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Gallows Hill #1
Deceit
I wasn’t sure what to expect when arriving in Salem.
Forced to marry a man I’ve never met, attend a private university I’d never heard of, and the whispers of a rumored secret society filling the halls.
This life would be near unbearable with my insufferable fiancé if it wasn’t for his uncle, his best friend, and his enemy.
When none of them are willing to let me go, it sends us down a path I’m not sure any of us will survive.
The life I was promised is distorted behind smoke and mirrors. The truth cloaked by Deceit.
Forced to marry a man I’ve never met, attend a private university I’d never heard of, and the whispers of a rumored secret society filling the halls.
This life would be near unbearable with my insufferable fiancé if it wasn’t for his uncle, his best friend, and his enemy.
When none of them are willing to let me go, it sends us down a path I’m not sure any of us will survive.
The life I was promised is distorted behind smoke and mirrors. The truth cloaked by Deceit.
368 pages, Paperback
Published September 10, 2024
4144 people are currently reading
22540 people want to read
About the author
Katelyn Taylor
19 books2,490 followersKatelyn Taylor writes dark and contemporary romance and is known for twisted love stories with toe-curling smut, heart-breaking angst & plot twists that keep readers up all night.
If you like your romance with a side of unhingedness & spice, get ready to cry from your eyes to your thighs.
Welcome to the Taylorverse!
If you like your romance with a side of unhingedness & spice, get ready to cry from your eyes to your thighs.
Welcome to the Taylorverse!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,016 reviews
September 19, 2024
I’m gonna be a hater with this one. I wanna yuck everyone’s yum. Did we all read a different book? Did Vincent put a gun to your head and say you had to give this five stars? Hands down my worst read of 2024.
Hey, maybe I’m just turning into an old biddy who doesn’t care about a 19 year old girl who most interesting thing about her is her “airy” laugh. Men are falling at her feet. They can’t get enough of her. EVERYONE is head over heels madly in love and it’s only been three weeks. The romance! The swooning! Oral sex for you! And you! AND YOU! The cringe worthy use of ‘babygirl’ and ‘baby.’ I can’t even get into the relationship with a 32 year old man which was so creepy. He’s obsessed with a teenage girl because…..actually we don’t know why. He’s just a dirty dog.
Also, let’s just take a moment and address the distracting amount of grammatical errors in this. More power to you for putting a book on KU but have a friend give it a read over because hot damn!
Every reviewer that made believe that there were insane twists and turns and a crazy cliffhanger at end, I hope can’t you find the cool side of the pillow for at least a few minutes tonight. I would have dnf’d this sucker otherwise.
Hey, maybe I’m just turning into an old biddy who doesn’t care about a 19 year old girl who most interesting thing about her is her “airy” laugh. Men are falling at her feet. They can’t get enough of her. EVERYONE is head over heels madly in love and it’s only been three weeks. The romance! The swooning! Oral sex for you! And you! AND YOU! The cringe worthy use of ‘babygirl’ and ‘baby.’ I can’t even get into the relationship with a 32 year old man which was so creepy. He’s obsessed with a teenage girl because…..actually we don’t know why. He’s just a dirty dog.
Also, let’s just take a moment and address the distracting amount of grammatical errors in this. More power to you for putting a book on KU but have a friend give it a read over because hot damn!
Every reviewer that made believe that there were insane twists and turns and a crazy cliffhanger at end, I hope can’t you find the cool side of the pillow for at least a few minutes tonight. I would have dnf’d this sucker otherwise.
October 7, 2024
Saw this doing the rounds release day on IG and reading that it centers around a secret society of course I wanted to read it..
Where the men rule the world and the woman are used as pawns.
☠️ Dark academia
💀 RH
☠️ Jealous/possessive MMCs
💀 Secret society
☠️ Virgin FMC
Where the men rule the world and the woman are used as pawns.
☠️ Dark academia
💀 RH
☠️ Jealous/possessive MMCs
💀 Secret society
☠️ Virgin FMC
May 15, 2025
Why Choose Romance, I don’t even know what to say this genre gets me every time. I’m a simple girl who just wants multiple men obsessed with her, okay? This book delivers exactly that. It’s got those secret society cult-y vibes that are always so addictive, and to make it even better? It’s set in Salem, so you already know it’s bringing that dark, witchy energy.
There were some twists that I totally didn’t expect, but honestly? They made perfect sense and added such a cool layer to the story. I’m dying to see where that thread goes next.
Let’s talk tropes: we’ve got a little age gap, a bit of bully romance, the classic overprotective guy who’s ready to pull a gun at a moment’s notice (and he does), and the golden retriever blond who’s pure comedic relief. The dynamic between all of them? LOVED IT but I’m Team Vincent, no question.
And the spice?? Girl. I was a puddle on the floor literally. Two scenes hit back-to-back and I was like, “Katelyn, PLEASE let me breathe.” Or don’t. That works too lmao. And not to mention this is a duet multicast narration audiobook, so those scenes hit so much different hearing them. I was like you know what let me just run that back a couple hundred times.🥵😮💨🤣
I was so invested in these characters and their messy, magnetic relationships and how easily they became obsessed with Skyla I just love when a man(or 4) is down bad. My girls got the golden 🐱 also the banter between the MMC’s was cracking me the fuck up.
Thoroughly entertained from start to finish. And with that ending? You better believe I’m jumping into book two as soon as I can.
There were some twists that I totally didn’t expect, but honestly? They made perfect sense and added such a cool layer to the story. I’m dying to see where that thread goes next.
Let’s talk tropes: we’ve got a little age gap, a bit of bully romance, the classic overprotective guy who’s ready to pull a gun at a moment’s notice (and he does), and the golden retriever blond who’s pure comedic relief. The dynamic between all of them? LOVED IT but I’m Team Vincent, no question.
And the spice?? Girl. I was a puddle on the floor literally. Two scenes hit back-to-back and I was like, “Katelyn, PLEASE let me breathe.” Or don’t. That works too lmao. And not to mention this is a duet multicast narration audiobook, so those scenes hit so much different hearing them. I was like you know what let me just run that back a couple hundred times.🥵😮💨🤣
I was so invested in these characters and their messy, magnetic relationships and how easily they became obsessed with Skyla I just love when a man(or 4) is down bad. My girls got the golden 🐱 also the banter between the MMC’s was cracking me the fuck up.
Thoroughly entertained from start to finish. And with that ending? You better believe I’m jumping into book two as soon as I can.
February 9, 2025
4 Demure Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level:🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Now I TOTALLY judged this book by the cover and thought I was getting dark... I mean thinking on the lines of The Hallow Boys crossed with the L.O.R.D.S. given it has very similar aspects they share...
AND while it was dark and spicy and bully... It was not WHAT THE COVER implies...
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Skyla has spent her entire life in England with her aunt after her mother passed away, but now that she’s 18 and about to start university, she’s summoned back to the States to attend an invite-only university in Salem. The catch? Her father is a legacy of the university and is forcing her into an arranged marriage with one of her fellow students (who happens to be the Heir to the Brethern - a secret society her father is a part of). The day she meets her fiancé, Asher, she literally walks in on him banging another woman in her bed. Off to a great start, right? Asher is a dick to her from the very beginning, but somehow Skyla has "magical vagina syndrome" and every single man in her orbit is suddenly obsessed with her. This quickly escalates into her having a relationship with her fiancé's uncle (Ronan), her fiancé’s best friend (Liam), and her fiancé’s secret society acquaintance (Vincent) all deciding that they want her. And apparently, they don’t mind sharing...
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Skyla is an odd mix of personalities. In the beginning, she’s demure, conservative, and shy, which given she’s been raised to be a proper meek lady and untouched makes sense as she has been literally sheltered her entire life by a father who sees her as nothing more than a bargaining chip. But then suddenly one guy gives her an orgasm (not through PENETRATION though since she needs to stay an intact 1850s virgin with a Hymen for the plot) and she's hooking up with someone 12 years older than her, someone who watched her get bullied and did nothing and someone that gives her scary vibes, but his tattoo's are sexy - so WHY NOT... She flip-flopped between being this girl who would stand up for herself to being a shy little damsel in distress and it frustrated me a little.
Asher is the absolute worst, acting out constantly because he has no control over his own life, so he takes that frustration out on Skyla. Over time you do start to see glimpses of the boy underneath who was forced to grow up way too quickly and be a man for his terrifying father. It takes a while to warm up to him but he does manage it... somewhat... until he fucks it up again.
Ronan goes full puppy over Skyla SUPER quickly... knowing she is forbidden fruit must have added to her appeal... But even though he is sweet to her, he still has this lethality about him. He is a fully inducted member of the Brethren and is in charge of wrangling a bunch of delinquent legacies while they prove themselves to society so can turn on the "Daddy" when he needs to.
Liam hides a lot behind his charm. He’s got this bubbly, carefree, flirt-with-anything-that-moves personality, but underneath, he is calculating and more serious than he appears. He has a reputation as a man-whore, and Skyla literally walks in on him being sucked off by two people at a party. But the moment he decides Skyla is his, he commits and the flirt-with-everything vibe all but disappears because Skyla is his now!
Then we have Vincent... The broody, scary and silent type who can kill with his bare hands and not feel a thing while doing it. He is not thrilled about sharing Skyla and if he had his way, the other men would already be dead - but since she is happy with them and he wants her happy... he deals with their annoying presence.
Now as I mentioned, I expected a little more dark given the cover. Yes, there is murder, non-con, bullying and a dangerous society, but it was only really touching the service and could have been a little more depraved. The book focuses mainly on Skyla and her relationship with the men and how her innocence changes. The PLOT is VERY VERY slow because its mostly just her flirting with the boys and then getting steamy...
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Enemies to Lovers, Fiancé’s Best Friend, Fiancé’s Uncle, Fiancé’s Rival?
▶ Forbidden Romance
▶ Age Gap
▶ Bully Romance
▶ Reverse Harem (MFMMM)
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ TeacherXStudent
▶ Virgin FMC
▶ Secret Society
▶ Arranged Marriage
𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 and 𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨::
▷ Walks in on him...
▷ Voyeurism
▷ Brands Her
▷ Nicknames
▷ Forehead Kisses
▷ Washes Her Hair
▷ Cages Her With His Arms
▷ "You Taste Like..."
▷ Undressing/Dressing Help
Overall the writing is undeniably captivating. It draws you in, and despite my gripes, I flew through this book. It will leave you on a massive cliffhanger though!
Spicy Level:🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Now I TOTALLY judged this book by the cover and thought I was getting dark... I mean thinking on the lines of The Hallow Boys crossed with the L.O.R.D.S. given it has very similar aspects they share...
AND while it was dark and spicy and bully... It was not WHAT THE COVER implies...
