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Kent Crime Syndicate #1
Revenge
Angelo
For ten years, I’ve thought about nothing but revenge. It lived in my veins. Burned my skin.
I was going to bury the man who’d given me these scars. Who’d turned me into the beast. Who relegated me to the shadows.
Then I saw her. A perfect beauty that drove the thoughts from my mind. Until I discovered who she was.
I’d have my revenge.
I’d have her.
Isla
Your parents are supposed to teach you right from wrong. They’re supposed to protect you.
But when the beast came looking for my father, he protected himself instead.
Now, I’m trapped with a monster, wondering what I’d done to get here. How I’m supposed to protect myself. My body from him.
But when I start to see the man behind the scars, my heart gets involved.
And that’s when I’m really in trouble.
******
‘Revenge’ is a stand-alone book in the Kent Crime Syndicate series. It can be read by itself. It is a dark romance and will not be to everyone’s liking. Please check the author’s note for content warnings.
For ten years, I’ve thought about nothing but revenge. It lived in my veins. Burned my skin.
I was going to bury the man who’d given me these scars. Who’d turned me into the beast. Who relegated me to the shadows.
Then I saw her. A perfect beauty that drove the thoughts from my mind. Until I discovered who she was.
I’d have my revenge.
I’d have her.
Isla
Your parents are supposed to teach you right from wrong. They’re supposed to protect you.
But when the beast came looking for my father, he protected himself instead.
Now, I’m trapped with a monster, wondering what I’d done to get here. How I’m supposed to protect myself. My body from him.
But when I start to see the man behind the scars, my heart gets involved.
And that’s when I’m really in trouble.
******
‘Revenge’ is a stand-alone book in the Kent Crime Syndicate series. It can be read by itself. It is a dark romance and will not be to everyone’s liking. Please check the author’s note for content warnings.
312 pages, Paperback
Published January 27, 2024
About the author
Jayla Talbot
20 books63 followersJayla lives in Southeast Michigan with her husband and young son. She writes steamy romance. When she's not writing you can find her hiding behind her kindle or streaming the latest rom-com.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 30, 2024
Well it’s official Jayla Talbot has ruined me. 😩😩😩This is a beauty and the beast telling like no other. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 It was probably only a 4 star read but I bumped it up to 5 stars because I love this author and she’s Indie. 🫶🏼
Full disclosure you gotta like dark romances to enjoy this. 🖤🖤The author is super upfront about the trigger warnings and they’re accurate. If you’re the type of reader who runs towards the triggers instead of away from them, this is the book for you! 😝
Now onto the story- Angelo was already messed up inside before the fateful night where he became covered in scars. 😬Isla was raised in chaos and conning. 😞Her father is the one who burned Angelo and he takes her as his revenge. 👀 but little does Isla know Angelo was obsessed with her from the moment he saw her 👏🏼👏🏼
This book follows beauty and the beast pretty accurately. If beast was apart of a crime syndicate, enjoyed torturing, primal play, and had been abstinent for a decade 🔥and Isla gets lost in clay instead of books. Also her dad is a total dick 😅😅
Favorite scenes from the book
When he buys her an entire pottery studio 🥹🫰🏼
When he takes her to the charity and she dismisses his shitty ex-fiancé 🤌🏼
The spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️ had lots of dark play 👏🏼 but my favorite is when he’s crazy and gives her a permanent wedding ring 🥵
What I liked
Crime syndicate
Dark romance 🖤
Beauty and beast trope 🤌🏼🤌🏼
Abstinent hero
Scarred hero
He falls first (like wayyyy first)
Thriller elements
Spicy spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️ it has Rina Kent level intense play
OTT JP hero
Touch her and die energy
Both of them were artists
Female bonding
Bad guys but protective of those they love
Getting to see Nathan for the first time
What I didn’t like:
The heroine calls the hero beast a lot. 😬 It got old quick. And like seemed juvenile as far as insults go. I wanted her to call him a fucking psycho or something more intense 😂
There are quite a few typos but honestly I loved the book so much I didn’t really care 😂
Full disclosure you gotta like dark romances to enjoy this. 🖤🖤The author is super upfront about the trigger warnings and they’re accurate. If you’re the type of reader who runs towards the triggers instead of away from them, this is the book for you! 😝
Now onto the story- Angelo was already messed up inside before the fateful night where he became covered in scars. 😬Isla was raised in chaos and conning. 😞Her father is the one who burned Angelo and he takes her as his revenge. 👀 but little does Isla know Angelo was obsessed with her from the moment he saw her 👏🏼👏🏼
This book follows beauty and the beast pretty accurately. If beast was apart of a crime syndicate, enjoyed torturing, primal play, and had been abstinent for a decade 🔥and Isla gets lost in clay instead of books. Also her dad is a total dick 😅😅
Favorite scenes from the book
When he buys her an entire pottery studio 🥹🫰🏼
When he takes her to the charity and she dismisses his shitty ex-fiancé 🤌🏼
The spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️ had lots of dark play 👏🏼 but my favorite is when he’s crazy and gives her a permanent wedding ring 🥵
What I liked
Crime syndicate
Dark romance 🖤
Beauty and beast trope 🤌🏼🤌🏼
Abstinent hero
Scarred hero
He falls first (like wayyyy first)
Thriller elements
Spicy spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️ it has Rina Kent level intense play
OTT JP hero
Touch her and die energy
Both of them were artists
Female bonding
Bad guys but protective of those they love
Getting to see Nathan for the first time
What I didn’t like:
The heroine calls the hero beast a lot. 😬 It got old quick. And like seemed juvenile as far as insults go. I wanted her to call him a fucking psycho or something more intense 😂
There are quite a few typos but honestly I loved the book so much I didn’t really care 😂
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2024
Angelo
For ten years, I’ve thought about nothing but revenge. It lived in my veins. Burned my skin. I was going to bury the man who’d given me these scars. Who’d turned me into the beast. Who relegated me to the shadows. Then I saw her. A perfect beauty that drove the thoughts from my mind. Until I discovered who she was. I’d have my revenge. I’d have her.
Isla
Your parents are supposed to teach you right from wrong. They’re supposed to protect you. But when the beast came looking for my father, he protected himself instead. Now, I’m trapped with a monster, wondering what I’d done to get here. How I’m supposed to protect myself. My body from him. But when I start to see the man behind the scars, my heart gets involved. And that’s when I’m really in trouble.
This dark romance book was amazing and what a fabulous story line. Angelo and Isla were perfectly put together and made the book very interesting. I found it hard to put the book down as it was so good. Jayla Talbot has written a fabulous book here and it certainly sucks you in from the beginning.
For ten years, I’ve thought about nothing but revenge. It lived in my veins. Burned my skin. I was going to bury the man who’d given me these scars. Who’d turned me into the beast. Who relegated me to the shadows. Then I saw her. A perfect beauty that drove the thoughts from my mind. Until I discovered who she was. I’d have my revenge. I’d have her.
Isla
Your parents are supposed to teach you right from wrong. They’re supposed to protect you. But when the beast came looking for my father, he protected himself instead. Now, I’m trapped with a monster, wondering what I’d done to get here. How I’m supposed to protect myself. My body from him. But when I start to see the man behind the scars, my heart gets involved. And that’s when I’m really in trouble.
This dark romance book was amazing and what a fabulous story line. Angelo and Isla were perfectly put together and made the book very interesting. I found it hard to put the book down as it was so good. Jayla Talbot has written a fabulous book here and it certainly sucks you in from the beginning.
September 17, 2024
God damn this book had me by the neck the entire time
Beauty and the beast retelling but make it pitch black and I loved it omg
Unhinged af MMC and a FMC that matches his crazy perfectly!
He was obsessed with her, before he even saw her face and I thought that was beautiful, and he had no idea that he met his match
Plot was perfectly wrapped and nothing was too rushed, the spice was unhinged in a good way.
Definitely read the TWs cause the captive and captor aspect was brutal and extreme, the stuff that transpired, aren’t for anyone
Beauty and the beast retelling but make it pitch black and I loved it omg
Unhinged af MMC and a FMC that matches his crazy perfectly!
He was obsessed with her, before he even saw her face and I thought that was beautiful, and he had no idea that he met his match
Plot was perfectly wrapped and nothing was too rushed, the spice was unhinged in a good way.
Definitely read the TWs cause the captive and captor aspect was brutal and extreme, the stuff that transpired, aren’t for anyone
May 29, 2024
Dark mafia romance with a trigger warning lost, so just be sure to read it! I enjoyed the storyline but had a hard time reading some of it because of some misspellings and added words that got missed while editing. Their was some repetition that got a bit boring. Overall, this was a beauty and the Beast retelling, and I think the author did a good job with that.
July 9, 2024
Isla and Angelo
Ok, hear me out. The book is actually good. Like very good. The plot is great, and the characters are interesting.
The only reason I am giving a 3*instead of a 4* is because I am not into dark romance or pain. Specifically, if it is the FMC that not only is the recipient of the pain but ...enjoys it.
Ok, hear me out. The book is actually good. Like very good. The plot is great, and the characters are interesting.
The only reason I am giving a 3*instead of a 4* is because I am not into dark romance or pain. Specifically, if it is the FMC that not only is the recipient of the pain but ...enjoys it.
December 9, 2024
Angela and Isla
Her dad is a con artist and she does the cons with him when she’s a kid until her b/f is a con snd kills himself, she leaves to live alone, she makes pottery to sell. Angelo steals her from an arranged marriage her dad pushes her into. He wants revenge on her dad who conned him 10 years ago and tried to kill him leaving him burnt and scarred.
Her dad is a con artist and she does the cons with him when she’s a kid until her b/f is a con snd kills himself, she leaves to live alone, she makes pottery to sell. Angelo steals her from an arranged marriage her dad pushes her into. He wants revenge on her dad who conned him 10 years ago and tried to kill him leaving him burnt and scarred.
June 29, 2024
read good
Love this book I need to get them all. I guess I like dark romance books cause it’s like your there when reading the book
Love this book I need to get them all. I guess I like dark romance books cause it’s like your there when reading the book
November 19, 2024
I WAS WAITING TO READ HIS BOOK! AND BOI IT DIDN'T DISAPPOINT.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST RETELLING, IT WAS GOOD!
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST RETELLING, IT WAS GOOD!
November 26, 2024
Angelo and Isla are simply awesome - in a dark mafia way
Their hurt and how far they go together is amazing - loved it
"I’d lay down my life for my Beauty. And she’d kill for me".
Their hurt and how far they go together is amazing - loved it
"I’d lay down my life for my Beauty. And she’d kill for me".
December 1, 2024
Definitely a cringey dark mafia romance I enjoyed it a lot but also them talking about “his beast” and when he is just a human man threw me off
April 29, 2025
“I might be stupid for getting trapped like this. Desperate for my father’s love. But I wasn’t weak.” she was indeed stupid, desperate, and weak. worst fmc i’ve read in a whiiiile. dnf at 20%.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews