What do you think?
Rate this book
Monsters of Whitechapel #1
Dreadful Desires
1888 years of civilization, a Queen on the throne, and my colleagues still won’t admit a woman could have a superior mind to theirs. My father taught me everything I know about anatomy; right down to how to clip ribs and expose the breadth of human frailty. Now it’s his murder I’m trying to solve, I have even less patience for the men who stand in my way. It seems my father left me more than his passion for examining death. I also inherited a labyrinth of secrets that might be my undoing. I’m drawn into a sinister web of intrigue; trapped in a blood-bond with a horde of tempting, savage beasts once in league with my father. My menagerie is unique in ways the doctor in me could only dream of. They’re making me question everything I thought I knew and they’re desperate to protect me from the devil lurking in the darkness. A depraved butcher my defenders know only too well. And now he’s set his burning gaze on me. I’ll need all my skills and my cleverness to stay alive. But something primal calls to me. Something a proper lady shouldn’t crave. Something monstrous… My own Dreadful Desires. Dreadful Desires is the enthralling first book of the Monsters of Whitechapel dark gothic monster romance series. Perfect for fans of The Never King by Nikki St. Crowe and lovers of the Penny Dreadful series on the Showtime Network. This series should be read in order and features serious adult themes with morally-gray love interests. A full content warning list is available on the author’s website.
346 pages, Paperback
First published March 24, 2023
61 people are currently reading
192 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 26, 2024
This is definitely not a book I would have normally read. I was asked to read it for a book award. Though I really loved the character Bex (Rebecca). I thought she was funny and feisty. I just wasn't ready to read about her sexual experiences with almost every monster in the book.
April 10, 2023
Okay, had I known this was a cliffhanger I wouldn't have read it but then I would have missed out on the book that got me out of my reading slump!
This book isn't never ending smut on every other page... this book draws you in to Bex's world and can't stop you from wanting more.
Spoilers: please check TW there is LOTS of dub-con and lots of murders and Holy hell dub-con/verging on non-con in the character's werewolf form. 🥵
This book isn't never ending smut on every other page... this book draws you in to Bex's world and can't stop you from wanting more.
Spoilers: please check TW there is LOTS of dub-con and lots of murders and Holy hell dub-con/verging on non-con in the character's werewolf form. 🥵
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2023
Dreadful Desires - Lucy Lark
- Slow build
- Medium heat
- Murder Mystery
- Dark
- Violence
- Dub Con
- BDSM ( blood, choking, verbal degradation)
- Monster sex ( Monster peen)
- Large Harem 5+ (possibly 9?)
- Multi POV
What a gem I have stumbled on. I'm usually not a fan of historical stories but do enjoy gothic horror. Definitely glad I gave this a go. The story follows Doctor Rebecca (Bex) Nightingale, who's father is brutally murdered. As she tries to find the culprit, other bodies start to turn up. It seems her father isn't the only victim. Something is stalking the streets of White chapel and Doctor Nightingale. As Bex starts to piece the clues together, secrets come to light and she gets entangled with an unlikely group of men. Men who are more than they seem. They bring more mysteries, lies and secrets. Can Bex unravel it all before time runs out for her permanently?
Things I loved -
The FMC was strong and capable. She knew her own mind and would stand her ground. Even if she was pig headed at times.
Morally grey MMCs. These aren't the good guys and I always find that more interesting to read about.
The chemistry between FMC and MMCs.
The way the author set the scene. It was very atmospheric and really brought Victorian London to life.
That we get Multiple POVs. The author doesn't label them and this adds a layer to the mystery of who the stalker is.
We don't get POV with every MMC but they all feel very different with individual personalities. There are good foundations from the author to build fleshed out characters with their own flaws, insecurities, wants and desires as the series progresses.
Monster smut (Need I say more)
Things I wasn't keen on -
I thought the first smutty scene happened too fast. It just felt out of character for the FMC.
Not a fan of the lack of thought or worry over possible pregnancy. The FMC doesn't give it any consideration or questions after. Despite her being a middle-class Victorian lady and becoming pregnant out of wedlock would see her socially shunned.
It would have been nice to see more of the coroner side of Bex. We are told how she bucks gender/social expectations working in a male-dominated field. Yet we only get a handful of scenes of her working and examining bodies.
A couple of typos but they didn't ruin my enjoyment of the story.
Eagerly awaiting book two.
- Slow build
- Medium heat
- Murder Mystery
- Dark
- Violence
- Dub Con
- BDSM ( blood, choking, verbal degradation)
- Monster sex ( Monster peen)
- Large Harem 5+ (possibly 9?)
