Haunted by Secrets

Shadowed Souls #3

by Maddison Cole

The Shadowed Souls will sacrifice anything to save Avery, but will Wyatt?

Shattered and betrayed, the Shadowed Souls have lost the woman they love to the stalker who has plagued her for years. A betrayal that cuts deeper than any wound, unraveling bonds of trust they thought were unbreakable. As Mr. XO tightens his grip, Avery’s heart hangs in the balance, torn between the men she loves and the repercussions of her own choices.

This is the final chance to prove their loyalty to each other and reclaim what’s been stolen. But as secrets resurface, secrets that should have stayed buried, the Souls will discover that saving Avery may come at the ultimate cost. Because in a world of lies and darkness, no one escapes unscathed.

Genres: Dark Romance, Why Choose, Dark, College, Erotica, Contemporary, Romance

422 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 14, 2025

About the author

Maddison Cole is a married mum of two, and a serial daydreamer. As a huge fan of fantasy romance novels for the past 7 years, she has finally decided to put pen to paper (finger to keyboard doesn't sound as poetic) and begin to write her own.

As a child, life was moving around the UK and a short stint in the Caribbean, before Maddison has found herself back in the south east of England where she is now happily settled. With a double award in applied arts and an A-level in art history, Maddison is just your average musical-loving, Disney-obsessed, jive-dancing woman with a dark passion for steamy fantasy books.

Reviews

[S. Morgenstern]

“Eres digno de amor, Gare. Te amo con locura. Eres suficiente, Garrett. Siempre has sido suficiente para mí y para Axel. - Los hombros de Garrett se hunden, un sonido ahogado escapa de su garganta mientras finalmente se derrumba. Me inclino hacia adelante, apoyando mi frente contra la suya, nuestras respiraciones se mezclan en el pesado silencio. - Saldremos de esto, lo prometo. Juntos.”

[Ariana Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the final installment of this trilogy. And it wraps everything up or Avery and her MMCs. But in the process you spend the first 75% of the book focusing on a different issue with slight hints and reminders about the massive cliffhanger/issue from the previous book.

Even though this wraps up the relationship and questions about Avery and the Shadowed Souls. It leaves big questions about Meg (which will be answered in her own book).

The first 3/4 of the book felt like a bit much to me. I understand they were facing some of their past issues and growing together. But it felt an over dramatic for me.

The last 5-10% was great. I loved seeing how they all came together and grew in their relationships. But I wish the part had happened a bit more gradually and drawn out. It felt kinda thrown in there after all that happened in the majority of the book.

I received this as an ARC for free. I am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Mimii Gagnon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I tought it lacked originality, it was a bit repetitive. It could've ended in book 2!

[Tia · Rating 4 out of 5]

These characters have my whole heart!! This one got pretty wild!! Literally so much happened!

🖤

[Kristy Cohen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m so disappointed that I didn’t enjoy this book more. It just didn’t make sense to me… I already felt like book 2 had gone on for too long with emotional drama and angst, and then it wasn’t even resolved! We had to go through it all over again in this book!
I honestly feel like I’ve lost sight of what I loved about the characters in book 1 because they’re almost all broken and over dramatic by this book.

This book should have had the harem really coming together and working as a team to take down Fredrick, and that’s the exact opposite of what we got. I don’t understand why they had to go to Sharon’s house or why we spent over half of the book there. Axel is 20 - in what country does that make him a minor who has to go back with his mom? Is there really nothing Wyatt and Huxley could have done to provide an alternate solution?

Fredrick as the big bad guy for the series was an absolute bust. We had zero interactions with him (no threats, no fear, nothing), and then he was dead by the time they found him. And then all of a sudden this Harrison guy and his thugs are the ones to fear? That just didn’t work for me. I felt the drama of the blackjack scene, but I felt like his motivation to go after them was weak.

And then why wasn’t there more outrage over the fact that Wyatt got Nixon killed when it could have been Harrison? Was there any strategy to that or did he simply hate Nixon so much that he was willing to jeopardize all of their lives? I know he thought they’d be free to go, but that’s just stupid to trust the villain like that and not take him out when you have the chance.

Also, this book needed one more round with an editor. There were missing words and wrong words that kept pulling me out of the story (like president instead of precedence and commodore instead of camaraderie).

Lastly, the ending wasn’t as happy as I would have liked. Maybe it was more realistic, but I want happy endings in books I read, not realism. So all in all, I liked this trilogy, but I wish she could have kept up the amazing characters and storyline that she had in the first book. I’ll still be interested in Meg’s book.

[Princess Petty · Rating 1 out of 5]

Drawn out with so many plot holes

I regret continuing and reading the 3rd book. Was 100% not worth it. The storyline is so bad. You got 5 utterly useless guys who do almost nothing for the FMC besides the stretched on boring intimate scenes. The FMC is possibly the most intolerable, insufferably selfish person I’ve ever read. Her sister gets literally kidnapped and she spent 90% of the book messing around with the men and doing literally NOTHING to find or help her sister. The story is so unrealistic it’s cringy. You mean to tell me her real dad who took her sister gets unalived and the new “bad guy.” Continued to keep her and cause problems because he was promised blood?? As if an ex convict couldn’t find anyone else to harass that wouldn’t cause them a tenth of an issue. I mean really I guess the FMC and the MCs didn’t cause issues because like I said they didn’t do barely anything to try and save her sister but 1 time going to find her and her not being there and then flying home.
The storyline was so boring and drawn out that I skimmed through 50% of the book and still didn’t make a dent in the storyline.
If you’re wondering if you should read the last book here’s your sign NOT too.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slightly disappointing

I hate to say that as i loved boos 1 and 2 but this just didn't hit the mark. I know the foreword said the medical stuff might not ve accurate, but I spent half the book wondering how I'd missed that Axel was only 17 and how that even worked with him being a university sophomore only for it to be said he was 20 and his trust fund wouldn't be released until he was 21. That does NOT make him a minor!!! He's over 18 so his mum would have had zero rights to his care. With all of the money Wyatt and Hux have access to it made ZERO sense to have them 'forced' to stay with Sharon especially for the vast majority of the book.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maddison Cole tugs on your heartstrings within the first few pages of Haunted by Secrets. This book is an emotional roller coaster and you find yourself absorbed into the story feeling like you are right there alongside the Shadowed Souls.

Maddison's use of language is phenomenonal, and brings the story to life on the page. I thought her I Love Candy Series was my favourite, but this series might have just beaten it for that title.

[₊⋆ Nyxia ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥.

What an amazing conclusion!
This series has been intense and this book was no different. I have to say I didn’t expect to forgive Wyatt so easily but after the second chapter I did, he because a favorite of mine! I really love Avery too. She’s a strong fmc. Her men are obsessed and so protective. I loved their relationship as a whole and the individual relationships.

"𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚖𝚎."

"𝙸'𝚕𝚕 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗. 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚍𝚊𝚖𝚗 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎."

There’s a lot of emotional moments to this book, twists and healing. I REALLY loved the healing and growth in this series! The spice of course was hot as ever, some of my fav!

If you like dark reverse harems I recommend this series so much!

𝗔𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜'𝗺 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗿.

​🇹​​🇷​​🇴​​🇵​​🇪​​🇸​

🩷Why choose
🖤Forbidden love
🩷Obsession
🖤Overcoming trauma
🩷Forced proximity
🖤MM couple in harem
🩷Stepbrother
🖤On the run from a stalker

[Bobbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore this series and the characters. They have my whole heart. They're all a little broken, a little traumatized by their pasts, but they're slowly healing together. It's dark and beautiful.

That said, the pacing felt weird in this one. We spent so much longer dealing with Sharon than the actual danger to Avery (and Meg, who seemed like an afterthought). It's all important but it almost reads like this trilogy should have been 4 books.

I did enjoy the glimpses of Wyatt and Avery when they first met.

Overall, this was a pretty decent conclusion to the trilogy. If you read the other two, and you must if you want to understand the plot, you'll have a good time.

Thank you to the author and Chaotic Creatives for providing me with a copy of this book for the purposes of this review. My opinions are, as always, honest and my own.

[Darcy’s Good Opinion · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 5/5
Spice: 4/5

Why Choose
Contemporary
Stepbrother
Billionaire
Secrets & Lies
Found Family
Dark

Haunted by Secrets is book three in the Shadowed Souls series. The books must be read in order for maximum enjoyment.

This book picked up right where the cliffhanger left us in book two and wow, did it deliver. The book is fast paced with charismatic (and sometimes extremely frustrating) characters. This series will have you smiling, gasping, crying, and ultimately falling in love with the Shadowed Souls.

[Samantha Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally answers to all the secrets!! What a ride. I’m not going to put much in my review because I don’t want to give any spoilers from the previous books. Definitely read book 1 and 2. This series is full of darkness and jaw dropping moments. I felt so many things while reading this book. I loved diving even deeper into the characters and their relationship with each other. And as a bonus I’m so excited for side characters to get their own book soon!

[Ally Bess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I definitely can’t reveal a lot on this one cause it definitely took me through a whirlwind of emotions. But for the conclusion of an amazing series this has been such an amazing read and amazing series to read overall. I loved seeing the ups and downs of the characters and the epilogue definitely made things even better at the end!

[Kira · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my least favorite book. I felt like in book 2 the emotions were over the top and this just also monopolized it . I wish I enjoyed this book more than I did, but man, Avery was really getting on my nerves. So over dramatic. I only gave it a 4 star cause i enjoyed axel and Dax. Definitely glad the trilogy is over. But like what's up with meg.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an ending to an amazing series. I hated to see it all end. I fell in love with Avery and her men throughout this series. Yes, even Wyatt. This series has been an emotional rollercoaster for me and all I can say is, it was stunning. I'm at a loss for words.

[Joy Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maddison gives us the fantastic finale to The Shadowed Souls series. The story of Avery and her guys continues from the previous cliffhanger where Wyatt has taken Avery in a bid to protect her that goes sideways. How they get from there to their hard won HEA, will require that you dive into this beautifully written book with complex characters and plot twists that keep you guessing and turning throughout. I loved reading this story and highly recommend the series. Don't miss out on this book!!

[ciin_leest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haunted by Secrets is the last book in the Shadowed Souls series and cannot be read as a standalone! 

My oh my, what a way to end this series! I've been hooked since the first book and I am soo sad that this series is done now. It felt amazing being back with the Shadowed Souls. And even in this book the characters kept on growing. Maddison Cole has such a great way with putting the story on page. It's easy to fall in love with all the boys. 

I can't wait to see what else Cole has in store for us! 

Thank you Maddison Cole for this ARC to read and review.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fitting conclusion to a harrowing trilogy! With all of the emotion and the trauma I was delighted to see not only a HEA (especially after that last chapter had my jaw drop 👀😮‍💨), but how *important and valued* therapy was to each of the characters for said happy ending. Character growth to the max.

While I will miss seeing what Avery and all of her men are up to (hopefully relaxing and enjoying life!)…I look forward to the next interconnected series as it comes out!

I received an advanced reader copy for free and am leaving a review voluntarily.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ending was not it for me 😩 I loved the characters especially the MMCs. I feel like a lot of parts in this trilogy dragged a mile long to the point I had to skip pages because it was too much fill in. But with that said I always made sure to skim so I didn’t miss the twists - there’s a lot of them and I LOVED that. The very last chapter and the epilogue were just not it for me. After everything they’ve been through and bam.. I was hoping the other reviews were at least partially wrong but I do agree, it wasn’t the best HEA. I still can’t get over the twists though, those were great, chefs kiss even. Now to have a Hux and Wyatt sandwich. 😮‍💨😏 I will say I do wish it dived more into Dax & Garrett’s pasts to the extent it did for the others. I will say though that I loved the MM pairing and that it started before Avery came in the picture. I feel like those are always better written than a random MMC that is randomly paired with another one in the middle of the book/series. Gare & Axels relationship was beautiful and they understood each other on another level that Avery couldn’t even understand if she tried. I loved that for them. And Dax.. he was the perfect guy for Avery through and through.

[Lexie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haunted by Secrets is the third and final book in Shadowed Souls, a dark why-choose college romance I’ve been in love with ever since I first read it last August.

I mean, what’s not to love about five male main characters and one hell of a badass female lead who struggle with life and find strength in each other to keep moving forward?

I couldn’t imagine Maddison Cole surpassing the attachment she made me feel toward the first two books (Forged by Shadows & Bound by Obsession). And yet, she did.

Not right away, though—she had me hooked at first. This third book picks up right where we left off, with the previous book’s cliffhanger welcoming us straight into trauma land. The action escalates until the storm finally fades, and an illusion of peace is restored.

It was the kind of peace that feels comfortable for the first two minutes—until you start fidgeting, restless, waiting for the worst to happen. Actually praying for it to hit you, just to get it over with.

And for most of this book, it feels like the earthquake never arrives.

Little did I know, we weren’t at the epicenter of that quake. Instead, the devastating waves of a tsunami were looming, ready to shatter every fleeting moment of peace I had so foolishly allowed myself to enjoy.

And that’s where the real reckoning begins—where many questions are answered, yet even more take shape, whether in our minds or spoken through the characters’ voices.

But the ending? It was worth every second of the wait. The final chapters, the epilogue... I’m still overwhelmed by everything the Shadowed Souls had to endure, overcome, and ultimately, rise from.

The happy ending is there—waiting at the finish line, where the characters we’ve loved, hated, cried with, and cried for stand with a smile and a promise.

This book is about redemption, closure, forgiveness, and acceptance. But above all, this is Wyatt’s book.

He’s the character we learned to keep our distance from in the previous books—the one we always kept an eye on, waiting for his next move. Watching him with suspicion, torn between screaming at him to turn good and secretly rooting for his dark side.

Well, this is the book where he finally opens up. Where he embraces his past and rises above it. Where he lays his cards on the table—but this time, he’s playing to win. To reach his ultimate goal: keeping Avery safe. No matter the cost.

This is also the book where the Shadowed Souls become one. Where one person’s trauma belongs to everyone.

I won’t go into detail about every character—if you’ve read my previous reviews, that should be enough. Besides, anything I say now might slip into spoiler territory, so I’ll skip this part.

But let me tell you about the incredible found family we have here. I haven’t read anything else by this author, but oh my stars, she knows how to craft deep, real characters. She built a family out of trauma, making each of them perfect for one another.

They heal each other, support, protect, and stand by their group—no matter how badly they mess up. Because in the end, family is what keeps you going. They might end up with a punch to the jewels, but love and understanding will always prevail.

And this is one of my favorite tropes—especially since discovering Why Choose. Friendship is just another expression of love. But the Shadowed Souls? They go beyond that. They’re brothers.

Leaving their world behind is going to be so difficult. I got really attached to Wyatt in this final book—his character arc is one of the best I’ve ever read.

Avery has always been a bad bitch, and she stayed true to that until the very end. But my heart? It decided to devote its full attention to her stepbrother.

Huge shout-out to Thiago—I already love him, just saying. There’s nothing hotter than a man who knows his way around a keyboard. (And yes, I am assuming he’s talented with his digits. Let’s hope he’ll be working another kind of magic with those fingers soon.)

If you’ve made it this far into my review but haven’t read the trilogy yet: check the trigger warnings, then run to join Waversea University.

Wyatt, Avery, Garrett, Axel, Dax, and Huxley are waiting for their next Shadowed Soul. Be ready to fall in love. Be ready to heal.

[Queen Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

We finally get the crazy conclusion to the Shadowed Souls series by Maddison Cole, with Haunted by Secrets. In this book almost everything that could go wrong and right happens. Things pick up where they left off with Wyatt taking off with Avery to try to keep her safe. She now knows that he is Mr. XO. This causes so much bad and good things to happen. One of the good things is that we finally get to see the real Wyatt, who has been hiding behind the one that we've known up til this point. It almost a completely different person yet we can still see the him that we've grown to know at moments. Then of course the bad. Meg gets taken by Frederick and his goons. Things continue to spiral for the group after that, with hospital stints and reawakened trauma in the form of bad parents. This book throws a lot at us. Prepare for the feels. The way things ended was almost as shocking as the reveal at the end of the book. There is a death and a possible break up on your horizon. This one is really going to put you through it before you reach the end! While I liked the ride, there was a little hiccup for me. It was so wordy. Like there were times when I wished that some things were cut because it made the story unnecessarily long. I would find myself checking the percentage constantly because I just couldn't believe that things were going so slowly. There was things happening but when you look back at it, it wasn't anything that was important enough that it needed to be drawn out for pages. Meanwhile there is a situation that I think warranted a little more time to be paid to it but it was instead, put to the side and never revisited. It was a life altering thing that you'd think would be talked about more but it wasn't. I will say though, despite that, the spin off that we are getting from this should prove interesting. Especially if we get to see the gang that we've come to know in it as well. I always love an interconnected series!

The spice was ok. At times it felt a little too much. Like it was there as a space filler and not to push the characters closer together. Other times it was perfect for the moment. I give the spice a 3 out of 5. Overall, I gave this book a 3 out of 5. It was good but it definitely felt like it could have had a little more oomph. I felt a little like....meh by the time that it ended. 99% of the issues are cleared up by the end but for some reason I was looking for something else. I think it could be how things ended with a certain character that felt a little unsatisfying but I'm not sure. I would still recommend this series though for sure. It kept the swings coming and the emotions on top. I am looking forward to the spin off!

[Booksbystarlightandshadows · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a rollercoaster! Book one may be my favourite of the series but this kept me completely engaged and desperate to see how it all ended. There are some real emotional breakthroughs, even more secrets revealed and heartbreak along the way before Avery and her guys get their HEA.

Wyatt has been my guy since the start (except for a brief flirtation with Dax in book two) and I loved how Wyatt-centric this book was as he and Avery had a lot to work through before they came out the other side. Almost all of my quotes were from Wyatt as he shed the mask he had been hiding behind and let his true feelings show and I loved seeing him being a fully rounded character by the end. I loved how the other Souls also recognised the change in him and seeing the Souls finally acting as a family again was worth all the angst to get there. The final Mr XO letter broke my heart but I loved Garrett's reaction to the whole thing.

The overall plot surprised me as although Meg is set up to have her own book, the subsequent main plot of the story goes in a completely different direction rather than focusing on her kidnapping. Most questions are answered but I suspect more will come to light in the spin off as there are still some which are unresolved. Trauma has not been forgotten nor overcome quickly in this series and after seeing Axel's recovery I'm interested to see what will happen next.

My interpretation of the star system;
3 stars - I enjoyed it; would read the author again
4 stars - I really liked it; I am invested and definitely want more from this author/series
5 stars - I loved it; I engaged with this book completely until I finished it and it is one I will re-read

[Em Yardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional Damage, But Make It Worth It

I’ve been dying (pun intended) for the finale of the Shadowed Souls series, and let me tell you it did NOT disappoint. Maddison Cole really said, “Oh, you love these characters? Cute. Watch me emotionally destroy them and you.”

The Shadowed Souls will sacrifice anything to save Avery, but the real question is… will Wyatt? Dun dun dun!

These poor, broken souls have been through the wringer again. Seriously, someone get them all a therapist, a spa day, and maybe some emotional support snacks. After the rude cliffhanger of the last book, this one throws us straight back into the chaos. Wyatt’s development? Chef’s kiss. He’s still a mess, but a loveable, protective mess. Each of the guys grows in their own way:

- Wyatt finally opens up (about time, buddy).
- Hux? He’s making peace with food. Progress!
- Garrett? Overcoming his body struggles like a champ.
- Axel? Facing his traumatic past like the badass we knew he could be.
- Dax? Just vibing in his full chaotic glory, knowing exactly who he is. Love that for him.

Haunted by Secrets had me cycling through emotions like I was on a malfunctioning rollercoaster. One minute, I was mad. Then I was sad. Then happy. Then mad again, nearly chucking my kindle across the room. The angst? Perfectly painful.

Now, onto Meg’s story because I know that’s going to be a dark, trauma-filled ride. Can she conquer her past, or will it break her? Either way, I’ll be there, emotionally unprepared but ready to suffer.

Highly recommend if you enjoy a healthy dose of heartbreak, healing, and hot messes finding their way.

[HJ Doe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Shadowed Souls trilogy. I saw the book description on Amazon and was very intrigued although I hadn’t yet read the first two. So I went back to catch up and I am so glad I did! Book 1 captured my attention from the jump, and kept it throughout the end of book 3.

Book 3 picks up right where 2 left us. At first, I was frustrated because I felt as though two of the characters were going to revert to old patterns of behavior with lacking communication, but I should have had more faith in Maddison Cole!

Avery and her guys are still processing their individual and interpersonal issues while attempting to keep themselves safe and alive to do so. There’s so much at stake for Avery and the guys, as well as for some friends & family members. I appreciate that their pain and trauma was handled in a realistic fashion. Each of them have been fundamentally changed by different traumas, but they are facing their pasts and working on moving through and past their trauma not just for themselves as individuals, but for each other. They support and understand each other and acknowledge the pain each of them have experienced, which was amazing and heartwarming to see.

I am hoping that we get to see a story told from Meg’s point of view sometime, but I also appreciate that the author decided that this part of the series especially was ultimately Avery’s story and needed to be seen from her perspective rather than Meg’s.

This series introduced me to Maddison Cole, and I have gone back to read her other work because I loved this series so much. I can’t recommend her enough - she’s now one of my favorites!

[kaylaschapterchats · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wild ride Maddison takes us on in the final instalment of this series.

Haunted By Secrets begins just as Bound By Obsession concludes. As we now know, Avery found out Wyatt's secret and then all he!! breaks loss for The Souls and Avery.

We finally see Avery and Wyatt grow closer but not without a lot of work from both Wyatt and Avery. Wyatt's love for Avery knows no bounds. That's been really evident throughout the series, looking back on the interactions between Avery and Wyatt.

There were lots of twists, turns, heart break, and healing within these pages. It was so sweet seeing Axel and Garrett truly embrace their relationship, but it really sucks that Axel had to slip back into a really horrific situation/s. Well, they all did. Avery will always have a special place in my heart. She is just so strong, caring, and resilient, I really can't wait to her in future books (if that is what Maddison sees for her).

It was the perfect conclusion to the story, and all my questions circling around Avery and her guys have been answered finally 😊

BUT now I have more questions about Avery's twin and what the heck is going on with her....

I can not recommend this series enough. It was f***ing incredible.

Thank you so much, Maddison, and the beautiful team at Chaotic Creatives for the opportunity to read this story. I am forever grateful 🙏

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶

🩰 multiple pov
🩰 why choose
🩰 so many twists and turns
🩰 forbidden love/ taboo
🩰 obsessive mmc's
🩰 Forced Proximity
🩰 healing journey
🩰 spice

[Samantha Silensky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, I want to get the only downside to this book out of the way first, and that was my disappointment in, somewhat Huxley and quite a bit Wyatt, who basically spent the previous books swearing to never let their found family be at someone else’s mercy again. Wyatt had a lot of inner turmoil about how hard and far he’s willing to go for his brothers, but he barely fought Axel being back in his nightmares. I know he had to face his past, but I expected more of a fight, or even some sort of solution sooner rather than later. I also wish there was more closure with Nixon and Avery, before Avery had that option ripped away. I really hoped for her to rise above her own inner doubts and tell him off.
However, even with that, I did still love the book. I enjoyed the characters growing and being more vulnerable and open with each other. Garrets growth with Axel was one of my favorites but I also was saddened by what it took to REALLY get him there. I should say a lot of this book really focused on Wyatt’s part of the story, and it kinda made me feel bad for the others. I get that Wyatt was there from almost the start, but I wish Avery had made him work for it a bit more. The other guys seemed to be pushed aside a little once Wyatt’s secrets came out. But I did love how accepting they were of his place with Avery and his redemption. And I completely loved the first part of the book and how he and Avery really cemented the start of his redemption arc in this book.
I’m really excited for Meg’s story, and already adore Thiago. Can’t wait for the spinoff.

[Jens_Book_Cubby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haunted By Secrets is the third and final book in the Shadowed Souls trilogy. It is a dark, spicy, contemporary, why choose romance with action, intrigue, revelations, redemption, and all the feels.

This was a terrific conclusion to this amazing series. I really loved the overall theme of healing in this last book and thoroughly appreciate how they mend. This story was brilliantly emotional provoking, and I loved every second of it. It has been quite the journey for these amazing characters and they have certainly earned their HEA.

Avery, Wyatt, Dax, Hux, Axel, and Garrett, the Shattered Souls. These characters each have unique traumas that have made them who they are and brought them to one another. In this book they confront those traumas together and help each other to slay their personal demons, both physical and emotional.

I was entranced with the depth of these characters and was smitten with how they and their relationships evolve throughout the series. I loved the dynamics between Avery and each of her men. Together they all make such amazing strides and I loved where they all end up.

The writing, flow, pace, plot, and characters are all top-notch as are the storyline, storytelling, character development, relationship developments, and world building. This was a phenomenal, page turner of a series that I would absolutely recommend. I am very much looking forward to reading more from this terrific author.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie's Book Reports.

This is the third and final book in the Shadowed Souls Series. You have to read Forged in Shadows, and Bound by Obsession first, or you will be very lost. If you have been reading this series then you know where we left off and I for one could not wait to get my hands on Haunted by Secrets. It picks up right where we left off in Bound by Obsession. I was so excited to be back with Avery and her guys. I don't even know how to review this book and not give something away. We do get some serious character growth in this book and I felt that especially with Wyatt. If you have hated the guy though this series, like you well should have at times, then you are in for a surprise. I loved watching the change in him. I loved how the guys love Avery. Avery is strong and fierce and not going to let Hux, Garrett, Axel and Dax down. They all grow. They all heal and it is a beautiful thing to read. However, they have to go though some stuff before they get there. Buckle up. It is one wild ride that you are going to devour every single second of. This has been my first time reading a series by Maddison Cole. I don't know what took me so long to discover her but I can promise you I loved these three books and can't wait to see what comes next.

[Daniele Stephenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say I knew my boy Wyatt would come back strong with his redemption. It was absolutely amazing to see him finally flip that switch and just be open and vulnerable with Avery. The way everyone was just shocked by how just embraced his feelings for her and whole heartedly dove in was just perfection. He finally learned how to be the right balance of crazy over protective that worked best for Avery. We did spend a good amount of time in this book at Axels childhood home while he was recovering but it was nice to see Garrett finally realize how much Axel means to him and start showing his love. Again I love all these characters but out of them all Wyatt and Garrett are my favorites and I just loved how they both really grew in this book. I once again was not happy with her bestie and can’t believe how she acted and treated Avery. Like I get she is probably traumatized but still it was I feel a bit uncalled for. In the end though we finally get a HEA for our crew. It was very much needed and deserved. I will miss this group and am sad to see them go. I absolutely would recommend giving this series a read. It is emotional and all over the place but it is worth the read and is one of my favorites.

[Brittany Bridges · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have absolutely loved this series. The spice and plot were both amazing and the character development was awesome. I could literally feel all of their emotions and felt for them at times. This series has had me laughing and wanting to cry. Absolutely shocked and heartbroken. Spice was a definite 5/5🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ and plot was a 5/5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ as well. If you want to read please make sure to read Forged By Shadows (Book 1 of the Shadowed Souls series). Tropes include: RH/Why choose, had MM in the mix, step-siblings, dark, college romance, enemies to lovers, bully romance. If you like these then I’m sure you’ll love this one. Is it part of a series though and is leave off on a cliffhanger. As it is a dark romance please be sure to check TW’s before reading. TW’s include: d3ath of a parent, bullying, st@lking, blackmail, gaslighting, invasion of privacy, dub-con, v0yeurism, exhibitionism, implied incest, sp@nking, eyes open/eyes on me scenes, possessive behavior, mention of body dysmorphia, su!cidal thoughts, mentions of childhood abüse, mentions of negl3ct/poverty, therapy sessions, depression, drügs/@lcohol use, flashbacks/nightmares of s3xual trauma. Again please be sure to check TW’s before reading.