Review: Brutal Game by Jo Brenner

October 10, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

BRUTAL GAME
Series: Kings of Reina University #1
Author: Jo Brenner
Genre: Dark, New Adult Romance
Release Date: October 10, 2024

I tried to get revenge against his team, and now he’s making me pay…

In public, Jack Feldman is king on hockey star, golden god, brother to a billionaire, admired and wanted by everyone.
In private, he’s my ruthless tormentor bent on destroying body, mind, and soul.

When he catches me trying to get justice against his team, he threatens to ruin everything I care about unless I give him whatever he wants.

But what Jack wants is me.

He’s obsessive, possessive, and determined to wreck me.
And as he drags me down to the depths of his depravity, he brings out a part of me that wants to be wrecked by him.

He’s made it clear he owns me and will never let me go. When I fight back, he fights harder. He’s playing a dark and twisted game, but I can’t let him win.

Or his dark obsession will destroy us both.

Brutal Game 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

She’d stolen something from me, something I couldn’t entirely describe. My control? My equilibrium? Something worse? Maybe we were even now, since I was stealing her, but it didn’t matter. She’d pay. Forever, if I had a say.

Now if you know me, you know I love me a good bully romance. When that also happens to combine hockey and morally gray MMCs, stick a fork in me. I’m done.

Admittedly, I haven’t read anything by Jo Brenner yet. But when I saw the blurb to this book, I just knew this would be my first book from her. And having read it, I can tell you that it definitely won’t be my last. What a twisty and spicy number this was!

Aviva is a woman on a mission. She’s a recent transfer to Reina university with one goal in mind, revenge for her brother who was once a rising college hockey star. But when Aviva goes searching for answers and evidence, she lands smack dab in the middle of the crosshairs of the hockey team’s golden boy; Jack Feldman.

Jack won’t let anyone stand in his way of making it to the NFL. And a girl after his team and coach just won’t do. So what’s a guy to do? Blackmail her into being you sex slave, obvie. But all kidding aside, this man was all sorts of unhinged and deranged. So obmiouly I fell immediately head over heels. If you like your fictional men obsessed, you’re going to love Jack. The man will stop at nothing to get Aviva, even if he has to manipulate her into him. And manipulate her he does. But she’s also his willing victim.

I loved Aviva’s fiery temper and backbone almost as I loved watching Jack try to bend her to his will. The chemistry between them was incendiary. I was immediately hooked on this story and these characters. I was also so intrigued by Jack’s best friends and teammates. There are some cameos from characters from previous books (related to Jack) that I will also be checking out immediately.

This was such a fun read and going right up there with my S Massery obsession. If you like mean MMCs with a degradation kink and FMCs that give as good as they get and don’t just take anything lying down (pun intended), you’ll definitely want to check this one out! I can’t wait for more in this series!


Meet Jo Brenner:
A lover of dogs, mountain adventures, and HGTV, Jo Brenner writes romances that are little
bit twisted, a lotta bit sexy—and always have an HEA.

Connect with Jo Brenner:
https://authorjobrenner.carrd.co

 




Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Dark, New Adult · Tagged With: , , , ,

Review: By Blood to Avenge by Natasha Knight

October 8, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

BY BLOOD TO AVENGE
Series: Sinners Duet #2
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Natasha Knight
Release Date: October 8, 2024

I claimed her, but I never intended on falling for her.

I see the scars Blue hides. The secrets she keeps. I want to collect all the broken pieces of her.

Her enemies are closing in faster than she can run.

When she’s taken from me, I hunt down her abductor and give in to my rage.

I spill blood for her. I’d do it again.

But the game turns deadly when some of the most powerful men of The Society attack.

I won’t let them touch her though.

I won’t fail Blue like I failed my sister, even if she will be my undoing.

AMAZON 

Zeke and I, there’s a darkness inside us. It belongs to us, it envelops us.

The epic conclusion to Blue and Zeke’s story was an absolute page turner that I devoured in one sitting. But then again, I say that about every book I read by Natasha. The woman puts some sort of crack in her books, I swear. And they hit each and every single time.

After the jaw dropping cliffhanger in the first book, I was itching to get my hands on this one. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint. It was a thrill ride full of IVI society dark secrets, betrayals and revenge. Oh my god the revenge!

I don’t want to give too much away but there are a lot of revelations that happen. Some I saw coming and some absolutely blew my mind. Zeke goes from a man determined to make his blackmailer pay to a may who is wholly obsessed with the woman and will stop at nothing to keep her safe. Blue, even though she’s young, is definitely mature beyond her years. But given the way she grew up, that’s not surprising. The woman is a survivor through and through. And she doesn’t stop fighting even when the odds are stacked against her. I loved her so much.

