Pretty Savage by. Lexi Davis | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️.5

Title: Pretty Savage (The Order, #2)

Author: Lexi Davis

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 389

Publication Date: 9/10/26

Categories: Dark Romance, Secret Society, Series

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Getting sucked into a secret society was bad.
Falling for its ruthless heir was worse.

Now I’m part of a secret society preparing to brand me, bind me to him, and turn our most intimate promise into a public ritual.

Carrson will destroy anyone who threatens me. But the enemy is no longer one man. It’s the world that made him, the father he can’t escape, and the secrets buried in my own blood.

To survive, I have to learn The Order’s rules faster than they can use them against me. I must decide which truths to hide, which alliances to risk, and how far I’m willing to go to claim a future with the man I love.

Carrson thinks he’s the dangerous one.
He’s about to discover I can be savage too.

Pretty Savage is an obsessive secret society dark romance with a ruthless, morally gray hero who is only soft for her, touch-her-and-die possessiveness, dangerous rituals, forced bonding, an us-against-the-world romance, and an increasingly powerful heroine. It is the second book in The Order series and should be read after Pretty Vicious.

Want more from this world? Read the prequel Pretty Ruthless, set thirty years before the events of Pretty Vicious. She’s an outsider on the hunt for answers. He’s the cruel, reluctant ruler who will one day become Carrson’s father. When these two collide, sparks fly and blood spills.

You’re not ready for what happens next.

Content Warning: violence, voyeurism, secret society/cult, death, abuse, knife play, drug use

+ This is part two in The Order series and it continues right where book one leaves off – Laurel is taken to the enemy, Silas. And yes he’s a scary drug dealer but I kind of liked him because he didn’t harm Laurel – also I want to know his story and it definitely ties into the Order. His drug is becoming a problem for The Order, so it will be interesting to see how it plays into this civil war taking place in the group.

+ We learn more about The Order, which is a secret society but I think it’s a cult. We get a little more of a brief history of Carrson’s ancestor. The way the Order raise their kids to be powerful members in society is disgusting and horrible, but it’s all for “the cause”, they are raising politicians, presidents, etc…so they have to basically abuse them to teach them how to be tough. But I love that Laurel’s outsider presence is encouraging the girls to take a good look around them and try to rise up. The ending was an interesting cliffhanger which has me curious to see what happens next. We also learn more about Laurel’s dad which was an interesting twist.

+ Carrson and Laurel are solid. They might have a fight or two but I love how they work things out and how they love one another. They are ride or die for one another and I’m just hoping they can break free from the chains of The Order. There is a pretty spicy scene in this one that includes knife play.

~ This is dark romance and The Order is basically a cult, so there is one scene where Carrson and Laurel have to consummate their bond in from of others. It’s ritualistic, archaic, and disgusting. I felt horrible for Carrson and Laurel throughout the whole story!

Final Thoughts:

I think this sequel moves the story along nicely but it does get darker in this one, to the point of grossing me out a little with the voyeurism. But I do love Carrson and Laurel’s romance – they are there for one another, through thick or thin. I’m also very happy to see some of the girls in the Order waking up to what is going on around them and it will be interesting to see them grow more in the next book. I found this one to be a quick read and I look forward to the next book!

Read if you like:

secret society
dark romance
dark themes

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Pretty Vicious: The Order by. Lexi Davis | Book Review – 3.5⭐️/2 🌶️

White Raven by. Stacey Marie Brown | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: White Raven (Messengers of the Realm, #1)

Author: Stacey Marie Brown

Pages: 405

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Publication Date: 9/1/26

Categories: Dark Romance, Dark Fantasy, Series

“Harbingers of enlightened, bringers of darkness. Givers of life, tellers of death…significance

flies on the backs of raven wings for those who dare to listen to its meaning. For we are the

Messengers of the Realm.”

The White Raven was born to bring magic to the dying realm.

One hundred and ninety-nine years ago the Blood War between the Ravens and the Leatherwings divided the land into Day, Night, and Dusk, cursing the land with the blood of the dead. Abandoned by Odin and his favored pets, Huginn and Muninn, the ravens were stripped of their wings, and their positions as Messengers of the Realm.

Her blood holds the power to heal the land and unite the kingdoms.

Wrennlyn Stallard, the King’s only daughter had lived a life of privilege, kept sheltered in the walls of Silvervale. But on the night of her betrothal, her world shattered when their enemy from the Night Realm kidnapped her, taking her across the snowy terrain into the treacherous land, called the Shadow Rift, the land between the Day and Night.

His mission is to take her to the Night King.

