Wristlocked

Broken Boys of Cirque #1

by A.K. Blythe

Monsters don’t cry… they devour.

Gia
I’m a monster, disguised as a princess. Only Lyot has seen pieces of what lurks beneath the circus prodigy, and some shadows are too dark for even my best friend to handle. Gale Shepard, on the other hand, is just my kind of nightmare…

Lyot
I’m in love with a beautiful monster. Just because she’s been by my side since we were kids doesn’t mean she won’t destroy me. While I’m reeling in the wreckage of the only future I’ve ever wanted, Gia offers up a darker dream. One that includes a green-eyed sadist and has me wondering: Maybe it's time to let my own shadows out to play…

Gale
I’m the biggest monster at the top circus school in the country and I’m trapped in a cage. When cirque royalty Gia Laurent shows up with her pretty boy guard dog, I know she's the key to my freedom. But when our shadows collide, forcing our duo act out of rehearsals and into my bed, all I want is to claim every flavor of her pain—including the man she left broken on his knees.

Wristlocked is an 18+ love triangle-turned-polyamorous (MMF) romance with dark(ish) mature themes, high heat, and a lot of angst. And of course, an HEA for all three of its tortured MCs.

Expect 1st person present tense, multiple POVs, MF, MM, and MMF content, and material that some readers may find sensitive. Full content warnings included in the book and on my author website.

This is the first book in a series of interconnected standalones following a group of elite aerial circus athletes through their struggles to find unconventional love in unexpected places.

Genres: Dark Romance, M M F, Why Choose, M M Romance, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Sports Romance

349 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 30, 2024

Reviews

[Noa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What happens when we meet our dreams, and our dreams are nightmares?"

Gia Laurent is circus royalty.
She night be known as the "princess" but to Lyot she will always be "Shadow"
Gia and Lyot have been friends forever… sometimes even more.
But what happens when their relationship gets tested?
The test? Gale Shepherd.
They might be messy but they sure are talented.
But will the show get in the way of everything?

"This is supposed to be our new home, a place for a new us, and it feels like an invasion."

I received an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

"Eyes open. I want you to watch me take you apart."

"Wristlocked" is one big circus in the absolute best way!
Gia, Lyot, and Gale and funny, fierce and utterly consuming! The way their relationship with each other develops and the way their love itself develops is incredible to see!!
Safe to say I already love this series and cannot wait for more!!

"I want… to know if his skin is as soft as hers."

We have Gia Laurent who is Circus royalty basically. Lyot her partner and best friend (with benefits) and Gale Shepherd the talented alpha-hole basically.
Their story and their relationship was so amazing to read about especially in a circus college setting!! I mean come on just that drew me in from the beginning!
Lyot's feelings about Gia, the monster inside her, Gale realizing way more than he anticipated about Gia… and about Lyot!
This book was an absolute riot and an amazing read!

"We are all trying to be artists, after all."

The playlist is giving circus vibes realness and I am all the way here for it! 🎪🎪

(Link - https://spotify.link/Aq5Ap4Ky5Ib )

