Entangled Realms

by Madilyn DeRose

In a world as seemingly normal as it can get, there lives a dark secret in the bowels of the city. Dragged into a sketchy club as her best friend’s third wheel, Kiera finds herself face to face with a man that exudes power and eloquence. If she had her way, she would never return to that dark place, but when confronted with a choice that could save her friend from certain death, she unknowingly sacrifices her own freedom to secure his release.

Bound by a pact she does not understand, she must navigate his treacherous court and fight for her life in his cruel spectacles. As he prepares her for a battle with a foe that has not been revealed, she begins to wonder if there is something more beneath his malice and beastly nature. Beneath the scars of their pasts may lie a shared longing for worlds just out of their grasp.

With each passing day, the intense anger that permeates Kiera’s soul wears him down and forces him to confront his own dark nature. Two worlds hang in the balance, each one teetering so close to the edge, he may not have time to keep them both from falling into ruin.

Entangled realms is a spellbinding tale of cruelty, love, and the fierce darkness that lies within us all. It combines magic, curses, and a dark twist on a timeless story of redemption. Or maybe it’s just Stockholm Syndrome.

Genres: Dark, Dark Romance, Fantasy, Retellings, Paranormal, Magic, Paranormal Romance

435 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 20, 2023

About the author

I'm a self-published author who generally has a dozen projects going at one time. Check out one of my completed series or follow along with what's currently ongoing.

I was born in Portland, OR and I will unashamedly claim that the PNW is the best place to be. Catch me with an iced coffee in hand, even in the rain and snow.

My main genres are romance and fantasy. Some of my content is very dark, but it varies by book/series, so please check the content warnings in each book before diving in!

I hope you enjoy my books and leave me a review with your honest opinion!

Reviews

[Yves V.H. [Slow reading] · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea of the book is okay; a retelling of the Beauty and the Beast (really really dark). It started great, the introduction of the characters and how the world is for the main characters but during the middle part it became somewhat confusing to me. There were a lot of pushing and pulling between the main characters and I hoped that the FMC's thoughts were explained or shown more clearly because she was the most confusing to me. Towards the end, when the main plot of the story is ending, suddenly the story became rushed. Then that sickness reveal dragged the ending unnecessarily. Also just a warning: there's a lot of triggering scenes in the book too (which I am highly aware as the author informed so those didn't affect my rating) which you might want to consider before starting this book. Overall, it was interesting enough for me to finish the book since I really just want to see how things go for them.

🌸 Recieved a copy of the book but all thoughts and opinions are my own

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

* this review contains some quotes from the book*

5⭐️
4🌶
Wow.

THIS WAS SO FREAKING GOOD
OMG


I devoured this book so quickly ,I was hooked since chapter 1.
I could not put it down
I lost sleep staying up reading this and now I'm losing sleep thinking about this.

“Then we will dance, little rose.”

Im so sad it ended because DAMN.

I don’t even know where to start.

Fairytale inspired; This is a Dark Beauty and the Beast retelling and the TWs were like little check list straight into my heart.

True enemies to lovers. Maybe it's true love, maybe it's Stockholm.

“I’ve lived a millennium without your touch and now that I’ve had it, I will never have enough"

Reading this book made me really question myself. I'm 100% certain that if I was the FMC in this story I would have fallen for the MMC like that * dramatic snap* . Like ... is Rein my new Bookfriend ? ... I think so. I really do.

Morally Grey MMC * chefs kiss* my fave colour.

Stabby sassy FMC, YESSSSS

The humpy bumpy pleasure equipment; A little freaky deaky but very intriguing... should I be worried?

The spice was good. And kept getting better🥵


Overall I really enjoyed this. It was deliciously dark, it was interesting i couldnt put down the book , the main plot was so so so good, the side characters were great (like... Rath um also has my heart. ) and I cried, at least twice. ... ok three times.

If you're looking for a dark beauty and the Beast inspired book, this might be your next dark fantasy read.

