Review: Hooked by Emily McIntire

HOOKED
Series: Never After #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Emily McIntire
Release Date: September 7, 2021

 

He wants revenge, but he wants her more.

Once Upon A Time, there was a little boy.
His belly full of laughter, his life full of joy.
Until one day, something changed; stripped his innocence away.
The hole inside making space for the devil to come and play.
His dreams gone forever, he grew up way too fast.
An endless night of crocodiles, and watches made of glass.
He grew into a villain, the taste of vengeance on his tongue.
Craving to make his enemies pay for the misdeeds they had done.
Instead he found a darling girl, and refused to let her go.
For what better way to make the man pay, than to steal his little shadow.

*Hooked is a full-length, complete standalone and the first in The Never After Series: A collection of fractured fairy tales where the villains get the happy ever after. This is a DARK Contemporary romance (not fantasy) featuring mature themes and content that may not be suitable for all audiences. Reader discretion is advised.*

 

AMAZON

 

Some men are born into this world with purpose; other men are mutilated into it.

I love a good fairy tale retelling with a twist, and this one definitely delivered. I love the direction the author took this one with a twist on the classic and read this in one sitting.

You want to watch the world burn?”
“Let me guess, you’ll set it on fire?” I ask.
He chuckles, the sound vibrating through me and settling into my bones. “No, darling. I’ll hand you the match, and stand at your back, watching you become queen of the ashes.”

Hook was a character I knew I’d love straight off the bat. The perfect tortured anti-hero that you love to hate and hate to love. This is a man who has waited years to exact revenge on the man who took everything from him. And the sweet and innocent daughter of said enemy who walks herself right into his hands is the perfect way to do it. Though he doesn’t expect the chemistry between them.

Wendy is the daughter of the infamous business man Peter Michaels. She’s also completely naive to the man her father really is. When her friend invites her to the Jolly Roger for the chance to spot the gorgeous and enigmatic Hook, the last thing she expects is to snag his attention.

Now being an avid dark romance reader, I have to say this book missed a few opportunities to really delve into the true dark elements where it just grazed the surface…like Hook’s past. But there were still plenty of dark elements to satisfy. What I wished we did have is a bit more of a backbone for Wendy. As much as I love the praise kink, Wendy was just too much of a pushover at times. The things she lets Hook get away with, along with her “friends” was frustrating. But the chemistry between them was satisfying enough for me not to dwell too much on that part. The twist and reveal at the end was one I saw coming really early on as well. But again, it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story.

Ultimately, I seriously enjoyed this book. I’m definitely hooked on this author now (see what I did there?) and can’t wait for the next installment in this world.

Review: Chained Hands by T.L. Smith

CHAINED HANDS
Series: Chained Hearts Duet #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: TL Smith
Release Date: October 5, 2021

 

Sailor

My husband sold me.
Not only did he sell me, but he told me he loved me while doing the deal.
What lies he tells.
Only fools believe him.
Unfortunately, one of those fools was…
.. me.

Keir

Not in the habit of buying women.
I didn’t need to.
I was a king of my realm, the devil you whispered about in your sleep.
So when his debt fell due, he sold me his wife.
And I was happy because I wanted to play with her like any fool would.
And play with her, I did.
Pity, in the end, I would have to kill her.

 

AMAZON

 

Truth be told, I struggled with my rating on this one. On the one hand, this book is a hot mess. On the other hand, I read it in one sitting. I’m seriously bummed, because that blurb and cover were utterly delicious.

Let’s start with the good. I loved the plot. Our heroine is a previous bad girl who married and lost herself. She became a bit of a doormat to her philandering husband and struggles with this new Sailor. Her douche of a husband takes her to a party, only to sell her as a debt to a ruthless mafia leader who shoots first and asks questions later. Suddenly Sailor finds her lady balls and becomes the sassy, fiery, bad girl that she was.

This is also where the book goes wrong for me. First, there was the writing style. There was no character development and it was extremely repetitive. If I had to read about how Keir plans to kill Sailor and everyone else one more time… Descriptions were reused frequently. Aside from repeating ad nauseam how ruthless and trigger happy Keir is, there’s little to no development for him. The “romance” comes out of no where, much like Sailor’s sudden personality change. And the dialogue was incredibly juvenile. These were grown adults who spoke like teenagers.

There were also Gossip Girl-like choppy bits of gossip/blog articles on Keir, which were weird AF and felt so incredibly out of place in a dark romance of this nature. I also felt there was really no need for this to have been a duet, because there were chapters that did nothing for the story that felt like filler.

Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to love this, I didn’t. But clearly I’m in the minority, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. I’m a picky ass, clearly. *shrugs* But this now being the third book I’ve tried for this author, I think I can safely say her writing style just doesn’t work for me. Bummer, but it is what it is.

Review: Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton

HAUNTING ADELINE
Series: Cat and Mouse Duet #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: HD Carlton
Release Date: August 12, 2021

The Manipulator

I can manipulate the emotions of anyone who lets me.
I will make you hurt, make you cry, make you laugh and sigh.
But my words don’t affect him. Especially not when I plead for him to leave.
He’s always there, watching and waiting.
And I can never look away.
Not when I want him to come closer.

The Shadow

I didn’t mean to fall in love.
But now that I have, I can’t stay away.
I’m mesmerized by her smile, by her eyes, and the way she moves.
The way she undresses…
I’ll keep watching and waiting. Until I can make her mine.
And once she is, I’ll never let her go.
Not even when she begs me to.

While not required, it is highly suggested to read the novella, Satan’s Affair, first.

This book was previously banned on Amazon due to the trigger warning. It has been replaced with a blanket trigger warning, but you can find the previous one below.

Trigger Warning: This book ends on a cliffhanger. It is a dark romance that contains graphic violence, dub/non con, and deals with subject matters such as child trafficking and human sacrifice. If you have ANY triggers at all, this may not be the story for you.

 

AMAZON 

One day, you will realize that you are not trapped in a prison,” he murmurs roughly. “You are in my church where I am your God, and you are my equal. I’m not a jail, little mouse, I am your sanctuary.”

This book has been recommended to me by everyone, their dog, and their uncle Harry. And this? This is my public apology for not listening to all of them sooner. Especially the imaginary uncle Harry.
If you follow my reviews or know me even a little bit, then you already know I live for all things dark romance. Now throw in a stalker, dub con, and a vigilante cause? I. Am. PUTTEH. Putteh I tells ya. Where has this book been all my life?!

All I want to do is break her. Shatter her into pieces. And then arrange those pieces to fit against my own. I don’t care if they don’t fit—I’ll fucking make them.

God but this was deliciously dark and depraved with an anti hero that’s simply to die for. Literally.
But you know I like them crazy. Anyhoo, I digress.

Z, our anti-hero is everything my dark dreams are made of. He has intensity oozing out of his pores and he’s absolutely lethal. And when he sets eyes on Adeline, he becomes completely obsessed. Which is also how I love my antiheroes; obsessive, possessive, and deadly. I’m talking about offing a man and cutting his hands of for daring to lay them on you sort of obsessed. But don’t judge him too harshly, there were some extenuating circumstances behind there.

The story also has some deliciously well written dub con, and I really do mean true dub con. And this reader found it finger licking good. Like I couldn’t get enough of the dark chemistry between these two. Just something about Z’s dark shadow lurking outside of her house, where all that you see is the cherry of his cigarette and his dark smirk did something to me. ALL OF THE THINGS. It did ALL OF THE THINGS.

And the organization Z works for? That may have been my favorite part. Seriously.

I loved everything about this story; the chemistry, the suspense, the dark depravity, the dub con. And then the romance that blooms from the darkest of places where you know it’s wrong but it just feels so right. Suffice it to say I absolutely loved it and eagerly anticipating book two. HUGELY recommend for all my dark romance lovers.

Review: There Is No Devil by Sophie Lark

THERE IS NO DEVIL
Series: Sinners Duet #2
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Sophie Lark
Release Date:
December 1, 2021

I Couldn’t Kill Mara…

But that doesn’t mean Shaw won’t.

She’s living in my house, always with me, always under my control.

The more I push her, the more she pushes back.