- Multi POV
What a gem I have stumbled on. I'm usually not a fan of historical stories but do enjoy gothic horror. Definitely glad I gave this a go. The story follows Doctor Rebecca (Bex) Nightingale, who's father is brutally murdered. As she tries to find the culprit, other bodies start to turn up. It seems her father isn't the only victim. Something is stalking the streets of White chapel and Doctor Nightingale. As Bex starts to piece the clues together, secrets come to light and she gets entangled with an unlikely group of men. Men who are more than they seem. They bring more mysteries, lies and secrets. Can Bex unravel it all before time runs out for her permanently?
Things I loved -
The FMC was strong and capable. She knew her own mind and would stand her ground. Even if she was pig headed at times.
Morally grey MMCs. These aren't the good guys and I always find that more interesting to read about.
The chemistry between FMC and MMCs.
The way the author set the scene. It was very atmospheric and really brought Victorian London to life.
That we get Multiple POVs. The author doesn't label them and this adds a layer to the mystery of who the stalker is.
We don't get POV with every MMC but they all feel very different with individual personalities. There are good foundations from the author to build fleshed out characters with their own flaws, insecurities, wants and desires as the series progresses.
Monster smut (Need I say more)
Things I wasn't keen on -
I thought the first smutty scene happened too fast. It just felt out of character for the FMC.
Not a fan of the lack of thought or worry over possible pregnancy. The FMC doesn't give it any consideration or questions after. Despite her being a middle-class Victorian lady and becoming pregnant out of wedlock would see her socially shunned.
It would have been nice to see more of the coroner side of Bex. We are told how she bucks gender/social expectations working in a male-dominated field. Yet we only get a handful of scenes of her working and examining bodies.
A couple of typos but they didn't ruin my enjoyment of the story.
Eagerly awaiting book two.
April 11, 2023
Title: Dreadful Desires
Author: Lucy Lark
Stars: 5/5⭐️
Spice: 4/5 🌶
Spoilers: No
This Book Left Me Feelin😱🥵🥰🤬
Genre: Dark Monster Romance.
Tropes: Protector, Enemies to Lovers, St@lker, Victorian London, Strong FMC, Monsters Galore!
My Favourite Quotes:
"“We are all quite different, you see. But we do have one thing in common." “Your dentist?” I asked, feigning innocence."
“Thank you for the tea and food,” No-One said then, turning to myself and Madame. “But please go away now. I want to read my books.”
About The Book:
An unsettling but also hot as actual hell monster romance featuring some of our favourite monsters of all time. When Rebecca's father is murdered she begins investigating his death and uncovers more than she ever bargained for.
What Will Stay With Me:
Bex's take no sh!t attitude. The way she just did absolutely what she wanted/felt she needed to do no matter what other people told her or that about her. And her wit and clapbacks are insane levels of good.
Review:
I've been looking forward to this book for so long and I just knew from the first time I saw anything about it that it was gonna be great. Usually when this happens I'm at least slightly let down when I read because it's often not how I built it up to be in my head while waiting. That was NOT the case here, this was everything I wanted and more. Bex is a bada$$ of unparalleled measure, she just has not a single f to give about what anyone thinks about her and I just love that. Also her sense of self preservation is almost non existent and that's just intensely relatable for me 🤣
I'm not gonna get into spoilers and stuffs about the guys, you can see what theyre like for yourself but dibs on Sweeny. Even though Gideon is my favourite because just all of the feels. The story is interesting and keeps you engaged from beginning to end, esspecially if you're waiting for your train in Whitechapel at night time, that makes it esspecially chilling 😅
I can not wait for the next book and if you're thinking about reading it do and them message me and tell me your favourite parts 🤣
Author: Lucy Lark
Stars: 5/5⭐️
Spice: 4/5 🌶
Spoilers: No
This Book Left Me Feelin😱🥵🥰🤬
Genre: Dark Monster Romance.
Tropes: Protector, Enemies to Lovers, St@lker, Victorian London, Strong FMC, Monsters Galore!
My Favourite Quotes:
"“We are all quite different, you see. But we do have one thing in common." “Your dentist?” I asked, feigning innocence."
“Thank you for the tea and food,” No-One said then, turning to myself and Madame. “But please go away now. I want to read my books.”
About The Book:
An unsettling but also hot as actual hell monster romance featuring some of our favourite monsters of all time. When Rebecca's father is murdered she begins investigating his death and uncovers more than she ever bargained for.
What Will Stay With Me:
Bex's take no sh!t attitude. The way she just did absolutely what she wanted/felt she needed to do no matter what other people told her or that about her. And her wit and clapbacks are insane levels of good.