🗡Enemies to lovers
🖤Morally Grey Non-human MMC
🗡Sassy Sarcastic Stabby FMC
🖤Groveling
🗡He falls first
🖤Unique Equipment
🗡Tragic Backstories
🖤Capter/Captive
🗡Banter & Fighting


* I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review *

* please check TWs before reading *
Explicit sexual acts; non-con/sexual assault between the MCs (all types of penetration); dub-con; forced O; use of force; drugging for the purpose of sex; manipulation; Stockholm Syndrome; trauma; harem situation; forced fighting; graphic death, murder & violence; sexual assault by characters other than the MC (more than one); terminal illness; mentions of incest;  kidnapping/imprisonment; human to non-human relations; multi-dick situations (yes, on one man);  genital adjustment (mutilation?); a situation similar to knotting but graphic and painful; suicidal ideation/attempt/close call; use of alcohol; references to parental deaths; eating disorders; someone VERY briefly mentions being SA as a child

[Ebook Dragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read The Triggers!
An enemy to lovers. This book is dark. The banter is hilarious and sometimes the burn is deep. I couldn't put it down. Your heart gets shredded and I didn't think Reyn would be able to redeem himself. The level of pain he inflicted was downright dreadful. Keira is a sassy strong-minded lead. She holds no punches and gaps the knife deep. 😉 There was actual development in the story. I enjoyed the world building that was created and the abilities some of the characters have. The twist at the very end really caught me off guard about Keira.

This is my first book from Madilyn DeRose and now I'm spiraling into reading all her books.

Fav quote: An effective warrior learns to use everything at their disposal, including their environment. You can't utilize the things around you if you're too weak to use them.

My Rating System:
1 star: Probably DNF - Lacks structure - Grammatical Errors - Boring characters
2 stars: Not a fan - Struggled to finish - Won't reread - Lacked personality - Lacked storyline
3 stars: Neutral - Underwhelmed - Nothing special - Like the book but we're still troubled by a few components
4 stars: Enjoyed - Concept unique - Dialogue felt real - Invested in characters - Missing cherry on top
5 stars: Creme de la creme - It's addictive - Emotional Impact - Highly Recommend - Feels like you are part of the book

[Anatasia McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️READ YOUR MF TRIGGERS ⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️
This book is a dark dark dark dark dark Beauty and the beast retelling and I really can't stress reading those triggers more.
That said I'll take no criticism about reyn and kiera. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not any day.
These two are the very definition of enemies to lovers. Their banter is witty and hilarious and downright cruel at times.
That said I obsessed with reyn. I could not want a better portrayal of beast. I will recommend this until the day I die.

[IngeT (inge1970reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love retellings so wanted to read this one too.

This was my first book by her.

Before reading please check the trigger warnings. If you know Beauty and The Beast you know what to expect but since this dark romance fantasy everything is a lot darker.

I really liked the story. From chapter 1 I wanted to read more.

An enemy to lovers story. Stockholm syndrome and Spice. What else do you need.

I hope to read more of this author. She sure can write.
Thanks for the read Booksprout and Madilyn

4⭐️ inge1970reads.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be such an addictive read, I couldn’t put it down I devoured it , it’s a very dark retelling of beauty and the beast, I did wonder wether the mmc would be redeemable at one point (no spoilers) but it’s a great read, be aware of triggers before going into this as advised by the author

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

[Lindsay Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is simply amazing. I ARC read this book and it being a retelling of Beauty and the Beast had an idea in my mind about what it would be, but the story I just read had me hooked. I completed it in less than 12 hours and couldn't put it down. I am so sad its over and I wish so badly that I could read it for the first time again. Definitely recommend this book. I would say definitely read the trigger warnings before diving in, they are there for a reason.

[Isobel (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOT A FAIRYTALE LITTLE ROSE

Oh my god! This book was something!!!!
Was I afraid of what I would be reading, yes. Did I felt a rollercoaster of emotions wile reading this book, affirmative. This book is suspenseful, correct. Will you stop reading it? NO! If you can handle it...
And it's PG 18.

Also, no, this book is not for the faint of heart, it's a bit gruesome but also sooo good! You can't stop reading it.

The story is about Reyn and Kiera, of how they fall in love while freeing him from his curse. It's a well written book, but as a said before, not for the faint of heart and defiantly not for everyone.

For the brave ones, I wish good readings. I loved it.


In this book the reader will find:

🥀A Very Dark Romance/Fantasy
🥀True Enemies to Lovers story
🥀Fairytale Retelling (Beauty and the Beast)
🥀Morally Grey characters
🥀He Falls First
🥀Banter
🥀Bad ass/sassy FMC
🥀One of a kind "pipi"

The author gives the potential reader the following trigger warnings:

Explicit sexual acts; non-con (all types of penetration); dub-con; forced O; use of force; drugging for the purpose of sex; manipulation; Stockholm Syndrome; trauma; harem situation; forced fighting; death; murder; SA not between the main characters; trauma; terminal illness; mentions of incest; kidnapping; human to non-human relations; multi-d*ck situations (yes, on one man); genital adjustment (mutilation?); a situation similar to knotting but… graphic and painful (this is where mutilation comes in); suicidal ideation/attempt/close call; use of alcohol; references to parental deaths; eating disorders‼️‼️.

I received a free copy of this book from and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nanii’s Book Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥

𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ↴
I enjoyed it, had me hooked from the very first chapter but that MMC gave me the burning desire to beat him to a 🩸 pulp. He was infuriating when he would continuously say “But I’ve apologized” as if the FMC wasn’t entitled to heal on her own time. Not only did she have to put up with his abuse but she had to deal with abuse inflicted by others because they wanted to get back at the HIM.

Portia was a backstabbing snake but what’s to be expected from someone who stands by while other women are being 🍇d daily… (I didn’t expect the betrayal, in fact, it annoyed me when I found out).
Rinaya was power-hungry and a liar and I knew it the minute she spoke to Kiera.
And Grayson… what’s there to like about Grayson? The man couldn’t take a freaking hint even if you drew him a freaking map and he was just so insufferable. His ending wasn’t satisfying enough for me.

This book is for lovers of all things dark. For the love of god, as soon as you open the book you see “Please prioritize yourself and your health” so please read the content warnings before you pick this up, there are some scenes that could be triggering for many people.

𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫 ↴
This is an Advanced Reader copy. Although this book was given to me as an ARC my thoughts are my own. Thank you to Madilyn DeRose and Booksirens for the ARC opportunity!

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 ✎
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⇝ ★★★★☆
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 ⇝ 419
𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭 ⇝ e-Book | Kindle
𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 ⇝ Nov 12, 2024

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 ↴
🥀 Morally Grey
📚 Unique Peen
🥀 He Falls First
📚 Twists & Turns
🥀 Tragic Backstories
📚 True Enemies to Lovers

🥀 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 📖

[GoldenEyeOfHorus · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

While this was a very, very dark read (trigger warnings galore) the world building was great and the story was intriguing.

The banter and humor were well done. The FMC never let up off the MMC's neck. He tried to make her as miserable as possible and she gave it right back, and thankfully there was no body betrayal here. I love that!

There were things that could have been better. For instance, the push and pull once the MMC realized the error of his ways and tried to get the FMC's forgiveness went on for too long and started to get boring. The spice should have been much better and the ending felt so rushed.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entangled realms

This dark retelling of beauty and the beast drew me in from the beginning.
Secrets at every turn and thrilling twists.
The main female character and the male character seem to come from completely different worlds but come to understand each other.
I liked how easily I could picture each scene in my mind from the detailed descriptions.
There are very clear content warnings at the start of this book which I highly recommend reading before entering into this heavy dark fantasy world.
Some triggers to be aware of is murder, torture, Stockholm and manipulation tactics.
I received a ARC and this is my review that is completely voluntary.

[Debra Johnson]

Prch Amz May 3, 2024

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book. READ THIS BOOK!!! What started as one chapter before bed turned into a reading-fuelled insomnia fest. I couldn't put it down!! At the start, your heart is ripped in two and I thought it wasn't possible for Reyne to be redeemable in any way, shape or form but how wrong I was... His redemption arc is *chef's kiss*. Keira is bad@ss the entire way through and she is one of my top tier FMCs ever. This is my first book by this author but it won't be the last!

I'm leaving my honest thoughts after having received a copy in advance from the author.

[BookishBabeWheelin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love fairytale retelling?!

If you know the story of beauty and the beast then you know the basics of this story. But that will only give you a basic idea. This book has twists and turns abound. I myself am a a sucker for a retelling and this book kept me on my toes! This my frist time reading Madilyn’s work and I will be reading more for sure.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an arc of this book & I was SO excited for it! This is the first book I’m reading from this author & I knew it was going to be dark because those trigger warnings were intense but the dedication page had me ready to go.
I loved how descriptive she was about everything. You can easily imagine this world and all that came with it. The banter was fantastic between the FMC & the MMC but what lost me was the end. It’s like yay HEA jk, by the way Kiera has an inoperable brain tumor we forgot to tell you about & oh, never mind the surgery worked, just kidding. Reyn is actually just giving her a beautiful moment in her head because she’s dying & the surgery didn’t work. Then he gives her extra energy & she wakes up from her coma & she’s better again but only if you cut off the energy from her home world so the tumor won’t return.
Also, you threw in a spy of Riniya when we didn’t really need to have Portia be a spy. It just felt like these parts were added & they didn’t really need to be there so that’s why I subtracted stars. But the imagery and the world she created was beautiful and I will look into more of Madilyn’s work.