🎶 "Circus Psycho" - Diggy Graves
🎶 "Freak" - Doja Cat
🎶 "Pain" - Jake Daniels
🎶 "Circus" - Britney Spears
🎶 "Nightmares" - Ellise
🎶 "Animal Impulses" - IAMX
🎶 "Figure You Out" - VOILA
🎶 "Looking At Me" - Sabrina Carpenter
🎶 "vicious" - Tate McRae
🎶 "Taste (Speed)" - Ari Abdul
🎶 "You Made A Monster" - Nick Kingsley, Hannah Hart
🎶 "I'm an Albatraoz" - AronChupa, Little Sis Nora
🎶 "Rehab" - Amy Winehouse
🎶 "Edge of Midnight" - Miley Cyrus, Stevie Nicks
🎶 "Carousel" - Melanie Martinez
🎶 "Animal" - Chase Holfelder
🎶 "greedy" - Tate McRae
🎶 "Addict" - Annapantsu, Caleb Hyles
🎶 "Poison" - Caleb Hyles
🎶 "Sick Like Me" - In This Moment
🎶 "HOUDINI" - AViVA
🎶 "CASUALTY" - MOTHICA
🎶 "Too Sweet" - Hozier
🎶 "Castle In The Sky" - Our Last Night
🎶 "Devilish" - The Phantoms
🎶 "Chains - Remix" - Nick Jonas, Jhene Aiko
🎶 "Like A God" - Lia Maria Johnson
🎶 "V (Psycho)" - Halflives
🎶 "INFERNO" - Sub Urban, Bella Poarch
🎶 "obsessed" - zandros, Limi
🎶 "S&M - Nightcore Version" - Rain Paris
🎶 "Tear You Apart" - She Wants Revenge
🎶 "Savage" - Bahari
🎶 "Treat Me Like A Slut" - Kim Petras
🎶 "She's So Nice" - Pink Guy
🎶 "Call Out My Name" - Seraphim
🎶 "Monster" - Lady Gaga
🎶 "Teeth" - 5 Seconds of Summer
🎶 "BABY SAID" - Maneskin
🎶 "Bad Decisions" - AHZ
🎶 "Lose You To Love Me" - Selena Gomez
🎶 "Shadows" - Sabrina Carpenter
🎶 "Sick" - Adelitas Way
🎶 "Unholy" - KAYLA KING
🎶 "Cross" - Echos
🎶 "Maneater" - Nelly Furtado
🎶 "Wolf In Sheep's Clothing" - Set It Off, William Beckett
🎶 "I Am Her God" - Manic Kazzy
🎶 "One Of The Girls" - The Weeknd, JENNIE, Lily-Rose Depp
🎶 "Fill The Void" - The Weeknd, Lily-Rose Depp, Ramsey
🎶 "madhouse" - Nessa Barrett
🎶 "Halloweenie IV: Innards" - Ashnikko
🎶 "Twisted" - MISSIO
🎶 "Puppeteer" - MAX
🎶 "Freak" - Sub Urban, REI AMI
🎶 "Take What You Want" - Post Malone, Ozzy Osbourne, Travis Scott
🎶 "Nails" - Call Me Karizma
🎶 "Harder To Breathe" - Letdown.
🎶 "Devil In Her Eyes" - Bryce Savage
🎶 "Sinners" - Ari Abdul, Thomas LaRosa
🎶 "the other side" - marggo
🎶 "Who Do You Want" - Ex Habit
🎶 "Easy To Love" - Bryce Savage
🎶 "boys beware" - Mad Tsai
🎶 "Rush" - Troye Sivan
🎶 "Only Love Can Hurt Like This - Remix" - Paloma Faith, Teddy Swims
🎶 "Hurt Me Harder" - Zolita
🎶 "Broken In All The Right Places" - Lost Kings, MOD SUN
🎶 "Messed Up" - Once Monsters, Chloe Adams
🎶 "Beg" - Aryia
🎶 "Wrong Direction" - Hailee Steinfeld
🎶 "harder to lie." - elijah
🎶 "To My Knees" - Two Feet
🎶 "Playground" - Bea Miller
🎶 "LOSER" - Neoni
🎶 "State Of Me" - Lacey Sturm
🎶 "THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND" - Bad Omens
🎶 "California - Unplugged" - YUNGBLUD
🎶 "Bird Set Free" - Sia
🎶 "Nothing Else Matters" - Miley Cyrus, WATT, Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Robert Trujillo, Chad Smith
🎶 "The Greatest Show" - Panic! At The Disco

And also, this had amazing smut!! And don't worry I got you covered 😇😇

"Does. This. Make. You. Wet. Say. It.

"You beg so prettily, sweetheart. I think he likes it."

"See how greedy she is? Hand on her throat, pretty boy. You know how she likes it."

🎪 Tropes 🎪

🐦‍⬛ Love Triangle to MMF
🐦‍⬛ Enemies to Lovers
🐦‍⬛ Friends with Benefits
🐦‍⬛ College Romance
🐦‍⬛ Sports Romance (Circus)

Book Edit - https://www.instagram.com/p/C6MVIrxLT...

[hi.ireadbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

well….
let’s start off by saying I need more cirque books in my life
🎪this book captured my interest and held it all the way through
⛓by the end of the book I was FLIPPING through the pages
🎪every character is great and of course I have a favorite but I’ll keep it to myself
⛓it’s gale he’s my favorite
🎪the spice is definitely SPICING okay
⛓shadow had me drooling and I’m not ashamed
🎪character development *chef kiss*
⛓makes me want to go be an aerialist (knowing damn well I am not athletic)
🎪4.25/5 would recommend to a friend

[Karina Serrano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn.
This book was smutting😮‍💨😮‍💨🤌🏻🔥
But everything was soo good about it!
Gia’s “alter ego” shadow damn, SHEEEE CRAAZZZYYYYY!!
Gale🥵🥵😈😈
He’s such a total “bad boy” & Lyot he deserves everything he wants 🖤
All three of them were perfect together def recommend check the triggers first and see if you’re okay with any of them😈😈😈🖤

[loverexreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

Wristlocked by A.K. Blythe is book 1 in the Broken Boys of Cirque series.

Wow! This book! I'm amazed and shocked that I loved it so much! This is my MMF unicorn...it's definitely my all-time favorite in this genre! I'm a MM reader at heart and every time I've read an MMF I've always found the FMC to be the least interesting part of the three-way dynamic. Often the FMC annoyed me and seemed to shine less brightly than the two men who accompanied her. That's when Wristlocked came along to show me that it's possible for an MMF to fulfill all my expectations perfectly.

I absolutely adored Gia, Lyot and Gale individually, but also in every possible combination of their relationship. I think the fact that I was able to love them as individuals contributed greatly to how much I loved the three of them together. Gia was a strong female character who at the same time revealed a beautiful vulnerability. Behind his alpha-hole personality, Gale hid the fact that he was a broken boy. And Lyot, this sweet boy who was so loyal to the people he loved, could also be very possessive. I liked that each of them had complexity and depth. The fact that they started out as a love triangle also created a solid foundation to build a bridge between Lyot and Gale who hated each other for a little over half the book.

There's a ton of spice in Wristlocked and I loved every moment of it. These three were insatiable. The sexual dynamic between Gia/Lyot and Gia/Gale was so different from each other, but once the three got together they clicked and made complete sense. Like pieces of a puzzle that fit together perfectly.

The circus aspect was refreshing and it was the first time I read about this topic. I’m sure A.K. Blythe did a ton of research for this book and it shows with all the technical terminology featured in the story. I never felt overwhelmed though. It just helped to make the story more engaging and genuine.

I definitely recommend this debut novel. It was intense, beautiful and so well written. It wasn’t a dark read in my opinion, but to be on the safe side, take a look at the trigger warnings. I’ll keep an eye out for the next book in the series that will be MM.

[Shelby | Spicy.booknook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contemporary MMF
Circus College
Angsty AF
Love Triangle to MMF
Rivals To Lovers
Lots of Dirty Talk
Spice :🔥🔥🔥🔥

Lyot. Man. You have your work cut out for you with those two!. Wow this was a crazy fun book to read. The angst is through the roof so if that’s your jam, as it is mine, I would def recommend this one. Plus the bits with the details of circus training were pretty interesting.

Gia and Lyot are best friends with benefits. They’ve grown up together, adore each other and share everything from their love of the circus to each other’s bodies. They arrive together at a new school with dreams of setting the world on fire but a broody student, Gale, has plans for Gia that have the potential to crash their dreams.

These three are broken pieces that fit together so well. Aside from the insane sexual chemistry, their personalities just complement each other. In this kind of relationship you would think the female would be the one to hold these two men together but really it feels like Lyot is the heart and soul of this trio. I was a little angry at the beginning on his behalf, but it all works out in the end. Such a solid story, and I will definitely be reading the rest of this series. There are some heavy themes so check TW if needed.

[Julia (bookish.jka) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"She’s the most beautiful disaster I’ve ever seen, and my whole body aches to finish the work of her destruction, but I drag myself back from the brink and suck in a ragged breath."

Wristlocked: A Dark College Sports Romance is the debut novel from the fabulous AK Blythe and is the first in their Broken Boys of Cirque series. I am seriously hoping for many more to come if book 1 is anything to go on!

I haven't read or enjoyed MMF for a lonnnng time, but Wristlocked: A Dark College Sports Romance dragged me back into the genre with a vengeance!

This is Gia, Lyot and Gale's story and whilst Gia is the bright light at the centre of the trio, Lyot and Gale have an equally turbulent, passionate, dark and twisted relationship together, as well as individually with Gia.

When they finally work out that it takes the three of them to make a whole, the spice turns up a whole extra level too!

What To Expect:

♥️ Dark romance
♥️ MMF, MM and MF interactions
♥️ Found family
♥️ Bi-awakening
♥️ Circus/aerial acrobat theme
♥️ Angsty
♥️ Extreme spice
♥️ Broken boys
♥️ Changing power imbalnace
♥️ Pain play
♥️ HEA

Take care to read the author's notes as there are some dark themes, but I absolutely loved it!

5 stars

[Rose DeVault · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew circus college could be so fucking hot

[Brittany |planted.library · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s 1am as I’m writing this. I absolutely loved it. So much. I want every edition that is released. I need to present this front and center on my trophy shelf. I mean bookshelf.

“𝙄’𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚. ”

“𝑺𝒉𝒆’𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂 𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒎𝒆, 𝒔𝒉𝒆’𝒔 𝒂 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚.”

This was beautifully written, and one of the best spicy books that I’ve ever read.

[Alisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing, so well written. This is the first why choose they I've read with guy on guy and I don't think kho be my last. This book is about 3 adults going through circus college. There's some working out and practicing and whole lot of smut. So the best kinda book ❤.

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

[Paris Browne · Rating 5 out of 5]

My most anticipated read of 2024 so far did not disappoint. I am still in awe of the fact that this is a debut novel- is is truly incredible.
I was intrigued by the setting of a circus college. Its something I know absolutely nothing about, but I was quickly immersed in this world. The use of aerial arts created such beautiful imagery of bodies, both strong and sensual. It also added a dark undercurrent of danger.
Our three main characters are all beautifully broken in different ways, haunted by their pasts, presents, and futures. I loved the juxtapositions between each of their families, and the ways they had learned to love and be loved. I also loved reading as they challenged one another to grow, whilst accepting all those pieces of brokenness as a part of their being.
Blythe hits on some heavy themes, all handled with sensitivity and care. The narration from each characters' perspective is clever in the way they perceive a victim vs a manipulator; I definitely felt empathy where they often felt disdain, and yet this is managed without the characters becoming unlikeable. We are afforded such insight into each of their psyche, so even when they are destructive we can't lose our love for them.
This book is heavy on the spice, but somehow so much is said in every single one of these scenes. Nothing is gratuitous, with every single coupling (and throupling) moving forward the growth of these characters. The scenes are hot AF, but Blythe somehow makes them so much more than that.
This was a truly incredible story that I could not put down. I absolutely cannot wait to see all that is to come.

[kailesbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

“What happens when we meet our dreams, and our dreams are nightmares?”

Wristlocked is a DEBUT novel that grabbed me by the throat and refused to let go. This dark college, sport (cirque) romance circles around an irresistible love triangle that evolves into one of my fav polyamorous couples. I was obsessed from beginning to end!

The characters are brilliantly crafted, each with their own shadows and demons, pun definitely intended, that make them feel raw and real. Together, Gia, Lyot, and Gale’s chemistry is explosive, and their journey is one of the most intense I’ve ever read.