Review:
I've been looking forward to this book for so long and I just knew from the first time I saw anything about it that it was gonna be great. Usually when this happens I'm at least slightly let down when I read because it's often not how I built it up to be in my head while waiting. That was NOT the case here, this was everything I wanted and more. Bex is a bada$$ of unparalleled measure, she just has not a single f to give about what anyone thinks about her and I just love that. Also her sense of self preservation is almost non existent and that's just intensely relatable for me 🤣
I'm not gonna get into spoilers and stuffs about the guys, you can see what theyre like for yourself but dibs on Sweeny. Even though Gideon is my favourite because just all of the feels. The story is interesting and keeps you engaged from beginning to end, esspecially if you're waiting for your train in Whitechapel at night time, that makes it esspecially chilling 😅
I can not wait for the next book and if you're thinking about reading it do and them message me and tell me your favourite parts 🤣
July 17, 2024
I enjoyed this read, not my usual taste but an intriguing adventure! Love that the sexual scenes are not the dominant element to the story, and lots of different characters to follow.
It was a bit confusing not having names on each chapter to indicate which person's POV it was, but not unbearable.
What did irritate me though was the editing - I found several very obvious errors that took me out of the book, things like a random letter 'p' in the middle of a sentence, and accidental switch between past and present tense.
On the plus side, I quite enjoyed the use of language which felt very appropriate and immersive for the time period, with minimal use of modern terms and sayings.
Overall, an entertaining read and curious to see where it goes in the next book!
It was a bit confusing not having names on each chapter to indicate which person's POV it was, but not unbearable.
What did irritate me though was the editing - I found several very obvious errors that took me out of the book, things like a random letter 'p' in the middle of a sentence, and accidental switch between past and present tense.
On the plus side, I quite enjoyed the use of language which felt very appropriate and immersive for the time period, with minimal use of modern terms and sayings.
Overall, an entertaining read and curious to see where it goes in the next book!
April 23, 2023
Loved This Book!!!!
Dreadful Desires by Lucy Lark, is the 1st book in a marvelously dark and twisty trilogy, The Monsters of Whitechapel.
I am sad that I didn't read this immediately when it was released. But at least now I have less time waiting for the 2nd book.
This was just an amazing read. I loved the setting....if you have any interest in Jack the Ripper and all of the mystery of that tale, you'll love this. But throw in some steamy reverse harem action with some historically thrilling and somewhat romanticized monsters... This is definitely your cup of tea!!!
Excellent book, if you enjoy the things above, I highly recommend it!! ❤️❤️❤️
Dreadful Desires by Lucy Lark, is the 1st book in a marvelously dark and twisty trilogy, The Monsters of Whitechapel.
I am sad that I didn't read this immediately when it was released. But at least now I have less time waiting for the 2nd book.
This was just an amazing read. I loved the setting....if you have any interest in Jack the Ripper and all of the mystery of that tale, you'll love this. But throw in some steamy reverse harem action with some historically thrilling and somewhat romanticized monsters... This is definitely your cup of tea!!!
Excellent book, if you enjoy the things above, I highly recommend it!! ❤️❤️❤️
January 20, 2024
Interesting premise but left me feeling meh overall.
Its an interesting start to a series as I like the premise, however I was often confused. Many things were not explained in this book. It is not exactly a cliffhanger but it does end rather abruptly. Different POVs from multiple characters. Spice scenes were few and random, but honestly not needed. I wanted to like Bex as the FMC, but she was just so all over the place personality wise. Sometimes it felt like she had multiple personalities. Not sure if I will read book 2 when it comes out or not.
Its an interesting start to a series as I like the premise, however I was often confused. Many things were not explained in this book. It is not exactly a cliffhanger but it does end rather abruptly. Different POVs from multiple characters. Spice scenes were few and random, but honestly not needed. I wanted to like Bex as the FMC, but she was just so all over the place personality wise. Sometimes it felt like she had multiple personalities. Not sure if I will read book 2 when it comes out or not.
March 28, 2023
Love this book.
A strong, smart, feisty heroine who's occasionally more stubborn than wise. Morally gray love interests, each with their own agenda. A storyline that takes one back to the time of Jack the Ripper. I could picture myself walking along those cobbled streets. Packed with action, intrigue, suspense, mystery, and decadent scenes that will leave 'why choose?' fans more than satisfied.
I can't wait for the next book.
A strong, smart, feisty heroine who's occasionally more stubborn than wise. Morally gray love interests, each with their own agenda. A storyline that takes one back to the time of Jack the Ripper. I could picture myself walking along those cobbled streets. Packed with action, intrigue, suspense, mystery, and decadent scenes that will leave 'why choose?' fans more than satisfied.
I can't wait for the next book.
March 30, 2023
This is such an intriguing book. Rebecca Nightingale has just lost her father to murder and now is taking over the business. The one thing she did not know is that she also inherited a slew of monstrous men.
Set in 1880s London this follows the story of Doctor Nightingale and the Monsters of London. This is a slow burn RH novel and the authors debut. Still monsters, but with a little bit of a twist.
Set in 1880s London this follows the story of Doctor Nightingale and the Monsters of London. This is a slow burn RH novel and the authors debut. Still monsters, but with a little bit of a twist.
April 8, 2023
Heat level: 3/5. I am left hanging! How dare. This was such an interesting story, fact mixed with hot fiction. The plot twist at the end confirmed my theory, but I need more. It's a slow build in the sense that you don't see the FMC get together with all the MMCs yet. The scenes in the book though are hot. This is the first book I've read by this author and I can't wait to read the rest of this series.
February 1, 2024
A DNF for me. 28% of the way in and I don't care about the couple the author is setting up. We've spent a lot of time setting up this mystery, and the female lead, but our guy could have his first person bit cut and it wouldn't effect the narrative at all.
This isn't bad, probably better than the three stars I'm giving it, but it's not enough to keep me reading without the sexual tension I look for in a romance novel.
This isn't bad, probably better than the three stars I'm giving it, but it's not enough to keep me reading without the sexual tension I look for in a romance novel.
August 23, 2024
I enjoyed this! It was fun, dark, and definitely smutty. I really enjoyed all of the classic monsters brought into the world and the mystery behind solving the murder of her father.
It DOES end on a cliffhanger, and the second book seems to have vanished from the world.
I would love to find out about Bex's fate, but alas, I think I have to let those hopes go.
If you hate cliffhangers, DO NOT READ.
It DOES end on a cliffhanger, and the second book seems to have vanished from the world.
I would love to find out about Bex's fate, but alas, I think I have to let those hopes go.
If you hate cliffhangers, DO NOT READ.
July 28, 2025
4.5 Stars, 3 Chilis!
This was my first introduction to monster smut and it was also one of my favorite premise of all time which is Jack the Ripper. It was extremely well written and had me enthralled the entire time. If you like monster smut, historical intrigue, mystery and the occult, I highly recommend picking up this Stalking Jack meets Penny Dreadful meets Monster Smut Why Choose extravaganza! Can't wait to read the next one in the series!
This was my first introduction to monster smut and it was also one of my favorite premise of all time which is Jack the Ripper. It was extremely well written and had me enthralled the entire time. If you like monster smut, historical intrigue, mystery and the occult, I highly recommend picking up this Stalking Jack meets Penny Dreadful meets Monster Smut Why Choose extravaganza! Can't wait to read the next one in the series!
May 3, 2023
Such a great book that keeps you on the edge of your seat with some seriously nice spice thrown in!! I loved the FMC and how she was strong willed and didn’t back down. The menagerie of monsters that she has is delicious and I’m loving how each of their relationships are developing. Can’t wait to see what the next book holds!
September 28, 2023
I loved it. You'll love it, too, if you like Why Choose romance, Gothic romance. an historical setting, a retelling of Jack the Ripper but with monsters who are not of the human variety, a determined, smart heroine who strays well outside the social norms of the Victorian era, and morally grey leading men. Perfectly spicy and suitably dark— I can't wait for Book 2
December 29, 2024
I very much enjoyed this! It’s perfect for someone craving a dark book. It has elements that remind me of A Lady of Rooksgrave Manor by Kathryn Moon and Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco but is unique enough that it stands on its own. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series and will be anxiously awaiting the next books release.
June 20, 2023
Overall, I found the story interesting. I almost DNF because it's drives me mad when there are multiple points of view, and the characters' names aren't listed above the chapter. This is why I deducted 1 star. Hopefully, book 2 has this little detail in it.
May 6, 2023
Loved it!
Enjoyed the story line. One of the fastest books I've read. Truly captured my attention. Its like a spicy version of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen but even better!
Enjoyed the story line. One of the fastest books I've read. Truly captured my attention. Its like a spicy version of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen but even better!
September 9, 2023
Absolutely loved this book and cannot wait for Book 2. Every gothic character worth their salt makes an appearance and their appetites are delicious! Love the strength and resolve of our heroine.
September 13, 2023
Paranormal Dark Reverse Hareem with a Jack the Ripper twist. Some spice.
August 9, 2025
Dreadfully loved it!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews