The Bitterness of Venom Special Edition: A Dark Hockey Romance

by M.T. Morgan

292 pages, Hardcover

Published November 11, 2024

About the author

M.T. Morgan lives in Texas with her husband and two children. She enjoys reading a good fantasy/PNR romance as well as a good cup of coffee. She has old lady tendencies even though she's in her mid-twenties. And writing her own bio is very cringe worthy to her.

M.T. Morgan tends to bounce around the romance genre. She may make you laugh, cry and cringe. It just depends on her mood.

Reviews

[Avelynia Kersh · Rating 5 out of 5]

♾️⭐️s (6+)
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🔥🔥🔥
It’s books like this that make me wish there was an extra star for rating the books that completely consume you.
I Could Not Put this Book Down!!!!!
This was so dark and twisted with the most broken main characters.

Blaise and Desmond go way back. They both had their struggles they dealt with but they had each other until things got too bad at home and Blaise was forced into the foster system. Heartbroken and alone Desmond never forgave her for it.
Years later they end up coincidentally being roommates and attending the same college. This man bullies her so bad! Unfortunately she’s so messed up that she kinda likes it. This story hooks you from the start and doesn’t let you go. I finished it hours ago and I’m still
Replaying everything in my head 🖤🖤🖤🖤

Thank you Hambright Pr & MT Morgan for this Arc. I have a discovered a new favorite author and can’t wait to read more by her.

[b_reads27 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Desmond and Blaise: This is a childhood best friends to enemies to lovers, rich boy x poor girl growing up childhood friends, opposites attract, childhood trauma, revenge, forced proximity, hockey player MMC, secrets, grumpy black cat FMC who thinks love is a lie, kidnapping, dark bully sports romance.
Do not let the cute and pretty cover for you, this is definitely a dark bully romance. Desmond and Blaise grew up together and, even though they were opposite walks of life (literally opposite side of the tracks), were best friends. When Blaise is taken into foster care, they thought they would never see eachother again and they both grew bitter against each other, even though it was a situation neither of them could have prevented. When the fates align and they end up as roommates all hell breaks loose as Desmond makes it his mission to get his own justice against Blaise. But Blaise is no scarred little girl like she once was. She gives it back as much as she takes it. She also is holding back a dangerous secret that has been controlling her life for years and can’t get out of it. This book is definitely a wild and spicy ride.
If you are a fan of bully romances I would most definitely recommend this read. So much happens in the book and it grips your attention from start to finish.

[Brooke Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy shit!!! Thank you so freaking much #HambrightPR and #M.T.Morgan for the ARC! This was dark, dark and I won’t lie had me a little feral mess, screaming, on my knees. Desmond is as if a nightmare and dirty, dirty dream was all wrapped up into one toxic, beautiful package. I have no idea why I melt for bully romances, but at this point it is what it is. Blaise had me laughing, crying and cheering through every chapter, she’s a freaking bad ass!
And that epilogue has me in a chokehold!
I now need to devour every single piece of literature M.T.Morgan has ever written.
You need to read this, asap!
🖤🖤🖤

[Kassie Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

A SECOND 6 STAR READ IN JANUARY? How fucking lucky am i?

Desmond is literally a walking red flag & like my girl said- we like carnivals

This was TRUE bully romance, like trueeeee mean ass bully romance and I’m so fucking here for it oh my god

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶️🌶️🌶️

Something about a bully romance that I will eat up every single time!

This book?!?! TOXIC!!!!!!!

Fast paced and a good ol time

What to expect
Childhood friends
Friends to lovers
Bully romance
Dark Hockey romance
Secrets

Thank you MT Morgan and Hambright for the ARC💛

[Aubrie Church · Rating 3 out of 5]

In life, I’ve learned that people will come and go. Losing some will hurt more than others but you have to accept it and move on or it will eat at you forever. But could you imagine losing a friend so dear that instead of sorrow, all you feel is rage? That’s what happens to Desmond in The Bitterness of Venom.

