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REVIEW – RENT GIRL: A DARK MAFIA/CARTEL INTERRACIAL CAPTIVITY ROMANCE, BY NENIA CAMPBELL

#darkromance #interracial #mafiaromance #suspense #captiveromance

Blurb

(He was the one thing she couldn’t run from.)

Beatrice Arsenault has spent the last ten years running. She’s changed her looks and changed her name and lives her life off the books or under the table, constantly looking over her shoulder for the one person she knows is looking back.

(She’s the one thing he could never leave.)

Dominic Xiang is a name that strikes fear into the hearts of hardened criminals. He runs an empire of vice and blood, which he rules with an iron fist. But when he met Beatrice ten years ago, he had just enough of a heart left to break.

(If they don’t bury the past, they’ll bury each other.)

Now he’s found her again, and she’s dancing on the edge of his knife. Whether it cuts her ties or ends her life is all up to him . . .

My Review

Dark, intense and more than a little crazy! 5 stars

Rent Girl by Nenia Campbell is an unapologetic dark read containing Dominic Xiang, a hot but crazy villain with few if ANY redeeming qualities, and Beatrice Arsenault, a troubled heroine whom he sets his sights on. He is the LAST person she needs to be with but unfortunately for her, as soon as he notices her there is no escape. The phrase you can run but you can’t hide certainly came to mind when I read this book!

I love the dark romance genre which allows the writer and reader to delve deep into the psyche of bad men such as Dominic. His world is not a pretty one and this book contains scenes of violence, murder and abuse, not to mention morally questionable behaviour towards the heroine. Although I was shocked at some scenes and at times felt that Beatrice would be better off without Dominic, the author slowly but surely turned it round and as the story progressed my dark heart started cheering this complex couple on. I was SO immersed in the interplay between the couple and the wider characters and plot that I read it in little more than a day.

The book has two timelines, one after the couple first meet and the other ten years later when Beatrice’s luck runs out and Dominic, intent on revenge, finds her once again. Dual timelines do not always work for me, but I found it done really well here and it helped illustrate how the dynamics between the couple changed over time and how they grew as characters.

Beatrice finds herself held captive and consumed by Dominic for much of the read and is revolted by his world. The author does an excellent job of showing us just how deep this revulsion goes. I loved how despite being powerless she stood up to him as much as she could. I enjoyed her character growth and Dominic’s realisation that perhaps she means more to him than he thought.

Just how far will Dominic go when it comes to punishing Beatrice for her deceit? Has he ANY capacity for forgiveness, love, or redemption? Will Beatrice ever be more than the rent girl/whore she sees herself? Can she love a monster? What will happen to her once he grows tired of her, especially given how he deals with his enemies and those who get in his way… These questions and more buzzed around my head during the read.

I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough as the book approached its finale, and I was a quivering mess as various chickens came home to roost for the couple. I loved the ending. It was just perfect.

Recommended for fans of the genre.

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REVIEW – Blood Diamond: A Dark Cartel Romance, El Mundo de Sangre #4, by Lana Sky

#CartelRomance #DarkRomance #RomanticSuspense

Blurb

When it comes to family, there’s little Lupita Sanchez won’t do—even if it means throwing herself in the path of a man as feral as his predatory namesake.

Julian “Jaguar” Domingas has carved out a violent reputation as one of the most powerful and dangerous drug lords alive. He’s exactly the kind of beast Lupita has learned the hard way to run far, far away from—but desperate times call for insane measures.

Jaded and cynical, Jaguar has seen it all when it comes to the multitude of schemers and spies eager for even a taste of his power—and convincing him to help her won’t be easy.

Protecting her heart, however, will be child’s play—or so she thinks.

After all, what can a man like Jaguar want more than her body? Certainly not her soul…

And definitely not her love.

El Mundo de Sangre is a world of linked dark romance trilogies. Diamante de Sangre continues where Dinero de Sangre ends. Each trilogy can be read as a standalone, but will be better enjoyed if read in order. The first two books in each trilogy end in cliffhangers which will be resolved in book three.