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Skyla has spent her entire life in England with her aunt after her mother passed away, but now that she’s 18 and about to start university, she’s summoned back to the States to attend an invite-only university in Salem. The catch? Her father is a legacy of the university and is forcing her into an arranged marriage with one of her fellow students (who happens to be the Heir to the Brethern - a secret society her father is a part of). The day she meets her fiancé, Asher, she literally walks in on him banging another woman in her bed. Off to a great start, right? Asher is a dick to her from the very beginning, but somehow Skyla has "magical vagina syndrome" and every single man in her orbit is suddenly obsessed with her. This quickly escalates into her having a relationship with her fiancé's uncle (Ronan), her fiancé’s best friend (Liam), and her fiancé’s secret society acquaintance (Vincent) all deciding that they want her. And apparently, they don’t mind sharing...
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
Skyla is an odd mix of personalities. In the beginning, she’s demure, conservative, and shy, which given she’s been raised to be a proper meek lady and untouched makes sense as she has been literally sheltered her entire life by a father who sees her as nothing more than a bargaining chip. But then suddenly one guy gives her an orgasm (not through PENETRATION though since she needs to stay an intact 1850s virgin with a Hymen for the plot) and she's hooking up with someone 12 years older than her, someone who watched her get bullied and did nothing and someone that gives her scary vibes, but his tattoo's are sexy - so WHY NOT... She flip-flopped between being this girl who would stand up for herself to being a shy little damsel in distress and it frustrated me a little.
Asher is the absolute worst, acting out constantly because he has no control over his own life, so he takes that frustration out on Skyla. Over time you do start to see glimpses of the boy underneath who was forced to grow up way too quickly and be a man for his terrifying father. It takes a while to warm up to him but he does manage it... somewhat... until he fucks it up again.
Ronan goes full puppy over Skyla SUPER quickly... knowing she is forbidden fruit must have added to her appeal... But even though he is sweet to her, he still has this lethality about him. He is a fully inducted member of the Brethren and is in charge of wrangling a bunch of delinquent legacies while they prove themselves to society so can turn on the "Daddy" when he needs to.
Liam hides a lot behind his charm. He’s got this bubbly, carefree, flirt-with-anything-that-moves personality, but underneath, he is calculating and more serious than he appears. He has a reputation as a man-whore, and Skyla literally walks in on him being sucked off by two people at a party. But the moment he decides Skyla is his, he commits and the flirt-with-everything vibe all but disappears because Skyla is his now!
Then we have Vincent... The broody, scary and silent type who can kill with his bare hands and not feel a thing while doing it. He is not thrilled about sharing Skyla and if he had his way, the other men would already be dead - but since she is happy with them and he wants her happy... he deals with their annoying presence.
Now as I mentioned, I expected a little more dark given the cover. Yes, there is murder, non-con, bullying and a dangerous society, but it was only really touching the service and could have been a little more depraved. The book focuses mainly on Skyla and her relationship with the men and how her innocence changes. The PLOT is VERY VERY slow because its mostly just her flirting with the boys and then getting steamy...
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Enemies to Lovers, Fiancé’s Best Friend, Fiancé’s Uncle, Fiancé’s Rival?
▶ Forbidden Romance
▶ Age Gap
▶ Bully Romance
▶ Reverse Harem (MFMMM)
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ TeacherXStudent
▶ Virgin FMC
▶ Secret Society
▶ Arranged Marriage
𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 and 𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙨::
▷ Walks in on him...
▷ Voyeurism
▷ Brands Her
▷ Nicknames
▷ Forehead Kisses
▷ Washes Her Hair
▷ Cages Her With His Arms
▷ "You Taste Like..."
▷ Undressing/Dressing Help
Overall the writing is undeniably captivating. It draws you in, and despite my gripes, I flew through this book. It will leave you on a massive cliffhanger though!
September 11, 2025
Hey Alexa 🎶 play Many Men by 50 Cent💀🗣️🤯👀📖
……But that ending just made me so freaking sick… he better be acting before I jump through my Kindle and kill him 🫠👊🏾
……But that ending just made me so freaking sick… he better be acting before I jump through my Kindle and kill him 🫠👊🏾
October 30, 2024
I wanted to like it but she could fart and everyone would be at her feet.
April 22, 2025
”In the lack of happiness or light, or anything relatively good, there is always hope. It’s always sitting there, idly by, ready for you to take it. You just have to be brave enough to.”
i don’t even know how i fell down a rabbit hole with this series.. it’s literally everything i don’t like in dark romance, but i can’t stop reading them for some reason?? there’s dub con, bullying, daddy kink and insta love (i know, but don’t ask cause i have no answers 😂).
this is just the kind of series i can turn my brain off for, which is what i was looking for when i initially started it. Skyla returns to Gallows Hill at the push of her father, who later tells her she’s to be married off. there’s 4 mmc’s: Asher, Vincent, Liam and Ronan. Asher is her betrothed and seriously acts like he’s got no home training cause he feels out of control. Ronan is his uncle and the first one that Skyla connects with. Vincent is like a thief in the night, allusive and guarded— while Liam is the lighthearted and upbeat one of the group.