The narrative is rich with tension and dark romance, seamlessly blending elements of angst and high heat. The cirque backdrop adds a unique, almost magical layer to the story, making every scene feel vivid and alive.

“Wristlocked” isn’t just a book; it’s an experience. It pushes boundaries and explores the darker sides of love and desire, all while delivering a perfect HEA for all three tortured main characters. If you’re looking for a romance that’s as beautiful as it is brutal, this is it. I couldn’t put it down and can’t wait to read the following books in this series when they release!

[Sierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rtc.

[Paige (wingsandsmut) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"She's not a flame, she's a fucking wildfire, and I want to watch the world burn from inside her body."

I could not get enough of the relationship between our main characters in this book! The way they all overcome different challenges and help each other grow into their strengths and feed their souls is beautiful. I love the spice we get in this book, but also enjoyed the sweeter moments as well as they learn to love each other. After getting through the first part of the book and used to the story, I was absolutely hooked!

This is set to release on May 30th, and is perfect for a unique sports romance but does have some darker themes to be aware of.

Thank you to AK Blythe for the chance to read and review an ARC. All opinions are my own!

[Hossein Dgr · Rating 2 out of 5]

Updateted, I fnished the book.

______


Bi dude who speaks his self taught english and is using books as homework here.
Expect mistakes.
And only edited to add the update.


Rn, I'm 70% in.

And i absolutely hate Gia and Gale.
Selfish pricks.
Gia is also dramatic in an emo way.
I want to have sympathy for those two, but it's hard.
And I'm not very fond of Lyot either.
The whole "my monster" is the most stupid thing I've ever heard.
No Gia, it's not a monster. You have masochism with a healthy dollop of mommy issues on the side.
The guys are obssessed with this girl for no reason other than the fact that she's the FMC.
I'm having a hard time finding a redeeming quality or any ounce of likability about this girl, and I'm always coming empty-handed.
It's ridiculous atp.

Marketed as MMF, but we barely get anything between the guys.
We got her getting fucked monday to december in all the positions her body could do.
Hell, she even pegged one of the dudes.

... and the only MM we've gotten was a blow job.

Their first kiss was also shown through her eye... Which was certainly a choice.

Like guys, you can actually be bi and like men... romantically.
You don't have to use her as a vessel to like each other.
Also, there are things said that are robbing me the wrong way.
Like "I fucked guys as a practice, so I can fuck your ass the right way" lyot to gia... no.. uh.. that's not how it works.

The author clearly favors the MF relationships in the polycule, and that's fine ig.
The tenderness, care, affection, love, and devotion these men show to Gia are undeserved and forced.
She's the only one who can calm them, yet I'm expected to believe by the end these two gonna love each other just as much?
You could've written it as MFM if you wanted it to be FMC-centric.

We get detailed think pieces about how much they think about this girl, how they adore her, how they need her, and when it comes to each other... crickets.
That's lowkey insulting.

And the 180° with her parents?
Her mom went from trying to embaress her and belittling her publicly to saying "we did what we could" while crying a few crocodile tears and miss gia is suddenly buddy buddy with mommy dearest.

_______

The remaining 30%.

I really hate Gia.
She decided they're "done" so they're done. No regards for Lyot, at all.
I rarely use this word to describe someone, especially a woman, but this girl is a selfish bitch with "I'm a jewel" complex.
She really feels like she's the only girl in the world.
And the dramatics, my god. Can the author please tone it down with those?
Like ok, we get it, you're mad at him for "using" your reputation, the same thing you've done yourself, but your heart is fine, this is not the end of the world.
Give it up.

Also, the parents are weirding me out, the 180° from control freaks who in her words "whored her out since she was 6" to being caring is really bugging me out.
Like you wanted her to fail and are suddenly the best parents out there and trying to save your daughter's boyfriend?
And the concern? Where was that in the first 60%?
What was the point of her "Monster"? When she literally spent half the book bitvhing about how it's their fault.


The whole confrontation with girls who "wanted" Gale and Lyot was soooooo melodramatic and out of the left field that i was just mad reading it.
Like girl, why?
Just dramatic cause the author needed some conflict to drag the book out.

Also I'm so happy I'm not gonna read about her "Monster" anymore cause it makes me hate her even more.

,,,,,

Gale telling Lyot "there's only one side and it's hers"
Well, at least they're honest.
We already knew that, she the world and you two are her sun and moon.
It's ALL about her.

,,,


They give her so much grace.
And i absolutely hate that.

"You have nothing to be sorry for" oh she does, she really does. For example, Considering she ignored Lyot's safeword and didn't even apologised, just justified it with "I needed him", I'd say she really does need a few things that she has to apologise for.

To clarify
Gia wanted to be part of a play their school was doing and the casting was Gale's responsibility
And since Lyot and Gia were "childhood bestfriends who fuck" and had an oath to always play together
They go to get casted together and Gia wants to get in, whatever it takes
It's supposed to be an impowering moment for her or something, idgaf
Somehow it ends with Lyot on his knees
Because Gia decided to use him as a bargaining chip with "I can make him cum in 10 seconds" to Gale
And when Lyot uses his safeword, she ignores it and forces him to cum
And when he abruptly leaves and she follows him outside, she still makes it about herself and her needs.