My Review

Heady cocktail of desire, danger and deceit! 5 stars

Blood Diamond is the first book in a new trilogy by Lana Sky, and I LOVED IT! It is a heady cocktail of danger and desire as Lupita, having nowhere else to turn to seeks the help of Jaguar Domingas, the most ruthless cartel kingpin of all. Jaguar was featured in earlier books in the El Mundo de Sangre world, and I have been longing to learn more about him since he first appeared as he truly is a bête noire type of villain, a man to be reviled and feared, with no hope of redemption.

My sympathies were well and truly with Lupita, a woman who is desperate, a little crazy and traumatised by a past where she had a lucky escape from a man such as Jaguar. She thinks she knows exactly what she risks yet is nevertheless prepared to sacrifice herself for the sake of another. What she is not prepared for is Jaguar’s level of ruthlessness as he seeks to peel back her layers and reveal her secrets and the true woman beneath.

The sexual tension between the couple is electric. Jaguar finds Lupita a challenge as she is so unlike the women he is used to and in return for his help and protection he demands everything, including her soul… after he has had a taste will he decide to keep her, or will he destroy her and spit her out? Can she trust him to keep his side of the bargain?

I hugely enjoyed this multi-layered read which is awash with danger, tension, and deceit and full of unexpected twists and turns. I also enjoyed the side characters who are part of this world. I love that this author’s work is never predictable, neither the reader nor the characters never quite know what is around the corner for them. The book ends on a cliffhanger which left me begging for more and the next instalment, Blood Debt, cannot come soon enough!

Please note I received a copy of this book from the author and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

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August 12, 2022 by Tina Williams

REVIEW – Sinners and Saints (Sinners and Saints #1), by Lana Sky and Molly Doyle

#Dark #MCRomance

Blurb

Traumatized by a family tragedy, Frances “Frey” Heywood resorts to committing the unthinkable—only to be saved at the eleventh hour by a man more troubled than even she can comprehend.

Daze Keaton is bad news. A criminal and a drug dealer, he’s a far cry from the safe harbor Frey craves, but all her doubts pale in the face of the way he numbs that cold, broken place inside her.

If only for a little while.

Though Daze’s comfort is a welcome gift, his true motives are far darker than she can ever fathom. While he might have saved her life, her future is in far more danger with him in it.

Not that her head will listen. Or her heart…

A brand-new dark romance collaboration from authors Lana Sky and Molly Doyle full of mystery, suspense, angst, and spice.

My Review

Crazy and intense dark MC read – 5 stars

Sinners and Saints is the first book of a trilogy and I found it to be one crazy ass ride from start to finish. I am a huge fan of Lana Sky’s writing, and I really enjoyed this collaboration with Molly Doyle, an author who is new to me.

After Daze, a mysterious stranger prevents Frey, grief stricken and traumatised after her brother’s death, from ending it all, her life becomes entwined with his and she begins to question everything about herself and those close to her.

The couple are polar opposites, and I relished the contrast and the constant push/pull between them: Daze is a dangerous criminal, involved in drugs and God knows what else, and Frey the innocent and closeted daughter of an influential man who heads up the religious organisation the Covenant.

I loved how Frey is equally drawn and repelled by Daze throughout. There are some hot scenes between them which I lapped up, yet the read is also full of twists and turns in a book which has a solid and engrossing plot line.

Indeed, the story kept me on toes throughout, taking Frey and reader to unexpected places, physically and emotionally. I appreciated how the evolving plot drip feeds the reader small details, revealing secrets which build up a picture of their shared past and present, increasing the level of suspense, tension and danger. As their lives begin to overlap who can Frey trust? I found myself constantly asking myself whether Daze will be Frey’s saviour or the agent of her destruction.

This addictive read ends on a cliffhanger, and I cannot wait for the next instalment.

Please note, a copy of this book was given to me by the authors, and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

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August 1, 2022 by Tina Williams

REVIEW – Brutal Limits (The Limit Book 2), by Marissa Farrar and S. R. Jones

#reverseharem #darkromance

Blurb

Limits are blurred, boundaries are broken, and now the game is real.

When I took the job on the island retreat known as The Limit, I hadn’t expected to be mistaken for someone else.

Someone who wanted to be chased, to be caught, to be corrupted.

It was a mistake that would lead four men to take my innocence. Brody, Wilder, Rafferty, and Asher. They each have their own secrets and pain, and I’d started to think I was cracking through their armor.

But the connections we’d made vanished the moment they discovered my lie.

Now everything changes.

What began as a game has become something else entirely. Something sinister and dangerous. Now there are no rules. No limits. No get out clause.

No escape.

I ran from one threat right into the arms of another and now I don’t know if I’ll ever be free.

My Review – Fast-paced, scorching and suspenseful

The gloves are off in this, the second book in The Limit series. The four men who run the retreat are furious at Honor’s deceit and are determined to make her pay by reprising the games but this time without rules or limits.

It is once again a fast paced and scorching read – my heart was in my mouth throughout as I did not know how far the men would go in their quest to punish Honor and how she would react – cue some uber hot scenes exploring control and submission. Each of the men react to Honor’s deceit in a different way and this influences how they interact with her and ultimately each other.

I enjoyed how the book explored the changing dynamics between the men, specifically the impact Honor had upon the bond they have forged due to their shared past, a bond Honor is testing. We certainly go a lot deeper into their back story and Honor’s past in this book, a past that is still haunting her.

The read ends on an absolute doozy of a cliffhanger, setting the scene for what promises to be cracking final instalment to the trilogy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

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Marissa Farrar

S.R. Jones

July 21, 2022 by Tina Williams

REVIEW – The Assassin’s Wife, by Nikita Slater

#darkromance #captiveromance

Blurb

A standalone dark captive romance novel by USA Today Bestselling Author Nikita Slater.

With this ring…

With a career as a prima ballerina and married to the man of her dreams, Natasha’s life was a fairytale. Then she witnessed something she shouldn’t have. Now she’s on the run, fleeing the one person she thought she’d love forever. Her husband.

To love and to cherish.

He should’ve seen her following him, should have known that curiosity would get the better of her. Now she’s gone and he’s on the hunt. He’ll find his wayward wife, and when he does, he’ll show her the monster she thought to escape.

For better or worse.

Trapped with a man obsessed with revenge, Natasha must weather the storm and hope that he’ll remember their once fierce love before he does something they’ll both regret.

Until death do us part.

The Assassin’s Wife is a standalone dark captive romance novel. It contains themes of violence and sexual content that some readers may find offensive.

My Review

Dark Captive Romance – 5 stars

This is a dark and emotionally complex read from start to finish. David is very much the anti-hero, devoid of morals and empathy and initially there was little if anything to make me warm to him. Natasha, a young ballerina is his polar opposite and his obsession. I found it terrifying how he casually ‘acquires’ Natasha, after becoming obsessed with her when he witnesses her on stage, taking her away from pursuing her dreams. That said, I was hooked, wanting to find out how their relationship would develop, what motivates David and if there was any hope for his redemption.

My heart was in my mouth when he finally caught up with Natasha after her escape – it’s a heated and visceral scene. The author does an excellent job of creating ongoing suspense and conflict between the couple as the plot develops. Will Natasha keep her life and her sanity with such a violent and controlling man? What will he do if she once again steps out of line? How can she reconcile her complex feelings for him when her freedom is at stake? The sex scenes between them sizzle but the trigger warning contained in the blurb relating to violence and sexual content is there for a reason.

I enjoyed how Natasha’s actions continue to test her captor and how her emotional strength and resilience grows. This young woman has had so much thrown at her by David and I silently applauded her each time she stood her ground. David’s character also undergoes some change – there are a number of heart wrenching points where his icy exterior cracks, but I still felt he was a monster at the end – just Natasha’s monster. He is nevertheless one of the most memorable anti-heroes I have read in the genre.

Recommended for readers of dark romance.

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April 26, 2022 by Tina Williams

REVIEW- Blurred Limits, by Marissa Farrar and S R Jones

#reverseharem

Blurb

For them it’s all a game, but to me it’s survival.

