What do you think?
Rate this book
Harrow Creek Hawks #1
Merciless
An all-new and addictive dark, why-choose, captive romance from the USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Tracy Lorraine. All my life I’ve been a prisoner. Locked away by men who think they hold all the power. First my father. And now him. The devil himself. Reid Harris. Even my husband can’t save me from the most infamous man in Harrow Creek and his loyal best friend. I’m tangled up in their twisted games. One woman. Three dangerous men. They expect me to cower. To beg and plead for mercy. But Reid’s about to discover that not everyone bends to his will. Because I don’t care who he is or what he does, I will not break. Not for any man. And certainly not for him.
Dear Reader,
Merciless is book one of four in the Harrow Creek Hawks series. It is a dark why-choose romance, meaning our leading lady has several love interests and never has to choose to find her HEA. These three a-hole alphas are certainly no heroes; their morals are questionable at best. If you're looking for a good guy, then you're in the wrong place. Enter at your own discretion.
Dear Reader,
Merciless is book one of four in the Harrow Creek Hawks series. It is a dark why-choose romance, meaning our leading lady has several love interests and never has to choose to find her HEA. These three a-hole alphas are certainly no heroes; their morals are questionable at best. If you're looking for a good guy, then you're in the wrong place. Enter at your own discretion.
452 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 28, 2023
1898 people are currently reading
3939 people want to read
About the author
Tracy Lorraine
262 books3,805 followersTracy Lorraine is a M/F and M/M contemporary romance author. Tracy has just turned thirty and lives in a cute Cotswold village in England with her husband, baby girl and lovable but slightly crazy dog. Having always been a bookaholic with her head stuck in her Kindle Tracy decided to try her hand at a story idea she dreamt up and hasn’t looked back since.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 556 reviews
October 3, 2023
I really wanted to like this. I was very intrigued by the mystery and how our heroine ended up in this situation. I knew I wouldn't get all the answers in this first entry, but I also feel like the author failed to make me care enough about more than one character in the RH... That is a weakness in MANY RHs and it's a reason I find some of them pretty shaky to begin with.
However, the amount of torture and mistreatment of the heroine was not balanced with enough of anything else. I needed more connection and reason for her to be getting "hot" for her captors. She is a victim of SA and has been forced into some seriously crappy situations.. so to have her dripping from some rough treatment gave me the icks.
I'm not a prude by any means.. but I felt like I was being gas lit. Again, I know there are more entries coming but I didn't get enough to pull me into another volume. I don't care enough to see how the Why Choose is able to work and I was left disappointed with how the heroines trauma was used to sexualize her even further.
It's a no from me.
3 on the spice scale (it's more spicy than this, but I lot of it was orgasm torture and denial and it disturbed me.)
I read an advanced copy in an exchange for a review.
However, the amount of torture and mistreatment of the heroine was not balanced with enough of anything else. I needed more connection and reason for her to be getting "hot" for her captors. She is a victim of SA and has been forced into some seriously crappy situations.. so to have her dripping from some rough treatment gave me the icks.
I'm not a prude by any means.. but I felt like I was being gas lit. Again, I know there are more entries coming but I didn't get enough to pull me into another volume. I don't care enough to see how the Why Choose is able to work and I was left disappointed with how the heroines trauma was used to sexualize her even further.
It's a no from me.
3 on the spice scale (it's more spicy than this, but I lot of it was orgasm torture and denial and it disturbed me.)
I read an advanced copy in an exchange for a review.
September 26, 2023
5 STARS
What.
The.
F*CK.
Where has this author been all my life and what rock have I been living under that I'm only now reading her? I am shooketh! SHOOKETH! Because when I tell you this book owned me for the entire day I took to binge it, I mean it owned me. And when I say I binged, I mean read in a sitting. And this book is thick. Like THICK thick. So that's saying something, mkay. Holy sheet but I'm obsessed.
When I saw dark captive romance, I was immediately hooked. I was, however, not prepared for the way this story would hook me. Now I'm a picky beech when it comes to dark romance because more often then not I find it mostly gratuitous shock value under the guise of dark romance. This was not that. This was incredibly written, with multilayered and deeply complex characters, and a story that grips you by the throat from page one.
Alana has survived hell. The girl is a survivor, even if she did escape one prison for another. Tracy Lorraine keeps you on the edge of your seat with the way she reveals details crumble by small crumble. This is also clearly tied to Maddison Kings University which I haven't read yet but will definitely be doing so now.
This is a why chose romance with enemies to lovers vibes since the two men that Alana finds herself in the crosshairs of are her husband's enemies. But just as her marriages isn't what it seems, neither is Alana.
This book was as much Reid's as it was JD's. We also get a few snippets in Maverick's POV. All of it guaranteeing that you get equally enthralled by each character. Considering the length of this book, you wouldn't think it would feel stretched out. But when I tell you that I binge read it like a crack addict, I mean it was one quick paced read.
The story is deliciously dark with so many layers that answers one question while bringing 5 more to the surface. I love a fierce heroine and Alana is definitely that. She may be damaged but she's not broken. Reid is obviously going to be my favorite with his dark and broody vibes along with his cold aloofness. JD is impossible not to love. And Maverick and his obsessive protector vibes reeled me right in too.
When I tell you I'm obsessed, I mean I am OBSESSED. Like I don't even know what to do with myself until the next book comes out. So if you'll excuse me, I'm off to rock myself in a dark corner with a bottle of wine until October 12, spank you very much.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
The need to break her is all-consuming. She doesn’t think I’ll manage it. She thinks that she’s stronger than me, smarter than me. She’s wrong.
What.
The.
F*CK.
Where has this author been all my life and what rock have I been living under that I'm only now reading her? I am shooketh! SHOOKETH! Because when I tell you this book owned me for the entire day I took to binge it, I mean it owned me. And when I say I binged, I mean read in a sitting. And this book is thick. Like THICK thick. So that's saying something, mkay. Holy sheet but I'm obsessed.
When I saw dark captive romance, I was immediately hooked. I was, however, not prepared for the way this story would hook me. Now I'm a picky beech when it comes to dark romance because more often then not I find it mostly gratuitous shock value under the guise of dark romance. This was not that. This was incredibly written, with multilayered and deeply complex characters, and a story that grips you by the throat from page one.
Alana has survived hell. The girl is a survivor, even if she did escape one prison for another. Tracy Lorraine keeps you on the edge of your seat with the way she reveals details crumble by small crumble. This is also clearly tied to Maddison Kings University which I haven't read yet but will definitely be doing so now.
This is a why chose romance with enemies to lovers vibes since the two men that Alana finds herself in the crosshairs of are her husband's enemies. But just as her marriages isn't what it seems, neither is Alana.
This book was as much Reid's as it was JD's. We also get a few snippets in Maverick's POV. All of it guaranteeing that you get equally enthralled by each character. Considering the length of this book, you wouldn't think it would feel stretched out. But when I tell you that I binge read it like a crack addict, I mean it was one quick paced read.
The story is deliciously dark with so many layers that answers one question while bringing 5 more to the surface. I love a fierce heroine and Alana is definitely that. She may be damaged but she's not broken. Reid is obviously going to be my favorite with his dark and broody vibes along with his cold aloofness. JD is impossible not to love. And Maverick and his obsessive protector vibes reeled me right in too.
When I tell you I'm obsessed, I mean I am OBSESSED. Like I don't even know what to do with myself until the next book comes out. So if you'll excuse me, I'm off to rock myself in a dark corner with a bottle of wine until October 12, spank you very much.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
September 20, 2023
Honestly, this one was a little tough to get through. The story is basically 2 mafia dudes tormenting this married women turned sex slave while constantly ripping open her wounds of child sexual assault. Nothing about this was hot. This was actually the main reason I did not enjoy this book. Like I get the FMC needs a tragic past, but the flashbacks of child r*pe and then begging for sex on the next page was just gross.
I like dark romance as much as the next person but this was just not it. Almost nothing happens in this book except what i described above.
I think the author was really trying to jam pack as much shock value into one book as possible.
The only thing I enjoyed was the flashbacks between the fmc and her husband and his POVs trying to find her, and even then he doesn’t really try that hard.
This was my first read from this author and probably my last.
I like dark romance as much as the next person but this was just not it. Almost nothing happens in this book except what i described above.
I think the author was really trying to jam pack as much shock value into one book as possible.
The only thing I enjoyed was the flashbacks between the fmc and her husband and his POVs trying to find her, and even then he doesn’t really try that hard.
This was my first read from this author and probably my last.
September 29, 2023
What a dark and enthralling beginning to this Why Choose, captive romance! Chock full of drama and rife with dark and twisted tension, this story vibrates with intensity. Four unique and intriguing characters command the pages…and soon you’ll find yourself captive for this captivity romance.
This story really capitalizes on the captivity trope- with much of the story taking place in a small cell as our heroine Alana faces such extreme challenges. She’s a unique and complicated heroine- one full of dichotomies and clever contrasts. Strong yet vulnerable, bold yet broken, powerful yet utterly powerless. Like any good harem story, her experience, desires, connection, and emotions drive the heart of this story, and Tracy carefully peels back her layers page by page…and this is perhaps one of Tracy’s most challenging romantic situations emotionally, and certainly deals in dark and uncomfortable dynamics. But it makes for excellent tension! Especially as we dig deeper into the dynamics and perspectives of the men around Alana….including her enigmatic but captivating husband Maverick.
Oh yes, husband. Which makes for a fun and delicious harem dynamic, particularly since some tension exists amongst our anti-heroes (so VERY anti-heroes) as well as with Alana. Reid, Mav, and JD are each their own forces of nature- dangerous, alpha, edgy, dubious but magnetic, and all are completely unapologetic. They all have a role to play, and like Alana, Tracy deftly keeps the totality of everyone’s game just out of reach, while carefully unveiling these characters piece by piece. These men do not go each on Alana…there’s heat, but there is darkness, there is connection, but there is damage. Each has their own dynamic with her, though one so far has captured my heart the most….but we have so much story to come!
Alana’s captivity unfolds in a crescendo, and there are SO many secrets yet to unpack. So much more to discover. This story catapults us into a jaw dropping cliffhanger that will leave you THIRSTING for answers. This is only the beginning, and Tracy certainly keeps us just on the edge of clarity. So many questions, so much intrigue, all that dramatic tension edge where we are waiting for all the answers to this deliciously twisted and utterly intriguing start to the Harrow Creek world!
This story really capitalizes on the captivity trope- with much of the story taking place in a small cell as our heroine Alana faces such extreme challenges. She’s a unique and complicated heroine- one full of dichotomies and clever contrasts. Strong yet vulnerable, bold yet broken, powerful yet utterly powerless. Like any good harem story, her experience, desires, connection, and emotions drive the heart of this story, and Tracy carefully peels back her layers page by page…and this is perhaps one of Tracy’s most challenging romantic situations emotionally, and certainly deals in dark and uncomfortable dynamics. But it makes for excellent tension! Especially as we dig deeper into the dynamics and perspectives of the men around Alana….including her enigmatic but captivating husband Maverick.
Oh yes, husband. Which makes for a fun and delicious harem dynamic, particularly since some tension exists amongst our anti-heroes (so VERY anti-heroes) as well as with Alana. Reid, Mav, and JD are each their own forces of nature- dangerous, alpha, edgy, dubious but magnetic, and all are completely unapologetic. They all have a role to play, and like Alana, Tracy deftly keeps the totality of everyone’s game just out of reach, while carefully unveiling these characters piece by piece. These men do not go each on Alana…there’s heat, but there is darkness, there is connection, but there is damage. Each has their own dynamic with her, though one so far has captured my heart the most….but we have so much story to come!
Alana’s captivity unfolds in a crescendo, and there are SO many secrets yet to unpack. So much more to discover. This story catapults us into a jaw dropping cliffhanger that will leave you THIRSTING for answers. This is only the beginning, and Tracy certainly keeps us just on the edge of clarity. So many questions, so much intrigue, all that dramatic tension edge where we are waiting for all the answers to this deliciously twisted and utterly intriguing start to the Harrow Creek world!
November 15, 2023
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ Spice: 🌶🌶
Angst: 💔💔💔
Cliffhanger? ✔️
Do I recommend it? ✔️
Trigger Warnings: ☠️☠️☠️
Tropes: dark why choose romance, captive romance, enemies-to-lovers, romantic suspense, forced proximity, bully, touch her and die, he falls first
All of Alana's life, she'd been a prisoner. She was locked away by men who think they hold all the power. First was her father and now him. The devil himself, Reid Harris. Even her husband, Maverick, can’t save her from the most infamous man in Harrow Creek and his loyal best friend, JD. She's tangled up in their twisted games. She's one woman against three dangerous men. They expect her to cower and to beg and plead for mercy. But Reid’s about to discover that not everyone bends to his will. Because Alana doesn't care who he is or what he does, she will not break, not for any man. And certainly not for him.
One thing is for sure, Tracy never comes close to weaving a story that bores me. From the beginning of Merciless, I was sucked into the plot with its complicated layers, intense tension, deep emotion, and awe-inspiring angst. Without going overboard, we are introduced to all four main characters one layer at a time while leaving the mystery secure. Alana was made of steel with a determined yet emotional mindset. After a hellish cliffhanger, I can’t wait for book two and so happy the wait is short. If you love an epic, dark, romantic suspense as much as I do and the triggers don't stop her, go read this now! This is my honest opinion, freely given.
** Edited to add. I just finished this audiobook, and I'm so glad I chose to listen after reading the ebook. I think this is the first audiobook where there were four narrators and I loved it. Stella Hunter was amazing, as always. I was just as pleased with the performance of Lucas Webley, Aaron Shedlock, and JF Harding. Each performance was believable and entertaining. I can't wait to listen to book two.
Angst: 💔💔💔
Cliffhanger? ✔️
Do I recommend it? ✔️
Trigger Warnings: ☠️☠️☠️
Tropes: dark why choose romance, captive romance, enemies-to-lovers, romantic suspense, forced proximity, bully, touch her and die, he falls first
All of Alana's life, she'd been a prisoner. She was locked away by men who think they hold all the power. First was her father and now him. The devil himself, Reid Harris. Even her husband, Maverick, can’t save her from the most infamous man in Harrow Creek and his loyal best friend, JD. She's tangled up in their twisted games. She's one woman against three dangerous men. They expect her to cower and to beg and plead for mercy. But Reid’s about to discover that not everyone bends to his will. Because Alana doesn't care who he is or what he does, she will not break, not for any man. And certainly not for him.
One thing is for sure, Tracy never comes close to weaving a story that bores me. From the beginning of Merciless, I was sucked into the plot with its complicated layers, intense tension, deep emotion, and awe-inspiring angst. Without going overboard, we are introduced to all four main characters one layer at a time while leaving the mystery secure. Alana was made of steel with a determined yet emotional mindset. After a hellish cliffhanger, I can’t wait for book two and so happy the wait is short. If you love an epic, dark, romantic suspense as much as I do and the triggers don't stop her, go read this now! This is my honest opinion, freely given.
** Edited to add. I just finished this audiobook, and I'm so glad I chose to listen after reading the ebook. I think this is the first audiobook where there were four narrators and I loved it. Stella Hunter was amazing, as always. I was just as pleased with the performance of Lucas Webley, Aaron Shedlock, and JF Harding. Each performance was believable and entertaining. I can't wait to listen to book two.
September 28, 2023
OhMyGodOhMyGodOhMyGod, that ending! I need book two NOW!!! This was my initial reaction when I finished MERCILESS, and that's still my reaction a week later because WOW! This book had me hooked pretty quickly and never let go and this is a long book, so at no point did I want to put it down. Of course, there were times I had to, but believe me, if I could have just stayed in and read this book all day, I would have.
𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 ➡ https://bit.ly/NBReviewM
**I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, Nadine's Obsessed with Books
You can find me here: https://linktr.ee/NadineBookaholic
𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 ➡ https://bit.ly/NBReviewM
**I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, Nadine's Obsessed with BooksYou can find me here: https://linktr.ee/NadineBookaholic
September 29, 2023
The way I DEVOURED this!
