Falling into Darkness

by Darah Lace

A Spicy Dark Cartel Romance

The cartel’s golden rule—no loose ends, no witnesses.

Elizabeth Archer

All I wanted was sand, sun, and sin on my vacation in Mexico. Yet, here I am, running from a cartel execution with no phone, no shoes, and no way to warn Alex they’re coming for him. To him, a lieutenant in the Castillo cartel, I’m an obligation. But I don’t want his protection. I want his heart.

Alejandro Castillo

When my best friend died, I promised to protect his sister, not stalk her. I never expected to find my obsession in the crosshairs of a rival cartel. I have no choice but to break ranks. I know better than most, my enemy will never stop looking for her.

Falling into Darkness is a dark cartel romance with morally gray characters and contains graphic violence and language that some readers may find disturbing.

Dark Mafia/Cartel Romance, Morally Gray, Forced Proximity, Damsel in Distress, Different Worlds, Brother's Best Friend, Friends to Lovers

140 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 21, 2025

Reviews

[KyAnn Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh yum

Why are the morally gray heroes so hot?

Alex is yummy
Elle is feisty and the perfect match for him

Favorite line
“Leave it to Elle to focus on her independence rather than my stalker tendencies.”
Plot ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Hero 😈😈😈😈😈+ (stalker, killer, cartel oh yes)
Heroine 😍😍😍😍😍 (feisty, independent, but loves good 🍆)
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[ChunkyMamaBook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice short read. A real good palette cleanser. A little darker than what the author usually writes but I enjoyed it.
There was action, tension and a HEA. Also the spice in this was just lovely.
I really enjoy this authors work and look forward to any more potential darker reads. Our MMC does have a brother after all 😏

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series starter

Falling Into Darkness is a crazy fun adrenaline ride. It is action-packed and so freaking s3xy. Elizabeth has the perfect amount of sass, and Alejandro is dreamy. I will be over here anxiously awaiting the next installment.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once I read the referrence of KyAnn Waters in her dedication, I was hooked. This is a quick, fast-paced book. When I say fast-paced, I mean fast-paced. This is a perfect cartel book to curl up with right before bed or as a palette cleanser.

[SpiderMam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Falling into Darkness was a quick read but in those pages was one hell of a story! This is my first Darah Lace book but I promise it won’t be my last! I was unable to put this down until it was finished and read this in an afternoon. Sarah’s writing flows like silk and it was so easy to read with the descriptive text making the visuals work so well for me.
The characters were delicious. Elle and Alex had undeniable chemistry that splish splashed all over the place in the most erotic ways. The spice was exquisite and really quite sweet to be honest, with the perfect touch of ‘mine’ possessiveness.
I love the way Alex was obsessed with her protection but not in a creepy way and was happy to just stay away from her but make sure she was safe.
The miscommunication between them lead to both of them believing they were not desired by the other but that was far from true. When they realised the love they had for each other, there was no stopping them.
The action in this book was pretty awesome. It was written fast paced and it kept me on edge and worried for the characters.
I do love a happy ending. I think I’d love to see more from this couple and their lifestyle in their cartel family life. My only wish is that this book was longer 😅 I hated to see it end. To be able to fit so much action and character building into a short book took a lot of skill and I am so keen to devour more from this author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella was oh so delicious! I didn't want to put it down!

Alex's family is in the cartel! And, of course, there are rival cartels, and power and money hungry soldiers!

What happens to Elle on vacation…well, you definitely want to read to find out!

Alex. Wonderful Alex. I fell in love with him.

And his friend Sergio...he was great and I wouldn't mind seeing him fall in love!

Plenty of action.
Plenty of steam!

Darah Lace did an exceptional job with "Falling Into Darkness!"

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC and I’m leaving my honest review of this book. Elle is on a getaway with her friends but she can only think of one person, Alejandro or Alex as she calls him. Her friend have hooked up with some guys and she feels like a third wheel. The last night of their stay, she takes a walk on the beach and into a nightmare. I’m not going to say anything else so I won’t spoil the book, but it’s a good read. I’m looking forward to more.

[Chris06 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know this says damsel in distress but I have to say Elle sure knows how to keep her head on her shoulders.

A short action packed read. With a bit of prior miscommunication added in .. a heartbreak that didn’t need to happen.

And some spice … can’t forget the hotness.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michelle Frater · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short novella is a full-throttle thrill ride from start to finish. Elizabeth (Elle) isn’t exactly living her best life on a girls’ getaway to Isla Mujeres. Grieving the loss of her military brother and reeling from the heartbreak of being nothing more than an obligation to the man she loves, she’s drowning her sorrows in sun, sand, and tequila. But fate has other plans. On her final night, a moonlit stroll on the beach takes a terrifying turn when she stumbles upon something she was never meant to see. Now, she’s running for her life, and the chase is on. But Elle isn’t your typical damsel in distress—she’s a fighter, trained in self-defense by her father, she won’t go down without a fight. Lucky for her, Alex, the very man she’s been trying to forget, is nearby. Call it fate, call it coincidence, but he’s not about to let anything happen to her, even if she doesn’t want him in her life. The result is a high-octane showdown that feels like a Guy Ritchie movie on steroids, where bad guys drop faster than bowling pins and the action never lets up. And let’s not forget the heat—because between dodging bullets and taking down enemies, there’s still time for a sizzling, no-holds-barred interlude. If you’re craving a lightning-fast read packed with action, tension, and a romance that burns just as hot as the danger surrounding it, Elle and Alex deliver in spades. Buckle up—you’re in for a wild ride.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Linda Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darah Lace's Falling Into Darkness is a quick adventurous read about Elle and Alex. Elle had broken her romance off with Alex but he continues to track her. While on vacation with friends she gets into trouble after witnessing some cartel business on the beach. Alex has to rescue her. A fast paced read with some steamy scenes and lots of danger. Wish it had been longer.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jeannette Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good!!! It was a quick fast paced second chance romance that was just the right amount of plot to spice which I loved. The storyline was quick but wasn’t too quick to where you felt like you didn’t understand what was happening.

I kind of hope we get a longer book with Elle and Alex because I would just love that.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sharon Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great short read for me in between novels.

Fast paced, plenty of action (in and out of the bedroom).

If Dark Mafia/Cartel Romance, Morally Gray, Forced Proximity, Damsel in Distress, Different Worlds, Brother's Best Friend and Friends to Lovers tropes are your thing, this is the book for you!

Loved it!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Narelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elizabeth and Alejandro (Elle and Alex) have known each other for years. Now, he steps up for her when she needs him most in this dark and dangerous, yet sexy read. It certainly packs a lot into a short space.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Leila Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me hooked from the start, took me on an emotional roller coaster, loved the chemistry between Alex and Elle and the story was gripping and exciting will definitely be reccomemending this to all my book girlie's.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fast paced, second chance romance with plenty of action from the very start. Alex and Elle are dodging bullets as they evade men trying to take over the cartel. I liked that Elle could hold her own throughout their dangerous escape. However, it is a short novella so it lacks depth. It grabbed my interest with the suspense, but the smex in the middle of it all felt out of place.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short, spicy read that left me wanting more. I felt a connection with Elizabeth, and I enjoyed her chemistry with Alex. The author brought these characters to life really well, and I'd like to read more about them if possible.

Thank you to Booksprout and the author for a free copy to review.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Krissy Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a dark mafia romance and it is so spicy and wonderful!
So many amazing tropes and twist to keep you hooked line and sinker!!!
Who would have thought a relaxing vacation could take such an awful but sweet turn!!!
Tropes include:
♥️Friends to Lovers
🩶Morally Grey
⛓️Forced Proximity
🫣Brothers Best Friend
🗺️Different Worlds

Spice radar 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Star radar ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Summer Steelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a wonderful read! I loved it and couldn't put it down! Devoured every word and will definitely check out more works by Lace.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bre E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I liked everything I was given!! Falling Into Darkness was more than a story of a girl falling in love with her brother’s best friend! All the twists and turns are worth the HEA!!