There is so much that is packed into this book and all of it just worked. It was fast paced, deliciously erotic, and completely unputdownable. I loved the cameos from some past favorites and I absolutely adored Zeke and Blue. I will never tire of this world and can’t recommend this duet enough!

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Dark · Tagged With: ,

#DGRFave & Review: Anathema by Keri Lake

September 18, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

ANATHEMA
Series: The Eating Woods Duology #1
Genre: Gothic Dark Fantasy Romance
Author: Keri Lake
Release Date: September 8, 2024

A new gothic dark fantasy coming in 2024

Only the banished know what lies beyond the woods …

There are whispers about what lurks in Witch Knell—the forest where sinners go to die. The villagers call it The Eating Woods because what’s taken is never given back. Only those who’ve lost their senses would dare to go near it.

Or the banished.

Maevyth Bronwick knows better than to breach the misty labyrinth of trees, but a tragic turn of events compels her beyond the archway of bones, to a boundary no mortal has crossed before. One that cloaks a dark and fantastical world that’s as dangerous as it is alluring.

It’s there that he dwells, the cursed lord of Eidolon. The one tasked to keep her hidden from the magehood that seeks to crucify her in the name of an arcane prophesy. Zevander Rydainn, known to his prey as The Scorpion, is the coldest, most calculated assassin in all of Aethyria and he’d sooner toss his feisty ward to a pack of vicious fyredrakes than keep her safe.

If only he could.

Maevyth’s blood is the key to breaking his despised curse and vanquishing the slumbering evil in Witch Knell. Unfortunately for Lord Rydainn, fate has other plans for the irresistible little enchantress. And his growing obsession with her threatens to destroy everything.
Including himself.

AMAZON 

“You are mine, Lunamiszka. For all eternity and whatever lies beyond it. No soul has ever been more intricately woven into mine than yours.”

I cannot remember the last time I read a book that consumed me in a way that this one did. This was, hands down, my top read of the year. It may have been my favorite book from Keri today. And considering I’ve read the woman’s entire backlist, that’s saying something.

This is a dark, gothic romantasy and it was everything you’d expect from the immensely talented Lake and so SO much more. Think Assassin’s Creed meets Witcher type vibes. And yes, it really is as good as that sounds.

It’s also very much a slow burn, and when I say slow burn, I mean a serious slow burn. And while in any other book I would struggle with this, it kept me riveted in this one. The writing is so vivid and multifaceted, that I swear I could see this like a movie reel behind my eyes as I read. And I tell you, if this isn’t picked up by a producer, I will riot. This needs to be a movie. But I digress.

This is book one in a duet, and there is a lot of world building that takes place in this book and oh my god was it delicious. There’s magic, kingdoms, witches, demons, all of the things. And all of them combined for a simply unputdownable read.

We have the ruthless king’s assassin with a dark secret and an even darker agenda. And then there is a beautiful mortal who may be more than meets the eye. The first 30% of the book really develops both of these characters. And while they don’t meet for a bit, it doesn’t take anything away because the story itself was so gripping. But when they finally do meet? OMG the sparks!

He glanced over his shoulder, and I jerked my head up so fast, I nearly toppled backward. “Perhaps you should walk alongside me, unless you insist on staring at my ass the whole way.”
A scorching heat warmed my cheeks, cooled only by the icy anger of having been humiliated. “Perhaps you shouldn’t walk like you’ve got two snapping turtles attached to your ass.”

Maevyth Bronwick lives in fear of what’s known by her village as the Eating Woods; a place of banishment for those they deem sinners. But when her sister’s life is on the line, she doesn’t spare a moment of thought before running deep into the danger. But then suddenly finds herself in a world she didn’t even know existed.

Zevander Rydainn is a mystery wrapped in darkness. An assassin for the king, he hides a dark secret that can cost him his life. A mission that is meant to kill the mortal suddenly turns to his protecting her and suffice it to say neither of them is thrilled about it. And the chemistry that brews between them? The perfect cherry on top.

Now look, I won’t go into too much detail because you really just need to experience this book for yourself. But when I tell you I was glued to the pages from cover to cover, I mean I lived and breathed this story. I thought about it when I put it down for even a second. Heck, I couldn’t stop thinking about it and I still can’t, weeks after finishing.