You honestly had me at "captive dark why choose romance" but add in the edging, degradation, praise, and a marriage of convenience amongst other things??? I'm running faster than the speed of light to read this.
There's FMC Alana and the three MMCs: Reid (scary heir to gang empire), JD (Reid's BFF and right-hand man), and Maverick (concerned husband--it'll all make sense when you read this).
Alana is abducted by Reid because he believes she has secrets that could lead to his downfall. While she's held captive in his basement, Reid and JD pull a bad cop/good cop dynamic in order to make her spill. There, she's subject to "torture" while sexual tension builds between her and her captors. Meanwhile, Maverick is worried to bits while looking for his wife.
I was giggling at Reid's internal dilemma, appreciative of JD's actions, and swooning at how much Maverick cares and yearns for Alana. And Alana! Her history is messed up for sure, but she's still so strong. I will always root for a protective FMC who embraces her sexuality.
Flashbacks are woven throughout the story to give you glimpses of what happened in the past and you get POV chapters from all the main characters. I like that each MMC feels distinct from one another for the most part (an issue I usually have with other why choose stories).
This was definitely smut forward but there's also some scheming taking place by all involved parties. I feel like I can tell where this story is going but I'm loving the journey it's taking us.
The way this book ended has me foaming at the mouth for book two!
I received a copy of this book from the author, however all thoughts are my own!
You honestly had me at "captive dark why choose romance" but add in the edging, degradation, praise, and a marriage of convenience amongst other things??? I'm running faster than the speed of light to read this.
There's FMC Alana and the three MMCs: Reid (scary heir to gang empire), JD (Reid's BFF and right-hand man), and Maverick (concerned husband--it'll all make sense when you read this).
Alana is abducted by Reid because he believes she has secrets that could lead to his downfall. While she's held captive in his basement, Reid and JD pull a bad cop/good cop dynamic in order to make her spill. There, she's subject to "torture" while sexual tension builds between her and her captors. Meanwhile, Maverick is worried to bits while looking for his wife.
I was giggling at Reid's internal dilemma, appreciative of JD's actions, and swooning at how much Maverick cares and yearns for Alana. And Alana! Her history is messed up for sure, but she's still so strong. I will always root for a protective FMC who embraces her sexuality.
Flashbacks are woven throughout the story to give you glimpses of what happened in the past and you get POV chapters from all the main characters. I like that each MMC feels distinct from one another for the most part (an issue I usually have with other why choose stories).
This was definitely smut forward but there's also some scheming taking place by all involved parties. I feel like I can tell where this story is going but I'm loving the journey it's taking us.
The way this book ended has me foaming at the mouth for book two!
I received a copy of this book from the author, however all thoughts are my own!
October 20, 2023
1.5 Stars.
-SPOILERS-
If you want to read about 2 guys just using a poor abused girl then this book is for you.
Look, I love dark romance but there's a limit to everything. I don't think I'm a picky person but the books I've been reading recently make me question if I read the same book as everyone who is rating it 5 stars. How the rating for this book is so high is a mystery to me.
This book was so long and yet... not a whole lot was going on. The start was very confusing and it made me question if perhaps there was a prequel or something like that but I didn't find anything so I just continued on reading. The story did make a little more sense as I read on but I don't understand the need to make the beginning so confusing. It didn't make any sense to me.
The plot was also non existent. All the characters seemed to do was fuck. I like smut but not when it's like 80% of the book. It gets really tiring and frustrating.
Leaving aside my issues with the plot, I want to talk about the characters next.
Alana, the FMC, has been through a lot. She has frequent nightmares and promises to not tell any of her secrets when she's kidnapped. My issue with her was that one second she was reliving a nightmare and crying and then the next she was feeling horny and wanted to fuck. I understand that trauma can make you hypersexual but it seems unrealistic when the change between being afraid and arousal happens in less than a second. It takes away from the pain that she went through in my opinion.
Also, as soon as she starts getting tortured sexually, she just starts telling her secrets. I find it interesting as well that she is writing her personal thoughts in a diary and just leaving it out in the open for anybody else to read it. If you were so scared of anyone finding about your past, you wouldn't be doing this. I don't know if this is just because I'm just a really paranoid person but I wouldn't even be thinking of asking for a notebook and certainly I wouldn't be writing anything personal in it. It just seems very counterintuitive to me.
The MMCS were not great either. Reid is an asshole and his reasoning for kidnapping Alana is half assed at best. Everything in this is half assed at best. He kidnapped her because she lied to Kane about being pregnant but he doesn't even really try that hard to find out why she did so. He seems more interested in her past and I think it's kind of stupid to kidnap someone just because they lied about being pregnant. It's not a good enough reason in my eyes.
Mav also doesn't really seem to have his heart in searching for Alana. He tries but he doesn't really try very hard. When we get his POVs, he's wallowing in his despair of having lost her but doesn't really seem to be putting in great effort to search her. The plot is really weak in this regard and I think this is the most damaging thing for this book. If the plot was stronger and the characters had sounder reasonings and there wasn't as much sex, this book is not bad at all so from that perspective I can understand why people like this.
JD was alright imo. I liked him, he was nice and still had some of the charm that only evil people can have.
I'm interested to see where this will go and I do feel like this book has potential so I will be reading the next one.
-SPOILERS-
If you want to read about 2 guys just using a poor abused girl then this book is for you.
Look, I love dark romance but there's a limit to everything. I don't think I'm a picky person but the books I've been reading recently make me question if I read the same book as everyone who is rating it 5 stars. How the rating for this book is so high is a mystery to me.
This book was so long and yet... not a whole lot was going on. The start was very confusing and it made me question if perhaps there was a prequel or something like that but I didn't find anything so I just continued on reading. The story did make a little more sense as I read on but I don't understand the need to make the beginning so confusing. It didn't make any sense to me.
The plot was also non existent. All the characters seemed to do was fuck. I like smut but not when it's like 80% of the book. It gets really tiring and frustrating.
Leaving aside my issues with the plot, I want to talk about the characters next.
Alana, the FMC, has been through a lot. She has frequent nightmares and promises to not tell any of her secrets when she's kidnapped. My issue with her was that one second she was reliving a nightmare and crying and then the next she was feeling horny and wanted to fuck. I understand that trauma can make you hypersexual but it seems unrealistic when the change between being afraid and arousal happens in less than a second. It takes away from the pain that she went through in my opinion.
Also, as soon as she starts getting tortured sexually, she just starts telling her secrets. I find it interesting as well that she is writing her personal thoughts in a diary and just leaving it out in the open for anybody else to read it. If you were so scared of anyone finding about your past, you wouldn't be doing this. I don't know if this is just because I'm just a really paranoid person but I wouldn't even be thinking of asking for a notebook and certainly I wouldn't be writing anything personal in it. It just seems very counterintuitive to me.
The MMCS were not great either. Reid is an asshole and his reasoning for kidnapping Alana is half assed at best. Everything in this is half assed at best. He kidnapped her because she lied to Kane about being pregnant but he doesn't even really try that hard to find out why she did so. He seems more interested in her past and I think it's kind of stupid to kidnap someone just because they lied about being pregnant. It's not a good enough reason in my eyes.
Mav also doesn't really seem to have his heart in searching for Alana. He tries but he doesn't really try very hard. When we get his POVs, he's wallowing in his despair of having lost her but doesn't really seem to be putting in great effort to search her. The plot is really weak in this regard and I think this is the most damaging thing for this book. If the plot was stronger and the characters had sounder reasonings and there wasn't as much sex, this book is not bad at all so from that perspective I can understand why people like this.
JD was alright imo. I liked him, he was nice and still had some of the charm that only evil people can have.
I'm interested to see where this will go and I do feel like this book has potential so I will be reading the next one.
October 27, 2023
3.5 Princess Stars
It has been a while since a read a book by Tracy Lorraine and I kinda missed her writing style! I blame #booktok for choosing this book... Don't get me wrong, I had to find out what was going on and the CLIFFHANGER at the end kept me on my toes. There is a mile long list with triggers and I would advice you to read it before starting this book. What I didn't like in this book was the fact that Alana is married...
