Cien Desafíos

by Natalie Mar

Cat

Hola, soy Caterina Wilder y puedo lograrlo.
Nada más allá del "hola" era verdad.
Mi vida como Caterina Wilder de repente tenía fecha de caducidad, pero no tenía escapatoria. Enfrentar an mis demonios y ser consumida por un inesperado, perverso, peligroso y posiblemente adictivo romance me estaba llevando por un camino de traiciones sangrientas, secretos devastadores y un desamor desgarrador.
¿Y cómo empezó todo este desastre?
Por ÉL.
Ashton Hertford. Príncipe de Hertford Media Group, playboy profesional que me irritaba más allá de la comprensión, y un completo imbécil a tiempo completo.
¿Y lo peor? Dejé que me consumiera. Escribir sobre cien desafíos sexuales y usarlo como conejillo de indias no se suponía que nos trajera hasta aquí, pero ya no hay vuelta atrás. Las cartas están sobre la mesa, y una mala mano podría costarnos la vida a los dos.

***

Ash

Todo lo que quería era venganza. Ahogar la rabia corrosiva que ardía dentro de mí. Arrancar la condenada culpa que no me dejaba respirar.
Quería ver este maldito imperio desmoronarse, aunque significara hundirme con el barco.
Pero entonces apareció ella. La gata salvaje, demasiado sobria, demasiado distante, demasiado aguda, y una espina en mi costado, a menos que la hiciera rugir y sacar sus garras. Lo que empezó como un juego de distracción se convirtió en otra cosa. Algo retorcido, desesperado, y tremendamente explosivo. Algo tan fuerte que hizo que comenzara a preguntarme si la venganza valía la pena, porque destruir a mi familia también significaba destruirla a ella en el proceso.

Únete a Cat y Ash en este oscuro y absorbente viaje lleno de descubrimiento, desafíos y emociones mientras se sumergen en cien experiencias en la cama y enfrentan cien demonios en sus vida.
¿Serán capaces de salir de este enredo ilesos, o acabarán ahogados por sus propios secretos y mentiras?

Una historia inmersiva diseñada para atrapar tus sentidos y hacer que desees borrar la línea que divide la ficción de la realidad.
¿Estás listo para escribir tus propias cien páginas de aventuras llenas de deseo y sensualidad?

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance

550 pages, ebook

First published January 2, 2025

Reviews

[Natalie Mar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello there! A Hundred Challenges is beginning to make its way into the world, so I wanted to leave a message here before I go because this is not my space, but yours.

I started to write this book during the very worst period of my life, and it saved me in ways that I’m not ready to share yet. But as a lifelong reader, books have done exactly that since I can recall, so it doesn’t come as a surprise.

There is a defiance in being a dreamer—I read once, and my life changed with that line. With that book. With that word: dreamer.
I hope that the experience of reading my story offers you the same.

This is a book about challenges, secrets, and revenge, yes—but it’s really a book about learning to love even when life never taught you how to do it before. It’s about trust and allowing yourself to lower your guard and FEEL. It’s about seeing the darkest shades of someone and still choosing to stay. It’s about truth.

And I know giving myself five stars is a little assuming and shameless, but I’ve learned during this journey that the life I want begins with recognizing my own worth, so I’m giving five stars to the Nat who wrote until the sun came up for years and the one who decided to hold on to her words while her world was falling apart.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all who gave my book a chance. Chase what makes you burn. Never settle for less.
Love, Nat.

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️ ARC

This was such a good dark romance story. The plot and character’s development throughout was incredible.

Cat and Ash, I love them, and omg the spice 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

Idk if this is a spoiler or not - I THINK FOX IS HUNTER and I am so sad that I can’t find out more now !!

[Purva Asthana · Rating 5 out of 5]

“There’s no place for tantrums in tragedy. Only acceptance and grief.”

What to expect:
→ Hate to love
→ Dual pov
→ Morally grey characters
→ Secret past
→ Witty banter
→ Black cat x bad boy
→ Secret dating
→ Dark past
→ Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/ 5


A Hundred Challenges by Natalia Mar is gonna be one of my favourite books I read this year and yes, I know it's only 15 days into 2025 but this book blew my mind away.

Everything in AHC—the pace, the character arcs, the plotline, the dialogues, the side characters—was so well written. The story captured my interest from the very beginning.

Ashton Hertford, the man that you are 🤌🏻✨
The way he had my heart in the palm of his hands since the moment he made his first appearance!! His character revolved around avenging the death of his brother—the only person in the entire world who loved him—and tearing down the Hertford empire by uncovering scandals and secrets that’d shake the very foundation of the Hertford name and that included doing things he hated more than anything i.e., working at Inspire —the media conglomerate owned by Hertford Groups.
Ashton was everything I liked in the main lead of a book. He was charismatic, a rebel, had a dirty mouth and tattoos and a dark side and he was a simp for his woman!!! Honestly, he was the full package.

Caterina Wilder was someone you need to get to know to love but getting to know her wasn't for everyone as she was so guarded and getting past her walls was incredibly hard. She was a writer at the Inspire who was selected by the CEO, Dominic Hertford to handle his brother Ashton and prevent him from doing anything that'll harm the company's reputation and in exchange the position of lead writer at Inspire would be hers. But everything went to hell when Ash tricked her and presented a completely different idea to the board and effectively threw Cat under the bus.

And that was the introduction of A Hundred Challenges that will take place over the course of a year. These challenges contain 100 sexual challenges which the writers would have to write about to encourage people to take risks and spice up their sex life.

Cat had a past—something she needed to hide from the world—that haunted her day and night. She had so much on the line with the new challenge that Ashton threw her way and she'd do anything to get the position of the lead writer. Even if it's a deal with the Devil to help her write better!!

I adored Cat. She'd been through so much and still had the courage to face the world every single day. She was passionate, brave, beautiful and so fucking strong. She had a dark side which only added to her appeal.