Onyx had waited months to seize her, purposely getting captured to work as a thrall for the Day King. Cold, ruthless, and burning with vengeance, he wasn’t prepared for the pampered, prophesized girl to be defiant, clever, and maddeningly impossible to break. Killing her would be easy, but her life is vital to a much bigger plan.

Because everyone knows…who has the White Raven holds the power.

Content Warning: violence, death, kidnapping, cannibalism, attempted rape

+ I could not put this book down. I read it in one day! I haven’t read a book from this author since the Savage Lands series (I didn’t read book 5 due to lack of time or awareness of it), but I loved that series. White Raven is as dark, but this time it’s inspired by Nordic mythology and culture. There are Nordic Gods mentioned, runes, a land divided by Day Ravens, Night Ravens, and Leatherwings (bats). I hope we learn more about the Leatherwings next! Wrenn and her captor travel across these lands, encounter so much danger and I loved the tension from start to finish.

+ Wren is the prophesied White Raven – on her 19th birthday, she will come into powers and cure the land. She’s a Day Raven and everyone wants to marry her, or own her in some way, shape or form. She’s 18, kidnapped, saw her best friend die, and learning how wrong she was about things outside of her kingdom. I was rooting for Wren because at any time she could have saved everyone the trouble and ended her life and to hell with the prophesy but she stayed strong. The plot twist at the ending cliffhanger is so juicy, I was left shocked.

+ There are a few members in this cast of characters. I loved her best friend, Sarina. Onyx is the FMC, and we don’t learn his name until way later, for a good chunk of the book we know he’s a thrall (slave). But when we do learn about Onyx and his life as a Night Raven, I liked getting to know his friends and crew, especially Bjorn – I love him! There is also a cute creature, a groundling, named Munch who I loved also.

+~ In this dark book there is hardly any romance. Wren has her dalliances here and there at court, but things change when she is kidnapped and everyone wants to take her in violent ways. Onyx and Wren are true enemies to lovers – they hate one another with a passion, but they are also attracted to one another because of forced proximity. There is one spicy scene which was surprising because I thought there would be more – but I think it fit because they are trully enemies stuck in a precarious situation.

Final Thoughts:

I couldn’t put this down! It was fast paced and full of action! It’s also very easy to read. I loved the world building, the dark world, even the horror elements. I hope we get to learn more about everything. The romance is very enemies to lovers, so I don’t know how I feel about it for now until either of them breaks down to one another, but it makes my anticipation for book two that much more exciting. The ending is a cliffhanger so I can’t wait to read what happens next!

Read if you like:

dark romance
dark fantasy

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Bad Lands by. Stacey Marie Brown | Book Review – 3⭐️

Dead Lands by. Stacey Marie Brown | Book Review – 4 ⭐️

Wild Lands | Book Review – 4 ⭐️

Savage Lands | Book Review – 4 ⭐️

Stalkers Anonymous by. Dana Leeann | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Stalker Anonymous

Author: Dana Leeann

Pages: 398

Format: paperback

Publication Date: 9/1/26

Categories: Dark Romance

Cole Matthews definitely isn’t a stalker. Probably.

Sure, he used company resources and crossed some lines to “have a conversation” with his sister’s abusive ex. But that was a one-time thing. Now, Cole has to attend a group therapy program with a long, clinical name…but the participants? They call it Stalkers Anonymous.

Hailey Brigham is definitely dating the perfect man. Probably.

She’d love to focus more attention on Cole, the smoking hot, ex-military sweetheart whose idea of a casual second date is tandem skydiving. But a drug-seeking patient at the ER where she’s a second-year resident knows too much about Hailey’s personal life, and his fixation on her is getting harder to ignore.

When threats against Hailey escalate, Cole’s protective instincts go into overdrive. To keep her safe, he would do anything—even if it means becoming the monster he’s kept so carefully locked up inside.

Stalkers Anonymous is a dark romance with a morally gray hero, a fierce heroine, and a found family of misfits you won’t see coming (unless they want you to).

Content Warning: violence, death, stalking, mental health

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for sending me a copy of Stalker Anonymous by. Dana Leeann!

+ I wasn’t sure how this story would play out because clearly, stalking is a bad thing, but the twist in this story is Cole, a recovering stalker (he stalked the guy who hurt his sister), meets and falls for Hailey who has a stalker. So Cole’s tendencies to stalk and protect Hailey is coming out in full force. But he’s stalking her stalker! I could sympathize with Cole – clearly he knows what he did to his sister’s ex-boyfriend was over the line, and he was getting help, but I also love that he was stalking the bad guy.