It has been a while since a read a book by Tracy Lorraine and I kinda missed her writing style! I blame #booktok for choosing this book... Don't get me wrong, I had to find out what was going on and the CLIFFHANGER at the end kept me on my toes. There is a mile long list with triggers and I would advice you to read it before starting this book. What I didn't like in this book was the fact that Alana is married...
September 29, 2023
Merciless… an interesting choice of tittle. Harrow Creek is about to find out how patient they can be to get the answers they want.
Alana Murray is a woman in a cruel man’s world. Harrow Creek is not somewhere you can escalate and endurance is the only way to live.
When a scandal breaks out everyone knows there has to be more to the story and Alana finds herself at the mercy of Reid Harris.
This is a why choose with a gritty storyline between a captive and the men trying to find answers. It’s steamy, twisted and captivating.
This book is a little different to the dark high school romances I’ve been reading from Tracy. The love is not there from the start but it’s a real page turner to find the answers. I can already tell this series is going to be awesome.
Alana Murray is a woman in a cruel man’s world. Harrow Creek is not somewhere you can escalate and endurance is the only way to live.
When a scandal breaks out everyone knows there has to be more to the story and Alana finds herself at the mercy of Reid Harris.
This is a why choose with a gritty storyline between a captive and the men trying to find answers. It’s steamy, twisted and captivating.
This book is a little different to the dark high school romances I’ve been reading from Tracy. The love is not there from the start but it’s a real page turner to find the answers. I can already tell this series is going to be awesome.
June 23, 2024
This is a captive dark reverse harem set in a town that is corrupted by its criminal element, The Hawks. Alana our FMC had only known darkness and pain that was until she found her salvation in an unexpected place. Mav rescued and protected her for five years, even marrying her though it was in name only, until that is Alana's choices see her locked up and imprisoned in Reid's secret basement for things she has been forced into to protect the one she loves, now he wants answers and he's determined to get them.
Reid is the son of the man in charge but he also hates his father. Convinced that Alana and Mav are somehow in league he's keeping her under lock and key until he discovers just what she's up to. We also have JD, Reid's best friend and housemate he's the good cop to his buddy's bad cop and together they work at discovering the truth behind Alana's actions.
This was such a good read my heart broke for poor Alana all of her choices were about survival and she is definitely a product of her trauma. She doesn't trust easily and no wonder considering her horrific background so far Mav has been her only lifeline.
This wasn't at times an easy read as Alana's past was bloody horrific as we get to witness from her many flashbacks, it's also very much shaped her, especially in regards to her sexuality and needs and because of this she's a strange mix of strength and vulnerability, she's also not afraid to use her assets to achieve her aims. The ending of this was dramatic and left me wanting more and Reid still has a long way to go for me in terms of redeeming himself.
This was well-written absorbing stuff and such an addictive read but be aware this has triggers. I've only recently discovered this author but I'm definitely going to be reading their back list now for sure.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
September 28, 2023
ARC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 Stars, rounded up for Goodreads
🌶🌶🌶
Merciless is a captor/captive, why choose, dark romance. This is the first book in the Harrow Creek Hawks series, so be prepared for a cliffhanger and incomplete romance.
Alana grew up in a dark and horrible environment. She had to face many horrors at a very young age. She is rescued by Maverick, and he marries her in order to protect her. She is held captive by Reid and his best friend, J.D. in their basement. Reid tortures her for information on her true motives since he catches her in a lie about his friend. Unfortunately for him, Alana has been through more horrific situations and doesn't cave to his torture.
J.D. thinks he can persuade her to talk by using his charm and sex appeal. He is the funny and charismatic one, and Alana starts to open up and get closer to him.
Alana's husband, Maverick, had been in love with her for years but did not have sex with her due to her past trauma. He is going crazy trying to find Alana. He is so sweet and loving. I just wish we had more of him on this book.
This is my first book by this author, so I don't know if this is her usual writing style, but I had some issues with the degradation and smut in this book. I get this is part of a series, but I wanted more character development and growth. This book had a lot of repetitive torture scenes, and I was getting over her being held captive in their basement for the entire book.
There was way too much edging used as torture. I did not like the repeated edging scenes. I also did not appreciate the amount of times they called her a whore, especially since she was a victim of SA. They said it over 70 times, it was disgusting.
I'm still interested in continuing the series. I hope it gets better once we bring in Maverick and get out of the basement.
TW: Previous SA, degradation, violence, torture, child abuse.
Kinks: Edging, breath play, knife play, blood play, bandage, spanking, and voyeurism.
Thank you to the author and Deviant Hearts PR for providing the ARC.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 Stars, rounded up for Goodreads
🌶🌶🌶
Merciless is a captor/captive, why choose, dark romance. This is the first book in the Harrow Creek Hawks series, so be prepared for a cliffhanger and incomplete romance.
Alana grew up in a dark and horrible environment. She had to face many horrors at a very young age. She is rescued by Maverick, and he marries her in order to protect her. She is held captive by Reid and his best friend, J.D. in their basement. Reid tortures her for information on her true motives since he catches her in a lie about his friend. Unfortunately for him, Alana has been through more horrific situations and doesn't cave to his torture.
J.D. thinks he can persuade her to talk by using his charm and sex appeal. He is the funny and charismatic one, and Alana starts to open up and get closer to him.
Alana's husband, Maverick, had been in love with her for years but did not have sex with her due to her past trauma. He is going crazy trying to find Alana. He is so sweet and loving. I just wish we had more of him on this book.
This is my first book by this author, so I don't know if this is her usual writing style, but I had some issues with the degradation and smut in this book. I get this is part of a series, but I wanted more character development and growth. This book had a lot of repetitive torture scenes, and I was getting over her being held captive in their basement for the entire book.
There was way too much edging used as torture. I did not like the repeated edging scenes. I also did not appreciate the amount of times they called her a whore, especially since she was a victim of SA. They said it over 70 times, it was disgusting.
I'm still interested in continuing the series. I hope it gets better once we bring in Maverick and get out of the basement.
TW: Previous SA, degradation, violence, torture, child abuse.
Kinks: Edging, breath play, knife play, blood play, bandage, spanking, and voyeurism.
Thank you to the author and Deviant Hearts PR for providing the ARC.
September 28, 2023
Firstly, I need to get something off my chest. *clears throat* ONE WAY TICKET TO REID’S TORTURE CHAMBER PLEASE.
This is my book introduction to this author and honestly, where the hell have I been, loca?! 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 is the first book in her new series, 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬 𝘾𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙠 𝙃𝙖𝙬𝙠𝙨, and my, what a ride. This book is a dark, why choose, captive romance. Ugh, say less?
This starts off with our heroine, Alana, a fighter. A survivor in a town ruled by men. A young woman who’s been through hell. We then meet her three leading men, the devil, Reid. The joker, JD. The husband, Maverick. Three men just as dangerous as the other. Games will be played and secrets will unravel.
Although this book does mainly focus on Reid, don’t worry though, this is only book one. 😉
Merciless had me hooked from its prologue and I literally couldn’t put it down. It’s dark, twisted, and spicy. Just how I like it, haha. I definitely recommend!
P.s. This does end on a cliffhanger and I can tell you now, the need for book two is damning. I NEED ANSWERS. *sobs*
*ARC for honest review.
This is my book introduction to this author and honestly, where the hell have I been, loca?! 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 is the first book in her new series, 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬 𝘾𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙠 𝙃𝙖𝙬𝙠𝙨, and my, what a ride. This book is a dark, why choose, captive romance. Ugh, say less?
This starts off with our heroine, Alana, a fighter. A survivor in a town ruled by men. A young woman who’s been through hell. We then meet her three leading men, the devil, Reid. The joker, JD. The husband, Maverick. Three men just as dangerous as the other. Games will be played and secrets will unravel.
Although this book does mainly focus on Reid, don’t worry though, this is only book one. 😉
Merciless had me hooked from its prologue and I literally couldn’t put it down. It’s dark, twisted, and spicy. Just how I like it, haha. I definitely recommend!
P.s. This does end on a cliffhanger and I can tell you now, the need for book two is damning. I NEED ANSWERS. *sobs*
*ARC for honest review.
February 15, 2024
4⭐️
I figured this series was going to be good from the pieces we got from previous books and I wasn’t wrong.
On to book 2 🤗
I figured this series was going to be good from the pieces we got from previous books and I wasn’t wrong.
On to book 2 🤗
September 23, 2023
I've been excited for Reid's story - especially after a teaser in a previous book and I can honestly say, Tracy has not let us down!
Reid is intriguing, he's hot, vicious, dangerous and yet has this underlying easier edge that I want to know more about!
JD is the fun, always smiling, flirt of a bestie and he and Reid seem to be opposites - Reid has a hidden lightness and JD has a hidden darkness that would put the fear into the hardest of men.
Then there's Mav, the heroines hubby who is another victim of Harrows Creek just trying to survive although he's been 'lucky' that his dad is high up which should make things easier for him but he's not blind to what's going on and unfortunately he and Reid do NOT see eye-to-eye!
And then we have Alana and I had no clue what she was going to be like! That girl is strong like no other, my heart hurts so bad for her and I don't think she'll ever have enough kindness to make up for her past.
I'll admit before this started, I couldn't fathom how this would turn into a why-choose, Reid and Mav are basically enemies! But oh man I so get it now and I am screaming for an early release of the next book!!!!!
Top marks Tracy!!!
Reid is intriguing, he's hot, vicious, dangerous and yet has this underlying easier edge that I want to know more about!
JD is the fun, always smiling, flirt of a bestie and he and Reid seem to be opposites - Reid has a hidden lightness and JD has a hidden darkness that would put the fear into the hardest of men.
Then there's Mav, the heroines hubby who is another victim of Harrows Creek just trying to survive although he's been 'lucky' that his dad is high up which should make things easier for him but he's not blind to what's going on and unfortunately he and Reid do NOT see eye-to-eye!
And then we have Alana and I had no clue what she was going to be like! That girl is strong like no other, my heart hurts so bad for her and I don't think she'll ever have enough kindness to make up for her past.
I'll admit before this started, I couldn't fathom how this would turn into a why-choose, Reid and Mav are basically enemies! But oh man I so get it now and I am screaming for an early release of the next book!!!!!
Top marks Tracy!!!
September 25, 2023
This is the first book in a new series called Harrow Creek Hawks (somewhat of a spin off from the Maddison Kings University series, but that series does not need to be read prior to this one).
Merciless is a bully, captive, why choose, dark romance and with that comes a decent amount of potential triggers. Please be mindful and check them before reading.
Holy shit. Okay. This was my first book by Tracy Lorraine and it most definitely will not be my last. I was on the edge of my seat for the majority of this book. The tension and angst between her, JD and Reid omg. And when it finally snapped OMG. Alana is one of my favorite FMCs to date. We don’t know her full story just yet, but from what is revealed she is strong as fuck. I absolutely loved the banter between her, JD and Reid. I am absolutely reeling after that cliffhanger. This book isn’t even released yet and I’m already feral for book two!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥🔥🔥
Merciless is a bully, captive, why choose, dark romance and with that comes a decent amount of potential triggers. Please be mindful and check them before reading.
Holy shit. Okay. This was my first book by Tracy Lorraine and it most definitely will not be my last. I was on the edge of my seat for the majority of this book. The tension and angst between her, JD and Reid omg. And when it finally snapped OMG. Alana is one of my favorite FMCs to date. We don’t know her full story just yet, but from what is revealed she is strong as fuck. I absolutely loved the banter between her, JD and Reid. I am absolutely reeling after that cliffhanger. This book isn’t even released yet and I’m already feral for book two!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥🔥🔥
October 12, 2023
When I saw that Tracy Lorraine was writing a why choose, I was so excited! This one did not disappoint! I will say that the beginning had me a bit confused, but once I read more and figured out what was going on, I needed to know what was going to happen next! And that cliffhanger 😳 I NEED to know what happens next!
What to expect from the series…
✔️ Why Choose / Reverse Harem
✔️ Captive Romance
✔️ Dark Romance
✔️ Touch her & die
✔️ He Falls First
✔️ Forced Proximity
✔️ Bully Romance
And more!
What to expect from the series…
✔️ Why Choose / Reverse Harem
✔️ Captive Romance
✔️ Dark Romance
✔️ Touch her & die
✔️ He Falls First
✔️ Forced Proximity
✔️ Bully Romance
And more!
September 26, 2023
Her little lies lead to Alana being held captive by the Harrow Hawk’s heir, Reid Harris & his best bud Julian Dempsey. Having been the light in her dark past, Maverick her husband, tries to be her dark knight, but with the way the dirty duo like to play with their toys the only way out is to spill her secrets; she hopes.
“𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙋𝙚𝙩. 𝙄 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙣.”
This book brings secrets by the truck load and this is only the first book of four I think so I know I’m in for a wild ride with this series and I’m ready to lap up every moment like a starved animal even knowing it’ll tear me to pieces.
“𝙄 𝙗𝙚𝙩 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙪𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙚𝙧.”
The moment they placed that bet, desire vs fear, I could barely stop myself rushing through I was so eager for their game 😏 and I would have if I wasn’t SO intrigued by all the secrets 🤫 and curious about the past even if it did crush the sh*t out of my heart with all Alana had to endure.
“𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮, 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙫𝙚. 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧,”
_____________
✞ 𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚜 ✞
• why choose • captive • touch her & dye • he falls first • forced proximity • bully vibes • boy obsessed • blackmail • stockholm syndrome • fierce FMC • corrupt town vibes • bro-friends •
✞ 𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎𝚜 ✞
• dubcon • noncon • 🔪 play • 💨 play • bodymodiF
• oh denial • voyeurism • torcher mode • praise •
• bondage • body maintenance • cameras spying •
• dgradation • sphanking • face throne •
• ‘who hurt you?’• pierced pieces 🐓🐱 •
✞ 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚎 ✞
• non con/coerced sx from past (not by H) • child sx AB (flashbacks) • past trauma • physical AB • nightmares • PTSD • verbal AB • torcher • scars • infertility due to trauma • sluht shaming •
𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: Harrow Creeks Hawks #1
𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞: series 🧗🏻♀️
𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: dark why choose romance
𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐞: Reid, JD, Maverick & Alana
𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫: Dove, Pet, Doll
*𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚌𝚔 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜
“𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙋𝙚𝙩. 𝙄 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙣.”
This book brings secrets by the truck load and this is only the first book of four I think so I know I’m in for a wild ride with this series and I’m ready to lap up every moment like a starved animal even knowing it’ll tear me to pieces.
“𝙄 𝙗𝙚𝙩 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙪𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙚𝙧.”
The moment they placed that bet, desire vs fear, I could barely stop myself rushing through I was so eager for their game 😏 and I would have if I wasn’t SO intrigued by all the secrets 🤫 and curious about the past even if it did crush the sh*t out of my heart with all Alana had to endure.
“𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙮, 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙫𝙚. 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧,”
_____________
✞ 𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚜 ✞
• why choose • captive • touch her & dye • he falls first • forced proximity • bully vibes • boy obsessed • blackmail • stockholm syndrome • fierce FMC • corrupt town vibes • bro-friends •
✞ 𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎𝚜 ✞
• dubcon • noncon • 🔪 play • 💨 play • bodymodiF
• oh denial • voyeurism • torcher mode • praise •
• bondage • body maintenance • cameras spying •
• dgradation • sphanking • face throne •
• ‘who hurt you?’• pierced pieces 🐓🐱 •
✞ 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚎 ✞
• non con/coerced sx from past (not by H) • child sx AB (flashbacks) • past trauma • physical AB • nightmares • PTSD • verbal AB • torcher • scars • infertility due to trauma • sluht shaming •
𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: Harrow Creeks Hawks #1
𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞: series 🧗🏻♀️
𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: dark why choose romance
𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐞: Reid, JD, Maverick & Alana
𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫: Dove, Pet, Doll
*𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚌𝚔 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜
October 5, 2023
Dnfing at 25% I'm just not interested. The characters and plot are not doing it for me, and the beginning was just very confusing.
September 28, 2023
I received Merciless in return for an honest review from Deviant Hearts PR for the upcoming release.
Alana has always been a captive her captors have just changed over the years and now she's in the hands of Reid and his best friend JD. Even her husband won't be able to save her this time as she spends more time with the men. Lines start to blur between her and the guys who have her locked up and suddenly maybe she's not the girl they thought she was. What happens when they learn her secrets?
I love Alana she's had such a rough life and Maverick just wanted to protect her after everything she's had to endure. Maverick is the husband who just wants to protect and take care of his wife. It's Reid and JD that play a starting role in this romance as they are the ones who have her captive. At first I didn't care for them but the more we get to know them the more I started to like them. The chemistry between them is sizzling right from the start and just grows the more time they spend together.
I love that the author has created this darker romance side showing a theme I've not seen often with captives. I found the story captivating right from the start I wanted to know more about the characters as it unfolds. The characters I found easy to connect with I was cheering Alana on as we relive her memories and what's happening now.
Merciless was a fast paced whirlwind dark romance that I found hard to put down. I ended up devouring the book over the course of two reading sessions because I had to know how it will play out. This is my first book by the author but I'm hooked she does a lovely job creating a dark story that keeps the reader hooked till the very end. This is a cliffhanger but at least the next one is coming out just around the corner and I can't wait to see how it's all going to play out.
Alana has always been a captive her captors have just changed over the years and now she's in the hands of Reid and his best friend JD. Even her husband won't be able to save her this time as she spends more time with the men. Lines start to blur between her and the guys who have her locked up and suddenly maybe she's not the girl they thought she was. What happens when they learn her secrets?
I love Alana she's had such a rough life and Maverick just wanted to protect her after everything she's had to endure. Maverick is the husband who just wants to protect and take care of his wife. It's Reid and JD that play a starting role in this romance as they are the ones who have her captive. At first I didn't care for them but the more we get to know them the more I started to like them. The chemistry between them is sizzling right from the start and just grows the more time they spend together.
I love that the author has created this darker romance side showing a theme I've not seen often with captives. I found the story captivating right from the start I wanted to know more about the characters as it unfolds. The characters I found easy to connect with I was cheering Alana on as we relive her memories and what's happening now.
Merciless was a fast paced whirlwind dark romance that I found hard to put down. I ended up devouring the book over the course of two reading sessions because I had to know how it will play out. This is my first book by the author but I'm hooked she does a lovely job creating a dark story that keeps the reader hooked till the very end. This is a cliffhanger but at least the next one is coming out just around the corner and I can't wait to see how it's all going to play out.
September 28, 2023
Sometimes you have to dive into the dark side of romance and this book is definitely that. Please pay attention to the trigger warnings in this book…if you need more specific info, please ask!
Honestly, I saw the trigger list and thought this book wasn’t going to be for me. But I gave it a whirl anyway because I’m a firm believer in trying things…we can always DNF, right? But I didn’t need to. I was completely hooked by this story and these characters. Alana has such a tragic backstory, and we find out about that through what she implies and flashbacks. It is not an easy subject for sure. The scenes with Reid and JD had me feeling all the emotions. And Mav…I just can’t.
This is a great first book, which focuses on setting the groundwork and introducing all the main players and their connections in this twisted tale. Although there are several spicy scenes, the why choose doesn’t really show up. So be prepared for that going in. I loved how we got to see the changes occurring in the characters as they reveal more about each other and their motives. I see fun things afoot.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll get to the end and that cliffhanger and be itching for the next book.
Honestly, I saw the trigger list and thought this book wasn’t going to be for me. But I gave it a whirl anyway because I’m a firm believer in trying things…we can always DNF, right? But I didn’t need to. I was completely hooked by this story and these characters. Alana has such a tragic backstory, and we find out about that through what she implies and flashbacks. It is not an easy subject for sure. The scenes with Reid and JD had me feeling all the emotions. And Mav…I just can’t.
This is a great first book, which focuses on setting the groundwork and introducing all the main players and their connections in this twisted tale. Although there are several spicy scenes, the why choose doesn’t really show up. So be prepared for that going in. I loved how we got to see the changes occurring in the characters as they reveal more about each other and their motives. I see fun things afoot.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll get to the end and that cliffhanger and be itching for the next book.
October 4, 2023
HOLY QUACS MY DUDES.... if you want a dark romance why choose book...you need to check this out. Just a heads up it ends on a hell of a cliffhanger but never fear the next book comes out on October 12th.
The story starts with Reid taking Alaina captive and him and JD play bad copy good cop to try and figure out what her plan is and why she is targeting their friend Kane.
Their torture techniques are....interesting 😜😜🤌. All the while you have Alaina's husband (yea you read that correct) who is worried and doing what he can to find her.
You get flashbacks throughout the story that help build the character development and you get glimpses of why Alaina is who she is and why she does what she does. I loved the dynamic Reid and JD have as well as Alaina doing what she can to open up in the only way she knows how, but also the glimpses we get of Mav and how much he loves Alaina is literally gold.
Honestly this is one of the hardest reviews I've written because I don't want to give too much away but needless to say I made a count down on my phone to when the next book comes out.
But one last thing !@$(!*$*(! Victor and his friends... that is all 😂
The story starts with Reid taking Alaina captive and him and JD play bad copy good cop to try and figure out what her plan is and why she is targeting their friend Kane.
Their torture techniques are....interesting 😜😜🤌. All the while you have Alaina's husband (yea you read that correct) who is worried and doing what he can to find her.
You get flashbacks throughout the story that help build the character development and you get glimpses of why Alaina is who she is and why she does what she does. I loved the dynamic Reid and JD have as well as Alaina doing what she can to open up in the only way she knows how, but also the glimpses we get of Mav and how much he loves Alaina is literally gold.
Honestly this is one of the hardest reviews I've written because I don't want to give too much away but needless to say I made a count down on my phone to when the next book comes out.
But one last thing !@$(!*$*(! Victor and his friends... that is all 😂
September 28, 2023
*thank you Tracy Lorraine for giving me an arc in exchange for an honest review!*
This is book 1 in a 4 book series & ends on a cliffhanger, so beware! lol.
Where has this author been all of my life?! Besides this series, I can’t wait to read her other books!
Alana finds herself captive in the dungeon of her husband’s greatest enemies & one of them happens to also be her husbands brother. From there we learn all about the darkness & secrets that are hidden between the characters.
Alana is one hell of a fmc! She’s the embodiment of a resilient and strong woman. She’s survived a hell so unfathomable and won’t stop fighting until she gets her revenge!
The glimpses we got of Maverick (Alana’s husband) really showed how much he truly cared for Alana. Though their marriage was unconventional you could tell that they would both do anything to protect each other.
JD & Reid are best friends and complete opposites but that makes them the perfect team.
Reid is the dark, quiet, & broody one. He uses violence to get exactly what he needs.
JD is all smiles & flirty behavior and is known to charm the pants off of anybody to get what he needs. Don’t let his sweetness fool you though, he’s just as dangerous as Reid when it comes down to it.
I loved the different POVs & watching the character growth. I don’t know how I’m supposed to wait patiently for the second book!
𝕋ℝ𝕆ℙ𝔼𝕊:
•ᴇɴᴇᴍɪᴇs ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀs
•ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
•ᴅᴀʀᴋ
•ᴡʜʏ ᴄʜᴏᴏsᴇ
•ғᴏʀʙɪᴅᴅᴇɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ
•ʙᴜʟʟʏ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
•ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏxɪᴍɪᴛʏ
This is book 1 in a 4 book series & ends on a cliffhanger, so beware! lol.
Where has this author been all of my life?! Besides this series, I can’t wait to read her other books!
Alana finds herself captive in the dungeon of her husband’s greatest enemies & one of them happens to also be her husbands brother. From there we learn all about the darkness & secrets that are hidden between the characters.
Alana is one hell of a fmc! She’s the embodiment of a resilient and strong woman. She’s survived a hell so unfathomable and won’t stop fighting until she gets her revenge!