She’s peeling away my secrets, one by one. And I’m tempting her to do things she never thought she’d do…

Shaw won’t stop hunting her.

When the time comes to act, will Mara be ready?

The Lark Notes:
I was so pleased how many women identified with Mara’s character – with her sensory issues and history of trauma. It sounds crazy to call this an “inspirational story of murder”, but at the end of part two, I hope you will indeed feel inspired by Mara’s journey. — Sophie

 

“There Is No Devil” is the second half of the Sinners Duet. Reader be warned: this is a dark and steamy serial killer romance that may be triggering to some.

AMAZON

The man who never cared about anyone is fixated on the girl nobody gave a shit about. In some twisted way, we’re made for each other.

Holy.
Fucking.
Hell.

Sophie Lark, you evil genius you. The shit that must have gone on in your mind as you were writing this duet. I don’t even want to know. Ha! But damn if I don’t want more.

Now look, this book is dark. Ok? Like super dark. It’s fucked up in all the wrong ways…and all the right ones too.

I want all of you. Every single part of you. I want to know everything about you: all your history, and every thought that comes into your head. Every desire, no matter how dark or how perverse. Every fantasy, no matter how impossible it may seem. And most of all, Mara, I want to occupy your thoughts like you occupy mine. I want you obsessed with me, bound to me, dependent on me. I want you to live for me, not just with me.”

Is it possible to fall for a fictional sociopath serial killer? Welp, considering my first fictional crush like this was Dexter, it’s safe to say yes, yes it is.

Cole is a sociopath and a serial killer, and while he may kill without feeling, he has a bit of a moral compass…however broken and gray it may be. As the story progresses, you get to glimpse more and more into this man’s human side. And while he’s the furthest thing from normal, you also begin to understand him. You get to see how he became who he is. And you also get the glimpse into the beginning of all of it, including his rivalry with Shaw.

Now one thing did make me nervous about reading the conclusion of this duet. That was the fact that Cole is a sociopath in every meaning of the word. How would you ever buy a man like this feeling anything, least of all love. But Sophie managed to pull it off. So much so, that I’m still reeling.

This was an action packed, fucked up ride of a story that I almost didn’t want to end. And the conclusion? Morbidly satisfying. If you’re looking for a seriously dark and fucked up read, look no further. This one will check ever box you didn’t know you had.

Review: A Thousand Cuts by Anne Malcom

A THOUSAND CUTS
Series: An Underworld Kings Series Standalone
Genre: Mafia Romance
Author: Anne Malcom
Release Date: November 25, 2021

I did not set out to be a mafia wife.
I came into this home, into this life as a hostage.
He was nothing more than my captor.
A murderer. A criminal. A monster.
Until he was more than that.
He took me as payment for a debt. Nothing more than a pawn in an intricate game of lies, manipulation and death.
He saw the darkness in me. It called to him. Just like his wretched soul called to me.
He was king of the underworld.
And he wanted me to be his queen.
But despite how much the most depraved parts of me wanted that crown, I knew I only had one option.
Take the Catalano family down.
Or die trying.

AMAZON

He terrified me. The emptiness in his eyes, the knowing that I had that he would kill me without a second thought. Yet I was attracted to him.

First of all, I have been sleeping on Anne Malcom, because if this book is anything to go by, I’ve seriously been missing out. This was everything, and I mean everything I love in a good mafia romance. And when I saw that this was the first mafia romance she’s written? I was absolutely blown away.

Second of all, this blurb doesn’t begin to do this book justice. Not even close, in my humble opinion. Because reading this blurb, it sounds fairly run of the mill type of mafia romance read, almost a cliche…and it was so much more than that.

Tell me no, Sienna,” he taunted. I opened my mouth to do just that. “I hate you,” I seethed, my voice scratchy.
“That doesn’t sound like no,” he replied. His fingers moved inside me. “Tell me no,” he repeated…
He knew I was sick, depraved and utterly defenseless against him… I shouldn’t want this. My mouth didn’t move. Didn’t form the words.