+ The romance was easy and fun until the stalker ramped up his obsession with Hailey. I love how Cole and Hailey meet, they are both good people, and they fall for one another. But I also love when Cole’s past is revealed and it presents a conflict in the relationship that there is space between them so each of them can work on themselves. There are spicy moments between but nothing too crazy.

+ Cole is attending a therapy group session but I love how they sort of become a found family/friendship for him later on in the book. I thought that twist was kind of fun.

Final Thoughts:

I found this book to be a quick, easy read with a fun dark romance twist. Who really is the bad guy when the stalker is helping catch another stalker? I loved the romance between Cole and Hailey, I thought it was easy and fun until the conflict – but I like how they work things out too. Overall, I enjoyed this one and can’t wait to see what this author writes next.

Read if you like:

stalker romance
dark romance with a twist
found family

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Sorrow and Strangers by. Jeanette Rose & Alexis Rune | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Sorrow and Strangers (Avalon University, #2))

Author: Jeanette Rose & Alexis Rune

Format: eBook (Simon Maverick) and paperback (Simon Maverick)

Pages: 754

Publication Date: 9/8/26

Publisher: Simon Maverick

Categories: Dark Academia, Dark Romance, Fantasy, Series

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from Simon Maverick in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Simon Maverick for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Fear. Fury. And Fire.

To Know is Never Enough.

Summer Tuatha De Daanan reluctantly returns to Avalon University for her second year after spending the summer with her vampire best friend in Draculea. She’s a shell of her former self, and the peace promised to her has never felt further from her reach. All Summer wants is to keep her head down and get through the year cloaked in her depression, but looming threats linger, and she quickly finds herself thrust into a dangerous position once again; entangled with a friend turned enemy, the protector of her beloved family, and the target of two very powerful kings.

Unwilling to suffer any further loss, Summer must push through her emotions to prepare herself for the enemies who threaten everything she holds dear. Through runic training with the revered and brooding Headmaster Emrys, combat with the aloof and strong-willed Max, and improving her mental walls with the dark and mysterious stranger, each step pulls her further from the edge of despair. Yet, nothing will be simple for Summer, and the more she trains, the more she discovers who she truly is, forcing her to confront her inner darkness. The beast within that purrs for her enigmatic stalker.

A darkness that is waiting to be explored. A darkness that will not be denied.

Content Warning: grief, violence, *read the trigger warnings at the start of the book*

+~ I think this sequel is more character driven than plot driven, which was a little frustrating because I needed more plot. It’s a long book and if constant spice is not your thing, you might want to skip this one because there is a lot of it. We are back at the school but we hardly see these characters go to school, it’s everything to do with outside school hours like partying and training at the gym. I wanted more plot, but it happens at the end of the book. It’s one of those addictive reads that don’t require much brain power though, I even guessed who Stranger was earlier in the book.

+ The portrayal of grief in this book is so real. A little too real that I was missing Connor so much in this book. He really was the character I loved the most in book one and I can’t even believe he’s gone. Summer is grieving in the beginning of the book and she goes through it. She’s wasting away before Alice’s eyes and goes through all the stages of grief.

+~ Summer as a character was never one who I totally loved, not even in book one. So there are a lot of moments in this book she was testing my patience especially with the back and forth with Stranger. Again, her mental state was going through some trauma, but it was whiplash. I would really love to know more about Summer. I need more about her history, being Seelie, what makes her powerful and I’m sure that’s coming in book three but I need more.

+ My favorite characters in this book are Alice and Rafe, the secondary characters who I feel deserves books of their own. Alice is an amazing best friend who is there for Summer thick and thin, through the grief, through the boy drama (she’s the no-judgment best friend), I love her. Rafe is Connor’s brother and I love the Morningside family, they are just good people including Rafe even though he’s going through a hard transition in his life. I also loved Mira, a new character. Stranger is also very intriguing and we get to know him a bit more in this one, he’s still a major stalker though but he has a lot of patience with Summer.

+~ The romance between Summer and Stranger, it’s inevitable, and it’s tumultuous. It’s toxic. There is a lot of spice in this one, and it felt like it was half the story. The spice with Max, it was exciting at first and then got stale because it was repetitive. At least the ones with Stranger were different but it was hard seeing Summer go back and forth between them, putting boundaries and then breaking them without putting up any real fight. My favorite romance in the story was actually Rafe and Mira’s! Sure it was insta-lust and love but those two had the romance I was waiting for between Summer and Stranger.

Final Thoughts:

After reading two books in the series, I think it’s safe to say, the books will always be long. I miss Connor and the book did accomplish relaying the “sorrow” and grief Summer was experiencing after losing him. I would love more world building and a plot that isn’t overshadowed by the spice. The highlights of the book for me were Alice, Rafe and Mira. I also find Stranger fascinating and I can’t wait to learn more about Uncle Luc and Hell.

