Divine Intervention

Black Rose Auction #2

by R.M. Virtues

In this Goldilocks remix, a witch must work with her ex's father (who she betrayed) and an angel to steal a magical chalice from the auction floor. But things get scorchingly complicated when all three agree that revenge is best served in the bedroom...

And that's just the beginning. Accept your invitation to this exclusive auction. You never know who you might see there...

DIVINE INTERVENTION is part of the Black Rose Auction Series, a collaboration of six books from six authors. Check out the series page for full details! This is also a standalone novel in the Sing Me to Sleep/Series of Sacrilegious Events Universe by R.M. Virtues.

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Fantasy, Enemies To Lovers, Smut, M M F, Retellings

219 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 25, 2025

About the author

A profound lover of love and self-proclaimed son of the old gods, R.M. Virtues is an Afro-Native, Two-Spirit bestselling author of romance filled with mythology, fairy tales, and folklore. He currently resides in Nevada on unceded Nuwuvi lands. When not writing, R.M. can be found watching horror movies, playing rpg video games, or falling down a research rabbit hole.

You can currently find him online at rmvirtues.com or @rmvirtues on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Patreon.

Reviews

[Анастасія ꒰⁠⑅⁠ᵕ⁠༚⁠ᵕ⁠꒱⁠˖⁠♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ця частина мені сподобалась набагато більше ніж перша. Почнімо з того що тут є боги, і якийсь сюжет про це. А ще тут тройнічок, хоча я його не очікувала 🤭

[Amy Imogene Reads]

Not rating this one because it’s a DNF…. But word of caution to new readers 🥴 You’ve got to be able to have “Papa Bear” be a sexy phrase and not lose the moment in this odd rendition of the daddy vibe. I’ll be honest, I’m too squicked by this variation to continue. Combine that with the seriously confusing angels and demons mega plot and it was a very easy no from me. I did enjoy the writing though, so am intrigued to try out this author’s other work—tropes in romance are so singular that I wonder if this was a one-off issue.

[Megan Wadsworth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love it. I did not love it.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I almost put this one down after the first few chapters. The world building was explained so quickly, which just made it complicated and confusing. Plus this author couldn't seem to decide if the characters had accents or not, and the result is random lines of dialogue that don't fit with the rest of a characters speech, which was really jarring. And then, as other reviews mention, the first "Papa Bear" steamy scene gave me the icks.

However, after the first sexual encounter, the MFC uses Papa Bear much less, and the story got more interesting. I am actually a bit curious about the rest of the angels and demons and may try another book by this author.

[Christy · Rating 1 out of 5]

if you're reading through the Black Rose Auction books, if you are unsure within the first chapter whether youll like this just do yourself a favor and DNF. SKIP. THIS.

normally I wouldn't rate a DNF (made it 35% in) but I hated this so, so much. I hated the angels/demons aspect of this, I hated the writing style, I hated the 50 pages of info dump at the beginning to try and set up these random fucking angels and demons being in this world at all. the main characters are insufferable and have zero chemistry.

[McKaley Wallace · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a “why choose” girly

[Gwen Carl!! · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
As a child did you ever read goldilocks and the three bears and thought Papa bear was really attractive but sadly you were technically dating baby bear, but baby bear was a jerk and you also kinda wished Papa bear and goldilocks would have a threesome with an angel? Well, I like many children did not, but if you did you would probably like this book. This book was just like the goldilocks fairytale if you killed off mama bear made everyone either an angel or demon and nothing about the plot has anything to do with the original plot of goldilocks except "Goldilocks", Tlalli, calls the MMC Papa Bear and while having sex he would ask her "is it too hard? Or too soft" and then Tlalli would then answer "just right" which would have been funny once or twice, but the author wrote that 5 or 6 times that's too many times I got annoyed with it. Then you add in Elias which I wish we got more of them all together because Elias was just with the two of them in one scene. This book also implied it was also taking place at the same time as wicked pursuit but I don't think Katee's book had any easter eggs about this book but who knows looks like I have to reread.