I love gritty and dark books. Stories with unconventional characters that isn’t afraid to go there. That takes the reader so far out of their comfort zone, they’re in the pitch black, and loving every second of the ride. And holy sh*t did this book take me there. It took me there hard. From the very first chapter I realized that this wasn’t going to be like a lot of other mafia romances I’ve read…and I’ve read a lot. I love that we’re given not just a morally black anti hero, but a heroine that matches him in both his depravity and darkness. And MAN was I here for that.

I’m not fucking done with you,” he growled in my ear, slamming me against the wall. “By the end of tonight, you’re not going to be able to walk. You won’t be able to speak. I’m going to spank you so fucking hard you won’t sit down for a week.”
“I-I hate you,” I stammered as he continued fucking me…
“Keep telling yourself that. Because I know I’m trying my hardest to hate you, and it’s fucking impossible. We are both damned.”

Sienna is beyond morally gray. She’s broken in every way, but she also owns every jagged piece of it. She knows who she is and what she is, and she’s not ashamed of it. When she sees a handsome stranger at a restaurant, she wants him the second they lock eyes. And when he silently approaches her and puts out his hand, she willingly takes it. She lets him do unholy things to her that she thoroughly enjoys, and she leaves at the end of the night without so much as asking for his name.

Now she may be a heroine that may make some readers uncomfortable. But this reader? I loved her gritty allure. She’s a true product of her environment, and she’s not a female that’s afraid of going after what she wants. What she doesn’t expect is that the stranger that she shared a night with, will now steal her away as payment for a debt. She’s to be his bride, his queen, but she’s not going down without a fight.

They were impressed by the quality of your captive?” I returned, venom in my voice. “Color me flattered.”
Cristian grinned wickedly, showing straight, white teeth. “I hope that your smart mouth remains throughout our marriage, no matter how often I try to fuck it out of you.”

Christian is a ruthless Don who came into the life not by family blood, but blood of a different kind. His humanity has been taken away through years of blood shed and violence. He’s feared and revered, but not by his new bride. She’s determined to challenge him at every turn.

Say it,” I demanded.
His eyes burned into mine, his muscles taut as I continued to ride him. “
You said it yourself,” I continued, my voice straining as my climax approached. “You own me. And you know I’m bad. So say it. I’m your bad girl.” My hands tightened around his neck, and his body tensed even more. He was seconds away from release, I knew that. We both were.
“You’re my bad girl,” he confessed through his teeth, eyes burning with fury.

I love how well these two fit each other’s broken pieces. These characters are far from perfect. They’re full of dark sin and depravity and I wouldn’t have them any other way. When I tell you that I devoured this book, I mean I DEVOURED this book. I loved the way that Sienna matched Christian’s energy fully. This is not a woman that shies away from blood shed or violence. She’s fierce and dangerous in her own right. Christian was utterly delicious. He practically oozes this dark electric current without so much as uttering a word. And that’s a feat, let me tell you.

It’s the furthest thing from your typical run of the mill mafia. It was gritty as f*ck. It was dark, at times uncomfortable, and addictive like nothing else. A fast paced, erotic thrill ride that I couldn’t put down for even a second. Anne Malcom is going straight to my auto buy list. And if you like dark, gritty, and steamy mafia reads, this one is a must read. Don’t expect a comfortable ride though. This one is full of twists and turns, and set in the very pits of depravity and darkness. And this reader? LOVED EVERY SINGLE PAGE OF IT.

Review: Twisted Obsession by Dani Rene

TWISTED OBSESSION
Series:
An Underworld Kings Series Standalone
Author: Dani René
Genre: Mafia Romance
Release Date: November 11, 2021
Obsession.
It’s a sickness she brought upon me.

And I’m about to make her pay.

I shouldn’t bring her into my world. But it was my father’s wish, it was the ultimate revenge on our enemies.

A poised, pristine princess, too pure for this life. And me, I’m the dark prince forced to be a King too soon.

She dances gracefully, capturing my attention, before fighting me like a savage tigress. She’s fire, burning through my darkness, and I’m the ice that will bring her to her knees.
Right where I like her.

I will make her bow.

I will make her submit.
And when I do, she’ll be my Queen.

AMAZON

I’m nothing more than a contract. A twisted obsession for him to use to fulfill his ultimate goal—revenge for my father’s actions.

