Bane

The Cheshire Set #1

by Briar Black

IPPY Award-Winning Romance Novel!
Winner of the 2025 Independent Publisher Book Award for Romance.
“He’d always had this in him. This rage. This fierce, insane drive to protect the people he loved. And I didn’t care. F*ck me, I liked it.”

Amelia’s back in her childhood town ready for a fresh start. After quitting a successful job in Manchester and dumping her ‘perfect’ boyfriend, she’s happy to be done with drama. But a passionate run in with Michael Bane–the guy, the sexy bad boy she obsessed over for years–leaves Amelia spinning. In school, Michael was popular and gorgeous…but also cruel, angry, and he hated Amelia.

And now? Well, he’s Michael Bane. Devastatingly attractive, running a successful finance firm, and still the man every girl wants. Aimee may be home, but she’s determined to leave the high-school cliques and childish popularity contests in the past. The town, however, seems to have other plans. Just as Amelia thinks she might finally get her guy, she’s forced to question if he’s actually changed at all.

And then he turns up asking for help. He’s in trouble. The worst kind.

Helping him will leave her questioning her morals and putting everything she’s worked so hard for in jeopardy. Michael needs her, but does he want her? And after everything he’s done, does she really want him?

Just how bad does she want this boy to be?

Bane is a sizzling romantic suspense packed with small town charm and a gripping murder mystery at its heart.


Praise for Bane“Black seamlessly weaves romance with mystery… skillfully teasing a titillating blend of passion and suspense. The mystery comes to a satisfying conclusion, and the chemistry stays palpable throughout, though it’s tinged with doubt until the very end. Readers will be consumed by this irresistible blend of small-town charm and explosive passion. Steamy romantic suspense brimming with tension and high stakes.
Comparable Devney Perry’s The Edens series; Catherine Cowles’s Sparrow Falls series.”
— BookLife Review

“Enemies to lovers done right. Complex, messy, and compelling. A rollercoaster of tension and passion.” — Samantha Robertson

“I knew when I finished reading the prequel novella (Eve was Framed) that I would adore this book, and I was right! … Hurt, betrayal, plot twists, angst and pining were ALL THERE! … The chemistry between Michael and Aimee was electric!” — Chiara wordsbychiara

“If you love a good banter filled unconventional enemies to lovers, pick this one up.” — Candice Willman

“Bane is a thrilling romantic suspense that combines small-town charm with a gripping mystery and sizzling chemistry.” — Ve (ve_xo)

“Bane offers a refreshingly unconventional take on the enemies-to-lovers trope, making it a gripping and unpredictable read.” — Samantha Robertson

“I got this book as an ARC and have to say this is the most brilliant book I've read and I fell in love with Bane and the story and would you would love the this book by Briar Black and I can't wait to read more in the Chesire Set Series.” — J.

Genres: Romance, Mystery, Contemporary, Amazon, Romantic Suspense

358 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 20, 2024

About the author

Briar has been a professional copywriter for many years (far more than she cares to admit). She began her career working for large companies and agencies before realising she could do it all for herself. Now, she happily writes for businesses and entrepreneurs she’s passionate about and dreams of the day her fiction becomes popular enough for her to retreat into fictional worlds full-time. Growing up in Cheshire and falling in love with its countryside, small towns, and villages, she’s enjoyed creating a fictional world that reflects her own.

Reviews

[Thais • tata.lifepages • · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the prequel, Eve Was Framed, a few months ago and loved it so I was super excited to continue Amelia’s story. After lots of self discovery and learning to stand up for herself, she moves back to her hometown. However her high school crush, Michael Bane, is there and he’s as hot and complicated as ever 👀

Amelia is a successful marketing savvy and business owner. You can see that the author put a lot of research on the marketing element. The romance between Michael and Amelia develops fast and quite spicy 🔥when suddenly he realizes that the incredible girl he has been dating is the same nerd who used to follow him in high school.

I love how we get a crime mystery tangled in the story and they both get involved in it! If you love the fake dating and forced proximity trope you will love this.
The dilema around protecting who you love and jeopardizing oneself at the same time is quite strong here and I couldn’t tell what I would do in Amelia’s shoes. Prepare yourselves for lots of plot twists and thrills!

[Maria Elena | pagesofmaria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bane is a romantic suspense packed with small town charm and murder mystery, giving me the setting and elements that make me the happiest reader.

The story follows Amelia, who has quit her job and returned to her small town, only to find former high school bad boy hottie Michael Bane with whom she used to be obsessed with—and who used to hate her. Now? It seemed he really liked her, until he figured out who she was. But when Michael lands into trouble, Aimee lies to the police and provides him a false alibi by saying he was with her, so now they’re forced to pretend they’re dating.

I loved the prequel novella, Eve Was Framed, so it comes as no surprise that I loved Bane as well. I was so excited to see Aimee and Michael interact after the ending of the novella and I was not disappointed! Their story starts out in a most…interesting way. Their banter is fantastic, and there is something refreshing about their dynamic. Fake dating happens to be one of my favorite tropes and it’s hard for me not to love it, yet I am particularly in love with how their fake relationship starts.

Here are some tropes!
🔍 romantic suspense
🤍 fake dating
🏫 high school crush
❤️‍🔥 unconventional enemies to lovers
✨ forced proximity
🏘️ small town
✨ strong independent woman
🌶️ spice

Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy. Opinions are my own.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Took me a little bit but I eventually got there! I was struggling to get through this one with everything else I had going on so I used my "Read Out Loud" feature for it. It translated really well so it's definitely a well written book!

Overall, this ended up being more cute than I originally thought it would be. Easy story to fall into. The characters emotions actually made sense, and has an interesting storyline!

A big thank you to the author for letting me ARC read this book. I really enjoyed this one, and I'll be looking out for more releases in the future!

[Ve (ve_xo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one! I've been on a suspense read wave lately. If you love complex characters, sizzling romance, and a gripping plot, Bane is one to add to your list!

Bane is a thrilling romantic suspense that combines small-town charm with a gripping mystery and sizzling chemistry. Amelia returns to her childhood town for a fresh start after quitting her successful job and leaving behind a ‘perfect’ boyfriend. But her plans for peace are derailed when she encounters Michael Bane—the bad boy she once obsessed over in school. Back then, he was cruel and angry, but now, he’s devastatingly attractive, successful, and still the man every girl wants.

When Michael shows up asking for Amelia's help, she’s torn. She's not sure what to think about him, is he a different person or has he not changed at all. As she gets drawn into a dangerous situation that jeopardizes everything she’s worked for, Amelia is forced to confront her feelings for him—and her own morals. Helping Michael might cost her more than she’s willing to give, but the pull between them is undeniable.

Packed with suspense, romance, and emotional depth, Bane will keep readers on the edge of their seats. The slow-burn chemistry between Amelia and Michael is intoxicating, and the murder mystery at the heart of the story adds an extra layer of intrigue.

Huge thanks to the author for sending me a copy - all opinions are my own.

[Amy Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Read for me! Absolutely hooked on this book. If you love murder mystery mixed with a small town romance, then you will LOVE this book!

[Aiden Messer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting take on enemies to lovers! I love the way Briar develops her characters and their relationships, both romantic and non romantic ones. And of course, the story itself is well-written and gripping!

[Chiara | wordsbychiara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew when I finished reading the prequel novella (Eve was Framed) that I would adore this book, and I was right!

Bane is the first book in a romantic suspense series, and it follows Amelia, who has moved back to her childhood hometown after quitting a toxic corporate job and a stale relationship. But her high school past manifests in the form of Michael Bane, the handsome bad boy she's always had a crush on, and who hated her for it. The two share a HOT encounter and a magical 24 hours before everything comes crashing down. But the end of her daydream doesn't stop Amelia from lying to the police when Michael becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation.

HERE'S WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS BOOK:
✨ fake dating
✨ forced proximity
✨ a take-no-BS FMC who runs her own business
✨ small town setting
✨ psychological thriller meets romantic suspence

THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING! Romance, mystery and romantic suspence unite seamlessly to craft this tale. The chemistry between Michael and Aimee was electric! Their first interactions tricked me into thinking I'd have it easy with this romance, but I couldn't have been more wrong! Hurt, betrayal, plot twists, angst and pining were ALL THERE! I didn't think I'd be begging for a kiss... but boy did I beg, and I'm glad I did! The slow burn only helped to elevate the plot, which was just as important in their happy ending. It gave Michael the chance to see the wonderful, strong woman Aimee has become in their time apart, and it gave Aimee time to decide if Michael was a man worthy of her heart. Neither of these characters are perfect, but their flaws fit together perfectly, and I loved that about them! I also really loved how the mystery was built. I would have liked some more clues planted to help the reader figure out the culprit, but I enjoyed watching Michael and Aimee work their way around the investigation and uncovering the truth with the help of a delightful cast of secondary characters, and the best dog companion in literature! Cannot wait for the next book!