[Poppy || Monster Lover · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like this book had so much potential but so much of the world building was rushed. I was confused a little too frequently. Tlalli was feisty and reckless, but had a good heart underneath it all. Elias was emotionally numbed out and reluctant to change, but never sank to the depths of cruelty the other angels did. Cahuani was steady and principled, even if he had lost his passion. The three of them came together intensely. I just wanted more from their relationship. So much time was spent on spice, which I love, but for world that clearly had more lore that wasn’t out on page and some serious plot going on, it was too much for the length of the book.

Spice: 5/5

Triggers: accidental sex vid viewing, violence, bodily harm, harassment, brief and vague discussion of harassment and assault, religious imagery, death of loved one (historical), grief

[Shayla Frizzell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my usually type of romance read but still very unique and enjoyable.

[Claudia Perez · Rating 1 out of 5]

“Boring, yawning, sloppy, lazy”- Abby Lee Miller. First of all, why is the fmc taller than the mmc. That just isn’t right. Second of all, why is it written in third person. Third of all, why the hell is the mmc’s nickname Papa Bear. Y’all I’m so bored and pissed off!!!!!!!! This is such a let down. What happened to yearning. I was confused with some of the plot yall I was fighting for my life. They didn’t even give the second mmc any attention, he was just there.

Update: a man wrote it.

[Talia Kurtz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pet name used in this book was so god awful. I had to pretend it didn’t exist because I couldn’t read the book seriously with the pet name. It’s probably one of the worst I have ever heard. Now, removing the god awful pet name I really enjoyed the world building and the whole Heaven and Hell vibe. I can’t wait for the other books to be published.

[Felicia Dorsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were things about this I liked and things I didn't. Following the Black Rose Auction series, this 2nd book had some hits and some misses. For a book that's supposed to be a novella (230-ish pages), there was a bit more world building than storytelling, though I give some leeway with what seems to be a lot happening in this potentially interesting world; I would have been fine if it focused more on the heist aspect rather than the world building aspect.
The spice was spicin' and there were some things I thought were cringe in the beginning, but overall it was good...okay...somewhere in between maybe.
I always love getting to learn new cultures and beliefs, and while a lot of this may be fictional, you can tell the author takes from their own culture experiences which is nice to see and experience.

[Zaji-Kali (ZajiKaliReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love a why choose situation! 🔥🔥
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3.5/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️

This story was such a fun ride! Angels and Demons in a fresh new way! I loved this world and the characters sm! Tlalli was my favorite from page one! Her sass and attitude made me side with her right away! Firm supporter of women’s wrongs 🤗

Cahuani had all the daddy vibes I could want! Those suits and the cowboy hat 👏🏽👏🏽 Yes, please! But Elias came through with some heat I was not expecting.

This story was spicy and action packed on such a small package! Love, loved! This was my first story from RM and it won’t be my last! Cannot wait to see more from this world!

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really struggled to make sense of this story. You know the beginning part of a fantasy series where you're struggling to follow what's going on because nothing really makes sense yet? Well, that's basically how I felt all the way through this one. There wasn't really ever an "ah-ha!" moment where it all clicked. Maybe it was because I wasn't drawn into this one, so I would go weeks without picking it up, maybe it would have made more sense if I had been more diligent, but I don't want to have to fight to force myself to read something.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say for a large chunk of this book I had no idea what was going on. I'm not sure if this is a spin off from a pervious series and that's why, i liked the author/writing so I'll be checking out the other books, but i felt like i was missing out on something I should know but didn't. The spice was good and I liked the chemistry between the characters i just felt like i was watching from the outside.

Thank you to Casablanca for allowing me to ARC read!

[Lena The Hyena · Rating 2 out of 5]

[2.5 stars] I really liked the attempt to re-tell/remix one of the less popular fairy tales instead of choosing a fan favorite - but I wasn't into any of the characters or their dynamics. (The last of the spicy scenes was decent, but the characters didn't convice me for about 70 percent of the book.)
The world-building felt a bit overwhelming at times- and unnecessary for the romance in this ,standalone'. I guess the details become more important in the other books of the universe, but it felt unbalanced here, because the main plot was pretty basic and the romance was weirdly overshadowed by all the background informations. The mix of cowboy energy, european folklore, biblical lore and african mythology was messy and refreshing at the same time.

[Shawn Costello · Rating 4 out of 5]

RM Virtues breaks the stereotype that non-female authors write bad romance. The characters were all well written, the plot was solid. My biggest note is that this felt like it should have been twice if not three times as long, and that everything was just kind of pack together and rushed. I would be interested in potentially exploring this world further in other books.

[Helena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Um…I actually don’t think this works for the series. The first one was so good and this one was just…not it. It’s very info dumpy, and I cringed a lot at this story.

[Paige Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

A goldilocks retelling that also involved angels and demons lol it was a good read but very interesting with the whole supernatural pieces.

[Laura]

Dnf @ 50%. Maybe I’ll pick it up again later but I’m struggling to get through it.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just not a fan of the slang being used it didn't feel like it fit the characters. Overall, I didn't love the Goldilocks input either.

[Morgan Grigsby · Rating 1 out of 5]

half of a star. i should’ve stopped after i saw “papa bear” but i am not a quitter. i wish i was.

[Flannery Simchuk · Rating 1 out of 5]

A little longer than the other one…but worse however the comedy was good

[Crystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

nope

[Arielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my least favorite of the black rose auction. I think maybe it's because I was just confused for the first half of the book. It had grown on me a bit by the end though.

[Audrey S · Rating 4 out of 5]

actual rating: 3.5 stars

[Viviana Torres · Rating 1 out of 5]

bad bad bad book. horribly written. I had to force myself to finish only cause I don’t like to dnf books too often :(

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this Goldilocks remix, a witch must work with her ex's father (who she betrayed) and an angel to steal a magical chalice from the auction floor. But things get scorchingly complicated when all three agree that revenge is best served in the bedroom...

I wish this worked for me, but for a huge chunk of the novel I was confused on the world building.

Tlalli is an angel working with other angels (think the Crescent City version of angels) to steal back a chalice. She's working with a man she converted(?), Anthony, and Elias, a high ranking angel. They're all working under Michael. Apparently Tlalli was made an angel? I'm not entirely clear on that, and Anthony was the son of a demon who Tlalli stole away and converted to angeldom? I'm not quite clear on that. They get word that this chalice will be featured at an auction and head there, but run into Anthony's father, Cahuani, and a few of the demons he is working with to also steal the chalice.

Tlalli can barely stand Anthony. She did tempt him to come with her to angelness, but he sees her as a prize to deliver up to Michael? And she basically lived with and betrayed Cahuani when his wife died. When Tlalli meets back up with Cahuani, for some reason they decide to team up to get the chalice together and get Tlalli out of the angel realm. This includes sleeping together, which Tlalli agrees to and asks Cahuani to record to send to her superiors.

And that's really all I could glean about the plot. I'm not sure why they want the chalice, they say that it's a relic and it can't fall into the wrong hands, but it's so glossed over. This story also doesn't really tie itself to the Black Rose Auction series as the auction these characters meet at is never really named or described and the character of Reaper, the host of the auction and is an important character in one of the other books, is named in a kind of throwaway line.

The spice is spicing, but it felt kinda like reading the equivolent of a porn novel for the plot. The characters would bang, talk about how they're gonna get out, split for a chapter or two (and I'm pretty sure this book takes place over three days), and when they meet back up to compare notes or swap intel, they bang again.

As another reviewer mentioned, you also have to be okay with Papa Bear being thrown around during spicy times because there are A LOT of spicy times in this book, and Tlalli almost exclusively throws that around during them. I know the blurb also mentions a threesome, but that comes in so late.