So yeah, calling her a bitch is really the least of my concerns.

,,,,

"The warrior she is" is a stretch.
The only thing she's fighting is a victim complex and her audacity.

,,,,

I'm having a hard time believing these 2 dudes desire each other as much as miss little monster herself.
They constantly talk about her being hot, sexy, beautiful. They talk about how desirable she is in general. The author is really selling us their attraction to her.

But the only way they think about each other is the snarky shit Gale calls Lyot.
He calls him "Pretty boy," but he never talks about him being actually pretty.
They never talk about how desirable they find each other.
In fact, they talk about how they're only together because of her.
So I'll take everything with a grain of salt about the moment Lyot called Gale "Babe" as he's prepping him for his first time bottoming.

Oooh and get this.
She gets full solo intercourses with the dudes, one-on-one, with her fully getting the pleasure and the treatment she "deserves".
Like full on intimate, vaginal and anal. Everything.
Yet the only solo MM scene we get, is a lousy short blowjob that happens after Gale's little brother pulls some shit and gets the dudes mad.
Which considering the remaining 2 books are MM, i expected a bit more fairness in this department.

Like, how are you gonna make me believe these 2 are in love too when the whole time you only focused on their sexual attraction rather than their emotional one as well???
Or how you only focused to build intimacy and attraction between the MF ships and gave the MM barely a thought.
There's close to zero emotional intimacy between these 2.
And when finally have sex, it's just transactional.
They only have sex.
Nothing more, nothing less.

,,,,,

Funny how it took them the epilogue to actually show a rice grain of emotional intimacy between the guys.
And it's Gale choosing Lyot's shoulder to lean his head on.
Huzzah.

Atp I'm hungry for any crumbs.

,,,,,



I finished the book.


1. Writing was good, although the author had a knack for going from 0 to 100 in the melodrama department, especially during Gia's POV.

2. The whole "Monster" situation with Gia was ridiculous. Especially when she forgave the two peple who literally gave her the "Monster" syndrome.
Also calling masochism "monster" is very.. her.
You like pain, big deal.

3. The characters were not likeable, maybe even despicable.
I for sure didn't like Gia or Gale. I was also disappointed in Lyon for putting miss monster on a pedestal she didn't deserve to be, ever.
But i was invested in the story.
There was no plot, not a consistent one.
But still, i was invested.

4. This girl, Gia, hates apologising. And when she does the once in a blue moon act, the guys tell her "you have nothing to apologise for"
Like girl...
I'm so over letting FMCs get away with stupid and selfish shit they pull simply because they are the FMCs.
Grow the fuck up.

5. The author spent over 60% of the story to finally make the MM happen.
And didn't do a good job of it.
They lacked emotional intimacy, they didn't do a good job of convincing you these two desired each other beyond their sharef attraction to the FMC, and they also lacked real motive to actually be together.
They were together cause the FMC wanted to, Not because they actually wanted to.
And i despise that.
I hate when queer men are hetero centeric, if you're gonna prioritise the FMC every step, just write MFM, don't involve bi men.
The last thing we need is hetero-centeric bi rep.
I assumed since the remaining 2 books of the series are MM, the author at least knew to built a relationship between the dudes as well.
You can't build their Bi-ness and their relationship around the FMC and expect me to believe they actually do love each other just as much.
It's impossible, especially without verbal confirmation of how much they find each other desirable and loveable.

6. The author clearly had the idea to write an MMF, but didn't know how to equally execute it.
Cause the scenes are not proportionate.
At all, like we get fully done one-on-one MF scenes.
And we only get an oral MM scene.
Like they knew by the end it was gonna be MMF, but there was no planning behind it.
Which wa shocking, the author said they worked on it for 2 years.

6. The epilogues were fine.
I appreciated them for actually giving us something we didn't get throughout the whole story as it was unfolding.
Finally some emotional intimacy between the guys.

7. Gia's parents.
I won't expand on that.
The whole thing with them was bizarre.


8. The concept of circus and a circus school/college was really unique.
I really enjoyed that part.
_____

In conclusion, it was entertaining.
But it lacked substance, common sense and actuall love.
The story is engaging enough to keep you reading.
It's moderately well written.

A very deserved 2.5/5.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC review*
I was really trying to hold on with my review for this book and wait closer to the release day, but these guy just can't leave my head, and I just wanted to share them with you all.

I want to say that this story is rather on the darker side. I understand we all have different tolerance and preferences, so please check TW before you dive in.

This was nothing what I've expected and I'm not even slightly upset about it. I like it when the plot and characters surprise me and bring all different emotions out of me. Gosh, the range of emotions you feel here is like a bloody roller coaster. I think my favourite was the vibrating anger mixed with lust when it comes to Gale and Gia. They had that instant connection like their inner monsters recognised one another and wanted to play. And oh, did they play.
I absolutely adore Lyot. He is loving and loyal, and he deserves the world! I was actually so angry at some point with Gia for the way she handled things. But I think they needed to be put into an extreme situation to realise what they really wanted and what was missing there.

The dynamics between these three are addicting! Each one of them might have different strengths and qualities, but together, they make something really special and powerful. Beautiful hurricane!

I'll shout out loud to recommend this book. You have to trust me and give it a chance. You won't be disappointed.

[Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

i need gale shepherd to wreck me until i can’t walk and i need to impregnate elliot chase. IMMEDIATELY.

“I want to carve his undoing into her skin and drown my demons in the shelter of his submission.”

OH MY GOD. this book was perfect??? this was the hottest, filthiest and nastiest shit i’ve ever read and it was a damn good time. and not only that but their relationship is everything!!! their connection was electrifying i’m absolutely obsessed. this book did mmf so right. i’m in love with every single one of these characters ugh i want to join their relationship so bad. let me in please <3 i’m obsessed with their dynamics, separately and as a group. the way they love and care for each other is utter perfection. gia is one of the hottest fmcs to exist. lyot was my fav from the beginning and ugh he delivered, love him to bits. and gale oh my god, his dirty talk game is insane he had me blushing and giggling the whole book.
++ gia pegging lyot while gale fucks her was the sexiest thing i’ve ever read. holy shit.

“Gia. You're the wildfire that burned away the cage I was trapped in. You're fireworks and beautiful carnage and the sacred center of our world. We wouldn't be here without your stubborn, fearless heart. Lyot. You took our monsters and gave them a place to prowl free. You're surrender and salvation and a haven in the dark. There's no future if you're not taking care of us.”

no love confession can top this one in my book. gale shepherd the man that you are ❤️❤️❤️

[Angela - Traumatic Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wristlocked: A Dark College Sports Romance by AK Blythe is book one in the series Broken Boys of Cirque. I received an advanced readers copy for an honest review.

SO... I am still at a loss for intelligent words here. That's how fucking good this book is. So let me try and pretend I know how to verbalize just how much I am obsessed with this damn book and Author.

For those who know me, know what I love to read, know how I review my reads - you know I wont be regurgitating the blurb - you wanna know what that's all about - go read that for yourself. Do it and don't disregard the trigger warnings!! If you have them go with caution. You know me - I live for that... breathe it deep and gobble it down.

If you have read the blurb you will know AK Blythe debut novel Wristlocked: A Dark College Sports Romance is not quite like the other dark sports romance books out there. You will have also read that this is a love triangle turned polyamorous romance told in the MC POV.
YES>> MF... MM... MMF - it's all there.

Gia, Lyot and Gale will forever live rent free in my heart, mind and soul. I loved their character development in themselves and with each other - it was so intense.. so fucking beautiful. The chemistry between all of them was perfection.. dark and hungry... their souls calling each other feeding and breathing as one. And don't even let me get started on the delicious smut.

AK Blythe you have stolen my heart. You know exactly how to write... flawless - real - raw.. words that flow along the page never skipping a beat. My eyes flicked and my pulse raced over ever delicious word, page - chapter. Your words are my new addiction - I can't wait for the release of your next book in the series.

I'm giving this one all the stars and all the hearts.
Go preorder this one - release day 30th May - you can thank me later.

[Christina (Bloodycrimsonreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wristlocked

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️.7 /5

•ARC Review•

Gia and Lyot enroll in ACCA, a Cirque college where they train to become the best they can. Friends with benefits, they usually don’t mind when they seek others, they always come back to each other. They’re a strong duo in every way. Until Gale, the sadistic pain in the ass who challenges them every step of the way. When he becomes a part of the equation and Lyot feels threatened by him, everything is turned on its axis.

I won’t deny that the start was a bit slow, the story was mostly character driven and slow paced. Once Lyot and Gale start to actually realize things, oh my god I couldn’t stop reading. The tension between the three of them was high and kept on escalating throughout the book. The power imbalance was also changing depending on the mood. The smut scenes were present right off the start of Wristlocked. Past the middle of it, they become even hotter. I mean, SO HOT. I was sweating 😂 I’m not a big fan of love triangle (I knew this book had the trope though beforehand) so I was so glad when Lyot and Gale finally gave in. The circus themed was fun, I’m always a sucker for it and since it was in a college setting, it was different than being in an actual troupe. The side characters were present and fun too.

I also have to add that the writing style is gorgeous : “She parts like water, melting under my tongue, a decadent tangle of wet, willing flesh.” I highlighted quite a couple of sentences/parts where the words spoke to me. So lush.

Wristlocked was a slow paced, excruciatingly decadent fall into pain and pleasure and a reminding of how love has multiple ways of showing and telling.

Thank you so much to AK Blythe for the arc, my head is still reeling from the lushness of it all. The pining was on point and I really liked your writing style. I’m curious to see what you’ll come up with next🖤


🎪College Circus themed
⛓️Love triangle to MMF
🎪Angst/mutual pining
⛓️Pain play
🎪Changes of power imbalance


#wristlocked #akblythe #smut #smuttybooks #spicybooks #bookstagram #reading #reader #books #bookish #igreads #spicyreads #readersofinstagram #kindleunlimited #bookrecs #booklover #bookworm #arcreaders

[Kseniia ✨️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

✨️love triangle-to-MMF
✨️bi-awakening
✨️circus school
✨️aerialists

It reminded me of the fanfics I read as a teenager. I'm pretty sure 15 years old version of me would appreciate this book a lot :) Something dark and twisted with toxic characters, mostly hot smut with no plot. It was a perfect smutfest.

+ I like the atmosphere. I've never read a book about aerialists. It was quite an interesting experience for me. The author is a former circus worker so the book's atmosphere is close to reality. I appreciate the author added the glossary of circus terms.
+ Smut was hot🔥
+ Lyot. He's the only character I liked. Honestly, I wished he'd dumped their pathetic asses, found someone better and become the circus king. However, this trio has an amazing chemistry.

- I wish there were more circus in it. We saw trainings but not the showcase or competitions. And yeah "trainings" are actually more about sex in chains. But this is my mistake I haven't checked the book information before diving into reading. The author's website clearly says it's "smut with a side of cirque". And she nailed it, smut was really good👍
- Gia and Gale are selfish, toxic and head over hills for self-destruction. What Gia did to Lyot was a double betrayal. She abandoned him as a partner and also cheated on him. Oh, and she ignored his safeword.

[Smut Cartel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monsters don’t cry… they devour.

“You own me. Every ravaged piece and hidden scar. Together, you’re my art, and my battle, and my sanctuary.”

This is the first book in a series of interconnected standalones following a group of elite aerial circus athletes through their struggles to find unconventional love in unexpected places.

Wristlocked has blown me away and become one of my top reads of 2024! It is very hard to believe this is a debut novel for A.K Blythe. It's a masterpiece!
It is a beautifully crafted story of 3 broken souls entwined together through a journey of exploration, tension, frustrations and love. Gia, Gale and Lyot are going to stay with me for a very long time!

Tropes:
- Multiple POV
- MF, MM, and MMF
- Polyamorous/love triangle
- Circus College
- Enemies to lovers
- Pain play

[Alax · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Ooof. It’s hard to believe that this was a debut novel. The way this book was written was so damn amazing. Gia, Gale, and Lyot are up and coming aerialists in the cirque and their stories are all so amazing plus their HOT and their love story was just to die for. This book was SPICY and the scenes had me all hot and bothered 🥵 this book had plot, amazing character development and just the right amount of spice. I can’t wait to read whatever else A.K. comes up with because this book was captivating and I know whatever else she has up her sleeve will be too.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOK REVIEW 📚
Wristlocked By A.K. Blythe
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was so EXCITED for this read. Every since reading a circus series by another author I’ve been hooked. And A.K. Blythe did not disappoint 🖤🎪 my dark little soul was in heaven. There is something so beautiful about loving somebody thats so broken. Gia, Lyot, and Gale share a Beautifully broken relationship. AND IM HERE FOR IT. There are many trigger warnings so if your a pearl clutter this one isn’t for you. But for the ones that love the monsters and who’s souls bleed for the broken pieces we all have and wish we had someone to share it with READ THIS BOOK! The author done a beautiful job capturing the essence of all of the characters broken pieces. I LOVED Gia and Lyot. He loved the monster in her. He catered to her. A love like that is rare. Together Lyot and Gale “tamed” her (I use that term loosely).

[Kerri · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Together, you're my art and my battle and my sanctuary. This is what they do to me. They peel me open and bathe all my dark corners in their light. This is how we love..."

Wow. THIS BOOK. The character depth and dynamic between our 3 MCs was written like I could see this in front of me watching it unfold. I was enthralled with the Cirque and the entire story of the art and disciplines behind it. It added so much more depth to the story, and it was 🥵🥵🥵

I was addicted to Gia, Lyot, and Gale from the first page until the last. Broken, raw, and magical, twisted and vunerable and full of red flags.

Utterly brokenly PERFECT

[Readingwithdesi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark college romance!! This was fantastic! Easy quick read! I loved everything about this book! 10/5 stars 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Czuję zawód i to ogromny. Autorka tak bardzo nie dostarczyła niczego, co obiecywała, że aż szkoda słów.

Powoli mam dość "dark" romansów, bo wydaje mi się, że zbyt wiele pozycji podciąganych jest do tej kategorii. Albo są one pisane na siłę, ponieważ jest to teraz modne. W tym wypadku siłą napędową "mroczności" był niejednokrotnie wspominany "potwór" (monster) Gii, który oprócz tego, że był CIĄGLE zaznaczany, nie pełnił żadnej praktycznie roli. Główna bohaterka, poza tym, że była irytująca i bez osobowości, to po prostu była switchem z upodobaniem do BDSM. I to ta cała mroczność.

Najbardziej polubiłam Lyota i TA jedna scena z nim była cudowna, ale niestety, autorka przez to, że wrzuciła swoją książkę do worka "dark" śmiało mogła ją zignorować. W końcu darki bronią się same.

Czy żałuję lektury? Nie, ale żałuję swoich oczekiwań, bo miałam ochotę na naprawdę dobre MMF. Choć może sięgnę po drugi tom.