”You. I want you. I’ll do whatever it takes. I’ll beg and plead, I’ll lay at your feet and kneel before you every day. Whatever you need, whatever you want, it’s yours. I would stop the earth on its axis for you.”
right now, Liam is my favorite cause his personality is one I’m always drawn to. the plot was doing the bare minimum but since i was reading for the romance, it really didn’t bother me. i found myself the most annoyed with Asher, but i liked all the characters for the most part. Skyla is young and naive, but i can’t fault her cause everything in this world is new to her. she goes with the flow, while also not denying herself what she wants when it comes to the men. i loved seeing them start to open up to her and become accepting of one another. i also love Maggie, who befriends Skyla pretty early on in the book. there’s some sort of cult-like activity going on, a lot of mystery around what the ceremony of Skyla and Asher’s marriage will be. my mouth was hanging open at the end, Asher was pushing the limit for sure.. so clearly i had to run to book two.
i don’t even know how i fell down a rabbit hole with this series.. it’s literally everything i don’t like in dark romance, but i can’t stop reading them for some reason?? there’s dub con, bullying, daddy kink and insta love (i know, but don’t ask cause i have no answers 😂).
this is just the kind of series i can turn my brain off for, which is what i was looking for when i initially started it. Skyla returns to Gallows Hill at the push of her father, who later tells her she’s to be married off. there’s 4 mmc’s: Asher, Vincent, Liam and Ronan. Asher is her betrothed and seriously acts like he’s got no home training cause he feels out of control. Ronan is his uncle and the first one that Skyla connects with. Vincent is like a thief in the night, allusive and guarded— while Liam is the lighthearted and upbeat one of the group.
”You. I want you. I’ll do whatever it takes. I’ll beg and plead, I’ll lay at your feet and kneel before you every day. Whatever you need, whatever you want, it’s yours. I would stop the earth on its axis for you.”
right now, Liam is my favorite cause his personality is one I’m always drawn to. the plot was doing the bare minimum but since i was reading for the romance, it really didn’t bother me. i found myself the most annoyed with Asher, but i liked all the characters for the most part. Skyla is young and naive, but i can’t fault her cause everything in this world is new to her. she goes with the flow, while also not denying herself what she wants when it comes to the men. i loved seeing them start to open up to her and become accepting of one another. i also love Maggie, who befriends Skyla pretty early on in the book. there’s some sort of cult-like activity going on, a lot of mystery around what the ceremony of Skyla and Asher’s marriage will be. my mouth was hanging open at the end, Asher was pushing the limit for sure.. so clearly i had to run to book two.
January 9, 2025
GIRLLL SKYLA I KNOW THAT COOKIES GOOD 🤪😂
bc the way EVERY man she met was under her spell and down to share as long as that meant they could still have access to a piece of her 🙂↕️
The ending has me over here gripping my chest & gaslighting myself over his character fr 😩 like I thought I saw it coming, turns out I DID NOT see it coming
The audio was perfectioooooon 🤩
bc the way EVERY man she met was under her spell and down to share as long as that meant they could still have access to a piece of her 🙂↕️
The ending has me over here gripping my chest & gaslighting myself over his character fr 😩 like I thought I saw it coming, turns out I DID NOT see it coming
The audio was perfectioooooon 🤩
September 19, 2024
DNF @ 15%
Ultimately this is so poorly written that I could not get through it, even though I was engaged by the plot and some of the characters. I’ve been burned too many times before.
Ultimately this is so poorly written that I could not get through it, even though I was engaged by the plot and some of the characters. I’ve been burned too many times before.
February 4, 2025
Homegirl is collecting boyfriends like Thanos collected infinity stones wtf
December 24, 2024
Rating:4.25 stars rounded up
Katelyn, girl, at least pull me up from the f'in cliff ledge you just pushed me over 🤣 IM SORRY WHAT, I AM DISTRAUGHT; you won "the best cliffhanger ending" award! You enjoy playing with my emotions, don't you?🫠
I normally am not a why choose/reverse harem girlie, but this book might have made me one!
There is something here for all spicy romance fans: you have your grumpy/broody MMC Vincent, your golden retriever MMC Liam, don't get me started on Liam, he was my favorite part of the book... I love a man that is confident in his sexuality. He had me grinning from ear to ear with his charming, witty banter. You have your secret societies; talk of witches. Did I mention this all takes place in Salem, Massachusetts?
My ONLY dislike.... probably going to be an unpopular opinion🫣, but calling a man "daddy" gives me the ick. There's one particular scene that had me cringing because of the usage of this pet name..
.
The audiobook itself... I am a HUGE fan of full-cast audiobooks. The cast for this audiobook: Amy Hall, Devon Ryder, Edward Black, Sean Masters, and Sebastian York.... 6⭐ the perfect cast, they all portrayed each character beautifully. They truly felt hand-selected for each role.
Well done Katelyn, you have a new reader for life!
.
Add to your TBR if you like...
🖤 Secret societies or cults/covens
🖤 Age gap
🖤 Arranged marriage
🖤 Touch her & die
🖤 Virgin FMC
🖤 Why Choose
TW❌:
💀 Nonconsensual sexual contact (individual is sleeping)
💀 Cheating (not on FMC)
💀 Violence & Graphic Torture
💀 Explicit Language & Sexual Scenes
💀 Branding
💀 Dismemberment
Katelyn, girl, at least pull me up from the f'in cliff ledge you just pushed me over 🤣 IM SORRY WHAT, I AM DISTRAUGHT; you won "the best cliffhanger ending" award! You enjoy playing with my emotions, don't you?🫠
I normally am not a why choose/reverse harem girlie, but this book might have made me one!
There is something here for all spicy romance fans: you have your grumpy/broody MMC Vincent, your golden retriever MMC Liam, don't get me started on Liam, he was my favorite part of the book... I love a man that is confident in his sexuality. He had me grinning from ear to ear with his charming, witty banter. You have your secret societies; talk of witches. Did I mention this all takes place in Salem, Massachusetts?
My ONLY dislike.... probably going to be an unpopular opinion🫣, but calling a man "daddy" gives me the ick. There's one particular scene that had me cringing because of the usage of this pet name..
.