Cat and Ash will have a hold on my heart for a long, long time. I loved this book so much. It had the perfect balance of plot and smut. It touched my heart in ways I thought wasn't possible. AHC is the kind of book that shows that things are never just black or white and there are a million shades in between. The way both protagonists complement each other is just perfect. And the side characters—Serafina and Dominic were just as amazing as the main characters.

Ash was such a simp for Cat that it melted by heart. The way he never shied away from her darkness and always made her feel safe was something that made me swoon. AHC is the kind of book that I'd love to read over and over and never get bored.

A Hundred Challenges is the debut novel by Natalia Mar which is coming out on March 21st, 2025 so mark your calendars!!!!

[Kris-Posey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delicious twisted tension.

This book was so well written, pulling you in with stellar world building, a great plot & engaging characters — side characters included.

I am kind of mind blown to find this is a debut novel for the author because it really didn’t lack anything.

A hundred challenges has so much to offer, packed with scandals, secrets, betrayal, revenge & a delectable ‘hate to love’ story that the reader can really sink their teeth into.

I love the journey between the main characters. Cat was an absolute warrior, & Ash— well, what a dreamboat!

This was an easy 5 stars — & can’t wait to see what else Natalie Mar produces in the future.

[Catie Cash · Rating 4 out of 5]

(eARC review) This was such an interesting read! I received this book as an eARC and really enjoyed it. The idea of the 100 challenges being spread out into the chapters was fun and unique. I also loved that Mar let it be known that both Cat and Ash were hiding things from the start, while still maintaining the air of suspense with not knowing the full picture. I cannot wait to continue the series and to learn what the next set of challenges entail!!

[thebeespot72 · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know those posts that state, “The Spiciest Book Recs You’ll Ever Read?” Yes, I post those, too. Author Natalie Mar’s A Hundred Challenges goes in that category. However, it has a solid plot, too. Cat and Ash—both are pretty mysterious—get together to play a shmexual challenge with so much open communication, which I appreciated. The spice hits early and frequently. And when I say frequent, that’s a significant understatement; it is part of the plot.

But spice aside, the story shifts and does get dark at times. I didn’t anticipate much action in this type of story, but I truly enjoyed those scenes. Some surprises along the way with the characters kept me guessing.

A Hundred Challenges is a hefty, detailed story with an ending that seems like it may lead to something more.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did you finish reading Twisted Love and think, 'Now I want a book that's a little darker and spicier with more betrayal, revenge, and secrets from both the MMC AND FMC'? Well, do I have good news for you. There is no need to look any further. This is the book you are looking for.

Where do I start? I love a grumpy x sunshine, but the sassy remarks, the venomous banter and the tension you get between a black cat FMC and a bad boy MMC is delicious. The hate to love relationship these two had throughout this book had me on the edge of my seat, and I became more and more invested in Cat and Ash as the story progressed.

This book starts off as a hate to love office romance, but as we dive further into the book, we are met with so much more. Both Cat and Ash have ghosts they are trying to run away from, and it turns out their deepest, darkest secrets are coming back to haunt them. The plot twists, the revenge, and how their past intertwine had me hooked and left me wanting more.

Cat, aka Wildcat, is so much stronger than you first realise, and her past gets darker as we slowly uncover her secrets. I used to love small town romances, but after finding out about Cat's past, I'm starting to realise small towns maybe aren't all they're cracked up to be. I fell in love with her character more and more as I began to see how strong, passionate, caring, and determined she was. She also had a little bit of a dark side, which made her all the more intriguing.

Ash falls first, and he falls HARD. He worships Cat and isn't afraid to show her. Ash knew how to play with Cat and rile her up, and that in itself was entertaining. He also knows how to play the long game, and the family secrets he uncovers on his revenge path were crazy. I don't think I could handle all that family drama.

Now, back to the romance side of this book. Cat and Ash absolutely despise each other and are basically work rivals at this point. Cat just wants to do her job of keeping Ash under control to help further her career, and Ash wants his new shadow to back off so he can work towards his revenge goals.
Cat and Ash hate being in the same room together, but when you have a deadline to meet and your choices for a lab rat to test all 100 sexual challenges for the magazine article you're writing are very limited, and your hot as all hell boss that you can't stand offers his services, what is a girl to do? We don't blame Cat for giving in. She really had no other choice... 👀
As I mentioned before, the tension you get between black cat and bad boy MC's is something else, and the spice lives up to what you'd expect from two people who despise each other. There is plenty of plot throughout this book to keep you guessing, but there is an equal amount of spice to go alongside it. The library scene? Those ghosts have probably never felt more alive in their lives 👻

This is Natalia Mar's debut novel, and I look forward to following her writing journey. I hope she doesn't leave us waiting too long for book 2 because that cliffhanger was unnecessary 😭

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4.25!

I was kindly given this as an ARC and it was a captivating read.

Natalie did an amazing job introducing the FMC and MMC with added tension and then going into their seperate backgrounds just made the story work. Not to mention the spice that was written in was a pleasant surprise!

[Ghia Zanetti · Rating 5 out of 5]

No es un libro de dark romance, es mucho más que eso. Es inquietante, algo perturbador y posee lo necesario para que no puedas dejar de leer y así descubrir las respuestas a los misterios y secretos que generan las subtramas oscuras.

Ambos protagonistas poseen un pasado escalofriante, gris y preocupante. Me encantó la personalidad de Cat, tan determinada, ruda y valiente. Pero Ash se lleva todo mi amor. Dios mío, qué hombre. Incluso con sus defectos perturbadores. Es descarado, coqueto, badboy, inteligente, justiciero, inteligente y ardiente. LAS TIENE TODAS. Sentí cosas de Cat durante todo el libro. Yo me convertí en la Fiera mientras me enamoraba de él al mismo tiempo que Cat. Me encantó cómo la sacaba de quicio, cómo comenzó a obsesionarse con ella, cada vez más adicto a lo que tienen, hasta llegar al mood de “TÓCALA Y TE MATO” y “HARÍA ARDER EL MUNDO POR TI” (y lo hace). Sus frases sin filtro encienden a cualquiera JAJA. Juntos crearon un lazo de acero caliente e irrompible, con sus pasados manchados de sangre, SON TAL PARA CUAL. En fin, Ash es el bad boy que todas merecemos… JAJAJA.