But if you loved book one, you will love this one too because you will get more of Summer and her boy drama, and lots of spice. For me I just needed a little more world building and a little less spice and hope I get that in book three.

Read if you like:

relationship drama, dark romance
lots of spicy scenes
found family

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Blood & Betrayals by. Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune | Book Review – 2.5 stars/3 🌶️

Pretty Vicious: The Order by. Lexi Davis | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Pretty Vicious (The Order, #1)

Author: Lexi Davis

Pages: 303

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Publication Date: 1/13/26

Categories: Secret Societies, Dark Romance, New Adult, Series

Laurel just wanted to survive college, keep her father fed, and fly under the radar.

Delivering pizzas was supposed to be the safe kind of side hustle, until the night she witnesses a murder at Ashford House, the most elite and secretive fraternity on campus.

Now she’s a prisoner of The Order, a blood-bound society that controls everything from politics to police. They rule with ritual, obedience, and violence, and they’ve decided Laurel doesn’t get to leave.

At the center of it all is Carrson Ashford, heir to the powerful Ashford legacy.
Cold. Commanding. Infuriatingly magnetic.
Under the rules of The Order, he “bonds” her, marking Laurel as his.

Body. Mind. Soul.

But Laurel isn’t here to be claimed. Not without a fight.
To save her father and her future, Laurel must navigate a twisted realm of initiation rites, brutal secrets, and a bond that may destroy them both.

In this world, there’s one rule: obey or die.

But love doesn’t follow rules. And neither does Laurel.

★ Dark academia meets Southern Gothic in this emotionally intense, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, morally gray, twisted college romance filled with secrets, violence, and impossible love. Perfect for fans of Penelope Douglas, LJ Shen, Shantel Tessier, and Sierra Simone.

Content Warning: violence, death, assault, mention of rape, alcoholism, physical and emotional abuse, prostitution, *check triggers in book*, suicide, suicidal ideation

I’ve been slowly going back to contemporary dark romances after being picky about which ones to read for a few years now. But the sound of a Southern Gothic dark romance sounded so intriguing so I got this one on Kindle Unlimited and was pleasantly surprised.

Laurel is in the wrong place at the wrong time and that leads to Carrson Ashford, son of a powerful man, to take her and make her his Bonded to save her life. Laurel is thrust into this dark, strange, creepy world of The Order – a secret society of men and women who basically produces the people that will someday run the world in every aspect – financial, world leaders, and more. And Carrson is poised to inherit it all but nothing comes easy in The Order. Success comes at the hands of killing and lots of blood, so Carrson is now a good person – but Laurel sees something redeemable in him.

The Handmaid’s Tale is mentioned in this book a few times because the role of women in The Order is basically to procreate, and the rules for them are diabolical. But Laurel is questioning their culture and rules since she is forced to bond to Carrson. But this is a very dark world, a very dark upbringing for anyone who belongs and grew up in The Order.

I was wary about Carrson because he’s an alpha-male, a killer, and sometimes an a-hole but surprisingly Laurel softens him up. Which is why I actually enjoyed their romance. He becomes protective and possessive of her but not in a way to dominate her. There is more to Carrson than what he presents and we actually get a good insight to his heinous upbringing. Even the spicy scene to me was particularly tame for a dark romance but I loved it because it showed he had restraint and had come to care a lot for her. So I’m rooting for them to make it!

Final Thoughts:

I am surprised I enjoyed this one! The characters have depth, and the spice was meaningful instead of degrading or too dark. It’s a very dark story so please check the warnings beforehand! I am totally rooting for Laurel and Carrson’s love story and I hope we see them make changes to The Order as the story progresses in the series.

Read if you like:

dark romance
secret society

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Dark in Her Veins by. M.K. Lobb | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: The Dark In Her Veins (#1)

Author: M.K. Lobb

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 8/25/26

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Categories: Dark Fantasy, Dark Romance, Series

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

From critically acclaimed, bestselling author MK Lobb comes a noir romantic fantasy set in a world in which sin is a fatal disease, and the rich hire the poor to carry out their basest instincts—until the forbidden romance between a sinner and a mysterious figure threatens to destroy everything.

In Valestadt, everything has a price. Sinning leaves its mark in the form of the Bloodrot, a slow-creeping disease that leads to madness, then death. Most sins are negligible, but murder—committed enough—can be fatal. For the rich, violence is something to be outsourced. For the poor, it’s a paycheck that comes with a cost.