When an opportunity to work at the exclusive island resort called The Limit comes up, I can’t say no. I’ll only be a maid, but at least it’ll get me off the streets and offer me somewhere to hide out from my stepfather.

But a case of mistaken identity changes everything.

The men who own this place—Brody, Wilder, Rafferty, and Asher—think I am someone else, and when an offer of winning a million dollars is put in front of me, how can I tell them the truth?

These men are all different, but they all have one thing in common, they’re all broken, and now they want to break me.

The game involves a hunt across the island. If I win, I get my heart’s desire. If they win, they get to do whatever they want to me.

But as the days pass, limits get blurred and boundaries are broken, and as my secrets bubble to the surface, the danger only increases.

What will happen when they discover my lie?

My Review

Dark, Twisted and Smoking Hot! 5 stars

Oh my heart! This is one smoking hot dark and twisted capture fantasy from start to finish. Once I bought into the premise of the book I was hooked – when Honor reports for duty for employment as a maid at an exclusive island resort she is mistaken for another. She decides to go along with the offer of allowing herself to be hunted by the four uber alpha owners, Brody, Wilder, Rafferty, and Asher. With one million dollars up for grabs it would be rude not to and Honor can use the money to ensure her future safety.

Honor’s backstory which prompts her to deceive the men added an interesting layer to the story and made me feel for her. I also loved that the men in question, all so very different, are bound together by their own dark experiences (not to mention their various depravities which come to light).

I enjoyed the various hunt scenes Honor is subjected to and how the tension, stakes and the level of kink ratchet ever higher. Honor learns just what a devious and deviant group of men she has become in involved with.

Can Honor survive each of the hunts without falling prey to their desires and leave the island richer or will she find herself captured and subject to their whims? What of her self-worth in engaging in such activity and can she keep her emotions distant from what she endures? Has she discovered a side of herself she did not know existed? Also, what if the men discover she is not who she pretends to be?

This is a compulsive read which I could not put it down – literally shooing my family away until I had finished it. I can’t wait for next instalment – without giving anything away the way the book ends is killing me – in a good way!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

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March 15, 2022 by Tina Williams

*RELEASE BLITZ/REVIEW – Howl,(Black Mountain Pack Book 2) by Lana Sky

#NewRelease #DarkParanormalShifterRomance #AuthorLanaSky #TwistedRomance #ShifterRomance #NewSeries #NeedToReadItNow #ReadMoreRomance #Bookstagram #RomanceBookAddict #Romancelandia #BookWorm #BookObsessed #RomanceBooks #SteamyReads⁠ #DarkRomance #ParanormalRomance

Released March 15^th 2022

#1-click today!

BLURB

With the help of the man who turned her life on its head, Loren must learn to navigate the new world she’s been thrust into—all while discovering the secrets of her parentage and the ways of a lycan.

When the undeniable bond between herself and her reclusive savior reaches a tipping point, there can be no turning back.

She must either embrace her newfound primal heritage and all that comes with it, or shun her true nature—and Bill—forever.

🐺 Howl Excerpt 🐺

Impulsively, she seized his bottom lip between her teeth before he could, and tugged.

A sound like the roar of a jet engine broke from the back of his throat. He wrenched her closer, palming her waist, pressing her against his chest.

“Stop,” she heard him whisper again—even as he brushed his lips over hers—but, considering how the next second his tongue plunged deep, it was kind of a moot point.

His mouth slanted against hers, but as his hands fanned out over her lower back, Loren sensed his true aim—not a kiss, but submission. He demanded it with every brush of his lips, and she couldn’t find the strength to match his pace.

So, without an ounce of guilt, she bit down. Hard. The flavor of copper exploded over her tongue. Blood? His—and she relished the taste, greedily seeking out every single drop. Disgust didn’t even cross her mind.

This felt right. Natural. The salty tang melded with the overall musk of him, creating a more visceral picture of who William McGoven was at his core. Someone dangerous. Virile. Wild.

All Retailers ➜ https://books2read.com/BMP-Howl