La autora escribe de forma fascinante, pese a ser su primer libro, ella ya sabe cómo atraparte y usar las palabras y frases correctas. No es cliché, tiene su propio estilo y una inmensa creatividad a la hora de generar escenas.

Las subtramas que les menciono al comienzo parecen independientes una de las otras, pero hacia el final todo se va entretejiendo, conectándose hasta dejarte con la REAL BOCA ABIERTA en más de una escena o giro de trama.

No quiero hacer spoilers pero, AMO A LOS HERMANOS HERTFORD. A todos. Vaya cosa magnífica. Quedé viendo estrellitas JAJAJA.

Incluso el romance es PERFECTO (que, como les digo, es mucho más que eso, pero ajá). Esas escenas dónde él lo da todo por ella, hasta la vida si es necesario y cómo destroza al enemigo de Cat… OH MY GOD. Es más, lloré de amor al final.

Gracias, autora, por sacar esta tremenda historia de tu cabeza al mundo. Estos personajes lo merecen, y tú también.

[Chasing Silhouettes · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75🌟 eARC Review.

This book turns up the heat!!! Provocation prompts of the scorching sensual kind with an exploratory onslaught of sensory elicit and erogenous games.

Dark romance . Spicy Like Pepper X . On/Out of Office Liaisons . Secret Dating . Hidden Identities . Dark Secrets . Past Traumas . Huge Black Dog . Bad Boy MMC . Revenge .  Kidnapping . Mafia . Hate to Love

Cat had her dream career at a media empire at her fingertips, but there was something standing in her way. She had been tasked to keep an eye on the bad boy, Ashton Hertford...

"He was a drink made of bad decisions and daunting sins. The bad boy of every girl's dreams." (pg 25)

... it didn't go as planned, and she found her career on the line. The only thing that could save it would be to make a deal with the devil, himself, the man who infuriated the hell out of her.

Now, she'd have to do a deep dive for a year-long competition delving into carnal explorations and fantasy exploitations... you know, for first-hand, hands-on research.

Ash had an agenda of his own, but it didn't mean he couldn't make it a little fun... a little spicy.

"We kissed the same way we fought -- with vicious passion." (pg 56)

They both got more than expected, more than bargained for. Harrowing secrets and demons of their pasts came knocking, threatening all that they had built to that point in their lives and all the rewards they had found with each other. Could they survive the chaos?

Almost 700 pages, but I devoured it! Liked 50 Shade of Grey and 365 Days? This. Is. Better.

[Toti · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Uno de los mejores libros que he leído, punto.

Es tan así que no sé cómo pasmar cuánto me gustó este libro en palabras, pero lo voy a intentar.

El libro sigue a Caterina Wilder, una mujer con un pasado complicado, quien trabaja en Inspire, una revista para mujeres. Sin embargo, su trabajo se ve en peligro cuando se le da la tarea de vigilar a Ashton Hertford desde cerca, quien, además de ser uno de los dueños del holding que posee Inspire, ha decidido cambiar toda la estructura de la revista.

Creando 100 desafíos que las escritoras deben cumplir semanalmente, y haciéndolas competir entre ellas, despidiendo a quienes no cumplen, Ashton no solo logra sacudir a Inspire, pero también a Caterina, quien debe encontrar una forma de “revivir” su escritura.

El libro nos muestra cómo los personajes crecen y se adaptan a un ambiente hostil y cambiante, todo logrado por la autora de una manera maravillosa. Podemos ver los puntos de vista tanto de Ashton como de Cat, y leer cada una de las páginas de este libro es adentrarse en su mundo.

Bueno, y las escenas spicy para qué decir 👌😅

RECOMENDADÍSIMO. Me llevó al borde de las lágrimas y eso es bastante difícil que hacer.

Nat, ERES INCREÍBLE, que honor haberte conocido y poder leer y comentar contigo esta obra de arte 💕

[Sydnie Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️

I was very kindly sent an ARC of this book and when I tell you I am OBSESSED!!! And so grateful!!!

I’ve never read a dark romance before, and honestly when I read the content warnings I was very apprehensive and wasn’t sure whether I would enjoy it or not but I’m so glad that I gave it a chance!!

This book is *very* spicy which I was expecting from the warnings lol but what I wasn’t expecting was for the plot to grip me in the way that it did. I couldn’t put it down and the reveal at the end had me like 😯😯 I also didn’t realise how long the book was, but for me it didn’t feel long at all because I was so hooked on what was happening.

I fell in love with all of the characters and I’m already so excited to see them again in the next book. Also, Wildcat and Viper?? PLEASE the nicknames are 10/10

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars ⭐️

I was kindly gifted this eARC by the author.

It took me about 20% to finally get into this book and I feel that the story started to drag by the 80% mark. However I loved the storyline and the character development was incredible.

The book had so many twists and turns and ended on a really good cliffhanger that has left me wanting to read the next book asap. The writing was soooo good!!

Both the FMC Cat and MMC Ash are tortured souls, both with their own secrets and haunted pasts but naturally they’re drawn to each other and their chemistry was 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

also just to add, the mouth on Ash😮‍💨🤭 some of my fave quotes from him:

“well I’d probably kill another man if I found him touching you.”

“the only pain I cared about nowadays was the one of not being permanently buried inside her”

“I want to see all your shadows Cat, and love every dark shade of them. if there’s someone in this world that gets you, it’s me”

I can’t wait for book 2!