Talin Keller is a sinner. Employed by the holiest man in the city, the Prophet, she gets her hands dirty so his can stay clean. And with her Bloodrot rapidly advancing, Talin knows her next job could be her last. But when a new assignment puts Talin on a collision course with a shadowy figure known as “the Warden,” she begins to see a future for herself that doesn’t involve a body bag. If she can get close enough to the Warden, she can trade his life for her own freedom. That is, if she can keep her balance on the knife’s edge.

The closer Talin gets to the Warden, though, the more she finds herself falling for his sharp edges and twisted sense of justice. As savior and sinner bleed together, Talin finds the real threat isn’t either man – but a conspiracy tied to the past she hoped was dead.

Content Warning: violence, death, BDSM, cult, religious horror

World Building: This world is very fascinating and takes inspiration from religion. In Valestadt, sinning leaves you with bloodrot, a condition that leaves you with dark veins that will eventually kill you. And Talin is a sinner – a hired killer for the Prophet who is the holiest man in the city. How convenient that a holy man would let someone else get their hands dirty for him. Talin wants out, and to live the rest of her short life free – but she meets the Prophet’s brother, the Warden, a crime lord and a diabolist which is someone who feeds off of confessionals. Talin is caught in a trap of her making, but her goal is to come out of it hopefully alive. Check the trigger warnings for this one.

Characters: Talin is a sinner, she is a hired killer with no hope of a future but she wants out of her job. Her past is a mystery though, but I could kind of figure out the secret she was hiding. She is messy, traumatized, loves pain, is bisexual and surprisingly to her and the Warden, a submissive. The Prophet, Gabriel, is a holy man but as we find out – holy doesn’t equal to good. The Warden, Slade, is who Talin is drawn to because both are sinners in their own way and morally black. Both love pain, and are both equally not okay. Ceri and Emeric are secondary characters that brought a little humanity to these morally black characters, and I enjoyed them.

Romance: Talin and Slade are both bisexual, both love pain so yes there is BDSM. But surprisingly, I didn’t find this super spicy, just at times maybe uncomfortable since there is violence in their sex play but it is both consensual. Now I kind of want to say even though I characterize this as dark “romance” there is no romance here. Both characters do not want love and cannot give the happy love kind of romance. No…as Slade said, his idea of love is obsessing over someone. So yes, this is a dark romance, by the end of this they are both obsessed with one another.

Story: I could not put this story down because I thought the world was fascinating: the prophet, the warden, the cult and sinners. I found the morally black characters equally interesting and wanted to see how Talin would get herself out of the trap she was in. Now there were times I thought she was so incensed with rage that she wasn’t thinking right – and it felt like Gabriel and Slade were a step ahead of her most of the time. But I was definitely hooked to see how she would get out of the trap, and if she would survive it. The ending is a cliffhanger which left me disappointed because I wanted more! So I guess I have to wait patiently for book two!

Final Thoughts:

I was hooked on this one mostly because I wanted to see if Talin could find her way out of this trap between two brothers. All she wants is to live before the bloodrot takes her but…does she deserve to live? These characters are morally black, the story is dark, it’s violent, it’s twisty, there is no trust, there is no love blooming between the Talin and Slade, but maybe obsession is and I didn’t mind that at all. The world is fascinating but would like to learn more about the diabolists and how confessions fuel them, also more about the cult. I wanted more at the end but I had to settle for a cliffhanger. I’ll be looking forward to book two.

Read if you like:

BDSM, knife play
dark romance
political intrigue

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Wrecked by. Bree L. Mina | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Wrecked (The Westin Legacies, #1)

Author: Bree L. Mina

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 466

Publication Date: 8/18/26 (paperback deluxe)

Publisher: Simon Maverick

Categories: Dark Romance, Second Chance, Survival, Contemporary

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from Simon Maverick in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Simon Maverick for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Fate is a fickle thing.

It can lead you down a path of pain, or it can take you on a journey toward happiness.

There is no equity in the unpredictable.

Fate is inevitable.
Not everyone is destined for a happy ending.
Not every story will work out in the end.
Not every love is meant to survive.

Some believe we are in control of our destiny. That we determine the outcome of our lives, the people we love, and the path we walk.

But I didn’t choose to survive a plane crash.
I didn’t choose to be trapped on an island with the man who once crushed my soul.
I didn’t choose to reopen my heart to a love so powerful that the end of it would be unsurvivable.

I didn’t want to fall in love with my sister’s fiancé. To feel the insurmountable pain that followed my rescue. Or let go of a man that would own my heart until the day I die.

But I am no longer allowing fate to decide my future.

This next path is mine.