As kids, Blaise and Desmond were each others safe space. With abusive parents and no one to defend them, they found solace in each other. But one fateful day, Blaise comes to Desmond bloody and beaten and after yet another night of tending to her wounds, she disappears, never to be seen or heard of again. Flash forward years later and Blaise, after working hard to create a better life for herself, she gets a scholarship to a top university. She moves into an apartment with 3 unknown people and when she arrives, there Desmond stands. You’d think they’d be thrilled to see each other, yet all Desmond feels is rage and the need for revenge for abandoning him all those years ago. When her scholarship falls through, he offers to pay but with a price: he is going to make her life hell. After months of humiliation and dangerous tasks, Blaise is mentally struggling because while she loathes this current Desmond, she can’t help but try and reach for the old one from her childhood who was gentle and kind and loved her for her. Desmond feels satisfaction in destroying her psyche, but being around her everyday eats at his resolve, finding that spending time with her is bringing back old memories and old feeling as well. As friends that turned to enemies, they are drawn back to each other, working through their pain and finding passion and strength in each other once again. But they have trials to overcome and vicious people to subdue, they just may break them along the way.

This book is not for the faint of heart and I caution you to read the trigger warnings prior to reading. There is explicit content that perhaps some readers enjoy but may distress others. As someone who refuses to DNF a book, I powered through this one and while I appreciated the ending, it was a pretty brutal read. If I learned anything from this book, it is that grief can make or break you.

[Jennifer C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks so much to the author and Hambright PR for the gifted advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. All opinions are entirely my own. { partner }
My reviews and content can also be found on StoryGraph, on Instagram @Tackling_TBR, on TikTok @TacklingTBR, and on my blog at tacklingtbr.home.blog.

TW: dub-con, non-con, violence, murder, light BDSM, mention of drugs, bullying, humiliation kink, burn play, somnophilia, blood play, kidnapping

When your former, childhood best friend, quite literally from the opposite side of the tracks, disappears from your life only to pop back up years later as your new college roommate - you get a truly dark and twisted bully romance. Right? Sure, why not.

I will go into this saying that bully romances aren't really my thing - as a queer woman, if I have to watch one more gay/bi character end up in a forever relationship with the person who used to bully them for being gay, I just might throw something.
Obviously that's not the storyline here, but I mention this to say - take this rating and review with the grain of salt that comes with reading a book where the primary trope is one that I'm predisposed to not loving and wasn't expecting when I picked up the book.

That being said, I did enjoy the rest of the book well enough.

Blaise is a really fun FMC. A girl with a difficult childhood and dark secrets, working to better herself and her situation, and building a future career based around helping others do the same - all with a lot of sass and cute cotton candy pink hair. Love that for her.

The book itself is a pretty quick read, with fairly short chapters and a quick paced plot that jumps in with both feet right from the word go.

I'd say that if bully romances are your thing, definitely pick this one up - I think it's probably a pretty good one. But if you're just going in expecting the dark romance without the side of bullying, maybe be wary.

[Kayla Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the definition of "exquisite pain." If you live for high angst, dark hockey romance where the tension is so thick you could cut it with a skate blade, then this needs to be your next read.

The Chemistry
The dynamic between the MMC and the FMC is absolute fire. This isn't a "grumpy/sunshine" story it’s "grumpy/grumpy" or, more accurately, "black cat vs. black cat."

The MMC is possessive, intense, and fueled by a bitterness that only someone with their shared history could provoke. His "touch her and die" energy is top tier, especially since it’s wrapped in a layer of deep seated resentment that makes every confrontation electric.

The FMC is his perfect match. She is resilient, sharp tongued, and refuses to be intimidated by the MMC’s dark intensity. Seeing her stand her ground against him, even when the world feels like it's crashing down around them, made her one of my favorite leads this year.

