What do you think?
Rate this book
The Exodus
Karma
This is not how this night is supposed to go…
Knox
In my sleepy hometown of Vail, Colorado, The Exodus unleash their raw desires every decade, and this year, I'm their pawn. Trained and turned into someone I don’t even recognize, I participate in this heinous event as if I’m one of them.
Everything goes according to plan…until it doesn’t.
When I’m taken hostage by a beautiful, broken captor wielding a hammer of vengeance, I can't help but feel drawn to her. I'm her karmic debt, trapped in a deadly game where survival means navigating desire and danger. She's my reckoning, and in this twisted ritual, I'm powerless to resist her.
Will she let me go? Or am I destined to become another victim to the woman I call Karma?
Tropes:
Secret Society
Masked MMC
Vengeful FMC
Submits only to her
Touch her and die
Karma is a LIGHT/MEDIUM GRAY dark romance novella. All books in this shared world series are STANDALONES and can be read in any order.
This novella has extreme content. Full list of content warnings on my website. Please read responsibly!
Knox
In my sleepy hometown of Vail, Colorado, The Exodus unleash their raw desires every decade, and this year, I'm their pawn. Trained and turned into someone I don’t even recognize, I participate in this heinous event as if I’m one of them.
Everything goes according to plan…until it doesn’t.
When I’m taken hostage by a beautiful, broken captor wielding a hammer of vengeance, I can't help but feel drawn to her. I'm her karmic debt, trapped in a deadly game where survival means navigating desire and danger. She's my reckoning, and in this twisted ritual, I'm powerless to resist her.
Will she let me go? Or am I destined to become another victim to the woman I call Karma?
Tropes:
Secret Society
Masked MMC
Vengeful FMC
Submits only to her
Touch her and die
Karma is a LIGHT/MEDIUM GRAY dark romance novella. All books in this shared world series are STANDALONES and can be read in any order.
This novella has extreme content. Full list of content warnings on my website. Please read responsibly!
120 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 25, 2024
About the author
Lauren Biel
40 books5,636 followersLauren’s stories are often emotionally raw, with lots of twists and turns. She describes her writing as “where light meets dark”, which represents how her witty humor compliments the darkness in every story. Instead of trying to mold her writing to fit in a box, she chooses to be unapologetically herself. While her focus is on Romance with dark elements, subgenre is no constraint for her. The common theme in every book is finding love when you least expect it. She enjoys putting her characters through tribulations, allowing their triumphs to be that much more poignant. Make sure you have your seatbelts secured. It’s always a bumpy ride.
When she’s not working, she’s writing. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her husband, her friends, or her pets. You might also find her on a horseback trail ride or sitting beside a waterfall in Upstate New York. She has a pretty normal life, yet her stories are anything but.
When she’s not working, she’s writing. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her husband, her friends, or her pets. You might also find her on a horseback trail ride or sitting beside a waterfall in Upstate New York. She has a pretty normal life, yet her stories are anything but.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 751 reviews
October 14, 2024
unhinged hot couple
August 29, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
This one needed to be longer. I needed at least a few more chapters with them once they escaped. It's not fair 🤪🙄😂.
Otherwise, if you read other books by this author, then you know to be prepared for her kind of crazy. 😉
I'm not gonna list any TW. This is a dark read, fast-paced, intense, insane, interesting, but too damn short! I think the TW can be found somewhere on her website!? I'm not sure.
Anyway, in my opinion, this one is a combination of horror - maybe!?? / erotic thriller, with a splash of real romance at the end of the book. I'd say this read is a HFN, but not because they wouldn't survive as a happy couple. The question mark around their happiness comes from their connection with this secret society, not from their commitment to each other.
It has a secret society, an anti-hero (is he a hero in any sense!? well yeah, eventually he is, he did had some boundaries that he wouldn't pass, even though he knew the consequences of his actions if he would have been caught by the "elders"), a heroine with a traumatic past, an abusive relationship and a thirst for reverge like no other person in that town.
Fate brought them together, karma made them stick together ;).
It was spicy, and it had copious amounts of 🩸 in different circumstances 😉.
What can I say, I know this was a novella, but I would have loved more background on this crazy society. I assume some of this information can be found in the other books in this series. I also wanted more on page time with them as a couple. I'm pretty sure they remained unhinged, just more tamed 😉.
Noooow, I have to go and pick up the rest of this series 🤪😬 I wanna see if they all gonna meet their karma 😉
.
.
.
“So I can’t fuck karma, but she can fuck me?”