So, apparently I’ve been sleeping on Dani René. How is this the first book I read of hers? I have no idea but I need more. As we all know, I have a thing for mafia romance. And this being in the Underworld King series I’ve been devouring, I figured let’s take a chance on a new to me author. And now? I’m seriously kicking my own ass for not trying her sooner.

I know about the violence, the darkness, and the bullshit that comes with my contract. Your boss may be next in line, but I’m a princess within my Familia. I’ve been born and bred to rule, and if he can’t accept a queen by his side, then he should kill me now.”

Revenge. Arranged marriage. A dark and ruthless mafia boss. A fierce heroine. All of my very favorite things.

Enzo de Rossi is the Underboss, and the fixer of the family until his parents are brutally murdered and he becomes the boss. He’s a man set on revenge at all costs and obsessed with finding out who betrayed his family. Luna is the daughter of his enemy, promised to him in a contract with the hope of uniting the two feuding families. But when Enzo’s father is killed, he no longer cares about peace. Luna is simply a pawn in his world, and their marriage a means to an end.

She’s gotten to me. She’s burrowing under my skin. And I have no way of getting her out.

Luna may be young and with an air of innocence, but she’s not naive, and she’s not blind to the life she grew up in. She knows her future husband hates her and her family and there’s nothing to be done for it. She also can’t seem to fight her growing attraction and chemistry to the brutal man.

Now this being a dark mafia romance, there is definitely some pretty graphic violence. And truth be told, some of the scenes…I was uncomfy. Dani doesn’t spare any details. Enzo is oozing unleashed violence and when he does unleash it on his enemies, well, let’s just say it’s not pretty.

I loved the ying and yang between him and Luna. He’s determined to keep her at arm’s length and she’s determined to get under his skin. I loved how fierce this woman was. She doesn’t shy away from the violence and she isn’t afraid to stand up to this man whose mere name instill fear into men. I loved the slow burn. And when they finally give into the inevitable? GAH! I was in praise kink, dominant heaven.

If you’re looking for a super dark mafia romance with a ruthless anti hero and a fierce heroine, this one will definitely do it for you.

Dani is a USA Today Bestselling Author of dark and deviant romance with a seductive edge.

Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, she now lives in the UK with her better half who does all the cooking while she writes all the words.

When she’s not writing, she can be found binge-watching the latest TV series, or working on graphic design either for herself, or other indie authors.

She enjoys reading books about handsome villains and feisty heroines, mostly dark, always seductive, and sometimes depraved. She has a healthy addiction to tattoos, coffee, and ice cream.

You can find more information on her website, www.danirene.com, or find her on social media, Instagram and Facebook being her favorites. Along with her newsletter, which you can sign up for here – https://bit.ly/DaniVIPs

AUTHOR LINKS

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/dani-rene
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaniReneAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danireneauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14541877.Dani_Ren
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dani-René/e/B016JZ7NZO
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authordanirene

Review: Dark Reign by Amelia Wilde

DARK REIGN
Series:
Trilogy
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Amelia Wilde
Release Date:
November 9, 2021

“Dark Reign is sinful, deliciously complex and naughty, with an anti-hero who’s hauntingly addicting.” – Marni Mann, USA Today bestselling author

Wealthy.
Reclusive.
Dangerous.

Emerson LeBlanc doesn’t enter society much.

He only ventures out in pursuit of new art for his collection.

It starts with a haunting painting.

Then he meets the artist…

Innocent Daphne Morelli is more exquisite than anything he’s ever seen. He becomes obsessed with her.

It doesn’t matter that she’s a living, breathing person with her own hopes and dreams.

She’ll be the perfect addition to his collection..

AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE PLAY

Stop me,” he mutters. “What?” He takes my face in his hand and tilts it up. Those blue-green eyes are all shadows now. “Stop me,” he says again.

Do I love toxic fictional men? Absolutely.
Do I love dangerous toxic fictional men? Hell yes, I do.
Do I love Amelia Wilde’s particular brand of toxic alphas? GOD YES.

Now the woman upped her level of dangerous to stalker level, and I am SO HERE FOR IT.

