Dark Dare

Dark #1

by A.L. Maruga

When my opportunity arises to enact revenge against the nightmare that took my best friend and everything I loved from me, you bet I take it. Consequences be damned.

Fire will rain down on my new stepbrother and his two best friends. They can't escape the fallout of my rage; it's intertwined like poison, destroying everything it touches. They thought I’d be an easy target to break. That they’d bring me to my knees like all the girls who came before me. They have no idea what I’m capable of. They aren't the only psychos roaming around Soule University.

Mayhem thinks they control everyone, but the sun's about to go down on their reign.
They have secrets that could destroy them, and I mean to use them. Those with all the power and privilege have the most to lose. I'm going to make sure they lose it all before I'm done.

The wolves are closing in on me, but where 𝑪𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔, 𝑹𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑫𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒏 thought they'd feast on easy prey, I have a surprise for them.

My name is 𝓞𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓢𝓹𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓱𝓲𝓵𝓵, and I'm not afraid of Mayhem.

Dark Dare is a dark stepbrother, college, bully, enemies to lovers why choose romance with a MMA twist. This is the first book in the series and will end on a cliffhanger.

Genres: Dark Romance, Why Choose, Enemies To Lovers, Erotica, Dark, Sports, Contemporary

402 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 22, 2026

Reviews

[ALVI R · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Dark Dare is a dark college bully romance set at Soule University, centered on Olivia “Olly” Springhill, who arrives on campus with revenge in mind after a traumatic past. She’s fierce, calculating, and refuses to be prey. When she crosses paths with the Mayhem crew—Cross, River, Damon, and Sim—the untouchable princes of the school who rule through fear and power, sparks and chaos ignite instantly.

The guys are morally gray, cruel, dominant, and completely unhinged in their own ways. Cross is explosive and controlling, Damon is dangerously unstable, River is the most level-headed but still ruthless, and Sim is obsessive and protective with his own dominant edge. They’re used to breaking people, but Olly refuses to bow. Watching her stand up to them—especially when no one else would—was incredibly satisfying. The tension between love and hate, cruelty and protectiveness, had me constantly shifting between wanting to scream at them and wanting to hug them.

The story leans heavily into enemies-to-lovers tension, revenge, power plays, and a why-choose dynamic that feels earned. It’s dark, emotionally charged, and not for everyone—definitely check trigger warnings—but if you enjoy brutal tension, high heat, morally gray characters, and a strong FMC who gives as good as she gets, this delivers in every way. The cliffhanger is brutal, leaving you desperate—and slightly unwell—waiting for book two.

[Emma Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

⛥ 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐲 ⛥

𝘙𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘑𝘢𝘯 22𝘯𝘥

"ɪᴛ's ᴛʀᴜᴇ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ sᴀʏ: ᴡʜᴇɴ sᴇᴇᴋɪɴɢ ʀᴇᴠᴇɴɢᴇ, ᴅɪɢ ᴛᴡᴏ ɢʀᴀᴠᴇs."

"𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆'𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒇𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒖𝒏, 𝒖𝒏𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔. 𝒀𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒘."

"𝗢𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻, 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱. 𝗜𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀; 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻."

ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛ
🩷 ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴄᴏʟʟᴇɢᴇ ʙᴜʟʟʏ
🩸 sᴛᴇᴘʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ
🩷ᴍᴀsᴋᴇᴅ ᴍᴇɴ
🩸 sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ғᴍᴄ
🩷 ʀᴇᴠᴇɴɢᴇ/ᴠᴇɴɢᴇᴀɴᴄᴇ
🩸 ᴍᴍᴀ
🩷 ᴘʀɪᴍᴀʟ ᴘʟᴀʏ
🩸 sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛs, ʟɪᴇs & ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ
🩷 ᴡʜʏ ᴄʜᴏᴏsᴇ ᴍᴍᴍғᴍ
🩸 ᴇɴᴇᴍɪᴇs ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀs

“ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ɪs ᴡᴀɪᴛɪɴɢ ᴀʜᴇᴀᴅ ᴏғ ᴍᴇ; ɪᴛ's ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ᴇᴀʀ, sᴀᴠᴏʀɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀsᴇ.

"𝚈𝚘𝚞'𝚛𝚎 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚏𝚞𝚗. 𝚆𝚎𝚕𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚖𝚎, 𝚜𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛."

5✨
MY JAW IS ON THE GROUND. first of all, i need the next book like air because THIS CLIFFHANGER IS NO JOKE. Dark Dare had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. like i couldn’t put it down or look away. i kept checking the percentage because i didn’t know how it was going to end. and oh man it did not disappoint. i did not see that plot twist coming. not by a LONG shot. There were moments i hated the boys and then the next moment i loved them. they were little shits and then i just wanted to hug them the next minute. Olly is FIERCE. she takes ZERO of their shit and reigns hell on them right back… i’m so ready, yet full of anxiety to see what comes next because DAMNT i’m still processing that plot twist. i 10000% recommend this book to anyone and everyone. thank you so much for this ARC. i loved it.

[gena_bookish_reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried okay? I read 12 chapters.. the writing is just cringe and the dialogues had me like 🥴🥴

[♛ Garima ♛]

Have you ever picked up a book without even glancing at the blurb—purely because it looked so ridiculously gorgeous, all bold blacks and splashes of colour, practically begging to come home with you? 😄I have - this

'Never judge the book by its cover' - yeah, right!