I’m not sure if I will survive the wait for the conclusion and if this book isn’t on your radar, it NEEDS to be. Simply unforgettable!

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Dark, DGR Favorites, Fantasy, Gothic Romance · Tagged With: , , , ,

Review: By Sin To Atone by Natasha Knight

September 17, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

BY SIN TO ATONE
Series: Sinners Duet #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Natasha Knight
Release Date: September 16, 2024

A steamy, Forced Proximity Secret Society Romance by Bestselling Author Natasha Knight.

I crossed him. Now he owns me.

When I tried to blackmail Ezekiel St. James, I thought it would be easy.

Turns out I had no idea who I was dealing with.

The moment his steel-grey eyes locked on mine, I knew the game was over.

He knew exactly who I was. What I’d done.

And he wasn’t going to let me walk away.

With his immense wealth and power, he had me kidnapped.

He could make me disappear.

I’m no easy prey, though, and it’s not just my life on the line. I have to protect my sister.

But when I’m hurt, he does the unexpected. He takes care of me.

In some twisted way, he sees his atonement in me.

Desperate and vulnerable, I need protection.

He offers his, but his terms are as grey as his morals. I’ll be his in every way.

I accept knowing full well the risk. Because when he touches me, my skin catches fire.

And there’s something inside me that wants to belong to him.

AMAZON 

You’re mine now, Little Convict. You belong to me.”

What sort of crack does this woman sprinkle into her books that no matter how many times she writes a certain trope, I will gobble it right up and lick every finger clean after? I swear, I will never, and I mean EVER, get enough of her IVI world. If you love dark secret society romance, trust me when I say you need to check this out.

Now if you’ve read Devil’s Pawn, then you’ll remember Jericho’s brother, Ezekiel St. James. But nothing prepares you for the impact of this man as a main character. Because OH MY OVARIES!

There’s a beast inside this man with his elegant, refined façade. And I’ve woken it. “Let me go.”

If you’ve read the other duet, then you will already know one of the dark secrets and demons that Ezekiel has. But if you haven’t, not worries, because you will easily be sucked into this as a standalone and all relevant details are shared. But you will appreciate his story so much more having read Jericho’s duet first. But enough about that.

Ezekiel is a powerful man within the society of IVI, so when he gets blackmailed by a stranger, he’s not about to take it lying down. So he tracks her down to an IVI bar and plays the game right back.

Dangerous games have dangerous consequences, Blue. You’re going to learn that lesson hard.”

Blue is a MFC who intrigued me from the very first page. This woman is clearly running from some dark demons in her past, and the more the onion of her past gets peeled back, the more intrigued you are.

The story was fully addictive with a painful cliffhanger which makes me glad the wait for the conclusion is only a few weeks because OMG I NEED ANSWERS.

 

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Dark · Tagged With: , ,

Review: Taking What’s Mine by Siobhan Davis

September 12, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

TAKING WHAT’S MINE
Genre: Dark Mafia Romance
Author: Siobhan Davis
Release Date: September 10, 2024

A brand-new interconnected stand-alone dark mafia romance from USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Siobhan Davis.

The moment I lay eyes on Valentina Ferraro, I know I have to have her.

There’s just one teeny problem—her husband.

So, I do what any red-blooded, possessed made man would do and I proposition him.

Five million dollars for one weekend with his beautiful young wife.

He agrees, like I knew he would, because he needs the money and he wants his secrets kept hidden from Don D’Onofrio.

Valentina is livid, but I like my women stubborn and fiery and the more she resists, the more I crave her.

One taste of those lush lips is all it takes to seal my fate.

I’m not giving her back.

I don’t care about the existing bad blood between New York and Florida or how this will start a war.

Men have gone into battle for less.

Valentina is the first woman I have wanted to keep, and no other man is ever touching her again.

She is going nowhere, consequences be damned.

I am taking what’s mine.

This is a dark romance and some scenes may be triggering. A full content warning list is available on the author’s website.

AMAZON 

I am usually not an insta anything girly, but this book went and proved me wrong. Because it just hit the spot for me so right, despite some of the things that I would normally nitpick on.

Now for an avid dark romance and mafia reader, I will say that while this had some dark subject matter and undertones, it fell in the more gray category for me because a lot of the darker details are just referenced or take place off the pages. But also, considering the somewhat softer start of insta chemistry and lust, this definitely has darkness to it.

This was not my first book by the author, but it was my first in this world. However, I had no issues diving head first into the story and quickly wrapping my head around all the different side characters. Though I’m super intrigued and will definitely go back to read some of the secondary character couples referenced here.

This was Fiero’s story, and if you like unhinged, OTT possessive and jealous alpha males, this one is IT. The man lays his eyes on Valentina, and not even her husband will prevent him getting what he wants. Her. This man was determined to have her, so what’s a little blackmail along with millions of dollars to get what he wants? And Valentina’s fiery anger won’t determine him either.

Valentina is not exactly in a happy marriage. Her husband was an abusive POS who I was immediately rooting against. She’s a beautiful young woman whose life unfortunately took a dark turn when she caught the eye of the wrong man, and she’s still paying the price these years later. In an arranged marriage, the last thing she wants is to be sold to the handsome mafioso, even though she’s not ignorant to the instant chemistry between them.

Fiero will stop at nothing to get her and I loved the way he pursued her with a single minded intent. But I particularly loved the way he also fought for her. Now this book definitely takes a very dark turn the more you learn about Valentina, and my heart broke for everything she’s been through. But man oh man how I appreciated the way that the author ended it. I won’t go into details, but I love when a process can rescue herself and Valentina is a fierce survivor. I loved the way she also fought for herself.

This was a deliciously dirty and spicy read with plenty of sizzle to go along with the dark.

Siobhan Davis™ is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon Top 5 bestselling romance author. Siobhan writes emotionally intense stories with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime! She has sold over 2 million books, and her titles are translated into several languages.

Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in human resource management.

She lives in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.

Join the author’s mailing list to receive a free e-book plus tons of bonus content. Refer to the official author website.

Connect with Siobhan Davis:

https://linktr.ee/siobhandavisauthor 

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Dark · Tagged With: , ,

Review: Loving The Liar by Lola King

September 12, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

LOVING THE LIAR
Series: Silver Falls University #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Lola King
Release Date: September 12, 2024

An angsty, secret society, dark romance from best-selling author, Lola King

He lost her once. Now he will do anything to have her back. Anything.

Welcome to Silver Falls University, where the elite comes to thrive.

My life as a queen bee was always traced for me. I’m rich, I come from an influential family, and I constructed my personality to become the girl everyone wants to be. I rule Silver Falls University with bright smiles and the pretense of being everyone’s friend.

But in a place where toxic rich kids love to see others fall, no one is safe.
Especially when my family loses its power and someone threatens to spill all my secrets.
In the blink of an eye, my life as I knew it crumbles, and to save the people I love, I’m forced to initiate into the one place I thought I’d never be—the same Secret Society who betrayed my family.

Powerless, I’m thrown into a world of men who want nothing but to use and break me, and only one person can save me.

My ex.

He wants to take care of me even though I hate him.
He wants to protect me when he’s not allowed.
And he wants to make me his even if it puts us both at risk.

I have no hope of surviving a secret society.

But if Christopher Murray makes me his…I have no hope of surviving him.

Loving The Liar is a dark romance intended for readers over 18. Please, read the CW in the book.
This is the first book in a series of 3 interconnected standalones.

AMAZON 

God, I hate that man so much it feels a lot like love.

Well now. This book? Finger licking good. And this series? Simply delicious. Because no one, and I mean no one, writes an unhinged morally gray MMC better than Lola King. Fight me on this.

Ella,” he rasps. His gaze bounces between my eyes, and his eyebrows pinch. “I’m so sorry for the things I will do to get you back.”

As someone who has read and thoroughly enjoyed Lola’s North Shore series, I’m so happy to now get this spinoff. The North Shore series focused on the have nots on the wrong side of the tracks and this series gives us the haves and the rich and entitled side. If you’ve read Heartless Beloved, then you’ll remember Alex’s best friend, Ella, the FMC of this book. But nothing prepares you for the unhinged possessiveness that is her ex boyfriend, Chris.

Chris hides his depravity down deep, made it his. His brand of evil. Nothing can compete with that.

Now if you know me or follow my reviews, you know how much I love me an unhinged MMC. But Chris? The man is playing chess while those other morally gray men are playing checkers. Because he is a whole other universe of unhinged and positive with a splash of daddy kink. Yep. You read that right.

Ella and Chris broke up years ago, but neither seems to have moved on. Ella can’t seem to get over Chris and Chris? Well he simply refuses to let her go, even though he’s with someone else.

You will go to bed one night, and it will be me you sleep next to. You will wake up, and it’ll be my cock deep inside you. You will live, because I’m the one who allows oxygen into your lungs.” He shifts, grazing my lips with his, and I don’t dare move an inch. I’m incapable of taking a step back. “And my hand will be so far inside your chest, your heart won’t beat without feeling my grip around it.”

Now if you’re already clutching your pearls and thinking there’s cheating, calm your tatas. There is no cheating here but you’ll have to read to find out why I say that because I will not spoil the details for you. But just trust me when I tell you, you will be fully fine with Chris chasing Ella. But if you’re expecting a possessive anti hero with morals, well probably skip this book. Because Chris is one brain f*ck away from being full villain and a manipulation and gaslighting genius. The lengths he goes to in order to get Ella back is….questionable at best and criminal at worst. But I digress.

And did I happen to mention that Chris is also Ella’s older brother’s best friend? Yep. Now there is so much delicious plot packed into this novel; think dark academia and secret society vibes. So when combined with their unhinged romance, it’s simply unputdownable. And if you’ve read the North Shore series than you will absolutely love the cameos here. For reference, Chris is the best friend of Rose from A Game of Hearts.

And if you haven’t read any of those books, not to worry, you’ll definitely be able to enjoy this fully. But of course I highly recommend you read the North Shore simply because it’s that good and you’ll appreciate this series that much more.

Ella is tortured heroine in her own right. This girl does not have it easy, even when she lives in the affluent town and is the most popular girl in her school. She hides some dark demons. But she’s no pushover and even though she’s the fly caught in Chris’s master web, she’s no pushover either and the girl definitely has a spine of steel.

This story was f*cked up in ways that only Lola King can write and I devoured every page. A huge rec for all my fellow dark romance lovers out there because WOWZA. I can’t wait for the rest of this series! 

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Dark · Tagged With: , , , ,

Review: Heart of Frost and Scars by Pam Godwin

August 26, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

HEART OF FROST AND SCARS
Series: Frozen Fate #3
Genre: Dark Romance, Why Choose
Author: Pam Godwin 
Release Date: August 26, 2024

I’m the silent ache, the shadow that lingers, the present from your past, the knife in your heart.

In the chilling finale of the Frozen Fate trilogy, Frankie enters a world far deadlier than the one she escaped.

A sinister threat lurks in the shadows, hunting her with a dark obsession as her savage protectors battle the rules of society.

Thrust into the civilized world, they spiral into violence and refuse to conform, their wild natures threatening to tear apart their bond.


Amid these struggles, her seductive billionaire husband fights to reclaim her love.


Caught between possessive men, a deadly stalker, and a legacy of pain, she must decide her fate.


Choose wrongly, and she’ll lose everything to a monster with a heart of frost and scars.

Tropes: Adult Romance, Age Gap, Alpha Hero, Angsty, Band of Brothers, Billionaire, Boy Obsessed, Close Proximity, 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, Taboo, Touch Her And Die, Tragic Past, Troubled Marriage, Unrequited Love, Why Choose, Will They or Won’t They

AMAZON 

She was my only source of light in the hills of shivers and shadows.

You ever spend hours being lulled into a false sense of security only to be hit with a mother of all twists that sneaks up on you with the impact of a two by four when ? Yeah, that was me reading this book. And the funny thing is I should have known better. Having read Pam’s entire backlist, I should know how that devious mind of hers works. And yet still, reading, waiting for the other shoe to drop, she still managed to catch me by surprise and leave me with my jaw on the floor. MY GOD.

I’m a monster on the cusp of insanity. A stalker in the night. Her silent ache, haunting her from the darkness.

This trilogy has had me in an absolute chokehold since book one. I would even go as far as to say that Frankie is one of my favorite heroines I have EVER read. This woman is STRENGTH personified. Heck, I want to BE her. Well, minus the trauma, because that was crazy. But I digress.

Frankie has been through hell and survived the devil himself. Now, together with Leo and Kody, she’s back at her home and struggling to get back to the life she once knew. Her husband, who refuses to let her go, on one side and the men she loves at her other. Monty is still madly in love with Frankie and fights for her at every turn, even if everything changed.

I’m not afraid of vulnerability. So if you think I’ll slink off with my tail between my legs rather than face what I’ve done, you’re wrong. I’ll show up for her, one hundred percent, even on my worst days when I’m stripped and gutted with my jealousy and guilt hanging out of the holes in my chest.”

But even though she’s home, there’s a shadow lurking that threatens the safety of everything she loves. And that, my friends, is all I will tell you about this book.

I love her madly, immeasurably, incomprehensibly, beyond the point of pain.

