These Vows that Bind Us By Bethany Shay Porteous

Synopsis:


Marry him. Destroy him. Don't fall for him.
I was thirteen years old when I learned what it means to be born a woman inside the world of made men. I learned it watching my mother die at the hands of brutality. In this world, women are not protected. We are positioned. Moved like pieces across a board by hands that call it love, call it tradition, call it family.
I learned that softness is a liability. That the only thing more dangerous than being born into this life is being born into it without power.
My father spent years keeping me far from New York—burying me in the quiet of Palermo, where I learned to shape clay and create beauty instead of survive violence. Now he's dead, and I'm standing in the city he kept me from for a decade, dragged back into a war I never started, confronted with horrors I was never supposed to survive long enough to understand.
The blood feuds. The violence. The betrayals.
My uncle tells me I'm to marry the enemy. A union meant to end a feud built on the bones of everything I have already lost. Santo D'Amico… the man with dark eyes I have seen before. The man who looked at me like I was someone worth knowing… and was lying through every moment of it.
He wants my heart. My uncle wants my loyalty.
Both want to use me for a war I never chose and was never supposed to survive.
But I am not my mother, and clay hardens under heat.
I have been burning for a very long time.

Review:

Can you imagine having an epic summer fling… years go by before you see each other again… only for him to reappear as part of the D’Amico family… the SAME family responsible for your mother’s death? All those years spent planning your revenge …just for him to walk back into your life like that…

Beneath all the revenge and emotional walls, Selene carried so much vulnerability. You could feel how trapped she was by the expectations of these powerful mafia families. Even when she tried to take control of her own fate, there was always this looming reminder that somebody else was pulling the strings.

And Santo… this man was frustratingly magnetic. 🫠 Beneath that hard exterior, you could see his walls slowly starting to crack every time Selene got under his skin. The fact that their relationship started under false pretenses added another layer of tension that kept me completely invested.

“Whatever conclusion you’ve been putting together in your head while you avoid me—stop. It doesn’t require as much thought as you’re giving it, Selene. I’m not letting you hide from me. Not when I know you want me.”

This story was messy, consuming, and filled with Selene and Santo making questionable decisions while trying to survive impossible situations… which is exactly why I ate this book up.

But of course, Mrs. Bathany Shay Porteous leaves us dangling off a cliff wanting more… and y'all already know just how much I looove suffering through a cliffhanger 😏 I just hope we’re not hanging on for too long.

4 ⭐

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Unholy Sinner By Havoc Wilde

Synopsis:


Dearest Initiate,

The Black Crown Society does not welcome the unworthy.

It crowns the ruthless. It protects the Chosen. And it buries the rest.

Lucien Devereux is born with sin carved into his bones—captain on the court, heir to the Sinners, and destined to rule. Power follows him. Fear respects him. He does not kneel.

Seraphina Carvelli is the one temptation he was never meant to claim. The whispers call her forbidden. The truth makes her his obsession.

Three years ago, she disappeared. Now she’s back in Black Crown’s sacred halls, pretending she was never his.

But the Society is watching.

Every Son of Black Crown must choose—one woman bound to him in ritual, sealed in blood, and made untouchable. Once chosen, there is no escape.

When an outside threat begins circling the Society—and Seraphina becomes leverage—Lucien faces an impossible decision: let her walk away again…or bind her to him forever.

Because every crown is bought with blood.
Every vow demands loyalty.
And the most dangerous love is the one you’re willing to kill for.

He is the Sinner no one dares cross.
She is the girl he was never meant to touch.

And once he chooses her…the world kneels.




Review:

Lucien Devereux was completely unhinged, but in the best way possible. His possessiveness over Seraphina was almost terrifying, yet.. I loved every moment of it. Their relationship was built on manipulation, obsession, power struggles, and raw emotional chaos.

“Sometimes when you push someone past the edge, you find out exactly what they’re capable of.”

Seraphina was a total badass. The stunt she pulled during Lucien’s game was perfection. Even though Lucien tried to control her, she never stopped fighting back. Their dynamic was toxic, explosive, and completely addictive.

The constant back and forth between Lucien and Seraphina kept me stressed the whole time. One moment, they were at each other’s throats, and the next, they were drawn together by an attraction neither could resist. And after she finally submitted to him, the guilt she felt combined with that moment of aftercare really pulled at my heart.

The spice was absolutely wild. I was genuinely thankful for the downtime at work while reading this, but I kept checking to make sure no one was looking at what I was reading. Yeah, they're nosy that way lol.

This is not a sweet romance. This perfectly represents dark romance: obsession presented as devotion, control masked as protection, and love twisted into something dangerous and all-consuming.