Rating: 4.5 stars

Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy for review. Opinions are my own.

[Pam Watmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Although the story line kept me interested the book was spoilt by the about of F words, I reckon the book would be a quarter smaller if you took them all out. Unfortunately it makes the author look as though they do not have a very wide vocabulary and makes one unsure what audience the book is written for although by the graphic sex descriptions I can only assume it was meant for teenagers or early twenties.

The book was about a small town where a woman returns to her home town and sets up a business and meets her childhood crush who is suspected of murdering a man who sexually assaulted his niece and is given a false alibi. It is an interesting plot and could have been written a lot better which is a shame.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading “Eve Was Framed” I knew I needed to read this book!

Amelia and Michael Bane are the perfect examples of do not judge a book by its cover! What they perceive each other as, based on childhood days, is not who they are now. They are constantly getting surprised by each other and the things they learn as they are in a forced proximity/fake relationship. I loved watching this story unfold and all the twist and turns throughout! Suzie is still one of my favorite characters! I just love her originality and seeing how far she’s come as well!

[Juanita Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do even begin? This book had me feeling like I was on a roller coaster starting with that slow start building up to all the plot twists. It had me loving Michael to wanting to scream about how he treated Amelia . She always had he’s the interested at heart and was happy with how it ended for them but won’t go to much into details so i spoil any thing .
P.s watch out for Gemma

[Sierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say I didn’t see the ending coming. Pleasantly surprised by the twist and turns the book takes you through. It was a nice spicy murder mystery. Well written. I did feel like the romance was a bit rushed given the circumstances Michael and Aimee found themselves in but overall was a good read. I would read another book by Briar.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Cynthia Bookish_onthecape · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honest ARC Review:
Characters are complex and developed throughout novel. Interesting with fantastic suspense!

⭐️Enemies to lovers

⭐️fake dating

⭐️high school crush

⭐️forced proximity

⭐️small town romance

🌶️ Spice

Thank you for sharing this ARC with me. I really enjoyed it!

[Megs Sey · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
4.5 stars

I really enjoyed Bane- im surprised more people aren't talking about it.
Amelia has a realistic amount of depth/ is complex- definately one of the more I've have read in the last few years.
I really enjoyed the authors take on that trauma you can carry from high school.

Today I learnt rainwater tanks apparently aren't common in the UK?

[Samantha Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bane offers a refreshingly unconventional take on the enemies-to-lovers trope, making it a gripping and unpredictable read. Rather than following the usual formula of instant attraction masked by rivalry, Briar builds tension gradually, weaving a complex dynamic between Amelia and Michael that feels raw, messy, and utterly compelling.

I particularly enjoyed how the characters’ animosity wasn’t superficial—it was deeply rooted in their conflicting goals and personal struggles, making their eventual connection all the more satisfying. The slow, sometimes painful evolution of their relationship kept me hooked, and the emotional payoff was well worth the journey.

Briar’s writing style is immersive, striking the perfect balance between dark intensity and moments of vulnerability. If you’re looking for an enemies-to-lovers story that dares to break the mold, Bane is a must-read.

[Candice Willman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m almost done with this one and man oh man. She quits her job and moves back to her home town for a fresh start. The bad boy high school crush that never got to happen… her nerd. Him jock. 👀fake dating. Enemies to lovers. Tension. Banter. He’s in trouble and she is forced to help. Murder mystery and romantic suspense. Definitely one that will keep you flipping through the pages. If you love a good banter filled unconventional enemies to lovers, pick this one up

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so thankful to have received an advanced copy of this book! Opinions are my own.

This was such a great and engaging book. Having read Eve Was Framed I was looking forward to seeing Amelia's growth and success starting her own company and moving home. Running into her old high school crush, an interesting encounter that leads to dating, then a "break-up"?, followed by an incident requiring her false alibi resulting in a "fake-dating" relationship! I loved seeing Amelia and Michael grow together to get past old assumptions and misunderstandings while supporting each to solve the true crime.

4.5 stars!

[Angelita Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the beginning of the novel, I was already falling in love with Michael Bane and his chemistry with Aimee. But then that quickly turned in to loathe at the relationship. I was literally in a roller coaster ride of emotions trying to figure out how this was going to turn. I loved the suspense of story and was trying to figure out who’d done it while still thinking is Bane lying. This novel was well written and all my questions were answered at the end. Such a relief!

Thank you Briar Black for my ARC!

[Denise Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!!! What a great story! Romance, mystery, murder and a string lead woman who built a company from the ground up. I loved that Amelia was strong and independent but yet still had her doubts because of high school! Don’t we all have insecurities because of peer slights? I liked that the two main characters were able to work through their stuff regardless of what the past held. The journey to the end was not without its mountains and valleys. I would love to read more of Briar’s writings. Briar did a great job and the story flowed very smoothly. I never had the feeling like there was just words filling space.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kallie Street · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story line is great. The suspense of a murder happening and trying to figure out who actually did it, was good.
I just feel like it dragged far more than it should have in spots.
There were a few times when I thought about DNF’ing it but I powered through.
The ending was good! But again, (in my personal opinion), there was just too much talk of the companies that didn’t have much to do with the storyline which drug it out and made it seem “off topic” to me.

Three stars is the absolute best I could give this book!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Frances Packingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow burn. Beginning of the story is slow but once the good part or meat of the story starts, I couldn't put it down. I didn't see a few of the twists coming and definitely didn't guess the ending. But after getting the the end everything clicks and makes sense. Mild on spice. Overall a good read.

[ana rita ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

for starters, 10 pages in, there's full-on nasty sex. i didn't even understand what was going on yet and there they were... i do understand that it was part of the plot but wow!

then, too much was going on and i still was a little bored sometimes, we got details about nature and, in my opinion, some very strange details about people. i guess we were in aimee's head so might make sense!?!?
but also there were so many of those long dialogues EVEN WITH THE DOG. i do appreciate seeing more than 10 words of dialogue, but it was tooooo much. apparently the dog replied??? it was a little scary.

i think the book was too technical to make me love it and the characters were strange somehow... the plot sounded great: small town, childhood crush, glow-up, romance, mystery, and suspense... but it was lacking 😕

i did love the girl power and feminist message all over the book, we need more of that in more books and stop ignoring misogyny just to pretend it's normal and we don't even see it happening. everyone sees it and feels it to some degree.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Megan🦋 · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I just finished "Bane," and wow! If you're into romantic suspense, you absolutely HAVE to read this one. It's set in this charming little town, but don't let that fool you – there's a seriously gripping mystery unfolding.

The main character, Amelia, is trying to start over after a big life change, and just as she's finding her peace, BAM! Michael Bane, from her past, reappears. Their history is complicated – think past drama and present-day sparks – and it's the heart of the story. Their romance is a slow burn, which I loved, adding even more suspense to the whole thing.

The author does an amazing job developing Amelia and Michael. You really get to know them and understand what makes them tick. And the mystery? It keeps you guessing right until the very end! It's this perfect blend of thrilling investigation and swoon-worthy romance; it's seriously captivating. I couldn't put it down!

Thanks so much to the author for sending me a copy to read! All my thoughts are my own, of course.

[booklovelastsforever K · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝑮𝒐𝒅, 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒐𝒖𝒔. 𝑾𝒉𝒐𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒔𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒋𝒂𝒘𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝒇*𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒓.

I really enjoyed this one. It brought my favourite things together, a little spice with a whodunnit!
It was giving Harlan Coben and Frieda McFadden vibes. I do love thriller. It is my go to and I can easily see this being on Netflix.

Chapter 1 throws you right in there, with the 🌶️, who knew running could be so hot 😉

The banter between Amelia and her friend Suzie was funny, the light between some serious topics. I really loved how all the characters that were in Amelia’s life were just a big found family, everyone she met could just feel her genuine aura. She was a great, strong FMC with huge love heart eyes for her high school crush that didn’t dampen with age.

Michael sounds hot but let’s say… complicated 👀 The spice is 🔥 and what’s better than a man loving everything you’ve accomplished, in awe of the person you are 🙌🏻

I ate this book up so fast, I just had to find out who freaking dunnit! 😂 I am very impatient when it comes to this trope.

[tiff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aimee was the typical nerd in high school who had a huge crush on Michael, who was a popular bad boy in high school. It’s been years since then and, although Aimee had moved away from home and has had a handful of relationships, when she decides to move back home and runs into Michael it’s almost as if that crush has always been lingering in the back and has reignited now that they’re in proximity of each other.

I really enjoyed this novel. I loved that there was a mystery mixed into the plot and that the novel wasn’t just focused on Aimee and Michael’s relationship - it kept me engaged in the storyline. It was slightly off-putting how touch and go Aimee was about Michael and vice versa. I understand they were both having dilemmas about what to do about their relationship but every time they hit a rift I was internally screaming at them to get their act together 😂

I do wish there was more to the ending. Although the ending had wrapped up nicely, a part of me wished there was at least an epilogue of some sort where we got to see how Aimee and Michael were as an official couple. Hopefully we will be able to see little snippets of them in future novels of this series! I’m excited to see where Briar takes this series.

Thank you to BookSirens for an advanced reader copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

[Kitana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore this book. It took me a bit to start it, as I can have mood reader tendencies, but I pushed myself into at and fell in love. I finished this book in a single day, with hours long breaks to take care of stuff, so it's a fairly light read timewise. I had a hard time putting it down after the second chapter. The book starts with spice but then turns to a slow burn semi enemies to lovers type stuff. I love the fact that there was a storyline to follow that wasn't just the next spicy scene. I was engrossed and honestly loved the book from start to finish. There were some sensitive moments, but they draw you in and the author does a really good job balancing sensitive with sweet. Overall 10/10 would read again!

[Kathleen J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m very ambivalent about this book

The positives are:
– I liked the characters. They tended to be a little different than the usual ones I really did want to see them get together.
– It Kept me wondering exactly how they would get together and the story had twists and turns.

The negatives are:
– This book was as much a mystery as it was a romance. I don’t care much for mysteries, particularly those which spend lots and lots of material on speculating on who was doing what and why. Just get on with it and show us what’s going to happen!
– There was a lot of other text that was unnecessary and slowed the story down. This is mostly backstory and trying to make sense of her past and what she should do in the future with her life. This got really tedious to me.

[Sydney]

I'm going to dnf at 50%. I just don't like either character or the story very much. Perhaps it's the mystery sub-genre that's just not for me. There's too much happening it's like a soap opera every few pages there's a dramatic reveal. There's some gaps in pacing, like when she's texting him and he doesn't respond and the next chapter picks up mid conversation with him. I just don't think they should end up together because she should have more self-respect but doesn't and even though her best friend tells us why this doesn't work and we agree, she then does the opposite and that's frustrating.

[Brandy Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amelia has always had a thing for Michael Bane since well ever. They went to school together and he was part if the 'It' crowd. They run into each other and she knows who he is but he has no clue who she is. When it comes out who she is by the mean girl who was obsessed with Michael. When he goes back to talk to her after calming down he gets a call about his niece and flips out. He shows up to her door the next morning covered in blood and starts asking her for help with what happened. He is being framed for a crime he did not do and when she helps him they say they are dating. Amelia has made it her goal from her job to help clear his name and figure out what was going on behind the scenes. When she gets the evidence that is needed to clear his name she sees who really did the crime calls him over and shows him. They set up a sting with the police to catch who really did it. He learned that the mean girl was actually obsessed with him and then his name is cleared and they actually start dating!

[Debra Tunnicliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book about Amelia who runs her own marketing business, and when she runs into Michael Bane while jogging this is the boy she had a crush on in school. Michael now runs a finance company but does not recognise Amelia but when he ends up in trouble he asks for her help.
This is a story on how far will Amelia go to help Michael and at what moral cost to her.
Highly recommend for a roller coaster story full of romance, intrigue, suspense.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Trina Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG 😱 this was a great book. It was a steamy page turner and the suspense was incredible intense. I was on the verge of my seat and I couldn’t even put it down. These characters were undesirable of passion between them as it was a forbidden romance. The connection they had was captivating and stimulating of fighting temptation for love and intimacy.

I definitely recommend this book and you won’t be disappointed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Trina Jones