Review: Brainwashed by Nyla K

BRAINWASHED
Series:
Alabaster Penitentiary #3
Genre: Dark, Erotic MM Romance
Author: Nyla K
Release Date:
July 7, 2022

 

Monster.
That’s what they call me.
Lock your doors, hold your loved ones tight. The Carver is on the loose.
Except I’m not. I was caught.
The days of allowing my inner depravity to run wild are over. I’ve been sent to prison for good, something of a celebrity in this dark, dank hell-hole they call Alabaster Penitentiary.
The only thing I have left to offer the world is my story, and unfortunately for me, the Warden has the rest of my life to get it out of me.
Being poked and prodded, examined and tested on isn’t something I enjoy very much. Until they send him…
The new doctor is here to study me and my crimes. And I’m beginning to think we might not be as different as it seems. He craves knowledge the way I crave the blood of my victims. Despite his robotic nature, there’s just something about him… Something I want.
But I’ll have to be careful not to smother it to death.
After all… It’s kind of my thing.


** Brainwashed is a dark MM doctor-patient romance with content that may be disturbing/triggering to some readers. Our protagonist is a sociopath. Please proceed with caution. While this story follows a new couple, it is strongly recommended to read Volumes 1-2 first, to avoid spoilers. **

AMAZON 

Felix Darcey is exactly that. A dangerous animal behind bars. And I just can’t help wanting to step inside his cage.

It’s official, this series is total CRACK. CRACK. Crack I tells ya. It’s sick, depraved, dark, disturbing, toe curling, finger licking GOOD. I mean, it’s just…GAH. I’m obsessed more than Felix was with his psychiatrist.

You know what it looks like?” I ask, turning my face to his.
“What’s that?” He breathes with my mouth hovering over his.
“It looks like I own you, sick boy.” My lips brush his and he quivers. “You’re my monster.”

Now if you’re thinking of reading this as a standalone, don’t. Trust me. While each book stands on it’s own, it’s all a puzzle piece of one uniquely fucked up world, and you need to read it in order. You will learn to appreciate every nod and nuance in the previous books as you read the next one. And I love the amount of thought Nyla put in the plotting of this because it shines like a beacon. And this reader? Devoured it!

Felix Darcy is the infamous serial killer known as The Carver. Do I have to tell you what he does to earn that nickname or can you use your imagination? The second the man arrived in Alabaster Penitentiary, he’s been a unique mystery. He’s a brutal killer to some, and a thoughtful friend to others. The fact that we’re introduced to him through his friendship with Dascha in Distorted really helped set the foundation of this character. But nothing prepared me for the full force that was him as the main character.

Dr Love is the antithesis to his last name. He’s a psychiatrist whose luck with love is worse than his believe in it. He’s also very straight. Until a very sick little monster tilts his world on its axis.

This is so much more than a dark romance. This is a twisted tale full of complex layers, secrets, betrayals, and enigmas known as The Warden. This is like the Hansel and Gretel of dark romance. There are bread crumbs dropped everywhere, you just have to keep your eyes peeled to pick them up. And when you do? Oh man. Addictive.

I loved the romance was deliciously satisfying. I loved watching Dr Love fall for his patient, in spite of his dark rep. I loved seeing the softer side to Felix. And I loved getting more and more of the gaps I had from books one and two be filled in this one.

But in typical Nyla fashion, for each of the gaps that she fills, she leaves the reader with at least double the questions. I’m already salivating for the next book because GAH. I’m addicted. Completely addicted.

Review: Black Skies Riviera by Catherine Wiltcher

BLACK SKIES RIVIERA
Series: Cristo Sinners #1
Genre: Dark Mafia Romance
Author: Catherine Wiltcher
Release Date:
April 19, 2020

An arranged marriage mafia romance where love is a debt no sinner can pay…

Issa Dubova is the queen of cloudy diamonds:
A Bratva princess.
My reluctant new wife.
A pretty bargain in exchange for the names of the men who killed my father.

I’m a black suit of spades:
Determined to bury both her and my demons.
I never asked to see the shape of her heart.
I never asked for her to fill the blank spaces of mine.

But the mafia wants her secrets.
I’m not the first she betrayed.
And Issa? Sweet, not-so-innocent Issa?
She’s now a debt no sinner can pay.

Black Skies Riviera is a heart-stopping, enemies to lovers romance with NO cliff-hanger and a guaranteed HEA. For mature readers only.

AMAZON 

Mine.” He groans it into the kiss, and I swallow down every drop of his possession like it’s my favorite poison.

This book has been on my TBR since release. I’ve been itching to read it but also putting it off. I tend to stay away from books with Russian speaking characters because if I get one more dose of google translate, I may lose it. I’m nitpicky, ok? And it’s a rare occurrence when a foreign language is done correct and not half assed in an indie published book. Le sigh. Let’s just say I have PTSD when it comes to this. But I digress. After a week of struggling through indecisive readerdosis (that’s the medical diagnosis for can’t pick a fucking book to save my life”), I settled on this one. And was immediately hooked!

With his broad shoulders, solid muscularity, and black ink crawling out from underneath the cuff of one wrist, he looks like a fallen angel on a trajectory straight to hell.

The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my absolute favorite stories. So any book with a nod to it will immediately hold my attention.

Fourteen years of anger and revenge driven planning. An arranged marriage of power and deception. A seemingly innocent Bratva princess and the fixer for the mob who picks no side but the one that brings him money. Yes please and thank you.

This was a story that was full of twists and turns, and while the ending was a touch predictable, it still had me at the edge of my seat.

Aiden is a ruthless business man with ties to everyone and no one. He’s given fourteen years of his life to man who helped solidify him into the brilliant criminal his is today for the promise of revenge. Two names. Two names that have kept him going and are now just one grasp away…but come with a new caveat. A marriage he doesn’t want to a woman he doesn’t know.

Issa has grown up in glass cage and had it shared when she finds out the man her father really is; the brutal head of the Bratva and a cold blooded killer. But she’ll do anything to protect her sister and her secret, even if it means paying the price of her sister’s disappearance with a marriage to a man she never saw coming.

I was immediately sucked into the story, though I did feel in times the pacing was a touch off. It was ether too quick or too slow and descriptive. But the story telling itself was gripping and well written, so it didn’t bother me much. The romance was deliciously wicked and I loved seeing the layers peeled back on both Aiden and Issa. There’s some secondary characters mentioned who I will be immediately grabbing the books for The Santiago Trilogy and A London Villain.

Sadly for the little Russian there was here, it was incorrect, though in the grand scheme of things, it didn’t bother me much because at least it was close enough. I’m just being nitpicky and it won’t even faze most readers.

If you like deliciously layered dark mafia romance, you need to read this one. I for one will be immediately grabbing the majority of this author’s backlist.

Review: Lovely Bad Things by Trisha Wolfe

LOVELY BAD THINGS
Series: Hollows Rowe #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Trisha Wolfe
Release Date:
May 31, 2022

He’s the devil. And she’s his wicked game.

Halen:
They say eyes are the windows to the soul—but when he looks at me through hues of slate-green and flaring blue embers, I’m terrified of what’s watching me from behind his clashing gaze, something primal and feverish that threatens to melt me like fire in ice.

I fear falling into Kallum Locke’s pitch-black soul.

But after I’m called to a crime scene to investigate the most gruesome act of violence to descend on the legendary town of Hollow’s Row, I have no choice but to turn to Kallum, to the man I had locked away in an asylum for the criminally insane.

He’s the leading expert on all things Nietzsche and occult. And now, to get answers, I’m forced to make a deal with the devil himself.

Kallum:
Really, eyes are the windows to the soul? Then I wonder what little Halen St. James thinks of all the cryptic eyes watching her in the killing fields… I wonder if the hairs on her delicate nape lifted away, if a thrilling shiver raced over her soft skin. She’s desperate for the answer, and she’ll do anything to uncover it—even make a deal with me, dangling freedom like bait on a hook.

But she’s far more tempting to sink my teeth into than any lure.

And the pain will taste twice as sweet.