*Please note this book is a romantic tragedy. The conclusion of this book is the conclusion of this story. There will not be a cliffhanger. This book does not end with an HEA; however, the events of this book inspire the story in book two. Book two will have an HEA*

Content Warning: violence, death, suicide, physical abuse, sexual assault, rape, child abuse

This book is titled so appropriately because by the end of this that’s how I felt – wrecked! Heed the warning in the blurb, this story doesn’t have a happy ending, it is a romantic tragedy.

Elli and Nate have loved one another since high school. She was a sophomore and his tutor. He was a senior and the captain of the football team with a powerful and rich father. A father that abused him. This story goes back and forth from the past to the present…the past where Elli and Nate are so in love with one another, to the present where he is engaged to Elli’s sister, Katie. Yes this story is as messy as it seems. But ultimately it’s about two people so in love but are torn apart because of Nate’s evil dad, and they find their way back together after some crazy event. They have so much to confess and emotions to work through but they eventually get there. And the chemistry between is undeniably spicy.

This is a dark story so please check the trigger warnings. I don’t even know if I liked Nate even though I felt bad for him being manipulated and abused by his father – but just the way he went about pushing Elli away (for her sake), really sucked bad. This is a second chance romance wrapped up in a love triangle. The cheating trope is one of my least favorite tropes even though Nate had an explanation for everything. I don’t even know how Katie, his fiancé could still want him after knowing he loves her sister. I feel like they all needed therapy! By the end of this book I was emotionally drained, I didn’t cry, but I was just sad for everyone involved in this story even if it is fictional.

Final Thoughts:

This story is for the ones that like a tragic romance with some dark themes – check the triggers. Was I engrossed with the love triangle drama? Totally. I had to see how it played out and boy did it end in the most unexpected and sad way. This one will not leave you happy in the end, but I’m still curious to see what happens next in the story. Can there be a happy ending eventually? I’ll be reading book two to find out.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Deviant King (Deluxe Edition) by. Rina Kent | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Title: Deviant King (#1) Deluxe Edition

Author: Rina Kent

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 362

Publication Date: 8/11/26 (first published 10/21/2019)

Publisher: Bloom Books

Categories: New Adult, Bully Romance, Dark Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Bloom Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The villain isn’t supposed to be king.

I have a simple plan.
Finish Royal Elite School and get into my dream university.
One glance from the school’s king blows my plan up in smoke.
One glance and he suffocates my air.
One glance and he issues his death sentence.
His first words spiral my life into irreparable chaos.
“I will destroy you.”
Everything about Aiden King is black.
Black mind.
Black heart.
Black soul.
I should’ve remained quiet and endured the time I have left.
I didn’t.
I made the irrevocable mistake of provoking the king on his throne.
The devil in his hell.
And now, I’ll pay the price.
Being hated by Aiden King is dangerous.
But being wanted by him is lethal.

This book is part of a trilogy and not standalone. The entire trilogy is available.

Content Warning: violence, sexual assault, bullying, so much more – read the trigger warnings

I wanted to read something different and realized I never read a Rina Kent book so I requested it. Now I am not the biggest fan of bully romance, but did I read this in one sitting? Yes, probably because Aiden, the MMC is so unhinged, I had to see how bad he got. I couldn’t quite look away and wanted Elsa, the FMC, to build a backbone and stand up to Aiden, but of course, she would fall for him ~ but point blank this guy is just crazy. Again, read the trigger warnings because some of his behavior is just disgusting.

I think this story would have been more believable though, if the characters were older, even if they were just new adults in their early 20’s, but these characters are in high school students acting like they run the world (world being their elite high school) and I just wasn’t buying it. I say it’s New Adult because it’s spicy.

I did like some of Aiden’s friends because they tried to help Elsa – they weren’t as crazy as Aiden.

Final Thoughts:

This was not for me – Aiden needs to be locked up somewhere! I just couldn’t believe these were high school students, even if they were at an elite school. It was too dark for me, so if you are into very dark romance with all the trigger warnings – you might enjoy this one.

Read if you like:

bully romance
dark romance

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Conform by. Ariel Sullivan | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️

Title: Conform (Reform, #1)

Author: Ariel Sullivan

Pages: 416

Format: ebook (Libby)

Publication Date: 10/14/25

Categories: Dystopian Romance, Love Triangle, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Series

In the far future, one young woman finds herself torn between two loves—and two sides of a rebellion boiling under the surface—in the first novel of a sweeping dystopian romance trilogy.

Centuries after a catastrophic world war nearly decimated the human population, a city arose from the ashes, ruled by an elusive and technologically advanced group called the Illum.

At twenty-seven, Emeline lives in limbo, wasting away her days in a job sorting ancient human art for destruction and waiting to be selected as a Mate for a procreation contract. Where others look forward to being chosen, Emeline has never felt like she fit into a society where a person’s worth is determined by constantly monitored genes, health, and the ability to procreate. She’s struggled to keep her discomfort secret, but when she is finally chosen, her Mate is revealed to be a member of the Illum named Collin, a man who seems to be harboring secrets of his own.

It is the first time an Illum has taken a Mate in decades, leaving Emeline—and others—baffled as to why she was chosen. Soon, she is swept into the dangerous game of Courting, filled with ballgowns, lavish dinners, and watchful eyes, where one wrong move can mean elimination. While parts of this elite lifestyle are unexpectedly appealing, the more embroiled she becomes, the more she sees its dark underbelly—and a rebellion rising in secret. Collin is confusing, both cold and protective, and worse, she finds herself drawn to the very last person she should be falling for: Hal, one of the resistance leaders.

As she draws closer to both Collin and Hal, the Illum exercise their power in increasingly brutal ways, forcing Emeline to question everything—most of all whether she’ll have to give up her heart and even her life to stop them.

Content Warning: violence

I have been wanting to read this book for awhile, but I read Beneath first which I absolutely loved, so I wasn’t sure what to expect with Conform since Beneath takes place 100 years before this book.

So 100 years after Beneath and the Illum is in control of the Elite and everyone else. The Illum runs everything and one of the things they are focused on is procreation. It’s got some Handmaid Tales vibes especially when it comes to procreation and the roles of women. Emeline is selected to be the Mate but not for an Elite, instead she’s chosen for an Illum which hasn’t happened in a very long time. But the salvation she thought she would attain by becoming a Mate is not what happens, instead she is trapped between power players with her life always at risk.

I had lukewarm feelings about Emeline, she’s been sheltered and taught all the rules she needs to follow to be a good Mate. So I understand why she is naive about a lot of things, but one of her strengths is her stubbornness. Unfortunately her stubbornness and naivety is a bad combination because her actions has messed things up for her and people she have started to care about. I did like her backstory, being Elite and given away by her family because she’s a Defect. Defects are chosen as mates to Elites to prevent inbreeding. I was rooting for Emeline to gain some leverage and power in this world among the Illum and Elites but she’s not quite there yet and makes the mistake of thinking she could stay a step ahead of the Illum. I honestly don’t know how she thought she could with all her lack of knowledge. So even though I didn’t totally love her character, I’m hoping she grows a lot more in book two.

My favorite character had to be Gregory, who is Emeline’s disgraced brother and is tortured by not being able to be with the one person he loves. Justice for Gregory! Collin, Emeline’s Mate is a mystery – I’ve been developing some theories about him but we’ll see if I’m right. As for Hal, he’s a rebel who falls for Emeline but again, I feel like there is more to him and this first book hasn’t given us a lot of depth to these characters yet.

And yes there is a love triangle, even though Emeline and Collin’s relationship is always so tense, she doesn’t deny that she is attracted to him. As for Hal, she knew him for one week…so…again, Emeline is sheltered and a guy started paying attention to her and she fell fast. I really just wanted to shake her sometimes. It’s one of those love triangles that made me tense because I didn’t want her getting caught but she’s so naive and aren’t used to the games being played.

Speaking of getting caught – my favorite thing about this book is the growing tension and it builds as the story goes on until the very end. I was so tense by the end of this book, there are twists and betrayal! The Illum is a powerful group, especially Collin but I feel like we need to know more about them. I would love more world-building and hope we get it in book two. This world and their rules for procreation and the things the women go through in this book and what their roles are reduced to is diabolical.

Quotes From the Book:

“When everyone above the surface believes everyone below is uncivilized and defective and you all believe everyone above is immoral and self-serving, who wins? How can anyone win when you all hate one another?” – Conform by. Ariel Sullivan

“There was no good or bad guy. There were no saviors, just varying shades of morally corrupt people with different lines in the sand.” – Conform by. Ariel Sullivan

Final Thoughts:

This is a solid start to this series, it definitely sets the stage for this fragile balance between the Illum and Elites, plus the rebellion that is threatening to burn all of it down. This world of the powerful and the powerless is filled with so much tension, the race to the end of the book was gripping and I couldn’t put it down. I don’t know how I feel about the love triangle because I think there is more to learn about Collin. Also, I would love to see more growth for Emeline and more world building. Emeline meant well, but she was too naive for her own good, I need more from her. I’m excited to see what happens in book two and am kind of excited that the author is writing two series at one time with Beneath and Conform.

Read if you like:

love triangle
dystopian romance
political intrigue; rebellion
betrayal

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Beneath by. Ariel Sullivan | Book Review – 4.5 stars/2 🌶️

Daybreak by. Autumn Woods | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Daybreak (Sorrowsong University, #2)

Author: Autumn Woods

Pages: 479

Format: ebook (own)

Publication Date: 7/28/26

Categories: New Adult, Dark Academia, Dark Romance, Romance, Mystery, Series

Alex’s Corbeau-Green’s world is burning down around him, and Ophelia Winters is desperate to prove she didn’t light the fire.

When Ophelia first accepted a scholarship from Sorrowsong, an elite university in the Scottish Highlands, she wanted nothing more than to destroy Alex and his family at any cost. But that was before she knew him, before they became each other’s everything. Now, after an unthinkable betrayal and the disappearance of his father, Alex is forced to return to New York, desperate to forget what they had, and salvage the damage done to his family. In Scotland, Ophelia is left reeling, alone . . . and watched.

With a new anonymous tormentor threatening to release evidence that Ophelia and Alex committed a murder on campus, it’s clear that they’re going to need each other once again. But can they find a way to trust each other, and repair the love that they had? And even if they can—will it be enough this time to keep them alive?

Content Warning: mentions of abuse, death, grief, illness, mental health, depression, stalker

I loved Nightshade so I had to get this book ASAP.

I have to say this book is less dark academia and mystery than the first book and more romance. I did feel like the mystery of the stalker and where Alex’s dad was hiding out got a little lost in the romance between Ophelia and Alex. I would have loved more breadcrumbs about the stalker and Alex’s dad. The stalker reveal felt a bit anticlimactic too and the way the situation played out was just sad.

Speaking of Alex, if I was rating this book just because of him alone, it’s 5 stars. He is dealing with depression, dealing with his horrible father in hiding and trying to keep his mom and sisters safe. Plus he is so madly in love with Ophelia and needs her so bad…it broke my heart so bad to see him try and hold on and not fall apart. I feel like this is Alex’s book. It shined a light on his troubles, his vulnerabilities and the story really focuses on mental health and depression. I don’t know if I’ve loved a male character as I love Alex – he’s just so gentle with the women in his life. Okay, maybe he is just outnumbered and they wear him down 😅 but the way he loves them is just amazing and all I wanted was for him to feel loved back. He’s just trying his best and I needed him to have a happy ever after with Ophelia.

And the romance? Ugh, my heart…Alex and Ophelia are my favorite young couple and they have the best banter. And I love their inside jokes and things only that is special to them like the crossword puzzles, and the “until midnight” sayings. 🥰 They are the cutest couple ever when they aren’t trying to push the other away. They even try to have a long distance romance. They are two broken people, who find each other in the midst of grief, depression, revenge and secrets. They had so much to work to do in their relationship…and I love that they DO work things out. There is spice, but with them I feel like their spicy moments are fun and heartfelt.

Also, the secondary characters are great. Ophelia finally has friends, and I love Colette, she is so funny! I also love how Bella who isn’t her “friend” actually, tells her off because sometimes Ophelia needed it! She’s found a family with Alex’s mom and sisters, she grows and accepts help and open up to people. And Vincenzo? He is such a goofball and made me laugh.

Quotes From the Book:

“Right people, wrong universe. That’s what she thinks about us.” – Daybreak by. Autumn Woods

“To be loved by Alex Corbeau-Green is unlike anything I’ve ever known.” – Daybreak by. Autumn Woods

“A relationship won’t fix your depression, no matter how much you love her.” – Daybreak by. Autumn Woods

“She’s everything. She’s the words, the clues, the black spaces that hold the whole puzzle together.” – Daybreak by. Autumn Woods

Final Thoughts:

This is Alex’s book and I love Alex so I’m biased. The romance is a 5 star, the whole book and how it flowed I’d actually give 4 stars so I’m settling at 4.5. This sequel is filled with trauma, heartache, mental health issues like depression, but so much love also and even some hope. Alex’s love is amazing – he loves his mom and sisters like crazy and his love for Ophelia? Never ending. As for Ophelia, she grows, finds friendship and even a family (Alex’s family) – she learns to open up to others. Did the mystery about the stalker and even Alex’s dad become a little lost among the romance drama? I think it did a little. The stalker reveal felt anticlimactic and overall it was a sad situation. I wish it played out differently. But despite that issue this story had me in a chokehold because of the romance and Mr. Alex Corbeau-Green. Alex and Ophelia has been through so much and I’m glad they get their happily ever after! Can’t wait to see what this author writes next.

Read if you like: