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Blurb
When I was a little girl, I dreamed a handsome knight would come and rescue me from my wretched mother. He’d ride up on his white steed and break the curse I’ve been fated to carry since the day I was born.
Funny how things changed over time. How the fairy tale twisted into something far more crooked, darker than I ever imagined.
In reality, my knight is scarred and broken, living alone in a castle of bones that overlooks the sea. He isn’t searching for me. He never was.
Lucian Blackthorne is as cursed as I am, and equally shunned by the locals, the fishers of men, who believe him to be the devil in the flesh.
Perhaps he is, with the way his amber eyes draw me in, ignite me like an infernal blaze. And the sins he whispers in my ear are as wickedly intoxicating as the man himself.
Yet, his touch is heaven and his will is my weakness.
He calls us forbidden, an unsalvageable tragedy, with no happy end. Maybe we are. But in this story, he’s the one who needs saving.
Review
4 stars
A dark, twisted, suspenseful and mysterious gothic tale with a scorching romance, Keri Lake has created a unique story that made me feel like I was experiencing a whole new world. Shocking and surprising, this book will suck you in, mess with your head, and leave you spinning, and wow, what a ride!
Isadora Quinn enters a new world when she is employed as the companion to the mother of Lucian Blackthorne. The Blackthorne family own a gothic-looking castle on a small fishing island where they bask in their reputation steeped in power, rumour and mystery. And none of them is more talked about than master of the manor, Lucian himself. Brutally scarred, reclusive and enigmatic, he rules his family’s empire from his castle, avoiding people and ignoring the endless whispers and questions that circulate around him.
It’s got a Beauty and the Beast vibe as feisty, quirky Isa enters Lucian’s domain, and though she’s aware of the rumours, Isa throws herself eagerly into her new job without judgement. But of course, not all is as it seems, and when Isa’s personal life collides with Lucian’s mysterious one, she soon finds herself in a world of intrigue where secrets, lies and betrayal hide all sorts of evils, including mysterious deaths, criminal underworld dealings and a terrifying secret society.
The complexity of it all is revealed through the story of Lucian’s past, which is unveiled in flashback throughout the book, allowing us to learn the truth about his life and figure out why he is the way he is. It’s horrible. Truly. But it does provide an explanation as we come to understand him and the depths of his character. And it ties in to events in the present, as the complicated web begins to unravel.
And, of course, there is a love story. Not really forbidden, it does have the feel of the taboo given the significant age gap between Isa and Lucian (she is 19, he is 33), and it makes him keep his distance for a while. But their chemistry is undeniable, and their mad lust for each other builds with each and every encounter, bringing a sizzling sense of anticipation to the story as we wait for all of that sexual tension to break.
“You’re my curse. Staying away from you, is like trying to hold my breath when the tide is rising … I want to drown in you.”
And oh, holy damn, it breaks. Hot, passionate, and somewhat kinky, this book is seriously hot. But while Lucian is all about exploring the mad lust between him and Isa, he doesn’t want, or expect, it to go beyond that, which of course makes it all the more interesting and exciting when things between them slowly begin to change.
“You’re the first time I feel safe.”
“And you’re the first time I’ve felt anything in a long time.”
I won’t talk about the actual storyline, because it’s best that you just dive in and experience it all, just know that you are going on a rollercoaster of a ride that will have you questioning everything. And just a warning that this book is really dark, with some truly disturbing moments that are possibly triggering < spoiler>violence, torture, child death, suicide, drug abuse, mental, emotional, physical and sexual abuse, but all of that never overwhelms the story, and all of the different elements are pulled together really well to deliver a complex read that will have you guessing where it’s going right up until the very end.
Well written and really clever, it messed with me, but I really enjoyed this one.
4 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Giveaway
For a chance to win an Amazon gift card + signed paperback, visit Keri Lake’s Facebook page and check out the release day post pinned at the top of the page
About the Author
Keri Lake is a dark romance writer who specializes in demon wrangling, vengeance dealing and wicked twists. Her stories are gritty, with antiheroes that walk the line of good and bad, and feisty heroines who bring them to their knees. When not penning books, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughters, and their rebellious Labrador (who doesn’t retrieve a damn thing). She runs on strong coffee and alternative music, loves a good red wine, and has a slight addiction to dark chocolate.
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