Tag: dark romance

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BOOK SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY: Sage Haven by Paige Alexandra

I like Sage, so seeing the recent release of SAGE HAVEN by Paige Alexandra, it got picked to be in the spotlight this Thursday! It is book one in what is The Black Sigil of Naphal. Let’s dive in!

Sage Haven (The Black Sigil of Naphal) 

Release Date: November 19, 2025

Genre: Dark Romance

Feartures

• Dual-POV
• First in a Series
• Forced Proximity
• Forbidden Love
• Secret Pasts/Secret Society
• Trauma Recovery/Mental Health Rep
• Morally Gray MMC
• Captor/Captive Dynamic/Kidnapping
• Dark Romance
• Slow Burn
• BDSM
• Music as a Healing Element
• Redemption Arc
• He Calls Her "Wildflower"

SAGE
I ran to disappear. Providence was supposed to be a quiet and untouched place. A fresh start. But then I met Reich Davidian. Nothing escapes his gaze. Every word from his lips is a blade. And even as instinct begs me to turn away, something in me keeps finding its way back to him. But I know that every storm hides a calm at its core. And I think I’ve found his.
The only question is if it will be the end of me.

REICH
I was made to destroy monsters. But she isn’t one of them. Instead, she’s the complication that could ruin everything.Sage Holquinn is untamed, broken, and reckless enough to trespass on my property without realizing whose territory she’s stepped into. I should’ve turned her away. But distance is no longer an option.
She thinks she’s escaping the darkness.
She doesn’t realize she’s running straight into mine.
GET TODAY ON AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

My stories are an exploration of the human psyche, where trauma leaves permanent marks, love is both salvation and ruin, and survival often means surrendering to the darkness before clawing your way back to the light. I write for those who have lived through silence, for those who understand that healing is messy, brutal, and sometimes beautiful in its destruction.

In my worlds, nothing is black and white. Love coexists with obsession. Safety comes at a cost. And the past never stays buried. I believe in stories that haunt you long after the last page, where psychological horror bleeds into reality, and the line between devotion and destruction is razor-thin.

If you’ve ever felt broken and kept going anyway, these stories are for you.

Follow Alexandria at: @authorpaigealexandria on instagram or www.paigealexandria.com

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BOOK REVIEW: Darker than Dark Fairytales for the Unloved: Volume 2

Some like it dark, but these authors like it darker. Hitting while the iron is hot, the collective authors of the Dark Macbe are back with Darker Than Dark Fairytales for the Unloved Volume 2, which has been released. Volume 2 features brand new indie authors and some returning favorites with extremely twisted original fairytale retellings.

Darker than Dark Fairytales for the Unloved: Volume 2 (An Indie Author Collective)

Published: April 26, 2025

Genre: Anthologies, Collection/ Fairytales/ Dark fantasy/ Dark fairytale retellings

Featured authors include:

Brooke Eisenhauer (debut)

Isaac Lotharius

Zaryn Finch

S.D. Paine

Ellen Winter

Alex Upchurch

Bille Nicks

Grace Vice

Hannah L, Evens

Memo Rable

S.A. McDaniel (debut)

Emmy Crimson (debut)

Gareth Davies

Selina Shaw (debut)

Synopsis

Once upon a time, the unloved found solace in the dark.

In this collection of original fairytales, fourteen authors weave stories where love is lost, hope is twisted, and happily-ever-afters rot beneath gilded lies. Here, innocence is devoured, monsters wear familiar faces, and the cruelest wishes come true.

These are not tales of warmth. They are whispers from forgotten corridors, nightmares stitched in ink, and warnings etched in shadow.

Turn the page, but tread carefully–some stories never let go.

Content Warning: For Mature Readers

AMAZON

REVIEW

Darker than Dark Fairytales for the Unloved  Volume Two once again mixes classic fairytale retellings, such as the twistedly romantic retelling of Hansel and Gretel in “Blood Maidens” (Billie Nicks) or the beautifully brutal Sleeping Beauty revenge tale “Greenbrier” (Brooke Eisen) 

Along with original fairytale-inspired tales, including the succulent “Feed Me Honey” (Ellen Winter) or the fiercely Fem-rage “ Forest Trials” (S.D. Paine). Or the dementedly disturbing pixie popping forever seared in my mind, “Don’t Curse Me This Way” (Isaac Lotharius). 