The glimpses we got of Maverick (Alana’s husband) really showed how much he truly cared for Alana. Though their marriage was unconventional you could tell that they would both do anything to protect each other.
JD & Reid are best friends and complete opposites but that makes them the perfect team.
Reid is the dark, quiet, & broody one. He uses violence to get exactly what he needs.
JD is all smiles & flirty behavior and is known to charm the pants off of anybody to get what he needs. Don’t let his sweetness fool you though, he’s just as dangerous as Reid when it comes down to it.
I loved the different POVs & watching the character growth. I don’t know how I’m supposed to wait patiently for the second book!
𝕋ℝ𝕆ℙ𝔼𝕊:
•ᴇɴᴇᴍɪᴇs ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀs
•ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
•ᴅᴀʀᴋ
•ᴡʜʏ ᴄʜᴏᴏsᴇ
•ғᴏʀʙɪᴅᴅᴇɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ
•ʙᴜʟʟʏ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
•ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏxɪᴍɪᴛʏ
September 27, 2023
🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆 🆃🅸🅼🅴 -
𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬
(𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐤𝐬 𝟏)
By: Tracy Lorraine
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Merciless was a FANTASTIC start to a new series!!
This why choose dark romance is full of tension - how can it not be when there are three men in the MFC's life?!
Going from the blurb of the book, I was expecting this to be more of a Reid/Alana book with some JD and Maverick thrown in, but it was more of an Alana/JD book - which is TOTALLY fine, because JD is 🔥🥵🫠 - and I think JD is right...when Alana and Reid finally do collide, it's going to be an explosion!!! (And don't even get me started on when Alana and Mav' get together!!)
I loved how this story works a little backwards by going through flash backs and memories, giving little bits of the puzzle each time.
There are still some unanswered questions, but there are 3 more books to come.
Alana, our MFC has been through literal hell and is still standing and is willing to go through more hell to protect those she loves. I adore her!
Reid is one of our dark, broody and moody, muscled and tattooed (fabulous in the kitchen) MMC's and I am dying to work in-between the cracks of his armour in the coming books!
JD is another of our MMC's and he is also muscled, tattooed, PIERCED (and knows a lot about hair care and styling) and provides a lighter, more comedic aspect to the story, (though make no mistake - he can go from sweet and loving to deadly faster than you can blink!)
Maverick is the third MMC and I'm telling you - he DESERVES to "get his!!!" (You'll know when you read the book.) Ugh, he's such a great guy! Heart of gold and the restraint of a saint!
🩷🩷🩷
This book has it all - hot spice, tension, chemistry, banter, pet names, piercings, (cookies - you all seemed to love the pic I posted with the cookies 🤣) a bit of mystery, gangs, fight club, torture, danger but also love.
I am bouncing up and down waiting for book 2 because THAT CLIFFHANGER!!!! 😲😲😲
📖📖📖
𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬
(𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐤𝐬 𝟏)
By: Tracy Lorraine
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Merciless was a FANTASTIC start to a new series!!
This why choose dark romance is full of tension - how can it not be when there are three men in the MFC's life?!
Going from the blurb of the book, I was expecting this to be more of a Reid/Alana book with some JD and Maverick thrown in, but it was more of an Alana/JD book - which is TOTALLY fine, because JD is 🔥🥵🫠 - and I think JD is right...when Alana and Reid finally do collide, it's going to be an explosion!!! (And don't even get me started on when Alana and Mav' get together!!)
I loved how this story works a little backwards by going through flash backs and memories, giving little bits of the puzzle each time.
There are still some unanswered questions, but there are 3 more books to come.
Alana, our MFC has been through literal hell and is still standing and is willing to go through more hell to protect those she loves. I adore her!
Reid is one of our dark, broody and moody, muscled and tattooed (fabulous in the kitchen) MMC's and I am dying to work in-between the cracks of his armour in the coming books!
JD is another of our MMC's and he is also muscled, tattooed, PIERCED (and knows a lot about hair care and styling) and provides a lighter, more comedic aspect to the story, (though make no mistake - he can go from sweet and loving to deadly faster than you can blink!)
Maverick is the third MMC and I'm telling you - he DESERVES to "get his!!!" (You'll know when you read the book.) Ugh, he's such a great guy! Heart of gold and the restraint of a saint!
🩷🩷🩷
This book has it all - hot spice, tension, chemistry, banter, pet names, piercings, (cookies - you all seemed to love the pic I posted with the cookies 🤣) a bit of mystery, gangs, fight club, torture, danger but also love.
I am bouncing up and down waiting for book 2 because THAT CLIFFHANGER!!!! 😲😲😲
📖📖📖
October 4, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Have faith. Everything will work out as it’s meant to in the end.
Oh Lord!!! I was just finally on track to figuring out what was going on & BAM!!! Now to wait for book 2…
This one is told for multiple POVs…I wasn’t sure how I was going to like it but it makes it a bit better being inside several peoples heads
Alana has had a rough life…the type of life no little girl/young child should ever have to experience….the town has always looked down on her until one man comes to her rescue
Reid & JD/Julian are trying to clean up the mess the elder Harrow Creek Hawks have made of their town…I’m not sure they are going about it the right way but what’s a little violence among friends
Alana holds secrets….Reid wants in on those secrets by any means possible
But what about Alana’s protector??? Can he save her or does she really need saving???
I have got to admit I do love Alana…she’s pretty bad ass…Maverick I just want to give a hug to & tell him everything will be alright…then there’s JD & Reid….JD grows on you…he’s a little rebel but in the best possible way…and Reid…he tries to be rough & tough but I think deep down, like WAY deep down, he not a bad guy…he’s a product of his environment…well honestly they all are & their environment was awful
If you are into a dark why choose romance give this one a read….just be prepared there are a lot of trigger warnings….I don’t trigger very easy but one tugged at my heart a little
Have faith. Everything will work out as it’s meant to in the end.
Oh Lord!!! I was just finally on track to figuring out what was going on & BAM!!! Now to wait for book 2…
This one is told for multiple POVs…I wasn’t sure how I was going to like it but it makes it a bit better being inside several peoples heads
Alana has had a rough life…the type of life no little girl/young child should ever have to experience….the town has always looked down on her until one man comes to her rescue
Reid & JD/Julian are trying to clean up the mess the elder Harrow Creek Hawks have made of their town…I’m not sure they are going about it the right way but what’s a little violence among friends
Alana holds secrets….Reid wants in on those secrets by any means possible
But what about Alana’s protector??? Can he save her or does she really need saving???
I have got to admit I do love Alana…she’s pretty bad ass…Maverick I just want to give a hug to & tell him everything will be alright…then there’s JD & Reid….JD grows on you…he’s a little rebel but in the best possible way…and Reid…he tries to be rough & tough but I think deep down, like WAY deep down, he not a bad guy…he’s a product of his environment…well honestly they all are & their environment was awful
If you are into a dark why choose romance give this one a read….just be prepared there are a lot of trigger warnings….I don’t trigger very easy but one tugged at my heart a little
September 29, 2023
ARC REVIEW
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Despite the fmc being locked up for almost all of the book, It was still so gripping!
This book is a spicy why choose dark romance 🌶️😍 A mouthful I know! Please check trigger warnings before reading :-)
As you have probably seen on my page, I participated in most of the street team things, and recently received the ARC!
Despite having early access to character reveals, teasers and even extracts, This book still exceeded expectations!
I felt an amazing connection with the characters, Especially Alana as I have been through some similar things to her, And the way Tracy handled the situation was beautiful, And very respectful, As well as realistic.
Some may argue that after going through all of that most people wouldn’t want to engage in sex, but honestly it’s not always the case. It’s nice to see different representations in the media!
The smut was so good, And I REALLY grew to love the characters. Reid was the typical bad boy with a shit ton of secrets, JD was scary but also sweet with Alana, (just the perfect mix) and Alana was mysterious and intriguing.
Mav was so nice, I really hope we see him and Alana together more in the next book 😮🥹
To be honest, In the beginning I wasn’t 100 percent sure I was going to be in the mood for it (I have been reading thrillers recently) But wow!! I really enjoyed it and found myself thinking about it all day!! (Including during lessons when I was supposed to be learning 😭)
Also! THE ENDING?!?!?! THE ENDING!!?!? MA’AM WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?!?! I NEED ANSWERS!! I look forward to reading the next book xx📚
If you’re looking for a deep, sexy, fun and scary dark romance, I would definitely recommend this ;)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Despite the fmc being locked up for almost all of the book, It was still so gripping!
This book is a spicy why choose dark romance 🌶️😍 A mouthful I know! Please check trigger warnings before reading :-)
As you have probably seen on my page, I participated in most of the street team things, and recently received the ARC!
Despite having early access to character reveals, teasers and even extracts, This book still exceeded expectations!
I felt an amazing connection with the characters, Especially Alana as I have been through some similar things to her, And the way Tracy handled the situation was beautiful, And very respectful, As well as realistic.
Some may argue that after going through all of that most people wouldn’t want to engage in sex, but honestly it’s not always the case. It’s nice to see different representations in the media!
The smut was so good, And I REALLY grew to love the characters. Reid was the typical bad boy with a shit ton of secrets, JD was scary but also sweet with Alana, (just the perfect mix) and Alana was mysterious and intriguing.
Mav was so nice, I really hope we see him and Alana together more in the next book 😮🥹
To be honest, In the beginning I wasn’t 100 percent sure I was going to be in the mood for it (I have been reading thrillers recently) But wow!! I really enjoyed it and found myself thinking about it all day!! (Including during lessons when I was supposed to be learning 😭)
Also! THE ENDING?!?!?! THE ENDING!!?!? MA’AM WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?!?! I NEED ANSWERS!! I look forward to reading the next book xx📚
If you’re looking for a deep, sexy, fun and scary dark romance, I would definitely recommend this ;)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2023
✨ARC REVIEW ✨
Merciless by Tracy Lorraine
Releases 9/28
⭐️4.5
🌶️2
Tropes:
RH/ why choose
Captor/captive
Touch her and 💀
He falls first
Strong MFC
🚨 check your TW’s because there’s quite a few for this one 🚨
What. A. Ride. 🫨
This was my first true dark romance + RH and I was ENTHRALLED by this book!
Alana has lived a horrible & ROUGH life. She was saved by her husband 5 years ago. He tried to give her everything she never had, and it worked for a while.
Enter Reid Harris. Higher up in the Harrow Creek Hawks gang. He steals Alana and holds her captive in his basement because he thinks she has valuable information. Unlucky for him, she’s used to a life of torture and horrible men.
JD. JD is Reid’s best friend and wingman in the HC gang. He’s got a goofy and sweet side that only Alana gets to see. He’s the prankster, the joker. He believes Alana will give her secrets through affection over fear.
Maverick. Mav is Alana’s husband and Reid’s rival in the HC gang. This poor man 🥺 I felt so many times for Mav! He just wants answers and to find his wife safely.
This book DOES end on a cliffhanger for book 2 so be prepared for that. The action and suspense kept me fully entertained through this book. I didn’t know what was gonna happen next! And the way it was left? I have NO clue how it’s gonna play out 😰🫣.
Merciless by Tracy Lorraine
Releases 9/28
⭐️4.5
🌶️2
Tropes:
RH/ why choose
Captor/captive
Touch her and 💀
He falls first
Strong MFC
🚨 check your TW’s because there’s quite a few for this one 🚨
What. A. Ride. 🫨
This was my first true dark romance + RH and I was ENTHRALLED by this book!
Alana has lived a horrible & ROUGH life. She was saved by her husband 5 years ago. He tried to give her everything she never had, and it worked for a while.
Enter Reid Harris. Higher up in the Harrow Creek Hawks gang. He steals Alana and holds her captive in his basement because he thinks she has valuable information. Unlucky for him, she’s used to a life of torture and horrible men.
JD. JD is Reid’s best friend and wingman in the HC gang. He’s got a goofy and sweet side that only Alana gets to see. He’s the prankster, the joker. He believes Alana will give her secrets through affection over fear.
Maverick. Mav is Alana’s husband and Reid’s rival in the HC gang. This poor man 🥺 I felt so many times for Mav! He just wants answers and to find his wife safely.
This book DOES end on a cliffhanger for book 2 so be prepared for that. The action and suspense kept me fully entertained through this book. I didn’t know what was gonna happen next! And the way it was left? I have NO clue how it’s gonna play out 😰🫣.
September 23, 2023
Rating 4 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Spice Level 3.5/5🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶
💙 Enemies to lovers
💙 why choose
💙 Captivity
💙 3dging SO MUCH
💙 delayed 0s
💙 Dark/Bully Romance
💙 Exhibitionism
💙 Sparkly Peen
💙 Deg
Thank you so much for the ARC Deviant Hearts PR and Tracy Lorraine!
Not only was the FMC Edged in this book, but the ARC reader was Edged. LOL! So, omg, lol. Now we know why Tracy Lorraine gave the Title Merciless! LOL! On a serious note, You will feel different feelings for these characters.
Alana is not your typical FMC. Yes, you could consider her badass, out to seek the truth for a loved one, haunted by her past, but she is not in a great position at the moment and is captured by none other than Reid, a powerful man in Harrow Creek, who doesn't trust Alana cause he hates Maverick (A guy Alana is married too). Alana doesn't give AF, never answers Reid's questions, and pisses him off.
I do love JD. One could say I am in love with him. HE IS EVERYTHING. I willingly submit to be JD's captive. But Mav, poor Mav. He did so much, Alana. He protected her and did everything to keep her safe, and now he is looking for his wife. However, ugh, that Cliffhanger. I need book two, to be honest, and then I can possibly move on with my life.
Warning: This book isn't for the faint of heart it has dark themes please Check TW/CW and read responsibly
Spice Level 3.5/5🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶
💙 Enemies to lovers
💙 why choose
💙 Captivity
💙 3dging SO MUCH
💙 delayed 0s
💙 Dark/Bully Romance
💙 Exhibitionism
💙 Sparkly Peen
💙 Deg
Thank you so much for the ARC Deviant Hearts PR and Tracy Lorraine!
Not only was the FMC Edged in this book, but the ARC reader was Edged. LOL! So, omg, lol. Now we know why Tracy Lorraine gave the Title Merciless! LOL! On a serious note, You will feel different feelings for these characters.
Alana is not your typical FMC. Yes, you could consider her badass, out to seek the truth for a loved one, haunted by her past, but she is not in a great position at the moment and is captured by none other than Reid, a powerful man in Harrow Creek, who doesn't trust Alana cause he hates Maverick (A guy Alana is married too). Alana doesn't give AF, never answers Reid's questions, and pisses him off.
I do love JD. One could say I am in love with him. HE IS EVERYTHING. I willingly submit to be JD's captive. But Mav, poor Mav. He did so much, Alana. He protected her and did everything to keep her safe, and now he is looking for his wife. However, ugh, that Cliffhanger. I need book two, to be honest, and then I can possibly move on with my life.
Warning: This book isn't for the faint of heart it has dark themes please Check TW/CW and read responsibly
September 21, 2023
I read this book overnight!
In the beginning, I did not how to feel about this book... MC/m@fïä-ish romance is not my usual cup of tea. It's like watching the beginning of a daytime soap... and as days pass by, bamm! You're now invested and you look forward to a new episode daily.
It's definitely not an easy read... it's not for everybody. There was even a time when I thought it wasn't for me, but this book was riveting.
It's t@boö, it's frü$trátiñg, it's @ńg$tÿ, it's $€xÿ, it's swoon-worthy...
And I can't wait to read what happens next!
In the beginning, I did not how to feel about this book... MC/m@fïä-ish romance is not my usual cup of tea. It's like watching the beginning of a daytime soap... and as days pass by, bamm! You're now invested and you look forward to a new episode daily.
It's definitely not an easy read... it's not for everybody. There was even a time when I thought it wasn't for me, but this book was riveting.
It's t@boö, it's frü$trátiñg, it's @ńg$tÿ, it's $€xÿ, it's swoon-worthy...
And I can't wait to read what happens next!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 556 reviews