Emerson is an enigma. He’s known in the art world as The Collector. He’s a connoisseur of fine art. He’s obsessed with the acquisition of it almost as much as his ownership. But his current obsession is a female whose name he doesn’t yet known. He’s fixated on her, and on a scale of 1 to 10, he’s at You level.
So basically somewhere at 175.

Daphne is the younger Morelli sibling and the sister of Leo from Secret Beast. She’s highly protected, sheltered, but not entirely naive. SHe’s also an up and coming artist. And when Emerson discovers that the woman behind the art he’s been admiring is also the beautiful stranger that captivated him when he saw her on the street? Well, all bets are off. He will do anything to get her away from her overprotective brother and have her in every sense.

These two were such dynamic characters. Emerson with his secret demons and stalker ways, and Daphne with her sheltered ingenue vibes. Admittedly this is not the sort of heroine I gravitate towards. She’s a bit too innocent, but you see her rose colored glasses come off with time. And slowly but surely she began to grow on me.

In typical Amelia fashion she closes on a killer cliff that leaves you desperate for the next book and I cannot FREAKING wait.

Amelia Wilde is a USA TODAY bestselling author of dangerous contemporary romance and loves it a little too much. She lives in Michigan with her husband and daughters. She spends most of her time typing furiously on an iPad and appreciating the natural splendor of her home state from where she likes it best: inside.

Connect with Amelia

Website: https://awilderomance.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14671616.Amelia_Wilde

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Amelia-Wilde/e/B01C38CNJ2

Facebook: facebook.com/awilderomance

Instagram: https://instagram.com/awilderomance

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ameliawildeauthoress?

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amelia-wilde

Review: Kingdom Fall by A. Zavarelli

KINGDOM FALL
Genre: Dark Mafia Romance
Author: A Zavarelli
Release Date: November 9, 2021

Kingdom Fall is part of the Underworld Kings Universe. A multi-author series of standalone books filled with mafia families waging war, danger and violence, arranged and forced marriages, angst, love, and everything in-between.

Light or dark, twisted or sweet, the Underworld Kings has something for every reader.

I was a nanny in need of a job.

He was darkness personified.

I had little to call my own.

He was filthy rich, powerful, and dangerous.

The assignment was simple, and my goal was too.

Take care of his son. Keep my head down. When he least expects it, destroy him.

It should have been easy. I thought it would be until I looked into his stark blue eyes.

Kissing the enemy is a bad idea, but so is falling in love with him.

He doesn’t know my crumbling foundation is built on lies.

When he discovers the truth, I’ll find out if he’s as brutal as I believe.

I came here to steal his life.

I didn’t count on him stealing my heart.

AVAILABLE NOW!! FREE IN KU!!

AMAZON

I don’t know what the fuck she’s doing to me, but I know it’s going to be a problem.

It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with everything that A Zavarelli writes. When I finished Resurrection of the Heart, I became completely obsessed with the IVI world. I kept hoping for more, and this book delivered.

Alessio and Natalia’s story is everything I want in a dark romance. It’s gritty, dark, twisted, and unpredictable.

They call Alessio a Debt Collector for good reason. Not only is he a member of The Society, but he’s a Sovereign Son. His position comes with power, and his ability to turn his humanity off makes him one hell of a debt collector. He’s a man with no emotion, married to his duty, and no desire for the messy complexities of anything beyond gratifying his baser urges. While his lack of emotion and ruthless nature make him a name that’s feared within the criminal underground, it doesn’t particularly endear him to his son. And with the loss of his last nanny, he’s interviewing for a new one.

Natalia is a woman on a mission. She arrives to interview for the nanny job, but you already see that her waters run deep. This is a woman harboring some dark secrets, and a nanny job is her in for something much darker. She’s looking for revenge and for answers, and Alessio holds the key to both.

I was immediately sucked into the story. The pacing was immaculate. The character development was intricate. And the romance? Deliciously dark. It’s an enemies to lovers with enough push and pull to have you desperate for them to give into the obvious chemistry between them. A woman harboring dark secrets and a man that doesn’t have entailments or emotions? Delicious! What kept me glued to the pages was the continuous twists and turns. This story caught me completely unaware. I never saw the twists coming and it kept me at the edge of my seat until the very last page. There are some secondary characters introduced who I’m desperately needing a book for. But as for this one? I couldn’t get enough!