That said, I would absolutely read more from this author.

[PP's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as I read the tropes and the trigger warning at the beginning, I realized I am venturing into an uncharted territory for me as a romance reader. And that got me so excited. New to me author. New k1nks and tropes. Divine Intervention was nothing less than a sexy action packed intense adventure for me.

Ex’s dad
supernatural polyamorous romance
Black romance
Two spirit leads
Witches, angels and demons
CNC / primal play
Enemies to lovers

Thalli has had enough of the games if the Archangels. She was used and betrayed and given to a man who has no business being an angel. The Black Rose Auction and the mission of stealing the chalice gives her a chance to escape the Heaven and the Dominion. She finds an unexpected guest here. Her ex's dad Cahuani who has the same ancient magic as her and is part of the Puri aka the demons. She stole from him once but he is her last hope to get out. He isn't like his evil son after all. But what about another angel who came here with her? Elias is certainly a very powerful and ancient one but he has been disillusioned too. With a war between the Dominion and the Puri on the horizon, these three have to make some savage decisions.

Tlalli is a very strong character. Not only magical power. The way she is constantly fighting to not bow down to the Dominion but had to play their games too. She is fierce and sensual and sassy. Cahuani didn't want to trust her initially but her pleading melted his heart. He knows that she isn't responsible for his son's corruption
And he cannot deny he feels something very deep and intense for her. Elias has been like friend to her and he always tried to ignore the wrongdoings of the Dominion but now he is at cross hairs and he has to take a side. And they both chose Tlalli. It was so spicy and dark and twisted. Make sure to stay dehydrated because oh my god it was hotter than the sun. I have never read anything with this kind of supernatural leads and it was fascinating. Cahuani and Elias both were extremely protective and possessive and they both had a dangerous side when it came to enemies. A lot of moving pieces were here and the ending was epic.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

[Mackenzie Janssen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacted my opinions.

A dark, sensual, and intoxicating entry in the ‘Black Rose Auction’ series, ‘Divine Intervention’ pulls you into a world of secrets, power, and pleasure. RM Virtues crafts a tale that is both deeply seductive and emotionally charged, making for a gripping read that balances intrigue with steamy romance.

Plot: ★★★★☆
The plot is full of intensity, passion, and darkness. The slow-burn tension builds into something utterly magnetic, and the deeper themes add weight to the sensuality. It carves out its own distinct tone in the series, making the story feel fresh and compelling.

Character: ★★★★☆
The characters are well-crafted, though I would have liked to see a bit more depth in their emotional arcs. That said, their chemistry is electric, and they bring the story to life with their complex interactions and power dynamics. They feel real and raw, which keeps the stakes high and the tension thick.

Setting: ★★★★☆
The setting is gorgeously dark and indulgent, mirroring the sensual tone of the book. RM Virtues does a fantastic job of making the environment feel immersive, adding to the sense of danger and allure that defines the Black Rose Auction.

Engagement: ★★★★☆
Like ‘Wicked Pursuit’, it took a little while to fully pull me in, but once it did, I was completely hooked. The blend of erotic tension and underlying suspense made it impossible to put down.

Readability: ★★★★★
The writing flows effortlessly, making it easy to get lost in the story. RM Virtues’ prose is evocative, beautifully balancing the steamy moments with emotionally charged scenes.

Enjoyment: ★★★★☆
I really enjoyed ‘Divine Intervention’. While I craved a little more depth in some areas, the intoxicating mix of passion, tension, and mystery made it a satisfying read. The sensuality was masterfully written, and the darker elements only enhanced the story’s intensity.

A gripping addition to the ‘Black Rose Auction’ series, ‘Divine Intervention’ delivers dark romance at its finest - seductive, thrilling, and dangerously addictive. If you love books that explore power, pleasure, and secrets in equal measure, this one is definitely worth reading.