3.5
This is a pretty typical and predictable dark romance. There are many trigger warnings, so definitely read those before picking up the book. I wouldn't recommend this as your first dark romance, but if you're a fan of the genre and looking for something closer to pitch-black, you'll probably be satisfied. Whether you like it or not is a different story, though. lol
The one thing that was done well was the creepy circus setting. I haven't come across anything like that before, and the author did a great job of making it feel unsettling, bizarre and, honestly, a bit scary. I think this could have been a really great read with stronger writing (especially when it comes to the characters, the development and the dialogues. Having your MMC curse every 2 seconds doesn't make him the big bad unhinged man you want him to be perceived as.)
The characters were fine but a bit cringy at times. The spice was well-written—enough to satisfy anyone craving a super spicy, pitch-black romance with all kinds of kinks. However, the main issue I had was the repetition. By the end of the book, they change things up a little, but for the first 70% or so, I felt like I was reading the same spicy scene over and over. So, that was meh, especially because we all know most people will pick that kind of book up for the spice.
At first, I liked Hell (the MMC), but he turned out to be the most cringeworthy part of the story. I get that he's supposed to be crazy, but the way he spoke felt unnatural, and the dialogue was often stiff. I rolled my eyes at him a few times, especially during the spicy scenes. Also, I don't know if this is something good for a dark romance but I did laugh a bit too much sometimes.
"This man is not only gifted in lenght and girth, clearly blessed by Satan himself, but he decided to weaponize this snake as well? The sheer fucking audacity is shocking."
We didn’t get much from Wrath and Soul (the MMC's "brothers"), but I’m already much more interested in them than in Hell!
I have a feeling I’ll like Wrath more. I mean… my guy, I too enjoy girl-on-girl action. We’re in this together, bro. I’m definitely curious to read the next book, especially for the potential FF we've been teased with.
On the other hand, Noir was much better written. She had great character development, and while I didn’t feel a strong connection to her, I still liked her. The author managed to make us care about her, and I appreciated that we didn’t get all the details about her past before she joined the circus. This kept the tension high as we were left wondering what exactly happened to her and why. It was still fairly predictable to me, but I read so many dark romances that it’s nearly impossible to truly surprise me with this kind of plot.
I would recommend it but not if you need strong writing / good plot to enjoy a book nor would I recommend this as your first pitch-black romance.
To finish with a great quote : "I know my dad fucked your wife and if he was anything like me, there is no doubt he fucked her good."