-- karma is a crazy b1tch 😂😂😂🤌🥵
“Listen, I have a son at home. You have to let me go,” I say. Petey is my son. I’d burn the world down for that rabbit.
--- 🥹🥹🤍
"Here’s the thing, I don’t think I deserve much of anything in the world, but I could deserve her. If nothing else, I can treat her better than her current choice of man"
--- yes, sir! I wanna see more of that! 🥺
This one needed to be longer. I needed at least a few more chapters with them once they escaped. It's not fair 🤪🙄😂.
Otherwise, if you read other books by this author, then you know to be prepared for her kind of crazy. 😉
I'm not gonna list any TW. This is a dark read, fast-paced, intense, insane, interesting, but too damn short! I think the TW can be found somewhere on her website!? I'm not sure.
Anyway, in my opinion, this one is a combination of horror - maybe!?? / erotic thriller, with a splash of real romance at the end of the book. I'd say this read is a HFN, but not because they wouldn't survive as a happy couple. The question mark around their happiness comes from their connection with this secret society, not from their commitment to each other.
It has a secret society, an anti-hero (is he a hero in any sense!? well yeah, eventually he is, he did had some boundaries that he wouldn't pass, even though he knew the consequences of his actions if he would have been caught by the "elders"), a heroine with a traumatic past, an abusive relationship and a thirst for reverge like no other person in that town.
Fate brought them together, karma made them stick together ;).
It was spicy, and it had copious amounts of 🩸 in different circumstances 😉.
What can I say, I know this was a novella, but I would have loved more background on this crazy society. I assume some of this information can be found in the other books in this series. I also wanted more on page time with them as a couple. I'm pretty sure they remained unhinged, just more tamed 😉.
Noooow, I have to go and pick up the rest of this series 🤪😬 I wanna see if they all gonna meet their karma 😉
.
.
.
“So I can’t fuck karma, but she can fuck me?”
-- karma is a crazy b1tch 😂😂😂🤌🥵
“Listen, I have a son at home. You have to let me go,” I say. Petey is my son. I’d burn the world down for that rabbit.
--- 🥹🥹🤍
"Here’s the thing, I don’t think I deserve much of anything in the world, but I could deserve her. If nothing else, I can treat her better than her current choice of man"
--- yes, sir! I wanna see more of that! 🥺
August 27, 2024
Karma by Lauren Biel is like a rollercoaster through a dark, spicy, and twisted maze of revenge and desire. 📚🔪
✧ Captive x Captor
✧ Hitman MMC 🔫
✧ Vengeful FMC 🔥
✧ Secret Society 🎭
✧ Forced Proximity (he’s her captive)
✧ Enemies-to-Lovers 💘
✧ Submits Only to Her 👑
✧ Touch Her and Die! 💀
✧ Past Trauma
So, Knox is this hitman guy tangled up in the Exodus, a secret society with a flair for chaos. Things take a wild turn when he ends up as the captive of Allister, a vengeful femme fatale. Cue the captor x captive drama! 😈
Here’s where it gets really intriguing: Allister isn’t just on a revenge kick; she’s also grappling with a seriously dark past and a twisted obsession with Knox. Knox, the hitman MMC, is strangely endearing despite the madness, and he’s got this adorable pet rabbit named. Their enemies-to-lovers arc is both chaotic and oddly sweet. 💕
The forced proximity trope is cranked up to eleven here since Knox is literally her captive. This amps up the tension and adds a layer of spice to their dynamic. The secret society backdrop adds a shadowy element, though I felt like the novella only scratched the surface of what could be a deeper conspiracy. 😈🔍
Prepare for some serious touch her and die! vibes, with intense blood play, knife play. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart.
While I enjoyed the quick, dark read with its steamy moments and vivid characters, the story felt a bit rushed, especially for a novella. The build-up was promising, but the romance between Knox and Allister felt abrupt, starting later in the story. The plot-driven focus left me wishing for more depth in their connection. 📉💔
Content Warnings (CW):
- Hitman MMC
- Violence
- Death and Killing
- Vengeance
- Forced Proximity
- Captive/Captor
- Cheating (not between M/Cs)
- Domestic Violence (not between M/Cs)
- SA (off-page, and some from the FMC)
- Non-Con (not between M/Cs)
- Threatened Harm to a Child (but no harm!)
- Torture (between M/Cs)
- Shock Collar
- Threatened Animal Harm (but no harm!)
Overall, if you’re into dark romances with a heavy dose of spice and twisted dynamics, Karma delivers. Just brace yourself for a chaotic ride with some intense scenes and a storyline that leaves you craving a bit more. 💥🔒
✧ Captive x Captor
✧ Hitman MMC 🔫
✧ Vengeful FMC 🔥
✧ Secret Society 🎭
✧ Forced Proximity (he’s her captive)
✧ Enemies-to-Lovers 💘
✧ Submits Only to Her 👑
✧ Touch Her and Die! 💀
✧ Past Trauma
So, Knox is this hitman guy tangled up in the Exodus, a secret society with a flair for chaos. Things take a wild turn when he ends up as the captive of Allister, a vengeful femme fatale. Cue the captor x captive drama! 😈
Here’s where it gets really intriguing: Allister isn’t just on a revenge kick; she’s also grappling with a seriously dark past and a twisted obsession with Knox. Knox, the hitman MMC, is strangely endearing despite the madness, and he’s got this adorable pet rabbit named. Their enemies-to-lovers arc is both chaotic and oddly sweet. 💕
The forced proximity trope is cranked up to eleven here since Knox is literally her captive. This amps up the tension and adds a layer of spice to their dynamic. The secret society backdrop adds a shadowy element, though I felt like the novella only scratched the surface of what could be a deeper conspiracy. 😈🔍
Prepare for some serious touch her and die! vibes, with intense blood play, knife play. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart.
While I enjoyed the quick, dark read with its steamy moments and vivid characters, the story felt a bit rushed, especially for a novella. The build-up was promising, but the romance between Knox and Allister felt abrupt, starting later in the story. The plot-driven focus left me wishing for more depth in their connection. 📉💔
Content Warnings (CW):
- Hitman MMC
- Violence
- Death and Killing
- Vengeance
- Forced Proximity
- Captive/Captor
- Cheating (not between M/Cs)
- Domestic Violence (not between M/Cs)
- SA (off-page, and some from the FMC)
- Non-Con (not between M/Cs)
- Threatened Harm to a Child (but no harm!)
- Torture (between M/Cs)
- Shock Collar
- Threatened Animal Harm (but no harm!)
Overall, if you’re into dark romances with a heavy dose of spice and twisted dynamics, Karma delivers. Just brace yourself for a chaotic ride with some intense scenes and a storyline that leaves you craving a bit more. 💥🔒
August 27, 2024
3✨
4🌶️
All the ingredients are here for a classic Lauren Biel dark erotic-romance, and it bakes into a pretty good, if average, [pound] cake. It's a little messy, it's a little all over the place, don't look at the plot too long or it might fall apart, but if you're looking for a quick hit of dark romance without much critical thought, like having to learn a new world or remember previous characters; it's a complete reading experience, although I do believe this novella is part of a larger series where authors are all writing novellas set in the same Exodus world. But I don't think they are interconnected (double check me on this if you're interested to learn more!)
The MMC and FMC definitely have a dark lust-love situation going on, and their darkness and sadistic tendencies play off the other, although the FMC can be seen as the one who takes charge the most in some of the situations.
It didn't inspire any particular emotions in me, overwhelmingly positive or negative, but it was a quick read and gave me a reprieve from other, longer reads. It's worth a shot to try for any dark romance lovers out there, or especially other Lauren Biel fans.
4🌶️
All the ingredients are here for a classic Lauren Biel dark erotic-romance, and it bakes into a pretty good, if average, [pound] cake. It's a little messy, it's a little all over the place, don't look at the plot too long or it might fall apart, but if you're looking for a quick hit of dark romance without much critical thought, like having to learn a new world or remember previous characters; it's a complete reading experience, although I do believe this novella is part of a larger series where authors are all writing novellas set in the same Exodus world. But I don't think they are interconnected (double check me on this if you're interested to learn more!)
The MMC and FMC definitely have a dark lust-love situation going on, and their darkness and sadistic tendencies play off the other, although the FMC can be seen as the one who takes charge the most in some of the situations.
It didn't inspire any particular emotions in me, overwhelmingly positive or negative, but it was a quick read and gave me a reprieve from other, longer reads. It's worth a shot to try for any dark romance lovers out there, or especially other Lauren Biel fans.
August 8, 2025
’I would burn the world down for that fucking rabbit’
3.75
”Fuck me like you hate them, Karma.”
Karma is one of Lauren Biel’s darker grey novellas. Having read more than half of her catalog by now, one might think the risk for repetitiveness might arise but NO. Not with Lauren Biel.
She always comes up with something new
’I like them a bit unhinged.' (me too Lauren, me too)
Both the FMC and MMC are built up so well. The characters have depths and nuances that can be found in the details, allowing the story to have contours without getting too long.