It’s everything I’ve come to expect from this talented author and so much more. Alessio was dangerous and tortured. You get just enough of a glimpse into his light side to get you hooked on him and then he sucks you deep into his darkness. Natalia is a subtle sort of fierce. This is a woman who has been through hell and back and has come out swinging. She’s not an in your face sort of fierce. It’s subtle in a silent strength way, and I absolutely loved her.

If you like secret society, dark romance, bad men with good hearts, and fierce heroines, you need this book.

A. Zavarelli is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of dark and contemporary romance.

When she’s not putting her characters through hell, she can usually be found watching bizarre and twisted documentaries in the name of research.

She currently lives in the Northwest with her lumberjack and an entire brood of fur babies.

Connect w/A. Zavarelli: 

Facebook | Facebook Group | Instagram | Twitter | Mailing List | Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Bookbub 

Check out more information on the books and authors coming this fall HERE—> https://under-world-kings.com

Keep up-to-date with all things Underworld Kings in the Reader Group HERE—> https://bit.ly/3ArB5vx

Review: In Silence She Screams by Amo Jones

IN SILENCE SHE SCREAMS
Series:
Midnight Mayhem #3
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Amo Jones
Release Date: November 4, 2021

 

Love will never die if it exists on the lips of death. I often thought about this while I was locked inside my Doll House in Patience. Groomed every second of every day, they made sure to cover all of the darkness lurking in my soul with the false guise of perfection. The soul is fickle.

Naked to the public eye and only visible to the owner, a soul bleeds every time it’s put through pain. But when that’s hidden, it spreads.

The trick is to protect it from reaching your brain.

It was too late for me.

Until I met them.

One was an Elite King.

One was a Brother of Kiznitch.

Both were liars.

I’m Lilith Patience, The Sorcerer of Death and daughter of one of the most feared organizations known to man. After being thrust into the notorious world of Midnight Mayhem, I found myself coiled around a past that I want to forget and a future that could destroy me.

I love two men, and they love me as much as they love each other, but when the demons of my past tighten their grip around my throat, will I finally let them strip away the layers of perfection to get to my rotten, withered soul? Maybe.

Or maybe they’ll die trying.

Our love wasn’t the kind of love that was written in the cards… It was the kind of love that burned them.

There are two things that are on my mind days after I finished this book…

1. I can’t stop thinking about it
2. I can’t settle on a rating to save my life.

What I do know is that this story f*cked with my mind and my heart. But that’s not exactly news when it comes to a book of Amo’s. I’m truly terrified of the things that go through this woman’s mind, but damn am I grateful for them.

Every time I finish a book in this series, I’m desperate for the next one. But my feelings after finishing this one are all over the place. But we’ll get to that in a second. First let’s talk about the story.

I’ve heard of how people talk about Kyrin Nero. His interest is always a zero, but his body count is high. He fucks hard enough to leave the taste of himself burned in the back of your throat for years, so crisp that you’ll be whispering his name every time you think you aren’t.

The second I saw that this would be an MMF book, I was desperate to get my hands on it. I was also desperately anticipating Lilith and Kyrin because they both bring their version of crazy, and I do so love me those crazy ones.

Now if you love a good cross over and you’ve read Amo’s Elite Kings series, you’ll definitely appreciate this story. I haven’t read that series yet and I plan on changing that immediately.

Lilith, Eli and Kyrin’s story was many things. It was f*cked up, erotic, crazy, infuriating, and mind blowing. There were so many twists, that I could barely keep up. Now understand that my mind is already struggling just keeping up with all the different K names, because, well, puny brain and all. But I digress. What I’m trying to say is this story, much like the rest of this series, was twisted AF. Though surprisingly, where it couldn’t have been seriously dark, it only grazed the surface. I’m not sure if I’m grateful and disappointed about this, oddly enough. Why? Well because Lilith’s history is seriously f*cking f*cked. Like CRAZY. And it was uncomfy enough reading the mentions of it, though I couldn’t help but also want the gritty dark details. But I’m seriously f*cked up when it comes to dark books, soooo yeah. There is that.

One quibble, and this may have very well have been entirely purposeful was the chaotic way it was written. The flashbacks, the scene suddenly cutting off. If I was watching it as a movie, it would have been great. But with the book, it felt a bit jumbled. At least to my puny brain it did. I also can’t help but feel that I would have loved more fleshing out of these characters. I wanted to keep peeling away their layers, but I never really felt we get to the core of them. But did this take away from my enjoyment? Nope! I was still glued to the pages.

What seriously f*cked with me was that ending. GOD THAT ENDING. WHAT THE F*CK EVEN WAS THAT? I have a lot of feelings dammit!

Now if you’re looking for a seriously f*cked up, gritty and dark poly romance, this is it friends. It’s delicious and it’s addictive. Prepare to suspend your disbelief and enjoy the ride. And oh what a ride it is!

Amo Jones is a USA Today & Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author whose books have been translated in multiple countries.

She resides in the tropics of Australia with her family, though she’s a born and bred Kiwi who more often than not, misses New Zealand.

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Review: Nightshade by Keri Lake

NIGHTSHADE
Genre: Gothic Romance
Author: Keri Lake
Release Date:
October 29, 2021

A love so forbidden, it would shake the heavens

My father called them messengers.
He once told me they walked among us, and that somewhere in this dark and godless city, there shined a faint sliver of hope. I had only to look for the signs.

Well, I’ve spent my whole life investigating the inexplicable, and all I’ve found are the unsettling vestiges of iniquity – the evidence of another world shrouded by the obscure. Purgatory to some, where depravity hides in shadows, and girls like me are little more than delicious bites of temptation.

Others call it Nightshade.

This peculiar place is where I first met the cold and callous recluse living in a decaying cliffside cathedral. Jericho Van Croix is the epitome of everything I’ve been told to fear. A raven-winged harbinger who wears intrigue like a warm black cloak. An enigma that I’m determined to unravel – even if it means getting closer than I should.

One touch is forbidden. Even so much as a kiss would be my demise. But the sin on his lips burns me up like a wild flame, and his growing infatuation weakens my resolve.

Giving him what he wants, though, will mean no chance for redemption, or escape. What’s worse is, the signs I’ve followed yet failed to see all these years begin to unmask a terrifying reality:

That falling may be my only saving grace.

AMAZON

You are a mystifying enigma, Mister Van Croix.”
His gaze swung back to me, devouring me in one sweep. “And you are a frustrating distraction, Miss Ravenshaw.”

I don’t know how the woman does it, but her books just get thicker with each release. And this book? Well she REALLY THICK. So set aside some time, brace yourself and prepare for one hell of a ride. Literally.

You belong to me, Farryn. Should another man dare to lay so much as a finger on you, I will flay his hand and shine my boots with his skin.”

I’ve seriously missed Keri’s unique brand of world building. I loved her PNR series. But this world? Well it’s just something entirely different.

Nightshade was unlike any book I’ve ever read. It was full of captivating and gritty world building. It had Keri’s signature dark layers, but it was also incredibly unique. And the romance? One that defies everything, including time. My suggestion? Go into this completely blind. I will also say that if you’ve read Master of Salt & Bones, you’ll appreciate this one even more.

Now about this book, what can I tell you? It had a bit of everything; angels, demons, monsters, and sinners. If there’s one thing that I’ve learned about Keri’s writing, she’s not afraid to give you the very depths of human depravity. And this book takes you into the very pits of that darkness, but with a twist.

Van Croix is an enigma that I couldn’t get enough of. He’s captivating, cold, tortured, and something just…other. When each new layer of his gets peeled back, you get sucked in even deeper into this world. And let me tell you, there’s a lot of it. The romance is a slow burn. The pacing was deliciously torturous but also perfect for the story.

Nightshade brought a dark and captivating world that I never wanted to leave. Full of vivid characters, spine tingling setting, and a romance unlike any I’ve ever read. In one word, I’m hooked. TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY HOOKED. SO GOOD

Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

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