⭐️ 4 stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

I received this ARC from the SmutHood and the author in exchange for an honest review.

Crown Crusher by Kade Vale

Synopsis:

She thought she was entering a harmless contest for a clay crown. She never imagined it would end with fire, rebellion, and an empire brought to its knees.

The Crown Trial was supposed to be simple. Win. Break the crown. Go home.

When Rory’s victory draws her into stolen secrets, buried history, and a truth the Empire has spent generations trying to erase, the game becomes something far more dangerous.

As old legends begin to stir beneath the mountain and rebellion begins to take shape in the shadows, Rory must decide whether to stay silent and survive—or risk everything to become the spark her people have been waiting for.


Review:

Romantasy/Fantasy is still a newer genre for me, but if stories are like this… I totally get the obsession now.

“I am here. I choose to be here. I will be here tomorrow.”

That quote alone perfectly captures the heart of this story.

Watching Rory grow from a girl running the Spring Run into the spark of an uprising was incredible. She wasn’t fearless or powerful just for the sake of it. She was angry, grieving, determined, and willing to carry impossible burdens.

Kael’s sacrifice hurt deeply, but it also ignited the fire in Rory to fight back against the Empire.

Dragons usually creep me out a little 😅, but I loved Vokarath. He felt ancient, intelligent, and deeply connected to the Heart of the Mountain. The covenant mythology gave this story such a haunting atmosphere that totally pulled me in.

This felt less like the end of a story and more like the beginning of a legend.

⭐️ 4.5 stars

I received this Arc from the author in exchange for an honest review

This is war By Nakeira Nashae

 

Synopsis:

“SHE DIDN’T START THE WAR… BUT SHE’S ABOUT TO FINISH IT.”

Armadale was supposed to protect them. Instead, it became their prison.
Behind towering walls and silent streets, a divided community struggles to survive under the watchful eye of the Forces — a system built on control, secrets, and fear. When a group of teens steps out of line and into something far bigger than themselves, they uncover a truth that was never meant to surface.

Sabrina knows that truth better than anyone. Once a soldier.Now a threat.

After losing everything, her family, her freedom, and her identity, she refuses to stay broken. While her daughters, Kim and Terri, are pulled deeper into the very system that destroyed her, Sabrina begins a dangerous rise from the shadows… one fueled by pain, betrayal, and a need for answers. But beneath Armadale lies something darker than war.

Experiments, Disappearances, and Lies buried so deep they were meant to stay forgotten.
As loyalties are tested and the lines between right and wrong begin to blur, one question remains:
Are they fighting to escape … or did they just destroy the very place they called home?
Because in Armadale, trust is deadly, freedom is an illusion, and once the truth is exposed—
There’s no going back.



Review:

This is generally not my kind of story. However, as I try to branch out and explore more narratives, I decided to give this one a chance, and it really paid off. I was captivated right from the start.

What starts off feeling like a survival story in a divided society quickly turns much darker. Secrets, human experimentation, manipulation, and betrayal appear one after another. Every time I thought I had a grasp on what was happening, another layer unfolded. As Kim, Terri, and the others dig deeper into the truth behind Utopia and Mr. Lesley, everything becomes more disturbing.

Watching these characters come to terms with the fact that their lives were built on lies was intense in the best way. The story forces them to choose between survival and humanity, and some of those losses hurt deeply 😭. You can sense the desperation, fear, and the burden of carrying truths that were never meant to be revealed.

"If tonight is all we have, I want to remember it with you. Not as something stolen by fear, but as something we choose."

Even amidst violence, control, and psychological warfare, a thread of hope holds everything together.

But of course, this war is far from over...

If you enjoy dystopian stories packed with conspiracy, rebellion, morally gray choices, heartbreaking truths, and the feeling that "everything you know is a lie," this one really delivers.

I received this arc from the author in exchange for an honest review.
4⭐

Nabbed by the Bratva

 

                            

Synopsis:


“If I catch you, I keep you. Now run .”

I get caught up in a mafia shootout, and I guess I should have kept my eyes shut, because I end up looking a terrifying and gorgeous man in the face. Gray eyes. A scowl. And when the bullets stop flying, I expect to be left for dead.

But the next thing I know, the Bratva boss has taken me to his country estate, and I’m his captive. He says it’s for my protection, but I’m not so sure.

I beg my captor, but he’s stone. I try to escape, but he anticipates my every move.

Finally, he gives me a choice.

Play his game. I’m the prey, he’s the hunter.

If I can get away, I win my freedom. If he catches me, he’ll hold me down and take everything.

Run.