[Cane (FeelinNoCane)]

5⭐️ Gimme a bada$$ FMC anyday and I'll be happy but when you toss in a good why choose 😜 chef's kiss. A.L Maruga's writing style has her on my auto buy list for a reason. I was sat from the first few chapters and stayed that way until the end. It does end in a cliffhanger but book 2 Dark Reckoning is out later this year and I'm going to be all over it. Add this to your TBR

[ashlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨𝙰𝚁𝙲 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆✨

𝚃𝚒𝚝𝚕𝚎: 𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚎
𝙰𝚁𝙲 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝙱𝚢: 𝙰. 𝙻. 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚞𝚐𝚊
𝚁𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚝𝚎: 01|22|2026
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: 𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚁𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎
𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (𝙷𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚗 𝚙𝚕𝚘𝚝)
𝙼𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜: 𝚂𝚒𝚖, 𝙾𝚕𝚕𝚢, 𝙲𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚜, 𝚁𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛, 𝙳𝚊𝚖𝚘𝚗
𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚃𝚢𝚙𝚎: 𝚂𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜
𝙼𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚃𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚜: 𝚆𝚑𝚢 𝙲𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚜𝚎, 𝙴𝚗𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜

𝙰𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚊𝚒𝚍 “𝚐𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚑” 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚔𝚎𝚙𝚝 𝚜𝚌𝚛𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚒𝚜 𝚍𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚍𝚊𝚢𝚜? 🤣

𝙸𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝙰. 𝙻. 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚞𝚐𝚊, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚞𝚗𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚌𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚛 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚘𝚘𝚗.

𝙾𝚞𝚛 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕 𝙾𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚝’𝚜 𝚊𝚖𝚊𝚣𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚐𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚞𝚙 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚍𝚛𝚞𝚐𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚐. 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚐𝚘𝚝 4 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝙼𝙼𝙲’𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝙾𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔 𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚓𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚊𝚍 𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚍𝚘.

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚖𝚊𝚣𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸’𝚖 𝚎𝚡𝚌𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚘𝚞𝚝. 𝙸 𝚑𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚕𝚢 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝙳𝙰𝙼𝙽 𝚍𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛.

✨ 𝚃 𝚛 𝚘 𝚙 𝚎 𝚜 + 𝚃 𝚛 𝚒 𝚐 𝚐 𝚎 𝚛 𝚜 ✨
𝚃𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚘 | 𝚂𝚝𝚎𝚙𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛
𝙼𝙵𝙼𝙼𝙼 | 𝚆𝚑𝚢 𝙲𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚜𝚎
𝙴𝚗𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜
𝙷𝚎 𝙵𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚜 𝙵𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝
𝙼𝙼𝙰
𝚃𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝙷𝚎𝚛 & 𝙳𝚒𝚎
𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚡𝚒𝚖𝚒𝚝𝚢
𝙱𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝙵𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐
𝚂𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝙵𝙼𝙲

[Shannon McBride · Rating 3 out of 5]

unhinged

This is Definitely a dark depraved romance. There where times throughout the book that I thought certain sayings were overly used. It's like ok we get it, you want to shove your bits down her throat. Olly is def a bada** fmc and I loved how strong she is given what she's been through and the bs she has to still deal with.
I honestly do not care for Damon at all, just nothing about this character I care for and I'm hoping that changes and he gets control over these dark shadows. I found myself skimming through a lot of his POV.
I really wish there was more to their back story explained.
Like why were 16yr olds at a college party in the first place. What happened to River's parents, what happened to Cross's mom.
I absolutely loved Sim and I definitely want to know more about him

[Erin Ellison · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You're going to be a lot of fun. Welcome home, sister."

Olly- out for revenge. She is FIERCE and slightly unhinged herself.

Cross- Olly's new step brother. Him and his two best friends Damon and River are the mayham crew. Talk about morally black. Some are more psycho then others. I liked the dynamic and balance between them.

And then there's Sim- he was a nice addition into the mix of chaos! Him and Olly had me just 🥵😍😍 the nicknames!!!!!

Honestly, I loved this book. Literally bought it going in blind because my friend said hey look at this gorgeous book read this with me. 😂 And oh my gosh. Loved every second of it. Morally black/grey characters all mixed together. So unhinged, psychotic, and ruthless. Olly is just a badass FMC. This is depraved and hooked me early. It also wasn't predictable which was a huge bonus. A lot of times I wasnt sure which direction the book was going to go. So I personally thought it was well written and well executed.

This whole thing gave me emotional whiplash. At certain parts I hated certain people and then at other parts it's like yea, I get it, others I was going awww and kicking my feet. I was just all over the place and love it when a book does that to me!

I loved that all the main characters stayed authentic throughout. There were def a couple times where I was concerned when it came to a direction the plot could go and I'm just happy it played out the way it did. I'm not a fan of morally black characters being head over heels in love in a quick manner. That definitely didn't happen here 🙌 they started unhinged and stayed unhinged 🫣

The ending? Threw the book across the room! YEET. Definitely left me yearning and need the next one like today. Overall highly recommend. Check the triggers there's a ton.

✔️Dark College bully
✔️Stepbrother
✔️Why choose
✔️Masked men
✔️Strong FMC
✔️Revenge/ vengeance
✔️MMA
✔️Secrets, lies, mystery
✔️Enemies to lovers
✔️Morally black characters

[crysreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was truly unhinged. These mmcs are insane - which I loved. Its spicy, I loved the MMM aspect of the boys relationships and the fmc? SHE WAS A BADDIE. Olly was truly stabby, fierce and so fiery. The bullying was so good, the primal play? YUM. This had all the ingredients and tropes of what I like. Damon omg…he was the star. I LOVE HIM. He is broken, deranged and def needs to get well but like, I loved his POVs and his inner dialogues. He made this book way more interesting.

With that said, I think some of the dialogue and events were a tad forced & repetitive. For one, I think I read “all your holes” about 1000 times. Dont get me wrong, I love it - but it was overused. The dialogue felt awkward at times - like just unhinged just to be unhinged. The plot didnt go off until like the last 10% and although I love a relationship/character heavy story, I wish we got more plot and more about her revenge arc.

Also…did I miss the swords actually crossing? I needed more!! I feel like I was edged the entire time. The MMM dynamics were SO HOT - one of my fave things about this book.

The cliffy is brutal and the twist was a lil predictable but Id read the next one!

[Yellowwolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Purrr

Okay so my first thoughts are "what the hell did I just read" and " how could you do this to me" Also can I be called unhinged princess? The FMC is my favorite type of girl. Strong, stubborn, smart, a baddie in all its glory. She is by far most bad@ss FMC to date. The way she handled things, her determination. Im silently begging for all these men to kneel!
Now i usually favorite the most unhinged man in the book but Sim has won me! I don't know if its because I highlighted everything he said while blushing and giggling to my self or if its because of his name and the way he purred. He got me nonetheless.
Cross, River, and damon...hot damn they are all a beautiful mess. The obsession, the warfare, the internal battles they have, with themselves, with eachother( hot ), with olly was consuming.
Damon is obviously the most unhinged man and his actions and thoughts alone had me starring at the wall thinking wtf.( please check your triggers if you have any.)
My heart was beating out of my chest throughout this whole book and i can now say I know all about dark dare. But be warned it leaves off on a massive cliffhanger!

[Sylena Douville · Rating 5 out of 5]

“He's furious that a pretty, pocket-sized sprite beat him, and it grates on him.”

4.5/5 - Rounded

HO-LEE-SHIT this was a buddy read and it was hard to find safe places to stop there is so much happening!!!

3/4 MMCS are unredeemable, unhinged sociopaths but fuck I can feel the emotion the FMC brings out in them.

Olly has to be one of my most favourite FMCS right up there with Roxy from Den of Vipers and Mikayla from Killing Darkness

She’s a badass, take no shit, I will knock your fckn lights out little ball of fury and I sooooo hope when she gets out of her predicament she manages to still knock Cross, River, and Damon on there asses and takes control over those boys because I do want to see her unhinged leader era

And can we talk about Sim?! That man 😮‍💨 where can I buy me one ? Legit made my friends pick this up
To read cause 💋 chefs kiss!

[Hayley Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark Dare had me on the edge of my seat the whole book. I could not put this book down even if I tried I was hooked and held in a chokehold.

I literally didn't see the plot twist coming.

I hated the boys in one breath and loved them in the next, they had 3 different personalitys and each made me swoon seperately

I loved sim he was my favourite he was protective and possessive instantly... He can call me lavender 😍😍

This book is a dark romance story with intense feelings and drama. The mood is dark which fits well with the book.
Please check your triggers as covers alot of topics

I loved the characters and plot throughout the book

This book has some spice but the spice it did have was hot hot.
I went into the book knowing it ended on a cliffhanger but I certainly wasn't prepared for the ending
I need book 2 pretty please now.

Thankyou for allowing me to be an arc reader for this amazing book

This is my honest review

[Eli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from the Author

5 ⭐️

#Stepbrother        #Touch Her & Unalive
#Primal                 #MFMMM
#Bully                    #Forced Proximity

The first thing I have to say about this book is that it’s a 10-star Why Choose.
I absolutely loved it from beginning to end. It’s incredible.

I strongly recommend reading the trigger warnings and keeping in mind that this is not a book for everyone, as it doesn’t feature conventional, soft-hearted protagonists, they are twisted, brutal and dangerous. This is an enemies-to-lovers story filled with bullying, revenge, psychopaths, a lot of spice, and a strong female main character.

It ends on a cligghanger  (🥲 can't wait for book 2)

[Kellie]

This is the most corniest, ridiculous shit I’ve read in a while. A teenager wrote this and you can’t convince me otherwise.

[Jasmine Bradley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wished I loved this book i got this as an arc and have been putting off this review for a hot second. I want to start with ive read other books by this author and loved them. The writing in this book is great I love what I read of olly she is badass will take no one's shit and isn't afraid to throw hands to put anyone in there place with that being said i felt like i couldn't connect with the book... like it has everything I love its dark, RH, bully, enemies to lovers but I just 1. Kept getting the ick with the IMO excessive mentions of them wanting to shove their d*ck down her throat 😭 and 2. For whatever reason I could not get past the court yard scene when olly sees them without the masks for the first time. And yes im aware these guys are morally black and not very redeemable i just couldn't get over it. I would still recommend this book A.L. is a fantastic author and I know people will enjoy this i just didn't click with.

[Lemon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot: 3.5/5 • Spice: 4/5 ———-> Apparently I didn’t like this as much as everyone else did. 👀👀 Are the men unhinged? Absolutely. Is the FMC a bad ass? Also, Yes. Is it steamy? It has its moments.


But I felt like we were running in circles. “She’s a whore” “she’s a slut” “we want her” “she’s ours”…blah blah blah. I felt like we were running in circles for a while.


I like that Olivia can stand on her own two feet and doesn’t really back down for anything. We love a badass FMC. ZERO slut shaming here.


Sim is great, but his insta-love infatuation is kind of a downgrade. But like the rest of them are insta-love too. Her? she doesn’t necessarily want to join them, but she secretly likes them.


Again, I really got into the last 10 pages. Full throttle. So when book 2 comes out I guess i’ll jump back in.

[addictedtodarkromance · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book!!! It was so deliciously good with MMCs who have thrown all their morals out the window!! It'll have you smiling, enraged, surprised and in need of a fan to cool down from all the heat! If you're good with the TW's, then I def recommend (book 2 is currently being written as of Jan 2026).

Olly (Olivia) and her best friend, Cheyenne, went through a very traumatic experience together, but sadly, her friend never recovered and is now gone. Olly feels like she needs to get revenge on the one who hurt them which is why she attends Soule University. It's here that she meets Cross, River and Damon, the Mayhem crew. They run the school, are untouchable, and are feared by all, including staff and security (meaning they can do whatever they want). Their fathers own the town, and all the people within it and the Mayhem crew are the princes who will one day take over.

Omg, the first day Olly (and we) meet the guys 😡... she instantly finds out what kind of people they are. They're cruel, callous, cocky, and sadistically demanding. These MMCs get off on humiliating and degrading people (not in a good way), especially those who are new to the school. They are surprised and intrigued by Olly when she stands up to them while they are traumatizing a poor freshman girl. No one else would dare step in, but she's not afraid of them in the least. She's trying to complete her mission of revenge, but now has to deal with the guys and all the ways they try to 'put her in her place'. They are on a mission to make her submit and are frustrated that she can meet them at their games. All of them seem to have a love/hate view of her; they love that she doesn't back down easily, but it also drives them crazy that she can do that. I felt so much satisfaction that she didn't just give in when they treated her horribly.

Cross - He is the leader and step-brother of Olly. Cross's father married Olly's mom recently, and he is even worse than his son. Cross borders between being in control of his emotions and being a bomb ready to explode.

Damon - He is unhinged. Damon struggles with his mental health, and we learn about his inner struggles. They can cause him to lose touch with reality sometimes. Cross tries to keep Damon under control as much as possible, as he's known to go too far (also, they will send him in when they need someone like that, the enforcer, punisher, executor).

River - He seems to be the most level-headed of the guys and does not want to hurt Olly permanently, but is still just as mean as the rest of the crew.

Sim - MMA Fighter - sweeter, but still very dominant. Not one of the original Mayhem crew. He is protective of Olly and has an intense obsession with her.

Olly - She is an MMA fighter who is sassy, strong, confident and fiercely independent. Olly is only a danger to others in her own way, as she won't go out of her way to hurt anyone unless provoked. I'm not usually a fan of books with a FMC who leans towards a strong alpha, but this one worked, and I was cheering her on (in the bedroom, she is more Beta!!). The MMCs don't lose any of their 'alphaness' at all, but she can give as good (or better) than she gets; she doesn't care what others think of her and won't let anyone get in her way.

This does end on a cliffhanger, and I hope the second book comes out soon!!
 
Overall: 4.5 out of 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice/Heat: 3 out of 5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Main Characters: Cross, River, Damon, Sim & Olly (Olivia)
Nickname: Lots!
Darkness: 5 out of 5 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 (Non-Con/Themes)
Type of book: MMMMF, RH/Why Choose, Multiple 1st Person POV
Reading Order: Books need to be read in order - Duet
Title: Soule University Duet - Dark Dare: Book 1
Ending Type: Cliffhanger
 
 
🖤OTT Possessive, dominant, and protective MMCs
🩷Dark College Bully Romance
🖤Enemies to Lovers
🩷Masked Men
🖤Huge TW List
🩷Step-Brother
🖤Strong FMC
🩷Revenge
🖤MMA
🩷Mental Health
🖤🍇
🩷Violence/Gore/Torture
🖤RH/Why Choose
🩷Drugging (without consent)
🖤Forced Proximity
🩷SA - some detailed
🖤Forced Proximity
🩷MMCs are intimate with each other
🖤Touch her and be Unalived
🩷Non-con Primal 'Play'
 
🛑⚠️ This book has very dark themes; there are descriptive parts that may be extremely offensive or triggering to some. Please check all the authors' TW/CW before reading! 18+ ⚠️🛑
 
*I received an early copy of this book & am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Brita Mackay · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Olivia’s opportunity arises to enact revenge against the nightmare that took her best friend and everything, she loved from her, you bet she takes it. Consequences be damned.

Fire will rain down on her new stepbrother and his two best friends. They can't escape the fallout of her rage; it's intertwined like poison, destroying everything it touches. They thought she’d be an easy target to break. That they’d bring her to her knees like all the girls who came before her. They have no idea what she’s capable of. They aren't the only psychos roaming around Soule University.

Mayhem thinks they control everyone, but the sun's about to go down on their reign.

They have secrets that could destroy them, and Ollie means to use them. Those with all the power and privilege have the most to lose. She’s going to make sure they lose it all before she’s done.

The wolves are closing in on Ollie, but where Cross, River, and Damon thought they'd feast on easy prey, she has a surprise for them.

Her name is 𝓞𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓢𝓹𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓱𝓲𝓵𝓵, and she’s not afraid of Mayhem.

Dark Dare is a dark stepbrother, college, bully, enemies to lovers why choose romance with a MMA twist. This is the first book in the series and will end on a cliffhanger.

YOU'RE MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS!!! Please read and pay close attention to the trigger warnings at the beginning of this book. There is some content and scenes in this book that are not suitable for all readers and could be triggering for others. Always remember that your mental health comes first at all times.

Tropes: OTT Possessive, Dominant, and Protective MMCs, Revenge, Mental Health, Violence/Gore/Torture, Drugging (without consent), Forced Proximity, SA - Some Detailed, MMCs are Intimate with Each Other, Touch her and be Unalived, Dark College Bully, Stepbrother, Masked Men, Strong FMC, Revenge/Vengeance, MMA, Primal, Secrets, Lies, & Mystery, Why Choose – MMMMFM, Enemies to Lovers.

Dark Dare is the 1st book in The Dark Duet by A.L. Maruga.

I’ll be honest, I’d never read anything by A.L. Maruga till I read her Casbury Prep Series. And honestly, I fell in love with her writing with that series and as she’s a fellow Canadian, she earned a special place in my heart, even if she is from the East Coast where I am from the West Coast.

I knew as soon as I opened this book that Dark Dare was going to blow Casbury Prep out of the water and wow, if I thought I enjoyed the Casbury Prep series, then I can’t describe how much I enjoyed Dark Dare. This book defied all my expectations.

This book not only had me enthralled the entire time I was reading, it kept me on the edge of my seat. In fact, I meant to just read a few chapters one morning while having my coffee and the next thing I knew it was evening and I was reading the last page. I just couldn’t put it down except to go to the washroom or step outside for a few minutes. This book would not let me go. It didn’t disappoint in any way what so ever and that plot twist, man, that’s one I didn’t see coming at all.

I found that there were so many moments that I wanted to jump into the book and scream at the boys I was just so mad at them and hated them so much. And then suddenly the next second I would blink and suddenly I realized I actually loved them, even though they were these little shits I just wanted to hug them and make them feel loved.

Olivia is so fierce and strong, she’s not willing to take any of Cross, River, Damon, and Sim’s shit and she gives them just as much hell as they try and reign down on her. While I am so ready for the 2nd half of this duet but at the same time, I am so full of anxiety for what Olivia, Cross, River, Damon, Sim are going to do to each other. And besides that, I am still trying to process that incredible plot twist that I never saw coming.

I have to say that there is no % that is high enough to show how highly I recommend this book. I will scream about this book from roof tops if I have to. I just loved it so much.

Let me tell you, the cliffhanger this book ends on is a killer.

A Few Of My Favorite Quotes Are:

"She's currently staring daggers at us, and it's making me all warm and tingly on the inside," Damon chuckles

“It’s true what they say: when seeking revenge, dig two graves.”

“There nowhere left to run, unhinged princess. You’re ours now.”

“Once bitten, twice shy is what pops in my head. It never hurts to be cautious; the world has taught me it’s not a safe place for women.”

“Death is waiting ahead of me, it’s breathing in my ear, savoring the chase.”

“You’re going to be a lot of fun. Welcome home, sister.”

[A. Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is very brutal bully, college, and dark romance that also contains MMA fighters. There are so many triggering things that happen in this book. Readers need to decide for themselves can they handle this book.

Olivia, AKA Olly, is new to Soule, Massachusetts and attending Soule University. Everything that happens is because Olly's mother remarried the leader of Mayhem MC. Olly gains a stepbrother Cross, and his 2 deranged best friends River and Damon. Cross is the self appointed leader. River is quiet, OCD, and the thinker. River's the least dangerous, it seems. Damon is well and truly psychotic. Sim is a male MMA fighter Olly meets. Something about Olly is like a magnet drawing all these men in. Olly is a little like a black widow, dangerous.

Olly doesn't ever want to be in a position where a man is controlling, manipulating, or taking what is not freely given. Cross, River, and Damon are hopeless assholes and spoiled little babies. Olly causes Cross, River; and Damon to break all their rules. These boys don't care about permission, they only want submission and ownership. Olly won't be owned. Olly has her own mission these boys know nothing about. Yes, I call them boys because they act worse than toddlers. Even toddlers know not to force people against their will.

AL Maruga killed me with the ending! It was a huge, huge, huge cliffhanger! The cliffhanger won't be figured out until the next book. I was well and truly annoyed with Cross, River, and Damon because they were so stupid and childish. I definitely don't condone any of the things Cross and his boys do. However, there were some scenes I expected much worse. At a point I was wondering if I could keep reading about Cross and crew just because they were so vile. It helped Olly was pretty reasonable and kicked major ass. Olly was no shrinking flower or doormat.

The scene I think about the most was the first sexual scene between Olly and Sim. There was a lot of talk about can Simba live up to his name in the bedroom and make Olly roar? Oh my, did Sim ever surpass expectations! I could use some character art to fully appreciate these characters. Sim is easily the best male character. I'm sure there's still a lot to uncover about all these characters.

"Olivia Springhill is a poison, for which I don't think there's an antidote, and I'm worried she'll take us all to the grave with her."

"You'll never be free of me, you just don't know it yet."

"If you don't want to die in these woods, surrender to me, to us, unhinged princess, and live as ours for as long as we allow you to continue to breathe."

Thank you to AL Maruga for providing me with an ARC.

[Tori Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

💙∂αяк ∂αяє ву α.ℓ. мαяυgα🩷

✨αναιℓαвℓє ησω✨
σя∂єя нєяє🔗👉🏻 https://a.co/d/cZfqb8n

💚αя¢ яєνιєω💙
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

I literally screamed at the ending of this book….there is a major cliffhanger that has me counting down the days until Dark Reckoning comes out! I ate up every single word in this book…I was hooked from chapter one and couldn’t put it down.

We Follow Olly who moves into her mother’s new husband’s mansion and is going to the college near by. She ends up being terrorized by three men at school (Cross, River and Damon), not knowing at first that Cross is her new stepbrother. These men are part of a gang called Mayhem and are used to women throwing themselves at them and cowering at their feet but Olly refuses to bend to their commands. She is strong, stabby and has her own agenda in this town. The men are absolutely unhinged and they don’t understand how Olly keeps rising to all their crazy attempts to subdue her. They become obsessed with her belonging to them. She meets a fourth man, Sim, while at fight night and they are immediately drawn to each other. Will Olly be able to keep away from the three men from Mayhem that are obsessed with owning her? Will Sim be able to protect Olly? Will Olly be able to complete the plan that brought her to this town? You’ll have to read to find out!

I absolutely loved every moment of this book! The relationships between all the characters were so good and the banter between them was so entertaining. The spice was so insanely hot between ALL of them…there was some MM as well! I’m honestly so excited for book two to get more relationship building between all of the characters.

Olly has a lot going on dealing with all the men in her life but she’s also got her own agenda and she’s not willing to compromise her plan. She is such a badass FMC who doesn’t go down without a fight! The men were all unhinged but different as well. Cross is a control freak who wants to control Olly and he’s holding himself back…I hope he’s pushed to let go in book 2. River is an absolute flirt and he is already plotting a future with Olly. Damon is the most unhinged, deranged and mentally unwell but I have a soft spot for him and he is absolutely obsessed with his unhinged princess. Lastly there’s Sim who is the only man that has been nothing but nice, completely on Olly’s side, OBSESSIVE and he’s determined to keep her!

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and I would recommend to anyone that loves dark romance but make sure to check the trigger warnings because it has some dark aspects to it!

