Liberated by Sin

The Severed Signet #4

by Elle Maldonado

Broken, violated, and left for dead.
I might have been breathing the day I woke up in that hospital room, but they had killed everything inside me that mattered.
With scars in my soul as deep as the ones on my skin, I craved revenge.
And I took it.
But as I lost myself in every faceless man whose blood stained my blade, the freedom I sought from my demons never came.
Until him.
Santino Leone fell for the girl I kept hidden behind a mask—the one whose jagged heart was never meant to be put back together but filled with all the sharp edges of his.
He was safe with promises of a future I didn’t know I deserved and a love I thought I’d never touch.
But when my secrets unravel, and the monsters of my past come to collect, will we rise and reap what’s owed or be delivered into the arms of death?

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Mafia Romance, Dark, Forced Proximity, Spicy, Revenge

380 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 15, 2025

Reviews

[Ash]

“Amara wasn’t the peace I thought I craved. Her touch was rage, passion, and pain. Like the collision of two storms, her love feeds my soul and sets the ashes of my heart on fire.”


THIS IS A FAMILY OMGG! I was beyond scared to finish this series because I knew this book would be the most emotional one but I am so glad to read it at this time. Oh my baby Amara went through so much I just wanted to hug her and she is truly was an embodiment of a Phoenix. Then Santino was everything you can want in a man and the way he was patient with Amara🥺. And the while family reunion I was so emotional🥹. I am so happy I got the chance to read this series and so excited for second gen🤭

“For this beautiful life, baby. Because of you, I found my way back to my family. And I found my way back to myself.”

[cloudy]

where do i start? how can i put into words what this book achieved, what it means to me? i don’t think i’ve ever read a finale that felt like it was truly complete, if that makes sense, quite like this. the story dove headfirst into the pandora’s box that was opened at the start of the series, bringing clarity to the events that even made the first book possible. after reading “liberated by sin”, i appreciate “severed by vengeance” more; this gave more meaning and depth to that story and i think the series would’ve felt incomplete without derek’s pov and closure in this last installment, because, even though, his book paved the way, there’d be nothing without athena. none of the couples would be together if it wasn’t for her. it was her fate that put everything in motion. and that’s the only brightside to all the pain, and suffering, and trauma she experienced time and time again, that all of them did at some point to fight for themselves, and ultimately to fight for their loved ones. the scenes between leni and amara broke me, and will stay with me until i see them next time. this series will always be a part of me.

* i was sent an arc by the author in exchange for a honest review

[Dahlia’s Library]

ARC REVIEW

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

WOW! This is such a bittersweet goodbye for me. I fell in love with Elle's books when I read Severed by Vengeance. Derek holds a special place in my heart, and this series has been nothing short of extraordinary. As with all great series, the end brings a mix of emotions. It's so hard to say goodbye to characters who’ve made us laugh, cry, and scream—but we must, to make way for the next incredible story Elle has prepared for us.

Athena’s life is shaped by heartbreak and struggle. Just when she thinks she’s finally breaking free from her abusive adoptive father and starting fresh, things take a turn for the worse. She finds herself trapped in a relentless nightmare that few could ever escape. Yet she does. Rising from the ashes of her pain, Amara is born—a fierce phoenix determined to bring justice to those who’ve hurt her and countless others.

Santino, on the other hand, only intended to pay his respects to his uncle and sell his share of the Club to his cousin. That was the plan—until he sees her. Amara. The edgy, defiant stripper who couldn’t care less about his power or who he is.

Amara tries to keep her walls high, but Santino has a way of breaking through. He gets under her skin and into her heart, teaching her to trust again. Slowly but surely, he helps her confront and work through her traumas, and when Santino makes promises, he keeps them—every single one.
Santi and Amara are truly a special couple. Together, they’re electric, and his unwavering devotion to her is beautiful to witness. He doesn’t just love her; he worships the ground she walks on, showing her the kind of faith and love she’s never experienced in her life.

One of the joys of this book is seeing characters from the previous novels return. Leni, with her sarcastic brilliance, remains as lovable as ever. Derek? Absolutely spectacular. And seeing Amalia and Kai, along with their sweet, endearing dynamic, brought so much warmth.

The ending? A masterpiece, truly a chef’s kiss. And those epilogues? WOW! They left me yearning for more, teasing a glimpse into the next generation that I cannot wait to explore.

[Ioana Reads]

5 Preziosa stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4🌶

Sfârșitul perfect al acestei serii, pe care, fie vorba între noi, SIGUR o voi reciti cândva!
Va rog, fiți atenți la TW!


"𝑾𝒆'𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒏."
"𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒊'𝒗𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖."


"...𝒊 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖..𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒊 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒐𝒖𝒕."

[destiny]

hold the fuck up. i can barely breathe rn 😭 i just don’t want to say goodbye to this series yet wtf.

this series is so beautiful. so unique. every single character has my heart. thank you so much elle for giving me the opportunity to arc read this !!

please check your triggers before reading !! there are some very dark scenes and themes. this is a dark romance, serial killer fmc, pierced mmc, assassin/hitman, revenge plot, hidden identity, trauma, healing, heartfelt moments, beautiful goodbye 🩷

i don’t want to spoil the fmc’s name for you so i wont be saying it, only santino the mmc !!

“i always knew that’s what you’d taste like.”
“and what’s that?”
“mine.”
💥💳💥💳💥💳💥💳

wow … the things this girl went through. i can’t even think about it without breaking down. i just want to hold her and tell her that i see her and i feel her and that she’s not alone. my heart absolutely broke for her in those chapters. she deserves the whole world. i love how she took that trauma and made it her weapon. she came out the other end stronger and became such a force to be reckoned with. this WOMAN is the definition of “fuck around a find out” 🤩

santino. this man. holy fuck. the moment i met him in the previous books i already knew i was going to be down bad for him. he is the perfect man for our girl. the way he just knows her every tell, knows exactly what she’s feeling, knows how to get her out of her head … oh i’ve never swooned so hard. be is so possessive yet completely lets her does her own thing while supporting her in every way !! i just simply love this man so much 😩

such a bittersweet moment saying goodbye to these characters. this series is just a banger after banger !! i will forever hold this family in my heart 🥹

🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Lori]

Holy crap balls!!! This is a way to end the series! If you want to read a book you cannot put down & HAVE to know what happens next, read this one now!
Athena has a severely traumatizing past, so make sure you read all the content warnings. But to see her becoming a force to be reckoned with is something else. And Santino, good lord almighty! What a man!

[Han]

4 ⭐️
Wow I really enjoyed this series. Can’t wait to start the next generation!!

Safety
•No V’s
•No others after meeting
•h: had never been with anyone consensually. Had ex named Ezra In highschool I think she loved
•H: experienced not a lot of talk about his past though. Just that usually it was one night stands
•owd:No. Start of book while at the strip club his cousin is trying to get him a lap dance. He allows it for like 2 seconds before ditching her because he’d seen the h for the first time
•omd: no

On page rape

[angelictaleslibrary]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
🌶️🌶️🌶️

♥️Human trafficking
♥️Serial unaliver FMC
♥️Obsessed/Possessed MMC
♥️Touch him/her and die
♥️Revenge arc
♥️Exotic dancer FMC
♥️He falls first
♥️Hidden identity

This book had me heart broken for Athena, the trauma she went through was devastating.
She was one incredible bada$$ fmc, instead of letting her trauma consume her, she came back stronger and kicked arse..
The mmc Santino, he was everything tough, and the way he treated Athena, the way he loved her, holy moly he’s hot 🔥 I was melting for him, the chemistry was of the chart..
I absolutely loved this book off to read the rest of the series..

[Bianca]

Liberated By Sin is the final book in The Severed Signet series. This was the best one by far. This story was filled with overcoming trauma, finding unconditional love and coming to terms with a past. Amalia over comes so much and Santino loves her unconditionally.

The trigger warnings need to be heeded and taken seriously. There are some very dark and traumatic parts to Amalia's story. Please check out the authors page for a full list.

I received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kiki]

omGggg this series is just, tearsss!! 😭🫶🏾 love how every single woman in this series are powerhouses and their man are basically there embracing and encouraging it all.

infinity stars!!!.

[crystal]

FIRST OFF HAPPY RELEASE DAY REINA !!! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to ARC read the last book of one of my favorite series. 🥺

I have been waiting for this couples story since April of last year and it was just beyond perfect !! It was such an amazing end to the series. I’m so sad it’s over ! The first couple of chapter were honestly really rough. Amara was by far my favorite character !!! She went through so much but still remained resilient. I really admired her so much throughout this book.

My god the tension between Santino and Amara 😩 I loved it so damn much !!!!! The whole time was thinking to myself “please girl just give into him already !! IM BEGGING !!” It was just that fucking hot !! I loved their banter and I LOVED Santino. He was the definition of if he wanted to he would. Even though she did try stabbing him a few times 🤣 that man was in love from the moment he saw her and chapter 23 ?? SO FUCKING HOT. 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

I really loved how all the characters came back for this book and all the reunions honestly had me tearing up a bit 😭. ESPECIALLY THE PART WITH MASKIM AND LENI. I was honestly crying. AND I LOST MY DAMN MIND READING THE EPILOGUES 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 I cannot WAIT for what’s next !!

If you’re ever looking for something new to start and you’re looking for books with morally black men and fmcs who are STABBY AF, please read the Severed Signet series 😩😩😩

“𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞, 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐳𝐢𝐨𝐬𝐚. 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞.”

5 ★
🌶️🌶️

*FMC is an exotic dancer
*Boss/employee
*touch him/her and die
*pierced MMC
*revenge plot
*he falls first

[jazlynn]

tropes:
- he falls first (and so so hard, it's delicious)
- touch her/him & you're ☠️
- revenge plot x hidden identity = perfect combo

being brought up into a secret society and being a trained lethal weapon was enough until it wasn't. athena had found love and wanted to go experience life. that was her plan... leave it all behind with the man she loved. but it all came crashing down the night of her birthday.
betrayal caused her whole life to flip in the worst way imaginable. she sees and experiences the most horrific things, all the while hoping for death. and when she finds safety in someone who would become her bestest friend, all she cared about was surviving.
working as a dancer at night and working on her revenge in the late hrs of the morning, she never cared for men. not until she crosses paths with her new boss, an unforgettable man named santiago. from first look, he became enamored with amara. he wanted her and wanted to do whatever it took to have her. he never faltered and had no intentions of giving up on his quest to make her fall for him too.
he had every intention to chip away at every piece of cement in the wall she built around herself and did exactly that. the unmatched energy that surrounds them tore down her resolve bit by bit until all she could think about was him. her past and present nightmares wouldn't scare him away. he promised to protect her and that's exactly what he did.

this series has changed my brain for life. i don't think i'll ever get over this story or these characters. thank you elle for this arc ❤️

[Sarah]

Well after the bomb Elle left for us at the end of the last book I have been waiting for this story and HOLY WOW did it deliver.

Santi + Amara’s story was such an incredible end to this series and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It was intense, raw, heartbreakingly beautiful and emotional.

⊹ amara had been through the unimaginable but she channeled her anger into revenge and she was a badass.
⊹ her pain and anguish was palpable through the pages.
⊹ i shed so many tears for her. her journey was intense + raw.
⊹ santi’s instant intrigue and possessiveness of amara.
⊹ the way he was soft gone for her and did anything to gain her trust.
⊹ his patience with her + the way he gave her the time and safe space to open up.
⊹ the chemistry + tension was HOT.
⊹ the spice was even hotter.
⊹ his unwavering support of her extra curricular activities 👀
⊹ the way he became her safe place to land.
⊹ the connection between everyone. i loved how this was all revealed and weaved together
⊹ the cameos from previous couples + the way way all came together.
⊹ the sneaky peek at the next series had me gasping.

Please check triggers warnings before going into this one!

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁: serial unaliver fmc, revenge arc, hidden identity, he falls first.

[Nicole 》 thesmuttykindle]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
🌶🌶.5

⚠️Heavy past trauma

This is the final book in an interconnected series. Although it's not required you read the others it would help things make more sense.

If you like your FMCs on a stabby revenge war path then this one is for you! I absolutely love Elle's writing and the characters in this series. It's a complex intertwined found family of assassins with a cop, a billionaire, and some bad guys mixed in.

Amara and Santino were PERFECT together. She's got a whole heap of trauma and wants nothing to do with the new owner of the club she works at. Meanwhile man is OBSESSED and looks for every excuse to run into her and spend time with her. Their banter was amazing and there were so many surprisingly funny moments for such a dark story. Alsoooooo she's SUPER bloodthirsty and he wants to stab everyone who looks in her general direction so love that for us.

The pace of their relationship totally made sense and was believable given the circumstances and I really appreciated that. I did wish we got a little more of them once things settled down and they could actually be together and be happy but that's just me being greedy.

Overall I absolutely loved this and this series and the little peek at the next series... 😱😱😱😱 YASSSSSSS please.

Read if you like:
- Unapologetically Stabby FMC
- Revenge plot
- Man OBSESSED
- Look at her and ☠️
- Found Family
- He helps her heal

[Kyla Honey]

Athena & Santino 🥹

this book was a lot darker than the others, and touched on a lot of messed up subjects but I was so invested and loved it all.

Thinking Athena was dead in the rest of the series and getting her story and what she went through at the hands of her “father” was heart breaking to say the least

But one thing about Athena — she’s gonna give you karma in the worst way!!!!!

The stripper plot was so much fun 🤣 Athena was really that bitchhhh 💋 and Santino never saw her coming— but once he got a glimpse of her the rest was history.

She swore she could scare him off because let’s face it she kills evil men for a living, but once Santino joined in — yeah they were a match made in heaven 🤭🤣

Her reunion with her brothers made me cry and seeing the whole family dynamic come together & just seeing all the badass women raising all these babies !! 🥹🥰

I am so sad this is the end of the series.. BUT …


The epilogue for the KIDS SERIES??? Are you kidding me omggggg, Derek is gonna make heads ROLL and I’m so ready for it 🤣🥰

[Jen Wycech]

Dark romance
Revenge
Workplace

Dual narration - Janine Granda & Grayson Owens

TW- Sex trafficking, non-con (on-page. not between mc's), sex auction, assault, captivity, confinement, drugging, sexual assault, whipping, attempted sexual assault, graphic violence, knife violence, eye trauma, arson, body set on fire, death, ptsd, disassociation, attempted murder, kidnapping, suicide attempt, suicide ideation, genital mutilation, dismemberment, blood, torture, murder, gun violence, explicit sex, explicit language, graphic blood play (not between mc's).

This was a deeply dark and emotional listen. It is very well written and performed. The narrators were amazing at bringing the characters and story to life.

I love a strong FMC and Athena is broken but still very strong willed. She is out for revenge.

Santino is a man who is obsessed and who worships Athena from the very moment he lays eyes on her. He will burn the world down for her is he has to.

Epic love story with dark tones.

[tyleralesia]

✨ARC review✨

How do I just move on with my life after this series 😭 I started reading this series thanks to the Probably Smut Book Club box and I have been hooked ever since! This was a wonderful finale to the series.

Amara’s story was very captivating and seeing how she overcame her circumstances was amazing. I loved her interactions with Santino as well and seeing their relationship develop throughout the book. Santino’s devotion to her was so beautiful and I loved seeing him be gentle with her when she needed it but also able to handle anything she threw at him. I also loved the little mix-ins of the other characters from the series as well.

Overall this book was a phenomenal read! Definitely check triggers as this book was dark! There was a preview for the new series after the book and I’m so excited to get into that and see the continuation of these characters!

Thank you to the author for the advanced copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own!

[blakeereads]

3.5⭐️ & rounding up to 4!

The first chapter pulled me in immediately and my stomach was in fucking knots the first 6.

The shit Athena (Amara) had to suffer and endure was excruciating to read and god I felt for her. She never stopped fighting. A SURVIVOR.

Santino was so patient and gentle with her.

I love a revenge arc and every single person that got on Amara’s bad side deserved exactly what they had coming to them by her hand.

& like a good man, Santino stayed by her side through it all.

What you get :

- serial unaliver fmc
- revenge arc
- workplace
- she’s an exotic dancer
- dark
- hidden identity
- touch him/her & ☠️
- he falls first
- READ TWs!!!

[crisscrossreads]

I’m still trying to find the words to say how much I adored this book and I guess those are it. There is beauty in not letting circumstances break you and allowing them to make you stronger. Elle you weaved a beautiful story that was poignant, twisty, spicy and a top tier read. I can’t stop thinking about it.

🌸SERIAL UNALIVER FMC
🖤PIERCED MMC
🌸REVENGE ARC
🖤EXOTIC DANCER FMC
🌸HIDDEN IDENTITY
🖤HE FALLS FIRST
🌸TOUCH HIM/HER AND ☠️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thank you for letting me read this as an ARC I enjoyed it tremendously. What a way to end the series it was the perfect cherry on top of a delicious sundae. You knocked it way outta the park babe.

[Ashlie Marie]

Dark, gritty, and dripping with vengeance, this book pulls no punches. A jagged love story wrapped in blood-soaked revenge, it delivers an emotional rollercoaster of trauma, redemption, and hope. The chemistry between Santino and the masked, broken heroine is electric, proving that even the sharpest edges can find a way to fit. Equal parts heartache and heat, this story will have you rooting for justice while clutching your chest at every twist. Perfect for those who like their romance raw, their heroes broody, and their villains absolutely terrifying.

[Amour.Rebelle.Reads (Bran.d)]

completely unputdownable

Athena is broken, angry, and fighting for revenge, and Santino Leone is the one man who sees past all her walls. Janine Granda and Grayson Owens absolutely bring these characters to life—the tension, the heartbreak, the sparks—it’s all there. Dark, intense, and completely unputdownable.

[Amoyisreadingxoxo]

The way I’m BAWLING RN?! RTC🥹😭

[Nicole Simmons]

Not my fav of the series but still really enjoyed it and highly recommend it as a whole.

[Tiffany Douglas]

If you’re looking for an MMC that becomes OBSESSED at first sight… Santino Leone is your man 😏
One thing about @authorellemaldonado and this series… her FMC’s are all strong badass women, and their men are all simps 🤭 I absolutely loved Santino and Athena’s banter, and how sensitive Santino was about Athena’s troubled past and all the trauma she went through. He was exactly what Athena needed 🥹 and accepted every part of her, past and present.
This was such a great conclusion to this generation of the “Severed Universe”. I couldn’t recommend this series enough!

[Kearsten]

What a beautiful end to the series, but fuck am I sad that it’s over. 😭😭😭 The upcoming Leni/Silas novella and the next generation series are the only things keeping me from the ledge right now, ahahahah (but really). I’m so glad I gave this spicy dark romance series a try. It turned out to be so fun and entertaining, and I gained a new beloved fmc (Leni 4eva 😍)!

[Cassy]

This was such a satisfying conclusion to this series. Like everything I wanted to happen, did.

And the bonus epilogue had me throwing my book across the bed and screaming. 🤣😭😭

This book wasn’t as spicy as her others, but it was 1000x more emotional. I was just sitting there, the whole book, biting my nails, waiting for Amara or Santiago to let something slip so they could realize they’re all connected.

And when she’s finally united with Kai and Derek! 😭😭 I just about sobbed.

The book could have used a touch more editing. There were a couple grammar mistakes, one instance when the wrong name was used and Lena and Silas appear out of seemingly no where when they confront Ronan.

But the whole book was perfectly done and we even got a surprise!Derek chapter at the very end.

I also loved the choice of Audio narrators! I’ve actually listened to a lot of audiobooks with Grayson Owens and he has an incredibly versatile voice. Janine Granda was the female voice and I think a perfect choice for Amara.

[Yasemin˚｡⋆୨୧˚]

I need a man like Santino

[mentoGirl]

Homegirl could NOT catch a break…

I’m not sure what it is, but something was missing from this book. As I was reading, it was like the progression of the plot(?) and the main characters weren’t meshing together well. Like the glue was missing if you get what I mean. It had the potential to be a great book for me, just wish there was more depth in certain aspects of the book. Book was still entertaining.

Loved the ending!

[LindseyBluth]

Read the third book to get a better understanding of this book, this is slightly better but it still has the same flaws as the first book. If you want a better version of this book read “the annihilator” by runyx

+ where did cambri go? Idk if she’s dead or what

[sara:p]

insta love 🫩