The audiobook itself... I am a HUGE fan of full-cast audiobooks. The cast for this audiobook: Amy Hall, Devon Ryder, Edward Black, Sean Masters, and Sebastian York.... 6⭐ the perfect cast, they all portrayed each character beautifully. They truly felt hand-selected for each role.
Well done Katelyn, you have a new reader for life!
.
Add to your TBR if you like...
🖤 Secret societies or cults/covens
🖤 Age gap
🖤 Arranged marriage
🖤 Touch her & die
🖤 Virgin FMC
🖤 Why Choose
TW❌:
💀 Nonconsensual sexual contact (individual is sleeping)
💀 Cheating (not on FMC)
💀 Violence & Graphic Torture
💀 Explicit Language & Sexual Scenes
💀 Branding
💀 Dismemberment
January 24, 2025
this book was a fucking joke.
i fucking hated it for a PLETHORA of reasons. the first being that it was BORING.
the mc has ZERO personality. you'd think that a character that got 4 fucking dudes to fall in love with her would at least be interesting, but she is the farthest thing from it. i could have a more stimulating conversation with a brick wall. she’s naive, gullible, too trusting and cannot stand up for herself for the life of her. like get a fucking grip, dude.
i thought that the love interests would redeem this book a bit, but boy was i goddamn wrong. the type of men she’s with vary drastically which i was excited about but they hardly had any personality either. and the small bit of personality they did have, i didn’t like at all. i think it’s safe to say i didn’t like a single character in this damn book.
every single character that falls for the mc definitely could not tell you why. except MAYBE her betrothed, but that’s a huge fucking MAYBE. as for the rest of the guys, it was like the second they laid eyes on her, they acted like they’d been in love for years. there was no build up, no tension & NO chemistry.
and if you’re expecting the plot to make up for the lack of original or captivating characters, you won’t find it here. the plot was completely unremarkable. it was just filled with petty bullying, underdeveloped maturity, a secret society we learn almost NOTHING about, not until the very end anyway, which actually made the ending worse for me.
personally, i hate the virginity trope, typically because it’s never done tastefully & it’s extremely overused. in this case, i thought it wouldn’t be so bad considering she ends up with multiple dudes, she won’t be a virgin for long right? WRONG. so wrong. which leads me to my next point.
considering she’s a virgin the entirety of the book, the smut was the most boring part. there’s only so many oral scenes i can take before i’m bored out of my skull. writing a reverse harem with the most boring smut i’ve ever read is actually pretty impressive though.
not a single redeeming quality in this garbage pile. the worst book of 2025 & it’s only january. the search for a good reverse harem continues.
i fucking hated it for a PLETHORA of reasons. the first being that it was BORING.
the mc has ZERO personality. you'd think that a character that got 4 fucking dudes to fall in love with her would at least be interesting, but she is the farthest thing from it. i could have a more stimulating conversation with a brick wall. she’s naive, gullible, too trusting and cannot stand up for herself for the life of her. like get a fucking grip, dude.
i thought that the love interests would redeem this book a bit, but boy was i goddamn wrong. the type of men she’s with vary drastically which i was excited about but they hardly had any personality either. and the small bit of personality they did have, i didn’t like at all. i think it’s safe to say i didn’t like a single character in this damn book.
every single character that falls for the mc definitely could not tell you why. except MAYBE her betrothed, but that’s a huge fucking MAYBE. as for the rest of the guys, it was like the second they laid eyes on her, they acted like they’d been in love for years. there was no build up, no tension & NO chemistry.
and if you’re expecting the plot to make up for the lack of original or captivating characters, you won’t find it here. the plot was completely unremarkable. it was just filled with petty bullying, underdeveloped maturity, a secret society we learn almost NOTHING about, not until the very end anyway, which actually made the ending worse for me.
personally, i hate the virginity trope, typically because it’s never done tastefully & it’s extremely overused. in this case, i thought it wouldn’t be so bad considering she ends up with multiple dudes, she won’t be a virgin for long right? WRONG. so wrong. which leads me to my next point.
considering she’s a virgin the entirety of the book, the smut was the most boring part. there’s only so many oral scenes i can take before i’m bored out of my skull. writing a reverse harem with the most boring smut i’ve ever read is actually pretty impressive though.
not a single redeeming quality in this garbage pile. the worst book of 2025 & it’s only january. the search for a good reverse harem continues.
August 13, 2025
This was kinda terrible
September 17, 2024
First off wHAT THE FOOOOK WAS THAT ENDING??????? brb i’m hiding away until the second book is released BECAUSE I NEED IT GIMME PLS
☽☾ 𝕯𝖊𝖈𝖊𝖎𝖙 @katelyntaylorauthor ☽☾
𝕒𝕣𝕔 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨
⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑∞
hello, hi, welcome. imma need you to strap yourself in for this book. it’s a wild ride 🫦
first off, miss ma’am, katelyn imma send you my therapy bills ok? it’s been a week and i still cannot get this book outta my head. you KNOW how to write the most intoxicating men. am i an asher apologist? yes, yes i am. he means everything to me, i hope there is a redemption arc for him cos i will DIE on this hill ok 🖤
this book had everything i wanted, gothic vibes, secret society, MULTIPLE mmc’s to crush on 🤤 Ronan, Liam, Vincent & YES, ASHER 🫀 they’re my guys now, skyla is one lucky womaaaaaaaan >>>
now when u read this book be prepared to just stare at the wall for around and hour wondering WTF is going on???? i literally couldn’t comprehend & still can’t WHY WHY WHYYYYYY?!!! i am literally counting down the days for the next book. poor katelyn had me all up in her DM’s lmao 👀🤭
skyla managed to find three boyfriends who all brought different important aspects to her life. they all had one thing in common though, protecting skyla with their life. she might be a v!rgin FMC but my lordddddd the spice HIT & it HIT HARD. something about that scene w liam and asher has me 🥵
anyway, this book will be imprinted on my goddamn brain. and it honestly will forever be one of the best books i’ve ever FKN read ok.