[Rachel Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not entirely sure what I've just finished reading. There is unhinged and then there is Dark Dare unhinged. Good lord have mercy. I can't quite recall how I found out about this book or author but I saw the paperback promo on IG and let me just start by saying that the book cover and pages are stunning. So colorful and the graphic details inside are not something that I have seen in a book before. It's one of the most beautiful books that I have seen.

Now if you love Rina Kent's Legacy of Gods with masked, psychotic, deranged, unhinged and borderline devil like then this is the book for you. This book had me on edge from the very first chapter because WTF. This book pulls no punches and sugar coats nothing. Its dark & twisted. Exactly how I love my books and even made me question my own sanity by continuing to read this book 😂

So never going to think about Hide & Seek the same way ever again I can tell you that. This books trigger warnings ⚠️ well they have their own trigger warnings⚠️ Its chaos but in such a good way that it will make the devil on your shoulder blush with how dark this book goes.

You have Olly, the main FMC who is now living in Seoul with her mother and new stepfather who is just as deranged as his son, Cross. She is there for revenge for her best friend. Mayhem rules every street, every single person in Seoul, Massachusetts. If you don't fall in line then you disappear and they do NOT care about a single damn thing.

Dark Dare is a multiple POV book in the forms of Olly, Sim, Cross, Damon and River. Now all of them combined is like one big crazy house. None of them will back down from each other and Olly is not like all the other girls who will bow at Mayhem's feet and let them use her. She's got so much strength in her that it only infuriates the Mayhem boys.

I can't decide which one I love best. Damon or River. Cross has some work to do to get into that category. Damon and River are so damn unhinged that they are perfect. And that cliffhanger. WTF. If I knew it was going to end like that then I would have waited until the next book was out.

The only issue I had was that in the paperback I think I was missing part of a chapter in pages between 93-101. But I was still able to love the story so not really too big an issue for me. Really glad that I took a chance with this book and cannot wait for the next one. 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[MsRHReviewer]

I didn't used to mind these types of books, but I don't get quite as much enjoyment anymore. 

One of the first times the FMC meets the MMCs, it's when one of the guys is forcing a female student to give him a blow job in front of a crowd. If she refuses, she gets 'thrown to the wolves,' which seems to mean she gets to be passed around to multiple guys without a say. The FMC decides to jump in and demand he stop, and she's able to take down his two friends (the other two MMCs), but before she can make a move on the one with the student, he finishes in her mouth and the guys walk away. 

The guys are definitely not good guys, but the author makes that clear before the book even begins in the notes. They're a part of MAYHEM, which at the point I quit seems to be a gang of sorts. Two of the MMC's dad's are in charge of it. The guys want to take it over, but they don't have enough power or support yet. 

The FMC is a bad-ar$e, but she's on a mission. She wants to get revenge for her best friend, who we learn later on died by suicide. She and the FMC were both r@ped by a man who is now teaching at the college the FMC starts at, and she's there to make him pay. This part, I can definitely live with. 

I did decide to skip to the last few pages to see what direction the book took and to see if I wanted to keep reading it. I won't spoil any of it here, except for one small thing: The FMC doesn't really believe the guys would look for her if she were to disappear without saying goodbye, because she thinks that the moment the next "hot piece of a$$" walks by, they'll forget all about her, since they didn't seem to have anything serious (with the exception of one guy who wasn't a part of the three she first met). This tells me that they clearly didn't develop much of a relationship throughout the book, that it was mostly just shallow stuff. I'm sure that deep down, there's a bit more, but she isn't sure of that. 

Between the guys just using girls like they would kleenex at the beginning, and the fact that it sounds like it's mostly smut (but I could be wrong), I'm putting this book on the back burner for now. I only started reading it because of a special edition that was available for it at a book convention I was going to, and while I'm sure I'll come back to it one day, I'd rather read something with more plot, where the guys are more redeemable, for the time being. Something I'm more likely to buy at the convention versus something I'll just read on KU.

[Jessika S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ARC Review


I am genuinely not okay after this book. My jaw is on the floor, my brain is still buffering, and I need book two immediately. Dark Dare didn’t just hook me... It dragged me under and refused to let go.

From the very beginning, this story is tense, dark, and emotionally loaded. Olly Springhill is not a fragile FMC waiting to be broken; she is angry, calculating, and fully prepared to burn everything down in the name of revenge. She doesn’t flinch, she doesn’t fold, and watching her push back against the power dynamics at Soule University was beyond satisfying.

Cross, River, and Damon are chaos in human form. They’re dangerous, morally questionable, and completely unhinged in different ways, and somehow the dynamic between them works. One minute I hated them, the next I was painfully invested. They’re cruel, protective, possessive, and layered, and the shifting balance of control between them and Olly kept me glued to the page.

This book leans hard into dark college bully romance with enemies-to-lovers tension, revenge at the center, and a why choose dynamic that actually feels earned. The pacing is relentless. I was constantly checking how much time I had left because I knew something explosive was coming… and somehow I was still wildly unprepared for that ending.

The mood stays dark, the stakes keep rising, and the emotional intensity never lets up. There are secrets, power plays, manipulation, and moments that made me sit back and stare at the wall for a minute. This is not a soft or gentle story, and it absolutely won’t be for everyone, please read the trigger warnings; but if you like brutal tension, morally gray characters, and a strong FMC who refuses to be prey, this book delivers.

The cliffhanger is straight-up cruel, and I am both desperate and terrified to see what happens next.

Absolutely 5 stars.
Thank you so much to A.L. Margua for the ARC, this review is my honest opinion, and I will be impatiently waiting for book two. 🖤🔥

[Theresa Styles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check Content/Trigger Warnings

5/5 ⭐️ 5/5 🌶

HOLY FU€K NUGGETS these guys OMG I've never had a love hate relationship with the MMCs as I did with these boys as I did in this book EVEN THOUGH WE WERE WARNED BEFORE HAND THAT THEY ARE A—HOLES I still usually end up LOVING THE ALPHA-HOLE(S) but so FAR I'M STILL NOT A HUGE FAN OF STEP BRO CROSS that BOY is driving me insane LOL. LIKE MAKE UP YOUR DANG MIND CROSS either ya like her or ya hate her, but ya want her all to yourself, LIKE DUDE WTF we readers & your boys know ya like her so stop being a douche. Now River I'm in the middle with him cause he's been not as hateful & he's helped Olly (Olivia) understand them (the guys) better & what goes on around school and stuff and he was mostly a Lil nicer to Olly but of course don't take that as him being weak cause he is definitely not that as he was just a ruthless as the other two. Now we have Demon, I mean Damon that boy I dunno bout him yet as he's kinda the worst of the three but I feel bad for the guy because he was diagnosed with a health issue that doesn't help him and pretty much makes him as ruthless as he is so although I hate the things he does cause he like a walking nightmare he's one I want to cry for & scream why doesn't any help him. Now as for our FMC Olly (Olivia) she's definitely not a weak little mouse so these boys don't get to just straight up torture her SHE GIVES THEM A RUN FOR THEIR MONEY 🤣🤣 & I FU€KING LOVE THAT QUEEN, SHE IS A BADA$$ IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD. Then we also get a Extra spicy fun Play Toy for Ollie & OHHHH YEAH IT'S MY FAVORITE BUT IN ORDER TO FIND OUT WHAT OR SHOULD I MAYBE SAY WHO 😉 YOU’LL HAVE TO READ THIS AWESOME STORY TO FIND OUT but before she can have her HEA trouble finds her & snatches her from the boys who aren't happy and even though the give her a hard time they don't like when others touch what's theirs so after they can't find her they all set off together to find her but we'll have to FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IN BOOK TWO after we're left hanging on this cliffhanger.

[Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐ ARC Review 'Dark Dare' 

🖤 Dark Bully Romance 
🖤 Step-Brother
🖤 Masked Men 
🖤 Strong FMC 
🖤 Revenge/Vengeance 
🖤 MMA
🖤 Secrets/Mystery 
🖤 Spice 

I thoroughly enjoyed this dark bully romance. Cross, River & Damon, are extremely unhinged is an understatement. Privileged and corrupted MMC's who control and take anything and anyone in their power. Putting fear in where they live and the town they run. 

Our FMC Olly is such a fierce and strong character. Both physically and mentally with everything she has endured and currently facing. Her loyalty to her past friend, to seek ultimate revenge for her and herself. 

Sim, a man with dark secrets and a past, who will give up all he's fought for to protect her.

Olivia comes to learn Cross is not just deranged but also her new stepbrother. Soon to be her next three nightmares in her new reality. 

Cross and his two best friends see that Olly is not just any normal girl that they would usually bring to heel. They see the rage, fire and determination that they find beautifully captivating. They are the Mayhem, and will stop at nothing to have her. They want the fight in her for themselves.

We have very strong characters but we also see a slither of a softer side that Olly is without knowing she's doing, a change in our unhinged MMC'S emotional side. Feeling protective over her normally is not a side of themselves they feel for others. 

I enjoyed the different pov's in this read to get inside the deranged trio's minds, but at the same time it was a bit repetitive reading some previous parts again. There's a lot of spice, be it consensual or not, Please check your trigger warnings! I loved our bad ass FMC! Her ability to fend for herself, who won't back down.

I cannot wait for the book two as we are left on a huge cliffhanger. I really believe it will be an amazing read, to see this story through and get the secrets & answers we crave and who will make it out alive!

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, what can I say about this book? It had me hooked from the very start, and I couldn't put it down. This is a very dark romance; you have Mayhem, which consists of Olly's stepbrother, Cross, and his best friends, River and Damon. They and their families run the town. The three of them become obsessed with Olly; they want to dominate her, ruin her, make her submit, and maybe end her, if they feel like it. But Olly is only here to get one job done, a payback for her and her friend Cheyanne. She has trained and plotted her revenge, and nothing, no one, is going to stand in her way. But she meets Sim, a cage fighter, who gets under her skin, and she can't believe she lets her walls down and lets him in. Now she has four men obsessed with her. But Sim is not like the other three; he wants to protect her from those psychos.

The book is fast-paced, very dark, very morally black, not grey! But Olly is no wilting violet. She will fight with everything she has against Mayhem, but there is something about them that calls to her, even though she hates them. Cross, River, and Damon run the school and the town with an iron fist. Nobody goes unpunished if they go against them, but Olly, their little psycho, their hellstorm, and unhinged princess, has a pull they can't find a release from. She has them feeling things they never had before, wanting things they never thought they wanted. How has she got this frustrating hold on them?

But Olly knows that while getting revenge, she has to watch her back, because the law does not run Soule, but by the criminals with a long reach and deep pockets. Has her plotting put her in their crosshairs?

This book leaves us on a cliffhanger, and I can't believe how long I have to wait for the next in the series. I think I'll be going psycho waiting for the next instalment!!!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Medallio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy hell, no more cheese before bed! Dark Dare is high adrenaline that delivers enough twists that I was breathing hard (or was that because of Sim?).

Olivia Springhill is exactly as she is described in the blurb. She’s not afraid of Mayhem and she’s making them drink her poison. I loved her rage and how it manifests in violence because these guys deserve it. They are on a different level than morally grey.

Cross, River, and Damon are a part of Mayhem and they’re just the biggest misogynists that I have ever seen in a dark romance why-choose. They’re entitled brats that are given guns, and no rules. Since women throw themselves at them, they’re incredibly butt hurt when Olivia doesn’t because she’s got stuff to do. Since she hurt their pride and they can’t stop thinking about her, they decide to make her life hell while she’s living in their town.