[Ioana · Rating 3 out of 5]

"My dreams and goals are not cheap. Two million dollars would never replace them, but at least I'd be crying in a bathub full of money and drinking expensive champagne."

🔥 I have received an ARC of this book and I'm willingly leaving this review 🔥

I feel a bit conflicted about this book... it's not that it was bad, but it just didn't move me entirely.

While it is very spicy, there are also tender moments that I appreciated, especially when Cat felt safe enough to open up about her past. And there are also moments packed with adrenaline that moved the plot along... but overall I felt that the story was longer than it was really necessary.

Some moments where overexplained and dragged out for no reason and some moment felt really unnecessary and not doing much for the story.

In short, it was way too long.

[Javiera · Rating 5 out of 5]

"𝐂𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐚 𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐠𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐢, 𝐧𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐫 𝐞𝐥 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐨 𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞 𝐭ú". - 𝐂𝐢𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐚𝐟í𝐨𝐬 ❤️‍🔥

🐍 Natalie nos presenta la historia de Cat y Ashton, quiénes desde el primer momento que se vieron atados para trabajar de manera conjunta se evidenció su desagrado, BUT es realmente que no les gusta por considerarse enemigos y rivales o son tan similares que les asusta?

🐍 ¡OMG! Gente bonita no se por donde iniciar esta reseña 🫢

🐍 Personalmente había estado en una racha de lecturas de romance, soft y así, pero ya extrañaba mucho caer por mis personajes moralmente grises y ¡JESÚS MIO SANTO!

🐍 Aunque claramente iba con cierto miedo y expectativas, Natalie las cumplió toditassssss jajaja

🐍 Desde el inicio me atrapó con la relación de enemies to lovers, pero también con esa tensión del macho alfa que le decía "¿segura que no tengo pongo nerviosa?" y la protagonista derritiendose por dentro, pero fuerte como un roble le refutaba diciendo "claro que no, ¿o acaso el que se pone nervioso eres tú?" ERAN TODITO QUE VEEER ❤️‍🔥

🐍 So, claramente no les haré spoilers ni les contaré detallitos del libro, ya que hay ciertas cositas que tienen que descubrir en la lectura, BUT les daré algunos puntos a tener en cuenta:

🐍 Es un libro de tantas páginas, PERO que se hace demasiado adictivo y no pararás de leer; además, cuenta con doble pov's y también incluye ILUSTRACIONES❤️‍🔥

🐍 Sobre la trama, es claramente algo novedoso al ser cien desafíos en ese ámbito spicy (lo que se aborda 10/10 JAJAJ). BUT también hay cositas como misterio, plot twist y muchas cositas más que lo hacen MUY COMPLETO.

🐍 Por otra parte, respecto a los personajes, quiero hacer un reclamo oficial por los hermanos que aparecen, porque siempre caigo con ese tipo de bandidos literarios JAJAJ

🐍 Sin embargo, la protagonista femenina no se queda atrás ¡TODITO QUE VER!  No les quiero dar muchos detalles sobre sus personalidades, pero si ustedes han leído Haunting Adeline, este libro tiene que estar si o sí en tu biblioteca (además, la autora hace referencia a esa joya🫣)

🐍 Por último, quiero aclarar que al ser contenido moralmente gris, hay contenido que puede no ser grato para todos, por lo que mucho ojito si lo adquieren, pero las que somos de esa área tiene que ¡COMPRARLO AHORA YA!🙇🏻‍♀️

[Macee Grisenti · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too long and has many many grammar mistakes

TW: r@pe, SA, k!dnapping, t*rture, g*re, v!olence, k!lling, chronic illness, dr*gs

This book was interesting. The storyline was good but the overall way it was done was not.
First of all the writing was riddled with grammar mistakes and errors. Constantly. I can excuse one or two errors in any book but this was a mistake very couple of pages. It was full of run on sentences and full blown errors. It was like it wasn’t edited at all. It had mistakes that seemed like it was written by a AI system or someone whose first language isn’t English. I have no problem reading a story that is not polished. Trust me. I’m a teacher and I read fan fic but for a published book it’s weird that it doesn’t seemed to have been edited at all. It was frustrating how many errors were present.
That aside it felt like the author did control find and replaced words with “synonyms” that sometimes did not fit at all or make any sense. The author also has the characters thinking and speaking like poets 99% of the time. And maybe some people do think like that but it seemed over the top. So many times what they were thinking could be boiled down to one sentence with far less weird word choices. Like the use of desisting over and over. It seemed like a kid who’s teacher told them they can’t use the word leaving so they googled another word and then replaced every single one even if it didn’t fit.
I’m not one to usually leave harsh reviews because it’s frankly rude and I didn’t have to read the book but again the story has potential.
A girl is hired by a man to keep his brother in line and essentially spy on him. They hate each other but end up using each other for s*x. She has an online journal that unbeknownst to her he has full access to as it’s his system so he gets to read all her thoughts after they sleep together.
She’s running from a bad past and he’s trying to right the wrongs of his past. It’s a cheesy story but again, I didn’t have to read. I finished the book because I wanted to, but it also couldn’t been at least 100 pages shorter. It was full of unnecessary monologues from everyone that seemed forced at times. I’m taking pages and pages of thoughts only.
Now again. Not a bad idea for a story. It was over done by the end though that somehow they both ended up tangled in the same web but again. I expected cheesy when I picked it up and I have no problem with that. But the holes that this book had were wild.
**** sorta a spoiler but ****
She cleans up a cr!me scene for him and he literally doesn’t question it at all!? Like I’m sorry but just because she’s good at stuff doesn’t mean she would just instinctively know what to do and he literally doesn’t question it at all??? It just felt like he was being stup!d. Also it was wild to see how she sorta did the same with other things. Like it wasn’t just miscommunication these two just weren’t using their supposed big brains
**** end of spoiler time ****
Anyway. Again not a bad idea for a story but technically it’s not even over? This was book 1. Meaning somehow it’s being stretched out and that feels like too much.


Tropes: enemies to lovers, touch her and d!e, who did this, only one bed, miscommunication, touch him and d!e, they are both lying about their intentions, Id!it’s in love

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Sweetness: 💗💗.5

[Mikayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Star Rating: 3/5
Spice Rating: 4/5

"We kissed the same way we fought -- with vicious passion."

ARC Review

Thoughts: Natalie Mar delivers a raw, intense story that pulls you in from the start. The chemistry between the characters is electric, and their struggles feel so real and tangible. At times, their personal challenges felt overwhelming, making it difficult to keep up with their individual growth and their relationship. Still, the way they leaned on each other and learned to navigate their connection kept me hooked. The writing is captivating and vivid, and even when it got heavy, I couldn’t put it down.

Favourite moment: The first office scene and when he is allowed into her apartment for the first time.

Notes: I would like to read more from Natalie. I really enjoyed the writing of this book and thought she had an excellent ability for storytelling.

#ahundredchallenges #nataliemar #arcreview #darkromance #challenges #romance

[Gillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devastated. That’s how I feel knowing this book is over and I can never read it for the first time again. This book broke me & healed me & I cannot fathom a life where I didn’t read it. I cannot wait for the next book.

In true dark romance style, this book addresses the shadows of our human souls and demands they be considered tenderly

When I picked this up, I really thought I was getting into a sexy forbidden office romance between a black cat girl & a bad boy. Next thing I know, it’s a full on (dare I say gothic) dark romance novel with mystery, revenge plots, decade old secrets, delicious tension, passion, lies- and all set against the gritty atmosphere of NYC. Oh, and of course, smut (and LOTS of it). This books is like if 50 Shades, Harley Quinn & the Joker, Bonnie and Clyde, and Sherlock (BBC version) had a baby.

Both of the MCs are so equally hate-able and lovable which just makes them so interesting & I genuinely cared so deeply about both of them. Think folie à deux vibes. Twin flames. Damaged people with depraved histories drawn to the darkness in each other. Finding a home in the other’s disturbed past. Learning how to be loved and love when the world has only ever been cruel to them. Learning how to be vulnerable. Exploring the duality of “yes I’ve done bed things, but I don’t want it to define me.” Ash and Cat are just a perfect match & their chemistry jumps off the page.

My only critique is that the story dragged a bit between the 60%-80% mark.

If you love dark romance, mysteries, and smut- I cannot recommend this more.
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-Spoilers from here on-
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Some thoughts that haunted me throughout this book:

1) Why does Ash not immediately trust her after she FUCKING CLEANS UP HIS MURDER SCENE AND DISPOSES OF THE BODIES FOR HIM? Why does she keep apologizing for being a liar and not enough for him AFTER DISPOSING OF BODIES FOR HIM. Girl, I don’t think he’s going to care you watched a girl die and staged her death to fake your own before assuming her identity. He gets it.

2) Dominic Hertford is Mycroft Holmes. I will take no arguments on this.

3) Why does she excuse his stalking (reading her journals, breaking into her house) but then he gets to blow up at her for hers (finding his secret apartment and computer room & spying for Dominic)? And she just lets herself be punished for it??? I know Cat explains it away in her head as being “different,” but it’s really not???

4) FOX IS HUNTER. First of all, there’s got to be some kind of clever association between the names “Hunter” and “Fox.” Foxes are hunters…. Anyways, I clocked this immediately. As soon as I read that Fox is the only person in the world that is able to “hack” into scoutnet and that we never actually saw Hunter’s dead body; jt all just made too much sense. It’s why he uses a voice encoder. It’s why he refuses to work with Dominic. It’s why he’s never been seen.

5) You’re telling me that after 10 years, Cat never got fingerprinted???? I guess she really did lay low.

6) I don’t really understand the connection between the Sabinis and Ash’s research. How did the Sabinis know he was conducting it?


And just a little thought that was too spoiler-y to leave above the fold: this was the first time in my life I genuinely was equally rooting for the MCs to either get their HFN or have one of them die in a romantic gesture (namely, the Mason x Sabinis kidnapping). I genuinely thought that the latter was the direction the author was going in- and I would have been so here for it. I love these characters so much and I really wanted them to be happy, but they’re also both so twisted that it almost would have been poetic justice for them not to get their happy ending.

[Tehmeena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Content Warnings;
Please take note of the trigger warnings.

~I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, Tales and Teacups and K.J Orchard, for this ARC.~

Tropes;
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝓓𝓾𝓪𝓵 𝓟𝓞𝓥
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝓢𝓮𝔁𝓾𝓪𝓵 𝓓𝓮𝓪𝓵
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝓗𝓪𝓽𝓮-𝓽𝓸-𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝓦𝓲𝓽𝓽𝔂 𝓑𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓻
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝓜𝓸𝓻𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓖𝓻𝓮𝔂 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝓢𝓮𝓬𝓻𝓮𝓽 𝓡𝓮𝓵𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓹
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝓑𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓒𝓪𝓽 𝔁 𝓑𝓪𝓭 𝓑𝓸𝔂
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝓞𝓾𝓽-𝓸𝓯-𝓽𝓱𝓮-𝓞𝓯𝓯𝓲𝓬𝓮
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝓢𝓮𝓬𝓻𝓮𝓽 𝓓𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓴 𝓟𝓪𝓼𝓽
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝓝𝓲𝓬𝓴𝓷𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓼/𝓢𝓹𝓲𝓬𝔂
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝓢𝓮𝓬𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓼 & 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓷𝓰𝓮
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝓟𝓪𝓼𝓽 𝓣𝓻𝓪𝓾𝓶𝓪𝓼

So. This MAN. This...delicious man Ashford, the MMC, offers a deal to the board that they do a 100 challenge. What will this challenge be about, you ask? A year-long challenge of trying a hundred sexual challenges for the writers to research and write articles on, which of course can help make their own lives a lot more spicier. Cat needs a partner for her own experiment, but she doesn't want the dashing Ashford, but once he wears her down, things start to unravel...in more ways than one...

Let me just start off by saying that Ashton Hertford is something else. His little nickname for Caterina - 'Wildcat'? F**k off. Why is that so cute? Their dynamic from the beginning is so enticing that their banter back and forth makes me laugh, giggle, and blush. Well, Ash, makes me blush. He's so hawt. Thanks for making me fall for him, Natalie Mar. And the nickname Viper is so hot, too. I've forgotten my English. "Hot" is all I know. Onwards...

Speaking of the amazing author, this is the first dark romance book I'm reading written by her, and I must say, I'm blown away. Usually, I stay away from books that are longer than 400 pages, but this one grips you from the start, like I mentioned it doing to ME. The main characters are made for each other and are written so well that their chemistry is palpable and their growing trust and love for each other is believable throughout the developing plotline.

The spice is another thing I need to speak about; OH. MY. LORDT. Hot like lava. I had to put down Kindle so many times to take a breather and fan my face - not that it ever helps, but hey, it's the effort that counts, right? Ashford is another breed! Also, please check out the trigger warnings at the start of the book before diving straight in if going in blind is not your thing. This beauty of a book is extremely scorching hot. If you touch it burns your hand, so...proceed with caution.

I don't want to give away any spoilers so I'll include that this is a story about challenges other than just spicing up sex lives really, it has revenge and dark pasts, twists and turns, deceit and lies, romance and banter, a morally grey man and a sassy female lead, and more. If you like dark romance with everything mentioning the above, then this is the perfect little book for you. This is book one in the series, and I can't wait for the second.

Out of Fives;
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑪𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓: ✨✨✨✨
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑺𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒆: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑷𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏: 💋💋💋💋
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔: 🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑪𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒂 𝑭𝑴𝑪: 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑨𝒔𝒉𝒕𝒐𝒏 𝑴𝑴𝑪: 💙💙💙💙💙
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆: ⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑷𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⏳⏳⏳⏳
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕: 👍👍👍👍👍
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈: 🌍🌏🌍🌍🌏
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅: eARC/Kindle.
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔: (Legacy Series #1)
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑷𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔: 682.
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔: 42 (including Epilogue).
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: Fiction, Contemporary, Dark Romance.
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑾𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝑰 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅: Yes.
𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Narlibeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me sorprende que nadie esté hablando de este libro, porque...

...te atrapa en una historia de tensión emocional, química brutal y personajes rotos que intentan no destruirse mutuamente, aunque todo parezca encaminado hacia la ruina.

Cat es una mujer de carácter feroz, independiente, con un pasado que la marcó y una coraza que no cualquiera puede atravesar. Ashton, el típico picaflor encantador y peligroso, llega a su vida con una misión que lo pone directamente en conflicto con ella… y sin embargo, la atracción es imposible de ignorar.
Desde el inicio, ambos entran en un juego de poder, deseo y heridas emocionales, donde el sexo se convierte en un escape violento para no sentir otros dolores más profundos.

Lo que empieza como una dinámica erótica intensa, se transforma en una red de secretos, crímenes, lealtades divididas y una carga emocional abrumadora.

Este es un dark romance con corazón y con peso. Sí, tiene escenas spicy, pero están tan bien integradas que son solo un ingrediente más dentro de una trama mucho más compleja y adictiva. La autora hace un excelente trabajo llevándonos por este camino lleno de mentiras, traumas, venganza y revelaciones que te dejan sin aliento.

“Dos malditos números negativos haciendo su mejor esfuerzo para sumar en positivo.”
Este tipo de frases son las que definen esta historia: cruda, hermosa y honesta. Nadie llega entero al final, pero lo que construyen juntos, rota y lentamente, es algo real.

🩶🤯 El final es tan intenso como el resto del libro, con una revelación que me dejó en shock y que va a quedarse conmigo varios días. Y lo mejor: nos deja deseando más. 😭

(Nota personal: Dominic terminó siendo un aliado más que un enemigo. Muchas heridas podrían haberse evitado si él y Ashton hubieran hablado con la verdad, como hermanos… pero si eso hubiera pasado, este libro no existiría.
Y sí, me encantaría ver a Dominic y Sera juntos. Ella podría darle el amor y la compasión que él nunca tuvo.)

🔮 Estoy esperando con ansias la segunda parte. Cien desafíos fue una grata y adictiva sorpresa. Lo recomiendo con los ojos cerrados para quienes disfrutan del dark romance bien construido, emocional y peligrosamente humano.

[Fran_reads1007 · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an exceptional read this book is.

Caterina Wilder is an extremely guarded person due to her past. And what a past that is. She has her dream job, a boss that doesn't like her in the slightest and to top it all off the CEO's son arrives back after disappearing for a while much to her dislike. They annoy each other so much that they argue like cat and dog. With weekly challenges to write about a certain topic she finds she is lacking in the personal experience department as the challenges require a sexual edge to them and she's been on a dry spell for quite a while.

Quite the opposite is Ash. He is the son of the founder of the company who died a few years previously. He's thought of as the reckless son who doesn't care about anything but having a good time with drugs, sex and alcohol. But he has been mistaken by everyone as that isn't what he is doing.
Trying to get revenge he needs to keep up the facade of being the reckless one who isn't a threat to the company or family business.

Ash propositions Cat to help her with her challenges. Never expecting her to take him up on it, but she does and she draws out a contract to ensure no one knows it is him who he's using and also so they keep their professional fronts when at work.

Lots of detail in the sex scenes which are spicy. The detail in this book is incredible. I felt like I was living it whilst reading it..... If only!! The storyline throughout this book was amazing. Every part I thought I knew where it was heading I was taken on a completely different path.
I was not expecting the hard choices they were going to have to make, or the level of violence, love and grief that was in this book. I felt every moment in it and just loved how it was written.

Natalie Mar is an incredible writer being able to bring this entire story to life and I will be waiting for her next books to come out.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

**ARC review**
This book took me on a roller coaster ride! Absolutely loved it and could not put it down. It was one of those books that I thought about when I was not reading it and wanted to drop everything I was doing so that I could read some more. I was up until the early morning hours finishing this book. It’s a contemporary (dark-ish) romance and so much more. To start this off, there are trigger warnings for this book, so if that is not your vibe then this may not be for you.
Not to give too much or any spoilers-ish info, but this book is about two people with dark secrets, one is trying to uncover the truth, the other trying to keep it hidden. In the chaos of it all they strike a deal that intertwines their lives and fates.
The FMC is a driven writer that is out to prove herself, but at the same time keep her past hidden. The MMC is a morally gray man with a dark past on a mission of revenge. It’s an enemies to lovers story with lies and deceit.
This book kept me on my toes. I thought I had all the twists and turns figured out (and some I did), but then a curve ball would coming sliding in and throw everything off kilter. This is book one in a series, so there are lingering questions at the end. Not a terrible cliffhanger, but enough that you want more.
If you are looking for a slow burn, this is not it. It’s a “once the fuse is lit, then explosion”spice. This spice does mellow out a little as the story unfolds, but it’s still there. Ash Hertford definitely has book BF potential. He has all the red flags that I love in fictional men. Highly recommend!

[Yasmin Mendoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh lord, this book really puts you through a rollercoaster of emotions and in a good way 🙂‍↕️ I absolutely fell in love with Cat and Ash’s storyline and the unique way they get with each other. First of all, I’ve seen books that include playlists that go along with what the book is about. But this is the first time, in my reading journey that I see that the playlist isn’t shown at first and it’s placed at the end of the book. And that there are snippets of a song lyric in each chapter with a thought or two from Cat. I freaking love that kind of aspect in a book!! It really made Cat’s inner thoughts come to life, especially with lyrics to convey what she is thinking. That is one of my top favorite aspects of the book and that made me love this book indefinitely. It has become one of my top favorite books that I have ever read!!

This story is about Cat and Ash, two very different people who can’t stand each other. I mean they absolutely hate each other and can’t stand being in each other’s presence. But you know how the saying goes, “there’s a fine line between hate and love” and they are the epitome of this!!!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I absolutely fell in love with Ash 😍 Cat’s independence and head strong personality is exactly what Ash needs in his life. Someone who isn’t gonna drool all over him and be submissive instantly. Cat is such a strong fmc and I love how creative she is and Natalie Mar knocked it out of the park with the character development of Ash and Cat 🙂‍↕️

Rating: 10000/5
Steamy scenes: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[Ls Facunda]

100 desafíos fue una lectura muy distinta a mis lecturas habituales. Desde las primeras páginas, la historia te sumerge en una carga emocional intensa que solo crece a medida que conoces mejor a sus protagonistas.

Con Ash pude empatizar casi sin esfuerzo: su frialdad es solo la coraza que esconde un dolor profundo, y comprender su historia me ayudó a entender por qué es como es. Tiene motivos reales, difíciles, que explican su manera de actuar y que, sin querer, terminé justificando.

Con Cat, en cambio, me costó más conectar. Pese a que la autora nos deja ver sus miedos, traumas y lo que la llevó a ser tan reservada, su dificultad para abrirse complicó muchas escenas que tal vez podrían haberse resuelto antes. Eso sí, es una protagonista decidida que prefiere resolver sola sus problemas, y eso también es parte de su esencia.
Entre ellos la química es innegable. Los desafíos sexuales que plantean son solo la parte visible de una historia mucho más profunda, que habla del peso del pasado, de las heridas que cuesta reconocer y de lo difícil que es atreverse a amar sin condiciones.

En definitiva, es una novela que no busca idealizar el romance, sino que presenta a dos personajes imperfectos, humanos y llenos de matices, con virtudes  y defectos a su haber. Si te gustan las historias que combinan drama, dolor y amor sin adornos, creo que vas a disfrutar mucho este viaje.

Y si eres de los que disfruta las lecturas de romances oscuros te aseguro que lo vas a amar.

¿Te animas a leerla? 💜 @facu_de_jatar

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

We love a 5 star read, it's always a pleasure to start a review with 5 stars! So let's dive in:

Description of the book: Join Cat and Ash in this dark, absorbing journey full of discovery, challenge, and emotions as they dive into a hundred experiences in bed and have to confront a hundred demons in their lives.
Will they be able to get out of this tangled mess unscathed, or will they end up drowned by their own secrets and lies?

I went into this ARC read completely blind, as it was my first one I read about Natalie's journey of writing the book but didn't read the description. I'm so thankful for that because I was immediately pulled into the intense and complicated relationship between Cat and Ash. What started as pure hatred between them took a strong and troubled path into unknown waters.

This book tackles a lot of issues around our awareness of self. Our characters go on a journey where they discover that letting go and giving yourself to the good moments is what shapes us. They learn that fighting for themselves will suddenly become much less important than holding on to eachother. Plus we get a little "who did this to you" and who doesn't melt for that 🫠

Book 1 came into my life unexpectedly but I'll be desperately waiting for book 2! For anyone who enjoys dark romance and enjoys experiencing new spice with the characters this book is for you! Get pre-ordering because this book is ready to spice up your kindle.

[Ciera (Bookedinperpetuity) · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I’m obsessed with Cat & Ash. And second, I need book 2 STAT. That cliffhanger?! I need answers, Natalie!!

Caterina Wilder is doing everything she can to outrun a dark past that’s about to catch up with her. As head of the women’s section at The Daily Post, she’s determined to land a lead writer position at Inspire, the country’s most powerful media conglomerate (aka the crown jewel of Hertford Group). To make it happen, she agrees to an impossible task—mentoring the CEO’s reckless, good-for-nothing younger brother and helping him develop a business strategy for Inspire.

Enter Ashton Hertford: heir to the Hertford empire, ultimate bad boy, and a man with a serious vendetta. He’s not interested in saving the company—he wants to burn it to the ground while uncovering the truth about his brother’s death and his family’s twisted secrets.

Cat and Ash have this wild push-and-pull dynamic—one minute, they can’t stand each other, and the next, the tension is off the charts. And when you throw in the Hundred Challenges? — it turns the heat all the way up.

A Hundred Challenges is so much more than a steamy office romance. It’s layered with secrets, revenge, and high stakes, making Cat and Ash’s tangled relationship dangerously addictive. Between their undeniable chemistry and the chaos surrounding them, this book is a ride—and I am absolutely here for it!

[Anays Saldías · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️‍🔥 A ver, cómo empiezo estoooooo… ¡AMÉ, AMÉ, AMÉ demasiado esta historia! No saben cuánto la disfruté. Es mi primera vez leyendo a Nat y sé que no será la última. Ha pasado más de una semana y sigo pensando en ellos.

💯 La tensión que se siente en los primeros capítulos es tan magnífica que, mientras leía, llegué a sentirme nerviosa, si bien el libro es un dark romance, por un momento pensé que iba a enfocarse más en los desafíos sexuales, pero noooooo, tremenda sorpresa me llevé.

❤️‍🔥 La historia está llena de tensión, misterio, spicy, romance (amo a Ash coladito por Cat) y tiene unos plot twists QUE JAMÁS VI VENIR. Tiene venganza, un poco de reconciliación (ambos con su pasado)… ¡lo tiene todoooo!

💯 Trataré de hablar más que nada de lo que me hizo sentir, más que de la trama en sí. Nat tiene una forma de narrar tan, pero tan bonita, que muchas escenas hicieron que mi corazoncito doliera, como la del concierto o cuando Ash descubre el pasado de Cat.

❤️‍🔥 Hacía tiempo que no me emocionaba tanto con un libro. Lloré, reí, amé, pasé rabia y me sorprendí con cada misterio que salía y con el romance que iba naciendo entre ambos. Muchas veces, leyendo lo que sentía Cat, pensaba en vivencias propias y empatizaba muchísimo con ella.

💯 Ya NECESITO que Nat saque el segundo libro porque… ¡¿CÓMO NOS DEJAS CON ESE FINAL, CHICA, POR DIOSSSSSSS?! No me lo esperaba para nada. 😂

❤️‍🔥 También quiero agradecer a Nat por dejarme fangirlear con ella mientras avanzaba en la lectura. Sin duda, necesito este libro en físico para marcar todo lo que subrayé en el Kindle.

💯 Terminé con el corazón calentito, con muchas canciones nuevas en mi playlist y con ganas de seguir leyendo a Natalie. Sin duda, este libro se ha vuelto mi favorito de este 2025. ❤️‍🔥

Gracias Nat por recordarme por qué amo tanto leer🥹❤️‍🩹✨

[Mikala Bravo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Add this to your TBR as soon as you can on the 21st! This book took me one day to read. 24 hours. I couldn't put it down.

I am usually a Romantasy girly. Regular romance is usually boring to me, but THIS! Oh. My. GOSH!!!

Cat just wants to be a journalist. That's it. A somewhat easy dream. Until it all comes crashing down and her new job is babysitting the brother of her boss, whose family owns the biggest print media resource in the world. It's fine. She can do this, right?

Enter Ash. He cares for no one but himself and has taken a special hatred to the babysitter that his brother has appointed to him. After 6 months of dealing with her, no fun hard-ass, he is now the big boss, and he can finally get his revenge.

You don't want to miss his idea to raise their reader numbers. The Hundred Challenges. If you want to keep your job, you have to do a piece about all these different ways you can have a good time. Too risqué for poor Cat? Hmm, you will definitely see!!!

This dark romance has dual POVs, nicknames, mystery, hate to love, secret romance, and is totally black cat x bad boy!

Do yourself a favor and give it a read!

[Miss Mona · Rating 5 out of 5]

"it doesn't count as hell, if you like how it burns"😈

Let me tell you about how I devoured The Hundred Challenges! It’s the kind of book that grabs you by the collar from page one and never lets go. No fluff, no unnecessary details—just pure, straight-to-the-point storytelling that keeps you hooked. My first thought was corporate Cosmo meets The Devil Wears Prada, but with a razor-sharp edge and the twists you'd never suspect!

The main character - a book girlie herself, which makes this an instant win. The writing is clean, modern and so immersive that you forget time exists. Suspense? Check. Intrigue? Double check. The bruised-and-broken trope we all secretly (or not-so-secretly) adore? Oh, Natalie Mar delivers! And the romance? Chef’s kiss. The spicy scenes are written with finesse—nothing cringe, nothing overdone, just impeccable pacing and intensity.

If you love thrillers that waste zero time, characters that pull you in, and a plot that keeps you flipping pages like your life depends on it, The 100 Challenges is your next read. Book girlies, prepare to scream!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

I liked the art throughout the book and the little journal like entries.

I liked Cat and wanted to keep reading and learn more about her. Is she the nicest person out there? No, but she was real and I personally like that better in a main character. I liked the secondary character Serafina, she was a sweet person. From the first interactions with Serafina, I was hoping that as the book went on, the two women would forge a real friendship.

I probably shouldn't find Ashton Hertford to be so entertaining and intriguing because what does that say about me? But I do. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️ He's so annoyingly smug in the first scenes with him, okay pretty much all of his scenes lol He's a complicated character and his obsession with Cat is kinda funny to me, it's such a perfect he falls first but doesn't realize it.

I want to know who Fox is. I have my suspicions but no answer.

And Dominic? Ugh, I could not stand that man, but he redeemed himself pretty well.

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