[el :) · Rating 2 out of 5]

i loved Lyot and Gale. Gia, not so much. she was hella annoying and was selfish as hell. i didn’t like her at all. she kept talking about her “monster,” and it got me like 🙄🤡 also, there was no plot whatsoever. just sex. and a lot of it. i’ll admit, the scenes were hot, but that’s all. i liked the writing too, though. i will be picking up the next book and hopefully it’s better than this one 🤞

[MAYRA ARMENTA · Rating 5 out of 5]

***Broken Boys of Cirque Book 1***Definitely Recommend this gem of a story. Check your triggers. Do you like Monsters? Wrap yourself up in tale that’s a little dark, a little spicy, and an unconventional story all in one. The relationship between the MC’s {MF/MM/MMF} is all encompassing, raw, passionate and at times broken, but their story is all Love in its own unique way. There’s the established best friends to lovers relationship that feels somewhat incomplete. Enter the grumpy competition that attempts to wiggle his way in between, will he succeed in completing the triangle or ruin the beautiful connection between Gia and Lyot. Come fall in love with Gia, Lyot and Gale and as a bonus’s, get an intro into Cirque life.

[Kristie "onkristiesbookshelf" · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
“You own me. Every ravaged piece and hidden scar. Together, you’re my art, and my battle, and my sanctuary.”

I have read a few life altering books, where they suck you in and immerse you in a world you don’t want to leave. Only a few books have had an impact on me so deeply, and this book has become one of them.
This book altered my brain chemistry and made an impact on MY SOUL.

“I can’t remember if I kissed her goodbye today”

If you are looking for something different, something messy and broken and beautiful, this book is it.
Witnessing these “harder to love” characters find their peace and happiness, find a love that loves them wholly for who they are - messy parts and all. It was just beautiful.
This book was smutty, it was dirty, filthy even. But it was SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

“Breathe, sweetheart. You can take it. You’re fucking perfect.”

I didn’t want to put it down, I didn’t want it to end, I didn’t want to leave this world. I was enraptured by these characters, their flaws, their thoughts and their views on the life they lead. A.K Blythe did such a fantastic job weaving these characters stories and how they interconnected.

“And every time I hurt you, I was making you mine.”

I wanted to join this throuple of messy characters, I wanted to be immersed in their world. It’s very rare to have a book impact so deeply.

The plot was excellent, the writing was incredible and the sexy scenes were out of this world. Definitely check your trigger warnings before diving in, but I seriously HIGHLY RECOMMEND. I will shout it from the rooftops how much I loved this book.

Easily 5 stars. Gale, Lyot and Gia can get it anyday. I am highly anticipating book 2.

Round of applause for A.K Blythes first debut novel. You absolutely nailed it.

Want to hear more? I have a podcast with my bestie: Check out our episode covering this:
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3UMcYod
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@on.her.bookshelf...

[Yasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok. I felt as though something was missing. I didn't feel connected to the story or the characters much. I didn't really feel a lot of chemistry between all three of them. Personally, I thought Lyot and Gale had more chemistry with each other than Gia imo. Also Lyot was the only character I loved. Gia was too melodramatic and selfish for me and Gale was ok. I liked him more than Gia. The both of them didn't deserve Lyot though 🤷🏾‍♀️they deserved each other but he deserved better than the both of them.

The story wasn't terrible but I found the snippets on the authors ig page more interesting than the story itself.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve discovered that my new favorite pairing is an MMF. Especially when the two main male characters think they hate each other, leading to intense sexual tension that they’re oblivious to until it explodes, and then damn.

“𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑡𝑜𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓, 𝑆𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑠,” ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑦𝑠, 𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑢𝑝 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑔𝑠 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒 𝐿𝑦𝑜𝑡’𝑠. “𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑡 𝑎𝑠 𝑓𝑢𝑐𝑘.”

Just go ahead and dowse me with a bucket of cold water because that was, IN FACT, hot AF!! 🔥🔥

Let's rewind... Gia and Lyot share a complex history of best friends with added benefits. Their relationship left me a bit puzzled initially about what they truly meant to each other. However, it was evident that Lyot desired more from Gia. Enter Gale, with his grumpy, alpha-male, chip on his shoulder, demeanor, disrupting their dynamic. Despite Gia's efforts, she finds herself unable to resist Gale, as her own inner demons seem to mirror his.

I initially fretted over this love triangle, fearing Gia would hurt Lyot by choosing Gale. Lyot surely carved a place in my heart from the get go, because he is Lyot, and he makes broken things beautiful. The inevitable clash between Gale and Lyot over Gia came to blows, yet their tension and jealousy began to fade as Gia attempted to unite them. She couldn't help but notice the curiosity in Gale's eyes whenever he talked about Lyot.

This is an enemies to lovers, love triangle turned MMF trio. From the start, there was ample spice, but the trio's journey was a slow burn. However, around the halfway point, things turned scorching hot, and I turned into a giddy school girl. Gale's penchant for dirty talk added an extra layer of intensity, and the battle for dominance between Gale and Lyot was nothing short of perfection. Then there was my girl, Gia…

“𝐼’𝑣𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑟𝑦 𝑝𝑒𝑔𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔.”

That’s the part where I died. Just kidding. I’m still here, obvi. But that was 😂 and it led to 🥵

The captivating plot centered around cirque aerial performers in training and the MMF dynamic was what initially drew me to this book. While not excessively trigger-heavy or dark, there are some potentially triggering or disturbing elements, depending on individual sensitivity. Personally, I found the third act miscommunication trope predictable, but I was relieved that it didn't prolong unnecessarily. These three characters are flawed, prone to making bad decisions, yet they discover that they need each other to find completeness. I thought this was a great debut novel by Blythe and can’t wait for the next installment.