☽☾ 𝕯𝖊𝖈𝖊𝖎𝖙 @katelyntaylorauthor ☽☾
𝕒𝕣𝕔 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨
⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑∞
hello, hi, welcome. imma need you to strap yourself in for this book. it’s a wild ride 🫦
first off, miss ma’am, katelyn imma send you my therapy bills ok? it’s been a week and i still cannot get this book outta my head. you KNOW how to write the most intoxicating men. am i an asher apologist? yes, yes i am. he means everything to me, i hope there is a redemption arc for him cos i will DIE on this hill ok 🖤
this book had everything i wanted, gothic vibes, secret society, MULTIPLE mmc’s to crush on 🤤 Ronan, Liam, Vincent & YES, ASHER 🫀 they’re my guys now, skyla is one lucky womaaaaaaaan >>>
now when u read this book be prepared to just stare at the wall for around and hour wondering WTF is going on???? i literally couldn’t comprehend & still can’t WHY WHY WHYYYYYY?!!! i am literally counting down the days for the next book. poor katelyn had me all up in her DM’s lmao 👀🤭
skyla managed to find three boyfriends who all brought different important aspects to her life. they all had one thing in common though, protecting skyla with their life. she might be a v!rgin FMC but my lordddddd the spice HIT & it HIT HARD. something about that scene w liam and asher has me 🥵
anyway, this book will be imprinted on my goddamn brain. and it honestly will forever be one of the best books i’ve ever FKN read ok.
October 17, 2024
Ok it ends on a cliffy but might I add an intense & oh noot as*hole Asher again 👀 ok Katelyn I need book 2 like yday!!! Fr 😭 im so pumped to see how each relation evolves! This book had its ups &downs the FMC kinda get in my nerves a lot of the time ngl but the boys make it up for me 😮💨 been a long time since I read a why choose but this remind me why I love it, takes my mind off things, like how am I supposed to handle all of them i need full lock in 😎💀 (heavy on the gorgeous men but you have one for each mood/personality😂)
ᯓᡣ𐭩 “You don’t, trust me. Once I set my sights on something, I’ll stop at nothing to have it. You couldn’t handle what all that would entail, Siren”ᯓᡣ𐭩
ᯓᡣ𐭩 “You’re such a manwhore.”
“Was,” he says, reaching around to cup my jaw and force my eyes to him over my shoulder. “Abso-fucking-lutely was before you. Now, I’m just your whore.”ᯓᡣ𐭩
ᯓᡣ𐭩“Don’t you know the line between hatred and obsession is extremely thin?”/ “now she’s tied to me forever”ᯓᡣ𐭩 😍
ᯓᡣ𐭩 “My fiancée is off-limits. If you look at her, I’ll gouge your fucking eyes out. If you talk to her, I’ll cut out your tongue. And if you touch her-“I’ll fucking kill you”ᯓᡣ𐭩
ᯓᡣ𐭩“Looks like you’re more of a koala bear than princess.”ᯓᡣ𐭩 🦥 this is giving me core!! 🫠
Tropes:
➷ Dark Academia
➷Why Choose
➷ Age gap
➷Secret Society
➷Arranged marriage
➷Pierced MMC
ᯓᡣ𐭩 “You don’t, trust me. Once I set my sights on something, I’ll stop at nothing to have it. You couldn’t handle what all that would entail, Siren”ᯓᡣ𐭩
ᯓᡣ𐭩 “You’re such a manwhore.”
“Was,” he says, reaching around to cup my jaw and force my eyes to him over my shoulder. “Abso-fucking-lutely was before you. Now, I’m just your whore.”ᯓᡣ𐭩
ᯓᡣ𐭩“Don’t you know the line between hatred and obsession is extremely thin?”/ “now she’s tied to me forever”ᯓᡣ𐭩 😍
ᯓᡣ𐭩 “My fiancée is off-limits. If you look at her, I’ll gouge your fucking eyes out. If you talk to her, I’ll cut out your tongue. And if you touch her-“I’ll fucking kill you”ᯓᡣ𐭩
ᯓᡣ𐭩“Looks like you’re more of a koala bear than princess.”ᯓᡣ𐭩 🦥 this is giving me core!! 🫠
Tropes:
➷ Dark Academia
➷Why Choose
➷ Age gap
➷Secret Society
➷Arranged marriage
➷Pierced MMC
September 9, 2024
Release Date: September 16th
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3🌶️🌶️🌶️
Oh. My. God. I finished this book at 1.30am in a blanket burrito and I am unwell because that TWIST ENDING WITH A CLIFFHANGER?! The gasp, the “No, no, NOOOO” followed by staring at the ceiling for a solid half hour wondering what @katelyntaylorauthor just did to her readers.
Let me clarify, it’s a GOOD “what did she do?!” because the chokehold this book had me in for it’s entirety (and this book is a big boy) was intense.
This book is incredible. You have a prestigious, elite school….a secret society…one woman and 3 or 4 gorgeous men ( the fourth, let’s just say it’s complicated) that want her and her only…..twists and turns….all set in Salem….did I mention there’s talk of witches in this book too? No? Well there is, and it’s fantastic.