[Chaos · Rating 3 out of 5]

TWs: R*pe, gore, bully tactics, somnophilia

I took a chance with this book. I'm not the biggest fan of somnophilia. I think it's icky and just not my thing. Surprisingly, I didn't mind those parts as much as the outright r*pe. And even in those situations, as long as the "hero" does some type of groveling, it works out, but in this book, it just didn't work. I didn't really like Leander at all. His character was all based on him being an a**hole. There wasn't anything about him that made me want to "forgive" him. And I didn't really like Keira either. I just didn't connect with her too 5 the ending didn't make it much better.

I'm all for not having a perfect HEA or one at all, but to me, the ending felt rushed. The author built up this amazing complicated world, and it fell flat at the end. It was almost an afterthought, which didn't fit with the rest of the book at all. The writing, the descriptions, were perfection until the last bit. I definitely will pick up another book by this author as the writing is immersive.

[Brenna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Severals issues here:
1. If you are going to do a trope (beauty and the beast) which is a trope that is completely flooded, it has to have something specials to it. It is frustrating to see a great concept marred with cliche motifs and cringy Disney references.
2. Whereas I LOVE juicy word choice, there were time in this that it felt like it was a high schooler using a thesaurus. It did not flow naturally.
3. There were almost TOO many twists and turns. It was an epic story that needed more time to be told well.
4. When I see a book that has so many trigger warnings, one has to go to a separate website, I would hope the smut would have been good? It felt like a soap opera sexx, cut to candle or commercial as soon as the good stuff starts.

[Jessica (Read book. Repeat) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can find this review and all my others over at Read Book. Repeat.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.

If Kiera being dragged to an underground fighting ring so she can be the third wheel to her bestie, Eli, wasn't bad enough, things only get worse when she catches the eye of the strange man sitting in a throne overlooking the carnage. She can't help but be drawn to him, and he to her. She doesn't realise that catching his attention is the last thing she wants until she's being kept against her will as one of his fighters. Now she is being held captive, forced to train in order to fight a foe that she knows nothing about, as much as she doesn't want to give up, maybe giving up in this situation isn't as bad as staying. The more she learns about him and his court, the more she starts to realise that there may be more behind the beast. Behind his cruelty and depravity. Or maybe, it's Stockholm syndrome. As Kiera's anger grates against him, he is forced to face not only her demons, but his own. His world hangs in the balance, and time is running out, but maybe Kiera is not the key to his salvation after all.

I couldn't wait to dive into this dark, and I mean DARK, Beauty and the Beast retelling. Straight up, check the TW. There is very sensitive subjects and themes in this book, which the author is incredibly up front about. Check those TW before you proceed. There is a lot of on page stuff that is written in detail, and I'd hate for someone's mental health to take a hit because of something they're reading.

This story drew me in from the first page and it didn't let go. I found myself staying up WAY past my bedtime just so I could keep reading, and cursing everyone's name who dared to speak to me while I was on my lunch break at work. DeRose's writing is SO immersive. It really drags you right into the story and throws you into the MC's shoes. The world building is done in such a way that you can take it in bit by bit and not be drowning in info-dump which I loved. We got such a wonderful world, built before our eyes, but it's a world shrouded in darkness. This is not a fairytale, quite the opposite. There were times where I honestly felt that the MMC could not be redeemed as he does some horrible, horrible things, and by the end I actually wondered whether I had Stockholm Syndrome by proxy. Somehow, I couldn't hate him. I feel like DeRose having the ability to make me question myself as I read this book, question why I couldn't hate someone who was so abhorrent, having the ability to make me hold out such hope that SOMETHING could redeem the beast, really shows her ability at weaving a tale so rich that you can taste it. The details in the castle were so deep, without being Tolkien level deep, yet you're still given such a detailed picture of the settings and the scenes. Being told through alternating POV's between the Beauty, and the Beast, also gave us a deeper experience, being able to read the story knowing what was going through both of their minds also helped with this. I feel this is also why I found it so hard to hate him, because we get to know him, know who he is behind the mask. There were also things that I didn't pick up on which was nice. I do feel that the ending was a little bit fast, not the fight, what came after that, I wanted a little more in depth but honestly, what we got satisfied me well enough. I'm very glad for the two epilogues because that first one, man, my heart sunk.

The characters were so well written. As said above, DeRose had me questioning myself because I struggled to hate the MMC, he did such horrible, awful things, but I feel like being able to read things from his perspective helped to keep an open mind and made me hope against hope that he could redeem himself in some way. I loved how there was a deeper dimension to both of our leading characters, the pain and trauma they'd both experienced in their lives made them a perfect match. Being able to help each other through their traumas was a wonderful addition to the story. I loved Kiera's feistiness and her stabby nature. She's so strong and as much as she is terrified and disgusted and hurt, she keeps pushing. Even though there are times where she considers giving up, she still keeps going, and I loved that about her. I loved that she pushed against our MMC so much, and that her tenacity is what intrigues him about her. There were some humorous moments through this story which had a lot to do with the banter between our lead characters, and I loved every second of it.

All in all, this was a fantastic retelling of a fairytale that I've always loved. Though, as said above, make sure you are checking the TW for this book as it's very detailed and descriptive about certain things that happen. This is very dark, and the FMC actually mentions Stockholm Syndrome throughout the story which I liked. The author also acknowledges that this story, as well as the source material, are classic cases of Stockholm. She is not condoning it, but it is acknowledged. This was just a super immersive read with a deep story about love, loss, cruelty and strength, these characters are not 'good', they are believable. If you're after a story that will drag you into it's pages and keep you there until the wee hours of the morning, pick this one up, BUT! Make. Sure. You. Check. Those. TW!!!!

[T🩵 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a different spin on beauty & the beast. I really loved the vulgar aspect of their relationship and the groveling that came to be. It was a fun read!

[Kreela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is blatantly smexy, with a Stockholm-syndrome feel.
⁃ Captive romance
⁃ Beauty and the Beast
⁃ Monster romance with tentacle-like branches
⁃ Knotting
⁃ Rape
⁃ Multiple entries
⁃ Must have no triggers
⁃ M/F pairing, dual POV

I love realistically gritty stories right now. The beast, Reynaeros (Rhinoceros to make fun of him) is what I would describe as monstrous. He cares nothing for the multiple women he captured for his gruesome underground fight club, and he rapes them for his own gratification.

There was a shock where he touched me, then a shape began to appear on my skin. It was like a scar, raised and slightly paler than the rest.
“What is that?”
“It is our contract, Kiera. You willingly participated in my fight and now you belong to me.”

Kiera made the mistake of looking at the white-haired, blue and green swirled eyes in a fight club her BFF dragged her to. To save him from fighting, she agreed to swap places, not knowing it was a permanent contract. In my mind, it was an obvious setup.

Unfortunately for her, the captor has existed, cursed, on Earth for hundreds or thousands of years, but he kept himself a recluse. He modernized with TVs and showers but avoided any modernization of social intellect. What this means is that human women are treated as property.

Let’s talk about sex. There is a lot of it. It’s blatantly non-consensual. If you have any triggers regarding rape, don’t touch this novel. Kiera rages through her capture, and her captor, Reynaeros, feels all her emotions. Bored through millenia and suspecting she might be able to help him stop the curse, he engages her again and again. As a strong woman, she refuses to cave and fights back in her own way, slowly realizing that she can gain some control using sex. He is remarkably unsavvy about anything beyond straight force. A kiss floors him, for example.

But at some point strangers break in and molest her. It’s seriously depressing because she has no control over the situation. But it’s an important plot point. I realized that her constant abusive relationship with Reyn has hardened her enough to survive and move beyond the rape. I almost cried.

I don’t want to condone such behavior but I think I understand more about the dynamics reading this in a fantasy.

For example: “I don’t need you to come lecture me about the proper way to be a prisoner, so you can just go tell your master that I’m fine.”
Doesn’t that statement make you wince while applauding Kiera?
Or this one:
“I’d like to read a damn book so I can escape into a world significantly better than this one. A horror book, for example.”

Other Characters:
There are several minor characters. This is not a shallow M/F fluff novel.

Theme:

I realized later in the book that this must be a story about redemption. Kiera, once she finds her own sense of control and power, brings Raynaeros from his inflexible mentality to a more-empathic and caring being. It’s beautiful to read. And to be honest, the more emotional the angst is the more powerful the ending becomes.

REVISION:

After reading other reviews that the ending was rushed, I agree. I mentally created my own HEA because 80% of the way through a man named Grayson, who was portrayed as dating her bestie, Eli, suddenly was described as hunting her down with the police force as if he loved her, not Eli. It was very confusing. I could understand if he was rescuing her for Eli’s sake, but I also found the explosive gunfire, chase scenes, and her feats of Olympic gymnastics pulled me out of the story into disbelief land.

Don’t get me wrong; I loved the story up to that point and would read it again, stopping at 80% and making my own HEA.

[Aurien · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We're each the villain in someone else's story, regardless of what we might have done to remedy our mistakes."

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 / 5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ / 5

Recommend if you enjoy:

- True Enemies to Lovers
- Dark Romance
- Captor/Captive
- Forced Proximity
- Dark Fairytale Retelling
- Anti-hero MMC
- Snarky & Stabby FMC
- Hidden Identity
- Magical Curse
- Morally Grey
- Dark Secrets
- Banter
- Groveling
- Dual POV
- Unique 🍆

"Feeling something is better than nothing, and sometimes, another person’s worst pain is more bearable than that which we hold inside ourselves."

Oh. My. God. This book had me in a chokehold from start to finish. It definitely gave me all the feels. I laughed, cried, swooned, raged, and was utterly horrified.

Kiera is so incredibly strong and has amazing character growth throughout the story, despite dealing with trauma that would break most people. She challenges Reyn at every turn, and her banter with him is top notch. Some of the reactions she brought out of him had me giggling and kicking my feet. And the nicknames? 🤌🏻

"'I see that murderous look in your eye,' he noted, swiping his dagger through the air a couple of times. With it, he looked menacing and undeniably capable of having me on my back in a pool of blood within five seconds.

'What can I say? You make me want to stab things.'

'By things, you mean me.'

'Obviously. Let’s just get this over with, fairy boy.'"

Rath and Chester were fantastic side characters, and Reyn? Oh boy. His character made me feel so many conflicted things. His curse definitely brought out the darkest parts of his soul, and I was uncertain whether he would redeem himself (or if he even could, to be honest).

This book was incredibly well written, and I love the author's writing style. I am eagerly anticipating the sequel, Eclipsed Realms, that looks like is taking us to a new realm with new characters (I'm thinking this will be a series of interconnected standalones, but I very much hope to see Kiera, Reyn, Rath, Chester & co again!)

Note: Check those trigger warnings, folks! This one is not for the faint of heart but 💯 worth it, IMO.

"She was my little rose, and I needed her to bloom. I had no desire to clip her thorns. For her, I would gladly bleed so long as it pleased her. Until the day I returned to the earth, I wished to have her in my arms, no matter how sharp she was."

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

[Kimberly Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC. My review is my own honest opinion!

OH. MY. GOD.
I devoured this book I did not want to put it down! I absolutely adored the banter in this book I finished it yesterday so it's still fresh in my mind. Kiera (like Sierra (my first dogs name!) but with a K(but my brain kept pronouncing it like one of my current dogs name Kera)) is a bad ass! Heed your trigger warnings this is a dark romance (I will list them at the end of this review). This is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and honestly it is in my top 5 favorite books (although I just started reading again in mid July and I have on read 24 books some which were sort to super short novellas) I just loved it so much!!! Reyn is grumpy grumperson (lol) and is dealing with a lot of shit (terribly (much like my reviewing capabilities)).

Like I said I loved this and if you like Beauty and the Beast retellings with men who are definitely not "fairies" then this is for you it has spice it has enemies to lovers it has touch her and I will end your entire family bloodline (like seriously). I was honestly shocked at how much I loved this okay maybe I shouldn't say shocked more like pleasantly surprised at how good it was. I didn't expect to love it like I do. I haven't read a lot of dark romances this is actually my second (first being Carving for Cara which actually had a scene that made me uncomfortable if you've read it you probably know which one) so I don't have a good reference range but I didn't feel this was that dark but that is my opinion so ya know again read the warnings. I definitely recommend reading it!

🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶/5

‼️‼️The following is the trigger warnings that I have copy and pasted from the author's Instagram link:
Entangled Realms
Explicit sexual acts; non-con (all types of penetration); dub-con; forced O; use of force; drugging for the purpose of sex; manipulation; Stockholm Syndrome; trauma; harem situation; forced fighting; death; murder; SA not between the main characters; trauma; terminal illness; mentions of incest; kidnapping; human to non-human relations; multi-dick situations (yes, on one man); genital adjustment (mutilation?); a situation similar to knotting but… graphic and painful (this is where mutilation comes in); suicidal ideation/attempt/close call; use of alcohol; references to parental deaths; eating disorders‼️‼️

[Michelle Frater · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re expecting Ewan McGregor singing Be Out Guest, you’ll be in for an unpleasant surprise! There’s a world of darkness in this book and the author pulls no punches when it comes to the trauma suffered by the Kiera at the hands of the MMC. It becomes clear very early on that Reyn is not of this world. In some of the lighter moments, it was funny to hear Kiera refer to him as fairy man, which didn’t go down well. The first part of this novel is harrowing to say the least. Tricked into a contract with Reyn, it seems she’s now part of his harem with all that entails, whether she likes it, or not. The pain he inflicts was exacerbated by the way Reyn felt about humans. “They were always just a pastime for me, never actually making me feel anything.” “You become addicted to the pain.” I admit there were a couple of non-con scenes that almost made me give up, but that was what I loved about Kiera, she was so strong and would never make this easy for Reyn. It was ironic then that Rejn needed Kiera’s help, and not surprising when she told him where he could stick it. When intimidation fails to work, Reyn tries a different approach, but does he really think an apology can make up for what he has done? Despite her protests to the contrary, I felt there were definitely some elements of Stockholm Syndrome when Kiera accepted an enemies-with-benefits arrangement, especially when she couldn’t make herself carry through her plan. Reyn’s realization that there’s something about Kiera that has slowly worked its way under his skin turns her into more than simply a means to any end. But is it all too little too late?
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sam's godda read · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very dark twist on beauty and the beast.

This is a stand alone paranormal enemy to lovers dark romance novel. This book contains a lot of dark content so please check out Madilyn’s Instagram for the trigger warnings!

Kiera is an ordinary barista just out for a fun night with her best friend Eli who’s convinced her to tag along to an underground fight club so that he can meet up with a hot date. As Kiera takes in the club she meets Leander, a gorgeous guy who’s clearly in charge and radiating major danger vibes. She quickly assesses just how much she doesn’t want to be there, only to turn around and realize that her friend is nowhere to be found. Assuming he went to find a private place with his date she sends Eli a text letting him know she went home.

The following day goes by with no word from Eli so Kiera goes looking for him in the last place she saw him. At the fight club, Kiera soon learns that Leander’s holding her friend against his will, forcing him to fight in the ring. The only way for Eli to go free is if Kiera takes his place. The choice is hers and she’s allowed to refuse. But can she leave her friend there to suffer if she can do something about it?

This was such an interesting take on the beauty and the beast concept. I truly enjoyed it. A true enemies to lovers story with actual development rather than the normal I hate you one moment and love you in the next that you often find with this trope. Again I very much enjoyed this and will for sure be checking out more from this author!

[Elisabeth Copeland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such an outstanding read. Entangled Realms is a very dark retelling of Beauty and Beast with a unique twist. Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairytale and I tend to be a little leery of any retelling of this tale as most authors do not fully bring the retelling to life. This author did not disappoint.

This is the story of Keira and Reyn. Their happily ever after is met with twists, turns, heartache and betrayal. Reyn is the Beast and so morally grey there were times I was not sure if he was going to be redeemable. However, as in the original story, his curse brings out the darkest parts of his soul and he truly is a beast. Keira has strength you rarely find in a FMC. What she goes through at the hands of Reyn and others would make a weaker character hide behind the victim card and never grow. She is tough and challenges Reyn at every turn.

This author did such an amazing job with this story and stayed true to the original version. While this definitely an adult story, you will see bits and pieces of it coming to life within this story. For me, that enhanced my enjoyment of Keira’s and Reyn’s story. There is a curse, a rose, and a library.

A very strong word of warning. This is a very dark retelling so please, be very mindful of your triggers. There are repeated r@pes of the FMC and other women as well as vi0l3nce perpetrated by the MMC and others. While this is unsettling, the writing keeps the story moving forward and the author does not glorify these actions. There is a happily ever after.

[Tiffany Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entangled Realms by Madilyn Derose
ARC Review

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶🌶🌶🌶

🥀Very Dark Romance/Dark Fantasy
🥀True Enemies to Lovers
🥀Fairytale Retelling
🥀Beauty and the Beast
🥀Morally Grey
🥀He Falls Firts
🥀Unique P33n/Barbs

⚠️Trigger Warnings⚠️
Explicit sexual acts; non-con (all types of penetration); dub-con; forced O; use of force; drugging for the purpose of sex; manipulation; Stockholm Syndrome; trauma; harem situation; forced fighting; death; murder; SA not between the main characters; trauma; terminal illness; mentions of incest;  kidnapping; human to non-human relations; multi-dick situations (yes, on one man);  genital adjustment (mutilation?); a situation similar to knotting but… graphic and painful (this is where mutilation comes in); suicidal ideation/attempt/close call; use of alcohol; references to parental deaths; eating disorders

If the triggers stated above didn't deter you, READ. THIS. BOOK! I lost so much sleep devouring this book. I'm a sucker for adult retellings of fairytales and this is definitely one of my favorites!

The characters are top tier, appearances described perfectly and the banter between all of them was hilarious. Worldbuilding is great and made it easy to picture every scene. There are a few twists not even I saw coming and I'm usually pretty perceptive of those 🤣

I do not want this to be the end, i need a novella of more Kiera/Reyn and I need a whole book of Rath and Eli 🤣 I absolutely LOVE this book and 100% recommend!

[Kate Presley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book and am submitting this review voluntarily and without bias :)

This was a darker Beauty in the Beast retelling with TW's so please check them if that is something you struggle with. This is a book where you do need to take the warnings seriously. This is DARK, not "he spanked me hehe dark"

This was the first book that I've read by this author and I was pleasantly surprised at just how quickly it was able to pull me in. This book also made me realize that I am morally messed up, bc if I were kidnapped by the MMC it would take exactly 129 seconds for me to be putty in his hands. Oops.

The story follows Reyn and Kiera, and their journey of freeing him from his curse. The spice is immaculate, the angst and enemies to lovers is top tier, and the entire thing had me on the verge of tears or squealing and kicking my feet.

I genuinely did not want the story to end and the only reason I'm taking away a star is because I felt the end needed a little more for a wrap up and I am a snob who judges books by their cover and I really wish the cover was as absolutely phenomenal as the inside of the book.

Overall, chefs kiss of a dark retelling with twists, turns, and barbed schlongs.

[Victoria Alden · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

Thank you Madilyn DeRose for this ARC!

The banter, omg the banter in this book is insanely good. Kiera’s humour and witty responses were everything. She’s someone you would want to be friends with in real life. Reyns growth in this area was fun to follow and by the end his comebacks almost outmatched Kiera’s. I seriously laughed so much during this story.

The story is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and was so addictive. The ending got me so good and yes I totally cried. I will say that for the first 60% of the book I wanted to punch Reyn in the face so many times and had to remind myself that he will have a redemption arc but man was he infuriating. This story was perfectly executed and I really enjoyed this version of the fairytale.

The subplot really enhanced the ending, making me constantly wanting more and it didn’t disappoint. It never felt rushed and the spice was very yummy. A tongue that can split itself at will and a unique c0ck that can do the same, yes sir!

My only complaint was that I didn’t get to see more of Kiera and Reyn all lovely dovey. Praying for a novella about them now and since I loved Eli and Rath so much I’d love more of them! Literally trying to will this into existence.

[Coffeenbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

- Dark romance
- Fairytale retelling
- Enemies to lovers
- Morally grey characters

I love Beauty and the Beast retellings, so I was very eager to read this. This is a very dark retelling, so please make sure to check the TW before reading.

What began as being the wing woman for her roommate turned into a life changing experience. When Kiera's friend Eli asks her to go to what Kiera believes is a club, she is apprehensive, but supportive. The club is actually an underground fight club. Kiera leaves fairly quickly, but Eli never returns home. Frantic, Kiera returns to the club to inquire if anyone knows what happened. The club owner, known as Leander, informs Kiera that she can switch places with Eli in a fight - or let Eli fight and possibly not make it. After exhausting all other avenues to rescue her friend, Kiera agrees to the switch.

What she doesn't realize is that this is not a one time deal. She will become one of the fighters. She also has no idea that Reyn (Leander's real name) has plans for her...

This book has so many twists and turns that I was totally engrossed in the story. It was very dark, but an amazing story.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Adrianna Heaney-velu · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Feeling something is better than nothing and sometimes another person’s worst pain is more bearable than that which we hold inside ourselves.”

“Entangled Realms,” by Madilyn DeRose

Kiera going to a sketchy club with her best friend chances her life. She has a choice to stay away or save her best friend by sacrificing her freedom. Bound by a pact she must fight in matches for her life and try to defeat an enemy that beasts that hold her hostage cannot even beat. Reynaeros is trying hard to train Kiera to be able to save him and his people, but his feelings get complicated and questions his plan for her.

I loved this book so much! It was way darker than I was expecting and had tons of trigger warnings. It was mysterious and intense at every turn. The relationships kept me at the edge of my seat the entire book. All the characters were super dynamic and interesting. His horned man parts were OMG lol. It is definitely a book I will reread over and over again. 5 out of 5 stars, perfect.

-Fight Club
-Magic
-SA
-Dryads, faeries, orc
-Morally Grey/Black MMC
-Enemies To Lovers
-Trauma Bonding
-He Falls First
-Touch Her and You Unalive
-Retelling

Thank you for the free copy, Booksirens.