The Vibe
• Tropes: Dark Hockey Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Second Chance, and Forced Proximity.
• The Heat: The spice level is high and heavy. It’s gritty, primal, and fits the dark atmosphere of the story perfectly.
• The Emotional Payoff: The way their past and present collide creates a crushing level of angst. Seeing their mutual obsession war with the bitterness between them made it impossible to put down.

Final Verdict
A hauntingly beautiful start to a new saga. It’s dark, it’s gritty, and it’s unapologetically toxic in all the best ways. If you want a story where the obsession is borderline terrifying and the love is hard-earned, 5 stars isn't enough.

[Rachel Nahabedian · Rating 3 out of 5]

ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ʟɪᴋᴇᴅ ɪᴛ

🏒 Hockey
🖤 Dark/Bully Romance
👯 Childhood Best Friends
🪢 Kidnapping
❤️‍🔥 Enemies to Lovers
🫦 Good Girl

If you’re looking for a dark, bully romance packed with spice, steam, and two characters who are toxic together and apart but somehow you’re still invested...this might be for you.

Blaise and Desmond were childhood best friends until something completely out of their 14-year-old control tore them apart. Desmond vows to find Blaise and make her pay for “abandoning” him after their first kiss, while Blaise decides to forget the boy she once loved because she’s not that naïve girl anymore.

Naturally…they end up roommates in college. Because of course Blaise would land in a co-ed dorm with three hockey players (one of them being Desmond). Some of those coincidences stretched believability for me. And if you’re going to write a hockey romance, knowing the basics of the sport is kind of important. Mentioning “halftime” had me closing the book for the night. IYKYK

The twists and secrets Blaise had eventually veered into over-the-top territory even for me. The chemistry is intense and the toxicity is very on-brand for dark romance, but I struggled to pin down the overall point of the story. Their relationship shift toward the end also felt a bit abrupt, and parts of the plot came across as choppy and disjointed.

That said, I still had a good time with it. And yes, I still bought the trophy edition for my shelf because the cover was too cute to pass up. No regrets there.

Thank you, MT Morgan and Hambright PR for the ARC.

[Emmy Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

love dark romances but when I’m not reading them I love a good hockey romance, so in my eyes there is nothing better than a dark hockey romance. This book did not disappoint, it’s just over 200 pages but filled with an amazing, intense plot and beautifully complex characters. I loved this book from start to finish and could not put it down. It’s an easy sort of 1 sitting read with some dark elements. I love the childhood lovers sort of plot, they were each others everything when they were little and things tore them apart… and now they’re back together but he wants revenge. Honestly both Blaise and Desmond went through a whole lot, and yes they have a strong trauma bond, but they also are such a beautiful couple (once you look past the stalking, and blackmailing and kidnapping of course). Yes Desmond is a little psychotic and likes to be a caveman and throw her over his shoulder, but it’s all part of his charm! Blaise is such a strong character too. There is a bullying aspect and it’s a bit of a bully romance, but Blaise stood her ground so well. I loved the character development they both went through and I guess there’s some minor redemption for Desmond even though he is still pretty unapologetic. The plot was amazing, apart from their relationship, there’s also a side plot with a plot twist I totally did not expect. This book was such a fun, spicy and enjoyable read, I give it a 5/5

[Desiree Viruet · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s books like this that make me wish there was an extra star—for the ones that completely consume you.

I could not put this book down.

The Bitterness of Venom is dark, twisted, and filled with some of the most broken main characters I’ve read in a long time. Blaise and Desmond go way back. They both grew up dealing with their own struggles, but they had each other—until things became too much at home and Blaise was forced into the foster system. Heartbroken and left behind, Desmond never forgave her for leaving.

Years later, fate throws them back together when they coincidentally end up as roommates while attending the same college. And Desmond? This man bullies her relentlessly. It’s cruel, vicious, and completely unhinged… and unfortunately, Blaise is so emotionally damaged that she kind of likes it.

This story hooks you immediately and refuses to let go. I finished it hours ago and I’m still replaying everything in my head. The tension, the toxicity, the history between them—it all hits hard and sticks with you.

Desmond is a literal walking red flag… and like my girl said, we like carnivals.

This is TRUE bully romance. Like trueeeee mean-ass bully romance, and I am so fucking here for it. No softening, no excuses—just raw, dark, obsessive energy.

Thank you to Hambright PR and M.T. Morgan for the ARC. I’ve officially discovered a new favorite author, and I cannot wait to read more from her.

[Beany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let’s be real, I requested this because the cover was gorgeous. No regrets there.

The plot itself is actually very interesting for a dark romance. Toxic. Freaky. Hot mess energy. I can see where the author was going with Blaise and Desmond, and I liked the direction of their relationship. The obsession, the intensity, the emotional damage? It had potential.

But the writing style made it hard to fully enjoy. The scenes felt choppy, transitions were abrupt, and there were typos. Sometimes it felt like moments weren’t fully completed before jumping to the next. I had to reread parts just to understand what happened.

Desmond’s behavior? Wild. Some scenes made me uncomfortable (WHAT DO YOU MEAN CRAWL??? AND LIVE STREAMING???), but I kept reminding myself this is dark romance. And spice-wise? Oh it delivered. Definitely a 5/5 on intensity 🥵

✨ Overall Thoughts
I loved the idea and direction of the story and I just wish the execution was smoother. If the writing had been more polished, this could’ve easily been a 4.5 for me.

Dark romance readers who enjoy obsessive, morally grey MMCs will probably eat this up.

Are you okay with messy execution if the plot and spice hit? Or does writing style make or break a book for you? 👀

P.S: Thank you Hambright PR for the copy!

[Tammy Manning · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up because I saw dark hockey romance, and said “Two of my favorite things? Yes please, give it to me now.” I was so excited to read this, but this book ultimately fell a flat for me. This is a friends to enemies to lovers, which is usually a fun read for me, but these characters just didn’t feel fully developed for me. It felt like there was too much going on and then the last portion felt rushed to tie everything up.

Also, as an actual hockey fan, it’s a giant irritation for me when an author writes a hockey romance but it doesn’t seem like they have a basic understanding of hockey. For instance there this no “half-time” in hockey. There are 3 periods with intermissions between them. If you’re going to write a hockey romance and have game play on the pages then these are the bare minimum things you should know, and they were completely wrong in this book. And when I say that it irritated me, I literally started yelling “That’s NOT how that works!”

Now I will say that the spice was spicing in this book and it’s probably the one thing that made me rate the book as high as I did.

[JJ Cornette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll admit I'm mixed on this one. First off, check your triggers because this one almost got one of mine. Desmond and Blaise were childhood friends until she was sent away to foster care at 15, with some other darker elements thrown in as to why she left without saying goodbye. Now years later they're reunited at college. At first they deny knowing each other. She's a self proclaimed man hater (which I feel was over proclaimed) and he's a walking red flag who decides to punish her for leaving him all those years ago. There's absolutely no communication between these two ever. It's a series of punishments followed by an epiphany of love. The last 20% of the book, felt incredibly rushed with a whole lot of me thinking "what just happened, how does that work and am I even reading the same story". I felt like there was some good base for a good dark romance, but it needed more polishing and reworking of the resolution.

[Tasha Lynette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was hot, wild, dark, and twisted and deserves more than a 5-star rating. Childhood best friends that were torn apart due to circumstances that were beyond their control and years later end up going to the same school to find out they are not who they once were. Desmond comes from a rich family and plays hockey and Blaise ended up in the foster care system after some poor choices from her parents and then fought to survive which ended up in some other bad choices. They are complete opposites who are forced together who both have some messed up parental childhood trauma that made them, their lives, and this book beautifully DARK!! Do not let this cute cover tell you otherwise. This book has kidnapping, lies, secrets, dark play, bullying, and a lot of other trigger warning. This book is spicy and wild in so many ways, but the story line is so strong. This is my first M.T. Morgan book, and I now need to read them all, but please take my advice and read this book!!!

[JayDae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrown for a loop from the first chapter but this book did not disappoint. It is super heavy on some very dark tropes so please read trigger warnings if you need to. Not me I went all in and I was hooked from the prologue to the end. Blaise and Desmonds relationship completely has you in a trance as they navigate from enemies to lovers. Which is one of my favorite tropes. Some parts has me gasping and looking around to make sure I wasn't being loud because the scenes were GIVING! the train tracks scene was definetly one I will not be forgetting! MT morgan you saucy being I cannot wait to dive into other books of dark romance because this one is my top favorite! Plus it being a hockey romance too has me wanting to reread it! Super fast paced book and short so you will be able to knock it out in a day

[Page Escapes by J · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bitterness of Venom is a dark enemies-to-lovers hockey romance built around unresolved heartbreak and emotional power struggles. The story moves at a fast pace, quickly establishing the strained connection between the leads before diving into their complicated shared history and the lingering emotions neither of them fully escaped.

The writing style is accessible and dialogue-driven, making the characters’ confrontations one of the book’s strongest elements. Their banter carries a constant undercurrent of tension, balancing resentment with undeniable chemistry. While the plot centers on revenge and emotional payback, the narrative gradually shifts toward vulnerability, revealing the deeper wounds driving both characters’ decisions.

Overall, the book offers an intense emotional dynamic, blending second-chance romance with darker themes of obsession, pride, and unresolved betrayal.

[Shawnte · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! Talk about a dark romance! This was definitely dark and so twisted, and I loved every moment of it. To start, my heart broke for both Blaise and Desmond, although they had one another, they still suffered so much in silence both as children and adults. Their life was so rough and it's a real testament to their love and friendship that they somehow make it through the other side to happiness. This book had a lot of twists and turns along with shockingly brutal moments. Every adult in this book failed these two and they earned every moment of their happy ending. It was hardcore, gritty and unbelievably HOT! 😍🔥I look forward to the next read from this author!

I received this book from Hambright PR and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

[Madison Apodaca · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bitterness of Venom is a dark hockey romance where two childhood best friends go from my enemies to lovers after meeting again.

It’s extremely fast past filled with tension and banter. The story is driven by heartbreak and emotional turmoil. Both characters struggle with buried emotions as they have to confront the past and ask what they mean to each other.

Blaise and Desmond are both slightly unhinged, one more than the other… ahah. Desmond wants to exact revenge on Blaise for leaving him and Blaise can’t help but falling for him with every interaction.

Super spicy and unhinged. A really quick read if you want something short and will have you glued to the story from the start. PLEASE please pleaseeeee read the trigger warnings. This book is not for the sweet innocent cinnamon rolls. A LOT of spice AND degradation!

Thank you to Hambright PR for the gifted copy!

[Heather Kearns · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars
5 Chili Peppers

Part of the Rickman Legacy
Blaise and Desmond

Holy crap, this book is still living rent free in my head! I devoured this book in one day. I couldn't get enough of Blaise and Desi. The banter, chemistry, plot of this story, everything about this had me in a chokehold.
One time these two were friend, but now they are enemies but back in the vicinity...as roommates. Desmond once loved Blaise, but she didn't feel the same way and when they went separate ways he was devastated. But when she shows back up he is determined to get back at her. But what really happens is they go back forth at each other letting all the hurt and anger spill over into what they once had.

This is my first book from MT Morgan and it most certainly won't be my last!

[Babette Janssen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received the ARC for this book from Hambright PR.
The cover drew me in and made it look like this was going to be a book right up my alley.
Now the idea of this book is definitely something that I can appreciate. I love dark romance and I love hockey romance. I even can appreciate bully romance. So a mix of all? Yes, please!!

However, the execution unfortunately failed (in my eyes). This book was going all over the place, it was really rushed at some points. Sometimes I needed to check to make sure I wasn’t skipping anything, as a scene was suddenly finished but did not really get closure.
There is absolutely no communication in this book, whatsoever. They go from childhood friends, to sort of enemies and then boom, lovers.
I was also not really a fan of the “punishments”, I think a little more insight in her thoughts and how she felt about it, might have been a good thing.

I did like the plot of the book, and the problems with Blaise’s debts to be paid. But again, everything was very rushed and I did not get a clear explanation as how this all happened.

Overall, the book had potential, but it just didn’t come together nicely.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was absolutely surprised and blown away by this book. I loved the different reps in this story. I loved that it dealt with much heavier topics. I loved the dark romance aspect built into a childhood sweetheart, second chance story.

I loved our MC's character progression from being so angry at her, to realizing he loved her. However, I do.thimk that when he finally said it, it seemed a little out of place and random? I'm not sure, it could just be me.

Overall I genuinely enjoyed this book so much. It's something that I would absolutely come back to in the future and read again!!

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book was an ARC that I got the chance to read. It took me a little bit while to write my review on here because life.
This book was a hockey sport romance book which is a little new to me. I read sport romance but it's never really hockey. So being exposed to a hockey romance?!? I will definitely need to find more hockey romance books because I enjoyed reading this book. It was the first time I read a M.T. Morgan book and I went into the book blind in that I never looked at her other books and those reviews. I loved the way she wrote the story. It was where they were childhood friends who are now enemies who then got into a relationship. It was a whole range of different relationship statuses between Blaise and Desmond. I loved that it was a dark romance type of book because those are one of my favorite books!

[Brianas.bookhaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m obsessed with Desmond, and I don’t know what that says about me. Give me a good bully romance, enemies to lovers, second chance romance, and you have me sold.

Desmond could say whatever he wants, but deep down, he knows he’s so obsessed and in love with Blaise. I love the way. The story played out with the drama, their chemistry, and also their past. I do wish we saw more of Blaise being badass towards Desmond’s parents.

Honestly, the ending of this book had me shocked. I wouldn’t have guessed that about Clinton.

[Samantha Christo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and Hambright for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Blaise and Desmond have the most toxic and spicy relationship you could only wish to have. The amount of times I was yelling screw you Desmond and then wishing I was Blaise as Desmond took advantage of her 😩 I have never wished to be in a book so badly until this one.

Hands down, a MUST read!!!!

[Felicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. They are childhood friends who got separated due to Blaise being put into foster care. But all he can think about is how she disappeared and broke his heart so he wants revenge. It is dark, check your triggers, and has some degrading moments in it. My only issue was that the last like 20% was rushed I felt like. After a major event, everything else was super fast. Still a good read, I enjoyed it just would have loved it even more with a little more to the end.

[Indecent Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks so much to the author and Hambright PR for the copy of The Bitterness of Venom, all opinions are my own!

Don’t let the cute cover fool you! This was a dark and twisted story. Like this is not for the faint of heart. It was a shorter book and was very easy to fly through it. If you don’t like a slightly unhinged bully MMC, this book is not for you! I would love to listen to this as an audiobook!

[Amber Crook · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had so much potential for me but it just fell flat.

I feel like if this book was longer to give us more of a build for the relationship, I would have liked it more. There were a lot of events happening in this book that we never got a reason for it happening. There's a lot missing, and if the book was rewritten to give us more and fill in some more blanks, I would have liked it a lot more.

[Jessica Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you see this illustrated cover with a handsome hockey star and a pretty FMC and are expecting a ROMCOM you’re In the wrong place. This was a DARK bully romance that went 0-100 Real fast and as long as the FMC is (semi) down with it then so am I. There are a lot of layers to the story that make the characters very dynamic and interesting and dual POV is always a favorite of mine!

[Adri (books.with.adri) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! So many mix emotions with this one.

Part of me hated how Desmond would treat Blaise – but then also I would love how he loved her. It got my all mixed up.

There were some parts that were a bit dark and I just kinda try to block them out, but nothing too intense to where I had to stop reading all together.

Overall it was a “cute” book lol and I truly loved it.