I devoured this book in 2 days, I could not put it down….i fell in love with Vincent, then thought maybe I fell in love again, did some backpedaling on that one…..ANYWAY, there’s so much in this book that gets you in a chokehold and does not let up….and the last two pages? I couldn’t breathe through all 78 different emotions I was feeling.
When September 16th hits, READ this book. Seriously. Don’t question, just do it. This book is so solid in storyline and characters, I couldn’t find one flaw in it.
I always knew my favorite trope was Reverse Harem but Skylar and her Boys solidified that.
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3🌶️🌶️🌶️
Oh. My. God. I finished this book at 1.30am in a blanket burrito and I am unwell because that TWIST ENDING WITH A CLIFFHANGER?! The gasp, the “No, no, NOOOO” followed by staring at the ceiling for a solid half hour wondering what @katelyntaylorauthor just did to her readers.
Let me clarify, it’s a GOOD “what did she do?!” because the chokehold this book had me in for it’s entirety (and this book is a big boy) was intense.
This book is incredible. You have a prestigious, elite school….a secret society…one woman and 3 or 4 gorgeous men ( the fourth, let’s just say it’s complicated) that want her and her only…..twists and turns….all set in Salem….did I mention there’s talk of witches in this book too? No? Well there is, and it’s fantastic.
I devoured this book in 2 days, I could not put it down….i fell in love with Vincent, then thought maybe I fell in love again, did some backpedaling on that one…..ANYWAY, there’s so much in this book that gets you in a chokehold and does not let up….and the last two pages? I couldn’t breathe through all 78 different emotions I was feeling.
When September 16th hits, READ this book. Seriously. Don’t question, just do it. This book is so solid in storyline and characters, I couldn’t find one flaw in it.
I always knew my favorite trope was Reverse Harem but Skylar and her Boys solidified that.
November 7, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
this book had a CHOKEHOLD on me 😭
imma be honest, it had tropes that usually give me the ick but i was so insanely into the storyline it didn’t even bother me!!
i loved the characters, i LOVED skyla and the characters were so funny to me throughout the book.
obviously my favorite is the psychopath 🤣 i can’t help it!!!
i KNOWWWWW the ending isn’t what it seems, it just can’t be !!!! i feel like i know why it happened but i STILL CRIED REGARDLESS. I CANT HELP THAT IM A BIG BABY 🤣
i already know a certain grey eyed character will be taking revenge though so im ready to see him become unleashed 😈
i need to start book 2 immediately
this book had a CHOKEHOLD on me 😭
imma be honest, it had tropes that usually give me the ick but i was so insanely into the storyline it didn’t even bother me!!
i loved the characters, i LOVED skyla and the characters were so funny to me throughout the book.
obviously my favorite is the psychopath 🤣 i can’t help it!!!
i KNOWWWWW the ending isn’t what it seems, it just can’t be !!!! i feel like i know why it happened but i STILL CRIED REGARDLESS. I CANT HELP THAT IM A BIG BABY 🤣
i already know a certain grey eyed character will be taking revenge though so im ready to see him become unleashed 😈
i need to start book 2 immediately
March 5, 2025
Wtf did I just read???…
Reverse harem, dark university ‘romance’ (more like insta-love) mystery where a naive 19 yo female with lots of daddy issues gets sent off to college where she is arranged to marry another student to advance her father’s status in society.
Lots of thoughts here… first, I need to visit some sort of religious institution and take a shower after reading this.
FMC Skyla, the sheltered virgin who has men falling in love with her with one glance... Cmonnnnn, she had zero depth to her. Her whole personality was giving blowjobs and receiving orgasms lol She was like a puddle and completely cringy. I felt no connection to her and honestly hated her.
The MMCs are all super cringy as well! Ronan is a creepy 32 yo swim coach, Vincent is a creepy stalker and Liam is creepy golden retriever. I don’t even know what to make of Asher at this point but I’ll say he’s a creepy asshole.
Reverse harem, dark university ‘romance’ (more like insta-love) mystery where a naive 19 yo female with lots of daddy issues gets sent off to college where she is arranged to marry another student to advance her father’s status in society.
Lots of thoughts here… first, I need to visit some sort of religious institution and take a shower after reading this.
FMC Skyla, the sheltered virgin who has men falling in love with her with one glance... Cmonnnnn, she had zero depth to her. Her whole personality was giving blowjobs and receiving orgasms lol She was like a puddle and completely cringy. I felt no connection to her and honestly hated her.
The MMCs are all super cringy as well! Ronan is a creepy 32 yo swim coach, Vincent is a creepy stalker and Liam is creepy golden retriever. I don’t even know what to make of Asher at this point but I’ll say he’s a creepy asshole.
August 12, 2025
Extremely bad
April 5, 2025
4.5 stars
I don't know what it was about this book, but it was exactly what I was in the mood for at this time. This has a secret society where families are always setting up arranged marriages, and the heroine is betrothed to our hero who she meets for the first time when she arrives on campus and finds him with another girl. They instantly hate each other, and she slowly starts falling for three different men. First, his uncle who is the swim coach on campus. Then, her fiancés best friend. And lastly, a brooding dangerous man who works for the secret society. I loved how each of the relationships slowly developed and how all of the men were just head over heels obsessed with the heroine.
There is still a lot of unknown in what the Brethren is or how the heroes (and heroine) are connected to it. But I'm so intrigued! The plot is definitely on the slower side, but I was so into the romance that I honestly didn't mind too much. I love a why choose romance and this one was SO GOOD. The heroes are all so different from one another and have such a unique connection with the heroine.
The ending too!? I'm so excited to continue this series!