The victim FMC with a knack for vengeance and a good boy turned bad MMC who is obsessed with his pet rabbit? I had no idea this combination could hit so good but here we are! They are fun and unhinged and he is weirdly sweet and she’s sweetly weird in my favorite depraved way.
’Did I just say that? Absolutely. Did I mean it? Without a doubt.
Once again, Lauren Biel masters the art of less is more by providing exactly the info necessary to dive into the story without feeling the need to provide too much details in terms of the framework it’s set in.
’I haven’t felt like a good girl to anyone in a long time.’
Quick, dark read with hot spice, well done unaliving and characters that should maybe not be as lovable as they are. And a very special pet rabbit that stole my heart
Loosely set in a world that hosts themed stories by a variety of authors, I can’t help but be intrigued by the other books now.
I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.75
”Fuck me like you hate them, Karma.”
Karma is one of Lauren Biel’s darker grey novellas. Having read more than half of her catalog by now, one might think the risk for repetitiveness might arise but NO. Not with Lauren Biel.
She always comes up with something new
’I like them a bit unhinged.' (me too Lauren, me too)
Both the FMC and MMC are built up so well. The characters have depths and nuances that can be found in the details, allowing the story to have contours without getting too long.
The victim FMC with a knack for vengeance and a good boy turned bad MMC who is obsessed with his pet rabbit? I had no idea this combination could hit so good but here we are! They are fun and unhinged and he is weirdly sweet and she’s sweetly weird in my favorite depraved way.
’Did I just say that? Absolutely. Did I mean it? Without a doubt.
Once again, Lauren Biel masters the art of less is more by providing exactly the info necessary to dive into the story without feeling the need to provide too much details in terms of the framework it’s set in.
’I haven’t felt like a good girl to anyone in a long time.’
Quick, dark read with hot spice, well done unaliving and characters that should maybe not be as lovable as they are. And a very special pet rabbit that stole my heart
Loosely set in a world that hosts themed stories by a variety of authors, I can’t help but be intrigued by the other books now.
I received a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 29, 2024
I don’t know where to begin. This book was a mess, not in a good way.
We follow Alistair and Knox who met in the night were everything is allowed (like "the purge"). The book is short, I think 113 pages on my kindle, but there is far too much story building and less relationship building. It’s hard to explain but the author concentrates on unnecessary long descriptions and introductions what’s pretty boring for such a short story. We don’t get what‘s promised. The relationship between Alistair and Knox starts at 80% and that’s far too late considering that there is literally no build up and everything in their relationship happens from one to zero. I hoped for a tension soaked, short darkromance with a thrill but got a plot driven story without tension instead. No one expects books this short to have an actual deep plot, that’s just not possible if you want to have romance two - this author decided to set the romance part aside (too bad cause the idea had potential).
It would have been better to make the plot short and focus on the dark love/romance. It felt chaotic and incomplete. For such an complex plot the book should have been 100 pages longer. Not a fan of this novella, sorry.
𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
#1 Scorpion ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#2 Karma ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#3 Thrill of the Hunt ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
We follow Alistair and Knox who met in the night were everything is allowed (like "the purge"). The book is short, I think 113 pages on my kindle, but there is far too much story building and less relationship building. It’s hard to explain but the author concentrates on unnecessary long descriptions and introductions what’s pretty boring for such a short story. We don’t get what‘s promised. The relationship between Alistair and Knox starts at 80% and that’s far too late considering that there is literally no build up and everything in their relationship happens from one to zero. I hoped for a tension soaked, short darkromance with a thrill but got a plot driven story without tension instead. No one expects books this short to have an actual deep plot, that’s just not possible if you want to have romance two - this author decided to set the romance part aside (too bad cause the idea had potential).
It would have been better to make the plot short and focus on the dark love/romance. It felt chaotic and incomplete. For such an complex plot the book should have been 100 pages longer. Not a fan of this novella, sorry.
𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
#1 Scorpion ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#2 Karma ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#3 Thrill of the Hunt ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
August 14, 2024
With a small shopping list of trigger warnings, Karma is EVERYTHING. The writing, the spice, the revenge ... 🤌🏽
Sorry Lauren Biel, but a new book has stolen my heart... Oh wait. You wrote this one too. 😉
Sorry Lauren Biel, but a new book has stolen my heart... Oh wait. You wrote this one too. 😉
October 11, 2024
THIS WAS HOT 🥵, WHO DOESN’T LOVE A PSYCHOTIC DUO???😏🤭
August 24, 2024
Both the FMC and MMC in this book are perfection! Love the good boy gone bad and even his pet rabbit, and the vengeful FMC. The writing, the spice, the revenge was all done to perfection! I ate this up, as with most of Lauren Biels books!
Masks, secret society, purge vibes need I say more. As always please check your trigger warnings, this one gets bloody
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review with my honest thoughts and opinions
Masks, secret society, purge vibes need I say more. As always please check your trigger warnings, this one gets bloody
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review with my honest thoughts and opinions
August 3, 2026
It’s only 120 pages, so I can’t give you very many details. The fact that it’s so short is what actually kept me from giving it 5 stars. Apparently, it’s a series by different authors and I guess the worlds are connected, but these two characters don’t appear in the other books? Regardless, I wanted more for these two psychos.
Knox Blakely is forced to do bad things for a secret society.
Allister Viot wants revenge against the people who murdered her father.
Worlds collide, triggering things happen, revenge is delivered, and we end with a HFN.
SEX: Yes. No condoms. Yay.
PETEY: He doesn’t die.
TRIGGERS: Honestly, it’s Lauren Biel. Her name appears next to the word “Trigger” in the dictionary. LOL. Seriously though, it’s pretty tame for LB. There’s a lot of murder, physical abuse by partner, off-page SA, genital mutilation (maybe attempted mutilation?), ummmm, maybe some sex involving blood, shock therapy, and some other stuff. Oh, there’s non-penetrative somno.
AUDIO: It’s a duet. Kayden Lukakis and Alexa Borys are both great.
Am I simping for a woman with a hammer and all the balls to nail mine to the floor? Absolutely.
Knox Blakely is forced to do bad things for a secret society.
She’s free to love whoever she wants. And she chose me.
Allister Viot wants revenge against the people who murdered her father.
“You are all I want until my last breath. I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but you’re mine…. I don’t want to be part of them anymore. I want to be part of you.”
Worlds collide, triggering things happen, revenge is delivered, and we end with a HFN.
“Of course I was awake, you sadistic bitch! Who gets off and goes right to violence like this?”
“Karma, I guess.”
“Karma’s a cunt,”
SEX: Yes. No condoms. Yay.
PETEY: He doesn’t die.
TRIGGERS: Honestly, it’s Lauren Biel. Her name appears next to the word “Trigger” in the dictionary. LOL. Seriously though, it’s pretty tame for LB. There’s a lot of murder, physical abuse by partner, off-page SA, genital mutilation (maybe attempted mutilation?), ummmm, maybe some sex involving blood, shock therapy, and some other stuff. Oh, there’s non-penetrative somno.
AUDIO: It’s a duet. Kayden Lukakis and Alexa Borys are both great.
September 22, 2024
I love men who are pathetic, hot women who run them, and them being morbid together
March 17, 2026
Lauren Biel does it again! Duet narration Kayden Lukakis and Alexa Borys. Kayden's narration is always amazing. Alexa is a new to me narrator who did a fabulous job at voicing Karma. Lauren always does a fabulous job at picking the narrators to voice her characters.
A secret society that every ten years goes on a murderous rampage. Allister (Allie/Karma) had to deal with losing her father 10 years ago. She is back now to enact her revenge.
Knox is a victim turned killer for the secret society.
Karma manages to snag Knox and turn him into her captive. Will Knox survive? Will Karma get her revenge on the people who killed her father?
This book is considered a light to medium-grey dark romance novella. Because it is by author Lauren Biel, you know it will have an HEA. There are some very dark elements to this novella so definitely read the trigger warnings.
A secret society that every ten years goes on a murderous rampage. Allister (Allie/Karma) had to deal with losing her father 10 years ago. She is back now to enact her revenge.
Knox is a victim turned killer for the secret society.
Karma manages to snag Knox and turn him into her captive. Will Knox survive? Will Karma get her revenge on the people who killed her father?
This book is considered a light to medium-grey dark romance novella. Because it is by author Lauren Biel, you know it will have an HEA. There are some very dark elements to this novella so definitely read the trigger warnings.
October 1, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.75/5)
Imagine a night where morality takes a back seat, and humanity's darkest impulses are unleashed with full force every ten years. That’s the world Lauren Biel throws us into with Karma, a novella that oozes with tension, violence, and a hearty dose of seduction. Think The Purge, but with less frantic running and more smouldering looks from across the room and genital mutilation. Intrigued yet?
At the centre of this gritty story is Knox, a hitman for a secret society called The Exodus. But if you thought he was the dominant alpha pulling all the strings, guess again. Enter Alli, a woman with revenge on her mind and enough grit to knock Knox off his high horse—literally. From the moment she makes him her captive, the dynamics shift. Knox may be the professional killer, but it's Alli who holds all the power, and let's just say it doesn’t go to waste.
The chemistry between Knox and Alli is undeniably electric. They’re both dark souls with sadistic streaks, and watching them try to outmanoeuvre each other is deliciously twisted. It’s not a slow burn romance by any stretch—it’s more of a "we could kill each other, or we could kiss" kind of energy. And yes, Biel amps up the spice factor, making their interactions as dangerous as they are... well, steamy.
But here's the thing: Karma feels like it’s just scratching the surface. Biel introduces us to this secret society, The Exodus, but it remains largely in the shadows. There’s a tantalizing hint of a larger conspiracy, but it never quite lands. The world-building could’ve used more heft, and I couldn't help but wish for a deeper dive into the machinations behind the reckoning night. The premise is wild, but the novella format forces it to play second fiddle to the characters, and that’s both its strength and its weakness. Now, this is a novella within a multi-authored series, so I'm not going to count that in.
However, the dynamic between Knox and Alli? It’s great… but on wobbly legs. The novella doesn't give their relationship enough time to solidify into something truly compelling. Don’t get me wrong—the tension and lust between them are palpable, but I needed more depth, more emotional stakes to fully buy into their connection.
That said, novellas are tough to balance. Biel nails the intensity, but in doing so, the plot feels a bit undercooked. I liked it, but Karma leaves you wanting more. This story begs to be fleshed out into a full-length novel, where the complex layers of this dystopian world, and the dangerous love-hate dynamic between the leads, could truly shine.
In short, Karma is a novella that will suck you in with its intriguing concept and tantalizing characters. But be prepared to leave with more questions than answers—and a burning desire for a sequel (or a full-length).
Imagine a night where morality takes a back seat, and humanity's darkest impulses are unleashed with full force every ten years. That’s the world Lauren Biel throws us into with Karma, a novella that oozes with tension, violence, and a hearty dose of seduction. Think The Purge, but with less frantic running and more smouldering looks from across the room and genital mutilation. Intrigued yet?
At the centre of this gritty story is Knox, a hitman for a secret society called The Exodus. But if you thought he was the dominant alpha pulling all the strings, guess again. Enter Alli, a woman with revenge on her mind and enough grit to knock Knox off his high horse—literally. From the moment she makes him her captive, the dynamics shift. Knox may be the professional killer, but it's Alli who holds all the power, and let's just say it doesn’t go to waste.
The chemistry between Knox and Alli is undeniably electric. They’re both dark souls with sadistic streaks, and watching them try to outmanoeuvre each other is deliciously twisted. It’s not a slow burn romance by any stretch—it’s more of a "we could kill each other, or we could kiss" kind of energy. And yes, Biel amps up the spice factor, making their interactions as dangerous as they are... well, steamy.
But here's the thing: Karma feels like it’s just scratching the surface. Biel introduces us to this secret society, The Exodus, but it remains largely in the shadows. There’s a tantalizing hint of a larger conspiracy, but it never quite lands. The world-building could’ve used more heft, and I couldn't help but wish for a deeper dive into the machinations behind the reckoning night. The premise is wild, but the novella format forces it to play second fiddle to the characters, and that’s both its strength and its weakness. Now, this is a novella within a multi-authored series, so I'm not going to count that in.
However, the dynamic between Knox and Alli? It’s great… but on wobbly legs. The novella doesn't give their relationship enough time to solidify into something truly compelling. Don’t get me wrong—the tension and lust between them are palpable, but I needed more depth, more emotional stakes to fully buy into their connection.
That said, novellas are tough to balance. Biel nails the intensity, but in doing so, the plot feels a bit undercooked. I liked it, but Karma leaves you wanting more. This story begs to be fleshed out into a full-length novel, where the complex layers of this dystopian world, and the dangerous love-hate dynamic between the leads, could truly shine.
In short, Karma is a novella that will suck you in with its intriguing concept and tantalizing characters. But be prepared to leave with more questions than answers—and a burning desire for a sequel (or a full-length).
October 22, 2024
This was a unique, completely different take on this series. Rather than being born into the Exodus, Knox was forced into it. Now he has become nothing more than a lowly hitman. Allistar on the other hand has one purpose only and that isn’t to seek revenge for the death of her father. The two cross paths and create a perfect Lauren Biel style unhinged connection.
It was dark, it was torturous, it was spicy, and it also has some sweet moments that made it funny. I liked that it was different viewpoint but do wish there was more of the party tied into it.
It was dark, it was torturous, it was spicy, and it also has some sweet moments that made it funny. I liked that it was different viewpoint but do wish there was more of the party tied into it.
March 22, 2026
The Purge and Bitches be crazy meet in this short novella👀
Expect Lauren Biel level of cray cray and dont look to closely at the plot (where? What plot?👀) and just enjoy this for what it is lol.
Now if you are triggered easily just skip Lauren Biel all together 😏
Poors Knox balls can attest to this👀 ( see the highlights for reference 🫣)
Expect Lauren Biel level of cray cray and dont look to closely at the plot (where? What plot?👀) and just enjoy this for what it is lol.
Now if you are triggered easily just skip Lauren Biel all together 😏
Poors Knox balls can attest to this👀 ( see the highlights for reference 🫣)
August 17, 2024
This gave off The Purge vibes complete with mask, murder, secret society and spicy good boy moments. It took a while for the story to build, which for a novella isn’t what I typically enjoy but once I hit the 35% point I was hooked.
August 16, 2024
You can never go wrong with a good boy 🫠 lord have mercy
September 17, 2024
⭐⭐⭐
Karma is the second book in the Exodus series, which consists of seven books, each written by a different author with unique storylines, all set in the same universe.
This book was fine for me; I can't say I didn’t enjoy it. Lauren Biel continues to surprise me with her unhinged main characters, and I can never get enough of that. Plus, she’s truly the queen of the captivity trope.
It’s a very short read, just over 100 pages, and takes place during the Night of the Reckoning. He’s part of the Exodus society and is tired of that life. She’s a vengeful woman, unafraid to get her hands dirty for the revenge she seeks. Add captivity (with him as the captive), a submissive (but only to her) masked MMC, and you’ve got the perfect mix for another light-to-gray dark romance novella that kept me on edge until the very end.
My only personal note is that I would have liked to see more story development, which is hard to achieve in just 100 pages.
Karma is the second book in the Exodus series, which consists of seven books, each written by a different author with unique storylines, all set in the same universe.
This book was fine for me; I can't say I didn’t enjoy it. Lauren Biel continues to surprise me with her unhinged main characters, and I can never get enough of that. Plus, she’s truly the queen of the captivity trope.
It’s a very short read, just over 100 pages, and takes place during the Night of the Reckoning. He’s part of the Exodus society and is tired of that life. She’s a vengeful woman, unafraid to get her hands dirty for the revenge she seeks. Add captivity (with him as the captive), a submissive (but only to her) masked MMC, and you’ve got the perfect mix for another light-to-gray dark romance novella that kept me on edge until the very end.
My only personal note is that I would have liked to see more story development, which is hard to achieve in just 100 pages.
August 25, 2024
2.5 ⭐️ From me
It’s like a spicy version of The Purge.
I struggled to get through this book, not here to yuck someone else’s yum but this is what you can expect from the smut summed up in a few quotes from the book:
“It doesn’t make sense to obsess over someone who nailed my scrotum to the floor, but there’s something about her.”
“She’s the only woman I’ve let stomp on my balls. The only one I let cut my dick and ride it until she came.”
The rest of the story line doesn’t really develop, we don’t learn anything more about exodus or their history. If you’re someone who doesn’t care about the story line then this is a good book to read. It’s short & if you enjoyed it you could get through it very fast.
Thank you to book sirens & the author for allowing me an ARC of this book!
It’s like a spicy version of The Purge.
I struggled to get through this book, not here to yuck someone else’s yum but this is what you can expect from the smut summed up in a few quotes from the book:
“It doesn’t make sense to obsess over someone who nailed my scrotum to the floor, but there’s something about her.”
“She’s the only woman I’ve let stomp on my balls. The only one I let cut my dick and ride it until she came.”
The rest of the story line doesn’t really develop, we don’t learn anything more about exodus or their history. If you’re someone who doesn’t care about the story line then this is a good book to read. It’s short & if you enjoyed it you could get through it very fast.
Thank you to book sirens & the author for allowing me an ARC of this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2024
Well..that was something.
Something I wasn't expecting at all. Honestly, I only started this series for this book alone. I can say with 100% certainty that I won't be continuing. I'd love to give a better review, but I have nothing nice to say. I try to pick out things I liked and disliked. But I disliked it all. At this point I'm just writing more so I don't end up on one of those "one star reviews of my five star reads". I'm not sure I achieved that. 🤷♀️
Something I wasn't expecting at all. Honestly, I only started this series for this book alone. I can say with 100% certainty that I won't be continuing. I'd love to give a better review, but I have nothing nice to say. I try to pick out things I liked and disliked. But I disliked it all. At this point I'm just writing more so I don't end up on one of those "one star reviews of my five star reads". I'm not sure I achieved that. 🤷♀️
December 28, 2024
What does it say about me if I admit that I enjoyed this book? There’s dark and then there’s this. A short novella about revenge, bloodlust and, well, a whole of of lust. If you’re squeamish , you might want to skip a few parts, but since it was all in the name of a woman taking her control and power back, a long with avenging her father’s unsolved murder… I was here for it!