The guys even mention that their pride is hurt so that’s why they’re lashing out! I was like okay, glad they’re able to self-reflect but then not actually change their actions. The one good thing in this story is Sim. I’ll just throw his name out there, and hope that entices you to read the story.

AL Maruga does a great job of building such a dark and seedy world where these men are able to kidnap a girl without any consequence. It definitely paves the way for the ending because I did and did not see that coming.

Please, please, please, read the trigger warnings before deciding to jump into this book! I have seen a few reviews already where the reader couldn’t finish because they were triggered. Know what you’re reading before you jump in. Maruga has a list of them on her website.

⭐⭐⭐⭐: Outstanding plot, really gripped me. Not a slow burn; threw me right into the spice that worked very well with the plot. Characters were described very well, especially their emotional turmoil.
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️: A lot of sex scenes and not a slow burn. The scenes were a great length with great description

[Sammie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to Soule—The "Big Cock Capital" of Dark Romance

I DARE YOU TO READ IT 😉

​Prepare for a descent into madness. I dare you to pick up this story if you want a college romance that feels like a beautiful, unhinged fever dream. It’s a brutal journey of vengeance set in a town where power is poison and the men are as dangerous as they are obsessed.

MMMFM / RH: Why settle for one when you can have all that lethal talent? The chemistry in this group is pure, primal fire. It’s dark, it’s messy, and the high-stakes tension between all five of them kept me on the edge of my seat

Cross, River, and Damon are the definition of 'he’s a 10 but he’s a literal psychopath.' I spent the entire book oscillating between pure rage and total obsession. You’ll want to ruin them and rescue them at the exact same time

Olivia is the nightmare they never saw coming. She’s fierce, resilient, and gives zero shits about their 'power.' Watching her flip the script on Cross, River, and Damon is incredibly satisfying—she’s a queen who takes no prisoners.
The MMA twist cranks the heat to a breaking point. It’s not just about the brutal fights in the ring; it’s the high-stakes physical tension and the dangerous, possessive energy that radiates off every page

​This story is a masterclass in vengeance and raw physical tension. Soule more than lives up to its reputation as the 'Big Cock Capital,' serving up a plot that’s just as hilarious as it is heavy. It’s a wild, 'hunted by the men you love to hate' ride that keeps you breathless until the very last second. Be warned: the cliffhanger is absolutely massive—you’ll be screaming for the sequel before you even close the book.

If you want a story where the "Red Flags" are just part of the decor, this is a must-read.

Spice : 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Thevillainousgrimoire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Power Games, Blood Debts, and No Safe Words.

This book did not romance me.
It threatened me.

Dark Dare is aggressive, unapologetic, and allergic to softness. The men are walking red flags wrapped in power, privilege, and masks. Olly Springhill doesn’t run from them, she matches their violence with intent. Every interaction feels like a dare someone is going to regret accepting.

The bully dynamic is cruel in a way that actually lands. Not performative. Not pretty. Just sharp, calculated pressure designed to break someone… until it doesn’t. Watching Olly flip the narrative from prey to problem was deeply satisfying and deeply unhinged.

The why choose tension is feral. No instant trust. No easy forgiveness. Just power games, psychological sparring, and desire that feels like it should come with a warning label. The masked men element makes everything feel dirtier. Heavier. Like you’re not supposed to be watching.

The MMA aspect brings real physicality. Pain is currency here. Control is earned in blood and sweat, not words. And the revenge plot? Deliciously vindictive. Secrets aren’t just dropped, they’re weaponized.

Then there’s that ending.

Not a cliffhanger.
A threat.

This book grabs you by the throat and leaves you there, fully aware there’s more coming and no way out.

Read this if you like:
🩸 FMCs who don’t beg
🩸 Men who are problems on purpose
🩸 Dark college bully romance that commits to the bit
🩸 Why choose dynamics that hurt so good
🩸 Stories that don’t care about your feelings

Dark Dare isn’t safe.
It isn’t sweet.
And it absolutely isn’t done with you yet.

You’ve been warned. 🩸🖤🔥

[Jessica Partin · Rating 5 out of 5]

🔥 DARK DARE by A.L. Maruga — REVIEW 🔥

This book didn’t just grab me… it dragged me into the shadows and refused to let go. DARK DARE is raw, intense, addictive, and unapologetically bold. Every chapter hits harder than the last and the tension? WHEW. Absolutely feral. 😮‍🔥

The characters are layered, dangerous, and emotionally gripping in the best way. You’ll be questioning your morals, clutching your Kindle, and whispering “one more chapter” at 2am (and lying to yourself about it). 🖤📖

You’ll want to be Olly. She’s the badass FMC you need in your life. She’s unapologetically herself and everyone and everything will burn until she gets what she came for. Cross, River, and Damon…woo wee what a trio. They are what delicious nightmares of made of! Can’t forget about mysterious Sim, one of the best characters A.L. Maruga has created. Ugh he will make you melt!

A.L. Maruga delivers dark energy done RIGHT — powerful writing, relentless pacing, and moments that live rent-free in your head. This is the kind of book that leaves you staring at the wall when it’s over like “what did I just experience???” 😵‍💫🔥

If you love:
⚡ Dark romance vibes
⚡ High tension
⚡ Emotionally intense reads
⚡ Characters with bite
⚡ Stories that don’t play it safe
…then this one needs to be at the top of your TBR. Period. 💣
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 — Would absolutely get emotionally wrecked again.

Now impatiently waiting for book 2… That cliff hanger was evil!

Please write quickly A.L. Maruga, I’m going to be an unhinged mess until I can get another fix of Olly, Sim, Cross, River, and Damon!
#DarkDare #ALMaruga #BookTokMadeMeReadIt #DarkReads #Obsessed #MustRead 🖤🔥