AMAZON 

It’s the lovely bad things that steal into our thoughts in the middle of the night and tempt us across the line between good and evil. Those torturously beautiful sins that provoke our deepest, most deviant desires. It feeds us in the dark, stoking a frail flame into an inferno we can no longer resist. She is my flame. And I am all but pleading for my muse to burn me alive.


Holy. Effing. Mindf*ck. This book! What did I just read?!

The devil is in the details, and the details are inside that devil’s head. And I’m about to throw the doors of hell wide open to let him roam free.

A criminal profiler and a sociopath serial killer? This is the type of psychological thriller dark romance my dreams are made of and no one does it quite like Trisha Wolfe. I mean, if you know, you know. And if you don’t know, read Born, Darkly immediately. But I digress.

The abyss looked at me the day Kallum first laid eyes on me and, if I’m not careful, he’ll pull me right into the pitch-black void of his soul.

This is a story in which you won’t see up from down. It’s so full of twists and turns that it leaves you reeling at the edge of your seat with a head of questions. Holy WOW!

That is his sinful seduction. And my sin is the desire to be seduced. His evil calls to mine.

On the hunt for a dangerous serial killer, Halen is desperate for answers. So desperate, that she’ll request the assistance of an even more dangerous killer who she was responsible for putting behind bars six months ago.

Kallum Locke is a dangerous sort of genius. This is a man whose darkness is a deep abyss full of secrets, but his allure is even deeper. And the further they get into the investigation, the deeper into his void he pulls Halen.

Oh, god…”
“I will make you see god for damn sure.”


What I love about this story is how complex it was. This is not just a hunt for a serial killer, it’s so much more. There’s philosophy and the occult, and it’s as fascinating as it is frustratingly confusing.

I’m okay with being her sickness. I can even be her antidote.

The way it’s written reminded me a little of the movie Memento, and holy sh*t, I was so here for it. With every new detail that gets unearthed, you get deeper and deeper into this f*cked up story. And every single time you feel like you have it figured out, a new twist gets thrown in that has you questioning everything. I’m so desperate for the next book, I don’t even know what to do with myself!!

USA Today bestselling romantic thriller author Trisha Wolfe. From an early age, Trisha Wolfe dreamed up imaginary worlds and characters and was accused of talking to herself. Today, she lives in South Carolina with her family and writes full time, using her imaginary worlds as an excuse to continue talking to herself.

Be the first to hear about new releases and sales by signing up for Trisha Wolfe's Newsletter below. Want even more special insider sneak peeks? Join Trisha’s Facebook readers group, The Lair, and get access to book teasers, giveaways, and live chats.


Connect with Trisha Wolfe:

linktr.ee/trisha_wolfe

 

Review: Her Rebellion by Natasha Knight & A Zavarelli

HER REBELLION
Series: THE RITE TRILOGY #2
Genre: Dark Mafia Romance/Secret Society/Captive Romance
Author: Natasha Knight & A Zavarelli
Release Date:
May 24, 2022

I am a Sovereign Son. A king within The Society.

With a look I send men to their knees.

Yet she stands tall against me, taunting me with her rebellion.

But we all have rules we must live by.

Even me.

And I have broken the most sacred.
I took her to my bed.

I claimed that which did not belong to me.

And now that the beast within has had a taste, it wants more.

AMAZON | KOBO | IBOOKS | B&N | GOOGLE PLAY

Start the trilogy with HIS RULE #1!!!

AMAZON | KOBO | IBOOKS | B&N | GOOGLE PLAY

 

How does this feel?” He cups the back of my head and kisses me, melting some of my resolve. “How does it feel every time you steal a piece of my soul like the little thief you are?”

What is it about this IVI world that’s just completely enraptured me? It’s archaic, brutal, and completely addictive. And this book? I loved it even more than the first book.

I took you because I couldn’t help myself.” The confession spills free on a ragged breath. “Because you are so goddamn addictive, you’ve fucking cursed me the way you curse all men, little monster.”

It’s interesting considering how much I hated the seemingly spoiled and vapid Mercedes in the The Society Trilogy how much I love her in this one. This is a woman with many layers, and the more that are peeled back, the more captivated you are by her. This is also a woman who’s been through hell and back, and lost none of her strength for it.

This second installment begins right where book one ended, and the long road to recovery that Mercedes has after her coming face to face with Judge’s past. Judge, who is seemingly calculated and reserved, has his composure crumple. Where in book one he was determined to stay away from Mercedes and drive a wedge between them, in this one he can’t stay away from her. But he knows it’ can only be temporary and eventually Mercedes will have to marry the appropriate society husband. But he doesn’t understand yet why the mere thought of it sends him spiraling.

There’s so many twists and turns which kept me at the edge of my seat. Some predictable, and some I never saw coming. And that ending? I can’t even. I need answers and the conclusion like YESTERDAY!

About A. Zavarelli:

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

About Natasha Knight:

Natasha Knight is the USA Today Bestselling author of Romantic Suspense and Dark Romance Novels. She has sold over half a million books and is translated into six languages. She currently lives in The Netherlands with her husband and two daughters and when she’s not writing, she’s walking in the woods listening to a book, sitting in a corner reading or off exploring the world as often as she can get away.

Connect w/Natasha: 

Website | Facebook | Facebook Group | Twitter |  Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads | Bookbub | Amazon  | NL Signup

Review: Pageant by Lilith Vincent

PAGEANT
Series: Pageant #1
Genre: Dark Mafia Reverse Harem Romance
Author: Lilith Vincent
Release Date:
May 11, 2022


One woman. Three mafia men. A twisted marriage game…
 
The dangerous life I escaped has seized hold of me again. Three men have snatched my freedom and they’re playing a twisted game of power, hearts, and blood.
 
My captors glitter like diamonds in the dark, each one more handsome and ruthless than the last. Konstantin, the scarred and heartless ringleader, and mastermind of my fate. Elyah, the demon from my past who once craved me and now covets my demise. Kirill, a bloodthirsty maniac with depraved needs who thrives on misery and mayhem.
 
Sixteen women are forced to compete in their twisted pageant, and one by one we’re eliminated until there’s only one jewel left. My captors’ desire burns as hard as their cruelty, but the true torment only begins when the pageant ends.
 
Heavy is the crown that glitters on the winner’s head.
 
Author’s note: Pageant (Pageant, 1) is the first book in a Russian mafia reverse harem duet and ends on a cliffhanger. The heroes only have hearts, eyes and dicks for the heroine. It contains captive themes, violence, and a Why Choose romance with ruthlessly possessive men. The story is dark and potentially triggering, so please read responsibly.
 
ADDITIONAL CONTENT WARNING: There is an on-page miscarriage in Chapter Four. This book contains captivity, mild torture, dubcon, gun play, knife play, group sex scenes and other deviant sexual activities (Bonus downloadable content: non-con somnophilia, non-con drug use)
 

AMAZON 
Free in Kindle Unlimited 
 
ALSO AVAILABLE 
Contestant – a FREE prologue novella 
Download here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/pnm7hm58b6 
 
COMING SOON 
#2 Crowned – Releasing September 30
AMAZON 

She can have my entire soul. Every last drop of me.

Well now, this was a doozy. And here I am, desperate for more. Am I sorry?? Not even a little.

If you know me or follow my reviews, you already know I love the f*cked up ones. And it doesn’t get more f*cked up than these three. Elyah, Kirill, and Kostya was like the unholy trifecta and I was here for every depraved moment of it.

Now going into this book, as with most dark romance, suspend your disbelief. I had to turn off the logical part of my brain that questioned a woman running from her past, ‘hiding’ in plain sight as a runway fashion model. But then, I just couldn’t care less because the story completely sucked me in.

I love when a story catches me off guard and manages to surprise me, and this one did that and more. Lilia was this perfect mix of unpredictable and fierce, and she still caught me by surprise at the end in all the best ways. Here’s a woman who gets captured by three psychopaths and forced to participate in a barbaric pageant of a completion that none of the women truly want to win. The crown to belong to the men. But unlike the other women in captivity, she refuses to bow down. She’ll go down swinging, even if it costs her everything. She’s survived hell before, and she’ll do it again. What she doesn’t expect is that blast from her past to be one of her three captors and for his fierce hatred of her.

The history between Elyah and Lilia is an interesting one that skated almost a bit on the insta love scale for me, which isn’t usually my favorite. But the dynamics of their present was enough to buffer that for me. I did find their back and forth to be quite sudden, but it didn’t bother me because the other two men added enough spice to keep it lively.

This book is dark, brutal, and downright depraved. And this girl? Gobbled it right up!

Lilith Vincent is a steamy mafia reverse harem writer who believes in living on the wild side! Why choose one when you could choose them all.
 
AUTHOR LINKS
 
Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/lilithvincent
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilithvincentauthor
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Review: His Rule by Natasha Knight & A Zavarelli

HIS RULE
Series: THE RITE TRILOGY #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Natasha Knight & A Zavarelli
Release Date:
April 26, 2022

I live in a world where secrecy reigns.

A Society rooted in power, wealth, and long-held dynasties.

Where men are Kings, and women are pawns.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamt of escaping the shackles of my expectations.

But it can only ever be a dream.

I made a fatal mistake, and those shackles became a cage.

Now I’m trapped in a war with a man who controls my every move.

He’s my brother’s best friend.

My enemy, my tormentor, and my solace.

His words have the power to wound me.

His touch just might break me.

But this is his kingdom, and as long as I’m here I only have one choice.

I’ll play by his rules.

AMAZON | KOBO | IBOOKS | B&N | GOOGLE PLAY

Her Rebellion #2 releases on May 24 & Their Reign #3 releases on June 21!!! 

 

Stop fighting me,” I tell Mercedes. “I will never stop fighting you.” “Then you will never stop losing.”

I feel like I have waited forever for this story. FOREVER I tells you. And to finally have it in my grabby little hands is the most bittersweet satisfaction ever. Bittersweet because to be left with that cliff dang near killed me. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s talk His Rule.

The mere second that Judge appeared on the pages of The Society Trilogy, I was intrigued. When we saw the sparks fly between him and Santiago’s sister, Mercedes, I was hooked. Mercedes was a character who was hard to love in the trilogy. She was standoffish, mean, cold, yet fierce. She loves her family and she’ll do everything for them. Until her decisions and choices take a deadly turn and she brings consequences to her brother’s door that he can’t forgive her for. The punishment? Bring her to Judge’s command.

Enough!” he roars, the blistering heat of his anger searing my lips. “You watch your goddamn mouth, Mercedes. I’m not going to tell you again.”
“Is that an order, your honor?” I purr against him. “What will your verdict be if I don’t?”

Judge is the man the society turns to in situations like this. He’s known for his ruthless justice and ability and what better man to put Mercedes under. This book really peeled back the layers on all things Mercedes and showed her human side. We get to see what makes this woman tick and why she is how she is. And with each new revelation, I found myself more endeared to her and understanding her better. She loves her brother beyond reason, but she’s also not the spoiled little debutant either. She won’t bend to Judge’s rule that easy. And I loved watching her give as good as she gets. And trust me, this woman gets a lot.

In true Zavarelli and Knight fashion, they give just enough to hook you while leaving you begging for more. For every answer we get, we have a hundred more questions. This book was just as deliciously dark and twisted as The Society Trilogy and I can’t wait to see what the next installment brings. And if you haven’t read The Society Trilogy yet, I highly recommend you read it before this trilogy to appreciated all the nuances that much more.

About A. Zavarelli:

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

About Natasha Knight:

Natasha Knight is the USA Today Bestselling author of Romantic Suspense and Dark Romance Novels. She has sold over half a million books and is translated into six languages. She currently lives in The Netherlands with her husband and two daughters and when she’s not writing, she’s walking in the woods listening to a book, sitting in a corner reading or off exploring the world as often as she can get away.

Connect w/Natasha: 

Website | Facebook | Facebook Group | Twitter |  Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads | Bookbub | Amazon  | NL Signup

Review: Devil’s Redemption by Natasha Knight

THE DEVIL’S REDEMPTION
Series: Devil’s Pawn Duet #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Natasha Knight
Release Date:
March 15, 2022

Isabelle

Just when I was beginning to trust my husband, he betrayed me.

Just when I thought I was falling in love he showed me the beast he truly is.

I understand his thirst for revenge. But I don’t want to play this game of pawn and puppet master.

No matter how his hands make my heart race and my body crave his devil’s touch, I won’t give in.

I love his daughter.

But I can’t let myself fall in love with her father.

Jericho

I have exactly what I want. Revenge.

Soon everything the Bishops have will be mine.

But it will cost me more than I bargained.

Isabelle Bishop hates me. As she should.

I know what I am. And now she does too.

But falling in love with my wife was never part of my plan.

AMAZON 

I know the monster I am. I’ve always known it. I’ve just never cared. Until now.

After the jaw dropping cliffhanger in book one, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book. After everything Jericho puts Isabelle through, I needed this man to grovel, even though I knew he’d do so in his own way. I still needed him to work to get back into her good graces.

The second installment also brought all of the steam, and more than made up for the slow burn in book one. We get to learn about Jericho’s family history, and the truth behind the point of contention between him and his brother. I got to say that while I had a feeling about what it was, it was still a revelation. I really hope that we get Ezra’s book next, because he was one of the most memorable secondary characters. I loved the way he protected his brother and tried to protect Isabelle too…even if at times it was from his own brother.

Isabelle was a character I had to constantly remind myself of her age in this book. As much as she grew into her own, her naiveness when it came to her own family was almost jarring to watch unravel. I also got frustrated with how easily she forgave Jericho his numerous continuous screw ups. I wanted her to make him work for it, but at times her easy acceptance of his mistakes was frustrating.

The story itself was entertaining, fast paced and full of twists. Like any Natasha Knight romance it read like the book crack that it was. To be honest, the small quibbles I had barely blipped on my radar because this book completely sucked me in. Knight books just do it for me. What can I say, her brand of alphaholes just hit the mark each and every time and Jericho was no different.

Natasha Knight is the USA Today Bestselling author of Romantic Suspense and Dark Romance Novels. She has sold over half a million books and is translated into six languages. She currently lives in The Netherlands with her husband and two daughters and when she’s not writing, she’s walking in the woods listening to a book, sitting in a corner reading or off exploring the world as often as she can get away.
 
 
AUTHOR LINKS
 
Website: http://natasha-knight.com
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/natasha-knight
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2kg2fRX
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natashaknightauthor
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1752075498339742
Newsletter: http://natasha-knight.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natashaknightromance

Review: Run Posy Run by Cate C. Wells

RUN POSY RUN
Genre: Dark Adult Romance
Author: Cate C. Wells
Release Date:
April 21, 2021

She’d better run…

Posy
When I fell for Dario Volpe, I thought he was Prince Charming, and I was the luckiest girl alive. He didn’t care about my past. The talk. The stain on my family’s reputation.

Then he saw something I never wanted anyone to see.

He cares now.

This isn’t a breakup, it’s a warning shot, and if I want to get out of this bad romance alive, I have to run and never look back.
Dario Volpe is no storybook hero. He’s a psychopath, and he can’t decide–kiss me? Or kill me?

Dario
I’m the man behind the curtain, the power behind the throne. I could have killed her, and no one would have blinked an eye. Posy Santoro isn’t exactly a mafia princess.

No one sees her as clearly as I can–the perfect mind hidden by that knockout body in the tight dress.

I made a mistake, running her off, but now I get to play one of my favorite games.

Posy can run, but she isn’t made to be free. She’s made for me. And when I catch her? Game over.

Run Posy Run is a standalone mafia romance with dark elements. Intended for adult readers.

HEA guaranteed.

AMAZON  

Dario and I aren’t a love story. It’s the other kind. Girl meets mysterious, brooding mafioso. Convinces herself they’re in love. Lets him take over her life. And in the end, mysterious is criminal. Brooding is cruel. And the mafioso is a monster.

And so my Cate C Wells binge continues. After devouring The Tyrant Alpha’s Rejected Mate, I immediately jumped on this book. Why? Well, because I love me a morally gray hero, and it doesn’t get more morally gray than Dario.

Now look, if sociopath mafioso heroes aren’t your cuppa, you won’t like this book. They happen to be my book crack so I devoured this in one sitting. Posy is not a heroine I’d generally like, but I really enjoyed her. She’s got issues galore; daddy issues, abandonment issues, looking for love in all the wrong places issues. When the man she thought she was going to marry thinks she cheated on him, he cruelly throws her out on her ass. When his protection is gone, her uncle’s betrayal in the mafia puts the target right back on her and so she runs. Except then her mafia boyfriend realizes his mistake and wants her back. But not in the traditional grovel for here back. Oh no. In the chase her, kidnap her, and force her to be his sort of way. And this girl? SO HERE FOR IT.

This book was a touch dark, and a lot fucked up and I enjoyed every page of it. Dario is a true sociopath, a man without feeling or emotion…except when it comes to Posy. I loved watching them rediscover each other but with their masks now fully off. A deliciously dark romance that I enjoyed form beginning to end.

Review: Devil’s Pawn by Natasha Knight

THE DEVIL’S PAWN
Series: Devil’s Pawn Duet #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Natasha Knight
Release Date:
February 22, 2022

Isabelle

Jericho St. James hates my family.

Powerful, wealthy beyond belief, he’s the most dangerous man I know.

And I belong to him.

He’s taken me from my home.
He’ll make me his wife.
And he’s made it very clear I’ll be sleeping in his bed.

But my beast has a secret.

His one weakness. One that makes hating him impossible.

He has a daughter.

And he’ll do anything to keep her safe.

Jericho

The Bishops stole what money cannot replace.

A life for a life. Now I’ll take one of theirs.

Isabelle is my pawn.

I will make her my wife.
I will bed her.
She will be mine in every way.

And once I take what I need from her, I will erase the Bishop family as if they never existed at all.

AMAZON 

Some things aren’t choices at all. Some are destiny. And my destiny is to ruin hers.

Ever since I binge read The Society Trilogy, I’ve been chomping at the bit to get more in this world. So the second I saw Natasha Knight announce this book, I couldn’t get to it quick enough. This is my trope candy, folks. Pure book crack. A secret society, a revenge years in the making, and the innocent young girl who’s stuck in the middle and used as a pawn with a marriage of…inconvenience.

“Freedom is just a few feet away.” He smiles wide and steps aside. “You’re considering it. I would too.” He extends his arm, gesturing to the door. “You can try, I suppose. You won’t get far, but you can try.”

I love Knight’s brand of anti-heroes. They’re broody, tortured, and deliciously cruel. And Jericho? He was all of those things and more. This is a man with demons, and he’s not above using an innocent girl as a pawn in his plot for revenge. The innocent girl? The half sister of the man who cost him everything. He’ll make him pay, and the first step in his revenge is to take her, force her to marry him, and make her pay for her family’s sins. GAH. The delicious pain and and angst of it all.

I love a good age gap, and this one checked all the boxes for me. Isabelle may be sweet and innocent, but she’s no pushover. She’s a fighter, even when her situation is impossible. She has no idea of the dark and convoluted family history between the St James and the Bishop’s. She’s not a true Bishop. Not really. She’s the half sister, the dirty secret, and there’s no love lost between her and her brother. Jericho’s cruel treatment of her just cranks it up a notch. I’m so obsessed with the IVI world, and this hit the spot so hard for me.

Devil’s Pawn was a page turner full of family secrets, bad blood, archaic society traditions, and revenge. Sweet sweet revenge. Jericho is an anti hero I loved to hate, and hate him I did. You want to jock punch him for some of the things he does. And that cliffhanger? DEAR GOD. I can’t wait for the grovel that has to come to follow that because GAH. This woman’s words are pure book crack. I couldn’t read this book fast enough and will slowly die a slow death in my wait for book two.

Natasha Knight is the USA Today Bestselling author of Romantic Suspense and Dark Romance Novels. She has sold over half a million books and is translated into six languages. She currently lives in The Netherlands with her husband and two daughters and when she’s not writing, she’s walking in the woods listening to a book, sitting in a corner reading or off exploring the world as often as she can get away.
 
 
AUTHOR LINKS
 
Website: http://natasha-knight.com
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/natasha-knight
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2kg2fRX
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natashaknightauthor
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1752075498339742
Newsletter: http://natasha-knight.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natashaknightromance

DGRFave & Review: Hunting Adeline by HD Carlton

HUNTING ADELINE
Series:
Cat and Mouse Duet #2
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: H.D. Carlton
Release Date:
January 28, 2022

The final installment to the Cat and Mouse Duet…

The Diamond

Death walks alongside me,
But the reaper is no match for me.
I’m trapped in a world full of monsters dressed as men, and those who aren’t as they seem.
They won’t keep me forever.
I no longer recognize the person I’ve become,
And I’m fighting to find my way back to the beast who hunts me in the night.
They call me a diamond,
But they’ve only created an angel of death.

The Hunter

I was born a predator,
With ruthlessness ingrained in my bones.
When what’s mine is stolen from me in the night,
Like a diamond hidden within a fortress,
I find that I can no longer contain the beast.
Blood will paint the ground as I tear apart this world to find her.
And bring her back to where she belongs.
No one will escape my wrath,
Especially not those who have betrayed me.

Warning: This is the second and final installment to the Duet. You must read Haunting Adeline first.

AMAZON  

I may own every breath in your body, but make no mistake, Adeline, you own mine, too. I am yours to command. To bend and break. To mold and manipulate. Do you think that makes me weak? Or do you think I’m strong enough to admit that even though my body can physically live on without you, I would never get my fucking soul back?”

It’s a rare occasion that I get to say this, but I loved this book even more than the first. And considering I 5 star loved the first book, that’s really saying something. For the hours that it took me to devour this book, it owned me. Fully and completely. And when I finished, I simply didn’t know what to do with myself. How do you even move on from this? How, I ask you?!

You’ve never been a good man,” I whisper, reiterating the exact words he’s told me so many times before. “No,” he agrees. “But I have always been yours.”

While I found Haunting Adeline to be more gray than dark, this book made me eat my words. This was dark. Like the very pits of hell dark. Like sick to my stomach, goose bumps, fist in my throat sort of dark. It was pitch fucking black, okay? And holy shit, did I love it!

We’re all fucking damned anyway, forced to live outside of heaven’s gates. I find I like it better living in the darkness next to my shadow.

Am I going to tell you anything about this book that you can’t get from the blurb? Absolutely not. You want to go into this blind. Trust me. But be prepared for one rollercoaster of emotion, because this story puts you through the ringer and then some.

This story was truly the evolution of Adeline. It’s one thing to deal with her obsessed stalker. But when she gets thrown into the pits of hell with true monsters, it’s the true test of her sanity and strength. And this woman has strength. One thing I’ll say is that I loved that Carlton didn’t shy away from the details. She didn’t graze over the difficult things, and go from one extreme to the other. You get to see and experience it all. But what I loved the most, is the aftermath. This isn’t glazed over as it can be in some dark romance. You get to experience all of it with Adeline, the ups and the downs, the painful and gut wrenching. All of it.

Heaven isn’t a place you go to when you die, it’s inside the person that’s worth dying for.

Zade is just as captivating and intense as ever. I fell even harder for this man here. This is the man that will happily walk into hell for his woman, and take on the devil himself. Some may even argue that Zade is the devil, and I loved that about him. This is a man with many layers. He’s firmly rooted in the gray, because while he has a good cause, he’s not a good man by any means. This is a man that does bad things for a good reason, but never loses any of his intensity.

Jesus,” I breathe.
He smirks…“He’s not the one you should be praying to,” he murmurs darkly, sending shivers rolling down my spine. “Only I will be your salvation.”

Now let’s also talk about the secondary characters because OH MY GOD. I’ve always been intrigued by Sibby, and I think that’s now turned into a full obsession. But we get additional secondary characters like a particularly bad man, and some brothers, that I’m desperate for a story for. I won’t tell you the names, because I don’t want to spoiler anything, but GOD. I’m desperate for a certain someone’s book. Talk about your broken men that do bad things for a good reason. I will sell my soul for his story. *desperate sob*

If you’ve been as eagerly anticipating this conclusion as I have, it is worth every painful second of the wait. HD Carlton knocked it out of the park with this book, and I am fully obsessed!


Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

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