September 14, 2024
4.5 ⭐️ 4 🌶
"𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘤𝘪𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘭…𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘪𝘱 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵. 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭. 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺'𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘦. 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺'𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥. 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘵"
after all the edging...karma did NOT disappoint🤗🤗 i loved 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘶𝘳𝘨𝘦 vibe goin on, the equally matched MCs, the 🌶thats delicious af, & the adorable 𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐄𝐘😍😍
*** 𝘚𝘛𝘈𝘕𝘋𝘈𝘓𝘖𝘕𝘌 within 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕰𝖝𝖔𝖉𝖚𝖘 𝕾𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖘. a special fall-themed novella in a shared world that will give u the thrills, secrets, & smvt we all love!!
"𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘤𝘪𝘳𝘤𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘭…𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘪𝘱 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵. 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭. 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺'𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘦. 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺'𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥. 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘵"
after all the edging...karma did NOT disappoint🤗🤗 i loved 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘶𝘳𝘨𝘦 vibe goin on, the equally matched MCs, the 🌶thats delicious af, & the adorable 𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐄𝐘😍😍
*** 𝘚𝘛𝘈𝘕𝘋𝘈𝘓𝘖𝘕𝘌 within 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕰𝖝𝖔𝖉𝖚𝖘 𝕾𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖘. a special fall-themed novella in a shared world that will give u the thrills, secrets, & smvt we all love!!
September 26, 2024
BALLS to the Floor, this is a chef's kiss 🤌
Bad A** FMC looking for vengeance
Masked (partly) MMC
Both have attitude/cockiness. Love it!!
And the BUNNY!!!! Omg.
Overall rating: 5/5⭐️
Spice level: 2.5/5🌶
Darkness level: 1/5🖤
Bad A** FMC looking for vengeance
Masked (partly) MMC
Both have attitude/cockiness. Love it!!
And the BUNNY!!!! Omg.
Overall rating: 5/5⭐️
Spice level: 2.5/5🌶
Darkness level: 1/5🖤
August 12, 2025
Secret Society
Spicy Novella
Vengeful FMC
Masked MMC
Touch Her & Die
Pain Play
Spicy Novella
Vengeful FMC
Masked MMC
Touch Her & Die
Pain Play
October 6, 2025
this was lowkey a feminist read. except that it's a little smutty and murder-y
August 15, 2024
As always Lauren’s books never disappoint! I loved this one. The more unhinged the better 🤭 I gobbled this right up. It was a fun and wild ride. And really hot at times 🔥🔥
August 27, 2024
she does it again
Loved this short story! Kinda wishing it was longer! Not her darkest so it would be a good start for anyone wanting to explore her books!
Loved this short story! Kinda wishing it was longer! Not her darkest so it would be a good start for anyone wanting to explore her books!
August 23, 2024
An assassin beholden to a secret society. A girl hellbent on vengeance. Each of their paths in life was decided by someone else. Now they are ready to make their own paths. Dark, spicy and a bloody good time.
Check the trigger warnings.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Check the trigger warnings.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 27, 2024
To be honest I didn’t even read the blurb prior to requesting this ARC, I just saw Lauren Biel and masked men and it was an immediate must read for me. This is a fun, quick read about a badass, slightly unhinged FMC, Allister aka Karma with a vendetta who captures a masked hitman MMC.
As with most novellas I was left satisfied, but also craving so much more! I loved The Secret Society/Purge vibes so I will definitely be looking into other books in this shared world by other authors!
thank you to the author and to Booksirens for the eARC
As with most novellas I was left satisfied, but also craving so much more! I loved The Secret Society/Purge vibes so I will definitely be looking into other books in this shared world by other authors!
thank you to the author and to Booksirens for the eARC
August 29, 2024
This series is EVERYTHING. I read this in under a day and literally couldn't put it down. Lauren put some magic sauce into this book and it is just so good.
This was my first book in The Exodus Series and I loved getting to have it introduced to it through Knox's eyes and his story.
Karma comes along and throws his world upside down in the best and worst ways.
This was my first book in The Exodus Series and I loved getting to have it introduced to it through Knox's eyes and his story.
Karma comes along and throws his world upside down in the best and worst ways.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 751 reviews