I don't know what it was about this book, but it was exactly what I was in the mood for at this time. This has a secret society where families are always setting up arranged marriages, and the heroine is betrothed to our hero who she meets for the first time when she arrives on campus and finds him with another girl. They instantly hate each other, and she slowly starts falling for three different men. First, his uncle who is the swim coach on campus. Then, her fiancés best friend. And lastly, a brooding dangerous man who works for the secret society. I loved how each of the relationships slowly developed and how all of the men were just head over heels obsessed with the heroine.
There is still a lot of unknown in what the Brethren is or how the heroes (and heroine) are connected to it. But I'm so intrigued! The plot is definitely on the slower side, but I was so into the romance that I honestly didn't mind too much. I love a why choose romance and this one was SO GOOD. The heroes are all so different from one another and have such a unique connection with the heroine.
The ending too!? I'm so excited to continue this series!
December 23, 2024
4.25/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️
I NEED BOOK 2 ASAP.
2/5 🌶️
I NEED BOOK 2 ASAP.
June 19, 2025
I had a good time!
Gonna jump into the next one now
Gonna jump into the next one now
June 29, 2025
Not my cup of tea.
May 19, 2025
I’m so into this it’s not even funny. Im glad I started from the start instead of diving straight into Deliverance because if I had done that I would have missed out on all this deliciousness! BIG 👏🏻 YES 👏🏻 FROM 👏🏻 ME
but also HELLO?! that ending?! Im not ok, need more now!
but also HELLO?! that ending?! Im not ok, need more now!
September 16, 2024
This book gave all the spooky season vibes and the spice to keep you nice and warm on a fall day. Deceit is the first book in the Gallows Hill series and I am currently counting down the days until the next book comes out. Be warned, this book will leave your jaw on the ground. Katelyn did us dirty.
Skyla is forced to leave her life in London to attend Gallows Hill University and she quickly finds out she is arranged to be married to one of the MMC's. Asher is her soon to be husband and you will loathe him for roughly eighty percent of this book, but I have a really good feeling his redemption arc is going to be epic.
Skyla's other three boyfriends, Ronan, Vincent and Liam treat her like a queen. When I say treat her like a queen, I mean it. They absolutely worship her any way they can, although our sweet soon to be bride must stay "untouched" until the wedding ceremony... they find ways around that.
The men are a part of a secret society that holds all the power. Skyla is new to the dark world that was thrust upon her, but her men are set on protecting her. I can't wait to devour the second book. I have so many thoughts about this cliffhanger, but you will need to read it and experience it for yourself.
Thank you Katelyn for the opportunity to read and review this advanced copy.
4.5 ⭐️| 3 🌶️
*secret society
*why-choose
*arranged marriage
*dark academia
*possessive mmcs
*inexperienced fmc
Skyla is forced to leave her life in London to attend Gallows Hill University and she quickly finds out she is arranged to be married to one of the MMC's. Asher is her soon to be husband and you will loathe him for roughly eighty percent of this book, but I have a really good feeling his redemption arc is going to be epic.
Skyla's other three boyfriends, Ronan, Vincent and Liam treat her like a queen. When I say treat her like a queen, I mean it. They absolutely worship her any way they can, although our sweet soon to be bride must stay "untouched" until the wedding ceremony... they find ways around that.
The men are a part of a secret society that holds all the power. Skyla is new to the dark world that was thrust upon her, but her men are set on protecting her. I can't wait to devour the second book. I have so many thoughts about this cliffhanger, but you will need to read it and experience it for yourself.
Thank you Katelyn for the opportunity to read and review this advanced copy.
4.5 ⭐️| 3 🌶️
*secret society
*why-choose
*arranged marriage
*dark academia
*possessive mmcs
*inexperienced fmc
September 15, 2024
♥️ Why Choose
🖤 Arranged Marriage
🔥 Secret Society
♥️ Dark Academia
🖤 Bully
🔥 Forbidden
♥️ Insta Love
🖤 Secret Society
🔥 Virgin FMC
Skyla arrives in Salem for college and learns she will be in an arranged marriage. But the man she’s forced to marry hates her! What does one do in this scenario….Hook up with his uncle and bestie 🤣🙌🏻🔥
If you’re looking for a wild why choose romance filled with tons of spice, def give this a read! Please note this does leave off on a cliffhanger ♥️
🖤 Arranged Marriage
🔥 Secret Society
♥️ Dark Academia
🖤 Bully
🔥 Forbidden
♥️ Insta Love
🖤 Secret Society
🔥 Virgin FMC
Skyla arrives in Salem for college and learns she will be in an arranged marriage. But the man she’s forced to marry hates her! What does one do in this scenario….Hook up with his uncle and bestie 🤣🙌🏻🔥
If you’re looking for a wild why choose romance filled with tons of spice, def give this a read! Please note this does leave off on a cliffhanger ♥️
September 18, 2024
I swear Katelyn puts crack in her books, SO GOOD 🥵🥵 I couldn’t put it down
October 27, 2025
If you like dark academia, this is one to read. While the middle was a little slow but it picked up quickly. I must say, the ending KILLED ME 😭
✨ T r o p e s + T r i g g e r s ✨
College Secret Society
Why Choose | MMMMF
Spicy
Forced Proximity
Enemies to Lovers
Arranged Marriage
Multiple POV
Stalker
Cliff Hanger
✨ T r o p e s + T r i g g e r s ✨
College Secret Society
Why Choose | MMMMF
Spicy
Forced Proximity
Enemies to Lovers
Arranged Marriage
Multiple POV
Stalker
Cliff Hanger
April 16, 2025
4.35⭐️
I need to read the next book immediately because what????
I need to read the next book immediately because what????
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