Review:


What happens when you witness a mafia shooting?
Apparently… you get kidnapped. 😮‍💨
What you absolutely DON'T do is fall for the man holding you captive… right?

Yeah. About that...

This book had me in an absolute chokehold with the tension, the obsession, the possessiveness, the
I should run from him, but instead I’m climbing into his lap, energy.

We’ve got a powerful, wealthy mafia monster of a man who should be terrifying… yet somehow he’s buying her books, cooking for her, making sure she’s comfortable, spoiling her rotten while slowly unraveling all his secrets. And Tess...she was down bad.

The chemistry between them was addictive, the flirting, the tension, the absolutely feral behavior from both of them.

“You make me want to be better, to be worthy of your affection, to love you, and keep you.”

And the primal play??
SIGN. ME. UP. 🫠

If she escapes, she wins her freedom.
If he catches her...He gets to take everything.
But the real question is… did she even want to be free anymore?

If you love dark romance with possessive antiheroes, survival games, primal play, and morally gray men that make you question your sanity, this one definitely delivers.

⭐️ 3.5 stars

Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op in exchange for my honest review

The Ruins by Kora Nyx

Synopsis:


POV: You wake up with no memory of the night before,
and the boy you’ve trusted your whole life
is already telling you what happened.
What you wanted.
And ultimately, who you chose to belong to now.

Would you believe him?

Harper did.
Just like she believes the paternity results he puts in front of her.

Until the cracks start showing…
and she realizes—
someone has been rewriting her story all along.

Now the truth is coming for everyone who kept her from Caleb. The gut-wrenching conclusion to Harper and Caleb's story.


Review:


After the chilling cliffhanger The Rules left us with in book one, I was ecstatic knowing I wouldn’t have to wait long for The Ruins. This sequel completely spiraled in the best and worst ways possible.

The story picks up not long after where we left off, and the deeper we dive into Z’s lies, manipulation, and deception, the more horrifying everything becomes. In book one, I already didn’t fully trust Z… The level of deceit was absolutely insane. I was genuinely floored by how deep it all went.

What frustrated me most was Harper. She’s portrayed as this unhinged, sharp FMC, yet she blindly believes everything Z tells her for eight years without truly questioning him or verifying anything. That part made me want to scream because you can see the cracks forming long before she does.

But the moment the truth finally comes to light... Everything completely unravels. Secrets explode, emotions spiral, and the entire story turns into chaos in the most addictive way possible. The tension, betrayal, and emotional fallout had me glued to the pages and absolutely wrecked my sleep because I needed to know what happened next.

Dark, toxic, messy, emotionally intense. This series knows exactly how to keep its claws in you.

This is absolutely a must read for dark romance readers.

*I received this arc from Booksprout in exchange for my honest review

⭐️ 4.5 Stars

Glass & Sin by Cordelia Cross

Synopsis:

The Queen doesn't just want to be the fairest; she’ll kill to keep the title. Princess Shay has spent her life mastering the art of invisibility, but silence can no longer save her. Marked for death and hunted by a man who never misses, Shay flees into the deep woods.
But she finds no prince charming.
Instead, she finds the mines and the six hardened outcasts who rule the dark beneath the earth. These men are not heroes. They are rough, possessive, and starving for a touch they haven’t felt in years. To buy her sanctuary, Shay strikes a devil’s her submission in exchange for their protection.
It was supposed to be a transaction—a cold, calculated surrender to ensure her survival. But as the agreement binds her to Dax, Gage, Bennett, and the others, Shay discovers a dark hunger she never knew she possessed. In the shadows of a mirror, she isn’t just a princess to be protected. She is a prize to be shared, claimed, and corrupted.
With the Queen’s magic closing in and Hunter on her trail, Shay must decide who she truly is. Because in a kingdom built on Glass and Sin, the only thing more dangerous than being hunted... is wanting to be caught. Forget the poison apple—in this shattered retelling, the true danger is the temptation to stay.




Review:



We all know the fairytale of Snow White ... the poisoned apple, the jealous queen, the damsel waiting to be saved. However, this is Snow White rewritten for adults… and honestly, I ate it up.

Going into this, I was skeptical because this was my first fairy tale retelling, and I wasn’t sure how well it would translate into a darker romance setting. I'm happy to report that adding in a splash of dark romance & tropes like reverse harem/why choose, forced proximity, and a cast of morally gray men, and a well-written story, you've got yourself a winner!!. I was hooked for the very first chapter.

This story managed to stay true enough to the original fairytale to feel nostalgic while still twisting it into something addictive, seductive, and completely unhinged in the best way possible.

Mrs. Cross.. You definitely did my man Gadge wrong.. Imma need more of him and scenes like that in book 2, OKAY.. IYKYK 😉

If you love dark romance and fairytale retellings with morally men, I highly recommend this one.

Came for the story… stayed for the spice. 🔥

I received an arc, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

4 ⭐️ for the story
5 🌶️ for the spice

Masked Stalker By Angel Dee

Synopsis:

She's his obsession. He'll stop at nothing to possess every inch of her.

Vincent left their town and a broken past behind to become an alpha billionaire-CEO of a weapons conglomerate with power, secrets, and a darkness that hides beneath his tailored suits. But one memory never left him: the only girl who showed him kindness in high school.


Years later, he finds her again-Jules, trapped in a relationship that turns violent. When her boyfriend raises a hand to her, Vincent intervenes, spiriting Jules away to his remote compound under the guise of protection.


Pulled into a world of wealth, danger, and whispered promises, Jules must navigate Vincent's controlling intensity and the intoxicating pull between them. As they explore desires she never dared speak aloud, their fragile trust is tested when Vincent's company is attacked and a ruthless human trafficking ring surfaces-dragging Jules into the crossfire. Loyalties fracture, secrets unravel, and every choice forces them closer to a line neither can afford to cross.

Dark, suspenseful, and fiercely erotic, this dark romance / romantic suspense delivers an obsessive protector, forbidden attraction, and high-stakes danger. Perfect for fans of dark billionaire romance, enemies-to-lovers, and romantic suspense who crave tension, moral ambiguity, and a love that fights to survive.


Dive into the danger. Surrender to the obsession. The crows are watching.



Review

When I initially started this book, I didn't think I was going to finish it. Honestly.. The pacing in this story was moving way too fast for me. Like, we literally went from him surveillancing you, stalking you, watching you.. coming to rescue/kidnapping you.. to being chained up in his house.. to you being in love with him within a matter of pages.. as impatient as I am, that's wild ..Secondly, some of the things that were happening just seemed wrong, even for someone as unhinged as I am.

But I kept reading everyone who has read this book said that they loved it, so I had to believe that I would do if I just stuck with it, and by the time I got to chapter 16, baby, I was kicking my heels and giggling like a school girl cuz nobody loves a thirsty bitch!! ...Sorry, I got a bit carried away there..

This is where I was fully invested in this story. Vincent is the typical guy that you ignored in school years later, you find out, he's infatuated with you. He is unhinged, obsessive, possessive, touch her and die.. all the red flags we love to ignore.

Jules is a freak, though and through.. with some secrets of her own.. who never got to let her freak wings fly until Vincent set them free. They were definitely made for each other. Cuz honey some of the unhinged behavior she deemed okay, I certainly could never..but, that's why she's in a book, and I'm not lol.

The smut in this book is in abundance, like there's A LOT of it and it's hot as hell....

So if you like your men obsessive and overly unhinged.. and you can look past the insta love, don't skip this one.

Thank you, Angel Dee and book sirens, for allowing me to read this arc

4 ⭐

Sweet Nightmares By Hazel St. Lewis

 

Synopsis:


Jane Whitfield rose from nothing to become the youngest Prima Ballerina in the history of the Royalle Ballet—despite having a violent husband three decades her senior. But her carefully choreographed world shatters when her husband’s enemies come to collect his debts. Jane is tortured into making an impossible die, or strike a bargain with an evil god trapped inside a mirror.

Nightmare is ancient, cruel, and feared for a reason. He trades magic, wealth, and knowledge for soul-crushing costs—and he believes Jane is the witch destined to destroy him. But instead of killing her, he toys with her, offering a twisted sell her soul, serve him, and receive an endless supply of riches—enough to satisfy her wretched husband and his debtors.

Now bound to a god who revels in ruin, Jane becomes more than just his minion—she’s his growing obsession. But obsession doesn’t spare her from his darkness. He’s evil. She’s supposed to hate him, but the more time she spends in his realm, the harder it is to tell if he’s her monster… or her salvation.

She was destined to destroy him, but love might destroy her first.



Review:

This story sank it's hooked me right away.

Because of her husband, she makes a deal with an evil god trapped in a mirror, and this is where the story really takes a turn.

Nightmare lives up to his name, cruel, manipulative, and completely out of control in how he wields his power.

There’s no illusion that he’s a good guy. He’s not. That’s what makes their dynamic so unsettling and strangely addictive. The relationship is toxic and obsessive. The lines keep blurring.

" I will fuck you in all the ways, gentle, rough, possessive, demanding, lovingly. I will own and destroy you, but first, you must be ready."

You wait for Jane to realize she needs to destroy him, but instead, you watch her get pulled deeper into his world, deeper into him. That shift is uncomfortable in the best way, making you question what you truly support. I will say this isn’t a romance full of softness, healing, or redemption.

It’s about control, survival, and obsession, and how those can start to feel like something else entirely.

Did I love it? Yes... was I hooked.. Absolutely, I couldn't put it down




If you enjoy dark fantasy with strong power dynamics, morally flawed characters, and a relationship that breaks all the rules, this one will leave a mark.

4⭐

Vow or Never By Danielle Dexter

Synopsis:

She’s about to say “I do.” He’s about to ruin everything.

Eighteen months ago, Everly Hart had a one-night stand with the hottest guy she’s ever been with, yet she still found herself
No last names.
No phone numbers.
No expectations.

Now, she’s engaged to Carter Jacobs—the perfect fiancé with the perfect life who wants to plan a wedding straight out of a magazine. Everything is going according to plan until she arrives at the first wedding planning meeting to discover a very familiar face in the room.

Reese Myers.

He’s the tattooed bad boy who apparently writes vows for a living.
He’s also the man who disappeared after one perfect night.
And the last person Everly expected to see while planning her forever.

However, Reese doesn’t believe in love or promises of forever. He just writes them for other people. But shadowing Everly and Carter’s wedding means having to spend weeks watching the woman he never truly forgot prepare to marry someone else.

He knows he should keep things professional.
He also knows he should keep his distance.
And he definitely shouldn’t remember exactly how she sounded when she said his name over and over again.

But soon, professional boundaries blur.
Wedding chaos escalates.
And every appointment brings Reese and Everly closer to a truth neither one of them is ready to face.

Because the safest love isn’t always the right one…

…and sometimes forever begins with the person you were never supposed to see again.

Review:

"Every love story starts with a yes. Not everyone ends there..."

This was a cute, slightly messy take on love. It explores what love is, what it isn’t, and what happens when timing doesn’t cooperate.

After Reese disappears following what Everly thought was an unforgettable one-night stand, she moves on, like most people would.

She meets Carter Jacobs, the safe and stable choice. He would quite literally move heaven and earth for her. On paper, he’s everything.

Then, Reese walks back in. Not just anywhere, but into her wedding planning process. Of course he does. From there, the story dives into forced proximity, unresolved feelings, and a lot of emotional back-and-forth. Both Everly and Reese must confront what that one night actually meant and whether it was ever just that.

"Love is unconditional, so if he makes you happy, all I can do is be happy for you too."

This story reminded me of The Wedding Planner, one of my favorite movies, but with a bit more emotional depth added. The “what if” tension between Everly and Reese was somewhat predictable. Still, if you’re a reader who enjoys soft, emotional romance like I do, you will love it anyway.

Overall, I enjoyed the journey this story took me on.

Thank you, Danielle Dexter, for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review


3.5 ⭐️

Unholy Obsession By Stasia Black

Synopsis:

I used her body like an altar. Now she’s here for confession.

I left my past behind.
Then she walked into my church.
Once, I was Bane Blackwolf—heir to a legacy of blood and sin. A monster in the making. Instead, I chose the cloth over the crown, buried my name, and became Father Blackwood.
For years, I was in control of my darker nature. Until her.
Moira.
The woman with a sinner’s mouth and a body made for worship. The woman who doesn’t know it was me behind the mask that night—me who had her on her knees, begging.
Now she’s here, whispering confessions that twist the knife deeper. Tempting the man I pretend to be and the beast I’ve tried to bury.
I vowed to be a good man. I vowed to never take what doesn’t belong to me.
But Moira is mine.
The moment I touched her, I knew—I’d never crave anything the way I crave her. She’s the only thing that silences my demons and makes me forget the weight of my sins.
And I’ll be damned before I let her go.




Review:

I went into this without reading the first two books 

I must say this story does a solid job of pulling you in quickly.

Moira is restless, searching, a little reckless in the way she tries to fill the void. And then there’s Bane… or Father Blackwood. A man split clean down the middle. Priest by day, something much darker underneath. Watching him struggle between restraint and obsession was easily the most compelling part of this story.

What really worked for me was the emotional tension. These aren’t just two people drawn to each other; they’re both carrying heavy pasts, trying ...and failing to outrun who they used to be. Their connection feels messy, intense, and at times a little dangerous in the best way.

And when it matters most, they do show up for each other. That balance between chaos and care kept me invested.

Now I’m definitely curious about what led up to all of this because it feels like there’s a lot more beneath the surface I haven’t seen yet.

4 ⭐️