Review: There Are No Saints by Sophie Lark

THERE ARE NO SAINTS
Series: Sinners Duet #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Sophie Lark
Release Date: October 20, 2021

I loathe Alastor Shaw.

The city of San Francisco thinks we’re rival artists.

In truth, we’re predators battling for hunting ground.

We never chased the same prey. Until the night we both laid eyes on Mara Eldritch.

Shaw wants to use her as a pawn in his twisted game.

I’m fixated on her for a different reason…

She makes me feel things I never thought I could feel. Want things I never wanted.

Only she can make me lose control.

I don’t know if I should protect her at all costs… or destroy her before she ruins me.

Mara knows I’m no saint. But she has no idea she’s dancing with the devil…

The Lark Notes:
I have always been fascinated by true crime, as well as by villains and anti-heroes. A serial killer is, of course, the ultimate anti-hero — the baddest of the bad boys. Redeeming a character who starts so evil was a challenge that inspired me to entirely new heights and entirely new depths. Come on this darkly sensual and utterly brain-bending ride with me! — Sophie

“There Are No Saints” is the first book in the Sinners Duet. Reader be warned: this is a dark and steamy serial killer romance that will take you on a journey through the twisted mind of an artist on the brink of madness

AMAZON

There Are No Saints by Sophie Lark
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 STARS

She has me wondering what it would take to break her. To shatter her into so many pieces that she could never put them together again.

Well…hell. Where did this book come from, Sophie Lark? Because we need to talk.

A little fun fact about me, I’m fascinated by psychology. I love criminology and criminal psychology. I can binge watch true crime documentaries and podcasts and never grow tired of it. I also love Criminal Minds and Dexter. Now I want to make something clear also. I also get grossed out by people who sexualize serial killers. Like I’m not in the Ted Bundy or Richard Ramirez fan club. But in the same breath, there’s just something about a fictional killer that’s entirely too fascinating. Which is exactly what had me binge watching episodes of Dexter back in the day. I remember feeling completely out of my comfort zone reading Take Me with You. But some years have passed, and my limits, seems they’re mostly non existent when it comes to fictional bad guys.

Why are you so combative?” he says. “Have you ever tried cooperating?”
“In my experience, when men say ‘cooperative,’ they mean ‘obedient.’ ”
He grins. “Then have you ever tried being obedient?”
“Never.”

One thing I will tell you, is because of my obsession with psychology, I’m super picky on the whole sociopath descriptions. Because a lot of books will tell you that the character is one, but they don’t act like one. Or they have them start out as one, but then change into something else. Not in this book, my friends. Cole Blackwell is a textbook sociopath and his moral compass is completely broken. There is nothing good or redeeming about this man. So if that’s not your cuppa, and you want at least some redeeming qualities, this ain’t the book for you.

The more she rebels against me, the more I want to crush her.
And the more she clings to her convictions, the further I intend to drag her down dark and twisted pathways .

It’s interesting, my one missing piece with Sophie’s books has always been the quickness of the connection of the MCs. Like I always found it to be too quick in the books of hers I’ve read. And this book? Made me eat my words with some crow pie. Because DAMN. The pacing in this story is flawless. It takes the time to build it up, to set the scene, to lay the foundation. Any connection between the characters doesn’t come until much much later, and man, I loved that.

I also loved these characters. Cole and his narcissistic and sociopath tendencies. And Mara, well this girl caught me completely unaware. She may be the definition of a starving artist and very young. But this is a girl that’s seen some shit and has certainly lived it. She’s a survivor and she also harbors her own brand of fucked up.

This book had me riveted to the pages. I gobbled it up in one sitting and it left me absolutely crazed for my next fix. If you like your antiheroes not just morally gray, but completely fucking black? Welcome to your next addiction, friends.