I think the only story with a maybe happily ever after is “Whispers of a Goblin Heart” (Zaryn Finch) that will make me look at Groot in a whole new way. I also have to mention  “The Path” because of the ending…I nearly dropped my Kindle with a scoff. It was horrifyingly brilliant, I loved it. So, have I enticed you enough?

Surprisingly, I enjoyed volume two a bit more than the first volume. I can honestly say Volume 2 traumatized me a tad, and I liked it. Darker than Dark Fairytales‘ goal was to go darker, and they did. They did it superbly, too, as these stories will definitely haunt my mind and soul.

⭐  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ( 5 out of 5 stars)

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Darker than Dark Fairytales for the Unloved Volume 2 is an Indie author collection. To learn more, follow them on Instagram. 

@authorkisarayen_amitygrey

@author.mehdi_fakhrahmad

@authorhannahgardiner

@author.garethiandavies

@gracevicebooks

@authorbillienicks

@opheliasts

@ellenwinter_author

@everafterauthor

@authorfortunalux

This will also be the debut in the author world for: 

@the_moonlite_writer

@sabineamcdaniel

@shawberrytart

@a.heather.renee_emmy.crimson

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Book Review: The Other Side by C. Herbert

Welcome to a gender swap and sapphic dark fantasy retelling of what would happen if Princess and the Frog’s Dr. Facilier met Hades from Hercules!


The Other Side

Published: March 21, 2025

Genre: dark fantasy/dark romance/ fairytale retelling/ magical romance

Content Warning: 18+, please check trigger warning as this is a dark romance

Do we have a deal?

We are warned as children not to play with fire for fear of being burned. But what if that very fire belonged to the goddess of the underworld? And what if she, the keeper of souls, offered you everything you desire? All in exchange for a single favor. Would you accept her terms?

The bayou witch, Iris-Marie, is no stranger to the mistreatment of others, so when Cypress, the goddess of the underworld, saves her from death and offers to give her the very thing she desires, it’s no wonder she accepts. Even if it means gambling her soul. But when Cypress comes to collect her favor, Iris-Marie’s world is thrown into chaos when she learns the truth of the very deal she struck.

Now, she must choose to save herself or burn in Cypress’ fiery passion that could drag her to the Abyss for all eternity.

Amazon

REVIEW

The Other Side is a delicious what-if scenario based on the villain Dr. Faciller from Princess and the Frog and Hades from Disney’s Hercules. We are introduced to Iris-Marie, a bayou witch who is being hunted and then saved by the goddess of the underworld herself, Cypress. Iris is unwisely drawn to the goddess of death, makes a deal for power with the soul eater, but when the time comes, Cypress will collect her part of the deal, which might be Iris-Marie herself.

Herbert is the queen of dark fantasy and fantasy horror. I loved how she plucked these two familiar characters we know and transformed them into something new and original—a villainess love story, if you will. Herbert’s writing is once again on point, yet I had a hard time falling for Iris-Marie and Cypress because their relationship is so toxic and sinister. We were given the question of, come on, maybe villains are just misunderstood. And taught actions speak louder than sweet nothings in our ears and carnal pleasure. Okay, maybe I delved deeper into this book than most readers, and perhaps even the author herself.

One thing I did like about Iris-Mare and Cypress was Herbert’s description of them. Her imagery of Cypress was divine, right down to her flame-dripped hair. I so got it. And Iris-Marie is fond of her tall top hat. I just loved the little subtleties she includes.

All in all, I enjoyed the book. May rating 4 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐


 *NOTE The Other Side is an exciting addition to an intriguing Villainous Retelling trilogy featuring contributions from various talented authors. Check out Wicked Depth by Melissa McSherry (Sea witch/ Dragon Queen ) and Off with Her Head by Dana LeeAnn (Evil Queen/Queen of Hearts)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Commonly known as Cyn, C. Hebert is a multi-genre author who loves to paint a pretty yet horrific picture woven together with absolute chaos. These are true graveyard reads.

While most authors like to write happily ever afters, C. Hebert prefers to take her stories in the opposite direction. She delivers darker tales with a hint of madness that tug at your heartstrings.

She is a self-proclaimed manic writer who loves to constantly push herself to do more.

C. Hebert is a published poet and writes darker, more unique works under a secondary pen name, which is an International Best Seller. It is listed on her social media.

Learn more about C. Herbert and her books at cynfulbooks.com

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BOOK REVIEW: DOLL FACE by C. Hebert and D.J. Krimmer

In celebration of the start of the spooky season, I bring you a dark and twisted treat this Thursday! DOLL FACE by the Queens in Dark Horror Romance C. Herbert and D.J. Krimmer. Coming out October 5th, this story is a dark retelling of the iconic stories of The Nightmare Before Christmas (specifically Oogie Boogie) and Coraline into a mash-up of spooky goodness filled with banter, chaos, and lots of spice.

Doll Face

Publication Date: October 5, 2024

Genre: Dark Romance/ Retelling/ Novella

Shall We Play a Game?

Amid the suffocating embrace of night,

I stumble upon him, a beacon of light.

The Boogeyman, a seductive terror,

Whispers haunting promises, cruel and fair.

Eyes that glint with otherworldly fire,

In his grasp, I’m consumed by dark desire.

A love twisted and sickeningly sweet,

Tangled in the depths of darkness, where nightmares meet.

Should I trust my button eyes,

Or should I doubt them and follow my firefly?

Available October 5th, Available on AMAZON

REVIEW

Take a dash of Coraline and a heaping of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, and you actually get something dark, twisted, and original. We are placed in the world of Dreadmore, ruled by the Spinster. When one of her creations betrays her, she banishes him to the lands of Nightmare to be eaten by the creatures that live there. Except he does not die. He rises to become The Boogie Man.

When a pretty doll named Blue fails to live up to Spinster’s expectations, she is banished to Nightmare, where she comes face to face with the Boogie Man himself. Blue should be afraid, as she has heard horrible tales about the Boogie Man. There is a man under the mask, though, and Blue is drawn.

While I am not a big fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas, and I haven’t even seen or read Coraline, I am a sucker for a fairytale retelling, and this fits the bill. I warned, though, that this is a seriously dark, twisted retelling coming with tons of trigger warnings (see below). All that aside, Doll Face is just a sweet romantic story with a touch of darkness and some Carolina Reaper spice scenes that could make Satan blush.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, I found myself wishing for more depth in the story. The authors did a commendable job of filling in the gaps later on, but I still felt there was potential for further exploration. The way the story concluded, there might be more. Herbert and Krimmer, can we please have some more? 

Thus, my rating is 5 out of 5 stars. It was a fun read.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Available October 5th, Available on AMAZON

Warning Book Contains: Adult Themes, Sexual Situations, Mental Abuse, Physical Abuse, Attempted Sexual Assault, Torture, Blood, Biting, Attempted Murder, Murder, Death, Detailed Sexual Scenes, Anxiety, Mention of Child Abduction and Death, Kidnapping, Stalking, Somnophilia, Emotional Abuse, Needles, Sewing of Flesh, Mention of Rape, Sexual Abuse, Trauma, Profanity, Sexual Harassment, Slut Shaming, Violence, Dubious Consent, Desecration of a Corpse, Masturbation, Mention of Blood Orgies, Verbal Abuse, Taxidermy, Light Bondage, Virgin FMC, Sodomy, Rough Sexual Interactions, Removal of Eyes, Emotional Addiction, Intrusive Thoughts, PTSD Characteristics, Sex Addiction, Gambling, Body Modifications, Toxic Relationships, Body Horror, Dead Bodies, Emotional Scars, Emotional Trauma, Attempted Strangulation, Abuse of a Deceased Animal, Sexual Manipulation, Emotional Manipulation, Lying, Shared Trauma, Panic Attacks, and a Cliff Hanger Ending

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

D.J. Krimmer

Crowned the Queen of Banter, DJ Krimmer is known through the community for her witty, smart mouthed characters. In real life she will often say her slogan is:

“Purposely Awkward, Accidentally Funny.”

It’s a slogan she takes very seriously.

When DJ isn’t making inappropriate jokes or hiding from the worst imposter syndrome known to writer-kind, she’s weaving contemporary romance stories filled to the brim with imperfect alpha-holes and witty females whose love conquers every hurdle thrown their way.

C. Herbert

Commonly known as Cyn (or graveyard mommy), C. Hebert is a multi-genre author who loves to paint a pretty picture, woven together with absolute chaos.

While most authors like to write happily ever afters, C. Hebert prefers to take her stories in the opposite direction, delivering darker tales with a hint of madness, tugging at your heartstrings.

She is a self proclaimed manic write who loves to constantly push herself to do more.

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Book Feature Friday: Vengeful Dreams by Alexa Michaels

Take Hades and Persephone’s story, but turn it into a dark mafia romance. You got it!

BEHOLD!

Vengeful Dreams is the first book of the Vlasov Bratva series, set in the more extensive Midwest Underworld series. It’s a stand-alone darker mafia romance with no cheating, a guaranteed HEA, and no cliffhangers. A morally grey romance, this book may not be suitable for everyone.

Vengeful Dreams: A Dark Mafia, Forced Proximity Romance (The Vlasov Bratva)

Publication Date: April 17, 2024

Genre: Dark Mafia Romance

Features

⦁	Obsessive hero
⦁	Slow burn until it’s not
⦁	Mistrust to lust
⦁	Bratva & civilian
⦁	Forced proximity
⦁	Grump & sunshine
⦁	Mafia Romance
⦁	He will burn the world for her, and does
⦁	A bit of groveling
⦁	“Who did this to you?”
⦁	Touch her & 💀

Daniella

Revenge,I crave it, But can’t get it on my own.
I ventured into the underworld and broke into the house of a monster.
And now, I have to pay the price for his help.

Work for the cold, ruthless Bratva prince,
The one whose name is whispered throughout the underworld,
And earn his trust.

But before I collect my part of the bargain,
I accidentally start an underworld war.

Kazimir

The Bratva hardened me, forged me into the perfect soldier.
Nothing surprises me.
Until I discover a little thief in my home.

The audacity of this woman,
A clever girl, aware of our world, but always keeping away,
Until now. Until she needs help when the more legal channels fail her.

I’m captivated by her graceful presence.
I can’t stay away. She calls to a part of me I thought was long burned away.
She came to the underworld looking for a dark knight,
Now I’m not letting her go. I want her—all of her.
And I will do anything to keep her in my dark kingdom.
Forever mine.
Even if it means breaking the rules and starting a war on her behalf.

Available on Amazon

About The Author

When Alexa isn’t writing, she can be found with a book in her lap and a mug of coffee or glass of red wine within reach. A native of the North Woods, Alexa is an avid lake-jumper, beach lounger, and sunshine lover.

Alexa is living a happily ever after with her own steamy hero. Together they have an English Springer fur-baby and would love a few more!

Alexa loves any type of love story. So you can find her writing both contemporary romance and fantasy novels. Instead of making a separate pen name, Alexa just adds her middle initial to her fantasy genre books!

Learn more about Alexa and her books at alexamichaels.com

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Book Cover Reveal: Skin of a Sinner by Avina St. Graves

Today I’ve hooked up with R&R Book Tours for the fabulous cover reveal of Skin of a Sinner by Avina St. Graves. This cover is dark AF and the story sounds even darker. Read on if you dare.

Skin of A Sinner by Avina St. Graves

Expected Publication Date: December 12, 2023

Genre: Dark Romance/ Spicy

Warning CONTAINS

Stalking, dubious consent, consent-not-consent, primal kink, somnophilia, degradation, forced orgasm, blood play, breeding/ unprotected sex, kidnapping, murder, graphic violence, gore, torture, drugging, sexual assault (groping and verbal), depression, anxiety, prescription medication use, mental illness, eating disorder, (male) genital mutilation, drugs, swearing, poverty, child poverty, child abuse (psychological, physical, and sexual), obsessive, possessive, over the top MM.

Synopsis

No one tells you what to do when the boy who shattered your heart comes back to steal it.

Roman Riviera was my everything once upon a time. I found my knight in shining armor in the form of a fellow foster kid. He protected me and promised to stand by my side forever.

But Roman Riviera is a liar.

He left me with monsters.

Three years later, I found him in the middle of the night, soaked in my family’s blood and carving his initials into my foster brother’s skin. He tied me up and dragged me away from the life I had made without him.

I tried to run, but he chased me. I wanted to scream, but the sound never came out.

He says that I’m never getting away from him. He says he’s back for good. I don’t believe him.

Pre-order on AMAZON today!!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

From an early age, romance author Avina St. Graves spent her days imagining fantasy worlds and dreamy fictional men, which spurred on from her introverted tendencies. In all her daydreaming, there seemed to be a reoccurring theme of morally grey female characters, love interests that belong in prison, and unnecessary trauma and bloodshed.

Much to everyone’s misfortune, she now spends her days in a white-collar job praying to every god known to man that she might be able to write full-time and give the world more red flags to froth over.

Learn more at Avina St. Graves