For the two days it took me to read this THICK beast of a book, it owned me. Fully and completely. Each word wrapped around me and sucked me deeper into the dark abyss of this story. And man oh man did I love it.

My love for her is not some petty jealousy.” I lean into the space between us. “It’s primal, clawing, and fucking ruthless. You get me?”

In true Pam Godwin fashion, she keeps you guessing until the very end. Not knowing which end is up, not trusting anything, questioning everything. I was a ball of anxiety by the time I got to the last page and let me just tell you, I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT.

She’s my prey, but more than that, she’s my world. I’ll never let her go.

No one writes a dark romance quite like this woman. And this trilogy just moved up to one of my top favorite dark romances I’ve read and most definitely top read of the year. Holy hell! If you are looking for a truly captivating, gripping and chilling dark romance, this is simply not to be missed. PERIOD.

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
Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Dark, DGR Favorites · Tagged With: , , ,

Review: Forged by Shadows by Maddison Cole

August 22, 2024 by · Leave a Comment

FORGED BY SHADOWS
Series: Shadowed Souls #1
Author: Maddison Cole
Genre: Dark, Why Choose Romance
Release Date: August 22, 2024

Avery thought her suffering had ended.

She thought wrong.

After a traumatic start to life, being adopted was Avery‘s saving grace. She finally had parents who loved her and an entire mansion to call home. Her days were spent reading in the library and exploring her passion for ballet. Until a fateful accident changed everything, and left her at the mercy of her step-brother.


Transferred to his boarding school, Avery’s solace comes to an abrupt end. Especially as the moment she stepped through the gates, her stepbrother and his gang of tormented souls branded her as fresh meat. He hates her, they want her. Whoever prevails, Avery refuses to surrender her mind or body without a fight.

AMAZON

I swear,” he seethes, leaning over so our foreheads touch. “I’m going to break you.”

This was my first Maddison Cole book and I am well and truly hooked, desperately anticipating the next book in this series because OHMYGAWD.

The second I read the blurb and saw the tropes for this book, I knew I had to read it. Fierce FMC, RH with MM, enemies to lovers, and a dark romance with a delicious mystery? Sign. Me. Up.

Avery is no stranger to the hostility of her adopted brother who avoids her at all cost. Ever since Wyatt’s parents adopted Avery as a child and saved her from a fate worse than hell, Wyatt has resented her and made it known just how much he hates her. But when her adopted mother dies and her adopted father instructs Wyatt to keep her safe, suffice it to say his hate only grows.

Suddenly Avery finds herself thrust into Wyatt’s world and the target of his misplaced hate, along with his friends. I have to say as much as I wanted to jock punch Wyatt in parts of this book (and I wanted to do it a lot), I was so intrigued by his character. There is something so profoundly broken about this man, even though his hate for his adopted sister is seriously misplaced and he takes his “revenge” a step too far more often than not. It doesn’t take long for his best friends to grow intrigued by Avery and I loved watching their chemistry build and build.

The romance is a bit of a slow build and most definitely a very slow burn when it comes to Wyatt and I can’t be mad at it because the tension hurt so good. Admittedly, the story does slow in parts, but it still didn’t take me very long to finish. Avery was a girl that I clicked with right away. She’s a survivor and doesn’t take any punches lying down. She gives as good as she gets and from her flashbacks, I can’t wait to learn more about her dark past.

The guys are all broken in their own way, though no one tugged at my heart strings more than Axel. I especially loved the unique bond he has with Garrett. These two are incendiary together, but when Avery is added to the mix, they’re even more so.

The cliffhanger was painfully torturous and I’m desperately waiting for some answers with the next book.

Maddison is a married mum of two, and a serial daydreamer. As a huge fan of all romance tropes herself, it was time to pen the stories which consume her mind most hours of the day.

As a child, Maddison was a jet setter and has lived all over the world, only to return to the south east of England, where she is now happily settled. With a double award in applied arts and art history, Maddison is a creative with a dark passion for feisty females and spicy stories.

Author Links:

www.facebook.com/Maddison.Cole.314

www.facebook.com/groups/colesreadingmoles

www.instagram.com/authormaddisoncole

www.tiktok.com/authormaddisoncole




Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Dark, Why Choose · Tagged With: , , , ,

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.

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Dark · Tagged With: , ,

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!

Leave a Comment · Filed Under: All Reviews, Contemporary Romance, Dark, Dirty Talkers, Erotic Rom · Tagged With: , ,
Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

%d bloggers like this: