left at the mercy of a devil and his sons. Nothing is as it seems and the only thing clear is she’s not safe. She doesn’t know who to trust and where to turn. Mourning her marriage and what could have been, she finds herself being drawn to the 3 intense men occupying the house and the devil who seems to keep them on a tight tether. When I tell you I was greedily turning the pages desperate for just one morsel of information. The chemistry is fiery but it’s very much a slow burn. The sexual magnetism of the men is on a whole other level. And no, I won’t name them. Trust me on this.

Frankie is fierce and savage and I couldn’t get enough of her. And the men? My heart hurt for them, I hated them, I was at the edge of my seat just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I need you to hate me, Frankie. Hate me the most. But we’re not staying away from this.” I gesture between us. “When I grovel and beg and crawl on my knees, I expect our hate-fucking to be the best fucking either of us will ever experience.”

And then that ending hits you with the intensity of a Mac truck and you’re trying to make sense of what just happened and you can’t. I have no idea the direction that Pam will take their journey but I know I will eagerly brace myself for what’s sure to be one wild ride.

This was a dark romance with psychological thriller vibes that will grab you by the throat from page one and not let up until the end. It will leave you desperate for the next book and wondering what side is up. UTTERLY DELICIOUS.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, Pam Godwin, lives in the Midwest with her husband, their two children, and a foulmouthed parrot. When she ran away, she traveled fourteen countries across five continents, attended three universities, and married the vocalist of her favorite rock band.
 
Java, tobacco, and dark romance novels are her favorite indulgences, and might be considered more unhealthy than her aversion to sleeping, eating meat, and dolls with blinking eyes.
 
Facebook Reader Group: here
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